What’s In My Makeup Bag?

News flash: my skin isn’t as clear or young as it used to be. Thinking I needed a little help, I thought I’d give Peter Thomas Roth’s Anti-aging Buffing Beads a try. I like the fact that it isn’t as abrasive as some of the other buffing products I’ve used. The jojoba beads supposedly help to lift dirt and debris from skin pores, and melt away blackheads. I don’t know about that, but I do know after several weeks that my skin looks clearer and I haven’t had any breakouts.

It also contains glycolic and salicylic acids to smooth the skin and reduce the look of fine lines; and the aloe keeps it from drying my skin. I like that I can use just a little bit to cover my face and neck (at $36 a bottle at Sephora, that helps). I also appreciate the fact that it tones and prepares my skin to easily absorb moisturizer and sun block . This is a keeper, and I intend to continue using it morning and evening.

What’s in My Make-up Bag?

This time of year, my normally well-balanced skin takes a beating from the heat and humidity, and turns oily. My forehead, nose, and chin are shiny by early afternoon, and in need of a pick-me-up. That’s why I love Shiseido‘s Pureness Refreshing Cleaning Sheets.

These moisturized cotton wipes clean my skin with a few swipes. They are big enough to handle my face and neck (and feel great on the back of the neck, too), and are sturdy enough that they don’t tear while wiping. The sheets have a pleasant smell and do a thorough job refreshing and cleaning skin. And they are alcohol and oil free, so they don’t dry or put unneeded oil on your face.

Summer is my favorite time to use them, but they come in handy in my desk drawer at work year round when I’m going out for the evening and want to freshen up. And at $18 (from Sephora) for a good-sized pack, they don’t break the bank.  Come to think of it, it’s time to use one right now…

What’s In My Make-up Kit?

It has only been recently that I’ve begun using eyeliner again. I had a few nightmarish encounters with eyeliner before, and usually have an awful time getting it to go on they way I envision it going on. You could tell when I was applying it before because of the exclamations coming from the bathroom that would make a sailor blush. It went on too thick, it smeared, it went way beyond my lid, I looked like Cleopatra on steroids, you get the picture.

A friend recently recommended Ardency Inn’s PUNKER World’s Baddest Eyeliner ($19 at Sephora) to me. After I stopped laughing, she explained that she was serious. So, I gave it a whirl. And I’m happy to tell you it IS the baddest as far as I’m concerned.

I like the chunky tube that I can grip and control, and the larger, tapered tip that lets me put on as little or as much as I want to apply. I can be modest for day, a bit less so for night. And it dries fairly quickly, so I’m not smearing it all over my lid. It is a rich, midnight black, like black crude. It’s my go-to liner now.

What’s in My Make-up Bag?

It’s official. I am addicted to eos lip gloss, and I’m not ashamed to say these little rubber eggs are not only to be found in my make-up bag, but in my purse, on my dresser, and often in the pocket of my jacket.

I love the different flavors and the crazy, candy colors. But what I really love are the shape and the texture. The round globe of gloss goes on evenly, and it’s difficult to glob on too much given the firm formulation. It makes my lips feel smooth and moist.

And I appreciate the fact that even on hot days, it doesn’t turn into gloop in my purse. At $6.99, the price enables me to have several in rotation in different colors and flavors. I’m going to ask for these in my Easter basket next year, instead of eggs.

What’s In My Makeup Bag?

I’ve been trying to rein in my spending on cosmetics lately (I think of it as my Sephora addiction). However, I still want to take the best care of my skin that I can. With that in mind, I’ve switched off my more expensive skin cleanser for Cetaphil’s Gentle Skin Cleanser. It removes my make-up and the dirt and oil of the day without stripping my skin of essential oils. It’s gentle enough that I can use it several times a day in the summer, when hot and muggy weather makes my skin an oil field.

Best of all, it saves me money that can be better spent on moisturizers and SPF creams to protect my face. That’s the better use of my money, for my beauty dollar.

Love Me, Love My Beauty Secrets

Cosmetics (Photo credit: My Sight, as You See.)

We all have certain things we swear by, but only share with our closest friends. Because, after all, if we all have the same beauty secrets, no one has an edge. And we all want an edge–don’t we?

But I have found I love certain products so much that I just have to share their goodness with everyone–or the few folks who don’t know about them. Because that is the kind of person I am (smiley faces and flowers galore).

Seriously, if we don’t share what we know, then what is the good of having a blog. So, let me share with you two of my favorite beauty products, go-to items when I want to look as fabulous as I can.

The first is Benefit’s High Beam. This “luminescent complexion enhancer” is the absolute last word on bright skin tone and a beautiful glow. You can dot and blend it over your makeup to make your best features stand out, and to shore up other not-so-faboo features. On your cheeks, it can highlight killer cheek bones. Under your brows, it can open your eyes. And on your Cupid’s bow, it can highlight your gorgeous bee-sting pout. It lights up your skin and enhances what you want enhanced. It makes my tired eyes look brighter, and can also conceal under-eye circles.  It’s a great multitasker in a bottle.

The second is Michael Kors Leg Shine–Classic. I love everything about Michael, but this product stands out.  It gives my legs a subtle glow that approximates a light tan, and the scent is to die for. Rub it down the center of your shins, and your legs will look thinner. It also provides a bit of moisture and shine to legs, and my legs need that–how about yours?

Michael Kors…Makeup?

Great news for those of us who love Michael Kors‘ design aesthetic and style: he is branching out into cosmetics and body care products. WWD reported last week that Michael Kors’ line of make-up and beauty products, as well as perfume, will debut in August at Macy’s (which has a one year exclusive).  Estee Lauder will produce the items, which are in beautiful, streamlined packaging, as you can well imagine.

I was particularly designed to the natural colors he is offering–yes, there will be rich, dramatic shades, but there are lovely neutral tones, too, perfect for day. The three collections–Sporty (yeah!), Sexy, and Glam–offer a little something for everyone. And there is a fragrance for each line, too. Love me some Michael, and can’t wait to try out the Sporty scent, which has “orange and mandarin tones.” This almost makes up for him not being a judge on Project Runway.

Test Drive, Pt. 3: Exfoliants

The exfoliant de jour today is Kate Somerville’s ExfoliKate Gentle Exfoliating Treatment (cute, huh?). At $65 for 2 ounces, it’s not exactly a bargain. However, value always plays into my equation for what constitutes a bargain for me; if it does the job and makes my skin look great, I’m willing to pay the price (up to a point, which is why I pass on Creme de Mer products).

The sales pitch states that “Microbeads lift dead skin cells from surface while papaya, pumpkin, and pineapple enzymes reduce pore size, stimulate circulation, and improve oxygen flow.” Sounds good.

Unlike the other two products, this one is a seaweed green, and smells like–fruitcake? Something spicy and natural. It goes on easily, and tingles while I’m scrubbing gently, gently, gently. One down side is that it is supposed to stay on the skin for two minutes after I’m finished scrubbing. I always wonder what I’m supposed to do while the product is on my face. Today, I did a sun salutation, so some good came of the two-minute wait! Otherwise, I’m so impatient I can’t see myself doing this too often, especially when I try to keep my facial care to 5 minutes.

Back to ExfoliKate! It washed off cleanly, but my skin felt tighter than I would have liked, and I noticed I had to use a bit more moisturizer afterwards. Perhaps ExfoliKate might work better for women and men with oilier skin. But I’ll give it a pass.

Put Your Money Where Your Face Is

I spent some time on my day off yesterday cruising up and down the aisles of Sephora in the Columbia Mall. Sephora has the kind of allure for me that a candy shop has for a child. Bright lights, pretty packages, so much to choose from! Friendly ladies in black outfits with cutting edge (and dare I say at times frightening) make-up on ask if I need helps and stand ready to let me play with the latest mascara, powder, hand cream, shadow–you name it, they offer it up.

What helps to bring me back to earth is the price tag attached to each of these little wonders. Beauty is many things, but expensive is the word that comes to mind most often. Given that most of us don’t have limitless budgets for beauty products (and if you do, please call me and let’s do lunch), where should we spend our beauty dollars to give us the best return for our money?

I firmly believe that the older we are, the more important it is to spend money on the canvas (our skin) than what goes on it (the cosmetics). So, I put my money into skin treatments–exfoliants, serums, BB creams, moisturizers, and retinol treatments. I also splurged and bought a good set of make-up brushes that I wash weekly and treat like I do my kitchen knives–with great care. I have spent less on skin care products, but not been happy with the result.

My one make-up splurge is for mascara–I buy Christian Dior because I prefer it to all others. It goes on smoothly from root to lash tip, and doesn’t clump or cake on me. Find what works for you, and go with it–but don’t be afraid to ask for samples and try them. You might find yourself a convert to a new product, and then you’ll have to rebalance your budget.

BB Cream Vs. BB Cream: An Experiment

I have been interested in Beauty Balm (BB) creams for a while now–just reading descriptions of them on Sephora gives me visions of porcelain skin, wrinkle- and blemish-free. These creams really are multi-taskers: they contain antioxidants to protect skin and SPF to block harmful sun rays; and they hydrate, prime, and camouflage. But with so many on the market, how was I to determine which was best for me?

I decided to buy two BB creams, use both on alternating days for a week, and judge which suited me best. These creams are found in drug stores and over high-end store counters. I selected two brands whose products have served me well over the years: Clinique and L’Oreal.

Clinique’s Age Defense BB Cream comes in their distinctive green tube and costs $37; L’Oreal’s Youth Code BB Cream is in a silver tube and costs $16.99 (why the 99? why always the 99?).

Here are my findings:

• Clinque’s Age Defense Cream had a matte feel coming out of the tube, and looked matte on the skin. Great if you have oily skin; not so sure how it works with my normal skin. It had an opalescent quality that lightened my skin, but I thought I looked like a cross between a kabuki dancer and Edward Scissorhands. It did a good job covering irregularities in my skin, but by the end of the day looked a bit dry and flaky in spots on my cheeks and forehead.
• The L’Oreal BB cream is more creamy coming out of the tube, and matched my skin much better. It looked moist on, and did a good job covering irregularities on my skin. And, at the end of the day, it was not flaky or dry.
  

  The L’Oreal BB cream proved to be my favorite

Only time will tell if it actually helps to protect my skin, but I’m sticking with the L’Oreal for the time being.

Why am I telling you this? Not to get you to race out and buy a tube of the L’Oreal BB cream. My point is you have to try different products until you find the one that works for you. Sephora and Nordstrom are always happy to give out samples, as are a number of other cosmetic purveyors. Make use of these samples to find the product you love–for skin care, cosmetics, perfume–you name it. That way, you’ll know what looks good on and works for you.

As for the Clinique, I’ll give it another try in the summer when my skin is oilier. Who knows, Edward Scissorhands might be the next hot look.