back to basics

there's not many products that i am loyal to; it's a big world out there with a lot of products, but when i find those winners, i hold on tight. usually. i'd been using philosophy's purity made simple for years and then for some reason, i decided to try something new. i'm not even sure why. maybe i got bored; maybe like a wayward lover i was looking for something better only to discover that it doesn't exist. so after three other cleansers, two of which i didn't even use all the way through, i'm back and on my hands and knees begging for forgiveness.

this is simply the best, pure and simple.

it removes all traces of regular makeup and eye makeup, doesn't burn or irritate if it gets in my eyes and doesn't leave my face feeling dry. i love this and won't ever switch again. i should stick with what i know--and love.

concealer update

i just can't bring myself to spend $70 on concealer (even though i am still dying to try the cle de peau). so when my precious T. Leclerc concealer pens were exhausted, i tried to find something a little more within my budget. i had been using Rimmel for a little while--and of course i was loving that and then one day wasn't loving it anymore. i think i got tired of using two products; also, after a while, i felt like it was too dry under my eyes. i moved on to Natural FX Water Based Foundation SPF 15. i'd heard and read a lot about this stuff online and when i saw a makeup artist at sephora applying it on women in the store, i thought why not. it's foundation--i never touch the stuff--that can also be used as a concealer. and as usual, i was loving it and then one day wasn't loving it anymore. at the beginning, i felt like it covered my dark circles perfectly and then after a while, i noticed the darkness creeping in again. so i moved on again--call me the concealer gypsy--to Prescriptives Site Unseen Brightening Concealer. today was the first day, first application, and i thought it covered pretty well. my only gripe: it's a twist pen and sometimes there is a bit of a product overflow so i feel like it can waste a lot of product. however, i was happy with the coverage so let's see how long the love affair lasts.

you don't have to be rihanna to love this--and look great!

random saturday afternoons spent at target can be so fulfilling--plus there are always the unexpected treasures you discover! i saw this new fave--cover girl exact eyelights eye-brightening mascara--while flipping through a magazine and thought darn, that rihanna looks cool, i should get some of this stuff. of course, i am no rihanna--and am very happy with my current mascara, but clearly advertising and marketing are very effective on me! so as soon as i saw it in the aisle at target, i snatched it up--and it has replaced my current fave. there was a brief period where i thought i lost it too--and after i went a little crazy looking for it, i was about to repurchase, but luckily it turned up!

when i first opened it, i didnt even notice the hint of metallic, but it really does "enhance" my eyes--and it reaches every lash and defines. even better? it doesnt clump or flake off!

i've made no secret of my girl crush on jennifer garner--i absolutely adore her. i think she is gorgeous and adorable and perfect in every way. so when one of my favorite beauty sites--totalbeauty.com--sent an email how i could recreate jennifer garner's makeup, i was ridiculously thrilled. no really, i was. i've spent a lot of time googling her lipstick, to disappointing results. i have only come up on one, which is a chanel that i, coincidentally, already owned (we're soul mates, hee!). it's a light pink color, but she is normally photographed in brighter pinks, which i love and that is what i am looking for. of course, all the tips were helpful--glowing skin and warm lips and eyes. trouble is, i still dont look like jennifer garner.

see how to recreate her look here

http://www.totalbeauty.com/content/package/p_jennifergarner?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=daily31&utm_campaign=daily31_jennifergarner

more reason to blush

i love nars, i especially love nars blushes. cream, powder, bring it on. as much as i get annoyed every time i open any magazine's best of beauty issue and see a rave for orgasm blush, i have gone through more than my share of this product. i think i just get annoyed at the repetitiveness, but at the same time, it's an amazing color. amazing. it's everyone's favorite. i think it's K's favorite--i am pretty sure that every time i see her, she is wearing it.

so when i saw on the sephora site that there is a new version of this called super orgasm, i immediately headed to my local to check it out in person to see the brand could improve upon perfection.

i think we have 2 winners!

i've whined and moaned about my dark circles forever. two purplish, sometimes bluish, half-moon circles--and no matter how much sleep i get, they are a permanent fixture on my face.

i've tried almost everything to conceal them. usually they are covered for about 10-1/2 minutes and like the bad guy in every horror movie, they always find a way to come back.

lately, i'd even resorted to using powder to cover them, which is a terrible, terrible mistake because powder always looks like powder: dry, which makes them look worse. but it seemed powder's consistency lasted the longest.

i was about to give up.

then i literally stumbled upon t. leclerc fluid concealer at barney's nyc. first, i apply the banane and the follow up with the orchidee--yes, they are that bad i need two! the banane acts like corrector, which neutralizes the lovely blueish purple that always makes me look like i went two rounds with the heavyweight champion and the orchidee is the finishing touch. enhanced with silicone and vitamin e, these glide on smooth and soft as silk.

i dont think so...

one of my favorite beauty sites is totalbeauty.com--it's so informative. however, yesterday i was looking at the fall 2008 beauty trends and i was a little bit shocked to see that black lips and yellow eye shadow were two of them.

i have a huge problem with this.

black lipstick isnt going to look good on anyone--ok, maybe on the runway because of the amazing lighting tricks, clothes and the fact that a professional applied it and probably did something to it. black lipstick on its own, on a real person, in the daylight isnt going to look good. i keep seeing this month's magazines hawking black lipstick and i think this is terrible. i repeat, black lipstick isnt going to look good on anyone. it's harsh, it's dense and it's going to look muddy. just say no to black lipstick.

yellow eyeshadow? REALLY? REALLY? REALLY? now, i love me some colored eyeshadow and i would never, ever even think to wear yellow. yellow can be a tough color to pull off and so near the eyes makes it even more difficult. and if you factor that the color will be reflecting on the whites of your eyes to make you look jaundiced, i am going to have to pass on that too.

it just goes to show you: some trends are not supposed to be followed.

not so exceptional in french or english...

i was so excited to try exceptionnel de chanel intense volume and curl mascara. not to be completely shallow, but there is something so decadent and luxurious about the unmistakable, interlocking "c"s. the innovative 6-sided brush promises dramatic results--and it delivered, but that being said, i really didnt like it. my problem in a nutshell was the brush. it has these tiny little combs that are supposed to--or at least, i think they are supposed to--brush lashes to coat the formula all over. i just had a really hard time with it. it felt goopy and clumpy and it took too many coats to achieve the look i desired. to be honest, while putting mascara on my first eye, part of me wanted to wash it off and start over. so for $28, i will absolutely not be purchasing this.

winning combos

so i've been trying to step out of my beauty rut. yesterday i wore purple eye shadow--i hadnt done that in a very long while. today i am back to a light-colored sparkly eye shadow (bare escentuals playful) in the interest of time, but i found a new lipstick combo that i am just loving (i've been trying to play with the stuff i do have). bare escentuals gelato lipstick (medium pink with a subtle shimmer) topped with lancôme juicy tube in fruity pop (a pretty super-light pink with pinkish sparkle). it's the perfect neutral-y, light pink color with a hint of sparkle.

glow to go

i got the best compliment yesterday. someone told me i was glowing--and i am sure i wasnt. i was running out to do errands, it was later on in the day and i hadnt touched my makeup since the am. i was a lot of things yesterday--and glowing wasnt one of them. i could attribute it to the face mask i did last night, but as i posted yesterday, i wasnt too impressed with the results. i think what my friend noticed was that i was wearing nars the multiple in copacabana. this is an old fave that i carry around with me every day, but had not worn in a long, long time. and i dont even know why because it is so very pretty. i am blaming it on the makeup rut i told you about yesterday--the one i am desperately trying to break out of. this handy-dandy secret weapon can be used all over, but i normally just put it on my cheeks for a subtle, shimmering pearly glow. and for the record now i am totally rethinking buying the orgasm multiple.

why is it tingling?

i was really excited to try fresh's new black tea instant perfecting mask--an intense hydrating mask. i dont always love fresh's products; i want to, but sometimes think the cost isnt worth the result, but there is something so quaint and lovely about the products that i want to be proven wrong. so as soon as i got home last night, i washed my face and slapped this mask on (because i love a good moisturizing mask). the good? the whipped, velvety texture seemed so decadent and luxurious. the bad? about 2 or 3 minutes in there was a tingling sensation that did not sit well with me; it made me immediately want to wash my face. why was it tingling? i've done my share of moisturizing masks and they never tingle. plus, after i washed it off, my skin didnt seem significantly moisturized or firm.

a beauty rut

I am in a beauty rut. i feel like i wear the same type of makeup day in and day out. there have even been days when i slap it on quickly just to get out of the house--and that is so not like me. i've only worn glitter twice this summer (i know a lot of experts frown on glitter, but whatever, i love it and it's fun!). i dont know what's come over me. lately, i've been sticking to the same kind of matte beige, sparkly beige, champagne, or sparkly champagne colored eyeshadow, pinky kind of blush and bright mouth. i'm using different colors, but they are all in the same color family. how boring. i still havent found my summer 2008 fragrance and summer 2008 is pretty much over. i have to get a hold of myself. yesterday i went trolling for my fall 2008 fragrance and after being chased out of bloomingdales by the overly solicitous staff--just because i sprayed it on doesnt mean i immediately want to buy it, so stop asking me if i want it; i need to let it set in to see if works on me so stop being so annoying!--i headed over to sephora for some peace, quiet and the freedom to try on fragrances. i want something strong, but pretty and sweet. i tried a bunch of the comptoir sud fragrances and really liked them, but felt like i smelled like i spent the day in the kitchen baking. pretty and vanilla-y, but i dont want to be confused for a pastry. my tastes tend to run on the sweet side so i was tempted by miss dior cherie, armani code and angel, which i love, but also wore in 2002--2003. i feel like i keep drifting to old favorites, but i really want to try something new. i was hopeful about the new ralph lauren and lancôme fragrances (notorious and magnifique, respectively) and while they are pretty, they just arent me. i guess, i will just have to keep my nose to the grindstone...

so disappointing

i have never been a fan of benefit's benetint, but i couldnt wait to check out their new posie tint (in the interest of fairness, i feel like i should tell you that i loved moonbeam for a really long time). i should have taken my time. it was so disappointing. it's easier to spread on and blend than benetint is--which is my gripe with this particular product--but the color immediately got absorbed into my skin so it was like i wasnt even wearing anything. well, at least now i know, i wont be using my sephora gift card on this! it made me really, really sad because i wanted to snatch it up and love it.

it's still great to exfoliate

i thought i would update you on my dermabrasion status; i am in step two/week 3 of my microdermabrasion system. i was a little scared of it as i mentioned in my earlier post, but i love it. step two has two exfoliators--the white one from step one and a gray one. now when i saw the gray color, i was like seriously, Do I want to put this on my face? but i shook off that silly thought, applied and massaged on my face for 1-2 minutes per instructions. i thought the other steps might be a little too harsh for my skin--we'll have to see about steps 3 and 4, but so far i am loving step two. i feel like my skin is softer and my complexion is brighter.

a hair affair

i've been meaning to talk about these two products for weeks and it completely slips my mind every single time. i am not sure why because i am absolutely in love with both of them. every time i get in the shower, i can't wait to use the Kérastase BAIN MIROIR Shine-Revealing Shampoo for Sensitized, Color-Treated Hair (that's a mouthful, but worth it) and CHROMA REFLECT MASQUE Radiance-Enhancing Masque for Very Sensitized Color-Treated Hair. my hair always feels softer and smoother and the color always seems brighter. these are becoming two products i can't live without. plus, the fragrance is fantastic. Thank you JG and CT.

i have not yet found my go-to summer 2008 fragrance, which is frustrating because we're already in July. and i feel like my summer fragrances of the past will just not cut it this year. i am still looking for something fresh and citrusy, but i am dying for something new. i dont want my old standbys. part of my problem/hesitation is that i feel most summer fragrances are so light they dont last on me. it pains me to say this because i really do love you, but Dolce & Gabanna Light Blue, i'm looking at you. lovely, refreshing scent, but it doesnt last on me. i feel like i could go through a bottle in a week, and when i notice it on other people it makes me want to hurt them. ok, fragrance and violence don't mix, it's just that it would be absolutely perfect. alas. sigh. of course, there are all the sheer incarnations of your favorites, but i feel like that's just a rip-off. i want something new. and fabulous and summery. something that will remind me of the good times of summer 2008.

it's like they read my mind...

a couple of weeks ago i was in sephora--surprise! that never, ever happens--and i stumbled upon bare escentuals flawless radiance, which was like this beautiful soft beige-y peach color with a bit of sparkle. being that i love anything sparkly or glittery, i became obsessed with it and figured it could be a new foundation color since i sometimes use clear radiance as a foundation (i love, love, love it) and i am also a fan of the gossamers as foundation. K jokes that i want to look like J.Lo circa The Waiting for Tonight video. i dont even think the fine sparkle/glitter is even that noticeable. in any case, i debated buying it--do i really need it?--and finally just went into bare escentuals because i needed the fair foundation anyway. so i try it on and it's way too yellow on my skin. it would never work. i can't even use the fairly light because it's too yellow. so i was disappointed--until i remembered that i wanted to try the fairly light mineral veil. i usually just put the fair in spots and then the mineral veil all over, which you know, is not sparkly; however, the fairly light mineral veil is so it's really the best-case scenario for me. necessity is the mother of invention, as they say. i still maintain it's perfect for every day because the fine glitter/sparkle isnt that noticable, but it makes me feel good, which is what makeup should be.

it's great to exfoliate

so i've been trying out a lot of the new avon stuff i recently purchased and i am loving the anew clinical advanced dermabrasion system. i will admit i was a little nervous to try this and wondered if i really needed it, or if it would be too much for my sensitive skin, but i was running out of my exfoliators and just not super impressed with them. i felt like i needed something with kick and now, i couldnt be happier. i figured worst case scenario, i dont like it. plus, there were four settings (1-4) and if i really felt like the others were too strong, i could just stick with setting 1. you're supposed to use each setting for 2 weeks 2 or 3 times a week and "rest" for 2 days. basically dont use it two days in a row. i am finishing up my second week and i will probably move on to setting two. i really feel like it's making my face softer and smoother. plus, it's working its magic on that damn little wrinkle on my forehead.

eye scream for eye cream

so i am loving the avon eye cream i posted about recently and i definitely feel like it's smoothing out this one, tiny crease under my eye (it's the same one i always complain about). but during the day, i feel like the area under my eyes is so dry--of course, i know it is because there are no moisture ducts there--though this isn't unique to the avon cream because i feel like this with all eye creams actually, no matter how thick or emollient. great at first, but then a loss of elasticity during the day. when i get up in the morning, i love how everything looks a lot smoother because of the cream and "beauty sleep", of course.

for example, when i touch up my under eye concealer during the day, i feel like the under eye part is so dry that it doesn't snap back quickly and has a loss of elasticity. that bothers me and makes me feel like wrinkles are just around the corner. the eyes are the windows to the soul so who wants a cracked, wrinkly, dry facade? i am not sure what i can do about this aside from just applying more eye cream regularly during the day since i am not having this problem with face lotions and creams. in that vein, i've brought two under eye creams with me and i am obsessively compulsively rotating them before i put on hand lotion, which is often. they are MAC Fast Response Eye Cream, which i always love and forget about, and avon ageless results renewing eye cream. i do feel like today has been better (i noticed the dryness last week) so maybe the key is to just keep reapplying.

eye'm loving this right now!

so i've been on this avon kick for a while now, ever since i started using the thirmafirm moisturizer, which i love, love, love and i've used a couple of different products, which i also love, love, love. i never really considered using avon before because, what was i going to order from an avon lady? no. i need a store, please. nevertheless, i am hooked, hooked, hooked. let's face it for the quality, amazing technology and price, these products can't be beat.

right now, my new favorite is the anew ultimate contouring eye system. the cream is supposed to restore elasticity and it smooths and firms while the intensive serum helps reduce the look of undereye bags. now, i dont have bags--thank goodness, dealing with the dark circles is its own lovely reward--but i do definitely feel like when i use this particular cream at night, the next morning i look considerably more well-rested than usual (and that's saying something!). i also feel like the tiny lines that i am noticing look a lot smoother.