I’m pretty good with makeup. I can manage a good smokey eye in under five minutes. I can apply false lashes pretty easily. I can create a believable eyebrow where there is none. But its the gleam I covet. That illusive seeming under-glow— it’s somewhere about the apples of cheeks, highlighting cheekbones and attracting soft light to the face. You know what I’m talking about, don’t you?

Tom Ford has managed to make it easy and attainable with this beautiful creamy duo. Use the pinkish, coral color as a blush or for subtle contour and pat the shimmering gleam on the tops of cheeks and sides of eyes. Mix ’em together. Dot some shimmer on the insides of eyes, the center of your bottom lip over lipstick at night, on your cupid’s bow. Simply gorgeous. Universally flattering and fool proof.

It’s limited edition but still available.

It’s no secret that I love Tom Ford makeup. This blush and illuminating pen are always in my bag.

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I think one of my better traits is that I can admit when I’m wrong. Just yesterday, in fact, I told my three year old I was wrong, and she was right—that yes, if she’s Peppa, than I really am just like like Mommy Pig.

To my big girl’s after school art teacher, I recently admitted “I made a mistake. I totally forgot about class. That’s why Julia was absent.” Sorry. I was wrong. I can say these words.

So I am saying them to you now: I am sorry about:

A: Not telling you about this eyeshadow primer sooner

and

B: Telling you this one was best.

Because it’s not. Urban Decay’s is. By a landslide.

I wasn’t even looking for an eyeshadow primer. But I read an interview with Urban Decay’s rocking’ cool founder, Wende Zomnir, and she was asked if she had a favorite product in her line and she said this one—because it works and she’s just so damn proud of it. Then, that very same week, I went to Sephora for a refill of one of my favorite concealers, and lo’ and behold, they were offering  tiny, cute samples of the UD Primer Potion for just 50 Insider points.

Clearly, it was a sign.

In the simplest terms, this primer does exactly what it says it does. And I don’t even know how. The results are actually stunning. Your eyeshadow just DOESN’T BUDGE. Shimmer stays shimmery. Depth of color doesn’t fade.  Not in the least. I’m good, as in, there is no touch up needed, from 8 a.m. until bedtime. That said, the product actually claims it helps eye makeup stay put for 24 hours.

(For those of you who need that kind of longevity for your smokey eye, all the more power to you.)

I’ve been using the original formula, which has no color. However, I plan to pick up the tinted versions, which can double as a subtle wash of color as well as a highlighter.

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On the days I have a really good attitude, I view my shiny t-zone as a sign of youth.

But now that temperatures are on the rise, I find myself needing to blot a few times throughout the day. And I do not want to ruin the flawless finish of my new favorite foundation with yet more powder.

Enter these genius little oil-absorbing sponges that take away shine like magic and leave your makeup looking fresh.

The mirrored compact is a nice little bonus.

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I’ve been wearing this bright red-orange non-stop for the past two weeks. Obsessively touching up the tips at home, applying a coat of this shiny top coat every other day to keep in fresh—oh, and it’s on my toes now, too. This pop of color is just making me so damn happy right now. And it goes with everything. No, scratch that, it flatters everything.

Today, I’m wearing army green, white and black. Amazing. (It’s not too orangey as to reference Halloween against black, a problem often seen with some of my other favorite orange hues.) The other day, I actually wore all white with some gray and my nails were like a happy little exclamation mark. Don’t even get me started on how good this color looks with denim and white.

I must tell you, this color isn’t new. But new isn’t always best, right?

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Let me say, off the bat, I’m not really an oil person. I dabble in Argan, I tread lightly with Moroccan, but, in general, I’m always trying to control oil and even though I am studied enough to know that oil doesn’t equal oil, I am sparing.

That said: I have been using this oil nightly for over a month and my brighter, tighter, smoother face is ready to shout out about it from the rooftops.

For starters, and most importantly, Luna is a retinol, delivered in Avocado Seed oil basically (the superhero of seed oils). So think of it as your aging preventative, not just your evening moisturizer (although it certainly is that, too). What’s interesting about Luna, is that it contains a next-generation retinol that is definitely kinder and gentler on the skin. I have historically been really sensitive to retinol and irritate easily, but I have used this product daily for a month without incident.

Likely because it contains blue tansy, a skin-soother derived from flowers (similar to chamomile) but with more potent anti-inflammatory properties. As a result, the oil is a cool, deep shade of blue but, don’t worry, the color disappears when you rub it in. You only need a few drops. It is fast absorbing, not at all greasy and benefits all skin types.

Have you tried this oil? Do you want to? Let me know!

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I’m on a little bit of Nars kick.

It happened a few weeks ago when I booked an appointment to have eyelashes applied before an event at their (very sleek and cool) Madison Avenue NYC store. My plan was to go home and use all my new Tom Ford makeup (story on those babies to follow), but I was fighting a wicked sinus infection at the time and wound up getting my makeup done because I just couldn’t deal.

I had been wanting to try this foundation since its advertising blitz came out recently. (I’m nothing if not prey for good beauty advertising.) It did not disappoint! I am IN LOVE with it. Here’s why:

-It’s matte, but not dry. A very extremely difficult balance for a “matte” foundation to achieve.

-It’s lightweight. It blends into skin to look like your skin, only better, and has that glowy “blurring” technology I love. The coverage is superior for a formulation that is considered to be more of a tint. It’s also buildable.

-It has impressive staying power and controls shine. My skin tends to soak up makeup like a sponge and I’m seeing this last from early morning into the evening. A first. (Especially when I use Nars’ excellent loose powder on top.)

-It’s packed with vitamins, armed with SPF 30 and free of all the nasties.

Done and done-er.

 

 

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