Friday, July 29, 2011

The Only Powder You Will Ever Need: Smashbox HALO

Some days I just want my makeup application to be streamlined.  I don't wear foundation and sometimes I don't even feel like bothering with concealer.  Do you have those days, too?  Tinted moisturizers don't usually give me the coverage that I want, but luckily I've discovered a genius product that can!  And it couldn't be easier to apply!

Enter Smashbox's HALO Hydrating Perfecting Powder.  The texture is absolutely glorious!  It's chock full of anti-aging benefits and rather than a scary cake-y powdered look, you get smooth, hydrated skin.  This hydrating effect diminishes the appearance of wrinkles within ten minutes flat!  Luckily camouflaging wrinkles isn't much of a concern for me yet, but this miracle powder also contains ingredients to prevent wrinkles, too!  The coverage is lighter than mineral powder foundations, but it's buildable and covers up nearly all my complexion imperfections. 

And I can't say enough about the packaging.  It's a pressed powder compact with a built-in shaver so you get the luminous finish of loose powder without the mess!  You just twist a part of the compact and it shaves off a little powder at a time, however much you need.  Isn't that clever!   

But the very best part of all?  The only thing you need to apply the HALO powder is a big fluffy brush!  No blending required (whew!).  I'll take a few swipes of powder over blending in concealer any day.  Saves time, saves product, sold.

Only drawbacks: At $59 it's kind of pricey, and the different shades of powder available may not be a perfect match for your skin.  The "Fair" shade is the best for me, but it's almost  too light so I like to warm it up with a little bit of bronzer.  I also tried the "Light" shade, which was way too yellow for my skintone.  If you're unsure about the shade you need, try to test before you buy.  That way you can experiment and adjust accordingly.  Luckily Sephora.com is offering a free sample for a limited time!


It's been a while since a product has thrilled me this much!  What are some of your favorite thrilling new discoveries?