NEW! Benefit Cha Cha Tint

Benefit has announced the upcoming release of their brand new lip and cheek stain shade, and I'm already completely in love with the product name.  Cha Cha Tint will join Posie Tint and the original BeneTint in June 2011 as a lovely mango coral color that is absolutely perfect for warmer weather.  I know many, many lovely girls who consider BeneTint or Posie Tint their favorite, must have products.  I confess: I've tried both, and I've never understood the appeal.  Before you send a lynch mob after me, this gorgeous Cha Cha Tint makes me want to give the product a second chance!  I've been scouting for coral lip colors and definitely plan to try Cha Cha Tint as soon as possible.

If you're a BeneTint or Posie Tint devotee, I'd love to hear about it!  I think the nail polish-like applicator is what really turned me off those two; all I managed to get was a thin line of color on my cheeks that was not unlike war paint.  At this point I feel like I'm missing out!  Do you have any stunning application tips?

Can't Live Without Them: Blotting Papers

Blotting papers are another genius product among the likes of dry shampoo and makeup removing towelettes; sure, we certainly could live without them, but now who would want to?  These miniature little sheets are the 21st century equivalent of powdering one's nose.  They control shine and oil much more effectively than powder, yet they don't smudge your makeup.  What a brilliant concept! 

There's almost nothing worse than casually glancing in a mirror midday and discovering your face is more shiny and reflective than polished chrome.  Luckily, blotting papers can fix this problem instantly, without the need to apply any more product.  I first discovered the miracle of blotting papers in junior high and during those years, I was never without a pack of Clean and Clear's Oil Absorbing Sheets in my purse.  I still like them, but they've become increasingly difficult to find.     

These days my blotting papers of choice are from Sephora's house line.  In addition to natural papers, they also come in other varieties: tea tree, lavender, and vitamins C and E.  The lavender papers have kind of an overpowering scent for a product used in such close proximity to your nose, but the vitamin C and E papers are pleasantly citrus scented.  I'm not convinced the extra vitamins actually do anything, but they definitely smell nice.  And at $8 for a pack of 100 sheets, they're also a better value than Clean and Clear's.  They're multi-purpose, too.  When I'm applying dark colored or loose eyeshadow, I like to hold one of these papers under my eyes to catch any fallen pigments and avoid a sprinkling of purple where I just applied concealer.  As if you needed yet another plus for blotting papers, they're also amazingly portable.  What's not to love?       

Bobbi Brown's Shimmer Brick

There was a time when Bobbi Brown's Shimmer Brick sent beauty addicts into total hysteria.  When the Shimmer Brick was first released back in 2001, no one had ever seen anything like it.  If you recall, body glitter was a ridiculously huge (and ridiculous) trend around that time.  If you wanted to wear any sort of sparkle, this was pretty much your only option:

Your only option, that is, until the bronze Shimmer Brick was released for Bobbi Brown's 2001 holiday collection for a limited time only.  Here was a product that offered subtle shimmer rather than chunks of actual glitter and women went completely nuts for it, bidding exorbitant sums of cash on eBay for this elusive, exclusive product after the "limited time only" had passed.  Bobbi Brown took heed and Shimmer Bricks are now for sale today in six different shades of pinks, neutrals, and bronzes, plus a giant Shimmer Brick for Body.

What else is so special about this powder shimmer compact to incite such demand?  It has amazing versatility.  For one thing, it looks good no matter where you apply it.  You can use a large fluffy powder brush to blend all five shades together as a blush, bronzer, or all over highlighter.  You can use small applicators to select one or two of the colors and wear them as eyeshadow.  The Shimmer Brick has that rare quality of being just obvious enough to make a visible difference, but still subtle enough that it's not overpowering.

While Shimmer Bricks are here to stay for sale in stores and online, Bobbi Brown does occasionally continue in the limited edition tradition and release special exclusive shades with less availability, usually around the holidays.