Lush Handmade Cosmetics Colour Supplement

I've spent more than a few hours poring over Lush's website, entertained by the clever descriptions and glorious miracle bath products.  I'd never ordered anything, though, because paying $6 shipping on a single $5 bath bomb kind of boggles my mind.  The nearest Lush store is unfortunately three hours away; if there were a Lush store closer to my area you better believe I'd be in there at least once a week (Lush!  Come to Birmingham, AL!).  Then one night I discovered Lush's Colour Supplements and couldn't resist clicking the order button.

The Light Pink Colour Supplement designed for "pink cheeks and pale features" sounded perfect for my complexion, and the fact that "fresh rose petal infusion" is the number one ingredient was also a definite selling point.  Rose petal infusion calms redness, so right then I was sold on this product.  Plus, it's multi-purpose.  You can mix it with moisturizer for a light tint, or apply it directly as a full coverage concealer.

It took a while for my order to arrive, but the Colour Supplement had to be freshly mixed so I didn't mind too much.  I was a little uneasy about ordering it without having tested it first (ahem, listen up Lush and set up shop in Alabama), but once it arrived I immediately swatched it on my hand and knew it really would be perfect.

The Light Pink shade matches my skin flawlessly.  It is literally the exact color of my skin, plus it smells like roses.  It also smells very clean and fresh, which I've never experienced with concealer or foundation before.  Lush's reputation for "fresh handmade cosmetics" really is something special.  The container seems absurdly small, but really, a little bit goes a long way.  This will definitely last a while.

The package directions urge you to mix the Colour Supplement with a little moisturizer on the back of your hand before applying it on your face, but since I've been using Oh Hush face oil instead of traditional cream moisturizers lately I went ahead and applied it directly from the container on areas I needed the most coverage.  The formula is pigmented enough to achieve full coverage, but thin enough to blend quickly and easily without feeling gunky or like you've clogged up your pores.

I hear Lush's moisturizers are pretty incredible, too.  I've never actually heard one bad thing about this company.  Lush fans--tell me about your favorite products!  Who else loves their Colour Supplements?

Sharpening Up Your Look with Pencils! For Your Eyebows, Lips, & Everything in Between

Lately I can't get enough of pencils! From my eyebrows to my lips, pencils are my new favorite way to apply my makeup. I've never been a big fan of them before, but these four products have completely changed my mind. 

Urban Decay 24/7 Concealer Pencil in DEA ($18): The pencil that started it all!  This concealer is creamy, blendable, and gives thick full coverage without that gunky "Ugh I have a ton of makeup on my face" feeling you sometimes get with other full coverage products.  It's my favorite formula by far, and even though I'll occasionally obsess over another concealer, I always come back to this one.  I wore my old Urban Decay concealer pencil down to a nub and recently acquired this shiny new pencil!  When someone buys a product twice, you know it's gotta be good.  

Sephora Ultra Vinyl Lip Pencil in Strawberry Delish ($12): I adore patent/vinyl anything, but I despise stickiness on my lips.  This incredible lip pencil gives my lips all the vinyl shine of a gloss I could ever want without the gross stickiness.  The glossiness does eventually wear off, but unlike lip gloss, this pencil leaves color behind so my lips aren't completely pale within two hours.  It's also fabulously moisturizing.  I definitely want more of these!

Rimmel Soft Kohl Kajal Eyeliner Pencil in Jet Black ($4): I've been devoted to my cheapie liquid eyeliner for so long, I forgot how glorious eyeliner pencils can be!  This one is perfect for smudgy sexy eyes and looks great on my waterline and lower lash line in a way that no liquid liner ever has.  And because it's super black kohl, it makes me feel like an Egyptian princess.  Bonus!

NYX Eye/Eyebrow Pencil in Velvet ($4): I initially purchased this as beige eyeliner, but quickly discovered it looks way better on my eyebrows!  I never thought an eyebrow pencil could be such a perfect match, but this is almost exactly the color of my hair and looks so natural.  For a while I considered having my pale-to-the-point-of-non-existent brows tinted, but changed my mind after using this pencil!  I swear, it's that good, and NYX has such a ridiculous variety of shades available, there's something to suit anyone.

L to R: Urban Decay Concealer, Sephora Lip Pencil, Rimmel Eyeliner, NYX Eyebrow Pencil

Almay's Smart Shade Cosmetics

And now, I bring you the amazing properties of Almay's line of Smart Shade cosmetics.  Behold!  Out of the tube, the product is a weird grey color, but don't be misled.  Once you apply it, the foundation or concealer magically transforms to your ideal shade of makeup!  It sounds ridiculous but it is for real.  I have no idea how it works, I just know that it really, really does.  I used both the concealer and foundation recently at a bridal photoshoot where I worked as a makeup artist and it looked good on a variety of skin tones.

While both products are great, I was more impressed with the concealer.  The foundation offers minimal coverage, a little heavier than a tinted moisturizer.  The concealer gave great coverage on every facial woe, from redness and discolorations to acne scars and dark circles.  If you're torn between puchasing the two, I'd recommend the concealer.

In doing a bit of online research, I also discovered there is a Smart Shade blush version!  I immediately picked up a tube and was completely amazed at the gorgeous, natural looking rosy tint it gave my cheeks.  This is probably now one of my favorite products of all time.   

The key to application is blending.  You have absolutely got to blend this product effectively or risk unattractive streaks (pay really close attention to the edges, like around your hairline and jawline).  The biggest complaint I've heard about the foundation was the potential for orange hues, particularly from a friend who has freckles.  No complaints about the concealer or blush.  They're pretty much perfect.

Peter Thomas Roth Unwrinkle Concealer/Brightener

Lately the beginning steps of my makeup routine have consisted of using whatever tinted moisturizer has been on HauteLook recently (Alison Raffaele for now!) and this amazing concealer.  Peter Thomas Roth's Un-Wrinkle Concealer/Brightener duo is definitely one of my new all time favorites.  One end is obviously a concealer; it matches my skin perfectly, blends like a dream, and covers up any imperfections that tinted moisturizer just doesn't, like redness and undereye circles.
 
The other side is a brightener, a very very pale lightweight shimmer that looks so good blended on the apples of your cheeks, directly underneath your eyebrow arch, and on either side of the bridge of your nose, where shadows are most prevalent.  It's like magic in a tube and will leave you with a perfectly glowing complexion. 

A Drugstore Version of Touche Eclat?!

Neutrogena's Healthy Skin Brightening Eye Perfector is packaged and marketed similarly to YSL's Touche Eclat, which got my hopes up that it might be a drugstore dupe.  I wasn't expecting perfection but Neutrogena's eye brightener is a fourth of the price of YSL's so I definitely wanted to try it out.

It worked really well underneath my eyes.  I think I may have purchased the wrong shade, but it did a good job of concealing my undereye circles anyway.  It's a little more matte and not nearly as light reflecting as Touche Eclat, though.  The product's downfall was when I used the Eye Perfector to cover up some redness and other discolorations on my face.  It just didn't seem to work anywhere but my undereye area.  Since I like to use Touche Eclat as an all-over concealer, the fact that the Eye Perfector didn't work the same way was a little disappointing.  Regardless, it did conceal and brighten my dark circles!  Overall, a pretty great deal.

An Amazing Product Just Got Better

I've previously mentioned my appreciation for Garnier's Skin Renew Daily Eye Roller, the fantastic eye serum that contains caffiene to de-puff your eyes and make you look more awake and refreshed.  Now Garnier has improved on this genius concept with their Skin Renew Anti-Dark Circle Eye Roller by adding an anti-aging formula plus slightly tinted mineral pigments to instantly conceal dark circles.  It's a surprisingly brilliant concealer that can be used everywhere on your skin, not just underneath your eyes.  It blends easily, especially if you use a concealer brush, and works well for most skin shades.  One of my friends has even eschewed all other concealers in favor of this one instead!  I'm almost equally impressed and can't wait to see results I get from long term regular use.        

Never Look Tired Again!

In these busy times, sleep is often one of the first things we sacrifice in order to get more things accomplished.  It's no big secret that one of the biggest give-aways that you're tired and not getting enough sleep is the appearance of your eyes.  But even if you're exhausted, there's no reason to look like it!  Here are some useful ways to appear more rested when you've had four hours of sleep (or less).

If your eyes are puffy, reach for an eye cream or serum that contains caffeine.  Caffeine naturally reduces swelling, which will make your eyes look wider, awake, and overall more rested.  I like Garnier's Nutritioniste Skin Renew Daily Eye Roller, seen at right.  As the name implies it works best when used daily, but I've also found it effective with more intermittent use.  You apply it with a roller ball to cool and soothe the thinner skin underneath your eyes; this alone leaves me feeling more awake and refreshed.  Store it in the refrigerator to get extra fast results.  The coldness will also work to reduce swelling.  

To reduce the appearance of dark circles, choose a primer or concealer that is brightening, or a product that reflects light.  Make Up For Ever and Urban Decay make great brightening primers, which can be applied over the dark circles first and increase the effectiveness of your concealer.  I think the best light reflecting concealer available is Yves Saint Laurent's Touche Éclat.  It was specially developed to cover up dark undereye circles and goes on smoothly like a tinted moisturizer.  It's expensive, but lasts a long time and is SO worth it.  This product is magic.

Urban Decay makes a great more affordable concealer in a pencil format; it sounds odd, but the product goes on like a thick cream and dries matte.  Since it's a matte finish it won't reflect light, but it definitely covers up the dark circles and lasts throughout the day.  At a little more than $5, CoverGirl's Fresh Complexion Concealer is the best bargain.  It's a liquid formula that blends really well with your foundation.

If you want more than one concealing option, Benefit offers up the best variety of products in a neat little package with their Confessions of a Concealaholic palette.  It contains a brightening primer, other specially formulated eye brighteners, and a myriad of different concealers so you can experiment and determine what works best for you.

Another trick to looking more awake is to line your lower lashline and inner corner of your eye with a shimmery pale or white eyeliner.  Make sure to blend it well, though, otherwise it can look a bit unsettling.  The same shade can be applied on your brow bone, just beneath your eyebrows for extra brightening effects.  Again, it's most flattering if you blend it.  A stark white line is not the ideal here.  This technique can take a bit of practice, so I don't recommend it if you're running late and have never tried it before.

Finally, applying a shimmery neutral eyeshadow and curling your eyelashes can open your eyes even more.

Worried you won't have enough time for all this?  I swear, with practice it can take less than ten minutes to look awake and pulled together, even when you're exhausted.