Greed Is...Not Practical
Normal women have makeup bags or a makeup drawer at home; I have a three-tiered rolling cart in my bathroom and three kitchen cupboards of clear plastic Container Store shoeboxes brimming with lip glosses and bronzers.
I hoard because a huge stash of makeup comes in handy. ("Here, go through this," I'll tell a guest, shoving a bin of eyeshadow palettes into her hands in lieu of a beverage or snack, neither of which I ever have at the ready.) Plus, it's my job to try everything! (This is the speech I give my mother when she visits.)
But this week, forced to quickly relocate to a friend's apartment after yet another blitzkrieg of mouse activity in my own, I was forced to limit myself to one small cosmetic pouch of very favorite, essential items from the Sephora junkyard that is my home:
1) Bobbi Brown Tinted Eye Brightener (a miraculous highlighter-concealer hybrid that makes you look like you've slept 10 hours)
2) Prestige Kohl Eyeliner in Black Brown (the creamiest, most richly pigmented pencil ever—and cheap!)
3) Fiberwig Mascara (super-dark and glossy even after it dries)
4) Chantecaille Cheek Shade in Emotion (a sheer, warm peachy-pink, and one of the only blushes in the world that looks good on me)
5) Kiehl's Lip Balm SPF15 in Hue 58B (enhances your natural lip color, so it looks like you were just born with this super attractively pigmented mouth)
If you're so inspired, tell us all about YOUR favorite products in the comments section (so I can try them).
—Cat Marnell, beauty assistant
I'm a loyalist on lots of things, including MAC's lipjelle in jellybabe, however they don't travel well at all (they just ooze out when I'm working on the plane). Recently I've been wearing L'oreal colorriche lipglosses... They are great - very pretty colors and such a nice, light texture.
http://mikaelasjetsetbeauty.blogspot.com/
the product i go back to again and again: smashbox foundation primer (the clear gel)
I've never used concealer before so I wanted some expertise in choosing one that would match my skin color, type, etc. Sooo...on one of my weekly "therapy" sessions at Sephora, the girl recommended TimeBalm Concealer by TheBalm (http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P20750&categoryId=C16430). I was a little wary of the packaging (I'm a click-pen addict) but so far, I like!
Hmm. So hard to pick my top five products - I love to try new things and rotate old things in! Right now, I'm loving:
1)CoverGirl VolumeExact mascara in Black/Brown - So wonderful and non-clumping, and the formula holds your curl all day, so you don't have droopy eyelashes midday - a serious problem!
2)Almay Line Smoothing concealer for undereye circles and Almay Clear Complexion concealer for blemishes, etc. - I must have both!
3)CoverGirl Cheekers powder blush in Golden Pink - a drugstore treasure! You only need a tiny bit of this awesome sheer deep plummy mauve blush and you are suddenly pretty.
4)Vincent Longo Lip/Cheek gel stain in My Sunshine - so, so good and really lasts even on your lips.
5)Neutrogena MoistureShine Soothing LipSheers in Cool Nectar - another awesome drugstore find. A perfect sheerly shiny noncolor, plus its minty and tingly, who doesn't love that?
This is almost longer than the original blog post, but these are all must-trys!
out of all my makeup (which is SO much) i would take..
1. my cover fx natural fx tinted moisturizer..because i have the most uneven skintone
2. benefit hoola
3. one of my many "glow on" blushes from shu uemura
4. philosophy big mouth lip gloss in pink (the only lip plumper that works for me)
5. laura mercier concealer :)
these are my favorites for my everyday five min. face :
1.l'oreal bare naturale mineral foundation
2.Clinique powder blush in New Clover
3. MAX Factor mascara in black brown- the least nonclumping "nonclumping" mascara ever!
4. Goldie lip gloss in Leslie - the sweetest natural looking red/pink shade
5. chapstick, good ol' chapstick , you can't go wrong !
1. MAC Select Moisture cover concealer
2. Either Stila illuminating tinted moisturizer or Armani Luminous Silk Foundation
3. MAC Blushcreme in Lillicent
4. Laura Mercier eye brow cream in Fair
5. Nars Bronzer in Laguna
6. Chanel Inmitable Mascara in Black
I also have cosmetics organized by brand and use catalogued in my apartment. My friends enjoy it. My mother thinks I'm a bit loony. However, I was diagnosed with a chronic pain illness as a teenager, and I always faked good health with some blush and mascara. It still helps me on my "bad" days to be able to get through it with a fresh-faced look. I ask for feedback though, to make sure I don't end up looking like a clown.
1) Coppertone Faces SPF 30 sunblock
2) Prescriptives Powdre Cheekcolor in Mocha
3) Wet -n- Wild lip pencil in 666.
4) Rosebud's lip salve
5) Clinique High Definition Lashes
Also love Smashbox primer and Loreal Visible Lift with Retinol in Nude Beige if I need "real makeup"
1.) Laura Mercier Tinted Mosturizer -- Nude
2.) Nars Blush -- Orgasm
3.) Benefit Dandelion
4.) Too Faced Lash Injection
Oh, I'd like to second the Neutrogena Nectar lippie - so awesome!
1. Fresh High Noon Freshface Glow. it's amazing on everyone. on my really pale friend, it's a natural-looking light liquid bronzer, on my olive skin it's the perfect super-sheer tinted moisturizer, on my latina girlfriend it's like a magic glowifier and complexion illuminator. it's a must have.
2. my shu eyelash curler, but who doesn't love these?
3. UD deluxe eyeshadow in scratch and 24/7 eyeliner pencil in 1999 is such a great combo for everyday.
4. stila convertible color in lillium is the ultimate cream blush.
5. i wear nars lipstick in dolce vita every day and it's utterly gorgeous and i don't think anyone should be without it.
1. Clarins Beauty Flash Balm (whether you have a hangover, been on a 14 hour flight, or just look like crap, this stuff gives you a fabulous glow)
2. MAC satin lipstick in Twig ( you can put this on with no mirror. Looks good on everyone and lasts through lunch)
3. Revlon creme blush in Rosy Glow
4. Lancome mascara, any kind
5. Makeup ForEver Aqua Eyes liner pencil in black (Creamy, lasts forever)
6. BeneFit PlayStick foundation ( works as a spot concealer, covers undereye circles, or as an allover foundation.
1. Estee Lauder Lash XL in Black
2. MAC Bronzing Powder in Matt Bronze
3. Chanel Powder Blush in Golden Sun
4. MAC Eye Kohl in Teddy
5. MAC Plushglass in Fulfilled
It's not like I?m running around with a traincase full of make-up, but boiling it down to the essentials is really tough. Those are my Top-5 aka my "clean fresh faced bare minimum look". Thanks for the tip about Kiehl's colored lip balm, I already swear by it so I will definitely check out the 58B color!
My essentials includes:
-bareMinerals All-Over Face Color in warmth - great as a bronzer
-Smashbox O-GLOW Intuitive Cheek Color - gives a natural flush
-Physicians Formula Mineral Wear Talc-Free Mineral Mascara - non irritating for contact wearer
-shu eyelash curler (of course)
While I am always sampling new things as I get bored quickly, these are the few that I think would take a great deal to cease buying (sidenote: I am by no means flush with the cash, but these products I stand behind and have come to be able to justify the prices):
1. Guerlain Divinora Lip Balm (an awesome rusty peach color with an almost matte finish. I hate greasy, sticky lip balms, so this is PERFECT. This stuff makes your lips crazy soft and plump!)
2. Sisley Phtyo Teint Eclat Fluid Foundation (Yes, the price tag terrified me, but once you try this stuff, you will not go back. It is oil free and has the best flawless, natural coverage! Honestly, you need the amount equivalent to a grain of rice using a foundation brush. If I wear it everyday, I can make the bottle last about 6 months.)
3. YSL Faux Cils Mascara (wow, I have tried lots of mascaras, but you will get super thick, and I mean SUPER, long lashes with this.)
4. Armani Beauty Smooth Silk Eye Pencil #6 (a near-perfect super dark green. Most other dark greens I had tried were too close to a hunter green. This almost black just makes your eye color pop!)
5. Urban Decay Eye Primer Potion (if they ever discontinue this, my life will become that much more stressful, you know, thinking about the creasing more than you should.)
6. Lola Sheer Lipstick in Capri (the most moisturizing, balm-like, thick lipstick I have found. The sunburnt peachy beige color is to die for! I have yet to find another that I love as much!)
7. NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencils (AMAZING!)
8. MAC Eyeshadow in Woodwinked (the most sophisticated, soft gold I have found. I use it almost everyday.)
9. Cover Girl Blush in Natural Twinkle