We all witness them on the bus: oompa-loompa-looking girls, fake-baked far beyond any natural state of complexion. Often times, these victims go tanning (I am guilty as charged…) and then use cheap bronzer in an effort to enhance their artificial color (gasp!). You look silly. For me, there are two types of make up that are worth paying more for: foundation and bronzer. A poor quality bronzer can instantly turn a natural-look, horribly wrong. Bronze-N-Brighten, however, creates a “dewy yet matte finish,” without any hint of orange. As you can see from the image above, the compressed powder consists of an array of colors, mimicking the different pigments found in our skin-tones.
Pros:
- This product stays on your face (you don’t have to worry about smudging your look on clothes).
- Versatile – You can “build-up” in darkness of tan with repeated application.
- Safe for sensitive skin.
Cons:
- Expensive: Approximately $30.00 and a container lasts about 6 months.
On the rare occasion that I might sleep out, one fact can be sure: I will return home looking outrageous. The first to suffer is always my eyeliner, which has a nasty habit of smearing and transforming me into some savage-looking raccoon by dawn. A potentially romantic morning can easily turn into a classic “walk of shame” by such a messy face; revealing the nasty secret of just how much makeup I wore last night. With the help of Make Up For Ever: Aqua eyes, these days I don’t come home looking good… but at least I can avoid an eye-disaster.
Save Yourself, Ladies!
Pros:
- Extensive selection of colors, ranging from neon yellow to a sparkly version of black.
- “Generic” to Sephora, so it is affordable ($17.00) and will last you from summer to winter.
- Advertised as a two-in-one eyeshadow and liner pencil, this means it glides on smoothly.
- Doesn’t irritate sensitive eyes (safe for contact wearers).
- Waterproof
- Sephora has an amazing return policy: within 60 days of purchase, they offer a full refund for all used and unsatisfying products.
Cons:
- Must use eye-makeup remover to take it off – I suggest Clinique: Take The Day Off.
You’re probably thinking, why would someone buy clear mascara? When I first passed it in the store I felt the same way – totally pointless product. Then I read an article in CosmoGirl about how clear mascara (basically hair gel in a tube) is perfect applicator to tame baby hair fly-aways! Sure enough, the beauty-gurus were right and I keep this in my bag now. The little wand is great, I can tame the hair around my face when I wear a ponytail, without making it look greasy or stiff!
Pros:
- The wand offers exact application of gel.
- Holds hair in place like a dab of hairspray.
- Portable and long-lasting!
Cons:
- Pointless for eye-lashes.
- Kind of expensive: $5.99
The department store cashier threw a free tester of this “Illuminating Potion” in my bag. I didn’t know how to use it, but it ran for $30.00 so I figured I would give the little vial of magic a try. Prescriptives advertises that it “instantly imparts an image of perfection” by “play[ing] with light.” So I put it on my cheeks underneath a little foundation. Ew. It didn’t make my young skin look dewy – it made it look shiny. Next, I tried it under my eyebrows (the only place I could use some shine)… MAGIC! I love it, my brow bone now looks illuminated and totally natural. I like my little tester, but I wouldn’t pay much money for this product.
Pros:
- Oil-Free (but, it doesn’t look like it).
- Red-Neutralizing
- Shimmery and slightly pink-colored: great for under brows.
- Non-acnegenic. Ophthalmologist-tested. Dermatologist-tested.
Cons:
- Expensive
- Prescriptives suggests that this can correct unevenness and make blemishes less noticeable: beware, this stuff will make your pimple look like a disco-ball. Use it only where you want natural shine!
This is the only chapstick i will use. It doesn’t taste like chemicals, it doesn’t rub off and it looks completely natural. If i want color i wear lipstick, if i want shine i wear gloss, if i want my lips to be plump, totally natural-looking and moisturized – i use Blistex Lip Revitalizer. Unfortunately, I have only seen this glorious product for sale online. But it’s worth it. For real. I order it in bulk, since tubes tend to go missing (Alana and im watching you…)!
Ingredients: Dimethicone 1%, Benzoic Acid, Bis Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate 2, Carvone, Cyclomethicone, Flavor, Glyceryl Stearate, Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Hydrogenated Coco Glycerides, Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Isohexadecane, Lecithin, Methylparaben, Microcrystalline Wax, Petrolatum, Phenyltrimethicone, Propylparaben, Saccharin, Silica, Sodium Lactate, Sorbic Acid, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E).
Pros:
- Tasteless
- Natural-look, not greasy or sticky!
- Long lasting – I put this on in the morning… and even after lunch my lips still have a thin protective coat.
- Inexpensive, about $2.19 a tube.
- Can be used under lipstick for extra moisture.
- Contains alpha hydroxy to smooth dry skin cells on lips.
Cons:
- I have never been able to find this product in-stores… thats about it!
