Eye Shadow Favorites

I have a Sephora addiction, which is really quite sad because it seems that the black and white facade of their store fronts are on every corner here in Manhattan. I love Sephora because it houses almost every beauty product that I love under one roof. I also like that I can test out/peruse department store cosmetics without having to deal with the sometimes-pushy department store salespeople who often have commissioned-based brand loyalty.

MAC and Bobbi Brown Cosmetics are the only two lines that I have not been able to find here. In addition to cosmetics galore, Sephora houses a varied collection of fragrances, most of which I can't stand (I get headaches easily from perfume) but my three favorite brands (L'Occitane, Fresh, and Caudalie) are all sold here. Due to the fact that I cannot leave this store without justifying another lip gloss, I try to only enter near special occasions, when I feel somehow justified paying for worth-its-weight-in-gold cosmetics.

On my last visit, (I might have been "celebrating" St. Patrick's Day or Leap-Year:) I was on a mission to find new eyeshadow. I came out with two eyeshadows that I love, love, love.
The LORAC Starry Eyed Trio, in Superstar. Really like it. Doesn't leave the eyelid crease eyeshadow stripe at the end of the day. The color pigments used are really high-quality so just a little goes a long way....which is good because you will pay $23 for the Starry Eyed Trio.
My second eyeshadow find was this Metallic Creme Eye Colour by Laura Mercier. I actually didn't purchase this one, it was an added bonus at the checkout. At Sephora they keep track of your purchases, and after you spend a certain amount you receive free samples, thus adding to the addiction.

Up to this point, I had never used creme eye shadow, and was not sure what I was going to think- but I have ended up really liking this. It is easy to apply, blends with ease, and like the LORAC eyeshadow, doesn't all end up in the creases of my eyes at the end of the day. A little goes a long way here as well- I have had my sample for a few months and I still have more than half a tube. The Creme Eye Color is $22. I really like the Alloy and Gold colors.

A Perfect World (would have this moisturizer)

Every winter my face feels the effects of dry, recycled, indoor air. Right around January my skin begins "molting season" which finishes sometime mid-May. I have always shied away from moisturizers because my skin is still acne prone (no one told me I would still get acne at 30!) but this year I had no choice but to submit to the call of the moisturizer. I decided my flaky face ultimately looked worse than my acne:). In my hunt to find a moisturizer that was both hydrating but not pimple producing, I found Origins "A Perfect World" antioxidant moisturizer with white tea.

I really love everything about this moisturizer....except for it's steep price. It smells wonderful, doesn't clog my pores, and keeps my skin hydrated. Supposedly it will also firm, brighten, and even out the tone of my skin- along with protecting my skin from smoke and pollution (which I need here in NYC!). I cannot really vouch for all of these miracles, but I will say that it is a great moisturizer that does not give you anymore acne than you started with- and it smells awesome in the process.

You can find Origins "A Perfect World" antioxidant moisturizer at Origins.com, Bloomingdale's, and most department stores (including Macy's). A 1.7 oz bottle will run about $35. FYI-I purchased mine in a gift set that included a bunch of Perfect World products (skin guardian, body moisturizer, facial moisturizer, and a facial brush for $55-a self-gifted birthday present:) - which if you are fan of the products is a better deal than buying separately. I have only seen this gift set at Macy's and Bloomingdales.

Just a reminder to enter the Sensible Foods Give-Away! (two posts down)

Loving L'Occitane

For me, purchasing perfume is a difficult process. Often, a fragrance that I think smells great in the store, will end up giving me a headache after only a few hours of wear. A few months ago I purchased some makeup from Nordstrom and received a complimentary bag of cosmetic samples with my purchase. Among these samples was a bottle of Verbena lotion from L’Occitane. If you have any affinity for lemon scent, you have to try the Verbena line of products- it is heavenly! I finally have found some perfume that I can wear without consequence. The fragrance is described on the L’Occitane website as “Extroverted notes of Mediterranean verbena mingled with a rosy base of geranium and lemon tree"- which I think sums the scent up quite nicely.
There are all sorts of products available in the Verbena scent. If you end up falling in love with the smell of Verbena, I will warn you- visiting the L’Occitane store can be dangerous. There is a whole line of lemon-scented products that I did not even know I needed (like the Verbena Cooling Leg Gel- what is that?!? :). Verbena 3.4 oz Eau de Toilette runs around $44.00. You can also purchase the travel size (.5 oz) version of this scent for $9.00. Available at L’Occitane, and Nordstrom.

Laura Mercier "Flawless Fix" Pencil

Whoever dreamed up this product should receive an award. I love, love, love the Laura Mercier "Flawless Fix" pencil. I have found concealers in the past to be to be difficult to apply- usually they are too goopy and all over the place (except of course where you need it, on that darn blemish!), or they are really difficult to blend into the rest of your skin. This pencil gets you coverage exactly where you need it, and just where you need it-and it blends perfectly. It is important that you find your correct shade, so head to the department store and try a few colors out. My match-made-in-heaven is the shade "fair." I often find myself in the rush of the morning only applying a moisturizer and this product to even out my skin tone, and skipping foundation/powder altogether. You can use this pencil to hide redness around your nose and cover blemishes or scars. It is also touted as a "lip pencil"- to outline your lips with if you are wearing gloss/lipstick, and you want a more polished look.

One of the things that I do not like about "pencil" make-up in general is that you have to hunt down the right sharpener (I have 3 different sizes of sharpeners!) when the pencil needs a new point. This pencil erases that frustration with the built in sharpener in the lid. Love it. No more hunting for the sharpener because it is always attached and ready to go.

You can find the Laura Mercier Flawless Fix pencil in any high-end department store or online at Amazon, Sephora, or Laura Mercier. It runs about $20, but is worth every penny