I love being a girl. I like to be prepared with a closet full of “just in case” gifts, a freezer full of holiday cookies, with firewood at the ready, and to-do lists at hand. Holiday party invitations, if I actually had friends who threw such bashes, would warrant outfits of good cheer and fashion sense.
In readying my closet, I realized my make-up drawer could use a little freshening. Here are the products I love for the holidays (whether as gifts, or as special things you want for yourself to make that inner vagina of yours sparkle). I keep two different make-up bags stocked. One is usually in the car, a mini version of must haves for post-gym freshening. Then there’s the full giddy-up for when Mama means business.
Lorac Perfectly Lit Oil-free luminizing powder in Spotlight is my favorite product, ever. No matter how bad your skin looks, in photos it always looks perfect with this stuff. It acts as a filter on your eye, softening your appearance. Definite fave.
As for foundation, if I have time, I’m a Smashbox liquid girl in Smashing Oak or Smashing Bisque, otherwise, I use a Mac compact for quick easy coverage. I will list more of these actual products when I have my makeup tote in front of me tomorrow. I must go write the pilot now. Please forgive the light posting, and instead comment amongst yourselves here.
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So you finally succumb to everyone telling you to join a gym? :D
Definitely keeps depression at bay.
FROM SK: We joined a country club when we first moved here, and part of membership is the spa/gym/pool/classes/pools/tennis/etc. We have a gym in the house, which I've been known to look at.
my first comment and now my second. i just did a post on what's in my purse. i love a girl purse. meanwhile, is phil on coumadin/warfarin? i am also, at 52 i had a stroke. yikes. i am fine, three strokes later, one heart procedure later but still packing the pills. mind you i love a pill. did you ever meet a 55 year old jewish mother who didn't love a pill??? those pills, not so much. good luck to you guys. and although i wish i was crafty enough to do the scrapping thing. not gonna happen.
oooo fun!!! I LOVE make-up and could never find the perfect foundation…I ended up defaulting to MAC every single time but they seemed a little too yellow and in pictures would look too light on my face…but if i went darker it would look like crap.
I finally found heaven on earth when it comes to foudnation. Hourglass VEIL liquid make-up (you can find it at Sephora). It has matrixyl which helps the body produce collagen and it has a Skin Tightener to smooth out your face and I believe it helps prevent wrinkles too (not that i'm going to sprout any wrinkles anytime soon…i'm 22 and latina).
it's oil-free, parabens-free, fragrance-free and has SPF 15
OH and it literally is like a veil on your face….sooo light and the color is perfect since the application is so light! My boss has been complimenting my skin for the past month or two and finally decided to ask me the name of my foundation and went and bought it for herself.
here's a picture: this was at my cousin's wedding i just wanted you to see the difference in her foundation in mine ….notice how because of the flash her foundation reflects and looks extremely pale for her skin even though in person her make-up did not look like that.
http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n195/jmar0408/IMG_1734.jpg?t=1229043321
Speaking of scrapping, looks like you are now a week behind in your daily scrapping. How about an update soon. I am very curious and anxious.
lloooooooovvveeeee makeup.
"Then there's the full giddy-up for when Mama means business." That made me laugh out loud. Yay for the impending product post! I've been waiting. If you were to write a whole bunch about lippies, I would not be disappointed.
Very interesting! I have little to none experience on using make-up, but since I'm going on 26 I'm going to need to start using some soon. I can use all the advice & product tips I can get! (esp. for pale oily skin…)
Oh, and @magnolia: getting anxious when a complete stranger doesn't fulfill her promise of scrapping due to work overload? Relax and get your priorities in order…
First, I love love love the Stella roller fragrance. More of a "summer scent" – Hanae Mori is my winter go-to this year. And Banana Republic's Malachite is perfect for traveling (airplane oz rules).
Also, in terms of mascara, I haven't had anything compare to DiorShow – I literally camped out at Sephora and used 30 of those little one-use mascara wands and experimented until I found the perfect one a few years back and haven't switched since (up until then I had about 10 different mascaras floating around in my bag)
I love girltime posts like these. I use Make For Ever Foundation. It is expensive but very good. I have heard good things about Georgio Armani foundation–it is about the same price as MF… Thanks for the tip on Smashbox. I see that you also wear Laura Mercier lipstick. Love her makeup. I lost a Bobbi Brown lipstick and will now have to go replace it…Ruby Shimmer. And Nars, you cannot wrong with their blushes, glosses etc…
I always enjoy your makeup and hair products posts! Also, would you mind sharing where you find some of your tops? They are so lovely (I'm thinking specifically of the blue shirt you're wearing in the Maypole Birthday Cake photos. Beautiful.
Johanna, Thanks for the tip about VEIL foundation. Looks great on you. My skin tone is close to yours and you know how hard it is for those of us with darker skin to find foundation. I definitely will check it out.
NOT that you have time, but I saw this blog post and thought of you immediately. Neat ideas to decorate, and the champagne sorbet sounds yummmmmmmmy.
http://www.designspongeonline.com/2008/12/in-the-kitchen-with-caroline-swifts-holiday-treats.html#more-15814
Oh NARS hits the spot for me!!!!!!!
You're welcome chicagomari! i really love it.
and A, that's amazing that you went to Sephora and tried out all the mascaras…i would have lost patience after 2. I'll have to go try the DiorShow…but right now I have the Yves Saint Laurent Volume Effet Faux Cils one and it's pretty damn good too.
aren't you worried about all the crap in make-up products? ever since i read about all the stuff they put in make-up, it has taken all the fun out of putting it on. I was a product whore for a long time and i miss the days when i had no clue!
i love a good product post. especially when oprah's only talking about cardboard boxes for her favorite things this year. seriously. i'd be so mad if i left that show with only a book and a piece of pie. not even the whole pie! with the perfectly lit, how do you pick a shade? two of them look almost the same.
Makeup Things I Love:
1. Smashbox travel brushes
2. Chanel Vitalumiere in Gentle Ivory
3. Prescriptives False Eyelashes mascara
p.s. I wish that I would get into the magic spirit of the holidays…I feel like Ebeneezer Scrooge over here!
What's the kickback for advertising steph?
I love a fun makeup post and I was loving seeing what was in your bag! I'm a Nars girl–and I LOVE Chanel foundation–the teint innocence one. L'Oreal Voluminous mascara is my staple and it's always reliable. But currently obsessed with Tarte's cheekstains–they stay on right on the apples of the cheeks while all the other stuff seems to fade away later in the day. Oh…and I love love love Nars powder foundation in Fiji—took the red out of my skin tone.
My makeup must haves:
1. Well Rested by Bare Minerals…I have dark circles and this ZAPS them!
2. YSL Faux Cils mascara…have tried the rest and this one wins hands down (but I also use Cover Girl Fabulash in a must-have now pinch)
3. MAC Paint Pots-in Painterly…it's the perfect base for all shadow
4. Aquaphor ointment for chapstick
I absolutely adore makeup and these are the things I don't think I could do without. Ever.
I bought a Smashbox starter kit of sorts today at Sephora, we shall see how it goes!
This is just a random comment. I noticed that your ranking on Google for "greek tragedy" has dropped. You used to be in the number one result; now you're on page 2 of results. Not sure if that's because of something you changed on your end or because of something Google changed, but if the case of the former, thought you might want to know. Thanks
Okay, here is a handful of questions and a few comments…hope to hear back from you, Stephanie, and anyone who may have some eyeliner tips!
First -is that MAC Lipglass in Prrr by chance in your makeup bag? Best lipgloss ever – use it alone, or you can use it on top of any lipstick as well! Guys love it too…the shine it makes your lips stand out even more at night in low light on a date…they will keep staring at your lips because they look completely kissable :)
As for mascaras, I, too, have tried dozens. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised to find that my cheapie, L'Oreal's Voluminous, proved to be just as good DoirShow! I tested each product on eye against Voluminous on the other. If your are looking to save some $$ right now, this is one product worth trying and seeing for yourself!
Regarding another question about the Spotlight Powder – do use it as your normal powder all over our face? Or do you powder your face and then just use the Spotlight Powder as a highlighter? And if so, where exactly? I have never used a highlighting powder, and I am afraid that the irridescent particles might actually make me look oily/shiny. And can you reapply it throughout the day?
Lastly, can anyone recommend a jet black eyeliner that you can line the inner rims with that actually lasts for a hard contact wearer? All the ones I have tried (at least 15 – most waterproof), all either flake too much and get in my eyes, or they smudge or just disappear from my inner rims within just a couple of hours. I may just be sol since my eyes tear a bit more having contacts, but I had to ask the question in case anybody out there may know of a budge-proof eyeliner that works on on the inner rims…which is a look I just absolutely love, but can't maintain! Again, any advice would be appreciated~
Happy Holidays Everyone!
Barbara
P.S. Stephanie, I was thrilled to meet you at the book signing in Houston. You were even better in person and I wish you only the best on your new adventure with the pilot! Just please don't abandon your blog when you get all uber famous…I look forward to reading it too much!
Warm wishes to you and your family during the holidays along with lots of happiness and good health for your husband and children in the coming year!
This is an old response but the best eyeliner EVER is Stila Eye Kajal in Onyx. It does not smudge and only needs a little eye makeup remover to wipe off. I wear contacts and it doesn’t do the odd flaking into my contact lense.
Also I heard somewhere that Kim Kardashian uses it and she is pretty much the queen of smokey eye :)
Hope that helps!
I would love to know where you got your makeup bag. I can't seem to find a simple, clear bag with zippered compartments. I've looked online at smashbox, MAC, sephora, etc and I even checked Ricky's NYC and they don't have anything close. Thx!
Love any excuse to chat about this stuff. Kim, re: pale oily skin – I'm exactly the same. Some good stuff:
Nars blush in Orgasm really is good for pale skin. I know it's such a cliche recommendation because it's always written up everywhere, but it's all true.
MAC lipgloss in Lychee Lux is the PERFECT pink for pale girls. L'Oreal in Watermelon Crush isn't bad either if you want something cheaper and don't mind that it comes in a squeeze tube (personally I find them annoying).
Boscia Clear Complexion gel cleanser is pretty awesome. It's pricier (like $20) but lasted a few months for me b/c you only have to use a tiny bit at a time. Although right now I'm using Garnier Nutri-Pure gel cleanser which is also very nice.
Oh and everyone should have Stila's eye shadow in Kitten.
Thanks for the tips – I can't wait to try the Lorac powder.
Do you use the Lorac powder on bare skin or on top of foundation?
FROM SK: Either. Depends on time.
Barbara-Houston, I always had the issue with eyeliner coming off! My friend sells Mary Kay so I tried their eyeliner and it. stays. put. Even after a workout. I'm not a big MK fan with anything else but their eyeliner is great.
had to add one recommendation here….
i've always had a problem with the 'reverse racoon' in pictures…i'm sure you've seen pics where your undereye concealer is almost glowing…leaving a much lighter skin tone around the eye? always bothered me since i have dark circles and need something to cover up.
my friend recommended benefit ooh la lift. it's not a concealer, more of a brightener that reflects light so it takes away from the circles, and doesn't reflect white in pictures. love it.
http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P1287&categoryId=S10520&shouldPaginate=true