Once I find a product that works well for me, I tend to stick with it. This is particularly true when it comes to skin care or makeup. If something is working, why mess around with other options? I think a lot of this mindset has historically had a lot to do with my season of life. When things are busy, who has time to road test new products? Just give me what I know works and let’s move along.
Lately, however, perhaps because I have some margin in my life or perhaps because I have become genuinely curious about what else is out there in the beauty arena, I have seen a few products that sounded interesting and intriguing, so I gave them a try. They haven’t all been winners, and my daughter Lillian is delighted to inherit my pile of not-for-me beauty products. But, to my delight, several of them have worked wonderfully, and I have added some new favorites to my regular makeup routine. Today I am sharing my top new picks with you!
CHARLOTTE TILBURY BEAUTY LIGHT WAND
After being a powder blush girl all of my life, I am now fully entranced with cream blush, particularly the Beauty Light Wand by Charlotte Tilbury. There are a lot of products similar to this one, but the way this product blends and reflects light makes it a winner in my book.
JOUER SOFT FOCUS HYDRATE AND SETTING POWDER
Perhaps my most favorite recent find, the Soft Focus Hydrate and Setting Powder by Jouer delivers huge results. I have no idea how a powder hydrates, but my skin is not dry when I use this powder. Instead of accentuating my fine lines, this setting powder literally looks like I have added a filter to face and blurs my makeup into a cohesive, soft finish. This product is amazing.
DIOR COUTURE EYE SHADOW PALETTE
Most powder eyeshadows have a drying effect, particularly on more mature skin. This Dior shadow feels like cashmere on the skin, and I love the highly pigmented hues. I do not wear a lot of heavy eyeshadow, so products like this last me forever (literally, the last time I bought an eyeshadow palette that I love was five years ago). I have learned that one high-quality eyeshadow palette is worth every penny and serves me better in the long run than lots and lots of palettes that don’t perform well.
ELF HALO GLOW LIQUID FILTER PRIMER
I am loving so many Elf products lately, and this primer is particularly fantastic. I apply it after my moisturizer, and it leaves behind a lovely glow with very light coverage. You could wear it alone for a no-makeup kind of look, but when you layer your regular makeup on top of it, the glow is still visible. I love it.
BOBBI BROWN UNDER EYE BRIGHTENER
Think of this product like a cup of coffee for your under-eye area. I typically apply concealer in a shade similar to my foundation, but something about the barely-there shade of pink gives an instant dose of color-correction to tired eyes. It smooths on just like concealer, and while I don’t use it everyday, when I need it, I am glad it’s in my bag of tricks.
ELF PUTTY BLUSH
When I am looking for a pop of blush on the apples of my cheeks, this creamy putty blush gets the job done. I love how it adds a natural flush of color, and on days when I am keeping my makeup to a minimum, this is my favorite way to perk up my cheeks. When I am wearing a full face of makeup, I use my normal blush first and then dot a bit this on top of my setting powder for a final infusion of color.
CLINIQUE ALMOST LIPSTICK IN BLACK HONEY
Talk about a blast from the past! I had this exact product in this exact color when I was in high school. I loved it then, and I recently discovered it is still delivering all the lip love. Something about this color is universally beautiful on a range of skin tones, and the easy-to-wear formula (not too shiny, not too dull) makes this the lip product I keep at the ready for an easy everyday look.
RECENT BEAUTY FINDS
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