Stila Summer ’12

I am loving Stila lately. A few of their products have made it into my daily rotation to become can’t-live-without-them essentials. Their summer collection is all about gorgeous, glowing skin that looks naturally sun-kissed and feminine.

Allover Shimmer Liquid Luminizer ($20): A dewy liquid to get your cheeks glowy and radiant. Mix it into your foundation or tinted moisturizer for an allover glow. You can dab this anywhere on your body for a little light. Clockwise from top left: Pink Shimmer, Kitten Shimmer, Rose Gold Shimmer, Bronze Shimmer.

One-Step Illuminate ($36): This serum serves about 10 purposes (a slight exaggeration, but not by much). It illuminates, primes, and nourishes your skin to improve tone and texture, and over time, diminish the appearance of fine lines. It’s infused with Stila’s proprietary Youth Revival Bio-Available Mineral Complex, and contains a twist of 3 glowy shades (champagne, pale pink, and Kitten). Pat it on under makeup to look really radiant and naturally pretty.

Baked Setting Powder ($34): This powder is baked to create a velvety finish on your skin and set your makeup for the long haul. Each compact comes in a split-pan trio with 3 powders. Twist the clear plastic “grater” covering the pan, and it shaves off a mix of the 3 powders, blending them together so you don’t have to. Available in 3 shades (from top):
1. Set & Bronze: Sweep this bronzer on to set your makeup & give your complexion a healthy boost.
2. Set & Correct: Green, peach, & lavender powders color-correct and mattify skintones. Part of what makes these so powerful is the ability to counteract the harshness of red and ruddy patches.
3.Set & Illuminate: Contains pale pink, champagne, & Kitten powders make your skin look like it’s glowing from within.

Passion Fruit Crush Lip & Cheek Stain ($24): This chunky little pen will get your lips glossed and polished in a blush rose hue. Toss it in your purse or beach bag for on-the-fly blush touch-ups, too.

Self-Adjusting Bronze Custom Color Blush ($20): Stila’s latest Custom Color Blush is infused with one-shade-fits-all technology to detect the most flattering flush for your skin tone. Sweep it on and it adjusts to the pH of your complexion, creating a summery, sun-kissed shimmer on your cheeks.

Not pictured: Stay All Day Waterproof Volumizing Mascara

Images via Stila

NARS Illuminator in Copacabana

I was on the hunt for a new highlighter recently and wanted to switch it up. After buying — and returning — no less than 4 luminizers last month, I finally caved and bought the NARS Illuminator in Copacabana ($30). I griped and grumbled, saying that the price was too high for too little product (1.2 ozs.).

But…this highlighter is above-and-beyond, pull-out-all-the-stops amazing. I am so, so head over heels in love with it. It melts into my skin, instead of sitting on top of it, making it look like my cheeks literally have lightbulbs inside them (in a good way). It’s not disco-ball-ish or garish, it’s just glistening and pearly and beautiful. The champagne-pink hue makes it look like a soft spotlight is shining on the places I apply it. Such a gorgeous effect, and, to my wallet’s delight, a little (and I mean little) dab goes a long way.  A dot the size of a pinhead is enough to cover both cheeks, with a bit leftover for my browbones and nose. Which means one $30 tube will last me a very long time. I just can’t say enough good things about this little miracle-worker.

Givenchy Mister Radiant Body

Ok, first off, how can you not love the name of this product? Givenchy Mister Radiant Body ($49) gives you skin that you only thought was possible in magazines.

Suspended in the clear gel are iridescent microbeads in 3 different shades: brown, yellow, and white.  Each colored bead is filled with a skin-beautifying liquid. The yellow beads hold a pearlescent, shimmery liquid to give your skin subtle glimmer. Bronze bubbles are filled with a pigment that naturally tints your skin a light tan color (creating the illusion of–or enhancing–defined and toned legs and arms). The white beads contain vitamin E to nourish your skin. The tiny beads burst when you massage them into your skin, releasing all their goodness and making your body look absolutely fabulous. It’s kind of the perfect complement to summer skin.

Givenchy recommends exfoliating and applying a light moisturizer to your skin before slathering this on. If you start with a freshly-polished canvas, it will glide on even smoother and make you look more radiant.

What techniques or products do you use to get gorgeous summer skin?

What’s In My Makeup Bag

I have 3 makeup kits: a train case that has all my products that I often use when I do makeup for other people, a bigger personal case that contains the items I don’t use every day (like my smoky eyeshadows and the like), and a small bag of everyday essentials. By far, the items I turn to literally every single day are stashed in the smallest case. Here is what’s inside that case. I would recommend these products without hesitation; they’re the ones I rely on day in and day out.

1. Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge in Pale Pink ($24): This cream blush lasts all day, and is the prettiest pink shade I’ve found. It glides on whisper-soft for a gentle blush, and layers beautifully for a more pronounced flush. Note: this is the old packaging of this product; check out the new packaging, available now.

2. Shiseido Eyelash Curler ($19): Since the She Uemura curler is only sold online now, I use this–and it’s just as good. Curls expertly, with all-day hold.

3. MAC Strobe Cream ($15-$30): I mix a few drops of this into my tinted moisturizer for extra glow.

4. MAC Bronzing Powder in Refined Golden ($23): This shimmery bronzer gives my fair skin just enough bronzey glow that’s believable, not fake. Note: This packaging is from the 2010 “To The Beach” collection, and is no longer available. Refined Golden is part of MAC’s permanent collection, so the bronzer itself is still available.

Keep reading for more products!

Too Faced Summer ’12: Summer Royalty

Too Faced’s Summer Royalty collection beckons warm weather, long days, and tropical islands. Summer Royalty contains cool blue colors as inviting as a swimming pool on a hot day, and lots of bronzy treats to make your skin look (safely) tanned.

*Items marked LE are limited edition.

Summer Eye Summertime Sexy Eyeshadow Palette ($36, LE): This little palette, with its bright blue pool ripples on it, is deceptively small; inside it holds 9 shadows. You get 3 big (.07oz.) shadows: Sugar Sand, a shimmery light sand; Peach Fuzz, a shimmery nude; and Sunbeam, a shimmery pale lemon-yellow. 3 small (.03oz.) shadows are tucked in there, too: Toasted Coconut, shimmery medium-brown; Cocoa Beach, shimmery copper-brown; Chocolate Sun; deep, rich brown; Mermaid, intense deep green; Coral Crush; shimmery light coral; and Plumeria, a shimmery cool medium pink. Included are 3 cards that show you how to create “Day,” “Fashion,” and “Classic” looks. Here are the shadows close up:

Primed & Poreless Pure ($30, above left): This oil-free, colorless face primer was formulated for sensitive skin. It reduces the appearances of pores, fine lines, and discoloration, and helps makeup adhere to skin, prolonging its wear. A great base for your makeup.

Royal Oil Coconut Oil Body Bronzer with Mangosteen Extract ($35, above right): Not only will it leave your skin a toasty golden shade with a hint of shimmer, but it hydrates, too, with coconut oil and mangosteen extract.

Click through to see more!

Let’s Get Glowing

Image by Daria Zaytseva via Pinterest

Right around this time of year is when I start to loathe my very fair skin. It’s pasty from months of little sunshine and being cooped up indoors all winter, my freckles seem magnified because they look darker in contrast to my pale skin, and I’m dying for some sort of a boost. If you’re very fair like me, it may be a little too early for self-tanner and toasty-bronze skin…and even if you’re not fair, it’s safe to assume you could use a boost after months of shorter days. So how do you get a killer complexion that’s radiant and refreshed-looking? Luminizer! It’s the quickest, easiest way to banish leftover winter dullness and mask imperfections.

I’ve compiled a guide to luminizers for you, complete with their pros and cons. While I haven’t purchased all of these, I have tested them repeatedly…and I took notes! I’ve listed each product’s pros and cons to help you pick the highlighter that’s right for you.

Benefit High Beam ($26)
A pearly pink liquid that gives you the best possible version of your skin and tastefully adds shimmer.
Pros: This one is a tried-and-true winner; it makes your skin look flawlessly glowy, and it’s suitable for almost all skin tones.
Cons: …None?
(Image via Sephora)

Make Up For Ever Uplight Luminizer Gel ($29)
A gel formula that glides on skin smoothly and stays put for hours.
Pros: Available in a staggering 8 shades and 3 finishes (dewy, pearly, and sparkling), so you can achieve basically any look you want, from glowy and natural to bronzed and glam, to flushed and rosy-cheeked. Each shade lets your skin show through and blends well (it just melts into your cheeks), thanks to the smooth gel formula. Use it all over.
Cons: Again, this one will be tough…I’m gonna go with none.

NARS Illuminator ($30) in Copacabana (pearly pink), Orgasm (peachy-pink), Super Orgasm (peachy-pink loaded with glitter) & Laguna (light tan)
Pros: Sheer, luminous, and creamy, these are great for putting the spotlight on the high points of your face (cheeks, bridge of nose, brow bones, Cupid’s bow). Easily blendable, and available in 4 shades for different skin tones and effects.
Cons: Inconsistency between the shades. Based on my experience, Copacabana, the lightest shade, barely shows up on skin (with just a hint of shimmer), while the Laguna can appear too dark. Also, different batches of Super Orgasm that I’ve tested seem to have varying glitter content–some to the point where it was too shimmery. Also, a packaging flaw: after repeated use, product collects in a gooey mess under the flipcap.
(Image via Nordstrom)

There’s so much more after the jump!

Tarte Maracuja Blush & Glow

Want to shimmer and shine, but afraid of looking like a discoball? Tarte Maracuja Blush & Glow ($32) combines 2 cheeky essentials into 1 package for a glowy finish that’s anything but garish. And it’s ideal for on-the-go touch-ups; the compact size is practically made for tossing in your purse.

In the tube, you’ll find a creamy, pearly highlighter that will add instant radiance to your cheekbones (and browbones, bridge of nose, and Cupid’s bow). Tucked under the clear plastic cap is a dome of cream blush to swipe on top of the luminizer. You can dab it on directly from the tube, or lightly run your fingertips over it to pick up some product and pat on cheeks with your fingers. Both products are infused with Maracuja oil, which is supposed to sink into your skin quickly and deliver a rapid boost of vitamin C and fatty acids.

Available in shades: Candlelight (champagne shimmer), Moonlight (pink shimmer), and Sunlight (peach shimmer). You can grab this now at your local Sephora or online.

Benefit Sun Beam: “Liquid Sunshine in a Bottle”

Benefit sure knows how to woo a girl. In these dark, frigid winter days when already the holidays feel like a distant memory, they release something that we all need: a little sunshine! Sun Beam ($26) is the latest in their collection of luminizers, and it’s sure to bring a smile to your face — especially if you live in a climate that’s cold this time of year.

This golden bronze highlighter is pearlized, giving your skin a glow both from the shimmer and the toasty tint. You can use it to spotlight the high contours of your face, like your cheekbones, browbones, and the bridge of your nose. But what really makes me want to get my hands on this is the thought of mixing a bit into my tinted moisturizer for an all-over glow. With my pasty, dull winter skin, the thought of a sun-kissed glow is so scintillating!

While it’s not a substitute for real rays, it’ll give your complexion a much-needed boost during these rough winter days. And yes, I will be grabbing one as soon as humanly possible.

Images via Benefit

Recession Beauty: e.l.f. Shimmering Facial Whip

It’s no insider secret that a luminizer is the quickest, most flattering way to get a candlelit glow and make your bone structure really pop. But if you’re a babe on a budget, you may not have extra cash for the non-essential cosmetics. Well, you’re in luck, because e.l.f. Shimmering Facial Whip is just $1. Yep, you read it right — $1!! I picked mine up at my local Target.

And guess what…it’s not bad! Really. I expected it to be a disaster because it was so cheap, but I’ve paid a lot more for products that didn’t perform nearly as well as this little gem. I grabbed Spotlight, a pearly silvery shade that will work well on all skin tones, but is especially pretty on cool tones. Other available shades: Pink Lemonade (pale light pink), Persimmon (light pink), Lilac Petal (pale lilac), Camilia (pale silvery-pink), Citrus (peachy-pink), Toasted (pale bronze), and Golden Peach (gold).

Find out more details after the break!

That’s Watt’s Up!

This October, BeneFit will debut its latest (and maybe greatest?) highlighter, Watt’s Up ($TBD).

This push-up stick luminizer is a nude champagne hue laced with subtle shimmer to make you glow. Because it’s BeneFit’s first solid highlighter, you can toss it in your purse for on-the-go touch-ups, or even just shove it in your makeup bag carefree without worrying about it spilling all over the place.

But my favorite part is definitely the packaging design (aside from the cute lightbulbs dangling on the label). On one end, you’ve got the highlighting stick, while the opposite end features a domed sponge. You can diffuse and blend your new glow like a pro with this handy, built-in sponge tip. It really is a portable, all-in-one product.

To get glowing, swipe the stick over cheekbones and browbones to give you bone structure that will rival a supermodel’s. For added contouring, sweep it down the bridge of your nose (which will visually slim your nose), and gently press it into your Cupid’s bow to make your lips look lush. Use the sponge tip to blend everything out, and people will think you’re genetically blessed!