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To enlarge, click on the pictures below.

NARS All About Eve Duo $31: How could I resist? It's named after the movie! You scoff, especially when you open the compact and see... two nudes? Surely not worth a $31 investment. But that is exactly what AAE (as it is colloquially known) is: an investment. Like expensive lingerie, satiny and important. Like Eve in the movie, these two flesh tones are seemingly humble, seemingly simple, but with a texture like the richest silk. The colors are very similar, peachy nudes with silvery sheen: one's peachier, the other's shiner (reminds me Copacabana). Both impart a candlelit glow. It's not like you're wearing makeup, but you look infinitely more polished. All About Eve is the soul of discretion.

NARS Daredevil Lip Stain $22.50: Without red lipstick, what would the 50s be? I ought to recommend a sober browned red, the most wearable, the most universal choice, e.g. Sue Devitt Great Australian Bight. But I won't. Might as well pick a red lipstick that REALLY is a red lipstick, a warrior red, the perfect red rose... with thorns. Daredevil is a bit tricky to put on (I apply to the back of my hand, then dab it on with a finger), but it is such a rich, saturated hue, a dark and dramatic cool red—it looks so right. It's somber, not bright, and very, very aggressive: the name says it all. NOTA BENE: The pigment is very high quality, I don't think this will "fuschia", but I am not the one to know.

NARS Riviera Multiple $36.50: I think aggressive makeup choices are best worn with a sense of balance. The classic look demands contour powder, which is very dated. The alternative, a hint of bronzer for deeper skin (the gleam is delicious), and for a fair complexion, a diffuse mist of sweet pink blush. The perfect blush with vibrant red lipstick: this delicate pink shimmer (a wee bit of gold), so sheer it barely registers.

Kevyn Aucoin Diaphanous The Gossamer Loose Powder $62: I can't in good conscience recommend the pancake makeup of yore, but I urge you to consider loose powder. Ladies who lunch powder their noses. I remember reading an article of Mr. Aucoin's long ago, of an impromptu makeover. They used very little concealer, and "translucent powder" to even out the skin. No foundation. How can, I wondered, translucent loose powder do so much? Because this girl, her skin, it was flawless. The answer is: he probably used this product. It imparts a flawless finish, it's hard to describe... somehow it "melts" into skin, makes pores disappear, and leaves a velvety finish that eliminates shine, similar to the effect of a skin primer. It comes with a finely textured sponge (it was his preferred method), which I find difficult to extricate, but I like the method (very evenly blended application). The jar is just drop dead gorgeous: the stuff of creams.

Kevyn Aucoin The Precision Brow Pencil $24: In the daily routines of most women, brows I think are neglected most. I am no less guilty, though I do tweeze. Brows frame the face, and no makeup artist ever neglects them. Shun the weak brow, with the consummate brow pencil. The shade is perfect on everyone (grey-taupe), the consistency is perfect (not too soft, not too hard), and the twist-up lead is very thin, perfect for sketching in nonexistent brows. It even comes with a spoolie at the end, which is surprisingly perfect for blending away harsh lines. Even a brow dummy will manage a passably perfect brow with this pencil.

Andrea Modlash Starter Kit, 53 Black $5.19: False lashes are big all of sudden. Shu Uemura has lash bars. Lash extensions are finally available in the US (the glue was once illegal). J. Lo orders them in fox fur, Oprah in mink, and Madonna's come diamond studded. Bizarre. Of the once standard practices in the the beauty rituals of women, false lashes, it seemed, had really fallen out of disfavor. I'm glad they're back, though. They seem very fun. They take a lot of practice, but a good place to start: these supernatural, easy-to-use kit from Andrea. Have some black liquid liner on hand after the glue dries, to cover the band.

Bliss Clog Dissolving Milk $28 and Bliss Pore-Perfecting Facial Polish $28: Somehow I like to think that in spite of how contrivedly feminine Eve looks, she's really more utilitarian at heart. Like any budding actress, she must take scrupulous care of her skin. These basic products are surprisingly high tech. This grapefruit-scented (like grapefruit Mentos) milky cleanser and gentle creamy scrub are precisely calibrated to elimate grease, grime, makeup, flakes, and clogged pores for bright, soft, perfectly clean skin.

Rescue Beauty Lounge Rosemary Pamplemousse Exfoliating Body Wash $20: This is a beautiful product. It's a sort of creamy, lathering body wash with some apricot seed grains for mild exfoliation. It's not really that exfoliating, but placebo effect is important with body products, so I think my skin is smoother for using it. It's pretty, beige with brown specks, against the teal label with gold leaves. The smell, it is, pungent: rosemary, soapy, sinus-clearing, but hardly any grapefruit (definitely not my taste in scents). Pungent is good, a positive sign of quality in body products. And the product itself is problematic. If you are comfortable with a $48 rosemary-scented body wash, by all means, stop reading here. But if not, I would submit that this goes very fast as a scrub, because it's not particularly scrubby. But if you use it as a body wash, you get no exfoliating effects whatsoever. What's the point? (It would, however, be a really lovely thing to take with you on vacation, just the thing to treat yourself with after a dip in the Mediterranean, before you sit down to a snack of fresh figs, fire roasted fish, and yogurt with honey. Like I said, bath products are largely about placebo effect, of inspiring "atmosphere".)

OPI I'm Not Really A Waitress Nail Lacquer $7: This works in so many ways. The shade is truly a truly classic red, with the modern touch of shimmer. A slightly berry red with red shimmer, it's incredibly flattering on everyone (it's OPI's best selling shade). And the name! Evidently the idea behind it is an undiscovered actress who waits tables to get by, dreaming of discovery. That's not our Eve, actually, but she's not really a personal assistant, either.

Dior Hypnotic Poison EDT $42: I got it for this theme because of the name. I'm not sure what I think of it. To me, it smells predominantly of licorice and root beer. Plus vanilla, jasmine, and white musk. A lot of sweetness to mask a lot of bitterness. Conceptually, I suppose that is the point, but it smells like baby vomit to me. And the drydown smells like play-doh. Only much later is it any good: a sort of bitter almond-vanilla-jasmine-musk "skin" effect. Sexy marzipan, anyone?

Labels: beauty notebook

1. Johnson & Johnson Head to Toe Baby Wash. This has been my facial cleanser for years, literally. It seems to me it was already a "board lemming" (something everyone on the beauty board has to own!) when I joined The Lipstick Page forum in 1998, and I tried it at that time.
   
   Why is this revolutionary? It is the perfect cleanser for my oily/combo, acne prone skin. It cleans without stripping (though I doubt it would work for dry skin; too astringent), removes makeup (at least the level of makeup I wear...I don't wear mascara, so I don't know if it works for that), does not irritate eyes--being baby wash--making it ideal for removing eye shadow and liner...has a light pleasant scent, is overall pleasant to use, no breakouts...and best of all, it is cheap. It comes in ginormous bottles at Costco...yes, the price has risen, but it's still a mere $10 for two huge bottles.
   
   And--if there needed to be an "and"--it's terrific for washing makeup brushes and puffs, hair brushes, I use it to wash out my haircolor bottles; any time you need a mild, yet effective, cleanser, there it is.



2. A daily multi-vitamin. This has made a tremendous difference in my (acne prone) skin and overall well-being. Do some research...and, especially if you are of child-bearing age, consult your doctor before starting on a vitamin regimen.



3. For acne: consider switching your birth control pill. Some are better than others. Some are horrible in fact. I've gotten the best results from Ortho Tricyclen and Yasmin.



4. For acne: analyze your diet and check for allergies. My own acne is triggered by particular foods. If I eat a lot of beef that was raised with growth hormone, I'm sure to get blemishes and extra-oily skin. I've heard of people getting acne from allergies to foods such as tomatoes, citrus, or milk. I've heard of someone who got acne because she was allergic to parabens. Give it some thought, see what you're eating and what's in your environment.



5. Jojoba butter/jojoba oil. The butter form is superior to the oil if you're going to use it as a night cream or moisturizer. The oil is better if you're going to mix it into something else, such as a tinted moisturizer or shampoo.
   
   This is my ideal moisturizer, and--like the J & J Head to Toe above--it is way cheap (I'm still working my way through my original jar), and the perfect thing for oily/combo, acne prone skin. I use it only at night (I don't use a moisturizer during the day)...it gets rid of flakes, makes my face feel nice and soft--not greasy...it sinks in--and, it helps keep pores clear.



6. MAC Blot pressed powder. Worth the $18 price tag (did I just say that?), if you have oil or shine to deal with.
   
   I didn't believe it either, until I tried it.



7. For thin hair: a biotin supplement. Disclaimer: I am an ordinary person, not a medical professional. I've had thin hair the greater part of my life, I wrote it off as hereditary...but this stuff really does work. Here are some links for your perusal:
   Vitamins (BBC site)
   Treating Hair Loss Naturally (Webmd.com)



8. L'Oreal Feria deep conditioner. How did I ever live without this? I started out coloring my hair with Preference and used the Preference deep conditioner before, but I like the Feria one better...and you don't need to use the Feria kits to use the conditioner. Just buy it at Sallys Beauty Supply.
   
   This is "the cure for colored hair"...just use it after coloring, for the next few days. Your hair will feel as if it had never been colored, and ladies, I bleach. No crispy, crunchy hair here.



9. Nars the Multiple in Malibu. Not necessarily ideal as a multi-purpose product...as a lip color it's gorgeous, but imo too dry. As an eyeshadow it'll do, but I have better shadows. But oh, as a blush, it is perfect.
   
   I say this because I have been, by and large, far too lazy to put on blush. This cool stick form means I can grab it after I put on my tinted sunscreen, dab it once or twice on each cheek, blend with my fingers, voila! Done! Painless!
   
   Moreover, this somewhat bronzy, neutral rose color (if anything, it is ever so slightly warm) is perfect year round, because of the bronze. As my skin gets paler, this stuff looks more bronze...it morphs into something of a bronzer. In summer the bronze fades into my tan and I'm left with a lovely rose blush.



10. Nars Babylon duo eyeshadow. I still love this duo; it's foolproof. Okay, you have to be able to wear orange eyeshadow. If your coloring is cool, I don't think it would work. But for neutral-to-warm coloring, and green eyes...it would work for any eye color, but it's stupendous with green or blue...you've gotta have it.
    
    I am of the opinion that there is a Nars eyeshadow duo for everyone. Babylon is mine but there are many more to choose from.



11. Christian Dior Beige Massaï eyeshadow quint. This is the "subtle" version of Babylon; again it is ideal for green or blue eyes and neutral to warmer coloring. Instead of the shimmery tangerine of Babylon, you get a soft cantaloupe shade, along with a surprisingly useful creamy light shade (makes a divine wash), a neat shimmery terracotta shade (looks great with the creamy shade) and a couple of browns (look great with the cantaloupe shade).
    
    Likewise, I feel there is a Dior eyeshadow quint for everyone. These are $ so pick carefully, but you will get a lot of mileage out of it.



12. MAC Permaplum Powerpoint eyepencil. By far my favorite eyeliner, both the color...it's a deep, slightly blue-toned purple, with a smidge of (largely invisible) pink shimmer...and the formula, which neither smears nor fades (in fact it's a bit difficult to remove, be forewarned), holds a point perfectly, sharpens without crumbling (at least not yet, and I've owned mine for about two years), it hasn't turned hard yet, still goes on silky smooth... The color is quite versatile.



13. MAC Lustre formula lipsticks. These are great, especially if you've been avoiding lipstick because most lipsticks look unnatural on you. The Lustres are sheer (the sheerness varies from shade to shade) and come in a range of wearable shades. Plus, MAC lipsticks taste faintly and pleasantly of vanilla, and you can do a Back to MAC (see Back to MAC and Back to MAC expanded for MAC freestanding stores). Plus, these wear quite well for being sheer and shiny.



14. Chanel Hydrabase lipstick in Moiré. I dream about this lipstick. I do. I have a sample size of it; it's addictive.
    
    Note: some people hate the scent of this lipstick. I happen to love it, but, well, it's likely to be either love or hate, so you might want to try it before buying it.
    
    This has a rather strong, candied rose fragrance, which only makes it more addictive to me. The coverage is interestingly "medium" rather than "full" or "sheer." It really is medium. You get quite a bit of color, yet it's more forgiving than a full coverage lipstick.
    
    Moiré is many colors in one. It goes with everything and always looks right, from business/office/meeting to casual to festive. It's almost YLBB (Your Lips But Better) but it's more color than that...it's got brick red, plum, rose, a neat little twist of fuchsia shimmer (as the shade name implies)...it's on the warm side. If lipsticks easily turn orange on you, it may not do.
    
    It's nice and moisturizing, lasts well on...no smearing or bleeding...feels light as a feather.

Labels: acne, chanel, cream of the crop, dior, hair, l'oreal, mac cosmetics, nars, skin

Labels: acne, beauty notes, skin

Labels: beauty notes

Labels: beauty notes, etro, giorgio armani, perfume

Labels: beauty notebook