Angelina Jolie in St. John's spring 2008 ad campaign.

1. UNDEREYE CONCEALER
   Even if you have flawless skin, chances are, you've got a bit of darkness along the inner corner of your eye, and everyone, practically everyone, looks just a little more refreshed with a little concealer. It's a subtle difference that makes a big difference. Choose one that is creamy enough to blend easily, so you needn't waste time blending and tugging at delicate eye skin (and use your ring finger, it applies the least force), but isn't so greasy it "settles" into fine lines or slips off by the end of the day. Look for one that is just slightly lighter than your skin tone, with yellow undertones if your undereye circles are blue, peachy if they are brownish.
2. THE BLUSH ABSOLUTE PRINCIPLE
   This is really important: find yourself a shade of blush that is perfect. You could wear any ole brown shadow or pink lipstick, but this is one color that is worth the trials and tribulations of the Holy-Grail quest. It makes you look fresh and healthy in a really indefinable but holistic way, and if you find the right shade of blush, you really don't need another. When you don't have time, you can just slap it on in 15 seconds and look presentable. I have written a more comprehensive guide to choosing the right blush, which you may peruse at your leisure.
3. THE YLBB, or, Your Lips But Better
   A lipcolor that is slightly richer than your natural lip tone is arguably the easiest and most perfect cosmetic. If you have trouble finding one, you can always look to your blush for reference; chances are, a color that matches or intensifies that perfect shade of blush will work equally well on the lips. It is a color you can always depend on to be appropriate for all occasions.
4. DEFINING THE LASHLINE
   It may be a swipe of mascara or a smudgy bit of eyeliner, or both. Techniques range from the subtle (tightlining) to the dramatic (liquid liner). You may prefer a traditional eyeliner, or just mascara, but my favorite method is to find the the creamiest, inkiest black eye pencil to smoosh at the base of the lashes on the inner rim, which creates the optical illusion of thick lashes, and a coat or two of equally black mascara. Sometimes I add a mink-brown kohl for a bit of smolder, or a fleshtone shimmer wash to provide some neutral contrast against the black, but these are all thematically related—emphasis on the lashline.
5. DON'T NEGLECT YOUR BROWS
   Everyone's needs differ, but a good set of brows is crucial. They give balance to the structure of the face. A symmetrical face may seem off if the brows are not well placed.
6. PRETTY EYE SHADOW
   I think every woman needs at least one colorful eyeshadow, something a little adventurous that makes her eyes really pop. Not strong, vivid color, something relatively subdued but still not quite neutral. On blue eyes, I think a pinkish-copper metallic is especially striking, on green, a soft mauve is always reliable, on brown, I think olives (if you are warm) and lavenders (if you are cool) are excellent choices, but of course there is more than one possibility.
7. DRAMATIC LIP
   You can go dark and bright, with a red, a plum, even magenta or coral, or if you cannot pull off a bold lip, you can always try the passive-aggressive approach, with a nude. I find that the best accent to a dramatic lip is a wash of some subdued, eye-popping color (see above), so these two go hand in hand.
8. CONTRAST EYE
   How do you wear an unnatural color? Not a halfway color like lilac or red, but one that only occurs on the skin of aliens. The answer is: surprisingly easily. A direct contrast, usually a color that's right opposite your perfect shade of blush, is strangely flattering, more so than a slightly mismatched neutral. The contrast to coral and peach? Lime and emerald. The contrast to pinks and reds? Blues, teals, and suchlike. A plum? Try silver frost. If you're still dubious, wear it as eyeliner only.
9. TOOLS OF THE TRADE
   I highly recommend Shu Uemura's Compact Brush Set ($55). It is an incredible deal and the quality is the best you can buy. It is missing a few things—an eyeliner brush, tweezers, eyelash curler—but is otherwise perfect for most of your needs.
10. EUPHORIC FRAGRANCE
    You should have at least one perfume that you wholeheartedly adore, one that sends you straight into ecstasies, and one you can turn to when you know not what else to wear.

1. Clé de Peau Concealer
2. Good Skin Pink Lotus Blush (NARS Desire would do as well)
3. NARS Gothika Lip Gloss
4. Too Faced Liquid Lava Extreme Black Gloss & L'Oréal Carbon Black Voluminous Mascara
5. Kevyn Aucoin The Precision Brow Pencil
6. Chanel Lilas Soft Touch Eye Shadow & MAC Teddy Eye Kohl
7. Shu Uemura Rouge Unlimited #270
8. L'Oréal HIP Sassy Eye Duo
9. Shu Uemura Compact Brush Set
10. Guerlain Mitsouko

Labels: beauty notes, minimalism, shu uemura

La Perla spring 2008 ad. My first reaction
when I saw this: what's in those bottles?

              If you already have good skin, here is all you need:

1. a gentle, effective cleanser
   It should rinse off cleanly, removing dirt, oil, and makeup (the effective part), but without leaving an oily film, or alternatively, stripping (the gentle part). Additionally, if it exfoliates a little, so much the better.


2. a no-frills, penetrating but fast-absorbing moisturizer
   The plainer the better; the instinct for miracle creams is well mined by the industry, but they are absolutely nonsensical. La Mer, in fact, is quite a heavy but plain moisturizer (in spite of what they say about it). Unless you have very oily or very dry skin, a good moisturizer should not sit atop the skin like an occlusive layer (that signifies that it is too rich for you) nor should it leave the skin taut and tight (not rich enough).


3. a mild exfoliant
   Though I find my cleanser adequate in this respect, find yourself a good scrub, acid-laced serum, vitamin c treatment, mask or whatever and use it one to three times a week. It is necessary maintenance: rids flakes and dullness, and keep clogged pores at bay.


4. obligatory sunscreen mention
   Though I don't touch the stuff, I hate how it feels.

              If you wear moderate to heavy eye makeup:

5. add makeup remover
   It should remove all traces of makeup in an instant. Unless your eye makeup removes easily with your normal cleanser, then don't waste your elbow grease by tugging at such delicate skin. However, if you use an oil or balm cleanser, this may not be necessary.

              If your skin varies with the seasons:

6. find yourself a "treatment" that hydrates without weight
   One you can wear without discomfort in sultry summer humidity, and when winter comes, layers easily under your regular moisturizer for an extra boost of moisture; two light layers are more hydrating than one heavy cream. It may be a traditional watery gel/serum/essence or an aromatic face oil, only take care to eschew silicones if possible, which impart a nice texture but crowd out the beneficial and more expensive ingredients (silicones are the liars of the cosmetic world). If you have oily skin, this might do as your moisturizer.

              If you have problem skin:

7. here you bring out the treatments
   Dark circles and scarring? Hydroquinine and licorice extract are common treatments. Puffy eyes? An eye gel, preferably cooled, may help, as will reduced sodium in your diet. Shine? I've heard (my skin has never been very oily) that certain oils, contrary to reason, are very helpful. Acne? Salicylic acid, benzyl peroxide, tea tree oil, clays, calendula extract, camphor, sulfur, vitamin c, various alpha hydroxies, etc., depending on the type and extent of the affliction. Dull, flakey skin? A gentle exfoliant, vitamin C, and a good moisturizer. Sensitivity? Aloe vera, cortisone, and calendula extract are traditional. Aging? Get over it. You'll just look older worrying about it.

              And what about... eye cream? toner? masks?
Marketing gimmicks. Eye creams are usually similar stuff to the corresponding face cream, with richer emollients and textures, thrown into a smaller jar and labeled with a steeper price. Unless you have specific issues you wish to treat, your normal moisturizer will do just as well. Toners were once necessary in that age-old three-step routine, sandwiched between greasy cleanser that did not rinse off well and an equally unctuous moisturizer, to strip away that first for the second. Nowadays, there are many cleansers that perform their duties without leaving any residue behind, leaving toners high and dry. After all, back then, we did not know that sunscreens were so vital, either. And masks are all about the unnecessary step, the extra feel of treating yourself well, if they suit you, then by all means, use one.

Labels: bath and body, beauty notes, dr. hauschka, hair, jurlique, minimalism, nature's gate, palmer's, phyto, primavera, skin, trader joe's

Imagine the impossible: If you could own only four pairs of shoes—or even only two—Frisoni offers this shopping list.

Indispensable Shoe: Glamour Pumps Look for "pumps with a nice décolleté" (meaning toe cleavage) and a ten-centimeter (approximately four-inch) stiletto heel. "Those are killer shoes for allure and sexiness," Frisoni says.

Indispensable Shoe: Ballerina Flats They're "cool and young" and can be worn for everyday with short skirts or trousers. These, with the pumps, "are the two extremes that always work."

Optional Shoe: Boots Or booties with a substantial heel. These are "for walking in a skirt or trousers."

Optional Shoe: "Very sexy sandals" In other words, sandals with a very high heel. Frisoni's prescription for wearing them: parties, dinners, and the theater.

Labels: fashion notes, minimalism, roger vivier, shoes

Makeup: 4. It might experience a bit of tweaking here and there, and NARS Duos are always welcome, but it is quite a settled thing: undereye concealer and vibrant rosy blush, brow pencil, ultrablack mascara and inner-rim definition, dusky sable eyeliner, three shadows (fleshtone shimmer, ethereal lilac, moody sea blue), three lipcolors (burnished raspberry, luscious berry, dramatic red). Oh, and a great powder compact, for touch-ups. Most beauty junkies admit to hundreds of lipsticks and eyeshadows, but I often find the flavor of boastfulness in such "confessions". These women have no intention of curbing their habits, in fact, it is proof of their "expertise" and "taste". I have fourteen products. Fourteen. Each product must meet exceptionally exact specifications, and if that does not refine your taste, I do not know what will.

Skincare: 3 ½ A bit premature to declare 4 (I should wait till a year rolls by to be absolutely certain of its fitness), but it is close: Lancôme Bi-Facil, Primavera Refining Exfoliating Cleanser, Jurlique Herbal Recovery Cream, Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré. The heart of this routine is very simple and pure, the Primavera cleanser and the Jurlique treatment, and though softer, brighter skin is apparent from the first, the effects are cumulative. What you end up with is healthy, normal skin. This is hardly a poetic description, but it is exactly what skincare should do, for when the skin is normal and healthy, it takes care of itself. Of course, my skin tends to be dry, and I wear makeup, so some additions are necessary.

Hair: 4 By default, because I'll admit, as long as I have Phyto 7, which I go through as other women do mascara, it does not matter. It keeps the parched ends of my long, dry hair silky soft, and again, the effects are cumulative. I prefer basic products that smell good—a shampoo that does not strip, a conditioner that moisturizes—I daresay I'll return to Nature's Gate. I tried the CO Wash, but I just... don't like the way cheap conditioners smell.

Closet: 3 I have more to say about this, but it is an ongoing project, chronicled in greater detail in Closet Confidential. The ultimate goal is to fit my entire wardrobe in one generous piece of luggage, an ambitious project, to be sure, but I think I'll live. It requires very careful consideration, though, so it has progressed slowly thus far.

Perfume: 2 Pathetic, I need to work on this, though I have begun the process of paring down what I have gathered heedlessly from ebay and the occasional press kit. Thankfully, The Perfumed Court has graciously allowed me to sample a few of their myriad offerings, and the interview and reviews shall be forthcoming, in the ongoing series, The Mnemonic Sense.

Labels: beauty notes, minimalism, philosophy

Labels: american apparel, closet confidential, minimalism, philosophy

Labels: fashion notes, minimalism

1. Dr. Hauschka Facial Toner
2. Maybelline Great Lash Waterproof Mascara
3. Kiehl's Creme with Silk Groom
4. Kiehl's Lip Balm #1
5. Bulgari Eau Parfumée au Thé Vert
6. Bumble & Bumble Simply, Shampoo (discontinued)
7. Dr. Hauschka Cleansing Cream
8. Bobbi Brown Bronzing Stick
9. Stila Twilight Eye Shadow
10. Bumble & Bumble Deeep Conditioner
11. MAC W15 Pressed Powder

Labels: beauty notes, minimalism

Labels: beauty notes, burt's bees, caron, cetaphil, chanel, dr. hauschka, giorgio armani, jurlique, kevyn aucoin, l'oreal, mac cosmetics, minimalism, nars, philosophy, shu uemura, stephane marais

Labels: beauty notes, dove, hair, minimalism, nature's gate, phyto