MAC

  • Lip & Cheek Products

    Lip & Cheek Products

  • Yves Saint Laurent Baby Doll Kiss & Blush

    Yves Saint Laurent Baby Doll Kiss & Blush

  • MAC Casual Colour in Young at Heart

    MAC Casual Colour in Young at Heart

I’m a sucker for a good beauty deal, so when I come across a product that has a dual function, I don’t think twice about trying it out. One type I gravitate to time and time again has been the lip & cheek combos. There are many advantages to purchasing this particular type of makeup such as:

  • Lip & cheek color are the same, so there is no second guessing what combination of colors you should use together. This feature is most important when trying to do makeup on the fly.
  • Ease of use: I normally use my fingertips to apply since brushes may be too large for these compact items, unless it comes with an applicator like the Yves Saint Laurent Baby Doll Kiss & Blush Lips & Cheeks ($40). I particularly like applying with my fingers because it gives such a natural look and feel to the makeup. However, it is buildable in case you’re looking for more than just a flush of color.
  • Cost benefit: These products tend to cost less compared to being purchased on their own.
  • Easier to travel with one product, which serves multiple purposes, then traveling with many products that only have an individual purpose.

The only negative some may find to a lip & cheek product is the staying power and texture. Now, all this will depend on the type of skin you have. For instance, if you have oily skin, a cream formula may not be for you. Also, depending on the brand, some stay on longer as a lipstick versus a blush. I have listed my personal favorite lip & cheek duos below, but it’s really important to try different brands to see which one is a better fit for you.

Lip & Cheek Duo Recommendations

  1. MAC Casual Colour ($22): This particular product is my favorite, so much so that I own five of the nine shades (found and purchased at my local CCO). Of the group, MAC Casual Color in Weekend Getaway is universally flattering and a great everyday cool pink color. The MAC Casual Colour collection also includes (as per MAC Cosmetic website):
  1. Benefit Benetint Cheek & Lip Stain ($30): Benefit does not have a wide variety of colors to choose from in comparison with the MAC Casual Colour line (four shades vs. nine), but the color payout is just as nice. What makes this product unique is the packaging and consistency. First, it looks like a bottle of nail polish. Secondly, the tint is in liquid form and is supposed to be applied with the included brush. It’s a bit peculiar applying makeup with a brush, but that feeling will subside once you get the hang of it. Included shades, as per described by Benefit Cosmetics:
  1. Yves Saint Laurent Baby Doll Kiss & Blush Lips & Cheeks ($40): I know what you’re thinking: why buy this product for $40 when you can practically buy two MAC Casual Colours for almost the same price? And you are absolutely correct! I would not usually purchase an item this expensive when there are clearly other options. However, my local CCO had several YSL products at a 30% discount and I simply couldn’t resist. I purchased the color #8 Pink Hedoniste because I figured I couldn’t go wrong with such a neutral color (FYI Most CCO’s have a no return policy). After using it, my only regret was not purchasing more because I love it that much! From the beautiful packaging (looks like a square nail lacquer bottle with a golden cap) down to the nicely shaped applicator. This design is definitely aesthetically pleasing to the eyes. The formula feels like a whipped cream as compared to the MAC Casual Colour, which has a much thicker/drier consistency. Another plus is that there are twelve shades to choose from; almost guaranteeing that there is something for everyone. So if you happen to have extra money in your beauty budget, this may be one of those products to indulge in.
  2. Travel Palettes: For those who travel, a lip and cheek palette with multiple colors is essential.  These ready-to-go palettes allow for maximum shade versatility while simultanously saving precise cargo space.  So Instead of packing multiple blushes and lipsticks on your next vacation getaway, try Stila’s Convertible Color Dual Lip & Cheek Palette $39 (either in cool or warm palette).
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  • Highlighters

    Highlighters

  • Anastasia Beverly Hills Glow Kit in Gleam

    Anastasia Beverly Hills Glow Kit in Gleam

  • Anastasia Beverly Hills Glow Kit in Gleam (closeup)

    Anastasia Beverly Hills Glow Kit in Gleam (closeup)

  • Anastasia Beverly Hills Glow Kit in Gleam (swatches)

    Anastasia Beverly Hills Glow Kit in Gleam (swatches)

  • Highlighters (swatches)

    Highlighters (swatches)

Now onto what will give you that luminosity: highlighters. I could live without a bronzer, but not without my highlighter! A great highlighter brightens up the face while simultaneously adding a youthful glow that seems to diminish as we age. For a beginner, I would say to apply your highlighter above the cheekbone where the sun would naturally hit. If you want step it up a notch, you can strategically place some above your cupids bow, the highest point of your brow bone, and on the bridge of your nose. My only advice when it comes to using a highlighter is to use some restraint. If you go overboard, you will look like a disco ball. Let your application be light-handed and soft so you get the desired effect. The overwhelming popularity of highlighters has only benefited consumers because of the array options available. Highlighters can be found in liquid, cream, powder and even in pencil form. Here is a breakdown of some of my favorites in each of these categories (with Sephora.com descriptions):

Liquid Highlighter

  1. BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector ($41/five available shades): Achieve a subtle luminosity. This formula features ultrafine light-reflecting pearls that melt into your skin for polished, natural-looking radiance. Water-light and sheer, it has a prismatic effect that allows it to adjust in any light, so your refined glow is never lost.
  2. Benefit Cosmetics High Beam Liquid Face Highlighter ($26/one shade): A satiny-pink, liquid highlighter to add a subtle glow

Cream Highlighter

  1. Benefit Cosmetics Watt’s Up! Cream-to-Powder Highlighter ($30/one shade): This particular highlighter seems to be a strobing favorite amongst makeup artists. If an intense highlighted look is your thing, then I suggest you head over to YouTube and check out this strobing technique, using the Benefit Cosmetics Watt’s Up!, with the great MUA Mario Dedivanovic.

Powder Highlighter

  1. BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed ($38/six shades): Buyer Beware…BECCA pressed powder highlighters are very potent. Just a swipe of their highlighters can be noticed from afar and it lasts all day. I highly recommend this highlighter for those who want a more noticeable radiance.
  2. Anastasia Beverly Hills Glow Kit in Gleam ($40): This highlighter palette  is the best value for your money given the fact that it comes with four unique shades.
  3. theBalm Cosmetics theManizer Sisters ($28/three shades in one palette): In a previous post, I selected theBalm’s theManizer Sisters as my beauty product of the month. I absolutely love this product because the colors are gorgeous and its subtle shimmer will complete any makeup look without looking overdone.

Pencil Highlighter

  1. Benefit Cosmetics High Brow ($22/two shades): This pencil is the best for precision application and for those places you want minimal product placement (i.e. corners of your eyes, lips and along the bridge of your nose). Of all the products mentioned, I use this one almost every day; its that good! The best part is that you don’t need any beauty blender or brushes for its application and it’s the most portable of the bunch. FYI: YouTuber Jordan has an awesome video highlighting (yes…pun intended) his use of the Benefit Cosmetics High Brow Pencil.

Recommended Brushes for Highlighter Application

  1. Smashbox Fan Brush #22 ($18)
  2. Morphe Brush # ($ )
  3. Beauty Blender micro.mini ($18/pack of 2) – I use this specifically with the Benefit Cosmetics Watts Up!
  4. Good old fingers…for the liquid highlighters.
Insider Tip

One neat trick is to place 1 to 2 drops of your preferred liquid highlighter and mix it into your favorite foundation. This gives your whole face a subtle diffused, but amazing radiance that will stay with you all day.

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  • Bronzers

    Bronzers

  • Bronzers (swatches)

    Bronzers (swatches)

  • Tom Ford Bronzing Powder

    Tom Ford Bronzing Powder

  • Tom Ford Bronzing Powder (closeup)

    Tom Ford Bronzing Powder (closeup)

We are quickly approaching that time of the year that boasts July 4th parties, endless sun, and the warm ocean breeze. Summer is synonymous with that and so much more, including glowing skin. Just a few minutes relaxing on a sandy beach can give you radiance that would make even supermodels envious. However, if your overly cautious about taking any sun because of harmful UV rays or you want to limit sunspots or wrinkles, you don’t have to sacrifice your summer glow. The great news is anyone can achieve that sun-kissed look by using bronzer and highlighter.

Let’s begin with bronzers. A really great bronzer will imitate a light tan without leaving you orangey looking or leather faced. The type of bronzer you use will depend on your specific skin type, but the most common options are powder and cream based. Here are my favorites:

Cream bronzer

Chanel Soleil Tan de Chanel Bronzing Makeup Base ($50): A cream based bronzer is a great option for dry/normal skin or if you’re looking for an option during winter months. The Chanel Soleil Tan de Chanel Bronzer is lightweight, smooth and highly buildable. Another positive is that it can be used both over and under your favorite foundation depending on the type of look your looking to achieve. The only negative: it only comes in one shade, which clearly caters to those with light to medium skin tones.

Powder bronzer

Tom Ford Bronzing Powder ($68/small size & $98/large size): Per Sephora.com  Highlight the skin’s natural radiance or accent an existing tan with TOM FORD’s Bronzing Powder. Just brush it lightly onto cheekbones to define and emphasize your bone structure, or dust all over the face to create the ultimate warm and seductive glow.  What else you need to know: This product is free of fragrance. Remote private islands where summer lasts all year and one day seamlessly blends into the next inspire the TOM FORD Soleil Collection, a sensuous series of bronzers, highlighters, and skin care designed to illuminate summer.

What can I add to this amazing description? Well, that it’s all true!

Honorable Mentions

  1. Nars Bronzing Powder in Laguna ($39)
  2. Benefit Cosmetics Hoola Matte Bronzer ($15/travel sized & $29/regular size)
  3. Too Faced Soleil Matte Bronzer ($30/three shades)

In regards to brushes, my one and only is the MAC large angled contour brush #168 ($35). I’ve been loyal to this brush because it’s large enough to give an overall beautiful coverage. And yet, the brushes slanted tip can be used to contour as well.

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