Category: face

BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Highlighter

When something achieves “cult” status, it becomes hard for me to resist it. And when it is a highlighter promising to add just the right amount of glow, I just have to see for myself. On one of my rare in-person visits to Sephora last week, I picked up BECCA’s Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Highlighter in Moonstone (a pale and neutral gold).

I really like RMS Living Luminizer, but prefer BECCA because it is slightly creamier (and easier to apply) and comes with lasting staying power. It provides what best is called “shine” thanks to luminescent pearls that absorb and reflect light. The pigment is nuanced making it both dramatic and natural because it molds to undertones. The neutral Moonstone works with my redness and both over tinted moisturizer and on bare skin.

My favorite part is the creaminess. There is no caking and my drier skin soaks up the nourishment. The finish is sophisticated and healthy. Other shades include:

Sephora exclusive Champagne Pop shade, a soft gold with sunny, peach undertones—created in collaboration with Jaclyn Hill.
Pearl: A soft, luminescent white that’s perfect for fair skintones
Rose Gold: A rosy pink with warm-gold undertones
Opal: A neutral, white gold with universally flattering, soft pink undertones; adds a perfect amount of radiance
Champagne Pop: Bestselling shade that’s a soft gold with pinky peach undertones
Prosecco Pop: True, ethereal gold, that flatters medium to deep skintones; perfect for anyone who wants a flash of golden radiance
Topaz: Radiant bronze with golden undertones that’s perfect for deeper skintones; adds a sunkissed, bronzy glow on fair-to-medium skintones

Available at Sephora.

Anastasia Beverly Hills Nicole Guerriero Glow Kit

While I kind of always wanted to believe in Anastasia Beverly Hills as a brow brand only, they have proved me wrong with this beauty of a palette. Lately, I am even more about the glow than usual. Maybe thanks to being exhausted from Daylight Savings Time (hate) and a rude, late winter cold (hate more).

I’ll be up front from the start: Anastasia Beverly Hills Nicole Guerriero Glow Kit highlighters are very metallic. Not glittery but highly luminous. So if you are looking for something more subtle, these might not be for you. That being said, they are still refined enough for work. And look fabulous on the weekend with some extra layers. They also make for beautiful eyeshadows.

These six flowers have an ultra-fine formula that work on the face and body. I like to use them with a powder brush, but they have a deepened effect with a damp makeup sponge. The shades are:

Kitty Kat (pink with a platinum shimmer)
Daydream (coral with white gold shimmer)
Forever Young (pink pearl with silver shimmer)
Forever Lit (platinum with lavender shimmer)
Glo Getter (champagne with rose shimmer)
143 (rose gold with bronze shimmer)

The Kitty Kat looks great on brown bones and collar bones. The champagne adds a beautiful glow to cheek bones. And 143 adds a healthy glow to sallow skin with a light, all over application.

Available at Sephora.

NARS Soft Matte Complete Concealer

Seems suitable that today’s little Valentine’s love note from me to you today comes directly from a favorite brand over here at Belle Belle Beauty. I always get a thrill trying new NARS products and they rarely disappoint. Always seeming to understand what our modern look needs, NARS launched Soft Matte Complete Concealer last month. Not surprisingly, it is all over the catwalks at New York Fashion Week.

The formula is natural-looking for the bare-faced look that has been in vogue for the last couple of seasons. It blurs and conceals without looking cake-y. While I usually prefer a dewy look, this finish is soft-focus almost making it more balanced than matte. It also should be noted that this isn’t a heavy concealer, but a bendable, weightless coverage.

I’ve been using this tinted moisturizer (love the way it helps with redness). After application, I use the NARS Soft Matte Complete Concealer under my eyes and around my nose for just a touch more coverage. I apply with my finger directly from the pot, just as Francios Nars intended. I find the staying power a little better than the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer. Even with my dry winter skin, nothing becomes flaky or settles into fine lines.

Available in 16 shades for all skin tones now at NARScosmetics.com and Sephora.

La Roche-Posay Rosaliac CC Cream Daily Complete Tone-Correcting Face Cream SPF 30

I battle a red skin tone all year but these colder days, it really seems to flare up. While I found a prescription solution that works well, it is expensive and not pleasant to use. So I thought I would give La Roche-Posay Rosaliac CC Cream Daily Complete Tone-Correcting Face Cream SPF 30 a whirl when I spotted it on the web.

This tinted cream provides nice coverage with a dose of moisturizer. I thought I would need to layer a separate moisturizer under this, but on more humid days, this is actually enough on its own. The natural extract, Ambophenol helps reduce visible redness. The shade works perfectly on my light-to-medium skin and I think would work on a wide range of tones. Note: might be problematic on those on the edges of the skin tone spectrum.

The creamy texture lends to a dewy finish that lasts through the day. I add just a little powder on my nose for added coverage but that’s it. And most of my redness is neutralized. The little bit that does show through looks more like a rosy glow. I love that this serves as both makeup and skincare. And the significant SPF adds to peace of mind.

Available at Amazon.

Giorgio Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Foundation

I went on quite the shopping spree at Sephora in San Francisco last week. While I have a Sephora at home, there is something about locations in big cities that offers so many unknowns. Visiting can be a really eye opening experience, discovering “new to me” brands and products. But this visit actually led me to an old favorite. And I am not sure I will ever be without a bottle on my vanity like I have for the past couple of years.

It is odd because when people ask my favorite foundations, I often mention Giorgio Armani Beauty Luminous Silk Foundation but it hasn’t maintained a presence in my routine. I scoped up a bottle (5.5 was a great match for me), and have worn it every day since.

This lightweight foundation has a translucent finish, but still with polish. The texture is more like a tinted moisturizer. The micro-fit technology leads to a rather thin consistancy that wears weightlessly. But the pigments provide more foundation-like coverage. Just that peek of natural glow allows for a more natural look. Apparently I am not alone: “Quite simply, the best foundation there is.”—Linda Cantello, International Makeup Artist.

Available at Sephora.

bareMinerals BAREPRO Performance Wear Powder Foundation

I usually shy away from powder foundation, but I’ve been following a new supplement routine that has my normally dry skin a little more oily and glowy. So this powder foundation landed on my desk at the perfect time. bareMinerals foundations have always worked well for me. My skin drinks in the mineral formulas. And the shade range is solid in my light to medium tone so it is easy to get a perfect match. I am currently using Natural.

This new powder version is long-wear powered with vitamins and minerals. The pigments work to perfect complexion. And also improve skin clarity over time. I use the BAREPRO Core Coverage Brush and tap the foundation into my skin.

Available at Sephora or take advantage of this offer at bareMinerals through 10/9.