Stop It! I'm Blushing!

I've never been one of those people who ever thought I would wear blush. I would turn fuschia when I got called on in law school classes, I have been asked by numerous spin teachers if I have a medical condition since I turn purple after 10 minutes on a bike, and I get sunburned by the light of the moon.

Well, let's just say that none of those looks are particularly attractive. So, in lieu of Mother Nature, I rely on that other goddess of the Earth, Sephora.

I have always stuck to powder blushes, namely NARS in Sin and Orgasm.

But lately, I have been drawn to alternative forms of blushing. I haven't discarded my beloved powders yet, but I'm certainly becoming a fan of something fast and dirty that I can apply with my fingers. Is that weird?

First up, I broke down after my Peter Som lip induced craze and bought the Lancome Magique Blushes in Pink Softness and Feminine Rose. The former is a hot pink, more suitable to going out on the town and deserves to be the center of attention on your face, but the latter is a pale pink with gold sparkles which plays well with others. The texture is kind of like chocolate mousse, it melts onto your fingers and can also be applied with a blush brush. However, sometimes it can be hard to control how much you pick up when you dip into the jar, leaving you open to drastic over-blushing.

Second, I had picked up a tube of Delux Beauty's Flush Stick on sale when Sephora was phasing it out. I was worried I would have to tell you that it was no longer available, but it seems to be all good on their own website. Which is nice, because it's one of my favorites. I wear Fuschia, which isn't nearly as bright as it sounds. It goes on sheerly and gives me a nice natural flush. Not like I sprinted to catch a Metro or anything, more like a brisk walk in the tunnels between House Office Buildings.

Third, the most recent option to enter my life is the DuWop Blush Therapy. It smells like aromatherapy and looks like a Push Pop. What's not to love? It comes in some great pretty shades and goes on lightly and blends easily. I've been using Elixir, which is an almost bricky red, which gives me a sunkissed look, but I've got my eye on Retreat, a soft berry color.

So...I hope I've inspired you to look beyond the compact and get all alterna on your blush's ass. I just wouldn't suggest walking around with your skirt tucked into your tights to acheive that oh-so-cute-aren't-I-embarrassed natural glow.

photos courtesy of lancome-usa.com, duwop.com, sephora.com and deluxbeauty.com

Better Late then Never...right?

Hey, remember how about...hmmm...I don't know...A THOUSAND YEARS AGO I told you that I was interested in scooping up the famed Cle de Peau concealer at it's budget-busting price tag? Remember how I hemmed and hawed and whined about how expensive it was? Remember how most of you told me to suck it up and stop being a baby and just buy it?



No?



Well, here's deja vu all over again.



So I decided to take all of your advice and bite the bullet. I eventually did trek up to Barney's and staked out the counter while a sales associate dutifully ignored me. When I finally got her attention and explained that I was interested in the concealer, she spackled a little on, took a step back and pronounced it "all wrong for me."



This is a first, dear readers.



A makeup artist telling you NOT to buy their product.



She dragged me over to the YSL counter and ordered the artist there to show me the Touche Eclat. Which he did. And I bought it. But the thing about the Touche is that it's not really a concealer. It's a highlighter. It is very similar to the Benefit Eye Bright, in that it brightens, and will cover small circles, but on it's own can do very little for my gigundo dark bags.




No joke, the YSL guy actually said, "well, you must be very stressed out!" To which I replied, "actually, this is baseline for me sweetie." Insert shocked and uncomfortable silence here.



So, while I enjoy my Touche (not tush, Touche, stop giggling!) it left me wanting for a new true concealing option.



I took a mosey down to M.A.C., since a commenter had sworn by their line, and fell hard for the Select MoistureCover, a creamy liquid concealer with a lipgloss-esque applicator. The thing I liked best about M.A.C. was that they have a really wide variety of formulas, applicator types and shades.





But I was left a little unfulfilled by the whole set up. Then on a recent stroll through Sephora, I started playing around with the Delux products and their Concealer. Housed in a little lucite box, the drier cake formula gives me a little better undereye coverage. I also noticed that they were all half off. Sold!





Unfortunately, the fact that the Delux products were on sale probably means that they are being discontinued, so if you are so inclined, run out now and snap these up. If not, I happen to know that a great heavy duty drier concealer to try is Dermablend's Cover Creme. Recommended by plastic surgeons and dermatologists for patients, the product is best used when warmed on your fingertips and tapped under eyes gently. You can even mix it with a little eye cream to make your own little creamy formula.





You little Betty Crocker, you!



As for me, I think I'm satisfied with my current tools to hide the evidence of my long sleepless nights (or just my everyday life) but you never know when the urge to find something better will come along.



Until then...



photos courtesy of neimanmarcus.com, maccosmetics.com, sephora.com, and dermablend.com. Dermablend is also available at Ulta.