Category: face

Chantecaille Radiant Fresh New Cheek Creme

I am new to cream blushes and not quite sure why I didn’t get hooked on them sooner. I have dry skin and don’t often use powder. (A cream blush generally works best over liquid or no foundation and doesn’t play too nicely with powder.) My standby, La Prairie Cellular Radiance Cream Blush, is a sheer cheek color with great skin care properties. And always close at hand. But I have another partner in crime now. Chantecaille Radiant Fresh New Cheek Creme is more pigmented and silkier. I truly love them both, equally, for different reasons.

Chantecaille Cheek Cream has a very soft texture that blends beautifully into an even color. It has a velvety, matte finish that dries down very quickly. I can’t detect much of a scent – if anything, there is a hint of rose. The formula contains a unique technology, giving the color more luminosity. White Lily Bulb Extract and Peach Extract act as antioxidants. I love the sleek silver compact which holds a deceptively large amount of product.

Available in three shades:

  • Coy – Light Peach. (my current favorite, pop of color but not too overwhelming)
  • Demure – Medium Peach.
  • Shy – Light Pink.

These are available for $34 at Neiman Marcus. Use code JUNEFS for free shipping.

SOHO Professional Brush Collection

Makeup brushes can be a pricey investment. I’m all for building a collection of investment-worthy brushes over time. But sometimes your budget doesn’t allow or you need a second set. Enter SOHO Professional Brush Collection available at Walgreens. They offer a wide selection of brushes to fit every function. They are ergonomically designed and quite beautiful. I’ve found they work great across the board and have come in handy as I fill in my collection with the more “specialty brushes”.

I’m so smitten that I am giving one of you a carbon copy of my collection of SOHO brushes (worth over $50). My favorites are:

  • Powder Brush
  • Highlighter Brush
  • Small Shader Brush
  • Crease Brush
  • Concealer Brush

Enter to win using the widget below. Open to anyone in the US. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Le Métier de Beauté ‘Kaleidoscope’ Blush Kit

If you are a blush junkie (or a Le Métier de Beauté fanatic), heads up on their newest Kaleidoscope. Somehow, the LMdB team, pulled together a set of universally flattering and fully satisfying blushes. While the other Kaleidoscopes have encouraged layering all the colors, I think this set works better using one or two shades on their own.

The shades from top to bottom: a matte apricot orange, a matte vibrant rose, a shimmering gold, and a frosty pink. Layers two and three together quickly became my favorite. The gold tempers the vibrant rose and adds a bit of highlight. The gold also makes for a beautiful eyeshadow. The powder is very finely milled so there is no caking or dusky look.

The advantage of the kit is any look you desire is immediately at your fingertips! I tend to get quite a bit of pigment with these shades, but they blend beautifully into a sheer color. This is now part of Le Métier de Beauté permanent collection.

Becca Cosmetics Mineral Blush and Beach Tint

Becca Cosmetics is a company that focuses on natural, flawless skin for every complexion. I love that they offer 34 concealer and 30 foundation shades. They truly offer makeup to ALL women. You don’t hear too much about this line – it definitely flies under the radar. So I wanted to highlight their Beach Tint and Mineral Blush in anticipation of the summer months – both great products to get the sunkissed glow (safely and without sun damage!).

BECCA Beach Tint is a blendable 2-in-1 crème stain for cheeks and lips. The water-resistant formula makes it perfect for the hot summer months – throw it on a bare face before the pool or the beach. Unlike other stains, it doesn’t dry out lips at all. Its dermatologically tested formula makes it safe for acne-prone and sensitive skin. These are ever so slightly scented in a totally pleasant way. You can keep them in a hot car or beach bag without worrying about them melting everywhere.

Becca Beach Tints are available in seven shades: Strawberry (warm orange red), Watermelon (bright pink), Peach (warm orange pink), Raspberry (deep berry pink), Grapefruit (pale coral pink), Fig (tea rose pink) and Guava (bright coral pink). The pigment goes on pretty sheer. Just make sure to exfoliate your lips with a product like Bliss Fabulips Sugar Lip Scrub beforehand.

The Becca Mineral Blush is loaded with skin care benefits (Vitamin A, E and C). The mineral complex and conditioners give the appearance of smooth and even skin. There is something in the powder formula that allows the blush to blend like a cream. It never looks cakey on my dry skin and there is just a hint of highlight and illumination. It is truly a demi-matte finish. And the silver disk in the compact makes it surprisingly easy to find in a huge purse!

Becca Mineral Blush is available in five shades: Damselfy (coral), Flowerchild (peachy pink), Sweet Pea (rosy plum nude), Wild Honey (peachy nude) and Bolero (bronze).

These two products definitely go hand in hand. The Beach Tint can be layered under the Blush for added intensity. They are also free of parabens and preservatives. You can find Becca Cosmetics at Dermstore.com.

La Prairie Cellular Radiance Cream Blush

This is splurge-y. Yes, I know. But it is just that darn good. October of last year, it won Allure’s ‘Best of Beauty’ award for Best Top Splurge Blush. I’ve been using the Cellular Radiance Cream Blush in Peach Glow for a couple weeks. I invariably toss this in my purse because I want it with me all the time. Not to mention how beautiful the silver and gold compact is.

The nourishing formula adds needed hydration and soothes my skin. The Peach Glow just adds a touch of pinky peach with just balanced luminance. It isn’t a dramatic  look but rather healthy and natural. I just use my fingers to apply right on my cheekbones in a sheer wash, but you can build up the color. This can be worn alone or over any lotion or cream foundation.

There are five shades available:

  • Rose Glow
  • Peach Glow
  • Berry Glow
  • Mauve Glow
  • Plum Glow

P.S. I already envy all of you that live out in LA. Or even those of you with an upcoming trip out there. My four days back in April just weren’t near enough. I squeezed in a visit to the new La Prairie spa at the gorgeous Hotel Bel-Air. The property has recently been updated and the new spa is a “can’t miss”. The understated elegancy and luxury is perfectly quiet and tranquil. May I suggest their new Luxe Caviar manicure and pedicure? Or perhaps a signature facial?

by Lindsay Rogers

Cover FX Total Coverage Cream Foundation SPF 30 GIVEAWAY

My search for a compact is finally at an end! I have been on the hunt for a cream foundation that can double as a concealer on the go. And Cover FX had the ticket and it can be yours too!

Their Total Coverage Cream Foundation comes in over 30 shades and has the perfect medium-coverage, natural-looking finish. I like applying it with a brush as either a foundation or concealer. I’ve found it also works great buffed into the skin with a Kabuki brush. My last little trick is warming a little bit on my fingers and tapping under the eye for a refreshed look.

Somehow, they made this silky cream oil-free. If you are on the drier side, like me, make sure you are hydrated as it will ease the blending process. The formula has high powered SPF 30 making it great for the summer. The foundation is also fragrance and gluten-free.

I have ten of these guys to give away. For your chance, answer the official Cover FX question “HOW DO YOU DEFINE YOUR INDIVIDUAL BEAUTY?” in the comment section below. The top ten responses will win a full-size Cover FX cream foundation in their perfect shade. (winners should visit coverfx.com or Sephora for color matching.)

Open to anyone in the US. Winner will be notified within 24 hours of the giveaway. Void where prohibited. I must receive all entries by 03/14/2012 12:01am and the odds of winning are determined by the number of entries received. No purchase necessary to enter.