Category: face

NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer SPF 30/PA+++

NARS founder and creative director, François Nars, believes skin should shine through makeup. So, he developed a anti-aging and skin-brightening tinted moisturizer which has quickly become my favorite because it so effectively addresses my two current skin annoyances: dryness and brown spots.

Nars turned to his home in French Polynesia for many of the beneficial ingredients:

Kopara, natural polysaccharides that hydrate, condition and help encourage natural cell renewal
Oceana Saffron, a plant known for its antioxidant and soothing properties
Galaxaura, a red deep-sea algae found in the islands’ lagoons that is known to be rich in calcium, vitamins A and E, and beta-carotene
Sea water and Ascorbyl Glucoside, a vitamin- C derivative that brightens and protects the skin against free-radical damage, to revitalize and re-mineralize the skin

For those who want a little more coverage, this stuff is super buildable. The consistency is silky, with a glowy and radiant finish. While there is added fragrance of Peony, Violet and Rose Water, I can’t detect any strong scent. Most importantly, they incorporated some super-powered sun protection in the oil-free formula. It includes SPF 30 to protect against UVB rays, and PA+++, the highest index level of protection against UVA damage.

Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer SPF30/PA+++ is available in nine shades:

Finland: Lightest with a neutral balance of pink and yellow undertones
Alaska: Light with a neutral balance of pink and yellow undertones
St. Moritz: Medium with a neutral yellow undertone (I use this shade and I love how it neutralizes my redness)
Annapurna: Medium with a neutral peachy undertone
Cuba: Medium with a neutral balance of pink and yellow undertones
Malaga: Medium dark with warm caramel undertones
Seychelles: Medium dark with golden olive undertones
Martinique: Medium dark with warm red undertones
Polynesia: Dark with warm chocolate undertones

NARS Gaiety Blush

Blush has always been tricky for me. I am totally comfortable with and usually use a fleshy, apricot shade like NARS blush in Douceur or Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush in Exposed. And over the holidays, I finally embraced a rosy glow, using NARS The Multiple in G-Spot. But I could never find a bright pink, and desperately wanted one for Spring. The Spring Chanel palette’s (Blush Horizon de Chanel) relatively opaque application didn’t work for me. But, I think I might have finally found the sweet spot: NARS Gaiety Blush.

The cool-toned pink isn’t overly pigmented and comes out fairly sheer. I love this for fair skin because it is hard to over-do. But, if you have a darker complexion, this would work well with just some additional layering. Toby Fleischman achieved a sheer wash on Evan Rachel Wood at the 69th Annual Golden Globe Awards using Gaiety. He also used “a swipe of good-old standby NARS Angelika Blush to add a bit of shimmer”.

Miracle Skin Giveaway

I went about this a bit backwards. I was already hooked on the Miracle Skin™ Transformer Body SPF 20 but hadn’t yet tried Miracle Skin’s original product: Miracle Skin™ Transformer. There is certainly no method to my madness. But moving on, I was met with just as wonderful of a product as I expected. Sarah McNamara (Miracle Skin founder) has developed a core set of products that are simple, effective staples for your vanity (and mine). Plus they are made in the USA and not tested on animals, snagging my seal of approval.

The Miracle Skin™ Transformer isn’t a tinted moisturizer, but a tinted skin enhancer. The coverage is very light (but buildable). The silicone formulation improves the look of skin by minimizing fine lines, dark spots and blemishes. My complexion is evener but not covered up. At the same time, using the M3 Complex, the skin is hydrated while active antioxidants and vitamins (A, K, and E ) go to work. The formula literally calms down my perpetually red skin. And this winter, it has been my go to sun protection (SPF 20/UVA/UVB protection). I use Light. It is pretty sheer so it works, but I suggest you go a shade darker than you think you need. Next time, I’m going pick up Medium Tan.

Available in six shades:

Since I was clearly a convert, I HAD to try the Miracle Skin™ Transformer Treat & Conceal Eye & Face. This might be the all-star. It is actually a serum that conceals while it treats acne, redness, lines, bags, circles or whatever needs hiding. Salicylic acid helps treat blemishes – but it is gentle enough not to anger my sensitive skin. Vitamin K treats vascular conditions like nasty dark circles and redness around the nose. White rose and chamomile extracts calm the skin. Unlike any other concealer, it is silicone derived, creating a smooth and natural coverage. This is the least cake-y concealer I have used. I use light for the undereye, but I think next time I will pick up light/medium. Light is great for circles but a little too fair for my blemishes.

Available in three shades:

I can’t help but share this enthusiasm with you, my dear readers. So Miracle Skin and I are giving away a Miracle Skin™ Transformer AND Treat & Conceal Eye & Face to one lucky reader. Just enter using the widget below. Good luck!

Sunday Riley Soft Focus Finishing Loose Powder

I can honestly say the Sunday Riley cosmetics launch has been one of the most exciting for me. Sunday, who has had a long-seated interest (and success) in anti-aging skin care, has incorporated her proficiency into a new makeup line. I managed to get my paws on some of the goodies in advance of the February 2012 launch and couldn’t wait to report on my new favorite loose powder.

I normally could take or leave the extra step of finishing powder over my foundation but this Sunday Riley Soft Focus Finishing Loose Powder has me hooked. I think the difference is its light-weight formula. The powder doesn’t make me uber-matte, but just more polished. My hyper-pigmentation and redness was mysteriously blended away above and beyond what my regular foundation could do.

Enter Sunday Riley’s skin care expertise: the powder contains Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, a talc alternative. The calcium is what diffuses blemishes and fine lines. It also contains Nylon 12, making the powder silky and preventing that dusky, overly matte feel so many powders give. Lastly, she included mica to create a radiance.

Sunday Riley’s family has a LONG history in Texas (like when it was its own country). Her heritage included using Native American botanicals in day-to-day life, including skin care. She is best known for her NV-5 Ageless Complex, a proprietary blend of 5 Native American botanicals to detoxify, heal, and recharge the skin.

The powder will be available in three shades at Barneys New York and Bergdorf Goodman in February.

NARS The Multiple in G-Spot

The name of this beauty might give you a flush all on its own. And that true “burst of cold air” flushing is exactly what you get with the newest NARS Multiple. These multitaskers have had much critical acclaim, winning “Best Overall Highlighter” 2011 InStyle “Best Beauty Buys” and a “must have” for so many makeup artists. The Multiple, infused with vitamins and antioxidants, is designed to be used on eyes, cheeks and lips.

Part of the holiday collection, G-Spot is NARS’ new signature gold-infused rose hue. It isn’t so pink or red as to look unnatural. It actually blends in to a very authentic look. I normally drawn to nudes and peaches like Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush in Exposed. But this cold weather up here in Oklahoma had me looking for a rosy-cheeks. I like to use my fingers, straight from the end of the stick, but just a dot from the end of the applicator is the perfect amount for a sheer, rose. Then blend away!

Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush

Tarte is one of the cosmetic brands that I haven’t really explored extensively. It wasn’t that I had a negative impression of the line – I just haven’t found a product that really called my name. Then along came their Amazonian Clay 12-Hour Blush. I can actually take or leave blush as long as I have some bronzer. Because I have a lot of red in my skin, “doll-face” blushes tend to look more like a skin condition than makeup on me. So, if I do use blush, I want it to be nude and Tarte’s Exposed fit the bill. Exposed is a peachy/brown with just a hint of a pink note.

For an extra bonus, this blush has skin care properties that can benefit basically any skin type. The clay from the Amazon River minimizes oil and pores. I’ve found, with my dry skin, the clay is actually nourishing and doesn’t look powdery or flakey. While I can’t really say it stays on 12-hours, it does have staying power and easily makes it through an evening. I like these blushes even better than NARS which is saying quite a bit. I’m not surprised it made the cut as Allure’s Best of Beauty.