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Greetings from the Cosmetic Report newsletter! We hope you enjoy our straightforward approach to beauty products and trends. If you've been searching for real women's experiences and advice on beauty and wellness, that's what Cosmetic Connection is all about. Our panel of reviewers are consumers just like you who face the same issues and challenges, and look to the beauty industry to help solve them. Thanks for reading! Lisa is in her early thirties, and hails from from Columbus, Ohio. She has very fair skin that tends to be "combination," with unexpected rages of sensitivity. Lisa's heritage is rather mixed - mostly Hungarian, with some Scottish and French mixed in with a dash of Native American. Her very fair skin tans like nobody's business, and produces a myriad of freckles, so she always wears plenty of sunscreen (Peter Thomas Roth Ultra-lite spf 30). Lisa has golden-green eyes, and mop-thick brown hair, which she keeps under control with Terax Conditioner. Lisa's main beauty concerns are puffy, sensitive, "circled" eyes, (which she remedies with Creme de La Mer applied at night, and Avon Lighten Up Plus in the daytime) and keeping her sensitive skin calm and clear.
LISA'S SPRING COLORS 2005 REPORT Of course, we are already seeing the beginnings of the spring makeup collections. I can honestly say that spring 2005 is one of the most beautiful trends I've seen in awhile. Lots of sun-kissed neutrals, beautiful gilded pinks, and nude, shimmering washes of color, and the occasional bright shade for the eyes. I love almost everything I've put my hands on! If you favor soft and wearable, you'll be wild over these new offerings. Here is some of what I've sampled thus far...
Nars Lip Gloss in "Orgasm" ($22 at Sephora.com
Dessert Beauty Lip Gloss in "Slip" ($22 at Sephora.com)
Benefit Cosmetics "Jewels of the Amazon" Collection The other products in the line are Jewels Of The Amazon - Liquid Lip & Cheek Glimmer, amazing little bottles of shimmering, liquid-powder pigments for eyes or cheeks/lips ($18 each) that dry to a powder finish. For lips and cheeks, chose from "Your Place or Vine?" (pale coral), "Throw Me a Vine" (rose quartz), or "Dressed to the Vines" (golden topaz). Even though they dry to a powder, I didn't find them the least bit dehydrating to my cheeks or lips. The neutral colors have a golden shimmer, and should work with almost any complexion. I love how the golden glow made my pale, winter skin look sun-kissed and pretty. For eyes, there was one choice, "Gimme and Outside Vine", a soft, taupe-pink with shimmer that opens eyes, and makes them look rested and pretty. While the formula is virtually mistake-proof (just use a light hand, and blend in with your pinky finger), you should probably avoid it when your eyes are puffy.
You can find Benefit products at BenefitCosmetics.com, Sephora.com
Estee Lauder "Primitive Instinct" Collection I really liked the Pure Color Crystal Lipstick ($22) in "Crystal Tiger," a bronze-berry shade with incredible shine and a lightweight, moisturizing feel. This is a deep color, but you can easily blot it down to a soft stain. In the evening, I tend to make this lip color (applied full-strength) as the focus, with just a touch of nude shadow and mascara. You can find this new collection from Estee Lauder at esteelauder.com, gloss.com, or an Estee Lauder counter near you.
Smashbox "Light Source" Collection For lips, I tried the Lipstick in "Sunlight" ($16), a golden pink-peach, and Lip Gel in "Bulb" ($18), a sheer pink with a slight violet hue. Both shades were sheer and wearable. The lipstick was great - moisturizing and well-pigmented - and while I liked the color of the lip gel (which is actually a gloss formula), it was a bit too sticky for my taste. However, it does have some staying power, so if you don't plan on smooching anyone, this would be a fine choice. For eyes, I used the Eye Shadow Duo in "Daylight" ($24). These colors, a lime green and true pink, looked like they wouldn't work at all for me, but applied judiciously with a light hand, they were a pretty change of pace. These won't be my "everyday shades," but we all need to experiment once in awhile. I was also taken with the Transparencies Color Mousse for face in "Spotlight" ($18), a true coral shade. This is a super-light mousse with sheer, bright color for cheeks (or eyes - but it wouldn't be an option for me in this shade). Since they are weightless, you could also easily layer more than one color for desired effect. Transparencies come in 6 shades, and are a wonderful color innovation. Definitely one of my favorite "new" formulas this season. You can find Smashbox at smashbox.com, qvc.com, and nordstrom.com. So, spring has definitely sprung in my makeup closet, and that is definitely a good thing. I'm certainly more apt to apply self-tanner this spring, and accent my faux-bronze with all these great new colors. If you are still gun-shy about self-tanner, give it a try. New formulas are so much more natural (and forgiving) than those orange-horrors of the past. Exfoliate thoroughly first, with a product that rinses clean, like a cream exfoliator with jojoba beads - don't use a salt or sugar scrub before self-tanning because they can change the color of self-tanner, and the oils tend to make it "slide" across the skin. I personally like to mix tinted, self-tanning cream with regular body lotion at about a 50-50 ratio the first few times. As you build up a bit of color, and become more confident with application, you can then increase the tanner-to-lotion ratio, or use the self-tanner full strength. After you have a start of color, the self-tanning sprays and mousses are easy to navigate, and provide application options. Remember: real sun and tanning beds will age your skin, and can cause a rough texture, and areas of hyperpigmentation. Self tanners add the glow minus the damage, and look far more radiant than the real thing. We hope your enjoyed our annual spring color report!
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