Thursday, June 15, 2006
A Good Blush Is Hard To Find
When I was growing up, Clinique makeup was the bomb. My mother would only shop for it when they offered those little gift bags with free samples which always included that yellow moisturizer. My friends mother only wore Clinique and started my friend on a daily regime of Clinique skincare when she was thirteen. I was happy with Ivory soap and Sea Breeze.
But the lure of the free gift bag lulled me to the Clinique makeup counter where I started wearing blush in Mocha Pink. For years, that was all I wore. Even though it wore off quickly and didn't really give me the look I was going for, I was steadfast in my application of Mocha Pink.
Giving up on Mocha Pink, I moved to Elizabeth Arden. The salesgirl swore to me that this color would compliment my skintone and bring out my eyecolor. Okay! I'm sold. But Sugar Plum failed to give me that just-ran-around-the -block- on- a- cold- day flush.
In fact, Sugar Plum looked suspiciously like Mocha Pink. What does a girl have to do to find the perfect color for her skin tone? I tried Maybelline and found something to last me for a while. The color was Pure Berry and I read about it in a magazine. On me the color appeared too bright. Clown cheeks. I did not give up on my quest.
I couldn't help but feel a bit off with every single color I chose. My cheeks were in desperate need of something, but what? I purchased what I thought would be an excellent hue for me, L'Oreal in Rustica/Rustique. Not too pink, not to brown.
I have found over the years that any shade of blush from L'Oreal makes me look like I have a bad tan but only on my cheeks. The pink fades to bright orange and then it completely wears off. I still have this compact practically brand new. The search continued.... ...until one day I mentioned to my makeup artist friend Lisa that I wanted to try Orgasm by Nars. It's the color almost every makeup artist has in their box of tricks. She loaned me the blush to try and I loved it. I found the Holy Grail.
It's magic for me but might be a tad iridescent for some. It's a slightly glimmery peachy color that gives me the flushed look I've been after for ten years. TEN YEARS. The lipgloss by the same name is a bit gloopy and MAC's Prrrr is very similar but with less gloppage. Yes, that's a word.
Right now with the summer months upon us, I slightly dust a very inexpensive Bonnie Bell bronzing powder on my cheeks and nose then give myself a light dusting of Nars Orgasm. It may not last for hours and hours and it does settle into my pores just a little but I'm happy with the color overall.
At this moment I'm searching for the Perfect Mascara and the Perfect Pore Minimizer/Primer, I hear Smashbox makes a good one and Lisa- my- makeup- artist promises that Benefit's Dr. Feelgood will in fact, deliver the goods. I don't wear any foundation but am not opposed to finding an amazing product that will give me flawless and beautiful skin. And since I refuse to get tan by sitting in the sun, I'm using my Nature's Gate Sundercover Sunscreen spf 30 and my ProCyte Ti-Silc spf 60 like a good California girl.
posted by Distressed Jeans at 4:00 PM |
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