4 of My Favorite Highlighters... that you might not have tried

I do love a glow... even when I'm wearing a shimmery blush, the temptation to add a sweep of highlighter is too strong to resist - it just seems to make my whole look pop and really wake up my face. Quite frankly, I own a shameful amount of highlighting products (more than any face needs, and more than I care to admit!) but I thought I'd put together a little post, sharing a few of my favorites that aren't necessarily "cult favorites" and that maybe some of you fellow beauty junkies might have never tried, or even seen.

 

 

ELF "Blush" - Gotta Glow

 

And then in swatch form....

 

This is truly a beautiful highlight, I suggest a light hand to avoid any chalkiness.... but for $3.00 it's nearly perfect, if you need a High End comparison - think Nars Albatross (white gold).

 

 

Maybelline Dream Mousse Bronzer

 

And swatched...

Now this isn't marketed as a highlighting product at all, but rather as a bronzer, but on my skin tone this is a lovely golden highlight.... not too much shimmer, just enough gleam. If you have any experience with the dream mousse range, you know the texture is lovely, and blending is a breeze!

 

 

 

Benefit - Girl Meets Pearl

Swatched...

 

This is such a nice highlighter, almost to the point that if I wasn't wearing any makeup at all, I'd consider (perhaps not try - but definitely consider) applying it all over my face! It's pink toned, but really does leave a "pearlescent" finish.

 

 

 

Tarte Celebutante

It doesn't show up so well in swatch, but...

 

This is totally different than all the other's, the main difference being that this is an oil-based, moisturizing highlighter, meant for use on the body. It has no real color, but features the prettiest micro-shimmer. No matter what it's intended use - I love this blended onto my cheekbones, it's natural and glowy and shimmery perfection.

 

 

 

 

Let me know if you've tried any of these.... and if you have the same love affair I do! Happy highlighting my dears!













 

 

 

 

Long time no see...

It has literally been forever and a day (or two) since I've posted here... life has really gotten in the way of my cosmetic addiction! I figured to get my feet wet (or fingers really) I would kick off with a good old Face Of The Day post... which incidentally are my favorite types to read. It's just a typical Friday morning.... this may seem like an excessive amount of makeup to use for work, but I don't believe there is such a thing as an excessive amount of makeup!

On my face I used...

(left to right)

Covergirl Natureluxe Silk Foundation (suede), Revlon Photoready Translucent Finishing Powder, ELF Bronzer (from blush and bronzer duo), Benefit Dallas, MAC Mineralized Skin Finish (Soft&Gentle)

*favorite cheek combo, by the way*

And here's the outcome...

gotta have the glow!

On my eyes I used...

"Swish" from MAC all over the lid, "Texture" all over the crease, a random Avon dark brown in the "outer v" and under the lower lash line, and the lightest shade in my Physicians Formula highlighter on the brow bone, Almay Liquid liner on top, Mally pencil in "espresso" on the water line, and my new favorite mascara "Falsies Flared"

All that became this....

I truly LOVE pink eye shadows

My lip combo...

The cult favorite "Airy Fairy" lipstick from Rimmel, and my favorite nude lip gloss Sally Hansen 12-hour diamond lip treatment "Princess"

And voila... the finished product...

I make strrrrrange faces in photos :)

On a side note - I am over the winter, although New York has been spared awful weather and storms, I am still craving spring/summer. So I ditched my usual winter Black or Blackened Plum nail polishes and busted out the neon pink (glitter on top OF COURSE)... instant mood lifter

Happy 2012 since I haven't posted since... hope it's fabulous for all!

Could it be....

... That I have found it.... found the ideal trio....found the perfect cheek combo? Ok, so I'm a bit dramatic about it, but for me.... someone whose "everday makeup" is different everday... it is amazing to find something I think to be perfect, I've tried every combo under the sun on my face!

Let me introduce you to the players...

meet "Dallas" from Benefit, "Park Ave Princess" from Tarte, and "Soft and Gentle MSF" from MAC!!

Here they are on my hand (because I ALWAYS wear makeup there)...

L-R (Park Ave Princess, Dallas, Soft and Gentle)

Unfortunately those swatches don't do enough justice.... The Tarte bronzer, is the perfect warm shade of brown, and I detect no orange on my face. It does have a slight shimmer, but it just creates a soft-focus glow. Dallas, is the perfect dusty plum shade.... sometimes it comes up more purple and sometimes a slight brown... it's natural but complexion warming. And Soft and Gentle is a cult highlighter.... gold perfection!

Here's the final test....