Light the Beauty-Symbol

Sofi put out the call and I never leave one of my proteges out in the cold. Seriously girls, I'm good at this. Exploit me. Let me help you look your diva best. It doesn't have to hurt and I can provide references!

Anyway, Sofi asked to me post my beauty top 15 or top 10, or whatever I think is good. I sensed urgency in her writing, and I really don't need an excuse to write about products. So to begin, here's a look through The Royal Word beauty archives.

First Beauty Thread
Perfumes
Best Beauty Buys 2003
Bounty Licious
Product Watch
2003 Product Extravaganza

That should give you something to start with. And since it's been a couple months I'll do the first product watch of 2004.

While recent years have been all about the pinks (and man have I been happy about it), it seems that peach glows are in. Really, with trends changing like the winds, you can pretty much get away with whatever you like so long as you look good. So if you're not peachy keen (guess how many times you're going to read that one in the mags this year), despair not. If you're feeling ambitious, please allow me to direct you to the NARS counter. Now when you get there, don't be frightened by the intensity of the colour you see. What's in the tube or in the compact looks dramatically different on your skin. My two picks for spring are NARS blush in Deep Throat and lip gloss in Sunset Strip. If you're like me and everything must smell amazing, have a gander and a sniff at Benefit's new blush Georgia. Anyone who was a fan of Dandelion, will dig the peachier version for sure.

I also highly recommend having a sniff of the perfume line of Jo Malone. Scent-tacular. This may be my last new scent suggestion, as at last count I had 12 different perfumes to choose from. Oy. Hair wise, the new (as of November) cut has made my hair require less conditioning and more washing. So I'm presently using KMS' Daily Fixx Clarifying Shampoo and occasionally using the Silker conditioner.

Anyway, this is what I'm using. I hope it's useful for Sofi and others. Like I said in my comments, if you need personalized info (ie, not what I'm using because, well, I'm me and you're you and odds are we don't have the same beauty issues, I can only hope you have fewer) e-mail, call or carrier pigeon me. I'm here to help and I find it all terribly fun.

::Skin Care::
Cleanser: Kiehl's Non-Detergent Foaming Cleanser
Exfoliant: Benefit Pineapple Facial Polish
Toner: Clinique clarifying Lotion 2
Moisturizer: Neutrogena Healthy Skin Anti-Wrinkle Anti-Blemish Cream or
Clinique Dramatically Different Oil-Free moisturizer

::Face::
Concealer: MAC - Studio Finish cream concealer
Pressed Power: Chanel - Natural Finish pressed power
Foundation: MAC - Studio Fix

Blush: Benefit - Benetint, Dandelion, NARS - Orgasm, Deep Throat, Cargo - Topeka
Eyeliner: Chanel - Precision Eye Definer in Brown, Bobbi Brown - Long Wear Gel Eyeliner in Sepia
Mascara: Estee Lauder - Magnascopic in Brown or Black
Eyeshadow: Cargo - Shangri-La, Toronto, Clinique - Foxy, Everglade
Lips: Cargo - Lip Gloss in Xai Xai, Clinique - Almost Lipstick in Black Honey, NARS - Lip Gloss in Sunset Strip, Smith's - Rosebud Salve

Oh and then there are all the brushes. Basically go to MAC and Bobbi brown. Listen to what the people behind the counter tell you. Good brushes make such a difference.

And I'm spent...

HRH