Outside The Box Beauty

Outside The Box Beauty: Makeup

When it comes makeup (as with politics, religion and all the other principles of life), I’m a huge believer in thinking outside the box. Nothing propels us all forward faster or inspires us more than the work of great minds who dare to go against the grain, right? In terms of makeup, where would we be today if it weren’t for the industry-changing innovations like Max Factor’s Pan-Cake Makeup, Coco Chanel’s trend-setting suntanned skin, Estée Lauder’s ingenious Gift-With-Purchase or, more recently, Benefit’s smart-sweet Benetint or Chanel’s initially-shocking, now mainstream Vamp nail polish?

The list grows by the day, but here are some of my current cutting-edge obsessions. No matter how loyal you are to your current beauty routine, thinking outside of the box every once in awhile practically guarantees you’ll find some new favorites.

For serious sun protection and full-coverage, VMV Skinsavvy SPF 60 Foundation ($50; www.blissworld.com), is the first-of-its-kind foundation that offers broad spectrum SPF 60 (yes, sixty!) protection, fairly opaque coverage yet is, happily, lightweight, un-masky and suitable for all skin types.

Bronzers aren’t exactly known for their lofty goals, but FusionBeauty GlowFusion™ Micro-Tech™ Intuitive Active Bronzer ($39; www.sephora.com) is the glow-maker that aspires to be skin care. This silky bronzing powder use naturally-derived ingredients that act as powerful muscle inhibitors, Vitamin C to diminish dark spots and enhance skin tone, Vitamin E to fight free radicals and prevent premature aging and even manages to give a soft-focus, lit-from-within subtle tan look.

Another contender in the smart makeup category are the Smashbox “O” products, the better-than-a-mood-ring potions that works with your skin’s chemistry to transform from colorless into your own custom, ideal shade. Besides being smart and pretty, they’re healthy, too – each is packed with an exclusive Goji Berry-C Complex for super antioxidant benefits. The collection includes Smashbox O-Bronze Intuitive Cheek Bronzer ($26), O-Glow Blush ($26) and O-PLUMP Intuitive Lip Plumper ($24); all at www.sephora.com.

I’m endlessly fascinated by the degree of imagination displayed by Tarte, and the brand’s newest mascaras don’t disappoint: Tarte Bottoms Up™ - Lower Lash Mascara ($16) is specifically designed to precisely coat each and every bottom lash with a flake-free, water-resistant formula. The tiny, tapered brush allows you to get the tiniest of lashes without making a mess. And, targeting those too lethargic for everyday mascara duty is Tarte 4 Day Stay Lash Stain ($18) that coats lashes in a soft and flexible long-lasting, non-flaking pigment that lasts for four days without reapplying; at www.tartecosmetics.com.

In the “Geez, why didn’t anyone think of this sooner?” category is the felt-tip pen-inspired Anastasia Brow Pen ($21; www.sephora.com) that follows in the footsteps of eyeliner pens and their quick-drying formulas and idiot-proof, fine applicators. Can be used as a base under brow powder to increase its staying power or, as I use it, to simply fill in sparse areas for a fuller look.

Who can be bothered to down handfuls of vitamin pills when you can just lick your lips when wearing Borba Nutraceutical Lip Tint ($16; www.blissworld.com) for a daily dose of essential vitamins, minerals and nutrients with each application.

Though the idea of customizable makeup palettes isn’t new – after all, Trish McEvoy has cornered the market on personalized makeup pages for years now – but it’s great to see that other top cosmetic lines are finally thinking beyond pre-packed palettes and realizing that we all really love the power to choose. Stila offers a refillable, magnetic palette meant to be filled with four cheek and/or eye colors, and Bobbi Brown now offers refillable palettes to fill with your choice of individually-purchased beautifiers, from blush and eye shadow to lipstick and gloss. Even the best-selling Bobbi Brown Foundation Stick is now sold in a compact version to make your whole face-in-a-case complete. Visit www.stilacosmetics.com and www.bobbibrowncosmetics.com for more information or to purchase products.

 

ABCs of Skin Care: GOLD

Skincare Secret Ingredients --What Works, What’s A Waste

Volume Three:  Gold

Just when you thought that luxury skin care products couldn’t get any more indulgent, exotic or downright logic-defying, enter the trend of treatments containing pure gold.

Yes, it sounds like a ridiculous badge of conspicuous consumption, but many skin care professionals say that it’s actually a legitimately effective skin treatment and not just a gimmick.

Facials using “liquid” gold or gold leaf masks have been popular at exclusive spas for several years. But, at upwards of $200 for an hour-long treatment, they have reportedly felt the effects of our economic downturn causing many spas to temporarily take services using gold (and diamond dust as well) off of their menus. While the ultra-pricey in-spa treatments are taking a hiatus at many locations, surprisingly, the number of consumer skin products using gold are increasing each month and the trend isn’t going away anytime soon.

The History: It’s said that Cleopatra slept in a pure gold mask each night, ancient Chinese medicine sees gold as an elixir of youth, and the Indian healing art of Ayurveda believes that it has the ability to increase blood circulation, firm and detoxify skin and decrease wrinkles. Gold’s potent anti-inflammatory properties made it an effective treatment for rheumatoid arthritis nearly a century ago.

How It’s Used: Gold itself can’t be absorbed into the skin, it must be delivered to layers of the skin through a delivery system, such as the colloidal suspension system used by some brands.

What It Does: According to Cherie Dobbs of Prana SpaCeuticals, gold works like a magnet to pull out the toxins and free radicals from your skin, so that it’s natural systems can work at peak performance.

Utilizing the principle that inflammation can cause premature aging, gold’s anti-inflammatory powers would, in theory, make it a good remedy for fading sun damage and spots, and to firm and tighten skin. Gold reportedly speeds up cell renewal, prevents sagging skin by slowing down the breakdown of elastin and collagen depletion, and fights off damaging free radicals.

Find It In: Skin serums are more readily absorbed than creams and reportedly increase the effectiveness of the products that are applied over it. Gold- infused Prana SpaCeuticals AU 24K Facial Skin Rejuvenation Serum ($96, www.pranaspaceuticals.com), claims to stimulate cellular growth to promote healthy looking skin, leaves skin smoother and glowing and stimulates blood flow, while Sjal Serum 1 ($245; www.sjalskincare.com) includes gold in its super-powered and super-earth-friendly ingredient list, and claims to increase oxygen, hydration and elasticity, lift the skin and decrease wrinkles.

Skin creams that deliver nanoparticles of pure 24 karat gold, like Chantecaille Nano Gold Energizing Cream ($420) which claims to regenerate skin at the cellular level to heal, revitalize, promote collagen production and consistently replenish skin’s energy, and Chantecaille Nano Gold Energizing Eye Cream ($260), which touts the same claims in addition to diffusing light to dim under eye circles, de-puff and lift, and increase elasticity and firmness to the eye area. Both at www.barneys.com.

Makeup primers containing pure 24 karat gold, such as La Prairie Cellular Treatment Gold Illusion ($150) and Guerlain L’Or Radiance Concentrate Makeup Base ($70), may be used on bare skin either alone or pre-foundation as a canvas to blur or “fill in” lines and wrinkles, provide a gentle tightening effect, and leave a subtly shimmering glow to your skin. Both at www.neimanmarcus.com.

The Verdict: I’m mixed on the metal. After trying out the above products, each one gave me a temporary glow, but not unlike other turbo-powered skin cocktails that cost less.  I didn’t notice a tangible improvement in my skin with the face or eye creams; The makeup primers, as all primers do, left my skin velvety-smooth and made my foundation look flawless and last longer, but the illumination was of course just a temporary effect, not a true skin fix. However, both of the serums are – pardon the pun – worth their weight in gold for my skin. The silky texture felt lightweight but gave great hydration, my skin was tighter and luminous after just a few weeks of use, and left me with zero breakouts. Financial advice: a serum is the best investment piece if you’re curious about the skin-perfecting powers of gold.

 

Brightening Skin Care

Lighten Up!

Brightening Skin Care

 

I’ve seen my baby and childhood photographs, so I know for sure that I was not born with splotchy, spotted, uneven skin. In fact, I’ve never seen a baby with it, yet the majority of adults I pass on the street are plagued by it. What’s happening to our skin somewhere along the way?

Hyperpigmentation, the fancy word for those dark spots or blotches, is what’s happening, and the fact that it’s an epidemic explains the explosion of “brightening” skin care products. Brightening is a big buzzword on everything from cleansers and toners to day and night creams and even powders. But, do these luminosity-promising products really pack enough of a punch to do us any good?

First of all, understand that your spots– whether brown or red – signal that the skin has been damaged in some way. The cause of the spots, whether from the sun, hormones or acne, usually points to the best way to fade them and to prevent further damage.

Red spots are usually caused by inflammation from acne, which leaves a scar. Though they usually last well over a year, they will eventually fade as the skin naturally sheds and renews. Deeper scars, or indentations, from acne really only respond to aggressive treatment like lasers or collagen fillers. How to avoid them in the first place? Do as every aesthetician has always told you: never pick a blemish and leave the extractions to the pros.

Other types of spots are related to melanin rather than inflammation, develop from sun exposure or hormones, and need intervention rather than fading on their own. Melanin is the pigmentation within our skin that gives it color; when melanin-containing melanocytes inside the skin cells are exposed to UV light, they produce larger amounts of melanin, causing the skin to darken.

Brown spots, including freckles and sun spots, are those dark dots on the face, arms, hands, neck and chest that develop when normal cellular functions are changed by sun exposure. As pigment from years of sun exposure builds up, it darkens and forms a flat or raised spot. These spots usually stay on the surface of the skin, however, they can go deeper. If you’ve got a spot that’s medium brown or darker, and looks thick or raised, it’s best to have it investigated by a dermatologist. If it’s actinic keratoses, then it needs to be removed or treated to prevent the potential development of squamous cell cancer.

Meslasma is usually related to hormones, often caused by pregnancy, birth control pills, menopause and anything else that affects your hormone levels. It causes brown or dark large, mask-like patches on the forehead, nose and cheeks and can be limited to the surface of the skin or lie deep within the dermis. It can be more challenging to treat than sun spots unless or until the hormones are back in balance.

What to Try:

Though using every brightening product you can get your hands on probably won’t hurt, I’m not convinced of the value of those that are washed down the drain, like cleansers and scrubs. Put your money into products that sit on your skin for an extended time, either with or without hydroquinone, which is considered the lightening leader but isn’t for everyone.

Hydroquinone Lightening:

Hydroquinone decreases the melanin (pigment) production of melanocytes. The good news is that hydroquinone is considered to be quite effective if your case is on the mild side; the bad news is that it takes some patience to see results, sometimes six weeks to several months. You can try an over-the-counter bleaching cream with 2% hydroquinone, such as Glytone Fading Lotion ($36; www.glytone.com), which also contains kojic acid and glycolic acid and can be used morning and night for round-the-clock anti-pigment power. For tougher cases, your dermatologist may prescribe a 4% hydroquinone cream to treat spots from acne, mild melasma and sun spots.

Non-Hydroquinone Lightening:

Gentle, over-the-counter ingredients take some time to show results (think months here, not weeks) but popular ones like licorice extract and kojic acid help block melanin production and are great used in conjunction with an effective exfoliant such as glycolic acid to slough off the old skin. A serum or cream that either contains SPF or can be followed by it should be used daily. Two of my favorites are SkinCeuticals Phloretin CF ($150; www.skinceuticals.com), which corrects existing photodamage and inhibits UV-induced pigmentation with a breakthrough formula containing phloretin, a pigment-regulating antioxidant, and Kiehl’s Brightening Botanical Spot Treatment ($50; www.kiehls.com), which uses ellagic acid to lighten freckles and sunspots but can be used all over the face for a bright, even-toned complexion.

Definitely invest in a brightening night treatment. Without worrying about having to battle the sun’s counter-effects, these products can work their hardest while you sleep. A pricey but effective night balm, Beauty by Ivo Pitanguy PREVIOUS Lightening Serum ($200; wwwneimanmarcus.com), fights existing spots and prevent new ones with the brand’s unique centella asiatica plant extract, a super-firming tripeptide, vitamin E and extracts of blackberry and licorice. Another effective and more budget-friendly choice is Dermalogica ChromaWhite TRx Pure Night ($75; www.dermalogica.com), which brightens while you sleep with white tea extract and other melanin-fighting ingredients to prevent new spots as well as minimize those you already have.

If your wallet allows, more aggressive facial treatments like chemical peels and microdermabrasion are on the menu at many spas and can give you noticeable results much faster. Both exfoliate the top layer of skin, removing surface discolorations including spots. You’ll likely see an improvement in your skin after just one peel or microderm treatment, but more dramatic results will take at least two to six.

Remember, you could have spectacular results with any of the above treatments and still render them useless if you don’t use a broad-spectrum (UVA/UVB) sunscreen every single day of the year, without fail. With a bit of sunlight, those vanishing spots will reappear right before your eyes.

 

 

Lowdown on Liner

The Thin Line Between Love & Hate

I’m no Picasso, but I know my way around a box of pastels and fancy myself an at-least-average artist. I should be able to line my eyes in one smooth, wiggle-free stroke. Yet, give me a miniscule tapered brush and a pot o’ black pigment and my attempts to Sophia Lorenicize my lids result in a smeary, globby mess much less Sophia and more Mrs. Robinson from The Graduate, three vodka gimlets in. I’d given up on the sleekness of liquids or creams and settled for boring but user-friendly pencils, until the debut of the cream-gel hybrid liner a few years back. Now, you can find a version of this eyeliner in every price point and though many are very good, I will remain forever loyal to Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner. The award-winning formula (could Elle, InStyle, and Allure all be wrong?) has the best creamy, long-lasting texture, and the color choices are stunning.  Black Ink is a classic no-brainer, but creative shades like Black Plum Ink and Chocolate Shimmer Ink are swoon-worthy, and a relatively inexpensive way to update your look each season at $21 a pop. The caveat: the Ultra-Fine Eyeliner Brush is an absolute must and will set you back another $25, but is the key to precision.

Still, it takes more than a luxe product to master the artfully lined eye. Like all artistry, it’s all in the technique:  Lift your lid up slightly with your non-dominant hand to get the liner as close to the eye as possible by smoothing out any slack skin and hold the brush close to the bristles. Start at the middle of the lash line and draw to the outer corner of the eye, making the liner slightly thicker as you get to the corner, if you’re feeling lucky. Now, start again at the center and apply the liner in short, smooth strokes all the way to the inner corner as thinly as possible. Amateur alert: if you’ve got a space between the liner and your lashes, fill it in with a matching powder shadow and an angled brush. You’ll get closer to a perfectly-placed line with practice.

Yes, applying cream liner takes longer than your typical swipe-it-on pencil, but it’s so worth it.  On those chaotic mornings where I’m speeding my daughter to school in coffee-stained pajamas and a dirty ponytail, that sliver of crisp black defining my bleary eyes is a real ego-boost.

Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner in Black Ink, $21, and Ultra-Fine Eyeliner Brush, $25; bobbibrowncosmetics.com.

 

 

Demystifying Minerals

Okay, Now I Get It.

Demystifying Mineral Makeup 

Call it close-mindedness, or just plain old snobbery, but I must be the last of the beauty junkies to fly a mineral makeup flag. A couple of years ago, when every beauty expert was swirling and buffing their face into mineral oblivion, I was still holding out, waiting for the infomercially-charged frenzy to inevitably fizzle. After all, minerals sounded like just another makeup marketing trick, the kind of hype that the ubiquitous lip plumper was in the nineties. Sure, what they don’t have sounded great: “No preservatives!” “No talc!” But, I figured as long as I wasn’t eating my makeup, I cared a lot more about what it did have in it, (“Luminizers!” “Wrinkle-Fighters!”) and, more importantly, how it made my skin look, which never seemed to be the selling point. When practically every beauty brand added mineral products to their line, it made me only more convinced of its “me too” fad-status rather than curious about its benefits.

Cut to just a few months ago, when, after a thoroughly de-gunking facial, the aesthetician insisted on dusting my freshly-purified face with the spa’s favored mineral loose powder foundation, to provide sun protection and soothe redness. Before I could protest, she had fluffed on a coat of the powder and thrust a hand mirror in front of me, and I bit my tongue when I saw my naturally glowing, poreless skin. The makeup was positively traceless, yet, as promised, cancelled out the post-facial redness and blurred my acne scars. It felt clean and weightless -- nothing at all like the sacrilege of putting makeup on immediately after a facial. I added that little jar right onto my spa bill.

Imagine my disappointment when my next experience was anything but the undetectable airbrush effect that I had left the spa with. Instead, my face was a muddy, blotchy mess. I threw the offensive minerals into one of my makeup Black Hole drawers, where it sat until I watched a makeup artist use a similar product on a friend, rendering her average skin virtually flawless in minutes, and with only one brush. That’s when I got it – with minerals, it’s all about the application, and like any art form, it takes some practice to master.

Since then, I’ve experimented with different brands, and the application is the same – it’s never a swip-and-go like you can do with other makeup, but it’s worth the effort. Learn from my mistakes, practice the following method and remember that mineral foundation, like all others, should just look like great skin, not like makeup. As Beauty Expert Bobbi Brown reminds us, “The right foundation will make you look like you’re not wearing any foundation at all. You’ll just have even-toned, great-looking skin.”

The Right Application for A Flawless Finish

• Apply eye cream and moisturizer and let them soak in completely for a few minutes. This is the most important step and the reason why my first attempt was sticky and blotchy. If excess shine or residue remains on your face, blot with tissue.
• Chant “Less is more” as you shake a small amount of mineral powder onto your palm, and swirl a short-handled Kabuki brush with short, fluffy bristles into it.
• Tap the bristles onto the back of your hand, to get rid of excess as you  “push” the powder into them, which is how you get an even, glob-free application.
• It’s counter-intuitive, but start at the perimeter of your face and work towards the center, buffing the powder onto your skin in small, tight circles, making sure to avoid the under eye area completely.
• Next move on to the T-zone, buffing the forehead, nose and chin in small circles.
• Your canvas is complete; check for any areas where the powder is visible, and buff over it until it disappears. This is the key to the airbrush effect.
• For concealer-strength coverage on blemishes or scars, use a small, flat brush to pat a tiny layer of powder directly onto the darker area only – not on the surrounding skin.
• Because mineral powder is too heavy for the eye area, pat your usual eye concealer onto any dark circles and set it with a regular loose powder. (Try Laura Mercier’s Secret Brightening Powder, $22, lauramercier.com.)
• Finish your makeup routine with only powder formulas of blush, bronzer and highlighter, as creams/liquids and powders don’t mix! 

Expert Tips

Keep in mind that mineral foundation works best on normal-to-oily skin, and if your skin is in particularly bad condition, plagued with flakiness, blemishes or other pitfalls, you may not love the results of mineral powder and would benefit most from the medium-to-heavy coverage of liquid and cream formulas.

Color matching is vital; choosing a shade that’s even a smidge light will inevitably turn chalky in a mineral formula. If your skin tone falls between a lighter and a darker shade, go with the darker one. Brown warns that very oily skins “can change color of powders, and they may appear dry and pasty,” so, if possible, it’s wise to test-drive a sample of the shade and check it throughout the day before purchasing it.

Though one mineral brand boasts that their formula is so good for your skin you can “sleep in it,” please don’t! An oil-based makeup remover or cleansing balm is the method of choice for completely dissolving mineral powder out of your pores.

Product Picks

Estée Lauder Nutririous Vita-Mineral Loose Powder Makeup SPF 15, $33.50; esteelauder.com. One of the last brands to the minerals party and worth the wait – steers clear of the dry look with a radiant, glowy finish.

Jane Iredale's line has enough all-natural, good for you, artificial filler-free products to fill an aisle at Whole Foods; scan the brand at beauty.com or janeiredale.com for the best foundation fit for your skin.

Physician’s Formula Mineral Wear Loose Talc-Free Powder SPF 16, $10.95; drugstores nationwide. With its own Kabuki brush, SPF coverage, and a good shade range, it’s a beauty bargain.