Glow from the Get Go with Laura Mercier's Foundation Primer Radiance.

Long gone are the days of shimmer and sparkle for me. Shimmer powder may give me the glow that I crave, but they do something I don't want - they accentuate my fine lines. Ugh. It sort of defeats the purpose, especially as glow = younger. I want to look lit from within.

Laura Mercier must have heard my call as her newest foundation primer, Laura Mercier Foundation Primer - Radiance gives me the perfect lit from with in look while prepping my skin for my foundation and the rest of my makeup.

This primer applies clear, but diffuses any lines and wrinkles on my face while making it simply look better with a slight glow.  When I apply my concealer and foundation, my skin still looks diffused and radiant. A pearl sized amount is all I need to do my entire face and throat. Yes, I apply this on my throat (neck) as I definitely need the light diffusing help here. I do not look sparkley or shimmery. It is more of a mother of pearl looking type of glow. My skin is left silky smooth and primed for makeup application.

After my makeup is on, I can even dab and blend a tiny amount of this primer on the tops of my cheekbones and on my brow bone for an extra bit of light. Who would have thought a foundation primer could give me such a beautiful, soft glow from the get-go? Plus, help my makeup go on smoother and last longer, looking perfect throughout the day? Thanks, Laura! This product is certainly going to keep a spot on my vanity.

Laura Mercier Foundation Primer Radiance sells for $30 and is available online at lauramercier.com as well as Sephora and Nordstrom.

Iris Apfel for MAC.

I told you MAC was releasing a lot this time of year. Let's see.. we had two collections last week; Daphne Guinness and Metal-X. Now we have Iris Apfel for MAC and two more collections coming out this week as well. Obviously, stay tuned for those, but here is all the info on this exciting Iris Apfel Collection.

 

A colour collection inspired by a rare bird who has always been ahead of her time, Mrs. Iris Apfel. Subject of her own exhibit at

New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art and larger-than-life star, Apfel boldly mixed flea market finds with haute couture decades before doing it was considered de rigueur. M·A·C presents Lipsticks, Beauty Powder and Eye Shadows with as much fabulous flair and joie de vivre as the woman who helped create it.

 

I had a sneek peek at the beauty powder and it is gorgeous. I can't wait to see the rest of the collection in person.

Lipstick ($14.50)

  • Pink Pigeon Bright cleanest pink (matte)
  • Scarlet Ibis Bright orange-red (matte)
  • Party Parrot Bright red-pink (matte)
  • Flamingo Light milky bright coral (lustre)
  • Morange Loudmouth orange (amplified)

Lip Pencil ($14.00)

  • Entertain Me Clearly orange
  • Embrace Me Vivid pinkish fuchsia
  • Redd Clearly red

Small Eyeshadow ($15.00)

  • Silver Gull Blue grey with sparkle (velvet)
  • Robin’s Egg Mid-tone teal (matte)
  • Diamond Dove Deep grey brown (matte)
  • Early Bird Bright coral (matte)
  • Howzat Deep grey with silver sparkle (satin)

Opulash Mascara ($15.00)

  • Bad, Bad, Black Black

Impeccable Brow Pencil ($15.00)

  • Taupe Mid-tone dirty taupe

Eye Pencil ($14.00)

  • Ebony Soft black

Beauty Powder ($23.00)

  • Too Chic Soft peachy cream with fine shimmer

Nail Lacquer ($15.00)

  • Oriele Orange Bright orange coral (crème)
  • Toco Toucan Bright blue fuchsia (crème)
  • Sandpiper Creamy pale stone beige (crème)

Iris Apfel for MAC will be at MAC counters and online at maccosmetics.com tomorrow.

 

MAKE UP FOR EVER HD Complexion Starter Kit.

Looking for the perfect, flawless canvas to start your makeup? Instead of continually trying and mixing and matching brands, try this HD Complexion Starter Kit from MAKE UP FOR EVER and have your look changed - for the better.

Seriously, just think about the different combination of primers, foundations and powders you have tried in the past. Or maybe you are new at getting started with perfecting your makeup look. Both answers can boggle your mind. Finding not only the right shade, but the right primers and finishing powders that actually work with the foundation - not against them - are not as easy to find as you think. No more with this kit, which MAKE UP FOR EVER has perfected. The HD Complexion Starter Kit not only gives you the perfect primer and powder, this one actually gives you a choice of foundations. And not just a few shades. You can select from any of MUFE's full range of 26 foundation shades.

The HD Complexion Starter Kit contains:

  • HD Microfinish Powder
  • HD Kabuki Brush
  • HD Microperfecting Primer
  • HD Invisible Cover Foundation

The kit retails for $79, which is a great deal considering the foundation alone is $40.00.

Selecting one of the foundation shades is a breeze too. All you have to do is use MAKE UP FOR EVER's interactive shade finder: www.hd.makeupforeverusa.com/shadefinder. MUFE created the shade finder tool to help women find their perfect foundation match online. Since they hear from clients all the time that they are too afraid to buy foundation online for the first time because they don’t know what shade they are, this tool helps you find the perfect shade - the first time. It is just two steps, and it recommended the shade that I use, 120, which I had matched in the store.

The result from using all three products is pretty flawless.  I smooth on about a pearl sized amount of the HD Microperfecting Primer and rub it gently into my skin. After a minute or so, when it feels dry, I use two pumps of the HD Invisible Cover Foundation.  I actually squirt it on the back of my hand and apply it with my damp beautyblender sponge.  With a bit of the foundation I have left over, I apply a bit to the bottom of my cheeks with my fingertips.  I have a bit of redness here, and using my fingertips insures more of a full coverage, where I need it.  Finally, I finish with a very light dusting of the HD Microfinish Powder. The HD Kabuki Brush makes this process seamless.  I actually gently shade the powder, and swirl the brush into the cap.  You will barely notice any powder there, just a very light dusting, and that is really all of the powder that you need. The result, is a natural, beautiful, almost perfect looking canvas. It isn't too dewy or not too matte.  My skin looks and feels like satin, ready for the rest of my makeup. The best part is, it looks that way all day!

Just in case your new beautiful complexion has you feeling like a model, enter MAKE UP FOR EVER's first ever open casting call to find the model their upcoming unretouched ad campaign.  All you have to do is create your own picture-perfect make up look and then submit it for consideration via the microsite, www.hd.makeupforeverusa.com by February 1st.  All finalists’ photos will be posted on Facebook and the winner will be flown to NYC for a professional photo shoot in late February. How fun! If you enter, let me know.