Put Your Best Face Forward

This chillier time of year provides a feast for the eyes- the leaves changing, the clothes in richer colors and fabrics, the skin flaking off my face. Ew, yes, I said it. Not only does the season turn, but my skin flips! Do you know what I'm talking about??

This is the time of the year when I must drastically makeover my make-up and skincare supplies. The drier air causes my skin to swiftly dry out and suddenly I have dandruff of the chinny-chin-chin. I haven't got a prayer of looking normal without some good moisturizer.

Behold: Bobbi Brown's Hydrating Face Cream

This new mack-daddy of moisturizers has raised the cosmetic bar. Algae extract provides lightweight, non-greasy moisture while caffeine soothes the skin- so very helpful to my chin area that tends to turn redder than Rudolph's nose when the temps drop yet it's light enough that my face doesn't shine as if I've been rubbing it with grease gloves!

But if you need an extra bit of sensitivity control combined with a little refreshment, Bobbi's new Hydrating Face Tonic feels like silk on your skin...

The chamomile and lavender in this toner make your face sigh with relief...and the stuff smells good too! I would love this to spray on my visage right around 3 or 4 o'clock every afternoon for an instant pick-me-up.

While I'm talking about Bobbi Brown, I'll mention that I also tried the newest powder, Illuminating Finish Compact Foundation with SPF 12. Gotta love those powders with a little sun protection already built in!

This powder goes on so smooth and light with a brush, but you can ante up by applying with a sponge or even dampen the sponge for heavier coverage. Apparently particles live in the powder that allow light to reflect and conceal imperfections. All I know is that I tried about seven different powders over the weekend and this was the only one that appeared natural and didn't look caked on. Score!

Even if talking powder and concealer conjure a certain ennui, you need to pay attention to this next discovery that probably every Allure magazine reader in the world already knows about- YSL's Touche Eclat Radiant Touch Highlighter.

Naturally, you can apply this concealer/highlighter to your undereyes for an instant wake-up call, but this double-duty-er can also be applied to other spots where we experience a certain amount of shadows- around the sides of the nose, lips, etc. A friend of mine recently recommended this goodie and she was right- it's definitely worth testing out if you have issues with fatigue or dark shadows! She also mentioned that YSL's Flash Radiance Primer added an extra dose of doe-eyed. I have yet to try that but anything that brightens my eyes sounds good to me!

FINALLY, one last discovery from the weekend- Kiehl's Cryste Marine Firming Eye Cream.

Good eye cream seems so hard to find, but this Kiehl's product goes beyond cream- it is seriously like a mousse, all thick and whipped and creamy. It feels so good going on and the area under my eyes still feels moist long after I've applied it. Again, this cream is infused with Algae Extract- I'm sensing a theme here!!

It's been wonderful to discover all of these new goodies. I've been a long time, faithful Trish McEvoy girl but this coastal town has none of that to offer. It was time to branch out for convenience sake. Hopefully these fab finds will be helpful to you, but if you have any suggestions, let me know too!! That way we can ALL put our best face forward.