Category: cosmetics

Three from Laura Mercier

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I’ve always had a soft touch for Laura Mercier. When other cosmetics brands were going for gimmicky products, she’s remained true to making women look beautiful. More to the point, I had a very positive experience at a Laura Mercier counter, when the makeup artist commented that I must be very diligent about sunscreen, as my face didn’t have any lines. Then I told her about my upcoming birthday, and she was amazed!

Anyway, here are product reviews for three of her recent introductions:


Laura Mercier Brow Definer Soft – I get my brows tinted when I go to the salon to get my hair done. However, the brows are resistant to taking color. I’m always on the lookout for products that tint the brows. I’ve become dissatisfied with LORAC’s Brow Wax, as it’s too hard, so I was interested in this product. The Brow Definer is described as an “innovative wax/gel formula,” but I couldn’t find anything innovative about it. It looks and feels like a gel eyeliner, which is no longer a new innovative product.

I purchased this product at bluemercury. I thought that I should use the Warm (brunette) shade, but the saleswoman was adamant that Soft (deep blonde/soft brunette) was right for me. Regardless, the best solution I’ve found to date is taking a cue from the guys: I use moustache wax to define the brows (use a brow brush to brush them into place first); then I apply a brown-black eyeshadow with a stiff angled brush to color the brows.

Laura Mercier Lip Stain Mulberry – This lip stain is a red-plum. When I tried it at bluemercury, I swiped it over my lips. It was bright! The saleswoman told me that the best application is by patting the color onto the lips: in that way, you can build color to your desired intensity.

As with other lip stains I’ve reviewed (Underground by Rimmel, Revlon), well-conditioned lips are necessary to making lip stain feel comfortable on the lips.


Laura Mercier Kohl Eye Pencil Black Gold (not pictured) – I was intrigued by the color. I love metallics, but not pure silver or gold shades. Instead, I prefer pewter shades to silver or bronzy shades to gold. This pencil seemed right up my line.

However, I find eyeliner pencils (except for retractable ones) a nuisance. Is the pencil too hard to use? Then run hot air from a blow dryer over it. Too soft to sharpen? Put in it the fridge or freezer. Then there’s the mess of keeping your sharpeners clean (I used cotton swabs soaked in rubbing alcohol). This pencil is no different, and at $19.00, it’s no bargain, either.

sweet tarte

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Tarte We Wish You Health Skinvigorating Discovery Kit

We Wish You Health Skinvigorating Discovery Kit is a limited edition set from tarte. It consists of mini clean slate™ face primer, mini lock & roll creaseless eyeshadow duo (shade: slate), mini lights, camera, lashes! 4-in-1 mascara, and mini Inside out vitamin-infused lipgloss powered by BORBA in serenity.

My least favorite item was the lock & roll creaseless eyeshadow duo. One end features a cream eyeshadow with an itty-bitty pointed brush: hardly the implement for shading the lid. Moreover, the eyeshadow sets before you can blend it. The other end features eyeshadow that’s applied with a rollerball, not the best for even application.

While initially I wasn’t that smitten with the mascara, as it doesn’t create thicker lashes, I found that it didn’t smear after crying (Christmas was very emotional for me, as I had to call an ambulance to take my mother to the ER on Christmas Day. She’s been in the hospital since.)

I had never understood the benefit of face primer. I had always reasoned that if you use moisturizer and alpha and beta hydroxy acid products judiciously, there was no need for face primer. I first tried clean slate™ face primer on New Years Eve. It felt very much like John Frieda’s Frizz-Ease Serum for hair(!) – the principal ingredient in both products is silicon. What this products does is to make your complexion look dewier.

My favorite product from this kit is the lipgloss. It’s one of those proverbial “looks bright in the tube, goes on subtle” products. I’m not one for lipgloss in a wand – to me, there always seem to be something unhygieinic about running the wand over the lips and then sticking the wand back into the tube, over and over again. Nonetheless, this product is a keeper. It just intensifies the natural color of my lips and dries to a semi-matte finish.

NOTE This review has been cross-posted at Total Beauty.

L’Oréal Paris Infallible Never Fail Lipcolour Collection

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L’Oréal Paris has released a limited edition collection of its Infallible Never Fail Lipcolour compacts. The compacts feature floral and fruit silhouettes designed by up and coming fashion designers supported by CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund (CVFF). Below is the list of designers and the shades for which they created designs:

3.1 PHILLIP LIM- Phillip Lim – Apricot
BAND OF OUTSIDERS – Scott Sternberg – Azalea
ERIN FETHERSTON – Erin Fetherston – Cerise
KOI – Koi Suwannagate – Geranium
MICHAEL BASTIAN- Michael Bastian – Hibiscus
PHILIP CRANGI JEWELRY- Philip Crangi – Mulberry
ROGAN- Rogan Gregory – Persimmon
THREEASFOUR – Gabriel AsFour, Angela Donhauser, Adi Gil – Pomegranate
VENA CAVA – Lisa Mayock and Sophie Buhai – Rosebud
VPL – Victoria Bartlett – Thistle

I’m not aware of anything else on the market like L’Oréal Paris’ Infallible Never Fail Lipcolour. The compact consists of a tube of liquid lipcolour with wand and a gloss stick (a “conditioning topcoat”). There is a mirror on the reverse side of the compact. To use, push the lipcolour tube outwards, open the tube, and use the wand to apply lipcolour. The package recommends that you wait two minutes for the colour to dry before you apply the gloss (similarly, the gloss stick is pushed outwards). It also recommends that you remove the lipcolour from your lips with an oil-based makeup remover (baby oil or cold cream would work).

I like the results. The lipcolour dries to a lip stain, but as I have noted before, you need conditioned lips to wear lip stain well. But don’t apply gloss immediately before applying Infallible Never Fail Lipcolour: the package recommends “clean” lips.

The limited edition L’Oréal Paris’ Infallible Never Fail Lipcolour collection is available exclusively at L’Oréal Paris retail stores or by phone. Call 888-270-7743 to order.

Makeup tools

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Makeup application = product + tools + technique.


Sephora Brand Chocolate Croc Prestige Brush Set ($300 Value)

This brush roll provides all the tools you need, and more. It contains a Powder Brush, Blush Brush, Foundation Brush, Concealer Brush, Feather Shimmer Brush, Contour Brush, Large Eyeshadow Brush, Small Eyeshadow Brush, Smudge Brush, Flat Eyeliner Brush, Brow Brush, and a Lip Brush. The feather shimmer brush would be fun for teasing others!

Underground by Rimmel

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Underground by Rimmel is more daring than Rimmel’s regular line, and invites comparison to L’Oreal HIP. While Underground is geared toward teens and twenties, there are some great products that woman of all ages can use.


Stir It Up Cream Eyeshadow in Wassup? by Underground by Rimmel

The cream eyeshadow features different shades that are mixed together when you apply it with your fingers. There’s some glitter in this, but if that’s not the effect that you’re seeking, just remove it by flicking a cotton swab or Q-Tip over it.


Cheeky! Blush Duo in Cheer Up by Underground by Rimmel

This blush duo features pale apricot and deep rose shades. Nowadays, most of the shades of blush from mass-market brands are subtle (to be foolproof), so this blush duo stands out. It can look natural by applying the deep rose shade on the apple of the cheeks – don’t blend out to the temples. If it’s too bright, the pale apricot shade will tone it down. There are several other shades of Cheeky! Blush Duo available, and all are wearable.


Loud Mouth Lipgloss in Pucker Up from Underground by Rimmel

Don’t be fooled by the name. This is more lip stain than lip gloss. In addition to Pucker Up, there are other wearable shades of Loud Mouth Lipgloss that will appeal to women of all ages. To prevent the stain from going beyond your mouth, consider lining your lips with clear lipliner first.

Because Loud Mouth Lipgloss is a lip stain, it can be drying. Now since the weather is getting colder, you need to keep your lips conditioned. I use Aquaphor icon, essentially a goo of petroleum jelly and mineral oil, at night to condition my lips (for more, see Treating Chapped Lips). I also like Sally Hansen Healing Butter for Lips (not available through drugstore.com, alas). It boasts of having shea, mango, cocoa and murumuru butters, but if you’re seeking a plant-based product, this isn’t it: petroleum jelly tops the list of ingredients and these butters are way down the list. Still, it’s very emollient.

Underground by Rimmel may be found at Target, and Ulta in the U.S.

Big MAC Attack

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I hate crests and emblems. It’s probably because I dislike Juicy Couture. I don’t like its gaudy accessories with their insignia, and frankly, its velour tracksuits with the word “Juicy” emblazoned on the butt are tacky. Who wants to see (as I did) someone’s muffin top above a waistband with the word “Juicy” on it?


MAC Royal Assets holiday collection
6 Warm Eyes eye shadow palette

Still, I couldn’t resist buying this eye shadow palette 6 Warm Eyes from MAC’s Royal Assets limited edition holiday collection. The packaging features a white cover accented in gold with a crest in relief. The casing is made of metal, which provides some heft to the package, and has an authentic vintage look.

Makeup artist and blogger Elke von Freudenburg describes the shades in 6 Warm Eyes as “Golden leaf gold, pale shimmer peach, rich forest green, deep burgundy and rich earth brown.” There is also a matte tan with some pink undertones. The description on MAC’s web site has no relation to what’s in the palette.

Still, Elke didn’t describe the finishes. The shade that she describes as “rich forest green” has shimmer and looks like greenish gunmetal when applied. The deep burgundy is shiny. The rich earth brown shade (bottom row, right), which is matte, coordinates easily with the with the pale peach shimmer (top row, L), the matte tan (top row, R), and golden leaft gold (middle row, L). Coordinating the burgundy (middle row, R) and forest green (bottom row, R) shades with the other shades is more challenging (I prefer tonal shades). The burgundy and forest green shades probably would best used for the crease or outer corner of the eye.

I’ll defer judgment on this palette until I’m able to experiment with all shades, including the burgundy and forest green shades.

The Style Page interviews Lubna Khalid of Real Cosmetics

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Lubna

The Style Page recently spoke with Lubna Khalid, founder and CEO of Real Cosmetics. The Real Cosmetics product line currently consists of foundations, pressed powders, and lipsticks designed to flatter all women.

Real Cosmetics foundation and pressed powder shades are grouped into four “families”: Olive, Golden, Red-Gold, and Red-Brown. These shades were developed and tested by trial and error on women of all skin tones in the Berkeley, CA area, where Lubna studied at the University of California. She said that this approach was opposite of how many cosmetics companies develop makeup shades, by first taking an existing shade and deepening it.


Pressed powder compacts from Real Cosmetics

When Lubna founded Real Cosmetics in 1999, she started with the concept of real beauty for real women – years before Dove instituted the concept for its marketing campaign. One challenge in starting a new cosmetics line was finding investors: not many investors wanted to invest in tangible products during the dot.com boom. Another challenge was finding retailers, but Lubna succeeded in getting Sephora and select Nordstrom stores to sell Real Cosmetics.

Lubna says that her lifetime goal is to “revolutionize the way that society views beauty and to connect and empower women globally.” She seeks societal acceptance of women of all skin tones and body types. Women should be viewed holistically, with beauty coming from within.

Skin tones

I asked Lubna why she thought that many people in Latin America, the Middle East, and South Asia have a prejudice for fair complexions. As a graduate of UC-Berkeley with a degree in marketing and ethnic studies, Lubna had researched that topic and had definite views. She noted that beauty was a construction of media. In many countries, the prejudice for fair complexions was part of the colonial legacy. It is also a class issue, as dark skin is associated with laborers who are exposed to the sun. For slaves, “passing for white” was a ticket to freedom, which is also why practices such as “relaxing” hair evolved. In short, the prejudice for fair complexions is tied to the historical, social, and political context.

At the same, many women with light skin tones want to be tanned. This can also be tied to social context, as it conveys the idea that they have the leisure to go on vacation to sunny places. Here is another example how women want to change their natural skin tone.

My conversation with Lubna segued into a discussion on skin-lightening cream, which is a best-selling cosmetic in many parts of the world. An ad for Fair & Lovely, the best-selling skin lightening cream in Pakistan and India, promised “a fairer skin in days, and more than that, a perfect life: a sure-shot at a husband, a super job and instant acceptance” – for more, see the article The White Complex from Little India. Lubna said that she doesn’t believe in skin lightening creams, as it conveys the idea a woman’s natural skin tone is not beautiful. More specifically, she objects to fear-based marketing, such as that employed by Fair & Lovely. She conceded that skin lightening creams do serve a purpose for making the complexion more even: in that case, the creams should be marketed to treat hyperpigmentation.

Lubna is excited about a projected relaunch of the Real brand. She has a new partner with over 30 years of experience in the cosmetics industry who complements her vision. The relaunch will feature not only an expanded makeup and color range, but also fragrance and skin and body care, for a total of 300 products. Currently, Lubna is seeking capitol to roll out franchise stores featuring the expanded line, using the same retail concept as The Body Shop (the late Anita Roddick is a major inspiration).


Real Cosmetics lipsticks come in sheer, semi-matte, and frost formulas

In the meantime, you may buy Real Cosmetics makeup, pressed powder, and lipstick through the Real Cosmetics web site at www.realcosmetics.com. Lubna is extending a 20% discount to readers of The Style Page good through October 31. To take advantage of this offer, mention “The Style Page” in the notes section of the shopping cart.

Finding cosmetics for African-American women

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Here’s a good article from Richmond.com about finding cosmetics for African-American women at drugstores and other venues. Especially valuable is the review of foundations from Iman, CG Queen Collection from Cover Girl, L’Oreal HIP, and L’Oreal True Match.

If you’re a “woman of color” (a marketing rubric to encompass women whose origins come from elsewhere than Europe), do you prefer to shop a brand targeted toward women of color or one that appeals to everyone? Why?

The Style Page interview with celebrity makeup artist Matin – Part 1

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Matin Maulawizada

The Style Page is pleased to present an exclusive interview with celebrity makeup artist Matin (pronounced mah-TEEN) Maulawizada. Matin has an impressive list of credits: his work has been featured in InStyle as well as other major fashion and beauty magazines and his client list includes Angelina Jolie, Beyonce, Gwen Stefani, Liv Tyler, Reese Witherspoon, Salma Hayek, and Shakira. A more comprehensive list of credits may be found by selecting this link.

Because of the length and range of the interview, it will be split over three postings. This post focuses on his upbringing in Afghanistan and what he learned about beauty in Afghanistan.

1. Your biography states that you have six sisters. Were you the only boy?

Yes, I am the only boy.

2. What was your first language?

It is called Dari. A language spoken in Afghanistan and a few other central Asian countries inhabited by Tadjik tribes.

3. What beauty rituals did you observe your mother, sisters, and other female relatives do? A magazine article said that you learned threading by watching your female relatives, but were there any others? What about mehndi (henna), lining the eyes with kajal?

Yes, I learned most of beauty trick watching my sisters go at it decades after decades. My mom would be running around with a masque on her face ordering the staff at the house on what to do and what to cook, a sister would be screaming from pain of waxing her leg, the other would be threading her upper lip, yet another one would be painting her face… It was NICE ;-). My main inspirations were my sister Mina who did incredible eye make-up on herself in the 60’s and 70’s. She cross dressed she had a Beetles style haircut until 11th grade, then did a complete turn and joined miss Afghanistan and got very fem, my sister Shakila is absolutely gorgeous and I used to sit with her and watch her get ready to go out with her fiancé in the 70’s, my sister Trina with her super smokey eyes, pale skin…wow…great 80’s face. So I watched and absorbed these looks not from the books or movies but right in front of me done by very beautiful, very talented women who were my sisters. Kajal and Surma (khol powder) is used by men, women in children in my country (Afghanistan) so it is of course my most favorite thing to use.

4. Would you care to comment on beauty as an act of resistance under the Taliban?

On one of my trips back to Afghanistan, I met a brilliant man that produced lipsticks, nail polishes, facial bleaching creams etc in his garage during the reign of Taliban and sold them to the underground beauty parlors. Make up is IS a form of expression in today’s Afghanistan, it is theatrical and it is a way to show the world that you are modern. You don’t wear it at all and when you do… you go ALL OUT.

In Part 2, Matin talks about coming to the U.S., breaking into the beauty business, and making it.

The Style Page interview with celebrity makeup artist Matin – Part 2

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In Part 2 of The Style Page interview with Matin, Matin talks about coming to the U.S., breaking into the beauty business, and making it.

5. What brought you to the U.S.?

Life brought me to the US. I needed to go to college and we were politically exiled from my country, so we ended up as political refugees in the US.

6. Your biography says that you got into makeup on account of your college roommate. Tell me about his or her influence on you.

As I mentioned, we became political refugees. My family lost everything during the Soviet occupation and I had to pay for school. I was flipping burgers in East Oakland until 3 am. Then finally got a job selling perfumes at the stores on Union Square in SF. My father finally found someone to smuggle him out of Afghanistan and finally joined us in the US after 6 years. I moved out when he arrived, moved to the city with my roommate Marti whom I met teaching modeling at the Barbizon school of modeling in SF (Don’t even ask how and why I got a job there ;-)). She worked also at Neiman Marcus as a make up artist. When I needed a job, she suggested to interview with her boss and she told me how the make up thing worked. Next thing I know, I had a job offer.

7. How did you learn to become a makeup artist?

I do calligraphy and was always good at drawing. Make up was a very natural process for me. I often say that one has to “listen” to the skin and it will tell you what it needs. I guess some of us are born with that “ear”. I do not have formal training. I learned from working at make up counters during my undergraduate years in Berkeley and then I assisted Laura Mercier.

8. Your biography states that you worked as a research scientist after earning your masters’ degree. Was your decision to become a makeup artist full-time sudden or was it something that was planned over time? When did being a makeup artist full-time become feasible?

I had an offer to do an event for one of the cosmetics company that I had worked in the past. After that job, I realized how much fun I had doing make up. I woke up one night thinking about creating a make up line. The next step terrified me. It was to move to NY, starve for a few years and maybe make it or I though maybe I could become a trainer for a cosmetic line or a national make up artist. Without applying for any jobs, I got 3 offers in the next two weeks for exactly that position. That just blew me away. I took it as a sign and let the universe take care of the rest. Doors opened up, I met Laura Mercier and my agent Timothy Priano. Laura Mercier line created a position for me and Tim told me to look for him should I move to NY and seek representation. It was like magic. I worked for Laura full time for a year, then moved to NY and went to see Timothy. Now if I knew how little money I was going to make in the beginning, I probably would have talked myself out of it but ignorance is bliss and fate is a strong cushion to lean on.

9. Tell me about your first big break as a makeup artist. What event gave you an entry into the world of being a celebrity makeup artist?

My first full page beauty was for Glamour magazine. Kate Moodie (style director of the magazine then) hired me to do it. I met her during a beauty shot when I was still assisting Laura. Then a few months later, my 3rd year in NY that I got a BIG break. I was working for Laura Mercier 3 days a month still and I got a job for ELLE magazine to shoot a model for a bathing suit story. I was to make a white girl black from head to toe. “Bien Maron” was what the Fashion Editor (Carlyn Cerf De Dudzelee) told me. The photographer was non other that Gilles Bensimon. Intimidated I woke up at 4 am to get the girl painted and ready for a 7 am call time. I was shy, totally stayed on the side, didn’t really fit in at the shoot but the stylist was kind enough to include me in everything. We ended up doing a fashion and a bathing suit story. This meant 16 pages in my portfolio that I didn’t have. I was thrilled and very grateful. At the airport waiting for our luggage, Gilles who hardly said a word to me during the shoot tapped on my shoulder and with a very THICK French accent said: “I’m shooting Liv Tyler for a cover next week and want you to do the make up for it”. WHAT??? Usually you have to slave and test for years in order to get an opportunity like this. I thanked him and truthfully didn’t believe him. 2 days later my agent called and told me that I was booked for the cover. When the magazine hit the stands, I had the cover and 31 pages of work inside the magazine. I did 6 of the 8 remaining covers that year and it launched my career to a completely different level.

Part 3