When I’m not drinking wine, I’m obsessed with makeup, lotions and potions and of course, perfume. I’ve been a product junkie ever since I can remember, and my bathroom cabinets are overflowing with skin and hair care and all sorts of beauty products. This year I’ve tried and tested many a cream, and dabbed and spritzed all sorts of fragrances. I’ve come up with a list of my top 12 beauty products that really work — and make great holiday gifts to boot. 1. Beauty DNA. I’ve tried just about every beauty subscription out there. I usually end up with a pile of unwanted stuff. So I was skeptical about Beauty DNA’s claim to make a perfect match for you every month. I signed up for the $25 per month subscription. My first delivery was the SkinCeuticals Phloretin CF — a full size which sells for about $150. Then I…
Wine In My Lipstick
If you’re a cosmetics junkie and wine lover like me, no doubt you’ve heard about skincare products and makeup that contain some form of beneficial ingredients from wine grapes. Polyphenols in grapes and resveratrol are powerful antioxidants. Grape seed oil extract helps protect skin from free radicals and hydrates at the same time. You’ll find these anti-aging ingredients in many products including the French skincare line Caudalie to 29 Cosmetics, created by Lydia Mondavi, which uses grape seed extract in its skincare and color cosmetics.
Blending all this grapey goodness into beauty products is not groundbreaking. But two newcomers are focusing on what you put on your lips, especially since we all end up ingesting our creamy lipsticks and shiny glosses.
SHOP – Lip color that lasts
While I was judging wine last week for the Mendocino Crab & Wine Days, I was also putting a lip color through its paces. I’ve tried so many lip glosses, lipsticks and stains that claim to last all day. I finally found one that lasts better than any of those. Covergirl makes Outlast, a lip stain that looks like one of those thin magic markers. My shade is 420, “Sassy Mauve,” a plummy stain. It held up pretty well after tasting 48 wines, with countless sips of water in between. My one caveat is that it makes your lips feel dry — but then I haven’t found any last all day lip colors that aren’t dry. Retails for about $8.
SHOP – Ricky Wilson and Dior cosmetics
Who doesn’t love learning the latest makeup tricks and backstage secrets? That’s what Ricky Wilson, makeup artist extrordinaire, was dishing out at his master class for Dior at the Valley Fair Nordstrom. Ricky has worked on everyone from Beyonce to Sharon Stone. Top model Jessica Stam is one of his regulars. Having a front row seat was great. He showed us step by step his techniques. One of the best trick – using a highlighter under the eyes and above the eyebrows. Really gives a lift and brightens your face. I’m already a Dior fan — the DiorShow Iconic mascara changed my life. Before, I always used Maybelline’s iconic Great Lash, you know the one with the green top and pink tube. I didn’t think it was worth it to spend more than a few bucks on mascara. But once I tried DiorShow there was no going back. Lashes appeared…