Pretty Made Simple

Some mornings even a hard-core beauty junkie like me doesn’t feel like thinking about what make-up to put on. I just want someone to figure out my perfect colors and make me look pretty.

The folks at Bare Escentuals have gone and done just that with their new bareMinerals kit for eyes, cheeks and lips.

I KNOW you’re saying, “When I buy a kit only one or two of the shades work for me.” I thought the same thing, so when I initially saw it online I passed. Fast-forward two weeks, and I spotted a row of the kits in Sephora. This time I couldn’t resist.

The mini eyeshadows, blush and Buxon gloss work perfectly with my skintone. And to make life even easier, they kicked in the brushes (blush, shadow, liner).

You have a choice of four shade palettes:

Fair-to-Light
Light-to-Medium
Medium-to-Tan
Tan-to-Deep

Select the right kit for you based on your shade of Bare Escentuals powder foundation. I wear Medium Tan in the foundation, so I bought the Medium-to-Tan kit. It included eyeshadow shades in Lemon Zinger (light peach gold), Noble (copper leaf) and Patio Party (bronzed bark); Blush in Joyous Jennifer (bronzed pink); and a mini Buxom Big & Health lip gloss in Ginger (cognac shimmer).

I especially loved the blush and lipgloss and will definitely repurchase. The kits are $49 and available at Sephora.

Strong Body, Ageless Body

I know it’s not a beauty product, but weight training is a huge weapon in beating back Father Time. Unfortunately, I’ve kinda let it slide for months now.

So I launched a search for a new DVD to snap me back into sculpted shape. A routine that’s hard enough for quick results, but “do-able” so I won’t procrastinate.

Good reviews on Collage Video www.collagevideo.com prompted me to order Strong Body, Ageless Body with Erin O’Brien $14.95.

The workout consists of the standard brief warm-up and cool down. In between, O’Brien takes you through a 20-minute standing routine alternating light upper body weights with squats and lunges and then 20-minutes of floor work. So far, I’ve done this workout twice and I like it a lot. Just when I think I can’t do one more rep, she moves on to working another body part.

O’Brien is motivating without being annoyingly perky. She'll make you feel like you've had a private session with a pricey personal trainer.

Will report actual results in a couple of weeks… Well, if I’m not too busy showing off my new bikini-ready body.

Review: Regenerist Micro-sculpting Cream

Oil of Olay Regenerist Micro-sculpting Cream $27.99
After a haircut a few months back, I spun around in the stylist chair to check myself out in the mirror. Unfortunately, I didn’t even notice my hair. I was too blown away by the skin sagging along my jaw line. “Who kidnapped me and left their grandma in the chair?” I wanted to wail.

Instead, I somehow managed to hold on to my composure, pay the stylist and lead-foot it down to the drugstore in search of a miracle. It came in the form of Oil of Olay Regenerist Micro-sculpting Cream.

I massaged it into my skin after cleansing, both night and day (underneath sunscreen). The scent is light and the thick cream absorbs quickly. For the most part, I have dry skin, but tend to be oily around my nose. I avoided putting the cream on that area. Within two weeks, I saw improvement along my jaw line. By the time I got to the bottom of the jar three months later – no more sag. And the rest of my face looked significantly more firm and smooth.

They say: Firms sag-prone areas, smoothes skin's surface and restores elasticity

Husband says: “Your face looks good. What did you do?”

I say: This one works, baby!

A "Super" Smile

Nothing says, “I’m old” like mouthful of dingy yellow teeth.

Unfortunately, I adore the things (coffee, tea, diet cola) that can be hell on a smile. I’ve tried giving them up, but have never been able to hold out for more than a week before making an emergency java run to Starbucks or a midnight dash to the grocery store for a six-pack of Diet Coke.

Supersmile toothpaste is pricey, but it works and a 4.2-ounce tube lasts me about a year. It whitens my natural teeth, but also keeps my 20-year-old bridge looking new. No gritty abrasives. Just a pea-sized dab on a dry toothbrush and your smile stays Oscar podium ready.

I’ve been using Supersmile for three years now. Occasionally, I’ve strayed (because I hate paying this much for toothpaste), but I always end up closing my eyes and swiping my debit card for another tube.

Review: Clinique All About Eyes

Clinique All About Eyes, .5 oz for $27.50

The promise: Moisture-rich formula diminishes the look of undereye circles, shadows, puffs and fine lines—immediately and over time. Helps boost natural collagen production. De-puffs with calming botanicals. Even strengthens skin’s moisture barrier against common irritants.

My experience: I purchased this for help with major hard undereye circles and shadows. While it didn’t do squat to help with those I did see instant improvement with puffiness and it did seem to soften the fine lines. The light consistency is just right. It glides on smoothly and disappears quickly.

Overall, it’s okay but I probably won’t repurchase. At this price, I need something to definitely address the dark circles.