Happy Friday Eve!  The weeks are flying by, and I am not upset about it!  In just nine days, I will be home in Texas playing with my little puppies and spending well-deserved time with my family, most of whom I have not seen since January!  However, before I jump on that big silver plane, I have to finish up writing papers and packing up here in Cambridge.  I don’t know about you, but around finals time I digress into a really terrible sleep pattern.  I fall asleep late, wake up a bunch in the middle of the night, and wake up at non-uniform times in the morning.  All of these things lead to less-than-stellar looking skin.  Where on the face does the skin most readily show its fatigue?  Under the eyes.  Yes, I am a victim of under eye bags and puffiness.

(ignore my eyebrows…it’s threading time)

I have tried several products that claim to hide those unsightly bags, but have never been lucky enough to find one that actually worked for me.  I’ve tried your basic concealer, under eye brightener, and a sundry of other products, all to no avail.  However, this past month I discovered Laura Mercier.  I purchased her Secret Camouflage in SC-2, as well as her translucent Secret Brightening Powder.

The Secret Camouflage is seriously a miracle!  The compact contains two shades of a concealer that the wearer then mixes together to create her own unique skin match!

I usually swipe both sides of my brush in both sides of the compact three times to come up with my color.  I then pat the color under my eye (and anywhere else that needs some extra coverage) before I blend it into my skin with my ring finger.  The result is an ultra-sheer, though highly effective, camouflage of my under eye bags!

The final step to make those suckers disappear is to apply the Secret Brightening Powder.  This glorious product reflects the light that would usually highlight the darkness/discoloration under my eyes, and bounces it back to give a rather luminescent, but natural finish!  The best part is that it does not settle into blemishes or fine lines like other powders do .  It’s amazing!  I wasn’t sure if the powder was really going to be necessary, but after using it just a couple of times I am convinced that this just seals the deal.

The result of these two products:

Another wonderful quality of these two products is their staying powder.  I apply them once in the morning, and the effect lasts until I take them off at night!  I am so glad that I found these, now required, staples to my makeup bag.

As I mentioned above, I’ve had my fair share of trouble finding products that work, but that also give me a natural, rather than phony appearance.  I’ve had concealers that do indeed hide blemishes, but also make me look like a cartoon character.  I am not a fan of makeup that takes away all traces of a unique individual.  That brings me to a problem I see all over Hollywood, fashion, and the media: photoshop.  The process of editing a picture to the point of no recognition is seriously alarming.  Magazines literally take the head of a celebrity and put it onto a body of a thinner model to give the effect of perfection.  I understand wanting to showcase your product in a positive light, and trying to make it appealing, but when someone’s face no longer looks human, you have stepped just a bit too far.

One demographic that I fear will be most negatively affected by this phenomenon is the teen sector.  I remember looking through magazines at the impossibly beautiful skin and bodies of the models and wanting nothing short of that perfection which was being presented to me.  I had no idea that these images actually portrayed a fake reality.  It wasn’t until I was in college that I realized that even the most beautiful women have imperfections, or portions of themselves that others feel need to be changed.  That is when I began to become more comfortable in my own skin.  However, many young girls do not accept themselves, and suffer greatly because of society’s idea of beauty.

This brings me to Julia Bluhm.  Julia is a 14-year-old girl from Maine who also sees the problems associated with photoshopping.  She has begun a petition on one of my favorite websites, change.org, to encourage the popular teen magazine, 17 Magazine, to feature some un-retouched photos in their monthly issue.  I am so pleased that such a young girl has been moved enough to enact change and a more positive reality for girls her age.  I hope other young ladies, my 16-year-old sister included, recognize the disparity between a real person and a photoshopped caricature.

The whole point of makeup (to me, anyway) is to enhance one’s natural beauty.  There is no need to cover yourself up so much that no one can see the unique features you are lucky to have.  Rather, you should use your face as a canvas to highlight your favorite features, while concealing (in a reasonable manner) parts of you that you’re not as comfortable with.  While I am in love with the products from Laura Mercier that I mentioned above, I am also in love with those days that I just don’t feel like putting on makeup.  Do the bags under my eyes go unhidden?  Sure, but does that make me less beautiful as a person?  Absolutely not!  Love you, not a you others think you should love.

Things I Want on a Thursday:

I’ve decided to use Thursdays as a day where I mention a few products or items that I would love to give a try.  I always keep a running list of items to sample or to purchase, but maybe a reader has used one of these and can give me their personal feedback!  Or maybe one of these products is exactly what you’ve been looking for and can now try for yourself.  So…

Bee Venom Mask – Deborah Mitchell

This organic product utilizes honey to give the skin a boost of energy.  It has anti-aging affects that I always look for.  Not to mention, it’s a favorite of Kate Middleton!!!  Have I mentioned that I am sort of in love with her?

Bluff Dust – Benefit

Along with my under eye bags, I also have spots of rosacea under my eyes and on my cheeks.  While these spots are not alarming, they do take extra work to cover.  This product might be just what I need to fight the redness!

Blow Up Thickening Mist

I have really fine hair.  However, my there is A LOT of my really fine hair.  I have no trouble curling or styling my hair, but sometimes it lies a little flat.  I’d like to have something that gives it just a little bit more volume.

 

I hope you are enjoying the end of your week!

Love in yourself,

Jill

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