it's my face, only better

i was going to blog about food, but then while in san diego we passed a bruggers bagel and i got enough bagels and veggie cream cheese for a week so, how about some beauty?

i admit my job borders between a little and a lot boring/slow on most days right now since i have no projects filming. there's a lot of time spent online. somehow i've gotten very into beauty products, probably b/c my job no longer requires me to schlep hand trucks full of crafty, so i have incentive to spend a little more time on my face/hair in the morning. (and let's be honest, i'm about to be 25 for the 5th time, i should start looking like a semi-adult)

living in the humidity free world that is los angeles, i found myself hating bare minerals for the first time in 5 years. (leigh, can you believe it's been 5 years since we bought out ulta?) why you ask, because with out humidity adding that extra special moisture like only the east coast can dish out, my face was dry, dull and starting to feel like sandpaper. so after 7-ish months of "i'm not buying anything until this runs out, i paid enough for it," i caved. i began searching for something new. i'm not sure how i stumbled upon it, perhapse i may have googled "jennifer aniston make-up,'" come on, she's 40 and looks hot!

but better yet, at premiers she didn't have that damn jane jetson face mask look that was so popular in the early 90s. now i was just going to go in and try it out in the store for a day but, the flawless face kit was just too good to pass up. primer, tinted moisturizer, concealer and tools all in one handy little case. (kiki i'm sorry, i'm not sure the kit would work you your lovely skin tone, but they do have some sold seperately for you) damn you sephora iphone app with your handy suggestions and exclusive deals!

here's the kit:

step 1 - primer, thought this was a joke. i'd gotten so tarina tarantino as a sample, holy glitter face batman. it was supposed to give you the "dewy" look, which i personally believe is a term created by make up artists and stylists to try and hide the fact that their stars are actually sweating. primer a la mercier is awesome and clear. one of my biggest complaints with powder foundation is that it had all fallen off by the end of the day. primer is meant to help the make up stay put, and stay put it does. primer also smoothes out the skin and fills in lines to give an even appearence. being young enough to not have that many wrinkles, i can only that many reviewers word for it.

step 2 - tinted moisturizer, this stuff is awesome! i do put on face cream after getting out of the shower every morning, but my skin is sure dry. the primer adds a little more moisture, but mostly softens. the tinted moisturizer is pretty sheer but not so sheer that you don't get some coverage. i've been using the kit version on the weekends for minimal look and the oil free for the weekdays when i need a bit more. comes with a sponger to apply for smoother finish, but fingers work too. bonus, it has spf that doesn't smell weird or sting. drove 3 hours with the top down, shoulders burnt, face, perfect.

step 3 - concealer, this was a little harder to figure out. yes, it goes on over the tinted moisturizer, i thought that was weird but, whatev. there's 2, a dry light shade and a creamy darker shade. light hides the red spots, darker erases the dark circles under the eyes. there's also setting power to brush over once applied. bummer that this little "under cover pot" as they call the combo only comes in this kit, it's damn handy.

step 4 - set. there's an awesome little puff, sprinkle the setting powder one, rub into the puff and then press on to face. pressing the powder in gives a more matte finish. there's also a pressed version of the loose powder for sale, i keep it in my purse for afternoon touch ups. also available to buy is a fan brush, for a less matte look.

it lasts a seriously long time. i ordered it at thanksgiving and only had to buy a new primer last week, still have plenty of the concealers left. also, word on the google is princess catherine used these products for her wedding day face, and anything that stays on that long, under those lights, looking that gorgeous gets a place at my dressing table.

sounds like a lot to do but it's actually pretty quick to apply. plus, it doesn't look like a paint by numbers face, it's you, just looking your best.

one last awesome product before i go, argon oil. read about a $$$$ on on the bergdorf blog but found a $$ one at sephora. this stuff has seriously changed my skin. i bought the large bottle, the small bottle is online only, and it seems like it'll last a while. i use it at night after washing my face instead of moistureizer. it's amazing, my face is so soft in the morning and it's taking care of the little smile lines under my eyes. plus, it's totally natural. i also put a little in my hair after a shower, adds shine and helps with the split ends. i did try switching it with my morning cream, but it takes a bit longer to soak in so i have to do it as soon as i get out of the shower. it hasn't made my skin oily or caused breakouts, supposedly it helps rebalance your skin.

so there's my morning face, a few more steps than before, but totally worth it.