Cheek Color

Benefit Cosmetics New Release: Thrrrob

Fans of Benefit Cosmetics are all familiar with Georgia, Dandelion, Dallas and Hoola… Well, Benefit has added another face powder to their collection! Thrrrob is a youthful pink shade that complements every complexion, from the fairest of the fair to the darkest of the dark.

Why does it work for everyone? The color was specifically designed to mimic the way skin appears when your heart is racing. I personally adore the color this adds to the cheeks. Thrrrob makes the skin look beautiful and glowing, but not made up. What a great Valentine’s Day gift this would make for the beauty lover in your life!

Benefit’s Thrrrob Face Powder retails at Benefit Cosmetics for $28.

Hourglass Blush Duo In Brazilian

Contouring. Those of my readers crazy in love with cheek highlighter will find this word a welcome addition to their beauty vocabulary.

Perhaps I am dating myself, but my first blush wasn’t just a "blush". It was a palette of three different colored blushes, for highlighting and contouring the cheekbones. The girls in my 5th grade class would suck in their cheeks in a perfect goldfish imitation to pinpoint the area to apply blush to define the cheekbones.

In my 20s, I laughed when reminiscing about those silly schoolgirl makeup memories. But it seems perhaps we silly children were ahead of our time. I recently read that a fan of using highlights and lowlights to define the cheekbones includes none other than Ms. Cheekbone herself, Angelina Jolie. See? Everyone needs a little help from their friends.

It seems the talent at Hourglass Cosmetics realized that no woman can really get by on one blush alone. The blushes in this palette can be used stand-alone, but are perfectly coordinated to use together as well. Apply the apricot blush shade to the apples of the cheeks, then use an angled blush brush to apply the bronzer below the cheekbones to add contour to the face. These shimmering blushes are a welcome taste of summer during what is already proving to be a blustery winter.

Created by beauty expert Carisa Janes, Hourglass strives to bring opulence and style to beauty aficionados. From the amazing quality product right down to the packaging, Hourglass Cosmetics is first class all the way. This gorgeous faux leather padded case snaps shut with a magnetic closure, to keep the blush housed safely inside. The mirror inside is enormous, perfect for on-the-go makeup application. The blush itself is silky smooth, and wears forever. Does Hourglass succeed in delivering substance and style? Definitely.

Hourglass Blush Duo in Brazilian retails for $58 at Sephora. I’ve been using mine for only a couple of weeks, and already I am greedily eying the Burlesque colors as well…

Stocking Stuffer Suggestion #19, Trish McEvoy Petite Double Decker Compact

Trish McEvoy’s planners are legendary for keeping every beauty necessity organized. This petite-compact is totally in-line with that philosophy. It contains glosses, concealers, a mineral powder foundation, a highlighter, blush and eyeshadow. Talk about all-inclusive beauty! As a bonus, this compact is petite enough to stuff a stocking.

Trish McEvoy’s Double-Decker Compact retails for $32 at Nordstrom, and is available in two different color combinations.

Stocking Stuffer Suggestion #17, elf Cosmetics Travel Sets 2 Go

At elf cosmetics, all makeup retails for only $1. This makes it simple for even those with a limited budget to pack a stocking full with glosses, eye pencils and shadows without blowing the bankroll.

Ingeniously, elf has packaged together three “elf 2 go” kits (Freshen Up, Get a Glow and Natural Necessities) containing beauty products that abide by current TSA carry-on regulations. Each kit retails for $5, and is the perfect holiday gift for anyone with travel plans.

Click here to check out elf’s Travel Sets 2 Go.

Stocking Stuffer Suggestion #15, tarte we wish you happiness

For the blushing beauty in your life, tarte’s "we wish you happiness" gift set contains three mini-sized bottles of tarte’s extremely popular cheek stain. Enclosed in an adorable purple mirrored gift box, the beautiful berry shades include Merry, Enchanted and Delighted.

Tarte We Wish You Happiness gift set retails for $30 at Beauty.com.