Eyes

Finally… A Truly Great Eye Makeup Remover!

I've sampled such wondrous cleansing products since launching the Raging Rouge beauty blog. Yet–when it comes to eye makeup remover–the selection of superior products quickly turns from abundant to scarce.

In desperation, I stumbled into Sephora one day intending to purchase a pricey eye makeup remover highly recommended by fellow bloggers. One of the staff attempted to divert my path in the direction of Sephora's own brand. I immediately wrinkled my nose, and rejected her recommendation. I had tried Sephora's formula in the past, and found it utterly lacking.

She corrected me. You see, Sephora's "FACE" eye makeup remover is actually available in two different formulas. The original formula (the one I had previously tried), and the new WATERPROOF formula. It's very VERY important to make the distinction here, as the bottles look virtually identical. Even In the image used for this post, the word "waterproof" is easily missed! (For those of you who love a good "Where's Waldo" game, stop squinting. The word "waterproof" appears in a tiny font, twice, directly beneath the word "FACE").

I conceded, and bought a bottle. I was so thrilled with the results! Finally, an eye makeup remover that literally removes every trace of my makeup. No more morning raccoon eyes, EVER! It just so happens, this brand isn't only effective, but also inexpensive! A 4.22 oz. bottle retails for only $10! The brand I had intended to purchase that day is 2 1/2 times the price!

Sadly, shortly after I became a convert, others discovered the product too. Sephora Brand FACE Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover flies off the shelves at such lightening speed, I've been forced to stock up in advance to ensure I never run out! I'm not exaggerating, I literally just had 8 bottles delivered to my house…

Click HERE to buy Sephora Brand FACE Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover, but PLEASE LADIES… have some decency and save some for me!

8 Of The Best Concealers… EVER!

The illustrious group of fashion and beauty bloggers at Shopping and Goodies have beauty on the mind… This weeks theme? Select a favorite concealer or cream, and blog away! As one of the few “pure beauty” bloggers of the bunch, I was naturally really excited about this prospect. But to ask me to narrow down the selection of concealers I’ve sampled and loved to only one favorite? Not possible!

Instead, this week I am publishing a list the eight best concealers I’ve sampled. Each has it’s own specific purpose… and each of these can still be found in my personal makeup arsenal. Hope you enjoy!

	Perpetually tired? Benefit Cosmetics to the rescue! The adorable little black compact at left contains “lemon aid”, their eyelid correcting cream. The yellow tone of the cream instantly conceals red capillaries, and instantly imparts the appearance of a long, refreshing night of sleep. Wearing lemon aid under shadow not only keeps it in place longer, but makes shadow color appear more vivid! Bonus off-label use: lemon aid cancels redness anywhere! Use it to help conceal breakouts! Retail price for this eye-opener is $20. Click HERE to buy lemon-aid at Benefit Cosmetics.
	Alison Raffaele’s quest for the perfect undereye concealer launched her incredible line of cosmetics. Alison Raffaele True Concealer is opaque, ensuring that no traces of what you’re dying to hide show through for public viewing. At the same time, the formula doesn’t feel heavy on the skin and blends so easily, even an amateur can get professional results. The matte finish ensures a polished and refined look. This is the concealer you should turn to when perfection is a MUST! Alison Raffaele True Concealer retails for $23 and is available in seven shades. Click HERE to buy True Concealer on the Alison Raffaele website.
	I’m so fond of Urban Decay’s 24/7 Concealer pencils, I keep two shades on hand. I use a lighter shade for the undereye area, and a slightly darker shade to conceal blemishes or redness. These compact, chunky pencils are easy to tote around, and since sharpening them also sanitizes them, you can use them for much longer than the standard concealer! 24/7 Concealer retails for $17, and Urban Decay’s Grind House pencil sharpener retails for $8 (Grind House is a perfect fit for these concealer pencils). Retailers include Urban Decay, Sephora and Beauty.com.
	Formulated to improve the texture and smoothness of undereye skin while simultaneously concealing shadows, Borghese’s Lumina Hydrating Concealer contains Vitamin A, C and E… a wonderful anti-aging/moisturizing cocktail for the delicate undereye area. The name “Lumina” is a perfect fit for this product. Borghese’s undereye concealer is so incredibly luminous, it easily doubles as a highlighter! Dab some on the cheekbones, and you’ll see! Retail price is $23.50. Three colors are available: Oro (fair), Neutrale (medium), Rosso (dark). Click HERE to buy this concealer from Borghese.
	timeBalm by theBalm is a sheer and natural-looking undereye concealer that actually combats wrinkles while you wear it. It’s formula is rich in vitamins to keep skin smooth and supple, and moisturizers to hydrate and soften the skin. You’ll be instantly hooked, I assure you! This formula is sheer, and is a great choice for women who wear a tinted moisturizer, as the coverage is light and natural. The tiny round applicator sponge This concealer even comes with a tiny round applicator sponge ensures proper blending. 6 colors are available to ensure there’s a match for you! timeBalm retails for $18. Retailers include Sephora.com and theBalm.
	BECCA concealer is encased in a uber-chic double-sided compact. On one side is a medium coverage concealer, perfect for concealing any ruddiness in the complexion or darkness under the eyes. On the other side is an extra-cover concealer, perfect for concealing breakouts and major flaws. Applied with a fingertip or a concealer brush, the concealer in this chic-looking compact contains the solution for all of my skin problems! I leaned on this pretty little compact very heavily when I was pregnant (uck— preggo breakouts are the worst). BECCA Compact Concealer retails for $38, and can be found at BECCA Cosmetics Online.
	If undereye circles are the bane of your existence, the solution is a Joe Blasco corrective concealer. A miracle for dark undereye circles. The genius use of an orange tone under the eye minimizes the blueness of dark circles and mimics the pinker tone of the cheeks. You’ll look instantly younger and well-rested with this bit of trickery in your collection!Read more about Joe Blasco corrective concealers at the Joe Blasco website. The website includes all kinds of amazing tips and tricks for makeup application! Orange Highlight 1 retails for $21.80 via Joe Blasco, and is also included in the Picture Perfect Cosmetics Set II pictured at left, for $55.
	If you skip the foundation, but find that you use a lot of concealer, then CARGO OneBase is the product for you. Slightly heavier than the standard foundation, but lighter than the standard concealer, OneBase is excellent for larger-scale concealing. The consistency makes blending super-easy and the sponge-applicator ensures precision when needed. I recommend it to friends all of the time! Retail price is $24. Click HERE to buy it at Sephora.com

Benefit Cosmetics: Brows A-Go-Go

Benefit Cosmetics, brows, product review, beauty blog, makeup blog The next best thing to having your own personal makeup artist move in with you is to stock up on Benefit's "how to" makeup options. Products like "smokin' eyes", "big beautiful eyes palette" and the recently introduced "brows a-go-go" all include step by step instructions for achieving the look. Trust me on this readers… they are FOOLPROOF.

Believe it or not, accentuating and perfecting your brows is not complicated. Included in this super-portable compact is everything you need to get them: brow zings powder (light and dark), brow zings wax, smokin' liner, eye bright, brow highlighter powder, mini tweezers and brushes. Lining, defining, controlling and highlighting are all included in one gorgeous kit!

Retail price is $38.

Click HERE to head to Benefit Cosmetics and finally get the perfect brows you've always wanted!

The Make Up For Ever Celebration Continues!

The celebration rages on at Make Up For Ever, as Dany Sanz and the team celebrate 25 years in the biz!

In May, Make Up For Ever announced five new shades of Aqua Eyes waterproof eyeliner pencil, rounding the collection to 25 shade choices! Also joining the happy family are 6 new shades of Aqua Lip waterproof lip pencils. Will you just look at the color range now available? It's mind boggling, right? Looking at this image showcasing all of the shades almost makes me dizzy!

I've been rocking some of the new shades of Aqua Eyes since Make Up For Ever announced the new additions, and love them. The versatility and staying power of this eye pencil makes it a winner. This pencil is extremely controllable, allowing either a narrow, barely-there line or a smudgy smoky look.

So what's the secret? Make Up For Ever utilizes evaporating silicon oils to set the color in place. When the oils evaporate, only waterproof pigment remains. Brilliant!

Of the new shades, here's my take:

All fair-skinned women should invest in shade #24L, Light Taupe. It's barely-there color delivers such a natural look. Natural blondes and redheads would especially adore it!

Grey is going to be an uber-hot shade this fall, so for a purchase that capitalizes on that, do check out #21L (Dark Grey) and #22L (Grey). Both shades are suitable for most complexions, and you'll get a lot of use out of them.

Bright, cheerful colors are super hot right now. To jump on the coral bandwagon, check out shade #18C. Aqua Lip can be used as a stand-alone lip color, or to line and define lips.

Retail price is $17 per pencil.

Click HERE to buy Aqua Eyes at Sephora.com.

Click HERE to buy Make Up For Ever Aqua Lip Waterproof Lipliner Pencil .

Tarte eyeQuatic Waterproof Summer Essentials Set

Tarte is channeling Emilio Pucci this summer, with the introduction of the eyeQuatic Waterproof Summer Essentials Set. Three color-saturated lock & roll shadows, a petite Lights, Camera, Splashes! Waterproof Mascara and vibrantly colored scarf make this value set a must-have for Summer 2009.

Never tried tarte’s lock & roll shadows? Allow me to explain how they work. First, apply the cream-shadow, then hold the rollerball applicator upside down and gently shake to ensure the ball is covered with shadow. Finally, roll the loose shadow over the cream shadow.

Tarte’s formula is creaseless, and has major staying power. Especially important when you’re wearing bright shades like these!

Combine the three mermaid-inspired shadow shades with Tarte Lights, Camera, Splashes! Waterproof Mascara and a beautiful scarf… you’ve found the ideal makeup for your beach trip.

tarte’s eyeQuatic kit excludes parabens, Sulfates, Petrochemicals, Phthalates, GMOs, Triclosan, glycol, fragrance, oil, gluten, dye, talc, PPGs, MEA, DEA, TEA, and formaldehyde donors. Bravo, tarte!

Retail is $35.

Click HERE to buy it at tarte cosmetics.

Click HERE to buy it at Sephora.com

Click HERE to buy it at Beauty.com