As we end another year, it's time to confess my biggest beauty sin of 2012. I actually did buy cream from a French vineyard that was made from special grapes harvested only once every lifetime when the moon is full.
Then I had it analyzed by a beauty chemist who told me that this cream was nothing more than some very nice $200 lotion with almost no active ingredients.
Don't you just want to scream when you get excited about a new product and it fails to live up to expectations?
It's funny how some of the cheapest beauty products never disappoint. Here are a few of the best beauty products of 2012 (and incidentally many are very cheap beauty products).
Happy beauty New Year!
Eos Organic Lip Balm. The company sent me a few when these little round, adorable balms were brand new and suddenly they were gone from my house. Having two stepdaughters means beauty raid, but usually they don't comment afterwards. This was and remains a product they love for chapped lips, plus the container is hip to carry around. I love that you don't have to re-apply it all the time and the ingredients are natural. So, buy yourself an egg shaped lip balm and you won't search for another brand in 2013.
Maybelline Great Lash Mascara. I love my Dior fancy mascara, but I always have a tube of Maybelline Great Lash lurking in my cosmetics drawer and in my travel bag. It always does the job, and I think it's the best of the cheaper brands. By the way, most Hollywood makeup artists use it, too. They never go for the more expensive mascaras. "Mascara is mascara, plain and simple," one told me.
Kevin Aucoin Brow Pencil. The late great Kevin has an amazing makeup line that you can find at Bloomies or online. I like the shadows, but I love the brow pencil. It's easy to apply and hard to mess up because it goes on feathery light, which allows you to control how much brow you're adding back. Nothing is worse than some clown-like heavy line and Kevin makes sure you don't join the circus.
Simple Cleansing Facial Wipes. I have the kind of skin that breaks out if you look at it wrong, but a magazine turned me onto these natural facial wipes, which are very gentle and have never created any reaction. They will easily lift old makeup or are there in a pinch moment like when you're all shiny getting off a plane. I like to keep them in my car for hot days when you simply can't stop to wash up between missions. If you have kids or grandkids running around, they're a must have.
MAC Eye Kohl Pencil. It's hard to find the perfect black liner that's easy to apply and doesn't betray you later in the day. I had one this year that ran for the boarder the minute we hit any temps over 60 degrees. MAC managed to make a pencil that sharpens to a fine point to create a thin line, but it's creamy so it doesn't make it look like some dotted line from second grade penmanship classes. PS: It doesn't run, which is everything.
Smith's Rosebud Salve. I love lip-gloss, but there are times when you just want a little shimmer and to smell something that makes you smile. For six measly dollars, you hit pay-dirt with Smith's Rosebud Salve, a jelly that smells like roses while making your lips smooth thanks to the actual rose oil in the balm. If you're having a hard day, just open the little metal tub and smell. It's like sending yourself a dozen roses…and what's wrong with that?
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE CHEAP BEAUTY FINDS OF THE YEAR? PLEASE LET ME KNOW BELOW.
