Valentine's Day Outlook - Jones Road, Ogee and New Revlon Foundation Reviews

 

Valentine's Day is the time to love the skin you're in!  We're talking about a clear, glowing complexion with a touch of polish.  Here's how to do it!

Right now, the aim is somewhere between that clean girl and mob wife esthetic. Clean girl focuses on minimal makeup with an emphasis on clear, even skin.  Mob wife takes that a step further with a finishing touch of glamour: red lip, black winged eyeliner. Even with that, the focus is still on healthy skin. Great news for those of us who are done wearing a ton of makeup with all that contouring and highlighting.  Save THAT for a Valentine's Day evening out. However, for every day, this is the look you'll want to pull off.

Serious Serums.....provide the basis for clear, smooth and supple skin.

To be honest, the gold standard for clear, firm and youthful skin is Retin-A.  I've used the prescription version for years to combat acne.  However, now, I find the gel version to be a bit too harsh.  Enter the retinoids!  These are available OTC and are much cheaper than a doctor's visit with an Rx.  

One of my favorites is the one by The Ordinary available with 0.5% to 1.0 % Retinol in Squalane.

Another good retinol is this one from Sweet July Beauty.  Good Youth Retinol Sleep Serum contains lavender and is perfect for use at night to soothe and relax. Visit SweetJuly.com

Lastly the Biomarine Facial Serum has similar components as Le Mer's iconic ferment line. Really at a fraction of price, you can afford to splurge and use it more frequently.

Primers, your foundation's best friend.

Primers and face tighteners not only can smooth the skin's surface, but they can also help your foundation last longer.  Using these and a cream make up can prevent settling into fine lines and wrinkles.  

The Westmore Eye Gel product is best used alone under the eyes as it does not play well with other concealers or foundations. Still, it's pretty effective.  

Likewise, the Peter Thomas Roth Instant Firm Temporary Face Tightener needs a few minutes to "set" before putting makeup on top. However, it can also be mixed into your favorite foundation and applied.  You can also just use it on your neck without any added makeup for a more toned look.

Lastly the Il Makiage Primer and Hard Candy's Stick it to Pores are examples of high-low end products which essentially do the same thing. Both are silicone based but the Hard Candy primer is MUCH cheaper and available at most drug stores.  Save your money on something that counts such as your foundation.

These new foundations have merged with skincare and it's a beautiful thing!

If you're maturing and noticing drier skin conditions, consider switching out your liquid makeup for these new cream-based formulas.  They leave a moist, dewy finish, (trust me, a matte finish is NOT your friend), and are loaded with moisturizing skin care ingredients. 

Jones Road Miracle Balm and WT Foundation. Very rich and creamy, both are loaded with jojoba seed oil. The Miracle Balm is more like a low-key shimmer highlighter while the foundation is very minimalist with light coverage. Both products allow your natural skin to shine through so matching your exact shade is not necessary.

Ogee Sculpted Face and Complexion Sticks offer a bit more buildable coverage than the Jones Road collection.  Still, they contain similar skin-loving ingredients but are additionally organic. I like their bronzers (Copper) especially for light contouring...perfect for daytime. Their complexion sticks (foundations), tend to be on the yellow side.  My undertones are actually neutral, so I picked the shade Birch which swatches beautifully on my wrist. These sticks all need to be warmed up though as they do not just glide on easily.

Revlon's Skin Caring Foundation has 5% squalene and gives great coverage without looking or feeling dry.  I chose shade 217 Beige, which is very lightweight but completely covers the bluish veins on the underside of my wrist, leaving a moist sheen. Somewhere between a serum and a liquid, it doesn't seem to settle in fine lines, but I'd still recommend wearing a primer underneath.

Happy Valentine's Day!

So, there you have it!  This is the new face of elegant beauty for Valentine's Day and beyond moving into spring. Keep it fresh. Keep it real but remember to add a touch to polish to your finished look because after all...glamour is back!