Dec 08, 2017 - Beauty More stuff I put on my face
I wake up with atrocious dark circles and puffiness under my eyes. Like, scary-bad. I don’t bother with concealer most days because I’m so awful at applying it, and fear I just make the situation worse. It has been my belief that there isn’t an eye product out there that can do a damn thing about the circles, but this eye gel does appear to minimize them, and to reduce—if not eradicate—puffiness.
I love this Japanese drugstore blush—like all of my Japanese drugstore beauty products, it took forever to arrive but was worth the wait: it goes on really clean and luminescent and endows me with a nice post-yoga glow even on the days I skipped yoga.
This luminizer from RMS is a relatively new addition to my beauty arsenal. It is a product about which I had heard raves, so—even though luminizer confuses me—I decided to give it a whirl. I apply a touch to my cheek and brow-bones, and down the bridge of my nose, as instructed. It definitely adds a very nice, quite subtle, glowiness.
I don’t use this product daily—I just pull it out on days when my eyes are on the red, irritated side. You apply it to the lower waterline—that’s the inside—of your lashes, and at first it looks a little extreme, but then it blends in quickly.
Lipstick never lasts too long on me, and I can’t bear not to have lipstick on at all times if I’m out (I fear look washed-out without it) so I’ve been on a quest to find a really good primer because that is supposed to help. This is the first one I think is worth getting excited about. It’s kind of a pain if you’re in a rush because it’s best to give it a moment to dry after application, but if you’ve got the time, it’s worth the extra 70 seconds or so.
Kim France
I was born in Houston, Texas in 1964 and have lived in New York City since 1988. I had a long career in magazines, working at Sassy, Elle, New York, and Spin, and in 2000, I founded Lucky magazine, which I edited for ten years.
How did you select a color for that blush? I can’t decide and I’m terrible at anticipating how blush colors will look.
I just sort of randomly chose one and got lucky, Christina. Sorry to not be very helpful!
A red-tinted eye gel called dragon’s blood? Hell, I’d buy it whether it worked or not.
For those who may not want to spring for the RMS highlighter, I recommend Maybelline’s Master Strobing Stick as a really good dupe.
Japanes drugstore brands? Please share more. Have been ordering German Nivea moisturizer for the past year and love it for my sensitive skin (allergic to so many chemicals in US cosmetics these days)
Japanese..typo!
Here’s a really good article on Japanese beauty products available on Amazon. I don’t use enough of them to make for a very satisfying post.
https://nymag.com/strategist/article/best-japanese-beauty-products-reviews.html
The real German Nivea, which is like the old Nivea that used to be sold in North America, is sold in a German deli where I live. Yes, a deli. Lucky for me.
I can’t wait to try the eye pencil. Some days my eyes are so red and I look like I have rat eyes!
Thank you for the aside that the waterline is the inner lid. I don’t speak fluent 20something and I’ve been wondering.
(Don’t speak fluent 20something _anymore_.)
If you don’t want to wait for things to get to you from Japan, I’ve been using this lips-and-cheeks all-in-one for a little color. https://shop.goop.com/shop/products/balm?variant_id=3634&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIrq23ruj61wIVlvhkCh3VdA4mEAQYASABEgLa9_D_BwE
Ooh, thanks for the NY article, Amanda.
(For babyfoot, I just buy on ebay. Under five bucks shipped.)
My daughter brought me back that blush from her trip to Japan, and I agree – it’s lovely and gives a subtle glow.
I’m with Meg! maybe you could do a post about Japanese drugstore beauty products you really like? I mean, I can use them, but I love reading about them. The names alone are so wonderful!
Which reminds me – a ginormous shout out to all the ladies who recommended sunscreens to me on the last skincare post, and especially to the two who recommended the blogs (Snow White and the Asian Pear and Simple Skincare Science). Through Cat I also found Lab Muffin, who is similarly fantastic. Anyway, because of them I came to the conclusion that I’ve essentially nuked my skin barrier, which I’ve been suspecting for awhile, so I’m experimenting with a few things that are already making a huge difference. As in, my skin type is completely different from what I’ve been thinking it was all these years! How can this even be possible?! I haven’t gotten a sunscreen just yet but I have a few contenders that look promising. So thank you thank you THANK YOU. You all seriously know everything!!
Can’t! I *can’t* use them! Can this week be over already?
Thank you for those links– I think I’m spending my weekend reading Snow White and the Asian Pear…
Does anyone have a really good recommendation for for lip lines?
I just bought the Rodial Bee Venom Eye Creme at a Black Friday Sale for $30. Super moisturizing but not $160 moisturizing. It’s essentially a small pot of shea butter.
For eyes, try Josh Rosebrook’s eye treatment serum/oil. It does a very nice job on puffiness and undereye circles. Whenever I think it’s not working and stop using it, I realize very quickly that it is doing a whole lot of good. It’s expensive, but worth it.
Jenny, I’m into “stupid expensive” skin care, so it sounds like it’s made for me! Like Kim, I have scary puffy eyes, and have since I was young (allergies?!?)
I have been battling lipstick bleeding into lip lines for several years now, and after having tried so many products that either don’t work, or end up drying out my lips even more, I have started using clear lip pencils to line my lips. Sephora’s own brand makes one that is inexpensive and for me, it works. It looks white but goes on clear. I really like to wear dark matte lipstick in winter and I’ve also found it helps to use lipsticks with less moisture. I was loving the YSL long wear liquids but nothing stopped them from creeping, so had to give them up. Bobby Brown makes a great lip crayon that stays on for ages and doesn’t bleed. I use cassis and its a great color. Any other recommendations?
I love the Bobbi Brown Art Stick, too! Beautiful colors and staying power! I use Bite Beauty’s Line & Define Lip Primer and like it a lot. https://www.sephora.com/product/line-define-lip-primer-P307909?skuId=1406156&icid2=bite_lp_bestsellers_carousel_us:p307909
It really fills in the wrinkles and doesn’t cause zits or blackheads around the lipline.
Hi all-
I also have some puffy eye issues(I like to sleep on my stomach) upon waking. I found this massage therapist on YouTube demonstrating a self lymphatic drainage massage for the face/head/sinus area. It’s fast, not more than 5 mins and works great with some oiled up hands and face. Works pretty well and it’s good for our health too.
I will try to find it and post a link.
Here it is:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?list=PLncKFVffjAWHtaNzAZ3mVwXKjyNOCHEww¶ms=OAFIAVgB&v=QA-wi0d7-Ro&mode=NORMAL
Here is the link:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?list=PLncKFVffjAWHtaNzAZ3mVwXKjyNOCHEww¶ms=OAFIAVgB&v=QA-wi0d7-Ro&mode=NORMAL
What do you use to apply luminizer?
I second “Bite” line & define lip primer. It’s moisturizing and I can immediately apply a lip pencil to line and fill in my lips then follow with a lipstick or gloss.
I read this while I was in Japan and bought so many things from the drugstore around the corner from my hotel. I picked up the canmake cream cheek blush, some canmake stay on balm rouge which is also fantastic, tattoo eye liner and some mascara based on the recommendations of the article you posted. Also a crazy Japanese powder brush that I’m in love with. So thanks!