monday miscellany – makeup and more

liquid cushion fountadion
Lancôme “Miracle Cushion” Foundation

This stuff….wow. I’ve been dissatisfied lately with my usual stable of foundation, BB Cream and tinted moisturizers. It may be the season, or maybe my skin has changed again in the last year or so, but everything I have seems either to absorb into my skin and disappear quickly or get dry and start to look cakey after a couple of hours. The Lancôme Sales Associate suggested this one (which I’d tried and posted about a few months ago, but had passed on due to no SPF). I don’t need a lot of coverage, and am mostly just looking to smooth and even out my skin tone, so gave it another try. Though I was initially intrigued by the Travel Friendly packaging aspect, I love how this feels going on and how it looks: smooth, slightly dewy not shiny. Even though I applied without any primer it stayed on and looked fresh for hours. Minimized lines and pores, but never felt dry. The Sales Associate warned me before she started trying to match that the colors “jump” (meaning one might be too light, and the next darkest one too dark) but on the second try found a perfect match (#220). I’ve read some reviews that say the product doesn’t last as long as a typical bottle of foundation, and I can live with that. (I hardly ever get through an entire bottle or jar of foundation anyway because I apply sparingly.) They sell refills, so you don’t have to re-purchase the compact every time. I’m happy to have found another travel friendly makeup option, and one that works so well!

I also picked up the “Le Crayon Khôl” eyeliner in Bordeaux Corse, just to shake up my eyeliner routine. 😉

 

volumizing mascara
Bobbi Brown “Smokey Eye” Mascara

On an earlier expedition to get a refill for my Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Cream Shadow (color “Cement’), the Sales Associate urged me to give the “Smokey Eye” mascara a try. I told him I don’t wear a “smokey eye” look, and besides was still quite happy with my “Le Volume de Chanel” mascara. He made the case, I relented, and yes, this is a good one. It does add volume but separates the lashes a bit more than the Chanel, and does clump less. Stays on like a champ, no smudging or flaking.

perfect grey tee
Eileen Fisher linen tee

I’ve been on a search for the Perfect Grey Tee™ for years. Trying to find one with fabric with that isn’t too flimsy, sheer, clingy, or conversely too thick and stiff, with anything-but-a-crew neck, and with a length that doesn’t hit mid-thigh has been like hunting unicorns. Everyone believes they’re out there, but no one’s ever seen one. I initially didn’t look closely at this tee, even though I’ve had good success with Eileen Fisher linen knits, because of the word “boxy” in the product description. But in one of my “leave no stone unturned” moods, I tried it, and found all my boxes ticked. Lightweight? Check. Opaque? Check. Shorter length? Check. (The Petite length hits right at the top of my hip.)  Open neck? Check! I wouldn’t have minded if it were a little more fitted in the shoulders (hence the “boxy” description) but because it has nice drape thanks to the linen, it’s not an unflattering cut. This fills a hole in my wardrobe for a simple neutral under-the-jacket top for work that isn’t black or white.

Fortune cookie says: Sometimes a curious nature is rewarded.

This is shaping up to be a very busy week at work, but I have some fun stuff to share, and hope to get those posts up soon. (Those who follow me on Instagram got a sneak peek yesterday.)

Has your curiosity turned up anything good recently?

Affiliate links in this post may generate commissions for unefemme.net. See complete disclosure policy here.

Stay in touch

Sign up to be notified of new posts and updates from une femme d’un certain âge.

Affiliate links in posts may generate commissions for unefemme.net. See my complete disclosure policy here.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

14 Comments

  1. I also don’t wear a smokey eye, but I have used that exact mascara every day since last January. I tried others in between, but keep going back to this one…I really like it. Also, I tried on that same tee last week and it feels so great. I think the way it falls because of the fabric keeps it from looking boxy. It is a nice way to go!

  2. The Lancome compact does look intriguing but I’m wondering: can you wear an SPF under the ‘foundation’. I’ve got to have SPF and I usually use one that has at least zinc in it, if not titanium and zinc together. The mascara sounds good so I might give that a try. I’m liking the NARS tintied moisturizer with SPF but I think I got a tint that is too light. For travel the compact looks great. I guess another alternative would be a mineral powder….great post!

    1. Hi Sally, yes I wear a mineral sunscreen daily underneath foundation. I like the Clarins UV 50 because it doesn’t flake or “pill” underneath makeup. I let it soak in for about 2 minutes before applying the foundation.

      1. I wear Intellishade on advice from my derm who also likes EltaMD tinted SPF 41. I did buy the foundation compact and am trying it out in preparation for my month abroad. Susan, thanks for all your terrific finds! I ended up with an eyeshadow palette from Sephora with 3 shadows…all you need!

  3. I’m always fascinated by makeup reviews, since I don’t wear anything but sunscreen and lip gloss! Some day I’m going to have to try some of these things – that Lancome compact looks like it might be a good place to start…
    hugs,
    Janice

  4. Thanks for your well wishes. I agree with the T shirt thing. I can no longer wear those long ones that cling to much on the hips. Cos do a nice slightly triangle one.

  5. I have one of those tees in black, and it’s become my favorite. Thanks for the makeup tips; I’m currently using a powder foundation by Amazon Tarte. It provides good coverage and isso easy to work with. No SPF though, so I start with my Olay regenerist SPF 30. xo

  6. I always seem to go back to my favorite foundation: Armani Luminous Silk. It’s expensive (for me) but nothing else has ever come close. For travel I pump some into a smaller sterile container (I have bunches of these–so handy). I always use a high SPF underneath, and my skin is great at 62. I am curious if the spongey thing in the Lancome product would show wear and tear after awhile, or become soiled. Hope you update us.

  7. Le sigh … a nice (grey) tee is indeed hard to find … however, at $148 *koff, koff* I think I’m still on the hunt. No judgment, just out of my price range.

  8. I’ve been following and admiring your blog for some time but had to comment today in response to your makeup discovery. I recently tried Laneige’s BB cushion compact (based on another blog recommendation) and For me it’s life-changing. Light but nice coverage that lasts all day, and SPF as well. Unfortunately the cover choices are limited but I believe it’s also one of those BBs that is supposed to adjust to your skin color. Anyway it seems to work for my skin and I thought I would share with your readers who might be wanting to try a cushion compact with SPF.

    Love all your picks and love your taste!

  9. Since I have discover Youinuqe 3 D Fiber Lash mascara, I can’t wear anything else. I could not believe how amazing my lashes looked and it’s water resistant and does not smear even during my Crossfit workout. If you are ever interested in more info, let me know. I was so in love with a 100% natural product that I joined the company. Not a sales pitch here – just wanted to share with you about it.

    Alice
    http://www.happpinessatmidlife.com

    Would love to see you Thursday for TBT Fashion link up.

  10. IT cosmetics has a CC Veil SPF 50 Foundation Cushion Compact with Brush on QVC.com (you can get it at Ultra without the brush) which I started using. I was using their full coverage one with SPF but wanted one that I applied with a brush so I don’t have to wash my hands afterwards. I just bought the same color that I usually use. I went into Ultra first to pick the right shade of foundation before I bought any of it.