Category Archives: Reviews

Skin care: New and longtime favorites

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I’m often asked about my skin care routine, so I thought I’d take a quick break from college football viewing (my team is losing) to give an update on the products I’m currently loving. One is a new discovery, one is a longtime love, and one is a cult favorite to which I’ve finally succumbed.

  • First, let’s talk about my new discovery: Wide Awake Brightening Eye Cream by Saturday Skin. It has a smooth, gel-like texture that softens the lines around my eyes and brightens my undereyes. According to the brand, “It improves the look of skin’s moisture level, texture and firmness.” Ingredients include date-seed oil, avocado protein extract and that wonder-of-wonders, hyaluronic acid. Seriously, hyaluronic acid is a miracle ingredient!
  • I’ve written about the longtime love before: Clinique’s Turnaround Revitalizing Serum. I try other serums and always come back to this one. One reason: It’s not sticky. I don’t do sticky. The Turnaround Serum leaves my skin feeling soft, smooth, moisturized and touchable. It’s my ride or die.
  • Moisturizers have always posed a problem for me. My bathroom is littered with samples, half-used jars and rejects. The latest casualty is Secret Sauce from It Cosmetics. Judging by reviews, it should have been a winner. But I found it thick, a bit sticky (ugh) and ineffective on my skin. I’d always avoided the classic Creme De La Mer. Not only was it expensive, but it was actually easy to skip because it wasn’t sold at one of my shopping meccas, Sephora and Ulta. Then, Sephora not only added La Mer to its lineup, but it offered a small,.5-ounce jar of Creme De La Mer for $85. That’s not cheap, but it was better than shelling out $170 for one ounce of a product that might end up in my drawer of failures. So I tried it. And fell in love. Deeply in love. It leaves my skin feeling heavenly: soft, smooth, dewy and not at all sticky. On the negative side, it is pricey. However, when I consider how much I’ve paid for duds that ended up gathering dust, I might come out ahead!

P.S. It went down to the last second, but my team won. Go Gamecocks! 🏈❤️

It’s the bomb! Fenty Beauty Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer

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Mini review: If you’re in the market for one — just one — do-it-all lip product for fall, do yourself a favor and make it the Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer from Rihanna’s new makeup line, Fenty Beauty.

It is such a pretty shade, designed to compliment all skin tones and types. It’s glossy but not at all sticky. (If a lip product feels sticky, I will not wear it, no matter how pretty it is.) Gloss Bomb has a beautiful sheen that makes your pout look plump and pretty. I’m wearing it in this picture with the Milani Lip Pencil in Spice. OK, that’s two products, but you get my drift!

Gloss Bomb Universal Lip Luminizer is available at Sephora for $18.

Milani Color Statement Lip Pencil in Spice is available at Ulta — online only — for $4.99.

A free lipstick — and something ‘Pretty Vulgar’ 

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It’s been awhile! Sorry for the long time between posts. My husband and I were doing the long distance thing, but he recently took early retirement and joined me in South Carolina. After seven years of essentially living alone, it took a bit of time to adjust to sharing everything — and to get used to his daily schedule, which is very different from mine. Let’s just say I’m a night owl and he’s an early bird. 

Anyway, I thought I’d pop in to give you a few beauty-related updates. First, can we talk about Too Faced Melted Matte Lipstick in It’s Happening? It’s gorgeous, long-wearing and brightening. Even better, if you hurry you can nab a free mini-tube with a Sephora order of $25 and the code “MELTEDLIP.” (Not a fan of bright shades? No worries. As of this morning, there were two more-neutral shades to choose from.) 

Next, let’s discuss a new brand of cosmetics that just joined the Sephora lineup: Pretty Vulgar Cosmetics. It’s a strange name for such pretty, feminine products and packaging. Everything has a bird  or floral theme, including the line’s three eye palettes. 

I’ve tried several Pretty Vulgar items and so far the standouts for me are the mascara, which reminds me of a less clumpy version of Too Faced’s “Better Than Sex,” and the matte lipstick. The packaging of the latter is so beautiful you’ll want to carry it in your purse and whip it out for a public touch up just to show it off.

So far, the only product that hasn’t performed well for me is the felt-tipped eyeliner. Although the packaging, again, is gorgeous — it looks like a golden calligraphy pen — I found the tip too soft for drawing a sharp, precise line. My favorite felt-tip liner remains Pat McGrath’s Dual-Ended Marker. Alas, it was limited edition and I fear it will not come back in stock. 

Until next time! — Ronda 

Rocking my Rocksbox jewels 

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I wanted to share some super items from my monthly Rocksbox. I’m wearing Kendra Scott Alex earrings in the shade burgundy illusion and the Loren Hope Mini Sara Cuff in iridescent. (The rings are my own.)

Haven’t tried Rocksbox yet? I highly recommend it. For $19.99 per month, you can try an unlimited amount of quality jewelry — three pieces at a time. Find something you can’t part with? Buy it at a discounted price. You can try Rocksbox for one month free with my affiliate code, makeupplus50xoxo. Or, just try it. I didn’t think it would be my cup of tea, but I discovered that I very much enjoy it.

Check out Rocksbox here: https://www.rocksbox.com/. Be sure to make a wish list. Your stylist will consult it and send you the items you want to try.

We all shine on: Liquid metallic eyeshadows 

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Sparkle and glow: Liquid metallic eyeshadows from the Estee Edit and Stila

“Don’t be afraid to let your light shine,” they say. Well, glowing will be a lot easier this spring with the liquid metallic eyeshadows that are popping up like daffodils.

My personal favorites are from the Estee Edit and Stila. Why? Because you have a bit of time to work with them before they set, but once they dry, they’re fixed in place with minimal fallout. Still, the companies offer very different formulas with different effects. Here’s what you should know:

  • If you’re looking for maximum gleam, Stila Cosmetics’ Magnificent Metals Glitter & Glow Liquid Eye Shadow is the choice for you. It’s the shinier, more reflective option and it gives your lids a truly bright, illuminated appearance. The results are gorgeous and, for me at least, the Stila product creates an evening out look as opposed to a daytime casual effect.
  • The Estee Edit’s Fluid Metal Eyeshadow is less in-your-face glittery than the Stila product and, in my opinion, it’s more wearable during the daytime hours. It’s also easier to sheer out — by using a firm eyeshadow brush, you can take the color from intense to muted and even create a gradient or ombrĂŠ effect. And while Stila sticks closely to tried-and-true metallic shades ranging from silver to a combination of sheer silver, black and gold, the Estee Edit offers more offbeat options such as cobalt, green and blackberry with metallic shifts.

Left: The Estee Edit Fluid Metal EyeShadow in “Don’t Be Afraid” Right: Stila Cosmetics’ Magnificent Metals Glitter & Glow Liquid Eye Shadow in “Diamond Dust”

If you’re wondering who can wear these shadows, the answer is women of all ages. As an older woman, I’ve found they work best for me when I use them only on the mobile lid, and sometimes only on a portion of the mobile lid, such as the inner or outer half — especially when I’m using the super-glowing Stila product.

With metallic lipsticks and metallic eyeshadows making their comebacks, spring is your time to shine!

Potions and lotions: A solution for winter dullness 

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Life-giving elixirs for winter skin

The combination of cooler weather and heating systems running around the clock can play havoc on your skin, even if you’re religious about moisturizing. No matter what type of foundation you wear, it will lose some of its magic when it’s applied over dry, lackluster skin.

Good news: There’s a solution that will give moisture, life and vibrancy to your skin, and at the same time help your makeup glide on more smoothly: concentrated oil-based drops that can be mixed into your foundation or applied directly to your face. When the temperatures start to cool, I use the “mix” method, but now that winter is truly here, I’m going the “directly to skin” route.

The two types of drops I personally favor are:

Remember that these oils are concentrated, so a little goes a long way. I apply two small drops to my cheeks and use my fingers to smooth it into my cheeks, nose, chin and forehead. I then apply my eye makeup to give my skin time to absorb the product before putting on my foundation.

The last step in my makeup-application process is lipstick. Just prior to applying my lipstick, I add a drop directly to my lips and use my fingertips to pat it in. It makes my lips smooth, plump, moist and ready for lipstick. – Ronda

The easy eye look that’s always a hit

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I didn’t plan to post this, but I wore this eye look yesterday and was reminded that it always gets rave reviews. It’s also easy and eye-catching but completely wearable, so I thought I’d share it:

The easy eye look that’s always a hit!

Here’s how this look is achieved:

  1. Prime your eyelids with your favorite primer or concealer. Mine is MAC’s Painterly Paint Pot.
  2. Apply a peach-toned cream shadow to your mobile lid. I used Tom Ford’s Golden Peach.
  3.  Press Stila’s Kitten eyeshadow on top of the cream base. Kitten provides a sheen, while the cream base ensures the shimmery shadow has something to stick to.
  4. Use a taupe color in your crease to give your eyes extra depth. I used Treasure by Pacifica. I also lightly ran my brush under my lower lashes.
  5. This is optional, but I lined my upper lid with Pat McGrath’s Dual-Ended Marker.
  6. Line your upper waterline with a dark, waterproof pencil liner and your lower waterline with a white, cream or nude pencil liner.
  7. Curl your lashes and apply mascara.

That’s it! This is a look that goes from day to night. Plus, you can make it more dramatic by winging your liner and adding false lashes for a sexy-sweet look that doesn’t seem like you’re trying too hard. – Ronda

New Year musings and makeup

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Happy New Year!

I had a subdued New Year’s Eve, just hanging around the house with my cats, Otis and Bea. We jazzed things up around midnight with peach bellinis (for me) and new catnip toys (for them), but that was about the extent of the celebrations. I’d planned to stay in on New Years’s Day — it was dreary, rainy and cold — but caved to superstition and went out for the southern tradition of collard greens and blacked-eyed peas. We believe eating collard greens on Jan. 1 brings financial security and black-eyed peas bring good luck. My 2016 was pretty miserable and I didn’t want to risk more of the same in 2017, so I ate every bite of those collard greens, even though I find them bitter to the taste.

Speaking of lousy 2016s, it appears I’m not alone. Many of my friends and relatives shared equally crummy years and are hoping for clean slates and improved fortune this year. My life is about to change, for sure. After years of doing the long-distance thing, my husband took early retirement from his job as a newspaper editor in Texas and will join me in South Carolina in February. Loneliness hit its peak in 2016, and I’m looking forward to his company and cooking. My cats Otis and Bea? Not so much, but he’ll grow on them. I hope.

I was good about sticking to my healthy-eating plan over the holidays. I treated myself a bit but didn’t go hog wild. I gained two pounds but have worked them off since I returned from Texas on Wednesday. Now it’s time to lose a little more weight (as long as it doesn’t show in my face, making me look older) and tone up before our June vacation in St. Kitts.

Did you add to your beauty arsenal over the holidays? I picked up some of the sweet peach products, which I love. The hype around them can be tiresome, but I like the sheen they give my skin — it’s just enough to make my skin look alive and healthy without exaggerating fine lines. I do think Too Faced would be wise to move to another fruit that’s suited to women with deeper skin tones, as the peach is best for fair complexions. Plum, strawberry, watermelon … they could keep things going for awhile and be more inclusive, particularly in terms of the blush. Here’s a look at my sweet peach haul (I already had the eyeshadow palette, and I like it very much):

Too Faced Sweet Peach Creamy Lip Oils and Peach Glow Highlighting Palette

Here I am wearing the bronzer, blush and highlighter from the Peach Glow Highlighting Palette, along with the Creamy Lip Oil in Poppin’ Peach:


Lastly, I wanted to share a few new makeup products, as well as two of my favorite Christmas gifts. The first gift, pictured at the far left, is a box lined in velvet that was a present from my father. He’s a woodworker, so he makes something special each year. Sometimes the gifts are big (hope chests or standing jewelry chests) and other times they’re smaller. I just love this box with the purple wood insets. The other special present  is the little sled, which is actually a gift tag made by my sister. It’s a tiny cross-stitched elf and I love it!

As for the makeup, clockwise from top right, Urban Decay’s Moondust Palette and Heavy Metal Liner in Glam Rock, Cover FX Custom Enhancer Drops in Moonlight, Maybelline Master Contour and Dior Diorific Matte Fluid Lip & Cheek Velvet Colour in Luxury.

In closing, I want to wish you all the best in 2017 and leave you with this thought:

Shining eyes and red, red lips: The classic holiday face 

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Christmas is just a few days away and New Year’s Eve is right around the corner. If you’re looking for a special look with glamour and sparkle, I have one for you. Nothing says winter celebration like shimmer, shine and dark red lips (perfect for under the mistletoe). I’ll give you the details on the products I used, but remember: You don’t have to rush out to buy the exact items! Dig through your makeup drawers for similar products that will work just as well without breaking the bank.

Before you begin to apply makeup, be sure to start with a clean, moisturized face. And don’t forget to apply a good eye cream. I’ve been using the new Bye Bye Under Eye Eye Cream from It Cosmetics under my makeup. I don’t have a serious problem with wrinkles, except for fine lines under and at the corners of my eyes that show up when I let those areas get dry. The It Cosmetics cream is very moisturizing and brightening. Also, make sure to exfoliate so your skin isn’t flaky. You want a perfectly smooth canvas for your foundation.

OK, once you’ve done your skin-prep work, start your makeup routine by applying a primer. It will help your foundation go on smoothly and stay on longer. I alternate between several, but right now I’m using a Korean primer sold at Sephora called J. One Jelly Pack. It feels sticky at first, but then dries down to feel sort of smoothing and moisturizing.   Here, in order, are the other products I used to create my holiday look:

Foundation: Fiona Styles Matte Finish Foundation Concentrate. (This is a foundation I’ve just started using. So far, so good. It seems to even out skin flaws and imperfections — and that’s important at my age. It’s sold at Ulta.)
Concealer: Judith August Orange Masking Creme, Maybelline Age Rewind. (The Judith August Orange Masking Cream is — yes — peachy/orange and it’s great for concealing  deeper blue circles where skin is thinner at the corners of the eyes. I apply it first and then top it off with the more moisturizing Maybelline Age Rewind.)

Undereye Powder: Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder. (Powder can be aging on older skin. I only use powder to set my concealer — and I use a light hand. The Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder adds extra lightness to the undereye area.)

Eyes:

  • I used the cream portion of Tom Ford’s Cream and Powder Eye Color in Naked Bronze from my mobile lid up to slightly above the crease. The darkest concentration of color should be on the mobile lid, getting gradually lighter until it fades out above the crease. Products similar to Tom Ford’s Naked Bronze are MAC’ s Paint Pot in Indianwood and Maybelline Color Tattoo in And On Bronze.
  • Next, I used my fingertip to press Urban Decay Space Cowboy glitter shadow onto only the mobile lid.
  • I used Benefit High Brow to highlight my brow bone. Any light-colored shadow will do, but just use a touch — a little goes a long way — and make sure not to use a metallic shadow.
  • I lined my upper and lower eyelids with a Urban Decay Heavy Metal Gitter Eyeliner in Midnight Cowboy. Again, don’t go ham. A light touch will suffice.
  • For my eyelashes, I swear by a combination of two Benefit mascaras. After curling my lashes, I first apply Roller Lash and then finish with They’re Real.

Blush: It Cosmetics CC+ Radiance OmbrĂŠ Blush in Je ne Sais Quoi.

Lipstick: Huda Beauty Matte Liquid Lipstick in Famous. (Again, your favorite deep red or burgundy will do. If you have thin lips, you might want to choose a pretty pink shade, as very dark shades can make lips look thinner.)

Contour: Maybelline Master Contour. (If you are older and your cheeks have started to naturally hollow, skip this step.)

Bronzer: Too Faced Baked Luminous Bronzer in Sweet Tea.

Highlight: Makeup Revolution Vivid Baked Highlighter Powder in Peach Lights (sold at Ulta in the “drugstore” section).

That’s it! You’re mistletoe-ready! Here’s hoping your holidays are happy, warm and beautiful.

I got tired of being the ‘fat friend’ 

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October, last week, today …

I’m fresh from a trip to the doctor — actually a nurse practitioner I like very much — where, in addition to blood tests and a flu shot, I had my latest official weigh-in. I’m sticking to my diet, but as I near my goal the pounds aren’t falling off as quickly. Still, I’ve lost 64 pounds, which is a success in my book.

Over on Instagram, where you can find me under makeup_plus_50, several people have asked for an update on my weight-loss strategy, so here it is in Q & A form:

Q. How much weight have you lost and how long has it taken?

A. As I mentioned above, I’ve lost 64 pounds. I started my journey in late January/early February and have been pretty committed.

Q. What prompted your lifestyle change?

A. I half-joke that I got tired of being the “fat friend,” but in reality I wasn’t feeling good about what I was seeing in the mirror. Plus, as I aged, the extra weight was starting to make me feel tired and run down.

Q. What, exactly, do you eat in a day?

A. For breakfast, I have a fruit smoothie or cereal with low-fat milk — often Raisin Bran, which is my favorite. Lunch is usually a fruit plate with cottage cheese or a salad. For dinner, I have a chicken breast, salmon or five-ounce steak with a vegetable. I love ice cream, but have replaced it with a nightly bowl of sherbet. The menu isn’t exciting, but it’s the choice I’ve made to control my weight and live a healthier lifestyle.

Q. Do you exercise?

A. Yes, at least five days per week. I usually walk four to five miles on the treadmill or cycle 10 miles on a stationary bike. I also take tap-dancing classes for fun. The exercise element is what helps me continue to lose weight.

Q. How much more do you plan to lose?

A. About 25 pounds. But the key thing to remember is that I can never go back to my old way of eating and my old behaviors.  I’m going to have to exercise and watch my calorie intake for the rest of my life. My body wants to be heavier; I can’t give it the opportunity to go there.

Q. Is your husband thrilled?

A. I think he’s more happy that I’m healthy than he is about the change in my figure, if that makes sense. He doesn’t really comment on the weight loss often, other than to say he loves me and thinks I’m beautiful no matter what my weight.

Q. What has been the best thing about losing weight?

A. Cuter clothes, of course. And better skin. I’ve always had good skin, but it’s clearer and brighter. I thought it might sag — a lot of people get loose skin when they lose weight — but I’ve been lucky and that didn’t happen. Increased energy, stamina and flexibility have been pluses too.

Q. How will you handle the holidays?

A. Fortunately, I’m not one to gorge at the holiday table. Call it sacrilege but I don’t like Thanksgiving food. Turkey is just OK, but I never eat stuffing/dressing (wet bread –yuck), cranberry sauce is a no and I don’t care for pumpkin pie. Green bean casserole? I’m pretty sure that has damp bread in it too.  I’ll eat some turkey, a bit of mac and cheese, and a little of this and that. It’s all about portion control!

Q. What’s my advice for people who want to lose weight?

A. At this point, it might be better to wait until after the holidays. Early success is motivating and important. Also, remember that weight loss is a marathon and not a sprint. And don’t start until you’re really ready and motivated. I’ve started and failed a zillion diets because I wasn’t in the zone –and there’s nothing worse for your mind and body than yo-yo dieting. Finally, know that if I can lose weight, anyone can lose weight. Just make up your mind to do it. You can and you will.