We always love pitting products against each other --bronzer against bronzer, lipstick against lipstick, etc. -- to see which rates highest and comes out on top, -- victorious! And, now, with the Summer Olympics poised to captivate the world, we thought it would be fun to take our product pitting to the next level and figure out which country's beauty products deserve the most accolades .
So while the rest of the globe is gearing up to watch the fittest people on the planet compete, we're exercising our product savvy by putting the best beauty products to the test in our own "Beauty Olympics."
And, though we may not be former world-class athletes (and didn't have NBC standing by to cover our competition), we're convinced that as judges, we merit a few medals of our own. As beauty editors and makeup artists, we're uniquely qualified for the task, having tried nearly every hair, skin, nail, and lash product out there -- and, as with the best in the Olympics biz, we're ruthless with our critiques. A broken palette, a rough brush, or a polish that chips after three days would all be sent to the showers.
So, to find out which products defeated the competition and went home with the gold, silver, and bronze medals, we say, "let the games begin � "
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France
Gold: La Roche-Posay Anthelios 50 Mineral Ultra Light Sunscreen Fluid, $32.95. From the company that gave us the first "shaka shaka" technology, this sunscreen has emulsifiers which, when shaken, help combine all the ingredients, so that they penetrate the skin faster and leave no residue behind. "I'm a firm believer that physical/mineral sunscreens are best because they don't produce free radicals like chemical sunscreens, and this one is the original," says Dawn Davis, New York City Editor.
Silver: Caudalie Divine Oil, $48. Senior Editor Sarah Carrillo, says, "It smells absolutely amazing (the scent is inspired by the South of France), moisturizes without feeling greasy, and gives my skin a nice glow that's perfect for summer."
Bronze: Laboratoires Dermatologiques d'Uriage Roseliane Cream.* Special Projects Editor Audrey Fine says, "This French cream totally helps calm and soothe rosacea and red skin. It's a miracle worker."
* Not available in the U.S. Great excuse to fly to France.
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Japan
Gold: Koh Gen Do Maifanshi Moisture Foundation, $62. "The coverage is buildable and very flattering. I use it all the time," says celebrity makeup artist Fiona Stiles, who's also a fan of their lip colors: "Their soft pinks and peaches are perfect daytime colors and look great on all skin tones."
Silver: Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil Shampoo, $55. "While oil in a shampoo may sound odd, it makes sense," says Carrillo. "Oil attracts oil, so it leaves your hair really clean, but also really soft. And if you have fine hair you don't even need conditioner after using this." Of course, Shu Uemura's Eyelash Curler is also a classic that can't be beat.
Bronze: Yu-Be Moisturizing Skin Cream, $16. "It's a thick, heavy moisturizer that'll hydrate your skin for hours. And the little tub lasts forever," says Editor-in-Chief Beth Mayall-Traglia.
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England
Gold: Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser, $24.50. A packet of these is sold every 30 seconds -- and for good reason. "I could go on for three days about this product. Here's the short version: The creamy cleanser removes every lick of makeup, and the hot cloth makes it a spa-like experience," says Mayall-Traglia.
Silver: Boots Amazon Forest Brazil Nut & Vanilla Body Wash, $6.99. "The smell gets me every time. It's a great vanilla scent that doesn't smell like cupcakes. Plus it's really rich, and leaves my skin baby soft," says Carrillo.
Bronze: Butter London 3 Free Nail Laquers, $14. While we have phenomenal polishes in the U.S., we still carve out a space for the pretty Butter bottles on our nightstands. Assistant Editor Emily Popp says, "The colors are always super rich, and they go on smooth and stay put."
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South Korea
Gold: FaceShop Eco-Therapy Extreme Moisture Organic Cotton Mask.* Many Korean women, including Associate Editor Sharon J. Yi, rely on these individually packaged masks and wear them nightly to achieve complexion perfection,. "Waking up to flawless skin has never been so easy," says Yi.
Silver: Darkness False Eyelashes Glue.* You'll never have to worry about your falsies falling off during a sweaty dance session again. "Once it sets, the glue will hold for good. The only downside is that it also takes some coaxing to come off," says Editorial Intern Christine Lee.
Bronze: Skin79 VIP Gold Super Plus BB Cream, $28. For the best BB Cream look no further than Korea's bestselling company: Skin79. "They have a variety of BB Creams, each tailored to a person's skin type, but I'd recommend the VIP Gold Plus," says Lee. "It gives just the right amount of coverage to cover your flaws, but not look cakey, and leaves you with a warm glow."
* Not available in the U.S. Great excuse to fly to Korea.
We always love pitting products against each other --bronzer against bronzer, lipstick against lipstick, etc. -- to see which rates highest and comes out on top, -- victorious! And, now, with the Summer Olympics poised to captivate the world, we thought it would be fun to take our product pitting to the next level and figure out which country's beauty products deserve the most accolades .
So while the rest of the globe is gearing up to watch the fittest people on the planet compete, we're exercising our product savvy by putting the best beauty products to the test in our own "Beauty Olympics."
And, though we may not be former world-class athletes (and didn't have NBC standing by to cover our competition), we're convinced that as judges, we merit a few medals of our own. As beauty editors and makeup artists, we're uniquely qualified for the task, having tried nearly every hair, skin, nail, and lash product out there -- and, as with the best in the Olympics biz, we're ruthless with our critiques. A broken palette, a rough brush, or a polish that chips after three days would all be sent to the showers.
So, to find out which products defeated the competition and went home with the gold, silver, and bronze medals, we say, "let the games begin � "
