Each year, I hunt for my favorite new mascara. And this year, it's like Christmas came early. Lancôme Grandiôse Mascara, $32, is a complete game changer. The formula is incredibly black and seems to never clump, and it contains native rose cell extract to condition and protect lashes. But the real genius is in the brush: It's bent in a way that lets it grab the inner and outer corner lashes better than any other mascara I've tried. And it was tested on different eye and lash shapes -- it works brilliantly for everyone.
Minutes spent blow drying my hair are minutes wasted. I like to get the process over with as quickly as possible. That's why I'm obsessed with Color Wow Speed Blow-Dry Spray, $24 -- it saves me a solid five minutes each morning. While most drying sprays contain alcohol, which zaps hair of moisture, this one is made with keratin proteins and silk amino acids. The heat from the dryer bonds the hydrating molecules to each hair strand and pushes out the water. The result is moisturized but not-wet hair -- and more time to be indecisive about the shoes you're going to wear.
Unless you're a true makeup whiz, contouring probably isn't part of your regular makeup routine. Lowlighting, however, could be. The new Becca Lowlight Sculpting Perfector, $38, makes defining your cheekbones surprisingly easy.
I was skeptical, but after playing around with the neutral, matte cream for, oh, maybe five minutes, I got the hang of it. Unlike bronzers that skew orange or brown, this cream was formulated to look like the color of shadows. It has a slight grayish tint, which is surprisingly flattering. Stipple some underneath your cheekbones and around your hairline, and you suddenly look five pounds thinner. For real.
I was skeptical, but after playing around with the neutral, matte cream for, oh, maybe five minutes, I got the hang of it. Unlike bronzers that skew orange or brown, this cream was formulated to look like the color of shadows. It has a slight grayish tint, which is surprisingly flattering. Stipple some underneath your cheekbones and around your hairline, and you suddenly look five pounds thinner. For real.
I have more gadgets in my bathroom than a Best Buy, but most of them get used once or twice and then collect dust under the sink. The new Clinique Sonic System Purifying Cleansing Brush, $89.50, however, has found its way into regular rotation. I especially love the small oval brush head, which is able to clean around my nose and hairline easier than other brushes. And each fiber contains a strand of anti-microbial silver -- ideal if you're not super diligent about cleaning your brush. The best part, of course, is the result: bright, glowy skin.
I'm fascinated by Asian beauty trends. It's where all the big beauty crazes begin. So when I heard that Clarins Shaping Facial Lift, $80, the top-selling contouring serum in Asia, was coming to the U.S., I had to get my hands on a bottle.
Unlike serums that target wrinkles or pigmentation, this goal of this serum is to alter the shape of your face. Kind of crazy, right? It contains guarana to release excess fat and sculpt cheekbones, a type of ginger to encourage lymphatic drainage and kaki fruit extract to lift and firm. In Asian cultures, it's used to create a V-shaped (instead of round) face, but you can also use it to smooth your neck and chin. So far, I've been impressed by the immediate tightening sensation and the cooling gel formula.
Unlike serums that target wrinkles or pigmentation, this goal of this serum is to alter the shape of your face. Kind of crazy, right? It contains guarana to release excess fat and sculpt cheekbones, a type of ginger to encourage lymphatic drainage and kaki fruit extract to lift and firm. In Asian cultures, it's used to create a V-shaped (instead of round) face, but you can also use it to smooth your neck and chin. So far, I've been impressed by the immediate tightening sensation and the cooling gel formula.