Tricks of the Trade

Ahhh...

It's been such a long week for me, stylish readers. The boy was leaving the country for two weeks and his job of four years permanently (translation: going away parties galore), my bestest friend was in from the West Coast and there were a couple of work related events that required, ahem, suggested..late night revelry. Hence, it's the beginning of the following week and it is all catching up to me. It’s when I finally have a cozy night to relax, de-compress, and sub chamomile for sauvignon blanc, that the exhaustion envelops me. People start asking me, "ooo...did you sleep ok?" Yes, its kind of a problem when it gets to that, but one that I encountered today.

So let's discuss our little remedies for hiding the debauchery- that I clearly didn't employ today and completely blew my cover.

I have only a few tried and true methods for masking my rebel child so I am actually quite eager to hear your assessment of the best products for doing so, as I could use more tricks. But a few highlights that helped me avoid (or at least prolong) the dreaded, “Did you go out last night?” question.

The first indication of a long weekend is the skin tone. So in my case, I turn to a light dusting of powder (something I almost never do because of my sensitive skin). But first, before powder, I apply smashbox photo finish. It’s one of those items I thought was a huge gimmick but because I hate, HATE when makeup cakes up around my eyes I gave it a try and fell in love. It primes and smoothes your skin so foundation is totally even. I rarely use under eye concealer, even when those dark circles are recalling costume makeup more than “normal face.” Instead, I apply primer and a little extra powder near my eyes (delicately, mind you). Maybe this is a sin in beauty land, but I have never experienced any repercussions.

My foundation is a discontinued Sephora brand- but I have seen amazing results with Versace long lasting hydrating foundation.

True story: One morning, I came into work and asked my co-worker if she had gotten a facial that morning because her skin looked amazingly smooth and fresh. That was what she was wearing. In the beauty/fashion world you hear a lot of those stories and I usually assume they are made up anecdotes. Not so. That really happened.

Second, blush. I find skimping on bronzers or bronzer combos is a good thing post all-nighter. I can’t say why, but bronzer never helps the “fresh” look we are trying to achieve on these days.

Next, and this is something I use daily but is particularly helpful for those rough mornings- Shiseido Accentuating Color Stick. A truly effective highlighter that brightens my skin up with a few strategically placed strokes- it’s the one constant in my daily makeup ritual.

Last, and of course not least, black mascara. Brighten up those eyes people. It’s a no brainer.

And to top it off, there is nothing like a good shower, a nice body moisturizer and spritz of perfume. Smelling fresh is the first step in your repentance.

I know there aren’t any real tricks in my makeup routine, which is why I am imploring you to lend me some. Something tells me that after the week I had, I’ll be putting them to use.

~ Olivia Villanti