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Mrs. Peony, New York Age and Occupation: 27, Marketing Coordinator Fiance's Age and Occupation: 30, QA Engineer Engagement Date: June 28, 2007 Wedding Date: April 18, 2008 Venue: The Fountainhead Blogging Since: August 7, 2007 About Me: Both Mr. Peony and I are huge computer nerds, and our conversations usually consist of the latest gadgets, programming languages, and video games. At the same time, I can also be very girly with an obsession with handbags, makeup, and high heels. And art! I've studied studio art extensively, almost majored in art history, and freelance as a web and graphics designer. Mr. Peony and I are having a ball of a time planning a wedding for 250(!) guests, doing our best to infuse our personalities (geeky chic) with the wishes of our very traditional Asian parents.
About Mrs. Peony

Favorite Beauty Products

August 31st, 2007 @ 3:22 pm by Mrs. Peony

I’m pretty cheap when it comes to most items, but the three things I splurge on are gadgets, handbags, and beauty products. And as a natural researcher by heart (and trade), I research and test items from all three categories to death before making any purchases, especially if a lot of money is involved. While I can go on and on about all three topics, I decided to share my favorite beauty products.

(Before I start, I want to say that I have an extreme case of combination skin. My t-zone is a natural oil well, but my cheeks and chin can become so dry to the point of flakiness. So while some of these products may work well for other people with combination skin, it may not with others.)

First up….my skincare routine……

My favorite lotions and creams:
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Clarins, I believe, has one of the best skincare lines out there. I’ve tried almost all major skincare lines in pharmacies and department stores (aside from the uber-expensive ones) and Clarins beats them all. I alternate lines depending on season, and I usually use one lotion/cream for night and another with SPF in the morning. Clarins also has a great men’s line. Both my father and Mr. Peony attest that it’s the best they’ve used also. happy035

My favorite exfoliator:
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The Korean ddae soo gun (exfoliating rag). These are relatively cheap and you can buy them for less than $1 at almost any Korean market. I use this to exfoliate my entire body once a month and my face daily. Since new ones can be rough, I usually rub it across rough surfaces before using to break them in a little. This is not recommended for anyone who has sensitive skin. And although I use it on my face every day, I do it VERY gently with a light hand.

My favorite cleanser:

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The Prescriptives All Clean Fresh Foaming Cleanser For Normal Skin, $21 for a 6.7oz tube which lasts about 3 months with twice-daily use. I’ve tried soooooo many cleansers out there (practically everything at CVS as well as Sephora) before finding this one, and I’ve stuck with it for the past 5 years. It has everything I look for in a cleanser: some foaming action but not too much, unscented, and leaves my face squeaky clean without it being too dry.

And that’s it for my skincare routine! Now, on to makeup.

I wear makeup every day for two reasons: (1) I have the worst under-eye circles. They hardly get puffy, but are dark enough that people mistake it for smudged eye makeup. (2) I already look pretty young for my age, but I look like an 8-year-old when I don’t wear makeup. And I need to look older and more mature for my job.

My favorite foundation:
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The La Prairie Skin Caviar Concealer-Foundation. It’s very pricey at $165, but honestly, it’s worth it (I bought my latest bottle in May and I’m only halfway through). The lid flips up to reveal a matching concealer, so there’s no need to buy a concealer separately. And as you can see it comes with a stand and a concealer brush. It has the medium coverage that I require, and it actually made my skin better after I started using it (after I used it for a week, Mr. Peony commented, “Your skin looks so smooth!”). It stays put throughout the day, even in the sweaty summer months. Not convinced? Read this review.

My favorite eyeshadow primer:

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The MAC Paint, $16.50 for a 6.5g tube. Okay so it’s not meant to be an eyeshadow primer. But it still works great as one! I use it in Bare Canvas, which matches my skintone perfectly. My eye makeup stays put for 18 hours straight with no creasing whatsoever. And although it’s a tiny tube, mine has lasted more than 8 months with daily use.

My favorite eyeshadows:
There are so many great eyeshadows out there but MAC has one of the best varieties in shades and textures. I bought myself a 15 eyeshadow palette shown here ($12, also comes in 4):

And I filled it with the eyeshadow pots which I remove from their individual cases (instructions can be found here).

My favorite eyeliner:

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The MAC Liquidlast Liner, $16.50 for a 2.5ml tube. I swear up and down that this is the best long-lasting eyeliner out there. It even stays put after you wash your face! I’ve tried all other long-lasting eyeliners, even the Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner that my friends love so much, but even that smudged at the end of the day. The only bad thing about this liquid liner is that the brush that is part of the packaging kinda sucks - it’s too long and flimsy. So I use the MAC 266 Small Angle Brush to appy it. And, as with all liquid liners, you need a very steady hand.

That’s it for my favorites. I’m not too picky about lips and cheeks so I don’t have a favorite list. But the items above are the ones I use regularly and highly recommend.

What are your favorite beauty products? Also, I still haven’t found THE mascara yet….what do you recommend?

21 Responses to “Favorite Beauty Products”

1.
BaghdadBride says:

Huge fan of Fiberwig mascara that Miss Plumeria blogged about a while ago http://www.weddingbee.com/2007/03/30/eyelash-update/

No smudging, no flaking. I’m lucky to already have a lot of long lashes but since I started using this I’ve had 3 different people how long my eyelashes are. I’m hooked…just wish I could find it in other colors.

Favorite cleanser - hands down is Cetaphil. Soft, no fragrance, no irritants

2.
meduzagirl says:

i’m a big fan of diorshow mascara. i’ll have to check out the fiberwig post though.

3.
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Mrs. Bird of Paradise says:

favorite mascara??
kevin aucoin’s THE MASCARA - the curling one.

http://kevynaucoin.stores.yahoo.net/mascara.html

best ever mascara! :)

4.
Our_Special_Day says:

Try emerginC skincare, I love it!

5.
Mar says:

Great post!!! Thanks for all the tips….

Just so you know Miss Peony, MAC sells all their eye shadows in tablet form as well so you don’t have to depot them….and they’re a few bucks less!!! I carry the 4-tablet palette in my purse every day….I can easily change them and go from day to evening….when needed. = )

6.
dots says:

My must-haves:

Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer

http://www.smashbox.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/products.detail/categoryID/d6fe8598-ae1b-4c0d-9b55-87814fccd060/productID/8cda2a15-9b74-40f2-ae54-47e12f2ab86e/

Feels really weird going on and for the first little bit but after a half hour or so after applying makeup it all smooths out and looks lovely and lasts!

Bare Escentuals Makeup

http://www.bareescentuals.com/

I don’t recommend trying to order from their catalogue but if you have a Sephora nearby where you can pick it up yourself (or even ordering online from Sephora) it’s great stuff!

7.
sarahdoo says:

i just got the bare minerals makeup set as a birthday gift and i really like it.

the ‘warmth’ especially. its not a fake tanner, but it gives your skin a nice healthy look to it. i’m crazy pale and cant wear ‘bronzers’ or i look like a weirdo, but that warms my skin beautifully. hah i guess thats why they call it warmth.

anyway even if i didnt buy any more of the foundations, i would certainly refill that. i love it.

8.
cc says:

I’m a big Cetaphil fan too BaghdadBride!

9.
Aimee says:

My absolute favorite lipstick is Stila lip polish in glaze. It’s red without being too glaring, more of a nice berry but not too purple, and the brush tip is perfect for application. I love it! Really. I can’t imagine my life before it. :)

10.
x says:

mascara - diorshow, 90% of women recommend it for a reason!!

11.
x says:

totally made up that percentage….

12.
AMK says:

My favorite mascara for over 10 years has been L’Oreal Voluminous. I like both the waterproof and the regular, but it takes a few days before it reaches the right consistency…starts thin and thickens up nicely. I get compliments on my eyelashes with this stuff!

I cleanse with regular Ponds cold cream. I have very oily skin and out of the tons of cleasners I’ve tried, this has really shut down the excessive oil production, believe it or not.

13.
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Miss Peony says:

Thanks, everyone!

BaghdadBride - I’ve tried Fiberwig but I really can’t notice a difference. Right now I’m using Chanel Inimitable and it’s good, but not GREAT. I tried Cetaphil and while it left my skin soft, it left a film and I like my skin squeaky-clean after cleansing. Thanks for the suggestion though!

meduzagirl and x - I’ll have to try the Diorshow!

Mrs BoP - I’ll have to try Kevin Aucoin’s as well!

dots and sarahdoo - I liked Bare Minerals too but after about a week, it left my skin too dry. Plus I didn’t like how it looked in pictures.

Mar - that’s how I used to get it too when I lived in MD, but I can’t seem to find anywhere in Manhattan that sells them in this form. Does anyone know?

14.
Sara says:

I use that exfoliator too! (except in red)

15.
H says:

the MAC stores like in Queens Center Mall, Roosevelt Field sells the individual shadows that you don’t have to depot. I actually use all the items that you listed. Sounds like we have pretty similar skin types. :)

However, if you go to the MAC stores incorporated into department stores like Bloomingdales and Macy’s, I noticed they don’t have the palette fillers.

16.
kp says:

awesome post!!
it sounds like we have similar skin!
i’ve been looking high and low for great foundation and a liner that LASTS!- i’ll def. pick up the mac liner..but i think i’ll have to pick up a sample at la prairie..i just have a feeling that i’ll fall in love and will end up spending about $200 for foundation~ ;)

17.
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Miss Eggplant says:

My Favorite Mascara Combo: Shu Uemura mascara base with Dior Show and Shu Uemura’s eyelash curler. works like MAGIC. :-)

18.
H says:

hmm. my eyelids get pretty oily and i use the uban decay eyeshadow primer with the mac shadow and i still get the panda look. i’ve abandoned mascara use, but i sincerely miss the lush lashed look. anyone have the same problem? bye the way, the mac liner really is long lasting. i went to the korean sauna with it on and came back out with it intact 7 hours later.

19.
H says:

crap, i meant mac liner.

20.
tto says:

dior show, baby.

21.
Ariel says:

I have the same kind of skin as you Miss Peony!

I love Laura Mercier’s line. My mom and I both use her foundation and concealer. It has a really nice dewy finish so it looks light but has medium coverage.

Her caviar cake liner, however, you must try. It’s the best. I wear contacts and rub my eyes all day (bad habit, I know) and it stays put. Best part is that it isn’t thick or pasty. It’s more ink-like. and you can control the consistency, which is great.

The best mascara is Cover Girl’s professional all-in-one with the curved brush. I’ve tried all the good mascaras out there that women swear by… (Dior show, Lancome, Benefit, etc etc) but this one’s the easiest to use and most effective. It’s clump free, cheap, isn’t heavy so it holds up curls well, and is extremely buildable. I’ve even had a girl who worked at the Shu Uemura counter ask me if I were wearing their fake lashes. (which are fab, btw, but unnecessary if you’ve got this)

Cleanser: Philosophy’s Purity and Prescriptives foam cleanser to finish

Toner: Dermologica’s multi active toner (smells soooo good)

Exfoliator: Dermologica’s daily microfoliant
And the Korean ddae soo gun for sure!


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Mrs. Peony Mrs. Peony, New York Age and Occupation: 27, Marketing Coordinator Fiance's Age and Occupation: 30, QA Engineer Engagement Date: June 28, 2007 Wedding Date: April 18, 2008 Venue: The Fountainhead Blogging Since: August 7, 2007 About Me: Both Mr. Peony and I are huge computer nerds, and our conversations usually consist of the latest gadgets, programming languages, and video games. At the same time, I can also be very girly with an obsession with handbags, makeup, and high heels. And art! I've studied studio art extensively, almost majored in art history, and freelance as a web and graphics designer. Mr. Peony and I are having a ball of a time planning a wedding for 250(!) guests, doing our best to infuse our personalities (geeky chic) with the wishes of our very traditional Asian parents.