Monthly Archives: August 2020

On… two new beauty things

I’ve been texting everyone I know and ORDERING them to buy this SPF, because that is the kind of friend I am: quite bossy, cares about your skin as much as her own, and wants you to have all the best things. And this is THE BEST THING.

Volition Prismatic Lumizinizing Shield SPF50.

Ridiculous name. But it’s SO good. Moisturizing. Glowy. Absorbs quickly. Your concealer or foundation will go over it perfectly and make friends with it. Just fluff some powder (I like Bobbi Brown Pale Yellow, because I am quite Pale and quite Yellow) on your nose and forehead and chin so they’re not super shiny. Most importantly: this puppy is mineral-based (19.6% zinc oxide!).

I usually wear LRP Anthelios, but either something changed in my skin or the formula this year, because it was sort of sitting on my epidermis and making everything look weird and chalky. I wear ISDIN on seriously sunny days when I’m going to be outside a lot, and it is marvelous but does not get along with make-up. And yes, I really am this much of a SPF dork: I haven’t gone a day without wearing SPF since I was a child, when my mother got some melanomas and told my sister and I that we could never, ever, ever go outside without SPF on our faces for the rest of our lives. We were very obedient children, so we didn’t.

Amazon.com : MAC Pro Longwear Paint Pot VINTAGE SELECTION : Eye ...

I kind of love wearing a mask, because I sing or talk to myself a lot when I’m out alone, and no one can tell. But I miss lipstick. Still, at least we have eye make-up.  I have been wearing this MAC Paint Pot in Vintage Selection every day with mascara.

It gives you a delightful nearly-invisible-taupe-but-not-shimmer. You can put it on while holding a baby on your hip without even looking in the mirror, honestly. Just smush your finger in the pot, and rub it over your eyelids, and you’re done.

It’s also a good base for more eyeshadow, if you fancy being high-maintenance, and who doesn’t, now and again? I like NARS Matcha (Kermit the Frog green, but not clown-like if very light and blended, I swear) and Chantecaille Patchouli (expensive, but blends like a Nutribullet and will last me forever, I hope). Magic trick: when you’re using a brush for powder eyeshadow, after you’ve finished with your eyelids, pinch the brush bristles to make them shorter and tighter, and swish the remainder of the color (any color!) right under your bottom lashes. It creates an optical illusion that makes your eyes look bigger, but isn’t as hard as eyeliner.

(PSA: if you are using an eyeshadow brush instead of your finger, do put the baby down, or he or she will try to grab it and your might spear yourself in the eyeball by mistake.)

As ever, the caveat: I am not a beauty expert, just a mildly obsessive enthusiast. I did write funny things about beauty for Tatler magazine in London for a little while back when I was first writing novels, mostly because the nice magazine people sent me free make-up to try, and I’m nothing if not a total whore like that.