Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes
Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes
Silver-white winters that melt into springs
These are a few of my favorite things
“That song “My Favorite Things” from the Sound of Music always makes me feel happy. You’ll be happy and singing it too after you read this review of new fave color cosmetics from some exceptional makeup brands: Anastasia Beverly Hills, ARCONA, FACE Atelier, and Hard Candy Cosmetics.
Soft Glam Palette
Anastasia Beverly Hills has been a personal favorite since I reviewed some Anastasia eye Shadow Palettes a long time ago.
Now there’s a new, larger and more spectacular one: Soft Glam ($42)
There are 14 fabulous and wearable shades in the Anastasia Beverly Hills Soft Glam Eye Shadow Palette. The shadows are highly pigmented, apply like a dream, and last a long time. There are colors you’ll wear during the day and plenty with bronze metallics and iridescent finishes for nighttime glam.
Colors:
These colors are all so wearable, I can’t even suggest a favorite. They literally beg to be experimented with!
Tempera: Ultra-matte velvety beige; Glistening: Iridescent gold with a hint of pink reflect; Orange Soda: Ultra-matte pastel peach; Rose Pink: Rose gold with a soft pink iridescent hue; Sultry: A hybrid satin metallic finish warm chocolate brown; Bronze: Metallic gold bronze; Mulberry: Ultra-matte mulberry
Dusty Rose: Ultra-matte dusty lilac; Fairy: Multi-dimensional light gold; Burnt Orange: Ultra-matte deep orange; Sienna: Ultra-matte earthy brown; Rustic: Ultra-matte deep cinnamon brown
Cyprus Umber: Ultra-matte dark coffee; Noir: Ultra-matte deep carbon black
Matte Lipstick Minis
Is lipstick one of your favorite things and you have to have more than one lipstick with you at all times? Anastasia Beverly Hills has a limited edition set of four Matte Lipstick Minis ($21) s in sleek black cases with a range of pinks that are bright and flattering to sun-kissed skin now, and they’ll perk up a fading tan or pale complexion this Fall.
The four in the photos are left to right are Orchid, Cotton Candy, Stargazer, and Plumeria. These full pigment lipsticks have a great color payoff. although they’re “ultra mattes” they are not desert-dry looking and they slide on beautifully. They’re vegan too.
I’m SO in love with Anastasia Beverly Hills products. Check them out! https://www.anastasiabeverlyhills.com/
Arcona Mineral Makeup
ARCONA Sunsations Mineral Makeup ($45) is one of my favorite formats and therefore one of my favorite things. The loose powder minerals arrive in an all in one tube with a bush top. The silicone-free powder is medium to full coverage, so you need to pick the right color out of 14 tones.
Most of the colors are light to medium-deep and what I like so much about the product is that you can wear it “au natural,” or use it as a touch-up under or over foundation to continue protecting your skin with SPF throughout the day. These powder foundation also have s Vitamins and Mica to enhance your skin. The lightweight breathable foundation is also paraben-free and certified cruelty-free.
I tried two of the lighter shades, and there is quite a bit of color payoff, not usual in this kind of multi-tasking mineral sunscreen/foundation. I really like the way Arcona describes each color and what kind of skin tone it will flatter the most.
If there’s a downside, it’s that the SPF 25 with actives of anti-aging micronized zinc and titanium are not given in percentages. Still, for daily use or even better, to boot your SPF protection easily during the day, it’s a great choice.
ARCONA products are made without preservatives, processed in small batches to keep them fresh and assure the potency of active ingredients. Learn more about this impressive brand at http://arcona.com/
Face Atelier Cosmetics
Face Atelier L-R: Ultra Foundation (Ivory), Lip RM Prim Rose, Lipstick (Memphis) Lip Lock Ultra Blush (Pink Satin)
I first met Debbie Bondar, creator of Face Atelier cosmetics, during New York Fashion Week a long time ago. Recently, we reconnected and I was happy to see how much the brand has expanded. The cruelty-free makeup made in Canada is high performance, used on famous faces such as Madonna and Kelly Clarkson. My favorite things aren’t just for makeup artists.
I decided to pick out a couple of different products to test share with you including Face Atelier’s star product, Ultra Foundation ($52) with 18 age and race-neutral colors that include 5 color adjusters to make the color lighter or darker so you can still use your one foundation as your skin changes with the seasons.
A glass bottle with a pump top delivers an intensely pigmented foundation but you can still build coverage. The finish is a natural one neither too dewy nor too matte. Primer is built into Ultra Foundation’s silicone-based formula.
The blush in my photo looks like, but surprise! It packs an intense amount of color. I used a tiny bit and blended it well. The result? A natural flush I’d never get from nature. Fabulous!
The lip products are exceptional: Lip RX ($24) is available in Prim Rose (pink) and Naked and Sahara. These look like traditional lipsticks but they’re anti-oxidant-rich treatments as well, conditioning, soothing and full of essential oils and vitamins to repair.
My sample of Face Atelier Lipstick ($24) in “Memphis” is as smooth as Elvis’ voice, and a subtle pink that could work well on just about any skin tone, but you have 30 shades to choose from. Emollients such as castor oil and candelilla wax make them feel luxe.
The lipstick is fairly long lasting, but for additional wear, brush on the clear Lip Lock. It’s a clear shellac that helps stop lip products from transferring, It feels a bit “lively” for a second on your lips, but it also smells like licorice..yum!
Check out all Face Atelier has to offer: https://www.faceatelier.com/
Hard Candy Cosmetics
Hard Candy Cosmetics are hard to beat at any price for fun, trendy products, But they’re also incredibly affordable.
On the left-hand side of my photo are two Volumizing Lip Gloss Plumping Serums ($6/each). There are 24 colors, many of them flattering shades of light pink and neutrals (some sheer, some full color). For those who want more intensity, there are a few deeper tones.
But that’s not the only thing distinctive about these goodies from Hard Candy. The plumping serums smell like vanilla and are silky and lightweight on lips with just a touch of tingle.
They’re made with hyaluronic acid to really hydrate and plump out fine lines. Wear them alone or on top of your favorite lipstick to add shine and a wow! factor.
All the glimmers could be the Rose Gold Look Pro eyeshadow palette by Hard Candy ($10). Like the Soft Shadow Palette by Cargo above, these trendy colors are mostly toasty, in shimmery and matte. There are two dual-ended brushes to help you blend, mix, smooth and play with the 15 colors for day and evening looks that you’ll really love.
On the right-hand side of the photo is the Sheer Envy Makeup Setting Spray ($6). When the weather is hot, makeup can melt away or worse, change color.
I’ve discovered that just a few spritzes of this cooling, energizing spray sets your foundation, eyeshadow, blush, and concealer so it lasts longer. The ultra-fine mist offers a small investment that can have a big payoff to help you look your best no matter what the heat or humidity.
The Hard Candy Collection is available exclusively at Walmart, and check out the Hard Candy Website: https://hardcandy.com/
