Glam Cosmetics To Ring Out the Old Year & BLING in the New Year

A Review of Glam Cosmetics To Ring Out the Old Year & BLING in the New Year

Advicesisters.com reviews beauty products all year round, but when it comes to ringing out the old year, and blinging in the new, you need to pump up the glam quotient at least a little. Whether you have a beer and peanuts budget, or you still have plenty left in your wallet for wonderful beauty items, we’ve come up with affordable glam makeup (and our really big RED lipstick review) that will help you usher out the old year and show off your style in the new one with glamour to spare. 

 

GET INSTANT GLAM WITH GLITTER:

If you normally save glitter only for Halloween, now’s the perfect time to glam with glitter. You’re never too old for a little (just don’t go overboard).

Shine as brightly as the count-down ball covered in Swarovski Crystals in Times Square with Glitteratzi ($6) by Hard Candy offer two different glitter gel color palettes to dazzle you. The glitters glide on in a non-sticky clear base and then set, so they won’t fall all over (like loose glitter in shaker jars).

Bedazzle yourself for a beer and peanuts price. A dual-tipped sponge applicator applies the glitters in a non-sticky clear base and then they set, and won’t fall all over (like loose glitter powder). We tried #1046 “Call Me Sparkles” featuring two large pans of parti-colored white or silver based glitter, and four smaller pans of copper, gold, purple and turquoise. “Center of Attention” features blue, green red rust.  Get yours at Walmart and Walmart.com

 

BE MORE “BESPOKE” 

In a world where everyone is uniquely the same (pun intended) we’ve found some affordable beauty products that you can creatively customize:

 

Hard Candy has done something really clever. They’re making face products “bespoke,” and affordable, too!  Start with a bottle of Hard Candy’s Glamoflauge Foundation ($7) in eight shades. Then, add a few drops of Glamoflage Mix-in Pigment Makeup Drops ($7) to adjust the color to perfection.  The foundation is a liquid/powder blend that not only absorbs oil (thanks to kaolin clay), not only has a skin-perfecting full coverage formula that can last up to 12 hours and help your skin retain moisture, but they also coordinate with Hard Candy’s Glamoflauge concealers. In the best of circumstances, you may want to test these if you can. We were surprised to find we needed a half shade deeper than normal, from medium light to medium.

The foundation is a liquid/powder blend that not only absorbs oil (thanks to kaolin clay), not only has a skin-perfecting full coverage formula that can last up to 12 hours and help your skin retain moisture, but they also coordinate with Hard Candy’s Glamoflauge concealers. In the best of circumstances, you may want to test these if you can. We were surprised to find we needed a half shade deeper than normal, from medium light to medium.

The Glamoflage Mix-in Pigment Makeup Drops (approx. $17.99) bring makeup products to an entirely new level of performance to make you more glam every day. We don’t know why someone didn’t think of this before, Select from a dozen different shades of these concentrated liquid pigments that let you customize any face product for coverage or shade including primers and moisturizers. The more drops you add, the higher the coverage. For the first time, possibly ever, you can buy a shade you think is close to yours, and then make it exactly the shade you need–it’s genius!

If you’re feeling a bit “under the weather” or your skin is pale, play up your cheeks with a flush of color. CoverGirl TruBlend Blush ($9.99)  is a marble-baked blush offering three blush tones you can customize in an affordable way with colors that look believable.

We’re tired of blush that’s too brown, pink, orange or downright crazy. These are just right — lightweight and in an oil-free formula featuring baked minerals, suitable even for sensitive skin.  A fluffy brush gives you natural blush but a brush with denser bristles and more layers gives more drama. 

“Medium Rose” (light-medium tones) and “Deep Mauve” (deeper tones) suit most, but a “Light Rose” also offers a slightest kiss of pink.  These are a great find as other baked blushes of this quality cost a lot more.  Get these in mass market retailers and drugstores nationwide or visit https://www.covergirl.com/

 

GLAM-OROIZE YOUR EYES:

If you’re rocking a bold red lip (do read our really big RED lipstick review) you should downplay your eyes. But if you’re wearing a demure lip look, your eyes have to be the focal point with eyes that pop!

We’re loving the new pastels. Try a trend: after you add your lid color, dot a tiny bit of glitter in the middle of each lid, or “gloss” lids (as we saw on the runways) with a touch of clear lip gloss.

 

Vendome Paris Beaute has adorable, eye-catching outer cartons featuring the Eiffel Tower in Paris, a chic Parisienne, and a profusion of pink roses, and beauty products. Our samples were individual pans of Vendome Paris Beaute Rosewater Eyeshadows ready to pop into a slim, black compact (sold separately). 

Vendome Beaute is new, and we’re loving their botanical-infused color with silky shadows that are actually infused with rosewater.(so glam!)

The highly pigmented, finely milled powders are so blend-able, in our test we could apply them easily with a fingertip (but we do suggest a brush), You can customize your palette with any of 33 colors. For holiday, we went “soft” with  Wisteria, a soft lilac.  Soft Pink Rosebud, Aubergine and as an alternative as a liner, this deep green Forest  Each single eyeshadow retails for $26.00 and can be purchased on Amazon.com.

Mascara is a personal choice. You can pay a fortune but you shouldn’t keep any mascara more than 6 months. So why pay a fortune just to toss it? Two budget beauty brands that are affordable and are favorites of makeup artists (yes, really) are by CoverGirl and Max Factor. There are so many different types both brands offer. We selected two:

Max Factor Masterpiece Max ($9.99) is packaged in a rather glam black tube with gold accents. This lengthening, thickening mascara is excellent for sensitive eyes and contact lens wearers . It won’t smudge even if you rub your eyes (lightly).  One coat of “Velvet Black” separated and lengthened our lashes, dramatically, but customize it with two coats to add more volume. 

Note that this isn’t waterproof mascara but still, it lasted.  If your eyes are sensitive, that’s not always the best option. We also aren’t happy to fuss with hard to remove eye makeup at the end of a long night. The brush is nicely shaped to coat lashed evenly and reach the little corner lashes plus the ones on the bottom, without smudging.

If you love the idea of thick, dramatic lashes but you don’t want to fuss with little tubes and fibers, try SuperSizer Fibers Mascara by CoverGirl (srp. $6.99). This mascara contains fibers in the formula so you don’t have the mess, but you can approximate the look. Twirl the wand slightly as you apply, let one coat dry, add another, and you’ll find that your lashes look thicker and longer. Be sure to let one coat dry before adding another.

We tried “Brown” for a more subtle look that still was quite noticeable but not so “faux.” If you like that big glam lash look, “Black/Brown” would add more “oomph.”  Suitable for contact lenses, this mascara also is remove-able with water. We think after a long night, that’s what most women want. Get these online, in mass market retailers and drugstores.

 

Eye Liner is optional for some, an absolute must-have for others. If you’re the latter, you’ll want one that really performs. Elizabeth Arden’s luxurious new Beautiful Color Bold Defining 24HR Liquid Eye Liner ($24.50) has just arrived to make your liner dreams come true.

These are unique, thanks to a super-fine tip applicator brush that makes it easy to draw a super-precise line directly on your lash line. Even the most myopic among us could do it.

The liner is waterproof, smudge proof, transfer proof, sweat proof, and quick drying (because liner is really too close to your eyes to risk running into them)!

There are five colors (basically, brown, black, purple, green and blue). Our samples were “Dark Valentine” (black) and “Gilden Brown” (brown). These leave an almost “wet look” shine that is perfectly glam. Get yours at Elizabeth Arden makeup counters and for more information visit http://www.elizabetharden.com/

 

IT’S PARTY TIME- GLAM OUT AND GLOW!

Luminosity is a “thing” this season and glitter is always glamorous for party-time. Go glam yourself and get glowing! While Luminosity is trend to try, we don’t suggest strobing unless you can really do it well, but adding some luminosity — that’s a way to make skin come alive. 

 

Rituel de Fille was founded by three sisters who were inspired by the magical side of natural ingredients, and the ritualistic, ceremonial power of pigment. Two are highly experienced makeup artists in entertainment and fashion, with unique product expertise and exacting standards for color performance. All Rituel de Fille products are 99% natural and handcrafted without parabens, sulfates, talc, phthalates, synthetic dyes or synthetic fragrances, they’re cruelty-free.

Rituel de Fille Rare Light Luminizers ($29/each) arrive in glam round black compacts with a sprinkling of little silver stars on the outside, a little mirror on the inside. What’s nice about these is that they add glow, but they’re not gaudy. The amount of glow is light and subtle, whether you use the golden “Anthelion,” rosed “Phosphene,” or the silver-ish “Ghost Light.”. These are easy to tote for travel, and they’re  not greasy or sticky. You get elegant long wear and a luxurious, velvety texture. For more information visit https://ritueldefille.com/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Algenist REVEAL Concentrated Luminizing Drops  ($38) are beautifiers that have Algenist’s Patented Alguronic Acid to visibly reduce the signs of aging. These highly concentrated, multi-tasking luminizers can be used on their own, or added to your favorite beauty products to make them luminous, too. Dispensed from an elegant glass bottle with a dropper tip, just a drop or two applied to the bridge of the nose, cheek, and browbone adds welcome highlights, or blend it under or over makeup for instant radiance, anywhere you want.

Algenist’s Algacorrecting Complex color corrects and targets uneven skin tone and the ultra-fine, luminous pearls offer a glam, sheer, subtle glow in Champagne: illuminating gold ; Rosé: glowing pink or Pearl: highlighting silver. We selected these specifically as great for sensitive skin because they’re made without Parabens, Sulfates, Phthalates, synthetic dyes, GMOs, or triclosan. They are noncomedogenic, hypoallergenic, dermatologist tested, and suitable for all skin types. There is a Pink and Champagne “Holiday” Drop & Glow Luminizing Duo ( $22/ Value $36) Get everything at Sephora, Ulta and for more information visit https://www.algenist.com/