100% Pure Fruit & Cocoa Pigmented Luminizers

Good news for anyone who has <30 seconds to sculpt a cheekbone, get a bronzed glow and/or accomplish the whole blush and highlighter combo before heading out the door. And if you're not the best at applying makeup, you'll be especially glad to be acquainted with these two pans as they are virtually fool proof. 

The Fruit Pigmented Luminizer (the pink pan) is really a blush for light to medium complexions – think Nars Orgasm blush. It's loaded with golden shimmer to offset the pink and a blush/highlighter in one. It's hard to overdo it, the effect is pretty and just healthy. I work in a tiny bit on the apples of my cheeks and the color just blooms, then I use a Kevyn Aucoin trick and lightly apply a tiny bit across the bridge of the nose, forehead and just below the chin. 

Note that the swatch photographed below comes off looking more powdery and cooler looking than in person. It's actually quite warmer.

The Cocoa Luminizer is a bronzer for lighter complexions, and a brilliant highlighter for deeper complexions. There's none of those orange, reddish that often makes bronzers look like, well, bronzers. It's closer to golden taupe, making it more believable and harder to mess up. I use it as a finishing powder, after applying powder foundation, I use the same brush to lightly sweep this across my cheekbones, temples and bridge of my nose. 

Amanda Lacey Cleansing Pomade

I was afflicted with stubborn acne during my early twenties, and none of the products I hawked at the beauty counters made any significant improvement. But I was introduced by an incredible make up artist at a Barney's to Eve Lom's bestselling cleanser, which she promised would clear up my face if I used it and only it for a couple weeks. "I've got college loans, and break out from using the same makeup sponge twice" I responded, "and you want me to shell out how much money for an oil face wash?" But she was right, and I was amazed that after being trained to think oil was the cause of acne, this oil cleanser did fix my skin. And so it was an ongoing love affair until I wised up to the paraben controversy, and how many problematic ingredients my beloved pot of Eve Lom contained.

Enter Amanda Lacey, facialist to Gwyneth Paltrow and Anna Wintour, amongst others, and who's been advocating the use of botanical oils long before it became mainstream. Her cleansing pomade is a cult classic, long established in the UK–15 years and counting–and now gaining traction in the US.

It is the perfect substitution as the ingredient list is seriously vetted and safe. No fillers here, this cleanser contains a roster of botanical high grade oils, including anti-inflammatory calendula, breakout quelling camphor, and naturally occurring vitamins to protect and feed the skin.

The hero product from her eponymous line, the pride of ownership goes beyond the norm as she only makes 1,000 of these at a time, and is present in the lab during all stages of the manufacturing. 

This white glass jar looks as luxe sitting on my bathroom counter as the emollient balm it contains. No need to dig it out, a soft dab of this melts upon impact. A little facial massage with the finger tips, working the oil gently and evenly into the face and neck aids in lymphatic drainage and promoting circulation. Finish by polishing it off with a warm muslin cloth and you're seriously glowing. Skin is effectively cleansed and balanced, for once, I'm not reaching for a moisturizer to ward off the papery feeling I get after most cleansers. It soothes dry patches and whisks away oil in congested areas. Once incorporated into your skincare routine, you'll likely find that you need less of your other products, it's just that good.