Bury Me With My Highlighters

As I've aged and gone deeper and deeper in to Holy Shit My Skin is Dry territory, I've developed a slight obsession with highlighters. More specifically, I'm on a never-ending quest to find the best cream-and-liquid highlighters for my stupidly pale skin. And trust me: I've tried dozens. You name it, there's a good chance I've tried it (or immediately written it off because the shade was too dark or sparkly). I like to pretend that I'm absolutely satisfied with what I have, but why lie? I'm always looking for something even better!

I've got 6 highlighters rotating in my current arsenal. All of them have distinct positives and negatives, which I'll outline in this post. I'm also going to provide some suggestions for similar products/shades if your skin is not as stupidly pale as mine, but you want a similar look.

ON POWDER HIGHLIGHTERS: I don't wear them anymore, but Shiseido High Beam White and Kevyn Aucoin Celestial Powder in Candlelight are two of the best options for pale/light skin on the market. If you want something more glittery, try The Balm Mary Lou-Manizer, but use a very light hand.

ON DRUGSTORE OPTIONS: There are no drugstore options on this list for two reasons:

1. There are very few cream/liquid highlighters available at the drugstore.
2. Most of what is available at the drugstore (Hard Candy Living Doll, Revlon Skin Lights) is too dark for my skin.

Practically Pure White Shades

Dim daylight on top, flash on bottom. From left to right: Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Pearl, MAC Cream Colour Base in Luna, MAC Strobe Cream.

Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Pearl, $41 for 1.7oz 

THE RAVE -- This is the most expensive-per-unit highlighter on this list, but it's also the most cost-effective if you look at it critically. A small amount of this super-glowy, slightly-shimmery creamy liquid will go a VERY long way. The packaging is a sturdy, clear, plastic bottle (so you can gauge how much you have left) with a pump that's easy to control. Makeup artist Lisa Eldridge helped boost this product's popularity, yes, but it's so gorgeous and buildable that it was destined for cult classic status regardless. Becca Pearl is my go-to highlighter for photography and nights on the town.

THE DOWNSIDES -- The Becca SSP liquids contain avobenzone, a sunscreen that may cause irritation or breakouts in some skin types. I haven't had any problems with flashback, but I'm incredibly pale; people with darker skin tones will want to really test this sucker out in flash photography if they're interested in wearing it for, say, a wedding. A lot of people advocate using this all over your face and/or mixing it in to your foundation, but I think the slight shimmer makes this a less than optimal choice.

IF YOU'RE NOT SUPER PALE -- Becca has many SSP shades. Opal is the go-to for people with medium/tan skintones, and if you're darker skinned, you've got two great options: Rose Gold and Topaz. I think the Rose Gold shade is limited edition...if it is, they need to make it permanent, because there's nothing else quite like it.

MAC Cream Colour Base in Luna, $21 for 0.12oz

THE RAVE -- One of the newest additions to my collection, Luna is the culmination of years of lust and waffling. I've owned other CCB shades before (namely Pearl and Hush), but sent them off to better homes in favor of paler pastures. Luna, however, is straight up white and glowy. It is one of the best options for the palest of pale skins. Luna is very buildable: you can use a small amount for a natural glow (one of my male friends does this, and it's virtually undetectable on his skin), or you can layer it for a stronger shine. I also find it incredibly long-lasting, in part because of the slightly sticky texture. As a bonus, the small pot = travel friendly.

THE DOWNSIDES -- That sticky formula will get on some people's nerves, particularly if you're an oily-skinned person. It can also feel a bit heavy on the skin if you apply too much. If you're easily squicked by pot packaging, this is definitely not the product for you.

IF YOU'RE NOT SUPER PALE -- Again, the MAC CCBs come in many shades; Hush and Shell are nice options for light to medium skintones. If you're very dark skinned, you'll want to look to another cream product, like Illamasqua's Gleam Cream in Supernatural.

MAC Strobe Cream, $10 for 1oz

THE RAVE -- This is the cheapest and most versatile product on this list. While it's most often used as a highlighter, it's technically a moisturizer, and a decently formulated one at that. This stuff works great under foundation for a little "boost," if you're dry and dehydrated like I am this winter. The super-thin formula makes Strobe Cream just about impossible to overdo. It's my go-to for work because it looks so seamless and natural. I like to mix some of this in to my body lotion before a special event to give a little extra glow to my skin.

THE DOWNSIDES -- The full-sized bottle is a bit of a trap: you pay more per ounce than you do for the travel-sized bottle. Strobe Cream tends to dry and cake up around the opening of the tube, leaving a disgusting gummy residue; I have to wipe it with a baby wipe about once a month. Because this is a moisturizer, it might eat away at some of the foundation underneath, particularly if you're oily skinned.

IF YOU'RE NOT SUPER PALE -- MAC occasionally releases limited edition "bronze" versions of Strobe Cream, usually with the summer collections. Burberry Fresh Glow has a very similar effect and comes in two different shades.

Slightly Tinted

Dim daylight on top, flash on the bottom. From left to right: Makeup Forever Uplight #11, RMS Beauty Living Luminizer, Benefit High Beam

Makeup Forever Uplight #11, $29 for 0.55oz

THE RAVE -- Any time somebody asks for a highlighter that's dewy rather than sparkly, I give MUFE a shout out. The Uplights are some of the best and most underrated highlighters on the market today. The gel formula is incredibly light and blendable, and like the Becca SSP, a little goes a long way. I find that few highlighters look quite as luminous and "lit from within" (whatever that means) as MUFE Uplight #11. This shade has a definite pink tinge to it.

THE DOWNSIDES -- The packaging for this stuff is HORRENDOUS: the pump is always getting clogged with dried-out product, and it's difficult to control how much is dispensed. This gel formula dries quickly, so you have to work fast.

IF YOU'RE NOT SUPER PALE -- Unfortunately, Makeup Forever only makes two Uplight shades in the "dewy" finish: #11, seen here, and #12, a soft yellow. They may go ashy on dark skin tones. If you really want the dewy effect, but you're worried about how such pale shades will sit on your skin, try getting a sample and mixing a small amount of the Uplight with your foundation.

RMS Beauty Living Luminizer, $38 for 0.17oz

THE RAVE -- If you have dry skin and your highlighter loves to settle in to your fine lines, this may be the product for you. The RMS Beauty Living Luminizer is always slightly see-through, even when you layer on tons of product, which means you'll always see your skin through the product and it'll never look heavy. It has an incredible glow to it and, although it's slightly sparkly up close, it tends to look quite natural and gorgeous in photographs. I let my mom borrow this on the rare occasions when she wears makeup, and it always looks beautiful on her. Although it looks close to white in the swatch photo, there's a slightly yellow-gold pearl in here that warms the product up.

THE DOWNSIDES -- This product is basically mica and a few other ingredients in coconut oil, so it's not the best option for people who are oily skinned, live in humid climates, or are allergic to coconut oil. The brand's creator and namesake, Rose Marie Swift, apparently thinks makeup that lasts all day is a bit unnatural, so this is not a luminizer that's designed to last all day in extreme conditions.

IF YOU'RE NOT SUPER PALE -- RMS Beauty's Buriti Bronzer is basically the same product with a different coloration. The warm, bronzey tone is fantastic for accentuating dark skin. As an added bonus, it's less expensive than the Living Luminizer.

Benefit Moon Beam, discontinued

THE RAVE -- The shade of this highlighter is like no other. Depending on the light, it can be a soft, glowing peach, a luminous pink, or a sparkly fuchsia. It's INCREDIBLY frosty and noticeably shimmery, so it's not for people who like a natural look. I personally wear it on my rare "heavy makeup" days, or when I'm spending the night in a dark drag bar. It looks absolutely incredibly in low light and photographs like a dream.

THE DOWNSIDES -- The most obvious downside is that Benefit discontinued this product because they hate us and want us to be unhappy for reasons. Benefit's other highlighters--High Beam and Sun Beam--are pretty, but not as unique as this one. Also, the infamous Benefit packaging sucks bigtime: you apply the product with a brush akin to a nail polish applicator, and it feels weird and makes it difficult to dot the stuff on evenly.

IF YOU'RE NOT SUPER PALE -- You should still be okay with products like Moon Beam, since it's not exactly designed to look "natural." I haven't found anything quite like it yet (somebody, help me dupe this!), but if duochrome is your thing, try some of your satin-finish eyeshadows on your cheeks.

Tubs n' Tubes: A Photographic Foray Into My Skincare Stash

Click to enlarge image.

This is what my naked face looks like when photographed in close-up (or "macro") mode. I took these pictures in various lighting settings over the course of a week, anxious to catch a glimpse of what the naked eye missed, curious about how my forehead bumps and undereye circles would look like in mega-HD. It's a slightly uncomfortable exercise, looking at your own face with this much detail, but it definitely reminded me that skincare is of the utmost importance.

So I decided to give my skincare products some air time. Here is 90% of my regular skincare collection; all of these products are tried and true staples.

Giving Me a Glow -- MAC Strobe Cream, travel size, $10.00

 Hand Cream of Choice: Day -- Paula's Choice Hydralight Shine-Free Daily Mineral Complex SPF 30, $24.00

All-Around Fixer-Upper -- Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream Skin Protectant, $21.00

Hand Cream of Choice: Night -- Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Hand Cream, fragrance-free, $4.99

Anti-Itch -- Cortizone 10 Intensive Healing Formula, $8.39

Anti-Bacteria -- Neosporin ointment, $3.99

Daily Lip Balm -- Jack Black Intense Therapy Lip Balm SPF25, original scent, $7.50

For the Driest Skin and Most Chapped Lips -- Lansinoh pure HPA lanolin, $9.99

Night Cream -- Avon Nurtura Replenishing Cream, $8.50

Classic Mask -- Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque, $4.99

Hand Cream of Choice: Purse -- Soap & Glory Hand Food, travel size, $6.00

A Balm for my Bags -- C.O. Bigelow Rose Salve, $5.50

Sunscreen: From the Shoulders Down -- Coppertone Water Babies Pure & Simple SPF50, $9.49

Sunscreen: Neck and Face -- Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protection Lotion SPF50, $39.00

Sunscreen: Face and Hands -- Biore UV Perfect Milk SPF50, $10.00

My Skincare is Cheap as Shit

I have a theory that humans are hard-wired to associate high prices and beautiful containers with luxury products. Who can deny that a $136 Sisley Paris mask looks and sounds more beautiful than a $4 Queen Helene Mint Julep mask? Does a $10 pot of body cream really get your motor going the way a tub of lemony, luscious Kiehl's Creme de Corps does? ? And who among us hasn't walked past the La Mer counter and felt drawn to the infamous brand's promises of eternal youth and beauty, even if we know in our heart of hearts that there's nothing that special in its formulation?

I ask because a recent Into the Gloss article, "The $3000 Skincare Routine," left me wanting gorgeous Guerlain containers for my non-existent vanity and $165 tubes of body cream for my generally well-behaved skin. I actually had to sit myself down and say, "Renee, your skincare is fine. Your skincare is GREAT, even. Your face looks fine and your wallet is empty. Why lust after the expensive stuff?"

My most expensive products are my sunscreen (Shiseido SPF50+ is $39.00 at Sephora) and my cure-all balm (Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream, $19.50), yet both of these products are regularly available at TJ Maxx and Marshall's for half the price. Hilariously, the products I depend on most to keep my dry skin from looking lizardy are the cheapest ones in my collection: Haus of Gloi skincare rarely retails for more than $10, the Avon Nurtura cream regularly goes on BOGO sale, a tube of Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Hand Cream will last you a thousand years, and that impossibly huge bottle of Queen Helene Cocoa Butter was $2 at Wal-Mart. With the possible exception of the Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Intensive Moisturizing Body Treatment, no high-end moisturizer has ever compared to these budget buys.

Of course, I know that the cost and effectiveness of my skincare is just part of a larger equation: my mother and grandmother always had beautiful, youthful skin, so to an extent I hit the genetic lottery. But I also learned good beauty practices from them, things like "always wash off your makeup" and "use a moisturizer with sunscreen," which I think have had an even bigger effect on my skin's clarity. Add to that the fact that I eat a decent diet with plenty of raw vegetables and water, and a $500 night cream has never been necessary.

I don't say these things to be smug or superior, simply to make a point: that affordable skincare, used alongside good skincare and eating practices, seem to get the job done. Yet the skincare market is absolutely saturated with bank-busting beauty products that promise to work a thousand times better than the drugstore alternatives. And I cannot deny that I've purchased $60 foundations instead of similar $6 formulations, or that I've tested out those uber-expensive oils and creams in the hopes of finding a miracle in a bottle. I also own at least three times more skincare and haircare products than the rest of the household combined:

Yeah, that's kind of embarrassing.

So I'm wondering: have any of you ever eyed expensive skincare, even if you didn't think it was necessary? Have you tried the $300 creams and serums--did they make a noticeable difference, or were they all hype? Why do we desire these incredibly expensive products? And of course, is it wrong to want luxury when affordability is seemingly just as effective (or is it)?

The BOGL 2014 Brow Product Assortment

I know that brow products aren't the kind of things that get most people excited (unless your name is Anastasia Soare and/or you dedicate the majority of your makeup line to products for better brows), but they're the kind of things I think people should pay more attention to. Granted, I have very fine hair and almost non-existent brows when they're sans product. But I truly believe the old makeup adage: brows frame your face and change your entire look.

I'm personally a big fan of pencils (because they're easy) and taupe shades (because they look more natural to me). I also like to soften my brows on most occasions by brushing through them or rubbing a q-tip over my pencil application, but there are days when I go a little crazy and decide to brush them up. YOLO.

TOOLS: A brow and lash brush-and-comb combo (with some added lint; thanks, Miss Kitty!) from Avon and a $1 ELF brow spoolie, both purchased eons ago. I use the former to brush my brow hairs up or down (brushing them down is a good way to pick out bald spots that need a little more TLC) and the latter to comb through my brows and remove excess product after I've penciled them in.

GOLDEN TAUPES: Not my most flattering shade, as my hair is far more brownish red than gold, but these are hard to overdo. I used Clinique Soft Blonde for several months, but I've replaced it with the slightly less golden MAC Fling--in other words, the Clinique pencil is about to leave my collection. I keep Fling in my makeup bag because even though it's not as dark as I like, it's so light in color that it's almost impossible to overdo. Both of these are twist-up pencils with a creamy formulation.

BROWN TAUPES: MAC Lingering is the newest addition to my brow products collection, and while I do prefer this shade to Fling, it can go a bit red/auburn if I apply too much. Still, I keep it for days when I'm super-rushed. If I'm taking my time or getting ready for a special event, however, my first choice is always Shu Uemura Hard Formula pencil in Seal Brown. I've already written worshipful odes to this pencil, but to reiterate: impossible to overdo, incredibly natural, and the perfect shade for a wide variety of skintones and hair colors. Oh, and one pencil will last you a thousand years. My HG pencil for sure!

POWDER: I rarely use powder in my brows today, but if I want to fill them in extra heavy for a photo, I use MAC Wedge eyeshadow. This is a matte, slightly golden brown, very similar in color to the MAC Fling pencil. I brush it through with an angled brush, then top them with pencil for a very strong, drawn-on look.

Anastasia Clear Brow Gel: Another HG product! I've received 4 mini tubes of this product as extras in swap packages, so I won't be repurchasing for quite a while. ;) This product holds my brows in place for hours on end, but doesn't make them overly crunchy, nor does it look super-duper-shiny (unless you want that effect and apply tons upon tons of the stuff). Fair warning: it smells awful, kind of like nail polish remover.

The BOGL 2014 Bases Collection

We've trucked through my cheek products and lipstick stash, so it's on to the foundations and concealers! While I've tried close to a hundred different bases (no exaggeration), these are the products that have stayed in my collection for an entire year or that will definitely see continued use throughout 2014.

Bear in mind that:

• I am a MAC N5 at my lightest, N15 at my darkest, and my undertones are neutral/cool yellow. This means you're going to see a lot of paler products.
• I've done reviews for several of these products (so use dem tags!), as well as breakdowns on how to use the Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer and MAC Face & Body.
• I usually prefer a lighter coverage product. Some of these can be worked up to a higher coverage, and I've tested full-coverage foundations in the past, but you won't find much of that in my regular collection.
• I have combination-dry skin, meaning most of these are not going to be known for their oil control properties.
• The only reason my collection lacks drugstore products is because most DS brands do not make super-pale, neutral shades that work for my skin type.

And now the products!

Paula's Choice Barely There Sheer Matte Tint SPF30 in Level 1 (Fair/Light) -- Works for N10-15 skin, neutral beige undertone. This is exactly what the bottle says: a sheer-coverage foundation that stays matte, but not chalky, and provides some sun protection. The formula is incredibly smooth and creamy; despite having a matte finish, it never dries me out, and I can wear it comfortably in the winter (albeit sans powder). I recommend this product to anybody looking for a tinted moisturizer that will give you some coverage and won't turn you in to a giant greaseball.

NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer in Chantilly -- Works for N10-15 skin, cool yellow undertone. This is one of the palest and most cool-yellow concealers I've ever seen, which is what initially drew me to it. At first I thought this product was far too yellow for me, but it always photographed beautifully. I quickly realized I was smearing way too much on my undereyes; now, I wipe off the doe foot applicator, apply the tiniest dot, and blend it out with my fingers. I don't find that this product is particularly "radiant"--it sets to a satin-matte finish on my normal undereyes--but it also doesn't dry my skin out, which is a bonus. Definitely a great slap-it-on-and-go kind of concealer.

MAC Face & Body, 2 parts White to 1 part N1 -- Works for N5-10 skin, pink undertone; when I darken up, I use a 50/50 mix. Everybody and their mother knows that, despite the strong pink undertones, this is my absolute favorite foundation. It evens out my skintone, but never looks like makeup. I've actually brushed 5-6 layers of this stuff on somebody's face, and it still looked like real skin, and she said it felt weightless. I keep waffling on trying C2 for a more yellow undertone, since it appears to be quite a golden yellow...we'll see what the new year brings.

Tarte BB Tinted Treatment Primer in Fair SPF30 -- Works for N5-10 skin, cool yellow undertone. I absolutely hate the name of this damn thing because...well, ok, partially because I always mix the words up, but also because I think it's a bit misleading. Yes, you can use this product as a primer, and yes, it's definitely a tinted BB cream-esque product. But you can also use it as a base in and of itself. The coverage is quite sheer, so you'll need concealer for your undereyes or acne, but it otherwise does a good job of evening everything out. Fair warning: the texture is very silicone-y, which can be disconcerting for some.

MAC Pressed Blot Powder in Light -- Translucent and therefore usable on a wide range of skintones; I've seen it used from N10 to N20 skin. This is not the queen of blot powders--I know for a fact that there are products with better oil control properties, more natural ingredients, etc--but it works great for my skintype. Why? Because I can use it on my oil slick of a nose to matte everything up without it getting cakey, and I can dust it over the dryer parts of my face with no adverse effects. It's pressed (I can't handle loose powders), the packaging is sleek and convenient, and it's affordable, especially if you have a pro-card. I use this powder exclusively for touch-ups and oil blotting, as it doesn't really provide coverage or correction. Tip: if you need a new powder puff, just buy some of the CoverGirl ones; they fit perfectly in to this compact.

Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer in Sx01 and Sx02 -- Sx01 works for N5-10 skin with a cool yellow undertone; Sx02 works for N10-15 skin with a neutral-pink undertone. I tend to use Sx01 for my face and Sx02 for my undereyes. These are the most densely pigmented base products I've ever used; as you can probably tell, I only have small samples in my collection because I swapped away the full jar. I was never going to use the whole thing, you need so little! These are my go-tos for long trips, since they can be mixed down to make a tinted moisturizer, used as a concealer, or carefully applied for fuller coverage.

Clinique Airbrush Concealer in Fair -- Works for NW10-20 skin, pink undertone. Hyped up by Lisa Eldridge and several YouTube stars, this concealer isn't my favorite because of how sheer it is. I mostly use it as an undereye corrector for other concealers, or as a "if it fell out of my makeup bag I wouldn't be completely devastated" kind of product. That's not to say that it's BAD, it's just that there are other products I greatly prefer. Still, it's a good makeup bag staple because of how quick and easy it is to apply, and because it's nigh on impossible to overdo it.

Dolce & Gabbana Perfect Finish Powder Foundation -- Works for N5-10 skin, cool yellow undertone. This is the only powder foundation that's ever worked on my dry skin, and I have to admit that I love everything about it except for the price. Touted as a medium-to-full coverage matte product, I find it to be more of a light-to-medium-coverage satin finish powder, depending on how it's applied. I mostly use this as a setting powder over my foundation; it provides a little extra coverage and makes me look flawless, but not "made up."

The BOGL 2014 Highlighter & Blush Collection

My lipstick collection overview was apparently useful for both my readers and me. Looking at everything spread out and organized, carefully labeled and considered, I've come to realize that there are a number of great products I'm just not using enough.

That, and I've spent a decent chunk of change on makeup.

REGARDLESS! I'm more apt to be adventurous with my lipstick. Maybe it's because it's "my thing," or perhaps it's because a bad lipstick (if such a thing exists) is easier to remove than a bad blush/highlighter. For whatever reason, I've been reaching for the same 3 or 4 blushes for almost 6 months now, and it's time for that to stop. A little inventory certainly can't hurt, hmmm?

First off, highlighters! A definite weakness/draw for me, I've really managed to clip this collection down to a neat little bunch. I still have my temptations, but for the most part, these are the glow-getters (ah ha ha I made a pun) that get me through.

MAC Strobe Cream -- A moisturizer and highlighter in one. Some people say this product is shimmery and overbearing, but it also looks natural to me; I even layer it under my foundation sometimes. If you're worried it'll be too obvious, apply it to the high points of your face, then layer a little foundation on top.

RMS Beauty Living Luminizer -- The newest addition to both my highlighter stash and my travel makeup bag. This little guy is portable and almost impossible to overdo. It IS a tad shimmery and leans slightly yellow/white-gold, but the base isn't opaque, meaning you'll always see your skin through the product.

Benefit High Beam -- My most "obvious" highlighter, insofar as it is actually frosty. Nevertheless, if I'm in the mood for that hyper-highlighted look, this is what I reach for. It has a slight pink tint. (NOTE: This $10 travel size--complete with doe foot applicator and not the icky nail polish type monstrosity that comes with the full size--is no longer available. Boo, hiss!)

Makeup Forever Uplight #11 -- When people ask for a highlighter that's dewy rather than shimmery or frosty, I push them towards this guy. The only downside is that #11 has a definite pink tint, while #12 has a definite yellow tint; if they could duplicate that dewiness in a more neutral/basic pearl shade, that'd be optimal.

Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Pearl -- My absolute favorite highlighter! And yet...kinda hard to describe. It has a decidedly luxe texture, and while it isn't exactly natural, it's beautiful and wearable with 95% of my looks.

Now for my hodge-podge assortment. It's supposed to be a collection of berries, but these shades are all wildly different, so hodge-podge it is.

RMS Beauty Lip 2 Cheek in Modest -- A sort of dusky, brown-berry type of shade in an especially emollient formula.

Becca Beach Tint in Watermelon -- My ultimate "I'm not wearing makeup" blush. The formula is deceptively thin; it packs a good amount of pigment, but the watery textures means you'll always see some skin shining through. The color is a muted berry pink.

NYC Blushable Creme Stick in Wild Berry -- This product was discontinued less than 2 years after it came out, and I can't for the life of me figure out why. $3 with a delectable formulation and shimmer-free, uber-bright shades like this beautiful fuchsia? Why would you get rid of that?!

You'd think I'd have more pinks, given my complexion. Truth be told, I think I'm just decidedly picky (my quest for the perfect pastel, shimmer-free, pink cream blush is still ongoing). That, and the pinks I DO have are well-loved. Any time I look at a new pink, I think, "Oooo, pretty!...but I own something better." That's a good train of thought, yeah?

Kevyn Aucoin Creamy Moist Glow in Isadore -- Possibly my all-time favorite cream blush formulation. This is a bright pink with a hint of yellow to it, great for spring looks.

Cargo blush in Catalina -- The ultimate soft, matte pink for fair skintones. There's definitely a white/pastel base to this one, but it never applies chalky. That pastel pink cream blush I've been searching for? Yeah, I want it to be this color.

Milani Minerals blush in Luminous -- One of the rare sparkly products in my collection, this product is actually a pink shade somewhere between Catalina and Isadore. The gold shimmer is apparently super-photogenic, however, so it photographs downright golden. The shimmer isn't overbearing by any means, but I definitely skip a highlighter when I wear this; it's glowy enough on its own.

Yves Saint Laurent Creme de Blush in #9 Babydoll -- Who knew this would become my go-to pink? The cream-to-powder formulation is lighter than air and never disturbs my foundation. It's also one of the cleanest pinks I've ever seen: neon in the pan, it applies as a semi-sheer wash of just-bright-enough pink. Gorgeous. I could see myself hitting pan on this guy, and that's saying something.

I don't wear reds and corals too often because they're easy to overdo on my fair skin. That, and it's hard to find one that isn't super-duper-brown or downright orange. But when I find ones I like? Ooooh, never leave me!

Cargo blush in Key Largo -- Although this blush is definitely a coral, it isn't as red as it photographs. It's actually the color of tropical punch, ie "MAC Impassioned Lipstick in powder blush form." And thankfully, it looks just like that on my cheeks. Another knock-out from Cargo.

Sleek Scandalous -- Okay, this one is KINDA orange. But just a tad; I'd actually guess that it's one of the most neutral red blushes I've seen. This is another example of a BOGL unicorn: it's a powder blush and I love the formula. Like the Cargo blushes, the Sleek powder blush singles are tightly-packed and never chalky, very pigmented, and perfectly blendable. This shade is no longer available because Sleek doesn't want us to have nice things, but the Sleek Fire trio has a super-similar shade. Not sure if the formula on the trios is different, however.

Becca Beach Tint in Dragonfruit -- Another new acquisition (ie a gift, STOP JUDGING ME). This is a softer, less vibrant coral, not so much because it has a lot of brown in it, but because it's not quite as saturated. The formula on this tube is creamier and thicker than most of the Beach Tints.

Are you stunned that I own so many peaches? I know I'm stunned. I think it's because they're the opposite of pink for me: I'm not picky about them. As long as they aren't too beige or brown (which translates as nude on many people and "Oh look I'm wearing mud!" on my pale skin), they're cool. This is really a sign that I need to purge at least one of these guys, right? Right. (NOTE: powder peaches tend to lean more yellow, while cream peaches tend to lean more red, as my collection demonstrates.)

Sleek Pan Tao -- Another limited edition product that Sleek has ripped from everybody's fingers. This is a true bright peach, sans the brown tones in their Life's a Peach shade and with a bit more saturation. Pan Tao isn't quite as pigmented as Scandalous, but beyond that, the formulas are identical.

Lancome Blush Subtil in Tangerine Tint -- Lancome products don't usually suit me and I avoid makeup counters like the plague, so my affinity for this blush is unheard of. This shade is similar to YSL Babydoll in that it looks neon on in the pain, but applies with a sheer base, leaving you with just enough color.

Kevyn Aucoin Creamy Moist Glow in Tansoleil -- My absolute favorite peach blush! It's somehow able to work as both a bright peach and a nude to pair with red lipstick. Don't ask me how; this stuff is pure magic.

NYC Blushable Creme Stick in Plaza Pink -- A peachy-pink without shimmer. It's very similar to Illamasqua's cream blush in Rude, and it's great that you can get a dupe, but ugh these things were $3 and totally portable and WHHHHHY?!

Becca Beach Tint in Grapefruit -- Probably the most yellow of my cream peaches, Grapefruit is on the sheer side and requires a bit of layering to really show up on my skin. I usually keep it in my makeup bag during the spring because it works with an usually wide range of lipstick colors.

Canmake Cream Blush in #05 -- This adorable Japanese cream blush looks like a dupe for Tansoleil in the pan, but it actually contains gold glitter (which thankfully doesn't show up much on my face, but still, it's there) and tends to apply a smidge more "brown." The formula is creamy and blendable. I'd gladly buy more of these if the brand wasn't so intent on tossing glitter in to everything.



And of course...

...the not-pictured MAC blush palette. The 5 blushes in that palette were all purchased/swapped for in my youth (ie, when I was still in college and never lacked optimism). I almost never use it and keep it mainly for nostalgia's sake.

The BOGL 2014 Lipstick Collection

I once thought that being a "lipstick queen" meant I had to own every shade ever created. Quantity trumped quality for me. At one point, I owned over 200 different lipsticks. But no matter how much I loved them, there were just too many for me to get any real wear out of. And I knew that, when I was finally able to move in with my partner, I'd have so much stuff it'd overwhelm him--I myself practically fainted when I had to ship a huge collection across the country. I spent most of 2013 pruning my collection, figuring out what I would wear the most, what suits me the best, and what is truly irreplaceable. This leaves us with the 2014 BOGL Lipstick Collection, a carefully curated assortment of favorites. And I'm hoping my collection stays just about this size for the rest of the year.

I decided to do some paper swatches to get a better feel of what I have based on the pure, undoctored shade. Be forewarned, however, that some swatches--like MAC Viva Glam Nicki and Bite Quince--always photograph different from what they actually look like. Still, I'm hoping these will help some of you out!

Bite Madeira, MAC Betty Bright, Lancome Pale Lip, unknown MAC lipstick, Urban Decay Naked, MAC Sounds Like Noise

MAC: Party Parrot, Candy Yum-Yum, Impassioned, Please Me, Viva Glam Nicki

Lipstick Queen Jean Queen, Lipstick Queen Pink Sinner, Urban Decay Native, Makeup Forever #36, Lipstick Queen Rose Sinner

MAC Viva Glam VI Special Edition, Bite Rhubarb, Revlon Black Cherry, MAC Girl About Town, Bite Quince, MAC Petals & Peacocks

MAC Lady Danger, NARS Cruella, Maybelline Nonstop Red, Elizabeth Arden Poppy Cream, MAC Scarlet Ibis

Bite Cranberry, Lipstick Queen Saint Rouge, Laura Mercier Mulberry, Hourglass Icon, Chanel Dragon, Shiseido Nocturne