Party Circuit

Hibernation over, spring party circuit starting. Our calendar is booking up with after-work and weekend events. I have a bunch of quick pre-party tricks that I wanted to share:

1. For the glow: Cleanse face completely and use exfoliating peel pads (Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha-Beta or Trish McEvoy Beta Hydroxy Pads) before applying makeup. Your skin will look years younger. It is my trick, I do this before every event, WITHOUT FAIL. And, if I am racing from office, back home/or to hotel room and then to party, I wash my whole face, leave my eye-makeup on, and still use the pads. I then touch up my eye shadow, reapply foundation and blush and lips.

2. For drama: I have learned how to do an easy smokey eye: pick one color and use on entire lid and crease. I use an eye base (sometimes I just use a light concealer on my lid) put Bobbi Brown bone all over my lid and then go over the entire lid and crease with a dark shadow. You need to find the perfect one for you, but, once you find it – this is a 2 minute step. I have been attached to Laura Mercier Coffee Ground, a deep chocolate brown, recently.


3. For great skin: My most up to date go to is the NARS Sheer Glow Foundation in Fiji. Great coverage, lasts all night, great glow. A little heavier than my normal Bobbi Brown Skin SPF, but this is really working for me right now. I am even able to skip concealer with this one, goes right up under my eyes fine. I do use this over Laura Mercier’s Hydrating Primer so my skin looks nice and moist.

These are my pre-going-out tips and I am sticking to them.

My Travel Must-Haves

I am traveling almost the entire month of February. Tonight, I organized all of my cosmetics so I could pack efficiently and zip in and out of the airport without checking my bags. I thought I would list out 10 things I can't live without and will be traveling with:

1. Trish McEvoy Beauty Booster Serum. Hydrating treatment I am currently using every morning under primer.
2. Laura Mercier Hydrating Primer. A must use every day before foundation.


3. NARS Sheer Glow Foundation in Fiji and/or Bobbi Brown Skin SPF 15 Foundation. NARS has fuller coverage than Bobbi, but love both. During the dead of winter I am a little more addicted to NARS.


4. Penny Lane Cream Blush by NARS. Almost had a panic attack when I couldn't find it tonight.
5. Bobbi Brown Bone Eye Shadow. The perfect all over lid color.



6. Trish High Volume Mascara. My all-time favorite.
7. Fresh Soy Face Cleanser. They just sent me two travel size ones. Generally, for face cleansers I alternate between whatever I have in travel size.


8. MD Skincare All-in-One Facial Cleanser with Toner. Use as a toner/slash peel. Stronger than a cleanser, lighter than a peel. Gets the day's travel off my skin.
9. Skinceuticals C E Ferulic Serum. My one stop night treatment for an overnight trip. This really does it all for me. The best glow ever.

10. Sample moisturizers and eye creams. Sounds awful, but I generally only pack a moisturizer and eye cream for an emergency and when I do, it's only what I have in travel size. Right now, I am travel with a lab sample Bobbi Brown's new Brightening Moisturize Cream coming out this March or April. I love the texture and it is fine for day or night. If I go on a longer trip, I always pack a moisturizer and eye cream. Anything to not have to check a bag!

Currently also toting: "Caesar" by Colleen McCollough, WWD Dailies to catch up on, and debating whether I am ready for a kindle!