Girl Talk : What Benefits Wendy

Well, call me pale face no more. My first "girl talk" post, about the hunt for bronzer, led to a recommendation from a gal pal at work, Kelly, who loves hoola by Benefit Cosmetics. When I asked her where I could find it (not knowing how to shop for cosmetics being the number one obstacle to obtaining them), she said there was a counter at Macy*s.

So my first visit ever in my life to a cosmetics counter happened two weeks ago tomorrow.

Of course I could have just bought bronzer and walked out. But I am genuinely interested in knowing how these things work. I'd already made over my wardrobe before going to Italy - maybe it really was time to grow up and makeover my face, too.

Each step I looked at in the mirror with half of my face with whatever on it, and half without. It is all very subtle, each step, but the finished result is not subtle at all. I think finally it's not "why do women feel like they need this stuff?" but more of wow, I look really nice. And I don't feel a thing on me, either. The women at work are wow, you have eyes! Eye liner really does something. Never knew I was hiding before now.

You can't blame me for being stunted. I lived in the country and so far away from what few friends I had I wasn't able to (or allowed to) learn from my peers. My dad didn't permit me to wear makeup. He thought it was face paint like what an Indian (now called Native American) or African would wear for ceremonial purposes. For them it was a significant part of their culture. I guess he didn't realize that for us white people it has also been a significant part of our culture too, for oh, say, hundreds of years. No, make that thousands. Every culture has applied face or body color for one reason or another. Enhancement is as good a reason as any. Too bad I wasn't in a position to argue about it then.

So once I flew the coop I dabbled a bit, but never really got into it. I didn't have any close girlfriends, no one to take me under their wing and teach me the ropes. The last time I wore makeup was during the year when I worked for building management on the 40th floor of the Columbia Tower (1997-98), a very high profile job with 75 floors of women who looked really fabulous, clothes and otherwise. Not only did I wear makeup then, but I also tried to straighten my hair as much as possible to blend in. I remember wearing foundation before and I felt like I had a layer of gunk on my face. Eye shadow seemed too dark, and eye liner and mascara both were difficult for me. I can't see without my glasses on so working two inches from a mirror with a 4-inch mascara wand is a challenge (still is).

My recent innocent discovery of tinted moisturizer has led to a whole new world of improved cosmetics. And some really great products. A lot has happened in the last 20 years.

My first round at the counter I did skip some steps when I made my final purchases. But I have since gone back and filled in the gaps - primarily to get ahold of a product called get even.

Maybe now would be a good time to open another browser window and go to www.benefitcosmetics.com

I mist with toner then apply moisturizer, and then tinted moisturizer (still using Burt's Bees and Zia). I was then using hoola, a bronzer, all over my face as a color base. But get even really is amazing and does a great job at evening out my skin tone first, then using bronzer.

Of course, dr. feelgood, a beeswax de-shining balm, fills in slight wrinkles and pores. The pore minimizer I was always wishing for does exist! That goes on over the get even and before hoola.

Cheek/chin/nose color (and sometimes eye color, too,) is handled by a new product called dallas, "cow-girl chic in a box". I layer that over gilded, a tequila sunrise gold shimmer pencil that can also be used on cheeks and lips. Now I have added two eye powders to my aresenal, tho, me, myself & I pink champagne all over the eye lid area as a base, and a touch of trust fund baby silvery taupe in the corner to bring out my beautiful baby greens.

And once you start dressing up your face, your brows do disappear (even dark ones like mine). brow zings is a great little brow grooming kit that has everything you need.

And the final touch, prom night glosses the gloss in chaperone, a shiny sandy beige.

I look amazing. Everyone says so. And my husband? He says he'll get used to the new me. Hopefully I will get faster with more practice - right now it takes me half an hour to complete this step of my morning routine!

Want to take a trip to the Benefit counter? Go see Autumn at Bellevue Square. And let me go with you! I could use another makeup lesson. And I want to get some BADgal lash mascara. That was some amazing stuff.

What Benefits Wendy:
Face:
you're bluffing
get even
dr. feelgood
hoola
dallas
honey...snap out of it scrub (exfoliating scrub/mask, yum!)

Eyes:
f.y...eye (eye shadow base)
ooh la lift
gilded
babe cakes (powder eye liner, brown and black)
plush mascara (brown)
powder eye shadow (me, myself & I and trust fund baby)
brow zings

Lips:
the gloss (chaperone)

Wish List:
boi-ing
BADgal lash
not on my pillow (makeup removing cream)

Oprah.com 5 Makeup Trends with Timeless Appeal
http://www.oprah.com/presents/2005/young/makeup/makeup_trends_101.jhtml