Best of Beauty 2024 – Part 1

Each year, I have the privilege of testing the latest beauty launches, comparing their claims with real results, and experimenting with how they interact. It's an ongoing process that allows me to sift through the noise and highlight the true standouts. Welcome to the Best of Beauty 2024 – Part 1. There have been so many, my dear reader, that I had to split them up!

For this first part, I'm focusing on complexion products—the foundation (literally) of any makeup look. These items are presented in the order they should be applied, not ranked, as each of them shines in its own right. While I originally received these through promotional channels, I’ve already repurchased several and they’ve earned a permanent place in my beauty roster.

MAC Cosmetics – Hyper Real Serumizer

Let’s start with a history lesson. In the 90s, MAC introduced the revolutionary Hyper Real Foundation—a radiant, reflective product that was way ahead of its time (Charlotte Tilbury would approve!). Fast-forward to today, and MAC has revived the Hyper Real name for a new range of skincare, all designed to give your skin the glow of your dreams.

The standout for me is the Hyper Real Serumizer, a serum-moisturizer hybrid that retexturizes, balances, and strengthens the skin’s barrier. It leaves you with a silky-smooth, radiant complexion that makes makeup application effortless. This formula boasts powerhouse ingredients like niacinamide, cholesterol, and ceramides, along with a blend of acids (salicylic, lactic, and glycolic) that keep skin luminous and blemish-free.

This hybrid product will smooth out any skin and soften any texture, hydration magic in a bottle.

With its instant smoothing and plumping effect, this product is quickly becoming a staple in my kit. Whether you're dealing with texture or dryness, Hyper Real Serumizer will elevate your complexion game—trust me on this.

Caliray – So Blown Clean Blurring Primer with Collagen Peptides

If you know me, you know I’m not a fan of the "Clean Beauty" trend. It’s often more about fearmongering than efficacy. But Caliray's So Blown Clean Blurring Primer with Collagen Peptides managed to win me over.

I was completely blown away by how efficiently this primer eliminated the unwanted texture on my skin!

This silicone-free primer glides on like a gel-cream, instantly blurring and mattifying without drying out the skin. Plus, it's packed with skincare benefits and won’t clog your pores or trigger breakouts. I initially overlooked this product when it landed in my PR pile, but after a glowing recommendation from a trusted YouTuber, I gave it another shot. I’m now on my second tube!

It works well with any foundation type—cream, liquid, or powder—and delivers a smooth, soft-focus finish. It’s definitely one to add to your arsenal.

Charlotte Tilbury – Unreal Skin Sheer Glow Tint Hydrating Foundation Stick

This one’s been polarizing. Charlotte Tilbury’s Unreal Skin Sheer Glow Tint has people divided—some love it for its innovation, while others think it’s a greasy nightmare. So, who's right?

I’d say the best way to describe it is: Hollywood Flawless Filter in stick form. It’s hydrating, reflective, and glides effortlessly across the skin, giving a dewy finish. The blurring properties help avoid emphasizing unwanted texture, which is rare for such a luminous product.

This controversial launch will give you the glow, any goddess would envy you for.

This is perfect for those with normal to dry skin. If you have oily or combination skin, you’ll want to use it sparingly in areas where oils tend to gather. If you’re looking for glow, this is your product. If you're after matte or satin, look elsewhere!

MAKE UP FOR EVER – HD Skin Setting Powder

As someone with combination-oily skin (and a veteran of drag makeup!), I’ve tested more loose powders than I can count, and I know a good one when I see it. MAKE UP FOR EVER rarely disappoints, and their new HD Skin Setting Powder is no exception.

Set your face like a dream, a blurring dream.

This talc-free, ultra-fine powder blurs imperfections and sets foundation without flattening the skin’s natural luminosity. It comes in a wide range of shades, making it ideal for all complexions. Whether you prefer a puff, brush, or sponge, this powder delivers a smooth, flawless finish every time.

Available in both full and mini sizes, it’s perfect for both makeup artists and beauty enthusiasts who need something travel-friendly. It’s safe to say this powder is a new staple in my kit.

Saie – Glowy Super Gel Multipurpose Illuminator

Last but not least, the Glowy Super Gel by Saie has been a favorite of mine for a while, and for good reason. It’s incredibly versatile—use it under foundation, mixed into it, or on its own for an effortless glow. It dries quickly, is lightweight, and hydrates while giving you that coveted dewy finish.

Endless glow on the skin that hydrates and illuminates you for hours.

The latest shade, Roseglow, is a gorgeous rose-gold that flatters any skin tone, giving a stunning wet-look sheen. Whether you're looking to elevate a glamorous look or add a sun-kissed touch, this illuminator won’t let you down. It’s an essential for bridal, natural, or full-glam looks alike. Shine on, baby!

Hopefully, this curated selection helps guide you to a complexion that radiates confidence and beauty. Remember, you define your own beauty—and you are beautiful just as you are. Until next time!

How to Build Your Skincare Routine

Whenever I am around skincare newbies, I always get asked, “How do you build a skincare routine?”

The skincare world is filled with a dizzying array of products, brands, ingredients, and promotional claims. It can become overwhelming to figure out where to start and how to navigate the sea of options.

I’ve had a skincare routine for over 35 years, and it has evolved as my skin’s needs have changed, and as my understanding of ingredients and layering has grown. I’ve become a skincare nerd, a lover of self-care, and a firm believer in the well-deserved me-time spent with my skin.

My love of skincare has led me to develop a truly elaborate routine that covers all bases for my skin’s needs. I adapt it as needed, and I have entirely different routines for day and night. However, I’m aware that most people prefer a more streamlined approach, which is why I often suggest simplified routines. These routines are designed to improve the skin’s overall health while protecting it from environmental damage, free radicals, and daily exposure to pollution.

The 3 Basic Steps

Step 1: Cleanse

The first step in any routine is cleansing. Regardless of your skin type, your skin sheds dead cells, which can accumulate on the surface. Cleansing is essential to remove dirt, bacteria, and impurities.

You should cleanse your face twice a day: once in the morning to remove oils, sweat, and any bed residue, and again in the evening to wash away makeup, sunscreen, pollution, and exposure to the elements.

In the morning, most dermatologists and estheticians recommend a gentle cleanse with something like micellar water or a milk cleanser. In the evening, a double cleanse is highly recommended. The first cleanse removes the surface grime, while the second ensures that any remaining product is thoroughly removed, which is important to prevent clogged pores and breakouts.

For the first cleanse at night, you can use micellar water or a milk cleanser, followed by a gel-type cleanser to dislodge any tenacious pigments or residue hiding in your pores.

Pro Tip: Every cleanser, even micellar water, must be rinsed off. Failure to do so simply moves dirt around the face and allows it to settle into your pores.

Step 2: Moisturize

Moisturizing is a must for all skin types. Most moisturizers on the market today include active ingredients that help improve skin texture, tone, and overall appearance.

Moisturizers come in various textures, from gel to cream. Those with drier skin may prefer thicker creams, while oilier skin types will gravitate toward lighter, gel-based formulas. Your choice of moisturizer may also change with the seasons—lighter products in warmer weather, and richer ones in colder months.

When applying moisturizer, use upward motions on your face and gentle downward strokes on your neck, extending the product down to your chest. And for the ladies, don’t forget the décolletage!

Step 3: Sun Protection

Sun protection is crucial for daytime. Sunscreen protects your skin from the harmful effects of UV rays. I recommend using a sunscreen with SPF 50, which offers the highest level of protection. Apply it 30 minutes before sun exposure and reapply every two hours while outdoors.

Not all sunscreens are created equal. Some have fluid textures that leave a luminous finish, while others are thicker and may even double as a makeup primer. Choose one that suits your preference and skin needs.

Fragrance

Fragrance does nothing to hydrate or benefit the skin; it is added purely for sensory pleasure. Since companies aren’t required to disclose the ingredients in their fragrance blends, I prefer to avoid fragrance in most skincare products.

While I enjoy fragrance as a separate entity, I typically avoid spraying it directly onto my skin. Instead, I spray it onto my clothes to minimize contact. The only skincare product where I don’t mind fragrance is in cleansers, as they are rinsed off and the contact is minimal.

Alcohol

While I don’t want to spend too much time vilifying ingredients, I do strongly advise avoiding alcohol, especially denatured alcohol. This ingredient can dry out the skin and promote oxidation, which can cause long-term damage at a cellular level.

Many expensive creams are filled with it, and while some claim it evaporates before reaching the skin, I would avoid it whenever possible. In makeup, where products sit on top of the skin, alcohol is less of an issue. But in skincare, where products are meant to penetrate and heal, alcohol should be avoided.

Packaging

Packaging plays a significant role in maintaining a product’s effectiveness. As a general rule, products exposed to less air and less contact with your hands will stay potent for longer. Pump bottles and squeeze tubes are ideal for preserving product integrity and are also more travel friendly.

Pots, though iconic, expose the product to air and require dipping your fingers in, which can introduce bacteria and reduce the formula’s effectiveness over time.

Discipline

I know, discipline isn’t everyone’s favorite word, but it’s essential when establishing a consistent skincare routine. Skin operates on roughly a 30-day cycle, so it’s important to give products time to work. This is why it’s critical to stick to a routine—cleansing, moisturizing, and protecting daily to maintain healthy skin.

Skincare is a long-term investment, much like fitness. It won’t keep you young forever, but it will keep you looking refreshed at every age.

Skincare can certainly get more complex, and I’ll dive deeper into the role of active ingredients soon.

Until next time, keep defining beauty on your own terms—you are already beautiful, just as you are.

Concealers Are Key Beauty Fixers

Without a doubt, concealer is one of my favorite cosmetic categories. Concealers are key beauty fixers! A makeup concealer is one of my most essential products for personal use, and it’s definitely one item I love experimenting with. I typically try several concealers every year, and yes, I have thoughts.

Please welcome this short list of some of my favorite concealers. These are the ones I find myself gravitating towards currently—some are more recent purchases, while others are die-hard favorites. Let’s explore the concealers that are key beauty fixers together.

Clé de Peau Beauté – The Concealer

This product is sleek, chic, and easy to carry. The coverage is medium to full, and you can apply it directly from the tube, as suggested. However, I have found that using a synthetic and fluffy brush to whisk it on in the inner ocular groove under the eye works wonders and conserves more of the product.

The Clé de Peau Beauté the Concealer comes in a stick format and works best for normal to especially oily skin. The product is blurring and provides excellent coverage. The shade selection does extend, but it is not the most extensive range of skin tones. I felt lucky to find a shade to match myself.

That being said, this has been my true go-to formula for the last year, especially if I need long-lasting coverage with the option to add more throughout the day as needed. This is a self-setting concealer that dries down to a powder-like finish. Elegant, refined, and sans faute—very bougie—it’s a new staple for me.

MAKE UP FOR EVER – HD Skin Concealer

As I have progressed through life, I have learned to appreciate finer textures in concealers—ones that are featherlight and easily buildable, providing an undetectable, realistic skin finish. Look no further than the MAKE UP FOR EVER HD Skin Concealer. It offers 24-hour wear, and its gel-like texture is easy to blend and build. It features ingredients like hyaluronic acid, jojoba oil, and snow mushroom to plump the look of fine lines and hydrate the under-eye area.

This concealer helps to brighten the under-eye area and blends seamlessly into the skin. The HD Skin Concealer can be built up to medium coverage and is great for all skin types, giving it incredible versatility. The texture of this concealer lends itself well to being applied with a brush, allowing more precision in the application and making it easier to blend with the skin.

NYX Professional Makeup - Pro Fix Stick Correcting Concealer

Leave it to NYX Professional Makeup to launch another successful concealer. Their Bare With Me Concealer Serum is already a smash hit for drier skin due to its hydrating formula. Now, NYX Professional Makeup has recently launched the Pro Fix Stick Correcting Concealer, and let me tell you, they have another hit on their hands.

This is a creamy stick formula that gives amazing coverage, gliding effortlessly on the skin and mimicking a skin-like texture. The Pro Fix Stick Correcting Concealer also features correcting shades, such as Pink, Green, Dark Peach, Mid Yellow, and more. Available in 22 shades, these impressive concealer sticks pack an impressive amount of moisture, in part due to the hyaluronic acid in their formulation. This concealer is readily available, and best of all, it is inexpensive compared to every other product I have written about in this story.

The NYX Professional Makeup Pro Fix Stick Correcting Concealer is comfortable, breathable, and flexible on the skin. It gives a skin-like, dewy finish, so those of you who prefer matte finishes will want to set it with a powder.

MAC Cosmetics – Pro Longwear Concealer

An OG concealer for me—I have been using this product for 20 years, which says a lot about a concealer, considering how technologies have evolved and how newer formulations and textures have emerged. The MAC Cosmetics Pro Longwear Concealer is another self-setting wonder—a full-coverage concealer that lasts up to 24 hours, is water and humidity-resistant, and sets with a matte finish on the skin.

The only gripe I have is the mini-bottle it comes in: the pumps get dirty, the glass bottles can easily shatter if dropped, and once you have used about 80% of the product, it can get really hard to retrieve the last bit. Beyond that, this product is a sure thing for normal to oily skin; dry skin types may find this way too heavy, so fair warning.

Pro Suggestion: Eye Creams!

Without proper hydration and nourishment, it can be challenging to hide any darkness under the eye area without creating a cakey effect or, worse, accentuating fine lines. Hydration will help add moisture to the area, plumping up the skin and minimizing the appearance of fine lines while softening deeper grooves.

Consider adding active ingredients into your routine, such as niacinamide, vitamin C, retinol, peptides, etc. These ingredients act over time to brighten and revive the under-eye area, smoothing away dryness and making the skin more radiant.

Outro

Concealer is a great tool to hide any unwanted visitors or realities of our current complexion. Are you stressed and overworked, with dark circles from lack of sleep? Concealer! Do you have redness or uneven pigment you want to adjust on your face? Concealer! Did an undesired blemish appear? Concealer!

When you find the right concealer, it’s like having an undetectable best friend who helps you look your best, even when you’re not feeling it. Enjoy the art of redirection and concealing, my dear readers. Until next time, stay beautiful!

Getting that Golden Glow

Summer is all about that golden glow. Whether you’re basking in the sun’s rays or fiercely protecting your skin, it’s inevitable that your skin will gain some color during the season—it’s natural. Often, that golden hue gives the skin a more alive and even appearance, with most skin tones deepening—some becoming rosier, while others turn golden as the initial redness fades.

However, maintaining that golden glow can be tricky, especially as we wash our faces frequently, causing our summer color to fade first on our faces. Thankfully, there are countless bronzers on the market to help us achieve that perfect sun-kissed complexion, keeping our golden glow intact without compromising our skin.

Here are a few of my current favorite bronzers available now. These bronzing powders will help you achieve that sun-kissed skin, without any damage:

Gucci – Poudre de Beauté Éclat Soleil Bronzing Powder
This stunning compact powder is a luxurious addition to any beauty routine. The exquisite fragrance adds an extra touch of bougie appeal that I can’t resist. I always apply it with a brush for an even finish. Available in five shades, this product may not cater to darker skin tones, so some might need to look elsewhere for a perfect match. However, the Sun-Kissed Glow Bronzer from Gucci is an ultimate splurge, and one I’m thrilled to have made.

NARS – Laguna Talc-Free Bronzer Powder
When a celebrated makeup artist creates their own line, it’s always a big deal. NARS has maintained its status with innovative launches and a focus on new, talc-free formulas for all its powders, ushering in a renaissance for the brand. The Laguna Talc-Free Bronzer Powder is richly pigmented and applies beautifully to the skin. It’s easy to control the color payoff and build intensity, making it a dream to work with. I loved layering it gradually to warm up the face I was working on.

MAKE UP FOR EVER – Artist Longwear Skin-Fusing Matte Powder Bronzer
MAKE UP FOR EVER has been reformulating all its powder products to be talc-free, and this newest bronzer is a standout addition to their already stellar lineup. The Artist Longwear Skin-Fusing Matte Powder Bronzer has excellent pigmentation that spreads effortlessly, allowing you to build up or tone down the color as needed. The shades have a hint of rosiness, giving a freshly sun-kissed effect. The sturdy metal compacts allow the powders to be removed and added to an existing palette, perfect for artists who travel with multiple shades.

 ONE/SIZE by Patrick Starr – Made for Shade Bronze & Sculpt Trio Palette
These powders launched some time ago, and I have to say, I absolutely love playing with this product. Highly pigmented, each compact offers three variations within its shade family, with differences becoming more pronounced in the deeper tones. While this formula does contain talc—something I always like to mention—the way it applies to the skin is incredibly fluid and smooth. The large, shiny red compact is a statement piece, and with three large pans of bronzer, it’s lasted me forever with no signs of hitting pan.

 Wonderblush – Le Hâle Bronzing Powder
Based in my hometown of Montréal, Wonderblush is a brand I’m incredibly proud of. Launched in the fall of 2023, Wonderblush has already made a name for itself with a series of elegant, high-performance products, made locally, at an affordable luxury price. Currently available in two shades, Le Hâle Bronzing Powder is a new must-have for makeup artists and enthusiasts alike. The simple, streamlined compact has a satisfying snap when you close it, and while packaging isn’t everything, the practical elegance of Wonderblush stands out. Just wait until you see their blush colors!

I hope you enjoy this selection of bronzers to achieve that perfect golden, sun-kissed complexion. Stay lively, stay sunny, and glow golden as you soak up the sun—but don’t forget your sunscreen!

Until next time, stay beautiful!