MY FAVORITE MAKE UP PRODUCTS OF 2012...SO FAR

In December 2011, I made a list of my favorite beauty products, from cosmetics and stage make up to hair, nail and hygiene items. Many of you have been requesting a similar list for this year… so I made a new list of some recent faves of mine, all with mini-reviews.

I absolutely love all the products listed below, and in most cases, also included links so you can either purchase them for yourself, or read what others have to say about them!

Here ya go:

MAC Lipstick in CB96

I’ve been in love with this color for years; I’ve been through countless tubes of it. If you want to try the fad for coral lipstick but keep finding shades that are too “grandma”- looking or too chalky, give this shade a whirl. Apply it lightly, blot and finish with a clear gloss, and you’ll have a pleasing, coral-esque lip color, flattering for a range of complexions from very fair to pretty dark.

If you’re looking for a really zingy stage lip, this product delivers! It gives a rich, dimensional, two-toned color (golden apricot/ deep burnt orange) with a hyper-pearlized effect. Out line it with a deep red lip pencil, and it won’t even look orange, it just shapes your lips in a magic way, shimmering where your lips should be plump. Can’t say enough about how great this shade is!

e.l.f. Studio Make Up Remover Pen

This little corrector pen is an indispensable- and really portable- tool for fixing make up glitches one the go- whether you’re creating a face backstage, or just touching up on a date! It is a neat and precise way to fix things like powder shadows migrating to the under-eye area, or wiggly, meandering eyeliner jobs, without swabbing the whole area and starting from scratch. Amazing!

Ben Nye Lumiere Grande Color Eye Shadows

These eye shadows are the secret weapon behind my outrageously colorful stage make up. Silky and luminescent, pearly and gorgeous, they go on wet or dry and blend well to look like a hyper-pigmented watercolor painting on your eyes. Apply them dry for a smoky look, or apply them wet (use a damp brush with water) for a bold stage eye that stays put throughout multiple shows-and-sweat during the course of an evening. You can also use them as liner- they’re that versatile. Lumiere Grande shadows are available singly, or in palettes of six or twelve. They’re more expensive than drugstore shadows, but way cheaper than some higher-end shadows that don’t perform nearly as well… and they are worth every cent you spend on them! I own these in every color they make, and have used them for the past fifteen or so years.

Lumiere Grande Colour ben nye Ice

Olay Regenerist Regenerating Serum

I’m no spring chicken, but this stuff makes my skin look dewy and feel as soft as a baby’s behind! I adore this serum- it’s full of amino peptides and vitamin B3, it’s fragrance free, and absorbs quickly. After the short amount of time it takes to sink into the skin, it also acts as a great primer for foundation, to keep it from creasing. Let’s put it this way: I can’t live without this stuff! You can get this at almost any drugstore-anywhwere!

Body Fantasies Fragrance by Parfums De Coeur in Cotton Candy Fantasy

Everyone always tells me how yummy I smell when I come on or off stage, and ask what my sweet, light fragrance is… because it smells like cotton candy.

I always tell them “Aw… it’s just my stripper spray!”

I call it that because this stuff is about $3.99 for a big bottle. Actually, I think it’s probably aimed at tweens and pre-tens, but I can’t live without it. This spray is light, non-oily, and the fragrance is sweet but not cloying or over-powering. It feels fresh when it’s on, and the scent doesn’t even bother my hyper-scent-sensitive boyfriend…. plus you can buy it at any drug store. I get travel-sized misters and fill them from the large bottle, then pop one in every dance or gig bag I own, so I can always keep smelling like (pick your analogy) a 1980’s stripper or Tinkerbelle! Body Fantasies Body Spray for Women, Cotton Candy Fantasy Fragrance, 8 Ounce

Sonia Kashuk Core Tools, Brush Sets and Retractable Tools

Sonia Kashuk makes fantastic make up brushes- everything from domed blush brushes to tiny, bent (for accuracy) eyeliner brushes. They are durable and comparable to much more expensive brushes, plus they’re available at Target! Her brush sets are fabulous too- she has a purse-sized set, various travel collections, and a set made just for the eyes. Can’t beat these brushes unless you’re planning on spending a lot more!

Burt’s Bees Tinted Lip Balm

Oh…. these are genius! Not only are they all natural, and will feel silky and wonderful on your parched lips, they come in a variety of beautiful colors, with a slight pearly sheen. They’re slick but not gooey, and they taste fresh and pepper-minty. My fave shades are (in no particular order) Rose, Champagne, and Watermelon. Wear them to repair chapped lips while looking lovely. Then you can line your lips with…

Wet ‘N’Wild Icon Lipliner Pencil in Brandywine 666

This might be the only time 666 stand for anything non-Satanic!

For years, this shade has been the ne plus ultra of natural-look lip-liners. Whether you line your lips just on the inside or slightly over the outside, this shade makes your mouth look plump and naturally gorgeous- it makes you look as though you’ve had “work” done… but not in a trout-pout way. The pencil is the perfect texture- not too waxy, not too hard, and glides on well, and the color works for just about everybody. This color is almost ALWAYS sold out at drugstores, so you can order it online here: Wet 'n' Wild Creme Lipliner Pencil, Brandy Wine 666

Rom Deussen Glitter Raks Cosmetic Glitter

Dancer and Glitter Mistress Rom Deussen has a line of dancer-designed cosmetic glitter, the proceeds of which all go to benefit various charities! You may already be familiar with her extremely popular Eye Kandy Glitter, but these are custom mixes which look amazing on stage, and the money they make all goes to a worthy cause! My own mix , Psychedelic Sunset, benefits Voice Of Roma, which is a world-wide foundation for the Rom or Gypsy people, Rachel Brice, Asharah and Tempest have all designed colors, too. www.romdeussen.com/glitter_raks.html