In the spring months, I still like to wear a little bit of makeup, since I haven’t gotten much vitamin D this winter. What I really crave though, is a fresh perky playful look once that sun comes out. It's time to retire my heavier winter look expressed with concealers, dark shadows, and loads of under-eye coverup, and find a lighter pallet that will deliver a warm, beaming, natural look. Right now I turn to Lilah b. to satisfy this desire, a fantastic, clean, honest, and nourishing cosmetic line that honorably, has their clients best interests at heart.
Founded by beauty veteran, Cheryl Yannotti Foland, she became well aware that the color cosmetic world was oversaturated with products making shopping redundant and confusing. She then decided to develop a collection with thoughtful and purposeful products, eliminating clutter and cutting out unnecessary application time. She believes “beauty should be about quality, not quantity” And thus this fantastic “good for you” makeup line was born.
Lilah b. offers, of the moment, classic colors and looks, while keeping things clean, simple and chic. What’s even more chic though is the packaging. The compacts remind me of that one perfect skipping stone you find at the beach, perfectly smooth with the prettiest shape. You just want to hold it in your hands, feeling it’s weight and rubbing at it’s perfection. Lilah b. makeup is housed in these stone like capsule that are so smooth, shiny and have a kind of solid weight that immediately lets you know that you’re holding a superior item.
All Lilah b. products are made to perform on a multi purpose level, removing unnecessary items. So while you are flashing a new brilliant look on your face, these goodies are simultaneously hard at work nourishing and combating flaws. Got to love a good multi-tasker.
Now without further ado let me tell you what my new spring makeup will be consisting of.
For me, the warmer weather satisfies any dry or unevenness on my face leaving it relatively calm looking. This calls for very little need to wear much of a base, if any, especially if I’ve gotten a little tanned. With clean skin, or after applying a tinted moisturizer, I go directly to the Lilah b. Bronzed Beauty Bronzer Duo in shade b. sun kissed. The color and pigment are subtle enough to create a natural glow, yet eye-catching to create complements. It has a light weight sheen quality that I can comfortably build upon for more of a tanned complexion.
This little precious gem/stone has a lighter and darker shade inside the compact that can be used as one combined color or two separate. The bronzer includes coconut oil to moisturize, aloe to sooth and agar to add even more glow. For a natural looking contoured look I use a medium sized soft brush and dust it on my face using the rule of threes. Start at the middle of the forehead swooping into the center of your cheek and then down your jaw line. Tracing a 3 on your face with the brush. Then apply what is leftover on the brush to the tip of your nose. This will give a soft beach babe look.
Everyone nowadays makes a highlighter. But not all highlighters are created equally. While some are a powder and dry, I find that they eventually collect in the smile lines around my eyes. Others are often a liquid and can be fairly sticky, not mixing well with my other cosmetics, making it difficult to blend and control.
The Lilah b. Skin Illuminator Glisten + Glow is the most magical combination of powder and cream that perfectly melts onto my skin without interfering with my other products or settling into any creases I’m not trying to show off. Lilah b.’s Illuminator is made with ingredients like sunflower oil to reduce inflammation, fatty acids to brighten and sea algae to firm and improve texture. My favorite way to wear this is in my brow bow, on my temples and delicately down the center of my nose. All the spots that might flicker in the perfect lighting. It’s also a great way to improve dull looking skin as it glistens faultlessly. Of course I want to shine, but on my face, I rather just glow.
The final step is undeniably my favorite. So good I admit I just paused to admire it on me projected from an image inside my head. I won’t do the product justice, as I’m not sure anyone could, so just bear with me as I fantasize. What it’s called: Divine Duo Lip & Cheek. What it is: 2 in 1 lipstick and blush. What it does: makes me happy. A lip and cheek duo is the one thing, aside from child and iPhone (not necessarily in that order), I will never leave the house without. And while there are plenty of alternatives out there to purchase, there are only a few I will wear.
Not all colors and formulas work for both my lips and my cheeks making the product function as just one or the other. This is not the time saving boost of beauty I almost always need running around NYC like a mad woman.
The Lilah b.’s Divine Duo comes in 8 fabulous colors, one more brilliant than the next (I have 4 and counting). The Lip & Cheek duo is altogether curious, it appears to be heavily pigmented yet goes on a light sheer color that is very true to the stain seen in the compact. The matte finish is something that caught my attention knowing that it wouldn’t leave any greasy looking spots on my cheeks as a lip gloss might. Also the added hydration via essential oils would make my lips look plump and not dry as if I used my blush on them.
Not only was I pleasantly pleased with my assessment on the cheeks but marveled in the level of moisture it held to my lips. This makes it the perfect buildable product creating so much diversity for your life. With one color you can have a deep red lip for night out or a flushed cheek for summer cocktails or a light berry pucker for an afternoon lunch and even the slightest bit on your face in the morning to awaken your eyes and smile when all you can really think about is going back to sleep. Who ever invented this dual action product is a mastermind genius and has my vote.
This seemingly simple line is actually pretty complex in the way that it thoughtfully and throughly delivers everything you need to look your best, with just a few options that all work well to blend and complement each other. Where the simplicity does lie is in your shopping cart, as they have made it quite clear you don’t need a lot. Just the best.