little beauty confession:  i hate mascara.  ever since benefit discontinued an old eggplant-hued mascara i adored, i have boycotted mascara in all its forms, and have instead resorted to a lash tint from neutrogena (which is quite lovely).  i honestly tried to get on board with at least 10 other formulas, and never found one i loved.  i could never keep it from being goopy and gluing my lashes together, and i either have to put up with a waterproof formula that i can never remove or a non-waterproof formula that does bad things for the already-impressive under-eye circles i’m constantly trying to avoid.  

so, how excited was i when benefit let me know they were debuting bad girl plum?!  well, as excited as a girl can get about mascara.  i know i’ve tried benefit’s original bad gal mascara at some point in the past, but i honestly don’t remember loving it as much as i do this time around.  i’m being completely serious when i say this is the absolute first time i’ve used a mascara that didn’t require me to then take a toothpick (or other similarly sharp instrument) to my lashes.  sharp object + eye area, before my morning caffeine?  no, thanks.

but the supersized brush on this product is fantastic - nary a clump to be found.  the formula isn’t rubbing off, but it washed off nicely.  and the plum color is a fantastic, soft shade that just sort of works, without anyone ever being able to say “hey, you’re wearing purple mascara!”.  

my only caution: if you do rub your eyes during the day, the result isn’t that sexy, smoldering smudged look…but more like “i’ve been weeping profusely for 3 hours”, due to the red pigments.  i don’t recommend it.

grab a supersized tube at benefit now.  i know i’ll be stockpiling like crazy, just in case…

i think i’ve finally realized i’m not 20 any more…and so, have been on a quest lately for a good, line-minimizing night cream.  the problem is that most creams are designed for skin with much bigger problems than i have.  they tend to be thick, overly oily, and have kind of a weird smell (this is after testing at least 10 versions from different brands).

so, when i tried clarins line prevention multi-active night cream, i was cautiously optimistic.  their line is always a favorite of mine, but after so much disappointment, i wasn’t about to get my hopes up.  

fortunately, they seem to be the only company that has realized women under 70 need night-time moisture as well.  their version is actually tailored for younger women (30s, specifically, but who’s counting…).  it’s silky soft, contains just the right amount of moisture to give me a nice, dewy glow that makes me feel better about my makeup-free-face, and has almost no scent at all.  jackpot!

as an added bonus - my skin is completely in love.  when i try to go a night without doing the evening skin routine (i know, i know…very bad), it rebels like it never has before.  and while my wrinkles haven’t vanished, the ones on my forehead have improved…and the rest don’t seem to be getting any worse.  which is really about all i can ask of a moisturizer, i think.

find it wherever clarins is sold, or on their website, for $72.  yes, it’s a lot.  but i’ve been using it daily for a month now, and honestly, i’ve barely made a dent in the jar.  i’m estimating it’s a six-month supply…so just call it $12/month for happy skin.

after talking about travel chic, i got to thinking about travel beauty.  airplane cabins are gross, germy places that also dry out your skin.  the number one thing you can do to stay beautiful is to keep hydrated. 

the day before you leave, drink lots of water - i absolutely love this new water from aquadeco.  i am freakishly picky about bottled water, and this one is my new favorite.  plus, the bottle is gorgeous - i’ve actually been using one as a bud vase at work!

another pre-travel beauty must is to keep away from salty foods and alcohol.  while it’s tempting to have that in-flight bloody mary, drinking water or tea will keep you looking fresh.  bring your own tea bags, too - mighty leaf tea is my favorite, i love the silk bags.  also, evian makes these adorable travel sized hydrating sprays, that will keep your makeup looking dewey and fresh - no one wants that cakey make-up face (just watch out for the people behind you when you spray!).

turn the cabin into your own mini spa by carrying luscious travel-sized hand creams. duwop’s hands 2 hair works as a styling creme for your locks as well as a hand cream, which is perfect for me because i get some serious fly-away hair while in flight! 

i like to keep my makeup to a minimum when i travel.  stila’s illuminating tinted moisturizer gives sheer coverage and a subtle shimmer to keep you looking fabulous, just in case you have a gorgeous seat mate!  for your lips, try to refrain from the usual lipstick, which can dry your lips out.  instead, try c.o. bigelow’s mentha lip tint in pink - it’s moisturizing and has a great minty sensation (also great for your breath!).  with a bare face, you can always duck into the ladies’ room when you land to freshen up - carry trish mcevoy’s ‘be prepared’ kit for sizes that will make it through security. 

finally the best beauty advice for any girl on the go:   relax, enjoy your trip and smile! 

what are your best travel beauty tips? 

i couldn’t resist sharing this collaboration between two of my favorite trendsetters:  shopbop and benefit.  my closet is so full of shopbop items, it’s a little embarrassing.  and my love for benefit goes way, way back…in fact, their mascara was my first “big girl” makeup purchase ever. 

so, when i saw that they were teaming up for fall, i took notice.  and, true to form, the results are stellar.  the buyers and chief stylist at shopbop have come up with a collection of looks that will give you a taste of what’s new for fall.  they’re extreme incarnations, to be sure - so i wouldn’t follow them to the letter.  but they’re a great guide to the hottest trends you’ll be seeing when the weather cools down. 

not that i’m a slave to trends when it comes to beauty, but there are definitely some unique makeup trends ahead for fall, and i’m loving the versions benefit has developed.  my favorite is the dewy, fresh “boho” look (above) - it has that lovely “i just rolled out of bed looking this amazing” quality i crave, and i may even go so far as to attempt it myself.  check them all out and find your fave.

head over to shopbop today and check out the gorgeous results from this dream team.  you’ll be coveting cooler weather in no time….not to mention a new pair of boots.

i recently received a question from a reader who’s about to go international - ooh la la! 

Dear Ms. SMC,

As I head out of the country it is unclear what sort of resourcing I will find in the brow waxing field once I arrive in Switzerland. Any product suggestions to help me keep the brows in check if I have to do it on my own?

~M

one of the worst parts about moving is having to find all new professionals to trust with your home, health and - most importantly - beauty.  it’s challenging enough stateside, but add a foreign element, and it’s downright frightening.

fortunately, this one’s an easy fix.  what you want is a brow kit from celebrated brow guru (yes, such a thing exists) anastasia beverly hills.  i’ve tried it, and i can tell you it’s as close to foolproof as DIY brow maintenance gets.  simply pick the right stencil for your brow shape, hold it over the brow, fill in the lines with brow powder, and tweeze anything outside the lines.  clean off the excess powder, use brow gel to put everything in its place, and add the highlighting pencil to make your arch look even more fabulous (my favorite part of the kit, by far - it’s fantastic!).  voila - perfect brows. 

all of the equipment you’ll need for the steps above is included in the sephora-exclusive brow kit from anastasia - it’ll feel like an investment at $75, but if you manage to skip 4-5 brow waxes, it pays for itself.  to be honest, i’d buy most of the products in the kit separately anyway, even if someone else was doing my waxing for me.  plus, i have to admit there’s some appeal to not leaving your brow shape completely to chance (or to the whim of your aesthetician).

i did find that i’m more partial to their stick-on stencils than i am to the sturdier, plastic stencils that come in the kit.  it can be a little tricky to hold the stencil still while you’re applying the powder, until you get the hang of things.

i hope that helps ease the transition, M - send us a postcard from switzerland (or better yet, a nice big piece of chocolate)!

one of my favorite things about summer is that i get to break out my favorite bright nail colors (toes only, thank you!).  since i spend more time than is at all rational debating the merits of various shades, i thought the least i could do is share the fruits of my labor by letting you in on my favorite classic colors for summer.

when it comes to fingers, i’m all about neutrals - and i’ve been wearing opi’s “samoan sand” since the day it arrived.  i love that it’s sheer and goes with everything, but the hint of brown makes it more subtle and sophisticated than my usual sheer pinks.

this summer, everyone’s been talking about chanel’s “facets d’or” gold polish.  and it’s lovely, no doubt.  but i’ve been completely sucked in by “splendeur”, a fantastic shade that goes on fuschia, and dries to the perfect raspberry pink/red hybrid.  plus, there’s just something lovely and girly about wearing chanel - even when it’s nail color.  splendeur has been my go-to all summer. 

for a more fun, girly hot pink shade, i’ve been loving “i’m indi-a mood for love” from opi’s fantastic new india collection.  to be honest, i love just about every shade in this line - it’s well worth spending some time with. 

if you’re more into reds, chanel’s “dazzling” is that rarer-than-rare flattering orange-red.  what they lack in quantity of color choices, chanel always makes up for in quality.  literally every shade i’ve tried is gorgeous, and i’ve never used polish that’s stayed on my nails longer, which makes it well worth the $20 pricetag in my book.

last but not least, metallics are always tricky for me, but chanel’s new “kaleidoscope” (not yet available online) is the best shade i’ve found, hands down (no pun intended).  it varies from a warm green gold to deep grey to liquid silver, depending on the light.  it’s surprisingly neutral, and is a warm enough tone that it won’t keep you from wearing gold jewelry.  opi’s “charmed by a snake” is a very close second…the shade is this amazing bronzy brown/pink shade that’s so beautiful, i might even give it a try on my fingers when the weather cools down.

what about you?  what’s your go-to shade for summer? 

okay!  so the winner this week is Melissa W., who won that amazing elizabethW eau de parfum with the bonus entry she got for posting the contest on facebook!  here’s what she had to say:

I took this “assignment” as an excuse to post about your blog to my Facebook page, inviting my friends to see why I laugh in their faces when they accuse me of being into fashion. Hopefully they will come check out the guru.

i love how we always end up with winners whose quotes are so nice!  thanks for the lovely words, melissa - and enjoy that fab new perfume!  just don’t forget to email me by monday morning with your mailing info, so we can get that sent out to you (assuming i don’t swipe it for myself!  kidding, kidding…)

if you didn’t win, i still strongly encourage you to check out a fragrance or two from elizabethW.  if you need help narrowing the field, drop me a line at editor[@]shoppingsmycardio.com…i’m a total addict, so i know their fragrances pretty well by now!

huge thanks to everyone who entered, especially those of you who tried something new and spread the word about shoppingsmycardio to score that extra entry in the contest!  what did you guys think of that twist to the giveaway, by the way…should we keep it up?

this is your last chance to score that faaaabulous eau de parfum from elizabethw - entries close at midnight tonight!  but right now, your odds are through the roof.  don’t blow it…enter now!

when i first heard about the new line of cosmetics from kat von d for sephora, i honestly wasn’t sure what to expect.  kat is a well known tattoo artist and, more recently, a reality tv star.  in other words, i’m not exactly her target demographic.  but i actually sort of loved it!

first, i’m a total packaging whore, and this line lured me in right away with the styling.  black boxes, printed with gorgeous tattoo-inspired florals, and gunmetal tissue paper sealed with a faux wax seal - very goth fab (if there is such a thing).

i’m not what you’d call adventurous when it comes to my beauty routine…i’ve been wearing the same pale pink eyeshadow for two years now.  but if anyone could make me branch out and try an actual new look, it’s kat.  her eyeshadows just beg to be smeared all over for that “i just rolled out of bed looking this fabulous” look - in fact, it happens almost without trying.  because they’re all a little bit irridescent, you’re left with this sort of inexplicable, sexy shimmer effect, but it’s definitely not your teen sister’s sparkle shadow.  

i also checked out the two things that most terrify me in the land of cosmetics:  liquid eyeliner and red lipstick.  but again, pretty impressed, actually.  the lipsticks have that rare combination of matte and moisture - for you girls that are really into the deep red lips, i think this is one of the best color palettes and formulations i’ve found for that.  as for the eyeliner, the brush was so well-designed that i actually managed to put it on without painting my cheeks - and the dark aubergine shade (i tried ‘turbo lover’ ) was gorgeous, and so much less harsh than black.

overall, it’s a line worth braving your neighborhood sephora to check out (seriously, couldn’t they make those aisles just a little wider?).  or, better yet, just buy online

we’re a day late on this week’s giveaway, but trust me when i tell you it was worth the wait!  this week, the fantastic owners of elizabethW would like one of you to have a full-size bottle of their eau de parfum in my favorite fragrance, sweet tea!  i have to admit - this one is taking some discipline to give away, rather than keep for myself.

you know i love just about everything over at elizabethW, but sweet tea is a hands-down favorite in my perfume drawer.  the scent is so mellow and familiar, but has just enough going on to keep it really interesting.  it stays delicate because of the honey and lemon notes, but then that earthy black tea scent comes in and keeps it from being too precious.  it’s a hard scent to explain, but i’ve never met anyone that didn’t love it. 

so, to enter, comment below!  we’ll draw a winner on friday, and you’ll have to email me by monday with your address - easy peasy. 

and just to keep things interesting, i’m going to let everyone earn an extra entry this week by trying out one of the super cool new features on the site (bribery is the ultimate encouragement)!  if you like it, maybe we’ll make it a permanent bonus feature :)  for your bonus entry:

1. pick your favorite post on shoppingsmycardio - it can be this contest, of course, but any post will do.
2. use that little purple heart at the bottom of the post (it says “share it” next to the heart) to send it out into the ether somewhere:  digg it, stumble it, facebook it…any of the options you see there. 
3. then, come back and comment to tell me what you sent out there and where you sent it!

presto, bonus entry!  just trying to share the love far and wide ;)  good luck, everyone!!