Cheryl Shops

A couple of months ago, I had my hair and makeup trial for my wedding (which is this weekend, for those of you paying attention). My hair was a resounding success; my makeup, not so much. Getting one's makeup done is one of those things that seems like it would be awesome, but nine times out of ten, at least in my experience, something tends to go horribly wrong. In this case, it was the mineral makeup that the artist used; apparently I am like the only person in the world who is allergic to it (this is now the second supposedly hypoallergenic brand that made be break out horribly). And so I decided to pull a Kate Middleton and do my own wedding makeup. I have a great eyebrow pencil (Kevyn Aucoin), favorite mascara (Diorshow), universally flattering blush (NARS Orgasm, of course), go-to lipstick (Armani in 21), non-budging black eyeliner (Make Up Forever Aqua Eyes), and a blendable set of neutral eyeshadows (mine is by Smashbox and is no longer available, but this palette is pretty close to what I have). I decided to upgrade my concealer and buy some foundation (which I never, ever wear), so based on the beauty accolades in this month's InStyle, I decided on Clé de Peau concealer and Armani Luminous Silk foundation. My first stop was the Clé de Peau counter, and asking for concealer turned into me sitting in the chair and getting a full face of makeup...which, to the saleswoman's credit, looked pretty darn good. (I wonder if she does weddings...) In fact, I looked so good, I ended up buying the foundation she used as well as the concealer.

Now, I take pretty good care of my skin--I have a regime, which I stick to religiously (and which I will write about in detail at some point, if you all are interested), and I've been getting facials twice a month (hey, don't judge!) at the excellent Joanna Vargas Salon. I thought I was one of those people who could get away without wearing foundation, but, let's face it, I'm well into my 30s now, and maybe I need a little extra help. I had shied away from using foundation in the past, because it usually sits on my skin and looks so unnatural to me, but, wow, apparently I've been missing out. The foundation that converted me is Clé de Peau Refining Fluid Foundation. Supposedly it has some high-tech polymers that automatically adjust the moisture levels on your skin; all you need to know it that it makes you look absolutely radiant. It evens out my skin, covers my pores, and--this is important--stays put all day. Like, today I went to work, took a walk at lunch, worked out after work, and it's 11 p.m. now and my skin still looks amazing. The saleswoman showed me how to apply it with a sponge, concentrating it where I need the most coverage (my nose and environs) and then spreading it outward to my cheeks and forehead, where I need less. I don't look like I'm wearing foundation; I look like a better version of me. Of course, perfection has its price, and as I discovered when I handed over my credit card, that price is $120. For the foundation. (The concealer is $70, which isn't exactly a bargain either.) And while my wedding has led me to justify spending more money than I probably need to on many things (see twice-monthly facials, above), I truly think this foundation is worth it. I've been wearing it every day since I've bought it (yes, even on the weekend!), and since one pump is more than enough to cover my face, I'm hoping it lasts quite a while. Regardless, skin is something that, like your hair, you "wear" every day, and I'd gladly spend $120 on a pair of shoes. (See how I justify things?) That's logic I probably should have applied to my wedding dress, but, hey, baby steps, right?