In full disclosure I have met the owner of Smart Cover, Flori Roberts (the blonde in the picture), at a dinner I attended back in September. Let me tell you this woman is a firecracker. I LOVED her. So when she told me about her product line, I was honored that she wanted to hear my opinion on it.

When receiving products I’ve learned not to judge a book by its cover. I’ve reviewed products in glorious packaging only for the product to completely fall short of its claims and I’ve reviewed products in poor packaging that are incredibly amazing. Have you experienced this too? Smart Cover’s packaging is a mix of good and bad. The concealer tubes and concealer sticks are good quality, but the bronzer packaging is not as good a quality. However, like I said, packaging is not everything and when it comes down to it—it’s the quality of the product that counts.

The Concealing Creme is a heavy duty concealer and works really great. Go easy applying it because less is more. If you put too much, it does look cakey. If you don’t need an “industrial” type concealer, there is the Smart Cover Stick, which has the look of a lipstick and applies with a thinner and lighter texture. Another Godsend was the Anti-Feathering Stick for lips. It felt great on and kept my lipstick from…feathering of course!

Smart Cover products can be purchased individually or in a kit and they are pretty affordable. You can see them all at www.smartcover.com. If you’ve tried them I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Photo Credit: SmartCover.com

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1. Under eye circles
2. Splotchy red skin
3. Age and sun spots.

NOC, which stands for “Neutralize, Obliterate and Conceal” does just that in creating a flawless look to your skin and hiding all of those imperfections that no one needs to know about.

I’m already used to wearing yellow concealer for around my nose, my eye lids and any blemishes and cover up for under my eyes, but what sealed the deal for me was the salmon colored concealer actually working to hide my sun spots on my forehead.

I part my hair off to the side with side swept bangs and the sun has been relentless in leaving behind tons of sun spots on that exposed area of my forehead. I’ve never used anything that could conceal them until I tried NOC-Out. The color blended in with my skin tone leaving no trace of those wretched spots behind.

I heard about NOC-Out through Beautyfix. (Have you checked them out yet?) You can get this product through membership there (which is worth it!) or it is available through Redpoint.com for $38.

*Photo Credit: Redpoint

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I picked up this little gem in 02mid, which really appears to go on more translucent to blend in with my skintone. (I also must’ve gotten it on sale because I definitely did not pay $21 for it.) The power is very very fine and even makes your skin feel powdery soft. You lightly dust it over your “shine spots” which generally for me, is my entire face. It kept my skin looking matte for about 4-5 hours–so perfect when you are going to those Holiday parties or an impromptu photo opp arises.

The powder itself is talc, so beware if you have allergies to that. Otherwise, I have fallen in love with it and I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a matte makeup finish.

Find it at Target online and instores for $21.

*Photo Credit: Jemma Kidd

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Can’t really tell that I am truly porcelin, can you? The color is buildable, as well. If you want a deeper “tan” then wait for the first application to dry and then apply again. I chose to only do one application since I would look pretty odd with the rest of my body being so white.

This isn’t self tanner, it’s more like a bronzing tint. It’s a very thin texture and you need to be sure to wash your hands when you’re done because your palms will look an orangy brown–but that color does not translate to your face as you can see.

Surprisingly it stood up to heat and humidity without coming off. It is easily removed, however, with a good makeup remover. I would recommend it for anyone looking for a quick and easy tan that isn’t a long term committment.

*Photo Credit: Benefit & (c) Shannon Nelson

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HD means we have to worry about every wrinkle, pockmark, and shadow. The naked eye might not see any imperfections on your skin but the HD camera won’t miss a flaw. While the technology has been rapidly growing, the beauty industry has been in dire need of makeup exclusively geared towards solving these particular dilemmas.

Kryolan has created a High Definition Makeup line tailored specifically for high-resolution cameras. Encased in stylish silver and translucent packaging, products give its users porcelain-perfect skin before the camera, as well as nurture it by hosting Vitamin E, anti-aging properties, and ingredients that protect from harmful UV-rays.

I just bought a webcam (I know, it’s about time!) and as I sit here trying to record video, I am astonished at how awful the camera makes me look–yikes you can see every wrinkle! I’ll soon be getting my hands on some of the Kryolan products and I’ll review them on camera to see if they hold up to their claims! If they can make me look good on your basic webcam, then certainly HD will be Ok.

In the meantime, check them out at www.kryolan.com

*Photo Credit: Kryolan

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The pictures are pretty amazing and the CEO has been the makeup artist to such shows as Baywatch (so that’s why Pam Anderson’s boobs looked ginormous) and Miss USA.

I’ll be honest, I’m not sure I believe that it works unless you already have a relatively thin stomach or defined legs. I can hardly image someone like myself who is not in the best shape (although I’ve been working out for 2 weeks straight and lost 4 pounds woo!) would find any value in these products.

Renee, if you are reading and you purchase a kit, drop me a line and I’ll let you write a guest review.

If you’ve tried it, share your experience in the comments!

*Photo Credit: It Cosmetics

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Between Leo at Lancome and Chad at Three Custom Color Specialists, I picked up a few tips on how to make my eyes appear brighter and wider. Something I always noticed in pictures is that when I smile, my eyes seem to look a bit squinty and small.

1-Do not apply mascara to your bottom lashes. This only “closes” up your eyes.

2-Use a light colored shadow near the inner corner of your eye.

3-Use a flesh colored liner on the inner rim of your lower lid and also a small dab at the inner corner of your eye. Flesh colored works better than white because it looks more natural. (3C’s Light Clarifier is perfect! They also have one for darker skin tones!)

4-Apply a very thin line of eyeliner to the inner rim of the upper lid then widen it out mid-lid. This makes your eyes look more open.

5-Define your brows with a blended pencil and powder. It really brings attention to your eye and by doing it in conjunction with all of the above, your eyes will really pop.

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If you haven’t seen this brightening wand, one end is a nude-pink liner for the corner of your eyes and the other end is a sheer pink highlighter that you can apply to lids, crease, brows or cheeks for a subtle glow.

At checkout use code: REST08 www.tartecosmetics.com

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California Kissin is Benefit’s “fake it” gloss for whiter looking teeth. It’s a clear gloss with lots of blue shimmer. Its minty scent and taste will keep you feeling like you just brushed your teeth (or you just have some Colgate Total action going on).

The mint isn’t a bad thing, just not expected in a gloss. When I think of mint on my lips it’s usually with lip balm. Even though there is so much blue shimmer in the tube that it looks like you will be applying blue gloss to your lips–no worries, it is a clear gloss. The blue shimmer spreads out evenly and will in no way make you feel like you are reliving the 80’s. I actually liked the way the color looked on my lips…but did my teeth look whiter? Maybe a shade, but nothing substantial.

Justine Case contains: California Kissin, Eyecon, Benetint and Some kind of gorgeous.

Have you tried California Kissin? What did you think of it?

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My Mineral Sheer Radiance is in Dream, which is a pale pink in color. This is a product you apply as a finishing touch over your foundation or you can wear it alone when you have one of those “just rolled out of bed” moments and need to run out and do errands.

This product definitely gave my face that “lift” it needed; giving me a flush of color. It also has an SPF of 8 so that I have some protection in the sun, as well.

www.urbanapothecary.com

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