Second City Style's 2009 Beauty Olympics Part 1: Color Cosmetics

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Natayle Henry

The 2009 Beauty Olympics are finally here! This year we tested thousands of products to find the best of the best in just about every beauty category. From makeup to foot scrubs, we have you literally covered form head to foot! We put these products to the test and sacrificed ourselves (literally) to make sure that you didn’t waste your precious time and money on products that don’t work!

You might notice it’s a little different than the past few years. There were so many wonderful products, often times it was difficult to just choose one winner. More often than not, the winning product only won by 1-3 votes. With such small margins, we felt we weren’t doing you justice by not sharing with you other products were absolutely fantastic. Keeping with the “Olympic” theme, we now have Gold, Silver and Bronze winners as well as a couple of Honorable Mentions. In some categories, you’ll notice only one “gold” winner — why you ask? Because nothing else we tested came close to this product!

So after several months of testing, 4 skin allergies, a couple of horrific breakouts and some fried hair, I’d like to start our opening ceremonies with the best products to help you put your best face forward!

LIPS

Lip Gloss
Gold: Tarte Double Dose $21
“This gloss is absolutely amazing! My lips are left moisturized and perfectly kissable!” -Kristen George, Stylist Assistant
Silver: CoverGirl Wetslicks (with Crest Peppermint Oils) $6.25
Bronze: CARGO blu_ray Lip Gloss $29

Plumping Lip Gloss
Gold: Bare Escentuals Buxo $18
Silver: Jane Iredale Pure Gloss for Lips

Long Wear Lip Gloss
Gold: Chanel Glossimer $27
“Chanel can never do wrong in my book. This gloss lasts all day and lives my pout perfectly glossed.” —Stephanie Grant, Actress
Silver: MAC Lipglass $14
Bronze: Max Factor Lipfinity Max Wear Lipcolor $8.99

Lip Stain
Gold: Tarte Rise & Shine $21
Silver: CoverGirl Outlast Lip Stain $8.99

Long Wear Lipstick
Gold: Givenchy Rouge Interdit Satin Lipstick $27
“Most long wear lipsticks are drying and make lips look cracked and disgusting. This is the FIRST and only lipstick that lasted for hours AND kept my lips soft and moist.” —Simone Hemmings, Stylist

Lipstick
Gold: Max Factor Vivid Impact Lipcolor $8.99
Silver: Bobbi Brown Metallic Lip Color $22
Bronze: Bare Escentuals 100% Natural Lipcolor $15

Sheer Lipstick
Gold: Givenchy Rouge Interdit Shine $26.50
“I never leave home without it! The benefit of a great lipstick with gloss effect.” —Tiffany Stevens, Media Sales Executive
Silver: Trish McEvoy—The Sheer Collection $22

Lip Balm
Gold: Blistex Deep Renewal $2.99
“A fantastic deeply moisturizing lip balm without frills and scents and packaged in a convenient lipstick-like container.” —Rachel Yeomans, Second City Style Editor
Silver: SoftLips $2.69
Bronze: Yes To Carrots C Me Smile Lip Butter $3.69
Honorable Mention: Organically Happy Ridiculously Organic Lip Therapy $2.95
and
Wei East White Olive Tinted Lip Smoother $19.95

EYES

Cream Eye Shadow
Gold: Bobbi Brown Cream Shadows *Editor’s Pick $22
“The coverage is fantastic and doesn’t crease or bleed!” —Kelley Epps-Woods, Second City Style Beauty Writer and Makeup Artist
Silver: Jane Iredale Eye Gloss $15
Bronze: Benefit Creaseless Eye Shadow/Liner $19

Powder Eye Shadow
Gold: Bobbi Brown Metallic Eye Shadow $20
“Sultry yet vibrant. The colors wear so well and does cake or become greasy.” —Alicia Witt, Makeup Artist
Silver: Mixology Mineral Makeup
$8.00
Bronze: Girlactik Beauty Star Shadow $14

Long-wear Eye Shadow
Gold: Tarte Lock & Roll *Editor’s Pick $17
Silver: Max Factor Vivid Impact Eyeshadow Duo $7.99

Inexpensive Eye Shadow
Gold: L’Oréal Paris HIP Powder $7.09
“Any makeup junkie on a budget should get this! I’ve spent so much money on department store brands and got the same great results with this! The color range is phenomenal and the wear is fantastic!” —Chrystine Bailey, Personal Assistant
Silver:
Milani Runway Eyes Singles $5.99

Pencil Eye Liner
Gold: Tarte Emphaseyes $18
“The best eyeliner… for so many reasons! 1. The coverage is subtle enough to use during the day, but the coverage can be intensified for the evening. 2. The point is so fine that it allows me to get the perfect line every time. And lastly, it’s so thin that it fits perfectly in my makeup bag or clutch!” —April Whitman, Associate Producer
Silver: MAC Eye Kohl *Editor’s Pick $14.50

Non-Pencil Eye Liner
Gold: BareMinerals Liner Shadow $13
Silver: Mixology Powder Eyeliner $6
Bronze: Thierry Mugler Eye Liner Cream $40

Brow Filler
Gold: Vanitymark Ultra-Brow Pencil $16
“Perfect pencil to either for day or night. Can help create a dramatic eyebrow or a subtle day brow.” —Rebecca Marris, Mother
Silver: Kevyn Aucoin Brow Pencil $24
Bronze: Tarte “The Toolbox” $18

Overall Mascara
Gold: Givenchy Phenomen’Eyes $28
“The little orb applicator took a few times to get the hang of using it properly, but once I did I loved it. My lashes looked almost fake as the orb deposits the mascara perfectly.” —Lauren Dimet Waters, Editor-In-Chief of Second City Style
Silver: Tarte Lash Hugger $18
And
Max Factor 2000 Calorie Extreme $9.99
Bronze: SpinLash $14.95
Honorable Mention: CoverGirl Eyelights Mascara $8.49

Waterproof Mascara
Gold: Jemma Kidd Lasting Tint Semi-Permanent, Waterproof Lash Colour $28.50

Lash Enhancers
Gold: Jan Marini Marini Lash $160
“There was a noticeable difference in the length and fullness of my lashes in only three weeks! By the sixth, people thought I got lash extensions!” —Jamie King, Chef

Face (Foundation, concealer, powders)

Liquid Foundation
Gold: Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk $58
“I have been using this foundation for years and have found nothing better! My face looks and feels like silk!” —Lauren Dimet Waters, Editor-In-Chief
Silver: Max Factor ColorGenius Foundation with Minerals $9.49

Non-Liquid Foundation
Gold: Becca Cosmetics Stick Foundation $44
“I thought that I would never stray from my ‘other’ stick foundation, but I think I just might…You know what they say—never say never.” —Felicia Webster, Student
Silver: CoverGirl Trublend Microminerals Foundation $10.99

Treatment Foundation
Gold: Tarte ReCreate $37
Silver: Sheer Cover: Mineral Foundation with SPF 15 $29.95 (for starter kit)

Oil-Free Foundation
Gold: Laura Mercier Oil-Free Foundation $42

Tinted Moisturizer
Gold: Becca Cosmetics Luminous Skin Colour Sheer Colour Make-Up SPF 25+ $42
“I am a tinted moisturizer snob and have only used the same tinted moisturizer for years. I’ve found that either they are too drying, too heavy or make my skin exceptionally oily, but this one was just right! My skin looked even and flawless while also being moisturized.” —Natayle Henry, Second City Style Beauty Editor
Silver: Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer $42
Bronze: Bobbi Brown $40

All-over Concealer
Gold: Becca Cosmetics Compact Concealer $38
“I absolutely LOVE this! The coverage is amazing! There are two different shades so you can mix them or use one for heavier coverage.” —Amorette Henry, Luxe Personal Assistant
Silver: Tarte The Eraser $19
Bronze: CARGO OneBase $24
Honorable Mention: BareMinerals Multi-Tasking Minerals $18

Inexpensive Concealer
Gold: Max Factor Erace Concealer $3.99
“I never knew that MF had such great products. The coverage is great and definitely compares to my favorite department store brand!” —Brett Carroll, Boutique owner

Blemish Concealer
Gold: Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage $28
Silver: Urban Decay 24/7 Concealer Pencil $17
Bronze: Proactiv Solution Concealer Plus $17.75

Pressed Powder
Gold: Givenchy Matissime Powder Foundation $42
“This foundation is light and didn’t clog my pores. My skin looked as if it had been airbrushed.” —Thersa Frank, Business Owner
Silver: MAC Mineralize SkinFinish $27
Bronze: Bobbi Brown Sheer Finish Pressed Powder $32

Loose Powder
Gold: bare escentuals bareMinerals SPF 15 Foundation $25
Silver: Becca Cosmetics Fine Loose Finishing Powder $35
Bronze: Jane Iredale Amazing Base Loose Mineral SPF 20 $42

Powder Blush
Gold: Nars Powder Blush $25
“This blush, by far surpasses most! The coverage is exceptional and it lasts all day! No powder blush has ever done that for me.” —Lindsey Saltz, National Account Executive
Silver: BareMinerals Powder Blush $18
Bronze: Mixology Powder Blush $12

Cream Blush
Gold: Nars Cream Blush $25
Silver: MAC Cream Blush $16.50

Gel/Stain Blush
Gold: Tarte Cheek Stain $28
“This is perfect for all skintones. I’ve used it on several of my models and talent and it gives the perfect amount of color. A cute flushed look.” —Fredericka Sutphen, Comotologist/Makeup Artist
Silver: Benetint by Benefit $28
Bronze: Liptini Cheek and Lip Stain $16.50
Honorable Mention: Jemma Kidd Cheek/Lip Stain $37.50

Bronzer
Gold: BareMinerals Face Color in Faux Tan $20
Silver: Givenchy Prismissime Mat & Glow Sun $53
Bronze: Tarte Mineral Bronzer $28

Powder Shimmer
Gold: BareMinerals Face Color in True $28
“This gave my skin the best glow. It didn’t look as if I threw sparkles or shimmer all over my face like a 13 year old girl!” —Shauna Ackerman, Student
Silver: Mixology $18

Highlighter
Gold: Givenchy Mister Bright Touch of Light Pen $32
“I literally NEVER go anywhere without this genius pen! I absolutely LOVE it! It offers the right amount of highlighting and makes me looks amazing at every angle.” —Natayle Henry, Second City Style Beauty Editor