My friend Lisa and I were talking recently about desert islands and beauty products we’d bring with us should we wind up on one. It’s an interesting concept, what you’d bring with you if you were dropped on a random desert island and one I think I picked up as a kid from watching movies (and having a wildly overactive imagination and a strange obsession as a kid with Pippi Longstocking). I often think of the three things I would bring with me in different categories- three people, three articles of clothing, three technology gadgets… It’s a somewhat amusing way to waste time. Today I thought I’d share with you my Top 3 beauty items I would bring with me.
Mascara – I can’t live without mascara. I wear it everyday and generally have 5-6 tubes on the go at all times. Currently, I am using the following:
- d.j.v. Beautinzer Volume Lash Imju Fiberwig in Black – My “everyday” go-to mascara, it is the best stuff in the entire world, which is saying something for a girl who is as obsessed with mascara as I am. It coats the lashes and makes essentially a tube around them so that they’re smudgeproof and waterproof while still being incredibly easy to take off- I just use a generic makeup remover cloth. It’s also pretty good if you fall asleep with your mascara still on as it lasts through to the next day in my experience. Again, a pretty expensive mascara that I bought in Hong Kong for a fraction of the price. (I brought home 6 tubes!)
- d.j.v. Beautinizer Imju Fiberwig in Brown – My weekend mascara, when I want to look like I’m not wearing mascara. Same as the black mascara, but just more muted for a more “natural” look. Super expensive mascara normally to hold on and wear only on weekends, but I bought mine when I was in Hong Kong for a fraction of the cost, so am delighted with it.
- Lancome Oscillation Mascara – I love to put this mascara on, it vibrates the wand and applies a coat of mascara that is supposed to be clump-free and curled. I never found it to be all that clump free, but I feel like the real benefit of this mascara is in the fun little vibrations you get from the wand on your eyelashes and I think it will be a great fun tool to help get rid of clumps in other mascaras when the tube is empty and I’ve cleaned off the brush. Pretty expensive though for normal wear, I bought it in conjunction with the “matching” vibrating powder brush (which sucks) and got a full makeover for an event I was attending as well as a goody bag so while I won’t buy it again, it’s OK for now.
- Mary Kay Ultimate Mascara in Black - Have a friend who sold Mary Kay for awhile, so I got this from one of her parties. It’s pretty decent and out of all of the mascaras I have mentionned, it’s the best for lashes looking natural and defined. It’s good at not clumping and the color seems to be quite natural (Some mascaras can look weird). Only downfall for me is that even the waterproof formula is not waterproof and it’s tough to get off. It’s a decent middle of the road mascara in terms of price and performance.
- Revlon Fantasy Total Definition Mascara – Bought it because it was super cheap and promised the same kind of fake lash look and performance of the imju Fiberwig… And it’s pretty good, I must admit. The downfall is that the primer clumps really easily, the mascara isn’t as smudgeproof as I would like (even the waterproof kind) and you have to wait a few minutes between coats of the primer and mascara for it to really have the best effect. But for $7 it’s the most affordable and best performing cheapie I’ve found
Blush – I’m pale as anything, so really need blush to liven up my skin or I look like I could be an extra in Twilight. Sure, being on a desert island might help with my whole pale thing, but seeing as I don’t tan- I will still need some color in my cheeks. Here’s my blush rotation of the moment:
- Nars Blush in Orgasm – The cult favorite is really a cult favorite for a reason… It adds natural color to cheeks without looking like you’re trying out for a clown college. It’s also not too glittery and therefore very juvenile as it’s new sibling, Super Orgasm. It’s relatively expensive for a blush at $27, but the formula is really concentrated and it lasts a long time. I can generally get about 6-8 months out of one package, and I wear it every single day.
- Laura Mercier Shimmer Bloc in Pink Mosaic – Generally only wear this in the summer as it’s a little too “sparkly” for my regular taste in make-up, but this is one of the best bronzers out there for paale ladies looking to summerize their make-up look. Would probably be a good a great selection for a desert island though as I’d get at least a little color. Be careful if you’re not a cool tone (best way I’ve heard this described is if you’re pale and a little pink all over with your veins defeinitely being visible and blue in your wrists) as I think it tends to be too much for warmer colors. There are other shimmer blocs that would probably work alot better.
Lip gloss – My final item would be lip gloss. I’d hope that there would be abundant sources of crystal clear mountain water on this island to keep me hydrated, but in case there isn’t, I’ll need some extra help from my good friends in the lip gloss department… And, you know, some IV fluids, but at least my lips will look moist when I get rescued. Here are the ones I keep in rotation:
- Kiehl’s Lip Balm #1 in Pear - Ok, it doesn’t have to be pear flavored, but I love pear and it’s what I’d pick. Scent is natural and not too chemical like other lip balms that are fruit scented and this formula goes on to not give you that “white film” that others do when your lips are really, really, really chapped. The tube lasts forever and is one of the main reasons I decided to start investigating (and falling in love) with the rest of the Kiehl’s line of products. I don’t like the jar (I think putting your jar in lip balm contaminates it with germs and is just kinda gross) so I’d always recommend the tube.
- B.Kamins Bio-Maple Lip Balm Moisturizing Treatment – This was included in my “toiletries” kit when I flew to Hong Kong on the plane and I fell in love with it somewhere over the Pacific ocean (doesn’t that just sound so romantic?) It’s not as great as the Kiehl’s as it’s slightly thicker in consistency, not quite as moisturizing but I still carry it around in my bag months after getting off the plane and I hound all my friends who are flying anywhere to get me travel kits from the airplane so I can get new tubes. Can’t be that bad now, can it?
- Blistex, any variety. An oldie but a goodie.
What would you bring with you?
