Kelley Epps-Woods
Spring has arrived and it's the season for new beginnings, and a new time for beauty! Over the past months this winter, the Second City Style team, and a few select loyal readers, came out of hibernation after testing hundreds of products to find the best of the best and must-have products for 2010. From glosses to foundation to cuticle creams we've slathered, glossed, and powdered away to give you honest responses from real women who love cosmetics and beauty.
Whether you are looking for the best mascara for "lashes to Mars" or the "perfect stay put lip color," we have the answers for you! Take notes or print this list for your next trip to the counter! So without further ado, here are the winner of the 4th Annual Beauty Olympics in the various makeup categories:
LIPS
Lip Gloss
Gold: Hourglass Extreme Shine $28
"Super shine baby!" - Lauren Dimet Waters, Second City Style Editor-In-Chief
Silver: VS Makeup Lip Gloss $10
Bronze: Bare Escentuals 100% Natural Lip Gloss $15
Lip Protector
Gold: Murad Pomegranate Lip Protector SPF 15 $17
"Loved the non sticky formula, and the smell was heavenly..." - Kyle Riley, Hairstylist
Plumping Lip Gloss
Gold: Buxom Buxom Lips $18
and
LipFusion Infatuation $29
"...gorgeous shine, and my lips stay plumped for a while!" - Kelley Epps-Woods, Second City Style Beauty Editor
Silver: Stila Plumping Lip Glaze $24
Long Wear Lipstick
Gold: MAC Pro Long Wear Lip Colour $21
"It does not budge for hours!" - Michelle Brown, Wedding Planner
Silver: Mally High Shine Liquid Lipstick $20
Moisturizing Lipstick
Gold: Eve Pearl Dual Performance Lip Color $20
"...I need moisture, and moisture that stays on! This gives me both." - Carol Calacci, Second City Style Managing Editor
Lipstick
Gold: La Prairie Cellular Luxe Lip Colour $55
"Super creamy and luxurious!" - Lauren Dimet Waters, Second City Style Editor-In-Chief
Silver: VS Makeup Perfect Lipstick $12
Matte Lipstick
Gold: VS Makeup Matte Cream Lipstick $12
Sheer Lipstick
Gold: 3 custom Color Ballet Russ Sheer Lipstick $21.50
Silver: Clinque Almost Lipstick $14
Lip Balm
Gold: Dior Addict 'Lip Glow' Color Reviver Balm $28
"Heaven in a tube, that changes with my mood..." - Kelley Epps-Woods, Second City Style Beauty Editor
Silver: Kiehl's Lip balm #1 $7 - $9.50
"Smooth and not heavy...I'm going to get more!" - Alia Rajput, Second City Style Fashion Editor
EYES
Powder Eye Shadow
Gold: Hourglass Visionaire Eyes Shadow Duo $38
"Great color combos, that doesn't end up in my creases like others" - Andra Naylor, Second City Style Fashion Editor
Silver: VS Eye Shadow Quad $15 / VS Makeup Silky Eyeshadow $10
Bronze: Bare Escentuals bareMinerals Eyeshadow $13
Long-Wear/Cream Eye Shadow
Gold: Bobbi Brown Metallic Long Wear Cream Eyeshadow $22
Silver: Mally Long-Wearing Liquid Light Eye Color $31.92
"...beautiful wash of color, that was very cooling and stayed in place for hours!" - Kelley Epps-Woods, Second City Style Beauty Editor
Pencil Eye Liner
Gold: Buxom Insider Eyeliner $14
"Genius! This liner glides on too effortlessly and stays put! The intensity is amazing." - Kelley Epps-Woods, Second City Style Beauty Editor
Silver: Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil $17
"...You should own every last color..." - Janiene Howard, Dancer
Bronze: Bobbi Brown Creamy Eye Pencil $20
Non-Pencil Eye Liner
Gold: Hourglass Calligraphy Liquid Eye Liner $32
"...Precision, Precision, Precision!" - Alia Rajput, Columnist for Second City Style
Silver: Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eye Liner $21
"I use this on every single bride that I do...it wears forever" - Kelley Epps-Woods, Second City Style Beauty Editor and Makeup Artist
Bronze: MAC Fluidline $15
Brow Filler
Gold: MAC Eye Brows $15
"Precise brows in an instant" - Gene Lauer, Retail Manager
Silver: La Prairie Luxe Brow Liner Automatique $50
Bronze: Smash Box 'Brow Tech to Go' $26
Overall Mascara
Gold: Bobbi Brown 'Extreme' Party Mascara $22
Silver: Bare Escentuals Bare Minerals Flawless Definition Waterproof Mascara $18
"Love how rich the pigment is in the mascara! My lashes look patent leather!" - Sadie Jordan, Writer
Bronze: Kiehl's Marvelous Minerals Mascara $16.50
Lengthening/Thickening Mascara
Gold: DiorShow Extase Mascara $28
and
DiorShow Black Out $24
"Dior does not go wrong with mascara, you will have lashes from here to Mars!" - Kelley Epps-Woods, Second City Style Beauty Editor and Makeup Artist
Silver: LashFusion XL Instant Lash Volumizer $24
Bronze: Hourglass Superficial Lash $26
FACE (Foundation, Concealers, Powders)
Liquid Foundation
Gold: Makeup Forever HD Invisible Coverage Foundation $40
Silver: Hourglass Veil Fluid Foundation $60
Treatment Foundation
Gold: Eve Pearl HD Dual Foundation $54
"...seamless, flawless coverage that your skin will love..." - Kelley Epps-Woods, Second City Style Beauty Editor and Makeup Artist
Silver: Origins Youthtopia Skin Firming Foundation SPF 15 $26.50
Oil-Free Foundation
Gold: Hourglass Veil Fluid Makeup Oil Free SPF 15 $60
"blended beautifully...I loved mixing it with Hourglass Tinted Moisturizer" - Andra Naylor, Second City Style Fashion Editor
Silver: Bare Escentuals Bare Minerals SPF Matte Foundation $22
Airbrush Makeup System
Gold: Temptu Airbrush Makeup System $225
"You can't go wrong with this system, for flawless skin... It's easy as 1-2-3." - Kelley Epps-Woods, Second City Style Beauty Editor and Makeup Artist
Silver: Luminessair Airbrush System $165
Tinted Moisturizer
Gold: Hourglass Illusion Tinted Moisturizer Oil Free SPF 15 $55
Silver: Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer $42
Bronze: Smashbox Sheer Focus Tinted Moisturizer SPF15 $30
All-over Concealer/Under Eye
Gold: 3 Custom Color Crème Concealer $22.50
"...blends seamlessly, and looks like your skin" - Lauren Scott, Bride
Silver: Amazing Cosmetics Concealer $42
"...You can cover half your face with just a pea size amount!" - Paula Wright, Caterer
Blemish Concealer
Gold: Mally 24/7 Instant Erase Quick Concealer $42
"Perfect for touch-ups on-the-go." - Alia Rajput, Second City Style Fashion Editor
Silver: Murad Acne Treatment Concealer $21
Pressed Powder
Gold: MAC Mineralize SkinFinish $27
"Mineral perfection, that makes your skin look like velvet" - Alisha Tyler, Legal Secretary
Silver: Make Up For Ever Duo Mat Powder Foundation $32
Bronze: Bobbi Brown Sheer Finish Pressed Powder $32
Loose Powder
Gold: Make Up For Ever HD Micro Finish Powder $30
Silver: Origins Multi Grain Makeup $25
Powder Blush
Gold: Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick $36
"..love as both blush and highlighter, especially in the evening" - Carol Calacci, Second City Style Managing Editor
Silver: La Prairie Cellular Treatment Powder Blush $55
Cream Blush
Gold: Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge $22
"This product has made me switch from powder to cream!" - Lauren Dimet Waters, Second City Style Editor-In-Chief
Silver: Mally 24/7 Professional Blush System $35
Bronze: NARS Cream Blush $26
Gel/Stain Blush
Gold: Bobbi Brown Sheer Color Cheek Tint $22
Silver: 3 Custom Color Warm Marry Me Stain $22.50
Bronze: Tarte Cheek Stain $30
Bronzer
Gold: Eve Pearl Bronzing Highlighter Trio $36
"...the perfect all-in-one for Bronzing and Highlighting" - Kelley Epps-Woods, Second City Style Beauty Editor and Makeup Artist
Silver: Smashbox Bronze Lights $28
Bronze: Givenchy Prismissime Mat & Glow Sun $53
Highlighter
Gold: Eve Pearl Bronzing Highlighter Trio $36
Silver: Bobbi Brown Brick Shimmer $36
Bronze: VS Makeup Pro Radiant FX Face Illuminator $14
Read the rest of our Beauty Olympics results:
Second City Style Beauty Olympics 2010 Part 2: Skincare
Second City Style 2010 Beauty Olympics Part 3: Haircare, Fragrance, Gadgets and Green Beauty
Image Layout: Tiffany Carlin
