lighten up

A trip to the makeup counter can be a very intimidating trip for some women.  I find it slightly overwhelming and annoying, but am drawn like a moth to a flame, since I happen to love makeup.  (If you don't believe me, one look of any photo of me from the 1980's should convince you.)  In NYC, walking through the cosmetic section of any major department store is taking your life in your own hands, the reps for the lines are so aggressive--its a total lions den.  Can you say commission?
I happen to think I have recovered from my 80's problem and have a fairly deft hand now, but the sheer mass of products available is unbelievable, plus any sales rep of a line is certain that their products will be life changing for you.  Anyway, I am up for anything that makes me look and feel better, so that is why I became fascinated with a concealer/highlighter product by Yves Saint Laurent called Touche Eclat.  Nearly every magazine I opened featured it some way, and I decided finally I must investigate.
YSL's product has been the darling of makeup artists for some time and is considered the gold standard for both concealing and highlighting the eye area.  At the makeup counter the YSL rep sat me down and matched my skin tone, then showed me the importance of applying the product correctly.  It is shaped like a little gold pen with a clicker on one end and a brush on the other.  A few clicks gets the product going and she swept it in a V on the side of each eye, all the way underneath to the inside corner and above the outer part of my eyebrow.  The key is to "pat" the product into your skin, not rub or sweep it, otherwise it will not conceal properly.  This "complexion highlighter" as it is advertised, made my skin glow and gave it lightness at the same time --I have to say I LOVED it.  Youthful glow? I am in. Wow!
I can be a big skeptic when it comes to all this anti aging product pushing--I really think that how you look is based on part genes and part healthy living, water drinking and sleep.  Nothing can replace being good to your body, after all.  The price tag, at $40, is a bit steep, but my friend at the makeup counter said it lasts about four months, so doing the math, that works for me.  And seeing that chick in the mirror with the glowing skin, that works too.