Out, Damned Spot: The Battle of the Freckle

Can we talk about freckles for a sec, my dears?

Seems that these little tan speckles have an uncanny ability to stir up debate. Some love 'em, saying they're quirky, cute, and youthful, while some hate 'em -- the whole "red hair and freckles" stereotype is one that's always made me cringe. Thanks a lot, Pippi Longstocking.

And for those who actually possess freckles, the debate is often this: cover them up, or let them shine?

I've had a smattering of them on my face since I was a kid, and for years wore absolutely no face makeup. The freckles were just a part of me - although there were days I hated them - and they were pretty light anyhow. Then I started wearing tinted moisturizer and noticed how my more even skintone brought so much extra attention to my eyes, lips and general face structure. The freckles faded into the background and let my other features really stand out.

Thus, I decided to take more permanent action against the freckles.

This came in the form of a lightening gel with hydroquinone, and WOW, it worked. Most of my freckles - just a few remained, and I didn't mind one bit - faded to the point that I no longer had to wear any makeup to achieve that even skin tone. Just a little self-tanner every few days and I was good to go. I also vowed NEVER to leave the house without sunscreen, to prevent the little buggers from returning.

Many people complimented my "glowing" complexion and asked what I'd done, unable to quite put their finger on it. When I told them, I got a few wide-eyed looks and "why would you get rid of your freckles?" gasps. Invariably these comments came from people who were freckle-free to begin with. They usually followed with some glib line about how they think freckles are cute.

See, when people think of "cute" freckles, they picture a perfectly placed dusting of light brown dots across the nose and cheeks. In my estimation, this is indeed cute. But in reality, freckles rarely follow such a sweet little pattern, friends! They show up on your hairline, near your eye, along your jaw...and over the years, each little spot can spread out. Not so cute anymore, eh?

At least not on me. I far preferred the minimal-freckle look that I'd achieved, though I applaud anyone who fully embraces their freckles and lets them shine. It's just not something I wanted to do anymore. (And maybe, just maybe, this attitude stems from my upbringing in Brooklyn private schools where perfectly tanned, freckle-free Italian skin was both the norm and the ideal. But that's another story.)

Anyhow, I followed my sunscreen regimen religiously for years, and the spots did not return, but this spring I fell off the wagon for a few weeks, and I've begun to notice the return of a few freckles. A week ago I started zapping them nightly with DDF Fade Gel 4, and they're already on their way back to oblivion, where they belong.

What's your take on the freckle debate? Be honest - I'm open to all opinions here. (But also, please be nice.)

Two More Fab Compacts from Laura Mercier

Last week we looked at the lovely Eye Mosaic in Mediterranean Sea, and I just can't resist showing off two other LM compacts - check out these beauties!

First is the Illuminating Powder in Moroccan Bronze; I'm loving the four blocks of color and the gorgeous stamped design. Works as an illuminator on medium to dark skin tones, and a subtle allover bronzer for fair skin. It looks matte in the photo but does have some shimmer.

Next is the Mosaic Shimmer Bloc in Gilded Garden. When I saw this I just about ran to the register with it, it's so pretty! Had to force myself to put it back because I knew that if I took it home, I'd probably never use it for fear of ruining the design. This has been the fate of many multicolored/embossed compacts that now live in my unofficial Beauty Museum.

But if you can bring yourself to use it, it makes a gorgeous blush or highlighter, with tones of icy pink and champagne shimmer. It's like a Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick...but funner. (Snaps to Elle Woods!)

Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil for Commitment-Phobes

If you've been curious about Shu Uemura's famed Cleansing Beauty Oils, but have been unwilling to fork over the $32-72 required to get your hands on a bottle, look no further. Sephora is now stocking mini sizes of the #1 selling Skin Purifier Premium A/O Cleansing Beauty Oil, for the far more palatable price tag of $12.

I'd been hemming and hawing over these cleansing oils for quite some time; everyone raved about them, but washing your face with oil? Really?

I took the plunge when I spotted the low-commitment mini size, and...I LOVE IT.

After a week of use my face feels amazing. The oil rinses clean, but I still feel like I don't need to use moisturizer afterward.

Here's how it works: you spread the oil over a dry face, massage it over your skin, then add warm water and wash normally, rinsing with warm water. The result is incredibly soft and smooth skin with not a trace of makeup - including mascara and heavy eye makeup, as long as you give your face a thorough cleansing (my favorite tip: try singing the alphabet song to yourself to time it properly).

Plus, it smells like cucumber (ahem, spa smell).

And if you'd like a sampling of three varieties - Classic, Fresh, and the aforementioned A/O - check out this set of three miniatures, available at Nordstrom for $32.

Get Your Swag On! I Mean, Your Glow

Please indulge me this ridiculous post title, I've been hearing these hilarious stories about the Soulja Boy hotline and had to work it in somehow. Apparently, if you dial the hotline, Soulja Boy will call YOU in the morning with a wake-up message, exhorting you to "jump on up and get yo swag on!"

Anyhow, I'm here to exhort you to jump up and get your glow on! Tarte Infinite Glow takes a concept that I fell in love with a couple of years ago - the bronzer/gel blush duo, namely, DuWop Bronzerush - and improves on it, adding a pink lip gloss to the compact.

You get a square of Mineral Bronzer in Park Avenue Princess, a square of Cheek Stain in Tipsy, and a strip of 24/7 Lip Sheer in May Flowers.

Tipsy is one of my favorite Cheek Stain shades; it looks super bright and slightly scary in the pan, but goes on sheer and blends easily. It's nice pop of color along with the bronzer (my tip: bronzer first, then blush, or else the bronzer will stick to the blush and look too dark on the cheeks).

The only problem with a powder/gel combo compact like this is that the bronzer particles have a tendency to migrate into the blush and lippie pans, sticking to them. To prevent it, just shake out or blow on the bronzer after using it, to clear out the loose particles.

Oh, and try to avoid dropping it.

Now jump up and turn your glow on!

Teal for the Timid: Laura Mercier Eye Mosaic in Mediterranean Sea

If you loved the look of the Urban Decay Get Baked palette but are looking for something a bit more subtle and subdued, check out the Laura Mercier Eye Mosaic in Mediterranean Sea.

I spotted this quad compact yesterday and seriously considered taking it home (I already have WAY too many champagne, teal and dark blue shadows to justify it, but still, it was close).

Mediterranean Sea packs four shimmery shadows in indigo, pale gold, aqua, and dark copper brown. The gold and the copper are more subtle than the Half Baked/Baked/Twice Baked offerings in the UD palette, and the aqua doesn't pack quite the punch of Flipside. But it's gorgeous in its own right, and perfect if you're just dipping your toes (or your brush, really) into the the whole aqua-accented eyes trend.

And the indigo? LOVE! I've long been a sucker for Laura Mercier's dark blue shadows (read this ode to blue shadows in general), and this one doesn't disappoint. Would make a great liner on either upper or lower lids, applied damp with a tiny brush.