I love using cleansing oil to remove my makeup, but I never travel with it because I'm too scared of leaks. (It's the skin care step I miss most when I'm on the road.) Now, I bring the Urban Decay Makeup Meltdown Cleansing Oil Stick, $26, which comes in a handy Push Pop-like tube. You can apply it directly onto your face, rub it in until the makeup starts to break down, and then add a little warm water to emulsify it. It feels fantastic, leaves skin baby soft, and will never spill all over my toiletry case.
If I had a nickle for every time someone asked me for wedding manicure advice … Fortunately, Essie teamed up with Monique Lhuillier to create the Essie Gel Couture Bridal Collection by Monique Lhuillier, $11.50, and it's the ultimate no-brainer suggestion. The stunning pinks range from sheer to metallic, and the Gel Couture polish practically never chips.
If you've yet to try a water cream, you must -- it will blow your mind. And I suggest starting with Tatcha The Water Cream, $68. It looks like a gel, but when you apply it, it melts into your skin and feels like water. It's refreshing, wildly hydrating and fun to use. It's also packed with Japanese botanicals to improve circulation and calm inflammation, and it's great for all skin types.
When Glossier Cloud Paint, $18, popped up on social media during the Oscars, I immediately had to know more. Now that I got my hands on some, I can confirm it's worth the hype. Cloud Paint is a cute painter's tube of cream blush that comes in four shades ranging from berry to apricot. It goes on sheer like a wash of color, yet it lasts all day and looks great over foundation. It's exactly what I want from a cream blush.
Doctor-turned-skin-care-guru Barbara Sturm and celebrity makeup artist Monika Blunder teamed up to create a makeup primer that's also a killer skin care product -- and it took them two years to figure out. The end result -- The Dr. Barbara Sturm + Monika Blunder Anti-Aging Primer, $85 -- is so good it's already in a wait list situation. It's simultaneously hydrating, mattifying and glowifying, and it helps makeup look even and last all day. It's everything you could want in a primer.
If you're shopping for new beauty products this April, you're going to be impressed by the offerings. High tech ingredients, unusual formulas and fresh new makeup options abound. There's a sunblock that protects you from your iPhone, blush in a painter's tube and even cleansing oil in a deodorant stick. Spring beauty has never been this much fun -- so enjoy it!