Tracey Knows: The Beauty And Skincare Edition

My friend Tracey is one of those people who always finds the coolest stuff at chain stores (Last time I saw her she was wearing this a-mazing gray fuzzy coat from Madewell that I immediately wished I owned. #Jealous) and she knows all the best skincare and makeup brands, from cult lines to drugstore. Her skin is clear, glow-y and gorgeous - on and off social media - btw.

That's why I begged her to share some of her favs with us. 

Here are some of her go-to's for great looking skin (Stay tuned for more beauty and style recommendations from Tracey coming soon!):

RMS Beauty

Makeup Artist Rose-Marie Swift's line of raw, food grade, organic cosmetics (Think coconut oil, jojoba oil, propolis and mineral pigments.) is beyond fabulous. I truly own everything from this line. All of the products, from concealer to lip shine to powder and mascara, are worth buying and using...often. I use something from RMS Beauty every day and haven't been disappointed by any of their products.

True story...I was over the moon, a few weeks back, when i found out that Rose-Marie Swift was visiting Follain (a Boston shop that sells RMS). I was offered a spot for a one on one consultation, but had another important appointment, so I couldn't make it. I was so disappointed that I pouted like a spoiled child for the entire day.

Top Picks

"Un" Cover-Up is a concealer/light foundation that blurs redness and masks imperfections while giving the skin a radiant appearance. When you apply the "un" cover-up to your face, it actually feels like it belongs there...like it becomes a part of your skin and improves the quality. It provides a liveliness that I do not find with other under eye concealers.

Living Luminizer is a genius product and has been featured in too many magazines to count. Quite simply, it gives a sheer, luminous glow that makes the skin look youthful and vibrant. It is like no other highlighting product I have ever tried and I use it every day...really...every day.

Also, they use no animal testing. Order directly from RMS and they usually ship the next day.

Koh Gen Do

Almost 30 years ago, Koh Gen Do of Japan began developing products comprised of natural ingredients derived from Japanese and Chinese herbs. I've used several items in this line and these are the three that I keep in my daily rotation:

Maifanshi Moisture Foundation is a mineral cream foundation that delivers a high definition, luminous coverage that reveals your own skin while masking its flaws. A little goes a long way, so though it is pricey, it is worth it. If you call them, they will send samples of a couple of colors to try.

Oriental Plants Lotion is a botanically based hydrating liquid. It can be used as a base layer after cleansing, as a mask or even as a "pick me up" spritz during the day. I decant mine into a spray bottle and layer it between other products when I want extra moisture. It's not essential to a skincare routine but helps prepare the skin for other products.

Spa Cleansing Water removes even heavy duty mascara and foundation easily and without irritation. Everyone's talking about cleansing water these days and this one, infused with skin nurturing herbs, is at the top of my list. It's gentile yet effective and can be purchased in a variety of sizes at Koh Gen Do or Sephora. 

They use no animal testing and customer service has been great when i've dealt with them.

Sunday Riley

Sunday Riley launched her line in 2009 and it quickly became a favorite in the fashion world. The products are a marriage of high tech engineering with botanically based ingredients. I have only used a couple of their products but was impressed with the results:

Start Over Active Eye Cream is brilliant. I recently ran out and thought I could live without it since I don't normally use eye cream. I was wrong! This light cream de-puffs, hydrates and gives a youthful, vibrant look to the whole eye area. I don't use it everyday but its a must when I haven't had enough sleep, have had too much wine, during allergy season or when I look a little blah (We all know what that's like.). Best news of all is that I hear the line will soon be introduced at the GC Sephora.

[Yes, Tracey! So excited. I saw a few Sunday Riley products at Sephora Garden City last week. Got my eye on the Luna Sleeping Night Oil.

PattyJ]

Can't Wait To Try This!

More About Tracey

Name: Tracey Keough Park

Waypoints: North Providence, Cambridge, Somerville, Providence, Cranston

Happy Things: Coffee, Cooking, Chocolate, Dogs, the Ocean, Wine

UnhappyThings: Bad Driving, Illogical Thinking, Mispronunciation, Being Out Of Wine Or Chocolate

Goals for the Future: Living long enough to dress in head to toe leopard with a turban and red lipstick. Yup. 

Photo Credits: All RMS, Koh Gen Do and Sunday Riley photos courtesy of their websites