Josie Maran Argan Beautiful Eyes Palette

I can't resist neutral eye shadow palettes! There I was, surfing Sephora, when I saw that Josie Maran's Argan Beautiful Eyes ($36) had just arrived. There are three color palettes: Beautiful Nudes, Beautiful Purples, and Beautiful Smoke. That choice was easy for this nude shadow lover.

Argan Beautiful Eyes features four eye shadows and one shadow liner expertly coordinated to offer the ultimate range of customized looks. These naturally formulated shadows are richly infused with argan oil and a blend of floral and fruit extracts, resulting in soft and nutrient-rich textures. The palettes offer iridescent, matte, and satin finishes.

I "tore into" my new Beautiful Nudes palette immediately after I snapped a palette photo, swatching on my arm and eyelids. I realized immediately that the colors are very light. That's good for me, but will not be good for those with darker skin.

I swatched in counterclockwise order, starting with the shimmering gold in the lower left and ending with the "dark brown" in the upper left corner. I did not swatch the chocolate brown liner in the center. The liner is a lovely shade. It's a pretty liner on me - very natural. On others? Like the shadows, it may be too light.

The shimmering gold is extremely pretty. It's a little hard to get it to adhere, though, even with a primer underneath. It's very "crumbly." You'll definitely need a primer if you want to get an even golden pop. I had difficulty applying it with a brush. The sponge-tipped applicator I used for my swatch photos may be the best applicator. The shade next to it in the palette appears to be a satin-finish gold, but you can see on my arm that it's more of a white-toned yellow on my skin. It's a good base shade. The shade in the top right of the compact is a very pretty, shimmering, light bronze (I applied it heavily for the photos). The shade at the bottom of my arm is a medium-toned, matte brown. Like the other shades, it applies much lighter on the skin than it looks in the palette.

I have mixed feelings about Beautiful Eyes. The shades are very pretty, and when I'm in the mood for a very natural look, they will come in handy - despite the fact that I have duplicates of all the shades. My reservation about the palette is the difficulty I've had achieving a nice, even application using one of my usual eye shadow brushes and a primer. My first impression is that it's not perfect for us dry-skin types. I'll keep playing and update you if I discover a magic technique. I'm going to try a different primer and different brushes.

I don't want to leave you with an incorrect impression, but I did want to warn you to try before you buy, unlike me. Make sure to have a look-see if you have fair skin! The shades are absolutely perfect for us. If your lids are not as dry as mine (my lids are very dry, and I use a creamy primer), you may not have any trouble at all with application. The palette has received very good initial reviews at Sephora, where Josie Maran Argan Beautiful Eyes is an exclusive.

Photo at top courtesy of Sephora; other photos by Best Things in Beauty

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Josie Maran Argan Cleansing Oil

Josie Maran Argan Cleansing Oil ($32) has quickly become one of my favorite oil-based cleansers. This gentle, all-natural cleanser is extremely effective, removing my makeup and every trace of my mascara in a pleasant, easy wash. To my nose, it has a delicious, light citrus scent.

This multitasking cleanser removes makeup and skin impurities (i.e., environmental grime and dirt) while providing deep hydration. The non-greasy texture leaves the skin feeling moisturized, not tight or over-dried.

The first ingredient on the list is argan oil, followed by an impressive list of natural and organic oils that include almond, safflower seed, grape seed, and grapefruit peel oils. The oils effectively cleanse the skin's surface and renew the skin. The grapefruit peel oil has to be responsible for the luscious scent.

Sephora, the exclusive retailer for this cleanser, says this product is ideal for all skin types. I can tell you that my dry skin loves it. Argan oil is an effective natural cleanser, restoring the skin's natural moisture and pH balance. It is produced from the argan tree in the arid lands of Morocco. Rich in vitamin E and essential fatty acids, this organically grown ingredient is known to prevent skin dehydration, inflammation, hyperpigmentation, and excess production of sebum. Naturally, as with other Josie Maran products, Argan Cleansing Oil is formulated without a lot of the not-so-nice ingredients we like to avoid.

One of my favorite features of cleansers is a pump dispenser, and Josie Maran has obliged with an easy-to-use pump that requires no struggling. The box says to rub 3-4 pumps of the oil into dry hands and apply evenly over the face. Then wet the face and massage the oil into a rich milk. To remove it, rinse with water. It slides off very easily, leaving my skin feeling hydrated and clean. What more can you ask?

Josie Maran's Argan Cleansing Oil has a much nicer price point than some of the other cleansing oils I use. I highly recommend it. You can find it at Sephora, where it has Sephora's natural seal.

Now, if Sephora would just put up a heart-stopping 500-point or 1,000-point reward, I would be a happy customer. I've been building points for so long, my total is getting ridiculous. I don't want glittery eyeliner, men's products, and skin-care samples that aren't right for me. Even their free samples have been pretty boring (obnoxious fragrances galore), but you shouldn't really complain about free. While I'm whining about Sephora, I didn't like the padded envelope in which my last order arrived. Who likes to pay full price for squished boxes? Sorry, Josie. Not your fault!

Photo courtesy of Sephora

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Josie Maran Argan Blend Concealer

New for Spring 2011, Josie Maran's two-shade Argan Blend Concealer ($28) provides long-lasting, repairing coverage that hides imperfections while hydrating the skin with Josie’s signature ingredient, organic argan oil. The dual shades are intended to work together to correct and conceal flaws and highlight skin tone, helping women address the appearance of lines, wrinkles, and discoloration, while concealing dark circles, blemishes, age spots, and redness.

You probably know that argan oil - a hot skin care and hair care ingredient - is produced from the argan tree from Morocco. The oil is rich in vitamin E and essential fatty acids, which have anti-aging properties. This organic ingredient is known to help and prevent dehydration, inflammation, hyperpigmentation, and sebum production. It's the basis for Josie Maran's fabulous line of beauty products, many of which I love.

Argan Blend Concealer is a very nice, creamy, long-lasting concealer. I have only one problem with it. The lightest color duo is too dark for my skin. It's available in three color combinations, Sand (light), Suede (medium), and Chestnut (dark). I purchased Sand from Sephora online.

The concealer duo has two shades, one yellow-based and one pink-based. You can use them alone or mix them - theoretically to customize a shade that's perfect for your skin tone or the place on your face where you need concealer. With Sand, both shades are too dark for my skin, and they are no lighter when mixed.

It's not going to be easy for you to see that in my swatch photo. I applied the shades with a sponge-tipped applicator to try to show the shades adequately. At the top - if you can see it at all - is the yellow-toned shade. The pink one is in the middle. A mixture of the two is shown at the bottom. My photo was taken in full sun. The yellow shade is very yellow. The pink one is very pink - almost unnatural. Mixed, they are no better on my skin.

It's really too bad because I like the texture, consistency, and blendability of this concealer. I prefer concealers that are just slightly lighter than my own skin tone because they brighten while they conceal. When a concealer is too dark, it draws attention to the areas I'm trying to conceal, making them look muddy. I wish Josie Maran had introduced a color that would work for us extremely fair types.

If you are interested in Argan Blend Concealer, don't buy it online, sight unseen like I did. Go to Sephora and test it to make sure one of the three shade duos will work for you. You can also order Argan Blend Concealer online from Josie Maran's own Web site.

Photo at top courtesy of Josie Maran

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Josie Maran Argan Color Stick

Josie Maran Argan Color Stick ($22), an argan oil-infused, sheer color stick, supplies a long-lasting, natural flush to cheeks and lips. I purchased two before Christmas and set them aside when they arrived right before my surgery. Now that the weather is as dry as it gets, I'm enjoying the natural flush they are providing my cheeks.

Maran's dual-purpose lip and cheek color provides flattering, subtle color while treating the skin with Josie Maran's signature argan oil. The stick is intended to be used as a blush or lip color (nice two-for to throw in your handbag). The color stick leaves a very natural dewy finish that complements any skin tone while repairing and replenishing the skin. It looks real - like you only better!

Argan oil is produced from the argan tree in the deserts of Morocco. The oil is rich in vitamin E and essential fatty acids, which have anti-aging properties. Argan oil is an organic ingredient known to help or prevent dehydration, inflammation, hyperpigmentation, and sebum production. Even oily skinned gals can use argan oil. It is your answer to healthy, youthful, and radiant skin.

There are two shades available. Since I couldn't decide online, I purchased both - and I love both. Rosy is a dusty rose, and Petal Pink is a neutral pink. I took some photos indoors in sunlight to show you the shades.

Petal pink is shown at the top of my arm, with Rosy below. Rosy is not as peach as it looks in my photo, but of the 10 photos I took, it translated as peach with my camera. It's definitely rose. I think the Petal Pink right next to it, a beautiful pink, gives Rosy a peachy look in sunlight. Rosy is the shade shown in Josie Maran's photo at the top of this feature.

Neither shade shimmers. That's the sun glinting off my arm. Instead, they glow. You'll glow too when you wear them!

Here's a second photo. Charlie isn't usually interested in my photography endeavors, but the day I took these photos he was insistent on joining me. My not-so-little blue-eyed boy was being pesky. Can you see the devilish look on his face?

The packaging of the color sticks is thoughtful, with an outer cap and an inner cap to protect the sticks from drying out. That's a nice luxury. I keep the inner caps on when I close them.

These are superb cream blushers. They blend easily, leaving behind a natural glow that's extremely pretty. You can't go wrong with them!

You can purchase them at Sephora and Josie Maran's Web site. They also have "balm" versions available at QVC.

Photo at top courtesy of Josie Maran

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