The Bright Stuff: Give some glow to washed-out winter skin

by Heather Bouzan, 01-28-2008

While surface-level fixes are good for a temporary boost, Shiseido has developed a line that helps lighten, brighten, and smooth skin tone on a deeper level. Two of our picks, the White Lucent Brightening Cleansing Foam ($33) and White Lucent Intensive Brightening Mask ($66), both available at Lord & Taylor (760 Boylston Street, Boston, 617.262.6000), counteract the dullness and fatigue that often plague winter skin. The cleansing foam dissolves impurities along with excess oil and surface cells, while the 10-minute mask suppresses dark spots, freckles, and uneven pigmentation. Both contain Asian plant extracts to smooth and moisturize.

When you're burned out, tired, and drinking away your winter woes every night, the eyes are the first to betray your exhaustion. EyeLighter ($17) by CARGO capitalizes on an age-old makeup artist trick by incorporating two snowy shadows - one matte, one shimmer - into an easy-to-stash pen. Apply the matte shadow to the outer corner of the eyes, under brows, and below the lower lash line, and brighten the inner corners with the frosty shade. Both shadows also contain vitamin E to help soothe and condition skin. Pick it up at Sephora (Prudential Center, 800 Boylston Street, Boston, 617.262.4200).

We're huge fans of blending a few of our favorite foundations to achieve the ideal shade and degree of coverage for any given moment. We recently tried adding a few drops of Oil-Free Luminizer ($28) from LORAC to the mix, with great results. A subtle pick-me-up for skin that needs a little oomph, the luminizer, available at Sephora, can be blended with moisturizer or dabbed on alone. And it's oil- and fragrance-free, so no need to stress about breakouts.

We don't know about the social status its packaging touts, but Miss Popularity ($24) from Benefit surely delivers on its promise of precision highlighting. The foam-tipped wand glides easily under the brow, over the cheekbones, down the nose, and around the eyes, leaving in its wake a pearly, creamy shimmer that blends easily into even the flakiest of February skin. Smoothed above the bra line, the formula even works as a cleavage enhancer for sexy outfits. Stock up locally at Macy's (450 Washington Street, Boston, 617.357.3000).

Every once in a while, a product comes along that makes us question how we ever survived without it. Case in point: the gilded Yves Saint Laurent Touche Éclat ($38.50), available at Nordstrom (Natick Collection, 290 Speen Street, Natick, 508.318.2600). Applied under the eyes, on the sides of the nose, and in the hollow of the chin, the formula reflects light away from problem areas and leaves skin bright, without that cake-y, too-much-makeup look. On hungover mornings, we think it lends us the look of at least three extra hours of sleep.

We're all for channeling the old-school glamour of a beauty like Marilyn Monroe, so given the opportunity to trade our ho-hum makeup brushes for downy white feathers, we're all over it - and we've cleared prime space on our vanity table for Laura Mercier's Diamond Duster ($22) and Loose Mineral Body Powder ($34). The super-fine sparkles are classy, not trashy, and applied to shoulders and décolleté with the duster, the powder embellishes skin with a subtle hint of shimmer. Find them at Neiman Marcus (5 Copley Place, Boston, 617.536.3660). @