So I was sitting at my makeup table and looking at all of my favourite items, pondering the pretty packaging and admiring how I have everything neurotically arranged, and I got an idea for a post.

It dawned on me that I should probably do a series of posts on brands: the ones I love and the ones I love not so much. What better way to establish the the theme of my blog than to be open and honest about the products I buy and the ones I avoid?!

I will start with two brands that I love; one is an old favourite, and the other is a more recent love affair. I’m talkin’ about BeneFit and Bare Escentuals. Not-so-coincidentally, both are San Francisco based companies, and that’s why I’ve grouped them together. I think it’s fair to say I like ‘em both for the same reason. They specialize in products that are subtle and natural; they’re geared toward enhancing natural beauty rather than plastering over it. Maybe this focus on the natural is part of San Francisco’s ethos or maybe it’s just a marketing coincidence, but these are the brands I turn to when I want to create a look that is healthy, fresh and awake.

I’ve been using Benefit stuff for quite a while. I love their highlighters (High Beam is a great liquid highlighter that gives you that “dewy” look when you put it on the cheekbones, and the Eye Bright pencil works wonders on dark under eye circles.) I also love Georgia, the brightening powder that banishes pastiness without making you look like a clown and the ever-popular BeneTint that gives the cheeks a rosy flush that is so natural it looks like it comes from within. I’m always pleased with the results I get from these products. However, I will admit that I’m a sucker! What usually draws me to the BeneFit counter in the first place is their packaging. Most of it has a retro 60s look with a youthful twist that sets it apart from everything else on the shelves. I love it!

When it comes to Bare Escentuals and their Bare Minerals line, I am only a recent convert on a voyage of discovery. So far I’ve only tried a few of their eyeshadows, which were given to me by a friend, but I loved ‘em so much I ordered a bunch more from Sephora, and I can’t wait for them to arrive. They go on so smoothly and blend so nicely, and a lot of the colours tend to be neutral and universally flattering, which takes a lot of the guesswork out of colour selection. I look forward to experimenting more with this brand in the future!

While the last chilly gasps of the Canadian winter dictate the weather outside, I can at least have California sunshine on my makeup table!