The Benefits of Powder & Foundation Primer

This week I stopped by Sephora to stock up on some of my favorite beauty products. It was at the Laura Mercier section that I learned there's actually a primer for powders. Who knew? The primer works by filling in pores and fine lines and wrinkles so the powder doesn't settle in. Turns out Laura Mercier has a mineral primer specially formulated for women who wear powder. It's pictured here. Buy it online.

My first step in my beauty routine is to apply a tinted sunscreen, so a foundation primer works best for me. Laura Mercier makes an excellent one. Buy it online.

Learn all you need to know about primers in What is a Foundation Primer? And Do I Need it?.

Photo: Laura Mercier mineral primer courtesy of Nordstrom

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The Benefits of Dry Brushing; Plus, Make Your Own Body Scrub

If you suffer from dry skin in the winter, you might consider dry brushing your skin before you shower. "If you dry-brush on a daily basis, you'll probably notice a difference within a week--especially if you follow it with moisturizer," says Vivianne Varcia-Tunon of ESPA spas in Allure magazine.

You can follow the dry brushing with a homemade body scrub. Simply combine 2 parts sugar (or salt) and 1 part oil (any oil in your kitchen will work -- even olive oil, but I prefer extra virgin coconut oil), and massage into skin in a circular motion. Rinse off in the tub. I have more detailed directions on homemade scrubs How to Make Salt and Sugar Scrubs.

Liked this tip? There's a ton more dry skin tips in Dry Skin? 25 of My Best Itchy Skin Fixes.

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