Anastasia Highlighting Crème Duo

I was captivated by Anastasia's Highlighting Crème Duo ($35) when I saw it at Sephora online. Designed to appeal to those who love sheer crème blushers and subtle, shimmering liquid highlighters (me!), the Highlighting Crème Duo had to be mine. As you might guess, I couldn't select between the two shades, so I ordered both.

Formulated with Anastasia's exclusive antioxidant-rich Balkan Botanical Infusion, which helps soothe and soften the appearance of the skin, this Highlighting Crème Duo is like no other. Liquid shimmer hydrates without ever looking greasy or chalky, and the crème blush has a sheer, warm glow that blends easily for a flawless finish that compliments any skin tone. Light-diffusing pigments reveal a beautiful subtle glow. If that weren't enough, it's fragrance-free and won't add to the cacophony of scents one can end up with after a full makeup application.

I was very pleased when my new goodies arrived (not as pleased with Sephora, which continues to send me cheap, foul fragrance samples I didn't order). I think you should check out this lovely duo!

The two shade duos are:

• Aspen, a peachy-pink blush with golden pearl highlighter, and
  
• St. Tropez, a berry-pink blush, with a darker golden tan highlighter.

Both work with my fair skin, so I like the flexibility I'll have by owning both of them. Highlighters are always hard for me to photograph, so I'll show you two, one taken outdoors and one inside. I applied the blush straight from the Anastasia applicator and the highlighter with a sponge tipped applicator run across the paddle that dips into the product. My first photo at right was taken outdoors. The two Aspen colors are shown at the top, highlighter first and blush below. You can see the sheerness of both, something I appreciate. Both products are very easy to blend. Aspen gives a subtle pretty-in-pink look. The blush is a warm pink with a touch of peach.

St. Tropez provides a little more punch, but it has all the lovely qualities of Aspen. Shown as a set at the bottom of my arm, the gold highlighter is a gorgeous gold, and the sheer blush is pure pink - not too bright, though - perfect.

My photo at left was taken indoors. It might show you the shades a bit better. The best way for you to check it out will be a trip to Sephora (or an online spree). While Anastasia doesn't often get the headlines of its competitors, this Highlighting Crème Duo is worth a few raves.

Just in case you don't know, Anastasia Soare is the go-to brow expert for the stars in Beverly Hills. Over the years, she has achieved iconic status for her unique way of shaping eyebrows and enhancing the appearance of the eye area. She grew up culturally rich Romanian seaport of Constanta and was exposed to the classic styles of the Greek, Roman, and Byzantine empires from an early age. Combining her artistic interests with those of a more technical degree, she pursued professional training as an aesthetician before making the move to California to build her reputation.

While working as an aesthetician for several prestigious Beverly Hills salons, Anastasia developed her own specific technique of shaping eyebrows to help enhance the overall eye area. With her extremely loyal following and the growing buzz behind her brow shaping techniques, Anastasia opened her first full-service salon on Bedford Drive in Beverly Hills, aptly named Anastasia Beverly Hills. Her salon has since built a steady celebrity clientele, leading her to open a second California location in Brentwood. Never one to close the book and rest on her laurels, she has been developing products that combine the Beauty of Anastasia with the science of skin care. Now, she offers a very nice line of products at Sephora. I think the Highlighting Crème Duos were my first Anastasia purchases. Now, I'm pouring over the rest of the line to decide what I'll try next.

Photo at top courtesy of Sephora