Philosophy's New "Color of Grace" Makeup Line

When you think of Philosophy and makeup, do you think of "Supernatural," the makeup that makes you look like you, only better? It's a great line, but they have a new one: the Color of Grace. Because, according to the package that the shimmering face powder comes in, "where there is grace, there is beauty."

If you're a Philosophy fan, you'll know that "Grace" is also a fragrance line, including Amazing Grace, Pure Grace, Baby Grace, and other soft fragrances. I'll admit that I'm not a huge fan of most manufactured fragrances, but while I don't wear these, I can stand being in the same room with Grace fragrances, which is more than I can say of most perfumes. And the "grace" scent does appear in some of the Color of Grace cosmetics.

I encountered the Color of Grace line when a dear friend gave me four items from the line for Valentine's day. I received the Heavenly Light Pink Illuminator, an all-over face liquid that is packaged with a built-in brush. You can wear it alone, over foundation, or mixed with foundation. It's a very pale pink, and doesn't so much change the color of your skin as make you look like you're lit with pink lighting - the most flattering light for any skin tone. It's gentle, paraben and petrochemical free, and filled with moisturizing and brightening botanicals. I love it, probably because I have a corpse-like pallor and this makes me look like I might still have a pulse.

Item two in my gift was Amazing Grace Shimmering Face Powder, a pale (very pale) shimmering pink powder that you can brush lightly over finished make-up or bare skin, and over your neckline, décolleté, or shoulders for a hint of light and shimmer. This does have the Amazing Grace scent, but it's very faint and disappears almost immediately. A warning with this, though: put it on lightly with a fan brush, and don't layer it, or you'll look chalky. Use a light touch, and you'll get a lovely light result. I was also given the lovely Go With Grace retractable travel brush with this, but after one trial, I don't use it with the face powder. It's too easy to put too much on with this brush. Stick with a fan brush (you can get one cheaply at a drugstore, and it will work just as well as a pricey department store brush!).

The final item in my basket was the Eyelighting Shadow Duo, a pair of two eye shadows in one small compact. One is a pale pinky-beige, the other a pinky-brown. They're neutrals, but neutrals that light up your eyes instead of making them look "blah." I admit that I am impressed with the Color of Grace line, but since each item is over $20, I won't be rushing out to buy more any time soon.

The line also includes a powder blush with three pale pinks in it, for a natural look (even on women of color) instead of the bright rosy clown look we sometimes see on made-up women (you know who you are); two shades of pink lipgloss in little pots; and a "Coloring Book" that has the two eyeshadow shades, two lipglosses, an all-over illuminator (cream, not powder), powder blush, and all-over face powder, all lightly scented with Amazing Grace (except the lipglosses; they have a light vanilla-mint scent/taste).

You can find these products at Philosophy counters in drug stores, or on-line at www.philosophy.com,www.sephora.com, or www.QVC.com. (Note: the blush is almost always out of stock at the philosophy and Sephora website, so if you really want it, go to QVC.)