Elaine Zlotkowski

Being a young, working woman is a beautiful thing. We are self -sufficient and have energy to spare, enabling us to completely devote ourselves to achieving our career ambitions. However, it is also time-consuming being a young, working woman; we spend our days perfecting a difficult and intricate balancing act: logging long hours at work while trying to maintain good health, a healthy lifestyle, and a social life. Make-up is not a top priority for us, but lets be honest, we all want to look our best.

So, to help us in our quest to look our best Prospere Magazine asks Ilana Pluchik, a full-time university student and a Beauty Expert at the Shoppers Drug Mart Beauty Boutique on Bayview & John in Thornhill, Ontario, about the five beauty products she herself uses, and would recommend for young, working women who have no time to spare.

Lets hear it from one working woman to the rest of us.

1.)    Virtuose Mascara by Lancome ($29.50). “Mascara should always be at the top of the list of beauty essentials,” says Ilana. She notes that mascara is particularly effective for sleep-deprived, tired looking eyes as it helps to open up the eyes. But

what makes Virtuose so effective? Instead of using three mascaras, one for volume, one for length, and one for curling, you can just use Virtuose, which acts as a 3-in-1 mascara. An extra bonus adds Ilana is that it “stays on for a whole day and does not smudge easily.”

2.)    Clarins Colour Quench Lip Balm ($21). Instead of using a sticky lip gloss, Ilana recommends using Clarins Colour Quench Lip balm, because it is “not messy, it is hydrating, and can it be reapplied over and over.” The lip balm helps brighten the face as it adds color to the lips. Plus, it is available in many different colours.

3.)    Cover FX Bronzer in Gold ($28). “We all have days when we feel that our face looks dull, tired or too pale…[and] a bronzer can give a colour boost to the entire face when applied all over, creating a tanner look, or when applied only on the cheekbone area,” offers Ilana. She recommends the hypoallergenic Cover FX Bronzer in Gold in particular, because it “looks natural and stays on all day.”

4.)    Lancome Liquid Artliner ($37).  “I love my Lancome Liquid Artliner in dark brown, as it adds a little drama and draws attention to the eyes, ” says Ilana. Liquid liner is used for bolder, more dramatic looks than pencil liners, and the Lancome Liquid Artliner is particularly convenient to use, because, says Ilana, “it is very easy to apply and it does not smudge, so it stays on.”

5.)    Tinted moisturizer.  For women who want to perfect their complexions, tinted moisturizer can be a much better choice than foundation. Says Ilana: “Tinted moisturizer provides light and smooth coverage, but it also easily blends into the skin and provides good hydration. For someone who is always on the go, a tinted moisturizer can easily replace both foundation and day moisture cream.”  Ilana cites the Lancome Aqua Fusion ($51?) and the Smashbox Sheer Focus Oil-Free Tinted Moisturizer ($35?) as two of her personal favorites.

Webitor’s note: In addition to Shoppers, many of the products mentioned above are available at places such as Sephora and at your local department store.