In addition to her selected acting roles and being a new mom to her second daughter, Drew Barrymore is also a multi-tasking makeup mogul. Last year, the former COVERGIRL launched Flower Beauty, her own brand at Walmart. While Walmart is a great store for buying cleaning supplies or TVs in bulk, and is not the first place that I think of when I need to go shopping for cosmetics, Flower offerings are actually supremely chic and of high quality. Full disclosure: Flower Beauty got me in the door at my local Walmart. After receiving a few samples that I loved, I went there when the line debuted with the sole purpose of nabbing some more blooms from the brand.
This weekend, the stylish Barrymore was seen testing out her brand's new rollerball concealer (available next January) in the most adorbs yet questionable way — on the subway train.
Whoa, Barrymore on the A or the C or the N or the R or the G? Yep! It was actually sorta brilliant once I thought about it, since she could start promoting the new wares in a modern way.
The actress, looking summery with her straw hat atop beachy, bedhead waves, posted: "Concealing on the subway! With a @flowerbeauty tester roller ball concealer that comes out January 2015 @walmart #commuterbeauty."
Now, as someone who has been a regular straphanger and commuter from New Jersey into Manhattan, I know firsthand that the art of applying makeup on the subway or a moving vehicle is just that — an art. I have done it, with mixed results, and then I have watched women apply an entire face of makeup on a New Jersey transit commuter bus and achieve a flawless result that left me going, "What the heck am I doing wrong? Why can't I get that look?" Worthy, I am not.
It's not easy to do, since you have to hold your mirror, you have to apply carefully since a sudden stop could occur and you could end up with an eyeliner tip either embedded in your eye or a swipe of lip gloss on your cheekbones as an accidental illuminator, and you have less room and lighting to work with. It's not an ideal way to face up.
Even so, if you are running late or maybe just prefer the bright (harsh?) lights of the subway car, you can safely and effectively primp and prime, and get ready for your day in style.
These are my suggestions for four products that are best to use when applying makeup on the subway like Miss Barrymore.
Oh, and just a heads up. The one product that you should not apply when on a packed subway train? Nail polish. Unless it's a polish-free strip or an art stencil, you really can't paint your digits. It's rude, because the smell can and will offend fellow riders. So be polite.
1. A Chubby Crayon Eyeliner Stick
Sephora's Jumbo Liner works wonders since it's a fatty. If you use a sharpened or pointy pencil liner, you could conceivably poke your eye out. And while a diamond-studded eye patch might be fashionable for a hot minute during the healing period, in all seriousness, you could do permanent damage. So go with a chubby, smudgeable pencil in crayon formula, which can double as a shadow you smudge in the crease, instead. Don't even think about a liquid eyeliner. It. Won't. Work. No one is that dexterous. Pan powder shadow is problematic, too, since you have to use an array of tools. Therefore, a self-contained stick such as this is primo. Maybelline even offers a stick with a built-in smudger on the other end. Look, Ma! No fingers.
2. Mascara*
Mascara gets a * because it can be dangerous, like eyeliner. The brush has bristles which aren't meant to touch or scratch your cornea, so any herky jerky motion of the subway train can cause some damage. Please proceed carefully when applying. Flower's Zoom-In mascaras come with adjustable brushes, so you can customize your look with caution! These are my fave mascara offerings at mass market. Thick, dark, and curled lashes are what I want and I get 'em from this range. Thanks, Drew!
3. Powder Foundation
With a built in mirror and self-storing sponge, a powder foundation, like MAC's Studio Fix, is a cakewalk for applying while in transit. Creamier formulas might get messy, since they require a bit more blending with a tool or a finger. That's not always sanitary, either. You've likely touched the pole or the seat, and your hands are not as clean as you want them to be at this point. You need to use an anti-bac, preferably one from Bath & Body Works, since they smell amazing, and I still use the cute and evil Halloween range. Why not just stick with what's easy and, well, dry?
4. Lipstick or Lip Gloss
I apply lip gloss sans a mirror ALL the time. It's pretty much second nature. You can easily gloss and go on the subway. Lipstick requires a little more precision, so you use a mirror to swipe and blot after applying directly from the bullet to lips. I recommend Flower's Kiss Me Twice Lip + Cheek Chubby, since it's a two-fer and can be applied to lips and cheeks without worrying about a totally perfect look, since it offers a stained, flushed look.
Images: Instagram/Sephora/MAC Cosmetics/Flower Beauty
