glossLuxe from Suresh Beauty gives a sheer, shimmery lift to your lips

My grandmother always maintained that all a woman needs is a touch of mascara and the right shade of lipstick to look her best. Of course, she always added a spray of Chanel No. 5, as well. She was a classy lady and I've always tried to emulate her sophisticated sense of style.

In this phase of my life (read: mother of a toddler), I really appreciate my grandmother's advice because mascara, lipstick and perfume are about all I have time for in the mornings.

I've got my favorite mascara and my signature scent, but I'm always looking for easy-to-wear lip color that adds just the perfect amount of color to revive my tired and often frazzled visage. Fortunately, I was recently turned on to glossLuxe, a new line of lip gloss formulated by local makeup artist Suresh, who spent three years developing his collection, which debuted just this week.

The 28 year-old Suresh, a graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, opened his own makeup studio at Salon Tewl in Bellevue in 2003. His wedding, event and editorial portfolio reflects a sleek ,sophisticated aesthetic.

Suresh offers a two-hour, in-studio makeup lesson for $130 that includes an assessment of what's already in your makeup bag, an application lesson and suggestions for new colors and techniques to enhance your natural beauty.

glossLuxe glosses are sheer, with beautiful shimmering color that comes from powdered minerals and pearls. They go on smoothly, with a consistency more like a lip balm than a sticky gloss. With the addition of emollient ingredients like aloe vera and vitamin E, glossLuxe glosses hydrate and nourish much like a lip balm, as well.

Suresh named the six glossLuxe glosses after six important women in his life: his mother, sister and four best friends. Saman, the color inspired by his mother, is a sheer wine (and also my favorite shade), just the right color to complement the darker hues of fall and autumn. Sanjee (his sister) is a demure baby pink; Lindsay, a subtle red with flakes of gold; Teresa, a versatile nude; Kristine, a sheer mauve; and Jacci, a soft apricot.

The beauty of Suresh's line is that the glosses will work with most skin tones, from a fair complexion like mine to darker complexions, like those of his Sri Lankan mother and sister.

A dedicated animal-rights activist, Suresh proudly states that his glosses are completely vegan and have not undergone any animal testing. They are scentless and tasteless and are manufactured in the United States. glossLuxe glosses are $19 each and are available at sureshbeauty.com as well as at Salon Tewl.

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