Defined Brows

Good eyebrow definition is often neglected. It really is an underappreciated realm of the makeup world. Everyone should be aware that a little attention to brows can change the way your entire face looks. Regular brow shaping is a must: plucking at a minimum, but preferably waxing by a professional. After you have nicely shaped brows, it is not necessarily enough to leave them alone. My eyebrows are light brown like my hair, and without definition, they can look unkempt or even washed out. A foolproof combination of bare-minimum weekend makeup is this: a little light powder to even out any imperfections, a swipe of lip product, and well-defined brows. My all-time favorite brow definer is Maybelline Ultra-Brow Brush-On Color in light brown. I know I've been tough on Maybelline in the past, but I've owned this for years and have yet to run out of my first package, and I even keep a second at work. The color is a perfect soft medium brown for the lighter brunette, defining my eyebrows just a bit without looking painted on, and the powder is preferable to a wax or clear mascara in my opinion. My only complaint is that you might need to buy a better quality application brush; the brush that came with my original purchase is perfect and soft, but the one I keep at work has a harder brush that is difficult to use. I recommend a thicker angled brush, which will allow you to apply the powder to the entire width of the brow at once. I like to start on the inner side of the brow and lightly dab outwards. When I'm short on time, I've found that defining my brows takes me from looking like I just woke up to looking manicured and pulled-together, and I would even go so far as to claim that I feel naked without it when I go to an event. I am trying a new thing where I often (not every day, but many) give my eyelashes a rest from mascara and save it for special occasions, so I only put on a light sweep of natural eyeshadow today, no eyeliner, no mascara. Instead, I defined my brows just a bit, and it immediately brought out my eyes. I went from unkempt makeupless to daytime chic in seconds!

Ultimate Eyeliner

Who thinks it's time for an update? I do! If you love defining your eyes, I have the product you have been searching for. Prestige Cosmetics Kohl Eyeliner in Black-Brown, color E-24, is a staple that has been in my makeup bag for years. I carry one in my purse, keep one at my house, and have a new one stored away just in case. This eyeliner goes on like silk, sharpens easily and without breaking, and is perfectly dramatic for both daily wear and nights out. It's so easy to control the application, too. The key is the color -- Black-Brown. I own the same pencil in plain Black, which is a little softer kohl and thus smudgier. The Black can be good on the upper lid for smoky eyes, but it's much less suitable for lower lids -- dark eyeliner circles under your eyes are never good. I also own some brighter colors like turquoise and green, which are fun sometimes, but which do not apply as smoothly since they are a little harder. Black-Brown is the perfect balance of smooth application and non-goopy structure. I use Black-Brown on one or both lids depending on the effect I'm going for. I'll share another secret of my eye makeup application as well. I apply this liner to the inner rim of my eye, between my eyelashes and the eye itself. The true measure of a liner is whether it applies smoothly to that rim, since it's moister than below the lash line, and Black-Brown passes the test. It's true that any liner applied there fades faster because it gets more blinking action than below the lash line, but if you carry this pencil with you for bathroom touchups on the go, you will not regret employing my technique. I define both lids to the inner corner for a highly dramatic look, or perform a light sweep for a more casual look. The important thing to remember when applying liner so close to the eye is to keep this pencil sanitary, sharpen it often, and no not share it. Enjoy and give me feedback!

Smorgasbord of New Faves

I have so many great products going right now, and it's been ages since my last update. Right now I'm in LA for work. I could use a good break and I can't think of any better use of it than a juicy product review session! So here I go!


My new powder is Clinique Perfectly Real Compact Makeup, Shade 114 (N). Oil FREE! I think it's great. It randomly streaks a little bit sometimes, but maybe that's because my moisturizer hasn't dried yet when I apply it (?). The coverage is superior to the Super Powder Double Face Makeup powder, which is my previous fave. The reason I made the switch is twofold: 1) the shade is much more "summer" -- the Double one didn't come in an intermediate shade that would have been appropriate for me, and 2) the saleswoman at the counter talked a lot about it being oil free, which is always appealing. I'm not opposed to going back to Double in the winter. Or maybe I'll just deplete my supply and start to cultivate a summer/winter collection of THIS one! Clearly my current trend is to use powder instead of liquid foundation, and I think it makes a difference in terms of clear pores.


I have a new fave shade of my new fave nail polish. I came to LA with only ONE polish, but the red I brought wasn't doing it for me, so I bought a bottle of Pinkest Pink in the Milani Nail Lacquer that I described below. I think it's a special edition because it was out on a display instead of included with the rest of the Milani polishes. This is a fantastic color. I used to have an almost identical color made by Naturistics, which no longer exists, much to my immense disappointment. It has been my subconscious quest ever since to find a replacement pink. It's a perfect bubble gum bright light pink with slight purple undertones, which flatters my skin nicely and will look INCREDIBLE with a tan. I didn't feel at all guilty about buying it because I'm in LA and I'm here for a trial and we flew here first class and all of my expenses are taken care of, so I feel like I have endless extra money to throw around on fun stuff like CVS cosmetics. Plus, I was away from home with only ONE nail polish color, which wasn't appealing to me at the moment, so my purchase was completely justified and satisfying and not accompanied by any of the slight twinge of buyer's remorse I usually get when I know I'm buying something I practically already own. And it's true, I own a LOT of fabulous pink nail polishes, but NONE have been a near-perfect replacement for my Naturistics one of yore! Until now!

I wish I'd done my toes too but I did those Toe-Mato Red, the one color I brought with me, which is pleasing too and happens to be the SAME BRAND! Incidentally, I bought Toe-Mato Red with Maybelline's Juicy Tomato color in mind, which I still own but which is sticky and unusable. I've been unable to throw it away because it's a perfect summer red-with-a-hint-of-orange, but now that I've found a replacement, I'm extremely happy. I guess I could have just re-purchased the ACTUAL Maybelline one, but since Maybelline is a little tacky and cheap-o, I kind of shied away from re-buying it. Problem solved once again by Milani Nail Lacquer!! You can see I've found a TRUE new favorite.


As a base and top coat, I've begun using Nailtiques Protein Formula 1 (for maintenance of healthy nails) or 2 (for treatment of soft, weak nails). REALLY incredible! It's also great by itself. I don't have the energy to outline the pros and cons right now, but I'm happy with it and you should try it if you have problem nails of any type. Just make sure you match your formula to your nail type! The only tip is that you should take it off and reapply after a few days/coats, because it peels off easily with wear.


Last, I'll touch on a newish (past 6 or so months) fave lip product. Neutrogena MoistureShine Soothing LipSheers. A) Moisture, B) Color, and C) SPF is a hard combo to come across but Neutrogena has hit the nail on the head TWICE now; the first such product is Neutrogena MoistureShine Tinted Lip Balm, which I've used since the day it was unveiled in Glow -- a perfect nude. The LipSheers, being new, of course had to be sampled immediately as well, and temporarily eclipsed the tinted balm in my repertoire, but both are fabulous and it's mostly a matter of color preference that dictates which I gravitate towards. It's such a simple choice for daily wear because it has EVERYTHING in one tube! No need to reach for a separate moisturizer to go with a sticky color, or to sacrifice color for moisture. I have the LipSheers in Pink Splash and Sparkling Nude, and each is perfect for a different look. The Nude gives a very pulled-together finish to a minimal-makeup look, and the Pink is smashing for work or even no-fuss nighttime wear.

So there you have it. Enjoy, sample, give me feedback!

Neon Pink Polish

I wasn't even planning on posting about this nail polish until I started racking up innumerable compliments about it. It's just one of those amazing finds you stumble upon and then think to yourself, how did I live before I knew about this?? My newest nail polish find is Milani Nail Lacquer in Pink Pop. It's such an off brand that I couldn't even find a photo of a bottle of the correct color, so I'll hold off until I can do it justice. No sense posting a different color when the shocking, vibrant, neon pink crème color is the whole reason this polish is so fantastic in the first place. The color caught my eye immediately when I was at CVS last Friday, so I bought it on a whim, did a mani/pedi that night, and went about my business on Saturday feeling pretty happy about it. But when I went out Saturday night -- wowza! Everyone seemed to notice my nails. I eventually removed the mani, but the pedi is still going strong a full week later. Still just as vibrant, still perfectly pristine, still unchipped with a mirror-like finish. I've always said that the quality of the base and top coat matter more than the quality of the polish itself, which is why I am able to choose polish solely based on color and opacity rather than brand name or reputation. (Base and top coat -- totally different story. They are all about quality.) So I didn't hesitate to purchase the Milani polish, even though I've noticed that some of their polishes (especially the pearlescent finishes) look watery in the bottle and hence would look terrible when applied in real life. But my opinion of Milani has totally changed after this experience. The staying power has been outstanding, and I cannot even count the number of people who have noticed my nails and oohed and ahhed over them this past week. Every single day, someone new and unexpected makes a comment (yes, I wear a lot of open toed shoes these days -- spring is here!). I did feel very 1980s with the Pink Pop mani, but all the more reason to give it a shot, right? The pedi isn't as 80s since it's reminiscent of Malibu, coconuts, bikinis, and sunshine. Fabulous for giving your image a summer feel. I might even return to the scene of the crime (as if CVS needs more of my business) and buy the other new colors they've come out with -- particularly a fuchsia and an orange, equally neon. I seriously think I could rock the hot orange at some point this summer (maybe not at work). If you prefer to blend in and avoid attention, or if you don't take compliments well, this isn't the polish for you. Everyone else, enjoy!

MMM Mascara

As far as I'm concerned, the Big Three are the stand-out best mascaras on the market.


1. Clinique Lash Doubling Mascara. This is fantastic for dramatic eyes. I usually go for lengthening instead of volumizing because I've found the latter to clump my eyelashes spider-style, but this one is really fabulous. It seems to have a great lengthening and separating effect as well as volumizing, which is always a plus. We all need help when it comes to eye makeup! The eyes can truly make or break a look. Anyway, this comes highly recommended by moi, but be warned -- it is harder to remove than some. Do not rub your eyes while wearing it, or you will forcibly remove your poor eyelashes. I don't find it to be very moisturizing, and I've noticed that I've lost more eyelashes in the removal process than normal. So use it, love it, receive the many compliments you are sure to receive while wearing it, but be careful, and don't skimp on the removal process.


2. We all know about those newfangled brushes on the market by now. EVERYONE'S coming out with them. Max Factor Lash Perfection, I believe, has done a great job with this one. ALL mascaras clump as they age (bacteria from your eyes transferred into the tube via the wand accomplishes this), but this one does a great job of dutifully continuing to separate lashes even into the drudges of an older tube. Be warned: some drugstores will try to tell you that Procter and Gamble doesn't make Max Factor anymore, and that you should buy the Cover Girl equivalent. They've even gone so far as to produce and display a chart telling you that if you like this MF product, you will now enjoy THIS CG product. Don't believe it! You can still buy Max Factor at Eckerd, Bed Bath & Beyond, and more. And online! They have a whole new life now that Carmen Electra is their spokesmodel. The discovery of this distressing sham by P&G/drugstores was what prompted me to email Procter and Gamble once and tell them JUST how tacky I thought their CG packaging was. Honestly, I have never used the CG equivalent so I can't say it's terrible ... but I'm not about to start. Anyway, it's purple. Max Factor is much classier LOOKING, and for that reason alone, I will continue to use the MF Lash Perfecting mascara when I get the urge to use one of those new plasticky brushes.


3. Of course, the old classique. This has NEVER failed me. Almay One Coat Nourishing Mascara - Lengthening. It has wonderful moisturizers and vitamins that make your eyelashes feel light and makeup-free ... with the fantastic benefits of a TRULY lengthening, worthwhile mascara. I always keep a few new tubes of this in stock in my "new makeup" box just in case I need more. You're supposed to throw away mascara after three months (or something), so I'm usually hesitant to have three in progress at the same time, but I ALWAYS seem to have this one in the rotation no matter what. When my eyes get tired of being harassed by the way the Clinique mascara hardens up and becomes stubborn, this is a GREAT break for them, largely because of the aloe. But PLEASE don't be fooled into thinking ALL Almay mascaras do the trick. The volumizing one clumps terribly, and the "triple effect" one clumps so badly that I need a new word for clump.


This would be an incomplete tutorial without a discussion of optimal mascara removal. It should go without saying that you should always remove your mascara at night. Especially with mascaras that harden like the Clinique one, you don't want to risk breaking or damaging your lashes. My favorite remover is Oil Free Eye Makeup Remover by Almay. It removes EVERYTHING and is specifically suitable for contact lens wearers and those with sensitive eyes. I also have it in the pads version for travel. Of course, you can remove the rest of your makeup with it as well, and a bottle of the liquid version lasts a long time. I have been using it for ages and just recently had to replace it.

If you stick to the Big Three, you will NEVER go wrong. I'm sure there are other good ones out there, but I can't vouch for any of them at this time (I am open to new suggestions though!). I'll leave you with this tip, no matter what your brand preference: note that the darkest black available is the ONLY acceptable shade. Why would you want to accentuate your lashes with brown or blue or purple? Deep black makes them stand out the most, and also matches any possible outfit in your wardrobe, and any reputable makeup artist will agree. For the LOVE, don't match your mascara with your outfit or especially your EYES. (Other Almay lines fail because they try to convince you to do this ... TERRIBLE idea. Very tacky. Just don't do it. UGH!)

Lipstick. Yes, lipstick.

I am not a fan of Cover Girl. It's true that I enjoy their tinted moisturizer from time to time, but as a general principle, I think they are one of the worst brands, along with Maybelline.* I even got so worked up once that I emailed them to tell them that their packaging was tacky and that for that reason alone, they had lost my business. You will therefore be SHOCKED to discover that my two favorite LIPSTICKS are from Cover Girl and Maybelline! LIPSTICKS!

Okay not true really. My favorite is Dior Addict. But we're talking drugstore brands here, for the masses, lipsticks I don't feel (very) guilty buying in bulk. Dior Addict might be discussed another day.



If you know me, you know I'm a lipgloss kind of girl, not lipstick. I could give you a list of 10 amazing glosses that I have within reach at all times. But again, that will be for another day. The issue at hand is the revival of lipstick! A veritable renaissance. About a year ago, I started using this Maybelline lipstick that was pretty moisturizing. It's great! I think I will bring it back into the rotation. Maybelline Moisture Extreme Lipcolor. Don't use the color shown except under extreme circumstances, but you get the idea. It's really a very nice texture, and you don't need a balm underneath it. Smooth and silky! I have it in a neutral color which has served me extremely well. It is one of the very few lipsticks that I've ever taken to, so it's worth a try, but unfortunately, like most pigmented lip products, it doesn't really stay in my rotation for long, which is somewhat of a shame. In fact, I think when I go home tonight I'll dig some out and put it in my purse for use in the near future! The last thing I will say about this lipstick is that it was recommended to me by my granny's friend June, so I attribute this amazing discovery to her.



Okay enough about Maybelline. This is the real reason I'm posting. I've recently found ANOTHER lipstick from ... Cover Girl! that I feel like I can REALLY use constantly throughout the day! Back story: I realized that in the morning before leaving for work, I do an amazing makeup application and feel very put together, then I look at myself when I arrive at work and wonder WHY I don't look as amazing as I did at home. And I realized -- it's the LIPS. Gloss in the AM just doesn't cut it. I need a LIPSTICK to get me through the walk to the Metro, Metro ride, and walk to work. AND THIS IS IT. I bought it in Baby Girl (shimmery -- shown here) and Pillow Pink (matte) -- both light pink -- and I've used it EVERY DAY SINCE. Seriously! There are very few pigmented lip products that I use religiously (balms are a different story) ... so you know it's a keeper when I use it constantly over an extended period. It moisturizes so well in kind of a gel-ish way that I don't need an additional lip balm, which is pretty much essential with most lipsticks (except Dior Addict). Cover Girl IncrediFull Lipcolor ... go buy some.

PLEASE don't forget the balm though. You need to apply it daily, multiple times and especially before bed, to achieve lips onto which you can apply this lipcolor directly. If you don't keep up a regimen of balm applications, you will NOT be able to use a moisturizing lipstick by itself!


*Footnote: Maybelline does have one of the best brow powders ever, and a great coverup stick. So see? Every makeup brand has some good products. You can't rule ANYTHING out these days!

Bare makeup

I have had a lot of amazing finds over the years, all of which I eventually hope to share, but I've recently come up with a new no-fuss makeup routine with which I'd like to break the ice. The components themselves are not anything new to me -- I just love the combo.


First, I start with Olay Refreshing Toner. Any mild astringent is never a bad thing in moderation and when followed by a moisturizer. Toner is important because clears out the pores, prevents breakouts, and gets rid of dead, dull skin cells. At times, I have washed my face thoroughly only to get *more* makeup off with toner afterwards -- and it's really shocking how easily this step is overlooked. I've found that my skin looks a lot better when I make toner a regular part of my routine, morning and/or night.


After waiting for the toner to fully dry, I apply a light coat of Cover Girl Advanced Radiance Age-Defying Sheer Moisturizer with SPF 15 to even out my skin tone. I used to use the older version of this, Cover Girl Smoothers SPF 15 Tinted Coverage, in the summer a lot and always enjoyed it, but I didn't consider using it year-round until they came out with this improved version with Olay moisturizers. The most important part about using this, and any other SPF tinted or untinted moisturizer, is to use a mild toner underneath, especially if you have acne-prone skin. It makes all the difference.


Since the tinted moisturizer is so sheer, I like to use a light coverup for any remaining visible blemishes. Neutrogena SkinClearing Concealer Oil-Free is one of my all-time favorite products on the market. I've been through numerous tubes over the years, and despite branching out to try newer products, have always come back to this one. The sponge applicator makes it really easy to apply just the right amount, and it helps clear up blemishes. I often have a tube of this in my purse and another at home, just in case. I use medium or light depending on the season and my tan.

And that's the routine! You can follow with a sweep of black mascara to complete the look, but that's a discussion for a different day! You can order most of the products discussed here on drugstore.com -- an amazing website. Enjoy!

Project Gloss

I love lip gloss. I love all products, actually. My goal with this blog is to share my love of products that have glossed up my life. Hence: Project Gloss! Enjoy!