Wear Lipstick Like It's 1992

When you are in your 20s and are supposed to look fabulous all the time, it's kinda rough when you know you're not looking that way most of the time. If you don't look fabulous all the time, people remind you that you're not getting any younger and that you might as well live it up now. I'm not sure if this means you should wear more lipstick or not, but I decided that it does.

Some lipstick can be aging, but I love it. After testing one too many eye liners and shadows, blushes, and even a few face powders/foundations here and there, I decided that the only thing that really makes a difference on my face is lipstick. It never makes me look worse, requires little maintenance, and is so inexpensive. I also have one of those faces where color anywhere other than my lips makes me look like a drag queen. I guess it is a good thing that I don't need too much else to look fabulous (or at least better).

My latest finds include classics from both Clinique and Revlon. Yes, I believe I have traveled back in time to 1992 - hello, Toast of New York and Blackberry. Oh, how times have changed since then for lips. People prefer them colorless and ultra shiny. Even I fell for this in college - I was a black liquid eyeliner and neutral lip gloss girl. Nowadays, that look seems dated, and I think lipstick is sort of "back." My great friend San has always belonged to the Strong, Bold Lipstick Cult and I decided it might be time for me to consider joining.

The 2 strongest lipsticks in my rather lame collection are NARS Tamango (discontinued) and Sephora Matte Lipstick #18-Oh! Oh! When I borrowed San's Tamango and she loved the matte red/maroon shade on me, I made my first Ebay purchase for the discontinued shade. That encouraged me to move on to Sephora's Oh! Oh!, which is the prettiest dark pink out there, and which everyone comments on when I wear it (in a good way).

So I moved past some boring neutrals - Clinique Different Lipstick in Tenderheart, Clinique Buttershine Lipstick in Rum Kiss, Maybelline Moisturize Extreme Lipsticks in Rum Raisin and Plum Sable (most of which I hardly wear anyway). I wanted more Oh! Oh! and more oomph!

Clinique Buttershine Lipstick in Cranberry Cream and Different Lipstick in Cider Berry are pure oomph! Cranberry Cream is a bright, shiny and creamy red with pink/cranberry undertones. It's far more pigmented than any of the other Buttershine shades. Cider Berry is a more traditional, matte red - almost 1992, but more me-in-2010. Both will make your lips feel like shiny cherries or apples. So much prettier than shiny corpse lips! The Buttershine in Pink Toffee is also a brighter alternative to the usual day-neutrals.

Then it was back to drugstore basics with more natural oomph from Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Deep Nude. Deep Nude is a very soft coral/red with a slight pearl sheen (not frost!) that is neither too bold nor too aging. It might seem a little "Boca" at first glance, but hey, it looks good. On me, the shade matches the name almost exactly - a very deep nude that is truer to the natural pinks/reds/coral in my lips than those strange beiges/browns that make everyone look like a corpse because it has just the right amount of brown. This is a fresh shade for any season or occasion that can work well with and without stronger eye makeup. I also have Rum Raisin, a peachy pink which will replace my beloved Maybelline Moisture Extreme Lipsticks because it is a cream formula that lasts longer.

What I absolutely would not wear with a lot of eye makeup is Raisin Rage. I have a picture of myself at one of my sister's wedding events 10 years ago wearing this shade. I know it's Raisin Rage because I distinctly remember not wearing any lipstick that night. My sister insisted that I needed it (why do sisters and moms always think you need lipstick?) and pulled out this funkster (which matched my outfit perfectly). Voila! I was the next-in-line sister poised to be checked out by future mothers-in-law. A deep, dramatic berry, this is definitely far more 1992 (or 2001) than any of the Clinique reds I mentioned. Instead of wearing this straight from the tube, I'll probably dab it on and top with a little gloss - far more long-lasting than sheerer lipsticks or glosses in a similar shade (think Clinique's Black Honey).

It feels good to only have to bother with 1 or 2 swipes of a good lipstick rather than construct your face properly with makeup to make it look like you're not wearing any. More lipstick talk on its way.

On Highlighters

After accumulating just enough blushes, eyeliners, lipsticks, lip glosses, eye shadows, and tinted moisturizers, I discovered that I had one apparently *very* important product missing from my storage box - a highlighter! I mean, really, what makeup collection is complete without one? I'm not even sure I knew what a good highlighter was supposed to do, I just knew that I wanted the top of my cheeks to have the glowy white sheen (it is always white, no matter what your skin tone) that women seem to have in all their best Facebook pictures. And so I searched.

And searched. And searched.

Not all the highlighters I found were really highlighters. Some were glowy powders. Some were creams with multiple uses. Some were suspicious-looking liquids. The biggies that I contemplated taking home for good:

NARS Blush in Sertao - Too close to my own skin color, which made it more of good "finishing" powder.
NARS Blush/Highlighter in Albatross - Beautiful. But seemed like a lot of product and a high price tag for something that I realistically won't use all too often.
NARS The Multiple in Copacabana - Bleh color on me.
BeneFit High Beam - Sales Associate shook her head in approval while I watched this disappear on me.
Benefit Moon Beam - Ditto.
Stila Illuminating Finishing Powder in Rose Glow - Who cares? A full-sized product packaged with another full-sized product at $10 for the holiday season is a no-brainer.
Stila Illuminating Finishing Powder in Bronze - Ditto.
Physician's Formula Shimmer Strips Custom Bronzer, Blush & Eyeshadow in Peach Glow - Eh. Gorgeous color and formula, but didn't show up very well on me.

I kept telling myself to return the Stila package, add a few bucks, and get a good lipstick, but I JUST COULD NOT DO IT. And so I kept Albatross and tried to play with it on several occasions. It had taken one very flamboyant Sales Associate at Sephora to teach me how to correctly apply this. After learning, I thought - this $25 sparkling white powder just to dot along my cheekbones (wherever they are - apparently, there is some Chanel "C" formed along my cheekbones and side of forehead) and bow of upper lip? Impossible!

But I hadn't brushed it off yet. I kept it until something comparable came along. That something was Black Radiance Mosaic Bronzer in Summer Shimmer.

Ok, I know comparing NARS to Black Radiance might seem unacceptable to some, but hear me out.

Summer Shimmer is one of those multi-colored bronzers meant to do just about everything. It gives you a sun-kissed glow! It can be used as eyeshadow! It is also a blush! And of course, a highlighter as well! I normally don't fall for this, but I'm feeling pretty partial to Black Radiance's take on this mosaic business right now. This "bronzer" has four light squares of color - white, beige/gold, pink/gold, and bronze/gold. It is actually the lightest shade in a collection that includes Golden Shimmer and Bronzing Shimmer, but this is what makes it work as a highlighter (at least the white part) for I would say almost all skintones, and not just a bronzer.

The white square in Summer Shimmer and Albatross are both a warm, white gold. Albatross is not as fine-milled but is a bit more pigmented. This is alright with me since I'm not planning on wearing it to perform in "Chicago." But it is still pigmented enough to show up on your skin. In terms of texture and blendability, I'd say it's pretty much on par with Albatross - maybe slightly more, slightly less, depending on how you apply and your skin. In my opinion, Summer Shimmer looks a little bit more natural and is definitely more manageable.

The deal-breaker for - NARS is about $25, while Black Radiance is about $5. Given that both will last almost forever, I think Black Radiance is still the way to go, unless you want really phenomenal Facebook pictures and nothing but Albatross will do. Let's face it - I will probably only wear this stuff once a week at the most, and no matter how long the NARS product would last, keeping something so precious and expensive is just not me. After all, I dated Duane Reade for a while. Well, I still am. Of course, my Albatross was purchased on my never-ending credit and/or exchanges/returns at Sephora, so the price wasn't a huge concern - just a matter of principle. I'll admit, though, that I'm not that principled. I can see myself succumbing to Albatross again soon, but for now, Summer Shimmer will suffice. It's always good to know what your options are, and this is a pretty darn good one.

Things I Bought That I Continue To Love

Since it is the start of the New Year and every blogger on the internet has given some sort of summary of their favorites or Top 10s of something or another, I thought I'd kick off my return with a similar run-down of all the things I consistently use and would repurchase. They are not necessarily things to gush about (for that, you can check out Mindy Kaling's blog), but what else could consistent use and restocking of a product be but love? Every girl knows that products have to fight hard to make it to such a list - we are all, after all, extremely fickle about such things, and if we used the same products consistently, there would be no beauty blogging or beauty industry. But there are some things that don't need to be changed or updated or replaced.

I came up with a similar list in 2008, which was more makeup-heavy and not as well thought-out. Hopefully this one will need less revision in the future.

The List

1. The Body Shop Tea Tree Oil Blemish Stick - I keep one in my work bag and one at home. It dries up any baby pimples before you know it, and without drying out the surrounding skin or leaving a crusty film. I recently got 4 during The Body Shop's annual holiday clearance sale for $5.00 each (they are usually $9.00 - a bit steep in my opinion, but worth every penny). While I still endorse this as a non-sale purchase, it's even sweeter to stock up on it when it's almost 50% off. A few dabs on trouble spots throughout the day, and it's taken care of.

2. Burt's Bees Soap Bark and Chamomile Deep Cleansing Cream - I don't know how or why I still have this, but I do know that I use it a few times a week. It doesn't dry out my skin or make it too oily (even in the summertime). It's got to be magic or something since I've had it for over a year and it should have run out by now. All I know is that while I don't use it daily, if there is one cream cleanser that I would repurchase for myself, this would be it.

3. Maybelline Expert Eyes Moisturizing Mascara Remover for Waterproof Eye Makeup - I felt like giving this a shout-out because people are always talking about how hard it is to take off eye makeup. Really? Is it that hard? All you need is this (or a few drops of jojoba oil - any oil should do) and a little bit of elbow grease. I don't wear heavy makeup at all, but when I do wear more than usual, this does the job. I will never understand why anyone needs an eye makeup remover that costs more than a few bucks. Just seems like a waste to me. I've had this teeny bottle forever and alternate it with jojoba oil.

4. Make Up Forever Aqua Eyes Waterproof Eyeliner in 0L - Now is not the time to get into my search for the perfect black/brown eyeliner, but when no brown will do, this is the only black I use. In fact, I've never had any other black eyeliner pencil. Through high school and college, all I kept was black liquid eyeliner. So considering that, its somewhat of a miracle that I even have this, and that it again has lasted me well over a year. Granted, I don't use it every day. But it is just creamy and just hard enough to avoid too much sharpening, which makes it last a long while. Definitely something to be repurchased in the future, although I'm sure there are several good drugstore alternatives. I'm eyeing the 1L Star Black shade, which is an off-black with a slight sheen. And we all know how great anything "off-" is. I can't say that this never smudges, or that it is really as waterproof as it is marketed to be, but it is definitely more up my alley than black kohl and gel formulas. How do I live with a $17.00 eyeliner pencil, you ask? The answer is - I have no idea. I can't recall when I bought this (must have been on Sephora credit), or why I was interested in it. All I know is that once I got it, I kept it, and kept using it, and it still exists in my makeup bag.

5. Blistex Medex Medicated Lip Balm - I have very, very chapped lips. They are nearly always chapped, and after they smooth out, they chap up again very quickly. I used to be a Vaseline girl, but I've decided it is just time for that little tub to go (except for under my eyes occasionally!). This little blue pot needs to be sold in a tub of its own. It has a similar consistency to Vaseline, just a tad bit thinner. It also has a very pretty sheen that looks great over lipstick. One pot lasts forever, so of course, I had to have two. No need for fancy balms from Kiehl's or Neutrogena or what have you.

6. Dior DiorShow Mascara in Black - I know you are supposed to replace your mascara every 3 months (although I suspect this might be somewhat of a money-making gimmick), but I just can't let this go, both because I love it and also because it is expensive and I don't have the heart to replace it. We all know I am cheap at heart and worship the drugstore, so it is still a bit difficult for me to justify having a $24.00 mascara. But if I'm going to have one, well then I'm going to keep it until it starts to kill me!!! I don't think this is an over-hyped product at all, but then, how well a product works varies from person to person, and this happens to work really well for me. I was never into mascara. Never, ever. Had one tube of L'Oreal Voluminious which was just fine. Then I tried this and wondered why I had never worn mascara before.

7. Aveda Smooth Infusion Style-Prep Smoother - Love this stuff. I don't have the best relationship with hair products, and for the most part, can live without them. I got this on a whim after a haircut at an Aveda salon. At $24.00, it was an unusually expensive purchase for me, but it was worth it. I've had it for almost a year and use it nearly every time I blow out my hair. It is creamy but light, and keeps my hair smooth without weighing it down. Would repurchase if it was okay to splurge in the future, but another 2 products that do an okay job and are far less expensive - Garnier Sleek & Shine Leave-In Conditioning Cream and Pantene Humidity Protection Leave-In Cream.

8. Atina Hair Shine - I'm not sure I really need to mention this product, because it is not the greatest thing in the world. But, I've had it for almost 2 years, it does its job, and is a great value. This is basically a John Frieda Frizz-Ease type of serum - only you get a huge bottle (0.15 lbs) for about $8.00 and it has a nice, herbal-y fragrance. I use it after I dry my hair to smooth it out a bit and give it some shine. Nothing complicated here, and would repurchase - at Rani salons only, of course. Yeah, don't ask why I was at this Indian salon on Long Island 2 years ago and how my friend talked me into getting this. But I'm glad I did. You know something works for you when you're willing to take out the broken pump dispenser and slather it over your hands. Really - using a broken bottle of hair goo? That must be some kind of love. And if love for value is all that it is, well, I can live with that.

Back

Long-term hiatus, for sure. If you read my Sumania blog, you'll know that I was attempting to express a more serious side of yours truly that is way too serious for its own good. This is, in short, totally stupid. My whole foray into blogging began with a makeup/product near-fetish and the need to discuss the more frivolous (yet somehow more time-consuming) aspects of life - like, you know, deciding between Clinique Color Surge Buttershine Lipstick in Apple Brandy (kinda sheer and shiny) or Clinique Different Lipstick in Spiced Apple (bold and matte and oh-so sophisticated).

Now that I'm on a nice, long break from my graduate studies, I decided - to hell with it. It's not like I ever stopped yapping about these things with my friends. I really need to express the confusion and joy that comes from deciding between two different shades and formulas of red. There's no other point to being a 20-something - I get away with this now, or never.

For the Bollywood Or Pocahontas In You

So I may be one of the last people to jump on the ethnic-beauty-bandwagon, but better late than never. I hesitated at first, mostly because I have not tried any of the products out there geared towards 'women of color.' In case you haven't noticed, I've had trouble wielding the most basic of products out there to begin with. While the appeal and usefulness of these new lines will vary from woman to woman, there is definitely a need for cosmetics and skincare that cater to The Ethnic Beauty, which is really like, everyone on the planet.

Some of my fellow bloggers have already talked about Thevi Cosmetics, Vasanti Cosmetics, and Dr. Susan Taylor's Rx for Brown Skin. Whether or not you envision yourself as a multicultural or post-ethnic Disney princess, these lines may have something of interest for you. I know I'm eyeing Rx for Brown Skin because of some wretched post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation I'm experiencing (read - scaring after a zit packs its bags).

It also recently occurred to me that not being able to find the Right or Pefect X, Y, Z of a product might have something to do with how restricted some cosmetics lines are. So I may go for a Thevi blush (or two) soon and see what happens!

Rimmel Lipsticks

Have I mentioned that I'm 4 years away from 30? Because the way I'm acting lately, one would think I'm already over-the-hill. The interiors and inventory of Duane Reade seemed oh-so-important, but I failed to mention my biggest beauty find of the season. Forgive me if I have not forgiven myself. But Rimmel Lasting Finish Intense Wear lipsticks are too fabulous to have forgotten about, and I'll try to make up for it.

Where do I start? Like all junkies and perfectionists, finding the Right everything (let's not get into Mr. at the moment...) is a life's mission. I'm substantially more sane about lipstick than eyeliner, but of late, the few basics I was using just didn't seem fabulous enough for someone still 4 years away from 30. Although I have yet to find The One (again), Rimmel Lipstick in Heather Shimmer has come pretty darn close.

Heather Shimmer is a pink frost/shimmer lipstick - don't cringe. Sure, plenty of older women are into the frost bite, and it can be quite aging. Personally, some frost lipsticks have made me look like a dead ice queen. But I always found them to be the theoretical balance between matte, creme, and shine formulas. You might not think so, but this is my blog, my logic. Rest assured, I do not like an aging woman on Park Avenue shopping for clothes her daughter should be wearing instead.

Heather Shimmer is a well-balanced pink for my skin tone, and the frost/shimmer is work appropriate but not over the top. I've been wearing this lipstick day and night, and my first tube is almost down to a nub. No worries, because I have 2 more! Yes, I was that secure in my relationship with this baby to purchase a couple of others - 1 for the makeup bag, one for the handbag, one for the bathroom counter. It leaves that awesome bit of a stain, and is pretty long-wearing and moisturing. It is one of the few lipsticks that actually embraces the fullness of my lips and I might be developing an unhealthy relationship with it as I speak.

For $5 from a drugstore brand launched by the Brits, I'm extremely impressed. I also have this lipstick in Coffee Shimmer, which is a pretty brown/pink, and am considering purchasing Rhapsody, which looks like a creme version of Heather Shimmer. Any lipstick that makes me want to pucker up and kiss someone is a thumbs-up in my book.

These Are a Few of My Favorite Sephora Things

Most people (and bloggers) I know are not a fan of the Sephora brand of cosmetics. While I've experienced a few duds myself, there are a few products which suit me particularly well, and others that are a steal for the quality and price.

Like with many a "wheatish"-complexioned girl, it's often difficult for me to find the right shade of poweder, foundation, and concealer (although I never actually wear all 3 at once - just like to have them all in my makeup inventory!). So I was astonished to find a perfect foundation color match and formula in Sephora Brand Balancing Liquid Foundation, SPF 15. This product must not be a best-seller because it is constantly on sale at Sephora from $20 to $6 (like now, but only for a few shades online). But for some reason, it works for me. I can barely feel the light, non-greasy formula and because the shade is perfect, I actually get good coverage from it without a cakey effect. Another face makeup surprise from Sephora is the Light Touch Highlighter ($12), which looks to be a more affordable version of the famed Touche Eclat from Yves Saint Laurent. I have this in 05-Golden Beige, and again, the shade is a great match. What good is a concealer/highlighter that doesn't actually match your skin? So while this product may not actually be the best of its kind out there, it does have potential if you find a good match.

Another great new product from Sephora is the Nano Eyeliner ($5). Like the Prestige Total Intensity pencil I reviewed earlier, these pencils are extremely well-pigmented and smooth upon application. I especially love how there are 3 types of brown in the collection - Glitter Brown, Chocolate Brown, and Coffee. I'm a strong believer in dark brown eyeliners, and was glad to see a variety showcased in this collection, along with some great purples. These are a great alternative to the Make Up For Ever Aqua Eyes and the Urban Decay 24/7 eyeliners.

So if you are ever overwhelmed at Sephora with a thin wallet, and the drugstore is too far away, the Sephora brand might be your only escape.

Show me the Dior

Because I really love it. I fell for the Dior DiorShow mascara hype and I don't know if there is any way out. I'm not a mascara person, which true beauty junkies might consider blasphemous, but it is the truth. I always found that well-applied eyeliner was more effective, and I didn't like the feeling of heavy lashes. Until, of course, I discovered this stuff. I began to wonder why I had never noticed the pitiful, sparse state of my lashes, and have new respect for those who don't leave home without it.

There is just something about this huge mascara wand that is unlike any other - and I really don't know what it is. There is no clumping to create a set of 3 lashes, and even though my lashes already curl up, they just soar upwards even more when I use it. All this without making me look like a porn star. When I'm not wearing liner, I go for this with some gloss. Get the waterproof version - for some strange reason, it tends to smudge a little bit towards the end of the day, but I can't risk the regular formula with my sensitive eyes.

Glad to have found a reason to like mascara, and maybe I'll experiment with some more.

Aid from Avene

So my boyfriend Duane Reade had a major makeover. It is worthy of a reality TV series. Inside and out, he looks completely different, and its only now that I realize he was previously a major eye sore. Along with a change in terms of layout and design, a few select Duane Reades have skincare centers (similar to the kind you find at CVS) that carry French skincare lines such Avene and Vichy.

A few months back, I made a few adjustments to my skincare routine, and used the help of a "specialist" at one of these centers to sample products from Avene. The line features products for sensitive, oily, irritated, and aging skin types. As a line of dermocosmetic products (cool word - read more here) that falls somewhere between the usual drugstore and high-end suspects, I decided Avene might be worth a try. I chose the Gentle Cleanser for Intolerant Skin and loved it at hello. It is a light, non-greasy, and non-irritating gel that can be wiped off with a cotton ball or washed off with water.

It took me a few months for my rather sluggish brain to realize that this is sort of a glorified Cetaphil. But if I remember my Cetaphil experience correctly, than the Avene formula is much lighter and leaves absolutely no residue whatsoever. At $17.00, it is pricier than any cleanser I have ever used, and although I think it is worth it, I'm not sure if I'm going to re-buy. I may experiment a little bit more first - I had a decent experience with the samples of the Ystheal Lotion and Cream, and would like to try another cleanser before settling on one. I'll admit that I'm already a sucker for the no nonsense, simple packaging that makes me feel like I'm really not doing much. Might be good enough reason to purchase again.

If you are drugstore obsessed like me, you'll definitely want to explore Duane's latest offerings, especially when a specialist is present and can give you samples. It's about time drugstore loyalists received some high-end treatment!

More from Jane

I thought it would be quite impossible to be more impressed by drugstore brand Jane Cosmetics' wonderfully inexpensive and quality products after trying out their new organic line. But Jane continues to surprise me. Here a couple of recent discoveries:

Staying Powder Loose Powder (Colorless) - I'd always wondered what the hype surrounding translucent/colorless face powder was. Is it really colorless? Is there hope of it providing any coverage? Will it really control oil/shine? Apparently, yes! Perhaps not to the degree you might expect from more heavy-duty products, but still worth it. Would I buy a translucent powder from an expensive Sephora brand? Probably not. But from Jane, it's just right. I decided to try out this makeup mystery with Jane's inexpensive version, and am happy to have this basic little jar on hand. The powder is light and non-irritating, and does control shine, although it definitely is not a long-wearing product. There are days when my skin looks like a patchwork of different shades and tones, and the last thing I want to do is add another. A light dusting of some colorless powder, however, gives your face a little polish without feeling heavy in the least, especially as the weather warms up. I find it easier to blend than my pressed powder from Clinique, and it works well for in-between seasons when you're not quite as pale as you were in December but the sun still hasn't warmed you up enough. Under $5.00, and worth a try if you haven't used a loose face powder before.

Be Pure Mineral One Liner (Ink Mica) - Alas, if you read my post about purple eyeliner from earlier today, you won't be surprised that I have also located the Perfect Blue. Like with everything-eyeliner, I have had issues with finding the right blue. I like sort of dusty-musty-inky blues that border on slate/gray, but are still pigmented enough to show up on my skin. Ink Mica is just that (the swatch on the Jane site does not do it justice). It beats out most of the blues and blue/grays from MAC (which has about as many liner shades as you can imagine), and reminds me of the discounted Slate pencil from Prescriptives. This is a mechanical pencil, which is nice because it allows you to create a thinner line. It also has a smudger on one end - again, amazing for the price of about 3 bucks. Goes on smoothly, and won't create a mess. What more could you ask for? Ah, yes, the Perfect Purple, but that's already been taken care of!

How Many Brown Girls Are Blogging About Beauty?

Perhaps we should start a Facebook group, or maybe our own cosmetics company! A Brown Girl's Beauty Blog is one of the few beauty blogs written by South Asian chickies to be featured in an issue of the South Asian Journalist Association's (SAJA) daily newsletter. Share the beauty junkie joy.

Prestige and a Powerful Plum: Total Intensity Eyeliners

Normally after I've disappear off the face of the earth, I assure you that I've been a busy beauty junkie with little time to share. This has not been the case over the last few months. For better or for worse, I've been hooked on a some great products, and few others have held much appeal for me. But like all my best beauty finds, my latest, long-overdue item was recently discovered accidentally at my boyfriend's, Duane Reade.

If you've followed this blog at all, you know I have serious liner issues, especially with these sensitive eyes and oily lids. I'm always searching for the perfect black, the perfect black-brown, the perfect liquid, the perfect pencil, the least smudgy, the just-smudgy-enough, and so on. Most of these quests are actually complete - I just had to find the Perfect Purple. Luckily, my faith in the beauty world was restored knowing that such a purple exists in the form of Prestige's Total Intensity Eyeliner.

This is really an amazing pencil for about $5.00. Seriously. It's way better than the usual inexpensive classics. Like the Make Up Forever AquaEyes pencils, it is super smooth, silky, and pigmented. In fact, it glides on smoother than the standard kohl liners (expensive and drugstore brand), which are typically the softest type of pencil liners (and also the messiest), on both the upper lid AND waterline. But unlike kohls, the Total Intensity liner stays put even on oily lids like mine. You don't have to worry about looking tired, sad, or bruised with this pencil.

I have this in Powerful Purple, and it is exactly the shade of purple I was looking for - dark like the skin of a dark plum, not overly purple, and not as stark as basic black. Basically, this is an improved substitute for Laura Mercier's Black Violet eye pencil (a kohl formula), which I was previously lusting after - a blackened purple that shows up well on darker skin, with barely noticeable shimmer. This isn't a Barney purple, so if you really want that kind of oomph, try elsewhere. If you want a softer effect than black and would like something other than brown or blue, this is the way to go. It's a subtle difference that only the obsessed might understand...

With a range of shades from black to green to purple, I highly recommend these pencils to all eyeliner junkies.

Beauty on a Budget

Of course, this is my mantra. But luckily others are following suit. Check out Beauty on a Budget - Advice From a Stylist from the NYT a few weeks ago for some great tips on how Duane Reade really can be your best friend. Here's a summary of some of the recommended drugstore beauty and skincare products:

• CoverGirl AquaSmooth Compact Foundation
• CoverGirl Cheekers Blush
• L'Oreal Volumnious Mascara
• L'Oreal Le Grande Kohl Eyeliner pencil in Black Sable (which I raved about ages ago here)
• Revlon ColorStay 12 Hour Eye Shadow Quad
• Neutrogena MoistureShine Lip Gloss
• L'Oreal Infallible Never Fail Lip Liner
• CoverGirl TRUBlend Microminerals Finishing Veil
• Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Double Face Protector
• Neutrogena Mineral Sheers Powder Foundation
• Olay Foaming Face Wash

My 2 cents - Ann Orcutt, the stylist who made the above recommendations, might be wrong about needing to invest in high-end makeup brushes. I find the Eco-Tools and Apt. 5 lines to have pretty good brushes, and the Posh brand is comparable to the high-end ones. She also only liked Revlon eye shadows, which I completely disgaree with. In my opinion, she has definitely missed out on some of the even lower-priced drugstore finds, like Jane, Milani, Prestige and NYX (although NYX can definitely be harder to find), which have good shadow and liner selections. But of course, you only know these things when you're a drugstore junkie like me. Even the stylists have so much to learn...

Skin Story

Oh, the sad state of beauty when you are spending most of your time figuring out how to use a statistics program and understanding the electronic health record system in Britain. Huh? Don't ask. But that just about sums up my last few months.

Knowing that I looked increasingly tired and watching wrinkles form from studying and worrying, I considered what type of preventive skincare I might invest in being that I'm also 4-years-away-from-30. I felt a tad bit too young for strong anti-aging products, but I'm certainly not getting any younger. So I spent some time browsing for a day lotion and night cream appropriate for these post-college years.

This was hard. A third of all products are for the over 40 set, a third for teenagers, and a final and ambiguous third doesn't look like it can do much and makes the case for water, bar soap, and a jar of Albolene. When I sampled a few products from Sephora (Ren and Fresh), they didn't seem worth the hefty price-tag either. But after some searching, I found some really simple, straightforward products that are a bit above what I would normally use yet still gentle and mild enough for my age and purposes.

L'Oreal Dermo-Expertise Future*E Moisturizing Lotion, SPF 15 - What a surprise. This vitamin E-infused face moisturizer is the most unassuming product on drugstore shelves - even Pond's Cold Cream stands out more. In fact, I don't think I'd ever noticed it before, and chances are you haven't either. But it turned out to be perfect for daily use - it's light, non-greasy, and non-sticky, but still removes that post-shower dryness and is also a good base for makeup. It sinks in well without forming a waxy layer that contributes to greasiness during the day, and that you can feel when you wash your face later. I started using it a little over a month ago when the weather was still rather cold and dry in NY, and even with it warming up, I still like this moisturizer. I think it may be just the right moisturizer for all seasons. I appreciate that the one skincare "booster" that it has is just vitamin E (which my mother simply mixes into her Pond's - genius), and not harsh anti-aging chemicals or over-hyped and expensive antioxidants. A dose of vitamin E a day with SPF works just fine for me. ~$11.00 @ Drugstores

RoC Age Diminishing Night Cream - I wanted to go the mom way and stick to something painfully basic and classic like Pond's Cold Cream for a night cream, but unfortunately, my mom's genes have played out differently in this 26-year old self, and the stuff just won't cut it. Looking for a promising night cream proved to be an even dizzying affair. At Sephora, the night options were way out of my price range, and I don't have much experience with drugstore skincare either. When I spotted this, it looked and sounded relatively harmless - a night cream that is age "diminishing." Plus, from what I know, RoC looks slightly pharma and Frenchy, which is kind of fun and reassuring. Thankfully, I happen to enjoy using this cream and think it actually works quite well. It glides on grease-lessly, is non-irritating, and if I must sound like a commercial, I'll say my skin does feel rather smooth and nice afterwards.

There are only 2 things that sort of worried me about this cream - 1) I can feel it being washed off in the morning 2) If you look really, really, really closely, there are these microscopic particles that I think are meant to make your skin look "radiant." Not exactly necessary in a night cream, but so far, it hasn't been a problem. It supposedly has some soy-antioxident "complex" which isn't aggressively advertised on the package, something I'm grateful for and don't really care about since it seems to be doing it's job. I was scarring pretty easily over the last couple of years, and I really think using this has helped them fade. Best part - for a night cream, this is very, very reasonbly priced and completely worth it. Very satisfied, and will likely repurchase. ~$15.00 @ Drugstores

Just as a note, I like how these products don't have any fancy labeling/packaging or crazy marketing gimmicks. They seem to fall into my rather gray but surprisingly rigid beauty philosophy - what more can a girl ask for? Here's to nice complexions at any age.

Tea-Off: Blemish Control

Both myself and Sania have expressed much love for The Body Shop Tea Tree Oil Blemish Stick (read about Sania's love here and mine here). After my 2nd rebuy, though, I was a bit tired - there isn't a whole lot of product for $9 and I wanted to try a similar alternative. I thought it might be best to experiment with pure tea tree oil (which you get a lot of it in a very small bottle at about the same price).

You have to be careful with tea tree oil since it is so concentrated and can dry out the skin easily. This is what I experienced when I used it to zap a zit that was taking it's sweet time to mature and die. I squeezed about a drop or two of JASON Cosmetics Tea Tree Oil (The Body Shop sells its own version as well) onto a cotton swab and dabbed it lightly over the zit 1-2 times a day. The oil definitely did dry up the zit, but also the surrounding skin - additionally, the skin on top of the zit looked scaly and parched. The Body Shop Blemish Stick not only dries, it actually speeds up the overall healing time without major dry-out. The zit I have right now is superficially dried up but seems to still be festering beneath the skin, and has somehow begun to scar even though I barely did anything (I scar very easily lately).

I definitely recommend The Body Shop Blemish Stick over pure tea tree oil - the extra ingredients in it seem to contribute to the healing process in a way pure tea tree oil does not. The blemish stick is also a little easier to use, although definitely not as hygienic. Will keep you posted if I find any comparable zit-zappers!