Last month, I was blown away by our First Lady’s glowing skin at an event.  I blogged about a tip I read on how to achieve a similar effect with oil and lotion.  The idea was to apply oil to your skin in the shower, with a washcloth.  You rinse off the excess and then apply lotion on your skin after you’ve toweled off…So how did it go when I tested it out myself?

Ladies, let me tell you:  This has become my new weekly luxury!  My skin has never felt this silky and smooth - at least, not since I was a baby!  I absolutely love how soft my skin stays for several days after I treat myself.  Through trial and error, I found the best way to go about the process:

1. After I’ve finished bathing, I take a dry washcloth and generously put Johnson’s Cocoa Butter Baby Oil Gel on it.  Then I apply the oil all over wet skin, focusing on my legs and arms. Bonus:  the dry washcloth exfoliates skin.

2. Next I carefully rinse off the oil that hasn’t been absorbed.  I emphasize “carefully” because the tub gets really slippery!

3.  After patting dry with a towel, I lock in the moisture with Vaseline’s Cocoa Butter Lotion, all over.

4.  I slip into a robe for about 30 minutes so that all of the yummy moisturizing products soak into my skin and not my clothes.  I liken the robe to how you would put on gloves after moisturizing your hands.

Voila!  Softest.  Skin.  Ever.

Not only does it give me silky skin but it also makes me wash the tub once a week…I admit, sheepishly.  Cleaning the bathtub is my number one dreaded chore - everyone has their thing.  For some its doing laundry, for others its cleaning the toilet.  For me, its cleaning the tub.  I hate it, so I put it off.  But since I could possibly greatly injure myself or my husband with the amount of oil slicking up the tub, I’m forced to clean it.  That should show you just how much I love this soft-skin-technique:  I don’t mind cleaning up after if I can have the soft skin I want!

Well,  mascara definitely seems to be the watchword today, because Meagan’s not the only one who decided to try out a new lash booster for the new year! Of course, my motivation was a little less admirable; while Meagan was looking for a more natural alternative, I just wanted prettier eyes. So, inspired in part by our recent guest post from Clumps of Mascara’s Brittany, I decided to finally give CoverGirl’s legendary LashBlast a go. It’s hard to believe that I’m only now trying this product for myself, considering the fact that LashBlast has received the most effusive praise of any drugstore mascara this side of Great Lash, but there you have it! There are several different varieties of LashBlast available, including the sparkly “Luxe” line and LashBlast Length, but I decided to go with the classic “Volume Blasting” formula in the fat orange tube.

Was I impressed? Did it live up to the hype? Absolutely! This is probably the best drugstore mascara I’ve ever tried. It’s incredibly volumizing, and gives my lashes a nice little curl when I apply it slowly. I find that it can get a little clumpy on the first coat, but if you keep working the giant applicator through your lashes everything should right itself and you’ll be left with amazing eyes. The brush, with its flexible plastic bristles, is huge, it’s true - but it’s also surprisingly easy to use, so don’t be intimidated. My conclusion: You need to try this mascara if you haven’t already. I’m already looking forward to finding out how the “Length” formula (the one in the skinny yellow tube) measures up!

One of my New Year’s resolutions is to be kinder to my face.  And I’m not talking about whispering sweet nothings into the mirror.  I’m talking about resolving to use more natural makeup products so that I don’t assault it with so many chemicals on a daily basis.  And I thought that starting with my mascara might be an easy way to go.

At Latest Beauty, we went out and bought Sephora’s Lash Stash a little while back and so I thought I should look there to see if there was a good sample for me to try.  Sure enough, they had the a mascara from Korres Natural Products.  It is their ProVitamin B5 & Rice Bran Mascara and I thought, Jackpot!  But I was a little concerned about how a natural formula would work to volumize and lengthen my lashes.

Well consider me resolved!  I am seriously impressed by how dramatic the results were.  I swiped it on only a couple of times on my right eye (which is on the left side of the photo here) and I left my other eye’s lashes naked.  You can see the results below.  I have naturally longer lashes, so I’m lucky in that regard, but doesn’t it look like I have false lashes on the left side??  I mean, I don’t think they look fake, per se, but they do look kind of awesome.   This is one resolution that is going to be easy to keep…

My acne-prone skin has always made me a little reluctant to try new powders, foundations and concealers, for fear that they’ll make me break out - but on the other hand, I’m always willing to give the benefit of the doubt to Neutrogena. (I had a dermatologist tell me that their cosmetic products are the most reliably skin-safe out of all of the drugstore brands.) Since I’ve had great luck with their Mineral Sheers line in the past, most notably the Concealer Kit (which I love), I decided to give the Mineral Sheers Powder Foundation a whirl.

Here’s what I love about this product: It’s so portable! Everyone who’s ever tried loose mineral makeup understands what a pain it is to transport, and this is actually quite easy to throw in your purse. When you’re ready to use it, take off the cap, slide the clear plastic that surrounds the brush down, and shake it a little to dispense the powder. That’s it. I was also fairly pleased with the quality of the brush. It’s not amazing, but it performs better than you might expect.

Unfortunately, I noticed a few flaws as well. First, while I appreciate the portability of the built-in brush, I don’t really like how you can’t access the powder any other way. If you want to use your own brush, you’re out of luck. I also think the “shake to dispense” method leaves something to be desired, as specks of powder always end up all over my bathroom counter - how wasteful! And, although the product is good, I can never build it up to a suitable intensity. It’s just way too sheer for my tastes. If I’m going to wear Neutrogena powder foundation, I think I would prefer to stick to their Powder Foundation Compact, which offers similar results but allows for more coverage than the loose powder. All in all, a decent product, but I doubt it will become one of my everyday essentials.

I’d like to take a moment today to address my newly rekindled love for an old favorite from my high school days: Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Blackberry. Back then, I wore this lipstick on a daily basis, applying and reapplying until I had worn the color down to a nub. In recent years, I’ve been pretty lax about wearing lipstick, preferring instead to just slather on the lip balm and focus on my eye makeup instead. But now that it’s winter and the weather is actually (finally!) changing here in L.A., I started to crave dark, berry-colored lips again, and on a recent trip to the drugstore I was browsing around, trying to find just the right shade, when I happened upon my old pal Blackberry. I bought it right away, and I have to say that I love it just as much as I ever did. This is a great shade that can be layered for a deep, dark lip look, or you can slick on just one coat and then blot for a light berry-colored stain. The formula is perhaps my favorite among all drugstore lipsticks - creamy and moisturizing. Come to think of it, I really have no complaints about this lipstick whatsoever. Highly recommended if you’re craving a new lippie for the colder months. What’s your favorite drugstore lipstick?

I have a confession:  Until about a month ago, I had not bought shampoo or conditioner for well over a year.  I had some Garnier products stockpiled from an event I went to early in 2008 and I didn’t need to buy anything new.  And, another confession, I still have enough shampoo and conditioner to get me through another few months…

But I recently decided to grow out my shoulder length hair and I’ve heard nonstop chatter about Pantene’s Beautiful Length Collection.  On blogs, in magazines - it keeps showing up everywhere - and people are raving.  Marie Claire’s editors even voted the conditioner as one of the best products of all time.  That is a pretty bold claim.   And I got curious…could it live up to its hype?

So I broke down and finally bought the Pantene Beautiful Lengths shampoo and conditioner…

Pantene claims that their Beautiful Lengths line allows your hair to remain healthy and strong in order for it to grow past its “breaking point,”  protecting against breakage when it is both wet and dry.  My hair is fragile - it is thin and I shed so much that at times I wonder how I’m not completely bald.    So a product that claims to protect against breakage gets my attention.  What holds my attention is that this is the first drugstore shampoo and conditioner that I have tried that actually delivers on its claim.  I’ve been using Beautiful Lengths for over a month now and my hair has never felt softer.  And, while I’m fully aware that it may be the power of suggestion, my hair seems longer.  To really quantify the effect, I definitely shed less - which I can tell by my comb. And looking at my ends, there is definitely less breakage.  Which is another major bonus, since I haven’t had my hair cut since…September?  I think?

I am beyond pleasantly surprised by my month-long affair with Pantene’s Beautiful Lengths and I have a feeling this is going to turn into a long-term relationship.  I wasn’t looking for love but sometimes the right product comes along and surprises you.

Yes, we’ve already talked about Twilight - a lot, in fact, from the red carpet styles of stars Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning to the Twilight makeup line that recently hit stores, but it just occurred to me that we’ve never actually discussed our feelings about the latest movie itself! The Twilight Saga: New Moon, as the second film in the series is officially called, is a supremely guilty pleasure for me, but it is a pleasure nonetheless. Is it silly? Yes. It is borderline offensive at times? Sure. But seeing the film with a big group of girls gave all of us the chance to relax, giggle like teenagers, and leave our worries behind while we focused on debating much more pressing issues, such as whether Robert Pattinson (as brooding vampire Edward Cullen) or Taylor Lautner (as hotheaded werewolf Jacob Black) looks better with his shirt off. The movie feels a little long, but I think it’s more eventful than the first film, and I loved the Italy-set scenes in which Bella finally visits the sinister, vampire-governed city of Volterra. And, love it or hate it, you can’t deny that the Twilight ladies are a pretty gorgeous bunch! Kristen Stewart, who plays Bella, may be a bit divisive with her devil-may-care red carpet persona, but she looked great in her casual/dressy emerald green birthday gown with black cardigan and sneakers. Love that headband too! Rachelle Lafevre, who plays villainous vamp Victoria, also made an impression in this movie with her wild, untamed curls and bohemian wardrobe. Unfortunately, I heard that she’s been replaced in the next film, Eclipse,  by Bryce Dallas Howard - can anyone confirm or deny this rumor? It would be a real shame if it’s true - I’m seriously starting to love her. And, of course, Dakota Fanning is the epitome of sadistic sweetness as Jane, one of Volterra’s vampire elite. If you feel like investing in a black cape and a pair of red contacts, Jane would be a super easy Halloween costume, no? (Yes, I’m already thinking ahead to next Halloween…!) Overall, I thought New Moon was a fun ride…as long as you go into the theatre knowing what to expect! Anyone else have any thoughts on this movie?

If I could replicate anyone’s style right now, I would choose Rihanna. She always keeps her look fresh and fun and unexpected.  She recently stepped out to The Back Room, a new spa from Carol’s Daughter.  I love the texturing of her hair and how much fun she always seems to have with her hairstyle.  And I am particularly loving her blue cat eye makeup.  To get that same look, I would head straight to MAC because I think they have the best eyeliners for my money.  I use their brown one on a daily basis and the pigmentation is superior to other eyeliners. To get the most precise look, I would use their Fluidline gel formula in Waveline.  It is an indigo blue with a gold pearl sheen for that metallic look.  The gel formulas are best if you are good with an angled brush.  You can also opt for a liquid eyeliner if you have never used a brush but I would recommend trying out the angled brush because it is easier to use than you may think.

The key to getting a cat eye just right is to start small and then layer, layer, layer.  Using one hand to gently hold your eyelid taut, use your dominant hand, starting at the inner corner of your eye, to draw a line as close to your lash line as possible.  Once you reach the outer corner, gently draw the line upward.  The trick is to you use your natural lashes as a guide.  Follow your natural lash line.  Cat eyeliner should look like a dramatic extension of your lashes.  Once you have this first line done sit back and look at your handiwork.  Is it too slight?  You can always go back and layer more liner, thickening the line.  You may find that you like the simple one line.  Do your other eye and sit back to assess your work again.  Make sure your eyes are balanced with each application.  Once you reach your desired cat eye fierceness…go out and rock it!

Everyone talks about the CHI but the GHD provides some stiff competition in the flat iron world.  There are a lot of GHD flat iron reviews out there comparing the two flat iron giants.  How do you decide which one is the best for you?

Zoe Saldana lit up the red carpet with her sleek hairstyle, promoting Star Trek around the world.  Her stylist used a flat iron for the finishing touches.  Want the same look?  You need the right tools…

One of the biggest differences between the two flat irons is that the GHD retails for more.  The question is, does the higher price mean a better performance?  The general consensus seems to think that it does.  The GHD flat iron tends to have a longer life span which is a definite bonus when you are spending extra money to make sure your hair looks great.  The GHD flat iron reviews also say that hair looks healthy and shiny when used correctly.  The ceramic plates insure that the heat is evenly distributed and that the natural oils of your hair are locked in.  The GHD is ideal for the woman that straightens her hair on a regular basis and needs to keep her hair looking healthy and well-maintained.

Stylists everywhere know that if you want to get the sleekest, prettiest hair you have to use the right tools.  Farouk CHI Hair Products are a staple in practically every salon you will visit.  They set the standard for ceramic hair styling tools, giving consistent professional results.  Reese Witherspoon’s sleek and sophisticated style is a great example of how you can make your hair shine with Farouk CHI hair products.  It is always a good idea to use a spray that offers thermal protection before heat styling your hair.  CHI has a very effective shine infusing thermal protection spray.  Reese’s hair has such a beautiful shine to it in this style that I wouldn’t be surprised if she used it for this event!  CHI hair products really are a great investment if you want to have perfectly polished hair.

You may already know that Melissa and I are major fans of Bare Minerals. We did a review last year when we actually discovered the awesomeness that is Bare Minerals together and have been converts ever since. It has been about a year since our “Eureeka!” moment though, so it’s a good time to reassess our love affair. See if any of the passion has died or if the embers are still glowing…like our faces…

• In the past year I’ve realized something major: I don’t want to go anywhere without at least a dusting of my Bare Minerals foundation. The foundation is magical in my eyes - it effortlessly makes my skin look flawless. My Summer Bisque concealer still works wonders on my red spots but I have to confess: Lately it seems like I’ve had to continually touch up my broken capillary (the one that is conveniently located above my nose, between my eyes. I swear I’m going to laser that sucker away one day!). Maybe my capillary is just becoming more prominent, but I’m a little bummed out that my Summer Bisque doesn’t seem to provide as effortless of coverage as it did in our early days together.

• One thing I have always been disappointed with is the Bare Minerals blush: I can’t seem to find a good color for my skin. The blush that came with the starter kit for fair skin was too dark for me, so I’ve been using a sample of the rose radiance I got from Ulta as my blush for a while now. But I always feel like I need to temper the pink with a bronzer otherwise my cheeks look too pink.

• But those inconveniences are minuscule when I consider how much I love the foundation and mineral veil. In the past year I’ve only run out of my foundation, concealer and mineral veil ONCE. Yes, only once. That is kind of amazing to me, considering that I use it everyday. But since you only have to use a very small amount, the supply has lasted me way longer than any other makeup I’ve ever owned. In fact, if you use too much of the minerals, the finish can be cakey. Which is why I adhere religiously to this tip I found back in November: Apply lightly and wait for 5 to 10 minutes for the foundation to become like a second skin. Then if you feel you need more coverage, add more. But not before then. Such an amazing rule of thumb. I’ve never needed to reapply.

I did some research on what other people have been saying in their Bare Minerals reviews to see if anyone has had similar problems. From what I’ve seen, people love the blush too and haven’t had the same problems as me. So I think I’ll need to look harder for my right color. Even though I’ve had a hankering lately to try out a cream blush, like Nars Orgasm. And as far as the concealer losing some of its mojo…like I said, I think that is a case of my own skin issues.

Overall, upon reviewing my Bare Minerals Reviews…I’m still in love…this is one makeup affair that has serious staying power!

PRODUCT: Neutrogena Mineral Sheer Concealer

CLAIMS: “Step 1: Cream concealer covers and protects with SPF 20. Step 2: Translucent loose powder sets and perfects for seamless coverage and the illusion of flawless skin.”

RESULTS:

Yes, this is same concealer kit I’ve had my eye on for a few weeks now, and I’m happy to report that it didn’t disappoint! This kit is unique because it offers both a cream concealer and a colorless mineral powder to set the concealer and absorb shine. The concealer itself is pretty great; it goes on velvety smooth and is easy to blend. I tried blending it with both a brush and my ring finger, and both worked equally well, although I prefer the brush because I think it allows a more precise application. Once you’ve patted and blended to your heart’s content, unscrew the little powder pot from the bottom  and pat on some powder. I was less impressed with this aspect of the kit, mostly because the little puff that accompanies the powder is really, really small and woefully inadequate for my concealing needs. Use your own puff or brush and you’ll probably fare better. Overall, I think this is a fantastic concealer for the price, and far better than the liquid concealer I was using before. Yay!

PROS: The concealer is very creamy and blendable, and offers a good amount of coverage. The accompanying powder is a nice touch. Works well on both blemishes and undereye circles.

CONS: The puff that comes with the powder is way too small to maneuver! Plus, there’s just not very much powder. I also have to wonder how much concealer is actually in the pot. (Also, I wish I had ordered it from Amazon for $7.99 instead of paying full price at CVS!)

FINAL WORD? Worth your $$! I think this is a truly excellent drugstore concealer.

I had a fun party to go to this weekend and I broke out a sassy short dress for the occasion, paired with mile-high heels.  I loved the dress, I loved the shoes, I loved my accessories but…my legs needed some help.  I’m a naturally pale person so I never really expect my legs to look tanned and flawless but I would really like them to at least look flawless.  My skin tone seemed uneven and splotchy and I didn’t feel comfortable letting it all hang out.  And then I remembered reading good things about Sally Hansen’s Airbrush Legs and I thought I’d give it a try.  If it didn’t work out, I could throw on some tights and cut my losses, right?  So I went to CVS, picked up a bottle and crossed my fingers.

Results? I loved it!  I was worried about the application process, since it’s in a spray can.  I thought I was going to have to spray evenly front and back, possibly getting “airbrush” all over my room and a streaky look.  But you spray it directly into your hand and then spread it evenly onto your leg.  It definitely looks like makeup and the color seemed darker than I expected when it was in my hand but once I smoothed it onto my legs the color seemed much more suited for my skin tone.  They have four different shades available to help you match your skin color.  It was so easy to use and really evened out the splotchiness that was making me feel self-conscious, without looking like I was wearing “leg makeup.”  I was worried about that too - was it going to look like I had airbrushed my legs?  And was I going to leave a trail of leg makeup in my wake throughout the night?  I am very happy to say that those worries were never realized.  I will definitely use this again and recommend it to anyone that wants to even out their legs’ skin tone.  And the added benefit of my legs feeling really smooth is just another reason to love it.

Maybe it is because I am finally turning thirty in a few months, or maybe it’s because I can see the wrinkles starting to creep up, but I have been obsessed with wrinkle creams lately. I found this product a few weeks ago, and I have to say I am very happy. Unfortunately, I am an avid coffee drinker, and the wrinkles beginning around my mouth were really becoming a drag. After just a few weeks using Olay anti-wrinkle night cream, I have seen a major improvement. I love that you only have to use it at night and you don’t have to go through a 3 or 4 step process to see results. I know there a lot of these products to choose from, but I personally give this one a big thumbs up.

Meet my new best friend: Maybelline Full N’ Soft Mascara. My mom is the one who got me hooked: She has tried every kind of mascara, from high-end to low, and she swears by this drugstore find. She gave it to me for Christmas and I was excited to try it out. Let me just say: This stuff does not disappoint! It really lengthens and fills out your lashes without clumping or feeling heavy. I feel like it gives the look of natural “fake” lashes - meaning my lashes look so good, I think they look almost like falsies. Here’s some before and after shots. You be the judge:

BEFORE (left) & AFTER (right):

Big difference, right? My lashes are defined, look a million miles longer and yet still have a look that is not “too made up.” I’m a very natural makeup kind of girl for day to day life, so I don’t want my face to look too heavy-handed. The best thing about Full N’ Soft is that what you see in the picture was achieved just through brush strokes. I didn’t comb through or pick out any clumps or fix my lashes in any way after applying. The brush did all that on it’s own. It is definitely worth adding to your makeup arsenal.

I’m curious: What mascara do you swear by?

My face got mad at me over the weekend.  I don’t know what I did to offend it, but all of a sudden I had two major blemishes arise from the depths of my skin for their moment in the sun.  I had to nip these monsters in the proverbial bud with my secret weapon.

First, I washed my face and opened my pores with warm water.  The warmth brought the monsters to the surface and then I was able to extract them carefully.  I am the first to say, Don’t pop your zits!!  But when they are ready to be extracted, you know it.  The white head is brought to the top and after using a warm compress, you can gently squeeze out the offending pimple.  I always use a tissue to do the squeezing - never my bare fingers! - so that I prevent any oils or residue from infecting the skin.  And if you squeeze and see blood, stop squeezing immediately!  You’re only going to damage and scar yourself if you continue trying to extract, which I have learned the hard way.  Swipe a refreshing toner over your skin, not only to soothe the irritated area but also to  clean it and make sure no residue has sneaked its way in.

Now here is the secret weapon:  Fresh Umbrian Clay (in the tube, not the bar).  After all that is done, dab a little Umbrian Clay on your spots and leave it on as a spot treatment overnight.  It helps to rejuvenate your skin and encourage cell turnover so your healing time will be less.  It also detoxifies the skin, so it is great to use on zits that you can feel coming - dab some on and they usually won’t come to the surface.

The next morning, after washing my face, I applied the Umbrian Clay to my damp and clean skin for an all over mask.  It dries after about five minutes and then you rinse it off.  I like to smile real big in the mirror before I rinse it off though - it dries tightly and makes me look like an old lady.  I feel like Benjamin Button.  I digress.  Once it is rinsed off, my skin looks fresh and new.  And the pimples I had to pop the night before?  They are still slightly red spots but they are not elevated spots, so they are easy to cover with a little makeup.  And after a day passes, they are hardly there at all.  Secret Weapon:  Mission Accomplished.

This past Friday I blogged about a tip from David Babaii:  For deep-conditioned hair, sleep on it! I tried it out that night and this is what the process looked like…

STEP ONE:

First, I started out with dry hair, as instructed, and used my Garnier Shine Conditioner as my leave-in for the night. I have to admit, I started thinking - is this going to be safe?  The conditioner that David recommended using was from his own all-natural line.  I started thinking about the chemicals that are in conditioner and wondered: Would it be safe to let them seep into my skull overnight? Needless to say, I’m a bit of a hypochondriac.  And I’m placing an order for WildAid this week….

STEP TWO:

Next step was actually applying the conditioner.  I was a little confused about how to best do it - should I saturate my hair?  Should I just use the normal amount of conditioner that I would use if I was showering?  I decided to go with the saturation route.  I applied the conditioner in small amounts, combed it through and then repeated until I felt my hair had equal conditioner throughout.  Then I twisted my hair into a makeshift bun on top of my head.

STEP THREE:

Finally I put on my shower cap!  I was ready for overnight conditioning.  I finished getting ready for bed and then turned in for the night. It took a little getting used to, sleeping with a shower cap on, but it wasn’t too awkward.  I could feel the heat from my head getting trapped under the cap though, which I have to admit, didn’t make for the most restful sleep.

When I woke up the next morning, I jumped in the shower to rinse out the conditioner.  My hair was actually still damp from it’s overnight conditioning process which was interesting because I thought the conditioner would dry as the night went on.

FINAL VERDICT?

My hair felt silky smooth the next day!  It felt a little weighed down, but I think that has more to do with my own foul up:  I forgot to rinse the conditioner off of the comb that I had used to comb through the night before.  So when I used it the next morning after rinsing the conditioner out of my hair, I may have added more conditioner to my hair.  Oops.  Lesson learned - always rinse your comb.  Despite my own ineptitude, I was happy with the results of sleeping on it.  A few days later, my husband even commented, “Your hair is still so soft!”  So it definitely made an impression, which is always a welcome beauty side-effect.  “Sleeping on it” is worth a try to help your hair that’s dry (I just made a rhyme - I don’t know why).

Every once in a while, I stumble across a beauty product that simply exceeds my expectations.  While some women may be able to leave the house without foundation, I am not one of them.  I have tried virtually every new foundation that hits the market, and finally decided I like a Avon product the most.  But….when Revlon introduced the Beyond Natural Smoothing Primer, I simply had to try it.  LOVED IT!  I wish I would have had this product many years ago.

Let’s face reality here:  Not all of us are blessed with a poreless appearance.  The main reason I tried this product was to see if it did help fill in the lines and pores on your face.  Guess what?  Couldn’t believe it.  My face looked younger.  The Revlon site says it may feel a little heavy for summer use.  Ok.  I’ll buy that. But it really does make your foundation last longer, which of course makes the rest of your makeup last longer as well.

So that’s my beauty tip for the day.  Try this one out ladies.  I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

PRODUCT: CoverGirl Outlast Lipstain

CLAIMS: “The water-based colorants of Outlast Lipstain give lips a beautiful, lightweight flush of color that won’t come off, lasting for hours without the heavy look or feel of an ordinary lipstick. Its pen-like precision applicator makes it easy to define your lips - just draw on color without any hassle!”

RESULTS?

As you know, I was very excited to try this product, so I was delighted to stumble upon it in CVS last week. This is my first experience with this kind of marker-like lip stain, so I had high expectations, and guess what? I loved it! This product rules. It was everything I wanted it to be! I chose Plum Pout #425, a bright purple/red, and applied it as soon as I got home from the store. It was easy to apply, thanks to the “precision tip,” and it had a sweet, slightly fruity smell. Seven hours and several meals later, it was still there! It does fade slightly over time, but the color definitely remains as lovely as ever. I was also happy to find that it didn’t dry my lips out, and that I could add a bit of gloss or lip balm over the top without affecting the color or the staying power. I need to buy more shades, stat!

PROS: Actually lasts. Easy (and fun) to apply. Not drying. Can be used with other lip products, e.g. gloss.

CONS: Why didn’t I buy more than one color?!

FINAL WORD? This is the rare beauty product that actually delivers on all of its claims. If you’re looking for an affordable stain with real staying power, this is the ticket. Needless to say, I think this one is Worth your $$