Wednesday, March 12, 2008

I love makeup.

I love everything about makeup.

I love how it transforms a face. I love how it can make someone barely recognizable or highlight their features so that they look even more like themselves. I love how malleable it is, how all different types of makeup can be combined with totally different effects.

I love the texture of makeup, lipstick that is slick and shiny or lipstick that is matte, with the slightest sticky edge to it. The powdery collection of mineral foundation in the bottom of the pot. The dusting of eye shadow particles that cling to the fleshy part of the brush. The way lip liner pencils look rough but are actually smooth and waxy.

I love the dimensions it gives to a face. I love wet look lip gloss and how it makes lips look glassy and reflective. I love how it powder blends into skin and I love how it can shimmer. I love the contrast of dark eyeliner against clear eyes. I love how there are unending combinations, how the same lipstick can be demure or bold, depending on the rest of the makeup on the face.

I've loved makeup since my childhood experimentations with my sister's collection turned into an obsession with Kevyn Aucoin and a teenage desire to attend school for makeup artistry. Because makeup is an art. Both the application of it and the photographing of it, either on someone's face or on its own.

I'm so glad I'm a woman and can wear makeup without taboo. I feel bad for men, because they don't have the option of sprucing up their faces without drawing scorn. They're stuck with what they have--no contouring and highlighting. No hours spent in Sephora looking dreamily at all the options. No makeovers with friends and devouring of makeup tips in fashion magazines.

I love doing my own makeup. I completely subscribe to the theory that it's best to highlight just one feature on the face at a time, even though a couple of fashion magazines have recently been flouting that concept. And the feature that I highlight is almost always my eyes. I have my workday routine down pat. But I love breaking the routine for nighttime and on weekends.

I love discovering new products. I could own a whole closet full of makeup and I would still want new things. Brow gel? Liquid foundation? Primer? All new blush? I could spend days picking products for my lips alone. Lip liner? Matte lipstick? Glossy lipstick? Satin lipstick? Lip plumper? Lip exfoliant? Just the names are enticing, and the real thing even more so.

My makeup style is to focus on my eyes and play down the rest of my face--just eye concealer and tinted moisturizer for my skin and a subtle tint, usually something pink or coppery, for my lips. But even though my daily makeup routine is pretty much locked in, I love to experiment. I have lots of different looks for non-office occasions. And I always want more.

So tell me, what's your favorite beauty product? And what's your makeup style?

68 comments:

  1. Brow gel?!? I've never heard of such a thing.

    My makeup style is minimal. Some lipstick. Some powder. I haven't worn mascara in close to a decade.

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  2. My favorite product is Neutrogena's MoistureShine Tinted Lip Balm... which I am mentioning here because it seems they have had the NERVE to DISCONTINUE it, and I'm hoping that maybe complaining about the injustice of that decision will have the same effect as your 1-800-Flowers rant did. ;-) You hear that, Neutrogena? Don't discontinue my lip gloss!!

    (Um, thank you, Jess, for letting me borrow your forum for this complaint.) :-)

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  3. I used to HATE mascara because it smugged and made me look like a racoon. THEN I discovered Kiss Me mascara, which is applied and turns into little tubes that only come off with water AND pressure and the world is a happy place again. Sephora sells it and you should go buy some because mascara is the one thing that I think I could not live without.

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  4. I'm definitely a minimalist. During the week, I wear mineral foundation, concealer, a little blush, lip gloss and that's IT.

    For dressing up, I highlight my eyes. I do everything I normally do, then add eye shadow, mascara, eyeliner and a nice long-lasting lipstick.

    Right now my favorite product is Everyday Minerals because it makes my skin look fantastic and has virtually ensured I don't break out anymore, and Maybelline's Shiny.licious lip gloss in Cinnamon Apple. It gives me a hint of color with plenty of shine and I can reapply as much as I want without feeling like my lips are gummy.

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  5. I am kind of afraid of makeup. My Mom never wore any and therefore never taught me. I wear mascara and sometimes some bronzer and, um, chapstick? WOW. I'm lame.

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  6. I don't have a distinct make up style, but I love it ALL. I'll tone it down when necessary or do crazy funky colors when I feel like it.

    Eyeshadow is my friend.

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  7. Love make up. I recently went through all of mine and forced myself to throw away all the really old stuff. One of my best Christmas presents ever was my stage make up kit. Oh how I still adore it :)

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  8. I guess I'm a makeup snob. I love Clinique foundations and powders, but Mary Kay has the best eyeshadows and lipsticks. I love all the new colors that come out every season and I'm STARTING to love skincare stuff- like moisturizers (which I've always worn) but then cool new ones, and highlighters, bronzers, and eye treatments and gels. I'm obsessed with finding the perfect thing to clear up those bags!

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  9. I used to be so anti-makeup, but now, I absolutely love it. Specifically, Bare Minerals, and I have no idea how I ever lived without it before. I also play up my eyes, because I think they're my best feature. And? Never underestimate the value of a good bronzer.

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  10. I'm strictly minimal. When I'm up to it, I use concealer, foundation, blush, and lip balm. I'm kinda allergic to everything.

    Off-topic but I just noticed you weren't on my blogroll (and I've been reading you for MONTHS). Sorry. I've been a bit scattered lately. Fixed that now.

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  11. So yeah, I don't wear makeup and can't really contribute. Sad face.

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  12. I've just recently discovered the power of foundation to even out skin tone. I'm a cheap bugger though, so I buy CoverGirl stuff at the drug store. If I could only have one make-up item it would be mascara. I have long lashes that disappear because they are so light. MAscara makes all the difference in the world.

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  13. My makeup style is "less is more" and a clean face is a pretty face, regardless of what makeup you have on.

    My favorite products: Nars lip lacquer in "Vagabond" and Smashbox eye trio (in a few different color palettes)

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  14. My favourite products are liquid eyeliner and coverup. I don't wear makeup except when I go out at night but then it's really nice to feel glam and hide eye-shadows.

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  15. I love makeup as well. Tarte cheek stain is a must have for me. I love MAC eyeshadows and paint pots too - all colors. They stay put for 10+ hours.

    I suddenly have the urge to go to Sephora....

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  16. Favorite beauty products would have to be Kerstase for my hair. My make-up style is minimal. Bare Essenctuals for my face. Revlon for my eyes. Ralph Lauren or Channel for my scent. And that's pretty much where it stops. On a good night.

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  17. My favorite make up product is Loreal Double Extend Mascara. It makes my lashes look long, which is saying something because seriously? I don't have any lashes. However, it clumps (in the tube) quickly, and therefore must be replaced often.

    My work makeup is very minimal. ALWAYS undereye concealer and mascara, plus blush, power, and a hint of bronzer. At night, though, I like to do black eyeliner with smoky eyes that have a hint of glitter. My beauty doubles at night :)

    Great post, by the way.

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  18. Love love love the Fresh Sugar lip gloss from Sephora. It's pricey but it's perfect. I also love brow gel, and all types of eyeliner, and the Dior mascara.

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  19. I barely wear makeup (re: lazy) but I love Maybelline's Dream Matte Mousse. Tis Awesome.

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  20. I don't know how to put on makeup. I use Philosophy air brush something or other foundation and lip gloss! If I'm feel frisky, maybe a little mascara.

    P.S. I couldn't live with out you, Jess! ;)

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  21. I like makeup too, I just wish I was better at it. I've toned down my routine to just foundation/loose powder and mascara during the week, but if I had extra time in the morning, I throw in some eyeshadow and liner.

    Perhaps a trip to Sephora is necessary?

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  22. I'm an eyes girl too. I wear eyeliner, two colors of shadow and mascara every day. But that's it - no foundation, no blush, no lipstick. Occasionally some clear or nude lipgloss.

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  23. I love my new bare essentuals powder kit, i love maybelline mascara, I love palmer's cocoa butter chapstick, I love a good eye pencil. I am pretty minimal on my makeup but I just can't live without it! I never wear lip color. Maybe I should...

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  24. I'm minimal too - but I love high quality products.

    Dior mascara - the best!

    Vincent Longo - pretty much everything he makes, but he has the best lipstick! Also, a good concealer

    Laura Mercier everything also rocks the house. I used to use her tinted moisturizer, which I liked better than others, but I hate putting goop on my face so now i use bare escentials for that instead - which is fine but nothing to write home about.

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  25. I Suck at makeup and never ever wear it on the weekends. Everything I know about makeup I learned from Seventeen magazine and I am SO SERIOUS.

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  26. If we ever meet can you teach me the ways of make up? I have neither the know how or ability to choose what looks best on me... nor the patience to apply it all.

    I know nothing. Sigh.

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  27. I love my mascara. It makes my eyes pop. I also believe you should highlight one feature. However, I'm so lazy that I only tend to wear makeup on weekends.

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  28. I cannot exist without Burt's Bees lip balm. It's so fresh and minty and awesome on my lips. Lately I'm really into the Neutrogena products. They are easy on my skin.

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  29. Hmmm, I love makeup too- but I'm also pretty minimalistic about its application. I'm also a bit of an impulse shopper when it comes to buying it hhemm hemm
    But faves are mascara, literally won't leave home without it. Powder, which I brush over my skin (I wish we had Sephora here because I've been dying to try the BareMinerals stuff)usually from Clinique. A little blush (some sort of rose color) and voila. I'm all up for work.
    I wish I had better eyeshadows, I seem to have lots, but there are only a couple that I actually like. They are so pretty and colorful in the packaging but on the eye they just seem to loose those vibrant colors. So these days Its usually only neutral or goldish colors.

    I need a girlfriendy makeover/makeup party. That would be fun!

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  30. I barely wear it. Foundation mostly, maybe mascara if I feel crazy. I've had my makeup done before for weddings and loved what they did...but alas it was never to be repeated by me.

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  31. I barely wear it. Foundation mostly, maybe mascara if I feel crazy. I've had my makeup done before for weddings and loved what they did...but alas it was never to be repeated by me.

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  32. Um... I don't like make-up. I wear it every day because I have natural blueish grayness underneath my eyes and white (WHITE!) eyelashes. But I have stuck to a 5-minute face for more-or-less my entire make-up wearing life. I usually skip the make-up tips pages of magazines and am so overwhelmed by Sephora that usually I simply walk past without thinking about it again.

    Most used product: moisturizer with SPF 45. Yes, my skin really is that albino-esque. ;o)

    xox

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  33. I want to like makeup... I love to browse the makeup aisle and think of all of the pretty products I'd like to buy. But? As soon as the makeup is on my face? All I can think of is "get it offffff....my skin is suffocating...." so eventually I just gave up and now I just wear sunscreen when I leave the house. But I do understand the passion for it. It's fun!

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  34. I love love LOVE Kevyn Aucoin! Someday I will try every single look in "Making Faces"...

    I have super-big eyes, so eyeshadow is my friend. Today it is neon green & yellow, blended down to be work appropriate. Then simple lip gloss.

    I am also a Bare Minerals junkie. My skin tone is kinda uneven and the afore-mentioned big eyes are also deep-set so there's the whole dark-circles problem... BM fixes *all* of that!!

    My favourite "doing it up" look is white/grey eyeshadow, black liner, and super-dark-super-matte red lips. I totally should have been born in the 20s.

    Hey, you said lip exfoliant... can you recommend a good one? I am in desperate need...

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  35. hahahah. This is funny to me. I endured the scorn of my best (and much more fashionable) friend because I refused to wear more than clear mascara and lip gloss on my wedding day. (Labello lipbalm is my lip aid of choice.)

    My favourite 'product' is water and I wash with it daily....sometimes more than once! ;)

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  36. Hmm, after years of being a regular make-up user I have morphed into a no make-up gal. It's entirely because I'm too lazy and like sleep too much to get up 3 minutes earlier to apply powder, mascara and eye shadow. I really should use mascara though, my eyelashes are blonde and short.

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  37. My makeup is incredibly boring... I was glad to tone down my routine a bit, but I saw some photos of me recently that made me think maybe I should try a little harder again. I was looking pretty wan and tired due to lack of blush and lipstick.

    My favorite product, hands down, is Bare Minerals foundation. That stuff is genius and easy on my super oily skin. For second place, any good mascara.

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  38. I feel naked without eyeliner. Just within the last few years did this develop. If I'm leaving the house all scrubby and with a hat on, I'll still dab on a little bit of eyeliner.

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  39. Lately- I've been loving Infalliable lipgloss by Revlon? idk it's called Infalliable. It's amazing. Lasts and lasts and fabulous colors. do try!

    my style- glam of course! usually more on the eyes and nude lip color. :)

    -AP

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  40. Great topic- I'm all about eyes too.

    My favorite product of all time is Clinique Stay Matte pressed powder. It works freaking miracles on my oily skin.

    I also love Lancome Teint Idole foundation and Chanel lipglosses.

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  41. I never learned how to do makeup, but I can pull it off when necessary. Daily, I generally wear none. Going somewhere where I should look slightly better than when I'm wearing none, I wear a little blush powder and mascara, OCCASIONALLY something very light on my lips. Going somewhere where I should look really good, I use a light powder to smooth out my skin tone, a blush powder, mascara and lipstick. The lipstick lasts about 10 minutes before it drives me totally insane and I wipe it off, hoping that it somehow managed to just STAIN my lips a little darker.

    I think the last time I wore makeup was the holiday party for my husband's office in December.

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  42. My mom NEVER wore ANY makeup, so I grew up not having the faintest idea of what I was doing. It showed. You should see some of my school photos! Gah!

    If I don't wear mascara you cannot discern eyeballs on my face. No eyeballs.

    I love all the different colors of eyeshadow. Color!

    I have to be really careful about it though. I discovered I was really, really allergic to Maybelline (sp?) when I had to run around a policy conference in DC with eyes that were swollen and SCARY.

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  43. I know everybody is obsessed with the stuff, but I absolutely HATE Bare Minerals. I've yet to find a color that works for me and all it seems to do is make my pores larger and my face overly made-up.

    My Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer on the other hand, gets two thumbs up. My five minute morning routine includes that, her Secret Concealer + Secret Brightening Powder for my dark circles, curled lashes, and Boot's Sheer Temptation Lipstick.

    The Smashbox eye trio, which someone else mentioned, is a favorite for evenings. Also Trish McEvoy lip glosses and the Make Up For Ever individual false eyelashes.

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  44. Whenever my face goes haywire, Smashbox FX Foundation is my heaven. My skin tends to get dry in the winter, and this has enough moisture to keep my skin feeling smooth, even when it's all broken out and such. If I'm feeling pale, I'll sweep on some bare minerals ID blush. Perfect.

    I have big big big blue eyes. So sometimes, I'll wear blue eyeliner and brown mascara (my eyelashes are too light to be seen accurately.) I don't wear makeup often, but it seems I can do a nifty job when necessary.

    I love going to makeup counters and Sephora and getting makeovers. I need more people to do that with me! Ha! Usually though, if I'm having a clear skin day, I roll out with nothing but chapstick.

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  45. I am a "lipstick looks like full make-up" person. I usually use powder, too.

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  46. i never owned a single piece of makeup until after college, so i'm.. uh.. still kind of learning. currently i tend to keep it light, because i have not yet mastered the "dramatic" look without it becoming the "drag queen" look. quite alarming, i tell you.

    if i do wear makeup (!! trust me, i SHOULD every day, but a lifetime w/o it makes you lazy..) i use my beloved bare escentuals foundation, and then mascara & blush. if i'm going HOGWILD CRAZY, i'll add on eyeliner, eyeshadow, perhaps some curled eyelashes, and lip gloss.

    wow. i'm.. sort of lame, eh? :-)

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  47. ps: i totally want you to come give me a makeover now.

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  48. Men in eyeliner = hott

    Hotter than me in eyeliner, certainly!

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  49. Not big on makeup but I do love Philosophy's variety of lip balm, which can be found in Sephora (kiss me in red and vanilla birthday cake - yum!).

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  50. four things are essential to me:

    brow gel.
    mascara.
    eyeliner.
    eyelash curler.

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  51. I must admit I don't care all that much for makeup and wear very little of it. I'm sure I could look a lot better, but I don't know how nor do I have all that much inclination I guess.
    I typically put the most makeup on my eyes, the rest of my face just gets some powder to combat shine and some tinted lip gloss.

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  52. I love all kinds of makeup, and would totally use my budget on everything I see. I want to try it all.

    Then it sits unused because my early morning start time usually lends itself to Lancome Fatale black mascara, brow gel, Nars blush in Orgasm, and lipstick.

    I will occasionally shock my coworkers with the full regalia (I really do like the Bare Escentuals, it's a good way not to overdo the foundation stuff) and play up my eyes. And of course the full deal for evenings out, complete with shiny Philosophy eyecolors and all the fun stuff.

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  53. My favorite is mascara, but in general I'm not great with makeup. I wish I was better, I wish I knew how to put the shadows on in just the right way to make my eyes all smoky and sexy. Instead, I practice, wash my face often and usually end up at the make up counter for special nights out.

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  54. I want you to do my makeup! I am so bad at it...horrible. I wear the same style everyday because that is what I know how to do.

    My fav product is, MAC's green concealer cover stuff. I am so bad I don't even know the name.

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  55. I wish I had some neat products or techniques to recommend but I hardly ever do my makeup. I would love to do more but I have no idea how.

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  56. Kevyn Aucoin is my HERO. I LOVE HIS BOOKS....my favorite product, so simple but VOLUMINOUS blackest black L'oreal mascara. I LOVE IT, best mascara ever and it lasts all day.

    I also really love any and all types of bronzer but my personal fav is Bobbi Brown.

    My favorite lotion, Carols Daughter, I found it on Oprah and I LOVE IT. I could bathe in it I lvoe it that much.

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  57. Kevyn Aucoin is my HERO. I LOVE HIS BOOKS....my favorite product, so simple but VOLUMINOUS blackest black L'oreal mascara. I LOVE IT, best mascara ever and it lasts all day.

    I also really love any and all types of bronzer but my personal fav is Bobbi Brown.

    My favorite lotion, Carols Daughter, I found it on Oprah and I LOVE IT. I could bathe in it I lvoe it that much.

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  58. Hi. I love you for writing about this. I'm a secret make-up junkie. I may or may not have spent a bookstore gift certificate on the Kevyn Aucoin "making faces" book when I was much younger. (Seriously though- those transformations- Martha Stewart?! Paltrow?! That's insane!!)

    Anyway. As much as I love the stuff, I've found that in recent months my wearing it has decreased. For no other reason than I'm behind on sleep and the idea of curling my eyelashes in the morning or sleeping in is an easy choice. However, favourite products: bare escentuals (anything!), volumnious mascara by loreal (I tried the dior stuff because everyone raved about it and I was so unimpressed I almost wrote an entire post about it.), lip venom, and eyeshadows by bed head. Seriously. I thought MAC made the best eyeshadow (in terms of color and quality of powder, but I've recently switched to bed head because their stuff is even better.

    It's really ridiculous how excited I am talking about this.

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  59. Mascara... My day would not be complete without it... I usually have something on my lips, but it's usually clear. And I never wear foundation (my skin does NOT like) and I'll only occasionally go as far as to actually put eyeshadow on. Wow I'm very lazy when it comes to makeup!

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  60. i love the IDEA of what makeup can do. but usually i stick with foundation, bronzer and eyeliner. not much else because of sensitive skin and i dont' know how to apply it all awesome and smoky. lol

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  61. I cannot live without my Bare Minerals! The original...no knockoffs now. The foundation and mineral veil make me skin look flawless and they also have a shadow called "Celestine" which has just enough shimmer to show off my eyes but not so much that I look like a twelve year old experimenting with makeup for the first time.

    Oh! and I am in love with Maybelline Full n Soft Mascara. I swear to god if they ever discontinue/change the formula I'm going to throw a shit fit!

    Also, I always line the inside of my lower lids to make my eyes stand out.

    This was fun :) Excellent post topic!

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  62. Hm. Maybe you can give me some pointers, because I'm seriously make-up illiterate. I do like my navy and purple eyeliner, though. But seriously, know anything about doing makeup for Asians?

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  63. I'm also quite minimal generally. And the only thing I will really experiment with is lip gloss. I have about ten in my bag at any given moment.

    But my most favourite product is Lancome mascara (Hypnosis is good so is Extencils or however it's spelt).

    It's pricey but I don't leave the house without it.

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  64. Hey...thanks for the note on my blog... I, too, do not know why anyone would want to REmarry for no reason whatsoever really. My thoughts on the subject in general are 2fold:
    1) A couple does this trying to prove that really - everything is GREAT! No, really, everything's PERFECT! We're FINE! Look how in LOVE we are! Or -
    2) In cases of reconciliation I could see doing the remarriage thing.

    Sadly, I'm afraid my sister & her husband fall into #1 on this list...that's my only thought. I mean, honestly, I just don't buy that they're happy. Granted, I'm not there 24/7 or whatever, but, I guess it's just a feeling.

    Regarding your post here (sorry for the little comment-rant above) I just bought a little thing of new lip plumper from Target called "Sexy MotherPucker" which, really, is marketing genius. I can admit I am a SUCKER for good marketing and this company had me from HELLO. Their "look" is 50's style and I fell in love.

    The little thing of plumper was $10 and it was worth every penny. Not only did it, in fact, plump my lips in a GOOD way (aka did not turn them into frog lips, but rather made them sort of pouty/kissy looking) but it made them super tingly...it was a very cool sensation.

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  65. I love makeup too. I always find something else to buy and have containers and shelves FULL. My absolute favorite brand is MAC, and I usually wear a minimal amount during the day (mascara, little eyeliner, little blush) and love the whole smoky-eye look for night.

    I also have an obsession with watching makeup tutorial videos on youtube and watching Tricia Sawyer do makeup on her site.

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  66. So do you do other people's make-up and can you come over every morning?

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  67. I need makeup.

    I scare small children and animals without it.

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  68. I don't wear a lot of make-up, but I like HAVING a lot so that I can pick and choose what I want!! It's funny you wrote this b/c a couple days ago I went and got some more Estee Lauder make-up. I love that stuff!!!

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