lemming list

1. Amlika Leave-In Conditioner - The Body Shop

2. Vitamin E Moisture Cream

3. MAC paint in Bare Canvas

4. MAC eye-shadows in
4.1 Illegal Cargo

4.2 Nocturnelle (or Hepcat)

4.3 Beautiful Iris

MAC - Pinch O'Peach

I've finally found an ultimate blush!
Blush is actually the only make-up item I can't do without.
That is - if I would have to limit muself to just one make-up item, ut would be blush.
But untill recently I couldn't find a perfect one, so I had loads of all kinds of blushes at home, none of each I was quite happy with.
Now I am - thanks to MAC!

The shade is called Pinch O'Peach, it's a powder blush, and it belongs to the MAC range of Sheertone blushes. Anctually I'm amazed at the concept of sheetone blushes itself, so I might be getting more of those.
The one that I have now is really naturally looking, you can hardly use too much since it's 'sheer' and it really refreshens my face - exactly what I wanted from a blush. The 'peach' in the name is a but misleading I think. I was looking for a pink mat blush, when I came to the store, and that's exactly what it is.
A bit of me blushed :-))) :

Sorry about the quality, I don't know how much of the perfection can be actually seen, but this blush is the best! It's a natural tenderly pink color that makes me look years younger and having- slept-hours-more-last-night-than-the-truth-is. Am happy :-)

LUSH tins

These are my LUSH temple balms and solid perfumes.

Flying Fox (the orange one) temple balm is probably my favourite of the bunch right now, and I'm actually using it as a solid perfume. It smells of jasmine and honey - similar to the Flying Fox shower gel, that I also unexpectedly started to like. Unexpectedly - because the first time that I smelled it I hated it, it seemed overpowering and gave me nausea and headache... Well, strange things happen, now it's one of my favourite LUSH products.

Dream Time - (the blue one) is another temple balm. To me it smells like Dream Cream (OR Angels on Bare Skin exfoliator). It's nice. In my experience, it doesn't really cure insomnia - I'm not sure if it's suppposed to, but it is relaxing, helps with minor headaches and can be actually used for calmin small skin irritations.

Honey I Washed the Kids and American Cream - (the black things) are the two solid perfumes that I have so far. I like both of them, but honestly both their namesakes (the soap and the hair conditioner) are better. That is, they smell better - for my liking. But I like the idea of solid perfumes, and am going to get more of them. My new love is Karma, so I guess it's going to be the next :-)

The little red tin keeping them company is the Vietnamese balm called "Golden Star" or something. I don't know about Vietnam but in Russia it's like a universal medicine for some people - as it used to be in the USSR, it's a very old product, you see, a product with a history :-))))) In fact it is quite a useful thing, not a cure-all of course, but it's good to have it at hand. Essentially it contains clove, cinnamon and peppermint oils, menthol, camphor and eucalyptus oil - all the basic things. :-)

LUSH photo review

Well, my addiction to LUSH is getting worse,and I already started taking picures of the stuff I have - which is still not that much - well, at least compared to what I wish I had, what I'm planning to have and what I have no need to have, but know that I will end up having none the less, beacause I'm an AD-DI-CT. :-)



All right, so, what we see here is (l-r): Coconut, Cosmetic Lad, Tea Tree Water, Lemony Flutter, Dream Cream.



Coconut is a powder deodorant - one of the several deodorants that LUSH has. I basically got it because I thought I should try some alternative to the usual antiperspirants with these harmful aluminum salts and stuff. Let's see - as an alternative it really worked - better than I actually expected. Being used to Nivea and Rexona deodorants I somehow thought that if it's natural and supposedly safe - it simply cannot work. Well - it can. It actually prevents all the unpleasant odour and lasts long enough. There are some downsides to it though - the first is that it being a powder it can't but leave some white traces, so I wouldn't use it wearing something black. I also wouldn't use it wearing something white - because since it is not an antiperspirant (which is a good thing healthwise) it doesn't really prevent you from sweating (a good thing healthwise). But all these downsides are ignorable - like I said - as an alternative it's just great. So I would definitely recommend it for a change - to alternate with you regular deo.

What's worse - in my case - is that it turned out that I really don't like the coconut smell. I actually knew that when I was buying Coconut, but for some reason I thought that it's just that chemical coconut smell that you usually get in cheap perfume and bathworks that I hate. Nope. I don't like coconut smell period. Well, too bad, I guess I'll need another deodorand powder, still not sure which, besides I hear that Coconut is actually the most effective.. :-(

Cosmetic Lad - moisturiser. Well, for me it's just ok, I'm still in search of a perfect moisturiser. But CL is not bad, it is supposed to be a moisturiser good enough to convert guys to using moisturisers as such and LUSH in particular :-) It is good enough for girls too and I've heard many girls praying by it. So it might work miracles for some, I guess. Not me. However I really like the smell - it's creamy and sweet, a bit like a chewing-gum, in my opinion, but not too sweet. (It shouldn't scare the guys away, remember? :-))

Tea Tree Water toner. I really like this toner, it did make my skin visibly better - not that it needed some dramatic improvement - thanks God. I have basically a normal skin sometimes sensitive. This toner promises to cure the irritations and blemishes you have. I personally love it for its pore diminishing quality - after a mask or exfoliation I feel that I need to squeeze those open pores back, and TTW gives me this nice feeling.

Lemony Flutter I've already written about. Still love it.

Dream Cream - body lotion for troubled skin. I would never dream of spending so much money on a body cream :-))) But this cream is just legendary. Some people say it helped them get rid of some skin problems they've been having for ages. I just had to give it a try. I'm not crazy about the smell, but it's not unpleasant. Sort of chamomile-lavenderish neutral smell, that kind of reminds me hundreds of creams from my childhood, but none in particular. Great moisturiser, a little goes a long way, which kind of balances its price. As for its miraculous qualities - yeah, I've already had a chance to check them. I got a little burn from a cooking oil, and applied some DC right away. Well, I don't know, may be any cream would have done the same, but less than in 10 minutes I completely forgot about the burn! Being a butterfingers that I m, I'm thinking it's gonna be my staple :-)

Shampoo struggle

Ok, so I have a very special relationships with the shampoos - for some reason, it is extremely hard for me to find a suitable shampoo for my seemingly undemanding hair. I mean - it's straight, normal, I don't dye it, it's not too thick but there's quite enough of it - you might think that it could be happy with just anything. But no, it's not. When it's unhappy with the shampoo I'm treating it to, it gets fluffy - not in a good way, dull, although normally it's super-shiny :-), and my scalp gets itchy. Yuk.

The problem is that the result I get with this or that shampoo is highly unpredictable. It doesn't depend on price. I've had some VERY bad experience with VERY expensive shampoos.

Specifically, the japanese proffessional hair cair brand MoltoBene - well, I personally find $30+ very expensive for a shampoo. That was a total disaster, my hair looked really bad - unwashed and unwanted. I'm ashamed of it now, but I actually used up the whole big jar, because I was genuinely hoping that such a "high-end" shampoo can't but be doing me good. Even if you can't tell it by the way it looks. Not that I'm saying that this is a bad brand. I've read tons of the reviews (why do you thinj I bougth it?) of the happy and satisfied customers. Too bad I can't be one of them.

On the other hand I've had some really good experience with some mass-market shampoos (NOT ALL OF THEM) and even with some - very unknown globally - and very reasonably priced (to say the least) Russian and Belorussian shampoos.

At the moment I have the following shampoos in heavy rotation:
1. Gliss Kur













2. Elseve by L'Oreal













3. Butter milk shampoo by a Belorussian company Exclusive Cosmetic


It costs less than 2 dollars and claims to have multyvitamines and lactoserum extract. Well, I don't know how exactly they manage it but is is a great shampoo for its price. For any price actually - I mean, I have only good tings to say about it, although a friend of mine complained of getting dandruff after using it. Well, nothing of the kind happened to me. And it smells of vanilla :-D

4. Jacque Dessange











And that's it. I don't find it sufficient and would love to add something to this selection, but at this point I am too cautious with the shampoos.
Even though I do realise how individual the preferences in shampoos may be - and this post proves it only too well, I'm still open for any recommendations :-)

Oh, you might ask, what all this has to do with happiness :-)))))))) Well, when my hair is happy - I'm happy too. So we're happy together :-)))))

Choosing a face powder

I'm in the process of choosing a new face powder, and the choice seems a bit difficult.

I am basically choosing between 4 variants below. I've never used any of them, but I've made some research... and still I'm not sure which one is better...

Well, these are the powders that I'm choosing from:

1. Shiseido Luminizing Colour Powder

I guess I need this tone - L.2 Apricot - the most neutral. I have a rather pale skin close to olive, normal, as far as the skin condition is concerned. What I like about this variant is that it has three colors that you can blend or use separately - I'm kind of hoping to use the white segment as a highlighter. I also like that it comes in a nice-looking box with a brush and a mirror - I actually don't hava a powder that I could safely take out of my bag in a public place to, say, take something out of my own eye :-))) This seems like a safe option.

2. Givenchy Prisme Again! Compact Powder Quartet

I want it in 01 Beautiful Pastel. To me it seems less practical than Shiseido and more of an extravagance on my part. I just like the way it looks and it has a certain magic attraction for me. It also comes with a brush and promises some opportunities with different colors - but I'm not sure about the colors themselves. Can they actually be used as correctors for various purposes? May be I need an Elegant Beige instead, but I don't want it to be too dark... I've tested them both in the stores but still not quite sure. None af them actually made me look like a goddess... eh well... I'm afraid I'm just not...

3. Guerlaine Meteorites Powder

Again I'm inclined to the classic o1 Mythic tone. Meteorites is even less practical than Prisme - and no public places for it. However it's a cult product. And I'm kind of getting under its charm and start genuinely believeing that I need it. Besides, it is very decadent - which is a good thing. And if it did level the skin tone and gave it a healthy glow - it would have been really cool. The problem is, I've tested it too and I was unpleasantly surprised with actually seeing these particles that are supposed to give you the healthy glow. I was hoping that it would just look as if I am NATURALLY beautiful and all GLOWY :-))) Nevertheless I am considering it, I don't even know why... Because it's classic. Silly little thing, useless in a way, but nice. And in the bottom of my heart I'm still hoping that the impression I got after testing it in a store was wrong and it can make my complexion look naturally good :-)))

4. MAC Mineralize Skinfinish/Natural, Light Medium

"A luxurious domed face powder with minerals, slowly baked to provide a dimensional yet natural-matte finish. Provides perfect low coverage. Use to set and fix foundation or as a touch-up throughout the day" - that's what the site says. What attracts me - I've only tried MAC eyshadows, but this brand somehow makes me trust it. It does have the cultship around it, which - susceptible to such things as I am - I find hard to resist :-))) It is a proffessional make up - which I like. And their assistants are always ready to help to select the right tone. Abd they have many tones too. It is also cheaper than the other three. What makes me doubt: they actually only had one tone in the store when I came determined to buy this powder. (Too dark.) I never got to this level of determination ever since... Also - no mirror, no brush.

So I'm debating. No, I am not tempted to buy all of them - I need just one, really. I only need to know for sure - which one :-(

Top-5 LUSH products

As I promised - My LUSH top-5.

Disclaimer: Being a newby, I haven't yet tried all the LUSH products (I suppose in a time I will :-)))), so this list is far from objective, but well, these 5 are my favourites so far.

I might update the list later.

#1 Creamy Candy Bath

It' my favoutite LUSH bubble bar so far - it smells like the Rok Star Soap, and the smell lingers for a long time. I remember after the first time I took a bath with it (by the way, I used only 1/3 of the bar and it made a vary foamy bath), I couldn't get - what is it that I smell all the time, wherever I go - something subtly sweet and gentle. Took me some time to get it :-))) Till the next bath :-)) It also makes my skin soft and nice, and my personality - bubblier :-)

#2 Aqua Mirabilis

It is an exfoliating massage bar that you use while in the shower - after shower gel, soap or whatever you prefer. You just slide it over your body or if you want it to go longer - rub it in your hands and then massage yourself with what is left on your hands. May be it's just because it was the first body exfoliator that I used in my life (long enough to be embarrased of never having used an exfoliator before), but I thought that what it did to my body was really a miracle. The thing is that the unnecessary hair that grow on my legs are very long inside (gosh, THIS is embarassing...and sort of gross... sorry), which results in me having the problem with ingrown hair since like 13. I thought it was just my bad luck and put up with it. Well. Aqua Mirabilis actually rid me of this problem! I can't even believe it myself. And it feels great too - the ground almond shells in combination with the oils produce fantastic sensation that you want to go on and on. I also adore the smell of it - something like cookies and milk - such a pity that it doesn't stay longer though.

#3 Soft Coeur

It is a massage bar that you use after shower or whenever you need a massage - or to give a massage ;-) The smell is divine - warm and sweet - it's not just honey or chocolate, but it's just something inexplicably beautiful an tasty. Makes you want to lick it. Which is ok, I guess, since this brown thing inside is the real chocolate :-)

#4 American Cream

Hair conditioner. My story about this one is a winter story. It's about how after using the American Cream on Sunday I went to my office on Monday and how when I enterd the building and took my cap off I immedialtely felt the smell of my conditioner. And not only me, but my co-workers, who smiled and said - what is this nice smell. :-)))) It's amazing how a hair conditioner (which also is VERY very good as a conditioner - that is, it totally serves its purpose, smoothing my hair and moisturizing it) can produce such an effect. Yeah, I also got an American Cream solid perfume, as soon as theay started selling SP in Russia. I like it too - would have been better though had the smell been stronger and more eh.. persistent. But it is the conditioner in my top-5, not the SP, because the idea of your hair smelling of strawberry vanilla is somewhat sexier, I guess. :)

#5 Lemony Flutter

Lemony Flutter is a cuticle butter. Actually nail care is one of my obsessions - I like nail polishes and I love it when my nails are done and are looking good. However, because I lack self-discipline and sometimes completely forget that I have nails to care about whatsoever and neglect them for TOO LONG (no exagerations), at times I was just horrified with my nails. By the time that I remembered to look at my nails, they were so awfully shabby, that it was actually stressfull to even look at them. :-))))) And since I like my nails to look nice (see above), I had to overcome the stress and do something about it. Which at this point took some effort. Well, rejoice, this long and sad story has a happy ending! Lemony Flutter! Partly because it is LUSH and I want to use it again and again - and don't forget to. Partly due to its great softening qualities - it has all kinds of oils and butters in it, and it is very thick and nourishing. But it helpd me maintain my nails the way I like them to be :-))) Effortlessly! The cuticle on my nails basically stopped growing, so all I need to do is to gently move it away about once a week. Highly recommended!

My LUSH Obsession

For a long time I did manage to stay away from these little black shops in the malls, and even occasionally looking into them I would just look around, check the prices and walk away with "thanks, but no, thanks"

That couldn't last forever though.

I don't even know how that happened, but I only see, that there's something worryingly close to an addiction going on - I seriously am addicted to LUSH products, to an extend that when I go to sleep I lull myself with thinking - what I am going to by next from LUSH. It is a bit of a deviation, I know. BUT actually - the LUSH products actually do make me HAPPIER. In a way. For some little time. But in the end of the day - that's what matters :-)))))

So I'm just going to keep enjoying my insanity - while I can :-)

Now I just thought I might describe some of the LUSH products that I already have. Which is not that much actually, but I'm pretty sure, that's not the end of it.

First come SOAPS - LUSH has a big range of colorful handmade soaps, and I still have a way to go to test all af them, but I already have tried some that I'm pretty sure I'm going to buy again.

1. Sultana of Soap

This was actually the first soap that I bought from LUSH - and I totally fell in love with it. It smells like heaven - as far as I can gather. It's fruity and sweet, but not heavy, it's soft and creamy and it gives a lot of foam if used with a bath sponge - which is how I prefer it. Among its ingredients are Dried Apricots, Dried Currants, Dried Cranberries, Olibanum Oil, Bergamot Oil and some chemicals :-)))))))

2. Rock Star

Rock Star - is probably my favourite soap at the moment. It's pink - as you can see :-)))) and it's super-girly. It smells very pink if that makes any sense - like a dream of a bubble-gum. However - my friend, who is very macho-man and who was very much against the idea of paying around $6 for a bar of soap - fell under its charm too, it was actually the first LUSH soap that I noticed him using - while he ignored the more masculine ones that I bought, desperately trying to make him like what I like ( in that instance - Lush). Gosh, was I happy! And he even got me some LUSH soaps as a gift recently - Rock Star included :-)))))

3. Honey I Washed The Kids

I bought it after I found out that it smells exactly like the Soft Coer massage bar - which is probably my favoutite LUSH product of all. Well, it's definitely in top-3. Top-5 - for sure :-))) I'll make my Top-5 later, I guess. Well, HIWTK soap is divine. The official LUSH site says: "On paper it`s difficult to portray the full effect of this honeycomb toffee scented soap. Suffice to say that people who fully intended to walk past a Lush shop find themselves unable to resist its tempting, mouth-watering fragrance. They inhale and say `Mmmmmm` then they exhale and say `Ahhhhh` then they pick up a big chunk and join the queue for the till."

Well, sort of :-)))

4. Bohemian

I got it in that same wonderfull gift from my friend as the Rock Star. Honestly, I myself probably wouldn't buy it, knowing that it's a lemon soap, since lemon would seem rather a plain choice for me, too flat and too fresh, I'd probably look for something more interesting (ha-ha). But now that it's mine, I know I will want to buy it again. It does smell of lemon, no surprises here. And not much other than lemon. But - HOW! The smell is so strong and so fresh, so invigorating. It is - if nothing else - a very usefull soap to have. It would come handy if you, say, haven't slept last night (and feel like dying), and are expecting guests tonight(and should be entertaining and full of life) - which is exactly what happened to me yesterday, and yes, I was entertaining and full of life :-)))

5. Skinny Dip

Skinny Dip desreves a long story. Actually on lush.co.uk it goes under the lable "butter cream", but in fact it is a soap, just creamier than you regular soap would be. I bought it, because someone recommended it as a good soft facial cleanser for everyday use. Didn't work for me - that is, for my face. And at first I even hated the smell. Which oddly, according to various lush-forums and even the official site, is very often the case. After which - probably on the 3-rd use, I just realized that it's great, that it's so MY type of smell, that it's so perfect, that I just can't live without it. Which is, according to...see above...very often the case. I wonder why this happens. I didn't even know anything about this phenomenon, when I became part of it. Weird. Anyways, the list of ingredients is pretty impressive - now wonder it's a complex bouquet - Creamed Coconut Infusion, Organic Aloe Vera Gel, Almond Oil, Cocoa Butter, Clove Bud Oil, Cedarwood Oil, Clary Sage Oil, Ylang Ylang Oil, Vetivert Oil, Palmarosa Oil , and some chemicals. Probably it's them chemicals that make up for the resulting perfect smell - don't care :-)) Personally I don't feel coconuts in it, which is good, because am not a fan of that smell. I do feel clove, but not too much, and I might describe it as somewhat herby or spicey. All in all it's very feminine and seductive and fresh at the same time. It doesn't produce much foam - which is a huge minus for me, since I like to feel foam over my body when I wash myself - I feel more washed this way :-))) But I adore the smell so much, that I'm even prepared to ignore this factor.

Well, I guess that was my Top-5 of Lush Soaps, even though I didn't plan it that way first. So be it :-))) I'll continue later with my top-5 of Lush everything and other things that I have to say about my latest obsession :-)))

Drugstore Doubles

The link leads to the full text of Paula Begoun's report on the expensive and similar cheap beauty products. I only included here the products from that report that I am likely to use - that is, I didn't include things like Brow Enhancer or Eyeliner since I never use them and in most likeliness never will. The same goes for Styling Wax and suchlikes. I also skipped shampoos and conditioners because I have my own special relationshiops with those, and my own ideas about which of them go best for me. On which I'll probably dwell later on . So - here it is.

Drugstore Doubles
The Best in Beauty from Chanel to Cover Girl
A Special Report by Paula Begoun
Cleanser for Normal to Dry Skin

Neutrogena Sensitive Skin Solutions Cream Cleanser for Dry Skin ($9 for 5.1 ounces) is excellent and very similar to the higher-priced Trish McEvoy Gentle Cleansing Lotion ($55 for 6.8 ounces).

Cleanser for Normal to Oily Skin
Lancome Gel Clarte Clarifying Gel-to-Foam Cleanser ($20 for 4.2 ounces) works beautifully to cleanse and remove makeup from normal to oily skin, but so does the nearly identical L’Oreal Ideal Balance Foaming Gel Cleanser for Combination Skin ($7.99 for 6.7 ounces).


AHA Product
Vespera Bionic Serum ($55 for 1 ounce). - Neutrogena Healthy Skin Face Lotion ($11.99 for 2.5 ounces). It contains 8% glycolic acid in a light moisturizing base and the correct pH range to exfoliate skin. Neutrogena also markets a sensitive skin version of this product, which contains 5% glycolic acid.


BHA Product
Neutrogena Rapid Clear Acne Defense Face Lotion ($7.99 for 1.7 ounces) - Serious Skin Care Clarifying Treatment ($17.50 for 2 ounces) is an OK option, but with only 0.5% salicylic acid, don’t expect amazing results.


Daytime Moisturizer with SPF 15
Dove Fresh Radiance Moisturizer SPF 15 ($9.99 for 1.7 ounces) - Clinique Repairwear SPF 15 Intensive Cream ($45 for 1.7 ounces). Both are great for normal to dry skin (with lots of interesting beneficial ingredients), and both contain an in-part zinc oxide sunscreen for sufficient UVA protection. Prefer to avoid zinc oxide? Consider Olay Complete Defense Daily UV Moisturizer SPF 30 ($14.99 for 2.5 ounces), which contains an in-part avobenzone sunscreen and is beautifully formulated. Looking for a great sunscreen for normal to oily skin? Consider Estee Lauder DayWear Plus Multi-Protection Antioxidant Lotion SPF 15 ($38 for 1.7 ounces) or, if a higher SPF number is needed, Neutrogena UltraSheer Dry-Touch Sunblock SPF 30 ($8.99 for 3 ounces).


Facial Moisturizer, Normal to Dry Skin
Spa Sciences Anti-Aging Moisture Day Lotion ($18.99 for 1.7 ounces). Although the lack of sunscreen makes it an inappropriate solo choice for daytime, this fragrance-free product can be used as a nighttime moisturizer for someone with normal to dry skin. - Prescriptives Intensive Rebuilding Moisturizer ($95 for 2 ounces). In the middle of this price spectrum is the supremely well-formulated WhiteLight EX Extra Brightening Intensive Night Creme ($45 for 1 ounce) from Estee Lauder (but don’t count on it to lighten skin).

Facial Moisturizer, Normal to Oily/Combination Skin
Having a generous cosmetics budget means you may want to consider Prescriptives Redness Relief Gel ($50 for 1 ounce) for its ultra-light texture and state-of-the-art formula - Olay Regenerist Daily Regenerating Serum ($18.99 for 1.7 ounces).


Body Moisturizer
Clinique Water Therapy Firming Body Smoother ($27.50 for 6.7 ounces). - Dove Intensive Firming Cream, Intensive Firming Lotion, Intensive Nourishing Lotion, Regenerating Night Lotion, and Cool Moisture Body Lotion ($5.99-$7.99 for 6.7 ounces).

Body Wash/Shower Gel
The vast majority of body washes on the market are well-formulated. All of them contain standard detergent cleansing agents (identical to those used in shampoo) and a variety of additives depending on the formula goals or label claims. It is a rare occurrence to find a body wash that contains irritants such as menthol or citrus oils, but be aware, they do exist. Companies that offer excellent body washes for reasonable prices include Dove, Olay, Neutrogena, The Body Shop, Axe (for men—but I refuse to vouch for the fragrance), Ivory, Aveeno, Dial, Lever 2000, Nivea, and Jergens.


Specialty/"Anti-Aging" Product
DDF C3 Plus Serum ($50 for 0.5 ounce) provides skin with copious vitamin C, water-binding agents (including peptides), and other antioxidants, plus it is packaged in an opaque, airless container to keep everything potent. If vitamin C isn’t on your must-have list but you still want an elegant serum to use morning or evening, consider Neutrogena Visibly Firm Lift Serum Active Copper ($18.99 for 1 ounce).

Murad Brightening Treatment SPF 15 ($45 for 1 ounce) combines an effective sunscreen with higher than usual levels of hydroquinone alternatives, including arbutin and uva ursi extract.


Foundation with Sunscreen
The price is a bit startling, but those with normal to oily skin will likely be impressed with Chanel Double Perfection Crème Powder Makeup SPF 15 ($42). It contains an in-part titanium dioxide sunscreen and despite its name, is not nearly as slick or greasy as traditional cream-to-powder makeup. For less money and a higher sun protection factor, consider Clinique Superbalanced Compact Makeup SPF 20 ($26.50). If you’re looking to spend even less, Cover Girl AquaSmooth Makeup SPF 15 ($8.99) is superb and offers plenty of real-skin shades. Almost all of Revlon’s foundations will also keep you covered in real-skin tones and great sunscreens, plus you’ll save money at the same time.

If you have normal to dry skin, I’m fond of Neutrogena Visibly Even Natural-Look Makeup SPF 20 ($11.75). Shopping the department store cosmetic counters? Consider Lancome Renergie Lift Lifting Makeup SPF 20 ($37), one of the few Lancome foundations with a sunscreen that offers sufficient UVA
protection.

Tinted Moisturizer/Sheer Foundation with Sunscreen
Neutrogena hit a grand slam with the introduction of its Healthy Skin Enhancer SPF 20 ($10.99), which features great colors and an in-part titanium dioxide sunscreen with retinol and plenty of antioxidants. Those looking for greater sun protection can consider Revlon Age Defying Light Makeup SPF 30 ($12.99). The buck really could stop here, but for those who can’t resist the lure of spending more than needed, I also highly recommend Aveda Inner Light Tinted Moisture SPF 15 ($25) and Bobbi Brown SPF 15 Tinted Moisturizer ($36).


Concealer
Choosing Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Under Eye Concealer ($6.99) rather than Lancome Maquicomplet Complete Coverage Concealer ($24) will not only leave you with more money in your pocketbook, but since L’Oreal owns Lancome and Maybelline, you will find many of their makeup products are more comparable than ever. Good thing, too, because Maybelline’s concealer shades have improved tremendously since L’Oreal has been in charge.


Loose Powder
With its ultra-fine texture and non-powdery appearance on skin, M.A.C. Select Sheer Loose Powder ($19.50) is among the best. At nearly twice the price, Giorgio Armani Micro-fil Loose Powder ($42) is also excellent—but for one-quarter of that price, your skin is likely to be just as happy with L’Oreal Translucide Naturally Luminous Powder ($10.89). By the way, L’Oreal owns Giorgio Armani Cosmetics!


Pressed Powder
Stila Sheer Color Face Powder SPF 15 ($23) not only has a gorgeous silky texture and smooth application but also provides additional sun protection, perfect for touching up your makeup to reduce shine and boosting your skin’s defenses against aging UV rays. A similar but less expensive pressed powder that offers even longer sun protection is Neutrogena Healthy Defense Protective Powder SPF 30 ($9.99).

Looking for a superior pressed powder without sunscreen? Try Cover Girl TruBlend Pressed Powder ($7.49) or, if your skin color is harder to match, consider L’Oreal True Match Super-Blendable Powder ($7.99). If you prefer to try the shade at the store before making a purchase, high marks go to Estee Lauder AeroMatte Ultralucent Pressed Powder ($26).


Powder Blush
Vincent Longo Day Play Duo Compact Powder Blush ($23.50) is a wonderful option if you’re feeling extravagant, but an equally impressive powder blush for those with realistic cosmetics budgets is L’Oreal Feel Naturale Light Softening Blush $9.79). Note that with Longo’s product, you get two powder blush shades in one compact.


Cream Blush
A relatively new option to consider at the department store is Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge for Lips and Cheeks ($22). It is a true cream blush, meaning it’s best for normal to dry skin, but does not have a greasy feel or slip all over the face during blending. Those looking to spend less for a comparable product should explore Merle Norman Luxiva Crème Blush ($14.50) or, for an option that’s more cream-to-powder than just creamy, Revlon Cream Blush ($8.99).




Cream (or Cream-Like) Eyeshadows
Delux Beauty Cream Powder Eye Shadow ($18) is one of the best in terms of color selection, easy application, and long wear with only minimal risk of creasing. A bonafide steal by comparison is Revlon Illuminance Crème Shadow ($5.99) which provides four crease-proof creamy eyeshadows in one convenient compact. The Not Just Nudes quad is an ideal set of neutrals for most skin tones, though some shine is apparent.


Lip Gloss
Chanel really does produce some marvelous lip glosses. Their Cristalle Gloss Waterlight Lip Gloss ($24.50) is wonderfully light-textured and very glossy. A dramatically less expensive but truly equally appealing choice is Revlon Super Lustrous Lip Gloss ($6.99).


Mascara
It’s no secret that I and millions of women worldwide are fans of many L’Oreal and Maybelline mascaras, so I’m taking a break from singing the praises of their lash-enhancing products to brag about another worthy contender. Instead, three cheers to Revlon, whose Fabulash Mascara ($6.99) is fabulous. There are some unquestionably wonderful mascaras at the department store too, and one that equals Fabulash’s greatness for a bit more money is Stila Mega Lash Mascara ($9.50). Given the wealth of brilliant mascaras that cost $10 or less, I am leaving this list void of a truly pricey mascara (they’re out there, and many are magnificent, but not more so than options that cost less money).


Waterproof Mascara
Two of my favorites at the department store are Laura Mercier Waterproof Mascara ($19) and Estee Lauder Illusionist Waterproof Curling Mascara ($21). Another department store option that is significantly less expensive but just as impressive is M.A.C. Splashproof Lash Waterproof Mascara ($9.50). At the drugstore, consider Maybelline Volum’ Express Waterproof Mascara ($5.99).