beeyoutee

Nothing new. For better or worse, the makeup obsession seems to be over. I will leave this page up, though, because of all the things on this site, this is the page I get emailed about the most.

	makeup and stuff I don't wear a lot of makeup. Never have. However, despite large collections of Mary Kay (thank you Fonda!) and Estee Lauder gift sets (thank you Malm!), it occurred to me that I might like to look at other makeup options and see what I might want to add for my wedding. And God help me, I went a little crazy. MAKEUP IS VERY VERY FUN. This is a summary of stuff I've tried in about the past 10 years or so...when I've found the price, I've included it. Click here for PETA's list of companies that do not test on animals. And here's a list a companies that do test on animals. I know I have some offenders listed below. I am making a conscious effort, moving forward, to only purchase products from the "do not test on animals" list. BUYER BEWARE: A friend of mine in the costmetics industry tells me that there are loopholes here. For example, a company who says they don't test their lipstick on animals may still be testing everything that's in the lipstick on animals. But because the lipstick product itself is not tested on animals, it gets to say so "no animal testing" on the label. what's new face eyes lips nails body/fragrance hair tools where to buy quests reader suggestions

What's New
Nothing new. For better or worse, the makeup obsession seems to be over. I will leave this page up, though, because of all the things on this site, this is the page I get emailed about the most. back to top

Face
*Benefit boi-ing!* in lite ($16) Good. Basic concealer, can get cakey Benefit BeneTint ($26) Excellent This will NOT rub off, very natural, even smells good (like roses) Benefit Boo-Boo Zap ($16) Good. Works through makeup. Benefit Glamourette in Divine with Fascinating Finish Powder ($38) This was given to me by a friend. It is SO CUTE. The lipstick is a great color, and the powder and blush are really nice formulas Estee Lauder blush in Cool Effects, Pink Cloud and Petal ($20) Good. Can be heavy if you're not careful ( I think this is a packaging issue- the only real difference I can discern between this and the MAC is that the Estee Lauder is in rectangles and the MAC is in a pot. I think the brushes somehow pick up more in the rectangles and therefore it's easy to overdo MAC Face and Body Foundation in 02 ($28.50) Excellent. Very light and dewy, excellent coverage. Yes, it is pricey... MAC Blot Powder ($14) (I lost this, actually, and need to replace it) Excellent. MAC Studio Fix in NW20 ($21) Excellent, but you must be careful or you will be cakey. Put this over the Face and Body Foundation and you will look like porcelain. MAC Powder Blush in Melba ($16) Good. Mario Badescu Drying Lotion ($17) Good. Does what it's supposed to do, though not overnight (for me, anyway). Mary Kay Deep Cleanser, Formula 3 ($10) Excellent. This is the only thing the really works on my face without drying it. Mary Kay Blemish Control Toner, Formula 3 ($11) Excellent. See above. Mary Kay Oil-Control Moisturizer, Formula 3 ($16) Excellent. It is non-greasy and works as it's supposed to. Mary Kay Clarifying Mask, Formula 3 ($12) Good. I don't really know what it's supposed to do, so I don't know if it's doing it, but I like masks. Mary Kay Acne Treatment Gel ($7) Fair. Takes a while to work... long enough for the zip to clear up on its own. Mary Kay Day Radiance Oil-Free Foundation in Ivory Bisque ($11) Good. A bit heavier than the MAC. Mary Kay Pressed Creme to Compact Foundation in Ivory ($11, plus $8 for compact) Good. It's been a while since I've used this; it can get heavy rather quickly if you're not careful. Dave uses it for stage makeup and really likes it. Mary Kay Loose Powder in Light ($12.50) Good, but I haven't used this in a while Mary Kay Facial Highlighter ($7.50)** Excellent. Does what it's supposed to do (highlight!). Warning: it's white. Mary Kay Correcting Concealer ($9.50) Excellent. Packaging tube provides excellent control. Great coverage, not heavy. Mary Kay Blush in Wild Rose ($8) Good (same issues as Estee Lauder) Beauty Blotters Oil-Absorbing Tissues ($5) Haven't used these yet, but the packaging is better than the Palladio ones. Palladio Chinese Rice Paper Powdered Tissues in Natural ($4) Excellent, but it is scary when you see how much oil you have on your face Queen Helene Mint Julep Mask ($4) Excellent!!! Works beautifully and is cheap cheap cheap. Reflect.com Daily Facial Cleanser ($19) Good. At $19, this was more than I'm willing to pay again. It wasn't any better than my wonderful Mary Kay cleanser, or even Neutrogena. Reflect.com Eye Cream ($35) Good. Feels nice at night, but I don't really see it doing anything. Stila Convertible Color in orchid ($28) Between good and excellent. It is a nice product..but it is $28. This is typical Stila. I have had mine forever and use it a lot, so it's ultimately worth it. Urban Decay Face Case in Bad Girl ($34 retail, $20 on eBay) Good! I didn't think I'd be able to wear the Uzi shadow (very glittery silver), but it works fine for me wet. back to top

Eyes
BenefitShe-Laq ($22) Excellent, but you MUST let it dry on your eyelids for a few minutes or you'll have a mess B'Box eyeshadow: white/ charcoal, gold/ brown, oranges, pinks and purples ($8/ two colors) Excellent! My favorite eyeshadow! Easy to apply, easy to blend, great colors, great price, you get more than you think. Bourjois pearl eyeshadow in Beige and Orange ($13/ one color) Good. Bourjois is a fun French company that has great citrus colors (and others as well) Estee Lauder eyeliner in Brown Velvet, Black Pearl and Softsmudge Black ($14) Excellent. Very soft and stays put. Estee Lauder eyeshadow in Soft Effects, Cool Effects, Warm Effects, Brown 1, 6 and 8, Coral 7.7, Natural 1, Lorac Cream Eyeliner Collection 1 ($28) Excellent!! Easy to apply and wears well. I had intended to buy one of the Smashbox liquid liners, but at $22 apiece, the Lorac is a much better deal. Colors included: silver, dark gray, light purple, dark blue, gold, copper, brown and black. L'Oreal Le Grand Curl Mascara in Black Great!!! Really does curl your lashes. Neutral 1.1 and 6, Orange 2, Pink 1.2 and 4, Taupe 1 and Violet 6 ($20) Fair; I've found them to be a bit flaky MAC eye pencil in Ebony, Coffee and White ($11) Excellent. See Estee Lauder above MAC creme color base in Pearl ($14) Fair. I think I'm using this incorrectly, though...I have only used it as eyeshadow and it creases a lot on me. But you can also use this on cheeks and lips. MAC powder eyeshadow in Vanilla, Atlas, Putty and Brun ($12-$14) Good. They tend to fade without sealant though Make Up For Ever Color Liner in Iridescent Black 25 ($19) Excellent!!! I LOVE this. Easy to use and stays put. Mary Kay eye pencil in Sable ($9.50) Good. A bit hard Mary Kay eyeshadow in Crystalline, White Sand, Honey Glaze, Taupe, Truffle and Blackest Black/ Black Onyx ($5.50-$6) Good. Fairly neutral and conservative colors are great for work. Mary Kay eyebrow pencil in Chestnut ($9.50) Good. A bit hard, but easy to use with out making scary eyebrows Maybelline Expert Eyes eyeshadow in Blue Blazes (pearl) ($3) Fair. Hard to blend for some reason Maybelline Great Lash Mascara in brownish black ($4) Good. Old standby... Maybelline Volum' Express Mascara, waterproof, in brownish black ($6.50) Good. My wedding mascara. Didn't run, but like all mascaras on me, kind of clumpy. Reflect.com Waterproof Mascara in Brown/Black($16.50) Excellent!!! I LOVE this; it's by far my favorite Reflect.com item. It eliminates the use for an eyelash curler, stays put until you take it off, and comes completely off with remover. AND NOT CLUMPY!!! Rimmel Special Eyes Duo Eye Shadow in Metallic Pearls (two shades of silver) (around $4) Fair. I really wanted to like these... but the coverage isn't great. You have to use a LOT. Then again, for the price, you can pretty much afford to do that. Shiseido Liquid Eyeliner in Black Noir ($18.50) Bad. This is supposed to be the best, but it always flakes off (and pretty quickly too) if I don't coat the hell out of it with She-Laq. Smashbox Brow Tech in Smashing Brunette ($22) Almost Excellent. It really needs to come with some sort of applicator... I generally use the one from the Lorac Liner Collection. This is nice becuase it includes a brow powder and a wax... useful for organizing things without darkening. Vincent Longo eyeshadow trio in Lavender Mist ($20/ three colors) Good. Great colors; blends well. back to top

Lips. My favorite.
Alchemy Revitalizing Lip Gel in Orange and Rose ($16) Excellent. Light coverage, really is refreshing and tingly Aveda lipliner in Fig Bad. REALLY hard and drying. The Body Shop Colourings lipstick in 16 (a dark red) Between fair and good. Great color, but tends to bleed. Bourjois Éclat de Rire lipstick in Ochre ($11) Good. Bourjois Effet 3D ultra-glossy lipstick in 62 (gold) ($13) Good. Very pretty and glossy, lasts a good while. Bourjois Pour La Vie Lipstick in Rouge Ebene Pour Parisiennes 38 (dark red) ($13) Great. It's a good color for me and doesn't bleed as much as a lot of reds do. Chapstick lip balm ($1) Excellent. Indispensable. English Ideas Lip Last ($17.50) Fair. Flakes if you use too much and makes you look like you have a horrible disease. I prefer Benefit's She-Laq. Estee Lauder lipliner in Wineberry and Mahogany ($14) Excellent. Soft and stays put. Estee Lauder lipstick in Silent Red, Bronze Creme and Rosa Rosa ($16) Good. L'Oreal Endless Long Wearing Lipstick in Fired Up (around $8 in stores; $4 on ulta.com) I kinda hated to buy this because the on the PETA do-test list, but I needed a deeper red for a show. Haven't had a chance to test it yet. MAC lip pencil in Burgundy and Chicory ($11) Excellent. And I know a girl named Chicory. Mary Kay lip liner pencil in Knock-out Neutral, Cherry, Choice Chocolate, Dark Choice Chocolate and Raisin ($9.50) Between Good and Excellent. Can be hard to sharpen. Mary Kay lipstick in Plum, Sagewood, Suede Suede, Tea-Time Tan, Black Raspberry, Chocolate Mousse and Burgundy Brocade ($11) Good. See Mary Kay eyeshadows above. Can feel gummy after a few hours. Mary Kay Lip Gloss ($8.50) Mary Kay Lipstick Adjuster Kit (warm, cool, light, dark) Excellent. Works with all lipsticks (not just Mary Kay) and can make five (or more!) lipstick colors from one. Max Factor Lipfinity in 110 (a sparkly brick red) and 1 (a bright candy-apple red) ($10) Good! Takes some practice in applying evenly, but does what it says it's going to do. Very drying... wears from the inside of your lips to the edges. Maybelline Wet Shine Diamonds Lipstick in Pink Diamonds (around $5) Very Good!! Doesn't stay on as long as I'd like. I feel okay being 31 and wearing this, though. It's sparkly without being too obvious. Plus the "diamonds" are tiny and not at all gritty, which I HATE in glittery lipstick. I bought this after reading an article in "InStyle" about colors anyone can where. This was in the "pinks" section. I usually can't wear pink, and I can wear this. So for me, they are right! Reflect.com Lipstick in Red and Shimmery Pink ($17) Fair. The colors were made by my specifications, but they really aren't right. However, I CAN send them back to be reformulated, I just haven't. Beyond that, they aren't anything particularly special for $17. I would say find yourself a Sephora store and try on their shades until you find the one you're after. Much cheaper. And FUN! Revlon ColorStay Lipcolor in Burgundy and Raisin (around $8) Good... it does stay longer than regular lipstick, but not by much. It is a bit drying but nowhere near as bad as the Max Factor Lipfinity. Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Lavender Smoke (creme) ($6.50) Fair. Weird coverage. Sephora lipstick in 577 (a pinky pink) and ??? (a 60's-ish coral)($9) Excellent. Sephora makes every shade imaginable and you can find just what you want. Feels good and stays put. Layers well. Smells great.t. LOVE these. SO FUN. Smith's Rosebud Salve ($6) Another indispensable product...it's great for lips, really dry skin, everything. Stila lip gloss in Red Shine, Plum Shine and Bronze Shine ($16) Excellent. SO FUN. Very very glossy glosses that come in great colors and stay on a really long time (for a gloss). A little goes a long way, so the price is actually reasonable here. Urban Decay XXX Shine Cooling Lip Gloss in Ozone ($15) Excellent. Very shiny and fun, plus it smells great. A little goes a long way, so the $15 isn't as bad as it seems. The only problem is the packaging, which tends to get gloopy on the outside if you're not really careful. Vernique Liquid Liner in Lola ($15) EXCELLENT!!!!! I LOVE!!!! Plus they sent me "Rose Teint" gloss for free. Wet 'n' Wild Lipliner in 666 (neutral beige) ($1) Fair. I SO wanted to like this.... the color is good, but the pencil is very hard and doesn't sharpen well, so a lot breaks off/ gets wasted. Even at $1 per pencil, this is annoying. Plus, what's with the Liner of the Beast thing??? back to top

Nails
Bourjois shock-resistant nail enamel in Orange ($8.50) Good. Doesn't chip easily. Cover Girl Nail Slicks in Clear Ice and Starry Blue ($2.50) Good. Estee Lauder Perfect Finish Nail Lacquer in Light Pink, Ginger, Mocha Torte, Plum Pudding, Rosa Rosa and Starlet ($10) Fair. Tends to be streaky. Kiehl's Imperiale Moisturizing Cuticle Treatment ($15) Excellent. Great to leave on overnight, not excessively greasy, does what it says it does. Liquid Express in Vegas (a shimmery peach), Dangerous (a golden, shimmery brick red) and Illusion (a light, shimmery lavender) Excellent. Express clothing stores sold this for a while- I don't know if they still do- but the colors are gorgeous and they DO NOT chip. L'Oreal Nail Enamel in Grassroots ($4) Bad. Maybe other colors are better, but this just looks watery, streaky and wrong. Maybelline Great Finish in Clear/ Express Finish in Bamboo Yellow ($4) Bad. Same reason as above M Professional in 2 Die For (a bright orange)($2) Excellent. Great color and great coverage. Petites in Sky (light blue)($1) Good. I picked this up in the Midwest somewhere. A little streaky, but for a buck, who cares? Revlon Nail Buffer ($4) Fair. But then again, I am perhaps not a fair judge of buffers. They kinda hurt. But this one doesn't seem to shine very much. Revlon Cuticle Pusher ($2) Good. Doesn't rip my skin all up. Revlon Top Speed in Base Coat ($5) Good. Rimmel 60 Seconds Nail Polish in Zeitgeist (Iridescent Purple/ Green/ Gold) and Mania (Iridescent Blue/ Green) (around $2) EXCELLENT!!! I. Love. These. They are the COOLEST colors and really only take one coat, which really dries in 60 seconds. So cool! Sally Hansen Color Fast! in 11 Shocker Creme (a hot pink)($3) Excellent. Great color, no streaking, dries quickly. Sally Hansen Hard as Nails in Cool It! Frost (a bright yellow)($2.50) Excellent. Great color and coverage. Stila nail shimmer in ilithyia ($12) Bad. Costs too much and flakes badly. Victoria's Secret Scented Nail Shine in Vanilla Lace ($6) Excellent. Really does smell like vanilla (once it dries) and lasts a long time. back to top

Body/ Fragrance
Benefit Kitten powder ($24) Good. Not what I thought it was, but that's not its fault (it is a puff with powder already in it, powder with a puff in it). I've used it quite a bit and it's still going strong. Sparkly (but not too sparkly) and fun, but a little steep at $24. Crabtree & Evelyn Nantucket Briar scented body powder (with puff) ($16) Good. This is the puff in a powder. Demeter pick-me-up cologne spray in Tomato, Mint Julep, Gin & Tonic and Lime ($15) Excellent. I LOVE!! The scents don't last all day or anything but they are so great, and they really do lift your mood. HempWorks Solid Elixir in Lavender ($15 (?)) Excellent. I got this a while ago at Sephora (in store), and they don't have it online, so I don't remember how much it was. Anyway, I love this; a little goes a long way, it's a small metal container and VERY convenient to carry around. I do wish they had more fragrances. I know they have Lavender and Patchouli, but not much else. primal elements Perfumer's Paintbox ($30) Excellent. Happy fun toy David gave me...five little colored pots of sort of sparkly fragrance (wood, musk, citrus, herbal and floral) you can blend to make your own scent. I used this for my wedding to make something unique. SkinMarket Fragrance in Next Stop Camelot (Bergamot and Tangerine) (around $7) Good. They are well-packaged in little silver bullet things. There's a huge variety of fragrances and they're relatively inexpensive. The only problem is that the scent doesn't last very long. back to top

Hair
Bumble & bumble styling wax ($20) Excellent. VERY fun and not too heavy (for those of us who have the hair we were born with) ICE Amplifier Mousse ($12) Excellent, again very good for us thin-hair'd folk. Suave Extra Hold Hairspray (Pump) Unscented ($1.50) Excellent. It's cheap and it works. back to top

Tools
Benefit lip brush #13 ($16) Excellent. Makes ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD. And it has a cover, so you can carry it around with out it getting gross! Joy! Mary Kay Retractable Lip Brush ($1.50) Bad. Collapses if you apply ANY pressure at all. Maybelline eyelash curler ($4) Excellent. Even when I've accidentally blinked while using this, I haven't ripped my eyelashes out. Sephora Collection Brush Set ($15) Excellent. I found this online and it was by FAR this best deal out there...other similar sets ranged from $75 - $150. She-yah! It contains five brushes (blush, eyeshadow, lip, lipliner, sponge applicator) and it's portable; it comes in a purse-size aluminum tube. Smashbox Shadow Liner Brush 09 ($18) Excellent! Easy to use and cleans up nicely, with regular soap. back to top

Places to buy and/ or research makeup
Neiman-Marcus: Estee Lauder, Kiehl's Also a lot of popular brands I haven't tried: Paula Dorf, Bobbi Brown, Laura Mercier Mary Kay No, they don't test on animals-anymore. They once did. sephora.com: Alchemy, B'Box, Benefit, Bourjois, Demeter, English Ideas, Sephora, Stila, Vincent Longo drugstore.com: Chapstick, Revlon makeupmania.com Not the easiest to search, but this site definitely has things the others don't: wigs, FX, ethnic hair and makeup, theatrical supplies and more. reflect.com It's actually pretty fun- you can create your own products. Get on their mailing list for discounts and promotional codes... they have them ALL the time and their stuff is too expensive otherwise. scarlettcos.com: Smith's Rosebud Slave, Palladio Wacky stuff here that I haven't found anywhere else, at decent prices. SkinMarket For the fun Lip Lavas, if nothing else!! style365.com: Aveda, The Body Shop, Bumble & bumble, Crabtree & Evelyn, MAC, Mario Badescu Excellent site which keeps track of the best sites in a number of different categories, including beauty. Heather Kleinman's Cosmetic Connection/ Ask the Makeup Diva Nothing for sale, but other opinions of many of the products and brands mentioned here. Plus a lot more. ulta.com Great for the cheap stuff!!! beauty buzz Great site and reviews back to top

Quests
Three Custom Color Specialists Century in Red Lip Palette ($45.00): yeah, expensive, but I love those reds! Stila Lip Glaze Palette ($45): expensive, but not so much considering that the glazes are $24 EACH and the palette contains 10 of them. This is discontinued now. Make Up For Ever Color Liner in Iridescent Plum 26 ($19) Fresh SugarBath Bath Cubes in Lily or Fresh Lemon ($25) Lush stuff; BathBombs and Bubble Bars Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray back to top

Reader Suggestions
From Rita C. Brown: Many Revlon lipsticks! 06 Lavender (frost) 34 Lavender Smoke (creme) 65 Violet Extreme (frost) 30 Ultraviolet (frost) From Sarietta Hurdr: Foundations from Bare Escentuals From Xiao Song: Origin's Spot Remover ($10) Shu Umera Eyelash Curler ($15) OPI Nail Polish ($6) Seche Vite Dry Fast Top Coat ($10) Noxema 2-in-1 Astringent (Pads) ($4) From Piper Crussel: Rosencreme ($26) From Hima Vadlamudi: Black Opal Eyeshadows ($5) From Tforgued143: Avon Glazewears in Dreamy, Rosebud or Berry Cool ($6 or 2 for $5) From Dorothy Hage: MAC Paint in Bare Canvas. It goes on a bit wet, and the shadow sticks to it. After that, eyeshadow doesn't move the entire day! Great product! ($15) Thanks All!!!! Please recommend products that you love by clicking here. back to top