For the world's darkest eyeliner and mascara ever invented, you must own Lorac Front of the Line Eyeliner in Black and Make Up For Ever Smoky Lash Mascara in Extra Black. First off, this is now my most favorite mascara in the world. If you like Dior's lashout, you'll love this one! It's darker than Dior (I know, hard to imagine), it takes less strokes than Dior, but it comes off easier and, for me, gives less clumping. It's a total must have for me. It does just what it promises: curl, length, volume and intense 
pigment like no other. My mom, who has completely different lashes than me, also completely agrees. It's $22 and worth every penny. Now, as for the eyeliner, you just can't get any blacker than the Lorac. Everyone knows I am a fan of the MAC liquid liner pen. But this liquid liner pen glides on ultra smooth, and comes in brown and green. The only problem is that this one does run, so you have to be careful 
to get it on right the first time and watch the corner of your eyes. I love the pens though, instead of actual liquid liner. The brushes in that stuff are just too hard to use, unless you are using Urban Decay Heavy Metal Glitter Liner, which is super fun to use and great for a night out! My preferred method for using Urban Decay, however, is to put it on over another awesome eyeliner color. Lot's of fun glittery colors to choose from and great for the 80s style that is so popular right now.
Now, the absolute worst mascara in the history of expensive mascaras is Lorac Publicity Stunt Lashes. Okay, maybe if you have lashes that are already super duper voluminous and curly, this might work. Otherwise, forget it. You can't get any product on your lashes. After 479 strokes, you finally get them to lengthen a little. What a total waste of money. Must miss!On the other hand, I have discovered, hands down, the best eyeliner, though I still need to find a more acceptable color. I prefer to use brown liner with my
fair skin and hazel eyes, but many still believe black is the only way to go. That can just look to harsh on me. The issue with eyeliner that I find with most women, however, is that they want it to glide easily on, no matter how many wrinkles or how stiff the powder, etc and they want it to stay on and not run down their eyes. A lot of women have trouble with liquid liner - even the liner pens. So, here is the answer: Make Up For
Ever Aqua Eyes Waterproof Eyeliner Pencil. I used Mat Black OL. There are several colors to choose from, not to mention the most exciting MUFE palette, if you want to try every color you could ever imagine, which I think is pretty cool. The palette for that is $425 worth of product for $249.
And the last eyeliner report is Tarte EmphasEYES High Definition Eye Pencil. This product is amazing and is also an absolute must have. It's totally unique - not like any other eyeliner you own. It comes in a teeny tiny stick out of a teeny tiny tube. It glides on perfectly, but the point is that it goes on sooooooo thin! I love the look for soft eyes, but dramatic lips. You aren't as naked as having no eyeliner and just mascara, but you get just the tiniest bit of black outline so help keep your mascara looking sharp. I love this product! Try it for yourself and see what I mean.
For the last little makeup comment, let me just say that the new free deluxe sample from Smashbox is the Smashbox Reflection High Shine Lip Gloss. Boy - they aren't kidding. The shine is incredible and it actually does reflect your lips or whatever color you have on underneath. It's really great for a shiny pout and the basic clear/white color of it makes it look fantastic with whatever color you are wearing. I will say that it lasts awhile, even if you are eating and drinking and, oddly, while it isn't as sticky as you would think on your lips, it is sticky as hell on your fingers. It takes and least two soap and water scrubs to get it off. Interesting. It is definitely reflective and high shine. You just have to try it to see.I also finally bought the interesting little produc
Tarte FRXtion. It is a sugar-based lip exfoliant and lip balm in a stick. The packaging is cool, albeit is a little bulky for your purse - it's a big rectangle and it has a hinged mirror attached to the lid that pops open. Although, you really don't need a mirror since this product has no color. :) One side is an exfoliant - very soft, not harsh like lip scrub, and the other side is like a hard chapstick. It smells good and it feels good. It makes my lips look better, but I did want the exfoliant to be stronger since I like to slough off the dead skin. It's not totally worth the $11, but I'm glad I have it for night time or when I feel the need for a bit more winter sloughing and moisture replenishment. 
I recently purchased a bunch of dark circle/anti-puffy eye creams. I am searching for something that matches Chanel's product, which is no longer available. I think I'm just stuck with having to eventually agree to get some sleep. That's all that will make the dark circles and puffiness disappear, I have decided. But, that won't stop me from trying. Today I tried Origins GinZing Refreshing Eye Cream meant to brighten and depuff. Well, it smells okay... not bad, but not good either. It's kind of peachy in color, but goes on white (odd) and you can feel it stimulating your eyes (it has caffeine in it). While i felt like it definitely worked on the puffiness, it did not do anything for the dark circles. I prefer one product that multi-tasks for the eyes, since this was a little too thick for me, but if puffiness is your problem, this was a good product. You can always get rid of the circles with concealer or, my fav, Smashbox Photo Op Under Eye Brightener.
I also have been religiously using my free sample of Murad Active Radiance Serum. Since it says it is supposed to work over a week long period, I decided to give it an honest try. I used it morning and night for a week solid - maybe even 9 days. I must say, I do think my skin is more radiant. I can't believe I really feel like it worked, but here is the real test to me. It's one of the major changes in my skin regimen recently and, Sunday, when I stepped out of the shower, my husband, who does not think to give compliments, said "Do you have that Bare Minerals stuff on?" No, I said, I don't have anything on - I just got out of the shower. "Well, your face looks all bright and perfect." Yeah, I just might have to buy the stuff. What a compliment! And, in your thirties, you really are supposed to be using that excellent Vitamin C on your facial skin, so I feel like I am doing something good for my skin with this product. It also it quite light feeling, despite my usual complaint about Murad.
I have also been using Murad Age Reform Intensive Wrinkle Reducer for Eyes. It doesn't wow me as an eye cream for night, but it isn't so thick you can't stand to have it on your eyes either. My wrinkles haven't smoothed out or anything :), but it's a decent night eye cream. A little goes a really long way. Murad has several eye creams and I think the one with Vitamin C is better for skin in its thirties. 
Next, I turned again to Laura Mercier, who is supposed to be so fabulous with everything. Maybe I don't know how to use this product either, but I tried Laura Mercier Flawless Skin Day Cream SPF 15. Yuck. First off, it did not give nearly enough moisturizer, despite the fact that it was thick. To be fair, I will try it again tomorrow, because I tried it with the Origins product below, which I hated. But I was not impressed.
And the last product of the evening, I hate to say is a total must miss, was Origins Plantidote Mega-Mushroom Face Serum. Um. Nope. No. Na-ah. Yuck. Yeah, I should have known that by the name, but I thought it sounded fun!!! It is supposed to easily penetrate the skin. Whatever - it was so sticky and I gave it like 5 minutes to dry. Yuck. You're supposed to see renewed radiance and clarity. Nope. It looks soft and slick, but it just sticks. That's all I can say. It's a must miss.
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