Comparing My Jeweltone Summer Zyla Palette with Soft Summer Sci/Art Colors

Well, now I have two separate palettes from two completely different sources - well-regarded experts, both, but not systems intended to go together.

My Zyla palette is Jeweltone Summer. My Sci/Art palette is Soft Summer. So, how do they fit together?

I photographed them side by side:

Left: Soft Summer - Right: Jeweltone Summer

You can see some similarities but they aren't identical. Overall, I think the Zyla colors are just a touch brighter than the Soft Summer ones, but that may be due in part to the Sci/Art palette being fabric and the Zyla one being paper. Let's take a closer look at each Zyla color.

The Tranquil colors are pretty close to the purple SSu strips.

Energy fits in pretty darn well with SSu, those blued sea foam green shades.

I think Dramatic is a decent match, the darker shades in particular.

There is no true match for my Essence shades. But do they harmonize?

                                   
                       

                                       The Romantic shades are a near-perfect match for my favorite pink strip (6.1).

First Base fits right in, the darker shades particularly.

Second Base is a good match, too, especially the darker one.

Third Base really don't fit in - it's greener than any of my beiges.

Here are my Pastels and Metals. They're mostly pretty good, maybe a bit brighter.

So, what do I do with all of this? My plan is to use both. I'll especially look for the colors that exist on both palettes. If I find an item that fits the Zyla palette perfectly but really isn't on the SSu palette at all, I'll simply do what I was instructed to do when shopping with my fan in the first place: Thwap! In other other words, open up the fan, thwap it down on the item, and look at it. Do I see harmony, or does the item make the fan look dingy? Do they work together to bring out the best in one another, or does the fan make the item look garish? It's hard to tell if two sets of color strips harmonize. I really need to take it on a case by case, carefully examining each garment and comparing it to my palettes before I buy it.

Another way to think of it is to consider my Sci/Art fan to be an extension of my Zyla colors. After all, if both David and Christine are as accurate as they are reputed to be, then both palettes really are ME, and either one should bring out my best.

How do I like them, and which do I like better? I really do like them both. There are certainly colors on each that it would have never occurred to be to try (that Essence peach, the pale First Base sage, the greeny SSu yellow), but now I will if I can find them in stores. It did take me time to adjust to the muted tones of the SSu palette, since I tend to gravitate towards brighter, more saturated tones. My Zyla colors are ever so slightly brighter than my SSu tones, which I like.

I've only been shopping a couple of times since I saw David Zyla, and what I did was LOOK for the Zyla colors, but double checked everything with my SSu fan. In the future, I know there will be times when I NEED to buy something and maybe don't have time to hunt down an exact Zyla shade. Or, I will fall in love with an item that just isn't on the Zyla palette at all. I don't think the Zyla palette is meant to be exclusive, as in I should ONLY live in those couple dozen colors. So when I can't find Zyla, I'll use my SSu fan instead. It's not that I like Zyla's colors better, it's more that I think of them as my "sweet spot." While I may still buy things not pictured in my Zyla set, I will not buy anything that doesn't suit the SSu palette.

Do you have palettes from different systems? How do you use them? In concert, or have you chosen one over the other?

My Color Journey Continues - with David Zyla!

The book: Color Your Style by David Zyla

I have a lot to say about this, so I'll split it up into three posts. In this one, I'll explain a bit about who David Zyla is and what he does. I'll also talk about my consultation with him, what it was like. And, hopefully, help you decide if this is something you'd want to pursue for yourself. In subsequent posts, I'll go into minute detail with my Zyla results, and compare them with my Sci/Art results.

So, as I blogged about earlier, I had a Personal Color Analysis done in the Sci/Art system. I loved the experience, and was actually quite happy with the results. But still. It's only color. So what about style? What kinds of clothes will flatter me best? Sure, I've read fashion blogs, but no one really has my exact figure, and it's hard to self-analyze to put myself into a category. Some people have great success figuring out their Kibbe style, but while I dabbled around in that, I never felt that confident that I had chosen correctly.

And then I found out about David Zyla. His system is entirely different from both Sci/Art and Kibbe. In his book, he describes his entire system. The basic idea is that everyone has a personal palette of colors, drawn from their own coloring. You can use these colors to your benefit if you know which colors to use and in which situations. For example, you might wear your Romance color (the color you blush) on a date, your Energy color (drawn from the darkest color of your iris, but not the ring) for a pick-me-up, or your Tranquil color (drawn from the lightest part of your iris) for relaxation. Additionally, every woman is one of 24 archetypes. He divides these into four seasons (which don't necessarily correlate with Sci/Art's or any other systems out there), six types within each. These archetypes not only define your style, but your personality as well.

I started by reading the book. It was really interesting, and I did "Zyla" myself according to the instructions in the book. But then, I found out that the man himself was coming right to the city I live in. While a two-hour consultation with him is quite expensive (he styles the stars after all - he works in show business and has won an Emmy for his work), the fact that I wouldn't have to travel made the idea irresistible.

Fast-forward to the day of my consultation. It was a real pleasure to meet David Zyla himself, he is personable and friendly and I could have chatted the day away with him! We spent the first hour or so sitting by a window (he needs the good light), where he had a bunch of color wheels - paint chips, like you find at the hardware/paint store. While he busily cut chips and held them up to me (from a few feet away), pasting the best ones and discarding the others, we chatted about nothing really related to anything. Our families, travel, restaurants, TV, you name it. I think he was using this time to get a feel for my personality. But he certainly didn't quiz me on anything that might be pertinent to his system.

Then, once he had completed his "Karen collage" (my term), he presented it to me along with my archetype and detailed style recommendations. He allowed me to record this last part (over an hour), and I'm glad I did. Because while I furiously scribbled down nine pages of notes as he talked, upon listening to my recording later I found I had missed a few things. I'm also glad I had come prepared with questions (five typed pages' worth) because I got a lot more detail than I might have gotten otherwise. One question I asked him repeatedly was, "Where can I find this?" I got names of specific designers, websites, and stores that he might not have otherwise suggested.

This was all incredibly fun, and it gave me some fabulous ideas for shopping in the future. So did I "Zyla" myself correctly? No, and I'm not really sure anyone can, because Zyla's eyes see beyond the literal. For example: your Second Base color (intended to be used as a neutral, where one might wear brown) is taken from the darkest part of your hair. I chose Espresso Brown for my Second Base, because that's what color it is! David, however, chose a Red Plum/Aubergine. Third Base is based on the lightest part of your hair and is intended to be used as your casual neutral, like khaki. I chose Silver, but David chose a pale Sage Green. I assure you, my hair is not purple or green in any way! And he didn't say it was. But that's how he translated the idea of my hair. I can't do that myself, no one can, at least not exactly the way Zyla would do it!

As for archetype, you use your colors to get you partway there but ultimately you just pick one. David did not select the same one I did (though it was in the same season).

So, is it worth buying the book (or checking it out from the library) and figuring out your own archetype if it's not going to be "right?" Well, why not. It could be fun, and it could give you some self awareness and some ideas for dressing better. And if you try on your archetype and it really doesn't fit you, then move on.

I can't say that seeing Zyla himself is something that every woman needs to do. The book suffices for many. (And of course, there are plenty of women who have zero interest in this sort of thing! I am speaking to my fellow color nerds here.) Additionally, there is a treasure trove of websites, Facebook groups, and Pinterest boards devoted to his ideas. But I thoroughly enjoyed my experience and I have every intention of living my archetype and my palette and seeing how it goes! Now, to go shopping...

Nail Polish Review: Sinful Colors - Blue La La and Out of this World

Sinful Colors - Blue La La

Ladies, this one's a two-fer. I like to do an "accent nail" sometimes, just for fun. Since my Sinful Colors haul last month, I've been playing around with all of the colors. My favorite of the bunch is this gorgeous blue shade, Blue La La. The silver one, Out of this World, is nice too.

I applied a base coat and two coats of Blue La La, followed by a top coat. Application was smooth, and two coats gave me complete opaque coverage. I didn't get any chips or tip wear at all until about the fifth day, which is pretty good for me. I have no complaints about this polish!

Sinful Colors - Out of this World

Well, this is still the same manicure, but here I'm holding Out of this World, the silver shade. I actually had to do three coats of this one to get enough opacity to stand up to the gorgeous blue. You could really get away with just two coats if you don't mind a bit of sheerness. Other than the fact that I get cranky when I have to do three coats, I can't complain about this lovely metallic shade, either.

I bought these with the thought that they might be in my season, Soft Summer. What do you think?

Blue La La and Soft Summer fan

Blue La La is fairly close to ss7.9 but it's not as purpled, and it's probably a bit bright.

Out of this World and Soft Summer Fan

Out of this World compares to ss3.1, though it's cooler for sure.

Of course, when you're shopping for your season, you're not supposed to match things to the tiny squares. You're supposed to look for harmony with the entire fan.

Looking for harmony

I'd say both colors are not quite Soft Summer shades. They are close enough not to look garish, and I will wear them both, but I can't recommend them as Soft Summer nail polishes. I just don't see the harmony I look for.

Still, both polishes are great quality, on par with much more expensive polishes I've tried. And, the colors are lovely, if you're in the market for a fun blue creme shade and a metallic silver.

Nail Polish Review: Sinful Colors - Mint Apple

Mint Apple I've been wearing this polish for five days now, and I still feel a little strange in green nail polish. However, if you have been looking for a great minty green polish, this is a good one to check out, especially for the price. It's really pretty. For you Soft Summers out there, I believe it's just grayed enough to suit.

I recently scored a whole bunch of Sinful Colors polishes when Walgreens had them on sale for $.99. They are normally only $1.99, but often go on sale for less. This brand is always a bargain, but not always consistently good. It really depends on the color. Here are the five polishes I just picked up. Hopefully all of them will be Soft Summer matches and more importantly, good formulas.

Really feeling those ocean tones

I always start with a base coat and top with a top coat. I always plan to do two coats of color. If I can get away with one, it's a bonus. If I have to do three, I get cranky. Mint Apple was streaky after one coat but perfectly solid with two. Application was easy; the brush and formula are both to my liking.

Sinful Colors - Mint Apple - #947

This is two coats. On the left, indoor light near a window; on the right: direct sun

As you can see, this is a gorgeous color. It's more mint than apple, so I'm not sure why "apple" is part of the name. But it looks pretty much like it does in the bottle. So, how does it look next to the Soft Summer fan?

Sinful Colors Mint Apple and Soft Summer fan

I think it's a pretty good match. It looks good with the fan in general, and looks close to the ss 2.9 shade specifically.

After five days with it on, I still don't have any chips. There is some slight tip wear, but that is to be expected. This is a great polish, at any price, but what a bargain it is. I'll definitely keep this one in my regular rotation, and would recommend it to anyone looking for a cool mint green nail polish.

Nail Polish Review: China Glaze - No Plain Jane

Fair warning: this first paragraph is going to be philosophical, or perhaps a bit navel-gazing, so feel free to skip it and go straight to the nail polish review if so inclined. I haven't written a post in a while because I couldn't think of what to write about. Not that there was nothing to write about, but nothing that seemed "important" enough for a "whole post." And I couldn't decide what direction I wanted to take this blog. I feel like I've covered the "going gray" topic (though I'm certainly happy to write more about it if anyone comments and tells me what angle you'd like to see me cover.) I like to share recipes on occasion but I don't want to do a cooking blog. They (expert beauty bloggers) say that you need a niche, and I just haven't found mine yet. I want to stay general enough that any woman (particularly but not exclusively women over 40) can benefit from reading it. And yet, I don't have the expertise or resources (or frankly the time or inclination) to cover every new important makeup release. So while I still haven't chosen a solid or exclusive direction, since I have been draped a Soft Summer, I am going to write about SSu-friendly colors. That doesn't mean that no one else can wear the colors I'll be reviewing! But the bottom line is that I've decided to stop dithering and just write. Because that is why I started blogging to begin with.

I'd like to get ahold of newly released polishes for future reviews, but I'm starting with what I already have in my collection.

No Plain Jane by China Glaze is an older polish, but it's still available, at least on Amazon. It's a beautiful, sparkly, metallic purple. It's a true purple, not a lavender or lilac, not a plum or aubergine.

No Plain Jane in direct sunlight

Bottom of the bottle

No Plain Jane indoors

The texture of this China Glaze polish is nice, and it applies quite easily. I started with a base coat. After one coat of No Plain Jane, the polish was sheer and streaky - no good. A second coat did the trick; I got full opacity. The color is just as beautiful on as it is in the bottle. In the photos, I'm also wearing Seche Vite top coat. Which, incidentally, is fantastic stuff. I can't recommend it highly enough. Seche Vite is a quick dry top coat that actually deeply dries your polish in minutes.

I wouldn't call this an exact match for Soft Summer, but it's pretty close to ss7.8 on the fan:

No Plain Jane by China Glaze with SSu Fan

It's probably just a smidgeon too pink; Soft Summer's purples tend to be bluer or grayer. For me, it's close enough - it's just my nails! Why bother matching nails to your seasonal fan, anyway, when your fingers (not to mention your toes) are usually pretty far from your face? Because, for me at least, the seasons are all about coordination. If everything I'm wearing is truly Soft Summer in color, everything just sort of hangs together and looks right. Dressing in my season from head to toe helps me look more pulled together.

Bottom line: I love it! This is definitely a polish I'll be using in my regular rotation.

My Personal Color Analysis Was a Big Surprise

Color me shocked. As it turns out, I'm not a Bright Winter at all. I'm actually a Soft Summer! They are both neutral seasons, leaning cooler with just a touch of warmth, but the colors and saturation are very different.

I wrote about what I was anticipating and a little about what this is all about in my previous post, here.

Now, how does a personal color analysis work, exactly? First, you wear no makeup. The "studio" (actually a hotel meeting room) was set up with a gray background and full-spectrum lights. I wore a gray scarf over my hair (because there is still a tiny bit of dye in the ends) and a gray drape. My analyst, Christine, also wore a gray coverall so as to not distract the eye. She started by draping me with fabric drapes representing the four true seasons, Winter (black), Autumn (dark brown), Spring (gold), and Summer (silver), comparing two at a time. It was clear that none of the true seasons were a perfect match, but Summer was the best, followed by Winter. We were looking for each color's effects on my face. You want feature definition, smooth skin, healthy skin color, bright colorful eyes, pink lips. You do not want shadows, yellowness, redness, pale lips, dull eyes, or hard lines.

We went through the red drapes (a series of pinks to reds designed to test for how much saturation suits you) and then we did each of the 12 seasons individually. Nine seasons were eliminated pretty quickly. She spent extra time comparing Light Summer and Soft Summer (SSu), but Soft Summer won out. She saved Bright Winter (BW) for last, because she know it was what I was expecting. I didn't tell her straight out, but she figured it out by my comments on how pretty certain drapes were, as well as what I walked in wearing (black and fuchsia).

The Bright Winter vs. Soft Summer draping was interesting. The BW drapes really didn't look bad - they didn't make me sallow, like the warmer seasons (Spring), or severe, like the cold seasons (True Winter and True Summer). But - in the BW, I just sort of receded. I wasn't center stage, the drape was. The SSu drapes, on the other hand, showed ME. This may sounds like a subtle thing. But I really could see it. The SSu colors are truly colors I've hardly looked at in stores. I just assumed they didn't have enough saturation for me. The SSu colors are heathered and grayed. I think they're very pretty, but they are just so far from the electric pinks, purples, and teals I've been favoring lately!

Christine sensed my shock, and she spent a long time with me. She really wanted me to see the changes that SSu made in my appearance. In fact, my session was about six hours long! Granted, much of that time was talking, about color theory in general, and then more specifically once my season had been revealed. We also talked about makeup, and she applied a full face of makeup on me, explaining as she went.

Once I got over my shock (even my shock shocked me - I swore I was totally open minded!), I decided to just embrace my new season. Hey, nothing is permanent, I can always go back to my old bright colors if I like. I've been collecting new makeup from Christine's recommendation list, and bought a few clothing items and scarves. Below, I'm sharing some photos from from draping session, as well as a selfie I took in my car wearing some of my new purchases. All of the draping photos are in my Soft Summer colors, with makeup on (I wasn't going to take any pictures of the "bad" colors, or any no-makeup shots, no matter good an illustration they might be!)

My colors (well, a few of them, anyway)

Some individual shots with Soft Summer colors

Here is my attempt at "doing Soft Summer" myself.

The scarf in the photo above is by Natasha (purchased at TJ Maxx). Foundation is Clinique Perfectly Real Makeup in 14N, blush is Clinique's Cupid. Eyeliner is Urban Decay's Uzi. Eyeshadow is a custom palette I created with MAC's Blackberry, Yogurt, and Scene. Mascara is Almay's Sapphire. Lipstick: Plumful by MAC.

A sampling of Soft Summer colors 

So was it worth it? Yes, I think so. I do love the way I look in the softer colors it would never had occurred to me to wear. And I did DO this in order to push myself out of my comfort zone - and to be the best me I can be. It's a work in progress! Have you ever had a PCA? Were you surprised by your results?

I'm Going To Get Draped - A Personal Color Analysis with 12 Seasons

Remember Color Me Beautiful from the 1980s? Did you get your "seasons done" back then like so many of us did? I was in high school, and my mom and I went and had our seasons done. Her season was very clear, but mine was a little confusing. She was a winter and I was a winter/summer borderline case. While she had a clear set of swatches with which to shop, I didn't really. The four season system just didn't really have something for everyone.

Now, a quarter of a century later, the science of seasonal analysis has advanced quite a bit. No more trying to squeeze everyone into four seasons whether they quite fit or not. There are many different seasonal systems out there, but the one I'll talk about is Sci/Art. One of the most well-known and respected analysts is Christine Scaman, whose website is called 12 Blueprints. Christine explains what seasons are and what a Personal Color Analysis is here.

The basic idea with Sci/Art is that there are 12 seasons. Within each of the four traditional seasons, there are three variations. They are as follows:
Bright Spring, True Spring, Light Spring
Light Summer, True Summer, Soft Summer
Soft Autumn, True Autumn, Dark Autumn
Dark Winter, True Winter, Bright Winter

I put together a collage of all 12 seasonal palettes, with images borrowed from Diary of a Colour Addict.

Just a glimpse of all 12 Sci/Art seasonal palettes

The point of all this is that once you find your seasonal home, you can focus your wardrobe and makeup on the colors in YOUR palette. These are the colors that will be your most flattering and beautifying.

There is quite a lot of science and color theory behind this and I'm not an expert so I won't try to explain it all here. Other sites that explain a lot of this: Truth is Beauty and Diary of a Colour Addict.

You can try to figure out your own season; some of the ways you can do this are explained in the Truth is Beauty link above. However, I've decided to get officially "draped" and have a PCA (Personal Color Analysis) with Christine. It will require some travel, in fact my mom and I are going together for a mother-daughter road trip adventure. It's all part of the journey I've embarked upon as I embrace my natural hair color while still striving to look my very best.

I am pretty sure already that I am a Bright Winter, at any rate, it is the palette I look at and see "me," but I will not mention this to Christine. I will just go into the draping with an open mind and see what results. I'm excited to see what the expert says! I'll be sure to write up my experience here once I'm done.

Have you ever been draped? Were you happy with your results? If you've never had it done, is it something you find interesting?

Blow Dry Bars: Take 'Em or Leave 'Em?

Leave 'em. Just kidding. Sort of. Well, I hate when the title of an article is a question and it takes four paragraphs to get to the answer. So there it is, the short answer. You don't have to read any more! ;) Unless you want the long answer...

You may have noticed this trend in your hometown. In mine, a plethora of "dry bars" have popped up in the last year or so. In case you're not familiar with the phenomenon: dry bars are upscale salons devoted entirely to blow drying hair. Well, they also wash it. And they do flat iron, curl, and do special occasion updos as well. But no cutting and no color services. Drybar is an example of this trend, although that particular chain has not made it to my area.

I was curious about these dry bars, but since the going rate around here is not cheaper than my regular salon, I couldn't really justify spending the money. After all, I have really and truly embraced my natural hair texture. (However, that doesn't mean I don't enjoy a good blow out once it a while!) Then one of the local dry bars selected my place of employment as the "business of the month" and offered all of us free blow outs! Well, how could I resist? Even though I had no special occasion on the dates the freebies were offered (weekdays of course), I figured it would be fun.

The salon (a local company, not the chain linked above) was quite nice. The stylist washed, blow dried, and flat ironed my hair - which took well over an HOUR. That was just way too long to have my hair pulled and messed with. Maybe some people enjoy spending that long in a salon, but I do not. I had a mild headache for the rest of the day.

Straight from the dry bar

Did it look good? Not bad - a little big and poufy for my taste, with lots of hairs sticking up on the top of my head, but the friends I met for lunch right afterwards really liked it as is and wouldn't "let" me pat it down like I wanted. However, as soon as I got home, I calmed it down a bit with a brush and some gel, and it looked much smoother and better.

After I calmed it down with a brush and some gel

So would I go back? I doubt it. My impression is that the idea behind these dry bars is that the blowouts are supposed to be cheaper and better than a regular salon. That may be the case for many, but it was not my experience at all. My regular stylist charges about the same rate and does a better (and MUCH faster) job. The only reason I might try the dry bar thing again is if I were unable to get an appointment when I needed one at my regular salon. If you are someone who does normally get their hair blown out every week, it probably is worthwhile, because there are usually memberships you can buy to get a cheaper rate. I'd still recommend that anyone who is interested, try it out. I'm just glad I was able to do so for practically free (though I did tip the stylist and buy some products).

Do you use dry bars? If not, are you planning to try one?

Fun With Makeup (and Other Green Stuff) on St. Patrick's Day

I'm probably too old for the whole green beer thing on St. Patty's Day. Though truthfully, that was never my thing. But you never outgrow wanting to have fun! And fun with color has been my thing as of late.

Green eyeliner and nail polish - why not?

I don't normally pose for photos with my hand draped awkwardly about my neck, but I wanted to get all of my green in one photo. :) I'm going to work today, my in-person job (not the computer one), where I have to look like a grown-up and somewhat professional. So, the bright teal eyeshadow (yes, I do own that) isn't going to happen today, holiday or no. Instead, I pulled out the teal nail polish, and just a teensy bit of teal eyeliner, only on the bottom lash line. On top of my lid, I stuck with neutral black liner, silver shadows (lighter on the lid and darker in the crease), and a highlight of pale pink shadow below the brow. I think it works ok, and doesn't make me look cray-cray.

If you don't "covet" a colorful eyeliner, you should!

The liner I'm wearing is Urban Decay's 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Covet, which seems to be discontinued now, but you could still probably buy it online somewhere. Deep End appears to be very similar, and that's a color they still carry. Incidentally, Covet was the very eyeliner that got me all excited about makeup again, in a way I haven't been since my early teens. I can't believe I wasted so many years wearing brown eye makeup when there is a whole world of color out there! I encourage everyone to try a colorful eyeliner sometime.

Kiwi Bikini

I'm also wearing Sally Hansen's Xtreme Wear nail polish in Kiwi Bikini. It's good stuff, cheap drugstore polish that looks great and wears just fine. Just know that you'll need two coats to avoid streakiness. It also appears to be discontinued, but I only bought it last year so I'd imagine it's still kicking around somewhere. It's a nice line of polish, if you're looking to expand your nail polish collection inexpensively. I own a number of colors of Xtreme Wear and like them all.

Festive green breakfast

And how could I forget breakfast? Green pancakes for the kiddos (green food coloring) and a green smoothie for me. I followed my usual smoothie recipe, using pears (canned in 100% juice - no sugar or sweetener added) instead of berries. I really should have used green grapes, but red were what I had on hand (thus the weird red flecks). Still tasted totally delish, though.

But green isn't just for St. Patrick's Day, although I probably wouldn't do all the green at once if it weren't. And I don't dye my kids' pancakes every day, either. ;)

Do you do anything special, or green, on St. Patrick's Day?

Drugstore Makeup 2: Holy Grail Products - Lips and Nails Edition

As promised in my previous post about my very favorite drugstore makeup for face and eyes, in this post I'll write about my favorite budget items for lips and nails. Even though I have tried more expensive versions of some of these items in the past, I won't bother trying more expensive versions in the future - they are that good. You won't find any true lipsticks on this list, because I am a bit of a lipstick snob, and have tried many and not liked any. However, I have found a few lip products that are pretty awesome, that I'll buy again and again. As always, all prices below are approximate, depending on where you buy them and what sales/coupons/discounts you find. I have no affiliate links and all products were purchased by me.

Sally Hansen - Invisible Lip Liner

Sally Hansen’s Invisible Lip Liner - $5
I've mentioned this product before, but it bears repeating: if you wear bold lipstick, you should really consider wearing lip liner. And it doesn't have to be expensive. I can't tell you how many women I've seen with their lipstick spidering its way into the fine lines around their mouths. It's...not a good look. Lock that lipstick in place with lip liner, lovely ladies! (I can't resist a little alliteration.) Take 30 seconds to swipe some of this foolproof invisible lip liner around your kisser before applying serious color. It's worth every second - and every penny. The more expensive brands are great too, but - why spend more for a product that isn't any different, as far as I can tell?

Baby Lips, Baby Lips, Baby Lips! This is the Electro line

I'm wearing the shade Pink Shock here

Maybelline Baby Lips in Pink Shock - $4
Maybelline Baby Lips is such a popular product, you might even call it a cult hit. Google it and you'll find hundreds of posts about it from beauty bloggers across the globe. There are more than a few women who own massive (and growing) collections of Baby Lips. I won't expound its virtues here except to say that it's cheap, it's not drying, it feels nice, it doesn't smell offensive, and it imparts a pretty hint of color. They release a whole new line of Baby Lips from time to time so there are lot of shades and different formulas to love. Now, most of the shades really don't even show up on me so they're not worth even the minimal price tag. But Pink Shock, from its Electro line (shown above), does give me that promised hint of color. Just enough to perk me up, but not such so bold that I need lip liner or even a mirror to apply it. You might call it my MLBB (My Lips But Better) shade. It may not be for everyone, but for me it's the everyday lippie I keep in my purse for on the go application. If this color is too shocking for you, I'd hazard a guess that they make a color more to your liking.

Jordana Twist & Shine Moisturizing Balm Stain - the entire product line

Jordana Twist & Shine Moisturizing Balm Stain in Cranberry Crush (left) and Tropical Frenzy (right)

Jordana Twist & Shine Moisturizing Balm Stain - $3

This may appear to be lipstick in my photos above, but it's really not quite. Balm stain is a pretty good description, actually - it feels like a balm on (while not actually moisturizing to me, it's not drying, either). Its shiny finish lasts for hours, and then the darker shade in particular leaves behind an nice stain. These seem to be modeled after (or a knock-off of) the mega popular Revlon Balm Stains. However, I tried several of the (admittedly gorgeous) Revlon shades, and found them to be terribly drying - my lips hurt for days after. Not everyone has this reaction to the Revlon Balm Stains, but personally I strongly prefer the Jordana, which is actually half the price of the Revlon anyway. The Jordana Twist & Shine definitely has more color than the Baby Lips; I do use a mirror to apply it.  I really, really like both of the colors I have: Cranberry Crush (a dark, bright, pinky-purple berry shade) and Tropical Frenzy (a light, bright, hot pink). With eight colors in the line-up, you could probably find a shade just right for you. I realize that Jordana is not the easiest drugstore brand to find. Locally, I can only find it at Walgreens. I don't have a Kmart nearby, but they carry the Jordana brand as well. 

Northern Lights Hologram Top Coat

Wearing Northern Lights indoors (left) and outdoors (right)

Northern Lights Hologram Top Coat - $6
This little bottle does two amazing things. First of all, it's a quick-drying top coat - paint this over layers of wet polish, and it dries within minutes. Paint and go. I have on four coats of polish in the above photos - base coat, two layers of Essie's Play Date (a creamy lilac), and one coat of Northern Lights. I waited only seconds between each (thickly applied) coat. Just a few minutes after applying, I was typing away on my computer, and maybe a quarter hour after that, I was in the kitchen preparing a meal. Readers, I didn't get a single dent or smudge in my polish. And the second amazing thing? It is sparkly, glittery, holographic rainbow gorgeousness. My photos really cannot do it justice. You will have to take my word for it; this stuff turns ho-hum flat nail polish into something really special. It IS noticeable in real life, and it WILL bring you compliments. Best of all, unlike nearly-impossible-to-remove glitter polish, this comes off just like regular nail polish. You won't be picking off bits of glitter for days after removal, like I do with every glitter nail polish I own (I'm getting rid of them all in my next makeup purge!) Northern Lights Hologram Top Coat is all I need.

Do you have any favorite or holy grail drugstore makeup products for lips and nails? Do share in the comments below!

Drugstore Makeup: Holy Grail Products - Eyes and Face Edition

I am not averse to spending a bit of money on fabulous beauty products. The bulk of my makeup collection leans towards the department store brands. However, sometimes there is a cheaper option that does the job as well as the premium products. I've compiled a list of my very favorite drugstore makeup items. With these "holy grail" products, I have no interest in purchasing the comparable but much more expensive brands. Prices listed below are approximate; it will depend where you purchase them and what sales are going on.

Top to bottom: Aqua, Blue, Purple, Black

Milani Liquid Eye Liquid Like Eyeliner Pencil - $7
My love affair with eyeliner began in middle school, and it's never wavered for even a moment. I have always felt like my blue eyes simply disappeared without eyeliner, and now that my hair is lighter, it's never been more true. When I started wearing eyeliner in my early teens, I wore my mother's cast-offs or whatever my allowance would allow at the drugstore that week. After trying virtually every drugstore brand and never really finding one I loved, I turned to upscale brands. Clinique, MAC, Stila, and especially Urban Decay make some great eyeliners. However, based on advice from several beauty blogs, I tried one particular drugstore liner - and I was hooked. Milani Liquid Eye is as good as or better than the more expensive brands. I prefer the twist-up model, as linked and pictured above, but there is also a sharpenable version (I realize "sharpenable" is not strictly a word, but you know what I mean) if that's your thing. I do own one of the sharpenable pencils, in Aqua, only because it is a gorgeous color and not available in a twist-up version. In twist-up, I have Blue (almost navy with a hint of sparkle), Purple (blackened, metallic, sparkly, and plummy), and Black (SUPER black). I swatched each of my pencils on my hand in the photo above. Either style (twist or sharpen), you can't go wrong with these soft, highly pigmented, and long lasting eyeliner pencils. You can order them online, but the only brick-and-mortar drugstore where I have found them is CVS. At least once a month, CVS runs a buy-one-get-one-half-off sale.

Monistat Soothing Care Power Gel (as a face primer) - $6
I know what you're thinking. "Ewww. I am NOT putting va-jay-jay cream on my FACE." But - it's really not. It's just a silicone gel designed to prevent chafing in areas that may rub together. There is nothing resembling medicine in it. However, the beauty blogosphere has discovered another use for it: Face primer. Apparently, the texture, results, and ingredient list bear a very close resemblance to Smashbox Photo Finish Primer, which is six times the price for a container that's 50% smaller. I have not pitted one against the other, but many bloggers have. I really have no desire to try a more expensive primer. This one makes my face a much smoother canvas, and I find I can use about half as much foundation (I don't go cheap on that) when I've primed first. My large pores look less large, my skin looks better, and my foundation stays all day.

Zon Cosmedix 24/7 Oil Control Blotting Tissues - Rose Powder - $6
Instead of retouching my oily t-zone with powder all day, I keep these blotting tissues in my purse, my car, my bathroom, etc. They don't build up like powder does, but they remove all traces of oil in seconds, leaving behind the barest kiss of powder. If you really can't stand powder of any kind, these tissues come in plenty of un-powdered versions as well. Personally, I use and recommend the Rose Powder, or if your skin has a yellow undertone, then the Amber Powder. I have only seen these for sale at Ulta (in store and online), and the name brand is not readily apparent on the packaging. It's only written in small print on the back. I've tried the slightly more expensive Sephora and Boscia brands, but these do the job just as well for less (plus Ulta always has coupons available - if you're not on their mailing list, you can google one and use it at the register or the coupon code box online).

Pink Passion e.l.f. Studio Blush swatched heavily on the left; lightly on the right

e.l.f. Studio Blush - Pink Passion - $3

I'm not a blush fanatic like many beauty addicts are. I just need a wee bit of color on my cheeks to perk me up. I've never bought expensive blush, but I have gotten the likes of Too Faced, Lancôme, Clinique, and others as part of a palette or gift-with-purchase. Having tried e.l.f.'s blush for a whopping $3, I can't see any reason why I'd pay more than that for a blush. The bright pink Pink Passion shade may not suit everyone, but surely they have a shade for everyone.

Here I am wearing every item mentioned in this post; the eyeliner shade is Aqua

I hope you'll find something on this list worth trying for yourself. What are your absolute favorite "holy grail" drugstore products for eyes and face? Do share! My next post will be be the "lips and nails edition," so stay tuned!