Melissa Tried It: The back of this bottle says, "Perfected airbrushed skin in any light. Complete Coverage. Oil-Free. Fragrance Free." I went ahead and purchased this foundation myself, wondering how realistic a promise this could be. The truth is, prior to writing this review I was a bit surprised by the number of others I saw suggesting that this foundation was "too dry", "too sparkly" or "too difficult to apply". Granted, there were positive reviews as well, but I still found the assertion of those negative reviews a surprise. Mostly because my experience with the makeup was actually quite good.

The key, I believe, with this foundation being a success is applying over moisturized skin. Now, my skin has a tendency toward having dry areas anyway, but I did NOT see this foundation drying out my skin at all after applied. It actually gave my skin quite a glow, felt natural & light, and gave good light-to-medium coverage. Also, for me the micro-"sparkles" people referenced were very small and practically imperceptible. As a woman in her thirties, BELIEVE ME, I would have a big problem with something that made me feel like I looked glittery. I HATE THAT. In my experience, the effect has been merely a glow-enhancer, similar to the effect that a blush infused with a little sheen may give. I wonder if some of the discrepancy in other people's experiences may be with different shades...perhaps the effect is altered in the darker shades? I used Nude, which is a very close match for my skin.

Overall, I was impressed and even pleasantly surprised by this drugstore foundation. Even application with the fingers, well-blended over freshly moisturized skin is key to making this a success. Over the course of the day, I found it wore true and stayed fresh, only needing a touch-up on my nose with an oil-absorbing sheet after several hours. As a drugstore option, this has worked well for me. $13.99, drugstores, etc.

DeLush Rating:

What They Say: "ColorStay® Mineral Blush & ColorStay® Mineral Bronzer contain skin loving minerals that are good for your skin and ColorStay® longwear technology that lasts for up to 16 hours. This innovative mineral baked powder technology applies easily and blends seamlessly for natural looking, sheer, soft radiant color that won't streak or fade all day.

Formula is non-irritating and fragrance free.

Available in 3 Blush and 2 Bronzer shades."

Melissa Says: Though I tested this in one of the Bronzer shades (Golden Bronze), I think I can sufficiently give you the basic things you need to know about those as well as the Blush shades. First of all, the teeny-tiny little brush in the case is ridiculous, unless you're going to try putting the blush on a Barbie. However, we don't really expect ideal-sized brushes in drugstore compacts most of the time these days. When moving to one of my own, larger, brushes I began to realize just how quickly the blush would disintegrate into lots of excess loose powder on the edges of the compact. Sadly, within only slightly over two weeks of use, I started to see the bottom of the compact already!

Though the color goes on pretty, sheer, and stays true, it's a shame that I could only recommend this as a worthwhile purchase if Revlon finds a way to make the product last longer or just goes ahead and makes it a loose formula to begin with.

Retail Price: $13.99 (in drugstores everywhere)

DeLush Rating:

What They Say: "Loose powder foundation that combines pure, lightweight minerals that are good for your skin and ColorStay® longwear technology that lasts for up to 16 hours. This medium coverage foundation provides a color that won't fade all day making your skin look both healthy and flawless, no matter how long your day is.

Makeup is oil-free, fragrance free and non-irritating.

Provides medium coverage in 8 beautiful shades, with SPF 10 protection."

Melissa Says: I wasn't all too excited about this when I first opened it up - the brush inside seemed a bit too short, and the whole dispensing concept seemed questionable. However, I found that with a little practice, this isn't all that hard to a) get on the brush and b) apply to your face.

The key is to shake the bottle upside down for a few quick taps, then twist the cap to elongate the brush handle inside the top. You should tap and/or blow off any excess, and then buff it onto your skin. Now, I do think this could be a little more mess-proof, though I have to give them credit for trying to create something that would control the amount of powder that comes out at once.

On the skin, I was actually quite impressed with both the coverage and the finish this provided. It looked very natural and not cake-y (I should note that I think these shades run light, and it might be better in this case to lean toward the darker of two shades you're considering so as to avoid a too-light powdery look). Unlike some less expensive mineral powder foundations I've tried, this actually provided some real coverage! It also stayed true and didn't wear off all day, and kept my sometimes oily t-zone pretty well in check. I didn't think it dried my skin out through use, either.

This foundation has good coverage, staying power and a nice finish. However, it can be a tad messy before you get the hang of it, and you need to be careful not to choose too light a shade. (I tried Light/Medium and I really think I could have even gone up to Light Medium/Medium - see shades here.)

Retail Price: $13.99 (at drugstores and superstores everywhere)

DeLush Rating:

What They Say: "Get the extreme lash makeover with 3D Extreme™ Mascara! It creates dramatic lashes with extreme fullness, curl and length - 25X fuller, 70% curvier and 80% visibly longer lashes. The Exclusive Bold Impact™ Brush is tapered to lift, amplify and separate even the tiniest lashes. The patented lightweight gel formula with intense color pigments delivers bold lash look in one step - no primer needed! No caking or flaking. Available in 3 shades. Also available in Waterproof."

Melissa Says: You guys know by now that we've tested out a lot of different products here at DeLush. Mascara is one of those things that you can pretty much tell the very first day of use whether or not you're going to really love or hate it. Well, I've been using this one for about three weeks now, and I have to be honest and say that I do love it.

The brush definitely creates length and decent volume with a slight eye-opening effect (curling), and that weird shape at the end of it is great at getting those little corner lashes as well. One application plus a few extra swipes and I'm completely happy with the fullness and emphasis. Coming from a gal who likes to apply two to three coats as a general rule, that is saying a lot.

Seeing a couple of comments on drugstore.com about having problems with clumps sort of threw me off a bit, because I hadn't noticed that (I thought possibly because my tube was so new and none of the product had dried out near the opening, which often is what sticks to the wand when you do have clumps). I did pay attention to that later though, and for me, this creates a very clean but full look, and honestly the only time I notice an extra bit of product on the lashes it was very minimal and easily dabbed off lightly with my fingertip. I don't know...I do have a specific technique for applying mascara (I definitely do the entire length of the lashes and not just tips, and tend to twist the brush slightly as I swipe through the lashes), so maybe that has something to do with why I didn't encounter clumping issues that would deter me from picking that wand up again. I also think there's much greater chance of getting clumps when you try to apply over dried formula, so just do all your coats at once.

I didn't even use the waterproof version, and there were no smudges at all after wearing it all day, even when I was outdoors during a very hot and humid vacation - it stayed on better than my long-wear eyeliner did!

Based on my experience, this did pretty much what they said, and I LIKE it!

Retail Price: $13.99 (at drugstores and superstores)

DeLush Rating:

What They Say: "The new long-lasting, comfortable color that's on everyone's lips. Women no longer have to choose between longlasting lipcolor and a comfortable feel. Hours and hours of beautiful, smooth color, thanks to SoftFlex™ Comfort Technology. Won't flake or cake. Whether you choose sheer or full coverage color, with 36 won't-fade shades, the pucker possibilities are endless."

Jen's Experience: For the most part, I've sworn off the super-longlasting lip products. My lips, like my skin, are dry and the products that claim to be long-lasting just tend to bring attention to the fact that my lips constantly need to be exfoliated. But, always a sucker for the latest Revlon lipstick, I decided to give this one a shot, and I'm actually glad that I did!

Okay, so I have to say, right off the bat that while this lipstick does seem to last longer than their standard lipstick (or most of the other lipsticks I own), it didn't really live up to the "ColorStay" name for me. That said, I generally got 3-4 hours worth of wear out of it before I had to reapply, which is pretty good.

I am in love with the color I chose, Smoothest Wine. It turns out that this is the best red I've used all season for my skin tone, and as a result, I wear it almost daily.

The lipstick itself is a vast improvement over their other ColorStay varieties, and even over their standard Super Lustrous Lipstick, of which I've always been a fan. The lipstick moisturizes and seems to smooth out the texture of the lips. It never bleeds, even in the deep color that I'm using. It also doesn't dry out my lips at all. Ordinarily, when I'm wearing lipstick, I feel compelled to re-apply constantly just to re-moisturize my lips. I don't feel that at all with the new ColorStay formula; my lips don't look or feel dry.

I have always used Revlon lipsticks to fill out my color wardrobe, because of their great colors, high quality and reasonable prices. Now with this new ColorStay formula, my lipstick collection just got an upgrade.

Retail Price: $9.49 (your local drugstore)

Rating:

What They Say: "Glide on full color and shine with Revlon LipGlideTM. Just keep twisting our exclusive color-tip-pen until color appears. Ultra-reflective micro prisms provide full color and shine. Packed with vitamins C & E for smooth, soft, comfortable lips."

Jen's Experience: I'm not sure why I was surprised at how well this product works based on my previous experience with Revlon lipsticks. The sponge applicator takes some getting used to (and I'm still not sure I really like it), but the lipstick itself is wonderful. It provides the coverage of an opaque lip stick: super long lasting and really pigment intense color. At the same time, it's a little shiny, so I don't feel the need to wear gloss on top of it. This lipstick has a permanent home in my handbag. For what it lacks in the applicator, it makes up for in its long-wear color.

Retail Price: $5.39 (Walgreens or other drugstores)

Rating:

With lipstick and lipstains becoming back into vogue, I wanted to give you my picks on which drugstore lipsticks to stash in your purse, and which ones to leave on the drugstore shelves. - Jen

L'Oreal Colour Riche ($7.99): Nurtures lips to keep them soft, smooth and supple with ultra-hydrating Omega 3. Protects against moisture loss with the conditioning power of Vitamin E. Creamy, anti-feathering lip liners coordinate perfectly with Colour Riche colors. The new Color Finder makes shade selection easier."

My Experience: I really love all of L'Oreal's fabulous shades. I was able to find a great nude that looked great with a lot of my wardrobe. That said, I am not so sure about these supposed conditioning ingredients. Out of all the lipsticks I tried, I thought this one was the driest. That quality also made it one of the longest lasting, but for me, it just made me want to apply gloss over top. I guess my biggest beef with this product is that it really bleeds a lot, necessitating a lip liner for more stationary shading. I am also not a big fan of the taste of this lipstick, although I am certainly glad they've refrained from making it mango flavored.

Rating:

Prestige Cosmetics Lipstick ($3.99): "Intense color depth. Lightweight, comfortable formula. Lip soothing moisturizing ingredients. In 81 creme, shimmer, and sheer shades."

My Experience: I've always had pretty good luck with Prestige lipsticks, so I thought I would give this one a shot. This one is not too bad. It's much lighter and feels much more moisturizing than the L'Oreal lip color. And, it actually stays in place. I guess the only problem I really had with this lipstick is that the color indicator on the bottom led me to believe it was a light, cute pink, when in reality, it was on the road to trashy, much like my Cover Girl Incredifull experience. I feel like both this and the Cover Girl product are high quality products worth using once the right color is found.

My Rating:

Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick ($7.49): "Super Lustrous® Lipstick features exclusive LiquiSilk technology to pamper lips with silk-drenched mega-moisturizers and vitamins. For rich, smooth color, soft-shine and irresistible lips. No wonder it’s America’s #1 lipstick."

My Experience: I know Melissa's already covered this one before, but while I was discussing drugstore lipsticks, I really had to bring up what I feel like is the quintessential drugstore lipstick. I have many shades of this Revlon lipstick; it really makes the bulk of my lip color wardrobe. There are tremendous sales on it from time to time. Walgreens drugstores on the day after Thanksgiving here in the US last year was selling all their Revlon lip color for 99 cents. Really, you can't beat that. Now this lipstick doesn't last the longest, but the colors are great and true to their packaging, and they're all really moisturizing. It just feels good on my lips. There are lots of pretty good lipsticks out there on the drugstore shelves, but if I was limited to Revlon for my lipstick forever, that would be just fine by me.

My Rating:

What They Say: "Tired of makeups that are heavy and tight? Revlon introduces the next generation from the #1 long wear brand, new ColorStay® Makeup with SoftFlexTM . Patented SoftFlexTM provides lightweight comfort, so you feel like you’re not wearing makeup. Exclusive ColorStay® "won’t rub off" formula gives you the same flawless looking skin, but now your makeup looks fresh and feels great for up to 16 hours. Specially formulated for combination or oily skin, this oil-free formula helps control shine. Medium to full coverage in 20 luxurious shades, with SPF 6 protection*.

*Except for Golden, Caramel, Toast, Rich Ginger, Cappuccino, Mahogany, and Mocha, which contain no SPF."

Melissa's DeLush Downlow: Okay, what is this SoftFlex thing? And why does it feel so good? I don't know, but I can tell you that you will feel like you are wearing absolutely nothing with this foundation. It's incredibly light upon application and blends immediately into the skin (use Revlon's shade chooser at the display in the store to help you pick one that matches your skin tone - for me it's Natural Beige. You can also see the shades here.) The formula gives a nice medium coverage, enough to diminish redness or unevenness but that still lets your skin show through. This particular formula (they also have it for Normal/Dry skin) helps control oil without that dry, dull look that many combo skin foundations give you. And it does maintain it's fresh look for hours. I also haven't noticed any irritation while using it.

Retail Price: $12.00 (drugstore.com or drugstores and superstores everywhere)

DeLush Rating:

For a few months, I've been seeing ads for Revlon's holiday colors in magazines, but it was just in the last few weeks that I finally saw the display in my local drugstore. The colors were just as vibrant in person as they are in the advertisements, and I found myself piling one of everything into my handbasket.

As I wandered around the store, I realized there was no way I'd be able to test everything I'd picked up, so I picked a few products that I thought looked the most promising: the "Wrap Youself in Rubies" lipstick, the matching blush, and a two-pack of glosses that included "Cherry Frost" and "Cherries in the Glow".

Since I've been trying out a lot of rich lip colors this fall, the deep red of the Wrap Yourself in Rubies lipstick was not a departure for my daily make-up. The color actually works well with my skin because it has blue undertones, and it makes my teeth look really white. So the color is perfect, and it lasts quite a while over top of my lip pencil with a coating of gloss. My only complaint is not a small one -- it bleeds badly and no amount of lip liner seems to resolve the problem. This is something I've encountered with a lot of lipsticks with very intense pigments, and it might be worth investigating some of the lip primer products to see if that helps to prevent this from happening.

I've been using the glosses I bought quite a bit. I usually use the "Cherries in the Glow" overtop of my lipstick when I leave the house, but the "Cherry Frost" color is my new purse gloss (well, it's the newest addition to my collection). Both colors are pretty and fairly long lasting, and have more color than my usual nude and clear glosses.

As happy as I am with my lip color purchases, I am not so sure about the blush. It's very bright, and somewhat difficult to apply so that I don't look like I have a rash...or sunburn. My advice on this blush is to save it for wearing with a rich lipcolor, like the "Wrap Yourself in Rubies" and to put it on in light layers until you achieve the desired effect. This may be the largest container of blush I have ever encountered, so I'm sure to have many years perfecting my application technique.

Should you rush right out and buy them? Well, if you're looking for some glamour this holiday season and you're not scared of bright colors, the new holiday colors from Revlon may be just what you need for all those holiday parties.

(One more note: Revlon is running a promotion right now where if you buy $15.00 worth of their Revlon color cosmetics, you'll get a pashmina-style wrap. Details are available at: Revlon on the Red Carpet.)

What They Say: "Conceals imperfections with two shades that blend for an exact skintone match. Ideal for concealing undereye circles, blemishes and minor imperfections for a perfectly natural look. Oil-free, non-pore-clogging and non-irritating."

Jen's Experience: I've been looking for a concealer for quite a while now and just haven't found the right one. I never thought I find a drugstore concealer that worked for my dark undercircles, but when I saw this on sale at my local CVS store, I thought I would give it a shot. And I'm so glad I did! Like the Smashbox concealer that I reviewed a while back, this concealer comes with two shades. According to Revlon, neither of these shades is supposed to be a primer; you're supposed to just mix them together to form the right shade.

I've been having fantastic results with this product. I have to use a whole lot of it to really cover up my dark circles, but once they're covered, the look is very natural and it lasts all day at work. I generally apply the pinker color first as a corrector and then I apply the more lemony color on top to make it closer to my natural color.

I have a small warning though. I believe that this product may irritate my eyes when I wear it without an undereye cream. If you've got sensitive skin, I recommend trying this product in small doses with an undereye cream to make sure that it doesn't irritate your skin. Normally, this would be enough to make me swear off of a product, but as long as I am wearing my undereye cream during the day, I don't experience the irritation.

Overall, I think this product is a definite keeper, a concealer that actually works, for a fraction of the price of a department store brand.

Retail Price: $9.79 (available at most drugstores)

Rating:

What They Say: "BotafirmTM infused formula helps minimize the look of fine lines and wrinkles as it conceals under eye circles. Moisturizes skin and diminishes the look of puffy eyes. Ophthalmologist tested."

Melissa's DeLush Downlow: Who doesn't want to get rid of undereye circles? If you haven't the slightest clue what an undereye circle is, I hate you. I'm sure you're cool and all, but still.

So of course I gave it a shot, and purchased this formula in the Neutralizer shade. Perhaps that was the initial mistake. Aside from not really blending into my skin very well due to the color being so yellow, I felt that it really didn't do too much to camouflage my circles at all. Aside from these 2 issues, which may or may not have been because of me choosing that shade, the texture didn't impress me much. It felt very smooth but very thick going on, and settled heavily into tiny lines which just emphasized what little aging around the eyes I was trying to cover up.

Bottom line, I didn't find my little miracle worker here.

Retail Price: $8.99 (drugstores)

DeLush Rating:

What They Say: "Get 8 hours of sheer, smooth color plus shimmery moisturizing shine for glistening lips—no touch-ups needed even after meals. Exclusive ColorStay® liquid color formula with silk proteins won’t kiss off, feather or bleed. Color-coordinated topcoat with 99% moisture plus chamomile, soy extract and liquefied pearls add shimmer and keep lips comfortable.

Application tips:
1. Apply a thin, even coat of sheer color on clean, bare lips and wait until completely dry.
2. Brush topcoat over color. Reapply topcoat as desired for softness, comfort and shimmering shine."

Melissa's DeLush Downlow: Okay, I have to admit some preconcieved notions when I first got this product. The last time I tried Revlon's Colorstay Lipstick formulas was possibly over 5 years ago, and what I remembered about it was a really uncomfortable feeling and dry-looking lips. Then of course everyone started coming up with their own kinds of long-last formulas. I just didn't really get into any of it because I started to prefer balms and glosses...things that felt really natural on my lips. And I didn't have a problem just reapplying something once during the day if I needed to. But I've been wondering if this "sheer" formula really was that, and if it would feel any better than I remembered.

I got this in Sheer Naked. What you get is of course the long-wearing color on one end and a shiny, shimmery gloss on the other. When you apply the base, you do get that weird drying sensation on your lips, which I found hard to get used to. Once you apply the gloss it gets much better, and I did like the color, which was very natural and sheer-looking. What I don't like about this is that with the base color, my lips dried and all of the sudden I could see lines in my lips I've never known were there before...the drying definitely emphasizes that. And I'm only 28! I would imagine that on lips that are older and truly lined this emphasis could be a problem. With the gloss on that does diminish quite a bit, but I would highly suggest making sure you've exfoliated your lips and conditioned them before you apply this. Otherwise you just might end up with a pruny pout.

Basically, this isn't something I'd wear every day because of the drying factor and its overall effect on my lips' condition (also simply because there are so many other options out there that are more comfortable), but it's definitely a good choice for a night out or an event when you don't want to be slipping away for touch-ups. If you have troubles keeping lipstick on during the workday (and through lunch!) and it's important to you to maintain a look with no upkeep, you also may find this to be useful to have available.

**Update: I've added a lip on the rating since the comment on this product. See comments to find out why!

Retail Price: $8.59 (drugstores)

DeLush Rating:

What They Say: "Super Lustrous Lipstick has a new formula, new shades and a new look! Formulated with a breakthrough new LiquiSilk technology, Super Lustrous Lipstick pampers lips with rich, smooth color and silk-enriched moisturizers and vitamins. Available in 72 beautiful shades for smooth, irresistible lips."

Melissa's DeLush Downlow: I've never been that into Revlon lipsticks, and frankly didn't see what any of the hype was about. But when I saw this shade on Julianne Moore on the display, I had to try it. Especially since Revlon has been touting their "new formula" for this lipstick. I have been very impressed. It truly does last well for such a moist lipstick, and didn't bleed at all. And it felt great! I haven't really worn full lipsticks for a while now, I've been so mesmerized and distracted by colored gloss. Up to this point, Clinique lipsticks have been the only that I've really worn. I truly believe that Revlon's Super Lustrous Lipstick ranks up there with the best of the best.

Retail Price: $6.95 (drugstores everyhwere)

DeLush Rating:

What They Say: "New! Color Accents revolutionizes home highlighting. The breakthrough? An exclusive applicator comb that regulates the right amount of color every time—so you get salon-style highlights from root to tip. Fast. Easy. Beautiful. For natural and color-treated hair. In three universal shades. One of them, yours."

Melissa's DeLush Downlow: I am a chronic hair schizophrenic - I can't help it. I get the itch to make a change and I have absolutely NO patience. This gets worse when I don't have a current hairdresser (which I don't now), and so my every whim could lead to a trip to the drugstore and a night in the bathroom (and potentially me whining and crying afterward because I look in the mirror and get scared by what I did).

Well, I got the itch a couple of weeks ago. I decided to put brown over my colored auburn-ish hair. Then I wanted to put some highlights in it. I saw this new Revlon highlighting kit and thought what the heck, might as well try it - if it doesn't work, at least I still have something for the readers!

To start with, the instructions seem simple enough (except that the list of "items you will need" is a little intimidating and makes you wonder what you're getting yourself into:
• Smock or towel
• Cotton-tipped applicator
• Hand mirror
• Fine-tooth plastic comb
• Plastic clips
• Paper towels
• Clock or timer
• Well-lit room)

I just went forward the way I do when I usually highlight and tried to shake off the uneasy feeling from trying something new on my head, which is, you know, like OUT THERE for everyone to see and laugh at if it turns green. Mixing...check. (Fun comb promises to be EASY! and GREAT FOR PLACING highlights where you want them to be. Hmmmm...we'll see about that.) Practice squeezing tube evenly on paper towel...check.

I had put up sections of my hair so I could get the underneath as well. When I started, I noticed right away that the tube would sputter and spurt out excess highlighter. Even when I was trying my best to follow their instructions..."The secret to your success is to simultaneously squeeze and comb to ensure even application of highlighting mixture." Uh-oh.

That was the first problem. The second was that I ran out of product pretty quickly. I mean, I guess because I did so much underneath, that's one thing, but I felt like so much was wasted when it exploded out and I had to frantically try to wipe off the excess. So I had to actually go buy another kit afterward to get the front of my hair. And folks, my hair is not that long. *crosses fingers* YET.

In the end, you rinse and then apply a toner shampoo, which supposedly blends and adds dimension to your highlights. Well, all that did for me was all but eliminate all of the brown I had just put in my hair, and it turned a brighter reddish color than it was to begin with under the highlights. Not that it was hideous (or green!), the highlights were passable, but it just wasn't what I was going for. I'd show you a picture, but I just colored my hair again *blush* and it's dark DARK...almost black now. I told you. Hair schizophrenic.

Overall, definitely you'd be better off going with L'Oreal Colour Experte...I've never had ANY problems with that one, and it is MUCH easier to highlight with.

Retail Price: $12.99 (drugstores everywhere)

DeLush Rating:

As the leaves are changing, the nail polishes that line the shelves change color, too; deeper reds and plums fill in the spots where the corals and pinks of spring and summer used to reside. I find these deep colors to be absolutely irresistible, and while I am changing out my closets, I like to change my polish wardrobe as well.

I read in a magazine at the start of fall that the new trend was to wear these deep, dark colors on your fingernails and leave the sheer nudes to your toes. I've done just the reverse for many years, but this idea makes a lot of sense. Unless you're living somewhere very warm, your toes aren't seeing much daylight these days. You might as well paint them a nice, neutral shade that looks clean and manicured but that is really easy to maintain. The darker shades will show chips more easily, and who really wants to spend a lot of time thinking about their pedicure when it's basically hidden most of the time?

I chose Revlon's Colorstay Always On Nail Enamel (Walgreen's, $5.99) for my toes in Stay Neutral. I liked that the shade of pink was very close to my skin color, and I also liked that it has subtle sparkles in it to give it depth. I've used this on my toes twice now, and while I do really like the color, I am not in love with the enamel.

It dries really quickly, which may be a blessing for those who have skills with the nail polish. I, on the other hand, need a few seconds to work out the kinks in my application. With this polish, by the time you've moved on to the next nail, the previous one is half dry. Any attempts at fixing something will lead to obvious clumps and bumps that can't easily be ironed out. At the same time, it doesn't dry fully for quite some time, definitely greater than 20 minutes. You'll regret touching them even lightly at this point.

It does last for a long time, definitely longer than the 5 days promised on the bottle. The polish loses its shine quickly, so you'll want to reapply the supplied top coat regularly. Since their supplied top coat isn't as shiny as I would like, I recommend using Sally Hansen's Mega Shine Topcoat to refresh.

As disappointed as I am with Revlon's new nail enamel, I am absolutely in love with Rimmel's Lasting Finish Lycra Wear Nail Polish (Walgreen's, $2.99). The color I chose, Celebrity Bash, looks nearly black in the bottle, but goes on as a deep blood red.

I generally have a difficult time getting my nails to look as good as they do at the nail salon. Part of it is pure impatience, another large part is a general absence of hand/eye coordination. If you're like me, this polish is for you. It goes on so smoothly. It doesn't drip or clump when you're applying it. Even before I applied my top coat, the color had depth and was super shiny. This is one drugstore nailpolish that really rivals OPI for the great color and quality, all at a very reasonable price.

Other fall manicure tips:

With a color this dark, you've really got to trim your nails down so that the tip barely extends beyond the end of the finger. If you've got longer nail beds like I do, you might have to leave a little more length.

In order to prepare your nails, you'll need to do a little more now that you have in the summer months. When you're applying moisturizer to your hands at night, apply some to your fingernails and cuticles. It will keep your cuticles healthy in the cooler air, and keep your fingernails from splitting as well. Solar Oil is another great way to moisturize your cuticles and nails.

In the cooler and drier weather, it's also vital to use a base coat when you're applying a dark color to your nails. If your nails are parched, they will drink in the color and leave your nails looking yellow when the polish is removed. If possible, give your nails a couple of days of rest every 7-10 days so that the pigments from the nail polish have less time to do damage to your nails.

Revlon ColorStay Nail Enamel:

Rimmel Lasting Finish Nail Polish:

You've seen it in every fashion magazine: models with dark, smoky eyes, defined and dramatic. I don't usually wear a lot of dark eye make-up. I've got pale, pale skin and blonde hair, so using so much black and gray on my eyes, I really thought I would look like a ghoul. But I found no shortage of photos in magazines where the subject was fair like I am, so I thought, hey, if they can do it, so can I.

I was getting ready for a concert. I had on a tiny little black top, skinny jeans and 4-inch heels, and thought, "this outfit was made for the smoky eye look." And I started experimenting.

(Tip #1: Don't experiment with this look when you actually are planning to be somewhere at a specific time. The third time you get out the eye makeup remover, panic will set in and your makeup application skills may suffer.)

Starting with a clean face, I applied moisturizer and eye cream and followed with concealer, foundation, and bronzer. InStyle magazine recommends starting with a base of moisturizer with some light powder pressed in as a base around the eyes to hold the eyeshadow in place. You're going to be wearing an awful lot of dark eyeshadow and you don't want it all over your face.

Next, I applied white eyeshadow (Revlon ColorStay 12 Hour Eye Shadow in Pure Pearl) over my whole eyelid, all the away up to my eyebrows. This gives your eyebrows a lift and really brightens up the whole eye area.I followed with the lighter pink and plum shades from the Sterling Rose eyeshadow quad (pictured right), also Revlon ColorStay. This is all pretty normal for me; I wear this look to work all the time.

After the lighter shades were applied, I started applying some gray eyeshadow in about a 1/4-inch line above my top eyelash line. I blended it in more around the inner corners of my eyes, but left the line wider and darker at the outer corners of my eyes.

(Tip #2: No matter how dark and smoky the undereyes look in a photo, don't try to emulate it using shadow, especially if you are as pale as I am. You will look like a ghoul. Trust me.)

I then applied my Bobbi Brown gel eyeliner all the way around my eyes from corner to corner. You want the line to be pretty thin and well-defined so that your eyes really pop. After the gel liner, I decided I wanted something even more Jet Black, so I applied a second outline with my Blinc Kiss Me Eyeliner.

(Tip #3: Patience is the key here. Your eyes are the focal point of your face tonight and it's easy to pick out mistakes if your line is smudgy or wobbly.)

The final step is mascara, and you need something ultra-dramatic. I used Urban Decay's Skyscraper mascara over top of the Maybelline XXL mascara's lash primer for extra volume. Curling your lashes is an absolute must.

(Tip #4: Apply your dramatic mascara to the top lashes only. On the bottom lashes, use a lash tint if your lashes are blond or leave the mascara off entirely. Mascara on both the top and bottom lashes when you're wearing that much other eye makeup will not make you look sexy and mysterious, but rather more like Tammy Faye Baker.)

All of the tips I've offered to you are the result of major tactical errors when I was trying out this look. I found it easy to be too heavy-handed, which lead to multiple uses of my eye make-up remover. And still, at the end, I thought I looked less like I belonged in a magazine and more like I belonged in Kiss Army. It seemed like a bit much at first, but it grew on me every time I looked in the mirror. Which was something like every 5 seconds.

When my friend came by to accompany me to the concert, my look was met with rave reviews, so I decided to give this trend a full field trial, first at an upscale martini bar, then at the late-night concert. The smoky eyes were at home in both places; even at the small bar where the concert was held I didn't feel out of place.

You want to know the best part about the whole thing? As my mascara went under my eyes a little and my eyeliner smudged, it didn't mess up the look at all, in fact it may have added to the smoky look as the night progressed. Thr picture on the right was taken near the end of the night, after I'd worn my make-up for nearly 8 hours!

I was doubtful, but I think this is a look that you can pull off even if you are as pale as I am. A little patience and a little experimentation, and this may be a trend you can pull out of your bag to accessorize all of your Saturday night outfits.

Revlon ColorStay Eyeshadow: