Maybelline DEFINE-A-LASH Discontinued!

In one of its most disappointing decisions ever, Maybelline has discontinued DEFINE-A-LASH. My rock, my staple for countless years, this mascara never seems to have caught the general public's attention. I've praised it any number of times, most recently last year here.

I cannot count the number of times I've been asked by beauty professionals (makeup artists, brand representatives, models - you name it) what mascara I was wearing. It has to be north of 100 times. The looks on their faces when I tell them I wear Maybelline DEFINE-A-LASH range from knowing smiles to gasps.

It's so much better than Great Lash, Maybelline's iconic mascara. Meanwhile, Great Lash is still sold, while the shelves are clearing out of DEFINE-A-LASH.

Why am I telling you? I just ordered on Amazon and drugstore.com 36 units, eight in each color (very black, soft black, and brownish black). I figure that will get me through withdrawal. I would have cleaned out my local CVS, but they were so much cheaper online. One site had them for $3something.

If you want to stock up to postpone withdrawal, buy now, buy quickly. Once they are gone...I can't bear to think about it.

Update February 27: Apparently, some of the Maybelline DEFINE-A-LASH mascaras were discontined, and some were not. It is very hard getting the straight scoop. Apparently, the black formulas (waterproof and regular) are still available, but brown black is history. Frankly, if you go look in drugstores, the stock left can be found as low as it gets to the floor. I suspect it will be all be discontinued eventually. See what your own favorite drugstore stock is still available. At least a few color/formulas are sill available. That's better than nothing.

Photo courtesy of drugstore.com

Maybelline New Color Whisper by Color Sensational for Spring 2013

Drugstore makeup displays don't usually stop me in my tracks, but the new Maybelline Color Whisper display did. I was at CVS and had zero extra time. Still I stopped. I think the 20 pretty colors and the promise of a sheer, gel formula piqued my curiosity just enough, and the buy one, get a second for 50% offer pushed me over the edge. Two came home with me.

With no way to test the colors, I guessed at two I might like. I selected one what looked cool-toned and one that looked warmer. Pin Up Peach (#30) is shown at left directly above, and Lust for Blush (#25) is shown at right. Both are really nice, although I would like for Lust to Blush to be just a bit darker.

Maybelline's pitch for these focuses on:

• Pure color pigments suspended in a weightless gel, 
• No heavy waxes or oils, and  
• Soft, sexy gel-color. 

I love them! I may have to go back and pick up a few more shades. I took swatch photos in full sun.

Pin Up Peach is shown at the top of my arm, with Lust for Blush below. Aren't they pretty? They offer beautiful sheer color and shine, and they feel fabulous on the lips - extremely hydrating.

They have no discernible fragrance or taste (a plus for me), and they compare perfectly to many luxury lipsticks I wear. They remind me of Revlon Lip Butters, a favorite of many women - myself included.

How can you beat the price? Look for a Revlon BOGO or other discount offer, and you won't even pay the retail price of that ranges from about $6.00 to $7.50, depending on store.

You know I don't feature many drugstore products. These lipsticks are worth your attention. Now, if you will excuse me, I'm going up to CVS for more.

Photo at top courtesy of Maybelline; other photos by Best Things in Beauty

Maybelline DEFINE-A-LASH - A Superb Mascara

I cannot count the number of times I've been asked by beauty professionals (makeup artists, brand representatives, models - you name it) what mascara I was wearing. It has to be north of 100 times. The looks on their faces when I tell them I wear Maybelline DEFINE-A-LASH range from knowing smiles to gasps.

Those who are surprised often confuse DEFINE-A-LASH with Maybelline's iconic Great Lash Mascara, a staple in many makeup artists bags. I'm sure you've used or seen those pink and green tubes.

I think Maybelline's DEFINE-A-LASH is the best drugstore mascara available today. In fact, it beats out most high-end mascaras by a long shot. Why? Because of performance and price. Why would I pay more for a mascara that cannot compete with one that costs between $7.50 and $8.00 and is frequently available at a weekly special discount, such as a BOGO?

DEFINE-A-LASH is available in four formulations. The one I use all the time is the Washable Lengthening Mascara, shown here in its funky lime green tube. Also available are Waterproof Lengthening Mascara (in lime green) and two waterproof equivalents in dark red. There is a Washable Volume Mascara that adds volume as it lengthens and a waterproof version in case you need super-strength holding power (I don't). My regular washable mascara holds all day.

All four formulas are available in Very Black, Soft Black, and Brownish Black. I have all three colors and use them all for different effects. The one I use most often is Very Black - even though I'm fair.

The best qualities of these mascaras are that: 1) they do define lashes beautifully, leaving no clumps at all, 2) they add length without fibers, 3) they last all day without flaking, smudging, or loss on the lashes, and 4) the flexibility of the wand makes it easy to coat lashes, even the little ones on the inside corner (more on the wand below). My lashes look as good at the end of the day as they did immediately after application.

My lashes are long - not particularly thick, but not sparse. They have some dark coloring, but are blond at the ends. They need mascara. DEFINE-A-LASH provides the color I need, emphasizes the length of my lashes, and separates as I apply it, courtesy of its nifty wand. The result? Lashes that are my best feature.

I know you're accustomed to reading about high-end cosmetics here. As far as I'm concerned, Maybelline's DEFINE-A-LASH is a high-end mascara masquerading as a mass market product. I can't tell you how many "makeup snobs" I've converted to this economical wonder-product.

If you want or need more oomph than I do, I would recommend the volume product in the dark red tube. If you want your eyelashes to look great, but with no "mascara appearance," start with the "lengthening" mascara (they all lengthen, so the distinction is a bit misleading). I know a savvy guy who wears this mascara because it appears so amazingly natural.

As you might imagine, this mascara is perfect for recession budgets at about $7.59 online (try drugstore.com) or about $8.00 at drugstores. There are so many BOGO offers, I stock up when I can get two for the price of one so that I never run low. I change out my mascara every month. At this price, I can afford to! I also live in fear that Maybelline will discontinue DEFINE-A-LASH. That happens to everything I love.

I have only one very minor complaint, and it hasn't stopped me from living in this mascara. Sometimes, you will get a wand that is too flexible. It's nearly impossible to get it back in the tube. When that happens, I return it to CVS and get an instant replacement. So, there's really no risk at all. I encourage you to try this wonderful mascara. You may not go back to the $30 ones.

Photo courtesy of drugstore.com

Maybelline The Falsies Volum'Express Mascara

I jumped at the chance to try a new Maybelline mascara when The Falsies Volum'Express ($7.77) was introduced during the summer. I love - totally love - Maybelline's Define-A-Lash mascara, and I expected great things from The Falsies. After many weeks of on-and-off testing, I've concluded The Falsies is a nice enough volumizing mascara, but not a great one. I'm sticking with Define-A-Lash. At roughly the same price, why would anyone buy the newest one when they can have a great Maybelline mascara?

I toyed with not mentioning The Falsies. I don't enjoy writing features about products I can't recommend. Then I realized that I could save you the trouble of buying it to try it. I wouldn't use a tester of a mascara for any reason, but I know many women do at department stores. You can't test at a drug store. Most of the chain drug stores (e.g., CVS) will accept returns of used beauty products, but why bother when you know another mascara is better? Besides that, in my area, customer service at CVS has evaporated this year - must be tough times for them.

I have to start my description with the curved brush, which is intended to mimic the curve of your lashes and sweep them from root to tip. It doesn't. That's a tall order anyhow since all of us have eyelids that are different in size and contour. The brush is big, klunky, and hard to use. I find myself using the tip more often than not. Forget using the brush on your lower lashes. I have to apply mascara to mine - they are so blond they are missing in action if I don't. I can't use the brush on my lower lashes unless I use only the tip. There's too much clean-up to do.

Maybelline says you'll love The Falsies mascara because...

• It has the patented spoon brush. In my opinion, the brush is the greatest drawback to the mascara.
  
• The Kera-fiber formula instantly builds eight times more volume without clumping. This is true to some extent. I'm not sure about eight times; that would be excessive. I can tell you that it adds very nice volume that lasts all day and doesn't flake off. Maybelline also says it fills in the gaps between your lashes; that's just plain scary. It is volumizing - nicely so - but it doesn't create a shelf over your eyes.
• The unique flexible wand helps to lift and separate lashes to provide the look of 300% more lashes. There's that wand again. If that's its greatest feature, forget it!
• It's ophthalmologist tested and safe for contact lens wearers. What mascara isn't ophthalmologist tested these days? As for contact lens wearers, I can tell you that it didn't bother mine at all.

The Falsies Volum'Express is available in black, very black, and brown. I bought very black and black. I haven't even opened the black one.

I can't figure out why mass market beauty retailers who already have fabulous mascaras keep rolling out new ones. CoverGirl does the same thing. They have a winning mascara, but tweak it and introduce a new one. Are we so fickle that we need to try a new mascara every month? I try new ones so that I can tell you about great ones. I do have a great one to tell you about (high-end, of course). The Falsies isn't it. Try Define-A-Lash. It's available in volume and lengthening formulas.

You can purchase this mascara, if you can't stand the suspense, at mass market retailers everywhere.

Photo at top courtesy of Maybelline

Maybelline Face Makeover in Fit Me

I read in WWD this week that Maybelline New York aims to change the way women buy makeup for their faces, particularly how they shop for it at drugstores.

Maybelline’s most recent success, Instant Age Rewind The Eraser, has given the company a foundation (no pun intended) upon which to build on its face makeup business and lure the entry-level face makeup wearer, as well as the more established foundation consumer.

With Fit Me, a four-product face line, Maybelline plans to offer a newer take on the “shade-true” category, starting with four products: foundation, powder, concealer and blush. Three bronzers will help complete a finished look.

While Maybelline executives acknowledge Fit Me isn’t the first face regimen to include all of these items, their point of differentiation is that Fit Me links the various items together so the consumer will shop for her face as a complete regimen.

“For us, Maybelline already has a solid face business, but we needed to recognize the shade-true segment of foundation. Our research tells us that women want ‘the right shade for me,’ and it ‘needs to look natural on my skin.' That was a big finding - and the inspiration for the Fit Me launch,” Ali Goldstein, vice president of U.S. marketing for Maybelline New York told WWD. [slightly edited quote]

Items in Fit Me will use “skin merge technology,” a patented formula that aims to match skin tone and blend quickly. Fit Me foundation will have an SPF 18 and use pigments that are grounded and refined before being added to a translucent base to allow for skin shade replication. The foundation will have a number featured prominently on its packaging so a customer will know immediately which corresponding shade of powder will match her skin, simply by using the same number. The powders will use a creamy pigment technology, and both the foundation and powder will be available in 18 shades and retail for $7.99. The concealer will be available in six shades, while the blush will come in 12. The concealers will sell for $6.49, and the blush and bronzers will sell for $5.51. Does $5.51 strike you as an odd price? Could this possibly be correct?

Maybelline spokesmodel Lisalla Montenegro will be featured in Fit Me ads, along with other models filmed during various times of their days, giving the advertisements a documentary feel. Their Fit Me shade numbers will be revealed at the end of each spot.

I love my Maybelline mascara. I use Define-A-Lash, not the iconic Great Lash, which is inferior to Define-A-Lash in my humble opinion. I have purchased Maybelline foundations and blushers, but they have never "grabbed me." I'm looking forward to trying Fit Me. I love new discoveries, especially when they are inexpensive.

Photo and all credit for this news goes to WWD

Best Drugstore Beauty: Maybelline Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner

Maybelline has a hit on its hands! Offering a drugstore-priced alternative to prestige department store gel eyeliners, Maybelline has introduced Eye Studio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner ($9.99).

The oil-free formula holds the liner's highly concentrated pigments in a clear gel base so that the result is intense color that lasts for 24 hours. It's smudge-proof and waterproof, and I can attest to that! Maybelline says it removes easily with soap and water, but I recommend an oil-based eye makeup remover, holding the pad at the base of your lashes for a few minutes to soften the product before you do the soap and water wash.

Most gel liners are easy to apply. You can create an intense line, if that's your preference, or a very thin one (my preference). It's all about the brush you use, and that's the only weakness of this product. The brush doesn't allow me to apply the liner with the precision I like. It goes on too thick or uneven, no matter what I do. My solution is to use one of Bobbi Brown's two eyeliner brushes. They are fabulous and give me the control I want. While I wouldn't say this liner is as good as Bobbi's, it offers an attractive and affordable alternative to those who want to wear a gel liner, but can't afford department store prices.

If you already have a great eyeliner brush, you will want to check out this new best drugstore beauty pick. It's available in a glass pot in four colors: Blackest Black, Brown, Charcoal, and Aubergine (deep black-purple). It comes contained in a nice, sealed package, so it's tamper-proof. Maybelline says it's ophthalmologist tested and safe for sensitive eyes.

When it arrived at the stores in my area, it was available for a week and then quickly sold out in every shade except the Aubergine. Now, the stores are restocking. I bought Blackest Black, Brown, and Charcoal to give all of them a test drive. I like all three shades. The price is particularly nice with the use of a coupon or during a BOGO offer. Choose the color you like best! Then buy more if you love it. You'll find the new liner anywhere you buy Maybelline. I bought mine at CVS and Rite Aid.

Photo courtesy of Maybelline

Maybelline Shine Sensational Lip Gloss

When I saw the new Maybelline display at CVS, I was attracted to the pretty colors - like a moth to light. So many of the Shine Sensational Lip Gloss ($5.99) colors looked luscious.

There was a hint on the display that the glosses might be flavored, and I don't like flavored glosses. But I rolled the dice and bought one - the darkest color, #60 Berry Dazzle. Not all flavored glosses are alike, I reasoned, and perhaps this one had a subtle flavor. The Berry Dazzle color in the tube looked gorgeous - a deep berry that appeared to have a lot of pigment. My thinking was that I could keep the gloss in my purse or car and use it for quick color touch-ups.

Here's what Maybelline has to say about Shine Sensational.

More Shine. More Luscious. More Yum.

• Luscious shine, delectable feel
• Comfortable, non-sticky, moisturizing high-shine formula.
• Comes in 18 different enticing flavors and fragrances.

Here's my description of this gloss.

• The flavor is overpowering. It's not a simple side note or a transitory annoyance. It's like having bubble gum stuck to your lips.
• It's sticky. Heavy and sticky. Speaking of that moth, if he flew by, he might stick.
  
• There is almost no pigment in it. Remember, I bought the darkest color. It looks clear on my lips. Why have 18 colors when they all look clear? See the model in this ad? There is no way she is wearing only Shine Sensational on her lips.
  
• It is very shiny, but so are a bazillion other glosses.

I had hoped this new gloss might be a Best Drugstore Beauty candidate. It's not. I don't usually bother to write about slam-worthy products, but I feel it's my civic duty to warn you. Don't waste your money.

Update 3/25: Kathy had a good idea. This gloss is perfect for pre-teens. Find a BOGO, and you have party favors for those little girls who beg to use makeup, but are really too young.

Photos courtesy of Maybelline, which makes some of the best mascara I use

Maybelline Color Pearls Mineralized Eyeshadow Duos Giveaway Contest Winners

We have five winners. Congratulations to Shopgurl, Kimberly B, Sarah S, Cassie L, and Angela K! All of them have been notified by e-mail.

The first three winning entries - the planned ones - were selected at random (by Random.org) to receive a Maybelline Color Pearls Mineralized Eyeshadow Duo. Shopgurl will be wearing Bronze Blowout; Kimberly will be wearing Silver Starlet; and Sarah will be wearing Khaki Craze.

I liked Angela's and Cassie's entries so much, I added them as our fourth and fifth winners. They took a lot of time to write about their favorite drugstore products, so I'm going to send each of them a duo too! Just have to see if I can find their favorite colors this weekend.

I think you gals will love these shadows! As I always do for BTiB contest winners (formerly a little secret), I'll be throwing a few extras into their packages. Each of them will receive a sample of Armani's Fluid Sheer #3 and Crema Nera Obsidian Reviving Mineral Eye Cream, courtesy of the Armani Beauty Team at Saks!

I learned some interesting things about your favorite drugstore beauty products with the contest entries. I decided to share a few of the reader favorites with all of you (edited a bit), so that you can see what your fellow BTiB readers are loving. You might find a new favorite by taking a cue from your Web friends!

Sarah: I am a huge L'Oreal mascara fan--I love the Voluminous Carbon Black (with the curved brush). I am also in love with Revlon ColorStay liquid liner. What I love about it mainly is the stiff brush that makes it easy apply a thin line for those who are in a hurry, and it lasts at least 12 hrs.

Emily: My favorite drugstore item is CoverGirl Smoothers tinted moisturizer.

Mindy: My favorite drugstore product would be the Curel lotion; it is the only lotion I found that does not leave a residue and is not sticky.

Nina: My favorite drugstore drugstore beauty product is the Lumene Blueberry Curl Mascara. I love that its formula isn't thick and goopy. It gets the right amount of mascara to your lashes and I'm digging the plastic wand too!

Vickie: One of my favorite drugstore picks is Maybelline ColorSensational Lipcolor.

Cindi: A drugstore cosmetic that I like and wear is Boots No.7 Moisture Drench Lipstick in Divine.

Nicole: My fave drugstore beauty product would definitely have to be Rimmel's Lasting Finish Lipsticks! I love how creamy they are, and they glide on easily. They also don't dry out lips like most drugstore lipsticks. They're very moisturizing. I'm thinking about collecting them all. :)

Heather: I love so many drugstore makeup items. I suppose my favorite drugstore beauty product is Revlon ColorStay Eyeliner in black because it is absolute perfection! Stays on all day and super black :)

Angela: My favorite drugstore beauty product at the moment is Boots Botanics Smoothing Facial Serum. I'm only in my mid-twenties, but I have some areas of my skin where the skin is rougher than I'd like (mostly in the winter, when it gets really dry). This serum is a good primer for makeup - after cleansing and using Shiseido Pureness Balancing Softener, I apply the serum before applying moisturizer. It smooths out the unevenness caused by dry skin without clogging pores or stinging. I also like that it's organic.

Vittoria: My favorite drugstore beauty product is Milani's retractable eyeliner pencil. It's waterproof, so it stays put, and I love not having to sharpen the point!

Seth: My favorite drugstore product is Revlon ColorStay Eyeliner in Blackest Black.

Eve: My favorite drugstore buy is the CoverGirl Lash Blast, and Lash Blast Luxe! I also love nyx shadows!

Bonnie: I would have to say that my favorite drugstore item would have to be mascara. I just love the CoverGirl mascaras (especially Lash Blast and Lash Exact).

Erin: My favorite drugstore beauty product is Milani blushes.

Cassie: I am a hardcore bargainista, and love finding a good deal, and recently found a great clearance deal at CVS (did a haul video on YouTube: Cass1222) and have found Milani eyeshadows to have rich pigmentation. My all time favorite drugstore mascara is L'Oreal Voluminious in Carbon Black- gives the most darkest thick lashes! Wet 'n Wild products have also grown and gotten better in pigmentation and quality - their cream eyeliner in black is a great way to line my eyes, both the rims and along the lashes, and its at a GREAT price! Be sure to check those out!

Fun entries - and great information. Thanks to everyone who entered and shared their favorites. We had an amazing number of entries - it's clear we share our addiction to makeup!

Stay tuned for upcoming giveaway contests. We will start another one this weekend.

Photo courtesy of Maybelline

Maybelline's Color Pearls Mineralized Eyeshadow Duos Giveaway Contest

Maybelline's Eye Studio Color Pearls Mineralized Eyeshadow Duos merit their "best drugstore beauty" label. Since they are new, I thought it might be fun to do a giveaway contest. I picked up a nice sample of three of them at CVS: Khaki Craze, Bronze Blowout, and Silver Starlet. We will have three winners!

If you didn't read about the Color Pearls Mineralized Eyeshadow Duos at Best Things in Beauty, check out this link.

To enter the contest, e-mail bestthingsinbeautycontests@gmail.com and put Color Pearls in the subject line. It's that easy! I can't promise that each winner will receive her first choice of color, but please let me know your preference. If you want two chances to win, rather than one, tell me about your favorite drugstore beauty product.

The contest deadline will be Friday, January 22, at midnight. I'll select the winners using a random number generator. I'll even send these eye shadows anywhere in the world, so you can enter no matter where you live!

I'll also be posting this contest at Free!Grechen, a giveaway site you should get to know.

Good Luck!

One more thing, this week (through January 23), CVS has an "extra bucks" special. If you spend $15 on Maybelline Eye Studio or XXL Pro mascara, you will get a $5 extra bucks coupon. It's a good time to buy!

Photo courtesy of Maybelline

Maybelline Eye Studio Color Plush Silk Eyeshadow Quads

Maybelline Eye Studio Color Plush Silk Eyeshadow Quads ($9.99) round out Maybelline's new eye shadow introductions. These color-coordinated quads are available in 12 color families. There's one for every skin tone, eye color, and look.

These new shadows offer sheer, buildable color and lots of sparkle. The photo at the top right is the truest of the two I took (better light); you can see the sparkle in the Give Me Gold pan. The photo at the bottom is Green with Envy.

The quads are available in five color families.

• Neutrals: Give Me Gold, Mad for Mauve, Pink Persuasion, Irresistibly Ivy, and Sunset Seduction
• Browns/Beiges: Copper Chic
• Pinks/Berries: Taupe Temptress
• Blues/Violets: Sapphire Siren, Purple Icon, Spirited Seas, and Legendary Lilac
• Greens: Green with Envy

Most of the colors are sheer and buildable, but with major sparkle - to the point of being glittery. I find their use limited to the eyelid, not the crease or above - for me. Younger women and sparkle lovers can probably get away with sparkle above the lid. I can't. Unfortunately, even with a primer, the Color Plush sparkle ends up in the crease and below my eyes - such as on my cheeks - so I'm not as pleased with these as I am with Maybelline's new Color Pearls Mineralized Eyeshadow Duos. I bought two, and despite their low price, I won't buy more. I just don't have time to keep checking my face and clothing for stray sparkles. I don't think sparkles galore enhance my credibility at work.

You can see and purchase these new Maybelline eye shadow quads at CVS, Target, or wherever you buy Maybelline. Make sure to check out the Eye Studio Color Pearls duos when you look. I love them!

Photos above: top in sunlight, bottom in shade

Best Drugstore Beauty: Maybelline Eye Studio Color Pearls Mineralized Eyeshdow Duos

Maybelline's Eye Studio Color Pearls Mineralized Eyeshadow Duos ($6.99 at CVS) are arriving in drugstores. Available in 10 color-coordinated duos, they are serious contenders for your makeup dollars.

Here's the Maybelline introduction to them.

Our advanced baked technology keeps pearls uncrushed for refined luminosity.

• Seven different pure pigments are swirled together for gorgeous dimensional color.
• Now, a swirl of pearls makes shadow new again!

These are the most enticing Maybelline eye shadows I have ever bought. You can create so many looks with them. Even at full price, you can buy several, particularly if you are a savvy drugstore shopper and wait for a Maybelline BOGO or other special offer. I like to play with new colors without making an expensive investment at department stores, and drugstore shadows give me an affordable opportunity.

The duos are available in five palettes.

• Neutrals: Carbon Frost and Silver Starlet
• Browns/Beiges: Bronze Blowout
• Pinks/Berries: Mocha Mirage and Sinful Sinnamon
• Blues/Violets: Lawless Lavendar, Navy Narcissist, and Tantalizing Teal
• Greens: Khaki Craze and Ivy Icon

There were so many nice choices, I ended up with five of them. So much for moderation! The shadows are shiny and sparkling without any glitter, and they are well-pigmented. You can use them with or without a primer. Without a primer, they provide a sheerer wash of color. The color is a bit more concentrated with a primer.

You can see Maybelline's how-to video at this link if you want some help in deciding how to use the Color Pearls.

The duos shown in my own photos top to bottom here are Silver Starlet, Khaki Crazi, Bronze Blowout, and Tantalizing Teal. Aren't they pretty?

I know that you can find these shadows now at CVS and Target. I'm sure they are or will soon be available at other stores where you purchase Maybelline cosmetics.

Top photo courtesy of Maybelline

Maybelline for Spring 2010

WWD reported that Maybelline is looking to "keep it natural next year, while adding a touch of glamour and sophistication" with Eye Studio, a new color cosmetics line for the fashion-forward set.

Serena Giovi, Vice President of Marketing for Maybelline New York, described the theme seen throughout the division’s first half-year launches as “technology infused with natural ingredients.” She said that more and more customers are seeking out natural products. It's clear that Maybelline is responding to that trend.

Sounds like a smart move. According to Cheryl Swanson, Managing Partner at Toniq, a company that monitors the pulse of cultural trends, personal care marketers...need to be prepared for the oncoming consumer rejection of parabens, petroleum, ammonium sulfates, and other chemical "baddies, similar to consumer rejection of trans-fats, high-fructose corn syrup, and MSG in packaged and fast foods." Once the "social networks" are mobilized against these ingredients, companies need to be ready with natural and effective alternatives. Looks like Maybelline is positioning itself to be ready.

In 2010, Maybelline is reformulating its Instant Age Rewind Radiant Firming Makeup SPF 18 line with goji berry, an ingredient the brand says contains 19 amino acids, over 500 times more vitamin C than oranges, and a complete spectrum of antioxidants. SPF 18 will protect skin from sun damage.

The newest addition to Maybelline's lineup will be The Eraser, a foundation with a micro-corrector applicator “that glides over wrinkles, practically making them disappear,” said Giovi. Along with The Eraser, which will be available in 12 shades and sell for $12.99, is the new Primer Skin Transformer, to be used prior to foundation. It will sell for $9.99.

The Eye Studio Collection, partially shown in the photo above, will add baked eye shadows to the Maybelline selections. I think the green duo looks fun - can't wait to see the collection in the stores.

As always, you will be able to find Maybelline's reformulated and new products at a drugstore or supermarket near you.

Photo courtesy of Maybelline and WWD

Best Drugstore Beauty: Maybelline Dream Mousse Blush

Like cream blusher as much as I do? You ought to give Maybelline's Dream Mousse Blush ($7.49) a try. The air-soft formula of this blusher provides luminous, long-lasting cheek color. It glides on smoothly and blends easily for seamless color and a natural, radiant finish. It's available in six colors, two pinks and one of each of the following: mauve, plum, coral, and brown.

Maybelline recommends that you apply it with your fingertips by patting a small amount of blush onto the apples of your cheeks. Use feathery strokes to blend gently from your cheekbones to your temples. To build color intensity, you can simply apply more.

I have several of the colors, but my favorite is #10, Pink Voyage. It is very natural on my fair skin. I keep one in my desk at work for late-day touch-ups.

Dream Mousse Blush is available wherever Maybelline products are sold: drugstores, supermarkets, Target, and many more stores. There are often BOGO offers at the drugstores (Rite Aid has one on Maybelline Cosmetics now), so you can get two for the price of one by timing your purchase well.

Photo courtesy of Maybelline

Hilarious Weekend Entertainment

Maybelline's feminine spoof on The Office, The Broadroom Alice in Imposterland video, is a hoot. Created by Candace Bushnell, it had me laughing out loud (and that's an accomplishment!).

For your weekend entertainment, check out the series and the makeup secrets from the set at The Broadroom.

Photo courtesy of candlefind.com/candle-reviews

Maybelline's Rep at CVS

Mabelline's representative for the CVS stores, Nicolette Dickman, is making the rounds. She's new to the job and a nice, young woman who loves her products! Since I wear Mabelline's Define-A-Lash Mascara, which I think is better than the best-selling Great Lash, I trekked over to talk to her.

Maybelline has some new products, including Sensational, their fabulous new lipsticks and lip glosses. They are also pushing battery-operated mascara wands (not my thing). One new product that interests me? Their Expert Wear Eye Shadow Quads, available in 12 coordinated color families. I saw a photo of a smokey eye palette and results in one of the new magazines, and I think the price is right for me to try out these smoldering eye colors without breaking the bank. Even if I don't wear the darker shades, the two lightest colors will look good on me.

Maybelline is one of the top mass-market beauty brands. Less expensive than the other leaders, Maybelline cosmetics are a good value. Naturally, you can buy Maybelline at drugstores, online, supermarkets, and superstores like Target. There are usually BOGO offers and coupons galore! I came home with some coupons I'll be using.

Photo courtesy of Maybelline.

Top Mass-Market Beauty Brands

WWD published an interesting article on the top beauty brands purchased by affluent customers. In the mass-market category (meaning drugstores, grocery stores, etc.), the clear leader is Olay. Maybelline is #2 (I've bought my fair share of Maybelline mascara, so I sure know why it has a following). It's an informative article, which you can read here.

What's really interesting to me is that Unity Marketing, which conducted the survey, studied the buying patterns of consumers with household incomes of $250,000 or higher. It shows that consumers are looking for quality at a fair price and are realizing that there are some great values to be found at drugstores. I'll have to admit that I shunned drugstore skin care products until a few years ago. Now, I read ingredients to make my buying decisions, rather than being influenced by the store or packaging.

The list of prestige market brands is topped by Clinique, an Estee Lauder company. You can read that article here. That's no surprise to me, given the price to value ratio of Clinique's products.

WWD.com is required reading for anyone with more than a passing interest in beauty and fashion. You can subscribe and get access to all their content for $99/year. I highly recommend it.

Photo courtesy of WWD.

Maybelline Define-A-Lash Mascara

I think Maybelline's Define-A-Lash Mascara is the best drugstore mascara available today. In fact, it beats out most high-end mascaras by a long shot because of performance and price.

The Define-A-Lash Mascara is available in four formulations. The one I use all the time is the Volume Washable Mascara, shown here. Also available are Washable Lengthening Mascara and Waterproof Lengthing Mascara, both of which come in a lime green tube (love the Washable Lengthening one too). The fourth is a Volume Waterproof Mascara, just in case you need super-strength holding power (I don't - the other volume mascara lasts forever and is easy to remove).

All three are available in Very Black, Soft Black, and Brownish Black. I have all three colors and use them all for different effects.

The best qualities of these mascaras are that: 1) they do define lashes, leaving no clumps at all, 2) they add length without fibers, 3) they last all day without flaking, smudging, or loss on the lashes, and 4) the flexibility of the wand makes it easy to coat lashes (more on the wand below). They look as good at the end of the day as they did after application.

I started with the lime green tubes and moved to the dark red tubes on a lark. I was amazed at the compliments I got from department store artists, all wanting to know whose mascara I was wearing. Tee hee! If you want some oomph, I would recommend the volume product in the dark red tube. If you want your eyelashes to look great, but with no mascara appearance, start with the "lengthening" mascara (they all lengthen, so the distinction is a bit misleading). I know a savvy guy who wears this mascara!

As you might imagine, this mascara is perfect for recession budgets at about $7.95 (drugstore.com) or slightly over $8.00 at drugstores. There are so many BOGO offers, you should stock up when you can get two for the price of one.

I have only one very minor complaint, and it hasn't stopped me from living in this mascara. Sometimes, you will get a wand that is too flexible. It's nearly impossible to get it back in the tube. When that happens, I return it to CVS and get an instant replacement. So, there's really no risk at all. Try this wonderful mascara!

Photo courtesy of Maybelline.

Oscillating Mascaras

Last night, I curled up with the August InStyle magazine and read their Beauty Buzz road test of "vibrating mascaras" - one trend this obsessive compulsive beauty addict will miss. I can poke myself in the eye with a wand powered only by my arm. Why would I want help?

According to InStyle, the Lancome Oscillation ($34 at Sephora) mascara is the best for lengthening and freedom from clumps. So, if you are brave, this sounds like the best of the three they reviewed. It's also the first one that was released. Lancome is known for having great mascaras, so waiting lists formed for this one.

The other two? They say that the Estee Lauder Turbolash All Effects Motion ($32) one is best for thickening, and the new Maybelline New York Pulse Perfection one is best for your pocketbook ($15). However, it sounded like both clump. Why would you want to have to add an eyelash comb to the morning routine to "fix" your mascara?

I may sound like a curmudgeon, but I just don't get it. We all know how to apply mascara, right? We have read all the tips about moving the wand back and forth as we apply the product from the base of our lashes to the tips, but I don't even do that. I simply use a superb mascara, Maybelline Define-a-Lash Volume Washable Mascara (currently), and it gives me great darkening, length, and clump-free "thickness." I have used others I recommend to those who want their lashes clump-free (in other words, to avoid the Tammy Faye look) and enhanced. These include Clinique's Naturally Glossy Mascara and their newer High Impact Mascara.

So, I guess I'm old fashioned, but I don't think I'm missing anything. What do you think?

Photo courtesy of Sephora. Thanks to InStyle for the review!

Maybelline's Great New Color Sensational Lip Products

It's not often I get really excited about drugstore lip products, but I am loving Maybelline's new Color Sensational lipsticks and Color Sensational lip glosses - both available and nicely "coded" in the color families pinks, plums, reds, and naturals. They feel great on the lips because they added honey nectar to the formula, making them extremely emollient. The lip glosses are nice and shiny and not at all sticky.

There are of 20 lipsticks and 12 lip glosses, plus liners to boot. I have purchased four lipsticks, four glosses, and one liner, and I love them all.

When you are wearing the new gloss #055 (Raspberry Sorbet), and your high-end makeup artist loves it, you know you have a hit! These are available at all drugstores and Web sites carrying Maybelline. The prices are right, and, of course, there's usually a BOGO offer to be found somewhere. Since they are new, look for a special display.

Photos courtesy of Maybelline.