We Discuss: The Tyranny of Glossier Boy Brow.

M: I know you have Good Brows now but did you ever try Glossier Boy Brow before microblading?

A: No, but I want to. I’ve been using some rando brow gel I got in a box, but it’s pretty much done.

A: I also have Ka-Brow but it’s overkill so I save it for when I am feeling dramatic

M: Yeah I am wanting something more “casual” and I generally think Glossier is bullshit, BUT Tracee Ross used boybrow to give herself a Halloween mustache and it looks really good and realistic

A: People freaking love Boy Brow - the only complaint is that it’s really small

A: I still really like the Glossier cheek stuff I bought

M: Hm I may have to give it a try

A: You know what really works for brows but is much more expensive?

M: Do tell

A: Microblading

M: Dammit

A: Listen, there are days when I have no makeup on but think I look okay and it’s because my brows are Good.

M: Fair

A: You might just have to make two inconvenient trips to Richmond.

M: Sigh

M: So for now, brown or black?

A: I personally would go for brown

A: but you do you

M: Yeah I think so

A: Imma buy some too

A: We can do dueling reviews

M: I’m trying Lidstar too because what the hell

A: right on

M: I mean what could go wrong with green eyeshadow

A: seems legit

M: The taupe would have been safer but I have a ton of taupe eyeshadow so let’s live a little

A: Go for the fun one, absolutely

A: I am going to get the taupe, despite what I just said

***

M: So I tried Boy brow today and I feel like my eyebrows just look messy

M: But Lidstar is great

I really like the Lidstar too - just a pretty sheer wash of shimmery color that STAYS PUT

M: And the sample of cloud paint was good but the wrong color for me

A: I think that might be the thing with Boy Brow is that it gives you full, fluffy boy brows. But yeah, I don't love it either

M: Full I would be fine with, but it doesn’t really fill in the patchy areas and I felt like I had to keep adding to it and I don’t know if it works for me

A: Its fine for what I need but I don’t know that I’m super impressed

M: I might use it on the weekends when I want a little something

A: Ka-Brow is still the best

M: It is

A: I feel like I should come up with a better review of Boy Brow than “eh” but it’s really pretty basic.

M: I just don’t get it. It’s just a brow gel really. It doesn’t fill in anything

A: Are we being gaslighted?

M: I mean WTF

M: These people all have pretty good brows to start with

A: Truly

A: I will definitely use the Boy Brow but it doesn’t do much for the gaps

M: I just want ONE PRODUCT

A: ugh

A: Maybe try Gimme Brow again?

M: Ka-Brow works great I just still need a brow gel with it because my brows are unruly little bitches. Same with any pencil,

A: Ah, gotcha

A: PS. I hate whoever names the products at Benefit

M: heh

A: I feel like I get dumber every time I type them

M: Yeah they are all pretty stupid

M: I still have and use Ka-Brow, and I should just stop looking. It works great!

A: I get it but I am also always looking for Something Better

A: See also: concealers

M: I might return and get Cloud Paint

A: I love Cloud Paint!

M: I liked the sample I tried. Wrong color though. But I have a second color that I think will be good.

A: I have storm and beam

M: I need to check my colors

M: Dusk and dawn

M: Dawn is very pretty but on darker skin

A: Yeah, storm skews a bit more brown than I was expecting but I still like it - more flattering than bronzer!

A: And now I want haze

M: I am optimistic about dusk

***

A: If you're curious and want to try Glossier you can get 10% off your first order with my link. (Full disclosure: if you go through my link I will get a $10 credit and buy more shit to review.)

Beauty: Makeup Uniform.

I am shamelessly stealing Kim France's blog topic because I loved reading about her makeup uniform - the products she uses even when she's just going out to walk the dogs or whatever. I agree with her so much on this because the older I get, the less likely I am to go out with a completely bare face. I just feel more pulled-together with my brows filled in, you know?

So, here are the products that are on my face even if I'm just running out real quick to pick something up at the store that may or may not be a bottle of wine:

First, sunscreen always. If I'm going outside, there is sunscreen on my face. My current favorite is Shiseido Senka Aging Care with SPF 50. I know this isn't makeup, I just figured it was worth a mention. If I'm just running errands or whatever, I'll wear a BB cream with sunscreen instead. Currently it's MISSHA Signature BB Cream which is nice stuff with a good high SPF and enough color to kind of blur the edges.

Concealer is my everything. If I can only have one product, it's concealer. I'm on my second tube of IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Undereye (review here) and it really is such good stuff. Its great under the eyes and also works to hide brown spots or blemishes. Definitely best if warmed up a bit and then patted on with the pointy end of a Beauty Blender, but also just fine applied with fingertips. It's waterproof and you only need a tiny bit, so a tube will last a really long time.

Benetint is one of those products I keep coming back to. I've been using it for years because nothing else I've found has the same kind of staying power. You have to work quickly but the results are very pretty and very natural.

I never used to have to fill my brows but now that they're thinning it really makes a huge difference in how I look if fill them in. It frames my whole face! When I have time I use my Benefit Ka-Brow (reviewed here) but if I'm in a rush I just fill them in quickly with a pencil. I love Anastasia's Brow Wiz (reviewed here) with the little spoolie on one end. It stays all day and the caramel color is perfect for me.

I can skip eyeshadow and liner no problem, but mascara is crucial. I always curl my lashes with my Shiseido curler and then follow with a coat or two of mascara. Right now I'm really liking Marcelle Xtension Plus but I'm also fond of Too Faced Better Than Sex (which Kim France likes too!) I save the amazing FairyDrops (review here) for when I'm doing an out-all-day face because that stuff does not budge.

Sometimes I'll apply a bit of Touche Eclat or Wonder Pencil along my browbone and on the inner corners of my eyes, but that's optional.

Finally, I need some kind of color on my lips and usually it's Clinique Almost Lipstick in Black Honey or Bite Beauty Agave Lip Mask in Smashed. Something I can put on without a mirror!

Tom Ford Presents: Concealer in Three Acts.

Act One: 

M: I read this and it kind of blew my mind (+ made me want that stuff of course.) I've always been told use a shade lighter under eye but it makes so much sense to use your foundation shade on the puffy part to make it recede. I brushed a little of my Smashbox foundation on the puffy part of my eye and did Bye Bye Undereye on the dark part and it looks better. Not perfect or anything, but better.

A: Now I'm all, like, Hmmm. Tom Ford Concealer. And Corrector.

M: I know man. I'm sorry.

Act Two:

M: I got the Tom Ford stuff. Even though I did what they told me to I feel like the darker shade is too dark. I'm going to exchange it. I think you would like the correcting pen, though.

M: Left concealed, right no.

M: I think the puffy eye concealer is too dark.

A: Ooh, that looks good!

M: It does not BUDGE.

A: Dang. I might need the correcting pen.

M: I like it a lot.

A: 

Act Three:

A: I have ordered that fancy Tom Ford correcting thing. *waits impatiently*

M: Oooh I hope you like it.

A: I went looking for it at Saks and they didn't have it, but tried to sell me Clé de Peau like I’m some amatuer.

M: They marked you as an easy target.

A: I NEED CONCEALER THAT IS MAGIC. GIVE ME MAGIC.

M: I MEAN LIKE LEGIT CATE BLANCHETT ELF MAGIC.

A: HOW MUCH. I WILL PAY ONE MILLION AMERICAN DOLLARS FOR ELF MAGIC.

M: Is that too much to ask?

A: I mean, it shouldn't be. Make me glow, makeup bitches.

To be continued...

Marianne: My Makeup Wishlist

Inspired by Adrien's oh-so-well-thought-out Spring wishlist, I thought I'd share what I am currently coveting, beauty-wise. I'm working on a more thought out clothing wishlist for Spring and summer, but for now I'm loving these things...

I have been wanting to try Dior Addict Lip Glow since it came out but UGH. It's hard to swallow the price tag for...lip balm? Fancy magical lip balm? Tell me you've tried it and it is wonderful awful. Talk me into it out of it. 

Dior Addict Lip Glow

As someone obsessed with both my eyebrows and Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick, it only makes sense that I try the Stila Stay All Day Waterproof Brow Color, yes? Yes.

Stila Stay All Day® Waterproof Brow Color

What trickery is this? No Foundation Foundation? The bullshit odor is strong with this one and YET. I want to try it. Because it's getting warmer and No Foundation Foundation sounds dreamy.

Perricone MD No Foundation Foundation

My skin is breaking out again. I don't really want to talk about it. Maybe this crap would help. Sigh.

KIEHL'S SINCE 1851 Blue Herbal Spot Treatment

My skin breaking out makes me want to spend WAY TOO MUCH MONEY ON CONCEALER. I still don't want to talk about it.

Clé de Peau Beauté Concealer

Tarte Amazonian Clay Foundation has been great all winter but it's looking a little heavy for spring. I've been using some Bobbi Brown Extra Repair Foundation that I had stashed in the fridge, but my makeup artist friend is basically strong-arming me into buying this stuff. She says it's the best:

MAKE UP FOR EVER HD Invisible Cover Foundation

BTW, she says the best powder for setting/mattifying is NOT the HD powder (that's more for blurring/smoothing), rather this loose powder so I want that TOO. Ugh.

Does Spring make you want to overhaul your makeup and beauty routine?

Marianne: Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick Review (and an outfit)

I've been promising a review of this lipstick but I have also been sick for OVER THREE WEEKS and just not in a red lipstick MOOD, you know? Which is a shame, because really dramatic red lipstick has a way of making you look put together and fancy and distracts from your red nose and dark under eye circles. At least that's what I tell myself.

ANYWAY, this lipstick is killer. One TINY swipe lasts all day, the tube will last forever. First of all, you need to apply it very carefully. Wipe the excess off the applicator because a little goes a long way. I touched up just the middle of my bottom lip at about 3 o'clock but I could have gotten away with not touching it. It's slightly drying, but really matte and nice and it doesn't feel bad on the lips. I tried to take a picture midday with my phone to show you but the lighting in my office made me look like Aileen Wuornos. It was...not good.

VERY red lips are such a statement that I tend to wear kind of muted colors, clothing-wise. Today I'm wearing what has quickly become my favorite dress this winter, tights, my beloved Frye Lisa boots (why won't they reissue this style? These are kind of close, but the heel is higher, and a wedge), and a brown wool Cythia Rowley coat with a dramatic collar (kind of similar style here). And look! I even changed my bag for the first time in months! I don't want to wear out my Rocco so I swapped for this muted gold Marc Jacobs Mag Bag (no longer available but he's always good for a nice metallic bag).

I want another of these lipsticks, maybe in a neutral? Bellissima looks promising. I'll keep you posted.

Buy this! Lorac Solid Gold Palette

I'm a big fan of the blog Brightest Bulb in the Box and basically take Robin's reviews as gospel, and I've noticed that she often sings the praises of the eyeshadows from Lorac. So, when I found the Lorac Solid Gold Palette for just $12 on Ulta, I bought it without even thinking about it. And y'all, it is good. For less than the price of one shadow (and WAY less than Lorac's other palettes) you get 5 shades that are super wearable, long lasting, and perfect for the holidays (or, you know...Mondays). It's a really nice size and has a good mirror, and the pans are HUGE. I even took a crappy cellphone pic of it next to my Naked 2 palette so you can see how generously sized they are.

Naked 2 on the left, Lorac Solid Gold on the right

So, go! Go buy the Lorac Solid Gold Palette, and buy one for a friend while you are at it (I seriously just ordered 4 for Christmas presents). I also might have ordered the Lorac Platinum Status Palette, which seems like it's the same premise with cooler colors. I mean, $12. That's a crazy good deal, y'all.

Marianne: On Nursing Clothing (and makeup talk)

I'm going to cut right to the chase, I think most nursing clothing is flat out UGLY. I mean, COME ON. And this! Y'all, don't wear that! (Also, this came up in my search and made me laugh. Heh.)

That said, this Liz Lange for Target nursing dress is okay (this one is sold out but this is similar. This one too.). I guess. It looks like maternity clothing which means I don't love the way it makes my belly look, but it's fine. Wearing cute shoes with it helps, as does a cute bag. But I'm not enthused.

But hey, my hair looks pretty good! And my skin. I'm going to say something controversial: WE ARE ALL WASTING OUR TIME WITH TINTED MOISTURIZER. Lately I've been annoyed with the weak coverage, the lack of staying power, and how effing shiny tinted moisturizer makes me. I live in the humid south, I don't need dewy makeup. So, on the advice of a twitter friend I decided to try Smashbox Studio Skin 15-Hour Foundation and y'all. Y'ALL. I HAVE BEEN WASTING MY TIME. This stuff looks natural, has buildable coverage, and stays put for an entire day. And it doesn't make my skin freak out, either. Try it. I insist!

Air-dried hair, yo.

Adrien: A Few of My Favorite New Things.

I haven't written a beauty post in a while so I thought I'd get on it. Lately I've been using two new products that I'm really happy with. Like, REALLY happy wish. First, I finally tried the NARS Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer that Marianne loves so much and it was fine. I don't know that I want to marry it the way she does but it was okay. However, when I went to Sephora get a sample I got talked into buying the NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer and YOU GUYS. It is so so so good. I have concealer issues and this is as close to perfect as I've found.

First, it goes on like a dream. This stuff is just pure, creamy pigment and you only need a tiny bit. It works really well with a brush but I usually just use my fingers. Two coats and I'm good for hours. Hours! And it doesn't crease badly at all. (I will be straight with you - all concealer creases on me, but this one is minimal.)

It's expensive, but considering how little you have to use, it'll last for a long time. Oh, and the packaging, like most NARS products, is very luxe. (I mean, if you're paying nearly $30 for concealer it better be pretty fucking fancy, right? Right.)

The second product I bought recently is Clinique Almost Lipstick in Chic Honey. I've been a fan of the very popular Black Honey for years but it seems like such a winter shade to me and I wanted something a bit more summery.

Chic Honey is a pretty sheer berry shade that I think would look great on almost anyone. It doesn't have the purple undertones of Black Honey or the brown undertones of Fresh Sugar Plum, so it's toooootally different than the other similar lip glosses I own. Totally different! Truly.

It has almost no staying power (really, this is lip gloss not lipstick) but I don't mind reapplying from time to time. And, at $15 this is not that much more expensive than a drugstore product, so I don't feel like I'm getting ripped off for once.

Now it's your turn!  Tell me what you've bought lately that you're loving.

Marianne: My New Favorite Drugstore Mascara

If you've been paying any attention at all, you know I love mascara. Especially drugstore mascaras, because I have sensitive eyes and replace my mascara often, so I'm honestly not about to spend more than $10 on it. Being a mascara addict makes me a sucker for new products, so when I saw the newest offering from L'Oreal, their Telescopic Shocking Extensions Mascara, I had to try it. Come on. SHOCKING EXTENSIONS? Let's do this.

L'Oreal Telescopic Shocking Extensions Mascara

Right away I can tell you that if you found my old favorite, L'Oreal Voluminous False Fiber Lash, difficult to apply, you'll like this product a lot more. In fact, I found this to be most like a combination of the False Fiber Lash and CoverGirl's Clump Crusher, a mascara I love for the ease of application but find lacking in the drama department (Adrien and I reviewed them both here). My only complaint about applying the Shocking Extensions mascara is the wand is a little bit long and a tad floppy, I prefer a shorter, firmer brush like the Clump Crusher. But enough of that, let's look at a photo, shall we?

Left, no mascara; Right, mascara (duh)

Well, that's a kind of horrifying picture, but anyway. It's hard to take selfies of your eyeballs. I love that you get a lot of length from this mascara, without it clumping up. It stays put well and stays nice and black with no fading throughout the day, and it removes easily with my favorite eye makeup remover. Overall I'm really pleased and it's definitely my new favorite mascara.

Winter Skin Stuff, Whether You're Pregnant or Not.

Y'all, I am pregnant, AND it's January, and my skin is...it's not good you guys. It's broken out and itchy and sad, so I've been waging war against the skin woes and thought I'd share what's working for me right now. Honestly, these are great products whether you are pregnant or not, and spring feels really far away, so let's talk skin products and makeup, shall we?

For starters, I need to slather on the face moisturizer in the winter. My skin is acne prone yet freaks out even worse if it gets dry, so measures must be taken. For daytime, I am a big fan of St. Ives Collagen Elastin. This shit is $1.59 for a tube, or you can get a huge tub for like $6. That's so cheap that I slather this stuff all over my neck and chest area in addition to my face. At night I've been using this Oil of Olay night moisturizer, which I like fine but hasn't changed my life. Same with this swirly eye cream, but I keep using it because it doesn't hurt. It's getting bitterly cold so I'm about to switch to the big guns at night--my go-to is the wildly expensive (but worth it, I swear) Bobbi Brown Extra Repair Moisture Balm. If you are prone to flaky patches on your face in winter I also recommend the Extra Soothing Balm. You just kind of press it into your skin and it protects and heals and gives you this kind of pinky, glowy thing that I can't really explain. It's nice. Is it cheap? Nope. You want cheap, stick with the St. Ives, but it's not enough for me come the dead of winter.

Confession: if science created a pill you could take that made it so you never had to apply body lotion EVER AGAIN, I would be first in line. Even if there were dubious side effects. I hate putting lotion on that much. BUT, pregnant skin is itchy, winter skin is itchy, this makes you not itchy and doesn't take so long to rub in that you want to shoot yourself: Curel Continuous Comfort Anti-Itch Lotion.It also lasts so you don't have to apply it every freaking day. I am just really lazy when it comes to body lotion.

Here is another secret: you have to pee all the time when you are pregnant. Which means washing your hands 700 times a day, which means your hands are as dry and sandpapery as an old crones. I keep this Kai lotion at my desk and every time I put it on I am told how good it smells. People walk over from other cubicles. But I got it as a gift and had no idea until this very second that it is so expensive holy crap. Still smells amazing, though. Gilt has it for a little cheaper.

I break out when I'm pregnant. A LOT. But y'all have been so sweet and complimentary of my skin, so I am going to tell you my secret: this concealer is the best I've ever found. Thank you to my makeup guru Claire (who now has a website!) for recommending it to me. It blends in so completely and totally covers red blotchy jerky zits. ARGH. I miss having half decent skin. Along those same lines, I am tired as hell and have dark circles to prove it, so Claire also made me start using this Bobbi Brown correcter and concealer combo. I know I've harped on it before, but this stuff really works. It does crease after a couple of hours, but you can kind of pat it back into place. Without this, I kind of look like consumptive Anne Hathaway, without the kicky hairdo.

To treat the acne, I like plain old Benzoyl Peroxide. Nothing added to it, no salicylic acid (which isn't recommended for pregnant women and doesn't work for me anyway). In summer I love the kit from Acne.org, which is really inexpensive, but not moisturizing enough in winter.

To go along with the zits and itchy skin, my scalp gets weird and dry and flaky. Oh pregnancy, THOU ART WONDROUS. Anyway, I've been putting just a drop or two of Argan oil on the flaky patches and it's clearing them up nicely without being super greasy.

So that's a lot of words about the stuff that just makes me socially acceptable these days. Do you have any go-to magical winter skin stuff? Do tell.

Marianne: Many Drugstore Makeups

Oh my god, I know! More makeup talk. What can I say, we are obsessed. ANYWAY, thanks to Kim France, who it is no secret Adrien and I have borderline inappropriate love for, I bought L'Oreal Voluminous False Fiber Lashes. Y'all. This stuff is gooood. So good that I took a creepy comparison picture for you, putting it up against my standby as of late, Maybelline Volum' Express The Falsies Black Drama (and yes, specifically the Black Drama, which is superior to the other versions).BEHOLD:

Top: L'Oreal False Fiber; Bottom: Maybelline The Falsies Black Drama

Okay, that picture would be a lot better if the bottom one was in focus, and if I didn't look like I wanted to murder you, but I think you get the idea. The False Fiber Lashes mascara is great stuff, and you can layer it to make it even more dramatic. It lasts all day with no smudging or fading, and it removes as easy as most any other mascara. True love, you guys.

I also continued the stalking of Kim France by ordering an old favorite, Labello lip balm. This stuff was my absolute favorite in college. I would load up (seriously, I'd buy upwards of 20 tubes) in Europe when I went in the summer (I know, I hate me too), and then I would wear it religiously all year. Now you can buy it in the States, which makes it far less insufferable and still the best lip balm ever.

Labello Classic Lip Balm

While on the subject of lip stuff, I mentioned here that I picked up a new Lip Butter. I'm generally a fan of the Revlon Lip Butters, they feel nice on and aren't a huge color commitment. For fall, I bought the Fig Jam and my first instinct was to cringe. It looked SO brown. Like, Monica and Rachel on Friends in the 90's brown. You know:

But surprise, it's very nice! Warm and glossy and fall perfection. Totally worth the $5 or whatever I spent on it. I'm wearing it in my past couple of outfit photos, if you want to see it on me.

Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter ColorBurst

So, those are my new favorite drugstore standbys. Have you guys tried the Lip Butters? What about that amazing mascara? And can one of you start a support group for Adrien and I? Kim France makes us want to Buy All The Things and it's getting embarrassing.

All The Makeups

A: Is it gross that I'm still using that Maybelline mascara you made me buy back in February? What's the rule on that?

M: Um, YES. Yes, that is gross (sorry).

A: I just keep forgetting to buy another one. It's so good! But you have shamed me and my filthy eyes. I will buy a new one.

M: Sorry! I have a thing about mascara. I replace it every two months, tops. Which reminds me, I need a new tube as well. Unrelated: I have started using this and I swear my skin is slightly less crappy already:

RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Night Cream

A: Oh, fancy! I'm still using Natalie Dee's recipe for my face - Cerave cream and Argan Oil . Good for moisture, jack shit for wrinkles and whatnot.

M: I press a little argan oil around my eyes, with a pump of this stuff:

Nip + Fab Moisture Fix

M: But the retinol is the jam.

A: Yeah, I need to get up on the retinol train. Oooh, you know what I got recently that I love? This:

Origins Rain and Shine Liptint

In Sherry Baby as recommended by Kim France who makes me want to buy things. It's minty! And basically looks like Clinique's Black Honey, but more intense. Love.

M: Oh, that is so pretty! And actually something you can buy, because usually Kim France makes me want stuff that costs a mortgage payment. I still love her for it. I've been back on the NYX tinted balm in tack, it's so perfectly nude:

NYX Color lip balm

A: I have one of those but totally bought the wrong color. I need to try a different one. So, not to be all Natalie Dee!!!1 again but I'm doing that eyeliner thing she recommended and it's amazing. AMAZING. I have this brush:

Laura Mercier eyeliner brush

Which I cannot recommend enough. Worth every penny and It works great with gel liner too. And I bought this because I didn't want to spend a million dollars on a black eye shadow I might never use again:

Rimmel Glam Eye in Smokey Noir

A: It's good! And so cheap!

M: Oooh. Yeah, as much as I love the Bobbi Brown gel eyeliner (that stuff stays put forever), I am too cheap to replace it every couple of months and it seems to dry out after that. Sadness.

A: The only issue with the eyeshadow-as-liner is that it gets in my contacts and will probably eventually blind me. Still, my liner looks great.

M: Well, we all have to make choices, Adrien.

A: I will be the prettiest blind girl ever! Just a bumbling my way around Saks, feeling up the merchandise.

M: You just want an excuse to grope...things.

A: Girl, I don't need an excuse for that.

M: ANYWAY. Now that it's fall and crap, I have defaulted to my nude eye/lip, black eyeliner routine. My favorite eyeshadow at the moment is Josie Maran, Cinnamon over the whole lid, and Iron in the crease:

A: Oh, nice! I love her packaging. I'm such a sucker for packaging.

M: It is really nice.

A: I want all the things.

M: All of them! And most of all? EYELASH EXTENSIONS. So bad.

A: OH SO MUCH. Especially since I managed to pull out half the lashes in my left eye. Still growing back.

M: Seriously, I am for sale. What salon in Knoxville wants to give me eyelash extensions?

A: Me too me too! It costs a trillion dollars here. I checked.

M: I checked too. I am super jealous because my new friend Susan said they are super cheap in Utah. WHINE!

A: UGH

M: All I want are drag queen lashes and smooth skin. That's ALL.

A: I don't think that's too much to ask.

Battle Tinted Moisturizer.

Marianne is out of town this week and my photographer is on vacation, so lucky you! You get to read my reviews of makeup. Whee.

I'd been a long-time fan of Laura Mercier's oil-free tinted moisturizer until last winter when my skin was all, "Bitch, I AM DRY." So yeah, maybe not so much with the oil-free anything. So I bought Bobbi Brown's Extra Tinted Moisturizing Balm and it was great for the dead of winter, but far too heavy for summer. Le sigh. So, off I went to Sephora where this adorable little goth girl made up some samples for me to try. (If you're local to RVA, go find her - she's great.) Here's what I tried:

Hourglass Illusion Tinted Moisturizer 
Initially, I thought this stuff was great - went on like a dream and made me look all airbrushed and wow. Then, I caught my reflection in my car's vanity mirror on a sunny day and you guys? I was sparkly like a vampire. SPARKLE FACE GIRL. This is all fine and good for a night out but I don't want my face to be a disco ball at work and whatnot. And then, there's the price. $55 is flat out ridiculous. Also, the SPF is minimal. And! It's oil free which isn't what I wanted to begin with. Still, if it didn't cost $55 I'd probably buy it to wear for evenings out.

Tarte Smooth Operator
This came highly recommended from the baby goth girl and it's pretty nice, but I wasn't over the moon. I don't have anything awful to say about it but it didn't change my life either. It's light, decent coverage, only slightly over-priced at $36 and full of supposedly awesome ingredients. It's SPF 20 (meh) and oil-free (also meh.) If someone gave me a tube of it I'd certainly use it up, but I didn't feel compelled to purchase.

Josie Maran Tinted Moisturizer
I got a sample of this because Marianne kept raving about it. It's got argan oilin it which my skin likes and SPF 30, which I like. It's $38 for a tube which is about as much as I want to pay for a TM (which is funny because Laura Mercier and Bobbi Brown both cost more. Chalk it up to makeup counter snow-blindness.) This stuff is really very nice. Good coverage, dewy finish, very moisturizing. The color range is really limited but luckily the second lightest works well for me. I went ahead and bought this and so far I'm really happy with it.

So, that was exciting, no? What are you putting on your face lately that you love?