40 Days and 40 Nights of Beauty Cult Classics
Day 40, Maybelline Great Lash

It mystifies me that this product winds up on every "best of" beauty product list.
It's charms elude me.
I used it for years because I was conditioned that this was the best and only mascara.
I was duped.
I am very passionate on how this product sucks.
My lashes experience no improvement with volume, length, or curl when using this product.
There is only clumps and chaos.
I have no technique and have been cursed with short stumps for lashes.
Great Lash only makes the situation worse.

Who are these fans of Great Lash? I need to hear their voices in this post because I think the "beauty powers that be" have made them up. They are like the Sasquatch of beauty junkies.
They are rumored to exist...but no one has ever seen them.

Feel free to diss or gush over this product in the comments.

40 Days and 40 Nights of Beauty Cult Classics
Day 39, Creme De La Mer Moisturizing Cream

For the most part the cult classics series has been civil and fairly drama free. We had a rough patch with the Nivea post but overall it has been a smooth ride.
There has been gushing and shared hate on almost every product reviewed.
Today that peace might be challenged.

La Mer is a dense and highly moisturizing cream. It was created by aerospace physicist Dr. Max Huber to treat his own burns. The cream is created through a 3-4 month bio-fermentation process and is nutrient rich. The ingredients range from sea kelp to citrus oil.

Combining basic ingredients with the fermentation process created a Miracle broth that they instantly trademarked.
This is not a whisper light cream but more like a blood curdling scream. The texture is heavy, yet not imposing. You want to spread this one with a spatula. In fact a very tiny doll-like one is included in the package.

It is rumored that Kate Moss uses this cream all over her body as a lotion. That is a true diva-like extravagance. I imagined that it would be the best lotion that money could buy. At first I thought it was all hype. It was wonderful but not holy grail worthy. I tested other products and fell in and out of love like Brett Michaels of VH1's Rock of Love.
It is only after years of blogging and testing that I realize and appreciate the product.
It is the most serious moisturizer on the market.

I reach for the jar every time the Ohio climate attacks my skin. Dry issues melt away when I use La Mer. I have seen flakes disappear after the first application.
Skin sensitivities are soothed and coddled with this cream.

To apply La Mer requires reading the instructions. You really must warm the cream in your hands for at least one minute. It sounds silly but it works. It just like butter from the fridge. You need to let it warm to room temperature before buttering your bread or you will "pierce the toast."

To use La Mer requires a serious amount of coin.
1 oz retails for $125, 2 oz for $220 and 16.5 oz is a whopping $1,350.
But the numbers are not as shocking as they once were.
Today serums and eye creams go for twice that amount in the 1 oz size.

Let me know what you think of La Mer in the comments. Share your love or hate.

Credit: Blogdorf Goodman

Disclosure: A press sample of this product was provided by La Mer. I also have purchased this at my local La Mer counter.

40 Days and 40 Nights of Beauty Cult Classics
Day 38, Lancome's Erika F

I feel that I might have said all that can be said on the merits of Lancome's Erika F.
How much more can the readers take of the swooning and gushing over this eyeshadow?
But there is no way I can ignore this shadow in the cult series.
It is a cult classic in every sense of the word.
It is discontinued in the states but available in Europe under the number G40 Erika F-133.
It sells for serious money on Ebay.
It is heartbreakingly lovely and creates the most spectacular smoky eyes you will ever witness.
Erika F is a dirty olive/mushroom shade. One moment Erika F is a mouse brown and then it evaporates into a green tinged smoke.
The effect is unique and quite breathtaking.

The texture is cashmere like. It feels like no other formula.
It glides on like silk and lasts for hours.
Erika F is a must have in any beauty junkie's arsenal.
It is damn perfect.

Tell us what you think of Erika F in the comments.

Credit: Blogdorf Goodman
Disclosure: Beauty Addict gifted me this Lancome gem.

40 Days and 40 Nights of Beauty Cult Classics
Day 37, Lush's Silky Underwear Dusting Powder

This is the only body powder I use.
It is exceptional due to the quality of the powder and scent. The texture is velvet-like with a heavenly scent of jasmine and vetivert oil.
This is the most moisturizing powder I have ever tried. The chunks of cocoa butter add even more depth to the talc-free formula. It manages to blend into the skin quickly with no streaks. The only complaint I have is that the container has large holes so the chances of an accident is quite high. Applying with a powder puff is the best way.

What makes this product a cult classic?

Back in the day Lush stores were hard to find. In fact if you read on MUA that someone was going to Canada you were instantly paging them for a custom purchase. Today life is better with Lush stores popping up in malls all over the US.

Sily Underwear is a mixture of high quality and affordability. It retails for $11.25 and is available at Lush.com

Tell me what you think of Silky Underwear in the comments.

Credit: Amazon

Disclosure: I purchased this at the Lush store in NYC.

40 Days and 40 Nights of Beauty Cult Classics
Day 36, Chanel Black Satin

Black Satin was created to replicate the depth and shine of black satin ribbons. It is a raven glossy black with just a light sprinkle of silverish shimmer.
After the sucess of Vamp, Chanel did not have another massive nail polish hit until Black Satin. Black nails were already being worn by many but Chanel managed to make it legit. After the launch, everyone was wearing black nails from the young starlets led by Lindsay Lohan to Eva Longoria.
Black was the "it" shade.
As with every "it' anything...the gushing and swooning ceases.
Black Satin was soon replaced by the popular Navy Satin. Navy was a huge color trend for fall nails. Navy polishes could be found in Zoya, Christian Dior, OPI and Sally Hansen collections.
I can only imagine what Chanel has in store for us for fall.
Will we be losing our minds over Gray Satin?
Or will it be British Racing Green?

Let us know what you think of black satin in the comments. Also tell us what you think will be the next color trend for nails.


Credits: ribbon information from an article By Lesley Jane Seymour in The New York Times Published: October 16, 2006
Disclosure: I purchased this nail polish at my local Chanel counter

40 Days and 40 Nights Of Beauty Cult Classics
Day 35, Chanel Vamp Nail Polish

The whole dark nail trend can trace it's beginnings backstage at a Chanel show. The makeup artist had previously done a pre-show shoot with models sporting black nails created by a magic marker. The shade created a buzz. For the runway show, the makeup artist mixed a batch of almost black nail polish for 45 models.
Vamp and the waiting list was born.
Finding a bottle in the USA was an impossible task back in 1994.
The polish was a huge financial success for Chanel with sales rumored to exceed one million.
The shade spawned countless dupes and ushered in the era of fashion nail polish.

Vamp was my college nail shade.
I would wear 3 to 4 coats to achieve the rich black glossy shade. It would look like black cherry in the sun.

Tell me your thoughts on Chanel Vamp nail polish in the comments.

Credits: Melanie Parker,yahoo, youtube, and information from Color Stories by Mary Lisa Gavenas.

40 Days and 40 Nights of Beauty Cult Classics
Day 34, Bobbi Brown's Chocolate Palette

"If you are not feeling well, if you have not slept, chocolate will revive you. But you have no chocolate! I think of that again and again! My dear, how will you ever manage?" - Marquise de Sévigné

The Bobbi Brown Chocolate Eye Palette was my first dip into the BB world. I was going through a heavy MAC and Nars phase.
I always skipped my local Bobbi Brown counter because it looked boring and safe. I was not ready for the life of neutrals.
I wanted to be a Nars girl forever.

My friend Shawn was the one that encouraged me to cave on the Chocolate Palette.
He felt that it would be a great addition to my shadow collection since I did not own one brown shade.
The palette contains workhorse shades called Bone, Caramel Toffee Shimmer Wash, Frappe, Champagne Truffle Shimmer Wash, Cacao Shimmer Wash, Stone and Chocolate. I hit pan with Bone and Cacao Shimmer Wash.
This small step into browns created a lemming monster.
Today I have a huge drawer filled with neutrals.

"Love is like swallowing hot chocolate before it has cooled off. It takes you by surprise at first, but keeps you warm for a long time." - Anonymous

That is what I feel about Bobbi Brown and brown eyeshadows. You resist them...but they managed to win your heart in the end.
Let me know what you think of the palette in the comments.

Credit: Blogdorf Goodman

Disclosure: I purchased this palette at my local Bobbi Brown counter.

40 Days and 40 Nights of Beauty Cult Classics
Day 33, MAC's Parrot Eyeshadow

You can not have a beauty cult classic project and not include the famous MAC Parrot.
Parrot is a legend among beauty products.
This is a tealish eyeshadow that has managed to sell out twice and fetch three figures on Ebay. Patti aka Cavewoman had to swap a boatload of products to gift me Parrot. I joke that she had to swap a grandchild.
Parrot is not exactly a neutral or safe color.
It is a rich peacock blue.
A teal shade with oomph.

Parrot is surprisingly workable for all it's intensity and power. It looks amazing with browns, golds and greens. I generally use it as a crease shade or as a liner.
Many Specktra and MUA members have created looks that are just spellbinding.
I am constantly amazed at it's beauty and versatility.

The texture and pigment power is above average.
It has a velvet-like feel.

MAC relaunched Parrot in the Originals collection. My local MAC counter quickly sold out of it. So far I have not spotted anyone in Youngstown sporting this eyeshadow. I have a horrible habit of making a scene when someone is wearing Parrot. I make a fuss worthy of the Beatles. I gush and ask 1000 questions.
Parrot just makes me lose my mind.

There are many dupes of Parrot. I own Shu Uemura's ME Blue 638. This is a fairly close shade but lacks Parrot's glow.

Tell me what you think of Parrot in the comments. Also list any dupes that come to mind.

Credit: Blogdorf Goodman
Disclosure: Parrot was a gift frpm Cavewoman. She swapped a lot of stuff to get it for me!

40 days and 40 Nights of Beauty Cult Classics
Day 32,Lancome's Color Design lipstick in Behnaz

The "Behnaz lippie" cult is rather small.
Only a smart and quick few managed to snag this lippie when it was launched by Lancome. There was a very limited amount produced and availability was only at specific Lancome boutiques. There was little fuss or gushing except for a great blurb in Allure. They were the only ones that predicted that this lippie was going to make us all lose our minds.

This is what sprang Patti aka Cavewoman into action. She began cold calling the boutiques. There was none to be had within 24 hours of it's launch date.
Many Lancome counters had no clue what we were talking about except Saks's Lancome counter in Beachwood Mall. The manager stated that they ceased keeping a tally of the number of inquiries.

This is a lippie that could have been a massive star.
Instead Behnaz is a cult classic that only a few can boast owning.

How did I come to own it?
Well...I begged.


Dear Lancome,

You might not be aware that your hard to find, limited edition Behnaz lipstick went for over a $100 on Ebay. It appears to be worth every penny based on these pictures from the Behnaz show. I will never know the joy of this lipstick. It was gone before I could get my hands on it. I have been trying to get over this.
I have plenty of lovely red lipsticks.
But this one is haunting me.
Just look at it.
It is magnificent.

Why do you discontinue the stuff I love? Do you want to break my heart? Do you enjoy watching me pine away for things I can not have?

I know that you are not cruel.
You brought back my holy grail fragrance 2000 et une Rose.
So...I have decided to beg.
Bring back the Behnaz.
Make my perfect red lippie dream come true.

I posted this shameless begging on October 26 2007.
Lancome heard my plea and sent a tube overnight.
I was floored and delighted.
Contrary to the NYTimes, this lippie was not sent out to dozens of bloggers.
It went out to only one.
And that one is very smitten with her tube.

Behnaz is the perfect shade of poppy red.
It is not exactly blue based but is not exactly orange based either.
It applies like silk and lasts all day with minimal touch-ups.
Behnaz's magic begins once it is applied on the lips.
It is transforming.
Behnaz lights up the lips like a spotlight.
It glows from within.


From March 15th 2007: Behnaz is the holy grail of red lippies. I realized it's power when I brought it to my local Saks. This tube was treated like a movie star. MAC's Parrot never saw this kind of fuss or excitement.
That little tube brought joy to everyone that saw it that afternoon.
It also did a star turn in the big apple. I brought the tube for Tbone's final approval.
Tbone knows her red lipsticks. It is one of her many gifts.
I was actually nervous when I got the Behnaz out for Tbone to try. I felt like a stage mother prepping the tube and discussing its talents.
We both decided to wear it that day.
Tbone proclaimed it superior to all others and gave it a few "damns", which is the highest form of rave.
If Tbone says "Damn"....then its a hit.
I lost count of her damns that day.

This lippie is damnworthy and swoonworthy.
It is worth every gush and swoon.
This is my favorite cult classic.

Credits: Blogdorf Goodman

Disclosure: A press sample of this product was provided by Lancome

40 Days and 40 Nights of Beauty Cult Classics
Day 31, OPI's Rainforest by Michelle Mismas from
All Lacquered Up - A Polish Fanatic's Resource

http://www.alllacqueredup.com/

As with any cult classic, it starts with a small group of fanatics and builds from there. When it comes to green nail polish I am most definitely a fan and OPI’s Rainforest is a rock star. Back when the MUA Nail Board was young the original “green queens” included DQ2, Giggles, SpeakerPunk and myself. We were passionate about our love of green polish yet hard pressed to find a truly great shade. And then came Rainforest. It appeared as just a bottle pic on the board but that was all we needed to begin the hunt. Somehow it has snowballed into a phenomenon that can only be outdone by the frenzy Chanel Black Satin caused last year. The only difference, Rainforest has staying power.

Even for girls that aren’t into green polish, this emerald sparkler has become a holy grail and sought after shade. There is something about a genuine jewel tone that draws people in. You imagine matching it to your ring, a bracelet, your sweater, etc. and once you see it on the nail, you fall in love. It is one of the beloved discontinued OPIs that sparked the “dusty hunting” trend; the practice of stalking old (dusty) nail shops in the hopes of discovering a hidden gem. It’s your only hope for avoiding the eBay scalpers and their ridiculous prices. I was fortunate to score my bottle at a local nail shop for only $3. It was used but no less loved.

Unfortunately the history of Rainforest is murky. The collection it came from is unknown. There were hopes that the OPI anniversary book would solve that mystery but alas, we are left to wonder how and when it came to be. If anyone knows the origin story, please share.

Credit: Michelle Mismas

40 Days and 40 Nights of Beauty Cult Classics
Day 30 , Donna Karan Chaos

I am unable to review this fragrance. I have never tried it. It was long gone by the time I arrived on MUA's perfume boards. It was already a fragrance legend in the league of Catherine Deneuve. These bottles went for outrageous prices on Ebay and inspired dupes.
The old timers gushed over Chaos's smoke and woody charms. The newbies had to make do with Black Cashmere.
It is theorized that the notes in Chaos range from saffron to patchouli. Most fans can agree on the notes of cinnamon, incense, amber and woods.

What makes this discontinued fragrance a cult classic?

Last year a fellow muaer posted that she found a bottle of Chaos in her local TJ Maxx. The fragrance board had a visible meltdown.
There was congratulations, disbelief, envy and greed in that brief post.
That next week, all of us combed our TJ Maxx for Chaos bottles. None of us were successful.
To this day, we all still look.
It is like finding a Birkin bag at Goodwill or a Tiffany lamp at a garage sale....it ain't gonna happen.
But you still hope and dream for that big score.

If you have been blessed with sniffing Chaos let us know in the comments. Let us know what we are missing.

Credit: Style.com

40 days and 40 Nights Of Beauty Cult Classics
Day 29 , Hard Candy's Sky

David Letterman is known for inquiring about a star's fragrance. Letterman has complimented Jennifer Lopez, Julia Roberts and Mia Farrow on their scents.
One night, over a decade ago, he complimented a young starlet named Alicia Silverstone on her toe color.
She stated that it was Sky by a company called Hard Candy.
The polish and company became an overnight sensation.

Dineh Mohajer created Sky to match a baby blue platform sandal that she adored. She mixed several nail polishes together to create the perfect sky blue shade. Little did she know that she would create a successful business and a nail polish cult classic. Hard Candy revolutionized the nail polish industry. The Hard Candy team made it cool and profitable to create and wear hip shades. Urban Decay and Revlon's Street Wear line all followed the HC trend. There might not have been a Chanel Black Satin if not for Hard Candy's Sky paving the way.
Sephora relaunched the Hard Candy classic shades and once again Sky has managed to sell out.

That is amazing.

Tell us what you think in the comments.

Credit: An Alicia Silverstone fan site

40 Days and 40 Nights of Beauty Cult Classics
Day 28,Smith's Rosebud Salve

Rosebud Salve has been around since 1892 and is often lauded as a cult classic by the magazines. It is a multi-functional lip balm. It is supposed to help with chapped skin, blemishes, diaper rash and detergent burn.

I have never had good luck with this can. It seems to accelerate the flake issue on my lips. The texture and feel is similar to Vaseline.

In fact the can lists the ingredients as cotton seed oil, aromol with essential oils blended in a special petrolatum base.

It is thick and kinda goopy.
Rosebud gives the lips just a tinge of color and a dollop of shine. The price ranges from $6-$7 and it can be found at your local Anthropologie store.

What do you think of Rosebud Salve? Do you think it is worthy of cult status or is it overhyped?

How does it fare in comparison to Kiehls?

Let us know in the comments.

Disclosure: I purchased this can at my local Anthropologie store.

40 Days and 40 Nights of Beauty Cult Classics
Day 27, MAC's Naked Lunch Eye Shadow

Naked Lunch qualifies as a "workhorse shade". It manages to work with various eye shadow combinations and just makes your eye lids look better.

Naked Lunch is a gleaming champagne color. It is a neutral that subtly flashes peach. The popularity might be based on its restorative powers. It might look unassuming in the pan but this shadow can make the most tired eyes look bright and refreshed. It is like a mini-eye lift.

Naked Lunch never inspires passion in a beauty junkie. There is no swooning or gushing. We just take advantage of the fact that it exists. We never worry of discontinuation or hoard extra pans. We might secretly say that it resembles Stila's Kitten, but we are never without it in our makeup collection. If this shadow would ever be on the MAC chopping block there would be panic and disorder on MUA and at your local MAC counter.
I know I would begin the hoarding process.

What do you think of Naked Lunch? Let us know in the comments.

Credit: Blogdorf Goodman

Disclosure: I purchased Naked Lunch at my local MAC counter.

40 Days And 40 Nights Of Beauty Cult Classics
Day 26, Benetint by Ceil aka Tussah

Benefit’s bene tint is a cheek and lip tint that gives you a perfectly natural rose colored glow. Sheer, but tinted with a shade somewhere between rose and blood red, it is easily applied with the nailpolish-like brush that comes with it. For me it never applies as splotches or streaks like some lip and cheek stains. Just a few dots on the cheeks will blend perfectly with your natural blush color. Used alone on the cheeks and lips it can give you an innocent but sexy look.



I tend to use bene tint along with my other blushes. I am fair skinned and have red in all of the wrong places. I also have very pale lips naturally. So….often instead of just using the bene tint alone….I will use it as my “first-layer” and then apply my other blush on top. I also use it as my lip stain and then apply my gloss or lipstick on top. Then as the day wears on I still have a nice but natural color showing if any of my makeup wears off.

For me this product definitely has justification for cult status….How do you use it and feel about it?

Benetint is priced at $28 and is available at Sephora.

Credit: Blogdorf Goodman
Disclosure: This product was purchased by Ceil.

40 days and 40 Nights of Beauty Cult Classics
Day 25, MAC Kitschmas Pigment

Kitschmas is a silverish lilac pigment that gives just a subtle dose of frozen violet shimmer.
This popular pigment has a slightly chunky and grainy texture. This means that the wearer has to deal with serious fallout issues. Many MUA members recommend mixing medium and MAC paints to help minimize any messes.

This pigment was relaunched in the Originals collection along with the famous Parrot. Both did not survive long at the counters.

At one point this pigment went for over 100 dollars on Ebay...

Was it worth the hype? Or does it pale in comparison to other MAC pigments.

Let us know in the comments.

Credit: Blogdorf Goodman

40 days and 40 Nights of Beauty Cult Classics
Day 24, Nars Dolce Vita Lipstick by Leah aka Griffie

When Annie asked me to write about Nars Dolce Vita for forty days and forty nights I had to say yes. I love a good lipstick, and Nars is my favorite makeup line. Nars is particularly well known for its matte red lippies, which will be discussed briefly and for two cult classic “lippie” colors, Gipsy and Dolce Vita.

I have seen Dolce Vita (DV) described as mauve, red, and pink. To my eye Dolce Vita is a warm, corally, fleshy pink. The Nars website describes it as “dusty rose”. DV is not an exciting color, but it is a work horse, a no brainer, an "I look this beautiful naturally" color. It is a sheer color, with no shine, distinguishing it from its color twin, Clinique Guava Stain. I have yet to meet the girl that DV does not look good on.

Dolce Vita wears through several cups of coffee, which I find to be satisfactory wear, it only takes a second to touch up after all. In my experience it is not drying, but it is not particularly emollient either. So if your lips are dry, put on a bit of chapstick first. When DV wears it wears evenly. Nothing bothers me more than visible lip line (vll). Seriously, when I see those little lipstick rings on women it is all I can do not to pass them a jar of Vaseline. VLL is an epidemic, but that is another story for another time.

Packaging is the typical Nars packaging. I tend to agree with everyone else that the matte black rubber is beautiful at first, velvety and soothing. However, it is a dirt magnet, and the matte finish wears off and the casing starts to look like it is in the peeling stage of sunburn.

Now, I said I would touch on Nars’ red lippies. The Nars matte reds are cult classics in and off themselves. They are part of what I call the Viva Glam revolution, remember the RuPaul ad campaign? Nars makes some of the best reds in the style of Viva Glam, but I find the look to be a little tired at this point so…

Dolce Vita is a classic because it works for so many women. It is easy to wear, and always looks appropriate. In the tube it is not a life changer, but once you have it you will never be without it. It adapts itself to a variety of blushes and eye shadows. It is the cashmere hoodie of the lipstick world and every girl should have a cashmere hoodie.

Disclosure: This product was purchased by the reviewer, Griffie.

40 Days and 40 Nights Of Beauty Cult Classics
Day 23, Shu Uemura's Eyelash Curler

Once upon a time there was a girl with short, stubby and lackluster lashes.
She dreamed of having lashes that held a curl and were fabulous.
She went through life suffering the indignities that short lash people go through. The girl knew that one day a dashing gay man would come and make her lashes sweep to the heavens.
As fate would have it, she met her "Lash Godmother" while wandering the beauty floor at Barneys in New York City. She loitered at the various makeup stalls looking for an answer or a cure.
A young dashing man at the Shu Uemura counter took one look at her and felt inspiration.
He was about to make all her dreams come true.
He snapped her lashes in a medieval looking device called an eyelash curler.
Little did the girl know that this is what Shu was known and famous for.

When he finally produced a mirror the girl was startled to see lashes that resemble fans. They swept upwards to the angels and the saints in the sky.

The curl was tight and secure.
The girl was so grateful that she whipped out her credit card and bought every product used in her transformation.

Today the girl attempts to replicate that magical moment every day in front of her mirror. She stuffs her cursed lashes into the contraption and gives a good squeeze.
The girl has never achieved the results and magic of that fateful day at Barneys but her lashes are not as sad and frumpy.

Have you had magical moments with the Shu Eye Lash Curler? Or do you think it is all hype?

Let us know in the comments.

Credit: Shu Uemura

http://www.shuuemura-usa.com/

The Curler retails for $19

Disclosure: This product was purchased by me at the Barneys cosmetic floor.

40 Days and 40 Nights of Beauty Cult Classics
Day 22, Armani Maestro Mascara by Koneko from Koneko's "Mostly" Beauty Diary

Visit her blog @ http://beautydiary.blogspot.com/

Armani Maestro...

Your first love. Hard to get over. Sometimes it can ruin many a future would-be love. Well, in my case, the comb mascara from Stephane Marais fits that description to perfectly. I've never been able to find a mascara that gets to the base of every single lash, separates, lengthens, and doesn't smudge. But then it was gone.

Many a worthy and admirable mascara has come my way, with perfectly wonderful attributes, but not all of the above. But when I learned that my favorite cosmetics line, Armani, was coming out with a mascara with a comb wand, hope was reborn! I predicted that Armani + comb mascara = perfection! Obviously, a lot of other people thought so as well, as it has become a cult classic. I already loved Armani Star Lash mascara. This glorious product gives my thin, puny, stick straight lashes a curvy volume I never dreamed possible. In fact, it would be my holy grail, except it smudges on me after a few hours. So I did have some anxiety about Maestro smudging..

The Maestro has 4 combs on the wand. The teeth are perfectly spaced so there aren't wide gaps to create huge goopy blobs of mascara on your lashes. They are also the right depth, so that they capture an appropriate amount of mascara from the tube. It deposits just the perfect amount on your lashes, and there is enough time between application and drying of the mascara to get the lashes the way you want them. You're not tugging through mascara that has dried too quickly. It also doesn't take forever to dry either.

My results were a lengthening and defined effect. Not too much volume for a volumizing mascara. No curl (but not touted to do so.)
The combs: I love the actual construction of each comb. As above, it's a more precise took than traditional brushes. But I am not too keen on 4 vs. 1, With a 1 comb design, I could easily get the lower lashes and the base of my lashes. I can never do that with a regular mascara wand or with the 4-comb deisgn, due to the architecture of my eyes. I have to pull my eyelid back or scrunch up my face, or twist my head a certain way-- yes, not very elegant, and that's why I like the single comb!!! And yes, it smudged. (but almost everything, even waterproof smudges on me)

I was in denial for several weeks. I tried to make this work. I really did. If anyone was going to fill the Marais void, it had to be Armani! But when the "time to replace" deadline came up, Armani went out the door.

Bottom Line:
Pluses: formula consistency, comb construction, great definition, precision, smooth application onto lash, length of time to dry, nice lengthening
Minuses: smudging factor, 4 combs vs. 1 comb, not too much oopmh

P.S. I've gotten over the Marais. But I do need to go back to Japan. I didn't realize they had a lot more single-combed mascaras there. And after all, that's where they made Marais!

Credit: Armani
Graphic: Melanie Parker
Disclosure: This product was purchased by the reviewer.

40 Days and 40 Nights of Beauty Cult Classics
Day 21, Bare Minerals ID in Queen Tiffany by Bare Escentuals

Our local Bare Escentuals store is always "a push and shove fest" on Saturdays. There are crowds surrounding the eyeshadows.
I believe that BE produces some of the best shimmer shadows on the market. The shadows have pigment strength that rivals MAC but their shimmer qualities can not be beat. They have a wide range of shades that are artfully placed on cake stands. They look like macaroons waiting to be devoured.

Queen Tiffany has a devoted following on MUA. I decided to cave because of the 40 day series and my current fascination with browns.
I am still on the fence with Queen Tiffany after three weeks of solid testing. The shadow gets high marks for pigment,texture and staying power. The shimmer factor is subtle. Queen Tiffany appears cool in the container but warms up on the lid. It is a warm brown shade that flashes copper.
However, the shade is not unique. I can get the same effects with MAC Coco and Coco Beach Pigment. Coco Beach is more metallic. I also found it similar to Shu Uemura's ME Gold 390 shadow.

What do you think? Is it all hype or is it the best brown shadow?
Let me know in the comments.

Credit: Blogdorf Goodman
Graphic: Melanie Parker
http://www.bareescentuals.com/

Disclosure: I purchased this shadow from my local Bare Escentuals store.