best of drugstore beauty - makeup

Drugstore makeup aisles can be overwhelming, so I've compiled this nifty little list as a guide. I've spent entirely too many hours of my life standing there with an eye shadow in each hand just guessing which would be the better one - I don't want you to have to do the same.

Drumroll, please...

Mascara: L'Oreal Voluminous Volume Building Mascara - No one will EVER be able to tell this isn't DiorShow. I'm shocked (actually, I shouldn't be) at how many makeup artists have this in their kits. 

Blush: Neutrogena Mineral Sheers Blush in Natural Apricot - This is the drugstore equivalent of NARS Orgasm, and it works on all skin tones. Love the slight sheen it gives cheeks.

Bronzer: Milani Sunset Duos Blush and Bronzer in Sunset Strip- It's genius of Milani to put blush and bronzer in the same compact, since I like to mix the two anyway for the most naturally sunkissed look. Plus, I love how all of Milani's shades are richly pigmented so you can use less product each time. There's also a range of shades, so you can go light if you're fair, darker if you're olive or tan. 

Foundation: Maybelline Dream Liquid Mousse - Many will argue that Maybelline's forte is mascara, but I beg to differ. Almost every foundation they've ever made is amazing, and this new one is my favorite to date because it's lightweight and lets skin breathe, but offers great coverage.

Eye Liner (Pencil):  Cover Girl Outlast Smoothwear All-Day Liner - It doesn't tug your skin, stays on all day, and comes in a nice variety of shades so you can be practical with black or have fun with indigo. Did I also mention that the self-sharpening aspect is my favorite quality in an eye pencil?

Eye Liner (Liquid):  Cover Girl Line Exact Liquid Liner - CG again, girls. This is liquid liner for dummies (that would be me). With it's felt tip, drawing a straight line is not impossible, and the formula lasts pretty much all day. I love.

Eye Shadow:  Almay Intense I-Color Shadow - These little personalized shadow trios are, in my opinion, the coolest thing that Almay has ever made. Available for blue, green, hazel, and brown eyes, these take the guesswork out of finding a shade that makes your eyes pop. The colors are more vibrant than other drugstore ones, so you won't have to apply 80 layers to see the shades on your skin. 

Luminizer: Wet n Wild MegaGlo Face Illuminator - Yeah, it's dirt cheap, but have you ever noticed that most drugstore brands are lacking in the luminizer department? Wet n Wild actually has one, and it adds an impressive sheen to cheekbones and makes them seem 

sky-high.

Lip Color: Cover Girl Outlast Lipstain - This gives my lips a pretty berry tint (my favorite shade is Sassy Mauve), lasts all day, and lets my lips' natural texture show through. This is great for everyone who hates the feeling of lipstick but wants a bit more color than cherry chapstick can deliver - possibly my favorite drugstore buy of 2009 so far.

Lip Gloss: Revlon Super Lustrous Lipgloss - Go here for my glowing review: 

http://jill-hellobeautiful.blogspot.com/2009/03/most-perfect-gloss.html