Most of the time, you don’t really think about your eyebrows.  They tend to be some of the most neglected hairs on your body. But if they don’t look great, then it can really affect how you look.

You are asking yourself, and how do you know that Glinda?

Because for my sister’s wedding almost ten years ago, I had the bright idea of tweezing my eyebrows for the big day, as I was the maid of honor.   I am actually blessed with really good eyebrows that need minimal upkeep, but for some reason, I decided more upkeep equaled better upkeep, and began tweezing away.  And tweezing away some more.  Just to even it out, you know?

Now, forever immortalized in her wedding pictures are my sparse, very thin brows that remind me of when guys half-heartedly grow those moustaches that are all thin and scraggly.  You know the ones I’m talking about. But, these happened to be above my eyes.  You can imagine how not flattering that was.

If only I had access back then to this kit by Bare Escentuals, the trauma could have been averted. 

Instead of using pencil, which I have never bothered using because I always thought it looked fake, (or at the very least, required great skill not to look fake) this kit uses a brush and powder to help you fill in, shape, and make the most of your brows.  Also included is brow gel to tame those unruly strays. 

I wouldn’t say that this is for everyday use, but from what I hear, it can get a bit addicting because you see how fab you look with it, so you want to use it for more than just special occasions. Like all Bare Escentuals products, it comes in a nice array of different shades to complement all skin colors.

You know, there are just some days when a mom just can’t wash her  hair.  I’m thinking back to that haze of infancy when most of the time, going to the bathroom alone is a major accomplishment, much less a full-fledged shower.  Many were the times when I went out without washing my hair, and usually a baseball cap would do the trick.  It didn’t look very good, but at least no one could see my dirty hair.

Back in the day, and I mean waaay back in the college days, I used to use baby powder.  I could get away with it because I have blonde hair, but after a while it looked awful and it didn’t help at all to fix the “flat” look at the roots.  

But that was a long time ago, and technology has luckily come to our rescue in the form of dry shampoos.

One of the best out there is Klorane Dry Oat Shampoo.

It uses the natural absorbency of oats to get the impurities out of your hair, and it gives your hair that little extra “lift” that it has when it is clean.

It has a pleasant smell that is light years ahead of baby powder, and the only minus against is the size of the bottle, which is on the small side.

However, we shall cross our fingers and hope that your non-showering days will be few and far between.

Blue skies ahead! Or, at least until it stops snowing and raining and whatnot.

Blue is one of the hottest colors in makeup this spring.

Unfortunately, it tends to make many women flash back to the ultra-bright blue eyeshadow that Barbie sported oh so many years ago.

But what has changed is that the new pigments, while still retaining color, are more subtle and much more wearable than ye olde neon aqua of yore.  

I have always seen makeup as a way to stay on trend in a fairly cheap way without breaking the bank.  So, experiment a little!  Navy nail polish, a soft blue eye shadow, or a pop of blue eyeliner can complement almost any shade of skin or eye color.   Spring is a good time to try something new, and why not do it with some blue?

Here are some of the best blues out there.

OPI Yoga-ta Get This Blue! is perfect for those toes!

Dior Vernis Laquer in Poison Blue is based on Dior’s popular Poison Blue perfume, and it is beeyotiful.

Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil in Deviant is one of the best out there.  The blue is intense without screaming “Hi, I’m blue eyeliner!” and it goes on like buttah.  Great for blue or brown eyes.

Urban Decay Eye Shadows  in (from right to left) Goddess, Strip, and Mary Jane.  Trust me, they look much more intense in the picture than they will on your eyes.  Easy to blend and very soft in color, there is a slight shimmer to these shadows, just so you know.   

Now if there is one thing I like in a makeup product, it is that the stuff doesn’t wear off.  I hate applying makeup in the morning and by noon looking like I never even bothered.   Because I did bother, and it bothers me that it’s not there anymore.  Ha, I could go on forever like this, but I’ll spare you and stop.

In fact, the recent big lipgloss trend was duly ignored by me, as I saw it as something practical only for twentysomethings who had the ability to check themselves in the mirror every twenty minutes.  So not me and my current lifestyle.

So I was excited to hear that Stila (me likey some Stila, for sure) has come out with yet another multipurpose item.

It’s called Cherry Crush Lip and Cheek Stain.  It differs from the compact I highlighted a while ago in that it is not a cream-based product.  No sirree, a stain is meant to do exactly what it implies, which is leave pigment behind.  It can be layered or used by itself.  If used by itself, it will look very matte, without even a hint of shine.  It’s all about the color.  So if you want shimmer or shine, you’re going to have to add it yourself.

The most unique thing about this product is that according to Stila, it reacts to each person’s particular pH level and produces a different color on everyone.  How cool is that? 

Two caveats, though.  The first being that it smells and tastes like cherries, so if you don’t like cherries, it probably isn’t a good idea to put this right under your nose.  Second, this is a click pen and sometimes with the click pens it can be difficult to get exactly the right amount of product on the brush.

Those aside, I still think the product rocks and I’m going to get it for myself this weekend.

Have I mentioned that I’m a bit of a makeup junkie? 

Somehow I’m guessing you already knew that.

*Weekend Update: I went to Sephora on Sunday and they were SOLD OUT!  Argh! However, my sister and I did try the sample, and it looked like it does indeed change color on different people, although not by a whole lot.  What I will recommend is the staying power!  This stuff does NOT come off without a makeup remover.  And, it didn’t seem drying to me at all.

Because we are all about the ability to quickly apply makeup, whether it be in the car prior to a PTA meeting or in the bathroom while a preschooler is complaining that the tag on their clothing is suddenly bothering them, I present:

The ultimate multitasking makeup, NARS The Multiple in Orgasm.  You can apply this shimmery peachy-pink anywhere you need color.  The color is perfect for spring/summer and works well with many skin tones. Cheeks, lips, eyes, decolletage, it has it all covered.   

It’s a leeetle pricey, but if you tend not to wear a lot of makeup, you could definitely get your money’s worth out of this product by using it as your main color source in multiple areas.

And let’s just agree that we will never let our kids know the name of it, OK? At least not until they’re in college or something.

Getting the Munchkin up and ready for school in the morning is probably the most rushed part of my day.  And as much as I would like to simply show up at the classroom door (we have to sign them in and out) looking like I just rolled out of bed, I can’t seem to bring myself to do it.  I do have a certain amount of pride, you know.

One of the best products I have found to ensure that I look like death only slightly warmed over is the Convertible Color Compact from Stila.   This handy mirrored compact comes in four flattering shades, and it is a lipstick and blush in one.  I use Camellia, and I do want to warn you that the colors look harsher inside the compact than they do on your skin.

I can’t tell you how many times I have looked in the mirror, muffled my scream of horror, and applied this stuff judiciously.  Voila!  Presentable in less than two minutes!