Do you remember my Sponge Skincare giveaway? I’ve been using Sponge’s Gel Basiliko since then and I have to say: I’m in love. It’s not exactly a Daily Deal, as it does cost $65, but I’m estimating that one bottle could last you about a year.

I’ve never been a skin product junkie. My sister kindly informed me when she was up visiting a couple weekends ago that my skin, while in general good, should be more moisturized and tended to since I could wrinkle easily later. What! She scared me into getting on the skincare train. (Although there’s nothing a little Botox can’t fix—not now, of course, but talk to me when I’m 45.)

I have seen huge improvements in my skin just using this gel for about two weeks each morning and night. The skin around my eyes is much tighter, as is the skin on my forehead where I had a few faint frown lines. I also put some on my neck and around my nose/mouth. It’s so moisturizing, but it doesn’t irritate my skin or cause break-outs. That’s a big plus, since my skin tends to get very irritated when I use heavy lotions or creams.

Well, first step down, a few more to go. My sister’s nightly skincare routine took her 30 minutes and mine takes 5, so I guess I need to up the ante. Now I just have to find the perfect daily moisturizer with SPF. The hunt is on!

RAINY DAY GIVEAWAY

Last week I blogged about my awesome eyelashes from Napoleon Perdis’ mascara and now you can win some Napoleon products for yourself! Yay! 

GIVEAWAY DETAILS

Win free products from Napoleon Perdis!

HOW TO ENTER

• Leave a comment on this post!

You can enter this giveaway until Sunday, May 16 at midnight.

The winner will be randomly selected and announced Monday, May 17!

This morning I tried out an eyeshadow and a mascara that Napoleon Perdis sent me to test. I’m an admitted skeptic when it comes to cosmetics: I know what I like and I’ve used the same products for years. I also have a predictable routine that revolves around eyeliner, mascara…and not much else.

Although the eyeshadow (below, $22) was more bright than I usually wear, I liked the texture and the color consistency from packaging to eyes. (Nothing makes me more angry than a highly pigmented shadow that goes on clear.)

But, it was the mascara (below, $25) that really won me over. Their Mesmer-Eyes Mascara (cute name) initially applied a bit goopy, but once I brushed it through, my eye lashes (as you can see in the picture) were just insane. So long, in fact, that they kept hitting my sunglasses this morning. I got asked by a stranger if I was wearing fake eyelashes. Insanity!

I still have a few Napoleon products to try and a fun giveaway coming up too, so keep watching! :)

If you, like me, are tired and showing it, this eyeshadow will help. It won’t solve the dark circles and it won’t wake you up the same way coffee will, but it will make your face look a little brighter and your eyes a little more sparkly. And sometimes that’s really all you need to make it through the next hour and the hour after that.

Almay Intense i-Color Eyeshadow, $5

This past weekend, Brandon and I hunkered down, built a living room fort and watched nearly 9 hours of Lord of the Rings. It was amazing, it was tiring, it was snack-crazy.

One of the things I noticed during this insane marathon was how amazing Liv Tyler’s makeup and hair looked. I mean, I know she was supposed to be uber-elf and all, but the makeup is easy to translate into a real-life, non-elf look.

• Maybelline Dream Matte Mousse Foundation, $7 - A matte foundation is the key to this look, but the mousse texture won’t cause dryness or flaking. Use all over the face: especially under the eyes.
• Mark Get Bright Hook-Up Highlighter, $6 - Apply highlighter to the apples of your cheeks, add a dot on your chin and put liberally on your brow bone too.
• Studio Gear “In a Pinch” Cheek Stain, $15 - For a naturally rosy-cheeked look, put a few dabs right on top of the highlighter and make sure to blend into skin before it sets. Warm the tube in your hands before applying to help with blending.
• Revlon 12-Hour Colorstay Quad, $6 - Apply a light layer of the darkest color in the quad right along the lash line with a small brush. Smudge it right into the upper lashes. You want to enhance your natural lash line with creating an actual line (as you would with eyeliner). Now, focus on the lightest color in the quad. Apply that all over the eyelid, all the way up to the brow bone. Make sure to get some on the inner and outer corners of the eyes.
• Bare Escentuals “Glimpse” Eyeshadow, $13 - Use a tiny bit of this just on your eyelid itself. And by tiny, I mean tiny. No crazy shimmer action. You want the eyes to look as though you aren’t wearing any eye makeup. The annoying thing about doing this is that once you start trying to make it look like you aren’t wearing any, the more you have to use. Anyway, just use a little bit!
• Cover Girl Outlast Lipstain in Everbloom, $9 - Cover Girl Lipstain is my favorite brand of stain. It stays for hours and is true to the packaging color. If you find your lips are getting too dry, just layer on some clear balm like Carmex.
• Maybelline Define-A-Lash Mascara in Brownish Black, $7 - This mascara is great. It defines and lengthens without clumping and using a brown color will make your lashes look naturally long instead of mascara-laden.

I’ve stolen lots of makeup ideas from movies, like Jennifer Aniston’s look in The Break-Up. (Horrible movie, great makeup.)

Any movie makeup that you’ve tried to copy or copied successfully?

When I do my makeup with winged eyeliner on my eyes, I always get questions (sometimes from complete strangers) on how I do it.

Glamour has a tutorial, but I think it’s a bit wonky (and frankly) makes it more difficult than it needs to be.

Here’s what I recommend:

• An eyeliner that you can twist up and that has a built-in sharpener, like Bare Escentuals ($14) or L’Oreal Pencil Perfect ($8.50). 
• Black is best: brown or other colored eyeliner (blue, purple, green, etc.) can look too costumey.
• Little-to-no eyeshadow. A slight dusting of a neutral shade with a bit of sparkle is all you need. But, this look works just as well without shadow—and also helps if you make mistakes on your first try because you can just wipe off mistakes with a Q-Tip soaked in makeup remover and you don’t have to worry about smudging shadow.
• A great mascara. To make this look really pop, big lashes are key. One of my favorite mascaras right now is Rimmel’s Sexy Curves ($7.50). Use black mascara to match your liner.

Okay, now for the fun part!

1. Close one eye. Hold the liner in your dominant hand. With your free hand, pull the skin on the outside corner of your eye taut so you can see every bit of your upper lash line.

2. Start from the inside of the eye (closest to your nose, in other words).

3. Start with a thin line and gradually thicken the line as you reach the other end of your eye.

4. Stop! Don’t wing it yet!

5. Now, take a look at the line you just did. It should go from thin to thick, from the inside to out and stop at the outside corner of your eye. Holding the skin taut still, draw a line from where you stopped and draw it slightly upwards. This time, start thicker and end thinner.

6. With a Q-Tip or your finger, shape the line so it resembles a wing—with a thicker base and a pointy end. Make sure that the wing extends from the end of your original line, so that when your close your eye, the whole line connects from the tip of the wing to the inside corner of your eye.

7. Do the other side!

8. Make sure both sides match: the winged part should be the same length and width.

Don’t worry if you don’t get the hang on the first try. After a few practices runs, you should be able to do all these steps in a matter of seconds.

The most common mistake people make with winged eyeliner is starting the wing from the spot between the top and lower lash line. This will look strange. Make sure the line is fluid all the way across the top of your eye.

Also, don’t use liquid eyeliner for this. Or, if you do, trace the liquid over cream eyeshadow so you have a good template. Liquid eyeliner is tricky, hard to remove and if you make a mistake, you’ll have trouble correcting it without starting over from the beginning.

Pair with some nude gloss or lipstick and a bit of blush and you’re ready!

Here’s a quick snap of my winged eyeliner look today at work:

(Photo from Glamour.com)

I’ve taken off the black and gray nail polish and traded it for this purple amazingness instead. I am foregoing the boring nudes and minty greens that are so popular right now for this gorgeous lavender color that makes me more happy than nail polish should when I look at my bony little fingers.

It’s limited edition so buy quickly (you can also get $1 off at CVS if you buy from their Maybelline Sweet Thing display).

Here’s the thing: I can’t find a link to purchase online, but I bought mine at CVS, so call your local drugstore and see if they have the Maybelline Sweet Thing collection in stock. And, yes, if you’re still stuck on the mint green shade, the Sweet Thing collection has one of those available too.

I’ll keep looking for an online purchase option, so feel free to check in with me if you’re desperate!

I forgot to put makeup on this morning while running out the door, but I happened to have my emergency makeup kit in my handbag. Thank god! Once I got to work, I ran to the bathroom, threw it on and ran back—it took less than 2 minutes.

How do you find a makeup routine that’s fast and looks great every time?

I have a foolproof method. I don’t care what complexion your skin is, how dry or oily it is, what color your hair is, if you have darker skin or if your skin has never seen sunlight: this kit will look good on you, I promise.

Here are the goods, but feel free to substitute with less/more expensive versions, if you want:

• Cargo Bronzer, $28
• Bronzer/Blush Brush (This one is $25 by Clinique)
• CoverGirl Outlast Lip Stain, $7.50
• CoverGirl Lash Blast, $8
• L’Oreal Extra Intense Eyeliner, $8
• Rimmel Eyeshadow Quad in “Smokey Brown”, $12 (Other options by Elizabeth Arden, $30; Lancome, $42)

And here are quick instructions to get it on fast:

1. Apply bronzer on cheekbones and a bit on your forehead, chin and nose. (Just a bit now!)
2. Grab the eyeshadow quad. Put the second darkest shade over your whole lid. Then, use the second lightest shade and put that on above your lid up to your brow bone. Now, put the darkest shade in your crease and along your top lash line.
3. Time for eyeliner. Pull the outside corner of your eye taut. Draw the eyeliner with your free hand on the upper lash line from the inner eye to the outer eye. The line should get slightly wider as you do this. Switch and do the other eye.
4. Apply mascara. The best way to apply mascara quickly is to hold the wand directly beneath your lashes (while your eyes are open) and then blink. This way the mascara is not only applied, but also curls as you go.
5. Apply the lip stain.
6. You’re done!

You should be able to get this routine down in less than 5 minutes pretty quickly. Of course, adding foundation and moisturizer and undereye concealer and all of that takes up much more time, but if you’re looking for a quick way to get some color on your face, this is the best way to do it!

Note: depending on your skin tone, you may want to adjust some of the colors. For instance, very pale, very blond women should probably stick to a brown or soft black eyeliner and mascara. If you have darker skin, use a darker bronzer and vise versa. But, in general, the colors above were chosen because they are more or less universally flattering!

Good luck and, as always, feel free to e-mail me or ask me if you have any questions!