L'Oreal Infallible Gel Eyeliner: A small wonder

L'Oreal Infallible Gel Eyeliner
$10.99

After all these years, I'm still of student of my own face...Recently, I was back on the hunt for a Holy Grail liner, realizing that I lacked one for my DivaDebbi 2013 Best of Beauty Blog.  Despite any desire to create a more nuanced eye, the truth is I look tired without defined liner. Even when my makeup is applied professionally, they are not using less liner; just blending it better.

I reviewed L'Oreal Infallible Gel Eyeliner last year, when I was looking to avoid looking like Mariska Hargitay. Don't get me wrong, I think she is drop dead beautiful, but I also think she needs to lighten up at this point. Do you agree?

Mariska Hargitay

I absolutely LOVE the texture of this creamy, easy to apply gel and the perfect thin lining brush that comes with, making it a snap to apply. I do suggest blotting some off with a tissue, since the product is dense, to avoid Mariska eye.

Review: L'Oreal Infallible Lacquer Liner 24H

L'Oreal Lacquer Liner
$9.95 (but if you buy it in Greenwich Ct. add 2 bucks)

Oh joy!!! I am in love.  I have long been a fan of Bobbi Brown's Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner.  I would never attempt to use it without the separate brush you must purchase to apply it with, or after a night of one too many cocktails.  It takes a skilled and steady hand and it is not for Sissie's.

Most of us know our faces fairly well in terms of it's makeup requirements.  While I intellectually embrace that as we age, we should be mindful of over doing makeup, when I under-do my eyes, I  know I look tired.

What is no longer working is black eyeliner.  I am brown eyed, so switching to brown liner seems like a no brainer but it somehow misses and looks bland.  I was in CVS last night, so naturally I perused the aisle for inspiration.

DivaDebbi's Best of 2014

Oh what a year it's been!  As always, I wouldn't be blogging if I didn't enjoy it and I am always so delighted to hear from readers and friends who tell me that my obsessions have become their obsessions.  It's fun to go back and review the hundreds of posts and reviews that I have written over the course of  a year to pick out the must-haves of 2014 for you.

With each pick I will link you back to the original blog, so if you wish to read about it more detail, you will have that option.  In no particular order:

1)  Exuviance  Age Reverse Toning Neck Cream - $78 What can I tell you??? This stuff works... I love the rich gel like texture and can see a difference in the firmness of my neck.  It doesn't hurt to have friends ask me in hush whispers, if I , "had anything done".  It comes in a huge tub and will last several months.  Use it nightly. This is just one of a number of Exuviance products I have come to love. They have amazing depth and breath in their Anti-Aging arsenal.  Do check them out...

2)  Lancome Cils Booster Primer - $24.50 Do you really need a lash primer??? Yes. And not just any lash primer, but this one. Don't think of it as an extra step...think of it as your first coat of mascara, and one that you can just slap on with abandon.  The result, clearly, is longer, thicker lashes with just one coat of your mascara.

3)  Moodstruck 3D Fiber Lash Mascara - $29.00 -  Low maintenance Girls should skip to number 4...
for everyone else, this is both brilliant and life changing. I received this for review and raved about it.  I just purchased my own kit after a little more than 3 months of use.)  For those who love the look of insanely long and full Latisse lashes, or false lashes for special occasions, this two step lash system will give you all that and more...Voila.  You're a vixen (and it washes off easily.)

4)  L'Oreal Infallible Gel Eyeliner - $10.99 This is a great drugstore find... One pot of this gel liner will probably last you a lifetime.  It glides on and stays on like a dream. I even prefer it to Bobbi Brown's Long Wear Gel Eyeliner, which also requires the purchase of a separate $25 brush. This is as good as a drugstore find gets...even better than the costly prestige original.  Genius...

5) Perfect Pink Gel Coat - $30 I stumbled on this brilliant product at Sephora, the day after a manicure. Out of sheer boredom from my light colored Essies sheers, I chose a deep shade instead.  They were gorgeous for about 6 hours before the first chip set in. Maddening-- truly.  Perfect Pink Gel Coat is great as a base and top coat for light pinky colors like Ballet Slippers and Sugar Daddy, and for a glossy mid week touch ups.  In addition, it will strengthen them like granite.  In a word, perfect...

6) Lash Em Brow and Lash Enhancing Serum - $70 - Over the years, I have used over a half a dozen lash enhancing products with varied results.  Often I grew fabulous lashes, but they were always accompanied by unsightly red, scratchy eyes.  This is the first product I have used that both worked and caused zero irritation. I realize that experiences with this type of product are individual, but if your eyes are as sensitive as mine, Lash Em may just be the product for you (and as an additional plus, one tube lasted me 7 months. I was sent this to review but just purchased a second tube.)