My hunt for the best and lowest priced mascara

Many of you have that one makeup item that's required before you leave the house. Mine is mascara. I wasn't blessed with lush, long lashes. Plus, they're the only real blonde left on my body, the one place I'd prefer to be dark, ugh. I literally look like a different woman without it. As a teen I didn't want to go swimming when boys were there because I didn't want my mascara to come off... sad I know.


So, I recently gathered up my news anchor and reporter friends. What they shared makes me upset that I didn't find all this out earlier!


First, Lancome mascara is the goddess of them all. There's nothing else even close in my opinion, and I've wasted a lot of money trying to find a less expensive version. However, one of my reporter friends said, "Have you ever tried L’Oreal Voluminous?" Then, my other reporter friends piped in by saying, "Oh yeah! That's the best drug store brand." My mouth dropped in disbelief. They're just now telling me this? I'd always read that the best drug store brand was Great Lash, you know the one with the pink tube and green cap. I have never been impressed. Some of my girlfriends feel differently though. If that's the case, good for you sister! Anyway, L’Oreal is made by Lancome. So, the next day I bee-lined it to the nearest drug store. They were right! Now, it's not as good as Lancome. But, for the price difference, it's definitely the best for the cost. Voluminous is about $8. You'll pay about $30 at the Lancome counter.


Next, we chatted about the brush. The makeup ads always tout their brushes. My makeup junkie friend (Jen) uses the brush for thickening the lashes, and for her second step, uses another tube with a lengthening brush.
That's a little too high maintenance for me. I might try it on my next special occasion though.


As for applying the mascara, the biggest impact comes from the back and forth movement as you move toward the tip. That's why the vibrating mascaras work so well. Also, make sure you start at the base of the lash. That's what gives the illusion that you have more lashes. For the last step, run the brush along the top of your lashes. You can hold the mirror by your chin and look down so you don't get mascara on your eyelids.


More tips below.


-Toss your tube every three months. You don't want to see what kind of infection an old tube can cause, trust me.
-Don't pump the brush; it adds air to the tube.
-Ever heard of bat poop in mascara? That's false.
-An eye-whitening liquid like Clear Eyes is great for adding to the wide awake look that mascara can help create. But, use is before applying your mascara, and if you use the drop throughout the day, your mascara won't last as long.

How to put your makeup on a keep it there all day

We spend a lot of time in the morning making ourselves look beautiful. So, why is it we don't do more to keep it that way throughout the day? If I don't reapply on my lunch break, the face in the mirror as I arrive home can look haggared.

I put my reporter cap on and couldn't believe how much I learned! The experts showed up at my place (otherwise known as my on-air friends). We all traded our lasting power secrets.

First, use a primer. I can hear the huge sighs about adding a step in your morning routine. I rolled my eyes too. I mean, why can't we just buy makeup that stays without adding one more layer? We'll work on saving the world of women pulling their hair out later. But, right now, this is the best option we have.

Among my reporter and anchor friends, there are two favorites, Smashbox and Nars. They are both pretty pricey at more than $30 a bottle. Some of the on-live reviewers with oily skin give them both a bad rating. The key is to use a small amount. A dime size is too much. Plus, you don't want to waste your hard earned money. There is also a lot of variety for different skin conditions. You can minimize large pores and fine lines and even add a bronze color.

There is another step. But, it's easy. You can use a finishing spray. My friends prefer Urban Decay's All-Nighter spray and Make Up Forever Mist and Fix. My friend Jen says they work so well that her makeup won't even smudge after a good hug. The sprays are also good if you live in humid or rainy areas.

Here's a couple of other ideas with staying power. There'sa waterproof  mascara and eyeliner. I even use a cheap waterproof eyeliner from Avon ($3.00 when on sale). For your lips, there's lip stain and the all day lipsticks (although I may be one of the few fans of that product in the room). Plus, always, always set your foundation with a powder.

As a television reporter, I would put makeup on four times a day. First, before I left for work, then right before the midday show. The third time was out in the field when I recorded my on-camera shot for the later shows. The last time was right before the 5 p.m. how. I wasted a lot of time and money during those six years. Primer would have been wonderful back then.