The Eyes Have it (a.k.a: The corniest title EVER)

My younger sister is something of an eyeshadow fiend (though I'm sure if you asked her, she'd prefer the term "connoisseur" or "collector.") She must seriously own something like 40 different eyeshadows and, get this, they're mostly in varying shades of brown, grays, and purples. Personally, I can't tell the subtle difference between her "naked lunch" and the "sungloss" colors, but everyone has their thing, right? I mean, I have like 8 brands of shampoo in my shower, so who am I to judge?

Ok, really long aside, um, aside, bring on the products!

Typically, I buy the little four pack things of eyeshadow. They're only slightly more expensive than the single colors (depending on the brand), and hey! There's four of them. You know I love value. I really like the
Maybelline Expert Wear Eye Shadow Quads

Each color is helpfully labeled with which part of the eye its intended for (lid, crease, brow bone and outer corner), which makes it easy to achieve a nice look. What I really like about the quads is that it will usually come with a color I might not have selected alone and it gives me a chance to experiment. You can purchase just about any color combo under the sun (or is that "sungloss?") and you can usually find it for just under $6

Weirdly enough, this next product is something that my sister owns and I currently covet.
Jane's Be Pure Mineral Gel Eyeliner

Personally, I think it's a poorly named product. The word "gel" conjurers up all sorts of sticky, gooey images of stuff I don't really want near my eye. This eyeliner is really a much more powdery substance that manages to glide on with ease. I've always had issues getting a nice, thin line, but thanks to this genius little brush, I can get right in on the lash line. The brush is angled, which makes drawing the perfect cat eye totally easy. Sis found this little gem at Wal-Mart for under $5. No, your eyes aren't deceiving you; I really did type UNDER FIVE DOLLARS!

I planned on getting some of this stuff the last time I went to Target (Christmas gift cards in hand) and was sorely disappointed to find that Target doesn't carry this brand. Boo on you Target! I settled instead for a similar product;
L'Oreal Hip Color Truth Cream Eyeliner

First off, this stuff was nearly $12. If I hadn't been drunk on gift cards, I NEVER would have spent so much on one product. This is really a classic example of just because something costs more, doesn't mean it's a superior product. The liner is a bit too creamy, making it a bit harder to apply. Also, the brush is really small and super stiff, so putting it on kinda hurts. I'm not saying this is a terrible product (It doesn't smudge AT ALL) but it isn't nearly as good as the Jane counterpart.

I've tried about a million different mascaras (hasn't every girl? The perfect mascara is like the effing Holy Grail of cosmetics) but I usually find my way back to CoverGirl. First off, they're really pretty cheap and they're well made. My current favorite is the
CoverGirl LashBlast


This stuff is kind of amazing. First, there's the plastic brush that really does eliminate clumpage. It goes on nice and smooth and doesn't flake or smudge. I don't like the waterproof formula as much, yet I somehow always manage to buy it accidentally and fail to notice my mistake until I've ripped open the package. Seriously, I've done this three times now. Even though I like the regular formula better, even the waterproof is the best mascara I've ever owned. At just about $7, it's one of my favorite beauty bargains.

That's a total of three products, again for just $18. Both the eyeshadow and the Jane eyeliner will last at least six months, and the LashBlast at least three, so it's a pretty good deal all round.