8 Best Lipsticks ...

"These Lipcolors seem to last for hours (even after you eat!) and really moisturize my thirsty lips."

- says Dedlejuse, from Beautifile 

Description: Dress your lips in new Color Design Lipcolor for full coverage, smooth hold and sensational effects in one coat. Creams, sheens, shimmers and metallics -- four modern finishes for custom lip styling. A range of 36 shades to create the perfect designer's palette for any lip tone.

My Comment: If you're looking for a gloss/lipstick combination, this is it. I tried Smooth Hold in the color Oh My!, which is shimmery and beautiful brown-beige. I love the fact that it almost looks like I've applied a gloss over the lipstick, so it gives me that extra shiny look.

Don't be fooled, though... Smooth Hold is not sticky like a gloss at all. It's creamy, not drying, and lasts and lasts.

Price: $22 at Lancome.com

Expert Opinion: 

"And, how can you not love NARS lip color? I mean they have every color under the Milky Way but they’re just awesome. Velvet. Cream. Semi-matte. Frosted. It sounds like a cupcake factory!"

- says Kate2004rock, Meg's Makeup Reviews

Description: A wide range of captivating shades designed to provide the look and style the color dictates. A highly pigmented matte formula provides a full-bodied, velvety finish. It's exceedingly longwearing, nourishing and non-drying, with Vitamin E. Once you start wearing NARS lipstick, you won’t want to wear anything else.

My Comment: Shanghai Red is the color for me. It’s a warm brick red, and it is so flattering, but the best thing about this product is the fact that this lipstick never wears off! Semi-Mattes are so long wearing that I actually removed it at night with my makeup. Like the name implies, it's a matte finish. So, if you're looking for rich, velvety color with little shine, Semi-Matte's the one.

Price: $24 at NARS.com

Expert Opinion: 

"It’s a gorgeous soft stain, highly pigmented. It takes a minute to dry, then the other end is a nice is a shimmery gloss that adds shine; but not quite enough moisture. It makes beautiful edges- no bleeding, so I can skip the pencil liner."

- says Bionic Bronnie, Bionic Beauty

Description: Enjoy the stay. Love the shine. Now, double up on color that outstays and outshines your day. One side saturates your lips with stay-on, stay-true color. The other side slicks on shine in one of three fabulous finishes: prism topcoat for super shine with a sheer, opalescent effect; pearl shimmer topcoat for intense shine with subtle pearl highlights; clear gloss topcoat for classic, intense shine. Luscious shades last up to 8 hours--through meals, drinks, busy days. For comfortable color that wont kiss off, rub off or fade out. Your lips will love it.

My Comment: I get so excited when I can get two products in one container... makes packing a makeup bag so much easier. One end is a base coat that's packed with pigments for luminous, long-lasting color. The other end is a gloss... you've got three choices - prism, pearl, and clear. My favorite is Legendary Bronze with clear gloss. The bronze side lasts for hours, and I just reapply the gloss after eating.

Price: $24 at EsteeLauder.com

Expert Opinion: 

"It's just way hot! I don't understand how a sheer lipstick can be this pigmented? But it is. It's translucent yet it doesn't sacrifice the colour. Unlike other sheer lipsticks, I don't need to reapply it often. So that says its quite lasting too. Now, that is rare for sheer lipsticks."

- says Jojoba, My Makeup Reviews

Description: Joli Rouge offers an innovative and incredibly creamy, smooth and melting texture with a wonderful sensorial feel on application. The intense colour is enhanced by its shine, to give a really vibrant make-up result. It also cares for lips, providing them with extreme comfort. Finally, Joli Rouge is a delicious treat for lips thanks to its fruity fragrance/flavour.

My Comment: If you're looking for intense coverage that's true to the color in the package, Joli Rouge by Clarins is it! This lipstick delivers smooth, moisturizing color that's totally opaque. It lasts a long time and really gives an eye-popping, dramatic look, but be careful not to get it around the edges of your mouth on your skin... it can be hard to get it off!

My favorite color is Cupidon Red, which is a sexy red shade. If you're looking for something a little calmer, I also loved the Soft Berry.

Price: $23 at Clarins.com

5 Best Mascaras - Expert Reviews …

Expert Opinion: 

"How often do you sip your drink ony to find that your cup is now wearing your lipstick and not you? Yet that wasn’t the case with Color Intrigue Effects. I’d say it lasted a few hours and also avoided feathering and bleeding."

- says Shannon Nelson from Splendicity

Description: Sensational shades. Lasting color. Intriguing effects. Lavish your lips. New Color Intrigue Effects Lipstick glides on smoothly to hydrate, soften and shine. Creates effects that go from cream to shimmer to shine. Moisturizes with vitamins A and E.

My Comment: Color Intrigue went on smooth, delivered a bright, rich color, and lasted several hours! Also, it didn't bleed or feather into the skin around my lips, and I love that. I chose Wine Cream, which is a brownish plum. I loved the color and thought it looked very professional... this is one you can easily wear from work all the way into a night out!

Price: $19.50 at ElizabethArden.com

Expert Opinion:

"And if you want to make your lips look wet and juicy this summer, you should opt for Aqualumiere Sheer Colour Lipshine SPF 15. Every shade is uniquely named after a resort island. They are Lipari (a fresh strawberry), Ischia (a rose violet), Porto Rotondo (a vibrant red), Monte-Carlo (a red coral) and limited-edition Salina (a pink beige) and Panarea (a soft brown)."

- from Genius Beauty

Description: A brilliant pop of sheer colour and ultra-creamy texture provide an immediate sensation of softness and comfort. Lips are thoroughly hydrated with a nourishing, soothing and fortifying action.

My Comment: This lipstick has it all... SPF 15 for sun protection, shea butter to keep your lips youthful, and Vitamin E to slow the aging process. Aqualumiere delivers a smooth color and bright shine, but I also like the fact that it's a semi-sheer.

This means it also allowed my lips to show through a little bit. I liked that look... it looked a bit more natural. My favorite color is Antigua - a rich, creamy pinky-brown.

Price: $28.50 at Chanel.com

Expert Opinion:

"I have a suggestion. Dior should just call these lipstick crack. The texture of Addict feels slick and hydrating, and it’s, um, totally addictive, so it’s worthy of its name.

- says, Karen, Makeup and Beauty Blog 

Description: Enter the world of Dior Addict and see lipstick in a whole new light. Sexy. Shine-drenched. Sensational. Light-saturated colors. All so fresh and easy to wear, they harmonize with everything. Discover a new way to play with color, a new way to express yourself. Give in. Get addicted.

My Comment: Who's not a Dior Addict? If you're not now, you will be after trying this lipstick. Dior Addict is a lightweight, smooth lipstick with good coverage, but the neatest thing to me was the multicolor effect it had when I applied it.

My favorite color is Digital Brown, which is a browny-beige undertone with bronze and red shimmer. I definitely want to revisit this color in the summer when I've got a little tan- I think it would look amazing with bronze skin.

Price: $25 at Saks.com

Expert Opinion: 

"Though the elegance of its formula is evident from first swipe, the high quality of Guerlain KissKiss truly reveals itself after several hours of wear. I tested both the “metallic pearl” and “cream” versions of this lipstick and I’m fully and equally enamored by both."

- says Jazmin, Makeup Moxie 

Description: Kiss Kiss lipstick is an essential everyday accessory. This satin lipstick provides instant and long lasting moisture. Kiss Kiss provides pure comfort and an exquisite, sensual texture for hours.

Available in 30 shades with three tailor made effects: sensual and volatile metallic pearl, glamorous sparkle, or pure cream. Housed in a polished gold lightweight case, its the ultimate in modern luxury.

My Comment: This lipstick just sounds like fun when you read the name! Kiss Kiss Lipstick is easy to apply because it goes on smooth. I thought it had a really elastic quality to it - meaning that it didn't crack when I smiled. I love that! It also has a sparkle that catches the light when you talk or smile, and it really plumped up the look of my lips. The most flattering color on me was #545 - Beige Strauss, and it went with everything!

Price: $30 at Bloomingdales.com

9 Best Eyeshadows - Expert Reviews…

3 of these fabulous lipsticks are in my must-have makeup bag right now! And I'd recommend them to anyone in a heart beat. Did your favorite lipstick make the list? If not, let me know what brands and colors you love best and why - I can't wait to try them myself!