Last week I meant to mention the winners of our first two makeup contests, but I didn't! Oops! Here are the particulars - Congrats to Marny Reed of Carmel, Indiana for winning our Estee Lauder Go Tropical contest. Congrats also go to Victoria B. of Chino Hills, California as the winner of our Stila Seashore contest. Also, our Philosophy contest has just ended, so congratulations are due to Joanne Sugai of Honolulu, Hawaii.

Aren't these contests fun? We've got a new one for you, and this time it's brought to you by Profaces. Their outstanding color kits and brushes are must-haves if you are a makeup fiend like me :) Enter today and you could win your very own Profaces Professional Brush Kit (worth $110!). I use mine every day and soon maybe you will, too!

Enter our Profaces Professional Brush Kit contest today!
http://www.kleinman.com/cosmetic/springcontest4.html

Thanks to everyone who wrote to me sharing your favorites for long wearing lipsticks and foundations. I was reminded of a few I had reviewed and forgotten about, like Maybelline Great Wear makeup (went out and bought a new bottle!), Lip Ink, Clinique Superlast lipstick, and Avon Perfect Wear Double Performance lipstick. I'll be dragging these out of my Caboodles and putting them into regular rotation in my makeup bag. Thanks!

I've been getting quite a few requests lately for drugstore reviews, so this week I thought I'd share my findings on a few new products - L'Oreal QuickStick foundation, Almay Stay Smooth mascara, and Biore Pore Perfect Ultra Deep Cleansing Strips.

L'Oreal QuickStick Instant Foundation
L'Oreal is a little late on the stick foundation scene, but this product is a decent addition. If you dislike most stick foundations because they are too thick and heavy, this one may be for you. QuickStick has a smooth, slightly powdery finish (similar to Prescriptives Exact Matchstick) that feels very light on the skin and wears fairly well on normal, combination and slightly dry skin. Oily skin may see some traveling by mid-day, so be sure to take along some pressed powder or blotting tissues. If you have dry skin that is flaky, QuickStick is not for you; try Estee Lauder Minute Makeup or Bobbi Brown Foundation Stick instead for a creamier finish. One other downside is the color selection - of the 9 to choose from, some are too pink, some are too orange-y. I found a pretty decent match with "Pale" but I do prefer something with a more yellow undertone.

Almay Stay Smooth Mascara
For some reason Almay decided that we needed yet another mascara choice to solve our on-going clumping problems. Stay Smooth promises "lots of lashes, not lots of globs." On the cap of the tube is a small eyelash comb that you are supposed to use after applying the mascara to get rid of globs and define the lashes. Okay, am I the only one who's thinking, "If this mascara is so smooth, why do I need a comb?" Why would I want to go to the trouble when there are plenty of mascaras that don't glob and don't need a comb? I have NO idea what Almay was thinking when they came up with this one. Do yourself a favor and save your money.

Biore Pore Perfect Ultra Deep Cleansing Strips
I suppose if you are, let's say, not lacking in the nose department (I can identify), these new larger strips from Biore could come in handy. They are a bit larger than the originals, so if you don't have a cute little button nose, you can still get those hard-to-reach pores clean. What I can't figure out is why Biore thought these strips needed tea tree oil and menthol, which irritate like crazy (as if ripping the strip off isn't irritating enough). I've always had good luck with the original Biore strip, but these are a total waste of money.

You can't be a makeup enthusiast without the right tools, so this month we offer an alternative to the trendy but oh-so expensive makeup brushes at the department stores. See why our Panelist Elaine can afford to buy all the makeup she craves, even on a budget...

May Feature: Makeup Brush Review

Looking for a particular review, or curious if I've ever reviewed your favorite brand of lipstick? Try out our search function to make your quest easier. Simply click on the "search" button on the front of Cosmetic Connection (in the yellow channel), or use this direct URL: http://www.cosmeticconnection.com/search.html. Easy! If you don't see the review you want, it's possible we haven't covered it yet, so just let me know and I can add it to the list.