Are You Cotton Swab Q-Tip Obsessed When It Comes To Beauty?

Cotton swab. Q-Tip obsessed.

Yes, we are hooked, and can't get off the Q-Tip beauty train. We go through tons of cotton swabs weekly, and we'd be ashamed if the trash collector ever saw how many swabs we have disposed of.

So, what are we doing with all those hundreds of cotton swabs?

Lots of things. And find us one professional makeup artist who travels without a few Q-tips, and we would be amazed.

If you put on makeup, then you probably use them. Most women use cotton swabs for eye makeup help. For instance......a moistened Q-Tip can help extend your eyeline pencil stroke into a sexy cat eye wing. You can also remove eye makeup with a few cotton swabs dipped in baby oil or makeup remover lotion. And you can remove the gunk that sometimes builds up in the inner corner of your eyes with a Q-tip stick. You can sweep your eye shadow beautifully with a swab, and remove smudges that come from mascara mishaps.

We have used them to remove hair color during the dye process when a little runs on to our skin. We've also taken a few swabs dipped in acne cream to dab on our break-outs. Q-Tips also take off excess eyebrow powder without messing up the arch you've created. We've often dunked a swab in lemon juice and applied to our decollete freckles. And the list goes on and on.

For us, the cotton swab is a humble, but wonderful beauty invention. And oh yeah, you can even use a Q-Tip to poke around in your ear, although that isn't recommended any longer. Just be gentle, and don't get too busy in the ear canal.

Cotton swabs. Q-Tip brands. Even dollar store swabs. They all work wonders in the line of beauty.

In fact, we need to stock up on more ASAP!

How To Get That Smooth Airbrushed Look From Mineral Foundation

Foundation. We all need some coverage, even those with almost flawless skin.

But then again, the complaints we hear about wearing foundation-----feels like a mask.....doesn't last......too drying.......too oily......can't match the shade properly to skin tone, and so forth.

Then there's mineral foundation. And if you get this one right, your complexion can look red carpet ready. Smooth and airbrushed.

But not all mineral foundations are alike. Sure, the powder-y texture is wonderful, in that it is long-lasting and all-natural. Both high points. But some mineral foundations can produce a few problems. The application can be messy. And the results can look cakey, and yes, even heavy.

We'll admit, we have been a longtime liquid foundation user. It's easy to put on. Not always easy to get the perfect skin tone match, but still, the coverage is great, and it hides our imperfections.

However, we do want to try this one by Lancome. It's been out for a while, and still getting high marks from beauty editors. Allure magazine named Lancome Oscillation Power Foundation with SPF21 ($48, find dept. stores like Nordstroms), as one of its Best of Beauty 2010 products.

You can achieve that flawless no-makeup look by just turning on the button. Just dip the sponge into the mineral powder, press the handle's ON button, and experience a unique makeup session. The sponge tip vibrates 7,000 times per minute. How cool is that?!

Then simply rub the sponge applicator across the skin, as it massages the powder in smoothly and evenly. No clumpiness. The oscillating sponge helps break down the mineral powder into even the very finest particles. This motion allows the foundation to fill in fine lines and give that airbrushed look. The pros say that a regular brush cannot equal the more uniform finish that the Lancome vibrating applicator achieves.

Sure, it's a bit pricey, but a little goes a long way, and the Lancome Oscillation Power Foundation seems to do all the heavy lifting, so to speak. If you're all thumbs and really want that pretty no-makeup look without the mask feeling of a liquid foundation, then this one looks like a great bet.

Beat Pale Dull Winter Skin With Jergens Natural Glow Foaming Daily Moisturizer

Winter can do a number of nasty things to our skin, including the pale, dull finish we often get in the season. Lifeless. No glow.

That's why were showing you one of the tried and true beauty products that really works. Jergens. And we especially like this Natural Glow because of its clever foaming action. That means a gentle bronze. No, it won't make you look like Snooki. But then again, that's alright, too.

Jergens Natural Glow Foaming Daily Moisturizer ($8.99, 5 oz., at drugstores). A subtle self-tanner in the form of a tinted moisturizer.
Dries completely in seconds.
No sticky residue or waiting to get dressed.
Glides on evenly for streak-free color.
Designed for Fair to Medium and Medium to Tan skin tones.

It works gradually---give it about 3 to 10 days for the color to develop into a healthy summer glow. It doesn't look orange-y. And it brings the life back to your pale, dull skin.

The formula glides on evenly. And it comes in 2 shades: Fair to medium skin tones. Medium to tan skin tones.

You can look at the entire Jergens Natural Glow line here.