I think of MAC's Matte lipsticks as the opposite of the Lustres. As the name promises, these are matte and full pigment (for when you want to make a statement).

So Chaud and Lady Danger are similar coral reds: So Chaud is more orange; Lady Danger a little more red. Chili is slightly browned. Russian Red is a rather

Ahh, lustres. My favorite MAC lipstick finish and, I suspect, one of MAC's favorites too (because there are a lot of them).

Lustres are sheer and glossy and there are a plethora of "famous" shades. If you missed Cockney from the Euristocrats collection, try Ladybug. And Spice It Up looks like it could belong in Chanel's

I had an imaginary conversation with you, readers, in choosing which MAC lipstick texture to post next.

"Glaze?!" you said, "But there are... like... six of those." Oh, but readers, I sing the body electric. Glaze is a small but essential category in the canon of MAC lipsticks. Which is to say, one of my favorite MAC

Good morning, readers! This week's project is one I'm very excited to get off the ground — what swatch reference guide could be complete without an organized examination of MAC's lipsticks?

We'll start with Amplified Cremes. As the name suggests, these are quite pigmented and have a cream finish (shinier than the mattes, but no shimmer or sparkle). They

Parabens have been a hot topic lately, as more and more brands announce that their products are paraben-free.

Why are parabens such a touchy subject? Well, there was a study (Darbre, in the Journal of Applied Toxicology, 2004) that looked at breast cancer tissue and found parabens there, leading some to conclude that parabens caused cancer. The

Smashbox's fall collection is called Reign, and I confess, I was instantly attracted to the ornate, Juicy Couture-esque packaging (don't judge me). The paletted items come bound in faux leather — perhaps a posh, Ralph Lauren nod to back-to-school.

The collection begins with a pair of eyeshadow palettes ($42): Majesty and Monarch. Each palette has three eyeshadow pans,

Congratulations to Lori W., who won that totally cute BB Dakota coat!

I loved reading all your answers — thanks to everyone who entered!

Bobbi Brown just released 8 new, permanent shades of Metallic Long-wear Cream Shadows, sparkly accompaniments to her regular line of Long-wear Cream Shadows. (Which subliminally got me thinking about holiday.)

These cream shadows ($22) are mostly sheer and very sparkly — they reminded me a bit of the "topcoat" shades in Dior's Designer Quints. You could use

Today's tip from a makeup artist is one you've seen me using a lot lately.

In January of this year I wrote an FAQ, in which I said I had no plans to swatch nail polish. Part of that decision was that I couldn't see polish factoring into my swatching schedule. I didn't think makeup counters would let

There's no question that nail polish, once the "letter Y" of the beauty industry, has taken its place at the makeup table. I remember reading this this article in the New York Times last year about the role of nail polish in New York Fashion Week — and just in time for Fashion Week this year, MAC has

Sorry for the ton of pictures in today's post, but through various wheelings and dealings, I managed to get my hands on a preview of what Bobbi Brown has coming for holiday (and I thought you all would like to see).

Bobbi's holiday collection theme is "Chrome," and I think we should start seeing these items on counters around