Do you think that eyeshadow application is an art form that can only be mastered by those impossibly chic women who are already good at everything? Wrong! Applying eyeshadow is ridiculously easy - anyone can do it, and it's fun - really! All you need are the right tools and a willingness to play.

With the exception of mascara and lip gloss, I tend to be pretty loyal to my beauty products. When I find an item I love, I stick with it for eons. I mean, I used the same brand of concealer for TWELVE YEARS. It was the first "fancy" (i.e., department store) cosmetic that I ever purchased, and while I tried other brands afterwards, I never found anything that worked better than my beloved Prescriptives Camouflage Cream. Until now.

Summer, to me, has always meant paring down my makeup routine. It’s hot, sticky, and any attempt at an artfully smoky eye is rendered futile the minute I set foot into the fetid steambath known as the New York City subway system. (That is a mistake you make only ONCE, my friends.)

When it comes to makeup, I am equal parts minimalist and junkie; I want the appearance of perfect skin, every day, with as little effort and as few products as possible. I am also torn between wanting to use only cosmetics that are healthy and safe and really really wanting my mascara to last all day without flaking or smudging.

Last week, I mentioned how pleased I was that douche no longer seems to be a mainstream product in the United States. I thought that this might be a sign of progress: women are no longer accepting that their natural vaginal scent is something to be covered by perfume. A comment from Julie Artz of Chezartz.com stopped me in my tracks. She asked: