Lipstick Diaries #9: Dior Fluid Sticks in Pandore and Kiss Me

When I reviewed these "frankenlip" sticks last year, I noted that the formula is amazing, but not entirely to my personal tastes. That review stands, even with a gorgeous shade like Pandore. It's a warm red that, in terms of color alone, works well on my skintone. But the Dior Fluid Sticks have a jelly-like formula, and I have to admit that the glossiness makes them feel especially formal and "done-up" to me. I don't wear this often, and I don't really enjoy it as much as some of my other reds. I'll probably finish this tube, but I won't repurchase.

My opinions on Kiss Me have changed a bit, however. I still think the formula for this milky pink is slightly different from the brights: it still gums up a bit at the corners and center of my lips, so I have to pat it out with my finger every few hours. But the tube I have now seems slightly cooler-toned, and it doesn't reek of perfume the way my previous tube did. I like this shade a lot for soft, tonal looks, and my mother absolutely loves it. Again, I'm not sure if I'd repurchase it because of the glossy formula, but I'll definitely use up the tube.

25 Tops: Hourglass Riviera

True story: orange used to be my favorite color. When I was a little girl, I noticed that all of the other kids liked blue, green, red, sometimes purple...pretty much every color in the 10-shade Crayola box got some love. Except for orange. Nobody liked orange! The fact of the matter is that I felt bad for orange. So I declared it my favorite color,

Now, don't misunderstand me; I really do like orange, and the warmer shades on the color wheel in general. But by the time I'd finished college, I'd admitted to myself that I wore mostly black and was drawn to red things. Alright, okay, red and black are my true blue favorite colors. I'm a walking, talking stereotype, and I've come to terms with that.

My coloring suggests that I should give orange makeup more of my time. Too many cool-toned pinks can make fair-skinned me look like a doll, and because orange is opposite to blue on the color wheel, the contrast can make my eyes pop. However, I'm just not drawn to it the way I'm drawn to red and fuchsia. I always feel quite chic and bold when I wear it, but slapping on some orange lipstick is not my first impulse.

Enter this photo from a Rae Morris makeup book. My God, that is fierce! I have to wear orange today!

...but still, I don't wear orange often. I don't know if I ever will--it's definitely not going to fly at work, and my mother absolutely hates it. I have 3 orange lipsticks, and I rarely wear them. It shouldn't be hard tofocus on those puppies and narrow this list down.

This is the second time I've worn Hourglass Opaque Rouge Liquid Lipstick in Riviera, and my sweet baby Jee, do I love this formulation! Pigmented, long-lasting, totally matte...what's not to love? It's also strangely...flattering? Riviera seems to have a great balance of red and yellow tones, so I don't look overly sallow, and my teeth look surprisingly white against my lips. This is a definite KEEP. Somebody remind me to wear this lipstick more often, and get me more of these HG liquid lipsticks, STAT!

Because I'm keeping Riviera, I've decided to PURGE my two MAC oranges: the limited edition Sounds Like Noise, a yellow-based orange with a satin finish, and Neon Orange, an amplified cream that's quite close to Riviera, but slightly more red. Sounds Like Noise is actually more difficult for me to purge than Neon Orange: while it's not as flattering, it's incredibly unique. But it's not going to get worn, so it deserves a better home.

Also examined this go-round: L'oreal Voluminous mascara in Carbon Black and the Dior DiorShow Maximizer. I used to love Voluminous, but it doesn't seem to do much for me now. It's difficult to remove, it clumps like crazy, and it flakes throughout the day. The Dior lash primer makes it bearable, however, by amping up the volume and seemingly preventing some of the flakes. I won't repurchase the L'oreal mascara, but that Maximizer? Cripes, it's hard to resist.


CURRENTLY IN THE KEEP PILE:
1. Hourglass ORLL in Muse
2. Hourglass ORLL in Riviera
3. Hourglass ORLL in Icon (mini size)
4. Chanel RAL in Dragon (DC)

CURRENTLY IN THE PURGE PILE:
1. MAC ACL in Neon Orange
2. MAC SL in Sounds Like Noise (LE)

CURRENTLY IN THE MAYBE PILE:
1. MAC ACL in Impassioned

KEEP SLOTS LEFT: 21

Also, just something funny: I hate the feeling of wet hair on my neck, so I tend to pull it up with a spin pin or a clip after I wash it. The other night, I felt pieces of hair falling out of my spin pin bun, but I was distracted by a video game, so I ignored it for about 2 hours. By the time I was ready to crawl in to bed, my head looked like this:

REVIEW: Dior Fluid Sticks

When I first dipped my lips in to the glossy waters of Dior's new Fluid Sticks, I wasn't too impressed with what I found. Inspired by the product's rave reviews, I purchased a soft neutral pink, Kiss Me, and hoped it'd be the perfect product for my sister's wedding. I described my lackluster experience to the ladies on Makeup Alley, who were really quite appalled by what I was saying.

"What do you mean they taste like perfume?"

"How are they only lasting an hour on you?"

"No pigment? Mine are really pigmented!"

Makeup is very much a "your mileage may vary" sort of thing, so I figured I was one of the few people these newbies wouldn't work for. I resigned myself to being awfully quiet about that, too, because they're generating tons of buzz and love, and it's kinda weird being the lone voice of dissention.

Here's Kiss Me in action (full breakdown and another FOTD posted here):

It's not BAD, but it's not inspiring. You know why? Because this shade was just an ordinary pink gloss on me. It didn't have great pigmentation, it gummed up at the corners of my mouth, and it barely lasted for an hour--definitely not the "fabulous wear" and "high-impact colour" the packaging promised. To make matters worse, it absolutely REEKED of perfume, and I could taste it the entire time I wore it. This product didn't live up to its official claims, let alone the hype. To date, Dior Kiss Me is one of maybe 5 items I've returned to Sephora. That's how much I hated it.

Now, when I ordered Kiss Me, I added in the 4-shade sample packet Sephora was offering, figuring I could find another shade to purchase after I returned to work in the Fall. But when Kiss Me ended up being a major disappointment, I pushed it off to the side. Add in a rogue infection that made me sick for almost a month, and you've got a product that's WAY overdue for a re-evaluation.

I was hesitant to put a Fluid Stick near my mouth again after the Kiss Me fiasco, but I'm glad I gave them another chance.

Let's backtrack a moment and go over Dior's claims in more detail. While some bloggers and YouTubers have defined the Dior Fluid Sticks as "liquid lipsticks," Dior clearly wishes to state otherwise: most of the advertisements, sample packets, and sales associates shout, "THIS IS NOT A LIPSTICK!" But they are also not a gloss, in the sense that layering them over a lip liner or lipstick isn't all that effective or attractive. They also aren't designed to stain or soak in to the lips. What they are designed to do is look glossy, provide "coverage between a gloss and a lipstick" (huh?), feel like nada on your lips, and wear well without feathering or fading. Sounds kinda like a lipstick, right?

But Dior refuses! "THIS IS NOT A LIPSTICK!" And if it's not a gloss or a stain...well, fine, Fluid Sticks; I'm officially labeling you "Frankenlip." THAT'S WHAT YOU GET FOR BEING SO PICKY.

A full-sized frankenlip Fluid Stick retails for $35 and comes in elegant plastic packaging. The bottom is clear so you can see what color you've got. The applicator is a soft, spade-shaped sponge tip; I found it easy to control. (The sample pack came with a disposable sponge-tip applicator, which I cleaned and re-used for each application.)

Pandore, a warm pinky-red, and Wonderland, a cool fuchsia pink

The formula is, indeed, incredibly lightweight and comfortable; it has a unique gel texture that stays in place without drying out my lips. You can apply a thin layer for a more toned-down look, and most of the swatches I found online seem to be applied quite thinly. But, y'know, I'm a guady ho. So I applied these products quite liberally for opaque coverage. This can lead to some very slight gumming-up at the edges of my lips when I first apply (eek!), but if I pat it with my fingers, it smooths out and doesn't reoccur. The wear is not impacted by how much you layer on: once it's there, it's not moving unless you rub it off.

Speaking of:

Here's what Pandore looked like after I ate a Cup o' Noodles. No smearing or smudging, just some mild fading, primarily at the very inner part of my lips. This is actually more impressive than some traditional lipsticks out there, which will fade and smear as soon as you sip your morning coffee. The Fluid Sticks WILL come off if you kiss someone or rub your mouth against something; otherwise, they're decently resistant to everyday wear and tear, which is impressive for a glossy formula.

Aventure, a coral with strong orange undertones,  and Mirage, a soft peach

Also, while the perfumey-ness I detected in Kiss Me was non-existent in Pandore, Wonderland, and Aventure, it was definitely present in Mirage. Mirage didn't smell nearly as potent as Kiss Me had, and the taste faded away after about 15 minutes of wear. Still, it's strange that the fragrance is really only noticeable to me in these lighter/paler shades. Maybe it has something to do with the pigments? *pseudo-science*

While all of the shades were beautiful and performed about the same, the only shades I think I'd purchase in a full-size are Pandore (for everyday looks) and Mirage (for work). That may be confusing, considering I just raved about these products, but the truth of the matter is that glossy lip products are just Not My Thing, and I don't think most of the shades flatter me. (Hell, Mirage isn't even that flattering on me, but it's just so freaking cool!) But who knows? I could swatch a few more shades and fall absolutely in love.

And hey, I liked them enough to try preserving what was left in the sample packet for later use!

Alas, the little wells overflow shortly after you peel pack the foil. I could probably get a second or even third use out of each color, but it's gonna be a messy experience.

Personal preferences aside, the Dior Fluid Sticks are definitely some of the best new lip products out there. Their versatility and comfortable formulation make them a great choice for a wide variety of people. Just watch out for those fluke shades, like Kiss Me.

Rating: 5 out of 5

Products I Wouldn't Repurchase

Posts like this mark the rare instances when I miss my YouTube days. It's easier to explain that you wouldn't repurchase a certain item because it didn't work for you rather than, "Oh, it sucks" when you're talking to people, y'know? Granted, people on YouTube could get a little crazy if you dissed one of their favorite products; I'll never forget the grief I got for filming a poor review of the NYC Loose Powder, or for pointing out that there were 2 or 3 Wet n' Wild products I really hated ("Why are you soooo negative?!?!"). But while I wasn't the most eloquent speaker or presenter, I always felt relatively comfortable with the idea that I was conversing, not writing.

Still, I think I can get my point across decently in the written word, so I'm going to try a blog post version of this very famous tag. These are items that I didn't necessarily hate, but they didn't wow me or suit my tastes. Hence, I wouldn't repurchase them. And if I could turn back time* and save myself a $20, I wouldn't hesitate.

MAC Pigments -- Anybody who frequented YouTube circa 2008 heard nothing but worshipful odes about MAC pigments. They were the best eyeshadows for bright looks and the most collectible, sought-after products on the market, save for Parrot eyeshadow. But I've owned a good 6 or 7 jars of the stuff, and I rarely used them. They were too messy for regular eyeshadow application, I don't like gloss enough to mix them in with a clear base, and most of the highlighting/bronzing type shades are too glittery for my tastes. The two that have survived numerous purges remain for sentimental reasons: Jardin Aires was a gift from my father, and Vanilla is a holdover from my more active drag scene days. And they look nice mixed in to lotion or sunscreen, I guess. But truth be told? I bumped Vanilla on to the ground while I was taking this picture, and I was more pissed about having to clean a teaspoon of powder out of bathroom tile.

GLAMGLOW Tingling and Exfoliating Mud Mask -- I know I'm getting the side-eye for this one. I've mentioned it multiple times on this blog, and it's even been labeled as a Holy Grail product. None of that was a lie. But $69 for a mudmask that, yes, has great results, but is also quite harsh on most people's skin, is not something I can continue to support. The only reason I've gone through two jars is because I bought my first at half price (it was an extra tester), while the second was a very generous swap extra. I could get a similar effect by combining a decent kaolin clay mask with regular exfoliation. I'll miss you, my extravagant friend, but I think I'll get by.

Dior Instant Cleansing Water -- I had a brief love affair with this bottle when I first got it, but I've come to realize that...it's not really a necessity. Actually, it doesn't even work that well in its advertised capacity as a gentle makeup remover; it couldn't remove 90% of the products on my face. I figured I could get good use out of it after my morning walks, ie, it'd get the sweat off of my face before I put my makeup on. However, I walk primarily in the morning or the evening when it's cooled down/my makeup is already on, so that didn't work out too well. I've been using it for the occasional refresher, or to remove eyeshadow fallout before I apply foundation. Beyond that, it's just a pretty bottle on my desktop.

Clinique Bottom Lash Mascara -- Don't get me wrong: this is definitely the best bottom lash mascara on the market. The formula doesn't run, it never makes my lashes looked spidery, and the tiny brush is perfect for getting in to the corners of my eyes. The problem is that I tend to put most, if it not all, of my eye makeup on my upper lid to draw attention away from my dark circles. This little tube has lasted me so long because I hardly ever use it. Lovely for others, not a necessity for me.

Clinique Airbrush Concealer in 01 Fair -- Another Clinique item! Don't worry, they've still got some great products, and this is still a cult favorite for a reason. I openly admit that I bought this because of the Lisa Eldridge hype, only to realize that it didn't have enough coverage for me. The shade is also super-pink, so I can't use it on blemishes. Instead, I used this product as a corrector under or over other products to counteract the blueness in my undereye circles. Do I do that often? No. If you have very minor flaws to cover and you can find a shade that suits you perfectly, then this is certainly a good option; if you're like me and you mostly use concealer for the Undereye Circles of Doom, then pass.

Coppertone Water Babies Sun Lotion Spray SPF50 -- I'm a huge fan of drugstore spray-on sunscreens, particularly the Banana Boat sport options. But the damn things reek to high Heaven. I heard that the Water Babies line by Coppertone didn't have a chemical scent, so I bought a 2-pack of the stuff. Unfortunately, what it lacks in scent it more than makes up for in feel. It comes out clear for 2 seconds, then turns white, meaning you'll have to do a lot of rubbing-in (which defeats the purpose of a spray-on sunscreen). It also feels heavy on my skin. Finally, it's difficult to remove; I have to soap myself to get the stuff off, which is super-drying. It protects me from the sun, no doubt, but considering it covers me like a freaking blanket wool blanket, I'm not surprised.

3 Concept Eyes (3CE) Cream Blusher in New Pink -- When my hunt for the perfect not-sparkly pastel pink cream blush hit a standstill with the American market, some folks at MakeupAlley suggested I turn to Korean products. This tube seemed to fit the bill: it looks pigmented and totally plush on the model. Sadly, I feel for marketing. This blush is incredibly sheer; even on my pale skin, it took me 3-4 layers of the stuff to get a noticeable color. The formula also wasn't the most comfortable on my dry cheeks. Utter sadness. To the swap pile it goes.

Beauty Blender Sponge -- I'm going to get socked in the face for this one, I know, so let me say this: I can see why people love this sponge. It's definitely great for blending out heavier foundations, or for applying a cream foundation. But if you're like me and you favor light-medium coverage liquid foundations, all this sponge is going to do is soak up your product. It's rare that a foundation looks better on me when I apply it with this sponge versus, say, my fingers. Also, it freaks me out that the damn thing continued to leak pink dye after 6 or 7 washings.


* If I could fiiiiind aaaa waaaaay-uh! I'd take back those words that huuuurt you, and you'd stay!!!

And now, bonus puppeh!

REVIEW: DiorSkin Nude BB Cream

I was beyond sad when I left my boyfriend at the airport last week, so I decided to splurge on one last makeup item in the Duty Free store before starting my No Buy. I haven't used much Dior besides the lash primer, and I've been curious about their base products, so I went straight for this BB cream. Not only did it offer a bit of sun protection and the lighter coverage I prefer, but it also came in an incredibly light shade, 001 Light. (The second shade is 002 Fair, but don't be fooled: 001 is definitely lighter.) It swatched beautifully on my N5-ish jaw, so I didn't hesitate to plonk down the $44.

The packaging for this BB is absolutely flawless: it's a squeeze tube, meaning you can squish out every last drop of product, and it has a pump, which makes it more sanitary. It's very easy to control how much comes out of the pump; I was able to disperse a pump-and-a-half of product to cover my face and the top of my neck without trouble.

The product itself is a very smooth, creamy foundation that feels beautiful when blended on to the skin. I was able to smooth it on with my hands and with a brush without trouble, and I found that it had the same amount of coverage regardless of what method I used: more than most tinted moisturizers, but less than a medium-coverage foundation, with a slight dewy finish. My zits and undereye circles were "softened," but not completely covered.

It absolutely reeks of cheap cucumber melon perfume, though, which I found appalling; if you're going to advertise a product as part skincare, you shouldn't load it up with fragrance. Furthermore, if you're going to claim that a product's main purpose is sun protection--as the back of this product's box claims--you seriously need to do better than SPF10.

At first, I was 95% thrilled with how this product looked on my skin. Although I knew it was a smidge too pink from the get-go, I didn't think it was horribly noticeable, even in these HD photographs. Cream and powder products blend over it very well, and it doesn't transfer on to my clothing. But I also realized that this wasn't a product for certain skin types.

I'm a little sorry for this Super Creepy HD shot of my nose, but I think it illustrates an important point: this is NOT a product for oily skin. I took this picture immediately after applying the product to my oily nose, and you can see that it's already greasy, with the product separating and migrating to my pores. I didn't powder for the sake of this review, but if you have combination skin, you'll want to powder this product down, and if you have straight-up oily skin? It's not the product for you.

Now, it looked absolutely beautiful on the rest of my face, which is quite dry, except for a few spots...

...spots with flaking or textural issues. This close-up shows how lovely the DiorSkin Nude BB Cream looks on areas that are dry-but-smooth, but it also shows the minor flakes on my cheeks and at the corner of my mouth being emphasized. And yes, these are minor flakes brought on by using acne spot treatments, not instances of prolonged textural issues. Hence, I would only recommend this product to people with normal to dry skin and no texture issues.

But again, 95% thrilled! It had the perfect amount of coverage for me, felt nice on my skin, and looked great on 3/4 of my face. And I have no problem powdering and priming my nose, since it's the one "really weird" part of my face. I was willing to overlook the terrible smell and slight pinkness because of how convenient this BB cream would be for my needs, seeing as I travel long distances to work and prefer to do my makeup on-site on those days.

Alas, it was not to be. Not only does this product completely break down on my oily nose (so much so that even blotting powder couldn't save it), but it also darkens up and gets more pink after about 20 minutes. You can really see this happening in the natural light picture on the right: my neck is about N5, and the BB cream has darkened to NW15-20. Many reviews for this product mention the same "darkening" effect, and some foundations are just formulated in such a way that they will get darker shortly after application. This was quite a shade jump, though, seeing as it went from about NW5 to NW15--two full shades darker. If you want to try this product, I highly recommend requesting a sample first.

So alas, this product didn't work for me, and the people it will work for are a small group. While it will probably look beautiful on those people, it's also going to give very little sun protection (regardless of what its advertising states) and reek to high Heaven. Color me disappointed...and two shades too dark.

RATING: 3 out of 5

Note: the Dolce & Gabbana Creamy foundation applies lighter than it swatches. Koh Gen Do Manifashi Moisture foundation oxidized on me, but doesn't on most people.

Recent Loves and Let-Downs

Guys, that big-ass tree outside my window is driving me BONKERS. Between that and the long, dreary storm cycle we've been undergoing, my bedroom has been a pit of doom and gloom for about a week. I seriously cannot wait for fall the begin so we can have a break from stormclouds and all of the leaves fall off that ridiculous tree. (And I can wear more makeup without it melting off of my face, but that's beside the point.)

And speaking of makeup: it's time for some product porn! These are the products that have made the darkness bearable. ORLY Ancient Jade nail polish, in particular, has added a lot of pastel green sunshine to my life; I've recently gotten back in to painting my nails and have been enjoying it, but it was only when I applied Ancient Jade that I remembered why I used to love it. Cool creams like this just rock my world.

I've unexpectedly fallen in love with two very affordable products: the Wet n' Wild Fergie eye primer and the Clinique cream liner in True Black. My tube of Too Faced Shadow Insurance is just now running out, so I grabbed the Fergie primer on a whim. So imagine my surprise when I tested it out and it looked, felt, and performed JUST like TFSI! I really hope it isn't a limited edition product, because it's a $5 steal! The Clinique liner is $15, not $5, but so far, it's performed better than any other black pot liner I've used. It's an unusually soft, liquid-esque formula with the texture of a face cream.

On the more expensive (and seemingly unavailable) end of things, there's the Dior cream eyeshadow in Undressed Beige. A friend sent this in a swap package as an extra, and after I initially swatched it, I didn't give it much thought. It seemed a bit dry and glitter-chunky. But when it's on my lids? Wow, perfect shimmery, soft golden beige! I've been wearing it with my winged eyeliner everywhere I can, including my cousin's wedding. I also wore MAC Please Me matte lipstick and Bobbi Brown Tutu gloss--my recent go-to lip combo--to said wedding. I think Bobbi Brown discontinued Tutu, which is a crying shame; it was my perfect nude pink.

I have to give mad props to some of the things that kept me going during my most recent sinus infection.  I wouldn't have been able to sleep at all if I hadn't had this bottle of nasal spray. Yes, it's only a temporary solution, but when I used it with an over-the-counter decongestant pill? That was 2 or 3 hours of sleep before my stuffy nose woke me up again. And when the whole affair was over, my beloved Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream was there to fix my rough, ragged, peeling nose. I smeared a thin layer of this stuff on the sore skin every night before bed; the area was drastically improved after the first morning and completely healed by the third. Normally, it takes my nose a week or more to heal.

I haven't been emotionally scarred by any of my recent try-it-out bouts, but I have found a number of disappointments. Perhaps my biggest disappointment was the Anthony Logistics for Men Instant Fix Oil Control primer, which I got as a Sephora 100 point perk. This product promises to mattify on contact, but when I applied it to my nose, my nose was...still shiny. My nose needed a little less blotting throughout the day, but it did still need that blotting, and there was nothing matte about it. I think this product would work better for somebody with more "uniform" skin than mine--I have a face that's 95% Sahara Desert, 5% oil slick. I had a similar reaction the Hourglass Mineral Primer: it wasn't BAD, by any means, but it didn't wow me the way I hoped it would, and it didn't do anything all that spectacular compared to other primers I've used.

I've also been having a tough time with new mascaras. I got a free sample of the Dior DiorShow mascara and was beyond excited to try it, as I haven't used it for many years now. Yet again, we're dealing with a product that isn't terrible, just lackluster. It darkened my lashes a smidge and gave me a bit of volume and length, but it tended to be clumpy and flaked on me throughout the day. I have nothing against natural mascaras, but this guy wasn't really natural, just...dull. A product that DID suck hardcore was the Maybelline The Falsies Big Eyes mascara. Sweet lord, this stuff was AWFUL! The large brush did next to nothing for my lashes except dry them out and make them look spidery, and the little brush just darkened my lower lashes a bit. I had to force myself to use this mascara twice to give it a fair shot. I was super-excited to try it out, as I tend to have good luck with Maybelline mascaras, but nope! Straight to the trash with this one.

Last, but not least, the much-loved Nivea Lip Butter in Raspberry Rose Kiss. This isn't a bad product, but it didn't do what everybody told me it would do: lighten and soften my natural lip color. It works nicely over pink lipsticks, but on my own lips, it's either completely clear or, if I add a whole lot, a bit gray. It also isn't the most comfortable or moisturizing lip butter out there; it can get a bit tacky and gummy on my lips after an hour or two.

And there you have it! My recent loves and let-downs. My two-job life starts up in a month, and I'm still prepping for that, but I hope to have a small backlog of posts prepared for weeks when I can't write as much. Viva la blog!

Beauty Sightings: RuPaul's Drag Race, Season 4

It's been a while since I've done a beauty sightings post, and the current season of RuPaul's Drag Race is just knocking my socks off. So why not include a slew of beauty sightings from one of my favorite seasons ever, season 4? I mean, who doesn't love a drag queen competition that ends with an eccentric beauty from Pittsburgh getting the crown?

...well, yes, I would love a crown, too. But I'm actually talking about Miss Sharon Needles, who became my top pick for the win when she walked in to the workroom on the first day looking like this:

HOW DO I LOVE THEE. LET ME COUNT THE WAYS AND THE NUMBER OF EDGAR ALLEN POE POEMS I WANT TO RECITE IN THE FACE OF YOUR FLAWLESSNESS. AND YOU'RE FROM THE PITTSBURGH DRAG SCENE--BONUS!

Annnnyway! NYX was the sponsor for this season, so be prepared to see a number of their products...but of course, every drag queen has her must-haves, carefully stashed away in their suitcases. As always, if you recognize a product, please let us know what it is!

You can definitely spot some MAC pigment jars in Jiggly Caliente's kit.

The first of many "Ru-Glue" sightings for this season.

Sharon sculpting her face. There's some nail polish remover on the stand behind her.

Madame LaQueer holding a pot with some kind of cream product. It's hard to see the label, but it doesn't look like NYX to me...maybe DermaBlend or Ben Nye?

VANITY SHOT! Sharon's got some Ben Nye loose powders and cream products.

Dida Ritz applying a beautiful pinky-red gloss. I wish we got to see more of this product!

A shot of Chad's brush kit. I see that puff with her all the time...is it a Kryolan puff?

A container full of glosses. I'm pretty sure these belong to Chad Michaels.

Chad using Studio Grafix hairspray on one of her many Cher wigs.

Latrice Royale is also a Ben Nye fan; I noticed a few of their products in her kit, including these infamous orange-y powders.

Some of Kenya Michael's makeup. I've seen that jar of loose powder on her table a few times, and I think it's either MAC or NYX.

Vanity shot!

Chad Michaels applying what I am 99% sure is some NYX lipliner.

Dida Ritz setting her makeup with AquaNet hair spray. This is a very old-school drag trick, and while it definitely works, I wouldn't recommend that the average person do it on a daily basis.

Product placement!

A good shot of some of Dida Ritz's products. There's a Kryolan palette, a NYX eyshadow kit, and several NARS compacts.

There's that puff again! And, of course, a picture of Cher in Chad's kit. ;) Those palettes in front of Chad pop up a LOT--anybody recognize them?

Willam and Sharon applying liquid liner.

Willam has a Dior product here; I'm pretty sure it's Dior Air Flash foundation. She also has some makeup wipes and q-tips.

Sharon uses a NYX pencil to draw on her brows.

Chad uses Duo lash glue. And I never noticed the tattoo on her wrist until now!

GOD, that bronzer looks SO familiar! Anybody recognize it?

It was a bit hard to capture, but Sharon is doing her contour with a MAC powder.

And the final sighting for today: lots of Sally Hansen airbrush makeup for legs! You'll notice this popping up on queens' tables from time to time; I especially noticed it on Willam's.