Cover Girl

It’s countdown to Summer. You’ve been working hard on your bikini and sundress body, and you need a bold, notice-me makeup look to go with it. Look no further than the Blast Collection from COVERGIRL. The Blast Collection features three key products for your smokin’ hot look this season. Smoky ShadowBlast is a dual-ended shadow stick for a bold and easy colorful smoky eye. Finish your smoky eye look with your favorite LashBlast Mascara — try LashBlast Length Mascara for long, lush lashes. Top off the look with ShineBlast Lipgloss for lips with a high-gloss finish. And there you have it! It’s time to go turn some heads.

Need a few pointers on how to make this bold look work for you? Watch this step-by-step video on how to get the look. Mix and match your favorite COVERGIRL Blast Collection products to create your unique Blast look!

If you're a huge fan of LashBlast mascara, this shouldn't surprise you: In a poll of 5,000 women, Cover Girl came out on top, with 14 percent of women reporting it their favorite brand. The women polled said they preferred Cover Girl mainly because it was a good value, and they trust the name. Clinique came in a close second at 10 percent, followed, interestingly, by Mary Kay and Maybelline.

What was most interesting about the study, though, is that it found women who wear very little makeup are more brand loyal than beauty junkies. Basically, if you love makeup, instead of becoming addicted to one brand, you're more likely to find something you like in any line. But if you consider yourself a makeup "minimalist" or "everyday woman," you'll probably buy a disproportionate amount of your makeup from the same brand. What's your reaction to this study? Do you think it pretty accurately describes your buying habits and favorite brands, or is it way off base?

While watching Top Model last night, I was surprised to see this text flash on the bottom third of a Cover Girl mascara commercial:

Lash inserts used prior to application to add fullness but not length.

You could have knocked me over with a feather! That's the kind of full disclosure that some people are calling for, especially in the UK. But it hasn't been required of cosmetics companies yet — which is why it's pleasing to see this kind of straightforward initiative. What do you think?

Want to get the royal treatment? Makeup artist D’Andre Michael created Queen Latifah’s soft and sexy look for the Oscars, and now he's giving us the breakdown on how to re-create it at home.

To bring attention to Queen's eyes, Michael applied CoverGirl Smoky ShadowBlast in Purple Plume ($8) on the entire lid. He then placed CoverGirl Smoky ShadowBlast in Onyx Smoke ($8) in the inner crease, blending up on the brow bone. After waterlining the rim of her bottom lid with black eyeliner, he finished the eyes with a coat of black waterproof mascara.

For Queen Latifah’s lips, Michael began with a base coat of MAC Lipstick in Midimauve ($14), then lined her lips with Kevyn Aucoin Flesh Tone Lip Pencil in Deep ($24). A coat of CoverGirl ShineBlast Lip Gloss in Ablaze ($8.50) added shine. To complete the look, he swept Cargo Blush in Siena ($22) on the apples of her cheeks.

For Queen Latifah's performance at the Super Bowl, makeup artist Monifa Mortis says she knew that the look she created would have to have "smoky definition, so all the fans could see her." The look she created was understated and smoky but had tons of impact. To find out how Mortis did it, just keep reading.

Have you ever had a formal event to attend and you weren't sure what makeup shades might go with your dress? Take a cue from makeup artist D'Andre Michael, who worked with Queen Latifah at the 2010 People's Choice Awards, opting for a blue smoky eye, nude lipstick, and bronzed skin to complement the entertainer's cream, deep blue, and black gowns.

"Queen's wardrobe changes were my inspiration for her look," he said. "Since she had three changes I wanted to create a look that would suit all of her choices." Check out my gallery below to see how this cool- and warm-toned palette worked for the entertainer's various ensembles, and get the how-to at the link below.

To get the instructions just keep reading.

• Eyes: Michael used MAC Eye Shadow in Brown Down ($14.50) right above the crease and under the lower lashes. "Doing this allows you to blend your darker shadows into a softer color," he said. Next, he applied Lancôme Eye Shadow in Garment Intense ($17) on the lids, blending it into the previously applied brown shadow. For depth and contrast, he used CoverGirl Outlast Eyeliner in Onyx ($6) on the inner bottom eyelid.
• Lips: Michael applied MAC Lipstick in Velvet Teddy ($14), a matte, deep-tone beige, as a base coat and lined Queen's lips with Kevyn Aucoin Flesh Tone Lip Pencil in Deep ($24). "Be sure to rub lips together to blend your lip liner for a softer line," he advises. For luster and shine, Michael then added CoverGirl Lipslicks Lip Gloss in Cutie ($4).
• Cheeks: MAC's Blush in Sweet as Cocoa ($18), a shimmering pearly brown, was applied to accentuate the cheeks. For a subtle glow, he then added CoverGirl Queen Collection Natural Hue Bronzer ($18).

Mascara is always a hotly contested category, and this year, although there were a lot of popular choices, Cover Girl cleaned up nicely. The brand's LashBlast has become a drugstore favorite, thanks in part to its recently launched lengthening formula. We wholeheartedly agree with your choice, by the way. Lash Blast lengthens, volumizes, and makes us see lashes we didn't know existed. This stuff is good, and few other mascaras can compete when you take into account its price. Hopefully we'll see even more Lash Blast-y releases in 2010.

Cover Girl TruShine Lipstick ($3.50) has earned several good reviews in the community since it came out on the market, and since shiny lips are a holiday must, I thought it might be a good time to share reader mizz_jennii's helpful review. She says:

"I was never a fan of CoverGirl's lip products until I tried this TruShine lipstick yesterday. I was in the market for a nude-ish lipstick and read about this particular color in Glamour magazine so I had to pick it up. I got it on sale for a little under $4 — not too bad! The lipsticks are arranged by skin tone, so picking a shade is a piece of cake. They are very soft and moisturizing — doesn't dry out my lips. I line my lips with Prestige Lip Liner in Silk followed by Petal Shine lipstick and I have the perfect nude-ish pink lip color. I can also swipe it on straight from the tube (without a mirror) and not worrying that it's all over my mouth."

Tried something and gotten just-right results? Tell us what you used and how you did it on our Product Reviews pages ( you might end up featured here on Bella, too). And while you're there, make sure to check out all the reviews other community members have written — we've got info on more than 50,000 products, and members are writing new reviews every day.

We all know that finding the right foundation is a process. Recently reader smesarchik reviewed CoverGirl Advanced Radiance Age-Defying Makeup ($12), praising it for its light coverage and low cost. Here's what else she had to say about this liquid foundation:

It is extremely soft to the touch — almost like velvet. The coverage is light-to-medium depending on how you apply. It smells wonderful and doesn't break my skin out at all. I have dry skin and it makes my face look flawless. I definitely recommend it for someone who doesn't need or want full coverage.

Our Product Reviews section has just about all you need to help you choose a foundation suited for your needs. Read and write reviews, peruse what other readers have to say, and check back here each day to find out which review I'll be featuring.