Meghere! I found this article and hey, if I'm going to take the heat for having had alcohol or ciggs then I'm going to turn the tables!
Some interesting facts that I would like to share :

WATER

1. 75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated. (Likely applies to half the world population)

2. In 37% of Americans, the thirst mechanism is so weak that it is mistaken for hunger.

3. Even MILD dehydration will slow down one's metabolism as much as 3%.

4. One glass of water shut down midnight hunger pangs for almost 100% of the dieters studied in a University of Washington study.

5. Lack of water, the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.

6. Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.

7. A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page.


8. Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, plus it can slash the risk of breast cancer by 79%., and one is 50% less likely to develop bladder cancer.

Are you drinking the amount of water you should drink every day?

COKE

1. In many states the highway patrol carries two gallons of Coke in the trunk to remove blood from the highway after a car accident.

2. You can put a T-bone steak in a bowl of Coke and it will be gone in two days.

3. To clean a toilet: Pour a can of Coca-Cola into the toilet bowl and let the "real thing" sit for one hour, then flush clean. The citric acid in Coke removes stains from vitreous china.

4. To remove rust spots from chrome car bumpers: Rub the bumper with a rumpled-up piece of Reynolds Wrap aluminum foil dipped in Coca-Cola.

5. To clean corrosion from car battery terminals: Pour a can of Coca-Cola over the terminals to bubble away the corrosion.

6. To loosen a rusted bolt: Apply a cloth soaked in Coca-Cola to the rusted bolt for several minutes.

7. To bake a moist ham: Empty a can of Coca-Cola into the baking pan, wrap the ham in aluminum foil, and bake. Thirty minutes before ham is finished, remove the foil, allowing the drippings to mix with the Coke for a sumptuous brown gravy.

8. To remove grease from clothes: Empty a can of Coke into the load of greasy clothes, add detergent, and run through a regular cycle. The Coca-Cola will help loosen grease stains. It will also clean road haze from your windshield.

So, are you going to have a glass of Coke instead of a glass of water? Think about it again. Any thoughts?!

Meg here, in New York taking a bite out of The Big Apple. I am so grateful to have this time with
Karina and staying with my wonderful friend and fabulous hostess Mariana Nolan. It has been so much fun, really it's so great to have time with fabulous ladies. It's just the best, I feel bad for men sometimes because they'll never experience the laughter that women experience in their ladies only club!

So I've been seeing Cheryl Burke (from Dancing With The Stars) all over the media yelling "Size 4 is not fat!" Apparently she's the latest celebrity to be called overweight. This is ridiculous. The woman is not overweight in the least. This reminds me when Jenifer Love Hewitt was everywhere exclaiming the same thing. She was spouting off "I love my curves!" constantly. I just was a little bit confused when a very short time later she graced the cover of my US Weekly with the headline "How I Lost The Weight"

I believe Cheryl Burke is not fat, I believe Eva Longoria sounds like a complete idiot when she tells Allure Magazine "I'm not pregnant, I just got rounder, I'm still a size 0." Yes, Eva I'm sure there were a lot of women that are a round size zero and know what you're going through. If I ever find one I'll be sure to offer that fatty my sympathy. I also believe that as soon as they drop whatever the "offending" weight was they'll be back on the cover of one of my weekly rags letting us all know. Even though, you know, they "Love their curves!"

So what's the deal? I mean if you're going to make your curves your platform and get up on your horse then can you stay there? It would be better to not say anything then look like such a hypocrite.

This is easy for me to say. I am skinny. I don't enjoy food so much. It's not an eating disorder, I'm just not a big foodie. There are people that live to eat and people that eat to live. I'm definitely in the second category. I do understand addiction very well though. I have a very addictive personality and try to quit as I might, I'm puffing away on my ciggs writing this post.
While my habit is disgusting and harmful to others and will probably kill me, society is kinder to me then someone that over eats.

't imagine being a heavy person with an actual difficulty with their weight having to listen to this celebrity garbage. Cheryl, just do us a favor, I'm happy you're happy with yourself and you're speaking out. If you show up in my mailbox letting us all know how you "Slimmed Down." Well, consider this your warning!

Am I the only one over the celebrity "fat" epidemic?

Goddess Granny here! Can you feel it? That lil' nip of Autumn in the air and along with it the rustling of leaves and maybe even a glimpse of something not quite definable in the corner of your eye?Cue spooky music...not that nasty bone-slasher stuff but just something that gives you a slight chill !

I LOVE all that is Halloween and for the first time in quite a while,I'm actually donning a costume and going to a real party to celebrate this night of possibilities.

Okay so have you also noticed that most of the costumes geared towards adult women are designed to make you look like an extra in a low-budget porn-flick??? OMG....seriously...if you're not 20 and built like a brick-chithouse,your options are reduced to wearing something that will guarentee you NO treats on the big night or you can simply cover yourself in bodypaint and drink heavily hoping no one will notice,LOL!

After browsing online for entirely too long,I did manage to craft together a darling "kitty cat" costume with a hot lil' pink leopard print hoodie that has ears and a tail attached and short patent skirt with a sparkly bra peeking out a bit.I will however be wearing fully opaque tights and thigh high 6" heeled black patent boots( I poledance so these are in my closet as a matter of fact...) to cover any nasty bits and overall I will be insured that my attendance at this party will not include my showing up on "YouTube" in the am due to a wardrobe malfunction!

My biggest fear at age 54 is that my 11 yr. old grandaughter will discover the ONE time I muck up bigtime on "YouTube" for all the world to see...
To insure that my costume will have the proper flirty-kitty effect,I also bought an outrageous pair of thick,black,fluttery false-lashes:after all,aren't the eyes really where it ALL begins and ends?

Again, I bring you back to the fabulous line by Liz Earle: I received several of her amazing products to review and literally have worn these items out! I have previously mentioned that this company simply rocks in terms of quality,service,and true markey identity.I find them to be refreshing in a world of hype and nonsense and can see why the boutiques that carry the line are thrilled to have them on hand.

Their elegant cream-colored tube with pump-top of "Smoothing Line Serum" has captured my heart this time and again,I'm here to say that this is an amazing find: silky and non-scented,this serum designed for the eye area but can be used wherever you feel the need and it glides on effortlessly.While it's suggested for nightime use,I have also applied it during the day when I'm hanging around.

It can be a tad sticky at first but the feeling subsides after a few minutes leaving an obviously firmed eye area and a glossy smooth finish behind!
I also pat whatever is left on the little creases about my lipline for a nice result as well...

I think the effects of this product are visable immediately and honestly I hate to sound like a raving loon, but these products are just GREAT and seem to achieve what you wish most others would without a whole lot of effort!

Echinacea and grapeseed extract are the botanicals of note and both are known for their antibacterical and skin-building properties.Their commitment to using sustainable ingredients that are fairly traded and decent wages paid to women's co-op's worldwide only make me love them more as well! I
have also read that this product is considered to act like a "natural Botox" because it contains hyrolonic acid as well ( which attracts moisure to the skin-surface) and honestly,having tried the un-natural Botox as well,I think this is a nicer effect overall.

I'm stuck on this lil'tube of goodness and even after a month of heavy travel and limited sleep,my eye-area is looking fresh and soon to be ferociously- feline thanks to this potion!

BUY LIZ EARLE HERE!



I am in awe of Liz Earle...Will you also be a creature of the night frolicing under the moon on Halloween?And...do you think that the eyes really ARE the mirror of the soul?

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Meg here, I'm going to be covering todays Drugstore Deal. Our hearts and prayers go out to our resident DD writer Gigi who has suffered a death in her family. We hope you're feeling better soon!

I'm going to try to send you a DD Gigi would approve of! Maybelline Great Lash Mascara, friend or foe? Women go insane for the iconic pink tube and green cap. Millions of them, in fact, Maybelline Great Lash is America's #1 best selling mascara, I always see it as "Editor's Pick." I see it mentioned in all sorts of celebrity magazines as being in so-and-so's cosmetic purse and top make-up artists "love it! Can't live without it!"

I may get ripped apart for this but I think the Emperor's Without Clothes!

It's not bad, It's around $4.50, it makes my lashes black, umm the tube is nostalgic and reminds me of Palm Beach prep and Lily Pulitzer and well, that's about it. I never put it on and say "Wow! Maybe I'm not born with it, it is Maybelline! Good Golly no wonder this is #1! I just expect more then just making my lashes black. I want curl and plump and length and I'm willing to throw a few more bucks in the kitty to achieve it. I'm just wondering what all the fuss is about or if I have some sort of bum lashes?

I've always had better luck with the comparatively priced Max Factor 2000 Calorie Mascara or L'Oreal Voluminous Original Volume Building Mascara. They just work a lot better to me but they never get the accolades Great Lash does.

What Mascara is your favorite DD? Am I completly off the mark with Great Lash or is it just smoke and mirrors?

Available at any drugstore
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Gigi here, with a Drugstore "Steal!"

Recently I was in a hurry and left the house sans makeup-with my fair skin and hazel eyes, I can fade away and it's not pretty. I had intended to apply mine in the car while my husband drove, packed a bag of cosmetics, and forgot it. Since it's not Halloween yet and I don't want to frighten others needlessly, we stopped at the drugstore, where I ran in to find some cosmetic staples. I hate to waste money and replicate items I already own, but a display for Jane Cosmetics caught my eye--problem solved! You're most likely familiar with this firm. It began with a few items, but they are now flourishing, offering very reasonably priced, innovative products for every age, every look. The name "Jane" itself is derived from the fact that the line is intended to be flattering for all women and is actually an acronym for botanical ingredients in most of their items--juniper, aloe, nettle, and elderflower.

While I feared I would have to go bare-faced, I had nearly everything I needed in their new "Be Pure Minerals in the Round Building Blocks to Beauty," a talc- and oil-free set of five interlocking, stackable, circular cosmetic rounds. They include foundation, bronzer, dual blushes, an eye shadow quad and four lip glosses, with a mirror in the lid (thank you, as I am annoyed by firms which disregard these). This is a limited-time offer--get yours now for $9.99 (yes, you read that correctly!). It's akin to having a small makeup boutique. For a pittance, I was able to transform myself easily from "oh, woe is me" to "oh, wow is me!" I used the portable blush, eye, and lip brushes I always carry in my purse for application (I know, I know-I need a shrink).

These kits are available in "Cool" and "Warm." The foundation is pressed mineral powder in colors with an undertone of yellow. Why? The key pigment in our skin, melanin, is yellow by nature. The coverage is not heavy, just enough to camouflage imperfections, even out skin tone, and disguise ruddiness (avoid powder under eyes as it exaggerates any lines). I whipped out one of my cream concealers for this area (it's been suggested that carrying my purse is a great exercise for building muscles).

In general, Christian Dior eyeshadows are my "benchmark" when it comes to ease of shadow application. No, these don't glide on in the same effortless way but require a little more work. However, it doesn't take much to create a variety of attractive looks with shadows in ecru, taupe, subtle shimmering copper, a great deep chocolate brown, seafoam, and smoky teal. Bronzers include a patchwork of squares in slightly luminous hues including beige, copper, coral, and bronze, depending on the palette you choose. Blushes? Rose tones are predominant, with the "Warm" colors more subdued and pleasing to people who may tend to shy away from pink. As a finishing touch, use the lip glosses for a perfect, soft, shiny pout-no tacky feel here! These are fascinating and range from barely-there nude, bronze, and blossom to very wearable, vivid shades of russet, rose, and fuschia. An idea: Mix and layer the colors for your own unique, perfect tone.

I started with the "Cool" set and bought the other on the way home. Hey-I know a good thing when I see it and want to stock up before the executives at Jane realize that they've lost their minds when it comes to a beauty deal!

Run! Don't walk! Any other Jane lovers!

Meg here, I'm back! There is really no place like home. So pleased to be back in my bubble! LaLa Land I love you! It took me 11 hours to get back yesterday so I'm sorry this is up a little late! Here's Gigi's first ever Drugstore Don't!

Gigi's back with a DD Don't! Scarlett O’Hara was famous for two beauty “tricks:” Literally pinching her cheeks to bring a rush of color to her fair Southern Belle complexion and taking the ultimate advantage of her long, full eyelashes to garner power over men. With a bat of her eyes, men fell over themselves to serve her at a barbeque and easily succumbed to her other charms.

Unfortunately, luxurious, lengthy lashes are not one of my charms. I do have a scant amount, but they are auburn, easily overpowered by eyeshadow and liner. In junior high school, I learned the power of mascara to transform me from “cute” to “striking” if used correctly. For me, mascara is a beauty must-have for women unless you are unusually blessed with naturally lush, gorgeous lashes—it adds definition, enhances eye color, and makes the whites of your eyes more vivid. I do not “pump” the tube for color, as air can dry out the formula and render it hard to apply; simply twirl the wand in the tube for more color (free tip!). I followed professional suggestions to add bulk to mine: Between coats of color, I would dust them with face powder. Finally, cosmetic companies began to offer base coats to plump lashes before mascara. But we’re all busy—I often don’t have time to work with dual products. Perhaps I’m an idealist, but I’m continually on a quest for super-quick “miracle” products.

Maybelline’s “The Colossal Volum’ Express Mascara” is displayed on drugstore shelves everywhere (around $8.00). Maybelline, as you are well aware, has given us “Great Lash” (a staple for thousands of women). I especially like their “Full and Soft” mascara, as lashes are thickened and remain naturally supple. Colossal Volum’ promises that the patented MegaBrush and collagen will add nine times more volume to your lashes (sorry, but I’ve never understood how they derive such statistics—is there such a thing as an “eyelash-measuring tool?”). Something troubled me immediately--this product is available in “Classic Back” or “Glam Black.” What’s the difference? Black can be overwhelming for many.

My hand is steady, as I paint for a hobby with fine brushes. While applying, something smelled foul. I looked around me—was there a spoiled piece of fruit nearby or had our dog had an accident? No—it emanated from the mascara. I’ve never paid much attention to a mascara’s scent, but this can be politely described as “Ugh.” The Drugstore Deal reviewer bought another one just to make sure she was using a fresh product, but the gag response recurred.

Maybelline advises that you brush from root to tip without allowing one coat to dry before adding others. I struggled with the first coat! The MegaBrush is too large and unwieldy. No matter how much time I spent, it was difficult to capture all lashes and I wound up with the color far from my eyes. This “no-clumping” formula does—in a major way. I went to my sister’s home and my family asked why I was wearing “spiders.” Point taken. When dry, lashes are elongated and have bulk, but in a bizarre, stilted rather than flattering way. Packaging states that it can be taken off with eye makeup remover. Save yourself some cash—don’t buy it at all.

I hate to diss the company that has brought us “fine makeup, sensibly priced” (their old slogan), but I speak the truth. To paraphrase Rhett Butler, “Frankly, Maybelline, “I don’t give a darn . . .”

Am I missing something with “The Colossal Volum’ Express Mascara”?

Meg here, I had some site issues yesterdays so that's why we have Humpday and Drugstore Deals basically on the same day. Thanks for hanging in and I hope you're having a great end of week!

Gigi bringing you the best from your local drugstore aisles!

You’ve probably all seen this Nivea commercial—a young woman applies one of the company’s products and falls into the arms of a man who could easily be employed as a Calvin Klein model. The slogan “Touch and be touched” works for me, and so I decided to experiment even further with Nivea. My sister had put a portable, inexpensive all-purpose Nivea crème in my Christmas stocking last year, and it proved priceless during bitterly cold weather and dry heat.

We all know that many of the moisturizers used on your face and/or hands will not work under eyes—heavy lipids will simply trap fluid in the delicate layers of skin, causing unsightly puffiness. However, I’m starting to become more and more exasperated with being told by firms that I must use one product for my elbows, another for my arms, a third for my hands, a fourth for my neck, and so on. We’re all in a hurry, and I shop at the drugstore on a limited budget! I decided to return to Nivea’s line for an inexpensive “multi-tasker.” I found it in their Natural Tone Face and Body Crème (approximately $7.00).

This product can be used on face and body to even skin’s tone and soften. My skin tone is consistent, and thus I cannot comment on whether or not it lives up to its claims here. After losing some “vanity” pounds, I have the beginning of the much-dreaded “turkey neck” syndrome and do not want to be served for dinner on Thanksgiving! I put this moisturizer to the test, applying it to my face (except for my eye area), neck, arms, legs, and hands. I chose the crème rather than the lotion; the consistency is light and seems like it has been whipped. Ingredients are highly moisturizing (glycerin, mineral oil—a.ka. baby oil—and coco-glycerides), and they are enhanced by the same sunscreens used in much pricier products, including Chanel’s eye crèmes. It is quickly absorbed; there is no greasy residue after allowing it to penetrate for a moment or two. My skin was instantly silky and more touchable. In a way, it felt slightly more taut and firm as well. The fragrance? I found it very pleasant and understated, reminiscent of talcum or baby powder. My husband is sometimes used as another “test subject” for reviews (along with other family members and friends), and he was pleased as well. At first he balked—and then he asked for more. The silky benefits last—and I was a bit surprised. I hadn’t expected much from something so affordable.

I had been using expensive, exclusive firming crèmes on my neck (I promise I didn’t buy them—they were smuggled to me by foreign operatives), but Nivea’s version worked nearly as well as some of these at a mere fraction of the price. For a one-crème-fixes-all-areas product, I recommend it highly. The site itself, Nivea.com, is highly innovative and interactive; it offers advice on eating well, caring for yourself, and even gives exercises to keep the appearance of cellulite at a minimum and more. It’s definitely a place to visit in your spare time (I know, I know, what spare time?). PSSST, Nivea: I am very happily married, but if you ran a contest and offered women a chance for a date with the “GQ” man in your television ad, sales would quadruple!

Any other Nivea devotees?

Katie here! Your most trusted Sephora Insider!

If you were anything like I was, as a budding beauty-addict preteen, a lot of things were first done without your mother's permission. Shaving your legs, buying 99 cent Wet 'n' Wild nail polishes in the grocery store while your mother was picking up milk and eggs. All things I did. Whenever I was finally officially allowed to wear makeup at age 13, eye liner was not on the approved list of products. I got one of those "You're already beautiful" BS lines that mothers are by statute obligated to say to their daughters. I stole a Black Revlon very greasy eyeliner pencil out of my mom's makeup basket probably about the beginning of ninth grade. It was dull, and it took me a couple weeks to build up the nerve to steal a sharpener as well. I didn't have a very steady hand, for sure. The greasy, very smudge friendly eyeliner was probably all over half my lid and it dropped down to my cheekbones by third period. But already it made such a dramatic difference!

After lots of practice, and a bit of professional training, and even practice applying eyeliner on other people working at Sephora, I've got eyeliner down pat. Now, I still don't like to sharpen things. One of my Sephora coworkers once told me that she sharpens her pencils everyday, which I asked. I was floored. What a pain in the butt! The line is definitely tighter and cleaner when you do, but it just happens that your sharpener always falls to the bottom of your "current use" cosmetics basket and it just isn't time-efficient to retrieve it every day.

Enter Tarte EmphasEYES pencils. Black is my poison of choice. Comes in navy, plum, and green too. Its the tiniest, skinniest, TWIST UP eyeliner anyone ever thought of. It's also great if you're a fan of an eyeliner practice such as Laura Mercier's tightline method (ask 38goingon19 - Jen from Mythbuster Beauty...she loves it). But me, I just cant bend my arm that way or something it just doesn't work out. But with the EmphasEYES I can do it! And you can too!

**A good hint is to line your primed eye before you put on shadow and then touch up afterwards. Seems to make it set better to put it on skin, not on shadow.

Any other Tarte EmphasEYES Fans?

Gorgeous Granny here! Hello ladies...Back from her amazing trip to LA and already wishing I was anywhere except South Texas currently to escape the heat, humidity,and lil' gnatty-bugs that are so dense,they catch rides into town on my lipgloss...
YUCK!

There are SOOOOOO many products out there that promise to "treat the eye-area" and reduce every lil' thing that can (and does!) go wrong with that fragile skin: the eyes are the first area to show the ravages of age and fatigue and watching the fabulous Olympics recently into the wee hours hasn't helped my own "area" much lately.You can spend next to nothing or break the bank sampling everything that might help a little or sometimes,a lot.The choices are mind-boggling and it's a delight when you do stumble across something that works well and is fairly affordable as well!

I remember as a "teen" (yes,dinosaurs roamed the earth as well :) that the "Borghese" counter at our local ladies shoppe (pre-malls as well,OMG!)
was something that inspired awe in me: it offered a look that was impossibly chic and so much more sophisticated that the Bonne Bell I was allowed to use...how I wanted to be one of those ladies with the sculpted-cheekbones pursing her glossy lips below her designer sunglasses while arching a perfect brow as she taunted me with the latest in Euro-beauty.After all,the prestigious company was founded by a real Princess, Marcella Borghese in 1958 so entitled- attitude was built into the products as I saw it and I wanted some for my very own!

"Borghese is a cosmetic/skin care brand that “blends modern technology with classic Italian beauty.This skin care line offers a variety of products in categories like hair care,hand/body, skin care, spa, makeup, fragrance and men’s club. Borghese aims to offer cosmetics and skin care treatments that assist with anti-aging and regular skin maintenance. These products are derived from the notions of science, luxury,health and nature. Borghese places a focus on “cutting edge technology” and organic ingredients when it comes to their products" A nice mission statement overall and obviously,the
company has "staying power" in the market among the literally millions of choices out there!

I was pleased to received a bottle of Borghese's "Fluido Protettivo" (pure poetry,say it 5 times fast!) Advanced Spa Lift for Eyes as I honestly hadn't used anything made by them for many years...classic elegance in a frosted bottle with a pump,very crisp and spa-like in presentation and a good bargin in terms of pricing for a "luxury line" product IMO.The fluid itself is very light and emmolient with a slight sheen and almost no scent that I can discern, goes on smoothly andbeautifully,and leaves absolutely no greasy-residue behind that could result in the dreaded racoon-eyes in an hour. Fast-absorbing,it has
a protective, triple-action anti-oxidation and moisturizing shield system to designed to fight environmental aggressors.

It's one of THE best eye area creams for use under makeup I have ever used and even my exceptionally sensitive skin loves the results with none of the itching or burning so many "techy eye creams" can give! A little goes a long way and I intend to use every drop of the generous 1 ounce bottle as my makeup glides on over it like a dream!

My husband always tells me that "You can tell more about a women's life by looking at her eyes" than by assessing any other area and this product delivers a lovely maintained- smoothness that will keep everyone wondering what I'm up to for a long time to come!

Buy it here: I am loving this product and now that I HAVE the designer sunglasses,glossy lips and arched-brows as well, I can continue to cultivate
that Princess-like attitude of entitlement while being confident that my eyes won't give all of my secrets away!

Who else is feeling like royalty with Borghese?


Buy It Here!

Katie here! Your very own Sephora Insider!

Who really ever knew that you needed two weeks to Orientate a bunch of college graduates to an MBA program? I didn't but that is surely what I have been doing for the last two weeks. And, OMG it is wearing me out. 8 hours a day of listening to the most boring man on earth explain to you simple Microsoft Excel functions can really ravage you. I've got dark circles! I haven't had dark circles...well since I stayed out all night on a regular basis when I was in Paris for four months. So that's just another story.

Anyhow, besides the usual concealer, my best friends for waking up tired eyes are Pastels. Now, don't think I go around looking like an easter egg. Firstly, it's out of season. Secondly, that's tacky. Thirdly, you ought to have a little more faith in me than that. But a little hint of pastel eye makeup will do brightening wonders!

NARS Cream Shadow Duo in Unconditional Love. This was from their Summer Collection. One half of the Duo is a nude with a little shimmer and the other half is a powder blue that is excellent in the center of the lid and/or the corners of the eyes.

Laura Mercier Mineral Eye Powder in Crystalline. This sheer pink gives a really flawless look and the super micro-milled glitter fills in lines.

Urban Decay 24/7 Eye Pencil in Yeyo. If you use this too heavy-handedly this is disco. But a sheer smudged line on the lower lash line is a wake up.

Makeup Forever Diamond Shadow in Diamond White 301. Don't go frosting your eye, lash to brow. But a gentle sweep in the lid and crease is very freshening. A sleek black eyeliner (liquid preferably) really polishes the look (with LOTS of black Mascara!).

TooFaced's Single Eyeshadow in Nude Scene - This is sort of a pastel nude-yellow but I think it makes for an excellent blank canvas! One of my all-time favorite eye shadow colors!

ALL FOUND WITHIN THE HALLOWED HALLS OF SEPHORA!!

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