Cheap Tricks to Try Out at the Drug Store Makeup Counter

KAREN WALSH, 55, KIRKWOOD, MO.
Problem -- Karen is looking for an alternative to her pricey under-eye firming creams and wants some makeup tips to make her eyes look more alert.

Cheap trick -- Dana suggested L'Oreal Advanced Revitalift, eye lift gel ($16.49) because it combines an upper-eye lifting gel and an under-eye antiwrinkle cream that has been well-reviewed.

To "wake up" tired looking eyes, Dana suggested Neutrogena Mineral Sheers, a concealer kit with SPF 20 and a translucent powder in light ($13.79). The product is one shade lighter than Karen's skin tone and foundation color.

Dana said that too often people go for undereye concealers that are too dark, and instead of camouflaging, it creates a darker shadow.

She told Karen to brush it lightly under the eye in an upward stroke from the lower eye area in a C-shaped swoop up to the tip of the eyebrow. A small amount can also be dotted onto the inner corner of the eye to enhance brightness.

When applying the product under her eye, she warned her not to look up or down, but straight ahead. Looking up stretches the area so people tend to apply too much and it can settle into lines and accentuate them. Looking down compacts the area and leads to poor coverage. If you finish and it doesn't look natural, blend lightly with the pinkie finger or a fluffy brush until you are satisfied.

Karen's verdict -- "I am using the L'Oreal product daily and I like the results. My eyes look brighter and small lines are diminished. On the other hand, I tried the concealer kit a couple of times but it was not the right color for my skin tones. Jessica warned me that was one of the big drawbacks to using foundation from the drug store. You can't try it on before you buy it so you just have to guess that the color will work. Despite her best efforts, the color just didn't work.

"I took her advice about summer being a good time to try color around my eyes and purchased a couple of eye liners in green and lavender. I use them only on the lower lids and the effect is subtle and pretty." Karen also had a problem with mascara and eyeliner bleeding into other areas around her eyes, but she's been using translucent powder as a finish and, "true to what Jessica advised, I don't have a problem" anymore.