So what does the term In the Studio actually mean? When I think of the word studio, I think of professional photographers, celluloid (which is essentially thermoplastic) and professional lighting. Of course, when it comes to makeup, I think of professionally done makeup – the striking eyeshadows, the dark and architecturally perfect eyebrow arch, and the Elizabeth-Taylor style cat eye.

So MAC Cosmetics’ new collection, which will hit stores on December 26th, will feature two key makeup pieces: mascara, and a powder foundation.

This makes perfect sense to me, because the first thing that I look at when I see a model on a cover is her skin. And the second is her eyes.

In the Studio is a collection that taps into the eyes and skin as a vibrant vehicle for expression. So there is the STUDIO FIX LASH in BLACK FIX and STUDIO BROWN. The brush is incredibly high-tech, and is molded with the latest thermoplastic synth-rubber. OK, so what all this techno-babble means is…clump free lashes!

And of course, since we mentioned foundation, the sister product in this line is the STUDIO FIX POWDER which is a powder and foundation in one. Actually, I’ve been dying for a product like this because it is completely easy to slip into your pocketbook and look worthy of the cover of Nylon Magazine at the same time.

This powder goes on with a dry, matte-like texture; it’s also velvety because of silica (think Smashbox Primer velvety).

Here are the products:

STUDIO FIX LASH ($13):

Black Fix & Studio Brown

STUDIO FIX POWDER ($26)

Remember, these products hit your local MAC Cosmetics counters the DAY AFTER Christmas! Yup, aka 26th December.

L’OREAL Telescopic Explosion Mascara is the mass market answer to Givenchy’s Phenomenon Mascara. Just like its luxe inspiration, L’oreal Telescopic Explosion Mascara has a brush that looks like a miniature medieval torture device. The spherical shaped brush is built so that it reaches each and every lash including those hard-to-reach corner lashes.

Bare Lashes

After

Though it looks like it can do some harm, the brush allowed me to lengthen, separate and coat every lash for a beautiful long fringe. Definitely worth its $8.99 price tag. Find it at drugstores and mass merchants.

-Catia Carvalho Trooskin

FTC Disclosure: We received a L’Oreal Telescopic Mascara unit to test.

Amethyst, Sapphire, Amber, Garnet and Emerald - though these jewels look great on your fingers and around your neck – they don’t look so hot on your credit card bill. Now you can inexpensively dress your eyes in jewels with Estee Lauder’s Sumptuous Color Bold Volume Lifting Mascara. This five color collection has a jewel tone to enhance any eye color:

Amethyst & Garnet

For green or hazel eyes there is Amethyst and Garnet.

Amber

For brown eyes there is Amber.

Blue eyes are dressed up with Emerald.

And all eyes benefit from Sapphire.

Though the colors seem bright in the wand, the actual effect is very wearable. Emerald and Sapphire were the most vibrant. Garnet, Amber and Amethyst were very subtle and gave just a hint of color.

The formula gives you voluminous, thick lashes while the color makes your eyes pop. Get your shade at Estee Lauder counters and esteelauder.com $19.50

- Catia Carvalho Trooskin

It’s a motorized wand. No, wait, it’s a mascara on steroids. Holy cow, it’s a slow-motion lash separator.

You’ve heard about it, read about it, now get the candid, unbiased opinion here. I had heard so many things (good and bad) about Spinlash and got one to review last week.

I have to admit that it was a little bit like reading a manual to figure how everything works. The cap of the Spinlash comes separate from the body, and the cap is actually the part that contains the mascara (in a little cartridge inside the cap, there’s mascara that looks like ink). The problem for me is that the “ink” leaked when I stored it away for a day so I had to wash the mascara off the cap.

Once you stick the wand inside the cap, you’ll get the bristles all coated with Spinlash’s own mascara. This is not really advisable, since that mascara is not my favorite…it’s clumpy and not waterproof, and will smudge. I prefer to use the Spinlash with my mascara, Diorshow.

I tested one eye with my normal, everyday mascara, and my other eye with Spinlash. The Spinlash definitely separated each last with finer precision than my regular wand. No question! My ordinary mascara wand left my lashes extremely clumpy, no matter how much I tried to comb them out.

But what’s the ideal situation for the lash-loving girl? If you simply must have each lash separated, give this a whirl. Even though the motorized wand spins v-e-r-y  s-l-o-w-l-y, I still love the manual labor of separating each lash manually.

I’ve broken down the review into pros and cons:

Pros

o You can use your own mascara and wand with it
o It DOES separate each lash, probably better than my own application.
o It’s automatic, and therefore good for people with arthritis or dexterity problems

Cons

o It costs $15. I mean….seriously?
o It doesn’t always work. Click, click, kaput.
o Once the battery dies, it’s dead as a tombstone. You have to shell out another $15 to get a new one.

The Spinlash retails at Target and other drugstores. So, are you going to give it a whirl?