There are times when you want eyelashes to look as full and long as they can but perhaps you don’t want heavy color that can melt and smudge and leave you with raccoon eyes. If your plans include engaging in outdoor activities on a warm day, you may feel more comfortable with a minimal or no-makeup look but you can still make those lashes stand out.

Using a clear mascara will give you definition and length without leaving color on your lashes. Max Factor’s No Color Mascara has a gel formula that does everything a mascara should - except add color.

Eyebrows too, need grooming - especially with brows getting fuller this year. Just because there is more brow doesn’t mean it should be wild and out of control. If you use a brow-defining pencil or no brow color at all, a quick and light brushing with a clear mascara is a great way to make eyebrows look well-groomed and set them for the day. Not too much though, you don’t want them to look glued into place.

CoverGirl’s Lash Exact Mascara features a revolutionary new brush, which they say is clump-free. It was named one of Allure magazine’s Best of Beauty for 2006.

Allure had this to say:

Cover Girl LashExact Mascara: This new Cover Girl mascara utilizes a plastic wand with pliable bristles that are strategically spaced to coat each and every lash. No more clumping.

Recently I received some free samples of CoverGirl’s Lash Exact mascara. I accepted them and gladly tried the product with the intention of writing about my experience here. To avoid the appearance of bias and to give a balanced view, I gave one of them to a friend to try.

My friend, Shawn, tried the Brown shade which goes well with her coloring. She said the brush was “funky” and different than the usual bristles on a twisted wire brush. She felt the design of the brush made it easier to apply mascara to the corner lashes. Shawn told me she was pleased with the definition and separation the brush provided and would definitely consider buying the product.

I had selfishly kept the Very Black shade for myself. I usually go for waterproof formulas as I wear contact lenses and I imagined that the waterproof formula would prevent those black shadows of melted mascara under my eyes. This product was not waterproof but I found I had no smudging or melting after wearing it the whole day at work, squinting at the computer screen. Additionally, it came off easily and completely with makeup remover and left no tell-tale rings around the eyes.

I was impressed with the ease of application, especially to lower lashes which are shorter, and thus cannot be brushed out over and over if you get clumps. The product was transferred smoothly from the brush to my lashes and definitely gave superior separation and definition. I didn’t find myself wiping the brush on the edge of the container to remove excess mascara either. In fact, I may have put on more mascara than I usually do, simply because I was able to do a second coat without my lashes looking clumped or sticking together in lumps.

Overall I thought this product delivered longer-looking lashes and more definition. About $7.99 in drug and department stores.

Looking for a new mascara or just want to get in on a free offer?

Cover Girl is giving away free samples of its new LashExact Mascara. Cover Girl boasts a no clump brush that delivers clump-free product for beautifully-defined lashes. LashExact comes in shades: Very Black, Black, Brown, Black Brown and Blue Black.

The Lash Exact Tour Bus is going to be visiting 8 cities around the country. Just bring them your old department store mascara and they will replace it with a free sample of LashExact.

If you can’t make it to the tour bus or they aren’t visiting a store in your vicinity, you can mail in your old mascara and they will send you a new one.

Get your free mascara at the Cover Girl website.

There’s nothing that fits a beauty budget better than free make-up!

Summer means longer and brighter days and more time spent out of doors. Your look should be a healthy glow. You want to accent eyes and lips to draw attention but you needn’t spend too much time applying your make-up and you don’t have to tote around pounds of products. A simple four items tucked into your bag are all you need for that care-free summer look.

1. Care for your face:

The first item in your essential summer make-up bag should be a light face cream with built-in sunscreen. Apply often throughout the day. Wrinkles appear less noticeable when the skin is moisturized and you will reduce the damage from heat and sun. If you want to wear foundation, choose a minimum cover foundation (unless you are blending freckled or uneven skin tones). Use one that has an added sunscreen.

2. Be Cheeky:

Too much blush can look like stage make-up in natural sunlight. How about brushing lightly over the face with a bronzing powder? Applying a light dusting of a rosy blush on your cheeks over the bronzer will give cheeks a natural glow.

3. Give ‘em the eye:

Eyeliner on the top lid only to make the eyes appear larger and define them. Use a natural brown or brown/black. Waterproof mascara for lashes, as humidity can melt make-up and leave dark circles under your eyes. Use natural colors for eyeshadow; earth tones in sand, gold and shades of tan or brown work well.

4. Kissable Lips:

Start with a moisturizing lip balm that contains a sunscreen. Lip gloss with sheer color is great for daylight hours. If you have a tan, you can go brighter, richer, deeper with color without looking “made up”. Stay away from pale frosts, but a bit of shine is always in fashion.

Pack these four items and look naturally fabulous all summer!