counter intelligence.

Counter Intelligence

BEFORE after

The good: "The artist showed me a mirror and asked if I was OK with her direction. I liked the look and didn't wash it off until bedtime. I got a lot of, 'Wow, where are you off to?' comments." The bad: "I was told I'd have to buy a couple of products, so there was built-in pressure to spend money. But even that didn't bother me because I like what the makeup artist used." The verdict: "The liner gives her lips shape without standing out. Her skin tone is nice, too," Giordano says. "But the black eye liner looks unnatural compared to the rest of her makeup."

The good: "The makeup artist was a cute young guy who really loved makeup. When I asked if he wished he could wear makeup, he said, 'Definitely! I'd bust out a new look every day!' He gave me a hand mirror and explained each move. The smoky eyes were pretty, if a little strong." The bad: "He'd overlined my lips and didn't blend, so I looked like a freak. In the office light, coworkers called me a hooker and laughed. The makeup was too heavy for me -- even at night." The verdict: "I like that he didn't cake on too much foundation, so you can still see her freckles," Giordano says. "The lips, on the other hand, are way too overdrawn, almost Lucille Ball. There's only so much you can do to lips before they start looking ridiculous."

The old thousand-words adage is particularly true at the cosmetics counter.

The old thousand-words adage is particularly true at the cosmetics counter. If you're about as articulate as George W., come with a picture from a magazine, even if it's not entirely plausible. "I had one 67-year-old client who would always bring me pictures of Elizabeth Hurley. That wasn't going to happen," Gafni says. "But the pictures showed me what she liked, and I could bring her close to that look -- within the realm of reality." In the absence of a photograph, many of the makeup artists we spoke with said a celebrity reference can help. Just be specific -- you may be thinking ...