I never wore mascara (too much of a pain with glasses), but I have been using LashMD formula for about a year and my lashes are ridiculously long and thick now - I only use it once every three days.

Lol it's somewhat true, I haven't had a full-face consult but I've gotten lip and eye consults from MAC and Benefit respectively and basically got something akin to what the assistant was wearing, i.e. heavy and dramatic. I wanted statement lips so this was fine and I found some good colors, but the Benefit brow thing... I didn't want my brows to look artificially squared off in the inner corners and more striking than any other facial feature...

I think I just evolve gradually! I am pretty clear on what I like on me, and what I do not like.

I have added more blush and eyebrow pencil and reduced eyeshadow. I change lip colours but within a palette of pink coral and red- my small lips and wide face don't cope with dark lips.

I don't update very often. I stick with the same basics most of the time..tinted foundation, concealer, eyebrow pencil, mascara, lip color and add eye shadow and eyeliner some of the time. I find I'm just not that interested in new colors once I find what looks good on me and I don't stray from a soft natural look. Can't imagine I looked very good in the bright blue eyeshadow and white lipstick that was trendy in my HS days

I did pay for a makeup lesson recently and did learn a little bit but not quite as much as I had hoped. I did it at the salon where I get mani/pedi's and massages, they also do hair (but I go elsewhere)...and sell Aveda products...so there was no real pressure to buy anything and I did not.

I honestly have never seen a huge difference on me between drugstore brands and the higher end ones on most things. I once tried Sephora and Dior foundations (one on each side of face) and even the SA agreed with me that there was no perceptible difference. I do use Laura M tinted moisturizer. I have been using higher end skin care brands but have recently discovered Paula Begoun's web site and am exploring trying some less expensive brands there too. I'm extremely fortunate to have very good skin and I have worn sunscreen daily for years so I don't find the higher end skin care products to be worth the $$.

I'd rather save my $$ for clothes!

This may be a symptom of a being in a rut, but I don't think that much in terms of updating the way it's sometimes described in magazines, such as, do a cat eye, or the smoky eye or dramatic lip, or bronzy or whatever, because I go for the more understated, "natural" look though of course it's not natural!

But, I do think in terms of updating products, such as, which ones give the effect I'm going for and with better something--more natural, easier to apply, easier to remove, less irritating, sunscreen, a color that I would not have though of by how it looks in the store but it looks good when applied.

I guess I also do update color-wise in the sense of what may look better now. I still look more alive with some lip color, when I can remember to wear it, but I have gone "off" all of my former plums and berry colors and almost always am choosing that has been toned down, often is part of the "nude" lines though may have a rose or mauve cast to it. Everything else that is a "real" color just looks fake and garish to me now. Wearing Revlon in Mink.

The biggest inhibitor for me is FOWM--Fear of Wasting Money--on more products which get some rave review but it was all hype. I really would like to get more trial products and try in store but without an official makeover or anything.
So I like to read reviews and see if enough comment on the same feature or benefit that I am looking for.

I wear different colors of eye shadow, eye liner, blush, and lipstick all the time, but as far as applying the makeup I pretty much do it the same way all the time. I don't experiment with cat eye liner, smoky eyes, contouring, etc. I did go from BB cream to just under eye concealer and powder over my SPF 30 moisturizer a while ago because I was sick of staining my shirt and coat collars from the color on my jawline.

Carmindy has some great, easy makeup tutorials on YouTube.