First Look Fridays: Beauty Blogger Carrie Cousins of Beauty Test Dummies

About six months ago, I stumbled upon the blog Beauty Test Dummies. I was immediately entranced by the blog, written effortlessly by Carrie Cousins -- she has a unique take on beauty, she has a knack for writing about either my favorite products or the ones that quickly make their way into my routine, and she has a flawless 5-star rating system. In short? I'm fairly certain Beauty Test Dummies is about to become one of your must-read blogs, too. Read on to find out how Carrie's love of beauty began, the eyeshadow she can't live without and so much more.

Can you tell me a bit about yourself?
I am a 30-something from Roanoke, VA. I went to Virginia Tech and am one of those super-stay-busy types. I work as a full-time marketing manager and have spent more than 10 years in the writing, design and media industry since graduating from Virginia Tech. (Go Hokies!)

How did you first become interested in beauty, and what led you to create your own blog?
There's just something about knowing that you look good that helps you feel good. That's where my interest in beauty started, I guess, although I can't really pinpoint it. The real drive behind the blog was just sharing. Think of how much money (and time) we all pour into beauty products ... what if someone real could help you decide if something was worth the price tag before buying? That's where Beauty Test Dummies started. Shay -- the other half of the Beauty Test Dummies team -- and I are real people with real makeup loves, hates and even disasters. It's fun to share that.

I love the name of your blog! How did you come up with it?
The name Beauty Test Dummies tells you a lot about who we are. We love beauty products and makeup ... but when it comes to using some of it, we really are just test dummies. We wanted the name to be fun and emphasize that not everything we do will be by the instructions. We are using products and tools like real women ... not supermodels or makeup artists.

What are your top 5 favorite beauty products?
That's a tough one. My faves change so often, partially because of all the new great products popping up everyday and sometimes due to the changes in product cycles. (It seems like companies are releasing new products and discontinuing others all the time.) Here are my top 5 right now in no particular order.

Urban Decay Naked Skin Beauty Balm. This is my absolute favorite BB cream. It's light, makes my skin look great and contains sunscreen. What more could a girl want?

Living Proof Restore Shampoo and Conditioner. I swear my hair has never felt so good. It seems to really help protect against all the color and blowdrying!

Clinique Chubby Stick Shadow Tint for Eyes. The eyeshadows are great. The sticks glide on and have great color. Plus they never mess with my contacts.

Zoya Nail Polish. The recent PixieDust line is one of the best ever. I just love it! (And have bought way too many colors.) Plus, I love that this company is environmentally conscious.

Blinc Mascara. This is one of those products that I was not sure about at first but have totally grown to love. The "tubed" mascara wraps around every little lash for a perfect everyday-wearing mascara. And the best feature? It NEVER flakes!

Being a blogger must be fun, but what do you do in your spare time?
Blogging is one of the many things I do in my spare time. I am training for a half-marathon in the spring -- my first -- so I have been spending a lot of time running these days. I also love to spend time with my friends and with my two fur-babies, a 2-year-old Bernese Mountain Dog and an Australian Shepherd puppy. We're always on the go!