Looking for a cleanser that will get off even the most stubborn eye makeup but be gentle on your skin?  How about one with serious anti-aging benefits?  Shu Uemura Cleansing Beauty Oil Premium A/O, is just the ticket.  This is a “cleansing oil”,  but don’t let that word scare you because there is nothing oily feeling about it.  To use, just pump a little into your hands and rub all over your face, add water to emulsify and you get a little bit of lather!  Rinse with warm water an you are done!  Because it is an “oil” you can use it to remove your waterproof makeup/mascara!  So I take a cotton pad and sweep that across my eyes to get the mascara off.  The warm water will get everything else – a multi-tasking dream!!

This particular version is an anti-aging and anti-oxidant skin purifier that gets skin super clean while protecting it against the internal and external aggressions associated with aging. It contains Green Tea Extract, known worldwide for its anti-oxidant properties and leaves skin smooth and protected without drying it out. HUGE plus that it removes waterproof makeup INCLUDING mascara!  What could be better than not having to spend extra money on eye makeup remover?

There are several variations of the Cleansing Oil available, so you can find one that suits your skincare needs.  The cleansing oils are available in 150mL and 450mL sizes at Nordstrom stores and on ShuUemura.com

Last year when Bobbi Brown introduced her palette system….she took some of our tried and trues favorites and made it possible for us to have them in a portable fashion.  One of my favorites is her glitter lip gloss, mostly because it’s great for layering. The shades here are limited-edition and are infused with light-reflecting flecks of glitter, this gloss gives lips a high-shine and high shimmer look that’s perfect for any party and evening soiree. Comes in a sleek, flip-top compact that can be used individually or assembled into palettes.

The Rundown:

• Ball
• Disco Pink
• Martini
• Rave
• Soiree Pink
• Velvet Rope

The glosses are named after a party vibe (so cute) they are sheer and shimmery, PERFECT for summer. If glitter isn’t your thing, try the non glittery shades, or layer the two together.With this new system Bobbi has introduced, you can pop these (and any of the other flip top shadows, glosses or blushes) into the palettes and have your own custom set.

Image:  Bobbi Brown

Looking for a basic eye palette that will look great no matter what??  Check out Bobbi Brown’s Basic Eye Palette….great for the beginner as well as the seasoned makeup lover.  These shades will go with everything and can be used together or independently for a wide range of looks.  Smokey neutral shades are always in style….and whether you want a daytime or dramatic look this palette has got your covered.

The Rundown:

• Navajo Eye Shadow (exclusive shade)
• Cement Eye Shadow
• Heather Mauve Shimmer Mauve Eye Shadow
• Mahogany Eye Shadow

The colors are long wearing and richly pigmented…you would expect nothing less from a Bobbi palette…

Available for $45 at Nordstrom stores nationwide.

Image:  Nordstrom

Purlisse is new on the scene and is known for their all natural brightening qualities. Purlisse Pur Bright Skin Brightening Serum is a skin-brightening serum that is a hydroquinone-free concentrated cream combining an exclusive Lotus Lupine Peptide Complex with 9 powerful plants extracts. This serum is perfect for skin that is ruddy, has age spots, acne scars etc.  It works fairly quickly (I noticed results in about 4-5 weeks) and feels fantastic on the skin, it helps to create luminous, even-toned skin without harsh ingredients.  Skin is strengthened against future damage, while melanin production is safely decreased for fewer age spots. Pure genius!

One of my favorite glosses is made by a company called Cargo.  They make a nice lightweight glosses in oversized utilitarian tins that are good to apply with your finger or a brush.  South Beach Lip Gloss Quad delivers a sheer dose of color that’s light enough not to raise eyebrows around the office.   Just the right amount of shine without being gloppy or heavy.  Even the colors that are crazy looking are sheer and buildable.

The tins are normally available in duos….but this special edition is a quad. Southbeach contains nude shades that are universally flattering for any skin tone:  champagne, rose bronze, sheer pink shimmer, rose nude shimmer.  Perfect gloss for summer. As with any lightweight sheer gloss, frequent re-application is necessary.

Image:  Sephora

One of my favorite natural lip products is Dr. Hauschka Lip Care Stick, I’ve been using it for years and I find that it is not only an effective lip balm, it also has SPF 3 (low I know, but still pretty effective) from natural plant waxes.  It softens lips quickly and is great in colder weather.  I keep one in my makeup bag always. Dr. Hauschka’s products are holistic and if you are not familiar, the line has been around for 40 years.

The Rundown:

• Jojoba wax and shea butter protect from the elements
• Prevents dry, chapped lips
• Soothing extract of carrot and anthyllis soften and nurture
• Unlike conventional lip care products, the ingredients in Lip Care Stick promote healthly lips without causing dependency

Image:  Dr. Hauschka

Sexy Motherpucker is the name of a new line of lipglosses from the ubiquitous Marcia Kilgore of Bliss Spa fame.  Marcia has created a new range of bath & beauty products called Soap & Glory where the motto is, “You shouldn’t have to spend an arm and a leg to moisturize one...”.  The entire line is priced under $20 and is available at Target…..how FAB is that? These are plumping glosses but they don’t burn like most of them do, just a slight tingle was all that I felt. It actually does work (at least it did for me) BUT it doesn’t last all that long so you will have to re-apply to keep up the plumping effect.

The gloss is water activated so if your lips are moist then it will tingle more!  Drink some water and it will tingle intensely! This gloss is definitely one of my favorites (I keep one in the car in my bag etc.).  Does it give me a huge bee-stung pucker?  No…BUT I love the color, I like the tingle and it fills in the lines in my lips so that is good enough for me. It comes in several shades (I only saw three in Target) Nude is perfect on everyone (that’s the one I love)…there is also a peachy-berry shade and another sheer vanilla looking shade called super starry.  The only one that was available on it’s own was nude the others were with nude in a set of three for $24.

Image:  Target

Drugstore products are defnitely stepping their game up as of late.  Olay Regenerist Daily Regenerating Serum is lightweight and has a gel-like texture (which I prefer for serums).  It is a highly-concentrated blend of amino-peptides that regenerates damaged skin, renewing the outer layer to give you a younger-looking complexion.  I used this for 14 days and I definitely noticed a difference (especially in the lines on my forehead).

It contains a host of great ingredients that actually work (which is great considering it’s a drugstore line)

• carnosine (with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties)
• vitamin E (antioxidant)
• allantoin (anti-irritant)
• green tea (antioxidant)

Also included is 2-3% Niacinamide (vitamin B3) which according to beauty expert Paula Begoun, “it can increase the skin’s ceramide and fatty acid content as well as have anti-inflammatory action“.  Over all, it feels nice and is perfect for normal to dry skin types under a moisturizer or alone if you aren’t that dry.  For $18.99, this is a fantastic buy and well worth it if you are looking for a decent drugstore line to save money.

Image: Olay

I just got through testing Clinique’s Super Defense SPF 25 and boy do I love it, this is perfect for dry/extra dry skin.  This “Super Cream” is an ultra rich formulation that contains SPF 25 which is amazing because it is so hard to find a sunscreen that can go under makeup effectively (without feeling thick etc).  That being said, this cream is specifically for very dry, dry or combination dry skin.  It is chocked full of anti-aging benefits like:

• glycerin
• olea europaea (olive) fruit extract
• rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) extract
• sea whip extract
• linoleic acid
• soy protein

Overall an excellent cream if you are looking for something with the added benefit of SPF 25 that helps to neutralize UVA and UVB rays.

Available for $48 at Clinique counters nationwide.

Image:  Clinique

At the beginning of the month, I got lash extensions primarily to see how long I could get them to last.  I visited D’Brows in Washington, DC where they specialize in lash extensions and eyebrow grooming among other services.  I was super pleased with my results but now I would like to tell you a few things that you need to know before you go through with this service.

• If you are an active person (swimming running etc) these will not work for you

• You must not use any oil based eyemakeup removers as it will loosen the glue and the lash
• Steam loosens the glue as well so hot showers are out (However, I left the bathroom door open and I was okay)
• Don’t rub or tug at your eyes
• Dont wear any mascara, AT ALL
• If you wear contacts, make sure you take them out before you have the application.

Basically, I would recommend these for a long weekend or if you have an event that you are attending, not for everyday.  Make sure you find a reputable salon to do the procedure and make a follow-up appointment to re-touch them if you plan to keep them longer than 3 weeks.

image:  Getty Images