So what did I come up with? Thanks for asking. Without further adieu, here are my picks for the Top 5 Beauty Finds of 2008! Included in this list is everything from hair products to makeup and more. By clicking on the link, you’ll get my in-depth review of the product. Take a look and weigh in with your favorites – we’re always looking to try something recommended by you.

Hair

Far and away, my favorite hair product find of this year is Paul Mitchell’s Super Skinny Serum from their smoothing line. What a difference it’s made in the way I style my hair. A primo hair product, indeed.

And my favorite hairspray find of this year? Easy, peasy. That would be John Frieda’s All Out Hold Hairspray from the Luxurious Volume line. Smells great, works great – it’s fab!

Nails

I’m a huge fan of OPI products, but when a stop to Target is all I can manage, my go-to line is Sally Hansen. All the formulas are great and the colors are amazing. For fall and winter, my favorite shade is Haute Chocolate. Striking color with a salon finish, this was my best nail color find for 2008.

Skin

I have become a die-hard fan of Clean & Clear products over the past year, but I love none of their products more than I love the Deep Action line. Every single offering in that line rocks my world. The scent is light and fresh and the results have been nothing short of outstanding. I am so pleased with how my skin looks these days, I can’t even tell you. All that in a drugstore brand – now that’s pretty amazing! Give it a try, this line gets a major thumbs-up from me!

And finally, when you’re looking to add some color, hop on the mineral makeup bandwagon without spending a fortune. My favorite mineral blush is by Neutrogena and it’s from the Mineral Sheers line. I’ve tried several colors and love them all. The applicator looks a little intimidating at first, but it really is fantastic for delivering just the right amount of color. The price is great and the results are even better, I promise.

So there you have it – my Top 5 Beauty Finds of 2008. I hope you find this review to be especially helpful when navigating the wide world of beauty, but remember, I’m only one person. If you’ve tried something you think is worth giving a shout out to, please leave a comment here to let us all know. Can’t wait to hear from you.

Here’s to a beautiful 2009!

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Dry skin can be difficult to manage any time of the year, but things get particularly dicey during the cooler months, when dry air and artificial heating wreak havoc on delicate pores. Here, some great tips you can take to the bathroom with you to save face this season:

• Don’t wash skin with a traditional cleanser in the morning. Using your regular cleanser can wipe out dry skin’s precious protective oils, leaving your skin overly parched to start the day. Instead, try a cleansing cloth which contains a moisturizing ingredient like aloe or vitamin E.
• Use a very mild cleanser at night. For your nighttime routine, choose a cleanser that is soap-free and has little or no lather. Those requirements pretty much eliminate all cleansing bars, gels and foams. A cream cleanser is your best bet.
• After cleansing, immediately slather on a moisturizer containing hyaluronic acid, glycerin or trehalose, as these ingredients draw in water. Also look for products containing shea butter or dimethicone which traps the moisture. If your skin still feels too tight, try using a hydrating serum on your skin before applying moisturizer.
• Exfoliate at home once a week with a lactic acid chemical peel, which will help slough off dead skin cells and enable your moisturize to penetrate the newer, healthier skin. Be sure to explicitly follow the directions on the peel’s packaging, never leaving the product on longer than suggested.
• Use a solid skin balm to touch up very dry areas during the day, like around the lips, nose and cheeks.
• Finally, settle down red or irritated skin by applying a 1 percent hydrocortisone cream twice a day. If the irritation persists or worsens, contact your doctor.

Of course, it goes without saying that covering your skin in severe weather (with a scarf, say) is another smart preventative move. The less your skin is exposed to the outdoor elements, the better.

Do you have any other tried and true dry skin tips to share? We’d love to hear them. Leave them in the comments below and thanks for sharing!

Source: Allure

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DO NOT pop those zits! Here’s help on how to deal.

As promised, this week I’ll be spending a lot of time on skin care tips for the cool weather. And also as promised, first up will be tips for acne-prone skin. Are you ready? Thought so!

Since cold weather can make your skin more sensitive to the harsh ingredients found in acne treatments that seem just right for summer heat, you’ll want to switch to more gentle cleansers and add protective ingredients to avoid irritating your delicate pores during the colder months. Some tips:

• For morning cleansing, try a gentle soap-free cleanser, lotion cleanser, or cream cleanser. My favorite? Clean & Clear’s Deep Action Cream Cleanser. At night (please don’t forget to wash your face at night!), you should use an acne-focused product that contains either salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide. If these products seem too drying, adjust accordingly, scaling back one use per week until you find the right balance.
• For moisturizing (yes, even acne-prone skin needs to be moisturized, otherwise it may naturally over-compensate by producing too much oil in an effort to hydrate itself) try an oil-free lotion in the morning which boasts an SPF of 30 or higher. This is important even in the colder months as our skin is always exposed to damaging rays to some degree each day. Not only that, but acne treatments can leave your skin even more sun-sensitive than non-treated skin.
• Blast your zits the instant they take root. Call it a sixth sense, but we can almost always detect a zit while it’s still in the brewing stage. Once you suspect you’ve got a volcano on your hands, go on the attack, since once it’s full-blown, spot treatments can only help dry it up (often leading to further irritation). Instead, try a treatment with 2 percent salicylic acid cream or a benzoyl peroxide lotion to stifle a disaster before it happens. One of my favorites: Persa-Gel 10 by Clean & Clear.
• If you’ve got more than just one mountain on your hands and several areas of your face are broken out, dilute an oil-free salicylic acid moisturizer with a regular moisturizer and apply it to your entire face each night. Also, apply a facial mask containing sulfur every other week (or every week, if necessary) to tighten pores and zap zits.
• If you still end up with a troublesome blemish despite all your efforts (you know it will happen), conceal the offender with a small, slightly pointed makeup brush dipped in an opaque concealer and dab it on the blemish only (not the surrounding skin).
• And finally, if you wear foundation each day, consider switching to a mineral formula which won’t clog your pores. As a devotee of the same foundation for years and years, I have always been fascinated with mineral foundations and plan to give some a try very soon. If you have any recommendations, please let me know. I’ll be sure to do the same for you as I go on the hunt.

Give these cool weather tips for acne-prone skin a try and let me know how they work for you – and if you have any other tips, please share.

*These tips come in part from the October 2008 issue of Allure magazine; the remainder come from personal experience and years of research.

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With cool weather comes more than just the opportunity to sport fabulous sweaters and killer boots – it’s also a time for dealing with new skin care issues. Which can spell trouble for even the most beauty-conscious of us.

With limited sun exposure, harsh winds and dry air, our skin needs some major TLC to make it through some of the season’s adjustments. And just in time, one of my beauty bibles, Allure magazine, has released a Beauty 101 pull-out skin care guide. This week, I’ve decided to feature a different skin type each day, sharing some of Allure’s greatest tips (and a few of my own) as we navigate the winter and fall.

Over the next few days, we’ll explore:

• Dry Skin
• Combination Skin
• Oily Skin and
• Acne

First up will be Acne since I know that’s something many, MANY of us deal with on a daily basis, regardless of the temperature outside.

So stay tuned…I hope you find this week to be full of great information. I’m so excited to share it all with you. Please be sure to leave comments and ask questions anytime.

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And I have to rave…

Seriously, I have had nothing but trouble with my skin since the first part of summer. It’s hormonal, I suspect, and I’m sure y’all can relate, no? But whatever the cause, I CANNOT BELIEVE the change in my skin since I started using this line. It’s amazing.

You know, someone once told me, “It’s not what you put on your skin that makes it break out. It’s what you leave on your skin.” Translation: Unless you are allergic to a specific ingredient in a makeup, it’s not the makeup itself that makes you break out. It’s the fact that you didn’t wash it off well enough that makes you break out. Hmmm.

So, with that in mind, your main quest should be to find a cleanser that will strip away all the dirt, oil, makeup and other assorted gunk that sinks into your precious pores each day. Without stripping away your skin’s essential oils. The Clean & Clear Deep Action line does just that.

This new line comes in a formula for everyone, and all are completely oil-free.

There is the Cream Cleanser, Cleansing Gel, and Exfoliating Scrub.

I’ve been using the Exfoliating Scrub in the shower at night, because I found that if I used it in the morning, as I applied my makeup, I’d be dealing with the little cleansing beads that I somehow didn’t rinse away well enough. So I use that one in the shower to be sure all the beads are washed from my skin.

In the morning, I use the Cream Cleanser. All of these products have such an invigorating scent and leave your skin feeling so fresh, so clean, and so tingly. It wakes you right up in the morning, for sure. I swear, without this stuff, I’d be sauntering through my morning half-asleep.

I haven’t yet tried the Cleansing Gel because I like the others so much, but when I run out of the the Cream Cleanser, I’ll give it a whirl. It gets fab reviews on Drugstore.com, though.

Bottom line: If you’re looking for a cleanser that cleans your skin deeply and leaves you feeling fresh and ready to tackle the day (and you don’t want to spend a fortune on it!), look no further than the new Clean & Clear Deep Action line. I promise, it will not disappoint.

Images: Drugstore.com

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Using a random number generator from Random.org, the number 15 was selected. And since Laddie’s comment was the 15th comment for the Teen Style Lounge / Clean & Clear contest, she wins the whole prize package, worth over $200!

Assuming she claims her prize within the next 48 hours (as per the official rules), she gets everything you see in this photo. Hooray!

Thanks so much to all who entered. You guys were such great sports, I wish I could’ve given this prize out to each and every one of you!!

But…stay tuned for even more contests in the near future. Teen Style Lounge is where it’s at for fall!

UPDATE: The fabulous Laddie has, in fact, claimed her prize. So thanks once more to all who entered. Hopefully next time you’ll get your chance!

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Win Over $200 in Goodies from Clean & Clear!

Just a reminder – if great skin is on your “must-have” list this fall, be sure to enter the Teen Style Lounge/Clean & Clear contest, where over $200 in skin care products, plus a super cute laptop bag and a flash drive are up for grabs.

Remember, you only have until Sunday, September 21 at 11:59 pm to enter, so head on over and follow the simple instructions. Good luck!

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Win Over $200 in Goodies from Clean & Clear!

Contest time once again, everyone, and this time the stakes are higher than ever. As in over $200 worth!!

Here’s the scoop:

Recently, the killer teen movie, American Mall, was aired on MTV and released on DVD. It’s fab and sure to be a big hit.

Lucky me, I was invited to attend the premiere of the movie in Hollywood, but unlucky me, wasn’t able to attend. HOWEVER, the good folks at Clean & Clear still sent me one of the very same swag bags they were giving out at the premiere…to give TO YOU!

Filled to the brim with Clean & Clear products, the prize includes a super cool laptop/tote bag by Nanda. Totally cute and totally practical. Love it! Here’s what you’ll find inside:

• Mimobot Core Series 2 USB Flash Drive
• Clean & Clear Advantage Acne Control Kit
• Brand New Blackhead Eraser + Medicated Pads
• Oil-Absorbing Sheets
• Advantage Invisible Acne Patch
• Deep Action Refreshing Gel Cleanser
• Deep Action Cream Cleanser
• Deep Action Exfoliating Scrub
• Blackhead Clearing Scrub
• Persa-Gel 10 Acne Medication
• SOFT Moisturizer for Night
• SOFT Moisturizer for Day with SPF 15
• SOFT Purifying Cleanser Scrub
• SOFT In-Shower Facial

So wow, how’s that for a stocked beauty cabinet? Everything you need for gorgeous, healthy Back-to-School skin is right here!!

How to win this awesome prize? Easy. Follow these simple instructions:

1. Find the name of at least ONE of the main characters in the movie American Mall.
2. Send an email to me at liberty@b5media.com with the character’s name, your name, your email address, and the name you’ll be leaving a comment on the blog under.
3. Come to this post and leave a comment telling me you answered the question (DO NOT leave the answer in the comments section – please send a private email so that others can’t cheat).
4. Be sure to remember to come back and leave a comment since that is how I will select the winner!!!
5. Cross your fingers that you’re the winner!

Easy, right? Entries will be accepted from now until Sunday, September 21, 2008 at 11:59pm Eastern time. Available to US residents only, please. A winner will be drawn at random and announced on Monday, September 22. At that time, the winner will have 48 hours to claim their prize or a new winner will be selected. Any questions, feel free to email me or leave a comment here.

Good Luck and remember to grab some friends and catch American Mall if you haven’t seen it yet!

* A special thank you goes out to the fabulous folks at Clean & Clear for sponsoring this prize. Be sure to visit their site for the latest in skin care developments and available products.

** This prize is currently in my possession and will be shipped to the winner as soon as I hear from them.

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Purpose Gentle Cleansing Wash, about $6

Not sure about you all, but it seems like there comes a point where the more I do to my poor mega-sensitive skin, the more it rebels. It’s like when your very favorite shampoo just quits working with no notice – same thing!

So, I’ve been going about my regular ‘ol skin care business for most of the summer and things were going well. But THEN…everything went to hell! In a hurry! Bumpy forehead, shiny nose, the works. Thank goodness for Oil-Absorbing Sheets, of course, but when things get this bad, I know it’s time for a little break.

So I turned to Purpose Gentle Cleansing Wash. And, thank the skin gods above, things are slowly improving.

Why? Well, this Purpose cleansing wash is as gentle as they come. No gritty scrubbies, no harsh chemicals, not much of anything. Take a look:

• Cleanses without irritating (which is essential for summer-stressed skin)
• 100% soap free (removes all the day’s gunk without stripping or drying like soap or other harsh cleansers can)
• Gentle enough to use near the eyes (great for removing that stubborn mascara)
• 100% oil-free and non-comedogenic (won’t clog pores or leave a yucky film behind)

And even I, with the most sensitive skin on the planet, can use this twice a day. And honestly, my skin hasn’t looked this healthy in months.

Now, while I know I’ll eventually get back to my normal skin care routine (with a few tweaks for the cooler months ahead, of course), I really dig this Purpose cleanser for that “break” period. Plus, a bottle of it lasts a good long while, which is excellent news for the next time I need a breather.

Give it a try!

Image: Drugstore.com

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All of you!

Hooray!!

Yep, I scored a few extras, so I am thrilled to say that each and every one of you who entered in time (by Friday, July 11) will be receiving one of these awesome facials to try. And really, guys, it is fantastic! You’ll love it a ton.

Thanks so much to all of you who entered. I just need your mailing address now, so if you can send it to me at liberty@b5media.com , I’ll pass all the info along to the lovely Clean & Clear folks. If I don’t hear from you in a week or so, I’ll give you a holler.

Thanks again for entering and enjoy!!!

P.S. Don’t forget to check out the other fabulous Clean & Clear products. Total lifesavers for summertime skin woes, I tell you. =)

Image: Drugstore.com

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