Choosing Cleasers

Finding a great cleanser is like finding a great friend. You may have to go through several until you find something you love.

Cleansing your skin is the most important step in a good skin-care routine, next to moisturizing. You have to find a product you enjoying using; otherwise, you won’t use it twice a day like you need to.

The best cleansers are gentle and remove all the dirt and debris from your skin completely without leaving a film behind. One of the best is Purity Made Simple by Philosophy. It removes not only dirt and foundation, but also eye make-up without irritating your eyes. You can find Philosophy products at stores like Sephora or at philosophy.com for around $20.

Another great cleanser is the Enzyme Cleansing Gel by Mario Badescu. This product is all natural and has a pleasant, fresh sent. It uses papaya and grapefruit extracts to breakdown debris in your skin. You can find this product at Ulta for around $15.

A third great choice is Origins Never a Dull Moment. This product promises to brighten your skin with fruit extracts. You can find this cleanser online or at department stores for around $20.

The most important thing to remember when choosing a cleanser is to choose one that you can’t live without.

Top 5 of 2010

photo: Philosophy.com

This year is filled with new products and technology to have you looking amazing from January to December. I have five new products that have already been making headlines.

5th place: L’Oreal Lash Boosting System. This serum will help strengthen and enhance lashes and is similar to Latisse. Although L’Oreal’s version will not help lashes grow like Latisse claims to do, L’Oreal’s serum is affordable and available at any drugstore without a prescription.

4th place: Philosophy’s The Supernatural, a hybrid foundation and sunscreen. This product is easy to apply with fingers and goes on much like a tinted moisturizer, but offers more coverage. Philosophy is available on-line or at Sephora.

3rd place; Brow Beauty Brow Fix Mally Beauty. This brow stick comes in one color guaranteed to match any shade of hair. It’s quick and easy to use because it glides on smoothly and does not require a stencil to make it look perfect.

2nd place: Pangea Organics lip balms. These lip balms come in three different flavors and offer intense moisture without harsh chemicals. These balms will quickly become addictive.

1st place: Stila Makeup Player. This innovative train case is built with i-pod capability so you can download makeup lessons and watch them as you follow along using the mirror inside the case. This product is connecting beauty with technology to help you always look your best. Although the case is a pricy, around $70, it comes with the most popular Stila products and free makeup tutorials.

These are my top five products, but there are many more that did not make the cut. Let me know what products you love and why.