Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare has a new Vitamin D Serum Oil $65 for those of us who are so good with sunscreen that the sun’s own vitamins can’t penetrate to nourish the skin. I was way low on D years ago because I’m a crazed SPF weirdo and now take a vitamin D daily, but haven’t explored using it topically until seeing this serum. It’s formulated to be available to the skin without sunlight and they mixed it with Vitamins A, E, B, CoQ10, as well as Glycolic and Ferulic Acids to get some hydrating and brightening benefits in there as well.

Peter Thomas Roth added a new addition to their way popular Un-Wrinkle line to hydrate and brighten up dull skin. Illuminator Instant Brightening Moisturizer $68 combines 3 color correcting shades of light pigment that blend with the skin to brighten dullness and neutralize redness. For me, the home-run is the combo of a wrinkle fighter with a skin perfecter – I love multi-tasking skincare that helps your skin to look great so you don’t need to use as much makeup in the end.

My favorite line is at the end when he says he smiles because it’s worth it. Which caused a mental domino about what’s really ‘worth it’ in terms of popping the lock off the wallet and spending a little more for an investment in your skin looking great. I’m not someone who thinks you have to spend a ton to look great – I recommend drugstore finds as often as department store ones – but there are a few exceptions that are so great that I’ll spend the extra cash because I know they’re worth it.

Chantecaille Future Skin Foundation:

I’m scraping the bottom of my jar of Chantecaille Future Skin that I got almost 2 years ago. I heard so much about their foundations that I purchased the jar at a counter not knowing it was $72 and then tried to play it off when she told me my total like it wasn’t twice as much as I’d ever spent on foundation. I quickly discovered that after I tried every type of foundation that passed my desk, I’d happily return to Future Skin. Its coverage is fantastic, staying power terrific, and the look of it is so natural – which might be because it’s made of 60% water and seaweed. The higher price tag could be attributed to its treatment benefits like reducing sebum and calming redness with chamomile and green tea – but who knows. All I know is that I’m mentally preparing for another $72 purchase very soon, but at least this time I know it’s worth it.

Liz Earle Cleanser:

Cleanse & Polish, the cleanser that I’ve referred to as ‘near perfect,’ is so worth an order from the UK based Liz Earle (or from Fred Segal Santa Monica- their only stateside location I know of.) It’s not a pricey buy at $25 for a 3.3oz pump (and around $7 to ship), it’s the ordering that makes it a little more of a challenge than grabbing a bottle at a store like we’re all so used to doing. I’m so addicted to this thick, creamy, lightly Eucalyptus scented gentle cleanser which removes all makeup so effortlessly, that when I try out a new cleanser to review it’s what I measure them all against. It’s a gold standard for a cleanser and one that’s so popular they have an automatic refill service and also a 3 pack available to make getting this perfect cleanser as easy as possible.

SkinCeuticals Serums:

SkinCeuticals is renowned for their high-potency, crazy effective serums designed to correct, fade, protect, and calm – whatever your skin happens to need. Their C E Ferulic is probably their best known do-it-all serum with vitamins C and E and Ferulic acid to protect the skin against environmental damage and skin aging. They use the purest, best forms of vitamins (like L-Ascorbic for their C) for maximum benefits and create combinations with other vitamins and acids for the very best skin absorption. Serums compliment any skincare routine and are so beneficial using only a few drops a day making them worth their $100- $150 cost.

Estée Lauder Eye Creams:

Eyes show age. It’s that simple. Getting that thin skin moisturized and protected is important, as is finding an eye cream that has some beneficial ingredients and proven science. So many eye creams are a complete waste – basically just plain moisturizers in a smaller jar without any true benefits. I trust and love Lauder’s eye creams – they have something for every skin type and concern, but their Re-Nutriv eye creams are their supreme offerings. With too much science in them to explain (or understand, really) I just know that when I use a Lauder eye cream, I can see the difference. I can waste money $35 at a time with something that isn’t working, or just fork out the $100 (ish) to see a difference and keep the Botox away a little bit longer.

Don’t worry, I’m also rounding up a ‘not worth it list’ (hello mascara!!) so you can save your pennies on things that are all pretty much the same.

It’s not designed to be an acne treatment, though its antibacterial properties make it perfect for that sort of thing – it clarifies and heals using vitamins and natural acids in a base of aloe to improve the look of all types of skin. It has a texture that could be pump-dispensed so don’t let the jar fool you, it isn’t heavy. More of a gel-cream really. Dry skin might need to add moisture on top, other skins will find it hydrating enough.  I loved how soft my skin felt and how it alive and clear it looked after a few week’s use. It’s also great for redness, fading old acne scars, and balancing oil over time – which I’m excited to see happen over the next few months.

I would buy Clearskin – especially with the $32 price tag, well within reason for a good moisturizer and skin treatment rolled into one.

Check out PCA Clearskin at dermstore.com

Pomegranate is the star antioxidant of Weleda’s Firming Eye Cream, a gentle way to smooth out wrinkles on even the most sensitive skin. In my kit, I’d combine it with a concealer to create a custom tinted moisturizer of sorts for dark circles. Its natural ingredients soak into the skin better than most so it’s versatile to use with mix-ins or of course on its own.

For $16 Made From Earth has one of the best deals you’ll find on its USDA certified organic Green Tea Toxin Cleanser, a typically pricey category of skincare. With Organic Green Tea Extract being its second ingredient (and Organic Aloe being its first), you can leave this creamy cleanser on for a few minutes before massaging it into the skin for a mini-mask to brighten and soothe as well as clean. Typically I prefer a foaming cleanser to a creamy one, but a thick formula like this one holds up well and makes a great partner to a Clarisonic.

Buying makeup online can be a little intimidating since you obviously don’t get to try anything on first. They do have a sampling program that I bitched about HERE and although the samples were over packaged and under-scooped, I ultimately liked the formulas themselves. That, along with a 30 day return policy makes me feel good about taking a chance on a line I’ve never used. I’ll be reviewing a few things from the line in the coming weeks, but first let’s see how two stick concealers stack up against one another in a side by side challenge.

Stila Cover Up Stick in shade B, Vapour Organic Beauty Illusionist Concealer in 020, both their second lightest in shade range offerings.

Side by side- same look, packaging, and size.

Stila:

Tone: Yellow.

Feel: Not luminous and a little drying – if you have dry skin, it might drag a little.

Cosmetics Database Safety Rating: 3

Wear Time: It stays put pretty well – doesn’t change color or slide.

First 3 Ingredients: Castor Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (a form of coconut oil), Pentaerythrityl Tetraethylhexanoate (skin conditioning agent.)

Would I Buy it Again?: Maybe, for my kit but the formula is too heavy for what I personally wear.

Summary: While I don’t mind Stila’s concealer (and have bought it in the past) there’s nothing overly special about the formula which can be a little heavy, yellow, and hard to blend.

Color and consistency, Stila on the left – a little heavier and more yellow than Vapour.

Vapour Beauty:

Tone: Yellow undertones but not too yellow, so it blends nicely into the skin.

Feel: Creamy and easy to blend with a touch of luminosity.

Cosmetics Database Safety Rating: 2

Wear Time: Same as Stila and most concealers. It doesn’t budge.

First 3 Ingredients: Organic Sunflower Oil, Organic Beeswax, Castor Seed Oil.

Would I Buy It Again?: Yes, and will be getting a few more shades for my kit. I have a lot of clients who are undergoing chemo or have really sensitive skin so this will be especially nice to have on hand for them.

Summary: Illusionist is a great, creamy, concealer that gives all the coverage you need. The fact that it’s an organic formula just makes it all the more fantastic.

If you’re looking to lighten up on the amount of chemicals you’re using on your skin everyday check out Vapour Beauty, one of the few lines actually interested in both makeup quality and safe ingredients.

I’ve tried the lotion (on myself) and it’s thankfully without the annoying baby lotion scent that’s so often used in traditional formulas. It is creamy, but not overly so – just the right amount of hydration so my skin felt like it had a really nice, even coating of moisture on that wasn’t heavy or overpowering. Probably why it’s a cult fav among adults with overly sensitive skin who rash easily from other lotions and washes.

Check out their complete line HERE, an exclusive to Sephora.

Their Baked Eye Colour Palette $48 was probably my favorite offering from all of last year’s holiday collections. Now it’s back with 5 new shades, a double ended brush, and the same rich formula that’s easy to wear and blend.

If a smaller palette is more your speed, check out their Petite Eye Colour Trio $25 in Smoky Neutrals and Smoky Taupes – which is the one I have. It’s a mauve, plum, and neutral pink that compliments most skin tones and gives some fresh options for those who want to escape the ho-hum brown rut we so easily get sucked into.

Their best deal of the bunch, I think, is the Kohl Pencil Set $45 with 5 eyeliners in Stormy Grey, Black Violet, Brown Copper, Black Gold and Black Navy that end up being just $9 a pop. Their creamy formula is so easy to apply because it doesn’t drag on the skin so you can even lay a coat of it down on your lids before you apply shadow for extra dimension to a smokey eye.

And while you’re at it grab a Caviar Stick Eye Colour $24, a creamy liner/shadow hybrid of intense color. They’re pretty unique and way cool for a smudgy, imperfect look which is my favorite for totally sexy morning-after eyes.

All but the Caviar stick (thankfully) are limited, so once they’re gone they’re gone.

First, they’re paper (obvs) so you can’t curl, mascara, or even manipulate them much. I tried my best to make them ‘curl’ back the way her own lashes did, but they wanted to stick straight forward totally hindering a view into her eyes rendering them pointless (she couldn’t really see out either.) It pained me to rip them off of her knowing I wouldn’t be able to use them again (once the paper is wet from the glue- forget it, they’re a one-time deal), but I decided to switch to the smaller outer corner Peach Blossom ones hoping for the same look without the full strip that covered her eyes. Again, no dice. After the photog snapped a quick test shot, it was clear that what looked really cool in person just didn’t translate into anything on camera. It just looked strange and got lost against the color I’d placed on her lids. They also have a mind of their own – each lash in the same set had a different shape (one curly and the other more straight), even with some manipulation I wasn’t able to get them to look the same.

But they look so damn cool.

They might work if you don’t use dark shadow or much liner so you can see the full pattern against your lid, or if you just want to compliment a Halloween costume where your interactions were up close and not for a camera. I really wanted to love them and rave about them, but it just didn’t work out that way.

See the line HERE at Sephora.com and note that the model wearing the lash on Sephora’s site has what I believe to be a photoshopped version of the lash, they aren’t that large – if they were it would be easier to see them on.

- Warm a little coconut oil so it liquefies, I just zap it for about 10 seconds in a bowl in the microwave.

- Spritz your hair so it’s damp and run a comb through it so you’re able to really work the oil in.

- Drizzle the oil onto the hair and massage it into your scalp.

- Toss a towel into the dryer just long enough for it to heat up and wrap your hair.

The oil isn’t heavy so it shampoos right out without any lasting residue. It feels like an expensive salon treatment – you’ll be addicted and want to use coconut oil on everything all the time like I do. Any kind of coconut oil will do, but the one I use is shown below.

First all of those ‘Hail to the V’ Summer’s Eve commercials promting us to hose it down with deodorizing spray to mask any natural scent we might have, and now we have to just cover the damn thing up. When exactly did being a woman become something we need to be so ashamed of?

Thanks XOJane.com for the heads up.