May 2008
BEST
COVER GIRL Lash Blast Mascara ($8.49) ranks as Cover Girl's most expensive mascara to date, but the performance won't disappoint and it still costs much less than the best department-store mascaras. The oversized, rubber-bristled brush seems imposing at first, but allows you to be surprisingly nimble when defining, lengthening, and slightly thickening your lashes. You're left with a full, dramatic, clump-free sweep of softly fringed lashes that look gorgeous and last all day. Fans of Lash Exact and Volume Exact Mascara should give this strong consideration; it gives a greater payoff in less time, and combines the best attributes of its predecessors into one superior mascara. Find It

WORST
AVON Anew Alternative Clearly C 10% Vitamin C Serum ($20 for 1 ounce) is a poorly formulated serum for two reasons: the vitamin C will not remain stable due to clear packaging that exposes it to light, and the first ingredient is alcohol, which causes dryness, irritation, and free-radical damage.