$$$NARS Lip Stain Gloss ($24) is for those who love the opacity of traditional lipstick but also want the shiny finish of a lip gloss. This two-in-one product has a slick, silicone-based texture without a trace of stickiness and provides a high-gloss shine. The intense colors leave a good stain, but are not for the timid. Think glam to the max and you'll love this!

RIMMEL Hide the Blemish Concealer ($3.99) is a very greasy, lipstick-style concealer that doesn't cover that well, though it does come in three very good colors. An emollient, wax-based concealer like this is the last thing you want to place over blemishes, at least if the goal is to not make them worse! If you prefer this type of concealer, it would be OK over nonblemished areas, but if you're using it under the eye, creasing is inevitable.

$$$GIORGIO ARMANI Sheer Blush ($40) is a good powder blush with a silky, dry texture and smooth application that imparts minimal color. For this amount of money, you should expect (and get) a bigger color payoff. As is, the palette of nude and soft pastel tones provides a bit too much shine for daytime wear.

Dear Paula,
I have naturally curly and frizzy hair. I am confused with all the anti-frizz products sold out there. What is the difference between silicone hair serum and straightening lotion/balm/gel? Do we need both? Assuming that a hair dryer is used to dry the hair and a ceramic flat iron is used to straighten the hair, does one with frizzy hair need a complete set of straightening products (from anti-frizz shampoo to anti-frizz styling spray, five or six steps altogether) to achieve and maintain healthy, straight hair? I don't want to have too much product deposited on my hair. What would be the simplest and yet most efficient way of achieving manageable straight hair (that is not limp, fried, and lifeless) but still healthy-looking?
Eny, via e-mail

Dear Eny,
Hair-care products designed to help you straighten, smooth, and prevent frizz are everywhere, but the fact is you don't need a straight-hair, curly hair, or frizz-free hair routine to get great results. Actually, you don't need to focus solely on anti-frizz shampoos and conditioners, because they rarely differ from other shampoos and conditioners designed for other hair types, such as dry or color-treated (and when they do differ you are not going to see a difference in the results you get). It's more of a marketing angle than anything else. In the long run, the most important aspect of your hair care routine is the styling tools you use. There are no products that can make hair smooth or put curls in place neatly all by themselves. You certainly have never seen a hair stylist put some shampoo, conditioner, and styling products in someone's hair and then send them on their way.

None of this means that there aren't some good shampoos and conditioners available to help make dry, frizzy hair smoother. Dove, Pantene, L'Oreal, and Garnier Fructis have brilliant (I mean really, really excellent) inexpensive options, as does John Frieda (which is a bit pricier but still is more reasonable than salon products). You may need to experiment to find which products work best for you--and they needn't be from the same brand.

A silicone hair serum is a concentrated product that is almost always non-aqueous and composed primarily of a silicone, such as cyclomethicone, dimethicone, cyclopentasiloxane or phenyl trimethicone. These silicones are crucial for making hair look and feel healthy. In fact, they are so important that almost 85% of all hair care products contain them. For fine or thin hair silicone serums are best used sparingly and for thick, coarse hair you can be a bit more generous. You can apply these on damp hair before heat styling and/or after styling to add more shine and reinforce a smooth, sleek style. If you are using a flat iron always keep in mind that hair must be completely dry (bone dry) before you use it. If hair is even slightly damp this can cause significant damage resulting in hair breakage and split ends (the only exception to this is if you are using one of the specialty flat irons designed to be used on damp hair). You can also use a straightening balm, gel, or lotion after the silicone serum to help hold hair in place. Combining them makes for smoother results and ensures greater heat protection than using either alone. Most women with curly, frizzy hair will find both products are needed to create and maintain a stick-straight hairstyle. You may also want to try applying the straightening balm, gel, or lotion first, and follow with a couple drops of silicone serum prior to heat styling. Experiment to see which order of application works best for you.

Just to reinforce the basics, be careful to use the silicone serum sparingly and not apply directly to roots, as this can make hair limp and create a greasy appearance. You may want to dispense a couple pumps of silicone serum in the palm of your hand, then mix with your straightening balm or lotion. The blend can be distributed through hair, beginning in the middle of hair's length, then working down toward the hair tips, then back up toward the roots (but stopping short of them for the reason mentioned earlier). After styling is finished, you can tame minor flyaway strands or frizzies with a dab more of either your straightening balm, lotion, or a teeny bit more of the silicone serum.


An Ounce of Prevention Isn't  Worth a Drop of Sun
A very attractive, young, pert, blonde receptionist who had just heard me do an interview on the radio station where she worked asked me on my way out, "Should a 25-year-old start using anti-aging products?" I thought, what does she want to do, revert to birth? But I knew what she meant and I responded by saying, "the only thing you really need is a great sunscreen, and be sure to never get a tan, and you will do fine; the rest is just skin care, important but not as relevant in comparison to being sun smart." She sat up and in a 20-something kind of way, said, "But I love the sun and I love getting tan, I just don't want to wrinkle." I said, "Well then, you might as well buy a lottery ticket, because you probably believe you will win that windfall as well! False hope springs eternal; the reality is that you can't have it both ways."

Okay, I was in a mood. I usually just smile and walk away, but it's getting worse out there, not better, and my frustration is at an all-time high. If I believed in conspiracy theories I would say the media is in bed with the cosmetics industry, but alas it isn't theory, it's fact. Every time I do a talk show I'm always asked if I'm going to be critical of any of their advertisers, or if I'm going to say anything that might be of legal concern (sort of like Oprah Winfrey saying she didn't want to eat hamburger anymore). Advertisers are in control of what I say on TV or radio, and even to some extent in print (fashion magazines are a foregone conclusion; they treat me as if I don't exist or simply don't know what I'm talking about).

Reporters all over the world ask me what works, but the answer assumes that something must work to get rid of wrinkles. The endless press releases from mainstream cosmetics companies, physician-owned cosmetic companies, and spas and salons of all kinds have created the ultimate, anti-wrinkle products, you just have to find the ones that aren't lying to you (somehow we know everyone can't be telling the truth, but the notion that everyone is lying to one degree or another is something most women just won't believe) and the one in front of you at the moment (especially if you're feeling vulnerable) or that's endorsed by a celebrity or has an attractive ad wins every time.

Women seemingly never tire of a product promising it can firm the skin, erase wrinkles, restore youth, fight aging, and on and on. There are literally thousands and thousands of anti-aging products perpetually using the same nebulous yet miraculous claims that often stop just short of lying (or blatantly lie). In some ways it is beyond belief how many products are launched every month, year after year. But because women keep believing the claims from the endless assault of anti-aging/anti-wrinkle products, I guess for me, it's job security! And on the plus side, there are several state-of-the-art products that, while not capable of lifting skin or eliminating wrinkles, can honestly help skin look and feel its best at any age--and, to some extent, work to prevent ongoing damage to skin. For more information on these products and their ingredients, see my Anti-Aging Superstars Report .


A Greener Tea
It is not often that a personal Web site impresses me, as most tend to be poorly designed or the subject matter is of little to no interest based on what I do for a living. However, a Canadian customer of mine recently informed me of her site, www.agreenertea.com and I decided to check it out. I admit to being pleasantly surprised by the balanced information and insights I found.

The site is designed to offer women aged 35 and up a refreshing perspective on life's issues, including family, career, health, personal beliefs, and, yes, beauty. The woman behind this site is a multi-faceted, educated professional with a passion for making the most out of each day. As you can imagine, doing so requires lots of self-discovery, and that is where the message of this site rings truest: life is a journey of self-discovery, and it is only through life's challenges, joys, and triumphs that we come to realize who we are and the impact what we do has on others. I encourage you to visit and explore this fledgling site!

Expert Reviews, Beautiful Results
Looking for more product reviews? Below is a sampling of product reviews recently added to Beautypedia.com:

• Avon Anew Alternative Photo-Radiance Treatment SPF 15
• Mark by Avon See Things Clearly Brightening Moisturizer
• Lancome Primordiale Night Skin Recharge
• Philosophy Never Let Them See You Shine Primer
• SkinMedica Acne Care Acne Treatment Lotion