October is also...

Most people think of October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and as much as I personally appreciate that fact, it should also be known that October is usually acknowledged as a month devoted to cancers specific for women. Particularly, ovarian cancer. L'Oreal is leading the fight against this silent killer is the cosmetics world. Their "Color of Hope" line is not only loaded with beautiful colors, but sales of the products go to the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund. Want to get the best of the best? Go to www.drugstore.com and type in "Color of Hope" in the search field. You'll get the set shown above with a cute makeup bag to hold it all.

Get beautiful and help other women at the same time. Sounds like a win/win to me.

Not too shabby

My eternal quest for the perfect mascara (followed closely by my quest for the perfect lip gloss, of course) has brought me to L'Oreal's Waterproof Telescopic Explosion. As you can see, it has a completely different brush. It's looks like a teeny tiny torture device. You know what I'm talking about- you see them in all the medieval movies.

Anywho, this brush is outstanding at getting every single lash. Even the hard to reach ones in the corners. The color is pitch black, an absolute must for me. And I gotta tell you, it's got some pretty impressive staying power. I can wear it all day with zero under eye smudges!! It's very reasonably priced and can be found anywhere. So, if you're on the hunt like me, give this a try. I was really pleasantly surprised and I think you will be, too.

What a coincidence!

A reader asked me yesterday about self tanning products. Oddly enough, that was going to be the subject today what with Memorial Day weekend coming up!

Lord knows there are about a zillion options out there. The question is which is the best for you? The gold standard and the originators of the self tanner is Jergens Natural Glow. They were the geniuses who simply added a hint of self tanner to some moisturizer and ta-da! A gradual tan as opposed to KABLAM! ORANGE! With this stuff, you put it on as often and as heavily as you like. When you get to the tan-ness that you want, you can alternate days- one day, use a regular lotion, the next, the Jergens. It's the same with their face moisturizer. You build it to the level/shade that you want.

Now, if you are having an "Oh crap! I have a picnic/party/some sort of event that I don't want to be pasty for" moment, then you will need essentially an "insta-tanner." Now, keep in mind that this stuff probably will wash off the next time you shower. So, basically you have to put this stuff on and let it get good a dry and then go to your event. L'Oreal makes a gel called Bronze Self- Tanning Gelee. This stuff is POTENT! The only caveat is that you have to let it dry and that can take a little while. But let me tell you- you will look like you've been at the beach for a week with this stuff.

Now, should you want to break the bank a little, Lancome makes a Flash Bronzer Self Tanning Body Gel. This stuff is full of Vitamin E and the color develops in about 30 minutes and can last up to 5 days. Beauty editors and makeup artists SWEAR by this stuff. It's like magic in a tube.

The biggest tips I can offer are these for any self-tanning:

1. Make sure that you exfoliate any area that you are going to use self tanner on so that all the dry flaky areas are smoothed away. Otherwise, you are going to have patches of darker color.

2. If you are going to self tan your legs, be sure to also PUT IT ON YOUR FEET! How cute are brown legs and white feet? Yeah, that will give away your little self-tanning secret, won't it?

3. If you are using a self tanner on your face, make sure that the makeup that you use is the right shade. Why would you have a tanned face and really light concealer? Because let me tell you how attractive that would be!

I am definitely pro self tanning. It's the only healthy tan there is and the formulas have gotten so much better over the years. No Oompa Loompas anymore!

Can you tell I'm on a certain kick right now?

Yes, I know. I've been focusing a lot on hair products recently. I can't help it- there are all these great products out there that YOU need to know about!

I know I talked about L'Oreal's "Everpure" line for my girls who have colored hair. No salts, no sulfates, amazingly moisturizing. It was all good all the way around. Well, L'Oreal has done it again. Their new line of shampoos and conditioners is called "Ever Strong." It is also free from all those harsh chemicals, but it is specially formulated to help hair increase it's strength. How does it work? Well, the geniuses at the lab added a "Bio-Ceramide Complex that mimics your hair's natural ceramide to...restore the integrity of the hair fiber." Stronger hair means less breakage and more shine and movement.

There are 3 varieties: Hydrate, Bodify, and Reconstruct. The good news is that this stuff is affordable and easy to find. I've seen it everywhere from Wal-Mart to drugstores and grocery stores. If you go to http://www.lorealparisusa.com/, you can sign up for special deals and coupons. If you go the Ever Strong page on the site, you can get a coupon for $1 off just by answering a few questions about your hair!