Happy New Year!

For 2002, we've decided to get a fresh start with a new look to complement all the great reviews and commentary you've come to love over the last 5 (wow!) years. I'm hoping this new format will make it easier and more enjoyable for you to read the reviews and learn more about the products we talk about.

Last month, for holiday gift giving, we brought you two guides to online shopping, including stores like Sephora.com, Gloss.com and Beauty.com. Now it's time to take a look at the products from these mini shopping sprees. To learn more about any of them, just click on the links or the product photos.

From Sephora.com
Shopping at Sephora.com is always a dangerous pasttime for me - I can really get carried away by all the attractive photos and extensive selection of brands. For my last shopping trip, I tried to focus on things I wouldn't normally buy, so I would spend more time browsing. I've tried some Naturopathica products before (love the Pumpkin Enzyme Peel) but Aqua Latte ($38) was something new to me. Described as a body wash, shampoo and milk bath with an "intoxicating blend of bourbon vanilla, ylang-ylang, lavender, plant extracts and sea algae", this liquid cleanser works best in the bath or on a puff or sponge in the shower; unless you have resilient hair, I wouldn't recommend it as shampoo (my hair got quite tangled and dried out). The bourbon vanilla scent is potent, making it something I use when I'm in the mood for it rather than every day. All in all, I'm glad I tried it, but I don't think I'd buy it again.

Fresh is another brand that I've dabbled in but have not tried everything. My hands are always so dry from washing them constantly, so I decided to try Fresh Formula f21c Milk Hand Wash ($20). I really appreciate how rich and emollient this cleanser is. It's actually so thick that it takes some practice to make it lather and rinse effectively! I found I have to run some water over it to thin it out in my hands, then wash and rinse under warm water. It's very creamy with a delicious milk and daisy scent that goes nicely with Fresh's Milk Hand Cream ($24). For overly dry hands, this is a welcome relief from detergent cleansers.

From Gloss.com
I've always been bothered by how expensive yet ordinary many of Bobbi Brown's products can be, but ever since she introduced her Extra line of skin care products for dry skin, I admit I've been curious. Winter is a killer time for my face, so I decided to break down and try Bobbi's Extra SPF 25 Moisturizing Balm ($75). It has the sun protection we all need (yes, even in winter), plus it's rich enough to quench dry skin, thanks to shea butter, borage oil, and carrot extract. Also, since it is so rich, you only need a small dab for your whole face (good thing at $75 a jar!). I was skeptical at first (and the price is hard to swallow), but now that I've tried Bobbi's Moisturizing Balm, I really like it.

From Drugstore.com
When I look at photos of myself from just a couple of years ago, I am amazed at how short my hair was. It's taken almost 3 years to get my long hair back, and I'm so glad I grew it out! The one major challenge is keeping it soft and tangle-free. I've gotten requests for reviews of modern organic products (MOP) hair care, so I picked up mixed greens shampoo ($9.99) and daily rinse conditioner ($8.99) at Drugstore.com.

For my dry hair, the mixed greens shampoo was a good choice from the MOP lineup. It cleans well without stripping and has a fresh herbal/vegetable scent. I don't know how much my hair really appreciates the cucumber, watercress, parsley, artichoke and alfalfa, but it is an interesting spin on basic shampoo.

Unfortunately the daily rinse conditioner was completely wrong for my hair. It's light and thin, which would be fine for normal hair, but even pouring what looked like half the bottle on my hair didn't do anything to relieve my knots and tangles. After rinsing, I spend at least twice as long as I normally do combing the tangles out of my wet hair. If you have normal or fine hair, this would be a better fit for you.

From Beauty.com
If you are a woman who wears foundation, I think I can safely say that you want the best, most natural looking coverage with the lightest and most skin-like feel. Who wouldn't? To me, having a smooth, blotch-free complexion is the best start to my daily beauty routine; some days, I wear foundation and a little blush, and that's it. Nice looking skin can definitely stand on its own. When I heard about Skin Alison Raffaele Reality Base ($35) and True Concealer ($22.50), and how they "create the illusion of perfect skin", I knew I had to try them.

I've tried some pretty incredible foundations lately (Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk, Linda Cantello Forget Foundation), and Reality Base ranks right up there with the best. Small dabs on cheeks, forehead and nose is plenty for your whole face - be careful not to use too much - then blend for a seamless finish. You can build coverage just by layering in the areas that need more, and it still looks natural. For really tough spots, True Concealer hits the spot. It's creamy and blends well, but resists creasing and settling in fine lines (as long as you are careful not to apply too much). It's also safe to use on breakouts and shouldn't make them flare up; the same goes for Reality Base. Both are great finds on my quest for more flawless looking skin.

I hope you enjoyed this issue of The Cosmetic Report!