It's already April, and in most parts of the US, that means spring has just about settled in. To kick off the season, I am pleased to bring you a series of reports on new spring makeup colors. The trend this season is bright pinks, bold turquoise and purple, and even an orange here and there. This week we'll start with Estee Lauder's collection, Go Tropical.

I have to admit that these colors are not my cup of tea, but if it's (really) bright and cheery you're looking for, this collection has it! As usual, Estee Lauder is offering these shades for a limited time, so if they sound good to you, you should jump on it now. Here are the products and colors:

Eyeshadow DuoSticks (creamy eye shadow in pencil form) in:
Wild (pink and lavender)
Bright (golden nude and periwinkle)
Exotic (pale yellow and deep purple)

Two in One Eyeshadow Duos (powder eye shadows) in:
Bouquet (grape and pinky-lavender)
Resort (lavender and pale pink)

Eye Defining Pencil, and More Than Mascara, in Turquoise
Highshine Lipgloss in Fuschia Shine
Lipsticks in:
Pareo (shimmery lavender)
Sarong (bright purply-pink)
Tiki Lounge (cool, deep pink)
Witty Fuschia (bright fuschia)
Wild Amethyst (lavender-gray)

Nail Polish (in those great $5 tiny size bottles) in:
Polynesian Pink (bright pearl fuschia)
Pink Drink (cool, deep satin pink)
Tahiti Pink (cool, deep lavender-pink pearl)
Grape Vine (deep grape purple)
Tropical (medium lavender pearl)
Maui (cool raspberry pink)

How would you like to win these hot new colors? You can, by entering Cosmetic Connection's Go Tropical Contest. Simply recommend Cosmetic Connection to a friend using our Recommend Form, and you are automatically entered to win! The drawing will be held on April 26th, so enter today!

Cosmetic Connection Go Tropical Contest:
http://www.kleinman.com/cosmetic/springcontest.html

Garden Botanika has long been one of my favorite boutique skin care and makeup stores, and it always seems like they are coming out with something new. I recently tested their Skin Renewing skin care line with alpha hydroxy acids. Here's what I thought of the products:

Gentle Foaming Cleanser ($11 for 8 ounces)
Although the ingredients are different, if you put this cleanser and Biore's non-foaming gel cleanser in identical, unmarked containers, I doubt you could tell them apart. The gel consistency and low lather qualities are extremely similar. I like this cleanser, but I think it could do without about 75% of its ingredients; the main cleansers (TEA-lauryl sulfate and PEG-7 glyceryl cocoate) do a fine job of cleansing the skin and even removing makeup, but all the cleanser's plant extracts don't have time to do very much before you rinse them all away. I recommend you look at this as just a nice, basic cleanser.

Clarifying Toning Lotion ($10.50 for 8 ounces)
My skin has a tendency toward clogged pores, blackheads, and pimples, even though it's not particularly oily. This toner and others like it that contain AHAs, BHAs, and/or fruit acids of some kind always help keep my pores clear and minimize the number of blackheads I get on my nose and forehead. This one has a mixture of different fruit acids, is alcohol-free (always nice), and leaves the skin feeling fresh, not stripped.

AHA Treatment ($25 for 3.4 ounces)
After using this lightweight lotion for about a month, I'd say the difference in my skin is very subtle. Much like the fruit acid toner, this fruit acid lotion helps keep pores clear, but the keyword here is "helps". Unlike many other AHAs I've tried, this one does not contain glycolic or lactic acid per se, two of the more well known and effective AHAs available; GB uses bilberry, sugar cane, sugar maple, orange, and lemon extracts instead. As a result, I found the effects for my skin to be more minimal. If you have very sensitive skin or are just weary of trying an AHA, this one might be more your speed. You can also add one of the moisturizers listed below to get more AHA benefits...

Balancing Creme ($15 for 2 ounces)
Even though the label says "for normal to oily skin", I like this cream for all skin types. It's lightweight, oil free but still nicely emollient, and gives the AHA Treatment (above) the extra boost it needs to make more of a difference for your skin. Balancing Creme also contains SPF 8 sunscreen in the form of 2-ethylhexyl-p-methoxycinnamate and oxybenzone, both UVB blockers.

Moisture Replenisher ($15 for 2 ounces)
This cream is almost identical to the Balancing Creme (above) with the addition of sunflower oil, squalene, and a few other water binding ingredients to make it more moisturizing. For dry skin, this is a nice choice that is still lightweight and comfortable.

For more information on these and other Garden Botanika products, check out their website at http://www.gardenbotanika.com. It even has online shopping!

Spring has sprung, and that means it's time to rethink your makeup look and consider adding some fun new colors. Learn about all the latest spring collections in this month's new Feature, "Colors in Bloom", brought to you by our Panelist Lisa.

April Feature: Colors in Bloom - Spring 99

Looking for a particular review, or curious if I've ever reviewed your favorite brand of lipstick? Try out our search function to make your quest easier. Simply click on the "search" button on the front of Cosmetic Connection (in the yellow channel), or use this direct URL: http://www.cosmeticconnection.com/search.html. Easy! If you don't see the review you want, it's possible we haven't covered it yet, so just let me know and I can add it to the list.