Welcome to the Cosmetic Report^™ newsletter. It's our goal to bring you unbiased information about cosmetic products and trends so you can make educated buying decisions. If you've been searching for straightforward beauty information and advice, you've found it here. The Cosmetic Connection Panel of reviewers are consumers just like you who face the same issues and challenges, and look to the beauty industry to help solve them.

Heather, 31, started Cosmetic Connection in September 1996 from an idea that women would like to learn more about cosmetics and skin care than just what's on the product package. For the last 11 years, Heather, an East Coast transplant, has called Portland, Oregon, home with her husband and two kids. She has medium brown (color treated) hair that is just north of shoulder length with long layers, blue eyes, and a fair, dehydrated complexion with cool undertones. Heather's best skin-matching foundations include Cover Girl TruBlend in Ivory, BECCA Luminous Skin Colour SPF 20 in Sand, and Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer in SX05.

Girlactik Beauty
Face Glimmer ($16 for .32oz tube)
This is, as the name describes, a shimmer cream for the face that you can apply on bare skin, mixed in with foundation, as a light blush or eye color, or pretty much anything else you like. The shimmer factor is subtle and pearly, and comes in a choice of pink diamond or 14K. I like pink diamond for the glow it gives my skin, especially when I wear it on bare cheeks.

Celebrity Luxurious Sparkling Gel ($16 for .35oz tube)
This is the body version of the shimmer product, but this is a very silky gel with actual pieces of small glitter in the gel, rather than just a pearly cream like the Face Glimmer. The Celebrity Gel is also perfumed, so it not only looks nice on your body, but it makes you smell pretty, too. I can see wearing this out at night for a special occasion.

Star Gloss ($12)
Every line has a gloss, and every one seems to be different. Girlactik's takes the super-shiny, glossy and glittery approach. I tried Superstar Silver, a watermelon-candy pink, and Simply Naked, a light chocolate brown. Both have a decent amount of glitter pieces, so your lips will definitely sparkle. The level of glitter is a little much for me (seeing as I'm not 18 anymore...), and the shades I tried aren't the best fit for my coloring. The pink is too bright, and the brown is too brown on me - anything but "naked", as I have naturally rosy lips. The texture is light but sticky, which feels a bit goopy but does give it more lasting power. Star Gloss comes in 8 colors.

Star Blush ($12)
I tried Havana (pink) and found this to be a pretty basic powder blush. This shade is fairly bright, so apply lightly if you have fair to medium skin, or enjoy the vibrant shade if you have a darker skintone. Star Blush also comes in St. Tropez (bronzer) and Corsica (apricot).

Star Shadow ($12)
These shadow colors (12 in all) are soft and silky, easy to blend, and stay on for most of the day. I tried Penny, a coppery shade as the name implies, and found it to be highly pigmented (rich shades, so a little goes a long way) with a bit of shimmer.

You can find Girlactik Beauty at girlactik.com and Sephora.com.

Smashbox Cosmetics "Through the Lens" summer collection
Eye Shadow Trio in Smashing Mirror Image ($28)
I had my doubts about the "wearability" of this trio when I first saw it - coppery bronze, buttery gold and shimmery purple - but they are actually really beautiful on, and they make me think of summer. I don't normally wear a smokey eye look, but with these shades you can do a summery, bronze version of that sort of sultry, "bedroom eyes" look without being over-the-top or too made-up for daytime.

Blush in Smashing Aperature ($24)
This is a nice neutral shade, like a peachy salmon pink. It's a pretty alternative to cotton candy pink cheeks, and it complements the eye shadow trio very well.

Lipstick in Smashing Distortion ($16)
This lipstick shade does not suit me as well as the other shades in the collection, simply because I don't care for copper bronze lip color. To its credit, it is more sheer on the lips than it appears in the tube, and it also has a lightweight, creamy feel. It's a nice shade, I just wouldn't choose it for myself.

You can find Smashbox Cosmetics at smashbox.com and Sephora.com.

Hourglass Cosmetics
Hourglass is a new prestige brand from Carisa Janes, the woman who also created Body & Soul. The packaging is sleek, shiny metal, with rich colors and creamy textures. This line is just getting started, so for now it's available at Barneys New York on Madison Avenue in Manhattan and online at hourglasscosmetics.com.

Veil Fluid Makeup Oil Free SPF 15 ($65)
This is a medium to full coverage foundation, ideal for someone who has skin issues that need more than just lightweight coverage. There are six shade choices; I tested the lightest shade, 1 Ivory, and was surprised to find it a bit too dark for my skin. I would not consider myself pale (more like light-to-medium fair), so anyone with pale skin would not find a color match here. I also needed to experiment with the right moisturizer to pair with this makeup so I could get a smooth application, as some of the creams I tried made it more difficult to spread the makeup on my skin. It's almost like you need a primer or velvety moisturizer on the skin first to give the makeup more slip.

Hidden Concealer ($32)
This concealer is in a lipstick-style tube, so the texture is thicker than a liquid or lighter cream, and the coverage is medium. Because it's more dry than creamy, it works well for areas that need more staying power, like blemishes or other uneven skintone areas; I find it is a little too dry as an undereye concealer - it has a tendency to cake and settle into fine lines.

Veil Compact Powder Wet/Dry Formula ($45)
As a foundation powder, I found this to be too heavy. When I applied it with Hourglass' no. 1 brush ($65), the coverage was thick and pastey. With the enclosed sponge, the coverage was lighter but still more than I'm looking for. I tried again with my own Stila powder brush, using a very light hand, and the look was a bit better. All in all, this is a decent powder foundation if a full-coverage foundation look is what you're after.

Color Link Color Palette Insert ($55)
This is by far my favorite item from Hourglass. Not only is the Passage leather case ($75) that houses the palette gorgeous, the palettes themselves are fantastic. I tried Garden, a set of pinks and browns accented by one mossy green shadow. All the shadows are beautiful, long wearing, soft and blendable. The cheek shades are sheer and pretty as well. The only thing I think could be improved is the included applicator - leaves a lot to be desired. How about a smaller version of a real brush with real bristles, rather than a drugstore-type sponge applicator?

Trace Eye Liner ($28)
I was pleased with the smooth, easy gliding texture of this liner, but the flat tip is more challenging to work with than if it were slightly pointed. Other than that, I like the Autumn shade I tried (a medium brown), and that fact that the case is not only refillable (refills are $15), but interchangeable - you can take out the enclosed smudge tool (which I never used) and snap on another liner shade.

Fiction Defining Mascara ($22)
I was not that crazy about this mascara. It started off okay, but after a few uses I found it to be too wet, making my lashes stuck together and clumpy.

Trace Lip Liner ($28)
I have to admit - I NEVER use lip liner. I barely even use lipstick. I'd have to say there are two camps for lip liner: creamy and dry. This one is dry, which is good for longer wear and pairing with a lipstick or gloss. One nice feature is the lip brush on the opposite end of the case. You could even load it up with your lipstick and take it in your purse, so you'd have everything you need in one slim case. Another perk: the case is refillable (refills are $15) and interchangeable like the eye liner, so you can have more than one shade in one case.

Sheen Reflective Lip Gloss ($26)
From a collection of six colors, I tried Creation, a light pink with gold shimmer. The texture is very smooth, not tacky. This shade is beautiful with the Reveal lip liner I tried for a pretty, everyday look - pinky-brown with the gold shimmer. I could see wearing this again and again.

You can find Hourglass Cosmetics at Barneys New York on Madison Avenue in Manhattan and online at hourglasscosmetics.com.

We hope you enjoyed this issue of The Cosmetic Report!