It's been more than two years since my last Paula's Choice review, but I still get regular email asking about other products in the line. This week I am pleased to bring you an update of both skin care and cosmetics. Next week you can look forward to our monthly Drugstore Report in which I'll be featuring pen-style lip color from Maybelline, Prestige, and much more. Enjoy!

All Bases Covered Foundation SPF 15 for Normal to Dry Skin ($12.95)
Because I've ordered Paula's Choice products before, I am on the mailing list for updates and new product announcements from the website. When I got the email that they've introduced foundation, I high-tailed it over to the site for a look. Paula Begoun is always such a stickler about foundation that isn't pink or orange, so I figured I could expect natural looking colors from her. The line is small - six shades from alabaster to pecan - but since the foundation is fairly sheer, you should be able to find a shade for your skin tone. I picked nude, described as "a soft golden pale neutral for fair to light skin" and it's a perfect match for me. The coverage is fairly sheer, so expect to use a separate concealer if you have areas that need more attention. Also, since it is for dry skin, it's emollient and requires powder unless you like shine. Personally I never powder because it makes my dry skin look like the Sahara, but with this foundation I would consider it; I don't typically mind a little shine, but this left me very shiny on my forehead by midday. A little Sonia Kashuk loose powder takes care of it, but I find I don't choose this foundation as much as I might if it didn't need powder...

Soft Matte Blush ($7.95)
If you are looking for a good powder blush in a decent range of colors at a reasonable price, this is one to try. The colors are natural and come in either cool or warm tones (there are five shades in each category), and they wear well without fading. I chose pale rose from the cool collection, described as "sandy pink, an all-around favorite natural shade" - I couldn't agree more.

Lush Mascara ($7.95)
This is the one product from this round of reviews that I do not like. My primary gripe is that the mascara is too wet - it gums up the brush and deposits too much color on the lashes, making them clumpy and spiky. The brush also seems too large, so it deposits much more color than you need. Maybe if the tube had a better wiping mechanism to take some of the product off when you pull the wand out, it would be better. I suppose you could wipe it down with a tissue, but then you have to contend with tissue fibers on the wand, and the possibility that you wiped off too much and have to start over. Too complicated!

Professional Makeup Brush Set ($72.65 (short handle) and $78.65 (long handle))
I have to confess - I am the worst when it comes to cleaning my brushes. I would sooner buy a new one than clean the one I have, which brings us to this purchase :) Ask any makeup artist, enthusiast or diva and she'll tell you - brushes make the makeup. You don't have to spend a lot for quality, but you do need quality brushes to get the best look and wear from your makeup. This set is nice for a beginner as well as a pro because it has all the basics for any look. You get powder, blush, large round shadow, small round shadow, wedge, eyeliner and lipstick, all in a snap-closure soft black case. The brushes are natural hair and feel soft against the skin (not as soft as Profaces, MAC, or Stila, though). One thing I noticed is that the eye shadow brushes have tightly packed bristles, so while they feel soft on the skin, they are firm and deposit a fair amount of color compared to a very soft and fluffy brush. If you are working with highly pigmented shadows or very dark colors, you may want a softer brush for light layers of color. THe one place you'll appreciate the stiffer bristles is in the lip brush. It's tapered to a nice point, perfect for lining with your lipstick and blending the color in. It also has a cap, so you can load up the brush with color, put the cap on, and throw it in your bag for easy touch-ups.

I also tried the tug and pull test on the bristles (tugging and pulling on them to see how well fastened they are to the handle), and there was very minimal hair loss. A good quality brush should not shed hairs, even after long periods of use and washing.

I chose the short handled set, which I find easier to hold and work with up close to the face, but you have your choice of long or short. These are nice brushes for the money and a great basic set.

2% Beta Hydroxy Acid Lotion ($13.95 for )
For those of you with hormonally sensitive skin, I'm sure you relate to those "time of the month" breakouts that make you wish you could take off your troublesome skin and get a nice, new, fresh one. My skin has been acting crazy lately - breaking out in strange spots, breaking out for no apparent reason - so I decided to do something different. I'd tried this BHA liquid back when it first came out but never bought a full sized bottle. I remember it worked well on large persistent pimples, and this time around it worked just as well. My skin is a bit more sensitive to the often drying quality of salicylic acid (a.k.a. beta hydroxy acid), so as long as I am careful to moisturize well and use the BHA lotion sparingly, I'm in good shape. If you have stubborn blemishes, or oily skin that needs extra exfoliation, this is nice choice for good exfoliation. Although it's called a lotion, the consistency is liquid, like a toner. You can wipe it on with a cotton pad or spot treat using a cotton swab.

Completely Emollient Moisturizer for Normal to Dry Skin ($13.95 for 4oz tube)
I actually bought this again even though I reviewed it back in 1999 because my skin has changed since then and I've been looking for a good nighttime cream. This time around, I am very pleased with how well it moisturizes my skin, keeps it supple, doesn't cause any breakouts, and doesn't smell like anything (a pet peeve I have for night creams). This is a great basic moisturizing cream for dry skin.

You can find the complete Paula's Choice line at PaulasChoice.com.

I hope you enjoyed this issue of The Cosmetic Report!