The spotlight is on drugstore products this week in our monthly Drugstore Issue. Thanks for all the great feedback and product suggestions for this new segment!

Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash Cleansing Cloths ($6.99 for 30)
I've had good luck with Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash Cream Cleanser in the past, and I've always liked the dry cleansing cloths from brands like Reflect.com, Dove and Olay, so bringing the two elements together seemed like a sure hit. Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash Cleansing Cloths are dry cloths infused with cleansers, aloe, chamomile, and salicylic acid, the active ingredient to help get rid of acne. The combination sounded great, but my skin was very unhappy with the 2% concentration of salicylic acid, which surprised me since I imagine a good amount of it gets rinsed down the drain. I could tell it wasn't right for me after just a few uses, when a nasty red rash appeared across my chin. With my sensitive skin, I guess I shouldn't have been surprised...

On the up side, for those of you who struggle with acne, you'll appreciate the level of medicine in these cloths, and the fact that it does seem to penetrate the skin better because of the cloth's exfoliating texture. The gentle physical exfoliation sweeps away dead skin cells, making it easier for the treatment ingredients to do their job. Although the package doesn't indicate that the cloths have a smooth side and a more textured side, I definitely noticed a difference. You can lather up with the smooth side, then use the scrubbier side to work on stubborn spots that need more attention. For oily or acne prone skin, I think Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash Cleansing Cloths would make a great addition to a daily acne treatment and prevention routine.

St. Ives Vitamin C & Fresh Berry Moisturizing Body Wash ($3.99 for 13.5oz)
I have the pleasure of trying so many wonderful products for this job, and I am often lucky enough to have more than enough choices for what skin care, makeup or hair care I'm going to use on a given day. There are times, though, when I run out of a particular product and have nothing waiting to replace it. Oh no! A quick dash to the drugstore and my shower gel shortage was averted! I was in the mood for something fresh for the shower, so I decided on this scent of St. Ives moisturizing body wash. Let me just say, I don't like the scent at all. The body wash is fine - plenty of lather, not drying to the skin - but the smell of "fresh berry" makes me think of a big, plastic strawberry. Am I asking too much of something so inexpensive? I used it a few times, got tired of smelling like strawberry yogurt, and switched to Essential Oil (EO) Products ShowerGel in grapefruit & mint. Ahh, much better.

Prestige Jetstream Lipgloss ($6.99)
I've used Stila Lip Glaze and Lip Polish since they were first introduced, and while I love the colors and texture, I don't use lipcolor enough to justify $24 each. Enter the new explosion of knock-offs. It seems every brand is getting into the twist-up pen market with lip color, concealer, eye color - you name it, it's in an easy to use pen with a brush attached, so the color twists right up onto the brush. Jetstream has a smooth, creamy feel and comes in a wide variety of shades, some as unusual as Melon Ball (green), Blue Hawaii, and Fuzzy Navel (bright orange); the one I picked, Sky, is a plum pink with a heavy dose of silver glitter. If I were 16 again and wanted a sparkly-beyond-belief mouth, maybe this color would work for me, but alas, I'm not :)

Maybelline Gloss Twist Lip Shine ($4.99)
If the pen packaging appeals to you but you want a lighter, sheerer lipcolor, this new one from Maybelline is for you. The colors are very sheer and super shiny, and the feel is more sticky-tacky, which wears a bit longer than thinner glosses but has a thick feel than can take some getting used to. It was fun for me to try, but day to day it's not the look for me. Look for Gloss Twist at drugstores near you. For color swatches, check out Maybelline.com.

I hope you enjoyed this issue of The Cosmetic Report!