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.

Monique is a professional make-up artist in Los Angeles, California. Her background includes print, film, television, videos, recording artists and celebrities, and special events. She also has a journalism degree from Pepperdine University.

Desert Dust Mineral Makeup ($34.98 + $4.95 S & H)
Bronzer is my must-have product all year long. So naturally, I am always excited to get my hands on a new bronzer product. Desert Dust Mineral Makeup is a multi-mineral pressed compact bronzer by Beverly Wright and Carole Propp, and includes six products in one compact: a bronzer, blush, eyeshadow, contour, lip and nail color, all with SPF 8. This product, in its own words, is a "bronzer that works with your own chemistry to give you a natural glow without the damaging effects of the sun".

In theory, this appears to be a dream product - all of your products wrapped into one. What could be better? However, after trying it, I was very disappointed. I tried the Original Shade - Medium to Dark Compact Bronzer with Tinted Lip Conditioner and first applied it as a bronzer, lightly with a large powder brush. My face looked like I was sporting brownish-orange, almost reddish dirt. Needless to say, it was not flattering at all and did not give me the promised "natural glow" I was hoping for. I have olive skin and am used to wearing products for medium-toned skin, so I was surprised by these results. And beware, because even though this product states it is hypo-allergenic, my skin was itching.

I also tried this product as an eyeshadow, nail color and blush. None of these other options looked great either. Desert Dust is also available in Rose for light complexions and I wondered if that product would be better suited to my skin-tone. However, considering my results, I don't think I am in a rush to find out.

The one product I did like was the Terra Tinted Lip Conditioner that comes with it. It has a yummy Hawaiian tropical coconut smell, great consistency and makes your lips feel soft. I tried it with the bronzer underneath, but preferred it on its own. It is a brownish orange color but is actually quite pretty on. That is the only part of the system that I would recommend.

You can find out more at desertdustcosmetics.com.

BeneFit The Gloss ($14.00)
BeneFit is one of my favorite cosmetic lines! Their products are always so innovative, unique, fun and are very high quality. I am impressed yet again with their new line of sexy lip glosses called The Gloss. With 12 new sheer-looking shades ranging from pink to nude, red and bronze, these glosses are a must-have for the summer and perfect for those trips to the beach. I tried Miss Priss (a pure rose pink color), Wink (a golden rose pinkish/purple with tiny sparkles) and Wooo (a golden bronze with tiny sparkles). Love 'em, love 'em, love 'em! Miss Priss was my favorite (applied with one coat) as it is a really nice light pink color.

Initially, when I looked at each gloss, I thought my lips would look fairly dark after applying it. However, with only one coat, each color went on so sheer. This gloss feels so lightweight, you can layer the color for more intensity. It makes your lips feel soft, and it doesn't have the goopy, thick or sticky feel of some glosses. Overall, I think the new line of colors are universally flattering for most skin-tones. I am also not a person who is into scented cosmetics, but there is something addicting about the subtle apricot-lychee scent of each gloss. For some reason, it reminds me of a Hello Kitty product I used growing up. I felt great wearing The Gloss and already have my eyes set on the next round of glosses I want to buy!

BeneFit The Gloss is available at benefitcosmetics.com or Sephora.com.

Cargo Twin Cities Duo-Color Gloss ($19.00) and Beantown Sheer Lipstick ($17.00)
Cargo is yet another one of my favorite professional cosmetic lines. I use their duo-color gloss frequently, but there are a ton of colors that I still haven't tried. Although they are a little pricey, I find that a little of this product goes a long way; and overall, the gloss seems to last forever!

Cargo's whole philosophy is to "enhance rather than alter" one's appearance, and I think they consistently live up to their claim. I tried the Twin Cities Duo-Color Gloss, and was really impressed with the colors. I honestly thought that the light sparkly pink gloss looked pretty in the silver container, but was doubtful about the light orange sparkly gloss.

Don't get me wrong, I love color, but orange lips? Definitely not something I would normally gravitate towards. Maybe, for a fashion shoot... yet I was certainly surprised by how much I loved the color on!

The light pink color was okay, and gave me a "barely there" pink color. But I still felt like my face needed more color. I think it would work best if you layered it on top of a lipstick or liner. The gloss felt thick on my lips, but not sticky. I also love that this product provides long-wearing color. The light sparkly orange color turned out to be my favorite of the duo. It didn't even look orange on! I also thought the orange gave me more of a sparkly look to my lips!

Next, I tried the Beantown Sheer Lipstick. I'd never tried their lipsticks before, and I was impressed with this sheer formula. The lipstick has a creamy, soft texture and doesn't dry out your lips. My lips felt nice and soft after applying it. It also doesn't have a smell or that yucky lipstick taste that you sometimes get with certain lipsticks. Beantown is a super sheer rosey pink color and it is really pretty on. It looks totally natural with just enough pink, and it is a great lipstick to have on hand if you want to look like you are not wearing any lipstick at all!

Cargo is available at Sephora.com or you can visit cargocosmetics.com for a list of stores.

Makeup Gourmet All-Pro Makeup Brush Set ($49.95 + S & H)
These days, it is hard to even buy one good-quality makeup brush without spending an arm and a leg! Brushes are so expensive and a full set of high-end make-up brushes can set you back hundreds of dollars. Believe me, I know! I always tell my clients that it is so important to invest in the right tools (good brushes) to apply your makeup correctly. Good brushes make a world of difference!

However, if you don't know much about brushes, I think the whole process can be confusing and even frustrating trying to figure out how to use each brush. Unless you have a makeover or a mini demonstration, it is easy to be left in the dark about what brushes to buy and, more importantly, how to use them.

Developed by San Francisco-based makeup artist, Chris Scott, Makeup Gourmet's All-Pro Makeup Brush Set solves all of these problems. I love these brushes! The brushes look high-end, they are made of good-quality sable, pony/goat or synthetic fibers and you can't beat the affordable price (currently discounted from $100). The full set includes a powder brush, blush brush, foundation brush (synthetic), large eyeshadow brush, contour eye brush, standard eyeshadow brush, concealer brush (synthetic), eyeliner brush (synthetic), eyebrow groomer, lash comb and brown comb/cake mascara duo (dual tip), and a product spatula (metal). They also come individually wrapped in a nice, black pleather folding case.

I love that this brush set is numbered and you are given detailed numbered instructions with the usage and techniques for each brush. You also learn how to care for them. On a side note, it is amazing how many people don't wash their brushes regularly. Ewww! Brushes can harbor/spread bacteria and, if you are acne-prone, it one of the worst things you can do to your skin! Your brushes should be washed at least once a week if you are just using them on yourself.

As a professional make-up artist, I've used so many different types of brushes. I am very picky when it comes to my brushes. Honestly, I was initially really skeptical about the quality of these brushes because you get so many and they are so affordable. I tried this brush set on myself and on many of my clients over the past month and I highly recommend them. They work really well, they look great, and I especially love the # 8 eyeliner brush! It makes lining eyes with powder shadow so easy. This is definitely a set that I will buy for family/friends and it is something that will complement any existing brush sets you may have. I will always be adding new brushes to my set, and I am thrilled that I have so many new Makeup Gourmet brushes to add to my collection!

You can find the Makeup Gourmet All-Pro Makeup Brush Set at makeupgourmet.com.

We hope you enjoyed this issue of The Cosmetic Report!