Like any good makeup "junkie", I am always searching for products that are different, useful, or just plain cool. I recently discovered a line of hair care that truly has a unique niche - hemp seed oil! No, it's not what you're thinking. Alterna salon hair care with hemp seed oil is completely drug-free and contains only the oil from the plant seed, which has fatty acids that are excellent at conditioning and preventing moisture loss. Sounds good to me! Have a look at a few of the products I tried:

Hemp Seed Shampoo $12.75 for 10.1 ounces
First of all, I have to comment on the shapes of the packaging of these products - very retro looking long neck bottles in reds, yellows, and greens. You'll be thinking lava lamps and bell bottoms in no time :) This is a great all-purpose, everyday shampoo for any type of hair. The hemp seed oil does lightly moisturize, but I also like to use the daily conditioner (mentioned below) for the best results.

Weekly Clarifying Shampoo $12.75 for 10.1 ounces
Although this shampoo does contain an extra cleansing ingredient, and does not contain any hemp seed oil, I can't say it works wonders in the "build-up removal" department. For someone with slightly oily hair, it could be a nice choice as a daily shampoo. If you are looking for more effective deep cleaning, try Origins No Deposit or ABBA Molasses Purifier instead.

Hemp Seed Restorative Conditioner $14.75 for 10.1 ounces
I liked this conditioner very much, especially together with the hemp seed oil shampoo. It smooths and softens the hair without a heavy build-up. The bottle is pretty cool, too :)

Volumizing Spray/Leave-in Conditioner $11.75 for 8.5 ounces
If you have fine hair, prefer a spray conditioner, or just need a little extra moisture, this multi-purpose product is a great cross between treatment and styling aid. For fine hair, spray it directly on the roots, then comb it through for the best results. One little note: the very long-necked bottle takes a little getting used to (can be tricky to hold onto while spraying).

Styling & Nutritive Creme Gel $10.75 for 5.1 ounces
For quick and easy styling, this product is one of my favorites of the line. A quarter-sized dab worked through the hair is just right for light control and smoothing. You can use it on every type of hair - wet or dry, curly or straight, long or short.

Alterna won't eliminate bad hair days or give you the movie star style you've always dreamed of, but it is a fun and effective line of products that are nicely moisturizing. I give them two thumbs up! For more information about Alterna, visit their website at http://www.4alterna.com, or check a salon near you.

Coming soon to a drugstore near you, Maybelline has added True Illusion liquid-to-powder foundation (around $4) to their already fantastic True Illusion liquid makeup lineup. The new compact version comes in all the same colors (a nice selection), also has SPF10 sun protection, and has a similar natural look and feel as the liquid. I tried it on my truly confused skin (oily in some places, normal in others, the occasional flaky or uneven patch) and liked the lightweight feel, sheer-to-medium coverage, and slightly drier look slightly better than the liquid, especially for skin on the oily side. My only gripe is the enclosed sponge - it stinks! So thin and flimsy, you just won't get the best application with it. If you've tried any other cream-to-powder foundations like Vincent Longo Water Canvas or Shiseido Liquid Compact, I'd recommend using the sponge from these instead (and they will fit in the Maybelline compact).

Fall is here and so are some gorgeous collections of new colors! Read all about the newest offerings from your favorite lines and decide what to add to your makeup bag before you get to the counters. This month's Feature by our Panelist, Lisa, is your ultimate fall color shopping guide.

September's Feature: Fall Beauty Trends 1998

Calling all America Online subscribers! Bring your cosmetic questions to the Electra Real Chat room on Monday, September 14th at 11pm eastern and chat with me live online! Bring your best cosmetic questions as we discuss everything from great drugstore finds to the best foundation for your skin type. Type keyword: "electra" and follow the links to Real Chat. See you there!

We're happy to announce that our resident Makeup Diva(tm) now has her own web site! Visit http://www.makeupdiva.com for her weekly beauty advice and archives. Also, be sure to sign up to get the Ask the Makeup Diva column emailed to you every week. Take a peek and let Miss Diva (diva@makeupdiva.com) know what you think of the new site!