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.

Marissa is a 39 years old, Italian/Polish, with dark brown hair (virgin color) that's now a great shade of red (Garnier), with dark brown eyes and olive skin. She has normal to slightly dry skin, with a touch of redness in the cheeks. She loves the DDF skincare line, and just discovered Avon all over again. Her latest purchase was Clarins Radiance Plus Self-Tanning Cream. Marissa has been and always will be a make-up junkie... loves foundations and lipsticks, and now is on a quest for the perfect bronzer.

My Favorite Things
I always like reading favorite product reviews, so I thought what the heck, I'll tell everyone about my favorites too! These are all the products that I'm using and loving. Keep in mind that this could change with the next big cosmetic discovery. Currently, I have light brown hair with blonde highlights and medium tan skin due to the sun.

For my skin, I have found that Cle de Peau Gentle Cleansing Foam, La Prairie Foam Cleanser and Erno Laszlo Sea Mud Soap clean my face the best. You only need a tiny drop of the foam cleansers in order to lather up your face. Both products leave my skin feeling clean and moisturized, not dry and sandpapery, or like I have a mask on and it's done drying - ever have that feeling after cleansing your face? Yuck. You won't get that feeling with any of these products. The Sea Mud Soap lasts forever (FOREVER) and never dries out my face. I like the soap for the summer months since my skin produces a little more oil during this time.

For a moisturizer, I like the Erno Laszlo Antioxidant Moisturize Complex. It is very light, has an SPF of 15 and absorbs quickly. The best part of this moisturizer is that the SPF really works! I forgot to put on additional sun block when I went out during our first day of vacation in Virginia and when I came back after two hours, I wasn't sunburned at all. To me, that's the true test! In the winter, I like Avon Anew. That also has an SPF of 15, but it is richer and heavier and my skin needs the added hydration during the winter months.

I don't normally use a toner, but I like the Erno Laszlo Light Controlling Lotion, because I like the smell. After I use it, it makes me feel like I did something good for my skin. I don't know why, but it definitely has a comfort smell for me.

For specialty items, I like Neutrogena On The Spot treatment for those occasional breakouts, and Cle de Peau Eye Balm and Cle de Peau Clarifying Emulsion. The Eye Balm is the BEST eye cream I've ever used. My under eye bags were so dehydrated it was horrible but this took care of it on the first day I used it. The Clarifying Emulsion just keeps my skin glowing, as it is a light exfoliator. I use it both during the day and at night. After using these two products for only a week, I got some really nice compliments on my skin. So far, I've used these products for almost 4 months and still have more than half left. I even gave some away to my hairdresser after she complimented me on my skin, and now I have her hooked too!

I love color cosmetics, especially foundations, and let me tell you, I think I've tried them all! My three favorites are Becca, Cle de Peau and Giorgio Armani. In the summer, I like my skin to show and the Becca Luminous Skin Color SPF 20+ just evens out my skin tone without being too heavy. I haven't really found a tinted moisturizer that I like, but this is the closest thing to that type of feel on your skin. Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation I wear year round - in the summer if I'm going out and in the winter for everyday use. I couldn't wait to try this foundation after all the hype I read about it, and let me just say, it did not disappoint. The Cle de Peau Cream Foundation is a definite winter foundation. It gives the most luminous glow to your skin in the winter without looking heavy. But it is a much more pigmented foundation than the other two and needs to be used sparingly.

For my eyes, I am partial to the Laura Mercier cream shadows and Stila and Bobbi Brown powder eye shadows, with Stila being my favorite. All three lines go on smooth and last all day, plus they all have a great color selection. For mascara, I've discovered Cover Girl mascaras. I tried the pink and green tube of Maybelline many times and each time coming to the same conclusion - you have to be a make up artist in order to appreciate this mascara! I can't see paying $18.00 or more for a high end department store mascara. However, if I had a gift certificate, I would buy Prescriptives False Eyelashes Plush Mascara. I got a sample of it from Gloss last year and loved it. My favorite eye pencil is from (gulp) Wet 'N' Wild! Yes, I've tried a ton of Wet 'N' Wild products and I like them! Me, the drugstore snob! Their brown kohl pencil goes on so smooth, it doesn't tug on the upper or lower lashes and lasts all day. And, I even like their liquid eyeliner in pewter and brown. Very easy to use!

On my cheeks, it's Cle de Peau in any of their colors. They have the silkiest powder blushes of any cosmetic company I have ever tried. And for cream blushes, I like Nars The Multiple, again, in almost any color. They go on so sheer, and I "get" the layering for more color with Nars. Some other cream blushes that claim to be sheer end up looking like a rash on my cheeks when I try to layer.

Finally, the lips, my other favorite product to purchase. Who doesn't feel better after buying a tube of lipstick? As one of my fellow panelists says, it's cheaper than smoking and definitely not bad for you! First, the lip liner. Dare I say, Wet 'N' Wild makes great lip pencils in a variety of colors. The infamous 666 (creamy nude) and 711 (chestnut) are my two favorites. They seem to match just about any lipstick I wear. If I'm buying department store, I go with Laura Mercier. Her pencils just seem to last forever and look great with all shades of lipstick. Redwood matches every color lipstick I own. It even goes with a peachy shade. Don't ask me how, it just does! For lipsticks, if I have a lot of disposable income (or I'm really depressed and need a HUGE pick me up) I like the Cle de Peau or La Prairie lipsticks. La Prairie just got in 6 new lip colors and they are all very pigmented. I love Sienna. Cle de Peau's number 52 is my favorite everyday color. It too looks good with just about anything I wear. When I don't have a lot of money, I go to the Armani counter where I can buy two lipsticks for the price of one La Prairie or Cle de Peau and still have enough money for lunch. Numbers 8 and 9 are my favorites, classic shades that look good on everyone. And, here's a tip - if you haven't tried the new Avon Lip Miracle, ask a rep for a sample. I ordered five from my sister-in-law, and not because I want to help her sales. They are moisturizing yet long wearing. And I am NOT a fan of the lipsticks that you put on and then seal after a minute with the gloss stick. They go on dry and cakey and no amount of lip gloss helps. The new Avon products, however, are heavily pigmented yet don't dry out your lips. I wore my sample for 3 days straight.

Finally, lip gloss, not my favorite item. I don't like many of them, except, Wet 'N' Wild lip glosses with the wand. They smell nice and put just the right amount of color and gloss on your lips. If I want higher end, I go to Nars Lip Lacquer in Zou Zou or Hot Wired or any of the MAC Lipglasses.

Oh, and in case you are wondering, I don't carry all of these products in my purse at once. Most, but not all!

We hope you enjoyed this issue of The Cosmetic Report!