It seems strange to think about beauty at a time when we Americans have faced the horrible tragedies at the World Trade Center and the Pentagon this past week. All of us at Cosmetic Connection are deeply saddened by the losses and are keeping our thoughts with the families and friends of everyone affected. We hope you are well and are coping with the recent events.

BeneFit Cosmetics The Cowgirls Fall 2001 Collection
If neutral browns are the ideal shades for you, you are going to love this collection. Cowgirl Eye Shadows ($18) are smooth, long lasting and come in three easy to wear shades: Fancy Roper (metallic bronze), Buckle Bunny (shimmery pink brown) and Lone Star (peach bronze). I like Buckle Bunny as an everyday, all-over shade, and Fancy Roper as a shimmery alternative to basic brown eye liner. Cowgirl Lip Cremes ($18) are a cross between gloss and lipstick, packaged in small compacts so you can apply with your finger or a brush. There are three shades: Don't Fence Me In (golden red), Happy Trails (silver mauve) and Back In The Saddle (plum brown), my personal favorite. The only thing these lipcolor compacts are missing is a mirror.

You can find Benefit products at BenefitCosmetics.com, Sephora.com, Sephora stores, and Benefit cosmetic counters at department stores near you.

Osmotics Kinetin Cellular Renewal Serum ($78 for 1.7oz)
After reviewing Almay's Kinetin line back in July, I was curious if Osmotics' version would be any better. I noticed little to no improvement in my skin with Almay (see my review here), but with Osmotics Kinetin at almost five times the price of Almay, I couldn't help wondering - do you get what you pay for in this case?

It took me about two months of day and night use to finish the entire 1.7 ounce bottle of Kinetin Cellular Renewal Serum, and I did see results. It's a lightweight lotion with a few possible acne aggravators (PPG-2 myristyl ether propionate, isopropyl palmitate), but as long as I applied a thin layer, I had no acne problems. The best benefit of Osmotics Kinetin for me is simply this: I no longer have bright red marks on my face. I've been battling with those old acne surface scars (red blotches where the pimple used to be) for years, and now they have significantly faded and are almost gone. Since I also have my acne under control, so I don't need to cover up new redness or pimples, I can actually leave the house with NO foundation on if I want! Not that I would want to, since there are so many great ones to try, but you get the idea :)

For the simple fact that Osmotics Kinetin worked to get rid of my old red acne marks, I am very happy with it and would lay down almost $80 a bottle to keep it that way. Of course, The Body Shop just came out with their own version, Skin Re-Leaf with Kinetin, at a more attractive price point ($25 for a one ounce bottle of their 24 Hour Treatment Lotion), so I plan to review those products as well to do a comparison. I've already tried samples of the 24 Hour Treatment Lotion, Illuminating Face Treatment, and Daily Eye Treatment, but I want to do a longer test with the full sizes to see how they perform.

You can find Osmotics Kinetin at Osmotics.com, Sephora.com and Nordstrom.com.

Charles Worthington Results hair care
I have a hard time staying loyal to any one hair care product, so when it was time for me to replenish my supply of shampoo, conditioner and straightening balm, I decided to give Charles Worthington a try. Target has a decent selection of the brand, and the prices are pretty attractive. For my long (several inches past my shoulders), dry-on-the-ends, frizz-inclined, naturally wavy hair, I selected Moisture-Seal Glossing Shampoo ($5.99 for 8.5oz) for dry/permed/color-treated hair, Superconditioner ($5.99 for 8.5oz) also for dry/permed/color-treated hair, and Relax and Unwind Blow-Dry Straightening Balm for "curly, frizzy and unruly hair". The shampoo is pretty basic - cleans well, is light on detangling so it's actually better for normal hair rather than damaged. My hair's not that damaged, but the ends get very tangled and knotted when they are wet; this shampoo didn't really do anything to improve that. The conditioner, on the other hand, is a nice rich balm that makes my hair smoother and more manageable. I concentrate it on the ends and I've found it helps with the tangling. The final step, the Blow-Dry Straightening Balm, is my ideal styling aid. This cream-gel is serious stuff - definitely not for fine or limp hair. It coats the hair to seal out frizz as well as protect against the heat from your dryer, plus it does a fantastic job of smoothing and straightening when combined with a brush and blow dryer. I use this one every day, whether I'm going to blow dry or not; it smooths and tames my hair even when I let it dry naturally. I will absolutely buy Relax and Unwind Blow-Dry Straightening Balm again. Strangely, it is not listed under the "Results" products on the Charles Worthington website. I hope that doesn't mean they are getting rid of it. Maybe I should stock up at Target?