Happy Friday from the Cosmetic Connection!

The middle of January is here already, and that means a new Feature on Cosmetic Connection. This month, after a great suggestion from a reader, I bring you Get Your Money's Worth!, a complete guide to successfully return products you don't like. Learn how to stand up for your rights as a cosmetics consumer! Read all about it at: http://www.kleinman.com/cosmetic/feature.html

Although I almost always enjoy getting samples, some counters are more fun than others. This week I had a particularly good experience at Clarins. I still can't believe how many samples the salesperson insisted that I take! Here are a few of the products I tried:

• Extra-Comfort Cleansing Cream
• Toning Lotion for dry skin
• Hydration-Plus Moisture Lotion
• Hydrating Mask

All of these products were recommended to me for sensitive skin, but most would really be good for almost any skin type. You'll find full reviews of these, and many more Clarins products in the coming weeks, at http://www.kleinman.com/cosmetic/clarins.html

In other product news, I played with Eye Bright this week from BeneFit, and I'm still not 100% convinced of its usefulness. This lipstick-shaped pink stick is supposed to make your eyes look brighter by acting as a touch-up concealer for dark circles. While the lipstick-type package is certainly handy to carry in a purse or pocket, I didn't see amazing results when I used it. Rather than covering dark circles or spots like a flesh-colored concealer would, Eye Bright's light pink-to-white color draws the light to your face, which can actually emphasize the areas you're trying to cover! Paying $13 for a product that emphasizes dark circles is not my idea of a good beauty investment!

Another interesting product that I had the distinct pleasure of trying this week was MAC's new Lipglass . If you are looking for an ultra-high shine lip, this gloss does the trick. For $9 a tube, your lips can have that shiny new car finish! The texture is a bit tacky at first, but it's also so thick that it offers a nice barrier to the winter elements like cold and wind. It's not moisturizing at all, but if you want a very glossy look, Lipglass definitely delivers.