One of my first, and fondest, memories of cosmetics is of those little sample size Avon lipsticks. My grandmother would always get a few in her order of Skin So Soft bath oil and Silicone Glove hand cream. Every time I visited, she would show me her new colors and let me try them all on. I couldn't have been more than 5 years old!

Twenty years later, my grandmother still sends me Silicone Glove hand cream in the mail. I've always know Avon for bath products and lipstick, so when I recently got the opportunity to try some Avon skin care, I jumped. Avon has come out with quite an array of alpha hydroxy products over the last few years called "Anew" that had really sparked my interest. All of the products I tried are under US$20, and I think they are just as good, if not better in some cases, than many drug and department store products.

Anew Perfect Cleanser
After using milky cleansers since fall, I was concerned that this foaming cleanser would dry my face. It actually worked great and left my face feeling comfortable. It has a very slight fragrance, a light foaming action, and it rinses away quickly with just a few splashes. For normal, combination, or slightly oily skin, this cleanser does the trick.

Anew All-In-One Perfecting Lotion SPF 8
I have tried several AHA lotions and gels over the last few years, all of varying textures and concentrations. My all-time favorite is still Alpha Hydrox (drugstore brand in the red box), but this one from Avon is a close second. It has a lightweight texture, absorbs quickly, and works well under makeup. I was really surprised to find that the main exfoliating ingredient is salicylic acid, not lactic or glycolic acid. This Lotion version is oil-free and considered more for sensitive skin because of the low levels of AHAs and fruit acids; the alternative for normal skin is their All-In-One Perfecting Complex with 4% AHAs and SPF 15.

Anew Perfect Eye Care Cream SPF 15
I've tried quite a few eye creams lately, and none of them made me believe I couldn't live without them. I just might change my mind with this one from Avon. Not only does it have great sun protection (helps prevent wrinkles from sun damage), but the lightweight feel and easy absorption makes it great under makeup without being too heavy or greasy, so your eye makeup can stay put better. While this eye cream does have AHAs, the levels are so low (around 2%) that they just act as moisturizers and not exfoliators.

Hydrofirming Cream Night Treatment
If my skin was still dry and winter-worn, I think this night cream would have worked better for me. Instead, it was a bit too emollient and oily. If you have dry skin, this cream is a great choice. It has anti-oxidant vitamins A, C, and E, and a whole slew of plant oils like jojoba, sunflower seed, grape, and evening primrose.

In keeping with my fond memories of Avon lipstick, I also got to try Avon's Beyond Color with SPF 12 lipstick in "Twig" and Luxury Liplining Pencil in "Spice". These are both great wearable colors that are classic and work well for everyday. The lipstick starts very creamy and moist, then soaks in to a more demi-matte, and long wearing, finish. At just $6 a tube, I would definitely buy this over some of the department store lines. The liner was smooth, easy to apply, and blended well into the lipstick so there was no tell-tale line. I could really get used to its $2.75 price tag!

If you are considering trying Avon, or just want a new way to shop for your favorite Avon products, Avon has a terrific web site at http://www.avon.com where you can find out more about these products, the rest of the line, and even do your shopping online.

Summer for many of us is somewhere around a nearby corner. If you are considering trying one of the many self-tanning lotions for summer color without the sun damage, exfoliating your skin is an important step to a streak-free, long-lasting tan. From my recent trip to the Clarins counter, I picked up a sample of their Exfoliating Body Scrub. After using it a few times in the shower, I found this scrub to be pretty ordinary and highly overpriced ($30). Unless you are 100% loyal to Clarins, any scrub from the drugstore, like Freeman Botanicals, or one from The Body Shop, Bath & Body Works, or Garden Botanika, is going to have the same effect at a much better price.

Just the other day, as I was checking out the latest and greatest at my local Nordstrom, I noticed a new arrival - Phytotherathrie hair care products. Since it was so new, their sample selection was a bit sparse. Luckily, my hair has been acting dry and frizzy lately, so I was glad they had samples of the Phytocadamia Macadamia oil shampoo and Phyto 7 treatment cream, both for dry hair.

After using the shampoo a few times, I do like it, but it doesn't seem that different from other plant-based shampoos I've used. In addition to the plant oils, it also has the usual cleansers to actually clean the hair just like other brands. I also used the Phyto 7 treatment cream after each shampoo, which acted like a conditioner and a styling aid. The cream was easy to apply and distributed well through the hair. It left my hair looking full and smooth, but my hair didn't feel as soft as I thought it would.

I found the major thing missing from Phytotherathrie's line are basic rinse-out conditioners. While the treatment creams do have plant oils that are conditioning, they act more like styling aids and didn't deliver the level of conditioning I was looking for. The frizz control was great, but the softness just wasn't there.