With cosmetic lines like Estee Lauder, Lancome, Stila, and Bobbi Brown already coming out with new colors for fall, many of you emailed me wondering what MAC would be showing this season. Well, your wait is over! MAC Colour Experiment '98 is focusing on bright primary colors, monochromatic makeup looks, and no harsh lines. "Blend, blend, blend" was the word from the Colour Experiment '98 seminar I attended at Nordstrom this week. New looks included monochromatic eye and blush colors using the very same shade, like new "Rude", as well as softer eyes and lips with no harsh liner. The look for lips is a stain of color that is darker and more intense on the inside, faded and soft on the edges.

For lips, MAC has created five new shades for fall: Rebel (deep crimson purple), Carnal (deep intense red, a bit lighter than Viva Glam), Fluid (plum brown frost, similar to "Raffia" from the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale nail kit), Pivot (matte intense pink-red), and Plush (sheer orange coral). For nails, MAC introduces three new polishes to complement the new lipsticks: Fluid, Rebel, and Carnal. MAC's six new shadows exemplify the new look of bright colors: Rule (intense orange), Scheme (bright, deep blue), Stomp (intense velvet purple), Faze (soft pink coral), Limit (matte mustard yellow), and Riot (deep teal/moss green). These colors are not for the lighthearted! Check them out at a MAC counter near you!

It's $10 Challenge time again! If you are new to this ultimate drugstore scavenger hunt, here's how The $10 Challenge works: take $10 into a drugstore and buy the coolest products you can find. Simple! Last week I introduced the product selection for our 4th installment; now here are the results:

1. Pond's Prevent and Correct Cream (trial size $1.99)
   Pond's joins a day cream with sun protection (SPF 8) together with a night cream with alpha hydroxy acid (8% glycolic) in one handy two compartment jar. Both creams are lightweight and would work well for any skin type. The daytime sun protection isn't the SPF 15 that I would recommend, but it will do for very minimal exposure. If you like simple skin care without a lot of separate products, this Pond's 2-in-1 is a great deal.

2. Jane nail polish ($2.69)
   Jane recently added nail polish to her extensive "under $3" product line, and it's great! The color I chose, "electricity", is a metallic mauve with gold shimmer that is gorgeous and classy. With my Seche Vite topcoat (a fantastic quick dry, high gloss topcoat for ultimate wear and shine; around $9 at salons and beauty supply stores), this polish lasted 7 days without a chip!

3. Jane Staying Powder loose powder ($2.69)
   While this powder created a soft, matte finish that controlled shine for most of the day, all of the colors, even "colorless", were too dark for my fair skin. If you have medium to dark skin and like a good oil control loose powder, this one is for you. It even comes with a handy puff!

4. Almay Amazing Lasting Eyecolor (trial size $1.99)
   As far as cream eye shadows go, this one from Almay is okay, but not amazing, and not incredibly lasting either. I applied "taupe" in the morning, and by 1-2pm, it was barely noticeable. If you have oily eye lids, I imagine it would disappear even faster. Thumbs down on this one.

I often get requests from readers for reviews of lines they've tried or are thinking about trying. This week, I bring you a review of a few products from Hydron, a line sold on QVC and on the Hydron web site. Let me begin by saying that I liked these products very much. For someone with dry, dehydrated, or flaky skin, these products are fantastic. Even for normal or slightly oily skin, the moisturizers in Hydron's formulas is not greasy, heavy, or oily. All of the products have a light, fresh scent and should work well for most sensitive skin types.

• Best Defense Gentle Cleansing Creme ($16.50 for 6 ounce tube)
  If you like a more creamy cleanser that takes off all makeup without separate removers, this is a great one. Morning or night, your skin will feel fresh, smooth and supple after using this cleanser.

• Best Defense Facial Moisturizer for day SPF 15 ($29.00 for 2 ounces)
  A great matte finish daytime moisturizer for normal, slightly oily, slightly dry, or combination skin. This is a little more than I would probably spend for a basic SPF lotion; you can get a similar product from Basis at drugstores for under $8 (One Stop Face Cream or Face The Day Lotion).

• Best Defense Moisture Balance Restorative for night ($36.00 for 2 ounces)
  For seriously dry skin, this cream really soothes and smooths without feeling greasy or oily. If you need intense hydration, this cream is a great choice.

On my quest for a good moisturizing conditioner for dry, frizzy hair, I stumbled on a great shampoo from the ~H2O+ Spa collection called Sea Marine Revitalizing Shampoo ($12 for 8 ounces). I love this stuff! Not only do I like the fresh sea-inspired fragrance, but the aloe and silk proteins leave my hair completely tangle-free and smooth. This shampoo would be a great everyday choice for any hair type.

The Makeup Diva is In! For anyone just getting started with makeup, the choices can be overwhelming. This week, Miss Diva gives her tips for essential makeup basics. Don't miss it!

Make your opinion count! Have you ever searched and searched for the best cleanser or foundation out there, only to be completely overwhelmed by all the choices? Make it easier for your fellow cosmetic junkies to learn about the best products out there with Cosmetic Connection's new Reader's Survey. Speak your mind today!