Another stop on the search for the perfect skin care routine

Like most women, I think I have tried just about everything there is to look younger, short of cosmetic surgery. I don’t have too much to complain about – some lines around my eyes, the occasional dark circle – but I definitely want to prevent looking any older than I have to. Good, consistent daily care is essential to getting and keeping the best looking complexion you can have, so to that end it has been my pleasure to try DHC’s reformulated line of co-enzyme Q10 anti-aging skin care products. The Q10 Essentials Set ($85) includes one of my already-favorite DHC products, the Deep Cleansing Oil (amazing for removing makeup), plus Q10 Facial Film Soap, Q10 Lotion and Q10 Cream.

The Deep Cleansing Oil is one of the best makeup removers, and it works well for any skin type. Just work a pump or two into dry skin and rinse off. It removes makeup, eyeliner, and mascara effortlessly, then lightly lathers and rinses clean away. Another cleanser in the set is a box of Q10 Facial Film Soap, incredibly thin sheets of soap that activate with water, completely dissolve into foamy lather, and quickly cleanse your face at the gym, while traveling, or just if you like that squeaky clean feeling after using the Deep Cleansing Oil. Even though my skin can hint at dryness, the Q10 Facial Film Soap work great for me.

After cleansing, I like to splash on Q10 Lotion. This toner gives an extra anti-aging boost, and if you apply a small amount with your hands instead of a cotton pad, you use less. I like to use just enough to leave my face damp, then I apply the last product of the set, Q10 Cream. A thin layer of this silky cream traps in the dewy layer of  Q10 Lotion for even more hydrating and anti-aging benefits. The Q10 Cream delivers just the right amount of hydration without being too heavy, just right for any skin type.

If you are looking for something new in anti-aging skincare, the Q10 Essentials Set is a great way to try the products at a discount, and you have a complete, morning and night routine in one set.

Afforable luxury: Alba Botanica’s new Rainforest Hair Care

We recently had the pleasure of trying Alba Botanica’s new Rainforest Hair Care, and now we fight with our teenage daughter over who gets to use the products! The smell is amazing, and the way it makes our hair look – super silky and shiny – makes us reconsider our recent drugstore-only hair care proclamation. Sure, these are more expensive at about $10 each for the Acai anti-oxidant shampoo and conditioner, but we think we will treat ourselves in this case

Stores to give away free cosmetics in settlement

Here’s a news flash you won’t want to miss: if you bought department store cosmetics or perfume from May 29, 1994, to July 16, 2003, you may be eligible to claim a free product as part of a settlement of a 5-year-old class-action suit that contended retailers and manufacturers fixed prices.

The list of brands includes Chanel, Christian Dior, Clarins, Estee Lauder, Lancome and more.

For all the details, visit http://www.cosmeticssettlement.com/.

New Kid on the Block

360 Beauty

A new cosmetic store has sprung up on Connecticut Avenue in Washington, DC, within two blocks either way of Pure Beauty, Douglas Cosmetics and Blue Mercury cosmetic shops.

I first noticed this shop on the way to work a couple of weeks ago. It reminded me of the cosmetic shops I used to see in Paris before the mega-Sephora stores replaced many of the smaller boutiques. Needless to say, I had to investigate.

The hours were the first thing that grabbed my attention! — Monday – Friday, 7am-9pm | Saturday, 8am-8pm | Sunday, 9am-7pm…. That means you can get a beauty fix on the way to work, as well as on the way home!

Beauty 360 is an offshoot of CVS, offering boutique and niche cosmetic and beauty lines such as Paula Dorf, Clarins, ME, Canyon Ranch, Freeze 24/7, Cosmoholic, Pure, Talika, Japonesque, Bloom, Sampar, Fusion Beauty, Laura Geller, Stendahl, Borba, Blinc, Calvin Klein, Modelco, Pop Beauty, Ahava, Elizabeth Arden, Lavere, Dr. Brandt, It Cosmetics, Tini Beauty Mineral Essence and more! Many fragrance brands are also available.

Services offered include nail polish changes, mini-facials and make up application. Trained professionals are available to answer questions and to provide services.

Check their beauty calendar for a list of events each day from specific companies, offering free tip and gifts!

The shop that opened last week in Washington is the first of its kind, but more locations are soon to follow.
From the street, I thought I would be entering a tiny little shop, but the front of the store is really just the beginning, as the store wraps around a space that used to be part of a small miniplex theater, it ends up
in a bright new CVS store that offers all of their regular drugstore brands, as well as their boutique of European skin care lines, such as Vichy, Lierac and La Roche-Posay.

While not nearly as big and as comprehensive as Sephora, Beauty 360 is a welcome addition to our list of cosmetic shops in Washington, DC. It offers convenient hours and is conveniently located at the Dupont Circle metro stop at 1350 Connecticut Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20036. The next Beauty 360 opening will be in Mission Viejo, CA in the next couple of weeks. If you would like to see a shop open up in your area, send your zip code to Beauty 360 at the bottom of this page.

Happy Shopping!

-Judith

Thanks for your support

Summer has faded, the rainy season is beginning, sweaters and boots are replacing tank tops and sandals – it is a time of change. We have been going through some changes here at Cosmetic Connection, including a new location here in Portland, a new look for the site, and a new system for sending updates. What has not changed is our heartfelt appreciation for your support. We hope you enjoy the new look and new reviews. Thank you for reading!