(Click here for my review of eve.com.)

Bellisima
Shopping adventure #2 was at Bellisima, an online version of the Tucson, Arizona beauty boutique. After poking around at the variety of brands they have, like Get Fresh, Paint Job, Remede, and Vincent Longo, I decided to try Aesop. Aesop is an Australian botanical skin and hair care company that has gotten quite a few mentions in the press over the last several years. As with most skin care lines with products that are $30 and up each, I was skeptical. How much better would these products be than something seemingly similar for less money? And, Aesop is yet another line touting botanical ingredients - would it really be unique and different? For the most part, the answer is a refreshing "yes".

After browsing the Aesop collection on Bellisima, I did some research on the Aesop company site. One of the most refreshing notions that really stood out to me is that they do not advocate using 50 million different potions for every centimeter of your face. They believe in simple, straightforward skin and hair care that comes from natural sources and doesn't involve hurting the environment or animals. Sounds good to me! I decided to try the sampler/travel pack of their most popular skin care, Amazing Face Cleanser and Mandarin Face Cream, packaged in a Fresh Skin Care Box for $30. You get 30ml (about one ounce) bottles of each, which may not seem like much, but both are concentrated formulas (like most Aesop products).

Amazing Face Cleanser ($35 for full size 200ml)
This cleanser has gentle cleansing agents and plant extracts of ylang ylang, tangerine, and lavender, and is best for oily, normal-to-oily or combination skin. It lathers nicely without stripping, leaving that "squeaky clean" feeling that's perfect for summer - and you don't need a toner. It also does a good job of removing makeup - just take care near sensitive eyes as the essential oils can be potentially irritating. I liked this cleanser and was bummed when I finished the 30ml travel container, which lasted an amazing 2 weeks with daily use.

Mandarin Face Cream ($40 for full size 175ml)
This ultralight cream with hazelnut oil, rosehip oil, sesame oil, carrot oil, wheatgerm, vitamin E, and mandarin, lemon and lemon verbana extracts has become an indispensable part of my evening skincare routine. I have been using erythromycin gel and Differin to control hormonal acne for the last 6 months or so, and this is one of the few creams I've used over my medicine that doesn't interfere with it. Just a pea-sized amount gives my skin the moisture it needs without feeling oily or greasy, but it's also not a matte finish, which doesn't work for me. I needed something in the middle that would hydrate my normal to dry skin but not trigger my acne. This is it and I would seriously consider buying the full size jar when this traveler is empty.

In terms of the Bellisima shopping experience, products are easy to find and ordering is simple. The dropdown menu list of brands and of categories on every page makes finding what you want a snap. The only downside is that the products are listed alphabetically; if you are interested in makeup like Vincent Longo Water Canvas foundation, it's not listed as "Water Canvas," but with the shade name, like "Bisque Water Canvas". Unless you know the colors, you have no way of knowing which is the lightest or darkest, which is more yellow or more pink, etc. This method of shopping works only if you already know what you want. There are also no photos, no color swatches, and very few product descriptions. Again, you have to know what you want.

Ordering on Bellisima was pretty easy. When you decide what you want, you click on the pink dot next to the product to add it to your shopping bag. You're taken to the "My Shopping Bag" page where you can review your order so far and select your preferred method of shipping. When you are ready to check out, you enter in your shipping/billing information and that's it. I ordered on July 8th using standard UPS 3 day shipping, and my package arrived on the 12th. Everything made it in good condition, and there was a nice selection of samples in the box, like Molton Brown Ultra Smooth Body Lotion and Warming Eucalyptus Shower Gel (one ounce bottle of each), Remede Sweep scrub (foil packet), and Comptoir Sud Pacifique Vanilla Apricot and Pineapple perfumed towelettes. It was a nice touch that adds a personal element to the shopping experience.

For more information on Bellisima, visit www.Bellisima.com.

To learn more about Aesop skin care, check out their site at www.aesop.net.au. They have an amazing informational area under "Beauty Editors" with details about their products, what they do, and who they were created for, as well as tons of other interesting content on their ingredients, philosophies, and more (unlike most other cosmetic company sites). This is easily the best cosmetic company site I have ever seen, and you know I don't say that lightly!