Pivotal Skin Foundation ($25)
I love when cosmetic lines push the barriers of traditional thinking and try something new and unique. Pivotal Skin is a great example: this foundation looks like an ordinary compact makeup, but open the lid and you'll see a unique presentation - liquid foundation in an inkpad-style touch pad. Simply touch your finger to the pad and apply to your skin. No sponges, no brushes, and you can put the makeup just where you need it. The coverage is just a bit more than sheer and can be built slightly with added layers (don't count on it covering very dark circles or bright red blotches, though). It feels very lightweight going on, as though it has a high water content, and it dries down to a semi-matte, slightly luminescent finish. Like Stila's other foundations, Pivotal Skin comes in a lettered range of shades, from "a" (lightest) to "e" (deepest); I use "b" on my fair, neutral-toned skin.

If you are looking for something light, easy to use, and portable for spring/summer, I definitely recommend this product.

Color Push-Ups ($20)
With so many great choices in cream and gel blush these days, I honestly can't remember the last time I used powder blush. Creams and gels are also an excellent complement to the lighter, luminescent cream or liquid foundations that have become so prevalent. Joining the likes of Tarte Cheek Stain, Lorac Sheer Wash, Calvin Klein Cheek Wash, BeneFit Cheekies, Vincent Longo Faerie Creme - just to name a few - come Color Push-Ups, a cream-gel solid blush (and lipcolor) stick from Stila's Sport collection. The thin oval shape reminds me of my daughter's Mustela Hydra-Stick moisturizer and Sunblock Stick; this shape is fine for cheeks but a bit awkward for lips, since it's so long and thin. I've found using one of the rounded edges rather than the whole surface works best for lips.

Much like Convertible Color, a little swipe of Color Push-Up goes a long way (too much and you'll look like a clown). It's easy to blend and wears well all day without touch-ups. Color Push-Ups come in Rouge Flash, Bronze Flash, and Blush Flash (my personal favorite).

review: 3/01

Bare Color ($12)
Looking for the perfect little weekend lip tint? This one fits the bill both literally and figuratively - Bare Color is moisturizing like a lipbalm but with just the right hint of color for a casual day, weekend, or for someone who doesn't like lipstick but wants some color, plus it's packaged in a short, skinny tube perfect to throw in your pocket. Bare Color comes in berry, mocha, nude, pink, plum, red, rose and wine. I tried pink and mocha; I like pink but think I would like berry or red better.

Check out the colors at a Stila counter near you, or online at Sephora.com.

review: 1/01

h2off Cleansing Cloths ($24 for box of 40)
What a waste of money! Of all the pre-moistened makeup remover cloths I've tried (Basis, Ponds, Biore), these are the thinnest, smallest and most expensive of them all. They rip easily, smell a bit like plastic, and are often hard to get out of the fliptop dispenser (the perforated part where one cloth is supposed to rip away from the next is actually hard to rip!). The only thing I think these are good for is cleaning your or your kids' hands (the hard plastic case is handy to keep in the car or a diaper bag). H2Off are simply too small and inefficient for taking off makeup.