It seems like any on-going cable drama is good. I was hooked on the first two seasons of The L Word but blah, fell off in the third season. So I was very intrigued by APOTHIA’s L Eau de Parfum ($75/1.7oz and $30/deluxe sample @ barneys.com) when this came out early last year. What in the world could this scent be about?? It was created by input from 7,500 fans and what they think would best represent. The result? A light sensuous fragrance with notes of angelica, violet leaf, vetiver and sandalwood, among others. I expected a very watered down, trendy scent but surprisingly enough, it wasn’t.

The CLEAN line has pretty much revolutionized the fragrance industry with their fresh scents. I don’t know the last time a fragrance line has consistently put out several no nonsense fragrances that have sold so well. The latest is Lather Eau de Parfum ($76/2.14oz @ qvc.com) and it’s just what you would expect from this line – clean and shower fresh with notes of citrus, florals and a touch of musk and wood.
And the best trait about both of these? They are great to wear no matter what season.

I’m kind of a fanatic about my makeup brushes. I have lots of them, and they each serve a very specific purpose. I guess BILLY B knows that too, and boy, does he have brushes for every trick of the trade! It was like a field day for me to try the fabulous brushes available from billy b beauty. As a celebrity makeup artist for the past 20 years, Billy knows how important it is to have the right brush for the job. These brushes are a made from a natural and synthetic blends of the highest quality. Some of the highlights of the Paint Brush Collection are:

Number Nine to use with concealers and small details - $18.50
Number Seven to use for lips - $18
Number Four for contouring - $28.50
Number Eleven has a stiff angle for the brows - $18
Buy them individually or you can purchase the entire 13 series collection for $249 @ billybbeauty.com ~Lisa

This was my first sampling of JANE IREDALE Mineral Cosmetics. I had never used a pressed version of minerals before and was very impressed with the formula of PurePressed Base ($48). This is a foundation, powder, concealer and sunscreen all in one pretty gold compact. Titanium dioxide and zinc oxide act as anti-inflammatories as well as broad-spectrum sunscreens (SPF 18). There are no oils, talc, dyes or synthetic preservatives in her products. The color choices come in four categories: Cool, Neutral, Warm and Global. I found the foundation gave me good, smooth coverage with only a small amount of product.

Another rec from the line are the PurePressed Eye Shadows ($27). Again, I had never tried pressed mineral shadow either and they blended smoothly and the color stayed true all day! My choice for the single pan color – Allure which is a soft pink shimmer ($17.50) and for the duo, I chose Heather 1 & 2 which is a combo of heather pink and a deep dove grey. This duo is perfect for this fall’s natural color palette. These can used wet or dry. This line comes highly recommended and used by plastic surgeons, dermatologists, and now, ME! All @ dermstore.com. ~Lisa

I didn’t realize how much I missed my ol’ basic face soap until I used the much talked about COR Silver Series Face Bar ($125/4.2oz and $14/sample size @ corsilver.com). Many years ago I started my face routine using Clinique’s Facial Soap (you can’t beat the price and it lasts really long) and since then have used I don’t know how many different cleansers. But in the end, the bar reigns! This one was discovered by accident and it does everything a good cleanser should. It’s made with silver (known for it’s anti-bacterial and healing qualities), four kinds of collagen, provides a SPF of 15 and a low pH level of 7.2 so it helps both sensitive types and those prone to acne. Why the high price tag? It claims the ingredients are tinier than average so they effectively sink into pores to do their work. I don’t know how that’s possible but I do know how my skin feels after I use it. Clean. Just plain clean, not stripped clean. Try the sample size to see how this works for your skin or just dive in with the big one as it should last you 6 to 9 months.

What a fun sculpting and highlighting this next duo is. New from BENEFIT COSMETICS is their Cupid’s Bow Set ($28 @ sephora.com) is a line and define kit bringing your pucker to its full potential. How does this one differ? It is two pencils – a double-ended mauve-y mocha/pink pencil and a double-ended brush/sponge. Use the light pink of the pencil to lightly shade your cupid’s bow (the V above your upper lip) and then blend using the brush/sponge. Line and fill in your pout with the mauve-y mocha and you’re ready to rock.

This next pair of fragrances are not like any you have experienced before and I really had to read up on them to fully understand. The line is ESCENTRIC MOLECULES. What each does is exploit Iso E Super, an aroma ingredient found in most fragrances in a small concentration. Think of this Iso E Super is a “super” base note. We’re used to having the top note first that burns off first, then the middle or heart notes, then the base, which is what lingers on the skin. Instead, this one quickly moves from the top to the bottom focusing on the sensuality of the sandalwood of the base.

Another trait we are used to is a big bold smell when we first put it on. This one smells almost like nothing when it is first sprayed on but then the scent grows as the minutes tick then fades and reappears. Spooky! There are two fragrances in this first pair: Escentric 01 and Molecule 01. Escentric 01 claims to be almost pheromonic. Come to think of it, my dog seemed to be extra happy to see me yesterday. Molecule 01 contains still uses the super base of Iso E Super but adds other notes of pink pepper, green line and balsamic notes like benzoin, mastic and incense. I’m curious to see what this company will come up with next. $130/3.5oz each @ barneys.com.