I have my favorite mascara that I’ve mentioned a ba-zillion times here so not many get thumbs up from me but this  MAYBELLINE NEW YORK Falsies Flared by Volum’ Express Mascara ($7.77 @ walgreens.com) does. Not only does it define lashes but it gives them volume and lots of it with the Kera fibers in it. Yes, things can get clumpy if you are not used to a serious mascara, like this one, so I would say this one is not for the novice.

KATE SOMERVILLE True Lash ($35/1.7oz @ sephora.com) comes into the fold when it’s time to remove the above mascara. Part of the reason I am so loyal to … this one, is how easy it is to remove. Taking off most mascaras takes a lot of tugging and pulling in the eye area and even then, most don’t remove every speck of black but this one does. It also conditions lashes, hydrates the whole eye area with chamomile, aloe vera and a major ingredient called SymLash226 Complex that boosts keratin production, so more lashes.

Disclosure: Samples of these items were provided for review purposes.

There’s a new nail color line on the market from the NUTRA NAIL line and it’s along the line of this trend but it’s all in the privacy of your own home. It’s their new Gel Perfect UV-Free Gel-Colors and allows you to get on with things quicker than normal nail polish. As in, paint, wait a few seconds, coat, coat, wait a few more, it’s dry and go. Ok, a little more time than that (set time is 5 minutes total) but you get the point.

Remember the quick dry nail polishes that were/are on the market and how excited everyone was when first trying them and how awful they turned out to be because they chipped really quickly? Think of this one as the application and quick drying power of those but it lasts on nails like a regular manicure so longer than those. And it’s quite shiney!

And removing the polish is easy too. They sell packets of No-Mess Express Gel Perfect Remover that take the color off lickety split.

As far as colors go, I had better luck with the dark colors than the sheers. Passion (red) was beautiful!

Polishes $11.99, Remover $5.99/pack of 5 pads @ walgreens.com.

I’m happy to introduce you to a new line that I think you’ll be hearing more about in the coming months. SPLURGE SKINCARE was started by a body scrub given as a Christmas present. Can’t you hear the conversation, “Wow, this is a really good scrub. You should start selling it…” The line hails from Massachusetts and is based on the philosophy that you shouldn’t wait to treat yourself. And what better way than with a beauty product? I concur!

There are three products in the line right now and I’m giving major props to The Rub right now. It’s a sugar scrub and the ingredients truly do the talking, as they should: sugar, organic safflower oil, meadowfoam oil, glycerine, organic cocoa butter, organic shea butter, aloe vera juice and then various oils to enhance the “flavor” of the three scents offered, which are Almond, Peppermint and Lemon. $26/8oz @ splurgeskincare.com.

Disclosure: A sample of this item was provided for review purposes.

NAPOLEON PERDIS NP Set Calming Pre-Foundation Primer ($29/1.7oz @ target.com) – now that colder temps are here, your skin might want to act out. Keep redness away with this green primer. The formula also contains aloe and cucumber extracts to make skin feel great.

NARS Concealer ($22 @ neimanmarcus.com) – now available in a stick form, this smooth formula is available in 10 shades.

MIRACLE SKIN Transformer SPF 20 To Go ($18/.85oz @ ulta.com) – yeah a tinted moisturizer with SPF. This new size is perfect for the purse and contains micas, Saw Palmetto Extract, CO Enzyme Q10 among others to give skin a shot of anti-aging ingredients. Choose from seven shades.

Disclosure: Samples of these items were provided for review purposes.

It’s not often that a product’s packaging comes in different colors and in this case, it’s CoSTUME NATIONAL’s Pop Collection Eau de Parfum, which came out a few months ago. While the scent is the same, the actual bottle comes in four different bold colors: blue, orange, red and turquoise. So what color is inside the white box? You won’t know until you get home to open it. Color destiny! The idea was inspired by the group OK GO! “Four sartorial outfits, each of them in a different primary color, creating a look that is minimal and pop at the same time.”

Top Notes: Pink Grapefruit, Raspberry, Cassis Absolute
Heart Notes: Rose, Jasmin
Base Notes: Patchouli Heart, Cashmeran, Ambre Gris

I’m such a sucker for jasmine that I feel like I can try a scent and my nose can usually pick out it’s presence. This has become a fall scent staple for day and night. That’s a rarity. $49.50/3.4oz @ ahalife.com.

Quite a few skin care products have come out and here are three I am giving my stamp of approval.

COLORESCIENCE PRO Illuminating Cleanser Mineral Powder Formula ($37.50/1.4oz @ dermstore.com) – this powder looks like diamond dust and is great at not only cleansing and exfoliating the skin with Salicylic Acid but it also removes makeup. No tightness of the skin after using this one. Big recommendation.

BURT’S BEES Sensitive Night Cream ($15/1.8oz @ ulta.com) – part of the new Sensitive line they just put out, which includes a Cleanser, Moisturizing Cream and Eye Cream. These contain Cotton Extract to help minimize the effects of potential irritants, as well as aloe. So your skin is getting what it needs but gently.

PREVAGE Day Intensive Anti-aging Moisturizing Cream SPF 30 ($129/1.7oz) – Liz Arden’s Prevage brand has received rave reviews and they just came out with two new products. This day cream not only guards against UVA/UVB rays, but it also contains the powerful ingredient Idebenone to protect the skin from daily environmental assaults. The other new one is their Night Anti-aging Restorative Cream ($132/1.7oz). Get them both @ macys.com.

Disclosure: Samples of these items were provided for review purposes.

I think the month of October is my favorite month of fall as here in LA, it’s still nice but the eves have more of a bite to them. The smells are different than the rest of the year, not to mention we start getting rain (yeah!!). Candle usage in the house also increases around this time of year and here are a few room scents I’ve been loving.

INFUSION ORGANIQUE Sands of Morocco Scent Diffuser ($56/6.4oz, $90/16oz @ infusionorganique.com) – I’ve been sitting on this scent for a few months now as it wasn’t quite fitting for summer but oh-so-yes for fall. Unleash a combination of vanilla, sandalwood, warm oak moss and certified organic lemongrass oil in any room to warm it up this season.

MRS. MEYER’S Iowa Pine Scented Soy Candle ($6.99/4.9oz = 25 hours @ amazon.com) – I kind of jumping the guy with this pine scent but it’s really getting me in the mood for the upcoming season so I can’t help it! Fill the room with a touch of clove and cedar with this baby. Also available are Orange Clove, Cranberry and Spice Cake.

SLATKIN & CO. Candle in Apple Crumble ($19.50/40-65 hours @ bathandbodyworks.com) – I’m not much for the food-smelling candles but who doesn’t love the smells of apples? This one smells like Granny Smith and McIntosh apples with a touch of vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. Smells good enough to eat.

Disclosure: Some of these items were provided for review purposes.

I’m thankfully able to use just about anything on my face without worrying about breaking out or any kind of irritation. We’ve all heard of the crazy circle people with oily skin go through – when skin is not hydrated, it produces oil and then it becomes too oily and shiny, so you wash it again only to go through this crazy cat and mouse game over and over. So you try oil-free products and those just lack lasting moisture so it’s back to the former and on and on. So the KIEHL’S line took it upon themselves to come up with a collection of skin care products that are oil-free but are still able to not only hydrate the skin but also seal it in. It’s their Ultra Facial Oil-Free Collection and is proven to rebalance the skin and prevents the overproduction of oil. And the collection contains all the necessary ones to get it all under control –

Ultra Facial Oil-Free Cleanser ($18/5oz)
Ultra Facial Oil-Free Toner ($16/6oz)
Ultra Facial Oil-Free Lotion ($24.50/4.2oz)
Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream ($24.50/1.7oz)

A great value and way to try out these products is with the Ultra Facial Oil-Free Moisturizer Starter Kit for $29.50. It contains a 1oz Cleanser, 1.4oz Toner, and 4.2oz Lotion. Get this collection @ kiehls.com.

Disclosure: Samples of these items were provided for review purposes.

I love that the CLEAN fragrance line is getting a little more sophisticated in its scents. I mean, how many times can you do clean? Their latest is an eau de parfum is called Skin and overall it’s much headier than I’m used to from this line and that’s a good thing. As I inhale the scent right now from my skin, it smells like a wet, dewy, juicy flower. The notes include sheer honeydew, lotus blossom, fresh air accord, dewy petals, aquatic notes, blue rose, white musk, amber wood and creamy vanilla. This just might be my most favorite from the line yet. $69/2.14oz @ kohls.com.

Disclosure: A sample of this item was provided for review purposes.

I’m all about a great mascara and a great hair conditioner and both are hard to come by. But I am putting Luxury.Rinse from Aussie's KEVIN MURPHY right next to this one in my tub area. They reformulated this one recently and it’s made for those who color and have tthicker, coarser hair and even curly. It contains Kukui Nut Oil and Murumuru Butter as well as Grapefruit Extract to help promote hair growth. At the end of the day, the proof is in the touch and manageability and this one gives it all. Need I say more? 21.50/8.4oz @ walgreens.com.