Clinique 3-Step System For Stubborn, Hard-To-Manage Skin

Recently, I've settled on the fact that I'll just have to live the rest of my life with erratic skin. My mom still has acne in her mid-fifties and has convinced me that she's tried everything, it's genetic, and basically, I'm screwed for life. Thanks Mom!

One positive note from mother – apparently I can look forward to clear skin when I'm pregnant. If you could only hear the sarcasm.

I've tried everything. From dermatologist prescribed creams like Retin A, to Acutane and other oral medications, to every over-the-counter face wash, toner, scrubber, exfoliator, cream, lotion, serum you can imagine. Even the 3-step celebrity-guaranteed system that need-not-be-named didn't work for me. So what's a gal to do?

I've always seen Clinique's 3-Step System in friends' medicine cabinets, but thought, how can something so generic work for my complicated skin? Turns out, Clinique has turned with the tides and created different 3-Step System products for every skin type from oily to dry. Their website has this great questionnaire that helped me figure out which products I needed. Turns out, I needed all three products in the "you have acne" strength. Big surprise.

The Acne Solution cleansing foam ($17.50) is mild yet effective and made my face feel amazingly smooth.

The Acne Solutions clarifying lotion ($13.50) - or exfoliating toner as I know it - cleans off all that extra makep that my face-washing regime missed. It really gets rid of all the excess oil on my face and neck.  

The Acne Solutions clearing moisturizer ($16) has that amazing acne zapper we know as benzoyl peroxide that helps control oil throughout my day. It's lightly hydrating so it is great for my dry cheeks and oily forehead and nose. 

This three step system is bound to last me about two to three months – absolutely worth the price for the beautiful skin it's giving me. All 3 products add up to $47. Or get the 4-week starter kit for just $32. Smaller sizes, but at least they'll let you try it out.

Get Yours: nordstrom.com

Beauty Bestseller: Neutrogena Helps My Face Get Out Of High School Mode

What: Neutrogena Oil-Free Anti-Acne Moisturizer, $4.54 

Why: One would assume after a quarter-century of existence, that blemishes would be a thing of the past - something you'd leave behind in adolescence along with braces, training bras, and virginity. But once in a while, under times of intense stress (or when you-know-what comes to visit) my skin tends to misbehave. Normally I am randomly blessed with a decent complexion - which I have no business having, seeing as how I don't drink enough water, don't take my vitamins, abhor fruits and vegetables, and partake too heartily in the weekend cocktail.  But I mention this not to make enemies, but rather to drive home the benefits of my all-time favorite little life-saving product. Neutrogena's  Oil-Free Anti-Acne Moisturizer is perfect for skin that needs a little help keeping blemishes under control. The low concentration of salicylic acid is not too intense, so it won't dry out your skin. I have been a fan of this product for years now due to its mild blemish fighting power combined with soothing moisturizing benefits. And I love that since it's actually a moisturizer, there's no extra cream I have to apply after washing my face. So when my job, my social life, or my hormones have me under the gun, Neutrogena is there to keep my skin from giving me away - and for that I will remain a very loyal customer.

Get Yours: drugstore.com  

CEW Announces Beauty Oscar Nominees

Recently, the beauty industry's equivalent of Oscar nominations were announced by the Cosmetic Executive Women group. CEW, comprised of top beauty editors and other high-profile industry pros, voted on nearly 600 product finalists for their 2008 Beauty Awards. Of course there's always some office politics going around, and some of these products have massive advertising campaigns with the budgets to match, but isn't it the same kind of story when it's time to choose a best picture? Nonetheless, it is pretty cool to see what the best of the best choose to keep in their medicine cabinets. The categories were extensive, ranging from bath care to men's fragrance, so we chose our top 3 preferences from the Body, Face, and Hair Care nominees. For a complete list, check out cew.org, and check back with SheFinds after the May 2nd ceremony for a commentary on the winners.

Dove's Cream Oil Body Wash in Ultra Rich ($5.29) is probably the lushest body wash I have ever used. Its thick, silky concentration won't wash right off in the shower, which allows your skin to absorb the moisture and soothing fragrance. The Philosophy Inner Grace Perfumed Shampoo, Bath & Shower Gel ($22) is a 3-in-1 cleanser for your body and hair, with a sweet feminine fragrance that doesn't overpower. For afterbath care, the editors are ga-ga over Burt's Bees Radiance Lotion ($9) for all-over-body moisture.

For fighting blemishes, nothing beats Bare Escentuals RareMinerals Blemish Therapy ($28). It's a zit-zapper for grown-ups, without the nasty drying effects of adolescent creams. The Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream ($26) is highly recommended for replenishing skin's elasticity and helping your face appear smoother. For ladies with little time on their hands (that would be all of us, right?) these Garnier Nutritioniste Nutri-Pure Detoxifying Wet Cleansing Towelettes ($6) are quick, easy, and super efficient.

When you just need your hair to shut up and behave, Frederic Fekkai Coiff Controle Ironless Straightening Balm ($25) will take control of the situation, smoothing out unwanted frizz. For a healthy dose of vitamins and nutrients, try L'Oreal's Vive Pro Nutri Gloss Shampoo ($5). And color-treated hair will love Clairol Nice'n Easy Colorseal Conditioning Gloss ($4.59) for its sexy shine.

Beauty Bestseller: Trish McEvoy Is Like Xanax For Anxious Lashes

What: Trish McEvoy Lash Curling Mascara, $28

Why: Ever since I tried out lash extensions and got a bunch of compliments (except from my mother who said she liked me just the way I am - thanks, Mom) I have been on a quest for a mascara that can duplicate the same volume, drama, and color that the falsies did. Well, after a small fortune spent on disappointing mascaras, I finally found one that did the trick - Trish McEvoy's Lash Curling Mascara. I was used to buying my foundations and powders from Trish, so I trusted the brand, but never thought to venture into eye territory. Little did I know that this mascara has actually been a bestseller for the line for years - it's been featured in Allure Magazine as a must-have product, and continues to fly off the shelves. The wand glides ever so smoothly over my lashes with no fuss and no clumps - and I can actually see my lashes curling on impact. Nifty little parlor trick. So if you are lash obsessed as well, and don't mind spending the money on a good mascara, opt for Trish McEvoy and stay lash happy forever - or at least until the tube runs out. 

Get Yours: neimanmarcus.com  

Beauty Solution: Shadow Behaves When This Primer’s Around

What: Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion ($16)

Why: In the land of makeup, my final frontier is eyeshadow. I have mastered how to apply my foundation so it’s not too heavy. I have learned how to give myself a rosy glow with blush and sultry lips with lipsticks and glosses. I even recently discovered how to give myself dramatic lashes. But eyeshadow, well, that’s another story. I can apply the stuff just fine, but about fifteen minutes after applying it, I’d be horrified to discover thick lines of eye shadow goop in the creases of my lids. Not to mention my matte shadows would go all shiny on me. So for a long time, I gave up on eye shadow. 

But then I discovered a modern day miracle beauty product - for me, a life changing product. Called the Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion, it’s an eyeshadow primer in a cute genie shaped bottle that actually makes your eyeshadow apply more smoothly and keeps it there all day and night.  There really must be a genie in this cute little bottle because now my eyeshadow stays put for hours. 

Get yours: Sephora.com

Beauty Bestsellers: A Wild, Wonderful Blast From The Past—For Pennies

What: Wet N Wild Crème Lipliner #666 (Brandy Wine)

Why: For me, high school was a time of electric blue eyeshadow and fuschia nail polish. Looking at me now, in all my Bobbi Brown and Laura Mercier glory, you’d never know I went through a white-eyeliner phase (and we’re talking full eyeliner, not just a little swipe for brightness in the corners of the eyelids).

However, my makeup bag has one holdover from those not-so-glory days. This product is so spectacular, so versatile, and so inexpensive that I’ve never been able to give it up. It’s my trusty Wet N Wild Crème Lipliner #666 (Brandywine).

The color is purely, simply “lip.” It melts into any berry, mauve, or rust-colored lipstick like it was specifically made for it. Lipstick stays firmly in place with this liner – in my 11 years of using it, I’ve never had a single smear or bleed. It also looks smashing as an all-over lip color – just use the liner to fill in your lips and top it off with clear gloss (such as MAC Clear Lipglass).

The color is flattering on a huge range of skin tones because of its chameleon-like abilities. If you’re extremely pale and want to use it as an all-over lip color, consider topping it off with a light pink or coral tint to lessen the intensity of the color.

Even better: It costs 99 cents. That’s it. One George Washington (or Sacagawea, if you’re dollar-coin inclined) for perfection.

Just one more reason to hold on to the past, or at least a part of it.

Get yours: Wet N Wild is available at most major drugstores nationwide, or check in at Amazon for limited availability.Check it out, along with other lipliner shades and more beauty products on the Wet N Wild Web site.
 

Goth Waitresses From Coney Island Love OPI Nails (And So Do We)

And OPI said, "Let there be I'm Not Really A Waitress." And it was good. So was Lincoln Park After Dark and Coney Island Cotton Candy. So good, in fact, that these cleverly-named colors became OPI's best-selling nail polishes ever. Why? Well, we like to think it has something to do with the kitschy names, but mere words do not a beauty best-seller make. It takes more than that to earn a coveted spot in the Hall of Fame.

I'm absolutely not a manicurist (in fact I'm an exceedingly terrible nail-painter), so I was thrilled when Lincoln Park After Dark went on cleanly, without gloppiness--quite professional looking, really. This miracle was due primarily to the extra-thick brush, designed to hold more paint and spread it more evenly. The polish is also thick enough to only need two layers, which saved me from my own future mistakes. This OPI polish left my nails nicely glossy, and the deep purple, almost black color is just rich enough to be intriguing without looking goth.

I did up most of my toes with I'm Not Really A Waitress, a reliable red that's attention-grabbing but not drastically so, and one lone big toe with the pinkish Coney Island Cotton Candy. Personally I preferred the red for my toes, because it's a stronger color, and would probably reserve the subtle Cotton Candy for day-to-day use on my hands. These three colors are OPI's best-sellers for good reason. They're classic and sophisticated, fast-drying, and hard to chip. But the company has also come out with some new bolder, funkier colors, so check out their website for more options. 

Get Yours: $7.50 at Drugstore.com or Amazon.

A Threesome Made In Heaven: Lancome’s Best Selling Mascara, Mascara Base, And You

What: Lancôme's Cils Booster XL Super-Enhancing Mascara Base ($21.50) and Définicils Pro High Definition Curved Brush Mascara ($23.50)

Why: I’ve been hurt before by smooth talking beauty copy, so I’ll admit to a healthy dose of skepticism when I read such sweet nothings as "fuller, more intense" and “enhanced effect…” I don’t know if it’s because of the way my eyelids are shaped or what, but I have the hardest time finding mascara that not only looks great but STAYS great. Either it fades away into oblivion after a few hours or migrates en masse to just below my actual eyes, which is a good look if you’re Courtney Love or a raccoon. It seems, however, as though my search for The One has finally come to an end. Only instead of The One, I found… a dynamic duo. I know – kinky. But trust me—short of applying Eva Longoria-style fakies, this is the fullest and flutteriest your lashes are going to get. The recipe: Start with a nice coating of Lancôme's Cils Booster XL Super-Enhancing Mascara Base. I don’t know exactly how it works, but it does – gives you just the boost you need. Follow with a liberal application of their Définicils Pro High Definition Curved Brush Mascara. The thick, curved brush makes an eyelash curler obsolete, and the luxe formula really does go on “smoothly and evenly.” The result: Lashes worth batting. You’ll need to use remover to get clean again – but isn’t it all about staying power anyway?

Get yours: Lancome-usa.com  

And check out our other Lancôme reviews of their best-selling creams and classic makeup.