The Cosmetics Cop Paula Begoun gives the lowdown on stretch marks. Check it out:

It isn’t a stretch (pun intended) to say no one wants stretch marks on any part of their body. Once these grooved, tread-like marks show up, the quest to find something, anything, to get rid of them begins. As a result, bogus products for stretch marks abound—and lots of consumers end up disappointed.

If it Sounds Too Good to be True… Continue reading

P.S. Don’t forget to enter the FSL Cosmetics Lipgloss Giveaway! Entries must be in by Thursday, March 11, 2010.

YSL Skincare products are made especially for makeup addicts like you and yours truly. Each product is tailored to prep the skin for makeup so you get a more flawless finish. I swear by their Flash Radiance Skincare Brush during months where I don’t require a heavier moisturizer (the winter sucks any and all moisture out of every ounce of my skin) because it gives my skin a slight glow and doesn’t leave it looking greasy like some moisturizers can. Sure, it’s a bit pricey, but I love what it does for my skin so I’ll just cut something else out of my budget so I don’t overspend…lol.

You don’t have to spend three months rent to have great skin. Take a look at some budget beauty products recommended by top dermatologists as seen on Elle.com.

Get the full list over at Elle.com

About a month ago when the NYC weather slowly stopped being seasonably mild and showed its true colors, my skin was an unfortunate victim. My usually vibrant and supple (yet sometimes hormonally acne-prone) skin had become a dry, dull, and flaky mess. Ugh. And what made it worse was that I was having some issues with breakouts and even though my usual Proactiv regimen would take care of it, the cold weather just made my skin super dry. Blah.

As any product junkie would, I wanted to try something different. I’ll admit that Clinique doesn’t always come first to mind when I think of radical skin care treatments, but after browsing Sephora’s “Shop by Skin Concern” area, I saw some Clinique products suggested for my issue. It was worth a try so off I went to my Clinique counter.

Approximately $92 later, I had in my possession All About Tomorrow Limited Edition Set,Clinique Super Rescue Antioxidant Night Moisturizer – Dry Combination, and Clinique All About Lips.

I really only wanted the Clinique Turnaround Concentrate Visible Skin Renewer, but the set was a good deal to also be able to try out the Turnaround Body Smoothing Cream and the Turnaround Instant Facial (both of which I have yet to try…lol). Using the Turnaround Skin Renewer was easy enough. All I had to do was apply it after cleansing and toning my skin, but before moisturizing. I did this religiously for the last few weeks and I have to say I do see a lot of improvement in my skin’s vibrancy. BUT the other products I used in conjunction with it could have also influenced this greatness that is my skin right now.

At night I used Clinique Super Rescue Antioxidant Night Moisturizer – Dry Combination (it comes in formulas for oily and very dry skin, too). Night time treatments are important since the skin goes through a regeneration process as you sleep.

I also picked up Aveeno(R) Positively Radiant(R) Cleanser Pump Cleansers 6.7 Oz at Walmart because I wanted to try a new low-cost cleanser. It has a bit of a gold luminous glow to it. I love how it didn’t make my skin feel dry after using it.

I bought Clinique All About Lips on impulse because while buying all the other stuff, I remembered I needed something for my lips. It helped my situation a little bit, but I feel like I could have done that with extra strength Chapstick. I’m returning it as soon as I can find the box it came in…lol.

I’m very happy with how my skin is looking these days. If I wasn’t such a makeup junkie, I would go out sans makeup for a few days. But since I am, I won’t…lol.

Ring in the New Year in style with these fabulous frocks built strictly for the very grown and very sexy:

Keep scrolling for options in all sizes!

And don’t forget the shoes:

Evening Dress Tips:

*It’s easy to go overboard with accessories and embellishments like sequins and glitter when it comes to after 5 dressing, but please keep it as simple as possible. As much as I love sequins (enough to bathe in them, maybe), they alone are enough punctuation for an outfit. With a sequins dress, all you’ll need are some simple platforms and understated earrings (see How to Choose Earrings for Your Face Shape). Also avoid wearing festive makeup AND a festive outfit–it’s a look that very few can pull off successfully.

*Need some tips on which dresses look best on you? Check out Dresses for Your Body Type.

*Make sure you pair your evening-wear with the proper coat. Nothing makes me burst a blood vessel more than to see a formal dress worn with a very casual coat. For tips on what to wear, check out How to Wear a Coat with a Dress.