For the softest, most kissable lips: Labello (fruity shine)

I suffer from ridiculously chapped lips all year round and am always on the search for the ultimate chap stick. I first discovered this stuff while studying abroad in Europe, and sadly, it's nearly impossible to find in the US. It's very, very affordable and provides intense moisture.

 I prefer the brand's fruity shine products, which are made with real fruit extracts and provides just the right hint of color to make your lips look naturally bright and have a subtle sheen. It smells good and actually tastes pretty good too. Seriously, I've actually gotten compliments on the softness/tastiness of my lips from certain boys who've received some kisses with Labello lips. Also, most of Labello's products have some SPF in it.

The last time I was abroad, I bought almost a dozen of these and now keep one in almost every purse and pocket. It is the one product I try to never leave the house without!

Boscia's Oil-Free Daily Hydration SPF 15 - $36

SPF + Moisturizer

I like to use a moisturizer with a built-in SPF, mainly to save myself an extra step in the morning, and because I find that most drug store sunscreens out there leave a greasy residue. I should point out that some people that mixing SPF with the moisturizer inhibits the SPFs' effectiveness.  Until I see scientific evdidence confirming this, I'm sticking with my current strategy, which is a combo moisturizer/SPF that I use each morning after Olay's Face Wash and Dr. Brandt's Blemishes No More Intensolution.

I recently tried Boscia's Oil-Free Daily Hydration with SPF

The pros:

Girls who dislike harsh chemicals will be happy to know that the product received Sephora's Natural Seal. The Seal identifies products that have met Sephora's internal natural beauty standards. This includes products formulated with high concentrations antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins, and few-to-no parabens, sulfates, dyes, fragrances, and other chemicals you probably shouldn't put on your face.

It feels super light, silky, and non-greasy. My skin absorbs it in seconds, and it leaves my skin feeling and looking refreshed, healthy, and aglow. It's great for sensitive skin and for oily skin.

The cons:

• Boscia claims that it combats excessive midday shine and oil production. I didn't personally experience these results.
• It has a slight odor. While the odor doesn't bother me, those of you sensitive to smells may find it off-putting.
• SPF of 15 is not sufficient!

Quick tip: Use SPF!

The importance of SPF

I'm sure you all know about how important it is to wear SPF every day - even if you live up north and won't be seeing the sun for another 4 months. Aside from the super important cancer prevention benefits of SPF, wearing it every day is the best way to prevent wrinkles.

How do you know how high a number you should use? 

I recently learned a nifty formula from an adorable gay facialist. Multiply the SPF number by 100, and that's how many minutes of protection it provides. 20 SPF will give you 200 minutes. While the dermys will tell us to reapply after 200 minutes, let's be honest - after spending 5-10 minutes putting my makeup on in the morning, there is no way that I'm going to take it all off, put on more SPF, and reapply several times a day. 

Unless you want to do that, you must use at least a 40 SPF!

Tarte's Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay Waterproof Concealer - $22

I needed a concealer to cover up blemishes without exacerbating them.

The Solution:

This concealer is made without harsh chemicals and is totally natural. Although it's creamy and buildable, I don't love it for under the eyes where it tends to look a bit heavy. For blemishes, though, this is pretty close to perfect. Smooth Operator provides a very full coverage while feeling light; however, unlike other concealers that target blemishes, it doesn't make my skin dry or flaky. It goes on very smooth and is easy to blend into the skin (I use a brush merely to avoid contaminating my skin, but you could definitely use your fingers). Put a little powder on top, and it lasts for hours.

Bottom line: I'm very happy with it and recommend it to anyone with sensitive skin who wants full coverage. It covers my blemishes beautifully without irritating them. But, I'm not convinced that this is "The One." I'll let you know when I finish the tube!

Benefit's BADgal Lash Mascara - $19

I have tried many, many mascaras, from the super pricey to the drug store brands, yet I always find myself coming back to BADgal.

I am absolutely obsessed with this mascara. The brush is HUMUNGOUS, and makes your eyelashes look huge. It curls, volumizes, is long lasting and non-clumping. One coat of this and you're good to go. Two+ coats? Va va voom!

The only drawback: after several hours, some of it falls below the eye. Make sure to check a mirror every so often to wipe away any product that smudged.

Tips: You're supposed to throw out your mascara every 2-4 months, regardless of how often you use it. Bacteria builds up in there. Since I never go through a full bottle in 2-4 months, I always buy the sample size of BADgal that Sephora sells for $9 - it's half the size, half the price, but works exactly the same way.

Tip to extend the life of dried out mascara: immerse it in a hot glass of water for a few seconds until the mascara re-liquifies.

Dr. Brandt Blemishes No More Intensolution $35

A few months ago, my skin was breaking out in a way not seen since the awkward days of puberty. At Sephora, I met a representative from Dr. Brandt who went on and on about this product for so long that I had no choice but to buy it. (It also helped that my mom happened to be there with me and generously offered to pay for it. Thanks, Mom!)

The Problem: finding an acne treatment that isn't overly drying or harsh.
The Solution:

Application: After cleansing, I gently wipe it on the areas of my face that are prone to break outs using a cotton round. Dr. Brandt suggests using it twice a day, but I only use it once a day or every other day.

The Intensolution is better than comparable products because it's focused on removing bacteria, and unlike other products, it isn't simply stripping the skin of its natural oils. The way the Rep explained it, when we are teenagers, we break out because our hormones overproduce oil, but as we get older, we break out because of bacteria.

The product claims to remove dead skin cells, absorb oil production, and inhibit the growth of acne-causing bacteria. I am not so sure that this prevents future break outs; but, it seems to make existing break outs clear up faster. It has a time-released cooling agent that feels like it's actually cooling off my skin, and is alcohol-free, so it isn't as harsh as most toners. My favorite part about this is that it removes makeup and other residue that my cleanser didn't get. I can actually see the makeup on the cotton round.

Bottom line: Is gentle, effective at clearing up breakups, and is non-drying. But for $35, I want something that truly prevents future break outs. When I finish this bottle, I'll probably try something else.

Buxom Big & Healthy Lip Polish - $18

This is a great lip gloss for a girl who's not big on lip glosses.

Buxom goes on really smooth, is super shimmery but lacks that awful stickiness/tackiness that other lip glosses have. It contains minerals that create the appearance of fuller lips, and vitamins A and E to keep the lips soft and protected.  It also has a tingling ingredient that reminds me that I'm wearing it, and I'm convinced that my lips really do look more voluminous. It's pretty sexy, and lasts longer than I feel like it should.

 The best part? It lasts forever. I still use the same one from two years ago (although I've lost and found it more times than I care to remember).

I use the color "kanani," and it works for both day and night. The issue is simply remembering to apply it!

Cover FX's Clearprep FX Matte Foundation Primer and Anti-Acne Treatment $39

Clearprep FX is a combo primer and anti-acne treatment, and is AMAZING. It does exactly what a primer should do, and eliminates one step in my regimen (acne treatment).

The two negatives: 1. The price tag. 2. Because of reason #1, I tried to limit my use of this product so that I wouldn't have to buy another one for a long time. So for about 6 months, I used it only once or twice a week, pretty much only when I was going out and wearing lots of makeup. After a few months, the chemicals broke down and it transformed from a gel to a watery, unusable liquid and I had to throw it out.

The positive: SO MANY!
This product will last you  at least 6 months, because you only need a pea size amount for the entire face. It smoothes out the skin and pores without any tightness or drying feeling. The skin absorbs it in seconds, and it keeps my makeup in place all freakin' night. I didn't use it often enough to notice any acne-fighting benefits, but it kept my skin completely matte and shine/oil-free until I washed it off. It's less greasy than other primers, but if you're going for a glowy/dewey look, this isn't the right primer for you.

Bottom line: If you have combination or acne-prone skin, this is a must-have if you plan on putting on a bunch of makeup and going out. It's expensive, but worth it.

Bobbi Brown's Hydrating Eye Cream $46

You must use eye cream, but it doesn't have to be Bobbi Brown's Hydrating Eye Cream. 
When the sales associate applied Bobbi Brown's eye cream on me, I literally felt as if my eyes has just taken a much-needed huge sip of water.

It's super hydrating and feels great. But for $46 for half an ounce, it's just not worth it. There are too many reasonably-priced eye creams out there to spend this much.

Quick tip: the why's and how's of eye cream

Why you must use eye cream

If you think that you're safe because you already use a daily moisturizer - think again. The skin around your eyes is thinner and more sensitive than the rest of your skin. It lacks elasticity and oil glands - which is why it's the first place you'll start seeing wrinkles. As such, the eye area needs to be treated differently and with different products. Eye creams are specifically formulated to deal with specific eye-related issues including dark circles, puffiness, and (future) crows feet.

Most of us in our mid-twenties have yet to see any crows feet on our smooth faces. But guess what? They are coming sooner than we think. As we get older, our skin is less able to absorb creams and oils. Like taking calcium now to prevent osteoporosis later, you must use eye cream twice a day to delay the wrinkles for as long as possible and keep your skin youthful and healthy.

How to apply

Place a small amount of product on the pad of your ring finger. When I say small amount, I mean, about the size of a pencil eraser. I usually wipe half of it off onto my other ring finger so I have an equal amount per eye. You should use your ring finger because you will unconsciously place less pressure on the skin under your eyes.

Gently dot the cream along the bone area surrounding your eye socket - called the orbital bone. You do not need to put it inside the eye socket. The cream will absorb into the skin and naturally spread itself out. That way, you avoid touching this delicate area.

Once the cream is fully "dotted", gently pat it into the skin, using very soft pressure.

At night, I'll bring the cream all the way up to my brow bone, and wipe any extra directly onto my eye lids.

Be careful not to pull or drag on the skin!

Coming soon: reviews of different eye creams

Total Steal: Olay Foaming Face Wash for sensitive skin $5

Confession: I use way too many products on my face. As a result, sometimes, my skin freaks out.

The solution: A super mild foamy face wash that can remove all the makeup and bacteria, without over-drying or irritating my skin.

My dermatologist recommended Cetaphil, which always made my skin feel like I used detergent on it - dry and tight. After months of searching, and trying lots super pricey products, I finally found the face wash for me - Olay Foaming Face Wash. It's super foamy, light, and mild. I use it twice a day, and it always leaves my skin feeling clean, nourished, and hydrated. Once a day, I use it with the Olay Pro-X Advanced Cleansing System (the brush head that spins and really gets the cleanser into my skin.)

It has zero oils, soaps, and fragrances. This facewash is great for anyone whose skin could use a break!

Bottom Line: It gets the job done, and for $5 at any drug store, you can't go wrong with this one.

Nerd Alert: I looked up the patent for this, and this is how the patent attorneys/inventors describe the face wash (which the nerd in me finds super interesting): The purpose of the face wash is to "provide an improved cosmetic cleansing composition which is mild and which will produce a foam which is abundant, stable and of high quality, and which effectively cleans skin. . . " They also talk about how foaming cleansers are great because they are mild and not irritating, but that the ones out there either obtain mildness at the expense of effective cleansing, or sacrifice mildness for product stability. They go on to write, "Thus a need exists for foaming cosmetic compositions which will produce a foam which is abundant, stable and of high quality (compactness), which are effective skin and hair cleansers and which are very mild to the skin. . ."