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!

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. . ."