Every time I try a retinol product -- whether it's for fine lines, breakouts, or both -- I give up after a few days. I just can't stand the redness and peeling that come along with the versions that are strong enough to make a difference. That's why this new one from StriVectin is something special: I'm talking zero irritation and a noticeable improvement.
The genius is in the formulation, which contains a special version of niacin to help counteract the side effects of retinol. Plus, there's Sodium Hyaluronate to make your skin hold onto more moisture and peptides and botanicals to build collagen.
Intrigued? You're in luck! We're giving away five to lucky readers on our Facebook page.
As I've gotten older, I've started to notice that most concealers now crease in the fine lines around my eyes. It doesn't matter how many -- or few -- layers of eye cream and primer I apply, an hour later I have tiny tiger stripes of concealer. This new concealer balm -- a combination of CoverGirl makeup magic and Olay skin care -- gives me just enough coverage, fights fine lines, and never creases.
I spend a lot of time complaining about my fine-but-dry hair. Moisturizing products are too heavy, but products for fine hair suck the moisture right out of my already-fried ends. That's why this silicone-free spray is so fantastic: It's hydrating and volumizing. It gives me the root lift I love without stripping out moisture. (And there's a shampoo, conditioner, and leave-in conditioner in the collection -- for anyone with hair like mine.)
If you color your hair at home, stop whatever you're doing and go to the drugstore immediately. The newest hair color system from Garnier is going to change everything. Instead of ammonia, it's oil-based (yes, the hair oil trend strikes again), which is so much gentler on your hair. Plus, the oils allow the color to penetrate the hair strands better and last longer. Enough said.
Photo 8/10
Revlon File N' Peel 6-in-1 File, $4.49
Imagine this scenario: You break a nail, you reach for a nail file, the nail file is so dull it's unusable, and you spend the next 20 minutes digging around your house for another file. So. Annoying. Right? Well, imagine the ah-ha moment I had when I first saw the Revlon File N' Peel -- a nail file with six (yes, six!) layers of file. When one gets dull, you peel it off and use the one underneath. It's crazy no one came up with this sooner.
My favorite thing about January isn't hitting the gym (too crowded) or trying the latest juice cleanse (needed, but definitely not fun) -- it's throwing things away. Piles of papers get shredded; clothing gets donated; and old beauty products get tossed.
From the shine spray that left my hair sticky to the concealer that gave me white raccoon eyes, everything that falls on the spectrum from bad to mediocre will end up in the recycling bin. And I'll finally be able to see the back of my medicine cabinet -- at least for a week or two. You see, the thing I love even more than cleaning out my beauty bins is filling them up again.
And January is peak season for new products. Hundreds of launches are hitting drugstore shelves, beauty boutiques, and department stores. In fact, there are so many products to get excited about that the hardest part of writing this roundup was narrowing down the options.
Instead of choosing products that simply seem cool or work well, I opted to highlight the ones that have the potential to completely transform your routine. Some are multitaskers, some are genius inventions, and others are skin care game-changers. If the best beauty products coming out in January are any indication, 2013 is going to be a very good year.
