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9 Major Product Launches to Check Out This May

From revolutionary hair color technology (no mixing!) to the most intensely pigmented eye shadows you've ever seen, these are beauties you shouldn't miss
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Hair Color Revolution
If you color your hair at home, you're probably all too familiar with the mixing bowls, spatulas and brushes the process requires. It's time-consuming, messy and wasteful -- even if you're a DIY genius. Enter L'Oréal Superior Preference Mousse Absolue, $14.99 -- hair color even a baby could use. After years of testing, L'Oréal scientists and engineers figured out how to put hair color in a single bottle -- you shake and apply the mousse. That's it. You can even use it multiple times -- perfect for root touch-ups or covering grays. File this one under: "Why didn't someone come up with this sooner?"

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Serious OTC Retinol
If you want to get rid of wrinkles, use a retinoid -- it's as simple as that. Still, I have a hard time sticking with a prescription-strength vitamin A cream (and I know I'm not alone in this) because the peeling and dryness is just too annoying. Instead, I'm using Strivectin-AR Advanced Retinol Concentrated Serum, $119, which has a high percentage of active ingredients and a patented nicotinic acid complex that helps the retinol work even better. After just a few weeks, fine lines around my eyes seem less noticeable, and since I'm not dealing with frustrating dryness, I'll keep using it.

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Turning Green
I've always loved the color green, but I haven't been crazy about it as a nail polish color … until now. Suddenly, a green pedicure seems incredibly chic and unexpected. And, of course, it doesn't hurt that there are three fabulous greens launching this month. The brightest is Essie Nail Polish in Vices Versa, $8.50. For a washed-out neon, try Maybelline Color Show in Lime Accent, $3.99 -- it's limited-edition, so get it while you can. And then there's Deborah Lippmann Nail Lacquer in She Drives Me Crazy, $18, which has a hint of turquoise.

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Makeup Brush Innovation
The creator of Artis makeup brushes, Matthew Waitesmith, used to run M.A.C.'s educational department. When he set out on his own, he wanted to do something unique. The makeup brush category, he realized, hadn't been reinvented for thousands of years (the shape of a paintbrush has been the same since the caveman days), and all makeup brushes are designed for makeup artists to use on other people -- not for women to use on themselves.

Artis brushes, on the other hand, are ergonomically designed to use on your own face. And each one has thousands of carefully constructed synthetic fibers, which pick up so much more product than natural-hair brushes. They're also beautiful -- if a little unusual-looking -- and more colors and handle shapes are coming soon. If you love to buff your foundation, nothing beats the Artis Oval 10, $62.

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Fast-Forward-to-Summer Butter
I recently took my summer dresses out of storage, and only then did I realize how dry and scaly my legs really are. Now, I'm slathering myself with Ahava Mineral Botanic Tropical Pineapple and White Peach Rich Body Butter, $28, which is made with ultra-hydrating shea and peach butters. It's made all the difference. The best part, however, is the scent: vaguely tropical but not cloying in the least. It's ideal for easing into the season.

BY DAWN DAVIS | MAY 1, 2014 | SHARES
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