When it comes time to look at places to trim the budget, the cosmetics budget is an obvious contender. But if you are like me, you still care about your skin and don’t want to use just any old inexpensive product – you still want quality. Affordable quality: can it be had? I’m pleased to say yes!

40 Carrots is a brand built around offering quality skincare for an affordable price. The products include the anti-aging ingredient vitamin A, as well as the anti-oxidant beta-carotene. The products aren’t tested on animals, and are paraben-free. It’s a simple line – there is a cleanser, a serum, a moisturizer, and an eye gel. I’ve been using it for a week, and I’m really liking the results.

Quick review about me again: I’m turning 30 in a month, so anti-aging is becoming a concern. I have combination skin and occasional breakouts, but my skin is basically healthy.

The Carrot + Creme Cleanser is creamy, with a light lotiony texture and a scent like orange creamsicle. It does its job well – my skin is clean, soft, and makeup-free after use. It is not drying at all. Personally, I like a little foam in my cleanser, but that’s just me. This is a great creamy (but not greasy!) cleanser.

The Carrot + C Vitamin Serum is a new favorite product. It’s a light gel formula with beta-carotene, vitamin a, and vitamin c, and my skin seems to love it. Since I’ve been using it (only a week!) my face seems brighter and the few red marks from old acne blemishes are fading. LOVE IT! At $15.99 it’s a steal compared to department store brands.

The eye gel in the line is called Carrot + Cucumber Eye Gel and contains, you guessed it, carrots and cucumbers. It has a light texture that sinks in immediately, but doesn’t leave a sticky film like some gels do. It is hydrating and soothing, takes down morning puffiness like a champ, and generally just feels good. Two thumbs up.

Carrot + Mango Moisture Splurge is the daily moisturizer in the line. It’s a lotion formula with safflower oil, mango butter, and apricot oil. It is not greasy or heavy at all, but sinks in and doesn’t leave my skin feeling greasy. I use a pea sized amount, and massage it in. I experimented with using different amounts and while you can’t really use too much, this seems to be the right amount. It doesn’t have oil control (it’s more suited for normal to dry skin) but it also doesn’t clog pores or cause breakouts. It’s a really nice moisturizer for the price, and I’d recommend it if you’re looking to trim the budget without sacrificing quality.

I’d add something to exfoliate, but otherwise you could stick to the products in this line and be very happy with how your skin looks and feels.

Bath and Body Works has introduced a new fragrance to their Aromatherapy line – Optimism. I saw that they were previewing it during the holiday season, but didn’t pay much attention. Now the line has officially launched with a variety of products, and I checked it all out in store today.

The scent is a blend of flowers like jasmine and tuberose, with citrus oils and mate absolute. It’s very cheerful, and while you’d think it was really floral from the description, it’s not. It’s more fresh and clean, and very approachable. I haven’t been all that taken by the other aromatherapy offerings, but I found this really pleasant!

The “aromatherapy roll-on” is the most portable way to enjoy the scent, so I picked up one of those, and got the matching shower gel for free thanks to a bounceback coupon from the sale earlier this month. In a moment of weakness, I sprung for an umbrella they were offering also. I WISH it was online, because it is seriously cute. It’s orange on the outside but the inside (facing downward, the spokes side) is lined with fabric printed to look like a blue sky with fluffy white clouds. I need an umbrella anyway, and I liked how sturdy it seemed – and I couldn’t resist the bright orange color and the blue sky lining.

The True Blue Spa shower gel called Need A Margarita? is also new, and also super-fabulous if you are needing a little lift in the mood department. (Don’t we all this time of year? It’s COLD outside…) It smells like a margarita, but without the hangover.

Valentine’s Day is coming, and one of my favorite gift ideas is a lovely candle or candle set. A great way to set the mood is to present your gift, then turn down the lights and enjoy the romantic flicker of candlelight. For gifts, I’d pick jar or container candles with beautiful packaging and quality fragrance. Here are a few I recommend.

Diptyque candles are known for being super-luxe, and the limited edition Pink Roses candle is no exception. The scent is a mixture of antique rose petals, and aromatic geranium leaves, and the candle and its jar are tinted a delicate pink. Even the box is pretty! You can find Diptyque candles at Saks Fifth Avenue, Barneys, and Bergdorf Goodman, as well as online at Smallflower.com.

Chesapeake Bay Candles is a company that is new to me, but I’m just knocked out at how beautiful the scents are and how elegant the packaging is. The candles are made with soy wax and 100% cotton wicks for a cleaner burn (and soy wax is more sustainable than petroleum-based waxes) and did I mention the scents are amazing? I think the small filled votive sets would make great gifts, and the filled candle sets are even more luxurious. You could also pick one or two of the large filled candles, which feature a silhouette of a tree on the glass jars. All the scents are stunning, but my favorites are Honey Lemon Creme and Nutmeg Cardamom.

Pacifica is based in my hometown of Portland OR, and their combination of lovely scents and decorative packaging make their candles great gifts too. The soy candle gift box comes in two varieties, Fruits and Flowers Of Paradise or Beloved Woods and Coveted Spices. If you are looking for individual scents, I think Vanilla Vera Cruz, Sandalwood, and Tunisian Jasmine are particularly romantic. For extra fun, you can also purchase coordinating body care products and perfumes.

Some days I feel like all I ever read about in the news is the economy, so that after a while it starts to read like “blah blah blah the economy blah blah depression blah recession.” Not that I don’t take it seriously, I do. I work in retail, I’m feeling the pinch! But rather than get all doom and gloomy, or too over the top with it (can’t stand the term “recessionista”), I figure I’ll just start working in more posts about cheap thrills and the awesome stuff you can find at the drugstore/grocery.

Today we’ll start with 5 cheap things that rock just as much as their more expensive counterparts!

1. TRESemme European Tres Two Hair Spray, Extra Hold. LOVE IT. It does not leave your hair crunchy stiff, but has good hold.

2. Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Stress Control, 3-in-1 Hydrating Acne Treatment. Long name, great stuff. Standard 2% acne treatment in a gentle moisturizing formula that you can use all over your face. I panic when I don’t have a tube in reserve at all times.

3. EcoTools. I love these inexpensive, yet fabulous, makeup brushes!

4. Nature’s Gate Hemp Nourishing Shampoo & Conditioner. 18 oz. bottles, under 10 bucks each. It smells really good, and leaves my hair silky soft. Love it!

5. Conair 1875 Watt Ionic Ceramic Cord-Keeper hair dryer. It’s possible to spend hundreds on a hair dryer, but why? With 3 heat and 2 speed settings, this one gets the job done in no time at all. Oh, and the cord-keeper rocks!

I like to buy earth-friendly products and support earth-friendly companies, but I have to say that I’ve generally been disappointed by the color cosmetics I’ve tried so far, at least the lip colors. All too often the colors are weird, too bright or too brown, or the formula just isn’t as nice as conventional products. Happily, I’ve found two products that definitely meet my high expectations!

Kiss My Face has introduced two new colorful lip products, Sheer Organic Shimmers and Sheer Organic Shines. The Shimmers are a tinted lip balm and the Shines are a gloss formula. Both are natural cosmetics with over 90% organic ingredients and mineral-based colors. More importantly, both look awesome!

The Sheer Organic Shimmers are VERY sheer. I have the Ruby shade, and it is just the tiniest hint of color on my lips, very natural and pretty. I love the texture – so many mineral pigment-based tinted lip balms have an almost gritty or dry feel to them that I dislike. This one is smooth like butter, glides right on, and conditions your lips while you look pretty. They contain shea butter, sunflower oil, and vitamin e, and the moisturizing feel lasts for a long time. I could see having one of these in my pocket or purse for casual wear, when you want some color with your lip balm. Two thumbs up!

The Sheer Organic Shines have more color to them, and, as the name suggests, are shinier. They have a really nice feel for a gloss, not sticky at all but not too oily either. The Amethyst shade is the one I tried, and it’s a nice purple gloss that isn’t too dark despite how dark it looks in the tube. The Sheer Organic Shines are also conditioning, since they contain shea and cocoa butters and jojoba oil. I didn’t feel the need to put a layer of lip balm underneath, as I often do with other glosses. This is definitely becoming a favorite lip gloss (and I have tried MANY…)!

Both lip products use peppermint to flavor the formulas, but it’s not too strong. The gloss is more tingly than the balm, but neither bothered me much (I am not a fan of mint, generally). It wasn’t as strongly mint-flavored as most Burt’s Bees products, for example.

I’m really impressed with these new color cosmetics from Kiss My Face. They are very reasonably priced, at $4.95 and $6.95 each, respectively, so you don’t need to break your budget to buy them. I recommend them as an earth-friendly alternative to pricier glosses. Buy them for their eco-friendly appeal, but wear them because they look and feel fantastic!

Did you know Kenzo, the brand behind one of my favorite perfumes, KenzoAmour, makes skincare? I didn’t know until last fall, and I’m pleased to report that the products are great!

The line is called Kenzoki, and is built around four natural elements coming from Asia: white lotus, bamboo leaf, ginger flower and rice. Using the products is meant to be a sensory experience, with unique textures and delightful aromas. As an aside, if you do not like fragrance in your skincare products, you may not like Kenzoki. I find the aromas to be light and pleasant, and not overwhelming at all.

I’ve been using the Enveloping Velvety Wash, one of two cleansers offered. I LOVE it. It starts out with a thick gel texture, which you apply to damp skin. Massage your face to loosen makeup, dirt, and oils, and then wet your fingers – this transforms the gel into a milky lotion, which then can be rinsed clean. The scent is AMAZING, just like the steam coming from my rice cooker. It leaves my skin feeling soft, but definitely clean.

The next step is toning, and I’m using Smooth Bamboo Water. This product gently purifies and softly moisturizes, and has a scent like green woods. I love the scent so much, I’m strongly tempted to get the Engergizing Beneficial Water for the body, just to enjoy the scent. Anyway, the Smooth Bamboo Water is for an oilier skin type, and will help control shine. It contains a sebum-regulating complex and several plant extracts, as well as glycerin to help moisturize. I like how my skin feels after using it and it does seem to help with the oilies.

The third product I’ve used is Nightwatcher, a nighttime treatment serum for oily skin. It contains a trio of plant extracts to control oil and detoxify the skin, and has a light, almost velvety texture that makes it a pleasure to use. You could use it alone, or with a lightweight moisturizer on top. I usually use it alone, as it is moisturizing by itself. This has become a favorite treatment product when I’m experiencing breakouts. I use it for three or four nights, and voila, breakouts cleared up! If I were to start using it every night, I would probably use a light lotion on top, like The Body Deli Fresh Cell Light Emulsion, for a little extra boost in moisture.

Overall, I’m very pleased with the Kenzoki line and look forward to exploring it further!

How on earth does one write about a perfume for which it seems everything has already been said? Chanel No. 5 is one of those perfumes that everyone has heard of, even if they’re not “into” perfume – their mom or grandma or auntie wore it. They may not be able to tell you what it smells like, but they’ve heard of it. It seems pointless to deliver an academic treatise on this perfume – there are plenty of places where you can read that, including Wikipedia. All that is left, I think, is to tell one’s own story about it, since that is the only truly unique way to write about something so many others have experienced.

My mom wore Chanel No. 5 Eau de Toilette when I was a kid. I didn’t really like it, it was too strong to my nose, too grown-up. As an young adult, I still found it too “perfumey,” being firmly stuck first in a soapy-clean phase (best exemplified by Pleasures, the ultimate soapy-clean scent) and then a tutti-fruity phase (in which many Bath & Body Works body sprays were purchased). In the last few years my perfume tastes have expanded and I no longer enjoy either the soapy cleans or the tutti-fruities (thank God!) anymore – but I still didn’t see the charm of No. 5.

Lately, I’ve been on the hunt for something different, something with more complexity than what is found in the usual dreck of mainstream women’s fragrances. I was passing through Macy’s one day and happened to pass the Chanel counter. On a whim, I sprayed my hand with No. 5 Eau Premiere, having read the review in the first Newsletter edition of Perfumes The Guide. It was a revelatory moment.

My first thought was that I didn’t remember ever liking No. 5 this much. The fussy “perfumey” smell I remember from my childhood was gone. This scent was complex, and interesting, and oh so good on my hand! It was, dare I say, really beautiful! I visited it again a few weeks later to see if I was still intrigued. I was.

And then the quandary. Eau Premiere is a “modernization” of No. 5, and generally I’ve always been rather snobbish about such things. What could be better than the original? So I sprayed and sniffed the No. 5 of my childhood. I think it’s beautiful, but larger than life. For me, the Eau Premiere is more wearable because it has that same sense of beauty as the Eau de Toilette but it’s not quite so much of a good thing. I’m definitely in awe though, as though I’ve been searching the world over for my one true love only to find that it’s been right here all along.

I turn thirty in a little more than two months. It seems appropriate that I should finally appreciate the “grown-up” perfume that my mom loves so much.

Back in December, I was offered a chance to try some eyeshadows and new mineral blushes by J. Lynne, an independent woman-owned cosmetics company. I’ve been playing with the colors for a few weeks now, and I’m really in love.

The blushes are from the Latin Rhythms collection, a collection of six colors ranging from light pink to plum brown. The formula has very minimal sparkle, but does have a pretty sheen to it. The minimal sparkle means they are perfect for daytime wear. Applied with a brush suitable for mineral makeup (I used either a Bare Escentuals Flawless Face brush or the blush brush from my EcoTools travel set), the powders applied evenly and it was easy to start sheer and build the color as I desired. The name “Soft Silk Mineral Blush” is apt, because these blushes are indeed silky smooth. All six colors looked good on me, but I’m particularly fond of Cha Cha for every day wear, and Paso Doble for a night out.

The eyeshadows are from the Sugar & Spice collection, and the formula is called Multi-Dimensions Mineral Eyeshadow. What this means is that they are definitely made to catch the light! They’re quite shimmery. I found the colors go on sheer, but are very buildable. I would recommend using an eyeshadow primer (like Urban Decay Primer Potion or Skinn Insta-Fill) to get more depth – this is something I’ve found to be true with all loose powder-type eyeshadows. I think this formula is probably too shimmery for my “day job” but are super-fun for my days off and nights out. I could see myself using a wet liner brush in the Clove shade for a daytime eyeliner look, though. I particularly like Vanilla, which is great as a highlighter on the brow bone and also very lightly applied in the inner corners to brighten up the eye area. I think Vanilla, Cocoa, and Clove are the must have shades from this particular collection – though they’re all lovely.

I can really recommend J. Lynne cosmetics if you’re looking for natural, wearable blush shades, and an exciting lineup of eyeshadow colors (again, very wearable, no duds in the bunch!) in various formulas. Also, the owner is really nice and the sample sizes are HUGE! You will get multiple applications out of each sample, definitely enough to determine if a shade is for you or not. I’m excited to explore the line further – especially the Satin Pearls eyeshadow formula and Mineral Glow.