OH DIOR! ...HOW I LOVE THEE!! This adorable palette is exclusive to Nordstrom, and is not available until July 18th, but you can preorder now at by clicking our link below. Do your really have a reason not to get this? For $55, four eyeshadows and two lip colors are a steal from Dior... (ok, more like $63 after postage and S&H, but still!)... I have already put in my order, so thats one less out there for the rest of you! Besides my Beauty Snobs, you know you love looking in your purse and seeing an adorable pink Dior goodie =) ...and for broke college students like me, this is the only Dior piece I will be able to afford for some time.

Dior 'Gaucho' Palette (Nordstrom Exclusive) $55.00

This spray is so refreshing! With summer in full swing, it's nice to give your face a refreshing spritz here and there to lift your spirits and rehydrate. I received my bottle of Chamomile Floral Water just before I left for Alaska last week (which is beautiful, by the way). And because of the 3oz liquid rule I opted to leave it at home instead of taking the time to transfer some into a travel size bottle for my flight. It was about an hour into the flight when my skin began to dry out from the recycled air, and I sat wishing I had taken the time to pack it. For the rest of my flight, and the flight home I sat in longing for my delightful chamomile floral water! Keep it in the refrigerator for a cool mist in the afternoon. I will make this a permanent addition to my beach bag this summer!

-only $12.00 for 6.76 fl oz!!

***BEAUTY NOTE: Chamomile oil has antiallergenic, antiseptic, cooling, analgesic and healing properties; which can be used to treat sunburn or acne. You can also use it as a toner to remove excess cleanser and hydrate your skin.***

Sometimes I think that being a beauty junkie is a curse for someone who, like me, has very sensitive skin. Every few months the skin around my eyes freaks-out on me and I wake-up a puffy, red mess and I end-up having to go to my optometrist only for him to, once again, prescribe a cream, tell me not to wear any cosmetics for a week and then there's nothing to do but test-out product after product trying to find which one is the culprit -- even makeup that for years didn't cause problems, can suddenly irritate your skin, so the struggle for those of us who are constantly switching-up their routine is nothing if not a challenge! This of course leads me to Prescriptives and the timing couldn't be better, because their fall colors just came out and while the colors aren't my fav (can anything come close to Chanel!?), they're just what I need to make sure my face doesn't go crazy right now! The colors are a nice mix of soft neutrals and darks (Plum, Fig, Cobalt), and all are dermatologist and ophthalmologist tested.

Read more for the complete rundown of the new Prescriptives colors!

I first became aware of the Jan Marini product line through a friend. One day I was looking at her eyelashes, and I noticed that they looked significantly lusher in the past few months. I probed her for her secret until she reviled to me that she had begun using an eyelash conditioner, by Jan Marini. NOTE: We will feature this next month with before and after photos, so stay tuned! In the mean time, I have been using Age Intervention Enlighten Facial Lotion and I love it. There are a ton of facial lotions on the market (many that we have shared with you on the site) but very few are products we use continually and even pass on to our friends. I loved this moisturizer because it really made my face feel “enlightened” –if that’s possible? The formula combines anti aging ingredients and two topical agents that even out any discoloration in your skin, to give it a more uniform complexion. The result is a brighter, refined and rejuvenated face. If you like facials, there is a chance you have already been pampered by these products without even knowing it!

To order: Call Tel: (800) 347-2223

This July, Bobbi introduces her Mauve Collection- a must-have for those desiring definition and polish without looking overdone. Inspired by Ali McGraw’s vintage look in the classic film “Love Story,” the collection’s range of mauve shades will flatter every skintone. I have never liked the word "mauve" but it is such a flattering color on me (and most of my friends). A subtle brownish pink that adds just enough color without overwhelming, it's the shade of the moment and Bobbi's palette is just sublime. It was sitting on my table when I arrived home last night (what a great treat to come home to after 17 days of traveling!) and I used it this morning to liven up my jet lagged and hungover sallow complexion (I have never drank so much champagne and wine in my life!). Within a few strokes and I'm all rosy and glowing again. Don't you just love the magic of make up?

Bobbi's collection features the new, limited-edition Mauve Face Palette in addition to several new products for lips and eyes, including: Black Mauve Shimmer Ink Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner ($19)-- we are obsessed with Bobbi's gel liners and this color is really cool! Black Pearl and Iced Mauve Shimmer Lip Glosses ($19), Mauve Lip Gloss, and Heather Mauve and Pale Mauve Lip Colors ($22). You must try this out next month when it hits the Bobbi counters-- it's now one of my favorite palette combos! Mauve Palette above $55. At Bobbi Brown.com and stores worldwide.

I have to say I was predisposed to not like sukicream. I have a pet-peeve about cheap gimmicks and something about sukicream not using capitalization in any of their product descriptions or packaging just reeked -- cheap gimmick -- to me. Is that crazy??
Anyway, that aside I tried the sukicolor Pure Cream Satin (note the capitalization!), which is meant for both cheeks and lips. Personally 2-in-1 products never work for me (the worst are those 2-in-1 shampoo/conditioners!) and this product was no different. It was a little too waxy for my cheeks and didn't blend in easily so I ended-up looking like a clown when I tried the product on my cheeks! It worked better on my lips, but it had a potent chemical-like smell so I took it off just as fast as I put it on:( Luckily, I had one of my Bourjois Effect 3D High Shine Lip Glosses (love #4 Rose Emblematic) nearby!

Clarins Celebrity Makeup Artist, Nick Barose, created Gossip Girl starlette Michelle Trachtenberg’s look and she shares some of her tips for looking effortlessly sun-kissed using Clarins products!
Barose suggests mixing a drop of Clarins Instant Light Complexion Perfector to your liquid foundation to add subtle radiance to the skin. She says that adding a slight sheen to the skin makes fair skin look healthier and she suggests finishing by setting it with a translucent loose powder. For eyes, Barose recommends lining along your upper lashes using a dark chocolate brown liquid liner and then applying and smudging Clarins Waterproof Eye Liner Pencil in Bronze over the first color and also using it to line inner rims of the eyes. Then she says to use a small eye shadow brush to apply Clarins Soft Cream Eye Colour in 06 from the lash line up to the crease of the eyelid and using the extra shadow on the brush to lightly smudge along the lower lash line. Finally, curl lashes and add a coat of Clarins Wonder Waterproof Mascara in Wonder Black. Barose recommends Clarins Sun Blush in Copper Sun for the apples of your cheeks and Clarins Compact Blush if you want an extra glow. To tie the look together, Barose says to line and fill in lips with Clarins Lip Colour Pencil in Nude and apply pinkish/nude tone lipstick over the entire mouth. Blot then add an extra coat so lips look polished using Clarins Joli Rouge in Apricot Sugar.

Till recently, the only thing I used from Clarins was their sunscreen (one of the few I trust -- works amazingly well even for the most sensitive skin, love the smell, and no matter how much I put on I never break-out or feel greasy from it), but their makeup is actually pretty good. They could have a better color selection, but for summer-time, it's hard to beat their products when it comes to water-resistance.

So often I find myself lost in Sephora or Barneys bliss, that I forget you don't always have to spend a bundle to get great products (I've actually been alternating Allure Chanel Deodorant, with deodorants from Nivea's Men's line!). I was lucky enough to get the chance to test-out a line of face, body, and hair care products called Yes to Carrots and while I didn't fall in love with every single one of their products, they had some wonderful (and amazingly inexpensive) finds!
All the Yes to Carrots products are paraben-free, and have Beta Carotene along with 26 minerals from the Dead Sea (this got me excited..anyone who has tried Ahava products knows how great Dead Sea minerals are!), and true to their name, if you check-out the ingredients you'll find things like carrot juice, pumpkin, carrot seed oil, and sweet potato -- so fun!!

Read more for my mini-rundown!

One of my biggest challenges for my traveling makeup bag is finding A) brushes that are the right size to fit into a makeup bag that can be stuffed into my purse B) fitting the 6-10 brushes I need in, and still having room for makeup. ---Which is why I was SO excited when I saw these amazing brushes from ME! The eye makeup brushes are DOUBLE SIDED!! Which means, when you pack three brushes you are really getting six! This is an absolute must-have for any Beauty Snob… and for a limited time they are offering free shipping =) Mine came yesterday and I can’t stop playing with them!

Eye shadow brush: Fine Line -$29
Eye shadow brush: Crease -$29
Eye shadow brush: Shadow -$29

Things a little dull lately? Boredom is actually good for the soul once in a while but dull skin cannot be left unattended!!! Origins, Never a Dull Moment facial scrub and fruit extract mask can take care of this in a jiffy. It has finely ground up Apricot and Mango seeds to gently exfoliate but what you do is after a quick scrub, you leave this on for a couple of minutes and the Papaya extract will continue to break down the dead skin cells. Once you wash this off you will be renewed, refreshed and left with skin perfectly smooth, supple and very bright indeed! I do this in the shower and keep it on the entire time I am in there. Sometime I am just too lazy to go through an entire routine of masks and scrubs, this makes beautification easy but is highly effective. Perfect for the summer when you have those grimy days when your face has that build up, you know what I'm talking about. Now through June 15, Origins is giving this away with ANY purchase and they are doing FREE SHIPPING! It is not this large jar but the 1.7 oz tube, but that actually is more convenient for the shower. I stocked up my always essential Underwear for Lashes and got this for free. There is no code, you will be give an option of this or the Checks and Balances face wash on the checkout page (but make sure you pick this options!). Full sized 4.4 oz jar is $23.50 at Origins.

...ahhh Chanel! Have they ever steered you wrong? This new palate designed by Peter Philips (the new Global Creative Director of CHANEL Makeup) was inspired by none other than Mademoiselle Chanel’s legendary apartment on Rue Cambon. This fall is sure to be all about reflective surfaces and luminosity, so start hoarding your metallics --especially gold! This color collection is designed to "warm and flatter" the skin, and it does an amazing job of it. I, personally, find this refreshing from the usual deep reds and icy whites that fall usually brings out at the makeup counter (which turn me into a ghost, by the way). This palate seems a bit familiar to me, but I can't quite put my finger on it...? Well anyhow, I know its still a bit early to be thinking about Fall, but this line doesn't hit stores until July anyways so keep rocking the nudes and neons until then!

Kiehl’s founding family member Aaron Morse had a passion for motorcycles which is why you’ll often-times find vintage motorcycles on display in Kiehls stores. So, it comes as no surprise that the beauty brand decided to partner with motorcycle designer Jesse James to design a one-of-a-kind motorcycle for Kiehl’s, as well as a Limited Edition Beauty Kit for men filled with James’ favorite grooming products.

"Spinning glamor into another orbit: our magnetic field of hot fluorescents, modern buffs, beiges and flesh tones are destined to test the laws of your style gravity. With these supersonic shades and neon orange compacts, go shock the galaxy!"

WOWZA! MAC has been coming out with some great lines lately and this is no let down. At first sight I wasn't exactly grabbed by this 60's/70's meets science fiction make up combo, but after a look at the color palate and ready-made "looks" I was grabbing my laptop to place an order! One of my favorite make up trends of the summer is pairing neutral shades with bright neons. No other brand has captured this look better than MAC. Toss out your springy pastels, and sizzle into summer with nudes and neons!

This week I realized how much I depend on Laura Mercier products for a flawless complexion, regardless of what condition my skin is in. In a span of two weeks I hit almost every corner of America, literally. On most mornings I didn't know where I was when I woke up! Luckily, I knew where all my Laura Mercier products were, because with jet lag and general old age fatigue (I used to hop all over the globe and never feel tired, boy have things changed)-- my skin was dry, splotchy and a wrinkly mess.

I also developed dark circles the first few nights of the trip because my son had an ear infection and decided he wanted to have picnics on my bed at 2am each night. His ear infection cleared within days, but my dark circles persisted. I used every trick I l knew and thankfully, they worked! Here are the tools you'll need. If you have all 7 of these items, you can achieve a flawless complexion, any time! (Jump to see my Tricks of the Trade!)

This is a must have for the hot sweaty summer that is upon us. I plan on keeping these on hand to refresh my face and keep the pores clear. These Triad Pads are infused with a Cranberry toner to clean, hydrate and give you a healthy glow. It has a grainy texture to remove the grimy surface on your skin when you are hot. You know that yucky sticky feeling you have after the beach? If you cannot go right home and hit the shower, this will do the trick for sure. It will take off the old caked in sunscreen so it won't continue to work into those open pores created by the hot environment you're in. $30 at Arcona.com

Now that the warm weather is upon us, it’s time to put the cool, winter colors away and break out your warm, summery colors--beautiful bronzes, golds and corals. Just in time for summer, Dior is releasing its Goldrush collection. The collection features four new shades of Addict High Shine lipstick and 18-Karat versions of the 5-color eyeshadow palette and Dior Addict Ultra-Gloss in tan, shimmery gold and coral hues.

The collection also includes a limited-edition medallion that contains an all-over golden glow highlighter for the eyes, cheeks and lips. The compact is adorned with champagne crystals and a satin ribbon, what a fabulous little trinket to wear around the neck or tie on your bag! I love multi-purpose products like this. Beauty Snob tip- apply a dab of this on your bottom lip over your favorite lipstick or gloss. $55 at Dior counters nationwide, Christian Dior also at Sephora.com. (View the entire collection after the jump.)

A few times in your life you have a life altering experience and yesterday I was lucky enough to have one over a makeover. I have had many many makeovers in my life and each time I imagine I will finally have all the beauty secrets to make me as beautiful as I can possibly be. But they always fall short and I always end up with the same conclusion, "I can do my own makeup better than this". But that was before Edgar at the Jose Eber Atelier on Two Rodeo. A total master make up artist to the stars (in fact, a celebrity client showed up after my appointment but I was sworn to not divulge), he transformed my face like I could never imagine. He did things I wouldn't dare risk on my face, mostly my eyes. Well, it is all about the eyes right? Here are some of his tricks and tips as well as his favorite products:

Post by Beauty Snob Sharon:
With summer just around the corner, I am on the lookout for makeup to give my face that effortless sun-kissed glow, like I just got back from a relaxing week of sipping champagne on a yacht in St. Tropez (wouldn’t that be nice!). I am loving Chanel’s new summer colors. Chanel just got a new creative director for makeup, Peter Philips, and he is whipping up some wonderful bronzes, golds and shimmery tons all set to hit stores in July.

I have a feeling that Chanel’s $30 gold nail polish, a limited edition shade called Gold Fiction, will be this summer’s equivalent to Vamp and Black Satin. It comes in an opaque gold case and Christine Dagousset, who is the executive vice president of Fragrance and Beauté for Chanel, said that high-end pigments were used to get the color and finish just right, hence the shade retailing for $10 over the regular $20 price tag. Not that the price tag will stop Chanel devotees from buying the new shade, but for $20 I thought I was already getting high-end pigments!?
In any case, there are plenty of other stand-outs in this new collection including Facettes D’Or, a finely milled gold loose powder that is said to read as a subtle glow on the skin ($56), Gold Light Glossimer lip gloss ($26), Rouge Hydrabase lipstick shades in copper, plum and coral (each $27), and a quad eye shadow palette with gold, coffee, ivory and dark green eye colors ($56).

I have always had a weakness for Chanel. Everything from their soft brushes to their sleek, black packaging brings a smile to my face so, I can’t wait to hit the beach (Chanel sunglasses in tow!), decked out in these fabulous new shades.

Get Chanel at Saks Fifth Avenue!

I went to Saks this weekend to use my Friends and Family discount (15% off cosmetics- make up never goes on sale so you can only imagine how excited I was!) and stocked up on the newest Bobbi invention (the woman is brilliant!), custom palettes for mixing and matching my favorite shades! I like the convenience of eyeshadow quads but I usually only use one or two colors which means the other shades are a total waste! With this custom compact, I was able to choose three fab shadows that I love and will use often (the shimmers: Beige, Ash and Snow) and a blush (Pale pink)-- all in one easy to use compact! You can switch out the colors depending on the season or your whim, the pieces literally pop out like a lego. I am totally obsessed, this will make traveling with make up SO easy! But the real reason I love it is because it is just so incredibly fun. The mirror on the compact is also nice and big, again, am mad for the custom palettes! I am going back tomorrow to get a few matte shadows to balance the shimmer washes, this is completely addicting! At Bobbi Brown counters worldwide. Shadows: $20 Compact: $10

It has been over a month since my first Arcona facial, and I desperately need to go back. Not only for the facial itself, but to supply myself with the entire line of their products! They gave me samples, and I ran out weeks ago. Of course, I have a ton of other products, so my face was well taken care of, but Arcona's products have completely changed my skin, and I want to continue on that path. They have a basic 5 regimen that includes a cleanser, moisturizer, exfoliating scrub, a "solution" that regenerates new cells and a toner. There is a myriad of choices to suit your skin type, but the ones I got were the Kiwi Cleansing Bar, Magic White Ice Moisturizer, Golden Grain Gomage scrub, Gentle Solution (cell regenerator) and Desert Mist (a toner that protects against the environment), all of which you get for $198 (all full sizes). Their products are all plant based and are made with a cold process, which is essential to retain the goodness of the ingredients. It makes sense. Just like the vegetables you eat, if you cook them to death they loose all of their nutritional properties. The cold process requires that they produce in very small batches, and that is why the big manufacturers don't do it. All of Arcona's products are made in the United States in labs that are under their control. The first change that I have seen, is the brightness of my face. My main problem is proper hydration, and my constant slathering of products has made it dull. After only my second facial, I am a changed woman. I finally have the peachy cream skin I've always wanted! Now I just have to get rid of all my freckles, which is in the works, as well. They have a product called Lightening Drops ($35) that pulls pigmentation to the surface and then sluffs off. I will review that after I've used it to see if it works.

From the Beauty Snob: Anne is our young Beauty Snob in training, representing the 20-something Beauty Snob readers :) Our family is growing as you may have noticed, and we'll get a full bio of everyone together for you soon!

To share a little about myself… I am a 21-year-old college student, and my BIGGEST morning beauty issue is what makeup I can throw on in the 3 minutes I have before I need to leave for class, but still look slightly polished. I have learned from my experience, and I have *6* quick, daytime beauty items you should be able to find time for before jetting out the door to face the day! (Jump to see my photo and steps!)

Leave it to Shu Uemura to have a gift with purchase that I actually wanted! I went to replenish my basic needs, the Fresh balancing cleansing oil for the summer and more brushes (never can have enough), and I was given a nice package of their Beta Glucan products--and big samples in real jars and bottles, not those tiny foil packages. I love the gel cream. It is made of depsea water for ultimate hydration and gives the skin a supple elasticity. The beta-glucan prevents aging, and you know what we always say: prevent to avoid plastic surgery 'cuz there is no "reversing." I am so into lightweight gels right now, and not only because it is summer, and I'm starting to sweat, but gels are much, much better for your skin. It absorbs better, so it penetrates your skin. The heavy creams sometimes just sit on top of your skin and clog everything up. Unfortunately, that means I have to give up La Mer, but my new aesthetician, who I listen to religiously, told me it was actually making my skin dehydrated. What? That thing is like a jar of heaven, I thought! Oh well, it's not for me. This Shu Uemura gel cream has a creamy consistency, even though it is called a gel -- I don't want you to think that it's clear and watery. It is still luxuriously creamy and smooths on the skin easily. I can feel my skin slurp it up, and I am left with skin that feels like a pool of water! At Shu Uemura for $70.

Spend $300 on La Mer at Saks.com and receive a special gift with purchase! If you need to replenish your La Mer supply, now is the time to do it. Saks is giving away a silver make up bag filled with travel size products- The Moisturizing Cream, The Moisturizing Lotion, The Lifting Serum Concentrate and The Eye Concentrate-(a $300 value). The offer is good only for online purchases. Use Code: LAMER6 at Check out! La Mer at Saks Fifth Avenue

Now is the time to stock up on all your favorite beauty products because Nordstrom is offering a cute pink tote full of beauty and fragrance samples with any $100 online purchase! I received mine last week, and it contains some really great and generously-sized samples, including some of my favorites: Clarins, Bare Escentuals, Bliss, L’Occitane, Philosophy, Origins and many more!

If you don’t know what to buy, I suggest my own purchase: a limited-edition Pink Clarisonic Skincare System! If you haven’t tried Clarisonic, you must! I lost mine during a beach vacation last summer, and just now finally reordered one. Now, I’m kicking myself that I waited so long! The Clarisonic is nothing short of fabulous. It provides a deep pore cleanse, as well as exfoliating, and over time, it really improves the quality of your skin. I find myself using less and less facial products because they are absorbed so much better! It also helps to prevent the occasional breakouts and flaky skin, I deal with. The Clarisonic also comes in white, but I prefer the pink version. Clarisonic donates a portion of profits from every purchase of the pink Clarisonic to the fight against breast cancer.

Don’t wait too long to order because this offer will only be available while supplies last!

The first time I tried Crystalift, I wasn't blown away -- I felt like my skin was being sandblasted!!! I saw the demonstration video of the lovely models enjoying the "gentle and painless" Crystalift process ... lies!! But, results don't lie, and after using it just twice, my skin looked great! The biggest difference was my boyfriend's skin. He has large pores and very uneven coloration. After two treatments, his skin looked noticeably better! The best part was how easy the whole system was to set up and use; there is no assembly, and it stores easily. If you have ever paid for a microdermabrasion treatment at your dermatologist's office, you know how pricey a single session can be. Crystalift's whole system including your first four treatments is just $199, plus shipping and handling and takes only a few minutes. I really do think this is a great option for someone who doesn't want to spend a small fortune and their free time at the dermatologist's office for something you can do at home.

Let me tell you ladies, after the Hair Gloss, I was wondering what could possibly impress me next. Little did I know that my next 'can't live without' product would come from the same line only a week later! After using this on my face, post wash, for the past week I can already see a difference. Even my boyfriend told me how pretty my skin skin looked while we were strolling around San Francisco this weekend... I was blown away! ...(The last time my boyfriend noticed that I was using a new product, It was when I switched from decaf to regular.)

Isomers products are really quite remarkable. Carnosine antioxidant complex is actually working to stop the oxidation of the skin cells, and thus, slow down the aging process of the skin. If your just starting to incorporate anti aging products into your beauty routine, or your a seasoned pro looking for a new solution, this stuff is fantastic! And at just a penny under $40 a bottle, anyone can afford great skin :)

Isomers Carnosine Antioxidant Complex- $39.99

1. Prep and protect your skin
Even if you’re in a hurry, it’s still important to apply a facial cream with SPF and an undereye cream. This will help to protect your skin as well as providing a great base for makeup. Daily Moisturizer with SPF from the L’Oreal Skin Genesis line is a good lotion with SPF and anti-aging properties.
Oil of Olay Definity Eye Illuminator is an amazing undereye cream that helps to diminish dark circles and illuminate the eye area.

Another great time-saver is tinted moisturizers. Stila Illuminating Tinted Moisturizer with SPF 15 , will give you a beautiful, luminous finish.