Not only do we have great new reviews this week, both in the newsletter and on the site, but I am really excited to bring you my recent interview with Don Donovan, Fragrance Designer for Reflect.com. Don is the nose behind Reflect's fantastic custom fragrances and during our chat he shared with me a bit about his background and ideas behind the Hearts and Souls fragrance process. Click here to start reading the interview.

Now on to our reviews!

Stila Sport Pivotal Skin Foundation ($25)
I love when cosmetic lines push the barriers of traditional thinking and try something new and unique. Pivotal Skin is a great example: this foundation looks like an ordinary compact makeup, but open the lid and you'll see a unique presentation - liquid foundation in an inkpad-style touch pad. Simply touch your finger to the pad and apply to your skin. No sponges, no brushes, and you can put the makeup just where you need it. The coverage is just a bit more than sheer and can be built slightly with added layers (don't count on it covering very dark circles or bright red blotches, though). It feels very lightweight going on, as though it has a high water content, and it dries down to a semi-matte, slightly luminescent finish. Like Stila's other foundations, Pivotal Skin comes in a lettered range of shades, from "a" (lightest) to "e" (deepest); I use "b" on my fair, neutral-toned skin.

If you are looking for something light, easy to use, and portable for spring/summer, I definitely recommend this product.

Stila Sport Color Push-Ups ($20)
With so many great choices in cream and gel blush these days, I honestly can't remember the last time I used powder blush. Creams and gels are also an excellent complement to the lighter, luminescent cream or liquid foundations that have become so prevalent. Joining the likes of Tarte Cheek Stain, Lorac Sheer Wash, Calvin Klein Cheek Wash, BeneFit Cheekies, Vincent Longo Faerie Creme - just to name a few - come Color Push-Ups, a cream-gel solid blush (and lipcolor) stick from Stila's Sport collection. The thin oval shape reminds me of my daughter's Mustela Hydra-Stick moisturizer and Sunblock Stick; this shape is fine for cheeks but a bit awkward for lips, since it's so long and thin. I've found using one of the rounded edges rather than the whole surface works best for lips.

Much like Stila Convertible Color, a little swipe of Color Push-Up goes a long way (too much and you'll look like a clown). It's easy to blend and wears well all day without touch-ups. Color Push-Ups come in Rouge Flash, Bronze Flash, and Blush Flash (my personal favorite).

Stila cosmetics are available online at Sephora.com as well as at stores like Sephora and Nordstrom.

Three Custom Color Specialists (3C) Eye Shadows
(singles $17, compact refills $12.50)
3C constantly amazes me with their gorgeous colors and luxurious presentation. When I received my refillable trio compact ($13.50) filled with warm white, cool pebble and cool sage, I was immediately taken by the elegant mirrored compact complete with a real dual-sided eye shadow brush - no flimsy sponge applicators here. Thank goodness for makeup artists creating cosmetics! These colors are soft and silky, last all day, and can be worn wet or dry - very handy and long lasting for the darker shades that you might use wet as liner. As with all 3C products, all the eye shadow colors are grouped according to your skin's undertones, either warm or cool. To figure out which one you are, check out their guide online.

To see color and packaging photos, visit threecustom.com.

SuperSolano Hair Dryer
With all the time it takes me to straighten my shoulder-length hair every day, it's no wonder I burn through hair dryers more frequently than I'd like. When my Conair burned out a few weeks ago, I decided it was time to get serious and buy a professional grade dryer. I did some research and kept hearing the Solano brand over and over as being one of the best brands in hair dryers. For the features I wanted, I selected the SuperSolano model 232 for $79.95 at ballbeauty.com. It has 1500 watts of power, 2 speeds settings, 3 heat settings that are independent of the speed, and a cool shot button. The dryer is fairly lightweight, quiet, has a cord that doesn't tangle or twist, two nozzles (metal & fiberglass) for straightening, and a removable/washable filter screen. I already like the power and features of this dryer over any cheap one I've ever owned, and hopefully I won't have to replace it for a very long time!

You can also find the SuperSolano for $59.95 at beautycentury.com, $69.99 at metrobeauty.com, $108 at diamondbeauty.com, and $159.98 at beautyofasite.com. I have no idea why the price range is so wide. I bought from Ball Beauty for the reasonable price and because I have purchased from them before and was pleased with their service.