Happy Friday from the Cosmetic Connection!

As usual, I have been trying new products like crazy. This week I'd like to talk about Origins new Night-a-Mins vitamin cream, Aveda's Purefume Brilliant Forming Gel, and a few of my great H2O+ bargains from Marshall's.

I am always drawn to the inviting colors and fragrances at the Origins counter. Every year they have some great gift baskets and sets for the holidays that never fail to catch my eye. This year's selection of candles, potpourri, aromatherapy products, and bath salts are so tempting! While trying to decide on some gifts, I couldn't help but notice ready-made samples behind the counter of their new Night-a-Mins vitamin cream. The woman at the counter was most generous and gave me a few to take home. She told me that it contains just about every vitamin you can think of - A, C, E, and K to name a few - and ingredients that are supposed to help you sleep, so it should be applied only at night. Makes sense!

That night and for three nights after, I put the stuff on about a half an hour before going to sleep. I can't say it made me sleepy but it sure did smell heavenly! The texture is light but nicely moisturizing, which would be good for normal-to-dry or dry skin. I also found I could use a little more in drier areas for an extra boost without it being too heavy. The only downside for me is that it costs $27.50 for a few ounces. Maybe I could put it on my holiday wish list (grin)!

If there is one line that I am loyal to, it is Aveda. When I found that my favorite Confixor gel wasn't leaving my hair quite as nice as it had before, I began to worry. Thankfully, my stylist reassured me that it is only the change in the weather; the alcohol in the Confixor was making my winter-dry hair even drier. The solution? I switched to their alcohol-free Forming Gel. It gives nice control and softness without being drying or sticky. I am pleased to report that my hair and I are much happier now!

Last week I mentioned that I had gotten some great deals on H2O+ products at my local Marshall's discount store. (By the way, H2O+ is a boutique-style store found in shopping malls. It is comparable to stores like The Body Shop, Bath & Body Works, or Garden Botanika.)

Here's the skinny on what I got and how it lived up to my tests:

Alcohol-Free Toner
At first I really liked this toner. Then my skin started to flake. Badly. If you have normal-to-dry, dry, or very dry skin, you may have the same reaction I did, so I wouldn't recommend running out to try it. Those of you with combination, normal-to-oily, or oily skin are in luck, especially if you can find it for the incredible $1.99 that I paid! I'm not sure exactly what ingredient(s) made my skin so flaky, but for now I'm saving the rest for next summer!

Facial Scrub
I bought this scrub for my husband and couldn't resist trying it myself. The tiny scrub beads are nice and gentle, but the base of TEA-lauryl sulfate and sodium laureth sulfate (two fairly standard detergent cleansing ingredients) made it just a bit too strong for my normal-to-dry skin. If you are more combination, normal-to-oily, or oily, this scrub is a steal at just $2.99.

HydraSpa Daily Moisturizer SPF 15
I'm always looking for a good SPF 15 lotion that looks natural (not white) and wears well under makeup. If you have combination, normal-to-oily, or oily skin, and you can find it for under $5 like I did, I'd say give HydraSpa a try. It is a nice light lotion that goes on white at first but soaks in to leave a nice, natural-looking, matte finish.

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