One day while wandering through Nordstrom, I stumbled on a new line called Philosophy. Philosophy is the non-prescription, retail version of BioMedic products, which can be obtained from dermatologists. I told the counter woman a bit about my skin and what my typical routine is. I told her I have had reactions to products before, so she said she would make me some samples to take home.

After winning my samples, I proceeded to find out about what I had gotten. Unfortunately, the woman at the Philosophy counter knew a little but not much about the products. When I asked her what percentage of AHA is in their alpha hydroxy acid product, she couldn't tell me. The only thing she was sure of was how great their products are.

Real Purity cleanser ($15 for 6oz)
Definitely did not like this product. The consistency was way too watery, it foams so little you feel like you don't have any in your hand, and it really dried my face out. Yuck! Sorry, Philosophy, but this product did not work for me.

Hope in a Bottle AHA lotion ($30 for 2oz)
I really did not like this product. After further investigation, I discovered that this product contains both AHAs and salicylic acid, and is really best for a more oily skin. I am much happier with my Alpha Hydrox brand AHA lotion, which is 8 percent glycolic acid and costs just $7 for about 6oz at your local drugstore.

Eye Believe eye cream ($25 for .5oz)
Even though I told the counter woman that I rarely use eye creams, maybe she thought I needed one because she gave me this sample. My thought was, I'm only in my 20s, how many wrinkles can I have? Their eye cream was okay - a light consistency that absorbed well. What I didn't like was that it has AHAs (not sure how much) and I could feel it, like a slight burning sensation around my eye. This was very bad.

Kiss Me lip balm ($8 for .5oz)
I really liked this one, and actually broke down and bought it. At $8 for .5oz, I thought it was a ripoff at first, but it really lasts a very long time, so I am pleased.

Shelter SPF 15 daily wear sunscreen for the face ($16 for 2oz)
This is a nice sunscreen for someone with normal-to-oily, combination, or oily skin. The texture is nice and light, and the finish on my face is much more matte, while still non-drying, that any other sunscreen I've tried. It is a little more than I care to spend on sunscreen, though, for such a tiny bottle.

Hope in a Jar AHA cream ($30 for 2oz)
I got a sample of "Hope in a Jar", which is different from the above mentioned "Hope in a Bottle." The Jar version is for normal-to-dry skin, while the Bottle version is for normal-to-oily. Both are exfoliating, but the Jar version is a gentler lactic acid, rather than the Bottle's salicylic acid. So far I like Hope in a Jar, but there is no way I will spend $30 on a tiny 2 ounce jar of anything.

Let's Get Something Straight ($12 for 4 ounces)
This product is supposed to make wavy or curly hair straighter, but that's not what happened to me! If I had my old college hair style, long and curly, this might have been a fine product, but it only made my short style wavier! To get this product to work, you really need to vigorously blowdry your hair straight by using a brush, but doesn't that miss the point? Isn't that what anyone with wavy or curly hair has to do anyway? Again, some Philosophy products are good, but I'm afraid this isn't one of them.

Deeply Superficial enzyme mask ($18 for a 2 ounce jar)
When you want the spa facial feeling at home, use this. It exfoliates both with ground-up corn cob meal and with fruit enzymes from pineapple and papaya, as well as soothing the skin with honey (the mask's first ingredient). This mask does have some kaolin clay, but not so much that the mask, or your face, feels tight or dry either while you're wearing it or after you've rinsed it off. For a great overall skin refreshing mask, I highly recommend this one.

The Pocket Book ($45)
The best way to consolidate a makeup bag is to have everything you need in one small case - brushes and all. I was thrilled when I happened by my local Philosophy counter the other day and discovered this complete kit in a tiny wallet, perfect for travel. The Pocket Book includes "sunkissed" blush, "prosperity" eyeshadow, four mini-lipsticks in "suntan SPF 15", "dedication", "liberation", and "wisdom", and a travel brush set for blush, eyeshadow, liner, lipstick, and blending. It all comes in a black leather tri-fold wallet with pockets to hold everything (great for adding your own things, too). This is by far the best set I've seen for travel, or just for your purse, to carry everything you need.

Complete Me ($30 for 1.5 ounces) in Warm 1
Like the La Bella Donna and Youngblood brands I've tried before, Complete Me is a "high-pigment mineral powder" made of zinc oxide, titanium dioxide, bismuth oxychloride, and mica that works as a concealer, a foundation, and a powder all in one. The appeal of a product like this over traditional liquid or even talc-based powder foundations is usually better coverage with a lighter feel that has less chance of irritating sensitive skin. Mineral makeup does take some getting used to, though. You only need a very small amount to start, and you have to experiment with different application methods to find the one that works best for your skin (brush, puff, or sponge).

I found Complete Me to be comparable in quality to the other brands I've tried. While the formulas are almost the same, I found this one to be a bit less shiny, a definite plus especially for oily skin. The coverage can be as sheer or as full as you make it, depending on how you apply it. If you use the enclosed sponge, you can get full, opaque coverage, but beware that this technique can look heavy and masky if you aren't careful. Always start with a small amount of powder and add more only if you need it. I reserve using the sponge for small areas that need extra attention. For a lighter look, I like to apply it with a flat-top powder brush using a pressing motion on the skin (called "stippling"). Complete Me comes in a shaker container, so you can either shake some into the palm of your hand or onto a tissue, and then dip the brush or sponge into the powder.

The main downside for me with all the brands I've used is the color selection. The color you see in the container is not the color you get on your skin. I tested Complete Me in Warm 1, the lightest shade of the more pink-toned colors, and it was too dark and too pink. If I got even a little carried away using a bit too much powder, I had to wash my face and start over. I do like what mineral makeup can do, though, and it is safe for those of us who are acne-prone, so I will continue to search for a good color.

You can find Complete Me at a Philosophy counter near you, on the philosophy.com site, or at one of the online beauty stores. I got mine from ibeauty.com.