fixation: la bella donna vision of mineral lights, blushing

All-in-one, multi-tasking products get me all a-tingle (whatever floats your boat, right?), and one of my absolute favorite products ever is Vision in Mineral Lights by luxe mineral makeup brand La Bella Donna – a palette of four glimmering shades you can use on your cheeks and eyes for a candlelit glow. So when I found out they launched a Blush version, I just knew I had to try it. And this one doesn't disappoint. With four luminous, light-refracting shades from rose to peach, you can customize to create your very own perfect blush shade. I like to swirl my brush over all of them to get a lovely pinky-peach hue. And like its predecessor, you can use the Blushing palette on eyes too, to get a modern, Calvin Klein-esque, monochromatic effect. Of course, the gorgeously sleek, silver packaging doesn't hurt either.

get golden arches with the anastasia brow kit

Perhaps you've heard of Anastasia? She's only known as the brow expert among Hollywood's boldface, and has plucked and shaped the arches of none other than Jennifer Lopez, Portia de Rossi and Madonna among plenty of others (and, I'm sure, plenty of undercover dudes too; some of my beauty blogging friends who got to visit Anastasia's salon in Beverly Hills recently caught a glimpse of one of the lesser-known Baldwin brothers, who promptly turned right around and left when he spied the throng of ladies with cameras). So while many of us commoners can't afford the steep pricetag (and no doubt, lengthy waitlists) of a session with Anastasia, we can get the next best thing at home with her 5-piece Brow Kit. I have long and lovingly admired the rows of petal-pink-colored pencils and other delights on offer at the Anastasia booth at Sephora, and this brow kit was most certainly on my "wanted" list. While shaping your own brows can sometimes turn into disaster – (we've seen the woman with the perpetual "surprised", too-high arch on one eye, and a lazy arch on the other) – this kit takes the guesswork out of arch-making with no-fail stencils. You simply apply the stencil to your brow (there's three sizes to choose from), color it in with the handy brow powder and then use the precision-quality tweezers to pluck any strays around it. A slick of the Brow Gel, which gives brows a lovely sheen, holds hairs in place. This kit is fantastic for anyone who is (like me) waiting for their brows to grow back to their full and shapely status. Now that's arch support.

fixation: cargo melt-proof makeup collection

I'm continually astonished by the performing power of Cargo products. While some people scoffed at their last HD-inspired Blu-Ray makeup collection (even I was skeptical at first, truth be told), I was so wowed by the products that they've since become staples in my makeup bag (and that's no small feat). Now, just in time for summer, the brand has come out with the limited edition Melt-proof Makeup Collection – a three-piece kit featuring a super-stay-put blush/eyeshadow and lip combo palette, bronzer and mascara. The palette features three universally flattering, yet summery shades (a corally-peach blush, bronzy shadow and rosy-gold lip cream) that go on like a dream with zero creasing. The "Better-than-waterproof" Mascara plumps up lashes with minimal clumping and is easily removed with a swipe of makeup remover. My favorite of the pack is the bronzer - it's a matte powder with zero iridescence (so it's great for oily skin to tone down shine) and gives a really natural-looking sun-kissed glow. And yes, the products have great lasting power – while I haven't been able to try it out in super-humid conditions, I still managed to look fresh post-gym, at the end of a long day. Cargo stands behind this stuff so much, that, no kidding, they've literally trademarked the name Melt-proof. All told, this kit really has all you need to look fetching poolside without fear of looking like a drowned rat.

fixation: wen sweet almond mint cleansing conditioner

If you're like me, when it's hair-washing day, you would never think of leaving the house without using conditioner and a plethora of other hair products to go along with it. But this morning, I only used one product on my hair - Wen's Sweet Almond Mint Cleansing Conditioner – which replaces both shampoo and conditioner, and I don't think I'll go back to using my regular stuff again. Seriously, my hair has never looked better. If I'm sounding a bit like an informercial, well, that's no coincidence, because there's an infomercial circulating around the airwaves right now featuring Laura Ingalls herself, Miss Melissa Gilbert, and the bohemian, guyliner-wearing creator of Wen, celeb hairstylist Chaz Dean. The product is pitched as a revolution in haircare: it's not a shampoo, but rather an all-natural, moisturizing cleanser that you leave on throughout the duration of your shower, almost like a leave-in treatment. It doesn't have any harsh detergents, so it cleanses without stripping the hair and is excellent for keeping color-treated hair truer, longer. So this isn't some 2-in-1 shampoo/conditioner fusion product; you really can't compare it to anything else on the market. And the before-and-afters from the infomercial, featuring women who used only the cleansing conditioner on their hair and nothing else, are pretty compelling.
I have to say I was skeptical, though eager, to try this so-called wonder product that has Hollywood starlets abuzz; I felt it would inevitably weigh my hair down, given that you have to use at least 20 pumps(!) of this stuff to get it working, and then have to leave it on for several minutes. But I was pleasantly surprised that it left my hair wonderfully moisturized yet full and soft and the shiniest I've ever seen it. The scent of the sweet almond mint is divine too: refreshing and minty, it's like an aromatherapy treatment in your shower. I've since found out you can use it as a body wash and facial cleanser too. There's no end to the benefits of this stuff. Sold!

beauty breakthrough: profound beauty desert sand

Living in a big city in the northeast means that summertime often becomes one big oven full of smog, pollution and humidity. Don't get me wrong, I adore the warm weather and all the wonderful opportunities for cute new shoes it brings – just not the hot mess of a frizzball it creates for my hair. So while a move to a more arid, desert-y climate may not be possible, I can still channel that dry desert air with Profound Beauty Atmosphere Desert Sand. A controlling gel and cream fusion product from salon brand Profound Beauty, Desert Sand works to change hair's "relative humidity" to manage it into submission, making it behave like it's somewhere else (in this case, the land of cactuses and tumbleweeds). Now, I'm often skeptical of serum-type concoctions to tame frizz as they tend to be greasy, but this one actually made my hair fuller and softer than before; it brings texture and separation without weighing hair down or making it feel "crunchy." You can run it through your hair and let it air-dry on those lazy days when you don't want to do much to it and it works equally well when you use it with a hairdryer. With Desert Sand, I now feel ready to combat summer in the city.

fixation: josie maran fingerpaints

Josie Maran will remain forever etched in my mind as the love interest of Howie D in the Backstreet Boys's monster-mash-themed video for "Everybody (Backstreet's Back)." More recently, you may have seen her four-episode stint on Dancing with the Stars or maybe, as the ubiquitous face of Maybelline cosmetics (her contract lasted for a whopping ten years.) Maran is now saying sayonara to her boy-band days, but keeping a toe-hold in the beauty industry by launching her own natural beauty line, Josie Maran Cosmetics. Natural beauty lines are a dime a dozen these days, but most are skincare-oriented; Josie's line comprises a whole host of luxury yet earth-friendly makeup – an area that's been largely untapped. Trying the multi-purpose Fingerpaints, shimmery, universally-flattering shadows which you can use on eyes, lips or cheeks, I was astonished at how well these pretty shades performed without creasing. I love that they take the guesswork out of pairing colors and go on with a simple flick of the finger, imparting a lovely iridescent glow. What's more to love: the makeup contains skin-nourishing ingredients such as argan oil, rich in essential fatty acids. Not to mention, the luxe, rosy-gold compact is, shockingly, biodegradable (I would have loved to be in the R&D meeting for that one). This Josie Maran sure is a woman of surprises.

fixation: korres body butter

My love of body butter is well-documented, and there's nary a butter I haven't loved. Part of the fun of course, is scooping up that creamy-rich goodness and slathering it on, which is great when you've the time to indulge, but us time-pressed gals know that it also involves more work (and time lost). Korres, a natural beauty line from Greece, has the answer with its new Body Butters, all housed conveniently in a sleek pump. It's got the same thick, hydrating power of a body butter – and this one, which just melts into skin, is divine – delivered with the flick of a finger. Made with sunflower, almond and avocado oils, you'd think it might be greasy, but the texture is lovely: with a mix of aloe, vitamins and antioxidants, it's smooth and softening, and not at all slippery. The Butters come in the usual mix of Korres' typically foodie ingredient scents such as fig and guava, but I'm loving the Jasmine scent, a heady floral that smells of fields of jasmine. The scent is so present, in fact, that I don't even need to wear any added fragrance and can forgo my usual perfume if needed. A solution for the time-pressed, indeed.

fixation: trish mcevoy eye base essentials

Perfect for a rainy spring day, say hello to my new best friend: Trish McEvoy Eye Base Essentials. The truth is, our relationship wasn't always jovial: I was hesitant at first about this waterproof shadow primer, thinking: 'Do I really need to add another product to my beauty routine?' But the fact of the matter is, that yes, I do need and love it. Here's why: it both intensifies your eyeshadow color and helps it stay-put longer, preventing that nasty creasing effect. The texture is wonderful - it's like a thin veil of creamy eyeshadow – and it blends amazingly well. Even it's applicator is quite novel: it's like a lipgloss tube with a spongy wand so putting it on is a breeze. The best part? You can wear it on its own for that "you-but-better" naturally fetching look. This is the first product I've tried from makeup artist line Trish McEvoy, and I'm psyched to try more.

fixation: beauty addicts glimmer sheers

You know that dewy, sheeny look you see so often on runway models' faces that looks oh-so-chic? Outside of using Vaseline on my skin (which clearly does not appeal), I had yet to find a product that delivered this kind of radiance, until now. Created by boutique beauty brand and self-proclaimed product junkies beauty Addicts, GLIMMERsheers has a highlighter cream and gel luminizer in one compact that you can apply anywhere on your face (eyes, cheekbones, lips) that you want a hint of glowy luminescence. I like to layer on the highlighter cream on my eyes from lashline to crease (I'm loving the Express shade, a lovely golden-champagne) and then follow up with the clear gel luminizer over top to really play up the radiance. Or, wear it on the cheekbones to cut a shimmering swath that's entirely runway-ready. Another thing to love: this stuff is packed with all kinds of skin-friendly ingredients such as dermaxyl to stimulate collagen production and antoxidant jojoba oil to nourish and smooth. Plus, it's entirely non-comedogenic (and I'm not sure we can say the same for petroleum jelly.) As if that weren't enough, GLIMMERsheers is nominated for a CEW Beauty Award, which annoints the most innovative beauty products of the year.

turn around bright eyes, blue mascara is back

A little while ago, you may recall I was singing the praises of blue eyeliner. Well, turns out I'm crushing on another of your favorite fear-instilling makeup trends of the 80s: blue mascara. But fear not, friends, blue mascara may look scary in the tube, but when applied only to the top lashes and with a light hand, it actually looks surprisingly subtle. Plus, blue has the added benefit of making your eyes look whiter and brighter - a big bonus for the sleep-deprived gals among us. Try it out for yourself and you'll see what I mean - you almost can't tell you're wearing it unless you look really closely, but it somehow fools the eye, creating an optical illusion of "bright-eyed and bushy-tailed." My current pick of the moment is Benefit BAD gal Blue Mascara, a deep royal blue shade with a tinge of violet added in.

fixation: MAC beauty powder blush

Don't hate me, but I've become a little blase about MAC lately. I'll chalk it up to collection fatigue, since they seem to come out with a new round of products every week – sometimes not the most wearable shades (read: bright, and verging on garrish). But occasionally, as with the stunning N Collection, they introduce something that just makes me giddy like a schoolgirl, and right now, that would be MAC Beauty Powder Blush. (They had me at "silky-fine and shot with pearl".) The colors are gorgeous and naturally flattering – from peachy-pink to browny-plum – there's probably a blush here to suit every skin tone. They're subtly shimmery, so we're not talking Mariah Carey glitter – just lovely, sheer and luminescent color. My faves: Shy Beauty, an apricot that's a ringer for Nars Orgasm, and Secret Blush, a neutral plum. Both are infused with a lovely gold pearl.

fixation: bella pella vanilla & bergamot sugar scrub

I have a thing for Earl Grey tea. But not just any Earl Grey will do: it's got to be deep-flavored and heady with citrusy bergamot, because it really is all about that lovely aroma. So anything with a hint of bergamot just makes me happy, which is why I'm loving this Vanilla & Bergamot Sugar Scrub by Bella Pella, a made-in-Canada line of handmade beauty products featuring yummy, foodie-ish ingredients. I don't think I've tried a scrub that softens as well as Bella Pella does - even my winter-ravaged feet felt smooth after using it. While it took some maneuvering to release the scrub out its container (my tub was a bit solid, so I had to chip away at it a bit to get it out), the work was worth it: this mix of white sugar blended with coconut oil and cocoa butter is super-moisturizing, and I love how the subtle natural vanilla and zesty bergamot scent softly lingers on my skin. Love the chic yet minimalist packaging too.

fixation: pop beauty eye class in brown eyes

Last week, I brought your attention to the wonder that is Pop Beauty, and as it turns out, in the words of my all-time fave Brit New Wavers Depeche Mode, I just can't get enough of this stuff. Some people go nuts for this UK brand's Eye Cakes – round rainbow pots of shadowy goodness – but I was eager to try one of their Eye Class kits ever since I noticed their Smokey Eye Kit was rated a Best in Beauty product by Allure magazine. The Eye Class Kits include a myriad of 12 eyeshadow shades designed to flatter either Green, Blue or Brown eyes (they're basically like three of the Eye Cakes in one). My brown-eyed girl kit has all the shades I could ever need - from golden peach and bronze to champagne and a really pretty soft chartreuse green I would have never picked out for myself. It also has deeper browns and charcoal for lining the eyes. While the shadows looked kind of sparkly in the kit, when you apply them they actually have a nice iridescence that's not too glimmery, but just right. And they go on smoothly and blend superbly. Plus, it all comes packaged in a chic silvery-gold metallic wallet. Class is in session.

fixation: pop beauty glow & highlight pressed radiance powder

I'm kind of obsessed with all-over face highlighters. Often, they come with a rainbow of pretty, soft-color hues, and I love the idea of swirling my powder brush across all the colors to get a lovely, made-for-me glow. And this one, by Pop Beauty, is just as pretty to look at in the tin as it is swirled across your face. With shades ranging from iridescent white, to rose, peach and gold, the beauty options are endless. This pretty cake is a multi-tasker: you can use all the colors at once for an all-over radiance, or use individual shades such as the silvery white or gold (or any of the colors, for that matter) as a shadow on your eyes to open them up. Or to warm up your complexion, use the gold and peach shades as a bronzer. It's perfect for getting the subtle, just-back-from-the-beach (i.e. tanned, yet not-tanned) look we're seeing for spring. And it's just the thing I needed to wake up my tired, winter-ravaged skin.

fixation: bioderma sensibio h20 cleanser

I'd been hearing the buzz about this culty Bioderma product for a while now: supposedly models rely on its super-gentle, non-drying formula to remove their makeup between runway shows. So, since I was in the market for a new eye makeup remover, I decided to give it a whirl. If it's good enough for supermodels, that's good enough for me, I thought. A little background: Bioderma is a French brand, and part of a growing roster of products made specifically for hyper-sensitive and intolerant skin. The Sensibio H20 Cleanser is no exception – it's soap-free, and said to cleanse without disrupting the skin's natural pH balance. I used it all over my face to remove my makeup at the end of the day and loved its one-step cleansing power; it's no-rinse, so you just swipe your face with a cotton pad and it removes both face and eye makeup in one fell swoop. What I loved most about it? It's not oily! Some eye makeup removers claim they're oil-free, but still have that greasy feel; Sensibio feels clean, but not irritating or drying - almost like you're using a high-powered water to clean your skin. One caveat: even though it's super-gentle, I'd recommend trying not to get it in your eyes as you cleanse, since it can be a bit stinging. Overall though, this stuff is a winner.

fixation: le couvent des minimes gardener's hand healer

Chapped hands are a part of life for me. Just like my trusty water bottle, I need to carry hand cream with me at all times (even in the summertime), to quench my parched and yes, callousy paws (you'd think I was a field laborer out there tilling the land or something, but my uber-dry hands are actually the result of genetics as well as a slight case of bordering-on-obsessive frequent hand-washing). That said, good, hard-working hand creams are like gold for me and my latest coveted workhorse is the Gardener's Hand Healer by Provence, France-based skincare line Le Couvent des Minimes. I know I've got a winner on my hands when I read that this was created by the Minimes sisters to protect their hands against the harsh elements while tending their gardens in France. Made with 20% shea butter, this stuff is rich, but not greasy, so my skin drinks it up, but I can still wear it during the day without the fear of the dreaded hand-to-object slip-and-slide. And the scent is lovely - a lemony verbena that makes me dream that I'm in some beautiful, lush Provencale garden. A girl can dream, right?

fixation: john masters organics citrus & neroli detangler

Mondays are rough. Most Mondays, I've either: a) been up half the night, anxiously anticipating all the work I need to catch up on, and feeling like a zombie; or b) slept right up until my clock radio goes off to the rousing sounds of ABBA, all bleary-eyed and foggy, and wishing I could go back to bed. That said, oftentimes my quadruple-morning coffee just doesn't cut it, so I turn to beauty products for a little aromatherapy help, and this morning, it was John Masters Organics Citrus & Neroli Detangler. With a dollop in my hands, I inhaled the burst of refreshing lemon, grapefruit and neroli aromas and got an instant pick-me-up. It also delivered just the right amount of conditioning to my fine hair without leaving it flat. Plus, it's certified organic, and made with only the best ingredients the earth has to offer. Now, if only I had a bottle of this stuff at my desk today to take a whiff from every and then...

fixation: cargo plantlove lipstick

One of the biggest drawbacks for some in using lipstick is that it can be drying. But my latest find, Cargo Plantlove Lipsticks, is so moisturizing, I may have to start using it as a lipbalm. Infused with meadowfoam seed oil, jojoba and shea butter, it's got a silkiness to it that feels just like you've slicked on some Burt's Bees. An added plus: the formula is entirely enviro-friendly (read: no petroleum) and even the groovy, 60s-inspired packaging is compostable (it's made of a polymer made from corn). Oh, and you can even get a pretty flower arrangement out of it, since you can plant the outer box, which is infused with seeds. What's not to love? Not a new product per se (these were launched last year), the product is now in second generation mode, with a new crop of colors designed by celebrity moms such as Denise Richards and Angie Harmon. I'm coveting Angie's Faith shade, a pretty pinky-mauve.

fixation: cargo blu-ray blush & highlighter

A good pink blush is a makeup bag must-have; the right shade can enliven your skin to where you may not need any other makeup. So when I find an amazingly natural-looking color, I hold onto it for dear life – and of course, have to spread the word. My newest find: Cargo's blu-ray Blush & Highlighter. It's a pinky-peach, universally-flattering hue similar to Nars Orgasm but with subtle flecks of iridescence that diffuse light and give a soft wash of color. The result is a healthy glow that looks like your skin, but better. Part of Cargo's new high-definition makeup line, it's supposedly infused with photochromatic pigments that adjust to light to give a natural finish. Whether this is true or not I'm not sure, but what I do know is that this is my new go-to wake-up call in a compact. It'll be available early February.

fixation: MAC plushlash mascara

If you're like me, it takes a pretty fabulous mascara to win that coveted place in my makeup bag. I've set the bar pretty high, which is why I've only ever covered two other mascaras on SugarShock. And now, I've found one that fits my desire for ever fuller, voluptuous lashes: MAC Plushlash. Even before opening the product, you kind of know this stuff is going to work wonders: the rubbery, matte black case is itself delightfully round and fat – a clue to the contents inside. Open up the mascara and witness what is quite possibly one of the chubbiest wands I've ever seen. The v-shaped wand pulls double-duty: one side lifts the lashes upwards, while the other plumps and defines. I can never remember which side does what, and it really doesn't matter because the product is foolproof. All I know is, I'm left with gorgeously full, clump-free lashes.