Having sensitive, reactive skin makes finding a good anti-aging skin serum hard. I wanted something moisturizing but not heavy. Something that will help lesson the aging process but won’t be harsh on my skin (no glycolics, please!). And I want something that’ll give me results fairly quickly instead of having to put my skin through a bad stage first. And I can safely say I have tried everything from prescription retinoids to every department and dermalogical store with very bad results (and wasted money).

Jan Marini is a name that I hear a lot in Hollywood – from facialists to actresses to magazines. But I held off because years ago I tried one of her creams that had acids in it and nearly burned my face off! But the Transformation Serum kept coming up as something I should try. So I finally did.

I love the dropper bottle; this makes getting the product easy and little waste. I use only a couple of drops for my entire (cleansed) face. I put it on morning followed by my SPF and in the evening just on its own. This has improved my skin greatly (even before the Clarisonic), adding moisturisation, even tone, reduced redness and clarity. My skin feels hydrated without feeling heavy or clogged.

Big price tag but a little goes a long way and for someone like me who can’t use a lot of creams, it’s worth every penny.

BUY AT: Skinstore (especially when they have their 20% off sales, like right now!)

I heard about the Clarisonic when it first came out on the market but I balked at the nearly $200 price tag. Especially since I have very sensitive, reactive skin that has never done well with microdermabrasion or scrubs.

But over the next year, people I knew who had beautiful or much improved skin were raving about it. People on messageboards were raving about it. Oprah raved about it. Still, I was hesitant until months of travel had left me and my skin weary and I thought I’d give it a try and forked over the money.

Money very well spent.

Within one use I noticed a difference in my skin; clearer, fresher, smoother. I kept my receipt just in case my skin flared up in the morning or later in the week but it never happened. Instead, my skin continuously kept improving – fewer blotches, dry patches, redness and no breakouts. Using this has helped me reduce my skincare regime – I just use a cleanser, serum and moisturizer. No more scrubs, no more masks, no more monthly facials. So is it worth it? I definitely think so. And if you’re not sure, buy it from a place that offers an easy return and try it out. And if you’re still nervous buy the sensitive brush attachment which is gentler on the skin. You’ll go from petting pretty to being pretty.

BUY AT: Amazon, Sephora and Nordstrom

I’m always on the search for an everyday conditioner that is lightweight yet moisturizing for my fine, knotty, curly hair. It’s been hard. Conditioners are either too heavy, leave a film, don’t get the knots, smell funky, are a million dollars or simply don’t moisturize enough. I kept searching in hope that since I was a Goldilocks, that something would eventually be just right.

And I think that something is John Masters Organics Citrus & Neorli Detangler.

I’d heard the raves on message boards about this organic, parabean-free conditioner but I had resisted it for a long time. Why? It wasn’t the $14-16 price tag for 8oz (although that didn’t help) but I think it was because I had previously had bad experience with “Green” conditioners. The smells, the film, the strange hair that came out after. But I caved and glad I did.

The first thing you’ll notice is the scent – it really is citrus and neroli. It’s fresh when you put it on but it doesn’t linger in your hair after. The next thing you’ll notice is that a little bit will go a long way. I have very long hair and I just use a small amount and this product leaves my hair virtually tangle free without being weighed down. My hair is almost downright bouncy.

And the last thing you’ll notice is that you’ll want to buy it again and again because it works. And it’s organic. And parabean free. And makes you pretty. So don’t hesitate like I did – just get it and do some good for your hair and the environment. Everyone gets pretty that way. Win win!

BUY AT: & Whole Foods.

My BFF is a famous stylist at a famous salon in Beverly Hills so needless to say, she has the most amazing hair ever. And by amazing I mean it’s soft, bouncy, shiny and just… petable. My hair? Not so much. Because it’s naturally curly and light, it tends to frizz and be on the drier side. So I turned to my BFF for hair advice and she told me to run to the nearest beauty store and pick up a tub of L’Oreal Nature’s Therapy Mega Moisture Treatment Conditioner. She said that before Fekkai came out with his own product, this cheap conditioner was making all the starlets hair camera ready – only they paid about $100 per treatment. Needless to say, I ran to the beauty store.

The concern I often have with deep treatments is that I have fine hair but a lot of it so heavy conditioners can way it down or actually make my hair worse. But after just 5 minutes of this on my hair (and I confess to really slathering it on), I felt a major difference. Once rinsed, my hair was soft and virtually tangle free (I have never known my hair to be tangle free after washing!). Once dry, my hair was soft, manageable, shiny for a blond and dare I say, petable?

Using this once a week has made such a difference that I’ve bought the little packets to take with me when I travel.

BUY AT: Amazon & Beauty Supply Stores.

I could blame genetics or insomnia but that won’t get rid of my dark, dark circles. Either will countless creams or concealers that I’ve tried – and I’ve tried them all. But just when I was about to give up on covering up those nasty circles, a makeup artist friend turned me onto Bobbi Brown Tinted Eye Brightener.

If you have the blue-ish circles like I do, this is the best concealer out there. The peachy colour looked scary in the bottle but covered up the circles beautiful. Its creamy formula means no caking and its lack of pigment means a perfect match for your skin (even for skin as fair as mine).

So I still have the same genetic code and I’m not sleeping any more but my eyes don’t show it. Looks just like I’m rested instead!

BUY AT: Bobbi Brown

One (strange) side effect of an illness I had several months ago was the loss of half my eye lashes. They either broke off in half leaving little stumps or a few in the middle disappeared altogether. And they weren’t growing back.

Desperate for some information, I discovered several lash-grower products on the market ranging from $25 to $160. And dang it, wouldn’t the best (and safest) reviews be for the most expensive – the Jan Marini Age Intervention.

As a girl in need of a few lashes, I plunked down my money. In two weeks I stopped missing the cash I’d spent because I was no longer missing eye lashes – they had grown back! And grown in longer and darker (which, for a blond girl, is quite something).

Applying the product once per night I still have a lot left (this is about 3 months later) and my eye lashes are all back to normal (and then some). Yes, it’s expensive but yes, it works. For me at least which is important – I no longer have weird spiky lashes here and there but a full set that makes it worth batting an eye.

Buy at: Skinstore

I’m not a foundation wearing girl for several reasons; I think it’s best to have great skin and not cover it up, foundation almost always looks fake, is harsh on your skin, or comes off if you do any kind of activity. Just not worth it in my opinion. However there are times when my skin needs a little somethin’ somethin’ so step in Everyday Minerals Mineral Foundation.

Now, let me say I have tried a lot of mineral foundations. Bare Escentuals always left an oily looking residue and caused my skin to react. Jane Iredel same thing. Brands from Whole Foods and other spa’s just weren’t working despite the high cost. I discovered it was all due to one ingredient: Bismuth Oxide. I read on a message board that people were loving Everyday Minerals because it did not contain this ingredient, covered really well whilst allowing the skin to breathe, looked very natural, contained a natural SPF 15 and best of all? Completely affordable!

Since Everyday Minerals offered a free (yes free!) trial kit, I decided to give it a go. Round 1 I chose the foundation in the “matte” finish and the two shades of Fair I tried turned very orange on me within an hour although the concealor did not and worked really well. So I decided to go to Round 2 and chose the Fair in the “Intensive Coverage” finish and voila! Heaven! No colour change, no skin reacting, no break outs, no fake look. Just my skin only better.

I use a concealer brush and dab it on areas that need a little concealing now and then. I’ve used it as an all over face foundation with their kabuki brush with great results, too. Their Light Pink Cheek Colour really brightens up my complexion in a very subtle way and helped me to look like I was healthy when I had a really bad flu! What I love also is that it’s a small, female-run company. Love to support that!

So if you’re up late at night watching infomercials on Mineral Makeup, instead of dialling that number try Everyday Minerals. You skin and pocketbook will thank you!

BUY AT: Everyday Minerals

Since I’ve been talking a lot about makeup, travel and bags, I thought it was only fitting to write about a product that combines all three things – the Paul & Joe Makeup Case.

These handy zipper cases (which measure 8 x 5 1/2 x 2″) fit your makeup, brushes and a few accessories perfectly without taking up too much room. With a three-ring binder attachment on the inside, you can easily snap the zippered pockets out. The inside pockets hold your brushes and mascara so conveniently there’ll be no more scrapping around a case looking for your essentials.

I find it’s the perfect size makeup travel bag; fitting easily into my suitcase as it does my everyday bag. And the colour? Finally a makeup bag that’s not your boring black!

BUY AT: Paul and Joe

Chances are, you colour your hair. Chances are, you spend good money on it. Chances are, you’ve cursed when your colour fades too soon or damages your hair. What to do? Get a good shampoo made for coloured and sensitised hair.

Working on sets in LA I noticed this in a lot of dressing rooms and, at one of the best salons in the city, this product is used exclusively and for good reason. It really does keep your colour from fading, it really does put moisture into your hair, it really does keep your scalp nice and it really does make your hair colour seem like it’s your own.

I used to use the Bain Satin for dry hair until this came out last year and now this is my shampoo of choice for every day washing. A little goes a long way because it’s so concentrated which is good because it ain’t cheap. But it’s worth it because it keeps your hair looking wonderful!

BUY AT: Fred Segal Beauty

Best anti-aging weapon? Sunscreen! I wear it every day, rain or shine, inside or out. SPF 20 for regular days, SPF 30 for long periods spent outside. The problem with wearing so much sunscreen, however, is that most of them are just too hard on your skin, making you break out or leave you with a whitish cast.

Not this.

After many, many different sunscreens I’ve been faithful to this for over a year. My skin loves it; keeps it hydrated, matte, break-out free and with no whitish film over it. A little goes a long way so this can last you for awhile. And if you wear makeup you’ll have no problem putting it on over this.

So keep your skin looking young and at it’s best by keeping it out of the sun with a little daily SPF from Skinceuticals.

BUY AT: Skinstore