The Best and Worst Beauty Products

NEW YORK (TheImproper.com)--If you're like me, you just love trying new cosmetics and beauty products. Ever since I was a little girl, I watched with fascination as my mom took scrupulous care of her skin and carefully applied makeup that transformed her from a pretty woman into a breathtaking living doll.

Skin care has come a long way in recent decades. Previously, the only effective creams were super-expensive and could only be purchased from elite dermatologists. But with mucho dinero on the line, every major beauty company is vying for a chunk of the $200-billion global cosmetics market. This ferocious competition has resulted in innovative products that are available at affordable prices.

Top Raves

Topping my list is the Oil of Olay Regenerist Microdermabrasion & Peel System, which retails at drugstores for $27. Based on a review of 80 consumers at makeupalley.com, this at-home microdermabrasion kit received an overall rating of 4.5 out of a possible score of 5. And 86% of consumers said they would repurchase the product. This easy-to-use kit left my skin velvety soft and smooth at a fraction of the cost of a professional microdermabrasion. Obviously, a procedure at the dermatologist's office provides more dramatic results, but this kit works wonders for do-it-yourself'ers like me. However, some users have complained of breakouts, so use caution if you have sensitive skin.

Another impressive performer is the Olay Regenerist Daily Regenerating Serum. This serum, which retails for $18 for a 1.7-oz. bottle, is a great daily moisturizer. It contains dimethicone, which provides a barrier to protect the skin against moisture loss and dehydration. And it goes on matte, so your face doesn't look shiny after your put it on.

A super-effective and inexpensive astringent is generic witch hazel, which you can buy for under $2 per 16-oz. bottle. Dab it on a cotton ball and glide it across your face to remove makeup or to tone your skin after--or instead of--washing your face with soap and water. And because it contains only 14% alcohol, it's mild and non-drying.

Mineral makeup is quickly replacing liquid foundation in many women's makeup routines. Because these are available as pressed or loose powders, they look more natural than liquid foundation and don't make you look like you're wearing a mask. My favorite is Physicians Formula Mineral Wear Face Powder, which retails for $13. This powder got a rating of 4.1 out of 5 from 56 consumers, with 85% saying they would repurchase. And because this powder is mineral- and not talc-based, it has a superfine texture and won't look chalky.

Top Rants

One thing I've learned over the years is that expensive does not mean better. One of the most overrated skin products is Creme de la Mer Moisturizing Cream. This cream retails for $110 per 1-oz. jar. The irony is that it's 44% Vaseline--one of the cheapest moisturizers around! Having been one of those fools who fell for its hype, I was disappointed that putting this on my face was like spreading on spackle. Plus, this cream is just too rich for most people's complexions, and can cause breakouts because of the high concentration of grease...er, I mean,...petroleum jelly.

Another dismal performer is StriVectin SD Cream. This was originally marketed to diminish stretch marks--but lo and behold!-some obscure scientist somewhere, no doubt in tandem with a clever ad agency, discovered that StriVectin also fights wrinkles "better than Botox," according to its ads. And so a new holy-grail cream was born. The only problem is, the stuff doesn't work. I paid $135 for a 6-oz. tube of the cream, which smelled funny and felt like Ben Gay. And others agree: The cream got a dismal 2.5 rating out of 5 from 33 consumers, and only 44% said they would repurchase it.

So the moral is, while there are some truly effective beauty products out there, a lot of them are merely clever marketing ploys. Remember that cosmetics companies play on our collective insecurities in order to market their overpriced products. Do some research before shelling out big bucks for those "miracle creams." It's important to look good, but no one looks good with egg on their face.

Samantha Chang is the executive editor of The Improper, a lifestyle magazine in NYC. A business and lifestyle journalist for 12 years. Samantha writes about personal finance, fashion and health/fitness. Visit her out at http://www.theimproper.com