The fact that Allure named Veet's Ready to Use Wax Strips for Face + Bikini an "Editors' Favorite" has me scratching my head. I received a box of these in an CEW event gift bag and finally mustered up the courage to try them on my barely-there facial hair today.

The Veet strips simple to use...I'll give them that. You simply heat the strips between your hands, separate them, rub on skin in the direction of hair growth and tug off quickly in the opposite direction. Unfortunately, the wax strip removed little to no actual hair and just left my sensitive skin flaming red and irritated. In short, an epic FAIL of the beauty variety.

Thankfully, I dabbed a bit of Bikini Rescue on a cotton ball and the gentle, alcohol-free formulation soothed my inflamed skin.

If I haven't convinced you and you'd still like to try the Veet strips, you can find them at drugstores nationwide. Be sure to snag a bottle of Bikini Rescue while you're at it. It retails for $32 at Henri Bendel or other fine retailers.

When I want my hair to be straight, it's curly; when I want my hair to be curly, it's a mess somewhere in the middle. But frizz no more! Ouidad Botanical Boost spray-in conditioner tames my unruly locks. A few spritzes while my hair is still wet lets me walk out the door (within 5 minutes I must add) confident that I'll arrive at my next destination with silky smooth curls. If you've got frizzy curls or hair that's somewhere between straight and curly, this product is a must-have.

$16.00 @ www.ouidad.com

-Alessandra Cappellino, Curly-Haired Guest Blogger

I'm a traditionalist when it comes to hair removal. Regardless of season, I don't have the pain tolerance or budget for waxing, depilatories stink (literally and figuratively) and epilators are basically torture devices with AA batteries. Thus, razors it is.

My very fave razor is the Schick Quattro for Women. It's been on shelves for a year or two now and I'm proud to say I was an early adopter in this arena. It's got a flexible head to reach curves (I seem to have more and more of those daily), a moisturizing strip and four sharp blades that deliver an ultra-close shave with no irritation.

I use mine for head to toe hair removal. Get yours at drugstores nationwide. For more info, visit www.quattroforwomen.com.

Have you tried the Quattro? Is it your fave or do you prefer another? Leave a comment and let us know what you think!

New York Times reporter Natasha Singer is highly respected in the beauty arena and has built a tough reputation among brands and publicists. She continued the trend of telling it like it is (can we really call that a trend? I certainly hope not) with a discussion-provoking feature on Estee Lauder and the 40 pages of coverage for the brand in the July issue of Harper's Bazaar.

Apparently, to coincide with the launch of Lauder's first ever woody-amber fragrance, Sensuous, Harper's Bazaar supported their advertiser with a cover for EL spokesperson Gwyneth Paltrow and a well feature that also included Elizabeth Hurley, Carolyn Murphy and Hilary Rhoda. All four models also star in the advertising campaign for Sensuous.

Certainly, the relationships between magazines and their advertisers have long raised a brow among savvy consumers, but does Estee Lauder's coverage in Harper's Bazaar cross a line? What do you think? Did you even notice?

Abrupt changes in climate (in the summer, this can mean something as simple as stepping out of the ocean and back on to the steamy sand), low temps combined with low humidity and aging can all contribute to pesky skin dryness. The parent company of may-jah brands (sorry, Victoria!) like Olay, Pantene, Secret and Cover Girl, Procter & Gamble, is aiming to defeat dryness with science and technology.

Dubbed 'Aquacurrent Science,' P&G's R&D team was inspired by the discovery of aquaporins, which are proteins consisting of tiny micro-channels embedded in the skin cell walls underneath the skin's surface. The team's learnings and research are incorporated in new products including CoverGirl's AquaSmooth Compact Makeup, which deposits moisturizer niacinamide into the top layer of skin. That may not mean much when you hear it, but the foundation applies beautifully and feels fantastically moisturizing. Whether you can find a match is another story for another day or another post...

Another must-try is the Olay Quench Deep Moisture Body Lotion & Mousse. Using Air Infusion Technology, the light and airy mousse absorbs quickly and leaves skin super soft. I'm also digging Secret's new Flawless Touch with Olay. The antiperspirant/deodorant uses petrolatum to moisturize delicate underam skin, all while keeping you dry.

The full range of P&G Aquacurrent Science products should be hitting drugstore and mass shelves from now through August. If you've tried any of the products, please leave a comment with your thoughts!

Like most beauty lovers, I'm a big fan of Essie Weingarten and the Essie Cosmetics line of nail polish. In fact, I'm sporting Style.berry , a gorgeous fruit punch shade, on my toes right now! The New York Times had a fab feature on the entrepeneur yesterday and here's a choice quote:

"I want people to forget about the 'R' word," she said the other day, referring to forecasts of a recession, "and to smile when they see all these bright, fun colors." She was speaking about her new Neon collection, which, as with all her nail polishes, and like more and more polishes these days, comes with eye-catching names.

To read the full story, click here!

It's tough to find a great eye cream these days. They're either super heavy and greasy or they don't moisturize the delicate eye are enough. NUDE's Advanced Eye Complex strikes a perfect balance, thankfully.

This chicly packaged eco-friendly eye cream is formulated with milk peptides to stimulate collagen production and acacia to instantly lift the skin. It's light in texture and sinks into skin very quickly, without leaving behind any oily residue. The Advanced Eye Complex is quite pricy at $108 per 0.5 oz bottle but you just need a small amount to do the trick.

To purchase, check out Barneys stores or www.sephora.com.