I’m very skeptical about the marketing babble around beauty products because most of the time, the products do not deliver the promised results. Philosophy’s Microdelivery Peel, however, was a huge surprise. I was expecting to be disappointed but I ended up with a very smooth, soft face. The results are so impressive that I decided I did not need foundation after a session with this product.

It’s very easy to apply: you start with the yellow crystal paste which is in the jar. You massage it gently for a minute, then add the clear liquid which creates a foamy cream on your face. Gently massage some more for a couple of minutes and leave it on for another minute or two. After you wash it all off, you are left with beautiful skin.

You can buy Philosophy products at Sephora and any major department store, or you can go to Beauty.com which does not charge shipping or sales tax.

I can’t believe no one thought of this sooner. Mypressi TWIST is a portable espresso maker for people who want to have good coffee wherever they are, even in a location infested with Starbucks coffee outlets. According to the mypressi website, “the TWIST requires no external power to produce single or double shots from either fresh ground coffee or ESE pods. Just put in the ground coffee or pod, pour in some hot water and pull the trigger. Seconds later you can enjoy a perfect espresso extraction. Clean-up is just as easy: give the TWIST a quick rinse and you’re done.”

You can go online and order it now for $169 at http://shop.mypressi.com/.

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Fall is just around the corner. You can feel the chill in the evening air. With the cold and dry weather, we need to nourish our skin a little bit more and pamper ourselves as the days get shorter and the darkness falls upon us.

Here are my shopping picks of the day: the theme is nourishing and revitalizing. I have used these products and recommend them wholeheartedly.

1. REN Bath Oil, Moroccan Rose Otto: Soaking for a long time in the bath really dehydrates the skin. So you must add bath oil. This one smells lovely and leaves your skin feeling soft. Unlike other rose-scented products on the market, this one does not smell harsh and overwhelming.

2. Avene Cleanance Soap-free Facial Gel Cleanser: I’ve been using Avene products for years when I was living in Europe. You couldn’t get them in the US in the past, but that’s changed. Beauty.com now carries Avene’s products, which are great for sensitive skin.

Avene targets this soap-free cleanser to people who have oily, blemished and sensitive skin but I’ve used it and my skin is combination and not blemished. Unlike other companies’ products which strip oily skin and inflame it even more, this one does the opposite. The price is very affordable.

3. Decleor Aromessence Neroli Comforting Concentrate: I love Decleor products and this one is my favorite in the winter time. It’s a pure oil that you apply sparingly all over your face, neck, hands, wherever your skin feels dehydrated and raw.

4. Eve Lom Cleanser: This is not your typical cleanser. But it takes off ALL makeup, including the most waterproof mascara and long-lasting lipstick. What is so different about this cleanser:

• It is an thick, opaque paste that you apply to your face, spread around and massage. You take the muslin cloth that comes with it, soak it in warm water and use it to take off all of the paste. The stuff turns into a milky white fluid when it comes in contact with water (similar to oil cleansers).
• The smell of the cleanser is quite awful — reminds me of motor oil — but you get used to it. It’s a small price to pay for the result: a clean, smooth face that does not feel tight.
• Used over several nights, you will find that your skin feels softer and smoother.

I used to go to the Eve Lom skincare salon in London for my facials. Alas, Eve Lom has no salon here in San Francisco. Eve Lom’s products are sold in the Space NK boutique in Bloomingdales if you want to check them out before buying online (Beauty.com carries the range of Eve Lom products). This is the best cleanser you will ever use. It comes in a small jar and a larger one, the latter being more economical.

5. Jimmyjane Ember, Natural Emollient Massage Candle, Lapsang + Lychee:  Jimmyjane makes the most unusual candles. This one has a gorgeous lapsang-lychee scent which is quite exotic. It’s a regular scented candle but you blow it out and drizzle the warm wax over your body. When heated, the wax liquefies into high-slip massage oil that softens and hydrates the skin.

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