Bella Brand

At the end of 2004, Southern Californian Michelle Olsen decided to launch her own beauty brand that has evolved into what we now know as 'Tini Beauty. The concept was inspired by Michelle's love of cocktails and has its own unique twist — everything is layerable. Much how like you can blend your own ingredients to create your own signature drink, all of the items can be mixed and matched to customize your nail and lip colors.

Nailtini contains nail lacquers in 22 colors, two mixer shades in white and black (which can be used as a base coat to lighten or darken the polish), nine toppers, and a base coat. Also, new for Summer is the Margarita collection, which contains three shades of Rita (Classic, Mango, and Strawberry) and Sugar Rum (sparkling clear) topper.

Liptini contains 12 lipsticks, 11 topper glosses, 10 lip and cheek stains, five shimmer stains, and six mixer pencils that can you can apply as a base to help alter any of the lip colors. The most interesting to me are Banana Flip, a bight yellow creamy pencil that can warm up or cool down a lip tone and Ice Water, a lip balm in a pencil form that makes any of the lip products appear more sheer. I think this idea is fun and is something that you and your girlfriends could play around with together. Do you think you'd be interested in becoming a makeup mixologist?

A few months ago, I talked to you a little about the mineral- and vitamin-enriched waters of Hungary. They are believed to obtain natural and powerful healing properties that keep skin looking young, taught, and plump. In fact, in the 14th century, Queen Elizabeth of Hungary had such beautiful skin that at the age of 60, she married a 30-year-old man (and as the story goes, he thought they were the same age — although I'm guessing he was all about flattery rather than honesty, but whatever).

I also told you about a few Hungarian beauty brands, but one in particular, called Omorovicza, has become increasingly popular and is now available in London, Ireland, and the US. Although the products from Budapest don't come cheap, after testing them out, I found them to be nothing short of miraculous.

Omorovicza was developed a little less than two years ago by an American woman and her Hungarian husband, Stephen Omorovicza. There are 16 products in the skin-care collection that range from cleansers to treatment items. Each of the products contain 22 minerals, plus Vitamin C (with no added chemicals). They have a soothing rosemary and lavender scent and prices range from $75 — $260. The peacock, the symbol also on the Omorovicza family crest is apparent on the all-white, serene packaging, and when you purchase a product, a peacock feather adorns your bag. Call it a gimmick, but what can I say, I love it.

I've heard that the brand is gaining popularity in the A-list crowd, and celebrities such as Laura Linney and Daniel Craig (James Bond) are mad about the deep cleansing mud mask. I was most impressed by the self-heating thermal cleansing balm since it's smooth, invigorating, and black in color. But then again, I'm also a sucker for all things thermal. Do you think you could develop a hunger for Hungarian beauty products?

I love discovering small, made-by-hand bath and body products. The latest find: Panhandle Girl, an operation out of Savannah, Georgia. The vegan-friendly and paraben-free line features soaps, scrubs, creams, and balms, all featuring fragrant essential oils.

The star product of this line is the soap (about $5 to $6.50 each). Each batch is hand-mixed and hand-poured, and the ingredient list features things you'll recognize: olive oil, coconut oil, water, and essential oils. They're incredibly fragrant, but not in a headache-inducing way. My favorite is Doc Love ($6.25), which has a light patchouli scent balanced by orange and lemon essential oils. Plus, $1 from each sale of this variety is donated to animal rescue organizations, a cause that Minou and I can get behind!

Some girlfriends and I were talking about skin care products over dinner, and one of them, who recently moved from Los Angeles, was cooing over the brand Arcona. She swears by the cranberry gommage, kiwi resurfacing peel and white tea daily face cleanser and credits her shiny, taught skin to being brand-loyal for the past year.

Another one of the girls has been using the products (based on her recommendation) for the past few weeks and her skin looks so revived, that I thought I'd research the brand myself. Hey, if my friends love it, and Lindsay Lohan does too — it must be fab!

Arcona was developed in Hollywood 19 years ago by a former chemist and holistic skin care practitioner. The 92 product-range is formulated with natural, cosmeceutical-grade ingredients containing high concentrations of antioxidants, vitamins, plant extracts, marine vegetables and essential oils that penetrate the deep layers of the skin. The ingredients are cold-pressed (key for keeping the nutrients active and effective), and are free of parabens, sodium lauryl sulfate and fragrance. The brand promotes a five-step program tailored to the needs of your skin.

I tried a sample of the peptide moisturizer and really liked the light smell. It's not too thick, not too milky, it absorbs into the skin well and it works great for day and night. I haven't tried anything else yet, but I can't wait for my next trip to LA to check out the studio. Are you interested in trying Arcona?

Justin Hickox has grown up with hair. As the son of a hairstyling couple, he's been around it all his life — so it's no wonder that he's opened his own studio in Portland, OR. Using so many styling products on a daily basis, he had a hunch that he could improve upon many of the formulas. And that's just what he did.

The Hickox Studio line is small, but it doesn't mess around. The star of the line is his Styling Cream ($19), which is, he claims, an improvement upon Bumble & Bumble's coveted and similarly named product that changed its formula a couple of years back. It also includes two different styling waxes, a volume-boosting foam, curl products, and a thermal protecting spray.

To see what I thought of a couple of the products, read more

When self-proclaimed rock n' rollers at heart Jennifer and Anthony Artur opened their Philly boutique, A Beautiful Life, they wanted to provide customers with a unique shopping experience that included high-end skincare and cosmetics.

A licensed esthetician, Jennifer used her extensive knowledge of skin care and her near obsession with quality to create her own line of cosmetics. "We wanted a makeup line that would be rockstar enough for us, yet approachable enough for any woman," she told me. "We carry very exclusive lines and saw an opportunity to create something that would be able to be stand up in that kind of company." The end result is a collection of sophisticated yet edgy colors presented in colorful, tattoo-inspired packaging that has already earned the attention of Jennifer Garner, Alyssa Milano, and Nigella Lawson.

To see what I thought of the products themselves, including one that I am positively smitten with, read more

Lindi Skin has pioneered a breakthrough genre in beauty called Onocosmetics. The line of skin care and bath and body products is designed to help alleviate some of the skin-related side effects that radiation and chemotherapy patients experience.

According to The American Cancer Society, one out of every three American women will have some type of cancer at some point during their lifetime. A great number of people who are diagnosed complain of sensitivity, dryness, flakiness and loss of elasticity in their skin. Founder Lindy Snider started the company after witnessing two close friends struggle with the side effects that cancer treatment had on their skin. When their regular grooming products did nothing to alleviate the symptoms, she began working with cancer patients, researchers, and physicians to create products to help.

Lindi Skin products have been formulated without any irritants, to help soothing and nourish sensitive skin. They solely contain plant-based ingredients with anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, and anti-bacterial properties. And they're specifically designed in a way that won't interfere with any cancer-fighting medications. I think that if you were battling something as traumatic as cancer, it would be comforting to know that your skin wouldn't be troubled further.

For a full list of products and prices in the collection, read more

When expectant mother Kim D’Amato was told to avoid the toxic fumes of nail salons during her pregnancy, she decided that rather than forgo manicures for nine months, she would create a line of non-toxic, soy-based polishes. And so Priti Organic Spa and Priti Polish was born.

The polishes are free of formaldehyde, toluene and DBP, and the polish remover does the job using just corn, soy, orange, and vegetable oils. The colors come in a surprisingly wide range for such a small boutique brand, with some really gorgeous deep reds and pinks. But it's not just traditional shades; look for trendy hues such as the pale turquoise Mermaid Blue, the sparkly orangey gold Treasure Island, or the pale sheer yellow Laura Desert Peony.

At $12.50 a pop, they are a little pricey, but I bet for an expectant mom or anyone who wants to steer clear of scary nail polish ingredients, it's worth it.

I've just learned about a relatively new, natural, and organic fragrance brand called Tsi~La Organics (pronounced chee-la). Founders Annie Morton and Natalie Szapowalo have a background in beauty, an education in natural health sciences and aromatherapy, and a love for fragrances. This foundation is what inspired them to create a line of good-for-you products made from essential oils, botanicals, and exotic butters that won't harm your body when they are absorbed through your skin and into your bloodstream.

The product line includes six eaux de parfum ($45–$85), and the duo is about to launch a hair perfume and a skin-care line. My favorite scent is Fleur Sauvage, a sexy and feminine blend of tuberose and jasmine.

For a description of each of the natural fragrances from TSI~LA , read more

I recently discovered Pin Up Balm, a line of eight lip balms that come in nifty sliding metal tins, each decked with a different retro pin-up girl. The line includes flavors to appeal to both your sexy and sweet sides (after all, isn't that what this month is all about?).

I am always a sucker for a tart citrus scent, and the Love That Lemonade balm delivers just that. For those of you who have a sweeter tooth, you might prefer the decadent Mocha Loca Chocalata or Voluptuous Vanilla.

What's really refreshing about these balms is that the ingredients are totally straightforward: Avocado Oil, Beeswax, Apricot Kernel Oil, Vitamin E, and flavor. That's it! Nothing scary or unpronounceable, and better yet, they're not tested on animals. So retro, so cute—and at just $4 each, they'll add a little sauciness to your routine without breaking the bank.