Battle of the Lip Exfoliators: MAC vs Leaf and Rusher

BellaSugar — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 08:00:36 -0700

Pretty lips are healthy lips, but most people deal with the occasional bout of chapped lips. When Chapstick isn't enough to smooth your lips, they simply need good exfoliation. You can use a warm, damp washcloth to scrub away dry skin, but when you're away from home, turn to a lip exfoliator to get rid of the flakies. I've compared two of my favorites, MAC Prep + Prime Microfine Lip Refinisher and Leaf and Rusher Tx Lips. To compare and contrast (and to see which one is a favorite in the Jolie-Pitt household), read more.

	Prep + Prime	Tx Lips	Advantage
Scent	MAC's signature vanilla scent	Nothing strong; vaguely sugary.	MAC, no contest.
Best for	Exfoliating and conditioning dry lips before lipstick application, or as a balm on its own.	An overnight treatment for parched, flaky lips.	MAC
Odd but true	Resembles the Sears Tower.	Brad Pitt's a fan.	Leaf and Rusher. Love ya, Chicago, but... it's Brad Pitt.
Pluses	Swivel packaging creates no-mess application.	A little bit goes a long way.	It's a draw. MAC's packaging is neater, but Tx Lips lasts forever.
Drawbacks	Leaves little black bits on your lips, which makes it look like you've just devoured a top-soil sandwich.	Leaves sticky sugar particles on your fingers, necessitating paw wipeage.	Leaf and Rusher. At least sugar crystals are clear.
Results	Prep + Prime leaves lips smooth, plump, and silky.	Tx Lips exfoliates the worst of the flaky lips, but it's not as moisturizing.	MAC.
Price	$14.50	$21	MAC, obviously.

Beauty Mark It! Acne Spot Treatments

BellaSugar — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 17:29:36 -0700

Even the healthiest skin is prone to getting pimples. Usually, they sprout just in time for an important event like a job interview or first date. Nice, huh? During such times, I rely on a spot treatment to beat those zits into submission. Most of them, like Leaf and Rusher Acne Serum Tx, contain salicylic acid, and you dab them only on the blemish-not on your entire face. (For more on salicylic acid's uses, read on.)

For this week's Beauty Mark It challenge, I'd like to find out which acne spot treatments you like best. You can share your suggestions by tagging your choices with the phrase "acne spot." I'll feature the readers' favorites on BellaSugar next Tuesday, October 16.

To learn about Beauty Mark It Challenges and to see how to add your picks, click here. To see some of my favorite online beauty stores, read more

Saks Beauty Place
Victoria's Secret Beauty
Sephora
Drugstore.com
Fred Segal Beauty
Folica
Strawberrynet.com
Nordstrom
Bergdorf Goodman
Beauty.com