It seems like every week there is a new must have beauty product. Our mothers and grandmothers relied on a Dove Bar and Ponds Cold Cream but there is always a new miracle cure for our generation. The beauty buzzword these days is Serum. Every magazine and blog you read and every skin care line has a new serum to rave about.

But what is a serum? Do we need it? Or is it just another layer in your skin care routine? What’s the difference between a serum and a moisturizer? And do we layer them? If so, which one goes on first? We asked the experts and here is what they had to say:

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We’ve been mineral makeup mavens since day one, starting with Paula Dorf’s professional line used by dermatologists, plastic surgeons and estheticians to soothe and protect inflamed skin after cosmetic procedures. Bare Escentuals was largely responsible for selling the product concept to mainstream consumers, and suddenly every beauty company was jumping on the bandwagon. Unfortunately, mass production became the name of the game.

A picture of Aromaleigh founder, Kristen Leigh Bell

Lately we find the best formulated products come from artisanal brands such as Aromaleigh. Since 1998, this independent online company has been micro-formulating its proprietary blends with the finest grade pigments, natural ingredients and botanicals. Aromaleigh products do not contain micronized ingredients or nano-particles.

Most products are micro-formulated by one extremely hands-on woman, company founder Kristen Leigh Bell. Kristen also maintains the website, makes the labels and-with a little help from her friends-packs the jars and ships the orders. There is no middleman, no advertising and no fancy packaging, all of which enables Aromaleigh to offer the highest-grade cosmetics at very affordable prices.

Being very fair-skinned, we were thrilled to find out that the palest of pale foundation shades are the specialty of the house. Aromaleigh offers a true matte foundation powder without Bismuth oxychloride in 31 shades and variable coverage. Special mention goes to cult favorite “Coquille Illuminating Corrective Powder” in “Lilas,” which imparts a subtle romantic pallor when used as an all-over finishing powder. Product prices range from about $13 to $17.

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So I finally gave in. I tried to stand my ground. I tried to make the fiscally responsible decision. But after much deliberation and many failed attempts at duplicating it, I had to give in. What decision carried so much weight, you ask? Well, whether to plunk down the cash for a $23 bottle of Chanel Particuliere, of course.

$23 is more than reasonable for a blush, very inexpensive for a bronzer and just right for an eye shadow, but I try to keep my polish budget to OPI and Essie levels. Besides, I’ve never been a fan of Chanel‘s nail polish formula. I have always found it runny and chip-prone. But after trying every “close enough” shade (Hello! Essie “Mink Muffs”, Sally Hansen Complete Manicure “Commander in Chic” and even Shades by Barielle “Putty On Me”) nothing compares to the original. The warm mushroom taupe shade has no duplicate. Believe me I tried! By the time I made up my mind to splurge – Particuliere was sold out at Macy’s Herald and every other store I looked. So I ordered it online for all of its $23 (plus $7 for shipping) and it is so worth it.

I mean, ladies IT IS WORTH IT! The usual runny formula is so nice and thick. It applies evenly without streaks and dries incredibly shiny. And the color! Oh my, the color is fantastic! It’s a mix of taupe and mushroom and grey and makes all of the “close enough” shades nowhere near “close enough.” Now trust me, if you haven’t gotten your Particuliere yet, head on over to www.chanel.com before it sells out.

-Catia Carvalho Trooskin

I once walked into the beauty department of a “high-end” department store in China and saw Olay and Revlon sold in the beauty department behind a glass case. It always amazes me how brands can be so different depending on the country you’re in. Lumene is one of those brands that crosses over in that way. The Finnish brand is sold in department stores in Europe but you can find it at drugstores in the US. I always feel like I hit the jackpot when that happens – like I just scored a pair of Miu Miu platforms at TJMaxx. So it was with great pleasure that I accepted the task of testing and reviewing Lumene.

Now I admit that I am usually a little wary of testing skin care. I am afraid of strange red spots and allergies to unknown substances. Especially since it seems my 30′s (unlike my acne-prone teens and 20′s) is my good skin decade. I did not want to upset the balance and clarity that my skin has been experiencing, but I sacrificed in the interest of research and beauty reporting, of course.

I started with the Lumene Vitamin C+ Protecting Day Cream SPF 15 a moisturizing cream for all skin types that uses Arctic cloudberry – a small berry that has 2 times the vitamin C of an orange. Lumene products use ingredients grown in the Arctic. According to Lumene – plants grown in the arctic become more powerful than plants grown in any other area of the world – which makes the ingredients in Lumene products highly effective. $19.99

The Sensitive Touch Daily Moisture Cream was created to reduce redness and tightness and support the skin’s ability to protect itself against irritants. The formula was developed along with the Finnish Allergy and Asthma Federation and is free of mineral oils, parabens, alcohol, silicones and fragrance. The cream uses Arctic Linen Seed -which has healing powers and helps to reduce redness. $19.99.

Time Freeze Instant Lift Serum uses another Arctic ingredient – white peat – a Lumene exclusive ingredient that helps skin to keep its youthful firmness. Another ingredient is Finnish heather – an antioxidant that moisturizes skin and helps with skin pigmentation. White peat is delivered via nanoparticles, which help ingredients to preserve effectiveness while releasing ingredients in measured doses into the top layers of skin. $21.99

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Over the past few months, I’ve noticed a lot more soaps in the beauty aisle. We’ve already blogged about Clarins’ Gentle Beauty Soap, and now we’ve moved onto something a bit brighter: the Erno Laszlo Blue Firmamine Treatment Bar.

This is a firming FACE soap for dry to oily skin and its purpose is to release ingredients gradually over time, to strengthen the skin’s barrier. Why is this bar such a delicious, delicious blue? It’s such a cool color that I imagine the shores of Aruba, the cool color of Listerine, the tint of a pure Montana sky…

I am someone so vividly attracted to color and packaging. Remember how I was raving about MAC’s Liberty of London? I loved the packaging itself (and the shades were extra icing on the cake). So naturally, I was intrigued by the bonanza of coolness of the Erno Laszlo Firmamine bar.

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I’m optimistic that spring is almost at my doorstep. It can arrive any which way it wants – by carriage, horseback, buggy or segue — as long as it just COMES. And we are loving these soft, baby-pink almost too innocent shades from the MAC Spring Color Forecast 1 Makeup Line, including the Nail Lacquer Swatch in Pink Wave.

Pink is not just for bud roses and magnolias – it’s for your lips and nails too. What do you think of these shades?

MAC Glaze Lipstick in “Bubblegum”

MAC Lipglass in Electric Fuschia

MAC Nail Lacquer in “Pink Wave”

- Swatches by Catia Carvalho Trooskin

When I heard that Tom Ford was going to start his own lipstick line, my first thought was that the product would be so sensual yet provocative of a very classy style that he is famous for. And the lipstick line (12 shades in total), will be called Private Blend Lip Color (which is part of the Estee Lauder Private Blend Franchise — remember those delicious Private Blend fragrances put together by Aerin Lauder?).

It’s his modern take on universally flattering lipstick shades and the packaging too is unsurprisingly elegant: an ivory case with gold accents.

The formulation of the lipstick is with soja seed extract, Brazilian murumuru butter and chamomilla flower oil designed for creamy application and the lipstick willl retail for $45 each.

Now, to the main question. Would you pay $45 for a lipstick? Granted, that’s the price I pay for a month’s worth of Starbucks Soy Venti Lattes or at least two pairs of shoes from Payless and the truth is I get all my fave lipsticks from MAC Cosmetics already.

But the idea of owning a “universally flattering” and “Tom Ford” lipstick shade kind of appeals to me. It’s my chance to get a piece of makeup real estate from a designer whom I adore, and because I know it will look simply sporting on my vanity.

Would I buy all 12 of the universally flattering shades? Well, if one shade is universally flattering, then that pretty much is all you need, right?

The lipstick will hit U.S. shores on June 1st and will be available in all the usual suspect stores (Neiman, Saks, Bergdorf’s).

- Charu Suri

Our “Blogger-Publicist” Marriage series continues this week with an interview from Jenna Muller, Director of Communications for Phyto Haircare, Lierac Skincare and Caron Fragrances. Thank you Jenna, for these invaluable tips!

1. What made you want to get into beauty publicity?

JM: I’ve always loved magazines, especially reading the beauty and fashion pages. So when I graduated college, I started my career in fashion and accessories PR. Fashion PR is a bit more fast paced, so when I was given the opportunity to work in beauty 6½ years ago, I jumped at the chance, and have been here ever since! The more I learned about the industry, the more I loved it. Investing in your beauty routine is the perfect complement to an outfit. Whether you get a new haircut, buy a new lipstick, or just get a massage, with just a minimal investment you can feel beautiful inside and out.

2. What is one of your most favorite blogger anecdotes?

JM: Here’s a great social media story. The scenario: I just joined Twitter. While I was commuting to work one morning, I decided to check out all of the tweets on my BlackBerry. I noticed one of my favorite bloggers was heading to a new salon we just opened in DC that same morning. I tweeted her back to say hi and mentioned that I was happy to set her up with a Phyto treatment during her visit (which wasn’t even why she was going in the first place!) But it turns out, she was able to experience the treatment and even gave us a wonderful review that same week! It’s amazing what can happen within a few minutes. The quick turnaround is the beauty of a blog.

3. Did you expect blogs to be such a big force as they are now?

No, not at all! Blogs and social media are taking the world by storm! I grew up learning “traditional” PR tactics and pitching which didn’t include bloggers. It’s quite impressive how far the blogosphere has come. It’s also exciting to watch and be a part of as well. I learn something new every day.
4. Name one big blogger DON’T.

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At over $20 a pop, department store nail lacquers are pricey enough to obliterate our weekly grocery budget. Essie and OPI? Buh-bye vodka martinis, hello free glass of water. So in the mission to achieve the perfect budget-friendly manicure, we’ve discovered Wet n’ Wild MegaLast Nail Color.

We know what you’re thinking…Wet n’ Wild? As in, prime makeup product applied circa 1997 while obsessing over Dawson Leery and Joey Potter’s love affair? Yes, that’s the one, but it’s not for junior high school kids anymore. At $1.99 a bottle, MegaLast Nail Colors are recession friendly and cheap enough that you can load up on a variety of colors. But do they look as high quality as the top brands?

We’ve found that while one coat is far too sheer, two coats of any of the colors provides a professional-looking manicure. While claiming they last 5 days may be pushing it, we’ve had the same success with Wet n’ Wild’s MegaLast as much higher priced products, so we’re satisfied. Check out the color swatches below!

Under Your Spell: With the deep color of black cherries, we were instantly drawn to this shimmering burgundy and purple fusion for a night on the town

Through The Grapevine: A rich, muted berry-purple shade that that’s fun and flirty

Undercover: A muted pink that’s an ideal shade for serious work environments

Tropicalia: A neon-pink coral with a hint of orange that’s straight out of a 1980′s music video

Caught Red-Handed: The traditional va-va-voom cherry red

2% Milk: Appropriately titled, this peachy cream is straight from the dairy

Haze of Love: A deep, rich burgundy-purple that’s lighter and more muted than Under Your Spell

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It’s spring and that means many things, among them, new fragrances. Spring brings a raft of new launches each year. It’s time to break out the lighter and brighter to match the hopefully sunnier days. Here’s a preview of just a few that are hitting the store shelves this month.

Eternity Summer 2010- Each year Calvin Klein Fragrances tweaks some of it’s most popular scents for a summer version. This year’s Eternity Summer 2010 is an aquatic, light floral. There’s a hint of sweetness with the grapefruit note in the beginning and then the florals, predominately Freesia come along. By the drydown a little soft musk joins in. It’s a very fresh scent that reminds of laundry hung outside to dry on a crisp day. (Note- this year’s version is different than last years.)

Annick Goutal Ninfeo Mio- If you ever wanted to walk and smell your way through a garden in Italy, then Ninfeo Mio is your ticket without the plane ride. Inspired by the Italian gardens of Ninfa, near Rome, Ninfeo Mio is a scent of green stem notes, a very dry not sweet citrus and ripe fig. The fig is very light here, this is definitely a green scent, and is unisex. Lasting power on this is excellent which is unusual for a citrus type scent. Truly refreshing and uplifting, and just bit different.

Memoire Liquide Fleur Liquide- This new line of perfumes from the ladies behind custom blend line Memoire Liquide, came out last fall but are just starting to get legs. The whole line is beautiful but Fleur Liquide with it’s main notes of Orange Blossom, Mimosa and Night Blooming Jasmine recalls sunny days in the tropics. Very floral, and predominately an orange blossom scent, if this doesn’t say summer, very little does.

Balenciaga Paris- The new, hotly anticipated Balcenciaga perfume is a violet chypre. It is mostly violet and a very green violet. There is no powder, no sweetness, and the chypre aspect falls a bit into the background. The Oakmoss is there though, even if not strongly and a faint metallic edge is in there too. It’s different from most of what’s out there and if you love violet, then this may just be your spring scent of choice.

Philosophy Field Of Flowers- Philosophy has had a Field of Flowers 3 in 1 shower gel and a matching lotion for some time. Now they will release in April a matching perfume. Philosophy always makes very soft but pretty scents that are never overpowering. Field of Flowers is a whispered breath of spring with its main note of peony.

- By Diane from The Beauty Alchemist