Even though I have dozens of purple, blue and green eye shadows in my makeup kit, day after day I reach for beige and tan. Those jewel-toned shades sure are pretty to look at, but they're intimidating as hell to actually wear.

When I came across Giorgio Armani Beauty Eye Tints, $38, I wanted to add them to my collection purely for the eye candy factor. But when I tried them on, I realized just how special they are. They start out liquid but dry to a powdery finish that can't be smudged. (Toss all concerns about green streaks on your cheeks out the window.) And while the colors are vibrant, you can control the intensity -- or even use them as liners if you're scared of the full-on-color look. Plus, of the 12 shades about half fall into the beige-gold-neutral category. But good luck resisting the siren song of the jewel tones.

After the double C's, the second most notable Chanel emblem is the camellia flower. It's affixed to jackets and quilted bags, silk versions are the cherry on top of Chanel gift wrap, and you can even buy diamond-encrusted camellia rings. And the camellia is more than a pretty bloom -- it's also a powerful skin care ingredient. There's a concentrated form of camellia oil in the new Chanel Hydra Beauty Micro Sérum, $110, which plumps fine lines and hydrates skin. The texture is incredibly light (almost water-like) and feels refreshing when you apply it. In Asia, where the flower originated, the camellia symbolizes longevity -- and now it can have that effect on your skin.

I've complained about my fine hair too many times to count, and I've written about buckets of volumizing products. Even though I love them, many volumizers contain a lot of alcohol, which helps make your hair look fuller but completely dries out your scalp. Add parched winter weather to the equation, and my scalp is an itchy mess &hellip until now. Philip Kingsley Trichotherapy Tricho 7 Volumizing Hair and Scalp Treatment, $77.50, is basically a liquid dose of vitamins and moisturizers for your scalp. I distribute a dropper full and rub it in (even if my hair is dry). Tightness is instantly gone, and I swear my hair is growing in thicker. Maybe next month I won't write about the newest volumizing product.

My skin is generally acne-free (let's hope I don't jinx it and wake up with a massive zit), but I do have some stubborn clogged pores on my nose and chin. Sometimes they're barely visible -- sometimes they're obvious (at least to me). When I get off an airplane, they're at their most inflamed, and that's when I reach for Shiseido Ibuki Multi Solution Gel, $38. The texture of this gel is so cool (bouncy and slick -- it goes right back to its original shape after you scoop some out) it's reason enough to buy it. But it's also supereffective: Salicylic acid fights breakouts and exfoliates, and it contains skin-smoothing and moisturizing ingredients to heal the affected area. In many ways, it's the antithesis of other acne treatments, and that's exactly why I love it.