Just in time for the season of planes, trains and automobiles, we tracked down the most convenient, multi-tasking and -- more importantly, easily portable -- beauty products.

• By Cheryl Wischhover
  Nov 25, 2013

Short of running through an open fire hydrant or walking really close to stores in the hopes that someone will open the door and blast you with some AC at the exact moment you walk by, it's hard to stay cool in a heat wave like the one that's plaguing the East Coast now. Luckily the beauty industry has a cure for your overheated, red, stressed out, sweaty face: Face mists. We've long been fans of these refreshing spritzes, and if you haven't yet tried one, now is definitely the time.

• By Cheryl Wischhover
  Jul 18, 2013

Click through to find out which products are really worth it.

• By Cheryl Wischhover
  Jun 28, 2013

Emerge from this disgusting winter with your skin looking dewy and healthy. A dermatologist talks us through it, plus all the best products out there, no matter what your budget.

• By Cheryl Wischhover
  Feb 1, 2013

If you, like us, ate and drank yourself into a stupor on Thanksgiving (and the, um, three days afterwards), we're here to tell you: It's only going to get worse over the next month. Puffiness from too much salt and alcohol? Break-outs from sleeping in your makeup? Yep, holiday party season is officially here! Bad diet (hello, Christmas cookie season!), alcohol, lack of sleep, and cold winter air can all do a number on your skin. Masks are a great quick fix--they can deliver a concentrated dose of active ingredients for whatever pick-me-up your skin needs. Whether you're lacking radiance, need some moisture, or want to clear up a break-up, there's a mask for that--and we tried a ton of them.

• By Cheryl Wischhover
  Nov 26, 2012

While I generally use whatever neutral eye shadow and black mascara manages to find its way across my desk, there are a handful of products I use that I will never replace or substitute. One of them is Caudalie's Beauty Elixir.

• By Cheryl Wischhover
  Oct 18, 2012

Animal testing in the cosmetics and beauty industry is still prevalent, despite the effort made by consumers and activists alike to get the practice b

• By Cheryl Wischhover
  Aug 1, 2012

New York fashion week is officially at the half way point, and whether you're running around attending shows, or just staying up too late checking out runway pics online, it's all very stressful. Lack of sleep shows up on your face, and that's the last thing you need during the most fabulous time of the year. We tapped into the brains of some of our favorite dermatologists, aestheticians, and makeup artists to give you some tips for how to fake being bright-eyed and bushy-tailed even when you look like hell. Yes, 9 hours of sleep is ideal, but who has the time when after parties don't start until 11pm? Check out all our pros' tips below, then click through the slide show for some product recommendations.

• By Cheryl Wischhover
  Feb 12, 2012

Some gentler alternatives for your consideration.

• By Cheryl Wischhover
  Nov 29, 2011

While we've been in denial about summer being over, it is. It really is. Now's the time to get your skin ready for--big sigh--winter. While pros generally recommend that you tweak your skin care when the seasons change, a facial is also a great way to combat damage from summer and to prep for the upcoming onslaught of winter. We asked Mathilde Thomas, the founder of one of our fave skin care lines and owner of the uber-luxurious Caudalie Vinotherapie Spa at the Plaza here in New York City, to give us some DIY options for home. Because we can't all run over to the Plaza for a fancy facial or body treatment, can we? So read on for two of Mathilde's recipes--one to fix the mean things you did to your skin over the summer and one to moisturize your whole body once it gets drier and chillier out there:

• By Cheryl Wischhover
  Oct 20, 2011

Ed's Note: Meet our new beauty columnist! (No, that's not her at the left. That's Lindsey Wixson.) Contessa Schexnayder is a makeup artist and has been shackled to the beauty industry for over nine years, working for such lines and retailers as Nars, MAC, Bobbi Brown, Blue Mercury, and Space NK. She is a self-proclaimed ingredient know-it-all, and likes long walks on the beach. When faced with hundreds of bottles of lotions and potions, the drugstore aisle and department store can be overwhelming places. Do you need a seven step facial regimen? How worried should you be in your 20s about an anti-aging treatments? Should you just give up in your 40s? We’ll attempt to answer these questions with a handy guide for every age group, complete with product recommendations. Click through for some advice and pointers.

• By Mickie Meinhardt
  Sep 2, 2011

Any skin care line that’s inspired by wine and vineyards automatically gets a vote of confidence from us. It gets another one when facialists and dermatologists alike rave about it, which they have been doing since Caudalie launched in 1995. We took a long overdue trip to the Caudalie Vinotherapie Spa at the Plaza here in NYC. Mathilde and Bertrand Thomas, the brand’s founders and new transplants to New York City, greeted us warmly with smiles and an immediate glass of wine, which we didn’t turn down despite the fact that we were working. (It would have been rude, right?)

• By Cheryl Wischhover
  May 23, 2011

We’ve had arguments with people who say that beauty gifts are boring and impersonal. This can be true if you just buy some random fragrance set in a tacky basket at your corner drugstore on Christmas Eve. If, however, you put a bit of thought into it, you can get some gorgeous, thoughtful things. This year there is an absolute flood of gift sets available at all price points (though we decided not to include a $1,600 fragrance basket we found). So we’ve pulled the best scent, color, and spa sets, with an eye towards originality. They’re guaranteed to get you a kiss under the mistletoe, or at the very least, a delighted squeal. Happy Cyber Monday!

• By Cheryl Wischhover
  Nov 29, 2010

A new category of beauty products has quietly cropped up over the past few years: spritz-on beauty waters. The traditional gold standard is, of course, the Evian mineral water spray, beloved at fancy Caribbean resorts and by Lauren’s mom. Beauty companies seem to be moving away from more scientific sounding names for their potions in favor of calling them simply “water” or “mist.” Water conjures up images of rippling ponds and purity. (Well, at least it used to before the BP oil spill.) These products claim a variety of benefits, from refreshment and hydration to purifying and toning. They appear to be the gentle little sisters of traditional toners and astringents. I asked Dr. Elizabeth Hale, a dermatologist at the prestigious Laser and Skin Surgery Center of New York, for her professional opinion about this product category. She told me that traditionally, toners contain alcohol, water, and a humectant. more

• By Cheryl Wischhover
  Jul 15, 2010

Not to sound too Seinfeld-ian, but what’s the deal with the sudden surge of skin care companies sponsoring shows this season? I was backstage at Charl

• By Natalie Hormilla
  Feb 15, 2009