After playing around with Too Faced’s Lash Extension System, I was inspired to go test lash curlers. Lately, I’ve seen some pretty crazy contraptions that look like they would burn your cornea, along with your lashes.

Most I’ve come across are like the Talika ($35.49), a typical lash curler with a heated element – which I’m sorry but only works if you have super-long lashes, which I DO NOT. I can barely get the tippy ends of my lashes in there, so it does me no good.

But the heated curlers by Blinc ($18.38) and DiorShow ($25) are different: they come with a flat wand you press up against your lashes, so it doesn’t matter how long – or short! – your lashes are AND you can’t accidentally hurt yourself (at least not easily).

They both are (replaceable) battery operated. Turn on your curler on and give it a minute to heat up, using before mascara. Go under your top lashes, push the wand up, and keep it there for a few seconds (I didn’t want to risk any longer). I kept repeating until I got the optimal curl. Remember, there is a limit to how much your lashes can actually curl and you will know it when you reach that point.

As far as I can tell, Blinc and Dior work the exact same way, and the Blinc is cheaper, so guess who won and came home with me? One difference: Dior’s directions say to use their curler after applying mascara to eliminate clumps, which you do at the peril of the curler – and the risk of raccoon eyes. It gets warm, so I imagine it can get pretty messy; if you decide to do it that way, you can easily wipe the surface clean while it’s still slightly hot (it doesn’t get scalding, so if you use a thick paper towel, it won’t burn you).

These work amazingly well and allow your mascara to enjoy full effects. If you’re anything like me, you might get a little greedy and be tempted to try the curler out on fakes. To be safe, test it out to see if it will melt the falsies first, before attacking your eyelids. Also, don’t get addicted! I’m definitely not going to take the heat every day. Be careful with your precious lashes and use tools like these sparingly.

All available on Amazon.

I didn’t realize how over bright, quirky and even dark nails I was until I caught sight of Amy Adams on the Met Museum’s Costume Institute Gala’s red carpet on Monday. After months of searing neon polish, Amy’s Essie nails look fresh and chic. For the opening of Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations, Amy kept it fabulously elegant in a Giambattista Valli gown and tumbling, thirties’ screen siren-style hair. The ideal complement to a deep red lip? A naturally manicured nail. One coat of Essie’s classic pink shade Mademoiselle and a second of nude Brooch the Subject, out of their Winter 2011’s Cocktail collection, made for a delicious pairing: the pink-tinted flesh tone.
Follow Amy’s hands-on approach to glamour and try melding the two colors yourself for your next evening event.

Mademoiselle, $5, and Brooch the Subject, $4.10, available on Amazon.

It’s hard to believe that a single soap can offer everything from cleaning to antibacterial protection, brightening, reducing pore size, exfoliating, and even providing anti-aging and SPF. Seriously, can one bar of soap really be this powerful? If it’s Cor Silver soap, then yes. This soap delivers, and it’s pretty amazing. The only claim a bit hard for me to believe was SPF; everything else was understandable. But SPF in a soap? Well, yes, it contains the ingredient Sericin, which has a protein that binds to your skin. It doesn’t wash off, and its light-reflecting quality acts like a sunscreen. Since you can never be too sure, it is still advisable to use it in addition to your own sunscreen. But it is great to know that if I forget to apply mine or am in a huge hurry, all I need to do is use this soap to cover all my bases.

It leaves the skin quite soft and supple and it does produce that super-clean feel that some people like. But I find it makes my skin feel a bit tight and naked, so I moisturize immediately after washing (which I do anyway).  I love keeping Cor Silver soap in my shower since I can easily and quickly wash my face no matter how hurried I am. It even stands up to my white-towel test. After washing off my makeup with this, there’s no residue left on the towel when I dry. The perfect cleanser for the summer when you really need a good cleaning. And, of course, SPF is a huge bonus.

This multi-purpose soap also contains hyaluronic acid (a wonderful humectant that promotes skin hydration), pomegranate (a powerful antioxidant that protects the skin from environmental damage), Jojoba and Aloe (that soothe the skin), and avocado’s Vitamins A and E, so necessary for healthy skin. Available at Cor in two sizes: travel size (30g), $40, and The One (120g), $125.

A decade of diligently using my Sonicare toothbrush means that my teeth are pretty white and I don’t have any cavities. I do however drink coffee in the morning and tea throughout the day so they could definitely be a little whiter. After meeting the wife and co-founder of the aesthetic dentist that came up with GLO Brilliant Personal Teeth Whitening Device ($275), I am certainly intrigued to try this route. I’ve done Crest stripes before and have found them to be incredibly effective, but they started to cause sensitivity so I haven’t used them in a long while. GLO supposedly does not cause sensitivity (just make sure to keep it away from your gums), and has won more prestigious awards than I can name.

To use this kit simply apply the GLO gel onto your teeth and put on the mouthpiece for four consecutive eight-minute applications per day. They suggest doing this for three to five days in a row or up to 10 consecutive days depending on how stained your teeth are. You’ll only have to this twice a year. Also if you’ve used Crest stripes you might have experiences some lip dryness, which is why GLO’s kit comes with a lip care product. Another point of difference is that I sometimes had trouble getting the stripes to stay in place, this isn’t a problem with GLO thanks to the mouthpiece.

Again, I haven’t tried this myself, but based on the clinical studies (and the co-founder’s stellar teeth), it looks like a promising device!

FACE
Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer SPF30/PA+++
At Sephora for $42.
Zen Blush
At Barneys for $28.

EYES
Lhasa Single Eyeshadow
At Sephora for $24.
Marie-Galante Duo Eyeshadow
At Sephora for $34.
Rue Bonaparte Larger Than Life Long-Wear Eyeliner
At Sephora for $23.

LIPS
Papua Lip Liner Pencil
At Sephora for $22
Buenos Aires Velvet Gloss Lip Pencil
At Sephora for $24.

FACE
Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer
At Sephora for $42.
Penny Lane Cream Blush
At Sephora for $28
Douceur Blush
At Sephora for $28

EYES
Panama Eyebrow Pencil
At Barneys for $22
Rue Saint-Honore Larger Than Life Long-Wear Eyeliner
At Sephora for $23
All About Eve Duo Eyeshadow
At Sephora for $34
Blue Bayou Eyeliner Stylo
At Sephora for $27

LIPS
Volga Pure Matte Lipstick
At Sephora for $25

Exciting news from iS Clinical! Their new, much more accessible “iS” line doesn’t require consultation for use and will be sold online. Based off the brand’s original principles, iS will also be pharmaceutical-grade, botanically based, and results-oriented. I’m most excited about the Extreme Protect SPF 30, a revolutionary sunblock that uses their breakthrough Extremozyme technology. It prevents damage on a level like we’ve never seen and helps helps stop skin cancer development!

My other instant favorites include the Instant Smoothing Gel, which is like an instant facelift, and the Age Treatment Complex, formulated to rid your face of discoloration, boost radiance, and kick dead, dull cells.

Thanks to iS Clinical, we are doing a massive giveaway to get you ready for summer. Allo you have to do to win is follow iS Clinical @iSCLINICAL and @Beauty_Snob on Twitter (Leave a comment with your Twitter handle!).

10 lucky followers will receive the iS Essentials Kit, valued at $44, which contains trial sizes of: Daily Cleanser, Age Treatment Complex, Reparative Moisturizer, and Restorative Eye Complex.

And one very lucky follower will receive the big prize: the entire full-sized line, valued at $634! Good luck, snobs!

I love a good nighttime ritual – in-room massages, fresh, high thread-count sheets, salted baths…I could happily start getting ready for bed at 6pm! So I always welcome an evening addition, like Korres’ new Advanced Brightening Sleeping Facial, a lush cream you apply allover after washing your face before hitting the sheets.

Richer than a night cream and lighter than a mask, we all know wild rose oil has the ability to heal and moisturize and that Vitamin C is an energy booster for skin. But Korres has elevated their ingredients with a Phos Compound that’s got a brightening agent. They stress that it takes about two weeks to see dramatic results – skin that’s noticeably more radiant (a word that gets thrown around a little generously in the beauty world, if you ask me) and even-toned. I just started using the facial two nights ago, and I will admit that so far, the most pleasurable part is the smooth application. But my skin did already feel softer and silkier by morning. I’ll give you an update in two weeks – let’s hope for “radiant” results! At Sephora for $48.

You might have heard me gush about Hourglass Veil Mineral Primer SPF 15 at some point in these last few years because it’s hands down one of my favorite products. It goes on baby bum smooth and is the perfect under-layer for liquid foundation (it also doubles as an eye primer). I always thought that Hourlgass should branch out into skincare because of how moisturizing and lush the primer feels; low and behold they’ve now come out with Hourglass No 28 Primer Serum! No 28 is a blend of serum and primer that’s formulated with 28 ingredients to help fight wrinkles and fine lines in addition to mattifying skin and prepping it for makeup application. The newbie is especially great if you’ve got oily skin, but any skin type (including sensitive), will love it – I guarantee (or else…feel free to comment below because I can’t imagine any possible complaint). Layer it under your makeup or use it as your anti-aging night cream. Apparently you can even use it on hair to treat split ends! The formula absorbs super quickly so there’s no excuse not to prime your skin, even if you’re in a rush.

Now that I’ve reviewed a whole powder room’s worth of summer products, from pre-sun to mid to post-sun, my sultry-weather arsenal is complete. I’ve pared down the goods to the best of the best, so you can combat the sun – and also enjoy it! – and meet September with a radiant face, super-smooth skin, and a healthy mane of hair.

1. La Roche-Posay Anthelios 60 Ultra-Light Sunscreen Fluid Extreme: This deliciously light, liquid-y texture might feel meek and mild, but with SPF60, it’s anything but. Take the small tube on a trip and forget about coming into contact with damaging rays.
On Drugstore.com for $29.50.

2. Korres Yoghurt Gel: After a day in the searing sun (especially on equator-friendly vacations), it doesn’t matter how much you hid under your floppy hat. You’re skin is still craving quenching refreshment, and this cooling gel delivers.
At Sephora for $23.50.

3. Malin + Goetz Peppermint Shampoo: Peppermint helps clear your mind – and clean your humidity-stricken hair. This all-natural shampoo leaves no residue, but it will leave you invigorated with a fresh, delightfully tingly sensation.
At Barneys New York for $36.

4. Redken Color Extend Sun Solar Screen: There’s nothing worse than finding yourself with brassy highlights after a day outside. Give your hair the same treatment as your body, and protect it with SPF12. Just a mist will save you from a pricy trip back to the salon.
On Amazon for $29.88.

5. Cremo Cream Superior Shave Cream: Ready for a season of flaunting bare legs? Me neither! But this deluxe cream will help get you there. It reduces the risk of cuts and irritation, and it actually gives you closer shave, so you won’t have to grab the razor as often.
On Amazon for $8.