You know that old saying, “Third time’s the charm”? It came to mind when I started putting Physicians Formula Organic Wear Makeup Remover Towelettes ($7) to the test.

They’re the third products I’ve tried so far from Phys Formula’s line of Organic Wear makeup removers (check my first attempts here and here).

Like the lotion and eye makeup remover pads I tried, these towelettes look *faboo* on paper, with excellent bona fides. Bio-degradable, with a soothing lavendar scent, and manufactured without the use of funky chemicals or animal testing — yay, right? They look good both for peeps AND the planet.

So, do they hit it out of the park?

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Even though Physician’s Formula Organic Wear Eye Makeup Remover Pads didn’t knock my socks off, I really tried to keep an open mind when I tested the doc’s Organic Wear Facial Makeup Remover Lotion ($10).

Like the pads, this lotion has all the makings of drugstore greatness — affordable, no sketchy chemicals, cute (always a plus), and it wasn’t tested on animals. My picky nose loves the real deal lavender scent, too, and the lotion feels silky soft against my skin.

So far, so good…

Will it be the organic drugstore lotion of my dreams?

To give it a fair shake and prepare my skin before testing, I stopped using my trusty Clinique Cleansing Balm a few days beforehand.

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Benefit’s moisturizing Bathina body balm (lucky girl that she is) just got a spring makeover.

Hey, now, don’t stare! Just “Take a Picture… It Lasts Longer…” — that’s actually the product’s name. And for $28 she flaunts updated packaging and a shimmery new color (a light golden pink).

I think it’s part of a beauty conspiracy… Have you heard the news? Benefit recently marked down the original Bathina (Body So Fine) from $30 to $22.50, an obvious ploy to prep us for the arrival of Bathina 2.0.

Speaking of the prequel, Body So Fine and I go waaay back. We have history, yo! My bestie, Jen, gifted me a tin for my 26th birthday, and I’ve been a fan ever since — the light floral fragrance and super softening balm adds a touch of sexy pink shimmer to legs and arms (great for date nights with the boy).

Luckily, the updated version’s just as fab as before (if not better). Benefit kept the same formula and fragrance but tweaked the shimmer. Instead of a silvery pink, the new Bathina gives skin a golden pink glow, one I wager more girls will be able to wear well.

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Oh, the pink packaging, the adorable photo of the polar bears, and the slick title font… THE FONT! — is that Helvetica Neue Ultra Light?!

Reacting to this perfect storm of marketing cuteness, I just impulse purchased these $12 Bear Naked Makeup Wipes by Josie Maran.

I tried to resist — honest, I did — but part of the proceeds go to the Polar Bear SOS Initiative. How cool is that?

With 30 wipes per package, the cost breaks down to about 40 cents a wipe — a little on the expensive side, but you’re mostly paying for what you don’t get…

That is to say, these wipes come without parabens, sulfates, synthetic fragrances, synthetic dyes, petro-chemicals and phthalates. They’re biodegradable and feel oh-so-gentle on my skin, too, thanks to a soothing blend of aloe vera, chamomile, cucumber and vitamin E.

And Tabs likes that they’re 100% cruelty free.

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I once thought exfoliating was a pretty useless skincare step, and I felt I had better things to do with my time, like playing Duck Hunt, reading cheesy V.C. Andrews books and watching The Craft for the millionth time.

That changed around the time I hit 30. My skin started to change, started looking duller and less dewy.

Turns out that as we age the body takes progressively longer to “turn over” new skin cells, the process of pushing new cells to the surface of the skin to replace dead ones.

FUN FACT: When we’re born, a complete cell turnover takes about two weeks; by age 50, the same process takes four to six.

Why exfoliate?

The longer dead skin cells hang around on the surface of the face, the greater the likelihood of clogged pores, acne and a dull, lackluster complexion.

Exfoliation to the rescue!

Exfoliation, whether physical (like with a facial scrub) or chemical (like with a toner containing salicylic acid), brightens dull skin by sloughing away dead skin cells and increasing the rate of cell turnover.

It can also help to clear breakouts, smooth out the skin and enhance the efficacy of anti-aging treatments and moisturizers by increasing their rate of absorption.

I definitely notice a difference in my skin now when I go too long without exfoliating. It looks older, as in less rosy and glowy.

How often should you exfoliate?

Many beauty experts and dermatologists are divided on how much exfoliating one should do. Some doctors recommend exfoliating just once or twice a week; others say twice a day.

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