Foundation brush

For a long time, I thought foundation brushes were just for women who shellacked lots of foundation and crazy crayon makeup all over their faces religiously. However, in the few times I've had my makeup done professionally, each time the artist has used one. I've been told that the special bristles help spread the makeup evenly, and also, as with all makeup, make it look like you're not wearing any makeup at all. This one from MAC is really nice because the center is angled, allowing you to get into little areas on your face. I however, haven't yet brought myself into debt to purchase an entire set of professional makeup brushes (yikes--their duster brush is $45), but this one from Sonia Kushuk is really nice--I use it to put concealer under my eyes--my #1 makeup must-have.

Salud rollette perfume

I stumbled upon this wonderful boutique near the U of AZ campus in Tuscon. The store manager said Salud Spa Bar is about to go nation-wide, but for now only has a few stores. I love the concept: organic products and custom-made perfume and body care. I am such a product whore, but at least spending my money here ensures that I am getting something high-quality and good for my skin. I was nimbly eyeing the Skyn Iceland and Nuxe Paris lines, but I was hooked by the custom-made perfumes. For $24 I was able to make a perfume that I can stick in my carry-on and I don't have to haul around a big glass bottle. Also, the scents come from essential oils, so they don't have any toxic chemicals. My scent is a mixture of "bubble bath" (basically a citrusy concoction) and fig. They store your mixture in the computer system so you can easily reorder. Corey really liked the scent, so everyone wins!