It's time to Shop Smarter!

As beauty product mavens, I know most of you have heard it all - frizzy hair, skinny lips, skimpy lashes, lumpy thighs – for every beauty dilemma, there’s a product claiming to make your troubles go away. But many don’t, and lots of us have been suckered into buying stuff that doesn’t work (one of the reasons I started up the Cinnamon Kitten blog in the first place was to try and discuss with other beauty fans what works and what doesn't so we don't all waste our money!).

Well, here's another great article that's a must-read for every beauty product fan! The March 2010 issue of ShopSmart, from the publishers of Consumer Reports, has gone through and tested a bunch of beauty products and gives us the good, the bad, and the "don't waste your time" on some of the more popular "beauty dilemma fixers".

Some of the things you'll learn in the article:

Lash Growers

Lash growers are regulated by the FDA as drugs. (Latisse is FDA approved, but ShopSmart doesn’t recommend it because of risks.) You’ll still see plenty of other “lash lengtheners” on the market though. Some have been issued warning letters by the FDA because they contain drugs.

ShopSmart says: Stick with mascara. Lancôme Définicils, $24, was top-rated in their last test.

Lip Plumpers

The results for lip plumpers were unimpressive for increasing lip volume, though some, including products from Clinique and DuWop, temporarily smoothed lip lines a little.

ShopSmart says: Try makeup tricks instead. Line your lips with pencil just outside your natural lip line, then dot highlighter just above the upper lip and just below the lower lip.

Under-Eye-Circle Erasers

Many products promise to erase under-eye circle, but they’re hard to treat due to enlarged veins and very thin skin under the eyes.

ShopSmart says: Some eye creams with caffeine can offer temporary help for puffiness. If the problem is allergy-related, try antihistamines or topical hydrocortisone cream.

Hair Smoothers

Ads for Brazilian Keratin Treatment (BKT), a popular salon technique, claim that it leaves hair smooth and healthy-looking for months. But a main ingredient in BKT is formaldehyde, a probable carcinogen that is not banned by the FDA in hair straighteners.

ShopSmart says: Try a straightening iron. They like Revlon Perfect Heat Ceramic RVST2001C, $30.

There's LOTS of other great tips and insights in the article, so go pick up a copy today (I'm definitely heading to the newstand to read more...) of the March 2010 issue of ShopSmart.