Laura Mercier. Best best best. She has that skin you could just look at for days. If ever there were a person who's the perfect advertisement for their own products ... she's always got SOME makeup on, but it's never makeup with a capital M. All it ever says is, "I'm French and I've got amazing skin!"
—Jean Godfrey-June, beauty director
One of the weirder things about being a beauty editor is the perfect-looking people who consult you for solutions to their supposed beauty problems—even as you stand there gazing at them in disbelief. Such people are full of solutions they've already enacted, insisting that they would be completely disfigured if only they hadn't gotten "the problem" under control. But just because they're delusional doesn't mean they don't have great beauty tips:
Vaniqa: This prescription cream minimizes facial hair, and not one but two stunning friends of mine insist that this product is the only thing standing between them and an alternate destiny involving Trotsky's goatee.
Beautiful People of the World: Reveal your transformational secrets!
—Jennifer Scruby, contributing writer, Miami
It might seem odd—or oddly specific—but I compulsively buy zipper pulls from Kid Robot. For one, they're $2.95. Secondly, they're cute and collectible (I love the Things That Hurt series in particular). And finally, they've brought many a busted-zipper bag or hoodie back from the Goodwill-bound bin. Case in point, my favorite weekender got mangled in transit recently and lost its tabs, making it nearly impossible to close. But I fixed it with one of these. Here's my question: I've never really seen zipper pulls outside of Japanese toy stores. Does anyone have any other good sources?
Now that I'm married, I've been trying (and okay, fine, failing) to stick to some kind of budget. That means no more silly impulse buys on eBay that may or may not work out. But then I see a pair of shoes like these from Stella McCartney and I imagine all of the parties I'll go to in the next couple of months and I just feel weak in the proverbial PayPal knees.
In the comments section, a reader referenced Park Vogel cashmere leggings, which I found, fell for, and ordered within the span of about five minutes (thanks Rachel!). They're striped and cropped and adorable and couldn't be a better deal, marked down from $140 to $35.25. 
There are also tons of other incredibly cute, incredibly discounted items in the site's final sale section, like this gauzy, lace-trimmed Empire-waist camisole (was $79, now $19.75) and this striped polo dress (was $180, now $45), which I seriously might need for the Bali portion of my upcoming trip and which would also be great back home in New York with wool tights, boots, and a cozy sweater.
I also like this delicate nightgown (was $152, now $38), which hits the mark between sporty and sexy, and this printed tank—I love the sweet floral motif and the elegant, thin-strapped racerback. There's lots more—click here to see the rest.
Neutrogena launched a new, non-irritating (yet really effective) retinol serum exclusive to QVC—and it sold out in five minutes. Go online NOW to get on the wait list ... they're gearing up for another segment with dermatologist Dr. Will Kirby and their stock will inevitably disappear. Again.
—Dawn Spinner, associate beauty editor
Kiosk is arguably one of the most inventive retailers out there: Every season they shift their focus to a different country from around the world, and choose only the most mundane—yet gorgeously designed—goods to sell. Right now, they're focusing on America. Among the fascinating mix of mailbags, fishing lures, balsa gliders, and whistles, they have the classic examination booklet. Maybe exams aren't the best times to reminisce about, but those blue booklets are definitely pretty cute. I think they'll be great for travel, since I like to bring a blank book for each destination to staple business cards into. They would be even cuter in a big stack.
(No one get insulted, as I know from whence I speak!) The ugly, ugly, discouraging scene after any dinner, no matter how glamorous/romantic/transporting: The grim reality of the parking garage lighting. The worst in the world. You and your companion stare at one another during the endless wait, chastened by the specter of one another in the hideous light. Which is sort of like one of those sun-damage-revealing cameras: The Unlovely Ghost of Christmas Future.
—Jean Godfrey-June, beauty director
I'm going on a family trip to Asia next month to catch up with relatives, and I couldn't be more excited. The one downside is how long it takes to get there, and unfortunately I'll be flying solo since I'm the only one leaving from New York. I've been strategizing ways to occupy myself on board (stockpiling books and back issues of The New Yorker, and I downloaded the first season of Mad Men to watch on my laptop) so I might be okay on the entertainment front. But after all my ruminations about the best thing to wear on planes, anticipating this extra-long flight has had me fantasizing about ideal travel clothes—again. Here's what I've come up with: cashmere leggings. I realize these are kind of pajama-looking, but given I'll be in the air for practically an entire day I don't care. They'd also be great to wear just lounging around at home, and I love the emerald green color. Paired with an oversize, tissue-thin cardigan and shawl they make the plane ride seem a lot less daunting.
Just as last spring I could not get my mind off owning the perfect pair of yellow heels, this fall my attention has entirely shifted to purple footwear—especially these and these and these. It's seriously the best color for shoes I've seen in a while. 
It brightens up neutrals but, unlike red, doesn't seem to scream. I love it with gray skinny jeans, peeping out from wide-leg tweed trousers, or finishing off a black dress and tights ensemble. Just make sure to go with a modern, slick design—anything too fussy and you risk resembling Prince (unless that's what you're going for, in which case, Godspeed).
