Today's Special:Beauty Q&A

Q: I am attending a 40th birthday party for my friend. I wanted to get her some nice beauty products but I am not quite sure what colors she likes, or what colors look best on her. Any suggestions?

A: When buying beauty products for someone other than yourself, unless you have specific names or colors of things he/she likes it's always best to stick to fabulous, decadent body products. One of the best received gifts I give to people has come from the Fresh line and it has become my go-to-gift when I am not quite sure of the recipient's tastes.

My recommendation is Fresh's Sugar Lemon Body Lotion and Sugar Lemon Bath and Shower Gel. The light citrus scent of lemon is infused to perfection with these products and the partnering of both the body lotion and the gel give your gift recipient the option of layering the fragrance in the shower to out of the shower. (I am all about layering!) It's not an inexpensive gift, at $28.00 each the combo will run you well over into the $50.00 price range. If you budget is tight, choose one and make the gift wrap spectacular! Or try the Lemon Sugar soap for $13.00 and the Fresh Sugar Lip Balm with SPF 15 for around $25.00. Either way you will be guaranteed a hit. I can't tell you how many people I have given this gift to have told me how much they love it and are now giving it as a gift themselves. The products can be found on Fresh.com or at your local Sephora.

Q: I have acne prone skin and I want a light make-up that will cover up my blemishes. Is that possible?

A: Fear not, anything is possible in the cosmetic world. But before I recommend a make-up for your skin-type, I want to give you a "prescription" for your problem:

By far, the best products for sensitive and skin prone to breakouts is Mario Badescu. You can go to their website mariobadescu.com and fill out a questionnaire. They will match your products to your skin type and even send you lots of fabulous samples to try. Not only are the products the best ever, but the price is unbelievable. This is a high quality product for less. I can't say enough about them. They can set you up with a three step daily skin care regimen you can follow to get your skin back to looking it's best. And when your skin looks it's best your make-up will follow. If you get the occasional "eruption" as we call breakouts in the biz-you have to try the drying lotion and the buffering lotion. The best spot treatment!! and a must have for eruption emergencies. Take about 2-3 weeks with your new skin care regimen and follow religiously, both morning and evening, and I guarantee you will see a difference in your skin's clarity.

In the meantime, I suggest you use a foundation, mineral powder or a tinted moisturizer in OIL-FREE. Laura Mercier has the just about the best in the industry. As I was telling my blogger friend over the weekend, Mercier became a cosmetic industry super-star because of the loyal followers of her moisturizing tints. The tints will help to even out skin tones and the coverage is sheer with an SPF 20. For a light weight, luminous glow, try her mineral powders. I receive compliments on my SKIN every time I wear it. Moisturize you skin accordingly, apply a primer according to skin type, and apply evenly over the face with a short blending brush. The finish is more matte, so if you have dry skin make sure you moisturize and prime skin before applying. And for an added bounus, the Mineral Powder has an SPF 15. These products are not cheap-$35.00 for the Mineral Powder and $42.00 for the Tinted Moisturizer, but they will last-at least two to three months with everyday use. Go to lauramercier.com to view and purchase products or your local high-end department store cosmetic counter.

That's enough for now but if you have any additional questions please feel free to comment and let me know. You may see your posts in a future Special on the Daily Dandy.