The Goody Bag

This month is all about transitions. We may be sad to see the lax days of summer drift away, but the cool breezes are a nice break from the sticky days. Our picks for fall center around sophisticated finds that make for chic additions to our makeup bags. Perhaps this is the reason we Gotham gals shop around for a new carryall every fall – after a season of lugging a dozen new adorable tiny must-have beauty items, with our book, planner, cell, water, and wallet, even the strongest bags begin to wear. Nevertheless, delicious bite-size products continue to present themselves, and we continue to succumb. This season, we present those that freshen breath, brighten our eyes, and keep our skin smelling girly and mysterious.

GoSmile-smileceuticals elixir
Add a certain suffix to a word and automatically you’ve created a respectable new cosmetic sector. GoSmile has done this with the word smileceuticals via their creation of the elixir, a sexy mouth spray packaged in a shiny metal flask that freshens breath and claims to fight inflammation caused by free radicals.

Free of both sugar and alcohol, the concoction is comprised of an antioxidant derived from a French pine tree, Pycnogenol; another bark-derived herb, AC-11, harvested in Brazil’s Amazon; CoQ10 anti-aging vitamin complex, and a stabilized form of vitamin C.
The strange sweet citrus-mint solution contains aloe and Xylitol and is recommended for use three times a day to fight halitosis, plaque and gingivitis.

Everyone is writing about the MOMA’s Dada exhibit but out in Minneapolis, Thymes product developers were drawing on Pointillism and origami patterns for packaging ideas for the latest collection: Kimono Rose. The result is a full collection of bath and fragrance products packaged in pastel boxes covered with the occasional rose illustration.

The Kimono Rose scent is a floral mix with soft vanilla and Clementine notes that balance the prominent peony and rose aromas, inspired by the notion of classy modern women. While the body cream, soap and bath salts are delicious, it’s the fragrance collection that wooed me. Always a fan of candles and travel cosmetics, I fell in love with the Eau de Parfum Rollerball, a clear vial with a metal cap and a rollerball tip.

Tweezers are nothing new and they have little to do with skin care, but we can all attest to the dramatic lifting power of an eyebrow shaping. A good clean eyebrow shaping can open up your eyes and brighten your face, but it’s a bit tedious maintaining the shape. That’s why I was pleasantly surprised by these mini tweezers. The stainless steel construction makes them foolproof – it only takes one try to remove hairs with these because of the strong grip.

GoSmile elixir $29, available at Sephora, www.gosmile.com, 1-877-8-SMILES

Thymes products range from $6-49, visit www.thymes.com, 800.366.4071

Esthetic Plus Mini Slanted Tweezer $8, call 877.643.7900 to order