Okay. Maybe the title of this post is a tad bit misleading. I didn't get a complete skin makeover in minutes with the godsend of a product showcased above. But for when I was sent a sample of Biologique Recherche Lotion P50 and began using it on my face, I saw truly jaw-dropping results within a few days.

Now I can't live without the stuff and will happily fork over $50 every year for a fresh bottle. According to the press release that came with the bottle, actress Kyra Sedgwick is also an addict.

What does it do exactly? According to the Parisian manufacturer--and apparently my now amazingly clear skin--it speeds up the epidermis' natural exfoliating process and the reconstruction of the epidermal shield, not to mention purifies, hydrates, tones, controls sebum (skin secretions), and balances the skin.

But perhaps most important, it makes my skin look healthier, younger, and more clear than it has in a decade. Seriously.

I'm in love.

For everyday wear, I like thin T-shirts and even thinner bras. What I don't like, whether in the workplace or in the nursery-school pickup line, is when the combo of the two results in unintentional "exposure." (Think cold-day alerts.)

I've owned the peel-and-stick petals to combat the dilemma, but they're expensive and must perpetually be replaced. And I've stuffed toilet paper in my bra in emergencies--but that's no long-term solution.

That's why I'm completely cuckoo over these silicone breast petals ($12.50). Great value for the money, they can be used over and over again and make even my slinkiest of shirts presentable. LOVE them--and plan to put them in all my fashionable friends' holiday stockings this year.

Despite the calendar's repeated reminder that it's September, I am keeping summer alive every way I can. And one of those ways is with MAC's face and body foundation. ($32; I use C4--when I have a tan.)

Far lighter than my year-round go-to Nars foundation, it casts a warm and rejuvenating glow while managing to muffle most of my skin's flaws.

But it's the decadence of it that I love best. The bottle is BIG. The liquid pours out freely from it's little squirt top. And even if I use more than my daily share, the bottle still seems forever full. And that means a lot to someone like me, who loathes spending more on makeup than necessary--or finding the time to replenish when my cosmetic stash runs low.

 While strolling past Kiehl's the other day I couldn't help but notice the perfect Marin Mom-luring words scribbled across the store window: New paraben-free mineral mascara! The hippie in me practically jumped out of my toxin-free skin.

Did it matter that here at Kaboodle we get enough mascara testers to triple coat the lashes of a thousand Tammy Faye Baker types? Of course not! In matters of "healthier"  beauty, I'm forever a straight-up sucker.

So yes, I bolted into the store and bought the stuff. But you know what? Turns out Kiehl's $16.50  mineral mascara is quite good. So now  I can bat my thick, dark lashes with the best of 'em--and humor myself that the splurge was purely to make sure I'm taking good care of my body. Hey, whatever works!

Generally speaking, I'm not the type of girl who enjoys smelling like things we eat. Gingerbread, vanilla, even lemon or orange may be tasty on on the plate, but I find them far less attractive, and attracting, on my body. Unless the goal is to lure a bee, or the item in question has been created by Jo Malone, in which case I'm almost always down.

But Marc Jacobs' cucumber perfume is another story. Far from the scent of salad, this summer-touted spritzer is fresh,  bright, and clean--not in a herbaceous way, but in a straight-from-the-shower, invigorating way. It's also light enough that you can douse yourself in the stuff without overdoing it. The flip side is that by the end of the day I'm not sure there's even a whiff of cucumber freshness left to be found.

I'm not sure why they are marketing it as a summer scent or "limited edition." After all, cucumbers--and fresh scents--are enjoyable year-round.

Still, I love the stuff. And the big, huge bottle, which incidentally looks great on the bathroom shelf, ensures that should you be lured by the loveliness of the veggie-inspired aroma, you'll have enough of it to last you for years to come.

This perky little highlighting pen ($28) from DEX New York is my favorite beauty discovery of the year thus far. See, I'm low-maintenance (okay, lazy), and while I adore adding a little glitz to the day's getup, I don't like to work hard for it. That's when the mineral illuminator comes to the rescue. I just pop the top, push a button a few times, line the shimmery stuff that comes out beneath my brow and tired lower lids, smear it in a bit, and--viola--a younger, fresher face. It's really that simple.