My picks for the best skin care products of 2008

Over the course of the next few articles let’s explore the best and worst beauty products for 2008. I like to begin on a positive note. Here are my picks for the best skin care products for 2008:

Without beautiful skin it is impossible to have a perfect canvas for makeup. Everything in beauty begins with a good, foundation. Here are some of the best skin care products I’ve discovered this year:

Best Cleanser – Clean Skin

The cleanser has a hint of eucalyptus, so those who are allergic might want to look for something else. But for the money - - around $5 - - Clean Skin does an amazing job. It cleanses without drying out the skin in any way. That might have something to do with its olive oil base. It leaves skin glowing, fresh, and soft as a baby’s behind. The fact that it is 100% natural is a big advantage as well. I’m all for anything that doesn’t contain harsh fragrances, chemicals, and additives.

Best Day Cream – Signature Club A’s Argon Oil Day Cream

Argan oil is considered precious and rare; so much so that it is only harvested by Berber women and only a very small amount of it is available every year. The oil is rich in skin-replenishing components like flavanoid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, and fatty acids. It hydrates the skin by infusing moisture into it in a unique patented formula. It can be used under make-up or worn alone. The cost is around $25.

Best Eye Lift – Wei East’s Eyes Alive

Say goodbye to puffy, tired looking eyes with this luxurious eye treatment from China. Eyes Alive includes herbal ingredients like safflower, cucumber, green tea, loquat, mulberry, seaweed, and soy. Used over time, the product actually improves the overall look of the eye area, diminishing fine lines and wrinkles and improving skin quality. That is a bargain for the low cost of $19.

Best Facial Scrub – Aveeno Skin Brightening Daily Scrub

For a small price, around $7, this daily scrub improves skin tone and texture and reveals more youthful, radiant skin. Its microbeads exfoliate to remove dead skin and to wipe away impurities that may make skin appear dull and pasty. The natural soy extracts work to improve the overall quality of the skin. Best of all, the product is gentle enough for even the most sensitive skin.

Best Moisturizer – Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream

Olay has come up with a full range of new skin care products in the last couple of years. Most of them are outstanding, but this one leads the pack. Not only does it moisturize the skin, it also helps to firm it as well as fill in those fine lines that are often herald the early signs of aging. Glycerin helps to lock in the moisture while amino peptides improve the skin’s natural elasticity. The cost isn’t outrageous either, at $25.

Best Night Cream – Perlier’s Risarium Black Rice Extreme Age-Defying Moisturizing Night Cream

This extraordinary product uses the properties and natural peptides found in black rice to create an innovative delivery system that helps prevent moisture loss while infusing more moisture into thirsty skin. This amazing age-defying cream also helps to make the skin look brighter and more youthful. That’s a lot of action for its $35 price tag.

Best Mask – Clarins Extra Firming Facial Mask

The French know a little about beautiful skin so it comes as no surprise that a mask made in France is at the top of the list. Clarins facial mask helps to firm skin, reduce pore size, and minimize the look of fine lines. It also makes skin softer and suppler. Key ingredients include guava, hazelnut, sequoia, and sunflower. This product costs a bit more, but it is well worth the cost of $46.

Best Peel – Neutrogena Advanced Solutions Facial Peel

This product helps women experience some of the benefits of a dermatologist facial peel in the comfort of their own home. Advanced Solutions works to improve skin texture and tone while smoothing away the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. It adds back in some of the things that Mother Nature takes away as skin ages in order to stimulate new skin cell renewal. With CelluZyme technology, it peels away dead skin layers quickly and easily, leaving nothing but youthful and more vibrant looking skin. The cost is around $25.

While there are many wonderful skin care products on the market today, these represent some of the best I have found. Look for my next article in the series Best Beauty Products for 2008.