beauty on a budget: kiss manicures goodbye!

One Halloween, I dressed up as Barbara Streisand. I had the slightly teased-on-top tresses, the thick black eyeliner, even the microphone. But what really made the costume was my beautiful set of French manicured nails. I had a great time that night, but as I sat down to meet a writing deadline the next day, I realized I couldn't type! The nails were too long and I had to run to the nail salon to professionally have them "removed." Since then, I've stayed away from fake nails...until I tried the ones from Kiss. The Kiss Everlasting French Nails and Toes sets ($5.99 each) cost far less than a salon job and are easy to apply and remove on your own. They can be filed down to any preferred length and shape. They provide relief for nail biters by helping nails grow underneath. And they come off with pure acetone without damaging your natural nails (try the Kiss remover kit to make it even easier). Look for Kiss nails in all major drug stores nationwide or at www.kissusa.com.

beauty on a budget: welcome matte

Leave it to Orly to nail it! The innovative nail care/color company recently launched Orly Matte Couture ($7.50), a collection of matte nail lacquers guaranteed to get you through fall with flying colors. In case you haven't picked up a beauty pub yet this season, the latest nail looks are matte. Try Blue Suede (blue creme), Vinyl (black creme) and Purple Velvet (purple creme)--all are DBP-, tolulene- and formaldehyde-free. Wear them alone or over your favorite Orly base coat. Get yours at www.OrlyBeauty.com, Sally Beauty, or Ulta, among other retailers.

beauty on a budget: get suspended

Forget about the red carpet. The launch of new Vaseline Sheer Infusion ($7.99-$9.99),featured anything but. Instead of starlets stepping out into the spotlight, the company treated beauty insiders to an afternoon of trapezing to illustrate the product's suspension theory. Stylist and Just Try It On! author author Susan Redstone swung into action, trying her hands (and legs!) at the trapeze. She managed to perfect moves that even rivaled Sheer Infusion's innovative methods (see the pic for proof)! But back to beauty...Composed of ultra-moisturizing ingredients like Stratys-3, Sheer Infusion infuses and suspends moisture, providing ultimately hydrated skin that's soft and smooth, not dry or flaky. Glycerol Quat delivers optimal moisturization, staying on top of the skin to deliver moisture where it needs it most. Glycerin penetrates skin for immediate, long-lasting moisture at the core. Hydroxy Ethyl urea lures moisture to the deeper layer and keeps it there. Go to wwwww.vaseline.com for more info.

beauty on a budget: good vibrations

Ever wonder how makeup artists apply that perfectly even coat of mascara to every single one of your lashes? Maybelline's Pulse Perfection Vibrating Mascara ($14.95) delivers 7,000 vibrations per minute in seven synchronized actions so you get perfect lashes every time. The battery-powered mascara features a vibrating elastomer brush which gently pulsates against lashes, mimicking pro makeup artists' zig zag technique. How it works: Apply one, two or several coats of the exclusive formula, featuring thickening agents, emollient waxes and film formers. The Pulse Perfection vibrating brush uncrosses individual lashes for perfect separation and definition. Just push the button, and hold the wand steady as you slowly coat eye lashes, root to tip. What you get: Luscious thickness, luxurious length, smooth separation, intense color, shapely curve, healthy luster and clump-free lashes. Look for the sleek black and gold packaging at mass market retailers nationwide. Choose from Very Black and Blackest Black, or Very Black in a waterproof formula. The catch: Batteries are required. The battery lasts a minimum of 130 applications so if you apply mascara once a day, it will last more than four months--longer than your average mascara which should be replaced every three months. For more information, log onto www.maybelline.com. Visit the My Color Advisor section to help choose and use the right shades for you.

beauty on a budget: be wrinkle-free

Make the most of your beauty sleep--wake up looking younger than you did the night before! Garnier Nutriste Ultra-Lift Pro Deep Wrinkle Night Cream ($16.99) boosts skin’s natural repair process to reveal younger skin while you snooze. As we age, our body's natural repair system slows down, causing loss of skin firmness, elasticity and the deepening of existing wrinkles. Deep Wrinkle Night Cream works deep under the skin’s surface to restore elasticity and plump deep wrinkles from within. The result is firmer skin and decreased deep wrinkles. The rich yet lightweight formula absorbs completely without feeling sticky or greasy. Studies show that many women see firmer skin overnight and, in just two weeks, 86% of women felt firmer skin. Clinical studies show deep wrinkles are visibly reduced in four weeks. Just apply to face and neck nightly. The best part: You'd think a fancy night cream that does all this work would cost you your weekly paycheck. Not so. The price works just as well for your budget beauty routine. Available in mass market retailers nationwide. Go to www.garnier.com for more info.

flat out

During one of my many single summers in the Hamptons, I was invited to a very exclusive house party by a friend who had a share in the house. She told me to come by early so we could finish primping together. Being my low-maintenance self, I managed to touch up my eyeliner, mascara, bronzer and lip gloss in about five minutes, then spent the next half hour watching her straighten her hair. Too bad the Paul Mitchell Express Ion Smooth 1.25 had not yet been invented. The first claim on the package is that it reduces smoothing time--and it's true! I did my whole head of mid-back length hair in about five minutes flat. The Express Ion Complex blend of silicone and ceramic restores moisture and seals the cuticle without causing damage. It's easy to use: Just plug it in, turn it on and choose from four different temperatures, then run it through each section of your hair. Not only did my hair look straight but it felt soft, smooth, silky and static-free. The best part: For September and October 2009 only, it is available in a limited edition, ultra-lightweight pink version to benefit Fran Drescher's Cancer Schmancer foundation (a portion of the proceeds will go to the charity and help promote early detection of all cancers). Ready to iron things out? Take this advice from Angus Mitchell, artistic director of education and co-owner of John Paul Mitchell Systems: “A major fall trend will be sleek, straight hair with a thick fringe (as seen on Katy Perry). A must-have product is new Paul Mitchell Hot Off The Press – a thermal protectant spray that’s great before flat ironing hair and achieving this look.” Pick up an Express Ion Smooth at your local Paul Mitchell salon.

lash out

The last time I wore fake eyelashes was for a Halloween costume in 1997. So imagine my lack of expertise when trying I-Envy ($3.49), the glamorous new lashes from Kiss. I was getting ready to head to the Bryant Park tents for NY Fashion Week and decided to give them a try. I chose Juicy Volume but they're available in a handful of lengths and sizes. I applied the glue (maybe a bit too liberally!) then placed the lashes in place along my lashline. The great thing about I-Envy is that the length is ideal for most eyes. The instructions said you could cut them to make them fit your eye so they don't droop at the edges but I thought if they were supposed to reach from the inner corner of my eye to the outer, I would need a longer pair. There was no advice on what to do about that. When I asked the company, they said a professional makeup artist might cut the lashes in sections to beef up natural lashes where needed. I wasn't even going to attempt that so I sort of placed it in the middle, a bit closer to my outer eye where it would be more noticeable, and continued. I also made sure to press the lashes into the groove right above my natural lashline, without letting skin show between the lashes and my own. If you place them on your own lashes, they will droop instead of opening your eye. I held the lashes in place for about 10 seconds until the glue dried, then wiped off the excess. One helpful trick from the experts at Kiss is to allow the adhesive to become tacky before applying. Another trick is to tilt your chin up but look down into the mirror so your lid is facing down. When I looked in the mirror, some of the lashes had stuck together where there was a bit more glue so it looked funny. When I tried to fix it, the whole piece of lashes moved and then I couldn't get it back to the right spot. I have to say, for the few minutes they were in place, they looked great! Lush volume, dark and sexy--I wished they were my own. If you think you have a steadier hand than I do, go to www.kiss.com for more info or your local Duane Reade store to buy them. If you get it right, you'll be batting a thousand.