99¢ Pasta Wins Taste Test

New York Magazine recently taste tested several brands of pasta. Quick, easy, filling, and still cheap, which brand is the best? And is the artisanal Italian variety better than what you can get at D’Ag’s?

Expert panel of pastavores blind-tasted eight brands of dried spaghetti. The 99-cent underdog from Trader Joe’s triumphed, edging out the pricey artisanal competition and the popular Barilla brand.

Quit Flushing

If you turn red when you’re trying to maintain your cool and you break out like a kid, you might have rosacea.

Characterized by redness, bumps and pimple-like blemishes, rosacea is a chronic beauty bummer. If you suspect you have rosacea or have tried traditional medications and lifestyle changes with little success, recently FDA approved oral Oracea ® (doxycycline, USP), seems extremely promising. "I often recommend my patients take Oracea® to help treat the signs and symptoms of rosacea," said Hilary Baldwin, MD, associate professor and vice chair, department of dermatology, SUNY Downstate Medical Center.

Available by prescription from dermatologists, Oracea® is unique because it doesn't cause bacterial resistance like long term antibiotics used to treat rosacea and it can reduce red bumps and pimples associated with the condition. With Oracea® on the job, it’s unlikely we’ll be seeing many W.C Fields look-a-likes in the future. For more ways to tame rosacea, visit www.BestFaceForward.com/

Hmmm, if Oracea® works on rosacea induced pimples, maybe it’s an “off-label” cure for common acne?

Be a Budget Savvy Bride

Know anyone getting married on long island? Check out gettingmarriedonlongisland.com. This awesome new website, started by a budget savvy wedding expert, includes unique ideas, hot trends and one-on-one advice.

Ride out the Economic Downturn with Bangs Instead of Botox

Press releases that hit my inbox are generally ho hum sales pitches, but this budget savvy one from a PR wiz at Trent & Co deserves a shout out.

Bangs instead of Botox? A simple snip could have the same overall affect to someone’s face as those paralyzing toxins. According to celebrity stylist Suki Duggan, owner of Donsuki Townhouse Salon, bangs are an affordable wrinkle fix. “A lot of my clients are asking me for bangs as a way to hide the imperfections of their forehead,” said Duggan.
Budget style on a shoestring adds: Hurray for bangs; this season they're a major beauty trend. Many models and stars ( including Kate Beckinsale) showed up at NY Fashion Week sporting freshly cropped fringes. Insider tip: Bangs need more frequent trims then the rest of your hair but, it's protocol for hairdressers to offer free bang trims in between haircuts.
Instyle.com tells how to groom long wispy bangs like Jessica Alba's:
HOW-TO: Blow-dry with a paddle brush, not a round one, to avoid a wave-like effect on hair and bangs. Finish with an anti-frizz spray to ensure a smooth look. TRICK: Because of the thinness of these bangs, they can easily be pinned to the side or clipped back and are easy to
grow out. BUY ONLINE NOW Spornette Small Paddle Brush, $6; shop.com.

When your beauty favorite goes bye bye

What to do when your favorite beauty product is hard to find or discontinued? Find out by reading my story in latest Consumer Reports Shop Smart Magazine, featured on CBS early show this morning. See When Your Beauty Favorite Goes Bye Bye http://shopsmartmag.org/

Quick Fix for Biggest Beauty Blunders

Producing makeovers for magazines for years (including 620 makeovers in 12 years for Woman's World Magazine) I've witnessed what works and what doesn't, what's too pricey, too time consuming or a waste of time. Between budget friendly blogging, I'll be sharing some of the best hair and makeup artists tips I've come across. I'll also blog about makeovers for beauty blunders ... those no no's hair and makeup artists see most ... and that are easiest to fix.
First installment: Coping with comma brow
Comma brow comes from over plucking, resulting in a sperm-like blob where the brow starts, and an overly rounded pencil thin line to the rest of it ... like a big surprised comma.
Quick fix: brush or pencil in a natural looking arch while you try to let your brows grow in.
Best way to learn: stop in at Sephora or a makeup counter at Macy's and have their makeup pro show you how-to, for free.
On your own: find your ideal arch. To do, line an eyeshadow brush up with the outside edge of the colored part of your eye; where the brush meets the brow is where the highest part of your arch should be. Your brow line should be full from the inner corner to the arch, gradually narrowing from the arch to the outer corner.
To plump comma brows: Makeup artists recommend you use an eyeliner brush to brush brown or taupe matte eye shadow or brow powder along your brow line. To try: Maybelline Ultra Brow Brush on Color, $4.99.
For truly sparse spots: using a brown or taupe pencil, diagonally feather tiny hair-like flecks to fill in. Many makeup lines include a brush on brow color, which is ideal for plumping the brow line and to cover grays ... but it doesn't fix a comma shape.
If you're really all thumbs: it's more of an investment than a splurge to get a one-time grooming by celebrity brow maven, Eliza Petrescu ($120 at Exhale Spa in NY). She'll also tell-all about how to do-it-yourself so from then on, you can do your own upkeep. Check Eliza's website, elizaseyes.com, for more dish on her and for a virtual encyclopedia of tips on beautifying your brows.

Don't Fall Victim to Beauty Puffery!

Can a lip product plump your pout? DuWop Lip Venom ($16), Lipfusion ($38) and a slew of other plumpers promise to boost lips like collagen.

On assignment for the NY Daily News, I convinced my daughter Julie (pictured, right) to test dozens of popular lip plumpers. Julie said some made her lips sting or burn, others added a pretty gloss, but none truly plumped her pout … and she’s not the only one. In a study published in the Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery, researchers found the products offered no observable change in lip size on a study of female patients. "If a lip-enhancing product did what a dermatologist can do, armed with lip-plumping injectables, it would be classified as a drug and not a cosmetic," says Deborah Sarnoff, M.D., associate clinical professor of dermatology at NYU Medical School. "Like all 'cosmeceuticals,' lip plumpers don't require FDA approval, nor do they need to prove their claims," she adds.

Lip plumpers contain ingredients such as niacin, cinnamon, capsaicin, menthol and clove that can make the mouth sting or burn. You'll get fuller looking lips with reasonably priced lip liner and lipstick from companies like L'Oreal, Cover Girl, Max Factor or Maybelline. To do:

* Using lip pencil in a shade close to the lip color you'll wear, keep mouth relaxed and slightly open. Rest your elbow on a table or counter for support and hold the lip pencil like a regular pencil. Balance your pinky on the side of your chin to help maintain a steady hand.
* Place pencil tip at the center point between crests of your upper lip. Following the outer rim of the natural shape of your lips, draw a line from center to top of crest on one side; repeat on other side. Extend the line from top of each crest, along the very outer edge of your lip line, down to the outer corners of your mouth. For bottom lip, pinpoint the exact center by holding the lip pencil vertically under the tip of your nose. The point where the pencil touches your bottom lip is the center. Draw a dot there. Starting at the dot, draw a line along the very outer rim of your lip line, to the outer corner of your mouth; repeat on other side. Apply a long wearing lip color within outlined area. Another option: Use a lip pencil to line and color lips; it's less creamy than lipstick, so color lasts longer.

Save on Avon

SELL:
Looking to earn extra cash? A popular way is direct marketing, selling products not available in stores to consumers. Problem is, many companies require a substantial initial investment, offer pricey goods and pressure you to stalk everyone –- from your babysitter to your boss -- to buy. One exception is Avon: becoming a Representative is a $10 investment; you needn't sell to a single customer and you automatically get substantial discounts on your personal orders.

BUY:
Scaling back on spending? Avon has some great buys. Their Anew costs less than most other anti-aging brands, and budget friendly Skin-So-Soft is a global best-seller. Today you no longer need to thumb through little catalogues, since many Avon Representatives are online. My Avon "Lady," Susan Broderick, currently offers Free Shipping on online orders (use coupon code 6SFWR) and 50% off on many items, including ANEW REJUVENATE Flash Facial Revitalizing Concentrate, now $24; Lighten Up Plus Eye Cream, now $7.50; MOISTURE THERAPY Intensive Hand Cream, now $0.99; Skin So Soft Body Wash, now $2.99. Shop Susan’s store (or sign up to be an Avon Rep) at youravon.com/sbroderick.

Freebie Finds

Free Shoes: As a DSW Rewards Member (no fee), you get a $10 Welcome Certificate, reward certificates for every 1,500 points earned, double points shopping days, special offers and a birthday gift certificate. At a recent DSW clearance sale, I found my favorite sneakers -- New Balance 725's -- marked down from $75 to $29.95. Armed with a $20 reward certificate and my $10 birthday certificate, the cashier handed over the shoes and I paid nothing. Unlike most stores, DSW allows you to apply multiple offers to a single purchase.

If you've had a similar experience at another store, please tell us about it.

Professional manicures no longer fit your budget? Here’s how to pay less or to do-it-yourself like a pro.

Abandon acrylics: Foregoing fake nails is a real money saver, but removing acrylics is tricky, time consuming and best left to a pro.

Reduce your manicure budget: every other manicure, get a polish change instead.

Picking polish: Essie,($8) Opi,($8.50) and Creative Nail Design,($6) cost twice as much as Maybelline, but these brands brush on smoother and stay on longer than others, which is why professional manicurists use them.

Color cues: light shades are most forgiving and the finish looks better, longer. With fashionable dark colors, smudges, sloppy application and chips are obvious.

Do it yourself:
1. Shape: With an emery board, file nails across the tips, in one direction. Only file sides or corners to smooth nicks.
2. Condition: Massage cuticle conditioner into cuticles and nail beds. Next, gently nudge cuticles down using a cotton swab or an orangewood stick. Wash and dry hands. Best bets: Creative Nail Solar Oil,(½ oz, $5.50), prevents cuticles and nails from becoming brittle and promotes healthy nail growth. Cheapie petroleum jelly also works well.
3. Color: Apply a ridge-filling base coat, so color has a flawless surface to adhere to. Follow with two coats of color, then clear top coat. To do, apply enamel up the center--from cuticle to nail tip--and then up each side of the nail; let dry a few minutes between coats and thirty minutes after top coat has been applied.
4. Maintain: Every few days, apply a fresh layer of top coat so your manicure lasts longer.

Stretch Your Beauty Dollar

Money Saving Suggestions of the Day:
Avoid excessive application of beauty and grooming products. People tend to apply more than they need, so adhere to these beauty rules:
Apply a dime-sized dose of:
Facial moisturizer
Foundation
Toothpaste
Use a quarter sized dose of:
Shampoo
Conditioner
Use an amount the size of a golf ball of:
Body moisturizer
Full body sunscreen
Shaving Cream

Conditioner Trumps Shampoo, Moisturizer Trumps Cleanser, and so on

Skimp on shampoo, spend on conditioner: any shampoo will clean your hair, it's what you use after that affects your hair's condition. For instance, try pairing a classic like Flex Shampoo, (15 oz, $2.69 at drugstore.com), with the highly rated Aveda Shampure Conditioner (8.5 oz, $9.50 at Aveda.com.)

Cheap cleanser, quality moisturizer: Facial cleanser gets washed away, moisturizer works all day. Pair the dermatologist recommended Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser (8 oz., $7.99 at Walgreens) with Allure Magazine's Best of Beauty Award winner: Neutrogena Healthy Defense Daily Moisturizer SPF 45, (1.7 oz, $12.39 at Target).

Check back for more trumps, tomorrow.

Spider Woman

The health fairy hasn't been kind to my cousin. 50 years old, she's been on oxygen and cortisone 24/7 for decades. She doesn't consider herself alluring, but what eyelashes! At a recent visit, I couldn't help noticing her lashes; they looked downright "spidery," they were so long and curly. "Awesome lashes," I told her, thinking she had on over-the-top false lashes, the kind worn by drag queens. "My doctor has me on eye drops for glaucoma," she explained. "Now my lashes are growing out of control; they squish into my eyeglasses." I asked if she'd heard that a side effect of glaucoma drops is lash growth. "My ophthalmologist never mentioned that, but knowing it now is a big relief," she said. I also told her how a few beauty companies had illegally used the drug in OTC lash growth products, until the FDA got wind of it. Tempted to ask if I could try her eye drops, instead I offered to trim her lashes for her; she refused to let me.

Although this seemingly miraculous lash growth is no longer attainable over-the- counter, Allergan (maker of Lumigan, the eye drops for glaucoma) just introduced Latisse, the first and only FDA approved prescription drug for growing longer, fuller lashes. In a clinical trial, lashes typically grew 25 percent longer, 106 percent thicker and 18 percent darker.

Parting ways with your lash curler and never fussing with mascara again is a convenient concept, but unless you already indulge in professional lash extensions or you wear mink eyelashes like Madonna does, the $120 price tag for a monthly dose of Latisse might seem extravagant. If so, plump your peepers the old fashioned way: In a recent review in Consumer Reports Shop Smart Magazine, Lancome Paris Definicils, $24, got the highest marks. The runner up: Max Factor Lash Perfection Volume Couture, $7. Honorable mentions include Maybelline Defin-A-Lash, $8 and L'Oreal Telescopic Clean Definition, $9.

It's Crazy to Pay Retail These Days

One benefit to today's economy -- at least for consumers -- is big retail markdowns. These days it's crazy to pay full price for anything.
H & M is offering buy 3 items, get 50% off lowest price, with a coupon at www.hm.com/us.
Target has Isaac Mizrahi at 50% off, including cashmere sweaters starting at $12.49.
At Barney's annual warehouse sale, regular prices are cut 50-75% thru March 1. (255 West 17th Street, NY, NY)
Forever 21 features daily 21 specials -- 20% off 21 items -- in-store and on their website, forever21.com. Bigger bargains include a sleeveless satin top, $7.50.

Product Safety Savvy

Price doesn’t determine quality in beauty and personal care products. In fact, some pricey products are produced by tiny companies that lack the self-monitoring, quality control and product safety capabilities of big corporations. Turns out you may be better off with brands from giants like Revlon or P & G.

Truth is, with any cosmetic or personal care product, the FDA doesn't require cosmetic and personal care companies to test their own products for safety. "Under federal law, companies can put virtually anything into personal care products, and many of them do. Mercury, lead, and placenta extract —these and other hazardous materials are in products that millions of Americans, including children, use every day," says Jane Houlihan, Vice President of Research at EWG (Environmental Working Group).

EWG is petitioning Congress to turn this around and make personal care products safe. In the meantime, you can check products you use for safety at cosmeticsdatabase.com, a database with information on nearly 25,000 personal care products.

Dry Skin Rx: Less expensive moisturizing products deliver.

Dry, chapped skin is nearly epidemic this time of year, induced by winter's chill and indoor heating. Fortunately the solutions for smoothing and softening needn’t cost a bundle. In fact, products dermatologists recommend most are inexpensive and available in your local supermarket or chain drug store.

Cleanser: Cetaphil is a non-irritating moisturizing cleanser, recommended by dermatologists for sensitive skin, acne, rosacea, dermatitis, eczema and other conditions. This lotion is so gentle it’s safe for use on a newborn baby! It's also probably the world's least expensive makeup remover. Unlike soap, Cetaphil is non-comedogenic, and fragrance free (16 oz, apx. $11.50). Compare to Clinique Rinse-Off Foaming Cleanser (5 oz. apx. $18.50).

Rough skin smoother: What makes AmLactin® 12% Moisturizing Lotion a cure for rough heels, cracked skin, callouses, elephant-hide elbows and other skin conditions is a high concentration of lactic acid, an exfoliant that helps seal moisture into the skin. One reason Amlactin is so effective is its pH balance. The natural pH of the skin ranges between 4.5 to 5.5. "Detergents and cold, dry weather strip away this protective barrier; once it's breached, the skin cells pull away from each other, allowing moisture to escape and the result is flaky, sensitive, itching skin," says dermatologist Audrey Kunin. "Before the skin is broken, apply an active moisturizer containing lactic acid," she advises. Amlactin, 7.9 oz. apx. $17. Get a $2 off coupon at amlactin.com/coupon.lasso. Compare this product to B. Kamins Lactic 8, 1 oz. apx. $38.

Clean Out Your Closet For A Profit

Who wouldn’t love to update a wardrobe without spending a dime and help save the planet by recycling? To do, make money by selling or trading clothes and accessories you’re tired of at the Buffalo Exchange. Clothing and accessories are bought, sold and traded directly with store customers and you can bring in your former favorites for trade or cash on the spot. The ever-changing inventory includes designer wear, vintage, jeans, leather, basics, one-of-a-kind and brand new items. Visit www.buffaloexchange.com for locations nationwide, with the newest store in the East Village in NYC at 332 E. 11th Street, (212) 260-9340.

At Buffalo Exchange, now through Earth Day you can recycle your real fur apparel, accessories and shearling (even if it’s in poor condition) by donating it to Coats for Cubs, at Buffalo Exchange locations. Used furs provide bedding and comfort to orphaned and injured wildlife. To claim a tax deduction, mail your fur directly to Coats for Cubs, The Humane Society of the United States, 2100 L St., N.W., Washington, D.C. 20037.

Check Store Websites Before Shopping in Real Time

Sometimes I feel like I'm the only one on the cashier line at Macy's who isn't holding a Savings Pass coupon (so I end up paying full price). Now you needn't rummage through the Sunday newspaper or hope a Savings Pass arrives in the mail, since many stores are offering printable Savings Passes on their websites. For example, for President's Week Sales, log onto macys.com to printout a Savings Pass for 10-15% off most purchases from 2/11 thru 2/16. Lordandtaylor.com's Savings Pass is even better: 20% off most purchases from 2/11 to 2/17.

Free Cultural Events, Free Workouts for Kids and Seniors

Now that the weather is warming up, consider free ways to get fit and cultured at cityparksfoundation.org in NYC ... or check your local parks department website to see what's free in your 'hood.

Free kids lessons: CityParks Golf offers free golf lessons to kids ages 6 to 17, in public parks and on citywide courses. Free use of equipment is available at all lessons.
Geezer workouts: City Parks Foundation CityParks Seniors Fitness offers free tennis lessons, yoga instruction, and fitness walking for people 60+ in nine parks across the city.
Cultural events: Last year City Parks Foundation offered 38 free concerts, 45 free dance performances, 24 nights of free theater, four weeks of free theater workshops for teens and five weekends of free dance master classes for communities across the city. Check their website for event listings for '09.

Best Beauty Appliance Buys

I've been writing for Consumer Reports Shop Smart, a magazine worth subscribing to if you are out to make the best buy on all your purchases.
Reason: Not only does it report on bargain buys (and items to avoid); products are tested/rated by consumers and the magazine uses the same experts and testing capabilities as Consumer Reports.
Blow dryers and flatirons are one beauty category you can spend a bundle on. In the January '09 issue, Shop Smart reports that despite difference in price and wattage, blow drying time doesn't vary much between the products they tested, and if speed is key, shelling out a lot doesn't pay.
Factoring in noise and other features, Revlon Ionic Ceramic Pro Stylist RV484, $20, is their pick as a bargain buy. If you want to make a smart spluge, consider the CHI Pro Dryer GF1505, $135.

Straightening Irons: Revlon Perfect Heat Ceramic RVST2001C, $30, is the best bargain buy. For a splurge, try Conair Infiniti Nano Silver SS9, $100.

Feel Rich When You’re Not ... You can still live it up: Half Price Drinks and/or Free Bar Food

If you won’t be dining at Ducasse (or anywhere else) anytime in the near future, you needn’t sit at home eating Chinese takeout. At the poshest places, happy hour is the new dinner. The holy grail of happy hours? Half price on drinks and bar food (and you needn’t patronize a dive/old man’s bar). Free hors d'oeuvres with your $14 martini is another wallet friendly option. Now, some upscale restaurants offer the best happy hours in town.

Chinatown Brasserie, in the East Village: this celebrity hot spot caters to the rich and famous, but their best-kept secret is half price dim sum and deep discounts on wine and specialty drinks, 5pm-7pm.

Alligator Lounge in Williamsburg, Brooklyn: after 6pm, buy a drink and get a free brick oven pizza.

Rock ‘n Sake (locations in Chelsea and in Port Washington): 5:30pm-7:30pm, Mon-Fri, a decent glass of Chardonnay is under $4; a large sake is $4 in Port Washington, $5 in Manhattan. Happy hour bar menu includes crab shumai, shrimp tempura, sushi rolls and sesame chicken for $3-$4.

The Big Easy, on the Upper East Side: Wednesday’s endless happy hour runs from 5pm- 4am, including $2 mixed drinks and $6 pitchers of Bud Lite.

Common Ground in the East Village: appetizers are two-for-one, apple martinis and cosmos are $5 and a Yuengling is $2, from 4pm-8 p.m.

Black Bear Lodge in Gramercy Park: $3 margaritas everyday until 7pm.

Sweetwaters in Hauppauge, Long Island: half price drinks and complimentary hors d'oeuvres, Mon.-Fri, 3:34pm-6:45pm.