Good Housekeeping Jan-16

The experts in the Good Housekeeping Institute Beauty Lab rigorously test facial moisturizers to identify which ones workÉand which aren't worth the hype (or the money!). Using a Corneometer¨ (a device that measures skin moisture), our findings revealed that you don't have to break the bank to get serious results. “Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream kept skin more hydrated than a $350 luxury cream.” Good Housekeeping, 2015 BEST of the TEST! The unique formulation penetrates and hydrates deep into the skin's surface layers to lift, firm and plump, showing results in just one day. WHAT'S IN THE PRODUCT? 1 HYALURONIC ACID Acts like a “super-sponge,” absorbing 1000x its weight in water, for more hydrated, smoother skin. 2 AMINO-PEPTIDES Peptides have the potential to regenerate the natural production of collagen, for firmer, more…

Kicking back at a spa is a heavenly fantasy for many of us, but for some, the idea of being poked and prodded while half-naked just isn’t our thing. I learned this firsthand one Christmas when I gave my mother-in-law a spa certificate. I wanted to make sure she used it (you know how gift cards can languish in the back of a drawer), so the next time she was in town, I booked us for a half-day of services. I pictured us having a lovely time unwinding. It never occurred to me that for her, the outing might not be all that…until I found her in the lounge, back in her street clothes, an hour before we were supposed to meet up. Turns out she would’ve preferred to have…

ASK APRIL Q I love wearing a ponytail, but mine always looks limp. Help! A. Here’s how to fake fullness fast: Once your pony is in place, spritz a dry volumizing or texturizing spray (such as Garnier Fructis Style De-Constructed Texture Tease Dry Touch Finish Spray, $3) all over the tail, then back-comb its underside for lift, says Sunnie Brook Jones, celeb hairstylist for Head & Shoulders. HAVE A QUESTION? E-MAIL ASKAPRIL @GOODHOUSEKEEPING.COM. WORTH YOUR TIME? or NOT WORTH A DIME? ✓TRY IT THE TREND: SKINCARE BOOSTERS These elixirs are meant to be applied before regular serum or moisturizer to enhance the benefits of your skincare. LAB LOWDOWN Of the so-called boosters we evaluated, only one passed muster. “Study results show our pick amplified the effectiveness of the brand’s other skincare…

You know how a few highlights give your hair dimension and the illusion of thickness? Works for brows, too! Run a special brow highlighter, like one of our selects below, over your arches (either bare or filled in) from inner corners out, or visit a pro to have your brows dyed. Editor’s trick: Don’t have a highlighter? Use a powder eye shadow one shade lighter than your brows. Try (clockwise from top left): Pixi by Petra Brow Brightener in Golden Glaze, $12, Target; Smashbox Brow Tech Highlight Stick, $21, Sephora; Becca Shadow & Light Brow Contour Mousse, $25, sephora.com.…

It’s not just skin that’s susceptible to dryness and damage from the elements: Strands also suffer. The newest healing and shielding ingredient sprouting up in haircare? Quinoa — yes, the nutritional golden grain. Because it’s high in protein (hair’s main component), it’s purported to help fortify and protect damaged hair, explains Burdzovic-Wizemann. BEAUTY LAB LOWDOWN Like an invisible coat for your hair, “quinoa proteins are good at forming a film on an individual strand’s surface, reducing breakage and moisture loss,” says Burdzovic-Wizemann. “Our standouts contain the highest quantities of the ingredient.” GH Beauty Lab picks: Paul Mitchell Ultimate Color Repair Triple Rescue, $20, paulmitchell.com for salon locations; Aveda Damage Remedy Restructuring Conditioner, $29, aveda.com.…

1. SCULPT CHEEKS Buff the blush on apples, then the highlighter higher on cheekbones. 2. DECORATE ANY ’DO Bobby pins so sharp, you’ll want to show them off. 3. SPA AT HOME A sprinkling of these Dead Sea and Himalayan pink salts in the bath makes us say “ahh.” 4. PRIMP ON THE GO One of the two mirrors in fashion designer Karen Walker’s tortoiseshell-print 24k gold–plated compact is magnifying! 5. TRY A FRESH SCENT We love this downto-earth mix of green tea, peony and woods. 6. SOFTEN STRANDS Healing hair oils in handy travel tubes. 7. UPDATE YOUR MANI Winter’s metallic: multicolored chrome. 8. GET A “TAN” Fake a vacay with self-tanner in subtle, fastabsorbing serum form. 9. GRAB SOME GLITTER Small enough to fit inside a purse, pretty…