Good Housekeeping May-14

DIRECTOR Miriam Arond TECHNICAL MANAGER & ENGINEERING DIRECTOR Rachel Rothman FOOD DIRECTOR Susan Westmoreland FOOD ASSOCIATE FOOD EDITORS Catherine Lo, Erin Phraner ASSISTANT FOOD EDITOR Sherry Rujikarn EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Trish Clasen NUTRITION NUTRITION DIRECTOR Samantha B. Cassetty, M.S., R.D. HOME HOME APPLIANCES, CLEANING PRODUCTS & TEXTILES DIRECTOR Carolyn E. Forté PRODUCT ANALYST, HOME CARE Michaelle Exhume TEXTILES PRODUCT ANALYST Lexie Sachs KITCHEN APPLIANCES & TECHNOLOGY DIRECTOR Sharon Franke PRODUCT ANALYST Emily Weinberger CHEMISTRY HEALTH, BEAUTY &ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES DIRECTOR Birnur K. Aral, Ph.D. SENIOR PRODUCT ANALYST Mary E. Clarke CHEMIST Sabina Burdzovic-Wizemann PRODUCT ANALYST Megan Inayoshi CONSUMER ELECTRONICS TEST ENGINEERS Arne Bostrom, Gordon Grajek ASSISTANT TO THE DIRECTOR Betty Gold 2,400 readings were taken by our home appliances engineer, Michaelle Exhume, above, to see how well 20 new washing…

Like many kids, I gathered much of what I knew of the world from reading. I grew up in a fairly sheltered environment, was terribly shy and loved a good story. So I spent a lot of time with my nose in a book. I was constantly intrigued—and often taken aback—by the realities I encountered. Authors like the Brontës, Dickens and Elizabeth Gaskell pulled me into another time, painting tangible pictures of hardship in an era in which class, gender and connections determined one's fate—when people died of a lack of food or even a cold. As real as these worlds always felt to me, there was comfort in the distance of time and space. Then, a few years ago, I picked up The Glass Castle—I'm sure many of you…

$50…and Under Treats for You IN GOOD TASTE $20 FOR 8These cards, designed by GH staffer Samantha Bednarek, sport witty market-inspired watercolors—and recipes on the back.leaguestreetpress.com TOE SHOES $40 A rare feat: Cuteness combines with comfort in color-block canvas slip-ons with plush linings and rubber soles. Loft TRIVET PURSUIT $28 This floral-shaped silicone Avril pot rest can take the heat on your dining table. The best part: It folds closed for storage. momastore.org GEM DANDY $13 Equally suitable for work or a party, these two-inch aqua faceted double-drop earrings look as if they could be 10 times their price. worldmarket.com BY THE SPOONFUL $20 FOR 4 Tuck these teeny ceramic servers into dressing or dip. rosannainc.com JUST PEACHY $7 The earthy,…

ROSY HUES light up all skin tones. For pretty pops of color, start by mixing two lipstick shades, berry and coral. Use your fingers to press the blend into lips, creating a soft stain. Stroke on eyeliner with a tiny upturn at the outside corners, and finish with a dusting of pinky-peach blush. Get the Look 1 Stained Lips L'Oréal Paris Colour Caresse Luminous Lipcolour in Cherry Tulle and Cardinal Plum, $10; drugstores 2 Defined Eyes NYC Velvet Eyeliner Pencil in Black Velvet, $2; drugstores 3 Pink Cheeks Dolce&Gabbana Luminous Cheek Color in Peach, $45; Saks Fifth Avenue…

Who, What, Wear & Why Not?! Scarf, $12, Shop Prima Donna Purse, $70, Triple 7 TREND TO TRY Pilot Jumpsuit Why we love it Two words: cool and effortless. Our fashion director (and her assistant) fell hard for the fitted cut and casual vibe of this one-piece. How to wear it Swap it in for jeans. Feminine details add softness and color. Blue Pearl by Allen Schwartz, $350 Booties, $100, Mia hot ingredient Charcoal Sometimes you have to fight dirty—that's why you'll see charcoal turning up in skin care. The purifying agent, which absorbs oil from pores to fight breakouts, gets a thumbs-up from dermatologist Mona Gohara, M.D. Try Garnier Clean+ Shine Control Cleansing Gel, $8; drugstores. Perfectly Suited Round out your poolside wardrobe with a few great new buys…

Eyes Brighten your outlook in a wink with these winners BROW PENCIL Here's to staying power: This pencil was rated by testers as the most long-lasting, besting 13 competitors. It also earned points for its smooth texture and natural-looking color. BOBBI BROWN BROW PENCIL, $22; BOBBI BROWNCOSMETICS.COM CREAM EYE SHADOW This smooth-as-silk longwear eye shadow proved to be the cream of the crop, winning testers' praise for resisting creasing, refusing to smudge and staying out of fine lines and wrinkles. MAC PRO LONGWEAR PAINT POT, $20; MACCOSMETICS.COM EYELASH CURLER An unbeatable eye-opener: One squeeze with this tiny tool increased the curl of testers' lashes by 149% (really!). LAURA MERCIER EYELASH CURLER, $16; MACY'S BROW FILLER Brush the mascara-like wand through brows, and it'll beef up skimpy arches fast with a…