When it comes to trying new beauty products, or even at home remedies (yes, I’ve tried the Miraclewhip peel—and it works), I will experiment with anything.  My skin has always been my nemesis. I don’t break out, I don’t have too many wrinkles, but I have some minor scarring and it’s all I can see when I look in the mirror. I’ve tried everything, truly everything. Expensive lasers, creams, dermabrasion, microdermabrasion, and more lasers—and nothing made much of a difference.  I spend hours looking at before and after pictures online of just about any procedure. My goal is to look like Rachel Weisz—is that too much to ask? I even visit the same dermatologist as her to increase my chances!

Looking for something new to try at home, I came across articles on the skin needle roller. A fascinating contraption with teeny needles that you roll on your face. Apparently Angelina, Jolie uses this device (it involves needles, are you surprised?).  I purchased one right away, the 1.5mm model,  and had it over-nighted. I’ve done two sessions with it so far, spaced a week a part.  It hurts, not in a excruciating way, but an annoying stingy way.  The point of it is  to help stimulate collagen production and also open your pores to absorb nutrients more effectively.  You guys, it works.  I’ve noticed vast improvement from this method more than anything over the last ten years.  It is also effective for fine lines.  My advice would be to read all you can before doing it for yourself–there are many how-to videos on YouTube.  If you are up for trying anything, I give the skin-needle roller two thumbs up.

l-r: MICRONEEDLE SKIN CARE SYSTEM, $27.00, Amazon; DR. ROLLER, $69.95, Amazon.

Ever woken up to socks on Christmas morning? Yeah, I’ve been there: A 6-pack, from the warehouse store that sells bananas in bulk. Take note from a scorned recipient and gift these super cute beauty products to your daughter/friend/sister/aunt/cousin instead. They’re hands-down just as “useful” so if that’s your main, gift-giving criteria, you’re covered: Everyone needs a manicure set for their desk at work, this Red Flower roll-on perfume is ideal for travel (and smells great), rose-tinted lip balm flatters everyone, and glittery nails are festive and fun. You’re welcome, in advance.

beauty things that are better than socks: TWEEZERMAN FLORAL MINI MANICURE KIT, $9.00, available at Target.com; RED FLOWER ROLL-ON ORGANIC PERFUME, $48.00, available at Beauty.com; SALLY HANSEN SALON EFFECTS NAIL STRIPS, $8.99, available at Soap.com; FRESH SUGAR ROSE TINTED LIP TREATMENT, $22.50 available at Neiman Marcus.

My skin has turned into a mix bag of crazy. One day it’s dry, the next it’s an oily mess. Plus, to top it all off I started to get adult acne. What the hell!!

I went to Nordstrom a while back and started wandering around the skin care walls when this woman approached me asking if I needed help. She looked at my dull broken out skin and said, we need to help you. She asked me a ton of questions about my diet, exercise and beauty routine.  Patricia Bullock, Business Manager, Advanced Skin Care Specialist & Estetician introduced herself and started to run down her background and expertise. She reached for the Arcona Basic Five system and promised me that my skin would become vibrant and clear once again. Arcona is known for speeding up the skin’s own renewal cycle from 30 to 7 days. Now, I’m one of THE most skeptical people around, especially when I feel like I’m getting sold on a product just to meet sales quotas; but I took the travel-sized vials she handed me and decided to give it a shot. After all, she handed me her business card and said to call her if I wasn’t happy (now that is just good service).

It’s been a month and half, and I have to say, I’m really happy with the results.  My pores appear smaller, my skin is much softer and smoother, and those blemishes around my chin and cheeks have all but disappeared. The basic five is truly a skin care system (I’m using the one for oily skin): I have the AM/PM cleansing schedule taped to my bathroom mirror to keep track of it all. What’s a little bit of work for great skin, right? Do you have any miracle products that you swear by? Do share!

With Halloween fast approaching, we can all look forward to the scene of a girl walking home at 8am still dressed in her slutty rhinocerous costume after a night of binge drinking and yelling in a baby voice. And I say that with very little judgment in my voice. (Not really. I’m fully judging.) Point is, we’ve all had a moment or two where we probably could’ve used a ‘face janitor’ to help us look presentable in times of need. That’s why I always carry my miniature-sized ‘must-haves’ with me. After all, from time to time, I enjoy a cocktail and passing out on a friend’s couch, too. The following items, starting with Bliss wax strips, are all you’ll ever need. And yes, facial-hair-remover-to-go is a way of life if you’re Italian like me. On a sunny day when pores are in 3D, there is no sadder sight than the cloud that looms over a hairy upper lip. These things wipe the slate clean in under five minutes.

clockwise, l-r: POETIC WAXING STRIPS FOR FACE, $26.96, ASOS;  YVES SAINT LAURENT TOUCHE ECLAT RADIANT TOUCH, $40.00, BLOOMINGDALE’S; BENEFIT BENETINT POCKET PAL, $20, BENEFIT; COLGATE WISP PORTABLE MINI-BRUSH TOOTHBRUSH, $7.99 for 16, DRUGSTORE.COM.

Halloween is quickly approaching, but for one reason or another I’m not in the dress-up mood this year. I will be costuming it up for work, but in my real life, I think I’m just going to present a nod to Halloween with a few of these booo-tiful (too much? I tried) accessories this weekend.

nod to halloween l-r: MAKE UP FOR EVER Fluo Night Black Light Pigment: $31.00, available at Sephora.com; POP Beauty Lashes – Icon False Lashes: $12.00, available at Beauty.com; Palladio BECHIC Lipstick Orange Burst: $2.29, available at Sally Beauty Supply; butter LONDON Black Nail Polish: $14.00, available at Zappos.com; butter LONDON Matte Finish Topcoat: $18.00, available at BeautyBar.

Somehow, I breezed through high school with nary a break-out, but now that I’m all grown up, I occasionally get taken down by rosacea, one of those really annoying skin afflictions that seemingly has no cause (spicy food, red wine, sleep deprivation, who knows). Christine Chin—an 11-fingered miracle worker (true, on both accounts) who has a namesake spa on Orchard Street in New York—managed to get my rosacea to clear out years ago, but with the stress of the move, it’s sneaking back onto my face. And alas, I’m no longer in New York and can’t deposit myself on her table, which breaks my heart (she’s also hilarious and gives fascinating accounts of dealing with various skin afflictions). I’m not at risk for developing a bulbous, red nose anytime soon, but it is irritating enough that I find myself leaning pretty heavily on Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer (she also suffers from rosacae) to cover up the redness in my cheeks. Left to my own devices, I can only rely on Christine’s advice, which I thought I’d share with any other rosacea sufferers out there.

Contrary to what every dermatologist might tell you (they’ll tell you to leave your skin alone), you have to exfoliate like crazy. (Apparently our skin is baby-like, and easy to suffocate with dry skin on top.) Christine used seemingly-severe microdermabrasion on me, and it worked, quickly. Since I don’t have one of those machines lurking in my closet, I’m using a scrub twice a week (or every time I feel “plaque” under my fingertips), toner from her line, plus her hydrating cream. (Her product line rocks.) Fingers crossed that I can banish the tinted moisturizer by December. Do any of you have any other tricks?

clockwise, l-r: CHANEL PRECISION GOMMAGE MICROPERLE POLISHING GEL, $40.00, BEAUTYENCOUNTER.COM; LAURA MERCIER TINTED MOISTURIZER, $42.00, SAKS FIFTH AVENUE; CHRISTINE CHIN HYDRATING TONER, $28.00, CHRISTINE CHIN; CHRISTINE CHIN PERFECT HYDRATING CREME, $39.00, CHRISTINE CHIN.

Know what always makes me happy? Anything with a signature, pirate-y drawing on it from the kind gentleman (Don Carney, John Ross) at Patch NYC. Whether it’s a delicious, mini-tub of solid-perfume (essential for travel), a throw pillow emblazoned with a peacock, or some wallpaper from their recent collaboration with Anthroplogie, it’s just good. I also love their old-timey jewelry, which never looks too precious. It always seems like the sort of thing your grandmother might have ferreted out of her jewelry box, in the best possible way. What I really, really want, though, is one of the duo’s original pieces (good holiday wish list contender).

clockwise, l-r: SOLID PERFUME, $22.00, PATCH NYC; FIVE LEAF DROP EARRINGS, $87.00, PATCH NYC; SKULL BOWL, $78.00, PATCH NYC; PEACOCK PILLOW, $120.00, PATCH NYC.

jin soon’s fall nail polish favorites, l-r: FACETS OF FUCHSIA BY REVLON, $11.75 available at Amazon; BLANK SLATE BY SONIA KASHUK, $4.99, available at Target; SUGAR DADDY BY ESSIE, prices and stores will vary; NARS CHINATOWN NAIL POLISH, $16.00, available at NARS.

I have to have my hair out of my face with a headband when I’m washing my face. It’s a habit I picked up from my mom: she had a drawer full of ‘em in the funniest prints (bugs, plaids, animals) and emblazoned with the shiniest rhinestones. I’ve picked up mom’s penchant for headbands, but I prefer mine to be a bit more wearable in the event that I want to take them outside of the bathroom.

p.s. Can you tell I have an affinity towards bows? It’s pretty much the only place I’ll wear them.

the prettiest headbands around, clockwise l-r: BAND.DO HEART I, $20.00, $available at ban.do; MYSTYLELAB HEADBAND, $5.99, available at macys.com; ASHEVILLE YOU BE MINE? HEADBAND, $15.99, available at ModCloth; GAP BOW HEADBAND, $11.95, available at Gap.

When the temperature drops below 65 degrees, I’m officially cold (what can I say, I’m a So-Cal girl through and through). I blast the heater non-stop during the winter so I often get dry, flaky skin on my hands. I’m a purist when it comes to lotion so I stick to the most emollient kind. No frou frou perfumed lotion for me! Here are two that I’m compulsively slathering on my skin, lips, cuticles and even the ends of my hair.

hand lotions for the thirstiest of skin, l-r: NEUTROGENA NORWEGIAN FORMULA HAND CREAM, $4.49, available at drugstore.com; AQUAPHOR HEALING OINTMENT TUBE, $5.89, available at soap.com.