http://www.beauty.com

Beauty.com is your one stop source for a wide variety of fragrances and cosmetics. Do you love makeup but hate going to the store to shop for it? You can find many great products you already use all from the comfort of your home computer. Some of the world-renown firms represented on this website include: Lorac, Philosophy, Phyto, Murad and Elizabeth Arden just to name a few. Beauty.com is now proud to add NARS to their extensive product offerings.

The site is broken down into easy to find categories such as:

Hair Care – Conditioners, shampoos and styling aids
Bath & Body – Bath basics, body moisturizers, manicure and pedicure and eye masks
Skin Care – Facial treatments, masks, exfoliators and cleansers
Fragrance – For men, women and home
Makeup – Eyes, face, kits and nails

Besides great shoppin, you can get advice and tips from Beauty.com’s resident expert, Troy Surratt. Tony currently recommends must-haves for a "sun-kissed summer glow". You can also search this site for gifts. You can find that last-minute present or find great discounts subscriptions on your favorite magazine. One of the most useful features is "Your List"™. To make your shopping easier, they will suggest similar item if your favorite product should become discontinued and even e-mail you if a product on your personalized list goes on sale. All in all this web site is easy to use and very convenient for those of us who want to look good, but don’t have the time to go out and look for cosmetics.!

Reviewed by R & RC Staff Member - Monika Earle

In the words of the editor-in-chief, Bill Marken, "We want to provide ideas for people who appreciate the pleasure of spending time outdoors, who want to combine the comforts and conveniences of the home with the beauty and soul-stirring qualities of the garden." That philosophy was felt throughout this colorful magazine. With articles as diverse as:

• Creating a rooftop garden of moss, ferns and succulents
• The California Poppy and its many varieties
• Creating multi-use outdoor rooms
• The garden shower
• Choosing roses for a mixed border

Along with the many outdoor products showcased and reviewed, the "Horticulture Question and Answer" section with Jack Ruttle was informative and fun to read. Also interesting was the "Edibles" article called "Tasty Shoots", which included photos of various types of scallions, "…slender, undeveloped white (or red) bulbs that grow into a long tuft of hollow greens-they’re also called Spring onions, green onions, bunching onions, Welsh onions or table onions." The accompanying recipe for scallion and chive crepes got my taste buds soaring.

The article called "Style and Sustenance" informs us how to combine plants in an artful way. The vegetable plants in your garden need to be relegated to a certain space or lined up in a row, but can be incorporated into the total garden design. To this reviewer, it’s quite inspiring not only to admire the beautiful gardens in Garden Design, but to feel that I can go home and try these ideas in my own garden. As Bill Marken puts it, "The best gardens we see are designed not just to be looked at but to be used."

Reviewed by R & RC Staff Member Cynthia Aaron

Over the years books have been published to document costume history and everyday dress from diverse cultures. Only recently have we noted who’s who in terms of giving credit to fashion designers and how they are responsible for influencing countless others in their way of dress. Compiled by the pioneers of the fashion magazine i-D, Fashion Now features the work of 150 of the world’s most important designers, focusing not only on the biggest names in fashion, but also the most exciting new talent.

Iconoclastic masters featured include Fortuny, Vionnet, Chanel, and, of course, St. Laurent. Fashion Now also pays homage to such innovative emerging designers as: Jeremy Scott, Viktor & Rolf, and Rick Owens, all of whom are all becoming legends in their own right. This book covers Chanel, from Coco Chanel or Karl Lagerfeld; Louis Vuitton from its inception to current designer, Marc Jacobs; and Christian Dior, from the "New Look" to the trail blazing John Galliano.

Fashion Now covers all manner of couturier. Aside from these recognizable, legendary names, attention is also paid to those designers leading us into the new millennium. There are the established who have taken over couture houses and the entrepreneurs who have just started their own house. There are those who may have designed for the last 20 years but have only as of late received recognition. Those addicted to style acknowledge i-D as a trend predictive that gives street-style credibility and promotes what might seem cutting edge at first, yet later is adopted by the masses. For those of you on the go, there is even a city guide included which will highlight where to shop, stay and eat as you tour the world’s fashion capitals.

Reviewed by R & RC Staff Member – Glenda Ronduen