SIMPLY THE BEST

We may not rank up there with the pros, but while we're on the topic of best in beauty, we couldn't possibly hold our tongues. Take a look at the newest products we've started using over the past year. We tell you why they make our cut of the very best in beauty.

STAPLETON'S PICKS

• Clarins Delicious Self-Tanning Cream: The bronze color of this self-tanner makes it easy to apply. I rarely have streaks. Bonus: It smells just like its name. $40, Sephora

• Guerlain Issima Midnight Secret: We wrote about this elixir earlier this year and I fell in love with it as a night moisturizer. Sure, I know I'm only supposed to use it after a rough night out, but I tend to use it daily. $106, Neiman Marcus at Fashion Show mall

• Natura Bisse Glyco Extreme Peel: I discovered this gem after talking to the experts at the counter at Neiman Marcus. This is the strongest peel on the market for consumers. And after using it, I always get compliments on my skin. $225, Neiman Marcus at Fashion Show mall

• Clarisonic Skincare Brush: I was using this brush before Oprah included it on her favorite things list. I swear by it. I exfoliate my face less now. I don't think I remember what a washcloth is now. $210, Sephora

• Chantecaille Lip Gloss in Taffy: I see a lot of lipsticks and glosses in my job. This color is perfect for summer, and it comes in such a cute little compact with a mirror. Applying it with a lip brush makes me feel like a girl. $26, Barneys New York at the Shoppes at the Palazzo

GARZA'S PICKS

• Lorac Take a Brow Eyebrow Enhancer: In last year's Best of Beauty issue I bemoaned not having yet discovered a trusty brow product. A few months later I discovered Lorac's Take a Brow and bemoaned not being introduced earlier. It consists of three parts: wax, brow filler and highlighter. The wax makes the filler stick to your brush and naturally glide onto brows and the highlighter defines your arches. $22, Sephora

• Donna Karan Cashmere Mist Body Lotion: It feels like silk on the skin, not greasy like some perfume lotions can, and smells divine. $35, Saks Fifth Avenue at Fashion Show mall

• Smashbox Sheer Focus Tinted Moisturizer: Taking a tip from Carmindy -- the in-house "What Not to Wear" makeup specialist -- I incorporated tinted moisturizer into my beauty regime this year. This particular one evens out your palette with light-as-a-feather, touchable coverage. I just wish Smashbox customers didn't complain about the eye sting the cooling properties produced, but you can't have it all. $30, Ulta

• MAC Plush Lash Mascara: I was talked into using this after a MAC Pro artist convinced me MAC had finally made a reliable mascara. Neither the artist, nor the mascara, disappointed. The big brush gives lashes a high glam, faux look. $11, Mac Pro at Forum Shops at Caesars

• Davines Purifying Anti-Dandruff Shampoo: The great part about this all-natural, eco-friendly shampoo: It gets rid of dandruff fast. The bad part: Endorsing it means admitting you have dandruff. $21.44, Salon at Wynn Las Vegas

Contact fashion reporter Xazmin Garza at xgarza@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0477.