in today's

email from gwyneth paltrow's extraordinary silly series goop, paltrow listed a bunch of her favorite beauty goods. just because her whole goop idea is rather ridiculous doesn't mean she doesn't know her products.

here are my three top choices of the bunch that i've either used (and can vouch for their loveliness) or have read about their stellar quality in multiple places.


a. embryolisse creamthis brand is used by makeup artists the world over and with good reason. made with natural ingredients, unbelievably moisturizing and does. not. cause breakouts.

check out their entire line at www.embryolisseusa.com. then go to amazon and see if you can buy it for less.

b) savon de marseille
simple soap (for the kitchen or bath) made lovely. you get packaging, delicious not-too-strong scent - my favorite is the fig or the grapefruit- and a soap that's antibacterial. it is a lovely treat. there are also hand creams that are just the right heaviness. both available at amazon.

c) nuxe huile prodigieuse
this oil is available in regular or a slightly tinted, gold-flecked version. i've tried both (in beauty stores - i've never used a whole bottle, just sampled) and actually prefer the non-tinted, original version. this is a jack-of-all trades product. use it on your face in the super cold months (NOW) or a teeny bit in your hair for frizzies. mix a drop with your foundation to have a glowing effect. you can also put it in the bath although i would slather it on right after a bath for a serious skin treat. read more about it here.