I've always been fascinated by women's cosmetic clutches. Whether they are stained and made of meshed material, sleek and without a loose particle in sight. I'm convinced a lady's beauty booty carry-all says something about her. Is she an easy-going, paired-down chick or a super-high maintenance diva? You tell me.

My bag? It's somewhat all over the place -- non-commital at best. Check out some of the makeup loot housed in my very-stained, nylon Prada pouch now:

• I love mascara, so I carry 3: Lancome Oscillation, Christian Dior Diorshow Waterproof and Prescriptives Lash Envy Volumizing Mascara
• I like a soft, flushed, berry-stained look for day so I have Stila Lip & Cheek Stain in Cherry Crush
• For a sugary finish, I coat my pout with Smashbox Lipgloss

My bag clearly needs editing! And I'll be getting to that very soon!

I will say, after seeing the gorgeous and ever-radiant Faith Hill (I'm no country music fan, but she rocks) on a rerun of the Ellen Degeneres Show last week, I wondered what goodies occupy real estate in her makeup bag. Here's what I learned: She keeps it simple! That alone makes me want to sing.

Although Faith Hill's typical routine consists of applying moisturizer (she rarely wears makeup), she does indulge in beauty products from time to time. Her beauty shortcut: clean, simple skin, moisturizer, mascara and lipstick. If you were to look inside the star's makeup bag, here's what you'd find:

Dior Diorshow Waterproof Mascara in Black 90, $24 at Sephora.com

Chanel Le Crayon Khol Intense Eye Pencil in Noir, $27 at NeimanMarcus.com

Giorgio Armani Cosmetics Designer Compact Foundation with SPF 22, $65 at GiorgioArmaniBeauty-USA.com

Vincent Longo Wet/Dry Diamond Eyeshadow in Dawn Flesh, $24 at VincentLongo.com

Hi Ladies,

I have a friend (let’s call him “Mr. F”) with skin as smooth and soft as the most exquisite silk. (No, that wasn’t a typo. Yes, I meant him…as in the friend is a he and not a she.)

While it’s nice to see that a guy cares about his grooming routine; I, quite frankly, wrestled with the fact that a male (even an extremely well-groomed one) could have skin softer than any she (especially me). Then again, from a scientific standpoint, perhaps it is possible. Men are usually more fully clothed in long-sleeved shirts and trousers and therefore less exposed to harsh environmental elements that tank top, short-sleeve, and skirt-wearing women face. But get this! When I asked “Mr. F” about his body moisturizing practices and he retorted, “I don’t really use lotion” I thought, Okay? That’s novel! 

So, for the sake of my C&V gals, I decided that some skin-so-soft-seeking work was necessary.

I assessed my skin’s condition and reviewed my body hydrating regimen my dermis is very supple but more like silk shantung than the finer variety. And baby, when it’s cool outside, I apply a thick even heavy oil (like Johnson & Johnson’s Baby Oil Gel in Aloe, $6, drugstore.com after a shower but before drying off, which helps the moisture lock into the skin for most of the day. But with warm weather here (kind of) and my competitive desire to have skin that rivals “Mr. F’s”, I decided to test a few of the season’s lightweight hydrators to see which potions get the job done.

Here’s what I’m “feeling:”

 

 

Cetaphil DailyAdvance Ultra Hydrating Lotion, $10.99, walgreens.com

Seriously, this lotion goes on so thin, but is as hydrating as any rich and super-luxe cream. So smooth and light, it can easily double as hand cream, too. The best part: you can slip on a silk top and not worry about those messy residual lotion/oil marks.

 

 GRN Grow Restore Nurture Natural White Tea Body Lotion by Exhale, $19, exhalespa.com

As soon as this paraben and dye-free hydrator touches the skin it seems to morph into water. But its nourishing, vitamin-enriched formula delicately scented of fresh essential oils lasts all day long.

Avon’s Skin So Soft Fusions Dual Softening Body Moisturizer

, $8.50, www.avon.com

I admit Skin So Soft is nostalgic for me. My mom and grandmothers swore that the legendary Avon dry oil spray could (and would) repel any bug known to man. The newest Skin So Soft cream formula left my skin moisturized and smooth, even after a four-mile run.

I’m a commitment-phobe when it comes to body moisturizers. So I’m dibbling and dabbling a bit and all three of these are in rotation.  But with these lightweight heavy hitters, I'm confident my skin WILL BE waaay softer than.... I’ll keep you posted.

Until then, tell me about your summer skin-moisturizing routine.  Do you stick with creams or lighten up? Which are your favorite and why? Does SPF alone work for you?