It's a veritable beauty jungle out there. To steam or not to steam? Topicals or ingestibles? Botox or No-tox? With so many products and so many more questions, we understand just how important it is to have a community of friends and fiends who are quick to offer their sage skin wisdom. And since we're lucky enough to rub (well-moisturized) elbows with skincare experts, creators, innovators and bloggers alike, we couldn't dare keep the inside scoop to ourselves, could we?

Politics aside, the Patriot Act has seriously hampered our skincare regimen to meager 3-oz. tubes when we're abroad. What skincare products are musts when traveling?
 
Lately I've been traveling with Bare Escentuals Renew & Reveal Facial Cleanser, which is a powder cleanser. You can mix it with more water to use as a regular cleanser, but if you add less water, it also works as a gentle exfoliant. I also like to pack Stila Illuminating Tinted Moisturizer, which has SPF 15--so it's like having a light foundation and sunscreen in one. For the rest of my needs, such as eye creams and body lotions, I collect single-use samples. Much easier than checking bags!

Is there any new skin treatment you're using that has left you beyond impressed?

Lasers aren't new, but they can do some pretty amazing things. I developed a broken capillary on my cheek, and although it wasn't huge, the redness stood out on my otherwise pale skin. I went to a medspa to have it "zapped" and was amazed by how quickly it disappeared.

Are there any extravagant skincare products out there that you currently covet?

I'm dying to try Clarisonic to see if it lives up to the hype. But in general, I don't think you have to pay an arm and a leg to get good skin care. Sure, I'd love to try Chantecaille's $420 Nano Gold cream, but I'm not convinced that it would treat my skin any better than a more affordable option.

We met you at a skincare event here in New York City, but you're based in sunny California. What do you faithfully use to protect your skin from damaging rays?

I won't leave the house without wearing a broad-spectrum sunscreen of at least SPF 30; I love La Roche-Posay's version because it feels weightless. When I know I'm going to be outside for more than a few minutes, or whenever I visit L.A., I apply Neutrogena's SPF 70 throughout the day. Truthfully, I don't love the smell and it sometimes leaves white streaks on my skin, but the protection is unbeatable. I also wear floppy hats and sunglasses to shade my face. I'm a little obsessive about avoiding the sun, but only because I know the damage it can do.

Living in California, do you feel the pressure to get injections, fillers or other non-invasive procedures?

Not really. I am surprised, though, by how common Botox is becoming among women in their 20s and early 30s. The idea is to prevent lines from ever forming, but I think worrying about getting older can cause aging in itself.

If you were going to take your very last bath on earth, what oil, salt, or bubbly brew would you use to make it especially soak-worthy?

Lush makes a fantastic bath bomb called Butterball. It has little chunks of cocoa butter that melt in the water, so your skin feels so soft and protected when you get out of the tub. It smells of vanilla, and it's an affordable luxury.

What lip balm do you never leave home without?

Lately it's C.O. Bigelow Mentha Lip Shine, but when my lips are really chapped, I turn to Kiehl's Lip Balm.

Do you have a favorite beauty icon?

At this point, it's a cliché to say Audrey Hepburn, but I'll do it anyway. She's one of the most beautiful women in cinematic history, but she wasn't 100 percent comfortable with her looks. She felt self-conscious about her nose, her teeth, and so forth. Whenever I start feeling down about my appearance, I think of how preposterous it was for such a lovely person to feel insecure--and then I try to treat myself with the same level of kindness.

What celebrity do you think has the best skin?

I had the chance to meet Dita Von Teese a few months ago, and her skin looks like cream. It is absolutely flawless. And Gabrielle Union has a beautiful complexion--it has a glow that cannot be credited to makeup alone.