mySimon Health and Beauty Shopping Picks

"Real men wear goatees," say the people behind the GoateeSaver, a new shaving device that helps men with daily grooming. The GoateeSaver is not a razor. It is a plastic mouthpiece. You bite down on the orange tabs in the back, adjust the mouthpiece so that it covers all the facial hair you want to keep, and then just shave around it. It sounds like a fast and easy way to get a perfectly symmetrical goatee. And it's only $20.

We don't normally get excited about mundane things like hand soap, and we know practically nothing about flowers, but this weekend we visited a friend and discovered a bottle of Mrs. Meyer's geranium liquid hand soap in his bathroom. It smelled so good we wanted to drink it. The company's web site says you can use it on your entire body, not just your hands. Mrs. Meyer, if you are reading this, please make us some geranium shampoo and we will buy it by the case. All Mrs. Meyer's products are cruelty-free and are not tested on animals.

What's even better than the Boyfriend pillow? The Snoogle body pillow. Not just for pregnant women, the Snoogle is a 5-foot-long pillow that conforms to your body and has a removable, washable cover. Depending on how you bend it, you can use the Snoogle to support your back, align your hips/neck/spine/legs, elevate parts of your body, use it to support your neck or back while reading, and more. Just looking at it makes us sleepy. More body pillows.

Just when you think you've seen it all: Betty Beauty, a product that's getting tons of attention (People magazine, NYC subway ads, etc.) because it's for dying "the hair down there." Supposedly it's for covering (male or female) grey hair, which is why it comes in black, brown, auburn, blonde, and hot pink. It's also supposed to be safer than regular hair dye, and will last 4-5 weeks. Call us prudes, but we think we'll stick with nail polish and tattoos, thanks.

As seen on Oprah (and as taken home by every member of her audience that day): A brush from the NARS Kabuki Artisan series. These cosmetic tools are made with black goat hair, which sounds rather gross, but goat hair is known for being soft and strong. The brushes are designed for applying loose powder, buffing, blending, contouring, and highlighting. Or you can just use them to put on your makeup. More NARS cosmetics.

Did you know that a) there is a Fragrance Foundation, and b) they hand out awards? Us neither. At last week's FiFi Awards ("the Oscars of the fragrance industry"), Marc Jacobs' Daisy fragrance won the Women's Fragrance of the Year award. The floral perfume contains notes of violet leaves and petals, wild strawberries, vanilla, and jasmine. And the packaging is just too cute. Dolce & Gabanna's Light Blue Pour Homme won Men's Fragrance of the Year.

Remember the Zeno zit zapper? It's a handheld, battery-operated device that uses heat to destroy the bacteria in pimples so your skin clears up faster. The original Zeno came with 60 metal "tips," or cartridges, that deliver heat to blemishes. But just like with razors, replacement cartridges can get expensive. So now there's the Zeno Pro, which is just like the first Zeno, except it comes with 90 tips and a leather carrying case with a mirror, so you can zap zits while waiting for the bus. But we'd appreciate it if you'd wait until you got home.

Heat is the new black, at least in personal care products. First there was the no!no!, which uses heat to get rid of unwanted hair. Now there's the ThermaClear, which uses heat to get rid of zits. This handheld device delivers a controlled blast of "healing thermal energy" to each blemish, neutralizing the bacteria that caused it in the first place, and speeding up the healing process - up to 4 times faster. Treatment takes only 2 seconds per pimple, and while it's not 100% effective, it works so well that the company guarantees your satisfaction or will give you your money back within 30 days.

Are you still using an analog toothbrush? Maybe it's time to upgrade to the Ultreo. This power toothbrush combines ultrasound technology and sonic bristle action to create microbubbles that remove hard-to-reach plaque, improve gum health, reduce stains for naturally whiter teeth, and let you know if your baby's a boy or a girl. OK, maybe not that last part. But people love it. One reviewer says her "hygienist was amazed when she cleaned my teeth after I had used my Ultreo for three months." More toothbrushes.

Who's ready for a little home electrolysis? If you've got $250 and some free time/patience, the no!no! hair removal device might be for you. The no!no! (which is short for "no hair! no pain!") uses heat to destroy hair. There's no pain, discomfort, or in-grown hairs; just the odor of your hair burning. Designed to reduce hair density, the no!no! is not a miracle cure for unwanted hair and won't give you silky smooth skin overnight, but over time you should notice a difference.

Apparently neither "House" nor "McDreamy" knows about the new Philips Norelco moisturizing shaving system. Not only does it give you a smooth shave, it automatically dispenses Nivea for Men onto your face, for a moisturizing and soothing shave in or out of the shower. The razor comes with its own "station," where it sleeps, recharges, and refills itself with Nivea, and for frequent travelers, it automatically selects the correct voltage (100V/240V). More shavers. More holiday gifts for him.

Problem: You hair looks fabulous when you leave the salon, all smooth and straight and shiny, but the next time you wash and dry it yourself, you're back to looking like you stuck your finger in a socket. Solution: Conair's Infiniti Hair Designer, a hair dryer with ionic technology (for gentle hair drying) that comes with all the attachments you need to straighten and de-frizz your hair. And you can do it all with one hand and no brush! We want one. More ionic hair dryers.

For the August issue of Better Homes and Gardens, the magazine's editors tried all kinds of home teeth whitening kits, including the Go Smile Advanced Formula B1 tooth whitening system. The verdict? "This only added a minute to my morning and evening ritual, and the results were so good even my dentist noticed." The gel contains hydrogen peroxide (not enough to damage enamel) that whitens teeth and even lifts stains from porcelain crowns and veneers. And the handy applicator brush lets you target problem areas. See all teeth whiteners.

Got back pain? If it's the result of a misaligned spine, you might want to try this Spine-Worx device. Just lie down on it for 10-20 minutes a day. The weight of your body presses your spine against the 2 padded, contoured rails, helping your vertebrae gradually and naturally realign - and getting rid of back pain. The Spine-Worx was designed by a chiropractor yet costs just a fraction of a chiropractic session. And it only weighs 2 pounds, so you can take it anywhere.

How ya feeling today? A little too much July 4th fun in the sun yesterday, we see. (And by fun we mean beer.) Next time there's a mid-week holiday, you might want to lay off the sauce - or think about stocking up on some Chaser hangover prevention pills. Made of all natural calcium carbonate and vegetable carbon, the pills find and absorb the harmful elements in your drink, and then pass them out of your system. Note: Chaser pills will not prevent intoxication or embarrassing behavior on the dance floor.

Gwen Stefani has partnered with Coty, Inc., the world's largest fragrance company, and the result is "L, a L.A.M.B. fragrance." Carried exclusively by Nordstrom (for now, anyway) it's a "fusion of masculine and feminine with a luscious floral scent that bursts with sparkling freshness and then wraps you in the warmth of sensual musks." We're not quite sure what that means, but the packaging looks pretty cool. And it's a lot more affordable than Stefani's clothing line. Next time we're in Nordstrom, we'll do a little sniff test and then hollaback at you...

The FDA has actually approved an over-the-counter weight loss product for obese people. It's called Alli, and it can help you lose more weight than you would just by dieting. The drug prevents your body from absorbing about 25% of the fat you eat. That doesn't mean you get a free pass to Popeye's; you're also supposed to reduce your fat intake (if you don't, there are some rather unpleasant gastrointestinal side effects). Alli is not for everyone, so talk to your doctor before you start popping pills.

Remember that time you got so sunburned your friends were singing "Rock Lobster" to you all night? Make sunburns a thing of the past with this personal UV monitor from Oregon Scientific. It tells you the current UV index (i.e., how strong/dangerous the sun's ultraviolet rays are) and recommends an amount of exposure time and SPF based on your personal skin type. No more poking at yourself to see how slowly your fingerprint fades. There's even a countdown timer, in case you fall asleep. Wouldn't want to burn the roast! Compare prices on sunscreen.

Freckles. Skin cancer. Jessica Simpson. There are lots of reasons you should stay out of the sun - and the tanning salon - this summer. But you can still get a natural looking tan, in the comfort of your own home, with the unfortunately-named AirGlow gun. We like to think of it more as a hose than a gun, with the nozzle dispensing an even mist that's full of vitamins and nurients, dries on contact, and lasts up to 2 weeks without fading. More self-tanning supplies.