Meet the panel

Stephannie Reneé Cooper

42, Cary

public health nurse/family nurse practitioner

Home life: Single mother of two boys.

Beauty/skin care issues: I am always in search of the perfect foundation. I have oily/combination skin that is prone to breakouts every few months. Ultimately, I want a makeup look that is soft and natural and says "this is a pulled-together professional."

Can't live without: My mother always says that you should never leave your house without lipstick on and I don't. I am absolutely addicted to MAC lipstick (in O or Fetish). It looks and feels good.

Latest favorite products: Michael Kors Michael perfume and Bobbi Brown gel eyeliner.

Jill Dykes

32, Raleigh

public relations account executive

Home life: Married mom of an almost 3-year-old girl, a newborn girl and a chocolate Lab.

Beauty/skin care issues: Super-dry skin, especially in the winter and the heat has been running. I also have flat hair; I'm always trying to get more volume. And of course, there's not a lot of time for me to primp because I'm usually too busy taking care of my daughters.

Can't live without: A decent face lotion and a dusting of loose powder.

Latest favorite product: L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara, (L'Oreal is owned by Lancome, so I feel I'm getting a similar product to the high-end line without spending a lot.)

Helen Featherson

62, Durham

retired community and church volunteer

Home life: Mother of a grown son and daughter. Husband, Troy, died in August 2003. Has a 7-year-old grandson.

Beauty/skin care issues: Having very dry skin is a challenge, especially when I get in yoga class and have to take my socks off and my feet look as if they have never seen lotion. ... I do not wear makeup except for lipstick and foundation. ... Another challenge is keeping my gray hair shiny and preventing it from turning yellow.

Can't live without: Removing makeup with baby oil and then applying moisturizing cream. I also apply moisturizing cream each morning. Curel lotion is a product recommended by my daughter to eliminate dry patches on my arms and shoulders and it works great.

Latest favorite product: Guava Lip Butter and Blistex thanks to the N&O Beauty Panel!

A.J. Scarzafava

18, Raleigh

after-school/track-out counselor and first-year college student

Beauty/skin care issues: Makeup that stays on all day, and finding a shampoo that doesn't make your hair flat and frizzy.

Can't live without: Bare Minerals foundation powders and Burt's Bees EVERYTHING (blemish healer, replenishing lip balm-pomegranate, honey lip balm and deep conditioner)

Latest favorites: Dove Energy Glow lotion and Clearasil Ultra Daily Face Wash (guaranteed clearer skin in three days)

Lynn Wegner

56, Chapel Hill

developmental/behavioral pediatrician at UNC-Chapel Hill School of Medicine; private practice in Morrisville

Home life: Married 30 years and has two grown children.

Beauty/skin care issues: My biggest problem is my age and dealing with wrinkles and acne! Who would have thought this? Trying to moisturize the little dry spots and not make my skin break out any more than it does is a major problem. To complicate this, once I get the skin taken care of, I've got to make myself look a little put-together with makeup. My fine-motor skills are not great so I often get frustrated trying to reproduce the diagrams I see in magazines about application. I'm still trying to make my eyes "pop!"

Can't live without: I always wear lipstick. I don't have a favorite brand, but if I'm going out in the evening, I'll probably pick a Chanel as the case is so sleek. I almost always wear mascara.

Latest favorite: Acne Stress Control 3-in-1 Hydrating Acne Treatment by Neutrogena.