Women like me have it relatively easy when we shop for cosmetics. It seems that 90% of the products available in grocery stores, drug stores, and at department store cosmetic counters cater to those of us with fairer skin. I’m particularly pale, and when I buy foundation, I’ve got my pick of 20 different shades of ivory. Women with pigmented skin, such as Asian skin tones, those with olive skin tons, or other pigmented skin types need to pay close attention to the needs of their particular skin type. Pigmented skin reacts differently to the sun, and can also change colors due to scarring, acne, or other skin problems. ORIKI Cosmeceuticals is a line created specifically for people with AMO (Asian, Mediterranean and other Olive) skin types, and it was created by an American Board Certified Dermatologist. With the ORIKI whitening serum, women can reduce the effects of UV rays and scarring on their skin, by minimizing the pigmentation to the affected areas.

Remember - just because your skin tans easily, that doesn’t make you immune to damager from the sun. People with all skin types should use sunscreen and products with SPF in them to protect your skin from UV rays and other sun damage.

When I get my magazine subscriptions each month, I always head to the beauty features in each first. I love those makeover articles, when they take a harried mom, or a mom stuck in a rut, and transform her. New hair, new clothes, new makeup, perhaps contacts…I need a treatment like that!

You can get almost the same thing by playing at this virtual makeover site I found online. If you’re like me, and get your hair cut the same way every 6 weeks, this is a free and painless way to find out if you’d really look good with a completely new look, or a new color. You can try celebrity looks, or basic hairstyles, and then select from 20+ variations of color for your hair, highlights, and lowlights. I went with a light brown, which is pretty far from my natural dark brown, and then threw in some blond highlights. I’m actually amazed, because it looks natural on me! I’ve had highlights before, but not in a tone like this, and I really like it. And the new hairstyle is something I like too, but I’ve been worried about cutting more layers into my hair. Looks like I don’t need to worry about it, because it looks GOOD!

My 3-Day walk is in just a few weeks, but my sister is walking this weekend in Philly. Watching her prepare and pack has helped to get my rear and gear. Yesterday she emailed me that she forgot to buy Body Glide, which reminded ME I don’t have any either. (Body Glide is a sports lubricant that walkers put on their feet to reduce friction, and in turn, blisters.) Last year, we shared a tube, but I’m on my own this year. She’s making a last minute trip to Sports Authority for her Body Glide, but I’ve got time to find it online and have it shipped to my house. I could go to the store, but it’s not convenient, and I can get free shipping at Drugstore.com

I buy a certain brand of razor that costs me $20 for an 8 pack of razors. Each razor lasts me about 5 days (I shave every day, without fail, or I feel dirty.), so I’m going through a package in about 5 weeks. That’s another $20, for razors, every 5 weeks. I could buy a cheaper razor, but I’m kind of addicted to the job that the pricy one does. If I never had to buy a razor again, I’d be putting that $20 to much better use. And I wouldn’t be in my shower, leg on the shower seat, desperately making a 2nd or 3rd swipe at my leg, hoping to coax one more day out of my old razor blade. The infinity razor is a new razor blade designed to last FOREVER. It’s got some sort of special steel blade that won’t ever get dull, no matter how hairy my legs get! Gosh…I’d love to try that. No more dull blades, no more running out of razors…

My oldest daughter and I were out last night doing a bit of school shopping, and I decided to pick up some new foundation from the Clinique counter. Lucky me - it’s bonus time, and this is a good one, because each item has been selected by Allure magazine readers as a Best of Beauty winner! With a $21.50 purchase, you’ll get:

• A nice sized green print cosmetic bag
• Rinse Off Foaming Cleanser
• Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion
• Moisture Surge Extra Thirsty Skin Relief
• High Definition Lashes Mascara
• Long Last Lipstick
• A pop up hair brush (I’m sending this to school with Catherine for her gym class locker!)
• and a subscription card for Allure - get 12 issues for just $6!

Not too shabby, eh?

Here’s a new product to try if you just can’t get your abs into shape!

The Slendertone Flex is a new item available at TVTopTen that will give you toned, firmed abs in a matter of weeks. In clinical trials, 100% of the people who tested the Slendertone Flex reported more toned abdominal muscles. When combined with a healthy diet and exercise, the Slendertone Flex promises to give your abs the push they need to turned into the midsection you’ve always dreamed of. The product comes in either a male version, or a female version, each designed specifically for the male or female body. You can wear it while walking, at work, sitting at home, almost anywhere in fact, because the unit is portable and discreet. It comes with 4 different program settings from beginner to advanced, and provides you with warm up and cooling down modes as well, and it remembers your personal settings and provides customized recommendations to you as well.

I bought some Dove shampoo on a whim last week. It was a promo pack, and it came with a free bottle of conditioner - $3.89 for the whole thing. Wowee - I am in LOVE with DOVE! My hair feels practically weightless after I wash and dry it, and that’s with all of the humidity we’ve had. I ran back to the store in hopes of finding more of those special packages, but they were long gone. I did find big bottles on sale at Target, and put them in my shower, with instructions to the kids and the husband that it was MY shampoo!

I am a huge fan of the Gillette Venus Divine razors, but they’re a bit expensive. I try to buy them when they’re on sale, but sometimes, you need to break down and pay full price, which is typically $8.99 for a 4 pack. (I said they were expensive!) I found a great deal at Target today, one one of the endcaps in the health and beauty section. It was a special promo package of the Venus Divine that included a 4 cartridges, plus a new handle, with another cartridge attached - that’s 5 razors, plus the handle. It was only $7.99! Let’s break it down:

4 pack regular price = $8.99 = $2.24 per cartridge

Promo pack of 5 cartridges + a new handle = $7.99 = $1.60 per cartridge

What a deal! So, I bought 2. This way, when I go on a trip, I always have an extra handle packed away in my toiletry case, and I don’t need to pack my razor from my shower at home. I believe the sale on these promo packs started today, so prices on the deal should be good til at least next Saturday evening, June 16, 2007.

Our big purchase (at 8am this morning!) was a CPAP machine from a home medical supply company. Not very exciting, is it? We still need distilled water for it, apparently there’s a humidifier on it that requires some H2O. You’d think for the price, they’d throw in a free gallon of fancy store bought water with delivery.

I typically buy brand name items, but one area that I’m always willing to buy generic is medication. I had to buy some allergy medicine today (over the counter) and the store brand was half the price! Same active ingredients, same quality, same color, same pill size. Probably made in the same factory too, right? When you’re comparing Coke to Pepsi to R/C to store brand “Cola”, the ingredients aren’t the same, and you’ll notice a difference. Medicine? Going generic is definitely worth the savings - you won’t notice any difference at all.

My big shopping this weekend consisted of a 5 minute trip into the local department store for a new bottle of Clinique foundation. I tried to be cheap and save myself some money, and it didn’t pan out. When my last bottle of Clinque was dry, I bought an $8 tube of CG Smoothers to try, figuring it would be “as good”, right? Wrong. Didn’t even come close. It made my skin feel rough and it felt thick to me. Wasn’t worth the $12 I saved, so I returned to my trusted Clinique bottle this weekend. Sure, it’s $20, but if it makes me feel good, it’s $20 well spent.

Most of us know how to shop for a house, or a new car, or even college. But how do you shop for the most serious needs in life, like insurance, or health care, retirement plans or a drug treatment program? There are all sorts of experts you can ask for advice on how to invest your money for retirement, or what kind of life insurance you can buy, but how do you get advice on the best course of drug rehab for your child, your spouse, or a friend? If you need help, you can call this drug treatment hotline and get advice, or get your questions answered. They’ve got the tools and resources and knowledge to help you make the best choice, and to help you understand all of the options available.

If you’re kids use a blue plaque detecting mouth rinse, better check to see if it’s Listerine Agent Cool Blue. The product manufacturer just announced a recall! Here’s more info, including what the bottle looks like, why the recall was announced, and what you can do to get your money back.

Our local radio DJ’s are always doing promos on the air for local laser centers, plastic surgeons, and all sorts of posh spas. I hear on DJ in particular (Nancy Alexander) always mention Obagi skin car products. They’re pricy, but I hear that the stuff is worth every penny. Anyone out there tried it, or know someone who uses Obagi?

Some of the products (the peels, for example) can only be used in a physician’s office, but others are designed for home use, like the Obagi Nu-Derm System (to help with sun damaged skin) and the Glyquin XM Skin Bleaching Cream (designed to help fade sun spots). Living in Florida, I see plenty of sun damaged skin every day, so I’m curious to know how Obagi has helped people. As for me, I have freckles from the sun. They don’t bother me yet, but I may get sick of looking at them one day.

I’m a firm believer that the right bed and bedding make a big difference in the way you sleep. I buy nice sheets and comfy blankets, and cushy pillows so that I have maximum comfort when I sleep. And I’m usually pretty well rested each morning. Now my husband, on the other hand, despite all of my efforts to make a comfortable bed, is usually not well rested. Due to his wacky schedule for work, he gets less than 6 hours of sleep a night, and 7 to 8 hours on a good night. On some nights, it’s less than 4 hours a sleep, and that’s just not right for an adult who has to go to work and do a job.

He’d discovered power napping though, and he takes a nap as often as he can. He simply slips out to his car on his lunch break, turns on the a/c, reclines, and dozes off. Oh, he does set his alarm first, so that he won’t be late returning to work when his break is over! He wakes up a little more rested, and ready to take on the rest of his day. Nap time isn’t just for kindergarten students anymore!

I’m not really sure what the point of dental insurance is, when it doesn’t cover surgery.

My daughter had a procedure done this morning that cost me over $300. We got a “discount” for having insurance, but as far as I know, the insurance didn’t contribute anything to the cost. We get cleanings for $5, but sheesh….it seems a little extreme to me to have laser surgery done and for insurance not to help out with the cost.

I was pleasantly surprised at the orthodontist this morning. I’m considering braces for myself and asked about the Invisalign braces - not only do they shave 4-6 months of treatment time off, they’re only $300 more than traditional braces, and a heck of a lot nicer looking. Plus, since my daughter is already a patient, the orthodontist gives a 5% discount - nice!

I purchased a new lipstick on a whim yesterday…and I love it! I picked up a tube of Neutrogena MoistureShine Soothing LipSheers in Ruby Bliss.

I wanted something a bit sheerer than my normal creme lipstick for spring and summer, and this is just the thing. It goes on super sheer, but the color is great - it’s almost like wearing gloss, but with a nicer color and not sticky like gloss tends to be. It’s got SPF 20 built in, and a little hint of mint, so it feels neat when you put it on.

Two thumbs up!

The only shopping I did this morning was the $5 I spent on each child for our dentist office co-pay. Did you know that if your child is tongue tied, and requires a frenulectomy (surgery to correct the problem), that you can expect to pay $400 for this simple surgery? Did you also know this this is a genetic trait, and I have TWO kids who need to have the surgery?

Good thing I didn’t buy myself that $150 Ann Taylor outfit I wanted.

I’ve wanted to try Bare Essentuals for years, but I just never get around to it. I have friends who rave about it. I’m a little leery of buying a big starter kit of the product off QVC…but I know that it is sold locally at ULTA. It’s just a matter of deciding to try it…and investing the money into the products I’ll need to start with.

If you use it, what’s the bare minimum I’d need to buy to really give it a good try?