One of the most useful beauty products that I was introduced to recently is the Beauticontrol Microderm Abrasion Set.

I have been using the product in conjunction with Beauticontrol Skinlogic Gold skin care set for about 7 months now. I wished I had been introduced to these products sooner!

I have noticed a marked improvement in the overall appearance of my facial skin. It is a lot smoother, the lines are greatly reduced and even the dark spots associated with aging are becoming lighter. Dare I say, I have a more radiant looking skin? YES!

I can't wait for my sisters-in-law to notice the difference in my appearance when I see them again next year. They know I am not the kind of person who spends a lot of money on beauty products, nor am I the kind of person who goes to beauty salons for facials and the like.

With the Microderm Abrasion set, I can do my own facial spa at home without having to spend the big bucks for a similar treatment at the salons.

The discounts that I get for being a consultant with Beauticontrol have made the prices of the products affordable and comparable to the other more popular brand names. Even though I prefer not to spend too much on beauty products I am prepared to spend on products that really work for me. At my age, the signs of aging should not be taken lying down. Fight them and slow them as much as I can! :-)

If you shop around on the internet you can get some really good deals for Beauticontrol products, prices that are lower than normal retail prices.

I love perfumes but I don't buy them often. So far I have been disciplined enough to buy my perfumes at duty free shops when I travel. The last bottle of perfume I bought, at a duty free shop in San Francisco, was 100 ml J'adore by Dior. That was my first Dior perfume and I love the scent! I had always preferred Estee Lauder, but ever since I saw and tried my friend's J'adore, I couldn't resist getting a bottle for myself. A good friend of mine gave me a 50 ml bottle of Dior Addict on my birthday last year. :* Fabulous!

I mentioned earlier that I love White Musk by The Body Shop. I found out later that there is a Body Shop at one of the malls in Sacramento. I've only been to the mall once this year and I thought I saw The Body Shop there but wasn't sure. Anyway, I'd like to go to The Body Shop sometime soon and get my White Musk perfume oil and another called Dewberry. A former colleague loved to wear Dewberry, and I loved the fruity smell. I will always think of this colleague whenever I smell this scent.

Skin whitening or lightening cosmetic products are popular among Asians. A lighter complexion is the ideal for those born with a naturally darker complexion.

In some cultures, a dark complexion means that you are of the lower class, somebody who has to work out in the sun, whereas a lighter complexion means that you are pampered and stays indoors.

But whatever our ethnic background eventually there comes a time in our life where we will struggle with some kind of skin pigmentation problem. Personally I've noticed some dark patches on my face. I have begun to use sunscreen on my face during the day, in hopes of limiting the progress of the skin discoloration. So far I have noticed that it is not getting worse.

The beauty products that I am currently using, Beauticontrol, have made a dramatic improvement on the quality and appearance of my complexion. I have not tried any product from their Whitening line, though.

There have been reports about the safety concerns of skin lightening beauty products which use Hydroquinone as the active ingredient. But according to an article in Medical News Today, " A risk -benefit approach in which all of the data available on HQ and alternatives is assessed is most likely to provide a path forward for providing optimal therapeutic benefits to patients with pigmentary changes of the skin."

That said, I am not worried about using a skin whitening product produced by companies that adhere to strict preparation standards.

I confess I am addicted to my lip balm! I hate the feeling of tightness and dryness on my lips. After I have washed my mouth, I will immediately look for my lip balm. :-o

FRIDAY, Aug. 24 (HealthDay News) -- Some people use lip balm so often that it's almost like an addiction.

"For many people, it is quite difficult for them to stop using lip balm because they've become so used to their lips having more moisture content than they had in the past," Dr. Lisa Garner, a dermatologist at Baylor Medical Center in Garland, Texas, said in a prepared statement.

This lip balm "addiction" isn't a problem as long as you don't develop an allergy to any of the ingredients.

"On occasion, you may develop an irritation or sensitivity to one of the ingredients that may make your lips feel dry, because you're actually having a reaction to the lip balm," Garner said.

Flavoring, fragrances or added preservatives may be the source of the problem if you do have problems with a lip balm. Switching to an unflavored or unscented type of lip balm may solve the problem, Garner said.

Lip balms work by sealing in natural moisture and, in terms of effectiveness, there isn't much difference between a 99-cent lip balm and more expensive brands, experts say.