Maybe someday I'll write The Cliff Notes to Beauty & Fashion. Until then, I just get so excited when I apply a new beauty approach I've learned that actually works - I want to share.

The theme of my approach is cheap. That's not to say I've found the cheapest products in CVS and they work. I tried that, and that's not what I'm here to tell you about today. The product prices are mid to high range in CVS. But it ain't too shabby compared with the price for a moisturizer in Macy's.

I'm on a budget - I'm saving up to buy a house in New York 70 years from now.
I read something in a girlie magazine a couple of years ago that was an interview with an up n' up chik who said, "At the very least, if you wake up late for work in the morning, you have to brush your teeth, curl your eyelashes and put on lipstick."

This was good news to me - everyday I wake up late for work and I only have to add one more thing to my a.m. regimen of beauty efforts - I have to brush my teeth. But I'm learning the importance of nurturing your youth. (And by 'youth' I mean anyone under 87 years old.)

My sister tells all her friends the story of the time she asked me why I use anti-wrinkle cream on my eyes when I'm only 22? My reply, "Exactly." When she told her future huzby that story, he starting using eye cream. Just pick any small containered eye cream from TJMaxx that has the word 'mineral' in it.

It being said that the least of your a.m. beauty routine involves curling your eyelashes, applying lipstick, and brushing your teeth: I suggest any ol' eyelash curler, but curl the lashes 3x - at the bottom, middle & tip. Lipstick has been the primary subject of my research. First, in order to keep your lips supple, always have lip moisturizer on hand. Anything but Blistex. I have Milk & Honey flavored Labello, that my sister got for me in a regular drug store in Germany. C'est magnifique, but Chapstick will do just as well.

As for the color part, I recomend Revlon's Glide lipcolor. There are loads of colors, and one click gives you enough color for both lips and it doesn't feel like you painted you lips with nail polish.

Toothpaste is very important. Don't brush your teeth with sugar, which is most of the toothpastes out there. I'm not going to elaborate on why you shouldn't be brushing your teeth with suger. It should be obvious.

I read in Body Reflexology by Mildred Carter (copyright 1983) that she brushed her teeth a.m. & p.m. with sea salt and baking soda. In the book, it says that "A dentist I went to years ago for a mouth infection told me that I had perfect teeth and gums and asked what I used for toothpaste. I told him that I had used salt and soda all my life. He said that was the reason I had hard healthy gums and teeth. The glycerin used in toothpastes, he said, tended to soften the gums.... Now we are told by Dr. Paul Keyes, clinical investigator at the National Institute of Dental Research, that gum disease can be prevented simply by brushing with salt."

I don't have evidence otherwise, so I'm going with whatever Mildred Carter says. Even Tom's of Maine has glycerin - it's the second ingredient.

Also, don't pick a toothpaste that has floride. Kevin Trudeauadvocates that the floride benefits ain't all they're cracked up to be.

What happens if you actually wake up when the alarm goes off?

Take a hot shower & finished with a cold rinse to close pores. Wash with soap. And use Samy Salon shampoo and conditioner for a great smelling wake-me-up that treats your hair right. If you're in the need to style, I recommend CatWalk and got2b hair styling products.

The importance of a first impression has been illustrated in history. Your face plays a big role, and I've been evaluating facial products for years. Only recently have I found the products I'm ready to recommend. Proactiv. It's such a great price for the whole system: exfoliant, toner, and moisturizer. I receive a new shipment every six months, and I have plenty left over. It works really well.

But in addition to Proactiv, I use Neutrogena's Visably Even face wash and moistuizer (spf 15). It's a little more expensive than its' shelf neighbors, but it works tremendously.

At night, I use Oil of Olay's face wipes for sensitive skin. Easy. Painless. Gets the job done well.

Lastly, don't eat anything after 6 p.m. It's a tip I learned from Kevin Trudeau and my skinny European neighbor. I've only been doing it for one week and I lost 10 lbs.
Note: If you're a night crawler, avoid eating 4 hours before you go to bed.

Next, I'm doing reseach on my exercise blog, so stay tuned.
Right now I'm thinking Tai Bo.