I love gardening and I love the spring. I always think it’s worth battling through the winters to watch life returning in such an abundance of shapes, sizes and colors. I wait patiently guessing when the crab trees are going to bloom; watch carefully for the first sign of pink in the buds of the tree peonies knowing that they will burst overnight and produce a flower so exotic it takes your breath away, and I look anxiously for the first sign of the white narcissi I bought on the day my father died. I planted them under a tree so I could always say hello to him in the spring – a season he loved, too.

There’s such an enormous sense of satisfaction when I see the Monarch butterflies feasting on the flowers. I feel truly honored that they think my flowers are good enough for them. I don’t feel the same way about some of the other creepy crawlies but when I see how many birds there are in the garden, I know they’re there because we’re offering them a truly varied and tasty menu. When things get a bit hot and heavy with work, I walk in the garden and see what’s new, what needs dividing, what needs moving to a better spot. It’s always a work in progress. Sometimes things work, sometimes they don’t and sometimes there are fabulous surprises. Nature takes over and does something incredible. You learn patience and trust as a gardener.

I’ve always marveled how in nature colors never clash. I suppose it’s because nothing is ever just one color but a blend of many shades of intensity. A good lesson for makeup!

Spring is such a busy time of the year for me that I usually forget to do one very important thing which is to remember my friend Daisy’s birthday. She lives in England and reads my blog. So I’m saying Happy Birthday to her now and hoping that she’s winning lots of riding ribbons and doing well at school. Perhaps I should plant something in the garden to remind me when it’s time to look for a birthday card!

You’ve heard about a doctor’s little black MD bag. He has to be able to take his tools and go at a moment’s notice, to be prepared for an emergency. You need to be prepared for things that could happen as well, because a skin care emergency is no laughing matter. What if you are on your way to an important fundraiser and you have to look “just so” or run the risk of being less-than-impressive to the big sponsor you were hoping to hook? With MD Formulations, you can have your little silver bag with you at all times. No worries.

Every woman knows the value of skin care cosmetics. It is something she begins learning about at a very young age. She knows that attractive facial products can enhance her beauty like nothing else can (except maybe her own health). When cosmetics actually work to enhance what is naturally there, while making what is there healthier and more vibrant, then a cosmetic has gone far beyond the call of duty. Jane Iredale cosmetics do just that.

Your skin isn’t just an asset. It is the first thing people see. Its health is what people use to judge your age, the overall state of your body, and many other things about you—within the first seconds of meeting you. Sothys knows skincare. They have taken the best of Eastern and Western methods to develop programs tailor-made for the individual, because each person’s skin is different. Each person is unique. You are unique.

A big part of your personal beauty is your skin, so choosing your skincare items is a very important part of your beauty routine. Whether you are a guy or a girl, young or old, it is very important to give your skin the attention it needs. That includes moisturizing, keeping out of the sun, using sunscreen, avoiding the little burns you can get when you take a bath that is too hot. Even eating the right foods and drinking enough water to moisturize from the inside out can go a long way to maintaining that youthful glow.

Skin care products are not simply luxuries, at least not if you care about how you look and feel. You don’t want to look much older than you are, do you? Skin is important, so take care of yours. Whether you have acne or a problem with dryness you can find something to improve your epidermal health. Moisture is what helps skin look younger. In this day and age, people will judge you if your skin starts falling apart.

Problem skin requires special attention and special skincare products such as those available from Cellex-C.