For years we were all told that we should wash our hair every day but lately beauty experts are rescinding that advice in favor of routines that are gentler to hair and geared specifically to hair types.

If your hair is very oily, you might get away with washing it daily, but chances are that most of that oil is near the roots and you are drying out the shaft and the ends of the hair. Brush hair from roots to ends to distribute oil evenly along the shaft. If oil at the roots is still a problem but the rest of the hair is dry, try using a dry shampoo. An inexpensive substitute is a little cornstarch or talcum powder on the roots. A good tip is to brush it out with a bit of nylon hose over the brush. Recycle old pantyhose that may have runs by cutting off the feet for this purpose.

If your hair is dry and brittle but you want to wash it before styling, try applying a conditioner prior to washing it with shampoo. This pre-conditioning will keep hair from drying out too much but you will still be able to wash away dirt and oils.

All hair types benefit from using styling products to smooth and moisturize hair prior to using hair dryers, curling irons or flat irons.

If hair is flyaway or frizzy after styling, use a smoothing product to tame it.

Who says a turkey can’t be glamorous?

Of course, this gal should have read our article on self-tanners and avoided those unsightly tan lines.

To avoid looking like a turkey, try L’oreal Sublime Bronze Self-Tanning Towelettes for those more secluded areas.

Self Tanning Towelettes

I wrote a while back about my experiece with a trial sample of Olay Definity. At that time I wasn’t very complimentary, I had not seen results and that was what I was basing my review on.

Well, it’s a pretty good-sized sample and even after I used it for about a week and saw no results, I kept applying it here and there when my face felt dry or if I thought of it. Olay Definity does have a very nice scent and leaves your skin with an especially silky feel. I figured, at least its a good moisturizer.

It was about two days ago I noticed something subtle. My face did seem brighter. I might not go so far as to say “luminous” but then I am not given to exaggeration. So, let’s say I noticed a brightening and maybe a clarity I hadn’t seen before. That spurred me to do a few more ample applications from the last of the sample.

So, I returned to my co-worker Shawn and asked if she noticed anything and this time she agreed there was a change. She still doesn’t want her Olay Definity Mousse and this time I took her up on her offer to give it to me (my sample now being spent).

So, when I am wrong, I admit it. I still think it took far too long for me to notice results. It may be that others see results more quickly or that I am just impatient. In any case, I think if you have the patience to wait for it, you will see some changes in overall skin brightness and clarity as well as more even skin tone.

If you love the smell of pumpkin, cinnamon and spice and if you need serious skin care, I have found the perfect kit for you.

If you have ever wanted to try the phyto-pumpkin products from Serious Skin Care, here is your perfect opportunity. For 29.50, you get a collection of products from face and body scrubs to shower gel and body souffle cream. The gift set even comes with a pillow and room spray to fill any room with the scrumptious scent of fresh-baked pumpkin pie. The items are packaged in a holiday box suitable for gift-giving and at this price you could cover every woman on your Christmas list.

Available at HSN.com.