Avon’s Beyond Color Lip Recovery Cream promises softer lips with allantoin, vitamins, jojoba oil and beta carotene in a formula with a “Moisture Lock System” that even contains a sunscreen.

The lipcolor delivery system is something like the one they used on a liquid eyeliner that “exploded” on me, so I was a bit wary of that. This twist-up color works a bit more smoothly so perhaps they have ironed out the kinks in the system. The color is dispensed via a brush at the end of the tube through which it seeps as you twist the wand. The two remaining difficulties with this delivery system is that you don’t know how much product is in the brush until it comes through in a large blob and that the product remaining on the brush gets hardened bits in it after a time of no usage. You do get used to the wand and after a few applications you will no longer get either too little product or a goopy blob.

This lip cream does have very intense color for a liquid formula and it is creamy and smooth-feeling on your lips, much thicker than I expected. I tried Creamy Nude which was a lovely neutral but not invisible. The color wears a decent length of time, making the need for reapplication less frequent. It has a nice, fresh scent reminiscent of cucumber and melon, which lasts a short time after application.

I noticed a bit of exfoliation of dry skin the first time I used it, which worried me about getting into a cycle of use such as you get with medicated lip balms, but this dissipated with each use until it was no longer noticeable. The allantoin in the formula promotes new, healthy skin growth and this may have been a by-product of that process.

After three days my lips definitely feel softer but I think I would continue wearing this just for the color, which I love. It comes in a host of shades, so finding one you like is not a difficult task. One caution is that I would definitely recommend that you apply lip liner first to keep the color where you want it.

Overall, I liked this product and will continue to use it. I have added it to my little bag of essential neutrals.

Busy schedules often mean a hurried application of standard makeup before we rush out of the house or maybe applying our makeup after we get to the office. This usually means we have stand-by makeup that we always apply regardless of whether it is appropriate or creates the best look. This lipstick, that blush, the usual mascara, even eyeshadow may look great some days and be all wrong for others depending on our clothing choices, the lighting we will be in or even the amount of natural light.

No-one can carry a full case of all possible colors of lipstick, blush and eyeshadow, nor do we have time always to choose carefully. So to avoid the no makeup day, we throw on anything in our path so we can make our daily deadlines.

The solution is to have a few carefully selected makeup products in neutral shades that work well in any situation and lighting. Neutral colors will go with any outfit or color scheme.

The essentials should include eyeliner, mascara, lipstick, and blush. Eyeshadow is optional as the right blush can be used as shadow in a pinch. Choose a neutral shade of blush with only a hint of color - my current favorite is Avon’s Earthen Rose. A light bronzer powder can substitute for blush and shadow as well. Eyeliner in a neutral, brown or brown-black - not a colored liner. Mascara in brown or brown-black. Choose a lipcolor that is a complimentary shade, not too far from your natural skin tones but with a little warmth. If you include an eyeshadow in a pinky beige with a hint of shimmer, your eyes will stand out without being noticeably made-up.

Have these items in a separate small cosmetic bag that fits in any purse and you will be ready to face any day.

In the news today is another story of storefront cosmetic procedures gone horribly wrong, and again, performed by an unlicensed practitioner.

Patricia Villegas, a beautician in Flushing, NY, is accused of administering cosmetic injections without a license. Several clients suffered disfiguring infections and scarring. In this case, the injections turned out to be fake. The substances she was injecting into women’s skin were not collagen and cortisone as she claimed.

In the quest for perfection women will go to great lengths and sometimes undergo cosmetic procedures that may not be necessary, safe or approved by the FDA. There have been increasing reports of unlicensed doctors performing cosmetic surgeries and medical procedures being illegally offered in beauty salons. A young woman in Massachusetts died while undergoing an illegal liposuction in a basement.

It’s another reminder to seek medical cosmetic procedures from only licensed professionals. Check credentials and licenses and if your state gives you access to such information, find out if they have ever been disciplined by the state board that regulates practicioners holding that license.

We talk about a lot of cosmetics and tips for achieving beauty here, but remember, the point of cosmetics is to make the most of what nature gave you, to bring out the natural beauty that you already are. The beauty on the outside is just packaging for the beauty inside, and nothing is worth the pain and suffering that can be caused by unscrupulous people who peddle unsafe cosmetic procedures to women whose self-image has been damaged by the computer-altered images of unattainable beauty that are constantly before them.

The experts all agree that for Spring 2007, glamor is back.

The look for skin is flawless and matte, but not heavy or caky. Sheer foundation lightly set with translucent powder will achieve the most natural look while covering imperfections. Lips will be pale and neutral, barely-there colors are in.

Eyes will be dramatic and smoky. Eyeliner is all-important to bring out eyes and liner on the lower lid will be seen more. For eyeshadow, smokey greys and metallics, pinks, golds and shimmers are the color choices. Brows are definitely thicker, not pencil-thin. They will create the dramatic frame for the eye area. To help the eye stand out even more, lash extensions rather than full false lashes will be the rage. These can be done professionally or you can buy false lashes that are individual sprigs that you glue to the base of the lash line to create a lush, full look.

Blush, if used, should be as close to a natural match color as possible or you can try bronzing powder. The goal is seamless, flawless skin, so any color applied to skin must be lightly applied and blended well to highlight cheekbone structure.