Is anyone else having difficulty ordering Smashbox's Photo Finish foundation primer? Here is an email I received from a reader:

"You weren't kidding about ordering the Smashbox makeup primer immediately!!! I just tried to order it from Sephora AND Smashbox and they were sold out!!! Loved your book, Darling. Thank you for writing it. Best, Saadia, SaadiaOnline.com"

Let me know where you looked for it, and I will call Smashbox and find out what's happening to their inventory!

UPDATE: According to Sephora, the bottles for Smashbox Photo Finish Light had defective bottles, so they sent them back. New product is now available on Sephora.com !

Labels: Photo Finish foundation primer, primer, Smashbox

By Charla Krupp, author of HOW NOT TO LOOK OLD, now in paperback

I am obsessed with Susan Boyle. I could watch her sing "I Dreamed a Dream" on You Tube nonstop. If she were a thin, gorgeous, Hollywood blonde, would she have the world's attention? I think not. Part of her charm is the way she looks. What a big mistake it would be for her to undergo an extreme makeover at this point. She would lose so much of her street cred. Susan, to borrow a phrase from Billy Joel, "Don't go changing to try to please me." Your look goes so against type that it could only be called brilliant.

But, let's be honest. At 47, Susan looks 67. Should she ever decide not to be in show business (or an unemployed church volunteer), she needs to look more current to get a job in the real world where lookism rules. Here's what she could do to take twenty years off:

1. Keep the brows shaped. And, keep them close to your hair color - not gray.

2. Color your hair. A little lighter, and add some softening highlights around the face.

3. Go to a dermatologist - a ruddy complexion could mean rosacea, which is easily treatable with medication.

4. Buy a creamy, liquid foundation to even out the skin tone. Stay away from powders. ("Powder is the enemy of the older woman," Diane Sawyer once said on Oprah.)

5. Only wear light pink lipstick. Dark reds or wines are aging.

6. Longer skirts look dowdy...shorten yours to the knee.

7. Wear higher heels! Height always helps.

8. Lose ten pounds fast by slipping on a high-waisted shapewear bike short.

9. Get a new bra...you really want to keep the girls up.

10. Wear more fitted clothes...Your shape is hidden behind those baggy dresses, tops and skirts.

For more tips, Susan, I'm sending you my book!

Labels: Makeover, Susan Boyle, Tips

When women are traveling, they often tell me they have to stick socks or something else in the cups of their bras so they don't get smushed. You don't want to wrinkle molded bras because the wrinkles will never come out, so this product is exactly what you need to protect your investment bras if you're on the go.

The Bra-G case, $49.95 at Von Maur stores or thebragcompany.com, is a hard case that fits 3-4 bras, and can easily be thrown in your suitcase. It's a great girlfriend gift, because it's unique and she probably doesn't have one yet.


This is the one of the 150+ new Brilliant Buys in the paperback edition of HOW NOT TO LOOK OLD...coming your way May 1.

Labels: Bra, Bra-G case, packing, Paperback Countdown, Travel

In the summer, you want to keep your fingernails clean and polished, no big deal colors. You just want them to look light and bright and clean, so if you wear a sheer pink or beige, you're covered. Don't do any nail art, don't do any French manicures, don't do artificial nails, just keep it simple.

This is why I love Essie's Montauk The End. It's also the end of Long Island, where I go every weekend, but I also think it's just a great color. With so many shades and so many sheer polishes, it's an easy name to remember, and perfect to wear all summer long.

This is the one of the 150+ new Brilliant Buys in the paperback edition of HOW NOT TO LOOK OLD...coming your way May 1.

Labels: Essie, Montauk the End, nail polish, Paperback Countdown

How many times have you wanted to wash your face, but didn't want to get water on your bangs? The Tassi, $14.99 at tassicompany.com, is a terrycloth band you put over your head and tuck all of your hair into, allowing you to properly clean and exfoliate your skin without hair getting in the way.

It really makes washing your face so much more of a pleasure and is so much better than a headband, since long hair won't fall onto your cheeks and into the water. It's so smart, you can't help but think "why didn't I think of that?!" It comes in all different colors, and I think it's just a great, fun gift to give for any woman you know. I can't live without it!

This is the one of the 150+ new Brilliant Buys in the paperback edition of HOW NOT TO LOOK OLD...coming your way May 1.

Labels: gift, hair, Paperback Countdown, Tassi

You can't wear summer sandals without having a pedicure, and to save a little cash this summer, a lot of women are doing theirs at home. Miss Oops Pedicure in a Bottle will moisturize and exfoliate your feet, and it really is a pedicure in a bottle.

Available at MissOops.com, it comes in two sizes -- regular ($18), and a travel size ($6.99), so you can throw it into your cosmetic bag and always prevent your heels from looking dried and cracked, which is so Old Lady-ish. Now, all you need is polish and you're good to go!

This is the one of the 150+ new Brilliant Buys in the paperback edition of HOW NOT TO LOOK OLD...coming your way May 1.

Labels: Feet, Miss Oops, Paperback Countdown, Pedicure, Pedicure in a Bottle, Sandals

If you're wearing a low rise jean, you need a low rise thong because you don't want a "whale tail" showing when you bend down. Commando thongs, $20 each at www.BareNecessities.com, have a dip in the center and are completely seamless and super light in a microfiber that is a dream to wear.

I love that it is clean from tags, lace, any ornamentation or embellishment so there is no chance of VPL (visible panty line). It comes in ten different colors, and if you have a problem wearing thongs, these are easy to get used to!

This is the one of the 150+ new Brilliant Buys in the paperback edition of HOW NOT TO LOOK OLD...coming your way May 1.

Labels: Bare Necessities, Commando, low rise, panty line, Paperback Countdown, thong, VPL

Read about some of my quick tips to looking younger in "Don't Look Your Age", an article published by The Denver Post today in celebration of the May 1 paperback release of HOW NOT TO LOOK OLD!

To preorder a paperback copy of the book, which includes 153 new Brilliant Buys, 31 new companies and 58 more products, click here.

Labels: Paperback, Press, The Denver Post

This is my favorite product in the paperback edition of HOW NOT TO LOOK OLD! I am obsessed with leg bronzers, and after trying them all, I think DuWop's Revolotion Bronzing Body Moisturizer, available at Sephora and Sephora.com for $28, is the absolute best.

You don't want to wear stockings in spring or summer, but since you always want your legs to look like they have the polish of stockings, you need a leg moisturizer or makeup to put on. Instead of a spray, DuWop's body bronzer is a lotion, so you put it on with your hands and spread it all over for a nice, non-sparkly glow that comes in two different shades.

It will cover up veins, black and blue marks, goosebumps and scars, and it doesn't come off on your clothes, so you can put it on at the last minute before going out. I think every woman should have this in her beauty arsenal for the summer, and what a difference it makes!

This is the one of the 150+ new Brilliant Buys in the paperback edition of HOW NOT TO LOOK OLD...coming your way May 1.

Labels: Body, bronzer, Cover up, DuWop, Legs, Moisturizer, Paperback Countdown, Revolotion

I love things that do double duty, especially when there are two to choose from!

These lip treatments are similar in that they both have mint to freshen your breath, but one is a balm and the other is a gloss. C.O. Bigelow Vitamin Mentha Tinted Lip Balm in Baby Pink from Bath & Body Works, $7.50 (currently on sale for $5 at BathandBodyWorks.com) provides sheer, pink color, while CoverGirl's Wetslicks AmazeMint in Slaphappy, $6.25 at mass retailers or beauty.com, pairs pink glossy shine with Crest peppermint oils.

These products are so refreshing that you don't need to pop a breath mint, so if you're going out at night and don't want to carry a lot in your clutch...

This is the one of the 150+ new Brilliant Buys in the paperback edition of HOW NOT TO LOOK OLD...coming your way May 1.

Labels: Amazemint, Bath Body Works, C.O. Bigelow, Cover Girl, CoverGirl, lip balm, Lip Gloss, Lips, Paperback Countdown, Vitamin Mentha Tinted Lip Balm, Wetslicks

This lip gloss is just as good as any other lip plumper out there, and I
love that it is so inexpensive! Available exclusively at Target and Target.com for $9.99, Soap & Glory's Sexy Mother Pucker Lip Gloss really makes your lips tingle when you apply it, so you know it's working.

A makeup artist I once had turned me onto it, and let me tell you, it's a real find! Make sure to purchase it in clear or nude only -- dark lip colors will age and darken your face, while lighter, pinky ones will compensate for the loss of glow in your complexion as you age.

This is the one of the 150+ new Brilliant Buys in the paperback edition of HOW NOT TO LOOK OLD...coming your way May 1.

Labels: Bloss, Glory, Lip Gloss, Lip Plumper, Lips, Paperback Countdown, Plumper, Soap, Soap Glory Sexy Mother Pucker Lip Gloss, Target

If it seems like it hurts more than ever when you stand in a pair of stilettos or peep toe pumps, there's a reason why.

As we get older, we lose padding on the bottom of our feet, especially near the balls of our feet. A three-inch heel puts seven times the pressure on the ball of your foot than a two inch heel. Not that we want to give up our three inch heels!

Airplus for Her Ball-of-Foot Cushions, $4.99 at Walgreens and Walgreens.com, will give you more cushioning between the street and your shoe, providing a softer landing for your feet. If you put padding in just one area, put it here -- you'll be able to wear your heels for longer, and will no longer have to sacrifice fit for fashion!

This is the one of the 150+ new Brilliant Buys in the paperback edition of HOW NOT TO LOOK OLD...coming your way May 1.

Labels: Airplus For Her, Cushions, Feet, Heels, Paperback Countdown, Shoes

What I adore about this tinted moisturizer from Olay is that it evens out your skin tone, covers up age spots, moisturizes, gives you color and SPF 20 -- and that you can buy it at a drug store.

While I was writing HOW NOT TO LOOK OLD the first time around, I couldn't find a tinted moisturizer I absolutely loved that was available at mass retailers. This new Brilliant Buy, Olay Definity Color Recapture ($24.99, at drug stores or at drugstore.com), really does the trick for a reasonable price.

It works so well that sometimes, I just wear this with a cream blush on top, and pass on the foundation and powder. The older you get, the less makeup you want to wear (since a heavy mask of foundation looks so Old Lady). If your skin is in pretty good shape, this may be all you need, too.

This is the one of the 150+ new Brilliant Buys in the paperback edition of HOW NOT TO LOOK OLD...coming your way May 1.

Labels: Face, Moisturizer, Olay, Paperback Countdown, Tinted Moisturizer