"In 2011, we're going to use our FAVORITE TOOLS religiously, even if they are in the shower when we're at the sink."

We resolve to cut back on sugar (unless it's in a facial scrub).
Sure, we knew that too much sugar added unwanted weight to our bottoms. But we also knew that the war our daily-cookie habit waged on our waistlines could easily be concealed by Spanx. Unfortunately, scientists have now determined that sugar also causes our skin to age faster by attacking our stores of collagen and elastin. Since wrinkles are sooo not sweet, we're ditching sugar-spiked ready-made food (Marinara sauce!) so that we can still justify the occasional cupcake.

We resolve to use up a pot of lip gloss.
We know of three things that are guaranteed to never run dry: a mother's love, Niagara Falls and a tube of Chapstick. This year, we're committed to seeing at least one lipstick through its last swipe of glossy glory.

We resolve to use the tools in our arsenal.
We are hooked on the Clarisonic, that admittedly-pricey-but-oh-so-worth-it vibrating microdermabrasion miracle (available at Dermacure Valencia 257-8400) that decongests and smoothes our skin like nothing else we've ever tried. When we use it regularly, our pores are clear, our skin is bright and we look half a decade younger. In 2011, we're going to use our favorite tools religiously, even if they are in the shower when we're at the sink.

We resolve to look closer at the list of ingredients in our beauty products.
You might already avoid parabens and artificial fragrances, but did you know that there could be mercury in your mascara? Or lead in your lipstick? And here we thought that "drop-dead gorgeous" was a compliment, not a threat. If you want the lowdown on the good, the bad and the ugly, log onto www.cosmeticsdatabase.com to find out how your favorite beauty and personal care products rank. You can even look up your favorite baby products on the site.

We resolve to get more exercise, but not for the reasons you might think.
Even though we're willing to encase our more voluptuous parts in layers of spandex in order to fit into our post-baby-number-one but pre-baby-number-two slacks (see: "Spanx"), that won't help our face. Recent studies by health experts confirm that exercise both limits breakouts and helps fight the signs of aging. Even a gentle walk around the block increases circulation, delivering nutrients to skin cells and flushing potentially-damaging toxins out of our system. Exercise also gives skin improved conditions to make collagen and stave off wrinkles. And, by balancing stress hormones, that cycling class can reduce pimples, too.

We resolve to take our own advice and be kinder to ourselves.
We're the best kind of girlfriends. We'll always tell you (and mean it!) that your butt looks great in those jeans; that age is just a number; that it's beauty on the inside that counts. We're also the kind of girlfriends who can stare in the mirror for minutes at a time, dissecting each and every one of our countless flaws. In 2011, we will do our darndest to take care of ourselves and then we'll let the chips (and the fat rolls) fall where they may. And, in our spare time, we might invent a type of Spanx that can be worn on the face.