Gary's Blog

Today's Blog?

I know what you are thinking..."Hello...it is Monday...so, where is Gary's blog?  What the heck is he doing that is more important than posting his blog?"

Well, here is the deal.  Tomorrow is July 1st and since we have some new products coming out, I thought it would be better to wait until tomorrow to post a blog so you can start the month out with all the information that you need about these new products. 

Since I am breaking protocol, I will also be publishing a blog on Thursday of this week rather than Friday, since Friday is a holiday (and i will be going on vacation). 

Be sure to check back tomorrow to get the scoop on what's new for July.  Have a great night!

Skin Care 101

Since BeautiControl is a company that specialized in technology driven skin care solutions, it is important that each of us fully understand some of the more basic elements of the skin and skin care in general.  I will call this series of educational workshops Skin Care 101 since this is really the basic training that is needed by newer Consultants and necessary for those who are more seasoned as a refresher course, just to keep us on our toes.

In order to appreciate the solutions that BeautiControl offers, we really need to have a clear understanding of the function of the skin and the problems that can arise as we age.  I am a firm believer that you can’t fully appreciate the solution until you understand the problem.

This blog will outline the basic structure of the skin and how the skin responds to the aging process.  In upcoming issues, I will discuss in detail how each of our MRP product categories work in tandem to solve the age related problems.

Anatomy of the Skin

The function of the skin is undoubtedly miraculous in its function.  As the body’s largest organ, it is responsible for protecting our organs, regulating temperature and maintaining hydration.

Every square inch of the skin contains thousands of cells.  The skin is comprised of 3 distinct layers:
  • Epidermis
  • Dermis
  • Subcutaneous tissue (fatty layer)

Epidermis

The epidermis is the outer-most layer of the skin.  It is the tough, protective outer layer.  The epidermis is about as thick as a piece of paper.  The cells of the epidermis are constantly flaking off and being renewed.

There are two special types of cells within the epidermis:
  • Melanocytes – Melanocytes produce melanin, the pigment that gives skin its color.  All people have roughly the same number of melanocytes.  Those who are dark skinned produce more melanin, but do not have more melanocytes.  Exposure to sunlight increases the production of melanin, which is why people get suntanned or freckled.  Melanin is the skin’s natural cell protection or defense system.
  • Keratinocytes – Keratinocytes produce keratin, a type of protein that is a basic component of hair and nails.

The epidermis is comprised of approximately 15 – 100 layers, depending on where they are on the body.  The eyelids have the thinnest layers and the palms of the hand and soles of the feet have the thickest.  Your heritage has a great deal to do with the “thickness” or the number of layers in your skin.  Those of Nordic descent, who have fair hair and eyes, typically have fewer layers of epidermal cells which can leave the skin more prone to damage and the effects of aging.  Those with darker hair and darker eyes, typically of Latin or African origin have more layers in the epidermis and are more prone to resist damage and the more advanced signs of aging.  Think of your skin color as natural sunscreen…the fairer you are, the less resistance you have to sun damage.  On the flip side, the darker you are, the more resistance you have to aging!

Regardless of whether you have more or less cells in your epidermis, this is how you are “programmed” and you will always maintain that same level of skin cells.  So, when you lose a layer of dead surface cells, your body knows to kick into gear and give you a new layer of cells.  Healthy, young skin has the ability to turn-over naturally, where older skin requires a little help to stimulate the rate that old skin cells are lost and new skin cells are developed.

Think of the layers of epidermal cells in 3 distinct sections:
  o Grapes
  o Raisins
  o Cornflakes

 

Grapes

The new cells that are produced from the dermal matrix are round, plump and fully hydrated…much like a freshly picked grape.  These fully hydrated cells are more resistant to damage when we are young.  Increased damage can eventually cause fractures in these cells, making them weaker as we age.

Raisins

As these “grapes” push their way to the surface, the cells, or grapes, lose hydration and start to shrivel or dehydrate and begin to resemble a raisin.

Cornflakes

As the “raisins” continue to move toward the surface, they die and become flat, stacked and compacted on the surface of the skin.  These dead, dry skin cells resemble a “cornflake”. 

At the point that the skin cells get to this stage, they are dead and can be removed without causing skin irritation.  This is why increased exfoliation  is necessary to improve cell turn-over.  It is the tendency of the skin to become more dry as we age.  As the skin becomes more dry, the skin’s metabolism slows down in a defense mode.  The skin attempts to hang on to the compacted surface layers in an effort to prevent moisture loss.  As the body hangs on to old cells, the production of new skin cells will not occur.

Dermal/Epidermal Junction

Resting between the dermis and the epidermis is a fibrous layer called the dermal mesh or the dermal / epidermal junction.  The dermal /epidermal junction is the deepest layer that cosmetic products can penetrate.  This layer of the skin is the “motor” of skin metabolism, of which new skin cells are produced.

The dermal/epidermal junction contains two types of molecules collagen and elastin.  Collagen and elastin combine in a “weave” or “mesh” formation to give us our ease of movement.  Collagen is strong and hard to stretch and elastin is elastic.

Dermis

Below the epidermis is the dermis.  The dermis is made up of blood vessels, nerve endings and connective tissue.  The dermis nourishes the epidermis.  Cosmetic ingredients do not penetrate the dermis.  Prescription skin treatments that are intended to enter the blood stream are the only topical treatments that can penetrate the dermis.

The FDA distinguishes between drugs and cosmetics by the product’s ability to enter the blood or the brain.  Only drugs can pass the blood/brain barrier – NOT COSMETICS.

The Effects of Aging on the Skin

As we age, the skin has different requirements than it did when we were younger.  Just like the body, the skin’s metabolism slows down as we age.  In other words, the rate that the skin is renewed is dramatically decreased the older we get.

Also, as we age, our skin loses key components of support such as collagen and elastin fibers.  This is one reason why the skin looks wrinkled.  Exposure to UV radiation (sunlight) damages these fibers, and compounds the aging effects, i.e. wrinkles and lack of firmness. The only way to increase the body’s production of elastin and collagen molecules is to increase the rate that the skin renews itself – or, increase the skin’s “metabolism”, in other words.

When we are young, cells in the epidermis are replaced on average every 30 days.  As we age, the rate of renewal decreases and natural skin exfoliation slows dramatically, increasing the need for added exfoliation in order to stimulate the skin’s renewal process.

In addition to the development of lines and wrinkles and the loss of firmness as we age, the skin is prone to excessive visible damage that manifests itself in the form of hyper-pigmentation.  Exposure to UV radiation causes the melanin cells to “over produce” pigmentation that will eventually come to the surface in the form of an age spot, freckle, or any form of dark discoloration.  People with lighter skin pigmentation are more prone to uneven melanin production which is why fairer skin people are more prone to age spots and hyperpigmentation.

Ok, class, that’s it for today.  Your assignment between now and Celebration is to read this blog and have a good understanding of the skin’s anatomy, function and effects of aging.  This is just a hint of some of the things I will be teaching in my MRP Workshop at Celebration.  We will go through the individual changes that occur to our skin as we age and I will show you how each one of our MRP products work to address each of those individual concerns.  And why, with our amazing products, you are better equipped than anyone to meet the needs of your consumers head-on.  You won’t want to miss it!I hope you all have a fantastic weekend.

Refresher Course

With the influx of people joining BeautiControl and being introduced to our products and opportunity, I thought it might be a good time to offer a quick Refresher Course on ways to maximize your resources in order to quickly and efficiently get the answers you need, educate yourselves on the tremendous offering of products and services, and find the correct contact-points to speed your rate of response.  This will not only make your experience easier and more efficient, it will also allow you to make your client’s experience easier and more efficient as a result.  By providing the most efficient service, we keep you as Consultants and ensure that you keep your clients happy. 

Just to ensure that you are aware of the resources that are currently in place, here is a list of topics and the appropriate ways to find this information the quickest. As a leader, you might want to pass these along to your new Consultants to ensure that they always have a positive customer service experience:

Product Questions/Suggestions
There are two resources that are fantastic at quickly addressing product questions that would alleviate the need for an email. First, there is the FAQ section located in the Product Center of BeautiNet.  This section is categorized into several different topics and should address most of the commonly asked questions:

•    General questions
•    Skin care questions
•    Skin disorder questions
•    Ingredient questions
•    Packaging questions
•    Beauti questions

There is also my blog.  With the new “search function” you can now search key words to find the answers to your more specific questions.  Like you, I use this tool constantly throughout the day to answer Consultant emails.  With the exception of very specific and individualized questions, 99% of the questions that are received are answered within my blog.

If you cannot find the answer to your questions, you should email product@beauticontrol.com.  We have a very quick turn-around to assure that your questions are answered as quickly as possible.  Most emails are answered in a matter of a few hours, but never exceed 24 hours.  If you have sent an email to this address and have not received a response, please re-send.  Either I have died or we have not gotten your email.  I am passionate about email response time!!  For all product related questions, it is important that they are sent to this address and not my personal email address.  My personal email has very sensitive SPAM folders and a good many emails that are sent in from outside the building are never received. 

Product Ingredients
Located within BeautiNet is an area called “Product Information Center”.  This is located on the menu along the left-hand side of the home page.  If you click on this section, you will see an ingredient search box.  If you type the name of the ingredient that you are looking for, it will pull all the products that contain these ingredients.  In some cases, you can also search categories of ingredients, such as “nut”, “vitamin”, etc. where the generic name and the chemical name of the ingredient may be different.

Again, if you have more specific questions, you can either search the blog or send an email to product@beauticontrol.com.

Note:I realize that the “Ingredient Search Function” is not available as of yet in Canada.  If you are in Canada, please email the product box for questions as they relate to ingredients.

Order of Application
Also located within BeautiNet is a section called “Forms”.  This is located horizontally along the upper section of the home page.  If you click on “Forms”, then click on “Product Information/Client Fliers” you will find “Skin Care Regimen”.  This document was recently updated in May to include the age specific order of application.  There is a separate chart for each age group, including Sensitive and Acne-prone skin.

Product Education
One thing I think we do really well at BeautiControl is provide many resources for product education.  Here is a run-down of the places that you can go to learn more about all the products that we offer:

•    Consultant Guide – Think of the Consultant Guide as “basic training”.  This tool provides concise information that will allow you to learn the basic information about all of our products.
•    BeautiNet Product Center Advanced Product Training – This area of the Product Center will offer online workshops that guide you through some of the more advanced information regarding our products and our positioning within the market.  The “Products Beyond Compare” workshop is a MUST for all new Consultants as it positions our products in the market and gives a very in-depth explanation to our core MRP products.  If you haven’t watched this presentation in a while, it might be a good idea to watch from time to time to refresh yourself on basic MRP training.
•    This blog - With every new product that is introduced, I write a very lengthy and comprehensive “profile” for each new product that includes product information, ingredients, FAQ’s, etc.  In addition, I address topics as they apply to industry trends, skin care problems, color cosmetics and frequently asked questions.  I think you will find this to be a great tool to use for yourself and to refer to your new Consultants.

Product Availability
Any questions regarding products that are unavailable, backordered, out of stock, etc., should be sent to the Consultant Care Center at consultantcarecenter@beauticontrol.com.  The Consultant Care Center is equipped to handle these types of requests most efficiently.

Product Replacement
Any questions regarding product replacement should be sent to the Consultant Care Center at consultantcarecenter@beauticontrol.com.  The Consultant Care Center is equipped to handle these types of requests most efficiently.

Order Inquiry
Any questions regarding the status of your order should be sent to the Consultant Care Center at consultantcarecenter@beauticontrol.com.  The Consultant Care Center is equipped to handle these types of requests most efficiently.

I hope this is helpful in clarifying the points of contact within the company to help you get the response that you need and allow us to provide you the support that you expect.

I hope you all have a great week!!! 

Summer Must Haves!

It is no secret that Summer is, by far, my favorite season of the year.  I love the hot weather, the sunny days, weekends outdoors…just thinking about it makes me want to pack up my laptop and go outside to write this.  As fate would have it, today is officially the longest day of the year and is called the Summer Solstice, making this blog topic very timely.  For all you trivia buffs, this is the first time since 1975 that the Summer Solstice has not fallen on June 21st.  Go figure!

Each season has its own set of dynamics that require us to modify our routine to address specific seasonal concerns.  You have probably found that both your skin care and your color cosmetic application changes dramatically from Summer to Winter.  Below is a list of Summer specific concerns and the products that you can use to help address these concerns for both you and your clients:

Sun protection
When we think of sun protection, we naturally think about our face primarily and our bodies when we are outside for an extended amount of time.  But, I would venture to say that most of us experience a good deal of unintentional sun exposure throughout the day…through our car windows, when we are exercising outside, when we are walking from the car to the store, etc.  Anyway, it is the unintentional sun exposure that can lead to premature aging of the skin.  So, besides wearing the appropriate sun protection product (I would really urge all of you to read my blog on the topic of “Understanding Sun Protection”) when outdoors for an extended amount of time, I would also advise in those daily precautions against unintentional over exposure:

 
•   Before you leave the house, apply your Show of Hands Age Defying Hand Treatment with SPF 15 to ensure that you don’t get too much sun and aggravate those sun spots.  (If you are experiencing sun spots, freckles, age spots or any other form of hyper pigmentation, you might want to check out my blog titled, “Hyper pigmentation”)
 
• Skinlogics Lip Balm with SPF 20 is a MUST.  Smoking is not the only thing that causes lines around the lips.  Sun damage accounts for almost 85% of the visible signs of aging.  This is a highly moisturizing lip balm that is non glossy so it is suitable to wear under lip color, alone or to recommend to all your male clients.  This is one product I do not leave home without.

  Now, for those times that you are outdoors and know you are getting sun, be sure to wear a suitable level of sun protection for your skin.  If you are fair skinned and burn easily, you need to wear a sunscreen of at least 20 or higher.  If you have darker skin and looking for a little color from the sun, you still need to maintain sun protection at all times to prevent those aging rays (UVA) from damaging the skin.  You can choose an SPF protection under 20, but you do need something.

Recovery from sun exposure
  I am guilty of this one!  Regardless of how much effort I make to re-apply my sunscreen during the day, without a doubt I will be having fun, chatting it up and realize that I have over-spent my welcome in the sun.  I have a great remedy that I will recommend:
• As soon as possible, I take a bath in the Therma Del Sol Detoxifying Bath Soak.  Not only does it immediately cool the skin with the peppermint extract, but it helps to purge the skin and, for me at least, help reduce irritation and redness

 
• Next, I reach for the Luxuries of the Sea Instant Comfort Gel.  Oh, I love this stuff.  Not only do I use it for sore muscles, but I also use it to help reduce the effects of over-exposure.
     
 
• If the burn is really uncomfortable, Corticure is a MUST!  The hydrocortisone in this formula will instantly soothe the skin
     
 
• Moisture is a CRUCIAL!!!  If it is my face that has gotten too much sun (which I try to avoid at all costs), I slather the TFF on it.  The hyaluronic acid immediately helps to form a moisture mantle on the skin to lock in hydration.  Then, I apply the Skinlogics Sensitive Hydra-calm Moisturizer.  For my body, I bathe in the Therma Del Sol Olive Butter Body Balm.  There is nothing better for comforting and re-hydrating the skin!

Rough Feet
Three words – SAVE YOUR SOLE!  This line of products will absolutely get you sandal ready in no time at all.  I am biased, I realize that, but I have never found a more effective line of pedicure products anywhere.  This is a very unique product line that works to immediately smooth and soften dry, rough feet.  Here is a quick run-down of the products:

 
•   The first step is to apply the Ebb and Flow Foot Softening spray all over the feet.  This product contains potent enzymes that will eat away the dead skin as your feet are marinating in the spray.  Your feet are going to get warm and turn a little red.  This is normal and is a clear indication that there is some work that needs to be done.
     
 
• After you leave on the skin for a bit (at least 5 minutes or as long as 10), you immediately dampen the skin and apply the Sea Sand Foot Scrub.  Oh my, this is a decadent treat and works after the enzyme spray to physically remove the dead skin cells that the enzymes have dissolved and leave you with smooth, polished feet.
     
 
• Afterwards, apply the Foot Salve.  This is a great product for penetrating even the roughest skin to rehydrate compacted skin.  This product is also great if you have dry knees, ankles, etc.  LOVE IT!

Gardener hands
We all know that your hands are the quickest way to give away your age.  So, if you are going to be out in the garden this summer, you know that can lead to rough skin and unnecessary sun exposure.  So, here are some recommendations for a quick fix after working in the yard:

 
•   After working in the yard, immediately reach for the Show of Hands Instant Manicure.  Not only will this help to soften the skin, rehydrate the cuticles and help prevent hang nails,  it is AMAZING at getting that last bit of dirt out from under your nails.  Men, if you are out working on the car (or you women, too…), you will LOVE this product to cut the grease that is nearly impossible to use.  Ok, another tip…if you are like me, whenever you paint, you get it all over your hands, arms, legs, etc.  The easiest way I have ever found to remove it is to use the Show of Hands Instant Manicure….works like magic every time.
     
 
• After using your Instant Manicure, apply the Extreme Repair Hand Therapy to lock in the essential oils and nutrients from the Instant Manicure and create a “moisture glove”.

  Oily skin
  For those with oily skin, you know that it tends to get worse in the summer.  As nagging as this seems, please keep in mind that you will look younger longer than those of use who have absolutely no oil in our skin at all.  So, next time you complain about your skin, just know that some of us out will be dried up and withered by the time your first wrinkle begins to show.  Anyway, here are some quick tips for controlling oil during the day:

 
• Use the Cell Block C Multivitamin Capsules in your daytime treatment routine, not only to help stimulate collagen and elastin production and to surge essential antioxidants into the skin, but to help control oil breakthrough during the day.
     
 
• At night, use the Time to Go with retinol.  Retinol has a natural way of slowing oil production in the skin.
     
 
• Before applying your foundation, use the Secret Agent Natural Color Primer.  This is amazing at blocking oil breakthrough for a prolonged period of time.
     
 
• During the day, for touch-ups, use Secret Agent Hide the Shine.  Use the enclosed sponge and blot on top of makeup to absorb oil and put down an invisible film over your foundation to lock it in place.  Remember, dab the skin, don’t rub…rubbing will wipe away your foundation.

Swimsuit (need I say more?)
  There are three questions that we all ask ourselves (men and women alike) when you mention swimsuits:
  1)  Do I look fat?
  2)  Is my skin firm?
3)  Am I too pale?

Luckily, we have the solution for all three.  Here is a great regimen for looking GREAT during swimsuit season:

 
• Step 1 – Dissolve: Use the Leg Appeal products to get the most flawless sunless tan you have ever had.  This 3 step system will ensure that your legs look amazing during these months that we dare to bare.  At night, before going to bed, use the Leg Peel.  Apply to the skin and leave on all night.  The enzymes and alpha hydroxy acids will loosen the dead skin to not only smooth the skin but get rid of any dead skin buildup that will interfere with the perfect sunless tan.
     
 
• Step 2 – Scrub: Use the Leg Apeel Leg Scrub to remove yesterday’s skin and reveal that sexy Summer skin that lies underneath.  While you are at it, use the Microdermabrasion Body Buffing Cream to aggressively remove the dead skin on the rest of your body.
     
 
• Step 3 – Tan:   Apply a sunless tanning product.  For the darkest tan, apply Leg Apeel sunless tanning lotion.  This is not only for use on the legs, you can use it anywhere on the body.  If you prefer a more gradual tan, you can use the Triple Glow gradual tanning lotion.  To get the best application without streaking, I always recommend applying to the skin, then smoothing over with a body lotion to ensure that you have gotten a very even distribution of color.  Remember, the active ingredients in sunless tanning products react to dead skin, so steps 1 and 2 are very important in ensuring that you have don’t have areas of compacted skin that can lead to an unnatural color application.
   
 
• Step 4 – Slim and Firm:  Apply Sculptique everywhere….every day, twice a day.  If you didn’t do this prior to swimsuit season, no worries…it is never too late.  In fact, this is a great product to apply on top of the sunless tanning product in place of a body moisturizer.  You will not only ensure that you get an even tan, but you will be on your way to a slimmer, firmer, more contoured body!
     
 
• Step 5 – Strut your skinny tanned self!

Summer Hair – the good, the bad and the ugly!
For those of you with color treated hair, there is nothing that will wreck your color quicker than being out in the sun.  While you are outside, be sure to apply sun protection to your hair as well.  You can use the new Sunlogics SPF 15 spray to apply a delicate mist of sun protection while you enjoy your time in the sun.

If you are one of those that like to spend a little quiet time out by the pool with a book (or a trashy gossip magazine), one of my favorite tips is to slather your hair with Therma Del Sol Olive Butter Body Balm.  Let the sun work in your favor and deep condition your hair while you relax and catch up on the latest dirt from your favorite over exposed celebrity...oops, I mean, while you catch up on the latest John Grisham novel or book of quotes from Maya Angelou.

If you are prone to damaged, frizzy hair during the summer, be sure to try the Regeneration Hair Care for Damaged Hair.  This is an amazing line of hair treatments that really help address concerns of dry, damaged hair…especially after exposure to chlorine and the sun.

Summer Color Quick Tips
Here are a few of my quick tips to get great summer color without looking over-done:

 
• Sun on the Run – Don’t forget about the Therma Del Sol Tuscan Sun Bronzing powder.  This is a mineral based bronzer that you can apply in a dash.  It looks very natural and great for both men and women looking for a little summer color without the fuss.
     
 
• Tinted Moisturizer – Tinted moisturizers are great, but it is difficult to find one on the market that is an exact match.  Here is an easy way to create your own tinted moisturizer.  In your hand, mix equal amounts of you daily moisturizer with the Secret Agent Liquid Makeup.  Apply to skin for the perfectly matched shade and a perfectly matched moisturizer.  Wham, Bam, you are out the door looking naturally beautiful.
     
 
• Water Resistant Color – If you are looking for Summer-proof color, you have to check out this Summer’s new Color Collection.  These cream eye shadows, blushes and lip crayons offer durable wear ability and look naturally beautiful.  Pair this will the Water Resistant Mascara and you will look as good coming in from the pool as you did going out to the pool.

Whew…that is a lot of information.  I could go on and on, but you are probably tired of reading and I am ready to stop typing and go outside.  Summer is here – ready or not!  So be sure to take care of yourself during these especially grueling Summer months!

Have a great weekend. Enjoy yourself, your family and those that you love!  Be sure to check back again on Monday!

We Have What People Need!

This was not the blog that I had planned to write today, I had an experience last night that really inspired me to change my direction a bit (Warning: I am at home again on a Sunday morning, so you never know what you are going to get). Anyway, last night I had dinner plans out with friends. We went to this local fondue restaurant, which is an experience that I absolutely love (although how they can charge those prices for a place and you still have to cook your own food is beyond me!). So, if you have ever eaten at a fondue restaurant, you know that it can be a very long experience since you have to cook every single morsel of food yourself. If you haven’t been to a fondue restaurant, let me give you some advice…only go with people that you really like because conversation is a must. As we sat there during our 5 hour dinner and a few glasses of wine, there was plenty of time for conversation. In fact, everyone at the table can just about share every life experience they have ever had over a 5 hour dinner. So, as always, the topic of the economy came up. WOW! I am sure that is a conversation that all of you have had with your friends, but it really is amazing to hear how much the economy – especially gas prices – have changed just about everything that we do. I knew I was cutting way back on everything, but didn’t realize the magnitude to which people were altering their lives due to the elevated price of gas alone. One of my friends said that she was thinking of leaving her long time position with a company downtown so she could find something closer to her house. Another, a mother of 2, said she was so looking forward to the end of summer so she could stop driving her kids all over town for their summer sporting events. Everyone I know has already dumped their SUVs and high-end sports cars in lieu of more practical cars that are either hybrid or economy to save on gas. This dinner, 1 year ago, would have been filled with conversations of summer vacations, new cars, amazing purchases, remodeling plans, etc. But this year, no one is taking a vacation. The new car purchases are out of necessity rather than desire and everyone is holding back on spending at all costs…only the necessities!

Then, one of my friends said something that changed the entire direction of the conversation. He said, “WOW…this must be an incredible time for your business. I can’t imagine that people aren’t knocking your doors down looking for a way to make additional income. I have seen your ladies, and I know they must be making a killing right now selling and recruiting in this economy!”. Of course it was then that I went and got a stack of bar napkins and a pen so I could jot down my thoughts so I could write this blog.

I hope we don’t get stuck in the mindset that when the economy is weak, and prices are high that we are going to suffer a valley in our BeautiControl income as well. We have so many things to offer women and men today…especially when the economy is weak.

Number 1 – we offer an amazing career opportunity for full time and part time jobs that can bring in as much supplemental income as a person desires. All too often I hear of people who are recruiting people so they can get the product at a discount. That is totally the wrong way of thinking about it. We need to be selling this career as a high potential for income rather than trying to recruit people to get a discount on their products. The opportunity to earn extra income from sharing and selling products that they believe in is one of the easiest ways make money – not to mention one of the most fun ways. I know so many people who are taking part-time jobs either at night or on the weekends just to afford the things that their full time job used to cover. Melissa is so on target with her “ATM – Anytime Money” positioning. We do have what people need right now. Don’t be afraid to share it. It could be the smartest investment a person could ever make and one of the best things you could ever do to help someone. You have to admit, holding a couple of Spas is a lot more fun than getting a part time job as a weekend sales clerk at your local department store! And the best thing…it is hard to complain about gas prices when BeautiControl buys you a car!

Number 2 – we have incredible products that at full price are far less expensive than comparable products at the department store level. Here is a sampling of some of our products compared with products available at the retail level (Sephora) that are formulated with similar ingredients at comparable potency to offer similar benefits (just so you know, I compared it to the lowest priced product that offered comparable potency and similar results…there are far more expensive examples that I could have used):

Product	BC Price	Retail Price
Skinlogics Platinum Plus	$90	$284
Platinum Regeneration Face and Neck	$60	$96
Platinum Regeneration Advanced Eye Repair	$30	$74
Platinum Regeneration Eye Treatment Patches	$40	$62
Regeneration Tight Firm and Fill	$48.50	$120
Regeneration Reprogram	$28	$150
Microdermabrasion Facial Buffing Cream	$50	$75
Cell Block C Multivitamin Capsules	$35	$100
Cell Block C Intensive Brightening Elixir	$25	$50
Time to Go with Retinol	$28	$85
Time to Go Time Capsules	$35	$50
Sculptique Face and Neck Contouring Lotion	$35	$65
Platinum Regeneration Age Defying Lip Treatment	$22.50	$50
Platinum Regeneration Age Defying Makeup	$25	$57
Platinum Regeneration Age Defying Lip Color	$18	$55
Lash and Brow Revitalizing Treatment	$28.50	$145

Again, all too often, I hear of people who are selling the products at a discount because they don’t want to ask a person for the full retail price with the economy the way that it is. Let me tell you, women are still paying big bucks for their skin care products with or without a weak economy. If we don’t market ourselves as a retail channel and sell our products at their full retail price, we are not only cheating ourselves, but we are diminishing the value of our brand (and when I say “brand” I mean you…in the consumer’s eye’s YOU are BeautiControl). Even at full price, these products are a fraction of the price at the retail level… heck, even at full BeautiControl price, these are a huge discount over what these are worth at the retail cosmetic counter. Economy or no economy, women want to look younger! What makes it even better, is that they have the convenience of buying them from you! No more running to the mall, wasting gas. They can get them from you or order them online via your BeautiPage and have the convenience of home delivery and the expertise of their very own Consultant.

A good friend of mine who has been a long-time mentor in my professional life gave me some great advice. She said to me, “learn to own your power”. What she meant by this was take control of the opportunity you have to market yourself and your talents, believe in what you have to offer and allow yourself to be successful. You have what people need…plain and simple. People WANT the best products at the best prices and they NEED to make supplemental income to off-set the crazy increases in today’s cost of living. So, I would like to pass along those words of wisdom to all of you…own your power. Believe in the opportunity that you have to offer. By sharing what you have with those around you, you can literally change their lives and improve their income. That’s powerful!

Ok, be sure to check back on Friday. I am going to share with you my list of Summer Must-Haves and give you some tips on keeping your skin looking great during the summer months.

Have a great week.