Now is the time to check your kikay kits and throw away beauty products you haven’t used in six months. Though in my case, I still have products and treatments that will be with me this 2013.

I spent the New Year on the beach, and before going I had to make sure I had my laser hair removal done. This procedure has been around for over a decade, so I honestly don’t understand why some girls haven’t taken to it. It’s one of the best beauty investments I’ve done, and it does have a lot of benefits, too.

For one, it whitens the underarm; most of the time, discoloration occurs during shaving due to friction on the skin. Plucking can also irritate the pores and allow for ingrown hair and unsightly bumps.

But after two sessions of the treatment, hair growth lessens dramatically. There is a bit of pain involved, but nothing that topical anesthesia can’t deal with. Prices have dropped since the treatment first come out, so there is really no reason not to have this done.

Dry and rough hands

Just a few months ago, while at a meeting I noticed a woman’s hand and was shocked. It looked dry, old and rough. But when I looked at my hands, it wasn’t hard to imagine that it would look like the woman’s hand in a couple of years.

This depressed me. Luckily, I think I’ve found the hand cream that will slow down signs of aging: DermatoPoietin’s multivitamin hand and nail cream. Like many women, I have forgotten about my hands (to think I’m pretty religious about putting on moisturizer) and now regret it!

I tried a number of creams but didn’t find the result I need. Some are just too thick or greasy, but DermatoPoietin’s cream is light; by the next day, I could actually feel and see the difference. My hands were supple, soft to the touch and somehow looked younger.

I’ve given a couple of friends some of the cream. When I go to Beauty Bar for my supply, I also buy K-Palette 24h Tattoo eyeliner and brow pencil. They are the easiest to apply, look natural and stay on all day.

Speaking of eye makeup, I also have been using Lancôme’s Bi-Facil eye makeup remover for years, and haven’t found any eye makeup remover that is as efficient and mild on the eyes. It is not, mind you, from lack of looking, since I do try out most of the products that I am asked to test.

Murad collagen mask is another must-have. When my skin feels tight, I slather this on at night before watching a little TV. As soon as it hardens, I rinse it off and my skin feels much better. It also has anti-aging properties, and the results are instant.

When it comes to facial scrubs, I haven’t found one as luxurious as Kiehl’s daily facial scrub, which gently takes out dead skin, making it a good prep for my moisturizer.

I am, however, excited for the new products 2013 has to offer. Until then, I think I will stick to my tried and tested five.