For feet, by the way (and this precedes menopause), you can use the very inexpensive allegedly for cows big jar of “Udderly SMOOth” (with little cow splotches to echo the MOO) that they sell at the CVS. At least here in the Southland!

For years I’ve been using the Aura Cacia apricot kernel oil (there are about six kinds of Aura Cacia facial and body oil, all very pure and with no crap in them, no parabens, no chemicals, etc.) on my neck and around my eyes and on most of my face — very delicate and I hardly have a wrinkle, but the skin on my face is getting much more dry, and in addition to applying moisturizer more often I think I need to change my skin-cleaning (or cleansing, as the ads say) regimen. Any advice? In particular, I think too much water or too much toner, or the wrong toner, is probably drying. PeaceBang or older-than-PeaceBang folks, help! (PB, I am at least a decade older than you, I think.)

Also, what’s your opinion of night cream vs. no night cream. The best French aesthetician I met said “never wear night cream, let your skin breathe” but there are other schools of thought — and I never know whether to trust them, since after all they want to sell night cream! Hard to sort out the capitalism from the necessities of dewy skin.

[Ms. Divine! First of all, I liked Udderly Smooth so-so until I used some on SweetieBang in one of those “here, we’re in the bathroom together and let me wipe some of this on your crusty elbows” moments and he was revolted by the smell of it. That was the end of that. The tube was almost empty and I shan’t get it again. For face: why not skip the toner and use an oil-based cleanser? Ja? -PB]