It’s a brand new year, and though I am busy to the gills (Sleep! Wherefore art thou?), I’ve decided to embark on a new project that I think will be a lot of fun for me… and hopefully helpful to other people, too!

See, there’s this thing I’ve had fun with for a long time (ask my mom how long!) — and I’ve been good at helping people with, too. Every time I write something about it or talk to someone about it, they make the same suggestion. And over time, I’ve realized that HEY! I COULD ACTUALLY DO THAT.

So without further ado….

I’m starting a skincare blog!

On another URL!

Which I don’t have yet!

But I will!

And I’ll tell you when I do!

I know there are lots of “beauty” blogs out there, but I’m going to come at it from the angle of problem solving and making good, critical recommendations… and not just shilling the latest freebie a company sends me with copy provided by the PR department. Yoinks!

I think there’s still a dearth of practical thinking out there, and SO many people struggle with how their skin makes them feel. So let’s fix it!

Here’s the rest of my (currently vague) plans:

1. Help women AND men with their skincare needs. Because men like to be smooth, too!

2. Have a sense of humour about the whole thing. Which doesn’t mean the advice will be silly… I’ll just deliver it the way I deliver everything else!

3. Encourage people and give them an opportunity to make changes that will help them feel good about themselves. Feeling good about the way you look doesn’t have to be a vain thing — it’s a comfy-in-your-skin thing, and since I’m working on that in my own life, I figure others might be, too.

4. I’m considering advertisers, but I want to be picky… again, recommending just anything doesn’t appeal to me, and if I’m responsible for content, I take that part of it seriously. I don’t think you need to see another Herbal Essences or Olay or Neutrogena ad on a blog, anyway. I find most advertising networks incredibly repetitive and mis-targeted, and I’d rather deal with reputable companies one on one.

5. I’ll be recommending stuff in all price ranges, from basic drugstore to more boutique or specialty items. But I won’t recommend the latest thing if the latest thing doesn’t do better than an older thing!

6. I’ll be welcoming your letters with problems to solve in individual posts, as well as attacking common problems, and talking about fantastic products that I can recommend more broadly.

7. I’m not doing this in conjunction with a blogging network or being sponsored in any way. If a company sends me products, I’ll let you know, and I’ll be HONEST in assessing them… even if it means they never send me anything again. Ha!

8. I’ll also feature guest posts from other product junkies who are trying out new things, and get their recommendations. Including my boyfriend, who doesn’t know he’s doing that yet. And “product profiles” from folks, and what they use, head to toe.

So stay tuned! I’ll be announcing the URL in a little while.

Until then, let me know in the comments what kinds of problems or questions you’d love me to address, or products you’d like me to try. Or any suggestions at all!

Thanks!