Q. The holiday season is around the corner and I would like to attend all the parties with a flawless face. My problem is my skin is always blotchy and flaky. The make-up never seems to blend well onto my skin. Any solution?--- Amy from Torrance, CA

A. Skin brighteners can help you solve such problem. Besides removing your blotchness and flakes, they can also fade freckles and discolorations, making your skin tone visibly brighter and more even. Most of the skin brighteners however do require continual usage of around 2 weeks to turn your skin's appearance around. So it's not a quick fix but you do have plenty of time before those great holiday parties. I recommend Avon's Luminosity Brightening Complex SPF 15, or Clinque's Total Turnaround Visible Skin Renewer.

Q. I always have dark circles underneath my eyes that make me look tired and older. When I covered them up with concealer, I looked like I had reverse raccoon eyes. What is your advice? --- Michelle, Kansas City, MO

A. Dear Michelle, you probably used the wrong tone of concealer. To effectively tackle your problems regarding dark undereye circles, I recommend a combination of cover -up and treatment. Try a concealer that has a light texture and that's just a little bit lighter than your skin tone, such as Beyond Color Line Diminishing Concealer SPF15. Don't go too light in color! For more lasting improvement, Lighten Up Plus Undereye Treatment will reduce the appearance of dark circles in 2 weeks.