Dear Heloise: Need a few hints on how to keep your skin looking healthy and hydrated? Here are a few of my all-time favorites:

Take a slice of lime, lemon or orange and rub it all over your face for about 30 seconds. Wait about 3 minutes, then rinse with warm water and pat your skin dry. The vitamin C and acids in the fruit will break down dead skin cells.

Bring a pan of water to a boil with the steam rising. Then turn off the stove and move the pan somewhere safe. You can set it on a thick wooden cutting board if you wish.

Next, place a towel over your head to form a closed tent. Let the steam open your pores for about 3-5 minutes. Afterward, wash your face in warm water with a final rinse in cold water. This will add moisture to your skin and help you rinse away impurities from your pores.

Want to tighten your skin for smoother makeup application? In a small bowl, mix together 1 tablespoon plain yogurt, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 1 tablespoon coconut oil, and the white of one egg. (Save the yolk to use in your next shampooing.) Blend well and apply in a circular motion onto your face and neck. Leave on for about 20-25 minutes. Rinse off and pat your skin dry.

Invest in one black T-shirt and one white T-shirt. You can always use it under a suit or a cardigan for a simple but classic look. A black or white T-shirt always looks good with jeans or slacks and maybe one or two necklaces, but never wear an excessive amount of jewelry. And never wear any top that has makeup around the neckline!

— A.L., in California

GARAGE STORAGE

Dear Readers: The garage can become one giant place that ends up containing a lot of stuff everywhere in it. If you find yourself needing more room, use up all the air space in the top half of the garage. You can build or get storage shelves for the side and back walls. You also can buy peg boards and ready-made shelving.

— Heloise

SCRAPING VEGETABLES

Dear Heloise: My mother and I disagree on something, and we thought you might have the answer. She scrapes many vegetables, but I don’t. I wash carrots very carefully and never peel cucumbers or eggplant. I also don’t cut the crust off of bread, but my mother does.

I think a lot of vitamins are lost with her method of cooking. My mother is from England, and she says that this is how they prepare dishes in her native country.

— J.H., im Connecticut

J.H., there is very little need to scrape vegetables, especially if you wash them thoroughly. In England, many people would take the peelings and scrapings out to a compost pile, along with the crusts from bread. In some countries, the crust is cut off to make the sandwich look nice. Vegetables were also scraped to remove dirt and make the carrots and other fruit or vegetables look “pretty.” But you’re right — lots of vitamins and fiber were lost by this habit.

So, go ahead and cook your vegetables with the outer skin in tact and leave the crusts on your bread!

— Heloise

Send a great hint to Heloise@Heloise.com.