Jane Monreal, who has worked more than 15 years in TV and radio broadcasting in the Los Angeles market, was most recently the traffic and features reporter for KABC-TV’s Eyewitness News in the morning. After joining KABC in 2004, she took on roles as segment producer and writer, anchored its inaugural live webcast of the Academy Awards Arrivals Show in 2007, and served as the station’s “Resident Dance Expert” for the hit ABC show, “Dancing with the Stars.”  Previously, she was the lead afternoon traffic reporter for KFWB News 980, where she earned a Golden Mike award in 1999, and was featured on smooth jazz station, 94.7 the WAVE.

Meet the fabulous Jane Monreal

Here are Jane’s budget friendly beauty aids!

I’m one to appreciate a good facial and pay up the wahzoo for it.  But even my aesthetician told me a long time ago, that the best way to maintain healthy skin (in addition to staying away from cheese) is to exfoliate.  Nancy could have recommended some expensive French facial scrub.  Instead she told me to go across the street and pick up exfoliating gloves.  2/$8, I bought a couple of packages.  I could wipe gently with a dollop of Cetaphil 2-3 times a week and throw it in the wash.  They last forever.

Another great recipe (literally, a recipe using baking soda), is from Beauty and Anti-aging expert, Louisa Maccan-Graves and her doctor-recommended book, “Hollywood Beauty Secrets: Remedies to the Rescue.“ In the book, there are so many good recipes to try:  a moisturizing yogurt mask, a papaya foot bath to soften up the soles.  Budget or no budget, this is a great reference book for beauty tips.

My beauty tool of choice is a great pair of tweezers.  Like the father on “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” is to Windex, I am to my tweezers.  I pluck everything:  my eyebrows, upper lip, my arm pits (too much info, sorry), dry skin at the end of my nose that my exfoliating glove didn’t slough off.  With the closed end, I push down my cuticles.  You get the idea!  My favorite tweezers actually came from a men’s grooming kit.  I thought I lost them once.  Imagine my delight when I found them tucked in the back of the vanity cabinet.  Next step is to get another pair.  Whee!  I found Tweezer Pro. These folks know what they’re doing.  I love the slant tip.  It’s like my original favorite men’s tweezers.  Like my multi-vitamin Nutra-paks, I need to get a few pairs of slant tip Tweezer Pro tweezers and store them everywhere.

*** Thanks for the Favorites, Jane!  LOVE getting Favorite Tips from the experts! I need to check out the Hollywood Beauty Secrets and the Tweezers, both look fabulous!  I already love the exfoliating gloves.  If anyone missed my post on them, check it out here. They are also listed in the Beauty Favorites Gallery.  And I’ve heard baking soda mixed with Cetaphil makes a great facial exfoliator too!  Check back for more great tips from Jane soon!