I have sad news to report. Best-selling author of "How Not to Look Old," Charla Krupp, has died of breast cancer at the age of 58. A pioneer of baby boomer beauty, Krupp has been THE beauty expert for the over-50 set since her book's launch in 2008. She spent a whopping 22 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. Read more about Charla on her Website.

I met Charla in the summer of 2009 at a library benefit in East Hampton. She gave me her card and urged me to give her a call for an interview. She seemed much younger than her years and was absolutely radiant and gorgeous in person. I've reported on her advice over the years, particularly for my articles on over-50 beauty.

Read Krupp's advice in 25 Makeup Tips to Look Younger and Time Magazine's interview with her.

Rest in peace, Ms. Krupp.

Photo courtesy of the Charla Krupp Website.

Today I cleaned out my beauty closet, which is full of lotions, soaps and creams, shampoos and sprays that I really have use for. Some of this stuff is worth up to $70 a bottle and I even have a $250 flatiron that was given to try out. I'm not really a product junkie and there's no way in my lifetime that I can use all this stuff, and I certainly can't use it by the probable expiration dates. So what to do?

I decided to contact the local women's shelter here my Brooklyn neighborhood. Hopefully, they'll accept my donation and I'll be sure to abide by this wonderful article on "how to donate your gently used beauty products" written by Renee Rouleau, a Dallas-based skincare expert and spa owner who's worked with Demi Lovato, Jessica Simpson, Ashlee Simpson, Kara Dioguardi, Lisa Rinna, Melissa Rycroft and Ali Landry. Turns out she's a huge fan of giving away your gently-used products to local shelters.

Rouleau's secret is to not give away anything in a jar that you could have contaminated with your fingers. She also suggests cleaning brushes and combs first and never giving away mascara. Works for me!

Pulling together outfits can be overwhelming, especially if you don't have an eye for it or a 3-way mirror that shows you at all angles. I'm guilty as charged. While I know a lot about my makeup and skincare, my clothes closet can overwhelm me, so a couple years ago, About.com's Men's Fashion Guide, Daniel Billett stayed with me in Brooklyn for Fashion Week and offered to help me figure out what clothes in my closet actually worked and which ones didn't.

It worked out brilliantly. While Daniel sat on the couch and drank wine (actually I don't remember if he drank wine, but I like to think he did), I tried on clothes from my closet and then paraded myself in front of him for the critique. Some outfits he loved ("great with your eyes!," "perfect for your figure!!," "great cleavage!!!"), some he didn't ("too short," "too tight," "too dowdy") and some he liked but felt needed different shoe, tights or sweater pairings. By the end of our session I had a pile of clothes for Goodwill, a shopping list for a few missing pieces and a pared-down closet. I also had a great sense of what colors and styles I looked best in and which ones I didn't.

Personal stylists are a an up-and-coming trend. Allison Berlin of Style Made Simple runs such a service in NY. For a fee, an expert will come into your home and help you conduct a wardrobe edit. Other services include actual shopping trips to find pieces that are flattering and stylish and private fittings with "pre-pulled clothes" tailored just for you. I've posted an inquiry to Style Made Simple because I think it's time I had a wardrobe consultation. If I go through with it, I'll let you know how it goes!

I strongly recommend investing in a few nice makeup brushes and then taking very good care of them by washing them monthly or every 2 weeks if you're Type A or a germaphobe (I'm not). Oils, dirt and makeup get trapped in brushes and will break down the bristles over time, so cleaning them actually preserves them. Find out exactly how to properly wash makeup brushes and tools in my newest article, "How to Clean Your Makeup Brushes."

Also, check out my list of the best makeup brushes.

Image: Photographers Choice for Getty Images