It's the inside that counts...mostly.

My friend Megan has made it very clear that she believes I should wear lipgloss. When we were roommates, as we'd be walking out the door, she'd habitually say, "Do you want to use my lipgloss?" Or, not so subtly, "What are you going to put on your lips?"

But I rarely gave in. I just don't like things (other than Carmex and Burt's Bees) on my lips.

Today, though, I was tempted to buy the mark Belle of the Ball lip balm.

Embarrassingly, it's not because of the product. It's the packaging.

Those little shiny containers are so enticing. How fun it would be to get lip balm out of those? I found myself captivated as I read about the product in Glamour. I immediately wanted to get online and buy them. I mean, they're only $5 each.

Luckily, in a rare moment, logic overcame my emotion. I started laughing - though I should have been crying - for me, buying something because of the packaging is commonplace.

The most irresistible for me are the face washes. There is something so tempting about putting a face soap that is contained in such a simple, clean bottle, on my face. If the bottle is that appealing it must work.

I am a marketing department's dream.

Is it so wrong, though?

It's OK to find certain people attractive and therefore want to date them more. And it's accepted (though not proverbially) that we all judge books by the covers. That which is more attractive is inevitably more enticing...

Much to my chagrin, when it comes to the exterior of Christmas, I am utterly hopeless.

AKA I can't wrap gifts to save my life. Not even boxes!

Last year (my first Christmas with Jim) after I'd wrapped his gifts, my friend Katie came over and unwrapped and rewrapped all of them.

They were that bad.

I think she feared that he'd see my failed attempt and conclude that I had no domesticity, thus no real future as a potential mate...

So glad she had my back.

It's since been made clear to Jim, though, that my gift wrapping skills are lacking. Fortunately, when it comes to the gifts, it's the inside that counts. I think I'll try to remember that next time I'm tempted by a new face wash...