Fortunately, I have discovered children's secret for beautiful skin. And it's not Oil of Olay. It's peanut butter. That's right. Peanut butter.

Feed a two-year-old a peanut butter sandwich, and chances are she'll get more on her face than in her stomach. How many two-year-olds do you know with acne? And what about wrinkles? Know any four-year-olds with crow's feet? Me neither.

Children's great skin has nothing to do with age. It's the peanut butter. According to my calculations, a typical child consumes an average of one peanut butter sandwich per day. (My son used to ask for them at breakfast, lunch, and dinner.) Considering that even a six-year-old still gets peanut butter on his face when eating a PB&J sandwich, that's roughly four years of daily peanut butter skin treatment! <continued below>

What happens when children stop getting peanut butter on their faces? After five to six years without peanut butter, their faces break out. Health teachers told us it was puberty, but they lied. It's actually the result of peanut butter deprivation. When was the last time you smeared peanut butter on your face? And do you have wrinkles? Black heads? Pimples? I rest my case.

Make up for lost time -- follow the beauty routines described below and recapture the skin of your youth.

Cold cream
"Natural" creamy peanut butter is ideal for this beauty routine as it must be kept in the refrigerator once it's been opened. Dampen face and throat with water and gently apply a teaspoon of "natural" peanut butter with fingertips using an upward, outward motion. Enjoy a good night's rest and awake to younger looking skin.

Mask
Apply a peanut butter mask once a week to draw out impurities. After your usual cleansing routine, take a large spoonful of creamy peanut butter (I like Jif) and apply liberally over entire face. Avoid eye areas. Allow the mask to dry while going about daily tasks. When skin feels tight or the mask begins to crack, remove by rubbing off with fingertips in a slow, circular motion. Rinse face with warm water and towel dry.

Exfoliating Scrub
Use chunky peanut butter to buff skin and whisk away dead skin cells. Apply chunky peanut butter directly to wet skin. Rub gently in a circular motion with a wet washcloth or hands. Rinse thoroughly. Exfoliate twice a week to reveal brighter, smoother skin.

The cosmetic applications for peanut butter are limited only by your imagination. Try using it as a delicious base coat for lipstick. Next time you want to soften your cuticles for a manicure, soak them in peanut butter. Instead of using concealer, cover your next zit with a dab of peanut butter. The possibilities are endless!

Christie A. Hansen is a wife and mother of three young children. Feeling that parents wanted to hear from someone besides parenting "experts", in October of 1997 she began writing her self-syndicated column, "From the Trenches." Christie's weekly columns give readers a chance to laugh and reflect on ways to enjoy the challenge of raising children. Read more of her work on her website or Email the author.