Tag Archives: #beautybloggers

Won’t you let me take you on a sea cruise? 

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Well, hello, my friends. I’ve just returned from a relaxing, fun-filled cruise to the Bahamas — a girls’ trip with my mother, sister and daughter. We had a super time: We swam with dolphins, sat in the sun and made some great memories.

As usual, I overpacked. I wore about two-thirds of the clothes I took along and less than half of the makeup products. That’s OK, though, because my husband and I are headed for Jamaica in a few weeks. I’ll wear the apparel that went unworn on the cruise and pare down my makeup bag to include just what I used in Nassau and Freeport. Since many of you are planning fun-in-the-sun getaways, I thought I’d share what made the cut:

  • SunBum products: I always burn, never tan so I must be very cautious about protecting my skin. I’m a big fan of SunBum products and my faith was rewarded on the cruise. I burned only on my back, and that was my fault because I neglected to reapply my sunscreen as I should have. I use SunBum’s SPF 50 spray and keep my lips protected with the company’s pomegranate lip balm in SPF 30. I once burned my lips on a trip to Myrtle Beach and it was excruciating. My friends Kelly and Nikki swear that burning your lips can cause cold sores, even if you’ve never had one before.  I’ve still never had a cold sore, so I don’t know if they’re right or not!
  • Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunscreen: I use the SPF 70 version on my face. My cheeks and nose didn’t burn during the cruise and my face didn’t break out, so I’ll use it again.
  • Perricone MD No Foundation Foundation Serum: I serendipitously found a generously sized sample of this light-coverage foundation with SPF 30 in my sample drawer while packing. The minimal coverage was just the thing for a cruise.
  • Effaclar BB Blur: I find this BB cream that blurs imperfections perfect for “no-makeup makeup” days. Bonus: It contains SPF 20.
  • MAC Eyeshadow Palette in Cool Neutral: This 15-shadow palette featuring cool tones was all I needed for a variety of makeup looks. For those who love warm tones, there’s a warm-tone palette also.
  • Too Faced Love Flush Long-Lasting 16-Hour Blush Wardrobe: Six pretty blush shades that stay put? Enough said.
  • Benefit They’re Real Mascara: This is my ride-or-die mascara because it lengthens, volumizes and stays put until I take it off.
  • Best Damn Beauty Best Damn Lip Mask: My lips love this quenching, moisturizing, softening mask with its pale pink tint. It doesn’t purport to plump, but I swear it does make my lips look fuller.
  • Tatcha Polished Rice Enzyme Powder: This just-add-water cleansing powder is perfectly portable and great for brightening and exfoliating.
  • Hand sanitizer: There are hand-sanitizer stations located throughout cruise ships. If you’re out at sea, chase away germs by availing yourself of them and take a small bottle of your own. In this case, more is more: Germs spread to cruise passengers and crew members at the speed of light. My sister and I would have spent more time at our ship’s casino if we hadn’t learned there was an onboard epidemic of strep throat. We decided handling chips and cards wasn’t worth the risk. That’s probably a good thing — I finished a winner, up $12!

A note about a previous blog: Thanks to all of you who contacted me here and through Instagram in response to a recent message about handling the end of a relationship. I heard from people who were estranged from friends, boyfriends, sisters-in-law, parents and adult children, and did my best to thoughtfully respond. I deleted the column because upon reflection I want to limit Makeup Plus 50 to more upbeat topics such as product reviews, recommendations and ideas. To the many who identified with that particular blog, know this: Your memories will someday be more sweet than bitter. In time, you’ll look back on the person and be glad they were a part of your life, no matter how briefly. I’ll leave you with this French proverb: “Wherever life plants you, bloom with grace.” – Ronda

Show ’em some (good) skin 

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I love playing with makeup and receive many questions about the “color products” I use. In fact, I received a call today from my friend Sarah, who was at Sephora and wanted to know which foundation to purchase. (For the record, I recommended Make Up For Ever Ultra HD.)

Still, the bulk of the questions I receive on my Instagram page are about my skin care routine. Some people say I look younger than my age (56) and I believe it’s a combination of genetics, diligent skin care and my facial features (round eyes, full lips, smallish nose). Of course, those are the same features that annoyed me when I was young because I always looked like the girl next door, never a sultry siren.

Anyway, I thought I’d share my nighttime skin care routine with you. Here’s the way it breaks down:

  • I remove my eye makeup and do an initial cleansing pass with a couple of cotton pads soaked in micellar water.
  • Next, I wash my face thoroughly with the appropriate cleanser. I use a lighter cleanser when I have no makeup on and a heavier balm cleanser when I do.
  • If I’m in the mood and have time, I use a targeted mask: moisturizing, exfoliating, anti-aging or brightening.
  • Next, I use an acid toner followed by a soothing toner. This prepares my skin to get the most benefit from the final steps.
  • Heading into the home stretch, I use my holy grail product, which is Sunday Riley’s Night Sleeping Oil.
  • After allowing Luna to fully absorb, I apply my moisturizer.
  • If I didn’t use a mask earlier in my routine, I often slather on one that’s intended for use while sleeping.
  • Time for eye cream.
  • Lastly, I use an eyelash-growth serum.

It sounds like a lot, right? It really isn’t. I have it down to a science and can complete the entire process — in addition to brushing my teeth — in about five minutes. I find it relaxing and soothing and have become oddly superstitious about it. I can’t go to bed without doing it!

This brings me to an important point. Even if your nightly routine is simpler than mine, there are two thing you should never, ever do:

  1. Go to bed without washing your face
  2. Fail to moisturize.

Why? Because the best makeup in the world can’t hide skin-care sins. I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again: Makeup does its best work if it’s applied to a clear, smooth, even canvas. If you’ve been unkind to your skin, do the right thing by adopting a routine right away. Your face will thank you for it.
Pictured: Tonight’s bedtime breakdown, from left: Bioderma Micellar Water, Tata Harper Regenerating Cleanser, Michael Todd Milk+Honey Firming Mask, Lotion PW50 1970 Acid Toner, Josie Maran Hydrating Treatment Mist, Sunday Riley Luna Night Sleeping Oil, Kate Somerville Nourish Daily Moisturizer, Skin Owl Eye+ Nourishing and Youth Stimulating Eye Concentrate, Revitalash Advanced Eyelash Conditioner 

Why I’m not feeling the ‘Boom’ 

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When it comes to makeup, many women have what they describe as a “go-to look.” That’s well and good, as long as that go-to look isn’t stale or boring. I’ve always been a makeup dabbler, and that’s why one-size-fits-all products such as  “Boom” by Cindy Joseph aren’t for me.

Never heard of Cindy? She’s a former model who hit the marketing bonanza with older women. Her “Boomsticks” are sheer washes of color that are supposed to adjust to any skin tone, which is kind of like the makeup equivalent of a Mood Ring. If that’s something that interests you, be sure to check out the third-party reviews on MakeupAlley.com before buying, as opinions are decidedly mixed: Reviewers seem to love Boomsticks or hate them, with little in between. In any case, if you decide to buy, remember that you’re not married to her products — you can (and should) keep things interesting by trying other looks from time to time, lest things get boring.

As for me, I like to try lots of makeup brands, colors and combinations, as the photos above illustrate. One look is light, bright and sunny. The other is deep, dark and sexy. My husband prefers the lighter look, although he’s amused and intrigued by the fact that he never knows which version of me he’s going to encounter. (This also goes for my hair color, which I’m known to switch out from time to time. He says it’s kind of hot to wonder whether he’s coming home to a blonde, brunette or redhead.)

My point? You’re never too old to experiment with different makeup looks and products. Some will work for you and some won’t. Because I have an Instagram account (Makeup_Plus_50) devoted to makeup and skin care, I try quite a few faces on for size. Sometimes I say, “This is good; I’ll wear it again.” Other times I take a quick pic for Instagram posterity and head straight to the bathroom to wash my face, saying, “Never again.”

The bottom line is that makeup isn’t permanent. It’s like playing with paints, using your face as a canvas. I see it as a manifestation of the different sides of my personality — the yin and the yang, the light and the dark, the good girl and the minx. And when it comes down to it, I’d rather be described as a little bad than a little boring.

Shake, rattle and Hum — and hyaluronic acid 

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I’m fascinated by makeup and always have been. As a little girl, I was entranced by my mother’s cosmetics — especially the miniature Avon lipstick samples that lived in her makeup drawer. And my Aunt Emily was a wonder. I’d watch as she drew winged liner as sharp as a knife’s blade with her old-fashioned cake liner. She’d add a bit of water to the powder and a few minutes later she was the epitome of 60s glamor.

In the years since, I’ve learned that while makeup works miracles, it’s the skin beneath that’s most important. Skin is the palette and makeup is the paint — and it’s critical to keep the palette as smooth, supple and line-free as possible. After all, paint applied to a rough surface often just illuminates its flaws.

My skin isn’t perfect, but it’s in pretty darn good shape for my age. Why? Because I pamper it. I have a thorough skin-care routine and I stick to it every day without fail.  Right now, my skin is looking particularly peachy and I credit the skin-care supplements I recently added to my routine.

Every day, I consume two tablets of Youtheory hyaluronic acid and four capsules of Hum Arctic Repair. Hyaluronic acid is an anti-inflammatory that benefits joints, tendons, ligaments and skin. Arctic Repair contains oil from wild organic lingonberry seeds and promotes itself as “clinically proven to rejuvenate the skin.” All I can say is that after two months of regular use my skin is clear, smooth and even. I look better without makeup than I have in years.

I’m particularly impressed with the Hum brand. In addition to Arctic Repair, I’ve been successfully using the company’s Flatter Me, which supports healthy digestion. I’m about to try two new Hum products — Red Carpet Ready, which promotes glowing skin and healthy hair, and Skinny Bird, which purports to help with weight loss. I’ll share my thoughts on those after a month of use.

Youtheory Hyaluronic Acid Advanced Nutritional Supplement, 120 count, $19.50 at Amazon.com.

Hum products are available at Sephora.com.

Banish brassy hair in two easy steps

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From platinum to auburn to golden 

Brass is great if you’re listening to a band. But the last thing those of us with blonde or gray hair like to see is garish brass tones.

I recently went from platinum to deep red to golden blonde. I’d initially planned to go all the way back to platinum, but an old friend convinced me to try golden hair because she’d liked it on me years ago. Verdict: I tried it, I liked it, I’m keeping it. The problem is that despite several bleachings, the remnants of dark red dye want to seep through after a few washings. Plus, I have a tendency toward red because it runs in the family. Both of my children are natural redheads. My daughter has golden red locks, while my son’s tresses are deep auburn — legacies, I suppose, of our Irish heritage.

I’ve found that combatting brassiness requires a two-step approach. First, I must wash my hair in cool-verging-on-cold water. Second, I regularly use a purple-toned shampoo. I have two in my shower right now, one that works and one that doesn’t.

The product I won’t repurchase is Dumb Blond Purple Toning Shampoo, which fails on two key fronts (or three if you count its name). It doesn’t completely keep my hair from turning brassy and it’s pretty drying — not a good thing when hair has been bleached.

The the product that works well is Sterling Silver Colour Care Toning Shampoo from AG Hair Care. It’s formulated to eliminate brassy, yellow tones from blonde and silver hair.  I use it three or four times per week to keep breakthrough brassiness at bay.

AG Hair Care Sterling Silver Colour Care Toning Shampoo, $18 for 10 ounces, $45 for 33.8 ounces at Ulta.

 

 

 

It’s all about the (ombré) lips

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imageOmbré, or gradient, lips continue to be a thing and Make Up For Ever’s new Pro Sculpting Lip Pens make getting them as easy as one, two (and no three).

The pens come in four colors: Purple, Carmine Red, Rust and Rosewood. One side of each pen is devoted to saturated, demi-matte color and the other features a sponge tip loaded with a shimmery, powder-like shade. Simply apply the darker shade on the outer contours of your lips and the shimmer shade to the inner contours. It’s easy, quick and quite fabulous, really.

imageThe ombré effect gives the appearance of a fuller, plumper pout — and what woman doesn’t want luscious, kissable lips? Count me in!

Pictured: Make Up For Ever Pro Sculpting Lip Pen in Rosewood, $27 at makeupforever.com and Sephora.

From short to long in less than 10 minutes! 

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 I’ve been thinking about growing my hair, but it’s such a long, aggravating process. I didn’t want to make the commitment and find out long into the undertaking that it didn’t flatter my face. Besides, I’m 56 — an age when everyone tells you it’s time to go shorter, not longer.

I had an Ulta credit, so I decided to give clip-in extensions a whirl. I figured it would be an easy way to test drive long locks before making the decision to grow or not to grow. I purchased a set of 16-inch extensions in ginger blonde, which I thought was the best match for my hair color.

The first time I put them on, I was less than impressed. Sixteen inches of stick-straight extensions made me look like nothing more than a blonde Elvira. I whipped out my trusty scissors and cut them to 10 inches, then curled them on hot rollers. Voila! A transformation I can live with.

I’m still on the fence about growing my hair, but I actually don’t find it aging. Since it only takes 10 minutes to go from short to long, I think the extensions will be fun for when I want to shake things up. Next time I see my hairdresser, I’ll take my clip-ins along so he can cut and style them.

All in all, my long-hair experiment was a fun success!

Pictured: Hairdo by Hairuwear extensions, $69 at Ulta

Cry, cry, baby

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In a recent blog post, I mentioned a statistic that startled some readers: It stated that women cry 43 times per year compared to six times for men. Some female readers said they don’t cry nearly that often,  while others thought the number was far too low.

Me, I’m a cryer. I’m very comfortable with my tears. I cry when I hear the National Anthem, when I recall a poignant moment that happened years ago, when someone gives me a sincere compliment. I cry when I’m angry, when I’m sad, when I’m frustrated. My heritage is Irish and German, but I fall more on the Irish side when it comes to my emotions. After all, there’s an Irish saying about tears: “Your bladder is too close to your eyes.”

Tears are cathartic, or at least they are for me. They’re an emotional release, even though I’m sometimes left with a lingering headache after a good weeping session.

I mentioned in the earlier blog that crying has an unexpected benefit. My eyes are often brighter and bluer after the tears flow. Sometimes, though, I’m left with annoying redness in the whites of my eyes. Certain eyeshadow colors can also play up redness, tears or no.

When my eyes are bloodshot, I reach for eye drops. But not just any eye drops: I prefer the Japanese Rohto brand, which I order from Amazon. You can also find them at Walmart and CVS. I use the Ice or Cool versions, which can take some getting used to because they feel minty. That might sound strange, but it’s true. The initial feeling is odd; it’s almost like Icy Hot for your eyes. Once you are accustomed to the sensation, it’s amazingly refreshing. Not only will annoying redness disappear, but your eyes will feel clear and cool.

How cancer gave me better skin (and a better life)

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 No one wants to find out they have cancer, especially a mother with one child starting high school and another in elementary school. I had just turned 40 when I got the bad news. I’d found a lump in my right breast. It didn’t show up on my mammogram and my doctor told me to stop worrying. It was just fibrocystic lumps, he said. Go home and relax, he said.

I knew I couldn’t relax with a lump the size of a cat’s-eye marble just behind my right nipple, so I demanded a biopsy. A few days later, my doctor called to deliver the news that I, indeed, had cancer. I met with a surgeon that very day. The verdict: a mastectomy followed by six months of chemotherapy.

A half-year later, cancer-free and with tufts of hair resembling the fuzzy down of a baby duck, I took a good look at my skin. It wasn’t good. I looked older, drawn and somewhat gray. I was still 40 years old but I looked a good 10 years older. The survivor in me said, “This will not do. I am not dead. I’m alive and want to look like it, damn it.” In that instant, my skin-care journey began.

I can’t say my skin is perfect today, but people tell me it doesn’t look 56. I have a few fine lines, but nothing that gives me pause. How did I go from gray and lifeless to vibrant and alive? Quite simply, I never skip my skincare routine. I don’t care whether I’m tired, sick, cold or sleepy, it will be done. I have it down to a science: cleanser, toner, serum, moisturizer, eye cream, eyelash serum, lip balm.  Sometimes I use a face mask while I’m writing or watching television. Many nights I wear one to bed. I exfoliate to remove dead skin cells and promote turnover. I wear sunscreen and avoid the sun.I apply firming cream to my neck and décolletage. I take skin-care supplements.

Would I do all of those things if I hadn’t had breast cancer? Maybe. Eventually. I probably would have waited until wrinkles and lines appeared. And really, that’s a bit late. It’s always better to prevent the signs of aging than to deal with them once they’ve taken root. So my advice to women, all women, is this: Start taking care of your skin right now. Today. Baby it. Pamper it. Show it some love. It will love you back.

Speaking of showing love …

I mentioned that having cancer gave me a better life. It’s true. It did. At the back of my mind every day is the knowledge that breast cancer isn’t like other cancers. There’s no magical date upon which you’re considered cured. It can come back one year, five years, 15 years, 20 years later. When it does, it’s often with a vengeance.

Every day for me is a gift. Every person I love, friend or family, is a gift. The number is limited, just like our time on earth. I love each member of that elite circle fiercely and irrevocably. I tell them so, often. And I know, without a doubt, that my love is returned.

If you can’t say something nice …

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I woke up this morning feeling let down … let down by myself. I try to put my chin up and ignore slings and arrows, but every so often I disappoint myself and fire back with both barrels. While it feels good at the moment of impact, it feels less so when my temper cools.

The good news is that spring is in the air and there’s a distinct change afoot. Green blades are springing up on the lawn and a wild daffodil is blooming in the corner of the yard. I live in a historic district and I often wonder about the long-ago woman who planted it. Best of all, my Carolina Wren – the one that sleeps beneath my back-porch rafters – has returned with his puffed-up feathers and sweet, sweet song.

The change of seasons is a good time to make some changes in my life. I’ve already started. For the first time, I’ve joined a gym. And I’ve embarked on a healthier eating plan by replacing some meals with healthy juices. Although those changes are good, it’s also time to make personal changes too. After all, my mother always says that pretty is as pretty does – and lately, I haven’t been feeling so pretty. With that in mind, here are four things on tap:

• I’m going to stop borrowing trouble. I’m a stewer and a brewer; I’ve always been. I dwell on things that ultimately aren’t serious at all. (You know, the whole mountains out of molehills thing.) I’ll lie awake at night, my mind churning over issues that in the light of day amount to nothing: something I said, something someone else said, a real or imagined slight. I’m going to work on that.

• I’m going to relax. It’s not so much that I don’t like change; it’s that I like being in control. I want to decide if and when something happens or doesn’t happen. I don’t like to cede decisions to anyone else. I like to chart my own course, steer my own ship. I must learn to be more graceful and accepting when that’s not possible.

• I’m going to listen more and talk less. I don’t like silences. Sometimes I catch myself babbling just to smooth over quiet moments that seem awkward. I once watched a film in which the protagonist left silences for others to fill. The things people said in those quiet times were fascinating and extraordinarily revealing. It’s a technique I employed in my work life as a reporter and I want to apply it to my personal life too. Sometimes I get tired of my own voice!

• I’m going to be my own best friend. My husband’s job is in another state and I’m a writer who works from home. While I enjoy my own company, that kind of solitude on a daily basis can be daunting. As I mentioned, I joined a gym. I’ve resolved to take a group class at least three times per week. That will keep me moving about and active. And I’m going to take myself out to lunch or dinner at least twice per week without fail. My home is lovely and my two cats are sweet creatures, but it will be refreshing and healthy to get out more.

Finally, and not insignificantly, I’m going to work on those take-no-prisoners blasts. When I’m tempted to go in with guns blazing, I want to employ Thumper’s quote to his mother from Disney’s Bambi: “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say nothin’ at all.”