Tag Archives: Makeup

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.

The Best Damn Lip Mask lives up to its name

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 If you’re going to market your product as the “Best Damn” anything, it damn well better be good. Well, the Best Damn Lip Mask by YouTube beauty guru Nicole Gurriero is better than good.

The demand for this little pot of glam is high. I was on the wait list for about five weeks, but the delay was well worth it. This isn’t just a lip balm; it’s exactly what it says it is — a lip mask. It’s thick, creamy, nourishing and plumping, making it perfect for rejuvenating lips overnight. It’s also great for preparing your pout for lipstick. Apply it and let it sit while you’re putting on the rest of your face; your lips will be primed and perfectly ready when it’s time for your lip products.

I haven’t tried the rest of Nicole’s “Best Damn” products, but her lip mask is certainly promising. I’m ordering a back-up pot because I don’t want to be without it!

The Best Damn Lip Mask, $26 for .5 ounces, Best Damn Beauty

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

Mini-review: Two new skin-care winners 

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 Loving these two skin-care products that are fast becoming staples for me.
First, May Coop Raw Sauce. It’s a nourishing combination of a toner and an essence that feels lovely and comforting on my skin. The packaging is perfection — a luxe, heavy, frosted-glass bottle. Inside, the main ingredient is all-natural maple sap.

Next, Sunday Riley Tidal Brightening Enzyme Water Cream. I’m on board for anything that brightens my skin and Tidal does double duty by leaving it supple, moisturized and not at all sticky. It contains two forms of hyaluronic acid, which in my book is essential to keeping skin plumped, firm and youthful.

May Coop Raw Sauce, $43 for 5.07 ounces, Sephora

Sunday Riley Tidal Brightening Enzyme Cream, $66 for 1.7 ounces, Sephora

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.”

February beauty: Favorites and flops

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 The first week of the month and it’s already been crazy! There must be something in the air, because my world’s been full of drama, drama, drama. I hate drama. It’s exhausting, really, so let’s focus on something much more pleasant — and that’s this month’s favorite and flops. First, the good stuff:

  • Cover FX Custom Infusion Drops — Skin care should be easy and I’m enjoying these concentrated drops that can be used alone or mixed with foundation. I prefer to do the latter because it turns my foundation into an easy, all-day treatment. There are four versions: camomile for calming, neroli for hydration, lemongrass for radiance and my personal choice, jasmine for anti-aging.
  • Cover Girl TruBlend Blush — Spring is almost here and this marbled, baked formula will leave your cheeks glowing like a just-bloomed rose. Even better: The flush of long-lasting color is available at a drugstore price.
  • Coloured Raine liquid lipstick in Classy — The formula goes on smoothly, opaquely and is surprisingly nondrying, but it’s the color that’s the selling point. It’s a cool lavender with just a hint of gray. Top it with Lorac’s Alter Ego lip gloss and people will admire your pout all day. I posted a pic on Facebook and even my boss wanted to know what I was wearing.
  • Natasha Denona eye shadow palettes — Beauty bloggers are buzzing about this richly pigmented brand from Israel and rightly so. The shades are intense, blendable and oh-so-pretty. My favorite is palette No. 8, which features a blend of metallic and matte peaches, roses and browns.
  • Artis Elite Oval 8 and Oval 6 brushes — These unusual, oval-shaped brushes are super-soft and densely packed. Because of that denseness, less product seeps into the synthetic bristles. That’s a money-saver in the end because you use less foundation and other liquid products. Ever noticed how much product goes down the drain when you wash your makeup brushes?

And now, the things I wasn’t wild about:

  • Physician’s Formula Murumuru Butter Bronzer — This came highly recommended but it didn’t work for me. It made me orangey like an Oompa Loompa, and I was using the lightest shade.
  • MAC Retro Matte Liquid Lip Color — I love MAC’s “regular” lipsticks, particularly Velvet Teddy and MAC Red — but the liquid versions were a big bust for me. They weren’t as long lasting as, say, the Anastasia and Kat Von D liquid lippies and the application was patchy. Also, the nude I chose, Lady Be Good, was markedly orange-tinged.

That’s it, y’all. I hope your March is going well. Remember, brighter days are ahead and the spring flowers will soon be in bloom. Stop and smell the roses — and don’t let the drama-lovers get you down!

From the foundation test lab

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 Hey, y’all. I thought I’d give you a quick first impression of two new foundations I tried this week. One was Tarte’s Empowered Hybrid Gel Foundation ($39) and the other was Charlotte Tilbury’s Magic Foundation ($44).

As a bit of background, I’m always looking for the newest and best foundation — one that gives my skin that perfect coverage and texture. Since skin is ground zero for any makeup look, the right foundation is critical and I’ll go to great extremes to find it.

Things you should know: I’m 56 but don’t have serious issues with wrinkles; I’ve just a few fine lines. I have combination skin — occasionally slightly oily in the T-zone but normal everywhere else. So let’s get to it:

  • Tarte Hybrid Gel Foundation: I’m going to be honest, I didn’t like this one bit and it’s going straight back to Ulta this weekend. According to Tarte, it’s made with “skin-loving ingredients wrapped in a luxurious, creamy gel.” It may have loved my skin but my skin didn’t love it. The initial application was fine but within a couple of hours, it was breaking up and looking patchy. It didn’t provide that smooth, flawless look I prefer, even when it was freshly applied. It’s a no for me.
  • Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation: Unlike Tarte’s new entry into the foundation game, this one applied quite nicely with my Artis Elite Oval 8 brush. It gave me the good-skin look I crave. Coverage is nice, but not quite as full as, say Make Up For Ever’s Ultra HD. I had a video conference call today and received a number of compliments on my makeup, so it clearly looks good on screen. I’m going to keep this one in my foundation rotation to see whether it becomes a permanent fixture.

Note: I’m wearing Charlotte Tilbury Magic Foundation in the photo accompanying this blog. The photo has been cropped but it has not been edited or filtered. It was taken in natural sunlight on my front porch.