Thinking About A New Hairstyle?

Maybe it's the time of year but as winter recedes I find myself dissatisfied with my present hair style. I'm up for something bouncy and sexy(I think) as opposed to the straight and blunt cut which I've sported for more than awhile. This has happened before and usually I end up a few weeks later just wishing I'd stayed with the tired but true. The problem is my communication with my hairdresser who unfortunately isn't a mind reader.

That's why I was thrilled to receive an on line newsletter from More.com addressing just that dilemma. This weeks edition is all about hair and features 15 hairstyle ideas, sexy hair makeovers and color advice. There's a guide to covering gray or if you wish, to join their Growing In Gray Club although you won't find me among the members.
Best of all there's a way to try on one of those new looks before submitting to the sheers. All it takes is uploading a photo of your self to their Virtual Makeover tool to see how different cuts will look on you. There are hundreds to choose from including 25 celebrity styles. Now there's no longer any need for conversation with the hairdresser, just bring in the picture!

Luscious Lips That Last

Okay, I'll admit it. I've never been a big fan of lipliner. I always regarded it as just one more step in what was starting to become an ever increasing, time consuming process. For the most part, I just didn't see the point. Then too lipliner conjured up visions of that heavily outlined and then filled in with a lighter shade look, that was popular on lips decades ago.
Well time have changed and so have my lips. Never particularly full and lush they started to thin while I wasn't paying attention . Lipstick was harder to apply and the result often gave new meaning to the term "a dash of lipstick" On the advice of my friend Maxine from ballet class whose lips are always, full,lush and perfectly madeup I decided to use a lip pencil.

I've hit upon a terrific one by Rimmel, 1000 Kisses lip liner pencil. It comes in a wide variety of nine shades and is easy to use. Starting from the corners of the mouth even someone as artistically challenged as I am can draw a perfect line. I then fill it in with Rimmel's Cool Shine Lipstick. It's billed as the first gel lipstick that is vitually wax free and infused with 25% purified water. It feels delightful on and gives my newly full lips a luscious shine. The duo has staying power and while I can't vouch for 1000 kisses my lips are certainly much more kissable!
Cheers,
Barb

THE BEST PROVEN WRINKLE TREATMENT

I eagerly devour the countless beauty catalogues lugged to the door by my hard working mailman. Their delivery causes me to stop mid task, propelled by my search for that magical skin care treatment that may just be lurking inside those glossy pages . However lately I've been struck by the skyrocketing price of many high end products.
One in particular by LaMer tops out at $650. Who buys these creams and more importantly do they offer proven results? Most often it's a hung jury. The tests they site are usually self reported by a small sample of women. Occasionally you'll find one recommended by a dermotoligist . However a close investigation may uncover the fact that he has some connection to the manufacturer.
However there is one product that you won't find at any cosmetic counter but that is universally endorsed by dermatologists as a wrinkle treatment. It's Renova, a Vitamin A derivative. Think a kinder gentler Retin A. The generic name is Tretinoin Cream

I started using it before my recent face rejuvenation and in one month I saw a distinct improvement in my skin. My cheeks were less wrinkled, though not enough for me to even consider cancelling my appointment. When I told my surgeon, Scott Wells M.D. I was using it he said he would have prescribed it prior to the surgery if I wasn't. It improves skin quality by helping boost collagen production as does the ACTIVE FX Lazer that he would be using as part of my rejuvenation

So from now on I'll be skipping those pages of face treatment products and their dubious promises. Its RENOVA for me as I strive to preserve my new and much improved face. But never fear; I'll still comb those catalogues for products to enhance it
Cheers,
Barb

WON'T YOU MAKE MY BROWN EYES BLUE?

Benefit, queen of the quick fix, has a new product with yet another catchy name. This one is a mascara, Bad Gal Blue. OK so it won't change your eye color but it will enhance it and, more importantly to me anyway, make the whites brighter.
Don't be put off by the bright blue color on the wand. Technology allows the blue shade which does not appear the same color when applied to the lashes, to optically brighten eye whites and enhances the lighter flecks in the iris. It can be applied alone or over black mascara to just the tips of the lashes.
I have sensitive eyes and the whites have never been as bright as I would have liked. Age hasn't helped. I've read about a product used by models for that purpose but have not been able to find it and tend to think it may be a perscription item
My problem became more acute not long ago when I made the mistake of taking ballet class sans eye makeup . Afterwards the teacher, a young Russian man took me aside, which in ballet class is a rare occurrence. I was jubilant. He must have finally noticed that my pirouettes had improved. In fact I rarely lost my balance half way through anymore.
"Are you Okay? he inquired.
" I'm fine," I answered,guessing he had missed those perfect pirouettes. "Why?'
" Well your eyes look sort of inflamed ."
Needless to say , Bad Gal Blue had my name on it and I snapped it up as soon as it appeared at my local Sephora. And yes the whites of my eyes do appear whiter though maybe not as white as I would like but then I'm still working on those pirouettes too.
Cheers,
Barb

Winter Skin Pick-Me-Up


Come this time of year the usually pale face that stares back at me each morning has taken on a grayish cast and its surface is dry and dull. What to do? Get a facial?
New makeup? Acually I'm on austerity due to overspending for Christmas.
As I contemplated my image I recalled a product I had seen by Philosophy,a company I always had an affinity for mostly based on the names they give their products. There's Grace, Hope in a Jar, and my favorite, When Hope is Not Enough.
The product I was thinking of had a simple no nonsence name, peptide peels to go and at $35. was right for my budget. The box said that the 3 step system combined the best of microdermabrasion and chemical peels along with a jar of 30 microdelivery mini peel pads saturated with lactic acid and antioxidents for daily use.
Step I involves covering face and neck with Vitamin c/ peptide resurfacing crystals and then applying the latic/salicylic acid activating gel. You leave it on for just three minutes and then rinse well. The box also contains a bottle of Purity made simple facial cleanser. The whole process took about five minutes.
Afterwards my skin looked polished with a rosy glow,with not a tinge of gray in sight. Besides which I had enough of the products left for at least three more peptide peels not counting the mini peel pads.

A Little Face Lift

My friend Mary is one who shares my enthusiasm for all beauty enhancers and is quick to try what is new and promising. She even tried botox and lipo long before they became household words. Lately she been talking about getting a little lift,
so when I was looking for her Christmas gift at Sephora and spied a box that said Natural Light Face Lift Duo,I felt I had stumbled upon the perfect present and made a beeline to the checkout counter.
At home I looked at it more carefully. This little goody it put out by Bare Escentuals. The compact sized container contains two shades of what is referred to as bareMinerals, one a bit darker than the other. The darker is applied to the upperface, around the eyes, brow bone etc.and the lighter to those creases and annoying lines that appear between nose and mouth and even worse, to my way of thinking, between mouth and chin.
I don't know what I expected but I wasn't too impressed. It sounded rather simplistic and was nothing I hadn't heard or read before. Was this what I wanted to give Mary?
In a flash I ripped open the box and container and grabbed a brush from my collection. (They sell a special brush but it is extra.) and applied it as directed. I did look better, but as my skin is very dry I was afraid that the minerals or what have you would be drawn to my wrinkles. A look in the magnifying mirror reveled no trace.
A while later I went to meet my friend Marcia at Starbucks. Marcia is a woman who is ignorant of any kind of artifice. While her own skin always glows she can never remember what shade and kind of foundation it is that she smooths on her cheeks other than she thinks it's Clinique.
So I'm talking and suddenly she interrupts, something Marcia who is the best listener I know never does,and says."You know you look very good."
Well that did it! I kept the face lift duo and bought Mary a ruched velvet scarf that she absolutely loved!

TRYING A NEW FOUNDATION

"How does it feel?" the girl smoothing Estee Lauder's Resilience Lift Extreme Ultra Firming Makeup over my face inquired. "Like silk." I replied, a bit impatient. I was more interested in seeing how it looked. That surge of new makeup induced hope was charging though my veins. Finally she held up the mirror? She had spent a lot of time testing my skin to get the right shade but I wasn't too sure about it. Could be it was the store light but I thought my skin had a slightly gray cast. She was reassuring and sent me on my way with a generous sample to use while I made up my mind. At home I tried it again. The color looked better in my bathroom mirror and much better with the addition of blush and lip gloss. As a matter of fact it matched my rather pale skin exactly and evened out my skintone. Too often,left to my own devices I tend to use foundation to give my skin more color and end up looking like I'm obviously wearing makeup. Now I looked like myself, only better. And what about the lift? Well, my face felt a bit tighter but I couldn't swear that it looked any firmer. Maybe I was unrealistic in my expectations but the firming factor aside,it is a nice foundation