The List of Discontinued Bliss

 I remember my first couple of weeks of high school well. My uniform hadn't come in yet-- it was a Catholic school, so we had obnoxious little plaid skirts and bland, ill-fitting blouses. That was on back-order, and I was allowed to wear regular clothes, making me stand out in a sea of uniformity. So for a short, heady moment, I was the best-dressed girl in school, something that had never happened to me, before, and certainly never again since.

 This was only a season after I had trimmed down from my slight early-teens overweight, and I'd just begun wearing makeup... but had been practicing for a year as well as watching my sister Linda when she put on her face, as she lived upstairs in the same house as us, with her children. Sometimes, when desperate for the company, she'd dress me up and take me to her favorite disco bar at night, just so she wouldn't be alone among the lotharios. So I'd worn "grownup" makeup already, and had passed as an adult, before I started putting on a face everyday myself.

 And I'd been doing it all summer-- newly thinner and revealed as shapely, a new perm & dye job giving my old boring straight hair some bounce and glow, new clothes and a new confident attitude, along with carefully applied, full-out makeup. Linda, kind of glad for the change in me, allowed me to borrow some of her clothes to wear to school each day, and even enjoyed helping me put together snappy outfits, complete with her jewelry. And then something weird began to happen to me in school--

 I was popular.

 Not infamous, as before, not joked about or made fun of, or mentally tortured and preyed upon-- popular, with people liking me, seeking out my company.

 It threw me for a loop, at first. Girls I didn't know, upperclassmen even, knew my name, and called out friendly greetings in the halls. People complimented me on my clothes, my hair, my skin, my style. Girls began following me into the lav to ask if I would do their makeup, or help them with their skin issues. Without trying, I'd become a sort of guru, and more than that, I had somehow accrued some natural "cool."

 No duckling to swan story has ever been more shocking to me than my own. But all this is just a setting for a small detail that caused a large lament--  a lament over discontinued products.

 You see, one of the ahead-of-my-time techniques I used was to line my lips with a neutral colored lip pencil, and then fill them in entirely with the same color. This is during a time when the whole less-is-more ideal about lipstick was happening-- lip liners were only for old ladies or movie shoots, to keep lipstick from bleeding, and most people I knew wore lipstick or gloss but not both, unless they were going out to dance in a nightclub-- thank you, Disco. And no one else did what I did, lining and filling in, then applying several coats of lipcolor, blotting in between, and finishing with a different shade of gloss.

 I liked dark colors then, so I mostly wore the deep brick tones or blackberry shades I found in the black women's makeup section (always a too-small selection). I'd use my same lip pencil, a different lipstick each day, and then, usually, my favorite sheer gloss. The gloss was a clear jello red, tasting of strawberry, as it came in a special container shaped just like one perfect red berry-- the two halves each held a different gloss, one creamy pink, the other my ripe red. I still miss that gloss! But it's the pencil, whose exact  color and tone I've never seen replicated anywhere-- and if they were they wouldn't have the same texture. It was an Avon product (my sister Linda was a rep) called Candied Clove.

 Despite the several decades between now and then, I still own two pencils of the stuff, worn to nubs which I am prepared to dig out of the wood and use with a lip brush when the time comes. I stocked up the last time I ever saw it in a catalog, and kept the pencils neatly in their boxes, locked away from air and light, for years.

 I don't use it the same way as I did back then, but it's still a perfect neutral for me, and I fear the day I won't be able to rely on its subtle tone to shape my pucker.

 When Mary Kay stopped making the foundation color I used-- the lightest of three ivory shades-- I wasn't able to stock up, having been told too late. Just the same deal when I went to the department store to get my Clinique face powder. Which goes to show that you should always stockpile your basics a bit. Most cosmetics keep fine for years if unopened and stored carefully, (except mascara) and that last extra tube of your everyday concealer will help you get through the transition period of looking for a new brand. I have learned my lesson, folks, and always keep a backup for the must-haves now.

 So many other items, though, I wish I had stockpiled while I had time-- the Freeman brand creamy cleansers I used to use; in particular, now that cold cream is about the only facial cleanser that doesn't have to be rinsed off forever, like soap. And the dry-to-wet liners I once loved. There are whole lines that no longer exist, and some companies redo their lineup constantly.

 At least I still have that last box of Maybelline cake mascara!

 What beautiful thing do you wish had never been discontinued? Tell! And please, tell us how you used it-- backstory is fun to read.

 Have lovely Sunday--
                                       Mari

 

Base Notes

One day we feel spring, the next there's a new slipcover of snow on the lawn.

 Our skin feels it too-- the push-pull of the seasons trying to shift and not quite getting there. For me, this signals a need for more, and more mixable, makeup options, particularly when we're talking foundation. I find that creativity is needed to slap on a face that stays put and doesn't get nasty when the temperature does a complete turnaround in less than six hours.

 There may be a cold, dry skin inducing morning, followed by a warmer afternoon that melts a full coverage base into weird mask-like coverage. I can't allow that!

 One thing I've done recently is to toss the notion of allover coverage out the bathroom window-- again! Instead, I'm wearing a very bare face, just primer & concealer and maybe a dash of spot-applied foundation, with no powder or a dusting over my nose only. No blush, either. It's been cool enough to redden my cheeks anyhow. This keeps my face looking fresh and natural for hours-- and if I need to gussy up later, well, a little extra moisturizer over that won't make a mess, and then I can add some mineral foundation to top it off, with no caking.

 Other options: I'm learning how well a combo of liquid base, primer and face cream can blend for sheer to medium coverage that gives a softer effect than the usual layers of product. Because I'm not opposed to BB creams, in fact I plan on purchasing one soon; but I have to think that my custom mixture will work better on a day-to-day basis. I need more color? More base in the mix. Skin texture issues? Use more primer in the blend.

 The same treatment happens when I custom mix my mineral powders-- a little bit of bareMinerals' Warmth in your favorite base makes a perfect summer face color, no new purchase needed.

 Never be afraid to play with the stuff you've bought, just make sure you do it in small amounts, in pristinely clean containers-- I use an old plastic lid that has gone through the dishwasher, to mix my blends on. Then I can dab it on with fingers or a foundation brush.

However you mix it, this very clean, natural but graceful look is fun to play with-- with such a clear-skinned approach, a heavy eye and delicately glossed lip looks elegant, or try what I've been doing often: a bare-toned eye, just enough shadow on the lid to draw attention (a smidge of cream, for me, or taupe, pebble, or pale gold-- for deeper skin, maybe a soft bit of glimmery bronze), a defined but not standout browline, and heavily mascaraed lashes on top-- with the bottom lash up for grabs. Add a bit at the outer corners, or just under the center of your eye, unless you feel great about doing the whole thing-- then do it fearlessly, and wear one of spring's sheer popsicle lipcolors to balance it, or bright red (to rock those bare cheeks!), or pale barely glossed virginal lippy, just to contrast the smoldering lashes.

 And I wing those lashes out with the mascara wand, shaping them into a Bewitched perfection. It is, with the unblushed cheeks and wicked eyes, a hark back to that glamorous era, so why not go all the way? It gives that winged shape that fashion has been in love with these last several years, without the bother and precision of liner.

 The beauty of it is, with no blush or liner and barely any shadow, this look takes about five minutes total, but is totally eyecatching. Very important to make sure the mascara, which is the centerpiece here, is one that doesn't flake much as it wears. Try navy or wine, too, not just black-- they bring out the color of your eyes in interesting ways.


 Wishing you some warm, beautiful weather--

                                                                     Mari


 

Certified Vegan, Certainly Fun

 Here's a few fun products, from a new line of cruelty-free, Peta-certified vegan cosmetics, now being sold at Sephora online, as well as at their own website, and at beauty.com and beautylish. The line is Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics, started by a NYC makeup artist, David Klasfeld, who understands makeup mania and responded to his own by mixing up the most interesting line of girly-geared goods I've seen in ages.

 The first product introduced was an instant hit on the style circuit, a 'lip tar' called Nylon-- neon pink with reflective qualities and richly pigmented, long-wearing, with the ease of a gloss and the stay-put of a good lipstick. A little reputedly goes a long way, which makes the $18/tube price tag bearable, I think, as long as you love the color. The company went on to add metallic tars as well as eyeshadows and nail colors. I'd really like to get my hands on some of this stuff, and as I begin to weed out less eco-friendly products from my stash, I will be looking to replace important items with higher quality, conscientiously produced makeup like OCC.

 The colors I'd like aren't all practical, however: how about a lip tar in stunning metallic lemon? looks good to me, but not an everyday shade, though at that price, maybe it has to be. More useful, and just as intriguing, is the color called Electric Grandma. The colors are mixable, however, which means you can have a fun tone and a practical tone and get more out of each. Not a bad idea.

 And finally, a responsible brand of cosmetics has given me the fun stuff I've wanted for decades-- multi-purpose powders, in all colors, that can be used as shadow, blush, lipcolor, what-have-you.

 Thanks for these, OCC!

 I can guarantee there'll be a review of these wondrous powders here, soon. Chartreuse blush? Silvery lime? I'm in.


 Have a beautiful weekend! Peace,
                                               
                                                       Mari

 

The Color Of the Year, and Other Annoyances

 Sephora has done it again. Ignored the fact that adult women over 35 exist and buy as much or more fine makeup as the teen set. That we are a large part of their business, and deserve targeting for something other than expensive face creams.

 Their Color of the Year, for eyes and nails mostly, is Emerald.

 Don't get me wrong, I love greens, all tones and shades, and the gems called emeralds; but it's a difficult color to wear much of on one's nails, eyes or body, unless you're dark-skinned or extremely young.

 Bright green is best used sparingly unless you're planning a garden, or enjoy having every line on your face stand up and shout "We are here! We are here! We are here!"

 And last year it was tangerine. I wouldn't take it so hard, if they ever noticed our age bracket, if they ever gave us a special nod with regards to colors and textures, but they haven't so far. There's plenty of room for gorgeous tones that suit full grown women. Bobbi Brown does great things with color, as do many product lines, but we never get to see these gathered into a cohesive look for women over 40 and celebrated with sales and fanfare, by Sephora or anyone else.

 The reason it matters at all is that they set a standard, and a trend for advertising, that is picked up by other establishments. They partner with all parts of the makeup industry, too, and the influence there goes criss-cross all the way. So I must hold them up as an industry style-setter, and I believe that as a high profile makeup giant, they need to set a better example.

 Take note, Sephora! We can spend our money anywhere-- those department store makeup counters give great service. You'd better start giving US a little consideration, and maybe even some ass-kissing, at this point.

 Now, I'm not saying I won't grab a bareMinerals mascara in the new Aqua color (available at Ulta stores), or one of Sephora's own liquid green eyeliner sets, because I'm pretty sure I can pull them off, with care; but what a horrid way to quash the excitement of the spring makeup palette, than by simultaneously painting us all with one brush that doesn't work for all, and by keeping it within the narrow creative confines of the eyes and nails. (Well, haircolor and housepaint too, but that's another story).

 If we're going to go crazy glittery shiny green, why stop at shadow and liner and nail varnish? Where are the many shaded blushers, lip glosses and lip-stains in green? Where's the gleamy creamy emerald lipstick I dreamt of as a 20-something explorer? Where's the body shimmer?

 Which brings me to the question: if I could see any products I wanted, products that were aimed at me, and at keeping me creative in my look, what would top the list?

 First of all, more soft eyeliner colors, in liquid and dry-to-wet forms and maybe gel creme. Pencils take more skill and give leave more room for error as the eyelid gets older and less smooth, whereas liquid glides on and can be corrected more easily, with less smudging. But black is a bit harder to use perfectly, especially if your hand isn't super-steady. But a nice range of taupes, lavendars, soft blues, soft browns and a range of desert colors, would be lovely.

 An eye palette composed of creams/whites, akin to Naked's bare palette style, would set me up for ages. I'm just about to make my own from individual cream tones, out of frustration. You can find blue, brown, gold, purple, grey, copper or brights palettes, but I've yet to see this most basic eyecolor treated with the critical acclaim it deserves. I use cream, in various tones, everyday. it's a base, a natural looking highlighter, and a superb mixer as well as a tone we of the paler set can use on its own.

 Beautiful bronzed mascaras, to play up eyecolor. My blue eyes would love it, but so would green, black, brown and hazel-- have I left anyone out? What I'm getting at is, bronze (deep or lighter) would be nearly universally flattering, maybe more so than black, and more eye-catching for sure. Especially in the warm months, when tans abound.

More multi-purpose creams and liquids for eyes, lips, face, that comes in a bigger range of finishes and colors. I'd love a soft, sheer rose-pink liquid that could work as a blush or as shadow, mascara, and even lipstain. Yes, there are issues with keeping germs separate, but that's hardly insurmountable and could be easily dealt with by extra applicators and a stiff warning on the label. Mostly what I see that serves this need are bright sheer and opaque shimmery cream sticks, and that just isn't enough. Give me a matte taupe multi-use creamstick, and I'll go to town on that bad boy! Give me one in delicate orchid, or a sheer colorless gloss that stays put and can be mixed with other pigment to create new shades. Note, these products should be affordable-- Terry Rose Liquid Blush is sweet, but at $58 per bottle, not for the general populace.

 And please, make all this without torturing animals or using petroleum or known carcinogens. Put it into eco-friendly packaging, preferably made from natural and recycled materials.

 I'm going to mull this over, while dreaming of Spring's soft, moist air on my skin. Have a beautiful day!

Do, Don't, Why and Why Not? Part One

As I'm certain that many of the readers of this blog have read their share of Do's & Don'ts articles, I'm here to put a little twist on this topic.

There are so-o many of the do-and-don't writers out there: David Zinczencko & Matt Goulding write the "Eat This, Not That" articles for Men's Health magazine, and a successful series of books in the same vein. Glamour magazine's back page is always a clothing critique of Do's and Don'ts complete with some snicker inducing photos, and VICE magazine, devoted to current events and the weird, advises the reader of Do's and Dont's on everything from what character costumes NOT to wear to Sci-Fi conventions to what is a DO for a hipster to wear while sauntering around NYC's upper east side.

Like many of you, I am sick and tired of being told what to do and what not to do with my makeup by writers that are neither my age, nor have my particular set of features, my budget and my personality. Well, enough of that. I am the Doyenne of Do!
A recent example from About.com's site (which I frequent for great information on everything):

DON'T wear dark lipstick.

The reasoning behind this? It makes your lips appear smaller. I say, in an era where lots of high profile celebrities and wealthy women overdo lip plumping (fish lips anyone?), a smaller set of lips can be highly desirable. Yet, dark lipcolor doesn't have to make your lips appear tiny.

Applied correctly, your burgundy lips can suggest a sexuality and chic that a 20-something is just not capable of. Proper lip liner is the key; with a dark color, nude or a shade close to your natural lip color is applied over the entire lip taking care to keep the outline natural. Apply your lipstick with a brush or fingertip so the color is not so intense and follow with a light glossing or balm. So, dark lip color is a DO for we mature gals.

Another DON'T that irks me, this from MSN: DON'T wear black eyeliner.

Quelles Horruer! No Frenchwoman of any age, in her right mind,  would give in to this. Black liner on it's own, without eye shadow, is a classic day time look for the eternally chic French. To quote from the American Woman's Bible for attaining that desirable French confidence, "French Chic: How To Dress Like a Frenchwoman" by noted author and transplanted Yankee Susan Sommers, from the list of the Five Makeup Must Haves for Frenchwomen: "Black kohl pencil for defining the eyes. Frenchwomen use this soft eyeliner pencil for lining the inner rims of their upper and lower lids. This dramatizes their eyes." This makeup must is learned by daughters from their Mothers and Grandmothers. When it's right, it's right. Oftentimes, the simplest look is the best look.

Also, anyone who has admired the exotic eyes of Indian and Middle Eastern women, who often have only their eyes to communicate their beauty and femininity, will surely have noticed the kohl-rimming of the entire eye. This is a stunning look that conveys sensuality without a need to show breasts and limbs, as do so many women of the Western world.

So I say black eyeliner is a DO.

I'll be back soon with more ravings on the Beauty Communists. Until next time - be your beautiful you!

 

                                --GailZ

Baring the Cost

What aspect of your beauty routine do you put the most cash into?

 It's an issue I wonder about; when I see women with the latest eyeshadow colors but hair that is poorly styled or obviously unhealthy, or girls in great clothes with broken shoes, or women that are perfectly put together. Admittedly, I have often left the house in perfect makeup and a less perfect outfit. Nowadays, I try to balance that more, though I never wear the clothes I'd like to have access to.

 What part of you costs the most? For me, it's changed over the years. As a young teen, I spent more on cologne and lots of cheap clothes. Later, I learned to base my look on the best foundation and powder; it was almost impossible to do otherwise, as very fair base and powder were difficult to find except in high end makeup lines. At that point, I still used inexpensive skincare.

Over the course of my thirties, I began putting more into skincare and using less makeup overall. These days, poor as I am, I put whatever I can into skincare, then excellent foundation and powder. But I've begun buying better mascara, too, and fewer, but more expensive, blushers.

 Eyeshadows I own run the gamut from high to low, with more on the low end, since trying a color cheaply is an easy way to find out what works and doesn't.

I've always used lip balm, and typically keep one in my purse, one in the "quick" makeup drawer in the bathroom, and one in my office. The same goes for hand lotion. Otherwise, for lips I prefer expensive lipstick and inexpensive gloss.

 Too Glossy????

 

 

 

 

For some women, tattoos and jewelry are big expenses, I know.

 What do you spend your beauty bucks on?

BB Creams: An Overview and Review

  I.   What are BB Creams?

II.  Where did they come from?

III. What is available in the US and what is the price range?

IV.  My experience with BB Cream...

 

I.              What are BB Creams? First let's define them. "BB" stands for Beauty Balm, or Blemish Balm depending on the formula. These creams are multi-tasking hybrid moisturizers that contain pigment much like foundation, and advertise differing beauty benefits including hydration (moisturization of skin), dark spot correcting, evening of skin tone (obviously due to the pigments), and skin "radiance". Most BB Creams promise all these same advantages to perfect your skin in one easy step.

 

II.   BB Creams were first seen in Asia (primarily Japan), and are there marketed as serious skin care. Since Asian women, by and large, have historically maintained perfect complexions, whether real or improvised with cosmetics, it is not at all surprising that BB Creams would be embraced by them. The western world generally gets things when they are already old news to the rest of the world.

 

III.   Since making their debut in the United States this spring, most of the leading skincare and makeup companies have added BB Creams to their catalog of products. With promotional advertising including dollars-off coupons in most women’s magazines, now is the ideal time to try this "new" product at a discounted price to determine if this is indeed an item you want to add to your personal beauty arsenal.

 
Ranging in price from lows of $7.99 (Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream 8-in-1 Beauty Balm Skin Protector) and $12.99 (Garnier Skin Renew BB Cream Miracle Skin Perfector) to Estee Lauder's Daywear Anti-Oxidant Beauty Benefit Creme SPF 35 priced at $38.00 and the popular Smashbox Camera Ready BB Cream SPF 35 for $39.00.

Boasts about these include priming, skin brightening, and anti-aging capabilities; most of the well-known companies have jumped on the bandwagon to improve our complexions, simplify our morning routines, and empty our pockets.

 
IV. Which brings me to the reviews of these concoctions and my own personal experience. Having read extensive actual user reviews of the above mentioned brands, I will winnow them down to the highlights.

*Maybelline: most reviews were from the 18 years old and under set due to its hard sell in Seventeen and other teen magazines. These young ladies overwhelmingly considered it to be little more than a tinted moisturizer which caused many to break out. Not to denigrate teenage gals, but most that wear makeup tend to overdo, which would explain the complaints about the sheerness. Also, since the teen years are when most people tend to have acne and other unpleasant skin problems, the breakouts are not surprising as this product is marketed as being hydrating.

 

On the other hand, the few "mature" women that commented, left reviews that were highly favorable, and due to the reasons that the younger set panned it for! Apparently this product is being targeted at the wrong demographic.

* Garnier: the teens that tried this cream felt pretty much the same as those that reviewed the Maybelline BB Cream. But a little older group (24 -29 years) gave it favorable marks for the same reasons the teen girls disliked it; that is, the sheerness and the moisturizing properties. This age group seems to feel that the combination of faster cell turnover (that's dead skin cell shedding - not as icky as it sounds) and a medium hydration level are superb qualities to team up with a skin brightening color for an overall one step workaday routine. Again, the mature ladies found the formulation to their liking as well.

Estee Lauder: as you may expect, this was not the name brand BB Cream that the teen set would purchase. Typically, Estee Lauder targets an age group with money to spend and problems to solve. Reviewers were mostly in the 35 - 39 club, when women generally begin to take skincare seriously and begin to worry in earnest about the future of their looks. Again not surprisingly, this coterie of ladies found the advertised claims of anti-oxidant serum and SPF perks irresistible. The remarks rhapsodized over the fresh scent, even coverage and mattifying properties. However, about 40% of the same age group complained about the price (?) and the shades. 

Smashbox: due to this company's extreme popularity with all age groups, I will focus only on the remarks rather than break the reviews into age groups. By far this preparation was approved above all the others discussed. Recommendations ranged from "amazing" and "love this product" to "heaven in a bottle". The few dissenting buyers complained about the price (see above!) and the heavy moisturization.

I will add my own personal review of Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream 8-in-1 Beauty Balm Skin Protector:

 

I purchased this item about a week ago as of this writing, and I've used it six out of 7 days. Since I am in the mature age group, I subscribe to the "less is more" stance when it comes to makeup. Having sailed through my teens with few skin problems, I was lucky enough to have a moderately decent complexion until the last 10 years when I began spending a great deal of time in the sun gardening, without using an SPF cream. I am now paying the price with a few light to medium brown spots on my cheeks. I have tried various spot correctors and fade creams which all work, to an extent. That means the spots never fade completely.My routine is to treat them at night, and use concealer during the day.

 So imagine my delight when I discover a skincare formula that touts several beneficial properties AND foundation in one neat little tube. Being a natural skeptic, I chose the cheapest one I could find. My theory was that if this inexpensive one worked a little, perhaps a pricier model would work even more.

My first application was over a light moisturizer and the BB Cream went on smoothly and felt light and comfortable. However, it didn't seem to last through the entire day, so the second day I applied it directly to my clean skin. It still went on silky and felt weightless, but lasted better. Yes, it is sheer, but it also did not change color and my concealer didn't stick out like a sore thumb over it. 

The third day was much like the second, but the next morning I was surprised to find a little bump on my chin!  So I skipped makeup that day and used a facial scrub in place of my usual soap-free cleanser.

Day 5 was a difficult day for me since I had a minor surgery scheduled that morning, but I applied the cream without following with my concealer as I was using a light touch to employ it merely as a moisturizer. After the surgery, I did look somewhat refreshed though. Whether it was the extra zzz's or the BB Cream I can only guess at. Day 6 was just about using the BB as a moisture boost, since I was still not feeling up to par and was not going out in public.

 

Today I applied it over a light moisturizer again, and lightly  powdered my face to see how it would respond to that addition. Several hours later, my skin still looks fresh, dewy and even.

After a week of use, I don't see any fading of my blotches, any firming/lifting or wrinkle removal, but overall I am happy with the product for the simple fact that I can do more with less.

Whether I use it alone, over a moisturizer, with or without powder or concealer, it delivers a velvety softness with a light skin tone evening and a weightlessness that allows me to smile my widest smile without my face cracking. I am not tempted to try another product in this same category. I give it a thumbs up!

Please share your experiences with any BB Creams you have sampled so any would-be buyers can make an informed decision.

 

by Gail Zaranek


 *links to coupons for these products, with a limited time for the offers.