Meet the Staff: The Sketchbook
· Blog Home
· Profile
· MySpace
· Contact Us
· FAQ/TOS
Articles This Month
· Beauty Notes: The Importance of Skin
· Old School Dain Minimalist Purists
· Beauty Notes: A Guide to Minimalism (The Philosophy)
· The perfect blush
· The perfect lipstick
· Back to MAC
· Adult Acne
· Beauty Notes: Adventures in Self-Tanning
· Beauty Notes: Odwalla Fruit Juices
· Eye Makeup for Green Eyes #2
· Beauty Notes: Biotherm Glossy Shine #155
· Culture Notes: High Maintenance
· Eye Makeup for Green Eyes #1
· Beauty Notes: L'Oreal Tone Refiner
· YSL Touche Eclat
· Beauty Notes: Skin Care Guide
Archives
· Beauty Blog (2003-2004)
· Fashion Blog (archive)
· New Releases Blog (archive)
· Beauty Articles (archive)
· April 2005
· May 2005
· June 2005
· July 2005
· August 2005
· September 2005
· October 2005
· November 2005
· December 2005
· January 2006
· February 2006
· March 2006
· April 2006
· May 2006
· June 2006
· July 2006
· August 2006
· September 2006
· October 2006
· November 2006
· December 2006
· January 2007
· February 2007
· March 2007
· April 2007
· May 2007
· June 2007
· July 2007
· August 2007
· September 2007
· October 2007
· November 2007
· December 2007
· January 2008
· February 2008
· March 2008
· April 2008
· May 2008
Comments
Recent blog posts:
Links
Barneys
refinery29
The Sartorialist
Perfume Shrine
Polyvore
The Fashioniste
The Powder Group
LA-Story.com
Dain's Literary Attempts
Colleen's Beading Blog
Colleen's Adult Acne Blog
The Beauty Blog Network
Eponym Blog Directory.
TBF Project:Blog
The Lipstick Page Forums Beauty & Fashion Blog: April 2005
Beauty Notes: The Importance of Skin
Posted by Dain, Friday, April 29, 2005 5:06 PM (Eastern)
Frankly, there is nothing more important than skincare. Good skin is the foundation of a well-honed beauty routine. There are any number of obvious reasons:
- It gives you confidence. And, it's strange, but... people believe what you believe about yourself.
- It is extremely liberating, not only for your skin, but timewise, not to have to deal with the whole foundation-concealer-powder spiel. You might need to use a concealer (as I do, under my eyes), or a tinted moisturizer/sheer foundation, or a light powder. Just one product, if you need it.
- It looks better. Not even the best foundation can mimic the look of real, healthy skin. Skin is a complex organ—the largest on our body. It's hard to believe that pigment alone can mimic the look of real skin. The more bare you can go, the better your skin looks.
- In short order, it's your canvas. If you have great skin, you can get away with a bare face much more easily, and you can get away with extreme make-up a lot more easily, too.
Labels: beauty notes, philosophy, skin
0 comment(s)
Post a comment (NO SPAM)
Permalink
. del.icio.us
. Stumble
Permalink
. del.icio.us
. Stumble
Old School Dain Minimalist Purists
Posted by Colleen Shirazi, 1:37 AM (Eastern)
I suppose I'm more of an old school Dain Minimalist purist lol... I remember the old days when Dain introduced this exotic concept on LP...the minimal stash. (Not to mention skincare as the literal foundation of beauty, with color cosmetics mere icing on the cake.)
It's either that, or, I just went through a massive phase of cosmetic experimentation, acquisition and soul-searching. The phrase here would be "went through"; for me personally the journey is next to finished. I've tried it all and done it all and, it's finished for me.
I still love makeup, of course. Makeup is something that women do for themselves. They don't actually do it for men, most of whom would not know a MAC lipstick from a Mack truck...sure, men appreciate it, us looking good, but when a woman buys makeup or puts it on, it's a moment that's not for the house, the kids, the family, etc. It is a moment that belongs to her.
It's just that I no longer crave it. I've settled down with some tried-and-trues...brands, products, shades that I know will work for me.
The craving phase lasted some years for me. It was the "kid meets candy store" sort of thing.
Recently I started refining the concept of wearing shadows specifically to pop my green/hazel eyes...many shadows don't, even if they're nice shadows...and even that phase of operations is next to done.
Hence, my relatively small stash. I even used a lipstick up. It sounds silly, but lipsticks take about three or four months to use up, if you wear only one lipstick for that three to four months. Owning two lipsticks, somehow means that one of them takes months and months and months to wear down to the metal. A Use Everything Up purist would then bring out the lip brush and "UEU" the stub, but, to me it's good enough to get to the metal edge. Then it goes on the Back to MAC pile.
I've yet to UEU an eyeshadow...ever. Before I converted to beauty junkie-ism, I did not wear eyeshadow much.
On the other hand...I could use a few more of those MAC Eye Kohls.
Beauty Notes: A Guide to Minimalism (The Philosophy)
Posted by Dain, Thursday, April 28, 2005 11:05 AM (Eastern)
This is a copy of my post, which was a copy of a previous article, but since it's come up recently, it might help you too!
Let me get something straight here. Minimalism does NOT necessarily equal frugality. If anything, expensive products have more justification in a minimalist's stash than a maximalist's. After all, when you only own one fragrance, surely you can afford to be extravagant, it's not like you're buying a horde of them. Some of us aren't comfortable with, well, only ten lipsticks, much less just one. That's ok too. Minimalism, after all, is subjective. The idea is to pare down your collection so you don't have any wanton products with no use. You know better than I of what you need.
Suppose I had a frivolous stash. Being of a minimalist nature, it might not be overly impressive, perhaps. Nonetheless, if I bought everything that appealed to me, it'd be overwhelming. If I unleashed all restrictions on my eyeshadow consumption; it would be boundless. Furthermore, I doubt that I'd be satisfied. With so many products, it would be extremely difficult to make sure that every shade is perfect beyond imagining.
So what's the trick? How does one know that say, a pure, snowy white eyeshadow, dusted with gold shimmer, is truly unnecessary? Where exactly do you draw the line? It helps to put the idea into a set of rules:
- The entire stash consists of holy grails. Don't settle for less than perfection. This, of course, begs the next question.
- What is perfection? The answer is two-pronged. The shade must be very complex, or very unique. Otherwise, why waste the effort of smooshing your hoard into an organized thing of beauty? Each product must be worth the effort. It's the least you can ask. In addition, the greater the complexity of a shade, the better suited it is to the task. That is, replacing countless others.
- Perfection, in addition to complexity, must be versatile. Opt for products with finely-milled pigment particles, because it will then blend more easily and go on more smoothly. Blendability is key. Also, it should mix well with other colors in your stash. And despite the shade's complexity, you should feel comfortable wearing it everyday, with anything. Versatility is key, and it means ease of use, ease of wear, and ability to work well with others. Social skills, if you will. ^_^
- Lastly, try not to buy anything that's like something you already have. After all, the whole point to "versatility" and "complexity" is that you won't *need* those extras. No single shade should tread on the "territories" of the others.
So what kind of summation have I come to, after all of this long-windedness? Well, to be frank, none. The size of one's stash is an entirely personal thing. Who's to say what your holy grails might be? If you're paring down, you have to do it very thoughtfully. Throw away, no looking back, all the junk that's truly worthless. Put the things that are good enough, but are not up for repurchase, in close reach. Tread softly, for it is not an easy thing to do. But persevere, it takes time and patience.
Final advice:
Make three piles: things you know you love, things you're not sure about, things you definitely don't want (things that have gone old, etc.). Throw the last pile away (or give it away to friends who might be able to wear it better), and UEU the second pile. Keep track of everything, too... that always helps.
To prevent adding to the piles, you'll have to learn to be very exacting when it comes to your purchases. Buy what you need, or what you really, really, really love. You don't have to go on Cold Turkey, but it helps to be finicky with your new purchases.
Labels: beauty notes, minimalism, philosophy
The perfect blush
Posted by Colleen Shirazi, 12:53 AM (Eastern)
It's a bit tough to find this actually.
I tend to think of blush as less a color cosmetic, and more a foundation one. i.e. I think less in terms of having a blush wardrobe--like an eyeshadow wardrobe--and more of owning one or two blushes that work; that add natural-looking color to your face.
Why two? If you can find your Holy Grail blush, then you would need only the one blush. Nothing wrong with that. If you're a blush fanatic, then you would own more than two. But two can be a good, useful number.
My Holy Grail blush was Lancome Blush Subtil in "Rose Charmant." It's been discontinued, and when I went to the Lancome counter, I didn't see anything remotely similar in the new Blush Subtils. Well...bugger. What can you do?
Prior to Rose Charmant, I did not have a grail blush. I had some that I liked but did not feel committed to.
As much as I like drugstore makeup, I can say that I have not found a drugstore blush that worked for me. The best d/s brand of blush imo is L'Oreal. Consistently, even blush connoisseurs can find a L'Oreal blush to like...from the gel and stick blushes to Blush Delice to Feel Naturale.
For me though, since I don't want to own a lot of blushes, I prefer department store...the lasting power is better, in the main, and the colors complex enough so that blush klutzes (raises hand) can manage 'em.
To replace Rose Charmant (sob), I found a reasonably close match in MAC Sheertone blush in "Blushbaby." The same rose tone, muted with brown, perhaps not quite as deliciously peachy as Rose Charmant, but hey...it's still being made.
I also swapped for Cargo "Catalina" blush. This is pretty cool...looks like slightly warm-toned Bazooka in the pan, but goes on surprisingly subtle. Catalina is matte, in a world of shimmery blushes; this can work to your advantage, but apply a little at a time.
How can you find the right blush????? I would highly recommend shlepping to the MAC counter, or the counter of your choice...ask the people at the counter for advice...try a few on. If something catches your eye, buy it by all means, but you have to find something natural...something that makes you look better, but not blush-y.
After some experimentation, your blush "type" will emerge...mine is rose or clear pink. Peach, plum, wine, tan, eh...I like them, but not on me.
Once you know what general color suits you, you can shop around...find the brand and formula that does what you want.
What about brushes? I like my Sonia Kashuk blush brush just fine. You can buy it at Target. I've never met a brush that came with the blush, that was worth using.
I don't have much advice re cream blush because I don't use them.
How to apply? Once you have your right colors and nice big fluffy soft brush at the ready, that is most of the work. The right color blush will be easy to apply where the wrong color will be work. The nice big fluffy brush will make it dab-dab and go.
Smile broadly--that actually does work--get a little color on your brush, and start toward the bottom of the "apples" that pop out when you smile that widely. Blend up and outwards, the blush should fade as it gets toward the sides of your face.
Look at yourself in the mirror. Do you look better?
If not, dab a bit more blush on your brush, and start again, this time a bit higher than before. Blend up and out again.
By now you really should look better--and, as I read long ago on the old Jane cosmetics site, once you look better, that's it. That is enough blush.
Blush goofs: applying blush too close to your nose. That will make you look sunburned.
Too much blush on the sides of your face will give you that lovely 80's racing-stripe look; it's dated.
Too much blush altogether will make you look overexcited and overdone.
Not enough blush is less sin than all of these, so easy does it.
Final note...not everyone needs to wear blush every day. I don't. I have enough natural coloring in my face to not always need it.
But, you should still have some on hand, for those pale days, or when you want to look extra good.
The perfect lipstick
Posted by Colleen Shirazi, Wednesday, April 27, 2005 7:07 PM (Eastern)
So...what is your perfect lipstick and how do you find it?
Is there a difference between drugstore lipstick and department store lipstick, beyond the (sometimes significant) price difference?
Here I must employ a common beauty board term: "meh." Sometimes price does not quite mean quality, nor a guarantee that you will love this lipstick a year from now. Sometimes lower price does not mean greater value for your money.
In any case...here is my personal experience in the wide world of lipstick.
Department store brands overall have superior packaging. Drugstore brands tend to be functional, but not particularly pleasurable...just a plain old lightweight plastic tube without much pizzazz.
A few d/s brands have used rather stylish packaging, such as the old Fetish and Jane: minimal clean-design tubes.
A few department store brands have used rather homely packaging...Clinique comes to mind...and paying more does not mean better packaging...MAC comes to mind. Probably the cheapest department store brand, MAC has lovely sleek tapered black tubes that go with everything.
Department store brands seem to have better reds. I searched for my perfect red in drugstores over some years, and have yet to find it. A few have come close...Revlon "Blackberry" Super Lustrous lipstick, Black Opal "Barely Mocha" lipstick...but most turn bright fuchsia pink on me with just a trace of red.
As far as lasting power, you have the edge with some department store brands. My sheer MAC lipsticks last as long as full-coverage d/s ones, for example (and I loathe to reapply). Conversely, the Cliniques I've tried fade faster than Revlon.
All of that said...so why buy drugstore brand lipsticks? Some of them are good. Revlon Super Lustrous is a good brand, now that they're unscented/unflavored. L'Oreal is good if you don't mind the L'Oreal rose scent.
On the health food store side, find a Burt's Bees Lip Shimmer or a Terra Tints colored lip balm for a few bucks (both have good colors and function as lip balms).
Some of these lipsticks rival department store brands, and, they are cheap, or else they go on sale and get cheap. Falling out of love with a cheaper lipstick means you can toss it without an excess of "trashcan remorse." There is the variety/experimentation factor too in that, if you are paying $18 for a lipstick, you can play with only so many.
So why buy department store brands? You get to swatch before you buy. There tend to be greater selection and more complexity in shades...you will find shades here (such as the aforementioned elusive perfect red) that don't exist low-end.
Another factor is that drugstore brands, infuriatingly, discontinue their shades and formulas at the drop of a hat. If commitment is your thing, you will face more heartbreak at the drugstore than the department store.
After years of soul-searching and trying this and that, I ended up with two MAC "Lustre" formula lipsticks, Viva Glam V and Sophisto. Viva Glam V is somewhat more versatile in that (on me anyway) it is truly neutral and can be worn with warm or cool eye makeup. Sophisto is somewhat prettier than VGV...a bit more color, a bit cooler (which makes teeth look whiter), more lipstick-y all around.
These taste faintly of vanilla (as do all MAC lippies), last well, keep reasonably well (more than a year, since it takes forever to use up a lipstick)...the price is right for me. If ever MAC dared discontinue Sophisto (VGV is part of the fundraiser series so not to worry, they'll continue making it), I would feel momentarily sad, yet I would replace my Sophisto with another MAC Lustre shade...so there is that security-blanket feeling there too.
These are both sheers (compatible with my full lips, which look clownish in more solid colors).
Am I in lipstick heaven? Is the search over with? Yes...it is actually.
Labels: beauty notes
Back to MAC
Posted by Colleen Shirazi, 1:48 AM (Eastern)
What if you have never heard of Back to MAC?
You take 6 empty *plastic* containers from your MAC brand makeup products...anything plastic such as lipstick tubes, eyeshadow pans, pressed powder compacts, and so forth...this currently includes empty Paints too...clean 'em out, and return them to your MAC counter. You get a free MAC lipstick.
The only lipstick you can't get as a freebie is one of the Viva Glam fundraising series, but you can use a Viva Glam empty tube as one of your B2M items.
Adult Acne
Posted by Colleen Shirazi, Monday, April 25, 2005 12:41 PM (Eastern)
This is something I've lived with in one form or another, since 1995. It "started" when I was 29 years old; prior to that, I'd had the normal bout with acne as a teenager, then perfect skin for more than fifteen years.
I'm not the kind of person to sit and cry. I've always taken an interest in finding the root cause. That was my original interest in Internet beauty forums: I was looking for a cure, or, if there were none, a way to get my life back under control.
Acult acne is much, much harder to deal with than teenage acne. With the latter, you always knew it would end some day.
Adult acne is indefinite. There are a million expensive treatments for it, and no talk as to what exactly is causing it. It's not a world-wide phenomenon from what I've absorbed, over these past ten years of searching for answers. It is specific to American and Canadian women, with some fairly recent reports from Europe.
That indicates strongly that its cause is environmental. We're eating something that's causing it; we're taking medicine that's causing it; we're using products that cause it.
Anyhow...I would like to share what I've tried and what has and hasn't produced results, along with some advice derived from my six and a half years of reading, on various Internet boards, about others' experience with it.
Please note that I am not a doctor. This is mainly first-hand experience. When I include something that's observed, not first-hand, I will so note it.
Allergies: some people have reported food allergies, and allergies to specific substances such as parabens.
You would need to take a battery of tests to determine if your adult acne is caused by allergies.
Diet: I became suspicious about diet when I observed that the vast majority of adult acne posts on the beauty boards were from American and Canadian women. Why not Europe? What's the difference?
One factor could be genetically engineered foods. No one knows what kind of allergic reaction people could develop from being exposed to genes in contexts and levels they would never naturally be exposed to.
Another could be growth hormones added to meat. Europe bans certain growth hormones (and uses others, from what I can gather). Their justification for banning them is that they have not been tested in the way a real person, exposed to low levels of these hormones over their lifetime, would experience them.
Another could be antibiotics. Acne has a bacterial factor.
Another could be that the food we eat now is less nutritious, from being mass-produced. I've read theories that much adult acne is caused by a decline of certain nutrients in our diet.
Birth control: another factor could be the hormone-based birth control that we take.
I ran a poll on a board and found that hormone-based birth control figured into many women's memories of how their adult acne started. It was either starting a new pill or getting off an old one. (This is true of myself too.)
I'm a little less in love with the theories that are commonly spread around, that adult acne is "genetic" (I think only one woman who responded to the poll had any other relatives who had it; I certainly don't, and it's seldom mentioned on the boards) or caused by "hormones." How did the human race (or at least the American/Canadian part of it) suddenly develop "hormones" over the past five or ten years?
The first step is to determine whether you have cystic acne or not. If you do, my advice is to immediately book an appointment with a dermatologist.
Dermatologists in the U.S. are wired one way: they have little interest in preventing acne, and much interest in prescribing prescription medications to treat it. For cystic acne, you are dealing with something serious. So while you're figuring out possible causes, you will need to be under the care of a dermatologist.
The second thing to look at, is your birth control. If you're taking hormone-based birth control and you have adult acne, it may be well to try a different pill or method.
I've been on Yasmin for almost three years (see my Adult Acne Blog, written under my former pen name Josephine). It has helped, a lot.
Ortho-Tricyclen also helped; I switched mainly because my HMO stopped covering Ortho.
Other pills have been a disaster. My personal advice is to give any pill one month. If you're living in acne hell at the end of that one month, then switch.
The third thing to change is your diet.
There are some companies that sell "skin vitamins" such as Murad or Oil of Olay. I haven't tried them; I did a lot of research on the Net for articles mentioning a connection between nutrients and acne.
Make sure that the vitamins you end up taking, are safe for you if you are pregnant or could become pregnant.
Do not mortgage the house to buy skin vitamins. They're vitamins. There is no such thing as a magic vitamin that only one company manufactures. High doses of vitamins can be dangerous on top of it all.
But do look into vitamins. My skin has gotten much better...to the point that I can basically forget that I have acne...by taking Yasmin and a special multi-vitamin (the latter are not all the same; do the research and consult your doctor as to what is safe to take).
Try reducing the amount of regular, growth-hormone produced meat and dairy products that you eat.
Try reducing the amount of garbage food, such as fast food, soda, junk food, etc. that you eat.
Try to integrate as much fresh salads as you can into your diet.
Some of these things...reducing the hormone-produced meat, for example, can produce almost immediate results. I know when I've eaten that Pizza Hut pizza; for a few days afterward, my skin will react. It's still worth it to eat Pizza Hut once in a while but you have to have a grip on cause and effect with acne, in order to not feel as if your skin breaks out when the wind blows in the wrong direction?
Okay, so you've booked your derm appointment for cystic acne if applicable.
You have examined your birth control method and experimented enough so that you've found something that at least does not aggravate your acne, and possibly something that helps (you will see results one way or the other during that one-month trial period).
You have investigated possible food or substance allergies.
You have overhauled your diet to include a multi-vitamin, more fresh salads, minimal exposure to hormone-produced foods, cut out that soda, and so forth.
These things should help.
As far as topical treatments or topical causes, I really don't believe in that. Back in my perfect skin days, yes, I would get clogged pores when I got lazy and didn't wash out my powder puff frequently enough. That's it. I ate crap and slept in my makeup. These things do not cause acne.
Any topical treatment strong enough to penetrate skin deeply enough to affect acne, also destroys your skin. Differin would be a prime example. It's excellent as a spot treatment though.
Unless you have an allergy to a specific substance, there is no such thing as "this product is breaking me out"--unless it is a product you apply to only one part of your face or body, and only that part is breaking out.
I've seen this many times on different boards--does this product cause breakouts? I suppose a few of them do. But does your acne go away if you stop using this product? In my case--nope. I've gone without foundation or powder...doesn't prevent acne.
I look forward to updating these posts as more information about adult acne arrives.
Beauty Notes: Adventures in Self-Tanning
Posted by Dain, Sunday, April 24, 2005 4:27 PM (Eastern)
I'm pale as a ghost. I call myself "light" in deference to the Irish/Scandinavian pallor of those such as Rose McGowan (I'm not white white), but I'm pretty damn pale. My mother occasionally croons, "Dain, your legs. They have the skin of a cadaver."
...
I think it's high time I looked into self-tanning. Of course, she means it entirely as a compliment (Asian obsession with paleness), but something obviously must be done. I've worn long pants all year round for years, so that accounts for my legs, but the rest of my body is fine. But that makes it easy, right? What could be easier than tanning your legs? I know the tricks: exfoliate, moisturize, go easy on areas that absorb lotion more (elbows, knees, hands, and feet), and repeat every two to three days. So it should be a piece of cake, right?
First, since I am not willing to spend $29.50 on the much-lauded Clarins self-tanner (I'm sure it beats everything else, but self-tanner seems kind of an unnecessary product to me), I've mostly dabbled in drugstore.
The first I tried was a Neutrogena self-tanner—I don't even know the name—that I had gotten as a sample. It was uneven, yellow, and smelled awful. Strike one.
The next product I tried was getting a lot of copy in the fashion magazines (at that time), the L'Oreal Sublime Bronze line. I got the most basic formula (there's a tinted shimmer bronzer/self-tanner, a clear gel, and new this year, a spray), the Self-Tanning Lotion. A nice product, with UVA/UVB SPF 15 and that classic suntan lotion scent (which I dislike immensely). Alas, why did I get "Deep"? Foolishness, surely, when my skin is so pale to begin with. It was the only color left. Strike two (a good product, but it smelled awful and wasn't appropriate).
Next, I tried Olay Body Quench Radiance Reviver Body Lotion. This is a different product, not a self-tanner exactly. It's meant to enhance, rather than tan, your skin tone. It's mostly Olay's new Quench body lotion, "with a kiss of self-tanner". I love this! It's really subtle (and hard to make mistakes with), and the lotion itself is really nice, silky and smooth. It's not rich, despite it being for dry skin, but it does hydrate well. And it smells lovely, a soft powdery sweet floral (a bit like vanilla, freesia, and white musk?). And it looks good, natural but not overdone at all.
Success! I'm glad to have found a inexpensive and subtle product like this. And it works really well, too. Good luck on your hunt!
Labels: bath and body, beauty notes, l'oreal, neutrogena, olay
Beauty Notes: Odwalla Fruit Juices
Posted by Dain, Saturday, April 23, 2005 1:13 PM (Eastern)
Wait, juices? Yup. Nothing's more important to great skin and hair than what you put within yourself. If your meat has been treated with hormones, you might break out. If you're not getting enough vitamins and minerals, your skin looks dull and unhealthy, won't heal as quickly, and loses radiance. And of course, plenty of water is one of the most important things you could do for your body. Topical skincare is maintenance and treatment at best, but truly healthy skin... is grown.
My two favorites are Mo'Beta and Superfood. Mo'Beta is an antioxidant fruit drink, as the copy says: "Scientifically formulated to provide a variety of essential antioxidant nutrients in a tasty whole food medium. A mango-peach blend with green tea, significant amounts of vitamins A, C, and E and rich in zinc and selenium." It tastes good... maybe not so sugar sweet palatable as other juices, but those are mostly sugar, water, and fruit juice, with little to offer but vitamin C. And they're not kidding around; the vitamin/mineral content is as good as a multivitamin. Superfood is funny. It looks green but is surprisingly fruity and good-tasting. "Superfood is a delicious way to get the green you need: fresh fruit combined with the earth's most potent power foods. It's a tasty blend of apple, peach, mango, banana and strawberry combined with micronutrients like spirulina and chlorella and powerful green foods like wheat and barley grasses and sea vegetables." Again, a powerhouse of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.
These are very expensive, though. I get them through a meal plan, so I'm not losing any money, but for a real-world budget, drinking them continuously is an investment. You do need to drink them continuously, I think, to see effect. Internal treatments are much more long term, and you don't see benefits right away. But they're so potent, that you probably only need half a bottle per day. It's much like taking an antioxidant every day, but you get it in yummy juice form and some water to boot. Especially since someone like me can't get nutritionally healthy meals, restricted as I am to a meal plan.
As for me, I've been trying this for a week, and I've definitely seen improvements. My skin definitely looks like it's blooming with health, despite any amounts of heavy partying.
Descriptions courtesy of www.odwalla.com.
Labels: beauty notes, natural beauty
Eye Makeup for Green Eyes #2
Posted by Colleen Shirazi, Friday, April 22, 2005 3:33 PM (Eastern)
Here I would like to recommend a some specific shades for green-eyed women with overall warm-to-neutral coloring, like myself. I'll start with department store eyeshadows, then cover liners and lower-priced options in subsequent posts.
Overall coloring is important! I can't wear some of the cooler colors that flatter green eyes, such as lavenders, cool blues and greys. Likewise, those with cooler coloring can't wear the oranges and bronzes that make my green eyes pop.
Here is the queen of duo shadows for warmer-coloring green eyes, the Nars Babylon Duo:
It's kind of a weird-looking duo as one side is a medium, frosty, cross between orange sherbet and orange creamsicle, and the other is a dark, matte, greyish purple shade.
Together though you get really good results. For some reason, the two shades balance each other perfectly to pop green eyes.
Here is the queen of the single shadows, Urban Decay Kiss:
Unlike many pink shadows, this one goes on a tad warm and a bit brown, so you don't get that lovely "I've been crying for hours" look. Slight shimmer. It's more of a lid shade; it's possible also to do a crease with it.
Breathing down its neck, we have MAC Trax:
For a very long time, I thought Trax was pure deep purple with gold shimmer...not so. It has a very heavy underlayer of rose to it, and it's practically half gold...so it is a unique blend of purple, rose and gold that does your green eyes good. And it's not all that deep either; it's a medium shade that works fine in your crease or on your lids.
Finally, we have a black|Up quad:
I don't have a price for this but it certainly behaves like an expensive shadow quad. You get four beautiful, finely milled, pigmented, long-lasting shades that work well together. Plus a double-sided brush that is actually functional.
This is a very warm, yellow-gold to orange based quad, so it's out if your coloring is cool. But if you can wear orange eyeshadow, you will like this one.
Beauty Notes: Biotherm Glossy Shine #155
Posted by Dain, 12:03 AM (Eastern)
What would possibly possess anyone to try this lipgloss? It's hot pink, really vibrant, really bright. Tastes kind of funny, too (not so it bothers me, I'd just not like to eat it). And nobody knows anything about Biotherm, right?
Fortune smiles on the brave, however. Or on lucky makeup-obsessed fiends, at any rate. This is one of the prettiest lip glosses I've ever tried. It shouldn't surprise me, given that I think NARS Schiap is flattering on me (though in a very different way), but it does. It's not quite a watercolor tint (which has always struck me as rather useless), but it's sheer. And it's got a crystalline finish to it, which to my mind means, shimmery with flecks of sparkle. Ostentatious? No, somehow, it's not. It's just kind of sweet and girly. It's surprisingly easy just to "throw on". I think it's the application—it applies more like you've smudged it on haphazardly with a finger than a full-on paintbrush gloss. Bold color, done with complete casualness... somehow, it works.
It also makes a stunning finish on top of other lipsticks, party-ready for a night on the town.
I've given a tube to all my friends. For some reason, it looks great on them too.
Labels: beauty notes, biotherm, lips
Culture Notes: High Maintenance
Posted by Dain, Thursday, April 21, 2005 2:49 PM (Eastern)
One Friday night, I was drinking wine in my friend A.'s room. She was rather melancholy because she had fallen in love with an itinerant Brazilian the weekend before. R. was making out with his then boyfriend. I felt a bit awkward, not really knowing anyone, so I reached for one of Angela's Elle. A bunch of my guy friends came by, and not knowing what to do with all these drunk women and the two gay men making out in the corner, they arrayed themselves at my feet. "Funny," I thought, "I'm like a queen sitting on a throne. Or it's storytime, at any rate." B. noticed the Elle. "What are you reading? Stop reading that."
I felt rather ashamed, so I put it down. Why? I don't know. I can't imagine anyone who could possibly be more high-maintenance, as far as such things aesthetic, personal style, and hygiene go. I just bought a black tee for the first time in my life two weeks ago. Today, I wore my hair in a chignon, a $61 moisturizer on my face, an extravagant black & white skirt, Guerlain lip gloss, fancy tweed flats. If I didn't read fashion magazines, who would?
And yet, somehow, he meant it as a compliment. It meant that even despite everything superficial I'm devoted to, I'm "cooler than that"—despite my meticulous coiffure, my girly outfits, or sparkly lip gloss, I still came across as a chill, intelligent, and somehow... low-maintenance, individual. Something deeper about my character was more obvious than any surface virtue, and none of my "surface virtues", as such, worked as any indication of absolute value. Hence the shame.
Of course, B. was wrong. Fashion and makeup are just as important to me as, say, beer or Red Sox or the progression of male ego in the argument of the king in All's Well that Ends Well or the color of the sky in the evening or Jimi Hendrix. But it taught me something. Men—indeed, women, too, regarding men—don't like to see us putting effort into our looks. They don't like us to look like we haven't put any effort into our looks, either. They don't like to know that there's a backstage. They're hypocrites, of course, but... are we women so deep? Some like their men metro, but I don't, and I don't think most women do, either. Effortlessness is attractive. It approximates confidence, though confidence is only marginally involved.
Yes, it's a game. But what difference does it make?
Labels: culture notes, philosophy
Eye Makeup for Green Eyes #1
Posted by Colleen Shirazi, Wednesday, April 20, 2005 8:15 PM (Eastern)
This is something I'm always interested in; it's ongoing. I will cover all of the products I've found that work in a series of posts.
I think the first thing to do is decide whether your overall coloring tends toward the cool or the warm.
"Cooler coloring" green eyes will do well with blue-based or neutral purples and lavenders, cooler greens, cooler pinks, cooler blues, and blue-based greys. I don't know this firsthand; I've gleaned it from the FOTD's on the forums. :)
"Warmer coloring" green eyes (like mine) will do well with orange, peach, bronze, mauve, red-based or neutral purples, some blue-based purples and greens; green-based blues and warm greys.
It's fairly easy to tell which one you are, by trying out some (cheap) eyeshadows. If the cooler, blue-based ones look ashy and harsh on you, you tend toward the warm. If the warmer, orange-based ones make you look sick, you tend toward the cool.
Some shades suit both cooler- and warmer-coloring green eyes such as MAC Vapour:
Vapour is a "velvet" shade; it's not quite matte. It has a twist of subtle sparkle in it. It's basically a white shade with an underlayer of pink. It flies as a wash, lid, or base shade for me. If you can't wear almost-white shadows except as a highlighter, it won't be worth it to get this, but it seems to suit a wide range of women.
Nars Ireland duo:
Seems unlikely but somehow that frosty, mint green shade almost exactly matches my eye color. It has a little blue in it, a bit of neutral tone...apply it sheerly on your lids and see what happens.
The grey, frankly, seems to exist solely to go with the green. It is a soft, warmish, matte medium grey.
MAC Permaplum and Heirloom liners:
 |  |
Permaplum is deep blue-based purple with a hint of pink sheen (the sheen doesn't show that much on). It's a staple deep purple shade for me, slightly more versatile than MAC Bordeauxline (which will be featured in later posts).
Heirloom is less a traditional (dark) liner and almost more of an eyeshadow or "eye brightener." It's part silver, part lavender. It seems to be the favorite of green-and hazel-eyed women with overall cooler coloring but it's pretty on me too.
I will write more later with shades specific to warmer-coloring green eyes.
Beauty Notes: L'Oreal Tone Refiner
Posted by Dain, 1:20 PM (Eastern)
Ever wonder why celebrities' hair is so sleek and healthy looking? Sure, they've got teams of stylists clocking in at hundreds of dollars, but given how often they color and process their hair, why does it look healthier than even virgin hair? The answer is a monthly gloss treatment, which coats the strands of the hair with a clear, semi-permanent gloss.
Well, now it's available for anyone to do at home. L'Oreal has come up with a five-minute at-home treatment for $8.99. Not only does it balance out brassiness and improve color, it adds shine and protection, too. It may be an unnecessary product, but it adds polish—makes your hair color look more "expensive" and well-groomed.
The effect is more dramatic on highlighted hair, of course. The shine isn't blinding, but it's there. But what has surprised me most, is that it completely sleekifies my hair. It's like someone's put a silicone treatment on my hair, and styled it (or blown it out, at least), except that I don't have to worry about build-up, or the silicone attracting dirt, or maintaining the blow out. It's really more a state-of-mind product than anything else—it makes me feel a notch above—but it reduces maintenance time nicely, and I might just have to do this every month, too.
Labels: beauty notes, hair, l'oreal
YSL Touche Eclat
Posted by Dain, Tuesday, April 19, 2005 5:00 PM (Eastern)
Touche Eclat is one of those things... it inspires both overwhelming devotion and bemusement. It's one of those oft lauded secrets, but it doesn't invite hordes of devotees. Like most geniuses, it's difficult and narrow-minded. It's a mystery why it works so well, and for some people, expecting everyman concealerdom, it seems not to work at all. And it's also the most magical cosmetic product I've ever come across.
Did she say magical?
Yes. Yes, I did. The gilded pen, the click-brush system (first developed by YSL, by the way), the ridiculous expense ($36, and it goes bad after a few months), the sublime product within. The funny thing is that you wouldn't think it would work. It's just this thin, rather sheer formula, and it's pinkish. But it lights up my face automatically, without fail. It doesn't merely cover up dark circles; in fact, if you're looking for coverage, you're looking in the wrong place. This counteracts darkness, though it won't be effective with problematic dark circles. If you just need a pick-me-up, as I do, there's nothing like it. Nothing that looks so much like you've gotten tons of sleep and nothing like makeup, nothing so easy to use. But it's an irascible product, accumulating a rank-smelling miasma of bacterial growth after three months, and it's super-expensive for the teeny amount you get. Ah, well. I'll just have to buy four of these per year, huh (which nullifies the fact that there's only a small amount of product)? If they ever made this in a squeeze tube, that would be absolute perfection.
Touche Eclat may be found at fine department stores nationwide, as well as www.neimanmarcus.com and www.saksfifthavenue.com.
Beauty Notes: Skin Care Guide
Posted by Dain, 11:37 AM (Eastern)
It would seem like an easy task, to take care of your skin. It's not. There's a billion-dollar beauty industry that reflects that. It's nearly impossible to navigate the morass, obstructed as it is with wonder 'gredients—marine seaweeds, gycolic acid, copper peptide, vitamin C, green tea extract... et cetera. But a lot of it, too, is that most women don't know their skin, and what their skin needs. This is not meant to be any comprehensive guide (I'm no dermatologist), but it might be of some guidance, nevertheless.
STEP ONE: Determining Your Skin Type
It's important to realize that there is no hard and fast rule when it comes to skin types. Many women are in between the classic archetypes, but it's subtler than the textbook "oily t-zone, dry cheeks" definition of "combination skin". Skin will change according to the weather (temperature and humidity both), hormonal influences, stress, diet, sleep patterns, drinking and smoking, and personal habits. Your goal is to bring balance to your skin, to return it to "normal". I, for one, am normal/dry in winter and normal in summer, with mild sensitivities and mild, hormonal acne (usually menstrual). Since many women overwhelm their skin with products, a good way to tell what type of skin you have is to use Cetaphil Gentle Cleanser alone for a week. At the end of seven days, if your skin feels tight and uncomfortable, or even flakes, you have dry skin (the severity as such will tell you how dry). If your skin is perfectly comfortable, congratulations, you're lucky: your skin is normal. If your skin feel slick and oily, your skin is, simply enough, oily. Again, the severity tells you how oily. If different parts of your face react differently, you have combination skin.
STEP TWO: Assessing Your Problems
Another source of confusion, I think, is that many cosmetic companies associate skin problems as skin types. That is, to consider "sensitive" or "acne-prone" as skin types. Such labels, however, oftentimes convey that "sensitive" means "dry" and "acne-prone" means "oily". But any skin type can be sensitive, and any skin type can get acne (or, you might get both, as I do!). It's a false notion. Regarding your skin type, what ones requires is maintenance, rebalancing it (if necessary) to normalcy. Regarding your skin problems, however, what one requires is treatment (and you may not have any skin problems at all).
This is not to say that your skin type and skin problems are separate entities from each other. They're not, one may lead to another. A product used to treat acne may dry your skin out, or a product meant to alleviate dryness may make you break out. And both excessive dryness and excessive oiliness are problems. Still, it's helpful to think of your skin type and skin problems separately. Not only can you target your skin problems more effectively, but you can make the switch easily, from treatment to treatment (if you have acne one day, and sensitivity the next, for example), without worrying about the efficacy of your cleanser and moisturizer.
Some common skin problems: sensitivity (this may include an allergic reaction, or just redness and irritation from harsh chemicals or harsh scrubs), acne (from clogged pores to cysts, the skin demon we all know and hate), rough and dull skin (just exfoliate), aging (wrinkles, fine lines, loss of elasticity and radiance), hyperpigmentation (unevenness and blotchiness, dark circles), overactive oily skin (often the result of too-harsh cleansing and treatment), excessive dryness.
STEP THREE: Essentials
There are two things every skin needs, regardless of its temperament. Cleanser, and sunscreen. I don't believe all skin types require moisturizer, though most do, and there are oily skins that are dehydrated and need a light, gel-type moisturizer.
Cleansers come in all formulations. Personally, I prefer something simple. Cleanser washes down the drain, so it seems useless to consider it a treatment product (ingredients need time on your skin to be effective). My skin is delicate, so I use Cetaphil, but of course, you will probably need something else. From Chanel Aquamousse to Eve Lom, make sure it cleans without stripping, and doesn't leave any residue behind. Some cleansers don't remove makeup very well, particularly eye makeup. That's ok. Just invest in a separate eye-makeup remover (it's actually better for your skin that way). And what about toner? Modern cleansers do an effective job of cleansing without leaving any residue for toners to pick up (though not all, and if you like a cleanser such as, say, Dr. Hauschka's, you'd definitely need a toner afterwards). But I do like to use one throughout the day when my skin is dirty but not dirty enough to merit an entire face-washing (which would mean another tedious eye-makeup application). It's more an accessory than a necessity, but it can be refreshing. Some that I like (I wouldn't recommend you any that I didn't!): Eve Lom Cleanser, Cetaphil cleansers (both the Gentle Skin and the Oily Skin formulae are fantastic), Nivea Refreshing Cleansing Gel (non-foaming), luxurious foaming cleansers by Shiseido, Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil, Biotherm Biosource Clarifying Cleanser, Better Botanicals Calendula Cleanser (I'd use it exclusively if I didn't loathe the smell of almonds, but you may like it), Johnson's Head-to-Toe Baby Wash.
Sunscreens. Right, I actually don't use one. I hate the textures, and I loathe the smell. But I've got other bad habits, and you shouldn't follow them either. Wear a sunscreen. Please. It's the best thing you could do for your skin. There are many great formulae on the market, from the powdriest, Neutrogena Sheer Touch, to a cucumber-scented cream, Estee Lauder's Daywear.
Most everyone will need a moisturizer. Not everyone, but almost everyone. I suggest you find something with a simple, elegant formula. Something that doesn't treat anything, but makes your skin happy. You may need more than one moisturizer: a light lotion for summer months, a heavy cream for winter months... In any case, do what you have to do to find a good one. Your eyes, too, may require a different moisturizer from your face, so you may also wish to invest in a separate eye cream or gel. Some of my favorites (if you've sensitive but dehydrated normal skin): Better Botanicals Dandelion Moisturizer (my staple), Body Time Lavender Cream, Dr. Hauschka Quince Day Cream, Caudalie Vinopulp Emulsion Lift'Age.
STEP FOUR: Fine-Tuning
Now, to move onto the rough stuff. If your skin looks perfectly happy at this point, then you're done. If not, you've got some work to do. I'm a big fan of serums/essences/extracts, myself. They're usually hygienic (pump bottles), more effective (concentrated ingredients, fewer "fillers" to get in the way), and since they absorb into your skin quickly, more versatile, too, because you can layer your regular moisturizer over it. You can, for example, get a spot treatment of benzoyl peroxide for your acne, but you can also get a AHA/BHA serum that will not only treat existing acne, but promote your skin's health as a whole, and prevent future acne. If you've delicate, sensitive skin, you may prefer your treatments couched in a gentle moisturizing cream, but that reduces the efficacy some (which may be a good thing, if you're sensitive). Just remember, don't overdo it. Not only will it wreak havoc on your skin, the product may lose its efficacy if you are overzealous (particularly with acne products).
Some ideas:
acne: La Prairie The Retexturizer (powerful AHA/BHA in a soothing aloe vera gel), Neutrogena On-the-Spot Acne Treatment (2.5% benzoyl peroxide, gentler than most)
sensitivity: Biotherm Biosensitive Anti-Redness Soothing Concentrate (I've no idea how it does what it does, but it's brilliant)
hyperpigmentation: Peter Thomas Roth, many Asian lines have whitening products, as well
excessive oiliness: MAC Blot (a pressed powder), Smashbox Anti-Shine, Kiehl's Blue Astringent
excessive dryness: rich creams and balms
rough, dull skin: regular exfoliation, be it mechanical (scrubs) or chemical (AHA/BHA/vitamin c/and others)
aging: oh, you've your pick of products... just remember, no matter how expensive the wonderproduct, it can only improve the appearance of wrinkles, not actually change them—even a rich moisturizer will help, by plumping up skin cells and diminishing the appearance of fines lines, as will regular exfoliation. Sunscreen is the only effective product at preventing wrinkles! So, whether you go with La Mer or Olay or Lancome or whatever, keep that in mind.
That's it! Good luck! Just remember, it's like clothes. Put a lot of effort into essentials and basics, and the rest will follow.
Labels: beauty notes, skin
subscribe
in a reader
