Tag Archives: beauty

Tight spaces

I am claustrophobic.

ClaustrophobiaAnd the condition rears its ugly head at the most inopportune times.

Riding the elevator to the top of the St. Louis Arch.  Getting an MRI for a shoulder injury.  Or simply being crowded into the corner of the elevator by one too many people.

But I never thought a facial would freak me out.

I was at a salon today over lunch — indulging in said facial, thanks to a birthday gift card from a generous friend — and the technician completely covered my face with a solid wrap, leaving only a small slit for my mouth.

Needless to say, I panicked.

Once I explained my phobia, she offered to leave a slit for my nose as well.  I still couldn’t see, but I did deep breathing and mind games to remain calm. Not exactly the soothing experience I had in mind…but hey –

My skin looks fabulous!

Follicle frenzy

I got a haircut today.  Just a trim –

No need to alert the media.

I walked in the salon not knowing how much I was going to cut.  My stylist and I talked about it, adjusted things as we went along — your typical ‘do.  But I realized how different my experience was from an A-list celebrity.

Take actress Michelle Williams, for example.

Kate Young For Target Launch EventShe made a red carpet appearance this week sporting new, longer bangs and short shorts.

Twitter blew up.

Why the new ‘do?  Why the edgier style?  Was it a personal choice?  Was it for a film?

Why, Michelle, why???

After days of questions — media outlets practically panting in their intensity — one proudly announced the answer:

Michelle is growing out her bangs.

Wow.  We are ridiculous.

Hair today…

Bangs are always in.

michelle obama bangs

Official White House by Lawrence Jackson

But today First Lady Michelle Obama celebrated her 49th birthday by rocking brand new bangs!

My haircut just got so much cooler.

By any other name

I like you, Rob Kardashian.

If that is your real name.

This weekend, during his stint as a celebrity judge on Donald Trump’s Miss USA Pageant, Rob answered a question from pageant commentator Kelly Osbourne with…

An honest answer.

“Is there a future Mrs. Kardashian up on the stage?” Kelly asked.

“I mean, there’s plenty of beautiful women,” Rob responded. “But that’s like…it’s just so much hair and makeup, it’s a little too intense for me.”

Gotta love it.

I loved him on Dancing with the Stars two seasons ago, too.  He was charming and funny and self-deprecating and hard-working and ended up giving war hero and eventual winner J.R. Martinez a real run-for-his-money in the finals.

(Full disclosure:  I voted for Rob.)

After his pageant faux pas Sunday night, a stunned Kelly Osbourne retorted, “You’re a Kardashian, Rob!”  But is he?  He sure doesn’t act like one.

And that’s why I like him.

Face it

Is there such a thing as a perfect face?

Scientists in Britain say yes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Meet Florence Colgate.

She won Lorraine Cosmetics ‘most beautiful woman in Britain’ contest, and researchers say it’s because her face is almost perfectly symmetrical.  Using The Golden Ratio*, researchers determined the 18-year-old girl’s face has the strongest chance of attracting the most people.

Guess she didn’t need cosmetics after all.

Wondering if your mug is symmetrical?  SymFace allows you to upload a photo and calculate your own ratios.

* The Golden Ratio is roughly 1.6, which means a beautiful person’s face is about 1 1/2 times longer than it is wide.

Smelly cat

As society and technologies advance, some practices become archaic.

So why are people still bathing in cologne and perfume?

Most people in the United States — emphasis on most — bathe on a regular basis.  Lots of folks I know shower twice a day due to workouts and runs, god love ‘em.

So as a rule — and again, I’m generalizing here — men and women in the US are pretty darn clean.

So why the need to surround yourself in a cloud of cloying cologne?  When you walk down the sidewalk, it’s practically visible.  Passersby choke on it.  Folks who hug you are left unwilling wearers of it.

And let’s not even discuss your elevator assassinations.

Perfumes were initially reserved for burial rituals, then became popular as a way to cover the stench of the great unwashed.  We are no longer — as a rule — the great unwashed.  A little goes a really long way.

Think before you spray.

Like the Dickens

While I was on a business trip in London a few years ago, a surprise snow blanketed the city.  A colleague, looking out the window of our hotel room at the falling snow, quipped:

“It’s so Dickensian!”

And we had our catchphrase.

It did feel like we had stepped back in time, into one of the classic novels we had all read in school.  The snow didn’t last, but the memory of that brief interlude has to this day.

Stateside in 2012, ‘Dickensian’ has an entirely different vibe.

StrangeBeautiful just launched their Dickensian Edition of nail colors, which is roughly 10 different shades…of black.

(Only true New Yorkers can discern the difference.)

Creator Jane Schub said her interpretation of Dickens for the collection was inspired by photography, literature, art, coal and broken shale.

Geez, Jane — did you even read the novels?

They have happy endings.

Stinger

Many women would love to have ‘bee sting’ lips.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

But Interview — did you have to be so literal??

A big ol’ scary insect on Lana Del Rey’s face wasn’t necessary to make the point.  We can clearly see the singer is blessed with full lips.

Plus, do you think I want that magazine sitting on my coffee table? I think not.

You’re creeping us out, guys.

Stop it.

There she is

So what does Anderson Cooper have on his mind as the holidays draw near?

Toddlers and tiaras.

Or, more specifically, what effect our princess, pageant and beauty-obsessed society might be having on young girls.

I attended the taping of Anderson today with my friend Caroline.  It was my third time to be a part of his studio audience.

The first time he discussed women who discovered their husbands were cheating online.

Snore.

The second was a special screening of the movie 50/50 followed by the show taping with interviews with the movie’s stars.

Score.

But today’s show, which featured tiny pageant contestants and their moms surrounded by an audience who pretty much all agreed these folks were whackadoodle doos?

Triple word score.

Thanks Anderson, for asking me back!

Don’t Google this

So Anthony Ryan is ‘out’ on Project Runway.

Cute Anthony Ryan with the big, ever-changing glasses and tiny jeans.

Generous Anthony Ryan who gave his extra $11 to fellow contestant, friend and non-sewer Anya last night — whose money fell out of her cleavage at Mood — the evening’s eventual winner.

Most importantly, talented Anthony Ryan, who has put together some of the most creative looks on the program all season.

Remember the birdseed dress from the Petland Discounts challenge?  Should have won.

Didn’t.

Or the glorious red number from the crazy circus week challenge? He and Laura made stilts look chic.

And my personal fav — the artwork-inspired evening gown from the museum challenge.

Whackadoo and wearable.

I love my Anthony Ryan.  He’s a fan favorite, too, based on the votes tallied at Lifetimetv.com.

I’m not embarrassed to admit that I was in a complete snit last night after the judges announced the results.

One note — if you feel as I do, don’t Google ‘Anthony Ryan’ anytime soon.

It will totally poke a hole in your rage balloon.