Manolo for the Beauty

This list of current Hollywood commodities is purely subjective.  Feel free to add in the comments anyone I missed.  I’m sure I missed quite a few!

Emma Watson

Blake Lively

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Born Lesley Hornsby, British model Twiggy took the beauty and fashion worlds by storm in 1966.  

Her career began as somewhat of a fluke, being a test model for a new type of crop haircut, and a fashion journalist  just happened to see the pictures at the salon where her hair was cut. And just like that, Twiggy was christened “The Face of ’66.”

Known for her slim, androgynous build, long lashes, and short hair, I found it interesting that she admitted the lashes were always fake. She was quoted as saying “Back then I was layering three pairs of false eyelashes over my own and would paint extra ‘twigs’ on my skin underneath.” 

Agree or disagree with her renown or the “waif” look she supposedly promoted, it is impossible to ignore her as a figure who looms large in the modeling world.

As for her photos, I actually like her look better and better as she ages.  Go figure.

I was on the lookout for a daily treatment that would help even out my skin tone and possibly quicken some skin cell turnover.   I decided that ultimately I wasn’t totally happy with the Boots I had been using, and sometimes I like to change it up for no good reason.

So I found myself purchasing the  Bare Escentuals Skin Rev-er Upper, (Which is a pain to type, by the way. Also, each time I have typed it out, I spelled it Sin Rev-er Upper so maybe there’s something wrong with me) and have been very happy with the results.  Since I use Bare Minerals as my foundation, I figured it was worth attempting, as this product is also meant to act as a sort of primer for the powder.

I’ve used it for about three weeks now, and have noticed a bunch of wonderful things.  My pores are a bit less noticeable, I have fewer breakouts and anything that happens to crop up is gone the next day, and my skin tone is more even. It is light, non-oily, and even seems to control my shiny tendencies, perfect for the upcoming hot months.

I have absolutely no drawbacks to to discuss about this product.

Add the fact that this item is not a bank-breaker, and I think I’ve found The One.

Last week I asked how you felt about one Ms. Jane Fonda and her plastic surgeries.  32% of you felt that due to her bulging bank account and profession, her aging process should be considered anything but normal.   30% of you felt that due to her multiple plastic surgeries, she’s had quite the bit of assistance, and so no one should be looking to her as an aging role model.  24% think that yeah, she’s been under the knife, but she’s done a great job of it so far.  And finally a generous 12% of you think she looks fabulous, and that is all that matters.

So of course, today I want to know about you.

Products are always looking for ways to stand out, and crazy/tacky/suggestive naming is one way to do that.  48% of you said that a crazy product name might make you pause for a moment, but wouldn’t deter you from purchasing if you liked it enough.  28% could care less about what the name is, and a whopping 24% of you took a hard-line stance, saying that you wouldn’t pay for something with a wacky name.  It would seem then, that almost a quarter of you have never bought OPI nail polish.

Today I want to talk about aging.  73 year old Jane Fonda was photographed at Cannes, above, looking like a zillion bucks.  The Pucci dress worked wonders for her figure, and her face does not really look like that of your typical 73 year old woman.   Jane has been honest about having plastic surgery, so I’m not sure she should be held up as a shining beacon of how to age gracefully.  Or should she?

At least, according to this article from The Telegraph.

I sort of get it, I really do.

It seems that many of the women featured in the article are almost afraid that wearing makeup will make people take them less seriously.  As if applying makeup will make them appear clownish and inauthentic. And there’s the rub.  Does wearing makeup automatically mean you are trying to hide something?  That you are uncomfortable in your skin and feel the need to present yourself differently to the world?

Maybe yes, and maybe no.

No doubt for many women, wearing makeup makes them feel more confident about themselves.  When you ask about the “fake” or “inauthentic” aspect of makeup, that’s when you get into some dicey territory.  Is wanting to cover up imperfections a sign of low self-esteem?

Let me ask myself.

Do I feel better after applying makeup? Yes.

Do I ever walk out of the house without it?  Very often, today in fact.

I don’t think wearing makeup is a problem unless you are using it as some sort of crutch, or if you don’t want anyone to see you without it. 

I have no issue with people who don’t want to wear makeup, I’m all about whatever makes that person comfortable.

But upon looking at the pictures of the women featured without makeup, I noticed that these women had fantastic skin. I looked high and low for discolorations, blemishes, or any other type of skin problems, and I had a hard time finding any.  Perhaps it was just some really good lighting, or excellent genetics, or a combination of both.

Part of me, though, wonders if they aren’t spending tons of money on services like masques and peels and goodness knows what else in lieu of makeup. 

It is definitely more expensive to visit a salon regularly to keep your skin looking fabulous without the “help” of makeup, and I can’t help but think that women on a lower socioeconomic rung don’t have that option, but can usually buy some foundation and concealer that will last them a few months.

If wearing no makeup becomes completely trendy, I have the feeling that only a few will be able to afford it.

I’m trying to decide how I feel about this.

I’ve always considered Jennifer Lopez to be a very beautiful woman.  How could one not?  She’s got gorgeous hair, fantastic skin, and a killer bod.

On one hand, I think it is rather awesome that they chose someone who is over the age of 40 and not some dewy-faced young thing.  Because the young things, they can’t help but be dewy, bless their hearts.  But for a 41 year old to look dewy, now that takes some effort.  Unless you are like me and have naturally oily skin, and then it just takes forgetting to apply powder.  But still, it doesn’t look quite the same.

And yet, I don’t have warm feelings for Ms. Lopez.  She’s never come across as authentic to me, and she almost always seems to have her bitchface on.  Or maybe the Fug Girls have irrevocably clouded my judgement, I don’t know.  

And yet again, it is very nice to see some diversity on the cover, is it not?

What say you?  Yay or nay for Jennifer?  Or am I just being naive and it is all about whose publicist does the best job?

Believe it or not, I was actually going to do this post last week, but couldn’t find the time to squeeze it in.

And now, of course, the sad news today of her passing.

I honestly believe that Elizabeth Taylor was one of the most stunning women to ever walk the planet, period.  And when I say stunning, I mean jaw-droppingly, hear-stoppingly so.  Much is made of her gorgeous eyes, and did she ever know how to make them stand out even more by having some of the best-shaped eyebrows I have ever seen.  If there was ever an argument to bring back thick, shapely eyebrows, Elizabeth Taylor is it.

But, enough of my words, her face speaks for itself.

Much ado has been made in recent weeks about Kate Winslet and her newly shorn hair.

Most of the interwebs seems to have judged it harshly.

Me? Not so much.

You see, I am so feeling Kate and her desire to chop her hair off.

I turned forty a couple weeks ago, and the day before my party, I had my long-time stylist cut about six inches off and cut mucho layers into my formerly layerless hair. I needed a change, I needed it bad, and lacking the ability to go on a weekend bender to Vegas, my hair was where it was going to be.

Kate is coming off a divorce from her husband of seven years, her kids are now both in elementary school, and I think girlfriend just needed to look in the mirror and see something different.

Do I love the color? Not so much, although let’s take into account that the whole photo has got some major monochromatic elements going on, and her makeup is almost beyond neutral. 

My biggest problem is that it reminds me of Victoria Beckham’s hair a bit too much.

But let us not forget that unfortunate haircut or no, she’s still the gorgeous Kate Winslet and looks better on her worst hair day than 99% of us mortals.

In this corner: Boots Botanics Intensive Wrinkle Reduction Serum

In the other corner: Dr. Brandt Collagen Booster

Both of these serums, meant to be worn every day under regular moisturizer, purport to boost collagen production, firm skin, and reduce wrinkles.

I’ll be using three criteria to declare a winner.

The winner will be the serum that 1) Feels best on the skin. 2) Produces a noticeable difference in skin appearance, anywhere from reduction in fine lines to plain old “healthier looking.”  This, of course, is highly subjective. 3) Value for the money.

First up we have Boots Botanics.  In the beginning of this blog, I was surprised by a bunch of Boots No. 7 love that was being thrown out there by readers.  Impressed with the praise but unfamiliar with the brand, it wasn’t until I got back home from the store that I realized I had bought the Botanics line and not the No. 7 line, but I was too lazy to take it back.

Both products were used for three weeks, with a two week “breather” period in between to make sure that I wasn’t attributing the effects of the first serum onto the second.

So, on to the fight!

The Boots Botanic serum felt lovely on my skin.  It has a very velvety texture that I liked a lot.  It seemed to absorb well into the skin, although I certainly wouldn’t use it in place of a moisturizer.

Dr. Brandt Collagen Booster has a more gel-like texture, but it also absorbed well.  To be honest, it seemed like I could feel it on my skin during the day, as opposed to the Boots, which does a nice disappearing act once applied. It also felt a bit tingly the first few applications, but that wore off after about two days.

Point to Boots!

Boots Botanic has somewhat reduced the two fairly prominent (to me, anyway) vertical frown lines on my forehead that I am using as a performance barometer.  It seemed like they went away to a point, and then the serum just sort of threw its hands up in defeat.  My skin doesn’t look very bright, but I would have to say it looks better than before I began using it.

Dr. Brandt’s Collagen Booster made a rather shocking impact on those stubborn wrinkles.  They all but disappeared.  I had to really get close to the mirror to see them.  It was this short of amazing.

It also seemed like my skin was brighter and younger looking. 

Point to Dr. Brandt’s!

Now, value for the money.

This is where the opponents are both getting dizzy and it looks like they are both ready to pass out from sheer exhuastion.

Because although the Boots Botanics did not perform as well overall in affecting the actual look of my skin, it only costs about fourteen bucks for one fluid ounce.

The Dr. Brandt Collagen Booster costs $75.00 for one fluid ounce.

Is the Dr. Brandt really worth $61.oo more a pop?

Even though I have say that the Dr. Brandt is a better product than the Boots Botanics, (as well it should be for that much money!) I have a truly hard time heartily recommending a product that is so very pricey.  At this stage in my personal wrinkle game, I am loathe to spend that amount.  I can’t say that at some point a few years down the road that I won’t change my tune, though.

Ding, ding, ding…

A draw!