Manolo for the Beauty

Excellent advice for women of any age.

And I am so bummed she and Will Arnett are divorcing.

72% of you think that the dip-dyed hair trend has used up its 15 minutes.  I hear you, but I did appreciate that it was sort of fun and brought some really unusual and eye-catching looks when done well.

Today, I’m asking about hair dye of a completely different sort.

One of the many flash sale sites I browse through had a discount on an at-home laser hair removal kit.

I briefly considered it, but thought three hundred bucks was too much for my budget.

But that also got the neurons in my brain firing (which these days is practically a miracle) about how much I already spend on hair removal products.

I get my razors/razor refills at Costco, my foam hair remover at the drugstore, and I use my Dr. Bronner’s soap as a lathering agent in the shower.  I have never spent money on the special lady-foams for shaving, so I don’t know if I could be dramatically altering my shaving experience if I did.

I also live in a pretty warm climate that has me shaving my legs far longer than most, so I figure I spend at least two hundred a year on the hair removal process.

Which, if the laser works for me, might actually be a pretty good investment.

Some initial research on my part reveals that my would-be laser of choice works best on light to medium skinned women with dark hair.  Also, it can be painful enough at higher settings that it requires over the counter pain relievers.

Ouch.

I consider my pain threshold to be fairly high, but I’m not sure if I could willingly subject myself to it in order to have less hair.

But, would it be worth it to hopefully keep a bunch of hair growing back for a very long time?

What say you all?

25% of you have broken my heart by saying that you do not have a positive self-image.  I obviously cannot speak to the experiences that have placed you in that mindset, but I want you to know that I truly believe that each of us in our humanity is impossibly and breathtakingly beautiful.  It has nothing to do with the shininess of our hair or the trendiness of our lip color.  It has everything to do with the way we reflect ourselves and our attitudes to the outside world.  I mean, I don’t even know you, and I think you are fantastic!  And if a complete stranger on the internet thinks you’ve got it, then you have got it going on!

59% stated that they mostly do have a positive self-image, and you go, girls! I think it is safe to say that everyone has their off days.  Re-read above.

3% of you say that you absolutely do, and you are my people.  There is nothing to be gained by beating ourselves up, is there?

This is professional basketball player (and Olympic team member) Candace Parker.

She is obviously very beautiful and in fantastic shape.  She has even had a baby, which makes me look down at my own decidedly non-six pack belly and give a sigh.

And even though she is gorgeous and talented and could kick anyone’s butt at any time, I can’t help but dislike the cover. (Maybe she should just go to Joseph M’s and get a nice Alice by Temperley coverup.

Maybe I am a complete prude.  It’s OK if you tell me I am, I’ll pretty much agree with you.

When it comes to a nude woman on the cover of a mainstream magazine, I tend to flip flop.  I think that women should embrace their bodies and that nudity isn’t something to be ashamed of.  But then I wonder if women who pose this way are truly empowering themselves, or if they are simply cogs in the machine to sell magazines.

Discuss?

What can I say?  My computer hates me.

Apologies for the absence, and regular posting commencing in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1…

47% of you hated Amanda Seyfried’s choice of bright orange lip color, 28% loved it, and 23% felt her lips belonged at an event called Electric Daisy Lollapalooza instead of an award show.  I was actually sort of ambivalent about them.  Her makeup was very well done, and I almost kind of liked how much her lips popped.  But, orange!

Ah well, it’s just lip color, is it not?

Summer is already here and I want to know all about your relationship with self tanners…

My last poll about spring beauty trends had 26% of you willing to give red lips a go, however I’m guessing that probably isn’t much of a departure for most of you.  21% said sheer rose lips sounded appealing, and the cat eye came in at 19%.  15% were game for the super smoky eye, but I’m a bit timid for that one.  Also, I’m afraid of looking like a raccoon.  And not a cute one.

Today I’m curious as to your sunscreen habits.

Octavia Spencer was voted best-dressed at the Oscars with a fairly commanding 29%, given how wide the field was. Milla Jovovich and Jessica Chastain tied for second place with 19%.  I was looking at some other Oscar fashion polls, and was discouraged to see that Octavia wasn’t even a choice.  Girl killed it on the red carpet, and I’m sorry that some people think that a woman with curves isn’t fashion-worthy.

Which segues nicely into my next question…

Seriously, if you were a deoderant wearer during the mid to late 70’s, you either used this deoderant or knew someone that did.

I know my sister had it, I was a bit too young to wear it.

But talk about suggestive advertising!  Apparently there were some accusations of some not-so-subliminal advertising going on in ads like this one.

Are they selling a bit more than deoderant here, or is it just me?

71% of you are just like me, and are not planning on putting away any makeup due to the change of seasons.  My go-to mauve lipstick looks just as good in the fall as it does in summer.  10% of you will say farewell to your bronzer/self tanner, and 7% will get rid of the lighter lipstick shades.

Today ‘s poll question will be dealing with “inner” beauty, so to speak.