To Be or Not to Be? Made Up.

Garden of Zen

A new study just came out on women who wear makeup, appearing more confident.
What's your take on this? I love makeup, smokey eyes, false lashes, and a sizzlin' hot, glossy lip.
At home, I rarely wear it. I'd rather be outside, digging' in the dirt, planting bulbs, looking forward to Spring. I turned in my power suit to Diane Sawyer, Oprah and all those awesome, working women I so admire. But, not my cosmetics kit. Not quite yet.
I stopped painting my face when my dog decided to lick it. Incessantly. 
I always wear makeup at work, or a night on the town. It makes me feel pretty, polished, empowered and yes, even smart. As someone who made their living as a 'model', I wore a painted face, my image plastered on billboards from Milan to Paris. I always felt like a kid, playing dress up. Today, I love to get my hands filthy, dirty in the earth. Planting my Zen Garden in mud and water, without a stitch of makeup. I feel more me, more alive in my skin than I ever remember. So while I will always say, YES to MAKEUP, I say hello to a new me. A work in progress, a blossoming one.

clematis

    

Oct 3, 2011 6:40pm by Ben Forer

Study: Makeup Makes

Women Appear More 

Competent – Do You Agree?

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"Makeup makes women appear more attractive and competent according to a new study by a team comprised of researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston University and Proctor & Gamble.

The research reveals that when viewers saw a female face for 250 milliseconds, women who wore color cosmetics rated more highly in the categories of attractiveness, competence, likability and trustworthiness. However, when participants were allowed to look at the faces for a longer period of time, while the ratings for competence and attractiveness stayed the same, the ratings for likability and trustworthiness changed based on specific makeup looks.

Which face do you find most competent? Face 1 is on the left."




'http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/lifestyle/2011/10/study-makeup-makes-women-appear-more-competent-do-you-agree/

Too Cruel To be Kind

I did not write this, but I wish I did. I love women, all women. I find they are magical, powerful, smart, nurturing and way too hard on themselves. Thank you, Delphine for the beautiful reminder. Letting go of the need for self-acceptance is beauty enough. Celebrate your glorious, naked self for just one day. Imperfect, perfection. Revel in it, lovin' your birthday suit.




"A while back, at the entrance of a gym, there was a picture of a very thin and beautiful woman. The caption was "This summer, do you want to be a mermaid or a whale?"

The story goes, a woman (of clothing size unknown) answered the following way:

"Dear people, whales are always surrounded by friends (dolphins, seals, curious humans), they are sexually active and raise their children with great tenderness.
They entertain like crazy with dolphins and eat lots of prawns. They swim all day and travel to fantastic places like Patagonia, the Barents Sea or the coral reefs of Polynesia.
They sing incredibly well and sometimes even are on cds. They are impressive and dearly loved animals, which everyone defend and admires.

Mermaids do not exist.

But if they existed, they would line up to see a psychologist because of a problem of split personality: woman or fish?
They would have no sex life and could not bear children.
Yes, they would be lovely, but lonely and sad.
And, who wants a girl that smells like fish by his side?

Without a doubt, I'd rather be a whale.

At a time when the media tells us that only thin is beautiful, I prefer to eat ice cream with my kids, to have dinner with my husband, to eat and drink and have fun with my friends.

We women, we gain weight because we accumulate so much wisdom and knowledge that there isn't enough space in our heads, and it spreads all over our bodies.
We are not fat, we are greatly cultivated.
Every time I see my curves in the mirror, I tell myself: "How amazing am I ?! "

By: Delphine Fieberg


PHOTO: The Sublime Tara Flynn Courtesy French Elle

Too Cool for School

The drop-dead gorgeous, Mally Roncal and Mally Beauty has done it again. And again. It seems with every season, her products get better, more innovative & exciting. I am a die hard fan of Evercolor Starlight Waterproof Eyeliner Singles. I can't tell you how many scorching, summer days her long-wearing liners saved my butt, and my clients eyes from melting away. Mally has gone and one upped herself, creating Evercolor Starlight Waterproof Eyeliners in Duos and Trios. Are you kidding?! Trifecta! Everyone knows three is better than one! I'm in love all over again. 


The Evercolor Endless Shadow, couldn't be any fiercer. The shade Sunglow is 'a little slice of heaven.'
With its dual cap, one part cream shadow, and the other, a gorgeous luminous powder to be dabbed lightly over the cream for a maximum, Burlesque sexy, shimmering effect. So smart and so fun.

Mally Beauty's Mascaras have been serious contenders since they arrived on the beauty scene. Check out her feature in People's Style Watch magazine. Another double whammy. Sweet.

Volumizing Double-Ended Mascara Accents

Mally’s Award Winning Mascara in a new format designed to make eyes look brighter, wider and more alive.

Looking for a trendy way to make your eyes pop? Try Mally’s Volumizing Accents Mascara as mentioned in People magazine!







http://www.mallybeauty.com/
http://www.qvc.com/cgen/render.aspx?qp=class%7CF809

http://www.peoplestylewatch.com/people/stylewatch

Make Up to Model Citi Zen featured on Las Fabulosas.com

Thanks to Michelle Goodman for a great editorial piece on
Las Fabulosas.com. Featuring my MU artist, 'speedy, morning tips.' 
and Make Up to Model Citi Zen, the blog. 
Super cool.
Be sure to check out Las Fabulosas.com  for lots of beauty tips, 
& great expert, insider advice.
Read the full Article at: http://www.lasfabulosas.com/beauty_style/speed_up_morning_routine/index.html#.TntsMs2y-aI

Photo & Editorial Content Courtesy of LasFabulosas.com

Speed up Your Morning Routine

By: Michelle Goodman

Busy juggling your kids’ routine, your work emails and countless other to-dos every morning? You probably don’t have time to glam up on your way out the door. The right products and a little preparation can shave an hour off your busy schedule.

Skin
For glowing, killer skin, pamper your cutis the night before, says Jackie Cioffa, celebrity makeup artist and author of the blog Make up to Model Citi Zen. Apply a regenerating serum that’s packed with antioxidants to help protect against photoaging. Then, apply a night cream on your skin and an anti-aging cream under your eyes. Rinse your face and apply a light moisturizer. When you get up in the morning, your skin will be fresh and ready to go.

Lips
Right after you finish brushing your teeth, brush your lips with a wet, rinsed-off toothbrush to remove any dry flakes from chapped lips. Next, apply a moisturizing lip balm. Look for one that isn’t sticky and is full of antioxidants. Then add some color to your lips with a lip stain in a berry color.

Makeup
For a golden glow, mix a liquid bronzer with moisturizer to avoid any shading, and then blend with a brush. It will leave your skin looking fresh and glowing. Next, use a lash curler for an eye-opening lift, says Cioffa. Apply volumizing mascara in your color of choice.

Take a cream-based shadow and sweep it once over your eyelids. Finally, with a synthetic brush, apply concealer under your eyes.

Hair
If you have oily hair but no time for washing and styling, use a dry shampoo, says Rafael Nieves, owner of The Heights Salon of Brooklyn. It will refresh hair and make it look and feel cleaner.

If your tresses are dry, mix a bit of leave-in-conditioner with water in a spray bottle. Shake, spray your hair, shape with your fingers and allow to air dry.

Straight-haired gals: Wrap your hair around your head and cover it with a silk hair wrap overnight. This will prevent tangles in the morning. Remove the silk wrap, brush and you will be ready to go.

Read more about: beauty tips

Michelle Goodman is a freelance writer and editor who specializes in beauty and health issues.

The It Factor

Jouer Cosmetics

Nicole Scherzinger is co judging The X Factor with Simon Cowell this fall. For me, she is more of an 'It Girl' than an X. She's stunning, can sing, dance and seems genuinely sweet. Sticky sweet. If she wasn't so nice, she's the girl you'd love to hate. When Glamour profiled her, "What A Doll," in the October issue, I could not have been happier. It tied in perfectly with my next product feature. Jouer Cosmetics. Jouer in French means to play, appropriately. The line is full of whimsical, customized pieces. Jouer is for the smart woman on the go, who likes to apply her own makeup. While that would put me out of a job, I love the Jouer philosophy. The first thing I do with each new client (especially the A listers), is ask them how they like to wear their makeup. Smoky eye? Dark Lip? Bronze Goddess? Trust me, they always have an immediate answer. "Place the blush close to my eyes, high up on the apples, and don't go above my crease. It makes me look old. " Enough said, I get done faster. Makes my job a whole lot easier, and everyone is happy. Plus, I've learned some great tricks and techniques.
When I was sent Jouer Cosmetics, 'to play with,' I was thrilled. Nicole likes Jouer's Luminizing Moisture Tint in Bronzed, a lightweight moisturizer that evens out imperfections and leaves the skin aglow. 'It's Oil-free, hypoallergenic, fragrance-free and water resistant.' What more could a girl ask for? Personally, I like Jouer's Glistening Brightening Powder and Sheer Bronzing Tint SPF 15. The Glistening Brightening Powder, the subtlest, glowing pigment instantly lifts and illuminates the face. It's filled with antioxidants, Vitamin E, Chamomile, Cucumber and Pomegranate extract. Almost good enough to eat, it's great for the skin. Kudos to Nicole and much success on The X Factor. Thank you, Jouer Cosmetics, and Glamour, for putting us on the same page.

"Christina Zilber, Founder and Creative Director of Jouer, builds her brand with her unique stylist approach to beauty. Her one-of-a-kind “no makeup artist required” philosophy empowers and inspires her clients to create fool-proof looks in a truly customizable way. With her fresh, editorial view of makeup to complement individual fashion sense and lifestyle, Christina designs her collections to be simple, chic, fashion-relevant and modern, yet timeless and approachable."


http://www.jouercosmetics.com/
http://www.glamour.com/

http://www.nicolescherzingermusic.com/
http://www.thexfactorusa.com/

Luxury Never Looked Better

Get ready fashionistas, for the ultimate luxe in Color Cosmetics. Tom Ford's launch of his new Color Collection out this Fall. Whatever he touches turns to gold, 24 K gold, the high voltage kind. I remember watching A Single Man, being mesmerized by the uber detailed styling, right down to the burning cigarette in an ashtray by the bed.

Julianne Moore A Single Man

I was blown away by the lovely Julianne Moore's makeup.
A mod 60's look and an eye that was pure perfection.
I was fortunate enough to get a gorgeous bronzer, from Mr. Ford's earlier collaboration with Estee Lauder. It's huge and heavy, with just the right shade of bronze. I still have it. The product is half gone, but the beauty of the compact remains on my vanity, like a precious jewel for all to admire.




I can't wait to get my hands on the new line. I'm sure it will be worth the wait. Mr. Ford always delivers the ultimate chic. Luxe-lips will run $48.00 a pop, they'll be worth every penny. Pretty corals, luscious pinks and ultra sexy nudes, with rich pigments guarantee a gorgeous, sexy lip.

Lara Stone and Tom Ford featured in the ad campaigns, what better way to promote stunning beauty.