Happy Easter

Facebook Posts March 23-26

The April issue of "Allure" magazine has an "Anti-aging Special" on pages 146 to 154. Some of the products are available in drug and discount stores and are inexpensive. I like the advice for keeping your neck and chest area beautiful. So often we forget to apply the same products to this area that we use on our faces. It's very important to apply sunscreen to your neck and chest because this area will often show wrinkles and age spots faster than our faces.

There is an article in the March 21st edition of the "Wall Street Journal" about the fastest most precise make up products that women use. "CoverGirl Clump Crusher Mascara" $6.99, "Clinique Chubby Sticks" for eyes and for lips, $16.00, "Sally Hanson Complete Salon Manicure," $7.99, "Maybelline New York Master Duo Eyeliner" $7.99, "Beauty Blender," $19.95. (It's an egg shaped spongy applicator for blending foundation.) My husband was nice enough to bring the newspaper home so I could share the list with all of you. :-)

The next time you are in a drug or discount store look for "Systane Ultra" lubricant eye drops. My eye doctor suggested it for my dry eyes and it works very well. While you are in the eye care aisle look for contact lens cases. They are perfect for emptying the last bit of lip conditoner or lip gloss out of the tube. I cut the tube in half and use a clean Q-tip to scoop out what's left in the bottom. The contact lens cases are double so you can have your lip treatment on one side and your tinted lip gloss or lip stick on the other side. If you need a lip brush look for one that is retractable or has a top to keep it clean in your make up bag or purse.

March 21-22 Facebook Posts

While shopping in Macy's I noticed that there were no displays of plus size Derby outfits with coordinating hats. I went upstairs and didn't see any in the Plus department either. Before I left the store I stopped at the Ralph Lauren department to tell the nice ladies there about my observation. They said that I was correct and felt that there should be a display of plus size Derby outfits and hats too. I think it's a good idea to make suggestions when you shop when you don't see what you're looking for.

So many women have body image issues. It's impossbile to grow up in our society without being bombarded by images of super beautiful women in the media. So many of those printed images have been photo shopped and are not even close to wha...t the woman really looks like. In reality we must dress the body we have not the one from 20-30 years ago. Don't torture yourself by looking at pictures that make you feel bad about yourself. It doesn't matter what the size tag says on your clothes. Get dressed and get out into the world and give it your best. A happy woman is a beautiful woman because she's smiling most of the time. :-)

 

 1. Energize with new trends. “It’s especially important for women older than 40 to bring the latest styles into their wardrobes,” says Brenda Kinsel, author of “Brenda Kinsel's Fashion Makeover: 30 Days to Diva Style!” (Chronicle Books, 2007). Try out a new clothing trend and incorporate it with other clothes already in your closet.

2. Follow the 50-percent rule. Kinsel also says less is more. “...I tell clients to take a trend and cut it in half. Instead of a tie-dye T-shirt, try a shirt with an element of tie-dye in it,” says Kinsel.

3. Redo your ’do. Today’s short hairstyles flatter the face and take off years. Browse a new style magazine and find a look you’d like to try before you visit your salon. But short hair is not required; more and more boomer women are wearing tousled, mid-length styles as popularized by Katie Couric, or longer, lovely locks like Michelle Pfeiffer.

4. Get fit! Let’s face it: Aging stinks and so does gravity. But there’s no age limit on exercise. A simple walking program, building up to 30 minutes, five days a week, will do wonders for creating a healthy lifestyle and look. Strength training just three times per week can help improve bone density, reduce body fat and improve muscle tone. Try finding a program online or hiring a personal trainer.

5. Lighten up the makeup.Too much makeup can add years. Mature women and women of any age can benefit from this season’s lighter, brighter makeup styles. Many salons include free makeup consultations. You can also try the makeup counter at your favorite department store.

6. Enhance those curves. Current shape-wear tend to display, not disguise, your body’s natural curves. Look for tummy-control and thigh-firming features.


7. Stop hiding behind loose clothing. Baggy clothing may make you appear larger than you actually are. Instead, opt for body skimming (not tight) items that will show off your feminine silhouette.


8. Be bejeweled. The Glam Gals also recommend updating your jewelry wardrobe with a few hot pieces in the latest styles. Trends include: odd and unusual rocks for eye-popping rings, necklaces with only a sprinkling of diamonds and an emphasis on metals, red jewels such as pinkish-red rubellite or soft pink tourmaline.

9. Revitalize your lips. Lips can be one of the first areas to show signs of aging. Be sure to protect them from the sun with sunblock with SPF. Also, reapply color throughout the day to keep your lips moist. Try a nightly anti-aging regimen of Regenerist Anti-Aging Lip Treatment.

10. Exfoliate. Good skin is essential to looking young. Be sure to exfoliate to give your cells a little nudge.

From P&G.com

Facebook Posts 3-18-13

I read recently that if you buy a pair of "Spanx" (or a similar type of foundation garment) some of your old clothes that you think are too small may still fit after all. If this were the 1950's most of us would be wearing girdles every day. Not only would the girdles keep us from over eating but would hold us in and make our clothes look better. A foundation garment under a slip makes a sheath dress look very smooth. That's why we are so in love with the look of Vintage dresses.

There are so many diet plans a person can follow. I am forever grateful to Weight Watchers (1974 program) for teaching me the value of portion control. Weight Watchers is much easier these days according to family and friends who are attending meetings and following the current program. I like the "One Ingredient Food" diet. When manufacturers add ingredients to increase the flavor and shelf ...life of their foods people gain weight. Age changes a person's shape too so diets don't always accomplish what they did when we were younger. The loss of hormones as we age contributes to the addition of fat on certain parts of the body. Mother Nature tries to protect older womens' hip bones from falls by adding extra padding to the bottom. Eating fresh foods will help your body be it's best no matter what your shape or weight. Working out will give you more muscle mass which will increase your metabolism and protect your bones.

I'm not a fan of artificial sweeteners. If you are addicted to eating sweets then using artificial sweeteners will keep you craving sweets even when you are dieting. If sweets and starches are the foods that make you gain weight, the common sense thing to do is avoid eating them. There was a time when a person became an adult they stopped eating the foods of their childhood and began to eat mor...e adult foods. Now we have adults who eat sweetened breakfast cereals and colorful candy every day. Pastries should be saved for a special occasion, not included in the daily diet. The more sweet foods and drinks you consume, the more you will want. We have taste buds that register sweet foods. Those taste buds were designed to allow us to enjoy fresh fruit. By replacing daily sweet foods with your favorite fresh fruit you could drop a couple of pounds without even trying. I don't drink diet soda, never have since they added Aspartame and never will as long as it contains it. Aspartame or "Equal" gives me Migraine headaches. Diet drinks cause some people to crave more food than their bodies can metabolize. Diet drinks containing caffeine dehydrate your skin leaving it looking dull and wrinkled. Drink water instead. Your skin will look great from true hydration.

As we age...

we lose pigment not only in our skin but our hair as well. Hair that is colored black or very dark brown will not look natural next to skin that has become pale with age. The eyebrows and hairline can give you a clue about a more natural color for covering gray hair. Also, change black eyeliner to a softer color like charcoal or navy blue. Eyelids droop with age so it's best not to l...ine the lower lids on the outside or inside. As the day goes by the eyeliner may "travel" and end up giving you "Raccoon Eyes." Use mascara sparingly on your lower lashes because it could flake off throughout the day and settle in fine lines and wrinkles under your eyes. Some older women wear too much make up and jewelry. "Less is more" the older you are. Keeping it simple puts the focus on you and not what you're wearing. No skirts over the knee if you're over 50 and no low cut tops.

March 1-13 Facebook Posts

Where do you put your handbag/wallet when you go to bed? Is it by the door? If someone broke into your house in the middle of the night would they be able to grab your purse or wallet and get out of the house before you knew what was going on? We put our wallet, handbag and keys in our master bathroom at night. A little "food for thought" today. :-)

Eye care: If you or someone you know suffers from frequent eye infections or irritations it could be from using contaminated eye make up. See your doctor for a diagnosis. Eye make up should be avoided when there is an eye infection. Once the infection is healed then all of the previous eye make up should be thrown away and new make up purchased. Never lick the tip of an eyelining pencil before lining yo...ur eyes. Doing that introduces bacteria from your mouth into your eyes. Don't continue to use eye make up that is causing irritation because it means you are probably allergic to it. Brown eyeliner and mascara contain red pigment that may cause an allergic reaction or irritation. Switch to black eyeliner and mascara to see if it's more comfortable to wear.

 

Lip care: A Kentucky Fashion Friend asked me yesterday for advice about her dry lips. I told her that I use "Clinique" lip balms and lip treatments. I like the solid balm under lipstick and the treatment in a tube at bedtime. If Clinique... products don't fit your budget I suggest you use the same type of products from "Burt's Bees." They are available in most drug, grocery and discount stores. Some are tinted and may contain sunscreen which is a plus. I use cheap, white wash cloths at night with my cleanser. I run the wash cloth over my lips several times to exfoliate the dead skin cells left from a day of wear and tear. Applying a lip treatment helps keep moisture on your lips overnight.

I've been looking for some lipsticks and lip glosses that are similar to Clinique's "Tenderheart" that I like so much. Revlon came close to matching it with their "Super Lustrous Lipstick" in #637 "Blushing Nude." Revlon lipgloss in "Colorburst #014 Rose Pearl" in close too but does have a touch of sparkle. They both look good with OPI nail polish "Grand Canyon Sunset.

 

 Two piece outfits should always be washed or dry cleaned together. Even if you never wear the other piece always clean it at the same time as the piece you do wear. You want both pieces to look the same if you pass the outfit on to someone else in the future. Protect the inside of jacket collars by tucking a scarf inbetween your neck and the collar. If hairspray gets on your neck as you style your hair be sure to wipe it off before wearing a garment with a collar.