He posted recently about women and cosmetic advertising in Hope Springs Eternal, But Why’s It So Expensive. Many women made excellent suggestions about why we are so easily and willingly sucked in by beauty advertising. I think about this topic a lot. I didn’t respond on the blog site because I’d write a page. In fact, I’m about to.

Nevermind if you use the Paula’s Choice products. I ask women why they don’t subscribe to Beautypedia. They see the reviews as just another marketing voice, just Paula’s opinion. Maybe it takes training in science to understand the incomparable value of independent examination based on sound research. All science asks for is SOUND proof.

From the latest popular ingredient’s perspective, science only hears the beat of its love affair with North American technology. Science seems to support only boring, mistake-ridden, traditional medicine. That fallacy is fabulous for anyone trying to cash in on that new ingredient, but that’s not at all what science is about. The Paula group is just looking for sound proof. Why it unleashes such a firestorm of offense and emotion, I do not know.

Women figure that sure, the claims are exaggerated, you’d expect that, but they must be half right. If not, wouldn’t there be mobs of angry women coming after these companies? Well, actually, unless you threaten their children or the planet, women don’t get angry. It’s quite OK to hurt us, we can take it, have had centuries of practice. The advertisers know they’re safe from us.

They’ve become expert at keeping us a little uncomfortable with our appearance. It keeps us buying. A confused consumer is wonderfully gullible. If you have 8 lipsticks all the same colour, then they have you exactly where they want you : uncertain. On the Boss>>>>>Bubblegum Princess<<<<<Stripper spectrum, they want you to the right of middle. We spend ourselves silly trying to look like our daughters. It cheapens us. In the same breath, we minimize and reduce our joy and power when they’re the real accomplishment. Once we’re 40, we deny too much of the good stuff on the inside.

Another common response is “I can tell if something works, and if I can’t, my friend can”. Oh, right. Just like you can identify the vitamins in the food you eat by taste. Not going to talk about that.

Could it be that we don’t buy the face cream to be face cream? When the day is bad, we can always afford a little gift to self. We never expected it to do anything. The bottle says what we wanted it to say so we felt better at that moment. If it made us happy that day, then it served its purpose. We didn’t buy it to do anything for our skin. But habits form easily in the absence of anything better. This is where repeat sales come from, not performance, at least in skin care.

Women want the product to create a safe place. Though the women reading this probably don’t fall into this category, the majority feels better if someone else is going to look after their skin (and their money) so they don’t have to think about it. Paula’s Choice embeds their product in a lesson that’s confrontational and stimulating. So does Colour Analysis, for that matter. Most women are avoiders and soothers, not challengers. They feel too tired and un-confident most of the time to take more on.

Bryan’s question was not addressed to women in general, though. That’s my soapbox. He asked “Why do Paula-educated women keep falling for the hype and the hope?”

Because, every now and again, something that truly works comes along. Once they get the glitches out, like the Vitamin A sisters, a new product might be something we should buy.

At 12Blueprints, Jocelyn Is A Bright Winter. With video! To see the potential in yourself as you never have… and in keeping with the theme that change happens from the inside out.

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The problem is that it is too visible, even in a flesh-toned formulation. Lipstick always wears off at some point and the line feels obvious, no matter how well it matched the lip colour to begin with.

It also sucks up even more of my time fussing about finding the right colour.

Since discovering the Estee Lauder Double Wear lipsticks, I don’t go a work day without them, usually as a base layer. These really will last hours. Since the colours are bright and matte, I apply a browner gloss to mute the colour down and give some shine. Still lasts hours.

A line around the lips first seems like overkill. It’s too much paint and too much time. What if you could apply a transparent sealant around the lipline that sets a shape for everything to come, and didn’t let it smear?

Yes, you could use regular lipliner applied faintly, or angle the pencil, but I don’t have time for makeup shenanigans. This isn’t astrophysics here. Smear it on in 10 seconds or less, thick enough to last till lunch. Get on with the day.

This lipliner, the Long- Lasting Anti-Feather Lipliner at Paula’s Choice in Clear, places a layer of something waxy around the edge of the lip.

It defines the border so I can smear on the EL and a gloss, and everything takes on the right outline. If the lip colour wears off, there’s nothing to be seen.

I love the Clinique Butter Shine lip gloss sticks for casual wear. But they’re gooey and tend to wander around. This way, I set the outline, apply lots of Butter Shine, it takes the right shape, and stays there.

The liner will last through 2-3 lip colour re-applications.

How often does something actually work as well as you were hoping?

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© 2007–2010, Christine Scaman. All rights reserved.

Daynah Burnett, a Paula’s Choice employee recounts her tale of embarrassment and insult at an Ulta store. Can this store be this dumb?

Recently, my favorite beauty blogger was escorted out of a Barney’s store. All the woman does is swatch makeup colours, Lipstick Queen’s line this time. How humiliating could that be? I don’t think Poppy King would want her client base treated this way. She probably has a clue about the power of consumers talking to one another for amplifying sale numbers exponentially.

Whether you use Paula’s Choice skin care products is not my issue. There are plenty of good choices. There are plenty of horrible choices too. Why women would spend money without researching a product, given that nobody else on the planet is providing the information this company does, now that is quite beyond me. But that’s another story.

The point here is that they could have treated any consumer the same way. It could have been you or I. What did the staff members feel so threatened by? Did they take it upon themselves to make these idiotic marketing decisions or were they told to? Is there a behind-the-scenes agenda?

These stores haven fallen out of the idiot tree, hit every branch on the way down, and written themselves off my shopping option list. Read the story and imagine being told that you have to behave their way and follow these crazy rules to shop there. Would you conform? I doubt it.

On a lighter note, a new colour analysis post at 12 Blueprints. Louise and Stevan belong to the same season but look very different. How can that be?

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© 2007–2009, Christine Scaman. All rights reserved.

Last year, I did 5 of these articles, Gift Ideas For The Real World 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. Having just looked them over, why they’re pretty good, sez me. I didn’t want to duplicate anything.

I’m not sure I can think of that many ideas this year. Although, once the ball starts rolling and people chime in, we can come up with some amazing things.

For you early shoppers, how about these?

1. Stainless steel compost buckets at Lee Valley. They look great on the counter and stay nice and shiny.

2. The rolling composter at Lee Valley. I tried composting once in one of those big square plastic tubs you get from the city. I attracted every raccoon and possum for miles. This guy is easy to roll, gets hot enough inside to kill weed seeds, and produces gorgeous earth in less than a month. Read about it on the linked page. I have a friend who owns one and it is the BEST thing.

While you’re at the Lee Valley, site, check out their gifts organized by activity and cost. Really good.

3. A Comfort Plus Pillow by Sleep Innovations. Changed my life, this did. It took about 3 nights to get onto it but for my neck and shoulders, it is a wonderful thing. Got mine at Zellers, normally $40 but they go on good sales often. Your face doesn’t sink into it and rub off all your night cream, quite a big bonus for me who goes to bed very gooped up.

4. A Silpat baking mat. Listen : if you don’t have one, don’t wait till Christmas. Just go buy  yourself 2 of them. These things are unbelievable. They make life better!

5. Jams and honeys. These are just such a treat, but so expensive to buy yourself. If someone gave you one and you ate it in 3 days all by yourself, well you’re not out anything are you? Many companies make these.

The PEI Preserve Company is a favorite of ours. Should you ever be so fortunate to visit PEI, this place is a MUST SEE. Beautiful restaurant, gift shop, bakery, and samples upon samples.

The Garlic Box, McGarrigle’s Mustards, the Jellies and Teas, all fabulous. In fact, their chutneys and relishes may be better than the jams. The Balsamic and Cracked Pepper Mustard is wonderful.  The Antipasto is a PEI summer staple. Who wouldn’t love a beautiful Summer Honey box?

6. Wicked Good Hand Warmers at LLBean. On those long winter walks through the woods, you will be LOVED. Give them out to everyone like M&M’s. They work incredibly well. The fabric is quite durable so you can slip one over your toes and wouldn’t wear through it.

7. Double layer long underwear at LLBean. I might have said something like this last year, but this fabric is so cushy and warm and dry that I’ll risk repeating it. The outfits run big. I’m a size 7 and the Medium is a bit too big, but for sleeping, it’s fine.

8. A rain barrel. There are many that can be found through Google. The wooden whiskey barrel style is expensive. Home Depot has them now and then, and they may be on sale now where you live. They look so good in the garden, a focal spot.

In plastic, they come in  various shapes and sizes. Home Depot even has collapsible ones. What a nice and easy way to water the garden. Or to wash your hair.

9. Bottles and bottles of Paula’s Choice new Resist Barrier Repair Moisturizer.

10. A subscription to Fitness magazine. I’m loving this publication. It’s not too exercise-hard-core. The nutrition and health articles are terrific. Coming home from a long day and finding a new magazine in the mailbox = a good evening.

Also, the latest installment at 12 Blueprints : Icy Colours and Pastels. If you’re a Winter or a Summer, you need to know the difference.

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I got my new bottle of Paula’s Choice Resist Barrier Repair moisturizer a few days ago.

I’m not going to go on about the ingredients. Anti-aging, antioxidant, anti-wrinkles?How would I know? How would anyone know except the guy who concocted the formula, did the math that balanced the ration, got out her measuring spoons and the scale, assembled the ingredients, and swirled it all together in the big tub?

It is highly non-greasy and fast absorbing. It feels fantastic and light. It doesn’t bug my eyes. Dry skin may not find this emollient enough unless you use 6 pumps of it. I still apply Skin Recovery Moisturizer about 15 minutes later. Otherwise, I haven’t much to say one way or the other. I’m not going to tell you that “my skin was smoother within a week”. Polysporin ointment, Vaseline, LaMer cream, or olive oil could potentially do that.

The day I got it, I applied a new layer every 15 minutes for a total of 5. Do I look different? No, no, I know the big pay-off comes in 10 years. It’s like brushing your teeth. Having the skin you have today, tomorrow is nothing. Can you do it 10 years from now? Commitment to prevention IS the name of this game. I’m still applying a new layer every time I go in the bathroom, but that’s just because it’s fun.

So, why will I buy more (and I’m buying 3 more on my next Visa bill)? Because I trust the company that made it. Their complete transparency is their biggest marketing asset. If they lie, Paula would have to close the doors on the whole show. Though Paula taught us not to take face cream, and especially the marketing of it, at face value, she also stakes her entire reputation on her own products. I accept her claims and her ingredient list.

Back in 4 Wrong Ways To Choose Skin Cream And One Way That Works, I talked about how a consumer hasn’t got a clue about what’s in face cream, any more than what’s in dog food. Unless you know the recipe and saw the ingredients go in, all you have to go on is how much you trust the guy selling it you. I can’t read the label on moisturizer, a tub of margarine, or a bag of pet food.

There is a whole lot too much trust going on where face stuff is concerned.

I made this same analogy, about face cream and pet food, to a woman looking for great kitten food the other day. She was floored. This was a whole new concept. Young woman. Educated. Professional. How could she have been so surprised? The consumer isn’t dumb, but we’re distracted by busy lives and willing to soak up some advertising too willingly .

Is there more? Is there an inertia among women that must be pierced before we will take action on our own behalf?

There certainly is in my case, not in the skin care arena, but in the finance sector of our household. I used to let my husband “take care of it”. I’m ashamed to say it. I know he’s no better at it than I would be. I use the excuse that I’ve been raising 3 kids and had a job. Not good enough.

What is it about women that makes us so trusting on one level and so mistrusting on another?

Why do we so complacently keep the advertising-based, truth-hiding, truth-lacking cosmetics industry so rich?

Do we not believe they’d really lie so blatantly without punishment or restrictions?

Do we want the hope they sell us, more than the result we don’t ever really expect? Do we figure that even if it does 1/10 of what it promises, we’ll forgive their lies?

Just too lazy and don’t care, don’t believe there could really be such disparity in face cream?

Deeper?

Do we want to avoid the consequence of making a wrong decision? If I bore deep into what I will barely admit, perhaps I don’t look after the family finances because of the fear of the repercussions if I make a mistake.

I work with a man. I admire his ability to use only the facts he needs to support a decision. Most of the time he’s right. If not, he reconsiders using all the data, not just the part that suited Plan A. Women stall. We delay. We need to know all the answers. We order more tests. We get caught up in the price of eggs and coffee, and don’t bother to look at where the big money lies. It takes us 3 months longer to get something done, unless we forgot about it altogether.

It must be difficult for a company to find a new language every time they have a new product to market. They have to differentiate it from every other cream, including their own. Are inflated claims the language that sells to women? Is that what breaks through our inertia? Then, when it doesn’t work, we can say “Yeah, well, they said the cream would move the mountains and it didn’t, so it’s their fault for making it sound so good, not my fault for buying it.”

Are we afraid of knowledge and power because we’d have to do something with it?

Are we making the impossible leap from “it doesn’t bother my skin” to “ it must be full of the best of what is known about skin today”? Or do we think there just can’t be that much distance between the two, even though they’re galaxies apart?

Are we worried that once we start caring even a little about how we look, we’ll find ourselves on the slippery slope of vanity and snowballing expense?

Do some of us just really, really not care one bit how we look or how healthy our skin is?

Am I more anal than average? I research a set of cooking pots and long underwear before I buy them.

Do some women see Paula’s Choice as just another company selling face cream, just like I appear to be just another vet trying to sell kitten food? If Paula Begoun could choose between having women buy her products over learning to make informed, empowered decisions about every beauty purchase, I wonder if she’d choose the second one. Like, I don’t mind whether women get their colours analyzed by me, or not at all. It really doesn’t offend me in the least if you don’t buy my brand of cat food.

What I want more is to see women no longer trying to be what parents, spouses, jobs, and kids expected or want. My goal would be to see women become responsible for their own happiness and success, and stop factoring in everybody else’s demands and desires.

Do we have enough spare cash to play the odds that we’ll choose a great product from the store shelf array, knowing the odds are about 70:30 AGAINST US? I think this is one of the most common, though we’d deny it.

Are we worried about hurting the Lancome lady’s feelings because we’ve always bought mascara from her?

Would it bother you at all to know that the soap/cream/sunscreen you used today is an “antiquated mess of a formula” (name of product withheld by Beautypedia copyright) (but I would bet 70% of us have used it and 30% of us continue to buy it)?

IMO, at the deepest core of the issue is that we excuse and forgive, over and over. Just as we do with everyone and everything in our lives, we can’t draw a line and say ENOUGH. We just come back for more until we’ve been wronged so thoroughly that me might react…and even then, we usually won’t. That is what they use to keep us buying.

Tell me. Tell me privately. Why do you not research a face product before you buy? Why do you not subscribe to Beautypedia?

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© 2007–2009, Christine Scaman. All rights reserved.

Paula’s Choice Hydrating Treatment Mask is what you hope moisturizing masks will turn out to be when you buy them but somehow they never quite deliver. It leaves your skin the way you hope wonderful moisturizers will but with a more lasting effect. This mask is a hybrid of the most effective cream you’ve ever used and a fantastic softening mask. There is not a trace of greasiness. The feeling is more of drawing water from the air.

My skin is generally oily. I haven’t much need for hydrating masks. But there is no product that comes close to the performance of this one when

-       I’ve gotten too exuberant with the exfoliants and my skin is very sensitive and a bit inflamed. Even my regular non-irritating products will sting, but not this wonderful stuff. Wear this for a couple of night and I promise you, your skin will feel baby-ish – moist, plumped, relaxed. It allows a very healing environment. Each morning, I can tell that my skin has healed significantly just overnight.

-       It’s a case of sunburned skin, which should never happen but if you believe that, you don’t have children. The product applies very soft and velvety. It doesn’t sting, spreads easily, is not greasy or slippy, and feels calming and cooling to skin.

-       I do my usual  Skin Balancing Carbon Mask which is quite lovely in a green-black swamp mud sort of way. I place this around my eyes as an eye mask. I gob it on but it’s thick enough to not migrate into your eyes even if the mask is on an hour because you forgot it and the green stuff is crunchy and itchy but your book is so good you didn’t rinse it off. The consistency is of a thick cream, like DQ soft ice cream. It holds a formed swirly shape.

-       My children had very very dry skin as toddlers and one still does to this day. Chlorinated pools are particularly offensive. You know those patches of scaly, itchy skin they get on their back? Nothing, and I mean nothing, solved the problem as well as this product. I tried Eucerin. Dormer. Keri. Shea. Akerat. Hydrocortisone. Curel. Lubriderm. Body Shop Butters, though I was averse to using something scented. This is the stuff they ask for. All 3 have a tube by their bed. They haven’t outgrown the dry chapped hands in winter tendency but we have the solution for all these problems.

-       I want the best hand and foot cream I know. Sleeping with socks is more than I can bear but with this mask, I don’t need to because it stays put. I add a few drops of lavender or rose oil for this purpose only, barricade the door to  my room, and dare someone to get me out of bed. Wear this at night and the Pure Mineral Sunscreen SPF 15 in the day and your kids will very soon stop telling you that you have old lady hands. These are 2 of the most skin-soothing products I know, no matter how sensitive or irritated the skin might be.

-       You have a friend whose skin reacts to everything she puts on it. This is the only thing that doesn’t require a few days of indecision about whether it will irritate. She can tell almost immediately that it will be fine. She uses it as her everyday moisturizer. I was glad to give her some to try. I gave her the whole tube 4 days later. Many of you with reactive or sensitive skin will do the same when you see how your skin looks and feels after replacing your moisturizer with this for 3 days. (Of course, it contains no sunscreen so either you use that as well in the daytime, or just use this for a few nights and leave your day routine as is.)

-       Your husband is going out with skin so dry that it looks like it has a layer of chalk on it. God knows why that would be after scrubbing his face with Irish Spring. It has no scent and it won’t get in his eyes or make his face shine. He can feel the effect so quickly that he figures he’s getting some bang for his buck. Thankfully, neither the bottle nor cream are peachy pink, so with the words turned towards the wall, the tube can live on his bathroom shelf.

It doesn’t apply thick and white and masky. It goes on invisibly in a thin layer and translucent in a thicker layer, but it’s not white like sunscreen can be. There is absolutely no color residue. It feels much more soft and velvety than any other cream or mask I know, including Paula’s other creams. The texture really is quite unique, more like whipped cream rather than oil. You can put makeup over it within 5 minutes if you want to and there would be no trace of color. I never ever rinse it off, though you could, like any mask.

I believe this is one of the superstars of Paula’s lineup, I really do.

Do you know that cleansers and toners are 25% off in March AND shipping is $3 on all orders? So, that’s Canadian money at par and free shipping from a US site. The next step is obvious. Lay in your summer supplies and pick up a tube of this mask. You will not regret it.

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On October 17th, I told you about my purchases from Paula’s Choice 50% Sale page (Friday’s Gift Better Be Good). It seems the company is shifting its position more closely to its original mission of producing the finest skin care products at the fairest price. I think it’s a good plan. The beauty business must be tough enough, let alone doing it over the internet. 

I didn’t buy many of the makeup items because I’ve been scared off by so many unhappy purchases from Avon, where you can’t handle the real product before you buy.  Samples are helpful but add another step to the purchase process, and by then you’ve found the product elsewhere. Returns from Canada are always a pain.

Anyhow, I did buy the Toffee lipliner. It is GREAT! A light flesh-tone a la Kevyn Aucoin that goes on with good opacity, and disappears into lips. Do you know the wonder of Aucoin’s work? You can read more about him  in the article Kevyn Aucoin : Anything is Possible. Words cannot describe the fine man and makeup artist that he was.

Have you ever looked at Aucoin’s makeup and colors in a store? They look a little strange in the display but freakishly couture on the skin. It shows a masterful undertstanding of makeup and skin coloration which I completely aspire to. I’d be lying if I said I come close to grasping it, but W-O-W.

Other colors look spineless by comparison, but I understand why that is. The consumer is the mass market, not a population of makeup artists, so colors and textures have to be blander or women like me wouldn’t know how to use the product. Have you ever seen Kevyn’s Sensual Skin Enhancer? I am dying to buy some but cannot figure out which color to buy. It looks a bit like glistening putty.

Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer

To assist us, we have the cosmetician. Her makeup has a Tammy Faye resemblance, like a thick yellow layer on her face that seems to magnify every pore. It makes it hard to concentrate on anything else. If you scraped your thumbnail along her cheek, you’d have a big gob of rainbow gunk to wipe off. There are 2 smears of blush right across the cheekbones upon which rest the mandatory magenta rectangular glasses with jewels embedded in the bars. The lipliner, which is probably scented, is present in abundance. There is lots of gold, most notably in the form of a chain you could use to drag a tree stump out of a ditch. You know the obligatory Chanel bag is stashed back there somewhere.

Oh my. This individual is not coming from my imagination. In her defense, she quickly and correctly identified me as being from another planet, wished me fun, and left me to play. I left without the SSE.

My apologies, I always seem to digress…

 The Toffee lipliner (not scented) stays put for 2-3 hours, even with gloss over top, a cup of green tea, and a morning of non-stop appointments. The color is quite shockingly neutral, not at all pink or orange. I may reapply the gloss or lipstick, but the liner is still doing its job. Among lipliner’s duties, one of the most important is to not draw attention to itself and this product does that admirably.  Check out this fantastic color.

L to R, Clarins 03 Naturel-Just Nude, L'Oreal The Sexy Beiges, Paula's Choice Toffee

Same colors, L to R, as picture above.

You can sample this, but even if you don’t, you’re only out $3.98 (and remember there’s a colorless option (not on sale)).

I ordered 8 of them.  Shut up, did I really? Oh, yes I did. And everything’s 10% off in November. I’ve decided I need more moisture, so I bought the Skin Recovery and Moisture Boost Toners, as well as the jumbo bottles of Skin Recovery and Skin Balancing Normal/Dry Cleansers. Every winter, my skin feels drier. This year, I’m doing something about it.

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            Back in September, I posted an article about eye makeup for older women in The First 4 Ways To Modify Makeup For Age.

Aging faces develop sharper angles because the layer of fat under the skin becomes thinner with time. Applying makeup with sharp lines and edges, be it poorly blended blush or a sharp edge of eyeliner, only emphasizes this feature of aging. Soft blurred edges that dissolve into one another flatter a mature face. This look is more softly rounded which imparts a youthfulness.

I agree with Lauren Hutton that sheer colors are more attractive that a heavy color deposit. When I say “a soft look”, I don’t mean dusty or watery colors. In most cases, unless you’re a Summer, dilute colors add no liveliness to the face at all. “Soft” here means a light hand in putting on the product and using products that don’t put down a heavy layer of pigment. The colors are pure and vibrant but the consistency is diaphanous, or sheer.

 Today’s four are about the mouth.

 1. Easy on the lipstick. Steer clear of too much or too dark. This is a very difficult look to pull off  unless you really know how to balance the rest of the face.  Watch out for “old lady” cliché colors like frosty coral, flat pink, and the nondescript burgundy-dusty rose blend.

 Since I don’t have time to reapply lip products ever few minutes, but I find a soft, natural color becoming, I look for long-lasting glosses that work (Clinique Glosswear, L’Oreal Color Juice, and L’Oreal Infallible being among of the best in the affordable category) and use lipliner on the whole lip first.

Gloss is often marketed to younger women, so the colors tend to be fresher. The tradeoff is that it’s very difficult to find gloss without frost or sparkle. The cosmetics industry is producing makeup for 25 year olds. Hey, anyone want to put together a makeup line for us? I’m in.

Stick with colors in your season. Once you know which color type you belong to, you can choose colors that are very true (but sheer! they’re not the same, right?) and look great.

 A Summer might look at L’Oreal Color Juice in Watermelon Crush. Summer is the group where frost doesn’t add anything. Their coloring is so soft that anything harsh is jarring. 

A Spring is looking for a peachy pink. A light gold shimmer is nice on a Spring. Look at MAC Lustreglass in Instant Gold.

 An Autumn does better with some metallic than any other because the whole look is toasty, like this.

Metallic goes overboard all too easily in today’s shimmer swamp. Subtle shimmer is always better.

Look at Almay Ideal Gloss in Bronze Shimmer or Lise Watier Plumpissimo Gloss in Bronze. Warm orange-red looks good too, especially for darker Autumns who need more color in makeup to coordinate with the extra intensity in their natural coloring.

It could be this, but even more red.

 A Winter wears icy pink, like the lightest shades here, in her clothing. It looks gorgeous. As lipstick, it’s too faded. For any season, mouth color that is lighter than skin color is hard to do well. A makeup artist could probably balance this look with a stronger eye, but that’s not you and me for every day.

 Candy Cane Red is great.

A bright clear blue-pink is also good.

L’Oreal Colour Juice in Raspberry Smash and Tutti Frutti are worth looking at. 

If your lip color bleeds easily, gloss won’t work well. The colors stay the same, but you need to look for more tenacious formulas. Revlon’s Color Stay and Color Stay Sheers will get you there. And of course, there’s every imaginable texture in between.

 2. Place light concealer at the corners of the mouth and along the outer edges of the lower lip.  There are entire articles in this site on the Light Concealer’s ability to create a face lift effect. You still have to work with your own face. For instance, if the nose is thin, don’t put a stripe of light concealer, or shimmer either, down the center or your nose will look even thinner.

 Some application spots apply to all of us, some more than others of course, and are easy to forget. Remember to blend light concealer at the corner of the mouth and continue it under the outer edges of the lower lip. The corners of the mouth often turn down a little with time and it can look severe. This technique is anti-aging because it lifts the corners up a little, brings some light, and makes the lower lip look fuller and more supported.

3. Discover a very effective anti-bleed lip liner. Choose a shade in the same color as the lips or a colorless product, to offset lip color’s tendency to move into cracks. Don’t spend a lot of money on this product. The best ones are often the cheaper ones. Search MUA and Beautypedia to find the lipliners that really work to prevent lipstick from bleeding into lines around the mouth. With a clear product, you could even apply it a little outside your natural lip line. Who would know? 

The easiest place to buy a great clear one is from Paula’s Choice – works great, feels great, no sharpening, really does last, good price point. This is one of those you can buy several of the first time out. 

 4. Using concealer instead of lip liner to keep lipstick in place. If you don’t care for lip liner, another way to keep lip color from wandering is to apply a thin layer of concealer all around the lips and blend it out really well.

If you look carefully at lipstick ads, you can almost see it, because it makes the lips come out more, as will any light color. This idea is best reserved for women with a small mouth or thin lips.

A thick concealer will look heavy on lined skin, definitely not helpful. MAC Select Cover-Up comes in great colors, is thin in consistency, and doesn’t move once it’s dry.

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© 2007–2008, Christine Scaman. All rights reserved.

Hallelujah!! What kind of women are we?!?

A Happy Dance will not suffice.

Have you checked in with Paula lately?

Hello Joe Mama !  Till the end of October, shipping is $3 on any order large or small, 5%  is donated to breast cancer research, and have you checked the 50% off page lately?

Pour a glass of red wine, sit down in front of your computer, and go look.

 For $39 total, I bought

1 Sheer Matte Blush in Flawless Nude : $4.98 .( These are gorgeously sheer, great players in building the watercolor diffusion that I think makeup should be. Hover your mouse over each color swatch on the page to read the verbal description of the color. It helps.)

3 Silky Start Sugar Scrub (stocking stuffers, home pedicures, teacher gifts!!)  : $5.48 (Anyone buying Fresh Brown Sugar Body Polish? It costs $ WHAT??? $65 a jar.)

 Oh, is that all?? Dying here.

Long Lasting Anti-Feather Lip Liner in Toffee (I have high hopes for this one. If it’s wonderful, I’m going to order 10 more, still on $3 shipping till Halloween) : $3.98 . Women with pink undertones should look at Mocha, at least from the color on my monitor. “Mocha” implies that it might be brown, so test it first.

Longevity Base and Top Coat : $3.98. (dibutyl phthalate and toluene – free ; do I know what that means? certainly not, but I’m sure I don’t want them on my hands or in my children’s lungs. Sheer Crystal and Sheer Lilac would be pretty for little girls who like nail polish.) [UPDATE: Nail polish cannot be sent into Canada.]

Soft Matte Eyeshadow in Beige : $4.48. (A perfect classic neutral is worth more than that.)

Sheer Shimmer Illuminating Liquid in Glistening Bronze : $5.48.( I’m on my third tube of this stuff. For warm complexions, fair to medium, it is perfect.)

 There’s loads more on sale.  Whether you’re a lover of neutrals like me, or you crave brighter shades, you’ll have trouble making choices. I’m already kicking myself for not buying the Sheer Matte  Blush in Rose Whisper, but I have 15 days left. If you’re a Spring, take a good look at this one, it’s a lovely soft warm pink. Summers would give some thought to Translucent Rose.  Autumns and Winters, look at the Charcoal Brown shadow- a brilliant eyeliner color. Get them while the getting’s good.

I hope you’ll wake up tomorrow and not have anywhere to be, at least till after lunch. May your morning plans consist of nothing more than tea so strong, it’s syrup and so bitter, it’s Aspirin, with toast and honey, and some exercise to top it off.

Enjoy your home this weekend, whatever its shape.

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© 2007–2008, Christine Scaman. All rights reserved.

It’s “A Cheap Gift To You From You” every day this week ! We’ve survived September, one of the toughest months. We’re back to carrying the burden of our childrens’ social, athletic, academic, and artistic schedules and frustrations … oh, yes, and run our own lives as well.

Have you learned to expect that three weeks into school, the kids all get sick ? Even without kids, you’re exposed because the viruses disseminate like rockets.

Dammit, we deserve a gift. Throw this cleanser into the cart when you’re wondering if buying Motrin in bulk is somehow defeatist, or setting yourself up for a self-fulfilling prophecy you’ll regret.

Product Review : Neutrogena Extra Gentle Cleanser

A reader emailed to tell me that she called Neutrogena to inquire about animal testing policies. While they do not test their products, the parent company (Johnson&Johnson) does. I’m glad to know this because I can be more discerning when I shop (no J&J), while supporting subsidiaries with humane ethics.

A thick, creamy, white liquid,  this cleanser is just plain agreeable. It feels like you’re taking special care of yourself. It is so incredibly non-irritating that it crosses over to being calming to skin and soul.

You may feel like a slightly waxy layer on the skin as you rinse but once you’ve dried your face it’s not perceptible. I have noticed no breakouts or clogged pores or any other negative issues with its use.

For those of you, and you know you are, who are still using soap and water, try this one.

Don’t expect a great makeup remover. It is not that. On makeup days, I still use my Paula’s Choice One Step Balancing in the evening. This cleanser is just a very pleasant way to start the day.

Thank you for subscribing to A Greener Tea. If you are subscribing via email, please be aware that in order to comment on this thread, you will need to visit this post on the Web: A Cheap Gift To You From You. Replies via email will be seen only by Christine.

© 2007–2008, Christine Scaman. All rights reserved.

If I had to pick the one product that I most credit for allowing the age and behavior of my skin to proceed more gently, it would be this. Of the three Paula’s Choice products presented in this Unrivaled Products series (see the previous articles on Beta Hydroxy Acid Gel and Hydrating Treatment Cream), this one appears for its unbelievable ability to improve the look of skin.

 Several companies now make serums and some of them are probably pretty decent. But do you know one that is remarkable and  costs $22 per tube? I did look but couldn’t find a reason to jump this ship.

 Skin Recovery and Skin Balancing

 There is a version of the serum for Normal/Dry skin called Skin Recovery. I apply it around my eyes, and to throat, forearms/hands, and upper chest. Why, yes, I do buy 3 tubes at a time.

 The Normal/Oily product version is called Skin Balancing and I apply it to my face. The Balancing version contains some mattifying ingredients so you could wear it under makeup. It is equally fabulous. On truly oily skin, it could serve as moisturizer as well as serum.

For me, both serums go on at night after cleansing and toning. Then I read for 10 minutes, and follow with moisturizer : Skin Recovery Moisturizer everywhere the serum of the same name went and Hydrating Treatment Cream right on top of the Skin Balancing serum.

 There is a third serum called Super Antioxidant Concentrate Serum . It lives somewhere between the other two. You can read about it at Product FAQ. That’s oddly buried under Contact Us in the left column on the Paula’s Choice website. Click FAQ, then  the >> PRODUCTS >> Skin care >>Super Antioxidant Serums breadcrumbs. The information will help you find the right one for you.

 Across the horizontal bar at the top, follow the Learn >>Skin Care Facts >> Basics and Beyond >> Antioxidants and Free Radical Damage  trail to find a more detailed explanation.

What I absolutely love about the ingredient list (available for every product), like this one for Skin Balancing Serum is that the list includes not just the ingredient but also its purpose in the final composition. Somehow, they even managed to get the list printed on the back of the tube. The variety of oils and antioxidants makes this an unrivaled product and that’s before we discuss the price.

Read the product reviews below the ingredient list. Those women said it all and I corroborate every word.

 Prepare to be amazed. These serums are that good. If you don’t like them, you can always return them. But I don’t think you will.

Thank you for subscribing to A Greener Tea. If you are subscribing via email, please be aware that in order to comment on this thread, you will need to visit this post on the Web: Unrivaled Products 3 : Super Antioxidant Concentrate Serum. Replies via email will be seen only by Christine.

© 2007–2008, Christine Scaman. All rights reserved.

Debby wrote a comment recently to an article that got a lot of heat, Why Do You Want To Look Younger? She speaks for many women (the majority?) in that she avoids telling her age.

Paula and Avis at BeautyBunch

Interestingly, I’ve been looking at the Paula’s Choice blog at Beauty Bunch lately. The site is an introduction to Paula and a few members of the Paula’s Choice team away from the office. This is not a marketing site. Topics range from travels, to pets, many of whom come to the office each day, to the TV shows they follow. It’s intriguing to meet them in their regular lives. I didn’t expect to find that Paula would be funny.

2 recent posts are especially pertinent to Debby’s comment. The first is written by Paula herself, at My Thighs Are Not My Legacy.

 Avis Begoun, Paula’s sister, is the author of the second article, at Growing Old Well. Avis is a clinical psychologist who specializes in women’s issues, and seems a thoughtful, interesting woman.

I was so happy to see women rejecting the notion that aging must be a setback. Could there be a groundswell of us out there who will decline to buy into the idea that something bad is happening when we get older?

We are stronger, smarter, richer, more independent and empowered, less fearful, healthier, and more vibrant than women of our age have been at any time in history. Why in the world are we the sorriest about it too?

Is younger better?

The young take better pictures. Of that, there can be no doubt. As the inside gets richer, the veneer has taken a few nicks and scuffs.

They need less sleep. Among the top three things I’d change would be the need for 8 hours each night.

Do I care that I have lines around my eyes? Not really. How did these lines get to be so important? They have so little significance. We have so much to celebrate. Why is this what’s in our heads?

Brian Clark wrote an article about Innovation at Lateral Action, a site dedicated to achieving success through creativity and productivity. He had some things to say that are relevant to our topic, and he said them well (if you’re language-sensitive, don’t go there). In Rule Number 5, replace “khakis” with “wrinkles”. Pause for a moment at Rule Number 8 as well. 

Does Your Deeper Self care?

I am not leaving this life without having been the best parent I could be. It is my highest calling. Do my children care if I have lines around my eyes? Of course not. They expect it. Someone has to be the Moms and Dads. They want us to look like we can carry the load, instead of trying to run from it.

The deepest, strongest, most meaningful bonds between human beings are ignorant of lines around eyes. Superficial relationships might have a thing about it but is that a goal worth going after? Our skin records the events that have shaped us. The lines are the map to our soul and our spirit. In the lives of the people for whom you are a blessing and a gift, how high does your skin’s elasticity rank?

Is it downhill now?

What of the notion of being “past your prime”?  Hey, the hard part is behind you. You’re setting up for the best years if you let yourself enjoy them. Your voice is finally coming on strong. You have some time and some clarity. At 30, I was distracted, careful, nervous.  The great real estate looks to be ahead of me, not in the rearview mirror.

There is no need to believe you should have it all figured out. Nobody does. Ever. The best that you can hope for is to have a strong guiding light. The ability to find great happiness in the simplest things is an accomplishment by itself. It’s a big part of “having it all figured out”. Not only are you not “past it”, you’re just arriving. Don’t shut the door in your own face. It took you fifty years to get here!

Can you look at the women you interact with and see those who are retreating behind an age barrier (of their own imagining) and those who are just coming into their own, who seem happier every time you meet them? That’ s not good luck or good genetics. That’s a choice to let luck happen.

 Your thoughts are your choice

The more you think a certain way, the more a reality that supports that thought process will exist around you. Things will come to you a lot if you think about them a lot. You will attract a lot. Get your thoughts on the right path. Keep moving forward and adapting to something you’ve consciously decided to believe in.

Through your thoughts and your actions, better things can and will happen. It doesn’t start from a position of having sorted all the variables into their neat little slots. It’s an ongoing evolution in your own head but it begins with choice and determination that you need to energize. These won’t get done for you. The energy for the first step is your declaration to the Universe that your beliefs are about to change. You are the medium for whatever message you choose to send out so MAKE your choice. Build it yourself from the blocks on the table in front of you.

The wisdom of age

Are there are 70 year old women reading this? Have you any advice for us? I try to think about difficult decisions from the perspective of my older self looking back at my life. I’m sure I will not wish I’d spent more time at the office, had a cleaner house, or worried so much about my age. Besides, there never seems any sense in thinking about what you can’t change. The number’s only going to get bigger so we might as well come to grips with it.

Living in a material world

 As the gears of your life grind forward, don’t waste your own time caring about fluff. Think about all you’ve done and all that’s part of you that wasn’t there 20 years ago. People just see us as we see ourselves. Be fifty and LOVE your life and where you are in it.

This is your moment. Live it well.  Take a stand against the part of you, the concern with age, that you want to evict. Say your age like it’s a good thing. Dredge up enough pride in how far you’ve come and all you’ve learned to say the number like the achievement it is.

 Feel the love, sister.  It’s real and we’re all here together.

Thank you for subscribing to A Greener Tea. If you are subscribing via email, please be aware that in order to comment on this thread, you will need to visit this post on the Web: Do You Keep Your Age Secret?. Replies via email will be seen only by Christine.

© 2007–2008, Christine Scaman. All rights reserved.

Many of you are probably familiar with this huge resource. AGT’s Sites To Know list wouldn’t be complete without a mention of it.

If I’m buying any skin care or makeup product, there are 2 places I check first. They are Beautypedia at Paula’s Choice (PC) and Makeup Alley (MUA).

For skin care, Beautypedia gets 99% of the weight – see the article 4 Wrong Ways To Choose Skin Cream And 1 Way That Works. The composition takes precedence over almost any other factor and consumers cannot know, or evaluate, this information. Do you know you can get Beautypedia for 2 days for free?

For makeup, the 2 sites are weighted more evenly. Beautypedia is still ahead because Paula’s and Bryan’s reviews are just so dang good. The Search function is so well thought-out that it is a pleasure to use. Every color in the line being examined is evaluated, which make these reviews quite unique. You’re getting not only ingredient lists, but application, durability, and color selection on this site.

Makeup application is particular though. Everyone has different preferences. The consumer is much more able to appraise the product’s performance than with skin creams. The strength of MUA is the voice of so many end users.

Reviews range from 1 line to 1 page or more. These are regular women of all ages, not beauty editors who will drop $30 for a concealer. Everyone at MUA agrees that it B-L-O-W-S when you buy $30 mascara and hate it.

The products are rated on performance by the consumers that use them… the power of the internet, right? By all of us, for all of us. You can learn from a woman in Sweden or find a fellow Thierry Mugler Angel lover in Tokyo tonight, and chat with them for 4 hours for free.  Awestruck just thinking about it.

MUA is also a great resource for application techniques, color selection tips (especially if buying products online), with many reviews about the  specific colors themselves.

You’ll learn to scan both sites in seconds.

At PC, I select the product category I’m interested in, then Customize Search. There, I select only the reasonably priced Paula’s Picks, which show me the best of the best at a price point I am willing to get with.

At MUA, I start in Preferences along the left side margin, and choose “Show full list” rather than “ Auto Suggest”. That way, I can scan down all the brands without missing any. Back in the main page under Product Reviews, choose a category, and look down the brands and click on those of interest. When the list comes up, I look at the %  in the Buy Again column. If it’s over 75%, I’ll take a closer look. When scanning the reviews for each product, I often select only reviews by women over 40 since they’re more representative of what I’m looking for and what my own opinion is likely to be.

Like Beautypedia, MUA is about a lot more than makeup. Hair products can be found here, as can nail polish, self-tanner, candles, men’s products, and body care . Even toothpaste is here – with raves about Crest Whitening Plus Scope and many of the natural (non-animal-tested ) products.

This is one of my favorite ways of finding a new fragrance : just as I described above, I go through the company list and find those with rave reviews. It goes on my Test List. So I clicked on Prada and found Infusion D’Iris.

You do need to register at both sites. PC will cost a little money  but it’s big time worth it because you’ll get info you can’t find anywhere else and you will save a bundle. MUA is a free, fast, easy registration.

You will add to your list of U&P’s (user names and passwords) for both sites. Mine is 5 pages long, and this is for my convenience. I’d eat my hard drive (both of them!) if I ever lost that document.  Listen, Apple, what better use for a webcam than retinal scan technology?

Thank you for subscribing to A Greener Tea. If you are subscribing via email, please be aware that in order to comment on this thread, you will need to visit this post on the Web: Sites To Know : Makeup Alley. Replies via email will be seen only by Christine.

© 2007–2008, Christine Scaman. All rights reserved.

 We’d all like the skin we had when we were 20. We’d like the skin we had when we were 5, if it comes right down to it. But that’s not the deal. You can fight hard to preserve what you have, but you need a hefty bit of time and income at your disposal.

What I really look like.

Help from iPhoto.

 Makeup that looks fabulous changes with age just as everything else does. Your face is not the same as it was 20 years ago. It’s better. Your character is beginning to shine through. The makeup can take a back seat.

   I saw this post at Sugar Shock Beauty blog on How Not To Look Old.  Fabulous After 40 wrote this. (In a funny aside, I mistakenly typed in www.fabulousover40.com and found this. Damn, I got to get me a song!)

Once I gave it some thought, there seemed to be loads of ways to flatter mature faces with makeup. I came up with 12, which will be divided into 3 articles.

In no particular order, here are the first 4. They’re all about the eyes.

1. No powder under the eyes. It puts emphasis on wrinkles by drying the skin surface, making it less pliable. It also seems to make the creases look deeper.

A little powder under the inner corner to set the concealer is ok, but practice restraint. The whole area looks better, softer, more illuminated when it looks moist.

A dusting of powder over the upper eyelid so that eyeshadow doesn’t catch and deposit all in one place is a good idea, but not necessary if you don’t wear eyeshadow.

2. Moisturizer and more moisturizer under the eyes. Apply it several times a day, tapped on with a finger, right over the makeup. Paula’s Choice Hydrating Treatment Cream is lovely and light, and very effective because it has the ability to form a thin film of a perfect consistency (You can read about this is more detail in the article Unrivaled Products 2 : Hydrating Treatment Cream ).

Makeup seems to stay put, though I know you’d think it would smear all over. Just don’t get up too close to the eyeliner/mascara ; it’s not really a problem since you tap the cream right directly over the lines and those are more at and under the outside corner.

The trick is to use just a little film of it, and tap in up and down so the makeup underneath stays in place. Stay a good ½” away from the lower eyelid so none of the cream makes its way into your eyes or smudges your eye makeup. You’re tapping it in a wide arc from near the inner corner (very little or none at the inner corner), along the top rim of the cheekbone, under the eye, and up around near the outer corner, basically right over skin with lines.

The eye area looks moist but not oily. The lines are eased and less noticeable.

3. A concealer that blends with minimal effort is a necessity. Apply concealer over well moisturized skin. It is too easy for this product to look cakey and then lines are more obvious.

 Have a look here at this article about Ben Nye Neutralizer Crayon for  a nice product that blends with just a touch. Paula’s Choice Soft Cream Concealer is also very good. These are very skin friendly colors in a terrific product.

Bobbi Brown makes slightly heavier concealers in very decent colors. These are a little heavy but if you moisturize first, they blend out well.

Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer kit.

Check out this video at BB on how to choose and apply concealer. 

 I agree with her about the color. However, the idea of using 2 colors, one above the other, now…that seems like a lot of concealer, doesn’t it?

In my hands, the amount she applies looks heavy on skin that can’t take it well. The model in the video must be all of 20. I need to see Bobbi put that much product on my almost-50 skin. BUT, the Corrector that she applies before the Concealer deserves some consideration, and will get it in an upcoming article.

  As for Bobbi’s recommendation of powder after … I stick to my guns that over 40, you need to be careful. Creamy concealers do migrate into lines, but a very thin dusting of a very sheer and finely ground powder suffices. The touch of the tip of a warm finger during the day also deletes the line effect.

Many women prefer concealer to be exactly the color of foundation or a little lighter but I don’t. It’s often noticeable and I don’t think it sculpts the face in the best way possible. Concealers that dry and do not budge are favored as well, but for me, they’re just too hard to blend. I will have nothing to do with products that make me tug at my skin, especially around my eyes.

4. No shimmer under the eyes. There is no need to draw attention to this area. Do not go higher than the cheekbones with the product, and as you swing up and around the corner of the eye, stay far away from any skin that wrinkles when you smile.

Have a look at the AGT articles 6 Makeup Shimmer Do’s and 10 Wrong Ways To Use Shimmer In Makeup for more on this topic.

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© 2007–2008, Christine Scaman. All rights reserved.

This is one beautiful cream. In the article Unrivaled Products 1: Beta Hydroxy Acid Gel, 3 unrivaled skin care products for alluded to. This article will focus on the second item in the list. It appears among the 3 because of its incredible performance for the price.

As with all products made by Paula’s Choice, you can accept certain things as guaranteed. The formulation is state-of-the-art. The inclusion of high levels of ingredients known today to be of great benefit to the health and appearance of skin is certain. You won’t sweat over the price. No animal testing takes place at any stage of the development of the product.

 What you get with Hydrating Treatment Cream is a medium weight moisturizer that glides over the skin. It is so soft and smooth, not too rich, and completely non-greasy. It is the perfect all-purpose moisturizer. I use it every night on face/neck/upper chest/ and arms.

I have used it around my eyes, though I now use the Skin Recovery Moisturizer as an eye cream (take a look at the article The Best Eye Cream), only because I figure “the more emollient, the better; maybe it will keep the lines away longer”. Wishful thinking maybe, but I’ll use any ammunition I can get. Also, because the Skin Recovery is thicker, it doesn’t migrate into my eyes when I’m reading before bed, if I’ve gotten some too close to the edge of the eyelid.

 Since Hydrating has been my favorite cream for so many years, I’ve devised a couple other uses for it along the way. Both take advantage of the cream’s ability to form a very thin, weightless film.

 Line softener

 I never use powder anywhere under my eyes because the drying effect accentuates the wrinkles there. But, really, any product in that area seems to make the skin more prone to creasing, even concealer or foundation.

 After your makeup is on, put a tiny bit of this cream, like the size of a sesame seed, on the end of your 2 ring fingers. Smudge it round till it becomes a film, then tap it (with an up and down motion only) on the whole region at the outside of the eye just to the top edge of the cheekbone, and extending a little to the inside corner if the skin is lined there too. Can you see a marvelous, instant line-softening effect?

Be careful to stay at least 1/2″ or so away from the eyelid margin because the cream can wander into your eyes. While not painful, it blurs vision a little and will cause eyeliner and mascara to smudge more than usual.

Placement of Hydrating Treatment Cream

The area looks moist. Light shines off the top of the cheekbone without shimmer or frost, just to accentuate it a little. It still blends perfectly with the rest of the face. The makeup previously applied under the eye does not crease any more easily, or at all. In fact, I will do this process several times a day, especially in winter. It works incredibly well.

Make your own cream eyeshadows

 I use very few cream eyeshadows. I’ve never really found one I like enough to buy till very recently, though I do think the gleam is attractive… but it has to be a gleam. If it’s shimmery, unless the skin of your upper lids is very tight, it will only make the looser skin there more obvious. Most cream shadows are either too frosty, don’t blend out without some tugging, or don’t last well.

Here is a way of making a powder shadow have that moist appearance of cream.

  So apply your regular eyeshadow. Just as you did above, spread a small amount of Hydrating Treatment Cream between 2 fingers just to create a thin film. Now tap the cream over the eyeshadow. You really want a very, very thin film. The gleam will look very much like a cream eyeshadow application. The makeup doesn’t crease any more easily than before. Isn’t that good?

 Less is always more

You wouldn’t do both of these methods on the same day or you could risk looking a little greasy. But, really, both effects are so subtle and real-looking that even together, they would  not be overpowering. Both bring light to the eye, soften the skin so it seems to crease less (or less noticeably), and give an appearance of tight glowing skin.

 Cool products multi-tasking. Love it.

Thank you for subscribing to A Greener Tea. If you are subscribing via email, please be aware that in order to comment on this thread, you will need to visit this post on the Web: Unrivaled Products 2 : Hydrating Treatment Cream. Replies via email will be seen only by Christine.

© 2007–2008, Christine Scaman. All rights reserved.

Can I direct everyone’s attention to the Comment from Andrea Hofer, at the end of the Shill article?

Andrea is Paula Begoun’s Social Media Manager. She has posted a few notices in her comment that will be of interest. Take special notice of the free 2 day subscription to Beautypedia.

Why you should care about Beautypedia

Beautypedia is the online edition of Paula Begoun and Bryan Barron’s book, Don’t Go To The Cosmetics Counter Without Me , but believe me when I say it contains more. The book just couldn’t get any bigger without being hard to take upstairs, let alone shopping. There’s no limit to what the site can hold AND the site is updated daily.    

 I bought the book before I bought my Beautypedia subscription (there are articles regarding my thoughts about the book in these two articles, here for Part 1, and here for Part 2). Turns out I could sign up for Beautypedia at 50% off the usual price of about $25/year since I bought the book – and you can too; the offer is still valid, online or in a store. Now, there’s a deal at twice the price. Will I fork over $12/year to save an average of $30/month? Um, yeah. That’s called free money.

This offer is rather fabulous. You do realize this site includes reviews of almost every skin and beauty product in your home or at any store or website you visit, right?

We’re not talking only blush and face cream here. Hair care (yes, shampoo, conditioners, and styling products), lip balm, eyelash curlers, body lotion, men’s skin care… this is your online resource for what’s not worth your dime.

How I use it

When you get in, go to Categories. Scan down at the list just to get a sense of the range of products covered.

The Customize Search engine works incredibly well, one of the best Search functions I’ve seen on any site. If I’m looking to buy, say, Sunscreen : I click on that under Category, choose my skin type, choose Paula’s Picks (because why would I buy good if I can get extraordinary for the same money?), and de-select everything in the overpriced lineup. I get a pile of hits.  If I don’t see anything I like, I go back into Customize and widen the search by re-checking the boxes besides Very Good and Paula’s Pick/Overpriced.  Scan down the list of results, take a closer look at a few, and I’m off to the store.

Also to know about Beautypedia are

1.     There are e-mail bulletins for the updates that are constantly being added (about 30 products this week alone) , so don’t forget to sign up.

2.      The site contains background information about where the various lines originated, who’s behind them, who’s buying them, and what their philosophies (gimmicks, if you’re in Cynical Mode) are.  Look up Serious Skin Care, for a fun place to start. You will be in-the-know-and-then-some about the wheels and deals behind the scenes of the cosmetics industry.

Now start looking up everything in your makeup bag, your teenager’s skin care arsenal, your shower stall. You’re in for a good read and a few surprises.

Thanks Andrea, as well as everyone at Paula’s Choice!

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© 2007–2008, Christine Scaman. All rights reserved.

That was the title of a recent email. There was no text, but I think the title said it all. Excellent. I’ve been wondering when someone would ask.

What will I shill?

First, I had to look up the meaning of the word “shill”. The dictionary in my computer tells me that a shill is “an accomplice of a hawker, gambler, or swindler who acts as an enthusiastic customer to entice or encourage others”. The usage in everyday language is more relaxed, but still implies two agents working in concert to promote sales.

I’m not really a shill for products, any more than any woman who shares information that might be of help to other women in her community. Women have individual and particular tastes about products and that’s just fine.

Ideas

If I’m a shill for anything, it would be for ideas, though more as a proponent than for mutual financial benefit. An example is the idea that women belong to certain color groups, or seasons if you follow the outlines in Carole Jackson’s great book, Color Me Beautiful book. I am absolutely a believer.

[Edit April 22/09: A week ago, I finally became a color analyst myself. While I think Ms. Jackson's book is deserving of the popularity it achieved in the 1980's, the color analysis world has gotten much bigger for me. It now encompasses several different systems, each with its particular strengths.]

The Human Cooperative

I’ll also elbow my way to the head of the line for “Shills of the TED Conference” (TED home page here). The list of all the themes covered by speakers at TED are here, at the Themes A-Z. Whenever human beings leave behind all their hangups in the spirit of sharing, cooperation, and building something together, I want to be there. Watch Dan Gilbert tell us about happiness:

The internet

The internet itself is what I am the biggest shill for. It has brought us freedom of speech, idea, and expression. For all of us, by all of us, the ultimate democracy. It brings us the sublime creativity of our fellow human beings. Listen. It brings us this:

That video was uploaded to YouTube by Sethtann.

Now there’s a song of praise for you. A brotherhood of man. Amen.

Feeling a little tingle?

Where could it take us from here?

Do you know the book, The Cluetrain Manifesto (TCM) ? If that book is not my religion, then it is at least my anthem. I will write a review of it one day. You can read it online for free here . It is about the wonder and importance of the internet. The last paragraph sums up all that I am about, my reason for being. It lights up my life. On the home page, scroll on down to the 95 Theses. You’ll get the idea.

I proudly take my position as a shill for TCM. If you run a business, if you want to share an idea, if you spend any time on the internet even just browsing, if you want to sell something or buy something, if you have a human voice, read this book. Human conversation has been suppressed for too long by jargon-bleating, party-line-towing corporate robotics. Nobody’s listening anymore. They might as well be talking Klingon. We’re all talking to one another instead. I’ll be a shill for that community any day. It’s where I’d love AGT to go.

But why PC?

Because they understand, whether by accident or intention I’m not certain, what is written in that most excellent book. And although I recognize they’re not in it to lose money, I also believe that fundamentally, they sincerely want to empower women.

I don’t get paid by Paula’s Choice. They did agree to work with me because I want to learn how the internet works. Paula’s Choice doesn’t control what I say and never try to. They don’t suggest topics or coordinate their activity with mine. Because I also want to understand how money moves on the internet, Paula’s Choice agreed to help set up an affiliate program where I receive 8% of sales that link to Paula’s Choice (PC) through A Greener Tea (AGT).

I’m not sure how much I have so far, maybe $35 or so. It doesn’t matter. I just want to know how the links are set up, how the counters work, and what this language sounds like. They’ve been very patient despite my blunders and haven’t laughed when I tried to speak this new language.

So, why not Apple or Title Nine? They also make a product I like and they talk to us like we’re real. It’s because I’m really into skin care, you see. PC is a small, affable, flexible, and accessible group of people who talk to you in a real human voice. They have a position - you never wonder what they’re about. They behave with rare and refreshing transparency at every level. They are closer to TCM than any other corporation I know. A woman at the helm only enhances the image, but that’s just me.

Sure, there are many businesses like this. I just haven’t got round to inviting them to the picnic yet.

Thank you for subscribing to A Greener Tea. If you are subscribing via email, please be aware that in order to comment on this thread, you will need to visit this post on the Web: “So, You’re A Shill For Paula, Right?”. Replies via email will be seen only by Christine.

© 2007–2008, Christine Scaman. All rights reserved.

Linked to source.

Today, Beta Hydroxy Acid Exfoliants

For refining the texture of my skin, nothing compares to this product. Nothing even comes close. All the descriptive words, like clarity and evenness, have been used in so many cosmetic marketing campaigns for products that do nothing. Though we expect to see these words, we’ve become jaded to them. Specifically, what I notice is this :

- the skin on my face is smoother when I wash it in the morning, like I’ve used scrubbing grains but without the abraded feeling
- the color is more even, with less disparity between the light and dark patches
- the texture reflects light better (from the smoothness), so there’s a slight brightening effect
- pores seem a little less perceptible

The effect begins to be seen within 5 to 7 applications. The product is available as a lotion, gel, or liquid. Visit Paula’s Choice and choose BHA & AHA Exfoliants under Skin Care.

1% Beta Hydroxy Acid Gel

Understanding alpha and beta hydroxy acids

The difference between an alpha and beta hydroxyl acid solution is this : the alpha is a surface exfoliant. The beta, because of its ability to be soluble in oil, penetrates beneath the surface into the pores themselves, as well as being a mild surface exfoliant. You can learn by visiting Paula’s Choice and clicking Learn>>Skin Care Facts >> Blemishes>> Understanding Exfoliants.

Alpha and beta hydroxyl acids are considered chemical exfoliants, as opposed to a mechanical exfoliant like scrubbing grains The problem with surface scrubbing agents is that they can’t distinguish between dead and living tissue so you risk overdoing it.

Ineffective at the wrong pH

pH is a way of measuring how acid or alkaline something is. If the pH is not correct, neither the alpha or beta hydroxy acid exfoliants will have an effect. Good luck finding either type of exfoliant in a format that is unscented and of the correct pH to be effective, but the betas are especially difficult to find. The correct formulation is what makes the Paula’s Choice product such a find.

You have no way of finding this information on the container. The saleswoman often has no idea, but might take it on faith that “her company” wouldn’t make a worthless product. You’d be amazed how many hydroxy acid products are made with an ineffective pH. Why do they even bother?

Linked to source.

Choosing the right hydroxyl for you

In general, the alpha hydroxys, as surface exfoliants, are best for people with sun damage such as thick skin, fine surface wrinkling, or areas of pigmentation. There are no cures in cream form for any of these, but there is an anti-aging effect to be derived in that the skin damage is made less evident

Beta hydroxys are best for skin that develops blemishes as a result of clogged pores. On my skin, these work far better. I notice an improvement within 2 days. I do use an alpha product because I have sun damage and my skin is not sensitive, but I use it less often on my face, and more on my throat, upper chest, forearms, and hands.

I know many women including those with rosacea who use beta hydroxys with no sensitivity problem. This is probably because beta hydroxyl acids (salicylic acids) are related to aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) and have some of aspirin’s ability to reduce inflammation. If you skin reacts easily, just order a sample from Paula’s Choice and try it on a small area first. It costs pennies and might surprise you in the difference it can make.

The 2% is definitely stronger than the 1%. I use the 2% on the T-zone and the 1% on the rest of may face.

If you do not want to wear makeup, you might consider using this to improve the overall smoothness and coloring of your complexion. It is outstanding for blemishes which I get in summer because of all the sunscreen I wear.

No alternative

As consumers become more knowledgeable about everything, they apply pressure on the cosmetics industry to create products that work. It’s been a long time coming. Still, this remains one of the very few truly great beta hydroxy products for skin.

Thank you for subscribing to A Greener Tea. If you are subscribing via email, please be aware that in order to comment on this thread, you will need to visit this post on the Web: Unrivaled Products 1: Beta Hydroxy Acid Gel. Replies via email will be seen only by Christine.

© 2007–2008, Christine Scaman. All rights reserved.

Maybe I look like a bug, or at the very least like an Olsen twin. I don’t care. I will go to great lengths to protect my skin. This is a health issue, not an appearance issue.

Searching for Cruelty-Free

I wrote recently about Emily’s Living Cruelty Free blog in the article Sites To Know : Living Cruelty Free . I love the honesty of her reviews and her candor about how difficult it is to buy animal-friendly, despite how deeply most women care about this issue. Her great blog is my catalyst for trying to do better. This year, I’m going to try to buy only cruelty-free sunscreens. It might not be easy.

Sunscreen could be in a different category than cosmetics or fragrance, which are entirely about vanity. It could be considered pharmaceutical in some ways, and I do walk a moderate line about animal testing for medical purposes.

The Incumbents

I used Banana Boat Baby Tear Free SPF 50 last year. The children are like greased seals but it is very water resistant and is UVA/UVB protective, though not all Banana Boat products are. The company appears on the Caring Consumer Companies That Test list , so I’m hoping to find a cruelty-free equivalent. I regret that because in every other way, that product is the ultimate swimming-kids sunblock. You can still see the whiteness on them after an hour in water and they are not even pink at the end of the day.

My other standby was Neutrogena, also a company that does animal testing, also not participating in this year’s contest. Dove earns my respect for their Campaign for Real Beauty but they test on animals, so I’m trying to find alternatives for them as well. These companies still have a lot of room to move in the ethics department.

This Year’s Contenders

Luckily, there are many companies to choose from. Less fortunately, not all the testing information is easy to find. I look at the Leaping Bunny truly cruelty-free list. That is a very restrictive list. I’ve tried to buy Kiss My Face and Alba Botanica sun products in Canada and at 3 Target stores and cannot find it. I also studied the Companies That Don’t Test list at Caring Consumer.

From that list, at least for the less expensive, non-water-resistant products, I was left with Avon and Mary Kay. Have I missed some? Is this going to be this difficult?

Sunscreens must contain one of the 5 ingredients that protect against UVA rays. They are:

• titanium dioxide
• zinc oxide
• mexoryl
• avobenzone
• tinosorb

A sunscreen without one of those is not worth buying at any price.

Where does Paula stand

You all know that I like Paula’s Choice a lot. They present real-world solutions with an ethical and outspoken viewpoint that is so absent in the modern cosmetic industrys. And their product delivers.

I emailed Paula’s Choice to ask them to elaborate on their animal testing policy. Below is the reply from Paula’s assistant, Bryan Barron :

What I can confirm is that Paula’s Choice does not conduct animal testing on our finished products or at any stage of product development. We also do not contract with third parties to do any such testing on our behalf. In addition, we make charitable donations throughout the year to animal shelters and other such organizations.

I learned on Paula’s Sun Care Learn page ( read item 13 on this page) that SPF 30+ will be the maximum that sunscreen manufacturers can put on the label. In my next order from Paula’s Choice, I will order their water-resistant SPF 30+ product, called Extra Care Moisturizing Sunscreen SPF 30+. I’d be very happy to find a good substitute for Banana Boat.

Two points to remember

The first is to check your copy of Don’t Go To The Cosmetics Counter Without Me , the essential resource by Paula Begoun and Bryan Barron, to verify which products among any of the challengers are worth buying. The product must contain one of these 5 ingredients to be UVA-effective, listed above.

Also, learn about the Coolibar option in the AGT article Sites To Know : Coolibar, to provide even better background sun protection (and look stunningly accessorized in the sun).

Updates:

1. Avon’s Sun SPF 40 Sunscreen Lotion UVA/UVB is great. It’s not heavily fragranced, which is a hugely refreshing change from a lot of Avon face products that are overwhelmingly, headache-inducingly scented. The lotion is pleasant to apply, a little oily at first but that disappears and leaves the skin looking good. It is too oily for my face but women with drier skin might well love it.

The kids slop it on and I’m happy. It is not sweat-resistant, at least nothing compared to the Banana Boat Baby, so it might not be a great option for pool or beach days, but for regular use, it is excellent.

I know we’re supposed to reapply every 2 hours, and I’m working on it. It’s tough to do with real kids at a real beach, so I hope someone’s working on longer lasting substances. And while they’re at it, I hope they find a sunblock that doesn’t turn white clothing orange.

I’d show you a bottle but the Avon site is too convoluted. If I can’t find a product within 3 clicks, I stop. Outdoor care showed Bug Guard. I saw no Sunscreen category. I searched “sun” and it came up with 29 products but not this one. Irritating.

2. Paula’s Choice Pure Mineral SPF 15 is a cream with spectacular application properties, very calming to the skin. For anyone with skin or eye sensitivity to sunscreen, here’s your solution. If skin irritation from sunscreen has been your excuse for not wearing sunblock every single day, you’ve run out of excuses. Sunblock is THE anti-wrinkle anti-aging formula. You can’t make wrinkles go away once they’re there.

It looks white at first, but that’s gone in 15 min. You could put makeup over it without streaking. If your skin is oily, it might be too rich.

3. Paula’s Choice Extra Care Moisturizing Sunscreen SPF 30+ is labeled as water-resistant, and it is. This is the product shown in the picture above. I ordered 3 bottles, since all SPF products are 15% off for the month of June. I’m going to order 3 more. It is thick and creamy and stays on well.

The Banana Boat Baby product still has slightly better durability for long periods in water. For those busy beach days when it’s all I can do to get the children coated well once, I’ll probably stick with Banana Boat Baby. In every other way, this is a fantastic product, with the important inclusion of antioxidants to more completely prevent skin damage from sun.

>> cspics

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Linked to source

Bronzer is the best way to get that color. I think it’s also the most attractive. You can put it where you want it and never look burned. A real tan just looks old these days.

Despite your most diligent sunscreen efforts, skin has more color by the end of July than it does in early summer. An August bronzer may feel too colorful to wear now (or maybe we’re just not used to seeing it yet). . Finding light colored bronzers is challenging. Many of them are too brown, too peach, too deep, too pigmented. And those are the good ones. The rest are variations on orange, red, brown, and mud.

AboutFace Oil Control Face Powder (Tawny)

I saw Jenepher Reynolds last Christmas. I’ve mentioned Jenepher a few times because her approach as a makeup artist is to create a very wearable look . I was looking for a beige blush that could add a little color and act as contour as well, to heighten the angles of the face slightly. Jenepher uses the About Face Cosmetics line.

Makeup artist Jenepher Reynolds

I want to show you the beige blush I bought because it has turned out to be a perfect bronzer to welcome the summer. It is actually a face powder intended for women of slightly deeper coloring than mine. It has the slightest bit of golden peach, rather than being just a flat beige so it is ideal to warm up the face and define the features at the same time. It is very matte, quite sheer, and just flawless.

Jenepher’s studio is located at The Cocoon Esthetic Clinic in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. She can be reached by calling 902-569-2256.

Instead of applying it as a blush, I apply it the way I do a bronzer. That’s described a little further down.

Here is a picture of the 2 bronzers featured today, both on my arm. Please appreciate that this is a far heavier application than you would ever wear. Both colors are so wonderfully sheer that it would have been impossible to show you the color well unless without a very heavy layer.

Paula’s Choice Healthy Finish Pressed Bronzing Powder SPF 15 (Healthy Tan)

Now, you might prefer a tan color with no peach, since peach is a little pink and a little yellow. This pressed powder from Paula’s Choice is incredible. The application is completely blendable. It goes out quite sheer for women of softer coloring than mine. I’m not even careful with it, so well does it disappear into my skin.

Here is one fantastic color, a perfect soft golden beige. I mean, it is impressive for its absolute color neutrality. That fact, along with its sheerness allow it to blend with skin so you can’t even see it. The color is very natural. It has an SPF 15, which is good but of course you wouldn’t use it alone for sunblock.

Because the color is so believable, I apply it along the sides of my neck and on my upper chest if I’m wearing a low-neck or scoop-neck top. It evens out the skin color and provides some sunscreen, without adding so much color that it looks like blusher. This is a great and subtle way to make the face, neck, and upper chest match. It’s fast and easy. You’d have to break a sweat to get it wrong.

This product can be used as a contour as well but it is too neutral to work as a blush. You’d need some kind of rose accent high on the cheek or you could look a little flat. Actually, that’s probably true for any bronzer. The color neutrality of this one is what makes it unique.

In the picture below, the swatches are all applied in equal (heavy) quantity to compare the colors, and also to show you the bronzers next to a standard pressed face powder. I used Paula’s Choice Pressed Face Powder SPF 15 in Neutral, suitable for light to medium type coloring. You can see that the Healthy Tan swatch has more pigment but it is an extremely versatile golden brown for almost any light to medium skin.

If you’re a Summer

Remember what this coloring looks like? Your skin has pink undertones, rather than yellow. Your hair color is more ash, less warmed up with gold or chestnut. Check the excellent book Color Me Beautiful by Carole Jackson if you’re uncertain.

Where yellow gold looks great on Kate Hudson, it doesn’t suit Drew Barrymore. Kate could wear a cantaloupe-colored blouse, peach cheeks and lips, and look great. Drew would run screaming and find herself a pink top and a pink lipstick and cheek color. She doesn’t radiate yellow like Kate does.

Some summers are very fair, like Michele Pfeiffer. Her hair, eyes, and skin are all of a soft color intensity. Putting any powder on her with too much yellow in it will look a little jaundiced.

For women of very pale cool coloring, the best compromise is to buy a face powder that’s a little deeper than the perfect match. You’re looking for a soft beige. If you’d like to try the Paula’s Choice powder, just ask them to send you a sample. Look for Samples, in the left column under Shop Paula’s Choice. Since a natural tan is always a little golden, many summers will be able to wear Healthy Tan very well. Just follow with a cool rosy blush high on the cheekbone, a little closer to the center of the face than you might usually apply it, right under the eye.

A different way to apply bronzer

We’re told to apply bronzer where the sun would hit the face – so cheekbones, forehead, chin, bridge of nose. Somehow, that seems opposite to me. You don’t want brown cheeks or a glowing forehead.

You might try dusting a bronzer all around the outside edges of the face, and working it a little inward on the sides of the forehead, just under the cheekbones, just under the jawbones, along the sides of the nose, and a little on the chin. Then use what’s left on the brush to blend it really well on the rest of the face. Don’t forget to work a touch of color over your ears and around the back of the neck so there are no lines of demarcation.

This is me with the AboutFace bronzer. I look a little sideways because I’m hoping you can see it on the forehead, sides of the nose, and around the cheek (but not right on top of the cheek, that’s where the rose blush goes). And, because this is my life after all, there’s a kid bugging the photographer and I’m requesting that he cease and desist.

You can easily create an incredibly healthy and natural look to greet summer and transition seamlessly from winter pale into the stronger colors of deep summer. Enjoy these products. They are both superb.

[Edit April 22/09: A week ago, I finally became a color analyst myself. While I think Ms. Jackson's book is deserving of the popularity it achieved in the 1980's, the color analysis world has gotten much bigger for me. It now encompasses several different systems, each with its particular strengths.]

>> cspics

Thank you for subscribing to A Greener Tea. If you are subscribing via email, please be aware that in order to comment on this thread, you will need to visit this post on the Web: 2 Beautiful Bronzers for Early Summer. Replies via email will be seen only by Christine.

© 2007–2008, Christine Scaman. All rights reserved.