Is Home a State of Mind? Or Just A State?

Posted on October 10, 2018 by Catherine

Well, I have to say that the weekend trip to Cincinnati to see Oona was a successful one all around.

Ahhh..the weekend trip.  It’s great because only a carryon is needed!

And let me tell you something. It was hotter than July!  I ended up changing into shorts as soon as I arrived at Oona’s house! This outfit was way too warm!

She found the perfect wedding dress –it is spectacular and she was radiant when she wore it in the shop’s bridal suite.  I can’t give details away.  But I can assure you that when you finally see the dress on my daughter, it’ll take your breath away!

I’ll share a photo of Oona, on the right and her best friend and Maid of Honor Lauren on the left.  We were all relaxing with Mimosas and high-calorie food after the dress was purchased!

Dress and wedding plans withstanding, overall, it was a great weekend.  The night before I flew out to see her I received a text.  And it was one that made me realize no matter how independent the kids are, mom still has a purpose.  It was a text asking me to make dinner for Saturday night. How could I refuse that offer?

Note the “IF YOU SAY YES”–as if I’m gonna say “NO”!!  This is the greatness of being a mother.  Even when they are adults they still love mom’s cooking. And not only did I make ONE Nougatine–I made TWO!  Jake is making a stopover this weekend before heading to NYC on a business trip! It’s his favorite dessert!

It was also the weekend to be introduced to the newest addition to Oona and Sam’s family—their Goldendoodle puppy, Gracie.  And she’s the cutest little nugget I’ve ever seen.  Sam and Oona are epic doggie parents because Miss Gracie is already housetrained—in a week!  And she can sit and she listens!  They are far better dog parents than I ever was!

Look at this little nugget–meet Gracie!  Eight weeks old and the cutest puppy ever!

Drinking coffee in the morning, sitting down relaxing watching TV, running errands, getting dinner and dessert ready, enjoying drinks before dinner—it sounds very mundane but there comes a point in your life when your relationship with your child changes into an adult relationship and it’s one of those moments in life when you realize that it’s all just so good.

Hanging ’round in the AM enjoying cawfee with my daughter. It’s all grand!

Cincinnati is now my daughter’s home. It is the city where she works.  It is the city where she met her future husband.  It is the city where they purchased their home.  It is the city she has settled.   And when she and Sam raise their family, Cincinnati will be the city where their children will have their roots. It will be the foundation of their lives.

And they’ve made a lovely little home!

And I love the city where Oona lives.  The homes are older and have a ton of character.  There’s history in each and every home.  The neighborhoods surrounding downtown Cincy have history.  It’s charming and there are many areas going through growth.  It’s great to see and makes me very happy.

And we all know that if mommy is happy, the whole family is happy!

And as all great weekends come to an end, Sunday rolled around so quickly.

Grandma had to give Gracie departing kisses–I think she’s wondering why my hair changed from long and layered to a chin-length bob.  I travel with hair. It’s easier!

My grandpuppy wanted me to stay!

For the first time in a very long time that “Sunday night feeling” came over me a few hours early.  You know the feeling I’m talking about.  It’s that empty anxious feeling you get in your stomach with a touch of sadness and melancholy—and it only occurs on Sunday usually beginning late afternoon.  It happens more often in the winter than the summer too. I don’t know why—but it does!

Image result for sunday night feeling

True dat!  Sunday nights should be better spent so that feeling goes away!!!

I had that feeling as I exited the car and we kissed each other goodbye.  Entering the CVG (Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky) Airport though was a bit uplifting though.  Truth be told, it’s one of my favorite airports because it’s so dang manageable!   There’s never a line for check-in and the TSA lines, though long, move briskly with the only TSA agents I’ve ever come across that are all pleasant and friendly—they actually like their jobs!

I kid you not Sara Ducker and Thomas Gibson are Transportation Security Administration agents at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. This photo is from an article that was written in the Cincinnati Enquirer and it’s true.  This airport has THE friendliest TSA people ever!

There’s a tram to the gates but since I’m the laziest woman on earth who needs any form of exercise she can get, I always take the opportunity to walk to the gate!  And here’s where the airport gets really good.  The Cincy museum has dinosaur skeleton exhibits on loan.  I freaking love that airport.

The only thing that could make my more gleeful than this Mastodon skeleton would be the skeleton of a Woolly Mammoth!  

Best airport in the USA!

Back at the gate and preparing to board, the weekend played over in my mind like a cinematic big screen event.  And that Sunday feeling dissipated until I arrived back in Philly.

Back to Philly!

It’s difficult to put my finger on it but I’ve just never warmed up to the Philly area.  I live here but it isn’t home to me.  When we moved from Manhattan to New Jersey, I warmed up to the Pennington area because the kids were so young that eventually it was home for a while.

But my true home will always be New York.  I love New York.  The City. Long Island. Upstate—there isn’t one place in New York that I don’t love.

Image result for new york

I’ll always be a New York City girl!!

And when I arrived home, New York was waiting for me. Yeah. It was.

I’ll explain…

A couple of weeks ago, the folks at Messages in Metal reached out to me.  I thought it was a company that made messages out of metal sheeting to hang on the wall.  But, the company creates jewelry.  Affordable and quite nice. Here’s a link to the website so you can see the offerings. Messages in Metal Website  Anyway, I was asked if I would like to choose an item to review.

One of the most unique items the company makes is the state necklace.  You can have the state of your choice embellished with your local area code or with the word “home” or “love”—clearly a message on how you feel about your home state—or the state you’ve grown to love!

Montana.  Home of Area Code 406 and home of Messages in Metal

And after perusing the site, I decided to order a New York State necklace with the area code that I used for many, many years—the NYC area code of 212.  I chose the copper and silver model—simply because the combination of those two metals looked irresistible!

I love the combination of the copper and silver! It’s unique and sharp!

And I couldn’t have been happier!

The necklace came very well-packaged.

The necklace was delivered very quickly and the packaging secure!

In the big box was this smaller box..

…and in the smaller box was a velvet box with my necklace!

The workmanship is excellent—it’s definitely a high-quality product for an affordable price.

The necklace is weighted perfectly. It’s heavy enough that it hangs beautifully but doesn’t feel heavy!

The weight of the actual pendant is heavy enough so that the it lays flat and isn’t moving every which way when you move.  But it doesn’t feel heavy at all.

It’s honestly such a unique piece and I received many compliments and inquiries when I wore it to work.  Everyone agreed that the idea of your state with your area code was genius!

Although my photography skills leave much to be desired, I love the size of the necklace too. It isn’t large and is delicate enough to wear even for dressier occasions.  I wore it to work the past two days!!

For those who would want more of a traditional necklace, Messages in Metal offers Birthstone necklaces engraved with the names of children, or grandchildren or a significant other.  I’ll bet you could even have a necklace made with your dogs’ names too!

Gold Four Name With Birthstone Dog Tag

This dog-tag necklace is a great mom or grandmother gift.  Hmmmm.  I should get one with Ruby, Dorothy, and Chippy’s names on it–making it a true dog tag!

Integrity Silver Birthstone Name Tag Necklace

You can even gift yourself!

With the Holidays just around the corner, these necklaces would make great budget-friendly gifts.

If I were to order a Jake, Roman, and Oona necklace–this would be the one!  What do you think?

And they are made at home—in the USA!!

I think Mr. Bald Eagle wishes I were a bit lighter. Don’t worry, I’m back on Weight Watchers!

I want to thank Hallie from Messages in Metal for lifting my spirit after a memorable weekend with my daughter.

And after I put that necklace on, and came downstairs to have dinner with my husband, I realized that I was home. To the home that my husband and I made together!

Image result for atypical60 sunroom

And my favorite little nook at home is the sunroom!  It’s next to the kitchen and the heart of the home!

Anywhere your heart is—is home! And I hope you can see this little video of Gracie!!

 

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What’s in The Vault? It’s The Money I Saved and More!

Posted on October 3, 2018 by Catherine

Hi All!  Well, in my last post I did a review of all the new drug-store brand makeups I purchased.

One item was left out of the review mix because I was just too lazy to take my old eye makeup off and replace it with the new!

Sometimes I just take the wig off, take the bra off, leave the makeup on and chill!

And that new eyeshadow palette is part of The Vault Collection by Morphe.  It’s a collaboration with a very famous beauty guru—Jaclyn Hill.  Sorry to say that I don’t follow her because I’m not into that overly glamourous look and I think that’s what she’s into.

Image result for the vault collection

The Vault Collection from Morphe consists of four separate palettes.  The one I purchased is  Dark Magic on the bottom left.  

Actually, I’m sorry-not-sorry I don’t follow her.  For if I did, there’s a chance I would have passed this shadow palette curated by Jaclyn Hill.  Why would I have passed it by?  Apparently, there’s a lot of negativity with this palette.

Image result for jaclyn hill

Jaclyn Hill is a little bit over the glamour chart for me. But I would love to get my lips filled like hers.  Is she photoshopped or full of fillers?  I don’t know but the Vault palette I have is good so I’ll leave it at that!

Not from me though.  The palette was $15.00 and was worth every cent.  In fact, compared to the price of higher-end eyeshadow palettes, I was able to deposit more money into my savings vault!

A slim and pared-down palette–easy to store..

And the colors are right up my alley.  Neutrals and deeper-hued colors.

Here’s the swatched shadows:

From the top row of the palette.  You will notice that the color “poof” really looks like nothing. It goes on almost nude which makes a great base for the rest of the colors.  “Power cut” is a great metallic that can be applied as light as possible or full-on glitz.

And from the bottom row. It’s funny because in the lighting the colors “busted” and “inside job” look a like. Fact is “busted” is a gorgeous teal whereas “inside job” is a deep green–like a Christmas tree!

The colors look better swatched on my fingers.

Anyway, the past two days, I wore the shadows from this palette and I’ll tell you this–the colors can work as everyday neutrals with a bit of an edge.  I’ll show you.

This was yesterday’s look and you can see that the eyes are not overdone.  I did apply a bit of “power cut” on my lids. Who says women over 50 can’t wear shimmery shadow?

You can see how a light touch makes for a nice eye. I even managed to apply some shadow to the lower lid!

This morning I applied the shadow “Shhh” as a transitional shade from crease to under the brow bone.

“Shh” is a caramel brown–it’s got some brightness and even though it looks warm, it’s flattering to all.

 

Next up was the shade “potion”.  Its an olive green, which is a shade that usually looks so awful on me–but this is a bit on the brighter side so it worked out very nicely. I applied this to my crease.

Surprisingly “potion” is an olive green that works!

The first two shades applied and building up the eye.   Excuse the hair. I need to color my roots but wearing a wig every day makes me very lazy!

Next I dipped my finger into “power cut” and applied it to my lids.  This shade is absolutely gorgeous.  In my pro-aging, I’m finding that I really, really love the glimmery shades!

“Power cut” is my favorite shade of the palette. It’s just so beautiful and looks great on.  Applied lightly its so flattering and not over-the-top!

This photo is out of sequence but see how subtle the “power cut” shimmer shadow is on the lid?

The eyes were finished with  “Diversion” on the outside of the crease and along the bottom lash line!

“Diversion” is another shimmery shade.  It’s not as bold as “power cut” but it is well-pigmented and goes on nicely!

Bottom lid was lined with “diversion” and the entire eye look turned out perfectly for an everyday look!

Another look in better lighting.  I also want you to look at the lines around my eyes. They are there and not going anywhere.  Still–those lines will not stop me from wearing the makeup that I want to wear. I ignore my wrinkles for the most part!

And here’s today’s look.  The eyes look great for using a lower-end eyeshadow palette–don’t they?

When I tell you that I am now convinced that the lower-priced eyeshadows are just as good as the higher end–I’m not kidding.  Look.  How many of us are makeup artists?  How many of us are going to press events and fashion weeks?  The great majority of us are normal, average women living normal, average lives and having a wonderful time being us.  We want a look that is attractive, basic and nothing flambouyant.  I have to say that the “Dark Magic” palette I purchased was money well-spent.

What say you?  What are some of your favorite eye shadows that you didn’t spend a fortune on?

I’ll be packing for my weekend trip to Cincinnati tomorrow night.  Mother and daughter will be looking at wedding dresses!   And in closing today, I give you my new YouTube video on The Power of Wigs!  It explains a lot!

 

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More Praise For “Drug Store” Makeup—It’s Mature-Skin Friendly and Inexpensive!

Posted on September 30, 2018 by Catherine

One of the things I love to do as I delve deeper into pro-aging is playing around with makeup.  As you may know, I am a huge proponent of using cosmetics to enhance what we had in our youth and to look glowing in our maturity.  But more than that, makeup gives us a confidence.  When we look good we feel good.  And the entire process of how makeup can transform us is just incredibly fascinating and intriguing to me.

My toys.  Makeup and wigs! At least I’m not at the casino gambling my earnings away!

And as we get older, we do become wiser.  And I’ve acquired a bit of wisdom where makeup is concerned.

Oh yeah.  Now THIS is the face of wisdom………..in immature maturity!

These days, I’m leaning more and more toward the “drug store” or rather “lower-end” cosmetics.  It’s funny because both of those descriptions make the more inexpensive cosmetics sound either mediocre or lacking quality in the products.  But hear me out.

I used to be a kind of makeup snob.  My cosmetics purchases were made at high-end department stores and the brands that were purchased were 95 percent luxury brands.  Within the past year, I’ve learned something valuable though.  There isn’t much difference between the luxury brands and the lower-end brands.

class snob GIF

Will the luxury cosmetics cases be accompanying us in the lifeboats?  We’re makeup snobs!

Another thing that made me stop and turn around from the luxury brands is that they don’t care about my demographic.  Estee Lauder and Dior both stopped marketing to the mature woman and dropped us like hot potatoes to concentrate on selling to the demographic of the young, very young woman. With the exception of Lancôme bringing the beautiful Isabella Rossellini back as spokesperson, all the major cosmetics companies are catering to a younger demographic.

Image result for isabella rossellini lancome

Thank you, Lancome, for bringing back the beauty of pro-ager Isabella Rossellini.  I believe I need to revisit and get back to purchasing some Genifique Serum!  

Why then, should I support companies that don’t care about mature women?

I would rather spend less money on cosmetics and the way to do that is to purchase the lower-end products.  (And yes, I realize these companies don’t include older women but at least I’m not spending as much money)

But—enough about cosmepolitics, let’s concentrate on some of the purchases I’ve made recently.  I’ll tell you, every single one of these products is a winner—proving that you don’t need to spend a fortune.  It’s all about applying with a light touch and blending.  Also…if some products have less pigmentation, that means they are more buildable.

Here’s a few of the winners I’ve picked up recently and I did my face before I wrote this blog post will all of the products except the eye shadow palette.  I’ll review that separately:

Before I wrote this post, I washed off the makeup that I applied this morning and replaced with everything below–except the eye shadow!  I double-dog dare you to see the big difference between high-and low-end!

Revolution Base Stick Foundation.  At $9.00 this is one of the most inexpensive foundations of the lower-end.  The funny thing is that I almost passed it by but it reminded me of the old Max Factor Pan Stick foundation from years and years ago.  The Pan Stick was great for covering up pimples but that was it.  It was heavy and dry and looked like a mask—but then again, when you are 16 years old, you only need that stick for pimples!  Anyway, I was being sentimental when I decided to buy this.  I’m glad that I did.  Even though this is a stick—there is a satin finish that comes with it.  It has a nice feel on the skin because there’s some moisture in it. It’s not dry nor does it come off as matte after blending it in.  It applied much better with a blending sponge as opposed to a brush.  The brush was just too soft.  But—when I buffed it with a dense brush after applying with the sponge, the finish was beautiful.

The shade is F-3 and is very compatible with my skin tone.  I see that it is .21 oz in weight.  But–a small amount goes a long way..

…a view from the opened tube. It’s two-toned but glides on very blendable..

As you can see, the foundation has a dewiness to it. It isn’t a matte finish.  There is definitely some moisture working here too!! It blended into my face quite nicely!

Revolution Conceal and Define Concealer: As if I needed another concealer—but why not? This is $7.00—perhaps a bit higher than the average price I spend on drug store/lower-end concealers but I like Revolution’s products.  This is good.  It does the job and isn’t too thick.  A medium to low thickness in concealers works better for my mature skin because it doesn’t dry up or look heavy.  The shade, C-3 is a perfect one for my fair skin.  If you are fair skinned with pink undertones, this shade is fantastic!  The applicator is a riot though.  It’s an oversized doe-foot!  Surprisingly, it works so well to apply the product!  This blended very nicely. VERY nicely!!

In the above photo, the foundation stick is on top of the Revolution Conceal and Define concealer.  The concealer does come in a sizeable tube..

The oversized doe-foot applicator turned out to be a great little surprise. I though it may have been cumbersome but it wasn’t!

The shade, C-3 is a perfect shade for my pasty white skin!

The applicator worked like a charm. And the concealer is a great consistency. Not too thick. Not too thin!

Elf Blush Palette. The majority of blushes I own is cream blushes.  I have one powder blush by Laura Geller and I like it.  But I wanted another blush that was a bit more to the pink side.  It’s so hard to find a decent powder blush and I found this at Wegmans.  Coming in at $6.00, it’s a great buy.  The colors range in various shades of pink with the exception of one rather warm brownish/pink that makes a decent contour.  These blushes are buildable and with a light hand blend in very well.  The powders, thankfully, are not ashy.  This was a great find.

This blush palette by  elf comes in two shade selections, light and dark.  Naturally, the lighter of the two works better for fair skin.  At six bucks–this is a great foursome of blushes. Actually, a threesome of blushes and the brownish shade makes for a decent contour!

It’s got a decent mirror too!

Pointing to the pink shade I used for this post..

Check out the cheeks.  The blush looks great.  I didn’t put lipstick on till last!

Revolution Incandescent Face Quad Highlighting Palette.  WOW!!  At $15.00 the highlighters in this quad are bright enough to light up a village! Highlighters are my new fun makeup item and I’m telling you they were made for mature skin.  What’s great about them is that with a little bit brushed on the cheekbone and the nose and a bit on the forehead, they can give you a luminous and dewy-looking glow.  This quad—its just as good, if not better than many higher-end and pricey highlighters.  I’m so happy I purchased.  Revolution climbs higher up the ladder of quality with each passing year and the brand manages to keep the price point down.  This quad is absolutely beautiful and a complete winner. I wish I had purchased it before I wrote my post on Highlighters!

This highlighting palette is crazy great!  AT $15.00 it it worth every cent and then some. It’s better than most of the higher-end highlighters too!

 

Morphe, Jacklyn Hill The Vault Dark Magic Eyeshadow Palette.  This palette is $15.00. I have yet to use it but if the colors blend and look as good on my eyes as on my fingers then this is a great buy.  Eyeshadows in the higher-end have gotten so ridiculously expensive its criminal.   Some higher-end shadow palettes are $100 and up.  No effing way am I spending that kind of money on eye shadow when there are lower-end brands that I’ve been incredibly happy with.

The shades in this are beautiful and I love a dark eye.  I’m a neutral gal but lately I’ve been getting into more color on the eyes and the selection of this palette is stunning.  I’m also quite intrigued because there’s been a ton of controversy about these Jacklyn Hill/Morphe palettes.  Many youtubers are really giving this a lot of negativity—so we’ll see.  I purchased this today and was just too lazy to take my present eye makeup off and reapply!

Dark Magic Eyeshadow Palette from Morphe/Jacklyn Hill collaboration. There’s been a ton of drama over this but I love a dark eye and these shadows are pretty dark so it looks like this will work out well and for fifteen bucks it’s probably just as good as the “over $100” eyeshadow palettes–which I think is criminal that eyeshadow palettes are being sold for that much money. I’ll be reviewing this soon!

 

So yeah—you can make these lower-end products work and work just as well as the higher-ends.  All have great formulations, all are well-pigmented and remember, a light touch is all it takes. I stand my ground.  I refuse to give my hard-earned money to cosmetics companies that ignore my demographic.  If I’m gonna wear cosmetics, I’ll stick to the lower-end ones from now on.

Sorry not sorry!  My over 60-year old face is doing just fine with drugstore/lower-end brands! Nothing looks heavy or caked on.  It all looks good and that’s all we ask for!!

What’s your view on drugstore/lower end makeup?  Are you a makeup snob?  Aren’t you angry at the luxury brand cosmetics companies for ignoring us?  Do tell in the comments. It’ll be fun to get everyone’s opinions!

My recent YouTube video is up and running—I go into more depth about the Korean cushion foundation and the Laneige Cushion Brow!

 

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Go Ask Alice—She’s Not Ten Feet Tall But She’s A Great Head of Hair!

Posted on September 25, 2018 by Catherine

Two weeks ago I received a wig to review from my friends at Uniwigs Lavivid Collection.  Having two Carrie wigs from LaVivid, I can attest that the wigs are incredibly well-constructed and completely on trend.

Image result for atypical60 carrie wig

LaVivid’s very blonde Carrie–and I feel like a bombshell when I wear her!!

The wig I received is Alice—a new…. LOB (that’s cool talk for “long bob”) Now—me, being the queen of bobs also has a soft spot in my heart these longer-length bobs.  The length is a perfect choice for those who don’t want to go into the “too long” area with hair but don’t want something too short either.

This is Alice right out of the box after I snipped the lace off.  How impatient was I to try her?  Well, for starters, my nightie is inside out and I was just about to take my makeup off for the day!  She’s an adorable long bob!

Longer bobs are flattering to every face shape and they are a welcome change for the cooler weather.

Excuse the lighting please but it rained all day.  I have a very square jaw and with the strands pulled slightly forward on my face, Alice is incredibly flattering to the angular face shape!

As soon as I arrived home from work, I could not wait to get her out of the box and on my head.

In the box you can see how beautifully blended the colors are!  Notice she’s in a hairnet. I NEVER get rid of the hairnets that my wigs arrive in.  After every use, I put the wig back into the net. It helps retain the shape if I’m not going to wear it the next day!

The only manipulation that needed to be done was to trim the lace front.  I’m a fan of LaVivid’s lace fronts because it isn’t the soft silk type lace—this means it won’t roll back during the day!  Very important!

Here’s a photo of Alice in the shade Almond Frost.  I copied this from the LaVivid site so you could see the lace before it’s cut off! There isn’t a lot to cut either!

I also added a touch of powder to the front of the partial mono-top parting space because I like a slightly wider part.  Other than that, Alice was good to go in my wonderland!

No tweezing needed!!!  The parting space is fine–I just happen to like to add a bit of powder! But check out that hairline!

Now here’s the thing—I’m a huge fan of Permatease. It gives wigs a lift and adds volume.  It’s a layer of shorter strands of hair under the outer layer of hair.  I love this because big hair is my happy hair.  I was born in Queens, NY—a Borough of NYC and grew up on Long Island.  Both big-hair habitats.  It’s hard for some people to understand the love of huge, big, enormous hair.

Momma’s got some Permatease and seriously big hair here.  But not everyone wants hair this big.  I get that!!!

And many women who wear wigs do not like this quality in a wig.  For a number of wig wearers, it is a deal breaker.

So.  If you are of the group of women who prefer a wig without Permatease, boy, is Alice the hair for you!

No Permatease please!  But Alice doesn’t need it to look great!

She lies flat on the head without any lift.  But wait!  I thought this would be a huge issue for me and it turns out that it really isn’t.    She’s just fine the way she is!

Density.   Density is another quality I love in a wig.  My bio hair, when I had all of it was incredibly thick and dense.  Even now with my bald spots, the hair that remains is ridiculously thick and dense.  So, you can probably imagine my concern when I took a better look at Alice.

My big concern was that Alice would be sparse because she isn’t as dense as many of my other wigs.  I really gave this girl the once-over, the twice-over and the thrice-over.  She passed on all points!

She isn’t the densest wig I’ve ever worn.  However, she’s so well-constructed that she doesn’t need all that density.  My big concern was that, because she’s not ridiculously dense, the wefting would show.  Well—it doesn’t.  I wore her to work and asked co-workers if they could the wefting and nobody was able to. I had my husband take photos of the wig from the back so you could see that it’s true.  You absolutely cannot see any wefting at all. This is a solid wig.  The synthetic fibers are very close together so you can move freely without the fear of any tell-tale signs.

A view from behind.  You can’t see any wefting at all…

No thinning spots on this baby!!  She is tightly wound–in the best possible way!

The cap construction is super-comfortable.  A bit of stretch makes the cap large-head friendly.

The cap has some stretch making it larger-head friendly and the wefting is nice and close together.  It is well-constructed!

There are adjustable bands in the back and the ear tabs are larger, bendable, fabric-covered and comfortable. The wig also comes with two small combs that you can sew into the sides for more security, but honestly, the wig cap is such a great fit that you don’t need any extra help!

The two sew-in comes are in the little plastic bag in the middle.  LaVivid also sends woven wig caps!

Adjustable straps in the back for a better fit…

The soft ear tabs offer comfort and ease–especially for women who wear glasses!!!

The mono part is excellent.  The parting space is a good amount.  The only reason I used powder is that I like a very defined and exact part.  It’s a personal choice.

To the left is the monoparting space and next to that is the lace-reinforced top.  This is a very well-constructed head o’ hair!

The color.  Chocolate Caramel.  A medium to darker brown base with golden, caramel and blonde highlights throughout.  LaVivid got this right!  The colors are so well-blended, nothing chunky or uneven. The highlighted strands look as though you spent a fortune at the salon to get that perfect sun-kissed look.

That color though!!!  

 

The wig is lustrous without being shiny and silky without looking like doll hair.  Overall, Alice is a wonderland of hair!

There’s also good movement with this wig as well!

If you are looking or searching for a wig without Permatease that is on trend, modern, a great length and a beautiful color, I think you will love Alice!!! And remember–ladies of a certain age!  You can pull this off just as well as your younger peers!  Don’t let age get in the way of a longer-length wig.  You’ll look fabulous!!!

LOL–I thought my camera was broken because the photo is so fuzzy.  I had the phone in the kitchen and got butter on it!  Sorry about that!  But seriously–give Alice a try if you are looking for a wig with no Permatease!

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More Korean Beauty Products—And Randomness on This Last Day of Summer 2018

Posted on September 20, 2018 by Catherine

As I write this post, it is 7:15 on Thursday, September 20, 2018.  The last day of summer.  It isn’t light outside but not yet fully dark.  Just past twilight.  And it marks the end of the season.  Summer will linger, though, as she always does.  She never quite leaves quickly but takes her time.  We will still be wearing summer clothing—or at least I will for a while because I can’t stand the feel of being sweaty and hot with too many layers of clothing.

Here’s what I’ve been wearing at work this week.

Monday was rainy but hot and I didn’t care–I wore sandals anyway.  I needed to squeeze another wear out of them.  

Tuesday I went Body-con in this midi dress. It was still hot and the heeled sandals gave the look a better proportion!

Yesterday’s outfit was inspired by Chippy’s toys and let me tell you, I died in that green sweater!  It was cool in the morning but as the day went on, the temp hit the mid-80’s and I realized why I’m still wearing summer clothing!

And today, I was very comfy in a cotton skirt, a cotton blend short sleeved lightweight sweater and fake-tanned legs!!

And even though I’m dressed for summer, I’ll be inching into the cooler clothing shortly!!

I have to tell you, I’m loving the Korean Beauty products more and more.  My new additions are a cushion foundation and a blur/primer that I started using last week.

Magic Cushion Moisture Foundation with SPF 50 by Missha Cosmetics and Face Blur by Etude are both Korean products that I’m starting to become very fond of!

The cushion foundation is so beautifully hydrating and moisturizing that it feels like nothing!  Not full coverage but buildable, it manages to even out my rather uneven skin tone and stays put all day!

I’ve been using this lightweight and hydrating cushion foundation all week and so far–it’s great!

Let’s have a look….

It comes in a very sturdy and streamlined compact…

There are two compartments:  A top compartment holds the application sponge.

I have to say, the applicator sponge is good.  I dip it into the foundation and stiple it on, then blend in with the greatest foundation brush ever–iT cosmetics double-ended brush. The wider end for foundation and the smaller for concealer!

After applying the foundation with the sponge, I blend with the wider end of this fluffy brush!  Works like a charm!

A decent mirror is also housed in the compact..

And here’s the cushion foundation!  It looks darker but applies nicely for fair skin. This is Number 21.  Number 23 is slightly darker. Unfortunately the range is only the two shades.  I’m guessing its because Korean skin tones are very pale.  Hopefully the company will start creating darker foundations!

Image result for missha magic cushion 21 refills

Both shades are very light–I may go with 23 next time around!

Another plus of this cushion foundation is that refills can be purchased.  Two for $19.99 –making this a great companion for your travel kit or purse for touchups.

Missha M Magic Cushion Moisture Refill #21 (2pcs) + SoltreeBundle Natural Hemp Paper 50pcs

The refills-I’ll be ordering these from Amazon!  I added them to my Korean Beauty Products Idea List!

The blur/primer is from a brand named Etude.  It was $12.45 on Amazon—which is a great price.   I compare this to Fenty Beauty’s primer in that the two products are just about twinning in color.  A rosy hue that glides onto the face with a whitish tint but dissipates upon drying.  Both primers have a nice texture and are not greasy nor oily.  The Etude Blur is a bit more liquid than the Fenty but the Etude costs almost three times less than the Fenty.

The Etude Face Blur reminds me a lot of Fenty Beauty Primer.  The main differences are that the Fenty Primer is slightly thicker and more expensive!

Fenty on the top and the Face Blur on the bottom.  You can see that the Face Blur is not as thick but both products do a great job in priming the face!

At 1.23 oz. you get a decent amount of product for a low price!

A look at yesterday’s face. I used both the blur and the cushion foundation. Look closely, my freckles are still in view–I like that because this foundation isn’t full-coverage but still evens out my skin tone!  I used my EmilyNoel83 The Wants palette to do my eyes!  

And a closer look at Monday’s face with both products.  I’m happy because it really hydrates the skin and at our age, it’s all about the hydration!

Well, I finally got around to cleaning my makeup brushes.  It’s been a long time coming!  There’s something so luxurious about clean makeup brushes.

Can you find the brush that Chippy ate?  I used Suave Clarifying Shampoo to clean the brushes!!

But—there was one fail.  This Morphe fan brush.  When it was dirty it was great for applying highlighter.  But after I cleaned it, it frizzed!  Can you believe it?  All my life, until I started to wear wigs, I had to deal with frizzy hair.  Now I have to deal with a frizzy brush.  If anyone knows of a great fan brush—I would love it if you shared the information.

Can you believe how this brush frizzed?  No Morphe of this stuff for me!!

On the other hand, one of my favorite vloggers and beauty guru’s made me so happy!  I was included in one of her Instragam posts!!!!

Not only happy to be included in this post about The Want’s palette, but EmilyNoel83 included older women, guys and a great diverse mix!  That’s to be appreciated!!!

Well, tomorrow Roman comes back for the weekend.  He’s taking it easy for the last weekend before SNL resumes.  Then his weekends will be busy with work. I made cookies last night!   This diet of mine will never resume!!!!

When I wrote that it was a long time coming with the brush cleaning it reminded me of the Crosby, Stills and Nash song: Long Time Gone.  Remember this nugget of greatness? Have a great evening!!!

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Back in the Saddle (Shoes) Again!!

Posted on September 18, 2018 by Catherine

You know, it’s funny.  I was thinking about walking.  Not for exercise, but in general.  When out and about during the summer, my main choice of footwear is sandals.  I love them and my feet are always happy to have some much-needed freedom during the warmer months.

Image result for atypical60 sandals

Whether I’m wearing my Rondini sandals or..

 My Palm Beach sandals–my feet love the freedom that the summer allows!

When at work, I love my pointy-toed heels or ballet flats or perhaps a shoe with an edge. It depends on my mood and if I’m going casual or all-out professional.

Re-inventing the (w)heel

Heel to the Queen!!  That’s what they say when they see me coming into the closet every morning!

During the winter, it’s pretty-much the same, I don’t wear boots as much as I used to.  They feel very cumbersome on my feet if worn too long.  I keep the boots for short-term wearing.

Sneakers?  I have one pair.  Converse All-Stars.  A special low-top slip on. They are comfortable and, in the fall, and spring I wear them quite often.  But—after long periods of time walking around, the comfort level subsides.

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These cute Conversa All-Stars are the only sneakers I own and I love them, but they aren’t the most comfortable for walking around ALL day!

Loafers?  Yes!  I adore my old, broken, in Bass Weejuns and wear them on a constant basis.  As you know, I’m not a socks person so in the winter my feet get a bit cold—especially when we’re in New York or DC or even locally in Philly hoofing it on city streets.

Image result for atypical60 bass weejuns

These Weejuns are twenty years old.  Purchased in 1998 and I need to bring them to be repaired.  I can’t let go.  They are just so broken in but not the best shoe for walking around without socks in January or February!

And so…I started to think some more.

Hmmmm.  Let me think…….

Trust me, my closet is full of footwear and I don’t even need to make any purchases for the upcoming fall/winter season.  But…I wanted a shoe that would be comfortable for walking and yet fashionable.  A shoe that I could tie—being that my feet are narrow, I don’t want anything that’ll slide right off my feet.  In addition to that, we’ll be walking all over Paris in November.  I swear to you, I can’t stand sneakers—and I don’t want to spend the day walking around in Repetto ballet flats either because by the end of the day, the dogs can start to bark.

Image result for atypical60 repetto

I love my Repettos and wear them constantly but won’t spend the day walking in them!

What to do?  What to do?  And as I pondered, I thought about the shoes of my life.  The shoes I wore as a child to school.  The shoes I wore with my uniform.  And it hit me.  Why not saddle shoes?

Why not?  Who says that only schoolgirls can wear these?

These black and white oxfords have always looked good.  Wearing them with a uniform skirt, they were never “on trend” but they were never hideous enough to despise.

I dunno what school she goes to but the nuns would not allow us to wear red sweaters or tights because they were the color of the devil.  I think the “bad” color has changed to orange!

In the Forties and Fifties, they were a staple in both young girls and mature women’s wardrobe.  Maybe they were never considered chic or elegant, but they were more than a trend.  They were a classic look.

This photo was taken in 1939.  We all know who the cool girl is here–don’t we?

How come they aren’t popular anymore?  And what did I care if they were popular or not?  The saddle shoe seemed like a very pragmatic choice for me.  They could be dressed down, or casually dressed up a notch.

Now these ladies have a sense of style.  Loafers and saddle shoes–right up my alley, especially the brown oxfords–I had a pair of those one year that was worn with the uniform.  And those blouses–I want one!

And so, I hit the internet to see what, if any, kinds of saddle shoes could be found.  I found them alright.  And the price was a lot different than back when I was a student at St. Patrick’s School in Bay Shore, NY!

If saddle shoes were still $3.98, I have multiples!

The more I looked at them, the more I wanted a pair.

Imagine. I could play “A My Name Is Alice” with a pink Spalding ball while wearing Spalding saddle shoes!

And didn’t I hit pay dirt at Nordstrom Rack!  The day after I perused the net, I ran to Nordstrom Rack after work—it was by chance, actually.  I had to pick up some makeup at Ulta, and being that Nordstrom Rack is next store, I sauntered on over.

Being more of a “miss” day in the clothing department, I headed over to the shoes.  And what did I see?  In a box?  In the size 8 ½?  The Eastland Saddle Shoes I saw on the net.  For a fraction of the price!

Look what mommy found!!!

I tried them on.  They fit beautifully.  I ran to the cashier and upon entering my whip (that’s cool talk for car), I took them out of the box and caressed them like a mother caresses a newborn.  They felt so good.

And what happened when I wore them?  Due to the “Active Memory Foam” the shoes are lined with; my feet were miraculously comfy.  But the best is that I received compliments by the tons.

Oh look!  Eastland shoes are the same age as me!!  But boy is this Active Memory Foam comfortable.  It’s almost like wearing slippers!

And the foam is lined throughout the shoes!

The first time I wore them, I expected an eye-roll from the Frenchman.  However, Bonaparte mentioned that they were rather nice on my feet.  And when I went into Wegman’s to do some grocery shopping a couple of women stopped me to tell me that they loved my shoes because they brought back memories!

I’m dressed like a human Saddle Shoe!  White shorts. Black Tee.  Saddle Shoes!

When I wore them to work—everyone had something nice to say about these special shoes!  Again, women smiled as they said the shoes reminded them of their school days.  Quite a few women wanted to know where I bought them.

True. I wore them to work and everyone was so happy!  These shoes put everyone in a good mood!

And on our recent trip to DC (which I’m still working on another post about), I had a woman at the hotel go crazy with delight over the shoes.  At the Holocaust museum, my saddle shoes were the bright spot of a very somber visit.  Even at a quiet, reflective museum that tells a horrific story, women smiled and came up to me to tell me how much they loved my shoes.

I wore this outfit to DC and the next day to the Holocaust museum. It is very unusual to have so many random strangers approach me so favorably about my saddle shoes!  They need to be a little dirtied up though!

It dawned on me that these saddle shoes I bought made people happy because these plain, and rather unfashionable shoes brought memories to many.  Good memories.  Memories of a time when the only stress we had was if we studied enough for a test.

Ha cha cha cha cha!!!  I love these shoes!!!!

It’s amazing how one article of footwear can make so many smile—isn’t it?  And you know what?  I’m glad that I bought these.  During the winter, my saddle shoes will be getting a lot of wear, and I think they’ll make me, my feet, and everyone who spots them happy!

It’s fun to wear something that brings good memories.  These are for the bit of nostalgia in us all!

Don’t be afraid to wear something that isn’t presently in style—chances are, at one point it was.  Besides that, it may make others smile!

This song reminds me of how I felt when I first put these shoes on as an adult.  Huey Lewis and The News.  It’s Hip to be Square.   It certainly is!!

 

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In Like Finn—The Most Natural Wig You’ll Ever See!

Posted on September 16, 2018 by Catherine

It’s no secret that I’m thoroughly thankful for wigs.  Because of the irreversible damage I’ve done from the picking and pulling from Trichotillomania, the crown of my noggin is bald.  The hair ain’t ever growing back.

Image result for atypical60 hair loss

This was taken two years ago.  My noggin is more hairless these days!

Luckily, wigs have given me back self-esteem and more.  And I’ve made great friends with the people at Estetica Designs.  Last week, I was very honored to receive one of the brand’s new wigs to review.  I’ll be honest, I had a bit of trepidation simply because their bob, Jamison, is my number one favorite wig of all time.  It’s the hair I always wanted and never had.

Jamison, I still love you but there’s a new gal in town–and her name is Finn!

The hair I did have was coarse and wiry and wavy and curly.  There was a two-to-three-year period back in the mid to late 1980’s when my hair was cut to enhance the layers.  I have to admit that I loved that style.  It had pros and cons.  The pros were when the weather permitted, i.e., dry, no humidity, no precipitation, cooler weather, the style looked fantastic.  The cons were during those summer months of humidity and haze, the cut morphed into a mass of steel wool.

My 80’s hair in the summer. It got really big!

It was so much upkeep that eventually I let the cut grow out and wore my wavy hair loosely pulled back.

But despite those too-short bangs,  this style behaved so well in the cold weather. I didn’t even have to blow dry it!!  I really loved this style!

But back to the wig.

Estetica created a new layered wig and named her Finn.   My first impression of the stock photo was that the unit reminded me of how I used to wear my hair back in the 1980’s.  But since I have become so used to bobbed wigs, I was slightly unsure of how she would look. I’m going to tell you right now, I am not unsure anymore!

Let’s face it, I’ll never look as fetching as this model but the hair is sooooooo fine!!!

In fact, I’m in love with Finn.  And there are quite a few reasons why.

Let’s take a look at her and I’ll explain.

The layering is outstanding.  I do not know how they managed to design a wig with such intense layering, but the layering is soft.  It’s slightly choppy but not uneven.  It is layering at its best.

Take a look at this layering.  It’s absolutely stunning and it is layering done right!  The wave pattern is gorgeous and the color!!!

Here’s a better look at the back.  I could faint!

Another shot of the side.  The cascading of the layered waves is just perfect!  Better than real hair!

Wednesday night. Straight outta the box, I didn’t even put my fingers through.  I knew immediately that Finn was special!

Now…the color Estetica sent me is Caramel Kiss.  This happens to be one of my favorite wig shades of all time because it’s so incredibly flattering for all skin tones.  A medium brown base with lots of light brown and golden highlights—it’s the perfect color for those of us who do want to go a few shades lighter than our dark natural hair color that was befitting of us in our younger days, and as we’ve aged, we’ve realized that darker shades aren’t as flattering anymore.

Hot Diggity Dawg, Finn is just gorgeous for we of the mature demographic! And the Caramel Kiss color has got to be one of the greatest shades of all time!

The construction.  There’s permatease but not a lot.  In fact, the permatease helps to keep the rest of the wig in perfect proportion.  The layers give the wig some bigness and a bit of lift is important on the top so that the wig doesn’t appear uneven.

There’s a bit of Permatease in the crown.  Mommy loves that!  But the small amount really adds to the porportion of the wig!

The cap is comfortable as all get out.  Bendable ear tabs are made for a comfortable wear all day.  The lace front hairline is magnificent (as are all Estetica lace hairlines). Finn has a partial mono top which allows for multiple parting—whether in the middle or off to the side—whatever fits your face—you got it!

Bendable fabric covered ear tabs.  Comfortable and a friend to those of us who wear eyeglasses!

Dig that lace front.  Estetica has the best and most even hairlines.  The partial mono allows for multiple parting.

The soft lace at the crown also adds to the comfort and the wefting is nicely constructed as well.

The soft lace at the crown adds to the comfort –and keeps that permatease in place!

Adjustable bra straps to give the wig a better fit. When I put Finn on for the first time, she was a perfect fit.  There was no adjusting for me at all.  She’s large head friendly which is a good thing because quite a few wig brands have a very snug and more geared to the smaller head.

Adjustable straps in case you need a better fit and the wefting is nicely spaced!

She’s dense without being unmanageably thick.  The density is beautiful.

Dense without being overly thick.  

Again, the wave pattern is just so natural.

But there’s more.

The layers frame the face.  This is a gift for those of us with square faces and very angular jawlines.  The layers soften those square lines.  In addition, for those of us in the mature demographic, our aging faces lose the tightness we once had and we get those jowls.  The soft layering detracts from those jowls.

Finn is a miracle worker in softening a square face–hey, I don’t even have to contour!!

The length is perfect.  Below the jaw and resting on the shoulders.  I do not foresee any damage from textured sweaters with this—but we’ll see how she wears.

A perfect length Finn grazes the shoulders without being too long!

To test the waters, I wore her to work on Thursday—and Friday and the consensus was so positive. In fact…everyone loved her more than Jamison.  All votes from my coworkers were that Finn is the best and flattering wig I’ve ever worn.

I wore her to work and was bowled over by the compliments received!

See how natural she looks?  

The husband loves Finn.  His only “thing” is that he wishes I had a darker color.  This is for sentimental reasons.  When we first met, I had darker hair and he loves my hair slightly darker.  I’m very happy with Caramel Kiss!

Frenchman approved (but he still prefers a darker shade)–he is in love with these layers.  And check out the hairline!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

In fact, I can’t stop wearing her.  She’s been on my head all weekend.  She really changes my entire look -I honestly feel she makes me look a bit younger and softens my lines!!

Earlier this morning getting ready to run errands!  I can’t stop wearing her!!

My overall rating:  A++.  Finn is a wig that is flattering for women of all ages, but for the mature woman or the woman with a square face, she’s even more flattering.

Yup!  This is an A +++ all the way!

A little bit Farrah, a little bit shag a little bit 80’s and a lot bit beautiful!   I’m in like Finn!!

Image result for farrah fawcett hair

A bit of Farrah iconic hair!!

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A bit of the shag do!

Finn by Estetica Designs is definitely a winner.  If you are new to wigs or if you wear wigs regularly, this should be a part of your collection!

Here’s my YouTube review so you can get a better look at her!!!

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Let’s Talk Highlighters For The Mature Woman–You CAN Do This!!

Posted on September 11, 2018 by Catherine

If you aren’t familiar with highlighters, might I suggest you take a look at one of the many random photos on Instagram of makeup artists and you’ll get the full gist of what they are!

THE GLOWWWW

Source: Instagram/mariya.ae–This blogger made her entire face made up with highlighter.  It isn’t an attractive every-day look but this makeup trend has just gone completely out of hand! Why would such a beautiful woman do this?

Yes.  Those in the makeup community seem to overdo the highlighters.  I truly don’t think it is an attractive sight to see someone walking around as though they stepped into radioactive fluid.

Are we trying to look radioactive?

And I’m not too fond of walking around like the Tin Man from The Wizard of Oz unless it’s for a costume party.

Who could have ever predicted that The Tin Man look would come into cosmetic fashion?  It ain’t my thing–but I’m not against highlighters by any means!

But that’s just me.

Anyway, there’s a belief that the mature woman shouldn’t wear shimmery makeup.  As in the shimmery eyeshadows, lipsticks and highlighters. I put that belief straight into the trash bin with all those other things that mature women should not wear—like hoop earrings, miniskirts and bikinis!

Image result for makeup don'ts for older women

I almost needed a Depends when I saw this photo.  Airbrushed, photoshoped, botoxed and nowhere near upper 50’s or 60’s.  THIS is the beauty industry’s idea of the older woman.  But her highlighting is on point!

And I’m sure that ridiculous belief that our demographic shouldn’t be wearing these highlighting and illuminating products because the “experts” feel those products would accentuate and enhance our lines and wrinkles.

I’m dimly lit and that’s the way I like it!!

But we  do have lines and wrinkles so the objective here is to work with and around those lines so we don’t enhance the lines but that we enhance our bone structure and features.

And you know what? Highlighters can actually enhance the gorgeous bone structure  we have. They can illuminate your face and cast some dewiness.  A subtle touch is all you need.  Trust me on this one.

I am wearing the subtlest touch of highlighter here. I’ve worn it all summer because I love the soft glow when certain light hits your face!

My skin is on the dry side and now with the coming of the cooler weather, that dryness will surface and I’ve found, through trial and error that when used with a light touch, and applied subtly, highlighters can really make you look quite lovely.  The glow from the light detracts from the dryness giving a dewiness and an illumination that is very attractive on dry skin.

The lighting in this photo shows off my lines and wrinkles but I don’t give a $hit. I love the soft glow on my upper cheeks and my nose and it’s so understated!

There’s quite a bit in my little collection.  I’ve got powders and creams and they all serve a purpose.  Let’s take a look:

A look at my powder highlighters:  From top left  Laura Geller Baked Body Frosting, Jeffree Starr Skin Frost, Fenty Beauty Trophy Wife, Laura Geller Gelato Highlighter, Revolution Vivid Baked Highlighter.

And the non-powders:

From top left: NYX Bright Idea stick, iT cosmetics Hello Light Creme Illuminator, Wet n Wild Hello Halo and Revolution Cream Contour Palette (It’s got a great highlighter inside)

The powders, below,  Laura Geller’s Baked Body Frosting has a bronze glow that is fantastic on bare shoulders and legs in the summer.  It comes with a big puff but I like applying it with a hugh brush.  It’s a great product that lasts forever!

Laura Geller’s Baked Body Frosting is a true bronze that is flattering on all skin tones because when applied with a brush on shoulders, neck, legs, it just blends in and leaves a healthy glow.

Jeffree Starr’s Skin Frost in Sarcophagus.  This is my favorite powder highlighter.  It comes in a compact but the powder is so delicate and powdery soft.  All that’s needed is such a slight touch and it is beautiful.  I pretty much wear this every day!

I paid $29 for this and it was worth it because it’ll be around for a long time.  I use just a touch and it gives a subtle glow..

Swatched, it is very pigmented and that’s why I use such a light touch!  Everything about this is beautiful.

The Revolution Vivid Baked Highlighter has more of a pink tone.

Nicely pigmented, this is a great value for the money, I think I paid five bucks for this and it’s nice on top of a rosy blush.

Laura Geller Gelato–this runs around $26. I think that’s pricey considering it’s not a large amount of product but a small amount goes a long way.  For the record, I did not pay $26 for this–it was part of a kit that I purchased over a year ago.

More golden than rosy this is a nice summer highlighter–it’s got good pigmentation as well!

Fenty Beauty Trophy Wife.  As much as I love this–it works far better as an eyeshadow for me than a highlighter.  The yellow doesn’t look that great on my cheeks.  I think this is a wonderful highlighter for all women of color and women who are olive-toned.  For fair skin, this is a great eyeshadow for special occasions, date nights and holidays!

This packs a wallop!  But the gold is too yellow for my face. It’s a great eyeshadow though. Pigmented as all get out too!

The cream highlighters. These work well in the winter when skin has a tendancy to be dry.  In addition, they aren’t as pigmented as the powders so it gives just a hint of glow which is actually a great thing.

Revolution Ultra Cream Contour Palette. I LOVE this contour palette. It was $12 at Ulta. I purhased it at the end of the winter and in this palette is a great highlighter. I wore this alot during the cooler weather. It glides on the skin and gives a beautiful barely-there luminosity!

Wet n Wild Hello Halo.  I like this a lot–it was really inexpensive and gives a nice rosey glow over blush. Watch out though because the doe foot applicator takes up quite a bit of product!

More of a liquid than and actual cream, this casts a pretty rose glow and I wear it on top of blush. It looks great just under where my eyeglasses it on my cheeks!

It looks pretty but you have to go super light or quite a bit of product will be deposited as you can see!  Oops!

NYX Bright Idea.  I LOVE this cream stick illuninator!  I wore this a lot last winter. It’s very, very subtle and isn’t very pigmented but picks up a nice amount of glow!

I have a back up of this!  That’s how much I like this!!

You can see it isn’t very pigmented but it’s just so light and glowy and really picks up the light. If you are unsure about highlighters but would like to experiment, I strongly suggest buying this as your first highlighter!

iT Cosmetics Hello Light Creme Illuminator.  This is an unusual product because it really isn’t a true cream–or creme–it’s more of a powdery cream–or a cream with a powdery texture.  I’ve had this for a long time because it came with a brush and I’m a huge fan of iT brushes.

It isn’t super-pigmented but it has a very, very light glow–this is a good one for everyday.  It’s also good because it goes on so light that you can’t overdo it!

The highlighter goes on last when I do my “face” in the morning.  To add a bit of glow on the cheeks, I’ll use a rosier or pink-toned highlighter on top of my blush.

Ready for the office in subtle highlighter!  See–you CAN highlight without looking radioactive!

Other times, I’ll take my Morphe fan brush (it came in an inexpensive brush kit) and very lightly run the brush over a powdered highlighter. Then I’ll apply to my upper cheekbones, down my nose to the tip and a bit on the cupid’s bow area of my mouth.  All done extremely with a light touch.

This fan brush from Morphe was in a kit. It’s not the greatest quality but it gets the job done.  It doesn’t pick up a lot of product so it’s even better when it comes to highlighting!

Oh–before I forget–don’t forget to add some highlight and shimmer to your eyes.  The color I have swatched, Oh Heavens–did it for me. It was the shade that made me make the purchase of the palette and I’m so happy that I did!!

Oh Heavens–from The Wants eyeshadow palette by The Emily Edit from Revolution! It’s a gorgeous highlighting shadow!

Have fun with highlighters!  I swear, I’m having more fun with different products now than when I was younger–and for your, I’ve created another idea list from my Amazon page–here it is for you to peruse. I’ve added many of the items in this post and then some:  Highlighters and Illuminators Idea List

I’m cross-eyed as a bat naturally but I don’t care!  I love a bit of highlighter on the tip of my nose!  It’s all fun!  And we can’t take ourselves too seriously now, can we?  So go out and have fun!

That’s right ladies!  Go out and get lit!! But have fun and do it subtly!  All this talk about highlighters is reminding me of one of my favorite Spin Doctor songs–Pocket Full of Kryponite (Jimmy Olsen’s Blues)!

 

Posted in Fenty Beauty, Jeffree Starr Cosmetics, Laura Geller Cosmetics, Nyx, Revolution Cosmetics, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 18 Comments

THE Only Travel Palette That You Will Ever Need!

Posted on September 3, 2018 by Catherine

Do you have an at-the-ready travel bag of cosmetics?  If you do, then you know what I’m talking about.

My travel cosmetics bag, which I’ve edited!!

If you don’t, might I suggest creating one and stashing it in a weekender or piece of luggage that you regularly use.  Why?  Well, because when you have that travel stash of makeup and skin care, it’s just one less thing that you have to think about before traveling.

Hmmm. Did I pack my blush, concealer, contour, mascara, foundation, skincare, deodorant……..

 

Bonaparte and I are spending next weekend in D.C.  We haven’t been there in a while and he thought it would be a good time to visit, have a nice dinner and peruse a few museums.  Besides—today is our Wedding Anniversary and Labor Day Weekend is just not the weekend to get away for a quiet weekend together!

The first weekend in October, I’ll be flying to Cincy to assist Oona in looking for a wedding dress and in November the husband and I will be in Paris for the Thanksgiving weekend!

Image result for a line wedding dresses

If mommy has her way, Oona will be walking up the aisle in something like this.  Ohhhh.  Wait. It isn’t about me–it’s about Oona!!!

Worrying about what makeup I’ll bring is the last thing I want to be bothered with.

I do have a travel makeup collection. It’s housed in one of those hanging cosmetic bags which comes in so handy.  All that’s needed is a door knob to hang it over.

And in that bag is a small eyeshadow palette.  This palette served me well for many years.  Chippy snacked on the edges of the palette.  The palette dropped and the mirror broke but I still used it.  I’ve hit pan on two of the shadows and just hit pan on a third.  But the issue is that it’s by Urban Decay and I purchased it before my “fallout” with the brand.  (Urban Decay sent me  a condescending email after I inquired about why their 24/7 pencil was so hard to sharpen:  OMG It’s a Crisis). What I loved about the shadows in the small palette is that they were totally neutral. And I’m a fan of neutrals.

Chippy must have thought this was a candy bar because he munched on the edges…..

The mirror broke, I’ve hit pan on two shadows and just hit pan on Venus–but I absolutely refuse to purchase any more UD items–and trust me, I LOVED this palette!!

Besides that, when I’m traveling I don’t want to lug a ton of cosmetics around with me.  I also prefer traveling with drug-store brands rather than luxury brands.  It is simply because if I leave a luxury brand behind, I’ll be angry with myself for a while.  I honestly won’t feel that bad if I leave a less expensive product behind. And I’m not saying this to be snotty because I love my less pricey makeup–I just will feel worse about the amount of money spent!

Anyway, lately I’ve even been trying to cut the amount of “stuff” I carry in my travel makeup bag.  Unless I’m staying somewhere for two or three weeks, there’s not much I need other than foundation (and in the summer I don’t even bring foundation along on trips), eye makeup, blush, contour/bronzer, lip gloss and a few skincare items.

As far as skincare goes, I’ve got a massive amount of samples that come in handy while traveling.

Keep those samples in your travel bag–they come in very handy!!!

But cosmetics is another thing.  I’m a fan of eyeshadow palettes and God knows I have enough of them, but I’ve never bothered with a palette that would give me a complete look.

Until now.

Makeup Revolution, an affordable brand, is a brand that I’ve liked for a few years now. The eyeshadows are a good quality and nicely pigmented.  Basically, I’ve never had an issue with any of the products I’ve purchased.  I did purchase their banana powder but the yellow didn’t work for me—and I’ll be giving it to my daughter Oona because it’ll work very well with her complexion.  But back to the palette.

Revolution’s Cream Contour Palette is incredible!  The shades are so cool-skin friendly and just blend so well…

Image result for atypical60 makeup revolution

One of the Revolution Palettes made my Best of List.  I’ve since hit pan on so many of the silky shades!

Emilynoel83 is one of the YouTube personalities I follow.  Like Wayne Goss and Tati Westbrook, I trust her.  Her reviews are honest and greatly detailed. If a product doesn’t work for her, she’ll let you know the cons without trash talking.   And it just so happens that Makeup Revolution collaborated with her to create two palettes.  The Collab is The Emily Edit.   The pallets are The Wants and The Needs.

This is the back side of  the box that The Wants palette comes in.  There’s a lot of color in this but I’m still intrigued!

The Wants is an eyeshadow palette which I’ll write about in another blog post.

The Needs is the palette the was so appropriately named because, I swear, we all need this palette. In fact, this should be the go-to palette for every woman who travels—whether it’s once in a while or on a regular basis!

The Needs—everything you need in one palette!

Let me show you and explain just why I feel so strongly about this.  First of all, the price point is phenomenal; $15 for a face-full of product.  She’s curated the products so carefully and selected them from other collections that Revolution created.  A rather pragmatic choice if you will.

The Needs palette measures 7 inches by 4 inches—making it compact enough to fit into your travel bag.

It fits beautifully into the bottom zippered section of my travel makeup bag!

The case itself is a sturdy plastic with a built-in clasp that is just as strong.  Open it up and there is one of those clear protection sheets which I happen to keep as it’ll make the mirror stay clean. And speaking of mirrors—this mirror is great!   It’s large enough that you can actually see what you are doing.  Believe me, if your eyesight is as bad as mine, you will appreciate that!

A full mirror and very good quality too!  I appreciate that! Hopefully I won’t break it!

The products are one highlighter, one blush which appears to be very warm but goes on peachier—making it pretty universal, and one contour.  We also have six shadows which are very neutral-friendly and there is also another eye highlighter.

Face colors on the left.  Shadows on the right.  I like the names of these too. Everything is just so well-thought out and curated!

The shadows are matte—with the exception of Passion, which has a small amount of glimmer, making it perfect for those evenings out—are well-pigmented and not ashy or chalky.

I used the palette yesterday to test it out and was so happy with the results that after my manicure, I drove to the Ulta in Collegeville to see if there were any palettes available.

I had my nails filed down too because  they were getting in the way of my tapping at the keyboard at work! OPI Big Apple Red–the only color I put on my nails!

I picked up a second as a backup and picked up The Wants as well.

A backup of The Needs was very much needed.  And I could not pass up The Wants.  And look!  I got a free gift!  A cute little palette!

OK everyone. I actually took my glasses off so you could see the subtle softness of the shadows from The Needs! Yesterday’s look…

Oh Sweet Lord–I feel more comfortable with my glasses on.  Here’s another look.  The contour, blush and highlighter were also used.  It’s just such a subtle look but if you want, you can build the colors up!

Today, on our First Wedding Anniversary, I decided to use the palette for a subtle look because The Frenchman loves a subtle makeup look!

My finished look for today!  I must say, this is a great palette for the “Over 50 and 60” demograph due to the subtle quality.  Very natural!  Don’t judge me for having Sriracha Sawse and a half-full bottle of wine on the counter.  I’m still nursing this vile cold that is now in my chest!!!

Here’s how I used it:

I first brushed Kindness all over from lid to browbone.  Oh..I have the snail pads under my eyes. They multi-task as protectors against falling shadow! Then I brushed the shade peace over that as a transition shade.

 

These colors are nicely pigmented and can also be built up!

The shade Hope was used in the crease and blended out with a Morphe blending brush.

Then I took this brush by elf–I paid a dolla for it–yeah–a dolla!  I lightly lined under my eyes with the color Hope. LIGHTLY!!!!!

Those little silicone pads are greatness as is this brush for lining the under lids!

A little Kindness under the brows….

Mascara and  a tightline,  foundation and we are almost done!

Contouring with the shade Courage and using a fluffy brush by iT cosmetics…

A hint of peachy color with Joy!  I topped it off with highlighting with Gratitude but was interrupted when Oona sent me this photo from Florence, Italy…

Oona and my future son-in-law, Sam, were enjoying fancy coffee and pastries laden with Pistachio nuts.  Now I wanna go to Italy.   

Back to my look:

Thank you Emily Noel for curating such a pragmatic, useful and beautiful palette that’ll go from everyday to weekend trips to across the Atlantic!  The Needs will definitely be seeing a lot of new places!  And thank you to Makeup Revolution for collaborating with an honest and thoughtful woman.  You and Emily are a great combo!

I’ve emptied out my travel case of a few items.

Bronzer, contour, shadows and a blush.  Products that are very good but take up too much room since I’m using one palette with everything!

That’s it.  A great palette that is now in my travel case.  I want to add two things. Sometimes a cream blush works better for me—especially in the winter.  This cream cheek color, Maggie by Thrive Causemetics is in my travel bag.  At one end is the product and the other is a dense brush—which means less brushes to carry!  It’s all about incorporating products that are handy while traveling.

I threw this cheek color into my bag because it comes with a built-in brush. I can also use it as a lip color!

And although I did use The Ordinary’s Serum foundation for my two looks, I will be throwing the Wet ‘n Wild Cushion foundation into my travel bag.  The foundation is compact, spill proof, hydrating and perfect for travel!

I loaded up on these cushion foundations during a sale and have five of them…

This is a great travel foundation because it won’t spill but there’s not much product so a few trips and you’ll run out!  Still is hydrating AF!!

What’s in your travel cosmetics bag?  Do you have one at the ready?  I’m curious because I’m not the most organized person in the world but with my travel makeup, I’m pretty obsessive!

I realize that I haven’t been that great with posting outfits that I’ve worn this summer but I’ve dont a ton of repeats.  I’m not purchasing new clothes either because Oona’s wedding is next summer and I want to save for her wedding.  In the meantime, here’s my Labor Day Weekend outfits!

Saturday started out rainy and cool I spent the day baking but before I did, I wore an 
All-American outfit of blue denim shorts, a classic white tee and saddle shoes!  I wanted a pair of saddle shoes just because.  Perhaps I was feeling nostalgic but I love the way they look!

Sunday was a camo tee and white shorts.  When I went out I wore a pair of  flip-flops because it got really hot.  

Today Bonaparte and I are celebrating our first wedding anniversary!  We’ve been together for 14 years but as Mr. and Mrs. Lartigue–for one!  I ordered this pair of 2017 sandals from a Jack Rogers sale because I wanted to wear them for our anniversary–this way The Frenchman will never forget the year we were married!  I’m also wearing a white shift that I should have been wearing all summer but didn’t.  And this is why I will not put my summer clothing away until the end of October. It’s still hot!!!!

Have a great Labor Day and I hope your weekend was a stellar one. I’ve got more makeup reviews coming up!!!!

 

Posted in Makeup Revolution, The Emily Edit, travel bag | Tagged , , , , | 19 Comments

It Looks Like $hit, But It’s the Best Fake Tan Ever—It’s Perfékt-shun!

Posted on September 2, 2018 by Catherine

Seriously, I’m a bit shocked at myself for waiting this long to write about this fake tanner.  I ordered it back in either late June or early July and have been using it regularly.

Nothing like a box of goodies–especially when you order them on sale!!

In fact, I never even got around to getting sprayed this summer!  It’s been an odd summer season, it has.  Between working and little weekend getaways, the summer has almost faded into oblivion.  And out of the entire summer, we made it down the shore three times.  Most weekends were gray and rainy.

I’ll tell you though, my legs managed to look like I was basking on the ocean’s front for weeks. And it’s all due to this body gel by the brand Per-fékt.

Forget about basking in the sun because we didn’t have many sunny weekends.  I basked in my makeup room admiring the color that this unusual body gel gave my legs!

One of the Instagrammers I follow @turtlelovesbeauty posted that the brand was having a sale and she had a code for ten percent off, and I hit the keyboard on my laptop and went perusing!

My purchases were a gold body illuminator that isn’t bad but the piece de resistance is the “body per-fékt matte body perfection gel” in tan.

Don’t even ask me what a ceramide is because I have no idea. All I know is that this gives a beautiful and natural color to the skin.

If you follow this blog you are well-aware how I love my fake tanners.  After having Mohs surgery for skin cancer on my face, I am now extremely cautious of the time I spend in the sun.  The days of roasting my body like a rotisserie chicken are over.

I’m no longer roasting my body although I’m pretty much stuffed at this time!

At the sale price on Per-fékt’s website, I couldn’t resist.  But just how did this product work?

Let’s take a look…

First of all, I was somewhat confused about this tanning product.  Is it a true self-tanner?  Is it simply body makeup?  Well…it’s kind of a combination of both.  I will call it an “instant tanning product” because it sounds more diplomatic.

Keep reading–you’ll understand my surprise!

When I first squeezed the product out, I was shocked because it didn’t look like any other gel I’ve ever had.  I was expecting it to be very gelatinous and somewhat slippery and shiny and blending into the skin.  But boy—did my eyes pop when I saw what made the exit through the small hole at the top of the tube.

Jesus, Mary and St. Joseph–just what WAS this anyway?  Didn’t look like any gel to me!

I was in such a state of shock that my naturally crossed eyes almost straightened out!

It looked like $hit.  I’m not kidding.  I was a cross between the kind of soft and slightly solid waste that you find in a baby’s diaper and what comes out of a smaller dog.  My initial reaction was “Caca de vaca”—what is this anyway?

And naturally, since I’m very clumsy and a total slob, some fell on the floor–this is NOT Chippy’s doing!!

I was a bit nervous about using this and I gather many others who purchased this had the same initial reaction as I did!

Then, as I went to spread it on my legs, it kind of morphed in front of my eyes to have the appearance of chocolate frosting.

Image result for atypical60 oona

I had an immediate of my daughter, Oona’s, first birthday.  I allowed her a piece of chocolate cake in exchange for this Kodak Moment and spent over an hour cleaning the cake and chocolate frosting from her face, hair and those folds of babies bodies!  I shoulda saved it as fake tanner!

Seriously.  It went from looking like something completely disgusting to a delightful chocolate ganache frosting of sorts–I was tempted to eat it!

Mesmerized, by this strange substance, if you will, I never heard the Frenchman as he opened the bathroom door; and he was aghast at what he saw.  You see, some of this stuff fell on the floor and he thought I had an accident.  This scared him terribly.

And he started speaking in French, while holding his hands to his head, Ricky Ricardo style.

Image result for ricky ricardo surprised

“Elle est Folle!!”  Is what my French Ricky Ricardo kept saying.  It transcribed into “She’s Nuts”!!

And when I looked down at the floor and saw the little mess, I realized it was bits of the gel tanner.  Things got worse when I bent down to pick it up with a tissue to show him it was just another beauty product—but he calmed down when I explained that I was just clumsy with the self-tanner!

The Frenchman was traumatized by the sight of my and the product that looked like an accident occured!  He won’t be a knockin’ on anymore bathroom doors anymore!!

He hasn’t barged in to any bathroom that I’ve been using in the house ever since!

But let me tell you more about this stuff!

After the initial shock of the appearance, I did rub it into my skin and regardless of the now chocolate frosting look of it, it blended into my pale skin perfectly.

The gel morphed into a very blendable substance and even though it’s matte, it doesn’t dry the skin at all!

It was an amazing experience!

The color was a true brown with absolutely no traces of orange. It never oxidized and it dried instantly! and when I say instantly, I mean instantly.

Both legs had a very even-toned color!  I did have to clean up a little bit of the gel that I dropped but other than that, it applied beautifully.  No streaks whatsoever and dried IMMEDIATELY!!!

No odor—and that’s the big fault with many self-tanners.  There’s a chemical and sometimes kind of dirty scent that’ll dissipate after a while, but the scent can linger.  This doesn’t smell.

The scent of no odor is a blessing because nothing will interfere with my perfume!!  Honestly there is absolutely no oder from this gel!

It does not, and I repeat, does not transfer onto clothing.  Today I’m wearing white shorts and I refreshed my legs a bit with this before I got dressed.  No product transferred.  Nada!  My white shorts are white!

I’m wearing white shorts today and not one trace of the tanner is on my shorts. And I didn’t even wait five minutes after I applied.  I lit-er-ull-ee applied, ran to my dresser and put these on!

I applied some yesterday too and nothing transferred onto my new Saddle Shoes!  Don’t you just love these shoes?  In my world it’s hip to be square!

It doesn’t come off unless you scrub it off.  Seriously.  I’ve shaved my legs while taking a bath without scrubbing my legs and it stayed put.  But if you’ve had it on for a couple of days and want to take it off, scrub off with body wash or soap and it’ll wash right off, giving you a new, clean palette for re-applying.

 

It even looks great on my feet and I’m generally pretty sloppy with applying any fake tanner on my feet.  I’m thrilled with Body Per-fekt Body Perfection Gel (or whatever it is)

I paid $14.40 for three ounces on sale.  I’ve since purchased another one for backup and have noticed that it is still available and still on sale I’ll be purchasing a third.

I’ve used quite a bit of this but it’s just so darned good!!  Luckily I have a backup and it’s time to order a third!

Per-fékt came up with a winner with this body perfection gel and I don’t know how they did it and considering what it looks like when it comes out of the tube, I don’t think I want to know.  All I know is this is a great, great product.

Other than getting sprayed, I don’t think I’ve ever had a tanning product that looked this natural or didn’t smell.

Whether you self-tan because you don’t want to sit out in the sun to bake your body or whether you want to make your legs look darker in the cooler or cold months because you hate wearing pantyhose (as I do), this is greatness.  A small amount goes a long way and the shade is just so flattering.

Here’s a photo of me from last summer–I got sprayed before we went to France and I swear the color of Body Per-fekt is just as good a match for my fair skin.  

Proof that one should never judge a book by its cover—or what comes out of the cover until you try it!

I’m gonna apply some to my arms tomorrow.  I honestly recommend this to all of you!

Have a trip to a southern climate or an island coming up this winter?  Might I suggest purchasing this and applying it to your body before getting on the plane—your skin will thank you!

And it works on mature skin too.  My legs have a bit of old lady crepe paperness to them but they still hold up fine with this product!

And with that, I give you a fun song from one of my favorite musical party groups. Joe King Carrasco and the Crowns.  From 1981, his song Caca de Vaca!   (I’m putting this song on Oona’s Wedding playlist for dancing!!)

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