For My Friend Leigh

I am not going to divulge her itsy bitsy problem, but my friend Leigh says she needs a new shampoo. She's called on the beautybabe for advice. I've made two suggestions: baby shampoo or Bumble and Bumble Hair Tonic. You can buy Bumble and Bumble online if you can't find it in the Queen City. But here's a third option -- wash hair infrequently. When you hair is coarse you don't need to wash it daily. I wash mine about three days a week. But I realize that not everyone has dry hair. Anyway, Leigh, you're beautiful with or without the special shampoo. Just keep smiling that pretty smile of yours.


Top Shelf Recommendation: C.O. Bigelow hand cream -- Quince. Amazing stuff. Available at Bath and Body Works. Try the purse size. Absorbs quickly and leaves a trace of a light scent. Does anyone know what a quince is?

Finding a Lip Gloss Even I Don't Like

Well folks ... even I found a lip gloss I can't stand. Can we say Yuck!

I've bought other products by Wet 'n Wild before and enjoyed them. So I tried a pink sparkle lip gloss (in a tube) because I liked the color. The gloss is nice but the texture was so gross and the product so foul I had to wipe it from my lips immediately. Here's my advice. If you buy a gross lip gloss and you've spent less than 5 bucks, dump it. If it's morethan 5 bucks and you still have the receipts, return it. Most stores, including drugstores and department stores will take back products -- yes used products with a receipt.

Top Shelf Recommendation: For a lip gloss that does taste good .. . try Wink's lip gloss. It comes with a gloss and a pencil. I have giggle. It may be the perfect pink lip gloss. And it tastes yummy - almost like cocoa, no need to wipe it from my lips. Enjoy it. Buy it at Nordstrom.

Modern Friction

I read about. I tried it. Now you can too. Origin's new Modern Friction gentle dermabrasion. Rub it dry on your face for a minute and then add water and make it soapy. Made my face a little red. But don't let stop you -- just don't use it right before a big event, like your own wedding.

Top Shelf Recommendation: Modern Friction. By it at Bloomie's, like I did.

Cocoa Therapy

If you like chocolate like I like chocolate, try Origins Cocoa Therapy. Love it. The perfect shade of lip gloss if you're a brunette like me. Run out to Bloomie's, Nordie's or Macy's and buy this stuff pronto. For my Southern Belles, even Belk has Origins. Can you believe a Yankee like me is talking about Belk. Anyway, a girl has to shop, wherever she may be living. So back to Origins. I tried this new lip balm (Cocoa Therapy) and then swirled a bit of Mac lip glass (clear) on top and my lips looked amazing. I'm not one to brag, but I looked hot. My husband thought so. Also at the Origins counter -- although I didn't buy it because I didn't want to seem greedy in front of my momma -- a new lip gloss in a tube with a bit of peppermint oil. I love peppermint and I love it in gloss. If you caught Sunday Styles this week
(and please tell me you read S.S.) you'll see a product that I recommended last week from Bath and Body Works. It's the Mint lip gloss. I have one. I need another. You will too. I tried to buy one at the mall, and they were sold out. Can you believe that? You bet.

Top Shelf Recommendation: Origins Cocoa Therapy lip balm. (Enjoy) P.S. The company says it's a mood booster.

OSCAR! OSCAR!

I am so sorry I haven't blogged in a while. I've been busy, busy, busy. Let's cut to the chase. Hilary looked amazing at the Oscars. What a body. My goodness. And I have to give it up to the Kate/Cates. They both looked wonderful in periwinkle and yellow the shade of butter. Salma Hayek was like a godess in Prada. The dress fit her perfectly and she defined sexy. I love Laura Linney, but the woman looked so bland Sunday night. And I happen to think she's very attractive.

If the girls look hot (or sometimes not), why are the Oscars so boring? And when did they get so boring? I used to obsess about them - and now they are blah. I still miss Billy Crystal and his medleys. I can hear his voice in my head, singing "Oscar, Oscar!"

Getting back to make-up, my mom and I went to Drug Fair in New Jersey to get some products (what else) and I picked up some Dove hairspray and mousse. Remember when all Dove made was soap? Anyway, the hairspray smells great, very feminine, but not too flowery and it's very light and airy. Speaking of things that smell nice ... my mom got a free sample of Narcisco Rodriguez perfume. It's wonderful, kind of like a light musk. I just remembered that Sarah Jessica Parker is teaming up with Coty to put out a perfume. Why? Isn't she worried about overexposure? Guess not.

Top Shelf Recommendation: For my Boca bombshell (wink, wink) ... Oil of Olay's new body Quench moisturizer. In the sunlight the cream gives you a hint of sparkle. Nice scent, not greasy. Available at Target.

Oprah

Oprah Winfrey just pierced her ears. I'm home watching TV and Oprah's on the tube showing off her amazing body (wish I had a Pilates reformer, too). Anyway, I thought it was so funny that this strong, vibrant woman was so scared of getting her ears pierced. I guess it's what my therapist said to me this morning, mixed emotions are a natural part of life. So anyway, I've got to hand it to Oprah Winfrey. The woman looks amazing. She really does. Some people just get it.

Top Shelf Recommendation: Prada lip balm -- honestly, this stuff is amazing. It's made with shea butter and it's one of the nicest products I've ever felt on my lips. I have one set (they come in the tiniest tubes I've ever seen) in a brick color and I also want a clear set. Try it, please!

When You Already Have Enough ...

My skin has been breaking out a little bit so I thought I would try a new face wash. But then I remembered the 26 dollar wash I had from the dermatologist. As much as I am tempted to buy new products, sometimes you just have to go with what you got. And why not, when you're like me and you have fifty different scrubs under the sink, it's easy to feel as if the old is new again.

Top Shelf Recommendation:
Laura Mercier Tender Lips Lipstick. Great barely there color for brunettes like the beautybabe. Available at Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus.

Make me up Mac

You know when you just need to feel refreshed? Or after your workout how you can't seem to calm down that redness? Try getting a hold of a bottle of Fix + (MAC). It works great to cool you down, especially if you put it in the fridge. It's very light and soothing, without a heavy scent. Sometimes I throw it in my gym bag.

Top Shelf Recommendation:
C.O. Bigelow Mentha Lip Shine
Mint-infused for fresh breath
Available at Bath and Body Works

Hairspray -Not the Broadway Show

So, a few weeks ago my good friend Jo and I were shopping at a local stripmall in Charlotte when we walked into Ulta. She wanted mascara, I wanted something, even if I didn't know what it was at the time. We walked around and browsed the aisles and had some fun. I told her I would buy her some mascara. A few years ago she treated me to a manicure. It was my turn to treat her, plus, I know more about mascara than she does. Of course, while we were browsing the make-up I found some awesome hairspray. We forget about the importance of hairspray, especially during these times when we have gels and mousse and molding paste and shining serum. But I read somewhere that you can spray your hair with hairspray and then dry it. So I tried it. It works. I forget how hairspray can make a not-so-neat ponytail thrive, too.

Top Shelf Recommendation: Schwarzkopf Professional Osis Freeze. Super Hold pump spray. I forgot to mention the pump. It's super efficient. I bought mine at Ulta.

Caribbean Therapy: Is Prozac Involved?

OOOH. I walked into a local salon to buy some more shampoo and what did I find? Aveda's new Caribbean Therapy body cream. I tested it on my hands, of course. This stuff is thick, but it absorbs quickly and smells delightful. I'm not sure what's Caribbean about it, but I still like it and you will too.