Eyes Lips Face

Have you heard of ELF make-up? I just received a batch of it. Cool stuff for eyes, face and lips. Get it? Anyway, apparently the stuff is bargain priced, like a buck an item. Way cool for product junkies like moi.

Tweeze My Man

Did you know that you can actually send used tweezers back to Tweezerman and the company will sharpen them for free? Yeah, baby! I tried it. Worked well. Tweezers are sharp. By the way, if you're thinking of buying make-up from Sephora this holiday season, shop now or shop online. I've been in the store twice recently and they are sold out of many popular items like Nars Orgasm and Nars Eros lipgloss. What's a girl to do? Go Online! What are you giving this holiday season? By the way, does anyone know where they can buy Jelly Pong Pong cosmetics?

Bigelow Take Me Away

As soon as the weather changes so do my hands. They crack. They get dry. Now I'm trying Bigelow Lemon Body Cream. Let's see if it does the trick. Even if it doesn't work, it smells divine, like a lemon pie. One of the things I miss about the North is diners that serve lemon meringue pie. Gotta have some.

Hard as Nails

Tomorrow, Sunday that is, I am headed to Birkdale Village in Huntersville to try out a new nail treatment. It's called Prescription Nails. I have weak nails and I am hoping to leave the salon, Beauty Brands with pretty looking fake nails. My husband will be the judge of the nail tech as he does not like fake nails that much. I'm not a huge fan of fake nails either, but I'm willing to try something that will make my nails look feminine and elegant. My mom has had acrylics for as long as I can remember. Let's put it this way -- she has known her manicurist Teri for more than twenty years. Oh Boy!

QVC

So today QVC is doing a day of beauty. Very cool. That said, why is it that some of the models looked better in the before picture than in the after? Scary, hum. I realize that QVC must use a lot of cosmetic products in order to punctuate the change. But seriously, do we really need or want to bring back Tammy Faye's mascara? NO, NO, NO. Women look best when they look like themselves. I'm such a sucker for natural or bridal make-up that looks effortless, even though it never is. I'm not saying women should never go for a dramatic look, i.e. at the Oscar's or Emmy's, but I love when women look like women and not clowns. 'Nuf said.

Kinerase Can Erase

There's a reason this stuff is expensive. I love the way Kinerase's gentle daily wash and lotion help smooth my sometimes discolored skin. Very soothing, non-irritating. Just what the doctor ordered. By the way, you can buy it online at a variety of stores and of course, at my alma mater, Sephora.com. By the way, if you want to try it without marrying the product, Kinerase is offering a trial pack/travel set. It's not cheap, but it's a great way to sample silky skin.

Top Shelf Recommendation: Are you Lovely? If so, take a whiff of Sarah Jessica Parker's new fragrance Lovely. A must-have if you like musky scents. By Coty.

Welcome Charlotte Observer Readers

Thanks for checking out my new beauty column, ProductPerfect. I hope you enjoy reading about cosmetics as much as I enjoy writing about them. Most of my column is about answering your beauty questions and making recommendations.
Questions?
Email: Style@charlotteobserver.com.

A special thanks to my husband who got me started writing about all things beauty. And a special thanks to my grandmothers Bea Slater and Blanche Bedrin who love to give me their cosmetic freebies from Estee Lauder et. al.

BeautyBabe
p.s. Don't forget to tune in WFAE 90.7FM, Charlotte's NPR News Source

The full article will be available on the Web for a limited time:
http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/living/style/12597460.htm
(c) 2005 Charlotte Observer and wire service sources. All Rights Reserved.

Helping Others During a Time of Crisis

It's hard to believe what the hell is going on all over the Gulf Coast. My husband just returned from a week of work there and he said the damage is overwhelming and he's not one to use hyperbole. I hope this doesn't sound trite, but I'd love to see a pharmaceutical company donate - in addition to maintenance meds for asthma et. al, supplies, you know things like soap, toothpaste, hand cream to the victims, survivors and workers living in the swamps of Louisiana. I wish I could pay for every woman to have a massage. God knows - everyone there is going to need it. It's hard for me to watch people expire from a lack of food and water. And it makes me realize how this country has a big divide between the haves and the have nots. I'll return to posting about products in a few weeks when I feel less stupid writing about lipstick and blush during times of crisis.

Go Ahead! Drench that Body

Mom says she found a new cream - body drench daily moisturizing lotion. Not sure if this is really new, or simply new to my mom, but she loves it so much, she wants to buy another bottle of it. She's picky. So if she likes it, chances are you will too.

Top Shelf Recommendation: Biotin 1000mcg (good for hair and nails) We'll see!

Oh My Mascara!

This is me (before my beauty obsession began)

So, I'm reading this other blog - www.jolieinnyc.com and the bloggette asks about mascaras: do you have a favorite etc. It was so interesting to read about how many different brands people claim as their favorites. Mac, Clinique, Estee, Origins -- funny how ESTEE owns all of those brands. But, if you took a very unscientific poll, Lancome would probably have won out. But the last time I bought a Lancome mascara it was so clumpy and you know what clump rhymes with: DUMPY. So I absolutely cannot buy anything that makes me think about clumpy or dumpy, if you know what I mean.

Got to give a shout out to my new sulfur-mask for my face. Hope it's working.

Do you have a favorite product? Tell me what it is. Mascara or mud? Black or Black Amethyst? What do you wear?