Your Five Job Requirements...

Hi Beautiful! Since it came up twice today, but this isn't a usual focus on my blog, I'm going to do this ONCE. I can justify it by saying that Pat says that as a woman you have 5 'job' requirements--and only these five:

1. look good, 2. feel good, 3. taste good, 4. sound good,
5. smell good

I think it was El who came up with this and I couldn't have done a better job, so I'm going to use this as a perfect example to bring you into your feminine energy before I reveal my goodies...

'Yin is still, calm, centered, hidden, quiet, soft, yeilding, waiting, listening, receptive and following.' Have you softened yet? If not sit with that a moment; reread it if you have to...

Now, I'll tell you that I've fallen in love with Lorac cosmetics. The eye shadows are pigmented just enough to give you a smokey 'post orgasm' eye while the shades themselves are greyed down. No crayon-colored eyes. I use the nudes 'unzipped' collection, 'the naked's', 'evening star', and 'red carpet reveal'. I can't say enough about how highly I recommend the eye shadows. The same goes for the lip glosses. What makes them fabulous are that they aren't candy store sticky but they do give you full coverage--practically the same as a lipstick. Another product I can recommend in the line is the '3-D liquid lustre'. For evening, I wear a drop of this right on the shadow highlighted area just under my brow--yes, over the shadow. I have an old lipstick brush that I use to cover the area while the product is still wet. This way, it give me enough control to put it exactly where I want it without using too much product. It comes with a dropper--one drop is enough on each eye.

On the downside, I think that the Lorac blushes are too highly pigmented and althought the pallettes are beautiful in color, I always find myself wiping off just a bit of it. The one big disappoint I have had in the Lorac line is the visual effects mascara. The brush is awful and you end up with spider leg lashes instead of a softer, fuller lash look. When the mascara that I'm currently using is done, I may try to switch out the brush; if not, I'm throwing the visual effects away--yes, it's that bad. There is more than one type of mascara in the brand, and I may try something else...maybe.

What I am using instead is the Loreal telescopic mascara. Rimmel used to make the best mascara of the drug store brands, but they branched out to different types of mascara and stopped making the best one--that was in the red tube. I'm happy with the Loreal, and I'll buy it again.

Now, for Jill, I've switched from a full coverage foundation to a tinted moisturizer; and I think all women of a certain age should. When you don't have a single wrinkle on your face, full coverage is fine. Once the fine lines begin to appear, a full coverage foundation is too heavy and sits in the ruts...tinted moisturizer lets your skin show through. I'm using the Paula Dorf as well as her 'camouflage' concealer. If you're not ready to part with your foundation, I would add a few drops of water to your hand, and mix it with foundation before you put it on your face--and I am assuming you're wearing a water based foundation--with your skin type, you should be. Because I'm liking the Lorac, I may try her foundation products in the future. So Carol Shaw, if you're out there, drop me a line (and some samples, please)!

I'm going to  recommended to you that you try two MAC products as well. The first is 'strobe cream'--not the lotion. I've tried it under my make up, over my make up, but really the best way to use it to get maximum glow is to mix it with your base--either tinted moisturizer or foundation. You'll get a 'touched by an angel' glow. The second product is FIX+. Use this over your foundation but before you apply your eye makeup and let it dry. It's a very nice product.

Before all the glitz I have a few more products to recommend. I use the Oil of Olay body wash with shea butter (it has the gold top). I've always loved this and they just came out with an ultra moisture in-shower body lotion to use afterwards the body wash. It's one of the best products I've found in the past year--I can't recommend it enough. I put it on, shut the water off in the shower for a few minutes and then rinse it off. Your skin will feel like the shea butter it's made with. If you'd like some sheen without using baby oil (I especially do in the summer or if I'm travel to a warm climate), I'm going to recommend the original dark blue container of Nivea cream--again, not the lotion. Last summer I brought this to the pool with me and I laughed that there has to be something addictive in it. All day long all of the female life guards kept coming back to dip their fingers in it and slather it all over (I'll admit that I did the same thing). Again, this leave you with ultra soft skin. The lotion does have a sheen to it, but if it's not too heavy for you, go with the cream.

For covering up puffiness under your eyes after a late night out, I'm going to recommend kinerase 'extreme face lift'. This is pricy, but well worth the money. Look for it online; you may find a better deal than retail. The last time I purchased this, I found it online for $50.00 cheaper than from my local cosmetics counter. I'm also going to recommend Estee Lauder's 'Idealist' pore minimizer. I don't have enlarged pores--however, it adds a powdery finish to your skin (before applying foundation/tinted moisturizer) and your base coverage goes on smoother.

And lastly, I wear the la Perla perfume. No matter what else I wear, it's the one fragrance that I always come home to. I'm a 'florals' girl. It's the original la Perla. If your near a store, you should be able to get some at a retail location; I know they have one in Atlantic City, Los Angeles, NY--and certainly Italy; but I also purchase this online.

Now, go out and torture a man by having him compelled and spellbound to know every part of you!