Joy is the best makeup.
It's in the eyes
Archive for February, 2010
Anne Lamott Said This…
Saturday, February 27th, 2010Beauty, Defined: Keely Abeln
Friday, February 26th, 2010
Keely and her daughters
At least twice a week, I talk on the phone with one of my oldest and dearest friends, Keely Abeln. We can talk about anything, and we do—she often blows me away with her insights, and, since we became friends 18 years ago (holy cannolli!!), she never ceases to make me laugh. She’s stunningly gorgeous, with these bright blue eyes and sparkly lashes, and has a great sense of fashion; last week, Beauty, Defined featured her daughters, and this week, she and I talked about her thoughts on beauty.
How do you define beauty?
How a person feels inside and out (sounds cheesy).
Not necessarily cheesy; it’s true, I think. But I’m curious what you mean exactly, as my thoughts on that might be different than yours.
I think a person’s actions make them beautiful, or not beautiful. People who appear beautiful can do ugly things and vice versa. That is a person’s inside coming out…ew..that sounds a bit gross (ed. note—ha!)…that can enhance or detract from their beauty.
That’s complete true. I wonder how many of us have met someone who initially was gorgeous, but then, by their actions, became less so in our eyes. And the other way around, of course, as you mentioned. How does that way of defining beauty show up in your everyday life?
I don’t know. Everyone has an ugly moment now or then, but what is your core? I am happy and I try to be fair and understanding. I teach middle school and I try to be these things, but sometimes it is difficult after you have heard the same excuse or answered the same question for the 10th time. I think there are days that my students get a more “beautiful” me than my family. I think the term “beauty sleep” is not just for the puffiness under our eyes; I think the rest makes us more understanding and patient with those around us. It lets us have more beautiful moments in our day. Beauty is not just the quick 10 minute make-up session in front of the mirror. Beauty is who you are inside and out. Your actions are a huge part of that.
I completely agree. What are the five products you cannot live without (your Desert Island products, so to speak)?
- Mary Kay Facial Cleanser
- Bare Escentuals Mineral base/cover
- Lipgloss
- Chapstick
- ponytail holder, since there is probably no electricity for my CHI.
I love her smile here--after rock climbing, no make up, all wet and full of joy!
If you had to choose between these five, what would be the number one product you depend on every single day?
Mineral base/cover-this would be my #1 pick.
Who do you consider your beauty or style mentor and why?
I am not sure I have one, but I love to put on outfits that make me feel like Audrey Hepburn. When I was younger and I would have a sick day from school, my mom would rent old musicals and movies and we would watch them together. How to Marry a Millionaire, American in Paris, Funny Face. I hope that some of that classic style rubbed off on me. Sometimes I think I get classic and simple a little mixed up. Jeans and a black shirt would be my life uniform if I had to pick one outfit to wear forever. Is that classic or simple?
I would say both. It’s easy to be simple, harder to be classic, and I think you hit both nails on the head directly. Your style is very Audrey Hepburn. Speaking of your mother, what did she teach you about beauty?
She was a Mary Kay consultant and she taught me to always clean my face every night and morning. I still do not go to bed with make-up on. She also taught me that a man does not define who you are. Probably does not have much to do with beauty, but she really drove that point home.
Keely, smiling and happy
I think it has to do with self-confidence, which is directly tied into beauty and how we feel about ourselves on a daily basis. She was a smart woman, your mother.
When in your life did you/do you most feel beautiful?
- When my kids look at me like I am everything to them.
- When I feel confident at something.
- When I am trying something new that is out of my comfort zone. (Opposite of #2)
- When I am having a good hair day.
- When I have on a good pair of jeans and boots.
- When I am laughing-even if it includes a snort.
Thanks for talking with me about beauty, Keely. I’ve enjoyed this discussion! I appreciate you and your beauty, inside and out.
LOVE This!!
Thursday, February 25th, 2010
Gorgeous eyeshadow from M.A.C.
The other day, I got some new eyeshadow and couldn’t wait to try it out. It’s an eyeshadow duo, the color ‘Earthly Riches’ from M.A.C. (mineralized duo), and indeed is the most expensive eye makeup I’ve ever owned. I was so curious as to what it would look like and how it would last that I started playing with it in the early evening, just before CarpenterBoy came home from work (and before I ran to the grocery store).
It’s divided into two colors, this little circle of shadow, one of which is purple-y and the other, a nice purplish brownish naturalish coppery-ish….something. It’s really lovely in the pot. I started with the purple, which went on a little darker than I thought I would, and then I used the coppery color as an eyeliner of sorts, blended it all in. Because it was such a spectacular thing—me using darker eyeshadow (I usually stick with natural colors if I wear any at all)—I brought out my rarely used eyelash curler, threw on some mascara and lipstick, and was all glammed up to go to the grocery store. I was a total Robert Palmer girl from the neck up (complete with slicked-back ponytail), and, in my Levi’s and fitted Sox T, a Chicago mom from the neck down.
My friend Chameleon went with me to the grocery store and to Target, and we talked at length about how you can think that you’re piling on the eye makeup, to make a dark smoky eye or something, and then, when you get out into the world, away from the lighting in your bathroom, your eyes look basically normal, pretty even. She liked the shadow (CarpenterBoy said it was too dark for his taste). Then again, she’s pretty adept at the smoky eye and love love loves make up.
The next day, I put it on again, the same amount, to go down and teach my two classes. The eyeshadow upped the ante on my day, though, and I knew that with that kind of makeup, I definitely needed to take care of some much needed grooming. Also, I dressed up a little bit more than usual, in a Lara Miller pencil skirt and bright blue long sleeved t, with patterened tights over grey tights and a pair of sassy black boots. I felt glamorous and kicky. And quite polished.
Third day of eyeshadow trials, I was to teach 6th graders, so I toned it down a little and just used the coppery brownish purplish color as a blend-y eye liner on both the top and bottom. Felt just as polished as the day before, even in my dark jeans and black sweater.
I looked on the M.A.C. website and found the shadow duos (also here at Nordstrom), but not the Earthly Riches set. Unfortunately, it seems as if the color’s been discontinued. However, that shouldn’t stop you from thinking about trying the other duos—gorgeous color, easy to apply, goes on smooth and lasts a long long time.
Brow POW!
Wednesday, February 24th, 2010
My brows just the other day.
So it seems that I always put off brow grooming until my eyebrows start to look like caterpillars hanging out on my face; at that point, I start to feel terribly disheveled and, in a simple word, gross. I know that I don’t appear that way to others, of course, but I just feel like I’m sprouting hair from every pore, warts all over the place, all split ends and bad hair color, mismatched clothing (not in a good way). I feel all schleppy. And did I mention gross? (all this from just my brows not being groomed. I’m telling you, it makes a difference!)
I don’t know why I put it off so long. Time is of the essence, of course, but really it doesn’t take that long for me to zip into Carmen’s, where I have Shiva thread my brows (here’s the yelp review).
Yesterday (finally!), it took me FIFTEEN MINUTES TOTAL—from the time I parked my car a half a block away until I got back INTO the car—for me to have brows and upper lip threaded by Shiva.
FIFTEEN MINUTES, Lovely Readers. That’s all it took to change my face from caterpillar-y/warty/hair in all pores/gross-ness to groomed and ready to face (literally) the world again.
I definitely should not put it off ever again. This time, I’m writing it down in my calendar, making space for that FIFTEEN MINUTES. Space for kicking eyebrow ass and takin’ eyebrow names.
Anyway, let me tell you a little more about Carmen’s. It’s in Roger’s Park, near Loyola, for all of you Chicagoans, and two different friends both told me about Shiva, saying she was the best threader and eyebrow-er in the city. At that time, I was paying a huge amount of money ($55) to have my brows plucked at a brow-only salon in Bucktown, which was really really not worth it.
Carmen’s raised their prices for brow threading a few years ago—to $7.
Totally worth the money. Shiva is amazing. She makes a perfect brow.
Please note: I can’t vouch for any other services at Carmen’s, and if you go to the Yelp review, it seems everyone adores the brow threading but other things are spotty; I am all about the brows there, and Shiva is definitely the one to see.
Claudette Colbert Said This….
Wednesday, February 24th, 2010It matters more what’s in a woman’s face than what’s on it.
The lovely Catherine Deneuve
Garance Dore in Vogue
Monday, February 22nd, 2010One of my favorite fashion and style magazines of all time is, of course, Vogue. I’ve been reading it since high school, with the short exception during graduate school when I gave magazine reading (except for the occasional, furtive glance at the New Yorker) a break.
The March issue came in the mail on Saturday evening, and I’ve already read every single word, cover to cover. I’m that much of an addict.
One of the features in the back of the magazine was about fashion bloggers, and one of my favorite fashion bloggers, Garance Dore, was included! Cel-e-brate good times! Come ON!
Garance Dore photo by the Sartorialist
And, on their website is a quick slideshow of her ‘must haves.’ It’s an interesting peek inside; I’m not much of a voyeur when it comes to celebrities, but if it’s someone I read a few times a week (blogger, journalist, whatever), I’m all curious as to what makes them tick.
I can’t quite explain why I enjoy Garance Dore so much….maybe it’s because she seems like a ‘normal’ woman, like one of us. Like she’d be a good friend, someone to chat about goofy, mindless things with as well as someone with whom you could have serious conversations about life, love, whatever.
And, I don’t think I need to explain (or figure out) why I love Vogue magazine so much. Do I?
p.s. The Sartorialist took this picture. He rocks, also.
Ralph Waldo Emerson Said This….
Monday, February 22nd, 2010Love of beauty is taste. The creation of beauty is art.
Coco Chanel, extraordinaire
Beauty, Defined: Kendal and Audrey
Friday, February 19th, 2010Two of my favorite people in the world happen to be under the age of 7—Kendal and Audrey, daughters of one of my best friends. Kendal is now a whopping 6 years old, and her sister Audrey will be 4 in March. I had their mother, Keely, interview them for Head to Toe, as the second episode of the feature, Beauty, Defined. I thoroughly enjoyed their takes on beauty and what it means in their lives.
Audrey, age 3 (almost 4)
Audrey's gorgeous face
How do you define beauty? What makes you pretty?
Someone who looks beautiful.
What makes them beautiful?
Jewelry and make-up.
How does that show up every day? How do you make yourself beautiful?
By dressing up in dresses and crowns and jewelry…I have a lot of answers.
What are 5 things you would take on a deserted island?
An elephant, frog, cubby, pillow and blanket. (Ed. note: All necessary things on an island, of course).
What are 5 things that make you feel pretty?
Dress, jewelry, crown, earrings, jewels
Who do you think is the most beautiful person you know?
Or handsomest?
Sure.
Will. (Ed. note: Will is in her preschool class)
Audrey with Minnie and her sister Kendal
What has your mommy taught you about beauty?
Dressing up pretty.
Anything else?
Wearing buttons.
When do you feel the most beautiful?
When we go to pretty stores.
What stores?
Toys R Us.
Any other stores?
Wal-mart.
What makes those stores pretty?
The toys.
Kendal, age 6.
How do you define beauty? What makes you pretty?
Make-up.
Lovely princess Kendal
Anything else?
Curly eyelashes.
Is that it?
Lips.
How does that show up every day?
By being fancy.
What makes you fancy?
Eating fancy.
How do you eat fancy?
Like chewing with your mouth closed, not putting your elbows on the table and using your napkin.
(Ed. note: This is great. Kendal touches on the fact that manners are beautiful and important. I love that.)
What are 5 things you would take on a deserted island?
Swimsuit, swimming ring, beach ball, surfboard, food and drinks. (Ed. note: Naturally)
What are 5 things that make you feel pretty?
Lipstick, eye shadow, comb, jewelry, and Chapstick to make my lips shiny.
Who do you think is the most beautiful person you know?
Mom-I always love [her] hair. (I’m fairly certain that this answer made Keely’s heart swell up like a big balloon).
What has your mommy taught you about beauty?
I don’t know.
Kendal, outside, all natural beauty
How about being a princess?
Wearing a dress and to be someone who is nice and brave.
When do you feel the most beautiful?
When I wear make-up.
What kind of make-up?
Chap Stick.
When do you wear make-up?
I have some in my closet and I have decided to wear it on my birthday.
Garance Dore’ and NY Fashion Week
Friday, February 19th, 2010I admit it: I love fashion. I also love how democratic watching the shows has become; I used to salivate, waiting for Vogue so that I could see what was shown at NY Fashion Week, and now, with this wonderful Internet, can watch shows pretty soon after they happen. It’s pretty great.
One of my favorite blogs is Garance Dore’s, and she’s got this great video of a show in NY, At Altuzarra. Please take a few moments to watch it. This guy is amazing—and I adore all of the designs, and it’s got a bit at the beginning where you can watch the backstage make-up and hair magic begin to happen.
Enjoy!
LOVE This!!
Friday, February 19th, 2010Last October, I ran the Nike Women’s Marathon in San Francisco; the marathon weekend is chock-full of girly events, at the Expotique and at Niketown. The first event I attended was the Girls’ Night Out, on Thursday night.
At the party, Yes to Carrots was passing out full-size samples of their products. I’d never heard of the company (the name made me laugh out loud!) and was lucky to receive their spa manicure treat.
Yes to Carrots yummy Nail Spa
I used it a couple of times on my hands, loved it, and put it on the shelf in my shower, where I promptly forgot about it until last week, when I decided to try to exfoliate my body with it.
Let me tell you, Lovely Readers, my skin adored this treat! I loved the natural scrub, and the olive oil in the product left my skin all smooth and silky. And moisturized, which is kind of hard to do in this harsh Chicago winter.
I can’t wait to try the other Yes to Carrots products, like this body butter that’s getting rave reviews. You can get them at most grocery stores around here, and at Whole Foods everywhere else. Perfect for raising spirits in this dreary winter weather. Perfect for your skin, and perfectly natural.
