Blow Dryers etc...

Revlon One Step Hair Dryer

Often what sparked my interest in purchasing and writing about new products, was the 911 I would receive from one of my Gal Pal"s, who had just tried something fabulous.  I recently received a call from dear friend Linda Levy, who received Revlon's One Step Volumizing Hair Dryer as a gift...Did I know about it???

Of course dear Linda! I had blogged about it back in 2017.  Shortly after I did, Allure also discovered how amazing this inexpensive, fast working dryer could replicate sleek locks that almost looked salon created. It literally almost broke the Internet....  My issue with it was that it almost made my hair too sleek.  I have since learned to manually spin the brush around my roots to create some lift.

Which brings me during the pandemic, to my goodie closet, which embarrassingly houses 4 blow dryers plus the Revlon One Step, Con-Airs Infinity Pro Styling Brush, 2 heat styling brushes, 2 flat irons, two texturizing irons and one ionic smoother. UGGGHHHH!

I'm strictly in simplify mode right now, (and hopefully, you are doing as I blogged about previously, and deep conditioning for several hours before washing your hair). Tonight will make #5 and I'm pleased to say I have significantly improved the state of my previous parched locks in the process.

Hair Masques 102

Long ago, I wrote about my roundabout, for deep conditioning my hair.  If you read the directions of any hair masque, it usually entails washing you hair, getting out of the shower, shivering in a damp state for 5-10 minutes and then hopping back in to wash it out...

Um.  No thanks.

I am now on my third self wash and dry at home, post non-essential closing of my second home, Hott Blow Dry.  What I have been doing for a few hours pre-wash, is slathering on a L'Oreal masque, (that had been collecting dust in a beauty bin in my linen closet, 1 of 3).  I then shampoo as usual and use a teeny bit of conditioner in the shower.

Let me tell you Lovelies, that my parched, neglected tresses are loving this.  My hair doesn't just look good post wash, but feels great to the touch for days in between washes. 

I don't think it matters one bit, which one you use, so if you have nothing in the house, your regular conditioner will probably do, until something can be delivered by Amazon, (please do wear gloves when opening all packages).

Your hair will be happy!

Stay well,

xox,
DD

Back in the Beauty Trenches

Hello Lovelies,

As we chart these uncharted times, first and foremost, I hope you and your family are well. I liken the Coronavirus to the Spanish Flu of 1918, 911 and the economic crisis of 2008 x 10 all rolled into one. It's a lot to process...

I know we will get to the other side, but it won't be without  the loss of many lives and a very long haul back for businesses and normalcy, all over the world.  I am utterly awed by the selflessness of our medical professionals, who are risking their own health, everyday to protect us.  They are heroes, one and all.  I am also grateful to all the "essential" workers who are manning the businesses that we need for food pharmacy needs, gas, deliveries and other services.  Thank you! The National Guard has been called in as well, and their service is also hugely appreciated by myself and a grateful nation.

On a lighter note, my partner and I are working behind the scenes to manage our beautiful retail store Mary Jane Denzer at the Ritz Carlton in White Plains.  In the beginning of the year, we launched our new website, which we feel represents our aesthetic perfectly.  I invite you to take a peek!  

Since I will have some extra time on my hands, I thought it would be great to go back to writing my blog DivaDebra,  as we navigate life without professional manicures, color, blowouts, haircuts, facials, dermaplaning, spray tans, workouts Botox and all the other things that have become the norm in our beauty maintenance. I often joke that it, "takes a village" to keep us looking our best and the joke is, is that it's no joke...it really does!

And now we are on our own!!!  I'm sure many of you have seen the cartoon below on social media and Sisters, it is, so!!!

So, most importantly, I want to share with you what I think is an incredible product, Revlon's ROOT ERASE  I have used all the root touch up kits available in between monthly professional coloring, with the wonderfully talented Chantale, owner of Salon Chantale, and can tell you hands down, it's the best.

Aethern Skin Nutraceuticals: You Deserve It!

Beautifully packaged, easy to consume daily vials of Aethern
A game changer

First and foremost, Happy New Year !!!

I hope you haven't felt too neglected by me...Life as a partner and Co-Owner of our store, Mary Jane Denzer is absolute thrill, but I am busier than ever.

While I have had less time to focus on trying new products and blogging about them, the one constant, has been my daily dose of  FDA approved, clinically trialed Aethern.  Aethern's blend of bio-active peptides, Hyaluronic Acid, Silicon, Pure Astaxanthin, vitamins and minerals, is proprietary. And it works.

6 years ahead of GOOP, Jane Iredale, Bobbi Brown and others who are hopping on the ingestible beauty bandwagon, Aethern has been blazing a trail of raving fans worldwide.  Board certified Dermatologists, Dr. Lisa Airan, and Dr. Ava Shamban, stars in their own rite, recommend  Aethern to their devoted patients.

The magnificent Cate Blanchett,  is also an Aethern fan!  She includes in her beauty and health repertoire and mentioned it in this Allure article.  Of note; she is not a paid spokesperson.

Who wouldn't want to achieve firmer, more elastic, radiant looking skin???  When I look back at my own untouched photos, (which I recommend taking), I am amazed and delighted at the dramatic change in just under 4 months of taking Aethern daily.

See for yourself!!!

Vita Liberate: How I Spent My Summer Vacation

Vita Liberate Body Blur
$45

I know, I know, I know! It has been for-EVAH!  Apologies my Lovelies, it's just truly hard to find the time...I promise I will do better, but my posts will definitely be briefer.

After having a neck to toe freckle zapping session this winter, and spending a month in a burqa covering my wounds, I SWORE to myself, that I would stay out of the sun this summer.  Truly, why go through the discomfort, expense and fashion inconvenience only to have every spot resurface in mere minutes after a day at the beach or pool?

There is another problem...Self tanning, either professionally or self applied, seems to deposit and then expand, making any residual age spots or freckles look like my body has been pelted with pennies.

NOT pretty!

What to do???

A Drugstore Dream Mascara??? Yes Indeed!!!

Loreal Voluminous X Fiber Mascara
$11.99 ish

I have had to wait a few months for my eyelashes to grow back, after my 5 month stint wearing lash extensions.  Sadly...

Yes, I loved waking up every day with a full fan of lashes that cut my morning makeup time exponentially.  They looked spectacular! Every day, I made sure to apply eye lash growth serum and when I was in full wind down mode, which took about two months for all of the extensions to fall out, I began using Latisse.

I was hedging my bets that when all the extensions were gone, I would still have my original decent set of lashes.

Wrong!  Stumpy, gappie, crunchy.  Not a good look.

This is my ultimate take; if you are prepared to commit to monthly extensions for the rest of your life, great. Go for it! I could also see doing a one off, if you were planning an extended vacation. One month of application is not going to do significant damage. Beyond that?  NO. There is a price to pay, and it's steep.

OK, moving on.

I had made note of a new 2 sided Loreal mascara that comes with something so scathingly brilliant, every other cosmetic brand will surely be following suit...a BLACK PRIMER!!!!

Update: My Continued Journey with Aethern - The Fountain of Youth

Daily Doses of  beautifully packaged Aethern, convenient and travel ready

For those of you who have not yet been following, I am pleased to be able to share my continued Aethern journey with you.

Aethern, is a single daily dose of 14 FDA approved, vitamins, minerals, Bio Active Collagen Peptides and Hyaluronic acid formulated to increase skins elasticity,  firmness and radiance.

My results at just a little over 3 months of daily ingestion, lay truth to every claim, plumped up skin; less creepy crepe, (the bane of every woman of a certain age existence) and fewer fine lines.

Brava!  Additionally, the two mucus cysts that seem to come out of nowhere on my right hand have all but vanished along with the wrist and knee pain I was experiencing after weight training.  The anti-inflammatory properties in Aethern, is apparently, working like Jiffy Lube in my system.

Hands before Aethern

Hands after 3 months of taking Aethern

I am so thankful that I took pictures of my Aethern journey along
the way, because there is no disputing these are remarkable results!

No wonder, Aethern is beloved by famed Dermatologists Dr. Lisa Airan and Dr. Ava Shamban, both of who recommend it highly to their patients.

My partner Anastasia Cucinella and I recently had new head shots taken when our photographer Jay Ackerman, came to take updated photos of our store, Mary Jane Denzer.   It's always a bit daunting to have professional photos taken, but I was pleased with the results.

As the numbers start to creep up, aging can be disheartening...(I don't know anyone who doesn't feel at least 20 years younger than their biological age),  I decided to look back for a photo that was taken 10 years ago, to see how I am faring:

Things we Loved in Paris!

Things we Loved in Paris by divadebra 

My partner at Mary Jane Denzer, Anastasia Cucinella and I now have the difficult job of sorting through all the beautiful clothes we saw during Paris Fashion Week.  It's a tough job, but someone has got to do it!

As always, some of the dresses we loved best had a modern, architectural vibe, with some whimsical flourishes.  In the interim, our store is full of fabulous things for Spring from luxe sportswear to enjoy on the weekends, perfect daytime luncheon dresses  and of course, beautifully curated evening wear for your most important events.

Come visit! 914-328-0330.

xox,

DD

Gearing Up To Get Back In The Mascara Game...

L'Oreal Voluminous Fiber FX Mascara

 My lashes have been on Holiday for the last 5 months... Let me attest to the beautiful notion of waking up daily and looking more than human with lash extensions.  Out the door time gets nicked in half because being eye ready makes everything else a slap and a dash.

I promised myself that after returning from Fall Fashion Week in Paris, (shopping with my partner Anastasia for our store Mary Jane Denzer), I would take a long, long break.  Frankly, I don't know a soul who did not suffer serious damage to their lashes.  I'm hoping to come out unscathed, by using Latisse, to minimize the lash loss.

Years ago, I used Latisse when it first became a, "thing".  While I did grow massive lashes, I also suffered from dry, red, scratchy eyes, which mitigated the whole experience.  Smarter this time, I ditched the thick, unwieldy brushes that came with the prescription, for a very fine brush.  My theory is that those brushes, which could have white washed a barn, were depositing too much product. So far so good.

We shall see...

In the meanwhile, I have started researching mascaras again.  What immediately caught my eye was a new Voluminous Mascara from L'Oreal.  The original is a goodie and is supposedly beloved by Jennifer Aniston. (Call me silly, but I'm among the legions hoping for a Brad Pitt reunion...Frankly Angelina and Justin seem a better match than they were to Brad and Jenn, respectively. And you???)

What is very clever about the new Voluminous X Fiber, aside from the fibers for volume, is that one side comes with a black primer!!!  This my lovelies, is a stroke of genius.  I love me some primer, but have sometimes seen tell tale traces of white on my lashes.  This has got to be one of those moments where competitors, are smacking their foreheads for not having thought of black primer first.

Well done L'Oreal!

The NY Times Weighs in on the Best Drugstore Makeup Buys

Bloomberg/ Getty Image courtesy of the NY Times

Love, love, love, the more accessible beauty coverage at the "newspaper of record" these days.   I nearly keeled when I received a beauty alert this morning,  with an article by Tynan Sinks on her favorite drugstore beauty buys.

Welcome to our world!  Here's the link.  Shout out to my sister Loren, who told me months ago to check out NYX concealer.  It's her new Holy Grail.  Tynan feels the same way...

Naturally I dashed out to my closest CVS, STAT.  The NYX display was  sadly baron...Ulta will no doubt, be better supplied.

Anyway, worth a read and maybe a note or two.  I'll keep you posted on that concealer...provided I can find it.

xox,
DD

DivaDebra's 2018 Golden Globes Report Card

The Black Out of 2018

Well, it was an interesting night, no one can deny that.  The politics absolutely trumped the fashion, which was the point, of course...But Lord, it made for a snoozy Red Carpet -just sayin.

The night no longer belonged to the "mani-cam" an embarrassment that will not be missed, though boy, I wish I knew who on earth, they were, "wearing"!!!

It was the night where woman had there say and in tandem and groups the solidarity and message loudly sounded was # Time's Up; sexual harassment and inequality, your days are numbered.

Brava!!!