Paging Paige: OMG!!! 3-Day Straight is...

A miracle!!!   I will be sending a fruit basket.

I promised you two great summer finds this week, but I must include a third.  it's been unseasonably humid in the N.E. for the last few weeks and I have been looking like a troll.  I have never seriously considered a Brazilian (Blow-out...or any other sort).  Something about the chemicals, expense and extreme level of straightness just doesn't sit right with me.  Still, after Googling "Hair Relaxers for Caucasians" I was not impressed with my options. Until...

Waxing Poetic about Bliss Poetic Waxing

I received two Do-It-Yourself goodies to sample this week, both perfectly timed for the summer.  I will review them on separate posts.  The first is Bliss's Poetic Waxing Face Strips  (which are so new they are not yet featured on Bliss's website, but are available on Sephora's. The website listed them as 20 strips for $25.  Yet yesterday,  I spied them in same size for $10 in Sephora's checkout aisle...you know the one, it's created to seduce... adorably packaged, reasonably priced mini products scream,  "BUY ME!!!  as you wait to check out. It takes every fiber of self restraint not to add something to my basket (and I'm rarely successful). Are you??? Anywho, if this review peaks your interest...I suggest you git on down and snatch them up.

I am fortunate not to have a lot of facial hair and can tend to my 'stash by either bleaching it or waxing it maybe twice a year.  I do have some blond peach fuzz near my upper jaw, but always left it alone.  It never really occurred to me to mess with it, until I saw Alex of the Real Housewives of NY being shaved at Canyon Ranch in the Berkshires.  And you???  Now Alex and I are both as smooth as baby's bums...Here's hoping I don't look like Fred Flintstone when it grows back in --- but I am jumping ahead here.

The Weekly Round Up

We hope you'll take a few minutes from your long weekend to take a tour through the beauty world with us. We're in the mood for summer!!!

Café Makeup left us drooling over her sneak peek at Chanel's Fall 2011 Collection.

Best Things in Beauty gave us a first look at Giorgio Armani Beauty's new Gloss d'Armani.

Is Great Lash Still Great?

Maybelline's Great Lash  has been a best selling mascara for the last 40 years...which sounds like a lifetime, until I did the math and realized I could have been their first customer.  It is a perennial favorite on many beauty round ups, inluding Allure's and is frequently mentioned as a staple in top makeup artists arsenals.

On a lark, I decided to revisit Great Lash, my very first mascara to see how it held up over the years. I always loved the Lilly Pulitzeresque hot pink and lime green packaging and with nothing to compare it too, was satisfied with its performance   Between changes in brush shape; fat, thin, curved and comb and formulas; thickening, lengthening, lash accelorating,  fiber filled and waterproof,  mascara has come a loooong way.  So how did it hold up???

We Have a Winner!!!

Congratulations lucky number 18, Diori!!!   Diori will be receiving 3 full size Lumene Day Time moisturizers all infused with SPF 15.  Diori was a sun worhsipper who saw one of her dear friends and long time tanning buddies face disfiguring melanoma surgery. Here's to smart, safe sunning.  We know soooo much more now, than we did then.

Thanks to all my readers who left comments.  Hope it will be you next time.  Happy, healthy summer all.

xox,
DD

Opening Pandora's Box

A month or two ago, I  reviewed Sulwahsoo's Clarifiying Mask. Sulwhasoo, is the number one selling skincare line in Korea. (In the U.S., it's sold exclusively at  Bergdorf Goodman).  I love masks that you literally get to peel off.   I don't know if it is the anticipation of the big reveal or the hope of flawless,but either way, I adored how velvety smooth my skin felt and how pore less it appeared.

When I received an small 4 piece Pandora's box of Sulwhasoo skin care, with directions that could only be understood viewed under a Trinocular Compound Microscope, I thought,  "Eeeek.  Not great timing". Politely, I declined and offered to send it back. How many skin care lines could I possibly review in such a short time span?  As well, what I could I really discern using samples that I couldn't get me through a weeks trial?...WRONG!!!

The Weekly Round Up

This is is the weekend the doomsday types are predicting the end of the world, which has spawned some great humor. The Washington D.C. Transportation Department tweeted that the coming apocalypse would have an impact on road maintenance. "Sorry, we will no longer be able to fill your potholes after Saturday." For those who believe that life will go on, as we know it, here's some great reading for you, with a little tongue-in-cheek humor of our own.

Fittingly, Product Girl told us why Bobbi Brown's Rich Lip Color is cosmic.

Diva and You: A Giveaway You Deserve

Let's try to take better care of our skin, shall we??? I love when I have opportunities to share giveaways with my readers and when it's something that can help keep our skin stay healthy, so much the better!

Beautisol: Faking the bake beautifullly

Recently, I got to hug it out with  Anne, one of my regular readers who I had never met!!!...  Naki is a great mutual friend of both of ours and set up an introduction.  Anne enjoys reading about my antics and is particularly interested in my sunless successes, as she too, as sworn it off.  At my suggestion, Anne purchased Sircuit Soleil's Firming Mineral Bronzer (http://divadebbi.blogspot.com/2011/01/bronze-star.html) and was very happy with the bronze as a coconut results.  What she was less happy with was the Pina Colada smell.  Did I have something less intoxicating I could recommend???  Good question...

Damage Control

Y'all are going to have to bear with me, as I adjust to my pledge to swear off tanning.  I not only love the look of being naturally, lightly bronzed, but lying in the sun also relaxes me deeply.  I'm not completely nuts. It's been decades since my days of roof top sunbathing with a double sided reflector and I've spent plenty of time under umbrellas in the last several years. Still,  in the early part of the season, I have always gotten a natural base that I can later enhance with fake bake.

The Weekly Round Up

It was a gorgeous week in my neck of the woods... Lush lawns, tree and flowers in bloom, sunshine and freshly mowed baseball fields brought joy to my heart.  Spring has finally sprung!

Here's what my Beauty Blogging Beauties obsessed about this week:

Dashing and Stashing

I'm not at morning person....never was, never will be. For a time, my High School diploma was even in jeopardy, when it was discovered I had missed 16 first period gym classes in my Senior year.  What to do??? Skip all my other classes and hang out in a sailor blue romper for 3 straight days making them up! The Diva, was a Diva back then too, so you can imagine how me and my gal pals howled over this unglamorous turn events, (in between drags of Marlboro 100's in the girls bathroom).

Anyway, this true confession brings me to my makeup stash at work.  I have an irrational fear of forgetting my makeup bag, so I keep an extra mascara, liner, lipstick, lip gloss and blush in my desk, (along with moisturizer, sunblock, Colgate "Wisps", perfume and mints)...just in case, of what, I do not know.

The other morning, I nearly completed my toilette, but was interrupted by a phone call.  Somehow, I never got back to what I started, and left the house sans mascara and makeup bag. Good thing I had an unused  tube of Rimmel'sLash Accelerator in Extreme Black.  This Opthamologist, clinically tested formula promises to ulta lengthening...not just at application, but with future growth. Hmmmm....how at this promising stuff get relegated to my stash?  Here are the goods:

Lashes Appear Up to 80% Longer Instantly (check)

with Grow-Lash Complex Lashes appear up to 117% longer in 30 days (that would be nice)

Advanced , Ultra-Lengthening Formula for Beautifully Long, Remarkably Strong Lashes Exclusive natural Grow-Lash Complex with Procapil® extends and fortifies lashes (nothing wrong with that)

With continued use, lashes not only look longer, but also lusher and more numerous (or that either)
Suitable for contact lens wearers and sensitive eyes (duly noted)

Made in Italy  (interesting...it's not a handbag for God's sake)!

So what's the verdict?  Stash no more!  I took this puppy home.  Extreme Black is exactly that, just the way I like it...positively inky.  The brush is not too fat and the perfect width of my lash span.  It went on cleanly, with each lash getting a separate even coat.  It was easy to build on as well.

Optimistically, I holding out for that 117% increase in length...just 29 days to go.  I'll keep you posted.  In the meanwhile, I need to buy something else for my stash.  I'm open to all suggestions... after 10:00 a.m.

xox,
DD

Geez...I can't give this stuff away!!!

Winners, where are you???   I have not heard from either TmpOO or Michelle, my 26th and 27th commenters for my Dr. Imber Youth Corridor Skin Brighteners, valued at $95 each!!! 

I would like for two of my readers to enjoy this product that I love!  Please contact me asap at Divadebbi@gmail.com .   Otherwise, I will choose two new winners tomorrow at 9 p.m.

xox,
DD

Love Life Skin-Treating skin beautifully

What is Love Life Skin and why is it getting so much buzz in the pages of The New York Times, Town & Country, Elle and Glamour???  

Love Life Skin is a luxurious skincare line that addresses inflammation to relieve irritated skin, improve moisturization and reduce visible signs of aging. Inspired by skin issues associated with radiation and chemotherapy, Love Life Skin was created to soothe, hydrate and restore even sensitive skin. Infused with the exclusive Recovery Elixir 31, a blend of natural botanical extracts, antioxidants and moisturizing agents, Love Life Skin formulas repair and restore damaged skin. Skin looks smoother, brighter, transformed. 

Naturally, they didn't have to do much to twist my arm to try it! I love cutting edge natural ingredients like Resveratrol, Coffee Berry, Pomegranate and Green Tea in my skin care and I was excited to try it.  The whole point of Love Life Skin is that it is for everyone... not just women who are going through treatment.

Here is the story of how Love Life Skin found its much needed way to the beauty marketplace:

The Weekly Round Up

Happy Mother's Day!!!!  Need a last-minute gift? Want to treat yourself? Maybe we can inspire you!

The Non-Blonde gave us a sneak peek at Le Métier de Beauté's beautiful summer collection.

Fab over Forty hooked more than a few of us on Beauty is Life.

Pelleve- Get Your Glow On!!!!

O.K., what have have you done now???  I have been fielding questions for two days now... My clients and everyone who I work with, knows I am game for just about anything and they are always up for new tales from the beauty trenches.  I had a Pelleve treatment administered on Wednesday at Dr. Z. Paul Lorenc Park Avenue office by the lovely Carissa McCormack.  What exactly is Pelleve???

A Beautiful Day

The City always energizes me! Never more so, then when I catch it in it's full beauty on a sunny, crisp spring or fall day.  I planned on getting in a long stroll along Madison Avenue and stopping into Phillips to see Andy Warhol's exqusite 1963 painting of Elizabeth Taylor.  The buzz is, this portrait, in the wake of Liz's recent passing, may fetch more than $20 mill!  AW did indeed do a masterful job of capturing Liz at the height of her fame and beauty.  It was also worth a visit to see Damien Hirst's magical homage to the beauty of butterflies, aptly named "Tranquility".  If you are in the area (57th St. and Park Avenue), do pop in.

For once, I gave into reality that this day would be best enjoyed in ballet flats, so I did my best to still keep it looking chic in skinny jeans, a white cotton blouse and an adorable Veronica Beard leopard trench. I guess ballet flats are the modern day equivalent of  "sensible shoes" because even on Madison Avenue, there wasn't even a 50mm Choo, MB or Louboutin to be found. Good thing there isn't a ghost of a chance of Sex and the City 111...Carrie Bradshaw would have been apoplectic at the new shoe reality, or maybe she would have finally grown up too.

Besides all this fun, I was in town to learn about Elure and Pelleve, two beauty break throughs, each worthy of their own blog....

And the Winners Are:

Thank you to all my readers who entered the Dr. Imber Youth Corridor Skin Brightner giveaway.  I so enjoyed hearing from you and I love when I can share goodies with my readers! 

The two winners chosen at random, were my 26th and 27th commenters Tmp00 and Michelle.  Congratulations!!!!  Kindly email me at Debbio@richardsonline.com with your contact information and I will  forward it so you will receive your Skin Brightener directly.  Each as a $95.00!!!   I do love the way this product leaves my skin glowing, but I always bow out of the night time application.  No sense wasting precious product on my pillowcase, ya know?  I hope you will like it as much as I do...please let me know.

xox,
DD

Brains and Beauty

I love the women in my book club.  The whole clan is made up of smart, funny, fashionable, accomplished Mom's.  We have all served on the Board of Directors of the Purchase Community House,  a safe and nurturing non-profit facility that was bequeathed to the children and families of our community.  Over the last 10 years, we have most enjoyed books based on historical fiction, though we have also read our fair share of classics and Cleopatra clunkers.  When we meet, inevitably we end up drifting onto other topics. often, beauty related.  In many ways my book club was part of the inspiration for starting DivaDebbi.  No one ever seemed to mind when I whipped my latest find out of my handbag and  each month,  they started  looking forward to hearing about my latest obsession.

When TotalBeauty was looking for some of their Blogger's to host a Neutrogena/TotalBeauty party in their home, I hopped on it immediately, knowing I had the perfect group pre-assembled .  The plan was for us to log on at 8 P.M. to a webcast, to hear Beverly Hills Dermatologist Dr. Will Kirby answer our top concerns about aging and skin care. The reality was that unless Dr. Kirby was arriving in my living room in the flesh,  there wasn't a chance that we could listen in rapt silence for longer than 2 minutes.  We are a nothing if not a bunch of Chatty Cathie's.   What we were happy to learn was that 100% of the women who tried Neutrogena's Rapid Wrinkle Repair Moisturizer for Night saw an improvement in just 7 days.  I don't think I have ever seen a report of 100% of women agreeing on anything ... We were psyched that we were all be getting our own product to try.  Reduction in lines and ages spots in 7 days??? Unheard of!!!