CoverGirl Super Sizer Mascara

CoverGirl Super Sizer Mascara
$6.89 (ish)

An odd thing occurred...I ran out of mascara. Stranger still, I had no back ups in my stash.  Any of them...

Greenwich Avenue on a sunny Saturday, (Ok, even rainy ones), has become too trying to navigate. People jockey for parking spaces with nerves of steel.  My Sephora/CVS run would have to wait, (happily, they are neighbors, a delightful convenience.)

Then I remembered the behemoth CVS that was built in an office park, nearby, with its own lot!  That would do... 

I hadn't a clue which mascara I was going to purchase.  I find it incredibly overwhelming. Most brands have at least a dozen incarnations of their fuller, thicker, longer, fiber filled, lash blasting mascara...and that does not  even include the waterproof versions.

Maddening. Do you agree???

Southampton Summer

Southampton Summer by divadebbi featuring Pier 1 Imports

Laurèl v neck shirt, $200 / Mary Katrantzou pleated skirt, $1,160 / Aquazzura blue sandals / Charlotte Olympia red handbag, $570 / Korres lip care, $12 / Pier 1 Imports floral decor / The Balm Girls Ima Goodkisser Coral Lipstick

Untitled #1005

Untitled #1005 by divadebbi featuring summer dresses

Temperley London summer dress, $1,520 / Gianvito Rossi ankle boots, $1,055 / Oscar de la Renta clutch / Hermès hermes bangle / AERIN lips makeup / Ralph lauren perfume / Body moisturizer, $12

I'm Over Over Exposed!

A tawdry Jennifer Lopez at the 2015 Billboard Awards 

I've never considered myself a prude, but when I see women like Jennifer Lopez, Kim Kardashian, Rihanna and Beyonce strutting all the junk in their trunks and more, I just want to throw an army blanket over them.

It feels desperate and sad to me.

LOOK AT ME!!!!! Pleeeeeeaasse...Pathetic Ladies.  How about wearing some pride instead???

There was only one fashion scandal to erupt during, 12 days of fantastic Red Carpet moments at this years Cannes Film Festival.  Literally, women were barred from entering events, because they were wearing, quelle horreur, flats.

Believe me, I wouldn't be caught dead in them with cocktail or black tie attire, but to be ejected, by hulking security guards at elbow point for breaking code, is both laughable and absurd.

Overall, there was a movement towards delicious, elegance and when there was a bit of skin, it was tasteful not offensive.

Here are some of my favorite looks, worn by the Red Carpet savvy, Cate Blanchett, Naomi Watts, Natalie Portman, Diane Kruger Emily Blunt, Emma Stone, Sienna Miller and Karlie Kloss. They succeed, not only because they look exquisite, but because their inherent sense of confidence and style shines through.



Brava.

La Femme

La Femme by divadebbi featuring a storage box

Zimmermann floral top / Rodarte skirt / Charlotte Olympia pointed toe pumps / Chanel purse / Dolce Gabbana lip pencil / Storage box, $51

One to Skip: Clarins Radiance Plus Golden Glow Booster

Clarins Radiance Plus Golden Glow Booster
$30

I like novel beauty products, out of the box, "why didn't someone think of this sooner?" stuff. When I purchase them, it is always with exquisite hopes of success.

Clarins, is a long time leader in the Self Tanning field, (other than QT), Clarins Self Tanning Milk was my first self tanner and one that I was loyal to for several  years in my twenties.

The 'novelty' of their Radiance Plus Golden Glow Booster, is the ability to customize your level of tan, simply by adding or subtracting the number of drops you add to your own moisturizer.

Nice! I love control...

Laura Mercier Tightline Cake Eye Liner

Laura Mercier Tightline Cake Eye Liner
$24

DivaDebbi reader's know by now, that the true quest of my beauty expeditions is not to have more fodder to blather endlessly about products...No, what I'm really hoping to do is find THE ONE. The one product in each category that will meet all my criteria; easy to apply, long wearing and natural looking.  When a product also multi-tasks as a treatment, I will only love it more.  If it turned out to be a "cheap and cheerful" find, I would have to start a Hall of Fame list.

I've not been completely satisfied with any of the things I have tried lately to line my eyes.  Pencils tug, skip and fade. Liquid eyeliner consistently gets the best of my fine motor skills, resulting in mini fortresses of used Q-Tips and unnatural lines resemble a seismograph. I fare no better with gel eyeliner.  I'd kill to be able recreate a smoldering cat eye, instead I end up looking like a Bengal tiger.

Put it in Neutral

Put it in Neutral by divadebbi featuring pointed toe pumps

Haute Hippie halter dress, $675 / Gianvito Rossi pointed toe pumps, $860 / Edie Parker white handbag / Dominic Jones cross jewelry, $365 / Pressed Baby's Breath - Real Pressed Flowers / BEHR Premium Plus Ultra 8 oz. #580A-3 Rain Song Interior/Exterior...

Let The Summer Begin!

Let The Summer Begin! by divadebbi featuring floral decor

Madewell flower print shorts / Gianvito Rossi suede ankle booties, $1,235 / Emilio Pucci ipad tote bag / Formaldehyde free nail polish, $30 / Pier 1 Imports floral decor

Garnier Fructis Damage Eraser: Answered Prayers

Garnier Fructis Damage Eraser
$5.99

I picked up Garnier Fructis Damage Eraser on a whim during a CVS run.

For once, I thought I would start at the lower end before throwing beaucoup bucks, at a problem. This time, I got lucky.

I don't know what's been going on with my hairline near the front part lately.  Out of nowhere, I have some breakage and flyaways. 

How is it that a brand new beauty woe can crop up while you sleep???  

Is this fair???  Does this happen to men??? Or does it and they are just in happy oblivion???

I'd Rather Be Shopping...

I'd Rather Be Shopping... by divadebbi featuring John-Richard

Giambattista Valli dress / Charlotte Olympia red flat / Valentino red leather shoulder bag / VICKISARGE gold plated cross necklace, $235 / Federica Rettore white bangle / John Richard home decor

Be Yourself. You are Lovely!

Be Yourself. You are Lovely! by divadebbi featuring pink shorts

Josh Goot halter top / Valentino pink shorts, $890 / Sophia Webster high heel shoes / Chanel bag

Mad Men: The End of the Era

Peggy takes no prisoners--at last
Elizabeth Moss at her finest

I appreciate a timely ending...Kudos to Matt Weiner and his team for not overstaying their welcome and much more of course. Still, my heart is a bit heavy that the Mad Men journey is truly over.

For those of us devoted viewers, who have invested 8+ years in this phenomenal series, the rewards have been rich.  The arc of each key cast members story, (ahhhh Peggy!), has taken us through the Kennedy and MLK assassinations, the Black Out of '65, Vietnam, the Moonwalk and scads of sex, drugs and rock and roll.  Booze and cigarettes, are so ingrained in the series, they should have been listed in the cast credits each week.

It was inevitable, that either the lungs or the liver, would ring the death knell, for one of the main characters. Bets ran high for Don or Roger.  I don't know anyone, myself included, or took bets on Bets.  The minute she tripped up those steps, I knew she was a goner. Heartbreaking...

Sally and Betty, cigarette ever in hand,  (even up to the end!) precursor to her advanced lung cancer

A particular joy, has been watching Kiernan Shipka grow up before our eyes, as Sally Draper. As the progeny of Betty and Don Draper, she has borne witness to her parents flaws, excesses and debauchery, first hand.

Not surprisingly, she is cynical, brutally direct and mature, beyond her years.  It will serve her well, as she now has to face Betty's untimely death.  Betty was always remote.  Soon she will be a ghost.  Tragically, Sally, still a teen, will have to bear all the burdens of being a motherless daughter.  I imagine her re-reading Betty's final instructions throughout her lifetime, looking for little clues to help her grasp strands of the woman her mother was.  Heartbreaking....

Don Draper--heading West

So, how will it all end?  Over the last two years of Don, shedding his persona like a snake. Like all of us, Don seeks peace and contentment.  Material wealth has never defined him. His life, as the mythical creation, 'Genius Ad Man, Don Draper' is a farce he no longer wants to perpetuate.

Don loves to work and he loves California.  I've long envisioned him leaving everything behind and opening Dick's Auto Body out West. Don has been a fairly deplorable father, but he does love his children. With Betty gone and Henry, her second husband hapless, Don will pack up the Draper kids and move them all to California...but no, it won't be Beverly....Dick seeks a simpler life and he will finally have it.

All Eyes on You

All Eyes on You by divadebbi featuring a floral arrangement

Sleeveless print dress / Gianvito Rossi lace-up sandals / Burberry blue purse / Pier 1 Imports floral arrangement

One Chic Chick

One Chic Chick by divadebbi featuring platform booties

FAUSTO PUGLISI embellished shift dress / Prada platform booties / Chanel purse / Gold bangle / Barton Perreira sunglasses / Tom Ford lips makeup, $41 / Gold Stars Cellophane Sheets, cellophane sheet gold stars - My...

Stila One Step Bronze: The only one you need

Stila One Step Bronze
$36

This is one of my favorite beauty products...definitely a Holy Grail and one that I have now replaced 3 times, since I first discovered it back in March of 2013. The last purchase came via Amazon. I was starting to get spooked that it was being phased out.

First my local Sephora dumped the whole collection. Fortunately I found it at Ulta.  They recently upgraded their packaging and the prices have creeped up a bit.  I'm O.K. with that, it's an attractive upgrade...as long as they don't discontinue Stila One Step Bronze.  Inexplicably, it has not been restocked in months, or it has and has flown off the shelves in between my visits--quite possibly, the latter.

As I eeked out the last pump last week, my husband detected my frustration, and nicely, surprised me and ordered it from Amazon, a great source for beauty products that sustain untimely deaths. Happily, it arrived today.  (I just checked Stila's website and thank goodness, it has not been discontinued.)

So, what makes this a DivaDebbi Holy Grail?  I find it a winning choice over powdered bronzers,  which are always too matte or too shiny.  They also have a tendency to settle into fine lines, no ones goal, ever. Another plus? It also has skincare properties that hydrate and improve tone and texture, something never found in powdered bronzers.

This lovely, mousse like tri-color gel, can be used on bare skin, mixed with your foundation, or applied as I do, with a big fluffy brush as a last step, anywhere the sun naturally hits; the forehead, the bridge of the nose and the tops of my cheekbones.

Bronze and glowing...what more could you ask for???

MAC Amplified Creme Lipstick; Dreams do come true

MAC Amplified Cream Lipstick
$16

I've never had much luck with MAC Lipsticks, even though MAC Soar Lip Pencil is my Holy Grail nude pink liner, so much so that I hoard it.

I'm not a mall goer. I can never remember where I entered, which makes exiting a challenge... I had to go to the Westchester Mall recently, so as long as I was trapped  there, I figured I might as well visit the MAC store to pick up an extra "Soar". (They were, BTW, sold out of Soar.  Everywhere...their stores, their website and at all of their retail partners.  This would be tragic for me if I didn't already have a back up stash.)

Once there, I couldn't help perusing the lipsticks.  MAC makes 14 different types of lipsticks, not including glosses or palettes.  It is nothing, if not overwhelming.  The last MAC lipstick I purchased was from their long wear collection. Like many lipsticks that provide hours of wear, it also felt like sandpaper.

Happy Mother's Day!!!

To all the magnificent Mom's out there, I wish you a joyful day.  May you be celebrated for all you do, to keep your family happy and in good health.

To my own Mom and Mother-in-Law, the "Joan's", I thank you for my siblings and my husband, Chris, who I cherish. Truly,  I appreciate that you both always put family first, and thank you for your sacrifices and generosity.

I am so very proud of the loving, caring children my family and friends have raised, now entering young adulthood and in full bloom. Our son, Brendan, graduating college next week, has been a daily source of utter joy, since he popped into this world, all 9 lbs 3 ozs. of him. No love is purer or more laser focused than the one I feel for him, and how I'm sure, you feel about your own children.

Well done Mama's!!! Enjoy your day.

xox,
DD

What Mom Really Wants for Mother's Day

We recently returned from a glorious stay at the newly renovated Condado Vanderbilt Hotel in Puerto Rico. Built originally in 1919 by Fredrick William Vanderbilt, this historic Grand Dame hotel has just completed at $200 million dollar renovation.

Did any of it trickle down to the 10,000 square foot spa and fitness center? Naturally and it's world class. My first thought in fact was why do I always wait to go on vacation to go to a spa?

While I was away, I received an invitation from Denise Liquore, Master Therapist, Esthetician and Coordinator of the Equinox Spa in Armonk, NY.  The Spa was hosting an event with the Pilates Studio the day after I got back, would I be interested in attending?

My first thought was, "I'm relaxed as a noodle, bad timing". But I'm putty in Denise's expert hands and why not keep a good thing going? Also, if you have never experienced one on one training with an expert on a Pilates reformer, you are yourself the experience. I left feeling two inches taller...

The Met Gala 2015: DivaDebbi's Fashion Report Card

Some people may think the Academy Awards is fashion's most important night of the year--Not me. I'm in the camp that would vote for the the first Monday night in May, when Anna Wintour and her handpicked co-chairs host the annual Met Gala aka, The Party of the Year.

Wintour, who has been chairing this star studded event, in what is now her 20th year, has successfully turned it into both a haute couture carnival and a blockbuster fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute, (now deservedly named in her honor.)

Rumor has it, that if you are lucky enough to make the cut of the some 700 or so beautiful and famous, you dare not not show. Those who decline are never asked back. This is one party I might swap a kidney to attend...

As always, guests are requested to dress in  the theme that reflects that year's exhibit.  This year, it is China: Through the Looking Glass which examines the influences of Chinese fashion on culture over the years.

I attend several parties in the course of the a year that ask guests to dress in theme.  I always do my best to at least do a nod of homage in my attire. To me it's just good manners and shows respect to my hosts. It takes a bit more effort, inevitably it adds to the fun and festivities. Of course, I'll  also being weighing in on who got it right and who took the "costume"  thing too much to heart...

It's going to be a long one, so for the sake of brevity, I will winnow it down to the Best and the Worst.  Is there regular old fugly??? Absolutely, (Jennifer Connelly, Keri Russell, Kristen Wiig).  Is there missed the mark, despite having a dozen stylists??? Yup, (Allison Williams, Jennifer Lawrence, Jessica Alba.) Am I confused about the dresses that look like they should have been worn to a whole other event, like Elizabeth Banks turquoise cut-out Jersey Michael Kors???

Sure...but there are so many, that's a whole other blog. For now, I give you the Best and the Worst, with biggest props going towards those who managed to balance tasteful, with the Chinese inspired theme.

A Perfect Flush; Milani Tea Rose Powder Blush

Milani's Rose Powder Blush
$7.99

Milani  is a drugstore brand that is inspired by the women of "Milan". Honestly, I always thought it was created for women of color. Other than occasional nail polish, intended to fill in inevitable post manicure chips, I never have really tried any of their products.

Milani is often a name that comes up in blogs and reviews for having near perfect "dupes" of prestige brands bestsellers, like Nars iconic Orgasm Blush. Still, nothing triggered my "must have" reflex until I spotted this beautiful  Rose Powder Blush, whilst on a mundane CVS run today.