Faith, HOPE, and Skin You'll LOVE

I have been worried about aging before my time since the ripe old age of 8.
Actually, 8 years old was when I became full-on neurotic, worrying about everything from counting calories to whether or not I should shave my legs for the very first time to which diet was better and how many calories I burned during a workout or aerobics or dance class.

I am every therapist's worst nightmare, I know.

Still, I have been diligent in my quest to look and feel absolutely magnificent as time wears on. I want to be like those women for whom the clock seems to stop at 25. Of course, I'm right past 25 (give or take a few years) so I feel like I'm probably in pretty good shape, all things considering.

And while other parts of my body (like my liver, for example) may not be so young and vibrant, because of my bad habits (alcohol, diet pills, and diet coke carried me through much of my twenties, sad to say) my skin, from head to toe, has always been cared for.

You would think I have Benjamin Button syndrome, or something, and that I am fighting the clock desperately, because I am a skin care GURU. I study every new trend that comes out, every new beauty frontier that some dermatologist explores, and I'm a HUGE fan of Sephora. Kate Sommerville and Dr. Perricone are my homies. But Christina Carlino & Philosophy? Well, like I've said before, I would willingly do an infomercial and before/after commerical, because my skin? Has become just that good.

Several months back, my skin was out of control. I went from having perfect skin to getting blemishes frequently. Philosophy skin care regime saved my face, literally. Not only did it address my clear skin concerns, it also takes care of my anti-aging worries, too.

This cream, however, this weightless, delicious, decadent facial moisturizer, Hope in a Jar, is heaven come to life. Just a tiny bit goes a long way, and you can literally feel your skin take a big drink of water; you not only see the results quickly, you feel the results immediately.

For those of you who've lost a little hope in the whole gettin' pretty movement, you better get with the program, honey. God gives us but one life to live, doll. And he only gives you one face to show the world. Make sure its your best face forward.

You can pick up Hope in a Jar, and the entire Philosophy line, at Philosophy stores near you, or online at www.philosophy.com; you can also purchase these revolutionary, incredible products at Macy's, Nordstrom, and Sephora stores near you.

Whatever Things are Pure, Whatever Things are Good...

Over the past month, I've realized that I need to quit being a stubborn ass.
Sometimes, certain things just don't work for me, and yet I have a hard time parting ways and admitting to myself that something's just not right.
No matter what the tell tale signs are, or how many times I get frustrated, I end up running back to the culprit.

No, I'm not referring to a man in this blog.
But if the shoe fits, wear it, I guess.

Actually, I'd like to highlight my skin dilemma, because about a month ago, I quit using my MAC Studio Fix foundation. Two years of using that foundation, and I developed breakouts more than a teenage boy. It was frustrating to say the least, and I got to the point where I hesitated taking my makeup off in front of Mr. Big. After all, even Sarah Jessica Parker looked semi-decent in front of Mr. Big on SATC. And she was in her late thirties.

I was humiliated when I finally went to Sephora and was nearly in tears, begging my esthetician to give me a referral for a product that would clear up my skin.

"Lorraine, you have GOT to quit using MAC. It is the source of all your skin problems. And, you need a new skincare line. Try Philosophy."

Of course, I'm a sucker for cute labels and packaging. So switching over was easy. I loved the quotes (I'm such a quotes person, it's insane!) but I was skeptical what the line would really do for my face.

I could honestly endorse Philosophy for a living, and if Christina Carlino herself asked me to do an infomercial for her products, I'd not only do it free of charge, I would be her personal assistant for an entire month free of charge just to sing the praises of this amazing skin care line. It not only saved my skin, it gave me my confidence back.

Purity Cleanser takes off every trace of my makeup, which, now that I've left MAC Studio Fix in the dust, is not difficult to remove.

Sometimes, it's hard to leave behind the things we grow accustomed to, things we feel comfortable with or attached to. But the thing is, when there's something that's life-changing waiting around the bend, why hold on to whatever is just not working?


To buy Purity Cleanser for yourself, visit www.Philosophy.com, as well as your local Sephora, Macy's, or Nordstrom stores nearest you. My favorite Philosophy store happens to be located at Dana Park Village on Val Vista and Baseline in Mesa, Arizona. My girls at that location are knowledgeable, friendly, and always helpful.

Good Vibrations

If any one woman in America defines the word 'recessionista,' it would be me.
Now, I know what you're thinking. "Lori, you shop more than any woman I know."

This is true. But I also clip coupons and find bargains better than any woman I know.

Items like mascara, I learned in my stint as a makeup artist which lasted several years, are a must-have beauty item that belong in any woman's makeup bag, but sometimes it's honestly not worth paying $24 for a tube of black magic that you'll have to throw out after a month or two, anyway. (Any woman who keeps mascara longer than that is asking for a nasty ass stye or eye infection. And that is not pretty, honey.)And truth be told, you can usually achieve the same look with a cheaper mascara as you can with a costly one. (My Mom swears she gets prettier, longer lashes with the pink and green tube of Maybelline mascara, a classic beauty staple, as she does with Definicils from Lancome, and I can honestly attest to the truth behind her claim.) Eyelashes are like perky boobs, ladies. You've either got 'em, or you don't. You can throw 'em in a fancier package, but no matter what, you get what you get, and you don't throw a fit.

When I clipped a $5 off a $10 purchase coupon for Ulta, coupled with their beauty deal--buy one, get one half off on all Maybelline New York products, I was super excited because I wanted to try the new Maybelline Pulse Perfection Vibrating Mascara. Since the mascara is $12, I got two tubes for $18, and then $5 off of that price. ($13 for two mascaras that work like a charm is a true bargain.)I've tried the Lancome Oscillating Mascara, in the $25 price range, and it not only failed to impress me the way the Maybelline one did, (the brush was not as thick, so my lashes were nowhere near as plump or lengthy) it also never goes on sale, ladies. Why would you waste money on something so disposable, when you can get better results with something less expensive?


On a humorous note, my Dad watched in awe as I applied makeup one day, because he heard the tiny motor in the wand of the mascara. "I thought I'd seen it all," he said, "but I'm a mechanic, and I never thought you'd put a motor close to your eye." One of my male students watched me apply it in the hallway while chatting up my female students one morning before class, and could not figure out why I'd want mascara that vibrated. He shook his head in confusion. And yet another male--a guy I was dating--said he wondered if this was a sign that women just "like things that vibrate--ha ha ha." Yeah, jackass, as a matter of fact, we do, and if this tube of mascara was just a tiny bit bigger, it could take your place in a heartbeat.



To pick up your very own tube of vibrating mascara, check out Maybelline Pulse Perfection Mascara at an Ulta store near you, Walmart, or Target. Or, you can try Lancome's more expensive version, Oscillating Mascara, at a counter near you, or at stores like Sephora, Dillards, or Macy's.

Finding My Fortune

Recently, I’ve become very sensitive to fragrances. I’ve had to give away bottles of perfume I once liked. A trip through the perfume counters at my favorite department stores tends to make me fairly nauseous and I get sick to my stomach whenever I smell certain scents. Since I suffer from migraines, I have to be careful what scents I use or am around, because they trigger horrible headaches in an instant.

As I walked through Macy’s last weekend, I was drawn to the Dolce & Gabbana perfume counter. I was a little cautious about trying these new scents, but thought I’d give ‘em a whirl.



The interesting thing about his fragrance collection is that they not only have intriguing scents, they have equally beautiful names to match, and they’re inspired by tarot cards. Each scent represents a different card: such as the diva, the seducer, or the risk taker. My personal favorite is La Roue de la Fortune, which smells faintly of patchouli (a scent I actually have never been that fond of, strangely) and the name, translated, means ‘wheel of fortune.’ Perhaps this is a sign I need to start taking more positive risks, and take chances that might lead me to my fortune. Or at least a little more happiness or fulfillment.

Try the new fragrances for yourself, available at Macy’s or www.macys.com. In a world where you can be any woman you want to be, pick the scent that defines you.

Bling on a Budget

The queen of bling just shopped solo two weekends ago on Sunday; it was quite sad without the girls there to keep me company. But I digress. I was in Macy's at San Tan Village, and my family had already called to say, "If you find good deals on jewelry, pick us up something and we'll buy it from you." Ever the one to love checking out the pretty jewels around the store, I spent no less than 40 minutes just shopping the jewelry selection.

In that time, I not only found Betsey Johnson accessories marked down 30% off,but so many other designers, as well. Betsey can usually be pretty pricey; these jewels were marked down so much, they were a big steal for any jewelry lover out there. In addition, on the weekends, for the passt 2 months, Macy's has been doing EXTRA savings on things like clothing, jewels, and shoes, on the weekends. Sometimes you can get beautiful jewelry for up to 70% off the retail price.

I had to mention this sale not only because it's fantastic, but because I had the most incredible customer service by my jewelry counter homegirl, Kim. She was kind, polite, and helpful, and went out of her way to interact with her customers and get to know us. She is a total sweetheart, and deserves to be praised...but what's even more sweet are all these tempting deals at Macy's, so check it out for yourself this weekend, and make sure you ask for Kim's help, she deserves to have even more happy, pleasant clients. Stay golden, loves. :)