Author: Cold Cream 'n' Roses

#beauty #cosmetics #makeup #skincare #fashion An eclectic collection of #music posted on #Mondays

Which books should all women read?

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From Jezebel via Shine on Yahoo! a list of the 20 books every woman should read.

  1. The Lottery, Shirley Jackson
  2. To the Lighthouse, Virginia Woolf
  3. The House of Mirth, Edith Wharton
  4. White Teeth, Zadie Smith
  5. The House of the Spirits, Isabel Allende
  6. Slouching Towards Bethlehem, Joan Didion
  7. Excellent Women, Barbara Pym
  8. The Bell Jar, Sylvia Plath
  9. Wide Sargasso Sea, Jean Rhys
  10. The Namesake, Jhumpa Lahiri
  11. Beloved, Toni Morrison
  12. Madame Bovary, Gustave Flaubert
  13. Like Life, Lorrie Moore
  14. Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen
  15. Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontë
  16. The Delta of Venus, Anais Nin
  17. A Thousand Acres, Jane Smiley
  18. A Good Man Is Hard To Find, Flannery O’Connor
  19. The Shipping News, E. Annie Proulx
  20. You Can’t Keep a Good Woman Down, Alice Walker

My recommendations?

I’ve already raved about Wuthering Heights. Barbara Pym might be described as Jane Austen for the mid-20th century. I also recommend Vanity Fair by William Makepeace Thackeray (OK, so he’s a man) about duplicitous social climber Becky Sharp.

While these might not be considered as books for women, I like the Emily series (Emily of New Moon, Emily Climbs, and Emily’s Quest) from Lucy Maud Montgomery, who is best known for Anne of Green Gables. The Emily series is more mature than the Anne series and Emily was closer to Lucy Maud Montgomery’s heart. There is also a touch of mysticism, in which Emily is able to see beyond the mere appearances of the world.

Coming ’round again

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What ties footwear to a given time? I loved my Dr. Scholl’s wooden exercise sandals and didn’t care if the straps blistered my feet; then I had to have a pair of Earth shoes because my classmates were wearing them; later on, I had to have a pair of Frye boots. By tracing trends in footwear, you can estimate my age!


Frye “Jane” boot

I recently bought myself a pair of Frye boots in the classic “Jane” style. Actually, it’s the same style that I had before. As I wrote before, I promised to buy a pair of boots for fall/winter. Frye is having its day again, and Dr. Scholl’s exercise sandals and Earth shoes have made comebacks in recent years.

Lindi Skin

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Skin care is marketed by promising younger skin and other benefits – “hope in a jar,” as Charles Revson said. At the same time, companies use waffle words such as “skin looks …” or “skin appears” to circumvent Federal Trade Commission (FTC) investigations into fraudulent advertising claims.

I rely on sunscreen, AHA, BHA, dual-phase eye makeup removers, and gentle cleansers for my skin care. My main requisites for a moisturizer are: is it emollient? will I wake up with softer feeling skin?

The target consumer for Lindi Skin is unusual: it markets to patients whose skin has been “compromised” by cancer. Since dryness and irritation afflict cancer patients, Lindi Skin’s products have been formulated to soothe and moisturize the skin. Lindi Skin is great for those of us who have been spared cancer, but nonetheless want soothing and moisturizing skin care.

This review will cover three Lindi Skin products: Lindi Face Moisturizer, Lindi Eye Hydrator, and Lindi Body Wash.


Lindi Face Moisturizer

Lindi Face Moisturizer (2 oz., $38.00) is emollient and non-greasy. I like to apply it at bedtime – my skin feels smooth to the touch when I wake up in the morning. It does have an astringent smell when you apply it.


Lindi Eye Hydrator

Lindi Skin’s web site describes Lindi Eye Hydrator (15 ml, $30.00) as a gel: actually, it looks more like an ointment. Just pat it in with your ring finger, and it has a non-greasy finish, thanks to the silicons in the formulation.


Lindi Body Wash

Lindi Body Wash (8 oz., $20.00) is an extra-moisturizing body wash with imperceptible fragrance.

Other unique products include Lindi Face Tint, which is designed to counteract the grayish tone associated with cancer patients, and Lindi Skin Cooler Pads, to comfort burnt or itchy skin.

The return of hippie "chic"

Cold Cream 'n' Roses

One of the most distressing fashion trends (aside from Juicy Couture, baby doll tops, and leggings) is the revival of hippie “chic,” if you can call it that. I’ve already written about hippie headbands.

In the late sixties, it was fashionable to bleach, patch, and embroider your jeans – and also to rip and fray jeans. Now True Religion has come out with its Bobby Destroyed Jeans.


Bobby Destroyed Jeans by True Religion

The price for these jeans is $240.00 (yes, two hundred forty dollars). This is ridiculous.

On the other hand, I like this adaptation of the fringed leather look:


cha cha Patience handbag from Lori Chalmers

The braided strap, semi-structured design, and dark blue leather give it class. It’s from Lori Chalmers, an independent designer who’s based in Toronto.

Are face primers necessary?

Cold Cream 'n' Roses

TotalBeauty.com content:

Makeup Primer: Worth the Extra Step?

Find out if they make a visible difference

Pro makeup artist Molly Stern says primers are meant to serve as a layer between skin and foundation to create a more even surface. But not everyone needs them. “The best candidate for them would be someone who is very oily or has a lot of scarring from acne,” she says. But do primers actually make a difference? We had two women of different ages each test a top foundation primer geared toward their skin type. Find out if their makeup looked better … and if anyone noticed.

See primers

We have a winner!

Cold Cream 'n' Roses

I am pleased to announce that Lynne won the L’Oreal Paris cosmetics giveaway, by random drawing. Congratulations, Lynne, and I look forward to publishing your review on The Style Page.

Thanks to all those who had entered our contest, and be sure to keep visiting The Style Page for future contests and fun polls!

Don’t forget to vote in our current poll Are You Loyal to a Particular Cosmetics Brand or Product? To vote, simply scroll down the blog past the Total Beauty skyscraper ad on the left side bar. The vote closes on September 30, and I’d like to have robust participation in this poll to get some meaningful results.

Are you loyal to a specific brand or product?

Cold Cream 'n' Roses

In view of Illamasqua‘s goal of creating brand loyalty for itself, The Style Page wants to know if you are loyal to a particular cosmetics or product.

Please scroll down the page to locate the poll in the left-hand navigation bar and vote. This poll is open only through September 30, 2008 – seven days left. Please leave comments to elaborate.