Product Talk - a reader request

My sweet maman doesn’t wear makeup. She doesn’t need to, and never has. Her lifelong practice of meditation and yoga, smoke and drink-free vegetarian diet (and no doubt, genes!) have made her skin radiant. Beyond the rare application of a lipstick, I’ve never known her to apply anything to her face. And her glowing skin thanks her for it, but also, so does her lifestyle. Imagine the thousands of dollars and hours she has saved, not to mention the vanity-free attitude she has enjoyed because of it. She’s never worn mascara, eyeliner, eye shadow, concealer, foundation etc. Makeup is a bit of a chicken-or-the-egg conundrum, isn’t it? One uses makeup to hide flaws and enhance features and yet, doing so tends to damage the skin in the process.

Despite my mother’s saintly example, I on the other hand, do indulge in the slightest bit of makeup, though I keep it simple. (I recently got asked by not one but TWO readers about what I do for my skin, alors...on y va!). I love Dr. Hauschka’s natural creams and I swear by the organic  Prodigious Oil by NUXE and use it on my everything; face, neck, nails, legs, and even my long mane of curls. 

The Body Shop (remember them?) is still around, and they’ve revamped their product offerings including an easy natural and mineral line of makeup. The Bodyshop Hemp handwash and Brazilian almond hand cream are deliciously rich.

But the grand prize in buoying vanity naturally goes to Lariese. I discovered this all-natural skincare line on my recent trip to Sydney, Australia where I met with the son of the chemist and designer who started the line. The company's objectives are clear: all-natural, effective, luxurious products. The 100% pure organic Argan oil by Lariese is my favorite product e-v-e-r.  Use it on wet or dry hair, straight or curly: it protects hair and gives it natural bounce. And, drum roll please, it doesn't even contain any silicones i.e.) plastic coating for the hair,  (ahem, Shu Uemura Essence Absolue!). Alas, you can't buy Lariese products anywhere in Canada, hint  hint local distributers!

Admittedly, perfume isn't really "skincare" and yet allow me this one last indulgence and unpaid plug (companies must love fashion bloggers), to share my fave scent. I've pushed all my Prada and Balenciaga bottles to the back of my beauty shelf to make room for "CB Experience" scents from, "I Hate Perfume", a Brooklyn-based company that begins with the premise that, and let's face it, most perfumes are gross; stenchy auras that remind us of old women too done up in layers of lavender and rose-things. My bottle of "In the Summer Kitchen" is airy, light, and unlike any cloud of aromas I've ever waltzed through before.

Ok Spring kittens, with beauty post #1 under my belt, let's not make a habit out of this.

"zoftig humidity"

Okay, so I'll start with the disclaimer that I'd rather not promote American Vogue... however, their April issue contains a pinup editorial of Ms. Scarlett Jo that captures that old Marilyn Monroe sultriness unlike anyone else I've seen in a long time. On a style note: I do love the satin, Prada champagne blouse and plum micro mini pairing. Now I see why director, Woody Allen, refers to the 22 year old's beauty as "zoftig humidity."

The good, the bad, and the... oh, be nice!

Okay okay, so I know everyone and their dogs will be covering what the dames of
Hollywood were wearing on the carpet rouge last night, but I can't help but offer my
two cents. I root for the films first, and their leading ladies second - but it's a close race.
(Sorry I'm leaving the menswear out of this, since all the male nominees seemed to be
wearing Armani made-to-measure!). There was a lot that I loved, and here it is:

The Good (Penelope Cruz in Versace, Reese Witherspoon in Olivier Theyskens.)

















(Below: Gwenyth Paltrow in Zac Posen, Kate Blanchett in Armani Privé.)

















The Bad, actually, the worst really:
You'd think that after starring in the fashionista flick, The Devil Wears Prada, there'd be serious pressure to look picture perfect, but Anne Hathaway's odd white Valentino number with a superimposed black tuxedo/gift bow front was, well, odd and unflattering.

Mrs.P strikes again

I tend to love Miuccia Prada's women's collections. The last time I tried on a slew of her gowns at her St.Honoré boutique in Paris, was in November, and I felt a bit like Alice in Wonderland - randomly trying on the most scrumptious of colors and being happily surprised at the results. Prada fabrics mix the unexpected and the desired. They are always innovative and, frankly, bizarre, ranging in textures that combine a new silkiness and thin sponginess, to slinky delicate wools. As a lover and collector of fine and colorlicious socks, my favorite off the Prada Fall 07 catwalks, have to be the footless two-tone socks, which Vogue's Sarah Mower desrcibes as "bonkers." If you're willing to wear something a little bonkers, why not go for luxuriously bonkers?