the Glamourscope

A real shoe-in.

theglamourscope — Sat, 26 Mar 2011 19:07:47 +0000

A friend of mine posted the following update to his Facebook status earlier this week;

“Seduced by Spring, F**ked by Winter.”

I couldn’t agree more!! A week ago it was 75 degrees in New York City. I was wearing ballet flats. I saw people in flip flops with fresh pedicures. It was a joyous time!!

Then before you knew it, the weather had turned into an awful combo called “Wintery Mix”, a rain + snow = slush combination. It lasted for days. I felt as if I had been sucker punched!!

It was as I was putting my summer shoes back on their shelf that I realized I had forgotten one thing. I was silly to bust out my summer kit so early! In my elation over such amazing summer-esque weather I had completely forgotten about Madame Spring!! And boy is she one indecisive lady!! Sunshine one day, golf ball sized hail and torrential rain the next. It’s your basic primping nightmare!!

It is at this time of year that you can often find me gazing into my closed longing for inspiration. ”Will it warm up today? Will it rain? Does the weather man even know?! Do I need a scarf? Am I going to be too hot in that?”, and the list of questions goes on.

After some time of staring in vain, hoping something amazing will appear and finishing a cup of coffee (or two), I usually resort to plan B. There is one thing that can often snap me out of dressing distress……..picking out my shoes for the day.

Now this could really put a monkey wrench into your operations. What shoes do you wear for weather schizophrenia? The answer is so simple it may just evade you. Rubber!

Many designers are now creating shoes and boots out of rubber. Long gone are the days of galoshes that make your calves look like tree trunks. Even Wellington boots have received a stylish lift, though they are no longer your only option. I see shoes all over the place that could easily be mistaken for your favorite ballet flat.

My friends will tell you that I am a basics dresser. My closet is full of simple basics like jeans, t’s, cardigans, pencil skirts and the sort. One way I like to take an outfit from plain to one that fetches compliments is through my choice of shoes. You can make any clothing you are wearing an outfit by simply adding a great, fun pair of shoes. In times like these, when the weather sucks, the more punchy your shoe the better.

So in the name of style and not ruining your leather shoes, I command thee to go shopping for at least one pair of fantastic rubber shoes. There is one rule you must follow before you pull out your cash though; You are not allowed to buy these shoes in black!! Baring that, you are free to go wild!!! It can be a ballet flat, a boot or even a fun wedge. Not only will this step up your outfits, it will probably boost your mood as well.

Send me a picture of your amazing shoes! I am always on the look out!!

“Madame Spring, let’s see what you’ve got!”

Worth the hunt……

theglamourscope — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 15:56:24 +0000

I am on a mission. A mission for a piece of clothing so basic, so simple, so ubiquitous, yet so elusive. Built with the perfect proportions and the right amount of detail while still maintaining the right price. A true classic fit for everyone. Men, women, curvy, scrawny, young and old all benefit from having this in their closet. Sounds like mission impossible, right? That is when I found it, stuffed in a corner of tank tops where surely someone was trying to hide it. ”Ohhhhhh, it is my size!!” I thought as I tore my treasure from its hiding place. ”What is this? $49.50? Impossible!!!!” I ask the sales clerk……”Is this price right?” ”Um, let me check……….yes it is.” At that moment the heavens opened up, the light shown down and I am sure somewhere in the distance I heard the angels sing. I ran with my prize over to the mirror. My arm slid into one sleeve, then the other. I cinched in the waist and…..Perfection!!! At last I had found the elusive trench. Great with jeans and dresses alike. Mission accomplished!!!

This trench is about to get even more glamorous. I just saw in in Instyle magazine in bright red!! How fabulous. At this price I may have to pick up another!!! Thank you Old Navy!!!! You will always be my friend for perfect basics.

Who knew papaya could do so much?!!!

theglamourscope — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 13:29:38 +0000

Well, Lucas did!!! He invented what I believe to be one of the best wonder-ointments on the market. Any model who has ever come across this beauty of a salve has been an instant convert. Let me introduce you to Lucas’ Papaw Ointment!!!! This little red tube does it all……It hydrates, cleanses, disinfects and soothes all sorts of skin irritations. I love it. I mean I LOVE LOVE LOVE it!!! I use it as lip balm most of the time, but I have also used it on my cuticles, elbows, scrapes and even on my face during a long flight!! This super ointment has the added bonus of smelling totally yummy too. There was a time when you could only pick this product up in Australia. Not so anymore!! Look it up on google and buy a tube right away!!!!

A drug store find!!!

theglamourscope — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 00:09:48 +0000

In need of some retail therapy the other day, I turned to my safe place…..the local drug store. Those four walls are a mecca for all things beauty and budget. I can spend hours a week perusing the isles of creams, lipsticks and cotton balls. Where else can you buy a razor, a Vogue, some eye makeup remover and a bag of fun sized Snickers?! (A girl’s got to live. Even in a time of economic downturn and diet!!)

It was in this land of discount glamour that I found a new gem. Shining on the top shelf of the shampoo row it called to me……”Emilie……..Take me home!! Your hair will give thanks!!” I couldn’t resist. The product? L’Oreal’s new EverPure Sulfate-Free Color Care System. They have three formulas….Moisture, Volume and Smooth. I picked the Moisture formula for my dry blonde locks. I could hardly wait to get in the shower. When morning arrived I bounded out of bed!! The rosemary juniper scent of the shampoo drew me out of my morning fog and the conditioner hydrated without weighing my hair down. After a quick blow dry I was left with hair that felt soft and smelled fresh. I give this product a total thumbs up!!! This line is geared towards people with color treated hair, but I think it is a great product for anyone. What’s the deal with sulfates you ask? Well, sulfates are what tend to strip color out of your hair and leave it looking a bit dull, so the fact that this line has no sulfates means your color and shine will last longer. Cool, right? I love it when I find a bargain product that leaves my hair feeling like a million bucks!!

The Skin Cream Quest

theglamourscope — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 17:00:08 +0000

And I do mean QUEST!!!!

What skin cream is the best? Well, that is the question that keeps me up at night. (That along with how to create world peace, of course!!) This is such a huge question with so many answers. The thing in question here really is “What is the best skin cream for you?” Since we all have a variety of skin types, this question needs to be answered by all my model friends based on their different skin conditions.

There are a lot of great products available out there at both ends of the price spectrum. One tip I have before you go and spend hundreds of dollars on skin creams…..Ask for samples and try them first!!! Pretty much any department store you go to will have samples of their products, or they will make you a sample. Tell them you are interested in their product, but you would like to try it first. Then take your samples home and really try them, for a week if you can. Doing this has saved me from some pricey mistakes. Also, ask about their return policy. I know that some drug stores will accept returns for products that don’t work out for you.

Dry Skin:

Personally, I have dry fair skin. My skin is dry like the Sahara. I could pretty much use olive oil on my face and suffer to repercussions. The down side? Dry fair skin tends to show age sooner. I use layers of emollients to moisturize my skin and there are a lot of products I like. I use a lighter day cream with spf and a thick night cream (think crisco!!). Do you really need both? Probably not, but you don’t really need sun screen in bed. Also, night time is a period of healing for your body and skin, so the extra t.l.c. of a night cream may be helpful. The good news is that you don’t have to spend a fortune on these things. You can get good products at your local drug store. Of course you can also blow the bank buying skin care. I am including a list of my favorites at all price points.

Day Creams:

Drug store

Neutrogena Healthy Skin face lotion spf 15

Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Moisturizer spf 15

Olay Complete All Day Moisture lotion spf 15

Department Store

Cosmedicine Primary Care spf 15

Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer spf 15

Murad Energizing Pomegranate Moisturizer spf 15

Night Creams:

Drug Store

Cetephil Cream (just because it is so thick!!)

Olay Regenerist Night (Love all of this product line!!)

L’Oreal Hydra-Renewal Continuous Moisture Cream

Department Store

Cosmedicine Private Nurse

Creme de la Mer (Breaking the Bank)

Sheseido Benefiance NutriPerfect Night Cream

And no model skin cream list would be complete without a shout out to the French cream Embryolisse!! For a long time you couldn’t get it in the U.S., but now there are a few little shops that stock it and you can find it on the web. Every model and makeup artist I know has or still does use this amazing classic, myself included. It is such a simple cream good for both day and night, though it has no spf so be sure to wear a big hat or add some sunblock along with it.

This is my current short list. I am sure it will change and evolve, but most of these creams I have loved and will love for years.

A note on sensitive skin creams, whether yours is or not……I like them because they typically don’t have any colors or fragrances added to them. Those are the elements of skin care that can sometimes cause irritation. Not all skin care likes have sensitive versions of their products, but if they do then I say go for it.

Next Up…….Normal to Combination Skin…….

Foundation……sorta.

theglamourscope — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 01:06:27 +0000

It’s no secret that drinking and smoking is bad for your skin, but what you eat can be equally damaging. Recent studies have shown that repetitive inflammation caused by certain foods is a key trigger in the aging process. The biggest culprit here is sugar. My friend Sabrina calls anything sugary Satan!! And it isn’t just the granulated stuff we all know as sugar. It is all the foods that convert to sugar quickly in the digestion process. Foods in this group are rated as being high glycemic carbs on the glycemic index. These include all your processed foods, white bread, pasta, white rice, ect. You can find out more about these by looking up “glycemic index” on google.

There are a lot of books on this subject. One of these books is very skin care orientated. It is called “The Perricone Prescription” and was written by dermatologist Nicholas Perricone. I have read it and tried it and guess what? It works!! I have many model friends who have adapted a Perricone-esque diet into their lifestyles and as a result their skin glows. The added bonus is that it is basically just a healthy way of eating.

The next book I love, which I have to mention is more of a total nutrition book, is called “Eating Well for Optimal Health’ by Dr. Andrew Weil. This book pretty much covers everything you should know with regards to how food and your body react. This will give you a great understanding of what makes some foods good for you and others, well, not so much.

I believe in taking an all over approach to my beauty routine. As a foundation I believe that what you put into your body is as important, if not more so, than what you may put on it. Not only is it important for your skin, but it will do wonders for your entire body. Do a little research and find a nutrition plan that you can maintain with your lifestyle. (Be sure to consult your doctor before you make any dramatic changes though!!) You know all about the food groups. You know that doughnuts and coffee for breakfast isn’t the best choice, but it isn’t always easy to say no. I take a moment and think to myself “That doughnut might feel really good right now, but being and looking my best feels better.” It works for me. And like they say….beauty comes from within, so feed yourself beautifully.