Rewriting Her Own Song: Reader Makeover Liz

A reader named Liz recently contacted me and asked if I could show her how to apply makeup. Liz is in her late forties and going through a serious change in her life. (No, not that change.) She is trying to get her groove back, feel comfortable in her own skin, and start a new chapter in her life. Of course, I am happy to help her! Before we get to the hair and makeup, let me fill you on why Liz needed to start a new chapter. Honestly, she needed to start her own book.

Liz and her partner of more than a decade had just moved from Baltimore to the South when her partner decided she didn't like living south of the Mason Dixon line, and Liz too. Still the new kid in town, Liz tried to make friends and keep up, but her neighbor made it really clear he didn't want her there. Not liking lesbians or dogs, he literally kept setting fires near her house and was shooting at her. The police weren't much help. Liz decided to move in with her sister in North Dakota, to stay safe. What Liz didn't know was that the Red River, which was only feet from her sister's home, was threatening to overflow and flood the town.

Liz and her sister worked with their neighbors at the Civic Center to fill sandbags to try to hold the river back. The river finally receded and shortly after that, so did Liz's new job. She couldn't go back to Nashville, as the police had bungled the case of the nasty neighbor and it wasn't safe for her to live there. There was no reason to stay in North Dakota. So Liz moved to Baltimore, where she had started, to begin again.

With the help of many wonderful friends, Liz found her way back to what she loves: helping dogs and their people. She landed a job working as an animal caretaker with a rescue where disabled dachshunds and other last-chance dogs and cats find a place in the sun. She has returned to training dogs and started doing therapy dog volunteer work again.

Things were looking up, but Liz still didn't feel right. Not comfortable in her own skin, she realized she didn't need to fill some mold that her old partner saw for her. She realized she could become whatever she wanted. She needed to start to look for her authentic self.

So by the time she contacted me, she was ready for a makeover. Liz hadn't done girly things for a very long time. She hadn't been in a proper salon for years, never had a brow wax and hadn't worn a full face of makeup in more than a few decades. Her makeover goal? To find a way to look polished and pretty, without looking like she was trying to be someone she isn't. Her style inspiration? Ellen DeGeneres. Ellen has a great way of looking polished and put together, without looking like she is trying to be too girly or too masculine. It's a fine line and I was determined to help Liz find it.

Stylists at the amazing Padma Salon (3701 Keswick Ave, Baltimore, MD) joined forces with me and together we started Liz's next adventure. First up were brows. Liz doesn't have a huge amount of dark or unruly hair, but if you only do one thing, frame your face with manicured brows.

She willingly laid down and let Candice give her brows some much needed shape. Like a proud mama bird, I watched as Liz never once flinched when hot wax removed delicate brow hair.

Next up was cut and color. Sam, our amazing hairstylist, talked to Liz about what she was looking for and what would make her comfortable. From having long hair as a teen to a buzz cut in the nineties, Liz wasn't too sure what that would be. Sam played with her hair, moving and arranging it to find the best way to frame her face. While we talked about style and color, the one thing we all agreed on was whatever we did, we had to make Liz's incredible blue eyes pop.

A little base color on the hair (and brows) and a few strategically placed highlights later, Sam began to give her hair a shape that showed off her eyes and cheekbones. At one point, Liz actually started to weep, "I didn't know this was possible. Everyone is so nice and it's so beautiful here. I didn't get why people do this before. But I feel like a change is happening. I am starting to care about myself again. It's an amazing feeling."

After we marveled (and cried again) when Sam unveiled Liz's new 'do, we moved back to Candice for a lesson in makeup. We went over basic skin care, discussed the importance of SPF (its importance ranks higher than brow shaping in my book) and moved on to the good stuff. When she was finally settled in the chair, she noticed all of the products lined up on the counter and stared at them like a kid in a candy store. I was personally excited to show Liz how to get a gorgeous face using Laura Geller. All of the products are easy to use and because the powders are swirled and baked, it takes the guess work out of blending and combining the right colors to get a perfect look. Since makeup is not something Liz was accustomed to applying, this line makes it easy, quick and gives great face!


First Candice applied Spackle, a makeup primer by Laura Geller, to fill out any uneven skin surfaces and prep the skin for the foundation. Next up was one of my personal favorite tinted moisturizers, Barely There, also by Laura Geller.

Candice showed Liz how to apply the foundation using a sponge, something Liz had never done before. Liz has beautiful skin to start with, but the tinted moisturizer gave her a dewy glow that made her look polished and her skin perfect.

Candice chose Pink Grapefruit, a multi-colored, Italian baked baked pan blush to lightly define Liz's already amazing cheekbones. She applied it along the bottom side of her cheekbones, forming a Nike swoosh to sculpt and illuminate the cheek.

Next, Candice used Midnight Magic to show off Liz's piercing blue eyes. Midnight Magic combines two of Laura Geller's amazing products. The light pink is an eye shadow and the darker purple is an Eye Rimz shade, a contour shade and a liner all in one. This seemingly simple eyeshadow duo is capable of many looks - be it a simple lined eye, a smoky look for evening or a high gloss look for a special occasion (foiling it looks amazing). Candice then lined the tops and bottoms of Liz's eyes with a beautiful bronze I-Care Waterproof Eyeliner, which is perfect for staying put when she is hard at work.

We finished Liz's new look with a light lip gloss touched with a little bit of bronze sparkle. Liz couldn't believe the transformation and couldn't stop smiling. I always knew the beautiful woman who dedicates her life to animals was in there, Liz just had to see it for herself.

Here is Liz when we arrived at Padma:

(Before. Happy and not understanding what waxing ones brows entails.)

And here is Liz after the transformation:

(Gorgeous!)

After the makeover, we wanted to show Liz off, so we headed to another salon, where Loxy was getting his hair cut. Like a good makeover reveal show, we hid around the corner until Loxy came back from getting his hair shampooed. When he saw Liz, his jaw dropped and a huge smile crept across his face. Liz officially got the Loxy Stamp of Approval!

(At mall, after getting the Loxy Stamp of Approval)

The big question, is how did Liz work her new look the next day? I think she did a great job. And we clearly succeeded in making her peepers pop!

I couldn't be happier that Liz loves her new look so much. Yeah, Lizzie!

Ever wonder how someone would interpret your look? Need a change or just some really good highlights? Call Padma and have them work their magic!

(Myself, Liz and the Padma Beauty Team after the transformation.)

Products and services were provided for the purposes of review.

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How To Create Finger Waves In Your Own Hair

by guest blogger, Anne Houseman of Beauty Xpose

To find out how to get the perfect finger waves, we consulted with Moulay Yacoubi, a top stylist at New York’s Pierre Michel Salon. Yacoubi has worked with the most elegant celebs, including Gwyneth Paltrow, Naomi Campbell, Uma Thurman, Elizabeth Hurley and Kate Moss, so we knew he’d be just the person to go to for a more modern ’20s style like we’ve seen on Maggie Gyllenhaal and Charlize Theron. He offers these expert tips for achieving a flawless finger wave look:

1. Run a light gel through wet, clean hair, covering the entire head

2. Use a comb to part the hair to one side

3. Using the index and middle finger, take a small section of the hair at the front of the head and and push it forward, about halfway down the forehead

4. Weave the hair between the two fingers until you’ve reached the end of the small section

5. Secure the small section of hair with a bobby pin

6. Repeat the technique on the entire head of hair, and let air dry

7. When the hair is dry, remove bobby pins

8. Run a light shine serum through the hair to tame fly-aways and reduce frizz

Good luck, and let us know how it turns out!

Photos: Maggie Gyllenhaal - Jason Merritt/Getty Images via PicApp.com; Charlize Theron - Valerie Macon/Getty Images via PicApp.com

note from Kelly of GR: I should have known to ask Anne how to do this first. Just two weeks ago I spent HOURS trying to do this on my own hair with no luck. I will try again and see if I can post the results!

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Getting Rejuvenized at La Papillon Spa, Round Two

After the results of my first Rejuvenize Peel at La Papillon Spa, I decided I wanted to see what a second peel would achieve. I was clearly happy with the results of the first one, but like any obsessive compulsive beauty addict, I wanted to see what could happen if I did it again.

So four weeks later, I took the plunge and went for a second one. (Four weeks is the recommended amount of time between peels for optimal results.) Madeleine, the owner of La Papillon and esthetician extraordinaire, told me what to expect for the second peel - possibly less peeling, more results and that everyone peels differently. Got it.

The first time around, the peel itself was only slightly uncomfortable. This time going under the acids was no big deal (other than they were still very sharply scented). I went home, didn't wash my face and it was like any other evening. No big deal.

The same goes for the next morning.

And then a day later, just like last time, I started to peel at the 36 hour point. My mouth cracked first and spread to the area around my nose and lips. Unlike during the last peel, my skin wasn't overly sensitive and didn't really feel as if I had a bad sunburn. I continued to peel like a pro all day on Friday, Saturday and most of Sunday. I was able to go to work on Monday, with only a trace of peeling skin still in my hairline. This peel was much less inconvenient and my skin was nowhere near as sensitive as it was the first time.

Also similar to last time, my skin was a little out of whack when I went back to using my products (around day 6). My skin was a little more dehydrated than it normally is and needed a little more TLC. Here are the products I used during and after my peel:

Cetaphil - I used this as my cleanser and it actually burned slightly when applied. I have no idea how that is even possible, but it did. It didn't hurt like it was the end of the world, but in hindsight, I would probably pick up an even milder cleanser for next time. (SkinMedica has one they suggest for use during peels.)

SkinCeuticals Hydrating B5 Gel came in handy when my skin was begging for some hydration at the end of my peel. This isn't an instant fix, but over a few days, it had my skin back to normal. I used this starting on the fourth day.

HydroPeptide Anti-Wrinkle Repair and Prevent Treatment (Love this! More in a future review) is a complex blend of peptides that help skin heal and look its best. It acts as a skin shield while soothing irritated skin. I also used this starting on the fourth day.

On the Monday before I went back to work (the start of the 6th day) I used Skin Zyme and Clean Zyme by Jan Marini to systematically rid my skin of the flakes that were hanging on. This two-part cleanser and mask are capable of amazing things, but go slowly with this product. My skin was not sensitive to products by day five and I don't have sensitive skin in general. If you have sensitive skin, I would wait a few days to use this. When you are ready, this product removes all remaining dead skin like magic.

Once I added makeup back into the routine, my skin became a little red and irritated. Votre Vu Attentive Serum was a life saver, soothing my skin and getting rid of any redness, pronto.

Lastly, starting a full week after my skin was peeled and back to normal, I began using Jan Marini's Enlighten to help the stubborn dark patches. This is a light lotion that dries in a way that leaves your skin feeling amazing. (All of the Marini products dry down in a way that is remarkable. Especially their AntiOxidant Sun Screen.)

Be sure to speak with your esthetician before using any of the products above on freshly chemically-peeled skin. My skin is not sensitive and definitely more tough than delicate. Every person reacts differently and a pro who knows you should help you select products for during and after your peel.

(Before the 2nd peel. After the second Rejuvenize Peel)

So how were the results the second time? Magnificent. My face is so luminous, I think I glow in the dark. My melasma on my cheek is significantly reduced, as are the spots on my nose. The texture on my cheeks is definitely improved as are the milia I had under my eyes, on my cheekbone.

(The tiny milia - keratin bumps - lodged deep under my skin have been exposed and removed as a result of the peel.)

I am sure use of the Enlighten is going to help continue to fade the melasma over the next few weeks.

(Before and after on cheeks. Brown patches of melasma have been reduced.
This peel does not address redness, only melasma and showing newer skin. To address redness, I would need to undergo IPL treatments.)

Would I do another round? I am curious to see what a third round of peeling would achieve, but don't know how much more my skin can improve. There are slight dark patches that could still be reduced and the texture around my nose near my cheeks isn't perfect. But the improvement I have seen is pretty incredible.

(Before the first peel*. After the first peel. After the second peel.)

What do you think? Would you go for a third round? (If you double click the pictures, they will open in different window and really show off the changes.) Have you had this peel? Tell me about it in the comments!

I paid for the second treatment. I also paid for Cetaphil and SkinCeuticals B5 Gel. Other products were sent for the purposes of review.

*My changing hair color has nothing to do with the peel. Thanks for needing clarification on that, Loxy. You of all people may have noticed that my natural color changes often. :-)

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Makeup, beauty, skincare reviews & more! Copyright 2010, Gouldylox Reviews. All Rights Reserved.

Go To Shadow of the Week: Moon Spoon Stardust Eyeshadow from Urban Decay

For more than a week, I can't stop reaching for one particular eye shadow. It seems to go with everything and can be worn tons of different ways. From a really light liner that subtly defines eyes to a full on smoky eye, this one shadow is meeting almost all of my needs.

It is a perfect cool gray. It has a gorgeous sheen and tiny little glitter particles that catch the light in amazing ways. I haven't had serious problems with sparkle fallout, which is always a plus. One or two rouge specks is ok with me, as long as that is really all it is. It layers really nicely - you can either have a sheer wash of color or build for a more dramatic eye. Plus it picks up the color from the other shadow or liner you use. I swear it is almost magical!

I tried to capture how much this shadow reflects light, but it is tricky to get it to show up on camera. Hopefully, it comes through in the photos below. (Forgive the brows. Thanks.)

(Moon Spoon shadow with Laura Geller Hocus Pocus Eyeliner)

(Moon Spoon shadow with Urban Decay Oil Slick 24/7 liner, very light application)

Here is the color just swatched. It looks different in different lighting and is so customizable, depending on how you wear it. This is one must-have color!


Here is Moon Spoon foiled on the eye with black liner and Yeyo UD 24/7 liner in the corner. I wish my camera could capture how reflective this shadow is. You have to check it out in person.


And if you decide you love the Stardust shadows (they have more glitter than any other Urban Decay shadow), it comes in nine other shades (which I am dying to try!) Check them out online at UrbanDecay.com or at your neighborhood Sephora.

This product was sent to me for the purposes of review.

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Makeup, beauty, skincare reviews & more! Copyright 2010,Gouldylox Reviews. All Rights Reserved.

Why Do I Even Bother To Try? Jesse's Girl Cream Eyeshadow

I really want to find an inexpensive eyeshadow that doesn't stink. So far, I have found Benefit, MAD Minerals and Stila to be excellent cream shadows. But they are all NOT cheap. Jesse's Girl is sold in drugstores (I found mine at Rite Aid) and come in really pretty colors, which is even more reason I wanted them to be great.

Serendipity

After Midnight

Dreamer

Crazy About You

Destiny

Seduction

I picked up Dreamer, which I was hoping would be a great shade just to make my eyes pop a little, while being a change from Stila's Kitten, a golden shade I usually reach for.

(Dreamer)

The color felt really creamy and very similar to how the Benefit shadows feel.
Then came the difference. It stayed feeling incredibly creamy - almost wet - on my eyelid.

(Dreamer swatched on the back of my hand)

When I blinked, the color went everywhere. For fun, I added eyeliner, using a powder, to try to dry it down a bit. Instead of making the cream shadow stick, it made my liner appear on my upper lid after I blinked. The only words to describe the look this gave me are "hot mess".
I guess you get what you pay for.

I paid for this shadow myself because a girl has to have a dream. My dream that day was to find cheap cream eyeshadows in beautiful colors.

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Makeup, beauty, skincare reviews & more! Copyright 2010,Gouldylox Reviews. All Rights Reserved.