Looking Younger
Looking younger, I’m afraid, has more to do with makeup than I want to accept. But I’d rather accept makeup than color my hair. Maybe I can just find a couple of easy things I can do …
Kathy Peel got a makeover from Robert Jones, author of Looking Younger: Makeovers That Make You Look as Young as You Feel
From Kathy’s website, which also has a list of the 10 mistakes Robert sees most commonly: If you only have a few minutes, Robert says these things will make the biggest difference:
- Curl your eyelashes. This will open up your eyes and make them look bigger
- Apply a little mascara-starting at the base
- Put a dab of concealer under your eyes
- Brush some blush across your cheekbone
- Groom your eyebrows
- Apply lip gloss
Check!
Check! I am currently using the two different mascara method.
Yes. I use Bobbi Brown creamy concealer.
So far, so good. (He also recommends bronzer in the video. In the past, I have used it, but I don’t have any now.)
Here’s my problem. I’ve tried several kinds of magnifying mirrors, but I still have trouble tweezing. Also, I asked my hairstylist last week whether she thought I should dye my eyebrows and she didn’t think I should. (She also didn’t think I should dye my hair.)
Y’know, my hero prefers that I don’t wear any lip product. We compromise. I wear a frosty pink all-day lip stuff which literally will not kiss off. (That is, I wear it when I remember to put it on.)
Here’s my remaining question: how to keep my mascara from melting into my concealer. Suggestions?
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The Oval as Feminine
A glimpse into my brain: is that what it means? I can’t believe I’ve never stumbled onto that path before: oval, ova, egg, egg-shaped …
Am I the only one who thinks these kinds of things?
Recently I observed a female acquaintance, one with very short hair but whose feminine appearance I had never questioned. Until this one day. It wasn’t that I thought her unfeminine at first, but something was definitely less attractive than her usual. After a moment of dissecting her presentation, I concluded that her short, tidy hair combined with a collared shirt and no makeup somehow added one too many “masculine” points to her look. Which lead to wondering whether a quiz could be developed to help pin-point that fine line, because, face it, we all know lovely, very feminine ladies with short hair who don’t wear makeup. What is it that makes those ladies unquestionably feminine? And what is it about taking away some of the “feminine” which equates to less attractive, even somehow boring?
And now for the personal application part. Somewhere I picked up the following concept (any idea where?):
oval = feminine
rectangle = masculine
Tracing my recent hair makeover, what do you notice in terms of my face and hair shape?
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Blogging My Own Comeback: The Final Cut
+ 
+ my habitual styling techniques =
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(I Am a Purple) Velvet Blazer
(Hopefully I don’t get in trouble for using this photo from Banana Republic.)
Considering my present state of mind, this post is likely to be an unlikely mish-mash. Oh well. I’ll try to produce a somewhat organized mash. 
From the top. Hair:
- Presently, I’m okay with my hair.
- This haircut - without the turned under, uniform smoothness of the other - suits me better, both style idiom and hair texture.
- Here’s the problem: hanging across my face, hair would goo up my glasses. Yet Christopher Hopkins would say that asking for this haircut but with bangs is like asking for chocolate chip cookies but without chocolate chips. (I don’t think my stylist would mind doing it.)
- Comments on how this haircut would suit me?
Next: If I were to wear a scarf, unlikely as that is, this application is one I would consider. Thoughts from you accessory people?
Finally, twenty years ago, when I had a fashion retail career, I considered myself a “pink suit”. Daily I wore suits. But they were feminine and colorful, not mannish. Now I am finding myself with a strong preference for velvet blazers. Currently in rotation: blush pink, brown paisley, and grape. My favorite way to wear them is with white oxford button-front shirt, collar flying.
So, all in all, this post was just an excuse for running the photo, which captures the stylistic essence of my personal idiom (me on the inside), everyday-wear. Now, I’m off to the studio. In a little over a week, I have the final for my beginning watercolor class. I need all the practice I can get.
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Are We Hair Yet?
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Beth’s New Hair
Beth before, as seen in this previous post.
And, looking gorgeous and sensational, as well as younger, slimmer, and happier, here is her after:
Isn’t this just the kind of makeover we’re all dreaming of? Congratulations!
Sadly, I am not there.
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Communicating With Your Hairdresser
In Staging Your Comeback, Christopher Hopkins hints humorously at how he interprets what clients say. For example, if you say, “I don’t want it too neat”; he thinks, “she doesn’t want to feel old”. (And isn’t that the truth? And more than that, I don’t want to look like an old man.) If you say, “I don’t want to look frumpy”; he thinks, “she needs more makeup”. If you haven’t already, buy the book and read the rest of the list yourself.
In answer to the question “What is the most effective way of communicating what you want to your hair-stylist?”, Imogen’s comment is representative of the most commonly recommended way of handling it:
If you have a picture bring it - but look for a picture of someone with the haircut you want who appears to have a similar texture of hair - because what you want may not be possible if your hair won’t do the cut you want.
Interestingly enough, I think the second most popular advice was just to let the stylist decide. Lots of other good advice in the comments back there. Describing what you want seems to be the universally ineffective way of doing it.
Anyway, once upon a time, eons ago, I picked up this book - and I mean, picked it up in the bookstore and stood there and read it - which defines and explains the different kinds of hair textures and what kinds of styles work with them. There’s no substitute for understanding your own hair texture.
The most common communication frustration for my hairdresser, and probably yours too, is people coming in with a picture of a hair style that simply won’t work with their hair. Which is probably the reason some hairdressers prefer you bring a picture of yourself when you liked your hair. Which makes no sense to me. How could I then get something new every fall?
And I guess I’m not the only one doing something new: Carrie has a cute new haircut, so does Bee. And my mom (who looks like Shirley Jones). Drop me a line if you have a haircut to share. (BTW, did you know it’s National Makeover Month at ivillage?)
More hair cut(s):
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Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow
Today, many of you know, was my hair cut day in this comeback series (”comeback” is beginning to feel like a loaded term to me).
The before picture.
True confessions: I didn’t take a picture with me.
- I didn’t have one that I felt exactly captured what I wanted; most have the bangs draping across the face, which I didn’t want.
- I didn’t think it should be a problem to say, “I want the kind of layers you’ve been cutting, the same shape around the face, this piece being the longest length.”
- I have enough confidence in the gal who cuts my hair to know that she’s not going to send me out looking ridiculous and there’s a fair chance I’ll get something more fabulous than I was expecting.
This is what it looks like after just letting it air dry. (My normal routine is to blow-dry upside down, product at crown, and blow the top layers around a round brush.)
After:
I’m still deciding whether I am going to call her tomorrow and ask if I can come back to get another couple of inches off the length, so if you have suggestions (maybe even links to pictures!) please leave them in the comments. But in the meantime, I have a question for you:
What is the most effective way of communicating what you want to your hair-stylist?
- the name of the cut
- the name of a person with the cut
- a picture of someone with the cut you want
- a picture, plus some instructions such as “shorter fringe”
- a picture of yourself when you liked your hair
- a verbal description of what you want
- just let the stylist pick
- other
What works for you?
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Beth Before
My sister and I last Thanksgiving.
Here’s the link to her “before” post: This is what 43 looks like. Recently she also posted a book review of Staging Your Comeback
Hair today, which she thinks is too square and I think is too golden. Before we started all this, I emailed Christopher with my suggestion that she take her hair back to it’s original dark brown. He agreed that would be more “gorgeous and sensational” and suggested she had about 20 minutes left to do it. 
For background, other posts she’s pictured in around here:
Her last known natural hair color, in a cut I remember thinking at the time was stunningly cute and stylish for a young mom. 
And, to the right, another look that she calls “something in between”.
In my view, my sister has always super photogenic and fabulous. Pop over, take a look at her pictures, and share your suggestions.
And be thinking about joining us in blogging our comebacks!
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Blogging My Own Comeback: The Before Pictures
After the input started coming in on this post, I mentioned to my husband that I had never in my life before thought a moment about needing to correct for having a long face, to which he replied that when he looked at these pictures, they didn’t look to him like my face. I have since adjusted the sizing.
We all hate the typical “makeover mugshot” before photos, right?
So I tried to smile for these and pose as naturally as possible. I’m wearing normal daily makeup. I’m not going to be taking modeling classes between now and the end of this project, and all the photos will be taken by one family member or another. These are my reading glasses.
I forgot my jewelry. Normally, there’s a rather unique anniversary ring keeping my wedding band company. And I haven’t had a manicure or a pedicure for several weeks (more about that week after next according the Comeback Calendar). Neither can I see well enough to pluck my eyebrows properly.
Today’s weight: 133 lbs. (Better than I was expecting.)
This is the moment for honesty. Do you have suggestions?
(Just for fun: Christopher Hopkins’ Makeover Gallery and Good Housekeeping Look Five Years Younger Makeovers.)
