Skin Deep

My make-up frequently takes over my favorite room of the whole house. I love my bathroom, it was built just for me. I got almost everything I wanted except for the heart-shaped tub, the husband won on that one.....something about red heart-shaped tubs not being practical.





Anyway every so many moons I have to completely reorganize my area, which seeps into his area. As I was cleaning my bathroom and filling the medicine cabinet with all my bottles of magic creams I realized I had quite a bit of make-up. I counted 11 tubes of mascara and that doesn't include the one in my purse or my car.





I have to say when it comes to make-up I want to try it all. Well I've come up with some tips on all the many products I have tried. Tip #1, if you find that perfect lipstick or a favorite eyeliner, buy a bunch because it may be gone before you were ready to let it go. I recently had this happen with not one but two lotions. The beauty rush line at VS had a scent called Slice of Heaven, well it's gone and I'm mad as hell. So recently I switched to Lemon Sugar and I bought 7 bottles, so at least I'm covered for awhile.





I'm still on the hunt for the perfect mascara, I wish for once they would have an ad without false eyelashes. It all comes down to the brushes...I like the color of CG exact eyelights in blue but much prefer the brush of Revlon's Beyond Natural defining mascara. I also buy L'Oreal telescopic mascara to separate lashes and remove clumps. The Organic Wear mascara is the worst it rubs off and basically runs down your face if you get near moisture, so beware! The packaging is cute but the results are definitely not.





Tip #2, I read magazines and rip out pictures of make-up looks that I like and try it out at home. This is another reason to escape to my bathroom, lock the door, turn on ipod and play with my make-up. I also tear out make-up ads because I never remember what I'm looking for once I've reached the store.





Okay back to make-up favs....I love MAC pressed powder, so far nothing has come close to comparison. But be careful paired with MAC foundation it can seem to look a little too heavy. I use other foundations instead. I have yet to find the perfect foundation since it's hard to match skin tone when it changes by season. I remember using a foundation once that I loved but I didn't keep the bottle or write down name and now I'm in a constant search again. I do know it was oil based which is probably not great for the skin but it looked great on.





Chanel blush lasts forever so it's worth the higher price, a little bit goes a long way. The Chanel eye gel seems to help with puffing eyes, apply at night and come morning ...Voila! I have used every eyeliner because this is the area I choose to highlight. I have tried the jane mineral gel eyeliner that comes with the slant brush, when that didn't work out I tried the same kind but by Maybelline. It is not a good buy... the gel doesn't stay smooth after opening and the slant brush hardens even after rinsing. It's good for one time use only unless someone can give me a tip on this product. I have used liquid liner which I do like but sometimes I see people wear it and it looks harsh, they need to smudge it and soften it up a bit. So really I like the pencils best, the ones that have to be sharpened not the twist up kind.





Tip # 3, always use what works best for you. In the eyeshadow department I have found Revlon's metallic, it's cream based instead of powder, only drawback the eyeliner gets on it easy, so apply and then blink a couple of times and touch up. The color sticks for eyes never show the color saturated enough and you end up pressing to hard on your eyelids. Powder eyeshadow still works but it's all about blending and of course the brushes. Tip #4, buy brushes and sponges, don't just use what comes with eyeshadow.





On to my favorite make-up purchase....lipstick. I love red lips unfortunately if I wear red lipstick I look like a clown. I stick with light lipstick or glosses. I'm currently using Revlon's nude attitude and I overlap Revlon ColorStay Mineral lipglaze. Tip #5, mix your colors. I have yet to find the perfect shade or sheen unless I mix it up. Think of artists, do you think they use the color that comes straight from the tube?....I'm thinking no, so why would I.....my face is my canvas. A lip liner is not always a must either, don't mess with it if you are not going to touch up your lipstick throughout the day. It looks weird when you can see the liner, it's not meant to be seen just to highlight the area.... so make sure your colors match up. If you're not into lipstick then use chap stick or one of my favorites... Lipsmakers....I'm using Starburst but I love Dr. Pepper. Burt's Bees carries a fun line of chap stick that is colored, another alternative to lipstick phobics.





As with everything it all comes down to what works best for you, don't be afraid to experiment. Make-up is an inexpensive and temporary way of changing your look. If it doesn't work out just rinse it off and try again........I won't even get started on cleansers and lotions.

P.S. My itunes kept shutting down so I blogged this all in silence.

Project Lost & Found

I have come to a point in my life of self-evaluation and re-invention. This blog is helping me take those thoughts that rattle around in my head and turn them into reality. I started thinking that I would like to find key players from my past or some that may have been. This is where Project Lost & Found begins. I will try to find four people.

1. Jessica Zipperman (Bff of childhood in LA)

This is the same girl that introduced me to heavy metal but when New Kids on the Block arrived on the scene she jumped ship and all her Ozzy posters & her Cinderella (group not Disney character) pillow were ditched for the likes of Joey. We lived in the same apartment complex and our moms were best friends as well. Her family came from Canada and her dad Gary was always gone on tour with Rod Stewart. Her mom loved SOAPS and salt n' vinegar chips. Our cats were married in a formal ceremony that we arranged. Jessica and I used to get into hair pulling fights and we shared one of my most cherished Christmas memories screaming in joy over the coveted Cabbage patch Kid doll. My doll had red hair and was named Margo, I still have her!

1. Mike Pappas (1st boyfriend in grade school)

I met Mike in 3rd grade or at least close to this time. We found we liked each other through playing the game ZAP! I had his name on my hand and my name was on his hand. So I guess that made us an item. He wasn't able to attend my birthday party so his parents took us out to eat at a Mexican restaurant, again the details are fuzzy but I think this is close. I moved away and that was the end of that. I want to find this guy to see the difference in the memory of men and women. My girlfriends all remember the little details of names of guys from their past and when I ask my husband he has no clue. It strikes me as funny that I could potentially find this person and he will have no clue to who am I or what I am talking about.

1. Laurie Kuusisto (Big Sister program)

One of the most influential people of my life, there are not enough posts to demonstrate the power of this relationship. We did so much together, I even lived in her home. I was a junior bridesmaid in her sister's wedding...still till this day the best wedding I ever went to. I moved away, story of my life, and lost the connection.

1. ??? Kanable ( half-sister)

This one may be the trickiest. I need to find out her first name. It may seem weird that I don't know but it's not. I was raised by a single mom and did not have contact with my dad. I met him for the first time at the age of 12. I saw him a handful of times but decided I didn't like his crude behavior and never attempted to keep the connection, nor did he. The story that I heard was that he remarried and had a child and like the first time around he ended up divorced and the mom and daughter moved to Florida. Same scenario with us except to California. I am now curious since I have no other siblings.

After find them I will post the reunion stories or the non-reunion and what methods worked for finding them or if it was not possible at all. Wish me luck!

P.S. I am listening to Peter Frampton Comes Alive will writing this blog.

Oprah Made Me Do It!

I have this amazing aunt who guest hosts on HSN and every time she goes on to demonstrate a new product I like to watch, it makes me feel like I'm getting to see her. The only problem is that I should never be allowed to watch any home shopping channels or infomercials ever. I get totally sucked into what they are selling. I think I NEED that product and how did I ever get along without it. Why I think I would need any scrap booking products when I have never scrap booked a day in my life, I do not know. Well that's not entirely true, tried it one time and gave up. Too time consuming and I was thinking I would rather pay someone to do it for me.

So I stay away from these channels but I still hit Walgreen's for their "As seen on TV products". Do I own a snuggie? I have one for every member of my family. Do I use them? Not so much, I prefer my thick blankets or heavy quilts. I am often times disappointed in the product but I keep coming back for more. Sometimes there are those products that do work well, like the bra clasp.....love them, have them in every color!

Tthis brings me to the Queen of talk shows, Oprah Winfrey...Do people even say here last name anymore? I put Oprah back on the Tivo when she announced this was her last year of daytime talk. I'm thinking these episodes are going to be good.... they have also been playing "the best of" episodes. One day Oprah is talking about how 3 out of 5 women in America are watching porn.....follow me here, I know it's a big jump from the clapper to porn but it all connects. Anyway she has porn star Jenna Jameson on to talk about how she revolutionized the way women were paid and taking charge in the porn industry. So I'm all for women empowerment so I was loving this episode. The talk was pretty candid and I learned that Jenna is huge in this industry and that her video The Masseuse is considered one of the biggest sellers of all time . This movie is supposed to be considered the #1 movie for women to watch. Well infomercial addict that I am I know I must see this movie.

This is where the adventure begins, minds out of the gutter, this is not a play by play of my bedroom encounters. I tell my husband that I must see this movie, as you guessed he had no problem with that. I enlist the help of my girlfriends and at a girl's night I explain that I need to go to Sirilla's( I think this is the name, used to be Priscilla's, lawsuit so name change). This is why I love my friends, strength in numbers and in we go. If you're looking for customer service this is not the place, the girl at the counter said they didn't have it but she barely listened to the question. There is not an alphabetical system in place so we just started reading titles...Too funny. If you ever need a laugh, this store is the place. We find a whole Jenna section and BINGO, we find it!

The research begins, I tell my husband I have the video. He was like "you paid $29.95 for that?" "Hello, I needed to see this video, it's for women!" I have now seen the movie and really I don't know what the hell they were talking about. The movie has a storyline and prolongs the intimate moments but the in between moments are creepy. The guy is a virgin but he has no problem asking The Masseuse for little sexual favors. When he gets her to his place he has a whole weird bondage supply shed and puts some hanger in her mouth. Can I say "So NOT Sexy", I did and I will. Basically porn is for men and all I have to say for this little escapade it that "Oprah Made Me DO it!"

Hope As A Habit

It's a Sunday evening and I'm reflecting on the week getting ready for the Monday. I feel the keyboard calling to me to document an experience that affects me now as it did to so many others twenty years ago. The ipod is playing on my pink portable player, Elton John & This Train Don't Stop There Anymore, the mood is set and the words flow through me to the screen.

An evening celebrating the life & legacy of Ryan White with a special performance by Elton John. I was fortunate enough to be invited by a member of Ryan's family and get a closer look at how one little boy changed a nation. The story of Ryan White is displayed in an inspirational exhibit called The Power of Children: Making a Difference at The Children's Museum of Indianapolis. There was an ABC TV movie special and in the late eighties up until 1990 Ryan White was a household name. He changed the face of AIDS , and from fear and ignorance there became knowledge and acceptance. But as I have learned people tend to forget and there is this generational gap of those who have never heard of Ryan White. This is why the 20th anniversary marking his passing is so important. His story is retold and he is remembered and he continues to inspire.

The evening started out as cocktails at the Children's museum with Jeanne (Ryan's Mom) there with support from her family, friends (Phil Donahue included, he hosted a special Ryan White Talks to Kids About AIDS in 1988) and community supporters. Having a member of his family near my ear I was able to have special people that were in Ryan's life pointed out. The nurses and doctor that held the press conferences during his treatment were all gathered . The man who helped Ryan get back into school after a legal battle and the best friend that he met because of those who fought and granted his wish to live like a normal child. All these people gathered together again after twenty years. Jeanne thanked all those people who helped make a difference in her family's life while photographer's and news media documented her walk down memory lane.

This entourage then traveled to Clowes Hall. The Ryan White monologue was performed by actor Fred Zanto who performs for The Children's Museum at The Power of Children gallery. Phil Donahue explained his special connection while presenting video clips and introducing actress Judith Light (she portrayed Ryan's mom in the ABC movie), she then presented video messages from Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch. Judith also spoke of her connection with the family and introduced Jeanne White-Ginder.

Jeanne walks on the stage hand in hand with her daughter Andrea and the room applauds, it doesn't die down but increases into a full standing ovation. The words she speaks touches the soul of every mother when she speaks about a mother's greatest pain. The loss of a child. She is moved to tears when she explains that time never heals the hurt of that loss but that you simply learn to survive the next day. She proceeds to tell the story of Ryan's last week of life and the angel she felt Ryan bestowed upon her. That angel was Elton John. When Ryan was asked to name a celebrity that he would like to meet the answer had been Elton John. I don't think anyone would have realized how intertwined their lives would have become. Ryan admired Elton's ability to be different without fear of what others thought. So that last week of Ryan's life in the hospital Elton was there as well. He became the buffer to all the media calls, the secretary to organizing Jeanne's schedule, the room decorator to uplift Ryan's spirit, and the friend that delivers a 5 gallon bucket of Jeanne's favorite Sunburst ice cream. Jeannie introduces her angel....Elton John.

While Jeanne's words were heartfelt and tearful, Elton's were passionate and informative. He reveals that his deeds were not without reward. The family changed his heart, he realized that he complained about trivial things and was a spoiled celebrity being and that Ryan in his near death state never uttered a word of complaint. The family was able to forgive even those people who were so filled with hate that they shot at their home in order to exile the White family from the community. The White family fought for their rights and won . The family was kind and had a christian attitude he just couldn't comprehend. He explained that he would have wanted to bestow revenge and the fact that the family did not confounded him. He goes on further saying that the family of Ryan White not only changed his life but saved it. This year marks the 20th anniversary of Ryan White's death but it also marks the 20th anniversary of Elton John's sobriety. The speech was incredibly personal and he laid out his feelings for the whole crowd to feel as well as inform of all the foundations that are now in existence all because of one little boy. The Elton John AIDS Foundation(EJAF) is one of the leading nonprofit HIV/AIDS organizations and has raised $220 million to support HIV/AIDS prevention and service programs in 55 countries around the globe. He goes on to explain the significance of songs and how when he plays them it takes him back to the that time and some songs he just is unable to play, until tonight.

This night is about remembrance and he begins, in his words "the boring part of evening". The audience laughs because we all know that the songs are highly anticipated. The night in filled with ballads that envelop Clowes Memorial Hall, even the security is enchanted and turn a blind eye to the flashing cameras that are not allowed. The music pulses throughout your body and the thought of ever having to settle for radio versions is unthinkable, this is how Elton John should be heard. He plays one last song and declares that he never leaves crowd with a ballad but on a high note. The whole room is up on their feet and dancing and singing..la lalalala la lalalala...........

The evening is wrapped up in a nice dessert reception filled with a less sombre mood and more socializing. This gives Jeanne a chance to catch up with people and they are all vying for her attention and photo opportunities. The night dies down and the photographer is finally able to wrangle the many members of Ryan White's family. I am able to thank Jeanne for the ticket that gained my entrance into this unforgettable evening and I thank her now for the courage that she faced to keep hope as a habit.