Hiatus.

Monday 9 Aug 2010 by zpetals | No Comments
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Summer, in its glory

So, I've been on quite a hiatus these past few weeks; I've been taking summer pretty seriously.  Not only have I been reading a lot of library books, and going to the beach with my son Bean, but I've also been trying to force myself to relax, which is often hard for me to do.  Generally, I run at top speed, stopping only to sleep.  And then, only rarely, it seems.

But this summer, this past month, I've tried really hard to breathe and reboot.  Thus, I've not been posting on Head to Toe.  I've had some interesting conversations about beauty with friends, but have not had them Define Beauty as such.

I've been to a couple of fashion sales and events that I should have told you about, but put it off to the point where now, it wouldn't matter.

But I most earnestly promise I will be back to old business soon, as these last days of summer wane and move into a glorious fall.  A few more days, maybe another week, and I'll be completely refreshed and ready to get back to school, as it were.

Cheers and happy remaining summer days to you, Lovely Readers!!


Beauty, Defined: Jody Anderson

Friday 18 Jun 2010 by zpetals | No Comments
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My sister Jody is two years older than me.  Sometimes, I think we are completely different, and other times, I'm struck by how much alike we are; I doubt she knows I see our similarites.  She's about 5 inches shorter than I am (which is easy to be, as I'm 6 feet tall), and was the cheerleader in high school, seemingly always dressed in her uniform, all cute and cheerleader-y, while I was the awkward basketball player and the bookworm.

For a short time in college, we shared a room in a tiny apartment, and had so many clothes strewn all over the place (we could share shirts and dresses, but not pants, obviously).  Some of my favorite memories of my sister are when we'd stay in all day on rainy Saturdays or Sundays, watching movies on our tiny T.V., all ensconced in blankets. Planet of the Apes marathon?  Bring it on, with soup and popcorn!

Jody's wedding day

After college, we both found our future husbands around the same time; she married hers a year before I got hitched.  Her son was still an infant at my small wedding.  Her twin daughters were born just before we moved to Chicago.  It's often how I mark time, by my big sister's life---she's always going to be older.  I'm always going to be taller.  We're always going to be sisters.

Nowadays, she lives in a small town and loves it, while I live in a city and, likewise, love it.  Our everyday lives couldn't be more different, but the ways they are similar in the big picture stand out---we're both still married to our sweethearts (we've had good examples); we're both mothers; we both found influence and inspiration in our Grandma Arnold.

This week, I asked Jody what she thought about beauty.  For your pleasure, Lovely Readers, let me introduce you to my gorgeous big sister, Jody.

How do you define beauty?

Beauty is as beauty is... Kind of a misquote from Forrest Gump.  That is my definition now, at almost 41 years old.

I have changed the definition of beauty as I have gotten older.  When I was younger, I had a more shallow definition of beauty and I didn't feel beautiful at all.  I let others define beauty for me, and I didn't feel I fit into

Pretty smile!

that definition.  As I have matured and hit the old 4-0 (which I dreaded, but have now embraced), I have found that I don't let those "others" define beauty or define me.

How does that definition show up in your everyday life?

I am me and you can take me or leave me.  I don't let others define me.  I am who I am and if it doesn't fit into whatever situation, I leave.  I don't have to stay with people or in situations that I don't want to.  I feel that I am a stronger person now.

What are five products you cannot live without (desert island picks)?

Hairbrush, sunscreen, lotion, Oil of Olay In-shower Lotion, Toothbrush

Of those five, which is the number one thing you can’t live without?

The one that I can't do without, most especially in the winter, is the Oil of Olay In-Shower Lotion.

How would you describe your style?

I suppose you could call my style simple.  I don't spend a lot of money on things.  I am the wife of a teacher in Missouri, and we just don't have a lot of extra money.  But even if we had a bunch of money, I don't think I would spend it on me.

Who would you consider your style mentor, and why?

Grandpa & Grandma

Lately it feels like it is Grandma Arnold.  Grandma was into genealogy and I have been working with her old pictures so I have felt more connected with her.  She had a beautiful smile that covered her whole face.  I strive for that same smile.

What did Mom teach you about beauty?

Fake it till you make it.  Smile even if you don't feel like it and eventually you will feel like it.

What would you like your daughters to learn?

The world's definition of beauty doesn't have to be your definition.  If you feel beautiful, you will be beautiful.

When in your life do you/did you feel the most beautiful? And why?

I feel beautiful now when I am hanging out with my three teens.  I have always loved being around them, but they are becoming young adults and it is fun to see them trying to figure out who they are.  I also have some really good friends here in my hometown.  They really love me for me and I haven't felt like I had that until now.

Thanks for answering my questions about beauty, Jo!  I appreciate you and your beauty!

Jo with the girls, years ago


Beauty, Defined: Jean Marinos

Friday 11 Jun 2010 by zpetals | No Comments
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I was lucky enough to grow up with several gorgeous aunts in my life; my father has one sister and three brothers, so, on his side, I have four aunts, each one a lovely woman in her own right.

On my mother's side, I have three aunts, each possessing their own different style and kind of beauty---but, of course, you can tell they are sisters.

I remember watching my mother with her sisters a lot when I was growing up; I was so enthralled with how they moved in the world, about how they were with other people, not just our family.  I watched them put curlers in their hair, watched them put their make up on, and watched their kindnesses with strangers when we'd all go out to dinner or to the zoo.  Even now, my sister and I joke that we can't possibly be in our thirties (in her case, now, forties!) because that's how old the aunts are!!

A few weeks ago, I talked with my cousin Kendra, and she mentioned that her mother always said, "It's all about attitude."  When Kendra said that, I couldn't help but hear my aunt Jean's voice in my head, couldn't help but picture her sparkly blue eyes.  She is a lovely woman:  funny, whip-smart, and gorgeous, to boot.  Here's what she has to say about beauty, and the joys of finding out your skin type.

Cornflower blue eyes!

How do you define beauty?

I think beauty is what touches your heart which, for me, changes almost by the minute. Sitting on a veranda watching the sunset over the sea, with colors beyond my ability to describe is beauty. Seeing my daughter tenderly holding her young son….that’s beauty. So many beautiful things in this world.

How does that definition show up in your everyday life?

Unfortunately, most times, I do not take time to appreciate the beauty around me. Too busy with the minutia of just being. Maybe that’s why my heart seems to overflow when I do recognize it.

What are five products you cannot live without (desert island picks)?

  • Dove Soap (a new discovery…recommended by my dermatologist)
  • Lotion for my face (any light product)
  • Sunscreen
  • Nail Clippers
  • shampoo
  • I’m thinking you are talking about personal items…not things like wine (ed. note:  yes, but wine is definitely worth mentioning!)

Of those five, which is the number one thing you can’t live without?

The Dove Soap….has really made a difference in the way my skin feels….

Who would you consider your style mentor, and why?

I don’t think I have a “style” let alone a mentor. I think I’m pretty much a product of where I am at the time. I have a totally different style in Greece than I do in Iowa. I really wish I had someone who would help me with my style (or perhaps an episode of What Not to Wear). And that I had the body for the styles I used to wear 40 years ago!(ed. note:  Aunt Jean would never get on WNTW---she dresses beautifully!!)

What did your mother (my grandmother) teach you about beauty?  What did you want your daughters to learn?  What did you stress to them as they were growing up?

Jean and her daughters
Jean and her daughters

My mother took interest in my hair……everything from perms (back then, the home perms came with paper dolls, and had a tendency to frizz like crazy) to pincurls all over the head. But basically, her direction was always to be a nice person and treat others with respect and love. I think stressing “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all” was her way of creating the inner beauty she wanted in her daughters.

For my daughters, I tried to do the same as my mother…and stress that they would have a long time to wear makeup, so they should put if off as long as possible.

What is one trick that is indispensable to your grooming/beauty routine?

Jean with me, back in the day
Jean with me, back in the day

I think the real key to a good grooming routine is to find out your skin type. I thought I had oily skin in my earlier years, but actually my skin was dry. It caused many years of a difficult skin issue. Now I treat my skin/face with lotions both morning and night.

When in your life do you/did you feel the most beautiful? And why?

I had times I felt pretty, usually when I was formally dressed (like my weddings). I feel beautiful inside most of the time, especially when I’m with my family and friends. It’s all about attitude.

Thanks so much for this, Aunt Jean!  I've enjoyed reading your thoughts (by the way, Lovely Readers, she took time out of her vacation to Greece to respond!!)!  I appreciate you and your beauty.

NARS Orgasm!

Monday 7 Jun 2010 by zpetals | No Comments
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NARS blush in Orgasm

For years, I've been hearing the NARS powder blush in Orgasm is the best color for, well, pretty much everyone.  It's been touted as a great shade for pretty much every woman, making her look as if she's just had.....an orgasm.

I just never tried it.  Until now.  The blush, I mean, not the orgasm.

It's actually a really pretty color---a peachy pink with subtle sparkles.  It went onto my huge powder brush just fine.  I tapped away a little excess, then put it directly onto the apples of my cheeks, as I was taught to do; under the bathroom lights, though, it looked a little too pink for my skin tone.  Or, maybe it's just that I haven't really worn blusher in over two years, and just need to play with it more.

I admit I wiped a tiny bit off with a tissue before I went outside into the sunshine.

When I sat in the driver's seat, after I buckled the Bean into his booster in the back and before I started the car, I checked in the rear view mirror.  It looked lovely, summery; it did not, however, look as if I had just had an orgasm.  My hair would have to be a bit more messy, and I would have had to have more of a foggy-eyed thing going on for anyone to think that.

I'll definitely wear it again and again, though; it's a fun summery shade.  Also, admittedly, the name and the slightly dirty thoughts it evokes makes me grin a bit, which always helps one feel more pretty.  Worth it, to me!


Beauty, Defined: Trisha Breitlow

Friday 4 Jun 2010 by zpetals | No Comments
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It always amazes me (and I guess by now it really shouldn't, but it still does) that some of the most beautiful women that I know don't recognize their own beauty.  Maybe they don't want to be seen as self-involved, or full of themselves, or perhaps they just honestly don't feel confident in themselves.  I don't know.

I've known my friend Trisha for 4 years, and have often told her how gorgeous her eyes are (they are huge, luminous, brown pools), how great her hair is, how good she looks in her clothes, how her kindness shines through----and yet, each of these compliments tends to fall on deaf ears.  She just can't hear it.  I don't know why.  Modesty, maybe?  I wish she could see how beautiful she really is, inside as well as out.

This week, we talked about how she defines beauty, and what she'd need on a desert island to survive (yum!!).  Her answers are insightful and funny, just like she is.  Enjoy!

How do you define beauty?

I define beauty in many different ways.  First is the obvious beauty as a physical characteristic.  That type of beauty can be enhanced or helped (or I might even say falsified?)---I think of Hollywood starlets.  But there are true beauties out there who are lucky to be born with symmetrical features.  If you were to ask me to name somebody who LOOKS beautiful, I consider the classic and glamorous like Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, Jackie Kennedy, and current icons who tend to mimic that look, like Katherine Heigl and Anne Hathaway. Grace, kindness and poise are so important to add to the physical beauty.  I believe if someone looks beautiful but lacks the former, it truly alters their physical appearance.

Cubs fan!!

I notice beauty in someone when they have something about them  (an aura?, a kindness?, an inner light?) that transcends outwards and I can visibly see it having an affect on other people.  Short answer is watching someone make someone else happy.  There is a great man I know who always has a comment or joke to whisper to someone and when he does this, his whole face lights up brightly. It's just a small moment in time, but then the person he was speaking with lights up as well and I think it is just beautiful to watch this cause and effect in the spirit.

Related to this is when someone has a sense of pride so overwhelming about someone for whom they care.  Several examples of family relationships come to mind -- a parent crying at a graduation, an adult child cheering on the even more adult parent in a marathon, a parent helping a young child understand how to play a sport and the pride they both feel when a new skill is mastered.

Another place I define beauty tends to be in those quiet moments, usually very early in the morning, or just as dusk is settling in.  It happens when I step outside and am completely aware of the sounds and sights around me.  It can happen in any season and is really just appreciating the earth and the nature around me.

Lastly, it's just appreciating moments in time.  I've heard something about how audiences are so unique and special because even if a performer is putting on 50 shows on a tour, no two shows will be alike because of the energy each audience puts together.  As a huge sports fan, I definitely recognize that and find myself often getting emotional watching games, whether in person or on television.

How does that definition show up in your everyday life?

It shows up in many ways. As far as the physical beauty, I suffer, like many women, from that feeling that I'm just not good enough and never will be.  I hate seeing my reflection and almost always have a feeling of disappointment when I accidentally catch it in a mirror or window.

I care a lot about having meaningful, good relationships, and make that a priority in my life.  Then I get to watch people make other people happy.

I guess the rest of it just comes and goes and it's a matter of how self-involved I'm being, or if I'm taking the time to recognize what surrounds me.

What are five products you cannot live without (desert island picks)?

This is VERY tough.  I don't really have any type of beauty regimen.  I mean, I wash my face every night, but not really

Sawyer!  Yum...

brand loyal.  I don't consider myself to have a beauty routine.  I just do my make up very simply and quite frankly, usually in a pretty boring manner.  But if I had to choose:

  1. A radio so I can listen to Cubs games.  (emotional beauty of an audience/pride)
  2. Sawyer from LOST.  I think he counts because he is beautiful (MMMMMM yummy!), ergo a beauty product. Plus, he learned a lot of good tracking sills on the island, so I'm sure that would come in handy. (note: not Josh Holloway, the actor, but Sawyer.  Another note I hope the audience catches my humor here and doesn't view me as completely shallow!)
  3. Soap (compulsive about germs and cleanliness)***
  4. Razor (everyday!)
  5. Toothpaste

*** hopefully the island has some aloe or something else I can use to moisturize.  With all the hand washing I do, I have incredibly dry skin.  And with gross dry skin, having Sawyer on the island would probably be a moot point!  (ed. note:  HA!!)

Of those five, which is the number one thing you can’t live without?

Cubs games

Who would you consider your style mentor, and why?

I don't really have one.  I rely on good friends’ advice.  I think I have a pretty classic sense of style.  I never really considered that until recently when a friend and I cleaned out my closet, donating over 60 items, and I realized most of them weren't really that dated looking and I've had for many, many years.

It feels like you're enjoying more playing with fashion since you cleaned out your closet.  You've bought a lot of basics but you've also started to add pieces that have more detail, more fun.  ARE you having more fun with it, and if so, why?  If not, why not?

No, I REALLY think I'm the same-- I think I would have bought those things before...  I think just removing all the junk is letting me allow myself to "fill up the space???"

You just lost some weight in a very healthy way.  How has that process changed your opinion of your own beauty (or has it?)?

I really don't think I feel any differently.

What did you learn from your parents about how to view the world that has affected your views on what is beautiful?

The closest things I can think of are camping trips with my family and my parents pointing out trees, waterfalls, etc., and saying "Look at that.  Just beautiful."

Gorgeous!

Also, my dad was huge on instilling in me to treat people the same no matter what their background.  He was a principal and always made a point of telling me some of the most interesting conversations he had were with the custodians, whom a lot of people ignore.

I also remember that one time, he called me into his office (at school) when I was in grade school to ask me about a friend's birthday party I was going to. Apparently, the family was very poor. I didn't know about the family, but he explained to me that I was going to a house that might not be as nice as most of my friends.  He said the food might not be what I'm used to and there might be smells that seemed different than I was used to, but I should be polite and eat and have fun, and that they are very nice people. One year, still in grade school, that girl came to MY birthday party.  She gave me a little angel figurine holding a banner that says "May."  I still have that figurine (which is kind of cheesy) because it reminds me of the great lessons my dad has passed on to me.

You didn't start wearing make-up until college.  What made you want to start experimenting with it?

I'd always felt ugly and horrible, and didn't really think make-up would help. I thought it would be even worse if I tried make up to look prettier, and still was ugly.  I guess I finally just decided to give it a shot.

When in your life do you/did you feel the most beautiful? And why?

I can't think of a time when I've felt beautiful. I work hard to appreciate the beauty around me.

Thanks for talking with me about this, Trisha!  I appreciate you, and your beauty, and especially your sense of humor!


Haircut Story

Tuesday 25 May 2010 by zpetals | No Comments
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For the past 3 years or so, I’ve been growing my hair long; it started out as just missing a haircut here and there, as life got busier and busier with a toddler, then morphed into a more dedicated effort to have enough hair to donate to Pantene Beautiful Lengths campaign.

A couple of weeks ago, my friend Robin, a wonderful hair specialist at Genacelli Salon here in Chicago, cut 8 inches off for me to donate.  She then did a beautiful job shaping it into what she calls, “Not a bob, a Robert,” but what I call, “Not a Robert, a Robin.”  It’s chin-length, incredibly light, and makes me feel chic and sophisticated.

Four ponytails

First, she divided my hair into four ponytails, so as to get as much even length from what I had to offer.  She cut off the first ponytail, and I laughed---she was worried that I’d freak out at the amount she was cutting, but I wasn’t nervous at all.  I’ve had all kinds of different hairstyles, including a chin length bob, way past shoulder blades, a Demi-Moore-in-Ghost short ‘do, even a ¼ inch all over my head.  So this quick cut was not an issue for me at all.

Soon after, she had all four ponytails cut off, and slid them into an envelope for me to send to Pantene Beautiful Lengths (she mentioned that this is the best hair donation agency, and was glad that I had chosen them in my somewhat extensive, obsessiveGoogle research of hair donation agencies).

As she shaped my haircut, Robin mentioned that all hair, no matter the color, is jet black on the inside.  She showed me the ends of the ponys, as proof.  Fascinating!

She also talked me through a lot of the ways to better care for my hair:  a good conditioner is a must, especially in the winter when radiators dry out our air.  A good shampoo also makes a difference, and, if you need to economize,TRESemme is a decent choice.

Cutting it off!

A smoother is a good idea, and putting it on when your hair is extremely wet and using the heat from the blowdrier to help it coat your hair and seal the cuticle was another tip she offered.  For chin length straight hair, she recommended a pea sized amount, then follow up after drying with a tiny bit more to smooth the fly-aways.

One of the more interesting things she pointed out was that the front of my hair will always be thinner and more ragged than the rest---because I run.  She said it’s like when you look at a flag, flying on a flagpole; the ends tatter more and more frequently than the rest of the flag, because that’s what the wind is whipping around.  The same can be said with the front of my hair (where bangs would be if I had them), because I run.

In the next few weeks, I’ll be talking with Robin some more about the best way to care for different kinds and textures of hair; what coloring your hair actually does to it, chemically; and how what we eat affects our hair.  I look forward to sharing those conversations with you, Lovely Readers!

As for my own new haircut, I love it.  It’s been a couple of weeks, and it’s grown out quite nicely.  The thing I love the most about it is that it's perfect for summer----and that it still feels like a big change.

I’ve sent my locks into Pantene, anonymously; I didn’t feel like I needed to have any kind of acknowledgement, since everyone I’ve seen since the cut has complimented me on my new ‘do.  What a difference 8 inches make!  I’ve sent them all Robin’s way and mentioned Pantene Beautiful Lengths, which is such a worthy cause.  I just hope that some people are inspired to either visit Robin at Genacelli for a wonderful cut or color, or to donate their hair.  That’s all I need!


Beauty, Defined: Kendra Wochos

Friday 21 May 2010 by zpetals | No Comments
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Did you ever catch yourself looking at someone while you're listening to them talk, and think, "Wow!  She's really pretty!!"  Mostly, when that has happened to me, it's been when someone is at their most natural, talking about (or doing) the thing they love to do the most.

Sometimes, in between all of the laughing, goofing, comforting, listening, cooking, drinking, and caring that my cousin Kendra and I do together, I look over at her and think, "Man, girl, you are so GORGEOUS!!"  Sometimes, I say that out loud, but most of the time I just smile at myself and watch her with her husband and son some more, watch how she is with her friends and family, enjoy her great laugh, her sparkly eyes, and her fantastic freckles, light-up-the-room smile, and her curly hair.

Kendra at her wedding

And now, you are the lucky ones, Lovely Readers:  you get to read what she thinks about beauty and how place has an influence on style.  Enjoy.

How do you define beauty?

I won't lie, there is a physical aspect to beauty, in my definition.  As Harry told Sally, "Empirically, you are attractive."  However, no one can be beautiful unless they feel beautiful.  Beauty is all about attitude and confidence.

How does that definition show up in your everyday life?

Having a good attitude and confidence is something I have to mentally and emotionally set myself up for every day.  Personally, my sense of self oscillates from one end of the spectrum to the other.  Some days I want to be all girly and wear makeup and pretty dresses.  The next, nothing feels more right than mom jeans and ill-fitting sweaters.  The following day I'll swear that suits and dress shirts are all I will ever want to wear.  The next, it's cords, scarves, blazers and herringbone.  Sometimes I fear that makes people see as me as insincere or hypocritical, but that's just who I am.  Owning who and what I am in whatever version of me I am that day makes it work.

Kendra and her gorgeous son

Exactly!!  Owning it!!  I wouldn't say "insincere" or "hypocritical"; those things are just the varied points of your style.  And, by the way, the core of your style is there, no matter which thing you're wearing, be it the dress or the herringbone.  It's all Kendra---there's similarity in the style of the things you choose, but your mood changes each day, as does everyone's.  And what you wear each day follows the mood.  What are five products you cannot live without (desert island picks)?

  • Moisturizer (Oil of Olay)
  • conditioner (Redken - some version specifically for curly hair)
  • Dove soap (Thanks Grandma Wells!)
  • some heavy duty deodorant (you did say desert island - not deserted island.  If it's going to be desert heat and others will smell me, I definitely want that deodorant.)
  • Burts Bees chapstick.  (I have noticed a trend in a lot of your interviews that many women don't have a lot of beauty products other than personal hygiene stuff.  Is this indicative of an overall trend among our generation I wonder? ) (ed. note:  good question!)

Of those five, which is the number one thing you can’t live without?

Moisturizer.

Who would you consider your style mentor, and why?

Oh, so many.  But I think place has had more influence on me more than any single person.  I grew up inIowa, went to college in California, studied abroad in Ireland, spent my 20s in New York City and am now entering my 30s back here in Wisconsin.   I can describe ways that each of those locales influenced my concepts of what is cool, stylish and

I LOVE this picture of Kendra!

beautiful.  Part of the living and discovering of those places makes them a part of you in ways that inherently change you forever.  I LOVE the social aspect of style that way. (Note on fashion runways, they always say where the designers are from).

What did your mother teach you about beauty?

The attitude line is straight from my mom, believe it or not.  Her big line growing up was "it's all about attitude".  She's right, of course.

What would you like your son to learn?

That boys can be beautiful.  People say to him (well, to me, but you know) that he is such a beautiful baby.  And then they get all embarrassed and stammer out that oh, of course they meant handsome.  And I correct them and say no, he really is beautiful (no bias, mind you.  Empirically, he is attractive) and it's ok to say so.  We say women are handsome all the time (perhaps not so much anymore, but it was a traditional way to describe women for some time) and I HATE when we forget that body image and self esteem are just as important for boys as they are for girls.  We must teach every child to love their bodies - for what they can do, the joy they provide, to respect the health of their bodies.

When in your life do you/did you feel the most beautiful? And why?

Oof.  That's tough.  Refer to my oscillating statement above.  I can name dozens of times when I felt beautiful, but none stick out as the pinnacle of my beauty.  Perhaps I haven't reached it yet.

Thanks for talking with us Kendra!  I appreciate you, so much, and love your individual beauty!!


Beauty, Defined: Sasha

Friday 14 May 2010 by zpetals | No Comments
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One of my favorite things to do is to talk with kids about, well, anything; no matter what the age of development, they have such interesting things to say, and incredible ways of seeing things.  Recently, my friend Elizabeth sat down with her daughter Sasha to talk about beauty, and what it means in her 4 year old life.  The results are pretty darn sweet, as well as remarkably insightful.  For you, Lovely Readers:

Sasha, as a matter of fact!

What does it mean to be beautiful?

So pretty, because you are a princess.  Dress, crown and shoes.  Because no mean step-sisters are beautiful.  Princesses eat. (ed. note:  I love love love love love that Sasha says that Princesses eat!  I hope she holds onto that thought forever!  Let's all promote healthy eating in young girls by letting them know that Princesses EAT!!!)

What is beautiful in your life?

We love each other.  Mother Earth takes care of us.

What are five things you cannot live without (desert island picks)?

Mommy and Daddy and my Grandpa and Papa and Ga.  I love everybody in the world.  I love everybody and I love Mother Earth too.   (ed. note:   This makes my heart warm!)

Sasha hulas!

When in your life do you feel the most beautiful? And why?

I love it when I'm dancing... in a dress.  It has pretty things on it.  (ed. note:  I'm loving that she gets that dancing is pretty great!)

So, not only did Sasha, in this brief discussion, mention that eating and dancing are pretty great things for us women to do for ourselves (and our beauty), but she also pointed out how wonderful our Mother Earth is and that we should love it.  Smart young lady, that Sasha!   At one point, too, she wanted her baby sister to answer some of the questions, but we really need to wait to interview Lulu when she's older and  can talk.  Thanks to Elizabeth and Sasha for this insightful and delightful interview!!


Dirty Face, Dirty Pillow?

Tuesday 11 May 2010 by zpetals | No Comments
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Last night, I did the unthinkable:  I didn't wash off my make-up before I went to bed.  Let me point out to you the huge thing that this was---I always always always wash my face before I go to bed, no matter how tired I am.  Always.  Can't stand to go to bed with a dirty face, or with make-up still on my face.  Can't.  Stand.  It.

My mother would always remind me to wash my face (and brush my teeth) before retiring to Snoozeville, so habits were formed quite young, really.  So you might wonder, Lovely Readers, just why last night was an exception to this?

I was doing an experiment.

Mind you, it got on my last nerve, and I almost----almost----ran to the bathroom in the middle of the night to wash my face.  But I didn't, because I wanted to find out if the claims for Bare Escentuals/Bare Minerals were true; I wanted to know if the claim that the mineral make-up is so gentle and easy on your skin (indeed, almost good for your skin) that you could sleep in it, or if, left to its own devices in the wee hours of the night, the make-up would wreak havoc.

Bare Minerals SPF Foundation

I'm here to tell you that it all was fine.  I woke up, washed my face (finally!!) and had only two tiny little spots that were not there last night, and didn't really last much longer this morning.  I didn't feel greasy or grimy, either.

That's not to say that I won't continue to wash my face each and every single night.  But now I know that this make-up is at least living up to its reputation (in addition to being really good coverage!)  So, if you're looking for a great powder foundation, try Bare Escentuals/Bare Minerals.  You can get it at Sephora.


Beauty, Defined: Ruth Arnold

Friday 7 May 2010 by zpetals | No Comments
Filed under: Beauty Defined Tags: , ,

One of the mainstay questions of the Beauty, Defined feature is 'What did your mother teach you about beauty?'  I ask that of every woman who is the subject, mostly because I think we learn so much about beauty, and about how to be women and how to be friends with and to other women, by looking to what our mothers do and have done.  I think we learn from both parents, sure, but mothers and daughters particularly have intriguing relationships.

My glamour Mom

Of course, this Sunday is Mother's Day, and to honor both that day and my beautiful mother, this week, I talked with my mother,Ruth Arnold, about beauty, and what she learned; her answers, especially her five desert island picks, were sweet and I honestly could hear her voice answering them.  Enjoy!  And don't forget to call your mother on  Sunday!

How do you define beauty?

Beauty is "in the eye,” and as such, beauty is love; simplicity; the intricateness of nature.   I have come to learn that the cutest is not always the best, and you do not have to be "rich" and wear designer jeans to be beautiful.  When you are loved, love yourself, and are true to your beliefs, the beauty of your spirit comes through.

How does that definition show up in your everyday life?

Have you seen my wardrobe? (ed. note:  she wears bright, cheery colors, and lots of florals and pretty prints) Plus, people trust me.

What are five products you cannot live without (desert island picks)?

  • Toothpaste.
  • A razor (I do not like long hairs on my legs!)
  • Shampoo. (more important than ordinary soap)
  • Baby oil (to keep in the moisture)
  • AND your dad----but if it must be a product.....a pile of notebook paper and a pen.

Of those five, which is the number one thing you can’t live without?

  • your Dad (no, Mom, a beauty product!) (although---that's pretty sweet!)
  • ......Shampoo

Who would you consider your style mentor, and why?

I think I have always been a bit of a maverick.  When I find something in the store I like, I really like it.  That means it will be worn whether or not everyone else thinks it is stylish at the moment.  I have learned to buy these things when I find them, not to wait or hesitate, because they are staples of my wardrobe.

I've always loved this picture of Mom

What did your mother, my grandmother, teach you about beauty?

Quality beats quantity.  Personal hygiene is more important than flashy-ness.  Shoes are FUN.

What did you want us to learn?

To stand up straight.  To look around at the people in the world and help those who are hurting.  To value the beauty within each individual, whether you immediately like or agree with them or not.  When you love people, they are beautiful.  And most of all, to love the beauty within yourselves.

When in your life do you/did you feel the most beautiful? And why?

  • Orchid Ball, 1965---I was young, and freshly in love.
  • Wedding Day, 1967.
  • Our 10th anniversary--I was at my most skinniest of days...a size 6, and your Dad surprised me with a trip.
  • The days my children were born---momma beauty, not personal beauty.

If you get a chance this weekend to speak with your mother about beauty, and maybe ask her these questions, let me know.  I'd love to post what our mothers say about beauty.  That would be fun.  And, if you are a mother?  Happiest of Mother's Day to you---take a moment to breathe in that beauty that is your family!  You deserve the best!

Thanks to my mom for her answers.  Happy Mother's Day!


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