11 Vintage Avon Christmas Ads
Cosmetics advertisements from the mid-twentieth century are charming. Avon used illustrations and slowly phased in the regular use of photographs in the 1960s.
The Right Foundation Part Two
What can I do to avoid going to the drug store again? I could order a bunch of foundations online, try them all, and send back the ones that don’t work. That sounds good, but considering my poor track record with returns, I may be down all that money and pushing off six foundations onto…
The Right Foundation Part One
Finding the right foundation has been a hassle. I tried to do it in my early 20’s and gave up. I liked the way my natural skin looked, so I left it for another decade… and here we are. I still like the way my skin looks, though I have a few fine lines now.…
Dry Shampoo Makes the Dream Work
I had twin boys in April and have been so busy with them that I haven’t had time to update my blog. I miss writing about beauty and art, so instead of creating zero content until my babies will sleep through the night, I’m going to keep a little running journal of my beauty exploits…
Making Homemade Rosewater
The benefits of rosewater for skin and hair are numerous, so why miss out when you can make it at home on your own stove? Below, is a recipe for rosewater that is easy, requires few ingredients, and is ideal for first-timers. I walk through the process in a video tutorial at the bottom of…
Vote for Your Favorite Nail Polish of 2020
I don’t have a lot of time to paint my nails. Because of this, the enamels that make the cut for my Nail Polish of the Week on social media must look great after a single coat, spread well, and dry fast. I’ve done the vetting. Now it’s your turn to decide which is your…
Free Mini-Poster | 10 Things To Do Every Day
We all want to be in good health. To celebrate the new year I’ve created an 8.5″ x 11″ mini-poster with ten simple thing to do every day for better health. You can download the image below to your desktop by right-clicking and choosing Save Image As. If you would like to print this image,…
Update on Having Covid19
The world as we know it has ended. The buildings are all abandoned and the undead stalk the streets. It would have been way more interesting if it had turned out that way. Actually, nothing happened. In fact, I was so bored that on Day Seven I started to feel resentful that my mother-in-law didn’t…
I Caught Covid19
I almost made it through 2020 unscathed, but it got me in the last week of the year. We aren’t locked down where I live and my brother-in-law visited for Christmas. I probably should have suspected he would bring the plague, because he gave me strep throat last year, but he didn’t appear sick. And…
Focusing On the Beauty Guide
I am revving up production for the fair woman’s beauty and skin care guide. It’s to be a well-researched online reference with custom fashion art and downloadable infographics you can save to your computer or print and hang by your mirror. Making the Art Myself I’m taking on the challenge of doing the illustrations myself.…
In Shadow: A 13-Minute Film Worth Watching
Lubomir Arsov takes us on a journey “through shadow into light” with his self-funded animated film IN-SHADOW: A Modern Odyssey. To watch this piercing short is to enter a gritty world of metaphors about modernity (sometimes briefly gruesome – not suitable for kids) and gain a deeper sense of clarity on the other side. The…
Impressions of Renoir
Pierre-Auguste Renoir Born: February 25, 1841 Died: December 3, 1919 Renoir was a French painter and a contemporary of Alfred Sisley, Frédéric Bazille, and Claude Monet. He was one of the leading painters of the Impressionist style. According to the National Gallery, “He evolved a technique of broken brushstrokes and used bold combinations of pure…
For American Beauty See Vintage Avon Ads
When every visit to today’s popular “beauty” websites deals you such a beating of relentless ugliness that you’re physically repulsed for hours, you need vintage Avon advertisements. They’re delightful paintings and photographs of beautiful, cherry-lipped, slim women with their hair pinned delicately back, smartly dressed in the fashion of the time. They radiate femininity, confidence…
Basilique Notre-Dame de l’Assomption
This post is a tribute to the Basilique Notre-Dame de l’Assomption in Nice, France. An Islamic terror attack occurred there on Oct 29th, 2020. Three Catholics were murdered during a church service — two stabbed to death and one (an elderly woman) beheaded. The suspect was shot by police but remains alive in custody. This…
My Favorite Beauty Magazines Look Alike. Here’s Why.
Most American women have read Marie Claire, ELLE, Cosmopolitan or Women’s Health at some point in their lives; perhaps through a magazine subscription or while waiting in line at the grocery store. I’ve been frequenting beauty magazine websites since I started this blog, and I’ve noticed some striking similarities between the sites. Here is what…
What Color Are Your Undertones?
This is an important question when choosing colors that look nice on you. You will refer to your undertones when considering foundation, lipstick, nail polish and clothing. It could probably even help you stage better instagram photos. Skin tone (light, medium, deep) is determined by the top layer of your skin, while the layers of…
20 Splendid Works by J.W. Waterhouse
John William Waterhouse (1849-1917) is best known for his paintings of beautiful women from Arthurian Legend and Greek Mythology. He was English and attended the Royal Academy of Art. The first five years of his life were spent in Rome, lending a certain Italian influence to his early paintings. Waterhouse later adopted the Pre-Raphaelite style…
The Faircare Guide
What was your first experience with real makeup like? Mine happened when I was 13. I hopped excitedly down the Cosmetics aisle at Walmart, past the foundation section to a tray of blue, green and purple eye shadow that shined like the sun to my seventh-grade eyes. I took it home, wore it every day…
Beauty Matters
What is beauty and does it influence our lives? In his fantastic documentary, Why Beauty Matters, British philosopher and author, Sir Roger Scruton, argues that beauty is a universal need of human beings and “if we ignore this need we find ourselves in a spiritual desert.” He discusses what it is, how it enhances our…
Why I’m Blogging
We’ve been living with Covid-19 here in the USA now for 6 months. I don’t know anyone first-hand who has contracted the virus, but I’ve been effected by it. I’ve gained 15 pounds, lost motivation to do most things and feel constantly anxious. Truth be told, I am concerned about the virus, but the majority…
Alise Elaine 