Polish Your Wardrobe

There is officially twenty days until spring! Can you believe it? I sure can't. With all the snow benches laying outside it is very hard to believe winter is soon to be over. I am de cluttering everything: wardrobe, books, magazines and of course beauty products. I have the urge to just throw everything away and start fresh and new. Unfortunately for me I have to wait to be in my new place before doing an image revamp. A light weight and inexpensive alternative is to start with nail polish. Never mind that I already own possibly every shade of red. I just think that no look is complete without the perfect manicure and pedicure. Do not think for one second I am not looking at your tootsies. If you're gonna put them on show they better be ready for the spotlight.
So there I was walking around in (you guessed it) Duane Reade in Herald square making a never ending list of polish colors I am dying to purchase. I was being tempted by all, Rimmel London, Sally Hansen, O.P.I and Revlon. Ah, reminds me of my first days of being a product junkie. I gave myself a fresh mani daily and this is all I want to do now, eat cheese all day and apply nail polish. This spring I will aspire to keep my mani and pedi consistently tidy.
It won't be very hard with this list of the most mouth watering colors

The cleverest names are matched with the cleverest colors with:
Hong Kong Collection by O.P.I
- Panda monium Pink
-Red My Fortune Cookie
-Dim Sum Plum

My new favorite color:
Rimmel London Long Lasting Pro in Steel Grey. It is the best combination of grey and with a hint of lavender. Love, love, love! I can't stop staring at my own nails! The brush is wide and fanned to enable a precise application in minimal strokes. I was taken by the beautiful taupe after testing on one finger that I could not stop applying it to all ten. The cashier was gushing and could not believe it was coming from a $3.99 bottle of polish. Chanel makes the same color and it's of course sold out. You may have a hard time finding this color at your drug store.

The list is not over. Brace yourselves for Miss Sally Hansen:
Complete Salon Manicure (5 in one: base and top coat, strengthener, color and self renewing shine!)
- Cafe au lait (one of my favorite skin tone hue)
- Gilty pleasure
- Kook-a-mango (summer toes!)
- Lavender cloud (just like a marshmallow)
- Commander in chic (taupe very close to Rimmel's steel Grey)
- Peachy keen (colour of the moment, will look beautiful with all the khaki and coral color palettes of the spring/summer collections)
-Pat on the black (almost black burgundy that I have been wearing for more than two years)
- All fired up (orangey- red that wants to make me board a plane to the nearest caribbean island)
- Pedal to the metal ( a Beyonce approved silver-chrome)
- Right said red (red corvette of reds)

These are only the colors that stood out to me at first glance. A good start or addition to any Diva's polish wardrobe.

Bisou xxx

Ms Lynn

Beauty Challenge #1

Never have I take pen to paper to write down my New Year's resolutions. Never would I think to actually have this list available on a blog for all to see.They say that goals are easiest achieved if written down. Now it seems the universe is forcing me to achieve one of these goals which happens to be one of my greatest challenges: Finish what I start. Finishing all products before I purchase new ones. I'm always going to need something right?...Eventually! I can't ignore new packaging, new products and sales.This is what I do best. The situation is that I am moving, yet again. This time around I prefer not to have to carry boxes and boxes filled with magazines and beauty products. Considering I have little furniture moving should actually be a breeze for me. This is what I am passionate about, magazines and beauty. I buy them when I'm happy and sad. I have a whole reward system which I won't get into right now but you understand.
The challenge is the not buying part. I can deal with throwing away stuff because it makes more space to replace. I guess once I'm settled I can always refill. But in the meantime, what am I supposed to do? Ignore the new product launches, not buy the latest issue of Glamour U.K for my annoying subway commute and ignore emails from Sephora and Origins? Inconceivable! But it must be done! Good timing since spring is coming. Start fresh and new. I have exactly one mont to achieve this task. Seems like an eternity but now that I am writing this I feel oddly motivated.
Wish me luck and willfulness. This girl will need serious encouragement.

Au Revoir.

Ms. Lynn

Image Of Perfection: Halle Berry

When is she ever not perfection? This photo made me stop dead in my tracks. In this moment, I want to look like her: the hair, the dress, the manicure. I love her whole look! I am talking about the new advertisement campaign for her second perfume Pure Orchid. Notes are of blackberry cream, Italian lemon and Masdevalia orchids. I was sold at blackberry but looks can be deceiving as I learn over and over in the perfume department. I will run to the nearest mass market retailer and sample this new juice. If I can't look like her then I shall smell like her.

Bisous les cocottes xxx

Ms. Lynn

Emergency Beauty Kit

We all need some rescuing from time to time. It is no different for our skin. Look in the mirror, see if the warning sighns are there: zits, blotches, dry skin, eczema. It's all there, the evidence of your negligence. We're all very busy and stressed out and our skin often suffers. I can't seem to keep my eczema at bay. Sometimes, it doesn't matter how great your beauty routine is, lack of sleep and stress will undo any effort at clear skin. Is it possible that a clear mind = clear skin?
I can't confirm that just yet but it seems to be a major factor. Until I master my beauty resolutions, I will be turning to these products when things get too intense.

Ambi Fade Cream: Clears up discoloration from past blemishes and scars. This is not about skin bleaching (can Lil' Kim hear me?), just unifying your skin tone from past boo boo's.
Application Tip: Do not apply allover! Squeeze product unto a Q-Tip applicator and apply to the area to be treated.

Hydrocortisone 10: I like to use the extra strength and extra moisturizers version. Cortisone can be drying and over usage can cause skin thinning. the over the counter brands are safe and mild enough on minor eczema outbreaks. Anything above 1% should be prescribed.
Application tip: Apply a fair amount to the area that has erupted in rash or small little bumps. If I get an all over attack, I will spread evenly to my entire face like you would a mask. I do this for a few nights and sometimes I mix it with my moisturiser.

Salicylic Acid: My favorite ingredient to treat pimples and mild acne. It decloggs pores, exfoliates and smooths skin. You name it, it does it. I apply it everywhere and anywhere, bikini bumps, corns or any bump that was not there at birth.
I recommend Rapid Clear Fight & Fade 2-in-a gel from Neutrogena or Clean and Clear Advantage Acne Spot Treatment.
Application tip: Don't overdo it. Do the Q-Tip application. when I have been wearing a lot of make up or when my skin gets unusually oily, I will do an allover treatment nightly for a week. Seven nights are usually more than enough to bring things back to normal without causing additional irritations.

Vaseline: This is great for wind burned skin or lips. When nothing seems to work I just put a thin layer before bed. Tyra Banks approved!
Application tip: Put thin layer on skin after thoroughly cleansing. you can do this day or night depending on climate. Great on really cold winter days.

Bio Oil: You've all seen the ads and counter displays at your local walgreens or CVS.
this can be smoothed on face and body. Not to be used if you are pregnant since it does contain vitamin A. Claims to reduce stretchmarks?!? One can only dream.
Application tip: To be used just like any body lotion or facial moisturizer. I love to mix this with a cortisone cream, it creates the almost perfect facial moisturizer. Add to runny body lotions instead of throwing them away.

Et Voila! You may not need to run to ther derm with these tips.

Bisou xxx

Miss Lynn