Ladies (Mommies, Aunties, and older Sisters especially),

  

I am not yet a mom; but I am a godmother and “auntie” to a few brilliant and beauty-full girls, ages 3 – 14. Each of them boasts an impressionable mind with a huge appetite for information. They listen to music, watch television, tag along to the mall with their mothers and friends and (the older ones) have computers. One has skipped the runway of a local department store kids fashion show and appeared in a magazine photo shoot. I’m not naïve to the fact that media and celebrity has a tremendous influence on how we (women of a certain-age) and, to an even greater extent, how teen and tween-aged girls form our beauty ideals. But things have gone too far!

 

I read several recent articles about girls, I mean, babies, and their “beauty” ambitions. One in Philadelphia Magazine discussed an 8 year old getting her brows sculpted and another 12 year old having her “down there” waxed!

 

“Keating [the spa owner] told one mother, who wanted to drop her 12-year-old off for a full body wax before a modeling casting call, that it wasn’t going to happen unless she, the mother, came in, signed a waiver, and sat with her daughter as any wayward hair that dared to grow on her adolescent skin — from head to toe — was ripped out.”

  

My mouth fell more agape by the paragraph.

 

Another New York Times article talked about eleven-year olds donning highlights.

  

And there’s a picture book being released soon explaining  “Mommy’s new look” post breast augmentation and/or a nose job. Yikes!

  

I thought to myself, a hard line has to be stitched (tight) somewhere, darn it! But where?

 

I occasionally take my 9-year old goddaughter to have a simulation-mani and pedi (They only gently file and add polish. No cuticle clipping or pumice stone buffing!). I allow her to use only tropical Skittles-like hues. And unlike my own lip color peeves, with her…the more glitter, the better. During our session, we talk about school, the importance of being kind and obedient, and sports. Though a little indulgent, I’ll admit, our trips are meant for bonding.

 

But for many young girls (and parents who let them), the trend is to pluck, pull, and streak. Is this too much? How young is too young? In fact, how old were you when you had your first chemical process: wax, color, or facial?

 

Read on for the iVillage community's reaction here.

 

Do tell so we can chat fragrances, mascara, and skincare (for WOMEN) with a slightly clearer conscience.

 

 

  Photo: T. Kruesselmann/zefa/Corbis

 

 

Hi Ladies,

 

So, tell me, do you gloss or stick? Every day? In the evenings when you’re headed out on a date with your sweetie? To a PTA meeting or an after-work mixer?

 

Exactly!

 

Now that I’ve hit my thirties, I’m ready – not to mention it’s time – to occasionally abandon my fascination with (and extremely dedicated resolve to previously wear only) the slippery, even gooey, ultra-glittery textures of Bonnie Belle-type lip glosses. Refined women, like us, should punctuate our look with seductive, creamy, smooth lip color instead. Right? But how does a woman graduate from lip gloss to lipstick?

 

I’ve pondered this conundrum for a while…several years actually. As a twenty-something-year-old in the beauty industry with a room full of seemingly wiser, more experienced, more sophisticated, more fashionable and well, more…or shall I say, “better lip-sticked” women, I always felt my glitter-flecked, strawberry-toned gloss was out of place. It made me feel like an awkwardly and accidentally placed kid soooo completely out of her league.

 

But truth be told: On weekends, when you’re rushing from Lowe's to Whole Foods to your son or daughter’s soccer match, a sheer lip gloss with a tinge of color like the infamous Lancome Juicy Tubes, $18, (I loooove Miracle) will fit the bill.

 

Still, Monday through Thursday, you need some color, better yet a texture and application that speaks sophistication rather than sweet sixteen. Ladies, a natural progression is an order.

 

Just in time for spring: I’ve discovered and “moved-on-up” (at least a few days a week) to lip colors that offer youthful application PLUS the rich and creamy textures of an all grown-up, chic lipstick. Bingo!!!

 

Check out a few of my favorites, and let me know what your lip color favorites are, too! 

 

Tai

 

Josie Maran, $18,

josiemaran.com

I was pleasantly surprised when the caramel-smelling (not usually my thing) sheer color went on as luxuriously as a silk Philip Lim blouse. Radiance (a soft pink) and Confession (a coppery gold) are perfect for spring and extremely wearable on all complexions.

 

Bonus: These babies are close to being all natural! 

 

Stila, $22,

stilacosmetics.com

For those of you who thought you couldn’t wear red, Stila’s SPF 20 Lip Color in Chelsea adds a perfect, pick-you-up wash of color that transitions from office chic to after-work drinks effortlessly.

 

 

 

Lancome, $23, department stores

Lancome’s new Color Fever Gloss offers high impact color with a delicate sheen. I love the rich and moisturizing texture. What it feels like? Imagine swiping on a coat of a hydrating, petroleum-rich balm that’s colorful and goes the distance.

 

 

 

Hello, Beautiful!

We’ve all heard about having a beauty regimen, but what about a beauty mantra? You know, your own personal ideals about what beauty is? As we travel together through the world of Compacts & Vignettes, it will be important to remember what I call my 7 Beauty Mantras:

 

1. Beauty is [indeed, absolutely, unequivocally] in the eye of the beholder.
2. Rouge (color and application) is NOT universal. One woman’s blush can be another woman’s clown face.
3. Don’t feel obligated to purchase everything (or anything) when the makeup artist (A. K. A., ahem, "salesperson”) at your local makeup counter or beauty bazaar says, “Oh, you must-have…” It’s all about your comfort level.
4. If you feel confident about your look, trust me, you look even better. (This is what I call the Beauty Theorem.)
5. Beauty is way deeper than your skin! Unhealthy skin is a reflection of what‘s going on inside. Healthy skin is an extension of what’s going on inside. Eat well. Stay fit. Look beauty-full.
6. Beauty can and should be found in everything! The laugh of a child, the stroke of a mascara wand, the star-bright glisten of your significant other’s smile, the spritz of a spring fragrance and the list goes on.

 

Drum roll, please. My ultimate beauty-full motto:

7. Beauty is as beauty does! This means, when you buy yourself a new lip gloss, buy one for a friend. When you pick up a new scent, grab a sample for a colleague, and when you book a spa appointment, or better yet, spa getaway, EMAIL ME to see if I can join you. (Ha!)  Okay, I’m just kidding…but not really.

But truly, even beauty companies are keeping and making us look good while doing good. So today I’m giving some shine to a few of the most deserving brands that are beauty-fully standing for something. Check out a few “look good, feel good, do good” glam products I’m feeling. And don’t forget to let me know what you think, feel, or want to learn more about. In order to be truly beauty-full, this blogging thing has to be a two-way street. So let me hear from you!

Tai

 

 

 

MAC  Fergie Viva Glam VI lip glass, $14. www.maccosmetics.com

Every cent of the selling price goes to The MAC Aids fund to support men, women, and children living with HIV and AIDS.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dove Go Fresh Collection, Drugstores nationwide.

While no proceeds of the sale of this collection are going to a charity, the cause is still evident. The genius of Dove, the brand that encourages all women to love the skin we’re in, is targeting younger women to do the same with this yummy scented line.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MTV and The Body Shop’s Guarana Butter “Move Your Lips” Lip Balm, $8 http://www.thebodyshop.com/bodyshop/. (I looove the trés-hip packaging!) Proceeds will also go to help fight the spread of HIV and AIDS

 

Welcome, ladies! It’s a pleasure to have you here, and I hope all of the great finds in Compacts and Vignettes will keep you coming back again and again! But before we get started, I have a confession: I am a beauty girl! No, really. I mean, I love fashion, I love style, I love interior design; but I liiive for all things beauty. And quite frankly, isn’t beauty found in all of the above?

I’d happily (well, maybe not “happily”) forgo purchasing the season’s It-bag or shoe for a fabulous perfume or face cream that makes me feel ten years younger. I have held my standing hair appointment at Styles New York Salon for almost a decade, and I indulge in weekly manicures and bi-weekly pedicures whether it’s gladiator sandal or platform knee boot season. And while I’m a little embarrassed to admit it, I rarely (except to walk my insanely cute and equally hyper Jack Russell Terrier, Abdul, at 6:30 AM) leave my Jersey loft without concealer, blush, tinted lip balm, and mascara. A little high-maintenance by some standards? Perhaps.

But here’s the thing, whether you’re a beauty buff who can’t get enough or a woman who just appreciates the new Olay moisturizer or L’Oreal lip color, you deserve to feel beautiful at all times. That’s what Compacts & Vignettes is all about—delivering the best beauty options for you, and showing you that you don’t necessarily have to spend a fortune to look and feel like a million bucks. It’s all in the selection, and I’m here to help sort through the choices. Beauty products, treatments, trends, tips, news, discounts, exclusives—you can expect to find it all here in Compacts & Vignettes!

So, what’s your beauty must-have? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment here and we'll talk soon!

Tai