Sweet Dreams Are Made of This

I had the strangest dream last night. I dreamt that I was on my lunch break from a temp job. I had to go to the bank, and afterwards I was walking down Newbury Street, only it didn't look like Newbury Street, the way sometimes places, or people, don't look like what or who they are supposed to be in dreams, but you know it's supposed to be that place or person anyway. While I was on Newbury Street, Stacy London of t.v.'s "What Not To Wear" approached me. She told me WNTW had finally gotten around to me, two years after I nominated myself for the show when they came to the Boston area as part of their nation-wide mall audition tour (I actually did nominate myself when they came to Boston). Only I wasn't selected for the $5000, week in New York shopping spree. They selected me for a one-day mini-makeover to make me resemble a celebrity. Now I know WNTW doesn't do celebrity-inspired mini-makeovers, but the Style Networks's "Style Her Famous" does. It's sad when reality television makeover shows merge together in my dreams. Maybe I've been spending too much time on this beauty blog. Or maybe it was the cheese quesadilla I had for dinner last night.

When Stacy London and I got to the salon where my makeover would take place, Stacy and the stylist asked me what celebrity I'd like to resemble. "Jennifer Aniston," I thought to myself, but I asked Stacy what she would suggest, in case she had a better idea of which celebrity style would suit me. To my surprise she replied "Jennifer Aniston." "I was thinking Jennifer Aniston!" I exclaimed. Then she and the stylist explained that my Jennifer Aniston hairstyle would be very high-maintenance, with the cut, color, flat ironing, etc., and asked if I would be okay with that. I started to tell them that my hair was very important to me and if they did something too drastic I wouldn't be happy, but then I stopped myself. I was afraid that they would choose someone else if I wasn't on board with the makeover, and I didn't want to sacrifice the free designer outfit I would also receive as part of the makeover. But before the makeover could begin, I had to call my temp job and tell them I wasn't coming back to the office that day because I was selected for a reality t.v. makeover. And here's where the problems began.

I had to leave the salon to find a payphone. And for some reason, I just wasn't able to make the call. First, I didn't know the office's phone number off-hand, and I had to dig in my pockets to find the scrap of paper with the phone number on it. Then the phone wouldn't take my quarter, I couldn't read my own handwriting to read the phone number on the piece of paper, then I couldn't dial the number right, and then, inexplicably, there were suddenly twenty people waiting in line behind me to use the phone, which rattled me even more. After several false starts, I finally called the office to tell them I wasn't coming in.

I never did find out how I looked after my makeover. I woke up as soon as I hung up the pay phone. But I think I know why I had that dream. I do really like Jennifer Aniston's style, and if I was really chosen for a celebrity-inspired makeover, I would probably choose her. After all, she does have great hair. And I recently saw an ad on another blog for Sudzz FX Cashmere Shampoo, with a picture of Ms. Aniston returning from her salon with a shopping bag containing this product. So now I am seriously contemplating paying $41 for an 8-ounce bottle of shampoo. That's how easily prone to suggestion I am, that my dreams could lead to an expensive impulse purchase. SudzzFX haircare products are available at Hairflix.

The Diceman Cometh

Yesterday was opening day for Fenway Park and the Boston Red Socks. Tonight will be the Fenway debut of their new star pitcher, Daisuke Matsuzaka, a.k.a. The Diceman. The Sox shelled out $100 million dollars to lure Daisuke to Boston from the land of the rising sun. In their home country, Daisuke and his wife, a former television presenter, are like the Posh and Becks of Japan. And like Posh and Becks, who have also come to the United States to start a new, obscenely highly paid life, the Matsuzakas are no doubt experiencing a bit of culture shock.

Dunkin' Donuts and the Red Sox - two Boston institutions. Looks like he's fitting in already.

Another example of East-Meets-West cultural intermingling is Tokidoki. Tokidoki's cute, anime-style artwork has been a favorite of pop culture fans for a few years, and is now gaining mainstream popularity thanks to some lucrative licensing deals. When I first saw Tokidoki's bags for Le Sportsac last winter, I assumed the artist was a cute Japanese girl who loved Hello Kitty and the Powerpuff Girls. Was I wrong! Tokidoki is neither Japanese nor female. Tokidoki is, in fact, an Italian man by the name of Simone Legno. Simone was so enamored of Japanese art and pop culture that he uses it as his inspiration for his designs, replete with hip Japanese women on cell phones, as well as cute, non-sensical things like baby supermen in diapers, pirate monkeys, and stars with happy faces (how very Japanese).

Last winter I managed to snag the last Tokidoki LeSportsac bag at the Macy's in Stamford, CT when they went on sale right after Christmas, and got it for a great price. I bought the "Bella" style (above). This is the Spring 2007 version. All of the Tokidoki LeSportsac bags come with a "qee" keychain (qee chain?). Qee is Tokidoki's signature character. Solid-color metallic qee keychains are also sold separately on the LeSportsac website.

I get a lot of compliments on my Tokidoki bag because it's so cute and unusual. Tokidoki LeSportsac bags are available at Le Sportsac and Tokidoki For LeSportsac. The bags are kind of pricey. The "Bella" sells for $130, and it's one of their smaller bags.

A more affordable way to own a Tokidoki design is to purchase some of the makeup from the Tokidoki collection from Smashbox Cosmetics. Following the popularity of Tokidoki's handbags, Smashbox launched their Spring 2007 limited edition range of eye shadow quads, lip gloss, skin luminizer, and cheek tints featuring Tokidoki's trademark designs on the packaging. They range in price from $18 to $30. They are available from Smashbox.com.

Will the Diceman overcome the clash of cultures to lead the Red Socks to the World Series this year? Only time will tell. But in the meantime, I'm all for exploring international relations through handbags and lipgloss.

Dancing with the (Super)Stars

I admit it - I've been a fan of "Dancing with the Stars" since it debuted in 2004 as a summer replacement series. So of course I'm completely engrossed in the current season. One thing that strikes me about co-host Samantha Harris is that her clothes remind me of Superstar Barbie (and, come to think of it, both come with removeable microphones in their hands). I think she has single-handedly resuccitated the fashion for disco-era halter-back dresses. And I find it kind of distracting how her eyeshadow always matches her dress - that shiny, metallic eyeshadow also popular in the disco era. Honestly, it's all I notice whenever she's on camera.

Two weeks ago, Revlon was one of the show's sponsors. It seemed like every commercial break showed an ad for their new Molten Metal liquid eyeshadow. And that week, all of the women on the show - the celebrities, the professional dancers, and yes, Samantha Harris - wore shiny, metallic eyeshadow that matched their costumes. In particular, Heather Mills wore a bright green eyeshadow to go with her green costume. Coincidence? I think not.

Heavyweight Champ Layla Ali

The Molten Metal eyeshadows consist of pearlized pigment in a clear liquid base. You shake the product to mix the two together before applying. It comes in six shades (green actually isn't one of them). The Molten Metal liquid eyeshadows are part of Revlon's Limited Edition Collection and so, like disco, they won't be around forever. You can get them now at most drugstores for about $13.

And by the way, congrats to Samantha Harris, who announced on tonight's show that she and her husband are expecting a baby.

Italy on a Budget

Have you ever seen those commercials for Perillo Tours to Italy? Aren't they annoying? And doesn't Steve Perillo, not the most attractive of men, at least look a little better now that he's grown a beard and ditched the white suits like his late father wore? Yup, time to step out of the old man's shadow now that he's no longer with us. Anyway, several years ago my mom and aunt went to Italy on a Perillo tour. As part of the conditions of the tour, they had to surrender to the Perillo company the frequent flyer miles they would have earned on their flights to and from Italy, and they were served chicken for dinner every single night under the arrangements the company made with the hotels they stayed at. Doesn't sound like your cup of espresso? There's another way to visit Italy on a budget. Sort of.

Drugstore.com has recently started carrying Cleo, a very reasonably priced line of Italian bath and body products. With prices ranging from $1.95 to $7.95, it's an affordable way to pamper yourself. The shower creams, soaps, body creams, and liquid hand soaps are yogurt-based, so they're ultra-moisturizing. And they smell yummy, with fragrances like red berries, sugar, vanilla, apricot, cherry, and chocolate cream. If Perlier Italian bath and body products (see my previous posts) aren't in your budget right now, then Cleo is an equally satisfying alternative. The packaging may cause some people to not take the products too seriously, but I think the pink and white bottles and jars are cheery, not cheesy. I like to think that I'm using the same products that young, hip, "girls on the go" in Italy are using, right before they hop on the backs of their boyfriends' Vespa scooters and ride around the Trevi fountain in Rome (I have a very active imagination, in case you hadn't noticed).

You can sample terrific Italian bath and body products no matter what your budget is. If Perlier is the American Express Travel Services of Italian bath products, then Cleo is the Perillo Tours -- minus the chicken, of course. Cleo can be found at www.drugstore.com. Currently, select Cleo products are 20% off, and given the recent write-up about them in the May issue of Lucky Magazine, they are likely to sell out, as they have in the past.

Got Rice?

If you've read my last post, you will know that I've been whiling away my unemployment hours by watching the beauty presentations on the home shopping channels. And if you've read the post before that post, you'll also see that I am a recent convert to Perlier's new Risarium Black Rice line of skincare products. Perlier is the Italian line of bath and body products created by the Borgheses, the historic Roman royal family whose lineage includes popes, patrons of the arts, and one very well-known makeup magnate. Perlier is currently run by Prince Francesco and Princess Amanda Borghese, the son and daughter-in-law of Princess Marcella Borghese, of the eponymous makeup line. You can watch Princess Amanda and her son, Prince Scipione "Skip" Borghese, on HSN. Princess Borghese looks fabulous for a woman with three adult children. If she is using the Perlier Black Rice line of skincare then I'm never going to stop using it. FYI, Princess Amanda's younger son Lorenzo was the star of the television reality series "The Bachelor - Rome." (Apparently, Lorenzo picked one lucky lady at the end of the show, but it turned out she already had a boyfriend, so now he's dating the girl who came in "second," but I never watched "The Bachelor" myself. And besides, that's another story.) Anyhoo, Perlier's Black Rice line of skincare products is a fairly new line, which I've just dicovered late last month. I've been using the entire line of face care products, with the exception of the lip cream, which was sold out. All of the products contain Black Rice peptides, rich in essential proteins to help fight the signs of aging skin.

Having just raved about the hand cream, I give you, as promised, my review of the facial products that I am using from the line.

Perlier Risarium Black Rice Cleansing Milk- a slightly runny formula, it nonetheless makes my face feel soft and clean after I use it. It has a light fragrance and it rinses easily.

Perlier Risarium Black Rice Toning Lotion- I don't usually use toners, as I think they're too drying and are more of a marketing ploy. But I love the Black Rice Toning Lotion. It doesn't contain alcohol, so it's not drying. It does contain glycerin, for added moisture. It has a light, clean fragrance and feels refreshing.

Perlier Risarium Black Rice Extreme Age-Defying Line Reducing Moisture Face Cream with SPF 15 - This moisturizer for daytime has an SPF of 15, so it provides UVA/UVB protection from the sun, an important feature for everyone, but particularly for pale-complexioned people who burn easily like me. It is richer than the night cream (see below), and it provides the perfect amount of hydration.

Perlier Extreme Age-Defying Moisturizing Double-Effect Night Face Cream - I think this has turned out to be my favorite product so far. It is a dual-phase moisturizer that exfoliates and hydrates. Two separate chambers dispense a pink gel and a white cream, which you then mix together and apply to the face. At first I was disappointed because it isn't a rich cream, and I felt it didn't provide enough moisture. But when I woke up the next morning and saw how good my skin looked, I was sold.

Perlier Risarium Black Rice Extreme Age-Defying Line Reducing Eye Cream -This eye cream feels great and hydrates the skin under my eyes. I only have a few lines under my eyes, and it seems like they're less apparent, but mostly I like the cream for the way it feels.

Since I started using the Black Rice skincare line, I feel my skin looks brighter and fresher. I look forward to the cumulative effects of long-term use of these products. Perlier will be introducing an addition to the Black Rice line. The Risarium Black Rice Intensive 14 Days Age-Defying Beauty Program is an anti-wrinkle serum that temporarily fills in lines and wrinkles and offers a temporary lifting effect. I received a sample packet of this product with the Risarium Black Rice Age Defying Beauty Kit from HSN, which consists of the cleansing milk, toning lotion, and night cream bundled together. I don't have very many wrinkles, so I can't attest to the efficacy of this product as a wrinkle-reducer, but my skin felt velvety soft when I used it for the one-time application that the packet provided. I would consider trying the full size when it is introduced, possibly later this month.

Being half Italian myself, I have decided to embrace my Italian heritiage and have become obsessed with the Perlier line of skincare and bath products. And, for that matter, with anything Italian. The Perlier Risarium Black Rice line of products can be found at www.hsn.com, or at www.perlier.com. HSN is usually the better value, but for the month of April, the Perlier website is having a Buy One Get One Free promotion on all of the Black Rice products. The only exception to this being the better value is if you order the Age Defying Beauty Kit from HSN, which is a better value if you buy two kits than to take advantage of perlier.com's BOGO offer and buy each product separately and get two for the price of one.

Will Work for Lip Gloss

In January, I was laid off from my job. Not that I was upset, mind you. I hated my job, and I was quite happy to leave without having to give the requisite two-weeks notice and/or train my replacement. Nevertheless, the job search has been slow going. But instead of growing frustrated, I am actually enjoying my "enforced vacation." I started this beauty blog to give me something to do while I am unemployed. Another thing that I've been doing, and I'm slightly embarrassed to admit it, is watching lots of home shopping on television. I always enjoy watching the beauty presentations, even the ones I don't usually buy from. And of all the home shopping channels, QVC is hands-down the best for beauty products. They have managed to score all of the big names in skincare and cosmetics, such as Prescriptives, Bobbi Brown, Smashbox, Philosophy, you name it, QVC probably sells it. A new addition to the QVC family is Tarte Cosmetics. Founder Maureen Kelly (an adorable redhead, like moi), started the company with her revolutionary cheek gel stains, and now the line incorporates color cosmetics for face, eyes, and lips as well as for the cheeks. So I thought I'd watch a recent Tarte presentation on QVC, since I had nothing better to do on a Friday afternoon at 4 pm. Although I was tempted by so many products, I decided to go for value for money, being that my funds are rather limited at the moment. So I splurged on a trio of lip glosses. The Tarte Vitamin Infused Lip Gloss Trio Powered by Borba is a set of three new lip glosses. What makes them unique is that they contain the same vitamin infusion found in the Borba line of skincare water: "Each gloss mixes a cocktail of acai, lychee, grape seed, and green tea extracts with vitamins A, C, E, and K." The three colors are: apple-a-day, a sheer, shimmery hot pink; om, a sheer, shimmery pale pink; and liquid sunshine, a sheer, shimmery nude. Each tube sells individually for $21 at www.tartecosmetics.com, but on www.qvc.com the trio sells for $45. Hurry up and get yours before the set sells out, like it did the last time it was offered on QVC. These lip glosses were also just named as an Editor's Pick for best lip gloss in the April 2007 "Best Beauty Buys" edition of InStyle Magazine.

I'm psyched that I've just scored a set of three lip glosses for such a great price. Now all I need is a job to keep me in lip glosses. If only I could get paid to blog about beauty...

Helping Hands

LOVE LOVE LOVE this new hand cream from Perlier, the Italian bath and body line most famous for its honey cream bubble bath. After making bath and body products for decades, the company has branched out into skincare products. The Risarium Black Rice Hand Cream Intensive Age-Defying Beauty Formula SPF 15 (phew!) is, in a word, PHENOMENAL. This peptide formula contains 100% extract of black rice, an antioxidant. When I use it, my hands feel super soft, and they look better too. They actually look younger, if that's possible! I've started wearing nail polish again because I want to show off my hands. The cream, along with the rest of the Risarium Black Rice line of skincare products, is available from The Home Shopping Network at www.hsn.com, or from Perlier's website at www.perlier.com. The hand cream sells for $19.50 on HSN, and at the retail price of $25.00 on the Perlier site. Usually I buy it from HSN, which has better prices, and often packages some of the products into kits for added savings. But for the month of April, the Perlier website is having a special Buy One Get One Free promotion on all the Black Rice products. I just ordered two more bottles of the hand cream from the Perlier website to take advantage of the BOGO, as well as more of their facial products, which I've also previously purchased from HSN. I'll review the skincare separately, but I will say they are as good as the hand cream. I am hooked on the Risarium Black Rice line from Perlier.