Wednesday

Today I tried to do my hair like the beachy waves they showed in Lucky magazine. I looked more like Brett Michels in the 80's than the tanned and peppy model on the page. Relied on the curling iron to make it look a bit more Out of The House Appropriate.

Emerald green lightweight v-neck stretch sweater from Banana Republic. Has become more tunic length after each delicate wash and line dry. With it are my Ann Taylor denim trousers, nicely creased. Around my neck is the necklace I wore Monday - a fabulous chunky short necklace from Target of torties shell with a huge pendant. On feet are brown leather knotted thong heels with wood heels - also from Target. Silver cuff bracelet.

Today I tried to master natural, flawless skin.

• Apply moisturizer, let is settle in for 10 minutes
• When dry, apply Smashbox Primer to whole face
• Apply L'Oreal True match foundation with sponge. Let settle
• Apply MAC stick concealer (NC15 - i remembered because I bought a new one yesterday and the salesperson said I was a "poster child for the pale shades") to under and sides of eyes, under nose and around lips with Body Shop shadow brush ( I like as a concealer brush)
• Apply Benefit's f..y..eye! to lids. Let this settle too.
• Apply MAC's Blot Powder to entire face
• Use short brow brush from Trish McEvoy to apply Maybelline brow powder in brunette
• Use The Body Shop's Brow and Lash Gel to hold brows in place
• Apply Nars Orgasm blush to apples of cheeks with Trish McEvoy brush
• Apply an ivory shadow from Stila to inner corners of eyes with ring finger
• Curl lashes with Shu Eumura lash curler
• Apply MAC X mascara in black wiggling from base to tips to get tons of application. Do second eye, then repeat.
• Then for some color apple L'Oreal Endless lipcolor in real Rasin to lips

With all this trouble, I look exactly the same as my 2 minute routine. I can't look flawless - I have ruddy cheeks and freckles and allergies that create purple bags under my eyes. Yesterday at the MAC counter at Nordstrom I caught my reflection in a mirror. I looked like a herion addict. Dark circles, smoky shadow inching down my face, pale freckled cheeks, chapped bare lips. I thought maybe with more care, I could have a longer lasting fresh face like the gil on the other side of the counter.

By the way, I find chubby and heavy women with dark lipstick to be so cliche. I am so cliche today. It's like, I am heavy so I must look sexy and sultry. I will play pinup - today I am Marilyn, I am Bettie. my red lips will detract from my large tummy and fleshy cheeks. I will make men think of a vagina instead of my extra pounds. I tried it for a change, but I think dark lipstick makes me look fatter - it accentuates the cheeks and the chins. Personally I find a smoky sultry eye and a paler glossy lip with some touseled hair is the sexiest look for non-skinny girls. More Playboy than pinup, but somehow less cliche.