Review: Revlon ColorStay Ultimate Suede Lipstick

Revlon ColorStay Ultimate Suede Lipstick$8.99

I always have a lipstick or three  stashed in every handbag, but the other day I was breaking in my new exquisite Holly Caldwell bag (available at Richards) and in keeping with it's minimalist spirit, I've been keeping things tightly edited and spare.

 

My husband and I went to an early showing of Skyfall, (entertaining, but could have been 20 minutes shorter,) which of course included popcorn.  As we were leaving the theatre, I went to reapply my lipstick...Quelle horreur, I came up empty.

Since we were then going out for lunch, I knew I had to pick something up pronto. There is a Targetin the same mall as the movies, I darted in for a quickie...Since it was Target, I thought I might end up with something from Pixie or Sonia Kushak, but the newly reformulated Revlon ColorStay Lipsticks, called "Ultimate Suede" caught my eye...there were 20 shades, many of which looked natural and quite appealing.

Created with shea butter and aloe, they promise, "instant moisture, all-day color and a soft suede finish".

Good enough.   Color 070, ( I would need a jeweler's loupe to read the color name,) is exactly the rosy nude shade I covet.  It is "lip size" and is designed on a flat angle, so I took the liberty of applying it blind, immediately.  

When I go to the car and looked in the mirror, (yes, I paid for it) I was pleased with the color. Good enough...

I did find it to be quite drying,  Ultimately, it acts more like a stain then a lipstick,  Later, I applied it again before a cocktail party and added some gloss over it.  My lips looked pretty and the color stayed put as promised, for a few hours.  

Would I buy it again?  Probably not. Will I stash it in a handbag with a lip gloss?  Definitely yes.

Your call...

xox,

DD

 

What a Dame... by divadebbi

I adore Dame Helen Mirren, don't you??? Not only is she and extraordinarily gifted actress,
but she always seems so comfortable in her own skin....

By no means a "classic beauty", her radiance and confidence always carry the day. Has she been tweaked at 68? No doubt, yes, but isn't this the way to do it? Nothing obvious, no lips the size of link sausages, or frighteningly frozen features.

A gorgeous lesson in aging gracefully.

xox,
DD

Getting to know Lisa Hochstein: Real Housewife of Miami

Lisa Hochstein
Photo by Paul Cobo Photography

Before Sandy hit town, I had the opportunity to chat with the lovely, vivacious and intelligent Lisa Hochstein, the break-out star of the new season of Bravo's Real Housewives of Miami.

Watching the show, Lisa struck me as warm and outgoing and on a show that can get more than a little raucous, level headed and wise beyond her 30 years...

What you see, is what you get, and we hit it off immediately.

During our conversation, I mentioned to Lisa that I was heading down to South Beach in a few days. She more than graciously invited me to her Halloween party which was being hosted in their new Star Island home. This annual A-List invite is also a fundraiser for some of she and her husband, prominent Dr. Leonard Hochstein's favorite charities; The Make-A-Wish Foundation, The Susan B. Komen Foundation and The Humane Society.

Lisa believes if you are going to throw an amazing party, why not also have it benefit others? Over the last 5 years, she and "Lenny" aka "The Boob God" have raised and donated more than $250,000! (And believe me, if I could have juggled my plans and my flight quickly enough, I wouldn't have missed it for the world).

Here are the highlights of my interview with the lovely Lisa:

DD: You have an exotic beauty that I can't put my finger on. Where were you born and what is your heritage?

LH: (laughs) you are not the first one to say that. I was born in Toronto. My Mother is Jamaican and German and my Father is Canadian and Scottish.

DD: You strike me as a "Girl's Girl" and let's face it, there is a ton of drama, some of it very nasty on the Real Housewives of any franchise. What made you decide to join the cast?

LH: I thought it would be great fun and it is. It's no secret that HW's can be a natural platform for additional ventures. I am a fitness enthusiast and would love to be able to use my knowledge of exercise and diet to help other women. I also have a deep interest in skincare and beauty. I would also love to be able to launch my own line of products.

DD: What will be your first step towards achieving that?

LH: I have such a wonderful following on Twitter. Fans are always asking me for specifics about my lifestyle; what is my work out routine? What is my favorite night cream? What foundation do I use? etc... So I just launched my website Lisa Hochstein, so I can share my lifestyle and tips.

DD: I like how you manage to have fun on the show, but that you steer clear of the drama. If 'push came to shove', so to speak, with any of the ladies, could you hold your own?

LH: I am a Leo through and through. We are known for our charming, outgoing personalities, but if you crossed me or my husband, you would see the lion in me come out.

DD: You and Lenny obviously adore one another. I laughed at the episode when you went to his office and planted pictures of yourself all over the place! I would do exactly the same in your shoes including wallpaper the bathroom...Tell me how you met?

LH: (laughs), I guess you can say I was marking my turf, but why not? Lenny does see half naked beautiful women for a living! Women come from all over world to do breast augmentation and revisions with him, as well as many other procedures.

Lenny and I first met briefly in Las Vegas 5 years ago. When I was visiting friends in Miami, Lenny heard through mutual friends that I was going to be in town and asked them to reintroduce us. I didn't consider it a blind date, but ultimately, it was love at first sight for both of us. We married two years later.

DD: Was this his first marriage?

LH: Oh yes. Lenny was not the type to settle down...ever! His friends called me Lisa the Lion Tamer.

DD: Have you moved into your new house on Star Island yet? It is absolutely spectacular. Congratulations!

LH: Thank you! We are quite excited. Star Island is a special place and it was an excellent investment. We haven't moved in yet. We are doing some work in it. I'm excited because it will feel like "our" house. Our home now is the one Lenny lived in as a bachelor and it has a lot of masculine touches. I'm looking forward to working with our designer on the decor.

DD: You opened up on the show that you are having trouble conceiving. That was brave of you to be so forthcoming. I think you will make an amazing Mom. Have viewers been supportive?

LH: Oh, they have been incredible! Truly kind. It is such a good feeling to know that my fans are rooting for us.

DD: What's been the most surprising thing that has happened since doing the show?

LH: I never imagined that I would develop such close relationships with my cast mates, but I have. Also, I did not expect that fans would look up to me and ask for advice on so many topics. I like being able to help empower other women.

DD: Any regrets?

LH: Yes! Just one. In the opening credits I say that I was Lenny's "best creation".
People have interpreted that as meaning I have had head to toe plastic surgery.

I have had my breasts done and later revised by Lenny. When I was 18, I tweaked my nose. Neither of these things define me, but they did make me feel better about my appearance. I don't think women should feel ashamed about undergoing plastic surgery, but I'm sorry that I chose that as my tag line.

DD: Well then we will just have to look forward to hearing your new one next season! Thanks so much Lisa. It's been a total pleasure. Much good luck with all of your ventures.

Can't you just tell what a Doll she is? I hope you enjoyed reading my interview with Lisa Hochstein as much as I enjoyed writing it...

xox,
DD

Review: Murad Rapid Age Spot and Pigment Lightnening Serum

Murad  Rapid Age Spot and Lightening Serum
$60

Regular DivaDebbi readers know that I am now in my second year of banning the sun.  I could no longer justify going through all the machinations of maintaining youthful skin, only to undo it each summer.

Recently, I was in South Beach just as Sandy was wreaking havoc on the Northeast.  Four days suddenly became 12 and the weather everyday was a cloudless 78 degrees without a trace of humidity. (I had to laugh... on the one day the mercury dipped  to 70, the local fashionistas were swaddled in cashmere and boots. In my white jeans, sleeveless silk top and nude patent ballet flats, I didn't need to hang a shingle on my back that said, "Visiting New Yorker".  I stuck out like a sore thumb.)

Net-net, I could not resist warming my bones and though I never wore sunscreen with lower than 20 SPF, there was still a price to pay...My forehead did sprout a freckle.  Uggghhh!!!

Untreated freckle Pre-Treatment
front and center

I make no bones about my love for Dr. Howard Murad products.  If you've got an ailment, he's developed a cure for it and best of all???  They work.

When I received and email from my  P.R. friends at Murad about Black Friday Deals and Cyber Monday Deals, ($25 off $100 worth of products and gift sets galore of popular potent treatments,) I asked if Murad had anything to lighten dark spots.  The answer immediately came back, "Yes'!  Would I like to sample Murad  Rapid Age Spot and Pigment Lightner?

Um...ya!!!

It arrived 3 days ago and I already see a difference!  I am going to post my progress in 10 day intervals.  I love that it is a clear, thin gel, and not a cream that will turn eerily brown, like all other products with hydroquinone have used.

I checked out the Sephora reviews and they are stellar. Here is some more product information:

Murad Rapid Age Spot and Pigment Lightner

What it is:A concentrated serum that's clinically proven to rapidly lighten spots and even skintone.

What it is formulated to do:
This next-generation formula, developed by Dr. Howard Murad, combines the maximum levels of proprietary skin-lightening ingredients available without a prescription. This powerful complex includes hydroquinone, the gold standard in sun and age spot lightening, and an advanced skin lightening peptide, Hexapeptide-

These ingredients target, treat, and prevent existing dark spots, age spots, and freckles caused by daily environmental exposure.

What else you need to know:
This serum features glycolic acid, which exfoliates to remove dead skin cells and allows other active ingredients to penetrate more quickly to deliver faster results. This dermatologist-developed treatment provides rapid results for clearer, brighter, and more even-toned skin.

Research results:
Clinically proven to restore clarity and even skin tone by:
-Reducing the appearance of sun spots and age spots by 33% in 1 week*
- Helping prevent the development of future damage
- 88% of study participants saw improved skin tone in 2 weeks*
*Individual results will vary.

Don't forget to check back and watch my progress....

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

xox,
DD

I feel pretty...Yay! Top Sets Winner Noveber 18th 2012

I feel pretty... by divadebbi 

It's always nice to be recognized by the Polyvore Editorial team and included on their "Top Sets" page (November 18th 2012).  What a lovely honor!

I think it's interesting that my BFF Barbara Newman, and dear friend Q. of Quintessence Blog, both of whom have storied careers in advertising and publishing, picked this out of all the sets I post as something uniquely special.  Good eye ladies!

My Polvyore sets have now surpassed 1,000,000 views in just 7 months.  Creating them and being part of this amazing community of incredibly talented fashionistas has become a daily joy for me.

I know not all of you still quite understand my Polyvore obsession, but now that I have figured out how to sign them, you can see they are my own creations each day.

Polyvore is also a shopping tool, so if you see something you love, if I have selected it from Polyvores offerings, they can be purchased with direct links to the websites.  I also "clip" images from all of the Internet.  Those items cannot necessarily be purchased, they are simply images that inspire and please my eye.

My sets are always a reflection of my taste and how I style my clients.  I can honestly say I have never included anything I wouldn't want to personally own.  I have crafted a delicious fantasy closet.

 I hope you are enjoying them too...

xox,
DD

Tarte's LipSurgence: Paradise found

TarteLipSurgence
$24

When I was at Sephora the other day an spotted this unique Tarte lip tint, I literallygasped.  I knew before I swiped my wrist, much less my lips, that this was the rosy nude of my dreams.

Called LipSurgence, this ingenious self sharpening crayon is a tribrid of gloss, stain and balm.

I was literally giddy. Could it be that my dream color was available in my dream lip product?

Pretty much...


Hope, my dream shade is one of the LipSurgence Lip Tints that are matte, (but not drying).  LipSurgence is also available with "luster"  which adds a hint of shimmer, but the shimmer and matte shades are slightly different and my hope of Hope with shimmer was dashed, upon closer inspection.

Because Hope is a matte shade, I wear it with a little shimmering gloss and the result is rich, natural and elegant. In a pinch, it can easily be used as a lip liner too.

Infused with Vitamins A&E, peppermint oil, camuba wax and coconut extract,LipSurgence is hydrating, extraordinarily long wearing and has a hint of minty freshness and I am truly mad for it.

Can you fall in love with a lip tint?  Apparently so...

xox,
DD