Ornament

Respite.

2005-12-18T16:13:00.000-08:00

This has been one busy season for me, as I'm sure it's been for everyone else but I thought I'd share some of my recent finds and favorites.

Wen Fig Cleansing Conditioner: You can get one for normal hair or dry scalp problems but I like this one for my color-treated hair. It's a two-in-one that actually works for me probably because it doesn't have harsh detergents, like sodium laurel sulfate.

Tresemme Instant Heat Tamer Styling Spray: This lovely product protects your hair from damage caused by heat styling, as the name implies. The only problem I have with it is that bottle--you really have to hold it close to your head or it mists everywhere. Also, the bottle I bought didn't come with the clip to put on the trigger during travel. That's partly my fault but I wonder if a different bottle design would be better.

L'Occitane Shea Butter Tin in blackberry: It's a very moisturizing balm with a slight hint of tint. Can be used as a lip treatment or as a cream blush. Also comes in clear and honey-color.

California Baby Holiday Cheer Bubble Bath: Yeah, essential oils. Yeah, non-irritating like other bubble baths. It's got all that. But I just think it's cute and that's good enough for me.

Jelly Pong Pong Jelly Flush Cheek Stain: It's a sheer-ish wash of color and I love the way the jelly stick feels. It can be layered for more color, if you'd like.

And that's it. Not much for now but that's because I'm resolving to update this more often. See you later!

Geisha.

2005-10-13T22:54:00.000-07:00

Truth be told, I was kinda "meh" on the upcoming movie version of Memoirs of a Geisha. The book didn't exactly thrill me. But then I saw the trailer for it and now I cannot wait to see it. So here are some geisha products, those inspired by the Japanese kind and those inspired by the freewheeling rock geisha out there.

Fresh Memoirs of a Geisha Bath with Sake: My sweetheart has long maintained that the sushi culture is just a big joke on westerners--here, have some cold fish and hot wine. I can't even begin to imagine what he'd think of bathing in the hot wine! With Bath with Sake, Fresh comes pretty damn close to reproducing the geisha sake bath and even adds jasmine and rose absolute to the traditional peach. And if you want to layer, they also have an eau de parfum.

In fact, Fresh has done a whole mini-line tying in with the film. You can get the Bath with Sake, eau de parfum, and petal face mask together in the Cherry Blossom gift set. Anyone else feeling nostalgic for the Body Shop's Japan collection (long since discontinued)?

Along with the body products, including the divine Shimmer Powder with Crushed Pearl, I'm digging the very gentle Rice Face Wash.

But what to put on that face? Well, you could start with Pout's Lipslick in Geisha Girl. If you want a real big girl lipstick instead, might I suggest Clinique's Long Last Soft Shine in Red Red Red?

For the rock geishas out there, sometimes you have to get ready for shows in some pretty cramped places. Tourbus back lounge, anyone? So when space is at a premium, I love palettes. This fall I'll be taking along Too Faced's Quickie Chronicle in Sweet Tarte. It has blush, eye shadows, and lip glosses. Or maybe I'll take along some select products from Pop Beauty's new Shimmer Dazzle and Pop collection. I'm coveting Bee Stung pout-enhancing gloss, Glitter Stix glitter crayons, and the amazing Lash & Line, which is a dual-ended wand with metallic liquid eyeliner on one side and water-resistant (praise the Gods!) mascara on the other.

Another problem on the road is the relentless stank one's hair can accumulate due to close quarters and various kinds of smoke. A great weapon is
Redo Freshen-Up Mist For Hair & Skin by Jonathan Product. It helps you to redo your hair without shampooing and also defunks the hair. And speaking of scent, I'm definitely saving room for Lolita Lempicka's Midnight Fragrance Wand.

In the event there are showers at the gig (and for the hotel), I'm packing along Frederic Fekkai's new Shimmering Shine set, which includes "a 2 oz Glossing Shampoo, 2 oz Glossing Conditioner, and a 1.6 oz Glossing Cream, plus a sparkling, crystal-encrusted elastic headband" and Philosophy's Double Rich Hot Cocoa body wash.

And for those of you wondering, I'll be in Atlanta 15-16 November, St. Pete 17-18, Boca Raton 19, and Orlando on the 20th. Back to the sake thing, we'll be having it and more at Sweet Lime in Atlanta on the 16th. Feel free to say hello if you're in the area.

Wishing and Hoping.

2005-10-04T22:06:00.000-07:00

It's October, which means it's Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This is an issue that's very close to home for me--it was ten years ago that I lost my grandmother Louise. She taught me how to bake pies and how to sew, she sang the Beatles to me...I really miss her. So in honor of her and with hope for the future, here are my picks for products benefitting breast cancer-related charities.

Fracas by Robert Piguet Silkening Body Creme: I love the scent and now it's in a rich creme with shea butter and sesame and almond oils. And of course, a "portion" of the proceeds goes to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF).

Jo Malone Red Roses cologne: A lush scent derived from seven different rose types with a heart of crushed violet and a splash of lemon is wonderful but even better, a minimum $10,000 donation will be made to the BCRF.

Annick Goutal Quel Amour! Perfume: I've long adored the whole Annick Goutal line and the way she understood that fragrance is a kind of music. My favorite is Eau de Charlotte but I'm also fond of Petite Cherie. Quel Amour! is similar to PC--where Petite Cherie is a crush, Quel Amour! is true love. Goutal herself died of cancer and this scent, created by her daughter Camille, is a lovely addition to the line. Half of the proceeds benefit the American Breast Cancer Foundation.

Philosophy Shower for the Cure shower gel: It has a delicate tangerine scent and can be used as a shampoo, bath gel, or body wash. 100% of the profits benefit the Women's Cancer Research Fund.

L'Occitane Shea Butter Hand Cream: It's one of my favorite hand creams--and as a massage therapist, I try a lot--and this month, all of the proceeds will be donated to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

Aveda Hand Relief hand cream: For the month of October, Aveda is offering this hand cream in a limited edition version with a pink cap and at a special size. A fifth of the proceeds with be donated to the BCRF.

Lorac Platinum Pinks Lip Gloss Palette: It's a trio of pretty pink glosses and a portion of the proceeds benefits the National Cancer Coalition Fund.

Bobbi Brown Ribbon Pink Shimmer Lip Gloss: Buy this bright milky pink gloss with a nice shimmer and Bobbi Brown will donate $35,000 to the BCRF.

Estee Lauder Pure Color Crystal Lip Gloss in Evelyn Pink: Incredibly shiny with a multi-dimensional glow. Estee Lauder does a lot for breast cancer-related charities every year and this is not the only product they have this year that benefits the BCRF. In addition, there's also the Pure Color Lipstick in Elizabeth Pink and a cute compact with a blingy pink ribbon, filled with Lucidity Pressed Powder. They also have a pin but it's fugly.

Avon Kiss Goodbye to Breast Cancer Brilliant Moisture Lipcolor: My favorite is Cherub Pink but there are six total shades to choose from. Half the proceeds will be donated to Avon Foundation Breast Care Fund. Avon's also selling Limited-Edition Celebrity Crusade NAILWEAR Nail Enamel in six shades, with 80% of the profits going to their fund.

Stila Breast Cancer Awareness Lip Pot: A portion of the proceeds go to the BCRF. Why not pick up Sephora's Breast Cancer Awareness Lip Brush to go with it? $5 of the proceeds benefit the Komen Foundation.

Ramy Hint of a Cure...In a Pot! Pink Cream gel blush for eyes, cheeks and lips: 75% of the proceeds benefit Young Survival, which helps young women diagnosed with breast cancer.

Clinique Breast Cancer Awareness Palette: You can mix the colors together or use one at a time, all over your face. $8 of every purchase goes to the BCRF.

Sephora Mixed Pinks, in Gloss, Scent, and Skin: In each box, Sephora mixes together products from different brands (seven fragrances, seven glosses, five skin products) in both sample and full sizes. Each box is $25 each and $12 of that will go to the Komen Foundation.

What can you carry all this in? How about the Tarte pink Go Dutch Clutch Makeup Bag? Tarte is also offering a gloss tin with the proceeds from both benefitting Young Survival.

For more products, see the Breast Cancer Research Foundation's October Pink Buys, as well as Young Survival's merchandise page and the Komen Foundation's Marketplace.

Puddleduck.

2005-09-12T15:04:00.000-07:00

The new layout is an homage to my friend's band Jemimah Puddleduck, who will be leaving for their first east coast tour soon. For tour dates, look here.

Crush.

2005-09-12T03:17:00.000-07:00

Don't ya just love fall? I do. My favorite seasons are spring and fall--the transitions. I know purple is a huge color this fall and I love it and of course, I'll always love pink but I'm just wild about orange right now. It all started when I was at an instore performance by my beloved Gabby La La and I fell madly in love with an Orange amp the store was selling. I don't play guitar and thus, have no use for an amp but a girl can get a rise from design, can't she?

So here are some of my favorites for this fall, with a special emphasis on my favorite color right now.

I adore Lippman Collection nail colors, particularly Fever and No More Drama.

Molton Brown is divine, aren't they? I'm loving the Sensual Hanaleni bath and shower gel, which features orchid, Madagascan ylang-ylang, Egyptian neroli and Chinese cinnamon essential oils. I just picked up Rose Granati fine liquid handwash, which is Moroccan-influenced.

Speaking of Moroccan influence, let me take a moment to plug the artisanal soap company Voda, makers of Moroccan Love, one of my at home staples. (Yes, I have to differentiate between my at home stash and my travel stuff. What?) In keeping with my new favorite color, here's their Sweet Ginger, which smells just lovely and keeps your skin meg soft, thanks to the oils and butters they pack in there.

Carol's Daughter Mango and Pineapple bath salt smells so yummy. They say it's like "bathing in a bowl of fruit" but I'll let you decide for sure.

What's the best part of fall? Pumpkin pie! Oh, don't even front. What's almost as good as eating it? Smelling like it, for real. This year, I'm trying out Body Bakery's Pumpkin Pie Whipped Body Cream.

To be continued later, with some purple picks and some other products I can't live without, at least right at this second. See you then!

Rebirth.

2005-09-12T00:09:00.000-07:00

As I wrote in the last post, I intended to write an Atlantic City-themed post to coincide with my trip. However, as those of you not living under a rock know, Hurricane Katrina roared through the south, particularly the gulf region, which has been devastated. I was born and raised in the south and I love this part of the country with a fierceness I can't explain in words. This is my home. I will light out for the left coast next summer but I will always consider myself a southerner. I love New Orleans, I love the Mississippi delta and of course, I love my home state--Alabama, the heart of Dixie. I intend to get back to frivolity and write a proper entry about makeup after I post this but I couldn't do that without first posting some links on where to give, if you haven't already.

American Red Cross
Mercy Corps
Lutheran Disaster Relief Fund
Salvation Army
Mennonite Disaster Services
American Friends Service Committee
Humane Society's Disaster Relief Fund
SPCA Houston
Habitat for Humanity
Project Backpack
National Trust for Historic Preservation
Louisiana Library Association

In addition to organizations accepting donations, many business are matching donations and accepting donations at their counters, including businesses like Starbucks and Office Max.

Ballerina.

2005-08-15T19:02:00.000-07:00

Wow, my life is going full-speed these days. I'm getting ready to take my licensing exam next month and I've been doing some traveling to see my sweetheart as he jets around the country so my life has been a whirlwind of textbooks and rest areas. But I did find time to try out some new beauty products.

Surgi-Wax Brazilian Microwave Wax Remover Kit: That's right, I tried a home bikini-waxing kit and not surprisingly, hilarity did not ensue. On the good side, it wasn't that painful and it wasn't that hard to use. It's a hardening wax so no muslin strips are required--you just pull off the wax with your hand. That alone makes it much easier to use than other waxing kits I've tried.

On the bad side, the directions are off, for it takes much longer to melt than is advised, especially if you're starting with a full jar. In addition, the wax is way messy. It does cool very fast (another downside) and harden so clean-up isn't so bad, but it'd be better if there weren't long wax strands to scrape up in the first place. Then after all that, I still had to go over places multiple times.

Overall, I probably wouldn't buy it again. It requires too much effort and coordination for results that were subpar to any professional wax I've received. Sorry, Surgi-Wax but I'm sticking to the spa.

Benefit Roadside Attractions Lip Cream Trio: As a frequent road-tripper, I'm fascinated by roadside attractions. Professional museums are wonderful but they often strike me as too cold. The places "real" people put together often say more and say more clearly who the artists are than the slick wonders of the world. I mean, just look at this piece my friend saw on a recent road trip. (The sign says, "Ballerina: She scrubs the front rows of the theater late at night, while the ballerinas practice. When the ballerinas leave, she gets up and dances. She wants to be a ballerina. It is about how we assemble our lives by the decisions we make. Either it becomes a piece in the bucket of regret, or it becomes a piece of herself.)

And that pretentious paragraph was just a lead-up to talk about lip gloss. I contain multitudes, yo. I chose the neutral palette, mainly because of the name (Ex's Make Great Speed Bumps) and it's a great little pack to just throw in your bag and go. And look at the packaging! Make sure you include a lipbrush, unless you're into bacteria.

Stila Eye & Cheek Palette: If you want something for the rest of your face, pick this palette up, too. It comes in three color schemes (gold, peach and my favorite, sage) and the packaging is divine--a metallic tweed clutch. It is meg beautiful. Each palette includes three eye colors and one blush, but of course, you can use the colors as you wish.

Cargo EyePod: New from Cargo, makers of the wonderful Daily Gloss, comes the EyePod. It contains 14 single-application eyeshadow gels (7 shades) and is packaged in a handy travel case. The shades are sheer so they can be layered and blended and so you have a good chance of finding a flattering color. So cool!

Dior Backstage Essentials: They mean backstage as in runway shows, but it's also v. handy to have backstage at a rock show. It's a full-length DiorShow black mascara, a full-size SkinFlash, and black eyeliner plus an eyeshadow brush, all wrapped up in a makeup bag as black as a roadie's wardrobe. My only quibble is that the SkinFlash only comes in shade 002. It is a neutral and I could be wrong, but it doesn't seem like that shade would work for darker-skinned ladies. Anyone out there know for sure?

Stacked Style Scentarettes: As I like to say, I try to always smell as nice as possible. That can be difficult when you're at a music festival at some guy's farm in rural West Virginia, as I actually was last weekend. That's why I'm so happy that Stacked Style has released portable versions of their wonderful scents--in a matchbook-like package, they include four vials of perfume oil. I'm fond of Enchantress (a "sweet, sugary infusion of fresh, ripe fruits blended with hints of pink pepper, lush blossoms, musk, sugar, and vanilla is destined to captivate") but they also have Carnival Crush (a "mouth-watering melange of summer peaches and sugared plums combined with an ambrosial bouquet of red jasmine, green grass, and crushed rose petals"), Fuji Flower ("an exotic fusion of delicious Fuji apple and kumquat, with heart notes of night-blooming jasmine and peach blossoms" with "soft woods and sheer musk"), and Empress Lily ("an innocent and subtly sweet flower accord of lily, heliotrope, orris, jasmine, and muguet," also with "juicy lychee, Asian pear, and velvety vanilla" and "base notes of amber, musk, and exotic woods")

I'm headed off to Atlantic City in a couple of weeks so I'm going to look for some stuff to make you look lucky and um, some respectable stuff to use if you're going to meet someone very important to you's mother (in which case, you'll need to be lucky). *Gulp* Check back soon!

In Motion.

2005-07-22T01:06:00.000-07:00

Yeehaw. I've been mad busy trying to get ready for my end-of-summer travels (along with the usual business) so that's why I've been away. However, I'm back now with my picks for great travel beauty items.

Cargo Daily Gloss: A kind of oldie but definitely a goodie. For $10, you get 30 lipstick applications and it's so easy to use. You get a blend of colors too so you can experiment if you don't like the exact ones they give you.

Lola Oil Free Foundation to Go: It's a sheer wash of color but it still provides nice coverage. This is also a great way to sample the full-size, as it's four dollars to the full-size's thirty.

Sephora Matte Blotting Film: What more can I say? I love a blotting paper--excuse me, film that gets rid of shine without disturbing my makeup. Or the sexy.

Biore Pore Perfect Cleansing Cloths: I feel bad about leaving makeup on washcloths at hotels and besides I'm usually too worn out to even think about my usual skincare regimen--antiwrinkle, anti-blemish--so these things are a lifesaver. You may not need a salicylic acid product but there's a probably a cleansing cloth for your skin type. If you need helping finding one, I'd be happy to look.

I pored through the bath and body products but didn't see anything I liked as much as what I sometimes do. Many sellers on eBay will sell samples of products that they've decanted themselves. It's a great way to try a product or get a travel size of a product you like without buying a full size.

Of course, you can just make your own travel version and I do that a lot, too. My current favorite bath gel is Philosophy's Falling in Love and I just decant it myself in a regular Sephora travel bottle.

Frederic Fekkai has a great selection of travel sizes for his products. I recommend the Glossing Cream--I use it all the time when I'm on the road to protect my hair from the abuses I heap upon it.

Fresh also has a good travel line. I like their Milk and Rose shampoo.

For nails, I like Lippmann Collection's line of polishes with song-inspired names.

Brave Soldier Antiseptic Healing Ointment: You never know what's going to happen on a trip so it's good to pack for what ifs. This stuff works fast and is safe for children.

As for what to put all this stuff in, my new makeup bag is from Goldie but I also think ModelCo's new bags are adorable.

Results.

2005-07-05T12:33:00.000-07:00

In a previous entry, I mentioned Dove's 7-Day Test for their new Radiant Silk anti-perspirant/deodorant. I've now been using it for two weeks* and I can say that it really does deliver. I have noticed a difference in the condition of my skin. In addition, I've been taking advantage of the broiling Alabama weather and well, spending most of my free time out in it but you'd never know it. Thanks to Dove, I always smell as nice as possible, which is totally one of my personal rules.

*Apologies for the delay in posting this--I've been swamped with business. And running around outside. I will be back to my regular updating schedule...Friday.

Essentially.

2005-06-23T01:55:00.000-07:00

Certain beauty products go beyond the best-seller status to become iconic. They are lauded in magazines and on television programs, until many women "know" that they're supposed to love Nars Orgasm or Terax Cream. Of course, different products don't always have the same result for different people, as a perusal of the reviews at Makeup Alley can show you. So, even if I love a product, it may not work as well for you. With that out of the way, here are some of my must-haves, some of which have achieved cult status and some of which just work.

Smith's Rosebud Salve

EarthSavers

L'Oreal Blush Delice

Frederic Fekkai Straight Away

MOP Glisten Weightless Spray Shine

Stila Creme Bouquet

Fracas by Robert Piguet

Something Smells.

2005-06-20T18:46:00.000-07:00

In which I attempt to talk about deodorant without using the words "smells like" or "teen spirit."

I've never really given much thought to deodorant. My mom bought me my first stick, which if I recall correctly, was the not attractively named at all Tussy. Her decision was probably influenced by the fact that the brand is usually under a dollar. The cheapskate gene runs rampant through my family.

After that, I got to pick my own brands. Not that my choices were any better or even could be better. Mass-marketed deodorant for women tends to come in few scent choices and most of those have the word "powder" in the name. I've probably tried all the big brands, Secret, Sure, the brand that will go unnamed (see first sentence), etc. For a few years I was loyal to Dry Idea, which is French for "alcohol gel," mostly because it didn't smell like anything but a stiff drink. And lemme tell you, nothing feels better on freshly shaved underarms than pure isopropyl alcohol. Mmm, brisk!

Then I discovered Degree. As well as working like an antiperspirant/deodorant should, it was one of the first products for women that didn't smell so...old lady. The "shower clean" scent, my usual, smells like it says--clean. I've had a few boyfriends borrow it when they think I'm not looking. And Degree and I lived happily ever after. That is, I saw the new Dove deodorant campaign.

The campaign centers around the "7-Day Test," in which consumers are invited to try the new Radiant Silk antiperspirant/deodorant, which has real silk extracts, and judge its efficacy. Or in their language, watch as armpits are turned into underarms. Um, yeah.

So that's what I'm doing. I cracked open my tube yesterday. First impression: I like the innovative tube design, in which one rotates the entire bottom panel of the tube to push up the deodorant stick. The dove impression at the top of the stick is aestheticly pleasing, if sadly temporary. The scent is a crisp, clean floral. Girly but not old girly.

I wore it yesterday while working and today while driving around in a hot car (I'm not a big fan of air conditioning in my car) and it has held up to both. I will report back next Sunday with the full results of the 7-Day Test.

In the meantime, I plan to talk about things like root lifters, home dermabrasion, and the storied Brazilian bikini wax. Stay beautiful and stay tuned!

Introduction.

2005-06-20T17:55:00.000-07:00

Hi there! I'm Salome and this is Ornament, where I will write about about all things girly--make-up, hair schtuff, bath and body thingies, er...lady products. I have not attended cosmetology school. I have no formal training. But I am a total beauty whore, as my receipts for Sephora and Saks will attest.

I don't just spend my money on the high-end side of town, though. I have plenty of experience roaming the aisles at various drugstores and discount emporiums too. If you have any suggestions or you've got a product you want me to review (or trash), feel free to e-mail me or leave a comment.

When I'm not playing with eye shadow or wondering why I have twelve lip balms in my purse, I keep a personal blog at The Rock Geisha dot com. I live in Alabama but that will change next year, as I'm moving to San Francisco. I'm waiting to take the massage therapy licensing exam and in the meantime, I run the family business.