Word of the Hour

The "bundercut"  has to be one of the silliest new words to have ever come out of the fashion world (which is saying something!).

Any guesses?

A bundercut is, according to Ingrid Schmidt of the Los Angeles Times, "a buzz cut on the sides with a man bun on top."

A Small Window of Time

Image Credit: preferredwindowanddoor.com



I try to give myself small windows of time during the day to get little chores and errands done. Thus,  I enjoyed reading an article about small chores that could be done while getting ready for the day. Since this tends to be the time when most of us do not have a minute to spare, I made a list of things I could accomplish in my dressing area when a small window did open. Here is my list:


1. Cut and file toenails.

2. Sharpen eye and lip pencils.

3. Comb pills off of sweaters.

4. Pluck eyebrows (I find most advantageous time for this chore is when I am in the car; the light is always just right. But my daughters frown upon this practice for some reason. I still keep tweezers in my car!

5. Cut dangling threads off clothing and scarves.

6. Fold tops and place them nicely on shelves.

7. Clean my makeup brushes. Go here for how to do this.

The other night I was waiting for my older daughter to get ready and found myself with a few minutes to kill. I filled the time by sharpening my eye and lip pencils, a task that had needed doing for awhile. The next time I put on makeup, I was so pleased that the pencils were sharp.

Makeup Brushes

As I have stated before, I am not a makeup expert. In fact, I need a lot of help when it comes to choosing and applying makeup. Therefore, I am delighted when others make this skill comprehensible to me, which Glow Skin and Beauty does on a regular basis. Go here to read its post about useful makeup brushes and when and how to use them. The brushes featured above are from Nordstrom and seem like a good deal for $38. But what do I know?

How to Be Beautiful

Photo Credit: Ari Seth Cohen at advancedstyle

How refreshing to receive beauty tips from mature, lively, grounded women instead of from cosmetic companies or twenty something models in magazines. Go here to learn what a couple of 101-year old women have to say about beauty. I printed out their quotes and put them over my bathroom sink so I can read them each day.

Makeup Party

We had a splendid time this week at my house, learning some useful skincare and makeup tips from highly regarded makeup artist Cara Maccianti. She places an emphasis on taking care of our skin, always wearing sunscreen, and washing our faces well every night. I loved learning how to properly apply my foundation (with a brush! Practice, practice). Everyone enjoyed getting one on one advice regarding what makeup is most suitable for our skin and hearing what Cara's favorite products are. The evening was a great success!

On the topic of makeup, go here to see some inspirational photos of makeup brush storage ideas. There are always loads of pretty vessels for brushes at Anthropologie, such as the one pictured above. I have also found interesting glassware at thrift stores.

A Few Words about Men's Feet and Hands

Esquire's articles on grooming are at once informative and humorous. Here is a typical example, found in the article, "The Thoughtful Man's Guide to Hands and Feet": "You are allowed to have long fingernails only if you are a flamenco guitarist. And even then, it might not be worth it. Long fingernails on a man evoke images of reclusion and wizardry."

Though Esquire's readers are largely male, I often find its advice pertains to both sexes. I was moved to include the following rules as I have witnessed some appalling public grooming lately by the "fairer sex." So here, men and women, are unacceptable places to trim your nails:

On the bed.
Near a baby.
At the dinner table.
At a friend's house.
Over shag carpeting.
Anywhere on the Sabbath (Jewish readers only).
On the subway (system).
At Subway (restaurant).