A Good Way to Start the New Year!

We started at the end of February, days before the Oscars (be still my heart: "but it IS Colin Firth!").  One of the most popular posts was the one on the Oscars.

As I look back at last year, I'm so glad that the year is over.  We overcame so much.  Our daughter had had successful tricky surgery and was recovering.  I had surgeries and many things went wrong health-wise.  My boys had their health issues.  Suddenly we were a family with embarrassingly bad health luck.  You certainly don't want to walk (or get wheeled into) a hospital with the receptionist looking up at you and starting to enter data into her computer before you even get to the desk!

We had blessings as well.  Ok, I'm not happy that the house is a mess and the remodeling is not anywhere near complete, and you can't find anything you're looking for.  But my middle child got married and I was able to fly (for a price, a HUGE medical price) through twelve time zones for the wedding.  I was able to meet the bride and get to know her and her family.  I never thought I'd make it to Asia but somehow I did.  Secret: it was never even on my bucket list! 

I started a blog, yet months before, I didn't even know such an animal existed.  I've made my family happy because they get a bit of a break from me when I'm writing.  They don't need to answer so many questions or feel guilty that I'm in bed almost 24/7, usually alone and too sick for any company.  

I'm thankful for the friends I've made on twitter and the friends I've reconnected with on Facebook. I can't believe that I can actually SORT OF use a computer and the Internet, thanks to the iPad given to me just weeks before my daughter was first hospitalized.  By her fourth or fifth hospitalization I pulled the monstrosity (the dreaded iPad) out of my bag that I was dragging around with me from hospital to hospital.  When my daughter got stabilized one night - and I dared not move away from her bed - I pulled that sucker out and tried to understand what all the hype was about.

 That, in turn, led me to the family then trying to get me in sync (HaHaHa: a computer pun!) with the 21st century and gifting me with a computer of my own, again!  I kept breaking them, through no fault of my own!  It was a hard and frustrating road and still is.  But I'm doing it and I thank you, those who read my blog regularly, because suddenly I feel as if I DO belong to the human race and may actually have something I can contribute to it.  So, take a bow and curtsy for my thanks to you all.  And I've managed to learn how to sort of use twitter, though that's very much a work in progress.

And in that thankful spirit, to start the year off, I'm doing a picture-heavy post of some of the highlights of this year, a retrospective, if you will.  Enjoy!  You've been part of this, whether you realize it or not!

We talked about holistic medicine in addition to traditional, Western Medicine, but more still to come!

I lambasted the CDC, the NIH and the so-called specialists who were really our enemies in too many instances and proved to be more so on December 20 with the Ampligen hearings (fiasco).

My heart was broken when the posts I worked so hard on became unloved stepchildren and didn't get as much attention from viewers as those dealing with makeup and skincare.  I love both subjects.

We talked a lot about family and the benefits of laughter.  I love this because you can finally see how loony my family truly is: hubs and daughter after two sips of champagne, laughing their fool heads off as they tease me about my taste for contemporary Russian pop and my trying to get them to love it as well, though they can't understand the lyrics (blah blah, blah blah, blah blah!)

At last our first spring together came, and we had beautiful tulips, hyacinths, and other flowers from all the bulbs hubs and I planted when we talked about fibro-brain on this blog.

We celebrated what was for most our first Russian/Ukrainian Easter together, one that falls on the "wrong date" most years...

A two-fer: We talked about insomnia and my daughter was home from the hospital, finally. (Knock on wood for both!)

We enjoyed learning about the makeups that worked well with our funky skin and were easy to apply, like the  BB creams and the CC creams (One link and another link product, Trish McEvoy, as well as pampering)

We spoke of Brain SPECT scans scans and lamented that they had gone by the wayside for fibro  and CFIDS/ME/CFS

And a new miracle cream, Heal Gel was found in Britain which did miraculous things for the  hardiest of scars, including my daughter's.  (A new review, updated and detailed soon to come!)

We talked about makeup techniques, brows 4, brows 3, brows 2, brows part 1 and time savers.

We shared holiday tips on how to survive and we looked forward to the New Year.

 And so, Happy New Year (and a Happy New Year in Russian too!)

And we made it through the holidays and somehow survived!  Here's to starting the new year, 2013, on the right foot.  Here's to all having everyone's health improve.  Here's to all laughing as much as possible and having much love in your lives.  And here's to getting to know you.  

Ciao and paka!

Brushing Up On Your Makeup Skills

Laura Mercier and Chanel brushes and cosmetics

Since starting on one of my newest medical adventures, that of the hypothyroidism, (and another one of the battles described at this link as well) I've had a real problem with my face, the color of it, that is.  Fortunately (I suppose), I've always had to use foundation, so it hasn't been a problem to use a foundation now.  When I was young I needed it to cover my (many) freckles.  As I've aged it's been to cover freckles PLUS the hyper-pigmentation.  (OK, it's "age spots," shudder!)  The final nail in the coffin has always been that I've needed foundation to cover a bit of redness anytime I've ever been exposed to the sun in any shape, way or form.

However, since the thyroid problems began, my skin has been playing even more tricks on me.  Too often I turn ghastly pale.  Other days, I seem to have a yellowish cast.

Another however: a biggie!  I'm finally happy that in the past decade or so I haven't been able to make it to any store to buy foundation.  I need to order over the Internet and THAT becomes iffy at best, not to mention a bit expensive.

But finally, I have an upside!  No matter what color my skin, I have a shade I can work with.  Talk about an extreme case of making lemonade out of lemons!  Now I no longer need to feel guilty about having so many foundations.  Furthermore, because my skin is dehydrated one day and too oily the next, I have all the types of foundations to choose from as well, from powders to creams to liquids.  My only problem: making the right decision as to which foundation to try on my face on any particular day.  As many who are plagued with CFIDS/ME/CFS and/or fibromyalgia, I have a huge problem with decision-making.  (I can just hear hubby breaking out into hysterical laughter when he reads this last statement about decision-making.  Hey, Hubs! I'm a Libra who has to analyze everything ad nauseum, remember?)

At any rate, I had an appointment with my GP the other day.  Understand (if you will, please), that since I almost never go out, I try to make going to any doctor's appointment a dress-up day if at all possible.  But as I said, my face has been tricky lately. Too often I find that my foundation looks like a mask on my face. I've always maintained that makeup is only flattering when the skin underneath looks good and that bad color or pallor makes for Halloween-type looks.  And if you want to try to get away with the "no-makeup" or "flawless" makeup look, well, fuhgeddaboudit, as Robert De Niro would say.

However, yesterday was a success with the makeup job and yippee!  I'm delighted because by all rights it should have been a "mask" day.  However...

I love and have an obsession with makeup brushes.  (Yes, I've always maintained that I'm an odd duck!)  To make things worse - or much to hub's chagrin - I have an embarrassingly large collection of brushes, especially for someone who doesn't go out very often.  But I suppose where some people love crayons, I love brushes. While some can paint on canvas, I can't replicate a drawing of a basic tree.  So, makeup?  That must satisfy some sort of wish-I-were-an-artist part of me.  (Get back on topic, I know!)

Yet of all the brushes I own, I've never had a proper foundation brush. I've always thought my fingers were superior to any brush out there.  And I've been so very wrong.

I finally broke down and bought a couple of foundation brushes, stippling ones, and have used them three times thus far.  The verdict: I absolutely love them.  No mask-look on my face!  Each time, with the "before," my skin looked horridly pale or awfully red.  By the time I got the foundation on and blended, blended - and then blended some more, as Laura Mercier would say - the foundation became part of my face, only vastly improved.

So if you're having the same problems I've encountered and:

• want good coverage because of discoloration (breakouts, freckles, acne scars or *agh* age spots)
• want skin which looks rather youthful despite the DD
• want an even, air-brushed finish
• want a "fail proof" application despite shaky or inexperienced hands
• want to look age-appropriate without any wrinkles getting caked (*agh* again!)
• and want that "flawless" and "no makeup" look...

... Then consider getting a foundation stippling brush.  I'm "over the moon," that I finally did so!  The stippling brush is the one which has the little light ends and because of the combination of natural and "faux" fibers, it consequently has a light touch which lends itself to layering foundation, if need be.  It gives a very well-blended look with a wonderful sheen, with no streaks at all, of course!  I was naughty and treated myself to a Chanel foundation brush and I just happened to "find" another stippling brush in the Laura Mercier Ten Essential Brushes Collection which I purchased earlier in the year.  I'm sure any good quality stippling brush designed for foundation will give you great results as well.

So, if you're well enough to get out to go to any Christmas or New Year's Eve parties, even though your skin is telling you to stay home, these foundation brushes may be just the ticket to make yourself look and feel awfully special!  If your skin needs tender loving care, a foundation brush may be your best friend for looking even more "invisibly" sick!  (Groan?)

As always, I hope everyone is feeling their very best, only better.  Ciao and paka!


(NOTE: Top picture background is Laura Mercier's Ten Essential Brush Collection makeup kit in red, which included the gorgeous translucent handled brush pictured as well.  The black handled brush is the Chanel foundation brush.  The CC cream (review here) and one of the Chanel liquid foundations are also pictured, review of the Chanel foundation coming up soon.)

Friday Tidbits: CC cream & observations

With Chanel's CC Cream

It's Friday and "round up" time when I can freely write very disconnected points and not worry about making everything flow together cohesively.  Ah, what a relief that is for those of "us" with CFIDS/ME/CFS and/or fibomyalgia.  Organizing our thoughts is not exactly our strong suit.  (At least it isn't for me.)

I'm a bit all over the map today, but it's a brief post (and you believe me?), so I think we can handle that. What do you say?  Yes?  Well, then we're on!

Before: No CC cream...

• Not too long ago I wrote that the newest "miracle" cosmetic on the market was coming out soon, that of the CC cream (for earlier post).  "CC cream" stands for "Color Corrective Cream" among other names for the CC part of this new incredible product the beauty world is holding its collective breathe for.  It seems that BB creams are being declared passé and that we now have CC creams to look forward to.  

I was able to order Chanel's CC cream from Amazon but until it came in I had no idea that they were sending it to me from from one of the Asian countries, South Korea, I believe.  Wow!  We really are a global economy! Hubs had to pick it up at the post office and sign off for it so it became a rather big deal.  Unfortunately, I've not had much of a chance to try it out, as I've been too sick, but I have it in mind to experiment to my heart's content as soon as I'm feeling a bit better.  

I did, however, try it out on my hand when it came in, as well as today, and lo and behold, I realized that it would look wonderful on my 30-plus inches of the pretty "unpleasant" scarring from the compartment syndrome surgery of last year.  The Chanel CC cream covered the scars better than I could ever have imagined.  It also blended in with my skin nicely, better than any of the other creams specifically made for hiding scars.  Of course, it may very well be that I'm simply not very skilled at hiding scars and the ease of the CC cream was enough for me.  But it took the redness away and felt very nice on the skin as well.  I promise a review will be coming up soon: if I can just keep from losing more body parts or stop being reinfected with the flu that keeps coming back, incessantly, since last year!  I can only imagine how great it'll look on the face if it can do such a great job on my hand.  (Note: I'm not the most talented in the photography department - especially with "self-photography" sans tripod and using my iPad and iPhone - but my hand really looks so much better after application of the CC cream. I also chose not to use the more graphic - ugly - photos of the before shots, afraid of grossing people out!)

After the CC Cream...

After the CC Cream...

• Ah, a transition where I didn't expect to find one!  (It's the little things that make me so happy!) Speaking of losing body parts (OK...that sounds truly awful) but I received a call from my GP's office a couple of days ago asking me to call them back about some test results.  This wasn't a good sign as I've never had the office call me about any test results in the approximately 20 years I've been seeing my GP.  I did manage to throw it, the message that is, to the back of my mind. By the time I got hubs to call for me (I really, really hate to talk on the phone, "hate" being code for "it's too hard to handle") I'd totally forgotten I had a "problem."  Ah!  The beauty of such little memory!

At any rate, my GP wanted to schedule me for a breast biopsy for the lumps they saw during the mammogram and ultrasound I had taken a couple of weeks ago.  However, hubby and I thought that a discussion needs to be had before I schedule myself for any biopsy.  The lumps, I'd been told by the radiologists, are calcification lumps formed from previous surgery and I thought that everyone was on the same page with no biopsy needed.  Evidently I was wrong and the radiologist supposedly recommended a biopsy in his official report.  So, now we have another round of doctors to see and talk to.  Oh joy!  (NOT!)  How many more things need to go wrong with me?  (Boo hoo!)  I think we need a scorecard just about now of all the things that I've been through in the past 12 months, health-wise.  It's getting to be an embarrassment!   But honestly, I've sort of given into all and find it just too funny at this point - though by tomorrow, who knows where my head will be? I mean, who has such really cruddy luck?  

• And finally, a funny thought occurred to me today.  I happened to think about my ongoing battle with the pores on my face.  (Don't you just love my priorities: CC creams, breast biopsies all in the same breathe?)  Somehow my mind rounded about to the "magic" of twitter, the community of spoonies and the beauty of the supportive blogs out there.  Then the two thoughts collided. (Remember, my brain is where NO one in my family ever wants to get into!)  

You see, a few years ago, I was on a successful roll with washing my face twice each day and absolutely religious about using some sort of treatments to battle my pores twice a day as well.  For most, this wouldn't be much of a hurtle, but for me it was practically a miracle.  So, about a month into the whole routine, I thought I'd seen real improvement in the state of my pores.  Son #1 happened to be passing by and I called him over and said, "do you think my pores are looking better?"  LOL!  I mean what was I thinking when I asked my son for his opinion?  Why didn't I just ask someone's gardener?  

Well, honest son said, "ah...," inspecting my face VERY carefully.  This is the kid who can go out to sea in his line of work and spend hours and hours in the water looking for a she crab for his experiments.  Have you every tried to look for a female crab and not a male one?  It takes a lot of time, patience and hard work. Somehow my fibro-addled brain thought that if he could look for and find female crabs, he'd be an expert at noticing my pores.  "Well, mom," he said, turning me to a better light and inspecting me as if I were under a microscope.  After a good examination, he said, "Nope, the same," and walked off.  And consequently, I stopped all of the hard work on my face for a few years, completely crest-fallen. 

My point?  We on twitter and our blogs are not like my son when it comes to pores and pep talks of "keep on trucking!"  How wonderful that we have people who really give us pep talks when needed and support when we think that everything's just a bit too hard.  

And that's it for the week.  I hope everyone has a great weekend and as always I hope everyone's doing their very best, only better.  Ciao and paka.  

Eyebrow Mini-series Returns, Part 4

A few of my favorites from my eyebrow arsenal.

I know it's been "forever" since I wrote a post re eyebrows and I must admit that part of the problem is that I envisioned a mini-series of at most, two, maybe, three parts.  Instead I feel as if I've wandered into a quagmire which I can't seem to get myself out of!  (See Parts 1 here, 2 here and 3 here .) Who knew that eyebrows are such a complicated subject?  Well, other than the cosmetic industry, which is suddenly making billions on all sorts of brow products each year?  And to add to the delay of another brow post was that I was a bit....well, stunned by what transpired. Just as I was about to write another eyebrow post, something stopped me, and FAST!


Things really were coming along quite nicely, if you recall: actually, I had to check on that, just to be sure!  I remember so little from one day to the next, and it's been over a month since we all last "spoke" about brows, a veritable eternity for one tied down by CFIDS/ME, fibromyalgia, etc.


Last all here had heard, I was about to go off to my "beauty place" and getting my eyebrows done was definitely on the agenda.  Alas, the woman who did my brows was not my normal go-to person and I encountered a problem I'd never had before.


If anyone recalls, I'd been using Rogaine for men on my brows (and let's not forget my FIVE bald spots) at first and then changed the brow "helper" to Smartlash.  When the technician asked me what color I wanted my brows dyed, I told her that Lan used black in the past.  I got a "brows up" look from her but I assured the lady that it was the only thing that had worked in the past.  In fact, I decided to take things a few steps further - fool that I am! In order to ensure the job, I asked that not all color be taken off so that the color could work a bit longer on my ride home. (Where DO I come up with these ideas?)


And so, I was in for a sad surprise once I arrived home - with Groucho Marx brows.  For the first time ever, thanks to Rogaine and SmartLash, I had a few more brow hairs and they seemed to have a nicer texture than before. But in the midst of all this good news, the fact remained that the brows had absorbed every bit of color, and then some! I scrubbed and scrubbed, trying to get the dye off my skin at the very least, to no avail. After a couple of days (of scaring myself each time I happened to catch a glimpse of myself in a mirror) I just hoped to tame the color in any way possible yet Groucho did not want to budge!  I wasn't a happy camper, to say the least.  Of all times for my brows to go overboard, it had to be for my son's wedding?  (Murphy's Law anyone?)


Friends assured me that within two weeks the color would have tamed down: it didn't.  My daughter professed to love the color: "how dare she humor me?" was my feeling.  And the shaping was not wonderful as I was so spoiled by Lan: I kept picking a brow hair off here and there, as visions of "don't over-pluck" from sources galore, danced in my head.


I eventually did discover that if I wore enough eye makeup the look improved but we're talking about a LOT of makeup.  One good thing came out of this: I do believe that I am going to try to master the fake eyelashes, though this project is not on my immediate to-do list: I somehow lost my box of lashes and adhesive between the attic and moving back into my bedroom.  (Huh?  How do you lose something like that???)


But getting back to brows.


Somewhere I'd read about Mac's brow pencil and decided to order it and I'm thrilled to say that I love it.  I use the color Fling;  it was perfect and I liked the fact that you don't need to sharpen this pencil.  I plan to get another one for my handbag for a quick job repair when needed.


In duty free, I was able to pick up two Chanel eyebrow helpers: their pencil (in color 50), which I'm also loving and a trio of browshadows, "Le Sourcil de Chanel Perfect Brows" in 10 Natural, which I've not had a chance to play with much as of yet.  But  they look extremely promising too and given how expensive the brow powders were, I WILL most certainly be experimenting with them.  I was told by the Chanel sales lady that first I should use the pencil, then the powder.  I THINK I have that in the right order, but I really need to look it up to make sure.  (Just kidding: I do remember the right order!)


I'n the meanwhile I've made a monumental decision: I need to look start looking for someone closer to home to do my brows - even hair and if pushing it, my lash tinting locally too.  This should be interesting since I haven't had the inside scoop on anything local in at least 10-15 years now.  But the trips to Pittsburgh are just entirely too stressful, with such uneven results that it's a matter of diminishing returns.


Finally, I must admit that I've gone off my SmartLash as well as my Rogaine. In an earlier post, regarding the use and then dropping of Rogaine, I wrote:


"I think my biggest problem is that I'll use it but then something will happen (a flare, a relapse, a crisis) and when life gets back to "normal," I forget all about it.  We've just started moving back into our bedroom and bath and already, as my life is slipping out of control a bit - OK, more than a bit, but more controllable than what's been the norm in the last two years - I'm finding it hard to remember to take my meds, much less remember to work Rogaine into the needed areas of my head."


Ah, how true. But I am not going to be defeated. I have started onto a regime and though I'm going throug a rough patch, I'm sticking to it and adding other "goodies," which I will discuss in the next week or so, so more on this later. 


But I did think it was funny that I knew exactly what happened to my Rogaine routine countless times and yet glad that I've pinpointed the problem because I always say, "knowledge is power..."  I'll be writing a post on this soon, my "health plan" (ha!).


Here's to everyone feeling their best, only better!



NOTE: This is always good for a laugh!  I can't really see the screen.  I can't make out some of the letters at all, others are murky.  And I lost my post and had to return to the first draft of it...  How many hours wasted and for what?  This DD is a barrell of laughs. Ay!  How did I ever think this was going to be fun?  It is, after all, me and the Internet: that is NOT a good combo!  ;)

Three beauty tips as I run off...

When Cabbage Patch dolls were all the rage, building a make-shift home for them . The "little" one I'm flying to see is sitting next to his sister, who helped me get organized and packed.

And I'm on my way out the door in just a couple of hours on my wild adventure to Kuala Lumpur.  I've lost count of how many times I've "yelled" and "screamed" - "I don't know how I'm going to do all of this!" as I tried to do the simplest of things and would break out in a sweat, shaking and so forth.  On the other hand, I try telling myself that the worst part of anything I ever do is getting to and out the door and that's almost accomplished.

Because I'm not sure if I'll be able to post anything while I'm gone - leaving the blog without its mom is a bit frightening - I realized, "Oh wow, I can always make comments in the comments section of this post and on my facebook page (see side for addresses) as well.  And if I get desperate enough, or the separation anxiety gets to be too much, who knows, I may even tweet!

But here are a couple of CFIDS/ME/fibro tips just as I'm heading out the door:

• I ran into a couple of red and hot areas on my chest doing a trial run yesterday morning and the Green Balm I described ages ago really worked well.  Check this link for my earlier review.

• I was upset that I wouldn't be able to take my huge pot of Chanel bronzer on board because of the TSA 3-1-1 restrictions, so I put a bit into a tiny pot.  If anyone could be in love with a product, this would be it. I absolutely love the way I can contour with it.  I don't use it as a makeup base, just as a cream bronzer and it blends beautifully.  It can be found here .

• I was also mourning not being able to take my Bioderma micellar water, but after a sloppy job of putting on mascara, a swipe of a couple of Q-tip moistened with the Bioderma got rid of everything.  I also had a very dry and sensitive area on both cheeks and nothing helped. When I took out the Bioderma to take off everything I'd put on it (serum, etc.) the dryness disappeared. AMAZING!  And so I found room for a decanted tiny bottle of the the Bioderma and it'll be with me on board - if the TSA guys don't get upset with how much I crammed into my 1 quart bag.

Hope everyone stays as healthy as can be!  Must run - well, "run" CFIDS/ME/fibro-style.  :)


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Self-tanning and bronzers à la CFIDS/ME/fibro-style...

Some of my self-tanning supplies for this year.

Now that we're explored the world of exfoliation, we're ready for that all-important "sun look."  I'm not sure about you, but since my skin is chicken-skin white, self-tanners really are a life-saver.   Normally, I don't do "the whole bit," but since this is my year of "making myself look human," I've decided that I really am going to go the self-tanner route and streaks be darned.  You see, I'm such a perfectionist that I can take all day just applying self-tanners. Granted, most of the day is spent trying to get my energy up to do it - and the rest of the day is taken up with giving myself a pep talk that I don't really need to do a perfect job.  But this year, I've told myself, I'm just going for it.  


Except there's been a bit of a kink in the system, just as it's started.  I put on two of the tanners I've been excited about and you'll hear the results in a moment.  Two or three days later when I was ready to reapply the self-tanners was the day that I'd had those unfortunate baby hives and when I went to take a bath in order to exfoliate the skin, I found that those pesky little hives had left the front of one leg abraded!  "Foiled again!" as Popeye might have said.  


So, yesterday was to be my day to do the whole exfoliation experience followed by self-tanners.  I'd written up (yesterday's) post and decided I needed to take a picture.  Everything was finally arranged downstairs in the new bathroom, pictures taken, but I wanted to take a few more with the window shutters open and as I stepped back out of the bathtub from adjusting the shutters, I fell.  Badly. I even shattered a tray that was standing outside the tub to bits, one I didn't think was even breakable - I must say I'm most talented!  I'm not quite sure what happened, although I do remember thinking, "NOT THE FACE! NOT THE FACE!" as I came crashing down and was rather badly banged up. The face is fine!...the rest of me, not so much.  I've become a bit accident-prone lately, and I don't like it!  Usually, I'm as agile as a monkey.  I have no idea what is happening to me.


All of which is to say that the products were tested only once this year and I'll have to rely on the experiences of last year as well.  I'll have to wait at least another week or two before I get to work on my "tan," but rest assured, what follows will be what I'll be using since it all is basically the same, year in and year out, with one notable exception.  


I've found it a good policy to basically go with Clarins since it appears to be fine with my skin and, really, I shouldn't do too much experimentation any longer since I've had a few disastrous results in the past. Often, I find, "don't fix it if it ain't broke!" is indeed the smart policy.  So, off we go with:

• Clarins "Delectable Self-Tanning Mousse with Mirabelle Oil."  I used this on my legs and they came out looking rather nicely.  

If anyone recalls, due to a flu I had a few years ago which lasted two years (yes, this is not a mistake, I had a whole full blown-out flu for two years: amazing what this CFIDS/ME/fibro can do to your system!) and was left with mottled legs as a souvenir.  Given that my legs have been one of my vanity points (i.e., one of the few things that I actually liked about my body - oh come on, we American women ALL hate our bodies!  It must happen in the hospital when we're born and then just gets worse over the years) I thought at first that the tanner would sort of disguise the "mottle-ness" or "mottled mess."  However, after the whole arm/hand thing and with my muscle tissue coming out in that bag of urine in the hospital as I lay dying (sorry, Billy Faulkner, for using your words), I now have these veins that are not going back into the body and I'm not quite sure how I'm going to get rid of them. Horseback riding lessons are one idea (my GP just gave me a huge lecture that it is time and, man, how I do not want to do it, at this point, but only because of timing considerations!!!) and I have an awful feeling that for many reasons that it's simply not going to happen. 

Anyway, I thought the self-tanners may help disguise...well, that with a lot of very long skirts?!  Anyone with ideas, please figure out my funky comments section and write in as I'm pretty desperate.

But, yes, from one application of the Clarins Mousse, I came out with a very nice tan on my legs that I could see would help me with my "disguise" plans.  

In previous years, I've also tried the following Clarins self-tanners and intend to do so again this year:

• Clarins "Self Tanning Instant Gel"
• Clarins "Self Tanning Milk with Sun Protection"

Both have done nice jobs and given that I already have them in stock, I'll be using them until I run out and then will most likely buy again.

But we have a surprise!

• Omorovicza's "Glam Glow self-tanner"....5 thumbs up!

I'd received a full-sized sample of Omorovizca's "Glam Glow self-tanner" when I bought one of their sample bags - when it was on sale a few weeks ago.  I was bold enough to ask if they had a substitute that I could have instead of the self-tanner but the substitute was so unattractive compared to the self-tanner (OK, it was a $20 value compared to a whopping $89 value for the self-tanner!  And OK, I was momentarily dizzied by the dollar in this instance - but I also knew I'd have a better chance of using the self-tanner than the substitute, which I guarantee you I would never have used!).  As soon as it came in I used it on my arms (we have 30 inches of scarring to somehow camouflage) and I loved the color and smell.  It just looked like my arms, but darker.  Best, it made my very white (read: untoned, flabby) arms, that is, from shoulder to shoulder, including the collar bone and décolleté SHINE! Even my daughter, who'd stopped by the house, remarked on it.  I GLOWED!   And it was nice.  I'm not sure that it will be "strong" enough for my legs, though I know I'll give the legs a layer of it after I've built up some color on them, thanks to the Clarins, plus I can't wait to see what'll happen to my legs with a bit of glow.  I just hope it's not neon veins!  BTW: only the best of ingredients are used.  Omorovicza tries to keep it as healthy and natural as possible, albeit remembering that they do want to give you a tan! 

Moving on, every summer I use the following periodically:

• Jergens Natural Glow Revitalizing Daily Moisturizer, Fair to Medium Skin
• Jergens Natureal Glow Firming Daily Moisturizer, Fair to Medium Skin

Now these are really and truly very nice products, but you need to apply them every day and there is nothing that I do every day, other than eat.  NOTHING!   I have CFIDS/ME/fibro, and that's the beginning of  my problems, so nothing else is a given.  Let's face it, even breathing every day if often difficult.  So, I've applied the Jergens now and then, but really, it's a lost cause for me and I'm not even sure I didn't throw them out when we were decluttering.  Let me tell you, I had quite the collection as each new kind of Jergens gradual tanner came out, and once my ever-optimistic middle child bought me the medium-dark skin one.  Sad.  He's just so darned optimistic, that dear child!

• Bare Essentuals "Faux Tan"  

Now, hubby was sent out to buy me a self-tanner last year, with no specific instructions, I'm the first to admit, at least not instructions specific enough for him.  He came home with the aforementioned "Faux Tan" and I wanted to cry.  I'd already had a bad experience with it a few years back. (Daughter to mom/me: "WHAT DID YOU DO TO YOURSELF????")  After looking at the happiness on hubby's face and hearing everything that the salesclerk told him (VERBATIM!), I tried the stuff on my legs again (on the principle that no one would see the disaster) and I still do NOT understand how this mess works!  I've read up on it, watched people on YouTube and people actually swear by it.  The saleswoman must have been telling the truth when she said she couldn't keep it in stock but I've had no luck with it. 

I HAVE read that you can now buy a brush to apply it with.  Are they insane?   Why would I want to fork out 50 bucks for a brush to use a self-tanner that MIGHT work if I do it ABSOLUTELY correctly and am, by the way, a Snookie-like pro with self-tanners, which I'm not?  And then the brush has to be washed, I would imagine?  I love brushes but, really, in this instance, my life is already difficult enough, so I'm not even going there...unless, I get very desperate about my legs....

But then I'll use the

• St. Tropez's "Tan Optimizer Applicator Mitt"  

Right!  OK.  I'd like to think that I'll use it, especially since I already own one.  I hate orange hands perhaps even more than streaks, so washing my hands is usually a huge ordeal. I do one leg and wash hands thoroughly, including using the all important nail brush.  After a while (at least 15-30 minutes because I'm now exhausted and need a rest) I do the other leg, wash hands and rest.  Same goes with the arms, shoulders, back of neck, etc.  Wash hands and rest.  Actually, you've/I've earned the rest by now!  Congratulations!

• St. Tropez's "Tan Optimiser"  ("Tan Removal")

This is what is giving me the confidence this year to go on and risk the streaks, orange hands and mishaps.  I've used this a bit and haven't had any problems with my hands.  Good!   A lot of anxiety not needed, a definite plus in my book.

Now, I do not tan my face.  That is a sacred area.  (See above account of accident last night to remember just how sacred the face is!)  

But thanks to Ruth, The Model, I've discovered: 

• Chanel's "Soleil Tan," a cream bronzer that you apply with your fingers, or with a brush if you really want a mess and have the energy to clean brushes.  I like the control I get with my fingers.  It is heaven!   Yes, this is just a cosmetic, which is all I'll use on my face, thank you very much!

I've found that bronzers can be tricky.  They can be muddy, they can be orange.  They can "over-stick" if your face is over-moisturized, they can do heaven-only-knows-what if your face is under-moisturized.  I own Guerlain and many other "best of" bronzers.  My daughter always thinks she's my mother and will start smudging off some of the bronzer I apply (I guess it's not the right amount or not in the right place to please the ever-critical "children.")

However, the Chanel goes on beautifully and because it melts into your skin - it is a cream - it works like a dream. It blends so well that it's almost mistake proof. Critical daughter had nothing to criticize the few times I've worn it!  I get no awful facial reaction to it, my face actually seems to LIKE whatever is in there.  So, that is it for bronzers for me.  

Oh, I'm sure I'll fool around with a few other products - it's my nature.  And I do have a few products lying around already that I really should give a try.  But really, I'm happy (or not happy in one instance) with the products I've listed and so there you have it. 

And finally, just to keep everyone safe, the best sunscreen ever:

•  La Mer's "The SPF 30 Protecting Fluid," bar none!

When I visited my son in Australia, I had at least five different sunblocks to choose from/foisted upon me, that is, by various members of my family as they all feared for me because they all tan while I only burn - and Townsville is in the tropics. (We also went during the height of their summer so we could spend time with said son!) I hated every single one of those sunscreens as much in the topics as I did anywhere else, not surprisingly.  

But I do remember being wonderfully shocked by the feel of the La Mer, especially since I was in the midst of trying them out one by one, constantly, no rhyme nor reason other than someone was always yelling, "MOOOOMMMM!!!!," horrified that I'd expire from melanoma right there in front of them.  After about thirty minutes by the pool one day (a record, trust me!) I fell in love with the La Mer (who knew?  I'd been using it for years whenever I got a nice lecture from Sylvia). For the rest of our time in Oz, I kept reapplying the La Mer, and was able to come home as pale as I left. To tell you the truth, because it is so pricey, I use it only on my face, shoulders, décolleté and arms.  I figure the rest of the body can use the less expensive sunblocks and since my legs aren't funny about having anything on them, it's basically a non-issue. Besides, if I did burn those legs, I'd kind of like it (again: remember, I'm a product of the '70's!)

And if you're in the sun: please remember to wear a hat!  The sun really does have a tendency to wipe "us" out, those with CFIDS/ME/fibro, and a hat with a wide brim is hard to beat.

If you want to be a bronze goddess this summer, these products may work for you.  Or, if like me, you just want to look a bit healthier, this just might be the ticket for you too.  Whatever, enjoy!   And if you can sneak a few minutes of sun for your Vitamin D without any cover, go for it, as long it's for just a right amount of time - I've heard ten minutes in the gentle morning sun, not the afternoon harsh 3PM sun - and it might be a good idea to carry a timer with you, as it is all too easy to misjudge how long you've been out in the sun. (Personally, I'm really hoping umbrellas in the sun, as in "parasols," come back into style!  Think about it: it's a nice idea, and we would get a bit of sun, just enough for that oh-so-necessary Vitamin D!)

Finally, my GP, who knows me all too well, has put me on Vitamin D capsules to take daily since, for the first time ever, my Vitamin D level has dropped significantly, to an unhealthy number.  Hmmmm...perhaps he doesn't know me as well as he thinks: I have hit my quota as to how many meds I can remember to take and supplements are a whole 'nother ball game in the memory department, one I will also get into at some point!

In the meanwhile: Happy Sunless Sunning! 


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