I am in Miami this week working and visiting my family.  On Sunday, as I sat on the couch cheering and rooting on the athletes competing in the Olympics, my great niece Vanessa asks;  “what is it about the Olympics?”

What makes me so excited about the Olympics is The thrill of victory...and the agony of defeat...the human drama of athletic competition! I grew up with ABC’s Wide World of Sports and the words and images from the introduction were indelibly etched into my subconscious. Even as a child, I understood the dedication and sacrifice that constituted the “human drama” and I wanted to applaud the effort.

I love cheering people on. I have been known to show up at random spots on the course during the Loppet or Twin Cities Marathon (as well as other events) to cheer on friends and strangers alike. Last week, I was in a hotel room cheering so loudly for Julia Mancuso (USA’s Bronze Medalist in the Super combined), I thought the hotel would send security to my door and ask me to quiet down.

Here’s my favorite part; Julia flies down the hill during her last run—gets to the bottom of the slope, whips off her ski mask, and……“Is she wearing sparkly eye shadow?” YES……yes she is! I love a girl that loves a little sparkle; as a matter of fact her brows are beautiful groomed.

There has been a marked improvement in the quality of hair and makeup in the area of the Olympics, I consider the glam event: Ice Skating. The garish make up of the past has evolved into applications that are both artistic and modern. Applications equivalent to beauty we see on the pages of fashion magazines. Check out Meryl Davis gold medalist of the USA Ice Pairs Ice Dancing or USA’s Gracie Gold. But the Alpine events? The Snow Boarders and Luge? Even there, most of the girls are getting a little glam on.

Is it in this age of social media and selfies, we have realized that it’s important to look good all the time? Or could it be and as I believe, looking your best makes you feel more powerful? Who knows, maybe a little sparkly eye shadow can make you fast enough to win a medal, or at least make you feel like you just did.

By the way, Julia Mancuso also brought her own tiara to the Olympics.



What you need to get the look:

• A good pair of Tweezerman tweezers.
• Bobbi Brown Crystal Eye Palette (for light skin tones) Nude Eye Palette (for medium skin tones) to add a little sparkle.
• And Vincent Longo Original Lip and Cheek Stain in My Sunshine to give you the Medal Winning glow.

Simple!

It’s week two of my favorite month; and no better way to start it off than at the Elixery’s “candy store” themed pop-up shop in the Downtown Minneapolis City Center. Along side the Elixery’s uniquely formulated, compounded-from-scratch, and hand-poured lip sticks, will be an assortment of local apropos Valentine gifts—especially important in case anyone forgot to buy me a birthday gift, or are looking for the perfect Valentine all in one place. The shop will be open from Monday, February 10th through Friday, February 14th, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.

The temporary shop will feature the Elixery’s signature lipsticks (which I am wearing now) as well as new Elixery offerings. I am most excited to pick up the limited edition Brown Sugar Scrub. It’s a moisturizing Organic Cocoa Butter and Organic Jojoba oil combined with scrumptious brown sugar to scrub away dry skin and leave you soft and caress ably silky. Since I am out of town this week I asked Karoline at the Elixery to save one for me and she promised to do so!

The other Elixery item I am excited about is the Raspberry Lip Scrub. If you are planning on doing any canoodling this Valentine’s Day, this delicious lip scrub will leave your lips ready for action! If you’d rather smolder than smooch, the same lip scrub will prepare lips perfectly for the Elixery’s lavish handmade lipsticks.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ELIXERY
The shop will also feature other great gift items from local cosmetic brands such as:

Bodylish and their lovingly handmade products like the I ♥You Bath Bomb that makes your body delicious.

Worker B’s signature lotion bar. Yes you read that right, it’s a lotion in solid form. The bar melts with body heat while the natural moisturizers absorb quickly and completely without leaving a greasy residue—they are also unbelievably convenient for travel.

3-Way Beauty’s Wicked candles.

3 way because:

1—it’s a candle
2—you can use warmed oil for massage (ah….Valentine’s Day potential?!)
3—the container can be used as a stem-less wine glass. I’ll take a dozen!

Other reasons to stop by the pop up shop this week: entertainment. Hennepin Theater Trust will provide entertainment daily during the lunch hour. I even heard there will be tango dancing; how romantic and sexy! Who knows…you might even pick up some new moves.

On February 13th from 4-6 p.m., the Elixery will hold a Prototype Party for customers to sample potential new products including a new shade of red lipstick. It’s your chance to add your personal input and opinion to a new shade of red. It might end up being your signature color.

On Friday February 14th, Valentine's Day mini-makeovers will be offered by Candra Ruiz Makeup Artistry. There will also be additional products and random giveaways as well as other surprises throughout the week. Check out the Elixery’s social media channels to stay informed.

Check out my Valentine’s gift Pinterest board for additional gift ideas. Happy VD!

February is a big month for me. First off, it’s my birthday month, and by month, I mean I like to celebrate for the entire month. February also includes one of my favorite holidays: Valentines’ day. I love everything about Valentine’s day—red is one of my favorite colors, hearts, chocolate, LOVE, and lingerie.

Speaking of lingerie brings to mind a couple of pointers for looking your best when you slip into those perfect Valentine intimates.

 Hair RemovalThis may go with out saying (but I’ll say it anyway), smooth legs, under arms, and a flawless bikini line are essential in making any underpinning that much more attractive.
Whether you wax, shave, or use a depilatory cream, do it at least one day before wearing your lingerie to allow the skin some time to recuperate.

How to choose?
Waxing: Best for darker coarser hair.

• Benefits—smooth skin for an average of three hairless weeks.
• Drawbacks—needs at least a ¼ inch regrowth to be effective, can be difficult and messy and when done at home, can be costly if done in salon.
• My recommendation: best done in salon by a professional.

Shaving: Best for lighter finer hair.

• Benefits—quick, easy, and inexpensive.
• Drawbacks—razor burn, nicks, quick regrowth.
• My recommendation: Pre-moisten the skin, use a shaving gel (not soap), use a sharp razor and shave in the direction the hair grows.

Depilatories: Works to dissolve all types of hair at the follicle.

• Benefits—Quick, easy to use, leaves the skin feeling smooth.
• Drawbacks—contain strong chemicals that may cause irritation on sensitive skin, quick regrowth.

Radiant SkinNow that we have discussed hair removal, let’s talk beautiful, radiant skin!

Whether you choose a negligée or a corset and G-string, these are just accessories to enhance your body and skin which will be the focus of attention.

I can’t say enough about the importance of exfoliation. Use a gentle body scrub (you can skip legs as hair removal also exfoliates the skin). I LOVE Fresh-Brown Sugar Body Polish. The reason this is my favorite scrub is that it gently buffs away dead skin cells while leaving the skin moisturized, and it has the added benefit of a truly heavenly scent (don’t forget to give a little extra love to rough spots such as knees, elbows, and feet). 

Lastly, consider your skin tone. Most of us look (or at least feel) better with a little color especially after a long winter. Nothing is sexier than radiant, glowing skin. Consider using self tanner to add a little warmth to your skin.

For do-it-yourself-ers: I LOVE Clarins Delicious Self-Tanning cream. This self-tanner has, as the name implies, a delicious Cocoa scent and a tinted caramel color for easy application.

If you would rather have an expert help you get your glow on, check out Go Glow. Best part, they come to you and according to the Go Glow website: “Glow specialists can subtly shift the tanning palette to respond to your body's contours, minimizing "trouble" areas while highlighting your natural assets. As we say at Glow, if you can't tone it, tan it!” How’s that for improving your confidence!

No matter which lingerie look you choose to wear, a little prep work done before hand will give you self-confidence and put a swagger in your step. Most importantly it’s how you feel in your own skin that makes you look sexiest.

published in MN MO TC Style blog