Elegant Survival

The Elegant Lady's Boudoir Is a Regularly Updated Feature

by M-J de Mesterton

 

Announcing the Elegant Lady's Favourite Source of Skin-Care, the Best Anywhere

M-J's Inside Advice

Nylons from National Hosiery, Made in the U.S.A.

Store your home-made creams and emollients in antique porcelain jars for an elegant presentation on your vanity. 

Smart & Sexy Lingerie Brand

Elegant, low-cost lingerie by Smart & Sexy brand is well-constructed. I have a silky camisole with underwire, which fits and supports like a "wonder" bra, for half the price.

Drawing from 1800s Yokohama, by C. Wirgman

Aveeno Positively Radiant Anti-Wrinkle Cream, and St. Ives Swiss Formula 24-Hour Moisture Hand & Body Lotion

It's been many years since I visited a beauty salon to get my hair done, or for any other purpose. There are several reasons for this, foremost among them is that the hair stylists I had, no matter how much money I paid, paid no attention to what they were doing. They were more interested in operating an inquisition into my private life than in the usual beauty operator's line--cutting my hair in a straight line. Going to Bergdorf Goodman's salon didn't make a whit of difference in the quality of my final result. Hair dressers blow-dry and style cut hair with a curling brush in order to conceal the bad job they've done. Once you wash the hair, the signs of neglect and poor craftsmanship appear.

 My husband enjoys cutting my hair. He uses some very good scissors from France. And he doesn't spend his energy asking about my private life--he is  my private life! Train your husband, wife, or trusted friend to cut your hair, and return the favor. Remember, the higher the quality of your scissors or shears, the better the haircut.

There are many brands of hair color on the market. Target and Wal-Mart carry Revlon Colorsilk, usually for three dollars a box. It is just as good as the more expensive brands. If your hair has already started to turn gray or, as in my case, white, choose lighter colors. I remember bumping into Tony Bennett back in 1980s Manhattan. He was dying his hair black then to look younger, but the effect was reminiscent of a wax museum replica. Now that he has let his hair go naturally white, he looks so much more healthy and attractive. The same is true for ladies. If you are fortunate enough to go white instead of gray, it gives a platinum blond look. White hair is usually much more delicate than gray, and thus is easier to color. Hair that hasn't yet turned, but is mixed in with white hair, will also dye or lighten more easily. If you have naturally black hair, lightening will be difficult. In your case, blending gray and dark hair with a shade just a bit lighter than your original one will be better than going to the lightest shade, because attempting to bleach black hair usually produces an orange result.  What you ought not to do is try to dye your hair as black as it was when you were young. Nothing is more difficult to keep up than dark hair with white or gray roots. Slightly lighter colors of hair dye will blend with the new growth of hair and give you an evenly pigmented coiffure. At three dollars a box, it is wise to stock up on your shade, because at times they are sold-out, and you don't want to be caught dead with  the wrong color on your head!

Copyright M-J de Mesterton 2008 

Paula Begoun, the Cosmetics Cop

The Elegant Lady's Boudoir Rediscovers Classic Pond's Face-Cream

We recently rediscovered an old, classic face-cream in an updated formula:

 Aluminum-free deodorant with lavender keeps you fresh under the arms, without the danger of aluminum chlorhydrate that is the main component of all anti-perspirants. I use it!

My husband found this new product for me: Vaseline brand Healthy Hand& Nail Conditioning, in lotion-pump or cream in a tube. Here is the description on the company's web-page:

~~I am testing this product now, am not affiliated with the company, and will give an objective report on my results in two weeks. My nails break whether or not they are polished. Since I am now keeping them bare, this product may help.

This product, if used regularly, works!~~M-J, July 2009 

~~Copyright M-J de Mesterton, June 2009

The Elegant Lady's Boudoir Is a Regularly Updated Feature

by M-J de Mesterton

The Elegant Lady's Boudoir Recommends:

The Stocking Store

The Stocking Store, at www.stockingstore.com is M-J's long-time source for garters and suspenders, reliable and inexpensive, made in the U.S. and England

Update, July 26th, 2007
 

Swisspers Suprême Cotton Rounds and Squares are the best quality cosmetic pads. Almost all other cotton pads fall apart when you use them, leaving bits of cotton that get into your eyes, etc. And, don't buy the Swisspers low-end product, because it disintegrates during use, like the others do.  Make sure you use Swisspers Suprême.

Swisspers are made by U.S. Cotton  in Rio Rancho, NM 87124-4517

Rimmel Eyeliners are inexpensive compared with Revlon, which, at six or eight dollars each, will break and become useless. Rimmel's product costs less than three dollars.

I wrote this for Eons in 2006:

Glamour at Home Can Lift Your Spirits

I've mentioned that looking as well as possible can enhance your physical well-being. This theory can be practiced when you are home alone as well as out and about. Sometimes, there are just too many mirrors in the house, and going by them in sweat-suits and other comfortable but unflattering ensembles can really bring you down.

The reason that I don't wear my best garments around the house is that I wish to preserve them. I wear them when going out or entertaining, however. I have discovered that looking romantic while working at home doesn't have to be uncomfortable. There are plenty of gorgeous gowns that aren't made of flannel, and some that are, over which one can wear a warm bed-jacket and even look presentable answering the door. Think old movies from the 1930s. Ladies often seemed ready for romance, though they were well-covered in luxurious fabrics. Comfortable slippers can even have a little platform and give you some added height to make you look stately. No, I didn't say stuffy or old, but rather a look that commands respect and admiration!

ebay for Old-Fashioned Glamour...

I've been searching for long, glamorous vintage peignoir sets on ebay, the great American invention where one can find, on a lucky day, almost anything from the past or present that one desires, and deal with nice people who aren't affiliated with big department stores! ebay has been a friendly and satisfying experience for me. My only problem lately is that vintage peignoir sets are selling like hotcakes! Oh, and here I thought I was being different and there would be few gals hunting for these gems, but alas, the competition is fierce! One can even find unused items from the Fifties, for example, so not everything on ebay is in used condition. I find that people aren't going to put things up for sale there which are drastically compromised or moth-eaten. There is a great system in place called feedback, where buyers and sellers alike can comment on their purchases and transactions. It's people helping people, too, which I like. Unload something you think someone else may need, and acquire something that someone else no longer has room to store. Keeps you out of the store, too, and shopping at home can be really peaceful and...COMFORTABLE!

Please consider punching up your home attire as an antidote to mirror-induced malaise.

Copyright M-J de Mesterton, 2006