Ugly Beauty

Call me Oprah, but I’ve had another “breakthough” moment. Bear with me.

I think it’s cute that my husband honestly believes he can win contests that are painfully, obviously rigged (and tries to do so on a regular basis – it’s sad to watch).  I love that he is seriously heartbroken when our 2-year-old withholds a hug or kiss, or has a harsh word.  And I am ever grateful for the fact that he is truly, wholeheartedly supportive of nearly everything I do.  I adore the blessing that my daughter is bright, beautiful, sensitive, and absolutely enjoys life.  It thrills me to no end when she grabs my face with her tiny little hands, smacks on a big kiss, and says, “You’re my best mama.  I wuv you in the WHOLE world!”  I have caring, intelligent parents and loving sisters.  Even so (with all these graces bestowed upon me), there are times when I wake up thinking, “Is this really my life?”  I wonder what life would be like had I been born into a different family, gone to a different university, chosen a different career, married a different man, or decided not to have children.  It’s awful, I know.  I admonish myself daily for this, but I can’t seem to help it.  When this happens, when I feel like I have no control over my life, I find that I spend waaay too much time picking out just the right scent of lotion or hand cream.  I linger just a little longer at the mirror, trying to perfect that superficial swipe of eyeliner.  I needlessly fixate over what to wear to the grocery store and spend an hour choosing just the right pair of sweatpants.  What, like the frozen peas care?  But, the fact that I have choices that I can control consumes me.  (I think it’s also about covering up how ugly I feel inside.  If I pass a mirror and see a well-put-together woman, maybe that image will convince me and others that I really do have it all together.)  While I can’t (nor would I want to) trade in my family, I can change my fragrance, lip color, or hairstyle at whim and not ruin too many lives in the process.  So, you see, while my growing obsession with vanity goodies seems somewhat out-of-hand and vacuous, it does give me a much needed outlet for my fickleness.  What have I always said? … It’s not just skin-deep.  Beauty is therapy.  God, I’m like freakin’ Freud or something.  Oh yeah, I’m good.  Feel free to pay me now.

PS -  When I think about all the things my life could be … I feel pretty darn lucky.

*Product Review:  Rhonda Shear Mesh Dot Underwire Leisure Bra

Alright, well this is one of those I-feel-like-crap-so-I-gotta-look-good items.  I bought the first of my two bras (Item #958-618) at the HSN original price of $29.90.  For that I couldn’t recommend it, but for the new clearance price of $19.90, it’s worth a try.  Very rarely do I order bras that are just pretty and not all that practical, so this was a bit of a splurge.  Currently residing at a 34C, I would normally have ordered an XS from this line, but the small works better for me.  My advice:  size up from where you think you would be.  I got the black first, then went back for the nude.  Both are enjoyable.  With the nude, however, the seam tore after one wearing.  Don’t be afraid to return, though, people.  I shipped that sucker back faster than you can say stat, and got a fresh spanking-new one.  No problem with this one, and I didn’t have to pay for shipping, since it was due to a defect.  Now, from the reviews I’ve read on the site, many people were disappointed with it, but I think the deal with this bra is that you’ve gotta know what you’re in for.  Will it fit everyone?  No.  Come on, it's S-M-L.  It'll only work for you if your breasts are fairly well in proportion to your band size.  Is it practical?   Probably not. The texture that makes it so pretty also makes it show through many fabrics. I wear it under sweaters, and more textured garments.  Is it durable?   Not so much.  You must be very gentle with it, and don’t even THINK about a dryer, my friend.  (Although, I don’t put ANY undergarments I care about in the dryer.)  But, sometimes you don’t need forever, you just need “for pleasure”.  Know what I mean?  For me, this is it.  Honestly, I don’t have a problem with it digging in or being scratchy (as some reviewers had indicated), but I still have no idea why they call it a leisure bra.  To qualify as a leisure bra, in my mind, it has to be comfy enough to sleep in.  While I don’t have any issues with it during the day, I’m not about to slap my slumbering bosom into it, either.  I like the fact that the cup is molded to ensure a nice shape and proper up-lift. It’s also nifty that the straps are completely removable, allowing you to attach your own straps or wear it as halter, racerback, or (in a pinch) a strapless.  It has a very romantic look to it, but it’s totally full-coverage.  It’s feminine, flirty, and makes you feel like you’ve got a bit of a secret surprise underneath it all, without the discomfort of being sexy.  Does that make any sense?  This is a total “for you” bra.  It’s not seductively sexy, it’s cut a bit higher, but that’s what makes it comfortable.  Listen, I don’t expect this one to last for eternity, I just like that it makes me happy while it’s here.  For its mood and boob-boosting abilities … 3 ½ Stars

Skinny Little Fat Girl

Let me just vent for a moment.  Why does no one understand that small people can be fat too?  People think that, just because you're a size 0 or 2, you don't have rolls of annoying fat and unsightly cellulite.  It pisses me off to no end every time I go looking for a pair of suck-you-in support garments only to find they start at a medium or size 4.  Hello!  What about us slightly-overweight-but-still-in-need-of-major-assistance girlies?  HSN carries three clothing lines (DG2, Serena Williams, and Iman Global Chic) that have fabulous, figure flaw correcting jeans.  The popular Not Your Daughter's Jeans are another.  They are incredibly figure-enhancing designs intended to flatter a curvier woman's body.  The catch:  they don't come small enough!  Make a 0 and 2 for Christ's sake!  I need my butt lifted and belly fat flattened just as much as the next gal.  It's all relative.  I've known size sixes and eights who were more smooth and taught than I.  Trust me, as a size 2, I can attest to the fact that size isn't all that matters.  Even when I dip down into the zeros, I still have my issues.  I'm not saying I'm obese, but I still have the same problems that most women do.  Don't think us small gals aren't rockin' the Spanx as well.  In the end, who cares what size you wear, if your body's smokin' hot underneath.  Size is just a number, girls.  It's all an illusion.

*Product Review:  Philosophy Holiday Hostess Set

OK, so this is the set I based my very first review upon around this time last year.  The big difference:  the first set contained the very popular Cinnamon Buns fragrance.  This year's set contains 8 oz. of philosophy’s Sugary Cinnamon Icing Shampoo, Shower Gel & Bubble Bath and 8 oz. of the Sugary Cinnamon Icing Body Lotion. I did like the Cinnamon Buns fragrance, but it wasn't something I particularly wanted to wear out of the house.  Well, the Sugary Cinnamon Icing fragrance is a marked improvement.  It contains all of the warmth and fresh-baked cozy goodness of the original scent, with much less cinnamon.  The result is an absolutely captivating, buttery rich cinnamony-vanilla scent that just enwraps you with sweet, indulgent deliciousness.  Exactly what I wanna carry with me all day.  (I wonder if my food obsession has anything to do with my weight problem?  Hmmm.)  Anyway, it's a winner for sure.  Even with only half of one good nostril -- I have the WORST head cold, you have no idea -- the scent is strong enough to delight me, but not overwhelming.  Oh, and PS - it moisturizes well too, but ... whatever.  I sincerely hope they expand upon this one.  If only it had all the matching fragrance spray, hand lotion, and sanitizer accouterments, it would make the perfect product line.  I stumbled across this item at Sephora for the same $20 I paid last year.  Let me tell you, it's a GREAT value.  Once again, it's a 5-Star that makes a wonderful, inexpensive gift for any foodie girly-girl on your list. Try it! You’ll LOVE it.

Philosophy Holiday Hostess(TM) Set Holiday Hostess Set