NARS & NUDESTIX For Everyday Wear

Nudes are popular for a reason. Wear them to look natural, yet polished ... like yourself only better. Most of my makeup falls into the nude camp. The attraction is intense! At times I buy a lipstick ... in what I think is a beautiful new shade ... get it home only to discover I own one that is nearly a dead ringer. A gorgeous nude has that kind of power over me: Sitting on a shelve in a shop looking so gorgeous, I'll buy it again! (However I'm watching this tendency and am committed to finishing what I have before bringing more home.:)

Nudes are for everyday wear, and what I like most: A nude color palette is low maintenance compared to bold, bright colors like reds or pinks. Nudes will still look great 8 hours later. You won't have to touch up your makeup as often. Enhance your features using nudes and forget about it.

The new Makeup Your Mind NARS palette is a collection of nudes with pizazz. There's sparkle and shimmer in the shades. The nude palette consists of: 3 blushes, 8 eye shadows and a simmering bronzing powder. All are blendable for high impact looks. At $49 (at NARS), it's a worthy splurge.

If looking for a handy, dandy lip color kit, it's here. NUDESTIX just dropped one that includes 3 highly pigmented lip+cheek pencil-crayons: one matte, one cream, and one gel. Containing a super moisturizing formula without stickiness, they come in a sleek mini tin with a mirror and a sharpener. When reasonably priced, I will buy a mini set of an otherwise pricey brand. If not overpriced, you appreciate how the minis fit conveniently into a purse. (But if a ripoff, make space to carry a full size, or find a knockoff brand). Cost of the lip/cheek kit: $25.

When it comes to makeup don't go naked, go nude!

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Pecan Cinnamon Coffee Cake Streusel

With fall arriving on the Western hemisphere, I began to crave a generous slice of coffee cake paired with a delicious, oversized cup of coffee on weekend mornings. But my rule is if I eat such treats, mostly I must make them myself. 

Otherwise I could balloon up to 300 pounds, and thus the reason for my rule: I can eat anything I want as long as I'm willing to make it myself! Make sense? Stops mindless eating. Homemade is often better ... and involves more time.

A browse of my blog's cakes and pastry recipes tells you I like sweets containing cinnamon and nuts. So America's Test Kitchen's Pecan Cinnamon Coffee Cake Streusel hits the cinnamon-nuts spot!  

Since you can watch the recipe being made for free online by registering, I think I can post the ingredients below, plus mention -- the (1) streusel topping and (2) cake batter are made separately blended in a food processor. It is necessary to mix the ingredients in the exact order listed with 4-5 pulses of a food processor. Do not over pulse, nor add ingredients out-of-order in this recipe, or what should be a light and fluffy coffee cake will form glutton resulting in a tough cake. And nobody wants to eat that!

America's Test Kitchen's Pecan Cinnamon Coffee Cake Streusel

Ingredients for the streusel topping:

Toss into a food processor --

1 cup of toasted pecans
1/3 cup brown sugar
🥮 Pulse 4-5 times in food processor
1/2 cup all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
🥮 Pulse 4-5 times in food processor again. Set aside.

Ingredients for the cake batter:

Toss into a food processor --

1 2/3 cups all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
🥮 Pulse 4-5 times in food processor

The spring form pan I own.

7 tablespoons of soften butter
🥮 Pulse 8-10 times in food processor

Directions:

1) Watch America's Test Kitchen's video as a thank you to them for creating the recipe for us!

2) After watching ATK, you can return here to my cheat sheet for the ingredients. I watched and jotted them down for you and me to return to time and again.:)

3) You will see how the bakers of America's Test Kitchen pour the cake batter into a 9'' spring form pan.

4) The topping is added from the outer edges first, followed by pouring it in the middle. That way the middle doesn't sink with streusel leaving uneven topping on the edges.

5) Bake at 350 degrees F for 55 - 60 minutes. Wait for the coffee cake to cool before you cut and eat it.

Undoubtedly, you can make the coffee cake with an electric mixer, but ATK made the job quicker with guaranteed light and fluffiness if you follow their directions exactly. 

You can watch AKT for other excellent recipes also!


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SIRUM Aims To Save Lives With Unused Medicine

Occasionally my doctor gives me a prescription for medicine, and sometimes I have some leftover. I know what not to do with it:

1) Don't stop taking the medicine just because you feel better unless your doctor says it's OK. If she says take it as needed, you can stop when you no longer do. If she puts you on antibiotics for an ear infection, it's important to take it all.

2) Don't toss the extra medicine down the toilet, nor in the trash can, as it ends up in our waterways killing fish and harming the environment.

3) Don't take it upon yourself to share your medicine. You need to go to medical school and understand the medical history of another person to know what's safe.

So what should we do with unused medicine?

Recently I asked my pharmacist if New York state lets him redistribute unopened, unexpired medicine free of charge to patients in need who come in with a prescription they can't afford to fill. Not a surprise, the answer is no.

There is a conundrum in our country: 50 million people in the USA skip their medicine because they can't afford the cost. Moreover, it costs money to destroy medicine, and 70 of our waterways are polluted from pharmaceutical runoff.

Waste, waste, waste! But now there is a solution.

SIRUM (or Supporting Initiatives to Redistribute Unused Medicine), is an innovative website started by Stanford University students, which aims "to stop medication waste and save lives" by doing what my pharmacist cannot do. Accept donations from organizations, as well as, individuals and get it to the people who need, but can't afford to buy it.

The nonprofit venture has coordinated a network of medical, administrative and distribution facilities to collect, check, follow state regulations and redistribute the medicine safely and legally.

So whether you need medicine you can't afford, or have medicine you can donate, here is SIRUM's website (and a phone number: 650-488-7434 for questions) to get started.

It's been a goal of mine to find such a resource. So glad it exists!


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Color Sensational® Made For All Lipstick By Maybelline

Photo: The Today Show

Here's a heads up: There will be 3 blogs published this week. Stop by on Wednesday and Friday for more!

First up is Maybelline's recent launch of a new line of lipstick called  Made For All Lipstick by Color Sensational® that is created to be universally flattering on all skin tones. So if you wear lipstick, you can wear any of the 7 new shades!

Rich pigments, the lipstick is moist and creamy and looks fabulous on everybody, regardless of skin color, or undertones. They are 7 beautiful, classic colors also! Satin and matte lipsticks, the hues are a range of nude, pink, red and plum.

Maybelline calls their Color Sensational® Made For All Lipstick a game changer that takes the guesswork out of selecting lipstick. It's a makeup item that made Allure magazine's Best Of Beauty 2019 list; and customers give the formula and colors high ratings too.

Nudes are trendy and safe, but now women can break out of their comfort zones to try new shades of pinks, plums or reds! Go wild with confidence!

Photo: thehappysloths

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Target Celebrates 20 Years Of Design Collaborations

Isaac Mizrahi for Target silk dress

For 20 years Target has partnered with the likes of Isaac Mizrahi, Anna Sui, Zac Posen, Philip Lim, Lilly Pulitzer and others to launch their designer collections at budget-friendly prices. Clearly I'm a big fan! My 1st Liberty purchase of clothing was a 100% cotton Liberty of London for Target summer dress. Only $25, and I still wear it! Nice introduction, eh?

Italian designer Missoni for Target collaboration captures its trademark zigzag pattern.

Target's 20 years of Design For All launches in stores and online on September 14th -- two days away! -- with a curated collection of the past 20 years of  "collaborator" style.

Photo: Benjamin Lozovsky/BFA.com of Lilly Pulitzer For Target dresses

Target's collaborations make the innovative work of top designers accessible to the public by mass producing it. Customers can pick up some lovely things for their wardrobe, or home at a fraction of their usual cost. The quality may not be quite as rich as what lies in Bergdoff Goodman, but you pay much less for very decent quality. Offering good value for less is a fair tradeoff! Moveover, the goods last for years.

Michael Graves For Target's spinning whistle teakettle

I love the little number at the very top: an Isaac Mizrahi silk dress for $60 bucks! You are hard pressed to buy silk fabric to make the dress yourself for less!

Rodarte for Target for a night out on the town

I've spruced up today's blog with some of my favorites from Target's 20 Years of Design for All collection including: Lilly Pulitzer's Palm Beach floras, Missoni's teacups and Michael Graves teakettle. The Rodarte nylon frocks are dressy and edgy chic!

Thanks Target and partners for 2 decades of affordable style! Jointly you are the Edwin Markham of elite designer commerce: “He drew a circle that shut me out - Heretic, rebel, a thing to flout. But love and I had the wit to win: We drew a circle and took him In!”💋

20 Years of Design for All spans quite a big anniversary collection of wares! Take a look by clicking on the links provided. What are your favorites? What would you like to have in your closet and/or home for less?


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Florence by Mills Beauty From Millie Bobby Brown

Photo: getthegloss

Florence by Mills is a new line of skin care and makeup from generation Z (i.e., 15 year old actress) Millie Bobby Brown. The beauty products contain natural ingredients infused with vitamins and botanicas that are not tested on animals. They are targeted for teenagers, but all ages and skin types can use them. 

Sold at Boots in the UK and Ulta in the US at such affordable price points with good clean ingredients, they are worth putting on your radar! 

Although I always take note for whom products are formulated, when anyone can benefit ... use the brand. Sometimes it's only marketing. At other times, it simply means the beauty line is more gentle. For example, products created for young skin won't have heavy perfume. This brand is phthalate free, paraben free, sulfate free, artificial scent free; and it is good for universal skin!

What's more, I lean towards a fresh, natural look. I want to look like myself ... but my, enhanced, best self! You?

The light face tints, under eye concealers, cream blushes and lip glosses are worth a browse.

It's fantastic to have additional choices, budget-friendly prices and simple yet attractive packaging ... all bringing us back to what is truly important. What's inside: Products that work, sans wasteful packaging, or inflated costs to pay for fake, so called exclusive "luxuries."  The fact that Florence by Mills is sold at Boots and Ulta, retailers who run a ton of sales, means trying them for less is a must.

The future's Generation Z looks bright, no? Not to mention fresh and attractive!


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