Getting this off my chest

Chances are if you have been to a doctor lately you have been asked about your family history of diabetes. It’s equally likely that every month for the last year, you have read or heard at least one scary or freaky story about breasts.

This week, the news and medical establishments joined forces to add insult to injury. Researchers in Canada came up with a study linking a D-cup or bigger breast size in teenage girls to diabetes type 2 later in life. This study relied on the women’s recollection of their bra sizes when they were at that age. It’s interesting to note that large breasts at this age are often related to obesity.  In reality, very few young women are naturally drawn like Jessica Rabbit or shaped like a Playboy Bunny, without a little surgical intervention or at least a bunny suit. It happens, but the numbers are small and it requires rigorous diet and exercise.

I am the last person who wants information to be censored or held back. But I question how medical information is reported and vetted.  The number of preliminary studies full of potentially frightening and misleading information that are released and then trumpeted by the media seems to be increasing. In the last year when a study on the dangers of diet soda was released many leading medical experts were quick to state that dangers initially reported by the news media were much exaggerated. The poor researcher responsible quickly made it clear that the study was preliminary, and that it should not have gotten the weight it had by ill-informed media types. Even conservative nutrition and diet expert Dean Ornish said the dangers were exaggerated. Yet, for two days, chat-happy TV types and columnists got on their personal hobby horses about the dangers of diet soda. Do we really need this sort of ill-informed rumor-mongering?

Now there is a study possibly linking large breasts to a serious disease, diabetes. We already know Type 2 diabetes is brought on by obesity and a lack of activity. Some people have a genetic predisposition to it. The good news is that just a 5 to 10 percent reduction of body weight and 30 minutes of moderate activity such as walking can cause a 58 percent reduction in diabetes according to the American Diabetes Association www.diabetes.org That is much more important information for women at risk to have, and luckily it is available to them and their doctors.

Queen Latifah – a great role model for women in many ways - is also the newest spokesperson for Jenny Craig. She tells people that a 5 to 10 percent weight loss results in major health gains; even for those who will never be size 0. How fabulous is that; no matter how someone chooses to lose weight.

I think this diabetes-breast size study will be forgotten soon enough, but I resent it. I resent all the scary pointless heath news. People listen to it, but it doesn’t improve behavior. It just ratchets people up for a week or two. In its least dangerous manifestations, it makes many people obnoxious at cocktail parties or the office latte bar. After all, it is not as if most people can or would change their breast size surgically. Sometimes the consequences are more serious. Many physicians were less than thrilled when thousands of women jettisoned their prescription medicine and called their doctors, after hearing the announcement about the possible dangers of hormone replacement.

Following this latest announcement, medical experts were quick to point out that women shouldn’t dream of cutting off their breasts to avoid diabetes. Thank heavens for that wisdom. Several experts in diabetes treatment and prevention stated they hoped that this study would not be put into practice by family doctors in any way, as there was nowhere near enough evidence to start measuring young women’s breast as a diabetes marker. Thank goodness. The last thing young women need is more baggage surrounding their body images and breasts for no good reason.

It is hard enough to find the safe space between glowing good health and self acceptance.  Life is hard that way. We are supposed to be perfect and love ourselves the way we are, but darlings you know it’s just not that simple. We all want more. We want the whole package and there is nothing wrong with wanting beauty. It’s our right. 

There is also health to think about. Being too heavy is a major cause of many diseases. To be healthy and happy, we need to be fit. For many that is a daily struggle. I know I have to fight to stay at my optimal weight and at times it’s not so easy. We all have challenges; metabolism, diabetes, back pain, injury, acne, thinning hair, etc. You name it, darlings, and someone is doing battle with it. And that is small maddening stuff, we all know people who get really sick. Let’s face it, we are all fragile little creatures at times with feelings that get hurt. That is why I get burned up when the media runs studies like this with taglines such as: “small breasts may be better than big”, “small breasted women vindicated”, or “big breasts may not be so good”. Those were just some of the choice lines attached to this latest medical scare story.

This is the same small-minded, mean-spirited woman-against-woman journalism that covered such burning issues as: “grey hair is better than coloured”, “brunettes are smarter than blondes”, “blondes are sexier than brunettes”, and a host of other nasty stuff. It’s passed off as science and social thought by journalists who have nothing interesting to say.

It especially annoys me when the people who write and say these things are other women. Are they so insecure, devoid of imagination, or angry, that this is how they see the world? Why are we always being forced to choose sides, even when it comes to a possibly serious issue such as health?

I don’t like that kind of nastiness and I don’t like scare stories. We are all unique and we all have challenges, both corporal and spiritual. I think we all need the best information we can get, and intelligent discussion helps us make our way. It takes some effort to sparkle all the time - inside and out - but darlings -- don’t you love the glow you see reflected in the women you love. I do.

Get the scoop on how Hollywood gets glammed up

Longtime top Hollywood make-up man Bob Sidell shares his tips for creating the perfect look. After years in the biz working on popular show such as The Waltons, and looking after A-list celebrities, Bob created California Cosmetics to deal with the problems and concerns of his star clientele. He shares his tips in this exclusive interview with DolceDolce, on how to get the hottest looks and avoid the worst make-up mistakes.

DD:  What inspired you to create SilkSkinafter a career as one of Hollywood’s top make-up artists?

B.S.: I don’t think it was so much inspiration as a combination of need and ultimate laziness. I was doing a television show called the Waltons.  I had a cast that ranged from seven to 87, with a lot of teenagers in between.  The show took place in the Blue Ridge Mountains during the depression.  The people there didn’t use makeup and the characters in the show couldn’t look like they did.  Well, with a cast including kids with teenage complexion problems, this was a nightmare.  To make my job easier I needed to have great skin to begin with, not only for the kids but also for the whole cast. I got the help of a great chemist I knew and went to work to create a skin care system for me to use on the show. The system had to be easy to use, fast and very effective.  The SilkSkin system was the end result.

From that point it was sort of like the tail wagging the dog. The more the word got out about SilkSkin the more of my time was spent dealing with it. That was how California Cosmetics was born.

DD: How can complexion flaws be camouflaged without getting a “cakey” overly made-up look?

B.S.: Don’t make the mistake of thinking that the thicker a cover-up is the better it works. First of all, any camouflage should be applied under a sheer foundation, used as thin as possible. Most of the imperfections are in the red range and can be neutralized by using something that is a pale yellow or olive. So instead of trying to hide a red imperfection, neutralize it.  During the filming of The Hawaiians, the cast from the mainland all got sunburns. In order for the shots to match from day to day the red had to be neutralized before a foundation could be applied. The make-up artists on the show developed something they called Mellow Yellow. It did the job. The bottom line, however, is to take care of your complexion first and the cover-up won’t be an issue.

DD: What are some of the worst make-up mistakes women make?

B.S.: Far out ahead of all of the mistakes that women make with their make-up, is to forget that their body is more then just a face.  Have you ever seen a woman whose face and neck are different colors?  Keep in mind that the worst complement a woman can get is “your make-up looks great.” Think how much better it would be if it was “you look great”. Bring your foundation down over your jaw line and taper it off on to your neck.

Almost as bad, is the notion that if a little bit works a little bit more will work even better.

I was doing a lecture and demonstration in a shopping mall in Toronto, Canada and during a break I was people watching.  Around the corner came a woman walking toward me.  I was fascinated.  I watched her walk by and continue on.  After she was out of sight, I realized, I didn’t remember what color her hair was, what color her lipstick was or anything else about her, except the two very bright splashes of red on her cheeks. A little bit more wasn’t better. It failed in its primary purpose.  In fact the primary purpose of any make-up is to enhance the natural beauty which every women possesses.  Make-up is a tool, used to soften imperfections and promote the face’s best features.  Remember, the best complement is still “you look great”.

DD:  Are there any special tricks to getting a flawless finish to make-up that will stay put and still look natural?

B.S.: I think the first step is the selection of the make-up.  Just as important as the shade, is the type of foundation.  Look for a water-soluble make-up with a matte finish. The look should be the most natural, and used on a normal skin should look good all day. On dry skin, an under base of a sheer moisturizer first should do the trick. If you have an oily complexion, packing on powder only makes things worse. By the end of the day you can look like an unfrosted cake.  It’s much easier to simply absorb the oil that develops during the day.  There are products on the market, such as Face Savers, that, when pressed on the face, will absorb the oils without disturbing the make-up.

DD: Are there any special tricks to applying eyeliner for a dramatic look?  The Sixties lined eye is back, yet so many women just can’t master it.

B.S.: The “Sixties Eye” was influenced by Sophia Loren and copied by the dancers on all of the variety TV shows of the sixties.  It is, in reality, fairly easy to accomplish.  First keep in mind a couple of the basics.  Lines that go down show age or close the eye and lines that go up will open the eye. You’re going to line the eye at the base of the lash line. Line the upper lid just above the lashes and on the lower lid just below the lashes. Use a pencil rather then a liquid for a softer line, a brown/black pencil for brunets, a taupe for blondes and a brown for redheads. 

Start the liner on the upper lid at the inside corner of the eye and carry it three-quarters of the way to the outside edge of the eye.  Start the lower line about a third of the way from the inside corner and carry it all of the way to the outside edge of the lower lid. That line should end by going up.  If you use a straight edge, like your pencil, follow the angle of that line. You can extend it until it crosses a point that would intersect the line on your upper lid. Then just continue the upper line to connect and you will have created a small triangle at the outside edge of your eye that will be going at an up angle and will make the eye look larger and more open on the outside edge.  For a much more dramatic affect the triangle can be filled in.

 DD:  What advice have you given your clients to slow the clock?

 B.S.: There is only one certainty: when you wakeup tomorrow morning you will be a day older. Nothing is going to change that, but you don’t have to look older.  The answer is easy: GOOD SKIN CARE. That means you take the time every day to take care of your complexion. Not every other day or once a week, but every day. Don’t go to bed at night and say I’ll take my makeup off in the morning. Don’t go out in the sun without UV protection.  Don’t smoke. Most important of all: use a good skincare program. There are three things you have to do. Keep your skin clean, keep it moist and do it religiously.  Whatever products you choose should be easy to use, take very little effort, and be affordable. Choose right and a good complexion is easy. A good complexion is youthful, no matter what your real age is.

To learn more about Bob and his SilkSkin Products go to www.silkskin.com

Feeling flaky

Dandruff can be embarrassing and annoying. It afflicts most of us at one time or another. It's maddening: you wash your hair, condition, and brush, and there it is, just like in one of those tacky old TV commercials. Telltale white flakes appear on the shoulders of your new cashmere sweater or chic suit. It looks so dirty you want to hide. Don’t despair; dandruff has all sorts of causes from simple dry scalp - a problem for many at this time of year with overheated buildings - to having scalp that’s too oily. Some dandruff is even the result of a buildup of too many styling products. The good news is most dandruff responds to over-the-counter care. Head &  Shoulders makes a full line of shampoo and conditioners for dry scalp and dandruff. It comes in lots of formulas for different hair types, and great new scents that aren’t medicinal. The active ingredient, zinc pyrithione, zaps most dandruff gently. The new Head & Shoulders products are especially great if you colour or process your hair. They won't strip your colour or leave your hair dry. I have tried them and my hair was silky and my scalp felt fabulous. This is not your parents’ old blue dandruff shampoo. But if dandruff or any scalp condition doesn’t clear up in about two weeks, run do not walk to a specialist, hair problems can be serious in themselves or indicative of other health issues.

DolceDolce Best Beauty Buys and Deals

Petal lips

Try the old secret of supermodels: Carmex Lip Balm. Buy theoriginal in the pot with the bright yellow lid. Use it at night and even under drier lipsticks. It isn’t shiny, so I don’t like it for daytime. What it does have is super ingredients like phenol and resorcinol that exfoliate your lips and keep them fresh and plump. You’ll find similar ingredients in posher and pricier products. At less than two dollars, this is a definite beauty bargain.

Beauty balms

Balm. Don’t you just love the word? It even sounds soothing. No wonder it’s becoming the smart girls’ latest got-to have-it beauty item.

New York girls are snapping up Trish McEvoy Luxe Moisture Balm with SPF 15 by the makeup maven. This lightweight balm for about $28 is a fast fix for lips, eyes, and anywhere you need an instant hit of moisture. The stick design makes it super portable. A little moisture can make crow’s feet vanish and revive a faded face. Glam Balm by Rodial is my old standby. It slicks up lips, legs, and soothes chapped hands.  It’s full of essential oils to boost collagen and plump up skin. At top of the line product at $95 a tube, but I find a tube lasts me forever.

Surgeon’s Skin Secret is only $17 for two sticks full of moisture that heal and soothe. It’s scented with vanilla or lavender. There is no SPF, but I actually prefer not having an extra SPF for layering every day. It’s a personal choice.  www.qvc.com

Another smart stick is Palmers Cocoa Butter Stick, at about $3 and widely available. Right now, this is my choice; I am using tons of cocoa butter.

Sandra Freer, a member of our DolceDolceteam, recently tested the Unbelievabra, a unique bra and cami in one that supports and smoothes. I asked Sandra to test it because I knew she would be exacting, discerning, and not easy to please. When it comes to quality, you can’t fool Sandra. She says the Unbelievabra is fabulous. Sandra reports it’s comfortable, elegant, and most importantly, wearable. Not bad for a bra that lifts, smoothes, and gets rid of back fat and those extra strap lines, once and for all. Sandra has no issues with fat, but she loved her perfectly smooth back! If you think this type of bra might work for you  www.unbelievabra.com. Be sure to use their measuring guide; it is different but it works.

A chocolate cloud in a cup

This week’s wickedly rich recipe is perfect for celebrating Chinese New Year or Valentine’s Day. A trifle in a glass, it really isn’t cooking at all, but rather an assembly job - and that makes it a snap. Oranges - being round and having a bright colour symbolic of prosperity - are as traditional to Chinese New Year as gold. This recipe actually uses orange liqueur and optional edible gold to decorate the top, so it’s something of a stretch for Chinese New Year. But it is festive and fun, and few people will refuse this sweet little cup of love and air.

1½ cups of whipping cream, whipped and slightly sweetened with 1tbsp. of fine caster sugar or powdered sugar.

2 small good quality chocolate snack cakes or half of a chocolate pound cake, or you may bake a simple chocolate layer cake. Duncan Hines Ultra Moist works very well. Any light chocolate cake that you can turn into two cups of cake crumbs will do.

½ cup of crushed hazelnuts. Toast them lightly in a dry pan.

1 package of defrosted and drained raspberries, the nicest quality you can find. Add 1 tbsp. of orange liquor of your choice, and sweeten to taste. Frozen berries have a better texture for this than fresh, as they are more sherbet-like and blend into the dessert better.

Assemble each serving in large wine glasses or glass dessert cups. Toss the cake crumbs with few spoonfuls of orange liqueur to moisten. Do not get it too wet. Layer an inch or so of cake, then fruit, nuts, cream and repeat. End with the cream and nuts. For a wonderful look on special occasions, add the edible gold foil on top. Gold foil is available at cake decorating or gourmet shops.

These cups can be assembled up to a few hours in advance, if you have cold storage where odors won’t transfer. This should make about four servings, depending on your glasses. It multiplies or reduces easily. This recipe can also be adapted easily for vegetarians by using non-dairy topping and an appropriate choice of cake. There are now many cake or cookie options on the market suitable for all diets. You may have to try a few to find one that you like.

So darlings, another week. So much is happening in the world my head spins. We live in quite a time. There’s so much to be distressed about and then again so much to give us hope. I take heart that we are all here to support each other. That’s what I want to encourage here at DolceDolce and in every aspect of my life. Call it a gentle rebellion against everything and everyone who wants to encourage a lack of civility, kindness, manners, or personal freedom.

To all my Chinese friends - and the rest of you, too - a very happy Year of the Rat. It should be blessed with generosity, cleverness, and style. How fabulous is that? So until next week, offer someone a chocolate cloud in a cup, wish everyone gung hai fat choy in Cantonese or gong xi fa cai in Mandarin for a Happy New Year. And please sign-up if you haven’t already - DolceDolce is free. And please forward us to all your friends. Because life should be sweet, gong xi fa cai!