Free and easy, ways to look

and feel fabulous

almost instantly.

I will be the first to encourage you to adopt a lifetime habit of exercise, healthful eating, and careful planning for your career, wardrobe and finances.  But sometimes you just need to feel better fast and nothing else will do.

Maybe you’re feeling fat, blue - just not the full-out fabulous you. There are lots of reasons, but don’t fret; just grab this list of fast fixes and you’ll be feeling gorgeous in no time. Best of all there will be no nasty buyer’s remorse or hideous charge bill at the end of the month to reproach yourself with from this little self-love session.

There is almost no one whose posture can’t use a little improving. Standing up straight really does make you look five to 10 pounds thinner. It’s very simple to start to improve your posture; simply slip off your shoes and place your body against a wall. Relax your shoulders and square them against the wall. Keep your feet a hip’s width apart. Your knees should be relaxed, not locked. Drop from the waist, and then roll up slowly, vertebra by vertebra. End with your small back relaxed and your pelvis in a neutral position. Your shoulders should still be relaxed and squared. If you need more help with posture instead of signing up for a pricey course, go online and check out your local library’s DVD collection. It’s so much more sensible than buying a stack of discs that end up unused. Better yet, go to: YouTube.com for a really good expert video. How easy is that?

Pamper your skin at home. If you have a standing weekly appointment at a salon, darlings you are blessed. Thanks to my work, I have had access to brilliant professionals. We have great recommendations in our archives. Caring for your skin makes a huge difference in how you look and feel. But you can do wonderful things for your skin at home. At good home treatment can be better than what you may find at many poorly run, pricy salons.

At least once a week, exfoliate your skin with a gentle scrub or use a masque. It should be a small pleasure just for you. Olay makes wonderfully affordable products for all skin types. Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque is a favorite of mine and make-up artists to deep clean oily skin for pennies. There are fabulous products from Chanel, Biotherm, and others in our archives that make caring for your skin a treat. For a home-made masque for most skin types, try 1 tbsp of oatmeal mixed with 2 tsp. of honey. Leave it on for 10 minutes. Remove with a warm wash cloth. Your skin with be smooth and baby soft.

Once a week, deep condition your hair. This is great to do while you mask. If you have a beauty supply store near by you can buy single-use professional conditioning treatments just like they use at the salon. They only cost a dollar or two. In a salon they charge about $8 for the same thing. Just pick one for your hair “issue”. Work it in after you shampoo and cover it with a shower cap or plastic bag. There are lots to choose from, so you may see the one your salon uses. Feel free to experiment - after all, it is just conditioner. 

Learn to do a quick mani-pedi, or at least to remove your own past-due polish. If you’re weekly mani-pedi is your heart’s delight, I am not trying to deny you pleasure. But if it is a strain on your time or budget, learn to do it yourself. Believe it or not, everyone did in the not too distant past.  The writer Francine Du Plessix Gray, daughter of the famous Russian émigrés, Tatiana the designer and Vogue’s Alexander Lieberman, once pointed out in an article on style that we have, “all luxed-up”. I remember a warm feeling reading about her glamorous mother’s summer ritual of painting her toes with Revlon Red (favourite of mine today) and putting highlights in her naturally blond hair with peroxide-saturated cotton balls. The glam Ms. Du Plessix Gray contends that we don’t look any better today. I agree. Do your own nails and let them dry when you read. It takes only minutes to do a really good job. If you really don’t have a clue how to do it, go to YouTube and type: How to do a home manicure. At the least, banish chipped polish immediately.  Your hands and feet will look and feel better without tacky chipped lacquer. Keep a bottle of clear or nude quick-drying polish and give nails a protective coat. So much better - and it takes just five minutes!

When it comes to highlights, I am a bit more timid. Bleach is dangerous! Beautifully cared-for silver grey locks can be stunning. But mousey or half grown-out colour is blah and depressing. Think about freshening up your colour with Clairol’s Perfect 10. It’s practically foolproof. Choose a colour close to your own. It’s made to be quick, easy - and it smells nice. How fabulous to have glossy, shiny hair in minutes for under $15? Be sure to read all the instructions. Darlings do your hair. It doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Get a stylist you can afford, not one you can afford once in a while. Find one who is kind and listens. Look lovely. You deserve it.

Especially now that we are entering the bare season, never leave home without moisturizing all your skin. Slather your arms, legs, and don’t forget your décolleté. Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Body Lotion SPF 15 is rich and delicious. My favorite is hard to find: Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Formula Body Gloss. A friend tracked it down for me. I love it because it glimmers and makes your legs look fabulous. Olay Body Reviver Firming Lotion is also great for making your legs look lovely. It is amazing how good your skin looks when you keep it moisturized. I apply lotion right before dressing. I do my legs again right before leaving the house.

Stock up at the discount or drug store on lint removers and quick shoe-shines. Packs of baby wipes can substitute for both. Stash both strategically: by the door, in your desk, and in your car if you drive. Give your self a quick once over several times a day for smudges and smears. Baby wipes are great to clean everything from your designer leather bag to your face. You’d be surprised how Zen you feel when you know you are pristine. I’m hooked on lavender baby wipes.

Once a week dump your handbag out and clean it. Use baby wipes to safely wipe the inside, as well as the outside of your bag. Clean your makeup bag, too. Change your makeup sponges and puffs if you use them to avoid skin problems. Restock your mints, pens, fragrance, and tampons. I like to sharpen all my pencils and dip them in alcohol. Even though I am the only one who uses them, I like them clean-clean.

Always keep lip gloss with a pretty colour nearby. Match the shade to your skin’s undertone. Go for pink or peach depending on your own natural glow. Seriously darlings, grown-up girls don’t need chap-sticks they need gloss. A little colour lights you up. Stash gloss in your bag, desk, car, and by your front door. Stock up at sales. L’Oreal Paris and Cover Girl make chic for cheap. Be frugal, be lavish, glamour is so attainable.

Go for a 15-minute walk at lunch every day or take a 15-minute exercise break mid-afternoon. You’ll be more relaxed. It doesn’t have to be anything sweaty if you are in an office - just something gentle and relaxing. Do it alone and enjoy the “sound” of your own thoughts.

Straighten your bedroom, get a pretty scented candle, and try going to bed with soothing music and relaxing reading. No mysteries or stimulating books. Try going to bed as early as possible for a whole week.

Finally, just take time. Take time to mediate and dream the first thing in the morning or the last thing at night. I don’t mean TM mediation, although that is quite good if you are interested in it. I mean take time to reflect on your dreams and aspirations. Run through a list of your goals. Visualize your dreams. Visualization is a powerful tool; don't under estimate it. Every day, science amasses evidence that how you see yourself is how you will be. You can to some degree dictate to each and every little cell in your body. So take 10 minutes a day to send a loving, positive message to yourself. Be sure to let go of any negativity you may have picked up. Just renew your resolve, desire, and know you deserve the best out of life if you are willing to go for it.

It’s amazing the difference taking care of small things can make to how we feel. Some times it’s just a matter of getting a little more sleep or a few minutes of quiet.

Sometimes we need a little more movement or glamour in our lives. 

To take care of little things is a balm and a delight. You deserve it. So go to it.

Anne Gravel and Natalie Chiu

Photography by Natalie Chiu

Clothes by www.effiesheart.com

Shoes by www.cobianusa.com

Luck be a lady

Do you love the lush life? Do you feel lucky ? Then darlings, you may want to try your luck with Lush. They’ve put together a Viva Lush Vegas gift set of their “best bets” to celebrate opening their 100th store in sin city, Las Vegas. The set sells for $39.95 for two soaps, massage bar, bath bomb, and a shower jelly.

Lush is also offering a chance to win a trip to Mandalay Bay hotel in Las Vegas for two, and lots of other instant prizes. The contest is open to legal residents of the U.S. and Canada (except for Quebec). There is an entry form in each gift box, or go online to enter. No purchase is necessary. The contest ends June 13th. Go to lush.com . Check the site for rules and details.  So as Frank sang, Luck be a (Lush) Lady tonight!

Bare and beautiful

Some wax, others shave, and all of us complain! It’s a pain. Bliss-Philips Bikini Perfect Deluxe is a bikini trimmer you can use at home, a feminine and delicate answer to a very touchy problem. Use it for all your hair removal needs or to touch up in between waxing. It’s even safe to use in the shower. It comes with lots of attachments: bikini, legs, arms, face. You name it and it can take care of it.  Best of all, it is very private - and frankly this is one thing I am very private about.

Bliss Spa has teamed up with Phillips to make lovely products that make it even easier to stay hair-free. Bliss Ingrown Hair Eliminating Peeling Pads are designed to prevent ingrown hairs. And it’s not stingy and nasty like other popular products. A sample of the popular Bliss Lemon+Sage Plus Body Butter is included to make skin super soft.

If you have a serious body hair issues and want to squeeze out a little more time between waxing, Bliss Get Out of Hair may be your answer. It’s designed to slow hair regrowth after waxing or shaving. It’s $35. Check it out at www.blissworld.com. Or you may just want you use the nifty little gadget or wax more often. So nice to have choices.

Girls just want to have fun

Cindy sang it but aren’t we all feeling it? I know when it comes to working out, if it isn’t fun then it doesn’t get done. I confess - I need my motivation! That is why I love Hoopnotica Hoopdance Dance Basics and Hoopdance Workout. It’s out this July www.AcaciaCatalog.com  Just in time for summer fun.

Perfect for anyone who likes to play a little, while working out. You can do it in 20 minutes, if that’s all you have. You’ll need a grown-up weighted hula hoop and about 8 square feet of space. Try the local discount store and big box stores for the best prices on hoops. You can get them for about $35. It gives you a to-die for waist. That’s why we did it in junior high!

Zingy 8-minute

citrus and chicken penne

This is a fabulously easy and tasty pasta recipe. It uses BBQ or any leftover chicken.  The orange is unexpected, as it is not used in many pasta dishes, but it is really fresh tasting and a real crowd-pleaser even with picky eaters. This is also an easy dish to dress up for company with a nice green salad topped with a little shaved parm and toasted walnuts.  It’s especially nice as there no cheese in the pasta. For dessert serve some lovely fresh fruit topped with pureed frozen berries and a dash of liqueur.  Or maybe you prefer a pint of your favorite ice cream dished up with the same sauce.   Whatever sweet you choose darlings few would complain about this lovely little easy-does-it dinner.

For four

Use whole-wheat pasta. It has a nutty taste that goes well in this recipe. The type that I buy is also low-carb and high protein and a good source of Omega 3, due to added flax seed.  Try it and you may get hooked too.

Two cups of diced chicken, sliced into bite sized pieces. I used BBQ chicken from the store, but any tasty leftover cooked crispy skinned chicken will do. I remove most of the skin.

1 yellow bell pepper into small dice , ribs removed.

2 diced  French shallots

Fresh thyme and garlic

The rind and juice from two large seedless oranges. I wash and dry my citrus really well when I bring it home, as I often use the grated  rinds  or sliced citrus in cooking or beverages. Tests have shown the skins are loaded with gross bacteria from the store!

½ cup of really good Extra Virgin Olive Oil that you like the taste of. Remember that it will not be heated. I use Organic Sorelle  Paradiso Extra Virgin 100 % Sevillano Oil in this, as it is really buttery.

Sauté the vegetables in a small amount of regular olive with 1 tsp. of chili flakes and a crushed clove of garlic until soft. Add your chopped chicken and grate the citrus rind over the pan. Add the fresh orange juice and let simmer until the finished product is the consistency of light vinaigrette. Correct for salt. Add another small amount of crushed garlic or not to taste; I always add a bit more. Add 1 tbsp. fresh chopped thyme.  Turn off heat. Add the ½ cup of good quality extra virgin oil. Mix well. Serve over al dente pasta and toss well. Top with fresh ground pepper.

Cooking Note:

Listen sexy kitchen witches - you still time have to enter the smart salad contest judged by chef Charlie Ayers. The deadline is June 30th.

Darlings do something to make yourself feel fabulous this week. Take time to nurture your dreams. I’m not into journaling, perhaps because I write so much everyday. But many find it a wonderful way to channel their passions and unlock their creativity. The Artist’s Way at www.artistswayatwork.com might offer you some ideas. We are all unique. I find inspiration: reading, cooking, soaking in a scented bath, or in a few minutes of conversation with a friend. Very often some of life’s poetic moments are buried in the mundane, but that seems to make them all the sweeter. I wish you all a summer of fabulous visits from your muse.   

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