Currently- August 2017

Previously on Cats of Our Lives (mostly for those not following Jersey Cats  or my Instagram): When this happened last year the husband and I failed miserably at trapping the young mother who gave us Georgie, Lilian, and Gloria. During this time she had at least one if not two more litters who made brief appearances at the yards of our neighbors as well as here. Then on June this year I've watched her do the dirty right outside our bedroom window with the cat who fathered Gloria et al. . That was it. We were on a mission. Said mission was sort of put on the backburner for several weeks as our oldest cat, Peter, was on a rapid decline. He passed away a couple of weeks ago on Friday at age 16 and a half, which considering the myriad of health issues that bothered him since a very young age, was a small miracle in itself. He was a loving creature and I've loved him fiercely for his sweetness, weirdness, and funny little habits.

That same weekend, on Sunday, the Blond set the HAVAHART trap on our deck, hoping not to meet any of our opossums or other wildlife up close. Not even half an hour later he heard that telling click of the trap, and braced himself to apologize deeply to Arlo the groundhog.Only it wasn't Arlo. It was the very pregnant momma cat whom we've named Celeste as far back as last year. A quick tip to our vet (a trusted clinic that's open on Sundays=priceless) affirmed Celeste's condition, her good nature, and excellent health and we were on our way home, where we've transformed the guest bedroom (sorry, guests!)  into a maternity ward as well as a "from stray to domestic" school zone. We thought we had between a week to ten days to settle Celeste into a routine, but contraction started the next evening, and we watched it all happen on a closed-circuit camera we installed in the room (for Celeste, not for our guests, I promise). The next few days were a blur and i was not fully clear exactly how many kittens were in that sweet little pile hanging on Celeste's belly. The answer turned out to be seven.

Unfortunately, within a couple of days we realized something was wrong. Celeste was acting like a trooper, but she was visibly in pain. We rushed her to the vet who diagnosed an acute uterine infection (part of the placenta was still inside). She had to undergo an  emergency hysterectomy (plus the rest of the plumbing for good measures) to save her life. By the time she came back home practically as good as new the next afternoon we've lost the runt of the litter despite our best efforts (feedings every two hours day and night), but I couldn't even dwell on that. Here was a cat after a major surgery that needed to produce enough milk for six kittens. With our help, of course, but still. I can keep talking about all things kitten and lactation until we all grow whiskers, but I'll just tell you that at this point the babies have more than doubled their birth weight and today the first one has broken the 7oz point. Cue a happy milky dance.

We're adopting Celeste as we've always meant to do, and hope to quickly find the gorgeous kittens the loving homes they deserve. Considering how incredible their older siblings (same mother AND father) turned out to be, who wouldn't want one (or three)?   I have to say that with all that's been going on in our country and beyond over the last couple of weeks I'm not mad that my personal world right now revolves around feline bodily functions.

Book/Shame-Inducing Guilty Pleasure
Taking my attention span into account all I manage to read are Game of Thrones recaps. Almost each and every one of them. Most of them might not provide any new insight, and some are downright silly (seriously? the healthiest romantic relationship is between Cersei and Jaime? And what's with all the Jorah hate? I adore the guy). Still, my favorites are the ones on NPR blog (Monkey See), the Washington Post, and both recaps (Unsullied and Sullied) on Watchers On The Wall. Apparently I can also talk about Thrones until we all grow reddish whiskers like Tormund's.

TV
I can see you all roll your eyes. But one last thing: Were I the only one almost screaming at the screen when Sam completely ignored Gilly's huge discovery regarding Prince Rhaegar's marriage annulment? Yes, dragons, ice zombies, and ice zombie-dragons, I know. But I totally watch it for the family drama.
Also: How satisfying was the series finale of Orphan Black? I'm glad Rachel wasn't reinducted into #cloneclub. The only thing that could have made it better was a return of Daario Naharis from whatever frozen Tundra he was last seen roaming (or Meereen. Nobody deserves to get stuck forever in Meereen).

Music
As much as I dislike the name of the band Cigarettes After Sex I really do enjoy their Apocalypse. Actually the entire album is excellent.



Perfume
I told a friend that today I smell like a lactating cat dipped in Parfumerie Generale's Cuir Venenum. The latter blooms nicely in summer heat. But my biggest current infatuation is Bruno Fazzolari's Secret Feu. It's iris. It's Bruno. And it stays on my skin all day.

Makeup
All the blue, teal, and turquoise eyeliners.  I might not go anywhere tropical in the near or far future, but my waterline WILL be Caribean blue. If you're unsure about it, try L'Oreal Infallible Silkissime Eyeliner pencil in True Teal.

Frequently Worn Item/Outfit
Other than my glam kitten-nursing outfits my dearest items are light scarves that hide any skin that might pick out from my dresses and see sunlight. I cover up like my life depends on it, which in a way I guess it does.

Food
Meh. I'm over food. Unless it's butter (say it in Paul Hollywood's accent).

Bane
Let's not talk about it. Actually, you know what? Some things MUST be talked about, even though it's a beauty blog.  I try to keep my political views to myself for the most part, even when it gives me a serious case of TMJ.  But not today. Not this week. Not ever. Nazis are not nice people. Here. I said it.

Joy
Talking with my 9 year old niece about books.

Anticipation
Our 21st wedding anniversary.

Random Thought
I've spent embarrassingly long time pondering which one of the nerd trio on Buffy was the closest depiction of Joss Whedon. I used to think it was Jonathan, but apparently this entire time it was Andrew with a side of Warren.

Wishlist
Good homes for all kittens.
Also, a floral dress that goes from sumer to fall and won't make me look like Caroline Ingalls.

How've you been? What's on your list of loves and banes? Any wishes and recommendations?

Art: Insho Domoto, Cats, 1922.

Surviving August- Products For The Dog Days of Summer (and some nagging about SPF)

In all truth, this post should feature nothing but a single photo of the mammoth-sized air conditioning unit that sits behind the house. I owe it my sanity and should decorate it with flower garlands and assorted precious offering (preferably such that don't attract Arlo the groundhog). still, this is a blog about personal grooming, and as such we need to talk products. I'll skip the obvious: deodorants and blotting papers, a good rapport with one's pedicurist, and a large hat collection. Instead,let's look at the little things.

1. A good body powder to be used after the shower and before getting dressed. I'm all for luxurious Chanel after bath powders and even have a couple of pristine Givenchy III and Jovan Sculpture (a fogotten chypre) that I use before bed, but for daily use in generous quantities (and then some) I go with a classic, Roberts Borotalco, which you can find in various sizes and cheap prices on Amazon. It keeps my skin comfortable, non-sweaty, and fresh smelling from head to toe.

2. La Roche-Posay Serozinc spray. Not pictured here because I was distracted by something shiny while arranging the shoot, but this high-zinc water spray is calming my face and neck after scrubbing them to remove sweat and sunblock,  to recover from a heat rash or an allergy reactio, or just when my face is telling me that we both hate August. American stockist of La Roche-Posay don't have this miracle in a blue atomizer, but it's hard to find online from store like Notino.

3. Here's another essential  forgot to put in the photo. My old Clarisonic brush works extra hard during the summer (nothing like the gunk of a full day makeup, sunscreen, and good old sweat). I also has a Clarisonic Mia that was sent to me by PR a couple of years ago and has traveled the world with me. Since my skin is of certain age and more sensitive than ever, I use the brush with the dirt-cheap yet extremely gentle Cerave hydrating cleanser (it doesn't remove a speck of makeup by itself, but as the Clarisonic's sidekick it's excellent).

4. It's no secret that when I'm not out among people I keep my hair (all or partial) away from my face, up in a bun, half-and-half Middleton-style, or just twisted into one big mess at the nape of my neck (most likely). Even more than I like to hold my hair in pretty things I need said fripperies to be of an industrial strength. None of this is relevant if you have wispy silky strands that can be braided into glorious Daenerys Targaryen hairdos, but I need the big guns which I find at France Luxe. Some of these clips and barrettes are full glam and cost as much, others are a good balance of style and quality. I bu several new ones a couple of times a year because a girl with big hair needs a) variety, and b) some air flow on the back of her neck.

5) Dry Shampoo. Actually, all the shampoo in the world. But I've had days when my recently washed scalp was already crying for mercy by the time I was getting ready to go out for dinner in the city (also known as the polluted sauna). Bridging the gap is a good dry shampoo, and while I've recently tested that much-hyped foam one from Ouai, I was not impressed and promptly went back to my old favorite, aptly named New York Streets. I used to buy it by the dozen on Amazon, now it looks like a Walmart exclusive, which doesn't thrill me, but I'll pay the devil if I have to. Or switch to Colab.

6) The problem with waterproof mascaras is how cumbersome it is to fully remove them by the end of the day. Soaking, oiling, carefully babying, and you still end up with a faint trace under the lashes come morning. Tubing mascaras have been around for over twenty years, and I've recently gone back to the classic, Blinc. It forms a coat around the lashes (hence increasing volume), stay in place without disintegrating even under the worst conditions, and come evening you can take them all off with no rubbing or tugging, just use a washcloth well-soaked in very warm (not too hot) water.

7) Pure Aloe Vera gel. Yes, I also have Benadryl in cream and gel stashed in handbags ad around the house, but aloe is kinder and more versatile (burns, rashes, scrapes, bites, annoying people). I've been buying the one from Lily of the Desert for as long as I can remember. Some drugstores offer non-pure ones that are enriched with lidocaine or various antiseptics.

8) Waterproof eyeliners in easy to use gel formulas are everywhere. I'm an equal opportunity liner and my favorite come from many brands. Lancome Liqui-Drama (Sephora Exclusive) and YSL are outstanding for the range of gorgeous colors, but the Essence waterproof gel pencil ($1.49 on essencemakeup website) is among my (many many) staples.

9. Forgetting that one's lips require an SPF is the easiest thing in the world. You do your makeup, you prep, prime, line. and color, then you start your day and not always remember to do the whole thing right away between lunch and the car trip back. Any other scenarios apply. I love (love love) Coola Lip SPF. Tinted, plain, mineral, whatever. They all come in an SPF 30 and are very literally life savers.

10. Which brings us to the other life savers, and I mean that without a shred of sarcasm. The anti-aging benefits are nice and all, but a zealous and fanatical use of sunscreens does save lives. I'm cheating a bit here, since it's not an August or a dog days of summer product, but a 365 day a year thing, no exceptions. It's frustrating to see every corner pharmacy in France offering a variety of top-notch cosmetically elegant sunscreens at reasonable prices while our drugstores dole out those heavy white goops that promptly break me out and are impossible to use under makeup (and not that all of the eye-watering expensive stuff at department store counters is all that fantastic, either). Lucky for us this is 2017, consumer needs are heard (at least in some markets), and this internet thingy is making life easier.

I generally favor chemical sunscreen because they're the lightest and my skin is happy with them even if they contain alcohol. I buy tubes upon tubes of Japanese ones (Hada Labo and Biore) either online or at the local Japanese market, and use them like water (at around $13 a pop it's never an issue). Both my mother and husband have now converted. I also adore many French SPFs (see "cosmetically elegant"), though I purchase the European formulas and ot the USA versions, and do it through frenchcosmeticsforless.com (try sticking to your shopping list and not buying half of France). It's worth the wait time. They sell many brilliant sun protection products from bigger and smaller brands. My two favorites (texture and performance) are Uriage Bariesun SPF50 Cream (fragrance free) because it's gentle enough even on allergy days, and Bioderma Photoderm SPF50+ Laser Cream because it's the lightest and most pampering, yet effective enough for people undergoing laser treatments, so it's a no-brainer for a heavy retinoid and acid user like me (about $30 at the retailer mentioned above).

When it comes to purely physical sunscreens I've never had much luck until I've discovered Hydropeptide Solar Defense. The previous incarnation was only 30 SPF which I didn't consider enough for a midday outing but was adequate for a pre-sunset drive. It's now replaced with a beautiful SPF 50  ($48 on dermstore) that has a certain opalescent finish which I love under my foundation. It's the one SPF I'm willing to use instead of a primer, as it does a phenomenal job on both counts.

Five Little Makeup Tips That Make A Difference

It's always about the little things. I'm not going to tell you how important it is to avoid demarcation lines when applying foundation or blush, nor am I going to talk about blending your eye shadow (my personal rule about blending is that once everything is done and finished I take a clean brush and give my crease one more blending. It's kind of like the "look in the mirror and take one thing off just before leaving the house"). You already  know all of that and a lot more. The tips I'm sharing today are very little things that are easy to overlook though they make such a difference for me that I thought it's worth considering.

1. A good lighted magnifying mirror. They're terrifying and I doubt anyone enjoys staring at moon surface that is one's face monstrously enlarged. But this view is essential for at least two things: precision in applying eyeliner (especially since my eyesight is not what it used to be and I don't wear contacts), and getting a real idea of how my foundation, primer, and concealer interact with each other. The mirror shows streaks, flakes, questionable areas, and what really happens in my pores. It's the only way to truly judge a foundation as far as I'm concerned, as well as the true effectiveness of skincare. I use the Simplehuman 8" sensor mirror x5, and will probably add a small x10 at some point.

2. When it comes to eyelid primers less is more. I'm an enthusiastic advocate for primers. I use them on my face, lids, lips, and occasionally lashes. I never skip priming and will not consider doing a full face of makeup without this step. I've realized, though, how easy it is to apply too much, and I see the results occasionally on people's faces. I have yet to encounter an eye primer that requires more than the tiniest, almost pin-sized amount to create the desired invisible, smooth, perfect canvas. Annoyingly, whether you use a product in a squeeze tub or one that comes with a doe-foot applicator, the intuitive thing is to use the entire amount that comes out. That's at least twice what's needed, resulting in visible streaks, bleeding towards the lashes, pooling in the outer corners, and an even eye shadow application. The worst offender I know is Smashbox Photo Finish Lid Primer. The formula is fantastic and it comes in five shades, so it can camouflage hyperpigmentation on the lid. It fulfils every promise, but only if you scrape the applicator again and again and again, and then use a brush to pick a miniscule amount off it.

3. No matter how beautifully my mascara applies and how good it is, my lashes benefit from a quick go-through with a good lash comb. It's such a tiny thing that's easy to skip when in a hurry, but combing is the only way to completely separate the lashes, remove clamps, and create sophisticated  and elegant lashes. I know that retro heavy clumpy lashes were back for half a minute, but I prefer to avoid the 80s Aziza mascara look.

4. I like to start my makeup routine with exfoliating my lips. It doesn't matter what one uses: a homemade sugar-and-oil paste (messy and not my favorite, but it works), a balm/lanolin and a washcloth, or a commercial lip scrub (I like MAC and Milani, but will us whatever I've picked up while shopping for other things). Doing it removes flakes and also slightly prepares and plumps the lips for lipsticks. Treating the lips early one in the process gives them time to absorb some product, which helps prevent drying.

5. Good brows have both color and texture. When in a hurry it's tempting to go with the easiest, most fool-proof product one favors (for me that's Glossier Boy Brow in Brown with it's tiny brush and perfect-for-me color, but many prefer a clear gel or are so used to a specific pencil they can do it in their sleep). The thing is that achieving the perfect yet natural brows requires creating a three dimensioned realistic brow, not just filling in the gaps. This requires using two products of different textures that create a tiny bi of volume. It doesn't matter if it's pencil plus powder, powder plus gel, a pomade plus pencil or power--- whatever works. It's  that tiny bit of fullness that makes the brows look real and not painted-on.

Do you have small, almost trivial makeup tricks that make a world of difference?

The amusing image at the top is part of a beauty feature that appeared in the June 1972 issue of Vogue UK.