Evidence of a Woman's Presence...

...in my house. LFG sorely needed a shower after soccer practice. Wonder where she gets the "drop your clothes right where you take them off" trait from? Yep, it's genetic.

Post shower, LFG says that she'd "rather write than watch TV"...She makes me aware that her first draft of Alone: The Adventures of Febe and Fay is in need of some editing and she needs to do it now. It's a writer's thing I suppose. Don't ask me if I'm proud enough to bust.

I've got two decent posts coming this weekend. Cordovan and Cleft Lips and Bobby from Boston. Stay tuned. And finally, if you are in Boston this Sunday, how's about a swing by over at the Top Shelf Flea.

Onward. ADG and LFG

Stunning mineral illuminating powders with pearl powder and diamonds...

This post is actually part two of the Haul.

I wasn't planning on getting Laura Mercier's mineral illuminating powders - I didn't even know about them, to be honest - but once I'd tried them, I had to get them. There are two colours to choose from and I first got Starlight. Then I went back and got Candlelight, too. I adore these!

Starlight (L) and Candlelight (R)

Starlight is the lighter shade and it's described as a 'golden nude' on their website. It has a beautiful, soft shimmer that's supposed to give a natural, healthy glow. The ingredients are really glam: pearl powder, diamonds, emeralds and other precious / semi-precious stones!

It's definitely not for using all over the face but it's pretty as a highlighter. If you look at the swatches below, you'll see that Starlight is the most subtle because it blends in better with my skintone. MAC pigment Naked is rather pink and Vanilla is very white with a strong and visible sheen.

(from L to R) Starlight, MAC pigment Naked, MAC pigment Vanilla

In daylight (no direct sunlight)

In sunlight - sparkles are visible

In artificial light - also sparkly

Candlelight is more of a pink tone. It would add a nice bit of colour and shimmer to a beauty powder or light blush on the cheeks. It might even work as a blush on its own but I haven't tried that yet. Or as eyeshadow, actually. These powders are basically like MAC's pigments.

I swatched Candlelight alongside some random colours on a different day in different lighting (still outside). Candlelight ended up in the middle. Naked pigment is on the left and Soft and Gentle Mineralize Skinfinish on the right.

L to R: MAC pigment Naked, Candlelight, Soft and Gentle MSF

The one last thing that I got is the new Secret Finish - Mattifying. It comes in a small tube and the consistency is slightly strange; it's described as a liquid-gel that instantly absorbs excess oil and removes shine for hours. It's primarily for touch-ups.

I've only used this once so far but noticed that you have to be careful with the application. Don't try to rub the product in because that will 'push' the make-up around and possibly 'dilute' it. Better to spread it out on the back of your hand first, then just tap it into the skin. 

Whew. I think that's enough Laura Mercier for a while. Coming soon is MAC - the new collections that I wrote about in my wishlist. Yay! 

Sartorial Boston

It’s that time again. I’m blessed to be busy and this week the task at hand manifests in Boston. I love Boston and it’s almost the perfect time of the year to be here. I say almost only because this week the Boston temperature one day was 45 degrees. No biggie since I’ve been indoors all day running a meeting but still, it’s difficult to pack the proper duds for these gigs. Just as soon as I thought it was an unequivocal no brainer to stow away the moleskins and corduroys for the season, I’m wearing both here in Beantown. I'll skip the "guess the airport carpet" game as it's fairly obvious that I'm flying out of Heathrow this week.

Most of my recent Boston visits have limited me to Wellesley and precluded any free time to play downtown. I’m gratified to be working up here in one of the sweet spots for the Biotech industry but am more gratified this time to be downtown. I rolled in early enough on Monday to make my usual rounds along Newbury and adjacent streets but also to hang out with my boy Giuseppe from An Affordable Wardrobe. I couldn’t show up empty handed so on Sunday afternoon I rolled over to Target and grabbed some goods for the little G People. I also pounced on Liberty of London boxer shorts as well. $2.99 a throw and no-I’m not proud. It’s the new me…procurer or sartorial elements that roll down a checkout conveyor belt.

Heathrow saw me with an old pair of Lucky Brand Jeans and my timeless Ralph Navy D.B.. Suede monks and a monogrammed shirt of no consequence round it out for me. Anyone else discovered Clif bars?

Horizontalia never looked so funny. Suede Monks...not quite as versatile as a loafer but pretty darn close. Post security screening-refractory period...I haven't worked up the juice yet to buckle my babies again. Matter of fact I don't think I did till I landed at Logan.

I drop my bags at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel and grab a cab over to the North End. Amazing the crispness of this iPhone photo. Meg.

Check out the G-Trio...makes me long for my old Slingerlands. 

The G-String and I’ve been trying to connect in Boston for a while but I haven’t been able to make it work. .  I’ve usually had to do a quick in and out because my juju was required the next day in another part of the contiguous 48. I’m glad we made it happen on Monday…Lunch with G and his two precious little kids. G was correct when he assumed that I’d love to have lunch and hang out with his little ones. I was born to be a dad and let me tell you-his kids are beautiful.

The G Family meet me in Boston’s North End. Quintessentially Italian. Old World…authentic…the real deal. SunTzu in The Art of War teaches devotees to “make use of local guides” and this is G-Man’s home turf. 

We meet up at a place that according to the G, hasn’t changed since his grandmother used to take him and his brother there when they were little kids. It’s obvious that the prices haven’t changed much at Galleria Umberto Rosticceria either.

The Italy mural...G remembers it from his childhood trips to this joint. He also remembers these two guys...suspended in time...same place in the queue...ordering the same slice.

I find it hard to not enjoy this combination...cheese, dough, sauce, toys and little people. 

Oh, and a paper cup of chilled red wine.

Caffe Vittoria for espresso and gelati...and milk and napkins and toddling around and cajoling and ...just engaging with little people. I loved it.

Little Miss G is a show stopper. It's been a while since I've had a little gal toddle over to me and smile that little person's smile that communicates a few distinct things. It says "My diaper is fairly dry-my belly is reasonably full...let me charm the world...I dare anyone to not adore me". The smile of a one year old is also fueled by a light that shines within-a light that hasn't yet been dimmed by the realities of an adult world. Bliss.

You can tell a lot about a man’s character by observing how he engages with his kids. Giuseppe is a fully engaged dad and his kids reflect it. His little man is polite, articulate and just an all around good lookin’ boy. Little Miss G is LFG incarnate…with only a little bit more hair. I hadn’t held a one year old in ages and this little gal is a heart breaker…big blue eyes and personality galore. Bottom line…the two hours I spent with the G Family was the highlight of my week. 

Boston needed my sartorial review so the balance of the afternoon had me haunting the Back Bay posh spots.

Hermes...the home of five hundred dollar beach towels and other reasonably priced goods. I'm still thinking that the Target beach towels look just as nice. 

My cousin AllievonSummersverb now sports the "H" belt. I've got a bit of an affinity for it-mainly because the H emblazons the first letter of my college nickname.

La Perla...just around the corner from Hermes. I couldn't for the life of me contrive a reason to go in. I did though, spend about an hour standing on the street-admiring this miracle of...whatever. Shut up.

Camo Espadrilles? The dichotomy is perplexing. I'm holding out for the Dale Earnhardt slippers.

The Brethren of Boston looks typical...with a bit of Whistleresque blue porcelain accompanying the made in somewhere else dress shirts. Whistler-Rossetti and Wilde collected Chinese Porcelain simultaneously in London. Probably fought over a piece or two.

I need to re-send the Patch Madras Memo to the Brethren...at least to Boston. Banned in Boston...too.

It's only for a nanosecond that I wish I could carry off the straw hat look. Baseball hats and tweed caps define my range. Probably all in my head but I'll leave the straw versions to my pal Toad.

One of the few things left at the Brethren that still satisfies me. Probably because most of their shoes are still made in America. The Brooks spectators look pretty good this year.

Polo-Boston. The most impressive Ralph store is in Chicago...the Gotham Mansion is certainly a sight-site to behold. But come to think of it I've never been on one that I didn't find pleasing. The Charleston and Georgetown store are a bit cramped but the aesthetics remain.

Men at work. Sinatra, Cooper and Dean. All well dressed.

My Boston clients were dressed "casually" for our three day meeting. Sloppy would be my characterization. Look at Sinatra...hat-tie-vest...at work. Come back sartorial discipline...my clients look like Boy Band or reality television candidates.

Ok...so it looks like Ralph and company did commission some bleeding madras for 2010. My money is still on the O'Connell's cache of bleeders.

 

I love marketing parlance...I contrive it for a living. But I worry these days when I see words like "handcrafted" and "artisanal" associated with booze-food-clothing. It just means you are gonna pay triple for the goods. 

Those exact words aren't manifest in the Polo Madras value prop but they are intimated.

Upstairs in Purple Label Land. The odds are good but the goods are odd. And there isn't anyone in Polo's employ who can articulate why one should pay Purple Prices. Ok, I'm gonna relent and actually get a haircut from a trained professional...you've convinced me that my artisanal efforts are dodgy at best. Shut up.

An afternoon of sartorial observations sees me back at the hotel girding my constitution with a Martini and braised Brussels Sprouts.

Cleaned up for a three day strategy journey and then an LFG weekend awaits me.

Onward-ADG

Haul: Aveda, Laura Mercier, OPI

My husband didn't change his mind, of course, so I had to return his shirts today. Got that money back - and headed straight for the beauty department. Here is what I got - and I'm keeping everything.

Aveda

I got bath salts called Soothing Aqua Therapy. It's supposed to refresh, hydrate and relax. I've never tried any bath products from Aveda before so this will be interesting. I also got samples (yay!) of their smooth infusion shampoo and conditioner. 

OPI

I got their nail and cuticle replenishing oil. I've been using this on and off for years. Apply to cuticles at night before you go to bed and you will wake up with nicer looking nails. Mine look absolutely terrible at the moment. 

Laura Mercier

I think Laura Mercier does great powders so I picked up a couple of those and a brow definer. 

First, the brow definer. It is a wax/gel in a pot, applied with a brush, that keeps hairs in place. It comes in three colours and I got it in Fair, the lightest colour.

It's not as dark as it looks in the first photo. Here's another pic, taken outside. 

Now for the swatch.  

After taking the picture on the left (below), I thought I was done so I started to rub it off. Then I noticed that I couldn't get it off. It had virtually stained my skin and it only came off with soap. Great for summer. 

The secret brightening powder is a very light powder made specifically to set concealer. This is an incredible powder, it's light, doesn't crease and is supposed to lighten the eye area with its tiny flecks of shimmer. In her book "Make-up Masterclass" (review coming soon) make-up artist Jemma Kidd lists her favourite loose powder as being this one.

It comes in two colours and I actually use #2, an off-white. But I wasn't concentrating (too busy looking at other products) and ended up with #1, which is very white. I can still use this so I won't bother returning it but don't you hate it when that happens? 

Anyway, the white one reminds me of MAC's Prep and Prime transparent finishing powder, except the MAC one is matte and Laura Mercier's is not. 

Secret brightening powder 2 and 1

What else... I got two mineral finishing powders. I won't go into that now. I tested it and wrote about it here.

There will be a separate post on the mineral illuminating powders because they are so amazing. 

Have you tried any of these products?