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Thursday 28 May 2015

Foreign talent can fill the void left by the mighty Frankel

Following Frankel’s retirement to stud, there will inevitably be a degree of ‘follow that’ about the 2013 Flat season, which traditionally springs to life at Newmarket’s Craven meeting this week.

Foreign talent can fill the void left by the mighty Frankel
Rising star: Irish-trained three-year-old Dawn Approach Photo: GETTY IMAGES

If Frankel’s legacy to the sport was to bring in a whole new crowd of racing enthusiasts then, having captured their attention, racing now needs to hold on to it.

This year without its own obvious heir apparent to Frankel, British racing will be relying on attracting more established ‘foreign’ stars.

Jim Bolger’s Dewhurst winner Dawn Approach, the 2,000 Guineas favourite, looks the pick of the Irish, while Kingsbarns, Aidan O’Brien’s Racing Post Trophy winner, is brought along slowly following a foot infection.

The versatile Animal Kingdom, the 2011 Kentucky Derby and 2013 Dubai World Cup winner, is already in Lambourn where he will have some rest and recuperation before being brought to a peak again by his English-born trainer Graham Motion for Royal Ascot, while the French gelding Cirrus Des Aigles, with his own rags-to-riches back-story, will be welcomed to Ascot as one of our own for the King George in July.

But, above all, it is Black Caviar, who so entranced Royal Ascot last year, which the crowds would love to see again after the drama of last year’s Diamond Jubilee, in which she just scrambled home by a nose, a combination of injury and her jockey, Luke Nolen, dropping his hands.

On Saturday, she notched up her 25th straight win, and her 15th Group One, when hardly breaking sweat to win the T.J.Smith Stakes at Randwick. The entries for the King’s Stand close on April 23, but a decision on whether she comes or stays in Australia is expected before then.

From 12,000 miles away it looks like a battle of wills between the owners, who so enjoyed their visit last year, and trainer Peter Moody who would prefer to stay at home.

Even without Frankel, the sport’s finale, British Champions Day on Saturday, Oct 19, can go on from strength to strength.

It has two rivals, France’s Arc meeting and the Breeders’ Cup in America and it is a feather in Ascot’s cap that the Breeders’ Cup is worried enough after just two years to now offer a £26,000 travel allowance, something it never contemplated before, for European runners.

Since Workforce and Harbinger were retired, Sir Micheal Stoute has endured a couple of lean seasons but he can bounce back in 2013 with the three-year-old colt Telescope spearheading his campaign in what looks an open year in the trainers’ title.

The jockeys’ championship already looks like a straight match between Richard Hughes and Ryan Moore. I can see both pushing each other to the limits if they continue the way they have started and, if they can remain injury free, they could both ride 200 winners each.

Of course, not only have we no Frankel, we have no Frankie for the first month. Once the ignominy of his six-month drug ban has worn off, Frankie Dettori, who can return on May 19, might look back his enforced sabbatical as a blessing in disguise.

A clean break, in which he was able to forget about racing and take his family round the world instead of moping round the sidelines in Dubai, is just what he needed to spur him on for the last phase of a stellar career. He can now enjoy the freedom of being a freelance and, unshackled from Godolphin, there are plenty of flying dismounts in him yet.

Not so well known is rising star Nicole Nordblad, an 18 year-old apprentice with an outside chance for the apprentice title. She has a bright future. On Friday she signed a contract with a new agent, Guy Jewell, and it could be just the springboard the young Swede, who is attached to Hans Adielsson’s yard, needs.

When Adielsson first moved to Britain he told me that, while he may not have many good horses, he had an extraordinarily talented jockey in his yard. She was just 15 at the time. This year she has ridden 10 winners from 24 rides, nearly all for Adielsson.

As soon as she starts getting outside rides and, therefore, more practice, she will take off.

Five to watch on the Flat this year

Dawn Approach
(Jim Bolger) Unbeaten in six as a juvenile. Hot favourite for the 2000 Guineas.

(Sir Michael Stoute) Nicely won a Newmarket maiden in September.

Reckless Abandon
(Clive Cox) There are no plans to slow this unbeaten Morny/Middle Park winner’s speed by going sprinting from the start.

Just the Judge
(Charlie Hills) The Lawman filly was unbeaten in three starts at two. Early season target is the 1,000 Guineas.

(Ed Dunlop) Suggested sinus problems last year are behind her at Nottingham on Wednesday.

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Thursday 28 May 2015

Edinburgh 17 Glasgow 21: match report

Read a full match report of the Aviva Premiership game between Edinburgh and Glasgow at Murrayfield Stadium on Saturday Dec 29 2012.

Edinburgh 17 Glasgow 21: match report -lasgow Warriors celebrate winning the 1872 cup after the RaboDirect PRO12 match at Murrayfield,
Bragging rights: Glasgow Warriors celebrate winning the 1872 cup after the RaboDirect PRO12 match at Murrayfield, Photo: GETTY IMAGES

The 1872 Cup travelled back along the M8 on Saturday night as Glasgow hung on to the trophy for a fourth successive year, but they were sweating at the finish as Edinburgh, anonymous and error-strewn for the first 60 minutes, staged a dramatic fightback, closing the gap with two late tries by Roddy Grant and Tim Visser.

Glasgow had hammered every error Edinburgh made in last weekend’s first leg at Scotstoun, and they were just as merciless in the first half here. Every mistake in the capital side’s ranks set the hares in the Glasgow backline running, and it flattered Grehor Townsend’s side not one bit to hold a 16-3 lead at the interval.

Indeed, had referee Neil Paterson not mystified the crowd by chalking off an apparently sound try by Moray Low in the 33rd minute, Glasgow’s lead would have been even greater. As it was, the west coasters had to satisfy themselves with just two touchdowns in the first period, although it reflected even better on them that they built up their lead despite losing centre Peter Horne to the sin-bin in the 13th minute.

By then, Glasgow had claimed the first of their tries, winger Sean Maitland surging over in the left corner in the seventh minute after a lineout on the opposite side and some efficient recycling through a sequence of rucks. Edinburgh did hit back a couple of minutes later with a penalty by Laidlaw after Stuart Hogg had hit Greig Tonks with a late tackle, but all the ideas and all the running were coming from Glasgow.

The second Glasgow try arrived just before the half-hour mark. Ironically, Edinburgh had appeared to be building some momentum of their own at that point, but things went disastrously wrong for the home side when Laidlaw scuttled off with a tap penalty, shipped the ball on to Piers Francis, then watched in horror as Ruaridh Jackson intercepted his opposite number’s attempted offload and raced 60 metres for the score.

Glasgow had dozed off int he third quarter of the first leg, but they were clearly determined not to fall into that trap again, with DRT Van der Merwe twice coming close to adding a third try in the opening minutes of the second half. Edinburgh’s increasing desperation was soon punished when Allan Jacobsen was yellow-carded, and they fell further behind at the following scrum when Henry Pyrgos dived over for a score.

Edinburgh did claw back some ground in the 60th minute when a deft Laidlaw chip allowed Matt Scott to send Grant over between the posts, with Laidlaw converting. Two minutes later that score seemed certain to be wiped out when Van der Merwe wriggled past five tacklers and handed the ball to Stuart Hogg; staggeringly, Hogg blew the chance by dropping the thing over the line.

Visser surged through for his touchdown five minute from the end. But while Edinburgh’s fighting spirit was commendable, the margin at the finish still flattered them considerably.

Match details

Scoring sequence: 0-5, Maitland try, 7min; 3-5, Laidlaw pen, 9min; 3-10, Jackson try, 29min; 3-13, Horne pen, 33min; 3-16, Horne pen, 40min; 3-21, Pyrgos try, 52min; 8-21, Grant try, 59min; 10-21, Laidlaw con, 59min;15-21, Visser try, 75min; 17-21, Laidlaw con, 75min

Edinburgh: G Tonks; D Fife, M Scott, J King, T Visser, P Francis, G Laidlaw (captain); A Jacobsen, A Titterrell, G Cross, G Gilchrist, S Cox, D Denton, R Grant, N Talei.

Replacements: R Hislop for Talei, temp, 53-63min; R Rees for Francis, 55min; B Atiga for King, 55min; D Basilaia for Talei 63min; L Hislop for Jacobsen 63min; P Parker for Gilchrist 68min; S Lawrie for Titterrell 68min; L Niven for Cross 68min.

Glasgow: S Hogg; S Maitland, S Lamont, P Horne, DTH Van der Merwe; R Jackson, H Pyrgos; R Grant, D Hall, M Low, A Kellock (captain), T Ryder, J Strauss, R Harley, R Wilson.

Replacements: J Eddie for Harley, temp 30-35; T Swinson for Ryder 51; P MacArthur for Hall 55min; J Eddie for Strauss 58min, D Weir for Jackson 60min; G Morrison for Horne 60min; G Reid for Grant 67min; N Matawalu for Lamont, 75min.

Referee: N Paterson (SRU)
Attendance: 11,225 ENDS

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Thursday 28 May 2015

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New hotels for 2014

Hot new hotels for 2014

Six Senses Qing Cheng Mountain, China

Located close to the Qing Cheng Mountains and Dujiangyan, a Unesco world heritage, the hotel has been designed to be in tune with the surrounding landscape. Opening in early 2014, the hotel will also offer a choice of swimming pools, a restaurant offering traditional Chinese cuisine and a Six Senses Spa.

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Thursday 28 May 2015

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Vuelta a España 2012: cycle Spain's most epic climbs

Vuelta a España 2012: ride Spain's most epic climbs

Follow in the slipstream of Froome and Contador on one of these colossal ascents.

Puerto de Urkiola

The Puerto de Urkiola is 100 metres shorter than the world's tallest building, but in Basque culture and cycling, has a towering reputation. During the annual Tour of the Basque Country, stages over the Urkiola have the same status as the Tour de France's trips to Alpe d'Huez and Mont Ventoux. It featured in the penultimate stage of last year's Vuelta.

From Manaria follow the BI-623 through the Calle de Solaguren.

Height 713m
Length 5.7km
Altitude gain 524m
Average gradient 9.2%
Open Depending on weather
Refreshments At the bottom and the top

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Thursday 28 May 2015

What would Jennifer (and Madonna and Audrey and the Queen) do?

When it comes to finding a role model, Amanda Holden is not alone in turning the mantra: What Would X Do

Jennifer Aniston poses at the premiere of Marley & Me at the Mann Village theatre in California
Is Jennifer Aniston the right X in WWXD? Photo: REUTERS

Celebrity is a foreign country: they do things differently there. Behold, lite entertainment veteran Amanda Holden confessing that, before an event, she asks herself: “WWJD,” that is, “What would Jennifer [Aniston] do?” Presumably this translates as: book a strenuous 3am transformation at an aesthetician’s clinic, consume only kale, power hike for several hours, flick one’s hair, and await impertinent inquiries about one’s biological clock.

The origins of the What Would X Do? trope can be found in a Christian Socialist tome penned by Charles Sheldon, Kansan Congregationalist minister, in 1896. However, the phrase did not take flight until seized upon by the worst sort of evangelical US God-botherers in the 1990s. Its popularity was secured by some top-flight accessorising in the form of WWJD? bracelets. Branding opportunities were later expanded to FROG wristbands by way of an answering acronym: “Fully Rely On God.” Meanwhile, Jesus Himself rued not having brought out a sandal line.

The expression became what those in the neologism trade refer to as a “snowclone,” that is, a template phrase ripe for re-use. Thus, in the biblical parody vein, we had Morgan Spurlock’s: “What would Jesus Buy?” and pacifists’ “Who would Jesus bomb?” In the WWXD? tradition proper came the Republicans’ “What Would Reagan Do?” versus everybody else’s “What Would Johnny Cash Do?” While WWJD? became management speak for walking around the office laying on corporate hands.

On this side of the pond, feminist imaginations were captured by the heretical notion: “What Would Madonna Do?” Answer: amp up the inner diva and don conical bra. The first person I heard espouse this logic was Lorraine Candy, now editor of Elle, a woman who walks it like she talks it. WWMD? pencils, T-shirts and inspirational fridge magnets soon became de rigueur.

A couple of decades on, the WWXD? meme may be a tad passed its zeitgeist date, yet many of us would appear to have internalised its lessons. Personally, schizophrenically, I maintain a WWXD? pantheon encompassing: Elizabeth I (queen power), my nine-year-old niece (girl power), and Vivien Leigh (charm/drink/sex).

Professionally, there is a trinity of journalists whom I actively strive to be the opposite of, asking: WWXD?, then opting for the antithetical approach; a stratagem I find eternally facilitating. Meanwhile, the trio in question gets to blather on blithely thinking how brilliant they are.

A straw poll of other women garners the following retorts: “One word: Audrey”, Helen Mirren, the Queen (these two possibly being confused), Margaret Thatcher, Frida Kahlo, Coco Chanel, the dragon-spawning Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones, “my dog Roger”, and an anonymous: “Parenting wise, I consider what my mother would have done, then do differently.” The canniest issues from my friend Fitz: “my future self, approximately five years on”. This obviously necessitates being able to imagine one’s future self having evolved.

Talking of which, chap wise, both my current and ex-beloveds proffer Mad Men’s Don Draper by way of role model. I fear this may say as much about me as it does about them, given that Draper is, as my ex-partner explains: “A cruel, ruthless, selfish, sexist sociopath, who knows how to drink and looks good in a suit.” (Swoon!) My friend Steve, for whom I was best man, tells me: “I’m afraid mine is What Would [24’s] Jack Bauer Do? However, his methods seem impractical in the post-2008 investment-banking environment. Oh, for the good old days.”

Among males, there is a distinct following for: “What Would the Dude Do?” (see the Cohen brothers’ cult 1988 movie The Big Lebowski.) WWBBD?, aka what would Brendan Bracken Do? makes a notable addition; Bracken being Churchill’s roguish ginger sidekick/son substitute, inspiration for Brideshead’s Rex Mottram, and the man described by real son Randolph Churchill as “the fantasist whose fantasies had come true”.

Author and man-about-town, Harry Mount, whose latest book is The King and I – How Elvis Shaped My Life, meanwhile, conducts a constant dialogue with the deep-fried-peanut-butter-and-banana-sandwich-consuming one. “I have What Would Elvis Say? I do an impression of him inside my head and find saying anything to myself in his low, Mississippi-meets-Tennessee accent, or singing his songs while riding on my bicycle diminishes most immediate anxieties. In a strange way, putting your problems, or thoughts in another person’s voice makes you look at them a little objectively – and so they become a bit less worrying. “

And that’s the thing, of course. Imagining oneself in someone else’s shoes – not least some heroic being’s – has the advantage of depersonalising and defamiliarising a situation such that we can be the better man or woman. And, if not morally improved, then at least somewhat higher-scoring in the suit and martini stakes.

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CIMA Gallary

City air force girl dead
- Officer found hanging in bedroom by husband

Nov. 28: Anandita Das, a Calcutta girl and an Indian Air Force officer, was found hanging from a ceiling fan at 3am today by her husband in Rajasthan.

Victor Nair, a squadron leader like his 29-year-old wife, reported the death to senior officers at the Jodhpur Air Force Station who informed police.

Investigating officer Sugam Singh said the police got to know about the incident around 4am and no suicide note was found. The police are suspecting suicide.

“The officer said he found his wife hanging from the ceiling fan in her bedroom.Things will only be clear after the report of post-mortem and interrogation of her husband,” a police officer said.

Anandita was an air traffic controller (or fighter controller) and her husband flew the Sukhoi 30Mki combat aircraft. The couple moved to Jodhpur from Bareilly in September. Jodhpur is a frontline air force station.

The couple married in 2008, two years after Anandita was commissioned into service. There were indications of a domestic tiff, according to a source. But both husband and wife were said to have had good professional records that reflect psychological stability.

The air force has ordered a court of inquiry and asked personnel of the Jodhpur air base to co-operate with the police, defence spokesperson Colonel S.D. Goswami said.

“Police investigation is on and we will extend full co-operation to the police investigation,” Goswami said.

The police said the body has been shifted to Mahatma Gandhi Hospital. The post-mortem will be conducted after her family reach Jodhpur tomorrow. Anandita’s parents live in Tollygunge.

Sources said the couple used to quarrel often and appeared to have fought last night as well. They retired to different rooms. Victor learnt of the suicide quite late, the sources said.

Anandita was outgoing and friendly, which perhaps annoyed her husband.

Only yesterday, defence minister A.K. Antony told Parliament that there were 81 suicides reported of army soldiers so far this year. The military attributes the number of suicides to a number of reasons, including domestic unhappiness. It does not readily accept the charge that the working environment is too stressful.

In the air force, especially in the demanding jobs of a combat pilot and a fighter controller, officers are put through psychological tests periodically. The tasks require a high level of concentration.

Last year in September, a dismissed flying officer of the Indian Air Force, Anjali Gupta, 35, had committed suicide in Bhopal. A court martial in 2005 had found Anjali guilty on five counts, including indiscipline, insubordination and financial irregularities and had recommended that she be cashiered — dishonourably discharged — from service.


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Monday, July 22nd, 2013

Fresh Sugar Shine Lip Treatment
Fresh Sugar Shine Lip Treatment

Fresh Sugar Shine Lip Treatment ($18.50 for 0.20 fl. oz.) is a clear gloss with a very, very fine shimmer. The shimmer wasn’t visible on the lips, though, and what was visible was a glossy shine (medium in shine; not ultra, ulta glossy but definitely shiny). It has the same lemon-y scent as the original balm. It’s supposed to deliver high-shine will still giving lips hydration and “preserving moisture for up to six hours.”

While Fresh’s original Sugar Lip Treatments are not my personal go-to, they were moisturizing and hydrating when I tried it (my major issue was they didn’t last very long on lips and required frequent reapplication to maintain hydration), but the claim of “up to six hours” made me curious about this one. The consistency is thin, lightly tacky, and fairly smooth initially, but it does get increasingly tacky as it wears on the lips. Reapplying over the tackiness does mean the next application isn’t as smooth on.

I was able to get about two and a half hours of wear, which is decent (particularly for a virtually clear gloss). I can’t say that my lips feel nicely hydrated even after this is gone; even after wearing it back-to-back over an entire day, if I don’t reapply within an hour or so of it fading away, my lips feel a little dry. I think the original lip balm is more effective and much more comfortable to wear, too.

The packaging/applicator could be slightly improved, as unless you have thinner lips, you’ll need three or so pulls of the gloss to get enough for coverage. Every time I pulled the wand out, there was hardly any product on the doe-foot applicator! I doubt this is going to be a deal-breaker for anyone, but it was enough that it was something that I actually noticed while using this for the past few weeks.

All in all, this just felt like a regular, somewhat hydrating lipgloss. The price tag isn’t as killer as some of the higher-end, hydrating glosses on the market, but I’d probably stick with the lip balm for your hydration needs if you’re a big fan of Fresh.

The Glossover

Sugar Shine Lip Treatment

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Tuesday, September 18th, 2012

Beautiful Beginnings with Fresh

What was the first Fresh product you ever tried?  Did it pave way for a real romance or did it put you off the brand entirely?  What was the first product you purchased?  Did you love it? Hate it? Still own it?

my answer: I think the first product I ever tried was their Sugar lip balm, which feels really nice going on, but never lasted all that long on me – I felt like I went through a tube pretty quickly! I like their skincare though.

Share your first time experiences with Fresh in the comments! :)

Tuesday, December 6th, 2011

By Aleta, Fragrance Contributor

Aleta is the associate editor of a national history magazine (World War II), and an unapologetic fragrance nerd. Growing up on a farm west of Portland, Oregon, she spent many summer nights attempting to make perfume by soaking flowers in cups of water (if only her mother had let her use the vodka). Her most prized possessions include a bottle of French cologne brought home by an American GI after World War II (L’Ardent Nuit by Cotay), a signed copy of Perfume: The Guide, and a handwritten “enjoy your purchase” note from perfumer Mandy Aftel. Other obsessions include lipstick, Pellegrino, Adirondack chairs, and yoga. You can find her at

Scents for the Holidays

My first college holiday season was…brief. November and December went by in a blur of studying, social events (okay dorm parties), and finals. My dad and I had to stop at the grocery store after he picked me up for winter break, and I realized that the campus bubble had utterly shielded me from the season–the music, the decorations, the food. Lesson learned: when you leave the nest, you either get yourself in the holiday spirit or it will pass you by.

One of the easiest ways I’ve found to fell merry and bright this time of year is to–you guessed it–surrounding myself with nostalgic, festive fragrances. Bonus: the fragrance notes we often associate with the winter holidays are ones that play nicely with big family meals and intimate social gatherings, times when everyone would rather smell the turkey, fresh-baked gingerbread, or their glass of Riesling rather than someone’s boldfaced eau. Here are some of my favorite fragrances for the season, most of which are available as dry skin-soothing lotions, pick-me-up cleansers, and candles:

Years of making orange pomanders has left me with a serious citrus fixation every December. My favorite is Fresh Hesperides ($32.00) it balances the effervescence of grapefruit peel with a dose of sugar. Aftelier Candide ($45.00) is also gorgeous, tempering its zesty orange notes with a kick of pepper. Pacifica Blood Orange ($22.00) is perfect for purists, plus the brand is widely available and an absolute steal .

Evergreens feature prominently in Western holiday traditions; Yankee Candles fill in for the Douglass firs I grew up with, particularly Christmas Tree. Holiday Bayberry smells like the fresh-from-the-attic decorations did when I was growing up. It’s a hard note to wear on the skin, but Pacifica’s Avalon Juniper ($22.00) is beautiful. The resinous juniper is perfectly balanced with juicy grapefruit, simultaneously warm and fresh. Those who grew up in warmer climates may resonate more closely with Chanel Sycomore ($110.00), it’s a gorgeous balance between sap and smoke–meant for men, I think, but gorgeous on anyone, anytime.

Vanilla and spice abound during winter, and there are too many fragrance iterations to count. Personally, I like something just a touch inedible, like Guerlain’s L’Heure Bleu ($71.00). It has recently been reformulated, but I never smelled its previous iteration, so I am unabashedly smitten with the bottle I purchased this November. If you grew up with anise and almond extract in your holiday cookies, this one’s for you–especially if you went through a rebellious stage involving countless sticks of Nag Champa ($71.00) incense. Many also love Guerlain’s Shalimar ($55.00) and its many vanilla-spice offspring, though it’s not one that grabs me. You also can’t go wrong with Bath & Body Works Warm Vanilla Sugar ($5.00), a gorgeous vanilla bean tempered with Basmati rice water and cinnamon. Spice lovers: try Pacifica’s clove-laden Madagascar Spice ($22.00).

Sometimes the brightest holiday memories attach themselves to a non-holiday scent. For me, it’s Victor & Rolf Flowerbomb ($100.00). Each year my parents would skip the Macy’s line for Santa and take me to Nordstrom to see Father Christmas. And in my mind, nothing conjures Nordstrom like Flowerbomb.

What scents keep you warm during these darkest months of the year? And for those who grew up in a non-western culture, I’d love to hear about the scents that speak to you during November and December!

Wednesday, November 23rd, 2011

Holiday Gift Guide: Must-Have Beauty Products for Lips

One of the things I am most thankful for is that by becoming a beauty blogger and having the opportunity to try so may different products is that it’s opened up my eyes to how many fantastic brands and formulas there are. Not every brand does everything perfectly, and there are a lot of great formulas that are just varying degrees of great. Picking a favorite really comes down to a less quantifiable factor, I think. It might be the color range, packaging, scent, or the overall feel. These are all lip products I personally recommend from brands’ permanent ranges.

Lip Balms/Treatments

  • Kiehl’s #1 Lip Balm ($7.00) is nice for those who prefer a thinner balm with no shine. It’s very, very slick and thin on the lips, but it does a good job at moisturizing.
  • Jack Black Lip Therapy Lip Balm ($7.50) is my all-time favorite lip balm, and I have them all over the house–at my desk, purse, pocket, nightstand–and a stock pile of them in reserve. So, so hydrating and comfortable to wear. My favorite flavor is Lemon & Chamomile, with Original as a runner-up.
  • Philosophy Lip Shines ($10.00) are kind of a balm, kind of a lip balm; because they tend to run so sheer and have the thicker feel of a balm, I’m going to go with it as a lip balm! I like that they’re fragranced with Philosophy’s signature scents plus have some shimmer and shine.
  • Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment ($22.50) is a decadent balm that works well but wears away quickly–I like the product, not so much the price tag and how quickly it finishes, though! They do have tinted versions, though, and they’re some of the better lip stains because they’re more hydrating, but they are prone to uneven fading.
  • Sara Happ The Lip Scrub ($24.00) is my favorite lip scrub, because it holds together well, exfoliates lips, and leaves them feeling soft and moisturized.
  • Guerlain Terracotta Baume Au Couer Lip Balm ($30.00) is tinted and feels like butter on lips; it wears for a few hours before disappearing, but it’s moisturizing the entire time.
  • La Mer The Lip Balm ($45.00) is probably the priciest lip balm I’ve ever used, but it really does work well. It hydrates lips while still wearing well (you won’t have to reapply every hour).

  • CoverGirl Lip Perfection ($6.99) is really rich in color, glides on easily, and wears for hours. The downside is the scent, so if you’re super sensitive to smells, you might look elsewhere, but these perform well overall.
  • Maybelline ColorSensational Lipsticks ($8.29) is a good go-to for a more affordable lipstick brand, and of course, like other drugstore brands, you can catch it on sale for much less than $8 a pop. I find the creamier shades are the best!
  • MAC Lipsticks ($14.50) straddle that price point that doesn’t quite break the bank, feels a little more high-end than some drugstore brands, and is an all-around good formula. Their range is one of the most extensive that I know of, and with that, does come some inconsistency–not every single shade is as great as the last, but they do have several favorites. Some of these include Angel, Russian Red, Girl About Town, Crosswires, Sweetie, Cosmo, Plumful, and Media–just to scratch the surface.
  • Korres Mango Butter Lipsticks ($18.00) are lightweight, comfortable to wear, and come with a fairly glossy finish and semi-sheer color. Shades like Natural Pink and Natural Purple are really easy to wear.
  • Bobbi Brown Rich Lip Colors ($23.00) are long-wearing, opaque, and comfortable to wear. For cooler skin tones, try Bare Pink, Cosmic Raspberry, and Mod Pink. For warmer skin tones, try Cosmic Raspberry, Soft Coral, and Sweet Nectar.
  • Giorgio Armani Rouge d’Armani Lipsticks ($30.00) are creamy, moisturizing, and long-wearing while delivering good color coverage in over forty different shades. Shades like #400, 402, 501, and 506 are really easy to wear on most skin tones.
  • Hourglass Femme Rouge Velvet Creme Lipsticks ($30.00) are rich in color and long on wear. For cooler complexions, I think shades like Ballet, Edition, and Fresco would work. For warmer complexions, try Edition, Muse, and Whisper.
  • Dior Rouge Dior Lip Colors ($32.00) is long-wearing and moisturizing with a wide range of shades. For warmer complexions, I recommend shades like Pink Songe, Andalouse, and Red Muse. For cooler complexions, I recommend Pink Caprice, Devilish Pink, and Daisy Plum.
  • Guerlain Rouge Automatique Lipsticks ($35.00) come really close to the Rouge G formula, but they are slightly less creamy, sometimes less opaque, and a smidgen less hydrating. They are really close but there is a noticeable difference on lips. I still really love the formula, though! For cooler complexions, I recommend Samsara, Cherry Blossom, and Champs Elysees. For warmer complexions, I recommend Violette de Mad, Rouge d’Enfer, and Coque d’Or.
  • Guerlain Rouge G Lipsticks ($47.00) is my all-time favorite lipstick formula, because it’s long-wearing, opaque, moisturizing, and the color range is really nuanced. For cooler complexions, I like Galia, Greta, Gabrielle, and Grenade. For warmer complexions, I like Galante, Gala, Gipsy, and Ginger.
  • Cle de Peau Beaute Extra Silky Lipstick ($52.00) feels like glossy silk on the lips; it’s super moisturizing and has a glossy shine. It wears well on me, too, despite how creamy it is. The shade range is really wearable and mostly universal, too.
  • Cle de Peau Beaute Extra Rich Lipstick ($60.00) is a decadent formula that’s rich in color, comfortable to wear, long-wearing, and has a formula that helps to plump and fill lip lines giving lips a smoother look. It’s totally over the top, but it’s an excellent formula, so you’re not just paying for brand name/packaging here.

  • Revlon Super Lustrous Lipglosses ($6.99) is a budget-friendly shimmery gloss that’s mostly sheer but delivers a fair amount of sparkle and dazzle. Like other sheer formulas, the range should work across skin tones.
  • Korres Cherry Oil Lipglosses ($17.00) are hydrating and comfortable tow ear, and about half the range delivers richer color, while others are sheerer (and are described as such). My favorites are #52, #52, and #22.
  • Make Up For Ever Lab Shine Lipglosses ($18.00) is a really wide range of glosses with three different finishes. I really like how Make Up For Ever has expansive color options for most of their products, and the lipgloss range is no exception.
  • Illamasqua Intense Lipglosses ($20.00) are a total must if you or someone you know loves opaque lipglosses–these are really rich in pigment, comfortable wear, long-wearing, and have a beautiful glossy shine. I recommend virtually all of them, but a few of my favorites are Belladonna, Hermetic, and Move.
  • Bobbi Brown High Shimmer Lipglosses ($23.00) are a new favorite for me; they’re very reminiscent of Chanel Glossimers but more affordable. Sheerer color with lots of dazzling sparkle! Because they’re on the sheerer side, the shade range is fairly universal.
  • Hourglass Extreme Sheen High Shine Lipglosses ($28.00) are super slick, comfortable to wear, and moisturizing. Some shades are sheer, some are more pigmented. Shades like Siren are beautiful and opaque with a really interesting metallic finish. Fortune is a great shade for everyone because it’s sheer and peachy-pink.
  • Giorgio Armani Gloss d’Armanis ($28.00) may not be as long-wearing as the brand claims, but a gloss that wears six hours without drying lips out while delivering good color coverage is rare. I really love this formula, despite the shortfall in wear (relative to their claim). I love shades like #401, 402, 404, and 505.
  • Chanel Glossimers ($28.50) are a classic gloss for someone who loves lots of shimmer and glossiness. These took me awhile to appreciate, but they really do shine and sparkle. These days, most shades are sheer, so they should flatter the full spectrum of skin tones. I really like shades such as Aurore, Coral Love, Futile, Meteore, Spark, and Sundress.
  • Le Metier de Beaute Lip Cremes ($36.00) are extremely creamy, non-sticky, and hydrating. It was one of my first high-end glosses (and probably high-end purchases in general)–who knew that $36 would become “normal” to me one day–and I absolutely love shades like Fraise Creme, Framboise Creme, and Papaye Creme.
  • Cle de Peau Beaute Lipglosses ($48.00) wear longer than the average gloss, have a great shimmer and shine, and are moisturizing. May I recommend #2? It’s a total staple for me.

What are your favorite permanent lip products?

Wednesday, November 16th, 2011

Holiday Gift Guide: Totally Holiday, Totally Gift-Worthy and Under $50

This part of the holiday gift guide shares my favorite just-for-the-holidays palettes and kits over $30 but $50 or less–not over-the-top indulgent gifts but we’re getting there. If you missed it, I already posted the under $30 guide! :)

Eyes: Long-time readers know I’m a huge fan of Aqua Eyes, and the Make Up For Ever Wild & Chic Aqua Eyes Collection ($36.00) contains five travel-sized (I’m guessing 0.02 to 0.03 oz.) and one full-size (0.04 oz.) eyeliner; for the price of two full-sized eyeliners, you’re getting six shades to try of a fantastic formula. Urban Decay also has two Eyeliner Sets ($32.00 each) that contain five travel-sized 24/7 Eyeliners; there is also a Shadow Pencil Stash ($34.00). At this price point, you can find some excellent palettes that came out just in time for the holidays, like Urban Decay Mariposa Eyeshadow Palette ($39.00) and Bare Escentuals Ready 8.0 Eyeshadow Palette ($40.00).

Cheeks/Face: Too Faced In Your Dreams Makeup Collection ($39.00) is an eye, cheek, and lip palette that’s great for someone new to makeup; I like it because everything is presented in an easy-to-digest manner, and the colors coordinate with each other, so there is no guessing. Benefit Project Flawless ($32.00) is a cutely packaged set that contains a highlighter (Girl Meets Pearl), mascara, lipgloss (Foxy Lady), and blush (Bella Bamba). If that’s not quite to your taste, you could check out Romancing the Mirror ($39.00), which contains That Gal, Sugarbomb, and BADgal Lash.

Lips: I’ve been really digging Bobbi Brown’s High Shimmer Lip Gloss Trio ($38.00); they’re fairly sheer, but they had so much dazzle and shine without feeling gritty–I’ve been reaching for these (because I need to do lip swatches for them!) to layer on top of other lipsticks. Estee Lauder’s Pure Color Gloss to Go Set ($32.50) comes in a cute red faux leather zipper cylinder case with six holiday-appropriate glosses, and I like that it’s ready to give (there’s also a lipstick version).

Skin/Body: I love the way Estee Lauder set-up their skincare gift sets this year; they categorize them based on theme, like even skin tone or anti-wrinkle. Clinique has an excellent set for dry skin (Moisture Surge has saved my skin before!) called Total Moisture ($44.00). Consider giving a decadent, luxurious body cream in the form of this Laura Mercier Souffle Body Creme Sampler Set ($50.00 for 4×3 oz.).

Fragrance: Elegantly packaged, convenient to use, and full-sized, Tocca Beauty Rollerball Trio ($48.00 for 3×0.33 oz.) contains three different scents (Florence, Cleopatra, and Colette), which can be gifted as a set or easily broken up. Juicy Couture ($35.00 for 3×0.33 oz.) also has a trio of fragrance sprays of their signature scents. Fresh Sugar Obsessions Rollerball Trio ($35.00 for 3×0.34 oz.) contains popular Fresh scents, and if you have a foodie friend, this might be a good one for them. What’s really great about rollerballs is they’re easy to give, and they can be re-gifted, too–if you give your friend a kit, and they dislike one scent, it’s so easy for them to pass along to a friend/family member.

Do you have any suggestions for readers on the prowl for holiday gifts this year that came out just in time for holiday gift-giving?

Tuesday, June 7th, 2011

Fresh Soy Face Cleanser
Fresh Soy Face Cleanser

Fresh Soy Face Cleanser

Fresh Soy Face Cleanser ($15.00 for 1.7 oz. / $38.00 for 5.1 oz.) is recommended as a daily cleanser for all skin types as an “ultra-gentle face wash” that also contains “nourishing amino acids, rich soy proteins, and soothing botanicals to hydrate, calm, and tone.” According to Fresh, despite being a gentle cleanser, it “effectively removes every last trace [of makeup], even around the delicate eye area.”

It’s taken me months to flesh out this review, because I like this cleanser overall, but it’s hard to quantify why. (I usually jot down notes as I test products, then do some summary points at the end to later write a review with.) I wouldn’t say it’s the best cleanser I’ve ever tried yet I reach for it whenever I’m in-between cleansers. I think those who go heavier on the eye makeup will find it lacking in comparison to cleansing oils or dual-phase removers. I don’t find it breaks down longer-wearing products like eyeliner well enough to warrant skipping the eye makeup remover–good but not perfect.

As a general cleanser, I love it–it feels gentle and leaves my skin clean without being dry. It does do a good job of breaking down face makeup like foundation and tinted moisturizer, though. When I use my toner, it’s easy to see how effective the cleanser is, because there is really nothing left behind, except for around the hair line (which I don’t always get cleanser far enough up, just because I don’t want it in my hair, ha, so that’s more user error!). One of the best things about this cleanser is that it is incredibly gentle on the eyes; no burning, clouding, or stinging at all for me.

Fresh describes it as a creme gel formula.  It’s a semi-opaque gel that squeezes out of the tube, and while it foams, it doesn’t foam as much as your typical gel cleanser would. It’s more like a cross between milkiness and full-on lather. I’ve heard some complain about the scent, but I really like it–it smells like fresh cucumbers to me with a little hint of soy. It comes in two sizes, and honestly, I wouldn’t bother buying the larger size (at least not initially), even though it is less expensive by the ounce. It’ll take you several months to work through the 1.7 oz., and it might be better to 1) see how long it takes to get through a tube and 2) be able to get a fresh tube more regularly than using the same one 3 or 4 times as long. I use about a pearl-sized drop of product each time.

ingredients: Rosa Damascena (Bulgarian Rose) Distillate, Centaurea Cyanus (Cornflower) Water, Water, Coco Glucoside, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Propylene Glycol, PEG 7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Xanthan Gum , PEG 120 Methyl Glucose Dioleate, Glycine Soja Germ Extract (Soybean), Glycine Soja Oil (Soybean), Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Cucumis Sativa (Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Rose Flower Oil, Borage (Borago Officinalis) Oil (Borago Officinalis), Malva Sylvestris (Mallow) Extract Anthemis Nobilis (Roman Chamomile) Flower Extract, Propylparaben, Isobutylparaben, Malva Sylvestris (Mallow) Flower Extract, Aloe Vera (Aloe Barbadensis) Extract, Ginseng (Panax Ginseng) Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Ascorbyl Palmitate (Vitamin C), Retinyl Acetate (Vitamin A), Helianthus Annuus Oil (Sunflower), Capric/Caprylic Triglyceride, Citric Acid, Tetrasodium EDTA, PEG 40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Polymethyl Methacrylate, PEG 40 Sorbitan Peroleate, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Methylparaben, Sodium Propylparaben, Polysorbate 20, PEG 35 Castor Oil, Methylparaben, Butylparaben, Ethylparaben, BHA, BHT


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text:
Williamson County Schools Superintendent Mike Looney is coming under fire from a parent who says the administrator improperly used data to declare the district top in the nation.

Looney used data compiled by SchoolDigger.com, a website that ranks schools and school districts based on test scores, to extrapolate that beyond being top in the state, Williamson County Schools was also top in the nation among public school districts with more than 20,000 students.

The announcement in May was met with much fanfare, including a big pat on the back from Williamson County commissioners and Mayor Rogers Anderson, who in early June issued a proclamation to the school board in honor of being named a top-ranking school system.

But in an email this week to Looney, parent James Amundsen questioned the superintendent’s calculations, requested to see his spreadsheets and points out that the website doesn’t offer a nationwide ranking system, “nor is there any information provided on that website that should have led you to the incorrect assumption that you can make such a comparison.”

Amundsen goes on to say that he spoke with the founder of the website, Pete Claar, who also repeated that the information on the website is not intended to be used to compare districts across the country.

The website uses the most recently reported standardized test scores, which are calculated by adding together the average math score across all grades and the average English score across all grades. District rankings are calculated by averaging the rank percentile of the schools within each district.

SchoolDigger ranked Williamson County as No. 1 in the state and the Franklin Special School District as No. 2.

In return emails to Amundsen and county commissioners, Looney has said that he stands by his analysis that the data proves the district is ranked first in Tennessee, but also shows that Williamson County Schools has “the greatest percentage of students proficient in reading and math across all states in districts serving more than 20,000 students.”

“It is true that each state uses their own state assessment for testing, as there is no single assessment used across all states. Interestingly enough, an assessment of this type would be addressed with Common Core and the associated testing. Until such a test is in place, we are left to make comparisons with the data that is available and Schooldigger is one such data source.”

Amundsen has not returned a call to The Tennessean, and Looney issued this response on the matter Thursday: “I am so proud of the hard work of our students and teachers. There’s a lot of data on Schooldigger.com that emphasizes our students’ success. I encourage anyone to take a look at the data and see for themselves.”

Reach Maria Giordano at 615-771-5425 or on Twitter.com @MariaGiordano.

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text:
Regardless of his remorse, Judge Casey Moreland's actions to short-circuit domestic violence safeguards reflect he is not suited to the job.

The father of conservatism, Edmund Burke, said it clearly, "It is not what a lawyer tells me I may do; but what humanity, reason, and justice tell me I ought to do."

We all know how to boil a frog, right?

But few of us have ever seen it done.

More: Megan Barry to Judge Moreland: It's not about politics

More: Chase case pushes judges to adopt new policies

Division X General Sessions Judge Casey Moreland's efforts to deflect and defend his ill-considered decision to waive the 12-hour "cooling off" period that was imposed on David Chase after his arrest for assault last week is as close to seeing how you boil a frog as any of us are likely to get. Or want to.

Read the timeline.

Judge Moreland, who stands unopposed for re-election to his third eight-year term in August, should resign, and withdraw immediately from that election.

I agree with council member and mayoral candidate Megan Barry, who called for Moreland's resignation Wednesday.

Though Moreland clearly made a bad decision to overrule Judicial Commissioner Steve Holzapfel, it has been his tone-deaf rationalization of that decision that illustrates that he is no longer suited to preside in Division X.

Barry's call for resignation noted, "Judge Moreland has the right to articulate his own version of events and to defend his actions, but unless he can do so far more persuasively than what we have heard to this point, he should resign."

Moreland's response reflected how out of touch he is with one of Nashville's most pressing problems, pernicious domestic violence. "Her stance would be a lot more credible if she wasn't a candidate for mayor."

Good ol' boys

The dismissive comment echoed the perverse rationalizations he has made since Chase was again arrested for assault after Moreland ordered his release.

Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas observed, "Those in power need checks and restraints lest they come to identify the common good for their own tastes and desires, and their continuation in office as essential to the preservation of the nation."

Moreland's good ol' boy sensibilities do not seem to be in check.

Less than three hours after Chase was arrested Sunday morning, his defense attorney, Bryan Lewis, an old friend and vacation buddy of the judge, called his old friend and "explained" why Chase should not be held in jail. Moreland determined that Lewis' facts overrode the commissioner's decision. Chase confronted his "girlfriend" again —less than five hours after the initial arrest warrant was sworn.

"I did what I did not for Mr. Lewis," Moreland told the Tennessean. "I did what I thought was right at the time. I regret it. I apologize for it, and I will make sure to get more information next time."

After Chase's second arrest, Moreland said, "Other than the victim, nobody feels any worse than I do about what happened."

--- Read my Sunday column

Justified anger

Moreland's actions and rationalizations angered Metro police chief Steve Anderson who fired off an intense indictment to presiding judge Bill Higgins calling the events a "fiasco."

Anderson wants Higgins to "put in place measures that will give the monitoring public an assurance that such misconduct will not occur in the future."

"(D)omestic violence is not a game and any additional antics of this type will completely destroy any remaining confidence in the General Sessions Courts," Anderson wrote.

Restore confidence

Justice John Paul Stevens wrote in 2000, "It is confidence in the men and women who administer the judicial system that is the true backbone of the rule of law."

It is hard to conceive of a starker example of lost confidence than what has transpired in the last week, and the way to restore confidence in our system would be for Judge Moreland to resign his $160,000 a year job.

There are capable replacements.

Diane Lance, who has championed responses to domestic violence, told supporters she was not interested in running a write-in campaign for Division X, which illustrates why Moreland should resign – to attract more qualified candidates.

But there were also several strong candidates in the May primary that should be considered for either a write-in campaign or an opened election, including Vince Wyatt, who lost his bid for Division IV to a former domestic violence prosecutor, Allegra Walker.

And Davidson County Republicans should be all over this; they will not find a better chance to break the long Democrat control of judgeships.

Frank Daniels is the community conversations editor of The Tennessean, 615-881-7039, or @fdanielsiii

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