This is one of my favorite photos taken of me. I was probably twenty-three years old, and it was photographed by my first husband, Philip, while we were on a boat in the Bahamas. Those were some of the most exciting days of my young life, but little did I know, they would lay the groundwork for a memoir I would write someday.
Speaking of my memoir, please forgive me for not blogging on a more regular basis, but I’ve been slammed with things related to my book like editing the manuscript and putting together a public relations strategy. Even though it won’t hit bookstores until next year, publishers begin working on a book a year in advance. Yesterday, I had a Zoom call with my editor, who told me how their creative director will approach the book cover design. It’s all new and fun to me, and it’s building my “pub date” anticipation.
In the meantime, here are some of my favorite things for March.
JEWELRY
I don’t own a lot of jewelry and most of the things I wear I’ve had for a long time, but there is a jewelry designer whose pieces I love, Mindy Grutman. The workmanship on Mindy Grutman’s pieces is exquisite as are the brilliant cut stones of tourmaline, rose quartz, and peridot, among others, and the 18k gold in which she frames them. They’re glamorous and beautiful, and I would wear them anywhere. Like the Palm Beach Drop earrings, $128, from her “Ocean Collection” as well as the other fabulous pieces on her website. Have fun exploring the many choices of stones you can mix and match!
EYESHADOW
For over a year, my favorite eyeshadow palette has been Revolution Reloaded Provocative, and it’s only $6.40. There’s something for everyone in this highly-pigmented eyeshadow collection, including an array of light and darker colors that are both matte and silky shimmers.
When it comes to eyeshadow, don’t be afraid to experiment with color. You can always wipe it off if you don’t like it. Start with a small, soft brush and lightly tap the brush on one of the paler shades (you can see my favorite lid color is on the lower left), then lightly blend it across your eyelids. If it’s not as dark as you’d like it, repeat the previous steps. For the crease, I like a darker shade from the same palette (second from the left on the top row) and apply it the same way. Softly tap the brush on the color and then lightly blend it back and forth in the crease. If it’s too dark, don’t panic. Use a small fluffy blending brush to feather the edges. Blend, blend, blend.
Blending is the key to applying makeup whether it’s eyes or cheeks.
LIPSTICK
When Sandy Linter did my makeup this past November, she introduced me to Powermatte Lip Pigment from Nars, and I love it. It’s a highly-pigmented liquid lipstick that’s virtually indestructible, which means it stays on for hours. It doesn’t feather, it feels light, and it’s never sticky.
The best way to apply it is to first line your lips with your favorite lip pencil, then apply the rich, velvety Powermatte Lip Pigment with the accompanying applicator. Resist the temptation to rub your lips together like many of us do after we apply lipstick in a tube. Simply let it try. If it’s a little dark, you can then blot your lips on a tissue. Since it’s matte, if you want a little shine, apply a tiny dab of lip gloss, to catch the light, on the center of your upper and lower lips.
I don’t look good in lipsticks that have a blue or purple base, so my favorite Powermatte Lip Pigment colors are “Bad Guy,” “Get it On” and “Just What I Needed.” I put them on at 9 am and they’re still there in the afternoon.
LIP PENCIL
My favorite non-blue or purple lip pencil is the color Nude” by Bobbi Brown. It’s a deep pink-brown. Technically this shade isn’t nude, but it’s a soft enough color that it works with most lip colors you put on top of it. Regardless of whether I follow it with lipstick or lip gloss, I start by lining my lips, then I fill in the rest of my lips with the Nude pencil. Use the side of the pencil. That way the tip stays sharper, longer, a trick I learned from Sandy a long time ago.
I’m not crazy about being able to see the outline of a woman’s lips. I think it looks cheap and depending on our age, can make us look older and like we’re trying too hard.
What do you think of this look on women over 50?
LIP GLOSS
My biggest issue with lip gloss is their tendency to feather along the vertical creases in my lips, but I’ve found a brand that stays put. It’s from Bare Minerals and I love the shade “Peace,” which reads like a pale pink or peach with a hint of gold. It’s beautiful and creamy and makes your lips feel moisturized. Actually, the long name of the product is Lip Gloss-Balm, and it’s fabulous!
TALAVERA MEXICAN DINNER PLATES
Years ago, a girlfriend and I went to San Miguel, Mexico. I think I linked part of my diary from that trip, about the woman who had no boundaries when she spoke, even with total strangers like us. She interspersed her thoughts about the men she slept with along with her glam B&B tenants, actors Antonio Banderas and Melanie Griffiths. I’m still shocked when I think of her running monologue!
While my girlfriend and I were in San Miguel, I bought six blue and white Talavera dinner plates and had them packed, and I hauled them home on the airplane. While they’re a fun reminder of our trip, these identical-looking plates, $12.99 each, are lead-free, less expensive, and you won’t have to lug them home from Mexico.
I hope you liked Brenda Coffee’s Favorite Things this month! Please let me know your thoughts about jewelry and makeup. What do you like?
36 Comments
Thanks for the link to Mindy Grutman jewelry. Love all the pieces.
You’re welcome, Antonia. I agree. They’re beautiful. Brenda
Oh Brenda! I do love that photo of you, too. The pin reminds me of a book I read a few years ago called “Diving for Starfish”, a true story about a missing starfish pin owned by Claudette Colbert and others. Only three coveted pins were ever made, but this one pin is missing. The author could only locate two real pins plus a lot of fakes. I loved that book. Also, love the blue and white plates.
Colleen has me interested in the Diving for Starfish book and of course, I’m looking forward to yours! Xo, Barb
Hi Barbara, Me, too! I’ve been reading the book on Amazon, and I went ahead and ordered it. Don’t you love glittering detective stories? Thank you, sweet lady for your interest in my book. xoxox, Brenda
Colleen, You not only have me intrigued with the jeweled starfish, but I’ve been reading several chapters of the book online and then I went ahead and ordered it. What a fabulous story! Thank you, my jewel of a friend. xoxox, Brenda
Beautiful photo. Looking forward to reading your book Brenda! Hope all is well.
Hello sweet friend, You’re a bit of a mystery. Here and then gone for a long time. I hope all is well. Thanks for the compliment and your interest in my book. xoxox, Brenda
Gorgeous picture Brenda – I love it too.
Nice to hear from you. I have had to take 6 months from blogging to take care of elderly parents. I get it.
Love hearing from you, Gray. That can’t be easy. Last week I visited a woman who’s caregiver to her older husband with dementia. I think my being there upset him, and I felt bad about that. I hope you have some relief and opportunities to do something for yourself and see a friend now and then. What you’re doing is wonderful but very stressful. Blessings, Brenda
Live your blog and can’t wait for your memoir. The photograph of you is beautiful Brenda, unlike the one you posted of the young woman with her lips outlined. Everything about the way young women… and some older ones too… is garish and unflattering. And facial piercings. I don’t get those at all.
Thank you, Rose! I appreciate that. I’m with you about facial piercings and the way young women do their makeup. Just the other day, someone told me that men don’t like that look. If that’s true, I would hope they could influence them to stop. xoxox, Brenda
Absolutely beautiful photo!
Hello sweet friend, Thank you for the compliment. How are you and your Annie? Tell me everything! xoxox, Brenda
I have to try that lipstick! I have been wedded to Chanel’s version. I will give it a try! No to obvious lipliner in my humble opinion. Great photo of you!
HI Cindy, I didn’t know Chanel had a liquid lipstick. Thanks! I’m in agreement about the visible lipliner. xoxox, Brenda
Love Mindy’s earrings!! And your eyeshadow! Thank you for the great references Brenda.
You’re welcome, Carlie. It’s always fun to have new things pop up on our radar. xoxox, Brenda
Mindy Grumman’s jewelry is fabulous! I may have to buy a pair of earrings. Thanks Brenda. You always feature the best things.
I hear you, Madeline. I bought a pair as well. So happy you like my favorite things. xoxox, Brenda
Do you suppose young men like the way the young women are wearing their makeup? In one of your blogs you said their eyebrows look like they were applied with an asphalt roller! I’ll never forget that line and I think of it every time I see someone who does their brows that way. Hilarious Brenda!
Funny you ask that question, Paula. I just answered another comment by saying I’d heard that men DON’T like this look. We can only hope they’ll influence their girlfriends and wives to make some changes. Glad you like my “asphalt roller” line. I think of that every time I see thick dark eyebrows on a woman. Love your comment! Thanks! xoxox, Brenda
Gorgeous picture of you! Glad to hear you are hard at work on your memoir. Can’t wait to read it! Have a terrific weekend.
Thank you, Jeannette! How’s your weekend been? Even though my memoir’s written, there’s still so much to do surrounding it. Amazing! I had no clue until now. xoxox, Brenda
Ah! Beautiful Brenda now and then! I can’t wait to read your memoir. I always loved makeup but my father wouldn’t allow me to wear it when I was young. I became an Esthetician and I enjoyed making people beautiful and self-confident. I love vibrant lipsticks and I have the same eye palette. I love jewelry and wear different earrings everyday. I love the peridot earrings shown as my birthday is in August. I have special plates made in France and Portugal. Thank you Brenda for sharing and bringing sunshine in my life. I need it.
Thank you for the sweet compliment, Yvonne. Interesting that you became an esthetician. I find that fascinating. Through the years, I’ve done makeovers on friends so I know what you mean about helping women look beautiful and more confident. When I showed one woman how to do her makeup, it changed her whole life. Still gets me choked up when I think about it. Happy I can brighten your day. I hope you have a wonderful week, Yvonne. xoxox, Brenda
I am planning to get that lipliner and that lip gloss knowing that it doesn’t bleed and new earrings for my birthday.
Brava, Yvonne! New earrings for your birthday. I think we should all buy ourselves something we want on our birthday. Since you’re an esthetician, I imagine you have lots of favorite products. xoxox, Brenda
Thanks for the inspiration, Brenda! I needed a little self-care and a new lipstick fit the bill perfectly! Those Talavera Plates are so beautiful, but I am in a “shedding things” phase again. Just too much stuff because I forgot my “One in, Two out” rule. LOL. I am looking forward to your book – I know it will be great, and maybe a bit shocking? Wink, wink!
XO
I hear you, Donna. I don’t want anything in my garage or stacked in closets, and if I don’t use it, I donate it to Goodwill. That said, it’s time for me to clear a few things out of my closet. My memoir? Shocking? Absolutely! It will curl your toes. Hope you’re feeling well and your son…. xoxox, Brenda
Hi Ms. Brenda,
I love, love, love the picture of you. It’s a gorgeous profile of your beautiful face. You still are, you have matured so well. The main thing I like about you so much is you’re beautiful on the inside and feel you are the “real deal.”
My forever friend of 50 years from my home town of San Francisco wrote her memoir several years ago and I went through only some of the process that she experienced.. It’s a HUGE undertaking and an expensive one. I have tremendous respect for what you decided to do. I’m part of your “fan club,” looking forward to reading your life story too. Maybe if we are both blessed and fortunate we will get to meet one another when you are on the traveling circuit promoting your book.
Thank you for your insight into lip stick and lip liners. I’m a Chanel girl, and Mac for lip liner and sometimes lip stick. Always open to exploring something new.
Have a great week and a Blessed Easter.
Thank you, Katherine. You’ve made my week! My outsides are sagging here and there, and I’m not crazy about that, but I’m still here and for that I am grateful. I have something special in mind for readers of my blog when my memoir is published so stay tuned. That said, I would love to meet you in person as well. When the time comes, I’ll let everyone know where I’ll be doing readings and book signings because meeting all of you is at the top of my list of things I look forward to doing. I’ve gotten to know you in your comments and it will be a dream come true to see your faces and hear your voices. Oh, wow! I get excited just thinking about that!! Blessings to you, sweet lady, and Happy Easter. xoxox, Brenda
just love that photo of you-th. reminded me of my favorites from my early 20’s in the late 60’s/early 70’s in new york – just breathing in that energy. beauty then/beauty now. cannot wait for the book!
Bonnie, What a lovely note. Thank you. I’d love to see the photos of you at the same age. In many ways, we’re the same women we were then except our instincts have been honed and our experiences have given us depth and maturity. Thank you again, Brenda
I love reading your blog and I can’t wait for your memoir!! Love you my friend!!!
Hello sweet friend! I was just talking to God about you and your family a little while ago, wondering how you are. You’re on my mind a lot. I hope you know that. Love, love, love you, B