Waxing Philosophic On the Autumn Aesthetic

Take a moment to fully absorb this transcendent beauty:

(Photo from: OCRegister.com)

Though my blog mostly covers beauty as applied to cosmetics and personal upkeep, beauty is beauty. At the top I list as one of the topics applied here as 'aesthetics' which is defined as "the study of the mind and emotions in relations to the sense of beauty". This season is the best time to wax philosophic on Nature's beauty.

Also, because I'm a huge sci-fi geek, I'm tying in an esoteric philosophy from Battlestar Galactica. Don't go yet! This will make sense! But if you're not into philosophy read no further. I'll see you next post.

Keep in mind that this:

(Photo: USA-fallfoliage.com)

...is a picture of death, of dying. That which we are most afraid. Nature shows us a morbid beauty in dying. The Cylon character Leoben states in an episode to another character, Kara, who is soon to die and just witnessed her own mother's death and is positively afraid to die, "See? There's nothing so terrible about death. When you finally face it, it's beautiful." After this Kara accepts her reality of impending death.

Once I came to revere and respect Nature, pagan that I am, I found that Nature Herself, specifically the Autumn aspect, teaches us a profound lesson: death need not be ugly and dreadful. Not that any of us should go running to the grave prematurely, that's just a waste of life. But I think we should all strive, to the very best of our ability, to leave this life with beauty and grace.

(Photo: Vtweb.com.)

Fall is the season of decay. Winter is the actual dead season, Autumn is its funeral processional. That space between life (spring/summer) and death (winter) and it is indeed beautiful. How many people travel to the northern reaches of their (northern hemisphere) country to see leaves essentially dying a beautiful death, yet how few travel to see those very leaves born again five months later?

Finally, yet another Galactica tie-in is a philosophy espoused by the Cylon D'Anna Biers (portrayed by the awesome Lucy Lawless). Her species, you see, can die and be reborn an infinite number of times. D'Anna has remembered what she has seen in between lives. I want to end this post with something she told one of her brethren, "This is something beautiful...in that space between life and death."

(Photo: Northcoastcafe.typepad.com.)

Must Read: Allure- August 2007

This is a must buy issue. I'm usually not a reader of mags like Allure or Cosmo or Glamour, et al. but with the always fabulous, incredibly talented, stunningly beautiful Welsh triple-threat on the cover, how could I say no? Yes, CZJ is one of my favorite actresses in case you couldn't tell. Anyway, Allure has a list of must-have red lipsticks for every skin tone. Even better, some of them are being given away by the magazine throughout the month of August along with other beauty products.

August was a huge beauty issue for Allure, hence the giveaway. Each day a bevy of items are available to win for whatever number of people who signup at the website on the given day at a given time. Buy the magazine for more information and for the good, if fluffy, article on Catherine Zeta-Jones.

Dark Eyes-Dark Mouth: Correctly

That is, of course, the inimitable Monica Bellucci (Photo: Italian Elle, August 2006). Her image should be familiar to those who read my blog frequently: she is my avatar. Currently a face of Dior, here Ms. Bellucci shows a beautifully painted face with dark eyes and a dark mouth. Often this combination is seen as a no-no, sometimes considered too dramatic. On the right face, however, it can be stunning and seductive.

It is my opinion that this dark-dark combo is more appropriate on darker skin colors as it really can look overdone or too gothic on blondes, though I think with a little tweaking the latter can pull it off successfully. A color shadow lighter than black but still in the dark range, like for example gray, brown or blue, can be used in combination with black mascara to create a smoky-eye look for fairer skinned women accompanied by a rich brown lipstick.

Personally I like that look and wear it quite often. I work at home so there's no need for me to wear 'appropriate' daytime colors in my cosmetics.

Vasanti Cosmetics- Face Base

I owe much thanks to Henna at Canadian Beauty.com for highlighting this Toronto-based cosmetics company. Just one more reason I want to move to Toronto, the ethnic mosaic up there has produced a range in this cosmetics line that is admirable and virtually unseen here in the States. Anyhow, I ordered Vasanti's Face Base, created for yellow-based skin tones. I have ordered from Zhen Cosmetics, which also creates foundations and powders for yellow-based skin tones, but there is an important difference. In the Vasanti Face Base there is a lack of titanium dioxide, which can lend an ashy look to skin, especially skin with brown or yellow color.

Another plus is, on the Face Base page, the use of models on whom the specific colors are used. This helped a great deal because it provided a starting point. Though I have had bad luck in this arena before, for some reason I was very optimistic with my Vasanti order. I received the Face Base yesterday in the color V3. Perfect match! Absolutely flawless. I actually jumped up and down with glee after putting on this foundation: no looking 'slightly pale' or 'almost matched', no need to 'tweak' by adding blush or bronzer to counteract said 'slight paleness'...just, oh my Goddess. I can't stop raving about it! I have not been this satisfied with a Face Base in many, many years.

Vasanti Cosmetics definitely have a loyal client in me. I will definitely order a couple lipsticks next time so look for that review.

Price: $24. Available online.

Eyebrow Threading

Getting your eyebrows threaded is a singular experience, especially if you are accustomed to waxing. How do the two compare?

Threading: A hair removal technique popular in the Middle and Far East for millennia, it is now receiving its fair share of customers in the West. The aesthetician uses a loop of thread, though it looks like two separate pieces, and twisting it around your eyebrow hairs and tweezes. At first I typed 'pluck' but then I remembered my aesthetician correcting me saying, "You pluck chickens, not eyebrows." Thanks, Autumn!

The first time I had my eyebrows threaded it felt...odd. It didn't hurt at all, then again I have a high pain threshold. Nonetheless, I think it much more pleasurable than, say, tweezing. Or at least the way I tweeze because I'm just not good at it. My regrowth period was about the same as when I have my brows waxed, which is three weeks. If you're interested check at your local salons. Irritation is slight but do not have threading done if you have any bumps or pimples under your brows. You do not want to go there.

As I said, threading is gaining in popularity over here so some of everyone is providing the service. If you are in Chicago check out Sarah at Havana Nights Nails & Spa, but it is best you get a reference from someone you trust. Since it is popular someone may attempt to do it even though they do not have the skill. Though not as tragic as a poorly done chemical service, who wants to walk around with wonky brows? Prices for threading start at a minimal $8.


Waxing: My personal preference. I enjoy the hot wax on my face. It just feels so relaxing. I had my eyebrows waxed for the first time when I was about eleven years old. Basically because I am so very hairy. My aunt took me and it was almost like a ritual, a young lady getting her first eyebrow manicure.

The redness factor is a big minus but if your aesthetician is worth their weight in wax, irritation will be next to nothing. The wax is smoothed onto the hairs that need removal, then the strip is placed on top of the wax and it is taken off quickly. Though parodied in sitcoms, the quickness of the removal is to ensure total removal of the hairs and it is much less pain than if it were done slowly. Usually they will place a cool cloth on the brow afterward to counteract redness and irritation. Once again a reference is preferable for this service. Prices range from $20 and up but whatever the price it is always worth having beautiful, sleek brows.

(Photos courtesy of Shobha Threading and Alfredton Hair and Beauty.)

What Price, Beauty?

SF Gate Columnist Mark Morford writes for Notes and Errata at least once weekly. He is funny, charming and almost always spot on. Mark is a definite SF liberal and I love him for it as I totally wish I had the money to be a SF liberal. His column last Friday highlighted the near $4000 this female real estate agent spends monthly, monthly on her beautification. Four. Thousand. Dollars.

I am obviously obsessed with beauty and beautification, otherwise why waste time on this blog? But isn't there a limit to how much you spend to enhance, create and obfuscate? This is where some men (often those who could honestly use a nip, tuck and a pluck themselves) criticize such rituals. Not that we gals should filter that through male approval but really, this is a bit ridiculous, isn't it?

What else is this woman, Ginger, doing with her body that such a large amount must be spent to make it pretty again? Mark mentions that she receives Botox injections and tanning salon services. Well they cancel each other out so Ginger is definitely wasting money there. Tanning is drying her skin out creating wrinkles ergo she wants the Botox. Why not go for the sunless tan and better looking and feeling skin, Ginger? I'm sure you're a lovely woman and all this is being done as upkeep but if you keep abusing your skin it will all be for naught.

*Le sigh* I will never understand the obsession over tanning.

For any of you reading this out there, I want to hear from you. That is, those of you who understand and appreciate the necessities of 'slightly above average' upkeep. How much is too much when it comes to beautification?

On another note, the Bourjois Invisible Lip Liner mentioned in the previous post is great. My lipstick goes on true to color and smoothly.

It's All in the Wrist

I am oft complimented about my eyelashes in the most interesting manner: many believe them to be extensions. When I inform them that in fact Mama Nature and I made these the envy deepens and inevitably leads to, "How can I get my lashes to do that too?" I tell them, "It's all in the wrist."

Mascara is the one product I MUST apply on a daily basis. Not only does the lengthening and volumizing of my lashes act as a shield from sun and grit (as all lashes are supposed to) but it makes me look put together even when I look...horrible. Mascara is a product that cannot be put on in a rush. I get every last lash, which gives a panoramic look.

When applying mascara my wrist moves in a soft but deliberate circle. Almost like wrist circles learned in my belly dance class, my fingers delicately hold the mascara wand. With a hand-held mirror in my left hand and the mascara wand in my right, I hold the mirror underneath my chin and look down as I apply mascara to the right eye. The lashes on the upper eye are coated in this manner; then moving the mirror right in front of me, I apply mascara to the underside of the upper eyelashes. For fine tuning (ie. any missed or difficult to reach lashes) I use the tip of the wand. Repeat on the left side.

I do not always apply mascara to my bottom lashes, especially if I want a more doe-eyed effect. Since my lashes on the outer corners of my almond-shaped eyes are longer, getting the "doe eyes" is made easy by emphasizing those few lashes and skipping the bottom row altogether. When I do use mascara on the bottom I hold the wand horizontally and apply by moving the wand underneath the lashes, going up and out. Voila!

My lashes are already curly, a soft 30-45 degree curve so I do not need to use a curler. I know, lucky me! Using this technique will give anyone long, glam lashes regardless of the mascara used. However, a great lengthening or volumizing base coat works wonders as well.

The Beauty of Tea

You've heard the advice: for a flawless complexion you must drink eight, 8oz glasses of water a day. If you are like me, water can be a bit...BORING! Sure we all love that occasional clear, crisp glass of water especially on a hot day or after a vigorous workout. But, ugh, it can be a chore and I confess I do not keep to it.

However my skin looks better and better with each passing day.

Instead of turning to sugary, syrupy soft drinks, drink tea. As tea is mostly water exchanging a few cups of tea with cups of water per day you will still get your recommended daily amount; but with much more flavor. I personally enjoy green, white and rooibos tea. My favorite store is Teavana, which are in several higher-end malls across the country but their prices are very affordable. They sell loose tea in the old-fashioned way our ancestors used to drink it. The average teabag in the grocery store is very chopped up and that process leaches the health benefits and you end up with less than what you should consume per serving for the best results. Teavana does offer tea bags in which to put your loose tea if you do not have time to steep your tea or if you want your tea away from home without having to carry its cannister.

Here is pertinent information about each of the teas I named:



White Tea- Hundreds, if not thousands of years ago, this tea was drunk exclusively by Chinese royalty and no one else. It was and still is more expensive than any other. White tea is has a delicate taste and natural sweetness and is fantastic for your skin. Possessing very little caffeine, white tea is very high in antioxidants; far surpassing green tea in this respect. White tea only has to be slightly sweetened but then again this is relative to your taste. The tea at the left is Pear White Luna from Teavana.


Green Tea- This tea is very mainstream these days. It can be found on any supermarket shelf next to soft drinks and other iced teas. Green tea has a motherlode of antioxidants, though not as much as white tea or rooibos, and is great for the skin, hair, teeth and bones. My favorite Teavana green tea is their Green Tea Heaven pictured at left. Teavana describes it as, "A lavishly aromatic blend of Sencha, strawberry, raspberry, rhubarb, and red currants." Yummy! Also, green tea helps regulate blood sugar, so this is great for diabetics. Green tea does need to be sweetened so use pure rock sugar (as opposed to the white refined sugar) or honey.

Rooibos Tea- This tea is harvested from a red bush in South Africa. More antioxidants than green tea, but less than white, it is caffeine free, rich in minerals and vitamins and aids in digestion. These teas are fantastic over ice. At left is pictured the Teavana Peach Rooibos. I drink this tea in combination with their Blueberry Bliss tea and I usually ice it. Heaven in a cup. Rooibos may also help with allergy problems and is, like the other two, excellent for skin, hair, bones and teeth.

So much better than Coke or Sprite or the very boring and occasionally refreshing water. Drink to your health. Drink to your beauty.

Above: Imperial Red Hibiscus from the Imperial Tea Court.

New Face of Lancome: Kate Winslet

Fantastic actress. Great rolemodel. Wonderful woman. Lancome chose very well!

Cardio for Beauty

Clear complexions owe a great deal to a healthy circulatory system thanks to regular cardiovascular exercise: running, jogging, dancing, biking....sex, etc. Blood flows through our bodies to carry nutrients to various organs to keep them in working order; your skin, as you probably know by now, is your largest organ.

Let's say you don't like to do cardio work, especially in a gym. I totally understand; my knees are cranky after near two decades of ballet, jazz and tap but I still take dance classes. On the other hand, running on a treadmill is murder on my joints. The dance classes seem better because as your body sways with the music you tend to ignore your aches and pains. Swimming is also a good alternative for someone who has bad joints.

But many everyday activities can be seen as cardio, the important thing is a carefully increased heart rate. Of course if you have heart conditions, consult your doctor. Not only will you lose any weight you consider uninvited but your skill will look better for it.

Who is Oshun?

Oshun is the Yoruban Goddess of Love, Sensuality, Sexual pleasure, and Beauty: "Oshun, the Yoruban Goddess of love, delights in the creation of beauty and art, sensual delights and self-adornment. Her symbols are mirrors, jewelry, honey, golden silks and feather fans. Creativity in decorating home and temple is a way of honoring Oshun, who will bless any beautiful space created in Her honor. There is no object so common that Oshun will not appreciate more if it is made artistic and pleasing to the eye. Creativity in dress and self-adornment please her as well, and when Oshun is pleased, her blessings know no limits." [Source: Lunaea.com]


While I do not follow the Yoruban religion, I decided to name this blog after Oshun because, quite honestly, very few people in the Anglo-American world know about her. Usually whenever beauty goddesses are discussed it is always Aphrodite/Venus and while I adore her I wanted to call attention to an African goddess. Unfortunately there is still the opinion that anything African is unattractive and that could not be more untrue. And I suppose being multiracial a part of me instinctively gravitated toward Oshun.

When I first read about Oshun and her symbols I immediately said, "That sounds like me!" I find no shame is saying that yes, I enjoy looking in the mirror and I enjoy self-adornment even more. Oshun's Mirror was a perfect name for a blog about beauty, the celebration of self and the adornment of the body. For an absolutely GORGEOUS print of Oshun, check out talented Australian artist Selina Fenech.

Welcome to Oshun's Mirror

Hello all!

I go by the name Elisabetta and this is my blog dedicated to my devotion, nay obsession to cosmetics. The purpose of this blog is to give advice and technique tips that I have found useful in my life. Also to trade suggestions with readers, highlight certain books and products that I adore. I suppose novices to the wonderful world of cosmetics will get the most out of this but the experienced are more than welcome.

To give a little personal background, my love of cosmetics has been lifelong. I come from a long line of very feminine women for whom donning fine clothes and impeccable makeup was second nature and expected, but not to the exclusion of any other personal growth. According to mi madre, when I was a baby I would stare and study her face as she put on her makeup. It became very obvious that I was an excellent student.

As a young girl I was a classically trained ballerina from the age of four and from the age of six we had to wear makeup on stage. Not a great deal but for an enthusiast like myself I was ecstatic that I had the opportunity to wear shiny lip gloss outside the house! The rest, I suppose, is history. My madre didn't let me wear makeup outside the house on a daily basis until I was about fifteen though, unbeknownst to her I would put it on at school and wash it off afterward.

With a couple notable exceptions, I was the one my friends turned to when venturing into the sometimes intimidating world of cosmetic application. At university before a night out I usually had a line of four other girls waiting for assistance while I did my own makeup. It seems I should have become an aesthetician but it really is just a hobby.

My next post will introduce Oshun and explain why I chose that name for this blog.

I don't allow public comments but feel free to email me: oshuns.beauty@gmail.com