How My Love of Beauty Began

With my mom as she perfected my makeup for The King And I

When I was 4 years old, I played the Youngest Royal Child in a production of The King And I at the Gallery Players in Columbus. It was my first time on stage -- and my first time wearing loads and LOADS of stage makeup. I had to become one of the Siamese Royal children!

I remember going with my mom to a session where we learned how to put on the makeup. Think pancake makeup, eyeshadow, lipstick and TONS of black liquid eyeliner. There was so much makeup to put on, in fact, that they gave us a worksheet printed front and back with directions. And while most people may have been overwhelmed by the sheer number of products and steps this look would take, I was immediately fascinated.

From that moment on, I always loved getting to put on tons of makeup for stage productions. It was so fun to transform myself completely into someone else -- and to use beauty products to do it. But I credit my role in The King And I with beginning my love of beauty. Who knows where I would be if I hadn't done that show? And as you can see from the photo above, this look really did entail using a LOT of makeup. Maybe not so fun for my mom every night (for a whopping 20 performances), but I sure loved it!

How did your love of beauty begin? Let me know in the comments!

Beauty Question: How Do You Unwind?

When you're having a really stressful week -- or even just a stressful few hours -- how do you unwind? If you're like me, you head to the spa. And while I count Bliss and Exhale among my faves, I like to try new places as well. (Though I will be at Bliss this Friday night for a much-needed facial and deep tissue massage!)

Let me know your tried and true unwinding techniques in the comments!

Beauty Question: What Was Your First Memorable Spa Experience?

At the spa that day, post-massage. I looked so relaxed, my friend Lisa had to snap a photo!

It was 2005, and my best friend was getting married. We decided to do a spa day at Cleveland's John Robert's Spa for her bachelorette party, and -- while I was already well-versed in beauty by that point -- GASP! I had never had a massage.

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Beauty Question: Do You Combine Candle Scents?

Recently, I've been on a bigger candle kick than usual -- but in a completely different way. I've always been a one candle at a time kind of gal ... but all of a sudden, I feel the need to burn multiples simultaneously. And we're not talking unscented here -- I mean combining rose with ginger, white jasmine with pomegranate, even tuberose with vanilla. I thought it would make my apartment smell strange and, dare I say it, bad -- but instead, it's brought to light all of these new fragrance combinations I never knew existed!

So my Beauty Question today is this. Do you combine candle scents? I'm intrigued by your responses -- let me know in the comments!

Beauty Question: What's Your Biggest Indulgence?

There's always that one thing that we continue to splurge on, again and again. Whether it's a product or a service ... and no matter how many times people may say we're crazy! ... we just can't help ourselves. For this beauty chick, it's massages. I've been known to get them two or three times in one week -- granted, it was to try and help my massive migraines, but still -- I just can't get enough. I like to try out various spas around the city, and my go-to treatment is always a massage. And yes, I've spent upwards of $200 or more for 90 minutes of sheer and utter bliss. It's definitely my biggest indulgence.

So my beauty question today is this: What's your biggest indulgence? Whether it's a Chanel lipgloss, a La Mer moisturizer or a weekly pedicure, there are no judgments here. Let me know your indulgences in the comments!

Beauty Question: Which Discontinued Beauty Product Do You Wish Would Come Back?

Don't you hate when your favorite beauty product is discontinued all of a sudden? I can't tell you how much it hurts my heart when that happens. My all-time favorite hair product, Frederic Fekkai Straight Away, was discontinued a few years ago and it's been eating away at me ever since. Luckily, I had one tube that I used very sparingly -- but, lo and behold, it finally ran out today. Sadness! So my beauty question of the day is this: Which discontinued beauty product do you wish would come back? Let me know in the comments!

Beauty Question: What Will Your Halloween Beauty Look Be?

Halloween is just around the corner, fellow beauty chicks! I'm repurposing my costume from last year and going as a totally rockin' 80's chick -- complete with blue eyeshadow up to my eyebrows, hot pink lipstick and a huge side ponytail. Check it out:

So tell me: What will your Halloween beauty look be? Tell me your Halloween makeup plans in the comments!

Beauty Question: What Are Your Beauty Impulse Purchases?

The impulse purchase really doesn't happen for me at the grocery store or the drugstore. I don't find myself needing candy or gum. But step into any beauty store, and chances are I'll have to add on at least something before I check out. The one impulse purchase I always seem to come back to again and again? Chanel Le Vernis Nail Colour. I've amassed quite a collection over the years, mainly because every time I walk by a Chanel makeup counter I find myself saying, "Oh, okay, I'll just buy one more."

My most recent polish purchase was going to be Chanel Jade Rose, which I actually did end up buying. But just one? No, no, no. I simply had to have Intermezzo too. Oops, fed my polish addiction again!

What are your beauty impulse purchases? Let me know in the comments!

Beauty Question: What's Your Favorite Moisturizer?

I'm suffering from a bit of a conundrum, fellow beauty chicks. I just ran out of my favorite moisturizer and I'm hard-pressed to buy it again ... because, much as I love my Estee Lauder Re-Nutriv Ultimate Youth Creme, it retails for a whopping $250. I just don't have the cash to pony up for such an extravagance, though I know my skin might begin hating me.

So my Beauty Question of the day is this. What's your favorite moisturizer? What can you absolutely not live without ... and why? And most importantly, how much does it cost? Let me know in the comments -- and it might just be my next purchase! You'll be doing this beauty chick a massive favor, believe me!

Beauty Question: What's The Last Product You Finished?

All right, fellow beauty chicks. I have a bit of a problem. You see, it's quite difficult for me to finish a product. Be it a lipgloss or an eyeshadow, a body wash or a shampoo, I seem to amass much more than I throw away.

But in an amazing twist of fate today, I actually finished a product. The culprit? None other than my tube of Jaqua Cocoa Buttercream Frosting Shower Creme. This stuff both smelled so incredible and lathered up so well that I simply couldn't wait to squeeze a big mass of it onto my pouf every time I stepped into the shower. And you know what? Doing so actually helped me to use up every single drop!

So fess up! What's the last product you finished? Let me know in the comments!

Beauty Question: Would You Buy a $380 Moisturizer?

The latest rage in moisturizer? Givenchy Le Soin Noir. Formulated with vital black alge sap concentrate to maintain and prolong cell longevity, this moisturizer is definitely one of the most unique I've seen in quite some time. It's quite thick and lush, not to mention shimmery and black -- yes, black! -- though it sinks into the skin without leaving behind any residue. It's designed to make your complexion firm, glowing and even-toned.

Well, I've tried it, and I do think it's a decent moisturizer. But it rings up at a whopping $380 at sephora.com. Yes, you read that right! So my Beauty Question is this. Would you buy a $360 moisturizer? Or do you think it's absolutely insane to spend that much on a beauty product? My feeling is this: There's just no reason to spend that much on a moisturizer. I mean, come on -- I got my Manolos for cheaper than that at a sample sale!

Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

Beauty Questions: What's Your Favorite Nail Polish Trend of 2008?

2008 has seen tons of big nail polish trends hitting the runway and the red carpet. Models and celebs have rocked everything from bright orange nail polish (think Rihanna) to black and purple (like Gwyneth Paltrow and Lauren Conrad). What's your favorite nail polish trend of 2008? Click your fave in the poll below, or let me know in the comments!

poll by twiigs.com

Beauty Questions: What's Your Favorite Hair Trend of 2008?

2008 has seen tons of big hair trends hitting the runway and the red carpet. Models and celebs have rocked everything from side braids to huge hair. What's your favorite hair trend of 2008? Click your fave in the poll below, or let me know in the comments!

poll by twiigs.com

Beauty Questions: What's Your Favorite Lip Trend of 2008?

2008 has seen tons of big lip trends hitting the runway and the red carpet. Models and celebs have rocked everything from peach lipgloss to stained red pouts. What's your favorite lip trend of 2008? Click your fave in the poll below, or let me know in the comments!

poll by twiigs.com

Beauty Questions: If You Could Only Buy One Product a Year, What Would It Be?

I have a beauty product buying problem. I tend to buy tons and tons of mascaras, lipglosses, eye creams, body washes ... you name it, I've got tons of them lying around my apartment. But in these trying economic times, I've been thinking about ways to cut back -- and, much as it pains me to say it, there might need to be some trimming of the pocketbook when it comes to buying products. So my Beauty Question to you, my lovely readers, is this. If you could only buy one product a year, what would it be?

Yes, I know it's extreme. But if you had to choose, where would your dollars go?

My choice is simple. It's La Mer The Eye Concentrate. At $180, it's not cheap by any means ... but it keeps my eyes looking quite young, it makes my skin feel supple and smooth, and it just really makes me feel like I'm living in the world of luxury. Nothing better or more important than that!

What would be your one product bought in a year? Let me know in the comments!

Beauty Questions: What's Your Biggest Beauty Mishap?

We've all been there. Sprayed on too much of a horrible perfume, lined our eyes with a color that could only be described as ugly, used the wrong shade of foundation without enough time to take it off. So my question of the day is this. What's your biggest beauty mishap? Mine would have to be what I just did on Monday morning. There I was, flat ironing my hair without a care in the world ... and all of a sudden, I clamped the entire flat iron down on my left hand. I now have three burns that I'm nursing with gauze and lots of Neosporin.

So I ask you, what's your biggest beauty mishap? It doesn't have to be as dramatic as mine. It could be picking the wrong shade of lipgloss for a night out on the town! Let me know in the comments!

Beauty Questions: Is it Appropriate to Apply Makeup in Public?

We've probably all been guilty of applying makeup in places other than at our vanity. Sometimes I can be seen whipping out my lipgloss on the subway, at the dinner table, in the movie theater ... but my Beauty Question is this. Is it appropriate to do so? And if so, when does it cross the line? For example, I once saw a girl plucking her eyebrows on the subway for a good 30 minutes. This seemed to go way overboard and past the point of no return.

What do you think? Leave your thoughts in the comments!

Beauty Questions: What Was Your First Favorite Scent?

For as long as I can remember, I've loved perfume. It's difficult to pinpoint just one fragrance that calls to me, though Ralph Lauren Romance certainly does the trick. But when thinking over my favorite scents and smells, vanilla is always at the top of the list.

As early as 10 years old, I was making trips to The Body Shop at the local mall to partake in what I thought was the most amazing invention ever (and miss to this very day), the make-your-own fragrance bar. And out of every single scent available -- and I think there were at least 30 on hand -- vanilla won every single time. It's got a comforting, homey, yet totally sensual and seductive allure to it that just always gets me.

So my Beauty Question to you is this. What was your first favorite scent? Let me know in the comments!

Beauty Questions: Do You Buy Products Just for the Packaging?

Now, some products we buy for their fabulous properties. I think we'd all agree that Urban Decay Primer Potion is one such example ... it could come in a brown jar marked "hazardous waste" and we'd still all shell out the money. But my Beauty Question today asks you this: Do you buy products just for the packaging?

Maybe there's an eyeshadow in an amazing printed container. Maybe the blush you want comes in a gorgeous floral design. Or maybe, like this beauty chick, you buy fragrance bottles simply for how they'll look on your vanity. So I leave this question to you. Let me know in the comments!

Beauty Questions: What Is Your All-Time Scariest Makeup Moment?

In honor of Friday the Thirteenth -- by all accounts the scariest day of the year for many (and yes, it trumps Halloween!) -- this edition of Beauty Questions asks: What is your all-time scariest makeup look?

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