Ahhh...it is fashion week in New York this week and as such all the latest styles and trendy collections will be coming out to the rest of us shortly.  In this picture a creation by Japanese designer Kazuo Takashima is highlighted. This particular show was held as a part of the Japan Fashion Week events.

For those of us who might prefer our shoes on our feet the show is full of gorgeous new shoes and anything you can possibly imagine to go with your fabulous footwear. Being a native New Yorker myself...I am living vicariously through the email updates and articles I can read, and then there are others...Today, I am spotlighting the creative genius at Dior. Likely not practical...but.......

You have GOT to love Dior!

Shower curtain couture...

Hmmm.....Dior's take on Apple Bottom Jeans?

Good for the office..demands respect, with just a touch of whimsy..

Sometimes the best beauty products are things that you already have in your refrigerator!!! Natures beauty products often work just as well or even better than some high priced department store items just take a look and then give it a try..

Anti wrinkle (2 potential remedies)

• Bananas are delicious and have wonderful vitamins and nutrients when eaten, but did you realize that bananas are also an excellent anti wrinkle treatment? Just mash about 1/4 of a banana as well as you can (the fewer lumps the better!) spread it on your face and leave for 15 minutes and rinse and pat dry. 
• Green Thompson seedless grapes has one of the ingredients in those big time expensive wrinkle creams. All you do is cut a grape in half and gently crush it on your face and neck. Make sure that you get the "crows-feet" and the lines around your mouth. Leave it on for 15 minutes and rinse and pat dry.

Recipe for Shiny Hair

You can give your hair a great shine and help remove soap build up without spending alot of extra money:

• Blondes Add a couple of tablespoons of lemon juice to your rinse water.
• Brunettes and Redheads Add a couple of tablespoons of apple cider vinegar to your rinse water.

Stir 1 teaspoon of honey into 4 cups (1 quart) warm water. After shampooing, pour the mixture through you hair. Do not rinse out. Dry as normal.

Exfoliate

For regular skin

Sea salt removes dry, flaky, dead skin. Just wet your face (or anywhere on the body you wish to exfoliate), apply a couple of tablespoons of sea salt, then gently massage with a wet washcloth or fingers.
If you are exfoliating your face, then focus on the T-zone and cheeks, but avoid the eye area. After one or two minutes, rinse with cold water to tighten the pores.

For sensitive skin

For a more gentle exfoliator, mix 1/2 cup cornmeal, 1/4 cup milk, two teaspoons baking soda, one tablespoon olive oil and five drops of tea-tree oil in a bowl, then apply to your skin. Feel free to massage into the entire face, but do avoid the eye area.

Lip Gloss

Here is a recipe for a fruity type lip gloss that is super easy to make:

2 TBLS solid shortening
1 TBLS fruit-flavored powdered drink mix
35 mm film container

Mix shortening & drink mix together in a microwave safe bowl until it is smooth. Place the bowl in the microwave on high for 30 seconds until mix becomes a liquid. Pour into a clean film container (or any other small airtight container). Place mix into fridge for 20-30 minutes or till firm and Voila you have a delicious lip gloss!

Honey Facial Mask

Place a cloth in warm water and apply to your face to open the pores. Smear on honey, and leave on for 15 to 30 minutes. Rinse off with warm water, then use cold water to close the pores. Use once a week.

Hair Spray

Chop one lemon (or an orange if your hair is dry) Place in a pot with 2 cups water. Boil until half of the initial amount remains. Cool, strain, and place in a spray bottle. Store in the refrigerator. (If it is too sticky, add more water).

Add one ounce rubbing alcohol as a preservative and then the spray can be stored for up to two weeks unrefrigerated.

Get rid of undereye circles

To lighten dark circles under your eyes, grate a raw potato. Wrap it in cheesecloth and apply to your eyelids and undereye area for approximately 15 minutes. Rinse your entire face with warm water and then apply moisturizer. Repeat weekly.

Tis the season to don a bronze glow…but there are serious dangers in letting your skin bare the elements, and even then you don't want unsightly tan lines…so what is a girl to do?

Self Tanner and bronzer! .......But, wait I don't want that orange-y look!

Where have you been sister? The self tanners and bronzers of today do not all make you look like an orange. They can give you a subtle bronze glow or a deeper bronze glow…it is all in the choice and the application. We can talk about bronzer another day…today let’s focus on self tanner…

What to buy??? Well - I used to be a major sun worshipper and love the way a tan looks…now that I am a little older - I still love the look, but don't want to start wrinkling prematurely. I am no expert…but, I have tried a lot including going to a tanning salon and getting the spray on Mystic tan (not bad actually. but it is hard to breathe in there!) and I have tried expensive tanners - drugstore tanners so I should know a little what I am talking about. Here is a list of my favorites - in all price ranges. (A tip also - if you want to try one that is a little more expensive - buy it on eBay! You can get quality items for a fraction of the cost…yeah, ok - I sell on eBay - but I also buy…a lot!

On the more expensive side

Fake bake and Clarins - two of my absolute favorites....and you can get them on eBay. They give a really natural bronze look, don't streak and are easy to apply!

Bargain basement

Jergens Natural Glow - I am not kidding - you can get this stuff at your local drugstore and it is awesome and inexpensive!

Now the application…

Here is the tricky part, getting the application right so there are no streaks.

• Be clean shaven, but don't do it right before you apply self tanner. It can irritate freshly shaven skin.
• First apply just regular body lotion to the area that you are going to tan, or even baby oil will work. This application will keep you from getting streaks. I can tell you from experience there is nothing pretty about tan palms…it is kind of creepy looking. You can either wear latex gloves or wash your hands THOROUGHLY after the application.
• Apply the tanner - start by working on a small area. Gently, in an even manner, rub in the product generously. Reach out to other areas in a swirling, but gentle and even rub. Try not to go in an up-and-down direction – it won’t look as even. Don't forget your back - either have someone help you or use a sponge.

The downside to self tanner…to be honest most of this stuff does not smell very good at all. I recommend putting it on about an hour before bedtime…waking up and getting right into the shower. In all fairness, the Jergens is probably the least offensive smell.

So...put it on, walk around for an hour or so...don't forget to wash your hands! And go out looking bronzer than ever…and keep that pretty skin healthy!

Tips for creating a smoky-eye evening look. Beauty doesn't have to be expensive - or difficult. Anything you might need can be found on ebay for a fraction of the cost, there are so many good sellers out there with such great products.

To create a smoldering look for the evening you will need three kinds of shadow, a neutral, medium tone / darker gray and black shadow (prefer one with slight glitter); eye liner; lash curler and lots of mascara. Here is how you do it...simple and no fuss..

The shadow;

Start with three different shades; a neutral, a darker grey and a black. Some of my favorites are Dior, Chanel and Lancôme. They all make gorgeous shadows to create a smoky eye.

Step one - Sweep the neutral (or the lightest shade) over the entire lid, don’t be shy – take it right up to the eyebrows.
Next take the darker color (not your darkest!) and blend the grey shade over the eyelid up to the crease.
Last – take the deepest shade and create some drama by sweeping a brush across the upper lid to create a thick line – this will truly define eyes. Now take a good eye brush (Bobbi Brown is my favorite) and smudge the line to soften. Make sure your eyes look even.

The Liner
Line eyes along the top, bottom and inner rim of the lashes with a soft eye pencil in either a deep grey or a black. If you use black make sure that you soften it with a brush otherwise you will look Goth…now, Goth is good – but these instructions are for a smoky evening type eye.

Curl those lashes

My favorite lash curler – bar none, and yes it does make a difference…is Shu Uemura. It costs more – yes, but…trust me, I have long lashes and this really does make a huge difference.

The Mascara
For the finishing touch add lashings two layers of Mascara. My absolute favorite is Lancôme Definicils in black/Noir – no, it is not just because I sell it – It really is my favorite. Second favorite…good drugstore brand is good old pink & black tube of Maybelline.

You are set - voila - simply gorgeous, now go out and have a good time!