I love this: a blog dedicated to promoting positive body image and self-esteem among women, called 5 Resolutions to Transform the Beauty and Fashion Industries.  What are they?  “Educate Ourselves.  Educate Our Audience.  Take Responsibility.  Take Action.  Stay Connected.”

As a blogger who writes about beauty and celebrities and all that’s shiny and pretty and ooh! but who also supports movements promoting self-esteem and realism in the beauty and fashion industries, I often try to pinpoint where and when I’m being hypocritical…and I’ll be honest, I get tripped up.  I agree wholeheartedly with the Jezebel-led movement to stop bashing women over their looks…but to stop addressing looks altogether?  That’s where I run into an ehhh grey area of discomfort.  Does that mean I can’t comment on celebrity A looking especially squinty because of too much ill-placed Botox?  Shouldn’t suggest ways that celebrity B could make her hair look sleeker by using a certain anti-frizz product?  Must never speculate about what areas of her body MegaStar has had “done”?  Or even (horror of horrors!) need to stop checking out pop star makeup and hair pictures all together?  I mean, really, it’s all shallow, but is the goal to get us to stop noticing looks, period (never gonna happen), or to be kinder, more tolerant, and more realistic in the way we approach female beauty?  I think it’s the latter–my view has always been that there’s nothing wrong with trying to look your best in an image-conscious society.  Learning how to properly apply makeup and make the most of your hair is simply survival of the fittest, especially when you have news reports suggesting that prettier people get hired more easily, and that even babies prefer photos of more attractive, symmetrical faces.

In reality, I just don’t actually have an answer.  It’s something I think about all the time, I can tell you that.  I’m a lot kinder and gentler than I was in my early days of blogging, when I took pleasure in snarking on Tom Cruise, Sienna Miller, Britney Spears and company.  Nowadays, I try not to say anything about a celebrity that I couldn’t say to their face—or that I wouldn’t say to my best friend.  (”I love you, but please allow me to introduce you to mascara.  Kisses!”)  There’s enough negativity in this world—with a lot of the vitriol inexplicably spewing from fellow bloggers—and Jolie believes in peace, love and lip gloss, not schadenfreude.

Daily obsession TotalBeauty.com is holding a conference in Manhattan Beach this weekend, flying in beauty bloggers from all over the country.  Lucky me, it’s in my backyard!  I’m particularly excited because I’ve been asked to speak; I’m appearing on a panel with Tia Williams (my former co-worker at Lucky!), Anne Fritz of The Jet Set Girls, and Annie Tomlin of Bella Sugar, discussing turning blogging into a career.  Should be fun, and will keep you posted on any weekend shenanigans.

I’m thrilled to report that I’ve finally bitten the bullet, weighed my options, and joined an online community: TotalBeauty.com.  Was it the sheer number of honest products reviews?  The quality of fellow member-blogs?  Or the simple fact that the logo is blue, and Jolie likey?  (I kid, I kid!)  As I blogged several months ago when I first discovered it, Total Beauty has continuously impressed jaded ol’ me: there are straightforward, tell-it-like-it-is rundowns on a prodigious number of products, useful articles that don’t just seem like “read me! read me!” filler, and even how-to videos.  Plus, the site is easy-to-navigate, and the editor’s blog is warm, witty and (hey, don’t underestimate the importance!) written by women who not only love beauty but actually have beauty backgrounds.  So, yeah, kind of tickled pink to be a part of it all! 

When I was at Ladies’ Home Journal, our beauty director was obsessed with Chandler Burr, and for good reason.  He’s the author of two books (The Perfect Scent and The Emperor of Scent) and has penned fascinating, loving, in-depth articles about fragrance for The New York Times, focusing not just on the technical aspects that make a scent sing, but on the ephemeral characteristics that transform it from good to divine.  Through Chandler’s articles, I discovered Hermes Un Jardin Sur Nil, finally gave Sarah Jessica Parker Lovely a much-deserved chance, and was vindicated in my adoration for Chanel Coco Mademoiselle (which he calls “a fresh-faced seventeen-year-old in a summer dress”).  (I’ve still yet to sniff Versace The Dreamer, but his description is mesmerizing!)  Check out Bella Sugar’s interview with Chandler here, and if you’re a perfume junkie, be sure to visit his website, as well. 

Friday, August 5th, 2005

I have to send a special thank you to the lovely ladies over at FishbowlNY, who have been overwhelmingly gracious and witty during this whole mess. Their recaps of my mini-scandale have been high points during otherwise bizarre and occasionally difficult days:Not to Sound Too Corny, But Sometimes Beauty Comes from Within …and my personal favorite…Wither Jolie? Beauty, it seems, is fleeting.That’s all the navel-gazing for today - taking a much needed break and heading to the beach. To all of you who’ve defended me (and pointed out that I’m just one girl who was blogging for fun, not some crazy machine trying to take down an industry), I send a very hearty thanks. Enjoy the weekend!

My New York Times debut

Wednesday, August 31st, 2005

This just excites me beyond words—I had no idea about this until, oh, about two seconds ago.Job Posting (NY Times)

Check out the last part of my Bella Sugar interview here!  We dish about the best drugstore brands, the pros and cons of Botox, and whether loving beauty makes you shallow.  (Answer: um, kinda…but there’s really nothing wrong with that.)

For the past few weeks, beauty bloggers have been sending me questions as part of a Beauty Network Q&A.  Check out the questions and answers here!

Tips on traveling light during the holidays: Temptalia

Any beauty secrets not yet shared?: Mystical Beauty

Best tips for living cheap (and glam!) in New York: Makeup Loves Me

On body image: Makeup Moxie

Is the internet going to overtake magazines?: Beauty and Fashion Tech