For Ladies Only

I do reviews every now and then about products I am familiar with. The products I want post about today are for the ladies...

Problem: Personal freshness.

Solution: Panty Fresheners

Poise is known for their "wetness protection"  products, but I recently discovered something that most any women would be interested in: Poise Panty Fresheners. Most of us use sprays, douches, wipes, etc., but the "fresheners" are a nice addition to our arsenal! LOL ...The Fresheners are small round pads (about the size of a half-dollar coin) and thinner than a pantyliner. They come in a discreet screw-top case that can be tucked into a pocket or purse. Pull one out, remove peel & stick to outside of panty. The scent is mild and nice. (Side Note: Is is my Sarc or does spell-check really not recognize "panty" as a word???)

Problem: Serious personal freshness

Solution: Deo Candy Perfume 

This is a product of these guys. You eat the candy which infuses your body with sweetness the way garlic will infuse you with a sense of loneliness. You can see where to buy it here. Me? I dunno. I told a friend about it and her response was, "Why not just eat Secret?"

Problem: Finding Makeup for the differently complexioned

Soltuion: Several on-line/in-store locations...

Most over-the-counter makeup is not for those out of the range of common skin tones. This is only a big deal to me personally on a few occasions - like when I want to take photos or (now that I'm dating again) am going out somewhere with someone special, or when I'm having a really effed up hair day & want to draw attention elsewhere. At those times, I really want the right kind of makeup. I'm dark with red/yellow undertones. I have friends of all races who don't quite fit the standard Peach-to-Cocoa line of store products. That's tough. By the way, most makeup for darker women are for blue undertones. I go to cosmetic counters a couple times a year for 1) a decent lipstick/stain/gloss and 2) a comfortable foundation that doesn't make me look like I am wearing makeup. I run into the peach/pink or plum/orange-red crap and leave the store feeling like, "Can a sista get a break here?" Unless you are Beyonce/Halle or Naomi, finding OTC makeup for black women is a challenge and I know my sisters of other misters - white, Latina, Asian, etc - have the same problems. We've all heard of Black Opal, Mary Kay, Fashion Fair and Flori Roberts. Here a couple more places to check out (and don't let the ethnic names fool you; the there are a wide range of shades at each site):

• Becca - for women of any race/skin tone. They will even blend a shade for you. Use the contact form to send specific skin-tone info and a photo of yourself for help in discovering what's best for you.
• http://vasanticosmetics.com/ - they seem to have a nice range of blends and shades for women of Caucasian skin tones. Not a lot of versatility for foundations & eye products. I include them because of the lipsticks and skin care they offer.
• Black Radiance - not for me since they do the Plum lipcolor thing instead of a decent brick red - but the eyeshadows & foundations look really nice. (I have contacted them asking if they do samples.)
• blackUp - a French company with amazing colors. Foundations and other shades will work for anyone of a darker-beige shade to dark. The lips shades run from basic to funky. Check out the out of stock Forever Matte Gold or It Girl colors... Umm, umm, crazy. 
• Zhen Beauty - makeup for Asian skintones. People of different ethnic persuasions have the same undertones as Asians. The lipshades are nice, and they offer custom compacts for the mix-and-match fanatics. I just love that. (I know my Asian sisters feel me when I complain about the super-ethnic sounding names of the cosmetic sellers!)
• Iman Cosmetics - I like the whole "find your shade" option here. I won't add anything else about the site. I cringe as I add it here simply because I once met this woman and she was thoroughly unpleasant. (And, okay, I didn't meet her as in "for lunch and cocktails," but as part of a queue of folks when she did an appearance at a large mall. Let me tell you, beauty does not always make for a lovely personality!)

Anyway, there you go, ladies. Enjoy and I hope this helps when you do that next hunt for the perfect lipstick or foundation. Remember: the way you act shows your real beauty (or lack of). Go out and be as beautiful as you can.

Peace

--Free

(P.S., ladies - Fashion Fair has a nice range of lipsticks. I like the Femme Fatale color in the Siren Call line!)