Of Beauty Routines and what has worked for me~~~~

Hello My Darklings,
Some of you have asked what is my beauty routine, especially for an elder/elderly Goth.


Well to have a good beauty routine when you’re “old” means to establish a good beauty routine when you’re young.



From an early age my Mother instilled into me and my sister a good beauty and health routine, even when we were going through a difficult time, by maintaining that routine helped give us a measure of stability in our lives.



Lets start with teeth, teeth helps us to chew and digest our food, so having good, healthy teeth is important, proper diet to help build strong bones is the basis for it, brushing in the morning and after every meal, flossing and gum massaging is also important, regular check ups with the dentist as well.



But keeping sweets to a minimum is very important, as well as acid foods and drinks; candy, soft drinks and even acidic foods are damaging to the tooth enamel. Staying with fruits, vegetables and a health portion of protein helps.



Now this is in keeping with diet, and I don’t mean you should go vegetarian or vegan, I’ve encountered too many people who have been on those types of diets and frankly quite a number of them come across as very weird. Of course for many people being in the Goth culture may seem weird to others, but I’ve come across those not in the Goth scene who were Vegetarian/Vegan and frankly I have a tendency to stay away from them, especially when they become extremely militant about food and drink. There are limits My Darklings.



The body needs to digest a certain amount of animal protein to encourage natural insulin production and many on a Veggie diet have to take too many supplements to do that and in the long run is not healthy, so a balance diet that has a lot of fruit, veggies, some grains, a little fat and a certain amount of animal protein is important. Sad to say I’ve been acquainted with a few people who were militant vegetarians who attempted suicide with some succeeding …Mother use to say to me “If they only had a bit of cake or ice cream or a nice hamburger maybe they’d still be here”



Staying away from fast food helps, especially when they want you to super-size it, but there are times when one has no choice, but places like Burger King and Carl’s Jr. are now offering salads with bits of chicken or tuna and that is a good alternative, I have to admit when I’ve been in a rush and only a Burger King is around I get their Chicken/Cranberry salad with the apple cider vinaigrette. Avoid fried foods if at all possible.



Once every two weeks (and usually on a Sunday) I’ll prepare a number of foods and freeze them for quick cooking, but sometimes Doyle will do a meal or my sister, and having a slow cooker helps as well, so if you don’t want to always order pizza and have to work a bit late doing something like that to have healthy meals is always good, I’ve even prepared meatloaf the night before to just pop into the oven the next evening. Giving a bit of thought on food preparation helps to eat healthy.



When I was attending school, we didn’t have a school lunch program; Mother packed a healthy lunch for use, tuna fish or eggs salad sandwiches, if we had pot roast for Sunday we almost always had left over pot roast in our sandwiches, or a meat loaf sandwich or chicken salad sandwich, and it was always from something left over from a meal or two before, nothing was ever wasted, our thermos always had milk.



Mother always cautioned us to shake the thermos, if it rattled it meant that the glass lining was broken and to not drink the milk, a few times I was stuck with drinking water because some nasty boy would knock over my lunch box to break the thermos, I’d tell Mother and she would go to that child’s house and tell the parent they owed for a new thermos and tell them why. Each one of those boys never deliberately knocked over mine or my siblings lunch boxes again. It was not nice to mess with Mother.



Desert would be sliced apples, dipped in lemon juice to prevent them from browning, and everything wrapped in wax paper. Because of such hardy lunches, when we got home the only thing we’d want would be an apple or pear, and when they were in season, nectarines, apricots or peaches. We learned to love fresh fruit. But we had to brush our teeth, Mother could be a strict taskmaster.



I frequently will pack a lunch from home, it saves money, and time and I know what I’m eating. At my desk I have a pretty cosmetic bag that contains travel size toothpaste and mouthwash and well as those dental picks, I keep a toothbrush in a travel container.



When I go out I have a very small travel toothbrush that I keep in my purse to do a quick brush of my teeth in the ladies room, I’ll wet it down, go into a stall and do my brushing privately. And no matter how late at night I would come home from a date, brushing my teeth was and is mandatory. I still have my own teeth and except for the root canal work being done now, hardly any cavities.



Many people feel that if something is labeled organic or range free that it is, not necessarily, almost something that is not organic is involved, know your food source is the best motto. And if you can, get organic, if you can afford it. Process meats like hot dogs and the packaged cooked ham will have too many nitrates, so always check the ingredients on the packages.



Now that is not to say you can’t on occasion indulge in KFC or some of the others or a family/friends Bar-B-Que, you should really, as a treat, but then get right back to eating healthy. And this needs to start in childhood.



Avoid sweets such as pastry, cakes, pies, candy, ice cream and again the soda’s even Snapple, by avoiding sweets will result in the best in terms of health and prevent as much as possible weight gain…but in celebration or family gathering its fine, and again get right back on healthy eating. Now once in a while I will come down with a tremendous craving for something sweet, even a soda, but just a small amount will suffice, I’ve seen for sale those small 8 oz cans of soda and even ½ of that will tame my craving. I look upon that as an occasional treat, in celebration of something but not an every day thing.



Mother loved to bake, so if there was a bake sale, my siblings and I were guaranteed a cookie or cup cake for dessert that evening----after we did our homework.



Exercise---I cannot stress that enough, I’m not talking about running or even bicycling, just good old-fashion walking works very well, getting into a dance class to do ball room dancing is fun, fantastic and very healthy, doing some weights for the upper arms is helpful to avoid flabby under arms, if you don’t gain weight the under arms do not become flabby, exercising the abdominal and gluts as well are important. Swimming is good aerobics with mild resistance and builds up your breath in take.



I was lucky to get involved in dance, ballet and ballroom are the best and helps with being able to move elegantly, I’ve even done belly dancing as well and found moves that I didn’t know I could do. Personally it has made things interesting for me and Doyle.



Avoid exercise that can cause greenstick fractures or what is called shin splints, running does that, although at times with ballroom you could develop that, but less so because you are not dancing on hard street surfaces that you do in running or endangering your life with auto traffic when bicycling.



Getting plenty of sleep is important to allow the body to replenish itself, although many parents bemoan the fact that teens especially boys will sleep all day if they could, there are studies that show that teens, because their bodies are growing do need more sleep, but it is up to the parent to make sure they go to bed at a reasonable hour and then get them up and outside to do yard work for their health----I know a lot of you are thinking “yeah, right!” But you as the parent are the one’s to create boundaries, limits, duties they must do to earn benefits, and responsibilities, as well as being involved in family things and events..



Sleep is also important to allow the mind in the dream state to help with problem solving, and lowering blood pressure and helping with your heart rate, Meditation is excellent to relive stress, as well as living a life style that reduces stress, my parents always said to never live beyond one’s means, only have 25 percent of your income go to debt, preferably less. As one person puts it, income $20.00, expenditures $19.90 equals’ happiness, expenditures $20.10 equals’ un-happiness.



For many years I worked nights and slept days, my body eventually got use to it, but in time I discovered especially as I got older that was not a healthy routine for me, but at the time I had no choice. Trying to sleep during the day could be difficult I had to prepare my bedroom in a way so that I would not be disturbed, sleep masks, ear plugs and putting a note on my door that said “Day Sleeper, do not disturb upon pain of dismemberment and death” helped but there are some Jehovah Witnesses that discovered my wrath when I was disturbed.



When I was able to get day work my health improved, and although there are nights when I will stay up late to “howl at the moon”, at my age I can’t do that much any more and it is a wise Elder/Elderly Goth to realize that.



So being out all night and then working all day is not a good healthy routine, but if you are a natural night person, that is fine, but do take vitamins to compensate for the lack of sunlight and for the fact that your hours are reversed.



During my work day, no matter what I allow at least 15 minutes to relax to do my prayerful meditation, no calls, no conferences, this is especially good in the afternoon after I do that I will eat a bit of fruit to appease the “hunger gods”. I’ve also found that by taking time when I get home from work to do the rosary, before I do anything else, also relieved the stress from work, if you are not Catholic then 15 minutes of quiet meditation and deep breathing will help clear your mind but your life partner also needs to be on board with this. Lots of times when allowing to do that it avoids angry confrontation and any disagreements can be talked about in a calm manner. Those 15 minutes can be vital.



Avoid tanning, or being out in the sun too much, a lot of people love to be in the Sun especially during the summer but if you are then use a wide, wide brim hat, long sleeves, a parasol and high SPF sun screen. Neutrogena has sunscreen that is up to 100 and 110, I use it and I swear by it.



When I want to work outside in the garden I get up early and work out there until 10 a.m. then I do not go back out until after 4 p.m. This is especially true during the late Spring, Summer and early Fall hours.



I also wear gloves, light cotton gloves for summer, heavy ones during the cold months, to protect my hands, I use dishwashing gloves when I’m hand washing anything, gardening gloves for working in the garden and I wear the cheap cotton throw away gloves that are used by photographers and archivists, when I am dusting or cleaning house, although I do have a batch of them, what I do when they become too dirty is I wash them like I’m washing my hands, rinse and hang them to dry. I also use a good hand lotion on my hands during the day and at night.



Having a good mani-pedi cure even without using nail polish is important especially to work cuticle cream into the areas around the nails, I work cuticle cream into my nails as part of my nightly beauty routine, and one should always be watching for any signs of infection or nail fungus especially with the toes is important to keep healthy nails. I make sure to avoid calluses on my feet especially the heels, using a pumice stone and massaging a foot cream designed for the heel area is always good.



I use Dove soap for sensitive skin for bathing and Aveeno skin cream, for facial lotions I use products by Estee Lauder and their Clinique line.



For hair I have used Pantene products, but once when I was on a business trip (I was forced to fly) I could not pack my hair products, the store that I went to did not carry Pantene (how primitive) but only cheaper products. They did have Suave, and I found that they worked just as well if I bought the upper line of Suave products, since I had to travel light on my return trip, I left them in my hotel room with a note to House Keeping that I could not travel with them and keep my luggage under the weight limit and they were welcome to them.



In cosmetics I’ve found products by the Estee Lauder and Clinique line to work very well, I do use Almay and Physicians Formula, Physicians Formula also has a pearlizing powder that does very well to soften the face and give a glow to it. It is especially good for the evening and gives a shimmer effect. Just be careful of the amount one puts on one’s face.



One cosmetic line that I’m very fond of because they are naturally made is Besame Cosmetics, all of their face, lip and eye products reflects the colors and packaging of the 1930’s and 40’s although they have come out with two lip colors that reflect the 1920’s, their Black Licorice lip gloss is wonderful, as well as their Red Noir. Their products were used for the latest “The Great Gatsby” movie. I’ve included their link on my side bar. Their packaging is so wonderful and elegant perfect for a Goth, or a Film Noir Fan.



I cannot tell you what is a good face cleaning program but I have used facial scrubs and astringents when my face becomes too oily, but as one gets older the face does change, and I make sure that I change my facial program as well.



There is one thing that I use that my Mother use to use and that is a product called “Porcelana” to lighten any brown spots on one’s face and give even skin tone, but I noticed that for Mother it seemed to keep her face youthful even when she was well into her 80’s. I started using it in my mid-teens with Mother’s permission and it seems to help me. It is also important to apply a moisturizer to one’s neck area to lessen the look of a crape neck.



In applying makeup---I do use red lipstick but I stay with colors that work for me, the lighter brighter reds were fine when I was young but now I seem to be using the deeper darker reds, it all depends upon one’s complexion, the Berry reds can look good on some women but not all, even though they maybe the current fashion.



Always remember to apply makeup to look natural and lightly if possible, too heavy a makeup on an elder/elderly Goth looks clownish or overly theatrical. And remember what looks good on a 20 or 30 something may not look good on a 50 or 60 something, unless it’s Halloween or a costume party then the sky is the limit.



On eye shadow I only apply color to the crease of my eye, keeping the area under the brow a light color as well as the eye lid, during the day I use a matt color and in the evening an iridescent, as long as it does not collect in any creases. If that starts happening then it is time to consider something else. A color that complements your eye color is always good.



I also apply a moisturizer that is geared for the delicate area under the eye as well as the lid; I do under the eye in the morning and both the lid and under the eye as part of my bedtime routine; I’ve been doing that since my late teens.



On eye liner, again one has to consider the shape of one’s eye, a cats eye line may not work for everyone, I’ve found that if I do a slight lift just short of the outside end of my eye that seems to work for me.



I did talk about nail polish in another post for Elder/Elderly Goths as well as in home decorating for those who are now reaching a point in their lives when being mobile is difficult. Please check my back posts.



Keeping hydrated is very important, I try to drink almost a liter bottle of water everyday; because my special indulgence is coffee with hazelnut creamer I try to offset the dehydrating effects of coffee and even when I drink wine by keeping hydrated.



Because of my back injuries it has been hard for me to exercise, but my therapists has come up with exercises that I can do and since my back is much stronger I can start swimming again, and hopefully in the next two months go back to doing my dance classes, but I’ll have to go back to beginner again to get back the tone that I have lost, I was able to keep up with the upper arm exercises. Doyle will be glad; he’s been missing our date nights for dancing.



Have I ever had a face lift? Well so far no, but that is not to say I haven’t considered it, but even now I don’t feel the need for it. Except maybe for a little upper lid eye lift, and a slight neck skin lift, nothing extreme just a little, sometimes the upper eye area will start pouching down and a little removal is not bad, also under the eye pouching, like saddle bag pouches, now I do not suffer from that but a friend of mine did. She went to a highly recommended plastic surgeon and he said “just a little, remember you are mid-50 something not 20 something, it will be just to make you look better but not necessarily younger” and he was right, the saddlebag pouches were removed and she did look better, and although he cautioned her that it was not going to be a youth renewal, she did look younger, I think by cautioning her to not have great expectations, her realization with the final outcome was much better for her.



Extreme cosmetic surgery for Elder/Elderly Goths I do not recommend, and I do not recommend liposuction. The mother of a rap singer did that when it was recommended that she not do that and the poor woman died because of her vanity. And look at the face of Kenny Rodgers, one can hardly recognize him. No, if one is considering surgery just a little lift to look a little better, but remember your age.



Even Joan Collins at age 79 looks FANTASTIC! But she doesn’t go to extremes.

So when I’m ready I’ll consider it.



I think by following what I do, keeping well covered, using hats, parasols, sunglasses and sunscreen has been very helpful for me to keep a youthful looking skin. I’ve had people mistake me for being in my mid-forties, and in the evening with very soft light I’ve had a few young men think I was in my late 30’s, although I think that might not happen so often anymore, but when it does I’m flattered.



I do take vitamins and Iron, my doctor has also increased my vitamin D3 intake to 2000 units once a day for my bones, since I do avoid the sun.



I am tall about 5’ 7”, slender, with dark almost black hair with a little gray although I do have a natural gray streak over my right side, my hair is straight and still thick, my eyes are greenish with some brownish flecks, and yes I do have to use glasses now a days for reading. And Sunglasses with a good high UV rating is a must, I wear them anytime I’m outside, it reduces the chance of developing cataracts.



My eye lashes use to be thicker but over the years have thinned a bit, my eye brows are almost shaped like Gloria Holden’s in “Dracula’s Daughter” I started shaping them that way when I was a teen and they’ve remained that way though all the fashion changes. Why? Because for some reason the style seems to suit my face, but its always wise not to have one’s face “frozen in time”, one has to make reasonable changes.



It is wise to always know what sort of shape your face is, is it square, diamond shaped, round, rectangular, triangle, or oval shaped, is it long or short, is your forehead and chin broad or narrow, are your eyes, large, small, too close together or far apart, is your neck long or short, thick or thin, as well as the shape of your body, one make-up or hair style maybe fine for one shape of face but wrong for another. So as you age check the shape of your face, neck and body.



And that is another thing I recommend, besides regular check ups with your dentist also have regular check ups with your doctor and eye care physician, by doing that you will always have a base line for your health as you age and can take steps to keep yourself healthy.



I wash my clothing in any hypo-allergenic laundry soap that is fragrance free, I started with “All” but “Tide” and “Gain” has come out with laundry soaps for sensitive skin as well. Although I do know of people who have extremely sensitive skin and need to get their products from a specialty source.



As one gets older things do begin to sag a bit, and there can be a little weight gain, it is not unusual for women who have been slender all their lives to have anywhere from a 5 to 10 pound weight gain, I’ve been able to keep close to my college weight, but there are some women I’ve encountered who are angry they cannot get down to their high school weight.



Wake up I say to them, even in High School you have not attained full growth, I was surprised when I grew another two inches in college, that surprised me. It also explained why my bone joints ached so much in college. I do use a light weight garter belt support for my tummy area, even though I do abdominal work on that area. And I never wear pantyhose, or thong panties, they are an invitation to an infection in an area one does not want to have.



I’ve had some people ask me about dying one’s hair, I feel that is a personal preference but I do recommend that you have a professional do it, especially if you also perm your hair, then the professional can time when to do your color and your perm. Mother kept dying her hair until she turned 80, then she said she might as well “Let it all hang out”, but Dad got upset and asked her to start dying it again and so she did “as long as we can afford it” she said.



I’ve never dyed my hair although my sister does, but she chooses a color that matches her original hair color to not be so obvious. And she looks younger than me well she is younger by 5 years. But because she follows the same routine as I do she has been able to keep her youthful appearance, in spite of having lovely two daughters and they too follow the same routine as their mother.



Most of my maintenance beauty routine is at night, I have my favorite programs, but since I have to get up early in the morning, I’ll be watching my later night programs in the bedroom while I’m doing my beauty routine, and since my bathroom is adjacent it is not a problem for me, even Doyle is use to it. In the morning it’s cleaning and preparing my face for makeup, everything is laid out ready to use, in the evening, if we are not going out or having visitors, I will remove my makeup and clean my face to allow the pores to breathe. On days where I’m not going any where special, I will only use moisturizer and Sun Screen and lipstick.  And I always wear perfume, it is my signature.  The only time I avoid perfume is if we are picnicking in the wilds, don't want to attract mosquito's.



And I will do some exercises to keep my body toned; one can do it while watching T.V. or the news, but before my back injury I would take a dance class at least one evening a week just to keep myself in shape, during the summer I go to an indoor pool for swimming, and take at least two dance classes during the evening, I walk to and from the bus stop, to BART or go bus to the Ferry and then walk to my job, even in the rain. Walking in the Evening with Belladonna is also good and on the weekend I walk her early in the morning and at night. Doyle has gotten into the habit with me, especially at night.



Being in a routine is very important for health, beauty, maintenance of one’s clothing and one’s mind. Taking time to enjoy the simple things in life helps keep a mental and physical balance as well, living within one’s means is important as well as saving for emergencies, to prevent stress, for I believe that besides not enough rest, an improper diet, the biggest killer of one’s health is Stress, so relieving that stress is so very important.



But I think I inherited excellent DNA because I hardly have any gray hair except for that streak and very few wrinkles.



Another thing one should consider, and it can help to make for healthy choices, some women are not meant to look like twigs, and some are naturally “jolly” in shape, but it’s always best to be at the weight that is healthy and best for you. If being overweight runs in the family, accept that but avoid becoming obese, accept the fact that you are a size 14 or 16 and will never be a size 2, if you are a healthy size 14 or 16, stay in shape, eat healthy then you have no complaints.



One of my favorite programs is “Criminal Minds” and I love the character of Penelope Garcia, she is not a size 2, more of a 14 but she is smart, lovable, compassionate and quirky. I like that. I’m glad that they chose an actress to display those special qualities is pretty and is not a size 2.



Later Darklings

Of Nail Polish and Costume Jewelry ~~~~

Well Darklings,



I spent my lunch breaks this last week cruising through our local drug and department stores, checking out the various nail polishes available for the holiday season.



Color Therapy has 3 types of gift packages with various nail polishes, some with nail kits and other with lip stick and blushes, a perfect gift idea for those who love make up, but one has to be careful with those friends who have cosmetic allergies.



I’ve been checking out the Holiday Kardashian nail collection and although some of the colors are nice like “Deck the Dolls” the glitter polish does not hold up as well and chips easily, even when I use a clear top coat. I would say its fine for one evening but unless you’re willing to do touch ups, not longer than two days.



Revlon, L’Oreal and other nail companies are coming out with lots of gift packages for the season, perfect if you have friends who are into doing nails as you do. Revlon is experimenting with coming out with a duo set called “Expressions” on side is a small full bottle of polish and the side with a nail polish pen of a complementary color, but if you buy several sets you can have fun experimenting.



In Real Simple magazine I was taken by the intensity of a deep rich plum lipstick combination; the model’s lips were outlined and filled in with a deep berry lip pencil topped with a similarly toned lip gloss--- they used Nars Train bleu velvet Matte Lip Pencil and Christian Dior Ultra Gloss Black-Tie Plum, perfect for the Winter Holidays or to sultry beckoned a lover to his doom.



I’ve found that although the lesser expensive nail polishes by Revlon, L’Oreal, Milani, Remmiel, Sally Hansen are fun, but if I want real quality I go to Estee Lauder, Channel, or Dior, although I do prefer Estee Lauder.



It’s the same thing with Jewelry; I have several real good pieces in gold with flawless jewels but its fun to have fun costume jewelry.



Real Simple magazine also showed some out there wonderful in-your-face jewelry, from aprilsoderstrom.com, urbanoutfitters.com, fantasyjewerlybox.com and accessoryartists.com.



But what really caught my eye was a glass stone cuff in gold plate from Kate Spade katespade.com, deadly, edgy, totally saying I’m the “wicked queen in this room” type attitude; this is one piece of costume jewelry that should be worn by itself as it makes its own statement.



Cocktail rings are a big item statement and I saw a wonderful Swarovski crystal ring that was wicked, swarovski.com



Getting back to nail polish I had to decide on a nail polish that I would wear for this Holiday Season and I found myself gravitating to the Revlon Top Speed nail collection, I already had a green polish “Invitation Only” that I thought was perfect but I found an old standby, “Ignite” a lesser intense Chinese red shimmer that has that soft under glow so perfect for the Holiday season, so testing them both on white heavy cardboard, I was debating which color for my Nails when Doyle popped up and said “Green for the toes, red for the fingers”

And I have to admit Doyle was right, so it is “Ignite” for the Christmas Holidays.



But for New Year’s Eve I’m wearing L’Oreal’s “The Muse’s Attitude” a lovely blue green shimmer that will go well with a vintage evening gown and matching shoes of the same color that I will be wearing when Doyle, dressed as a Navy Lieutenant from World War II and I, dressed as a movie siren will go dancing on the U.S.S. Hornet to welcome in the New Year.



Later Darklings

Nails, Nails and More Nails and "666 Park Avenue"

Darklings,

I just love the colors that come out this time of the year, one never knows what colors will develop that catches one’s eye or eyes as the case maybe.

I told you earlier that Estee Lauder has come out with a green nail polish called “Viper” that I find just tingly, she has also come out with other colors that I’ve purchased to expand my “Nail Wardrobe.”  

Yes Darklings, your nails need a wardrobe of colors, now granted I had said in a much earlier post,  that as an Elder/Elderly Goth one should shift to lighter almost flesh tone colors as one ages, but I’m going to do a caveat on that thought.

First as an Elder/Elderly Goth if you are in the Corporate business world then avoid the extreme colors such as Green, Blues and Yellows or Orange, even some dark purples or blacks, look then to the red colors that are the most complimentary for your hands and for being in the business world, no matter what, you do not want your potential customer to be turned off, especially if they are conservative.

But if you are retired, artistic or in a free-floating business then by all means have fun with your nail color, keeping in mind also the condition of your hands, which is also important.

If you take good care of your hands to keep them as free as possible from blemishes, then have fun with the new nail colors that are coming out.  It is only when your hands become so knotty and old should you switch over to lighter tones, but even I would stop and suggest purchasing fingerless lace gloves, so you can have the pleasure of wearing wild nail colors and covering up any blemishes to your hands.   This is especially good when you’re going out in the evenings.

It’s not until you reach a point where even you think that it’s silly or foolish to wear over the top nail color should you then consider rolling back to something more basic and toned down.

So until you come to that decision just be free my Darklings, be free.

With Estee Lauder her nail polish sells for $20.00 a bottle, and I just had to purchase “Viper”, “Bette Noir” a very dark blue, “Chaos”  a grey silver, “Dressed to Kill” a metallic brownish gold, and “Smashed” a deep purple.

But if you are on a budget, at $1.99, Wet and Wild has their Halloween colors out now with deadly names such as “Poison Ivy” a very deep green, “Deadly Dose” a gold metallic, “Toxic Apple” a deep purple, “Root of Evil” a medium to dark blue depending upon how many coats you apply, and “Lethal Injection” a slightly lighter purple.

What I like about those above 5 colors, besides the colors, is that the bottles have a very nice shape and you can turn the labels outward so anyone checking out your makeup will have a slight eye brow lifting moment when they read the names of the colors, something that I thoroughly enjoy.

And if you can find it on Amazon look for “Buffy the Vampire Slayer Purple” and “Gray’s Anatomy” a silvery grey with floating highlights of injury green and purple bruise, these are also by Wet and Wild as a limited edition.

Spoiled, another budget nail brand, has come out with two green colors that I could not resist “Last Chance” so deep a green as to be almost black, and “San Francisco” a deep sparkly green for sparkly vampires. (more on sparkly vampires later)

Remille, a medium price polish at $5.00 a bottle came out with a deep blood red called “Lava Red” #400, that in some lights have a red brown color and in other lights a purple brown.

Sally Hansen has also come out with colors for Halloween and the Fall season, I’ve not been able to review the colors or make a note of their names, but be on the watch for them.

Of course Revlon has come out with non-sparkle or non-frosted nail colors going from yellow to blue to green, but for some reason they did not capture my interest, although I have an artistic friend who is experimenting with using the “flat” colors for painting, something that never occurred to me and certainly worth experimenting with for all you artistic types.

Here in the United States you can buy Spoiled, Wet and Wild and Revlon at either Walgreens or your CVS pharmacy stores or in your slightly better department stores such as J.C. Penny.  

Alright Darklings, I had a chance to watch the pilot episode of “666 Park Avenue”

I’m not going to say that it grabbed me right away, but I did have the fun of figuring out what might happen, for me it was a bit of a guessing game, as well as seeing how the plot will develop. Some of it seemed a bit predictable,  young, bright, upwardly mobile couple, looking for the breaks in the Big Apple, not believing their good fortune and then the doubts begin to creep in. 

Darklings you have to remember at my age I’ve not only read all the 36 basic plot devices I’ve also seen them and in some cases had to live them in real life.  Unless the writers come up with something of a real twist I can almost predict what will happen as the story goes along, so if the writers do not come up with some interesting new twists then it may lose my interest…..BUT…..

One thing for sure, it was very well done, my only major complaint in regards to production was that some of the sound when the actors were talking was a bit muffled, I’m not saying I have a hearing loss, because when it comes to anything on PBS or the other T.V. programs I hear them quiet well, including the lead actor’s voice in “Persons of Interest”.  It might have been how they recorded it or how it was transmitted.   I am going to write to ABC television and let them know.

The review for it was positive and I have to agree with it.  Excellent choice of actors for our villainous looking couple.

This series is loosely based on Gabriella Pierce’s novels, at least it gets its premise from them, and just as it is an on going soap opera mystery, it’s going to be interesting to see all the twists and turns in this little gothicly supernatural, dealing with souls program, if all goes well this could turn into a lovely little guilty pleasure, especially as a metaphor for how one will sell their soul to get ahead.  BUT only if the writers are inventive enough for my taste.

Just as with “Lost” if you are not going to be home then its best to record any episodes you might miss so you won’t miss the fun.   The Drake Apartment building is just as much an actor in this wickedly fun series, sort of like “Burnt Offerings” and “The Shining” with a mix of “Rosemary Baby” and “The Devil’s Advocate” and a tinge of “The Omen”, and although it won’t push the envelope like “American Horror Story” it will be fun to see how things develop and all the ‘inside puns’ which you as the viewer, will be in the know about.

I know I will continue to watch it, for now.

Later Darklings

Vampire Wine and other dark things~~~~

Darklings~~~




I’ve been having fun searching on the internet for Gothic indulgences and if you really want to go all vampy then check out Vampire Wine at www.vampire.com, not only Vampire Wine, but vampire coffee and vampire chocolate, well chocolate is considered the “food of the gods”.



And I never thought one could find a gothic/vampire web site to cover these “little” things like dishes, glass wear and such but sometimes it’s nice to be surprised and the web site for items from books to plates to furniture is www.vampirerave.com, when you get there go to the “database” for those subcategories for food, drink, furniture and such.



You can have tons of fun checking things out, however there are some “dead” links but on the whole I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.



And now to go off topic----I’m back to cosmetics and fashion again Darklings, it seems that the dark cranberry and burgundy colors for lipstick seems to be a bit of a rage, and Chanel has come out with a new perfume “Coco Noir”. I have not smelled it yet, when I come across it I will let you know.



In the latest In Style makeover magazine it seems that these 4 colors are in for Fall and frankly perfectly wonderful for Goth beauty---Burgundy, Gold, Emerald and White, yes White Darklings is the new “black”, of course Gold looks wonderful with black, wine, creamy white or emerald.



As I said Burgundy is the new lip and nail color but avoid the browner tones of it. Nars lip gloss in “Rouge Tribal” and Maybelline’s nail lacquer in “Dressed to Kill” are very wicked looking, for gold look to Yves Saint Laurent nail color in “No. 29” and Guelain’s “Radiance” with 24kt gold as a perfume, a bit expensive but Darklings you are worth it in all your Dark, Dark Glory.



Estee Lauder’ nail color in “Viper”, a wonderful snaky green shimmer has me thrilled and will look smashing with my emerald green velvet dress and matching cape with purple velvet lining (yes a bit much but perfect for going out). If you are going for the whites either creamy or dead winter white go with Dior’s nail polish in “No. 115” but be careful to not make yourself look like a corpse, just ethereal, this is where you have to be careful with your facial makeup Darklings.



I have to admit I fell in love with the emerald green embossed leather bag with the resin tortoise shell top accents by Tory Burch, you can find it at Bloomingdale’s, but be sure you plan to keep it for a long time, frankly with it’s classic styling it will never become dated and I know for sure it will become a mainstay in my purse collection. (yes, I managed to buy it)



I had grabbed my August 19, 2012 New York Times magazine the “In Style” section from the Sunday New York Times to read and “devour” during my vacation and I was pleased to see, as in the September Vogue magazine, more corporate Goth styles, so my wardrobe will never be out of style. Frankly it never is, but those filmy Edwardian styles from Victorian Trading Company I just adore, including the Black Velvet Opera Coat which I ordered, perfect for a chilly winter evening.



But there is one other catalogue worth ordering or even going on line and that is the Pyramid collection at www.pyramidcollection.com I was so excited to get it and I have to be very, Very careful Darklings or I’ll max out my credit cards. So much to choose from ***sigh*** So I will add these three web sites to my links page and you can have the fun of being pulled in this direction or that direction of decisions, decisions.



I have to admit I managed to plan to return from the first half of my vacation right when our local community had a Vintage Fashion Fair, and I found some lovely little things just right for an Elder/Elderly Goth, like a box of black handkerchiefs with white flower edging, just perfect for a funeral. And beautifully embroidered black gloves that go up half way toward the elbow, perfect for my ¾ sleeve leopard print coat (faux fur Darklings, faux fur), and another darling hat in gray with a darker gray trim. I am still looking for the perfect hat to go with my 1950’s faux fur leopard print coat.



But now Darklings my little Belladonna is demanding my attention, Mommy has been away too, too long, two times too many, and I have to admit I missed her too, so the next time I plan on a vacation I will look for pet friendly places, as it is only right, perhaps I can look into those “pet companion” vests, then she can never be denied her right to be with me.



Leaving you will all my ideas and links, remember when you plan for a vacation be sure to save, save, save, that way you will not break your budget, even though I have a good income with these difficult times, I am careful with my spending. And although it sounded like I spent a lot of money I had saved up for it for nearly two years to be able to have this indulgent time. And it was worth it.



Just as it was wonderful to return home although being on vacation for over 3 weeks was very, very special. Sometimes one really needs just to get away from things. I think I don’t need to mention what I’m referring to.



I have no need to talk about politics or the ways of the world my Darklings, having seen it all I am not a bit surprised. So if my trip seemed hedonistic, selfish, and self serving it is because in my work I have seen a lot of unhappiness and dealing with stresses.



I have discovered that I can only control what I can immediately control, I cannot control the world, but with what I can control I will do my best to make my part of the world a little better. I rescued Belladonna from a horrible starving death. I will make my voice heard at the voting booth. I will donate to those charities that help others, and on Halloween I will give out candy and make my front yard suitably frightening to children especially to those for whom that is the only free entertainment they can get. I check on my elderly neighbor and help her out, even if she did think my Great Aunt was odd and that I am just as odd, but we do get along.



But in doing that and more, one needs to decompress, and for that I saved up my money to do it. Do I feel guilty? Except for having to leave Belladonna with her sitter, otherwise---NO, I deserved it. And for an Elder/Elderly Goth that is quiet alright.



So remember, save you money for those fantastic memories, Darklings. I wish you to Have Fun.



Later Darklings.

End of the Week Catch up and ideas....

Hello, Hello My Darklings,

I am so finally glad to be home after a long, long day at my job.  Had to be there at 7 (Oh My God it's to D*&%##  early)  A.M.  Sorry Darklings I do have to self censor, one never knows who is underage viewing this site.

But considering that many under 18 year olds have heard worse, I'm not about to perpetuate any further filthy words---even at work the worse I say is "Fudgesickle!!"   Part of the problem is we have a "born again christian" in our midst who put out a "curse" box and we have to put a coin in for each curse word we say.

Of course she's upset with me because I say "Fudgesickle!!" and she can't fine me  because it's a proper word.   And now the rest of the work force has adopted that as well.  

For instance "Pound Cake",  "Oreos",  "Cupcake",  "Bleep, Bleep",  "Bleeping",  "Fudge, Fudge, Fudge---BROWNIES!!!"     Then we have to ask are they being served?   My favorites are "Applesauce" and really down and dirty but clean  "Kiss my Grits!!"  even better "Osculate my Glutious Maximus!"

We have one co-worker who has learned to curse in Latin...So our Born again Christian isn't getting any coins for her 'curse box' so  she can't donate to her church---which sometimes I think of as the Church of the Airy-Fairy Fluff Bunnies---which is really an insult to Fluffy Bunnies,  especially Bunnicula, my neighbor daughters pet bunny.  I think the little girl is secretly Goth but she hasn't released it yet.

Sorry Darklings, I am being silly, but it is soooo good to be home.  Again our weather is warmishly mild, reminding me of my upcoming vacation---which I am soooo looking forward to.

I am trying to type this but Belladonna my sweet little four legged darling is demanding my attention,  well I'll take her out for a walk in a little bit and then it's "Little Caesars" for her. 

I've had some fun in my search for more information on the Vera West Mystery and found only tiny snippets which I will add to my "Mystery of Vera West" Page hopefully this weekend.

But right now I have received in the mail my huge  (and I do mean HUGE) September 2012 issue of Vogue magazine---the poor postman must get a hernia lugging that magazine it is SO huge,  it is mostly ads but I enjoy it as it shows what the upcoming possible styles are coming out.  And as Elder/Elderly Goths we can pick and choose the best of the best out of the worse---I am glad to see that a lot is leather and corporate looks, all wicked and sleek in its own way. 

So Darklings if you don't subscribe do go out and buy the September issue of Vogue---Frankly Darklings, only the September and March issues are the one's worth getting, you can forget the rest of the year.

And be on the watch for Vanity Fair as well.  

I also received in the mail my complete Autumn issue from Victorian Trading Company and there are some dresses and coats I am dying to purchase,  it will be worth it.

I've talked to my contractor who has been helping me renovate my Great-Aunt's home and it is shaping up nicely.  I told him about my plans for a freezer in the pantry and he made sure that the electrical outlet in there is capable of handling the load.  So I took one day off this week to go with him to shop for one and we found one that is perfect,  an upright so nothing will get buried, with just the right capacity to hold things for two people,  it is also an energy-star saver as well and is just the right size to fit in the spot in the pantry.
He delivered it and set it up so it looks like I'm in business.

Tomorrow I'll have Belladonna stay at the Doggie Day Care and I'll be doing some serious shopping,  one thing my contractor suggested is I buy these large folding crates and cloth coolers, that way anything frozen or refrigerated will stay frozen or cold for a long time, especially if I have a lot of errands.  A very good idea.

I am also going to a nearby Church rummage sale this weekend, and see what they have to offer, one never knows what one will find.

On my lunch break today I ducked into our local CVS drug store and found two nail polish colors marketed under the collective name of "Spoiled"  one color is a deep, deep blood red all ceramic looking, its called "Pick Your Poison",  the other is sort of a dark, dark blackish brown with some faint red sparkle, in a way it reminds me of dried blood, its called "Bite Me!" 

And I think I have found a goth/vamp web site that has things to purchase for your home and just in time for Halloween---I can't WAIT for the "Spirit Store" to open up and see what lovely tacky Halloween goodies they offer.  Well once I have a chance to check out the initial site I'll give you my take on it and post its web site. 

But Darklings, I cannot stress enough what Victorian Trading Company has to offer, including an Absinthe dispenser,  yes the green fairy of liquors. 

Now I must go, Belladonna is making demands upon me and I really want to have some fun during the "Twilight Hours".

Later Darklings

Being Goth after the Holidays~~~

Well my little Darklings, I know I haven’t been blogging but work, blasted work makes demands upon me.

The Christmas holidays were just so upbeat, but for me who loves to indulge in the meanderings and gloomiest of Charles Dickens, I chose to indulge in the Annual San Francisco Dickens Fair, and for any Goth or steam punk enthusiast I certainly recommend it to help you get through the Holiday cheerfulness.

The Dickens Fair offers the perfect accessories and clothing for all but the Mod/Grunge or Baby Goth, Dark Garden offers corsets that are perfect for those who love to torture themselves into tiny waists. And with how they do their layouts of pretend Dickens London, one can get ideas how to create a wonderful Gothic Victorian setting.

Scanning through the stores and through magazines I discovered some wonderful Vampy Goth styles.

Merle Norman cosmetics has a lovely little clutch to hold your makeup or just for fun, in black velvet with a bejeweled lipstick and lips design on it and it offers their new Hussy red shade for lips and nails as well as a new fragrance Hussy Eau de Parfum. Just check it out to see if it’s still offered at merlenorman.com.

If you want to sleep during the day my vampire beauties, Prada offers a black satin eye mask for only $195 at prada.com. all soft Black Satin with a little satin ruffle around the edges. Frankly for the money if you have the talent to sew your own I would recommend that.

With the cold, cold weather for those of you who love being frozen like the dead this weather would be perfect for you, but for many pajamas are coming back in style both for sleeping and lounging in. Can you picture yourself my Darklings, in a pair of black satin pajamas with gold piping and a matching robe? Toss in a pair of black satin mules with gold, black or red marabou toppings for extravagant decadence.

And the hell with all those rules about smoking in one’s home, if you are going to do it do it with style with a long, elegant cigarette holder right out the 1920’s.

I had to have a pair of DKNY suede and leather booties in black suede and gold leather with impossibly high heels, not spiky but thick enough to support you heel and high enough to torture your calves.

In jewelry both real and costume for the holidays it was gold, Gold, GOLD! Metal bracelets, actually cuffs, are the in style, Ben-Amun, Delfina Deletriz and Fallon offered very edgy designs as well as Giamattista Valli’s gunmetal cuff.

Can you picture yourself Darklings in a long black skirt, or skin tight black pants with a long sleeve mock turtle sweater in black, all tight fitting and wearing only as an accent a gold metal cuff? What a statement. It would show-off your self assurance, that you totally take charge. What a way to indicate your dominance.

And for perfume or cologne my Darklings, indulge yourself with either J’adore and strut like Charlez Theron or go with Guilian’s Insolence.

There is one other thing that I indulged in my Darklings, although many of you would say wrong, wrong, wrong, but you have to remember I am my Own woman, and I do not take criticism from anyone----so what did I indulge in? A black mink coat…PERFECT for such cold, cold evening weather, mink is not an endangered species, as a matter of fact they prey upon the fishing industry and are considered a nuance, but with raised mink on “ranches” they are not endangered.

But not to worry….the coat was made in the 1970’s and in perfect vintage condition, Yes Darklings, a vintage mink coat, done in a long sleeve swing style, plus a vintage black fox fur jacket that comes to the top of my hips. I scored wonderfully there. But I would only use them in the evenings when it is extremely cold and even a wool coat can not keep out the chill, and especially where we had near freezing conditions where I live. I am not about to catch a cold! But if you are going to use a wool coat then top it with a black mink scarf for your throat, and if possible top it with a blank mink beret, can you picture that and wearing your eye mascara in a cat’s eye line with red, red lips and red, red nails? I certainly can.

Even Francisco Costa the designer for the Calvin Klein Collection believes in a fur coat and in the last issue of Allure magazine (Dec 2011) said that a knee length shearing coat is superpractical, and extends your wardrobe. But again make sure it comes from a non-endangered species.

Going back to nails--- (I can’t seem to get away from manicures and nails) If you love to do designs but don’t have the time for it, there are these “skins” that you can apply to your nail and then just file, I believe Sally Hanson makes them, I’ve seen some styles that are just edgy enough for a business Goth and they last for up to 10 days, not a bad investment especially if you have a serious shortage of time. Also for more dazzling glitz, a brand of nail skins called “Kiss” which you can find in, of all places, Walgreens, can be perfect when you want to club hop.

If there is one thing this Gothic Rose loves it’s Art Deco Antique Shows, and the Art Deco Society of San Francisco’s Deco the Halls was not at all bad, a bit smaller than previous years, (we can only blame the economy) but it was a wonderful experience for me, so that I can indulge in my art deco Gothness, get information on materials to update my home. Yes, Darklings, if I’m going to be Goth then Art Deco/Art Modern is the style for me.

Why do you think I’ve chosen the photo of Gloria Holden as Dracula’s Daughter, to represent me? She is perfect, her and the Tamara DeLapinka painting of the girl with the green racing car, I managed to get a quality poster of that painting and had it beautifully framed. The DeLapinka poster is in the room that I have my collection of books, DVD’s and Cd’s in that I call my “Bat-cave”.

Which will bring me to another subject in another post, I’ve had some people ask me how have I styled my home, well I got very, very lucky in the house that I have, and not to many of them in the Art Modern style were built where I live but it is very perfect for me, I had been saving up for a long time to put a very hefty down payment, but a “spinster” aunt of mine (great-aunt really) had died, I didn’t know how much she really liked me, I mean I was the only one of the extended family who would check in with her, take her shopping, she just adored my 1940’s Black Ford sedan, even take her to her doctor and dental appointments.

She was very sharp but I had noticed she was getting a bit more tired, so I got her one of those medic alert buttons, praying that she’d never have to use it but that day Darklings did come and I got the call, we rushed her to the hospital, a broken hip, one of the worst things that could happen to an elderly Goth---yes Darklings, she was in her own way Goth. Perhaps that is why we got along so well.

I visited her every day in the hospital and then in the convalescent home, we were planning on ways she could be independent, I was even thinking of moving in with her and subletting my apartment to one of my Goth friends on a month to month.

But Prince Serki, aka the Grim Reaper took her away from being old and in pain, I will have to tell you about her funeral another day Darklings.

I was fortunate to have her papers outlining her funeral arrangements and I also got in touch with her lawyer. How surprised I was to discover I was receiving the “bulk of her estate” which included her wonderful home, plus all it’s furnishings as well as a serious monetary income from investments. Oh, she left bequests to other family members but since I wasn’t on great speaking terms with them, their opinions didn’t matter to me.

Her 1925 Gothic revival home is more than large enough for me to put my things into rooms that were not being used, so I have expanded my style which comfortably blends my Art Modern things with hers. So I am using the money to restore the house bit by bit, updating wiring, plumbing, etc., and when the weather is nice getting it painted.

I also found out how quirky she was, her house is on the 600 block of my lovely community, but she specifically got the City planning department to change the house number to 666, it was 664 and then the one after it was 668, but she enjoyed being different, one thing I’m going to have done is have her portrait cleaned up, it is fantastic of her in her total glory, with her dark raven black hair and pale skin and sharply blue eyes. She was the beauty of her generation and I’d have to say of the family.

My Mother always admired her aunt, but she wasn’t ready to rebel like she did.

My family, mostly my Uncles (except Uncle Mannie)and my other great-aunts, always considered her to be the “black sheep” they were so traditional, but my Grandmother always loved her sister my 'great-aunt' and she always came to the rescue giving of herself, her money and her time without reservation, I have her diaries and she was a woman after my own heart.

She outlived my Grandmother and my Mother and Dad, she was very old when she died, but she LIVED!!

Until later Darklings.

Nail Polish for the Elder Goth

I love having my nails done, give me a mani-pedi any day, there is something so wickedly indulgent about having it done.

For my pedi’s health sake I have it done once a month, and the place I go to the staff makes sure everything is totally sanitary; during the winter I have the pedi’s done but without nail polish, I want to wear my socks and keep the feet warm, but when things start warming up, then the polish goes on, from March to November, as long as it’s warm.

I do not like flip-flops, or thronged sandals they are very painful to the skin between the toes, why anyone wants to torture themselves that way must be a masochist.

But one thing I’ve noticed is the dark, dark nail polish, the brighter reds don’t seem to be all that good, but the extreme darks like black, blue, green even deep purple just seem out of place for an Elder Goth, it’s like we’re playing dress up or are extremely eccentric, if you are an elder Goth doing business you have to chose your nail polish carefully.

How your hands and nails look can cause the other person to subconsciously judge you without them realizing it.

You don’t want that.

I’ve found that the deep “Hollywood Reds” from the 40’s and 50’s (I sometimes call them Revlon Reds because that’s the only company that seems to continue to make them) as deep and dark as they can be without them appearing too silly seems to work, but my Elder Goth Darklings, you have to remember how your aged hands appear as well. These same reds also work for those ladies in the Corporate Goth mode.

If you wash dishes, do gardening or house cleaning always wear gloves, as a matter of fact if you go outside at all to shop or run errands always wear gloves, especially during the coldest of weathers.

All of that takes a toll on the skin, which as one gets older becomes more fragile, and can bruise easily. Always use hand lotions to keep the skin soft and supple, but eventually you can no longer use the Dark, Dark nail colors, that is when your hands cannot hide the wrinkles, the knottiness of the joints, and the age spots and subsurface bruising.

When that happens, continue to use your hand lotions and wear gloves but switch to the light colors, you can have fun with the OPI colors such as “Nomad’s Dream” or “Oh So Glam!” There are web sites that offer these colors if you can’t find them in your favorite drug store or beauty supply house.

You can also provide your nail polish color from home when you have your mani-pedi especially if the salon no longer carries it.

The idea behind going towards the lighter colors is to lessen the aged look of your hands and provide a more elegant longer looking hand without drawing attention to its deficits.

The minute you think that your favorite dark, dark color doesn’t look good on your hands is the time to switch to the lighter colors, they don’t have to be pink, and remember as one ages so do the ridge lines on your nails appear, so you’ll want to avoid designs and add on’s, and no acrylic nails or silk wraps, you’ll be inviting a nail fungus which is not appealing at all.

One item of jewelry that is always appealing for Elder Goths, is a ring, I’m not talking about a silver thumb ring or with skulls or a cross but one piece of expensive jewelry in yellow gold or white gold, I have several in 14kt gold; one is a large piece of cabochon coral, another is a 7 carat weight brown topaz, another is lavender jade, another is a very large oval of black jet, one holds a 5 dollar gold piece and my final piece in yellow gold in a large piece that is just in a banded design.

These are in yellow gold; you can do the same with white gold and avoid the silver route entirely because there is nothing like a valuable piece of jewelry on one’s finger to set things off nicely. And only wear just one and not on the thumb, wearing a ring on the thumb is so tacky.

Eventually you will settle on one that will become a signature piece.

Part of the problem with wearing a ring or rings and gloves is that it’s impossible to wear both, what do you do? Well if you are outside, continue to wear gloves, but if it’s an evening function or you’re indoors then wear the rings.

Now I have seen black lace fingerless gloves which are very nice and that can be paired with rings, but remember as an Elder or Elderly Goth don’t go overboard, being understated without being plain is ideal.

Cosmetics for the Elder/Elderly Goth

O.K. Elder Darklings, so what should your cosmetic style be?

You have to first look at what the youngsters are doing and avoid that, Why?

Because it’s not you.

The white or nearly white vampire makeup would be clownish on an Elderly Goth, but if you look at the makeup styles from the 40’s and 50’s especially from the Noir Films you can get an idea, avoid the pencil thin brows, and the heavy ones as well.

You can use a natural base, perhaps ½ tone to 1 tone lighter, but not so much that someone looking at you can see a difference.

Then follow with powder. Many Goths prefer the old-fashion Coty loose powder, which is fine, as long as you wear your Goth bathrobe because it can be messy. And always have a compact and lipstick of the same color in your purse for touch ups.

Blush usually is avoided, but sometimes a hint of pink doesn’t hurt, but only if it is not clownish, lightly brush it upwards to give the face a hint of a lift, remember LIGHTLY.

A Goth always uses Sunscreen, but because we tend to avoid the sun it doesn’t hurt to take vitamin D supplements, and always follow the recommended dose on the bottle.

An Elder/Elderly Goth female can get away with Red lipstick, but be sure that again you avoid the clown look, bright red can look fine but after a while, the older one gets then it seems that the darker reds look better. And it should never be a slash on you lips.

Cosmetic companies have come out with lipsticks that have a long lip life, but always check to make sure none of it has stuck to your teeth, it can be a bear to remove.

EYE LINGER AND SHADOW:

Since I suffer from naturally dark circles around my eyes, I have to use a concealer under my eyes, but apply it sparingly, too much and it will find the wrinkles that you have.

On the upper lid I go with a neutral powder or liquid to lighten my eyes then carefully select a shadow that goes with my outfit, I apply it lightly to the center of my lid and carefully blend it out, nothing dramatic but enough to complement the eye.

With the eye liner, some Elder/Elderly Goths go for the dramatic 60’s cats eye look---not a good choice---our lids sag and droop and therefore that style will emphasize the droopiness of our lids.

I apply a thin eye liner that will bring out my eyes and naturally shape them, I avoid applying a liner to the lower lid, especially if your eyes are tiny, and it only makes it look smaller.

And if you have dark circles it will make it appear worse.

A good concealer is worth its weight in gold, I have used Clinque because the eye area is very delicate and sensitive, but again sparingly.

I know that a lot of you Goth Elderlings are wondering why I say use it sparingly, the reason is obvious---WRINKLES ---it use to be thought that the more you use, the more you conceal, but with the newer cosmetics, the less you use the better you conceal, much of the concealers, liquid makeup and powers have a tendency to collect in the wrinkles crevasses emphasizing them, which is something an Elderly Goth wants to avoid. So applying them sparingly and lightly is always the best approach.

An Elderly Goth has to always remember they are not 20 something anymore, what looked good on a 20-30 something will look horrible and horrifying on a 50 or 60 something.

The idea of the Elderly Goth is to look dignified, even in great age, and smile at the silliness that the youngerlings are doing, because the Elderly Goth knows that this too shall pass.

Now that is not to say that they can’t have fun say at a Vampire’s Ball, in that case all bets are off, because one can be dramatic and a bit over the top.

But it is a wise Elderly Goth to avoid the “geisha look”, except at a Costume ball.

But in the every day world, dignified is best.