One thing I didn’t think I needed was another eyebrow pencil. It feels like every day a brand thinks they’ve reinvented the wheel with an innovative product promising full, natural-looking brows. That’s why I was surprised how much I liked Marc Jacobs Beauty’s Brow Wow Duo. Sometimes, it’s all about doing a simple thing really well and this double-sided tool does just that.

Brow Wow Duo is part pencil and part eyebrow gel. The pencil isn’t too thin (which often breaks off) or too thick (which applies too much product). It’s a classic flat-tip pencil so you can use the side to create small, hair-like strokes if you so choose. The formula is soft and powder-like when you apply. It blends into eyebrow hair easily without looking too harsh or fake.

The other end is a tinted eyebrow gel that holds brows up and out for that boy brow look. Not only does it help keep brows in place, it also adds a little color for an even more put-together look.

Image: Marc Jacobs Beauty.

Brow Wow Duo comes in five shades: Taupe, Light Brown, Medium Brown, Dark Brow and Black. I used Taupe because, even though my brows are dark, I like blonde or light brown hues to compliment my highlights. What I like so much about this duo is how fast I did my brows. I get ready pretty quickly and since I’m wearing a mask these days, I’m really just wearing eyebrow products and mascara. I quickly just filled in any sparse areas and brushed them up with the gel.

The left side is done and the right is sparse.

I also applied the new Marc Jacobs Beauty At Lash’d Lengthening and Curling Mascara ($27 at Marc Jacobs Beauty). If you love the brand’s iconic Velvet Noir like I do, this formula is less thick and creates a lot more length without clumps. After I did both eyebrows and put on my mask, I ran errands in LA’s 91-degree heat. I was sweating but my brows stayed put. Score.

Brow Wow Duo is available now and it comes with a pencil refill. Yes, it’s refillable!

Our mission at STYLECASTER is to bring style to the people, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.

In May, I wrote about honoring our mothers and grandmothers, so it’s only fair that this month I discuss fathers and grandfathers, as we typically think of June as a time to honor the male figures in our lives.

Unfortunately, neither my father nor grandfather is alive, but I’m staying strong by reliving my fond memories of them.

A Loss so Deep

Even though my father died nearly 30 years ago, I feel his presence every day – not only when I look in the mirror and see the green eyes he gave me, but also when I see his genetics passed down to my children and grandchildren.

When my dad died, on that rainy New York evening in 1991, I felt orphaned. He and I had enjoyed a deep spiritual connection, and even though his passing did not come as a surprise, it was devastating, and I still miss him.

All About Love, Life, and Laughter

Born in Königsberg, Germany, in 1921, my father, Edward Marquise, was a happy-go-lucky man – and a Holocaust survivor. He cherished life and those he loved. One of his favorite sayings was “Live and let live.”

He was nonjudgmental, had a positive attitude, and, whenever possible, loved making people laugh. Everyone who met my father, loved him. He worked as a toy salesman, so I had every toy sample imaginable when I was growing up, including an extensive Barbie-and-Ken collection.

After I married and had kids of my own, my father continued his tradition of bestowing toys on my children. He was one of those grandfathers who would get down on the floor and play with mykids.

One day, while driving to work, my father started to cough up blood. He was petrified. He stopped at a red light and tossed his pack of Kool cigarettes out the window. That night he was admitted to the hospital with a collapsed lung.

He moved on from that episode, but his lungs never recovered. At the age of 65, he was diagnosed with emphysema and died six years later.

That Last Encounter

When my dad was nearing the end of his life and was hospitalized, my mother phoned, suggesting that my family visit him. We were living far away at the time, but we all immediately flew to New York.

My eldest daughter was seven and very attentive to her grandpa, handing him tissues to catch the lung remnants of 50 years of cigarette smoking.

My younger daughter, who was five, stood petrified in the corner, and my son was too young to understand what was happening. Looking back, I realize how intense and painful that hospital scene had been for everyone.

The Thoughts of a Dying Man

During our visit, in his much-weakened voice, my father reiterated several end-of-life thoughts:

• He believed in quality, not quantity, of life.
• We should remember to enjoy our lives.
• We can always find time to be grateful for all the good.

It’s pretty common for those who are transitioning to be quite lucid and get philosophical in their last hours. Studies have shown that just before dying, when the body begins to shut down, the systems release a steroid-like compound that briefly rouses the body.

This surge often surprises family members, as they might see this as a possible recovery. However, people usually know they’re dying, and I’m sure that my father was aware of this and wanted to make a final strong connection with us.

For some people, this spiritual and psychological component sometimes results in the divulging of secrets. I wished my father had done that, but then I thought that perhaps he never really had any secrets to share.

Dad passed that same evening. I know he waited for us to say goodbye. We were all at his bedside as I stroked his salt-and-pepper hair, with his recessed hairline exposing his prominent forehead. He looked peaceful, and I sensed his relief that he no longer needed tubes to keep him alive.

Our Promise

Before my father’s passing, my husband and I made him a few promises. First, we said that we’d always take care of his grandchildren; and second, we promised to focus on celebrating his life rather than mourning it.

The promises made on deathbeds are meant to be taken seriously. Every day, I hear him whispering these words to me: “Live each day as if it were your last.”

This is one of my favorite poems by Sufi poet Rumi about death. I copied it in my journal just after my father’s passing:

The Breeze at Dawn

The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you.

Don’t go back to sleep.

You must ask for what you really want.

Don’t go back to sleep.

People are going back and forth across the doorsill

where two worlds touch.

The door is round and open.

Don’t go back to sleep.

— Rumi, translated by Coleman Barks, Essential Rumi

Which male figure in your life will you honor this month? Why? What story about them can you share? Please use the comment box below.

Who would have thought at the beginning of the year that we would all be ‘in lockdown’ with nowhere to go? In fact, not only nowhere to go, but not allowed to go.

As international full-time travellers, our plan for 2020 was to travel the Nile and enjoy Egypt, Jordan, Israel, Turkey, and follow the Orient Express route through Europe.

This has been put on hold for an indefinite period as Australia is not planning to open its international borders in the near future.

Everyone we chat to around the world is in the same boat. What were your travel plans?

Staycation vs. Vacation

Staycation is the new buzz word, but why do we think it’s so different in meaning from  vacation?

The Cambridge Dictionary defines a staycation as “a holiday that you take at home or near your home rather than travelling to another place.”

They define a vacation as “a time when someone does not go to work or school but is free to do what they want, such as travel or relax.”

Staycations – Rediscovering Our Home Country Treasures

When you start to look in your own backyard, you start to realise what your own country or state has to offer. Look further than the popular tourist attractions and dig deeper, and you will find a treasure trove of things to do and see.

Here in Australia, the tourism industry has suffered tremendous losses, starting with the bushfires that burned hundreds of thousands of acres and now Covid.

Our Staycation Australia travel planning has unearthed unique opportunities for us to not only experience new adventures in our own state but to assist in giving back to the local community that has suffered.

We have found local cheesemakers, distilleries, produce farmers, craft breweries, small cafés, artisan shops, and homewares in small country towns that we never thought existed.

We want to be able to give back to them, to put them on the map, so others can support them just as much as we do.

When you dig deeper in your own backyard, you can stay in some unusual accommodation as well.

Here in Australia, we have found that you can stay in converted convict cottages, shearing sheds and barns, and railway carriages; rest in a see-through bubble tent; sleep in a lighthouse; spend the night in a wild safari tent. You can even sleep the night away in a gaol or a converted hydroelectric station, just to name a few.

Does this excite you to travel and explore your own backyard more? It has been a great inspiration for us.

Wherever you are in the world, there is a host of opportunities for you to enjoy your own staycation.

How to Have Staycation in Your Own Town

If you can’t travel intrastate or interstate, you can enjoy a staycation in your own town. Here are some tips:

• Treat yourself to a luxury stay in a 5-star hotel
• Pamper yourself at a Spa retreat
• Book an Airbnb property in another area of town and get out and explore the new neighbourhood
• Go on a picnic
• Book a local walking tour
• Head off to your local markets
• Dine at a different restaurant or café every day for a weekend or a full week
• Visit local art galleries and museums
• Book a night out at the theatre

I hope some of these ideas will suit your tastes so you can enjoy a relaxing – and adventurous – staycation.

What were your travel plans for 2020? Did you cancel or postpone them? Are you planning a staycation in the meantime? What will you do on your staycation? Please share with our community!

Leah McSweeney’s Black Ribbed Tank Dress on Instastories

Real Housewives of New York Instagram Fashion 2020

Although New York City may only be in phase one of lifting COVID-19 restrictions (as is Toronto where I live), unlike me Leah McSweeney seems to be making the best of it by still pulling together super cute lewks like with this black ribbed tank dress we saw her wearing on Instastories. Which in true Leah style she decided to perfectly accessorize with a huge smile “resting bitch face.”

Fashionably,

Faryn

Click Here to Shop Her Year of Ours Dress

Click Here to Shop Her Nike Slides in Many Colours

Click Here to Shop Her Prada Bag in Other Colours (Pink Sold Out)

Click Here to Shop Her Married to the Mob Hat

“Resting Bitch Face” Mask is By Married to the Mob and Will Be Available to Order June 22nd

Photos & Info: @LeahMob

Originally posted at: Leah McSweeney’s Black Ribbed Tank Dress

It’s inevitable that the passing of years will bring about some expected (and unexpected!) changes. But the good news is that we can make just a few tweaks to our makeup routine and embrace the contours of our face as emblems of experience and wisdom to truly help our beauty shine through.

Here are 11 beauty tips that can help u lose that old lady look:

Choose a Flattering Hair Cut

A flat, one-length cut can age us – as can a severe center part. After 50, most of us need to have layers and depth and find a cut that flatters our face shape.

For instance, wearing your hair straight and flat against your head will emphasize the length of your face. However, if you cut your hair above chin length and create some fullness around your face you will create more width.

Don’t Guess with Eyebrow Hair Color

Interestingly, eyebrows that are too light or too dark can age us – as can eyebrow tails that come down too low. The rule of thumb for dark eyebrow hair is go one shade lighter. If you have very light hair, go one to two shades darker. If you have gray hair, either go with gray or taupe but definitely fill them in.

Use an Eyeshadow Primer

As we get older, our eyelid skin gets thinner, and our eyelids may produce more oil. This means that veins or other discoloration can be very noticeable, and eyeshadow can crease or smudge more easily.

Using an eyeshadow primer that matches our skin tone can get rid of any discoloration. It can also keep our eyeshadow perfectly in place without any creasing or smudging.

Be sure to check out Elise’s YouTube channel which specifically focuses on makeup tips, techniques, and product reviews for those of us 50+. Don’t forget to subscribe!

Color Theory to the Rescue with Eyeshadow

Dark eyeshadow across our eyelids can create a beautiful smokey eye look, but for most of us, this look can age us by making our eyes look smaller. To make our eyes look bigger, we need to apply some color theory tips.

Since light colors make things appear to come forward and look bigger and dark colors make things appear to recede and look smaller, we can make our eyes look larger by applying a light color all the way across our eyelids.

Eyeliner Lover? Choose Your Color Wisely

In general, thick black eyeliner across the top and bottom of our eyes can make us look older for several reasons. For one, black can look a little harsh because our skin gets paler – and the stark contrast between our paler skin and black eyeliner can be a bit jarring.

Also, black around the entire eye can close up the eye area and make our eyes look smaller. So, choose an eyeliner color that will not appear so harsh on your eye, and, if necessary, only apply on the top lid.

Don’t Forget Mascara

Not wearing mascara can definitely age us. Mascara helps to define and lift the eyes. And an eyelash curler can truly be our best friend.

Take Care of Those Spots!

When our skin tone is uneven, we appear older. In fact, according to recent research, evening out our skin tone can do more than anything else to help us look our best.

Most of us develop some redness, age spots, or other discoloration as we get older. The key is to even out our skin tone with tinted moisturizer, tinted SPF, foundation, or concealer. It’s at the top of the list of the most important things we can do with makeup to help us look like the best version of ourselves.

Erase the Dark Circles

We can best camouflage dark circles or other under eye concerns by using a color corrector. Very often these blemishes have blue or purple tones, so using a peach, salmon, or apricot color correcting concealer can truly make a difference.

How dark a peach or salmon color you choose depends on how dark your skin tone is.

You Need that Blush

Since our skin and lips get paler, we lose facial contrast – which, according to a recent major research study, definitely makes us look older and less attractive. We can create more contrast – and more attractiveness – by wearing blush and lipstick.

Color Undertone Matters

But, as with anything, it’s very important to wear the right blush and lipstick color. Remember Carole Jackson’s book Color Me Beautiful from the 1980s? It’s a matter of finding out our skin undertone – which can be cool, warm, or neutral – and wearing the colors that are best for that undertone.

If you have a cool undertone, you’ll want to stick with pinks, plums, raspberries, and blue-reds. Warm undertones can look gorgeous in peach, coral, tangerine, and orange-reds. And if you have a neutral undertone, you have both warm and cool tones in your skin so you can wear both cool and warm colors.

Choose a Light Lipstick

Dark lip colors make our lips look smaller, and a matte lipstick absorbs light rather than reflect it, so dark matte lipsticks can make us look even older. Bringing more light and radiance to our lips with a lighter, more luminous lipstick formula truly does help us look our best.

What tweaks have you made to your makeup routine to help you look your best? Which of the 11 tips above might you try? Which of them are already a part of your routine? Please share below!