Ultra-high maintenance!

October 21/11.

I've been a high maintenance woman since the age of 13 when I first discovered makeup. There was no turning back. It started off innocently enough when the braces came off and I traded in my horrifying pointy-edged glasses for blue-tinted contact lenses, then turned to just a touch of Erace concealer to hide the dark circles. In no time flat, I was hitting the hard stuff. Makeup became my drug of choice and I was full-out addicted. Like any drug, I liked the way it made me feel. And look.

Decades later, makeup is still my heavy duty addiction. I wasn't blessed with Angelina Jolie looks, so I do the most I can with what I've got and have a helluva lot of fun with it! The natural look? Not for me. Never was. My husband, Sam, has often asked, when I will let the natural hair colour grow out and stop with the glam? Are you freaking kidding me?? Answer? Not in this lifetime! (on this, the eve of our wedding anniversary, it's hard to believe he has witnessed the "makeup transformation" pretty much every day for 28 years, and hasn't jumped ship yet. Ai carumba!)

I have a close friend, (who shall remain nameless, at her request). We constantly joke about our mutual passionate love affair with makeup. She has been known to throw me into hysterical laughter by referring to my makeup headquarters (the floor of my bedroom), as "The War Room." (appropriate, because it's a major battle, every day to go from blank canvas to "masterpiece"! - and believe me, masterpiece is ever-elusive, but I keep trying!)

For fun, thought I'd show the products it takes to pull a rabbit out of a hat every day. (or, as my late Mum always used to say, "Miracle time!!" - We shared a wild love for makeup). I won't go as far as to show before-and-after shots, (though I've been known to DO that in the past), but I don't want to lose readers here!! People would be running for the hills!

Tons 'o makeup!

Makeup never STARTS with makeup. It begins with a shower, to get that blank canvas look. Here are the "few products" I enjoy using to reach that stage!

(left to right), Scope white mouthwash, Exact liquid white soap, Johnson's baby oil (to remove waterproof mascara), Oil of Olay vanilla bodywash (the scent is simply fantastic), Pantene frizzy to smooth shampoo & conditioner, Finesse hairspray, St. Ives facial scrub, Bodycology brown sugar vanilla body mist (can't get enough!), Skintimate raspberry shaving gel, Quattro raspberry razor, Bath Retreat vanilla body butter, Secret deoderant, Johnson's baby powder, Arm & Hammer whitening toothpaste, Oral B toothbrush, contact lens disinfectant, blowdryer, (don't leave home without it!), saline solution, Oil of Olay moisturizer (best product EVER!), Ponds moisturizer (for under eye). - That's ALL it takes!

After THAT, comes makeup!!

(left to right) - Cover Girl Advanced Radiance Age Defying base foundation in Buff Beige (terrific product); RCMA CS-1 concealer, (better known by me as "Industrial strength bag cream" - best stuff ever! - only available at Hiscott's); plus concealer brush to apply (Lauren Hutton's Good Stuff collection); Cover Girl Ultimate Finish Liquid Powder Makeup 420- Creamy Natural; Ben Nye pressed eye shadow ES-56 Espresso (also only at Hiscott's); Annabelle under eye Kohl eyeliner - Black, 73 (GREATEST Kohl liner on the planet); eyebrow brush applicator (Annabelle A-14); eyebrow brush (Clinique - Brow keeper liner, warm brown, 01); Coty Airspun loose face powder translucent extra coverage 070-41 (have to order it from eBay in the U.S. - worth it!); Lauren Hutton's Good Stuff blush brush; Visine, (gotta get the red out!); Mac mineralized blush - Dainty; lipstick, Rimmel Lasting Finish, 010 - Dizzy; lipstick, Rimmel, Moisture Renew, 260, Amethyst Shimmer; Gosh On Stage Cool Lip Jam gloss, 104; Cover Girl eye enhancers eye shadow, Brown Smolder, 740 (fab colour!); Cover Girl loose powder puff, (a must!); Revlon eyelash curler (can't live without it!); Maybelline Lash Stylist waterproof mascara, Very Black (no longer made, naturally. Sam located a dozen of them on eBay. Worth every penny); Mac Blacktrack fluid line gel eyeliner (great product!); eyeliner brush (bought from art supply store for $2.00) Dynasty, 352R - Made in Thailand; eyeliner brush (also from art supply store), Dynasty, 331R - Made in Thailand. (So, as you see, NO big deal to achieve that "natural" look!)

On top of the above, can't forget

Velcro rollers, clips, round hairbrush. I keep hoping for a good hair day.

And of course, L'Oreal Superior Preference Hair Colour - #38!
It's terrific!

Check out lots of old Global TV pics (below), wearing SO much makeup it's insane! (LOVE it!) For 18 years, I had professional makeup artists to help me. Tried to learn from them, but could never quite achieve the same results they did. (Dana Joon, best in the biz, where are you when I need you)?

1.) At Talo hair salon when I changed my colour to strawberry blonde, and got a new cut. Wish it could look this way again!
2.) With the late, great John Candy in the Global green room after our interview.

3.) Co-hosting the Variety Club Telethon. (I can see sports anchor Bill Bird on the phones in the background).
4.) Dressed up in blue to cover an awards show. Forget which one.
5.) With actor Roger Moore. - Took years to finally score an interview with him!

6.) Anchoring an entertainment segment on the Global news set.
7.) My fave hair and makeup ever, in the Global makeup room. (with my idol, Marilyn Monroe behind me). Dana did my makeup here to cover the Junos one year.

Who knows? Maybe the products I use, will inspire others to get creative! - (or go crazy). In turn, if anyone has products to recommend, would be happy to hear about them! I keep the cosmetics industry in biz!

I'm home!

April 27/11

My sister Carrie wheeling me out the door to freedom!

After 12 hours, I'm back home. The surgery is over and apparently went very well. I now have to wait two weeks before the pathology report comes in and shows if they "got it all." I'm hoping for the best!

Sam and my sister Carrie were there for me all the way. I will write more about the experience, but for now, here are some photos from different stages of the day.

Waiting to get my IV

They gave me a snazzy hotel-style robe and flimsy green slippers!

Immediately following surgery - MAKEUP PLEASE! !

I'm on a morphine drip, but the makeup is done!

The pain that I'm feeling is pretty much every bit as bad as I anticipated. It's excruciating at the moment; however, I have Percocet and a few other drugs to help me heal quickly. I want to thank Dr. David McCready and all the Princess Margaret team members who have made me well again.

Thank you to everyone who has written, called, e-mailed, commented, and just been there for me when I needed them. I have many incredibly wonderful family members and friends. More later.

No makeup!?! - You kiddin' me??

April 25/11

I've always heard that when you undergo surgery, the doctors insist,
NO MAKEUP!! Gak. But I never thought it would actually happen to ME!!
Anyone who knows me, (or has just met me or even seen a photograph), can pretty much realize how much I adore makeup! Don't leave home without it!

This is how I USUALLY like to look!


What makes me laugh (sort of), is this. On the one day you're going to FEEL as horrible as you've ever felt in your life, they want you to LOOK your worst too! Really reminds me of that line in the movie The Big Chill when they're all discussing funerals and Jeff Goldblum quips, "Amazing tradition. They throw a great party for you on the one day they know you can't come."

And you can't beat the irony of the Look Good, Feel Better public service program that teaches beauty techniques to cancer patients. I realize this is a non-medical program, but at the moment, as the surgery day approaches, I feel they should change the name to "Look Like Crap, Feel Worse!" That'll sell! Bigtime!

So, what is the reason for the no-makeup rule? I thought it must all have to do with hygiene and sanitary precautions. But what about patients who don't take a shower before arrival or who are rushed into surgery after a car crash? Wouldn't THEY be "less sanitary" than someone who just showered and scrubbed, but has a little base on? Come on!

My Mother-in-law, (who has been through her share of surgery), told me she believes the rule is to allow a doctor to see the true colour of your skin, so they'll know you're not going downhill. - But - what if you wear NO base and just some mascara? That would make no difference at ALL to skin colour!

Finally, I heard one option that makes sense to me. Someone on the Internet posted it's because the doctors have to put a tube down your throat so you can breathe and they need to tape it to your face. With makeup on, they say the tape won't stick! OK. Well, in this continuing debate, I counteract with - what about people who are naturally sweaty or have oily skin? Do the docs have to wipe them down with alcohol to make sure the tape sticks? Maybe they DO? I don't know!

I finally emailed my lifelong friend, Karen, who is a physician in Michigan. She called me to give me the scoop. In her incredible layman's terms, she said, (re: the doctors), "They've gotta be able to see the actual colour of your face, to know how you are under the anaesthetic! They absolutely can't have you there with makeup on, plus it does actually harbour bacteria. They want your skin as clean as possible, so don't wear any makeup to the O.R. - please! It's only one day!"

So - my mother-in-law wins the prize for the correct guess!

Well, whatever the proper reasons, you can bet I'll be using all the "tricks!" At least I can curl my eyelashes! - and brush my eyebrows into place, and wash, condition, blowdry, set and style my hair so it's shiny, clean and looks half-decent. Then, naturally, I'll wear big movie star sunglasses until "showtime."

Then, when the glasses come off, the doctors and nurses will get one look and either think they have the wrong patient, or run for the hills, leaving me all alone on the table - with no makeup!

My husband says not to worry because they'll be too busy staring at my boobs! (thanks for your input Sam!)

I think I'd better call Dana Joon, my fabulous makeup artist at Global TV and ask her to get over to the hospital pronto and stand by for emergency duty! (she even made me look good for the camera after I cried for an hour the day my cat died!)

However things turn out, I'll get back to you when I'm home from surgery, after which I will get a trowel and pile on some base, concealer, powder, blush, eyeshadow, lipliner, lipstick, mascara and eyeliner. THEN, maybe I will actually look GOOD, feel BETTER! (Vanity schmanity! I just don't enjoy looking like the Bride of Frankenstein! Scary).