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31October   {Fashion Flash}
Fashion Flash time! This week, it's hosted by Kari of Fabulous Over Forty, a blog with practical yet fabulous insights on maintaining your beauty sans surgery. The brilliant blog is researched and written by FOF beauty blogger Kari Solyntjes. Check out her amazing advice and enjoy all the other links from our fab Fashion Flash friends.
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27October   {Makeovers} Beauty Bash makeovers big reveal
In September, we introduced you to our 2 fabulous makeover winners, FOFs Karen Hansen and Cathy Furengo. Both received transformations at the FOF Beauty Bash (Oct. 1 & 2) worth $3,500 including new clothes, new makeup, new hair and a color consultation. "Guru of hue" Jill Kirsh and hair genius Elline Surianello narrated their transformations live on stage.

Couldn't make it to Beauty Bash? Below, see the fab before-and-after photos and read a breakdown of how the experts achieved their new and improved look.



FOF Karen Hansen


“I grew up in the no-makeup, jeans-and-t-shirt generation,” said Karen, a retired CPA who lives in South Carolina in the winter, and Brewster, N.Y., in the summer. “I’ve never been great at putting myself together.” Prior to her makeover, Karen told us her hair was “balding at the top” and she was “confused” about her personal style. “I feel 24, my body acts 80, and my birth certificate says 58,” said Karen, who also told us she hoped to look “younger” by her 59th birthday in November. Could a makeover help achieve that goal?

Her transformation broken down:

Hair: Hair expert Elline Surianello of LeMetric Hair Solutions addressed Karen’s thinning hair with one of her custom hair pieces. Prior to the makeover, Karen had light, reddish-blonde hair. Elline designed the hair piece in a deeper shade. “There is no better or faster way to change how you look than wearing the right hair in the right color,” says Elline. “Look how powerful this is.” Karen agreed. “I knew my hair was thin but didn’t realize the difference [fuller] hair makes. It’s fantastic. I feel like a new person.”

Colors: Once Karen had her new hair, “guru of hue” Jill Kirsh was able to recommend her most flattering shades. Jill’s color matching system is based on a simple concept: your most flattering shades are dictated by your hair color. “Your hair is what frames your face,” says Jill. She breaks us up into four categories, golden browns/red heads, deep brunettes, ash blondes/platinum/grey, warm blondes and has assigned a palette of colors to each group. Since Karen’s new hair falls under the “golden browns/redheads” category, she looks best in earth-tone colors such as camel, ivory, warm greens and browns, according to Jill. Jill did Karen’s makeup and picked an outfit for her in her new palette. “When you get your hair, clothing and makeup the right shades, everything is in sync,” said Jill.

Outfit: Jill chose clothing from the Soft Surroundings Fall 2011 collection in Karen’s most flattering shades. On Karen -- Textured topper in camel ($89.95), Napa Necklace ($34.95), Straight leg destination pant in chocolate ($64.95), Del Tank in ivory ($39.95).

What did Karen think of her new look?
“The makeover has changed my life by giving me more confidence, especially now that my hair doesn’t look so thin,” says Karen. “I never thought I could get up in a room full of people like that. All the attention and compliments really made me feel good and upped my self esteem. I just wish I could have someone fix me up everyday!”
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FOF Cathy Furegno


“I always dreamed of being a model" wrote in FOF Cathy Furegno, a secretary at a high school in Middletown, N.Y. "I raised 4 children, worked two jobs most of my life and just feel it is time to do something for myself.” Cathy said she doesn’t spend much money on her clothes and that "it would be really nice to be pampered for once." The Beauty Bash makeover was Cathy's chance to do just that.

Her transformation broken down:

Hair: “Cathy doesn’t have thinning hair but she may want to have fun with it without making a big commitment,” said Elline. She created a custom hair piece for Cathy in a darker, cooler hue (Cathy was a dark-redhead prior to the makeover.) The hair piece was also longer, which Elline said is a more modern look than her old style. “Look how much younger she looks with longer hair. You look hot...How do you feel?” asked Elline. “Hot,” said Cathy.

Colors: A new hair color for Cathy, means she needs to change up her colors, according to Jill Kirsh. “With the red gone, her hair is much cooler,” said Jill who said that Cathy now falls into the “deep brunette” group of Jill’s 4-category color system. Prior to the makeover, Cathy’s most flattering colors were the earth tones, but now, according to Jill, she looks best in gem tones such as emerald green, ruby red and sapphire blue. Her best neutrals are black and white. Jill did Cathy’s makeup and picked an outfit for her in these shades.

Outfit: Jill chose clothing from Toula’s Fall 2011 collection in Cathy’s most flattering neutrals -- black, white and silver.  On Cathy -- Tweed jacket with nailhead trim ($760), Basic knit pant ($310)

What did Cathy think of her new look?
“This makeover made me realize you don’t have to be 20 or 30 to look your best,” says Cathy. “We all need a little boost and self-confidence like this, in our lives. Oh, and in addition to the makeover, I made a new friend... Karen (fellow makeover winner), she is a very nice woman.”
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27October   {Beauty Bash} The Menopause Makeover
Staness Jonekos tells you how to get your life--and your body--back after menopause.



When FOF Staness Jonekos was 47 years old, she got engaged for the first time to the love of her life. That same year, she “slammed into” menopause, gaining 30 pounds, suffering hot flashes every fifteen minutes, losing her libido, and becoming, in her own words, “a raging witch.”

In her bestselling book, The Menopause Makeover (2010), she explains how she got back on track, so that today, at 52 she says, “I’m healthier that I was in my 20s!”

At the Faboverfifty Beauty Bash, this October in NYC, Staness shared her top-10 menopause makeover strategies, live on the main stage. Watch the video, here, or check out Staness’s cheat sheet for starting your own menopause makeover.



Staness’s cheat sheet:

1. First, get your menopausal symptoms--hot flashes, weight gain, irritability--under control. Start with lifestyle changes – diet and exercise. If that’s not enough, consider standardized black cohosh (work with your doctor to make sure you get the right kind) and acupuncture, which has just been proven to help women with hot flashes. If that’s not enough, there are FDA-approved hormonal products. If you’re not a candidate for hormone therapy, you may be helped by the right anti-depressants. Work closely with your doctor to find the right solution for your symptoms.

2. Hormone therapy. The only natural hormones are the ones being made by our body. If you see the word “natural” on a product, that’s jut a marketing term. Even if it comes from a plant, it has been synthesized.

3. Bio-identical vs. non-bio-identical. We all want something natural, and “bio-identical” sounds nice, but the most important thing is finding the product the works for you. I actually didn’t do well on bio-identicals and ended up needing non-bio-identicals. When it comes to hormones, we’re all different.

4.  Diet. Once you turn 50, your metabolism slows down and you lose muscle. This food pyramid will change your life. Eat it every 3-4 hours and your metabolism will kick off. Eating a combination of low-to-medium glycemic carbs with lean proteins makes all the difference. Have some low fat cottage cheese and some blueberries. Or egg whites and vegetables.  Eat oatmeal in the morning mixed with some protein powder. If you eat the oatmeal alone, you’ll gain weight. The key is combining carbs with protein.



5. Fitness. We all know we have to work out. I work out 30 minutes a day—I’m not a nut about it. Most important, honor your body. If you have bad ankles and can’t do high-impact, then bike or swim. Don’t make your goal a marathon if your body can’t handle that.

6. Beauty. When we’re young, the cells of our skin rejuvenate every 28 days, but as we age, it slows down, leaving little fine lines and uneven skin texture. My big tip: Exfoliate 1 or 2 times a week, depending on the sensitivity of your skin. That changed my life.

7. Emotional roller coaster. If you’re really cranky and feeling out of control, talk to your doctor.  If it’s hormone related, you can get it managed.  If it’s emotional or you’re in a bad relationship or you have stresses, you have to address those issues or it won’t get better.

8.  Relationships and sex. After you turn fifty, your vagina dries up if you’re not on hormone therapy. It’s just a fact. Astroglide, is a non-hormonal alternative. For women who have it really bad, there’s a new product called Vagifem, an estradiol tablet. You put it in your vagina, and lubrication and elasticity come back.

9. Spirituality. This is a great time for reinvention and knowing who you are. You’ve been taking care of your husband and kids for a long time—now’s the time to say “who am I? What do I want in life?”

10. Happiness. Accept that you’re getting older and going through changes. Feel gratitude that you’re healthy, because if you are healthy now, your odds of reaching your 80s are 75%.  That’s a lot to be grateful for.
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26October   {Giveaway} “Graham” Leather Studded Wrap Bracelet
FOF is giving away this gorgeous leather wrap bracelet from Gorjana. Enter to win by checking out all the amazing shades and answering in the comments below: Which color do you like the best?

Thank you for entering. This contest is now closed.




We'd give our right arm for a sophisticated wrap bracelet -- one reminiscent of the iconic Hermes double-strap watch, but ideally at a price point  slight less than $2700. That's why, when we spotted these leather beauties from Gorjana at $55 a pop, we wrapped up our search for fall's perfect bracelet.

Made from genuine leather and 18-K gold-plated accents, the bracelets come in over 30 colors.

Enter to win a "Graham" leather studded wrap bracelet from Gorjana by checking out all the amazing shades and answering in the comments below: Which color do you like the best?

(See all our past winners, here.)
(See official rules, here.)
Contest closes November 3, 2011 at midnight E.S.T.
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26October   {FOF Guru Book Review} The Earthbound Cookbook


If anyone is an authority on organic food, it’s Myra Goodman, co-owner and co-founder of Earthbound Farm, the world’s largest grower of organic produce. Her first cookbook, Food to Live By (2006), was praised by a Library Journal book reviewer who compares it to The Organic Cook’s Bible by Jeff Cox (Wiley, April 2006), one of those most well-known organic cooking resources to date.


In her latest cookbook, The Earthbound Cook: 250 Recipes for Delicious Food and a Healthy Planet (Workman Publishing, 2011) Myra pairs green living tips with all new recipes. Is this cooking guide as fresh as her first? FOF book reviewer, Darla Martin worked her way through and reported back.

In a nutshell, describe this cookbook.
It is about eating well and living green. It includes lots of recipes and green living tips.

Did you read her first book?
No, but I would like to now.

Did you enjoy it?
Yes, indeed.

Was it a page turner, or did you have to push through it?
Even though it is a cookbook, I read it page by page just like a novel.

What recipes and tips did you like most? What did you like least?
I liked finding new ways to cook a few veggies. I tried the cauliflower tart which I liked very much. I have marked the Coconut-Crusted salmon (p. 134) to make soon and the Chicken and Green Olive Enchiladas (p. 109). I've made enchiladas before but this is a new twist. The Jicama and Orange Salad with Orange-Sesame Vinaigrette sounds like a great winter salad to make when traditional greens and tomatoes aren't in season.

I didn't like searching here and there for the green living suggestions, which are sprinkled randomly through out the book.

Is this book similar to any other books you have read? Which?
I own and read a lot of cookbooks. This is a nice addition to my collection and I think it has a definite "California" feel.

Any other thoughts you'd like to share . . . ?
While I enjoyed the book, I don't think I’d recommend it for everyone. Several recipes called for hard to find ingredients, such as lemongrass, or ingredients that are expensive such as truffle oil. I'm a dedicated foodie and live in a cosmopolitan area (San Fransisco Bay) so I'm willing to hunt down unusual or even expensive items. I don't think that most people would.
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Want to review books for FOF? Apply to be a book guru, here.
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26October   {FOF Book Guru Review} The Crabby Cookbook


The Crabby Cookbook (Workman Publishing, 2011) is a collection of humor, survival tips and recipes for the "kitchen-challenged," written by FOF actress Jessica Harper (star of movies such as Minority Report, Stardust Memories and Pennies from Heaven). "I thought it was high time a book acknowledged that not everybody experiences the joy of cooking; that sometimes cooking for a family on a daily basis can be really irritating!" said Jessica in a January, 2011 interview. "This book, with 135 easy recipes, is for those people, crabby cooks like me!" On the book jacket, former-Gourmet editor and New York Times restaurant reviewer, Ruth Reichl, called it "soo much fun. You stand in the kitchen laughing when you should be cooking." Does FOF book guru, Karin Zindren, agree?

What is the genre of this book?
Cookbook.

Did you enjoy it?
It's one of the most entertaining cookbooks I have ever read.  It can be read in part or in total and you won't miss a beat.

Would you recommend this to other FOFs?
Yes. Even as I read the book, I would call friends and family to tell them about it.

What part did you like most? What part did you like least?
I liked the stories just themselves and the recipes were a bonus. I made the Killer Pumpkin Pancakes for my granddaughters who HATE any type of pumpkin and loved these. I also made the Bruschetta with Someone Elses Tomatoes and the Slammin' Yam Soup (I'm vegetarian so I used veggie broth and it was still great!). The Cauliflower in Disguise was great too, I even tripped up my husband with this one! Some of the recipes were too ambitious for me, probably one of the few down sides to the book.

Any other thoughts you'd like to share . . . ?
If you ever felt alone in world of cooking, this book is one you should definitely read...more than once!  Oh, and try some of the recipes, they were worth the effort.
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Want to review books for FOF? Apply to be a book guru, here.
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26October   {FOF Book Guru Review} Lost and Forgotten Languages


Ruiyan Xu’s first novel, Lost and Forgotten Languages (St. Martin's Press, 2010), is the story of Li Jing, an investment banker from Shanghai who, after a massive accident, loses the ability to speak Chinese. His wife, Meiling, is devastated that she can no longer communicate with her husband, and the two become more and more distant as the book progresses. Rosalyn Neal, an American doctor, offers Li Jing’s only hope for recovery and Li Jing ultimately falls in love with her. According to Publishers Weekly, “The characters are portrayed with empathy and care, but the suspense over Jing's fate is lost in too many narrative digressions and an ending that falls flat.” Does FOF book reviewer Karen Smith agree?

In a nutshell, what is this book about?
This story is about language, how words bind intimate relationships and also how we see and present ourselves. Author Ruiyan Xu got the idea for her book during her childhood. Her family emigrated to the U.S. from Shanghai and she felt isolated because she didn’t speak English. Like most children, she learned it quickly and she lost her native tongue. When she returned to China in her teens, not knowing how to speak Chinese made her feel isolated once again.

Did you enjoy it?

I found it enjoyable, yet deeply troubling.

Was it a page turner, or did you have to push through it?
Not a compelling page-turner in terms of pace or plot, but steadily interesting.

What would you want to ask the author, now that you're done reading?
I would like to ask Ruiyan Xu about her own experiences with languages lost and found: did she find herself with different personalities in English and Chinese? Is it possible to use language independent of culture?

Would you recommend this to other FOFs? Did you find yourself telling friends about the book as you were reading it?
I'd recommend it to anyone interested in a book that asks more questions than it answers.

What part did you like most? What part did you like least?
My favorite part of the book was the trip that James, Rosalyn and PangPang made to Hangzhou. That interlude shows the characters what is possible in the alternate universe of the English language, both good and bad. I found the ending unsatisfying.

Is this book similar to any other books you have read? Which?
While I haven't read anything directly comparable to this work, the disintegration of a marriage and family because of new language barriers takes the reader into the familiar territory of love and loss, flirtation and affairs, betrayals and misunderstandings.

Any other thoughts you'd like to share . . . ?
There is a shallowness to Xu's characters that makes it difficult to be more than a spectator to their situation. A better writer would have given the characters more depth so we could identify with them. Instead, Xu keeps us focused on the language problem itself. What would happen if you were 'robbed' of your native tongue in a traumatic accident? How would you talk with your spouse? What about your job? Your children?
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Want to review books for FOF? Apply to be a book guru, here.
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25October   Want to review books for FOF?
 



Calling all bibliophiles. The books are stacking up at the FOF offices and we are looking for smart, insightful FOFs to read and review them!

Here's how it works: Apply to be an FOF book guru, here. If selected, we'll contact you about what books we have in stock and send you books periodically. Write us a fabulous review within one month of receiving the book, and we'll publish it and send you your next book!
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25October   {FOF Guru Book Review} Over the Rainbow Bridge


A few months ago, we asked FOFs to tell us about the charities and organizations that are most important to them. FOF Shirley Enebrad responded to our call. “My little boy Cory was diagnosed with leukemia at age three. He died right after his ninth birthday,” said Shirley. “One of the things he made me promise before he died was for me to help other parents going through the same difficulties that we faced alone.” As part of this mission, Shirley joined and eventually became the president of the Candlelighter’s Childhood Cancer Foundation of Western WA, a support system and organization for families facing childhood cancer. She also wrote a book about her experiences called Over the Rainbow Bridge. Here, FOF book guru Katherine Watson shares her review of Shirley’s story.

In a nutshell, what is this book about?
Over the Rainbow Bridge follows author Shirley Enebrad on an emotional roller coaster as she deals with divorce and then, being the single parent of a terminally-ill child. In the book, Shirley recounts the years she spent advocating for and protecting her nine-year-old son Cory, who was plagued with cancer and suffered through painful chemotherapy treatments. Cory made the decision to terminate chemotherapy and end his life naturally and Shirley supported his decision.

What is the genre of this book?
It is an autobiography. Shirley tells her own story with Cory’s story weaved throughout.

Did you enjoy it?
I can’t say I enjoyed the book. It isn’t easy or pleasant to read about a suffering child. However, Shirley does a nice job of showing what Cory contributed during his short life on earth, including his words of wisdom and his description of heaven and God.

Was it a page turner, or did you have to push through it?
The issue of allowing a child to decide to end chemotherapy, motivated me to continue reading.

What part did you like most? What part did you like least?
This book helped me understand the thought processes of a grieving parent. Shirley is confronted by medical personnel who have been trained to sustain life and heal and are not always equipped to deal with emotions of patients and families.

Would you recommend this to other FOFs? Did you find yourself telling friends about the book as you were reading it?
I work in a hospital setting with pastoral care and social workers. The nurses and hospital workers I spoke with feel they deal enough with death and dying in their professional lives and would not choose this book for relaxing reading. If someone is prepared to make the emotional investment needed to read about a terminally ill child, then this is a remarkable story.

Any other thoughts you'd like to share . . . ?
This book confronts a tough ethical issue that parents of terminally ill children wrestle with -- letting your child choose to end treatment. Shirley let Cory choose and he made the decision to end life naturally. Shirley’s decision was an insightful and selfless act, in my opinion, but other readers might argue he was too young to make the decision himself or that she gave up hope. Shirley was self-assured and proud of how she handled matters. Since people have different cultural backgrounds, belief systems and needs to give them direction, I’d hesitate to give this book to a parent of a terminally ill child.
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Want to review books for FOF? Apply to be a book guru, here.
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24October   {Fashion Flash}

Fashion Flash time! This week, it's hosted by Menopause Makeover, the go-to site for tips on weight loss during menopause, researched and written by FOF author Staness Jokenos who successfully executed her own 12-week menopause makeover and ended up in better shape than she was in her twenties (see her amazing before and afters). Check out her advice and enjoy all the other links from our fab Fashion Flash friends.
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