10 Things To Stop Complaining About

1. The Weather

It snows in the winter, and it’s hot in the summer. Is either really a surprise?

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Win A $1000 Shopping Spree From Soft Surroundings

A sample of wonderful Soft Surroundings products, just in time for the holidays (from L to R): Madeline Bookshelf & Cabinet, Savile Row Jacket, Nest Holiday Room Spray, and Paris Faux Fur Throw.

Soft Surroundings is partnering with FabOverFifty to bring you one of our greatest giveaways yet—a $1000 gift card to the fabulous Soft Surroundings online shop and retail stores. Featuring apparel, jewelry, beauty products, even home décor, Soft Surroundings has everything you could want to make 2014 a really beautiful year.

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{Big Giveaway} Win This Makeover and Shopping Spree!

FabOverFifty.com and Dressing Your Truth are partnering up to bring you an incredible giveaway. One lucky FOF will win a Dressing Your Truth online makeover course, where you’ll find out your Type of beauty, and receive $200 credit to the Dressing Your Truth store, chock full of beauty products, clothing and accessories organized for the 4 Types of beauty. The winner will also receive the Dressing Your Truth for Men course for a special man in her life!

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My First Time After Fifty

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7 deadly FOF sins

 

7fofsins

 

1Imitating a 25 year old by wearing your hair too long, your skirts too short and your shirts too revealing.

Even if you’ve had a facelift, and wear a size 2, you’ll never look 25 again, so change the clothes and hair.

2Speaking of size 2, the French say “10 extra pounds on your body equals 10 years off your age.”

You may think it’s cute that you’re 5’8” and a size 2, but it isn’t; it really isn’t.

Older+anorexic+woman+bikini+#8

3
Disrespecting your daughter-in-law.

She could be a monster, but it’s a no-win for you if your son loves her. So suck it up and be civil.

daughter

4
Gossiping about your girlfriends.

We left high school decades ago.

gossip

5Making sure that your clothes, shoes and accessories are gorgeous, but not doing anything about your thinning hair.

If your scalp is showing, they won’t look at the clothes. And forget all the advice about wearing your hair short. Short thinning hair doesn’t look better than long thinning hair.

thinninghair
 

Hair by LeMetric.

6
Being unable to walk in the stilettos you’re wearing.

The shoes may be stunning but your gait is anything but.

photo_salma_hayek_tripping_heels_18262cm-18262n6

7
Shamelessly and publicly bragging about your children–in front of them–after they’ve turned 10.

Just don’t do it.

embaressing

{Giveaway} Paula Dorf Lipstick in Mermaid


Kate Walsh (left) , Heidi Klum (center) and Cyndi Lauper (right) all wear orange lipstick.

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Orange you glad tangerine tones, copper colors and peachy pigments are the hottest lipstick shades for summer 2012? Okay, okay…we weren’t so thrilled either. That is–until two celeb makeup artists (and FOFs!) Carolyn Diamond and Paula Dorf convinced us otherwise. “Orange lipstick can be one of the most powerful weapons in any woman’s beauty arsenal. Yet many women assume they can’t wear it,” says Carolyn, who says she’s proudly puckering up in peach this season… and you can too. Read on for Carolyn and Paula’s orange lipstick dos and don’ts. Then, enter to win Paula Dorf’s Lip Color Cream in “Mermaid” by leaving a comment, below.

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…consider your skin tone when choosing the perfect orange shade. “If you have pink skin undertones, opt for a coral shade with blue undertones,” says Carolyn. “Olive-complexioned FOFs look great in a lip color that has more of an orange base. Women with darker skin tones look great in rich burnt orange tones.”

…be precise when applying. “A bright orange lipstick should never be applied casually,” says Carolyn. “Also, always be sure to check your teeth and blot your lips.

…match your lip liner to your lipstick. “Your lip liner shade should either exactly match the orange lipstick hue or be a darker, complimentary tone,” says Carolyn.

..keep the rest of your makeup simple. “The important thing to remember when wearing an orange-hued lipstick or gloss, is that the lips are the eye catcher,” says Carolyn. Paula agrees: “Apply a softer, more natural color blush on your cheeks since you want most of the attention directed to your lips. Even a delicate bronzer would look great.” Carolyn recommends: Glo Minerals gloBlush in Papaya and Glo Minerals Bronzer in Sunkiss. “These shades look great on almost all skin tones,” she says.

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…wear heavy eyeliner. “Opt for a brown eye pencil and smudge it to defuse the intensity. A dash of copper or gold dust to your eyelids (just enough to catch the light) can be sexy and playful,” says Carolyn. “Using mascara, play up those lashes, ladies (black for brunettes, brown for blondes and redheads), and don’t forget to apply it to your bottom lashes–it opens up your eyes.

…match your lips to your outfit. “Your new rust-colored maxi dress may be gorgeous, but don’t choose the same shade for your your lips,” says Carolyn. “For your lips, choose the color that is best suited for your skin color.”

…try this trend if you have thin lips. “Orange can tend to make lips look smaller,” says Carolyn.

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Recommended Orange Lip Products:

1. Paula Dorf Lip Color Cream in “Mermaid”, 2. Glo Minerals Lip Gloss in “Mango” and 3. “Peony” “These color look great on almost every one,” says Carolyn. “They have the perfect undertones to compliment any skin tone.”

To learn more or for an appointment with Carolyn, contact Diamond Studio, 1518 Spruce Street. Philadelphia PA. 267-664-7712, www.carolyndiamond.com

Enter to win Paula Dorf’s Lip Color Cream in “Mermaid by leaving a comment, below.

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Five FOFs will win. See all our past winners, here.) (See official rules, here.) Contest closes May 17,s 2012 at midnight E.S.T.

Images: Kate Walsh, Heidi Klum, Cyndi Lauper, Carolyn Diamond, “Do”, “Don’t”

Thank you for entering. This contest is now closed.

{Tested} Rene Furterer 4-Step Kit for Stronger and Healthier Hair

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“One-hundred percent of women go through hair loss to some degree during menopause,” says Dr. Wilma Bergfeld, a dermatologist at the Cleveland Clinic. But what if there was a way to stop hair loss . . . or at least make your hair appear more youthful? The reps at French beauty company Rene Furterer promise that after 4 weeks of using their 4-Step Kit, you’ll have “stronger and healthier hair and scalp.” The kit includes a stimulating shampoo (retail value: $23), weekly scalp treatment (retail value: $45), concentrated serum (retail value: $67) and a dietary supplement (retail value: $39). We had five FOFs put these four products to the test to find out if they’re really the creme de la creme.

Read on to see what they thought.

P.S. Want to be guaranteed a product to test? Join the FOF Beauty Club now!

**Quick take: 4 out of 5 testers would recommend Rene Furterer to other FOFs.**

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POSEY THOMSON – Felton, CA

Were these products easy to use?
Yes–very easy.

Did you see a difference in your hair? Did your hair and/or scalp appear stronger and healthier?
Yes–a positive change. My hair is getting healthier every day.

Did your hair feel or look thicker?
When my hair is dry it definitely feels thicker.

{click here to read all the reviews!}

Did anyone comment on the appearance of your hair?
No.

Would you continue using these products? Why or why not?
Yes. I can’t wait to continue using it. I really feel like it is healing my hair from the inside out. The shampoo is worth their cost because I only use a dime-size squirt of the shampoo [each time] and it is all organic. I used the scented oil mixture [Complexe5] for about five minutes, once a week before I shampoo. I only use enough on scalp to cover and no more. It has an aromatherapy-like scent. I used the RF80 vials once a week and they really made a difference in the way my hair felt–it is softer, fuller and just looks healthier.

Would you recommend these products to other FOFs?
Yes, definitely.

Please rate these products from 1 (Ugh. This was the worst.) to 5 (Loved it!).
5.

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EILEEN O’CONNOR – Ramsey, NJ

Were these products easy to use?
Yes.

Did you see a difference in your hair? Did your hair and/or scalp appear stronger and healthier?
No.

Did your hair feel or look thicker?
No.

Did anyone comment on the appearance of your hair?
No.

Would you continue using these products? Why or why not?
No, I did not like the fragrance at all.

Would you recommend these products to other FOFs?
No.

Please rate these products from 1 (Ugh. This was the worst.) to 5 (Loved it!).
2.

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LORNA LOCKERT –  Fredericksburg, NY

Were these products easy to use?
Yes.

Did you see a difference in your hair? Did your hair and/or scalp appear stronger and healthier?
[Yes, my] hair is shinier and healthier looking.

Did your hair feel or look thicker?
[It’s] hard to tell–my hair is so thick already. I hope it doesn’t thicken any more.

Did anyone comment on the appearance of your hair?
My hairdresser said it looked shiny.

Would you continue using these products? Why or why not?
No. I don’t want thicker hair.

Would you recommend these products to other FOFs?
Yes.

Please rate these products from 1 (Ugh. This was the worst.) to 5 (Loved it!).
4.

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ELIZABETH HERBERICK – New Milford, CT

Were these products easy to use?
Yes–very easy.

Did you see a difference in your hair? Did your hair and/or scalp appear stronger and healthier?
Yes, I did see a difference.  I actually got it cut and now it has a lot more body, too.

Did your hair feel or look thicker?
Yes.

Did anyone comment on the appearance of your hair?
My husband said it looked healthier.

Would you continue using these products? Why or why not?
Yes–they are simple and do seem to help make my fine hair look and feel thicker

Would you recommend these products to other FOF members?
Yes.

Please rate these products from 1 (Ugh. This was the worst.) to 5 (Loved it!).
4.5. I am always looking and will continue to look [for the best products] but right now, these products do work!

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DONNA HART – Louisville, KY

Were these products easy to use?
Yes.

Did you see a difference in your hair? Did your hair and/or scalp appear stronger and healthier?
Yes, I didn’t lose as many hairs in the sink when I washed my hair.

Did your hair feel or look thicker?
A little bit.

Did anyone comment on the appearance of your hair?
My daughter said it looked really “full”

Would you continue using these products? Why or why not?
Yes. They helped enough that for me to continue using [them].

Would you recommend these products to other FOFs?
Yes.

Please rate these products from 1 (Ugh. This was the worst.) to 5 (Loved it!).
4.

{Giveaway} Brush On Block


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FOF Susan Posnick is giving away her brilliant Brush On Block. Enter to win by answering in the comments below: Have you used sun protection your whole life?

FOF Susan Posnick spent her early adult years suntanning and teaching on the island of St. Croix. There, she met a well-known NYC advertising photographer, Wendi Hilti, who became her mentor.  “We would sit in the afternoons and drink our Campari and sodas, and he’d say, ‘what are you going to do when you get off this godforsaken island?’” recalls Susan. “I’d say, ‘I don’t know. Teaching kids is not my thing. I’ve always been about fashion and beauty. But, I grew up in a small town and have no idea where to start.” Wendi introduced Susan to his fashion connections in New York City and helped jumpstart her career in beauty.

Susan spent the next thirty years as a professional makeup artist, working on celebrities such as Cindy Crawford and Rene Russo and eventually became the personal makeup artist for Mary Kay.

While Susan had the good fortune of meeting Wendi in St. Croix, she had the not-so-good fortune of developing skin cancer on her face, which was diagnosed in her 50s but is most likely the result of her years spent in the Caribbean sun.

“What was the size of a pinhead on the outside, was the size of a quarter underneath,” says Susan of her melanoma. “Fortunately, I caught it in the earliest possible phase.”

After a successful operation to remove the cancer, Susan made it her personal mission to develop fuss-free sun protection that every woman could incorporate into her beauty routine. “When I got skin cancer, I was allergic to all the chemical sunscreens,” says Susan. “I really wanted to make a mineral product that felt good on the skin, was portable and easy to use.” In 2001, she launched ColorFlo, a refillable brush with mineral foundation that also protects the skin from UV rays. ColorFlo was a retail hit but Susan felt the product was limited to just women.

This year, Susan launched Brush On Block, which, like ColoFlo is a refillable brush with mineral sun protection. However, Brush On Block contains very little color pigment and appears transparent on the skin. It has an SPF of 30 and stays on in the water for 80 minutes. “I wanted to create a product that would work for the whole family. My goal is that people will wake up every day, wash their faces, brush their teeth and brush on block.”
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Enter to win Brush On Block invented by FOF Susan Posnick by answering in the comments below: Have you used sun protection your whole life?

One FOF will win. See all our past winners, here.) (See official rules, here.) Contest closes April 19, 2012 at midnight E.S.T.

Thank you for entering. This contest is now closed.

{Tested} LaRocca 24k Gold Anti-Aging Trio

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All products from the LaRocca Skincare line are flecked with real 24K gold particles that “promote electron transfer,” with the metal ions found naturally in the skin, according to LaRocca. This causes “cell turnover,” and skin that is “smooth and rejuvenated with a youthful glow.”

Five FOFs tested a trio of skincare products from the LaRocca line (value: $195), including an Exfoliating Cream Cleanser, Daily Hydrating Moisturizer and Firming Eye Cream. Were these products the gold standard or…fools gold? Read on to see what the testers thought.

P.S. Want to be guaranteed a product to test? Join the FOF Beauty Club now!

**Quick take: 5 out of 5 testers would recommend LaRocca Skincare to other FOFs.**

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DELORES KENYON – Chattanooga, TN

Were the products easy to use?
Yes, same as my usual routine.

Did you feel a difference in your skin?
Yes, [it feels] very soft and dewy.

Did they reduce the appearance of wrinkles and puffiness around your eyes? Did they increase your skin’s moisture and elasticity?
Skin looks smoother. Elasticity is improved and there is more moisture. It also reduced puffiness–the eye cream is fantastic.

{Click here to read all the reviews!}

Would you continue using these products? Why or why not?
Yes. [They were] easy to use, made my skin smoother, and I like the smell. The cleanser has small particles that made it feel like I was getting a mini facial treatment, but was not harsh. The eye cream is very rich and soothing. My favorite was the moisturizer. I didn’t want to put on makeup because my skin felt so good.

Would you recommend these products to other FOF members?
Yes.

Please rate these products from 1 (Ugh. This was the worst.) to 5 (Loved it!).
5. (Moisturizer: 5+)

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ANGIE RODRIGUEZ – Baltimore, MD

Were the products easy to use?
Yes. They were very smooth, extremely gentle and had no perfume-y smell.

Did you feel a difference in your skin?
[The products] made my skin very soft. No burning sensations after use.

Did they reduce the appearance of wrinkles and puffiness around your eyes? Did they increase your skin’s moisture and elasticity?
The wrinkles are [still] there, and I don’t believe that there is any cream in the world that can make them go away. It was more of a cleansing regime and the firming eye cream added extra moisture to the eye area and reduced puffiness.

Would you continue using these products? Why or why not?
Yes, and I plan to get the toner too.

Would you recommend these products to other FOF members?
Yes, especially for those with extremely sensitive skin.

Please rate these products from 1 (Ugh. This was the worst.) to 5 (Loved it!).
5

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MARTHA GONZALES de PERATT – San Clemente, CA

Were the products easy to use?
Yes.

Did you feel a difference in your skin?
Yes.

Did they reduce the appearance of wrinkles and puffiness around your eyes? Did they increase your skin’s moisture and elasticity?
Yes.

Would you continue using these products? Why or why not?
Yes, because they improved my skin’s elasticity and moisture.

Would you recommend these products to other FOF members?
Yes.

Please rate these products from 1 (Ugh. This was the worst.) to 5 (Loved it!).
4

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TINA TOW – Silver City, NM

Were the products easy to use?
Yes. They glided on.

Did you feel a difference in your skin?
Yes.

Did they reduce the appearance of wrinkles and puffiness around your eyes? Did they increase your skin’s moisture and elasticity?
Yes–[reduced wrinkles] around my eyes, mouth and forehead. It improved elasticity, increased moisture and reduced puffiness.

Did it improve your skin’s elasticity?
Yes.

Would you continue using these products?
I will continue to use this product until it is all gone.

Would you recommend these products to other FOF members?
Yes.

Please rate these products from 1 (Ugh. This was the worst.) to 5 (Loved it!).
5

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MARGO SURPRISE – Gary, IN

Were the products easy to use?
Yes. I look forward to the start of my day and end of my day with this trio of products.

Did you feel a difference in your skin?
The first time I washed my face, my skin felt relieved.

Did they reduce the appearance of wrinkles and puffiness around your eyes? Did they increase your skin’s moisture and elasticity?
The puffiness around my eyes has diminished and I have that youthful glow again.

Would you continue using these products?
Yes.

Would you recommend these products to other FOF members?
Yes, highly.

Please rate these products from 1 (Ugh. This was the worst.) to 5 (Loved it!).
5

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JOYCE MCLAUGHLIN – Norridge, IL

Were the products easy to use?
The products were extremely user friendly and had a compelling scent.

Did they reduce the appearance of wrinkles and puffiness around your eyes? Did they increase your skin’s moisture and elasticity?
Wrinkles softened and skin lines were not as profound. My skin looked and felt less irritated. It somewhat toned my face and made makeup [look] more attractive.

Would you continue using these products?
Absolutely. It’s gentle and effective.

Would you recommend these products to other FOF members?
Yes. I think everyone could benefit using these products.

Please rate these products from 1 (Ugh. This was the worst.) to 5 (Loved it!).
5–I was very pleased.