Out my window here in northern Vermont is a winter world of Black & White with nothing much in between unless you count gray… But as February has two Red inspired events (Valentine’s Day and the Red Carpet driven Oscars) I found myself venturing into a foray of party-ready RED, especially on the eve of March… so here we go straight into color!
Red. Power. Privilege. Louis XIV strut along the gold trimmed mirrored hallways of Versailles in red silk stockings and scarlet 
heeled shoes… (Christian Louboutin carries on similarly with his signature red-bottomed heels). Thousands of miles away Cardinals flock to the Vatican in red wide-brimmed hats and caped long coats. Red also denotes the naughty. Satan is swathed in red from his horns to his tail in his fiery Hell. Fallen women lurk in red-light districts with red drawn across their lips. The Scarlet Letter is, well scarlet. Yet, despite the piety or the fallen, Red is simply good luck. Just ask the Chinese.
Before the 1800’s red dye was made from a bug (although this detail was a treasured secret for decades). But a tiny red bug, hand collected by the masses who never dared wear such brilliance, was dried and crushed into a powder worth its weight in gold and reserved as a royal color for Presidents and Dignitaries. Even after the synthetic dye hit the market red denoted the wealthy, the lovers, the exotic… those residing on a throne.
February is here!! Yes, extra minutes of daylight are adding up and brilliant sunshine fills our afternoons despite the winter tunnel still ahead. Today there is larger glimpse of blue skies, and the promise of Spring is within sight! Naturally, my mind turns to skin care. Not one to profess a rigid regime, I will suggest a few products to bring comfort to your senses, from their smell to their feel… pure comfort! In reviewing most of the products in my bathroom cabinet I find there are three companies that have seen me through the decades. No matter your skin type, your aversion to animal testing or the controversial usage of propylene glycol, I guarantee you will love these products and they will make you feel beautiful! Curious? Read on…
Nine Cent Girl 