Dear Google,
I am very touched and grateful to you for your words of friendship. I'mglad you wrote again and I'll continue to be interested in how you all
make out.
Google, you might think about what kinds of care you took of yourself andyour looks when your husband was first attracted to you. Then do
something similar, but in the way its done today. Here's an example. It isn't
an accurate one so far as the fashion before you married is concerned, but itwill make my point clear. Imagine that back then the style was to pluckeyebrows to an extremely thin line and then to use a dark pencil to draw themon. Look at how eyebrows are groomed today and do it that way.
I experimented the other day to see how few of my old cosmetics I could useto make up my face presentably after it was freshly washed and I applied a non-greasy moisturizer. I managed with only a lipstick and a mascara wand.
I used the lipstick as usual but made my bottom lip fuller. Also used a littleof the lipstick lightly on my cheeks as a blush. Then, as I have natural eyebrows that are also getting a little silver I used the eyelash mascara carefully on
my eyebrows and made sure that I didn't touch the skin or allowany of it to build up so it didn't look natural. Then I used it strongly onmy eyelashes.
My hair is fine and soft, and I have coloured it dark brown to cover any silver,
and it is very long. Almost to my waist. This is the way that Ben loves it.
I make a point of keeping it as he likes it and I find it is easy for me to handle myself, to trim by myself, both front, sides and back, and to curl when I want to. I wear it down at home and usually up in some way when I go out.
There are heavy steel bobby-pins with protected ends that don't damage hair but
I prefer to buy the extra heavy ones that are supposed to be replacements to
hold hot rolls in place. I use these to pin up my hair. If you don this, don't
make the up-do too severe looking unless that looks very well on you. On meit's too severe.
At night you can roll it around your finger in a big curl and pin it in theback, keep rolling and pinning and finally make sure that you securely pin theend in a nice smooth roll. It is easy to sleep on and it will cause your longhair to wave. If you hair is too heavy you can divide it into three parts and
do each in a pinned and upward roll. Then use a few large rollers (four is enough for me) all rolled in the same direction across the front. The ones on
each side of your forehead at the top need to be rolled in the opposite direction from the two centre ones. Then the sides will comb out best. You can use three large pincurs on each side. If you think anything may be disturbed as you sleep just wrap a big and pretty square around your head. Comb all this out and leave the back long and use some barettles to hold the sides as you wishbefore you let your husband see you.
I find this very inexpensive because I never go to a hairdresser, and the longhair looks very feminine and sexy. When you go out it look elegant and sophisticated. If you want more height on top you can again wind and pin theback from fairly low down on the back of your head, and up, with the curledends held with a large barette well on the top of your head. Then widen thepart of your hair up there so it looks natural and the curled part is blendedwith the front shorter hair onto your forehead. Use a mirror to see the sides and back so you make it all look natural. I like to use large side combs andvarious simple barettes that are able to hold my fine hair firmly.
I know that Japanese women look well in lipstick and blush that have a littlegolden in the colour to warm it. You need to decide if this is true of you.
Choose your lipstick colour and so on to look well with your own colouring.
If there is any actress of about your own age who looks somewhat like you, andis your type it is a good idea to watch out for pictures of her to see what looks good. Then you can try it yourself.
Around the house and when you go out shopping and so on, always wear the minimum
of makeup described above. Remember, the lipstick and mascara? To this adda soft eyeliner pencil and if you want you can add a couple of eye shadows in
neutral tones that go well with your own colouring. It shouldn't take any
more than ten minutes at most to put on this bit of make-up and it makes a bigdifference.
Next, decide what colours look best on you. You could check some of the pictures of beautiful HOngen members that are posted on the opening page of
Hongen. YOu know the ones people have sent to HOngen? Check to see who
has your kind of looks and colouring and looks very well in their make-up andthe colours of their clothing. That will give you some ideas. You don't needto wear as much make-up every day as some do in those glamorous pictures they've
had taken, but you can get some ideas. Pay particular attention to what colours look very well near their faces. Pick a pretty colour. Then try to get yourself a scarf in that colour that you can wear to make yourself look prettywithout too much expense. Don't buy a lot of new clothes or a lot of make-up.
Just go at this slowly and think well. As you can and wish to you will be able
to add a top that goes particularly well with the scarf colour and is your style
.
All you need to begin are the scarf in the right colour, the best colour of
lipstick to go well with your personal colouring and the colour of the scarf, and either a pencil eyeliner that you can use sparingly around your eyes, and a
non-smudging mascara. Anything else can be added later.
Even though I've been married for 49 years and have eight grandchildren I stilluse the simple things in make-up and colour that I've recommended to you.
If you feel your hands are too clumsy with your hair then use a ponytail
wind around covered holder and then wind the tail around that and pin it intoplace if you want it up. Gradually your hands get to know your own long hairand you can eventually do what you want with it as you learn what works for you.
I imagine that your husband will love long hair because almost all men here do.
Also wear a bra that gives you a good shape. Don't wear a shapeless old bra assome people do.
What do you think of these ideas about how to get started? Oh yes, and another
thing -- get the fragrance you used to wear when you and he were first in love,
and wear that again. Learn to keep your mouth in a slight smile because that will keep you looking pleasant and any lines that appear in your face will belikeable lines that enhance your character instead of making you look less
pretty than you are. Every woman has something that is special about her. Whatever is your best point -- slim ankles, pretty feet or hands, glossy hair,
fine eyes, a well-shaped mouth, allow to shine as your best feature and usewhat will draw attention to it.
I find it useful to put into my coat and jacket pockets the scarf and gloves that look well with that coat or jacket. When you buy, buy classic lookingthings. Don't buy fads. When you buy get the best quality you can afford. Then when the style changes a lot you can put away anything that looks dowdybecause its so far out of style. Trust me, in some years it will come back in again and you'll be glad you didn't get rid of it. Big earrings give way to little ones, or none. But big will come back. Platform soled shoes and pointed toes were here before and will be here again. If you decide to buy something
that is a fad and not a classic buy a very inexpensive one for the fun of it.
That should help you startf with your looks. Don't let anybody tell you thatonce you are married you shouldn't bother to look charming any more. You aren't
trying to charm other men, you are charming your husband. You are also lifting
your own spirits by looking good when you catch sight of yourself from time to
time through the day. But don't fuss and primp and look at yourself in mirrors
too much. That's too self-centred and not good for you, and puts others off.
So that's what I've found out by experience for myself. It works.
Affectionately to you dear Google, Mary
