Magnificent Obsession: Late Winter Edition

Keep reading, Marsi will explain. . .

Marsi may love sharing her beauty secrets with you. I just plain love Marsi. Today she's back and I think that will make you happy. I always do whatever she suggests.


I love sharing old favorites and discovering new ones. Here's a mix of old and new that I can't seem to get enough of lately. I'd love to hear what you think, as well as what's on your radar for spring.

L'Oréal Color Riche Balm

Beautiful, sheer moisture ... and a fabulous bargain. 

My new favorite cheap thrill. Whether I'm doing a simple "le no makeup" look for the weekend or an inky, smudged eye for the rest of the week, it's the ticket. I have mad love for Nourishing Nude, Plush Plum, and Rose Elixir. I bought all three for less than the cost of a Chanel Rouge Coco Shine, its high-end cousin. On that note ...

Chanel Tentation nail polish

Beautiful, vivid color ... but not exactly a bargain. 

For me, the best part of each seasonal makeup collection from Chanel is its divine nail polish. As polish goes, of course it's spendy. But Chanel's colors are so different -- always an interesting variation on a theme -- and the formula such a pleasure to use that it's a small price to pay for the posh beauty lift it gives me. Last weekend, I picked up Tentation, the gorgeous hot pink (with a subtle flash of opalescence) that you see above. What a perfect transitional color for le printemps.

Carrot Juice

Carrot juice is great for your eyesight.
Try it, and you'll see what I mean.

It ain't sexy, but a cup of carrot juice whirred into my morning "green smoothie" (spinach, carrot juice, and blueberries) has brought back my night vision. The same happened to my dear friend Cynthia, a fellow femme d'un certain age who noticed a rapid deterioration in her night vision when she quit eating carrots every day. She's back on the daily carrot, and so am I. Within six days of starting this regime, I was driving at night without experiencing blurriness, glare, and halos for the first time in my life. I've also noticed that my eyes haven't felt dry and scratchy, which, between wearing contact lenses and living in a semi-arid climate, was a chronic problem. I believe my night vision problems were a sign of vitamin A deficiency, and I'm delighted that the cure is so simple.

France Musique webstream

When in Denver, do as the French do:
listen to France Musique

I stream France Musique at home and office for my daily dose of classical, jazz, and talk à la français. You can, too.

Mariage Frères Thé de Lune incense

Rich, ambery incense that, unlike a candle, won't light my cats' whiskers on fire. 

Really, one of the most elegant scents in the world. I discovered this incense at Mariage Frères in Le Marais seven years ago and have continued buying it ever since. Because Paris trips rarely loom large in my future, I replenish my stock during my yearly visit to Washington, D.C. The scent always transports me back to Paris.