A friend whose mother was dying shared with me perhaps the most poignant words I have ever heard. When asked if she would like fresh roses by the window of her hospital room, my friend”s 90-year-old mother, animated from within as if someone had lit a candle in her heart, said, “No, dear, I have already been given enough roses.”
I remember this often, but especially in the season of treats.
Roses, blessings, gifts … call them what you will, but we all can look back and remember fondly life-changing experiences and simple moments in time that enriched us with each defining bloom.
One of my moments takes me back to Chicago in my earlier years when I walked through a long corridor that emptied into a small room with blinding flashbulbs. Standing on my tiptoes, I discovered the fuss was over Vidal Sassoon. With only seconds to act, I ignored the butterflies in my stomach and his protective entourage, pushed my way through hundreds of this icon”s adoring fans, and said “Hello, Mr. Sassoon, it”s a pleasure to meet you.” To which he smiled, stuck out his hand and replied, “Thank you, and you are?” So, there I was, an inexperienced country boy carrying a wet-haired mannequin from a color class, standing beside a world renowned legend. And he was gracious enough to ask my name and to chat with me. Priceless!
That was a “rose” for me and a very special once-in-a-lifetime treat.
Tricks and treats
Folks have been donning costumes, carving jack-o-lanterns and gathering tootsie rolls, lollipops and other treats for Halloween, so here are a few tricks and treats from me: Moisturize your skin every chance you get. Just do it. Regardless of what city I am visiting, women with beautiful skin of all ages know the link between hydration and healthy, glowing skin.
Schedule a salon trim at minimum every five weeks to banish split ends. While there, treat yourself to an all-over hair masque. A little trick for radiant shine is a clear color gloss immediately after any hair color treatment. It does for hair what topcoat nail lacquer does for polished nails.
Finally, subscribe to three beauty magazines. My favorites are Allure, Vogue and InStyle, but you may have other favorites of your own. You will get all the tricks for being beautiful delivered right to your door, and that”s a surefire treat!
David Creel, formerly of Columbus, is a national makeup artist for Estee Lauder and owns Beautiful with David salon in Jackson. E-mail him at beautifulwithdavid@gmail.com
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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