Soap Opera Makeovers
Summer, 2004
Dueling Divas

Soap journalist Carolyn Hinsey likes to dish, and luckily so does Catherine Hickland (Lindsay, One Life to Live), longtime soap star and founder of the Cat Cosmetics makeup line. The topic? Makeup, of course!

Carolyn: I know you have done literally thousands of makeovers at your Cat Cosmetics store (you did one on me), so you are the perfect person to ask: “What can a new face do for a girl?”

Catherine: A lot, actually! It’s immeasurable in terms of how it can make a gal see herself throughout the day – not only when she catches a glimpse of herself in the mirror, but in how others react to her throughout the day. One of the best things for me about the women and girls who leave my makeup classes is that I KNOW they are going to get phenomenal compliments from their friends who see the difference. Most important, they were able to achieve this new face themselves, and now have the power to make themselves up any time they want. It goes without saying that inner beauty still takes precedence. You know what they say: Before 30 you have the face you were born with, after 30 you have the face you deserve.

Carolyn: With a little help from makeup and regular visits to the hair salon…I think the best trend in the last few years has been teeth whitening. Mascara and lip gloss are fine, but there’s nothing like a bright smile to show that inner beauty.

Catherine: Definitely! I talk about that in my interview (p. 13). Whitening your teeth takes years off. A clean mouth is really appealing. Again, it goes back to the principle of liking what YOU see in the mirror. If you can afford to get it professionally done by your dentist, that’s the best way. If you can’t, there’s all kinds of teeth whiteners on the market. Some well-placed concealer (the inner corners of the eye, near the bridge of the nose) works miracles, as do warm bronzers and bright pink blushes. I love that crème blushes are making a comeback (I just developed two shades). Everything old is new again! I also love it that these things work for all ages. What are the one or two things you can’t live without?

Carolyn: Well, I like to do that trick where it looks like I’m not wearing any makeup but I really am. So I always carry a light base makeup and peach blush. Being blonde, mascara is the third item I need, because my blonde eyelashes on my tired eyes make me look like Estelle Getty on The Golden Girls. Did you try that fab new under-eye concealer from Shiseido that comes with the two shades and the little brush? I am living on that stuff now, which means I can stay out even later and look good. It’s a damn miracle!

Catherine: Yes I have tried the Shiseido concealer (in fact I wrote about it in Soap Opera Digest). Love it, love it, love it. Most of us look tired if we don’t put a little somethin’ on the puss. Right now, I’m working on a small kit that is so precise in color and portability that it’s literally a cup of coffee for the face. But gloss, mascara and some blush will do in the meantime, and for crying out loud, stay home ONE night and get some sleep!

Carolyn: Where’s the fun in that?! The best advice you ever gave me was to wear dark eyes and light lips OR light eyes and dark lips but never both. So while we’re on the subject, what’s your advice for the sleep-deprived?

Catherine: Well, your blondeness, everyone I know is somewhat sleep-deprived, especially my mom friends. But there are some fun products that I call “fake it till you make it,” meaning tricks that work until you do get some rest. JOEY makes very cool products like a rest-a-line eye treatment and a line-up Botox alternative. You can buy them at www.spacadet.com. These tricks do give the appearance of a rested, line-free face, but baby, lock the bathroom door, tell the husband that he’s on kid patrol and hang the do-not-disturb-or-I’ll-have-to-kill-you sign and take a good, old-fashioned hot bath with a good magazine. I swear it works wonders. In fact, go to my favorite bath site, www.littlemoonessentials.com, and get yourself some Tired Old Ass Soak (yes, that really is the name of it!). We never take the time, because we think we don’t have the time, but it’s not a luxury, it’s a necessity. So schedule it into your day like an appointment and watch the difference it makes in your life. It’s the little things.