First Lady Makeup Tips And Kinder Gentler Eyebrows

Yesterday, Inauguration day, was a glorious day indeed!

And although all hopeful eyes were upon our new President Barack Obama, the fashion and makeup eyes were definitely and carefully examining our new First Lady Michelle Obama.

So how did she score?

We like to think back to our beloved Diana, the Princess of Wales. At the beginning, she had some fashion faux pas, with some less than attractive hats, and not-so-hot ball gowns. But once, the people's princess slowly adapted to her huge role and responsibilities, Diana became a fashion icon. And we like to think, that the same degree of Vogue appeal could bestow our First Lady Michelle in the months and years ahead. .

What Diana and Michelle share in common, are long legs and great height. They are both able to carry off many silhouettes and with great style.

We were not gaga over Michelle Obama's Inauguration dress/coat ensemble nor her Jason Wu chiffon one shoulder gown. We think she should stick to iconic designers like Ralph Lauren and Oscar de la Renta, when it comes to momentous occasions.

Meantime, we like Michelle Obama's hair and makeup. Subtle and simply elegant. We learned recently, that there had been a big-to-do about the First Lady's eyebrows. We had no idea, her high arches were causing unease among the masses. (Top photo- before)(Bottom photo- after).

We think the First Lady has pretty eyes and a great high brow bone. But her Chicago-based makeup artist Ingrid Grimes-Myles recently and reluctantly softened Mrs. Obama's eyebrows, so she didn't appear so angry or intense. Hmmm, we had never noticed anything bad about her eyebrows.

This is what Ingrid Grimes-Myles told the Chicagotribune.com:

"In the very beginning when I was training Michelle's brows, I trained them to grow in an angular way," said Grimes-Myles. "My personal aesthetic is that I like a high arch."

Then in late summer, criticism about the cast of Obama's brows reached critical mass.

"When she started getting that feedback—I have a rule: When three or more people give you feedback, that means hundreds are talking about it—then what I began to do is bring them down and train them down," Grimes-Myles said.

She emphasizes there was no all-out panic.

"As an artist I was surprised. ... And then I took my ego out of it and decided, oh, OK, to most people that would seem a little high. And Michelle ... likes herself. She is a very secure woman. It wasn't like, 'Oh, my God, people are saying my eyebrows are too sharp and too high!' It was something that we moved through very calmly."

And here are a couple of beauty and skin care secrets of our new First Lady:

This favorite said-to-be First Ladydaily beauty treatment from DeCleor (Paris) is already sold out!!

Decleor Excellence de L'Age Eye and Lip Regenerating Cream ($74, skinstore.com).

Benefits:
Helps reduce puffiness, dark circles and smooth fragile contours
Reduces the appearance of fines lines and wrinkles
A light but intensely nourishing daily treatment
Results in a luminous smile and redefined eye and lip contours

Michelle Obama is also a MAC gal, according to the Chicagotribune.com article. Her lips are nicely made up with MAC lip pencils---one darker, one light. Plus lipstick and gloss, which Ingrid Grimes-Myles custom-mixes.

We don't have the exact lip shades at the moment, because her makeup artist is not giving up all her secrets for that presidential smile.