Jun. 18--Sure, it's great that Samantha turns 50 in the new "Sex and the City" movie, with nary a hint of her sex appeal diminishing. And yes, Madonna can hold her own (and then some) with Justin Timberlake on their new single, "4 Minutes."
But Christopher Hopkins is more interested in reality. Un-airbrushed, un-surgically enhanced, un-personal trainered reality. Which is why he wrote "Staging Your Comeback: A Complete Beauty Revival for Women Over 45" (HCI Books, $22.95).
Hopkins, a.k.a. "The Makeover Guy," has appeared on "Oprah" and worked with the likes of Hillary Clinton and actress Lauren Holly. But in "Staging Your Comeback" Hopkins aims his advice at the Everywoman.
"A lot of women figure out what works in their 20s and early 30s, but those things all change," Hopkins said in a recent phone interview. "But you don't really have the time or interest to go back to Glamour magazine and read all the articles. I give women the tools and techniques for their second act."
The book is filled with real-life makeover stories (complete with before and after photos) of women who had gained weight, relied on the same dress for 30 years, continued to relentlessly perm their hair . . . you get the picture. Hopkins sets them, and his readers, straight.
For the most part, Hopkins avoids hard and fast rules in the book, focusing instead on helping women determine their specific body type, hair type and image profile (classic, casual, romantic, dramatic, innovative or alluring), and then working within those confines.
Here we highlight a few "Comeback" pointers.
hstevens
@tribune.com
Dress
--Know your bod. Hopkins identified four horizontal body types (hourglass, triangle, inverted triangle and rectangle) and four vertical body types (four balanced quadrants, long torso with short legs, short torso with long legs and balanced torso and legs but short midbody). You can't choose flattering clothing until you know your types.
--Think twice about cleavage. "Next time you're wearing a low-cut top, look straight in the mirror and cross your arms. If you don't see 'crepe paper crinkling,' give yourself the cleavage permit. If you see excessive vertical lines, it's time to rethink."
--Embrace pinstripes. Hopkins calls straight-leg, pinstripe, flat-front, natural-waist pants, "the be-all, end-all slenderizing slacks."
Makeup
--Choose matte foundation and powder. "'Dewy' just looks shiny to me. It is pretty on younger skin, but it only seems to reveal the pores and wrinkles on older skin."
--Tend to your brows. "Having your brows tweezed where you need less and penciled or powdered where you need more will make the biggest difference not only now, but as you age. Next to a good bra, it's the best thing you can do for a lift."
--Go light on the lips. "Bright or dark lipstick is aging. Soft, natural, and pale lips are more youthful. ... If you want to draw attention to your teeth, the lines near your mouth or your softening jawline, by all means, go for bright or dark lipstick."
Hair
--Don't get a perm. "This is where you tell me how I don't know how thin, fine and stick-straight your hair is," he writes. "I do. But no, you shouldn't need one if you have the right haircut."
--Size matters. "Hair should be in proportion to your face and to the rest of you. Save the very big or the very flat hair for the very young and proportionate. Balanced fullness and shape will help lift an aging face and body."
--Three signs that long is wrong for you: "You're always pulling it back and rarely wear it down. You keep 'fluffing' it whenever you look in the mirror. You know better, but you're doing it for your husband."
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