Saturday, February 28, 2009

Looking Good from the Waist Up

     I'm often asked the question, "Why doesn't this blouse (or dress) look good on me?" Nine times out of ten the offending garment has the wrong style of neckline for the person in question. Wearing a garment with the wrong neckline can ruin the entire look you are trying to achieve.
 
      Fortunately there are some simple rules that will allow you to make good choices for flattering necklines. The type of neckline you need is based on a number of different factors: face shape, body type, and bust size. But before we get into the rules, let's take a look at the options out there and how to identify the different neckline styles.
 
Different Neckline Styles:
      For our purposes, we've broken down the various neckline styles into three categories: Conservative (Formal), Revealing (Formal), and Casual necklines. They are obviously grouped by common themes. The Conservative (Formal) and Revealing (Formal) are all styles commonly found on formal gowns and fancier dresses, while the Casual necklines are just that, neckline styles commonly found on casual wear. The Conservative and Revealing categories reflect how low these necklines plunge.
 
conservative necklines graphic Conservative (Formal):
      These neckline styles tend to rest high on the chest and very seldom show any cleavage at all. They are generally good choices for women with smaller or more average-sized chests.
 
Bateau: The bateau neckline (or boat neck) is one that closely follows the collarbone. It is a good choice for women who have well proportioned necks and heads, but who wish to present a more conservative appearance. Blouses and dresses with a bateau neck tend to be very blousy and are excellent choices for women who are pear-shaped as the slight widening effect of the neck will help to balance the upper and lower halves of the body, and the dress will usually skim over the problem areas of the lower half.
 
Sabrina: The Sabrina neckline (called thus because the look was favored by the famous American actress, Audrey Hepburn's, character in the movie of the same name) is basically a wide, shallow, curving neckline that drops to within an inch or two of the collarbone, and extends almost to the shoulders on the sides. It makes an excellent look for women with narrow necks and thin faces, because it makes them appear wider. The dresses with this style of neck often are more tailored in the bodice with an A-line or flared skirt, giving a very feminine silhouette.
 
Portrait: The portrait neckline is similar to the Sabrina style neckline, except that it is usually lower-cut, and features a shawl-like addition that drapes around the shoulders. It is a style that is very flattering for a number of women and was often chosen by women as a style to wear when sitting for portraits, hence the name. The low, wide scoop offers a flattering view of the skin on the chest, without revealing the cleavage, and is one of the most feminine and classic looks in women's fashion.
 
Jewel: The jewel neck is a high, close neckline style that closely encircled the base of the neck and covers the tops of the torso to the shoulders. The look is almost always sleeveless and the dresses featuring this style tend to be very tailored and sleek of silhouette. It gets its name from the fact that the neckline style is often selected in order to present a backdrop for showing off a particularly special piece of jewelry. It is not a look recommended for more plump women, as the sleeveless look tends to be unflattering.
 
Revealing (Formal):
      These are the lower-cut styles of neckline - halter, sweetheart, empire, and Queen Anne - and generally display a great deal of a woman's décolletage.
 
Halter: The halter neckline consists of two triangular points of fabric that rise along the chest and join in some fashion at the back of the neck. The width of the points may vary by design, and in fact the halter may consist of one solid triangular panel that is fastened around the neck with a strap of some sort, but generally has two separate extensions with a plummeting opening between to show the cleavage. This is generally a good style for moderately-sized to small-busted women, with toned arms and an evenly proportioned neck and head. Overweight women or women with broad shoulders should avoid this style of neckline because it will only over-emphasize their larger proportions.
 
Sweetheart: This is a flattering style for most every woman. Named for its resemblance to the bottom of the stylized heart graphic, the vertical dip of the sweetheart neckline helps to elongate the face and gives balance to larger proportions. This is by far the most popular style of neckline for wedding gowns and many evening dresses because of its ability to make most every size and shape of woman look her best.
 
Empire: The empire neckline is square and most notable because of its horizontal coverage of the breasts. This neckline displays the most chest area of all the styles we are discussing, and generally dips to a point halfway between the top of the breast and the areolas. It is a good look for average-build to larger-framed women with short necks because it offers a balance and makes the neck appear longer. It isn't recommended as much for small-framed or petite women, because it will draw attention to an area that generally is less endowed for smaller women.
 
Queen Anne: This neckline was popularized by Britain's Queen Anne, and is an excellent choice for women who are small-breasted and narrow of shoulder. The roughly diamond shape opening of the chest area makes the upper torso appear larger and wider by drawing the eyes to the horizontal line along the right and left points. It should be avoided by the broad-shouldered woman for the same reason, which would result in the woman appearing far too wide in the shoulder to be appealing.
 
Casual Necklines:
casual necklines graphic       These are the neckline styles commonly found among the casual wear of the average female. They are the vee-neck, crew neck, turtleneck, scoop neck and cowl neck. All of these styles can be found in varying degrees of lowness, depending on the size of the neck opening.
 
Vee Neck: The Vee Neck is the single-most flattering neckline style there is. It is close in back and on the sides and dips to a shallow point in the front of the neck. The vee neck generally has a bound edge, especially when made from knit or jersey material. Every woman looks good in the vee neck because it emphasizes the oval shape of the face and causes the neck to appear longer. The only consideration to remember is to make certain that you have a proper fit on the garment and you will look great.
 
Crew Neck: The crew neck is called such because it is the style of neckline that was found on crewmen's jerseys. It is close all around the neck and is usually found with a narrow, ribbed edge, especially in knitted fabrics. Crew necks are generally good for all but heavier-set women or those with short necks. Those women with wide necks and faces should use caution when thinking about crew neck garments because it will tend to make them look even wider and the necks will appear shorter.
Turtleneck: This close neckline features an extended collar, reminiscent of a turtle's neck when fully extended from its shell. Women with wide faces should use caution when wearing a turtleneck or look as though their head is even larger than it is. As a rule of thumb, the turtleneck collar should be folded so that it extends no higher than one-or-two inches below the chin. Turtlenecks are especially good for women with narrow shoulders and long necks and faces, as it helps to balance them.
 
Scoop Neck: The scoop neck is characterized by its wide opening and full-curving dip down the chest. It is a good choice for heavier builds and wide faces because it helps to keep the upper torso looking proportionate. It even works for small busted women, as the curved neckline gives an illusion of chest. However, women with long slim necks and narrow faces should avoid scoop necks because it will cause them to appear sticklike and gangly.
 
Cowl Neck: Similar to the turtleneck, this neckline style features a collar of folded fabric, but instead of being close-fitted, the cowl neck's collar is wider and looser. The collar drapes loosely around the neck and is a great choice for women who want a collar but don't look good in turtlenecks (i.e. women with heavier builds, wide faces and shorter, wider necks). The cowl neck is not a good look for small-build or petite women as the width of the collar will only emphasize a horizontal line and make the woman look stumpy.
 
The Rules for Neckline Choice:
      Now that we've discussed the options, it's time to review the rules for choosing a neckline. The areas we will be focusing on are body type, face shape, and bust-size. Each of these elements are important considerations when choosing a neckline style, but may be counter-indicative. The key is to look at the different areas and go with neckline styles that are most recommended.
 
Face Shape:
      The shape of your face is the first consideration for determining your ideal neckline. If your face is oval and well proportioned, you will be able to wear most any style of neckline with equal success. If your face is long and narrow, choose necklines that are wider and more shallow, to draw the eye to the horizontal and make your face appear wider. Conversely, if your face is wider and rounder, a neckline that has a stronger vertical shape will help to balance your overall look.
      The concept here is balance. You want to choose a neckline style to balance your features and help you look more in proportion.
 
Body Type:
slim build graphic full figure graphic       Following along on the theme of balance, you again want to select a neckline that will create balance in your overall appearance.
Women who are average in build should be able to wear most every neckline style with equal ease.
Large-framed women should look for necklines that stress a more vertical line. Vee necks, scoop necks, sweetheart necklines, Queen Anne and empire necklines can all look good. Even portrait necklines can be flattering as long as the neckline dips sufficiently to provide an elongating effect.
Small-framed women should look for necklines that will offer a widening effect. The bateau, Sabrina, portrait, crew neck, vee neck and jewel necklines will help to make the narrower build appear wider.
 
Bust Size:
      For our purposes here, we will be considering breast size as well as shoulder width. Women with moderately-sized bosoms and average shoulder width should be comfortable with any of the listed neckline styles. A woman who has a small bust and narrow shoulders should consider choices like the bateau, Sabrina and portrait necklines, as well as the sweetheart and Queen Anne styles. Broad-shouldered and big-busted women should choose styles like the empire, Queen Anne and lower-cut portrait necklines as well as scoop neck, cowl neck and vee neck style.
      Treat each of these facets of your appearance separately, and look at the suggestions indicated for each and write them down. The neckline styles that appear most often on your list are the ones you should focus on. Just remember that there are variations on each and every style listed that could make a choice not normally recommended more acceptable. If you keep in mind the theme of "balance", you'll find yourself making good decisions.
 
Bonus Tip:
      As a bonus in our discussion of neckline styles, I want to offer you a little extra tip concerning jewelry - namely necklaces. Accessories are important to the overall appearance of your look and many women make the mistake of wearing the wrong jewelry with a certain neckline style. I, personally, have seen countless women wearing pendant necklaces with low cut dresses only to have the jewelry get lost in their cleavage. You wear jewelry because you want to show it off, and if it can't be seen, it's a wasted effort.
      As a handy rule of thumb, use your thumb. Any necklace you wear should hang at least one thumb's length above or one thumb's length below the neckline of your dress or blouse. If you keep this in mind, you'll find you have more people admiring your favorite jewelry instead of trying to figure out where it went.
 
Stacy

Tips on How to Wear Blouses & Shirts

Plain blouses, ruffled blouses, plaid blouses, purple and red blouses and even ; see through blouses. There are so many, we cannot even touch on all of them. Then, we have baseball shirts, sweat shirts, t-shirts, tank tops, stringed spaghetti strap shirts, long beach shirts and through all these waves of cover ups, there is something we know without any shred of doubt. We absolutely must wear them. In fact, we've probably been wearing blouses and shirts ever since most of us can remember. The blouses and shirts have ever been with us, and ever been on us. It's just part of our garb that we don't think anything about, but look in your closet or drawer and we become immediately smitten and drawn to our favorite old faded shirt we sort of slum around the house with and some of us will wear this old shirt until it is in rags; because we just cannot handle the prospect of giving our old friend up for good. Even when we gain a little bit of weight, there are those of us who fold up our friend and put it away in storage until that faithful day comes when we've lost that poundage and we become united once again with our old comfortable hero. Unfortunately, for most of us, our hero stays in storage or eventually gets passed on to someone else to enjoy. Amid all the tears we finally give up the ghost, and reach for a potato chip; which is what got us into this mess in the first place. Some of us, then go on a shopping trip to find something that will take the place of our late friend. If we are a people person, we go with our girlfriends and go from rack to rack picking up the various colored larger blouses and holding them against us to see how it would look on us, then, asking for their honest opinion. As you well know, they are more than glad to give it, whether it be good or bad. Keep smiling, we can be thankful for friends like that, can't we.
 
Can you honestly be wearing a blouse that looks wrong on you? Can you be wearing the blouse wrong? Indeed, yes you certainly can and many do, thinking they look oh so sexy, but in reality; they look oh so sloppy and in truth, cheap. By now, you must admit this is a most interesting subject. And, how many women, really pay attention to how they are wearing their blouses these days?
 
Ashley Scott wearing a collarless shirt Ashley Scott looks quite smart with her blonde hair bobbed short and wearing a black collarless blouse that shows off her lovely neck. Ashley isn't showing too much skin, but covering enough to keep a certain amount of mystery from her onlookers. Her blonde color looks striking with her large hoop earrings and, next to her simple black blouse.
 
When you are a light blonde, chances are; you should be able to wear just about any color successfully, with the exception of yellows. Any color you decide to put under your face, should bring out the best in you. Your selection of earrings should also bring a sparkle in your eyes and go well with your hair, like Ashley's hoops and short bob does. And, the color you have on your hair should go well with the color of the blouse you put on. For example, there has been a trend for quite sometime now, to put pink blouses on redheads. They can get away with it, because it has been globally accepted for many years. In truth, there are better colors than pink that flatter a redhead, such as greens, blues, purples and beiges. White can also flatter a redhead when the style is right.
Cheryl Cole is wearing the type of top that is distasteful and offers too much to be seen by others. When you are tempted to reveal all like Cheryl, you have to ask yourself, how do you want someone to remember you? How would someone describe you, if they couldn't remember your name? "She was the lady with the pleasant personality?" I don't think so. Just because you can buy tight blouses that reveal everything you have, doesn't mean, you should do so and it doesn't mean that they look good either. Dare to be different and be a trend setter, not a trend getter. I have heard so many tales of woe, of women telling me; when talking to a man, how they will not look at them in the eyes, instead, their eyes are fixed on the front of their blouses. This can be very annoying, but if you are wearing something that reveals everything you have, you cannot expect anything less. Ask yourself, what kind of attention you would like to have?
 
Tight blouses do absolutely nothing for a woman, even if she has what some would consider a perfect figure. There is nothing left to the imagination, as everyone already knows your body. Think for a moment, how some wives feel when a woman comes strutting across the room revealing her bra and what is spilling out all over the place. Her husband is a man, plain and simple and it is easy to see, when a woman decides to flaunt everything she has, there is very little respect for anyone in the room, especially wives.
 
The movie industry is famous for their revealing clothes. Everyone is always trying to outdo each other in shocking ways, so they can gain attention through the media and have their name repeated through the airwaves. We expect this in Hollywood, but it doesn't mean it looks good on them, or that we should make them a model for our standard of living.
 
As for Cheryl, I would put her in a tropical island look. She would wear something like a black sarong with large red hibiscus flowers and green leaves all over it. Her hair would be brushed back on each side and secured with combs. This type of look would be very attractive on her tanned skin tones. Everything would be covered up, yet she would have bare shoulders and look like an islander, with a yellow hibiscus in her hair by one of the combs and wear a large shell necklace and earrings.
 
turned up collar blouse Ms. Emmanuelle Chriqui is wearing sporty jeans and looks the part with her hair in a ponytail. Her white blouse is a simple cut that is tucked into her jeans and we find the arms are rolled up for whatever the task ahead of her. The collar is turned up, to beef up the sporty informal look. Be sure to use some starch on the collar when you are ironing your blouse and this will help keep it up. This look is informal and cute. All she needs is to wear a thin necklace to fill into the bare area.
Jennifer Anniston is wearing the deep v-line trend that most people are wearing today, but does not necessarily look that good when not worn with a silver or gold necklace. Jenn's hair is everywhere, while falling in layers. Maybe the wind was blowing a little too much that day. This isn't the best look for our girl. Her hair would look good, worn up or back into a chignon with a black scarf around it. She would look entirely different and a little bit more self assured.
 
Here's a secret for you. We can wear our hair and our clothes, in such a way; that will make us look like we have all the assurance and confidence in the world; even when we do not feel that way. People will feel comfortable around you, and just might want to copy your new look.
 
Sharon Stone All decked out with her short blonde hairdo and wearing a nice crisp white blouse underneath her black and white plaid jacket is Sharon Stone. Her black sunglasses are a fine match to go along with her small pearl earrings. Sharon looks sporty and yet classy and when you look that way, you are going to act like it. No negligence for this girl. Put a briefcase in her hands and I bet she would make an excellent public defender.
 
Tamara Taylor  Tamara Taylor is a good example of someone who is wearing their hair up to bring a finesse to her brown suede suit and her v-shaped blouse underneath with a turned up collar. Ms. Taylor looks feminine and neat and she has a thin necklace on to break all the exposure of flesh from the neck on down. This is a tasteful regard of what careful shopping can do for you.
 
Wearing a dark gray spring jacket over her deep v-shaped white blouse is Kendra Wilkinson. She is wearing a lovely necklace to help fill in the areas between the face and the front. I would button up at least two buttons for Kendra to look a little bit more appealing. In fact, I can picture her in a lime green vest that would bring out the blue in her eyes and look absolutely stunning on her.
 
Brittany Murphy  We look over and who do we see wearing a black leather jacket and a white simple blouse? Brittany Murphy! Her turned up collar, v-shaped no button look is broken by wearing a black knotted scarf that matches her jacket. The scarf is a good informal choice when you want to break up exposure of so much flesh. Her hair isn't too long, but looks well kept in long layers. I see her haircut about an inch below her ears for her best affect in this picture. Look closely at the shorter strand just below her ear and place your finger on the lower hair and you will see it for yourself.
 
P. Williams  

Celebrity Looks & Beauty

In an effort to help our readers avoid making mistakes in creating their own style, we are reviewing the looks of some of today's celebrities as they go out and about on the red carpet (and elsewhere). We discuss what works for them, and where they might have made better choices for hair, clothes, make-up and jewelry and why.

Celebrity Looks: Jennifer Finnigan

Jennifer Finnigan        Jennifer Finnigan here is shown attending a fundraising party for Toys for Tots, sponsored by Motorola. She looks stylish and smart in her sweater/skirt/boots. The look brings to mind a brisk stroll across a campus commons while colorful leaves swirl in the air. The look is lovely, classy and fits in many situations. Let's break it down.
 
The Hair:
 
       Tawny, blonde locks in a long-layered cut with soft razor texture � Jennifer's hair is a crown of glory. The color looks natural with lots and lots of subtle variation in shade and tone. The length is flattering and the long, gentle curves help to soften and elongate a squared face. The length also makes sure that the style is versatile, allowing for up-styling, braiding and numerous variations and combinations thereof. As seen, the look is casual, sexy and free. It's a perfect look for an afternoon function, or any daytime wear when you want to look carefree and stylish. Just make sure if you're going to try to emulate the style that you treat the hair like a valued accessory. Keep it well-trimmed, conditioned and healthy.
 
long layered hair style The Make-Up:
 
       Ms. Finnigan's make-up as seen here is soft, and dewy and is a good match for her complexion and for daytime wear. The soft pink blusher is great compliment for the cheeks. The shimmer of the lip color for the lips leaves her lips looking plump and full. If I were to alter anything in the look overall, I would have gone with a slightly less bold eyeliner application and a shade of eye color that was less "orange". Even so, the look is solid and flattering.
 
The Clothes and Accessories:
 
       You can rarely go wrong with a black and white ensemble � and the same is true for black and cream. The cream-colored turtleneck sweater-blouse is great for showing off the figure and hiding slight flaws (such as less than perfect muscle tone, etc.). The knee-length straight skirt in the satin finish keeps the lines vertical, emphasizing height and providing a nice hint of "glamour". The calf-length, high-heeled boots are not only very sexy, but again, add to the height and lengthen the look (not to mention making the legs look fantastic).
white turtleneck        If there are any flaws in this ensemble as I see them, they fall under the accessories category. There are a couple of conflicting effects here. The cummerbund-style belt in the shiny fabric is meant to accent and emphasize the waist, but the color and finish tend to create a larger, not smaller, impression. Plus, the strip of cream-colored fabric created by the hem of the sweater-blouse gives a strong horizontal line at the waist as well, further breaking the hourglass silhouette. A better choice would have been a looser, thinner belt, such as a cord-type belt with ends that dangle off center to continue the emphasis on the vertical line.
       Then, you add in the handbag. It's a great bag, but I've always hated it when women wear a bag with an elbow-strap over the shoulder. Doing this means that the widest portion of the bag (generally the bottom of the bag) usually falls at the waistline. This has the detrimental effect of widening the silhouette at the middle of the body, which is usually never desirable. The other tendency is to push the body of the bag back and create the impression of a "hump" or a hunchbacked appearance (depending on the size of the bag itself). A better option would be a long-handled bag designed to be worn over the shoulder and to continue the theme of vertical lines, in black to blend in to the skirt and if any width is added to the silhouette, then it will add to the hips, enforcing an hourglass appearance.

Celebrity Looks: Carmen Rasmussen

Carmen Rasmussen        In an effort to help our readers avoid making mistakes in creating their own style, we are reviewing the looks of some of today's celebrities as they go out and about on the red carpet (and elsewhere). We discuss what works for them, and where they might have made better choices and why.
       This time, we're taking a look at Ms. Carmen Rasmussen of American Idol fame. Shown here in her appearance for the taping of American Idol Rewind at the Spider Club in Hollywood, Carmen is wearing a tailored blouse in electric blue satin and a black a-line skirt with a wide belt and strappy high heeled shoes. Her hair is a mane of silky, golden waves in a softly layered style and she is sporting full make-up.
 
The Hair:
 
       This petite blonde is the proud owner of absolutely beautiful hair. The color is a gorgeous blend of golden and warm tones in a very flattering layered style. The length and the asymmetrical fringe styling of the hair makes for a terrific balance to prevent her face from appearing too wide or round. The long loose waves are a perfect compliment to the tailored fit of the blouse and skirt combination. However, the blue of the blouse does tend to make the hair look more "yellow" than another color would.
 
Make-up:
 
       Carmen Rasmussen is such a natural beauty it's hard to imagine her needing much in the way of make-up. Here we see her in a fully-executed and mostly-subdued look. The soft peachy tones of her blush and subdued pink of the lip color are perfect to enhance the look of her blue eyes. I would have carried the effect further, using a peachy/pinkish eye shadow to make the eye really pop, but the effect is still muted by the vibrance of her blouse.
 
satin blouse The Clothes and Accessories:
 
       With a well-filled-out figure on a petite frame, Carmen needs to pay heed to the vertical lines of her clothes in order to avoid emphasizing her small build. This tailored, semi-professional look is a good start, but gets a little side-tracked by the overbearing vibrance of the blue satin blouse. The shiny fabric pulled across her bosom makes her appear "busty" and the horizontal focus only serves to make her appear shorter. I would have suggested something in a softer color, or at the very least a matte finished fabric.
       This would be an excellent situation for a monochromatic look, since the overall effect of the matte black skirt, separated by a darker black (and TOO-WIDE) belt, and topped with the overly bright blouse makes her look top-heavy. At the very least, a fitted jacket in the same black fabric would create a more vertical line in the ensemble and minimize the overpowering effect of the blue blouse.
       Carmen's shoes… Well, they're just plain cute.

Celebrity Looks: Cameron Diaz

Cameron Diaz        In an effort to help our readers avoid making mistakes in creating their own style, we are reviewing the looks of some of today's celebrities as they go out and about on the red carpet (and elsewhere). We discuss what works for them, and where they might have made better choices and why.
       Let's take a look at Cameron Diaz (Charlie's Angels, Shrek, The Holiday) as she appears on the red carpet at a gala at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She's wearing a dark, richly pink gown of layered, overlapping bands, which form a cascade of ruffling and tiers. The look is accented by bright and bold turquoise jewelry (necklace and earrings). Ms. Diaz's hair is worn up, and she is in full make-up.
 
Cameron Diaz hair Hair:
 
       Let's start with the hair. Cameron always has lovely silky hair, and I've seen her hair worn up and down in various events, and to look her best, Cameron should avoid styles that are too structured.
Here her hair is pulled back tight into a twist, with the exception of a lock at the fringe which is left to hang across her face.The look is intended to be sleek and sophisticated, but as you can see from the photos, the effect only works at certain angles. Most of the time, it just looks unkempt and fraying. My advice would be to loosen the twist and simply pull the hair back gently in a clasp at the nape of the neck and allow tendrils to frame the face softly.
 
Make-up:
 
       As a former (and sometime) model, Cameron Diaz is accustomed to the makeup artists brush. Her makeup here at the Met Museum Gala is well executed and the colors are perfect for her skin tone and eyes. I do think her eyeliner is a bit dark and heavy (even for evening wear) given her pale eyes. She's wearing mostly neutral tones with a touch of pink to give her a soft, shimmery, dewy look.
 
The Dress & Jewels:
 
Cameron Diaz jewelry        Cameron's dress is a shiny, layered, tiered cascade of femininity. The problem is it looks a little "off" on her very athletic, lightly-muscled form. The bulky garment is lovely on its own, but looks ill-fitted because of the multiple layers of fabric and all the odd angles. From certain angles it gives the impression that it is unraveling. A little less structure, and some smoother or cleaner lines in the garment and the effect would be much better. Cameron has such a great body, she doesn't need a dress to camouflage anything.
       The biggest problem I see with her look overall is the color of the dress in comparison with her jewelry and make-up. The bright bold pink of the dress serves to make her subtle pink shades in makeup look pale and washed out. Both sets of pink shades only serve to make her choice of turquoise jewelry stand out more in contrast. The over all effect is imbalanced and Ms. Diaz seems to fade into the background behind these two competing forces.
       I would have suggested something a little more subdued in color for either the jewelry or dress (or both). I also want to make a note that both the turquoise and the bring pink are good colors for Ms. Diaz (who is a Silver-type). My only complaint is that the colors don't work well together.
 
       Over all, Ms. Diaz is always a stunning beauty, but in this case a little less would have meant a whole lot more.

Celebrity Looks: Cate Blanchett

Cate Blanchett        In an effort to help our readers avoid making mistakes in creating their own style, we are reviewing the looks of some of today's celebrities as they go out and about on the red carpet (and elsewhere). We discuss what works for them, and where they might have made better choices and why.
       Right now, let's have a look at one of Hollywood's premiere leading ladies and most classic beauty, Cate Blanchett. Ms. Blanchett is known all over the world for her delicate and classic beauty and seems to be the first name to come to mind when moviemakers need someone "regal" or "noble". (She has now portrayed Queen Elizabeth I twice in films and was cast as the Elf Queen Galadriel in The Lord of the Rings.) Shown here in photos taken at the premiere of "Babel" in Los Angeles, Cate is once again simply stunning.
 
The Hair:
 
       Ms. Blanchett's pale blonde tresses are styled into a fall of lively waves, with one half of the head swept back into a twist at the nape/crown, creating an asymmetrical style that is soft, yet visually stirring. The curls are reminiscent of finger-waves (this may be the styling method used) and give the whole style a very classic look. Her pale golden locks are infused with subtle highlights and lowlights to give the hair wonderful depth and just a touch of warmth.
 
shimmering blouse look Make-Up:
 
       Cate's makeup is, as usual, flawless for her. Her pale skin tone and ice-blue eyes are simply gilding on a face that is well proportioned, and elegantly beautiful. Note that her make-up is at once glamorous but not overpowering. The soft pinks and peachy tones give her a dewy appearance and add a little extra "oomph!" to her frosty blue eyes. The look is totally understated, but allows her to simply radiate. This is a perfect example for all women out there who have similar coloring on how to achieve a beautiful make-up application without looking overdone.
 
 
 
Dress and Accessories:
 
Cate Blanchett        If there's any area of Ms. Blanchett's appearance in these photos that I can find any fault with, it would be in her dress. Even so, the faults are very minor. The dress is a tailored mimic of a blouse and skirt look, designed to give accent to the long, lean lines of Ms. Blanchett's body. The color is a shimmering metallic and muted so as to enhance without overshadowing Cate's natural glow. The buttoned upper section creates a deep "V" that is seductive, and enhances her long, graceful neck. The cuffed sleeves, cinched waist and tailored skirt enhance the lovely hourglass of her figure.
       My only complaint with this garment is that I should like to have seen it in a slightly more structured or sturdy fabric. The lightweight, crepe-like texture of the fabric results in a rumpled look which seems counter-productive to the tailored details of the dress. If you are selecting a garment for yourself, keep in mind how the fabric will stand up to an evening's activities. Keep in mind that if you will be spending a lot of time seated, you want a fabric that won't wrinkle easily, or else a garment that is cut to account for that sort of thing.
 
       Overall, this is a tremendous look for anyone who wants to define elegance and classic beauty. Soft and understated styling, combined with a subtle application of makeup to enhance her natural look make for a wonderful example of "How To…" Even the accessories are simple and understated, adding just a flash of jewels at the ears and a glittery clutch purse. 

Celebrity Looks: Kirsten Dunst

Kirsten Dunst        In an effort to help our readers avoid making mistakes in creating their own style, we are reviewing the looks of some of today's celebrities as they go out and about on the red carpet (and elsewhere). We discuss what works for them, and where they might have made better choices and why.
       Right now, let's have a look at Kirsten Dunst in her appearance at the New York Premiere for Spiderman 3. The look is most kindly described as "retro glam" with her silver tunic dress and black tights, black pumps and no-frills hair. Let's take the look a step at a time and see what can be said about it, and where it can be improved.
 
The Hair:
 
       Kirsten Dunst usually has lovely hair. It is normally a little fine in texture, and usually kind of thin in density, but it's usually looking well cared for and healthy. Here, her hair looks haggard. This is partly due to what I think is an unfortunate haircut. This asymmetrical razor cut is too soft in spite of its angles to be really flattering. It leaves Kirsten's face looking "round" from certain angles.
 
silver tunic dress        I would much prefer to see Kirsten with a more defined cut line and then added texturing and layers, rather than this wispy ragamuffin look. I'd also like to see her start moving back to a more natural looking honeyed-blonde tone Right now, between the cut and pale color, the hair looks to be a little over-processed and bordering on damaged.
 
Make-Up:
 
       It's hard to imagine, given that Kirsten is a naturally fair-skinned individual, but her makeup seems to be a little too light for her complexion. Her lip and cheek color looks pretty good, but I would have preferred to see her go a little lighter on the eyeliner. Only a little, though. The biggest correction in my opinion should be with the foundation color. Something a little more beige with a bronzer would make for a more natural glow. As it stands, she looks too pale and pink.
 
Clothing and Accessories:
 
retro glam        Here's where I have to say I think Kirsten has made a faux pas. While the intention may have been to create a look of glamour and glitz, this silver tunic dress looks more like an ill-fitting sack than a dress. It would be better if the dress were cut to be a spaghetti-strapped affair with a deep neckline, and lose the gathered waistline in favor of a more-fitted "slip" look.
       Oh, and the tights are also a bad call here. Given the background and photo ops that were part of the evening's plans, she should have gone with nice "tan" hosiery to set off the look of her shapely legs. That is typically the point of the tunic dress, after all. If there's an issue with the legs being shown off, try a tailored pant under the tunic and go for shorter lengths on the top itself.
       Finally, the outfit looks incomplete. Aside from the tunic dress, there's no glitter or sparkle. Why not go for some shoes with a little more sparkle � perhaps some high-heel sandals with rhinestone studs to balance the dress. Add a few bangle bracelets at the wrists and some sparkling, dangling earrings and the look would come together much more completely. While the added accessories wouldn't make the look perfect, it would make it better. (It couldn't make it worse.)

Celebrity Looks: Garcelle Beauvais

Garcelle Beauvais        In an effort to help our readers avoid making mistakes in creating their own style, we are reviewing the looks of some of today's celebrities as they go out and about on the red carpet (and elsewhere). We discuss what works for them, and where they might have made better choices and why.
       Here we take a look at Garcelle Beauvais at the LA premiere of "Disturbia" at the Mann's Chinese Theater in Hollywood. Ms. Beauvais shows off a "completely casual" look in jeans and a sheer silk blouse over a satin-finished chemise top. Her hair is worn down in long soft waves with lots of body.
 
The Hair:
 
       Garcelle's hair is styled in a long blunt cut. Her hair is most likely relaxed to soften some of the natural wave and texture, and may contain extensions to give added length. Shown here, the hair is allowed to fall in soft waves that are blown straight.
(Ms. Beauvais has often been seen with her hair ironed straight and smooth.) The highlights add a warmth and depth to the color that plays well with her skin tone for a soft, warm look.
 
Make-Up:
 
       For her make-up, the word really is "understated". The even mocha tone is warmed by soft pinks at the cheeks and lips. The eye makeup is done in a traditional look using creamy shades to add shimmer to the depth of the tones. A slightly darker shade to contour the crease between the lids and brow ridge allows the softer highlighting shade to bring the brow line forward and add depth to the eyes. Garcelle's lips are colored in a soft pink with a satin-finish lip color to give the lips a full, plump appearance.
 
The Clothes and Accessories:
 
satin chemise top        Ms. Beauvais has a lovely, well-proportioned figure that is flattered easily by (and easily flatters) the clothes she wears. The simple, tailored jeans accentuate her long legs while the satin-finish camisole/chemise gives a touch of glamour to the casual look. The central figure in this look, however, is the sheer silk blouse, with its ruffled color and shirred sleeves. The tailoring in the bodice enhances Garcelle's natural curves, while the rhinestone stud-buttons along the placket add a little sparkle to the affair. The look is further accentuated by the glittering clutch-purse she's carrying.
       The one flaw in Garcelle's look is her shoes. The open-toed heels are not the issue, but I would have expected something in a color/style to tie in somehow to the handbag; perhaps shoes with another touch of sparkle? As it stands, the overall effect is a little mismatched comparing top to bottom with the soft, shimmering textures in the upper body, and the flat, matte textures below.
 
       In spite of the slight miss with the balance of the look, Ms. Beauvais definitely makes the most of "casual" in this outfit. As usual, she looks lovely, and proves that you don't have to dress to the nines to look like a million dollars. 

Celebrity Looks: Tori Spelling

Tori Spelling        In an effort to help our readers avoid making mistakes in creating their own style, we are reviewing the looks of some of today's celebrities as they go out and about on the red carpet (and elsewhere). We discuss what works for them, and where they might have made better choices and why.
       Here we see Tori Spelling, who is most widely remembered as 'Donna' of "Beverly Hills 90210", the long-running originator of the tween-age nighttime drama. Tori is seen at her 2004 appearance as part of the WBs Winter Press Tour party in Hollywood. Her look is easily described as "classy casual" with a black silk blouse over her faded denims, a look that is literally tied-together by the addition of the black silk scarf at the waist. Her hair is a prominent feature of the look, styled in a fall of loose, sexy curls.
 
The Hair:
 
       Tori is back to her classic blonde look these days in a golden blonde tone. Even the new growth looks natural, giving the overall look of sun-bleached blonde tresses. The cut is a simple, long-layered look, styled using a few mid-sized rollers to create a mass of loose tendrils. Roll the hair, allow it to dry, and comb the hair out using a wide-tooth comb. Follow it up with a light application of styling wax to give the curls some definition.
 
loose tendrils hairstyle The Make-Up:
 
       Where many celebrities tend to overdo it in the make-up department, Tori's look is understated and natural looking. Eye, cheek and lip color are all in soft neutral shades and peachy tones, giving the overall effect of having a sun-kissed glow, rather than a made-up look. Pay particular attention to the way the neutral eye color with the warm undertones bring out the depth of Tori's rich brown eyes.
 
 
 
 
 
Clothing and Accessories:
 
Tori Spelling wearing a black silk blouse        This combination of blouse and jeans defines the ideal of "casual", but still looks classy and upscale. The off-the-shoulder blouse and the side-tied scarf create competing angles to take away from the usually thin build Tori has. Actually, this is a useful trick for adding "curves" where there aren't any, and for camouflaging the occasional bulge.
       The faded denim jeans are probably vintage, and definitely a great choice to balance the look, and make the legs look long, regardless of their shape. The whole look is made perfect by the accessories. The large, delicate pendant necklace adds sparkle, with an extra touch at the wrist with slim chain bracelet and the shimmer of silver in the pumps on herfeet.
       All in all, this is a great look for Ms. Spelling. She looks comfortable, yet classy, and unlike many of today's celebrities, she looks like she makes an effort to look her best in any situation. I give this look a real A+.
 

Celebrity Looks: Erika Christensen

Erika Christensen        In an effort to help our readers avoid making mistakes in creating their own style, we are reviewing the looks of some of today's celebrities as they go out and about on the red carpet (and elsewhere). We discuss what works for them, and where they might have made better choices and why.
       Now, let's take a look at the lovely young actress, Erika Christensen. Ms. Christensen is seen here at the premiere of "The Perfect Score" at the Cinerama Theatre in Hollywood. The look for the evening is both glamorous and elegant as Erika walks the red carpet in a soft blue tea-length gown. Her hair is simple and lovely, as is her make-up and accessories.
 
The Hair:
 
       I am admittedly biased, in that I think Ms. Christensen is one of the loveliest actresses in the movie industry today. Even so, shown here with her hair worn pulled gently back into a partial ponytail and allowed to fall in cascading curls down her back, she looks especially stunning. Her face is round and this style helps to keep the bulk minimized at the sides of the face while the length creates a vertical line to give the illusion of a more oval appearance. The color and highlighting are subtle and very natural looking and compliments her skin tone very well.
 
partial ponytail Make-up:
 
        Erika is another of those lucky young women who seem to need very little in the way of make-up enhancement to look absolutely beautiful. The application here is perfect for her, since the soft pinks shades in the lip, cheek and eye color are not only subtle, but give her a "glow" and really bring out the blue of her eyes. The slightly darker shading around the eyes enhances the shape and contour of the eyes without being overpowering or heavy. Overall, it is a tremendous look for this lovely young lady.
 
The Clothes and Accessories:
 
fitted dress        This fitted dress has all the right elements to be both flattering and fashionable. The halter-style bodice with the high neckline creates an illusion on height, while the soft, sheer overlay of fabric and the swirl of the sequin and beading patterns help to enhance the natural curves of the body.
       The fact is that Ms. Christensen may be perceived by some to have a little bit too much of a zaftig build, but the dress, with it's fitted lines and light sheer overlay helps to conceal any bulges or swells that could be seen as imperfections, while playing well on her smooth, slightly muscular shoulders and soft, smooth skin.
       The dress manages to look elegant and sophisticated and at the same time gives a hint of "sexy" from various angles. It's a perfect way for Ms. Christensen to show off her voluptuous curves. Add to the fact that the accessories she has chosen couldn't be more perfect. The large jewels at the ears mimic the sparkling blue of her eyes, while her shoes are flattering but in a creamy neutral tone that doesn't detract from the sparkle and attraction of the upper body. 

Celebrity Looks: Gail O'Grady

Gail O'Grady        In an effort to help our readers avoid making mistakes in creating their own style, we are reviewing the looks of some of today's celebrities as they go out and about on the red carpet (and elsewhere). We discuss what works for them, and where they might have made better choices and why.
       Here we see actress Gail O'Grady attending the NBC All-Star Party a few years ago at Universal Studios in Universal City, CA. Gail is sporting a dressed-down, casual look. Ms. O'Grady is best known for her many and various roles in television, including long-running stints on "NYPD Blue", and "American Dreams". This blonde, green-eyed actress has been a hit with fans and critics alike, Ms. O'Grady has received 3 Emmy nominations and additional recognition from the Screen Actors' Guild and The Golden Globes. Because usually all eyes are on her, Gail usually puts forth the effort to look fabulous… usually.
 
The Hair:
 
short hair        Gail's lovely blonde locks are usually styled to a fair-thee-well in the roles she plays, so it would seem natural for her to look for a more casual, free-wheeling style when she's being herself. This style is definitely natural-looking and casual. This razor-cut, mop-top style features a side parting and long, softened fringe. The problem here as I see it, is that the style looks mussed. This gives the overall effect that perhaps Ms. O'Grady was rushed as she tried to get ready, or that she didn't feel the need to give her hair more than a lick and a promise for more attention later.
 
Make-up:
 
       Once again, Ms. O'Grady has played so many roles where she was dolled-up with more paint than a carnival sign, that perhaps it's nice to step back and cultivate a natural look. Fortunately, she succeeds here, with her subdued and completely neutral look. Nothing is over-done, or too heavy, and she finishes up with the lightest applications of mascara and liner to give her soft green eyes the right touch of definition. This is an excellent daytime look for those of you who like to see examples of such things.
 
The Clothes and Accessories:
 
blue satin blouse        The use of the dark blue satin shirt/blouse is meant to "dress-up" the look of her distressed jeans, creating a casual, somewhat-funky look. The trouble is, it doesn't quite work. When combined with the mussed hair, the worn-looking jeans just make the whole look shabby. Not even the matching satin purse and silver jewelry (and shoes) can doll up this look.
       As you can see from the close-up photos, the real killer for this look is the jeans. What should have been a "comfortable, relaxed look" ends up looking like the right outfit for a celebrity yard sale. A better choice would have been a comfortable, cotton or linen pant in black or maybe a neutral shade (khaki, cream or beige) as opposed to this too-tired jeans look.
       As it is, instead of looking dressed for a party, Ms. O'Grady looks like she just came back from an afternoon of shopping at the local supermarket.

How to Use Corrective Make-up for Your Eyes

     I'm often approached by women who want to know how to make the best of their eyes, for good reason. We have placed a great deal of importance on the eyes and what they say about us. An old adage is that "The eyes are the window to the soul", meaning that you can judge a person's character by looking into his or her eyes. We have popular songs written about "Sad Eyes", "Lying Eyes" and even "Bette Davis Eyes", so as a whole we must think the eyes are a major facet of a person's appearance.
       So, in an attempt to help those who want to troubleshoot some of the more common "problem areas" when it comes to the eyes, here are a few tips and tricks to make the most of what you've got:
 
       The most common problems when it comes to the eyes are the impression that the eyes are "too narrow", "too round", "too wide" or "too close together" to be appealing. The fact is that there are some cases where the shape or positioning of the eyes throws off the balance of the face, but most people see any flaws they may have as magnified. Try to remember that it only looks prominent to you because you see it every day. For most people, their wide, narrow, round or close eyes are only minimally so.
       The trick to enhancing these features to look their best is to use your eye make-up to create contours and highlights to bring certain areas forward and make them look larger, while making other sections look smaller and move to the background. The particular areas and techniques depend on the specific situation.
 
Wide-Set Eyes:
 
make-up application for wide set eyes        With widely-spaced eyes, many women feel that their faces are too broad, and that overall effect is that their face appears too wide or heavier than it actually is. In order to create the illusion that the eyes are closer together, you need to minimize the appearance of the area between the eyes.
       This is accomplished by using a darker shade of eye make-up to create a contour on the inside of the eye. The contour should be sized approximately the width of the iris of the eye or at most one-half of the entire width of the eye from corner to corner. By darkening the area to the inside of the eyes, you make the eyes appear closer by making the space between the eyes appear lesser.
       Use a medium shade of eye color on the lids of the eyes and a light shade to create a highlight on the upper outside of the brow. The lighter shade here will make the area appear larger and seem to "move" the eyes inward to the center. Blend the colors softly to create a gentle, subtle effect.
 
Close-Set Eyes:
 
make-up application for close-set-eyes        For closely-spaced eyes, the goal is to create the illusion of more space between the eyes, and to minimize the space to the outside corners of the eyes.
       To do this, we apply a darker contouring shade to the outside of the eyes, using roughly the same proportions as we used on the inside of the eyes above. We couple this with a medium shade of eye color to tie the shading together, and finish it by adding a highlight to the inside corners of the brow.
       As before, be sure to blend the colors softly to create a subtle look.
 
Round Eyes:
 
make-up application for round eyes        Round eyes are generally not a tremendous problem, except that some cases can result in the individual looking "too alert" or the eyes can appear to be bulging. To make the eyes appear wider, try creating contoured areas on both the inside and outside of the eyes, albeit thinner areas than used with the close-set or wide-set eyes.
       This will help to create a horizontal focus to the eye, and makes them appear to be wider since the darker contours will appear less prominent. Couple this with a slim band of medium shade eye make-up following the crease of the eyelid. When you blend be sure to use horizontal strokes and keep a focus on width in creating this look.
       Furthermore, when and if you use eyeliner, draw a thicker line at the outer and inner corners of the eye. This will help to emphasize the horizontal line of the eye and give the illusion of width.
 
Narrow Eyes:
 
make-up application for narrow eyes        Narrow eyes present a slightly tougher problem for most people since you have to try to create the appearance that the eyes are larger, and open more widely. This can be tough to do, but the best bet for accomplishing this is to use a light shade of eye color on the upper lid of the eye and extend the color a it beyond the inner and outer corners.
       In addition, apply a thin band of the light shade of color on the lower lid just below the lashes of the lower lid.
       You also want to be sure to use a lighter mascara and eyeliner color to avoid making the look too dark and defeating the intention. Some women choose to use "white" eyeliner on the inside of the lashes to line the lid and make the eyes appear more open. However, you can use a medium shade of eyeliner on the outside of the lashes and use a light mascara to create an eye-opening effect.
 
       One thing which I encourage everyone to do when you want to start "corrective" makeup applications, is to sit down a few times and practice the appropriate techniques. Practice will help you get comfortable with blending and creating a flattering look using techniques that may be unfamiliar to you. Furthermore, try practicing at different times of the day and under different lighting conditions so that you get a feel for "daytime" application versus "nighttime" make-up. The two looks should be different but will still have the same goal. Daytime make-up is generally lighter and softer, while evening make-up is darker and uses richer colors and more shimmer and sparkle effects.

How to Use Corrective Make-up for Your Eyes

      I'm often approached by women who want to know how to make the best of their eyes, for good reason. We have placed a great deal of importance on the eyes and what they say about us. An old adage is that "The eyes are the window to the soul", meaning that you can judge a person's character by looking into his or her eyes. We have popular songs written about "Sad Eyes", "Lying Eyes" and even "Bette Davis Eyes", so as a whole we must think the eyes are a major facet of a person's appearance.
       So, in an attempt to help those who want to troubleshoot some of the more common "problem areas" when it comes to the eyes, here are a few tips and tricks to make the most of what you've got:
 
       The most common problems when it comes to the eyes are the impression that the eyes are "too narrow", "too round", "too wide" or "too close together" to be appealing. The fact is that there are some cases where the shape or positioning of the eyes throws off the balance of the face, but most people see any flaws they may have as magnified. Try to remember that it only looks prominent to you because you see it every day. For most people, their wide, narrow, round or close eyes are only minimally so.
       The trick to enhancing these features to look their best is to use your eye make-up to create contours and highlights to bring certain areas forward and make them look larger, while making other sections look smaller and move to the background. The particular areas and techniques depend on the specific situation.
 
Wide-Set Eyes:
 
        With widely-spaced eyes, many women feel that their faces are too broad, and that overall effect is that their face appears too wide or heavier than it actually is. In order to create the illusion that the eyes are closer together, you need to minimize the appearance of the area between the eyes.
       This is accomplished by using a darker shade of eye make-up to create a contour on the inside of the eye. The contour should be sized approximately the width of the iris of the eye or at most one-half of the entire width of the eye from corner to corner. By darkening the area to the inside of the eyes, you make the eyes appear closer by making the space between the eyes appear lesser.
       Use a medium shade of eye color on the lids of the eyes and a light shade to create a highlight on the upper outside of the brow. The lighter shade here will make the area appear larger and seem to "move" the eyes inward to the center. Blend the colors softly to create a gentle, subtle effect.
 
Close-Set Eyes:
 
        For closely-spaced eyes, the goal is to create the illusion of more space between the eyes, and to minimize the space to the outside corners of the eyes.
       To do this, we apply a darker contouring shade to the outside of the eyes, using roughly the same proportions as we used on the inside of the eyes above. We couple this with a medium shade of eye color to tie the shading together, and finish it by adding a highlight to the inside corners of the brow.
       As before, be sure to blend the colors softly to create a subtle look.

Articles About Mineral Makeup & Top Stocks Investing

Decorating False Eyelashes With Multi-Purpose Minerals

Last weekend, as part of my course, we were tasked to bring home our false eyelashes, and as an assignment, to decorate them. Our instructor suggested glitters to decorate them, while I, bringing along ziploc baggies of multi-purpose minerals, was so game in using them to transform my plain, black false eyelashes to the most ostentatious and whimsical ones!

Well, I wasn't able to create the most dazzling ones, but hey, I was able to successfully color my falsies!

What I did was apply some false eyelash glue on the false eyelashes themselves, and use a small, synthetic eyeshadow brush and swipe multi-purpose minerals on them. I also adorned them with studs and some mini-stuff, also using eyelash glue, as well as the trusty tweezers!

I love multi-purpose mineral pigments, because as compared to glitters, they are very fine in texture, and their colors are just dazzling! Now, I think that I have quite a collection of multi-purpose minerals, so I think that I won't go wrong with these babies even if I only have baggies of them!

A Mineral Makeup Affirmation

I am not afraid to use mineral makeup everyday because it helps my skin breathe, it does not disrupt my anti-acne treatments, and it does not clog pores that causes breakouts as well. Mineral makeup is still the healthiest makeup on earth.

Oh, wow, what a bold proclamation, and I'm sure alot of you would agree with me as well, with also alot who would disagree with me, too. I must admit. Even if I am a mineral makeup addict, I still use traditional makeup, but never, never foundation that is not mineral makeup. The first thing that touches my skin, aside from the makeup base, will always be mineral makeup, because it's only the kind of makeup that my skin would tolerate, and feel safe with.

Just this recently, I have put this mineral makeup belief of mine to the test. In makeup school, we are each others' models, and we do each other's makeup. We use traditional makeup for practice, as it is the standard, and I just left things be, and went on with the flow. Oil-based foundation was applied on me, along with other stuff, as I would rigorously wash it off my skin every day as it didn't feel right. My face felt very icky and uncomfortable after , and I would spend my days like that.

It's not like I'm waging war against traditional makeup. Traditional makeup works for alot of people. It just doesn't work for me since my skin is very sensitive, has open pores, and is very oily. It just doesn't react well with it.

After one month of traditional foundation being applied on my face, I paid my dermatologist a visit, and my dermatologist got surprised with alot of comedone buildup, as she was able to extract alot, and commented that my skin has stopped improving ever since our treatment. I felt sad, as my skin got stressed not only from well, stress, but with makeup. Makeup has not caused my skin stress for the past two years because mineral makeup was my saving grace.

I am most anxious to stop using traditional foundation, it should be soon, I shall grab my liquid mineral foundation to make my classmate apply on me instead of traditional foundation. Mineral makeup must rest on my skin above everything. Mineral makeup really is my true love, and I will always choose it for me, and this is a life-long commitment.

Anyone with similar stories? I'd love to hear stories similar to mine.

Mineral Makeup Review : Elizabeth Arden Pure Finish Mineral Powder Foundation SPF 20

It's a bit rare that I review mineral makeup that is sold in department stores, moreso luxury brands. There's been too much mineral makeup brands that I'm actually getting confused with the plethora of brands, and varieties, but when I see something exceptional, I definitely know it is out of the ordinary!

I'm starting this entry saying that Elizabeth Arden Pure Finish Mineral Powder must be my dream mineral makeup. I'll tell you why!

First, it's still in powder mineral form, the purest form of minerals. I'm not exactly fond of pressed mineral makeup, or liquid mineral makeup, I don't know why, but my affinity lies in mineral foundations in powder form. Maybe it's just that it's in the purest form, in my opinion.

Second, let me drool about the packaging. If all mineral makeup companies would come up with the packaging, then competition would be really hard. Elizabeth Arden Pure Finish Mineral Powder steps up among the rest with its packaging - it has listened to its market that one barrier to using mineral foundation or switching from traditional makeup to mineral makeup is how mineral makeup in powder form is very messy application wise. It deviates from the usual sifter pot, with a compact that opens a "sifter" that disposes product as you twist it, it is definitely one big improvement and one motivating and encouraging factor to use mineral makeup! I would have to say that it only lacks just one thing - something to cover the swirling sifter so that if the "swirled" minerals don't get all used up, they won't get all messy to the powder puff. It's almost perfect!

Okay, after swooning over the packaging, let me get to the contents - the most important part of the review.

Some of the ingredients of the Elizabeth Arden Pure Finish Mineral Powder are :

Sea Water Minerals - sea water contains all of the elements present in the human body, so it is especially compatible with skin. It's rich in calcium and magnesium, essential elements that support skin's own natural mineral equilibrium to strengthen skin's appearance

Mica - Adds luminosity and reflects light for a soft focus look.

Silica - Spherical powder gives a smooth feel and helps soften imperfections.

Magnesium myristate - Creates a soft, luxurious texture

Vitamins A, C, and E - Condition skin and help protect against environmental assaults.

Aloe - Soothing and moisturizing

Titanium Dioxide - a mineral that provides natural skin protection

Complete list of ingredients :

mica, dimethicone, nylon-12, zinc stearate, silica methicone, squalene, magnesium mystirate, sea saltmaris sal/sel marin, aloe barbadensis leaf juice, silk powde/serica poudre de soie, ascorbyl palminatet, retinyl palmitate, tocopherol, glycine soja ( soybean) oil, alumina, oryza sativa ( rice ) starch , butylparaben, methylparaben, propylparaben, sodium dehydroacetate ( may contain bismuth oxychloridem, carmine, iron oxides, titanium dioxide )

The texture of Elizabeth Arden Pure Finish Mineral Powder Foundation is semi-fine, and semi-coarse. Take note that I am more in favor of coarse textured mineral foundations because they provide coverage, and I was very glad that it was not so fine like other mineral foundations sold in department stores, that I can only use as a layer on top of my full coverage mineral foundations. The coverage of Elizabeth Arden Pure Finish Mineral Powder Foundation is medium, and can be layered for a full coverage.

As you see that there is bismuth oxychloride in the formula, I think that explains why my skin looks a bit glowy, and fresh. In this very tropical country of Singapore, my skin did not itch a bit despite the ingredient, and I only found out about it as I read the label on the box, as I have continuously worn it for 2 straight days last weekend, as I was feeling lazy to layer up so much thick mineral foundation on my face. It took me about three layers of mineral foundation to achieve medium coverage here , as my skin is very problematic and it's breakout time right now.

The effect on me , I could say, is almost the same as Bare Escentuals'. It made me look like I had really good skin, my skin glowed, and it lasted all throughout the day. The oil control of this mineral powder foundation, though it had silica that I feel can already suffice for those who have mildly oily skin ( please do not mind me, my skin is horribly oily, almost impossible ), the oil control actually lasted for quite a while before it oiled up, but the oiliness looked dewy, so it was a good thing, though I knew myself that my skin was getting oily already.

The finish and look on me was really natural that I would love to wear this on an everyday basis. I would have to say that I've found a good mineral foundation here, and comparing to Artdeco, well, they're sort of at par, but Elizabeth Arden's feels more comfortable, and less heavy on the skin. This is one of the best, if not , the best brand of luxury mineral makeup that I've tried so far.

The shade selections are quite versatile. I'm shade number 05, a medium beige shade, and 04 looks a bit fair, and on the pink side, but my friend also tried 05, who is very fair, and her skin did not darken up, which means that the shades are very versatile, specially when worn just sheerly. The difference comes in when you layer it up for more coverage.

The Face Powder Brush also happens to be very good. It's synthetic, and with the fear of it not buffing efficiently for coverage, the brush being really dense compensates, being an excellent buffer, that can provide full coverage. It's an angled buffer brush that gives really even coverage, and you can even use it for your mineral blush.

Elizabeth Arden Pure Finish Mineral Powder Foundation earns a huge thumbs up for me. I can just toss it in my handbag without any problems, and use it as my pressed powder for touchups , and while I'm at home, I can always layer for a full coverage makeup look. If all mineral makeup were packaged like this, everyone would want to switch to mineral makeup!

Mineral Makeup Question : What Made You Switch?

I have been talking nonstop to my friends, classmates, and just everyone that mineral makeup is first to touch my skin every single day, and I'd want it that way. I was just wondering, and I would like to ask my readers - what made you switch to mineral makeup? Was it a funny story? A lucky strike? A decision influenced by a friend?

Let me share my experience. I was a closet makeup junkie from gradeschool and highschool, and started being a self-professed makeup addict dring college. I would devour magazine contents, specially in the beauty section, just to tempt myself to save up and buy more beauty products, and makeup. I loved applying makeup because it made me feel better. More confident. Feel more beautiful. But my skin was a mess, to start with. I had, and still have acne. Open pores. Ultra oily skin. The combination of my bad skin, and traditional makeup was a huge problem, as I sought to cover my imperfections by makeup, but I was making my skin worse.

One day, I was browsing through my local forum about Bare Escentuals. The one who brought it here in Manila ( now turned very good friend ) had really good service that she even drove to my home to deliver my goodies. I tried their eye glimmers because I won it from her raffle, and I was able to buy from her mineral foundation. From the day I applied mineral foundation on my face, I knew I would never look back. The best moment, was when someone told me on how my skin was improving, and I was wearing around 3 layers of Bare Escentuals then. After that, I sought and researched more mineral makeup brands, tried different mineral foundations, as my skin improved drastically, and I told myself that this is it - the biggest solution to my problems. I now don't have super bad skin - though I still have acne - but very much controlled, but I know that my makeup does not hinder its progress in healing. Fantastic, isn't it?

Well, how about you? I'd love to hear about your story!

Before You Trade FOREX, Read This Best Stocks Report For 2009

Some resourceful traders are finding ways to make between 23.4% and 100% a week ― without ever buying or selling stocks.

What are they doing?

Put simply, they're making a fortune trading FOREX options.

And as a loyal Penny Sleuth reader, we'd like to help you get into the game. To help you get started, we've found a way to get you in on six free months of a new, aggressive FOREX options trading research service…

How would you like six free months of our newest, aggressive options trading research service?

No kidding.

With gains like 100% overnight,23.4% in 48 hours, and 70% in just 4 days already in the books ― six full free months could make you wealthy. And who knows? Six full free months could even put six figures in the bank.

What you're about to read is that important.

In fact, I expect my number of readers to double.

Hundreds have already jumped on board with what I'm about to show you.

You can join them � and start getting the chance at gains like 100% in one day, 33.24% in just a week, and 70% in only 4 days.

I'll explain exactly how you can claim your six free months at the end of this letter.

Nobody gives anything away for six months, especially if it's going to make me bunches of money. I bet that's what you're thinking.

I understand how you feel. What I'm about to reveal might shock you…it also stands to make you very, very rich this year.

Give me just three minutes of your time, and I'll show you why I'm actually thrilled to give you 6 full months of options picks for FREE.

The Forex Strategy The Pros Use � Yours FREE For Six Months � Quick, Safe, Fast Gains For The Taking

The best Forex (FX) traders make huge gains no matter if the markets are up or down.

In just a moment, I'll show you how I've recently enjoyed tremendous success and produced gains like ―

33.24% in a week

23.4% in 48 hours

Even 100% in one day

Those profit plays were among a handful that went to a select group of test readers. If you act today, you can join them risk-free.

How's that sound?

I'll even introduce you to folks just like you who receive my step-by-step recommendations.

They aren't FX experts. They aren't Wall Street pros.

They're everyday people who're making repeatable and huge gains.

And what I'm about to show you is safe. It's fast. It's fun. And it's easy.

However I have to warn you, if you're interested in what I'm about to reveal, I must hear from you today. Because I'm offering 6 FULL MONTHS…for FREE. I'll explain how in a moment. All you have to do is claim it at the end of this letter…

First though, I should give you the background info. Including how easy it could be, with the right FX plays, to start making your own fast, repeatable profits.

Here's How YOU Could Make Easy Forex Profits

On Monday, Oct. 27, 2008 ― at 1:17 P.M., I sent a short email to my select group of testers. In this email, I recommended one simple FX trade.

If they wanted to take advantage of my recommendation, my testers didn't need any special knowledge. They never even had to look at a chart.

I laid out my case slowly and simply ― in a few words.

Even better, my testers don't need a special trading account. And they don't need to go through some complex brokerage to execute the recommended trades.

So how did my select group of testers fare with my simple recommendation?

I gave the sell alert via another simple, easy-to-follow email.

All I do is open up the world of FX trading to anyone who wants to take part ― and see some fast gains.

In fact, I've been perfecting my methods for over 15 years.

So rather than getting started with the FX markets by spending money for some course you see on TV, you could be making money with specific plays just days from today.

I'll prove it to you in just a second.

By now you're probably wondering how I made 100% in just over a day.

My secret is simple. And it could change your life forever...

Green Chip Stocks: New Buy Recommendation

It was about 3 PM on July 28th, 2006 when I touched down in Boise, Idaho. 

After I checked into the Marriott, dropped off my luggage and freshened up, I was escorted to downtown Boise, where I was to meet the top brass of my latest blockbuster renewable energy play.

I met them at the Basque restaurant Leku Ona, which means "good place."

I was pretty excited to meet the officers of the company because single-handedly these guys sealed the deal to construct and operate the first-ever geothermal power plant in the state of Idaho. This is huge considering the DOE ranks Idaho 3rd in the nation in potential geothermal energy capacity. Only California and Oregon are bigger.

So I knew these guys were top-shelf, all the way.

As an aside, if you're ever in Boise, go to Leku Ona. It's one of the best restaurants in the city. Be sure to try the paella. It's served in a metal skillet, where saffron-spiked rice mingled with tender pieces of rabbit, chicken breast, small pork ribs, sliced chorizo and sweet bell pepper. Delicious.

Now, the next day - on Saturday, July 29, I attended the groundbreaking ceremony at the site of the new power plant, which is situated in a town known as Raft River.

Raft River is the most unlikely place to find the early stages of the American geothermal revolution. It's a jerkwater outpost that's a 3-hour drive from Boise. When I say "jerkwater" I mean this place is isolated from civilization. I counted only 6 residential homes and just one diner on our way in.

But I couldn't have cared less. This was an historic day for the state of Idaho and for the entire geothermal energy market.

You see, the geothermal power plant at Raft River would soon become the only geothermal power plant in the state of Idaho. So this tiny $0.80 company had a virtual stranglehold on the Gem state.

And this was huge. Why?

Because according to the U.S. Department of Energy, the Raft River region has an estimated capacity as high as 1,000 MW.

That's enough to provide for roughly 1 million households!

Ironically, according to U.S. Census data, there are only about 370,000 single-family homes in the entire state.

So Raft River could potentially provide for nearly three times as many single-family homes in the entire state of Idaho!

And were talking about a mountain of cash in return. This one single project has a potential worth of about $140 million in annual revenue!

Now here's the best part...

At the time, this thing was so far below the radar, hardly anyone even realized it existed. Sure, top institutional investment firms sent representatives to the ceremony, including one from Goldman Sachs.

But that was it. And I wasn't surprised. Not many over-fed, spoiled Wall Street analysts are willing to take an 8-hour flight to Boise, Idaho and then drive 3 hours to no-man's land to check out a bunch of geothermal wells.

But I did. And I loved every minute of it.

Because the pay off was massive...

I recommended this geothermal stock to my readers on July 25, 2006, when it was trading for around $0.80 a share.  By October 31, 2007, the stock hit $4.78 a share - delivering Green Chip investors a 497% gain - in less than 14 months.

Get Rich on Chaffee Royalty Programs

Doing nothing while collecting royalties has to be one of the best ― and easiest ― ways to get rich. For instance, David Sengstack does nothing and collects royalty paychecks of $2 million per year... just because his dad was smart enough to buy the commercial rights to a song you've sung a hundred times, "Happy Birthday to You."

Michael Jackson does nothing and collects royalties every time a Beatles song plays on the radio (he bought the rights years ago). But Paul McCartney ― now a billionaire ― does nothing and collects even more on the 3,000 song rights from other artists that he owns.

Paul Newman made plenty acting. But licensing his name piles up even more donations for his favorite charities ― over $200 million so far ― from royalties on the Newman's Own food line.

Even boxer George Foreman does better doing nothing than he did fighting in the ring, thanks to the $137 million royalty checks he gets for lending his name to a grill.

No wonder the world's richest investor calls collecting royalties the best business in the world. It's literally one of the easiest ways to do nothing and "make money while you sleep."

What might shock you is that there actually IS a way for anybody to tap into a pool of growing royalties... wealth that piles up by itself... that, ultimately, could be worth more than the entire Beatles catalog, all the commercial rights to "Happy Birthday," and the total value of the top 25 most expensive works of art in the world... combined.

And you can set it up in less than five minutes.

I call it the "Chaffee Royalty" program, after a former schoolteacher and wealthy American millionaire, Jerome B. Chaffee. Just like people who make a living collecting royalty checks, you don't need to do anything once you've tapped into the program.

You just sit back and watch the money pile up.

8 Americans Who Just Cashed in on "Chaffee Royalties"

Even though I'm almost positive you've never heard of "Chaffee Royalties," some of America's wealthiest families have ― though by another name. In fact, it's a secret that's made more than a few Americans exceedingly rich.

Robert Friedland made millions of dollars when his "Chaffee Royalty" holdings jumped in value from $4 to $167 in just two years

George Hearst borrowed the $3,000 he used to buy his way into "Chaffee Royalties" in Nevada. Within months, his stake had grown to $91,000 ― money he used to buy even more royalty rights, which ultimately launched his empire

Jim Fair, a former Illinois farmer, got so rich with his "Chaffee Royalties" he was able to hand his daughter a $1 million check as a wedding present

William O'Brien earned enough from his "Chaffee Royalties" to make him one of the 100 richest Americans of all time

Former California carpenter John Mackay scraped together $500 to buy his first share in a "Chaffee Royalty" program. He made enough to build a mansion surrounded by 70 acres of land and formal gardens for his son

E.J. "Lucky" Baldwin parked his last $800 in "Chaffee Royalties" while living in Virginia City, Nev. By the time he was through, he'd piled up royalty wealth worth over $5 million

James Flood, who came to the U.S. with next to nothing, got so rich on "Chaffee Royalties" he was able to build a beautiful sandstone home on top of San Francisco's famous Nob Hill. It's still there today

Then there's Stanley Dempsey. A lawyer who quit law and put his money into "Chaffee Royalty" contracts now makes his living collecting on 23 different streams of royalty income. Forbes even featured Dempsey and called his fortune "virtual gold," since he barely has to do or run anything to keep the money rolling in.

But there's no reason you can't collect anytime you like.

In fact, now that these "Chaffee Royalty" programs trade directly on the stock exchange, you can get in anytime you like. And with the right timing, you can get in at a very good price. And then start seeing gains from "Chaffee Royalties" immediately.

This is the situation we're in right now.

Which is why I'm writing you today.

See, in 2002, one of the most impressive "Chaffee Royalty" opportunities of all time closed its doors to new funds, just after delivering a 50-to-1 payoff for its earliest "members."

Today, that opportunity is back.

And for reasons I'll share, the timing now is better than ever.

What's more, today, there's more than one way to lock into "Chaffee Royalties." And one of those options, according to research that took me nine months to pull together, could pay out even better than what was once the most profitable "Chaffee Royalty" opportunity of all time.

We'll get to those details.

But first, let's start at the beginning...

The "Chaffee Royalty Program" That Changed America

Jerome B. Chaffee didn't make enough as a schoolteacher. So he took a job as a sales clerk in a dry goods store. Then he took that money and started a dry goods store of his own.

When that wasn't enough, he packed his bags and went to Colorado in 1860.

See, Colorado then ― as right now ― was mineral rich. And even though Chaffee knew next to nothing about mining, he saw the possibilities. And started snapping up the "royalty rights" on as many gold and silver claims as he could afford.

Every time one started to pay off, he bought more. Until he had a business making between $300,000�500,000 per year ― or as much as $17.3 million today.

Suddenly the ex-schoolteacher was very rich. And powerful.

Chaffee took up politics, pushing for laws that would lock in the same kinds of opportunities for everybody. He even went to Washington and became a senator ― and a friend of the president, Ulysses S. Grant.

Chaffee's own daughter even married the president's son, Ulysses S. Grant Jr.!

In 1872, Grant expanded on protecting the resource rights that Chaffee championed by signing the General Mining Act, a law that still safeguards mineral rights today... has already created countless American millionaires... and helped blow open the gateway to the American West.

"Chaffee Royalties" let you tap into rich mineral rights more easily than so many others did years ago. You don't need a lot to get started. In fact, you do practically nothing. Even as the rich resource wealth piles up.

I've done all the legwork already. It's written up in my newest research report, Big Mining Money Without the Big Risks: How to Build Resource Royalty Wealth While You Sleep.

You cannot buy this report anywhere. However, at the end of this letter, I can show you how to download your own copy very easily. Inside, you'll find details on why now is easily the best time in history to make money tapping into "Chaffee Royalties."

I then go ahead and name for you my top five favorite ways to get started, including the No. 1 "Chaffee Royalty" opportunity available today.

And getting in right now won't cost you more than about $6 per share.

Almost Nothing to Get Started. . .Provided You Act on This Quickly

The better known these "Chaffee Royalty" opportunities become, the faster the entry price goes up. That's just the way they work. Simply because new capital lets them add even more rich royalty streams, increasing the value of the program for shareholders.

For instance, in my report, I tell you about one royalty-collecting group that let in new "members" for just $3 per share as recently as June 2005. But as royalty assets grew, so did the cost of entry ― up to $19 per share today.

That's a 530% return if you got in early. I see it going still higher, but the longer you wait, the more of these gains you'll miss out on in the future.

Then there's another one of these unique "Chaffee Royalty" opportunities I name in the report that first hit the open market at just $1.10. As of this writing, it's already asking new "members" for $32 per share. That's a solid 2,809% return so far ― turning every $5,000 into well over $140,000.

While I see still more ahead, this, too, is far from the best gain I expect you to have the opportunity to make. In fact, one of the most famous "Chaffee Royalty" plays of all time ― which I'll tell you about in detail in just a second ― soared from just a few dollars per share to more than $180 per share before it was through.

Anyone with the luck to get in early had the chance to make as much as $50 for every $1 invested ― or $250,000 for every $5,000. And then, in 2002, this particular "Chaffee Royalty" miracle closed its doors to new investors.

As you'll see, it's back again. And already piling up new royalty stream income for the new wave of shareholders. You can easily move on this right now. But before you do, let me show you a way I believe you can do even better than by revisiting any of these already time-tested "Chaffee Royalty" moves.

Again, it's all in my new report, Big Mining Money Without the Big Risks: How to Build Resource Royalty Wealth While You Sleep.

So why haven't you heard of "Chaffee Royalties" before?

Because most mainstream headlines don't look deep enough into the deals to discover them. At least, not until the early opportunities are long gone.

As an ex-commercial banker who used to handle $400 million contracts for breakfast, looking deep behind the scenes... for Special Situations like this... is my specialty.

That's what first got me looking into "Chaffee Royalties" as a unique new way for investors to get very rich. It's also what has me convinced, along with some very smart and very rich investors, that this may be one of the best undiscovered ways to "make money while you sleep" available today.

But there's something else...

Because today, with the massive global credit crisis... soaring energy costs... and the systematic destruction of your dollar-denominated savings... this is also the best market ever to start looking at these "Chaffee Royalty" programs as a way to build wealth.

Why? I lay it all out for you in my new report, Big Mining Money Without the Big Risks: How to Build Resource Royalty Wealth While You Sleep, which can act as a valuable "primer" on exactly how to tap into this new wave of royalty-backed riches.

Here's a glimpse of what you'll find...

Big Mining Gains Without the Usual Big Risks

All the value in "Chaffee Royalties" is backed by real resource wealth.

Oil. Gas. Gold and silver. Copper. Nickel. Diamonds.

But the beauty of these royalty streams isn't just the hard asset value that's behind them.

Instead, it's the fact that... as you watch the wealth pile up... you do it with none of the major risks that most mineral and hard asset investors face.

How so?

That's the unique opportunity with "Chaffee Royalties."

They're designed to deliver all the upside of the world's rich mineral wealth. But without passing on any of the major exploration, management or environmental costs of mining or drilling to the end shareholders.

Imagine, for instance, if you could own a "piece" of Apple's iPod sales... without paying a nickel toward the operating costs, research or advertising.

Imagine if you could collect Google's ad sales... or Exxon Mobil's oil revenue... without forking over for employee salaries, building and maintaining headquarters, or any of those other costs that typically nickel-and-dime shareholders out of gains.

"Chaffee Royalties" let you do that, backed by pure gains on some of the most valuable mineral and other raw resource deposits in the world.

No Better Time Than NOW to Take Advantage of "Chaffee Royalties"

Right now, resource companies are lining up to swap some of their gross profits for these royalty programs. Why would they do that?

It's simple.

See, right now, the global credit crunch is just one of the forces destroying the U.S. dollar. And that, plus unstoppable Asian demand, has sent the value of gold... silver... copper... nickel... zinc... lead... and just about every other mineral asset you can name... soaring.

That's great for anyone who produces or sells those resources.

Trouble is, as energy prices go up, so do the operating and production costs for the miners. So if they want to expand to capitalize on the resource boom, they need money.

Usually, that money comes from the banks. But the banks don 't want to make any new loans today. And the resource companies themselves ― like Barrick Gold and Newmont Mining ― just don't have the cash flow to take up the slack.

So they turn to the royalty companies instead, trading big loans for future profits on the huge piles of resources they're drawing out of the ground.

As long as the minerals keep coming up... and the market keeps begging for more... these royalty companies and their program "members" get rich, without ever owning an inch of dirt or worrying about running the actual mining business.

It's that simple. And right now may be the best time in history to be a part of the "Chaffee Royalty" trend. Even the Financial Post recently reported:

"Today, the last thing many investors want is operating control. Mining companies are fighting staggering capital cost increases due to soaring demand for labor and equipment, as well as fuel and power. The beauty of the royalty model is that it gives investors all the exposure on the revenue side and none on the cost side."

The Financial Post went on to say, "[Chaffee Royalties] are the low-risk way to play the mining game" and the "ideal way to get lower-risk exposure" to gold, energy and other resource wealth.

No work. No major worries. No management.

Just royalty riches.

Here's a great example...

Up to 50 Times Your Money. . .Without Getting Your Hands Dirty

The Goldstrike mine ― in northeastern Nevada ― is one of the best producing and most profitable gold mines in the world.

Millions of dollars are spent pulling out and processing as much as 35,000 tons of rock per day. Year after year. More than 1,600 employees work the site.

That's nearly the same size as the whole population of nearby Carlin, Nev.

Anyone who owned a piece of Goldstrike made a fortune.

Pierre Lassonde was one of them. But Pierre never actually owned the mine. He never actually hired a mining team, either. Or spent every day on the mining site.

Instead, he had a better plan.

See, at the time, Pierre was one of the top gold analysts in Canada, with more than 25 years of mining experience. And, though he knew early about the potential at the Goldstrike site, what he also knew was that he could get rich without having to do the work.

Because he'd worked out a way to let someone else do it for him while he collected the "Chaffee Royalties" we've just talked about. And he did. To the tune of many millions of dollars.

Not just for himself.

But for the shareholders who helped "back" Pierre on the deal...

The Laziest, Low-Risk Road to Mining Riches

You might still remember Pierre's company. It was called Franco-Nevada, and at the start, it was pretty tiny. Some mining companies have as many as 30,000 or more employees worldwide.

Pierre's company started with just two ― himself and a partner.

And his plan was not to own an actual piece of the rich Goldstrike property ― but to dedicate Franco-Nevada's assets to buying only the "Chaffee Royalty" rights to Goldstrike instead.

And when Goldstrike hit big on gold, the royalty money started pouring into Franco-Nevada. And all Pierre and his team had to do was rake it in.

In those early days, you could have picked up Franco-Nevada shares for just a few dollars... and then watched them soar to well over $180.

By the time Franco-Nevada got snapped up in 2002, it had ballooned from a tiny $2.3 million firm... to a company worth the $2.9 billion shelled out by Newmont Mining... which saw the writing on the wall and bought up Franco-Nevada's whole portfolio of royalty deals in one grab.

With the buyout, your chance to get in on the original Franco-Nevada pool of "Chaffee Royalties" ended. Pierre Lassonde took over as Newmont's new president. Until recently, he even chaired the World Gold Council.

But Pierre never forgot what a low-maintenance income bonanza he had with Franco-Nevada. And just recently, at the tail end of 2007, he tried to quietly bring Franco-Nevada back onto the public market. News still traveled fast, and Franco's IPO hauled in a record $1.2 billion.

Here's the beauty of this new arrangement.

Franco-Nevada held onto a pile of royalty contracts, even while under Newmont's shadow. And now, with its IPO money, it's perfectly positioned to snap up even more.

This is just one reason why "Chaffee Royalties" could very well be the safest way, right now, for you to play this ongoing global scramble for commodities. And by the way, the new Franco-Nevada could also be one of the better ways for you to play this opportunity, too.

However, I'm convinced I've found one that's even better.

Right now, it's still very small. Just as Franco-Nevada was at the beginning. And you can still get in at that early, easy entry stage.

Because it's so small, I can't possibly name it here. That wouldn't be fair to the small group of individuals who pay to follow my research on these specialized, lesser-known opportunities.

There is, however, a way I can share this with you.

Which I'd like to tell you about right now...

The Next Franco-Nevada

In my new report, Big Mining Money Without the Big Risks: How to Build Resource Royalty Wealth While You Sleep, I give you everything I've found ― after nine months of deep research ― on the best of the "Chaffee Royalty" opportunities open to you right now.

But the one I recommend first to my readers and friends is one I can't resist telling you a little more about right now.

If you've ever flown across the Atlantic, there's a good chance you've seen it.

Or at least, you've see the "crown jewel" assets that make this still undiscovered "Chaffee Royalty" opportunity so rich. It's called Voisey's Bay. And it's one of the most valuable piles of ice and rock ever discovered.

From a plane window, it looks like a map made of elephant skin. Nothing but frozen rivers and gnarled earth, stretched out as far as you can see.

But underneath, you'll find as much as $50 billion worth of mineral wealth. Discovered in 1993, it's already making fortunes. Not on gold or silver, but on some of the world's richest deposits of copper, cobalt and ― mostly ― nickel.

And it's the nickel that should to continue to make many more people very rich. Including anybody who holds a "Chaffee Royalty" deal on those same vast nickel deposits.

Let me just show you why...

You need nickel to make steel. And China churned through 7.5 million tons of stainless steel last year. It'll produce 9 million tons before the end of this year

Over 65% of world nickel demand goes into the making of high-grade stainless steel

Even in a slowdown, China needs to build railroads to transport energy and cities to house their exploding population. For both, China desperately needs stainless steel

China alone uses up six times more nickel now than it did in 2000

In the last five years, Chinese nickel demand surged from 50,000 tons of nickel per year... to over 200,000 tons. No other country consumes as much.

Global nickel demand could surge another 10% before 2009

As with all metals, nickel prices fluctuate. But top metals analyst still see nickel prices spiking as high as $20 before the end of 2008.

You can see how this shapes up.

And buried deep in Voisey's Bay, you'll find one of the world's largest and highest-grade nickel deposits ― and easily the richest Canadian mineral discovery of the last 40 years.

There's easily enough nickel here to make this one deposit a cash cow mine for the next 20�25 years. If you want to own just the direct mining shares, you can look to a Brazilian company ― Companhia Vale do Rio Doce (CVRD) ― which owns and works the property.

But before you do, let me show you an even easier way...

Getting Paid for Just Breathing

Because CVRD does all its own exploration at Voisey's Bay, it pays for it. And so do its shareholders. They pay for the digging. They pay to process the tons of rock. They pay to get all the copper, cobalt and nickel ready for sale on the open market.

Sure, they make money. But they spend money, too. A TON of it.

So far, more than $1 billion just on developing CVRD's properties in this one area. That's nothing to sneeze at, even if the price of nickel is soaring. But I can show you how to tap the "Chaffee Royalties" tied to those same minerals so you can take profits without the costs of running a mine...

Without the major cost concerns.

Without even worrying whether or not the price of nickel will go up.

You see, right now, there's another company in Voisey's Bay doing what Franco-Nevada did so early in its own legendary march toward blockbuster 50-fold gains.

This company, like Franco, traded some early investment capital for the unique "Chaffee Royalties" rights connected with Voisey's Bay nickel. And now it's offering a piece of those royalties to you, as a potential shareholder.

This is a very rare opportunity.

It's not so difficult today to find other companies offering "Chaffee Royalties." But it's not as easy to find one in as early a stage as this one. With a share prices that's still this low... and nearly 100 royalty contracts either already producing or about to produce potential gains for new shareholders.

Remember, one of the "Chaffee Royalty" companies I told you about jumped from $3 per share to $19 very quickly... another soared from $1.10 to $32... and Franco-Nevada itself went from under $4 to more than $180 per share before it closed its doors to new "members."

This next future blockbuster royalty opportunity is already on the move.

On this Voisey's Bay deal alone, it should collect royalties between $16�20 million. And yes, that's if nickel prices today don't budge another inch.

What happens if nickel surges again to the record levels it hit last May?

If that happens, count on another $24 million in royalties going straight to this little company's bottom line. That might not sound like much for a big, well-known company. But for a company like this ― still undiscovered and valued at only just over $400 million on the stock market ― this is enormous. And just based on that, I already calculate that this could be an easy way to triple every dollar invested over the next two years.

But it doesn't stop there.

Because, you see, this little "Chaffee Royalty" outfit ― like the early Franco-Nevada ― has a lot more going for it that just the sweetheart royalty deal on Voisey's Bay nickel.

As I said, it carries nearly 100 royalty deals ― any one of which could start producing as well or better ― and all of which give you even more opportunities to pile up royalty wealth on five different continents... and in 10 different countries... in 18 different commodities.

Gold Gains With Much Less Risk, Too

On top of the Voisey's Bay "lock" this company has on Canadian nickel... it's also taking in piles of royalty cash for itself and its shareholders on some of Canada's richest gold deposits.

Not to mention even more gold royalties on one of the most productive gold mines in Chile... another huge "Chaffee Royalty" stream on more than 1 million estimated ounces of Nevada gold... and even more gold royalties on a large mine in Australia.

I haven't even mentioned the royalty streams on platinum properties... uranium properties... and even more copper and cobalt properties... just to name a few. Some pay huge royalties now, and some promise huge potential royalties as they steadily come online.

This company provides more than just access to some of the best gold, silver and diamonds... uranium, coal and oil... natural gas... nickel, copper, cobalt and zinc... in the world. It also gives you the diversity and balance that you just can't get from most straight mining shares.

Without sacrificing the rare opportunity for triple and quadruple gains.

And just as good as the royalties this company already takes in is the promise of future royalties on deals it's already made. Take this company's royalty rights on a hugely profitable gold mine in Chile.

Mining giant Barrick does all the work to get the metal out of the ground. And that mine alone should churn out as much as 775,000 ounces of gold per year... at a cost as low as $130 per ounce. In fact, this Chilean mine should be Barrick's third largest operation by 2010.

Owning Barrick directly isn't a bad move. It's one of the best mining stocks in the industry. But it's not cheap. And Barrick, as I said, faces some rising costs and shrinking cash flow.

This little company, however, owns the "Chaffee Royalties" on the same gold mine. It paid only $11.4 million, very early on. And I expect it to make that back many times over during the life of the mine.

Barrick and its shareholders love the deal, because it means they get money to expand exploration and production. This royalty company and its "program members" love it because it's yet another stream of resource royalty income.

As long as Barrick keeps bringing gold out of the ground, this little company rakes it in. And so do you, if you hold this company's still affordable shares.

Plus, while this company already makes very good money on its five best royalty deals... let's not forget what you get out of its huge portfolio of nearly 100 other royalty deals.

Right now, another 11 of these new royalty arrangements are scheduled to come online over the next several months. That's more royalty income without the major mining costs. And more value in this little royalty company's shares.

I told you before that the Voisey's Bay income alone was enough reason for this little royalty company to give you an easy triple on every dollar invested. But with these extra royalty agreements, including the 11 new ones that should come online over the next few months... this isn't just an easy triple... it could, conservatively, be a "ten-bagger" best stock.

But even then, I STILL think saying you could make 10 times your money on this is also conservative...

How This Beats the Best Royalty Play of All Time

Wouldn't it be nice to know that without lifting a finger, you're accumulating the kind of money that could free you from work... fund your retirement... and pay for your future?

That easily could have been the case if you'd have known to move early on Franco-Nevada.

But let me just walk you through how that unfolded. Because, you see, Franco-Nevada going from zero to $40 million per year in royalty income took about 12 years. And that was ultimately enough to take its shares from $4 to over $180 per share.

Not bad, right?

Another of the "Chaffee Royalty" opportunities you'll read about in my new report, Big Mining Money Without the Big Risks: How to Build Resource Royalty Wealth While You Sleep, took 15 years to get to its first annual $30 million in royalty income. That was enough to get it from $1.10 per share to over $32. For a gain so far of 2,809%.

While I believe that last company could go still higher, I urge you to pay attention now to this little company I've been telling you about ― which I like to call the "next Franco-Nevada" for a very good reason.

You see, this little company recently managed to jump from about $400,000 in annual royalty income... to over $13.7 million... in less than two years! That's many times faster than even some of the best "Chaffee Royalty" companies I've ever seen.

What's the key difference?

The track record of this small company for picking the best royalty deals is impeccable. What's more, it just recently picked up another 16 new royalty deals... including royalty draws on four new gold mines... four new diamond properties... two new uranium deals... and three more new nickel royalties... plus royalties on rich new deposits of zinc, lead, silver, cobalt and molybdenum.

With nearly 100 royalty streams, your chances of the "next big hit" or major discovery could be huge. And remember, you need only one to pay off ― the way Goldstrike did for Franco-Nevada ― to see even MORE upward pressure on the value of this royalty company's shares.

If just one of these nearly 100 royalty deals pays off big... I'm confident that this isn't just a triple or a ten-bagger opportunity, but quite possibly the next 50-to-1 payday for anyone who acts on this quickly.

Maybe even better.

It's like owning an option on what could become the best resource play of the century. If it doesn't pan out, you still do extremely well. And if it does, you get rich.

Just in case you think I'm overstating the evidence, the fact is that at least two of these new royalty deals already look like they could add 25% in new royalty income to this company's bottom line over the coming year.

With that amount going up over the years ahead.

Right now, this company lists on the stock market for only $408 million. Given that it has only $22 million in debt... plus over 100 royalty contracts... and an easy $40 million already looking likely, thanks to its nickel and gold royalty deals alone... you're talking an incredible deal. Other royalty companies have already sold for double that multiple.

But as I said, few of these other mineral rights royalty companies have as good a spread of different royalty streams as this one. And with every dollar that comes in, it continues to add more great royalty streams to its portfolio.

Based on that, plus everything else I've already told you, I fully believe this is the best "Chaffee Royalty" opportunity listed on the market today. Maybe even better than getting into Franco-Nevada at the start of its amazing 50-to-1 profit run.

A takeover... more soaring energy prices... soaring interest in the shares... they could all take the share price higher, very soon... closing out the best of this opportunity very quickly.

So I urge you to get my report, by accepting the special invitation at the end of this letter, as soon as you can. As I said, Big Mining Money Without the Big Risks: How to Build Resource Royalty Wealth While You Sleep isn't free. And I won't take your money for it, either.

It's simply not for sale, anywhere or to anyone.

But there is one way to get a copy into your hands instantly. All you have to do is accept a special invitation. One that could potentially make you a fortune over the year ahead. And show you how to access a pool of investment wealth you never knew existed.

I Should Introduce Myself

My name is Chris Mayer.

Maybe you've heard of me. I'm known for the appearances I make on financial news shows like Fox Television's Bulls & Bears... Forbes on Fox... and the CNBC financial reports.

Or maybe you know me for my new book, Invest Like a Dealmaker. Or from interviews I've given to national radio talk shows or in the newspapers.

You might even know my background, which wasn't originally in financial market analysis at all. I was a commercial banker, for one of the largest and most respected banks in the U.S., overseeing a $250 million investment account and loans for $400 million companies.

It was a role I loved. I'm proud to say I was a vice president there before I turned 30. And not once during my tenure did we lose a single dime on our major corporate loans. That's a rare claim in lending.

I mention it because that background ― poring over the balance sheets of major and minor companies alike, looking for anomalies, mistakes and even hidden value ― was about the best stock picking training you can imagine.

It's why I eventually stepped away from the bank.

Because I loved the markets. And I loved picking winning stocks even more. I do that now, for over 29,220 readers, in a highly sought-after monthly stock market research letter.

But for years, I kept coming across a kind of investing opportunity that I just couldn't share in my widely read monthly letter. Stocks and other plays that were just too small... too "different"... and just that much harder to find or track for your average, mainstream reader.

The "Special Situations" Kept Secret From You All These Years

The undiscovered opportunities I kept coming across are what Wall Street calls "special situation" stocks ― fast moving, hidden opportunities that are extremely popular with insiders but just too small or too little known for the average investing mainstream.

Takeovers and buybacks... secret mergers... heavy insider buying opportunities... and "Chaffee Royalty" moves like the one I'm showing you today.

Every single one of them revealed money most investors just kept leaving on the table...

Huge opportunities.

I couldn't stand knowing how many of these kept going unnoticed.

So I did something about it. I worked with my publisher to create a brand-new kind of research service, called Mayer's Special Situations.

This is not a simple newsletter for mom and pop market watchers.

It's a much more revealing and advanced research advisory service, tailored for elite readers. How are we doing so far? The service is barely 23 months old.

And we've already clocked gains like 44% on Fundtech... 100% on Lindsay Manufacturing... 122% gains on Gorman-Rupp... 132% on T3 Energy Services... not to mention gains on shares I can't name because they're still open. But we're already up 26% on one... 36% on another... 48%... 50%... 78%... and then 84%... 93%... 129%... 137%... 153%... the list goes on.

Just on an average of all the winners and losers in my current portfolio, we're already racking up an average 33% so far. And on a cumulative basis, a stunning 758% altogether.

These are opportunities you just can't read about anywhere else. And much earlier in the moneymaking stage than you'll discover anywhere else...

You'll get the moves that go beyond regular stock investing, like the special "royalty program" plays I revealed to you today

You'll get the best stock opportunities pros would rather trade, above the humdrum, and hinging on the "behind the scenes" deals and insider moves we all know really move markets

You'll get the picks that can move your money quickly, and in a very short time, but with my own "banker's twist" ― where I'll do the qualified number crunching most brokers don't even know how to do ― to ensure that I never ask you to take an unjustified risk

You'll get advance warning on above-and-beyond moves, with far greater potential than you average, everyday stock opportunity.

Of course, the easiest way to reveal what Mayer's Special Situations can do for you is to let you try it for yourself. Which is exactly what I hope you'll do.

Here's What Others Are Already Saying

Matt M. was one of my earliest Mayer's Special Situations readers. Take a look at what he told me recently...

"Chris, your recommendations total $272,000 ― 15% of my portfolio... I like your approach and style ― and the results ― you identify opportunities that I would not be able to find by myself."

Here's one from subscriber Eric L...

"Hey Chris, your Libbey recommendation alone just paid for my Acapulco vacation ― thanks! Your reports are very professional without being stuffy... You're one of my main go-to guys... keep up the great work, and thanks again!

And this is what Special Situations reader Michael K. wrote in to report...

"I'm enjoying this new service, and I love the way you think about investments. My highest compliment is that I look forward to your updates and recommendations. I appreciate your thorough and thoughtful analysis and independent thinking and research. And the bottom line is you are making me money..."

You can guess I love getting letters like these. And I have piles of them. The gains, the rare and undiscovered alternatives to typical stock investing opportunities, the handpicked moves and careful research... I'm happy to finally have the chance to share this with people who can appreciate how rich these "special situations" opportunities can be.

I'm not looking to brag.

I just want to make it clear that you'll find something here that you're not going to find elsewhere. One popular financial writer even wrote, on his financial blog Market Metaphysics...

"Chris Mayer is the best financial journalist you've never heard of... Mayer's elegant prose will make you wonder why you don't find this caliber of writing in the mainstream financial press. Mayer's essays are sharp intellectual discoveries... all this and solid investment ideas, too."

Again, I'm proud of the kudos. But I'm even more proud of the results. And I'm going to urge you, in just a second, to give me a chance to do the same for you... starting immediately with the new research report I've told you about, Big Mining Money Without the Big Risks: How to Build Resource Royalty Wealth While You Sleep...

The Single Best Way for You to Get Rich on Royalties Right Now

Right now, there are several companies listed on the stock market that use the "Chaffee Royalty" model to enhance shareholder wealth.

That's why I've spent the better part of the last year doing careful research to find only the best ones for you to consider adding to your portfolio.

And I've written each of them up in detail in the new report we've talked about, Big Mining Money Without the Big Risks: How to Build Resource Royalty Wealth While You Sleep. Inside, you'll find my full and targeted analysis on...

One of the easiest and purest plays on the coming surge in silver prices. With this company's already solid "Chaffee Royalty" streams of income, you could tap into six of the world's top silver deposits, including a stream of expense-free royalty income on the largest silver deposit ever discovered. If you like silver as an investment play, this could be the single best way to play it.

With one move, this next "Chaffee Royalty" play could give you a claim on royalty deals for nearly 50 mining properties in mineral-rich Nevada... plus a piece in wholly owned and productive mines with several million ounces of proven gold already in the ground

Like the other pure "Chaffee Royalty" companies, this next player owns no mines. Or mining equipment. In fact it has only 15 employees. But that hasn't stopped it from tapping into royalties from several of the world's best gold mines... on the future sale of over 50 million ounces of gold and more than 1 billion (with a "B") ounces of silver

The new Franco-Nevada is a lot like the old Franco-Nevada ― jammed with choice royalty deals. After raising over $1.2 billion with a record-breaking IPO at the end of 2007, the new Franco bought back 190 royalties on metals and mineral companies... plus another 100 royalties on oil and gas producers. Is it still a good buy? I reveal the answer inside my report

My favorite "Chaffee Royalty" company by far, I save for last. With nearly 100 mineral royalty rights and a brilliant track record of picking deals with as many as 25�30 years of production, this is easily the best way for you to combine big money-multiplying gains with higher safety than you could possibly get just owning mining shares outright.

I urge you to take a look.

And keep in mind, on each of these deals, the royalties are coming in on minerals already discovered, but there's also potential for more discoveries down the line. By already owning a piece of the royalty rights, you'd also be locking in on those future income streams too.

When the mines' owners invest more money to expand the mines, you'd also automatically own a piece of that expansion. Without investing another dime.

What if there's another breakthrough mineral discovery on one of the mineral properties? The royalty rights shareholders own a piece of that too. Along with the bump it could give to the royalty company's shares.

It's like owning an option on the resource boom, with which you get all the future upside gains at a much cheaper entry price. And without any of the major downside headaches.

As long as those mines are producing, the royalties roll in year after year. And with the companies I've found and featured in the report, you've got access to "long haul" deals that have as many as 25�30 years of production left in the related mines.

So those royalties have plenty of time to pile up pretty high. In other words, you could start benefiting from the royalties immediately. And then keep on collecting for many, many years to come. All while even more royalty rights get added to your share of the overall portfolio.

Why would you want to pass that up?

You'd have a tough time finding a better deal ― with full and growing access to the "mineral rush" upside, almost as far as the eye can see, but with very little to none of the conventional mining or exploration company risks ― and that's just the beginning of what I'm ready to share...

Five More "Special Situations" Moneymakers You Don't Want to Miss

Right now, my Mayer's Special Situations readers and I are looking at five more rare "special situations" I don't want you to miss...

Unless you know mining, you've never heard of molybdenum. But it's known as the "energy metal." And it's key to all things energy. This little company produces it better than anybody, with a share price that's an easy double within the year. Even if "moly" prices don't budge.

The world's energy fields are getting old. And this one stock gives you a better way to play this than anybody. Right now, it's still deeply undervalued. But that won't last for long. In our first 11 days with this company, we were up over 6% ― so it's already on the move

T. Boone Pickens, the 79-year-old billionaire, must love this next stock as much as we do ― he just bought $76 million worth. And I see it soaring much higher, on the back of a surprise supply-demand super-crunch in this one ignored raw resource

This tiny little $2 copper stock is super cheap with huge potential. It's another easy double within the year. Plus, it pays a 5% dividend ― how can you beat that?

Drug companies come and go, but with the boomers marching into the golden years... it's a sure bet someone somewhere is writing a medical prescription. The more they write, the better for this last company. It's a spinoff story with solid 300% gain potential ahead.

You'll find out the names of these rare "special situation" moves in your free report Five Stunning "Special Situation" Plays You Can't Afford to Miss. You can download that the minute you accept my invitation to become a subscriber to Mayer's Special Situations.

Here's how it works...

How to Gain Full Access to My Elite "Special Situations" List

I'm sure you understand this "special situation" research isn't free.

These plays are more difficult to find and track than top stocks. And you can share them only with a smaller group of readers. That way, the share price won't get influenced.

So the first thing I insist on is that we keep new enrollment at a maximum of 2,000 slots. Not one more. If you come in after that, I'm afraid you're out of luck until we can open enrollment again. No exceptions.

Second, I need to ask a reasonable price, given the potential of the plays I reveal and the level of sophistication I'm hoping to attract in my readers.

What's a fair price for gaining access to these highly valuable, undiscovered "special situation" deals? Before I answer that, let me tell you about just one more little-known opportunity you should add to your portfolio right now...

Grab Your Share of a 500 Billion Barrel Oil Payout Underneath North Dakota

This is just one more thing I can't resist telling you about.

My readers and I have tracked it recently, and it's one of the most exciting investment stories taking shape in North America today. In short, it starts with incredible new research related to the "Bakken Trend."

This is an absolutely huge stretch of American acreage that could hold as many as 250 billion barrels of oil ― possibly even as many as 500 billion.

And smack in the middle of this suddenly valuable stretch of land is an astounding undiscovered play that was going for less than $2 per share when I first wrote about it for my Special Situations subscribers.

It's already shooting up ― I see a triple on these shares not too far into the future. And even higher ― as much as $10 ― not much longer after that.

I would love nothing more than to name it for you, right here.

But that wouldn't be the least bit fair to my paying readers. So I'll tell you what I'm going to do. If I hear from you immediately, I'll include a copy of this new Bakken Trend report, America's Secret 500 Billion Barrel Bonanza (and How It Could Make You up to Five Times Your Money), in your welcome package for Mayer's Special Situations.

The door to this incredible opportunity just swung open again in 2008. There's no telling how long it will last. That's why you must collect your share of "Chaffee Royalties" before they're gone for good.

So let's sum this up.

When you sign on for an elite, fully guaranteed subscription to Mayer's Special Situations, you immediately get...

The breaking story about the incredible new energy investment discovery right here in America, in the new report I just told you about, America's Secret 500 Billion Barrel Bonanza (and How It Could Make You up to Five Times Your Money)

You also get my exclusive new research on the "do nothing" wealth you can pile up in America's "Chaffee Royalty" opportunities, in your copy of Big Mining Money Without the Big Risks: How to Build Resource Royalty Wealth While You Sleep

A bonus special report to get you up-to-date immediately on the very best of what the rest of my members are reading about right now, called Five Stunning "Special Situation" Plays You Can't Afford to Miss

My members-only stock analysis, which I'll send directly and privately to my Mayer's Special Situations readers, once every month, with coverage of our newest exclusive on an undiscovered "special situation" stock or other alternative market play

Plus, between every full analysis report, we'll stay in steady contact each week so I can make sure you're on target with everything new that's happening in the portfolio, from what to hold to when to take gains, and more

And finally, only members will have password-protected access to the Special Situations private Web site, where you can find full backup of all alerts and updates, plus the latest news on the portfolio and downloadable copies of all your reports... so you'll never be left wondering what to do on these underreported, fast-moving and lucrative plays

Here's one more bonus: Everyone who signs on will get free access to my publisher's brand-new Agora Financial Executive Series. The Executive Series consists of two daily e-letters and provides you with an insider's view of our editorial room. First, every morning, you'll receive the Rude Awakening delivered straight to your e-mail box. Each "Rude" article enlightens you with focused, articulate essays -- each of which delves deep into some of the core investments that Agora Financial is researching. Next, you'll also receive the 5 Min. Forecast every weekday at noon. The 5 Min. Forecast aims to cut through the incredible glut of "news" by providing you with a quick-and-dirty roundup of the day's most essential ideas and not-so-common knowledge -- in five minutes or less. Normally, this would be an $195 value. But because you're willing to take me up on this trial invitation, this bonus gift is yours free.

So with all of that, what is it worth? To you, it could be worth thousands... tens of thousands... hundreds of thousands. It all depends on how ready you are to jump on these often-missed "special situation" opportunities.

I've seen other services offering half this much and less... charging as much as $2,000... $2,500... even $5,000. Yet even with the coming price hike for new members, I won't ask you to pay anything even close to that.

You'll get the full year of all of my best "Special Situation" research and updates for the reasonable introductory price of only $995.

It couldn't be more plain.

One more thing...

Because of the nature of the hot stocks we'll cover... and the "special situations" that make them so valuable... I simply can't expand our Mayer's Special Situations membership circle any wider.

What's more, I must insist that when you join as a subscriber, everything you discover inside the circle stays in the circle. You must promise that you won't share our list of "special situation" plays with anybody.

If that's not something you can do, this service might not be for you. Because these unique plays are intended for your eyes only. No exceptions there, either.

Of course, I'm ready to make my own promises, too...

The Silver ETF And The Top Silver Stocks

The performance of silver has outshone even gold: silver was up almost 31% in 2005, compared to gold's gain of almost 18%. Now some investors are asking: "Was that it?" And if we aren't near the top for silver stocks, then how high will it go? To answer those questions, Doug Casey looks at what's driving the market today…

WHAT'S NEXT FOR SILVER STOCKS?

There are important differences between silver and gold. The demand for gold is almost entirely a demand for holding the stuff for financial purposes (protection and profit) and for uses, such as jewelry. Very little gold is actually consumed. In this respect, gold is the polar opposite of a base metal, such as iron, that people buy exclusively for purposes that use it up. Silver stocks has a foot in both worlds; some is bought for uses that will consume it; other ounces are held for financial protection or profit.

Most of the gold ever mined (including the metal in Baal, Cleopatra's necklace and what Alexander looted from the ancient cities of West Asia) remains above ground in various easy-to-melt forms. The reasons for gold's physical persistence are chemical - it is nearly inert, so it doesn't corrode - and economic; because of its great value, very little gets lost or discarded as waste. Annual mine production is small compared to the existing stockpiles - on the same order as the small amount of gold that is lost or consumed each year. So, the size of the existing stockpile doesn't change much. Fluctuations in the price of gold come almost exclusively from fluctuations in the demand to hold the stuff.

Ounces of silver, on the other hand, come and go - not as quickly as tons of iron, but as inevitably. Silver, unlike gold, is chemically active. When silver is used, much of it gets used up - consumed beyond practical recovery. And because silver stocks is so much less rare than gold, less effort goes into salvaging and protecting it. Annual mine production and consumption are large compared to existing stockpiles, so fluctuations in price come from changes in both those factors and also from changes in the demand to hold silver for financial purposes.

The uses for silver in modern industry are growing. It is the best conductor of both heat and electricity, the most reflective, and (after gold) the second-most ductile and malleable element. It is used in photography and for many electrical applications, particularly in conductors, switches, contacts and fuses. Silver alloys are used in batteries as cathodes. As a bactericide, silver is used in water purification and air-handling systems - we recently came across an ad for a silver-lined washing machine that claims to need no detergent to produce clean laundry.

The uses for silver are so numerous that, despite the dwindling role in photography, you can expect demand to remain strong as long as industrial economies remain strong. And they have been so for some time now - with China and India leading the charge.

But since the Hunt brothers' ill-fated attempt to corner the silver market back in 1980, there has been little investment demand for silver from the public in developed countries. This has clearly and unequivocally changed, as evidenced by the new silver exchange-traded fund (ETF) from Barclays.

Most silver mines are really lead-zinc-silver mines or copper-silver mines or gold-silver mines, from which silver stocks is a byproduct. In fact, 70% to 80% of all silver comes as a byproduct of copper, lead and zinc mining. Because the byproduct element is so large in the supply of new silver, production doesn't respond much to price. This puts the few mines that do produce primarily silver in an extremely risky position. Over the last two decades, with silver being dug out by copper, lead and zinc miners regardless of how low the price went, most pure silver mines consistently lost money, and none were especially profitable. For more than 20 years preceding 2003, no pure silver mining company generated free cash.

However, there are many known silver deposits and proven reserves poised for production as soon as silver crosses whatever price line makes them economically viable. Furthermore, low silver prices don't necessarily halt exploration; it's the prices of copper, lead and zinc that drive exploration.

So, with silver hitting record highs and base metals doing the same (increasing the flow of silver as a byproduct), hundreds of millions more ounces of silver will be heading for the market. According to the latest projections in the CPM Group's CPM Silver Yearbook 2006, there may even be a production-consumption surplus of 48.4 million ounces of silver in 2006, the first such surplus since 1989. However, those figures don't include investment demand. The production-consumption surplus means that inventory will increase, but that still doesn't tell us where the price is headed. If financial demand (to hold silver for protection or profit) increases faster than the accumulating physical inventory, the price will keep going up. But will it?

For one thing, consumption has been eating into above-ground stocks of silver at a phenomenal rate for decades, eroding total world bullion inventories from an estimated 2.1 billion ounces in 1990 to around 400 million ounces today - a drop of 1.7 billion ounces. A large chunk of the drop, about 240 million ounces, came from government sales. But that source is almost gone, with governments holding only about 87 million ounces at the end of 2005.

For another, silver is like uranium as an industrial metal, in that it is hard to replace and it is used in such small relative quantities, that the price could double or triple without having a major impact on industrial usage. But the main reason, as mentioned above, silver stocks is being rediscovered as an investment vehicle, most notably in Barclays' new silver ETF (SLV).

The advent of Barclays' silver ETF has been a big factor in the price of silver lately, if only through the expectations of speculators. The popularity of the streetTRACKS Gold Shares ETF (GLD), which has raised $8.13 billion since it began trading in November 2004, suggests that Barclays' silver ETF will pull a lot of silver off the market. As of this writing, August 7, 2006, it has already sucked up 92.4 million ounces of silver. There goes the supposed surplus.

And as silver gets back on trend, and gets noticed by an increasing number of investors, the ETFs will make it easier for those investors to participate.  That is also true for certain institutions - most of which are barred from owning physical metals - so they will, in essence, uncork a latent source of investment demand. And Barclays' silver ETF may be even more important than GLD. In Europe you have to pay a VAT (17.5% in the UK) on the purchase of silver bullion bars, as the metal is used in manufacturing. This is a blight on active trading - a market niche the new ETF accommodates free of VAT.

Throw in well-deserved concerns about the U.S. dollar and about the at-least-it's-not-the-dollar euro, and increased financial demand will almost certainly outstrip any increase in global silver production for the next couple of years. And, of course, if there's a major economic crisis, the production-consumption surplus will be utterly swamped in the mad dash to get out of paper and into precious metals - a transition the ETFs will facilitate greatly.

There is another potential source of silver - the tons of it that people hold in the form of old junk. If a high price for silver starts getting people excited, won't the masses send their broken candlesticks and seldom used spoons and trays to scrap dealers? Will that source of supply turn into a flood, as it did so dramatically during the 1980 price spike? At some price, yes - but probably not for a while.

Stable higher prices will encourage people to sell. But rising prices and the reasons for the growing financial demand will encourage people to put off selling even their unloved, broken candlesticks. Even as the incentive to melt down Grandma's tea set increases, the "silver is money" factor pushes the other way.

In 1974, silver was at $6.70, about twice today's price in constant dollars, but supply from all secondary sources was less than 170 million ounces. And in 1980, when silver reached its peak at $48.70 per ounce, secondary sources provided just 302 million ounces - a big number, but nothing like 20 billion ounces. Furthermore, the great bull market in silver stocks that ended in 1980 came after a hundred years in which the public accumulated relatively cheap silver. A lot of that was cleared out - melted down - in the early 1980s, and there hasn't been as much time to replace it. Not only that, we suspect that relatively few people have bought much made of pure silver since 1980; if you can't afford gold, why pay for solid silver when you can get something electroplated that looks just as good for a fraction of the cost?

Will silver stocks hit its previous 1980 high? It was $48.70 then, but that's $120 in today's dollars - almost 10 times the current price. Given that just below the surface, the threats to the U.S. economy are even greater today than in the late 1970s, we can easily envision silver closing in on its previous high and even going way beyond it.

P.S. When will this come to pass? No telling. But, periodic and inevitable corrections aside, it's going to happen, of that we are confident. And, more to the point of our service, when it does, the silver stocks we follow on behalf of our readers won't just go to the moon, they'll leave the solar system. To be sure you don't miss this profitable ride on the resource bull market rocket, subscribe to the International Speculator now.

Editor's Note: Doug Casey is the author of Crisis Investing, which was #1 on the New York Times Best Seller list for 26 weeks. He is also editor and publisher of the International Speculator, one of the nation's most established and highly respected publications on gold, silver and other natural resource investments.

"Inflation is a crowd phenomenon in the strictest and most concrete sense of the word. The confusion it wreaks on the population of whole countries is by no means confined to the actual period of the inflation. One may say that, apart from wars and revolutions, there is nothing in our modern civilizations which compares in importance to it," wrote Elias Canetti in "Crowds and Power." "The upheavals caused by inflations are so profound that people prefer to hush them up and conceal them."

Last night, before going to bed, we read an essay by Paul Cantor about hyperinflation in Germany in the 1920s and how it affected the writings of Thomas Mann, particularly his short story, "Disorder and Early Sorrow." Cantor deconstructs the story from the perspective of Austrian economics, showing how hyperinflation provides not merely a background, but also a means of understanding it.

This is how Mann describes one of his characters, a housewife, coping with skyrocketing prices:

"The floor is always swaying under her feet, and everything seems upside down. She speaks of what is uppermost in her mind: the eggs, they simply must be bought today.  Six thousand marks a piece they are, and just so many are to be had on this one day of the week at one single shop fifteen minutes' journey away."

We find we do our best thinking when we are asleep. While we were dozing, our brain must have gone to work on the theme of the article like a Pakistani policeman on a "jihadi." We awoke in the middle of the night to find it reduced to a bloody pulp, and blabbing about one simple and horrible crime:  the destruction of the American middle class.

But, the culprit is no pawn of jihad. No splinter faction or 5th columnist…no mole, no collaborator…no revolutionary cell skulking in basements. No, in the United States in the early 21st century, as in the Weimar Republic, the saboteurs are the financial chiefs ensconced in the capital itself. They are the nibs whose faces grace magazine covers, who give speeches, win honorary degrees, and chivvy consumers  - can you believe it? All to avail themselves of every latest innovation from the financial industry…such as adjustable rate mortgages.

Remember that although the value of the dollar was whittled in half during his tenure at the Fed, Alan Greenspan enjoys his retirement today like a portly bishop…basking in a job done well. And, was it not the same Alan Greenspan who was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II, shortly after he won the prestigious Enron Prize?

The inflation of the mark in Germany led to disorder. It then led to sorrow. The inflation of the dollar, over the last quarter of a century, leads in the same direction…winding through bubbles, busts, ARMs and Neg Am mortgages. In the last four years alone, debt in the United States has gone up by an amount equal to 100% of the GDP. There are now an estimated $300 trillion worth of derivative contracts outstanding - in a world economy only worth $55 trillion. And, it takes five to six dollars of additional debt to create one single dollar of additional GDP. The typical ratio is usually about two dollars of debt to one dollar of GDP.

But it is the bust in residential real estate that creates the most disorder and the most sorrow, because it has got the middle and lower classes caught in a steel trap from which they cannot escape.

"No Money Down Disaster," reads a headline in this week's Barron's. The author notices what we have been saying for months that adjustable rate mortgages are on the verge of ruining the marginal borrower and dragging down the entire economy, too.

For, now, says Barron's, residential real estate is threatening to revert to the mean, which may indicate a 30% drop in prices that will wipe out the equity of millions of homeowners.

Either they will end up paying more than they can afford (why did they go for "no money down" in the first place?), for something worth less than they paid for it (that is what happens in a bear market). Or, they will lose their houses. When that happens, the world they thought they understood, will give way beneath their feet.
As Dr. Cantor writes about the 1920s, "A society composed of embittered people…is soon going to face major political problems, as the rise of fascism in Germany was to show."

More on this later in the week…

First, more news from our currency expert…

And, in the meantime, more thoughts…

*** The latest from Addison and his perambulation with the good doctor:

"My thinking on these issues has never been clearer," Dr. Richebächer asserts. "You must think about cause and effect. And place the stones in a row…stone for stone…to understand consequences. Americans no longer consider consequences. They see that everything is going well today. They assume every thing will always go well.

"But what can the U.S. consumer do? Overly indebted consumers must pay back their debts somehow. There are two ways to do s through rising income or by selling assets. Therein lies the problem. The United States today has its lowest level of income growth since the Great Depression. And asset prices have either stagnated or started to fall - especially housing.

"Consumer borrowing is fine for a young couple who can reasonably expect their incomes to rise over their lifetime. But today, you have credit expansion that is completely out of control. Even since the Federal Reserve began raising rates in 2004, bank credit expansion has continued unabated."

[Addison's note: One way for the Federal Reserve to aid in bank credit expansion is through "open market operations" - purchases of securities and other assets on the market. From a low of $550 billion in 2000, when the stock market began to crash, the Federal Reserve has continued to add assets through the "open market," even while publicly claiming they are "tightening" monetary policy.

In 2004, when the rate hikes began, the Fed had already amassed $750 billion in assets. Today it has nearly $850 billion. A chart of bank credit expansion during a period of public credit tightening reveals the exact opposite. To quote the good doctor: "There has been no monetary tightening. Period."]

"What will happen next, we suspect," Dr. Richebächer continues, "is that asset prices will decline precipitously and the consumer will be left with a pile of debts. With what resources will he repay them? Ja, it is consequence that matter…not assumptions.

"Still there is not a single critical word from the economic establishment in America."

*** "A fool and his money are soon parted," goes the old saying. What has always puzzled us is how the two of them got together in the first place. The world is full of dunces and dimwits…many of them with money. But, where and how did they get it?

We are not sure of the answer to that, but we are dead certain we know how the two go their separate ways.

The other day, for instance, we were sitting down with a young friend of ours.

"Yes, I've decided to set up my own business," he said.

"Doing what?" we wanted to know.

"Managing money," he explained. "It's just much better to be on your own. You don't have all that overhead and employees to bother with. And here in Europe, there's not a lot of regulation, as long as you stick to rich clients. You know, high net worth individuals.

"I only invest in value plays. Remember, I used to try technical trading and other forms of speculation. But what I learned from you was that what really works is following a 'Warren Buffett' approach. And so far, I'm up 40% this year. And, I made a 38% gain last year. Really, I'm just in two areas now: gold stocks (I guess I learned that from you too) and Chinese stocks.

"And, I charge clients just like everyone else, a 20% performance fee…"

Thus is a hedge-fund manager born.

And thus, does a whole industry of clever folk get to work to try to take a fool's dough away from him. They offer to protect it, to manage it, to invest it, to coddle it, caress it, clip its nails and dye its hair. And when they're done, so is the dough.

Our young friend knows nothing about investing - or rather, not much. How do we know? Because we taught him everything he knows. Yet, here he is now providing financial services to hundreds of wealthy clients - one of thousands, maybe millions, of people in the world's most profitable sector.

*** The Italian Rivieria is far more dramatic - and inhospitable - than the French one.

'Riviera' technically means a location in which the mountains drop directly into the sea. On the Italian side, this is definitely true. The beaches are beds of sea-worn rocks roughly 10 meters wide. Stepping into the sea is more like diving into the deep end of a swimming pool than wading softly off a sandy beach into sun-warmed seawater. The bathers are still topless from time to time. And the atmosphere still relaxed, if not more so. But there's less space between the cliffs and the sea.

This weekend we slipped away to the Italian coastal ville San Remo. We'd heard of an enormous flea market in the center of town, which turned out to be true. But the old salt that the journey is often worth more than the destination proved itself true. On the way back, we ended up making a pit stop at a restaurant that couldn't have been built on more than 20 meters of land. High class. Civilized. And empty, but for a few well-dressed diners in the middle of a hot day.

We entered and immediately caused a commotion. Our two boys were sporting soccer shirts we'd purchased at the flea market. One wore a French national team shirt with Zidane written across the back…the other, Italy, and the name Meterazzi. (If you don't follow le football, France and Italy were in the finals of the World Cup this year. Zidane, the French national star, was thrown out of the game with 10 minutes remaining after head-butting Meterazzi, an Italian player, in the chest. The fact that our kids were wearing both shirts earned them free entrees in the restaurant. Heh.)

Above the French border town of Menton, a few kilometers later, we discovered the little village of St. Agnes, which claims to be the highest coastal village in Europe. We don't dispute the claim; it rests on top of an 800-meter mountain with cliffs on three sides. There have been people living in the area since before the Romans conquered Gaul. The ruins of a ninth-century chateau rest at the very crest of the mountain.

The high mountain village of St. Agnes is also the site of the second fort inland, of those that made up the Maginot line. A deep bunker with gun turrets and enough room to house nearly 400 men, the fort is a testament to the adage that generals always strive to fight the last war. It was opened in 1932, but closed in 1938 before the real hostilities between France and Italy began.

This area had formerly been in dispute for centuries. Not far from the village, in a hamlet known as La Turbie, lies an enormous Roman ruin known as La Trophee des Alpes. It sits high on a mountain overlooking the tiny principality of Monaco. In fact, directly below the edge of the park in which the ruins lie, you can see the palace of the Grimaldi family, and the many casinos of Monte Carlo. The Senate in Rome dedicated the Trophee des Alpes to commemorate the Emperor Augustus' dominion over the tribes of Gaul. The site also served as the starting point on a coastal highway known as the Via Julia that connected Italy with Spain and opened the whole of the western part of the Empire to trade.

Today, on both sides of the border, residents are equally fluent in French and Italian. It's as if the Trophee des Alpes and the forts of the Maginot Line never existed. "In Europe," Dr. Richebächer explains, "the people have taken over. Our politicians talk and try to do things. But nobody listens to them anymore. We know that nothing good can come of it."