Dan's Papers - June 29, 2007

Last month, I got the best haircut of my life. No exaggeration. The man who cut it, Jeffrey Dauksevich, owner of the Umi Salon on Newbury Street (in Boston where I now live), seemed to perform the same procedures as other hairdressers, but with an entirely different result. I can't quite put my finger on what he did, but it is the first time I think I not only got my money's worth, but I would have paid more. And I paid a lot.

When beauty writers share their wisdom with the women of the world, their readers, they often emphasize beginning with certain basics that in the end will save time and spare inconvenience. An example of this philosophy is treating yourself to a great haircut with a shape that flatters your face and a style that you can manage without twenty products, three hours in front of the mirror and three arms to blow dry to perfection. I thought I knew what that meant. It turns out I had been getting good haircuts, but not the one that changes everything.

Now my hair seems unable to look bad - curly or straight, freshly-washed or not, pulled back or loose, it always looks good. And I make the same or less effort than before.

How about summer makeup? Minimal is the only way to go this time of year, and with that almost-naked face, it's again essential to start with the basics. For me, the most imperative basic is keeping my eyebrows perfect. It's the same as a great haircut - if your eyebrows are the right shape for your face and are maintained with little fuss, you are halfway to looking terrific with less effort than you'd think. I keep my eyebrows perfect by letting only Eliza, of Eliza's Eyes in Southampton and Exhale in Manhattan, touch them.

Dubbed the "Queen of the Arch" years ago by Vogue magazine, she is, of course, a strong believer in the professionally groomed brow, shaped to suit and flatter each particular countenance - she practically invented the concept. What is she recommending this summer to her fiercely loyal clients?

"It is best to have your brows waxed - never tweezed - by a professional. If you wax regularly, only once a month, over time, the hair will come back lighter. Tweezing is not the same. And you have to have the shape that is best for your own face. Never follow the trends with eyebrows. Whether you keep them thin or thick, dramatically arched or natural, they should suit only you."

This summer, Eliza has introduced a few new products to enhance beautiful brows. Her pencils, in Chunky Blonde or Chunky Brunette, glide on with a powder-like consistency to fill in any sparse spots. And the Glimmer Stick, with its thicker consistency, can enhance the shape by contouring around the edges of your brow. This look, which she will enthusiastically demonstrate, is polished and natural at the same time.

But the ultimate way to save time, if you prefer to spend every possible second loving life instead of applying makeup, is to dye your eyelashes and brows. In ten minutes, Eliza or her personally-trained summer associate, Julia, will transform your face, using vegetable dye to make your eyebrows and lashes one shade darker than your natural color.

"It's great. There is no fuss, it lasts a month just like your wax and you can do both in the same visit. You can swim, play tennis, do everything you want to do this summer and never stop to put on eye makeup. And never worry about your mascara coming off on your towel!"

There are many other ways to lighten up this summer, but these are good to start with. Now if someone would just invent a sunscreen you could apply only once a month.

House of Brows is located at 34 Hill Street, Southampton. For an appointment with Eliza (in Southampton Fridays and Saturdays this summer, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. or Tuesday through Thursday at Exhale Spa, 980 Madison Avenue, New York) or Julia (Southampton Wednesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.), please call Eliza's personal booker, Natasha, at 212-561-6414 or visit www.elizaseyes.com.