beautygeeks

I didn’t ask her a single thing about her skincare and makeup regime. Not a thing.

Doesn’t mean I didn’t figure a few things out about Candace Bushnell and beauty, though. Here’s what I learned about the author of Sex & the City and Lipstick Jungle at a P&G Beauty cocktail gathering this week:

– Bushnell owns a pair of Crocs but wears them only at home. (We were at the Bata Shoe Museum; I had to start with shoes, yes?)

– she has a fresh perspective on female-driven programming: “We get romance or romantic comedy and men get action-adventure,” she said. “Sex & the City IS an action adventure! Our idea of action is emotional. Men want to blow things up, we want to have a really great conversation.”

– she characterizes Mr-Big types as men who make you feel smarter, prettier, sexier and more glamorous than you’ve ever felt on your own. “But it’s not about looking for Mr. Big,” she says. “It’s about being Mr. Big.” (It’s a be-all-that-you-can-be thing.)

– she thinks beauty is making the most of what you have: appearance, personality, work ethic and drive to succeed. (Hey, I only said I didn’t ask about beauty, not that Bushnell didn’t talk about it.)

I did ask Bushnell, though, whether she’s surprised to find herself the go-to expert on matters of women’s hearts, mating and dating rituals and shoes. “No,” she said. “This is just the way I’ve always thought about these things, how I’ve always talked about them.”

And it struck me that of course, in the face of following a passion toward success, reaching success and owning that success, lipstick is just icing on the cake.

My friend Krizia, editor of Beauty Match (www.mybeautymatch.com) also met Candace Bushnell at this cocktail party. She’s got lots more fun deets and dishing on makeup, style and “Lipstick Jungle” in her post, Meeting Candace Bushnell Author of Sex and the City.