Beauty: Diane Richie’s Beauty Ka-Ching!

LIONEL RICHIE SHOULD BE " DANCING ON THE CEILING OVER $300,000 A MONTH

Page Six of the New York Post is having a field day with the Diane Richie / Lionel Richie divorce and they seem to feel that Ms. Richie’s demand for $300,000 a month is outrageous. I disagree. She has seriously low-balled her husband on the monthly beauty expenses. Lionel’s really getting a bargain.

Ms. Richie is asking her husband Lionel Richie for a $300,000 a month settlement in her demand, of which $50,000 a month is for personal services and includes a $3,000 a month dermatology bill, another $600 a month on hair, $250 a month on nails, $150 on electrolysis, $1,000 a month on laser hair removal and $450 a month on facials. On paper that looks like big money, but in fact, Diane is selling herself way short. Way short. Girlfriend, you need to go back and redo your math! Hello! Is it fees your looking for?

Dr. Neil Sadick- well known for treating high-profile media moguls and celebrities – helped add up the possibilities. 

According to Sadick’s calculations, Botox every three month runs from $500 - $1,000 for two areas only ($300/month); Restylane, $1,300 every three months ($400/month); anti-aging laser treatments, $1,500/month; chemical peels or light peels, $200 to $300/month; cellulite or stretch mark treatments, $1,200/ month; skin care products, $300/month and leg vein treatments, $1,000 a month. We’re already up to $4,900 monthly and haven’t even dipped into more serious anti-aging programs like Thermage, which uses lasers to tighten the skin at $3,000 for one treatment, or frequency tightening, $1,750 per area. 

“My guess is that she’s getting some kind of anti-aging menu and the $3,000 per month is more than reasonable by Beverly Hillsstandards,” said Dr. Sadick.

Dr. Thomas Romo lll, Director of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Lenox Hill Hospital concurs that Ms. Richie is low-balling on beauty expenses.

“If she’s using any type of Retin-A and/or Renova to improve wrinkles (at $150/tube) she also needs a moisturizer with a sun block because the skin becomes photo-sensitive from retinoids. And nothing short of something like the Borghese products ($250/bottle) with moisturizer and sun block would do. I also think the $1,000 on hair laser removal as in her complaint is very cheap, and this doesn’t include an anti-aging regimen with vitamins and supplements. He’s only made several hundred million dollars so I think it’s a low number for a woman who gets the best. She could ask for more. Beverly Hillsis the only place comparable to my office onPark Avenueand 74th and they may even be less expensive than we are,” said Dr. Romo.  

$600 a month for hair also falls below the radar. How is that possible you ask?  Celebrity colorist Kyle White at the Oscar Blandi Salon in New York City cites the outrageous cost of hair maintenance. 

           “You have to figure that this woman is going to the best, not just some junior colorist at Jose Eber. Sally Hirschberger alone charges $600 for a hair cut and Oscar Blandi is a mere $300, which for a client like Diane Richie is more than reasonable,” said Kyle White.  

Kyle’s highlights start at $250 but colorists like Louis Licari and Brad Johns start at $500.

 “My guess is that she’s going in each month for an alternation between singles and highlights. Singles cost around $200 and are often used to color gray.  She is probably the type of woman who doesn’t want to see roots, is constantly under the eye of the press, so she’s touching up her gray and doing highlights at $400 a pop. Then add in the blow-dry at $65, and the cut, not including taxes and tip and we’re well past $600 a month. It’s not ridiculous and the fact that she keeps up with herself is probably why he married her. These celebrities want their wives to look great but then they see the price tag at divorce time and they’re in shock. So what does he want her to do, go to pot? Stop touching up her roots?” 

           We’re also wondering if she’s including the high price of shampoo and conditioner in her calculations. A high end shampoo like Osis runs $9 a bottle, $10.50 for the conditioner and $17.50 for the hair spray. It all adds up. I can go on all night long. 

           And when I read that Diane Ritchie budgeted $250 a month on nails, I wanted to run with the night. Julie Serquinia, owner of Paint Shop, L.A.'s hottest nail salon, which caters to celebrities Cameron Diaz, Janet Jackson, Beyonce and Mandy Moore, had the following comments:
           “For someone of Diane’s stature, who has enjoyed a life of luxury, a manicure a week and a pedicure every other week is appropriate.  A month’s supply of manicures (4) can range from the basic aromatherapy totaling $108 to a high-end treatment like theHollywoodHook-up Manicuretotaling $280.  Two
pedicures a month, totaling $110 for a basic treatment to $280 total for two Hollywood Hook-up Pedicures.”
           TheHollywoodHook-up is an exclusive, anti-aging treatment designed to restore hands and feet to their youthful appearance using coveted Z.Bigatti facial products.  To keep Diane's hands and feet looking sexy in between treatments, she would, of course take home products to keep on her bedside table.  She would not need to purchase these every month, but possibly every 2-3 months.

Hollywood Hook-up Product prices include: Z.Bigatti Cashmere Intensive Body Treatment- $135, Z.Bigatti Footlights-Foot Cream- $109, Z.Bigatti Satin-Elbow, Knee and Heel Cream- $119. 

           If Diane Ritchie’s calculations are like this, my advice to Lionel is pay the ticket and run, or you might wind up shelling out some real money when you’re new ex-wife figures out that she’s three times a lady who requires three times the support.

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