Beauty Tips For Rockin' Red Lips In 2009

Kim Kardashian. Gwen Stefani. Christina Aguilera.

Talk about Hollywood glam. And check out their red lips in 2009!!!

For Gwen and Christina, red lipstick is their signature look. It's bold, and sexy, and confident. Wherever you see these Hollywood 'it' girls, their trademark pout is not far behind. Which brings us to raven-haired beauty Kim Kardashian.

Kim is always on the red carpet. And her signature look includes a very strong, smokey eye and natural brow, along with a paler lip. But now she's been kicking it up a few notches, by playing around with beautiful red lips, and toning down the eye makeup.

Kim is naming brands, and we all love that about her. We visited her website and picked up this little beauty tip nugget:

"Well, I love red lips, and I should wear them more often! It's so bold! I love how Christina Aguilera and Gwen Stefani wear red lips all the time. This color is by MAC and it's called Russian Red, with Russian Red lip gloss on top."



Here are a few tips when putting on a red mouth:

1. Use a lip liner in a tone that matches your natural lip color, before applying red lipstick. This will prevent the strong color from bleeding over into any fine lines around your mouth.

2. Simple is better. With a bright lip, you can be a bit more natural with your makeup, because red lips alone, are elegant enough. Forget the smokey eye.

3. Check your teeth every time you re-apply your red lipstick. You don't want any extra color ending up there.

4. Don't put on red lipstick in the back of a cab, as one makeup artist quipped. You need a mirror to carefully apply this bold shade.

We like the look of red lips. Our moms, grandmoms, and even great-grand-moms, often wore the shade proudly back in their time. Check out those vintage, black and white photographs and you will often see the bold and confident lips of our loved ones.

It's definitely a high maintenance look for us. We always end up with the smokier eyes and lighter lips. That's a bit easier. Now, if we had a professional makeup artist to call on 24/7 and a red carpet to walk by on, we would surely try and rock the red lips.

Is It Us? Or Did 2009 Golden Globes Feature Smaller Breasts??!!

No. This surely is not a scientific survey. But are we the only ones who noticed, that the red carpet at the 2009 Golden Globes Awards show featured gorgeous Hollywood actresses with smaller breasts? All with the exception of sexy Salma Hayek in her clingy Dior gown.

Usually red carpet affairs bring out the er, big cleavage--- either through carefully engineered and padded bras or through good old breast implants.

But last Sunday evening, Hollywood's finest looked, well, almost flat. And we loved it!! From Drew Barrymoore to Jennifer Lopez to Eva Mendes to Rachel Evan Woods to Debra Messing, all attractively pictured here. All with what appear to be small to average-looking breasts.

We also tried to figure out if these beauties were either skinnier than in past years, and therefore, appeared to be small-busted. Or whether these actresses all opted for a more demure look and minus the cleavage, with gowns that covered up their assets.

Whatever the case, we found the look refreshing, and assuring to those of us without the curvier silhouettes, that it's really okay to have smaller breasts.



Meantime, we investigated the so-called 'smaller breasts' look in a beautytiptoday article last September-www.beautytiptoday.com/2008/09/big-breasts-are-so-out-says-90210s-dr.html.

Look at what Dr. Robert Rey of the popular plastic surgery reality television E! show, Dr. 90210 had to say about big breasts.

But let's be honest here. Dr. Rey does see the trends in female beauty at his booming practice.

According to the good and handsome Dr. Rey, a woman's body should look as natural as possible. Dr. Rey spoke to the newspaper Primera Hora in Puerto Rico, where he recently visited, to promote his Shapewear line.

Dr. Rey commented that big, fake breasts, such as those of Pamela Anderson, ruin a woman's appearance. Ouch! Size D and DD, are so 1990's, he explained.

The star of Dr. 90210, says that women prefer curves, but of a more natural beauty trend, such as the bodies of Jennifer Aniston and Carmen Electra. That doesn't mean a woman shouldn't have breast implants, but Dr. Rey emphasizes that the proportions should not be unbalanced. A size B or C is enough, he adds.

We can't prove anything about the smaller or bigger curves of our Hollywood's beauties, and we won't even try. It was merely an observation, as we sat glued to our television sets, like so many many fans across the globe.

And we can say that Hollywood rarely disappoints us, especially this time around.

Clinique/Allergan Hook Up To Introduce New Post Procedure Formulas

If you've ever undergone a laser procedure or chemical peel on your face and neck, well, your skin can feel quite raw afterwards. Red. Sensitive. Swollen. Itchy. Peeling. Etc.

It would be nice to have a skin care line that targets before, during, and after non-surgical procedures. Beauty treatments that take away discomfort and keep skin primed for best results.

Look no more----Clinique and Allergan have hooked up to develop a new line of treatments that zero in on skin undergoing such non-invasive procedures. Recently introduced, the line is called, Clinique Medical.

It is by prescription only, and you can find it at your favorite dermatologist's office.

These treatments by Clinique Medical are superb for prepping skin. Clinique Medical offers a daily-use, pre, post and ongoing regimen created to optimize the results of non-surgical cosmetic procedures. The line also includes a treatment for the drying effects of certain prescription medications.

We checked out the website www.cliniquemedical.com, and found a list of treatments:

Meet the Clinique Medical lineup:
To reduce the chance of irritation, every formula is allergy tested, 100% fragrance free, and formulated without preservatives.

Pre Procedure
Probiotic Cleanser
Skin Conditioning Treatment
Optimizing Treatment Cream
Daily SPF 38
Post Procedure
Probiotic Cleanser
Recovery Week Complex
Daily SPF 38
Ongoing Care
Probiotic Cleanser
Optimizing Treatment Cream
Daily SPF 38
Further Skin Support
Dry Spot Balm

We are happy to see two skin care giants like Clinique and Allergan join great scientific minds, and develop a valuable line of beauty treatments for those of you undergoing non-invasive skin procedures.

Most times, women undergo serious skin-saving procedures and are left to recuperate at home with few, if any, after treatments. Clinique Medical is trying to change that and offer women and men a regimen to maintain that beautiful glow.

Amazing Aussie Naomi Watts' Beauty Tips

Can you believe Australian actress Naomi Watts is really 40-years-old?!

She is the proud mom of two little boys. She gave birth recently to her second.

Naomi Watts is a fresh-faced beauty. Very low maintenance. And she also has the type of facial canvas where you can create tons of different, attractive looks. Makeup artists love her features. You can build her look from girl-next-door to screen siren with just a little of this and that.

Maybe that's why Naomi is the new face of Thierry Mugler Angel. The fragrance is one with power and presence, and she loves dabbing it on in the evenings. Angel Eau de Parfum is available at fine department stores like Saks 5th Avenue ($177, 2.6 oz.).

Speaking of Mugler, he's also got a super mascara formula that Naomi Watts also adores wearing to special events at night. Thierry Mugler Flash on Lash Mascara ($28). "You get major length using this," she says.

We also learned from InStyle magazine recently, that Naomi doesn't go anywhere without applying sunscreen first. Her fav is Coppertone Water Babies Sunscreen Lotion ($18). This is the strong one with an SPF at 50.

"If it's sensitive enough for a baby, it's good enough for me," Naomi Watts told the magazine.

And running around with a new baby and an active one-year-old also means that the cinema star prefers the natural, pretty look for daytime. And Naomi adds warmth and a punch of soft color with Stila Cherry Crush Lip & Cheek Stain ($24, sephora.com).

"Gives a nice berry tint to lips and cheeks," she says.

Thanks for the beauty tips, Naomi.

Tim Gunn's Can't Miss Beautiful Style Tips For Women

"Make it work, people." Can't you just hear Project Runway fashion guru Tim Gunn talking the talk?!

We adore Tim Gunn. He has tons of style and class, and we thought it would be fun to further examine his fabulous tips for women. Not only do we need beauty on the face and neck and hair, but also beauty in fashion, to complete the picture.

Time after time, we have listened to Tim Gunn advise women on how to build a timeless and beautiful wardrobe. Don't forget---he does have another very popular show on the Bravo network, Tim Gunn's Guide to Style.


Ladies, Here are your wardrobe essentials according to Tim Gunn:

Every woman should own:
1. A well-cut Black Dress
2. A classic Trench
3. A great Fitted Jacket

And yes, your feet, coming and going, do matter. People look at shoes. Tim Gunn's tips for putting your best foot forward:

To be stylish, you need 3 kinds of shoes:
1. A Pump
2. A Stiletto
3. A perfect pair of Ballet Flats




Sensible and sound advice coming from the New York City fashion district expert. As Tim Gunn recently told InStyle magazine, "Style is about silhouette and fit. You can make anything work, if those two are in harmony."

By the way, the two fashion looks above, are right from the Victoria's Secret catalogue, great markdowns going on right now!

Spray Dirt By Jonathan Antin Locks In Texture

Greasy roots?!

No thank you.

How about that second-day style with the piecey texture? That's what you're looking for. And we've found it. Actually, a bunch of women have been raving all about Spray Dirt, the Texture Hold Hairspray by Jonathan Antin.

Jonathan is Hollywood royalty when it comes to styling hair. He has been known to tame the precious manes of Kirsten Dunst, Madonna, Tiger Woods, Kate Bosworth, the PussyCat Dolls, and so many others. Jonathan Antin also had a popular reality TV show on the Bravo network called Blow Out.

Maybe not the cheapest beauty product on the block at $29 for a 4.25 oz. bottle. But hey, it is your hair.

We found a number of wonderful hair items at http://www.jonathanproduct.com/. Also at ULTA, Sephora, QVC, and other fine beauty shopping stores.

Women have been loving his Spray Dirt. It gives the hair lots of shape and definition, without delivering a case of the 'greasies.' The special formula gives nourishment to locks and also has UVA and UVB filters to protect strands from the sun and from color fading. More shine and less static to dry ends.

And it's easy to 'get dirty' with Jonathan Antin:

Shake well. Spray evenly onto dry hair. Work through hair, lifting layers. Can be used alone or in combination with other Dirt styling products.

Masks Can Give Skin A Big Boost In Just Minutes

We know, there are days you just want to cover your face, and not face the world. Big pimple. Melasma. Scars. Wrinkles. Over-oily skin. Dry complexion. Etc.

Okay, maybe we can't eradicate everything perfectly, but a great beauty mask can deliver the goods!

A mask is a very useful beauty treatment. First, you don't need a lot of time to have a mask go to work.

Second, a beauty mask can help cover, or 'mask' some of your imperfections, at least for a few hours.

Let's say you have an important and major event to attend, and your skin is looking dull and tired. Give your complexion an instant boost with a mask.

And we ain't talking an egg white mask that your moms and grandmoms used to use (although that's a decent, natural mask).

Today's beauty masks, are made of more sophisticated formulas. Active ingredients that are more intense in a very brief time.

We have chosen two excellent masks for you to try:

Ahava Source Purifying Mud Mask ($28, thecosmeticmarket.com).

Made with Dead Sea purifying minerals. Acts quickly--just 2 minutes to stamp out grime, clear blackheads, and dry up oily skin and blemishes.

Astara Golden Flame Hydration Mask ($14, secure.earthsaversonline.com).

Formulated with a special, natural element that retains moisture in the cells. Enhanced with aloe vera gel and refining cucumber extract. Skin plumps up and fine lines appear diminished.