Fekkai Brush-On Hair Color For At-Home Convenience

We've never met him, but we've always had a crush on this superstar hairstylist Frederic Fekkai. And his celebrity client list is an impressive one. The beautiful heads of Salma Hayek, Victoria Beckham, Tyra Banks, Debra Messing, and on and on.

The Manhattan-based Frederic Fekkai has a unique at-home haircoloring box you can try. It's been out for almost a year now, and a lot of women like this brush-on permanent hair color. So we thought we would take a look inside the box.

As far as we know, Fekkai Salon Color is the only at-home color kit that comes with a brush and bowl technique, just like one sees in a professional salon. It isn't cheap at $30 a box, but a lot cheaper than heading to the stylist every month.

Fekkai Salon Color comes in 20 delicious shades, and promises long-lasting color with gray coverage and a 40% increase in softness and shine.

Here's what is in the box:

Each Salon Color comes with one application of Frederic Fekkai's signature, three-product coloring regime and the essential tools to achieve a "just stepped out of the salon" look:
- Pre-color Treatment provides targeted repair, guarding ends and dry sections against oversaturation.
- Professional Color delivers a triple-conditioning complex of luxurious butters for moisture and radiance, as well as soothing extracts to help calm the scalp.

You can buy Fekkai Salon Color at beauty stores: http://www.sephora.com/ and http://www.ulta.com/.

Take a look at the customer reviews. The only potential problem we could see, was that a number of blonde women complained that the Fekkai shades were darker than what the stated color should be. So maybe go a shade lighter?

Perricone's No Foundation Foundation: One Shade Fits All

We get a little leery about 'one shade or one size or one color fits all,' when it comes to the world of makeup, skin care, and hair.

But here we go again. And this time, the universal beauty product is coming from the skin care master himself, Nicholas Perricone.

We have used Dr. Perricone's beauty treatments, and we have to say, the products are expensive, but work very nicely and quickly.

His newest creation is the No Foundation Foundation ($50, http://www.perricone.com/ and http://www.sephora.com/).

We have not sampled this featherweight foundation yet. But we caught a recent item in New York magazine.com, and the Perricone product piqued our beauty interest. Here is what they found:

......"the No Foundation Foundation ($50) is a true testament that one foundation can indeed be worn by different complexions. Our panel of testers ranged from pale white to dark-skinned black, with some olive and tan tones thrown in for good measure. Surprisingly, the foundation blended with everyone's skin, and coverage was subtle and natural looking....."

Read the full article here: http://nymag.com/shopping/bestbets/friday/56736/

What we like about Dr. Perricone's new No Foundation Foundation, is its non-chemical SPF of 30. In addition, the product also contains one of our fav Perricone trademark ingredients--Alpha Lipoic Acid, the powerful anti-oxidant that improves skin texture and tone, while it reduces the appearance of pesky fine lines and wrinkles.

If you don't like slapping on foundation, or find that wearing a base feels heavy, give this one a shot. It's supposed to impart a healthy glow and even out your complexion.

Fabulous Fedora Fashion Trend: The Boyfriend Look

There's a fashion frenzy at the moment. The fedora is back big time!! This is the fashion accessory for summer 2009!!

Lightweight fedoras for women, in fabric like straw and linen, are all over the place. From Hollywood to your neighborhood, now is the time to hide from the strong rays of the sun, and to also sport a classic, cool, boyfriend look.

Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan, and Reese Witherspoon, are just a few of the famous faces wearing fabulous fedoras. And just remember, when you're donning a hat, you won't be having a bad hair day-- at least no one will be able to tell.

Fedoras comes in all kinds of styles, fabrics, and weights, but for the hot summer days ahead, we would suggest either a straw or linen.

And since we have all been seeing some tough economic times these days, we searched for a couple of handsome fedoras that won't break your budget.

1. Linen Fedora Hat- Tan ($17.99, Amazon.com). One size fits most. A cool and breathable hat. Comes in several delicious shades.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000PQFLI0/ref=asc_df_B000PQFLI0820154/?tag=dealt137389-20&creative=380333&creativeASIN=B000PQFLI0&linkCode=asn2. Spillane Straw Fedora ($28, Urban Outfitters). With a subtly rolled brim, a classic hat in featherweight straw with pleated trim.

http://tiny.cc/0vjAG

How To Get Fab Toned Arms Like Cameron Diaz

We like Cameron Diaz, not only for her fine acting abilities and goofy laugh, but for her unique fashion sense and healthy, slender body.

Today, we are looking at her fab, toned arms. And yes, you can get these buff arms with a little exercise and a couple of small weights or dumbbells.

There is no way around it. You must work out. Cameron Diaz will turn 37-years-old in August. And she's still rockin' these fab, toned arms.

Believe it or not, this is a simple exercise routine. And you can get the 3-step plan right from the mouth of her trainer, Teddy Bass. He gave out her toning tips to People magazine.

Bass' three-step arm workout for Cameron Diaz:
Reverse flies (15-20 reps done by stepping into a lunge and raising arms parallel to shoulders), Tricep kickbacks (10 reps per arm done in a lunge, leaning forward with a flat back and extending weights behind close to the elbows)
And 15-20 reps of Bicep curls.

Sure, it takes time to get your arms buff like Cameron's, but you will start seeing results rather quickly, says Teddy Bass.

"Arms shape up faster than any other body part. You'll see changes after two to three weeks!"

Don't Need To Be On TV To Get Flawless Skin With HD Microfinish

HD. High Definition TV. We all know what that means: flawless pictures, ultra-smooth surfaces, every teeny detail exposed........and every woman's nightmare when it comes to skin...up close and personal.

Oh my!! Every teensy imperfection is magnified to the nth degree when it comes to digital imagery.

But thank the world for brilliant makeup companies like Make Up For Ever. Their newest baby is the HD Microfinish Powder ($30, http://www.sephora.com/).

Makeup artists everywhere are talking about this featherweight powder. So very light, and yet it sets makeup beautifully and keeps your face shine-free for hours and hours.

You don't have to be a glamorous TV anchor or actress to wear this HD Microfinish Powder. You will get a similar soft, smooth complexion by dusting on this extremely fine powder. Your face will be 'camera-ready' as they say.

HD Microfinish is offered in one universal shade—which looks white in the jar, but goes on transparent. The magic is in the spherical micro-beads that give skin a matte, velvety "soft focus" effect. We love that, and don't worry, this colorless powder will not change the color of your foundation.

Just think of HD Microfinish Powder as the very last step in your daily makeup routine. Ready, set, and go!

Summer Time Means Clairol Frost & Tip And HairPainting

We have told you time and time again, that it's best to leave the complex haircoloring to the professionals, especially when it involves a 2-step color processing.

But what if you just want to head into the balmy breezes of June, July, and August with a gently sun-kissed mane of hair?

Summer time means Clairol Frost & Tip Nice 'n Easy and Clairol HairPainting Nice 'n Easy.

And Clairol puts out a very good highlighting kit for women to use at home, according to New York City colorist Marcello Paglionico. He told InStyle magazine that this formulation really delivers, "beautiful, natural, beachy" highlights without a hint of brassiness. And because it is oil-based, it leaves hair in fantastic condition."

And the price is nice, $10.99, at your favorite drugstore.

Take a peek at the results below:

There is also the Clairol HairPainting Kit to use, but which one is right for your degree of highlighting?

It's simple: If your hair is already color-treated, then use Clairol's HairPainting kit, also $10.99:

YOUR STARTING COLOR
Medium Brown to Light Blonde
THE LOOK YOU'LL GET
Natural-looking highlights on the top layer of hair only.

Use Clairol's Frost 'n Tip kit for hair that isn't colored with permanent dye:

YOUR STARTING COLOR
Dark Brown to Light Blonde
Medium Brown to Light Blonde
THE LOOK YOU'LL GET
All-over highlights and the flexibility to create subtle or more striking natural-looking dimension; great if you wear ponytails or updos.

For more details, go to Clairol's excellent website: http://www.clairol.com/

Aquaphor Cheap Nighttime Eye Cream Says NYC Derm

We're all trying to get our beauty's worth, each time we spend money on treatments that promise to deliver.

Promises that equal smoother skin, smaller pores, acne-free complexion, wrinkles zapped, and so on.

And when these beauty products don't exactly live up to the hype, the frustration deepens. And when you've shelled out a lot of $$$ to look pretty, well, that really hurts.

Today we are looking at a simple jar of Aquaphor Healing Ointment ($8.99, 3.5 oz., drugstores everywhere).

On the jar it reads: 'Advanced Therapy for dry, cracked, or irritated skin. Clinically proven to restore smooth, healthy skin.'

And according to New York City Dermatologist Laurie Polis (see photo), this little jar does something else-----it acts a a superb nighttime eye cream.

Laurie Polis told In Style Magazine that Aquaphor Healing Ointment does its best work when you've retired for the night, which is actually the best time to treat your skin.

"It conditions lashes and hydrates the delicate eye skin really well," Laurie Polis says. And she swears by this product.

Who is Laurie Polis? She is a celebrity dermatologist. And her client list is quite impressive-----Madonna, Naomi Campbell, Drew Barrymore, Kate Moss, and even Mel Gibson.

Many of you have already used Aquaphor Healing Ointment for years on dry, cracked heels, on sunburns, chapped lips, fresh tattoos, newly shaven legs, and the list goes on.

The only advice we will give you: While using the product around the eyes, be careful when applying. You don't want to get the ointment in the eyes.