It's Amazing What The Right Makeup And Hair Can Do For A Woman

Wow. That's all we have to say here.

We know the photo with the lady and the microphone is singing sensation Susan Boyle.

But be honest. Would you know that the photo of the glam woman with the chic clothing and hairstyle is also that of 48-year-old Susan Boyle?!

We did a double-take, and then a triple-take. My goodness. Like we've always said before.....a little makeup and pretty hair can make a huge difference in a woman's life. Huge! Just covering up dark, undereye circles and wearing a little lip gloss can speak volumes.

The photos were taken of the Britain's Got Talent star for the September issue of Harper's Bazaar magazine. On newsstands August 18th.

Susan Boyle, the Scotland native who lives with her cat, Pebbles, was excited to pose for Harper's and to get made-up and glam. Back in April, Susan received her first makeover with a more fashionable wardrobe, darker locks, and thinner eyebrows.

And now these amazing photos with Harper's Bazaar, have her looking younger, slender, and so attractive. But Susan hasn't gone in for the real Hollywood makeover yet, and has some reservations:

"Maybe I'll consider a makeover later on," she said a few days before showing off her new look. "For now I'm happy the way I am -- short and plump. I would not go in for Botox or anything like that. I'm content with the way I look. What's wrong with looking like Susan Boyle? What's the matter with that?"

Watch the behind-the-scenes video of Susan Boyle's Harper's Bazaar photo shoot here:

http://www.harpersbazaar.com/fashion/fashion-video/#v31836604001

Jumping Rope Without A Rope: A Genius Product?

We've done a couple of BeautyTipToday articles on the value of jumping rope. And here's another. But this time, we are 'jumping rope without a rope.'

No. We haven't lost our mind. Maybe many of you have already been aware of JumpSnap.

So, what is it?

It sounds too good to be true, but if you aren't too co-ordinated when it comes to jumping with a real rope, this could be your answer.

Jumping rope is an excellent exercise. It is not expensive, and requires some room, but still, an economical way to burn calories, and quickly tone up the entire body, and get the heart rate up. And yeah, ladies.....jumping rope tones the triceps, the 'dingle-dangle' or underarm jiggle.

This brings us back to 'imaginary' jumping.

JumpSnap is a fitness gadget that is computerized. Just enter your height and weight and the computer will coach you through a workout. JumpSnap counts calories, exercise time and alerts you when you’ve reached your exercise time or number of jumps goal. How cool is that! Plus, there's no rope, so you can't trip over it. Ha!

And the JumpSnap is selling right now for $49.95, http://www.jumpsnap.com/. The JumpSnap kit includes two handles with a built-in computer, three interchangeable weights for each handle, two DVDs and a handy mesh carrying bag. It also comes with a 30-day money back guarantee.

Why is jumping rope good for your body?

The stats show: Jumping at mod. speed (btw. 70-85 turns a min.) for 15 minutes, burns about 200 cals. Same amount as running a 10-minute mile. You also receive a total body workout. Jumping utilizes almost every major muscle group. Streamlines the upper body + trims fat away on arms (triceps).

Whether it's an $8 rope from WalMart or the ropeless JumpSnap, get your body moving! Jumping rope is great for everybody.

Remove Makeup With Eco-Friendly Bear Naked Wipes

If you wear enjoy wearing makeup, do you get the same satisfaction of removing it?

It can be a royal pain the in the you-know-what, to get rid of every last trace of eyeliner, shadow, blush, foundation, concealer, mascara, lip gloss, etc.

And if any of these makeup items are water-proof, well, you have to work twice as hard to remove them all. And that's just before you begin your cleansing routine.

As we all know, you should never sleep in makeup. Period.

One makeup artist suggested removing makeup with baby wipes, like Pampers or Huggies. Those wipes work well, but can sting your eyes and sensitive faces.

We've found a new wipe. And this one's eco-friendly. And has to do with polar bears. Say what?!

Model Josie Maran has developed her own beautiful makeup line. And one of her popular products are the Josie Maran Bear Naked Wipes ($12, at http://www.josiemarancosmetics.com/ or http://www.sephora.com/).


We really like these removal makeup wipes because the product is environmentally-friendly and Josie gives a portion of the proceeds to protect endangered animals like the polar bear.

Josie's website explains the Bear Naked Wipes:

Erase your face, not the polar bear race!
Wipe off makeup and dirt nature's way, with a blend of natural and healthy ingredients including aloe vera, cucumber, and vitamin E. Free of fragrance, parabens, and petrochemicals, these luxuriously soft wipes are kind to tender eyes and skin and are biodegradable. Leave your skin feeling nourished and refreshed!

To learn more or get involved, please visit http://www.polarbearsos.org/.

Should You Rush To Get On Rush's Weight Loss Diet Plan?

Let's talk about radio host Rush Limbaugh. No, not his political leanings. Please!

But let's take a look at him. Rush is looking lean and mean. And it seems like women and men everywhere, want to know his successful weight loss diet plan. It's becoming the latest Hollywood craze.

We just learned that the talk show host has been on the Quick Weight Loss Center plan. And so far, he's lost 79 lbs!!

Rush looks great, but should you, too, rush to get on Rush's weight loss diet plan?

Let's take a closer look. And you can find out what the diet is all about at the website: http://www.quickweightloss.net/.

Rush Limbaugh explains the Quick Weight Loss Center diet plan:

"I don't know the caloric intake of one thing I'm eating," he explains. "All I know is that it adds up to about 1,500 calories. It's a factor, but it is the way the proteins, the complex carbs and the fats and even some fruit get put together during the course of the day.

"For example, you cannot have two proteins at one meal. So I cannot have one night Surf and Turf. I can have five and a half ounces of fillet, seven ounces of chicken or fish, but I can't combine it. I can't have three ounces of beef and four ounces of fish. I don't know why. I just follow it and it works. I've never lost weight faster than this diet."

And he adds, "I've done every other diet, folks, that there is. I'm not insulting any of them, but for the first time -- for example, breakfast and lunch, I mean I ate breakfast in five minutes and lunch in ten, there's no reason to ever abandon that, totally satisfying. It's just the easiest one and it's the fastest. I'm 58 years old, I never lost weight this fast, almost 90 pounds here since March 9th, not even six months yet, and it was 40 pounds in like 45 or 50 days."

Doctors caution that when the weight falls off so quickly, the diet plan might not be as sound, because to keep the lbs. off, you would have to be on this 1,500 Calorie plan forever.

We're not sure about that, but people become encouraged when the weight slides off immediately, and it keeps your self-esteem high. We're not here to judge, just to lay out the facts. And of course, check with your own doctor before signing up for any diet plan.

Priti Is As Pretty Does: Organic Without Chemicals

We have received personal emails in the past, begging us to do more stories that involve organic beauty. Organic skin care. Organic cosmetics. Etc.

So we began our search, and stumbled onto a pretty website called pritinyc.com.

As you can easily see, the photo depicts a very pretty woman. And Kim D'Amato is priti. This is her New York City company which also includes her organic spa, located on the Lower East Side.

And here is one of her many beautiful organic nail polishes. This one is a really lovely nude. A naked shade that works on every skin tone. If you want subtle and 'priti', try this shade, King Protea ($12.50, http://www.pritinyc.com/).

And we all know what non-organic nail polish can do to our nails, besides ugly yellowing and sometimes, infection, and so forth.

Priti Polish is refreshing and safe and gentle, as suggested at Kim D'Amato's website:

Priti Polish, a private collection of nail polishes that are formulated without toluene, dibutyl phthalate (DBP) and formaldehyde -all known carcinogenic ingredients. With over 100 colors to choose from that are all safe for moms, mother's to be, and children as well.

The polishes are housed in a 12.6 ml. bottle that is completely recyclable. They are fast drying, chip resistant, non-yellowing, contains a UV inhibitor, and are super durable and glossy. All Priti Polishes are named after similar colored plants and flowers such as... Magic Man Iris, China Pink Tulip, White Ballet Dahlia, and Shirley Temple Peony, and of course, or new fav.....King Protea..

Priti also has a wonderful stock of Organic mud masks, Organic sugar scrubs, Organic soy polish remover, Organic hands and feet cream, etc.

We like Kim D'Amato's thinking. She's way ahead of her time.

How To Wash Out Brassy Over-Processed Hair Color

We have a number of friends and acquaintances with a similar summer hair problem:

Brassy hair color!!!

We are no hair diva. Trust us. We have had our own share of hair traumas. But always remember, when you color hair darker, you can hide a multitude of mistakes. When you start lightening up strands, problems kick in. Or when you perm, over-color, get too much sun, over-heat or blow-dry, the brassies start showing up.

Even pretty celebrities end up with brassy hair. It happens to the best of them. Like lovely Drew Barrymore. Stylists have been knocking her brassy locks, for a few months now. We still find Drew to be looking glam and sexy.

And how about Eva Longoria? She rarely has a bad hair day. But famous stylist Louis Licari, gave the Latin beauty the big thumbs down in the color department with a brassy look last year.(See photo above)

But we have found a simple, quick, and what appears to be, a great method to say 'bye-bye' to brassy hair color.

We found this beauty on a budget tip in the pages of InStyle magazine's annual Makeover issue, '50 Best Beauty Tips of all Time.'

All you need is one packet of Grape Kool-Aid Powder:

1. Wash hair with a mixture of the Grape Kool-Aid powder (just a pinch) and 4 Tablespoons of your regular shampoo. Rinse. Style as you always do.

2. The purple blue cancels out the brassy gold orange over-processed shades because it is on the opposite side of the color spectrum.

There you have it. Does this Kool-Aid beauty tip really work? Well, according to N.Y.C. stylist Tippi Shorter, it sure does.

You have nothing to lose. Just a pinch of Grape Kool-Aid Powder would be quite gentle on your hair.

Gwyneth's Cleansing: Good Sense Or Dodo Diet Advice?

Apparently, the diet cleansing is working for actress Gwyneth Paltrow. That and a love of working out, since she and Madonna share the same fitness trainer. However, we like the 'softer, rounder curves' Gwyneth is showing, rather than Madge's too sinewy muscular silhouette.

Here is Gwyneth Paltrow at the Children of the City 'Champions of Hope' benefit in New York City Wednesday night.

Paltrow, who recently finished filming "Iron Man 2" wore a black, sparkling mini dress by Preen and black booties, with the familiar red kabbalah string around her wrist.

Gwyneth is fresh from another 3-week-long cleansing. That means 3 weeks of smoothies and salads. Actually, we are attracted to that diet plan. We believe we could pull that off.

But the Academy-award winning actress has been 'pooh-poohed' by critics, claiming that her lifestyle website, Goop.com, is teaching women how to detox and cleanse. And some medical professionals claim that cleansing can cause serious problems with the body.

The cleanse, developed by Gwyneth's doctor and detox diet specialist, Dr. Alejandro Junger, is made up of two liquid meals a day with a solid one (no processed foods, dairy, sugar, etc) in between.

Let's be real here.....Gwyneth Paltrow is already uber slim to begin with, but then again, she is seen by millions on the big screen, and actresses want to be very thin because the camera adds about 15 lbs. Still, it is difficult to read on her website, about having to shed a few extra lbs. she gained at the holidays. Er, where are those lbs. hiding?

So what's wrong with diet or detox cleansing?

We hunted around for information, and found these quotes from FoxNews.com. Interviewed was Peter Pressman, MD, an internal medicine specialist at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.

According to Dr. Pressman, "the problem is that some groups may suffer severe adverse effects from highly restrictive diets. They include children and teenagers, pregnant or breastfeeding women, seniors, and people with heart disease, diabetes, or other chronic conditions. These groups are especially vulnerable to intestinal and even cardiac problems stemming from malnutrition."

Another specialist was quoted, too. Dawn Jackson-Blatner, a dietitian at the Northwestern Memorial Hospital Wellness Institute and American Dietetic Association spokeswoman, tells WebMD this:

"The problem is most detox diets are so restrictive that they’re ineffective for long-term use. And any weight loss that occurs during the diet is likely to be temporary.

“When people think about losing weight, they think about losing fat,” she says. “But this is water lost and water gained.”

To take a look at Gwyneth Paltrow's website and her detox cleansing, click on http://www.goop.com/.