How To Clean Makeup Brushes The Right Way

Makeup brushes. From the blush brush to the eyeshadow brush to the mineral powder brushes, we all use some kind of makeup brush every day. It's an important, daily step in building your canvas or beauty portrait.

But if you pause for a moment, take a closer look at your collection of makeup brushes.

Are your brushes clean? We'll be honest, we have often neglected cleaning our makeup brushes on a proper schedule. And if you think about it, makeup brushes can do great things for your complexion and give your face a polished finish. But these brushes can also absorb lots of grease and grime. Yuck. And you wonder sometimes, where these breakouts come from?! And the dirt that builds up also flattens the hairs on these brushes, limiting their ability to give the coverage they were designed for.

We will show you how to clean makeup brushes the right way. You have a few options to choose from:

1. Professional Brush Cleanser. Good ones to try are MAC ($11) and Japonesque. These cleansers clean, disinfect, and condition the brush hairs or fibers, and that means a longer lasting makeup brush. The solution also cuts down drying time.

Fill a small bowl with an inch of Mac Brush Cleanser and submerge brush hairs into the solution. Let brushes soak for 15 minutes. Then rinse thoroughly with warm water. And dry brushes on paper towels.

2. Shampoo. Baby shampoo is even better, because it's very gentle. This is how we clean our makeup brushes. Fill up your sink with water and enough shampoo to build a nice lather and submerge your brushes. Massage brush fibers and watch the grimey buildup wash away. Rinse throughly and dry on paper towels.

3. Liquid dishwashing soap. Some makeup artists swear by this stuff. You can try Dawn. This one is really tough on grease, and it can also get busy lifting away impurities off your makeup brushes. Just fill a small bowl of dishwashing soap. Submerge the brush hairs in and swish around. Rinse with warm water, and again, dry on paper towels.

4. Gentle Facial Cleanser. We have a friend who uses Philosophy's Purity Face Wash. Contains no dyes or perfumes. It's gentle on skin, and therefore, kind to makeup brushes. And just a little dab massaged into brushes and then rinsed, will do the job.

By the way, if you can't find the time to clean makeup brushes once a week, then every other week is fine. Just remember to clean brushes. It's the only way to extend the life of your makeup accessories and important to keep the face bacteria-free.

Are You 'Ready For Jenny?' Sara Rue Is On The Diet

Jenny Craig has a new celebrity on their famous diet plan:

Meet actress Sara Rue from television's Eastwick.

Sara hopes to shed 30 lbs. on the weight loss program, and become another Jenny Craig celebrity success story. Look at 40-something Valerie Bertinelli. She lost 40 lbs. on the 2-phase diet plan, and is proudly maintaining her slender, healthy shape.

The 31-year-old Sara Rue explains why she has become Jenny Craig's newest spokesperson:
"My weight has fluctuated my whole life, and because I've been on TV since I was 11 years old, everyone has seen it. Like so many women in this country I have a problem controlling what I eat based on my emotional health."

Most people are somewhat familiar with the Jenny Craig diet plan. According to their website, dieticians plan the menu which consists of
Jenny's Cuisine™. These pre-portioned meals serve as "the foundation of the menu and a model for balance, variety and moderation in food choices. Clients will supplement these foods with their own fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, reduced fat dairy and heart-healthy fats. When clients are halfway to their goal weight they will be transitioned to a meal plan that includes more of their own foods."

The way we understand it, the Jenny plan breaks down to 6 small meals throughout the day. And the diet includes Phase 1 and Phase 2 (half way to your goal weight), and Maintenance. Exercise is encouraged along with a healthy lifestyle. And clients get a personalized calorie level designed to promote a weekly weight loss of 1-2 lbs or 1% or current weight.

There's a big menu of foods to choose from.....pancakes, french toast, spinach tortellini, macaroni and cheese, and even snacks like Jenny's cheese curls.

Sara Rue looks curvy and pretty. Some are arguing that she doesn't even need to lose any weight. But the auburn-haired actress in already on the Jenny Craig diet plan, and hopes to follow in Valerie Bertinelli's lighter footsteps.

By the way, Sara Rue will start appearing in Jenny Craig's new advertising campaign in January 2010.

"We're very excited to have Sara join the Jenny Craig family," says Patti Larchet, CEO for Jenny Craig. "She has embraced our program wholeheartedly and is very optimistic about this new challenge in her life. Sara will relate to women and men from all walks of life that have struggled with their weight and are now looking to get healthier."

For more information, visit: Jenny Craig. Or call 1-800-JennyCare.

New Maybelline Foundation Claims Color Stay All Day

Foundation is one of those love/hate makeup products. And yet, foundation really is an essential building block to one's makeup routine.

You say you don't need foundation? Think again. Professional makeup artists use it all the time to create beautiful faces for magazine covers and television appearances.

If you can claim perfect skin, which most of us on the planet do not have, then all you need is sunscreen, a little concealer under the eyes, a swipe of blush, and off you go.

But for the rest of the vast population, ladies, you need the coverage. Foundation provides balance to skin tone. Hides imperfections like shadows, redness, and pimples. Gives a little warmth to the complexion. Provides a shield against the harsh elements, especially if it is made with an SPF. And foundation is the smooth canvas on which to layer concealer, blush, shadow, liner, powder, and so on.

Today, we are taking a closer look at a new Maybelline product: Maybelline SuperStay 24 Hour Foundation ($9.99, at drugstores).

Maybelline is trying to rival Revlon's classic and popular favorite, ColorStay Foundation. ColorStay has been around for a number of years now. Many of you might recall model Cindy Crawford doing the television ads for the liquid foundation, wearing a white shirt and bragging how Revlon ColorStay lasts and lasts and never rubs off.

ColorStay is a great liquid foundation, and Maybelline hopes you think the same about their SuperStay Foundation.

We can tell you that Maybelline's SuperStay comes in a similar formula as ColorStay:

Micro-Flex formula provides 24-hour wear and No Transfer.

Withstands heat, sweat and humidity.

Oil-free, dermatogolist tested, fragrance-free.

Suitable for all skin types.

SuperStay also comes in 5 light, 5 medium, and 2 dark shades.

And that's always the big challenge---matching foundation to your face. Not easy and never perfect. Choosing the right shade of foundation seems nearly impossible, but professional makeup artist Sandy Linter says you can get close. “I apply a swipe of color near the neck. On the face under the cheekbone. It has to blend into the skin, not exactly match it. But it should cover. Apply it on broken capillaries or something you need to tone down, like ruddy cheeks. See how the foundation sits on the skin.”

For more super tips on foundation, take a look at an interview we did with the famous celebrity makeup artist Sandy Linter.

Bravura London Has Coolest Gel Cleanser For Detoxifying Experience

We've spoken several times here at Beauty Tip Today about Glycolic Acid. And we're not done talking about this popular alpha hydroxy acid. Here we go again.

Last October, we introduced you to the Bravura London skin care company. We had stumbled across their website and found an amazing 15% Glycolic Acid Night Treatment. And sure, it might be a little slower in coming by Royal mail across our shores, but the Bravura London beauty products are worth the extended journey. And here's why:

Glycolic Acid is important for the health of your skin. You've heard of Jan Marini, a well-respected product researcher. She's been a pioneer in the beauty science of Glycolic Acid, as her own website states. "Well before the technology was available to the mass market, Jan Marini pioneered the use of Glycolic Acid to improve the skin's appearance and texture. She was also the first to market a stable topical Vitamin C technology to promote healthier skin."

And the folks at Bravura London feel the same way. Here is how they break down the value of Glycolic Acid:

"While there were many skin care breakthroughs at the end of the last century, certainly one of the greatest was the discovery and application of Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs). Alpha-hydroxy acids are naturally occurring acids, derived from the sugars of selected plants and fruits such as Sugar Cane, Grapes, Citrus Fruits, Apples and Bitter Almonds. These acids perform at the base of the stratum corneum, dissolving the cement that holds dead skin cells together. Because this increases cell turnover, this results in skin that is more flexible, smoother, and more even in tone."

Today we are looking at Bravura London's Detoxifying Gel Cleanser(10% Glycolic Acid) ($13.96). We have to say, it's a heady experience using this cleanser. We have seen nothing else like it! First of all, it smells like a delicious sweet/tart lemon lollipop. It's a pale yellow, jello-looking cleanser that has these tiny citrus-y beads that scrub away at dirt and impurities.

You apply the Detoxifying Cleansing Gel on to dry skin. Massage in with fingertips and then add water to fingertips, and work through again, building up a nice, creamy lather. Rinse well with lukewarm water.

This product really makes your skin feel super clean, soft, and cool. It is suitable for oily or problem skin. It effectively helps to fight bacteria and increases the rate of exfoliation.

"The 10% concentration of glycolic acid works to loosen dead skin and unblock your pores, it also contains a mixture of botanicals, essential oils and dead see minerals drawn from the mineral salts and mud of the Dead Sea. The effects are cosmetic and therapeutic, purifying, reviving, toning, and healing. Due to the natural ingredients and essential oils, this product has a very fresh but not overpowering smell, and so it stimulates your senses as well as your skin."

For more information, visit Bravura London.

QVC Welcomes Isaac Mizrahi New Lifestyle Line And TV Show Dec. 4

Who doesn't adore designer Isaac Mizrahi?!

He's got great style, high energy, a wicked sense of humor, and now----a whole new line of, well, cheesecakes to sequin tees to studded berets. Simply fabulous!!

The new line is called, Isaac Mizrahi Live, and cable shopping network QVC welcomes the celebrated designer on Friday, December 4th. All of the items will retail from $32 to $300, says QVC.

It's a lifestyle collection of clothing, handbags, shoes, jewelry, home decor and kitchen accessories. And Isaac likes to think of lifestyle powerhouse Martha Stewart, and the wonderful empire she has carefully constructed:

"As I build my brand, I think about Martha Stewart and her very upward trajectory. She has always been a great inspiration to me,"says the 47-year-old designer.

And in case you are wondering, QVC reaches nearly 166 million homes. Wow, not too shabby.

We have learned in an interview with the Wall Street Journal that this QVC show will also be a sort of talk show, airing 8 hours a month. Isaac Mizrahi will take questions from viewers about his personal life. And the show is actually going to be filmed on a pricey television set built right within Mizrahi's New York studio, and be the first ever shot in high-definition. Pretty high-tech.

Isaac certainly has a gift for gab and a sharp fashion sense, so we believe this could be a huge success for him, in his continuing record of fashionable and fabulous achievements.

And his timing couldn't be more perfect with Hanukkah and Christmas on the way. Believe it or not, the chatty Isaac told WSJ.com, that is favorite part of the new show is his attention to the yummy foods he will be selling.

At 10, he says he was browsing through recipes and became intrigued by the word “sauté.” “I liked the way it sounded—sauté, sauté, sauté!” says Mr. Mizrahi, who says he used to spend weekends cooking peppers and mushrooms in a pan until they were mushy. “Call my mother. This is what I did on Saturday mornings.”

For further details on Isaac Mizrahi Live, visit QVC.com

Conditioners Keep Hair Soft And Sleek In Cold Winter Air

Hair can be high maintenance in the cold winter air. Dry air and heated air indoors can cause frizzy, dull, flat, static electricity fly away locks.

No. You don't have to surrender your flat iron or blow dryer in the winter days approaching our doorsteps. But you do need to give hair some TLC. And we're talking about conditoners.

Your hair is crying out for moisture this time of year. And if you consider all the crazy things we do to our hair, like perming, straightening, blow drying, flat ironing, coloring, highlighting, bleaching, curling ironing, styling products applied, etc., then you can see how quickly and continuously we rob our hair of its shiny, natural oils.

Here are some excellent conditioners to keep your hair soft and shiny all season long:

1. Moroccanoil Intense Hydrating Mask ($50, 16.9 oz., free shipping). Salma Hayek and Cindy Crawford are just two beautiful-haired celebrities who swear by this brand. There are so many fans of Moroccanoil hair products. You'll love this hair mask. It's rich and creamy and works within 5 minutes for all hair types, restoring elasticity and shine to locks. You can buy Moroccanoil products at many online beauty stores like Skin-One.

2. Pantene Beautiful Lengths Conditioner ($7, 12.6 oz., at drugstores). In Style magazine named this one its best inexpensive conditioner for normal hair in 2009. A conditioner that hydrates without heaviness —at a serious bargain price. Makes hair "strong, shiny and bouncy," says N.Y.C. stylist David Cruz, who works with Scarlett Johansson and Blake Lively.

3. David Babaii for Wildaid Conditioner ($10, 13.5 oz., http://www.db4wildaid.com/). This green-conscious hair care line was developed by stylist David Babaii with his client and friend Kate Hudson. It's free of harsh detergents, artificial fragrances and parabens. Instead, you're getting natural ingredients from the South Pacific----hydrating kiwifruit and mineral-rich volcanic ash. Your hair gets back lots of bounce and healthy texture.

Hollywood Women Still Using Frownies To Smooth Out Wrinkles

Maybe your mother or grandmother, or even great-grandmother had a box of Frownies at their vanity table.

Frownies have been around for a very long time. In fact, according to their website, these all natural wrinkle smoothers worn while you sleep, were created in 1889. And what a wonderful story:

"Frownies were created in 1889 after Margaret Kroesen discovered that her daughter Alice, a concert pianist, had developed unsightly wrinkles and frown lines. With a desire to maintain her youthful beauty and stage presence, Mrs. Kroesen created Wrinkle Eradicators (as they were first called) by employing the basic principle of fitness to the muscles of the face. At the time, there was no thought of producing them for anyone else but herself and her daughter. But Alice, after using her mother's amazing invention, was a living testimony, and it became clear that women and men everywhere could benefit from these Wrinkle Eradicators."

And as the saying goes....the rest is history.

Today's Hollywood beauties still love using Frownies in a natural way to smooth out wrinkles. Rene Russo and Rashida Jones are big fans of Frownies. And before these two modern actresses raved about the product, there were legendary screen actresses like Olivia de Havilland and Gloria Swanson ordering Frownies.

So we thought we would take a look at the company and what these curious-looking, beige little facial pads are all about.

First of all, Frownies are made of all natural ingredients: vegetable-based adhesive on unbleached paper . The pads target the areas of the face where expression lines and wrinkles like to set up house--on the forehead and between the eyes. And at the corners of the eyes and mouth.

What Frownies ($19.99, box of 144, FREE shipping) do is train the underlying facial muscles to relax, while you are asleep. And what the product eventually delivers is smooth skin and softened deep lines.

But you must wear Frownies in your nighttime routine. According to Frownies.com, Frownies should be worn every day for 30 days to effectively retrain the facial muscles. After the 30 day period, continue to use Frownies four or more times per week to maintain your more youthful appearance. Frownies are applied by wetting them first:

Moisten the shiny side of Frownies with Frownies Hydrator Spray or water to activate the vegetable-based adhesive.
Using two fingers of one hand, smooth your skin while pressing Frownies with the fingers of your other hand. Hold in place until pad adheres. Leave on for a minimum of three hours, but preferably overnight.
To remove, thoroughly soak pads to release adhesive.

And the company has really branched out through the decades. In addition to Frownies Facial Pads, there is also Frownies Hydrator Spray (as mentioned above), Immune Perfect Wrinkle Cream, Under Eye Treatment Patch (New!), Immune Shield Serum, and ph Balancing Complexion Wash.

We like that there is a money back gurantee and a Frownies Video Tutorial on how to use the Hollywood wrinkle smoother at their website.