Tanning Salons Turn Pale Over 10% Tax And Bo-Tax Smoothed Away

Tanning tax versus Botox tax.

In the end, it shapes up like this for the Senate's sweeping health care reform bill that was passed on Christmas Eve:

Americans would continue to get cosmetic procedures like Botox and plastic surgery tax-free. Remember there was a proposed 5% Bo-Tax just a few weeks ago? Well, that was axed in the final stretch of the health care debate, but instead, tanning salons were thrown under the bus with a 10% tax on indoor tanning.

Tanning salons, all 20,000 of them located across the United States, are fuming, and rightly so. The tax would be a financial hardship on such a tiny industry. As Dan Humiston of the Indoor Tanning Association remarked, "We don't have the war chest...the medical industry has. We're somebody who won't fight back because we're too small."

And the business owner was correct, because the Allergan makers of Botox and the American Medical Association made a huge and successful $1 million lobbying effort in recent weeks, to have the Bo-Tax smoothed away, like Botox does instantly to wrinkles. And in its place, burned the tanning industry hard in the behind.

The tanning tax would start in July. And estimates show that such a tax would raise some $2.7 billion over 10 years.

Why would Botox, cosmetic and plastic surgery, and tanning salons even be considered taxable? And why include these mainly female procedures in a health care bill? The way we understand it, to help lawmakers look for ways to pay for expanding coverage.

But Allergan spokeswoman Caroline Van Hove says the Bo-Tax was discriminatory against women and that it really had zero to do with health care reform and costs:

"These are elective procedures that middle-class women are paying for out of their own pockets."

And why pick on the tiny tanning salons? Senate Democrats tried to justify the tax by claiming studies link tanning bed use to skin cancer and other health risks.

So, if you want to get your golden glow on, it looks like it will cost you a little more. Meantime, the Senate health care package now moves into the next phase of the complicated process. The legislation must be reconciled with a separate House measure approved last month. And the big difference between the two bills is funding.

Happy New Year, Botox! You just escaped a couple of hard, painful jabs right between the eyes, so to speak.

How To Get Beautiful Brush Out Curls Like Blake Lively

If you want to strike the right cord on New Year's Eve, then you need beautiful brush-out curls in 2010.

Actress Blake Lively is working the sexy, touseled trend quite nicely with perfectly shaped curls and waves. And talk about shine and volume!

Charles Baker Strahan, Celebrity Stylist for Herbal Essences explains. “I consider tousles to be the update to beachy waves– touchable and fully of body, without being crunchy or stiff. “I love to create tousled styles, as the look is meant to be customized to each woman’s hair type and mood.”

We can get you there in a few easy steps:

1. You will need to have at least shoulder-length hair. If you don't, you could always pick up some clip-on hair extensions. Stylist Ken Paves and Jessica Simpson have created some gorgeous extensions that are basically goof-proof. Just clip in and go!

2. You will want to 'build' some major hair volume. And trust us, there are tons of products out there designed to give you big hair. After washing hair, spritz on a volumizer like Herbal Essences new Tousel Me Softly Spray Gel onto damp hair. Blow-dry.

3. To achieve a rockin' set of sexy, brush-out curls and touseled waves, you will need a set of hot rollers. But not just any kind. You want rollers that give you unstoppable memory. Curls that bounce or spiral. And you've got to go to a classic: The Caruso Professional Steam Hairsetter with 36 Rollers ($46.99). Professional stylists have been using the Caruso hairsetter for years. We just saw one behind the scenes at the famous Victoria's Secret runway fashion show a few weeks ago. So that's how the models were getting those beautiful Gisele Bundchen curls! And this one is quick. The steam unit heats up quickly--20 seconds and it's pumping out steam for over 30 minutes on a full tank. Curls are formed in mere seconds. Brush-out curls that last, and you're good to go!

4. The last step comes down to this: To add even more volume and staying power with lots of shine, you will need to apply a hairspray like Bumble and Bumble Thickening Hairspray.

We found several Caruso hairsetters at Amazon.com. And the customer reviews tell the story. These hairsetters do an amazing job!

All My Children Star Greenlee Loves Lip Gloss By Ayur-Medic

We are certainly thrilled she is back on legendary soap favorite All My Children. Rebecca Budig who played the character of Greenlee Smythe, is coming back to, er, life, as many great actors do. All My Children has just moved base to Los Angeles, where Rebecca Budig resides, so the actress with the dynamite smile is ready to reprise her role.

Speaking of L.A., there is a skin care line located there, that has Rebecca boasting about a favorite lip gloss . The company is called Ayur-Medic. And one of the founders is none other than celebrated plastic surgeon Dr. Raj Kanodia of the popular “E” Entertainment T.V. series, DR.90210. He along with another well-respected dermatologist Ezra Krest created the Ayur-Medic line.

Their website describes the company's beauty philosophy:
"This revolutionary skin care line strikes the perfect balance between time-honored holistic principles and state of the art medical research to provide optimal results."

In the role of Greenlee, Rebecca Budig does a lot of kissing...heck, she's on a soap opera. And when she wants healthy, shiny lips, she reaches for Ayur-Medic Lip Enhancer ($35). It's formulated with a generous dose of Vitamin C, and it “tastes good, and gives your lips a little color,” Rebecca says.

The Ayur-Medic lip treatment has ingredients that not only moisturize lips, but also increase lip volume. The hydrating gloss enhances new cell growth for rosy, healthy lips,too.

Rebecca Budig told People magazine, that she prefers wearing lip gloss instead of lipstick, for her Greenlee kissing scenes. "I like lipgloss. But not the sticky kind. The smell good, smooth kind!”

In addition to the Ayur-Medic Lip Enhancer, Rebecca wears Kiehl's and Sephora, as her other favorites.

And if you're concerned about making lip color last, do what the actress does. Here's Greenlee's beauty tip:

She suggests using lip liner to fill in lips before applying gloss: “That way, once the gloss is gone, there is still color! And the liner tends to really stay which is why I use it all over.”

And you can tune into All My Children, weekdays, 1 PM on ABC.

Even Vogue Celebrating Return Of Curvier Model: Meet Lara Stone.

Lara Stone. She could be the new face of the modeling industry, or rather, the new body to admire and copy.

Lara Stone is a size 4. For most women around the globe, a size 4 is tiny, especially when your height is 5'10'. But in the super skinny world of modeling where the runways feature a long string of very tall size zeros, Lara is certainly a breath of fresh air. She actually has the appearance of breasts and hips.

And Vogue Magazine has taken notice, and we applaud them. We were flipping through the January issue last evening, when we saw the same photo of Lara Stone, with the caption reading: 'The Shape of the Future.'

Well, it's about time. Sure, a size 4 is still rather small, but it sure beats the emaciated look of the zeroes filing down the runways.

The Dutch model is 22, and we love how Vogue has described her striking looks: "a beguiling mixture of tough and naive---imagine Sandra Bernhard crossed with Grace Kelly."

And despite her curves, she's getting a lot of work, like ad campaigns with huge names---Calvin Klein, Hugo Boss, Givenchy. And Lara, who was named by her mom, a Dr. Zhivago fan, has walked the runway for just about every big designer.

Maybe the fashion heads see her as a curious oddity of sorts. She sticks out on the runway, as the current size zeroes walk along with her. And Lara feels the sting of the bias against heavier models, as she explains to Vogue:

"When you're a model, nobody calls you fat. 'What they say is curvy, but you know they mean fat."

And she recalls a recent incident where a female stylist took out a tight corset dress and told Lara to put it one for a photo shoot. She obviously couldn't fit into the dress and found the situation to be quite rude. "It's not an easy kind of rejection, because it's very personal," Lara says. "It's you, your body. You take it to heart."

It's been a tough year, once again, for the fashion industry, who have been courting the stick skinny models. Designers would argue that long, angular bodies wear clothing better. You remember the Ralph Lauren flap last October, with a print ad heavily photoshopped to create a super-slim silhouette? The model, Filippa Hamilton, eventually lost her job modeling for Lauren. Filippa was upset about the excessive photo re-touching and spoke out. She claims she was reprimanded for being 'fat.' We have learned that Filippa wears a size 4.

We can only hope that the curvier models will become more of a presence on the runways and back in the ad campaigns in the year 2010. Photographers like the famous Mario Testino appreciate the fuller figure. "I have never thought of Lara as fat," Mario explains. "It is just a matter of different shapes. It reminds me of when I started to work with Gisele(Bundchen); everyone used to think that she was too voluptous. Look at where she is now!"

Gisele, pre-baby weight, is also a size 4.

Let's face it, the modeling world will always feature super tall and super slender, young women. And yes, clothing does look its best on that type of silhouette. But when a body is so thin that bones are sticking out and gaunt faces are ruling the runways, then maybe it's time to return to some kind of normalcy. And if that means a small size 4, that's a huge turn around.

VS Model Creates Cleavage With Lots Of Padding And So Can You

According to one Victoria's Secret model, you can create cleavage. It's called padding, and sometimes, several layers of it.

British model, 22-year-old Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, apparently, confides that what you see in the famous Victoria's Secret catalogue layouts, is a little smoke and mirrors. In other words, the VS models are not so stacked as most male admirers would have you believe.

Rosie, one of the models who recently strutted down the runway for the annually televised Victoria's Secret fashion show, started chatting with the British newspaper, The Times UK. And she admitted that there's lots of padding involved, at least for herself, to create the legendary cleavage the VS models are celebrated for. Look at the photo of Rosie in the black bra and panties. She could have fooled us.

Oh, how we love an honest and gorgeous celebrity!

“I do believe in chicken fillets,” Rosie Huntington-Whiteley says. “I’m not saying you have to use them, but if anyone knows me and sees me in a photoshoot, well, there are friends in there. I’m not a fan of that whole push-up look in the day. But, of course, you do need a lift with a sexy dress, so do what you’ve got to do, girls — shove them in there. I’ve been known to have three in at a time for shoots — plus padding."

Two of the best lingerie makers for instant cleavage: Victoria's Secret (of course) and Frederick's of Hollywood. Both companies sell tons and tons of bras, in just about every style, fabric, and color out there. From push-ups to deep plunges to water and gel-filled to padded to seamless to underwires to convertible and strapless, there's a bra with built-in cleavage waiting for you. And the prices are decent. You can get 2 for $40, 2 or more for $19.50 each, some on sale for $14.99 each. Do check both VS' and Frederick's websites.

You can shop by size:
From small sizes, like AA and A. To full figure sizes like DD and DDD.

And at Victoria's Secret, you can even shop by 'swell.' From Level 1: Subtle Lift. Level 2. Moderate Lift. Level 3: Dramatic Lift. Level 4: Extreme Lift. And Level 5: Ultimate Lift.

We're assuming that at Level 5 for the ultimate lift, they're talking dangerous curves. Pass at your own risk, ha!

Rosie Huntington-Whiteley also tells The Times UK that a tanned body makes for a sexier body:
“I won’t do a lingerie shoot unless I’m tanned,” Rosie says. “I think most women will admit that they look better when they’re brown. I fake tan — but I don’t recommend sunbeds — and at work, they’ll put body make-up on.” Indeed, her fellow VS babe Selita Ebanks confessed to wearing “about 20 layers of make-up on my butt alone” for her walk down the runway.

And when she's not modeling for VS, you'd be lucky to even catch her in a bra:
“I don’t wear bras that often. If I do, I don’t like push-up bras — though they’re fun for the bedroom, I think”.

To read the entire article, let's go across the pond here.

The Real Housewives Only Admit To Botox, Breasts, And Juvederm

We think Bravo TV's 'The Real Housewives' of Orange County, New York, New Jersey, and Atlanta, are all pretty darn honest, well, to some degree, at least.

According to what we recently learned, most of the 'housewives' admit to Botox and a couple to Juvederm, and 9 of the shapely stars admit to having breast implants. Jill Zarin says she had a breast reduction.

We think it's pretty refreshing when a celebrity admits to a few nips and tucks, although Botox and Juvederm are hardly considered an invasive procedure. Instead, these are minor cosmetic enhancements. The only housewife who would admit to any real face work, is Lynne Curtin of the Orange County housewives. The 53-year-old brunette recently had a facelift, and it was all captured on the Bravo reality show, and aired last week. We suspect there's been a little more than just one facial plastic surgery procedure within those 4 shows, but no one's talking, and that's okay, too.

We have to laugh, however, at 'The Countess,' LuAnn De Lesseps of the New York Housewives. The 44-year-old 'The Countess' told People magazine, that "yoga handstands--not Botox--keep her skin wrinkle-free." Well, she does have a nice complexion.

Here are 'The Real Housewives' who have admitted to Botox and/or Juvederm:
Bethenny Frankel (39)
Ramona Singer (53)
Jill Zarin (46)
Kelly Bensimon (41)
Jacqueline Laurita (39)
Danielle Staub (47)
Vicki Gunvalson (47)--both procedures
Tamra Barney (42)
Gretchen Rossi (32)
Lynne Curtin (53)--both procedures
Alexis Bellino (32)
Kim Zolciak (31)

Botox is widely accepted as a minor cosmetic enhancement procedure. And Botox is celebrating its anniversary: 7 years in a row, as the most popular cosmetic injectable.

Let's look at the numbers. 11 million Botox procedures and counting, thus far. Heck, someone is having the stuff injected. Both women and men alike. And the Botox routine is quick and easy. Minimal pain, and within 7 days or so, wrinkles and frown lines around the eyes and forehead are temporarily smoothed away for 3-4 months. The result is subtle and attractive when done correctly.

Those numbers indicate, that not only are The Real Housewives of Orange County, New York, New Jersey, and Atlanta, getting the sting of the Botox needle. Many women younger and older, are undergoing the quick, once every 3 months cosmetic procedure.
And by the way, Botox shots cost about $300-$500 a site. In other words, the crow's feet would be one site, or the lines in the middle of your forehead, one site, and so on.

Juvederm is considered a cosmetic filler or dermal filler injection, that can last up to a year. Juvederm is made of hyaluronic acid and is injected into facial wrinkles and folds to smooth skin and plump it up. And Juvederm can also be injected into the lips for a more plump effect. The cost per injection is typically around $300, like Botox.

Well, we suppose that yoga headstands can do a world of good, like The Countess suggests, but for most women looking to quickly erase some wrinkles and smooth out some deeper lines and folds, Botox and Juvederm hit the mark and hit it right.

Washing Face With Virgin Olive Oil Seems Wrong But DHC Works

It does seem rather bizarre to think, that you could effectively wash your face with virgin olive oil, and be left with a healthy, clear complexion. But the folks at DHC company have the rave reviews to prove it.

In fact, the skin care company based in Japan, and popular worldwide, says DHC Deep Cleansing Oil is their number #1 best seller. And it doesn't come cheap. A 6.7 oz. bottle will cost you $25.

So, you ask, how could a facial cleanser containing of all things, virgin olive oil, make your face feel really clean and, er, not oily?

According to DHC, their Deep Cleansing Oil is made of a unique water-soluble formula. The ingredients will never leave behind a greasy residue, but are able to lift and easily dissolve dirt, excess oil, makeup—even waterproof mascara—and other pore-cloggers.

And if you have dry skin, your complexion will fall in love with this golden-colored cleanser. It leaves faces soft and moisture-balanced.

We have tried DHC's Deep Cleansing Oil at least three times, after receiving samples in their mail catalogue.

Yes...this stuff really removes several coats of mascara, liquid eyeliner, foundation, the whole nine yards, as they say. All you do is massage a little of it in, and watch grime dissolve. The only thing you have to be alert about, is not getting the cleanser into your eyes, or you will end up with a filmy glaze, which is uncomfortable.

We also followed up with our regular glycolic acid cleanser, which ultimately gave us a very clean complexion. We felt we actually needed another step in our face washing routine. The DHC cleanser is enough for removing makeup and effectively cleaning your skin. But old habits die hard for us, and because our face is very oily, it didn't feel enough for us. So we took it the extra step with our other cleanser.

But we aren't alone, we've been hunting down lots of users of the DHC Deep Cleansing Oil, and many women love the product and also there are a number who, like us, add an extra step to their face washing routine. These reviewers, all 1,053 of them, have also given the product high grades---a 4.2 out of 5, and 77% say they would buy the cleanser again. To see those reviews, visit: MakeupAlley.

By the way, DHC does more than just virgin olive oil deep cleansers. There are so many beauty items to explore.....there are rose toners, makeup, mineral mask, milk lotion, mild soap, tocophero E cream, imperial green tea shower gel, after bath hair treatments, etc. And there are FREE samples with every order.

DHC skin care company has been around for quite some time now and has evolved into the #1 direct mail skin care company in Japan.
"With a legacy of over 25 years in Japan creating high-quality products based on the natural benefits of olive oil, DHC is here to help you achieve more radiant skin. We use effective ingredients that are tested and true, without adding unnecessary coloring agents or irritating fragrances. Our line achieves an ideal balance to help bring harmony to any skin type."