Monday, March 8, 2010

Up-Dos And Buns And Red Lips Shine At 2010 Academy Awards

Up-dos and buns were everywhere gracing the red carpet at last night's Academy Awards show. Oscar winner Sandra Bullock was one of the few lovely ladies who wore her hair down. Stylist Frederic Fekkai chose to create a simple and sleek straight-down do with a strong side part, which is hot for 2010. A slight wave at the bottom completed the look.

Most of Hollywood chose to wear their hair pulled back, up and away from the face. Not an easy look to pull off for everyone, but beauties like Nicole Richie, Zoe Saldana, and Jennifer Lopez certainly wore it well.

Nicole Richie was sporting an elegant ballerina bun, which stylists have shown on the runways for the new year. It's a sophisticated and refined look, and turns the spotlight on one's features beautifully.

Jennifer Lopez opted for a 'messier' up-do, with a few wispy tendrils peeking out, which still showed off her sexy side. And of course, statuesque beauty Charlize Theron wowed the crowd with a side-parted do, softly tucked behind in back.



As far as the Academy Award makeup styles, red lips were hot, and Sandra Bullock and Charlize were not shy about putting on a very bold lip. You can't tell by the photo of Sandra here, but those lips were dark red on the television screen.


There were mainly softer lips in pale, neutral shades on most celebrities last evening. Zoe, Nicole, and Jennifer chose a stronger eye, instead. Amazing cat eye makeup. Just look at Nicole Richie. Her eyes are mesmerizing. Absolutely stunning. It appears to be a silver eyeshadow with a black liquid liner.


And as you know, Jennifer Lopez loves to highlight her cheekbones. And once again, her makeup is perfectly applied. Makeup artist Matthew Vanleeuween used NARS Orgasm Illuminator to achieve those highly defined cheekbones.
Here's the rest of the beauty breakdown of NARS cosmetics used to create Jennifer's flawless face:
Enchanted Cream Blush
Desire Blush
Smudge Proof Eyeshadow Base
D. Gorgeous Single Eyeshadow
Brousse Duo Eyeshadow
Larger Than Life Volumizing Mascara
Cruising Lipstick
Sweet Dreams Lip Gloss

Sunday, March 7, 2010

Beauty On A Budget Buy: New N.Y.C. Blushable Creme Stick

Beauty on a budget. You know you like it. Who doesn't want an excellent beauty product that won't break your wallet? That's why we were attracted to a new blush by drugstore favorite, N.Y.C. New York Color.

It's called, N.Y.C. Blushable Creme Stick ($2.99, drugstores...Rite Aid, Walgreens).

We think it's a great little blush in a stick. It's a cream, not a powder. It glides on smoothly and actually lasts for a few hours. And the Blushable Creme Stick comes in 6 shades.

The consistency is very creamy. And thankfully not frosty or shimmery like some other cheap drugstore brands. It looks natural and there is a light sheen, and you can build on it, or layer it stronger. Try it in Plaza Pink, a soft, peachy/pink shade.

Even reality star Kim Kardashian carries the new N.Y.C.'s Blushable Creme Stick in her makeup bag for those red carpet evenings. Kim told OK magazine that it's definitely in her bag:

"This is a super blendable blush that can act as a lipstick in case I need a touch-up."

Remember this ladies: Blush is the most important makeup to put on, even when you're rushing out the door, with little time to do your face. It enhances bone structure and gives the face a warmth and brightness. That little beauty nugget comes from legendary makeup artist Sandy Linter.

Saturday, March 6, 2010

How To Get Rid Of Stubborn Belly Fat Naturally With Chlorophyll


Stubborn belly fat. It's a nusiance and it isn't pretty.

Chlorophyll equals flat belly. How can that be? Isn't chlorophyll the stuff that makes leaves and grass green?!

Yes! And according to the dietary experts, chlorophyll acts like a mild laxative and encourages the liver into becoming a better fat-burning machine. The green pigment is also full of magnesium which helps to balance blood sugar and melt away stubborn belly fat. Chlorophyll is also high in vitamin and mineral content.

Ann Louise Gittleman, PhD, and an award-winning author of 30 books, tells First for Women magazine that, "the best absorbed form (of chlorophyll) is a liquid extract mixed with water." She suggests a twice daily drink of 1 tsp. of chlorophyll in 8 oz. of water.

Dr. Gittleman likes Sunny Green Liquid Chlorophyll ($13, 16 oz., at health-food stores).

Just one key note to consider: If stools become too loose, reduce dose to 1/2 tsp. of cholorophyll in 8 oz., twice daily.

Did you know that a glass of wheat grass juice has lots of chlorophyll in it? From what we learned, it is nearly 70% chlorophyll. If you examine chlorophyll's basic chemical compound, it matches the human hemoglobin almost perfectly. This in turn, gives the body excellent healing and nutritional value.

And lettuce (and other raw leafy green vegetables) is also another great source of chlorophyll for more natural ways of burning stubborn belly fat.

Before adding a liquid chlorophyll to your diet, please check with your doctor, especially if your are pregnant or have diabetes.

Friday, March 5, 2010

How To Fake Having Perfect Fuller Eyebrows In Just A Few Steps


Eyebrows. Now that's a touchy subject around many women. Some of us have plucked away ours forever. And others just never had thick brows to begin with. And yet, there are an enviable few, who seem to have perfect, fuller eyebrows naturally.

So what's a gal to do?

First, fuller brows = youth. Don't believe us? Two experts weigh in on the brow theory:

Professional makeup artist Sandy Linter, who has made up many beautiful faces---from Elizabeth Hurley to Eva Longoria Parker to Christie Brinkley, has told us this:

Thin brows are the biggest mistake she sees women make, time and time again. "I don’t like overly thin, trying to be perfect brows," Sandy Linter says. "I like a fuller, more natural looking brow. It is not an L.A. brow, but more like a ‘model’s brow. Look at the models, not the actresses in the magazines for correct brow shapes."

She explains that thin brows are more aging on a women. Sandy advises using brow pencils. "Kevin Aucoin has one that is perfect for any medium to dark brow and Lancome has perfect colors for the lighter blonde brows. Make sure your brow technician does not use any wax. If you think your brows are getting too thick, just use the tweezers. And don’t make the ends too short. It’s tricky, you don’t want the eyebrow to go down at the ends. This is where mistakes happen. Take off as little as possible. I try to get as much mileage from their natural shape that I can."

And the world's best known eyebrow shaper, Anastasia Soare, seems to agree with Sandy Linter on several points:

"Most of us look younger with fuller brows and a soft arch," Anastasia explains to Lady's Home Journal in the March issue.

And like Sandy, Anastasia believes, if you don't have good brows, pencil them in! Anastasia says, to keep the brows looking natural, try using short, hairlike strokes. Then comb through your brows with a clean mascara brush to blend the color evenly across the length of the brow. You can try the Anastasia Beverly Hills Perfect Brow Pencil ($22, at Anastasia). It comes with a built-in brush.

Most women will admit that it isn't easy using a brow pencil. For pros like Anastasia and Sandy Linter, it's a piece of cake. So a lot of practice is needed in the beginning, until you get the hang of it. And yes, you can pencil in perfect, fuller eyebrows.

Whatever you do, just remember to lay down those tweezers!! Leave the serious plucking and waxing to the experts like Anastasia. If you over-tweeze, well, we've warned you several articles ago, it takes a long time to grow them back, and after age 40, some eyebrow hairs never return, says Sandy Linter.

"It may take up to four months for your brows to grow in fully," Anastasia says. Patience is required, indeed.

You can also grow bangs to cover less than perfect eyebrows. That really makes them look thicker than they are. And by the way, bangs are still big in 2010. So fringe is in.

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Enchanting Alice In Wonderland Beauty Products Celebrate New Disney Release




Alice in Wonderland beauty products? Oh yes, indeed! The beloved children's book has come to life in two wonderful ways:

1. The new Disney release, starring Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway, and more from a talented cast, springs into theaters in 3D this friday, March 5th.
2. The other beautiful Alice In Wonderland concept......the makeup. Yes, it's true. Urban Decay and O.P.I. are two cosmetics companies, so far, that we know of, celebrating the wonderful story by Lewis Carroll, and of course, the nostalgic drawings by John Tenniel.

Take a peek at the beauty kits we found:

1. Urban Decay Alice in Wonderland Book of Shadows ($52, Ulta. This makeup kit is so enchanting to look at!
This is how Ulta describes this wonderland book of shadows:
Open the palette to reveal a pop-up scene of Alice in the mushroom forest. Her "drink me" bottle discarded, she staggers past towering mushrooms, only to cross paths with a very peculiar, hookah-smoking caterpillar. A large mirror rests behind the scene - you feel as if you are transported into the film itself. Hidden inside a secret drawer are 16 best-selling Eyeshadows, given topsy-turvy names like White Rabbit, Jabberwocky and Oraculum. Alongside them lie travel sizes of Eyeshadow Primer Potion and two 24/7 Eye Pencils. From smoky neutral eyes to flashes of hallucinogenic green and purple, the looks you can create are as endless as the rabbit hole itself.
And the customer reviews love these shadows. This wonderland makeup kit has been SOLD OUT for weeks at a time. At the moment, the kit is available online at Ulta.

2. O.P.I. Disney's Alice in Wonderland 2010 Collection Mini Nail Lacquer Pack ($9.20, Amazon.com). But hurry!!! Only 4 were left as of this writing.
Again, a lovely makeup tribute to the classic children's tale. This OPI Wonderland mini nail pack is adorable! And these polishes are so pretty:

Off with Her Red! - A glowering, empowering hot red
Absolutely Alice - An absolutely amazing blue glitter
Mad as a Hatter - A madly marvelous black-multi glitter
Thanks So Muchness! - For this "much-have" red shimmer
Fun colors and some glitter, too. The mini pack is great for traveling, too.

Alice in Wonderland is one of our absolutely favorite childhood books. It will be interesting to see how director Tim Burton re-creates this magical story. And Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter? We can't wait!

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Now You Can Have Sexy Long Kim Kardashian Lashes







Kim Kardashian has some sexy, long lashes. And we read some gossip, that the reality star beauty won't travel anywhere without them. Yes, Kim K. enhances her beautiful eyes with faux lashes. Well, who doesn't wear them these days, especially when you're on television or the big screen.

And now, Kim Kardashian lashes can be yours, because her makeup artist Stephen Moleski has designed his own label of them, Smoke And Mirrors Beauty. Check them out---from the Hollywood lash to the Vegas lash to the Nashville lash, the talented, young makeup artist has your smoky eyes covered. And for $13.50, you can pick up a lovely set of faux lashes by Stephen Moleski.

What we like about Smoke And Mirrors Beauty, is that these lovely fakes, are actually 100% human hair and blend in beautifully with your own lashes.

And we happen to think Stephen Moleski is a superb makeup artist. Beauty Tip Today, had the lucky opportunity to interview him last year. He is gracious and well-respected in the business. He has done every red carpet event and has worked magic on all the Kardashian women, as well as Nichole Scherzinger, The Pussycat Dolls, Julianne Hough, Adrienne Bailon, Nadia Bjorlin, The Girls Next Door, Brooke Burke, Rascal Flatts, Tiffany Fallon, to name a few.

We think it's about time Stephen Moleski brought his beautiful, sexy long lashes to the masses. He made Kim Kardashian's eyes stand out, and now yours can, too!

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Don't Come Up Smelling Like Roses? Try This Natural Deodorant Spray


Roses. If you like the beautiful scent, then this all natural beauty product is a win-win for you. And we have learned that actress Kate Hudson adores Waleda Wild Rose deodorant($15, 3.4 fl oz., at target.com, drugstore.com, Walgreens).

Just imagine......no more white, chalky residue left on your favorite black garments. Sure, we taught you last month on how to remove white deodorant marks (try rubbing an old pair of nylons over the white spots). But should we even have to work so hard to remove these ugly underarm marks?!

We swear, Waleda Wild Rose deodorant will not leave behind anything, but a lovely bouquet of rose-scented deodorant. And the beauty lies in the bottle. It's a spray pump! We love that. Just a few spritzes a day under the arms, and you're good to go. The wild rose scent evaporates and you come up smelling like roses. No odor!!

How does it work? It's formulated with natural stuff:
"Floral fragranced Weleda Wild Rose Deodorant, made with the purest essential oils, provides a feeling of freshness and well-being. The exquisite scents of Wild Rose and Neroli conbine with natural herbal odours caused by bacterial action. This natural formulation is free from antiperspirants such as Aluminum salts and does not interfere with the natural functions of the skin".

The key note to remember, however---Waleda is a deodorant, not an anti-perspirant. We haven't tried this yet, but we are concerned about its effectiveness to stop perspiration. But we have read a number of glowing customer reviews and some folks claim the Waleda doeodorant does keep them sweat-free.

For those with sensitive skin, this deodorant is kind and gentle. And we love the 'green' beauty of this natural product. Even the bottle it comes in, is a recyclable bottle with a non-aerosol pump.