Great Gift Idea Under $25 For The Makeup Lover In Your Life

Great gift for the gal-on-the-go! We love this handsome Sonia Kashuk Dripping in Diamonds 8-Piece Cosmetic Brush Set at Target.

First of all, you are getting a gorgeous, slim clutch bag with pretty, clear jeweled accents. And inside, you will find every makeup user's essentials----7 fine quality brushes including: a blush/powder brush, an eye shadow brush, an angled eye shadow brush and a lash/brow comb. Just $24.99!

Hey...we just found it at Target online for only $21.99. Even better! Order it by Tuesday, Dec. 21st and get it on time.

Sonia Kashuk is a professional makeup artist well-known in the beauty industry. Model Cindy Crawford is good friends with Sonia and wears makeup from Sonia Kashuk's line (also at Target). So, if her products are good enough for supermodel Cindy, then we imagine these cosmetic brushes are quality pieces, too.

Sonia Kashuk certainly knows her way around a tube of lipstick. And she has the resume to prove it. According to Target, Sonia has worked with some of the best in the business, including designers and celebrities like Oscar de la Renta, Marc Jacobs, Sharon Stone, and Britney Spears. Kashuk has also appeared as a makeup expert on television shows including The Oprah Winfrey Show, Good Morning America, The Early Show, and The View, and her work is regularly featured in countless fashion and beauty magazines.

Two Reasons Why Olive Oil Is Amazing Beauty Food

Olive oil. It really does a body, and face good.

And our Beauty Tip Today is a 2-fer.

You've heard about the Mediterranean diet and how sensible it is, and more importantly, that it works. And olive oil plays a major role in the diet plan.

If you're looking to keep your insides 'toned' and drop a few pounds on the outside, try this method by Karina Smirnoff of Dancing with the Stars fame. Her body is incredible. Here's her olive oil beauty tip:

Karina told US Weekly magazine that she avoids red meat, and dines on egg whites, fish, and salad. And has, "a tablespoon of olive oil on an empty stomach to help with digestion."

And here's the food science behind Karina's diet tip:

"Research suggests that replacing other types of fats with monounsaturated fat, especially olive oil, helps people lose a moderate amount of weight without additional food restriction or physical activity. So just imagine what adding a lower-calorie diet and increased physical activity (which is always a good idea) to the consumption of monounsaturated fats like olive oil could do for your weight-loss efforts."

So, we have learned that olive oil is excellent for your body, both inside and out. But did you know that olive oil is also wonderful for the face?!

We love this tip, and just read about it from celebrity cosmetic dermatologist Jessica Wu of Los Angeles. You might want to stock up on the oil after this.

According to Dr. Wu, extra-virgin olive oil makes for a super gentle moisturizer. The oil happens to contain fatty acids similar to those found in your skin. And if your complexion is dry and sensitive from using strong, anti-aging serums and creams, then you need to reach for the oil.

When the face becomes irritated, that brings an immediate halt to your skin care regimen. Dr. Wu advises slathering on a thin layer of unflavored extra-virgin olive oil to your face and neck at night. You will see a remarkable improvement.

Two inexpensive and healthy reasons why olive oil. is an amazing beauty food

Jennifer Garner Goes From Drab To Glam Girl-Next-Door

Jennifer Garner leads a normal life with two active young daughters. She also happens to be an adored movie actress along with her movie star/director husband Ben Affleck.

Jennifer Garner does not shy away from everyday activities, like grocery shopping, taking her girls to school, and playing with the family in a public park. She appears to be a super hands-on mom. She is a muti-tasking mama like most moms these days.

Jennifer also doesn't wear makeup when she's not on the red carpet. And we appalud her for having the confidence to dare to go bare.

Do we think she should make an effort and put on a little makeup? Yes, yes, yes! Does she care what we think? No, no, no.

But we have to say, girlfriend cleans up nicely. Jennifer Garner goes from everyday drab to Hollywood glam girl-next-door with just a few simple tricks:

Jennifer Garner is a spokesperson for Neutrogena, so we know she takes excellent care of her skin:

1. Neutrogena Original Formula Facial Bar. Jennifer loves this cleansing bar and says she has used it ever since she was a kid.

2. Neutrogena Moisture Shine Lipstick SPF20. Her faves are in Think Pink and Angel's Blush. Nothing too bold, just soft, coral-pink lips.

3. Jennifer also uses a good sunblock and goes for facials when she has the time.

4. A super healthy, thick head of hair. Yes, Jennifer Garner has gorgeous hair, and knows how to work it. Check out the soft highlights that complement her long, wavy, brunette locks.

As supermodel Cindy Crawford has said, hair color is key:

"Color is the most important factor. You can get any plastic surgery in the world, but hair color is what enables women to look younger longer. I've also become more aware of hair health. I stay away from razor cuts because they can make my hair look frizzy, and I give myself a hair treatment while I'm in my sauna to keep it conditioned."

Nicole Richie Wears Ballerina Bun, Signature Doe-Eye And Marchesa Gown

Nicole Richie has a beautiful sense of style, and it shows during her recent walk-down-the-aisle to longtime love, singer Joel Madden.

Everyone's been buzzing about the stunning Marchesa gown Nicole wore with the exquisite lace, tulle, and organza. The reality star and mom of two, says she was inspired by the 1956 wedding gown of the late Princess Grace during her nuptials to Prince Rainier of Monaco.

The gorgeous Marchesa gown featured long sleeves and a more conservative and sophisticated cut.

The bottom of the gown blossoms out into a lovely ball of elegant tulle.

We think Nicole Richie resembles a delicate swan. A very ballerina-esque image. And these photos by the way, are from Germany's In magazine (the cover), and inside the pages of today's People magazine. And you can compare the Princess Grace wedding gown to Nicole's and see the similarities. You could say that Nicole has worn a modern take on the 1956 Princess Grace wedding dress.

We also believe that Nicole hit all the right notes on her special wedding day with highly polished makeup and hair.

In the cover shot, you can see Nicole Richie's signature doe-eye look. She is wearing a pretty bronze eye shadow, long faux lashes, and a dark eyeliner. Her lips are painted in a soft pink shade. And her hair is styled in a classic ballerina bun. All in all, a very feminine and classic wedding day look.

We congratulate Nicole and Joel on a long, happy life together!

Winter Nail Pick-Me-Up: Short And Dark In Garnet

Are your nails looking a bit too goth on these cold, December days?

It's time for a winter pick-me-up. Say bye-bye to very harsh nails with black or purple or blue dead undertones. And warm up your mani/pedi with a softer, Old Hollywood set of nails.

We are loving the rich, feminine, dark garnet shades for nails. Like pretty jewels for your fingers and toes.

The key here, is to keep your nails short and well-groomed. Actually, when trying to pull off such a dark shade, oval-shaped nails are best. Please...no long talons for this dark romatic, sophisticated look.

Here are 2 dark garnet nail polishes we like:

1. Sonia Kashuk Nail Colour in 'Stop Whining.' ($5, at Target).

2. Givenchy Vernis Please! Nail Lacquer in Vintage Garnet ($15, Sephora stores).

This is a lovely holiday look that creates such instant drama. And if you can paint some bold, red lips on, then you've just completed a timeless vision of beauty. If you can't muster up the courage for red lips, then let your gorgeous dark garnet nails do all the talking.

Botox Maker Allergan Testing New Baldness Remedy With Latisse Formula

We are very excited about a possible new breakthrough baldness remedy!

And if it all works out, then you can thank the makers of Botox and Latisse, because Allergan, is once again, at the beauty forefront.

At this very moment, clinical trials are being conducted in Tempe, Arizona involving a group of 28 women and men —those with moderate female-pattern hair baldness and those with moderate male-pattern baldness.

What's interesting here, is that the clinical trials involve using a special ingredient that is found in Allergan's Latisse eyelash growth stimulating treatment. You've seen actresses Brooke Shields, and now, Claire Danes, both in television commercials about the Latisse lash booster.

Latisse was given the green light by the FDA back in 2008 for those with thin lashes. But do you also remember the warning that stated it can cause hair growth on other parts of the body that come in contact with the drug? A number of doctors have already 'quietly' tried using Latisse as an 'off-label' treatment for hair loss.

If the clinical trials prove to do exactly what Allergan hopes they can do, and that is, grow hair on one's head, then we are surely looking at a huge beauty breakthrough. This is very exciting and encouraging news for the many women and men who suffer from hair loss and baldness and the sometimes embarrassment and low self-esteem that results in not having a full head of hair.

We applaud the Allergan company for always remaining one step ahead in the science of beauty.

For more information about the Allergan baldness remedy clinical trials, read this.

How To Put The Bounce And Body Back Into Dry, Flat Winter Hair

Does your hair look 'sad' these days?

You know....dry, flat, fly-away, 'winter hair?'

The cold, crisp December air has a way of knocking the life out of your crowning glory and you end up with limp locks. And if you wear a hat over your mane, well, that can also result in shapeless hair.

What you need my dears, is an effective volumizer, a hair product that will lift and put the bounce and body back, but also one that nourishes locks, too. We have tried a ton of volumizers that give you fuller strands, but also give you fly-away hair, so you're really back to square one.

Today, we're looking at the 'tried and true.' Khiel's Super Thick Volumizer ($19, 8.4 oz.) This stuff works with key ingredients like Sunflower Seeds, Sesame Seeds, and Soy Beans, which further condition and protect hair.

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Khiel's Super Thick Volumizer works well at the roots, where hair needs lifting most. And it's easy to use:

"After shampooing, use on damp hair and direct the root-lifting applicator into hair. Mist spray at roots for maximum lift, or spray into damp hair for additional texture and body where needed. "

By the way, Khiel's has been in business since 1851, so we do trust them and the beauty products the company puts out.

To learn more about Khiel's, click here.