Get Hair In Best Shape With Cult Fave: Redken Thickening Lotion 06 Body Builder

Sad, flat hair got you down?

Want the kind of luscious locks you'll see on the red carpet this evening, for Hollywood's Golden Globes awards show?!

Well, of course, we all want that kind of hair. And sure, it helps if you have a personal stylist at your beckon call. But there is one product every gal needs when it comes to healthy, bouncy, big hair:

A volumizer. Root lifter. Thickening lotion. One of these three will alow you to build your hair into an amazing shape and style.

You hear us write ad nauseum about big, thick hair. And we're always on the hunt for the perfect volumizer. Now, we have found another. The critics have spoken, and a lot of women absolutely love this one by Redken 5th Avenue NYC. It's a cult favorite:

Redken Thickening Lotion 06 Body Builder ($16.99, at Redken Salons). We did find some at Walgreens.com, but it's sold out at the moment. You can find some at Amazon.com for $12.50 a bottle.

In our humble opinion, we have found that every body-building hair product is different. And just because the label brags about giving you Big, Sexy Hair with Hold, it doesn't mean it really works. We have tried very expensive volumizers and thickening lotions, and root sprays, and some of those have fallen very flat. But with Redken, the combo of the ingredients really works:

Builds extra body, texture, volume and shine.
Bodifying proteins help reconstruct and strengthen hair.
Hair looks and feels thicker.
Thicker consistency is easier to apply.
Won't build-up on the hair.

Blonde Beauty Contestant With Alopecia Hopes To Win Miss America Crown

Hair loss. It can be a very sensitive topic for women. And when it comes to alopecia, it can ruin one's self-esteem, because the condition cannot be cured.

However, there is one, blonde beauty who is not afraid to live with alopecia, and that is Miss America contestant Kayla Martell from the state of Delaware. And she hopes to win the crown this evening.

Kayla Martell tells People magazine that she has alopecia areata. She has been losing her hair since she was 13. With the disease as her Miss America platform, the current Miss Delaware hopes to educate the world about it.

"I'm still getting used to long hair," says Kayla, who usually goes wig-free. "So we'll style it away from my face with big curls."

The way we understand it, alopecia comes in 2 forms:
1. Alopecia areata. In this type of hair loss, hair usually falls out, leaving behind totally round, smooth patches about the size of a coin or larger. This disease may affect children, women or men of any age. It can often be treated with injections of steroids.
2. Androgenic alopecia. This is the most common type of hair loss known as, "male- or female-pattern baldness". The hair usually starts to thin out first in the front of the scalp and then progresses to the back and top of the head. This type of hair loss also runs in families.

We applaud Miss Delaware's Kayla Martell for her courage and intelligence and her beautiful dream of taking home the crown. We think she's a special young woman with a lot of knowledge to share, and we believe she would make a super Miss America.

Good luck, this evening, Kayla Martell!

Hollywood Reality Show Starlets Out Of Control With Too Much Lip Filler/Lip Implants?!

Is it us.....Or have the lips of some Hollywood reality show starlets gotten bigger and bigger lately?

We think it's gotten out of control. It used to be too much boob, and now it's just cosmetically or surgery-enhanced mega lips. Hey, we are not against a little filler here and there, but when it looks over-the-top, well, we can't help but notice.

Reality star Kim Kardashian took some heat recently, after being photographed with a larger lower lip. When asked if she had had fillers injected, the dark-haired beauty responded this way:

"That’s not true. Trust me, I’ve tried Botox on the show… I have the flu. I’m puffy and swollen, and I have no make-up on. Why would I just do my bottom lip? My top lip was smaller and my bottom lip was huge and I’m thinking that would be the worst doctor on earth to do one lip and not the other. It’s definitely something that I would never do. I think my lips are big enough to my taste level."

And then there is Taylor Armstrong from "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" sporting the oddest pair of long lips we've seen in a long time. She is always wetting her larger-than-life lips on the reality show, and it drives us nuts.

Another reality star beauty, Rachel Uchitel, best known as a mistress of Tiger Woods and now on Dr. Drew's 'Celebrity Rehab' VH-1 show, has also appeared with growing lips.

So, exactly how does one inflate their lips?

Through lip injections with fillers or through cosmetic surgery with procedures involving lip implants. The Perma Facial Implant is a permanent solution for keeping bigger, fuller lips.

According to their website, "The Perma Facial Implant™ is made of a soft, solid silicone elastomer using an injection molding process to produce a naturally contoured implant with a smooth, non-porous surface. The implant cannot rupture or deflate, and may be removed at any time."

Most women opt for fillers when it comes to bigger lips. The sting of the needle is painful, but downtime is quick and the results don't last, so it can be modified each time. Collagen and silicone used to be the only fillers for fatter lips. Look what too much nasty silicone did to reality star Lisa Rinna's famous huge pout. But now there are a variety of safer and better substances for injecting

Dermatologists will tell you that lip injections generally last from 9 months to a year before the substance, like hyaluronic acid dissolves. Those injections can cost around $900 per session. Ouch...in several ways.

We cannot say what these Hollywood celebrities are doing to suddenly develop much larger lips. We can't be sure that it's injections or even surgical lip implants. But there is a popular trend, that appears to be re-trending. And in Hollywood, apparently, Big is better when it comes to lips.

How To Do Your Own Ombre Hair Like Celebs: Dark Roots And Sun-Kissed Ends

Do you ombre, ladies?

If you're not sure, just look at the lovely locks of celebrities like Sarah Jessica Parker----the queen of the ombre effect, as well as Jessica Biel, Ashlee Simpson(before she chopped it all off), Drew Barrymore, Rachel Bilson, Lauren Conrad, and many others.

The ombre hair color trend is still as HOT as it was during the summer.

So, what exactly is the ombre effect?!

The ombre hair color trend features dark roots graduating in color to lighter, and finally, sun-kissed roots. And yes, ladies, you can do your own ombre hair color.

Master colorist to the stars, Kim Vo, says you can do this in the privacy of your own home, and that it's simple to do.

Here are Kim Vo's OMBRE HAIR COLOR STEPS, as explained to Harper's Bazaar:

1. Buy an at-home hair color kit that is 3 shades lighter than your natural color.
2. Apply with a brush to the last few inches of your ends.
3. For lighter ends, wrap the ends in plastic wrap while the color develops.
4. For the strongest intensity, wrap the ends in foil.


You will see more of the ombre hair trend in Spring 2011 with a few more artistic washes of color. We like the trend. And we think it's especially pretty on blonde hair like SJP.

Beauty Budget Buy Of The Day: Ambi Skincare Fade Cream

Today's Beauty Budget Buy of the Day will cost you less than $5, and the stuff really works, if.... you don't overdo the process. And we emphasize the word if.

We're talking about non-prescription Ambi Skincare Fade Cream ($4.99, 2 oz. tube, at drugstores). The company has been around for a number of years now, and a lot of dermatologists recommend it to lighten up dark spots and balance out skin tone on the cheap. In fact, Allure magazine named Ambi to their annual 'Best of Beauty' list for 2010.

The 'magic' ingredient in Ambi Skincare Fade Cream is the 2% hydroquinone. This chemical helps to speed up skin lightening. But the stuff can also be highly irritating to skin, so you must always proceed cautiously when using hydroquinone. And there are some fears about the possible development of cancer after very prolonged usage.

However, hydroquinone is found in prescription-based fade creams which are given the thumbs up by most derms.

So let's take a closer look at Ambi's fade cream. First, we like that the company offers 2 types of fade cream: One for normal skin, and the other, for oily skin.

And Ambi uses a triple action formula to attack dark spots and other unwanted marks:
Hydroquinone, a skin-bleaching agent which safely fades dark spots.
Vitamin E, which helps soften and smooth skin.
Alpha Hydroxy Acid, to help enhance results.

We say, to use the product sparingly and to play safely--- only use once a day. If you overdo the hydroquinone, you can irritate the heck out of your skin, with possible side effects like redness, swelling, blisters, allergic rash, and so forth.

But when used wisely, fade creams can do a nice job diminishing spots and marks, and evening up one's skin tone. And for less than $5, well, this is a super Beauty Budget Buy of the Day.

To learn more about Ambi Skincare Fade Cream read this.

New Neutrogena Foundation And SPF 55 All In One Genius Compact

Foundation that is creamy, light, non-greasy, and packed with a powerful SPF of 55? Are you kidding us? Could this be true, Neutrogena?!

This is genius, or pretty close to it. And it's all poured into a small convenient compact, too.

It's brand new in 2011....Neutrogena Healthy Skin Compact SPF 55 ($13.99, at drugstores). We found this for $11.99 at Target...so, shop around.

We love this----foundation and a great protective SPF of 55. And the makeup includes Neutrogena's trademark helioplex formula. By the way, helioplex is Neutrogena's patented formulation of broad spectrum UVA/UVB skin protection containing Avobenzone and Oxybenzone.

Believe it or not, we all need foundation, a basic beauty building-block. Not only does foundation protect the skin from the elements, but it also evens out complexion, gives the face some warmth, and hides imperfections.

And when you have a strong SPF of 55 already in the foundation, it makes your life easier. You're getting a super 2-for-1 makeup product.

Neutrogena Healthy Skin Compact SPF 55 comes in these shades:
Classic Ivory (10)
Natural Ivory (20)
Buff (30)
Nude (40)
Soft Beige (50)
Natural Beige (60)
Fresh Beige (70)
Warm Beige (90).

This makeup is kind to those with blemishes, sensitive skin, and combination skin, too.

Smooth Move: Jennifer Lopez In New Ads For L'Oreal EverSleek Hair Line

Jennifer Lopez. She sure is sleek and sexy. And that's probably why L'Oreal Paris has named her as the new face for their EverSleek hair care line.

The JLo L'Oreal TV commercials will debut on Sunday, January 16th during the Golden Globes award show. Behind-the-scenes video clips from the shoot will also be streamed online to L’Oréal Paris’ Facebook that evening. And print advertisements will begin appearing in February magazines.

Not bad for the multi-talented entertainer who will make her debut later this month as American Idol's newest judge.

The 41-year-old mom of two, has also recently inked new deals---- one with Kohl's dept. stores to develop a lifestyles fashion concept with husband Marc Anthony, and the other, regarding a new album, "Love," which is scheduled for a 2011 release.

Nothing can stop Jennifer Lopez. Don't forget, she was also one of Barbara Walters’ 10 most fascinating people of 2010.

So, let's look at the L'Oreal EverSleek line. The hair products are all sulfate and silicone-free and come in bright orange containers. And EverSleek is designed to battle frizz and return locks to a healthy, smooth texture.

We say, Amen, to that. Look for them at your favorite drugstore.