Bobbi Brown's 5 Minute Healthy Nails Beauty Tip

We adore makeup expert Bobbi Brown. She has such a healthy attitude about cosmetics and beauty, in general.

That's why we were happy to find a wonderful kitchen cupboard beauty tip that gets rid of discolored nails from too many mani/pedis. We've all seen it happen, too. Summertime means having fun with colored nail polishes. But when the shade is too dark, you pay for it in the end.

Yellow nails?! It can happen to the best of us. And Bobbi Brown advises taking a break from polish and getting back to basics. And the pro has a 5 Minute Healthy Nails Beauty Tip, one she just gave out in the July/August 2011 issue of Health magazine. Bobbi is their contributing beauty and lifestyle editor.

How to Whiten Nails:

1 Tbsp. 3% Hydrogen Peroxide
2 1/2 Tbsp. Baking Soda
Make a paste of the 2 ingredients.
Apply the mixture onto each nail with a cotton swab.
Let paste sit for 5 minutes.
Rinse.
Then buff nails to get rid of any lingering discoloration.

Bobbi Brown's healthy nails beauty tip really works.

How To Turn Back Turkey Neck With Gentle Ultherapy Treatment

We often talk about the neck, because it shows age rather quickly, and it seems to be a most ignored part of a woman's body.

For instance, we know many women who began applying creams and serums and moisturizers and sunscreens in their 20s and 30s, and totally skipped their necks all those years. In other words, women concentrate a lot on their faces when it comes to anti-aging treatments. But there is so much more going on, below the chin.

That's why, we are looking at turkey necks, and how to turn back time, without going under the knife. Let's face it.....who likes invasive surgery?

Maybe you've heard of this fairly new beauty treatment called Ultherapy. It's quite gentle and different from laser procedures. Instead of a laser, ultrasound energy is brought to the face and neck to lift and firm. And there are NO needles, NO surgery, NO downtime.

It might not be as dramatic as a facelift, but many satisfied patients claim that Ultherapy gives striking results and returns nice, sharp contours to the jawline and neck.

So, how does 'Ul' work?

The beauty treatment uses the ultrasound method of sending micro-focused sound waves below the surface of the skin. This in turn, triggers the tissue to contract and tighten. Little by little, and very gently, this builds new collagen on the inside, without bothering the surface of the skin.

Just look at the BEFORE and AFTER from Ultherapy. It looks great to us. And sometimes, only one session is needed. By the way, the average cost of Ultherapy treatment is about $2,000.

Is this the wave of the cosmetic future?

Maybe...it's safe, FDA-approved, and yields great youthful results, especially for the dreaded turkey neck. We give this the beauty thumbs up!

Princess Kate Should Nix The Pantyhose: Queen Won't Know It's Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs

Princess Kate seems to have a jump on the latest beauty/fashion trends. But ever since the newly married Royal set "foot", so to speak, here in the states, one, tiny style faux pas was made.

Pantyhose.

Women across the country were laughing and sneering at the very thought of putting on again, a pair of tight, uncomfortable panyhose, especially in the sizzling summer heat. But there stood galmorous Kate dressed to the nines from head to toe, wrapped in constricting, but shiny and sheer pantyhose.

UGH, screamed most of our girlfriends. "How 1980s," some sarcastically sniped. But, we thought she looked polished and complete.

Having said that, we also believe that the beautiful princess could pick up a can of Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs ($13.99, at Walgreens) and make her royal entrance bare-legged with a lovely, healthy glow. And by golly, the Queen won't know it's Sally Hansen spray-on pantyhose. No way!

We love that stuff! We buy the Airbrush Legs in Medium Glow, and it's a gorgeous, sun-kissed stocking-free look.

The spray-on pantyhose comes in 4 blendable shades: Light glow. Medium glow. Tan glow. Deep glow.

The spray won't cover imperfections like spider veins, completely, but the beauty product minimizes bothersome leg issues. Plus the formula is water-resistant, weightless, and moisturizing with Vitamin K.

Medium glow gives a lovely sheen with a nice shade of a light tan. The color is pretty. It isn't an orange streaky hue. The only advice we will give---spray the formula directly into your hands and apply to your legs, and take a cosmetic sponge to blend quickly. And then, don't sit on anything for about 5 minutes. Let it dry completely.

Meantime, if you absolutely wish to copy Princess Kate's pantyhose look pick up a pair of Dusky Nude Sandy Sunlight L'eggs.

Ricky's In NYC: Edgy Beauty Store With Lots To Offer

Ladies, do you know Ricky's?!

If you live in New York City, and you like everything beauty, then you darn well know where Ricky's is located.

We're not telling you to move to Manhattan, but there are advantages to living in a very big city, when it comes to tracking down your favorite beauty must-haves. The supply is almost always there. In other words, you CAN usually find a certain makeup, skin product, hairspray, flat-iron with no problem.

And if you can get a chance to walk into a Ricky's NYC store, well, you've hit the beauty jackpot!

Everything under the sun is here.....and at great prices! Look what we just found:

1. Babyliss Professional Hairdryer--Titanium Tourmaline 3000 ($89.99, now on sale for $59.99).

2. Burt's Bees Milk & Honey Body Lotion ($11.99, now on sale for $5.99).

3. St. Ives Olive Cleanser ($7.99, now on sale for $4.99).

We're just scratching the surface.

By the way, if you can't get into a Ricky's NYC, don't despair. Let your fingers do the walking. Just click here.

Is Courteney Cox' $9 Drugstore Beauty Buy Really A Good Thing?!

Courteney Cox.

We think she's a gorgeous, dark-haired celebrity. So, who wouldn't want to follow any beauty advice she gives out?

We recently picked up on a little tidbit from the Cougar Town actress, regarding at-home hair color. BUT------we're not sure we would be following her suggestion.

So, let's look closer......

Courteney Cox claims she is a loyal fan of Clairol's Natural Instincts Brass Free Brunettes in 5C Medium Brown:

"The $9 drugstore beauty item I buy every 28 days."

Are we to believe that a celebrity like Courteney Cox relies soley on at-home boxes of hair color? That she doesn't use a professional stylist to dye her hair?

Who knows. She could use both, and maybe when her gray roots peek through, she uses a little drugstore Clairol before she gets to her stylist?

If you gather information about Natural Instincts, you would find that this is a demi-permanent hair color. In other words, it lasts through about 28 shampoos, all without ammonia. That means, it is healthier for your locks. And it covers your grays.

The brass free formula that Courteney Cox is raving about, neutralizes unwanted red or orange tones in the hair. That's a good thing.

But the problem with using a demi-permanent hair dye on darker hair is the unwanted build-up or deposit of color that remains on the hair. In other words, you start off with a medium brown, and a few months later, that same box shade you use, begins to look black, even jet black.

And trust us......we've been there. We have watched our dark brown locks turn goth in a matter of months. And then, we had to out-grow it all. Not easy, and patience is a virtue.

As we've always repeated here: Remember---it's easy to go dark, when coloring hair. But if you want to un-do the darkness, you've got quite the challenge on your hands.

Permanent hair color sounds even harsher to hair. Yes, maybe in terms of resulting drier texture and so on, but at least a permanent hair dye eventually fades to a lighter shade. So you don't have to worry about heavy color deposit, at least in our experience.

By the way, if you have great luck using a demi-permanent hair color like Natural Instincts, good for you. And good for Courteney Cox. We have not been so lucky.

Beauty Tip From Korea: Found In Viscose 'Italy' Towel

In yesterday's beauty article, we talked about getting rid of back acne. And now, we're taking this a step further.....

We just learned about an amazing beauty tip from Korea, that involves super exfoliation with just one, inexpensive, little wash cloth, called the Italy towel, or the Ddhe Meeruh cloth, as it's called in Korean. And the fabric is made of viscose.

You can pick up these Korean bath cloths in Asian markets for less than $2. And we found some on Ebay at a great 7-piece deal here.

These rough, 'Italy towels,' as they are called, are not for the faint of heart. You will see dead skin cells roll off your body as you apply the wet cloth in circular motions across your skin.

Perform this bathtime beauty routine after you shower or bathe, when your skin has been exposed to water for several minutes, and you will see some big changes in the texture of your skin. Little by little, you will note smoother, softer skin with a healthy glow.

We're not promising your cellulite will disappear (not that you have any), but remember: Circulation is important when it comes to healthy skin. And a good, strong bath massagepushes the body into action.

We conclude that this is a wonderful beauty tip from Korea!

How To Get Rid Of 'Bacne' And Enjoy Sexy Backless Tops

Backless tops and backless dresses are sizzling hot for summer 2011. A lot of famous faces are wearing them----like VS model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. But before you dare to go bare back there, make sure you've got nice, clear, smooth back skin.

Nothing worse than a few unsightly break-outs or back acne! You've heard of the term, 'bacne', as we know it. And yes, you actually have pores back there that can become clogged.

Your back rarely gets bared on a day-to-day basis. But when summer rolls around, it's time for bikinis and tops that show off that beautiful back. And since you're not always examining this part of your body, well, bumps and break-outs can pop up there.

So, first thing....You should invest in a body brush, a bath brush with a long handle. Slough off those rough areas. Routine exfoliation can make a big difference.

And the best thing we've found is a great bacne fighter by Dr. Murad, called Murad Clarifying Body Spray ($37, at murad.com. This is a super formula in a salicylic acid and retinol-based spray.

It's gentle enough for daily use. After you shower or bathe, just spritz on a thin layer, let dry, and go. Murad Clarifying Body Spray kills bacteria on contact. And yes, you CAN reach those hard-to-get places with its revolutionary 360° spray. It works upside down to zap those break-outs that might be forming on impossible-to-reach body parts. You can spritz on Clarifying Body Spray from head-to toe.

Here's to clear, smooth skin, way back there.