Always Choose Serum Over Cream For Best Anti-Aging Results

Beauty 101:

Would you select serum or cream for your face and neck skin care routine?

It's very simple, ladies.

ALWAYS choose the serum when you can. And here's why:

If you want to battle the signs of aging, like wrinkles and sagging, pick up the bottle of serum.

According to New York City dermatologist, David J. Goldberg, the face serums are more potent. "Creams usually contain less than 10 percent of active ingredients; serums have up to 70 percent," he says. So, in other words, you are getting more bang for your buck, with a serum.

And we have a super arsenal of serums by Exuviance from the NeoStrata skin care company. So, let's get serious about serums.

It all began with a bottle of Vespera Bionic Serum ($68). And oh, what incredible ingredients inside! The pretty green bottle was more than just a 'pretty face,' as the saying goes. This high-tech beauty science formula blended with proven botanicals really delivers. We were gifted with a bottle of Vespera Bionic Serum and immediately fell in love! And it has remained one of our all-time favorites.

The serum by Exuviance gives the skin a healthy, youthful glow, and over time, the texture really improves. And we are not alone, because clinical studies show:

212% improvement in skin clarity.
89% of users claimed a significant improvement in skin texture and smoothness.

And we are pleased to report, that Exuviance has added 3 brand new serums to the skin care family. More pretty green bottles to battle the signs of aging:

1. Antioxidant Perfect 10 Serum ($68). A strong serum designed to protect against collagen/elastin breakdown.

2. OptiLight Essential 6 Serum ($68). A complexion-balancing serum that helps fade dark spots.

3. Collagen Triple Boost Serum ($68). A plumping serum packed with collagen stimulators.

Summer's winding down and we've all suffered a little more skin damage from Mother Nature. It's time to check out this new family addition to the Exuviance Vespera Bionic Serum line, and get our skin back on the right track.

Can't Go Wrong With Michael Kors' Classic Closet Essentials

Luxurious American sportswear.

That is Michael Kors, through and through. And he's been in the fashion biz for a long time, celebrating his company's 30-year anniversary.

If you watch Bravo's popular 'Project Runway' reality show (on tonight 9PM), you know how opinionated the fashion judge is. And we adore that about him.

What we also adore and trust, is the designer's fine taste in women's clothing. So, when Michael Kors tells you what EVERY woman should have in her closet, we take notice.

So, ladies, if you're starting to re-build your wardrobe this fall, or adding some new pieces, but don't know which way to turn, here is Michael Kors' Classic Closet Essentials as told to Elle magazine:

1. White tank or fitted white short-sleeve tee.
2. Fitted long sleeve blouse in white silk.
3. Skinny leg white jeans.
4. Crisp dark denim jeans.
5. Trench in khaki or black.
6. Black cashmere V-neck cardigan.
7. Black cashmere fitted long sleeve crewneck.
8. Black pencil skirt.
9. Black sleeveless crewneck sheath.
10. Black lightweight wool tailored pantsuit.

And from there, you can build a can't-go-wrong wardrobe. Michael Kors has provided the fashion foundation, and we think it's a good list!

The designer also has these great fashion tips:

1. Aviator Sunglasses make any outfit sexy.
2. Buy tailored jackets, coats, dresses, and pants in neutral colors.
3. Saddle-colored leather bags, shoes, and belts are great neutrals that get better with age, and will work year-round with every color and texture in your closet.

Liner Cat Eye: Still Strong Beauty Look For Fall 2011

Cat eye. It's big for Fall 2011. Check out Vogue and Harper's Bazaar, and all the other top magazines, and you will see that liquid liner can do a girl some good.

The cover shot of Penelope Cruz is one of our faves, because of the gorgeous cat eye makeup. Okay, the photo is two-years-old, but we are showing it again, because this is how a classic, elegant cat eye looks. The winged-out line is not too exaggerated, just subtle.

Penelope's eyes are stunning, and you can see the makeup artist lined her top lids in black liner. And the bottom was enhanced with a dark brown liner and shadow. It's still a strong, sexy eye, but just a bit softer, as the eye rimming is broken up in the two, very subtle colors of black and dark brown.

Of course, there are varying degrees of liner. There are liquid liners, gel liners, cake liners, pencil liners, and shadows for lining, too. And all of them take a bit of practice to master. We like liquid and pencil liners. Liquid is the quickest to apply. It glides on smoothly, but it's also unforgiving. In other words, once liquid liner dries, it's tough to remove and start over.

You can also try this goof-proof helper, the Get in Line Eyeliner and Stencil Kit from Beth Bender Beauty. And it's a unique kit, in that it's, "The only eyeliner stencil that fits any eye shape." Plus, celebrities and beauty editors gave it the big thumbs up.

You receive 3 eyeshadows in the kit, either light or dark. You get the stencils to create the cat eye with the recognizable 'wing tip', and a brush to perfect the shading. And simple step-by-step instructions. A really effective kit at $36.

For more details, visit: BettesBoutique.

Good luck, and arm yourself with tons of Q-tips, to make that perfect wing tip!

Foundation Freak-Out: When You Can't Find The Right Makeup Shade

Foundation. We love it and we hate it.

And yes, just about every girl needs some, unless your skin is almost perfect. Foundation helps to balance your complexion and give it a healthy, sheer glow.

But when you can't match the right makeup shade for your skin tone, we call that, foundation freak-out!

Surely, with all the gazillion gallons of foundation makeup out there, you would think, that finding a shade that blends evenly with your skin color would be a piece of cake.

But sadly, that isn't so. Ask any women with olive skin, or a women of color, and they will tell you, that selecting the perfect foundation match is almost impossible. The color is either too light, too dark, too pink, too ashen, and so on. Many women with darker skin color often feel left out by the gigantic cosmetics industry.

Even superstar Jennifer Hudson admits she uses 2 Mac Studio Fix Fluids, NC45 and NC55, to get a beautiful makeup base:

"I blend two together to get the perfect shade," Jennifer says.

But should we all have to work that hard, just to get a decent foundation for our face?!

Apparently, some of us have to. With our own skin tone (Mediterranean background), which falls under the light olive range, we have tossed out many bottles over the years, even after being 'matched' by a dept. store makeup pro to get the so-called right foundation color. Well, the one she gave us, wasn't a great match.

We finally settled upon Revlon's ColorStay Soft-Flex liquid foundation in Nude. For some reason, this one has been our best match, and we picked it out ourself. No, the shade isn't absolutely perfect, but it's the closest we have come to a good makeup base. And that's the key here----don't look for perfection, just a foundation that closely resembles your own unique skin tone

So then, how do we match a foundation to our face?

A famous makeup artist, Sandy Linter gave us this tip a few years ago:

“I apply a swipe of color near the neck. On the face under the cheekbone. It has to blend into the skin, not exactly match it. But it should cover. Apply it on broken capillaries or something you need to tone down, like ruddy cheeks. See how the foundation sits on the skin.”

Most women don’t think about this, but a wonderful aspect about wearing foundation, is its ability to fight the elements like sun, wind and cold, harsh winter air. Wearing foundation, even without an SPF icluded, still provides a protective barrier, especially against sun damage.

If you have to go through a few bottles of foundation just to settle on one, so be it. Our complexions go through changes in tone over the years, and maybe you need a lighter base this time around. Experiment. Don't be afraid to try another brand.

30 Rock's Jane Krakowski Uses This Beauty Product 365 Days A Year

Guess you could call television's Jane Krakowski a makeup hoarder.

The very funny and very pretty 30 Rock star and new mom, ia giving out a special beauty tip, one she she uses in her daily makeup routine:

Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder ($22, at Sephora).

In fact, Jane cannot live without this particular beauty item. She once had a major freak-out about it:

"I own a lifetime supply of Laura Mercier's Secret Brightening powder," Jane says. "I use it all the time, so when I heard it was being discontinued, I rushed out and bought 15 of them. Turns out, it was only a rumor."

Amazing story. And we understand Jane's panic. It's like a favorite skin care product or lip gloss suddenly being discontinued. Aaargh! Sometimes you lose it.....Now what are we gonna use?

The Laura Mercier brightening powder appears to have a cult following, because it does incredible things for dark, undereye circles.

The product is special, because it sets your undereye concealer and adds a luminous boost to the eye area. And the Secret Brightening powder comes in 2 shades:

Color #1: for fair to medium skin tones.
Color #2: for medium to tan and darker skin tones.

This powder is so light, like a pixie dust, if there ever where such a thing. The powder contains micronized pigments that will not settle in fine lines or accentuate shadows and instantly delivers a soft, weightless finish. The texture of the powder is unbelievable.

This stuff is like beauty magic. Your eyes come alive. You look rested and awake.

Great beauty tip, Jane Krakowski!

Megan Fox Turns To Laser: Best Way To Get Rid Of Marilyn Tattoo

Maybe you should, "Think before you ink."

Actress Megan Fox is trying to make her big Marilyn Monroe tattoo disappear for good from her right forearm.

You can see from the top photo that the tat of the iconic blonde beauty' is now almost a ghost on the slender arm of the 24-year-old movie star, who was in NYC for an event last week.

In the other photos, take a peek at Angelina Jolie's back and the stunning tiger tattoo. The gorgeous film actress has more than a dozen tats. And she, too, once wanted to get rid of one of her tats. It was the big Billy Bob in ink on her left arm. Following their divorce, Angelina had the memory lasered off.

Speaking of tattoo removal, unfortunately, when the ink covers a large area of skin, and is done in heavy black ink like Megan's Marilyn tattoo, one can expect several visits to the dermatologist for some major lasering.

And the procedure isn't cheap. Tattoo laser removal can cost anywhere from a few hundred dollars up into the thousands of dollars, depending on the size and location of the tattoo, the number of visits involved, and so on. The lousy thing, medical insurance will not pay for tattoo removal since it is considered cosmetic in nature. Plus the procedure is a bit uncomfortable.

During laser tattoo removal, the procedure causes the pigment in the ink to fragment, or break into smaller particles that are then removed by the body's immune system.

We suppose you could say, 'Good-bye, Norma Jean.'

We're not sure if Megan Fox has any more ink ideas up her sleeve.

VS Angel Miranda Kerr: Beauty By Noni Juice And Coconut Oil

Victoria's Secret angel Miranda Kerr owes her amazing body and flawless skin to 2 key foods she cannot live without:

Noni juice and coconut oil.

The gorgeous model married to actor Orlando Bloom, has maintained a super body following birth to son Flynn Christopher, who is now 7-months-old.

Miranda Kerr really got generous with her beauty tips in a new interview with the Australian issue of Cosmopolitan magazine. Here it is, ladies:

Noni Juice: “I’ve been drinking it since I was 14, and when I’ve got a long day ahead of me, it’s the one thing I can’t live without,” Miranda says.

With claims that Tahitian noni juice “supports your immune system, delivers superior antioxidants, increases energy, and allows greater physical performance levels,” she doesn't mind paying $38 for a liter of it.

Coconut Oil. “I personally take four tablespoons of coconut oil per day, either on my salads, in my cooking or in my cups of green tea,” the model explains.

“I will not go a day without coconut oil,” Miranda adds.

Of course, supermodels with super bodies also hit the gym.

We think Miranda Kerr has never looked better! And we are certain that the sale of noni juice and coconut oil will sky-rocket after this supermodel revelation.