Don't Fear The Foundation Brush: It's A Good Thing

Are you afraid of the foundation brush?!

You are not alone. We would like to estimate, that most women are probably fearful of using a makeup tool they've never tried, or a makeup product or makeup technique they've never approached.

And this time, we're looking at the foundation brush.

Oh yeah, there is such a thing. For us, we've been a liquid foundation wearer all these years, and routinely, we have put on our base each morning with our fingers and then smoothed over with a makeup sponge.

But when it comes to flawless application, makeup brushes can really do the trick, especially for foundation. The bristles are short and dense for easy buffing.

You can use the foundation brush in a couple of ways. You can either dot your forehead, chin, cheeks and nose with foundation using your fingers first, and THEN, using the brush.

OR....You can dip the brush into the bottle of liquid makeup and THEN apply right to the face.

Either way is fine. Start at the center of your face and move outward. Use the foundation brush with short, circular strokes, around your face, as you blend and buff the foundation into your skin for a smooth, even finish.

Here are 3 Great Foundation Brushes we like:

1. Mac 187 Duo Fibre Brush ($42, at macys).

2. Black Up Foundation Brush ($32, at blackupcosmetics).

3. Sephora Collection Pro Foundation Airbrush #55 ($34, at Sephora).

Just a little reminder: When you use any kind of makeup brush, you must be mindful to wash it 1X a week. Use baby shampoo to gently get rid of grime and bacteria. Dry the brush flat on a paper towel and store the brush upright in an open container.

Dry Spray Shampoo Comes In Handy During Real Crisis

We briefly mentioned yesterday, about New England getting socked hard in the weather department, following a rare and historic October Nor'easter.

About 70% of our city, alone, remains without power.

When a weather-related crisis hits, and you're left with no electricity and in some cases, no water, well, you've got to be extra clever in your beauty routine.

Today, we are looking at one rescue me hair product by John Frieda, one of our all-time favorite hair geniuses.

This blue spray can should be in every gal's beauty cabinet:

John Frieda Luxurious Volume Anytime Volume Refresher ($5.59, at drugstore.com ). It's a super dry spray shampoo. You don't need to wash your hair. You don't need a blow dryer, either. Simply spray onto roots, let dry, and fluff up with fingers. You get instant volume for your flat, oily, lackluster locks. And your hair smells delightful.

There are tons of dry shampoos out there. And most come with a white powdery base that seems to never fully disappear, even when you try brushing it out. With the Luxurious Volume Anytime Volume Refresher, all you need are about 4 quick blasts at the roots, and you're good to go.

You will get back the volume and your mane will look fresh and full, plus, you didn't have to go through the lengthy process of shampooing and blow-drying.

Dry shampoos are no secret to the professional stylists out there. Many use these spray shampoos to give their model/actress clients a lot of body and grip. You get instant, buildable texture with a great dry shampoo.

There are days, you just can't get the time to shampoo and blow-dry. And whether it's because of a weather-related crisis and your power has been lost, or you're just to busy to do your hair, give this latest John Frieda product a try.

You can even carry a can of it in your handbag. And you can apply it on the go, in a rush, anywhere.

Big Bad Storm: No Beauty Tip Today

We hope everyone is safe, following one of the nastiest, and for New England, an historic Nor'easter in the month of October.

Too much snow, too many broken tree limbs, and too many downed wires ate up most of our time today.

We hope to bring you more Beauty Tip Today tomorrow.

Thank you.

Cold Dry Days Ahead Make Skin Thirsty For New Anti-Aging Cream

The new skin care kid-on-the-block is red-hot, because it claims, like every anti-aging product out there, that its formula REALLY does work.

Say hello to SkinCubed and its high-performance 3-product line.

SkinCubed is a peptide-based anti-wrinkle cream that swears its clinical trials showed it was more effective than prescription skin care treatments.

Okay, now you have our interest piqued. We get wary of companies that boast about beating strong, Retin-A prescription creams and the like. Why? Because prescription skin care formulas are the BEST thing out there at the moment. These treatment are powerful, that is why they cannot be bought over-the-counter.

SkinCubed has become the little darling of many beauty and high fashion magazines with their one-page glossy advertisements, similar to the carefully controlled image of the StriVectin skin care line.

Is SkinCubed REALLY effective?

According to the clinical trials conducted in England at Manchester University, SkinCubed cream was effective at erasing sun damage and decreasing wrinkle depth.

Well, we haven't studied the research, but if that is true, then that's terrific.

SkinCubed says its products provide very good hydration for the skin. Hmmm....hydration. That to us, means that SkinCubed is a very good moisturizer, something everyone's complexion needs during the harsh, cold, dry fall and winter days ahead. But how does SkinCubed restore damaged skin and spur on collagen production?

We're not sure.

The 3-line collection includes:
Clinical Age-Defying Creme ($110)
Instant-Eye Repair Formula ($150)
Instant-Lift Peptide Formula ($150).

SkinCubed cannot be purchased in a store. But you can buy it at SkinCubed.com.

We will be waiting to hear more information on SkinCubed.

Are You A Boob To Want Botox Injected Into Breasts For Firmer Smoother Cleavage?

Botox.

What can we say? It's the most popular, cosmetic injectable around. And most of us know about Botox's brilliance at keeping crow's feet and those nasty 'eleven lines' between the brows at bay.

But hold on, ladies! Botox is also on the rise for zapping that crinkly cleavage and lifting a sagging bosom!

Have we gone too far? Are several shots in the boobs worth a temporary decollete lift? Is it safe?

Yes, it is safe, just like the injectable is for the face and neck. And some women just hate the damage the sun and general aging have done to their cleavage. Remember--the skin there is dry, thin with less elasticity.

Why should we worry about the skin of the decollete region and the bosom? By the way, the decollete is actually the upper part of a woman's chest, below the neck.

Just look at what model Cindy Crawford says:

...."In L.A., there are 65-year-old women walking around in Juicy sweatpants, and from the back, you'd think they were 20. But when you see their hands or their neck, you know. When I put moisturizer on my face, I use a little extra so that I have enough to cover my hands. Most people don't start caring about the décolleté until it's too late, but I'm religious about it."

Botox injected into the breast will react like Botox injected into the face. It takes a few days for the cosmetic injectable to take effect, and the results of smoother, firmer skin will last between 3 and 4 months.

Botoxed breasts have been popular in the U.K. for several years now, but here in the U.S., the procedure seems to be picking up steam.

We found this little nugget in the British DailyMail.com.

..."The patient is given around 12 injections of Botox into the pectoralis minor chest muscle.
The freezing of this muscle causes other muscles in the back to strengthen, and the bust to lift.
Wrinkles, caused by ageing, or just too much sun, are also smoothed. But the technique has its limits - breasts are not made fuller."

We're sure we will be seeing much more about Bosom Botox in the coming months.

Braun Hair Brush Battery Operated To Smooth Frizzies Split Ends

Would you pay $65 for a hair brush? How about one that is battery-operated and gives you back smooth, frizz-free, split-end-free hair?!

Braun has launched an ad campaign called, Free Your Head!. And the company is hoping you do just that, by buying the new Satin Hair Active Ion Brush (now at QVC and Ulta, too). Also here at Braun.com.

With the touch of a button you can instantly zap away static and boost mega-watt-shine. You've heard of Active Ion Technology, well, this little hair brush gadget contains this advanced healthy hair feature. And the Braun Satin Brush with its seamless bristles won't tug on delicate hair strands. In fact, the brush is gentle, so when you slide on the switch,the Active Ion light shines and the ion jet releases a rich stream of ions that bathe your locks in moisture-filled halo.

Say bye-bye to your flat-iron, ladies. This high-tech hair brush delivers frizz-free, smooth hair. And it's portable, and not very bulky, measuring about 8" long and 2" wide.

Who needs a bad hair day? No one, frankly. We're just happy that there is great science behind something as simple as a hair brush. How far we've come.

Nicki Minaj Brings Barbie Glam To Own OPI Nail Polish Line

Nicki Minaj.

Who doesn't adore the musical superstar?!

Nicki loves to push the beauty envelope, putting her Barbie glitter-glam stamp on everything near and dear to her.

And now, we're happy to see the rap genius hooking up with OPI Nail Polish to launch her own limited edition OPI nail lacquer collection for 2010!

Nicki Minaj isn't afraid to blast some color into her life, and for just $8.50 a bottle, you, too, can paint on some outrageousness Nicky-style.

The lovely lacquers inspired by the hip-hop star include Pink Friday (a creamy bubblegum shade), Metallic 4 Life (a cool charcoal sparkle), Super Bass Shatter (a graffiti art-inspired topcoat effect in purple), Save Me (a silver-rainbow glitter), Fly (an electric aqua) and Did It On 'Em (a bold, fluorescent lime).

You'll be able to buy Nicky's OPI Nail Polish this January 2012 at JC Penney stores and everywhere you find OPI nail lacquers.

We think this is a wonderful opportunity for Nicki Minaj to bring a little Nicki style to her many fans. And we believe this limited edition OPI line will do very well. Sounds like a great Christmas gift idea.