Janet Jackson Weighs In On Nutrisystem Diet Plan

We have to admit, this one caught us off guard:

Janet Jackson has been named the new face of the Nutrisystem diet plan.

But maybe there is a clever strategy here.

The talented singer joins two other famous divas in the weight loss TV ad wars---Mariah Carey with Jenny and Jennifer Hudson with Weight Watchers.

Janet Jackson is appearing in two 60-second Nutrisystem ads, which will be officially broadcast starting Dec. 26. Oh yeah, just in time for the New Year. The commercials were shot in Australia during the singer's recent worldwide tour.

The sister of the late Michael Jackson isn't saying how many pounds she is still trying to lose. Apparently, the singer initially did not lose weight on the Nutrisystem diet, but she is sticking to the plan now, and signed up with the brand, she says, because "weight is something I’ve dealt with it all my life."

Janet's theme urgers dieters to 'Get On It,' in the “Success” program being introduced tomorrow by Nutrisystem Inc.

But here is another angle to Janet's mission, and we like it:

Nutrisystem and Janet Jackson are creating Nutribank to distribute meals to the hungry, launching with $10 million in company food contributions for 2012. The company has pledged one dollar’s worth of company food for each pound lost by Nutrisystem customers next year.

Pretty incredible!

Let's be frank....weight loss diet programs are HUGE business, and adding another iconic name to the competition is smart thinking, because people DO care what celebrities endorse, and DO admire when a celebrity has to get in shape just like everyone else.

Bravo, Janet Jackson! We look forward to the TV ads.

Jen Aniston Has One: Would You Use A Heated Eyelash Curler?

Eyelash curler.

Maybe you own several, like we do. Some work well, and others do not live up to the promise.

Then there's the cadillac of the group-----the heated eyelash curler.

We don't have one yet, although we are tempted, especially since golden girl Jennifer Aniston uses one. The movie star says in the January issue of InStyle magazine this:

"I hate wearing mascara, so I tint my eyelashes every 3 weeks. I have long lashes, so I just put on a conditioning gel from Talika and curl them up with a little heated curler from Japan."

Okay, we won't go there, regarding Jen's distaste for mascara. We believe that ONLY mascara can give you INCREDIBLE lashes. But having said that, let's investigate further the "little heated curler from Japan."

Japan seems to make a lot of heated eyelash curlers. The actress did not give us a particular brand, but we found one. We read about several, but couldn't hunt them down.

Koizumi Heated Eyelash Curler from Japan ($28.38).

Here's the description:

# Enhance the beauty of your eyes.
# Multi-functional, compact, lightweight and easy to use.
# Create look with curly, long and thick eyelashes.
# Two lines of heating system curl eyelash from the base.
# Anti-damage system on heating area avoids any harm when curling eyelash.

If any of you have any experience with little heated eyelash curlers from Japan, please offer your comments.

Jessica Simpson's New Skin Care Company Hopes To Be Breath Of Fresh Air

Her new venture is a skin care company called BeautyMint.

Jessica Simpson already has a billion dollar empire, selling shoes, accessories, bathing suits, jeans, makeup, and a whole lot more. So don't worry about the star slacking off these days, just because she is pregnant.

Jessica is all over the celebrity map, even creating a tween fashion line with sister Ashley.

BeautyMint is a concept based on personalized skin care. The blonde beauty and celebrity aesthetician Nerida Joy recently launched the new online destination that sells anti-aging skincare.

Remember when a younger Jess was doing the Pro-Activ skin care line to battle her acne days?

She is modeling BeautyMint after that personalized complexion program in some respects.

But BeautyMint doesn't just clear up the pimples. The skin care system also claims to perform these beauty goals:

Anti-aging
Environmental damage control
Defend against effects of time
Sun protection.

The botantical ingredients are also effective and 'high-tech,' in the science of beauty:

Marine collagen
Elastin
Aloe Vera
Chamomile
Cucumber extract
Acai fruit
Mulberry extract
Green tea
Shea butter
Peptides

To learn what BeautyMint products are right for you, there's a free consultation form to fill out online.

Shiny Face Or Matte Face: Are You A Powder Puff Gal?

"Excuse me. I have to go powder my nose."

We've all heard that line before, and maybe you REALLY do powder your nose.

What's the point?

Many makeup artists will set the face with powder as the final step in a beauty routine. The powder helps makeup last longer and takes away shine, and gives a polished, matte finish.

We do the powder, too. We believe it helps the skin look flawless, or as near perfect as one's complexion can be. And we also have uber oily skin, so this is a MUST in our beauty bag.

But there is a powder difference. We aren't wild about the compact powder. We think that application can be a bit telling. In other words, it builds up on your face and the texture of your makeup can look cake-y or heavy.

What you want to buy is loose face powder---one that is colorless and sheer. And we have the favorite of many makeup pros:

Coty Airspun Face Powder in Translucent ($7.19, at local drugstores).

What's so wonderful about Coty's powder?

Celebrity makeup artist Kristofer Buckle sums it all up:

"It goes on incredibly evenly and easily; it's always been one of the best-textured translucent powders on the market," Kristofer Buckle.

Kristopher has powdered the faces of many A-listers-----Mariah. Madonna. Blake Lively. Mary J. Blige, and so on.

Coty Airspun Face Powder in Translucent is a cheap and very effective beauty product.

Don't be left in the dust. Powder is a gal's best friend.

Jennifer Aniston's Secret Beauty Tip Involves 'Fig'

We love when good-looking celebrities start spilling all their beauty secrets. Okay, maybe they won't give out all their tips, but we are happy to see famous beauties drop a few brand names and favorite shades of makeup, etc.

Today, we are looking at Jennifer Aniston, and how 'fig' fits into her beauty routine.

Jennifer has such an appealing girl-next-door look. Nothing over the top---makeup is always fresh and natural. And the actress' smile is soft and attractive. In other words, you won't catch the movie star with bold, red lips. That's not her style.

Jennifer spoke to InStyle magazine recently. In the January 2012 issue, now on newsstands, the youthful actress talked about her looks, and we were surprised to see her mention a favorite cosmetic:

Estee Lauder's Automatic Lip Pencil Duo in Fig ($23.50, at fine dept. stores).

Says the actress: "I've used this Fig lip liner for god knows how many years. You can mix anything with it."

This is how to use the Fig Duo Lip Pencil, according to the folks at Estee Lauder:

Versatile, double-ended pencil with twist-up color on one side, a lip brush on the other.

Color tip is always perfectly shaped—never needs sharpening.

Use the lip brush to apply your lipstick or other lipcolor; creates a defined, professional look.

Comes with an initial color cartridge plus one refill. Additional refills available.

Pencil me in: For longer-lasting lipcolor, fill in entire lip area with pencil, then top it off with your favorite lipstick.

A super, no-nonsense beauty tip from Jennifer Aniston!

Fashion's Charlotte Ronson Also Designs Beach Hair

Textured and tousled hair, with mega-shine.

Who doesn't want that?!

Of course, there are tons of beach and surf-styling sprays out there. Some work well, some fizz out, and others get discontinued. And now that mermaid waves are really hot this season, everyone seems to be looking for the perfect hair product to amp up the waves and gloss.

We've stumbled onto a Perfect Mess Beach Hair by designer Charlotte Ronson ($20, at Sephora. The story goes, that the fashion designer 'designed' her OWN styling spray to keep her long, enviable wavy blond locks beach-y all day long.

If you look at the customer reviews at Sephora.com, you will find that most women adore Charlotte's styling spray. It gets a 3.5 out of 5.0 rating.

So, what makes this surf spray effective? This is how her company describes a Perfect Mess Beach Hair:

"To develop waves and texture, spray it throughout wet or moist hair. Marine botanicals give hair bounce, flexibility, and long-lasting hold. Infused with LFT™ (Light Filter Technology), it delivers an unbeatable beach shine that automatically adjusts based on your lighting. Plus, its light scent is reminiscent of a perfect beach day—taking you back to summer, all year long."

The spray contains some interesting ingredients like---sea salt, jojoba, algea, and green tea extracts.

Gypsy Global Boutique Jewelry: Exotic Faraway Style

Gypsy. Exotic. Bohemian.

Those words say a lot about a woman's style. And when it comes to jewelry, it's a look that's unforgettable.

Earrings, bracelets, necklaces and rings that evoke a place faraway, hold a wonderful mystery about them.

Maybe it's just us, but we adore exotic jewlery. The detail, color and craftsmanship speak volumes. And today, we are looking at Gypsy Global Boutique.

Celebrities like Lindsay Lohan (check out those gorgeous chandeliers), Glee's Jenna Ushkowitz, the Kardashian sisters, and many others, are drawn to the beauty of the Gypsy Global collection.

Such stunning statement pieces! And although not cheap, Gypsy's jewelry is well-made and a smart investment, since the pieces are timeless and look like they cost much more than a few hundred dollars.

According to the Gypsy website......"The collection is handcrafted in Istanbul by skilled artisans using centuries-old techniques. The painstaking process and attention to detail renders each piece an extraordinary work of art."

Take a long look at the Gypsy Global Boutique collection. We can't take our eyes off the unique pieces.