Milani Illuminating Face Powder: Super Drugstore Buy

Looking for some pretty and inexpensive gifts to toss into your beauty Easter basket?

Then, look no further than Milani cosmetics. The popular drugstore brand has introduced some glam, new products for Spring 2012. And our fave is the Milani Illuminating Face Powder ($9.49). Oh, so colorful and spring-like! Plus, it comes in 3 shades:

We like 1. Beauty's Touch. But there is also 2. Amber Nectar and 3. Hermosa Rose.

Each compact comes with a rose bouquet-embossed powder, ready to serve as a blush, bronzer, and/or highlighter. The colors give back a soft healthy glow, and are suitable for all skin types and skin tones. The face powder compact is so adorable, you might have second thoughts before swiping your blush brush across the lovely rose embossed powder.

If you can't find the Milani Illuminating Face Powder at your neighborhood drugstore, you can always shop at Milani.com.

Lady Antebellum's Hillary Scott Can't Perform Without These Two Beauty Products

Hillary Scott, the lovely Lady Antebellum singer, busy with the Own the Night tour, loves doing her OWN makeup.

We find that refreshing and happy to hear. It seems like EVERY female star out there shows up pampered with a huge makeup/hair entourage. But not with this country singing beauty. And she always looks polished and modern.

Before EVERY show, she does her OWN makeup:

"It helps calm my jitters," Hillary told InStyle magazine recently.

And Hillary Scott's 2 favorite go-to beauty products include:

1. Amazing Cosmetics Powder Set ($27, at AmazingCosmetics).
"It makes everything waterproof, so I don't have to worry about my makeup sweating off."


2. Stila Long Wear Lip Color in Darling ($20, at ULTA).
"It's easier to pull off a berry lip color than a classic red. This stain has a chubby tip, so it's a cinch to apply.".

Great makeup tips, Hillary Scott!

American Idol Contestant's Drastic Hair Cut: Would You Be So Brave?

Erika Van Pelt, you are one brave chick!

To go from long blond/auburn streaked hair to a super cropped jet-black do, takes a lot of guts. And to debut the new hair cut on live TV in front of millions of American Idol viewers, well, that's evencrazier.

"I knew I wanted to do something drastic with my hair," Erika told People magazine after the show. "I get this sense of liberation when I get my hair cut. It’s a stress reliever for me, to be honest." And new A.I. image consultant, fashion designer Tommy Hilfiger, encouraged the contestant to change up her look.

Another plus for the fab singer: "It’s nice to feel my neck again."

Erika is not afraid of very short hair. "It’s actually been shorter than this before, so I wasn’t scared about that part," she said. "But I was sort of thinking what my fans would think and what would America think."

Talk about a healthy dose of self-confidence. We admire you, Erika Van Pelt.

We think that Erika looks pretty with either hair color and cut. The new jet-black do is quite edgy and sophisticated. It reminds us a lot of Kardashian mama Kris Jenner's cropped cut. Or on the music side, a bit like vintage Pat Benatar.

So, the question begs:

Would you be so brave to show off a totally different hair color and hair length to millions of people?

We already know our answer. We're such a baby. No way. We've been sitting here with our too short Rooney Mara bangs, and we're still freakin' out.

New L'Oreal EverCreme: Gentle Conditioner That Cleanses Like Shampoo

Bravo to the geniuses at L'Oreal for finally developing a very unique hair product!

It's about time someone created a conditioner that also acts like a shampoo that cleanses without stripping your hair's natural oils.

The no-shampoo shampoo is called EverCreme ($6.99, at drugstores and beauty boutiques like Ulta.

Ladies, are you ready to join the low-poo revolution?

Let's face it. Some of us shampoo the heck out of our scalps. And any professional stylist will warn you, that too much shampooing can dry your hair out with the harsh sulfates that are often present as you lather. That in turn, can lead to friction which can cause breakage.

L'Oreal's first-ever Cleansing Conditioner is made up of 1 part cleanser to 3 parts conditioner. It smells like yummy vanilla and it's simple to use:

Apply to wet hair and massage into a low lather. Leave in 1-2 minutes. Rinse. No need to use a separate conditioner.

DWTS' Maria Menounos Stays Slim Doing Cha Cha Cha Along With This

TV personality Maria Menouonos is having a blast on Dancing with the Stars. Last night, the bubbly entertainment reporter teamed up with partner Derek Hough and wowed the audience with the energetic Cha Cha Cha.

Not only were we impressed with Maria's skill on the dance floor, but more amazed with her super fit, toned body.

After watching so many scrawny-looking celebrities on the red carpet, it's refreshing to see a healthy, curvy girl living in Hollywood.

According to Maria Menounos' book, 'The EveryGirl's Guide to Life,' balance is something we all strive for in such a fast-paced way of 24/7.

We find our Greek sister to be down-to-earth with a good head on her shoulders. And we like Maria Menounos because she doesn't pretend to be someone else. The 33-year-old beauty stays fit without a trainer and often does her own hair and makeup for red carpet events.

Of course, dancing is wonderful exercise, and all that Cha Cha Cha-ing will melt away the fat. But diet is also key, and she credits Greek yogurt with keeping her slim and trim:

"I love grabbing a Greek yogurt; it's a convenient, fat-free snack, plus there's 14 to 17 grams of protein in every cup. It's especially great before or after a workout," Maria says.

And she's right----Greek yogurt is all the rage these days. So, we examined an excellent one by Stonyfield Farm, called Oikos.

"Greek yogurt has an incredibly rich and creamy texture, about twice the protein of regular yogurt, less lactose, and fewer carbs. So it’s no wonder Greek is flying off the shelves. Our Oikos Organic Greek Yogurt has 0% fat and just 80 calories per serving.* Because it’s organic, Oikos is also better for the earth. And we think it's better for you too.".

Greek yogurt, is indeed, rich and creamy, a very filling food for those who want a delicious snack that keeps them long and lean.

Celebs Are Into Big Blunt Bangs Trend: Good Or Bad?

Fringe benefits.

We're talking about bangs, of course. It's a look that never really goes out of style, but there are bangs trends, and it appears that we are headed in that direction once again.

Elle magazine is calling blunt bangs, "spring's hottest accessory for long hairstyles."

We've been a blunt bangs lover for years. We recently went to a new salon for a new set of blunt beauties and came back with a big disappointment.

Instead of simple, curved bangs, we ended up with razored, edgy bangs. Yuck! In our defense, we never saw the razor coming.

Our humble advice....Please be blunt about the bangs you want.

Quite a few celebrities have jumped on the blunt bangs bandwagon, including Jessica Biel, Rose Byrne, and Rooney Mara. Check out the photos.

As you can plainly see, no set of blunt bangs is the same. Rose Byrne is sporting a sleek side part with very full bangs. Newly engaged Jessica Biel is showing off thick fringe that curve around those killer cheekbones of hers. And Rooney Mara appears like a modern day Audrey Hepburn with her super short, dark edgy bangs.

The pros of wearing bangs:

1. You look younger.
2. Your eyes look larger.
3. You can cover up forehead wrinkles.
4. Your brows even appear fuller against the fringe.
5. You can increase or decrease the width/length of your face, depending on the shape of your bangs.

The cons of wearing bangs:

1. The maintenance---Bangs start growing out very quickly, within 2-3 weeks.
2. Back and forth trips to the stylist to keep the perfect length.
3. Trying to cut bangs yourself....not always as easy as it looks.

Will you try the big blunt bangs trend this Spring? Is it good or bad?

Steamed Up With Ironing Board Hassles? Try This Quick Fix

Ironing.

It's a tedious fact of life for most of us. We have to descend 2 staircases before we can get to ours.

Maybe there's a better solution. At least when it comes to a few wrinkled garments, a lightweight steamer is the way to go. We never believed our friend who begged us to invest in one, but now we know why.

A little steamer can make your life a whole lot easier. We found an adorable one in Rowenta Ultrasteam Handheld Fabric Steamer. Just $30 at BedBathAndBeyond!

How cute is this little fashion-help-me gadget?!

In about 2 quick minutes, your wrinkled mess can be all ironed out. The Rowenta is a great travel companion with dual voltage capabilities for near and far. Plus, the l'il steamer features push-button activation for a continuous flow of steam.

The Rowenta Ultrasteam Handheld Fabric Steamer can smooth out wrinkles from your favorite white blouse to your expensive cashmere sweater. Every gal should have one sitting in her closet ready to go.