Friday, June 15, 2012

Goop Editor Gwyneth Wears SuperGoop Sunscreen--Of Course!



Let's not even talk about how superfit Gwyneth Paltrow, the actress/mom/author is at age 39. And look at the bikini!

We know it's all about the diet. But what about the Oscar winner's lovely, youthful skin?

We know that Gwyneth loves playing in the sun at the beach with Apple and Noah. So---how does she protect herself?

With Supergoop!

This one looks like it's a very good sunscreen, because if it weren't, the flaxen-haired beauty would not even bother putting it on. We all know how very picky Miss Paltrow is.

Supergoop! Everyday Face and Body Moisturizer with 30SPF and UVA/UVB protection ($14, at Sephora and at Supergoop.com).

Gwyneth writes about Supergoop! products in her Goop newsletter:

..."Love the name! This SPF 30+ sunscreen works for the entire family and comes in a variety of shapes and sizes depending on your use—spray, cream, serum and wipes, for whatever your needs may be. The wipes are especially good for quickly protecting the kids before they jump in the pool."

The sunscreen is formulated with excellent anti-aging properties, too. Holly Thaggard, a sunscreen expert debuted the Supergoop! brand in 2007 with this mission in mind:

...to educate and protect adults and children alike from both harmful skincare ingredients and the UV rays of the sun.".

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Hate The Dimples: New Cellulite Procedure Can Smooth Things Out


Remember this name, Cellulaze.

It's for serious girls with some serious cellulite.

In other words, if you are tired of trying to HIDE your dimpled fat, either through clothing, firming creams/serums, massage, and exercise, and the cellulite is STILL there--Relax.
There is another way. From what our beauty knowledge tells us, there is NO way to get rid of cellulite PERMANENTLY, but there are methods to lessen its appearance.

And that is what the Cellulaze treatment aims to do---smoo-oooooth things out! The procedure consists of the Cellulaze laser fiber and all you need is 1 treatment. The tiny laser fiber attacks the very structure of the cellulite.

We learned this at Cellulaze.com:

...."Your physician will mark the areas of cellulite to be treated with a marker
A couple of tiny incisions will be made, about the size of the tip of a pen.
Local anesthesia or numbing solution is used (you'll be awake during the procedure).
The Cellulaze laser fiber is threaded through a very small tube (or cannula) and inserted through the incision site.
Your physician will use the SideLaze3D™ Cellulaze laser fiber to:
Level out bumps of fat.
Treat dimples by releasing the fibrous bands that pull down on the skin.
Stimulate collagen production to increase your skin’s depth and elasticity for a smoother look.
The liquefied fat is gently pressed out.
The entire procedure should take about 1–1.5 hours
.

The Cellulaze procedure sounds great, especially for bathing suit time right around the corner. Plus, it's minimally invasive with practically little downtime.

We haven't been able to locate the cost of a Cellulaze treatment. Please check the website for more details.

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Brits Say Kate Middleton's Eyebrows Too Thick And Harsh: Are You Kidding Us?!



We cannot imagine living in the royal fishbowl. Poor Kate Middleton! The Duchess of Cambridge is being 'plucked' quite painfully today in the British publication, the Daily Mail.

Apparently, a number of women are disappointed not in the way the future queen is dressing for public events, but in the way Kate is 'dressing' her brows, supposedly TOO dark, thick and harsh.

So, we would beg to ask---What's wrong with Kate's brows?!

Please look at the photos above. The DailyMail has posted these at their online publication.

Top Photo shows Kate AFTER enjoying life as a new bride and gracefully carrying out her role in the royal hierarchy.
Bottom Photo shows Kate BEFORE as a college student, prior to her marriage to Prince William.

DailyMail columnist Liz Jones wrote this about the Duchess of Cambridge:

...."Kate’s brows have grown exponentially since her student days at the University of St Andrews, as you can clearly see if you compare pictures of her then and now. It is as if Monty Don has been tending them with some sort of magical mulch and a lawn-edger.

"Were they pencilled, inked, tattooed? Or (now here’s a thought) could they be a brand new trend the glossies haven’t even come up with yet: a brow extension, a sort of furry wig for those brunette beauties who can’t grow their own?..."


Ouch!

How cruel can people be?!

We've always admired Kate Middleton's fresh-faced beauty with her natural, full brows, glossy brunette locks, bright smile, and classic makeup look.

Every makeup artist who knows the score, will always remind you that fuller brows = youth. And we ALWAYS refer to the makeup legend herself, Sandy Linter:

Thin brows are the biggest mistake she sees women make, time and time again. "I don’t like overly thin, trying to be perfect brows," Sandy Linter says. "I like a fuller, more natural looking brow. It is not an L.A. brow, but more like a ‘model’s brow. Look at the models (not the actresses) in the magazines, for correct brow shapes."

And the world's best known eyebrow shaper, Anastasia Soare, would agree:

"Most of us look younger with fuller brows and a soft arch," Anastasia explained to Lady's Home Journal.

And like Sandy, Anastasia believes, if you don't have good brows, pencil them in! Anastasia says, to keep the brows looking natural, try using short, hairlike strokes. Then comb through your brows with a clean mascara brush to blend the color evenly across the length of the brow.

You can try the Anastasia Beverly Hills Perfect Brow Pencil ($22, at Anastasia). It comes with a built-in brush.

Meantime, here across the pond, we haven't seen one mention of bad brows for Kate Middleton. In fact, we all seem to admire the future queen and her effortless beauty.

Okay, readers, you take a look. Is there anything wrong with Kate's brows?

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Let's Go Boating This Summer---Or Pretend In Preppy Mocs


The whole nautical look is trendy this summer with colorful stripes everywhere. Why not complete the pretty picture with a cute, inexpensive pair of preppy mocs?!

You don't have to be a yacht owner to wear this summer classic, although a boat of any kind would be really nice....

We found these adorable mocs from GoJane. And each pair is only $17.60! Colors come in Navy. Mustard. Red And Black. In sizes 5 1/2 - 10.

The Lace-Up Boating Flats are really espadrille/boat shoes with cute raw-edge detailing and a bow front laced design with an espadrille rope heel. Super comfy-casual, too.

For under $20, or in this case, under $18, you're getting a boatload of savings, so to speak.

There are some situations that call for more than a pair of flip-flops, and we've got you covered here in the classic/hipster boat shoe moc.

Monday, June 11, 2012

One Of The Most Dangerous Beauty Tools: The Callus Shaver


Got foot calluses?

Sandal season has begun, and for many of you, ourself included, it's frustrating trying to get rid of thick, dry rough skin on the heels and balls of the feet.

Sure, you can try and pumice stone away those nasty Hobbit feet, slather on expensive creams at night with a pair of socks, use prescription serums on the leathery soles, use the 'tame' Ped-Egg shaver, allow a pedicurist or podiatrist to deal with them, or------
Buy the callus shaver. Please don't laugh too hard, but this is one of our FAVORITE beauty tools, however, you CAN hurt yourself and bleed. So, the callus shaver is one of the most dangerous beauty tools out there.

If you have perfectly smooth soles, then good for you---We are envious. But if you seem to develop thick, dry heels, etc., then you need to arm yourself with a tough beauty weapon.

Look at the photo of what a typical callus shaver looks like. It comes with a razor blade. You simply and carefully, glide the shaver across the callus removing thin layers of hard, dead skin. Then snap the rasp onto the head of the shaver and work back and forth over the callused area to smooth the skin.

For us, the callus shaver works like a charm. Yes, we have cut into our feet upon a few clumsy occasions. Make sure, you don't hurry the job, and make sure your replace the razor when it gets dull. Other than that, we LOVE this thing! It really works!

We found a good callus shaver from Tweezerman for only $4.99 at Ulta.

Ulta reviewers gave the Tweezerman Callus Shaver a 3.1 rating out of a possible 5 stars. We beg to differ. Some people don't know how to properly use a callus shaver, and it takes a bit of practice to make it work effectively. Even replacing the blade can be tricky, but you'll get the hang of it.

Be gone, ugly Hobbit feet!See you during sandal season!

Sunday, June 10, 2012

The NY Times Has Finally Noticed That Blunt Bangs Are Back...LOL!



The New York Times is a highly regarded publication, and with good reason.

But we had to chuckle when the newspaper printed an article last Thursday, announcing that Bangs are back!....LOL.... The title to the feature story was catchy, we admit--- 'The Forehead Is the New Canvas.

A lot of beauty/style websites are having a good laugh over the months behind article by the NY Times. For anyone that follows trends or writes about beauty/fashion on and on, each day, well, it's old news.

For quite a few months now, we've all been talking about bangs, the bluntness, and how Hollywood beauties are covering their eyebrows these days. There's Jessica Biel sporting her own full, curved fringe. And she's been maintaining this cool look for several months now.

Some people are not wild about the blunt, heavy bangs, but we think Jessica looks gorgeous no matter what hairstyle she wears. Just look at those killer cheekbones! Plus, new fiance Justin Timberlake apparently likes her sexy do.

The Times article does say that full fringe does NOT go with curly hair But if you do have a straight mane, let your face shape be your determining factor, according to Johnny Lavoy, a hair stylist and a consulting hair expert for L’OrĂ©al Paris:

...."Even if your mane has the requisite swing, stylists still recommend using face shape as a guide. An oval face can handle almost any sort of bang. Round faces are said to look better with longer, sideswept bangs. Square faces may also benefit from sideswept bangs, with a slight part instead of a curtain of hair straight across the forehead. On long faces, a softer, lengthy fringe is typically most flattering.

"And those with heart-shaped faces are encouraged to embrace their inner fashion editor with bold, heavy bangs or, as Mr. Lavoy reverentially calls them, “Anna Wintour bangs."


Thank you, New York Times. Better late than never.

Saturday, June 9, 2012

At Home Chemical Peelers: Burns Can Happen To Good People


We have talked about chemical peels a number of times here at BeautyTipToday. We are big fans of glycolic acid peels and have become an experienced at-home peeler.

With our oily skin, we find glycolic acid to be quite effective in the exfoliation department to reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and sun damage. Plus, these peels deliver smoother, more even skintone with less visible pores. Skin care experts claim that glycolic acid is the most effective for peels due to its small molecular size, which allows it to penetrate into the skin more easily.

It's always best to have a dermatologist apply a chemical peel. The pro can determine which peel strength to give you, control how your face is reacting under the peel, and exactly how many minutes to keep the glycolic acid on.

And yet, many of us learn the skin care ropes and start chemical peeling at home. Usually, at-home peels are SAFE, but as we like to say, Burns CAN happen to good people.

This happened to us late Wednesday night, June 6th, which would actually be Thursday, June 7th, because the mini accident occurred AFTER midnight, when we strangely enough, like to do our peels.

What went down?

We had been using a new glyolic acid cream and cleanser 24-hours prior to our peel. And we left the glycolic acid peel on for a bit too long, which turned out to be 6 minutes. We were using a 50% strength, which we've been accustomed to for about a year. We noticed our face and neck quickly turning red, and yet, we took no action and decided to let the peel do its thing.

When we attempted to wash off the peel, the burning began and continued. We dried off our face and neck, kept them both bare and went to sleep.

Today is Saturday and we are still a bit swollen, red and peeling. We have a couple of small brown spots on the upper cheeks and one under the chin/neck. Other than that, we feel good--no more pain. We are going to be just fine.

Dermatologists advise putting on emu oil or aloe vera to soothe burned skin following a chemical peel. Other than that, if you are going to be an at-home peeler, well, you are on your own. So, follow directions exactly. And good luck!

Here are some excellent glycolic acid peel directions from PlatinumSkinCare.com.