First Lady Fashion: Bolero Plays Big Role

First Lady Michelle Obama is keeping the 1950s classic bolero an important, stylish piece to her White House wardrobe, once again this Fall.

Last  night, or should we say, actually around 1:30 this AM, Mrs. Obama walked out to thunderous applause wearing a Michael Kors sleeveless dress, and a simple, black bolero sweater.

We love the versatility and elegance of the bolero. It is flattering to most, covers up the arms if you don't care to show them, and focuses the attention on the face, bosom, and neck.

Bolero shrugs, jackets, and sweaters NEVER go out of style. Just give it a few days, and you will see boleros being purchased by the hundreds, because First lady Michelle's fashion sense is admired and copied by many.

You can find bolero sweaters just about everywhere. We found some:

L'Wren Scott Black Bolero, $895.

House of Frasier Shawl Collar Bolero, $48.

Alaia Cardigan, $1,025.

Wet Seal Eyelash Knit Bolero, $24.50, now 30% off).

Halle Berry Hangs Out In Gorgeous Gray Eyeshadow

Halle Berry never seems to have a beauty or fashion misstep.

And once again, the ageless actress has scored a winner here with the gorgeous gray eyeshadow trend for Fall 2012. Halle was photographed recently, at the Cloud Atlas premiere, her new movie with Tom Hanks. And while there, she was sporting the gorgeous gray eyeshadow trend with a pretty sparkle to it.

As we all know, the stunning 46-year-old is a beauty ambassador for Revlon cosmetics, so she gets to try out some really cool, new makeup. Try Revlon ColorStay Eyeshadow Quad in Siren, to re-create the smoldering, high-glam look.

We found the shadow at ULTA, for $7.99. 4 great 16-hour powder shadows that blend easily and lasts for hours!

Noticing Hair Fall-Out? Normal This Time Of Year

We saw a fascinating find on Twitter recently. And it has to do with hair fall-out. We have been experiencing a little hair shedding, so we were relieved and interested in this beauty nugget from a Japanese newspaper, called Yomiuri Shimbun. You can read the full article here.

If you have noticed some hair falling out as of late, you are NOT alone. In fact, blame it on the seasons:

...OSAKA--"Like trees shedding their leaves, autumn is the time of year when humans are said to lose the most amount of hair. Some experts attribute this to damage caused by exposure to ultraviolet rays during summer, while others say autumn is a time when much of the hair is replaced by new growth. Hair care specialists suggest gentle shampooing and getting enough sleep to maintain a healthy mane." We never knew about this.

The article, written by staff writer Michiko Nakai , goes on to explain that most heads have between 100,000 - 140,000 strands of hair, and "each strand goes through 3 phases--the anagen phase of growth, the catagen phase where the hair bulb at the base of each strand weakens, and the telogen phase when weakened hair falls off." The cycle then repeats every 5 or 6 years.

 

So, how much hair fall-out is normal?

 

According to the article...."An average of 100 strands of hair fall out as part of this cycle per day, but according to some studies, this rate increases twofold from September to November."

 

We hope, that if you have experienced  a bit more hair shedding than usual, that it might very well have to do with this autumnal hair fall-out explanation.

What do you think about this interesting hair information?

Gisele Bundchen's Pregnant Belly Appears Stretch-Mark Free

 

Gisele Bundchen looks healthy and lovely as she nears her pregnancy due date. She looks about 9 months already, doesn't she?

There she sat, big bare belly and all, at Miami Beach on Saturday, in a teeny animal print bikini. The 32-year-old mother-of-one and almost two, sat with a friend soaking up the hot, Florida rays.

A lot of women have been commenting on various blogs, that the highest-paid model doesn't even show barely a stretch mark. How could that be?!

Great genes, youth,  maybe something else.

We've all heard about cocoa butter to sooth and calm down stretch marks, but once you develop them, stretch marks are impossible to get rid of completely.

Stretch marks occur when skin loses its elasticity, usually from rapid weight gain — a common occurrence, when a woman is pregant. It's estimated that 85-90% of pregnant women get them at some point during their pregnancy. 'Striae gravidarum'(medical lingo for stretch marks) are caused by tearing in the skin and connective tissue, due to the stretching of the fat tissue. Over time, stretch marks turn almost a silvery color in comparison to one's normal skintone.

Dr. Amy Derick, a dermatologist in Barrington, Illinois,  says you should try and diminish their appearance.  And act sooner than later. "There’s really not any data regarding creams, " she told the NY Times. "But you can do laser treatments or Retin-A after the fact, especially early on when the lines are red and purple." 

Studies have found that  topical tretinoin can lighten stretch marks as well as reduce their size.

Face Yoga Instead Of Surgical Facelift? Nothing But A Fantasy

Okay, we are all for the quick fix when it comes to beauty. But as we have learned through makeup, skin care, and hair, at least for us, nothing comes easy.

That's why, when we saw Face Yoga being demonstrated on Good Morning America recently, we rolled our eyes.

We cannot prove that a set of facial exercises from the world of yoga DON'T work, but really now.....

Plastic surgeons will tell you that only surgery can correct the problems of aging.

Yes, there are indeed quick fixes like Botox and  cosmetic filler injectables  like Restylane, Perlane, Juvederm, and so forth. But these, alone, cannot create the same results as a surgical procedure. In fact, these days, plastic surgeons sometimes use facelift surgery and fillers together,in the ultimate quest for a more youthful face.

Annelise Hagen, a yoga teacher in NY, would claim otherwise. She believes one can naturally reverse the signs of aging with several yoga face positions. Take a look at the photos of Ms Hagen demonstrating these facial exercises. She also wrote a book in 2008 called, Yoga Face: Eliminate Wrinkles With The Ultimate Natural Facelift.

And she's back 4 years later, still swearing by these facial exercises. Annelise looks great, and if she claims that's all she's been doing to look smooth + wrinkle-free, then more power to her!

Check out Annelise performing Yoga Face on YouTube, 2009.

A lot of women DO swear by facial exercises, and who are we to judge. However, there are simply no scientific facts to support the theory.

If you've had success doing yoga face, please leave us your comments.

Blondes DO Have More Fun At The CMA Awards!

OMG! It's the blonde brigade!! Maybe it's just us. We have dark brown locks, so we are very aware when a bunch of blondes enter a room. And last night's 2012 CMA Awards show had us doing double and triple takes. It seemed like EVERY woman was blonde:  

Taylor Swift, Amanda Lambert, Faith Hill, Kimberly Schlapman, Lauren Alaina, Carrie Underwood, Kellie Pickler, Hayden Panettiere, Kelly Clarkson, etc. And that's just a few of the many flaxen-haired country singers we counted.

These country singing stars all look gorgeous blonde, and whether it's by nature or found in a bottle, light hair needs tender loving care.

Hair products that nourish dry, damaged ends, give body and super shine are all key for unforgettable blondes.

Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine Moroccan Sleek Oil Treatment does all that and then some. We found a bottle at drugstore.com for $5.99.

- Absorbs in an instant
- Restores smoothness
- Mends roughness
- Intensifies shine
- Deep, sleek conditioning

How To Get Emily Blunt's Killer Toned Arms

Emily Blunt----your body looks amazing, and we love those killer toned arms!!!

We will agree with a lot of comments on some websites that claim the 29-year-old actress looks a bit too thin,.....however, we like to call that healthy Hollywood skinny.

The gorgeous star has been busy working out as she prepares for her role in a new movie with Tom Cruise, called A Time to Kill, a military thriller.

Emily appeared in this orange Halloween-tastic gown for the Harper's Bazaar Woman of the Year Awards last evening at London's Claridge's Hotel.

She knew exactly what dress to wear to accentuate those toned triceps and biceps and that strong, fit back with the very low cut style and hair in a bun to show off her intense training. Emily looked great, both arriving and leaving.

So, how do you get Emily Blunt's killer toned arms?

By a lot of repetitions.

If you don't have plenty of time, and don't care for lifting weights, then try triangle push-ups. This exercise really tones up the dingle-dangle under the arms, and will tighten them well, along with your  back and chest.
(Check out the photos for proper placement. We found these at BodyEssentialz).

 

TRIANGLE PUSH-UPS

The triangle push-up derives its name from the placement of the hands

during the exercise. Unlike a traditional push-up, with hands positioned

beneath the shoulders, the triangle push-up involves placing the thumbs

and forefingers together to form a triangle position.

Stiffen your torso by contracting your

core/abdominal, gluteal and quadriceps

muscles and align your head with your

spine. Place your feet together with your

ankles dorsiflexed (toes pointed toward your

shins). Due to the challenging nature of this

position, however, you may want to start

with a modified version of the exercise by

placing your knees on the floor.

For the downward phase, slowly lower your body toward the floor while maintaining

a rigid torso and keeping your head aligned with your spine. Do not allow

your low back to sag or your hips to hike upward during this downward phase.

Continue to lower yourself until your chest or chin touches the mat/floor.

For the upward phase, press up through your arms while maintaining a

rigid torso and keeping your head aligned with your spine. For extra strength,

think about pushing the floor away from you. Do not allow your low back to

sag or your hips to hike upward. Continue pressing until the arms are fully

extended at the elbows.

THANK YOU,www.acefitness.org/certifiednews/images/article/pdfs/ACETricepsStudy.pdf

Do a few sets of triangle push-ups a day, and you will see rewards!