Daily Exfoliation: Key During Long, Cold, Dry Winter Days

We know women who don't bother exfoliating. They simply wash their face with a mild cleanser, and that's that. But getting rid of dead skin cells is essential if you want smooth, healthy, young-looking skin.

It shouldn't hurt to be pretty, but sometimes it does. In other words, you have to get in there and use a little elbow grease,  as the saying goes.

That's why buying a facial cleansing sponge can make a difference in your complexion, especially during those cold, dry winter days.

We've all heard of the Buf Puf. We've been using one for years, and we LOVE it. The first time you use one, you would know. It leaves the face and neck feeling smooth, clean and tingly. If you overdo the mild scrubbing, well, you will feel that, too. Your skin can become irritated and raw. So, slow + steady wins the race.

By the way, you don't have to use only the classic BufPuf. We found some cheap + effective substitutes from Walgreens. 2 for $4.49.

Daily exfoliation will deliver excellent results. No, it won't result in a facelift, but a little scrubbing will take away the dull, pale complexion and give you back healthy, glowing skin with a softer, smoother texture.

When you scrub away the dead skin layers, your dermis can breathe better, sebum + grime get released from clogged pores, and your skin receives improved hydration.

Winter does a number on our complexions both inside + outside. Dry, stuffy, cold air, and hot air with radiators and the like, leave the skin thirsting for moisture.

A bit of buffing + puffing can only serve you well.

Julianne Hough's Too Dark brows With Light Hair: A Do Or Don't

The perfect brows.

Do they exist?

Well, on some women, yes. We think Elizabeth Taylor probably had one of the best sets of brows, and of course, Hollywood makeup artists probably tweaked them even a tiny bit more.

When it comes to blonde hair and eyebrow color, well, that's a tough one.

Marilyn Monroe wore dark brows  with platinum hair and ALWAYS looked glam + sexy. And Gwen Stefani has also pulled off this strong look with modern elegance.

Then why do Julianne Hough's brows bother us?

Here's a stunning young woman who has resorted to painting on really bold brows as of late, and we don't understand why her makeup artist is doing that.

Maybe her brows are so light that she needs beauty definition? It just seems that Julianne's brows enter a room before she actually does.

So, when you have light hair, do the brows have to match your light hair?

Not always, as some makeup artists would advise. Beauty rules CAN be broken:

Brows can be left alone for their natural shade.
Brows can go darker than the blonde hair color.
Brows can match the blonde hair color.

Gwyneth Paltrow's signature look features matching brows + hair:

One of the hottest 'it' models on the runway at the moment is Cara Delvigne. The British beauty is known for her super bold brows and blonde locks.



And then there's singer Rita Ora who loves playing around with made-up dark brows against her glam fab platinum do.

Some women bleach their too dark brows lighter to complement their new lighter locks And then a lot of gals pencil, powder, tint or paint on their brows to add definition  to their blonde hair.

Too Faced sells a great brow kit that includes both blonde + brunette pencils and a shaping kit to design the perfect pair for you.

Meantime, we are always trying to grow thicker brows. It's one of the big beauty challenges for us.

If you've got thick, full brows, good for you! That's half the battle.

Not Exactly Princess Leia But NY Fashion Week Launches New Hairstyle!

Okay, this ain't your Nana's 1920's finger wave hairdo!

Look at what just floated down the runway at the Kimberly Ovitz Fall 2013 Collection!

Whoa! a corseted ponytail! A very edgy, modern take on the 1920s wave.

Ladies....Would you do this 'do?'

 

 

 

The look was created by Aveda global director Antoinette Benders, who had a definite idea in mind:

"I wanted to create a look that complemented the clothes -- like a shield of armor or an armadillo’s shell. The texture is smooth and finish is shiny, but there is a veil of protection. Think of a 1920s wave in a futuristic interpretation, just touched with danger," Antoinette told HuffPost.

Do you like the Corseted ponytail with its snakelike pattern and bondage effect?

Let's not take away from Kimberly Ovitz' designs.  Her collection was both elegant and sharp around-the-edges.

Take a look at the collection here.

Beyonce On A Roll Despite Nose Job Rumors + Inauguration Lip-Syncing

Take a look at glamorous Beyonce, the Vogue March cover girl. Bravo! Well done.

The superstar has taken a lot of nasty hits lately, but she always gets up and comes out swinging. The Vogue cover was leaked, but boy, it's a great one. Beyonce looks beautiful. We LOVE the cat eye and pretty up-do.  

We hope that cover takes away all the other junk plaguing the talented singer.  There have been a lot of rumors circulating that Beyonce went and had a nose job AFTER the January Inauguration and BEFORE her February Super Bowl half-time show. Now, really, folks.....How could that be achieved, without the bruising and swelling that results with a rhinoplasty?!

Then there was the entire lip-syncing fiasco at President Obama's Inauguation in January. She admitted to a pre-recording of the Star-Spangled Banner. But she also later proved she CAN sing, during a pre-Super Bowl press conference.

Take a look at Beyonce out and about in L.A. before Sunday's Grammy Awards. There's her nose in profile, and there's her face sans makeup. Does it look like a nose job?

Who knows. Of course, the photo at the Super Bowl half-time show showed a sharper, slimmer nose and some unflattering pics that the singer wanted removed. Unfortunately, those photos remain alive and well all over the internet.

Beyonce has taken the pot shots all in stride. And she's too busy to bother about crazy rumors. The talented diva is getting ready to launch her major world tour, The Mrs. Carter Show, kicking off in Serbia on April 15, and ending in Brooklyn on August 3.

 

 

Any questions?!

E!'s Catt Sadler Defies Earlobe Gravity This Way

E!'s elegant Catt Sadler is sharing one of her red carpet beauty tips, and we love when celebs dish. It's all about the bling, and in this case, 'BlingDots.'

If you've ever worn a great pair of chandeliers, then you know it can be quite the challenge. You want your earlobes to remain perky and pain-free. But usually, these oversized and often heavy earrings cause big lobe droop, and that's not a pretty look on the red carpet or any carpet for that matter.

E!'s gorgeous host swears by BlingDots' foam discs that you simply adhere to the back of your ears. These discreet little helpers give you support against sagging chandeliers and sagging lobes.

"Awards season is always exciting, and BlingDots for earrings are my red carpet trick for wearing amazing chandeliers all day and night."

BlingDots ($$14.99 for 45 disposable pairs, 90 individual dots).
Looking for inexpensive, cute chandeliers?

Check out these adorable turquoise earrings from Aldo! Just $9.99.

We think Catt's BlingDots beauty tip is a smart one. Take it from us, we have had two surgeries on each lobe from wearing heavy chandeliers in the past. You don't want to go there. A little discreet support in the form of two small discs can make a major difference. Wish we knew about this a few years ago.

She Ain't Kidding! Catherine Zeta-Jones Hula Hoops Daily!

 

There are times we all hear celebrities dishing about how they stay slim, sleek, and fit. There are also times we don't believe the daily regimens they claim to keep. BUT---this time we have proof.

 

Gorgeous 43-year-old Catherine Zeta-Jones says she hula hoops EVERY day. And there she is showing Ellen how to get it done!

 

"I'm obsessed with hula hooping," Catherine explains to InStyle magazine. "I do it for 20 minutes a day. I don't use the old-fashioned hollow plastic kind we had when we were kids, but I discovered a new one at Danskin that's smaller and weighted."

 

 

Hula hooping is a blast, and not as easy as it looks when you're an adult. But it is an excellent form of exercise. In about 20 minutes, you can burn 200 calories. And most importantly, blast belly fat and big thighs. And develop a sexy butt. Oh, my!!

Catherine told Ellen that hooping is "really good for your core muscles." And that she, "used to be able to spin it around her neck."

If you want a fun form of working out and zeroing on those fat spots, you can buy a weighted Danskin hoop at Walmart for $25.94. Not a bad investment on your way to staying slim + fit.

Super healthy beauty tip, Ms. Zeta-Jones!

Fave Drugstore Mascaras Of GMA Girls Lara And Amy!

We caught a brief but interesting beauty discussion this morning between GMA anchors Lara Spencer and Amy Robach. The topic was high-end mascara VS. drugstore mascara. Is there REALLY a difference?  

GMA's Beck Worley purchased 4 mascaras and had a pro makeup artist apply each one to see if buying expensive allowed lashes to appear even more lush:

•Chanel Inimitable Mascara, $30
•Lancome Oscillation Mascara, $36 (the applicator vibrates as you apply the Mascara)
•Benefit “They’re real” Mascara, $23
•Maybelline Great Lash, $5

Becky concluded that the cheap mascaras let lashes look just as long and full. The makeup artist chose the Chanel as the winner.

And then Lara and Amy piped in. Both girls go drugstore for their mascara:

Lara uses Maybelline's Great Lash.. While Amy prefers L'Oreal Voluminous.

Honestly, we thought these GMA stars would have purchased high-end mascara. It's great to know that TV people who are used to getting dabbed with tons of makeup on air, 5 days a week, sometimes go cheap.

 Kind of refreshing. Lara and Amy are pretty down-to-earth. No makeup snobs here.

Maybelline Great Lash Mascara ($4.21, at Target).

L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara ($5.84, at Target).