Supermodel Heidi Klum Looks Super Normal Sans Makeup!

Okay....case in point....Makeup DOES matter.

Take a look at supermodel Heidi Klum BEFORE + AFTER. There's the lovely mom-of-four hanging out in sunny L.A. yesterday afternoon sans makeup. The photos clearly show one thing to us:

Heidi has excellent bone structure, including long neck + high cheekbones.

But is that enough to skip the cosmetics?

Yes, in many ways. We happen to think she looks better with makeup on, but when you have such stunning facial bones, well, it doesn't matter what you've got on your face.

 
 
Still, quite a shocker to see the German beauty bare-faced without a stitch of anything on.
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She almost looks, er.....well, normal.

Now, check out the Bravo TV 'Project Runway' host with her red carpet makeup  + California beauty look.

Last month, Heidi remarked to HollywoodLife.com this:

"I tend to not wear make-up on my off days. I am not complicated, I don’t have tons of creams or anything like that. I stay simple."

She's almost 40. And to keep that fit figure, Heidi just refrains from a few things:

"Saying NO to a bunch of stuff people say YES to. It’s hard. I don’t drink a lot of alcohol, alcohol is bad! It has a lot of calories and is not good for the body. Sometimes I like a glass of wine or in the summer I will have a beer, but people drink a lot and they explode, its just not good for your body!"

What do you think of Heidi Klum's sans makeup look?

Tit For Tat So To Speak: New Nipple Tattoo Trend Gaining Attention

We didn't see this one coming. In fact, it's bizarre or maybe then again, it's merely another cosmetic enhancement.

We're talking about 'tittooing.' Er, it's when you have your nipples tattooed to make them more attractive, either through definition, color or both. It's a BIG beauty trend in the UK, mainly in Liverpool, Paul McCartney's hometown. Why Liverpool? We haven't a clue.

We are aware of nipple areola tattooing for women who have lost their breasts to cancer. This is considered the final part of breast reconstruction. Talented artists are able to give the patient a 3-dimensional nipple tattoo with a choice of pigment and areola shape + size.

As far as cosmetically enhancing the color + shape of one's nipples for beauty alone, we haven't heard of this procedure being popular here in the U.S., but it's only a matter of time.

Nipple areola tattooing is completed in about a 15 minute in-office procedure. And the results are pretty amazing for the breast reconstruction patient as you can see below:

So, do you go to a neighborhood tattoo parlor for tittooing?!

Doctors warn to stay away from the local parlor and head to a medical tattooist who specializes in this cosmetic procedure to create the most realistic nipples + areolas.

To learn more about this HOT British trend,  check out the DailyMail.

Kim And Khloe Having Spring Fling With Beautiful Braids

No matter how you plait it, twirl it and fish-tail it, BRAIDS are super stylish for Spring 2013!!

Braids can be tres elegant + very playful.

Of course your hair has to be on the long side to achieve this hair trend, either through extensions or you own natural growth, but either way, it appears that most ANY kind of braiding is in style for those warmer days ahead.

Take a look at reality TV's popular K sisters-Kim + Khloe. We are hearting their beautiful braids!



Khloe is wearing the classic milk-maid braid. Such a pretty hair halo around her head.

Older sis Kim, the most famous pregnant chick on the planet is showing off a more elaborate fishtail-plaited messy bun. We like that look, too with her red lace dress. 

The braids DON'T have to be perfect without a hair out-of-place. Hot mess braids are alright, too!

Check out the Aveda YouTube demo for braiding tips.

Can't Take The Harshness Of Retin-A? Try Cousin Retinol

A lot of people have really tried applying prescription Retin-A to their complexions only to end up with red, inflamed, painful skin. For some, using Retin-A is a nightmare.

We have learned through the science of beauty, that Retin-A is one of the BEST products to use for maintaining a youthful appearance. Retin A is certainly no facelift in a tube, but it is excellent at slow-wwwly repairing damage like fine lines + wrinkles.

Retin-A is a prescription medication created from a derivative of vitamin A. The active component is known both as retinoic acid and tretinoin. Retinoic acid speeds up cell turnover and encourages collagen synthesis, brightens the complexion and evens up skin tone.

Retinol is an over-the-counter retinoid, a form of Vitamin A. And Vitamin A derivatives are key to maintaining beautiful skin. We like to call retinol the cousin of Retin-A, because it does all those good things WITHOUT the harshness that Retin-A can cause and at a cheaper price.

Here's a very good retinol skin care product: Jan Marini Age Intervention Retinol Plus ($65, at JanMariniSkin Research).

Age Intervention Retinol Plus is an exceptional formula that contains potent concentrated retinol with anti-aging peptides and anti-oxidants to improve wrinkles + texture.

It's good for all skin types and simple to use:

"Apply product sparingly over entire face every other evening for the first 1-2 weeks, then slowly increase usage, as tolerated, to 1-2 times daily."

Although Retin-A + cousin retinol are considered miracle workers, these skin improvers don't get the job done over-night. Each one works slowly but surely.

But we can guarantee, you WILL see a nicer-looking complexion in time.

Budget Beauty Buy Of The Day: Trader Joe's Coconut Body Butter!

Oh, YUMMY!! Wish we could actually TASTE this. But even though we can't, this body butter smells + feels gorgeous on your skin.....all over your body.

Today, our Budget Beauty Buy Of The Day:
TRADER JOE'S COCONUT BODY BUTTER.

And it's ONLY $4.99, for this generous 8 oz. tub!!

Just open the convenient lid and breathe in the exotic, warm coconut scent. OMG!!

Our good friend Nina gifted us with a tub of this moisturizing richness. You can't beat the rock-bottom price. Less than $5? Amazing!

It's a thick, nourishing cream full of coconut oil, shea butter + vitamin E. The great point....it's NOT greasy and it really softens up dry feet, elbows, knees, and every inch of the body.

Read about Coconut Body Butter at the Trader Joe's website.

And if you don't have a Trader Joe's near you, you could order some at Amazon for a bit more--$12.39 + Free Shipping.

See this brief customer review by R. Ignacio. She LOVES it...5 stars!

Halle Berry's Great Style: Pregnant + Glowing In Rio

Did we expect Halle Berry to look any less perfect, now that she is expecting her second child?

The top photo shows the sexy star in Rio de Janeiro last evening at the Brazil's movie premiere of The Call.

The bottom photos show the actress when she was pregnant with her first child Nahla.

Halle is expecting her second baby at age 46 with fiancé Olivier Martinez. You can see her barely-there-baby-bump in a tight, black lace gown. Her hair is styled in her signature pixie-spiked do. And she is wearing a smoky eye with nude lips and a classic large pair of hoops.

We like all three of pregnant Halle's looks here. She isn't trendy maternity---isn't trying too hard. There is nothing vulgar about her style.







We give mama-to-be Halle Berry the big thumbs up.

Do you like Halle Berry's maternity style?

Latest So-Called Research Claims Botox May Spark Depression

When done properly by a licensed dermatologist or plastic surgeon, Botox Cosmetic can hold wrinkles + fine lines at bay for 3-4 months. You might smile more or even appear a bit happier because Botox makes you look BETTER.

The beauty injectable can erase some 5 years or more from your age.

Suddenly, the pesky crow's feet around your eyes along with forehead + middle-of-the-eyebrow creases, etc., magically disappear.

Botox is the MOST popular cosmetic treatment around! It has been marketed here since FDA-approval in 2002. It's a brilliant beauty invention in many ways, especially in the quest for staying youthful. Botox Cosmetic works by halting muscle movement and in doing so, causes a relaxation and disappearance of skin lines + wrinkles.

So, imagine the latest so-called research to come out, claiming Botox can indirectly cause depression.  A British psychologist from Cardiff University has found that because Botox is temporarily ‘freezing’ the muscles in the face, it is also severing the signals sent to the brain when we smile which make us feel happy. Oh, really?!

Dr. Michael Lewis' study involved 25 women who had been injected with Botox or facial fillers. Each filled out a questionnaire about depression symptoms:

Here is what Dr. Lewis told the British DailyMail:
‘The expressions we make on our faces affect the emotions we feel. We smile because we are happy but smiling also makes us happy.
‘Treatment with drugs like Botox prevents the patient from being able to make a particular expression.

‘For example, those treated for frown lines with Botox are not able to frown as strongly. This interrupts the feedback they would normally get from their face and they feel less sad.’

We do not agree with Dr. Lewis' findings. We believe that Botox is wonderful when administered by a licensed professional.  It's safe and merely allows the patient to look younger with better skin texture.

We don't believe that depression plays any role in Botox results. We think a lot more research is needed before making a huge claim like that.

What do you think?