New DreamTone By Lancome: For Just Shy Of $100, You, Too, Can Have A More Even Skin Tone

Beauty products can cost a lot of $$$, especially when it comes to skin care. But as we like to think, if the item is very effective, then make the beauty investment.  Period.

Let's take a further look at Lancôme's brand new 'DreamTone Customized Skin Tone Correcting Serum.'.. It's just shy of $100 at $98.

Okay....that's a wad of cash...But maybe it REALLY works?

We prefer beauty serums over creams, because we have learned that a serum is stronger than a cream. So, that means you are getting MORE product for the money.

If you want to battle the signs of aging, like wrinkles and sagging skin and uneven skin tone, always opt for the serum.

Says who? New York City dermatologist, David J. Goldberg. He explains that face serums are more potent. "Creams usually contain less than 10 percent of active ingredients; serums have up to 70 percent," he says.

DreamTone comes in 3 customized tints for all skin tones.

- Tint 1, designed for fair skin, reduces dark spots, uneven skin tone and redness.
- Tint 2, designed for medium skin, reduces dark spots, uneven skin tone and sallowness.
- Tint 3, designed for dark skin, reduces dark spots, uneven skin tone and acne and blemish marks.

Dermatologist-tested.

'Klever' Kim Kardashian: Monochromatic DressingTo Appear More Slender Post-Baby

If you study new mama Kim Kardashian's post baby style, you will find a secret to her slimmer body success.

A lot of it is in the illusion. In other words, 'klever' Kim K. is dressing in monochromatic to appear more slender post-baby
.
By wearing one color from head-to-toe, it instantly gives the appearance of a longer, leaner, taller figure.

Kim is also putting on large coats to hide her body and to look smaller in an over-sized topper.

We think it's working!  Take a look:

The Secret To Show-Off Miley Cyrus' Perfectly Flat Tummy

Okay....as much as we find singer Miley Cyrus to be an extreme publicity-seeking star, we have to admit----we are envious of that perfectly flat tummy. What a set of killer abs! ( great brows, too!)
We are thrilled to learn that the petite 'Wrecking Ball' singer has to suffer to maintain such a flat tummy.

Her beauty secret?

Lots of crunches! To be exact-----30 minutes of crunches a day,  her pilates teacher tells People magazine.

'You have to learn how to not just tighten up your tummy but actually pull your tummy in to your lower back as much as you can. Just doing 40 crunches a day isn't gonna do it for you,'  says Mari Winsor.
Check out Mari's pilates website).

So, yeah, hard work reaps great rewards. Plus....if you're just 20-years-old, your metabolism is working faster and that is a big help.

Now---if only Miley would stick that silly tongue back in her mouth, all would be right with the world.

NeNe Leakes Shed 20 Pounds Before June Wedding By Portion Control

Nene Leakes is looking so amazing these days!

So, what is the happy June bride's diet secret?

Sensible eating.

We think NeNe  has a great, voluptuous body. Plus, this 45-year-old Atlanta housewife has super self-esteem. And that is so key to a wonderful life!

Look at the photo of the tall, blonde beauty at a recent red carpet event in September.

"I only wanted to lose 5 or 10 pounds," admitted the newlywed star of the Bravo reality spin-off, I Dream Of NeNe: The Wedding.

Nene enjoys eating yummy food, like most of us, and wasn't about to deprive herself of her the good stuff. But the 5' 10" Atlanta diva also knew when to push away from the table. And that is key to her impressive 20 lb. weight loss.

"I like being a curvy girl. I tried to give up soda and not eat late at night. But I don’t avoid eating," Nene tells Life & Style magazine

.
 "I’m not trying to starve myself. I love food."
You won't catch the 'Glee' actress reading labels in the supermarket aisle. Nene just isn't into the whole calorie count.

"I don’t count calories or carbs," she tells the magazine. "Counting doesn’t get me anywhere. I do portion control when trying to lose weight. Eat less, move more."

That is excellent dietary advice, Miss Nene!

Kelly Osbourne All Tied Up In Intricate Lavender Plaiting

Wearable hair.

That's been the HOT trend since the Spring 2013 runway shows. And apparently these elegant, yet casual hairstyles are still gaining fans.

Take a look at E!'s 'Fashion Police' star Kelly Osbourne.' She wowed the crowd in intricate, lavender plaiting at The Black Diamond Affair presented by AZATURE in West Hollywood on last  night.

The braiding or plaiting looks quite lovely on Kelly.

Okay...so this red carpet  hairstyle would require the nimble fingers of a professional stylist, no doubt. But, it 's still 'wearable hair.'.

There are so many ways to braid/plait hair. Maybe the lavender hair rinse gives it that extra uniqueness.

Check out the doable braids at the Marchesa + Herve Leger Spring 2013 shows. Those are still HOT on hair trends, and can be copied for your own elegant plaited look for Fall!

YoutTube has some excellent demos on braiding/plaiting hair. Here's one by Lilith Moon.

Not Every Gal Can Be Blonde And Look Good In It---Er, Yasmin, Is That You?

We have always admired the classic, quiet beauty of the UK's Yasmin Le Bon.

So imagine our horror when we saw her major beauty transformation:

The longtime model has gone platinum!

Sorry----though Yasmin remains physically stunning, even she CANNOT pull off the switch to blonde--at least not in this very pale shade of platinum.

She looks 'washed-out.'. And those tell-tale roots aren't helping any.

We admire that the English beauty was busy attending a Tatler Great Girls Lunch in aid of Cancer Research UK on Monday as she debuted her punk, pixie, platinum do.

But the look is all wrong.

Sometimes, we just can't all be blonde and look good in it...ourselves, included.

Now here's a photo of Yasmin in a summer Monsoon magazine cover shot. Her long, sandy brown locks are so beautiful, especially the brunette shade.

Whatever the case, when lots of peroxide is involved, you will NEED a darn effective conditioner!



Try ApHogee Intensive Two Minute Keratin Reconstructor ($8.45, at Amazon). This stuff rocks!  It provides a weekly regimen to treat brittle hair with cuticle damage and moderate breakage.

Vanessa Hudgens Loves Her Leather ASOS Baseball Cap!

Actress Vanessa Hudgens is a famous, young celebrity. Maybe that's why we often see the brunette cutie with her head down hiding  under a cool, black baseball cap. Stay away, paparazzi! Stay away!

Vaness is right-on-trend, because this is a HOT, casual daytime look.

We like it because it's black leather. That makes this baseball cap both edgy + expensive-looking. And it's quite feminine, too.

Vanessa just adores her leather baseball cap. She seems to hit the streets in it ALL the time.

You can copy the look, too. She's wearing an ASOS Leather Cap ($40.50, at asos.com).
One size fits all. It has a smooth, black matte finish.

We thinks it's a good investment, as leather lasts a long time, if cared for properly.