Consumer Reports Names The BEST + WORST Sunscreen For 2014!

Consumer Reports is a highly respected publication---one that tests the good, the bad + the ugly when it comes expert, unbiased ratings of more than 5,000 products.

And when it comes to sunscreen, Consumer Reports  does all the heavy digging.

So here we go!!

Consumer Reports' TOP SUNSCREENS for 2014:

• Banana Boat's Ultra Defense Max Skin Protect SPF 110 spray, at $1.75 an ounce. 
Walgreens ($10.49).
• BullFrog Water Armor Sport InstaCool SPF 50+ spray, at $1.67 an ounce. This was one of the two screens that lived up to its SPF claim.
• Coppertone Water Babies SPF 50, at $1.38 an ounce.
• Neutrogena Ultimate Sport SPF 70+ lotion, at $2.75 an ounce.
• Target's Up & Up Spray Sport SPF 50 spray, at $0.80 an ounce. 
• Walgreens' Well Sport SPF 50 spray, at $1.58 an ounce
• Walmart's Equate Ultra Protection SPF 50, at $0.56 an ounce.

Consumer Reports' WORST SUNSCREENS for 2014:

These 13 did not earn recommended ratings:

• Alba Botanica Very Emollient Sport SPF 45, at $2.75 an ounce.
• Banana Boat Kids SPF 50, at $1.25 an ounce.
• Banana Boat Sport Performance CoolZone SPF 30 spray, at $1.42 an ounce.
• Beyond Coastal Natural SPF 30, at $4 an ounce.
• California Baby Super Sensitive SPF 30+, at $6.90 an ounce.
• Coppertone Sensitive Skin SPF 50, at $1.67 an ounce. This sunscreen lived up to its SPF claim, but only earned a “fair” rating for UVA protection.  
• Coppertone Sport High Performance SPF 30 spray, at $1.67 an ounce.
• Coppertone Water Babies Pure & Simple SPF 50, at $1.31 an ounce.
• CVS Sheer Mist SPF 30 spray, at $1.80 an ounce.
• Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Body Mist SPF 30 spray, at $1.90 an ounce.
• No-Ad Sport SPF 50, at $0.63 an ounce.
• Target's Up & Up Kids SPF 50, at $0.64 an ounce.
• Walgreens' Well Baby SPF 50, at $0.80 an ounce.

Copy Olivia Munn's Sexy Ankle Strap Heels For Much Less! Only $28!!

Olivia Munn has great style, and she even has super cute feet!

She's been photographed in her favorite Giuseppe Zanotti ankle strap heels quite frequently and we can see why. That's a great, sexy sandal!!

Those are NOT the cheapest heels around, at the original price of $595, marked down to $298. By the way....these sexy heels are currently SOLD OUT!.

 But...you CAN still copy cutie Olivia Munn's polished look by getting a cheaper pair of ankle strap heels. And we found a good imitation at Lulus.com.

This one's called the LA Najana Black Ankle Strap Heels. And yeah, these babies are STILL sexy and ONLY $28!

Did You Know About Estee Lauder's Cheaper Skin Care Line---Grassroots?

We are rather curious why giant beauty company Estee Lauder keeps their cheaper skin care line on the HUSH-HUSH.

Did you know that Estee Lauder owns the Grassroots Research Labs skin care line?

And that the company sells it at Kohl's department store?

This is the company's newest product----Grape Seed Overnight repair Cream ($35.50).

The cream is formulated to do this:

"This advanced overnight treatment instantly hydrates + intensifies the nightly cycle of natural repair. Visibly reduces lines + wrinkles, promotes natural collagen + elastin production so that skin feels smoother + looks firmer." 

It's a good, affordable collection of skin care items and shoppers seem to LOVE Grassroots Research Labs. So why doesn't Estee lauder tell the world about their cheaper line and advertise it?

Strange, because if more shoppers knew about the Estee Lauder connection, we believe the Grassroots beauty label would really start flying off the cosmetic counters at Kohl's.

Grassroots also sells a wonderful Vitamin C cream. Here at Beauty Tip Today, we wrote about the product back in 2009. See the post here.

It also sells for $35.50.

Plus...Grassroots also features a firming cream, firming eye cream, anti-wrinkle cream, and more. Check out the line.

 We don't believe Estee Lauder would put their behinds behind a cheaper skin care line if it weren't any good.

 We just believe EL ought to do better public relations.

Celebrities Love The Faux Bob Hairstyle For Spring 2014

The faux bob. Lately,we have seen this classic hairstyle on lots of celebrities with past shoulder length hair.

Look at Reese Witherspoon bobbin' it at the recent Met Gala. Sophisticated + sexy! Then there's Selena doing the fake bob and Allison Williams wearing the longer, asymmetrical bob.

Why not just cut your hair into a bob, then?

Well, as women, we all LOVE options. Just like temporary clip-in bangs, the faux bob lets you change it up and go with the trends.

We are all thumbs when it comes to twisting our long hair into ANY kind of bun. So it looks impossible to create. BUT----there are short-cuts.

We don't have a personal stylist at our beckon call.

But you can FAKE a bob with simply a few hairpins. 8 hairpins, to be exact.

We found a good demo here at Elle.com.

Now, if you still cannot fashion your tresses into a glam, faux bob, you could head to your neighborhood store and pick up a cheating hair tool.

 The Perfect Bob by Conair. Check out this How-To Video. We found one for $3.99 at Target.

Looks like a hair lasso of sorts.

Spring 2014 Means Long, Messy, Romantic Braids Like Kim's And Eva's

You're probably going to LOVE this Spring hair trend or HATE it altogether.

We're talking about the long, messy, romantic braids  that were spotted on the runways---at Rachel Zoe, Giles, and several others.

Rachel Zoe

And now the HOT hair trend is popping up all over France with celebrities like Kim Kardashian strolling through romantic Paris, and Eva Longoria doing the red carpet in picturesque Cannes.

Giles

If you already have super long , straight hair, then the messy, romantic braid isn't that difficult to create.

 Here, Kim Kardashian is most likely wearing hair extensions. And the same for Eva Longoria.
We like the hair trend on both women. Eva's is more of a messy, fishtail braid, while Kim's features a regular, classic braid. Both wore theirs side-braided.

If you fudge up part of the braid trying to copy the look--- don't worry. The beauty of this hairstyle is in its casualness and just rolled out of bed sexiness.

Dermaflage: Do-It-Yourself Filler To Hide Recessed Scars Perfectly!

Dermaflage is one beauty product to watch in 2014.

For those who have acne scars, chicken pox scars, skin cancer scars or any other recessed scars, Dermaflage is an incredible cosmetic invention that HIDES imperfections in 3 quick steps. Plus, it can hide frown lines, too.

Dermaflage is a topical do-it-yourself filler in a silicone-based formula designed to blend away scars for every ethnic skin tone. The product is waterproof, lasts for up to 36 hours, and best of all, looks like real skin.

Dermaflage was created by Hollywood make-up artist and prosthetic specialist Matt Singerrmula. The interesting website is here

Dermaflage is simple to remove, too. Just find the edge of the treatment, and gently pull away the filler.

The 3-step process goes like this:
1. PRIME. Brush the Primer all around the area(s) you wish to conceal.

2. APPLY. Use the Dermaflage applicator to put silicone-based mixture onto the surface of scarred skin. Using a finger or a spatula, apply smooth, even strokes to even out the the edges of the applied mixture.

3. TEXTURE(ize). Place the Skin Texture Pad over the blend. Press and hold for at least 30 seconds. Lift the pad from the edge.

 All done. You're good to go!!

 It takes a bit of practice to work with the topical filler, because it dries quickly. But when done properly, this Dermaflage rocks!

Natural-looking results. Bye-Bye scars. No expensive visits  to the dermatologist.

A Dermaflage Starter Kit costs $50:

• Approximately 2-3 month supply. Each starter kit will come with a lighter shade and a darker shade to ensure a color match. Consult the Dermaflage Tone Chart pictured above, to reference your complexion and convert that to your Dermaflage tone. Kit Includes: 2 Applicators of your chosen Complexion, Primer with Brush. Tools: mixing stick, precision application tool and spatula, and Texture Pad.
  There is a 30 day money back guarantee for all starter kits.  Tone exchange available if neither of the tones work for you. 

To watch a great demo of Dermaflage application, check this out on YouTube.

 Pretty amazing stuff!

YSL Goes Beauty Multi-Tasking With New Lip/Blush All-In-One

Yves Saint Laurent is a fashion/beauty master.

So it doesn't surprise us that the company came up with their own elegant version of a lip/blush duo.

It's called Baby Doll Kiss & Blush and you can find the collection at your favorite Sephora store:

Okay, it isn't cheap at $40, but it's a lip/blush all-in-one product.

Beautifully made + packaged, too. A convenient all-in-one for your makeup bag.

It comes in 12 lovely shades.  The one you're looking at is 02- Rose Frivole.

The formula is a blendable gel texture. And it's a buildable blush/ lip gloss.

Would you spring the $40 to try YSL Baby Doll Kiss & Blush?

Or will you use your lipstick and dab some on your cheeks in a hurry?