SAG Awards 2011-Tina Fey

Tina Fey looked absolutely stunning at last night's Screen Actors Guild Awards. All I can say is WOW! The lady looks good in red! Her dress fit like a glove and was elegant and effortless. Fey usually sticks to blacks and neutrals so it was a treat to see her in such a Va Va Voom hue. Her strapless Oscar de la Renta gown was paired with a simple chignon. The whole look worked perfectly. Although she lost Best Actress in a Comedy to Hot in Cleveland's Betty White, Fey was definitely a style winner last night. I got the lowdown straight from her stylist, Remington's Richard Marin on how to recreate her chic 'do.

- Marin started off by adding straightening balm to Tina's damp hair and dried with an ionic dryer (Marin recommends Remington's T-Studio Pearl Ceramic Dryer) and round brush for a frizz-free, smooth look.

-After spraying thermal heat protectant, he used Remington's T-Studio Pearl Ceramic Sleek & Curl Iron to bend the ends of the hair for movement.

-Next, Marin backcombed hair at the crown and pulled hair into a side ponytail.

-Finally, Marin twisted Tina's ponytail until it coiled into a chignon, secured the look with bobby pins and finished with hairspray!

Lego Recreations from Best Picture Nominated Films

Check out these amazing Lego recreations of the Best Picture nominees. Lego maestro and film buff Alex Eylar created scenes from each Best Picture nominated film. This amazing artistry was posted a few days ago on Gawker website Defamer. The scenes are amazing. I particularly love the shot of James Franco in 127 Hours with one arm. The Lego version of one of the pivotal scenes from Inception and a sweating Colin Firth Lego from The King's Speech are also brilliant. In fact all of the Lego recreations are simply amazing!

All photos from Defamer and Pacific Coast News
 
 
 

Five Who Looked Fat - Five Who Looked Fit at the Golden Globes

I recently came across a fun link on Time.com by style expert Charla Krupp.  It discusses Golden Globe Fashion and the five who looked fat and five who looked fabulous. None of the "fat" women are actually fat but Krupp talks about how women can dress in a way that makes them look slim and trim and unfortunately dress in a way that accentuates their not so flattering body parts and look big even though they're not. The New York Times best-selling author and former InStyle and Glamour Editor has written two successful books that I'm definitely interested in reading: HOW NOT TO LOOK OLD (2008) and HOW TO NEVER LOOK FAT AGAIN (2010). She really emphasizes dressing for your body type not for what's trendy and in style. There are so many adorable pieces of clothing I just can't wear and I need to be ok with that. Check out Charla's picks for who got it right at the Golden Globes and who needs some help. Hint: Christina Aguilera and Heidi Klum won't be happy with this list!

 
 Images from Getty

Zooey Deschanel at Sundance

Actress, singer Zooey Deschanel is the queen of the indie, quirky cute girl genre on screen but in real life she's all of those things in addition to being stunningly beautiful. She looked her usual hipster-beauty self at Sundance at the premiere of her new movie "My Idiot Brother".

Makeup artist Sonia Lee prepped her skin with SpecialEyes Intensive Eye Treatment, Champagne Kisses Enhancing Lip Balm and Tragic Magic Rescue Crème for a nourishing base all over the face, eyes and lips. She then used Amour d'Ore multi-vitamin oil for face, body and hair, applied Luxee Yeux Eye Beauty Balm for even more moisture around the eyes, and finished with Attentive Crème de Nuit for sensitive skin.

Hairstylist Creighton Bowman created Zooey's long soft waves by first towel drying the hair. He then used Leonor Greyl Lait Luminescence Bi-Phase detangling milk on the ends of her hair. Then, from root to ends, he used Mousse Au Lotus Volumatrice volumizing mousse to give lift at the crown. With a medium sized round brush he then smoothed out her hair. Bowman gave a light spraying of Condition Naturelle heat protecting spray all over and finally using a 1" curling iron, created soft waves to her super long hair.
 

Michelle Obama's State of the Union Dress

After getting plenty of flack for not wearing an American designer to last week's State Dinner with Chinese President Hu Jintao, Michelle Obama played by the rules and chose a silvery-gray sheath by Rachel Roy to last night's State of the Union. The First Lady accessorized with a silver stack of bangles, dangling earrings and a black and white ribbon honoring Rep. Gabrielle Giffords who is recovering from the assassination attempt on January 8th by a crazy gunman.

FLOTUS looked lovely in her American-designed creation and of course patriotic attitude.

Liv Tyler-Sundance

Liv Tyler is such a beauty. I loved her natural-looking curls at the Sundance premiere of her new thriller "The Ledge". Stylist Creighton Bowman gives us the skinny on how he created her beachy waves. 

Creighton: "On towel dried hair, I applied Condition Naturelle by Leonor Greyl from root to end, combined with Lait Luminescence Bi-Phase detangling milk. Using a blow-dryer on a low setting, I wrapped her hair around my fingers, creating soft natural waves. Once fully dried, I used a couple of drops of Serum De Soie Sublimateur to finish her style with lots of shine and total frizz control. Her style lasted all day long and into the night."

Looking great Liv!

 
 
 

Emma Roberts at Sundance

Check out some gorgeous star looks from the Sundance Film Festival.

Emma Roberts, who consistently looks adorable and fashion forward, continued the tradition on the red carpet at Sundance. Makeup artist Sonia Lee prepped Roberts' skin for her premiere of "Homework" last weekend.

Lee started with Votre Vo SpecialEyes Intensive Eye Treatment before applying makeup and used a bit of Amour d'Ore multi-vitamin for her face, body, and hair to keep the moisture in. She applied Champagne Kisses Enhancing Lip Balm to make her lips feel soft and create the perfect lip base.

Golden Globes 2011-Carla Gugino's Movie Star Hair

Carla Gugino’s gorgeous Golden Globes hair style:

Check out the steps used to create Entourage actress, Carla Gugino's regal, Old Hollywood glamour hair:

-Prep damp hair with Oscar Blandi Jasmine Protein Mist from roots to ends. ($18 , OscarBlandi.com)

-Apply Oscar Blandi Volumizing Spray from mid-length to ends to create a foundation for natural looking waves. ($18, OscarBlandi.com)

-Diffuse hair with low medium heat until hair is 100% dry.

-Curl 1” square sections with a 1” curling iron throughout the head. Wrap sections around your finger and create an invisible roller, secure the base of each curl with a roller clip. Front sections should flow working from the left ear over to the right ear.

-Remove clips after hair has cooled. Apply a dime size of Oscar Blandi Pronto Gloss ($19, Oscar Blandi.com) and softly pull sections towards the back of the head and secure with bobby pins. Leave the top looser for more height, Pull sections on the sides back closer to the head & sections from the bottom up.

-Finish entire look with Oscar Blandi Lacca Hairspray for volume and hold. ($23, OscarBlandi.com)

Famous Starlets Who Shaved Their Faces

Photo: Esquire Magazine, 1965 from Style.com

I first heard a women other than Rupaul shaving her face when Real Housewives of New Jersey star Caroline Manzo admitted on television that she did it on a regular basis. Now comes news that Manzo was far from alone in this practice. In fact, two of Hollywood's most famous female faces also used to shave. So is this like a thing? Manzo explained it was a great way to exfoliate her skin, which I get, but the idea of a female lathering on shaving cream all over her face and shaving it off just like a man would, isn't too appealing.

So, which mystery starlets took to shaving their famous mugs in the name of exfoliation? None other than Elizabeth Taylor and Marilyn Monroe. Style.com spoke to celebrity aesthetician Kate Somerville who is on good authority (from Taylor's personal cosmetic dermatologist, whom Somerville used to assist) that these iconic sex symbols shaved their faces for completely bare skin and an extra does of exfoliation. Teen Wolf alert! Not according to Somerville actually. She says that "it's a total myth" that hair will grow in darker and thicker. In fact, Somerville is a big fan of using the popular men's razor, Gillette's Mach 3 and encourages us gals to ask our significant others to get a two-pack the next time they're at the drugstore. Ok, maybe this does work-they both were stunningly beautiful with gorgeous skin-but even the mere thought of a five o'clock shadow and the idea of sharing razors with our dudes is enough to keep me away.

Photo: Associate Press from Huffington Post

So what do you think? Would you try this rather masculine but seemingly effective beauty trick?

 

Information from Huffington Post

FLOTUS in Alexander McQueen at State Dinner

Did you love FLOTUS's dress for the White House State Dinner in honor of Chinese President Hu Jintao? FLOTUS is of course the First Lady of the United States Michelle Obama. I loved her stunning red and black gown by Alexander McQueen's Sarah Burton. Burton succeeded McQueen at his fashion house after the brilliant designer sadly committed suicide last February.

Anyway, I loved Obama's whole look: the elegant updo, drop earrings and slightly off the shoulder petal print silk organza confection. It radiated elegance.

It's so fun to follow the First Lady's style. She takes risks and clearly loves clothes. It's not even that she is the world's best dressed woman (although she's pretty up there). It's that she really enjoys mixing patterns, fabrics, and accessories and has a wonderful sense of what looks good on her. She always looks fresh, different, and unexpected.

Some have said that Obama's choice in wearing red was seen as a recognition of the color's connection to Chinese culture. Red means happiness and prosperity and is traditionally what brides wear on their wedding day. Whatever the reason was, the woman looked breathtaking.

One person who wasn't gushing over her dress? Iconic fashion designer Oscar de la Renta. The designer publicly criticized the First Lady's outfit telling Women's Wear Daily, "My understanding is that the visit was to promote American-Chinese trade — American products in China and Chinese products in America. Why do you wear European clothes?"

Hmm… a bit bitter? Maybe not. Obama has actually worn two designs by de la Renta's son so I guess he really is just peeved. The designer noted that Obama is a major fashion get, with the influence and power to boost a house's business. "I'm not talking about my clothes, my business. I'm old, and I don't need it. But there are a lot of young people, very talented people here who do," he said.

True, true but she's also allowed to choose an outfit based on how it looks on her, not on what it's global, national or diplomatic significance is. Cmon! Lighten up Oscar the Grouch!

This isn't the first time de la Renta has criticized the First Lady's fashion choices. In April of 2009 he told reporters, "You don't go to Buckingham Palace in a sweater," referring to Obama's attire when she visited the Queen.

There may be some truth in his statements but for now I'm going to keep enjoying FLOTUS's fabulous fashion sense and not think too hard about what it all means. 

Check out Stylist.com's photo gallery on Michelle Obama's wardrobe.

Thanks to NPR, Stylelist and Women's Wear Daily for info. Images from Getty.
 

Golden Globes 2011-Nicole Kidman

I haven't seen Nicole Kidman's new movie Rabbit Hole (for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe) but I am a big fan of her work and her fashion sense. Kidman's GG dress, however, was a bit too safe for me. She seems to favor long, lean silhouettes lately and often wears her hair down and stick straight, which is great but I'd love for her to mix it up more. She looked beautiful but a bit boring. Her cream colored sequins Prada gown was elegant and I did like the subtle bow around the waist but, I didn't care for the blue and black pin that was attached to the one shoulder. It was distracting. Her black earrings got lost in her hair and didn't stand out. With such simple lines, I thought the earrings would be a great opportunity to make a statement. I would have loved to have seen a rich, bold hue, like dangling rubies or emeralds. Just a thought. Let's be honest, she's still a knockout and looked amazing but I just wanted more from her! In the past Kidman has taken more fashion risks and I wanted to see her make more of a splash on the red carpet this time. Thoughts!?

At a past awards show in her usual long lines & straight tresses

Kidman's face looked very soft and ethereal. Chanel makeup artist Angela Levin created her fresh face.

-Levin used Quadra Eye Shadow in Winter Nights ($57) for her eyes, with three coats of Inimitable Intense Mascara in Noir ($30) on the lashes.

-For Nicole's cheeks, Levin used Powder Blush in In Love ($43).

-Finally for her pout Levin used Rouge Allure Laque in Ming ($32).

I haven't given up on you Nicole! You're a total style star.

Images from Getty and info from Bellasugar.

Golden Globes 2011-Sofia Vergara

Modern Family star Sofia Vergara looked stunning at the GG's. Then again, she always does. I'm not gonna lie, I wasn't the biggest fan of her fuchsia corseted Vera Wang gown but overall she looked amazing. The color was gorgeous on her skin tone and the black belt did a great job of cinching her waist but perhaps the shiny taffeta material just didn't work for me.

As usual, however, her hair and makeup was impeccable. Makeup artist Kayleen McAdams (that's right-younger sister of actress Rachel McAdams) created Vergara's sexy subtle eye makeup using Lancôme products.

 

-McAdams used Artliner in Aubergine ($29) on Sofia's lash lines, Color Design 5 Pan Palette in Coral Crush (out next month) on her lids, and two black mascaras on her lashes.

-To play up her cheek bones, McAdams brushed on  Blush Subtil in Rose Fresque ($30).

-Finally McAdams applied  L'Absolu Nu in Sheer Mousse, which is available in March on her lips.

 

Muy Caliente! Hmm…was that cheesy!? It was wasn't it!?

Images from Getty. Info from Bellasugar.
 

Golden Globes 2011-Sandra Bullock

Sandra Bullock is one of my favorite starlets. Her charm and warm energy really do radiate through the screen. The girl has definitely had a tough year, but looking gorgeous and feeling great is always the best revenge when it comes to a cheatin' hubby. The Golden Globes winner wore a light pink, heavily embellished Jenny Packham gown that some people loved and some people hated. I loved it and thought her new blunt bangs, dark chocolate hair color and smoldering smokey eye makeup made her look soft and edgy at the same time.

Chanel makeup artist Angela Levin used a combination of colors from the Ombres Perlées de Chanel Eyeshadow Palette ($65) to create her look.

-Levin used the dark shades on the outside and worked her way in to the lightest.

-She lined Bullock's sparklers with Long-Lasting Eyeliner in Ebene ($29), and then applied two coats of black mascara.

-Levin then used Blush Duo Tweed Effect in Tweed Pink ($45) on the apples of Bullock's cheeks and Rouge Coco Lip Colour in Chintz ($32) for her lips.

Images from Getty Beauty Breakdown from Bellasugar

Golden Globes 2011-Emma Stone

For a Golden Globe newcomer, Emma Stone really knew how to wow the crowd at Sunday's show. I thought she looked amazing! Her entire look was flawless. She looked beautiful and completely fresh. I loved how her peachy makeup and newly platinum blond hair complemented her structured peach-pink Calvin Klein dress. Thanks to BellaSugar, I got the scoop on how to recreate her look.

Mark celebrity makeup artist Mai Quynh was inspired by Stone's dress and created the look based on the color and feel of it.

-Quynh started by dusting on Mark Pro Bronzing Powder in Pro Glow ($10) to the cheeks, forehead, and chin
- She then applied Good Glowing Blush in After Glo ($8) on the cheeks.
-Quynh blended a few different eye shadow shades ($5 each): Biscotti on the inner lids, Gioia on the middle and outer lids from the lash lines to the creases (and smudged on the lower lash lines), and Java as an eyeliner.
-Finally Quynh  applied Lipclick Lipstick in Bare Hug ($10) to the lips.


Tresemmé celebrity stylist Mara Roszak created Stone's chic, elegant bun.

-Roszak started by applying Tresemmé's Fresh Start No Frizz Créme ($5) to damp hair

-She then blow-dried Emma's hair, using a round brush to sweep the hair away from the face. She followed by teasing the hair, smoothing it with a comb, and placing it into a mid-height ponytail.

-Roszak then divided the pony in half, twisting the two halves around each other. She finished the style off by firmly holding the ends, wrapping the twisted hair into a bun, pinning to secure.

I'm excited to see what this fabulous young actress has in store for us next!




images from Getty

Golden Globes 2011-Piper Perabo

Actress Piper Perabo (best known from her role in Coyote Ugly) was on trend at this year's Golden Globe Awards with her sleek ponytail and black fishtail Oscar de la Renta gown. Like Eva Longoria, and Julia Stiles, the actress had a fitted bodice and a more flowing skirt with a train. They were, however, among the few actresses who wore black. Celebrities seemed intent on showing off color and sparkle. Perabo's hair looked great and was another popular look. J.Lo, Julianne Moore and True Grit's Hailee Steinfeld were among the other ladies to wear the easy, chic style.

Perabo also opted for the always classic red lip and clean classic face for her makeup. Troy Surratt, one of my favorite celebrity makeup artists created her polished look. Surratt says the inspiration for the look was a modern take on classic Hollywood with long lashes and luscious red lips. Here's what he did:

-Surratt created a smooth canvas on the skin with COVERGIRL Simply Ageless Foundation and warmed her up with some bronzer and light pink powder blush.

-On her eyes he used the lighter color of COVERGIRL Smoky ShadowBlast in Bronze Fire on the lid and set it with a powder eyeshadow. He finished the eyes by creating long lashes with COVERGIRL LashBlast Length.

-To create her luscious red lips he first applied COVERGIRL Outlast Lipstain in Scarlet Pucker so the color would last all night and topped it with COVERGIRL Lip Perfection in Hot for extra glamour.








Images by Getty

Golden Globes 2011-Claire Danes

To me, Claire Danes will always be the burgundy-red headed, Angela Chase, from my favorite show My So-Called Life. Danes has clearly moved on but I still think she and Jared Leto would make the perfect couple! At this year's Golden Globe Awards, Danes looked like the exact opposite of her grungy, angsty teen character. The Golden Globe winner for Best Actress in a Motion Picture Made for Television for Temple Grandin looked sophisticated, regal and confident. Danes wore a custom Calvin Klein Collection neon pink silk halter dress and accessorized with a Fred Leighton 1970's gold and diamond cuff and brilliant-cut diamond drop earrings, a Calvin Klein gold box clutch and white satin Roger Vivier sandals. I loved the color of her dress. It looked amazing against her skin tone. Although the cut wasn't my favorite on her, she did look like a total movie star. Her hair and makeup was flawless. I loved her pulled back chignon and buttery blond locks that framed the left side of her face perfectly. Her hair was elegant and modern. I also loved her makeup. Her long Latisse lashes stood out and her face looked natural and earthy.



Global Artistry Director for Laura Mercier Cosmetics, Matin, created her dazzling look. I got the scoop on what he did.


-Matin began by using Laura Mercier's line of new skin care on Claire to prep her skin. He then applied the new Creme Smooth Foundation in Golden Beige and Secret Camouflage in SC-3 to create flawless skin. He set everything with Invisible Powder (out in February).


-Matin lined Claire's eyes with Kohl Eye Pencil in Black Tuqoise and Eye Pencil in Black Extreme. He then used Luster Eye Colour in Topaz and Matte Eye Colour in Coffee Ground to create a smokey look. He completed her eyes with Waterproof Mascara.


-He used Shimmer Bloc in Golden Mosaic along with Second Skin Cheek Colour in Rose Petal to create a rosy glow.


-Finally he finished Claire's look with Lip Glace in Bonbon mixed with Bare Beige for the perfect neutral lip.


You look like a million bucks Claire!





Thanks to Who What Wear for the dress info!

Golden Globes 2011-Tina Fey

Best Actress nominee and presenter Tina Fey is one of my favorite celebrities. She's one of the most talented women in the industry and a total cutie. Lately, she's been playing up her good looks and great body with figure hugging gowns and polished hair and makeup. At this year's Golden Globe Awards she looked stunning in a navy L'Wren Scott dress and a chic updo. The velvet column dress and curly chignon channeled an old Hollywood glamour. Loved the whole look! If only Liz Lemon and Co. had won Best Comedy Series!

I got the skinny on her gorgeous 'do straight from her stylist, Remington's Richard Marin.

-Marin applied a texturizer or curl enhancing mousse to wet hair and blow dried it using a diffuser attachment to create frizz-free curls and waves. Marin used Remington T-Studio Pearl Ceramic Dryer.

-Then Marin used a small barrel iron (Remington Style 3/4 inch curling iron) to curl random sections of hair.

 

-He then shook her hair several times but did not brush it and then used a mist hairspray throughout.

-Finally Marin pulled Fey's hair into a loose low ponytail and twisted it into a loose bun at the neckline. He then secured the bun with bobby pins, spritz shine spray.

She completed the look with a brown smokey eye, darkened eyebrows and pale pink lips. GORGEOUS!

 

COVERGIRL's 50th Anniversary Party-Beauty Breakdown

Happy 50^th Anniversary to one of my favorite brands COVERGIRL! Last week the makeup powerhouse celebrate their half-century in the beauty biz with a star-studded red carpet bash in LA. All 5 of their COVERGIRL's came out for the event following the People's Choice Awards (Ellen Degeneres, Taylor Swift, Drew Barrymore, Queen Latifah and Dania Ramirez). Of course all the ladies looked gorgeous and very camera-ready. I got the skinny straight from their celebrity makeup artists on what they did to get them looking glam.

Queen Latifah  - by Celebrity Makeup Artist D'Andre Michael

Queen Latifah's wardrobe for the show (she was hosting the People's Choice Awards) varied between Black, Hot Pink and Turquoise Blue so I wanted to give here a look that accentuated the eyes.

SKIN: I started by using COVERGIRL Queen Collection Natural Hue Compact Foundation in Golden Honey and set it with COVEGIRL Queen Collection Natural Hue Minerals Pressed Powder in Brown Bronze 1. I accentuated Queen's cheeks with a light powder blush to add a hint of color and tone.  To complete Queen's overall look I brushed COVERGIRL Queen Collection Natural Hue Bronzer in Brown Bronze for a soft and subtle glow.

EYES:  I started by applying COVERGIRL Smoky ShadowBlast in Onyx Smoke (black color) on eyelid and under the lower lash.  Doing this allows you to blend your darker shadows into a softer color.  I then used COVERGIRL Queen Collection 1-Kit Eyeshadow in Black Tie over the Onyx Smoke and blended it above the crease of the lid.  I did this to intensify the color and set the Smoky ShadowBlast. I lined the inner bottom eyelid for depth with COVERGIRL LiquiLineBlast in Black Fire.  To finish the eyes I applied 2 coats of COVERGIRL LashBlast Volume Waterproof Mascara in Very Black.

LIPS: For Queen's lips, I offset the smokey eye with a lavender lip gloss. Try COVERGIRL ShineBlast in Dazzle. By doing lighter colored lips, this allows her eyes would stand out.

Taylor Swift- by Celebrity Makeup Artist Lorrie Turk

We decided to go for a fresh, pretty beauty look. She opted for a slight departure from her signature bright red lip for more of an orangy-red, which added a pop of color to complement the light color of the dress.

SKIN: I prepped her face with COVERGIRL Simply Ageless Serum Primer and applied COVERGIRL NatureLuxe Silk Foundation in Alabaster with a brush and blended with a sponge. You can also apply the foundation by mixing it in your palm and applying directly with your fingers. The foundation gave Taylor a luxurious polished skin finish.

EYES: On her eyes, I used COVERGIRL LiquiLineBlast in Black Fire to create the minimal winged liner. We didn't want to make the eyes too dramatic since we were focusing on a bright lip. I finished the eyes by curling her lashes and applying COVERGIRL LashBlast Volume in Black.

LIPS: Taylor's lips were the standout of the look. I first used COVERGIRL Lip Perfection Lip Liner in Passion to line her lips and also help the color stay through the night. I then finished the lip by applying COVERGIRL Lip Perfection Lipstick in Flame.

Drew Barrymore- by Celebrity Makeup Artist Debra Ferullo

Inspiration: It all started obviously with her dress. It was a gorgeous orange color that reminded us of the French Riviera so I wanted to create a fresh, dewy look.

SKIN: On Drew's skin I created a luxurious polished finish with COVERGIRL NatureLuxe Silk Foundation and then warmed up her cheeks by applying COVERGIRL Simply Ageless Sculpting Blush in Lush Berry for a natural sun-kissed glow.

EYES: For her eyes, we wanted to create some depth, but nothing too strong, so I created a wash of bronzes and plums using COVERGIRL Smoky ShadowBlast in Bronze Fire all the way up to the browbone and under the eye and COVERGIRL Smoky ShadowBlast in Purple Plume. I then lined her eyes with COVERGIRL LiquiLineBlast in Brown Blaze and smudged it with my finger to create depth but without harsh lines. I finished the eyes with 2 coats of COVERGIRL LashBlast Volume Mascara.

LIPS: Lastly I applied COVERGIRL NatureLuxe Gloss Balm in Anemone on her lips to complete the fresh look.

Ellen Degeneres- by Celebrity Makeup Artist Heather Currie

I wanted Ellen to have a classic, clean, and beautiful look. At the same time, because she has such vibrant eyes, I wanted to do something sexy and smoky to add a little glamour.

SKIN: I began the process by prepping her skin with COVERGIRL Simply Ageless Serum Primer. I like to use the primer because it hydrates the skin and helps the foundation to last longer. Next I used the COVERGIRL Simply Ageless Foundation. Ellen tan right now so I used the foundation in Warm Beige, but normally use Buff Beige. I like to use the sponge that comes with the foundation, and I prefer to use it wet. Just make sure that all of the excess water is squeezed out of the sponge. After the foundation I applied the Simply Ageless Concealer in light/medium. I basically put a little concealer under her eyes, and a tiny bit in the T-zone area to reduce any redness. To make Ellen's skin glow I added some of the COVERGIRL Simply Ageless Sculpting Blush in Royal Plum to the apples of her cheeks. I then used COVERGIRL Clean Pressed Powder for Normal Skin in Natural Beige, over her skin. Because I wanted her skin to appear natural, I focused the powder more in the T-zone area. We want the shine to appear more on the cheekbones and on the sides of her face.

EYES: For Ellen's eyes, I started by lining the eye with COVERGIRL LiquiLineBlast in Brown Blaze. I then used an eye shadow brush and continued to smudge the liner area with COVERGIRL Eye Enhancers in Brown Smolder. I wanted Ellen's look to seem more edgy so I added some of the COVERGIRL Smoky ShadowBlast in Silver Sky on top of the shadow. Adding the metallic cream gave the eye a bit more dimension and a bit of glamorous sheen. I then added  COVERGIRL Line Exact in Brown. The last step for the eyes was to curl her lashes and I applied two coats of the COVERGIRL LashBlast Volume Mascara.

LIPS: I wanted to keep the lips more natural. I used COVERGIRL Lip Perfection Lip Liner in Seduce, but I didn't line the lip with it, I lightly applied the pencil to most of the lip area. I like to do that because it holds the gloss and lip color longer, and gives it a primer affect. Then I applied COVERGIRL NatureLuxe Gloss Balm in Clove to add a light luxurious sheer color and finish the look.

Dania Ramirez- by Celebrity Makeup Artist Matthew VanLeeuwen

Dania's makeup inspiration was a twist on a classic beauty look. She called me earlier that day to tell me she she wanted a red lip, which I totally agreed with once I saw her outfit.  We stuck with a fairly clean, pale lid and sculpted brows.

SKIN: To start, I prepped the skin with a light moisturizer and  then applied  COVERGIRL Simply Ageless Serum Primer. I then used COVERGIRL NatureLuxe Foundation in Nutmeg which gave her perfectly polished skin with a luxurious finish. Lastly, I applied COVERGIRL Simply Ageless Blush in Plush Peach on the apples of her cheeks to balance out the look. It is really important to create a natural looking balance on the skin especially when working with a bright red lip.  I finished it off by setting her face with a light dusting of COVERGIRL Clean Pressed Powder in Tawny.

EYES: On her eyes, I applied COVERGIRL Smoky ShadowBlast in Citrus Flair, using the green color on the lid and the bronze color in the crease and then darkened the outside of the eye with COVERGIRL Smoky ShadowBlast in Bronze Fire. I created a minimal line to define the eye with COVERGIRL LiquiLineBlast in Black Fire and finished with a few coats of COVERGIRL LashBlast Length Mascara in Black.

LIPS: On her lips, I created a strong, glamorous red lip with COVERGIRL Lip Perfection Lipstick in Hot.

Which COVERGIRL do you most identify with? Check out the products used to recreate the look yourself at home. The products are amazing, affordable and will get you looking gorgeous! I myself, would love to see an Indian COVERGIRL in the mix but until then I've got some great makeup tips and shading options from this current group of beautiful CG ladies. Check out COVERGIRL's Facebook page to win prizes and get more beauty tips.

Fight Winter With Moisture

Happy new year friends! It's a new year, a new you,  and the perfect time to update your skincare regime. For many of us, winter reeks havoc on our skin. I know my face is craving moisture but will also freak out if my products are too heavy on. We all need a good moisturizer that hydrates the skin without drenching it and clogging our pores. Here are a few recommendations to keep your winter skin happy and healthy:

Caudalie Vinosource Quencing Sorbet Crème-This skin rescue is perfect for sensitive, parched skin. It's all natural (contains no parabens) and contains unique active ingredients that help plump and hydrate the skin. Organic Grape Water increases hydration by 127%. Vinolevure is an extracted molecule from the walls of wine yeast during the wine making process which has special strengthening and protective qualities and can conserve 100 times it's weight in water. Grape Seed Polyphenols are rich in anti-oxidants that block free radicals and maintain skin's elasticity. ($40, Sephora)

Lierac Anti-Aging Hydration Extreme Balm-Hydra-Chrono-This luscious balm for dehydrated skin is enriched with protective glycerin and moisturizing complex which responds to the needs of dry skin. The aqua-pump technology gives the cream a light almost-refreshingly wet feel to it.  This special technology has two active ingredients: a potent anti-aging ingredient and a natural amino acid. Your skin instantly feels freshly plumped. It's a great for morning and night but I love applying it to my face first thing in the morning. It does an amazing job of hydrating the skin but not feeling heavy. ($50, CVS)

Estee Lauder DayWear SPF 15-One of my absolute favorite moisturizers ever. It smells like refreshing cucumber and is so gentle and moisturizing on the skin, you practically want to lather your entire body with this. This yummy lotion is packed with anti-oxidants including vitamin C and E. It makes your skin feel like you just drank a tall glass of water. Once you apply it, it lasts all day and keeps your skin feeling soft and refreshed.($43, Department Stores)

Estee Lauder Hydrationist-If your skin is particularly dry, opt for something a little more potent in the Estee Lauder family. This relatively new cream is thick and creamy but won't feel heavy on the skin. The special Bio-Mimetic Water ingredient is structured so it is easily absorbed deep within the skin's surface. Use this to fight the daily effects of the harsh winter weather. It'll keep your chapped, dry skin at bay and prevent your skin from looking dull and damaged. ($38, Department Stores)

Kanebo Sensai Cellular Performance Cream-A little goes a long way with this rich and pricey face cream. If you're looking to splurge a little try this. The thick cream is soothing on the skin and proven to minimize fine lines and dryness. It also improves firmness and luminosity. ($130, Bergdorf Goodman)

 
 
 

Benefit Brow Bar-A Big Brow Mess!

As a beauty blogger, I do consider it my duty to share noteworthy beauty-related tidbits. I'm happy when I get to share a great product, service or piece of news that will surely benefit others.  With that said, I must also report the negative.


A few months ago I stopped in to Macy's in Downtown Crossing (Boston) to visit the Benefit Brow Bar. I have been looking for a reliable place to get my eyebrows done and thought Benefit would be a good place to test out. I was wrong. First someone greeted me and under the pretense of wanting to give customers a free "makeover" applied products and then proceeded to try hawk their products. I like Benefit products a lot. I think its a great brand, but when I'm there to get my eyebrows done I don't want someone to push products on me. Then I met with the waxer, Seana, who ended up being one of the rudest people ever! I was shocked. She was incredibly condescending and unpleasant. She also was using curse words when she spoke which is beyond unprofessional. To top it all off, she waxed off too much from the end of my eyebrow. When I looked at the eyebrow and commented it was too short, she insisted that's what my eyebrows looked like to begin with. The nerve! She took off a chunk of my eyebrow and wouldn't even own up to it! I was appalled by her attitude, lack of manners and basic customer service. I will say one of my eyebrows looked good, but the other was short and uneven. Unacceptable. These brows aren't cheap either: $20 a pop. I was upset but I did explain the situation to the manager who was very sweet and comped the entire service.

I should have learned my lesson and made that my last trip. Alas, I made my way back to the brow bar a few weeks ago. This time I had a very sweet waxer who was polite and very professional. I asked for my eyebrows to be cleaned up and polished. I specifically said I did not want too thin brows. Unfortunately, that's exactly what happened. The very sweet Ashley, waxed away and when she was done had made my left eyebrow half its original size. Ugh! I told her it was too thin (it looked like a thin penciled in line) and she was incredibly apologetic. I appreciated that, since the last time my brow was overly waxed I was practically yelled at. Ashley very politely asked me if I wanted my other eyebrow to match which I politely declined. She actually did a really nice job with the right eye brow but I was once again left the Benefit Brow Bar with two uneven brows. Go once, shame on them, go back again, shame on me!

So if you've gone to your local Benefit Brow Bar and had a good waxing experience-bravo! If you haven't tried it but are looking to get your eyebrows done and contemplated visiting them, I say no! Stay away! Their track record just doesn't cut it. Eyebrows are one of the most important features on your face and you simply can not have them looking sloppy and uneven. Especially when your paying a nice hefty sum each trip.

Let me know if you've had a positive experience there or recommend somewhere else to go! My eyebrows thank you in advance. I hope I've saved someone from a negative beauty buff experience and I hope the Benefit Brow Bar gets their act together!

Salutations Friends!

Sequins to the Stars: Naeem Khan

 Happy New Year Friends!

I saw so many fun, glitzy outfits on new year's eve and it reminded me how much I love the glitz and glamour of getting dolled up. Nothing says fabulous party like some old fashioned sequins! I love that sequins is so in this season. It's popping up everywhere and I love being able to dress it up and down.

Speaking of materials that photograph well; January kicks off Hollywood's movie award season and I know we're gonna see plenty of gorgeous (light-catching) gowns on the red carpet. No designer does sparkly and sexy better than Naeem Khan. He's not only a fellow Indian but he's so incredibly talented and has a knack for creating shimmering columns and elaborately designed frocks that ooze sophistication and embody old Hollywood movie star fashion and flair. He's dressed countless Hollywood starlets including Taylor Swift, Eva Longoria, and Kim Cattrall and always made them shine. I'm seriously in love with his creations.

One of the shows I really regret not being able to attend last season was Naeem Khan. I mean hello, the stunning and statuesque Michelle Obama in Khan's amazing, shimmery champagne column!

Luckily I had the gorgeous, equally statuesque fashion stylist and friend Nakima Benjamin attend the show and get the scoop on what other treats Khan has in store for us.

NB: One word:  GLAMOUR, with a capital G.

Aside from glamour, glitz, sexiness, and luxury also come to mind. Khan's designs are perfect for women who are bold and confident. I kept imagining J. Lo as his ideal client. The collection featured long flowy pieces with incredible details. Each piece was enhanced with some type of embellishment -- crystals, sequins, or intricate beading. Each outfit would be stunning on the red carpet or for ladies on holiday in Monaco or St. Tropez.

HAIR/MAKEUP:

--Interestingly, big, teased Dallas hair

--Makeup was clean, soft, and subtle. Makeup was understated. The clothes and hair were so WOW, the makeup was much more low key and natural.

ACCESSORIES:

--Chandelier statement earrings were paired with several of the looks.

--5 inch heels in metallic (gold, silver, pewter) or bold tones (red, pink) were paired with each look.

I wonder who Mr. Khan will dress for this year's Golden Globes. I have no doubt, whoever it is, they will look stunning and sparkly!

 
Check out Nakima's work on Scarpasa.com.  Nakima recently started collaborating with the online shoe boutique and has created some really stylish outfits that are paired with shoes featured in Scarpasa's Fall/Winter Collection.
 
Scarpasa has some of the hottest flats, and low- and mid-heeled shoes from around the world and is your ultimate source of stylish shoes you can walk in.  Click on any shoe style in the Fall/Winter Collection and they'll make suggestions for what to wear with them. Always needed!

Check out Nakima's work!