Makeup tips to make you shine

Diorshow is supposed to be one of the best mascaras out there, but is it really?

Choose best makeup for acne prone skin. Learn some guide and tips on makeup for acne prone skin that really works.Stay clean and healthy skin.

I decide to call and book a relaxing spa appointment...and my stress level skyrockets.

Either I sit on hold for long enough to forget who I called and why, or I get stuck to the spa's mis-hire, who snaps her gum and tells me nothing's available

But the clouds have passed: I can now book a Bliss appointment on their dotcom.

A concept so simple, I'm stunned more spas haven't done it sooner.

Here's the deal: Create an online account (it takes two seconds), browse the menu, and pick your services. (There are tons to choose from.) You'll get an instant booking confirmation upon checkout, which you can cancel or modify if need be.

Three cheers for no more wait time, hostility, or wondering if your coworkers heard you book your Brazillian.

The fatal flaw in the tabloids' Obamas-as-next-door-neighbors propaganda, of course, is that unlike the candid shots of normal, down-to-earth celebrities without makeup or entourages, the photos of the Obamas in "normal" mode are all carefully choreographed fauxtographs.

The family of a gay teenager who was fatally shot in class blames the school district for allowing their son to wear makeup and feminine clothing to school

HSM fans, you'll want to check this out! Neutrogena is sponsoring the Fresh Faces 2008 Concert Sweepstakes, where five lucky winners will have the chance to win a VIP trip for two to Los Angeles to attend the Neutrogena Fresh...

If you've ever salivated over a pair of delicious-looking shoes, then you'll appreciate Bond No. 9's upcoming creation: Andy Warhol Lexington Avenue.

Inspired by Andy's shoe illustrations for newspaper ads (when he lived on Lexington Avenue), Bond No. 9 created a scent that celebrates his appreciation for shoes (no, it doesn't smell like leather—or feet.) Warhol loved the way they change the gait of a woman.

Andy Warhol Lexington Avenue, which will hit stores in September, smells both girly and confident, in the same way a pair of stilettos can make you feel: It's a floral woody chypre, which is kind of the olfactory calling card for well-heeled women who know their way around a Warhol silkscreen and a good fragrance.

It sounds esoteric, I know, but once the scent's notes of fennel, almonds, cardamom, and—my favorite—crème brulee hit, anyone you sashay past will turn into a complete puddle of mush. What that has to do with shoes and soup cans, I'll never know.

Looks like Andy got the whole shoe thing LONG before Miss Carrie Bradshaw.

The family of a gay teenager who was fatally shot in class blames the school district for allowing their son to wear makeup and feminine clothing to school - factors the family claims led to the death.

Human emotion is a natural part of our makeup, and almost anyone can learn to improve some of their coping skills by learning to recognize and work through some of their emotional reactions instead of just labeling them stress and seeking a new pill to wash away the feelings.

If you need a little pick-me-up during the day, Starbucks has just introduced the Vivanno brand, a new line of healthy drinks made with fresh ingredients which are designed to give a real energy boost.

The Orange Mango Banana Blend contains one whole banana, whey protein and fibre power, a choice of milk, ice and fruit juices, while the Banana Chocolate Blend is made with bittersweet cocoa and a whole banana.

The drinks contain no artificial sweeteners and are reassuringly low in fat. We tried them out here on the Life & Style team and have to say they're rather refreshingly ice cold and delicious.

Starbucks Vivanno Nourishing Blends are £3.25 for a tall size.

When I met Tosca Hillman, the first thing I noticed (besides her glowing complexion), was her passion for the beauty world. Though she’s been in the industry for over 12 years, she still lights up while speaking of her favorite Hourglass products and their transformational results. After speaking to Tosca, you want to buy every, single one of the products she's selling.

Tosca’s all about luxury, not in a pretentious way, but in a lavish-and-nourish-my-skin-with-the-finest-ingredients way. Luxury is taking the time to feel the ingredients working into your pores—softly sweeping on face cream and delicately dabbing on eye serum—and not rushing through your daily beauty routine. Tosca reminded me that you don’t have to own a Prada bag or be on a yacht in St. Tropez to experience luxury—it’s a state of mind, after all.-Jennifer Appenrodt

Tosca is a seasoned expert when it comes to all things beauty-related. I asked the makeup maven a few questions, and here, are her answers.

What does your beauty routine consist of on a daily and nightly basis?
I usually clean my face with Caudalie Cleansing Water followed by their Cleansing Mousse. Then I use my Caudalie ContourCream Eyes and Lips.

Where does the name Hourglass come from?
The founder, Carisa Janes, came up with the name Hourglass because it has a feminine, old-world mystique to it.

Tell us a fun fact about Hourglass?
Carisa (brand founder) is a die-hard animal lover who once owned a 300 lb pet pig named Pete!

If you were going to your own private island and could only take 2 products
with you, what would it be?
My Veil Primer with the SPF 15 in it and Extreme Sheen Lip Gloss in Reflect.

What is the most unique, unusual product your brand carries right now?
I would say our amazing Illume Cream to Powder Bronzer Duo. I'm addicted to it
and I think every woman needs one in her bag.

Do you have an anti-aging tip?
Yes! Ladies, PLEASE STOP pulling your eyes when you apply liner on the top
lid!! You are contributing to premature crows feet. Just gently lay your
hand above or to the side of the eye and apply the liner.

Finish this sentence: One you use Hourglass makeup, you’ll feel…
Renewed as well as luxurious. Remember, luxury is a state of mind.......

Xoxo, Tosca

Someone mentioned in a meeting yesterday that Michael Phelps eats an insane amount of calories in a day. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 10,000! Yet his abs look amazing. Granted, the man is in a pool about five hours a...

To think it all started with a tube of lipstick!

Cargo revolutionized eco-chic beauty when they launched PlantLove, the first-ever environmentally friendly lipstick. It's encased in a compostable tube made of corn and plantable (yes, plantable) outer packaging that grows wildflowers once moistened and emerged in soil.

Now, after a year and a half of celebrity and consumer fans craving more PlantLove, Cargo expanded to an entire cosmetic collection—free of parabens, phthalates, petro-chemicals, synthetic dyes and fragrances. Even better? Since there’s so much confusion out there in the world of “natural products,” PlantLove carries the ECOCERT label, which ensures consumers that their products, packaging and process meet the strictest standards for natural, organic and environmentally friendly content.

After trying the eye pencils and shadows at the NY editor event, I couldn’t get enough! The liners ($16) glide on lids so smoothly and the shadows are soft and natural with high payoff. For the office, my favorite shades are: Pelican (taupe with a metallic sheen), Bamboo (golden brown with just the right amount of shimmer) and Thyme (a toned-down green mixed with gold). For nights out, I’ll be sporting: Blue Jay (mix of teal and navy) and Ivy (a golden green). Another perk? Shadows can also be used wet by dampening a liner brush with a little water.

Other stars in the collection were the Earth, Wind and Fire Illuminators ($28 each, pictured above). They were the perfect combo of blush, bronzer and highlighter all in one!

The PlantLove collection will be launching at Sephora on September 15th, so let the countdown begin.


PlantLove's cover model sporting green lids and a green conscience!

As long as I'm complaining about hair, I'm just gonna say it:

Am I the only one who wishes faux hawks would join ranks with feathered bangs and just go away?

I don't care who his mom is, let's remember this style was popularized by a then 3-year old.

At this point, even a mullet would be more ironic than this tired old 'do.

Have I told you about my sister? She's a makeup whiz master. You see, she learned the delicate skill of face painting from some of the most insightful artists in the land—drag queens. So my sissy can do color like nobody's business and she can get all glam in the flutter of a fake lash. And I would bet all the money in Vegas that my little sister could blend, spackle and apply foundation, cover-up and color in a dark Winnebago bathroom, while moving!

I, on the other hand, missed out on all those technique tips because I was busy doing important things. When it comes to color, I rely on the natural glow look to get me through big days on the town.

So when mastermind Dick Page teamed up with Shiseido to make the Sephora exclusive Summer Collection with instructions for the desired sugar sweet and bronzed look ($126), I knew they were talking to me.

First there's the graduated peachy sunset colored powder for giving some glow and highlighting them apples. The creamy green and yellow eye shadows (shades a remedial makeup student like myself would normally shy away from) are unbelievably wearable and so super easy to blend. And the plum lipstick imparts a saturated shade with a slight shimmer for some serious puckering up. But the best part of the kit is the fantastique blotting papers, which swipe slick, sweaty faces without upsetting the delicate work of art.
-Jenna Mahoney

FROM: Meredith Kahn Rollins, executive editor
TO: Jean Godfrey-June, beauty director
SUBJECT: Summer Red

I want to be one of those people who wears red lipstick, but I am neither cool enough nor meticulous enough (because you kind of have to be a perfectionist to get that '40s-red lip right, no?) to pull it off. Yet I have devised a smudgy red lip that I think works well, and if it's not exactly Joan Crawford-ish, it gets at the look I'm going for with a minimum of fuss. First I sort of dot on Nars Velvet Matte lip pencil in Dragon Girl, and then I layer on Korres lip butter in Wild Rose. It stays put for a long while, and makes me feel infinitely more dressed-up and Hollywood-esque.

Get $3.50 off any purchase over $10.00 Plus free samples! Eyes are the focus with three smoldering bareMinerals Eyecolors, plus fresh cheek and lip accents to complete the look. It's iconic beauty in the purest sense. BE Fashion Forward with The Look of Now. Bare Escentuals is taking this season's hottest fashions to the face with the Wild Spirit Collection. bareMinerals Metallic Lavender Eyecolor (light gray lavender glimmer) (Size: Extra Small) bareMinerals Plush Purple Eyecolor (deep mulberry plum velvet) (Size: Extra Small) bareMinerals Smoky Sequins Liner Shadow (gunmetal gray) (Size: Extra Small) bareMinerals Vintage Peach Blush (peach poppy) (Size: Small) Mini Jessica Buxom Big & Healthy Lip Polish (copper pink). A $55 Value.

100% Natural Mineral Cosmetics Kit, yours to try free plus shipping and handling. Young Skin: Purity provides sheer, flawless coverage. Acne or Oily Skin: The non-irritating, all-natural ingredients help calm and soothe problem skin. Without oils to clog pores, your makeup will stay fresh all day. Mature Skin: Mica, a natural light reflector, imparts a healthy, youthful glow without settling in to fine lines or wrinkles. Sensitive Skin: Because Purity is free of all known irritants such as chemical dyes, talc, alcohol, fragrance, oils and fillers, there is nothing left to distress sensitive skin.