Raspberries Possibly Holding Key To Beautiful Skin

As you know by now, we like exploring the world of beauty:

especially when it comes to our skin. Both inside and out.

We have previously researched the benefits and power of red raspberry tea for taming cellulite and slimming one's figure.

We learned this in an interview with world-famous cellulite expert Anushka:

"Raspberry tea. It's wonderful for women in general," Anushka says. "In addition to acting as a diuretic which helps reduce bloating (leading to a slimmer silhouette), it also helps alleviate menstrual discomfort and cramps, reduces heavy bleeding, promotes healthy skin, bones, and teeth. And when combined with peppermint tea, can help with morning sickness."
http://www.beautytiptoday.com/2008/03/anushkas-special-tea-fights-cellulite.html

And now we have dug a little deeper. According to the science out there, raspberries contain lots of Vitamin C, and more importantly, ellagic acid. This acid is a potential cancer fighter, and many people have reported that raspberries have helped them reduce and/or wipe out their skin cancer.

Today, we are looking at one of the more popular raspberry extract gels that claim to support beautiful and healthy skin. It's a 2 oz. jar called Raspex SPF 30 Skin Gel ($24.95, at http://www.smdi.org/).

"Rub this cream on pre-cancerous spots or even skin cancer. No pain. No Scarring. The Raspex Skin Cream contains ellagitannins from Raspberry Extract, is an excellent sun protection lotion having an SPF of 30 and will repair sun burns if applied within 4 hours. Shows excellent results for burns, age spots, moles, warts, rosacea, rashes etc. Boosts the skin's immune system, maintains skin suppleness, reduces wrinkles, promotes healing, reduces scaring and improves fine capillary blood flow."

We haven't tried this little hope-in-a-jar for beautiful skin yet. But the science is intriguing us. Just remember: Do not expect instant results. We all seem to be impatient these days. Give any skin care jar of serum, cream or gel at least 6-8 weeks before tossing the bottle against a wall in frustration.

And if you can get your hands on some fresh raspberries, enjoy them. They are a healthy and delicious fruit.

No Room Left: What Containers Do You Store Your Makeup In?

This is a big problem for us. How about you?

Simply speaking---there is no room left. So, what containers do your store your makeup in?!

No, this is not our supply of Estee Lauder makeup (we wish).

Maybe you have a small apartment in the city, and there is a limited amount of space. Or maybe your husband has little room left on the dresser because of all your beauty stuff. Could it be you are just not organized and you can't always locate your fav MAC makeup?

We have heard horror stories from some of our girlfriends on where they store their beauty products:

under the bed in a box
in makeup bags under the bathroom sink cabinet

in an old cigar box in the drawer

crammed into the one bathroom cabinet

in the car glovebox

here, there, and everywhere

And then there are the lucky gals who have armoires to nicely and neatly store their beauty stuff in. Or beautiful, covered seagrass baskets to tuck away their cosmetics. How about spacious vanity tables. A separate bathroom from him. In a big, walk-in closet with lots of little shelves to organize makeup.

Trying to keep your face and body clean, along with makeup supplies and makeup removers, and skin care treatments, and so on, we are all running out of space!!

We'll be honest. We have some small wicker and rattan baskets we toss our beauty stuff in. And even an old, wooden jewelry box. And in some milk glass bowls. And then try to jam some beauty treatments in the closet inside more wicker containers. In the narrow bathroom closet. Folks, it can be a nightmare.

And now in the the new year, we promise to take inventory of our beauty stuff. We swear we will throw out beautiful things we never use, are past the expiration date, etc. And we are going to find some new containers to store our makeup in.

How about you? For some great container tips, visit: organize.com for tons of containers.

Still Good To Be Gisele Even If Not Engaged To Tom

Is she engaged, or isn't she?

2009 Spring Hair--How To Get The Do Of The Moment

Ready to spring ahead with your hair gorgeously flapping in the breeze for 2009?!

We took a look through the fashion bibles and landed on Harper's Bazaar. They show us how to get the do of the moment!

There are lots of possibilities, like the fresh and pretty clean look of long, wavy hair (top photo). This was photographed backstage at Ralph Lauren's runway show. This hair do is soft and effortless.

Then there is the sleek and perfect ponytail, snapped at the Versace show. The stylists call this the minimalist ponytail. We love this look. Where do you grow perfect hair like that, we ask? Stunning.

There are also many French twists featured at the Yves St. Laurent runway shows, and a number of glamorous knots in the hair of the Lanvin models, resembling the little buns seen on ballerinas.

The look is simple but glam, to balance the volume of the clothing for 2009.

And as we have been repeating these past few articles, yes, red lips are still hot for spring. But so are nude lips. The minimal lip shade or neutral,is back in a BIG way!!. But to balance the soft nude mouth, dark-rimmed eyes are major. And preferably in black!!

Want an easy way to line your eyes? So you don't have to keep trying to get it just right? Try Cover Girl's Line Exact in Very Black ($5.99, drugstores). It's a super liquid eyeliner that looks like a felt pen. And it works like a felt pen with a nice, sharp line. Simply, beautiful Cover Girl.

We like CG's Line Exact 'pen.' The only misgiving we found, was that the supply ran out too fast. In other words, the pen didn't seem to hold enough liner in it. It didn't even last a month. We would like to buy it again, because it's an easy fool-proof way to a nicely lined eye.

Avon Cream Blush: Quick, Pretty, and Easy

Tired of looking drained out by the frosty, dry air? We could all use a little glow these winter days. And blush is one of the best beauty items to reach for, even when you don't have time for anything else makeup-wise.

Blush gives you an instant warmth and depth to your face and bone structure, at least that is what the famous makeup artists we have interviewed here at BeautyTipToday like to tell us. New York City's legendary celeb artist Sandy Linter, says that just foundation alone looks 'weird' and too one-dimensional. And that a little cream blush is pretty and brings out one's features.

Today, we are looking at Avon's cream cheek color. This blush will paint a rosy, natural glow. And it comes in a tube form and simple to apply: quick, pretty, and easy. And it's called Be Blushed Cheek Color ($8, at avon.com, or from your Avon lady).

Available in 8 soft and natural shades. And this product is very blendable and won't cause break-outs.

Makeup artist-to-the-stars Holly Carter, told People StyleWatch that she loves Avon's Be Blushed Cheek Color in Icy Petal. Holly says the cream base is long-lasting, delivers a fresh glow.

Icy Petal it is. Soft and sheer.

Keep Makeup Matte The Cheap Way With e.l.f.

Beauty on the cheap.

We've all got to keep a sharp eye on our shopping these days. So why not pick up an effective beauty buy and save a few dollars!

Our Beauty Tip Today is all about keeping makeup matte. And doing it on the cheap with e.l.f. -eyes, lips, face. Yes, ladies, dewy is good, but shiny is not. We know, there is a fine line between the two.

The greasies or an oily complexion are frustrating. Maybe you work in a restaurant, and have little time to re-do your makeup. Maybe you're just sitting pretty and still end up with too much shine. There is a quick and efficient way to 'mattify' your face.

Try elf Cosmetics Shine Erasers (only $1 for 50, eyeslipsface.com). 50 sheets to blot up your shine!! That's a super bargain, when you consider that MAC sells their blotting papers for about $12.


elf describes their Shine Erasers like this:

These amazing little sheets instantly absorb oil, minimize pores and mattify shiny skin. Woven texture eradicates shine and keeps skin matte for hours. Green Tea Extract helps re-texturize skin, masking facial imperfections. Travel pack fits neatly in purse for on-the-go touch-ups. Contains: 50 sheets.
Gently pull out Shine Eraser sheet from envelope. Blot sheet in T-Zone.Flip sheet and blot all other facial areas.Use whenever skin needs to be mattified.

Even CosmoGirl magazine thinks these little oil blotters are wonderful for keeping away the greasies. The mag wrote about them in their makeup matte article.

Now that's a decent bargain!!

And while you're shopping elf, check out their cute and roomy makeup bags, now on sale at 75% off. Just use the code at their website.

Just keep your makeup matte and do it the cheap way!

Let's Go Nude For Hands And Toes In Spring 2009

Alright, ladies. If you've had enough of the gray/griege/grey nail polishes of late, or the dark shades like navy blue and plum, let's go nude/neutral!!!

We're heading to the softer, flesh-toned colors for Spring 2009!! All you had to do, was take a look at the runway models, and nude nail polish was the easy favorite. Even Hollywood A-listers like sexy Eva Mendes recently posed for photos, showing off elegant, nude nails.

Pictured above, is Creative Nail Design's (CND) Cocoa nail enamel ($6). This particular shade was hot on the catwalk of popular designers like Nina Ricci.

And try out OPI's Nail Laquer in Sand in My Suit ($9). From the South Beach collection. A lovely, shimmery nude. The only frost in the set for 2009.

Or how about Essie's Eternal Optimist ($9 ). A sexy fleshy-toned creme nail shade. Another hot hue for the Spring of 2009.


Let's face it, ladies. Nudes and neutrals look gorgeous on our toes. And when you wear flesh-tones on your fingernails, the effect is one of elegance. The color also elongates and slims the hands. It's a very wealthy look. And the upkeep isn't that hard to handle.

So if you're growing weary of snow and icy, gray days, maybe you can spring ahead with all the pretty and soft looks for the new year. Remember:

Let's go nude for hands and toes in Spring 2009!!!

How To Relieve And Relax The Redness In Your Face

Ruddy complexion?

Don't feel bad. It's a problem that can attack your skin at different stages of your life. Having a red face, however, is not what you should be aiming for. Some people think that a red, flushed face is healthy. No, it is not.

A ruddy complexion means your face is inflamed. And the redness can come from a few sources, namely sun damage. Or from being sensitive to products. Or caused by rosacea, an acne-like skin condition. Blood vessels react by dilating, and that in turn, brings on the redness and/or blotchy look.

We have a few beauty treatments for you that aim to relieve and relax the redness in your face.

You want to remember, that you are trying to neutralize the redness. You can do that with products that contain anti-inflammatory properties like licorice extract and chamomille. And you can also cover your ruddiness during the day with green-based correcting serums or creams. Yes, the green balances out the redness.

Here are 3 beauty treatments we like for relaxing the redness:

1. Eucerin Redness Relief Soothing Cleanser ($8.99, at drugstores). Oil-free and very calming. This is a well-liked and gentle cleanser for ruddy complexions. Eucerin features a gel-based formula that effectively cleans skin and calms the redness down. Doesn't aggravate sensitive skin and leaves face soft and soothed.

2. Darphin Intral Redness Relief Soothing Serum ($110, darphin.com). Pricey, indeed, but many women say it's worth the price. A strong but gentle concentrate of plant extracts like peony and chamomille. Simply massage in after cleansing to face and neck, and watch irritated skin smoothe and balance out the ruddiness.

3. Aveeno Ultra-Calming Night Cream ($13.99, at drustores). Try this popular brand to wipe away redness at night while sleeping. The Aveeno name has long stood for effective beauty treatments. Light and fast-absorbing with natural soothers like chamomille. Smoothes out skin texture and minimizes ruddiness. Keeps acne away, too. A nourishing and calming product at a reasonable price.

Add Lancome's Oscillation Mascara To 2009 Beauty Bag

We'll be very honest here. Maybelline's Great Lash Mascara has always been our favorite. And apparently for the nation, because one tube of Great Lash is sold every 1.6 seconds in the United States. Wow!

But there are some new formulas on the block, and you'd be wise to dig a little deeper into your wallet to try the multi-talented/gadget mascaras.

Namely---Lancome's Oscillation Mascara ($34, at fine dept. stores).

Maybe a bit pricey, but this one's a must-have to add to your 2009 beauty bag. It's worth the cost.

Lancome makes great makeup. Period. And their mascaras have always been of exceptional quality. And yes, Dior, too, makes unstoppable long, thick lashes.

But this one is awesome!!! We got to finally sample the new Lancome PowerMascara. There was a huge waiting list of thousands.

What's so amazing?

7,000 oscillations per minute. A vibrating tube of mascara. Just one click of the button, and your stubborn eyelashes come alive!!

As lancome.com explains it:

With one easy new gesture, let the vibrating brush combined with an exquisitely smooth formula wrap every lash up to 360°.
- Instantly see a fascinating gaze: lashes appear ultimately extended, remarkably separated, and virtually multiplied in number.

We love mascara!!! And this one delivers!! And no, it doesn't shake like crazy. What it does, is boost your scrawny lashes, and builds big, amazing fringe around your eyes. For lower lashes, it's a bit trickier to manuever the PowerMascara wand. But the formula is superb.

Who are we to stop in the name of beauty technology? Best to get with it, and add this multi-talented mascara to your 2009 beauty bag. You'll be glad you did.

Chia Pet:New Health Food For Your Heart In 2009?!

Ch-ch-ch-Chia!!!

You know that catchy tune. The one that pops up on telelvision ads right before Christmas.

We know that many of you have given and received Chia pets as joke gifts, but you might want to re-think what's really in a Chia pet.

Chia seeds are the latest health fad going. The seeds are good for your heart and pack in more Omega 3's than flaxseed.
Whatever you do, don't eat your Chia pet. We'd prefer that you head to your local health food store and pick up a bag of Chia seeds. The seeds are sprouting across store shelves, as folks try and get on healthy diets in the new year.

Even Dr. Andrew Weil enjoys munching on the nutty-flavored chia seeds. And Dr. Weil is quite the nutrition guru. We found this great nugget of research at greengrownproducts.com:

Dr. Weil on Chia Seed:
"Unlike flaxseed, chia seeds can be stored for long periods without becoming rancid and don't require grinding (whole flaxseed is tough to digest). Chia provides fiber (about 2 tablespoons--25 g--give you 7 g of fiber) as well as other important nutrients, including calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, copper, niacin, and zinc.

Very few formal studies have looked at chia's benefits, although I expect that more will soon. In a preliminary study from the University of Toronto, researchers fed 21 diabetics either a supplement made from chia or grains with similar fiber content. After 3 months, blood pressure in patients taking chia dropped (10 points diastolic, 5 points systolic) while the grain group's BP remained steady.

I enjoy the seeds' nutlike flavor and consider them to be a healthful and interesting addition to my diet. You can sprinkle ground or whole chia seeds on cereal, yogurt, or salads; eat a handful of whole seeds as a snack; or grind them up and mix with flour when making muffins or other baked goods.Or make your own "chia fresca," a drink popular in Mexico and Central America: Stir 2 teaspoons of the seeds into 8 to 10 ounces of water (you'll end up with a slightly gelatinous liquid). Add lime or lemon juice and sugar to taste, and enjoy.My prediction? You will begin to see chia being added to more and more commercial products, such as prepared baby foods, nutrition bars, and baked goods."
- Andrew Weil, M.D.3 Reasons to Eat Chia

First Lady Makeup Tips And Kinder Gentler Eyebrows

Yesterday, Inauguration day, was a glorious day indeed!

And although all hopeful eyes were upon our new President Barack Obama, the fashion and makeup eyes were definitely and carefully examining our new First Lady Michelle Obama.

So how did she score?

We like to think back to our beloved Diana, the Princess of Wales. At the beginning, she had some fashion faux pas, with some less than attractive hats, and not-so-hot ball gowns. But once, the people's princess slowly adapted to her huge role and responsibilities, Diana became a fashion icon. And we like to think, that the same degree of Vogue appeal could bestow our First Lady Michelle in the months and years ahead. .

What Diana and Michelle share in common, are long legs and great height. They are both able to carry off many silhouettes and with great style.

We were not gaga over Michelle Obama's Inauguration dress/coat ensemble nor her Jason Wu chiffon one shoulder gown. We think she should stick to iconic designers like Ralph Lauren and Oscar de la Renta, when it comes to momentous occasions.

Meantime, we like Michelle Obama's hair and makeup. Subtle and simply elegant. We learned recently, that there had been a big-to-do about the First Lady's eyebrows. We had no idea, her high arches were causing unease among the masses. (Top photo- before)(Bottom photo- after).

We think the First Lady has pretty eyes and a great high brow bone. But her Chicago-based makeup artist Ingrid Grimes-Myles recently and reluctantly softened Mrs. Obama's eyebrows, so she didn't appear so angry or intense. Hmmm, we had never noticed anything bad about her eyebrows.

This is what Ingrid Grimes-Myles told the Chicagotribune.com:

"In the very beginning when I was training Michelle's brows, I trained them to grow in an angular way," said Grimes-Myles. "My personal aesthetic is that I like a high arch."

Then in late summer, criticism about the cast of Obama's brows reached critical mass.

"When she started getting that feedback—I have a rule: When three or more people give you feedback, that means hundreds are talking about it—then what I began to do is bring them down and train them down," Grimes-Myles said.

She emphasizes there was no all-out panic.

"As an artist I was surprised. ... And then I took my ego out of it and decided, oh, OK, to most people that would seem a little high. And Michelle ... likes herself. She is a very secure woman. It wasn't like, 'Oh, my God, people are saying my eyebrows are too sharp and too high!' It was something that we moved through very calmly."

And here are a couple of beauty and skin care secrets of our new First Lady:

This favorite said-to-be First Ladydaily beauty treatment from DeCleor (Paris) is already sold out!!

Decleor Excellence de L'Age Eye and Lip Regenerating Cream ($74, skinstore.com).

Benefits:
Helps reduce puffiness, dark circles and smooth fragile contours
Reduces the appearance of fines lines and wrinkles
A light but intensely nourishing daily treatment
Results in a luminous smile and redefined eye and lip contours

Michelle Obama is also a MAC gal, according to the Chicagotribune.com article. Her lips are nicely made up with MAC lip pencils---one darker, one light. Plus lipstick and gloss, which Ingrid Grimes-Myles custom-mixes.

We don't have the exact lip shades at the moment, because her makeup artist is not giving up all her secrets for that presidential smile.

Beautiful Bath Essentials For Perfect Pampering

Okay, we will admit---this cute cupcake looks sinfully delicious to eat. But before you try, it's actually been made with love and all those nourishing treats for your skin. Ladies, this one is for the bath. And it's the bomb, so to speak.

A bath bomb. Actually called--Fizzy Baker Raspberry Cupcake Bath Bomb ($5.50, amazon.com).

And it's simple to use. Please don't eat it. The best news---it's calorie-free. All you do is drop it into your warm bath. It melts, softens, and scents the bathwater, while the pretty soap frosting floats free for you to use as a wonderful scrubbing cleanser.

Made with conditioning coconut oils, the Fizzy Baker Raspberry Cupcake Bath Bomb is a delight in the tub for all ages. The appealing scent of raspberries lingers on your skin far after the bath. And this adorable bathing cupcake is the same size as a cupcake you'd buy in a bakery.



Our second beautiful bath essential for perfect pampering includes this juicy aroma of grapefruit-guava. Mmmm-good. Fruits & Passion Fruity Foaming Bath ($13, fruits-passion.com).

This is another lovely way in 2009 to enjoy a long, creamy bathing experience with an exotic blend of grapefruit-guava. Foaming Bath is formulated with vegetable oil and glycerin. You get a foaming mass of bubbles with a fragrance that stays with you for hours, with super emollient properties that moisturize your every pore.

Drawing a bath these days, can be much more than a regular bar of soap or body wash. The two bath essentials we have highlighted today really target the areas where your body needs some TLC. We all deserve some pretty pick-me-ups in the tub, and these two bathing items deliver.

Christie Brinkley's Got Milk In New 2009 Ad

At 54, America's favorite model, Christie Brinkley, is still wowing everyone with her healthy good looks. Christie Brinkley has never been stick thin. She has been 'healthy skinny,' and curvy like fellow model, Cindy Crawford, and a few others.

And now, a new Got Milk ad for the blonde beauty in 2009. Christie is sporting a moustache, well, a milk moustache. She debuted her new ad at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah over the weekend.

This is Christie's third Got Milk ad. She's always been a nutrition hawk, and believes in the wholesome value of milk. The ad campaign is succesful at raising awareness and reintroducing Americans to milk as nature's wellness drink.

At 13, Christie Brinkley says she became a vegetarian, and then turned her whole family on to the lifestyle. The mom of three, also stays active with sports and working out on her Total Gym equipment.




“This is a great way to ensure that if … you are cutting back and you are not able to buy an expensive piece of fish or something else, milk actually, per glass, is a very affordable way to get your nutrients. Everybody is always rushing around. Everybody’s got so much to do and you can’t always put together that perfect balance of nutrients on a plate, but when you add milk to the meal, it really does complete it!” Christie told reporters.

Christie Brinkley is excited about the new year. And why not? She's getting over that much-talked about, messy split from ex-husband Peter Cook. And she's got lots of projects lined up, including an affordable jewelry line. Take a look at those earrings in the photo above. Gorgeous. She really has fine taste in jewelry, namely bracelets and chandelier earrings. And she's often photographed wearing Native American jewelry.

Two Amazing Shampoos With Different Purposes To Make You Beautiful

We've got 2 amazing beauty tips today to share with you.

One shampoo is from the famous brand of Johnson & Johnson. The other popular shampoo is imported from Germany by Schwarzkopf.

Both beauty hair products are reasonably priced. But both have very different advantages.

Let's take a look, ladies:

Johnson & Johnson's Baby Shampoo (no more tears), about $5 at Wal-mart. If it's gentle enough for your baby, well, it's gentle enough for you. But this time, we don't want you to shampoo it in. No. We want you to take off your makeup with it.

Johnson & Johnson's Baby Shampoo is a wonderful makeup remover. Especially for those beautifully created cat eyes with mascara and eyeliner. Remove those stubborn cosmetics right off your face, without stinging, burning, or irritation.

And yes, even opthamologists recommend baby shampoo as a makeup remover. It is gentle enough to be used around your eyes.

We are excited to try that one!!!

Meantime, gorgeous and glam model Heidi Klum, born in Germany, trusts a german import for her healthy, flowing mane. Women are always asking the Project Runway host what products she uses to keep such a shiny head of hair.

Our supermodel has spoken. She adores Schwarzkopf Gliss Kur Shampoo + Conditioner for blonde hair. We found it online for $10.99 at germandeli.com. (photo also provided by germandeli.com)

What's in it? If you color your hair, it's an excellent shampoo. Gliss Kur shampoo and conditioner for blonde hair:

The new Gliss cure Shining blond shampoo fulfills the special needs of blond hair. It lends daily suppleness to your blond hair as well as healthy-looking and fascinating shine. The innovative formula with Scan Repair complex gives your hair everything that it needs for a fastidious nature-blond, colored or highlighted hair: care and repair of the hair structure and improved moisture content; Protection of the hair structure from external influences. The new formula with UV filter and vitamin E. for perfectly maintained blond hair.

Just one little footnote here: the shampoo is currently unavailable. Sold out for now. Gee, word travels fast, Heidi Klum.

But you can also try sephora.com and amazon.com, as they carry the Schwarzkopf hair line.

We trust Heidi Klum's beauty judgment. If she's shampooing and conditioning with these two beauty products, then they must be top-notch.

Can Honest-Tea Quench Obama's Thirst

We are not choosing sides. We are merely making an observation. And since inauguration day is fast approaching next Tuesday, January 20th, we thought it would be fun, to dig a little deeper into lifestyle habits.

Our new President-elect, Barack Obama, is allegedly still hooked on cigarettes, and something else that is actually good and nutritious:

Bottled Organic Tea. Namely, Honest Tea. And luckily, the popular, bottled organic tea company is based in nearby Bethesda, Maryland.

The organic tea, in his favorite blend, called Black Forest Berry, hasn't always been the easiest flavor to hunt down for the about-to-be-sworn-in-President of the United States.

According to an item in the Washinton Post, once Obama had hit the campaign trail full time, "getting Honest Tea into his hands became more difficult." The matter really escalated, when after the South Carolina primary, an Obama aide, had just driven two hours to procure the goods for her boss. And she phoned the CEO of Honest Tea to try and find an easier way to get their hands on Black Forect Berry for Barack Obama.

Oh, my, Mr. President-elect!!

So, what's really in a bottle of organic Honest Tea?! And is this is a beauty tip?

Yes. Tea is truly wonderful for your skin and health. Fans of the beverage, like actress Sharon Stone, drink it all the time. Ms. Stone, by the way, prefers her own brand:

"I am a tea fanatic. I like Sunrider Calli tea, an herbal cleansing tea."

Getting back to the President-to-be, here's the low-down on Black Forest Berry.

An Herbal Fruit Infusion.
A fruit infusion made with organic cane sugar, organic hibiscus, organic blackberry leaves, organic berry flavor, organic blueberries, and organic raspberries.
Certified organic by the USDA.

There are 60 Calories in a bottle of Black Forest Berry (2 servings per bottle). That's pretty low in Calories.

According to their website--www.honesttea.com, there are health benefits:

"The curative properties of brewed tea have been known for thousands of years. Because Honest Tea is brewed from genuine tea leaves it imparts many health benefits not found in other bottled teas.

Tea serves as a digestive aid and has powerful antioxidants. The antioxidants in green tea are believed to be at least 100 times more effective than Vitamin C and twenty-five times better than Vitamin E at protecting cells and DNA from damage believed to be linked to cancer, heart disease and other potentially life-threatening illnesses.

Brewed tea is also believed to fight off dental plaque, inactivate the influenza virus, reduce blood glucose levels, lower cholesterol, and act as an antibacterial agent."

So there you have it. Honest-ty. Something we all strive for, especially in our commander-in-chief.

L'Oreal Bare Naturale Lip Conditioner For Nude Mouth

Miss the nude lip and almost nude lip colors?

For a while now, lipsticks and glosses have featured color, pizazz, and punch!! But many of you really prefer a softer, gentler lip color. You know, a low maintenance nude mouth. Penelope Cruz, one of L'Oreal's glamorous cover girls, often wears a nude or sheer lip with a strong, smokey eye, and she does it so beautifully.

Nudes are back in a big way for 2009, and yes, so are bold red lips to the extreme. Take your choice, ladies. Plenty of pretty lip shades to choose from.

Today, we are looking at L'Oreal's $9 Bare Naturale Gentle Lip Conditioner.

It's formulated with 96% natural-origin ingredients. Full of soothing stuff like Vitamin E and sweet almond oil. Gives off soft, luminous shine with sheer color. Really keeps your pucker soft.

It comes in 10 sheer shades. Penelope likes to wear Soft Petal (105).

It's the makeup giant's most 'natural lipcare and mineral color in one.'

Winter is a brutal season for many of us. Our lips really pay the price in the wind, snow, sleet, ice, and dry air. Lips don't have much defense against the elements. We have to step up and nourish them kindly.

It was 13 below zero for us early this morning. Our lips could seriously use some TLC. How about yours?

New Bottled Beauty Water From UK Gets Rid Of Acne?!

You read the above title correctly:

A new bottled beauty water that wipes bad skin away. Acne. Pimples. Blemishes. And it is clinically proven to clear up your zits. The magic ingredient being Praventin.

The one tiny problem to iron out.......Beauty Spring Water is only available to our friends in the United Kingdom at the moment. It's being distributed by Works With Water, a British nutraceuticals company.

Don't worry. You can't keep the good beauty train idle. Great products do make their way here to the United States and beyond, very quickly. Online shopping for Beauty Spring Water is just a few sips away.

We are just excited that the very smart beauty scientists are constantly trying to make our lives a little simpler, and yes, prettier.

If you've ever suffered with acne, then you know how low your self-esteem can go. Clear, smooth skin doesn't always come easy. Some of us have to deal with blemishes for several decades. And there's nothing more embarrassing than a huge zit on your face.

Beauty Spring Water has the clinical stats to show it works. That's if you can consume 2 bottles daily:

71 percent of pimples teens saw an improvement after a month of taking it, and after two months, that number went up to 95 percent.

In case you're curious, praventin is a bioactive protein full of acne-blasting lactoferrin. Lactoferrin halts the growth of propionibacterium, a bacteria responsible for skin impurities and blemishes.

The new beauty water costs about $2 a bottle. So for about $4 a day, you can have clear, glowing skin.

You have to admit---a bottle of Beauty Spring Water is so pleasing to the eye. Look at it. Butterflies. Colorful flowers and greenery.

Beauty Tips For Rockin' Red Lips In 2009

Kim Kardashian. Gwen Stefani. Christina Aguilera.

Talk about Hollywood glam. And check out their red lips in 2009!!!

For Gwen and Christina, red lipstick is their signature look. It's bold, and sexy, and confident. Wherever you see these Hollywood 'it' girls, their trademark pout is not far behind. Which brings us to raven-haired beauty Kim Kardashian.

Kim is always on the red carpet. And her signature look includes a very strong, smokey eye and natural brow, along with a paler lip. But now she's been kicking it up a few notches, by playing around with beautiful red lips, and toning down the eye makeup.

Kim is naming brands, and we all love that about her. We visited her website and picked up this little beauty tip nugget:

"Well, I love red lips, and I should wear them more often! It's so bold! I love how Christina Aguilera and Gwen Stefani wear red lips all the time. This color is by MAC and it's called Russian Red, with Russian Red lip gloss on top."



Here are a few tips when putting on a red mouth:

1. Use a lip liner in a tone that matches your natural lip color, before applying red lipstick. This will prevent the strong color from bleeding over into any fine lines around your mouth.

2. Simple is better. With a bright lip, you can be a bit more natural with your makeup, because red lips alone, are elegant enough. Forget the smokey eye.

3. Check your teeth every time you re-apply your red lipstick. You don't want any extra color ending up there.

4. Don't put on red lipstick in the back of a cab, as one makeup artist quipped. You need a mirror to carefully apply this bold shade.

We like the look of red lips. Our moms, grandmoms, and even great-grand-moms, often wore the shade proudly back in their time. Check out those vintage, black and white photographs and you will often see the bold and confident lips of our loved ones.

It's definitely a high maintenance look for us. We always end up with the smokier eyes and lighter lips. That's a bit easier. Now, if we had a professional makeup artist to call on 24/7 and a red carpet to walk by on, we would surely try and rock the red lips.

Is It Us? Or Did 2009 Golden Globes Feature Smaller Breasts??!!

No. This surely is not a scientific survey. But are we the only ones who noticed, that the red carpet at the 2009 Golden Globes Awards show featured gorgeous Hollywood actresses with smaller breasts? All with the exception of sexy Salma Hayek in her clingy Dior gown.

Usually red carpet affairs bring out the er, big cleavage--- either through carefully engineered and padded bras or through good old breast implants.

But last Sunday evening, Hollywood's finest looked, well, almost flat. And we loved it!! From Drew Barrymoore to Jennifer Lopez to Eva Mendes to Rachel Evan Woods to Debra Messing, all attractively pictured here. All with what appear to be small to average-looking breasts.

We also tried to figure out if these beauties were either skinnier than in past years, and therefore, appeared to be small-busted. Or whether these actresses all opted for a more demure look and minus the cleavage, with gowns that covered up their assets.

Whatever the case, we found the look refreshing, and assuring to those of us without the curvier silhouettes, that it's really okay to have smaller breasts.



Meantime, we investigated the so-called 'smaller breasts' look in a beautytiptoday article last September-www.beautytiptoday.com/2008/09/big-breasts-are-so-out-says-90210s-dr.html.

Look at what Dr. Robert Rey of the popular plastic surgery reality television E! show, Dr. 90210 had to say about big breasts.

But let's be honest here. Dr. Rey does see the trends in female beauty at his booming practice.

According to the good and handsome Dr. Rey, a woman's body should look as natural as possible. Dr. Rey spoke to the newspaper Primera Hora in Puerto Rico, where he recently visited, to promote his Shapewear line.

Dr. Rey commented that big, fake breasts, such as those of Pamela Anderson, ruin a woman's appearance. Ouch! Size D and DD, are so 1990's, he explained.

The star of Dr. 90210, says that women prefer curves, but of a more natural beauty trend, such as the bodies of Jennifer Aniston and Carmen Electra. That doesn't mean a woman shouldn't have breast implants, but Dr. Rey emphasizes that the proportions should not be unbalanced. A size B or C is enough, he adds.

We can't prove anything about the smaller or bigger curves of our Hollywood's beauties, and we won't even try. It was merely an observation, as we sat glued to our television sets, like so many many fans across the globe.

And we can say that Hollywood rarely disappoints us, especially this time around.

Clinique/Allergan Hook Up To Introduce New Post Procedure Formulas

If you've ever undergone a laser procedure or chemical peel on your face and neck, well, your skin can feel quite raw afterwards. Red. Sensitive. Swollen. Itchy. Peeling. Etc.

It would be nice to have a skin care line that targets before, during, and after non-surgical procedures. Beauty treatments that take away discomfort and keep skin primed for best results.

Look no more----Clinique and Allergan have hooked up to develop a new line of treatments that zero in on skin undergoing such non-invasive procedures. Recently introduced, the line is called, Clinique Medical.

It is by prescription only, and you can find it at your favorite dermatologist's office.

These treatments by Clinique Medical are superb for prepping skin. Clinique Medical offers a daily-use, pre, post and ongoing regimen created to optimize the results of non-surgical cosmetic procedures. The line also includes a treatment for the drying effects of certain prescription medications.

We checked out the website www.cliniquemedical.com, and found a list of treatments:

Meet the Clinique Medical lineup:
To reduce the chance of irritation, every formula is allergy tested, 100% fragrance free, and formulated without preservatives.

Pre Procedure
Probiotic Cleanser
Skin Conditioning Treatment
Optimizing Treatment Cream
Daily SPF 38
Post Procedure
Probiotic Cleanser
Recovery Week Complex
Daily SPF 38
Ongoing Care
Probiotic Cleanser
Optimizing Treatment Cream
Daily SPF 38
Further Skin Support
Dry Spot Balm

We are happy to see two skin care giants like Clinique and Allergan join great scientific minds, and develop a valuable line of beauty treatments for those of you undergoing non-invasive skin procedures.

Most times, women undergo serious skin-saving procedures and are left to recuperate at home with few, if any, after treatments. Clinique Medical is trying to change that and offer women and men a regimen to maintain that beautiful glow.

Amazing Aussie Naomi Watts' Beauty Tips

Can you believe Australian actress Naomi Watts is really 40-years-old?!

She is the proud mom of two little boys. She gave birth recently to her second.

Naomi Watts is a fresh-faced beauty. Very low maintenance. And she also has the type of facial canvas where you can create tons of different, attractive looks. Makeup artists love her features. You can build her look from girl-next-door to screen siren with just a little of this and that.

Maybe that's why Naomi is the new face of Thierry Mugler Angel. The fragrance is one with power and presence, and she loves dabbing it on in the evenings. Angel Eau de Parfum is available at fine department stores like Saks 5th Avenue ($177, 2.6 oz.).

Speaking of Mugler, he's also got a super mascara formula that Naomi Watts also adores wearing to special events at night. Thierry Mugler Flash on Lash Mascara ($28). "You get major length using this," she says.

We also learned from InStyle magazine recently, that Naomi doesn't go anywhere without applying sunscreen first. Her fav is Coppertone Water Babies Sunscreen Lotion ($18). This is the strong one with an SPF at 50.

"If it's sensitive enough for a baby, it's good enough for me," Naomi Watts told the magazine.

And running around with a new baby and an active one-year-old also means that the cinema star prefers the natural, pretty look for daytime. And Naomi adds warmth and a punch of soft color with Stila Cherry Crush Lip & Cheek Stain ($24, sephora.com).

"Gives a nice berry tint to lips and cheeks," she says.

Thanks for the beauty tips, Naomi.

Tim Gunn's Can't Miss Beautiful Style Tips For Women

"Make it work, people." Can't you just hear Project Runway fashion guru Tim Gunn talking the talk?!

We adore Tim Gunn. He has tons of style and class, and we thought it would be fun to further examine his fabulous tips for women. Not only do we need beauty on the face and neck and hair, but also beauty in fashion, to complete the picture.

Time after time, we have listened to Tim Gunn advise women on how to build a timeless and beautiful wardrobe. Don't forget---he does have another very popular show on the Bravo network, Tim Gunn's Guide to Style.


Ladies, Here are your wardrobe essentials according to Tim Gunn:

Every woman should own:
1. A well-cut Black Dress
2. A classic Trench
3. A great Fitted Jacket

And yes, your feet, coming and going, do matter. People look at shoes. Tim Gunn's tips for putting your best foot forward:

To be stylish, you need 3 kinds of shoes:
1. A Pump
2. A Stiletto
3. A perfect pair of Ballet Flats




Sensible and sound advice coming from the New York City fashion district expert. As Tim Gunn recently told InStyle magazine, "Style is about silhouette and fit. You can make anything work, if those two are in harmony."

By the way, the two fashion looks above, are right from the Victoria's Secret catalogue, great markdowns going on right now!

Spray Dirt By Jonathan Antin Locks In Texture

Greasy roots?!

No thank you.

How about that second-day style with the piecey texture? That's what you're looking for. And we've found it. Actually, a bunch of women have been raving all about Spray Dirt, the Texture Hold Hairspray by Jonathan Antin.

Jonathan is Hollywood royalty when it comes to styling hair. He has been known to tame the precious manes of Kirsten Dunst, Madonna, Tiger Woods, Kate Bosworth, the PussyCat Dolls, and so many others. Jonathan Antin also had a popular reality TV show on the Bravo network called Blow Out.

Maybe not the cheapest beauty product on the block at $29 for a 4.25 oz. bottle. But hey, it is your hair.

We found a number of wonderful hair items at http://www.jonathanproduct.com/. Also at ULTA, Sephora, QVC, and other fine beauty shopping stores.

Women have been loving his Spray Dirt. It gives the hair lots of shape and definition, without delivering a case of the 'greasies.' The special formula gives nourishment to locks and also has UVA and UVB filters to protect strands from the sun and from color fading. More shine and less static to dry ends.

And it's easy to 'get dirty' with Jonathan Antin:

Shake well. Spray evenly onto dry hair. Work through hair, lifting layers. Can be used alone or in combination with other Dirt styling products.

Masks Can Give Skin A Big Boost In Just Minutes

We know, there are days you just want to cover your face, and not face the world. Big pimple. Melasma. Scars. Wrinkles. Over-oily skin. Dry complexion. Etc.

Okay, maybe we can't eradicate everything perfectly, but a great beauty mask can deliver the goods!

A mask is a very useful beauty treatment. First, you don't need a lot of time to have a mask go to work.

Second, a beauty mask can help cover, or 'mask' some of your imperfections, at least for a few hours.

Let's say you have an important and major event to attend, and your skin is looking dull and tired. Give your complexion an instant boost with a mask.

And we ain't talking an egg white mask that your moms and grandmoms used to use (although that's a decent, natural mask).

Today's beauty masks, are made of more sophisticated formulas. Active ingredients that are more intense in a very brief time.

We have chosen two excellent masks for you to try:

Ahava Source Purifying Mud Mask ($28, thecosmeticmarket.com).

Made with Dead Sea purifying minerals. Acts quickly--just 2 minutes to stamp out grime, clear blackheads, and dry up oily skin and blemishes.

Astara Golden Flame Hydration Mask ($14, secure.earthsaversonline.com).

Formulated with a special, natural element that retains moisture in the cells. Enhanced with aloe vera gel and refining cucumber extract. Skin plumps up and fine lines appear diminished.