Mariah By The Sea: Post-Baby Aquatic Workout To Regain Figure

Mariah Carey. Gisele Bundchen.

Both of these famous women share something in common.

They sure don't look alike. Both are quite tall, but body-wise, they are very different. Mariah is curvy with a definite hour-glass silhouette, while Gisele is long and lean with a model's dimensions.

Both have gone through a first pregnancy, and that is where we take a further look at the post-baby aquatic work-out.

The gorgeous singer recently tweeted to her fans, that she was hitting the beach to exercise."Ocean work out!" Mariah announced, along with a photo of herself splashing in the waves. "It's been a loooong time since I've been in the ocean."

Good for her! Keep the body moving!

Mariah Carey has been trying to re-gain that lovely, curvy body, after giving birth to twins back in April. No easy task for any woman, celebrity or non-celebrity.

Mariah claims that aquatic work-out is "3x more effective" than other work-outs. And that is how she generally stays in great shape.

Maybe Mariah is on to something for ladies in post-baby mode, because that is how supermodel Gisele Bundchen bounced back following her birth to son, Benjamin Brady.

Except, Gisele was working out in a pool. But it doesn't matter....pool or ocean. It's all about water resistance:

It's called the Brazilian Body Surf program, and Gisele was reportedly doing the surf during her 2009 pregnancy. Smart girl! At least that is what the Boston Herald was reporting.

What exactly is the Brazilian Body Surf? According to the website Equinox, it's a combination of cardiovascular and muscle conditioning drills taught using water resistance.

Great post-baby body tips Mariah and Gisele!

MAC Launches Blackest Mascara Ever: Opulash Optimum For Fall

Black mascara.

We've mentioned this several times before, here at BeautyTipToday, that we CANNOT live without it. And the blacker the mascara, the better. So, that's why we are very curious about MAC's new Opulash Optimum Black Mascara ($15, at fine dept. stores by August 25th). We found some already, here at Nordstrom.com.

MAC's Opulash Optimum Black Mascara promises to deliver a saturated, volumizing blackest formula to add more drama and thickness and curl to your lashes. Check out the ad photo above.

Kim Kardashian would probably love the new Opulash Optimum because she likes to 'over-dose' on mascara, too. Kim K never met a layer of mascara she didn't like, and we can say the same about Kourtney, Khloe, and Mama Kris. And Kim K is already a huge fan of MAC's Zoom Mascara.

Sure, if you were born with dark brown eyes, you can handle the blackest, thickest mascara around. The two go hand-in-hand.

Mascara is one beauty item every girl needs. And MAC never disappoints. We're sure you will get 'optimum'results with new Opulash Optimum.

New Zytaze Botox Booster: Supplement Keeps You Wrinkle-Free Longer

5 days....10 supplements, equals longer-lasting Botox results.

This one has piqued our interest. We just noticed the ad in a magazine last evening. And we came away scratching our head. What will beauty science think of next?!

Prescription Zytaze is being called the new BFF of Botox cosmetic. It's actually a new medical food or supplement that makes your Botox results last longer.....up to 1 month longer! Talk about a Botox booster.

All you do is take Zytaze for 5 days (10 capsules) BEFORE your next Botox injections.

So does it REALLY work? And what's in Zytaze?

Zytaze is made up of the supplement zinc, along with enzyme phytase. The pills provide nutritional support to enhance the effectiveness of Botox injections for the treatment of facial cosmetic procedures, blepharospasm, and hemifacial spasm.

Without such a booster, Botox, in general, lasts between 3 and 4 months, at which time, the muscles in that area of the face start moving again, signaling time for the next treatment. And if you love to work-out, well, that can rob you of your Botox results, too.

California plastic surgeon, Lavinia Chong explains:
"It also depends on how much you exercise. I have extremely fit patients who are "gym rats", doing hard cardio 5-6x/week. They uniformly report that the longevity of Botox is lower."

Wow! We were not aware of such an exercise/Botox link.

Our advice? Speak with your dermatologist. He or she can best determine if Zytaze is worth taking, and if it actually makes a difference in Botox longevity. We will be waiting on more studies about the new medical food enhancer.

By the way, a prescription for Zytaze costs $60.

Visit Zytaze.com for more details.....Or call 800-233-5469.

Got Sunscreen? Duh! Don't Forget To Slap Some On

Take a good look at your face, and now, at your wrinkles.....Maybe, you don't have any. Great for you. Continue your excellent anti-aging routine.

But for those of us who do have wrinkles, we are asking you, is there one side of your precious face that appears more wrinkled than the other?

Let's explore exactly why.....

Whatever you do, just play safe under the sun. And even if you're in the car driving, you still need to wear sunscreen. Facial skin cancers develop more on the left side due to frequent driving, say researchers at St. Louis University.

"We tend to see more skin cancer on the left side of the face---drivers need to be aware of the amount of sun exposure they receive behind the wheel," cautions Dr. Scott Fosko.

So that means, no more covertibles? And no more car sun roofs?

Don't laugh....we DO have a sun roof, but refuse to open it up, because we are afraid to really let the sun shine upon us while driving, and destroy our skin even further. As far as the left driver's window, well, what can we do? We can't draw a curtain across that.

Maybe that sounds super silly to you, but the sun's powerful UVB/UVA rays do a number on the epidermis. And it will catch up to you. Just wait until you get into your 30s and beyond. Sun damage DOES occur, even when the sunscreen is applied.

Sunscreen isn't perfect....but essential on a daily basis.

If you're tired of applying heavy creams and oils to your skin, why not try the powder sunscreen that celebrities are hooked on?

Colorscience is proud of their mineral-based powder sunscreen called, Sunforgettable. Cute name.

Sunforgettable is a really unique beauty product. The ingredients contain immediate 8 hour, waterproof protection. And it's a powder base. No more greasies.

And it comes in 3 shades: Perfectly Clear. All Clear. Almost Clear. Application is easy, too. You can put it on with a brush applicator, a roll-on, or a shaker.

We found some Sunforgettable here at SkinCareRX.com for $49.50.

Hey, U.K.: Why Just Give The Beauty Brush-Off To Julia Roberts And Christy Turlington?

We don't know whether to applaud or scold the U.K. for banning makeup ads there, featuring actress Julia Roberts and model Christy Turlington.

A British watchdog group, the Advertising Standards Authority, claims that L'Oreal cosmetics giant went TOO far in air-brushing the images of both Julia and Christy in their respective ad campaigns for Lancome and Maybelline. L'Oreal owns both brands.

This statement came after from Jo Swinson, British politician:

"Pictures of flawless skin and super-slim bodies are all around but they don't reflect reality. Excessive airbrushing and digital manipulation techniques have become the norm but both Christy Turlington and Julia Roberts are naturally beautiful women who don't need retouching to look great. This ban sends a powerful message to advertisers - let's get back to reality."

Okay, very fair statement, but let's also get REAL about the whole advertising industry......Face it, people....just about everything under the sun gets air-brushing. Suddenly, dark undereye circles disappear, along with moles, wrinkles, uneven skintone, uneven hairlines, and even pores. And don't even get us started about body air-brushing. Suddenly,this actress has longer, slimmer legs, and so forth.

But why just pick on poor Julia Roberts and Christy Turlington?!

Attack the entire modeling/advertising business. You can't tell us for certain, who has been air-brushed and who has not, and to what extent the air-brushing has gone on. It ain't just Julia and Christy being digitally enhanced. Both gorgeous celebrities are over 40-years-old, and yet, young models are also air-brushed to impossible perfection.

By now, most of us recognize that the glossy, beautiful ads in magazines and on billboards have been altered in some way. And most of us have come to realize, that even great-looking famous people are not perfect. But we have also become a youth-obsessed culture who now expects forehead wrinkles to be zapped by Botox, or a sagging bosom to be lifted by breast enhancement surgery, and so on.

We expect our favorite celebrities to appear flawless. It's a shame, and it will take more than a few outcries by a group in the U.K. to try and reverse the beauty standards we have created in the 21st Century.

The real shame is for our young daughters who are growing up these days around such impossible beauty expectations.

Would You Rub On Snail Slime To Look Younger? New Beauty Trend Slowly Making Way To U.S.

Hey, we're all for the magic cream that stops the signs of aging. Of course, we ALL want to look younger as the years rush by.

But really now----Snail slime for the skin?!

Would you go there, ladies? Would you rub the sticky slime of a snail all over your face and neck? What about the 'ick' factor?

Well, we would do it in a minute, IF, the slime could REALLY halt wrinkles, acne, and heal scars, like the research allegedly claims.

Let's take a further look. By the way, we stumbled upon this in the British media. It's already being sold there in the U.K.. And it's big in Chile for this reason. Chilean snail farmers noticed their skin was becoming more and more supple and healing quickly and with no scars when they handled snails for the French food market. Those same clever farmers decided to launch a Chilean snail slime product, called Elicina, which is celebrating its 15th anniversary.

So, what is so chic and scientifcally wonderful about snail slime?

According to the research, snail slime is a "complex mix of proteins, glycolic acids and elastin that nature has developed as a way to protect snail skin from damage, infection and UV rays".

Okay, now we are intrigued. Whether beauty scientists are able to extract enough of this magic slime to do human faces any rejuvenating good, remains to be seen, however.

Want to try a jar of Elicina?

We found some at Amazon.com. And at a great deal, too: Buy 2 jars for $43.15. Read the reviews. Most of them are very positive.

This has to be one of the most bizarre beauty trends to gain popularity. And if it works, then all the better. Sometimes nature has amazing gifts to share. Whether snail slime is one of them, it's fine by us.

Zout To The Rescue For Your Favorite Fashions

Our beauty tip today has nothing to do with makeup, skin care, or hair....well, maybe indirectly so.

We LOVE this stain remover for your favorite fashions. It's called Zout Laundry Stain Remover ($4.79, at drug and grocery stores) and it REALLY works!! And, yes, it does remove stains that come from makeup and skin care and hair products, too. It's pretty remarkable. Forget Oxy Clean. It is NO match for Zout.

We use Zout on our fine washables, and so far, it has not destroyed any fabric we have. Plus....it has a money back guarantee. Gotta love that!

The label on the red spray bottle says that Zout has 3 enzymes to break up starch, protein and oily stains. Take that---white blouse with the smudged rose lipstick stain! Or that red spaghetti sauce stain on our jeans! Even that nasty iron scorch mark on our ivory top!

And it's simple to use:
Just spray the stain and rub in the Zout foam. Allow the stain remover to work for about 5 minutes, and then launder as usual. Stain---Be Gone! And by golly.....it's gone! Trust us. We have a stash of Zout in our laundry room at all times.

And Zout Stain Remover is safe on all colorfast washables and works in all temperatures. It can be used with other laundry additives.

No Chlorine Bleach. No Phosphates. No Biodegradable Surfactants.

Let's be honest---stains do happen, and usually to our favorite fashions. So, it's nice to know that there is a product that really says what it does, and that is.....to get the stain out.

Zout even has a website to help you out with MORE stain removal tips. Click here.

Rub This Onto Your Scalp And Watch Your Hair Grow Faster

Coconut milk.

It's not just found in the pina colada you're sipping on a hot summer day or the yummy thai cuisine you're enjoying.

Coconut milk is much more than an exotic dairy drink you bought in a can all those years. Visit your grocery aisle these days, and you will see coconut milk available in cartons or bottles, and blended into ice creams and yogurts, and so forth.

But our beauty tip today is looking at coconut milk in a whole new way---as something healthy, hair can drink in.

We found this beauty nugget in the August issue of Glamour magazine, and it comes from a well-respected Indian ayurvedic skin care expert. No, we haven't tried it yet, but it sounds promising:

"Coconut milk helps the hair grow long and thick," says Pratima Raichur. "Rub it onto the scalp, leave it on for an hour or so, then wash it out.".

Who doesn't want long, thick, glossy, healthy locks that don't take forever to grow?! Plus, we bet your hair smells divine, following the rinse out.

Pratima does not say how often we should use the coconut milk hair treatment, but once or twice a week sounds good. And we would advise using the treatments for at least a month or two, to note any difference in the hair texture, and the way it's growing.

The way we see it......massaging a little coconut milk on the scalp cannot harm you. It's a safe, natural way to try and grow healthy hair fast. And trimming off the split ends every 6 weeks should also be part of your hair routine.

Excited About Exilis: New Laser Skin Firming Treatment

If you're looking to firm up your facial skin, improve texture, and build collagen, then it's time to get excited about Exilis. This brand new FDA-approved laser device is 'ready to roll' for you!

The Exilis laser wand is about the same size of a pen, and it ROLL-LLLLLS along your face, tightening the skin by using radio frequency to heat the underlying tissue.

And once again, it is a great NON-SURGICAL cosmetic procedure. NO down-time. NO scalpel. And a little Exilis goes a long way, lasting for up to 2 years. The cost? About $350 per session. And typically, 4 treatments are recommended.

Hey, sometimes that expensive nightcream just isn't doing enough for you, and that's when cosmetic laser in-office procedures can significantly change your appearance. Of course, plastic surgeons are quick to point out that non-surgical will not be as great as surgical, such as a facelift, but---cosmetic laser work can result in a healthy, natural, and youthful look. Check out the BEFORE and AFTER of this Exilis patient.

A lot of women are really excited about Exilis. And by the way, Exilis CAN also perform body contouring via fat volume reduction. So, it's quite a versatile, new laser weapon in the war on wrinkles AND fat. Just read what one skin expert says about it:

"The Exilis treatment’s powerful capability make it the “Ferrari” of non-invasive aesthetic procedures.", raves Dr. Robert Weiss, Associate Professor of Dermatology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Hunt Valley, MD.

To learn more about Exilis and what the new laser dvice can do for you, visit the Exilis website.

How To Go Lighter And Blonder From A Box: Copy Gwyneth's 10B

Remember this:
10B.

That's right. This is the buttery, light beige blonde shade that is a close copy to Gwyneth Paltrow's. At least, that is what the experts at John Frieda tell us.

Let's face it....when summer is upon us, ask any blonde-haired girl if she would like to go lighter, brighter, and BLONDER, and it's a no-brainer. Of course she would!

And if you are blonde already, then you can up the color ante, and kick your luminosity up a few luscious shades. And you CAN do this out of a box.

Try John Frieda's Precision Foam Colour ($12.99, at drugstores). There are 8 wonderful shades of blonde at-home hair color for you to get busy with. And the 10B box is called, Sheer Blonde Extra Light Beige Blonde, based on the formula used on Gwyneth Paltrow, who is a loyal hair color customer at the John Frieda salon.

And Gwyneth's hair always looks so healthy with an expensive-looking shade of blonde.

Precision Foam Colour is new in a no-drip easy to apply foam formula. It's designed to cover strands perfectly, resulting in tonal richness. And John Frieda enjoys an excellent reputation in the very competitive hair beauty business, so we would trust him on this at-home box of color.

Hey,we love this Gwyneth Paltrow shade of blonde. In fact, we are a bit jealous. But our hair is about one shade lighter than the Kardashian sisters, so we can't go there. It would be too lengthy a process.

To learn more about Gwyneth's 10B shade, visit John Frieda.

How To Make Flirty Mila Kunis Eyes: Think 'Liquid Purple'

While everyone was oooo-ing and ahhhh-ing over Natalie Portman during last February's Academy Awards show, we were shocked that gorgeous Mila Kunis, her co-star in Black Swan, was not getting her due attention.

The girl is stunning. Mila Kunis's eyes, alone, are quite something to behold. Big, wide-set, almond-shaped eyes, with of course, the perfect set of brows.

So, how can we make flirty Mila Kunis eyes?

With tons of shadow, liquid liner, and mascara. And one of these is the key to the 27-year-old beauty's elegant eyes. Think PURPLE. Yes, purple. It's a hot makeup trend for summer 2011.

And if you're not able to create as smoky an eye as Mila's signature look, you can still get a sexy gaze with just a hint of the shade.

We like Make Up for Ever Aqua Liner in Iridescent Electric Purple ($23, at Sephora). This is new, highly pigmented stuff.

This is a super liquid liner, ladies. It's smudge-proof, water-proof, and it's got a cool applicator---it's a foam-tip applicator, designed to resemble a makeup brush handle for the most accurate application.

And the purple liquid is amazing! If you're shy, just paint the liquid liner across your upper lash line, or you can apply it OVER your black liner. Add lots of mascara, and you're ready to go!

Can't Beat Cool Breezy Gauze For Summer Beach Cover-Up

Gotta love GAUZE!

When it's time for summer fun and days and nights at the beach, then gauze should be your fabric of choice, especially when it's a very hot day.

Gauze is a lightweight and quite durable cotton material. It's loosely woven and sheer. You can toss it into your bag and go! It travels well, and always looks right. Just ask Miley Cyrus. Check out her white gauze tunic. She wore this while making an appearance in hot, steamy Mexico.

Today, we are looking at BlueSkySwimwear.com. All their beach apparel is made right here in the U.S.A.. We like that, especially since there has been so much talk these days, about buying things made right in our own backyard.

We love the White Tie Front Cover-Up ($34, at BlueSkySwimwear.) Check out the neckline with it's pretty, crochet-like detail. And sizes come in S, M, and L.

If you don't own any gauze, you really should. And by the way, if you aren't wild about white, gauze comes in lots of beautiful, bold colors and prints, too.

Need New Jeans For Shapely Butt/Hips? Try Levi's Curve ID

Levi's jeans.

You can't beat a classic. And we applaud the famous denim makers for trying to design women's jeans that have to do more with shape than with size. Some women have a smaller, flatter butt like model Heidi Klum. And then, other women have a curvy butt and hips a la Jennifer Lopez or Kim Kardashian.

And if you're hunting for a new pair of jeans as you head back to college or back to autumn weather, then try on some Levi's Curve ID Jeans ($58, at Macy's). They might just be the right pair to emphasize your unique and beautiful behind.

There are 3 custom fits for Levi's Curve ID Jeans:

1. Slight Curve......for straight figure shapes. Gives shape to the butt. Has a lower rise.
2. Demi Curve...... for curvy bodies. Elongates the legs and hugs shape.
3. Bold Curves...... for curvier bodies. Shows off silhouette without gapping at the waist.

There's just one little problem, that Levi's has yet to address-----if you're tall and need more than a 34" rise, then forget these jeans. To illustrate our point, take a look at the 3 models in the Levi's Curve ID Jeans photo.

The jeans are a bit short on the models, who are probably 5'9" tall or more. In fact, these jeans look amazing, but even on these stunning models, it looks like the denim has shrunk.

We believe that Levi's ought to honor tall women too, and extend the rise to a 36" or 37", like most denim companies do.

What do you think?

Miss Jessie's Quick Curls And Curly Pudding Perfect For Humid Days

Okay, all you fabulous curly-haired girls, it's all about the styling products you use, to give the right spring to your locks.

And when the summer weather gets up to a nasty dew point and the mercury is reaching 100 degrees like today, well, you need some hair S.O.S. A.S.A.P.!

Today, we're looking at 2 effective styling aids from Miss Jessie's natural hair care line. And if you can't get to the popular SOHO salon in NYC, you CAN shop at their website, missjessies.com and at Target, too.

And these are not just styling products for women of color. Miko Branch, along with her sister Titi, established the Miss Jessie's company for all women with hair that has curly hair needs.

Miko explained the universal beauty of their natural hair care line to blackenterprise.com:

"Because hair is universal," Miko says. "It’s not just for mixed gals. It’s not just for Black girls. It’s not just for White girls. That’s the commonality that we all share. We all have hair on our heads. Whether you’re Japanese, whether you’re Jewish, Latina, African American some of us share a similar head of hair, so in terms of product, one jar of product can bring us all together. It would be unfair and probably not the truth to just single out and segment one portion of it, so we’re really talking to everyone who has hair challenges and who wants to find some solutions."

Let's take a look:

Miss Jessie's Quick Curls ($32, 8 oz.). "Great for our beautiful white gals," says Miss Jessie's. A super, lightweight cream that conditions and fights frizz. Easy to use: Just apply to damp hair. Then air-dry or diffuse-dry, and watch your waves and curls come alive.

Miss Jessie's Curly Pudding ($38, 16 oz.). Allure magazine loves this product. Curly Pudding "transforms shrunken kinks to super shiny stretched out curls." For yummy-looking, shiny hair.

Happy 31st Birthday, Gisele Bundchen!

Gisele Bundchen has been a successful model for about half of her life. So, we call that staying power. And the Brazilian beauty turns 31 today.

Happy birthday, Gisele!

And if you thought by her leaving the pages of Victoria's Secret catalogue, that you would never hear of Gisele again, boy, were you wrong! She obviously doesn't need the VS label to keep her name, face, and body in the news. In fact....talk about a SUPER model, Gisele earned some $45 million last year, according to Forbes magazine, surpassing every model's paycheck on the planet.

So, what are Gisele Bundchen's beauty tips? Why is she considered so special?

Wish we knew. We can tell you that she believes in good skin care, and she has her own eco-friendly line called Sejaa Pure. The ingredients are all natural with green packaging. She has a nice day cream, night cream, and mud mask. Sejaa products contain good anti-aging stuff like--- aloe, shea butter, argan oil, and jojoba oil.

We think Gisele never looked better when she began seeing future husband, Patriots Quarterback Tom Brady. Love this Versace peek-a-boo number the size 4 model wore at the Met Gala 2008.

Let's face it...even after giving birth to baby Benjamin in 2009, the woman still has an incredible body---very lean and muscular, without an ounce of fat. Her striking face is quite angular and strong with great cheekbones. And most importantly, Gisele photographs exquisitely, with hundreds of magazine covers to her credit.

Indeed, a time to celebrate for the world's top model.

Bobbi Brown's 5 Minute Healthy Nails Beauty Tip

We adore makeup expert Bobbi Brown. She has such a healthy attitude about cosmetics and beauty, in general.

That's why we were happy to find a wonderful kitchen cupboard beauty tip that gets rid of discolored nails from too many mani/pedis. We've all seen it happen, too. Summertime means having fun with colored nail polishes. But when the shade is too dark, you pay for it in the end.

Yellow nails?! It can happen to the best of us. And Bobbi Brown advises taking a break from polish and getting back to basics. And the pro has a 5 Minute Healthy Nails Beauty Tip, one she just gave out in the July/August 2011 issue of Health magazine. Bobbi is their contributing beauty and lifestyle editor.

How to Whiten Nails:

1 Tbsp. 3% Hydrogen Peroxide
2 1/2 Tbsp. Baking Soda
Make a paste of the 2 ingredients.
Apply the mixture onto each nail with a cotton swab.
Let paste sit for 5 minutes.
Rinse.
Then buff nails to get rid of any lingering discoloration.

Bobbi Brown's healthy nails beauty tip really works.

How To Turn Back Turkey Neck With Gentle Ultherapy Treatment

We often talk about the neck, because it shows age rather quickly, and it seems to be a most ignored part of a woman's body.

For instance, we know many women who began applying creams and serums and moisturizers and sunscreens in their 20s and 30s, and totally skipped their necks all those years. In other words, women concentrate a lot on their faces when it comes to anti-aging treatments. But there is so much more going on, below the chin.

That's why, we are looking at turkey necks, and how to turn back time, without going under the knife. Let's face it.....who likes invasive surgery?

Maybe you've heard of this fairly new beauty treatment called Ultherapy. It's quite gentle and different from laser procedures. Instead of a laser, ultrasound energy is brought to the face and neck to lift and firm. And there are NO needles, NO surgery, NO downtime.

It might not be as dramatic as a facelift, but many satisfied patients claim that Ultherapy gives striking results and returns nice, sharp contours to the jawline and neck.

So, how does 'Ul' work?

The beauty treatment uses the ultrasound method of sending micro-focused sound waves below the surface of the skin. This in turn, triggers the tissue to contract and tighten. Little by little, and very gently, this builds new collagen on the inside, without bothering the surface of the skin.

Just look at the BEFORE and AFTER from Ultherapy. It looks great to us. And sometimes, only one session is needed. By the way, the average cost of Ultherapy treatment is about $2,000.

Is this the wave of the cosmetic future?

Maybe...it's safe, FDA-approved, and yields great youthful results, especially for the dreaded turkey neck. We give this the beauty thumbs up!

Princess Kate Should Nix The Pantyhose: Queen Won't Know It's Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs

Princess Kate seems to have a jump on the latest beauty/fashion trends. But ever since the newly married Royal set "foot", so to speak, here in the states, one, tiny style faux pas was made.

Pantyhose.

Women across the country were laughing and sneering at the very thought of putting on again, a pair of tight, uncomfortable panyhose, especially in the sizzling summer heat. But there stood galmorous Kate dressed to the nines from head to toe, wrapped in constricting, but shiny and sheer pantyhose.

UGH, screamed most of our girlfriends. "How 1980s," some sarcastically sniped. But, we thought she looked polished and complete.

Having said that, we also believe that the beautiful princess could pick up a can of Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs ($13.99, at Walgreens) and make her royal entrance bare-legged with a lovely, healthy glow. And by golly, the Queen won't know it's Sally Hansen spray-on pantyhose. No way!

We love that stuff! We buy the Airbrush Legs in Medium Glow, and it's a gorgeous, sun-kissed stocking-free look.

The spray-on pantyhose comes in 4 blendable shades: Light glow. Medium glow. Tan glow. Deep glow.

The spray won't cover imperfections like spider veins, completely, but the beauty product minimizes bothersome leg issues. Plus the formula is water-resistant, weightless, and moisturizing with Vitamin K.

Medium glow gives a lovely sheen with a nice shade of a light tan. The color is pretty. It isn't an orange streaky hue. The only advice we will give---spray the formula directly into your hands and apply to your legs, and take a cosmetic sponge to blend quickly. And then, don't sit on anything for about 5 minutes. Let it dry completely.

Meantime, if you absolutely wish to copy Princess Kate's pantyhose look pick up a pair of Dusky Nude Sandy Sunlight L'eggs.

Ricky's In NYC: Edgy Beauty Store With Lots To Offer

Ladies, do you know Ricky's?!

If you live in New York City, and you like everything beauty, then you darn well know where Ricky's is located.

We're not telling you to move to Manhattan, but there are advantages to living in a very big city, when it comes to tracking down your favorite beauty must-haves. The supply is almost always there. In other words, you CAN usually find a certain makeup, skin product, hairspray, flat-iron with no problem.

And if you can get a chance to walk into a Ricky's NYC store, well, you've hit the beauty jackpot!

Everything under the sun is here.....and at great prices! Look what we just found:

1. Babyliss Professional Hairdryer--Titanium Tourmaline 3000 ($89.99, now on sale for $59.99).

2. Burt's Bees Milk & Honey Body Lotion ($11.99, now on sale for $5.99).

3. St. Ives Olive Cleanser ($7.99, now on sale for $4.99).

We're just scratching the surface.

By the way, if you can't get into a Ricky's NYC, don't despair. Let your fingers do the walking. Just click here.

Is Courteney Cox' $9 Drugstore Beauty Buy Really A Good Thing?!

Courteney Cox.

We think she's a gorgeous, dark-haired celebrity. So, who wouldn't want to follow any beauty advice she gives out?

We recently picked up on a little tidbit from the Cougar Town actress, regarding at-home hair color. BUT------we're not sure we would be following her suggestion.

So, let's look closer......

Courteney Cox claims she is a loyal fan of Clairol's Natural Instincts Brass Free Brunettes in 5C Medium Brown:

"The $9 drugstore beauty item I buy every 28 days."

Are we to believe that a celebrity like Courteney Cox relies soley on at-home boxes of hair color? That she doesn't use a professional stylist to dye her hair?

Who knows. She could use both, and maybe when her gray roots peek through, she uses a little drugstore Clairol before she gets to her stylist?

If you gather information about Natural Instincts, you would find that this is a demi-permanent hair color. In other words, it lasts through about 28 shampoos, all without ammonia. That means, it is healthier for your locks. And it covers your grays.

The brass free formula that Courteney Cox is raving about, neutralizes unwanted red or orange tones in the hair. That's a good thing.

But the problem with using a demi-permanent hair dye on darker hair is the unwanted build-up or deposit of color that remains on the hair. In other words, you start off with a medium brown, and a few months later, that same box shade you use, begins to look black, even jet black.

And trust us......we've been there. We have watched our dark brown locks turn goth in a matter of months. And then, we had to out-grow it all. Not easy, and patience is a virtue.

As we've always repeated here: Remember---it's easy to go dark, when coloring hair. But if you want to un-do the darkness, you've got quite the challenge on your hands.

Permanent hair color sounds even harsher to hair. Yes, maybe in terms of resulting drier texture and so on, but at least a permanent hair dye eventually fades to a lighter shade. So you don't have to worry about heavy color deposit, at least in our experience.

By the way, if you have great luck using a demi-permanent hair color like Natural Instincts, good for you. And good for Courteney Cox. We have not been so lucky.