Playful Purple Hair Catches On....Nicole Richie + Ireland Baldwin Dye For The Trend

We were hoping this purple hair trend would quietly exit stage left with the originator herself, Kelley Osbourne, but apparently the lilac lushness is heating up in 2014!

Now add Nicole Richie and Ireland Baldwin to the playful purple hair list.

We LOVE Nicole's style, but this has disappointed us in a major way, because of her status as a fashion icon.

Yeah...lilac locks are cute and cool for a couple of weeks. Then it's time to move on.....If you're really young, then let it fly, baby!

Well, lovely ladies. Let the FADE begin, because that's what happens to colored hair, and when it comes to a purple(lilac) shade, we can imagine how fast the fading can be.

Maybe that's why we see Nicole out + about wearing a little cover-up over her playful, purple hair. Or maybe that is all hair? Not sure. The sunlight is playing tricks on our eyes. Sun + purple hair = fading, either way.

Can you say, deep conditioning?

The Andy LeCompte salon stylist who created Nicole's intense, wild purple shade a couple of days ago used this stuff to keep every strand super-healthy:

Pravana NEVO 60 Deep Treatment 9.87 oz. ($15.29).

Kelley must be fuming...As E! fashion police host Joan Rivers would say:

"Bitch stole my look!"

Indeed!

5 Best Over-The-Counter Skin Care Ingredients For A Smoother, Younger Complexion

Here at BeautyTipToday, we often rave about the skin care merits of prescription Retin-A.

But is there a way to achieve a smoother, younger complexion with drugstore products?

YES.

And here are the 5 best over-the-counter ingredients to look for on the back of the bottle when skin care shopping.

We clipped this recent article out of a Sunday newspaper magazine. Not sure which publication, but the interviewer asked some dermatologists to name the top, age-fighting ingredients that can help fade wrinkles, minor imperfections and improve tone, texture, and so forth:

RETINOL
The well-known Vitamin A derivative or little cousin to Retin-A. Retinol goes after sun damage spots, fine lines, wrinkles, and even sagging.
Neutrogena Healthy Skin Anti-Wrinkle Cream - Night ($12.99).

PEPTIDES
These are synthesized proteins known to boost your collagen production. Increased collagen = skin strength + elasticity.
Olay Regenrist Micro-Sculpting Serum ($24.64).

DMAE
This scientific abbreviation stands for the building block of B Vitamin choline. This one targets sagging and can improve skin's muscle tone. DMAE encourages firmness.
Derma E Firming Serum ($16.99).

HYALURONIC  ACID
We all have this naturally, but as we age, this acid declines rapidly. Skin loses firmness + hydration. Hyaluronic acid restores the suppleness and hydration and gives skin a healthy glow.White Egret Hyaluronic Acid Day Serum ($12.99).

Alpha Hydroxy Acids
Known as AHAs---glycolic acid, lactaid acid. You've heard about these--the great exfoliators. AHAs dissolve all those dead skin cells, making skin brighter, smoother + softer and better toned.
Alpha Hydrox Souffle 12% Glycolic AHA ($14.99).

Achieving a smoother, younger complexion isn't a given. It takes homework, a skin care routine and a healthy lifestyle.

The good news----It's NEVER too late to improve your skin.

Start NOW!

Lupita's Expensive Oscar-Worthy Clarins Lip Balm VS Vaseline Lip Therapy Rosy Lips

Lip balm. We all seem to use some. A few of us might even be obsessed with lip balm.

So when Academy award winner Lupita Nyong' cutely tossed her tube of Clarins HydraQuench Moisture Replenishing Balm into Ellen's "tip hat" as a donation during the funny, pizza delivery gag at Sunday evening's Oscars ceremony, women around the globe took notice.

Lupita is so pretty and polished for every recent awards event, that we all want what she's having.

It's just a lip balm, right?

Well, NOT a cheap one.

 How about $24 at Macy's!

Clarins is soothing + moisturizing.....

BUT so is this cheap version of a lip balm---Vaseline Lip Therapy Rosy Lips for only $2.27 at CVS! 

Plus, Vaseline Lip Therapy comes in a cute, little tub AND offers a subtle pink tint to your lips.

Hey, we're sure that if lovely Lupita tossed a little tub of Vaseline Lip Therapy Rosy Lips into Ellen's "tip hat,", well, we would all be rushing out to buy the cheap balm, too.

Margot Robbie Goes Raven-Haired But Not Every Woman Can Be Brunette

Stunning blonde, no doubt!!

We've heard the beauty saying quite often---NOT every woman can be blonde. So true.

But, what we might add: Not every woman can be brunette.

And the proof is right here. Gorgeous actress Margot Robbie, fresh from her sexy role in the Wolf of Wall Street has switched it up in the hair color department for a new movie role.

We didn't know who the heck that was on the Oscars 2014 red carpet Sunday evening.

But there is 23-year-old Margot, the Aussie star with deep brunette, almost black locks.

Wow! Margot is a beauty chameleon.

As great-looking as she is, we much prefer the actress as a blonde.

We do not think the brunette hair color is doing her any favors. A bit too goth?

We believe the dark, bold brows might be the beauty no-no in this case. Too harsh, even though Margot has strong bone structure.

Now, here's a better pic of the star, post-Academy Awards in the airport, freshly scrubbed with a more natural look.

The magic of Hollywood!

We would NEVER guess that all 3 photos were of the same woman. Incredible!

Looking for the ultimate in brow pencils?

Then try one from the brow shaper guru, Anastasia. We found her Anastasia Beverly Hills Eye Pencil at ULTA for $23.

Beautiful Dos And Glam Gowns Make Oscars 2014 A Big Wow!

In our humble opinion, we chose these 3 gorgeous, glam gowns as the winners for Best Dressed Oscars 2014:

Kate Hudson in Atelier Versace

Sandra Bullock in Alexander McQueen

Lupita Nyong'o  in Prada

Kate, Sandra + Lupita all looked drop-dead gorgeous. 3 very different gowns with similar elegance + old Hollywood glamour at its BEST!

As far as beautiful hair, we saw plenty of stunning updos. One of our faves of the Academy Awards evening was Maria Menounos. No, she's NOT an actress, but so what.

Maria showed off this creative updo with lots of intricate plaiting. Like a maze of goddess braids!

We thought the television personality looked modern + chic!

There is NO way that Maria Menounos or any sheer mortal could plait all that on her own. \

But we thought it looked amazing!There were so many HITS this Oscar season.

To take a more detailed look, click here!

Karlie Kloss "Kute" As Ever Thanks In Part To Mostly Vegetarian Lifestyle

Model Karlie Kloss seems to break the mold wherever she goes.

The wholesome, girl-next-door was one of the first Victoria's Secret angels with short hair.

Karlie wasn't first thought of as sexy, but the super tall model has changed all that.

She's one of the BEST VS models at the moment. And she does it all with style, elegance + grace.

Here's Karlie on the red carpet last evening in lovely red lace at the Weinstein Company's pre-Oscar party in Beverly Hills. And there's her much admired signature bob-like hairstyle, the one that Taylor Swiftseems to have copied strand for strand.

 

According to the March 2014 issue of Vogue, the 6 ft. stunner eats mostly vegetarian and stocks her kitchen with quinoa flour. 

 This model knows her way around the oven, and she LOVES to bake. 

We all know about her own line of yummies---Karlie's Kookies. 

 Here's a recipe for KARLIE'S VEGAN CHOCOLATE MOUSSE(Vogue 3/2014). And it looks delish + healthy:

Serves 1-2.  

1 large ripe avocado
1/4 cup raw cocoa powder
1/4 cup almond milk 

2 tsp. agave

 1 tsp. natural vanilla extract

Puree the avocado until smooth.

Mix the cocoa powder + almond milk together until combined and then add to the avocado.
Stir in the agave, vanilla extract and any of your fave toppings. (Karlie likes sliced + toasted almonds; chia seeds, frozen raspberries, blueberries, or blackberries; and cocoa nibs.)
Mix well, transfer the mousse to individual bowls and store in the fridge until ready to eat.

By the way....for anything + everything stylish and NOW, take a look at VOGUE.com.

Nicole Richie Wows In Old Hollywood Glamour: Best Eyes By Far!

We know......Nicole Richie is a tiny woman----ultra/slim.

Having said that, we still believe she is a Style icon!

And she proved it once again, as she turned out for the QVC Red Carpet Style Event Arrivals last evening.

Nicole put on the old Hollywood glam with an elegant, cross-neck, black gown. She wore her hair side-parted in a chic, low ballerina bun.

 The best part of it all?

  Nicole's BIG lined doe eyes! She showed off her beautiful makeup on Instagram.

We always say that Nicole Richie has some of the best pairs of eyes in Hollywood.

Nicole has said before that she's not too handy with makeup, but can use mascara + liner. Her go-to-brands?

Maybelline + MAC.

Here is what she told a Japanese beauty publication:

Nicole: For eyeliner, M.A.C’s liquid type, and Maybelline for mascara! The truth is, I’m not very good at make-up and have no idea what I should do with it! All I’m decent at is eyeliner. Whenever I use a professional make-up artist, I always have them stick false lashes on me, but I could never do it myself [laughs]! So I love mascara! Maybelline is great because it’s inexpensive and easy to use!.

We agree! For less than $5, Maybelline is great stuff!

Perfect Brows In 2014: Somewhere In Between Thin And Thick?

Perfect brows.

Do they even exist?

Let's look at 2 very different-looking celebrities. One has thinner brows--the other much thicker brows.

Sophia Loren VS. Lily Collins:

We think both stars are gorgeous. And yes, both women look perfect with their individual brows
.
We are well aware that full brows are STILL big beauty news in 2014.

You CAN'T force yourself to grow Lily Collins eyebrows. Maybe your DNA will never allow that much brow growth.

You CAN stop plucking, waxing and trimming brows. That's what we have been doing for quite a while now. Our little brow hairs are finally sprouting, but unfortunately, we could never get brows like Lily's. We wish!

These are our brows. Yeah....and that's even with a little pencil. Have to cheat the best way we can.

Some might argue that Sophia's brows were too thin in this photo. We have seen the movie legend with much thicker brows in other photos. For some reason, maybe it is Sophia's stunning bone structure, but she looks splendid with thinner brows.

Here's a beauty pic of where brows should begin + end.

To grow thicker brows in a natural way, check out this YouTube video!

Our beauty message here: Be yourself. Aim for a more natural-looking brow, but don't despair, just because you don't have super thick eyebrows. It's not the end of the world.

Christie Brinkley and Duchess Catherine Wear Panty Hose: Lady-Like Or Old-Lady-Like?

The legendary model herself, Christie Brinkley, has been making the red carpet rounds these days to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue.

To us, Christie turning 60, is even BIGGER news than a magazine anniversary. She looks super-human.

What we have been noticing during her recent social appearances are her lovely legs--ALWAYS covered in pantyhose.

Aha! Maybe not so uber-perfect?

Or is Christie Brinkley just uber-smart to hide a few blemishes at a more mature age?

Christie admits that she even uses pantyhose to get "a sense of security." And the ageless model is also wearing pantyhose UNDER her bathing suit for a recent photo shoot.

So---is Christie Brinkley just being lady-like? Or old-lady-like?

 And then we have royal etiquette, because when she is out in the public, Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge ALWAYS puts on pantyhose.

We have a lot of girlfriends who SCOFF at the mere thought of wearing pantyhose.

Constricting. Uncomfortable. Yuck! Those are some of the comments we've heard.

And yet, pantyhose DOES deliver smoothness, even tone and yes---sheer elegance.

There is also spray-on pantyhose---in the name of Sally Hanson Airbrush Legs ($13.99, at Walgreens). Kim Kardashian swears by Airbush Legs to cover her imperfections: "I’m using Sally Hansen Airbrush Legs spray and it is my lifesaver at the moment," Kim writes on her website. "I love this stuff! It really covers up my psoriasis so well!"

So, What do you think, dear reader?

Happy Anniversary, Gisele! Now Let's Get That Sea Salt Spray Beach Hair!

Yeah, life seems pretty darn incredible for Gisele Bundchen:

Cute kids, handsome NFL husband, world's highest paid model, great body and
GORGEOUS hair!!

Gisele is celebrating her 5th wedding aniversary today CONGRATS.

Meanwhile....Let's get Gisele wavy, beach-y hair with one key product:

Sea Salt Spray.

There are tons of them out there, but we have found a sure winner:

Victoria's Secret Hair:  Beach Hair Wave Spray ($12).

The good news. This stuff REALLY works...Plus, it smells heavenly---like coconut. Yummy. And the sea salt gives your mane beautiful texture that last for hours.

To get the Gisele wavy, beach-y hair look, you could spray it on damp and scrunch your hair into shape.

You could also spritz the spray on dry hair before bed. Pull hair into a top-knot. And in the morning, wake up to pretty wavy, beach-y hair!

Paula Patton's Beautiful Skin Secret: Very Earthy, Indeed!

38-year-old Paula Patton is gorgeous!

And we are sad about recent news that she and Robin Thicke are splitting up.

That one caught us off-guard. We think that maybe Mr. Thicke thinks he is all that + a bag of chips since that summer mega-hit, "Blurred Lines."

Well, today we are paying attention to beautiful Paula Patton and her exquisite skin.

We read somewhere that she swears by clay masks. We can't even see any pores, so she must be doing something right.

She didn't name any clay mask brands but there are plenty of great facial masks out there.

Why put on a clay mask and what kind would be best?

Think, GREEN!

We found this beauty info from wellsphere.com.

Green Clay
The most absorbing of the Clays, Green Clay is generally used as a Face Mask for tissue repair, drawing toxins from the skin and to normalise excessive secretions of oil or sweat. Applied as a Face or Body Mask, facial clay masks cleanse, exfoliate, smoothe and soften the skin. Green clay is especially good at drawing toxins out.

We happen to like Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay.  We found a big 1 lb. tub at Vitacost.com for just $4.99.

This powerful green clay is known around the globe for its superior deep pore cleansing. And even more impressive is Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay's extraction location: from Death Valley, California, where it is sun- dried for up to six months in temperatures that sometimes reach 134 degrees.

So, if you're looking to create a more smoother, healthier complexion, reach for a clay mask, and make it GREEN.

Nivea Creme: Oldie But Goody And Kate Winslet Uses It

For many of us, this royal blue tub has been a staple in our beauty cabinets. Even British beauty, actress Kate Winslet is a fan.

Nivea Creme has been around for a very long time. And a lot of grandmothers + great-grandmothers claim it has kept them youthful + wrinkle-free.

We love the rich, hydrating cream of Nivea. We applied some to our feet , hands + elbows just 15 minutes ago. Plus, we adore the citrus/floral scent, too.

Nivea Creme leaves your skin soft, supple and with a lovely sheen. Great during these cruel winter months.

About 5 years ago there was a rumor floating around that the inexpensive tub of Nivea Creme was just as SUPERB, if not BETTER than that expensive gold standard, Creme de la Mer.

Women were also raving about the Nivea Creme from Germany as the preferred Nivea.

And women were actually doing their own testing of both skin care creams on each side of their faces.

Supposedly the Nivea we all find at our drugstores here is from Mexico and contains petrolatum which can cause irritation. We have never noticed that problem.

Both creams DO share similar ingredients, but La Mer does contain the famous, talked-about seaweed extract. Hmmmm. Well, who really knows?

We have used Nivea Creme on our neck, too, and decollete, but we have very oily skin, so we cannot use it on our face. If we had a dry complexion we would DEFINITELY try the Nivea.

We have not tried Creme de la Mer, so we could not comment on the similar or dissimilar aspects of the 2 skin care creams.

We found a 6.8 oz. tub of Nivea Creme for $5.95  at soap.com.

Do you have a tub of Nivea Creme sitting in your beauty cabinet?

Celeb Makeup Artist Troy Surratt: His Best Mascara Beauty Tips For Thick , Perfect Lashes!

Celebrity makeup artist Troy Surratt must be very good at what he does. Just ask gorgeous Charlize Theron, Adriana Lima + Kristin Davis about him. Those are the kinds of famous faces he works on.

That's why when the makeup pros dish about their own beauty tips, we become all ears. And today, the subject is mascara, and how to get those thick, perfect lashes!

Troy Surratt recently spoke to beauty magazine Allure and gave out his best mascara beauty tips:

Begin with CLEAN Lashes.
NEVER sleep in old makeup. Remove it pronto!

"Residual oils at the roots can cause makeup breakup," Troy says. "You'll wind up with soot around your eyes."

His choice--Simple Cleansing Facial Wipes ($4.99, at Target). Good, because these wipes, "don't irritate delicate eye skin."

Curl Lashes to give them a Lift.
A curling wand is key, because it goes above the natural slope of the eye to open the lashes up.

Troy says this: "Just by using an eyelash curler to change that angle(slope) lashes can automatically look 2-3 times longer. Curling them also minimizes the shadows they cast over the eyes, so the eyes look larger and brighter,"

Three or More Coats is Just Over-Kill.
Pros like Troy advise putting on 2 coats of mascara to  frame the eyes beautifully, but applying 3 or more coats is TOO much.

Well, if a pro makeup artist is applying it, then he or she can go for 3 or more coats, but things can get gloppy when you're alone trying to layer it all perfectly.

Thanks, Troy Surratt!

Christie Brinkley Amazes At 60: Push-Ups, Peanut Butter + Fuji Apples

Christie Brinkley can't wipe that huge smile off her face these days.

And who would blame her? When you've turned 60 and defy gravity, and all those nasty things that come with natural aging,  well, then she has a right to show off and grin.

Yeah, she's been playing coy with the camera + striking pose after pose, but wouldn't we all?

So, what is Christie Brinkley's beauty secret?

To top it all, it is merely great DNA. She is just super good-looking with excellent facial symmetry.

The rest of it?

Christie leads a clean, active lifestyle.

Plus....there are the push-ups, peanut butter and Fuji apples.

Those are key.

The beautiful blonde and mom-of-3 keeps fit the old-fashioned way:

"I try to get in 100 push-ups every day," said Christie. "It's really easy. I keep a rolled up yoga mat under my bed. I'll do 30 push-ups before I get in the shower. Then I do another 20 before I dry my hair, and now I've done 50. After I dry my hair, I'll come back and I'll do more."

The vegetarian beauty also LOVES to snack on Fuji apples with peanut butter.

Here's the iconic model about a month ago. Watch it here on YouTube.

Sigh....If only it were that easy.....

Big, Full Brows: Hot Trend Continues For Spring 2014

Got big, beautiful brows like model Cara Delevingne?

If you do, you are a lucky gal, because big, full brows are STILL the hot trend going into Spring 2014.

Don't be too sad if you lack those brows. Most of us cannot grow Cara brows no matter how hard we try.

BUT--- we CAN all stop plucking + waxing like crazy. Let the hairs grow back in naturally. 

Do NOT groom so much!

We like applying cold-pressed CASTOR OIL on our brows at night. It is supposed to keep the hairs healthy, full and supposedly grow quicker.

We think it does help.

Meantime, there are tons of beauty brow helpers on the market. Yes, you can grow your own through artfully done makeup.

Here's one from Benefit Cosmetics--Gimme Brow ($22, at benefitcosmetics.com).  We like this because the formula is a brush-on fiber gel. It's also tinted + water-resistant.  It helps thin brows look naturally fuller by sticking to the hairs and bulking them up.

Gimme Brow comes in 2 shades:
light medium and
medium deep.

Going For The Beauty Gold.....And We're Not Talking About The Olympics!

We are rather intrigued by this beauty trend for Spring 2014.

Think GOLD....gilded gold

How pretty!

Now we all know that EVERYTHING you see on the runway is NOT meant for an every day look. Some creative expressions are just that---for the drama.

Well, we're not sure if this will hit the red carpet, but it would be cool to see a glam Oscar nominee ALREADY wearing the gold.

Take a peek at DIOR backstage. Talk about GOLD fever. We LOVE this look on brows, especially when the rest of the face has on minimal makeup. It's a regal look, something Cleopatra could have pulled off.

So in every day appearances where does gold makeup fit it?

Can we even attempt to put some on?

 Yes...There are some lovely metallic eye makeups out there.

For instance, try this gold gel eye shadow/eyeliner:

Chanel Illusion D'Ombre- Apparence No. 817 ($39).

Jason Wu also showed off the striking gold look  on lids at his spring show.

Ladies....Will you go for the beauty GOLD this Spring?

Yes--Rihanna Likes To Wear Fake Jewelry From Claire's...And Fake Hair!

It's all fake!"

If you believe her and we do, then Rihanna wears CHEAP, FAUX baubles.

Keepin' it real. We love that about the very talented, very wealthy young star.

The beautiful singer revealed all of this in Vogue magazine's March issue, where Rihanna graces the cover. Look for the mag on newsstands Feb.25th! 

Here's an excerpt from Vogue:

"My jewelry’s all fake — from Claire’s. Or I get it from my mom’s boutique in Barbados. Her shop’s called FAB-U-LUS," she tells Plum Sykes while the two go shopping around London. 

And she’s candid about her ever-changing hair. "It’s not my hair, but the girl who donated it, she’s the bomb," she says. "I have two main hair people I work with. They’re always with me. I’m like, ‘I’m bored! I wanna change my hair!’ That’s the good thing about a weave. You can do whatever with it.

If you've never shopped at Claire's for faux baubles, then you're missing out on Rihanna's treasure chest. There's lots to choose from.

Rihanna has also been photographed plenty of times with expensive REAL jewelry on, but maybe that is reserved for those red carpet moments.

Yves St. Laurent  tassel necklaces

Neil Lane diamond, platinum necklace--Grammys

Neil Lane diamond bracelet--Grammys

Hey....It's okay to mix the real + fake stuff together, Rihanna!

It's all good!