A Rose Is A Rose According to Lancome

Roses are probably one of the most beautiful flowers on the planet. And no two roses are alike. The depth of color on each petal is quite unique. And Lancome cosmetics has created a new way to deliver such beauty in a lipstick shade.

Lipstick junkies, gather round:
The Lancome collection is called Color Fever Lipstick Roses ($25, at fine dept. stores, and at http://www.lancome-usa.com/).

It's a really stunning set of lipsticks. And there is scientific technology behind the color creation. According to Lancome, it has to do with the Spectrophotometer.
The Spectrophotometer, creates the "perfect pigment recipe," replicating the exact shade of specific roses.

You've got to see these lipstick shades in person to believe the science. For the first time ever, Lancome has been able to capture the actual color of roses to be made into their collection of 5 lasting radiance sensual rose shades.

And there's a shade for everyone:

Browns-Neutrals: Rose Tempest
Pinks-Berries: Lancome Rosebud, Rose Fete
Reds-Corals: Daring Rose, Enticing Rose

Lancome is always creating new beauty treatments. And for Lancome beauty addicts, there is the all-important Lancome Alert Sign-Up. Here's how it works: Just visit the Lancome website and sign up. You will be emailed when the newest beauty products arrive. And you will be notified ASAP when your favorite makeup is being discontinued, so you can stock up. Just check off the makeup, skin care, sun and body, and fragrance items you are interested in. Lancome takes care of the rest.

Jolen Creme Bleach Stands The Test Of Time

This cute, little jade-colored box has been around for decades. And it's still a very popular beauty item. Simply, because it works effectively. And for about $5.00, you can safely lighten excess dark hair.

If you haven't heard of Jolen Creme Bleach, well then, maybe you're wasting too much time and money on waxing or stinky-smelling depilatories.

Let's be honest here, there are times you need to lighten up a few, stray dark hairs. Whether these little hairs are on your face, arms, body, or eyebrows, Jolen Creme Bleach comes to the rescue. And most women prefer it, hands down, to other bleaching competitors. Jolen has been around for years. It's inexpensive, safe to use, quick and easy, and leaves your hair smoth, pale, and soft.

Each little box of Jolen comes with 4 items inside:
Creme Bleach
Cream Bleach Accelerator
Spatula
Mixing Tray

And the directions are simple: Mix the bleach and accelerator together on the tray with the small spatula. And apply to hairs that need lightening. Leave on for 10 minutes. And 5-10 more minutes for stubborn or darkest hair. Wash off and dry.

Just follow directions closely, and you should have a smooth, lightening process. If you don't mix proportions as directed, the creme could sting and/or irritate your skin.

Some women use Jolen Creme Bleach to lighten up their eyebrows a bit or hair under their top lip. The only caution for brows, don't leave the bleach on for too long, or you will end up with too blonde eyebrows. If you're merely trying to lighten just a little, test the 'color' every minute or so, and make sure your eyebrows are not 'disappearing' in color. Brows can also end up orange in shade if you overdo the process.

If you have dark arm hair like I do (hey, I'm Mediterranean), you might have to leave the bleach on your arms for 20 minutes or so. But I have to report, Jolen is amazing for subtley lightening up this part of your body.

And I have friends who have used Jolen to paint pretty, thin blonde highlights through their hair. No, you're not supposed to use the bleach for that purpose, but it works well. Remember Pam Dawber who played Mindy on 'Mork and Mindy' ? Pam says she used Jolen for blonde hairlights on her medium brown-colored hair. Another note of caution---Do not leave on too long. You can end up with orange highlights.

Wherever you lighten little dark hairs on your body, and you don't have to admit every place you do it, try Jolen Creme Bleach if you're looking for a tried and true beauty product. It gets the job done. You can find it in just about every local drugstore.

The Hills' Lauren Conrad Shares Her Makeup Secrets

You know her as L.C.

MTV's The Hills reality show is a huge hit once again.

And gorgeous-girl-next-door, Lauren Conrad, is ready for another wild and crazy season.

Ever wonder what's in L.C.'s makeup bag? She always look so pretty and polished, never over-done. And she was happy to share her makeup secrets. One word says it all. mark. That's all she wears. Lauren Conrad is a proud spokesperson for teen brand, mark Cosmetics.

"I don't know how I would live without my mark Hook Ups. My favorites are On the Edge Liquid Liner in Cleo, Glow Baby Glow Lip Gloss in Pink Crush and Scanda-Lash Mascara in Blacklash. For someone like me who is always in front of the camera, I love these products because it fits right into my jean pocket and is so easy to pull out for last minute touch-ups. I think the idea of Hook Ups are so cool because you can actually customize products that are most important to you. Trust me there is a Hook Up combination for everyone."

And we believe her. The makeup is very inexpensive and of good quality. mark offers lots of beauty items. Makeup. Skin care. Fragrance. Bath & Body. Hairstyling. And even Fashion. Just look at this---mark Mega Volume Root Lifting Spray with Soothing Geranium ($5, 6 fl.oz.). That's a super cheap price. And the product is very good. Check out the product reviews online and order here: http://www.meetmark.com/.

If you're tired of spending big money on cosmetics that really don't do the job, you should expand your beauty horizon, and discover mark. Women of all ages can find something pretty to wear there. Just because a mascara costs $60, doesn't mean it will work superbly for you. Sometimes cheaper is better.

NARS Has Nice Neutrals For Fall 2008

NARS makeup is naughty and nice. NARS has long been a favorite of models like Naomi Campbell and celebrities like Ashley Olsen and Kim Kardashian.
And NARS' blush called "Orgasm," was launched into cult status, after being mentioned on TV's Sex and the City.

And NARS isn't just for the Hollywood elite. Women around the globe love its wearability, beautiful colors and textures, and trendy new collections.

Just look at what's coming up for autumn:

Nice neutrals for Fall 2008. As the NARS people put it: " Fall's glowing palette combines brilliant neutrals in shimmering tones for a look of intrigue and sophistication."

Nothing too bright or neon for autumn. The 8 product, 10-color fall 2008 line features lovely dusty roses for lips and cheeks, while earthy, warm metallics enhance eyes.
Raven-haired Kim Kardashian is a huge NARS makeup fan. Her absolute favorite, can't-live-without beauty item, is NARS Turkish Delight Lip Gloss.

And blonde, fair-skinned Ashley Olsen likes to wear NARS Chihuahua Lip Gloss.

If you love makeup, and you know you do, NARS keeps the new colors coming. For more information, visit: http://www.narscosmetics.com/.

Or just check out NARS Makeup on Ebay. Lots of great deals there.

Pregorexia Is The Newest Trend For Moms-To-Be

We hadn't even heard of this word, Pregorexia, until a couple of weeks ago. But apparently, it's the newest trend among pregnant women.

What it boils down to is this: a woman who abuses her diet and exercise during pregnancy to gain as little weight as possible. That is a pregorexic.

So where did this all begin? With media images of hot Hollywood moms. Women see slender celebrities, like Nicole Richie and Nicole Kidman showing off their tiny baby bumps or post pregnancy bodies, looking the same sexy way they always have. The post-baby weight seems to melt away on these slender beauties.

Doctors around the world are quite concerned with the new pregorexia trend. The average woman should gain between 25 and 30 lbs. during her pregnancy. Moms of twins should gain 45 lbs. or more.The baby in utero needs nutrition. By limiting food and over-exercising, a pregnant woman is abusing her body. The baby that arrives, faces a higher rate for developing diabetes, heart disease, and other serious disorders.

Dr. Holly Phillips was discussing this alarming new pregnancy trend on The Early Show last week.

"I think we've never before been more kind of obsessed with celebrity culture, and with celebrity pregnancies, as well. It's not unusual to see pictures of these celebrities the day before and the day after birth and they're looking super-humanly fit. They're really incredible. But you also have to remember a lot of these celebrities are just genetically blessed. ... They have the best dieticians, nutritionists, (trainers), etc. They certainly have an advantage."

There shouldn't be body shame when a woman is going through the stages of pregnancy. It is absolutely normal to have weight gain during this time. A big, pregnant belly should be celebrated, not praised for being as tiny as it can.

Red Bull And Booze Can Equal Stroke

Red Bull. It's the drink that 'gives you wings.' And something else, if you're not too careful.

The latest buzz on the high energy drink that has achieved cult status around the world:

Red Bull + Booze = Stroke.

A recent Australian study found that just one can of sugar-free Red Bull alone, can cause the blood to become sticky -- an indicator of cardiovascular problems such as stroke. And when you mix Red Bull with booze, you increase your chances even more.

Lead researcher Scott Willoughby, from Adelaide Hospital, is warning that the drink "could be deadly", for people with heart abnormalities.

While the chance of sudden cardiac death is very low, "it could be more deadly for people who have an unknown cardiovascular abnormality", Dr Willoughby said.

Red Bull is popular among the celebrity set like Britney Spears, Eva Mendes, Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, Audrina Patridge, Hillary Duff, and Carrie Underwood. It's got a punch of caffeine going for it, at 80 milligrams per 8.4 oz for energy. But the energy drink also racks up the calories if you indulge too often. They pack 110 calories each. Red Bull has a sugar-free version at 10 calories per can.

Maybe you love a Red Bull Cocktail, which is basically mixed with vodka. It's so popular on college campuses, that some 25% of all college students enjoy Red Bull Cocktails, if you believe those statistics.

Why such a huge following? Because when you drink a Red Bull Cocktail, you feel both drunk and wide awake.

We're not trying to be preachy. We have several friends who love the cocktail. We're just trying to make sure you know that latest buzz. Young people are being warned to treat the caffeine drink "with caution," that's all.

How To Get Bright Youthful Eyes With 3 Products

Eyes are so important to the attractiveness of your face. And eyes age quickly, since the skin surrounding them is quite delicate and thin. Wrinkles like to set up house around your eyes, where the loss of collagen and elasticity are common. And when you're tired and over-worked, your eyes will tell the story.

Sure, you should always protect the sensitive eye area by wearing sunglasses and sunscreen and a darn good moisturizer when you are out in the elements. But there are other methods to fool mother nature. And all you need are 3 effective beauty products to create youthful and healthy-looking eyes.

1. Collyre Bleu Eyelights by Verseo ($35, http://www.verseo.com/). This ain't your mama's Visine. These eye drops are used by famous makeup artists to give celebrities and models the brightest and clearest eyes around. Just 2 little drops daily, and instantly, your eyes rebound. Say goodbye to red, tired eyes. Your brown eyes, blue eyes, green eyes, and so on, will look that much brighter.You get 10 reclosable plastic vials of Collyre Bleu in a box (1-month supply).

2. Brenda Christian Prima Firm Eye Makeup Base ($35, http://www.bebeautiful.com/ ). What this beauty treatment does so well, is firm up and hydrate the eyelid area. It also balances out your skin tone, while lifting the eyelid area. You don't even have to wear foundation. In moments, you get a mini eyelift. Eyes look amazing and wrinkles are softened.

3. Talika Eyelash Lipocils ($40, ). This brand is known around the world, for giving you back your long, thick eyelashes. What Talika does so beautifully, is enhance natural lash growth. And the company guarantees it. Simple apply this gentle, transparent gel formula once or twice a day along the upper and/or lower lashes. It comes in a mascara tube with a mascara-type wand for application. Within 30 days, you will see longer, lusher lashes. Clinically proven.

There you have it. Clear and brighter eyes. An eye area that is firm, lifted, and hydrated. And longer lashes to frame your beautiful eyes.