Every Gal Needs A Clarifying Shampoo Once In A While

Let's face it----sometimes your hair (scalp, too) has a lot of gunk in it. And your favorite shampoo just can't remove the entire build-up. That's why you need a clarifying shampoo every once in a while.

What exactly is hair gunk and how do we get it? If you use styling products, like gel, mousse, hairspray, pomade, and are exposed to hard water minerals, chlorine, and even some medications, this stubborn build-up is known as hair gunk. It can take away hair's glossiness and leave behind greasies or even dry, itching scalp with dandruff and limp locks. And even over-use of your favorite shampoos and conditioners can cause the build-up.

A clarifying shampoo can remove the build-up and bring back the shine to your crowning mane. Yes, many of these shampoos contain harsher ingredients that are powerful enough to remove the gunk. But you should not over-use a clarifying shampoo, because too much of it can strip your mane of its natural oils and leave you with brittle locks.

So, once every 2 weeks with a clarifying shampoo is good enough to get rid of the build-up and excess sebum clogging your scalp pores.

Here are 3 clarifying shampoos that attack hair build-up:

1. Suave Daily Clarifying Shampoo ($1.79, 22.5 oz., at drugstores).

2. Back to Basics Citrus Sage Clarifying Shampoo ($9.96, at drugstores).

3. Frederic Fekkai Apple Cider Clarifying Shampoo ($23, at Neiman Marcus).

Faux Fur Vests Fab Fashion Trend For Fall 2010 Into Winter 2011

It was only 45 degrees when we rolled out of bed this Saturday morning. A cool, crisp wind surprised us, as we went out to retrieve the newspaper.

Fall is definitely here, and what better way to 'fall into' the fab trend for Fall 2010----the faux fur vest. A lot less bulkier than a coat, and quite a versatile styling piece!

We have, er, fallen in love with Michael Kors' version of this hot fashion trend. It's called, the Michael Kors Faux-Fur Coyote Vest (bottom photo):
Khaki faux coyote fur (acrylic).
Shawl collar; hook-and-eye front.
Modacrylic/acrylic/polyester.. And it retails for $130.

Faux fur vests look super with a pair of jeans and boots. You can wear the vest daytime or nighttime.

For a cheaper version, you can also try Old Navy. Their faux fur vest is a little shorter in length, and comes in black or brown and only costs $29.50 (top photo). And just as lovely.

Just remember to watch proportions, as a faux fur vest can add a little volume to the mid-section.

And, no beautiful animals have been harmed in this fab Fall fashion trend. So, everyone comes out a winner here. Plus, these vests are great-looking!

Remember Mood Rings: Color Yourself Happy With New 'In The Mood' Polish

Your eyes certainly say a lot about you. But what about your nails? Could your manicure/pedicure be the new picture of your soul? In other words, emotions found right at your fingertips or cute little toes?

Let's not get carried away here, but, we have stumbled onto a new beauty product that claims to 'color you happy,', or any other mood you happen to be in. It's a new shade-changing nail polish called, In the Mood. And the $8 a bottle formula promises to switch hues when your body temperature changes, as well as your state of mind.

Remember those cool 1970s mood rings? Maybe your parents wore them, or maybe you are old enough to have bought a few. Mood rings work on the same basic idea, but the technology is a bit more advanced in a mood ring, so you get a wider range of fluctuating colors---black, red, blue, yellow, and so on. Mood rings contain thermotropic liquid crystals that respond to changes in temperature, which then alters the color. Okay, enough science here. We can tell you, that In the Mood shade-changing nail polish comes in 6 vibrant colors with names like these: Mellow. Hyper. Flirty. Devious. Curious. And Blissful.

And according to their website, this is how the polishes actually work:

"These playful nail polishes change color based on your body temperature, your mood, the heat of your latte... or, of course, the chill of your iced coffee! And they will continue changing back and forth as long as your wear them. Cool swim in the ocean? Warm subway ride? Frigid morning run? Sitting under the hair dryer at the salon? Amuse yourself by guessing what shade your delightfully bi-polar nail polish will be at any given moment!"

By the way, we found this little tidbit from a woman that seems to know a lot about nail polish: "The mood polish is best used on acrylic nails, not just because of the barrier between the polish and the nail bed, but also because the extended tip does not hold heat and allows for a more dramatic color gradient."

If anything, shade-changing nail polish sounds like fun., good mood, or otherwise.

Now Skinny Kelly Osbourne Decides On Laser Tattoo Removal

Even celebrity Kelly Osbourne would probably agree with this statement:

"Think before you ink!".

The now skinny British beauty has decided on laser treatment to get rid of some of the 15 tattoos she has on her body. She appeared as a guest on Chelsea Lately on the E! network last night.

Kelly also told the British Daily Mail that some of the tats were a "mistake,", inlcuding the one pictured here, depicting a keyboard on her arm, as well as a heart and crossbones on her wrist. You can see more of her ink here.

Kelly Osbourne has always been stylish and very fashion-conscious. And she is currently a co-host on E!'s Fashion Police with style critic Joan Rivers.

She is very happy having lost some 42 lbs. recently. And Kelly now has much better self-esteem. "When I was younger I really do think that tattoos were my way of self-harming because I really knew it would upset my mum and dad.

"I was miserable and I just went and got all these tattoos and I don't know why. One of them is a keyboard and I don't even know how to play a piano!"

Lots of rumors were circulating that the 25-year-old daughter of famous rocker Ozzy Osbourne is anorexic or using drugs to stay skinny. But the petite 5'2" star is doing nothing more than working out religiously and eating healthy. And what got the ball rolling, was Kelly's appearance on Dancing with the Stars last year, where she learned the discipline of dance.

Kelly Osbourne has still got those cute, chubby cheeks and adorable round face. She looks amazing. Check her out in a white, Grecian gown at the Governor's Ball, following the Emmy Awards show last August.

We are so happy for Kelly, not only because she is now skinny, but more importantly for the self-esteem and elegance she is gaining each day.

Keira Knightly Debuts New Bob At Chanel Show: Boring Or Fab?

The sleek, straight bob. Always classic and sophisticated. And British actress Keira Knightly took a front row seat at the Chanel Spring/Summer 2011 Read-to-Wear show in Paris on Tuesday, debuting the cut, and of course, showing off her amazing bone structure.

Okay, we personally are not a big fan of the bob. But then again, when you look like Keira Knightly, why not?!

So, is Keira's new 1920's style bob boring or fab?

The 25-year-old beauty got her brunette locks chopped off for one person. This is what she told InStyle magazine:

"I had my hair bobbed about a month ago, then I had it freshly trimmed again this morning," Keira says. She added that her hair was not cut for any particular movie role, instead saying: "I did it for myself."

We think Keira Knightly's new side-swept bob looks very Victoria Beckham. Another very stylish Brit.

And we like it when celebrities change their look again and again. Keira has had a pixie cut, heavy bangs, long, dark waves, and some blonde locks in the past. So we appreciate her chameleon beauty.

Meantime, Keira Knightly's been on the back of a motorcycle for a new Chanel Coco Mademoiselle fragrance ad. The commercial was filmed in Paris. And Keira has been the face of Coco Mademoiselle for four years now.

Say Bye-Bye To Lisa Rinna's Very Big Silicone-Inflated Upper Lip

This is big beauty news!!

Lisa Rinna has undergone upper lip reduction surgery. Yes, there is such a procedure, and plastic surgeons can create a smaller set of lips.

As the 47-year-old actress told People magazine recently, "My lips started to define who I am." And that is why she decided to undergo the procedure. "That bothered me."

We think that is wonderful news. Lisa Rinna is a very pretty woman, and those lips were a bit over-inflated.

Remember last year, when the former 'Dancing with the Stars' contestant went public and finally admitted that in 1986, she had silicone injected into her upper lip – an impulsive decision she made with a girlfriend and likens to getting a tattoo – Rinna told People, "I took a big hit for being honest. It gave everyone online permission to lambaste me. It hurt my feelings."

She thought the public would have gone easy on her for coming forward, and the public reaction upset her immensely. So on August 26th, Lisa Rinna had surgery to downsize that very big upper lip. And at the moment, she feels great. Her mouth is still swollen from the procedure and will require six months to fully heal.

So, how do her lips look, post-surgery? Rather than feeling "bumpy and uneven … my lip has no lumps! It's smooth," Lisa says.

And Lisa Rinna is a busy bee these days. She's the star of TVLand's upcoming reality show Harry Loves Lisa (with husband Harry Hamlin).

Good for her. We can't wait to see her and her new upper lip.

Bleached Brows Big Again For Spring 2011: Silly Or Sexy Look?

Bleached brows are sneaking back in again on the runways. And that means for Spring 2011, the bleached, 'no-brow,' almost invisible frame for the eyes, is trying to become a mainstream look.

Well, is it a silly or sexy look?

During NY Fashion Week, designers like Marc Jacobs sent his models down the runway, wearing barely-there eyebrows, a very late 70's and early 80's glam, punk look.


We wrote about the bleached brow look, when the funky trend appeared on the runways a year ago. Apparently, the look is still hot.

But should you get in on this look?

What we always like to say: Just because you see it on the runway, doesn't mean it works here, in real life.

Whatever you do, do not shave off your eyebrows! You could bleach them yourself with Jolen creme bleach, if you really want in on this latest beauty trend (We used to do this years ago).


We, here at BeautyTipToday.com, have also written several articles on how to keep our eyebrows fuller and more natural
.
We have told you time and time again, that too much plucking, will yield scraggly, thin brows, by the time you reach your mid-30s to early 40s.

And our makeup legend friend, Sandy Linter, has been blunt about the whole brow plucking issue. She says the biggest beauty mistake she sees, are women with too-thin eyebrows. According to Sandy, that ages a woman immediately.

We have had pale brows and thin ones---huge mistake. We think the look is kind of vacant.

Then again...if you're under age 25, try it on.