Are You Cotton Swab Q-Tip Obsessed When It Comes To Beauty?

Cotton swab. Q-Tip obsessed.

Yes, we are hooked, and can't get off the Q-Tip beauty train. We go through tons of cotton swabs weekly, and we'd be ashamed if the trash collector ever saw how many swabs we have disposed of.

So, what are we doing with all those hundreds of cotton swabs?

Lots of things. And find us one professional makeup artist who travels without a few Q-tips, and we would be amazed.

If you put on makeup, then you probably use them. Most women use cotton swabs for eye makeup help. For instance......a moistened Q-Tip can help extend your eyeline pencil stroke into a sexy cat eye wing. You can also remove eye makeup with a few cotton swabs dipped in baby oil or makeup remover lotion. And you can remove the gunk that sometimes builds up in the inner corner of your eyes with a Q-tip stick. You can sweep your eye shadow beautifully with a swab, and remove smudges that come from mascara mishaps.

We have used them to remove hair color during the dye process when a little runs on to our skin. We've also taken a few swabs dipped in acne cream to dab on our break-outs. Q-Tips also take off excess eyebrow powder without messing up the arch you've created. We've often dunked a swab in lemon juice and applied to our decollete freckles. And the list goes on and on.

For us, the cotton swab is a humble, but wonderful beauty invention. And oh yeah, you can even use a Q-Tip to poke around in your ear, although that isn't recommended any longer. Just be gentle, and don't get too busy in the ear canal.

Cotton swabs. Q-Tip brands. Even dollar store swabs. They all work wonders in the line of beauty.

In fact, we need to stock up on more ASAP!

How To Get That Smooth Airbrushed Look From Mineral Foundation

Foundation. We all need some coverage, even those with almost flawless skin.

But then again, the complaints we hear about wearing foundation-----feels like a mask.....doesn't last......too drying.......too oily......can't match the shade properly to skin tone, and so forth.

Then there's mineral foundation. And if you get this one right, your complexion can look red carpet ready. Smooth and airbrushed.

But not all mineral foundations are alike. Sure, the powder-y texture is wonderful, in that it is long-lasting and all-natural. Both high points. But some mineral foundations can produce a few problems. The application can be messy. And the results can look cakey, and yes, even heavy.

We'll admit, we have been a longtime liquid foundation user. It's easy to put on. Not always easy to get the perfect skin tone match, but still, the coverage is great, and it hides our imperfections.

However, we do want to try this one by Lancome. It's been out for a while, and still getting high marks from beauty editors. Allure magazine named Lancome Oscillation Power Foundation with SPF21 ($48, find dept. stores like Nordstroms), as one of its Best of Beauty 2010 products.

You can achieve that flawless no-makeup look by just turning on the button. Just dip the sponge into the mineral powder, press the handle's ON button, and experience a unique makeup session. The sponge tip vibrates 7,000 times per minute. How cool is that?!

Then simply rub the sponge applicator across the skin, as it massages the powder in smoothly and evenly. No clumpiness. The oscillating sponge helps break down the mineral powder into even the very finest particles. This motion allows the foundation to fill in fine lines and give that airbrushed look. The pros say that a regular brush cannot equal the more uniform finish that the Lancome vibrating applicator achieves.

Sure, it's a bit pricey, but a little goes a long way, and the Lancome Oscillation Power Foundation seems to do all the heavy lifting, so to speak. If you're all thumbs and really want that pretty no-makeup look without the mask feeling of a liquid foundation, then this one looks like a great bet.

Beat Pale Dull Winter Skin With Jergens Natural Glow Foaming Daily Moisturizer

Winter can do a number of nasty things to our skin, including the pale, dull finish we often get in the season. Lifeless. No glow.

That's why were showing you one of the tried and true beauty products that really works. Jergens. And we especially like this Natural Glow because of its clever foaming action. That means a gentle bronze. No, it won't make you look like Snooki. But then again, that's alright, too.

Jergens Natural Glow Foaming Daily Moisturizer ($8.99, 5 oz., at drugstores). A subtle self-tanner in the form of a tinted moisturizer.
Dries completely in seconds.
No sticky residue or waiting to get dressed.
Glides on evenly for streak-free color.
Designed for Fair to Medium and Medium to Tan skin tones.

It works gradually---give it about 3 to 10 days for the color to develop into a healthy summer glow. It doesn't look orange-y. And it brings the life back to your pale, dull skin.

The formula glides on evenly. And it comes in 2 shades: Fair to medium skin tones. Medium to tan skin tones.

You can look at the entire Jergens Natural Glow line here.

Sex And The City's Kim Cattrall Tapped As Olay's New Total Effects Ambassador

Congrats, Kim Cattrall. The sexy Sex and the City star has been named as one of Olay's newest beauty ambassadors.

And at age 54, we think that's a wonderful compliment and gig for the actress.

kim will become a spokesperson for Total Effects Anti-Aging Body Wash and Lotion, which claims to 'improve elasticity in 1 week, younger-looking, radiant skin in 1 month.'

Representatives for Procter & Gamble say TV commercials featuring Kim will launch here on February 28th, with magazine ads appearing in April.

Some catty websites have already fired off the jealousy missiles, claiming that SATC's Samantha Jones has been heavily airbrushed. However, P&G claims there was only a minimal amount of photoshopping done:

"In accordance with our own strict guidelines, only very minimal retouching was done on the photos of Kim," a spokesperson for Proctor & Gamble tells the curious British press.

"They capture her natural youthfulness and radiance and that’s exactly what makes her a great ambassador for the brand’s new Body Wash.

The way we see it, re-touching is done on just about every person featured in print and television ads. It's the nature of the business, and even the young and beautiful have been photoshopped.

Remember Desperate Housewives star Teri Hatcher, telling Oprah that it is great lighting on television and the fine work of a professional hair and makeup team that makes actresses look youthful and gorgeous with smooth, flawless skin. It's not reality, but the modeling and acting worlds present a fantasy, and the public buys into it.

Take a look at the photos here of lovely Kim Cattrall. The top photo is a still from her Olay Total Effects ad. And the other photo shows the actress just last week in Manhattan. Yes, Kim looks older in the NYC photo. So what?!

Meow! Meow! People just love to hate. Meanwhile, we love Kim Cattrall's spirit, her energy, and all-American looks. We look forward to her Olay Total Effects Anti-Aging Body Wash and Lotion commercials.

Jessica Alba Won't Leave Home Without This Excellent Eye Cream

Why would barely 30 and gorgeous, Jessica Alba, be worried about not leaving home without an eye cream?!

Maybe because she is beauty savvy, protecting her skin early, and realizing, that the delicate eye area is always screaming for a little more TLC. And the more hydrated the eye area appears, the smoother and more rested the entire eye looks.

Jessica Alba's favorite won't-leave-home-without eye cream:

Cle de Peau Eye Contour Balm Anti-Wrinkle ($135, at fine dept. stores like Bergdorf's.

Jessica says, "I always have it in my travel kit."

Why? Well, for one reason alone, Cle de Peau Eye Contour comes in balm form and is packed with great anti-wrinkle ingredients:
"A velvety balm with Retinol and Bupleurum Extract that hydrates eye area skin, dramatically improves texture, and promotes resilience to counteract visible signs of aging.".

It's never too late to begin caring for your skin, especially the fragile eye area. And since we are in a brand new year, it's a smart time to invest in an eye cream that delivers results.

Megan Fox Wows Fans With Old-Hollywood Golden Globes Glamour

Old-Hollywood glamour: Soft cascading waves. Sexy cat-eye. Classic curve-hugging gown.

And Transformers actress Megan Fox stole the red carpet spotlight at last evening's 2011 Golden Globes.

So, maybe her cinematic resume is rather thin at the moment, but Megan Fox still has major Hollywood presence. And let's examine why:

1. The gown. Pale pink seemed to be an elegant trend last evening. And no one does gorgeous as good as Giorgio. Megan slipped into a soft pink Giorgio Armani Privé evening grown with an asymmetrical Swarovski adorned strap. She also wore Lorraine Schwartz jewelry, Brian Atwood shoes, and a Roger Vivier clutch.

2. The makeup. Nothing harsh, just soft and sexy, and also, makeup came from the master himself, Armani. Here are the beauty details---Sexy cat-eye---black Maestro Liquid Eyeliner. Maestro Eye Shadows #12, #18 and #38. And Eyes to Kill Excess Mascara. Meow! Blending Blush Duo #4 on Megan's cheeks. And Rouge d’Armani #506, topped with Lip Shimmer #22 on those lovely lips.

3. The hair. Talk about old-Hollywood glam! Stylist Andy Lecompte was the hair genius behind Megan's gorgeous, face-framing waves. Here's how Andy achieved the Golden Globes look---Applied Phyto professional volume mousse before blow drying. Then he set her hair using a 3/4-inch barrel curling iron, following with pin curls. After removing the pin curls, Andy brushed out her hair using a Sheila Stotts detangling brush and gave the hair a deep side part. Then he took a dab of Oribe gel serum to his fingertips and tucked the hair behind her right ear.

All in all, a very feminine and beautiful Hollywood screen siren look for Megan Fox.

Get Hair In Best Shape With Cult Fave: Redken Thickening Lotion 06 Body Builder

Sad, flat hair got you down?

Want the kind of luscious locks you'll see on the red carpet this evening, for Hollywood's Golden Globes awards show?!

Well, of course, we all want that kind of hair. And sure, it helps if you have a personal stylist at your beckon call. But there is one product every gal needs when it comes to healthy, bouncy, big hair:

A volumizer. Root lifter. Thickening lotion. One of these three will alow you to build your hair into an amazing shape and style.

You hear us write ad nauseum about big, thick hair. And we're always on the hunt for the perfect volumizer. Now, we have found another. The critics have spoken, and a lot of women absolutely love this one by Redken 5th Avenue NYC. It's a cult favorite:

Redken Thickening Lotion 06 Body Builder ($16.99, at Redken Salons). We did find some at Walgreens.com, but it's sold out at the moment. You can find some at Amazon.com for $12.50 a bottle.

In our humble opinion, we have found that every body-building hair product is different. And just because the label brags about giving you Big, Sexy Hair with Hold, it doesn't mean it really works. We have tried very expensive volumizers and thickening lotions, and root sprays, and some of those have fallen very flat. But with Redken, the combo of the ingredients really works:

Builds extra body, texture, volume and shine.
Bodifying proteins help reconstruct and strengthen hair.
Hair looks and feels thicker.
Thicker consistency is easier to apply.
Won't build-up on the hair.