VS' Karlie Kloss Hides New Cute Cut Under Lots Of Extensions

Karlie Kloss looks so adorable with her brand new chin-length bob! She just got it cut right BEFORE the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show last night in New York City!

Too bad the powers-that-be would not let the model show off her cute cut before the throngs of VS fans during the sexy catwalk lingerie show. Instead, stylists scrambled to add tons of extensions to Karlie's locks, turning the sweet, wholesome girl-next-door into a seductive glamazon gliding along the runway.

To tell you the truth, we wouldn't know that was Karlie Kloss, without the makeup, extra hair, false lashes and lipstick mouth. But, we do like her new haircut. She looks so very young, and she is, at age 20.

Hair extensions can do incredible things, as you can see from Karlie's before+after pics. Men usually prefer women with longer locks, and since the annual VS Fashion Show features a majority of men in the audience, that is maybe why Karlie had to undergo a quick hair makeover.

By the way, stylists say they came equipped with lots of differently colored extensions to transform the heads of some of these beautiful models before they took their spin on the cat-walk. Celebrity stylist Orlando Pita, told this to InStyle:

"Honestly, it may be unbelievable, but we have probably spent about $75,000 just on extensions alone," he said during the taping. "There is a lot of hair in this room, and a lot of money! There are fans on the runway, so all of the girls get extensions added to avoid getting gaps in their hair while walking."

Interesting background knowledge for a super fashion show.

If you're looking to add some instant length and glam to your tresses, try some extensions We found some nice ones at LuxyHair.  These girls have some super how-tos on YouTube!

First Lady Fashion: Bolero Plays Big Role

First Lady Michelle Obama is keeping the 1950s classic bolero an important, stylish piece to her White House wardrobe, once again this Fall.

Last  night, or should we say, actually around 1:30 this AM, Mrs. Obama walked out to thunderous applause wearing a Michael Kors sleeveless dress, and a simple, black bolero sweater.

We love the versatility and elegance of the bolero. It is flattering to most, covers up the arms if you don't care to show them, and focuses the attention on the face, bosom, and neck.

Bolero shrugs, jackets, and sweaters NEVER go out of style. Just give it a few days, and you will see boleros being purchased by the hundreds, because First lady Michelle's fashion sense is admired and copied by many.

You can find bolero sweaters just about everywhere. We found some:

L'Wren Scott Black Bolero, $895.

House of Frasier Shawl Collar Bolero, $48.

Alaia Cardigan, $1,025.

Wet Seal Eyelash Knit Bolero, $24.50, now 30% off).

Halle Berry Hangs Out In Gorgeous Gray Eyeshadow

Halle Berry never seems to have a beauty or fashion misstep.

And once again, the ageless actress has scored a winner here with the gorgeous gray eyeshadow trend for Fall 2012. Halle was photographed recently, at the Cloud Atlas premiere, her new movie with Tom Hanks. And while there, she was sporting the gorgeous gray eyeshadow trend with a pretty sparkle to it.

As we all know, the stunning 46-year-old is a beauty ambassador for Revlon cosmetics, so she gets to try out some really cool, new makeup. Try Revlon ColorStay Eyeshadow Quad in Siren, to re-create the smoldering, high-glam look.

We found the shadow at ULTA, for $7.99. 4 great 16-hour powder shadows that blend easily and lasts for hours!

Noticing Hair Fall-Out? Normal This Time Of Year

We saw a fascinating find on Twitter recently. And it has to do with hair fall-out. We have been experiencing a little hair shedding, so we were relieved and interested in this beauty nugget from a Japanese newspaper, called Yomiuri Shimbun. You can read the full article here.

If you have noticed some hair falling out as of late, you are NOT alone. In fact, blame it on the seasons:

...OSAKA--"Like trees shedding their leaves, autumn is the time of year when humans are said to lose the most amount of hair. Some experts attribute this to damage caused by exposure to ultraviolet rays during summer, while others say autumn is a time when much of the hair is replaced by new growth. Hair care specialists suggest gentle shampooing and getting enough sleep to maintain a healthy mane." We never knew about this.

The article, written by staff writer Michiko Nakai , goes on to explain that most heads have between 100,000 - 140,000 strands of hair, and "each strand goes through 3 phases--the anagen phase of growth, the catagen phase where the hair bulb at the base of each strand weakens, and the telogen phase when weakened hair falls off." The cycle then repeats every 5 or 6 years.

 

So, how much hair fall-out is normal?

 

According to the article...."An average of 100 strands of hair fall out as part of this cycle per day, but according to some studies, this rate increases twofold from September to November."

 

We hope, that if you have experienced  a bit more hair shedding than usual, that it might very well have to do with this autumnal hair fall-out explanation.

What do you think about this interesting hair information?

Gisele Bundchen's Pregnant Belly Appears Stretch-Mark Free

 

Gisele Bundchen looks healthy and lovely as she nears her pregnancy due date. She looks about 9 months already, doesn't she?

There she sat, big bare belly and all, at Miami Beach on Saturday, in a teeny animal print bikini. The 32-year-old mother-of-one and almost two, sat with a friend soaking up the hot, Florida rays.

A lot of women have been commenting on various blogs, that the highest-paid model doesn't even show barely a stretch mark. How could that be?!

Great genes, youth,  maybe something else.

We've all heard about cocoa butter to sooth and calm down stretch marks, but once you develop them, stretch marks are impossible to get rid of completely.

Stretch marks occur when skin loses its elasticity, usually from rapid weight gain — a common occurrence, when a woman is pregant. It's estimated that 85-90% of pregnant women get them at some point during their pregnancy. 'Striae gravidarum'(medical lingo for stretch marks) are caused by tearing in the skin and connective tissue, due to the stretching of the fat tissue. Over time, stretch marks turn almost a silvery color in comparison to one's normal skintone.

Dr. Amy Derick, a dermatologist in Barrington, Illinois,  says you should try and diminish their appearance.  And act sooner than later. "There’s really not any data regarding creams, " she told the NY Times. "But you can do laser treatments or Retin-A after the fact, especially early on when the lines are red and purple." 

Studies have found that  topical tretinoin can lighten stretch marks as well as reduce their size.

Face Yoga Instead Of Surgical Facelift? Nothing But A Fantasy

Okay, we are all for the quick fix when it comes to beauty. But as we have learned through makeup, skin care, and hair, at least for us, nothing comes easy.

That's why, when we saw Face Yoga being demonstrated on Good Morning America recently, we rolled our eyes.

We cannot prove that a set of facial exercises from the world of yoga DON'T work, but really now.....

Plastic surgeons will tell you that only surgery can correct the problems of aging.

Yes, there are indeed quick fixes like Botox and  cosmetic filler injectables  like Restylane, Perlane, Juvederm, and so forth. But these, alone, cannot create the same results as a surgical procedure. In fact, these days, plastic surgeons sometimes use facelift surgery and fillers together,in the ultimate quest for a more youthful face.

Annelise Hagen, a yoga teacher in NY, would claim otherwise. She believes one can naturally reverse the signs of aging with several yoga face positions. Take a look at the photos of Ms Hagen demonstrating these facial exercises. She also wrote a book in 2008 called, Yoga Face: Eliminate Wrinkles With The Ultimate Natural Facelift.

And she's back 4 years later, still swearing by these facial exercises. Annelise looks great, and if she claims that's all she's been doing to look smooth + wrinkle-free, then more power to her!

Check out Annelise performing Yoga Face on YouTube, 2009.

A lot of women DO swear by facial exercises, and who are we to judge. However, there are simply no scientific facts to support the theory.

If you've had success doing yoga face, please leave us your comments.

Blondes DO Have More Fun At The CMA Awards!

OMG! It's the blonde brigade!! Maybe it's just us. We have dark brown locks, so we are very aware when a bunch of blondes enter a room. And last night's 2012 CMA Awards show had us doing double and triple takes. It seemed like EVERY woman was blonde:  

Taylor Swift, Amanda Lambert, Faith Hill, Kimberly Schlapman, Lauren Alaina, Carrie Underwood, Kellie Pickler, Hayden Panettiere, Kelly Clarkson, etc. And that's just a few of the many flaxen-haired country singers we counted.

These country singing stars all look gorgeous blonde, and whether it's by nature or found in a bottle, light hair needs tender loving care.

Hair products that nourish dry, damaged ends, give body and super shine are all key for unforgettable blondes.

Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine Moroccan Sleek Oil Treatment does all that and then some. We found a bottle at drugstore.com for $5.99.

- Absorbs in an instant
- Restores smoothness
- Mends roughness
- Intensifies shine
- Deep, sleek conditioning

How To Get Emily Blunt's Killer Toned Arms

Emily Blunt----your body looks amazing, and we love those killer toned arms!!!

We will agree with a lot of comments on some websites that claim the 29-year-old actress looks a bit too thin,.....however, we like to call that healthy Hollywood skinny.

The gorgeous star has been busy working out as she prepares for her role in a new movie with Tom Cruise, called A Time to Kill, a military thriller.

Emily appeared in this orange Halloween-tastic gown for the Harper's Bazaar Woman of the Year Awards last evening at London's Claridge's Hotel.

She knew exactly what dress to wear to accentuate those toned triceps and biceps and that strong, fit back with the very low cut style and hair in a bun to show off her intense training. Emily looked great, both arriving and leaving.

So, how do you get Emily Blunt's killer toned arms?

By a lot of repetitions.

If you don't have plenty of time, and don't care for lifting weights, then try triangle push-ups. This exercise really tones up the dingle-dangle under the arms, and will tighten them well, along with your  back and chest.
(Check out the photos for proper placement. We found these at BodyEssentialz).

 

TRIANGLE PUSH-UPS

The triangle push-up derives its name from the placement of the hands

during the exercise. Unlike a traditional push-up, with hands positioned

beneath the shoulders, the triangle push-up involves placing the thumbs

and forefingers together to form a triangle position.

Stiffen your torso by contracting your

core/abdominal, gluteal and quadriceps

muscles and align your head with your

spine. Place your feet together with your

ankles dorsiflexed (toes pointed toward your

shins). Due to the challenging nature of this

position, however, you may want to start

with a modified version of the exercise by

placing your knees on the floor.

For the downward phase, slowly lower your body toward the floor while maintaining

a rigid torso and keeping your head aligned with your spine. Do not allow

your low back to sag or your hips to hike upward during this downward phase.

Continue to lower yourself until your chest or chin touches the mat/floor.

For the upward phase, press up through your arms while maintaining a

rigid torso and keeping your head aligned with your spine. For extra strength,

think about pushing the floor away from you. Do not allow your low back to

sag or your hips to hike upward. Continue pressing until the arms are fully

extended at the elbows.

THANK YOU,www.acefitness.org/certifiednews/images/article/pdfs/ACETricepsStudy.pdf

Do a few sets of triangle push-ups a day, and you will see rewards!

3 Pretty Orange Things For Halloween!

 MAC Lipstick (Morange). A super lovely orange shade, $15.

Ornate Chandelier Earrings. Super low price, $6, at BodyCentral.

 Belted Trench Coat. Adorable at $37.80 from Forever21.

Halloween is so much fun! And even if you're not putting on a weird and scary costume this year, you can ALWAYS put on something pretty for the day/night. Check these out!

Camouflage Isn't For Hiding....Hot Trend!

Selena Gomez has great fashion sense and timing. And the adorable singer is hot-on-the-trend in camouflage. Here, she's wearing a Zara studded camo shirt-jacket.

We think she paired it nicely with a colorful blue tee-shirt, to soften and balance the masculine pattern of camo clothing.

You can find the military look on the streets these days. And other celebrities like Rihanna are following the trend.

GAP is selling a camouflage travel tote ($198).

TOPSHOP is featuring an army jacket with zippered pockets ($96).

And we found these two camo tops on the very cheap at wetseal:

Camouflage Sequined Shirt, regularly $16.50, now $11.99 PLUS 60% clearance. Total $4.80!

Camouflage Print Woven Shirt, regularly $19.50, now on sale for $4.87!

Can't beat those rock-bottom prices!

One item of camouflage can add a nice touch to your fall wardrobe. Just don't go Rambo on us. A little camo goes a long way.

Julia Roberts Says Baking Soda + Toothbrush Equals Bright Smile

It's a simple, well-known beauty tip:

Baking soda, toothbrush, and a water rinse,  give you a bright, white smile.

What makes this little beauty tip a big deal, is that it's coming from an actress with one of the most beautiful smiles EVER---Julia Roberts!

"I brush [my teeth] with baking soda. [My grandfather] would put a big heaping mound of it on his toothbrush. He had only one cavity in his entire life," Julia tells InStyle.

The 44-year-old mom of three, says at times she is so busy with family life, that she barely has time to take care of her  teeth.

"Sometimes that`s all I do as far as a regimen goes. Look, I`m happy if I have on moisturizer and ChapStick! When you`re dressing three people besides yourself, something has to fall away. I`ve learned to always have a big pair of dark sunglasses within arm`s reach before going out," she says.

Alright.....so, does any of this ring true?

Does baking soda protect your teeth from cavities?
Is baking soda too harsh for use every day?
Does baking soda whiten your teeth?

First of all, baking soda DOES give you a brighter, whiter smile!!

Our dentist believes it's too abrasive on enamel to use it daily, but other dental experts claim that baking soda is okay and won't harm teeth. As far as protecting your smile from tooth decay, baking soda can't guarantee that.

We found this little nugget from the Arm & Hammer website:

"It may surprise some to learn that baking soda is actually the least abrasive material for polishing and cleaning teeth.* That's why it's always been considered such a healthy choice in oral care. By dissolving into fine particles, baking soda gets into areas deep between teeth and along the gum line that other toothpastes can't reach. It also penetrates into the tiny crevices in tooth enamel to dissolve intrinsic stains...."

We LOVE adding a little baking soda to our toothbrush. How about you?

Want A Flawless Finish? Pick Up A Sea Sponge

We all look for the smoothest, most radiant finish when it comes applying foundation.

Many of us use our fingers to  blend our makeup into the complexion. Others use cosmetic sponges made of latex or other materials. And a number like to apply foundation with cosmetic brushes.

If you're looking for one of the BEST applicators to use, try something from nature: a sea sponge.

Sea sponges are nice and soft when moist with water. And these sponges last quite a while, as long as you rinse them after every application. Using a sea sponge delivers an airbrushed or flawless finish.

Silk sea sponges are wonderful for letting foundation blend seamlessly into the complexion.

Mediterranean Sea Sponge at naturalbathandbodyshop.com. Only $1.97 per sponge!

Heavy Jewelry Adornment Big For Spring 2013

Talk about adornment!

If you like wrapping yourself in big, bold jewelry, then 2013 is your year.

The Gucci, Dries van Noten, and Etro shows were all going huge on the jewels, from metal to Boho costume pieces for next Spring.

A bit over-the-top? A tangled jewelry web we weave?

Maybe, but we think this stunning bib necklace is really amazing by the Tom Binns Spring 2013 collection. Like  pretty, pastel TicTacs!

Check out his intricate pieces at TomBinnsDesign. New bride Jessica Biel wore a gorg necklace of his last August.

We like the bib necklace trend a lot. Do you?

Julia Roberts Gets Amazing Hair From 'Magic Serum'

Have an extra $23 on you? And would you like to have healthy, bouncy Julia Roberts hair?!

Okay, we can't make any guarantees, but the Oscar-winning actress DOES have gorgeous hair, no matter what color she dyes it. And she won't step out in public without spritzing some of this in her mane:

Serge Normant Meta Lush Volumizer ($23, at NeimanMarcus).

This is what Julia tells InStyle:

"This stuff is like a magic serum. I go crazy spraying it on my hair until my fingers get tired. Then I let my hair air-dry."

Sounds simple enough, this 'magic serum.'

Meta Lush Volumizer fights frizz, amps up the shine and creates volume at the roots. We love a multi-tasking beauty product!

We think Julia Roberts has one of the BEST heads of hair in Hollywood, and we're about 99.9% sure that she does NOT have hair extensions, or ever has. Period.

She does have naturally wavy hair, so that gives the actress a lot of options styling those incredible locks.

Banana Republic Going Bananas Over New Launch Of Anna Karenina Style

Stay tuned! Next Tuesday, October 30th, the Anna Karenina-inspired collection by Banana Republic will launch!

It's a very sophisticated, chic line, that is blending 19th Century style with a modern edge. Feeling a little Leo Tolstoy?

If you adore the mystery of  a cape, the ultra-glamour of big fur hats and collars ( don't worry all FAUX fur), and rich-looking black fabrics, then this collection will appeal to you.

The Banana Republic line will start at $29.50 for a piece of jewelry, to $325 for a coat, and higher.

Let's be honest here---this is a very feminine, elegant collection. Some of these pieces could go formal for a number of important events.

And of course, Banana Republic is inspired as well, with the Anna Karenina movie coming out on November 9th, starring Keira Knightley and Jude Law.

Banana Republic's creative director Simon Kneen, told this to  InStyle.com.

"It's really about taking key elements of that time period- sophisticated color, fabrics, and beautiful detailing- and translating that into an updated wardrobe."

Maybe you would like to add just a small piece of 19th Century Russia luxury to your wardobe,  like a pair of earrings or cape. You don't want to deck yourself out in total Anna Karenina. It would look too costume-y.

We really like this look. How about you?

Onsen: Micro Water Complex = Younger-Looking Skin

We love learning and writing about the incredible advances discovered in the science of skin care. And for a few weeks now, we have been very lucky to have experienced the world of Onsen.

Onsen is a skin care company whose effective products center around a simple water molecule. But in this case, not just any water molecule.

The entire Onsen concept sounds like something out of a science fiction movie, but it's just a fascinating reality in beauty technology.

The name Onsen takes us on a journey to the Japanese Hot Springs, known as Onsen. Every Onsen skin care product contains the origins of this 'active water'. These molecules are pure, strong, and tiny enough to penetrate through the cell walls, delivering beautiful, plumper, smoother skin.

Onsen anti aging cream rejuvenates the complexion like no other. The secret is in the powder/water technology. Other  skin care products contain mostly water, up to 75% and more. But Onsen  is formulated with 100% active solutions.

Onsen Daily Hydration ($129.95) is an excellent choice for bringing better elasticity to the skin and diminishing the look of fine lines/wrinkles. Feels gorgeous on the face and neck!

The Smoothing Eye Serum ($169.95) is another Onsen winner. Crow's feet melt away and stay hidden for hours. Lovely formula.

Probably the cadillac of the Onsen fleet of skin care is the popular Bio-Cell Lift, Instant Skin Firming Solution ($595.)  Yes, this is indeed a beauty investment, but a superb one.  Who needs La Mer when you've got this stuff?! It's got a wow factor---delivering the effects of a non-surgical facelift for a full 8 hrs! Tight, plump, radiant skin!

To learn more about the Onsen skin care line, visit Onsen. And BeautyTipToday readers get a 20% discount by entering this code, beauty 20, at the website check-out!