Bellamy Young's Favorite First Lady Lip Color: Scandal, Of Course!

If you watch the hugely popular ABC hit series on Thursday evenings,  at 10PM, then you know television's star Bellamy Young. She, of course, plays Scandal's First Lady, Mellie Grant.

The 43-year-old brunette shares one of her beauty tips with Us Weekly magazine. And it all comes down to owning a great lip gloss.

Belamy's choice:

NARS Scandal lip gloss at NARScosmetics.com ($25).

What's so incredible about the shade, Scandal?

It's simple:

"I was drawn to NARS' Scandal lip gloss. It's the most wearable color ever. Kismet!"

We like the color, Scandal, on the pretty Scandal star.

She wears it well!

Dark Undereye Circles: Even Glamorous Celebrities Have Them

Even if your complexion is flawless, you STILL need to add a bit of concealer UNDER the eyes to balance out skin tone. That's what famous makeup artist Sandy Linter has told us .

We've written several beauty posts about dark circles, bags and hiding these very common imperfections with concealer. Hey, glamorous celebrities battle dark under eye circles, too.

No, it isn't easy choosing the perfect under eye makeup to soften the bad parts, but the general makeup rule applies:

"Pick an under eye concealer that is one shade LIGHTER than your natural skin tone."

And blend, blend, blend!

Here are 3 famous women who have gone makeup-free, and showed the world their dark circles:



Model Adriana Lima

Actress Eva Mendes

 

Reality Star Kim Kardashian

We prefer liquid concealer and wrote about this recently in a Nov. 10th BeautyTipToday article.

Angelina Jolie Hits Red Carpet With Super Smooth Face And One Bulging Vein

A lot of Angelina Jolie fans are not only concerned about the beautiful star's extremely thin appearance, but about a so-called bulging vein crossing the middle of her wrinkle-free forehead.

R-E-L-A-X, everyone!

The Oscar winner was being celebrated with the prestigious Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the 2013 Governors Awards in Hollywood last Friday.

And although looking very skinny, the gorgeous movie star was dressed to the nines in a flowing back lacy gown with a small train.

Angelina showed off her stunning features with a simple, chic chignon hairstyle and sexy, cat-eye makeup. Her face was super smooth and without a fine line or crease to be seen anywhere.

But there was one tiny, er...imperfection-----a noticeable bulging vein crossing the middle of her forehead.

So------what is that?

Don't worry. It's probably from the Botox injections.

No, we CANNOT prove that the actress is getting Botox cosmetic injections, but a bulging vein on the forehead, along with very smooth skin and a shiny forehead are usually dead give-aways.

Check out the actress' memorable speech here.

Khloe K. Odom Shows Off Bottled Blonde Locks Like Sister Kim

We're on the fence about this brand new beauty look for the youngest K-sister Khloe Kardashian Odom.

Khloe has gone and pulled a trick out of the Kim K hat----being blonde.

Maybe it's her very bold red lip that is just too extreme.

What do you think?

We know that Khloe has the lightest locks of ALL the siblings, and that she would dye her hair dark to try and match the raven manes of Kim + Kourtney. So, that would mean, that Khloe would look the most natural with lighter hair, but this blonde shade isn't doing it for us.

We don't adore Kim's shade of blonde, either.

When you go blonde, it all comes down to skin tone. And we don't think that either stylist has nailed an attractive look for the matching K-sisters.

Having said that, Khloe who's been busy traveling the globe to promote the sisters' Kardashian clothing line, looked gorgeous recently in a black lace jumpsuit while out in London.

To copy Khloe's beauty style, take a peek at her makeup artist's website---TroyJensen.

Want Smaller Pores? Then Try This Facial Cleanser For Less Than $8!

We had recently run out of facial cleanser. It wasn't a fancy brand, but we were looking for the next cleanser to really improve our complexion. That's when we found Neutrogena Pore Refining Daily Cleanser for LESS than $8.00!

And we're NEVER looking back. This stuff rocks!

This fresh-smelling cleanser is a GREAT one. It's supposed to help your pores look "visibly smaller week after week." That's because this pore refining formula is made with alpha and beta hydroxyl ingredients. The smooth cleanser feels heavenly on your face + neck, as it knocks away dead skin cells, brightening up skin tone and giving you a mini peel EACH time you use it.

We promise you, this is an effective skin care product. Plus it wears the well-respected Neutrogena label. And it fights acne + break-outs.

Honestly, for $7.49, we didn't think a cheap drugstore product could perform like this, but we were wrong. We have spent much more for facial cleansers in the past, that promised to do this or that, and did very little.

So, we are proud to name the brand, and this time....it's Neutrogena. Try this. Your complexion will GLOW.

Khloe + Kourtney Both Wow In Kardashian Kollection Lace Jumpsuit

Khloe, Kourtney + Kim.

Some folks are just plain tired of the K-sisters + everything Kardashian, but the reality star trio keep laughing all the way to the bank.

The sisters have recently launched television ads for their new items from the Kardashian Kollection for Sears. And last night, youngest sis Khloe went across the pond to debut the Kardashian Kollection for Lipsy in London.

Khloe slipped into one of the collection's sexiest pieces:

a black lace jumpsuit.

We LIKE this number Plus it looks gorgeous on tall + curvy Khloe to petite + tiny Kourtney.

Unfortunately, we CANNOT find the K-sisters' black lace jumpsuit at Sears at the moment. It retails for $160. It is featured at the Sears website in the promo cover page, but that's it.

We believe this glam piece is ONLY available through the Lipsy collaboration at this time.

Check out the Kardashian Kollection commercial for Sears here.

Can Castor Oil Really Help Your Brows And Lashes Grow Faster Naturally?

We ALWAYS talk about trying to grow thicker, fuller brows in a natural way.

Well, we have found yet another beauty tip for helping brows, plus lashes start sprouting like crazy. Okay....it will take weeks for the results to show up, but this popular + exotic YouTube sensation swears this stuff works!!

Her name is Farah Dhukai. We just happened to stumble on to her YouTube site a few months ago. And we are now a big fan of this Indian beauty expert.

She is quite striking with glossy, long, dark hair + eyes. She is often asked about her ethnic background. Farah explains it like this:

"I get asked this all the time haha ok technically, I’m Indian. My parents and their parents and so on were all born and raised in East Africa. My mom’s side is from Tanzania and my dads side is from Uganda. If you go back in time then we originate from Kutch, India. So, I like to say I’m East African Indian."

To get killer brows + lashes, you will only need 2 things:

1. a bottle of cold-pressed castor oil.
2. a lash/brow comb
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That's it....And, a bit of patience.

According to Farah, this is a beauty ritual to be done at nighttime before heading to sleep. She says that castor oil is an amazing, pure oil, full of  Vitamin E and other minerals that increase circulation to the hair follicles, stimulating healthy growth
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Take a look at Farah's YouTube demo here.

We're trying Farah's Indian beauty secret, too!

Keeping our fingers crossed for good luck!

Manicures 101: Lacquer VS. Polish--There Is A Difference

When writing about manicures + pedicures, we have often swapped the words 'lacquer' for 'polish.' But we have since learned, that "One of these two is not like the other."

Lacquer VS. Polish----There IS a difference. But does it matter which finish you choose for a great-looking mani?

Let's take a further look.

Nail professional Pattie Yankee gives these tips in the current issue of InStyle Beauty 2013:

Nail polish will always dry quicker. Polish is formulated with more solvents, the reason for the fast action.

Nail lacquer is an enamel. It contains more pigments. That allows for a smoother coverage, just at a slower rate.

So, we suppose it's really a matter of choice.

Try OPI Classic Nail Lacquer

here  ($9.00).

Or, try  Essie Nail Polish. This is also available at ULTA ($8.50).

Kim K Post-Baby Nose Job Seems Impossible Yet Nose Looks Different

Reality television's most famous face is that of Kim Kardashian's.

Let's be honest----She knows how to court the media and to shut them down when she sees fit. But lately, the cameras are all over the proud new mama with her recent, over-the-top engagement to rap star Kanye West.

Tongues have been wagging not only about Kim's post-baby weight loss, but also about her alleged new nose job, supposedly done AFTER she gave birth to baby daughter North on June 15th. The curious claim she dyed her hair blonde to take the attention away from her new nose refinement.

Well, we are certainly no expert, but her nose DOES appear shorter + more thinned out, with a subtle scoop to it. (see photo 3)

The most famous Kardashian has also been accused of undergoing a tummy tuck, major lipo, more butt injections, Botox + fillers all in the last few months while she was said to be in hiding. The first photo of the new mama appeared 2 months later on August 15th.

Could the Kardashian kutie have had a massive mommy makeover and recovered from all that in a matter of 4 months or so?

That seems impossible.

Anyway, here are a few photos BEFORE giving birth as a brunette and AFTER giving birth as a blonde.

Meantime.....Kim, Kourtney + Khloe are busy showing off their latest Kardashian Kollection at Sears. The collection has just officially landed on Instagram.com.

Black Or Camel, Pippa Wears The Cape For Autumn Quite Royally.....

When some of us think of the cape, we might say it's old-lady-ish, but after seeing the UK's Pippa Middleton donning one, well, the cape is looking very modern chic.
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Yes, Pippa wears a cape quite royally, so to speak.

Black or camel, military buttons or open style, the sister of Duchess Kate has nailed down her own fashion sense.

Would you slip a cape on for these crisp, windy autumn days?

You might want to think about trying one on.

Let's take a look at pretty Pippa:

We think the royal aunt to baby George looks gorgeous in her cape ensembles.

We used to think you had to be supermodel tall to pull off the elegance of a cape, but not so. Pippa is quite petite in stature and she's workin' it! The proportions are all right, in our opinion.

You can copy the Pippa cape effect without spending a royal bundle. The single-breasted black cape Pippa is wearing is by Leon Max and is on sale for 150 pounds, or  $240 US dollars

We found a pretty camel cape like Pippa's for a lot less on Ebay--Buy It Now for $35.99 + $10.00 shipping(Australia).

Most Effective Under Eye Concealer: Cream Stick Or Liquid Formula?

Let's face it.....Under eye concealer is an important step in most beauty routines.

No one likes dark shadows, sunken circles, or tired-looking peepers. So many of us reach for a bit of concealer to make the bad stuff disappear, and even up the skin tone.

For years, we applied concealer from a tube. You know the kind---the cream stick. It can look crease-y or crepey after a few hours of wear.

Then we stumbled onto a liquid formula, and we've never looked back.

A lot of professional makeup artists like Jake Bailey would agree:

"Liquid formulas absorb more easily under the eyes and cover circles without caking," he tells inStyle magazine.

Jake suggests choosing an under eye concealer consisting of an "opaque fluid with a peach base, which will help counteract the blue-gray tones."

Jake mentions MAKE UP FOR EVER HD Invisible Cover Concealer at $29 a tube at Sephora.

There 14 shades to choose from. Not sure which one has the peach base, but we have learned that it's always best to select an under eye concealer a bit lighter than your natural skin tone.

Whatever you do during your daily makeup routine, DON'T skip the concealer. We ALL need a little.

And don't forget to blend, blend, blend!

Why You Need A Lash Comb To Complete The Perfect Eye

Wising for big, wide, sexy eyes with luscious lashes?

Then remember to buy 3 simple beauty tools:

1. a decent eyelash curler
2. good, black mascara
3. and an effective eyelash comb.

Don't even try to skip the comb. It might sound silly + old-fashioned, BUT, the lash comb was invented for intelligent reasons:

To create long, thick, buildable lashes, and to remove the clumps of mascara that ALWAYS seem to ruin the perfect set of eyes.

We don't care how expensive your volumizing mascara might be. Even the most expensive stuff can clump and 'glue' your lashes together. That creates an unnatural look, and not what we're striving for.

A lash comb can make all the difference. The key point to remember here, are the type of teeth featured on your comb. The plastic comb with the plastic teeth break easier and are tougher to clean.

Instead, look for lash combs that have gold-plated or silver plated metal teeth. The metal teeth seem to give superior separation. Separated lashes look longer, fuller, more natural, and widen the eye. Just clean the lash comb with alcohol on a cotton ball or tissue after each use.

And a lash comb is simple to use:

First, curl your lashes with an eyelash curler.
Second, begin applying thin coats of mascara at a time.
Then, take your eyelash comb and start separating, or combing through your wet lashes.
Comb from the roots upward, immediately after applying each coat.

Say hello to---long, thick, more uniform lashes. No more clumps or 'spider-looking' lashes.

Try perfectlash ($15.95).

The beauty of this comb is in its curved design with rounded sides. This comb has gold-plated and silver-plated teeth. The layered teeth glide easily through your lashes, separating them perfectly.

Nicole Richie Walks The Dog In Classic Style

We've said it many times before. Nicole Richie has great style. And we have proof.

Take a peek below. There's the fashion/jewelry designer walking her adorable pooch yesterday in west Hollywood:

Nicole just goes to show that you CAN'T go wrong with a crisp white shirt. Add a pair of wicked flare jeans, a classic red collegiate blazer with contrast trim, and you're on your way!

We found a cute copy-cat preppy blazer in Vamp Red from GAP for $88.

We LOVE Nicole's effortless chic fashion sense!

Copy Alexa Chung's Glamorous Cat Eye In 3 Simple Steps!

TV host Alexa Chung is known as a fashion icon, but did you ever really look at her pretty eyes?

The British beauty loves wearing a black cat eye, and it's become her signature look:

“Liquid liner is my savior,” Alexa said. “Other people like other things to feel like they look normal, but for me, I’m pretty much naked without my eyeliner on. It’s my comfort blanket.” WWD

We feel the same way, Alexa. We don't go too many places without our liner on, too.

Alexa has debuted her own cosmetics collaboration with British brand Eyeko, and developed a super black felt tip-like liner that's so easy to apply.

A cat eye features a lined eye that ends in a pretty upward flick at the outer eye. It is a very flattering makeup trick when done properly.

Alexa explains it in 3 simple steps:
1. First I apply a makeup base like concealer on my eyelid and under my eye.
2. Next I sweep neutral shadow (slightly brown) as a wash over the lid.
3. Finally black liner. I'll do a flick from the outer corner of my eye upward, then I draw across the lid last.

Alexa Chung x Eyeko will be available Nov. 14 exclusively at eyeko.com and in Sephora stores come January. We think this is a great beauty investment.

Jennifer Aniston Sports Messy Bob As She Lops Off Brazilian Blow-Out Disaster

Jennifer Aniston + beautiful hair have ALWAYS belonged in the same sentence.

But today, we are not so sure. If we were placing a bet, we would assume this was a break-up haircut, where you just lose it after splitting and then 'wipe that man right out of your hair.'

However, the star is wearing her very sizable engagement ring in the recent photos, so we are obviously wrong about a Jen + Justin break-up.

According to the pretty actress, she had her famous locks chopped into a trendy long bob because of problems that developed following the popular Brazilian blow-out.

This is what Jennifer told Elle magazine:

'It wasn't for a role. My hair went through a phase - this thing called a Brazilian and my hair did not react really well to it. It's about two inches above my shoulders now.'

But then Jennifer said something different to Vogue.com:

'It was kind of spur-of-the-moment. I was flipping through the television channels and I paused it to take a picture and I sent it to Chris (McMillan - her hair stylist), and he said, "That’s [stylist] Lawren Howell from Vogue!" And then he said, "I just cut that!" So that’s it.'

Lots of women get Brazilian blow-outs through their stylists to fight frizz + force hair to stay STRAIGHT for 3 months. But the formaldehyde and other strong chemicals in this expensive hair cocktail can further damage the hair. It depends on how long the solution is left on and how healthy the client's hair is to begin with.

Maybe it's a lousy photo, but the actress' mane looks stringy + unflattering at the moment.
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But we do LOVE her sexy, sandal wedges!!

Hey, Willow Did It First: Now Mama Jada Gets Bizarre Undercut

We've talked a few times before about the undercut or the one-side shaved hairstyle that Hollywood refuses to let die.

And here's yet another take on the edgy, tough-gal look.

Mama Jada Pinkett Smith is rockin' a curious kind of severe undercut these days. Not many chicks could pull this off, but Jada, by golly, can wear it well.

Maybe Mama Jada took a beauty cue from daughter Willow, who sported her own undercut a few months ago.

Jada's sides are both shaved and highlighted in platinum.

The 42-year-old actress/singer showed off her unique look during the Make Equality Reality event at West Hollywood’s Montage Hotel last evening.

So, the question begs-----Is this too young a style for a woman in her 40s?


For what it's worth....Jada has amazing brows. Just perfect!

The undercut brings extra attention to the face, and her complexion + features look gorgeous.

What do you think?

Rene Zellweger's Brand New Look: Or Maybe It's Someone Else?

Actress Rene Zellweger has one of Hollywood's most recognizable faces with her adorable, squinty blue eyes + baby fat, freckled cheeks. But lots of people are buzzing about her new look:

The possible eyelift. Browlift?

We say possible because Rene isn't talking. But something IS different. We wouldn't even know that were she, if we hadn't read the photo's caption.
Now take a look at the movie star 2 years ago(below).
Rene's eyes appear wider + larger in 2013. We don't believe that a Botox needle could accomplish that. But could Rene have undergone an eyelift? Or even a browlift?

Both plastic surgeries can nicely open up the eye area.

The Bridget Jones star debuted her new look at a screening of the movie Long Shot: The Kevin Laue Story in L.A. over the weekend.

Check out Rene in the 2004 trailer of Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason here.

Use What Gwen Stefani Loves For Bleach Blonde-Tastic Hair!

How does SHE get away with it?

We're talking about superstar Gwen Stefani and her enviable, ooh-so-healthy, bleached blonde Hair!

Let's face it----maintaining a platinum do is NOT easy, especially when you keep on bathing your roots in peroxide EVERY 10 days!  That's heavy-duty:

Gwen is blonde-inspired by the original 50's bombshell Marilyn Monroe, and tells Harper's Bazaar that she keeps those pesky roots away, by using a beauty trick the movie goddess lived by:

 "Do you think Marilyn Monroe had to talk about this?" she asks, smiling. "Well, I heard she did hers with a Q-tip every 10 days, so I try to follow Marilyn's rule." I mention that she's never been photographed with dark roots, and she points to the houndstooth fedora she is wearing. "And you'll never see me with roots either."

So then...how does Gwen keep those delicate, easily-damaged blonde locks so super healthy?

Her stylist Danilo uses this stuff, and we found a bottle for just $6.27 at amazon.com!

Pantene Pro-V Ultimate 10 Bb Creme 5.1 Fl Oz.

It's a beauty balm for your hair. It SMOOTHs away the roughness and keeps frizz + strays at bay.

It's a protective styling aid, and by the looks of Mama Gwen's glorious platinum mane, it REALLY works.

Jane Fonda Is 75?! Has Beautiful Skin That Belies Her Age

Okay, we know that longtime actress Jane Fonda has had plastic surgery before. In fact, her most recent trip under the knife occurred about 3 years ago to touch up the eye area, jawline and neck.

And yeah, the Academy Award winner certainly has the funds to get the cosmetic enhancement done, but we think Jane Fonda HAS found the fountain of youth. She looks darn youthful at 75!

And her complexion is lovely! There's the grand dame in Hollywood last evening.

Sure, plastic surgery can LIFT + TIGHTEN, but the wrinkles will not disappear, as the actress explained in her blog,  back then:

...."I swore in 2000 I'd never have anything done again but this year I got tired of not looking like how I feel and I wanted a more refined chin line like I used to have so I changed my mind. I'm still a little swollen but not much and what pleases me is that I won't looked pulled or weird...or tired all the time. And my crows feet are still alive and well."

Adding...."I haven’t done so much that my wrinkles are gone. I don’t want my wrinkles gone. They’re the maps of my life."

So, how do you develop a nice, smooth complexion that can be maintained through one's later years?

By applying either Renova or Retin-A, the most important, prescription skin care cream that actually makes a difference. Both contain tretinoin, a Vitamin A derivative. This ingredient helps ignite cell turnover and softens facial lines + wrinkles over time.

Renova contains a more moisturizing base. Retin-A has a stronger base and can cause more side effects, like redness, peeling, etc.

You can learn more about these powerful topicals at drugs.com.

Pam Anderson + Look-A-Like Kristin Chenoweth Get Matching Pretty Pixie Cuts

Out with the old hair extensions...In with the new, pretty pixie cuts, Pam and Kristin!!

Alright, we don't have proof that either blonde beauty had extensions BUT----the odds are, that there was at least a little faux hair sitting on their heads to give the look-a-like stars a mane with length + volume.

We do know that 46-year-old Pam Anderson is set to run the New York City marathon this Sunday morning, November 3rd. That's right--- a grueling 26.2 miles. Good for Pam! Maybe that's why she lopped off her hair, so she doesn't have to worry about sweating in long, thick extensions?

Pam has always been a blonde bombshell, and even with a boyish, pixie cut, we think she's never looked more feminine and youthful.


Looks very Mia Farrow, circa 1965, the famous Vidal Sassoon cut(below).
Then we have 45-year-old Broadway star Kristin Chenoweth, who also just happened to lop off her hair, too, right AFTER Pam debuted her very cropped style.

We find that Kristin enjoys wearing a similar hairstyle to Pam's, so it's interesting that she followed suit. The two blonde women resemble each other somewhat.

We believe that it's Kristin trying to copy Pam's look. Kristin claims she lopped off her locks to get ready for a new movie role. Either way, she too looks fab in a pixie do. It's not an easy look to pull off.

To give your pixie cut some EXTRA va-va-va-voom, try a little KMS Hair Play Clay Crème ($14.40). This stuff creates a "strong roughed-up texture with a strong yet movable hold with a very matte finish."

Would you chop off your mane into a pretty pixie cut?