A few weeks ago I wrote about my Shoedazzle.com experience. To refresh your memory I went through the shoe profiling process and left off at waiting for the arrival of my pick.

In the end I decided to go with a nice pair of leather-like riding boots in a warm chestnut color. When I received them in the mail they came in a very nice box with a shoe bag and they were exactly as the site promised they would be! The quality is exactly the same as a pair of non leather boots that you find at Mango or Zara or any other great store.

Kimbal, the boots themselves are pretty well made. They are lined inside with a soft warm fabric, pretty perfect for the cooler season. I have really skinny ankles, but with a pair of thicker socks they look great and the two buckles at the top are a nice embellishment. There’s a decent rubber grip sole, not the best for snow, but I think it will be just fine for rainy days.

All in all I think the experience was a good one and I’d def recommend to my friends.

There are three different sets for each eye color. I went with the palette that had the most neutral colors, which for me meant one with a warm peach shade, a purple mauve and a warm neutral brown. Since I don’t normally wear mauve, I decided to follow the online application tips to get it right. And as it turns out, application is pretty easy and is the same for all of their trios.

Step 1: Apply the medium shade to the lower lid. For me, this was the purple mauve shade, which I didn’t love at first, but applied it all the same from the lashline stopping just under the crease.

Step 2: Apply the darker shade to the crease blending well. In my case, this was the warm brown shade, and I really liked how it looked, especially how the colors blended together so well.

Step 3: Apply the lightest shade from the crease to the brow bone to highlight. For me, this was a little backwards as I like to apply the lightest shade first, but it still worked and blended nicely.

Step 4 and 5: I finished it off with a swipe of black eyeliner right along the lashline and lots of black mascara.

So were my eyes smoldering, glowing-brown orbs popping out of my face? Sort of. My eyes did look really brown and pretty, but the overall look was a little too dark and heavy for me. It was more eyeshadow than I normally wear (and I tend to like a lot) and the look was, dare I say it, too old for me. On the plus side, the shadows are good quality and easy to use, so I think with a little modification to the application they could work really well for enhancing the eyes.

Holly W. “I follow twirlit on twitter..her5boys480″

Congrats Holly! And for the rest of you…stay tuned for our next Twirlit Giveaway Wednesday!

That is to say, she paid someone to adorn her crotch with Swarovski crystals. I reacted as any sane person would: horror. Then I promptly forwarded the clip to everyone I knew so we could all laugh about it.

Fast forward a month and I see this article by Bryce Gruber on The Luxury Spot, a website written by “fun-loving, posh New Yorkers with a penchant for better living.” My friend sends it to me in an IM with an “OMG” attached to it. As in, OMG this chick is crazy.

Gruber did the guinea pig thing and had herself vajazzled so she could write about it for the website. Not only that, but she HAD PICTURES TAKEN OF HERSELF WHILE IT WAS HAPPENING.

Now, to her credit, the pictures are really artfully done and cropped. This is my way of saying “you don’t see labia.” So kudos photographer. But still, this chick has balls. Or not. I mean, you can see from the photos of her lying on the vajazzling table that the one thing she doesn’t have is balls. But you get my point.

After getting over my shock at Gruber’s moxie — you wouldn’t catch me holding my pants open for a camera, but she looks so good and normal doing it! — I had another unexpected emotion: that shit looks good.

I mean, you think it’s going to be the sort of thing insane people with too much money and time on their hands think they should do. But then you see it and it’s really cute.

I think it’s clear I have lived in Los Angeles too long when I think that bedazzling your vajayjay seems totally reasonable and cute, but it does. Like, maybe not something I would do all the time, but possibly a fun Valentine’s Day surprise maybe?

Am I crazy? I don’t think so. I mean, I’m sure it’s going to be a fad, it’s a little too extravagant and silly to last longer than the macarena, but still. I’m going to step out and say it here: I think vajazzling is going to catch on. It’s kind of too cute not to.

Take a look. What do you think?

Photo via Source

Don’t Start Shaving Right Away: The hair on your body has a courser texture than the hair on your head. So, you should give the hair you want to remove a few minutes to soften in the warm water. This helps prevent irritation and itchy skin and make shaving much more comfortable (especially in the bikini area).

Exfoliate First: Shaving by itself provides some exfoliation, but if it has been more than a few days or weeks since shaving, removing any dead skin will help your razor get as close as possible. The best way to achieve a light exfoliation that won’t cause irritation is by using something soft, like a washcloth or a soft pouf, to gently slough the surface of the skin. Be sure you don’t scrub too hard though, because that can lead to irritation. Just a light pass over the skin to be shaved will do.

Change Your Razor Often: I know razors are bloody expensive, but changing your razor often will prevent all sorts of unpleasant shaving side effects. As your razor gets older, the metal on the blade not only starts to dull but can develop microscopic pitting (instead of a smooth edge it becomes slightly jagged) which can cause nicks, cuts and ingrown hairs. If you are prone to these, it is even more important to change your blades frequently. As you shave, you cause friction between your skin and the blade. Multiply that by the blade itself being heated by hot water and you get the idea of what a hot, dull blade will do your skin. Not good.

Don’t Use Soap: I know your soap or body wash is usually the most handy thing to shave with, but your skin will hate you for it and punish you by itching relentlessly. Shaving creams work well but I have found that the best thing to use as a lubricant for shaving is your hair conditioner. Think about it, your hair conditioner is designed to soften your hair after shampooing and it works the same for the hair on your legs. The only drawback is that conditioner can clog your razor up faster, but a few swishes in some warm water washes the residue away quickly.

Avoiding Ingrown Hairs: If you are prone to ingrown hairs, the best thing to do is to shave with the grain of your hair than against it. This does not give as close a shave as you can get going against the growth pattern, but the pain of ingrown hairs is worse. I like this method for the bikini area and underarms which are the body parts most prone to ingrown hair. Another way to prevent ingrown hairs that is a little more time consuming is a little tip that I learned from a barber: Use warm water for everything involved in shaving except wetting and rinsing the blade. Use cold or lukewarm water instead. The idea is that you cut down on the amount of heat that is actually touching your skin since the blade will create friction and will heat up on its own as you shave.

I only wash my hair every four days (it just takes way too long to style to wash it any more often than that), so I was really excited by the time it came to washing. I’ve been having a major problem with breakage lately and figured a little extra moisture wouldn’t hurt. So, after shampooing my hair, I left the conditioner on for 15 minutes before rinsing. I was a little heavy handed and probably used too much, but I could feel a difference even as I was rinsing it out. My hair gets really tangled when it gets wet, but this conditioner left my hair snarl free and easy to comb out. The brush glided through my hair like a hot knife through butter.

My blowdryer went even smoother than expected. It was faster than normal, made my hair as shiny and bouncy as ever, and my frizz was almost eliminated. Any curly-haired girl will tell you that the biggest problem we have is frizz, and I am a little surprised at just how much this conditioner helped. It even stood up to the rain which I couldn’t believe. I’m in love with this conditioner and will be getting the shampoo to try as well. I can’t wait as using both of them together could be the miracle this mixed chick had been waiting for.

I love Oscar night! I love watching the awards themselves, but let’s face it, I really just want to see how good everyone looks, and this year Hollywood didn’t disappoint in the glamour category. I’m writing this post while watching the show live and, so far, I’ve seen a ton of hits and very few misses when it comes to the hair and makeup of Hollywood’s leading ladies. True, with everyone playing it very safe with makeup and hair there weren’t a lot of risks taken, but that’s okay with me. After all, it’s the Oscar’s, I’ll take classic glamour over risks on Oscar night.

I’m so glad that the looks from last month’s fashion week seemed to have been completely ignored by Hollywood, including this years “it” lady Zoe Saldana, who looked absolutely stunning in a bright-peach blush that complimented her skin beautifully. To get this look, try Stila Convertible Color Blush in Gladiola.

Sarah Jessica Parker wins the Best Use of Glitter Award with her light sparkle applied just above the lash line that was really only visible from above or when she closed her eyes. To steal this look, try Urban Decay Heavy Metal Glitter Eyeliner in Silver.

Amanda Seyfried’s simple, swept-back up do was a great look for her but what I really liked the most was her lip color. She looks great in red, but her soft-peach lip worked wonderfully with her pale skin and eyes. To steal this look, line your lips with a neutral lip pencil like M.A.C Spice and top with a sheer lip color like Laura Mercier Tender Lips.

All in all ladies, you all looked fabulous. Some other honorable mentions for great hair and makeup are Carrie Mulligan, looking adorable and fresh faced with her pixie hair and scissor dress, Molly Ringwald (so nice to see her) and her brilliantly-red hair, and Sandra Bullock who, well, looked as good as she always does, especially with her sleek ’40s-inspired hair do that was fabulously glam, even if it had fallen by the time she got her award.

But that’s not the point here, for once. Jessica Simpson has been working on a VH1 TV reality show called The Price of Beauty, in which she travels the world looking at what different cultures perceive is feminine beauty. She visits countries like Thailand, France, Mumbai, Uganda, Morocco, Japan and Brazil in pursuit of these many contradictory, complicated and sometimes downright-harmful beliefs.

When Jessica Simpson appeared on Oprah recently, she brought a clip of the show with her, that reduced her to tears afterward. In the clip, Simpson and her friends talk to a former French model, Isabelle Caro, who suffers from a serious case of anorexia nervosa that put her in a coma three years ago. Caro fearlessly posed nude on anti-anorexia billboards, which were disturbing enough to be banned in Italy (click to see campaign, but it is NSFW).

Simpson was clearly affected by re-watching the interview:

“It makes me very emotional because just the pressure that women feel to be thin or to be beautiful, the pressure that the media puts on women, is so unfair and so disgusting. And if I can do something to make it better for people that’s the reason I did this show.”

This will sound mean, but I was surprised to see Simpson so articulate and I’m interested in seeing more of this show, and I’m one to normally loathe reality television.

She can’t be as ditzy as Bridget Marquardt, can she? Nah.

Will you tune in on March 15? (Or at least DVR it?) One episode even features Jessica Simpson in geisha makeup. Then I will have seen everything.

Photo via VH1

If you went from long hair to short hair then focus on your skin, as short hair brings a lot more of the focus to your face and your complexion. Moisturize, exfoliate routinely, and use a nice, creamy foundation with concealer to cover blemishes and dark circles.

If you added face-framing layers avoid using too much blush as your cheekbones will naturally seem more prominent. Instead add balance by playing up your eyes and glossing up lips.

If you now have bangs then the fringe will make your eyes more noticeable. Play them up by sweeping lids with a light, neutral shade (like bone) and lining both tops and bottoms with a dark liner. Then finish up with two coats of mascara.

(Photo courtesy of binababy12 on stock.xchng)

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS CLOSED
Yes, ladies and gents. It’s Wednesday. Humpday. And if you’re a regular reader of our fab site, you probably know that this is also the day that we like to give away free stuff — every week! Beauty products, cosmetics, the latest fashions, and even granola bars.

So this week, we’ll being giving away a $50 Sephora giftcard, the leading beauty and cosmetics retail chain in Europe and the United States. And you know, they’re in just about every single shopping center that you visit. So whether you’re in need of Murad moisturizer or just some Nars blush, we know that an extra $50 will come in handy.

Here are a few ways to enter:

The more times you enter, the more chances you have to win! Just remember to leave a comment for each contest entry you complete. (Ex. “I tweeted this” and then add the link of your tweet.)

Note: Please use a valid email address. Contest open to North American and Canadian residents only.

The winner will be chosen randomly. Giveaway ends Wednesday, March 10, 2010. The winner will be reached by email, and announced on the blog on that same day.

The packaging of this product is great as it comes in a small mirrored compact with a silicone tipped applicator that is shaped like an eye shadow brush. The silicone helps ensure that you will get an even smooth application every time and is a little more hygienic than using your fingers. Lip Tech is a delicate balance between a lip gloss and a lipstick.  It has a little more color than most glosses, but I wouldn’t call it a lipstick either because its not nearly as drying as a lipstick. I tried it with using both my fingers and the applicator and while I didn’t think it would help, the applicator does make it easier with a lot less mess.

The look of Lip Tech is also different as it is definitely not as shiny as a regular gloss and worn without lip liner, is a super natural look on the lips that is still extremely soft. For a more intense look, apply a nude liner to your entire lip before the gloss as this will also give the gloss some more lasting power. Smashbox may be onto something with this semi-matte gloss but please, if you are going to use a darker lip liner, make sure you blend them together well or you could end up with only a dark outline after a few hours.

“PureOrganic Technology is a blend of organic oils, ripe-harvested from renewable plants at the peak of their freshness, cold pressed and refrigerated immediately to ensure maximum purity. Sprayed into the hair while still damp, Protective Moisture ‘infuses each individual strand of hair with vitamins, nutrients and protein for strength and vitality.’”

A quick scan of the ingredients verifies that this spray is loaded with essential oils—rosemary oil, nettle oil and thyme oil being the most abundant. Vitapro is certified organic, is cruelty-free and contains no animal by-products. I’m usually very skeptical of organic products, but since VitaPro is also designed to protect your hair from heat styling, I was anxious to try it earlier this week.

I used this product two different ways. First, I sprayed it liberally into my clean, damp hair and made sure to distribute it evenly.The spray itself is very lightweight and my hair absorbed it instantly. I enjoyed the light natural scent, but I think I used way too much that first time. I tend to be a little heavy handed with hair products and felt like when I was done drying I could still feel the product in it. It wasn’t that my hair felt bad, but I decided to try again and washed again the next day. This time I succeeded and got the right amount sprayed in. My blowdry wasn’t any faster, but my hair felt clean and soft and there seemed to be a reduction in the amount of broken hair around the sink when I was done.

The second way I used this spray was my fave. The next morning, I sprayed a light mist over my dry bedhead hair and gave it a blast with the hairdryer. Then I used my flatiron to polish it off, and Vitapro worked beautifully. It gave my roots some much needed volume and tamed the flyaway, broken baby hairs around my hairline. The light scent also eliminated any odor and left my hair smelling nice and clean. I definitely like it better as a dry hair styling product rather than as a leave-in. But I will continue to spray some on my breakage and ends that so desperately need cutting to see the effects of long term use on some seriously damaged hair.

Red Nose. Dab Vaseline on the red and raw areas, followed by dabs of a thick creamy stick foundation. Use a clean finger and dab until the redness is gone.

Dry, Peeling Lips. Minimize flakes and peels by gently rubbing your lips with a warm, damp washcloth. Moisturize with a layer of Vaseline and add or even out color with a berry-colored lip stain.

Dry, Uneven Skin. Use a tinted moisturizer instead of heavy foundation or powder. It moisturizes, adds warm color, and disguises minor blotches and discolorations without accentuating dry areas.

Pale Cheeks. Give a rosy, dewy glow with a sweep of cream blush. Avoid powder blushes as they can make dry skin appear even drier.

Watery, Puffy Eyes. Open up your eyes and help disguise puffy lids by curling lashes with a lash curler and applying plenty of clear mascara. Avoid liner, eyeshadow and colored mascara or risk it running down your face and giving you raccoon eyes by midday.

(Photo courtesy of juliaf on stock.xchng)

As a result, I’ve been getting a lot of questions about what kind of beauty products are safe to use when you are expecting. I’m sure most of you know that when you are pregnant you must be careful, especially in the first trimester about not only what you eat, but what you use on your body as well. So if you are one of the pregnant masses–Congratulations! I hope everything goes well for you and your baby throughout your pregnancy. Just please remember that your comfort still matters and there is nothing wrong with a little pregnancy pampering.

For Stretch Marks.
Mustela Stretch Marks Double Action is a very rich cream that can be used on any of the areas of the body that may be prone to stretch marks–breasts, hips, abdomen and your upper thighs. It is safe to use during your entire pregnancy and should be used daily for maximum prevention. I know there are a lot of stretch mark prevention methods out there, but if you are sensitive to smells as my BFF is, you will appreciate this cream’s light almost undetectable scent. Some other good product to try from Mustela are Instant Comfort Legs and Specific Support Bust.

For Treating Acne.
When you are pregnant Retinoids (Accutane), Salicylic Acid and Beta Hydroxy Acids are all big no-nos, which is heartbreaking since so many women suffer from acne while pregnant. Belli Pregnancy Acne Clearing Facial Wash was developed by an OBG-YN and his wife, and as such, it uses Lactic Acid for fighting acne and is designed specifically for pregnancy-induced acne. Also, Glycolic Acid is safe to use as long as the product does not include BHAs

For Preventing Melasma.
Oh boy. There are many, many things that I hope will not happen to me when I decide to breed–I know my hope is futile–and this is one of the top five out of five million. Melasma, or pregnancy mask, is a darkening of the skin on the face. If you are suffering from melasma, rest assured that in most cases it goes away on its own after you deliver, but the best way to prevent melasma is to wear sunscreen every day and stay out of the sun. Your skin is much more sensitive to damage during this time, so stay out of the sun! Once again Belli Pregnancy Anti-Chloasma SPF 25 is designed for pregnancy, but really any Titanium Dioxide based sunscreen is safe and highly recommended.

Let’s Talk Hair Removal.
I know that as your pregnancy progresses being able to shave is only going to get harder, and if you are not a fan of waxing, rest assured that depilatory creams are perfectly safe as long as you are not allergic to it. Do a patch test on the back of your knee to make sure you don’t have a reaction.

Anna Sui, one of my favorite designers, went for an almost pale goth look with her models sporting alabaster skin, sharp cheekbones, brown smokey almost sunken eyes and (groan) brown lipsticks with darker brown lip liner. Really? Are we going down the path of Sharpie lip-liner again? It was awful in the ’90s and it’s still awful now. (I should know, I have many a picture of myself with red lipstick and black lip liner. What was I thinking?)

Christian Siraino must have used Frida Kahlo as his muse this season as his models all sported big, bushy overdrawn eyebrows, brick red lips and even (gasp!) a hint of mustache. While I know that the actual look of his models is extreme, I feel that he is heading in the right direction by celebrating full natural brows and my favorite part of being a girl: Red, red lipstick.

By far the most use of color in a make up was not from one major designer, but from The Heart Truth’s Red Dress Collection. This line promoting heart disease awareness is modeled by celebs not supermodels and Joan Collins rocked the runway with her classic big hair and Dynasty make up. Felicity Huffman looks stunning and fresh faced too, and I even appreciated Kim Kardashian’s turn on the runway because at least she wasn’t wearing brown lipstick like every other model in New York.

All in all, I have to say that I am kind of disappointed in the make up looks this year. In my opinion, nobody took any risks, with Siraino’s look being the most creative. With vampires, zombies and all things supernatural as popular as they are, designers are trying to emulate that, but I have a feeling that the emaciated pale/brown look with un-rouged cheekbones that could cut glass only works on Robert Pattinson and supermodels. That’s kind of what this years fashion week looked like to me, a VERY well-dressed zombie fashion show.

Want softer hair? The secret isn’t in nasty mayonnaise treatments or beer rinses, but in a product you already use in the shower every day: conditioner. Yes, that same conditioner that’s sitting half-empty in its usual place on your shower shelf could be the missing link you’ve been looking for in your quest for softer and more lustrous locks.

Prevention says the trick is all in when you use conditioner, the key being to use it as close to the end of your shower as possible. Rinsing it out for more than 60 seconds washes all the hydrating benefits right down the drain, leaving your hair stripped of moisture and potentially drier than ever. The solution: apply conditioner near the end of your shower, let it soak in for a few minutes, and then rinse it out right before you turn the water off and get out. For an extra shine boost give it a blast of cool (cold if you can stand it) water right at the end to seal the cuticles on the hair shafts.

Other things you can do to ensure your hair is as healthy and as soft as possible are eat a healthy diet, avoid brushing hair when it’s wet, limit how often you use damaging heat styling products, and have your hair trimmed regularly (every 4-6 weeks) to keep split-ends at bay.

(Photo courtesy of bewinca on stock.xchng)

First let’s start with a little make up counter etiquette. If you want to get a full makeover, it’s best to call ahead and set an appointment. Letting the counter know that you are coming in allows them time to make sure you get the best service possible. The last thing you want is to be in the middle of your makeover and your artist has to keep leaving you to help other customers.

If you are having a full makeover, be prepared to purchase at least a few items. Yes, technically makeovers are free but counter artists do work on commission so if you are not planning on purchasing anything that day be honest about it upfront.  Take the recommendation sheet with a smile and a cash tip is always appreciated if you like the makeover. I have never met a counter artist who didn’t appreciate a tip especially if they knew their customer wasn’t purchasing anything that day.

Make sure you arrive at the counter with a clean, moisturized face. If you are only looking for foundation, tell the artist what your skin type is and what kind of coverage you are looking for and she should be able to give you a few options to start with. The right foundation shade should blend into the skin instantly and be undetectable along your jawline and neck.

The FACE is the the best and only place you should test foundations. The inside of your arm or the back of your hand is NOT the same color as your face. Once you and your artist have settled on a shade, have the artist apply the foundation to half of your face.  Leave the other half bare and walk outside or into direct sunlight with a hand mirror. Examine your face carefully. Is there a noticeable line down the middle of your face? Is it too dark or too light against your neck? If you see anything at all that you don’t like go back and try again. Repeat until you find one that matches your skin exactly.

Once you have found one that matches you, have her apply it to your entire face and wear it for the rest of the day to make sure it doesn’t change color. If you purchase a foundation that day, do not open it just yet and follow these steps.

1. Get a sample of the foundation you are wearing as well as the two shades that are closest to it, one a shade lighter, the other one a shade darker. if you are trying a cream foundation, they should also be able to provide you with samples. Powder foundations are a little trickier but I have seen it done before too. You should leave the counter with three samples but no more, more than three and it just gets confusing.

2. Try the three samples over the next few days and examine them in all of the different lighting you are in throughout the day. If you can’t tell the difference ask your co-workers, they see you everyday and can spot something different faster than your boyfriend.

3. If you like the foundation, liked your artist and haven’t purchased it yet it is always nice to call and let her know that you will be coming in to buy it. Even if she isn’t going to be there that day I guarantee, that if you call ahead she will have it ready and waiting for you (usually with some sort of gift!) and she will get credit for the sale. If you find that after your purchase one of the other shades are better and you have to return it don’t worry, if you followed these tips she will take care of you for life and will not rest until you are happy.

If you decide to pick one out yourself, shop at a store that does not provide samples, or want to go with a drugstore foundation the same three shade testing rules apply.  It will just be a little more expensive as you will have to actually purchase 3 different shades. Most drugstores provide testers nowadays, but just make sure that you are buying the right shade, the testers are always in the wrong place. Also, make sure you are clear about the stores return policy for opened products if they won’t take it back go somewhere else.

If you are going solo, the main thing that you want to consider when choosing a shade is to consider you skin’s undertone. A nifty little trick I’ve heard about on how to determine your undertone is to look at the inside of your wrist. Can you see your veins? If they look more green than blue you are probably in the warm or yellow undertone category. If your veins look blue you are probably in the cool or pink undertone category. Choose your shades accordingly and remember when you are trying on the foundations, use a Q-Tip to get the product out of the bottle and never double dip. A clean bottle is a more returnable bottle.

You may remember our “Fall Skincare Tips with Dr. Murad” video interview where the ever knowledgeable Dr. Murad, the world-renowned dermatologist, pharmacist and Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine at UCLA, and CEO of Murad Skincare Inc, informed us of ways we can combat skin aging and why you should EAT your water.  Well, we were lucky enough to sit down with both Dr. Murad and Joan Lunden, the infamous media personality, former Good Morning America anchor, host of Lifetime’s “Health Corner,” and DIRECTV’s “Hometown Heroes,” creator of Camp Reveille, a women’s wellness retreat, and the face of Murad’s Resurgence skincare line, about Murad’s Inclusive Health Philosophy and how to create the best you ever!

When Aysha and I walked into the pristine offices of Murad’s Inclusive Spa and Health center, complete with friendly, knowledgeable employees, pastel-hued paintings from Dr. Murad himself, and huge displays of all of their most popular skincare products, I immediately felt at peace.  We live in a stressful world filled with work issues, relationships, and the daily grind, so when you get the opportunity to take a few hours away from it all, its definitely a blessing.

As we toured the spa center, Dr. Murad was youthfully effervescent in showing us the various spa facilities including personalized consultations for facials, hair and body, and even nail care.  I asked him what his goal was in creating this spa health center, especially when he’s already achieved so much worldwide success with the Murad skincare line.  Smiling, Dr. Murad turned to me and simply answered,
“We talked about passion before and my passion isn’t only to have a large company, but to make a difference in the lives of everyone I touch. I want to make a difference and when people leave here (the Murad Inclusive Health Center), I want them to feel as though they were helped to become the best version of themselves because when you look better, you feel better. Finding ways to include the overall health of everybody, that’s what I want to do.

Love it.  So, Dr. Murad, tell us more about the Cellular water principle, which you’ve stated as the foundation of the Murad philosophy.
Regardless of what happens to you when you age, you lose water. With every decade of life, the water content in your cells decreases. Pollution, sun, sickness, dehydration, stress, all these things age you. Regardless of what causes disease or illness, the final common pathway is water loss. The Water Principle is a revolutionary approach to attracting water into cells and keeping it there. For example, if you look at a cancer cell under a microscope, you’ll see that it has less water than a healthy cell.  So, what is the answer? You must try to hydrate every cell in your body. And how is this done? Through nutrition, raw fruits and vegetables, minimizing free radicals, topical skincare, and reducing stress.

Well, what about the 8 glasses of water a day theory that we see in fitness magazines?  Is it a complete myth?
Eat your water through raw fruits and vegetables.  It’s much more effective.  If you’re drinking all that water, it’s going to go right through you. If you drink too much water, it can actually be harmful to you.  Why? Because you actually delete too many electrolytes and you become less healthy. Get yourselves as healthy as possible by eating raw fruits and vegetables, not by drinking massive amounts of water.

Thank you for clearing that up.  So, for someone who has never heard of Dr. Murad’s Inclusive Health Philosophy, what exactly is it?
The Inclusive Health Philosophy looks at the whole person and addresses that person’s entire health needs instead of only the specific problem. We focus on making the whole body healthy and looking at the whole person, which includes their nutrition, external skincare, stress reduction, etc…

And how do you keep yourself looking so youthful?
On any given day, I really try to eat based on the “pitcher of life,” food pyramid, raw fruits and vegetables, vitamins, topical skincare. If there’s one thing I try to do everyday, its ignoring the pettiness and I like to look at the positive rather than the negative. It works for me.

The best anti-aging regimen? And what is the best way to take care of your skin in harsh climate like the Southern California sun? Smile.  Very simple, but if you just put on a smile everyday, you will look beautiful.   As for sun skincare, know that only 20% of skin is the epidermis. 80% is the Dermis, which is improved by what you eat, raw fruits and veggies, antioxidants, and also topical sunscreen.   Apply sunscreens every 3 hours to your skin, but even then, if you put a vitamin C on your skin like those from our Essential-C brand, and then the sunscreen, you’ll get everything you need.

We wanted to spend more time with him, but Dr. Murad had to pick up his granddaughter. (Priorities!) Next up, Twirlit sat down with Joan Lunden, the current face of Murad’s Resurgence line that focuses on restoring firmness, hydration, and reducing wrinkles. We also asked her about how she stays looking so great, why she’s so invested in health knowledge, and advice to today’s working woman.

Joan, so great to meet with you and thanks for being with us. So, considering that you’re the current face of the Resurgence line, let’s start with skincare talk. With all your on-camera experience including a grueling work schedule, 3 AM call times, traveling to exotic locales, how did you manage take care of your skin?
Well, I grew up in California, would vacation in Hawaii and definitely spent a lot of time in the sun. It was also back in a time when there weren’t people telling us not to get sun damage. Instead, we would use baby oil, olive oil, whatever would make you get tanner. (laughs) Then I burned. Now, I’m educated so I know about skincare and that most of the skin damage is done before the age of 18.  So with that and 20 years of stage makeup on GMA. I will say one thing, I was diligent my entire life about taking off my makeup every night and moisturizing before bed. The most damaging thing for me was lack of sleep. Lack of sleep and the stress with a demanding job like being a GMA anchor, and being a mom, those factors were probably more damaging to my skin than just applying heavy stage makeup everyday.

When did you start focusing on overall health?
I made up my mind that I had to start investing in my health while doing an interview with a rep from the American Heart Association. The rep was listing all these factors of heart disease, aging, etc… and I was doing all the “Don’t do this” factors. I thought, “I don’t want to be standing on the sidelines 40 years from now? I want to be in the race.” So I changed my life, learned how to cook healthy, got a personal trainer, and put playfulness back into my life. I rediscovered my joy.  Very much of being healthy is attitude and choice.  I have women say to me, “I can’t do that.” WRONG. You can decide to change your life tomorrow and you’ve got to put yourself back to your to-do list.

Women will find a hundred ways not to take time for themselves. I think women age faster, suffer from chronic stress, disease and obesity because we usually put ourselves last. When I give speeches, I remind women that we have it in our power to change that. You have to put yourself into the mix.

You look amazing and glowy in your 50’s. You have 7 kids. 2 sets of twins, 3 in their 20’s? What is your secret?
Thank you. The secret, in general, I agree with Dr. Murad about smilng more, finding joy, staying engaged in life, and having a positive attitude. In terms of skin health, its not just topical solutions but its internal health. Things like what you’re eating, taking the right supplements, etc… have a huge impact on skin health. That’s how you address your cell health and people don’t realize that it goes a lot deeper. I will tell you this, something I noticed is that once I started using Murad 3 years ago, I’ve gotten so many compliments on my skin.

I get sent a ton of products, but I did some research on Dr. Murad and found out that he was a pioneer for skin health, is a pharmacist, dermatologist, and trusted that this guy knew what he was talking about. I decided to try it and then I saw results. After using the products for 2 years, I hear compliments everywhere I go. People say to me, “You have the most unbelievable skin. You have great skin.”  Whenever you sign on to do something, you want to 100% believe it, so I’m happy that this worked out. Plus, we all love compliments.

So true. You obviously use the aspects of Inclusive health. Tell us the specifics of how you incorporate those aspects into your own life.
We all want to look the best we can look. I’m not trying to look 20 again, but I want to look the best I can be right now. We all need to take i8ownership of our health.  We’re now told we’re living til 90 or older, so you might as well look great!

Agreed. And we’re going through a rough time right now in this country with the state of the workplace, the dismal Economy, changing work environment etc… What words of wisdom can you give to young women out there who are still trying to find their passion, the right job, or maybe even considering a different field?
A couple of things.  Opportunities are seldom labeled and you have to go find them.  People have a tendency to say, “Oh I couldn’t do that?” Well, who says you can’t do that?  Maybe you can, but you have to be open for opportunities. I have a motto which is “Just say yes, and then figure out how to do it.” Always say yes. You can’t sit around and wait for new things to come around.  When I first started, I knew that the news industry was looking for more women on TV and I called up a local news director and went in and interviewed him. I asked him, “What does this industry have to offer a bright, young woman like me?”  I made that happen. They weren’t going to come to discover me. I went it and made it happen.

I always say that if you want to get into any game, you have to put yourself on the playing field.  Take an internship for less money, get out on the playing field because you learn the nuances and channels of getting into it and who you need to talk to.  And then you have to persevere. I’ve interviewed many many people, people who’ve founded huge multi-billion dollar companies… the guy who founded Starbucks, Fed-Ex. They will all tell you that other people told them no. They almost had to have an unrealistic, suspended belief that they could achieve this end thing in order to hang in and stay in the game.  The guy who started Fed-Ex said he asked 97 banks to do his idea. They all said, no, but the 98th bank said yes! You just have to find out what your passion is.

So true.

Special thanks to Dr. Murad, Joan Lunden, and Paul Williams.

(Photos Via: Aysha Manori)

Despite what you may think, Crystal Renn, whose beautiful, womanly curves and dark features are enough to make any man melt and women seethe with jealously, was not always the picture of femininity she is today. Renn was discovered as a teen by a talent scout at her etiquette class, and told that she could have a very successful modeling career, but only if she shed some weight from her 5′9″ 165 pound frame. Crystal starved and exercised herself down to 95 pounds in just a few month and at 16 years old, moved to New York to sign with a big agency who was thrilled with her “progress.”

Renn does not name the agency or the agent who praised her weight loss and continued to send her on more castings despite the fact she was getting no work due to her lack of personality and vacant look. Renn herself looks at old pictures and notes how horrible they are. Which makes sense, it’s hard to convey strength and beauty when you are constantly sick and hate yourself inside and out.

Despite losing her hair, suffering from heart palpitations and doing irreparable hip damage from over-exercising, Renn continued to live off of lettuce and Diet Snapple, the only foods she was comfortable consuming. Eventually, despite her manic efforts, her body rebelled and she began to gain weight. A normal part of growing up for most, these extra pounds meant failure and panic for Renn. As her weight crept up to 130 pounds her agency let her know that she would either need to lose weight, or move on.

Renn was not ready to give up her ambitions of editorial modeling work–which emphasizes rail thin bodies, as opposed to catalog or commercial work which is a bit more accepting of larger bodies–but it was obvious that no matter how hard she tried to force it into submission, her body was not meant to be a size zero. She was tired and sick, but still wanted to model. Renn asked about plus-size work, and the agency put her in touch with Ford Models, her agency today.

Renn was the pioneer, and quite frankly, is still alone as a successful editorial plus-size model. She has had successful work with Dolce & Gabana, Vogue, Jean Paul Gaultier, Lane Bryant and, probably her most famous ad, the Breast Cancer Research Association, in which she appeared wrapped in a red, silk sheet, back bared.

Renn’s book is not about eating whatever you want despite what other people think. It’s about eating healthy and intuitively and letting your body settle at its happy weight. She explains that some models are rail thin naturally, and you can tell them by their lack of protruding bones and veins because they are not malnourished, but that designers and agents don’t care either way as long as they sell. Renn, on the other hand, claims that the only reason her modeling career took off was because as she gained weight, she gained self respect and a love for herself, which she can now convey through the lens.

While sometimes it reads like a thank you letter to every single photographer and designer she has ever worked with, Renn’s book is an insightful, sometimes shocking look at the pressure of the modeling industry and the triumph of overcoming it with wild success. No matter your size or aspirations, Renn’s story is an inspiration for anyone who had ever been told that they’d never be able to do it.

Photo via Amazon.

Driving. The sun’s rays can find you in the strangest places, and one of them is in the car while you’re driving. It’s not unusual for skin experts to see more wrinkles, brown spots, and other skin damage on the left side of people’s faces and bodies than on the right — a likely result of time spent in the car. Solution: wear SPF 30 sunscreen on your face every day, move your visor to block your left side, and wear driving gloves.

Sipping from a sports bottle. Think about it, sucking from a sports bottle causes the same mouth position as smoking a cigarette does, and if you’re being good about getting in your eight “glasses” a day, that’s a lot of puckering up over the course of every day. Avoid unwanted vertical lip lines with a wide-mouth sports bottle or travel mug instead.

Eating too much sugar. Sun, smoking, and sugar? Yep. Sugar bonds with proteins in your body and works to damage the collagen fibers that keep your skin firm. Just say no to sagging by limiting your added sugar to 150 calories or less every day (that’s about 6-9 tsp).

(Photo courtesy of djj/stock.xchng)

PetHead is a line of designer grooming products and accessories for all of you who just can’t help spoiling the bejesus out of your pooch. PetHead has it all, shampoos, conditioners and grooming sprays with clever names like Life’s an Itch for pooches with sensitive skin and Dry Clean a waterless spray shampoo that smells nice and clean.

I have no idea how one conditions a dog’s coat without making a huge mess, but if you know how they do, try out Furtastic for curly maned pups or So Spoiled, a conditioning treatment (do dogs get breakage?) that can help with matting and knotting of the coat.

The PetHead line also includes a number of punk inspired accessories so your pup can unleash its inner rockstar. The pink studded “bracelet” is really cute, but I know my cat would hate it. Oh well. One day I will have a dog. Another designer hair care line that also offers pet care is Paul Mitchell with John Paul Pet.

Photo via Petco

Anyway, I’m getting off the subject and I’m proud to report that for the last three years he hasn’t failed to get me at least a little something. We both believe that you shouldn’t have to spend a lot on a fancy gift, so he always ends up choosing the same type of gift every year: makeup or beauty products. This year the Mister went a step further and simply asked me what I wanted and knowing our tight money situation, I looked around the Internet accordingly. Let me tell you there are some really cute beauty sets out there this year so if your man is as clueless on what to get you as mine (and a procrastinator) you may want to help him out with a few of these affordable last minute gift ideas.

Too Faced Fun in the Dark Light Up Mirror Make-up Palette $32.50

This limited-edition palette comes with 4 eye shadows, two different lip shades, a cheek color and bronzer all in light peach, pink and green shades that are perfect for spring. The attached mirror lights up and is great for easy portability and touch ups.

The Seduction Kit by Booty Parlor $38.oo

Okay, okay this isn’t really a beauty product and this gift is as much for him as it is for you but the lipgloss that is included with this kit is stunning, tastes like peppermint and gives you a nice plump without the burn unlike some other lip plumpers. The other goodies in the kit are an added bonus and I love the way they smell.

Benefit Celebutante Personal Stylist Make-up Kit $34.00

This little gem has two of Benefit’s bestsellers Benetint Lip and Cheek Stain and HighBeam Completion Enhancer included along with Dallas Face Powder, two lipsticks, two eye shadows and two brushes. An attached mirror allows it to be portable and the lipsticks are in individual tubes so if you like the shade you can just throw it in your purse.

I love the Twilight Zone. Whenever a marathon happens on Syfy, I tune in and watch straight through even if I’ve seen the episodes a dozen times or more. While working the other day, I sat through one of these treasured marathons, and got to see one of my favorite episodes: “Number 12 Looks Just Like You.” If you’re not familiar with the episode, it was the start of a philosophical questioning on plastic surgery, beauty and individuality.

The main character in the show was a young girl preparing for her right of passage in a futuristic world: plastic surgery to become beautiful like everyone else in society. With a handful of pre-chosen models to pick from, Marilyn struggles against society’s insistence that beauty is predefined. She tells the psychiatrist her mother takes her to see that it is impossible to gauge beauty if there is nothing unseemly to compare it to. Its almost as if writer, John Tomerlin, had a crystal ball peering straight into today’s society.

Plastic surgery is all the rage. From simple procedures like botox and acid peels to all-out appearance alteration like nose jobs, breast implants and face lifts, we can pretty much walk into a plastic surgeon’s office with an envelope full of cash and a photograph of Pam Anderson and come out looking exactly like her.

Not that I would want to look like Pamela Anderson, but I know a lot of women who would kill to look like that. The funny thing is, I saw pictures of Pam Anderson in Playboy a long time ago. Pictures from before she had all that plastic surgery, and she was a beautiful girl. I had to ask myself, “Did her mother ever tell her that?” Even if she did, thanks to the media, we as mothers have very little influence over how our daughters define beauty, and that makes me sad.

I don’t know if I ever mentioned it in my column here, but my daughter is interested in modeling. At 5′7″ and still growing, she’s got a metabolism I envy and a great smile. She photographs well, but has a unique look and style all her own that she would never compromise to sell a piece of clothing. That makes me happier than you could possible imagine, because with popular role models like Heidi Montag confusing girls by telling them “true beauty is within,” then spending hours under the knife to improve her personal image, it’s no wonder girls are confused.

I didn’t believe my mom when I was a teenager, and she told me that inner-beauty was what really mattered. With less-than-straight teeth and Amazonian bones that made it impossible for me to ever fit into anything smaller than a size 10, I never felt beautiful. I envied those girls who could pull off a bikini, their jutting hip bones nearly popping through their skin as they paraded around the pool. Even though I didn’t believe my mom about that whole inner-beauty thing, I knew I had to exercise my inner-assets to get attention. I developed my humor, put my pen to paper and let the beauty inside of me come out.

Maybe I didn’t get asked to the prom by the captain of the football team, or taken to the movies by the most popular guy in school, but those guys were so superficial, and I knew that. Sure, I daydreamed about how nice it would be popular and society-standard beautiful, who didn’t. I also knew that in order to be a part of that crowd, I’d have to become someone I was not. I’d have to compromise my ideals and my personality, two things I was not willing to sacrifice for a hot seat at the head lunch table.

I tell my daughter every day how beautiful she is, how talented and unique she is because I want her to be an individual. I don’t want her to walk into the factory when she turns nineteen to choose a standard model of beauty to adhere to. There’s a part of me that hopes the women of my generation feel the same way, and teach their daughters about individuality, inner-beauty and how to exercise the gifts that they was born with to make their mark on the world. Then there’s hope this current obsession with becoming someone we aren’t dies out, and a world filled with individuals will be born anew.

At 31, I am officially 30 pounds heavier than I was ten years ago.  I am sure every woman fantasizes about weighing what they weighed when they were 21.  I don’t want that to be a fantasy.  I want it to be my reality.

But first, let me tell you how I got to be where I am today.  Upon high-school graduation, I was a healthy, 135-pound, 5′6″, teenage girl.  I had a great boyfriend whom I would eventually marry and eventually divorce.  I ate Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Sundaes to my heart’s content and ordered extra cheese on my pizza that was to be dipped in ranch dressing.  Oh, life was delicious.

I went to college, lived in my dorm, and met a beautiful friend.  She was gorgeous and she was thin.  She ran every day, counted all her calories, and got a lot of attention from her hot bod.  She weighed 115 pounds and was 5′6, just like me.  I vowed to be as thin as she was.  So I counted calories, ran every day, wrote down everything I ate, and got down to 117 pounds.  I thought I’d be thrilled, but I was miserable.  My boyfriend would ask me to eat more, telling me I was getting too thin, but I wouldn’t listen.  I ended up in therapy for an eating disorder. I gained about five pounds by the time I was 21 and had a healthier relationship with food.

Each year that went by, I slowly put on a few more pounds.  Then I was diagnosed with mitral-valve prolapse and I started fainting like it was the cool thing to do.  My doctor told me I needed more salt and more fat in my diet.  It was my free pass back in to the world of french fries and cheeseburgers and the coveted sundaes and pizza of my teen years.

I continued to eat on the weight for the same reason most women do.  I was comfortable, in a stable relationship, and I was focused on my career and finishing my Master’s Degree.  I had no time to think about diet and exercise.  As I continued to eat on the weight, I also went through the toughest time of my life.  At age 26, I was getting divorced.

I spent the next few years losing and gaining the same ten pounds.  I’d get serious about losing the weight that made me feel uncomfortable then put it back on.

But now, at 31, I feel like I am finally in the right frame of mind to do something healthy that I’ve been putting off.  The difference this time?  I’m doing it for me. I’m not losing weight to look better for a date. I’m not losing weight so my significant other will love me more.

My plan is to eat healthy, whole foods and exercise.  No gimmicks. No meal plans.  My only tools are a whole foods cook book, a food diary, and my 24 Hour Fitness Membership.

I’m documenting my journey to give people an honest glimpse of the difficulties and hard work it takes to lose weight.  Please share your stories, tips, and advice.

Here’s to a successful first week.

(Dieting Diary will be updated each Friday).

So many women have a problem finding the right shade of foundation and with so many choices out there, I’m not surprised. I’ve decided to break down the basics of foundation and how to find the right formula/shade for you. It is looking like this will be a 2 part post, so for the first one, I’m going to focus on the different formulas and how they work.

First, I would recommend figuring out your skin type.  One way to tell (keep in mind I’m not a dermatologist) is with this little experiment: Wash your face and wait at least an hour before applying moisturizer.

When the hour is up examine your face. Is it oily and shiny all over? You are probably an oily skin.
Shiny only in the T-Zone and dry on the cheeks? You are a combination skin.
No shine at all and you face is screaming for moisture? You have dry skin.

So when it comes to picking out a formula, keep your skin type in mind.
If you have Oily Skin: look for a foundation that is oil-free or that has oil-controlling properties.
If you have Dry Skin: look for a foundation that is hydrating or moisturizing.
If you have Combination Skin: I would determine whether you are more oily or dry and and go from there. Note: Oil-free is not always the best choice for combination skin.

Liquid, Cream, Powder or Mineral…

Liquid Foundations: Liquid foundations are the most abundant and tend to have the most color choices. They come in a variety of different formulas for All Skin types and the amount of coverage you desire.  Liquid foundations can be layered so you can apply a thin layer for sheer to medium coverage or “build it up” for maximum coverage. They can be applied with a sponge, brush or your (clean) fingers and most liquids should be set after with a light dusting of powder. Keep in mind that a lot of today’s liquids are meant to let your skin breathe and show through so if you have a lot of discoloration liquids may not give you the coverage you are looking for.

Cream and Cream to Powder Foundations: Most cream foundations offer medium to heavy coverage and usually work best on Normal/ Combination Skin.  A cream foundation is usually applied with a brush or sponge and if it doesn’t dry to a powder, it will also need a light dusting of setting powder. Cream to Powder foundations are applied the same way, but don’t need a setting powder as they set with a powder finish. Oily Skins may have problems with cream foundations staying in place and will have to touch up frequently. Dry Skins can benefit from creams but beware as they travel into fine lines easier than liquid and can look streaky on the skin if it is not properly moisturized.

Powder Foundations: I know I will have a lot of people disagreeing with me on this but I feel that powder foundations only really work on Normal, poreless, perfect skin. That’s not to say that they are bad in any way, powder foundations are easy, quick and are usually portable so touching up is a breeze. If you want maximum coverage, powder is the way to go as it will cover up everything and that is one of my problems with it. Powder foundations are applied with a brush or a sponge and cover the skin so completely you must rely on the rest of your make up to bring the color back into your face. Powder foundations are a big no-no for Dry Skin, it will only make you look drier and Oily Skins will lift it right off of their face with one touch (StudioFix users, ‘fess up you know this happens).

Mineral Foundations: Mineral foundations are all the rage right now and when if comes to deciding on if it’s time to switch the only thing I can tell you is that you have to try it on. Mineral foundations, loose powder that is buffed on with a brush offer various coverage options and can give excellent coverage with only a small amount of product. Mineral foundations are safe for All Skin Types and are offering more and more color choices as they get more popular. Here is what I’ve found with mineral foundations: they either work for you or they don’t and you will be able to tell right away. I worked in a store that had 3 different mineral foundations and it was the same for all of them either it looks fantastic right off the bat OR it looks dry and your pores look bigger than ever no matter what your skin type is.

Hope that this helps answer any questions you may have about the different types of foundations out there. My next post will be about choosing the right shade and make up counter etiquette so if you have any questions for me, please leave them in the comments.

Photo via Squidoo