How To Do The Perfect Red Lip

Sometimes it hard to get all the details I give on products on our SheKnows shows, and often we have to edit loads of cool info out in order to keep the segments within the time frame allocated.

So I'm going to blog a new category "As Seen On SheKnowsTV" so that its easy to find.

The first of these is from our How To Do The Perfect Red Lip show.

We talked about the 3 P's: Prep it, Prime it and then Paint it!

Because a red lip is so incredibly vibrant and noticeable, the condition of your lips is even more important than ever!

Start prepping the lip by exfoliating away any dead skin or flaky patches.
I'm loving the organic Lip Tea Scrubs from h.wood.beauty (www.hwoodbeauty.com)

(For those of you not in the thriving Hollywood night scene, H.Wood  Tea Room is a super chic hangout for the likes of Katy Perry, Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan, famous for its Wednesday night "Prohibition Teas")

Follow the scrub with the h.wood.beauty lip balm. This keeps the lip hydrated and nourished, while you are applying the rest of your makeup.

When everything else is done and you're starting your lips its time to lift away any remaining lip balm, and apply a lip primer.

My favorite is Lip Putty from Face Atelier (www.faceatelier.com). Its super sheer, but fills in the lines in the lip, making the lipstick go on extra smooth. It also stops lipstick from feathering, and gives it something extra to hold onto, so your perfect red lip lasts much longer!

Next its time to Paint the lip. Start with your lip liner. First line the lip, then turn the liner on its side and fill the lip in. This helps to create a deep and lasting stain.

Finally use a really good lipbrush - I recommend the Corinna B lip brush (www.CorinnaB.com), to apply the lipstick. A lip brush will give you both precision and longevity as it presses the product into the lip.

Blot once, reapply, and you have the perfect red lip!

Eric The Vampire, All The Way From Australia

While I was in Australia this summer,

I was avidly reading their fabulous magazines,

especially Grazia (www.grazia.com.au),

where I found this fun piece on our favorite vampire:

10 Things We Love About 

Alexander Skarsgard

Pictures pilfered from the internet

1. Series 3 of True Blood reveals more about Eric

"its all about vengence. You find out early on that 1000 

years ago Eric lost someone - now he's getting the 

opportunity to avenge that death". 

 

2. He loves getting naked.

"I'm from Sweden... its different there. If it makes sense,

I'll do it - and its made sense everytime I'm naked on 

the show." Note to producers: More please!

3. A child star in Sweden he stopped acting

because he hated fame, but then decided while in the marines

to try it again. "In the marines it was mentally and physically

very tough - I hated it."

4

4. He makes vampires look like the good guys.

"Alex is gorgeous. The camera loves him," says True Blood producer Alan Ball. "He's a sweetheart - he brings the role to life."

Damn Straight! 

5. When Lady Gaga asked him

to be in her Paparazzi music video he had no idea 

who she was and had never heard her music

6

6. Although his dad is actor Stellan

Skarsgard of Mama Mia fame, the family were poor when he was a child.For years his favorite toy was a drum kit he made out of tea caddies.

(personally, I can't quite picture a drum kit made out of tea caddies...)

7. He's won the Sexiest Man

in Sweden accolade 

Five Times!! 

OK we can't think of too many other famous, sexy

Swedes, but still he most definitely gets our vote!

( and I concur...)

8

8. His next projects will be

Battleship ( a big screen version of the board game), Melancholia co-starring Kirsten Dunst and dad Stellan

and Straw Dogs opposite girlfriend Kate Bosworth 

9. He's a romantic.

He says it will 'rain in hell" before he is unfaithful

(really??) notices a girls eyes before he notices

anything else, and claims he inherited his charm from

his grandmother.

1

10. He has simple pleasures.

"My favorite things are fishing and lying in front of the fire, drinking red wine"

If only we could do that with you Alexander!

    

 

I Just Love A Multi-tasker!!

So here's an exciting new product for you!

I'm actually taping a TV show about it today,

but I'm giving you the sneak preview...

Meet Sun Shadz.

Sun Shadz is the first sun protection blend

the is patented specifically for the scalp.

While we generally remember to put SPF on our face and body,

not too many of us remember to take care of our scalp.

Consequently not only can we get sunburnt scalp,

but we can also get melanoma in the scalp.

And that one typically goes undetected.

Sun Shadz is a fabulous little multitasker,doing 3 jobs in 1.

It comes in 8 shades to be used for blending roots in between color treatments.

It works as a dry shampoo, absorbing oils, creating texture, adding volume and boosting color.(and we all know how much I love dry shampoos!)

image pilfered from fashionphoenix.com

And then there's the biggie - SPF 15 protection from harmful UVA and UVB rays.

Sun Shadz is made of ultra lightweight minerals, is easy to use, irritant free and Dermatologist tested.

You get buy Sun Shadz online at www.beautyatskindeep.com

How Long Does Makeup Last??

 I just did a segment on Fox  Arizona's Breakfast Show

all about how long makeup products last.

If you google the shelf life of makeup you'll find all kinds of hysteria

that will make you want to throw everything you own in the trash

and buy all new products.

I think that's a load of hooey.

Here's the lowdown, according to me.

* Cosmetic products are loaded with preservatives and last a long long time.

Even organic products contain preservatives and frequently have as much as 50% synthetic preservative in them.(Synthetics last much longer than natural preservatives)

Even if a product has the USDA Organic seal on it, it only has to be 95% organic, so you may still get synthetic chemicals in the mix.

* When reading the ingredients in makeup, the preservatives, most commonly the paraben family,

will appear as, amongst other names, long chemical names that begin with propyl, ethyl, methyl, butyl,etc etc

and frequently end with zoic or zoic acid. Without them your products will have the shelf life of a glass of milk on a kitchen counter.

* The shelf life of your products is largely determined by you, and how you take care of them.

1. Keep them out of direct sunlight

2. Keep them away from heat       

Ideally store them in a drawer or cabinet.

3. Maintain really good hygiene standards. 

Keep products clean

Don't put fingers into the

Put lids and caps back on them

Sharpen pencils regularly

Clean your makeup brushes regularly

Replace makeup sponges frequently.

* You can generally tell when a product has gone bad.

1. The texture changes. You may see separation in the product, or you may just notice it looks funny.

2. The color changes. Obvious in a lipstick or foundation, but in more transparent products you may see a milkiness or cloudiness or you may see a white lotion has turned a yellow shade. If the color has changed, throw the product out.

3.The smell changes. If the smell has changed at all its a good idea to throw the product out. Preservatives keep products from smelling funny, so if the smell is off then it may mean the preservative has lost its strength.

 * Mascaras tend to need replacing most frequently.

If your mascara is drying out or flaking, its time to replace it. Generally they're good for around 12 weeks.

Try to buy fewer products and go for good quality, rather than having masses of the cheap stuff.
Cheap products contain the cheaper ingredients (such as the cheaper synthetic preservatives) and in higher concentration. These ingredients are more likely to cause Dermatitis, allergies and irritation.

Fast Track To Fabulous Hair

Long, lush tresses are back with a vengeance

and hair is looking glossier and smoother than ever.

But don't be fretting about hours spent with a flat iron

and buckets of goopy serum.

This time around its a sleek and sexy one step process,

courtesy of those wild and wonderful Brazilians.

Yep! Its the Brazilian Blowout.

And don't be confused - this particular Brazilian

although it does indeed involve hair,

happens upstairs, not downstairs.

The Brazilian Blowout is a gorgeous long term treatment 

that puts keratin into the hair shaft and seals it there,

defrizzing, smoothing and leaving you with silky, super shiny hair.

You can wear your hair straight, or you can have your curls smoother and more defined.

photo credit Alexander Tamargo/Getty images

Jennifer Lopez in Harpers Bazaar

 

It also cuts down the time you spend styling your hair, 

and the amount of product you have to use

in order to get controllable and luscious looking locks.

No wonder celebrities swear by it!

The Brazilian Blowout is ideal to help you through the summer months

when swimming and humidity can turn a hairdo into an unmanageable ball of frizz.

Whatever the climate you're in, your hair will look sensational and be very easy to maintain

The treatment lasts approximately four months,

and it works wonders with color treated hair too.

 Check out what Nicole Richie has to say about the Brazilian here

I actually had mine done this summer 

by celebrity hairstylist (Alyssa Milano, Girls Next Door)

Heather Strange, who is now 

at Carolynes Salon in Scottsdale.

(323) 443-5572

Heather uses a formaldehyde free formulation that contains collagen, 

which adds elasticity back into the hair.

Frankly, I have no intention of ever going without it again.

Low maintenance, frizz free hair is a life changer!

(if you are in Arizona and want a Brazilian Blowout, tell Heather you found her on this blog and you'll get a 20% discount!)

Bare essentials of safety from Air New Zealand

Making sure we have a grip on all the safety stuff. Kinda.

Manu Magnificent!

As I'm always traveling somewhere,

I'm always in the mood 

and in the market 

for new travel bags.

 

So I was super excited to find this amazing weekender bag

from Manu.

Stylish, chic, modern lines,

perfect for a three day getaway.

Ideal to tote on board your flight

to somewhere gorgeous and fun.

 

And available in an array of fabulous colors too.

You just can't go wrong.

The cleverly designed straps

go over your shoulder

for comfort and divine function,

but the don't drag on the ground

when you hold them in your hand.

 

And they come in a red velvet pouch.

Its the little details that get me everytime.

Check them out at www.ManuManu.com

A sturdy, functional travel bag. Two straps are long enough to slip over the shoulder, but won't touch the ground when hand held. Full width pouches on either end for newspapers and additional travel items. Extra heavy duty zipper is secured on each end with Porsche snaps. Rounded metal feet. Interior is fully lined with waterproof nylon and contains a 12" wide by 6" deep zippered pouch.

(22 1/4"w x 13 1/2"h x 12"d)

Design: Emanuela Frattini

Customize your color for a 20% upcharge