GET GLAM

10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4…Ahh yes, we all know what that countdown means: champagne, sequined dresses, sparkly makeup, and fabulous hair!

Whether you’re heading out to a fabulous party or staying in with your main squeeze, I know how très importante it is to look our best on New Year’s Eve. This is how you can take your NYE beauty to the next level. Check out these Hollywood insider tips:

 NYE is all about highlighting the eyes and bringing the sparkle!

Lash out: Accentuate and open up your eyes with Ardell Elegant Eyes Sophisticated Glitter Lashes. The glitter is subtle and the lashes are super full, creating a gorgeous dramatic effect!
Let them sparkle: Apply a gray, black, or brown eye shadow on your lid and then on your bottom lash line. Make it pop with MAC’s Violet Pigment. It’s a fresh, vibrant color that brings out the playfulness of any eye!

Shine straight into the new year! Highlight your beautiful face with Stila Kitten Eye Shadow! Although it’s labeled as an eye shadow, it is so much more! Use a loose brush and apply it to your cheekbones to create a glowy, sexy look! It’s a great buy since you can use it on many areas of your face.

Now that you’re covered in the makeup department, you can’t skimp on your locks. I can provide you easy tips for creating new year’s quality right in your own home.

Go simple chic. Show off your gorgeous makeup by pulling your hair off your face with a classic bun! First, pull your hair into a ponytail. Next, tease the ponytail with a small comb to add volume. Hold the ends of your hair straight out and twist. After it’s loosely twisted, wrap it around the base of the pony and secure with a few bobby pins.

Take it down. One of my favorite looks for a special night like New Year’s Eve is soft waves. First, apply a great volume mousse to damp hair. Brenda loves the Enjoy Volumizing Mousse. If your hair is fairly straight, just do a quick blow dry and run a round brush through it when it’s almost completely dry. 

If your hair is naturally curly, smooth it with a round brush first and continue to use it throughout the blow-dry process. After your hair is dry, take small sections and use a 1-inch curling iron and curl away from your face. Remember to use a little hairspray before and after curling so your curls don’t fall out before midnight!

Finally, finish with Glossing Mist from Pureology. I use it and I love it!

Spray it a few times on your hair before you brush out the curls. This will create a soft, pretty curl that is perfect for New Year’s Eve.

I hope you have found these easy, at-home tips helpful! Here’s to a happy, healthy and glamorous new year!

xx, Beautyqueen

This Magic Moment Secrets for the perfect New Year’s Eve midnight kiss

10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5…

New Year’s Eve is right around the corner and I couldn’t be more excited. And while I love all the lights, the glitter, the bubbly, and the sparkly dresses, what I am really waiting for is that perfect midnight kiss.

You know the kind…think the upside down Spidey smooch, the right side up Titanic kiss, and maybe best of all, the rain-soaked Notebook lip lock.

Of course nothing can ruin the moment more than cracked, dry, totally un-kissable lips. And bad breath will mean the kiss of death, rather than the kiss of a lifetime! (Unless of course we’re talking about the Ghost kiss or the Twilight kiss — I’m not sure ghosts or vamps care about that stuff.)

Luckily, kissing is my middle name. OK that’s a lie, and it actually sounds kinda slutty, but I do have a pretty decent amount of kissing experience with my adorable hubs, Bill. So to make the midnight moment perfect, check out my tips for the perfect kiss.

Exfoliate: Rub your lips with a washcloth every time you take a shower or bath. You’ll get rid of rough, dead cells, leaving you with a perfect pout!

Moisturize: Use lip balm in the morning and at night under your regular lip gloss or lipstick. I am ub-sessed with Nivea’s A Kiss of Milk and Honey. I always keep one in my handbag, one in my makeup drawer at home, and one in my shower (just kidding…kinda).

Brush: Make sure to brush your entire mouth, including a good tongue scrub, followed by a rinse with a potent minty mouthwash.

Avoid: On the big night, forgo the garlic and onions at dinner. Yes, they are both delish, but you’re getting your mouth ready for the big kiss.

Chew: Grab a piece of gum 20 minutes before midnight and get chewing. I love Orbit White Gum. It’s so yummy and fresh.

Lose the gooey gloss: Guys hate overly gooey gloss that gets everywhere and can ruin the moment. Instead, opt for a bright red or pink lipstick. Sure, some guys claim they don’t like it, but on New Year’s Eve a little smeared red lipstick on your guy is sure to make him feel like a stud!

Go slow: There’s nothing worse than a messy, rushed kiss. So go slow and enjoy the moment!

Happy New Year!

xx, Beautyqueen

There’s an App for That

Must-download programs for fun and fitness

Dear Beautyqueen,
I just got the new iPhone! What apps do I need to get?
Ilyssa

Dear Ilyssa,

Lucky you! I am obsessed with my iPhone. With its sleek lines, sexy design, and ability to do countless time-saving tasks, I may have just found a replacement for my boyfriend (just kidding of course, it’s more like a backup than a replacement).

Anyway, these days there’s an app for pretty much everything. The problem is that most of us don’t have time to sort through the hundreds of thousands of apps that are currently just waiting for your download.

Although I wouldn’t necessarily consider myself a technology expert, I do use a bunch of fab, must-download apps. Some can help you save time, some can help you get in shape, and some will just let you have a little fun. Check out a few of my faves:

Pose: Fierce fashionistas will love this chic, free app that allows you to snap pics of your fave pieces that you find during your latest shopping spree and then share them with your friends to receive instant feedback! The app can also give you great inspiration by following fashion-forward influencers like Theory, Levi’s, and stylist Tod Hallman (who works with Drew Barrymore, Jessica Biel, and Eva Mendes to name a few).

P90X: Now you can take your fave calorie-burning, muscle-toning, butt-kicking workout everywhere you go. The app offers two free guided workouts and 12 other ones that you can buy. Combined with fab fitness tracking, P90X is a must-have.

Matchbook: Keep your fave places in the palm of your hand with this super helpful bookmarking app. Remember fab places or mark down spots you’re just dying to visit. Need to plan a date or maybe a holiday party? Search through tags to get the best spots in your town!

The Eatery: This one is super cool. You take a pic of your food and then rate it “fat” to “fit” on an 11-star scale. Helping you focus on what you are eating rather than just how much, the app will then send you weekly summaries based on your eating habits and help you make healthier choices.

Viddy: Edit and share short videos with ease! Viddy helps you take 15-second videos, quickly edit them, add special effects, and share with your friends on all your fave social media sites.

GasBuddy: Sitting in city traffic means sometimes you can run out of gas unexpectedly. It helps to know you can always find the closest gas station and compare prices!


OpenTable: With this app you’ll never have to slip the host $20 to get a table again! Just pick your dining date, time, and party size and get a confirmed reservation at one of 15,000 Open Table enabled restaurants. If your restaurant of choice is full, it will even show other nearby options!

HeyTell: Do you ever wish it was still socially acceptable to radio your friends on a walkie-talkie? Well now it is! Leave your friend a HeyTell instant voice message that they can play back on their phone and respond to.

Hipstamatic Photography: Become a professional photographer with amateur experience. This app lets you add different effects, colors, and exposures for fab results.


Nike Training: With workouts from your fave celebs and athletes, Nike Training helps you get toned, lean, strong, or focused in no time at all!

BarCode Scanner: Can’t find a price? Want to read a review on two similar DVD players? Then this is the app for you. Scan any bar code in a store and find out prices and reviews!

A Flashlight: How smart is this little app that turns your phone into an emergency flashlight? Don’t be in the dark ever again.

xx, Beautyqueen

THINK YOURSELF THIN

Think Yourself Thin
Practice these meditation techniques for a better body


Close your eyes. Imagine yourself in a skinny pair of jeans, saying “no” to chocolate cake, and going on a 3-mile run.

Do that for five to 20 minutes twice a day and you’re one step closer to the body of your dreams.

Sound too good to be true? Clinical hypnotherapist Lisa Jackson, author of the book Adore Yourself Slim, says it’s absolutely true — hypnosis helped her find the motivation to lose 49 pounds.

“Practicing self-hypnosis first thing every morning is a powerful way to stay focused on your weight-loss goals,” she says.

So, close your eyes. Inhale through your nose for a count of four. Pause briefly. Exhale through your nose for a count of eight. Do this for two minutes, then try one of Lisa’s top three tips:
Celebrate yourself by taking a daily Praise Pill. Recall your good qualities. Admire the parts of your body that you like. This helps to put you in a positive, can-do mindset.
Mentally rehearse your healthy choices for the day in great detail — from eating oatmeal for breakfast to going for an evening power walk.
Imagine how amazing you’ll look, act, and feel when you’re at your goal weight. It creates a mental blueprint for your body to follow.
If other thoughts pop into your head during this process, don’t worry. Lisa says: “Acknowledge them. Then gently bring your mind back to the task at hand.”

For more of Lisa’s self-hypnosis tips, visit her website, adoreyourselfslim.com.

xx, Beautyqueen

HOLIDAY HAIR 2011

                 The Holiday Hair Bun

Two weeks left til the Holidays, and you know what that means…. Endless holiday parties, High heels, red lips, champagne, and that dress you’ve been waiting to wear . Plus that cute hair style would really complete the look.  Playing around with different hair styles adds so much more fun to this festive month. I think the bun has always been popular all through out the year and would be perfect for this holiday! Try different variations of it and dress it up with  more curls or add a clip.

The Ballerina Bun: A clean, classy look. To do this, brush up your hair and tie it where you want your bun to lay. With the excess hair, gather all together and roll into a bun. Bobby pin to secure

I Recommend: Paul Mitchell Sculpting Foam to comb through your hair. Bumble and Bumble Shine Spray to finish

Mila Kunis The Undone Bun: To get the look, Create beachy curls by wrapping hair in a figure 8 around your iron while holding it vertically. Do a low, loose bun and push out some pieces in the front.

I Recommend: Bumble and Bumble thickening spray to set the hair while wet, and blowdry. Finish with Bumble and Bumble Does It All

Hayden Panettier The Textured Bun: Apply Curl foam while wet, use a diffuser to bring out natural curl. Loosely gather hair above nape and tie. Take loose curls and randomly pin around the tie.

I Recommend: Bumble and Bumble Curl Conscious Holding Foam while wet. Finish with Bumble and Bumble Spray de mode

XX, Beautyqueen