TAYLOR SWIFT'S BRAIDED UPDO IS OUR NEW FAVORITE THING

Updos and braids are a combination made in formal-hair heaven, but they usually only work one of a few ways: wound around in a chignon, pinned up in a milkmaid braid, or French braided back. 


At The Lorax premiere, though, Taylor Swift stunned the crowd with a messy, textured braid/low chignon combination that was unlike anything we'd ever seen before.


 In practice, it actually seems pretty easy to do: just combine a rope braid and an unstructured bun. See all the angles on the style and get some tips for re-creating it yourself.

10 Years of Botox: Hollywood’s Most Frozen Faces

BOTOX: WHEN STARS GO OVERBOARDIt’s hard to believe the age-reversing substance known as Botox has been erasing wrinkles and fine lines for more than a decade. But, like most things in life, there can be too much of a good thing. Many in Hollywood overuse the substance, making their faces appear unnaturally smooth, taut, and for lack of a better word, frozen.

In “honor” of the injectable’s 10th birthday, We can all look back at what is considered to be Hollywood’s 10 most frozen faces.

KIM KARDASHIANThe reality starlet is only 31 but she is already a fan of Botox, as you can tell by her taut forehead. Some stars start treatment early, hoping to prevent wrinkles, but risk robbing their face of natural emotions in the process!

Kardashian even got the injections in front of cameras on her hit TV show Keeping Up with the Kardashians.

.JENNY McCARTHY

COURTENEY COXCougar Town’s Courteney Cox may be playing an aging divorcée on TV, but her face tells a different story. The star, who said in an interview she thinks Botox is fantastic and also horrible. Her face is virtually wrinkle-free

While bombshell Jenny McCarthy credits Botox with helping her to maintain her youthful look, the blonde beauty has been known to overdo it in the past, the 39-year-old actress even told one magazine she uses it every two months. Most doctors recommend treatments every three to six months.

MARIE OSMONDAfter Marie Osmond debuted on Dancing With the Stars, people were buzzing about more than her dancing skills.

She emerged with a super-tight look [to her face], adding fuel to the plastic surgery rumors. For a short period, Osmond appeared to exhibit the classic evil-looking ‘Botox brow.' Luckily for her, it has settled down since then.

JOAN RIVERSThe self-proclaimed poster girl for plastic surgery, Joan Rivers recently admitted to a whopping 734 cosmetic procedures. We can assume this includes lots and lots of Botox. A woman her age should have many, many more wrinkles than she has.

The obvious question: How old is she? The so-called Queen of Barbed One-Liners will celebrate her 79th birthday on June 8, 2012.

DEMI MOOREDemi Moore seems to defy all laws of nature by aging so seamlessly. But while the 49-year-old star wants people to believe it’s all thanks to natural remedies and good genes, quite the contrary.

If you ask me, she should also give credit to Botox for smoothing her forehead lines, crow’s feet, and giving her brows their perfect shape.

LARA FLYNN BOYLEWhat is going on with Lara Flynn Boyle? One of her biggest problems is she has been over-Botoxed in a major way, causing her forehead to look completely frozen!

BARBRA STREISANDIt appears like Barbra Streisand has been using Botox injections to smooth the wrinkles from her forehead, but unfortunately it leaves her face looking a bit stiff! For Babs, less is definitely more.

TOM CRUISETom Cruise turns 50 this July 3, but the actor could pass for the same age as his younger wife Katie Holmes. How does he do it?

A good plastic surgeon and plenty of Botox keeps his forehead frozen in time! Is looking like you’re 30 at the age of 50 a Mission Impossible? Not for Tom Cruise!

NICOLE KIDMANWhen Botox use first became prevalent in Hollywood, the motto of many stars was deny, deny deny. And Nicole Kidman did just that.

It took the actress years to admit using (and overusing) Botox, even though she had a pretty obvious ‘Botox brow’ for years!

Last year, Kidman told People magazine she had stopped using it and was thankful she could finally ‘move her forehead’ again.

HOT TOPICS

You asked me- and I have the answers!
I can offer the best solutions to the vexing cut, color, and styling questions you posted on Hair By Megan B's Facebook page.


"I'm trying to do something with my hair that makes me look younger. Should I change the color, get bangs, or cut it short? - Rajal Vaishnav Mankad


I've told my clients many times, it's either Botox or bangs. Bangs hide wrinkles on the forehead and make you seem more youthful. Long side-swept fringe is the most versatile. But when you ask if you should cut it short, I thought, OoooH, no! That tends to mature people--plus, wearing your hair the same way every day is aging. Instead, go for hair that just hits the collarbone, with long layers. My mature clients love this look and it can be cut differently depending on their face shape. You'll also be able to pull it into a ponytail--and wearing different styles makes you look younger. If your skin has gotten pale or sallow with age, try warming things up with golden highlights and a rich base color--just don't stray too far. The most flattering base shades re-create the color and depth that you used to have.



"I have color-treated hair that is prone to breakage. How can I prevent both that and color fading at the same time?" -Vicki Weber

Help Vicki! That is a question I get asked a lot by new color clients after a service. If your hair breaks easily, it's probably either very fine or has been overly bleached and lost its elasticity. Hair color always fades eventually, but it will fade more quickly when hair is damaged. To keep it from becoming more porous and brittle, avoid bleach, shampoo infrequently, and only get highlights every eight weeks. Try not to heat-style more than a few times a week.
Always ALWAYS use a protective product, such as Chi Iron Guard thermal spray.

Add strength and moisture by using a conditioning treatment with natural oils, such as Surface Bassu Hydrating Mask once a week, and trade in your regular shampoo and conditioner for ones that are enriched with protein (Moroccan Oil). Also, drink plenty of water, and take a biotin supplement. It can take up to six months to see results, but it works!!

TONE UP TO STRIP DOWN

When it comes to glamming up for red carpet events, celebrities are flashing the flesh more than ever. Whether it’s J.Lo flaunting her cleavage with a plunging neckline or Halle Berry baring her tummy, the stakes are getting higher. (And in the case of Angelina Jolie’s Oscar dress, so are the side slits!)

So if you want to follow in their footsteps, you better get your body ready. This is how the stars buffed and toned.

The Plunging Neckline
Use a bust cream every day for a few weeks beforehand to help firm and smooth the area. The SAMPAR Lift Me Up Bust Cream. Apply it right up to your neck.

Your boobs are made up of fat glands but you can lift them up a bit by doing a dumbbell press on an incline bench. Do three rounds of 12-15 reps…You can find demonstrations of all the techniques are recommended online.

The Thigh-High Slit
Remember to cover up bruises, varicose and broken veins. Using Vanitymark Summerskin Body Bronzer. Spray it all over and blend with a self-tan mitt.

 Doing reverse lunges using her Valslide to give the exercise an added twist. Put the pad under your feet and instead of stepping back you slide back, working your leg muscles that much harder.

The Backless Gown
Melissa recommends zapping spots with Murad Clarifying Body Spray a few weeks before you go backless.

For that sexy line down your back, try the two-arm row using a resistance band.

Sexy Shoulders
Treat this area the same as your back but Lorac TANtalizer Award Show Glow looks amazing on shoulders too.

A dumbbell shoulder press combined with a lateral side raise, using 5-lb. weights, creates definition.

The Peek-a-Boo
Brave enough to wear a dress with cutouts flashing your tummy and your waist? Tighten your oblique muscles with the ultimate toe touch. If that’s too challenging work the abs by doing the bicycle crunch.

the Red Carpet Ready workout plan helps you concentrate on toning the areas above you will see results in six weeks. Obviously it depends on how much weight you have to lose, But if you set a deadline and commit you’ll be amazed by the results.

xx, Beautyqueen

PARTY LIKE IT'S $19.99

Cheap party ideas for the fabulous but financially challenged hostess

Your bank account’s running on fumes and you have a stack of unpaid parking tickets. There’s only one thing to do: call up your friends and put your problems on hold for a weekend. And don’t park on the street (have you seen Parking Wars?).

But how does the hostess with the mostess overdraft fees throw a party on a budget? We put together our favorite ideas for low-cost parties so you can celebrate without breaking the bank.

Cult Movie Party: Every circle of friends has that one movie you all can’t stop quoting. Get it all out of your system with a cult movie night. Rent a copy of Dirty Dancing and get crazy with Swayze. Or invent a fun drinking game (is there any other kind?) and take a shot every time Ryan Gosling takes off his shirt, gets wet, or grows a scruffy yet sexy beard in The Notebook. Costumes, trivia, and tipsy re-enactments might be cheesy, but they’re also inexpensive.

Total Cost: $15 for popcorn and a DVD

Flash Mob: If you want to throw a party without letting those slobs you call friends set foot in your house, then consider organizing a flash mob. Choreographed song and dance numbers in the food court are beyond cliché, but with a little creativity you can organize a spontaneous soirée everyone will talk about. Arrange an impromptu water balloon fight at a local park or crash a bar mitzvah with your Twitter followers. While it will definitely require an orchestrated effort on your part, you don’t have to spend a dime.

Total Cost: Free!

Retro Costume Party: At every costume party, there’s always one weirdo who puts way too much effort into his or her costume. Luckily, there’s a store that actually specializes in out-of-date fashions — Goodwill. Just head to the nearest vintage store and put together a delightfully tacky look. Create an era-appropriate playlist, tell your friends to B.Y.O.B., and make sure to run your thrift store clothes through the washing machine.

Total Cost: $12 for an outfit from Goodwill

A Stock Your Bar Party: The ultimate cheap party idea, this party will liven up any housewarming, engagement, or birthday bash. It’s also the only kind of party that ensures you’ll have more booze when the party ends than when it began. Because despite our best efforts, liquor stores won’t let you register for gifts, yet.

Ask each of your guests to bring a different kind of liquor, wine, mixer, or bartending tool, and by the end of the night you’ll have a fully stocked bar — no flirtatious old men or last call required. Just don’t let your friends down it all before the night ends.

Total Cost: $19.99 for some booze-soaking snacks

xx, Beautyqueen