Completely Gratuitous: Robert Pattinson at the Twilight Mall Tour in Philadelphia

Okay, fellow beauty chicks. I am doing something shocking and taking a whole week off from blogging! I'm going to enjoy my staycation as much as possible, and this includes not writing for a week. But I couldn't leave you high and dry -- so please enjoy this latest installment of Completely Gratuitous, featuring the utterly gorgeous Robert Pattinson at the Twilight Mall Tour in Philadelphia on November 13. Don't you just love how he's staring longingly into the camera?

Check out tons more pictures after the jump. See you in a week!
















Thanks to robertpattinsonline.com for the pictures.

Read More...

The Best of Beauty: November and December 2008

Over the past year, The Beauty of Life has seen and done it all. From manicures to facials, testing scrubs to going behind the scenes at New York Fashion Week, it's been quite a ride! Check back every day for the next 12 days to revisit the hits of the year.

Get the best of November and December after the jump!



NOVEMBER 2008:

One of my all-time fave interviews this year? Definitely the day I got the chance to meet and speak with Joanna Schlip. This makeup artist has worked with everyone and I mean everyone ... not to mention she's got a contract with Physicians Formula and she's the sweetest, most fun gal around. What a gem!

It's seriously impossible for me to find a better mascara than Diorshow. I just don't think it exists. But a close second? It may come as no surprise that it's from the same brand ... but Diorshow Iconic is definitely one I'll turn to in a pinch. It lengthens, separates and plumps up my lashes almost as well as its counterpart!

I'd been wanting to try it out for years. Seriously, years. What am I talking about? The custom blend bar at Prescriptives, of course! So I finally bit the bullet and got a custom lipgloss made -- and wow, is it ever the perfect shade of peachy pink shimmery goodness!

The fabulous Guido Palau has been in the business for about 20 years. So when Redken gave me the chance to meet him, I said HECK YES! He gave me the inside scoop on this season's hottest trends, what he thinks is sexy on a woman and so much more.

And the obsession with Twilight begins! One fateful Thursday in November, I brought you a ton of beauty products that may as well have been inspired by the cult favorite. Come on ... Fresh Twilight Freshface Glow? Sarah Jessica Parker The Lovely Collection? DuWop Ultimate Gift of Venom? There's no way these products didn't take just a teensy bite out of the hit movie.

DECEMBER:

If you're always looking for a way to keep your hair off your face -- but can't seem to keep enough ponytail holders lying around -- then this is definitely the product for you. The Bumble and bumble Bb. Bandball draws inspiration from the rubber band balls of our youth, and is equipped with a whopping 100 holders in vibrant shades guaranteed to perk up your ponytail!

Chances are you've noticed my obsession with the utterly gorgeous Robert Pattinson. Well, just in case you missed my Completely Gratuitous posts ... here's the first one for you again in all its glory!


Dry skin, beware. Kiehl's Superbly Restorative Body Lotion is in the house, and it's ready to turn even the scaliest patches into lovely smooth expanses of soft suppleness. Trust this beauty chick -- IT WORKS.


December saw the launch of a new daily column here at The Beauty of Life. Beauty Watch features one celebrity each day, with pictures and step by step instructions on how to get the look. The first column featured the lovely Emma Watson at the premiere of her new movie, The Tale of Despereaux.

Read More...

Beauty Giveaway: Murad Evening Renewal Regimen

Time for another giveaway here at The Beauty of Life! This time I'm giving away a four-step regimen by Murad that's sure to make your skin glow brighter than the sunniest day. One lucky winner will receive the Evening Renewal Regimen, which has a retail value of $56 and contains four amazing products:

Renewing Cleansing Cream
Age-Diffusing Serum
Age-Balancing Night Cream
Hydrating Toner

Entering is easy. Simply enter your name and email address in the box below. The winner will be selected on Friday, January 2 and notified by email. It's that simple!



This giveaway is open to US residents only. Giveaway runs until Thursday, January 1 at 11:55pm EST. One entry per person, email address and IP address. Multiple entries will be disqualified.

Editor's note: The entry box should be up and running again. Please give the page time for it to load -- and remember there is only one entry per IP address, so you may not be able to see the box if you have already entered. Thank you again for your patience and good luck!

Read More...

Beauty Questions: What's Your Favorite Nail Polish Trend of 2008?

2008 has seen tons of big nail polish trends hitting the runway and the red carpet. Models and celebs have rocked everything from bright orange nail polish (think Rihanna) to black and purple (like Gwyneth Paltrow and Lauren Conrad). What's your favorite nail polish trend of 2008? Click your fave in the poll below, or let me know in the comments!

poll by twiigs.com

Read More...

Completely Gratuitous: Robert Pattinson in New Vanity Fair Outtakes

New outtakes from the December issue of Vanity Fair have surfaced, and thank goodness for that! Robert Pattinson looks just as beautiful as ever. Check out RPatt and Kristen Stewart clowning around for the camera -- and for a more in-depth look at the photoshoot, watch the video below!

Read More...

The Best of Beauty: September and October 2008

Over the past year, The Beauty of Life has seen and done it all. From manicures to facials, testing scrubs to going behind the scenes at New York Fashion Week, it's been quite a ride! Check back every day for the next 12 days to revisit the hits of the year.

Get the best of September and October after the jump!



SEPTEMBER:

Unruly lashes and eyebrows, beware! The Sephora Brand Professionnel Platinum Lash & Eyebrow Comb is here to save the day. It keeps every stray hair in place -- and it's only $10!


Glossy peach lips and tons of mascara aside, the Spring 2009 Tracy Reese show was at the top of this beauty chick's list -- because I got to hang with the fabulous Mally Roncal!


Forget about the hot singing and dancing that rocked the VMAs. Because what really mattered was heavy eyeliner! Tons of celebs, from Ashlee Simpson to Rihanna, showed up with their peepers lined in dark black pencil.

Ted Gibson. His name is synonymous with beauty and style -- and celebs like Anne Hathaway and Gabrielle Union tend to agree. So when I had the opportunity to sit down with him and pick his brain about his salon, his products and his life, I jumped at the chance!

I've made it quite clear over the past year how happy both lipgloss and rollerball fragrances make me. So when I came across the Tommy Hilfiger Dreaming Lip Gloss and Rollerball Duo, I felt as though my dreams had finally come true!

OCTOBER:

Jellylicious? Lots of lippies could claim to be so. But they ain't got nothin' on L'Oreal HiP Jelly Balm. Not only is it a less expensive dupe of M.A.C Tendertones, it leaves lips feeling plush and juicy with loads of gorgeous color.


The illustrious and intriguing Poppy King graciously agreed to be interviewed by yours truly for First Look Fridays. She told me about her line of fabulous lipsticks, her fave products and even a couple things that may surprise you!

As a child of the 80s, it thrilled me to no end the night I got to meet Tiffany. But this wasn't back in the 80s ... no, it was one fateful night in October when I was at a party celebrating haircare brand Aussie's 30th birthday! Thanks, Aussie!

Brown nail polish? It has the tendency to look pretty darned bad. But not when it comes to Chanel Haute Chocolat! This polish is so utterly gorgeous, you'll never want to take it off.

Read More...

Beauty Watch: Heidi Klum at the Giovane Elber's Do Brazil Show in Munich

The always gorgeous Heidi Klum looked, well, gorgeous at the Giovane Elber's Do Brazil Show in Munich on December 15. Her long bob -- otherwise known as the lob -- was full and super curly. She played up her big doe eyes with a combination of shimmery white and black shadow, accented that with lush long lashes, and accentuated her pout with a sparkly lilac gloss. The end result? The reason she's a top model, of course!

See more photos and learn how to recreate Heidi's look after the jump.





HAIR:
The beauty of this style is that it's perfect without looking too "done." The less you actually do to your hair to achieve this style, the better! Start with a wave-enhancing spray like Blow Wave Maker ($22 at blowstylingsalon.com), a light lotion that creates totally natural curls.


Let hair air dry. Once dry, wrap your index finger around 1-inch sections to bring out the curl. Then add a few spritzes of Jonathan Spray Dirt ($29 at sephora.com), which not only will hold the hairstyle in place but will also add tons of shine and that piecey texture seen on Heidi.

COMPLEXION:
Your skin should look like it's free of makeup -- but we all know it needs a bit of help to look that even! A foundation like Yves Saint Laurent Teint Eclat De Soie Radiance Smoothing Foundation ($52 at yslbeautyus.com) comes in a variety of shades that match myriad skin tones (I prefer Silky Beige). It's got built-in shimmer, so once you smooth it over your face, it will catch the light perfectly.

EYES:
Black and white eyeshadows will help you achieve this look. Try Chanel Ombre Essentielle Soft Touch Eyeshadow in both Black Star and Platine ($28.50 each at chanel.com). Start by sweeping Platine over your entire lid, stopping right at the crease. Then dip your shadow brush into Black Star and sweep from the middle of your lid outward, drawing a thick line against your lashline and blending slowly upward. Finish by dipping an angled shadow brush into Platine and sweeping gently along the lower lashline and into the inner corners. Use a light hand so you don't overpower your eyes with bright white shadow.

Lashes should be long, lush and as thick as possible without the addition of falsies. Try Guerlain Le 2 Two Brush Mascara in Black ($35 at saks.com), which has both a big and small mascara brush to make sure you accentuate each and every lash. One coat will already make your lashes twice as long as normal -- two will make you look like you're wearing fakes!

LIPS:
The look here is full and glossy with just a bit more color than the normal peach or coral. A gloss like Clinique Superbalm Moisturizing Gloss in Lilac ($13.50 at clinique.com) will add gorgeous color while making your pout look seriously juicy.


Finish with a coat of sparkly gloss like Sally Hansen Lipnotic Gem Gloss in Lavish ($6.99 at walgreens.com), which lends your pout a dose of high-wattage shine.

Read More...

Beauty Questions: What's Your Favorite Hair Trend of 2008?

2008 has seen tons of big hair trends hitting the runway and the red carpet. Models and celebs have rocked everything from side braids to huge hair. What's your favorite hair trend of 2008? Click your fave in the poll below, or let me know in the comments!

poll by twiigs.com

Read More...

The Best of Beauty: August 2008

Over the past year, The Beauty of Life has seen and done it all. From manicures to facials, testing scrubs to going behind the scenes at New York Fashion Week, it's been quite a ride! Check back every day for the next 12 days to revisit the hits of the year.

Get the best of August after the jump!



Looking for the absolutely perfect blowout? Well, look no further ... Blow Styling Salon is the way to go. Whether you want seriously straight locks or a super shiny and straight 'do, you'll find it at this magical place.

If you're like me, you have trouble falling asleep. Well, not after you spritz your sheets with Molton Brown's Relaxing Yuan Zhi Sleep Mist! If you don't fall asleep within 15 minutes of spraying your pillow with this amazing concoction of lavender and ylang ylang, I will renounce my title as beauty chick!

Ojon's Tawaka The White Ball. Have you tried it? I've been totally obsessed ever since I came across it at the Sephora Holiday Preview. It moisturizes, it conditions, it exfoliates ... it's utterly unbelievable.


Isn't it annoying when you can't bring your favorite perfume through airport security? Or when just carrying the huge bottle around with you all day gets to be a chore? Well, with rollerball perfumes, your life is saved!


Fake lashes are definitely difficult to apply yourself. Well, then get thee to the Shu Uemura Lash Bar! Available at any Shu Uemura counter or freestanding store, the associates will help you pick the right lashes and will apply them for you! I tested it out and got a little blingy with my choice.

Have you heard of Klean? Well, you most certainly need to try it if you haven't already. This line of bath and body products is utterly divine -- and in this latest installment of Great Brand Alert, I brought you all the best ones!

Ashy legs got you down? Well, that's easily fixable! Just try one of the five scrubs I picked in this feature -- including ones from Carol's Daughter and Frederic Fekkai -- and you'll be thrilled at the difference your legs will show you.


You know what's super annoying? When I'm in a dark club and can't see to reapply my lipgloss. Luckily, ModelCo Lip Lights Ultra Shine Lip Gloss has a light that gleams brightly no matter how dark the room is -- so I can reapply and reapply to my lips' content!

The biggest hit of the summer -- Lancome Oscillation -- had a waitlist of over 13,000 when it finally launched. Luckily, I got my hands on a tube during the one day it had been available earlier on, so I could bring you the details early on. Did I like it? Well, why not click here and see!

In August, I decided it was time for a new feature here at The Beauty of Life. I wanted to celebrate the women throughout history who possess beauty inside and out. So with that, Beautiful Belles was born! And who better to start with than That Girl herself, the fabulous Marlo Thomas!

Read More...