Beauty News: Cupping May Prevent Carpal Tunnel!

Remember those pictures of Gwyneth from way back when ... the horrifying cupping pictures? (See below for a reminder.)

Well, horrifying as those images may have been, it turns out cupping might have some additional benefits. A recent study published in the Journal of Pain showed that cupping may actually prevent the occurrence of carpal tunnel. Click here to read more about the study.

What do you think? Could this work? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!

Beautiful Belles: Farrah Fawcett

A series focusing on beautiful women throughout history with important contributions to the arts and entertainment industry and charity -- and a fabulous sense of beauty, inside and out!

In the wake of the lovely Farrah Fawcett succumbing to cancer this week at the age of 62, I thought it fitting to dedicate this edition of Beautiful Belles to her.

Farrah Fawcett was a true industry icon. Known best for her role as Jill Munroe on the 1970s classic Charlie's Angels, Farrah had a career that spanned decades. Her vivacious personality and glowing smile earned major accolades. And who could forget that hair? Her signature feathered flip was famous not only during her run as an Angel but for years and years to come, even remaining so today. And of course there's her iconic swimsuit poster from 1976 (seen above), originally published in Life and since selling more than 10 million copies worldwide.

See more photos and even a few videos after the jump.

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First Look Fridays: Allure Beauty Director Amy Keller Laird

Any beauty gal worth half her salt reads Allure. It's just what you do to stay on top of the beauty trends. And I feel extremely fortunate to bring you an exclusive interview this week with Allure Beauty Director Amy Keller Laird! If you're curious about her favorite mascara, how she got started in the business and even her favorite TV show (it may surprise you!), keep on reading.

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Soho Sanctuary: A True Sanctuary for Your Troubles

There are lots of reasons to go to a spa. You want to relax, you're looking for incredible ambiance, you want the best treatments around. Well, you'll find all that and more at Soho Sanctuary.

I decided to give myself a little treat recently and booked the Sanctuary Body Gloss. Here's how it's described on the website:

You will be buffed and bathed during this body treatment for skin that's lost its sparkle. A soothing Sanctuary Massage is followed by a full body salt scrub to slough off dead skin. After a quick rinse in a private shower, skin is nourished and re-hydrated with a shea butter and vitamin oil body wrap. Healthy, new skin will glow with a natural shimmer for days.

Well, you know what? This description was 100 percent accurate. What it failed to mention was how unbelievably amazing I would feel during and after the treatment. The spa itself is so luxurious, with both cucumber and lemon waters and various dried fruits and nuts in the lounge. (Not to mention an amazing number of magazines, more than I've seen at any other spa.) The treatment itself is lusciously wonderful, and skin really is left feeling so soft and smooth.

Now, this treatment doesn't come cheap. It's $185 for 90 minutes and $150 for 120 minutes. But trust me when I say it is totally and completely worth it. You'll walk out feeling refreshed, rejuvenated and unbelievably relaxed ... and your skin will be glowing for days on end.

Check out sohosanctuary.com for more information and to book an appointment.

Serge Normant Spills the Curl Secret of Julia Roberts

Coveting Julia Roberts' curls? According to Serge Normant in the July 2009 issue of Harper's Bazaar, they're not so hard to achieve! After applying volumizer to damp roots and ends, blow out your hair with a round brush and then wrap random pieces in various directions down the barrel of a curling iron. "So you don't have Shirley Temple curls," Normant told Bazaar. "And don't be afraid to leave ends straight -- it's what makes the look a little cooler."

Looks like I'll be trying out this style before long -- can't wait to have a summer soiree to wear it to!

Beauty Giveaway: Perricone MD Advanced Face Firming Activator

Ready for an amazing giveaway? Well, I'm here to give it to you. One lucky winner will receive Perricone MD Advanced Face Firming Activator -- the bestseller that works to transform skin and make it appear firm, toned and absolutely glowing. Pretty amazing, right? Especially when you consider the fact that it retails for $120! So how could you say no to a product that reduces fine lines, wrinkles and large pores, resurfaces skin texture and reveals a radiant and healthy complexion? The answer is, you can't!

Entering is easy. Simply enter your name and email address in the box below. The winner will be selected on Friday, July 3 and notified by email. It's that simple!



This giveaway is open to US residents only. Giveaway runs until Thursday, July 2 at midnight. One entry per person, email address and IP address. Multiple entries will be disqualified. For more information on anti-aging cosmeceuticals, click here.

Dashing Diva Gelife: Your One-Stop Shop to an Unbelievably Glossy Manicure

Remember my fascination with Calgel a few months back? (Click here for a little refresher course.) Well, Dashing Diva has now gotten in on the action with Gelife.

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Here's a New Way to Use Your Estee Lauder Re-Nutriv Ultimate Youth Eye Creme

Anyone who's spoken to me knows how much I love the Estee Lauder Re-Nutriv line. So when I used up the last of my Re-Nutriv Ultimate Youth Creme, I freaked out a bit ... because not only is it the best moisturizer I've ever used, but it's a whopping $250. Yes, $250! And it's actually one of the few products I'd say is completely worth it ... but yikes. Who has that kind of money these days?

Luckily, I had some Ultimate Youth Eye Creme on hand that I decided to use in a pinch. And you know what? It's not just an eye cream, fellow beauty chicks! This works just as well as an allover moisturizer. It left my skin feeling hydrated, dewy and fresh -- and it stayed that way all day!

Estee Lauder Re-Nutriv Ultimate Youth Eye Creme retails for $100.

Chanel Lilac Sky is Completely Heavenly.

I have an admitted addiction to Chanel nail polish. I honestly don't even care what the color looks like -- if it's a bottle of Chanel polish, I'm going to buy it. My collection is growing to dangerous proportions, actually ... I'm running out of room in my nail polish display, it's overtaking the rest of my beauty arsenal and I don't have a clue how I'll use them all up. But there's one color in particular that I feel will see more action than most ... Lilac Sky.

One of the newer colors from Chanel, Lilac Sky is a beautiful, glimmering light purple -- lilac, if you will -- that just looks like liquid jewelry upon the nail. It shimmers, it glitters, it picks up the light in unbelievably gorgeous ways. I find myself glancing down at my nails repeatedly throughout the day to keep checking out its beauty ... and it never seems to get old!

Add to that the fact that it's as great as all Chanel polishes, so it looks fabulous for days on end with minimal wear and tear. Even if you just dash it across your nails in a hasty manicure, you'll find that it lasts for at least three days with no chipping -- and that's coming from a gal who is extremely hard on her nails!

My final analysis? Chanel Lilac Sky is completely heavenly. Trust me -- you won't be disappointed.

Chanel Lilac Sky is available for $23 at Chanel counters nationwide.

First Look Fridays: Beauty Blogger Christine Mielke of Temptalia

If you're a beauty blog junkie, chances are you've heard of Temptalia. (Click here to experience it immediately.) The fabulously talented Christine Mielke is the genius behind the blog with some of the best FOTDs and swatches this side of, well, anywhere! I'm thrilled and honored to present this week's edition of First Look Fridays with Christine. Find out how she started, the brand she can't live without and more after the jump!

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Strange Magic: Prescriptives *magic Illuminating Liquid Potion

You're sailing softly through the sun
In a broken Stone Age dawn
You fly so high
I get a strange magic
--Electric Light Orchestra

You know those days where it doesn't matter how much sleep you got, you're still going to wake up with circles so dark you might as well be a Cullen? Well, I've got the solution for you. Prescriptives *magic Illuminating Liquid Potion. This miracle-worker will not only hide your dark circles and wake up your entire eye area, but YOU WILL GET COMPLIMENTS ON YOUR LOOKS. Guaranteed.

I've been cursed with fairly dark circles that accompany wherever I go. I can get 15 hours of sleep a day and it still won't be enough to erase them completely. But with this little tube by my side, no one has to know. I've literally been told my skin looks amazing and I look really refreshed on days where I've had three hours of sleep -- and it's because of Prescriptives!

Formulated with three-dimensional holographic pigments, Prescriptives *magic Illuminating Liquid Potion plays with the light and creates a flawless finish. I like to use just the tiniest dab underneath my eyes from the inner to the outer corners. It somehow brightens up the entire face! Plus it sinks into the skin immediately and doesn't leave behind an annoying greasy finish. The potion comes in three shades:

Translucent
Red Neutralizer
Deep Translucent

I like to use Translucent, because it's perfect for pale skin and really imparts a gorgeous glow. And my dark circles? Undetectable!

Unfortunately, this product is no longer available.

Throbbing with Desire for Benefit Thrrrob

Once in awhile, a product comes along that not only performs amazingly well, but has such fantastically innovative packaging that you'd be a fool not to run out and buy it immediately. Such is the case with Benefit Thrrrob. The cheekily-named blush comes in a tiny box accented with a corseted ribbon design that just begs to be opened immediately.

Now, Benefit Thrrrob is by no means a new product. But considering I just made my first foray into the blush world within the last year -- with another Benefit product, coincidentally -- it's only natural that I would have just discovered Thrrrob's greatness.

The bright pink shade inside the box may seem a bit scary at first. But it actually applies like a dream and just leaves such a gorgeous flush upon the skin. The accompanying brush has flat, smooth bristles that spread the powder evenly across your cheeks. I actually like to sweep it very lightly all over my face to give it a bright flush and subtle dose of sparkle.

Benefit Thrrrob retails for $28 at benefitcosmetics.com.

Two Distinctly Gorgeous Takes on the Classic Red Lip

I am always looking for gals who can do a really fantastic red lip. And is it any surprise that Dita von Teese was one of them at the Le Bon Marche Paris' LA Exhibition Launch Party on June 16? Totally digging her deep scarlet pout. And on her left is designer Liz Goldwyn, the gal in whose honor the soiree was thrown. Don't you just love her tomato red take on the red lip trend? G-O-R-G-E-O-U-S. I don't even know which lip I like more ... so I'm giving them both an A+!

Chanel Summer Essentials Make Me Happy.

Well, I know what I'm going to be buying this summer ... anything and everything Chanel! So far I've got Orange Fizz. Looks like I have a long way to go...

All I Need? Prescriptives All You Need+ For Eyes

Do you ever have a product that's so amazing, but you somehow keep forgetting to tell people just how unbelievable it is? It's like you keep using it and using it, all the while knowing it's so incredible you just have to shout it from the rooftops, but for some reason you just never remember to discuss its unbelievability. Well, that's how I feel about Prescriptives All You Need+ For Eyes Continuous Action 24-Hour Moisture -- and it's finally time for me to tell you all about it.

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Get a Dose of London Style with Benefit Crescent Row

Want something amazing to look forward to? Then you'll definitely want to check out Benefit Crescent Row when it hits counters next month. The collection of three fragrances is inspired by Benefit founders' relatives (Jean's daughters, Jane's nieces), who live on the famed and fashionable street in London. The line includes the following three fragrances:

Laugh with Me LeeLee: A woody floral with notes of cassis, melon, citrus, black violet, lily, jasmine, blonde wood, amber and santal. This fragrance is flirtatious, playful and mischievous.

Something About Sofia: An oriental floral with notes of mango, freesia, sheer lily, jasmine sambac, peony petal, musk, white caramel and vanilla bean. This fragance is dazzling and is meant to defy the imagination.

My Place or Yours Gina: A woody oriental with notes of pink pepper, bergamot, tangerine, peony, wild raspberry, white lily, patchouli, tonka bean and vanilla. This fragrance is sexy, seductive and tempting.

I've had the opportunity to try all three fragrances, and believe me when I tell you it will be almost impossible to choose just one! They all smell deliciously wonderful -- none are too close, thick or cloying. And aren't the bottles just so delightful?

Find all of the Benefit Crescent Row fragrances at benefitcosmetics.com.

Evan Rachel Wood is Simply Stunning.

I don't know about you, but I'm totally loving Evan Rachel Wood's glamorous turn as of late. And at the premiere of Whatever Works in LA on June 8, she didn't disappoint. Just look at the smoky eyes and berry lips...


Not to mention her strawberry blonde locks are curled to perfection. I love that this look can go from glamorous to smoldering in just an instant:

I'm definitely a fan. What do you think? Let me know in the comments!

Tried and True: Bliss Change Your Spots

You know what I've always wished would work, but never really seems to do the job? Acne treatments. I've tried them all -- anytime I come across a gel, cream or mask that claims it will diminish my pimples almost immediately, I figure it's worth a shot. And usually I remain disappointed ... until I came across the amazing Bliss Change Your Spots.

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First Look Fridays: Manicurist Alisha Rimando

I had the immense pleasure of meeting manicurist Alisha Rimando during Fall 2009 Fashion Week. She's a total genius who's worked backstage at Tony Cohen, Erin Fetherston and more. And she's unbelievably nice to boot! Read on to find out her predictions for hot summer colors, the product she can't live without and so much more!

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Eve's Watermelon Pedicure: The Summer's Must Have!

Want to know what this beauty chick will be sporting on her toes this summer? The Watermelon Pedicure from Eve, of course! Check out this tasty treat that the NYC spa is offering up this summer ... a pedicure inspired by the sights and scents of summer. You'll get to soak in a luscious watermelon-scented salt bath, slough away dead skin with an oil-infused scrub, and then you'll be treated to a massage with a delectable watermelon-scented moisturizing cream! Plus, you'll have the option of getting watermelon nail art (as seen above) or just a basic pedi with the color of your choice.

And as if that's not all ... every Monday from 4-8pm the spa is offering a complimentary martini from 4-8pm with the purchase of a Watermelon Pedicure! How could you resist?

And in case you want to know what I think of Eve in general ... it's fabulous! Wait with bated breath because my review of the Classic European Manicure and Pedicure will be coming up shortly!

The Watermelon Pedicure is available throughout June and July. It's $39 for 45-60 minutes. Call Eve (212-807-8054) to book an appointment.

Don't Forget to Enter the Marc Jacobs Daisy Giveaway!

Have you entered for your chance to win a limited-edition bottle of Marc Jacobs Daisy yet? Well, don't forget ... you have until midnight tonight to enter! Either click on this link to be taken to the original giveaway page or enter your name and email address in the box below. Hurry before the giveaway is over!

The Fastest Way to the Softest, Smoothest Skin Ever.

So most beauty chicks know that if they want soft skin, they need to use a body scrub. But did you know that there's a way to get your skin even softer and smoother than just using the body scrub in the shower? Here's what you do...

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Megan Fox Blows Me Away at the Transformers Premiere.

Now, I am not a fan of Megan Fox. I'm not even a fan of the Transformers movies. But color me impressed at how amazing she looked at the world premiere of Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen in Tokyo on June 8. Her tumbling curls were perfection, her skin was tanned and glowy (though admittedly it could be just a tad less orange) and her lipstick was TO DIE FOR. I am coveting that bright pink and need it in my life immediately. And are those Minx nails I spy her sporting? All in all, the look works set against her jewel-toned purple silk gown.

What do you think? Are you loving Megan's look, or do you think she should have done something different? Let me know in the comments!

Beauty Giveaway: Marc Jacobs Daisy Limited-Edition Bottle

It's time for another giveaway here at The Beauty of Life ... and this is one is quite exciting, if I do say so myself! I've told you before how much I love Marc Jacobs Daisy (click here for a recap). Well, a limited-edition bottle came out this spring that I just have to share with one lucky reader! It's so spring-appropriate with its green daisies and customizable stickers. And one of you now has the chance to win this bottle!

Notes of strawberry, violet leaves, ruby red grapefruit, gardenia, violet petals, jasmine petals, musk, vanilla and white woods make for a truly enchanting fragrance. Since this version is limited-edition, the value is a bit higher at $57.

Entering is easy. Simply enter your name and email address in the box below. The winner will be selected on Friday, June 12 and notified by email. It's that simple!



This giveaway is open to US residents only. Giveaway runs until Thursday, June 11 at midnight. One entry per person, email address and IP address. Multiple entries will be disqualified.

Totally Tripping: M.A.C Trip 4 Classic Eye & Cheek Palette

I'm a sucker for a great makeup palette. If it looks sleek and pretty, that's great. If the colors inside actually look wearable, even better. And such is the case with the M.A.C Trip 4 Classic Eye and Cheek Palette. Part of M.A.C's Trip II collection, available from April-August at airport duty free shops, this palette contains four gorgeous shades for cheeks and eyes.

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First Look Fridays: Makeup Artist Lucky Bromhead

Ever wondered about the makeup artists for MTV? Well, Lucky Bromhead is one of the Key Makeup Artists for MTV in Canada. Such a cool gig, right? Originally from British Columbia, she spent years as a makeup artist with M.A.C before making the switch to MTV, where she spends her days on set getting to do some pretty fabulous things. Read on to discover more about Lucky!

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My Top 4 New Lipgloss Obsessions

I am a total lipgloss addict. I can't help it ... even when lipstick comes back as a trend full force, lipgloss still reigns supreme. And while I've got my tried and true favorites, I can always make room for a few more. Check out the four I'm totally enamored with as of late.

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The 9 Best Summer Bronzers

As temperatures heat up, thoughts turn to beach trips and sun-kissed skin. But if you're like this beauty chick, only a few minutes spent in the sun will turn you into a lobster! That's where these bronzers come in. I've rounded up the bronzers guaranteed to give you that gorgeous summer glow without any harmful UV rays. Discover my favorites after the jump.

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Laura Mercier Shimmer Bloc Gilded Garden Creates a Floral Fantasy.

Laura Mercier has got to stop designing palettes that are so pretty I'm afraid to actually use them. Look at the latest Shimmer Bloc Compact, the Gilded Garden Mosaic, for example:

So gorgeous you can hardly stand it, right? This palette is truly a work of art. Fuchsia, purple and rose flowers dance across a shimmering pale pink ground with tonal raised daisies. It's fresh, youthful, flirty, fun ... and so pretty I really can't bring myself to actually use it.

I have a feeling this palette is going to sit atop my vanity staring at me for months, taunting me with its beauty. But can you blame me for not actually wanting to ruin its perfection?

Unfortunately, this product is no longer available.

Splash Into Summer with Marc Jacobs Splash Fragrances

I've long been a fan of the Marc Jacobs Splash fragrances. And the new ones for summer really hit it right on the mark! They're light, fresh, airy and crisp -- perfect for hot days spent frolicking in the surf and sultry summer nights spent dancing under the stars.

The bottles may look relatively simple in design, but they actually rate as some of my favorites. The oversized rectangular bottles each hold a whopping 10 fl. oz. of fragrance -- which may sound unbelievably huge, but since they spray on lightly it's quite easy to use them up before much time has gone by. I also love that they come with both small and large caps and a spritz tube.

So without further adieu, these are the fragrances currently holding court on my vanity...

Marc Jacobs Cucumber is delightfully fresh with absolutely no reminiscence of a summer salad. Combined with morning dew, it leaves a light sweetness upon the skin.

Marc Jacobs Rain will keep you loving the scent of fresh rain without having to carry around an umbrella. If you're like me, you love the scent of rain but absolutely hate getting caught in it -- especially when walking around NYC! And with essences of cotton and grass mixed in, it's absolutely lovely.

Each Marc Jacobs Splash fragrance retails for $68.

My New Favorite Lipstick? Guerlain Le Rouge G.

Don't you hate it when you need to reapply your lipstick and you find you don't have a compact handy? Well, that's where Guerlain Le Rouge G de Guerlain Lipstick comes in. Not only is the lipstick within the tube one of the best I've come across in quite some time, but it comes with its very own mirror!

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Lash Perfection: Bobbi Brown Perfectly Defined Mascara

Always on the lookout for the perfect daytime mascara, I've tried pretty much every one on the market. I'm not a fan of "going out" lashes in the daytime -- I don't need them to be so long they hit my glasses or so thick I look like I'm wearing falsies. And you'd be surprised just how tough it is to discover that elusive lash lengthener. At least I thought so until I came across Bobbi Brown Perfectly Defined Mascara.

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