Thanks to Sula’s Paint & Peel polishes you can experiment with nail color hassle free. The quick dry formula makes application a snap. When your mood changes, simply peel off the polish and repaint with these colorful, water-based, eco-friendly shades.

With temperatures on the rise, celebrities are embracing light, natural products to get summer ready. From Heidi Klum’s dazzling smile to Halle Berry’s glowing skin, star style has never been easier to steal—try these products and you’ll be summer-ready in no time!

Luster 1 Hour White
Nothing looks better with a summer glow then a stunning smile. To get a gorgeous grin like super-mom Heidi Klum, try an at-home whitening treatment with zero sensitivity that promises a brighter smile in under an hour! Luster 1 Hour White is a revolutionary tooth whitening system that revitalizes your smile for a sexy summer look!
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Paul & Joe’s Lip Gloss G
Take a cue from natural beauty Jessica Biel and opt for a natural, pink pout courtesy of Paul & Joe’s Lip Gloss G. Available in a variety of natural, pretty shades that work on both the red carpet or on the beach, these little tubes of lasting shine are the perfect way to complete your warm weather style.

Depth Hand & Body Lotion
Covet Halle Berry’s supple, flawless skin? Hydrate and detoxify throughout the day with a rich but light moisturizer like Depth Hand & Body Lotion .  Enriched with sea botanicals and pure essential oils, this natural lotion comes in four scents and is 100% vegan and cruelty-free so you can hydrate without worry.

Most recently spotted inbetween our wallet and blackberry, CleanWell Hand Sanitizers are among the top 5 items we trudge around town in our overly large handbags.

Why are we so in love? CleanWell is the only hand sanitizers proven to kill 99.99% of germs without using alcohol, Benzalkonium Chloride, Triclosan or other toxic chemicals. This travel-friendly spray (also available as a soap, wipes or foam) is made from renewable plants. With a first-of-its-kind natural chemistry, CleanWell introduces a unique formula of plant essential oils proven to meet FDA standards for eliminating microorganisms. Besides being safe, these remarkable germ fighters smell incredible unlocking an irresistibly fresh scent. Orange vanilla, ginger bergamot, lavender and our favorite, spearmint lime, not only keeps us clean but is managable for kids, which means keeping them smelling fresh is actually attainable.

Want to read more? Visit www.cleanwelltoday.com.

Getting the chance to sit down with Brittany “McKey” Sullivan was like a dream come true. The ANTM Season 11 winner talked hair, makeup and thoughts on being on the show. Read the full interview here.

What is your favorite facial feature?
I have really bright lips naturally. Everyone in my family does so I don’t like covering them up.

What’s your morning make-up tip?
White eyeliner inside the eye because it makes the eyes look bigger, but I don’t wear makeup normally.

What CoverGirl product do you use the most?
Surprisely, I love the Amazemint lip gross. I wear it every single day. I have very dry lips, and it works really well.

How is it different than other glosses?
It has peppermint oil in it, which makes your lips tingle, and it’s a good feeling and not sticky, which is really nice.

Which color do you recommend?
The blue one! It goes on clear.

What make-up style do you support the least?
I am not a big fan of the smokey eye, pale lip look, which is commonality for the runway. I modeled in the past and that’s all it was.

With all the different hair styles on America’s Next Top Model, what have you learned about yourself that surprised you?
That being blonde is not so bad! I always thought it would be bad to bleach your hair, but I learned your hair is never beyond repair. You can always go back and fix it, and straightening your hair adds a lot of shine. 

What shampoo and conditioner are currently in your bathroom?
Alba is my favorite line of shampoo and conditioner. It’s a vegan company.

What skin care product do you never leave home without?
Johnson’s Baby Lotion. I travel with it everywhere and keep it in my carry-on. 

Any other facial product fixations?
I love Clean & Clear Morning Burst.

Online Beauty Editor
Jessica Krznaric

If you’re looking for the perfect, natural lip balm, Burt’s Bees Beeswax Lip Balm is exactly what you need. Burt’s Bees Beeswax Lip Balm is made from organic products, and it is not tested on animals.

• The main ingredients include:
     

     

  • Coconut oil
       

  • Beeswax
       

  • Sweet Almond oil
       

  • Peppermint oil
       

  

Officially the coolest thing we’ve seen in a while, Paula’s Choice 2-Minute Teeth Whitener (brand new for spring 2010) looks like a lipstick and has the texture of a lip balm. This wallet-friendly, pocket-friendly, smile-friendly stick eliminates stains on an area we’re most conscious of, our teeth! An instant addiction for those fixated on wine, berries or coffee (or all of the above), indulge stain free thanks to a highly effective whitening ingredient geared to improve stability and block sensitivity. Plus, the fresh minty aftertaste leaves breath feeling refreshed.

How to Use: As Easy as 1, 2
1. Apply a light coating to your smile-zone (the area of your teeth that are visible when you smile) as often as needed. If large clumps appear, use less pressure.
2. Wait approximately 2 – 5 minutes until coating dissolves. No need to brush or rinse after!

Where To Get It: www.paulaschoice.com

How Much It’s Gonna Cost: $14.95

The latest addition to Jo Malone’s cult classic Vitamin E collection is their Vitamin E Body Balm.Instantly soothing and hydrating, this nourishing cream deeply conditions the skin with a high concentration of antioxidants, bringing maxium smoothness. But what we really love about it, this sweet scent is suited for both women and men offering dual pampering. Should we make a “whoever uses the last of it has to buy more” rule? Yes, I think we shall.

It’s for the taut and young, the loose and old, the scarred, the splotchy, the spotted and the spotless. It’s a full-service collection specifically formulated to ease every skin woe known to woman and man. It is Sleek Skin, our “we can’t make it to the MedSpa for facial rejuvenation, but can still get state-of-the art five-minute skin treatment miracle.”

No matter what your skin type is, Sleek Skin has something for everyone.

The Anti-Aging Skin Kit is for those looking to enhance and maintain in office treatment results at home. It is designed to turn back the visual signs of aging and prevents further damage through the four step process: Glow, Boost, Renew and Transform

The Normal Skin Kit brings daily results, while keeping the skin in optimal condition. This system slows the aging process and creates a health matrix for new skin growth. Perfect for anyone seeking the best skin care the industry has to offer, the four step process: Soothes, Heals, Replenishes and Restores

The Oily-Acneic Skin Kit keeps oils in check and breakouts at bay without stripping and drying out skin. Allowing a reduction in sebum and a clearer complexion, the skin is brought back into balance through the four step process: de-clogging, taming, clearing and matting.

The Dry/Sensitive Skin Kit keeps the face moist, while restoring the hydro-lipid barrier, bringing relief to those who suffer from uncomfortable skin. This kit is customized by the four steps: Soften, Refresh, Calm and Enrich

So you want a nice scent, but not an overpowering scent.  However, the light scents just don’t last very long, do they? Here’s a secret to making sure light scents last longer: put a hot compress on the place where your skin will be sprayed or dabbed.  Let the pores open.  Then spray or dab. The perfume will go deeper into the pores, and when the pores close up, they’ll release the scent a little all day long.  Talk about pretty!

Three of our favorite light perfumes:

JEANNE LANVIN by Lanvin for WOMEN - a delicious mix of blackberry, raspberry and pear musk.

Calvin Klein euphoria blossom - A lighter floral bouquet of white orchids, lotus flowers and peonies roses.

Issey Miyake L’Eau d’Issey - A floral aquatic scent with juicy melon, lily, lotus, freesia and more, reminiscent of spring waters.

We love— love, love, love, love, love, love, love—Yes To Carrots Pampering Carrot Juice Shampoo, as in, if it were our boyfriend, we’d marry it!  This is a must-try-immediately product. The shampoo suds up into a big, pampering bubble-bath for the hair, and we’ve just never smelled such a fresh smell—during the shampoo or after.  Plus, this shampoo leaves the hair soft and shiny.  It’s available at Target (always a plus, to have yet another reason to shop at Target, right?!) or, heck, just purchase it online right now, at drugstore.com..

Nothing makes us more chuffed than to grow healthy, lovely nails.  What a challenge in the summer.  The drying sun, scuffy sand, chlorine, etc., cause more wear and tear than any one fingernail ought to have have to face.  And we have ten of them!  Thank goodness for L’Occitane’s Shea Butter Nail & Cuticle Cream—it’s zen for the fingernails.  This cream offers miraculous repair.

And for those who are having trouble with a horrid nail biting habit, try this helpful read: How To Stop Biting Your Fingernails.  You might finally be able to stop!

What’s all the fuss about foundation?  What if we don’t have the money to plunk down for expensive beauty products?  Are we really stuck with thin, transparent eyelashes?  Help is on the way! If you’ve got questions about your beauty regimen, a new product—or want real information to cut through the hype, you’ve come to the right place. Send your questions to Beauty Beat expert, Meagan Shea’ at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Question:
I never wear foundation. When I go to makeup counters, the people working there always seem so shocked, as if I’m the only living woman walking around foundation-less (gasp!). Do most women need to wear foundation? If so, why? If not, why? What are the benefits and drawbacks of wearing or not wearing it?

—Bare in Baltimore

Answer:
You don’t wear foundation? What kind of woman are you? I’m just kidding… No woman on this beautiful, green and smoggy earth NEEDS to wear foundation—it’s all a matter of choice. It’s like saying all women need to wear stilettos, and well I’m sorry that’s just not realistic. I am a makeup artist, and on an “off day” (whenever I’m not working) I don’t wear any make up (waits for the cringing sounds of disappointment)!

If you choose to wear foundation, all that I ask is that you be sure to get matched properly for color (most important), coverage and finish (the last two are all about choice). And a word to the wise women of the world: before you buy a foundation, please go outside in the sunlight and look at yourself in a mirror! Those department store lights will make you look like Angelina Jolie on her best day, and then you get outside and you look like Courtney Love in the mid to late 90’s. No offense—I love Ms. Love, but the 90’s were not her friend! If you want more information on understanding coverage, color and finish, send in your questions.

Question:
Times are tough, but I’m willing to splurge on one skincare item that’s really worth the cash. What’s most crucial for a 30ish woman? Eye cream? Moisturizer? Night cream? Help a sister out!

—One-splurge Sue


Answer:
Skincare is important on so many levels, especially for a woman in her late 20s/early 30s. Your cleanser is important, your treatment product is important and your moisturizer is so important! At this stage in the beauty game we should be focusing on prevention! So, while I could talk all day about so many wonderful products, I will focus on the one that so many women don’t realize is THE most important: (drum roll, please!) a daytime moisturizer that contains an SPF of at least 15!

The sun is beautiful and radiant and warms our souls, but it is not a friend of our faces! UVA (aging), UVB (burning) and UVC (cancerous-usually only found in areas really close to the Equator) will do a number on your youth.  I could go on and on about SPF, but the most important thing to understand is that a moisturizer with a SPF is a necessity. It will prevent fine lines, age spots and other forms of hyper-pigmentation, and ultimately help to protect you from burning your face.

I recommend Peter Thomas Roth’s Max Sheer All Day Moisture Defense Lotion with SPF 30 (available at Sephora and online).  I use it and it’s lightweight and offers lovely protection.  If you need more moisture, they also have richer, creamier version with the same SPF protection.

Question:
Lately, I find myself jealous of little babies with long eyelashes (lash transplant, anyone?) What’s a short-lashed gal to do to make her lashes stand out? I’ve tried lots of different mascaras with no luck. And false eyelashes look a bit…dramatic….for everyday wear. Help!

—Lash-challenged in Lutherville

Answer:
My favorite topic: mascara! I am a mascara freak! I actually wear two mascaras everyday (that I wear make up)...Yes, I am aware I have a problem, but don’t judge me! I realize all women do not need or want to wear two different mascaras daily, so I have a basic question that will help you narrow down what your needs are and determine which product will suit you best: Do you want volume, curl, length, definition—or all of the above?

If you desire to treat your issue of shorter lashes and want to try a product for growth, here are three options (all available at Sephora).

• 1. Talika - Eyelash Lipocils
  
  
  Talika Eyelash Lipocils - $40 at Sephora



• 2. Tarte - MultipleEYE
  
  Tarte - MultiplEYE - $40 at Sephora



• 3.  Peter Thomas Roth - Lashes to Die For Conditioning Treatment
   
  Peter Thomas Roth Lashes To Die For Night Time Eyelash Conditioning Treatment - $125 at Sephora

Makeup artist and beauty consultant Meagan Shea’, a Baltimore native, has been in the industry for more than nine years. She has worked with international and national designers and photographers from France, New York and Sweden, as well as the best talents in Baltimore.

meaganshea.com
modelmayhem.com/MeaganShea
iqons.com/meaganshea

I like Stella McCartney. She always puts out original, cutting edge products, but hangs right there on always-wearable, which equals happily-wearable.  Plus, with her environmental slant on everything, her products deserve to be pushed.  Stella was really the first top designer to forge the way into making fashion and beauty eco-conscious-smart.  Now, not being a big heavy-perfume fan, I was pleased to try the Stella McCartney Stella Sheer Limited Perfume, because, frankly, heavy scents might be too much, but no scents are simply dull. Stella Sheer is a great scent for someone who wants to smell lovely and unique.  Also, most scents change on me.  What might smell like Ralph Lauren on someone else, ends up smelling like Raid when it comes within a foot of my skin.  The reviews I’ve read have said Stella Sheer smells like roses.  I don’t smell that.  The marketing material says it has notes of lemon, green apple, rose and amber.  I don’t smell those things, either.  But I do smell something. Something fresh, light, non-soapy, not really floral—something just right. If you’ve fallen in love with Issey Miyake or the lighter Kenzo fragrances, then Stella Sheer is another nice take on that type of scent that doesn’t do the elevator-linger. 

Stella McCartney Stella Sheer—available at Sephora—$58

I don’t need a meteorologist to tell me there’s a cold snap or a heat wave coming. My skin works much better at weather prediction, thank you very much. If it’s going to be cold, my face gets so dry it can begin to look like it’s snowing, so vast are the flakes (sadly, this is not much of an exaggeration). But when the warm weather hits, I’m always the first one on the block to take on a pimple as red and glorious as the summer sun (make sure you have on UVA +50 when you’re in my near).

For cold weather, I continue to be hooked on Skyn Icelandic anything.

But I can’t make it into the hot, greasy days without my trusty Mario Badescu Drying Lotion. It’s a little bottle of humiliation-prevention. A dab of this Calamine-looking lotion on a zit will make that nasty go poof overnight!  The medicinal smell is reassuring, but the end result is what matters most—skin that’s smooth and gorgeous again.

Tip One: make sure to dip a fresh Q-Tip in the bottle each time to extract the liquid, as this will keep bacteria from growing inside (that’s a good thing), and it will allow you perfect placement on any bumps.

Tip Two: if you need a complete DIY facial overhaul, here’s a get-lovely-skin-quick routine that costs nothing but a little time: 12 Steps To Really Lovely Skin.

Tip Three: for great skin, make sure to laugh a lot.  Laughing takes the stress out of facial muscles.  Want to read something funny? Try our article on curly hair.

My weekend treat? L’Occitane Lavender Clarifying Shampoo.  It makes lovely tresses for sure, but the real pleasure is in the natural scent of lavender extract.  Real lavender. Straight from Provence lavender. Not chemicals cleverly pretending to be lavender—with their no-depth, thin smell. Everything L’Occitane makes has the very essence of deep, richness from whatever particular scent is being used.  And this shampoo is true to the L’Occitane line of quality scent.

This is also a performance shampoo (and it’s particularly great for curly hair, as it miraculously vanishes frizz)—and a shampoo that can be used daily.  In fact, the L’Occitane Lavender Clarifying Shampoo should be used daily, but I use it on the weekends only because I love to be surprised each Saturday morning with the heavenly scent, and I’m afraid if I wash my hair with it every day, I’ll become too used to the scent and forget the pleasure.  In these hard economic times, L’Occitane Lavender Shampoo is right-on-the-money indulgence for your hair and your senses.

How to use? For a splurge, wash with the shampoo twice, rinse, and then follow it up with the conditioner.  Then, once you’ve rinsed out the conditioner, go ahead and put half a pea-size in your hand and run that onto the ends (only) of your hair.  Then wrap your hair in a towel and go to sleep with your hair wet.  When you wake up and smell the lavender, feel free to lay in bed for a long time thinking to yourself, “Now this is how good life is supposed to be, always.”

L’Occitane Lavender Clarifying Shampoo - available at L’Occitane in stores and online - $17.

Lavender Detangling Conditioner - available at L’Occitane in stores and online - $17.

Who in the heck plunks down $300 bucks for a hair dryer?  Probably the same person who plunks down $240 for a flat iron.  That somebody would be me.  But then, I’m obsessed with having beautiful hair.  Having grown up with way-too-curly hair in way-too-frizzy-humid weather, I’ve had to go to inordinate lengths to make sure my hair would behave.  From sitting in front of an air conditioner to style my hair, then running to the car air conditioner to keep it styled, to running inside to wherever my destination was so that it would stay styled, to never going outside, ever, missing the most amazing sunsets and cocktail parties, because, darn it, I’d rather look gorgeous inside than be around gorgeous outside, frizzing up.  That’s a heck of a way to spend one’s youth.


Then I met the love of my life.  The ghd flat iron. More to the point, the ghd IV Styler.  Hello, baby, come to mama! I have no clue why this flat iron is different than other flat irons, but it is. I can straighten my hair and stand in a heavy mist—and even have it rained on to some extent—and my hair still stays straight.  And sleek.  And lovely. And on days when I’ve gone insane and decided I wanted curls, I can even curl my curls to be tamed and lovely curls with this same flat iron.

I’m the first to cringe at marketing terms, such as “tourmaline-infused ceramic,” but all I can say is that whatever it is that makes these products work, they work!

As an ex-hairstylist, I’ve tried everything, and I’ve never ever ever ever ever recommended a product so highly as the ghd flat iron.  Okay… so there I go… off on the ghd flat iron tangent again, and I haven’t even gotten to the Bespoke Labs T3 Evolution Dryer.  So, without further ado… it’s fast become my next must-have.  Read about it and it will go on and on about all that “tourmaline” stuff, and discuss how it’s “ionized” and has “ceramic” blah de blah.  But forget that.  What’s important is that it dries the hair faster—really fast.  More than twice as fast as a regular dryer. And your hair won’t look frizzy and blow dried.  In fact, if you have wavy hair, the Bespoke Labs T3 Evolution Dryer can actually serve as a styling tool, alone, because your hair can look beautifully wavy simply by drying it upside down, then flipping it back and brushing it—and thicker, because the hair has been plumped up by the heat, but sleeker, because something about these products seems to “glue” the hair cuticles in place until the next wash.  Another plus is that this is a lightweight blow dryer, and it’s kind of fun to hold.  But, as anyone with hair that tends to frizz knows, comfort really is the last thing on our minds.  We want great hair at all costs.  And here’s the thing—these products might be costly once, but they earn back every penny spent—and then some.

These are guaranteed to give beautiful hair—or I’ll shave mine off!!

We’re still loving SkynICELAND products.  The newest fave is the SkynICELAND Stress Defense Cream.  Listen to this.  It has biotransformed tomato and ginseng extracts - which keep the muscles from reacting (or, in our case, overreacting), and calms the nerves (perfect for a day at the office, when someone is on your last nerve).  And it has Portaluca, which prevents the muscles from getting tight (yay, slather it between the eyebrows).  But why do we really love it?  Simple. Because it makes our skin feel so good.  We still go ga-ga over the SkynICELAND Antidote Quenching Daily Lotion, because of the massive cooling sensation that just wakes, wakes, wakes us up.  But for absolutely gorgeous, baby-bottom-feeling, Audrey Hepburn skin, a dose of SkynICELANDIC Stress Defense Cream can’t be beat.  Best $100 bucks ever spent.

Skyn Iceland Stress Defense Cream with Biospheric Complex 1.7 oz

It’s this simple.  You wake up.  Your face is dry, but it also has its oily spots.  It isn’t behaving.  And you need a fix.  Fast. Plus, you need to wake up and that extra cup of coffee isn’t doing it for you.  What’s a girl to do?  Whip out the newest by Estée Lauder—the Idealist Dual-Action Refinishing Treatment.

This baby heats up on your face, while exfoliating (feel the gentle grains), while offering a moisturizer within a cleanser.  Apply every morning in a circular motion, have that cup of coffee, then rinse.  There’s just nothing else as good as this on the market.  Period. 

KAREN - NEEDS MACY’S LINK: Estée Lauder Idealist Dual-Action Refinishing Treatment

Follow it up with The Antidote Quenching Daily Lotion by Skyn Icelandic and we’re talking a perfect start to any day.