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While everyone was oohing and ahhing over Sandra's super-shiny hair at the Oscars, we were busy obsessing over J Lo's  perfect eyebrows! Yes, there are many salons that can shape similar brows, but remember the recession?! Not everyone can afford a trip to the brow Dr every month. The best advice is to lighten your brows a shade with dye, but it isn't safe to recommend any at home kits, because the trick is to know how light to go. Worst case scenario you end up with no eyebrows, or disproportionate eyebrows...it can get scary. Second to dye, brow shaping kits are a must-have and the best way to perfect your arch. 

And the nominees for best eyebrow shaping kits are:



1. Tweezerman Mini Brow Kit, Sephora $25 2. Cle de Peau Beaute Eyebrow and Eyeliner Compact, Neiman Marcus $70 3. Too Faced Brow Envy Shaping and Defining Kit, Sephora $35 4. Benefit Cosmetics Brow Zings, Benefit Cosmetics $30 5. Anastasia All About Brows Kit, Sephora $75 6. Sephora Collection Arch it Brow Kit, Sephora $35

Diane Kruger was lovely in a pulled back, twisted hair style, gilded eyes, and a pale pink lip , leaving the drama  to her AMAZING Chanel gown.

As usual, Kate Winslet knocked it out of the park with sleek, Veronica Lake inspired finger waves, and fresh pinks on the face to compliment her blue eyes and golden tresses.

Mo'nique decorated her coif with gardenias befitting an Oscar winner, and matched the sweet look with a flawless, matte face and glossy lips.
 Elizabeth banks dazzled with bold lined eyes, a pale lip, and added a sparkly headband to her sophisticated hair style for a extra dose of glam.

Miley Cyrus brought the drama with smokey eyes, LOTS of lash, a pretty pale pout, and a gorgeous, loose wave updo that was one of our faves of the evening.

Charlize Theron's bright red lip and natural eye made a powerful statement without overpowering the actresses' knockout face.

Cameron Diaz rocked a muted version of Charlize's lip, but looked totally different and fresh. Loose, windblown waves were in tune with Cam's Cali-girl style-- effortless, pretty, and natural.

Vera Farmiga's silvery-purple eye was young and fresh, and the bold pink lip complimented her dress without competing with it, topped with a perfectly tousled a chignon.

Lastly, Jennifer Lopez ALWAYS gives good face.  Perfectly groomed brows,  flawless blending, and the look was balanced by her organic, loose updo.

Do you agree? Disagree? Who were your faves? Tell us in the comments!

Beyoncé Knowles is known for her glam red carpet looks and edgy performance style, but today Beyoncé gave us beauty in another form-- by giving back to the community with a project she and her mother, Tina, have dreamed about and worked on for years: the Beyoncé Cosmetology Center at the Phoenix Rehab Center in Brooklyn.

Phoenix House, which is a residential substance abuse treatment program, will run the Career Academy. The academy will serve to help men and women in treatment to prepare for careers in the cosmetology field after a seven-month training course, while overcoming their drug addictions. L'Oreal has donated all the products to be used at the center, and Beyoncé, along with her mother, have pledged to donate $100,000 annually.

We love Beyonce's chameleon-like beauty, but this venture is her best look yet.

While Hollywood is prepping for the Oscars, we've been thinking about all the work that goes into making our favorite celebs look so damn glamorous on this big night. How do they (or their makeup artists -- yes they have help) get that amazing red carpet glow? If you have a big Oscar-like event coming up...maybe even the Oscars who knows?...make sure you're covered with these red carpet must-haves:

Lip Plumper:
The makeup world got a lot more exciting after the invention of lip plumper. What's better? A good limp plumper + a good gloss all in one.

Our suggestion: Givenchy Pop Gloss. Sephora, $24.50.












Fake Eyelashes:
Talk about an optical illusion. Fake lashes are the best way to illuminate your eyes and add a dash of intensity.

Our suggestion: Andrea Perma Lash Starter Kit. Sally Beauty Supply, $9.99.
 















Eye Shadow Palette:
The best way to get a modern, glamorous eye is to layer the right colors and eye shadow palettes make it relatively easy.

Our suggestion: Sephora Colorful Artist Palette. Sephora, $32.











Body Shimmer:
Shimmer, shimmer and more shimmer. But we're not talking just the face. You need a good illuminating powder to apply all over the body.

Our Suggestion: Urban Decay Flavored Body Powder. Sephora, $26.

At Victor de Souza's F/W 2010 collection, the designer wanted an otherworldly beauty. Bring on the drama!

For the hair, lead stylist Danilo, worked with PHYTO products to create an "alien chic" silhouette. Hair was formed into a tight pony tail which was subsequently slicked back with PHYTO Professional Strong Sculpting Gel and wrapped into a chignon at the top of the head.  Small sections of hair were left out at the temples, and extensions wrapped within a hair net (in blond, brunette, and black shades depending on the model's hair color) were fastened to the top of the head, covering the chignon, and loose side pieces were tucked back and underneath. To finish, Danilo used PHYTO Professional Workable Hold Hairspray.




For the face, Lena Koro for the NARS created a look inspired by a photograph of Audrey Hepburn, and was intended to emulate the feeling of her elegance and class, with an "alien twist." The face was paled with NARS Snow loose powder and Sheer Matte Foundation in Siberia. Eyes were dramatically lined with jet liner (Black Moon eyeliner and Eyeliner Stylo in Black). Models also sported blackout contact lenses to completely cover the whites of eyes and add to the alien aesthetic. The look was finished by dabbing NARS gloss in XXX on lips.




Nails were done by CND (Creative Nail Design). Lead Stylist Christina Estabrooks shaped false nails into rounded points and adhered just below the first knuckle. They were coated with one of two polishes (Pink Lily and Copper Chrome), and finished off with French tips (Studio White) before being topped with Super Matte topcoat.



The final look:



While it isn't exactly a wearable look, it was certainly one of the more exciting looks we've witnessed this season.... it was, as promised, completely out of this world!

photo via beauty.com

This season during New York Fashion Week, Butter London teamed up with designer duo Vena Cava to create a custom color (now named 'Marrow') which the designers debuted with their fall 2010 collection. Butter London's Creative Director Nonie Creme refers to this new color as a "murky purple" and we're loving it! Not too vampy, but just enough edge to add a little character. Yes, it's nearly spring and everyone is stocking up on their toned-down taupes but we're craving this darker shade. If you're like us and too anxious to wait for fall, get the look with these similar purples:

Opi Brights Purple with a Purpose $6, Amazon	Lippmann Call me Irresponsible $16, LippmannCollection.com	Nars Purple Rain $16, Sephora	Essie Sole Mate $8, Beauty.com

Nonie Creme suggests replicating a similar look by applying one of Butter London's new Jelly shades like Stroppy to a darker color like black or purple.

We've all been there: alarm blaring WAY before we've completely slept off last night's cocktails with the girls. A shower and coffee may help wake us up, but wait a minute - what's going to help wake this tired skin?! 

We say: if you can't beat it, fake it. You may not feel anywhere near a million bucks, but follow these tips and you'll look it in no time...five minutes to be exact.

1. Give skin a double boost by smoothing on a  primer that hydrates and brightens, Tarina Tarantino Pearl Glow primer.
The primer hydrates and smooths skin while light reflective crushed pearl pigments brighten skin and diffuse light to fake a radiance. Time: 1 minute.

2. Apply a sheer to medium coverage tinted moisturizer to mask imperfections and even out skin tone. Depending on the amount of coverage you'd like, use fingers for more control and coverage, or a dampened sponge for a more sheer finish.
Stila Sheer Color Tinted Moisturizer has just enough pigment while still being lightweight and invisible. Added bonus? SPF to protect skin from harmful rays. Time: 1 minute.

3. Any problem areas are easily covered with a creamy concealer like Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage.
Use a small concealer brush to dot onto problem areas with precision, then use your ring finger to tap into skin and diffuse, for the most natural coverage. Time: 1 minute.

4. We've been trained to be afraid of powders to set our makeup, for fear of looking unnaturally matte or cakey. The new HD powders are foolproof, and give skin a soft-focus look. Makeup For Ever Microfinish contains silica powder, which helps to soften the appearance of imperfections.
Sprinkle a small amount into cap, swirl powder brush, tap off excess, and lightly dust over contours of the face. A little goes a long way. Time: 1 minute.

5. Lastly, here's an insider tip to a fresh, no makeup look: Spritz skin with a light facial spray to take down the powder, set, and give an added dose of hydration. Shu Uemura Depsea Facial Water Mist contains over 60 minerals to enhance moisture.
Holding bottle 1-15 inches from skin, mist lightly and let dry. It may sound counter-productive after applying the other four products, but trust us: One time, and you'll wonder how you ever lived without this step! Time: 1 minute.

Total time elapsed: 5 minutes, which leaves you time to stop for that double latte!

With Valentine's Day just around the corner, we think it's time to get your lips in good condition, regardless of whether or not you have someone special to kiss. Lips, like the rest of your skin, should be treated properly. Healthy lips not only look good, but your favorite lip colors, especially lipsticks, will look and apply so much better on a smooth pout. Here are some of our lippie picks that get and keep those lips in soft, kiss-ready shape.

 

No matter where you live, at some point there will be rainy days. It's in those times that we reach for our water-resistant makeup. These must-haves keep us looking gorgeous, even when the weather isn't.

 

It's a new year (2010, can you believe it?), full of possibilities and positive expectations. Why not take a little time to discover a new, fun scent? The following are a handful of floral-infused scents that we are loving and think you may want to try on for size in 2010.

 

DKNY Sweet Caramel Candy Apple

"A crisp, irresistible surprise". We find this scent to be delicate, succulant and creamy, with the right amount of sweetness. We highly recommend you try the other "flavors' in this limited-edtion collection as well-- yum! Limited Edition. $55, sephora.com

 

 

 

Vera Wang Glam Princess

The newest princess to join the Vera Wang family is Glam Princess. Like a modern and feminine fairy-tale, this princess seems like a very inspired, imaginative and flirty one thanks in part to notes like crushed red berries, guava, marshmallow and vanilla orchid. Limited Edition. From $45, macys.com

 

 

 

Leslie Blodgett Santa Barbara Eau de Parfum Spray

Like a getaway in a bottle, we love the cool vibe of this scent. A blend of subtle fruits, soft white flowers and mellow woods are captured in this Sephora exclusive. From $16, sephora.com

 

 

 

 

Smashbox Heartbreaker Eau de Parfum

Smashbox's Spring 2010 collection, Heartbreaker, also includes the brand's first fragrance, an "alluring, spicy floral" eau de parfum. While the scent is the perfect blend to take us into spring, the rollerball packaging makes it travel-friendly--  love that. $22, nordstrom.com

 

 

 

 

Helena Rubinstein's Wanted

"Vibrant, modern and fresh", this new fragrance isn't too daring so it's suitable for the office. With notes of iris, cedar, sandalwood and vanilla, you may want this feminine scent carrying you through the year. From $60, macys.com