How To Keep Your Makeup From Melting

In case you haven't noticed, there's been a nationwide heat wave going on. If your makeup starts sliding the minute you walk outside, don't sweat. There's a way to keep it in place in the face of heat and humidity, according to celebrity makeup artist Ashunta Sheriff. Our friends at Bellasugar got her expert advice.
It's prime time
"Definitely start with a foundation primer," Sheriff says. (She recommends Mary Kay Foundation Primer.) "That's going to keep the makeup on through the heat, tone down redness, and make the makeup last." Speaking of makeup, she adds, less is more when the temperature soars. "Don't wear a bunch of foundation and concealer," she says. "Go with tinted moisturizer and apply concealer only where you need it."
Choose products wisely
One way to keep makeup from sliding off? Use powder formulas when possible. "During the summer, stay away from cream cheek and eye colors," Sheriff advises. "Otherwise, you're going to look like you have wet, oily eyelids." The exception: if a cream eye color specifically says that it's waterproof and dries into a powder finish, you're good to go.
Go waterproof
"Use waterproof mascara, especially in July and August when it's extremely humid and hot," Sheriff says. "Regular mascara tends to flake off and rub off." If you usually wear multiple coats but don't like waterproof formulas, Sheriff advises "sealing" your usual mascara with one coat of a waterproof one.

Skinnygirl Skin Care: Bethenny Frankel to Launch Beauty Line

Bethenny Frankel. Bethenny Frankel's Skinnygirl empire is getting bigger and bigger!

The tell-it-like-it-is reality star and entrepreneur built a booming brand portfolio consisting of cocktails, books and shapewear, and now she's making her foray into the beauty industry this fall with a skin care and body line, WWD reports.

Frankel has partnered with beauty firm Lotta Luv to offer the masses products that yield honest results.

"[Promises like] 'you're going to look like Heidi Klum in two days' or 'like you had a face-lift' have always bothered me," she told WWD.

The Skinnygirl Face & Body Solutions line will be comprised of four categories -- lip treatments, face solutions, body solutions and gift sets -- and include beauty fix-it staples like a Shimmer Plumping Lip Gloss, Detox Face Mask and Gradual Tanning Body Shimmer. There's also a Skinnygirl Mommy collection with a Cooling Foot Spray, of course.

And you can rest assure that everything has "The Real Housewife's" stamp of approval. "I'm obsessed. I use everything, I named every single product. I created the packaging and the logo," Frankel explained to WWD.

Skinnygirl skin care (all items retail under $15) will roll out to select Wal-Mart stores in November.

Will you be adding Frankel's beauty products to your routine this holiday? Tell us in the comments section and click here to find out which star skin care ingredients really work.

 

What We're Trying Now: Summer Braids

Clockwise from left: Emilio Pucci FW2011 - GoRunway.com, Alterna, Bumble and Bumble, Mara Hoffman 2012, Y3 FW2011 - GoRunway.com

Last week in New York was one of the steamiest on record -- and it's not even August yet! Ducking outside the office for an errand felt more like hopping into a sauna. Further, it's hard to feel pulled together in heat this oppressive... all-consuming... oven-like. If chopping off all your hair is not an option, then one of the easiest (and chicest) alternatives for getting your hair off your neck is a braid.

At Fashion Week Swim in Miami, Mara Hoffman sent her models down the runway in long, wispy fishtail braids. We also spotted chunky, slightly-haphazard versions this fall at Pucci and Y3. The trick to making this classic style look slightly more edgy is to create lots of texture before you braid your hair. Work in dry shampoo to build fullness and body, and spritz in a salt spray to create even more of a mussed-up feel. Don't stress about making it perfect and neat -- the messier the better.

Read All Comments

Why You Should Use Oil In Your Hair

Hesitant about using oil on your hair? Check out these pro tips. Rarely does one beloved beauty secret cross the breadth of so many centuries, countries, cultures and ethnicities as the use of oil on hair.

With effects that run the gamut from conditioning and adding shine to treating dandruff and stimulating strand growth, oils are truly the workhorse of hair care products.

While the nutrient-rich substance fell out of favor in recent times in part due to a general lack of knowledge of how to use it without weighing down hair, oils are now enjoying a popular resurgence as the rise of the green beauty category brings the ancient treatment back to the spotlight.

"Oils are not only incredibly beneficial to all hair types, but they have a ritualistic quality to them that many find spiritually soothing," says Horst Rechelbacher, founder of both Aveda and Intelligent Nutrients, a certified organic beauty line that is entirely based on plant ingredients.

Two oils of the moment -- argan and monoi -- are the current 'it' girls of the industry, attracting attention and fame, and dedicated legions of fans. Argan oil is the star ingredient of the ubiquitous Moroccanoil brand, and monoi takes center stage in a new line launching by Carol's Daughter.

"The romance of monoi is what hooked me first, its tradition and the process by which it is made. The second thing was its scent," says Carol's Daughter founder Lisa Price, of the oil that is created by soaking Tahitian gardenias in coconut oil. "The goal became, 'How do we prepare this so that we can marry the ancient tradition with modern-day efficacy?'"

But before you dive into the healthy hair benefits of oil, it's vital that you know how to apply it in the right way to best benefit your hair. Our tips and tricks below cover all textures and types -- and even the most baby-fine heads of hair.

Know the three types of cosmetic oils and their weight. Fatty oils like castor and shea butter have large molecular weight and sit on the surface of hair, while semi-fatty oils like sweet almond, avocado and sunflower are absorbed more readily, and work for most hair types. Dry oils like grape seed, coconut and evening primrose are the lightest, and seemingly disappear into the hair without any residue on even fine textures, says natural beauty expert Julie Gabriel, who will publish Oleotherapy: Reveal the Powerful Rejuvenation Benefits of 100 Oils for your Health, Beauty and Wellbeing in November 2011.

Always massage oil into the scalp. The most common mistake people make is that they apply oil to the ends of hair only. "Oils help regulate sebum production in the scalp much in the same way that face oils are helpful to normalize sebum production in the skin," says Gabriel. Fine hair can apply oil only to the scalp, while medium to thick types can also apply the oil to the mid-shaft and down. Coarse types can massage the oil from the scalp all the way to the ends.

The goof-proof choice for any hair type is jojoba oil. A plant that is indigenous to the southwest, jojoba is the lightest of all cosmetic oils, and absorbs weightlessly. If you have super-fine hair, you can even look for clarified jojoba, which takes it even a step lighter. "Jojoba is a liquid wax, and you can clarify it and take some of the wax out of it to make it even lighter than it already is," says Rechelbacher.

Argan oil is best for medium to thick hair. While everyone is reaching for argan these days, Rechelbacher says that the exotically fragrant oil is more suited to thicker heads of hair. "Argan is sticky, and can be hard to get out of fine hair. It's like olive oil -- you'll need to shampoo two or three times to fully rinse it out, or else you'll get build-up." Yet for richer locks, argan can strike the perfect balance of shine, scent and manageability.

To get the benefits without any weight, apply oil to dry hair. If you don't want to keep oil in your hair, try this treatment recommended by Rechelbacher. On completely dry hair, first work oil into the ends, and then slowly massage into the scalp, deeply inhaling the aromatic experience for relaxation. Gently brush hair from scalp to ends for five minutes, and allow the oil to sit for 15 to 20 minutes. Then hop in the shower and wash it out. "In most cases, you won't even have to follow up with a conditioner unless you're very coarse. Your hair will feel like silk," says Rechelbacher.

Castor oil is a natural growth treatment. Castor oil is believed to stimulate and strengthen hair growth, but Gabriel says that it's too heavy to use on hair. Instead, you can apply the vegetable oil with a Q-tip to sparse eyebrows and lashes at bedtime to encourage thicker, healthier and faster growth. Think of it as nature's Latisse.

Warm oil is a fix-it for scalp problems. Since putting oil on the scalp encourages the skin to rebalance itself, adding warmth will also allow nutrients to penetrate more deeply. Gabriel says that massaging your choice of oil into the scalp is helpful for dry dandruff, non-hormonal hair loss and itchy scalps. Simply nuke a small amount of oil in the microwave, and then enjoy a soothing fingertip massage in small circles around the scalp.

How often you should use oil depends on how often you wash. Fine and oily hair types that wash daily, or close to that, can consider using an deep oil treatment weekly. Textured and coarse hair types that wash weekly or bi-weekly will likely enjoy the best results with an oil treatment applied once a month. The risk of applying oil too often is that it will build up in the scalp and weigh hair down, unless it has been shampooed sufficiently between applications.

Beware of cheapened oils. Manufacturers are notorious for flooding products with silicones and petrochemicals, and including only minute amounts of oil, says Gabriel. Be sure to read ingredient labels to confirm that you're getting the real deal -- which should be a listing of various oils. Rechelbacher and other vetted natural experts often use essential oils in their mixes, as it's a more hygienic choice that diminishes the chance of bacteria growth. The addition of seeds and antioxidants is an indication of top-notch blending that will allow the oils to perform even better.

If pregnant, don't use nut oils. Oils derived from nuts like peanuts and pine nuts can be potentially hazardous to pregnant women. "Oils from nuts go rancid the quickest, and you don't want to apply rancid oil if you're pregnant. If in doubt, smell it. If it doesn't smell right or is off, don't use it," says Rechelbacher.

Read All Comments

3 Sexy Summer Hairstyles to Try Now

 

3 Sexy Summer Hairstyles to Try Now

• The Messy Morning After
• The Half-Up Bombshell
• The Sexy Summer Flip

• The Sexy Summer Flip

  To achieve this punked-out look, add volumizing mousse to damp hair. Part your hair sharply to the side and blow-dry with a boar-bristel brush. To add extra volume, backcomb at the crown. To finish it off, add braids underneath or just flip hair over the top and to the side. Hairspray is the final touch.

• The Messy Morning After

  Start with a volumizing mousse and blow-dry or spray a texturing styling gel on dry hair. Use a one-inch curling iron to create randomly placed waves, then run fingers through hair and backcomb at the roots. The messier, slept-in, and more wind-blown-looking, the better.

• The Half-Up Bombshell

  Hot rollers will give your hair mega volume, like Lindsey Wixson's 'do in Opening Ceremony's spring/summer '11 look book, but a one-inch curling iron will do the trick, too. Once the curls are set, brush hair out and spray on a volumizing, dry hairspray at the roots to add volume. Backcomb at the crown, pull the top half of hair back, and secure into a half-up poof. Finish by spraying generously with hairspray.
Maybe you've had the same hairdo for the past six months, or now that temperatures are rising, your strands are starting to make you overheat. Either way, our friends over at Refinery 29 have rounded up three gorgeous summer hairstyles that require minimum effort but produce maximum effect. Your options: the Sexy Summer Flip, an "alluring mix of punky and sexy" that has been featured on runways such as Charlotte Ronson Fall 2011; the Messy Morning After (enough said); or the Half-Up Bombshell, which involves hot rollers and tons of sex appeal.