Everything I ever needed to know about beauty I learned from Van Halen.

Okay, maybe not everything, but closer analysis of the picture below reveals several key tenants of looking good, no matter your age.

Might as well jump!

1. Avoid crunchy hair. Keep it soft and natural looking.

Whatever decade you’re in, crunchy hair is never cute. In this pic, the boys of Van Halen manage to keep their manes looking big, yet touchable; each band member has hair you could easily run your fingers through. Soft, moveable hair always looks great, whether you’re cruising Sephora or banging your head on stage.

2. If you’re going to go trendy, stick to one trend at a time.

Notice how the only band member who doesn’t look completely insane is Michael Anthony, the bass player sporting a white t-shirt and jeans. I like trends as much as the next girl, but too many at one time is usually a bad idea.

I could probably forgive Eddie Van Halen for wearing overalls without a shirt, but the fact that the overalls are in a red camo print makes this completely unacceptable. Too many trends at one time, Eddie!

And would someone please explain why leggings keep coming back in style? If you’re going to wear leggings, choose a basic color, please!

David Lee Roth’s tight red leggings cause my eyes to beg for mercy. Had he chosen basic black, at least he would’ve looked classic, like pictures of Mikhail Baryshinikov during his prime ballet dancing years.

3. Shoes can make or break the outfit.

Although David Lee Roth is rocking those unforgivable red superhero tights, he does get a few points for the gold and red sequined boots.

Creative footwear almost always trumps boring, lunch lady comfort shoes in the fashion department. If I have to stare at you for any length of time, please don’t make me look at some boring, ugly shoes that send me directly into REM sleep.

4. Stretch.

Check out David Lee Roth’s high kick. Wowee, wow, wow! Homeboy could’ve been a rockette! Yes, doing cardio and lifting weights is important to staying fit, but one cannot neglect the importance of stretching.

If left to my own devices I’d never stretch — I’m not flexible at all — so I have to force myself to sneak in some stretching while watching reality TV, which seems to make it less of a chore.

5. Go for clothes that skim but don’t hug your curves.

I know I’m picking on poor Diamond Dave for those awful red pants, but, seriously, they didn’t have to be two sizes too small. If you’ve got a tight body by all means work it. But leaving a little room for the imagination never hurts.

V/H on the D/L

I can’t lie… for many years I kept my love for Van Halen on the down low. Growing up, my friends and I mostly listened to hip hop.

I remember my best friend getting the RUN D.M.C.’s Raising Hell tape and listening to the song It’s Tricky for three straight days until we memorized the lyrics. Yes, girl, I said TAPE, which meant hitting the rewind button and waiting a good 30 seconds before the song played again!

There was no world outside the realm of rap or R&B, so when I “discovered” the extensive genre of mid-80’s butt rock (Van Halen, Bon Jovi, etc.) I felt that I had to keep it secret or face being labeled a hip hop pariah.

Of course, looking back on this after 20 years, it’s all so funny to me now, but I still remember the pressure I felt to fit in.

To all the young ladies reading this blog, if you’re feeling like a square peg trying to fit into a round hole, know that you aren’t alone. Keep your chin up, sweetie, because it does get better. Finding your way just takes some time.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Hey ya’ll … Makeup and Beauty Blog is now part of the new Total Beauty network, WOOT!

Total Beauty brings together tips and reviews from a huge network of beauty bloggers just like me.

If you like reading my blog and want to show some love, please visit the “Blogs We Love” section and click on the Makeup and Beauty Blog link!

Show your girl some love, ya’ll!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

I have a very dysfunctional relationship with the neighbor’s wretched tabby cat. He comes by a few times a week and meows at my door, begging for snacks. I let him in. I feed and pet him. He bites me. He leaves. It’s like this every single time. He’s such a user, but I fall for it every time.

Anyway, the beast came by yesterday for a visit and as he nibbled my arm I started thinking, “Wouldn’t it be cool if we all had somebody who would give us beauty snacks?”

I'd like to have a neighbor who'd let me in when I knocked on her door, who'd give me a few beauty tips, makeup nibbles (like a recommendation for a pink MAC Lipglass), quick life lessons and perhaps a picture of a hot boy or two. ... Then, I'd go on my merry way. That would be awesome.

So, without further ado (drumroll please), here are some beauty snacks for ya!

Beauty Snacks (like Scooby Snacks, but cooler)

Sephora sales

Did you know that if you type the word “sale” into the search bar on Sephora’s Web site, you get a list of everything on the site that’s discounted? I do this often and find lots cool stuff perfect for holiday stocking stuffers — brushes, makeup, body products — for less than $10.00.

Some products have deep discounts, like this NARS Hot Sauce lip palette, on sale for $30.00 (originally $50.00).

I run the Sephora sale search a few times a week ’cause I like a good deal. You know your girl loves a sale!

Daily Motivator

At the risk of appearing completely cheesy, I thought I’d share a special site with you because, frankly, it has saved my butt on many occasions. When I’m feeling blue, or when things get crazy, and I need to check myself (before I wreck myself), I visit the Daily Motivator for quick shots of wisdom. Some might find Ralph Marston’s daily motivators and observations corny, but I like ‘em. They help me stay motivated and remind me to keep things in perspective.

Use the force, Luke

Taye Diggs: Hottie, actor … hip hop dancer?!?!

My friend J-Money sent me an e-mail yesterday inviting me to a one-time, advanced hip hop class taught by master dance teacher, TAYE DIGGS (star of one of my fave movies, Brown Sugar). Did ya’ll know Taye could dance? I sure as heck didn’t. I’m going to the two-hour class in February. You better believe I’ll be hustling for a spot up in the front so I can watch him, um, teach.

Hopefully Taye will teach in this outfit

Neutrogena Soft Color Blush

Damn, these blushes rule. They’re cheap (about $6.00 for a huge pan), look natural and are easy to apply. When I’m in a hurry, these are my go-to blushes because they don’t streak (even on bare skin), blend easily and aren’t chalky.

If you’re blush shy or new to blush then these are good starter products (ditch the included brush, though, ’cause it’s useless). I have Sunny Spice, Divine Wine and Soft Suede colors in my collection.

Back to MAC Program

Yesterday, while I was rifling through one of the several piles of makeup in my living room, I found a stash of used MAC Lipglasses and empty brush cleaner bottles. I keep all my used MAC stuff so I can participate in “Back to MAC,” MAC’s recycling program. You bring in six used product packages (lipstick, Lipglasses, compacts, etc.) and get a free lipstick in return. There are a few exceptions, so find out what’s considered a recyclable product on the MAC Web site.

I bet I’m the last person in the world who needs another lipstick, but hey, I’m heading to the counter after work if traffic isn’t bad. What color should I get?

Lazy Beast Cardio 101

Most of the time I love working out and going to the gym, but when it’s cold and rainy I get lazy. On those days, I reach for a workout DVD at home. It won’t substitute for a three-mile run on the treadmill, but it’s better than nothing.

Workout DVD’s can be expensive, so I rent mine from Netflix. Their huge selection helps stave off workout boredom. Right now I’m really missing Hawaii, so I’ve been doing a 30-minute hula workout called “Island Girl Dance Fitness Workout for Beginners.”

The workout is low impact, but it sure works up a sweat. I love the tropical scenery, and I’m a sucker for upbeat island music.

Coffee break

Mmm, coffee. I can’t survive without my morning cup. Coffee’s tasty but it stains teeth like crazy! I asked my dentist what I could do and she suggested using a straw, so I keep a pack of bendable straws in the kitchen cupboard and always use them when I drink coffee, tea and red wine at home. It’s weird at first — I like sipping my coffee through my front teeth, and my friends and El Hub gave me a lot of crap for it — but eventually I got used to it. Now my teeth stay sparklin’ white.

Girl, wherever you are I hope it’s warm because it’s cold around my ‘hood! How are you holding up in this rain?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Tip #1: Wear a scent that means something to you.

For some people, scent is highly tied to memory, like how a whiff of men’s Eternity can bring back memories of one’s lame ex-boyfriend (I’m not bitter).

I used to sneak a spritz or two of my mom’s Chanel No. 5 when I was a wee child. For Paris, the fragrances of Jean Patou hold a special place in her heart. The first perfume she ever wore was Jean Patou’s 1000 because her mom wore it when Paris was young. Jean Patou’s Joy was another one. “It just smells like my grandma,” said Paris. “She always used to wear it. She passed away from breast cancer a few years ago, so it kind of reminds me of her when I wear it.”

Paris signs a pic for a fan at the CAN CAN release event held at Macy’s Valley Fair in Santa Clara, California on November 17, 2007

Just as fragrance can influence how we feel, it also affects how people remember us. That’s why Paris decided to make perfumes. “I wanted to do a fragrance because I feel like it’s such a big part of life.”

CAN CAN was really personal for her. She enlisted the help of friends and family in making it. Step one was to create a batch of sample fragrances with the help of a perfumer — one of those professional smell expert gurus — based on some of her favorite scents. With her three or four favorites in tow, she went home to do a little good ole’ fashioned market research. “I’ll have them smell,” said Paris of her friends and family, “and see what they like best.” With their input, she chose the fragrance she thought would appeal to the widest audience. The result was CAN CAN, a fruity floral with notes of clementine flower, cassis, nectarine, musk and amber.

This is the fourth fragrance campaign for Paris, who also did campaigns for her other perfumes: Heiress, Just Me and Paris Hilton. CAN CAN is the fourth campaign but the first with a distinct theme. She called it the best of the photo shoots she’s done for a fragrance so far. She danced and posed on a Moulin Rouge themed set while her self-titled debut album, Paris, played in the background. “We’ve always done really beautiful shots,” she said, “but not really a theme, so it was really fun.”

Paris is often reminded of how her fragrances can influence every day life. Dudes and chicks stop her on the street to tell her that they’re wearing her stuff. “I always go and smell them,” she said. I wore CAN CAN on the day I did this interview, so from now on every time I catch a whiff of it I’ll remember that day. I almost shoved my wrist up her nose at one point but thought it faux pas.

Thousands of rabid fans showed up to the event. Apparently it pays to be tall when you’re jostling other Paris fans for camera phone pics.

Tip #2: Rock the lipgloss.

CHANEL Glossimer lipgloss, YES!

Paris was rocking a fierce look in our interview. She was wearing a sleeveless cream top and black skirt by BCBG and hot pink Christian Dior shoes. Ladies and gents, you know how your girl loves the shoes. I briefly thought about stopping the interview to have my photographer (El Hub) take shots of Paris’ fantabulous footwear, but alas, I only had six minutes to get through all my questions. So sorry, fellow shoe lovers!

For her makeup, Paris wore a silver, sparkly eye with thick black liner on the top lid along with a soft flushed cheek. She had on MAC shadow and Max Factor blush. The focal point of her look was a pink lip topped with a layer of Chanel Glossimer lipgloss in Astral #104. “I love the glitter in it,” she said.

For the past few weeks I’ve been trying to motivate myself to do stuff by using Chanel makeup as a self-motivator — i.e. Karen does ‘X’ tasks and gets two tubes of Chanel lipgloss — but after seeing Paris wearing Glossimer, I’m afraid I’m going to cave, like, really soon. Perhaps tomorrow, even. Girlfriend’s lips looked *super hot*.

MAC Prrr Lipglass, YES!

When Paris is working, she spends a lot of time in hair and makeup with her stylists and makeup artists, so on her days off she doesn’t like to wear a lot of makeup. She does love her gloss, though, and can’t live without MAC Prrr Lipglass. “When I’m just like, chilling,” she said, “I’d rather just put on mascara, and like, really cute lipgloss.”

Maybelline Great Lash, NOOOO!

And what is Paris’ mascara of choice on her days off? Maybelline Great Lash, the one from Rite-Aid in the pink and green tube.

I thought, “Are you serious, girlfriend?” I would’ve put my money on Paris being a Diorshow kind of girl. I had some Plushlash in my purse, and I thought about giving it to her as a gesture of goodwill mascara salvation. Paris, girrrrrrl, if you’re reading this, I’m gonna hook you up with some Plushlash, STAT!

Tip #3: Get the glowy look with weekly facials and Kate Somerville products.

Paris is known for her dewy, glowy skin. She said her secret is a weekly facial at Kate Somerville, a spa located down the street from her house. She and Kate are homies, and Paris gets treatments with extractions at the spa when she isn’t too busy with work.

Extractions? I cringed.

I wish you could see Paris’ Christian Dior shoes in this pic. They were *awesome.*

“You know,” she said, “it’s good for you. Everyone should do it. And like Lasergenesis, which makes your skin really, like, plump … it’s just this light that goes on your face.”

Kate Somerville offers a full skin care line, and Hilton is an avid devotee. “I use all Kate’s products,” she said. She can’t live without Nourish moisturizer and Exfolikate (formerly known as Kate in a Jar) exfoliating treatment. On the day of our interview, beside the sparkly eye and lip, Paris’ skin actually had very little shine. It was a very matte skin look, which is really trendy right now.

“I just think it’s good to just take care of yourself and get massages and drink water,” she added.

Tip #4: Planning ahead never hurts, especially when it comes to skin care or the quest for beauty-product world domination.

Paris’ quest for world domination doesn’t stop at the fragrance counter. She is currently working on a makeup line and would also love to create skin care products. Her take home message for skin care: start young! I hear ya, girl. Like I always say, the best anti-aging secret is sunscreen (and don’t forget your neck, oy!).

Tip #5: Be polite and sweet to everyone.

Although I never really watched Paris’ show, “The Simple Life,” I’ve read a lot about her in the news, and truth be told I didn’t know what to expect from this interview. Would she roll her eyes because I wasn’t from Newsweek or the New York Times? Girlfriend did say she didn’t use the Web too much, and she’d never heard of beauty blogs before. Would she spend the entire time text-messaging Nicole on her massive jewel-encrusted smartphone?

To my surprise, she was nice. Although she seemed a bit guarded and heavily media trained, she was sweet and fully engaged throughout the conversation. The moral of this story? Despite all of the drama surrounding Paris in the news, I found her to be a sweet girl who works hard and loves her family.

I hope you had a wonderful weekend and that it was, dare I say, hot.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

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More Holiday Wish List 2007 – Elizabeth Arden Mediterranean Perfume

It’s been months since I’ve gone surfing and I miss being in the ocean. Just looking at the blue packaging and bottle for Elizabeth Arden’s Mediterranean perfume makes me feel like I’m in Hawaii, sitting on my board and waiting for the next wave to come and carry me away.

Aside from the beautiful bottle and packaging, the best part about this perfume is that the scent isn’t too heavy or cloying. Mediterranean is described on the Elizabeth Arden Web site as a “radiant woody floral.” Imagine a hybrid between the best parts of Fresh’s Lemon Sugar perfume and Covet.

When I spray it on I get an initial burst that’s lemony and white floral. It then dries down to a light, black tea scent. On me Mediterranean smells gender neutral and not overly feminine or sweet.

If you have a girlfriend, sister or mom who likes perfumes that aren’t too sweet then she’ll love this. It would also be a great gift for a friend who loves beachy scents but doesn’t like strong “tropical” notes like pikake or tuberose.

The 1.7 fl oz bottle you see in the pic above is $47.50, but for the holidays Elizabeth Arden’s got a special set that includes the 1.7 fl oz Eau de Parfum Spray, Body Lotion and a wee Eau de Parfum replica for $52.00. Don’t you love the extra goodies in gifts sets? I sure do.

A Holiday 2007 Face of the Day with Clinique’s “Happy & Bright” Makeup

Here’s a face of the day I did with Clinique’s Holiday 2007 “Happy & Bright” makeup. What do you think?

I used the pink shade farthest on the left all over the lid, then the peach shade to highlight the browbone and inner eye. I put the lighter brown shade in the crease and used the darker brown on the far right to line the top and bottom. Then I finished it off with two coats of BECCA The Ultimate Mascara in Black.

On the cheeks I used the lightest touch of MAC’s Dollymix blush with Clinique Fresh Bloom Allover Colour in Peony layered on top.

I finished the look off with Raspberry Glace Different Lipstick and Camisole Full Potential Lipglass on the lips.

I really love these colors. They are buildable and pretty much mistake proof. My next Clinique Holiday 2007 mission: use the Pink Truffle quad to create a gentle smoky eye!

Weekend Reading Just For You

Your weekend isn’t over yet! Here’s the latest beauty buzz from The Beauty Blog Network.

15 Minute Beauty Fanatic – Christine Explains how Antioxidants Work
A Touch of Blusher – All About Japanese Cosmetics
All Lacquered Up - All Lacquered Up Reviews OPI’s Holiday in Hollywood Dazzling Darks & Neutrals
Beauty and Fashion Tech – Beauty and Fashion Tech Looks at the New MAC Holiday Collection and Provides Swatches
Beauty and Personality Grooming – Homemade rich nail cream
Etailers Mall – The Blog – PlumSmoke
Face Candy – Bridal Beauty
Makeup Moxie’s Beauty Blog - Makeup Moxie Reviews Cover Girl Lashblast Mascara
Musings of a Muse - The Muse’s First Look at the Sephora 2007 Catalog
Mystical Beauty’s Musings – How do you feel about your makeup talking to you?
Savvy Skin - Skimpy Thinning Eyebrows
SugarShock – Fragrance Notes: Factory Girl
Temptalia - MAC Curiositease Review, Swatches, and Photos!
Makeup Loves Me - Refreshing Facial at Fresh

And oooh girl, I know you didn’t miss Makeup and Beauty Blog’s MAC Holiday 2007 Curiositease Lip Sets: What to buy, What to pass up!

A Few More Random Thangs Currently Up in My Grill

Because the world is constantly moving toward randomness…here are few tidbits that have crossed my radar in the last few days.

In definance to all the laws of the universe, somehow Christian Bale came SECOND PLACE to Wentworth Miller in Entertainment Weekly’s Ultimate Hottie Poll, BOO!

That’s okay, I’ll comfort you, Chris

I saw this kid dancing on “The Soup” and I laughed for about 10 minutes straight. I kept rewinding and laughing, rewinding and laughing. He’s my hero.

Not that I need any more TV in my life, but Torchwood on BBC is FANTASTIC. Tivo it, yo!


What’s My Motivation?

Today I was in an infinitely better mood then yesterday because last night I slept twelve hours. No joke. Every moment of sleep was like manna from the heavens. Ahhhh!

In between working it out at the gym and watching the Colts and Patriots game (that Tom Brady is HAWT!) I thought of all the stuff I have to get done this week that I just don’t want to do.

“Hmmm,” I thought, “What’s the ultimate form of motivation? What’s gonna make me want to go the extra mile to get all this craptacular crapola done?”

The answer? C to the H to the A to the N to the E to the L.

The reward for finishing my first project…

And the second…

And the third…

The moral of this story? A little Chanel bribery goes a long, long way.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen