Two weeks ago, I started using Retin-A, in the hopes of both keeping my acne-prone skin clear and ridding myself of ever-deepening fine lines.  Now, I’m only 27 and am hardly in the market for a face-lift, but since I was in my early teens I’ve been firmly in the “ounce of prevention, pound of cure” camp and figure this is simply the next stage in my fight against friendly engagement with aging.  The two years I spent living in Palm Beach wrecked havoc on my skin and aged me several years (Why did I not wear stronger sunscreen?  Why??), so now I’m frantically trying to reverse a little of the sun damage.  Retin-A users are advised to start slow, so I’ve been using it three times a week, and am trying to let my skin acclimate before upping my usage.  As it is, my complexion is already molting, to the point that friends have started to comment.  (”What’s with all this?” they asked confusedly, pointing to my flaking chin.  Sexy.)  I spent a week applying moisturizing masks at night, trying to balance out the dryness, until Dr. Solieman explained that this sort of resistance was not only futile, but actually counterproductive—he advised me to just bite the bullet and get over the initial “Oh my god, my face is falling off!” hump.  (My words, not his.)  Since Retin-A makes your skin especially sensitive to the sun, I’m using the kick-ass Obagi Nu Derm Healthy Skin SPF 35 sunscreen, which I heartily recommend for all skin-types.  It sinks in quickly, works well under makeup, and provides excellent broad-spectrum protection.  (My new hobby is checking out product listings on the Skin Deep website to evaluate toxicity; I still haven’t quite figured out how to use the database, but here’s the Obagi sunscreen listing, with great scores.)  As far as my Retin-A journey, I’ll keep you updated!

Prepare yourselves…Carrie is nearly here.  Sex And The City premiered in London today, and if Sarah Jessica Parker’s Phillip Treacy hat is any indication (see photo below, in which giant mutated butterflies appear to be attacking her head), we’re in for some sartorial adventure.  The girls all look lovely, but my personal winner is Cynthia Nixon.  Yowza!

Yeah, the hat is weird…but I love it.  Does that make me weird?  I’m just so sick of seeing boring, blah, safe, bland prettiness on the red carpet.

What do you think?

Exciting news—I’ve finally had a chance to see an advanced copy of my Bare Minerals infomercial appearance, a half-hour segment completely devoted to the magic that is Bare Minerals foundation.  I pop up about twelve minutes in, yammering on about how obsessed I am…how crap my skin is otherwise…how it’s my number one beauty product ever, blah, blah, blah. The thing is, it’s 100% true—I wasn’t paid for my appearance in the infomercial, and agreed to it because I was thrilled to be invited to participate.  It’s damn near impossible to not become jaded by products; as a beauty writer, you test so many that they start to blend together.  So when you find something that really stands out, it’s a lightening bolt moment, and that Oh-My-God-You-Have-To-Try-This! love is what Bare Minerals (and all the Bare Escentuals products) inspires in me.

Why do I love it?  (Surely you’re sick of this by now!)  Here’s the five-second version: It’s weightless, it covers all my redness, pigmentation, zits and acne scars, and it doesn’t make me feel like I have paint on my skin.  Yeah, it has SPF, too, but even if it were SPF-free, I’d still want to make babies with it.

BTW, While most women who’ve tried agree wholeheartedly with Bare Minerals’ merits, occasionally I’ll get an email from somebody who questions my devotion.  (They’re all, “Jolie are you on crack?  I hate it–why are you so obsessed?”)  The most common complaints I’ve heard regarding Bare Minerals come from those with extremely dry skin, usually older women.  I always advise them to moisturize well before applying foundation, and also mention that the brush you use will determine the type of coverage you get.  (My favorite is the Handy Buki, which gives medium-to-full airbrush-worthy coverage.)  If you find that the foundation settles into pores, another complaint I’ve heard a few times, using a primer after moisturizing will help you look flawlessly smooth, dahlings.  The simple truth is that not all beauty products will work for all women; my favorite could be your least, or vice versa.  That being said, nearly every gal I’ve turned onto Bare Minerals has similarly fallen in love.  Hand over heart, Jolie pledges to (at least attempt to) always steer you right!  

You’d have to reside in a cave to escape the publicity push for Madonna’s new album Hard Candy.  There she is on the cover of Vanity Fair!  Here’s her new song with Justin Timberlake!  Watch her hit the gym with Gywneth Paltrow!  For a gal about to turn fifty (Madonna hits the big 5-0 this August 16, can you believe it?) she’s incredibly spry and looks better than most twenty-five year olds.  (I mean, let’s face it!  A gorgeous woman is pretty regardless of her age.)  Beauty Snob interviews Shu Uemura makeup director Gina Brooke, the makeup mastermind behind Madge’s Hard Candy cover.  I’m less interested in recreating her makeup, and more interested in recreating her biceps and unfurrowed brow, however…

Anyhoo, I thought you might enjoy my own Madonna story.  When I was in college, I wrote movie reviews for the Columbia Spectator.  As the nation’s second oldest college daily, we were fairly respected and therefore scored invites to many NYC press junkets.  Now, let me set the scene for you.  The majority of the people on the paper were highbrow…serious…America’s future newsmen and women.

Then there was Jolie.

My editor very quickly learned that I would eagerly take the crap, fluff movie assignments that nobody else wanted.  (Crossroads?  The Skulls?  40 Days and 40 Nights?  For the love of God, bring it!)  The other writers could have their Lars Von Trier Dogme 95 “nonsense”…Britney’s movie debut was more enough to keep me contented.  When an opportunity arose to see The Next Best Thing and interview Madonna following the movie, I obviously broke my own neck in the rush to say yes.

If you’ve seen Notting Hill, you have a good sense of how press junkets are run.  PR flunkies shuttle journalists from room to room, where celebrities await to be interviewed.  For The Next Best Thing junket, all the movie reviewers were instead placed in a room, where we waited…and waited…and waited for Madonna to arrive.  Finally, about 45 minutes after we’d gotten there, we heard singing from down the hallway.  It got louder and louder, and then suddenly the door to the hotel room opened, and there was Madonna.

It’s been so long that all I remember are snatches from that day.  What I do remember is that she looked gorgeous…but weathered.  She was absolutely covered in makeup, and her eyes were stunningly blue.  She looked beautiful, strong, in shape, and yet surprisingly human, with little wrinkles at the corners of her eyes.  She possessed a wry sense of humor.  I asked her one question, she briefly locked eyes with me before answering, and then I sat through the rest of the interview in a daze, satisfied that—for one moment—Madonna and I had connected.

And then she left, and I floated downstairs, and the magic was over.

Dove is releasing a statement tomorrow on the recent airbrushing controversy behind their “Real Beauty” campaign ads.  (You can find the backstory here and here, but in a nutshell, Pascal Dangin, one of the photographers employed by Annie Leibovitz, who shot the ads, is claiming that they were retouched.)  As luck would have it, I’ve been invited to sit at Dove’s table tomorrow when the Dove Self-Esteem Fund is being honored by the Step Up Women’s Network at their annual Inspiration Awards luncheon. Their publicist just released the statement to me in advance, which I’ll reprint in full:

Statement from Dove about The New Yorker Article

9 May 2008, 4:45pm

Dove’s mission is to make more women feel beautiful every day by widening the definition of beauty and inspiring them to take great care of themselves. Dove strives to portray women by accurately depicting their shape, size, skin color and age.

The “real women” ad referenced in recent media coverage was created and produced entirely by Ogilvy, the Dove brand’s advertising agency, from start to finish and the women’s bodies were not digitally altered.

Pascal Dangin worked with photographer Annie Leibovitz (Ogilvy has never employed Mr. Dangin on the Dove Campaign for Real Beauty), who did the photography for the launch of the Dove ProAge campaign, a new campaign within the Campaign for Real Beauty. There was an understanding between Dove and Ms. Leibovitz that the photos would not be retouched - the only actions taken were the removal of dust from the film and minor color correction.

“Let’s be perfectly clear - Pascal does all kinds of work - but he is primarily a printer - and only does retouching when asked to. The idea for Dove was very clear at the beginning. There was to be NO retouching and there was not,” confirmed Annie Leibovitz, commenting on the ProAgecampaign.

Mr. Dangin responded, “The recent article published by The New Yorker incorrectly implies that I retouched the images in connection with the Dove “real women” ad. I only worked on the Dove ProAge campaign taken by Annie Leibovitz and was directed only to remove dust and do color correction - both the integrity of the photographs and the women’s natural beauty were maintained.”

As I’ve mentioned in the past, I was at the press event in Carefree, Arizona years ago when the Campaign For Real Beauty was launched.  I don’t know what actually went on behind the scenes, and I think it’s a bit naive to assume some itchy-fingered photoshopper didn’t indulge himself, even a tiny bit.  Does that dilute the love-your-body, we-are-all-beautiful-no-matter-what-sized-package-we-come-in message of the campaign, however?  I don’t think so—but maybe I’m biased.  What do you think? 

So, Mother’s Day is, like, tomorrow, and of course I have yet to get Mere Jolie anything.  In a parallel universe, I’d be hopping on a plane to Dallas to surprise her this Sunday, but alas I think that’s the same universe where I live rent-free in an SW3 Chelsea flat.  (Not visiting that alternate realm anytime soon!)  Haven’t picked up anything for your mom, either?  Check out the new Jo Malone Kohdo Wood Collection, which features two limited-edition fragrances: calming Lotus Blossom and Water Lily, and energizing Dark Amber and Ginger Lily.  Kohdo, apparently, is an ancient Japanese incense ceremony, and the new collection is made of a candle, bath oil and cologne.  If you can’t afford the lot, I recommend the Lotus Blossom and Water Lily Bath Oil (for 100 clams), which comes in a so-chichi-you-just-want-to-stare-at-it glass bottle. 

I’m assuming you’re familiar with Jo Malone, but if not…ohhh, babies, are you in for a treat.  Jo is an actual woman who started making skincare concoctions for her London friends.  Word-of-mouth spread, the line grew, and now it’s a bonafide Luxury Brand, with some of the yummiest bath oils, candles, shower gels, home fragrances and perfumes this side of Diptyque.  (I would forgo food for the Diptyque Baies candle–it is That Good.  When I moved to England, I actually carted it with me on the plane in my carry-on luggage.  Practical?  Me?  Never!)  Some of my favorite Jo Malone treats:

Jo Malone Bath Oil Collection: Mini-sizes of Jo’s bestselling bath oils, packaged in glass instead of plastic for an extra touch of fab.

Jo Malone Vitamin E Gel: Possible the cultiest product in the line, and a must-have in certain Notting Hell sets for dry or damaged skin

Jo Malone Lime Basil Mandarin Cologne: It’s next to impossible to pick just one scent, but this is considered Jo’s gold standard.  Bonus–it’s good for men and women (and damn near addictive)

This week, I sent Deenie to Bliss to check out the Fat Girl Slim line and get a massage (tough life, eh?).  Her report, here:

 ”Jolie readers:  Because you’re so beauty-savvy, you won’t be surprised to see me gush over Bliss Spa.  With 8 locations across the U.S., one opening in Scottsdale, a spa in London and locations soon coming to Doha and Hong Kong, Bliss has become a household name since the early 90’s.  Bliss isn’t your average walk-in, lie down, drop-your-pants and get waxed where-the-sun-don’t-shine spa.  They lend you a robe and flip flops!  Give you a locker!  Stuff you with brownies and lemon water!  I fell in love with their Triple Oxygen Facial and Brazilian Bikini Wax long ago, but recently have been introduced to their fabulous at home spa solutions.  It’s beach time (although Nadine has been enjoying Los Angeles sun for months, grumbles the pale New Yorker), and that means skinny time.  Thankfully Bliss knows how to help a girl out when she just can’t do any more sit-ups or stand to eat another grilled chicken salad (dressing on the side).

Fat Girl Slim and the Love Handler are the first two of Bliss’s cellulite busting creams in the Fat Girl line.  Intended for use during the day, Bliss claims the Love Handler is a “liquid workout for lazy abdominals, with 8 hour release caffeine and energizing amino acids.”  A sister to the LH, Fat Girl Slim works similarly but with QuSome-encapsulated caffeine molecules and can be used from the neck down.  Completing the trifecta, a new sister is born—and born to sleep.  Just released a few days ago, Fat Girl Sleep is packed with Bliss’s slenderiZZZe complex and has a lovely lavender scent with which you can rub you flub before slipping under your sheets.  Overnight, dimple diminishers are released to help you take full advantage of your 8 hours…or 6 (let’s be honest). 

And while we’re talking summer, Bliss and Philips have just released a Bikini Perfect kit- your own at-home hair removal kit for those times you poor (or lazy) moments.  More cool new Bliss products to keep you looking young and skinny are available online.  But until next time, good night and good luck.”

While listening this morning to “Summer of ‘69″ on my iPod, I started thinking about high school.  I went to two high schools—one in Atlanta, one in Santa Barbara—and have somehow found myself acting as a co-chair for both ten-year reunions, which are fast approaching.  For months now, I’ve had the dates marked on my calendar, have participated in phone conferences, spearheaded invitations, written letters to the class, urged fellow ‘98ers from the respective schools to book their tickets…and yet somehow in the whole madness it didn’t actually occur to me to prepare the most important aspect: me!  Reunion number one is exactly one month from today, and—damn it all to hell—I’m not yet a New York Times Bestselling Author married to Prince William who has also miraculously gone up to a C-cup, grown three inches and accumulated fifteen mil in the bank.  I totally forgot to get on all that.  As far as hitting the gym non-stop between now and June 6th…giggle.  Not gonna happen! 

Okay, time to at least book the appointments (mani/pedi, spray tan, cut and highlights) and start saving some cash for a brand new dress—oh, who am I kidding?  I’m showing up pale, with chewed cuticles, in my trusty little black dress (from the Gap!), and will probably do my makeup in the car.  Sigh. 

The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s annual Costume Institute Gala is a huge deal in the fashion world; it’s been called the Oscars of the East and is known for showcasing all kinds of sartorial craziness.  Last night’s event took the theme “Superheroes: Fashion and Fantasy,” which had the potential to be OTT in the very best way.  Instead, we had a bunch of starlets gussied up in their red carpet finest, but hardly any drama.  Even I—a fashion moron if there ever were one—was disappointed by the lack of risks; most women looked pretty, but the majority of looks reflected little-to-no creativity.  Below, my favorite Oh-No-They-Didn’t!s.  (Oh-Yes-They-Did!)  The good, the bad, the weird, and then there was Katie Holmes…

Stunning no matter how you slice it…

Anna Wintour’s daughter Bee Schaffer…unfair advantage!

Serena and Dan…erm, I mean Blake Lively and Penn Badgley

Iman

Something about Camilla Belle normally bugs, but she looks positively flawless

My prediction: within the next five years, Kate Mara will be a household name

A little gorge, a little dramatic, a little superhero…

(This is so unexpected from Kate Bosworth.  The hair, the circus eyeliner, the ensemble, the shoes…I love it all.)

Caroline Trentini

Goth Barbie Claire Danes

Michelle Monaghan’s dress is fantastic, but it’s doubly so with that kick-ass eyeliner job and the ka-pow! bangs

Christina Ricci

Dermatologist Lisa Airan

Eugenia Silva…brainy and beautiful

The ever-adorable Maggie Gyllenhaal, looking like a Parisian can-can dancer

Paula Patton and Robin Thicke…sexy times two

Huh.  Weeeelll….I did say I wanted creativity, right?  Right??

Crazy, for sure, but Tilda Swinton’s gold eyeshadow is pretty hot.  Kudos just for the sheer audacity of it all

Rachel Bilson’s Angelina Jolie-meets-Morticia Addams dress doesn’t even bother me; it’s Hayden by her side who’s really creeping me out here!

Lake Bell…kind of great, kind of bizarre!

I don’t know what to do with this.  The dress is gorgeous.  Um.  And look how blue her eyes look with all the copper-stuff on her face!  And the…er…okay, Katie, seriously, stop looking all scary and just go back to pretty and stylish, please.

All photos from Style.com

I’m much more of a skincare person than a makeup person.  Yeah, I love mascara and foundation, but only because of the dramatic improvement they bring to my face, which otherwise is usually channeling a “Homeless Albino” vibe.  (Has a certain ring to it, no?  Homeless Albino cosmetics…coming soon!)  Considering I’m a beauty blogger, I should be much more obsessed with random bits of makeup for the hell of it…but this is rarely the case.  (Antiaging creams?  Let’s discuss until the cows come home.  But, honestly, part of me feels that if you’ve seen one lipgloss, you’ve seen ‘em all!)  For the past few months, however, I’ve been digging the whimsical colors, long-lasting power and vibrant shimmer of Bourjois Effet Duochrome Eyeliner.  It comes in six fantabulous shades (violet and sapphire, among others), and I particularly can’t get enough of the bright green Vert Dore, which has the slighest hint of yellowy sheen and actually makes my own green eyes pop, for once in their poor No-I-Am-Not-Brown! lives.  I carry it with me everywhere, and slick it on (more green!  More green!) at every opportunity.  It’s verging on a sickness…but the liner is oh-so-pretty that I just can’t get enough. 

After I wrote last week’s post about Botox, I wanted to get a doctor’s opinion, so I turned to Dr. Jeffrey Benabio, a dermatologist in San Diego who writes a fantastic blog called The Derm Blog.  His take:

“Botox® has taken a beating lately. First the FDA said it’s investigating Botox safety issues, and now an Italian study shows that Botox might get into your brain. So is Botox dangerous?

How Botox works is a little complicated — I wish Jolie taught pharmacology at my med school; Susan and Larry are a lot simpler and more interesting than synaptosomal-associated protein.

When Botox is injected into the skin, it is taken up by the nerves and blocks the release of neurotransmitters, shutting off those nerves. When you try to contact a muscle (or even smile in some cases) the muscle never gets the signal, so it doesn’t move.

So what about Botox in your brain?

Results from the Italian study found that Botox injected into the rats could flow backwards up the nerve from the skin to the brain.

What does this mean?

The study was done in rats, not people. We do not know if Botox would do the same thing in humans. Even if some Botox did get into our brains, there is no evidence that it has any meaningful effect, good or bad. Also, there is no evidence that it causes or increases the risk for any brain conditions, including Alzheimer’s disease. In fact, Botox can be an amazing treatment for people with brain conditions such as cerebral palsy.

Botox is a wonderful and powerful drug. In treating wrinkles, there are few treatments that can compare to its results. It is, however, a drug with side effects and risks. We probably don’t know yet what all the risks are and will certainly we be hearing more about this topic. The good news is that bloggers like Jolie will help you make informed choices.”

I’ve broken down and gotten a Twitter page, or whatever the hell it’s called.  (I feel like a grumpy grandfather.)  It’s what all the crazy kids are doing, right?  Jolie’s hip…she’s with it.  Tocka tocka.  (Okay, I’m irredeemably lame.  I can’t help it.)

Seriously, though, how the hell do you use this Twitter thing?  Check out my clumsy, foolish attempts at twitter.com/jolienadine.  No making fun.

And while you’re at it, please tell your friends about Jolie’s Paris Quest!  I can only go to the Beyond Beauty Expo through link clicks, so I have a new mission for you: would you be so kind as to do the following?

1) Cut and paste this post into an email
2) Email it to five friends
3) Ask them to read this post and click on the TotalBeauty.com link below
4) Feel the waves of love as Jolie virtually tongue-kisses you (or braids your hair, whatever you want) in gratitude

xo!

Cosmetic Executive Women held their annual CEW Awards Luncheon today at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York; I’ve been lucky enough to attend myself twice, and it’s a huge to-do.  The ballroom is packed with tables full of beauty editors, high-profile executives and a smattering of B-list celebs, and everybody twitters and clucks and shrieks as the winners are announced.  (Yes, just like in high school when they announced Homecoming Court over the loudspeakers, only this time the role of Head Cheerleader will be played by Allure’s Linda Wells.)  Some of the the winners which also happen to be Jolie obsessions:

Scented Bath and Body - Prestige: Tom Ford Beauty Black Orchid Finishing Spray
I cannot express my love for this product enough.  I want to eat it.  I want to bathe in it.  I want to marry it and have all its babies.  It is so, so sexy—even more amazing than the already-fabulous Black Orchid EDT and EDP.  Tom Ford famously said when creating Black Orchid that he wanted it to smell like the inside of a man’s crotch, which is the very height of weirdness.  Apparently, the inside of a man’s crotch is also all in the world that Jolie desires to spritz on herself.  So, you know, that’s bizarre.

Facial Skincare - Acne Treatment: Bare Escentuals Rare Minerals Blemish Therapy
From my favorite beauty company comes a preservative-free, all-natural, mineral zit treatment that uses sulfur.  Dab it on at night and pimples will quietly flee.

Makeup: Eye Product - Mass: Cover Girl Lash Blast Mascara
Somehow, I didn’t get around to using this mascara until this morning for the very first time.  Predictably, I fell in love; the raves are all true, and it volumizes, lengthens and thickens like a dream.  This just might upstage Max Factor Lash Perfection as my favorite drugstore mascara. 

For a complete list of winners, click here, or check out Jessica Anderson from Sephora’s beauty blog’s live twitter updates from earlier.

Get thee to Saks Fifth Avenue in New York City this weekend for a glimpse of Giorgio Armani.  (Seriously, this is kind of a big deal.  Now, I doubt he’ll see you from across the room and gasp in Italian, “Her!  That woman!  She must be my muse!” but you never know.)  Today and tomorrow, the Giorgio Armani Beauty Team, led by makeup artist Tim Quinn, will be providing consultations, and Giorgio himself will appear in-store on Monday, May 5th from 2:30 to 4pm.  Appointments with Tim and his team are recommended, though not required.  (Just remember us little people if G. does happen to fall madly in love with you and your oh-so-fab style!)

They’ll be introducing Armani Face Fabric Foundation SPF12, which seems to be a next-generation tinted moisturizer (the Saks site says: “Its unique Micro-fil™ formulations bring lightness and fluidity to makeup, allowing infinite blending and layering to enhance the natural glow of the skin.”  I have to admit, half the time I read press blurbs, I hear that “Wah wah wah” Charlie Brown voice in my head.)   

A few days ago, I posted about Botox, and in the comments section a recent Journal of Neuroscience study that’s received attention was referenced.  The media pounced on this study…however, certain details have been magnified and others minimized for the sake of sensationalism, er, information.  This blog lays out the crucial information; I had to reread it about seventy-five times to process, but the gist is below:

Botox is the market name for a type of botulinum toxin (botulinum toxin type A) made by Allergan.  Others exist, like Myobloc—Botox is simply the most popular.  Botox et al. aim to paralyze facial muscles, stopping movement; you already know this.  To move muscles, your nerves release a neurotransmitter (acetylcholine, but let’s just call it Susan) that sends signals to the brain.  There’s a critical molecule in this process, necessary to make Susan do her signaling thing; let’s call this molecule—SNAP-25—Larry.  (Hey, why not?) Botox alters Larry, stopping him from releasing the muscle-moving Susan.  (God, I already have a headache just rereading this.)

This recent study did not measure levels of Botox; levels of Botox after injections are so minute and hard-to-detect that the study had to measure Larry, instead.  What the study actually found was that altered versions of Larry affected by the Botox moved back and forth between Susan’s homebase and neurons controlling whisker movement (lab rats, I remind you).  The Botox itself was not measured.

All of the hullabaloo is resulting because this study discredits (or strongly appears to discredit!) Allergan and the FDA’s earlier claims that botulinium toxin type A was completely broken down once injected.  It now appears that traces remain–minimal, but there all the same. Does the study prove that the Botox “poison” seeps into your brain?  No, it does not.  It does, however, proves that traces of Larry are found and altered in the brain as a result of Botox injections.  And, yes, I do think that’s troubling.

Here’s my take on Larry versus Botox: it’s a small distinction, but a crucial one.  In science, “God” is in the details, after all. To be fair, this study not only piqued my interest but gave me serious pause; I now have my ear firmly to the ground, waiting to hear further results.  I’m not, nor have I ever been, an alarmist—it’s simply not in my nature.  (I’m open-minded and fact-weighing to a fault; call it my Libra rising!)  Will I stop using Botox based upon this one study?  No, I admit—I will not. Will I stop using Botox if conclusive evidence comes to light showing that all users are at a statistically significant risk of (insert terrible medical horror here)?  You bet your ass (and all your frown lines!)

As I was clicking through People.com this morning (my favorite procrastination technique—writing?  What writing?), I saw a picture of John Mayer in New York City.  The caption reads: “John Mayer, who’s been enjoying Jennifer Aniston’s company recently, makes a cheerful exit from a New York hair salon Wednesday.”  Then there’s this photo:

I haven’t been back to New York in a few months, but unless a new salon has been erected right next to it, he’s exiting the Sally Hershberger Salon on 14th street in the Meatpacking District.  (First clue: the cobblestones and raised track in the background, not to mention the buildings on the right.  Second clue: the fact that it looks like he’s wearing a wig made up of Sally’s own hair.  She certainly has a distinctive cut, huh?)  I’ve been to the salon several times, and have even had Sally herself do my hair—it’s a great place, and she’s amazing.  But is she EIGHT HUNDRED DOLLARS amazing?  Er…yeeeeah…I dunno about that…

She’s just released the Supreme Head line of hair products, for those of you who want the Sally experience for about $12, not 12 biiillion.  (She’s most famous for Meg Ryan’s shag in French Kiss, but I think she rocks because of the badass Warhol silk screen of Jane Fonda in the salon).  There’s Supreme Head for Wavy Hair,  Normal to Thin Hair and Normal to Thick Hair, but the real excitement is in the “for all hair types” products: Star Shine and Wreck and Roll Texturizing Cream and Gel and (the piece de resistance) Shagg Spray texturizer.  Let’s be real; she’s not selling hair, she’s selling sex.  And at those salon prices, it had better be the best of your life.

Deenie went to a party on my behalf last week…but neither of us could figure out what exactly the event was for.  Regardless, she writes…:

“Oh, the glamour. Oh, the glitz. Oh, the boys. So, I attended an Evenings in Vogue event last Friday at 1 Oak, on behalf of my better blogging half, Nadine.  The music was loud, the girls were sexy, the boys were sexier, and the drinks were pomegranate martinis. Enough said.

As if those hot tickets weren’t enough to entice me in, there were booths of “events,” like at a fair…only instead of face painting with donkeys clomping about, they offered portrait painting against a backdrop of posing models. St. Ives offered a manicure booth (which I partook) and the CoverGirl station was equipped with every product in their inventory, including their new TruBlend family of products. The make-up artists at CoverGirl diligently beautified the milling hotties with Outlast All-day Lipcolor- one way to make all the sexy lips look even sexier.

After all that pampering and perusing I was pooped. I may or may not have grabbed several risotto balls from the caterer’s tray before leaving the vixens. Sigh.  Tough night.”

I don’t watch The Hills anymore; not only do I feel too old for it (and most everything on MTV, and pretty much all gossip blogs, as well), but whenever I am sucked into the vortex, my brain cells seem to shriek, “You’re really gonna do this?  We’re outta here!”  The further I am from twenty, the more shows like this seem incredibly vapid and pointless, and the more annoyed I get that unsubstantial confections get thrust to the top of the “talent” heap.  Regardless…gee, aren’t they pretty here in Rolling Stone?  (What’s most fascinating about this show—much more interesting than the Lauren/Heidi/Spencer feud—is the difference in color between Audrina and Whitney.  Whitney actually looks like a human being—pale in LA?  Shock!  Horror!—whereas Audrina looks like she spends her days soaking in a bathtub filled with DHA.  Time to give up that membership to Sunset Tan, my dear.)

I must say, this picture is actually really cute

Can we call ‘em or what?  My favorite ball of cute Kate Hudson is People magazine’s Most Beautiful cover girl.  Sure, she won an unfair advantage in the genetic sweepstakes, but Kate seems proof that with a (faux, please!) bronzed glow, beachy hair and huge smile, the world is your oyster.  Not going to lie; as a fellow flattie, I also have enormous respect for her in not only accepting but embracing her God-given mini-boobs.  Take your cleavage enhancing and stuff it (or don’t) — Kate is sexy and adorable just as she is.

(Speaking of Kate’s faux-tan, Jolie has undertaken the painstaking process of testing out facial self-tanners to find one that will not make her break out.  So far…no…nope…no way…another zit…how hard can it be Chemists of the World??)

People doesn’t go on sale until Friday, but People.com gives a sneak preview of some other hotties featured, including:

The cast of Gossip Girl (love!)

Salma Hayek, rocking the shine serum and smokey eye

Eva Longoria and Tony Parker (when it this basketball stuff over?  I love sports, but it’s the ONE I cannot stomach)

Vanessa Hudgens, looking adorably fresh-faced (well, she is only, like, twelve or something)

And Carrie Underwood…who is always way too orange around the chin for my tastes.  She’s gorgeous, but I do not love her makeup artist–a five o’clock shadow is not acceptable.  The loose waves, however, are perfection

To everybody who posted your biggest beauty question: thank you!  It took me a few days to weed through them all and take notes (I’m currently working on edits for Confessions), so now I have a loooong list of future posts and items to research.  (The best deodorant that won’t leave marks?  Beats me!  I’ve tried scores over the years, and I’ve never found one that actually works — including Degree Ultra Clear, which says it’s Little Black Dress approved…but it’s not.  Degree, you lie!)  In honor of the ‘fro I’m rocking today, let’s tackle frizz first.

You don’t have to spend oodles of money on an effective anti-frizz product, nor do you have to so thoroughly weigh down hair with shine serum that it becomes a grease ball.  The trick in banishing frizz is to combat it when your hair is wet, not damp or dry; this will make a huge difference in the sleekness (and lightness) of the finished look.  My personal favorite is Phytodefrisant (apply a quarter-sized dollop) but at $26, it’s not as cheap as, say, John Frieda Frizz-Ease Serum (roughly $9) or Neutrogena Triple Moisture Healing Shine Serum (about $7.50), both excellent alternatives. 

- Rub the serum in the palms of your hand and over fingers, then work it through your combed-out strands, starting at the bottom; this ensures the most product will deposit on parched ends, and the least amount on your roots. 
- If you plan on airdrying hair, scrunch a dime-sized amount of hydrating cream (see below) on the lower-half of hair and then keep your hands off!  (Handling leads to frizzilation.)  The areas near your roots don’t need any hydrating or glossing cream, unless superdamaged or coarse.
- To blowdry hair smooth, I like to blast my bangs first (away with thee, wavy bits!), then pull up the top half of hair from my ears up, beginning in the back and underneath, and working my way forward and toward the crown.  (Play around and do whatever works for you; what’s truly important is working in small chunks to get hair bone-dry.  For those that have cowlicks, I strongly recommend drying those areas ASAP!)
- Remove every last bit of moisture.  Even slight dampness will lead to later frizz on drier, less healthy strands. 
- Finish with a dime-sized amount of glossing or hydrating cream, combing it through hair with fingers, avoiding roots, and making sure to swipe the underside and random back bits of your ‘do.  Two of my all-time favorites are Fekkai Glossing Cream and John Frieda Secret Weapon Flawless Finishing Cream. 
- Dedicated frizz-fighters can use a flatiron to quickly lock in straightness, but make this the exception, not the rule, as heatstyling will dry out hair over time…which leads to frizz!  Ahh, the cruel irony.

Gwyneth Paltrow is rocking my world yet again.  What is up, G?  This is how it’s going to be now?  You disappear for eons, leaving me bereft…and then magically reappear again (and again and again), each time looking more flawless than the last?  Looking like this after two children is absolutely ridiculous (and I want the number of your colorist, too).  We also have the perennially-adorable Liv Tyler here, going for the one-two punch of People Prettier Than Anybody I Have Met, Ever.  (Hmm, how much do you think their beauty tax would be?  I place it at 75%.)

Gwyn looks especially pretty because of her eyes; imitate with a generous helping of mascara (or individual false lashes applied at the middle and outer corners of eyes), followed by smudged black liner and shimmer on your browbone

Photo courtesy of DailyMail

Q: How young is too young for Botox?  I think I need it, but I don’t want to look frozen.  I’m scared of looking like a wax mummy!

I hear this question on a weekly basis, but as a beauty girl living in LA, I think I’m a little biased.  (This is much to D.’s dismay, who clucks like I chicken when I come home after a fresh batch of treatments every six months or so.  She says, ”Be natural!” I say, “…and embrace the angry frown-line between my brows?  Mais, non!”  For a better perspective, I put the Botox Q to my docs at Profiles Beverly Hills, Dr. Jason Litner and Dr. Peyman Solieman.  This week, Dr. Litner takes it:

“We are so glad to hear you say that! In Hollywood, looking like a wax mummy is bordering on perfectly acceptable these days. But–at least in our opinions–these blank stares are giving Botox a bad rap. Remember that Botox is a tool, and that same tool can be used to make delicate refinements…or to turn your face to stone. It’s all about how much is used and where it is placed.

Injecting Botox is not rocket science. That’s why you can find someone to inject Botox on practically every street corner. But there’s an art to consistently (and safely) creating a natural un-frozen appearance that just makes you look and feel better. To achieve the look you want with finesse, you should see an experienced injector. Be honest with what you want…all too often patients come in saying they don’t want to be frozen only to complain a week later that they can still move their forehead.More and more women and men are seeking Botox and other non-surgical treatments at an earlier age. Most patients begin in their early 30’s. We occasionally see an actress in her 20’s who is trying to look younger for a particular role. Some patients also have hereditary early aging or a stubborn frown line that may benefit from Botox at a slightly younger age.   (Note: like Jolie!)

There is also a lot of mythology surrounding Botox. You will not get addicted, though you may really like the look. Your wrinkles will not be worse than ever after it wears off…if anything, Botox can help prevent new and worsening wrinkles if you are fairly good about keeping up with it. If you think you need it, at whatever age, please be sure the doctor you discuss it with is experienced.” (So no Botox at the mall, please!)

Shannon from A Girl’s Gotta Spa is holding a wonderful fundraiser that I hope we can help draw more attention to:

“I’m throwing a fundraiser for a 7 year old girl in my town. It includes auctions of MAC Cosmetics Limited Edition products and other auctions from brand name companies.

The little girl is Meadow Quinn and she has Neurofibromatosis (it causes tumors to grown on nerve endings). She has been on a feeding tube since she was 18 months old due to the disease, but a 4-week feeding clinic at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia will be able to teach her to eat like any other child. The big obstacle is that her insurance company has refused to pay for it. She needs to raise $70,000. So far $42,000 has been raised.

The link is: http://gottaspa.blogspot.com/2008/04/beauty-for-good-fundraiser-for-meadow.html and the fund-raiser is through the end of May. (I am offering a 1-week ad spot for any fashion and beauty brands who donate $100+ to Meadow via the ChipIn widget.)”

I can’t think of a more worthy cause; please visit the link and contribute if you’re able!

It’s been a Warren-Tricomi kind of week.  Not only have I received biiiillions! of compliments on the great cut and color (thanks Christine and Kaz!), I stopped by the salon twice this week: first for a cocktail party in honor of the new five-product Redken Real Control line, and again to chat in depth about it with Kaz.  Designed to help tame, smooth and pamper dense or unruly hair, the line consists of a shampoo and conditioner, Intense Renewal moisturizing mask, Thermal Resist protein spray and shea butter-infused Crema Care.  While fine hair should shy away as the line might weigh their strands down, the line is perfect for most everybody else, especially girls who have colored their hair for so long that they can’t even remember what their real shade is.  (Blond?  Brunet?  Redhead?  Eh…details!)  I had a moisturizing treatment with the products yesterday, and my hair is indeed silky, soft and well-behaved today–no mean feat for my naughty hair!

The line is available exclusively at Warren-Tricomi LA until July 1st, when it rolls out to salons nationwide

Lauren Conrad at Wednesday night’s cocktail party; as expected, she was very pretty in person!  The little crinkles at the corners of her eyes are adorable, but also indicative of sun damage — don’t forget your SPF 30, peeps

The left side of this model’s hair was sleekified with Real Control products; the right side is her normal texture

Gushing over beauty products is easy; it takes real cojones to explain why a disappointing product…well…sucks.  And this is why I love Total Beauty; they’re not afraid to go there!  Here, the editors confess their 12 Lowest Rated Products. 

My own Sorry-But-You’re-Way-Overrated Products?  No surprises here: Maybelline Great Lash takes the cake, followed closely by La Mer, which is no longer the most expensive rip off in history (the price of anti-aging creams has gone into the stratosphere, making the former hullabaloo over La Mer’s price seem practically quaint!), but it’s certainly the best marketed.  What products do you think are overrated?