Beautiful Skin Blog by Belisi

Celebrities know all the great beauty tricks for looking younger and hiding flaws. Now you can too.

Younger looking skin

In Hollywood skin regimens, it’s all about prevention. But let’s face it, sometimes Nature has its way with our skin before we realize what’s happening. Stars like Felicity Huffman rely on super serums like Leaf & Rusher Active Serum to stave off the signs of aging. In this heavy-duty beauty product Retinol and vitamin C join forces to battle fine lines and wrinkles and boost collagen production. 

Foundation that pulls double duty

Ever wonder why celebrity skin looks so great? According to Fatima Olive, a celebrity makeup artist who has worked with Christy Turlington, Jessica Simpson, Maria Sharapova and Petra Nemcova, it’s because professional makeup artists always use two to three different colors of foundation to highlight and low light different pigments all over the face. Most women don’t realize their skin tone varies and buy only one shade of foundation.

Here’s an easy pro trick: Use a dual foundation compact like Redpoint’s Transformative Dual Foundation. With two shades, you can easily blend and match to bring out a particular feature. The compact is also a great easy tool to have throughout the seasons as skin tone tans and fades. Check out more makeup tips from the pros here.

Even out skin tone

Reese Witherspoon, Daisy Fuentes, Nicollette Sheridan and Jennifer Hudson know something we don’t know … until now anyway. All are fans of Per-fekt Beauty’s skin perfection gel—all-in-one antioxidant enriched primer, sheer foundation and color corrector that dries with a gorgeous powder finish.

This power foundation glides on effortlessly to instantly even skin tone, control oil and reduce the appearance of redness, enlarged pores and fine lines. Alpha Lipoic Acids fight aging and Vitamins A & E repair and protect skin from future damage. Available in 5 sheer shades that perfectly match all skin tones for $57.50 at Sephora.com.

Get a Healthy Glow

Piling on tinted moisturizer is one way to try for the sun-kissed look, or you could hydrate and nourish from the inside out. Drinking enough water (yes, you really should drink 6-8 8 oz. glasses) is a start. Giving your body the nutrients it needs is another way to look like a dewy goddess.

CherryPharm (isn’t that clever?) is a favorite of Courtney Cox and Kate Bosworth for clear, glowing skin. CherryPharm is packed with antioxidants, helping to reduce inflammation and redness—and you get 2-3 servings of fruit in each bottle. Cherries and cheers to looking and feeling great!

Pamper your way to better skin

Looking your best isn’t all pain—it can be a lot of fun taking care of your body and skin. Celebrity esthetician Joanna Vargas’s Triple Crown Facial helps leading ladies achieve that young and dewy look (and without Botox!).

Offered in NYC and LA, the Triple Crown Facial begins with the “diamond peel” for gentle exfoliation to remove impurities. Next, the facial muscles and the skin are stimulated with a special microcurrent to tighten and enhance skin elasticity, then it concludes with an oxygen treatment that supplements the skin with all the needed nutrients through vitamin infused 98% pure oxygen.

Plump Up Lips

Candace Bushnell, author of Sex and the City and Lipstick Jungle appeared on The Today Show on Feb. 14, 2008 with gorgeously plump, lush, glossy lips. Her secret?  DermaQuest’s spectacular C-Lipoic Lip Enhancer.

This lip treatment is enhanced with Vitamin C and contains Alpha Lipoic Acid and Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, plus additional ingredients to moisturize and increase lip volume. It also stimulates new cell growth for rosy, healthy lips and has a gorgeous orange fragrance and flavor!

Or, you could try a few tricks of the trade. “I find that the oldest trick is outlining in the 1950's ‘crueler’ style,” says celebrity makeup artist Ashunta Sheriff.  “Think of Joan Crawford, Lana Turner or Dorothy Dandridge. Going outside the lip line makes lips look dramatically bigger.  Of course if liner is something you don’t use, there are plenty lip plumpers out there.  My favorite is Lip Fusion which comes in many colors.”

Get Toned Skin

The Dynamic Trio: Grapeseed Extract, Green Tea, Hyaluronic Acid

Just like a Hollywood star is never a solo act (think personal assistants, managers, stylists, makeup artists, trainers, nutritionists, etc. that help her maintain a glamorous image), no one beauty ingredient treats all skin conditions.

There are three naturally occurring skin-tightening and anti-aging powerhouses catching the attention of celebrities: grapeseed extract, green tea and hyaluronic acid. 

“Grapeseed Extract is a natural skin brightening agent that diminishes uneven skin tone and hyperpigmentation,” says David May of PRESCRIBEDsolutions,  a line of high-performance skincare products. It also has benefits as an anti-scarring agent.

Green tea (also known as Canellia sinensis) extract is a mixture of seven polyphenols that react rapidly to inactive free radicals (electrically charged oxygen particles) that are a source of major damage and aging of the skin.

“In clinical trials, green tea extract has been shown to prevent free radical attack 56% longer than an equivalent concentration of Vitamin E,” May says. “Green Tea Extract also enhances the absorption of anti-inflammatory ingredients into the skin.”

Hyaluronic acid may sound ominous but it’s actually an organic acid present in human skin, naturally making it the most effective natural skin moisturizer (it can hold up to 500 times its own weight in water).

According to LiveLonger123.com, hyaluronic acid has been scientifically proven to stimulate new cell growth. When should you use it? Use after exfoliation to protect, hydrate and moisturize (it’s great for all skin types).

You can find all of these ingredients in PRESCRIBEDsolutions’ skincare products including cleansers, anti-aging serums, hydrators  sold exclusively in medical offices.

It’s only natural that celebrities think they’re special enough to have beauty products customer tailored. But you can do this too! Think of it as having a dressed tailored to fit your body type. When visit a doctor’s office that carries the PRESCRIBEDsolutions line, they can customize your skincare solutions with condition specific boosters to address concerns like hyperpigmentation, anti-oxidant protection or the need for firming.

Three Custom Color Specialists is another beauty line that will custom blend makeup to suit your specifications. And there’s nothing like having your own signature style.

::A.Covington for Beautiful Me 

We’re girls, and girls have stuff. From facial cleaners to foundation to eyebrow gel to moisurizer. And we need cool cosmetic cases to store all of our stuff. 

Vera Bradley Large Bow Cosmetic  $34

Love the handbags or hate ‘em, the cosmetic bags are kinda cute. Some of them are lined with vinyl on the inside. Overall, they’re sturdy and hide all those smudges and smears from makeup and creams.

Available in many colors and patterns
VeraBradley.com

MAC- $35

Three soft-sided rectangular makeup bags that fit into one. Constructed of lightweight nylon with Italian vinyl detail for easy cleaning, and it stores flat (making it great for traveling
MacCosmetics.com

Bobbi Brown brush bags $30-35
bobbibrowncosmetics.com

Cris Notti Blue Kimono Cosmetic Bag $58

The perfect size to hold your daily makeup regimen. Small enough of it inside an oversized handbag.

CrisNotti.com

Cris Notti Tangerine Cosmetic Dome $30
CrisNotti.com

Japonesque Folding Folio $35.95

Changes to perfectly fit your travel needs to keep you on the go. Each of the three zippered pouches has a clear window to show you exactly what you're carrying.  Simply remove any or all of them to create the right-sized folio for short-to-medium trips.  Each carry--all pouch is perfect for those short trips where you only need a few travel essentials.

Folica.com/Japonesque

LESLIE Bottle Bag $70

Weekend trip to the shore? Transatlantic journey across the pond? Make sure your lotions and potions make it unscathed (along with the rest of your stuff). With two clear bottles, a soap dish, toothbrush holder, loofah and mirror included, this all-in-one bag is fully equipped for beauty on-the-go. Available in other colors and patterns. Complete sets available.

StephanieJohnson.com

Lucinda Tab Cosmetic Bag $54

This cosmetic case comes fully equipped with special brush pockets, inner zip-pockets, and a pullout pouch. Great for a weekend getaway! Available in Chocolate Flower.

Picketfenceoakmont.com

Betseyville Geo Cosmetic Case $39

Fully-lined printed Betseyville Cosmetic case decorated with studs at the straps and a logo tag at the front, with large zippered pockets at the top and bottom. Also includes a large pullout zippered pouch that features a small mirror.

UrbanOUtfitters.com

mark Expandable Cosmetic Case $12

Sometimes you just need more room for your makeup brushes and utensils. No need to get a new brush bag, just expand it! Pretty darn clever.

Avon.com

Marc Jacobs Quilted leather cosmetics case $295

For all-out luxury, I love this black patchwork leather cosmetics case with gold zip opening across top, with Marc Jacobs designer embossed plaque on the front.

Net-A-porter.com

:: A. Covington for Belisi Fashions

bareVitamins Skin Rev-er Upper

I know, I know. How many potions, lotions and serums can you put on your face? I've tried a lot of elixirs and concoctions and this is one product you can't afford to skip--especially if your skin tends to be dry and acne prone. This lightweight formula is worn under your moisturizer and foundation. It rejuvenates your complexion like a daily multivitamin supplement with the added benefits of botanicals, and glycolic and salicylic acids to prepare skin for flawless application. The glycolic acid helps with skin turnover (important for keeping those pores free and clear) and the salicylic acid helps keep breakouts at bay.

In all seriousness, when it comes to stores specializing in only cosmetics we are shade short of a full palette. On May 1, 2007, celebrities and tastemakers attended makeup artist Napoleon Perdis’ unveiling of his 4,000 square foot Hollywood Boulevardflagship store and his new Summer Rangecollection.

The Hollywood location of Napoleon Perdis Cosmetics, which will house both a retail boutique and makeup academy under one roof, will be the first full-service cosmetics destination in more than 50 years. The last store to have that distinction was Max Factor, whose shop closed in 1935. Like his legendary predecessor, Napoleon's store will provide the kind of pampering and personal attention of cosmetics shops during Hollywood's "Golden Age."

"While there were other ‘golden ages' of beauty that have faded into memory, we hope to start a new one in this store," says Napoleon. "Our goal is to make it a kind of oasis that will allow women to rediscover those eras and connect them to their modern lives."

Boasting decadent boudoirs, a clean color palette and chic design thematic, Napoleon Perdis boutiques serve as ultimate beauty destinations where women can experiment and play with best sellers such as Lip Lacquer, Long Black Mascara and Auto Pilot Pre-Foundation Skin Primer, among others. High-fashion styling pieces including vintage lamps and stools, rugs featuring pure wool from Australia and New Zealand and statement chandeliers hung from a high-gloss, ornate, white baroque ceilings bring Napoleon's aesthetic to life.

In addition to offering the full range of Napoleon Perdis products, the Hollywood flagship store will also offer such V.I.P. services and amenities as drive-by pick-ups, a la carte menus, concierge services, bridal packages and "corporate makeover for a takeover" programs, among others. Additionally, pamper yourself with lymphatic draining to help sculpt a face prior to makeup application and being photographed, manicures and pedicures, neck and shoulder massages and aromatherapy.

The Napoleon Perdis Makeup Academy will be a training facility for both professional makeup artists and everyday women. Established as a breeding ground for all aspiring makeup artists in Australia, Napoleon is determined to achieve the same in the U.S. with his Hollywood makeup academy as well as give everyday women a chance to learn how to better apply their makeup and look gorgeous.

Napoleon Perdis Cosmetics is sold at Napoleon Perdis stores, six Saks Fifth Avenue stores and 19 independents in the United States as well as at 50 The Bay stores in Canada. In addition, Napoleon Perdis has 52 stand-alone concept stores across Australia and New Zealand with over 600 point-of-sale locations.

Since the collection launched in 2005 its celebrity clientele has grown exponentially to include starlets like Teri Hatcher, Evangeline Lilly, Vanessa Minnillo, Amanda Bynes and Hilary and Hayley Duff.

~A. Covington for Belisi Fashions

Get Sienna Miller's look!

There’s a fine line between sultry and scary when it comes to eye makeup. You want seductress not Cirque de Soleil performer.

First things first: Make sure your eyelids are clean and oil-free (stay away from oil-based removers) and dry. Next, apply a sheer powder, which provides a foundation for color and keeps your shadow from creasing.

Now get ready to paint your canvas. Before you apply shadow, line your eyes with a dark liner such as gray, black or brown (or if you’re going for a fun look, use violet or deep blue). Next move on to your lower lash line but use a slightly lighter touch—and use a smudger to create that sexy smoky look.

Next, start applying your shadow—starting with a neutral cream-based shadow as your first layer of eye color, then use a dark powder color (match to your liner, so either gray, black, brown, violet or deep blue).   

Then with an eyeshadow brush, fill your lids in with color from the lashline to just under the crease. Prepare lashes with Napoleon Perdis Madame Lash Prep from Saks Fifth Avenue and finish with a finish your look with dramatic mascara like Chanel's Sculpting Mascara Extreme Length-Fine Lashes. Now you’re ready for your close-up.