• Start by applying an eyeshadow primer to your entire eyelid. You don’t want your eyeshadow running down your face after a couple of pints. Then sweep the lightest color in the palette all over your eye. I like to use white or a variation of a light opalescent color. Dab a light amount of sheer shimmer shadow under the brow bone.
• Next, apply a medium eyeshadow shade from your lash line to the crease of your eye and blend well. Gray blends well with blue. (Team USA)
• Finally, use your crease brush to gently apply the darkest color (blue) to your crease. Again, blend well. Line your lashes with eyeliner, smudge and apply heavy mascara.

Like the idea but a smoky eye intimidates you?

• Use a colored eyeliner or mascara to add color to your eyes without going overboard.

Source: Flickr User Socceraholic

Remember, natural skin with a touch of bronzer and pale blush finish the smoky eye look best. Your eyes will speak volumes so be sure to downplay your lips by using a light gloss or nude lip color.

In LA, June gloom was in effect Monday morning before the parade. Does that mean I don’t need SPF? Not a chance. I recently came across my new favorite SPF that I can wear during the day underneath my makeup without any application complications. Kinerase’s Daily Defense Cream SPF 30 is an amazing sunscreen and I’ve kept it tucked away in my purse ready for any moment. The added bonus is that it leaves a soft layer of moisture on my skin that hydrates throughout the day. Since I’ve had it, I haven’t gone one day without using it because it feels that good.  After using my daily, moisturizing SPF, my normal natural makeup steps were done followed by a spritz of Skindinavia’s Makeup Finishing Spray to lock everything into place. #24 Jersey on, ready to sit in traffic. After a long hour and a half in traffic, we finally found a spot in downtown at the end of the Laker parade route to start the festivities and excitement. If you’ve ever hesitated to go to downtown LA, you have reason, but don’t be afraid. It’s cleaned up a lot and if you aren’t looking for trouble you won’t find any. Just as we got there the clouds melted away and the sunshine poured in clearing a perfect day to celebrate.

The crowd was huge and the anticipation was building. The hard work of the season paid off all for the fans and the city. To experience the buzz, joy and the excitement of 2 million Laker fans around you is truly an amazing thing. Words cannot describe the aura of the victory parade. While walking to the destination and standing in the hot sun on the scorching asphalt, you start to feel the effects of the sun. Luckily someone came prepared like Mary Poppins. The lifesaver: Avene’s Thermal Spring Water. It’s similar to Evian’s water spray, but full of trace minerals and silica. This is another must have beauty product during the warmer months. It’s great to use as a mister when you’re feeling the heat, perfect refresher to wake up your skin and is soothing all along the way. The fine Parisian mist is fragrance free and works wonders for sensitive or stressed skin. I carry it with me at all times, any time I need a pick me up, it’s only a mist away. Monumentally amazing for a hot, large crowded area for your precious skin.

After waiting and waiting and the anticipation building among the crowd you finally see the police brigade come down the street. 5 helicopters swarm in the sky above, vuvuzelas sounding, fans screaming, Laker flags in the air, people standing on bus stops, roof tops and even on statues at USC. Finally you see them, first the Laker girls in a double decker bus then the champions. The crowd goes wild at this moment with hands in the air, balloons and confetti being released everywhere. The wait is over and there you have Kobe Bryant, one of the best NBA players ever, Pau Gasol, Derek Fisher, Sasha Vujacic, Ron Artest, Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, and more acknowledging and thanking their loyal fans for the support and momentum of the season. The wait is over, no more playoff games for the year, no more worrying or working out who will win games 2, 3 & 4. Instead of rioting, a crowd is united and joyous. 2 million people of all ethnicities are there together in harmony to support and rejoice for that one reason which is an accomplishment in itself over the Thursday before. My definition of beauty isn’t taken of what is on the outside but starts with your inner beauty. It’s how you conduct yourself and your actions that say much more about anyone than what you can see. To see a city united and so many people celebrating together under the buildings of LA is a beautiful thing. Absolutely stunning and in a recession it’s what a city needs.

The Burgundy Room

Where: Cahuenga Corridor | Hollywood

The Look & Product:

Sultry Siren: Achieve this look with Hourglass Cosmetic’s Adorn Lipstick in Cherish, the perfect deep shade of red to compliment the dark burgundy low-lights of this Hollywood bar.

What: This dark (and yes I do mean pitch black dark) narrow bar will have you disappearing into the Hollywood night. Don’t be alarmed by the skeletons above the bar…those are just extras from Disneyland’s Pirates of the Caribbean ride.

Most random moment: Once during a girl’s night out, we were graced with the presence of Johnny Knoxville decked out in a full on sailor suit. Doesn’t get any better than that.

Snakepit Alehouse

Where: Melrose | West Hollywood

The look: Tough girl with a heart of gold: Smokey eyes with pale pink cheeks. Try gloMinerals Smoky Eye palette and their gloBlush in Rosebud.

The 411: Are you a beer drinker? Then this is your spot. 20 beers on tap, mostly tried and trues like the Busch family and Pyramid.

Favorite moment: After one crazy filled night, my friends and I landed at the Snakepit, ending the night tangoing across Melrose at 2am. Where were the paparazzi for that moment?

Kibitz Room

Where: Fairfax | West Hollywood

History lesson: Tucked alongside the Famous Fairfax deli, Canter’s, this legendary bar has housed some of the best 80’s hair bands of our times (think Aerosmith). Still keeping with its true roots, Kibitz keeps its drinks strong and its stage (more like bar walkway) ready for up and coming music acts.

Jukebox Maven: Tight jeans, some killer dancing shoes and Too Faced Lava Gloss Eye Liner. This eyeliner will summon your inner Joan Jett.

1. Practice first. Don’t make a big event the first time you try applying them.
2. Get short lashes—I like Ardell short individual lashes best. Long lashes look too Vegas-showgirl-y and the individuals look better and are much easier to apply. I tend to trim the short ones a bit too—I just don’t want to look bizarro.
3. Apply lashes last—some makeup artists recommend applying them at the beginning but I’ve had better luck applying eyeliner and mascara before the lashes.
4. Pick the lash cluster out of the tray with tweezers and dip the base into lash glue and let it set for a couple seconds so the glue is tacky. Then apply it to the outer corner of the eye, as close to the base of your lashes as you can. Then do the other eye (this helps guarantee symmetrical placement). Then do a second lash a little further in on the first eye. I usually just do three to four clusters from the outside to the top of the eye so the almond shape of the eye is really enhanced and opened up.
5. If it looks wonky, just pull it off and start over again.

Enter at your own risk:

Entrance to this VIP packed event wasn’t easy. First you had to survive the Downtown LA traffic produced by the Amgen Tour of California. (Mostly because I didn’t get the memo this was going to affect my route…thanks Google maps.) Next, stage one of security, parking checkpoint. While waiting for clearance, I got to witness first hand the every day stresses and dangers Mrs. Victoria Beckham has to deal with while driving: a pride of paparazzi chasing her down.  As usual, Victoria looked chic as ever with her classic sophisticated look of LA chic: big glasses and a natural sun kissed face.  Grab a similar less is more look with Stila Cosmetic’s Illuminated Tinted Moisturizer with SPF 15.

Food, Drink and Adventure

For those of you that know what lies inside the Fantasy Factory, feel free to skip ahead. For those not in the know, start taking notes. Here is what you are missing out on: inside skate park, a zip-line, a foam pit complete with basketball hoop, bat cave garage, and American Gladiator tennis ball gun. Guests were invited to play with anything they could get their hands on. My favorite sight: Mayor Villaraigosa zip-lining across the factory. See this video from Transworld for the clip:

http://skateboarding.transworld.net/1000110570/features/rob-dyrdek-sk8-4-life-benefit-at-the-fantasy-factory-video/

Drum roll please…

I’m a huge fan of Travis Barker, having recently seen him performing with Slash at the Avalon. This time Travis introduced his latest collaborations, Yelawolf and the Cool Kids (which now I’m following on twitter). Yelawolf floored it with his Southern hip-hop style while the Cool Kids knocked it out of the park with their summer beats.

Next up, the Rapping Receptionist, Chanel.

This rapping maven killed it with her west coast lyrics. With the audience gathered for her rhymes, she proved to Rob yet again that not only can she flow with the best of them but also she can take the heat with style. Get her look with the following items:

Pale pink lip: Go straight for Too Faced Cosmetics, Mood Swing Lip Gloss in Petal Pink. This gloss goes on smoothly and changes with your mood; a perfect conversation starter or in Chanel’s case, lyric starter.

Bronzy glow: Jemma Kidd Makeup School, Perfect Tan Bronzing Trio. This bronzer is excellent for creating a warm subtle glow without too much shine.

Let the bidding begin:

Wrapping up the event with last minute run-ins from Pharrell, Melanie B, Stephanie Pratt, Josh Hansen, Dana White, Kylie Jenner and Kendall Jenner kept the vibe strong for charity. During the auction, bidding was high with amazing prizes like elaborate vacations, artwork by Michael Godard, ringside with Dana White, all to benefit children with skateboards, a skate park and an opportunity to join Rob’s legendary rankings in the skate and entertainment world.

Source: flickr User: Michele Catania

The key to getting fabulous eyelashes isn’t just paired with an amazing eyelash enhancer (thank you Smartlash). It’s how you execute and show off those long lashes with your look. Usually this involves using an eyelash curler, which can be tricky to use. I don’t know how many times I have been really frustrated and unhappy with my eyelash contraptions for not getting the right amount of curl. There are many varieties to use out there, but thanks to me and my eyelash expertise you are now reading the low down on the different types of eyelash curlers available. Why trust my opinion? Because I guarantee you that I have tried every eyelash enhancement product available to not just the general public but to professionals as well and I’ve been in the eyelash extension industry for a long time. Accenting your eyelashes will make your eyes pop and give you the needed extra lift for sultry, sexy eyes. You just need to know how to use the right tools and every girl should have them.

We’ll start with the traditional steel eyelash curler. These are usually made out of steel and spring loaded for durability and strength. William McDonell from Rochester, New York invented the eyelash curler and got its patent in 1931. Not much has changed to the design since then. You can find cheaper ones at drug stores starting around $6 or can upgrade to a more durable one up to $30. This device has been my go-to eyelash curler for a long time and conveniently keep one in my purse. I’ve known some people to call it an “eyelash crimper” because most of the time, it’s indeed crimping your eyelash up instead of naturally curling them.

Source: Flickr User Jacklyn DL

How to use: simply put it up to your eyelashes and have the curler’s steel mouth open. You can start to look down and then straight and this will put your lashes in place in between the curler’s clamps. Having your fingers in the appropriate slots, gently pinch your thumb and your index finger. Start at the base of your lashes and hold for about 10 seconds. To avoid your lashes looking like they’re “crimped”, slide the curler from the base of your lashes up to about the middle and continue until about a few millimeters from the top. I suggest to “curl” them in 3 places on your lashes for about 5-10 seconds each. Be careful when using the traditional steel eyelash curler, if you pull, flinch or move suddenly, it can be disastrous. The eye area is very sensitive and using caution can prevent you from pulling out any of your delicate eyelashes. Eyelash curlers usually have 2 rubber lash pads that will help diminish pinching and pulling of your lashes. My  personal favorite traditional eyelash curlers are Shiseido eyelash curlers, Shu Uemura and Kevyn Auccoin eyelash curlers. From my experience, these give you the perfect curl without damaging your lashes and they are very durable. For a tool that you use every day, it’s worth spending the extra money.

Tip: Use your hair dryer to heat up your lash curler for a few seconds to assist with better lash curling. BE CAUTIOUS WITH THE HEAT. If it’s too hot it can easily burn your eyes. The metal WILL HEAT UP FAST and eye burns in that area HURT REALLY BAD.

Heated eyelash curlers are definitely my favorite to play with and create eye popping perfect, volumized lashes effortlessly. They are perfect to use for eyelash extensions, your natural lashes or when you’re using faux strip lashes for a night out. These eliminate the threat of pinching or pulling out your lashes with a steel eyelash curler. A Heated eyelash curler is usually battery powered and is easy to use with an off/on switch. Application is simple, turn the switch to on and let the coils heat up for a few seconds (according to manufacturing instructions, time may vary). These usually look very similar to mascara wands and are used the same. After letting it warm up, start from the base of your lashes and slowly move it in upward strokes. The heat assists in curling your lashes the same way a curling iron does for your hair. They’re easy to use and you have no problems taking it along with you. Heated eyelash curlers tend to be a little pricey, but they last long, you don’t have to worry about the spring popping out and the battery is easily replaced.

After any eyelash curling, feel free to apply mascara to your liking. Now that you have the tips and know how to use the tools, practice makes perfect! Go bat those luscious lashes!

This lip gloss isn’t in just a regular tube, but it’s square and flatter for your portable needs. I for one DO NOT like taking a purse with me to sporting events. When you’re cheering and going back and forth from the stands to sitting, to wherever, the last thing I need is to carry around my 13 pound bag. Take your necessities; cash, identification, credit card, and you guessed it lip gloss. This is where the convenience of Hourglass’ prodigy comes in. It fits comfortably and conveniently in your back pocket. So going from sitting to standing to walking isn’t an issue and you don’t need to worry about where your gloss is or ask your man to hold it for you. When you’re in need of a little touch up, slide it out and viola! No-hassle gloss is there to save the day. Just some inside advice, make sure you’re careful to putting the cap back on making sure the plug is on-line with the gloss applicator, otherwise you could be in for a mess. (Follow the directions on the package) No one likes spilled lip gloss . This gloss is also amazing for your lips! Each one is enriched with with Vitamin E to hydrate and protect the lips from becoming chapped and dry and it’s paraben, sulfate, phthalate, and fragrance-free. I’m constantly looking out for functioning products that I can use when I go out, because I hate carrying my purse around when I’m having fun. Lucky for me, this is a gloss that I will continue to buy because it works with my life. Prodigy hydrating lip gloss isn’t sticky or tacky and it lasts a considerable amount of time.

Multi-functioning makeup saves so much time, they are a force to be reckoned with and these glosses definitely do the job. As an Hourglass lover anyway, (HUGE fan of their calligraphy liquid eyeliner) their lip color has never done me wrong and Prodigy was no disappointment. I’ve been taking Surreal everywhere with me and especially at game time, it’s perfect to use and gives the right amount of color and shine. Not only is it great for your pocket, but for a night out on the town, you can easily slip it into your clutch and not have it bulging out of the sides.

I remember putting on my mother’s work heels, purse, and red lipstick and smeared that shade of 80′s orange-red all over my face plus an awesome blue eye shadow all over my eyes like a clown. I thought I was hot stuff at the age of 5, but this resulted in a little bit of time-out time. We’ve all been there and it gives me so much pleasure to host a giveaway in these stories favor.

Duwop cosmetics has been kind enough to let us giveaway their amazing Lip Venom (must have) and limited edition Crush Velvet Eyeshadow Trio to 20 winners with the best comments.

We’re dying to know, (and so is everyone else) What Beauty Trend Did Your Mother Hate The Most?

Comment and tell us what trend your mother hated to enter to win!

**20 winners will be chosen at random. Post a comment and tell us what trend you mother hated the most. Giveaway starts on 4/27/10 and ends 5/11/10 at 11:59pm PST. Winners will be announced during the time of 5/12/10 –5/27/10. If any winners do not reply within 5 business days of being contacted, another winner will be chosen.**

Source: Flickr User Avriette

Last week’s introduction of the Safe Chemicals Act (which has been in the works for 10+ years!) aims to reform our toxics law and force companies to show that their chemicals are kid-safe before they are put on the market.  In an earlier post I wrote about the EWG finding close to 300 chemicals in umbilical cord blood, including BPA, perchlorate, fire retardants, lead, mercury, and PCBs.  With this new legislation, these unacceptable findings will be a thing of the past! This new law would empower the EPA to regulate these chemicals, and it also establishes new research programs to help us better understand the risk toxic industrial chemicals pose to children. Finally, putting our health and safety first!!!

Even with this giant step forward, real change is still years away.  We need to remember the power we have as consumers – by choosing natural products, we are helping to push the big beauty players to switch to natural ingredients.  Consider the impact – in California alone, more than 220 tons of personal care products are sold daily in the state – including 52 tons of hair spray, 24 tons of styling gel and 12 tons of fragrance!  So if you haven’t tried out a natural cosmetics brand yet, now is the time!

During the week of 4/19 – 4/25 glow.com and dermstore.com will be donating 5% of sales from natural and organic brands to earthday.org, with a minimum donation of $1000.  If you’ve never used mineral makeup, I have to encourage you to give Raw Natural Minerals a try.  It’s the only mineral makeup formulated with active botanicals that produce real anti-aging benefits!  Try it with a natural skincare product like Raw Skincare Ambiaty Daily Revitalizing Cream. My skin loves this combo and for the week of Earth week you can enter in the promo code RAWEARTH at checkout on glow.com for a 20% discount!  Happy Shopping!!

Flickr User: ::Prad Prathivi @ Amodica::

Trim your eyebrows. Sometimes your eyebrow hair can grow to great lengths and as you get older the tips will be finer and lose pigment. This means the tips of the hair will be lighter and this can make you look older. An easy way to trim is to comb the hair up, trim anything above the natural hair line, then comb them back down and do the same. This will enhance your eyebrows miraculously and you won’t be disappointed.

The most important thing is that you must make sure that your eyebrow shape matches your face. Any harsh angles will make it look awkward and not complementary to your look. To find where your eyebrow length and arch should be, use a pencil.

• Put the pencil up to the outside of your nose vertically and this is where your brow should start. You’re free to tweeze any hair outside of that line.
• Next, place the pencil diagonally where it should hit the middle of your mouth, the outside of your nose and the outside iris or color of your eye and that is where your arch is.
• To find where the end of your brow should be, take your pencil and place it horizontal at where your brow starts to the end of your brow. This should be a perfect straight line and where your brow should end.

So you’ve got your basic shape. I usually alternate filling in my brows with a shadow applied by an angled eyebrow brush and an eyebrow pencil. For a more defined look and in this particular case I used Tarte’s Toolbox for brows in light. I absolutely love this eyebrow kit, it’s perfect to put in your purse or desk or car for any touch ups or emergencies. This compact kit comes with eyebrow stencils, mini tweezers, brow gel (to seal your brow powder or pencil and holds your hairs in place) brow pencil, brow brush, brow powder, brow wax (to apply brow powder and provide a sleek finish) and a mirrored compact. Now that’s a convenient and multi-functional product! Using the brow pencil I started at the beginning of my brow and created a sharp line and continued to softly trace along the natural shape of my brow. Using the brow brush and powder I lightly filled in the brows to create a sharp, strong look highlighting the arch. To finish it off, the gel comes last to seal and hold your hairs and artistry into place. Brow’s fierce, chin up, and… Viola! You’re ready for any escapade. Now if we can only get the Clippers to win a few games…:)