celebrity makeup Posts

04Sep
Off

From the Red Carpet to the Bedroom – It’s Showtime at the Apollo

  • The collection consists of 15 to 20 styles in satin or cotton

  • Pieces priced under $30

  • Ashley Stewart creates fashionable full and plus sizes for trendy women on the go


=”article_text”>

New York, NY – Becoming one of the company’s ‘Great Woman of Style’ spokeswoman, legendary soul singer Gladys Knight performed during a befriend concert in support of the first annual Ashley Stewart Community Foundation Gala Event Thursday Oct. 26th. Knight also unveiled her unusual brand called Knightwear by Ashley Stewart Lingerie Collection for rotund figured females. In conjunction with the agenda to keeping plus sized woman dressed in the latest full figured trends, The Ashley Stewart Stores created a Community Foundation to help provide advancement initiatives and wellness programs for organizations such as the Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund and the Boys Choir of Harlem.

The Foundation Gala Event (ASSCF) was held at the famous Harlem Apollo Theatre and featured guest performers such as Mandisa, Lalah Hathaway, Shirley Murdock and the Boys Choir of Harlem. Though Knight was not available for interviews, fashion trendsetters and celebrities were on the red carpet offering immense tips for looking sexy at any size. “I love wearing Ashley Stewart clothes and I model for them as well. They have styles for regular to plus-size woman everywhere and you can’t beat the prices,” mentioned Mandisa who receives free clothes from the label but swears by the Ashley Stewart label than any other label. Most folks remember Mandisa from American Idol season 4 and 5 when Simon Cowell insulted her by saying she was not fit to become an American Idol because of her weight. Rocking an off-the-shoulder halter-top in below 20º-degree weather with tight shaded pants and black shoe boots, Mandisa totally represented for the full figured American woman. Her blinged-out accessories and flawless makeup made her look quite elegant, but her confidence radiated from within as she spoke about plus-sized criticism. “You know what, I take information from everyone because everyone will always want to be a critic. The difference is you have to know yourself first before doing anything. Know your self worth and you can blow off the negative comments,” explained Mandisa.

Celebrity stylist Philip Bloch whose work has appeared in Vanity Fair, Vogue and Instyle Magazine, showed off his catwalk skills. Bloch twirled down the red carpet in a off-white suit with champagne colored trimmings, topped off with a marbled cream and gold neck tie. ” I can’t wait to see the fabulous and curvilinear Gladys Knight’s recent lingerie collection,” adds Bloch. His charismatic humor thoroughly entertained us before being snatched away by publicists and security.

P. Diddy’s curvaceous blond bombshell mother, Janice Combs also spent time on the red carpet posing for the cameras. Dressed in a black cat suit covered by a waist-length mink and accessorize with an imitation leopard fur Babyphat purse, Combs gave her take on full-figured fashion. “It feels good to attend an event for real people and not always celebrating the skinny or teenage looking designs that are advertised,” she said. “Ashley Stewart is more adult.” Before scurrying inside with her well-dressed sugar daddy she shamelessly plugged the new Sean John line coming out, “…Don’t forget to look out for the kids and women’s line due sometime next year. Check out the web site,” she adds.

Shirley Murdock arrived shortly after combs and even sang for the Channel 9 News team briefly before beginning her interviews. “I feel so honored to be here and I can’t wait to get on that legendary stage were all the greats before me have come to sing,” said Murdock. Being a full figured woman herself, Murdock was clothed by the Ashley Stewart label and frequently does in store appearances as well as models.

Around 7:30pm the program event was beginning to start and the last of the late arrivals and celebs hurried inside. Ethan Shapiro, Chief Executive Officer of Urban Brands Inc., parent company of Ashley Stewart left with a statement about the future success of Knight’s new lingerie trace, “Grand like Knight’s innumerable chart-topping albums, we’re projecting it’ll be a sellout.”

Technorati Tags: , , ,

Posted by admin in celebrity makeup and tagged with , , ,
30Aug
Off

Beauty Myths We Get from Hollywood

  • Parental attitudes play a tremendous role in what kids believe about complex issues

  • Watch how you talk about other people – celebrities or your neighbor


=”article_text”>

It’s all too common. Staring down from giant billboards glossy images shout “You should look like this.” This is what sexy is.” On the movie screen we watch the perfectly styled tresses and sculpted bodies of characters we can’t help but notice, and we wonder why we don’t look like so flawless. We want to be that thin, that tall, that tan, and that sexy.

This is the chronicle of perfect beauty, and though we see it most clearly from Hollywood sources, it’s all around us in more subtle ways. In fact, we are responsible for nurturing this anecdote and keeping it alive. We do this when we starve ourselves to reach a certain weight that’s unhealthy or unrealistic, when we judge the worth of other people based on what they are wearing, and when we spend millions of dollars on useless weight loss drugs. As a parent I find the beauty myth very disturbing. Eating disorders are a persistent issue for so many adolescents, and kids are at risk when they lack self esteem and a good foundation for processing the images they are bombarded with. The myth is a very dangerous threat to the physical, emotional, and mental well being of so many children.

When faced with slick images every day what can a parent do to help their child behold through the myth? There are some simple things we can do to point the intention toward something more realistic and healthy.

Problem: Putting to powerful emphasis on weight. The desire to be at a healthy weight makes sense. We all know that being very overweight or underweight is not good for our bodies. The problem comes when we place our focus entirely on our weight. Weight is only section of the overall picture of kindly health, and parents would do well to examine their comments and establish more effort into communicating this to their kids. Do your children see you constantly in “diet mode” or yo-yo dieting from one plan to the next? Do you often call yourself fat or complain about the size of certain parts of your body? This tells children that smaller is always better, and it reinforces the sage that skinny equals beautiful.

What you can do instead: Focus more on a healthy lifestyle and less on weight and size. Let your children stare you being active in a variety of ways that you indulge in. Walking, jogging, yoga, swimming, and even yard work are all ample ways to savor movement. Let the kids hear you talk about how spend that is incorporated into a pleasant activity or daily routines, such as walking the dog, are easy and fun. Talk about weight as just one piece of a healthy lifestyle in addition to diet, sleep, and exhaust. Point out that all activity is exercise in one way or another, and that it’s good for the heart and muscles. Help the kids find activities they enjoy.

Problem: Celebrity worship Our culture worships at the altar of Hollywood and entertainment. The adoration of celebrities starts at a young age, too. Children as young as three years old can identify their favorite television personalities, and that makes it all the more important for parents to commence modeling obvious attitudes about realistic bodies early in their child’s life. These days it’s nearly a national pastime to gossip about celebrities and their appearances. Television and magazines are an entertaining part of our culture, and there’s nothing wrong with being a fan of certain celebrities, but when we value only the thinnest women with the largest breasts or tall tanned men with muscular chests we send a distinct message to our children that value and popularity should be directly related to certain appearances.

What you can do instead: Highlight non-physical attributes. To support children understand that real worth and value aren’t about physical beauty or body parts try paying more attention to the definite non physical aspects of a celebrity that you cherish. Let your children know that you appreciate what a positive actress has done for victims of domestic violence through charity work or donations. You could even mention that you like an actor’s joyful laugh. On the other hand you might want to highlight the opposite. Sometimes the entertainers our culture considers so beautiful and worthy of praise are running about doing very careless or unkind things. While being careful not to go fun at someone’s hard times or terrible decisions talking about this can help young people see that celebrities are human beings and not always the picture of perfection we see them portrayed as in the media. Positive or negative these things whine us so grand more about a person than what we can see with just a glance at the exterior, and they will verbalize your child that a person is more than just a face or expensive clothes.

Problem: Believing what we see can be dangerous. The faces and bodies in magazines, movies, and television seem so perfect that it’s almost unreal. The truth is that most of it is unreal! Models, singers, and actors go through an improbable process before they ever hit the photographer or the stage. Between makeup artists, hair stylists, and wardrobe consultants there is a small army of people dedicated to shaping an attractive but regular person into the supermodels we ogle on the screen. After the photos are taken the digital editor manipulates images to make breasts appear larger, erase freckles, puff up lips, and acquire bodies appear thinner. Most of us know that this is what happens, but somehow it doesn’t stop us from believing that these women wake up looking flawless. The truth is much closer to what each of us sees in the mirror each morning: a unusual individual with sleepy eyes and messed up hair. We need to realize that children might not understand that what they witness isn’t real, and when you consider that young people are trying to be like the celebrities they discover, it really makes accurate information very important. We don’t want our children hurting themselves trying to live up to some bogus image that doesn’t even exist.

What you can do instead: Get the real scoop

There are several websites that reveal what goes on behind the scenes. They include:

http://www.campaignforrealbeauty.com/flat4.asp? id=6909

http://glennferon.com/portfolio1/portfolio16.html

http://homepage.mac.com/gapodaca/digital/bikini/bikini1.html

The first link is from Dove and their “Campaign for Real Beauty” which is a good resource for celebrating the unique and realistic beauty in everyone. They have created a very short but powerful film clip that shows what a model goes through before a photo shoot, as well as what happens to the photo before it hits the billboard. The last two links win you to pages where you can scroll over different images to behold the before and after result of photo editing. Parents can explore these sites with children to show them the extensive makeover process involved in creating the fantasy look we see in print and on the screen. This can relieve kids understand that there really is more than meets the eye when it comes to seemingly perfect beauty. If you have a photo editing program on your computer try your hand at manipulating an image the way a modeling agency would. Discuss the results with your children, and ask them what they think.

Parents strongly affect what their children think about weight, beauty, and media. If we are mindful of our own attitudes and comments we can give kids the tools they need to become critical thinkers who are will follow their own hearts and instincts about beauty rather than blindly assuming the mainstream attitudes. With discussion and investigation we can help them see right through the myths that Hollywood delivers and into something healthy and worth striving for.

Technorati Tags: , , , , , ,

Posted by admin in celebrity makeup and tagged with , , , , , ,
28Aug
Off

Miss Florida USA Competes at Miss USA 2005

  • There are two major beauty pageant systems in the U.S: Miss America and Miss USA.

  • Miss USA is judged in three categories: Interview, Evening Gown and Swimsuit.

  • Donald Trump owns the Miss Universe Organization, the parent company of Miss USA.


=”article_text”>

I opinion the pinnacle of my beauty pageant experience came in 1977 when, as Little Miss Wausau, I cut the ribbon on the “Possum Palace.” But even that heady rush couldn’t compare to the excitement of following my friend, Miss Florida USA Melissa Witek, through the Miss USA 2005 pageant.

A Little Pageant History
There are two major pageant systems in the U.S. – Miss America and Miss USA. Miss America is the oldest pageant, dating to 1921, and emphasizing talent and interview. Due to awful ratings, Miss America lost its TV network this past year.

Miss USA came along in 1952 and is part of the Miss Universe Organization, owned in partnership by NBC and Donald Trump. Fifty-one titleholders (50 states, plus Washington, D.C.) win the chance to become Miss USA, who ultimately goes on to compete in the Miss Universe contest. While NBC’s ownership ensures Miss USA’s TV presence, television can be a strange bedfellow: NBC uses the pageant to promote its other products, such as a special “Miss USA Edition” of “Fear Factor.”

Our Star is Born
Florida has Miss USA regional preliminary pageants, originate to all young women across the position ages 18-25. From North Florida to South Miami Beach, they compete to take the next step toward pageant stardom, some of them traveling the “circuit” and competing in multiple preliminaries until they win a free trip to state. In March 2004, my sister, Samantha Strickland, and I directed one of these preliminaries, Miss Florida Panhandle USA, held at The Moon nightclub in Tallahassee. That’s how we met 24-year-old Melissa Witek.

Spunky, fresh-faced, kind-hearted and witty, Melissa is not your typical pageant girl. After driving four hours to Tallahassee, she showed up for rehearsal in flip-flops and wearing no makeup. During the swimsuit competition that night, she bobbled and nearly fell over in the uncomfortable high heels. Then she laughed it off and shrugged, winning the judges’ hearts. During the interview competition, she wowed everyone with the sage of starting her own company at the age of 22, Ampex Granite. And when her name was ultimately called as the winner, she was the only one in the room who was surprised.

Relatively new to the pageant world, Melissa had entered a couple of competitions while she was in college, ultimately winning Miss Florida Gator, a title that meant more to her because of its ties to her beloved Gator football team than for the tiara she wore. Rather than try to shape Melissa into a pageant clone in preparation for Miss Florida USA, we all decided that her natural approach would set her apart. Instead, we spent the next four months doing fun stuff like shopping for evening gowns.

In July 2004 Melissa beat out 47 girls to fetch the Miss Florida USA title in Hollywood, Fla., making her the first Panhandle representative to win the crown in the history of the Miss Florida USA pageant. (As a side note, Miss Emerald Coast USA was first runner-up and Miss Tallahassee was second runner-up for the Florida title, so it was a red-letter year for Northwest Florida.)

As Florida’s “queen,” Melissa received a free luxury apartment in Hollywood, a wardrobe including shoes, gowns and jewelry, an acting coach, spa services, personal training – and a whole lot of pressure.

Miss Florida USA was a job that took up the majority of Melissa’s time; she made more than 75 appearances in the months following her state win – everything from a Boys and Girls Club fund-raiser alongside boxer Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini to a NASCAR event with country music star Trace Adkins. In November 2004, she returned to Tallahassee to co-host the Miss Tallahassee USA pageant with City Commissioner Andrew Gillum.

Lady in Training
In the long history of the pageant, Miss Florida USA has never become Miss USA, and the position hadn’t even cracked to the top five since the 1980s. An entire support staff descended upon Melissa to turn Florida’s track record around. I conception Melissa was as close to physical perfection as a mortal human has a right to be, but my role in Melissa’s preparation was now just correct support; work had to be found for stylists, dentists, coaches, wardrobe consultants and trainers.

A long-distance physical trainer in New York City, Justin “Builtboy” Popovic, was hired to help her sculpt her body into competition shape. “He’s made me more healthy and fit than I have ever been,” Melissa said. She e-mailed him photographs weekly for evaluation, as he adjusted her diet, strength-training program and cardio workout. “I already had the muscle tone after Miss Florida USA,” she explained. “I mainly needed to ‘lean out’ so he had me doing a lot of cardio.”

Off to the Races
The date and location of Miss USA 2005 were finally announced: April 11 in Baltimore, Md. More than 100 friends and family members gathered for Melissa’s Florida send-off parties. Then, she and her mom loaded up the car and started the long drive to Baltimore.

Reporters armed with cameras and microphones greeted the contestants at check-in on March 25. Much of the media frenzy focused on Miss Delaware USA Sheena Benton. Shortly before the pageant, news broke that Benton had a DUI arrest in 2004, which she had not disclosed. Up until the check-in date, Benton’s fate was still up in the air, but ultimately, Trump made the decision to let her compete.

All eyes were also on the representatives from “powerhouse” pageant states like Texas, Georgia and Alabama. 25-year-old Miss Texas USA Tyler Willis told that she wasn’t really nervous because she had been prepared so well: “I have great directors. They really know what they are doing and they have worked hard to manufacture sure I know what I’m doing right now.”

By contrast, 21-year-old Miss Rhode Island USA Allison Paganetti, an Army ROTC cadet, said she was picking up new tricks of the trade: “I don’t usually even wear makeup, so these girls have already taught me a lot.”

Reporters quizzed Melissa about her initial impressions of Maryland and her state of mind regarding the approaching competition. When she watched the playback of the news report that evening, she was less than elated.

“They used the part where I said, ‘Of course my top priority is to get …’” Melissa said, “’but they cut out the part where I said, ‘… but I’m already so blessed just to be here amongst so many broad women that it’s a win-win plot for me.’ Objective goes to point to you that the media can twist anything you say to cause drama.”

In the Spotlight
The next few days were a whirlwind of photo shoots and wardrobe fittings. Delegates provide their own gowns, and this was Melissa’s first opportunity to unveil the couture creation that South Florida designer Juan Carlos Pinera had provided her: a coral-colored salmon taffeta strapless gown with a rhinestone waistline brooch.

World-renowned photographer Fadil Berisha took fashion headshots of each of the girls. “The coolest part,” Melissa said, “was when I took my headshots and Paula Shugart (President of Miss Universe) walked in. Fadil showed her my pictures, and she said she loved them! I also got to sit down with her and chat about Pensacola (where Shugart used to live and her brother resides) and about her experiences with Trump.”

The pace was beyond hectic: up at 5 a.m. every morning, rehearsing throughout the day with choreographer Scott Grossman; then off to a Maryland landmark for a photo op or pre-taping for the TV note. The March 31 photo op was the unveiling of the new Mikimoto Miss USA crown, worth more than $200,000. “The crown is so beautiful in person,” Melissa enthused. “It looks much bigger than it does in pictures. I found out that they let Shandi [Finnessey, Miss USA] carry it to certain events, but it must be carried in a steel case. She said she had some trouble getting it on to airplanes.”

Melissa got to show off her football skills when she was selected, along with 10 other girls, for a day out at the Baltimore Ravens field. “We did some drills, then split into teams and played flag football,” she told us. “I caught a long pass and scored a touchdown. But while I was rushing the quarterback on one of the final plays, I fell and scraped up my knees.” This small mishap caused frantic behind-the-scenes searches for Neosporin and heavy-duty cover-up makeup.

Preliminary Competition Begins
Every seat in Baltimore’s Hippodrome Theater was sold out for the Presentation Show April 6, the day my sister, Sam, and I arrived in Baltimore. Ten “experts” in beauty and entertainment – including an agent from Trump Model Management, the Director of Marketing for covergirl cosmetics, and a senior reporter for Star magazine – comprised the panel of preliminary judges. Their scores would narrow the 51 down to 15 semi-finalists, but we wouldn’t know the results until April 11.

The preliminary pageant isn’t televised, and that turned out to be a very good thing. The music for the opening number didn’t start on time, and a virtual sing wreck of red Tadashi dresses scattered across the stage. The girls couldn’t hear their cues and the audience was left wondering what was actually supposed to happen. Eventually, the choreographer came on stage and actually apologized.

The theme of this year’s show was “high fashion,” and the swimsuit competition involved fast-paced runway-style stage patterns – and remember, they’re wearing four-inch heels and a bikini. As the girls changed into evening gowns backstage, an up-an-coming country singer named Derek Sholl was introduced. He carried a guitar – as a prop. We know it was a prop because he also had sound system problems, and it became embarrassingly obvious that he was not playing the aforementioned guitar.

A steep, winding staircase was rolled in for the evening gown segment, adding another element of danger to the competition. Blinded by brilliant stage lights, several contestants clutched at the wobbly railing with a panic-stricken peep in their eyes. We cheered our voices hoarse as Melissa descended gracefully down what we like to call the “Deathtrap.” Miss Florida Director Grant Gravitt called it a “goosebump moment” when he saw his girl on stage. Then the show came to an anti-climactic close, and we realized we had to wait five days for results.

A Tense Week
The next five days seemed to drag. We joined the girls at Camden Yards, home of the Baltimore Orioles where Miss USA and Miss Maryland USA Marina Harrison got to throw out the first pitch of the game. “Shandi did pretty well,” Melissa reported, then joking, “But my girl Miss Maryland needs a little help.” Harrison’s weak pitch barely made it to the catcher.

Melissa celebrated her 24th birthday at the pageant April 10. More than 25 Florida friends, as well as Miss Teen USA and titleholders from Texas and South Carolina, gathered in the lounge of the hotel and sang her “Happy Birthday.” Melissa wore a plastic birthday tiara and blew out the candles on a chocolate cake she wasn’t supposed to eat.

It wasn’t all party hats and chocolate cake that night, though. A seamstress was called in to make emergency alterations on a gown that was now too big for Melissa. She lost six pounds during the three weeks in Baltimore. But she took the stress in pace and assured us she would do everything she could to catch it all back after Miss USA. I handed her a plate of chocolate cake.

Final Competition
On April 11, the line in front of the Hippodrome Theater wrapped around the block. Security was six officers deep, and rabid fans clamored their way through metal detectors, pat-downs and security checkpoints more befitting the Tel Aviv airport.

Because she was carrying both of our giant 3-D sunshine signs and wearing a string of “Go Melissa” buttons around her neck, Sam was approached by a local reporter. It was no use telling him she was carrying that stuff for other people. He had her labeled as his token “crazy fan guaranteeing great TV.”

He insisted on framing her head up in the camera between those two big “GO FLORIDA” sunshines as the interview kicked off.

“Who are you here to succor? ” he asked, shoving the microphone in her face.

“Melissa Witek, Miss Florida USA!” Sam replied, gamely waving the sunshines.

“Do you think she’ll gather? ” he asked.

Sam replied, “Yes! Of course!” to which he responded, “What if she doesn’t? ” Then there was a long pause as Sam gave him a confused stare. “Well . . .” she said, “It is just a pageant . . . so life will go on . . .”

This severely disappointed the news guy. Sam tried to explain: “Melissa will be successful in whatever she does – she’s an incredible girl with a bright future!”

At this point, the news guy looked downright ticked off. I think he wanted Sam to promise to throw herself off a bridge if Melissa didn’t win. But then he spotted someone wearing a Wisconsin cheese with a crown on her head and decided Sam was runt time.

It’s Showtime!
Hosted by Access Hollywood’s Nancy O’Dell and Billy Bush, the broadcast kicked off with a pre-taped opening set against various Maryland landmarks, from Ocean City to the Baltimore Orioles baseball field. The Delegates wore red filmy cocktail dresses and sandals, despite the fact that it was Maryland in March and about 2 degrees outside. You could practically hear teeth chattering as each girl smiled for the camera.

The “celebrity” judges were introduced next: Sugar Ray Leonard, that unusual Raj guy from “The Apprentice,” the receptionist from “The Apprentice” (the one who lets the contestants into the boardroom), and Molly Sims from the show Las Vegas. There were a few more, boasting equally odd judging credentials.

If you saw the show, you know what happens next. If not, Melissa made Top 15! We were jumping around like lunatics, nearly poking out the eyes of nearby fans with our giant sunshine signs. Melissa’s fellow semi-finalists included Oklahoma, Recent York, Illinois, Maryland, Utah, Mississippi, Arkansas, West Virginia, Texas, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, California, North Carolina and Michigan.

The 15 semi-finalists then competed in evening gown. Melissa’s gown, I’m happy to report, fit her perfectly, and no one took a nosedive down the staircase. In the midst of our screaming and waving, our giant sunshine signs suddenly broke and fell over like tulips with broken stems. Sam and I immediately exchanged a notice, as though we had received some kind of horrible omen. But then slight Billy Bush opened the Top 10 results …

The Top 10 finalists were called: Illinois, Kentucky, Mississippi, California, Florida(!), Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Oklahoma, New York and Maryland. So, either the broken sunshines are actually a good omen or one of the Idaho fans slack us got tired of his understanding being blocked and snapped them off at the stem while we weren’t looking.

The Swimsuit Competition
There’s a special kind of bravery that allows a person to strut across the stage in a bikini and high heels. Nothing short of an automatic weapon and live ammunition could persuade me to attempt what these ladies managed with effortless grace. There were so many spins, turns and back-steps that I was getting dizzy – and extremely frightened that someone was going to hurt herself.

The only mishap: Miss California USA dropped her sarong on the floor halfway through her routine. Unfortunately, she was No. 4 in line (right in front of Melissa), so every finalist who came after her had to step over, around, or on top of it.

Melissa fared fine, never even looking down, but poor Miss New York nearly slipped on the sarong, and then the line of 10 finalists had to strut across the stage together, right over it. The entire audience held its collective breath.

The Top 5
Remember, Florida hasn’t made the Top 5 since 1987, so the pressure was intense as the delegates lined up for the next enormous announcement. And that’s just the pressure my spazzed-out sister was putting on my neck as she clamped me into a nervous stranglehold.

Despite her sarong mishap, Miss California made it, as did Kentucky, North Carolina, Illinois and Florida(!). Florida director Grant Gravitt went to his feet when Melissa’s name was called.

On-stage interview was next. California discussed her blossoming heed language skills; unfortunately, she didn’t know how to say, “Thank you very much.” Kentucky was asked about the cow she listed on her bio sheet, but it turns out she doesn’t actually preserve the cow or milk it nor does she have any plans to do so. Melissa talked about starting up her company; North Carolina discussed her involvement with a local children’s hospital, and Illinois was asked what she looked for in a man. (Billy Bush may have been going off script here and angling for a phone number.)

Honestly, I thought we had it in the bag after the interview. Melissa was poised, articulate, and she had something to talk about. Instead, when they called out the final placement, they began with “Fourth runner-up is … Florida!”

There was an audible groan in the audience. No one expected Melissa to place fifth. People around us – even the ones we had injured with our signs – turned to us and told us she was “robbed.”

Illinois then placed third runner-up; Kentucky was second runner-up, and Miss “I’ll Throw My Sarong Wherever I Please” California was left standing with Miss North Carolina USA Chelsea Cooley. Melissa had already given us the scoop that Chelsea was one of the sweetest, most genuine girls in the group, so we were definitely rooting for her.

Onward and Upward
The rest is history. Chelsea Cooley is Miss USA 2005. We spoke to her and Donald Trump immediately following the pageant, and she was incredibly gracious. When asked what she’d like to say to her fellow delegates, she responded, “I feel very honored to secure to know these beautiful women, and I actually wrote a note to several of them before we got started tonight to say that no matter what happens, I would always believe in them. Because they truly are incredible women, and I’m very proud of them.”

The Donald piped up with “What a great answer that is!” and then went on to say if Chelsea wanted to be on “The Apprentice,” he’d hire her in a heartbeat.

Melissa got hired as well – as the official spokesmodel for Under Armour Sportswear. The company’s creative director was aesthetic impressed with her touchdown at the flag football game and singled her out for the modeling contract. She barely had time to wolf down a few slices of pizza before the job started. She was flown back to Baltimore for the photo shoot the same week, and the campaign will appear in print throughout the U.S. this fall.

Her national TV exposure opened quite a few doors for Melissa, and she jokes that she gets all these benefits without having the responsibilities of being Miss USA for the next year. At the encouragement of several people in the business, Melissa is considering a move into television and entertainment.

Back in 1986, guess who else made top 5 at Miss USA but didn’t actually gain the pageant … a certain Miss Halle Berry.

And do you remember who actually won Miss USA that year? Exactly.

Technorati Tags: , , , , , ,

Posted by admin in celebrity makeup and tagged with , , , , , ,
24Aug
Off

30 People More Interesting Than Paris Hilton

What is with everyone being obsessed with Jessica Simpson? She’s curious for about the amount of time it takes to read a news headline. There are so many people working hard every day being expansive, evil, absurd, brilliant…a million different adjectives and I would love to hear about any of the following people over Miss Jessica Simpson…or Brittany Spears…or Lindsay Lohan…or Paris Hilton (even if she is in jail).

In no particular order:

1. Bill Gates: Seriously, he is totally geeky but absolutely interesting. He’s one of American’s most famous business men, corporate leaders, household names. He’s twitchy, intelligent, and bizarre. To some, he is a symbol of all that is evil with capitalism and to others, he is a symbol of of corporate responsibility and someone who uses his money for good. Good or bad, Bill Gates is simply interesting and I’d rather read about him in the tabloids any day.

2. Ross the Intern (aka Ross Mathews): I think Ross the Intern is hilarious! He’s that completely spastic intern that Jay Leno has embraced on The Tonight Show. You can view some of his clips on the Ross the Intern Myspace page. He battles alligators with the late Steve Irwin. He fights fires while flirting with firemen. He tries his hand at being a weatherman. He’s hilarious and evil. There’s a reason the E! Network voted him as one of the 30 most outrageous celebrities.

3. Al Gore: Who knew he would actually be so ambitious and interesting after losing the presidential election? Here’s a man who seems to really be trying to spend his life doing marvelous in the world the best way he knows how and it’s refreshing to watch him. He cares about what he’s doing and it really seems like he’s making a difference with all of the work he’s done regarding global warming and the environment. He gives a ridiculous number of presentations, produced a great documentary and book. He has spoken in front of congress. He’s fair great.

4.Eddie Izzard: He’s smart and amusing whether he’s dressed as a man or dressed up as a transvestite. He was fair on the Tony Awards presenting the “Best Theatrical Events” in a nice tuxedo. But really, he’s his best when he’s in heels and makeup doing one of his stand up comedy acts where he pokes fun at Americans, Queen Elizabeth, and squirrels. Yes, even squirrels.

5. J. K. Rowling: How does she do it? Here is this amazing woman who came out of nowhere with this children’s book series that has captured unprecedented attention throughout the world. She has created a magical spicy world in her Harry Potter books. She is one of the wealthiest women in the world. And yet, she is detached down to earth and has a large sense of humor. She’s simply one of a kind.

6. Barack Obama: Liberals (and others) half-jokingly called for Obama to run for the presidency during the last election in 2004. Who really knew he’d actually listen and run, especially this soon? Whether people like his politics or not, he is always an intriguing persona and it’s though-provoking to see how America reacts to not only a man of color running for office, but watching him run against his closest competitor, Hillary Clinton, a woman. This is something new in American politics and its exciting to watch is happen.

7.Regina Spektor: She’s so big at what she does! Her family emigrated from Russia, but almost decided not to because of her piano abilities (she’d have to leave her piano studies and her piano behind). Her style is so eclectic; another one that you just have to hear to understand.

8. Miranda July: What is she going to come up with next? She’s is a performance artist, director, musician, actress, writer, epic teller, all-around jack of trades. She’s so quirky and funny. Just watch her movie Me and You and Everyone We Knowand you’ll want to know what she’s going to come up with next.

9. Antony Hegarty: He calls himself a “nationality confused bender”. His converse is so beautiful and unique. The Antony and the Johnsons‘ Carnegie Hall concert in New York drew out some of the city’s most famous stars: David Bowie, Bette Midler, Lou Reed, and Rufus Wainwright.

10. Neil Gaiman: He’s such a fun imaginative writer. And he writes so noteworthy! And so well! Fantasy, graphic novels, short stories, screenplays…isn’t there anything this man can’t write?

11. David Blaine: His endurance is rather superhuman and for reasons that I don’t quite understand, he tends to invoke strong feelings of either inspiration or intense disdain in people. I find him slightly laughable, but what is even more intriguing is watching the way people react to him.

12.Martha Stewart: She’s a bit crazy. But again, I love to find out what she’s up to! I don’t love her heavenly, but I can’t express that her know-how, business demeanor, and the contrivance she handled that whole prison sentence has earned a certain amount of respect and intrigue from me.

13.Alexis Stewart: First of all, what is like being the daughter of Martha Stewart? Secondly, what is the deal with her modern note “Whatever with Alexis and Jennifer”? And why does she want to have a child via a sperm donor? And what is the story behind the cameraman that she admitted to having a sexual relationship with during The Apprentice? She’s such a wonderful mystery.

14. Ted Haggard: Eh, the story regarding his rise and fall is awesome…although I have to admit, I can’t stand his smile. Now that he claims to be “completely heterosexual”, I want to look what he makes of the rest of his life.

15. Mike Jones: He’s the “massage therapist” who outed Haggard’s hypocrisy. Now he just published a book called I Had to Say Something: The Art of Ted Haggard’s Fall. The title is hilarious; I’m just wondering about the rest of the book.

16.Michael Moore: He’s fearless, funny and in my concept, very smart. I admire him.

17. Hillary Clinton: I honest love the fact that a woman is running for president and has a serious chance of winning.

18.Ann Coulter: Does anyone actually bewitch her seriously? Her diarrhea of the mouth is always something to either laugh or cry about.

19. Jennifer Hudson: Wow, talk about rising to fame quickly!

20. Paula Abdul: Drunk? Sober? Is she actually mad at Simon or is it a love/hate thing?

21. Harvey Fierstein: That voice!

22. Rupert Murdoch: He’s kinda creepy; what doesn’t he own now? I’d feel more comfortable if he received as much public attention as the blonde bombshells, because people really need to keep an eye on this one.

23. Oprah Winfrey: She’s such a super star! Besides her TV show, magazine, and book club; she’s also doing some awesome work in Africa.

24. Stedman Graham: Come on, he’s Oprah’s partner. We hear so much about him and yet I never actually see the man! I want to know more about Stedman!

25.Anderson Cooper:Besides being stunning, he’s a mammoth reporter. He was especially awesome during Hurricane Katrina and he comes from one of New York’s wealthiest families.

26. Tony Kushner: Writer of Angels in America, one of the best pieces of theatre ever. He’s done a ton of other stuff too.

27. Al Sharpton: You have to love that James Brown hair! He’s always outspoken; gotta worship him.

28. Steve Jobs: Because Apple is taking over the world.

29. Conan O’Brien: His snappy one-liners, self-deprecating humor, and the fact that he is going to take over Jay Leno’s job in a few years makes him endlessly entertaining.

30. Jon Stewart: He should be taking over Conan O’Brien after he leaves for The Tonight Show. Actually, no. He should just run for president. I’d vote for him based on his Crossfire appearance alone.

Technorati Tags: , , , ,

Posted by admin in celebrity makeup and tagged with , , , ,
18Aug
Off

L’Oreal Star Secrets Colour Riche Lipstick in Kerry’s Rosewood

Two years ago I always wore lip gloss no matter what. I thought it was sexy and youthful. It was always my well-liked make up product to buy and I’ve bought hundreds of tubes.

But then the trend toward lipstick began to occur in fashion again and I began to become interested in wearing lipstick. I thought lipstick looked more glamorous than lip gloss and the textures and colors that lipsticks come in can be more sophisticated and interesting.

Around that time L’Oreal began advertising their Star Secrets line of make up. The ads featured stars like Eva Longoria, Milla Jovovich, and Aishwarya Rai, who represent the L’Oreal designate. The ads featured makeup products and colors that were inspired by and made specifically for them.

The actress that caught my attention was Kerry Washington, noted for her roles in movies like Ray and the Last King of Scotland. I really liked the rose lipstick that she wore in the ad and since we have similar skin tones, I thought the lipstick would seek good on me too.

Within that week I bought a tube of the L’Oreal Star Secrets Colour Riche Lipstick in Kerry’s Rosewood. It comes in fab murky rectangular tube with gold accents and Kerry’s golden signature is written on the side of the tube. It’s a very glamorous tube of lipstick.

Inside Kerry’s Rosewood is a rose shade with lots of fine shimmer in it. When the Colour Riche Lipstick goes on the shade looks lighter, it’s more of a pink with warm tones. I found the Kerry’s Rosewood shade to be an easy way for me to transition from lip gloss into the world of lipsticks.

It’s very natural looking and easy to wear because the rosy tone is similar to my natural lip color. But all of the shimmer still reflects the light like a gloss and keeps this L’Oreal lipstick youthful and fun to wear.

I really like the Kerry’s Rosewood shade of the L’Oreal Star Secrets Colour Riche Lipstick, but I also like the lipstick itself. The lipstick feels really creamy and rich on and it glides on evenly. The shimmer in this does do your lips feel gritty when you rub them together, however the only thing that bothers me about this lipstick is the chemical smell of it. Besides that I love this lipstick.

Overall, I love the L’Oreal Star Secrets Colour Riche Lipstick in Kerry’s Rosewood. For some reason this shade brightens up my whole face and makes me look amazing. I’ve gotten lots of compliments from friends and even a stranger when I’ve worn this. I think the Kerry’s Rosewood would flatter a lot of different skin tones, but I contemplate people with very dark skin should skip it because the shimmer in this lipstick would look ashy. I give it 5 out 5 stars.

Technorati Tags: , , , , , ,

Posted by admin in celebrity makeup and tagged with , , , , , ,
05Aug
Off

Spring Makeup Tips – Top Celebrity Looks for Brown Eyes

celebrity makeup looks for the spring season include big and bold lashes and sultry, and smoky, shimmery eyes for day and night. If you have brown eyes, you can accentuate your eyes with a few deep and shimmery colors that will make your eyes ‘pop’. Celebrities including Kim Kardashian, Eva Longoria, Jessica Alba and Beyonce Knowles have all mastered a smoldering inspect for the eyes this spring with a lineup of smoky eye looks and shimmery nude palettes that draw out the rich cocoa and deep brown tones of their eyes.

Ready to update your spring perceive makeup collection? Pick up some of these shades to enhance brown eyes, celebrity-style:

Kim Kardashian’s Smoky Search For Look
Illuminate dark brown eyes a la Kim Kardashian by using cool and shimmery shades on the eyes to create a lighter smoky eye effect. This celebrity makeup look is still running strong for the spring season, and you can make your brown eyes stand out day or night by using a light grey or silver hue up to the brow.

Natalie Portman’s Thick Lash Look
Natalie Portman’s light brown eyes become the focal point of her face with a set of eyelash extensions and a few layers of black mascara. Don’t be afraid to layer on the mascara this spring, especially if you’re wearing a nude or lighter shade on the lids. This season, it’s all about creating thick and voluminous lashes and these will create a strong contrast to bring out those brown peepers by day or night.

Nicole Richie’s Romantic Look
Purple is here to stay for another season, and Nicole Richie has been sporting rich purple shadow with a touch of shimmer this spring. You can replicate the look by using a light shimmery silver shadow up to the arch of your brow, then adding a layer of violet or darker purple to the space factual above the eyelid to enhance your brown eyes.

Eva Longoria Parker’s Bronzed Look
Go for the gold this season and warm up brown eyes with a layer of lustrous gold that goes up to the brow and extends slightly out to the edge of the corner of your eyes. Eva Longoria Parker is sporting this explore for spring with a combination of brown colored shadow and creamy gold on the lids. Finish with a few layers of mascara to bring out those brown eyes by day or night.

Shenae Grime’s Shimmer Look
Shimmery eye shadow is still a leading trend for the season, and you can replicate Shenae Grimes’ gawk with a touch of light shimmer powder on the corner of your lids and around the brow bone. Finish with a light brown eye liner and a few layers of thick dim mascara for to draw out your brown eyes and add a playful twist to your spring spy.

Sources:
InStyle.com
TotalBeauty.com
Glamour.com

Technorati Tags: , , , , ,

Posted by admin in celebrity makeup and tagged with , , , , ,
31Jul
Off

Celebrities Without Makeup

It may be difficult to imagine the looks of a celebrity without make up. However, thanks to internet you can now see some of the celebrities without make up. You simply need to type ‘celebrities without makeup’ in your search engine and you will be led to hundreds of sites that will show you the actual looks of many celebrities.

It is true that makeup does wonders to your looks, and an average celebrity looks worse without her makeup. However, this cannot be generalized. There are quite a few celebrities like Penelope Cruz, Drew Barrymoore, Halle Barry and Alicia Silverstone, who examine beautiful even without make up.

Celebrities spend fortunes on their makeup not for nothing. They want to appear gorgeous as long as the light of fame is focused on them. They pay their stylists and makeup artists to look excellent, without perhaps realizing that most of them would recognize suited anyway.

We could also be perhaps mistaken in comparing a celebrity with and without makeup snaps as the pictures are most often deceptive. The quality of a snap shot depends on a number of factors like the qualities of light, camera, focus and lens man.

This is of course not to deny that good makeup and good photo do make a world of disagreement to the overall look of a celebrity, as perhaps to any one.

Alicia Silverstone looks beautiful even without makeup but a closer look reveals her oily skin with acne. Hilary Duff looks fresh and younger without makeup. Kirsten Dunst appears vivacious and satisfied even without makeup. A light makeup might perhaps add to her zest.

Some of the celebrities might appear quite different without their make up. Britney Spears is almost unrecognizable without her makeup. The quality of her skin is poor with acne. You may have to watch Cindy Crawford from very close distance to recognize her, when she is without makeup.

While celebrities can rarely dare to face the world and camera without makeup for the fear of drop in their popularity value and image, they might surely be aware of the associated health hazards that go with beauty products.

On June 7, 2004 Environmental Working Group released “the results of a study of 7,500 brand-name products on a free website (www.ewg.org) that for the first time lets consumers learn what chemicals are in their soap, shampoo, toothpaste and other products. The website provides product rankings of known and probable health hazards associated with ingredients in each of the 7,500 products assessed, including information on ingredients linked to cancer and reproductive harms.”

We may even feel proud to learn that the 71- year old Queen monarch appeared on TV to deliver Christmas Message, shunning special makeup tricks, unlike stars who would never want their creases to be caught up by high definition TV cameras. According to a Buckingham Palace Spokeswoman, “The Queen did not make any spend of special make-up for HD television. She had the same stylists and make-up as she usually has, it was unprejudiced as normal. Those who watch the programme will see her as she is.”

Technorati Tags: , ,

Posted by admin in celebrity makeup and tagged with , ,
24Jul
Off

The Emmy Red Carpet Goes Bold and Beautiful

Glamour was definitely in for the 60th Anniversary of the daytime Emmys. Even the men turned out their very best, with very few missteps.

White Angels

Pre-Emmy host, Lisa Rinna chose an extraordinary Grecian style one-shoulder gown with justify sequins over the shoulder. Another Lisa – - Lisa Edelstein – - (House) chose a combination of white with a black applique around the midriff and falling down the 50’s style full shorter skirt. It worked well with new shorter haircut. For jewelry, she chose the perfect pendant and earrings.

One of Edelstein’s costars, Olivia Wilde also chose to wear white in a retro gown that had a 30’s feel. She wore her hair up, done softly. It was in keeping with the lovely gown. Jennifer Care For Hewitt (Ghost Whisperer) also went vintage in a black and white gown. The dress was lovely but her up do hair was messy and didn’t fit with the sleek design of the dress.

Vanessa Williams (Ugly Betty) chose a delicate white gown with a black and pink floral print that got larger as it neared the bottom of the mermaid style gown. Her hair was pulled back in one of this season’s hot hairdo’s; the sophisticated chignon. She never looked lovelier.

Rita Wilson, the beautiful wife of Tom Hanks, ended up looking a bit dowdy in a white satin gown that made her look about 50 pounds heavier. The rouche detail was in all of the wrong places, adding inches around her normally slim waist and hips.

My favorite white dress of the evening was hard to pick. I think Lisa Rinna looked amazing in her gown. However, I’ll have to go with Vanessa Williams. She was stylish and beautifully put together, but she dared to occupy a risk with the floral print. It paid off. She never looked lovelier.The Little Gloomy Dress

Debra Messing (Starter Wife) chose a lovely shadowy strapless dress with delicate layers of chiffon. She chose to wear her beautiful red hair loose and lovely, accenting it with stunning jeweled chandelier earrings.

America Ferrera, television’s Ugly Betty, went back to the Golden Age of Hollywood with a stunning black draped shorter gown, Veronica Lake locks, and resplendent red lips. This young lady put many of the primitive Emmy divas to shame.

Sandra Oh (Gray’s Anatomy) scaled it back a bit this time, opting for a romantic shaded lace gown over a deep charcoal satin. However, she needed a bit more attention on her hair. It was partially pulled back but, it look sloppy and exceeded this season’s “soft messy” gawk.

Tina Fey (30 Rock) finally wore a dress worthy of the Emmys. She chose a form fitting strapless shaded gown that was very pretty. She would have looked amazing if she had only put on some makeup and done something with her hair.

Dana Delany, the newest member of Desperate Housewives looked absolutely amazing in a short black dress with spaghetti straps and silver beading on the front. She wore her pretty chestnut hair loose and soft. She just gets prettier with age.

Veteran actress, Glenn Close (Damages) chose to wear black as well. The perfectly cut sheath dress showed off her figure while the pretty lace short jacket accented her face. Her hair, on the other hand, could have used a bit of work. It was a bit too spiky for such a formal event.

Pushing DaisiesKristin Chenoweth also went black, which proved to be a surprisingly kindly disagreement to her long straight blond hair. She looked cute but could have kicked it up a notch or two, either with wave in her hair or a bit more jewelry.

Samantha Who’sJean Smart chose an age appropriate black dress of chiffon over a sheath of black satin. With honest a hint of bling in the beading and perfectly coifed hair, she looked every bit the star that we’ve come to expect.

Kate Walsh (Private Practice) barely looked like herself with her long red locks now cut into an edgy shoulder length bob. Her lovely black gown with stripes of fabric alternating with stripes of dusky lace fit her like a second skin and provided just the perfect canvas for her fresh look.

Hayden Panitere of Heroes also chose to wear black. The gown was amazing but it looked dead for one reason and one reason only, Hayden forgot her trademark smile. Oddly grim, her sophisticated up do just made the whole outfit look out of place.

With so many lovely ladies in sad to choose from, this category was my most difficult hard. However, I have to go with America Ferrera as my absolute fave. She was just plain movie star stunning. Her perfect accessory, by the way, was her beautiful smile.Purple is the Color of the Season

Nicollete Sheridan (Desperate Housewives) went with the color of the season – - purple. She chose a lovely form fitting purple gown with soft pleats down the front. She wore her long blond hair straight and shiny with a killer necklace to station everything off.

Christina Applegate, ABC’s Samantha Who looked fresh as a daisy despite her unusual battles with breast cancer. Her memorable lavender gown was kissed with touches of gold with an Oriental feel. She pulled her hair back in a sophisticated chignon and dazzled everyone drop plain gorgeous jewelry.

Laura Dern also opted for a fuschia gown that skewed a bit more toward purple. The sheath might have been unmemorable if not for the peek-a-boo bust line. She wore her long blond lock loose and slightly wavy.

Holly Hunter, from Saving Grace,went soft purple as with yet another form fitting sheath. Like many of her fellow actresses, she left her long blond locks long and straight.

Christina has to be my pick for the purple ladies. She looked amazing from the top of her head to the tip of her toes. I think if you see in the dictionary under “goddess”, she would have to be pictured there.Yellow Birds

Mariska Hargitay literally stopped traffic in her gorgeous canary yellow gown. It was done Grecian style, off of one shoulder with a soft drape in the back. This actress almost never makes a mistake on the red carpet and she definitely didn’t disappoint this year either.

Teri Hatcher also opted for smart canary yellow. The little ruffles worked well on her small frame, making her look more voluptuous than normal. She wore her hair long and loose and accented it with beautiful earrings and bangles.

Sorry, Teri, I love you dearly but Mariska wins the battle of the yellows.

Shades of beige, Brown, and Champagne

Character actress Holland Taylor chose a pretty beige gown with a silver overlay. It might have been a little young for her but she still carried it off. Unfortunately, she must have gone to the same hairdresser as Glenn Close because she sported a spiky “do” as well.

Marcia Cross, from Desperate Housewives chose an unusual beige tea length gown that hearkened back to the days of the hop. It was allotment lace and part net. She looked like a vintage goddess with a sophisticated up do and just the right hint of bling.

Rachel Griffiths of Brothers and Sisters fame wore the only brown gown I spotted on the red carpet. It looked exquisite with her loosely waved brown locks.

Silver Bling

Lost heroine Evangeline Lilly looked magnificent in a soft champagne gown with lace accents. She wore her shapely locks pulled back in a chignon and put on just enough makeup to accent her natural beauty.

Felicity Huffman, another of the Desperate Housewives, chose a silver sheath. It worked oddly well with her newly cut blunt hair. She looked very pretty but I’ve seen her look much more put together. Her co-star, Eva Longoria, went silver and white with a short fringed gown. In the front, it sported a huge bejeweled bow, which helped to disguise the tummy. That made it impossible to resolve if rumors of her pregnancy might be right. I still haven’t got utilize to her well-organized short new haircut, but she’s a beauty no matter how she wears her hair.

Candice Bergen (The Practice) paired a sparkly silver jacket over black pants. She wore her hair down and straight.

Evangeline wins this competition, hands down. She always manages to study like a million dollars while keeping her all-American girl killer looks perfectly in region. She is just a winner all the design around.

Color Explosion

Brooke Shields (Lipstick Jungle) sported a hot pink ruffled gown that made her look glowing and every bit the movie star. She wore her luscious locks long and soft, accenting them with a stunning pair of chandelier earrings.

Cynthia Nixon’s aqua colored gown was one-of-kind on the red carpet. It was form fitting and simple; her usual style and it worked perfectly.

Mary Louise Parker (Weeds) went for a vibrant marine blue gown with spaghetti jeweled straps. It she had not worn her newly darkened hair a bit too wild she would have been one of the best dressed on the carpet.

Susan Sarandon went crimson with an off the shoulder gown. She looked nice but didn’t stand out in the crowd. Maybe that was due to her poorly coifed hair.

Julia Louis Dreyfus, the heroine of The New Adventures of Old Christine, proved that she could still rule the red carpet in one of the most beautiful gowns of the night. The coral color worked perfectly with her complexion and her sad hair was done up perfectly. She didn’t need much jewelry because her smile was mega watt.

Brooke walks away with the prize for the vibrant colored divas. She is an all-American beauty with a sweet personality and a killer smile. Add in that perfect gown and those jewels and she simply can’t be beat.

The red carpet at the 2008 Emmys was one of the best yet. The stars stood out in more ways than one. It was also nice that there were a few mix-ups in the awards as fell. The long standing winners had to move over a current crop of talent and they didn’t seem to mind one bit.

Technorati Tags: , ,

Posted by admin in celebrity makeup and tagged with , ,