Freida Pinto

A stunner in yellow, Freida Pinto glammed it up at the Cannes red carpet last week with sexy eyes and light pink lips. For a bombshell finish, start with groomed brows, polished cheeks and a soft lip to contrast your deep dark eyes. For a sophisticated cat-eye, play it up with liner, shadow and, of course, mascara. For elongated lashes, Cry Baby Mascara ($22 on crybabymascara.com) guarantees a long-lasting (two weeks) curl full of volume, color and length.

Image credit: ellecanada.com, crybabymascara.com

-Courtney Leiva of The Doll House

Courtney Leiva first dived into the beauty world at the age of 6 when she give her dog lipstick makeovers and bleached more Barbie’s hair than she can count. Now with a bachelor’s degree in Communications, Courtney eats, sleeps and breathes beauty journalism whenever possible.

Courtney has contributed to online magazines such as Feather Magazine and The Beauty Bean. She also serves as the active beauty editor at Love Twenty Magazine. More recently, Courtney has journeyed into the world of beauty blogging with The Doll House. Love Twitter? Courtney does too! Follow her on Twitter @CourtneyLeiva.

Waxing

What is it? You’re probably reading this thinking, “waxing”? Yeah, right! Luckily for us, waxing isn’t what it once was, even though the basics of putting heated wax to desired areas is the same. Although many women dread it, Brian Holtz of Austin’s Waxology Waxing Studios swears by it. “If you are taking a quick trip to the beach and want to show off your new bikini beach bod, then waxing is the best method, hands-down, to remove all the unsightly hair needed to look and feel your best on the surf and the sand,” Holtz says.

Why does it work? While there are tons of waxing products on the market, Brian Holtz surely knows a thing or two about waxing. Serving over 100,000 waxing services clients since 2006, Holtz recommends customers choose only organic based waxes. “Organic wax is free of fragrances and chemicals, making it a gentle and natural solution to hair removal. In our experience, liquid organic wax is the best option for removing the downy fine hairs that are missed by most hard waxes,” Holtz finds.

Is it Expensive? Waxes are available at salons everywhere at a broad range of prices, but when choosing this hair removal method, the real secret is finding the right technician. “The technician, the wax and the technique are equally important for the best, fastest, and least painful results. The real secret is finding a technician that is very experienced in waxing,” Holtz adds.

At-home or salon only? Unlike some hair removal methods, waxing can be performed in salon or at home. However, if you are attempting at-home treatments like Moom’s Organic Hair Removal Kit, take Holtz’s advice by being extra cautious and stick with organic based wax formulas. Also, Denise Clark from SheaMoisture recommends sticking with this detailed regimen for salon-worthy results. “Make sure that the area to be waxed is clean and dry with no existing cuts or abrasions. Spread a generous amount of cold wax against the way the hair grows naturally to ensure wax coats the base of every hair. Then sooth muslin sheets into wax with gentle pressing motion taking care that wax adheres completely. Let wax harden for a couple of minutes for clean removal. Hold skin firmly beside muslin cloth. With the other hand, remove cloth in the opposite direction of the way hair grows with one quick, fluid motion. Immediately apply an antibacterial elixir to help prevent bumps and reduce inflammation. Always keep area moisturized!”

Image Credit: aspatoremember.com

-Courtney Leiva of The Doll House

Courtney Leiva first dived into the beauty world at the age of 6 when she give her dog lipstick makeovers and bleached more Barbie’s hair than she can count. Now with a bachelor’s degree in Communications, Courtney eats, sleeps and breathes beauty journalism whenever possible.

Courtney has contributed to online magazines such as Feather Magazine and The Beauty Bean. She also serves as the active beauty editor at Love Twenty Magazine. More recently, Courtney has journeyed into the world of beauty blogging with The Doll House. Love Twitter? Courtney does too! Follow her on Twitter @CourtneyLeiva.

-Christina Izzo

Jessica Simpson

Obviously it helps if you’re genetically blessed when looking great without makeup and Ms. Simpson is definitely that, with her killer bone structure, pretty, big brown eyes and a dimpled, megawatt smile that truly shines brightest when uncovered from behind the veil of lipsticks, liners and gloss. The Fashion Star judge even covered Marie Claire with a makeup-free look and looked stunning—this Southern belle should definitely go barefaced more often!

Image credit: theonlinecentral.com

I’ve been bathing with JASON Rosewater Body Wash ($9.66 on vitacost.com) for almost 2 months. Sure, I’ve been testing out other body washes, but I keep coming back to this kid. Now, I’m not the biggest fan of floral scents but I am all over the yummy rose scent I get from this body wash. It lathers and rinses with ease and it has become a total staple in my bathroom!

Image credit: vitacost.com , hdw.eweb4.com

-Brittany Minor for ClumpsOfMascara.com

Brittany founded the website ClumpsOfMascara.com to spread her love for beauty.

A staunch advocate of the power of social media, Brittany has done extensive work as a social media consultant, planning and executing campaigns for a number of organizations. She is just as engaging on camera.

Her effortless delivery and flair for the dramatic has earned her more than a million views on YouTube. Brittany hopes that her love for beauty can inspire young women to truly love themselves.

One of the most lauded tools in the beauty universe, Clarisonic takes clean skin to sonic heights. Using state of the art sonic technology for a clearer complexion, the award-winning beauty brand is now offering a deal that both you and mom will love. Mix and match any two Clarisonic Sonic Skin Cleansing Systems of your choice and you can get up to $55 in savings. Most Clarisonic cleansing systems can cost a pretty penny so this is a deal you do not want to pass up!

Image Credit: clarisonic.com

-Courtney Leiva of The Doll House

Courtney Leiva first dived into the beauty world at the age of 6 when she give her dog lipstick makeovers and bleached more Barbie’s hair than she can count. Now with a bachelor’s degree in Communications, Courtney eats, sleeps and breathes beauty journalism whenever possible.

Courtney has contributed to online magazines such as Feather Magazine and The Beauty Bean. She also serves as the active beauty editor at Love Twenty Magazine. More recently, Courtney has journeyed into the world of beauty blogging with The Doll House. Love Twitter? Courtney does too! Follow her on Twitter @CourtneyLeiva.

Change Your ‘Do

Summer is all about having fun and letting loose for the few months we’re able to walk outside without layers of clothing on. What better way to turn heads than changing up your hairdo? Now, we’re not suggesting you go all Katy Perry-style bright blue on us, but a few highlights wouldn’t hurt. Try L’Oreal Couleur Experte, ($14.99 on lorealparisusa.com). Not into coloring your hair? Why not change the length? Add some clip on extensions to liven up your locks, or if you’re a bit more daring, add a few strands of colorful extensions. You can take them out anytime without the commitment of dying your hair.

Image Credit: styletips101.com, drugstore.com

Valerie Lombardi is the founder of MyMagDash.com, a website that provides monthly reviews of women’s magazines as well as beauty products and celebrity fashion. In her spare time, she creates YouTube videos that are dedicated to discussing beauty products and showing viewers “how to” videos. Valerie is a self-proclaimed magazine connoisseur, avidly reading any magazine she can get her hands on. She aspires to become a beauty editor for a top women’s magazine. You can follow Valerie on Twitter @ValerieEllee and @MyMagDash.

Makeup Mistake #1: Applying Eyeshadow After You Put On Your Foundation

Putting on eyeshadow after foundation can only lead to disaster. Flecks from the shadow can fall onto your face, making it impossible to remove it without wiping off some of the foundation you’ve just carefully applied. I recommend applying eyeshadow before any other beauty product. That way, if any falls onto your face, you can simply swipe it off with makeup remover. Already applied foundation and in a dilemma? Here’s a trick: grab a piece of scotch tape and gently press it onto the area where flecks are visible. The tape will clean up any excess shadow and voilà! You’ve been saved from a makeup snafu.

Image Credit: smartgirltips.com

Valerie Lombardi is the founder of MyMagDash.com, a website that provides monthly reviews of women’s magazines as well as beauty products and celebrity fashion. In her spare time, she creates YouTube videos that are dedicated to discussing beauty products and showing viewers “how to” videos. Valerie is a self-proclaimed magazine connoisseur, avidly reading any magazine she can get her hands on. She aspires to become a beauty editor for a top women’s magazine. You can follow Valerie on Twitter @ValerieEllee and @MyMagDash.

VOLUMINOUS HAIR
1. On dry hair, spray Pureology Fortifying Heat Spray and comb through.
2. Curl the hair with a large curling iron. Take one inch sections, hold on to the ends of the section and wind around the iron and hold for 3 seconds.
3. Once the hair is curled all over, brush out the curls and work through a pea-sized amount of Pureology Cuticle Polisher to add control and shine.
4. Flip your head upside down and spray with Pureology Strengthening Control Hairspray for maximum volume!

SOFT SULTRY MAKE UP
1. For this flawless look, begin with Smashbox High Definition Healthy FX Foundation ($38 on sephora.com) applied with a sponge or foundation brush. Dust Smashbox Photo Set Pressed Powder ($29 on sephora.com) over the foundation for a matte finish. Get just a hint of a soft neutral tone on the cheeks with Smashbox’s Blush Rush in Paradise ($24 on sephora.com).
2. Apply a light eyeshadow color like Champagne ($16 on smashbox.com) under the brow and to the inside corner of the eye. Next, a warm taupe shade like Sable across the eyelid, blended into a matte light brown color like Walnut, applied lightly to the crease of the eye lid and well-blended. Create a soft cat eye with a cream eyeliner like Caviar ($22 on smashbox.com), applied with a fine firm brush. Plump up lashes with two coats of black Hyperlash Mascara ($21 on smashbox.com).
3. Line lips with The Nude Lip Pencil ($16 on smashbox.com), then apply Be Legendary Lipstick in Nylon Nude ($19 on smashbox.com) to complete this soft neutral look.

Image Credit: loft965.com

Tips by: Stacey Ellis of Byu-Ti Salon, Los Angeles, CA.

Byu-Ti Salon is Santa Monica’s premier hair boutique, catering to some of Hollywood’s most notable manes, including that of Ivanka Trump, Molly Sims and Eva Herzigova. The founder of Byu-Ti Salon, Natasha Sunshine, is known in the Los Angeles and New York City fashion circles for her keen sense of style and unique approach to hair therapy, Natasha not only created a six-step consulting system for helping her staff identify and meet her client’s needs, she has also developed her own seven different hair care products, to supplement the line of top-notch goodies already in use at her salon. When Natasha is not helping people feel fabulous from the inside out, or making herself camera-ready for a television appearance (most recently, The Rachael Ray Show), she is working as an industry leader and educator for L’Oreal’s exclusive hair care line, Pureology.

Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque

A cult classic for as long as we can remember, Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque ($18.79 on cosmeticsolutions.com) is an effective natural home treatment for zapping away pimples, blackheads and shrinking away annoying large pores. With a natural mint scent, going green faced never looked better. Helping achieve smooth and supple skin, this is definitely one product we’d like to place our Saturday bet on.

Image Credit: drugstore.com

-Courtney Leiva of The Doll House

Courtney Leiva first dived into the beauty world at the age of 6 when she give her dog lipstick makeovers and bleached more Barbie’s hair than she can count. Now with a bachelor’s degree in Communications, Courtney eats, sleeps and breathes beauty journalism whenever possible.

Courtney has contributed to online magazines such as Feather Magazine and The Beauty Bean. She also serves as the active beauty editor at Love Twenty Magazine. More recently, Courtney has journeyed into the world of beauty blogging with The Doll House. Love Twitter? Courtney does too! Follow her on Twitter @CourtneyLeiva.

Love the citrusy smell of a margarita? Bring the cocktail favorite to you with Philosophy’s Senorita Margarita shower gel ($16/16 oz. on philosophy.com)! Perfect for the shower and bath, this gentle formula can be used to help cleanse the skin or shampoo your hair for a nice, light margarita scent. With a margarita recipe written right on the bottle, you’ve got your perfect Cinco de Mayo cocktail for this weekend’s big bash too—yay for multitasking!

Image Credit: philosophy.com

-Courtney Leiva of The Doll House

Courtney Leiva first dived into the beauty world at the age of 6 when she give her dog lipstick makeovers and bleached more Barbie’s hair than she can count. Now with a bachelor’s degree in Communications, Courtney eats, sleeps and breathes beauty journalism whenever possible.

Courtney has contributed to online magazines such as Feather Magazine and The Beauty Bean. She also serves as the active beauty editor at Love Twenty Magazine. More recently, Courtney has journeyed into the world of beauty blogging with The Doll House. Love Twitter? Courtney does too! Follow her on Twitter @CourtneyLeiva.