Hot or not: Natural eyebrows

Celebrities such as Leighton Meester and Mary Kate Olsen have been spotted with thick, natural eyebrows lately. To me, there is something very youthful and carefree about this look. And in my humble opinion, it's much better looking than over-plucked eyebrows.

If you're thinking about trying out this look, keep in mind that natural eyebrows must still be groomed! Just because you have bushy brows doesn't mean you can abandon your tweezers altogether! Think about it, have you ever seen Mary Kate or Leighton with a uni-brow? No! And you wont.

So, when rocking natural brows:

• Keep the middle free of hair
• Trim any extra-long hairs
• Brush your brows into place
• Play up your makeup to balance out the natural look of your brows

I am so curious to hear what others about this look. Do you love it or hate it? Would you ever consider letting your eyebrows grow a little bit wild?

What the heck is up with Heidi Klum's hairstyle?

Heidi Klum applying makeup to a contest winner on Jan. 26. How lucky is that girl?

Heidi Klum was spotted earlier this week at an Astor Cosmetics event in Stuttgart, Germany rocking an interesting look. I'm loving Heidi's cool, steel gray nail color and bright pink lipstick. I'm a little more confused about her hairstyle. I actually think it looks really pretty, but I've been sick all week and might just be delirious.

My educated guess is that she brushed her hair to one side and sectioned it off then twisted each section into a mini-bun and secured it with bobby pins.  It looks like a bed of little rosettes has bloomed on the side of her head.

What do you think of Heidi's wacky hairstyle? Would you have the confidence to wear it?

Sickie

Hey there, dear readers. I'm so sorry for my absence. I have been sick all week with the flu and bronchitis. I went home sick from work on Monday and have been stuck in bed ever since. Luckily, I'm on antibiotics now and finally starting to feel like myself again.

Now that I'm getting better I can't wait to resume the beauty conversation here on Prettied Up! With the SAG Awards this Sunday and the Academy Awards next month we'll have tons of celebrity beauty to discuss. Plus, Valentines Day will give everyone an excuse to doll up like a celebrity!

But before I get into the really good stuff, I must bring you up to date with my beauty situation for the past week since my absence. As could be expected, I haven't really been paying any attention to the way I look. My eyebrows are over-grown and my hair is a mess! But, during my endless hours in bed I did have one pretty thing to look at -- my nails.

This milky grayish/blue shade is OPI's "Moon Over Mumbai." It's been one of my favorite nail polish colors since the summer and is a great alternative to all the light pink shades that have been ultra popular for like five years now.

I applied it on Sunday before I got sick, and have been wearing it ever since. The photo above was taken yesterday -- five days after I applied the polish.

Normally my manicures look way ragged after five days. As soon as I see a little imperfection I start to chip it off. As I was laying in bed looking at my nails I had a minor epiphany -- It's amazing how much longer nail polish lasts when you just leave it alone. Sounds obvious, but it's true.

Anyway, I'm so excited to start feeling better and be able to do my hair and makeup again. What are you excited for beauty-wise?

Nail of the day - OPI Show It and Glow It

 Love. Love. Love this polish! If you're looking for something special that's going to make an impact and get attention, try "Show it and Glow it" from OPI's 2010 Burlesque Collection. With two coats, this polish leaves the nail fully covered with pink and silver glitter with a dash of multi-colored sparkles thrown into the mix. It's like a party on your nails!

The only downside about this polish, in my opinion, is it chips very easily because of all that glitter. Sparkly nail polish is a funny thing -- some polishes, like China Glaze's Ruby Pumps, have just the right amount of glitter so that the overall polish-to-glitter mixture is sparkly and has great staying power. On the other hand, polishes with an extremely high concentration of glitter, like Show It and Glow It, seem to chip very easily. Am I making any sense at all?

Anyway, despite the fact that it chips quickly (think -- within two days) this is the perfect polish for a special night out.

What do you think, pretties? Have you tried this or any of the other polishes from OPI's Burlesque Collection? There are some other great glittery ones in that collection as well.

Found: A drug store face wash worth raving about

L'Oreal Skin Genesis Pore Minimizing Gel Cleanser - $7.99

Good for: Normal/combination skin.

Compatible with the Clairisonic? Not really, because it foams too much.

My thoughts: I absolutely love this facial cleanser because it is extremely gentle, suds up well and gets the face super clean. I use it on a regular basis and have repurchased it several times because it is truly the best drug store face wash I have come across.

To me, the best thing about this cleanser is that it can easily remove all traces of heavy eye makeup without making the eyes sting or burn. I have very sensitive eyes and have never had a problem when massaging this product around the eye area -- not something that can be said for most cleansers, drug store brand or not.

Also, the pump makes it easy to use, and the smell is very fresh and pleasant. Plus, the pink color is just lovely. And, the price really can't be beat.

I honestly can't say whether this product has diminished the look of my pores. If it made any difference it wasn't major.

Have you used this product or anything else from L'Oreal's Skin Genesis line? Which drug store face wash is your favorite?

Top Golden Globes after party looks

While I was a tad underwhelmed with the hair and makeup looks from the 2011 Golden Globes Awards, a few ladies really made up for lack of drama at the big show with their striking after party looks. Here are my favorites:

My top pick goes to Hayden Panettiere, who showed up at the HBO after party wearing a pretty clipped-back hairstyle, turquoise eyeshadow and a glowing tan. Her hair and makeup was fresh, young and different -- I loved it.

With her loose, curly ponytail and neutral makeup I thought Selena Gomez totally rocked it at the InStyle/Warner Bros. after party. I love everything about her hairstyle -- from the pretty pieces in front to the super-long flowing curls in back -- it's gorgeous yet simple. Her makeup accentuated her features beautifully without looking over done. 

Meanwhile, Camilla Belle hit the InStyle/Warner Bros. after party wearing a sophisticated silver and plum look. I'm loving how the softness of her makeup balances out the rigid structure of her dress. Even her hairstyle had a sort of calculated juxtaposition, with the top half perfectly pulled back and her bottom pieces left free.

And now, one look I'm undecided about...

We can always count on Kim Kardashian to bring the drama and her look for the InStyle/Warner Bros. after party was no exception. While I love that she rocked such a daring look, I think that between those earrings, the statement lip, bright blush and crazy-big eyelashes it was a tad too much. I'm not really sure about this look.

What do you think of these Golden Globes after party looks? Who's look is your favorite?

The Golden Globe for best hair and makeup goes to...

 

With her soft upswept curls and radiant, glowing complexion Amy Adams was my top pick of the night. I am having a hardcore love affair with red hair right now and hers is the best. 

Meanwhile, Anne Hathaway gets an honorable mention for her flowing chestnut brown waves and shimmering eyeshadow. I feel like she's done this look a thousand times but as they say, if it ain't broke don't fix it. This look is just the epitome of glamour. 

And finally, I must mention Emma Stone, who had a huge beauty moment with her spotlight-stealing platinum blonde, sweeping updo and pretty peach makeup. From the dress to the hair and makeup -- her look was well thought out and pure perfection. This was the first time she's really stood out as a movie star to me. 

And now for the bad news. . . 

Overall, I was pretty underwhelmed with the hair and makeup looks coming out of this year's Golden Globes Awards. I was hoping for some fresh beauty inspiration but the typical long, loose waves and bouffant-style updos ruled the red carpet. 

I suppose the most notable hair story from the 2011 Globes was Olivia Wilde and Sandra Bullock both showing up with blunt bangs and stick straight hair -- a casual style that I was not really feeling for the black tie event. As for makeup, January Jones and Natalie Portman both wore a statement lip, but most others played it safe with neutral hues. 

Of course, most of the ladies still looked insanely gorgeous, even if they didn't show us anything particularly groundbreaking in the beauty department. 

So, what do you think of my top hair and makeup picks? Do you agree that it was kind a boring show beauty-wise? 

Can we talk about Khloe Kardashian's new red hair?

Photo courtesy Us Magazine

I am kind of really digging it. Not better than her brown hair but I think it looks really soft and pretty. Plus, it's fun to change things up once in a while and it makes her stand out from her sisters.

In case you missed it, Khloe debuted this red color at the People's Choice Awards on Jan. 5. Since then, she's been spotted out-and-about around Los Angeles sporting her fiery locks. Here she is on Wednesday getting ready to hit the gym with pal, Nicole Richie:

It seems that Khloe is still adjusting to her red locks, though.

"I still get taken aback every time I see pics of myself with my new red hair," she blogged on Wednesday. "Just saw these [photos] online and I literally didn’t recognize myself LOL. Definitely takes time to get used to."

I think her new hair color is a fun and sassy but not everyone is feeling it. A friend of mine recently posted on Twitter, "Khloe, why is your hair red??!!! You are too pale for that look...sorry sweetheart. Love you still."

Meanwhile, I have actually been thinking about dying my hair red lately. I'm not sure I'd ever have the guts to do it though. Plus, I hear red hair takes a lot of maintenance because it washes out quickly.

What do you think of her new hair color? Do you think I should dye my hair red?

My newest obsession

Lacoste Women's Robe, Basic Terry - $125

Oh my gosh, guys. I was lucky enough to receive this amazing robe as a Christmas gift from my mom and I never want to take it off! It is so extremely soft and plush -- it's just yummy! Plus, it looks super cute on. I have the white one but I also love the turquoise color. If you're in the market for a new robe, I highly recommend this one. It's a splurge but I promise, it's totally worth it.

Nail of the Day: Essie Sexy Divide

Today's nail of the day is Essie's Sexy Divide, a rich amethyst hue with a hint of shimmer. I wore this polish on New Year's Eve and it added the perfect, fun pop of color to my look. I almost didn't get the chance to wear this polish, though . . .

See, on the afternoon of New Year's Eve the nail salon in my neighborhood was so, so packed! After seeing approximately every single woman in New York City crowded into the salon, I walked out discouraged, nails un-done, and cursing myself for waiting until the last minute.

Even worse, I stopped by the beauty supply store (figuring I'd just buy a purple polish and do my own mani) but it looked like a tornado had passed through the polish section, leaving only the ugliest shades behind. 

As a last ditch effort, I called a different nail salon nearby and -- miraculously -- they were able to squeeze me in! Fortunately, the nail salon carried this pretty purple color, and the look I was envisioning finally came together. Crisis averted.

A champagne toast

Dancing the night away.

Do you ever wear purple nail polish? What do you think of this color? Was it worth the stress I went through?

My new, much shorter haircut!

JUST KIDDING! I did not cut my hair! It's just a virtual makeover that I did on taaz.com for fun. Here are some of the other looks I tested out. See if you can spot some of the celebrity hairstyles I tried on.

And here are some funnier ones...

Carrie Underwood 

Katy Perry

Do you like any of these hairstyles or makeup looks? I like some of the hairstyles, but I think I'll stick to my current look for now.

Getting to know... Celebrity makeup artist and YouTube beauty guru Kandee Johnson

I am so excited because today I have a special treat for all of you lovely Prettied Up readers. I was lucky enough to score an exclusive interview with celebrity makeup artist and You Tube beauty guru extraordinaire, Kandee Johnson!

She's done makeup for celebrities such as Janice Dickinson and Conan O'Brien and worked for big name television networks like MTV, CNN, and ABC but Kandee is probably best known for her insanely popular YouTube channel and beauty blog. With hundreds of thousands of YouTube subscribers and followers on Blogger, it's safe to say most of you already know and love Kandee.

I caught up with Kandee the other day to ask her some questions. Keep reading for our full interview.

How many lipsticks do you own? 5 gillion (ha ha ha) A ridiculous amount of nude shades!

Current favorite type of mascara: L'Oreal Double Extend Beauty Tubes (love it!)

Most essential makeup product: Oh golly. . . probably my Laura Mercier foundation. That and smolder eyeliner from MAC.

No. 1 beauty item on you’re currently lusting after: Oh man, I don't know. . . that's a tough one! Maybe some some Cle De Peau concealer (I've never tried it but everyone that uses it has raved about its amazing-ness!) ha ha ha

Biggest regret purchase: The Amazing concealer. I spend like $40 on it . . . and it was soooo not amazing! ha ha ha

First makeup memory: Either watching my little sister draw red lipstick on the underside of the dining room table . . . or staring with amazement at my moms makeup desk! ha ha ha

Thanks so much to Kandee for participating! I definitely have to try the Laura Mercier foundation and L'Oreal Double Extend Beauty Tubes mascara! Have you tried any of the products Kandee mentioned?

Trend to try now: Burgundy lipstick

Burgundy lip colors have been spotted all over the runways and on stylish celebrities such as Lauren Conrad, Charleze Theron and Mischa Barton. Burgundy is a great alternative to a traditional red lip and will give you a unique, French-fashionista-meets-grunge-rocker look. When paired with neutral eyes and cheeks, a burgundy lip looks effortlessly chic and sophisticated.

When rocking a burgundy lip:

• Keep the rest of you makeup minimal and let your lips be the star of the show! If you wear a bold lip with bright blush and eyeshadow, you may end up looking clownish. 
• Apply your lipstick before you put on eye makeup and blush. That way you'll be able to build your makeup look around the lipstick and you won't accidentally overdo it with blush and eyeshadow.

For Christmas I was lucky enough to receive Ben Nye lipstick in "Passion Flower," a deep reddish brown hue with a gold sheen. I typically wear lighter lip colors but I find this shade very flattering.

Here are some other great burgundy hues:

1. Nars lipstick in "Viridiana" - $24
2. L'Oreal Color Riche Lipstick in "Pure Burgundy" - $5

3. Shiseido perfect rouge tender sheer lipstick in "RS628 Natural Wine" - $25

What do you think of these burgundy shades? Do you ever wear daring lip colors like these?