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?