Here’s beauty contributor Eileen with another Beauty Bomb!

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Ever wonder how all these celebrities get those gorgeous, flawless faces?

The Fashion Bomb has some insider tips from celebrity makeup artist, Tisa Howard, on how to recreate their looks at home.

Look like Ciara in no more than 20 minutes with these techniques:

1. Foundation: Start with a moisturizer like Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Moisturizer SPF 15 to give skin moisture and allow makeup to last longer. Apply a full coverage foundation like MAC Studio Fix Powder Plus Foundation or L’Oreal True Match with a brush or moist sponge and dab for an even color.
2. Cheeks: Apply shimmer on apples of cheeks with fingertips in a soft pink or rosy shade of blush like Tarte Cheek and Lip Stain.
3. Highlight/Bronzer: Use a Bronzer like Bobbi Brown Brick Compact Bronzer and sweep bronzer ONLY to places where the sun would normally hit your face: nose, temples, edges of the face, and cheekbones.
4. Eyes: Use a neutral shimmery shadow to highlight the brow bone and sweep on lids as well from lash line to crease to make your eyes pop. Apply liner in black or brown to the inner corner of the eye–line all the way to shape. L’Oreal’s Voluminous Volume Building Mascara will seal the deal once applied to top AND bottom lashes.
5. Lips: Use the Tarte Lip and Cheek Stain and follow with a clear lip gloss like C.O. Bigelow’s Mentha Lip Shine.

To mimic Kim Kardashian’s smolder, follow these steps…

1. Eyes: Line the inside of the lower lash line all the way around and also line the corners of the upper lid. Use a warm plum color like Rock & Republic Saturate Eye Color in Twisted, Paranoid or Provocative and apply starting at the lash line and working up. Apply this same color to the lower lash line working for the outer corner to the inner. Follow with a neutral shimmer in the corners of eyes and under the brow bone to highlight. Apply a volumizing mascara like Bare Escentuals Buxom Mascara in Blackest Black to give your eyes the finishing touch.
2. Highlight/Bronzer: Use a bronzer like Shu Uemura’s Eternal Golden Bronzing Powder and apply to temples, nose, cheekbones and edges of the face.
3. Lips: Apply lip balm like Burt’s Bees Beeswax to lips and use a mauve or beige lip liner to line and fill lips. Finish up by applying lip gloss like Lancôme’s Juicy Tubes to the center of the lip.

Lastly, for Mariah Carey’s sweet, peachy keen…

1. Eyes: Cover the whole eye with grey shimmery shades like Giorgio Armani Maestro Quad in Ocean. At the outer corner of the eye use a darker color like navy to form a v-shape and use a contour brush to blend from the outer corner into the crease.  Apply liner to the inside of the lower lid and follow up with mascara to the upper and lower lashes. Add shimmer to the corners of the eyes and brow bone.
2. Cheeks: Use a peachy color on cheeks like Benefit Georgia Peach Blush.
3.  Lips: Finish the look with Benefit Full Finish Lipstick in Lady’s Choice and apply clear gloss to the center of bottom lip.

A few tips:
*If brows are sparse, fill them in with a powder like Smashbox Brow Tech Duo and set brows with a clear wax pomade.
*For a smoky eye, try sweeping talcum powder under your eyes. The talcum powder catches any excess eyeshadow. Once you’re done, brush it away!
*Use a concealer that is a shade lighter than your skin tone to cover up unsightly blemishes and discoloration.

Have fun trying out these looks!

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Bisous!

Some of our favorite Fashion Bomb celebs have been out and about in more casual ‘off duty’ outfits.
Are they Hot! Or Plain Old Hmmm…
Rihanna hit up the movies with this young chap wearing a beenie and yellow roomie sweater with ripped jeans and sneaks:

I’m starting to think this girl could make a sack look hot! I kinda like this steeze and the red lip screams glam! Rih Rih gets a pass, but ladies, don’t try this at home!

Taraji P also was spotted in a t-shirt and low key spandex pants with some kickin fringe laden purple boots:

The choice of boots was a good effort, but hmmm…suede in June?
What do you think?

Welcome to another Beauty Tuesday!
Today, we’re giving you The Fashion Bomb’s Top Ten Beauty Buys Under $10: products we can’t live without that won’t break the bank!

First, my faves:

1. Neutrogena Deep Clean Facial Cleanser, $7

This foamy, dermatologist recommended face wash has been my go-to since I was a tween. Not only does it remove tons of makeup, its hydroxy acid penetrates deep into pores, leaving a fresh, healthy finish.

2. Neutrogena Oil Free Moisturizer with SPF 15, $9.50

I always follow up a good face wash with a moisturizer like Neutrogena’s Oil Free option. The product is light and has SPF 15 to protect from damaging rays (and future wrinkles!)

3. Palmer’s Cocoa Butter, $5

I’m sure all my brown skinned ladies can attest to the moisturizing properties of good old Cocoa Butter. Palmer’s formula is great on stretch marks, but also works for maintaining a sun kissed look on summer days. Hook up those elbows and toes with Palmer’s! You can’t go wrong!

4. Organic Root Stimulator Olive Oil Moisturizing Hair Lotion, $5

Olive Oil is great for the skin and scalp, and mixed with coconut and castor oil, it becomes a hair must for silky and smooth locks. Use this root stimulating lotion on the daily whenever your tresses feel dry and distressed.

5. Adriana can’t live without her Rosebud Salve, $6:

She says, “It fixes everything from errant eyebrows to chapped lips to irritated or dry patches of skin. And at $6, it’s fabulously recession-proof. ;-)”Here, here!

Vuitton has a few faves as well! He says, “Ladies aren’t the ones who should be keeping up with the skin essentials. We get wary of pimples and sun damage as well, so here are a few of the things that I use to keep my skin together:“

6. Cromwell & Cruthers shaving Oil, $4.50

“…Heaven in a tiny bottle I say! This minimizes the amount of razor burn and ingrown hair, which is common among most black men. Get it here for $4.50 CAD.”

7. St. Ives Apricot Scrub, $4

“…This is probably the best exfoliator for the price! It does a great job of taking off dead skin cells for the healthy glow that lies underneath.“

8. Delon Daily Face and Body Moisturizer, $7

“…This daily must doesn’t clog pores and has a scent of coconut that isn’t overwhelming. Get it here for $7.“

9. Clean & Clear Blackhead Clearing Astringent, $5

“…Take preventative measures against pesky blackheads, and help clear up existing ones.“

10. Neutrogena’s Ultra Sheer Dry-Sheer Touch Sunblock Lotion with SPF 30, $10

“One of the most important summer buys is sunscreen! Yes, although the chances of people of color contracting skin cancer are substantially lower, it’s still important for us to protect our skin from sun damage. This product is perfect for those beach days, and it doesn’t leave that sticky feeling.“

Check out some of our picks here:

What are your drugstore beauty faves?

First Lady Michelle and the kiddies were in Paris seeing the sites and cheesing for tourists!

Michelle chose this $195 Purple Neon Toywatch for a trip to the Eiffel Tower:

Mrs O consistently shows that she can stay fly without shelling out a ton of money. $195 is a splurge, but definitely affordable!

Get yours here.

*I’m so sad I can’t take off work to search for them around town!!

*The makers of Michelle’s Toywatch are having a watch giveaway starting this Friday via their Twitter page! Check it out at www.twitter.com/toywatch

This song is one of those hidden gems, and the viddy is so cute!

It didn’t get a ton of radio time, but it is absolutely one of my favorites. Why? The message is touching–so much so that I included a lyric as one of my high school year book quotes (yes, I have a Biggie quote next to my Senior Picture for posterity–ha!).

A few excerpts:
“Sky is the limit and you know that you keep on/ Just keep on pressin on/ Sky is the limit and you know that you can have what you want, be what you want…Sky is the limit and you know that you keep on/ Just keep on pressin on/ Sky is the limit and you know that you can have/ what you want, be what you want, have what you want, be what you want…”

“Stay far from timid/Only make moves when ya heart’s in it/ And live the phrase Sky’s The Limit…”

Add a dash of panache to your average work outfit with these $60 We Who See Cutout Heels:

This strappy peep toe’s lace ups are extremely chic, and a reasonable 3-inch heel makes them perfect for the office.

Get them in black or canvas here.

New York Magazine reports that several designers, including California label Trovata, have made headway in a copyright infringement case against fast fashion bastion Forever 21:

They say, “That Forever 21 and its peers copy or take “inspiration” from” designer clothing is no secret. But no laws exist to prevent this from happening…The CFDA has been pushing Congress to pass the Design Piracy and Prohibition Act to protect the basic design of clothes. Critics say the act would stifle competition and commerce in the apparel industry. Indeed, the act could cause an onslaught of lawsuits among labels accusing one another of illegally copying their clothes. Designers copy “or take “inspiration” from” each other all the time. If the suit brings about a change in regulations, the quality of goods in fast-fashion chains could suffer greatly, which would be a bad thing for broke people like us.“

I do believe in protecting designers who spend their time and talent creating flawless products. But something about not being able to buy a pair of Balenciaga like boots for $44 (for example), seems a bit sad, no?

Read the rest here.

When I saw this pic over at T-Pain’s Twitter page, I almost fell out of my swivel desk chair:

There are statement pieces, and there are statement pieces. Apparently this particular chain cost T-Pain $400,000!

Ok ok… guys don’t have as many jewelry options as women, so to distinguish themselves they have the choice between a chain, stud earrings, or (in some cases) gold teeth:

Guys have a right to look fly, but there are limits!! I can cosign Kanye and Pharrell’s choices, but everything from Sean Kingston’s crayola box to Rick Ross’ gold bust to T-Pain’s Big a$$ Chain gets a big a$$ thumbs down!!

Weigh in fashion bombshells…
*Check out T-Pain’s Twitter at www.twitter.com/DaRealerstTPain
Source

We have a few usual suspects who always make it into Monday’s roundup (Kim K., Ciara), but this weekend was all about celebs new to the “Hot! or Hmm…” scene!

TV personality Alesha Renee rocked a *fab* electric blue jumpsuit to Big Tigga’s Celebrity Classic in Washington DC. The wide black cinch belt, pendant necklace, and chunky bangles make for amazing accessories, and I like how her snakeskin clutch picks up the brown in one of the bracelets. The pant legs are probably a bit longer than they should be but not so much that it looks like sloppy tailoring. Hot!

In L.A. at the Chrysalis Butterfly Ball, Eve kept the electric blue trend going in a mini satin number. The demure boatneck collar and gathered half-sleeves lend the frock a touch of restraint, and the gold tone of her jewelry is the perfect hue–not too flashy since the dress’ color is very eye-catching. Yet the curse of satin (those wrinkles!) and disheveled hair completely bring down the look for me. Hmm…

“Grey’s Anatomy”‘s own Dr. Bailey, Chandra Wilson, was a vision in emerald at the Tony Awards in NYC. The sweeping, A-line gown with plunging neckline is the perfect canvas for her petite, full-figured frame, and the soft pin curls and silver accents bring to mind glamorous old Hollywood or the Harlem Renaissance. Elegant and hawt!

On the other side of the fashion spectrum, Lady GaGa arrived at the airport in Japan in a…I can’t even begin to describe this. There are so many Fashion Bomb don’ts up in here (Claire’s advice about proper travel attire, Vuitton’s edict against witchy pointy toes). I’m all about green consciousness so it’s nice that her leggings can double as air conditioning, but I can’t imagine flying to Japan with my behind out, being chafed up by an airline seat the whole time. I know that GaGa’s fashion sense is all about the theatrical (it’s performance art by itself), so normal “Hot! or Hmm…” standards are hard to apply. It’s like throwing up Bootsy Collins to be judged. But…real talk? Hmm…

Back in Cali at the Young Hollywood Awards, Monique Coleman showed off her First Lady Obama-like guns in a strapless, wine-colored minidress. The pleating on the dress is a clever way to deal with the satin wrinkles that plagued Eve’s outfit, and the ankle-strap peep-toe pumps and gold jewelry are simple yet chic. And the natural ‘do is def channeling Pam Grier. Work it out then, Monique–kinda hot!

Finally, songstress Faith Evans also graced the red carpet at Chrysalis Butterfly Ball. Like Chandra Wilson, the A-line drape and embellished bust are a smart choice for Faith’s curvy figure and I love the white color against her tan. The dots on the fabric below the bust give this a matronly air, though (I wish the skirt had just been solid white), and I have to say that this is one of those cases where the tats do nothing to help the outfit. I still bump Faith’s first album faithfully, but not even that’s enough to muster enthusiasm. It’s not a total Hmm, but not a total Hot, either…
What say y’all?
~Adri