Thrifty Beauty

Looking to recession-proof your beauty routine? It’s all about getting the biggest bang for your buck and finding fabulous multi-tasking products. So, you thrifty beauty…here are some pointers to help your beauty budget:

Know when to go drugstore, when to go prestige.
When it comes to your skincare, we feel your pain. You’ve fallen in love with a particular face wash and although it costs a quarter of your paycheck each month, it’s worth it. Except you can’t pay your rent. Well, you may want to consider a drugstore alternative. There are many face washes that have similar ingredients to those that sell for much more.
For example, if you usually use Dermalogica’s Skin Clearing Wash for $35. Consider giving Biore’s Blemish Fighting Ice Cleanser for just $5. Dermalogica’s wash has .5% salicylic acid and Biore’s has 2.0% salicylic acid. They key when switching from uber spendy to uber cheap is making sure key ingredients match up. This could take some research, but it has the potential to save you a lot!

Choose multi-tasking products
Another great way to save money…find one product to do twice the work. This takes creativity! For example, consider using the shades from you’re My Sculpted Face palette as eye shadows and even eyebrow powders! One palette of colors, three uses. Another idea is to use your eye shadows as eyeliners. Just take a thin eyeliner brush, dip it in water, then in your favorite shadow color and then use to line those beautiful eyes of yours.

Make anything creamy!
Want to try out cream eye shadows and cream blushes, but don’t want to shell out the cash? Invest in an ivory cream mousse eye shadow, then blend it with any of your favorite eye shadows or blushes to turn them into creams. The best part is the cream allows you to easily mix two shades…so instead of buying violet eye shadow, you could combine the neutral cream shadow, blue shadow, and pink blush. Have fun Miss Beauty Chemist!

Every last drop
Lipstick can be used up to 2 years, so as long as it doesn’t smell or look funny, go for it! When you get to the very bottom of your lipstick container, don’t toss it out. Instead, scrape it into a container for later. Take a Q-tip, remove the cotton from the end and use the little stick to scrape the remaining lipstick and store up for later.

Don’t pump!
Make the most of your mascara by being careful to avoid pumping any air into the container when using it. Air will cause your mascara to flake and dry out sooner. While mascara needs to be replaced every 3-6 months, you may want to consider two eyelash building tools that will allow you to use and therefore buy less mascara: an eyelash curler and a lash primer. By building your lashes up pre-mascara, you’ll need less product to achieve your look!

Put a Ring on It

Marko Jaric (Minnesota Timberwolves guard) took Beyonce’s advice. He liked it so he put a ring on it. “It” being the beautiful Adriana Lima’s supermodel ring finger of course. The super hot Hollywood couple eloped on Valentine’s Day. Rumors are swirling that the pairs rush to say “I do” will quickly be followed by Adriana saying “I’m pregnant.” While Adriana’s rep is denying the rumors, Adriana is quoted as saying “There are rumors of me pregnant. I just cannot say…YET.” Congrats to the happy couple…we’ll be watching to see if those washboard abs will change into a cute little baby bump.

The Scoop on Foot Goop

Stick a white patch on the bottom of your foot before bed and through the night it will magically suck the toxins out of your body through the soles of your feet. Hmmmmmm……sound a little sketchy? It did to me too! But I’m the kind of gal fascinated with blackhead extractors, crazy colon cleanses, and ear wax candles, so anything that promises black goo being purged from my body is a must try! Asian foot patches, like the ones I bought called Kinoki, claim to “collect heavy metals, metabolic wastes, toxins, parasites, cellulite and more, giving you back your vitality and health.” My head knew this was just too good to be true, but I couldn’t resist. I bought the patches. And after using them I was thrilled! After all, I woke up every morning with a little patch full of black goo. A ha! It had worked! Then my logical self decided I better do some research before I started singing the praises of Chinese foot patches to everyone I know. Turns out, ignorance was bliss. 20/20 did an investigative report, taking used patches to a lab and testing them for the heavy metals, toxics, and parasites that the Kinoki makers claim their product removes. What’d they find? Nothing. No toxins, no impurities, just moisture from your feet. And to further prove they’re a scam, try dropping distilled water on the pads. Guess what happens. Yeah, they turn that disgusting gooey brown. So what’s the moral of the story? Well, first of all, don’t waste your 15 bucks on those foot patches. And, next time something sounds too good to be true, research before buying.

Diet Soda: Friend or Foe?

Watching your waist line? Chances are you’ve followed the advice of countless fitness and health magazines and switched from regular Coke to Diet. I know I have! So I am shocked, not to mention seriously annoyed, that researches continue to come up with more and more research showing that people who drink one or more soft drinks a day have a 31 percent greater risk of becoming obese! How can this be? It’s diet soda. Well, scientists aren’t sure, but they say one possibility is that since diet soda is sweet, you may develop a preference for sweet foods as well, which tend to be higher in calories. Also, on average, soda drinkers tend to eat more calories, consume more saturated fat, and exercise less. Another theory is that the substance that gives soda its caramel color promotes resistance to insulin, which is needed to process calories. Yikes! Unfortunately for many, including Victoria Beckham, Bill Clinton, and Elton John diet coke has become an addiction. Are you a diet soda junkie? Check out one woman’s blog on how she went from drinking 250 ounces of diet coke a day to 32. Maybe it will inspire you to quit your sweet little addiction!

Designer Duds on a Shoestring Budget

Bad economy affecting your plans for spring wardrobe expansion? We feel ya.
Don’t worry, there are plenty of ways to shop like the Sex in the City gals, even if your paycheck is…well a little bit smaller.

Buffalo Exchange:
Buffalo Exchange is a trading post, vintage shop, and designer boutique all in one. You can bring in your new and gently used designer wear and they’ll buy it from you for cash, or store credit on the spot! Their inventory is constantly changing, so sometimes it’s a gold mine and other times, it’s just a used clothes store. Those phenomenal finds will be worth your time and shopping effort. Inventory includes designer wear, vintage, jeans, leather, basic, and one-of-a-kind accessories.
Click here to find a Buffalo Exchange near you.

Ebay:
Ebay isn’t just for books and beanie babies anymore! Search for “designer jeans” on Ebay and you’ll come up with 2,009 results. From True Religion to Rock n’ Republics, you’ll find a little bit of everything here. Be sure to check the seller’s rating so you know you are buying from a credible source. There are designer “fakes” occasionally, so really read about your purchase and the seller before you click bid. But if the bidding is right, you could walk away with a pair of designer jeans for less than $20!
Ebay

Honest Mall:
An online marketplace for designer fashions. Honest Mall has moderators that monitor each listing like a hawk! So you don’t have to worry about the fakes or impostors. Communication between buyers is made easy since Honest Mall has the feel of a discussion board or social networking site. You do have to pay a $10/year membership fee to become a member, but if you are serious about finding great deals on designer wear, it might be worth it.
Honest Mall

So don't let all the doom and gloom surrounding the economy kill the fashionista in you! Good luck and happy bargain shopping!!

Valentine's Day...Don't Be a Cliche!

It’s Valentine’s Day and chances you are pondering what to get your sweetie pie for the day of love. You run through the general standbys in your mind: A red velour covered box of chocolates. A teddy bear holding a heart. Or perhaps those red foil chocolate roses.
Don’t do it!!!
We know you’re more creative than Hallmark. Here are some ideas to get your romantic gift juices flowing:
1. The word love! One organization out of the UK allows you to adopt a word for one year . The highest bidder receives a personal dedication next to the word in a special edition of the Collins’ Dictionary and ‘ownership’ of the word for a year. Plus, proceeds go to a children’s charity. http://www.adoptaword.com/
2. For your hippie Valentine…forget the roses. Save the planet, give a tree! They’re bigger and they’ll last a lifetime longer than your standard pink and red flower bouquet. Sites like this one : http://www.arborday.org/Shopping/GiftTrees/GiftTrees.cfm make it easy to be green on this very red holiday.
3. Forget the boring chocolate. You’ll just feel guilty after eating it anyways. Instead, spring for a chocolate spa treatment! Perhaps a chocolate massage for two. Check it out: http://www.hersheypa.com/accommodations/the_spa_at_hotel_hershey/
4. A love story. No, not some trashy romance novel. A trashy romance novel personalized to include the names and characteristics of you and your darling! http://www.bookbyyou.com/romance/default.asp
5. There’s nothing sweeter than starting your Valentine’s Day off with breakfast in bed. But make it extra cute with a heart-shaped frying pan. http://www.kaboodle.com/reviews/non-stick-heart-shaped-frying-pan
6. Finally, if you’re still not sure what you want to get your love dove, but you know it needs to be original, check out http://www.notmassproduced.com/, a website that sells handmade gifts by independent designers.
Single? Don’t forget to get yourself a special valentine!! You’re worth it. Happy Valentine’s Day!!

Lady Behind the Lips

We all know her for one of two main things: her absolutely incredible pout. And her equally incredible man. Okay so maybe we know her for her acting career and humanitarian works too, but what else is hiding behind the gorgeous face of the gal named Angelina?
Check out these interesting facts about the beauty icon:
1. Growing up, she wanted to be a mortician.
2. She is a Goodwill Ambassador for the UN Refugee Agency.
3. Jolie means pretty in French.
4. She is a natural blond.
5. Angelina was one of the first actresses to win three consecutive Golden Globes in 3 different categories.
6. She has had about 19 tattoos, although she has covered some up.
7. Jolie has made and topped countless sexiest, most beautiful, hottest hottie, etc. lists. Shocking, I know!
8. She has said that she saves 1/3 of her income, lives on 1/3 of her income, and donates 1/3 to charity.
9. Angelina has 3 adopted children and 3 biological children.
10. Angelina had a pet lizard named Vladimir growing up.

Want to get the look of Angie’s amazing lips?? Place a white line directly above your upper lip and use a neutral line to line directly below your lower lip. Try the Lip Plumping Pencil in “Attract” and “Energy.”

When the boxes lie...

Healthy buzzwords are swarming around supermarkets everywhere! Words like: low sugar, whole-grain, and calcium infused are now covering the boxes of what we used to consider our guilty pleasures. But don’t let the wording fool you. After all, is a Whole-Grain Brown Sugar and Cinnamon Pop-Tart a healthy pop-tart?! I think not! A pop-tart is a pop-tart. The whole grains do not cancel out the loads of vegetable oil and the seven types of sugar stuffed in the insides of that tasty little pastry. Dang it! But there are some healthy foods that claim to be healthy and actually follow through! Halleluiah! Check out this list of the best and worst “healthy” foods. Since figuring out what’s healthy and what’s not is more confusing than ever, be sure to read the nutrition panel on the side of each box next time you visit the nutritional battlefield we call the supermarket. Good luck and happy shopping!

Worst "Healthy" Pastry

Pop-Tarts Whole Grain Brown Sugar Cinnamon (2 pastries)
400 calories, 14 g fat (4 g saturated), 5 g fiber, 28 g sugars

Eat This Instead!
Sun-Maid Raisin English Muffins with Cinnamon

170 calories, 0.5 g fat (0 g saturated), 2 g fiber, 13 g sugars

Worst Frozen "Healthy" Entree
Healthy Choice Complete Selections Sweet & Sour Chicken (340 g)
430 calories, 9 g fat (1 g saturated), 600 mg sodium, 29 g sugars

Eat This Instead!
Kashi Southwest Style Chicken
240 calories, 5 g fat (0 g saturated), 680 mg sodium

Worst "Healthy" Yogurt
Yoplait 99% Fat Free Cherry Orchard
170 calories, 1.5 g fat (1 g saturated), 27 g sugars, 5 g protein
**There’s as much sugar in here as you’ll find in two scoops of Breyer’s All Natural Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream.

Go Greek instead:
Oikos Organic Vanilla Greek Yogurt
110 calories, 0 g fat, 11 g sugars, 15 g protein

Worst "Healthy" Bread
Arnold Whole Grains Health Nut (2 slices, 86 g)
240 calories, g fat (0 g saturated), 4 g fiber

Eat This Instead!

Martin’s 100% Whole Wheat Potato Bread
(2 slices, 70 g), 140 calories, 2 g fat (0 g saturated), 8 g fiber

Worst "Healthy" Cereal

Quaker 100% Natural Granola, Oats, Honey & Raisins
420 calories, 12 g fat (7 g saturated), 6 g fiber, 30 g sugars
**For the record, granola, for all its reputation as a beacon of breakfast virtue, is one of the worst ways to start your day. Swap the Granola for Kashi GoLean every day this year and you’ll save 29 pounds!

Eat This Instead!

Kashi GOLEAN
(1 cup): 140 calories, 1 g fat (0 g saturated), 10 g fiber, 6 g sugar

Congrats Karina!

Whenever Karina Smirnoff steps on the stage of Dancing with the Stars she rocks our Abs in a Box, Smokin’ Hot Legs, and My Beautiful Breasts kits. But now, she’s rockin’ in a whole different way….as in a huge ROCK on her ring finger!! It’s a true Hollywood love story. The lucky guy? Maksim Chmerkovskiy, a professional dancer and fellow member of the Dancing with the Stars cast. Karina, we love you and are so honored to have you as a fan of It Cosmetics. Congratulations on your engagement!!!

An Ode to Makeup!

Oh, makeup, we do love thee! Whether it's just a little concealer to hide a blemish or some under eye circles, or a full face of makeup to glam up for a night out, makeup is a dear friend to most women. I love watching how a little makeup can play up a woman's features and a whole face of it can completely transform her any way she wants! A makeup-less face is a blank and beautiful canvas, but we admit to sometimes wishing we could just wake up our "most beautiful!" Like the celebrities do, right? Wrong! Check out these naked faces of some of our favorite celeb beauties (Kellie Pickler, Faith Hill, and Hilary Duff), along with their makeup transformations.

Beautiful Jessica!

I sing: “These Boots Are made for Walkin’” and what do you think of? If you’re a guy, it’s probably about how hot Jessica Simpson looked in that music video in her Daisy Dukes. If you’re a gal, it’s probably….well, how hot Jessica Simpson looked in those Daisy Dukes (AND what kind of torture she must have gone through to fit into those things)! But at a recent chili cook off performance in Florida, Jessica revealed a new, more bootylicious figure. And surprise, surprise, our body-obsessed media went wild. Hurtful “fat jokes” about Jessica’s minor weight gain have circulated the Internet. I think Jessica looks beautiful and healthy, and in my opinion, a whole lot better than she did with her ribs poking out. And hopefully she’s a little happier than she was when she looked so darn hungry. It’s sad that our world still finds it acceptable to criticize a woman’s weight. I just love what Pete Wentz, Ashlee Simpson’s husband, had to say about how all the body criticism towards his sister-in-law is affecting young fans. "It's bad for young women," Wentz added. "I see it affecting young girls who come to our shows, and that's a bummer." The Fall Out Boy bassist continued: "Real beauty is on the inside, man." We agree, Pete! Embrace your curves. Be yourself. We at It Cosmetics are committed to helping women be the most beautiful version of themselves. At any size.

Does Beauty Equal Pain?

How far would you go to put your “best face forward?” For some, the quest for beauty involves pain. Lots of pain. A nose job, face lift, a little botox here and there, what about a chin implant or cheek augmentation? Countless celebrities are suspected of having gone under the knife (Ashlee Simpson, Lindsay Lohan, Tara Reid, Ashley Tisdale, really the list goes on and on and on).

The obsession with the perfect face is universal. Check out this uncomfortable-looking little torture chamber from Japan called a “face belt.”

You fit the donut around your head, pump in air, and squeeze your double chin and droopy cheeks inward and upward. Fun. Not.
We at It Cosmetics confess we have our own face insecurities…whether it’s wanting to disguise a double chin or contour our cheekbones. We are so excited that we have found a cheaper, less-painful alternative to the madness of plastic surgery (and face belts!). Meet your new best friend, “My Sculpted Face.” It’s complete with 6 contouring and highlighting shades and a face chart that shows you exactly where to apply each shade to sculpt your face to achieve a slimmer face, straighter nose, or whatever it is you want. So before accepting that silly and old-fashioned “beauty is pain” saying, consider the pain-free power of contouring and save your surgery money for something that involves more fun, and less bruising.

Miss America Swimsuit Secrets Revealed on Rachel Ray

There she is…..Miss America!!!!!! And what’s that she’s holding? An Abs in a Box kit! It Cosmetics was featured on the Rachel Ray Show this week where Miss America 1993 Leanza Cornett put our Abs in a Box kit to the test in the show’s human lab. The verdict? The beauty queen and the audience gave it two thumbs up! Body makeup secrets may not have been around (or maybe they were just a little more hush hush?) 16 years ago when the lovely Leanza competed, but now, from regular gals, to mom’s like Leanza, to celebrities and of course almost every pageant girl we’ve talked to uses it to get a leg up (a smokin’ hot leg of course) on the competition or just look a little better WITHOUT going under the knife. We can’t help but wonder if the newly crowned Miss America, Katie Stams, used body makeup contouring to help her achieve that picture perfect swimsuit body. Don’t worry, Katie, if you did, your secret is safe with us!!

Celeb Resolutions

We are approaching the end of the first month of the New Year…do you know where your New Year’s resolution is? Hopefully it’s not been thrown out the window yet, but if it has…don’t despair! You’re in good company. Only about 8% of New Year’s resolutions actually succeed.

Despite the less than optimistic success rate, celebrities are resolving along with the rest of us. Check out what some of your fave stars told Us Weekly they are working on for 2009:
KIM KARDASHIAN:

"Probably just to continue last year, which was to get in shape and stop eating sweets. I think I'm going to continue that because I broke it a little bit."

SPENCER PRATT :

"To stop eating pizza every day. I think my wife [Heidi Montag's] resolution will make that happen. She says she's going to cook."

CAMERON DIAZ:

"I have always had the same New Year resolutions: to stop smoking, to start wearing a bra and to stop shopping."

BRITNEY SPEARS:

"I would like to stop worrying so much because I worry all the time. And to learn how to be happier, just in general. And to stop biting my nails!" EVA LONGORIA PARKER "To give up meat."

FERGIE:

"It's always the same: to work out more and eat healthier. I'm trying to go organic, eat more raw."

ASHLEE SIMPSON :

"All my focus is on my son. Every day, being a better mom and learning with him. It's an incredible experience."

CARMEN ELECTRA :

"To have more fun! I was just with Jenny McCarthy not too long ago, and she said, 'Carmen, life is supposed to be fun.' And I remembered that, it stayed in my head. And that is my goal." JAMIE FOXX:

"I'm looking for the right woman. I need a magnifying glass! I'm trying to find that rare jewel." STEPHANIE PRATT:

"I'm making my boyfriend quit smoking. I'm lazy -- that's all I'm doing!"

JULIE BOWEN:

"To have a healthy baby. Last year, my New Year's resolution was to run the L.A. Marathon, and I got up to 18 miles in my training and I got injured so you know what, I'm putting it on the list for next year."

KANYE WEST:

"My resolution is to be as nice as possible to the press." JENNIFER MORRISON: "To learn Spanish faster. I started doing the Rosetta Stone program a year ago. I'm getting there, but I want to get a little more focused."

AISHA TYLER:

"To be happier! I'm a pretty happy person, but I try to be as happy as I can."

BRIAN AUSTIN GREEN:

"It seems to be to stop smoking every year. We'll see how it goes this time."

KATHY GRIFFIN:

"To eat more carbs!"

DAVID ARCHULETA: "I would like to learn more about the music and business that I have gotten into. I would like to get more involved in the writing side of music, and also I’m learning more things about performing and meeting a lot of new people that I can learn from."

We want to know...did YOU set a resolution this year? If so, are you still on the resolution bandwagon?

The It Lady's Look on Inaguration Day

Ever since Obama won the election, we have been debating over what the soon-to-be first lady will wear on Inauguration day. While we don’t know who designed her certain to be fabulous gown, we do know a very important piece of the puzzle…makeup! Mrs. O’s makeup artist, Ingrid Grimes-Myles, revealed to US Weekly what products she will be using to glam up the already gorgeous Michelle for the big day.
Grimes-Myles said she would choose "chic neutrals" for the daytime Inauguration ceremony, including:
It Cosmetics Lip Plumping Pencil in Attract and Energy
Model Co Colourbox Eye Shadow in Seychelles
Stendhal Mascara in Noir Black
POP Beauty Blush Cake in Natural in Nudes

For the evening ball, the executive makeup artist hinted that she will be going for “major glam, with deep, smoky plum-lined lids.” She will be using:

Mineral Essence Eye Shadow in Merlot
Bloom Cosmetics Liquid Eyeliner in Jet Black
Laura Geller Blush-n-Brighten in Berry
Paula Dorf Lip Color Sheer Tint in Innocence

We at It Cosmetics are truly honored that our lip pencil was selected by Mrs. Obama's makeup artist! For more information on sculpting YOUR perfect presidential pout, click here!

Makeup Tricks for Full Sexy Lips

Do you ever notice the plump, full lips of celebrities like Jessica Alba, Angelina Jolie, Britney Spears or Kim Kardashian and wish you could achieve a similar look? Here are a few tricks to get your lips seriously plumped up!

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Publish at Scribd or explore others: howto beauty

New Year's Resolution Update

We are approaching the close of the first month of the New Year…do you know where your New Year’s resolution is? Hopefully it’s not been thrown out the window yet, but if it has…don’t despair! You’re in good company. Only about 8% of New Year’s resolutions actually succeed. Despite the less than optimistic success rate, celebrities are resolving along with the rest of us. Check out what some of your fave stars told Us Weekly they are working on for 2009:

KIM KARDASHIAN:
"Probably just to continue last year, which was to get in shape and stop eating sweets. I think I'm going to continue that because I broke it a little bit."
SPENCER PRATT
"To stop eating pizza every day. I think my wife [Heidi Montag's] resolution will make that happen. She says she's going to cook."
CAMERON DIAZ:
"I have always had the same New Year resolutions: to stop smoking, to start wearing a bra and to stop shopping."
BRITNEY SPEARS:
"I would like to stop worrying so much because I worry all the time. And to learn how to be happier, just in general. And to stop biting my nails!"
EVA LONGORIA PARKER
"To give up meat."
FERGIE
"It's always the same: to work out more and eat healthier. I'm trying to go organic, eat more raw."
ASHLEE SIMPSON
"All my focus is on my son. Every day, being a better mom and learning with him. It's an incredible experience."
CARMEN ELECTRA
"To have more fun! I was just with Jenny McCarthy not too long ago, and she said, 'Carmen, life is supposed to be fun.' And I remembered that, it stayed in my head. And that is my goal."
JAMIE FOXX:
"I'm looking for the right woman. I need a magnifying glass! I'm trying to find that rare jewel."
STEPHANIE PRATT:
"I'm making my boyfriend quit smoking. I'm lazy -- that's all I'm doing!"
JULIE BOWEN:
"To have a healthy baby. Last year, my New Year's resolution was to run the L.A. Marathon, and I got up to 18 miles in my training and I got injured so you know what, I'm putting it on the list for next year."
KANYE WEST:
"My resolution is to be as nice as possible to the press."
JENNIFER MORRISON:
"To learn Spanish faster. I started doing the Rosetta Stone program a year ago. I'm getting there, but I want to get a little more focused."
AISHA TYLER:
"To be happier! I'm a pretty happy person, but I try to be as happy as I can."
BRIAN AUSTIN GREEN:
"It seems to be to stop smoking every year. We'll see how it goes this time."
KATHY GRIFFIN:
"To eat more carbs!"
DAVID ARCHULETA:
"I would like to learn more about the music and business that I have gotten into. I would like to get more involved in the writing side of music, and also I’m learning more things about performing and meeting a lot of new people that I can learn from."

We want to know...did YOU set a resolution this year? If so, are you still on the resolution bandwagon?

One True Beauty

One of the great parts about It Cosmetics being part of the HSN family is getting to meet the many other brand founders and experts that are there as well. We recently shared a visit date with the brand Carol’s Daughter where I got to meet the lovely founder Lisa Price. I don’t usually write about these experiences, but decided to share this with you simply because of how beautiful Lisa was/is. We all know how wonderful her products are, but to meet her behind the scenes and chat with her like two longtime friends was a gift. Within the first few seconds of talking I could feel her warm, welcoming spirit and the best way I can describe being around Lisa is ‘home.’ That same comfortable, joyous feeling you get when you are home, is the same vibe oozing from Lisa Price. Her products not only make us feel beautiful - Lisa is truly beautiful, inside and out!

Global Beauty

I recently returned home from a two-week trip to India where I was working with a non-profit called Longitude to build houses for members of the Untouchables caste. Although I was working with the poorest of the poor, I was struck by the pride these women took in their beauty. They were strong, fearless, and passionate women on the inside, and drop dead gorgeous on the outside. It was amazing to me how in the midst of such poverty, women still take such pride in their beauty and fashion. In India, married women wear saris. A sari is a strip of unstiched cloth that is wrapped around the waist, with one end draped over the shoulder. They come in colors and patterns as unique and stunning as the women that wear them. It’s a beautiful site to see women working out in the dirt and under the hot sun, building houses, doing laundry, and walking miles to collect water, all while looking like they’re headed to the Indian Golden Globes in their colorful saris! Indian women also adorn themselves with bangles, earrings, and a necklace. They are almost never without their full set of jewelry. Even the poorest women I met, living on one meal a day, still had their jewelry, most of which has been passed down through the generations. The biggest beauty must have? Henna! Women (and even many of the men) decorate the palms of their hands in this reddish brown ink made from the henna plant. Since I was in India during the holiday season, a time where henna is used to celebrate, I was able to see tons of beautiful henna hands, and I was even able to take part in the festivities…the women dressed me up in a sari and covered my hands in beautiful henna patterns. It was such a wonderful experience, and was fascinating to see the beauty practices of women across the globe!

It in Africa

It Cosmetics is excited to announce our support of some very special little ones all the way across the world in Kenya, Africa. Former Miss Washington USA, Carly Shorten, brought this very worthy cause to our attention after she visited the Neemaland Kings and Queens Palace orphanage herself. After reading the story of this orphanage and seeing pictures of the precious kids who call it home, we knew we had to help. The orphanage was started in 2007 with 20 orphans, and after just one year, it has grown to 56 children. The orphanage has no shortage of faith, hope, and love, but they are struggling to provide enough food and other essentials to keep these beautiful children healthy and thriving. It Cosmetics donates a portion of our overall revenue to help support these brave little children. Check out their website at www.right2thrive.org.

10 Steps to a Pretty Winter

Winter--the season of flaky skin, chapped lips, pasty complexions…you get the picture. And it’s not a very pretty picture! But just because everyone else looks, well, a little dull, doesn’t mean you have to. Be the belle of the ball at your holiday parties and the prettiest little snow bunny on the slopes. Just follow these 10 steps…
10 Steps to a Pretty Winter
1. Drink Water
Battle parched, flaky skin from within! Hydrate your complexion by drinking lots of water and if your stuck in the snow, warm up with some hydrating herbal tea.
2. Exfoliate
With the heaters running full blast, moisture is sucked out of our skin, causing a major build up of dead skin cells. Buff it off to reveal the soft, pretty glow underneath! Try out the award-winning Clarisonic Skin Brush ($195). Looking for something a little less painful on the pocketbook? Try St. Ives Apricot Scrub ($4.29) from your local drugstore.
3. Humidifier
If you’re really fighting dry skin, you might want to consider bringing in the big guns…a.k.a. a humidifier. This will help to counteract the moisture sucking heater in your house by restoring moisture to the air.
4. Oil based moisturizer
If you have mature skin or aren’t too acne prone, I recommend trying an oil-based moisturizer for dry skin. If you’re super oily like me, just layer on your oil-free moisturizer.
5. Sunscreen
This is often the first step to disappear when the snowflakes start to fall. Big mistake! Just because it’s 15 degrees outside doesn’t mean those vicious wrinkle-causing rays are hibernating. It’s crucial you protect your skin with at least an SPF of 15 or more.
6. Gloves
Protect those pretty little hands! Get a cute pair of warm gloves or mittens to protect your hands from the elements. Also, get a pair of cotton gloves for at home…slather on a thick hand cream, and then put your cotton gloves on. This will allow the cream to really sink into your skin so they’re supple and soft.
7. Blushing Beauty
Embrace the paste! If going to the Bahamas isn’t in the plan for you this winter, play up the beauty of a fair complexion with a little pop of blush. I love layering on creamy blushes in soft berry hues, right on the apple of the cheek. They give both color and moisture to really make you glow! Try Revlon’s Cream Blush.
8. Brush Your Lips
Flaky lips? So not good under the mistletoe. For a super smooth pout, take toothbrush and gently buff your lips. This will remove any little flakes creating a perfect palette for your lip balm, lipstick, or gloss.
9. Whiten Your Smile
The downside to not having a summer tan is that the paler your skin, the more yellow your teeth look. Think of how an off-white wall looks white, until you put a piece of stark white paper next to it. It’s the same with the contrast between your skin and teeth. Counteract the yellow with some It Signature Smile Brightening Blue Lip Gloss! Also, be sure to only select blue based lipsticks. Anything other than blue based shades is going to make your teeth appear more yellow!
10. Get Your Snow Glow On!
Nothing is prettier in the dead of winter than a radiant, glowing you! Finish off your pretty winter look with highlighter (be sure to use waterproof highlighter like that found in Get Wet Waterproof Highlighter and Bronzer, if you’re going out in the snow or rain) in all the right places. Sweep some over your cheekbones and right in the corner of your eyes and under the brow bone for a fresh, dewy look!

Fun, Fabulous and Fantastic HSN!

From Left to Right: (Back Row) Nicole, Jean, Angela, Jamie S., Ileyna, Jamee K., Anya
(Front Row) Coleta Thomson (It Cosmetics Global Makeup Artist), Jamie Kern Lima (Co-Founder, It Cosmetics)

What an amazing way to end 2008 and kick off 2009 – HSN! Our visits to HSN are always hectic, exciting and rewarding. Not only do we get to introduce our products to millions of women across America live on national TV (you never know what’s going to happen!), we also get to spend time with the wonderful HSN team members, our incredible merchandising team and our fabulous HSN models. This week, the above group of women were beyond spectacular on-air, they were each quality women that we got to spend a whole lot of time in the green room with…sharing stories, jokes, advice and just good old girlfriend time! The models above range in age from 18 to 66 and are some of the kindest most interesting group of women we have worked with to date. Coleta and I left our HSN visit with new friends, lots of hugs and gratefulness in our hearts for their work on-air and their beautiful spirits off air. To see that some of you actually ordered our products for everyday use after modeling them on-air last visit was just the icing on the cake. So, to the gals above….you are and always will be “it” models, “it” gals, “it” mothers, “it” survivors and “it” friends!

XOXO

Jamie

Size and Beauty

Skinny-minnie Jennifer Anniston bared it all on the cover of GQ this month and dang girl!! It’s a given, Jen is hot. She has achieved our culture’s idea of the “perfect body” through a reported combination of yoga, cardio, and The Zone diet. But are teeny tiny size 2 bodies the only thing we consider sexy anymore? I certainly hope not, considering the average American woman sports a size 14. But apparently our small size=sexy mentality is affecting young girls. According to the Dove Campaign for Real Beauty, 71% of girls with low self-esteem feel their appearance is not good enough. And since a girl’s self-esteem is more strongly related to how she feels about her body and weight, rather than how much she actually weighs, it’s crucial we embrace models and celebrities of all shapes and sizes. Take Whitney Thompson for instance. Miss Thompson, the gorgeous gal selected as the winner of America’s Next Top Model, is considered a plus size model, as she fluctuates between a size 8 and size 10. Sure, Whitney is still several sizes below the national average, but she does represent a much more normal, attainable image than do most other models. It really all boils down to this, beauty is not size. It doesn’t matter if you’re a size two or a size 14, beauty is confidence. Beauty is loving yourself and being the absolute best YOU that you can be. Need a little inspiration? Check out this book I found by Rosanne Olson called “This is Who I Am” --Beauty in all shapes and sizes. It’s a collection of photos of women and their “imperfect” bodies: rolls, scars, wrinkles, and all.

Healthy Little Salad? Think Again!

When you go out to dinner and order a salad, don’t you feel just a little bit like a saint? Ordering a salad means you have successfully resisted the “naughty” foods on the menu: hamburgers, fettuccini alfredo, pad thai, a nice big steak, or whatever tempting fare your restaurant of choice is dangling in front of you. Well, I hate to burst your bubble. But I just had my bubble burst and misery loves company. That salad you’re eating could be just as bad (or worse) as the big juicy burger you so courageously passed up. Check out this list of the Worst Salads in America (thanks to Men’s Health for doing the depressing research).

1.T.G.I. Friday’s Pecan Crusted Chicken Salad
1,360 calories
This little concoction isn’t the only bad guy on the salad menu at Friday’s. Six out of the seven salads analyzed contained more than 900 calories.
2. Quiznos’ Chicken with Honey Mustard Flatbread Salad
1,100 calories
Basically you could choose between this salad and five packages of Reese’s Peanut Butter cups. I admit to eating one of these at the airport last month and getting extra honey mustard…never again! I’ll take the Reese’s next time I’m going to splurge, thank you very much!
3.Macaroni Grill’s Seared Sea Scallops Salad
1,320 calories
Who knew it was possible to make two of the healthiest foods, seafood and salad, and turn them into combination that is absolutely horrific for your waistline! In addition to all you’re the calories, you’re also getting an entire day’s worth of sodium, fat, and saturated fat.
4.Chili’s Caesar Salad w/ Grilled Chicken and Caesar Dressing
1,010 calories
Never trust a Caesar. Caesar salads typically bring along loads of fatty Caesar dressing, parmesan cheese, and buttery croutons. Turning your bed of lettuce into little more than a fat and calorie holder. Chili’s take on the classic Caesar is the worst though, it contains more fat than 12 Oreo ice cream sandwiches!
5.On the Border's Grande Taco Salad with Taco Beef and Smoked Chipolte Vinaigrette Dressing
1,680 calories
Introducing to you, the worst salad in America! Your first sign this salad is a disaster…it’s served in a deep-fried tortilla trough. But the choice is yours, will it be 40 strips of bacon or this salad? They have the same saturated fat content. Yikes!

So next time you’re looking to make the healthy choice, make sure your salad isn’t a big load of calories and fat in disguised as a salad. Minor substitutions can help tremendously: switch out a creamy dressing for a low-fat vinaigrette, swap fried or breaded chicken for grilled, and ditch calorie-dense toppings like cheese and croutons.

Squeaky Clean

As much time and effort as we ladies pour into our daily skin care line up (you know the drill: cleanse, exfoliate, tone, moisturize, eye cream, etc.) there’s one thing which even many of my makeup obsessed friends often forget…makeup hygiene. Hygiene, the word brings up memories of 7th grade health class, but it really is important to keeping you healthy, your beauty product arsenal clean, and your skin nice and clear!
Follow these clean commandments to keep your makeup case a happy place!
*Thou shall honor the shelf life of all beauty products.
-As a general rule, if it’s a cream (concealer, cream foundations, cream cleansers, etc.) ditch it after one year.
-Mascara, get rid of it after 4 months.
-Click here for a complete list of when to trash each of your get pretty products.
*Thou shall wash makeup brushes regularly.
-Regularly= brushes used to apply concealers, foundation, and creamy lip and eye products, should get a bath every day. Other brushes should be washed at least every two weeks.
-Get a professional brush cleanser from most any cosmetics or beauty supply store (I prefer a spray like Clinique’s makeup brush cleaner) or just use your facial cleanser.
*Thou shall promise to never share mascara. Ever. Even with your BFF.
-Eye infections are passed incredibly easily with eye makeup.
*Thou shall make sure your makeup artist is honoring your hygiene too.
-Artists should never blow on brushes (they might as well spit on them if they do this) or double-dip brushes into products, and they should always be using freshly cleaned brushes. Also, make sure they wipe off the top layer of any pressed powder with a tissue before brushing it onto your face.

Best Chest 2008

Life is full of tough decisions: What should I name my firstborn child? Which college should I go to? Which stocks should I invest in? Well here’s a decision that was REALLY FUN to agonize over…and you basically couldn’t go wrong. The big question…which male celeb has the “best chest?” 8 hotties were in the running, all super gorgeous stars like David Beckham. It was just announced that Mario Lopez took the cake for People Magazine’s “best chest of 2008” award.
Who did YOU vote for?

Maybe your man isn’t quite as perfectly sculpted as Beckham and Lopez (your secret is safe with me!) but what he should know is that even these chiseled dudes get help from sculpting body makeup, though I doubt they’d ever admit to it! To get a hot guy chest for a fun day at the beach, select a waterproof matte bronzer and highlighter. Using a brush and your bronzer, contour anywhere you want the appearance of definition (think bronzer goes where you want muscle to go “in” like in between and underneath the pectoral muscles). Then sweep the highlighter over the actual chest muscle where you want to create the appearance of volume (highlighter goes on areas you want to draw “out”). It takes about one minute, and wa la! Your guy looks like he’s been hitting the gym with his buddy Mario.

Trash it or stash it?

If only makeup were more like milk. Glance at the carton and the “throw it away or this is going to be a sour, nasty mess” label is as clear as can be. Cosmetics, for the most part, do not come with this expiration date convenience. But makeup DOES go bad. And while it may not grow little blue moldy spots like your cheddar, expired makeup is unhealthy for your skin and can potentially cause breakouts or infection.
When to toss it…
• It’s smelly!
• Oil Free Foundation-1 year
• Oil Based Foundation- 18 months
• Concealer: 1 year
• Powder: 2 years
• Blush or Bronzer: 2 years
• Cream Blush: 12-18 months
• Powder Eye Shadow: 2 years
• Cream Eye Shadow: 12-18 months
• Mascara: 4 months. Don’t pump the wand, it let’s air in and makes your mascara go bad much quicker.
• Liquid eyeliner: 3-6 months
• Pencil eyeliner: Sharpen often and toss after 2 years
• Lipstick: Between 1 and 4 years (Keep it in the refrigerator to really make it last!)
• Cream and Gel Cleansers: 1 year
• Lip gloss: 18-24 months
• Lip Liner: Up to 3 years
• Nail Polish: 1 years
• Sponges: Wash weekly and throw out monthly
• Natural cosmetics: most natural products go bad sooner that regular products, so check with the maker of your natural brand for expiration times!
**Here’s a little tip I remember watching my mom do as I was growing up… When you get a new tube of mascara, take a sharpie and write the date on the cap. That way you’ll always have a reference as to when to throw it out. Or, if you’re a Type A personality like me, start an Excel spreadsheet to keep track of the purchase and expiration dates of all your beauty products!

The Nitty Gritty of Food!

Food. It’s the holidays and it’s everywhere. But do you ever stop to consider whether the foods you’re eating are actually clean? I’ll confess, I used to think very little about my food before I ate it. Until a few weeks ago when I got disgustingly ill with food poisoning from a grilled chicken salad. I’ll spare you the details, but now, I try to at least think twice before chowing down. I found this eye-opening blog on AOL health which lists the 10 DIRTIEST foods.

The culprits? Many of them staples that we eat every single day: eggs are number one on the dirty list, followed by peaches, packaged salad mix, cantaloupe, scallions, and chicken. Maybe something that makes us think twice about what we’re putting in our mouths isn’t all that bad. After all, tis’ the season for an average of 5-10 pounds of holiday weight gain! To ward off the germs, make sure your box of eggs is crack and break free, wash all your fruits and veggies—even those that say they are pre-washed like salad mix in bags, buy free-range chicken and USDA Organic produce, and when cooking chicken take it directly from the bag to the pan to avoid contaminating your sink or countertop. All this germ talk got me thinking, what are the dirtiest makeup practices? Hmmmmm…..don’t worry, I’m on it! Check back tomorrow to find out the do’s and don’ts of makeup hygiene.

Recession Holiday Gifts

We came across the sweetest holiday gift for these challenging economic times. A friend of ours was giving handprints and footprints of her children to grandma along with the promise to give new prints the following year as well. It occurred to me that a unique, thoughtful and personal gift such as this can mean so much more to us women that that most expensive diamond in the store window. Take this holiday to spend some time and appreciate your family – the greatest of all our gifts.

Snow Goddess Glow!

Baby it’s cold outside!! But even if you’ve swapped your shoulder-baring summer dresses for Uggs and chunky sweaters, there’s no need to bundle up EVERY inch of your beautiful self. Katie Holmes shows us that when the snowflakes are falling, there’s almost nothing that says “snow goddess” more than a beautifully sculpted collar bone and glowing decollate. Get Katie’s subtly sexy look by sweeping a matte bronzer directly above and below the collar bone. Then, take a shimmering highlighter and brush it over the bone itself. Five seconds added to your beauty routine, but trust me, this sexy little trick is guaranteed to make your snowman melt!

For more enhancement techniques check out the Library of Secrets manual found inside the My Beautiful Breasts kit.

What to Wear!

Ever find yourself standing in front of your closet, thinking what in the WORLD am I going to wear? Whether it’s a first date, a Christmas party, or just another day at the office, we all have those “I have NOTHIING to wear” moments!! But can you imagine if the whole world was chattering about what you wore? Pressure!!

Welcome to the new life of soon to be First Lady, Michelle Obama.

While it’s a little annoying that the world often seems more focused on Mrs. O’s designer threads than the Harvard Law graduates’ thoughts, I’ll confess I too am a teensy bit excited to see what fabulous outfit our new number one lady will work come January 20th. Sketches and guesses like those pictured above (featured on WWD and Foxnews.com) are circulating the internet. But we want to know what look YOU think Michelle should rock on the big night?

Whatever Michelle chooses, and whatever your political beliefs are, I’m sure we can agree this lawyer-mom turned political icon is an inspiration to working moms everywhere.

And I’ll leave you with my favorite Michelle tid-bit…how did the first couple meet?

Michelle was bossing the President elect around…they met while she was his supervisor at the couple’s first job out of law school. Michelle is definitely an “It” girl!

It Gives Back!

Here at It Cosmetics we love nothing more than helping our clients feel good about the beautiful women (and men!) that they are. We get to do this on a daily basis. Whether it’s teaching a teenager how to apply makeup for the first time. Or showing a breast cancer patient how to balance out her cleavage after a mastectomy. In addition to helping these brave, breast cancer conquering women look their best, we also donate 10% of proceeds from our “My Beautiful Breasts” kit to a wonderful group…the Making Memories Foundation. Making Memories is like a Make-a-Wish Foundation for grown ups. It grants wishes to women facing late stage breast cancer. The organization gives each woman her heart’s desire, whether it’s a trip to Hawaii, the means to publish her own book, or just some extra money to cover medical bills. These lasting memories are cherished by each woman’s family, long after she is gone. Tis’ the season of giving, and here at It Cosmetics, we are thrilled to be giving to such a deserving cause. Check out these pictures of two Making Memories wish recipients as they live out their special memories: Karen, seen swimming with the dolphins with her family, and Adrianne, who chose a family vacation to Disneyland for her special memory. These valiant women remind us to cherish every special moment we are given!

Check out the Making Memories Breast Cancer Foundation