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‘CULO’, the Book Dedicated to the Female Backside

Oct10

Fashion photographer and visual artist Raphael Mazzucco teamed with executive editor Sean “Diddy” Combs and Interscope Geffen A&M Records chairman Jimmy Iovine to publish the photography book dedicated to the female backside called ‘Culo by Mazzucco.’ SN: Culo means ass in Spanish and Italian.

Cassie was glowing in an orange blazer at the Culo by Mazzucco book and art exhibition launch at Tony Shafrazi Gallery in New York City last night. Dr. Dre was among the VIP guests who feasted their eyes on the racy photos.

Timbaland’s single “Pass at Me” is used in a video promo (see below)  for the coffee table book, which hits stores on November 22.

Meet Miss Universe 2011 – Leila Lopes

Sep13

Leila Lopes — Miss Angola — was crowned Miss Universe in Sao Paulo, Brazil on Monday night, beating out 88 other beauties in the 60th anniversary of the world’s biggest beauty pageant.

Lopes, 25, is the first Angola native to capture the crown — and strives to help her native land leave behind its history of

Miss Angola in her gold bikini

war and poverty; she’s also dedicated to fighting HIV worldwide.

“I’ve worked with various social causes. I work with poor kids, I work in the fight against HIV. I work to protect the elderly and I have to do everything that my country needs,” Lopes told reporters. “I think now as Miss Universe I will be able to do much more.”

The stunner was poised during the Q&A period of the show (broadcast live on NBC and hosted by Bravo’s Andy Cohen and Natalie Morales, with veteran TV anchor Connie Chung and Real Housewives’ Adrienne Maloof among the celebrity judges) — and said there’s not a thing she’d change about her physical appearance.

“Thank God I’m very satisfied with the way God created me and I wouldn’t change a thing,” she said. “I consider myself a woman endowed with inner beauty. I have acquired many wonderful principles from my family and I intend to follow these for the rest of my life.”

Lopes’ near-rivals included first runner up Olesia Stefanko (Miss Ukraine), and second runner-up Priscilla Machado (Miss Brazil).

California’s Miss USA Alyssa Campanella did not rank in the top five; an American has not been named Miss Universe since Brook Lee in 1997.

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Evelyn Lozada in VIBE Magazine’s First Beauty Shoot

Jun1

I know Spring is almost over, but I came across these beauty shots of Evelyn on Vibe’s website. She’s sporting her different Spring Looks. She’s a beautiful woman so I like her natural look the best. What about you?

Basketball Wives star, Evelyn Lozada. aka Ms. ‘Non-f***in Factor’  lent her gorgeous features to VIBE Vixen’s first beauty shoot! Chad Ochocinco’s fiancee played up three springtime looks in the latest Josie Maran cosmetics.

1) A barely there” natural look for every day wear, 2) A flirty, youthful set for a festive outing and 3) A fiery, vivacious guise for a date night. The VH1 Vixen shows just how much makeup can POP! Check out all the pics of the smoldering, sexy Spring looks in the gallery below.

  • Photographs by Bill Diodato
  • Make Up Olga Shikhris

New Study: Money vs. Beauty …. Which is Better?

Apr25

Money might not buy happiness, but beauty buys both money and happiness, according to a new study involving more than 25,000 people worldwide.

Economists at the University of Texas-Austin analyzed data from five large surveys conducted from 1971 to 2009 in the United States, Canada, Germany and Britain and found that beautiful people generally are happier than others.

And they say it’s the economic benefit — money — that results from beauty that accounts for at least half of that extra happiness.

“The majority of beauty’s effect on happiness works through its impact on economic outcomes,” says lead author Daniel Hamermesh.

Numerous studies have concluded that beauty helps the budget by providing greater wealth in several ways:  Better-looking people generally

  • earn more money and,
  • marry those who are better-looking and higher-earning,

In the new study, participants were asked about their levels of happiness. Those in the top 15 percent of people ranked by looks were more than 10 percent happier than those in the bottom 10 percent.

Though the findings — published by the German-based Institute for the Study of Labor — held true for both men and women, the researchers say beauty affects women’s happiness more directly than men’s.

“For a woman, it just matters to walk down the street being good-looking,” Hamermesh says. “For a man, beauty’s direct relation to happiness is not as great. It will give you a better-looking wife, a higher-earning wife and, most important, extra earnings.”

Source:  Chicago Sun Times

Do you think our country will ever steer away from giving beauty such great power? Will we always live a life where your physical appearance makes up a big portion of someone’s perception of your self-worth? I would like to think that this way of thinking would change – but then again, I’m not living in a fantasy world.

Khloe Kardashian and Lamar Odom are “Unbreakable”

Feb10

The Odoms released an intimate new commercial promote their new unisex fragrance, Unbreakable. The couple, who appear to be naked in the ad are practically glued to each other while describing the new scent.

In velvety tones, Odom describes the product as ‘that perfect mix of masculine and feminine.’

Last month, Khloe told E! the couple ‘always wanted to have a unisex fragrance.

‘It took a long time to create what we both wanted and what we both would wear and really love. I love that I can say it’s our fragrance.’

And she took to her website to blog about the perfume, which is said to contain ‘chocolatey notes which ‘work for both genders.’

‘People literally stop me and ask what I’m wearing and the fact that I can say my own fragrance blows my mind!!!

From what it looks like, Khloe has the best love life out of the three sisters. I’m happy for her.

Meet Esquire’s Sexiest Woman Alive – Minka Kelly

Oct11

Minka Kelly is Esquire’s Sexiest Woman Alive for 2010.

Minka, 30, tells the magazine

“Done with the twenties. I’m confident–confident in my skin, and I’m cool with my flaws and all that stuff. It just feels nice to be at peace with yourself. I think my thirtieth birthday gave me permission to have all that. The twenties were a pain in the ass–figuring it all out. What am I doing? Where do I go?”

Just to refresh your memory, Minka is an actress who starred in the NBC series Friday Night Lights as Lyla Garrity from 2006 to 2009. She is also the only child of former Aerosmith guitarist Rick Dufay. As of 2010, she has been dating New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter for some time.

See more pics courtesy of Esquire below.

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The Beckhams: Passionate Partners

Sep9

Since they married in 1999, Victoria and David Beckham have rarely been out of the media.

The new commercial for upcoming fragrance Intimately Beckham Yours, a his-and-hers duo, was designed to capture the essence of David and Victoria Beckham’s passion and the power of their relationship.

In a toe-curling display, Victoria is seen joining David in an elevator before the pair apparently enjoy some alone time together before their elevator ride comes to an end.

Intimately Beckham Yours is the fifth fragrance duo release by the couple, following the success of previous scents including their signature fragrance and Intimately Night For Her and For Him.

But the new fragrance combines a variety of new scents for the pair.

The men’s scent is ‘an elegant and sexy Oriental Citrus Aromatic’ which includes hints of frozen lemon, sage, lavender and blood mandarin, while the women’s fragrance is a ‘radiant, warm and captivating’ scent with essences of fressia, orange blossom, sandalwood and frangipani.

As well as creating Brand Beckham together, Victoria and David are parents to sons Brooklyn,11, eight-year-old Romeo and Cruz, five, and ensure they prioritse their personal lives so they can spend time as a family.

Victoria said recently: ‘David and I have a working relationship together, and we also have a private life together. Someone used the example recently of Brad and Angelina.

They say never mix business with pleasure but I think the Beckhams do a tremendous job balancing their love life and their professional life. It’s great seeing couples working together and growing together. Being media moguls, it can be hard to retain the passion in their relationship – they are obviously doing something everything right.

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Foods That Help Whiten Your Teeth

Jan21

Everyone I know is always looking for ways to brighten up their smile =) What people fail to remember is that it has a lot to do with what you EAT! I found out this list from Livestrong.com that I thought would be useful to you all.  Are you eating the white right foods?

There are certain foods that whiten teeth. The process is gradual and subtle, but if you consistently use them on your teeth you will notice a difference over the course of several months. While you do this, it is important to avoid things that stain your teeth. Using foods that whiten teeth is useless if you are simultaneously darkening them [duh!].

Lemon Juice

Lemon juice is well known for its hair lightening properties. It can also be used to whiten teeth. Mix a teaspoon of lemon juice with a pinch of salt or a little baking soda. Rub this mixture on your teeth. You can also eat lemons by themselves if you can tolerate it. Too much lemon juice on the teeth can cause sensitivity.

Orange Peel

Orange peel is a natural tooth whitener. Use the inside of the orange peel with the white stringy stuff still attached. Rub it directly on your teeth to whiten them. You can also mix the orange peel with crushed bay leaves. Rubbing this mixture on your teeth will also whiten them.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is very effective for getting rid of stains on teeth. You can swish it around your teeth at full strength if you can tolerate it. Using too much too often will cause tooth sensitivity. You can also mix apple cider vinegar with baking soda. This mixture can be rubbed on the teeth like a polish. Apple cider vinegar has the added benefit of relieving symptoms of acid reflux disease. People who suffer from acid reflux disease often get stained teeth.

Strawberries

Strawberries are also useful for polishing teeth. They may make the teeth red to begin with but when you wash the color away, the teeth are whiter. You can also smash up strawberries and add some baking soda. Rub this mixture on your teeth and leave it there for five minutes before brushing your teeth. If you do this a couple of times per week you will notice you teeth getting whiter after a few months.

Raw Vegetables

Eating raw vegetables also whitens teeth. It has to do with the crunchy nature of these foods. When you bite into raw vegetables, they are abrasively scrubbing your teeth. Cooked vegetables do not whiten teeth since they are soft.

***Avoid***

While you eat foods that whiten teeth, avoid foods that darken them. These foods include anything with food coloring, red wine, soft drinks, coffee, and tea. If you eat any of these foods be sure to brush your teeth immediately afterward. Also avoid smoking. This is one of the leading causes of stained teeth.

Kim Kardashian’s New Fragrance

Jan14

TV star, entrepreneur, model, actress, and trendsetter Kim Kardashian adds another accomplishment to her portfolio: a trademark fragrance. Kim is one of the world’s most idolized women.

1.7 oz bottle, $50; 3.4 oz bottle, $65 (if you're not good at math, the bigger bottle is a way BETTER deal)

Gorgeous, voluptuous florals reflect her allure, while soft jasmine, tuberose, and gardenia mirror her femininity. Tonka bean, jacaranda wood, and sandalwood add a warm, sensual base.

1 oz. bottle, $35

 

0.33 oz Rollerball, $16

Kim’s fragrance is only available at Sephora right now and they have actually added her fragrance to their list of “free samples” per every order.  So if you are a regular shopper at Sephora and would like to sample  Ms. K’s fragrance, as Fab’s song goes, “Just throw it in the bag!”

I sampled the fragrance @ the store it smells very pretty. I didn’t run out of my current fragrance yet so I didn’t get to pick one up but I WILL. I’m thinking about getting the rollerball because I like to diversify my fragrances and plus, the rollerball falls under the 3 C’s (Cute, Cheap, and Convenient).

Sephora Vending Machines?

Dec4

WWD reports that Sephora is turning dream into reality with its beauty vending machines that will be set up in 20 small J.C. Penney stores that don’t have full-service Sephora counters.

The vending machines offer 50 of Sephora’s most popular makeup, skin care and fragrance sets, and individual items from a variety of brands, including Bare Escentuals, Korres, Smashbox, Juicy Couture, Dior Beauty, Philosophy, Peter Thomas Roth, Murad and StriVectin.

The machines take credit and debit cards, and are currently in a test phase until spring 2010, when their performance will be assessed.

I guess this would be convenient for shoppers who know what type of make-up they like, and know exactly what they want.  The downside of using vending machines to sell make-up is that you can’t test them and contrary to shopping at a Sephora store, you cannot ask a make-up specialist about specific product questions.

What do you think?