Jersey Shore Cast Going Hollywood?

It looks like the cast of Jersey Shore, like most other people, is not immune to the pressures to look perfect in Hollywood. Well, let’s not even pretend like this crew wasn’t already the type to fall victim to societal ideals – they are all pretty into their appearance – what with the whole GTL regimen.

At any rate, it does make me a little sad to see the two main women who gained fame on the show, albeit maybe not for the best behavior at times, Snooki and JWOW or Jenni Farley and Nicole Polizzi clearly caving in to the ridiculous pressures.

The pressure to be thin is probably the one that most alarms me. These two girls started off the show as good looking, typical American girls. They looked great.  They may have felt they had an extra few pounds on them, but they looked “normal” and they clearly did not have really restrictive diets judging by the meals that used to be cooked in the house.

Fast forward a few years, and it looks like JWOW has succumbed to some of the pressures after dropping quite a few pounds and also appearing to have gotten lip plumping injections in her lips to make them bigger.

Now there is also the news that Snooki has not only dropped a ton of weight on her tiny frame, but she is also planning on getting gargantuan breast implants like her friend JWOW already has.  Snooki already has a pretty large chest, so this one I’m really perplexed about?

What is particularly disturbing, if you have watched the show, you know that Snooki admitted to struggling with an eating disorder for years in high school.  She got down to a dangerously low weight and was obsessed with her weight.

So when you see someone who had a problem in the past start to really drop dramatic weight, coming from someone who has struggled with their own eating habits in the past, let me tell you – there is cause for alarm.

It’s just sad that women cannot just look average in certain ways – they always have to be subjected to this ridiculous, unattainable norm if they are in any kind of show business. This is the reason there are so many eating disorders, and the reason that so many people want to flock to the plastic surgeon’s office to get a better nose, lips, eyes, face, boobs, butt, you name it.

Of course, I have no room to talk. I’m into beuaty – clearly by this blog. However there is a time and place for it, and when it becomes an obsession it becomes unhealthy.

Au Naturel or Sexy Diva?

There are pretty much two makeup looks that women are sporting this decade, and that seems to be one of two extremes, which fits a great many shapes and sizes of face very well.  It also of course depends on one’s personality and preference.

However, you can also switch off between the two, especially if you have one of those versatile types of faces where you are conducive to lots of makeup, but also look pretty darn good going natural here and there as well.

Au naturel is minimalist – or at least it appears that way. Au naturel can be minimal eye makeup with a lot of help from a foundation and great concealer and blush, or if you have naturally great skin that has few blemishes, you can use a minimalist powder like Bare Minerals and a little blush and then apply your minimalist eye makeup.

I prefer to use a liquid foundation and solid concealer in the winter time, especially as I get older, because it gives my skin much better coverage and makes me look younger.  The summer, when I may have a little more natural color to my face, is when I can go a little more bare faced without looking “older”.

Usually the minimalist look uses very little eye makeup. This is the key to looking natural and minimally “made up”.  Usually there is mascara involved, and may be a light peach, brown or nude eyeshadow swept across the lids to create a bit of color and depth.  Eyeliner should be used sparingly if at all.

You may want to use a brown eyeshadow, swept under the lids with an eyeliner sponge.  This way, you don’t risk the solid, dramatic line that can be seen with an eyeliner pencil or liquid eyeliner.  I’ve found this technique to be very natural and flattering – plus it saves me my eyeliner pencils for when I really need them.

There should be no lipstick, only a tinted peach or light pink color on the lips with a little slick lip gloss applied over it for some sheen and volume.

With the “diva” look, you can have at it with all the fun colors in your repertoire.  You should use the liquid foundation for this look so that the skin isn’t overpowered by the eye makeup.  I don’t like to use lipstick with this look, as it can tend to look like too much, so rather I would just use a lip liner in a lighter shade.

Eye makeup may be applied generously, and usually three colors in a complimentary trio can be used, such as blues, purples, greys, browns, or greens.  The idea is to swipe the dark color on the deep part of the eyelid, the light color on the front of the lid, and on the top and the medium color on the corners for depth and drama.

You can follow with a powder or liquid liner, rimmed dramatically on the top and bottom lids, then smudged with a professional sponge.  Following with a little mascara is good too, but you need minimal mascara when you have lined the eyes so generously.

Yet Another Gross Fake Plastic Surgery Story

Well, we’ve had our share of gross and downright scary “fake” plastic surgeon stories this year and in the years preceding this. It seems that in times of economic duress, these scam artists tend to drum up even more business as people who are desperate to look good think it’s a bargain and begin to let their guard down.

Here’s the general rule of thumb though when it comes to plastic surgery : if the price is too good to be true RUN.  Do not ever go to a doctor who has impossibly low prices. There is usually a reason for it. Either they are not legit, or they are not good.

A couple weeks ago, we heard one particularly disheartening story that definitely takes the wind out of men’s sails about a guy who got penile injections. The injections were of pure silicone, which is not meant to simply be injected into the body without some sort of contraption keeping it in.

He got the injections in his penis presumably as a way to enlarge it. The woman who administered the injections was not trained and not authorized to do such procedures. The man died shortly thereafter form an embolism that formed from the injections, a complication that often arises in these botched cases done by people who have no medical license to perform these procedures.

The latest story which is actually our title story today is about a California man who was arrested for practicing liposuction without a license. Not only did the guy smoke a cigar during his “surgery”, but he also disposed of the fat he sucked out of patients in the toilet.

Disgusting, unsanitary, and definitely illegal.  The man allegedly was operating a practice (totally illegal of course) under the guise of being someone else who really does exist. He posed as a real doctor, which results in a whole host of indictments.

He would usually quote a lower price for such procedures, and would claim that he was operating his facility under the guidance of a board certified plastic surgeon, none of which was actually true.

So, if you’re in the market for plastic surgery or anything else that involves a tricky procedure, be on the lookout for these scam artists. They are literally killing people with their lack of knowledge and desire to scam people for their hard earned money.

ELF Makes a Great Eye Shadow Set

I love the holidays – for makeup buying that is.  It’s one of the few times that you see some of the coolest, most imaginative color sets in cosmetics. And they are dirt cheap too. So you can get a collection of twenty to one hundred eyeshadow colors, as well as other things like lip gloss, nail polish and other things, for a really good price.

I like this because it allows you to experiment with a variety of colors without blowing a ton of money for the privelege to do so.  That way, if you want to splurge on a similar color that is of a higher quality, you can do so without it being an epic fail and a waste of money since you already tested out the cheapo version.

Here’s what my review is about today.  ELF, otherwise known as Eyes Lips Face, is a really neat little cosmetics company that makes small versions of cosmetics for a really cheap price.

Their packaging and overhead is minimal, so they pass this cost savings on to you, the consumer, and allow you to try out a selection of colors without breaking the bank.  Their sizes may be a bit smaller, but it’s worth it for the money.

The real kicker? Their makeup is actually a pretty decent quality!  Now, don’t expect totally super saturated color like some more expensive brands, or the ability to stay put smack dab all day long, but they are really just as good as say a Revlon or a Cover Girl, at a fraction of the price.

They are available now at Target, which is where I got my great eyeshadow sampler. It has roughly 24 colors in it of eyeshadows which are all an earthy version of colors like purple, green, browns, greys, some blues, and some reddish and organgish or peachy colors.

I’ve tried quite a few of them already, and love them all. I’ve found they actually have pretty decent color saturation, meaning that you don’t have to apply and reapply a ton to get the right amount of color on your lids.

The colors themselves are fabulous, all being the earthy tones that I really like. They had this palette and another palette that was more vibrant and colorful, but more intense and a little more eighties themed.

How much was this awesome palette? A mere FIVE BUCKS.  I figured I might actually go back and get another one as I can see me wanting another when this one is drained of my favorite colors.

I’ ve been solely using this kit for about five days now and finding it immensely fun to mix the different colors and make a tricolor eye with new colors every day.  I’d highly recommend this for anyone who wants to experiment with colors without dropping a ton of dough!

Welcome to 2012!

Happy New Year to all of our wonderful readers!  What an interesting year 2011 was. We saw plastic surgery go down in popularity as Americans try to be more frugal with their money in a fragile economy and weak job market.

We also some some innovations in beauty, plastic surgery and non invasive skin care treatments. However, they sort of fell by the wayside in light of struggling families, and understandably so.

We heard some horror stories as well, to be sure. We heard stories about unauthorized practitioners, botched surgeries and more.  But what we continue to do is try to offer you the best advice, reviews and tips to keep your beauty the natural, inexpensive way.

That’s what we intend to do throughout this new year of 2012 as well. We hope you come along for the ride and continue to lend your forever intresting stories via comments!

WELCOME TO 2012. HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

Getting Rid of a Double Chin

Double chins are really one of those things that can sneak up on you. As you get older, not only does your skin age and sag in the neck and chin area, but you also tend to put on weight in different areas as you age.  It all pretty much sucks, but it’s the unavoidable truth.

Even the thinnest of people can have extra fat under their chin. I’ve seen it on very thin actresses actually, so it’s not completely exclusive to those that are a little on the heavier side.  So how can you effectively get rid of the “double chin” syndrome, or at least make sure that this area is as toned, tight and taut as it can be, even if you don’t technically have a double chin?

Well, the best way to do that, without surgical intervention, is to do neck, face and chin exercises that are designed to tone and lift this critical area that so many women find sagging with age.  Facial and neck exercise help to tone the underlying muscles in the chin area, which helps to pull the sagging skin and fat back up where it should be.

There is even a little neck exercise device that you can use to help do the exercises correctly that retails for just twenty bucks. It’s a small contraption that you put between your chin and your neck, and push down on. It has just enough spring give to make sure you are using the critical muscles beneath the area you are targeting.

A man or woman can use the device, and it comes with several varying lengths and tensions of springs, so you can adjust the device as your muscles get stronger and you can make it harder as you go.

The other option is to get noninvasive cosmetic treatments done. One such treatment is a toning treatment called thermage, which is supposed to help tone, tighten and lift the skin in various areas. It does this by emitting heat and deep pulse technology to nonsurgically lift the skin.

It has mixed reviews on the facial skin, since some people claim to have lost even more facial fat (which makes us look younger), when they have undergone thermage.  However, it may have some great benefits on the neck area.

Smart lipo is another option, but of course this is invasive.

MERRRRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!

Hello all MBS readers. I hope you, like me, are having a wonderful holiday and a very Merry Christmas Eve tonight and a Merry Christmas tommorrow.

Like many of you, I will be enjoying the comfort and company of family tommorrow and reflecting on the year gone by.  As with so many other holidays past, this one sure has flown by, but it’s been great.

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas!!!

Which Generation Gets Most Plastic Surgery?

While it seems like everyone and their brother is getting some sort of nip or tuck, especially amongst circles that can afford it (this circle is getting tighter and tighter with this poor economy), there are select groups of people who are opting to go under the knife in order to improve their appearance.

It’s actually MY generation that is getting the most plastic surgery, believe it or not.  My generation, generation X, is the age range from 31 to 45. It is the “me” generation” or at least the tail end of it according to some folks.

It makes sense if you think about it, since this is the age range where we start to make good money and also where we still care enough about our appearance and may still be looking for a mate.  My generation has some disposable income to work with as opposed to the younger generation, and they are still at that age where they think a little nip and tuck might help them age a bit more gracefully.

The generation that is older typically is a little more secure in their appearance or settled in with a partner, and the younger generation is actually just as concerned as generation X, but they don’t have as much disposable income to work with.

Generation X has spent billions in cosmetic surgery. Some of the favorites are Botox and other anti aging treatments, breast augmentation, nose jobs, liposuction and other body sculpting or cellulite reducing treatments or surgeries. Generation X actually accounted for more than 40% of all cosmetics surgeries in 2010, and are expected to be just about as much of the chunk of the pie this year.

Many Generation X’ers tend to think that these surgeries or procedures are just part of their maintenance program for getting older. Noninvasive procedures or minimal downtime procedures are increasingly popular, even if they are not a permanent fix and need to be re-done every so often – many of my generation considers these to be the most natural option for keeping their youthful good looks well into their older years.

Egg On Your Face?

Yep, it’s a beauty treatment I’m talking about.  I remember when these first few “wrinkle vanishing” serums came out a few years ago – well, make that probably a decade ago by now.  They advertised as being these wrinkle reducing wonder creams and serums that they would actually show being applied to a person face. Miraculously, the persons wrinkles seemed to disappear after application.

Unfortunately, it was only a temporary effect. The common ingredient in such products is albumen, which is the stiff protein found in egg whites that helps to plaster things in place for a little while. And when I say a little while, I mean a very little while.

I tried these so called miracle serums, and they did seem to make wrinkles disappear temporarily, and smooth the facial skin out. However, once it stopped working it REALLY stopped working. My skin actually looked worse after it stopped because I then took on a sort of cracked appearance, and the wrinkles look magnified.

This was when I was in my early thirties, so imagine what it would do now that I’m in my late thirties.  Basically, you can get the skin smoothing effects of the albumen by applying a home made mask of whipped egg white to the face.

It doesn’t look, smell or feel very pretty but it can be a nice infusion of protein and vitamins to the skin, and it does make the skin look a bit tighter, brighter and prettier the next morning.  Oh, and make sure you don’t get any raw egg in your mouth or in your eyes, don’t want to get salmonella poisoning from a simple beauty treatment!

Albumen is basically just a very thick protein. It is what makes the white of the egg fry up all fluffy when it hits the heat.  When applied in serums, it basically creates a temporary glaze and “filler” over fine lines, crows feet and wrinkles that gives the illusion of smoothing and wrinkles disappearing.

I’m sure you’ve noticed, these serums haven’t totally caught on, which is because they don’t work for very long. If they gave the results you see in the first ten minutes for an entire day, they’d be selling out all over the place.

Holiday Beauty Favorites

Who doesn’t want their stocking stuff with a few things that will make them look pretty for the new year?  Heck, if I could get mine stuffed with something that would take off the inevitable 5-10 pounds I put on before the New Year, I’d love that! But since that isn’t going to happen, let me share with you some of the best gifts to give the lady in your life who may be cosmetic and beauty savvy.

1.)  What woman couldn’t do with a little plump to her pout?  Even those of us with fuller lips enjoy having the look of poutier, sexier lips from time to time. Thankfully, lip plumpers have come a long way, and they can really make your lips look fuller in an instant.  Lip plumpers are a great “fashion accessory” that every women would love to have in her purse from time to time.

2.)  Self tanners. Everyone loves the look of a healthy summer glow. But in the winter, especially in the colder, sunless northeast climes out here, it’s nearly impossible to get any sunkissed color the natural way. So a great self tanner, like Fake Bake, or Sheer Tan or Xen-Tan is a great stocking stuffer for women who like to apply these self tanners from time to time to give themselves that etherial glow.

3.)  How about some nice natural soaps or hand lotions – the kind without all the nasty chemicals in them?  Women are becoming increasingly aware that the lotions, cleansers, soaps and creams that they apply to their skin eventually can lead to problems within the body. Parabens, phthalates, petroleum and other potentially hormone disrupting and cancer causing chemicals have no place in body care!

4.)  A new eyeshadow pallette.  Every woman loves to experiment a little with color if they like eyeshadow.  A huge pallette is not only easy to do this time of year since so many gifts sets are usually out, but you can also get a ton of limited edition awesome colors this time of year that you won’t find anywhere after the holiday season is over. For example, Sephora has specific holiday pallettes with really cool sparkly, vibrant colors this time of year.

5.)  Hair care packages. There are lots of top notch salon quality hair products that come in reasonably priced multi packs or sample packs this time of year. I’ve gotten these for family members before, and believe me,  they smile a mile wide when they realize they won’t have to pay for their hair products for a while!