Beauty of a Site Blog

Don't forget that Tosca Hair Care products are being featured at Beauty of a Site this month!  These professional, salon quality shampoos, conditioners, treatments and serums are designed to treat individual hair types with precision and care.  Each of Tosca's hair care products feature 100% certified organic botanical extracts while being 100% sodium chloride free, 100% sulfate free, static free and humidity resistant.  They truly are composed of the highest quality ingredients available, and the results speaks for themselves! For this month only, we'll give you a FREE 5 oz Tosca Treatment Shampoo with any $25 order.  With many of his professional quality products, buying even one product (which we know you'll love) will earn you this free shampoo.  It's an easy way to get to try both a conditioner and a shampoo, only having to pay for one of them! If you're brand new to Tosca, start by identifying your hair type:

• For thick / course hair: try Tosca's Texture Products
• For curls or waves: Try Tosca Curl
• For thin / flat hair: Use Tosca Volume
• For hair that's dull or lifeless: Tosca Shine

Both Tosca Classic and Tosca Repair products will work beautifully with any hair type.  Classic will cleanse hair and work with common hair issues, while the Repair line will focus on intensely conditioning and healing damaged or over-ly processed hair of any type. Click here to browse all of the products!

Like always, the 2010 Oscars were filled with great surprises, incredible hosts, interesting twists and gorgeous dresses.  Though there were so many classy dresses crowding the red carpet this year, from the elegance of Kristen Stewart's midnight blue, to Maggie Gyllenhal's unique Dries Van Noten and Demi Moore's flowing ruffles, we particularly loved the glitz that 2010 brought.  Cameron Diaz, Sandra Bullock and even Miley Cyrus choose glittery golds to make their red carpet appearance, and we loved what we saw from them. Sandra Bullock's beautiful gown (did you see that lace!? incredible...) combined with her choice to wear her hair down and her bold lips really grabbed our attention. She won the hearts of the academy with her acting, and she certainly won ours with her timeless beauty. For tips on achieving the classic look that made her famous, check out our Sandra Bullock Steal the Look section here.  We'll give you step by step instructions on getting similar hair, makeup and complexion and suggests products that can help you make it happen!  Click here to start browsing.

I was totally stressed this time yesterday about what I would be wearing to our friends big New Year's bash this year, until I remembered a cardinal fashion rule:  the very best outfits are defined by details.  I put together a classic ensemble in greys, silvers and blacks and spiced it up with the following: For eyes:  I moved away from my overdone smoky eyes and went for something simple with a touch of drama.  Lined the inside corners of my eyes with a white liner, and a thick black liner on the outside of my eyes.  Mascara to follow.  A bit of glitter on my cheek bones sets of my eyes perfectly! For lips:  To balance out the simplicity of my eye makeup, I chose DuWop's Pink Shimmer Lip Venom for plumpness, flushing and plenty of shimmering pink. For hair:  Down and curly, I used Catwalk's Your Highness Gel Creme and Hairspray to control and hold my style.  Flexible for bounce & swing with the perfect amount of shine. For nails: Here's where I had some fun- OPI's new Alice in Wonderland Mad As A Hatter polish features a crazy multi glitter sparkle to help ring in the new year with some extra glitz. For shoulders and arms:  Dirty Girl's Glitter ball adds glitter to exposed skin, while Booty Parlor's Luminizing Body Butter adds a subtle sheen all over skin. Glitz and glitter in the smallest details not only make a perfect New Year's touch, but they are definitive of what runways, cosmetics lines and our favorite celebs are telling us are perfect for 2010.

[caption id="attachment_630" align="aligncenter" width="400" caption="Serendipity 3 Frrrozen Hot Chocolate Mix"][/caption] Beloved by New Yorkers, celebrities, chocolate lovers and even Oprah, Serendipity 3's famous Hot Chocolate Mix has changed the face of hot chocolate forever. Creating a luscious frozen slushy concoction, Serendipity 3's ice cream bar-inspired location in NY has become world renown for this special frozen hot chocolate drink. Their famous hot chocolate mix (available for purchase here) includes 14 types of chocolate and exotic cocoas. Yum. This fun and inventive twist on standard hot chocolate is perfect for holiday parties, gifts and relaxing afternoons. Use this recipe to make it at home!

1. In a steel blad mixer, combine 1/2 cupmilke, 1/2 cup Frrrozen Hot Chocolate Mix and 1 1/2 cups ice.
2. Cover and blend on medium to desired consistency.
3. Pour mixture into large goblet or glass & top with whipped cream & chocolate shavings.
4. Sip through large straw or scoop with a spoon.
5. For a little extra punch, add a jigger of Kahlua or vodka. (Yum again.)

Make some and tell us how it is!!

The web is abuzz not only about the widely successful Twilight sequel, New Moon, but also about its punk rock leading lady.  Breathtakingly beautiful and mysterious, but with an extremely down to earth personality, Kristen Stewart is always the center of discussion and controversy.  Her most recent style choice to cut and dye her hair had the beauty world in turmoil, and wondering if their beloved brunette picture of Bella Swan would be gone forever (no worries folks- she wears a wig in the next movie!). But either way, Kristen Stewart was stunning as always at the world premier of New Moon in Westwood, CA.  Our staff loves her dress selection and were even pleasantly surprised with her curled-faux-half-up do.  Perfectly Kristen and pretty dang cute. For more news on Kristen and some of her more every day looks, visit our Steal the Look celebrity section for the products we think can help you achieve her classic style.  Click here to check it out!

Wanting to purchase Twilight Lip Venom?  Click here.  Learn more about it below! Vampire-inspired; Beauty of a Site-approved.  This crimson, blood-red lip stain with a lip plumping bite will have you joining team Edward in no time.  Help us celebrate the upcoming New Moon movie with DuWop's Twilight Lip Venom! [caption id="attachment_597" align="aligncenter" width="281" caption="DuWop Twilight Lip Venom"][/caption] DuWop's popular Lip Venom acts as a plumping agent, using essential oils to increase blood circulation in your lips to add a plump and a flush of natural color.  Inspired by the magic of the first Twilight Saga movie, DuWop created a new Twilight Lip Venom that, along with a killer bite for plumping and flushing, stains lips with a crimson color for added drama. Each tube of Twilight Lip Venom comes with the stain separated from the venom, but with a quick shake, the two formulas collide for the perfect stain & plumping partnership.  Symbolic of the dramatic collision of the human and vampire worlds in the Twilight Saga, every application of Twilight Lip Venom helps transport you to a world of mystery, adventure & undying love. Click here to buy the Twilight Venom!

Confession: I saw The Half Blood Prince at midnight on Tuesday. And even though I'm still catching up on sleep, I was far from disappointed. The movie was entertaining, the acting was superb, and Emma Watson is prettier than ever. [caption id="attachment_393" align="alignright" width="252" caption="Emma Watson at HP Hollywood Premier"][/caption] When her role as Hermione began, Emma Watson showed up on screen as a frizzy haired young girl whose acting talent and charm captured the hearts of Harry Potter fans everywhere. In a few short years, Emma has grown up to be a beautiful young woman, whose poise and natural beauty are getting as much attention as her skills on the screen. Now a Vogue covergirl and international super star, Emma Watson's look is one we can't get enough of.  We're featuring her this month in our Steal the Look section here, helping you achieve her loose waves and carefree up-do. As far as the movie, let me spend three seconds telling you that it was wonderful.  Wasting no time with back story, it dives right in where The Order of the Pheonix left off, sharing deeper emotions, gripping experiences and a very grown up plot line that audiences of all ages will love. Click here to learn about stealing Emma's look!

[caption id="attachment_378" align="alignleft" width="201" caption="Sandra at the premier of "The Proposal""][/caption] Making 44 years old look like a piece 'a cake, Sandra Bullock was absolutely gorgeous at the premier of "The Proposal," now showing at theaters across the country.  If we can look half as good as she does at her age, we'll be the happiest people alive. Sporting a beautiful satin dress with an assymetrical neckline- accessorized perfectly- Sandra was truly a knockout.  Her loose curls and feminine make-up choices were perfect for the look- and have her looking younger and more beautiful than ever. Looking for tips for achieving Sandra's timeless beauty?  Click here to visit our "Steal the Look" page for Sandra, where you can totally achieve her everyday, simple chic beauty.  We'll even suggest some products that we've found help us get the look just right! We're featuring her as our celebrity of choice this month, because we can't get enough of her!

We spend emmense amounts of time- and product- trying to keep our styles under control when humidity gets the best of us. We- the Beauty of a Site Staff- find ourselves in the middle of Illinois, where humidity reigns from May to August, plotting to ruin our styles for 4 long months. But thanks to Rodney Cutler, Cutler Hair Care creator and celebrity runway stylist, we've tripped across one of our favorite humidity proof styles yet: To get this trendy twist on a classic French twist, follow Rodney Cutler's advice below:

• Prep hair with Cutler Volumizing Spray from roots to ends & rough dry, focusing on directing the hair up to create volume at the crown.
• Using a tail comb, create a deep side part.
• Back comb all of the hair behind the ears to create volume at the crown and emphasize the head shape.
• Secure the hair into a low side ponytail on the same side as the side part allowing for a loose/messy texture throughout the crown and a bit smoothing around the edges.
• Using either elastic string or a thin ribbon, fold the hair of the ponytail back and forth into itself to create the "bun/chignon" shape.

We love this look!  Give it a shot and let us know if you like it!  We'd LOVE to see pics!

Everything!  I was reading this month's Glamour this morning and noticed that Sandra Bullock was casually dressed in a bunch of different purple-y hues.  I love how they look on her! We all knew purple was sweeping the scene this summer, but I'm totally loving it way more than I expected to. Get some purple into your routine... ... with the perfect purple polishes (like Sandra's!).  OPI has faithfully given us all of the vibrant violet shades that we can handle, and our staff favorites include OPI Miami Beet, OPI Louvre Me Louvre Me Not & OPI Bogota Blackberry.  Creme, shimmery, pearly- we love it all. ... with a dramatic eyeshadow for at night.  Our personal favorite is Tigi Bed Head's Cyberoptics Eyeshadow in Passion.  A warm purple with a subtle sparkle.  Perfect! ... with Betty Beauty's Sexy Betty hair dye kit... for the hair down there. ... with a subtle twist of eyeliner in a violet hue.  Rosie Jane's Grapevine eye define is shaped to allow for the perfect amount of control and blending, so that you can add just the right amount of purple to neutral eye make-up. ... with Beauty of a Site.  Purple's our signature color, after all. :) How are you getting your violet fix? Fill us in!

[caption id="attachment_261" align="alignleft" width="190" caption="Jennifer Garner at the premier of "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past""][/caption] With a dedicated fan base from a five-season run on Alias and an upcoming movie, Jennifer Garner's return from motherhood is much anticipated on the big screen! Ghosts of Girlfriends Past, her new movie with Matthew McConaughy, has brought Jennifer out of motherly hibernation and into the media spotlight once again. First seen, post-baby, at the GoGP premier this week, Garner stepped out in an elegant black dress by Rachel Roy. With two youngin's at home - their newest edition, Seraphina Rose, came in January of this year - Garner and her starlit honey Ben Affleck have been avoiding the limelight until now.  Ghosts of Girlfriends Past is out in theaters May 1. Keep your eyes out for Jennifer later in the year as well - The Invention of Lying is due out in September 2009. Wanna get Jen's look? Check out our "Steal the Look" articles here! Want her look from the preview? Check this out: Eyes: Try Playboy Hollywood Nights Eyeshadow in "On the List." This duo is fabulous and can be used to re-create Jen's silvery corners and charcoal definition.  Also, use Blinc Grand Lash Primer and Blinc Mascara in Black for great lashes! Cheeks: We recommend Urban Apothecary's Supernatural AfterGlow in Peachy Dream to maintain a peachy Garner glow all night long. Lips: Naked Kiss Plump & Polish Lip Gloss in Apricot Fluff (doesn't that just sound nice?) will give you voluptuous lip volume, a little bit of color and alot of confidence!

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