Blog Posts by Allure Daily Beauty Reporter

We haven't been too impressed by the hair and makeup looks throughout this awards show season (especially the overplayed rumpled-updo-with-one-lank-piece-drooping-over-the-shoulder). But some of our favorite stars finally redeemed themselves at the ultimate ceremony last night, the Academy Awards. Many A-listers avoided the trendy traps and simply played up their best assets and looked stunning. Here are our picks for the top 5 beauty looks from the Oscars.

1. Carey Mulligan. Finally, a starlet who doesn't cover up her youthful radiance! Unlike many of her peers who age themselves with heavy makeup and strict hair, 24-year old Mulligan embraces her natural, graceful beauty. Her fresh new platinum hair color enhances her skin, and her makeup is right in tune with her age: fluttery lashes, pale pink blush, and a sheer, slightly shimmery lipcolor. With such a keen sense of what works and what doesn't, it's no wonder she's the newest darling of the fashion world.

2. Kate Winslet.

by Jessica Prince

Last week, we went to an event for Ardell Lashes, and makeup artist Reiva Cruze was in the house applying faux strips. We couldn't pass up the offer for a quick application (see our before photo and after photos below) and asked for her tricks for making fake lashes look real.

Before doing anything, swipe on mascara, she says. "This will darken your lashes and allows the fakes to blend in," Cruze said. "When you apply it last, you risk clumping all the lashes together." Next comes the glue. Squeeze a tiny amount directly along the lash strip and make sure to wait a minute for it to get tacky-"that's key," she says. Tilt your chin upwards, and position the strip in the center of your lash line, really getting it in the lashes. Once the glue catches, lightly push down the inner and outer corners. Last comes black liquid liner right where the lashes meet your lids-it conceals any glue that may still be visible and "unites the lids and lashes" in a natural way.

When Twilight first blew up, there were a half-dozen beauty companies that followed in the frenzy with makeup, fragrance-it even inspired us to come up with vampy hair and makeup tricks. Well, that trend is so five minutes ago. And the new Alice in Wonderland movie, out this Friday, is taking its place.

There's an Urban Decay makeup palette (to the left) that's part Alice pop-up book-with 16 pretty shadows, two liners, and a primer; a line of bright, glittery O.P.I. nail polishes with fitting names like Off With Her Red! and Mad as a Hatter; and Organix is re-launching their Cherry Blossom Ginseng shampoo to coincide with the movie's release (possibly because there are Cherry Blossoms all over the White Queen's court? We got a sneak peek at the movie last night-definitely worth seeing)-;plus they're partnering with the movie for a sweepstakes to win a trip to London. We have to say, the Twilight beauty craze made sense (who doesn't want radiant skin and crimson-stained lips???), but

Everything Kate Moss touches turns to cool. And her latest project is typically creative and unexpected. According to Grazia UK, she's teaming up with legendary ballet dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov and choreographer Michael Clark to dance in a short flick that starts taping in the south of France in July.

Moss is taking this thing seriously: she's now starting a three-month-long stint of training with Clark. After the film is finished, it will most likely be shown for charity later on this year. Brava!

Photo Credit: WWD





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At Allure, we're obsessed with following all aspects of beauty-and obviously we're big fans of our March cover celebrity Jessica Simpson. So we're getting psyched for the premiere of her new show, Jessica Simpson's The Price of Beauty, which starts at 10 P.M. EDT on March 15 and will examine how people perceive beauty differently all over the world.

VH1 posted a preview video that gives a glimpse into Simpson's trips to Paris as well as Uganda, where women intentionally gain weight before marriage in order to look more attractive to their husbands. As Simpson, who's had struggles with how people perceive her own weight, says, "This is the complete opposite of everything I've ever known." Find out more about the show, and watch a video:

Plus, enter to win a four-night spa trip for two to the Hotel Fasano in Rio de Janeiro, one of the cities Simpson traveled to for the show.


Photo: Courtesy of VH1

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• The 10

There's been a lot of talk in the past few years about the ever-shrinking size of fashion models. But for all the discussion panels, editorials, and water cooler debates on the matter, little has actually changed on the runways of top fashion designers. Until yesterday, when Miuccia Prada kicked off the first day of Milan Fashion Week by casting several Victoria's Secret supermodels in her show.

Voluptuous beauties Alessandra Ambrosio, Miranda Kerr, and Doutzen Kroes (above) were flown to Milan exclusively for the show, which also included fashion's bombshell-of-the-moment Lara Stone. But they weren't sent down the runway in skintight dresses or leggy mini skirts. Instead, all the models were clad in classic 60s feminine shapes-A-line dresses, princess coats, and dresses with ruffles on the bodice or inverted darts at the bustline that amplified the chest, though in the least revealing way. In these clothes, the voluptuous models especially seemed to represent the type of beauty

The Olympics has us dreaming of a ski vacation, and while we envision going at a slightly slower pace than those in the Games, we want to look just as good. Lee Keating of the Performance Ski shop in Aspen, Colorado shared her advice.

• Embrace layers. Ski gear is now made from fabric so advanced that a thin shell offers the same insulation as the big, puffy jackets you might have worn a decade ago. Look for a soft shell that's not too baggy, tapered at the waist, and fitted through the hips. All you should need underneath is a zip-up microfleece top and a thermal shirt-no giant sweaters necessary.
• Bottoms up. Ski pants are also now made from lightweight, waterproof Gore-Tex and should drape rather than feel stiff. You want a pair that has a low waist-not the old-school bib style-and straight legs, with zippers at the hems and cuffs that fit over your boots. The pants should be slim-fitting but not tight. No tucking in-that look is strictly for snow bunnies.
• Go

Rihanna is joining, well, almost every celebrity, and creating a fragrance that will be out later this year. And while she had reportedly initially named it Route 22, she's reconsidering the name-and asking you for suggestions. If you think you can come up with something better, comment on this post on rihannadaily.com. We came up with a few just to get you thinking:

High Notes
Pafum de Replay
Ri-Wind
Shut Up and Spray
Rihlax
Please Don't Stop the Fragrance

OK, so maybe we don't have a shot....but you might!

Photo Credit: WWD

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