Mandy Hendrix

Steal Alice In Wonderland’s Look

February 26, 2010 at 11:55 am , by Mandy Hendrix

I’m really excited about the new Alice In Wonderland movie coming out next weekend. For one thing, Tim Burton is a visual effects master and I’m wild about the over-the-top surrealist look.

I can only imagine the talent of the hair and makeup team for the movie. Which got me thinking…how would Alice get ready to start her day? Her look is pretty natural—she’s young—but she’s traveling through a topsy-turvy world, so I can imagine that she’d be open to a little experimentation after awhile.

First, Alice would start with a sweet, girly shampoo, like this Cherry Blossom Ginseng, $7, from Organix. (Good to know: The brand has a sweepstakes starting March 10th for a vacation to London. Click here or find more info on their Alice-themed bottles.)

Urban Decay’s Alice In Wonderland Book of Shadows, $52 is packed with 16 eyeshadows that range from easy-to-wear nudes to bolder, vibrant colors. My favorite is the earthy, not-quite-brown, not-quite-gray, Mushroom shade. I think Alice would love the warm purple Queen.

And because a look is never complete without a great manicure, Alice has a fabulous polish job with OPI’s Off With Her Red, $8.50. Although I’m pretty sure by the end of her adventure, she’d be sporting her signature, Absolutely Alice, a sparkly blue.

For more on the movie, check out our March issue, on newsstands now.

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Nail Art: Let Your Manicure Do The Talking

February 11, 2010 at 1:16 pm , by Mandy Hendrix

The latest craze in nails isn’t a fiery red polish or even slick jet black. Lately, celebrities have been sporting Minx nail decals, often in metallic colors or wild designs.

Check out Beyonce’s Minx manicure from the Grammy awards.

And a close-up of Rihanna’s Grammy nails. She has a custom Minx manicure with crystals.

Or, show your support a la Kim Kardashian who spelled out her boyfriend’s name and jersey number (#25 B U S H) on her fingers for the Super Bowl.

Want to do something special for yourself, but can’t splurge on a full set of Minx? Take inspiration from these cool ladies above and add a little dazzle to your nails. Here’s my interpretation, in time for Valentine’s Day.

First, coat your nails with fun red or magenta color. (I’m really into OPI‘s Red My Fortune Cookie.) Then to keep the look from being overly saccharine, paint a heart on one finger only. Make a “v” shape—the polish bleeds a little and will turn into a heart—and four dots. The trick is to use a contrasting polish shade (white works best) and the thinnest brush you can find. Milani has introduced their Nail Art Nail Lacquers, $4, available in 10 shades, which lets you do a little Van Gogh on your digits. Have fun!

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Beauty For A Buck: Five Things To Do With Baking Soda

January 28, 2010 at 2:46 pm , by Mandy Hendrix

I recently met with the folks at Arm and Hammer, who clued me in on a few ways to keep my somewhat high-maintenance beauty routine more affordable. Guess what? It’s that box of baking soda that’s in my kitchen cupboard. All for a dollar! (Although check out this plastic shaker can–it’s great for the bathroom.) Here, a few great uses…

1. Create an exfoliating face cleanser. Add a sprinkle of baking soda with your face wash and lather up. You’ll notice smoother skin without any irritation.

2. Rid hair of product buildup. In your palm, mix together your everyday shampoo and a quarter-sized amount of baking soda. Good news for enhanced blondes, brunettes and redheads: This mixture is gentle enough for color treated hair.

3. Clean your tools. Hair brushes and combs work best when they’re free of product buildup, too. Clean off the goop by making a bath of warm water and one teaspoon of baking soda in a sink or small plastic tub. Clean brushes of hair, then let them soak in solution for a few minutes. Remove and allow to dry.

4. Get sparkling whites. Squirt toothpaste on your toothbrush then sprinkle baking soda onto the paste. This creates a gently abrasive scrub to remove surface stains without damaging enamel.

5. Scrub hands clean. Often, I’ll test waterproof eyeliners or lipgloss on my hand (hey, it’s part of the job!), but am left with telltale scribbles even after a good hand washing. Combine a little baking soda with your hand soap while washing and notice that the stains rinse off. The baking soda also gets rid of odors, a good trick when cooking with garlic or onions.

But my all-time favorite thing to do with baking soda? Make cookies.

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Mineral Makeup Madness: Fulfilling Your Recommended Daily Allowance

January 14, 2010 at 3:37 pm , by Mandy Hendrix

Mineral makeup may have started as a trend, but has proven its staying power. Why? It won’t aggravate sensitive or problem skin and has a built-in sun protection factor. I was recently on a shoot with Ricky Wilson, a Dior makeup artist, who loves the stuff because, “it offers a good amount of coverage while letting the skin glow.” Sounds amazing, right? And you won’t have to look too hard to find it either; you can easily pick up mineral-laced products not only at natural grocers and beauty boutiques, but in the drugstore aisle, too.

Here are my favorite skin-loving minerals:

Foundation: This is the grandaddy of all mineral categories. Options abound, so feel free to experiment with different textures and application methods to find your perfect match.

• The vibrating puff of Lancome’s Oscillation Powerfoundation, $48, makes application fun, but also helps the powder sink into skin.

• Bare Escentuals BareMinerals Matte SPF 15 Foundation, $28, won’t leave you with a shiny finish.

• Maybelline Mineral Power Natural Perfecting Foundation, $8.50, is a great liquid option.

Mascara: Minerals are a good choice for sensitive eyes or contact lens wearers. (Myself included.)

• Kiehl’s Marvelous Mineral Mascara, $16.50, is also free of fragrance and parabens.

Blush: A soft dusting of mineral blush (or bronzer) is a quick way to pull your look together.

• CoverGirl TruBlend Microminerals Blush, $11, includes a mini kabuki brush (the oh-so-popular mineral makeup brush) in a spill-proof bottle.

Lipgloss: This can be a tricky category to find, but considering how often we lick our lips, you might think it wise to try a more natural choice.

• The 12 shades of Revlon’s Colorstay Mineral Lipglaze, $9, look amazing and will last you from morning ’til your first sip of coffee at least until noon.

Setting Powder: If you don’t “wear powder” but want a shine-free face, look for this ultra-lightweight finisher to top off your look.

• Youngblood Pressed Mineral Rice Powder, $30, is one of my personal favorites, especially in the summer when I tend to get a bit oilier. I dust it on with a fan brush and don’t worry about looking greasy.

Read more

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Beauty Coach: Bardot-inspired hair

December 21, 2009 at 11:54 am , by Mandy Hendrix

I was recently at the launch of Phyto’s new hair styling products, which were tested by the uber-stylist Andy Lecompte. He’s worked with fabulous ladies as Madonna, Selma Hayek and Penelope Cruz, all of whomsport nearly perfect hair. The simple trick he taught me takes about five minutes and gives me full hair with controlled waves. Andy called it the new Brigitte Bardot—a style that looks appropriate for any occasion.

Five simple steps to Brigitte-worthy hair:

1. On dry hair, use a small squirt of hair cream to coat strands. This helps calm static, frizz and hold the style. I like Neutrogena Triple Moisture Smooth Shine Anti Frizz Cream.
2. Twist hair starting at the nape and pin with a duckbill clip. These ensure that you won’t have any dents in your hair–important when you want a smooth style.
3. Blow dry hair completely until hair is warm to the touch. The heat is what sets waves and creates volume. Keep the clips in until hair is completely cool.
4. Remove clips and fluff hair. You may want to spray with a light working hairspray. My favorite: L’Oreal Elnett.
5. Create a small puff at the top of your head for extra volume. Use a small comb for backcombing (gently, please!) and hairspray to hold in place. Use a bobby pin or two to hold hair.

Photo courtesy lhj.com

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A Kinder Beauty: No Animal Testing Here

December 3, 2009 at 12:50 pm , by Mandy Hendrix

When I was younger, I used to search the beauty aisle for any brand that touted on its label that it didn’t conduct animal testing. Often, there were very few brands that I was able to choose from. Thankfully, we’ve become more conscious of our impact on the Earth and the critters that share it with us.

I was amazed when I did a recent search of “cruelty-free” beauty companies and came up with a long list that ranged from large beauty behemoths like Estee Lauder and Avon to smaller indie brands like Tarte, who recently received the PETA-approved cruelty-free seal. (Guess what? PETA also certifies that a certain number of their products are vegan-friendly, too, meaning they don’t contain any animal-based ingredients or use animal by-products.)

Look for the cute bunny logo with heart-shaped ear, whichs signals brands that don’t test on animals. Good to know: Companies that use this logo have been vetted by PETA as cruelty-free; you may have a favorite brand that hasn’t applied for this status but maintains animal-free testing.

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Soft Skin, No Matter The Season

November 12, 2009 at 6:54 pm , by Mandy Hendrix

Hands up those of us who get drier skin in the winter? You can’t tell, but my hand is up, too. Dull and dry winter skin isn’t  pretty, but luckily I’ve got an arsenal of moisturizers and creams to keep me lubed up. One of my all-time favorites is Jergens Origninal Scent Dry Skin Moisturizer (Cherry almond—yum!), followed by the Shea Butter Deep Conditioning formula.

Now, here’s your chance to tell everyone how perfect Jergens makes your skin feel throughout all seasons. Upload a video at jergens.com, explaining your tricks for fending off the effects of winter’s elements. Why? You could win a $5,000 contract to film “winterless weather forecasts” for jergens.com, a luxury trip to New York City and chance to meet Al Roker, plus $1,000 cash.

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