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A lot of celebrities have drastically changed their hair color for different roles, and in some cases the hair can be given credit for the awesomeness of the actresses’ character.  Even if you tend to prefer blondes over brunettes, sometimes one color looks great while the other looks awful, depending on skin tone.

You be the judge with these celebrity images:

• Do you like Scarlett Johansson blonde or brunette?
• Is deep chestnut color too dramatic for natural-ish blonde Katherine Heigl, or do you like her with dark locks? See Katherine Heigl hair pics here to decide for yourself.
• Jessica Beil’s hair is naturally brown, but she has gone from dark to light and back again. Normally she  has some subtle highlights, which looks awesome with her olive skin tone. See Jessica Beil pics here.

Usually people expect blondes to be silly, fun and not so smart (pretty sure Elle Woods proved them all wrong after graduating with honors from Harvard Law) and brunettes to be quiet, brainy, and serious, so if you want to be viewed as more playful to get the guy, or more intellectual to get the job, you could do what the celebs do and change your look to fit the new you. It usually does hold true that blondes naturally get noticed more often, and seem to be much more approachable to timid members of the opposite sex. Maybe this is due to the fact that the blondes are always the nice girls in books and movies, and the brunettes are usually the evil villains. (Have you ever seen a blonde witch?)

On the other hand, Brunettes are usually more exotic, and their dark hair automatically makes them seem more intelligent.  Throw on some thick rimmed glasses, and you instantly look like a smart, sexy librarian.

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If we had it our way, at home pedicure maintenance would be unnecessary as we would gladly sit in that plush pedi chair and be pampered daily with a professional pedicure. The unfortunate reality is that many of us are lucky if we get to the nail salon once a month. If you are guilty of neglecting your tootsies until the polish has shrunk to a little dot on your big toe, here are some easy at home foot care tips from celebrity manicurist  Michelle Saunders that will keep your toes looking freshly painted and dry cracked heels a thing of the past.

Here is what she says:

“The professional pedicure you just had at the salon could last up to two weeks longer with some TLC at home.

If the skin on your feet is callused or dry, the most important thing you could do is use a pumice stone (wet or dry) or a foot file about once a week. That will keep the skin smoother between pedicures, and don’t for get to lotion up! Nightly would be ideal, but if you do it once a week that’s better than nothing.

If your polish loses its luster after three weeks, add a top coat! That will bring the shine back. If you are wearing flip flops or shoes that show your toes, all you have to do is add a little cuticle oil to the cuticles on your toes and voila, the pedicure looks instantly refreshed!”
If you take Michelle’s advice, you can get away with long stretches in between pedicures. It is easy to keep your feet looking and feeling perfect for weeks. With a little scrubbing, moisturizing, and top coating, you will be proud to show off your toes, instead of hiding them in socks and shoes 3 1/2 weeks a month.

Using fabulous pedicure products can make giving yourself an at home pedicure feel luxurious instead of daunting. Some of our favorite products include Alchimie Forever’s Watercress-infused hand and foot treatment. It hydrates without making your feet feel sticky, and the Watercress has a soft scent so you won’t feel like you dipped your feet in melted candy canes. For cuticles we like SpaRitual’s Cuti-Quench because it’s a cream instead of an oil, making it easy to apply throughout the day on your hands too  without making a greasy mess out of everything you touch by coating everything you touch with oil.

“A professional pedicure should last 3-4 weeks but can go 5-6 with proper home care.”–Michelle

ABOUT CELEBRITY MANICURIST MICHELLE SAUNDERS:



Michelle Saunders, Celebrity Manicurist

Based in Los Angeles, Michelle’s manicures and pedicures are regularly seen all over the red carpet and on the covers of your favorite magazines. Her work frequently graces the hands of myriad celebrities including Kim Cattrall, Kate Beckinsale and Eva Longoria Parker.

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The other day my friend was shocked as she opened her brand new mascara and it was the wrong color. But it wasn’t just brown instead of black, it was electric blue! Colored mascara has gotten little pops of attention over the recent years, but they seem to be lighting up the run ways and red carpets more and more these days. There are many ways you can go with colored mascara, ranging from an eye color enhancing hint of pigment to straight day glow lashes. This trend is definitely one that needs to be followed carefully, as there is a very fine line between looking foxy and looking freaky.

If you are thinking of trying a mascara that enhances your eye color, there are a few out there that look black at first glance, but when they are hit by sunlight, you can see the hint of purple, green, or blue. They claim to make your natural eye color more vibrant using a contrasting color to your iris.

For green eyes, purple is a good choice to make eyes pop, as it has a red base, which is green’s complementary color. If you have blue eyes, a mascara with a hint of gold or amber will turn your eyes from dull to dazzling, as yellow is the opposite of blue. If your eyes are brown, then you are in luck, because you can get away with any color, (besides maybe white or bright yellow) but those colors don’t really go with any complexion.

One trick makeup artists use is to apply a coat of regular black or brown mascara, and then add a color to only the tips of your lashes. This way, your eyes are still well defined, and the look is not as severe.

If you are feeling daring and want to try some florescent hues, then just make sure you do it with a purpose. Colored mascara with no other makeup, stringy hair and a sweat shirt is never a good look. People will think you just stepped out of the loony bin. Instead, dress up and wear it to a party, where crazy makeup is expected, like Rhianna. In my opinion, the eye color that looks really fantastic in bright blue or green is brown eyes, like these beautiful brown eyes, and all other eye colors look best in purple.

After deciding to take the plunge, it’s time to decide on one of the many brands out there offering multi-hued mascaras. This best mascara blog has reviewed some of the most popular, expensive, and affordable, so you can narrow down your options before you hit the stores.

Here’s a handy step by step guide:

Sean James step one

Step one: Start with freshly washed, towel dried hair.

Sean James step 2

Step Two:  Spray RUSK thick throughout the roots of the hair.

Sean James step 3

Step three: Section the hair and blow-dry straight and full.

Sean James step 4

Step four: Wind vertical sections around the thickness of the curling iron, away from the face, meeting in the middle.

Sean James step 5

Step five:  Tilt the head over and shake out the hair with your hands.

Sean James step 6

Step six: Lift head upright and stretch out the curl with a RUSK speedfreak blow-dryer on low heat.

Sean James step 7

Step seven: Direct your ends to sit in a complimentary place, put some makeup on, and smile.

This is a fun and flirty look that can most anyone can accomplish with the right tools and products. It is easy and mistake proof, but still leaves the wearer feeling fit for the front cover of Vogue.

ABOUT SEAN JAMES:

Sean is a Los Angeles-based celebrity hair stylist. His work can be seen on the runways of Paris, New York and LA and red carpets everywhere. Celeb clients include Jaime Pressly and Emily Blunt.