Celebs Love: Odell Beckham Jr and DJ Khaled Share a Love for the Louis Vuitton x Yayoi Kusama Monogram Painted Dots Cargo Pants

Celebs Love: Odell Beckham Jr and DJ Khaled Share a Love for the Louis Vuitton x Yayoi Kusama Monogram Painted Dots Cargo Pants

by | Mar 23, 2023 | Grooming & Beauty Services



At the top of the year, Louis Vuitton hooked up with Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama for a collection featuring accessories, footwear, and apparel. The playful polka-dotted collab immediately went viral for its fun look and insanely decorative pop-up shops.

Instagram ate every piece up, and celebrities from Jodie Woods to Future have shown their love for the lineup. Some celebs even share an interest in the same pieces.

Back in February, Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr stepped out in the $1,590 monogram painted dots cargo pants. He paired the look with a black hoodie, the Kapital bandana vest, and Maison Mihara Yasuhiro low-top sneakers.

Photo: George Jeff

It’s the kind of cool street look we’ve come to expect from one of the league’s most stylish players. However, he’s not the only one into the contemporary cargos.

Recently, positivity-pushing producer DJ Khaled wore the trousers during a studio session.

Photo: @djkhaled on Instagram

Khaled styled his pair with a Drake merch hoodie and Air Jordan 3 White Cements.

Both looks are centered in streetwear, although they are in no way alike outside of the pants, which brings us to the question of who wore it better.

Photo: Louis Vuitton
Photo: Louis Vuitton






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Review: Garnier Vital Restore Night Cream

Review: Garnier Vital Restore Night Cream

by | Mar 23, 2023 | Grooming & Beauty Services


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A cream that reduces sagging and improves suppleness

Author: Jane Cooper
April 4 2009

Garnier Vital Restore Night Cream

Women of maturing years are always looking out for creams that will help them look younger. I have been testing Vital Restore Night Cream and, from the same range, Vital Restore Beauty Serum, for about 10 days now and may have found the fountain of youth!

Vital Restore beauty serum come in a sassy maroon-coloured 30ml tube with a pump-action dispenser. It has a nice light fragrance, is not greasy and it easily absorbed into my skin, so it is ideal to apply before putting on make up. The claim is that this beauty serum can help reduce the appearance of age spots after 8 weeks of continuous use but I personally do not have any, so I just used it as a moisturiser. However Garnier report that tests that have been carried out on 52 women, of which quite a high percentage agreed that the serum not only reduced the number of age spots, but diminished the intensity and size of the age spots as well.

Garnier Vital Restore Night Cream has the same light fragrance of its daytime partner. It comes in a 50ml maroon coloured tub with a screw top lid, but my preference was the pump dispenser as it is more hygienic. The cream has a thicker texture than the day cream and still absorbed into my skin easily to leave my skin feeling soft and supple. The manufacturers say this cream is designed to “restore the visible signs of ageing such as sagging and loss of firmness after around 4 weeks. Even after being tested on many women, almost all of them agreed the cream made their skin look rested and felt firmer than before”. The active ingredients in these products are “Orchid extract and Soy Bioproteins, designed to combat the effects of collagen and elastin deterioration that comes with age.”

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As I’m a woman in my mid 40’s, I always thought my skin was good for my age even if I have been lazy when it comes to my skincare routine. I must confess I was very sceptical about the likely effects of these products, but I have been impressed. Before using these creams my skin was a little dehydrated, and especially under the eyes I had very fine lines, and my cheeks were a slightly sagging. In the short time that I have been using the Vital Restore serum and night cream, the products have got rid of the fine lines under my eyes, my skin is hydrated and feels plumper, and I’ll even state that it has made me look younger. The words “radiant glow” would not be out of place!

These creams compliment each other perfectly, so go on and take the plunge, you may be pleasantly surprised – I was!

About the Author

Jane is a qualified beauty therapist, and owner of the ‘Tooty Beauty’ salon in the West Midlands.

Jane’s homepage



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MAC Unsung Heroes: Saddle Eyeshadow

MAC Unsung Heroes: Saddle Eyeshadow

by | Mar 23, 2023 | Grooming & Beauty Services


mac saddle eye shadow
Mount up! It’s MAC Saddle…

I’ve loved MAC Saddle eyeshadow for years. It’s one of my favorite MAC neutral shadows of all time!

I know that a few of you gals and dudes who visit MBB also ride horses, so I need to know — does MAC Saddle Eye Shadow in any way remind you of actual saddles? Is this what color saddles are? Because I’ve only ridden a horse once, so I really have no clue.

All I know is I love this color, man, and I’ve been wearing it for years! It’s a — now please don’t run away when I say this — matte orange brown.

Yep, I said orange…but it’s more brown than orange. It’s not obnoxiously orange. The little bit of orange just gives it some warmth.

What’s an unsung makeup hero? For me, it’s an oftentimes underrated makeup morsel, a permanent collection product that scoots under the radar screen of many makeup lovers but regularly rocks my world. The long-running Unsung Heroes series features some of my favorites.

mac saddle swatch
Howdy, pardner. I reckon I’m about a MAC NC42 for refrence, if’n yer inclined to know…

Sometimes I use Saddle to deepen my crease and make my eyes look like they’re set back further in my sockets…

OK, that sounded weirder than it did in my head…but anyway, mattes are useful when you want to make something look more recessed.

You could start with a light brown matte like MAC Soft Brown, Soba or Wedge in the crease first, then add Saddle on top on the part of your crease that you want to look deepest and furthest back.

Feathering it up into the lighter brown you started with also creates a gradient and gives the look a little somethin’-something, a.k.a. complexity.

I’m wearing Saddle and Wedge on my lids and in the crease, Brun and Mulch in the outer corners, Ricepaper to highlight the inner corners and my brows, and Feline Kohl on my water lines.

There are so many matte dark browns out there, and you could use any number of them in this way, but Saddle really is something special. You’ll be blown away by how easy it is to blend, because you know how hard mattes usually are to feather out, right? Saddle blends easily into other matte shadows, which is my hallmark for “what makes a great matte shadow,” and it’s also super easy to blend into other finishes, too, like satins, frosts and sheens.

It’s one of my tried-and-true MAC must-have classic colors, and it delivers across the board — color, performance, all-day wear time, and it’s a good value $$$ because of its versatility.

I love using it with the MAC old-school neutrals, and one of my favorite looks is with Wedge in the crease, Saddle up in there to deepen it, and then Mulch on the lid, Brun in the outer corner, and a highlight of Brule or Ricepaper.

Another look I like is with Soft Brown in the crease and Sable on the lid. Then I add Costa Riche on the water and lash lines (or sometimes I’ll go with a classic black kohl like MAC Feline or Smolder on my water line).

Basically, if your skin tone is NC42 or NW40, or thereabouts in that general vicinity, Saddle is a fantastic all-purpose crease color.

I live for it, love it, and I wear it all the time. Heck, I wore it again today.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen



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Fighting middle-age spread

Fighting middle-age spread

by | Mar 23, 2023 | Grooming & Beauty Services


Featured article

What your waist and your BMI tell you about your health

Author: Doreen Corbey
July 21 2009

woman measuring waist with tape measure

With the influx of food programmes on TV telling us how we should be eating to stay healthy and to slim down, it appears that we have become a nation enthused by weight loss.

If you’ve been watching any of these programmes, you will have heard the term BMI (Body Mass Index), which indicates your recommended weight taking into account your height. Experts have been popularising the term BMI to assess whether you are in your healthy weight zone. If you haven’t already done so, to calculate your BMI, divide your weight in kg by your height in metres, or just look use a BMI Calculator to have it done for you.

Having taking your BMI as a rough guideline, the next thing you have to do in the name of your health is to get out your tape measure. Measure your waist at the narrowest point and your hips at the widest, and divide the waist by the hip measurement.

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For men, the result should be less than 0.95, for women less than 0.8. Some experts recommend waist measurements of less than 31 inches for women and less than 37” for men, but I prefer the waist to hip division as this comes out fairer for the curvier figure.

If you are above the 0.95 or 0.8, or if your waist is more than 34” women or 40” men, you could be putting your life at risk. Extra fat around the waist and within the abdomen is linked to cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Unfortunately, the BMI does not take into account a bulging waistline, which is why measuring yourself is a good habit to get into. You could be a fit athlete bulked up with muscle and very little fat, but as muscle weighs more than fat, your BMI could register you as obese in this case!

Why is waist to hip measurement so important? Fat on the hips is harmless, it just sits there and gives padding. Fat around the middle – a different story. It can lead to heart disease, high blood pressure, Alzheimer’s, diabetes and cancer. We are pre-disposed to deposit fat there. As we reach our 40s, our bodies start to hang onto fat, because it produces oestrogen (in preparation for decreasing levels during menopause) and it’s easier for the body to find the oestrogen if it’s around the middle.

Secondly, stress causes fat to be laid in this same area because when you are stressed, your body thinks you’re in a “fight or flight” situation and you will need energy. It is quicker for the body to source energy from the middle than from your hips. In addition to all this bad news, our metabolism – the rate at which our bodies burn off energy – slows down. As we get older, muscle decreases and is replaced by fat, and the less muscle we have, the lower our metabolism, therefore the fewer calories we need to consume.

However, if you’re still in your 20s, don’t think you’re safe for long – middle age spread can begin in your 30s. The growth hormone somatotropin is our best friend when we’re young. Secreted by the pituitary gland, it helps maintain strong bones and muscles, reduces glucose in the liver and breaks down stored fat.

In our 30s, the production of this hormone starts to decline. With rises in glucose levels, there is increased insulin. Insulin packs excess glucose away as fat to be accessed later and, as there is less breaking down of body fat, the result can lead to visible bulges. Look up the word “somatopause” on the internet and you will find a plethora of articles on the subject.

So, what do you do if you haven’t got the ideal waist to hip measurement? Well, if you have curves, embrace them. In fact, scientists even endorse the good health of having a large behind, and a large bottom equates to large hips. So don’t fret about hip slimming exercises, leave them alone and concentrate on the waist!

Firstly, your diet. What you eat will help, especially if you have discovered that your BMI is also not within the ideal range. Consuming fewer calories will have a fairly fast effect, but may not teach you much about eating for a healthy life, and I would not personally recommend the popular low fat diets.

You could try the Reverse Diet by Tricia Cunningham, or the Low GL Diet by Patrick Holford. Some people recommend fasting every other day if you cannot control your calorie intake, whereas other experts go for the opposite approach and prefer 3 meals a day plus nutritious snacks (nuts not crisps) so that your body doesn’t think it’s going into starvation mode.

Leslie Kenton recommends that you try to eat more of your food raw. If you already eat raw, double the portion. Eat raw at the beginning of each meal. Apart from keeping all their nutrients, raw food has the advantage of making you feel full quicker. Soup enthusiasts similarly recommend soup because of its effect of making you feel full for longer. The mix of solids with liquid passes through the stomach at a constant, slower pace than just solids alone.

One recommendation that may sound obvious is to allocate time to your meal and chew properly. Chewing accounts for a lot of the digestive work. Bolting down your food means that, no matter how healthy it is, the food is not going to be fully digested. Drink plenty of water, aiming for 8 glasses a day as this can raise your metabolism by 30%. Green tea raises your metabolism by 35% (source Marilyn Glenville).

The second thing to do is exercise. Perhaps a dirty word to some but it is essential and regular exercise can also boost your metabolism and stimulate production of the growth hormone somatotropin. Anaerobic exercise is recommended. This is where you do short bursts of power then follow this with steady movements. Stomach exercises are an excellent way to reduce a bulging middle and, reducing your stomach will also reduce your waist.

Lastly, chill. The more stressed you are, the more fat you will lay down, so give yourself some time off. Yes, you could go out for a meal with a friend, but remember you’ll be working it off later. Even if it’s just giving yourself 30 minutes for a bath, relaxing with a face mask or a taking time for a massage; if it reduces your stress levels, it’s good for your waist and your long term health.

Recommended reading:

  • Fat Around the Middle – Marilyn Glenville (easy to read and easy to understand)
  • GL Diet – Patrick Holford (note GL not GI)
  • Ready Set Go! Synergy Fitness for Time-crunched Adults – Phil Campbell
  • The Waistline Plan – Sally Lewis
About the Author

Doreen has had a passion for massage since she was 15 years old. She still has that passion, and offers massage, specialist facials and other beauty treatments in her home-based salon in Surrey. With any energy left over she will devour all the beauty pages of all the magazines she can lay her hands on!

Doreen’s homepage: Bellessence



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From long to short hair – making the transition easy

From long to short hair – making the transition easy

by | Mar 23, 2023 | Grooming & Beauty Services


Featured article

What to think about when changing from a long to a short hairstyle

Author: Cory Willins
November 23 2006

girl with short hair

The decision to go from long to short hair is sometimes done with a lot of thought and sometimes done on a whim. Whatever the reason, it is important to prepare for some transitioning, and to make the correct decisions with regards to your new style. Often a drastically short cut will be too short, and then you will have to wait for your hair to grow out again. To avoid this problem there are a few simple points to consider before going for the cut.

One option is to go to a medium length haircut before deciding to go any shorter. This allows you the chance to get used to shorter and shorter styles, without cutting too short the first time. Often women or men find out that medium length is just what they really wanted – long enough to pull back yet short enough to wear down and in a casual style if they want. For women that are used to the multitude of different looks and styles that can be accomplished with long or medium hair, they may find the shorter style to be a bit restrictive, whereas the medium length still gives lots of options.

If your best feature is your long hair, and that is what you feel good about and have other people recognize you by, is cutting your hair really right for you? The shorter style will be very drastic, and it may attract lots of positive or negative attention. Gradually going shorter will eliminate a lot of the stress of a cut, and allow people to get used to your new style. In addition, wearing your hair up or back for a while before the cut will help you decide if short is the look you are going for, as well as help your coworkers, family and friends adjust.

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Short hair doesn’t have to mean just one style. By learning how to work with short hair you can have several different styles from casual to elegant. Try using some of the new hair fibers, muds, crèmes and other styling products to create new looks with your style. If you are unsure of how to start, try talking to your stylist and having him or her show you a few quick styles.

Your facial shape will also have a big impact on what length of hair looks best. For long faces, short hair can actually square out the face and lessen the appearance of length. Squarer shaped faces are softened and rounded with layering at the sides, but will appear more squarely shaped with the very short cuts. Bobs and blunt cuts look great on oval shaped faces, and depending on the length of the cut, different features can be accentuated. For example, if you wish to draw attention away from your cheeks try keeping the hair longer at the sides of the head, and more textured through the bang area. A professional stylist will be able to advise you on a cut that will suit your features.

Getting a short cut can help you get in style, change your traditional look, or even just do something new. To avoid any regrets, try going shorter in stages, rather than all at once. If you are not sure what you will look like with a shorter style, you can try on wigs that will help you “see” yourself with short hair, or else keep your hair pinned up or pulled back to get used to the idea. If you are getting a short cut just because it looks cute on a friend or a movie star, you may want to reconsider. If you are cutting your hair for you, and you feel that it will suit your face and busy lifestyle, then short is definitely an option.

About the Author

Cory Willins writes articles for the Beauty Biz on beauty, fashion, diet and fitness.

Cory’s homepage



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Review: Antipodes Divine Face Oil

Review: Antipodes Divine Face Oil

by | Mar 22, 2023 | Grooming & Beauty Services


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An excellent intensive moisturizer and 100% natural

Author: Becca Teers
October 4 2007

Divine Face Oil

Facial oils or serums are mainly used as intensive moisturisers, as they are richer and more fully absorbed by the skin than moisturising creams. They can be used once or twice daily after cleansing and toning the skin and can be used instead of a cream moisturiser, or for very dry skin can be used underneath & in addition to a cream moisturiser.

Antipodes’ Divine Face Oil comes packaged in a dark, glass bottle, with an ‘easy to use’ droplet applicator. It is marketed as ‘A gorgeous non-greasy facial oil that penetrates deeply, giving life to tired & stressed skin. Perfect as a base for make-up’. The ingredients in this product are 100% natural and 95% organic.

When testing the product I found that it was a green oil, smelling pleasantly of the avocado, which is the main ingredient. The oil spread easily onto the face and neck and did absorb well; however my skin is fairly oily anyway and I found the product a little too heavy to use in the morning. At night however it was fine, as by the morning the product had totally absorbed into my skin.

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In addition to avocado oil, Divine Face Oil contains the delicate oils of sweet orange and jasmine. Needless to say they are somewhat over-powered by the avocado, but this is a super- nourishing product and as well as using it on the face and neck at night, I have been using it on my dry cuticles and my elbows with great effect

It is a little heavy for my combination type skin in the morning though, and as a base for make-up, its too heavy for me. I would recommend Divine Face Oil to those with dry or dehydrated skin types as an intensive daily moisturiser. The price is fair too, considering it is a 100% pure product.



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