Hollywood stars inspire

The stars were understandably hesitant when asked what good deeds they did this year. But eventually, they relented and graciously answered. We hope their thoughts inspire you, dear readers, to also “do the right thing” in 2014 and in all the years to come.

Emma Thompson

I tend to feel [the way] Oscar Wilde felt. He said, “I forgot that every little action of the common day makes or unmakes character.” So it’s how you behave toward every person you encounter, every day—that’s what makes who you are.

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It’s no good being nice to some people and then unpleasant to the man who’s going to park your car or the woman who’s going to do your nails. That just doesn’t wash because then you’re making a hierarchy of human beings instead of saying, “I am you and you are me.” Once you realize that, there is no good deed because you’re treating everyone the same. It makes you innately kind unless you’re very cruel to yourself—in which case you’ll be cruel to everybody else. God knows we see that in all professions.

Giving back—I hear people saying that a lot. It’s good to engage, I suppose. Giving back is being engaged all the time and being curious, speaking out when you witness injustice. Doing a good deed requires courage. Sometimes you don’t want to say it because you feel embarrassed to say to somebody, “I don’t want to listen to that. I don’t want to hear you speaking like that about homosexuals, black people.” It’s uncomfortable to challenge people, especially at a dinner or something.

Liam Hemsworth

My dad worked in Child Protection and Human Services my whole life. My brothers and I are ambassadors for the Australian Childhood Foundation, which protects kids and helps those who have been abused or could be abused. It’s about educating families in neighborhoods and schools about how serious child abuse is.

I am from a great family, with parents who are so supportive and loving. I had a safe home where I felt comfortable. I was able to dream big and had the support to live out those dreams. I strongly believe in helping children so they grow up in safe environments where they are able to dream big, too. The home is where it begins, where people’s morals and respect for others are nurtured.

Woody Harrelson

Good deeds—that’s an interesting thing because we live in this world where emotionality is muted or constrained. I used to be so much more gregarious when I was younger and maybe less famous. When I was anonymous, I would be so much more open. Anyway, one of the coolest good deeds, which doesn’t require much energy, is a smile. Haven’t you [experienced] that when you are walking and someone smiles at you? The smile just really gives you a lift.

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I have this nonwood paper company (Prairie Paper Ventures) going. It’s really been my dream for a long time. More people are coming into it—like this gentleman, Tom Kartsotis, the creator of Fossil. I thought it was a really good deed—how he believed in this company. He was the first guy to really get behind it. Around half the trees cut in this world are cut for paper products…like three billion trees cut a year (around 65,000 trees to make the Sunday New York Times alone). So a good deed would be to stop making paper out of trees. I noticed that I managed to promote, as well as answer that question (laughs).

Josh Hutcherson

Giving back is really about perspective. When you step back and look at your own life and then you look at somebody else who’s in a less fortunate situation, it’s crazy to not want to lend a hand in some way. Giving back can mean anything; it depends on the person.

I don’t think material things are what I want to focus on when giving back. It’s more about a new way of thinking, trying to give somebody confidence or a voice to be themselves. If you can find a way to be comfortable and confident with yourself, then you can be happy any time. The way I have chosen to go about that is to work with an organization that my friend and I started, Straight But Not Narrow. It’s a gay/lesbian/bisexual/transsexual/straight allied organization.

We are a group of straight people who try and bridge the gap between the gay and straight communities. We set up gay/straight alliances in high schools and open dialogue between kids on Twitter and Facebook, get the conversation going about being open about who you are and being comfortable with being yourself.

Jennifer Lawrence

I’m giving back to my family and my brothers, in particular. I remember when I first signed on to “The Hunger Games.” I gave back to my parents for giving up their entire lives so that I could do this (acting) but my brothers were also a huge part of that. They were actually the ones who convinced my parents to let that happen.

My brothers lost parents for a couple of years (to be with me) until I was 17, 18 and out on my own. And my parents moved back to our home. My brothers gave up their mom and dad for a little bit to help me. Lately, I’ve been focusing on giving back to my brothers in certain ways. And also to my friends, who put up with me.

Colin Farrell

A good deed could be a certain amount of inactivity, like not actively trying to make other people’s lives a nightmare—trying not to cause people pain, not to judge harshly, not to say cruel things.

My mother was a homemaker. My dad worked very hard to make sure that we had what we needed. He’s retired. The many hours that he used to work when I was growing up are a thing of the past. But it’s certainly lovely to be in a position where, if any of my family needs a little assistance, I can for sure be able to help out. That’s one of the greatest things about this fame nonsense, celebrity and all, which comes as a result of being in films.

Simon Baker

It’s not something that I dwell on. I don’t think about it like, wow, that was a good thing I just did. I work with a few different charities. Most of the time, the reality of that is, generally, the problem that most charities have is funding. So most of the time, it’s writing a check or something like that.

Mending Kids International is a charity that my wife connected us to. There are charities that are personal to you and then there are charities that you can help. But most of the time, the things that are more personal to me, as a parent or as a husband, and less to me as a celebrity, like Mending Kids International—it’s not something that I like to talk about in a massive way.

Mending Kids International is a charity that takes kids who are in developing countries and need major medical procedures and surgeries. They are brought over to the United States and they stay with families. They have these operations and then they recover under the care of host families. We have friends who hosted four or five kids for sometimes up to six months at a time. My wife and I have discussed what an impact it has had, not only on the kids who had surgeries but also on the host families. We have been involved with that and the impact on our families has been great.

Christian Bale

Doing something good is when it’s desperately inconvenient to you—that’s when it’s good. If it’s convenient to you, it’s not really that good.

I can’t help mentioning it. I landed at 4 o’clock this morning and I saw the news about this Batkid, this little Miles Cross [who is in remission from leukemia and was granted his wish to be a superhero for a day] in San Francisco and the Make-A-Wish Foundation…what an incredible thing that people got together with that…what a wonderful thing to create that for this little boy.

How To Winterize Your Skin Care Routine

When it's snowing in the Middle East, you know that it's gotten really, really cold. And what happens when temperatures take a nose dive? So do your skin's moisture levels. But frigid weather is only part of the problem. Long, hot showers, sweltering offices, and harsh soaps are also to blame. Luckily, dry skin can often be alleviated by winter-proofing your skin care routine. Here's a few ways to start.

Exfoliate. It sounds counterintuitive, but gently scrubbing (and we mean very gently) will actually help your lotions and creams work better. As your skin dries out, your dead skin cells stop shedding, keeping moisturizer from fully sinking in. Rev up the process by using a mild exfoliant, like a jojoba-bead scrub or a cleanser with fruit enzymes. I'm a big fan of Aveeno Positively Ageless Resurfacing Scrub .

Upgrade your moisturizer. Many of us need richer face and body creams during the winter. When shopping around, look for the ingredients like glycerin or sorbitol. These are humectants that help pull moisture from the air into your skin. Everyone in the office is obsessed with Clinique Moisture Surge Intense Skin Fortifying Hydrator for night. For your day cream, remember that you still need an SPF to protect from UV rays (not only are they cancer-causing, they can prevent skin from holding onto moisturizer). We like Eucerin Daily Protection Face Lotion SPF 30 .

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Get it on in the shower. Or at least right afterwards. Studies have shown that applying body lotion in the three minute window right after you shower is best. (Otherwise, moisture starts to disappear from your skin before you can lock it in with lotion.) I keep a bottle of Eau Thermale Avène Cold Cream Nourishing Body Lotion on my sink, so that I can spread it on my arms and legs after lightly patting down with a towel (that way my skin is damp, but not dripping).

Beware of your water bottle. Believe it or not, it can actually contribute to dry, chapped lips. Here's how: When you take a swig from a water bottle, you're often left with droplets on your mouth. When these molecules evaporate, they take moisture from your lips with them. You don't have to go thirsty though. Swiping on a lip balm or ointment (like Aquaphor ) throughout the day will help. So will buying a box of drinking straws.

Invest in a humidifier. They'll replace precious moisture in the air (heating systems tend to suck up every last drop of it). The small, tabletop models are ideal for single rooms and small apartments--just be sure to fill them with cold water to prevent bacteria from growing inside. Try Crane's Penguin EE-865. It was ranked highest among tabletop models by Consumer Reports and retails at only $40. Plus, it's the cutest humidifier I've ever seen.

Dior Homme Is the Latest Men’s Label to Make Pre-Collections a Priority

Dior can smell a trend in the offing. The label’s artistic director for menswear, Kris Van Assche—as well as, presumably, his corporate bosses—sensed the growing importance of pre-collections for menswear and have begun to treat them with the pomp and circumstance formerly accorded to Fall and Spring. “At the start, a few seasons ago, these pre-collections were basically pre-deliveries of the main collections,” Van Assche told. “But now, with their strong commercial success, I understood the need for four independent, freestanding collections a year. We have now started calling these in-between collections Spring and Autumn, and the show collections Summer and Winter. These independent pre-collections tell a whole new story, away from the runway. I chose to present them to the press through catalogs, videos, and installations, like the one we had in Omotesando, Japan, in November, for the Spring collection.”

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The story Van Assche set out to tell for Autumn—what other labels call Pre-Fall—is about an art student from Antwerp or Berlin. (Van Assche is Belgian himself and graduated, in his student days, from Antwerp’s Royal Academy of Fine Arts.) His wardrobe mixes the tailored pieces Dior Homme is famous for with more of the youth-inflected sportswear that’s a particular Van Assche fascination—sometimes in the same garment. (Blazer sleeves can be narrowed or expanded by zippers like those found on biker jackets, for example.) “His wardrobe is composed of various pieces bought on different occasions,” he says, “A blazer, a leather biker jacket, a bright red duffle coat, some knits, the typical ‘art student’ narrow black jeans, and, of course, black combat boots.”

There’s a new graphicism to some of the items, from printed suits to printed shirts, the latter of which owe a debt to the graphics of new wave (“which the art student would obviously be listening to”). But the main innovation of the collection is that, fittingly to its more commercial bent, it was conceived as separate, sales-friendly pieces. “The newest thing for me as a design concept,” Van Assche said, “was to think not in total looks but in strong separate pieces, and then make them work as an outfit.”

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The truth about dark circles

Most of us blame dark circles on lack of sleep, exhaustion or staring at the computer screen for hours. But the truth goes deeper than those dark pools you've tried so hard to fight.

Experts and studies have linked dark circles to graver problems like anemia, liver disease and dehydration. Dr. Satish Mehta, Ophthalmologist from Moolchand Eye Clinic gives us an insight into the darker reasons of dark circles.

First, let's understand how dark circles appear. We have tiny blood vessels, which are like a web under the skin. But these capillaries are so fine that the red blood cells queue up to pass through; in the process some of them leak in the surrounding area. Enzymes are produced during the cleaning up session. The breaking down of these red blood cells leaves them black and blue. The reason why this is so visible is that the skin around the eyes is the thinnest.

Common reasons for dark circle:

Aging - The skin under the eyes is thin and delicate to begin with. As we grow older, skin around the eyes becomes thinner making blood vessels more prominent, causing dark circles.

Genetics - Hereditary and genetics can also play a big role in the development and dominance of dark circles around the eyes.

Nutritional deficiency - Dark circle around the eyes can be due to poor nutrition. A healthy and nutritious diet filled with vitamins like A, C, K, E and nutrients can help to get rid of dark circles.

Sleep deprivation and tiredness - A lack of sleep or excessive tiredness results in pale skin, making blood under the skin become more visible and appear more blue or darker.

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Smoking and drinking - Late night parties, smoking and drinking can play havoc with your skin and result in dark eye circles. Dark eye circles could be a sign of loss of water from the body (dehydration) due to excessive drinking and intake of caffeinated drinks.

Sun exposure - Increased exposure to the sun can draw pigmentation of the skin's surface and create dark circles. Long sun exposure produces more melanin around eyes than usual, giving them a darker color. There are two main layers of skin, the outer layer of skin known as epidermis and inner layer known as dermis. When excess melanin is being made in the epidermis it appears brown, and when there is more than usual melanin in the dermis it looks blue or blue grey.

Hormonal changes - In women, the skin undergoes lots of changes during the phase of pregnancy and menstruation, causing darkening under the eyes.

Allergies - Any condition that causes the eyes to itch may contribute to darker circles due to rubbing or scratching the skin around them. Apart from that, some food allergies can also cause the area under the eyes to appear darker. In fact, dark circles in children often indicate allergy problems.

Research also suggests that dark circles are linked to anemia, and liver diseases.

Dark circles and anemia - Iron deficiency is one of the most common causes of inexplicable dark circles in many cases, which can be treated by making simple changes in your diet. Low iron levels is the most common form of anemia, and results in poor oxygenation in body tissues due to low supply of oxygenated blood. Thus, always take a balanced diet rich in green leafy vegetable, dairy products and all types of fruits to keep your body healthy.

Dark circles and dehydration - Dehydration is one of the most common reasons for dark circles under the eyes. The reason is the close proximity to the skin underneath the eye in relation to the underlying bone. When the body does not have a proper amount of water, the symptoms are often evident in this specific area. Thus it is advisable to have at least 8-10 glasses of water and include fresh fruit daily. It is also advisable to restrict the intake of caffeinated drinks such as tea, coffee, alcohol and other caffeinated drinks as it aggravates dehydration.

Dark circles and liver disease - Dark circles also indicate liver dysfunction due to various liver ailments. An example of such a liver ailment is hepatitis.

What I learned from online makeup tutorials

Ah, Jane, what a flatterer you are. For you to imagine I possess in-depth knowledge about makeup is very sweet indeed, especially as you have the evidence of my pasty-faced byline photo to suggest the contrary.

Of late, my inability to apply lipstick without resembling the clown from Stephen King's It has begun to bother me. Not as much as my inability to iron bothers certain people in my life, but a hell of a lot more than my inability to iron bothers me. So I decided to remedy the problem because, dammit, it's annoying not being able to do something that looks like a lot of fun. To the internet!

But my determination to master le maquillage has resulted in me developing a dark addiction. I really don't know what to say. I've never had any addiction problems before. I'm just not the type, you know? But this stuff – damn, it got me good. And now I find myself up at 1am, reaching out and croaking: "Just … one … more… hit!"

I am, of course, talking about online beauty videos. I love them. I watch them, hypnotised, as women (it is largely women) fiddle-faddle about with brushes as they stare into the lens and say things such as: "Then, you just flick your eyeliner – like that!" They may as well be saying: "And then you kick one leg behind your head and effortlessly do a split – like that!" But nonetheless, I find these videos inspiring, fascinating and sometimes even helpful. So after a year's immersion in beauty videos and tentative experimentation, I shall share what I have learned and what even those of us without opposable thumbs can manage.

First, I really love Sali Hughes' videos for the Guardian and her beauty blog. Yes, I know I've mentioned these before and, yes, I know she works for this paper, but hey, what can I say? She's just really good and trustworthy and I've never had a duff recommendation from her.

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Charlotte Tilbury is made from a different cast to Hughes. Where Hughes is plain speaking, Tilbury is all fabulous-fabulous Ibiza hyperbole, where everyone is "gorgeous" and everything is "amazing" and looking like a movie star is everybody's aim. In the same way that I love reading Vogue, I love watching Tilbury's videos because while she may be over the top, her makeup tips are easy to follow and useful.

Hadley's makeup tips

Those of us who cannot be faffed with foundation and are scared of looking like a dowager countess should use a tinted moisturiser and the best around is by Laura Mercier. There are loads of under-eye concealers that are far better than the overrated Touche Eclat by YSL, which makes people look faintly deranged in photos. My personal favourites are Touche Veloutée by By Terry and Radiant Creamy Concealer by Nars. If you want to make an extra effort, smear Smashbox's Photo Finish Foundation Primer all over your face, which will make your skin look airbrushed and helps when you come to blend in the concealer.

Before you start on your eye makeup, slick some Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion on your lids (a Hughes tip) as that will stop your eyeshadow and liner creasing up underneath your eyebrows. Once that has dried, you can whack on the colour and the easiest way to do that is with Tilbury's brilliant Eyeshadow Pencils. You just scribble them on your lids like a crayon and they stay on for – I speak from scruffy experience here – 24 hours. They are even colour-coded so you know which to get, but don't feel restricted. My eyes are brown but my favourites are Champagne Diamonds (such a Tilbury name), which is for blue eyes, and I scrawl in a V shape on the inner corner of my eyes to make them look a bit brighter (a Tilbury trick), and Black Diamonds, which will make you look like Kate Moss at her 30th birthday. Bobbi Brown's Shimmer Brick is lovely for a more subtle dust of sparkle, as are Bourjois' always reliable eyeshadows. By Terry's eye pencils are so soft and rich even I can use them (recommended by India Knight in the Sunday Times, proving I don't have a Guardian bias) and they will make you look like a sooty-eyed demoiselle. Before putting on mascara, clamp your eyelash curlers as close to the eyelash roots as possible and pump them as this gives a bigger curl than just holding the curlers down (a Tilbury trick). My mascara choice is Estee Lauder's Double Wear Mascara, which is so resistant to smudging I suspect it was actually made by Nasa. I personally find cream blushers easier to use than powder ones, plus they tend to stay on longer, and Bobbi Brown makes the prettiest and longest lasting ones. Finally, for lips, I'm sure lipliner is great but I personally cannot be bothered and recommend Revlon's Lip Butter lipstick, which is a total bargain.

No, most of these products aren't budget but I promise they're easy to use and they will last you absolute yonks. They also make makeup what it should be, fun and confidence-boosting, as opposed to how it so often seems: an impenetrable world of expensive pointlessness.

Fashion fetish: Liberace's outfits

What is the eternal fascination with frocks of the rich and famous? I ask myself that as I trawl auction house sales devoted to the stuff. Example: today, bids close on christies for a rhinestone-encrusted suit created for Liberace in 1978, identical to one worn for his first major television special, Leapin' Lizards, It's Liberace!

It's just one lot in a Christies' online-only auction devoted to "Pop Culture", juxtaposing Lee Liberace's suit with the oddest of ephemera: an Andy Warhol-signed Campbell's soup can (an actual can, not the artist's famed impressions of), a spoon bearing John Lennon and Yoko Ono's signature, and original Sex Pistols concert posters.

But fashion – or, rather, clothing – makes up a surprising number of the lots, from Tommy Cooper's fez to stage costumes worn by Britney Spears, Lady Gaga and Freddie Mercury.

What is it that's so compelling about famous people's old clothes? Or famous people's old tat, generally?

Auctions of the accoutrements of Elizabeth Taylor and the Duchess of Windsor fetch astronomical amounts, as did the old clobber donated to a Kensington charity shop by David and Victoria Beckham, snapped up by unscrupulous customers and flogged for five or six times the original price on eBay. The estimate on the Liberace suit is a conservative couple of grand – Gene Kelly's grey wool suit, worn while whirling around a lamppost in 1952's Singin' in the Rain, will be auctioned in Dallas on Friday and is expected to rake in more than $20,000 (£12,190).

Those prices are presumably commanded by an abstract assumption that, by some kind of sartorial osmosis, the garments have been imbued with the essence of wearers past. It's kind of justified. After all, nothing gets closer to you than your clothing – at least, nothing you can legally sell.

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The pull of the exhibition Isabella Blow: Fashion Galore!, currently on show at London's Somerset House, is that almost every garment was worn by the famed fashion editor herself. They're pock-marked with fag burns and food stains to prove it. The curators talked about the overpowering smell of Blow's signature fragrance, Robert Piguet's Fracas, that emanated from the garments as they handled them, like a manifestation of Blow's continual presence through cloth.

This is all very fetishistic – in the original, anthropological meaning of the word. That is, the attribution of "magical" powers to an inanimate object, like a tribal talisman, rather than any sexy stuff.

I would argue that there are two kinds of collectors that stalk these auction house sales. Both are motivated by fetishes. One kind is drawn by that aura of celebrity – the idea of living vicariously through another person's belongs, large or small. It's the association that matters, rather than the item itself.

The other people – such as myself – couldn't really give a damn who wore it, nor when. The obsession (and yes, it is obsessive) is focused on the object itself. That ties back to fetish, the magical power of the object, although the power is derived from the physical object itself, rather than its past owners.

That's a hefty load of intellectual cant to justify my lust for a Liberace suit – a suit that, honestly, I would like to wear. I'm not sure where, or when, but I wouldn't be keeping it in the box. It's like the other "formerly owned by" item already hanging in my wardrobe, an outré, gilt and crystal-encrusted sweater formerly owned by Lyn Revson, the late wife of Revlon magnate Charles Revson, from Christian Lacroix's spring/summer 1992 haute couture. That's a great back-story, sure. But ultimately, it's the sweater itself that got me sweating.

Look younger, without going under the knife

Refresh your appearance without resorting to surgical procedures. Make a few lifestyle changes to shave off the years.

A recent study suggests that the number of cosmetic procedures opted for, have risen to about 44 percent in the last few years. The study goes on to say that people who undergo such procedures may experience a morale and confidence boost but may also go through certain repercussions later, especially if they're unhappy with how the surgery went. So why would you want to go through something that might not potentially give you any secure results?

Dr Jaishree Sharad, a dermatologist placed in Mumbai, says, "If the surgery goes wrong, you have to go under the knife again to correct it. That could lead to more disfigurements. Secondly, there is a chance of scarring and it could change the way you look, not necessarily for the better."

Beauty

A few simple beauty regimes and you can completely transform your look and shed off a few years

How you style your hair radically affects the way you look. Go for cuts and styles that suit the shape of your face. Also, choose hair colour with care.

Needless to say, eating healthy is imperative.

Know your body type and dress accordingly. Certain clothes are best avoided while some flatter your body type.

Alternatives to cosmetic surgeries

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"People can avoid surgeries these days and can opt for non invasive procedures in which you don't have to go under the knife and bear with anesthesia trauma. Dermal fillers can do wonders for people who are scared of surgeries. In a matter of an hour or so, one can treat wrinkles, reduce the scars caused by acne, increase the volume around the cheeks and regain the lost radiance in the skin" says Dr. S.S. Trasi, Dermatologist from Mumbai.

Mind

There are a few simple rules one can follow to feel completely revitalised and fresh.

Puffy eyes, a bad attitude and headache, can all be avoided with enough sleep. Seven hours should do to keep you energised.

"Stick to your daily dose of calcium and proteins and see how starkly it affects your whole appearance." advises dietician Priya Rohra .

Meditation can help in getting that elusive peace of mind.

Healthy ways to look young

Use Vitamin-C serum once a day.

Sleep about 8 hours a day.

Avoid smoking, alcohol, aerated drinks and junk food.

Eat healthy. Include coloured fruits and vegetables that contain antioxidants, in your diet.

Drink at least 2 litres of water to keep yourself hydrated.

Exercise for an hour at least 5 days a week.

Get fruit peels done once a month.

Body

Exercising regularly not only improves our appearance, it has also been proven to nurture a positive attitude, leading to a better frame of mind.

Stand and sit with your back erect. Good posture equals a better body.

Wear body slimmers. This 'magic innerwear' makes you look toned, doing wonders for your confidence.

Jogging, swimming, lightweights are all extremely beneficial, and go a long way in not just giving you a good figure but helping you maintain it as well.

The Bizarre Reason Scarlett Johannson Was Disqualified For A Golden Globe Nod

Let me preface the forthcoming body-positive rant with two important caveats: Hollywood is obsessed with traditional archetypes of beauty, and Scarlett Johanssen is almost a living study in what Hollywood finds attractive. I know this. You know this. The internet knows this. Now let’s take that in stride, and move on to said rant: Scarlett’s latest movie, Her, has been making waves with the critics, and has been spotted as a potential Oscar candidate. In case you haven’t seen the recently-released Spike Jonze film, it centers on a man, played by Joaquin Phoenix, who is in love with his computer’s voice, brought to life by Johanssen’s smoky alto. It examines our relationship with artificially-smart technology in a touching way, often flip-flopping between despair and euphoria at the possibility of true artificial intelligence in the near future.

It seems fitting, then, that the normative, oppressive hand of the Golden Globes would disqualify Scarlett as a candidate for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. Clearly, awards organizations need to forbid non-male voiceover actors, whose plight was thoughtfully examined by Lake Bell in In a World earlier this year, from winning anything. How could Seth McFarlane possibly craft a song about seeing their boobs if they do not appear on camera. Oh the horror.

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Allow me to temper my disillusionment by saying that, as In a World pointed out, voice acting is fraught with its own gender expectations and heteronormative problems. Scarlett’s voice, like the rest of her, is very traditionally bombshell (not to disparage her for any of this, since I think she seems like a lovely person), so we aren’t out of the sexist woods yet. However, the fact that the Golden Globes’ controlling organization feels that a voice performance that shows nuance and range does not qualify as “acting” is simply ridiculous, as are any accusations that her role counts as “half a performance.”

I realize that acting also involves a range of physical and non-verbal factors, and that we wouldn’t have film without the ability of silent actors who used these to convey a message. However, Hollywood and its worshippers has gotten out of control in its objectification of women it finds beautiful, and its mockery of those it doesn’t. Why else would we have a plethora of articles about the weight loss plans and post-baby bodies of the stars. Powerful plus-sized actors like Gabourey Sidibe and Queen Latifah have shown us that size does not determine your ability to give a powerful performance.

Now that the Golden Globes have shown their penchant for terrible decisions, it’s time for the other awards to step up and allow Scarlett Johannson to participate. Maybe one day we can even let actors portraying female astronauts wear head-to-toe jumpsuits on camera.

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Expert tips to deal with excessive sweating

Do you sweat a lot? Excessive sweating or hyperhidrosis is a common problem faced by many individuals and can be quite distressing. It is commonly seen in palms, armpits and soles. But this condition is treatable. Dr Shefali Trasi Nerurkar ,a skin specialist, tells us more.

First things first, sweating is necessary to help keep one’s body temperature steady especially in conditions like hot weather, fever, workouts, etc. In hyperhidrosis, a person sweats more than normal even when they aren’t feeling hot.

In order to treat this condition, one needs to know which type of hyperhidrosis they suffer from. It can be classified into 3 types:

Primary (idiopathic) focal hyperhidrosis

The word idiopathic means of unknown cause. In this type, sweating occurs in one or more focal places such as both palms, both soles, both armpits, face, scalp, etc. This happens as the sweat glands in these areas are overactive than others. Both men and women can be affected by it and the severity can vary from time to time. The sweating can aggravate by triggers such as heat, anxiety, spicy food, etc but sometimes no obvious cause triggers sweating. This type is more common than the rest.

Secondary focal hyperhidrosis

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This type is quite uncommon. Here, the sweating occurs in a particular area like one palm, one armpit, etc and the likely causes are known. For example, a spinal disease or injury can cause sweating in one leg.

Generalised hyperhidrosis

In this type, one sweats more than the normal levels but there is overall sweating and not just at one or two areas. This is less common than primary focal hyperhidrosis and is mainly caused by an underlying medical condition. These can be side-effects of certain medicines, hormonal problems like an overactive thyroid gland, infections, certain cancers, anxiety disorders, etc. The actual cause will have to be diagnosed before it can be treated.

Tips to curb excessive sweating

Start using an anti-bacterial soap containing triclosan which will help prevent infection in that area.

Try to avoid common triggers of sweat like eating spicy food, going out in the heat, etc.

If your armpits are your problem areas, use antiperspirants regularly and avoid wearing clothes made of synthetic fibres like nylon, etc. You can also use sweat shields that absorb sweat and prevent sweat marks to show up on your dress.

If you have sweaty feet, wear fresh socks every day, or even change them twice a day if required. Also, use an anti-fungal foot powder which can absorb the sweat. Closed shoes are less breathable and can lead to a stink so wear open sandals. If your work demands wearing closed footwear, alternate them every day to allow them to dry completely.

A more extreme solution for excessive sweating is using an antiperspirant that contains aluminium chloride which blocks the openings of sweat ducts. Though these work best in the armpits, they also work on soles and palms. Apply it at night as the glands are less active that time and clean the area with soap when bathing. Do not shave the area for up to 24 hours before or after using it or on broken/inflamed skin. Even after the condition improves, apply it weekly once to keep blocking the sweat glands.

If your problem still persists, visit a skin specialist who can analyse the problem and suggest medications or treatments to rectify it.

Lady Gaga Shows Some Skin In A Sheer Dress In NYC

Lady Gaga is busy these days! Not only is she promoting her latest album, Art Pop, but she also appeared on Saturday Night Live on Nov. 16 in NYC. While heading to rehearsals the star showed off one jaw-dropping look after another — but nothing was quite like the sheer Versace number she rocked on Nov. 15. It doesn’t even surprise us anymore when Gaga wears an abnormal outfit…BUT this one had us shaking our heads! What do you guys think of Gaga’s NYC look?

Lady Gaga’s Sheer Dress In NYC:

The star chose an Atelier Versace strapless black cocktail dress that featured a sheer, wraparound panel that was lined with silver. A pair of pumps, from the Versace S/S 2014 collection, finished off the ensemble, as she also rocked black gloves.

The 27-year-old turned the sidewalk into her own personal runway in the form-fitting frock — and we couldn’t take our eyes off the flesh-colored cutouts! As to avoid a wardrobe malfunction, the star’s nude underwear was totally visible in the silhouette. The flesh-colored panel exposed Gaga’s stomach and butt and was lined in silver sparkles. Now that’s one way to make a statement.

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Honestly, this is not one of Gaga’s best looks — although had she worn it to a red carpet event and styled it differently we might have said otherwise! This look was just a little too much for a day out in NYC. Sure, we get that she likes to make a statement and create ‘art’ through fashion, however, she did not accomplish that with this look. The sultry dress doesn’t look as amazing as it is on this occasion.

Aside from the fact that she wore the dress during the day, we don’t love the way she accessorized the ensemble. From the gloves to the hat, the whole thing was more costume-like than chic. There’s just too much going on. Had she rocked the dress on a red carpet with a sleek ‘do, we probably would’ve loved the look. What do you think?

Feast On This: Organic Avenue’s Fall Menu

With the social blitz of the holidays almost upon us, it’s an apropos time to think about purifying your diet. But if you’d rather not cleanse—or exist on fumes and liquids alone—Organic Avenue’s new autumnal food menu is an appealing alternative. Made from wholesome, local, and seasonal ingredients, the raw dishes are loaded with beneficial nutrients to help detox the body and aid digestion, but thankfully, not at the expense of taste or food-y pleasure. After munching my way through the new arrivals, a few palette-boosting winners emerged: the Roasted Squash and Beet Salad is a generous portion of beta-carotene-rich (and deliciously sweet) kabocha squash along with roasted shallots and earthy fennel. It made for a surprisingly hearty meal that sustained me through the afternoon without sugary, hunger-spiking candy. The side of Roasted Brussels Sprouts was cooked to perfection (not to firm or falling apart) and packed with skin-brightening vitamins C and antioxidants for a burst of energy later in the day. But I could write a love letter to the Japanese Sweet Potatoes: they were delicately whipped and flavored with fermented chickpea miso, chives to boost circulation and Nigella seeds to eliminate toxins. Afterward, I felt entirely satiated but without an ounce of heaviness. For someone who has never been much of a whiz in the kitchen, O.A.’s menu was a vast improvement over take-out or Seamless delivery, and opened my eyes to flavors I didn’t know existed. It’s a holiday temptation worth giving into.

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Lady Gaga's Glamour December 2013 Cover Sparks Photoshop Debate at Women of the Year Awards

Lady Gaga loves a bold statement, and the singer made several of them last night at Glamour’s Women of the Year Awards. From a double-take-inducing ensemble to an impassioned speech on the evils of Photoshop, Gaga took the event as an occasion to reiterate why, exactly, she loves to bend the confines of fashion, and in doing so, encouraged viewers to remember why imperfection is so darn important.

The performer arrived at the awards ceremony outfitted in a pearl-emblazoned Thom Browne skirt suit, white gloves and towering custom-designed platform sandals, but her hair and makeup was the real shocker of the look. With a teased, powdered, white-blond wig, white eyeliner, and lurid spots of blush on her cheeks, Gaga could easily have been mistaken for an extra in Amadeus. While onstage accepting her Woman of the Year award, Gaga said “I don’t even look like this”. We’re glad she admitted it.

One of the stranger moments of Gaga’s acceptance speech, however, was her decision to criticize Glamour for Photoshopping her December cover and the corresponding photo spread, reminding viewers that she values peculiarity over perfection. Gaga took the award ceremony as an opportunity to reiterate her famous “Born This Way” credo in reference to the December issue, saying “I do not look like this when I wake up in the morning.” In addition to a seemingly slenderized nose and a more angular frame in the article’s accompanying photos, Gaga said “I felt my skin looked too perfect. I felt my hair looked too soft.”

Airbrushing is certainly a hot button issue for fashion publications and readers alike, and Gaga’s statements are in keeping with her trailblazing, chameleon-like approach to fashion. To date, Gaga’s most visually conventional beauty look appeared in her early work including music videos for 2008 dance hits “Poker Face” and “Just Dance”, in which she dons a pin straight blond hairdo, heavy black eyeliner, and thick lashes. The look hearkens back to ’90s pop princesses from Baby Spice to Britney Spears, whose appearances were meant to look sleek, perfect, and soft in an attempt to sell albums. Gaga’s ode to the ordinary was short lived, and she returned to rejecting style standards at every possible opportunity.

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After the The Fame achieved notoriety, Gaga immediately dove into more challenging material both musically and stylistically, including “Bad Romance” and “Telephone,” and effectively ditched any associations she may have had to a traditional pop icon image. Gaga took the advent of fame to encourage her Little Monsters to both celebrate their innate beauty and express it, instead of viewing their individuality as a misfortune. Gaga has since run the gamut with her fashion choices, utilizing her stardom to experiment with avant-garde couture looks and technologically advanced designs. Recent winners include a mustache and fur coat ensemble in Berlin and a black, textured Philip Treacy hat which looks like it obstructs vision in addition to sunlight. From the looks of it, the only style statement Gaga isn’t willing to embrace is conformity.

Gaga’s problem with the Glamour cover, therefore, has less to do with conventional beauty and more to do with the fashion industry’s means of imposing conformity. Gaga once again illuminates the disparity between magazines who claim to celebrate unique style, and their digital enhancement of even the most prolific tastemakers to fit an ideal of beauty. The one consistent message we can glean from Gaga’s many manifestations is that style has no single definition, and as such, we should “fight back against the forces that say you have to be beautiful,” especially when beautiful means erasing imperfections. Glamour’s transgression, it seems, was attempting to refine the image of a woman who pledges allegiance to her outré and individualistic style, flaws and all.

Turquoise Bridesmaid Dresses Add Romantic Touches to Your Wedding

For years, girls don’t stop to seek for dresses that seem rather simple, but sophisticated. These desires are certainly recognized by fashion elites. They remove complicated accessories away from those blue and green gowns for bridesmaids. The big impact aroused by turquoise bridesmaid dresses is exactly convincing evidence for this. Turquoise bridesmaid dresses are favored by lots of modern girls because it is perfect for a lovely cool wedding.

Today extremely simple styles are shown by turquoise bridesmaid gowns. You can choose empire waist, sweetheart or one shoulder they will definitely hold sway over tendencies on the neckline patterns. These dresses are usually made to be tea-length to ideally match with the princess-like sense on the bride. Like them or not, they always make females incredibly glamorous and of course add aristocratic and romantic spices to your wearers' overall appearances!

Since the turquoise is ideally matched with the blue sky and the blue sea. It’s perfect to have a beach wedding which is obviously very romantic. And we have some general suggestions for your perfect wedding: you should select a turquoise bridesmaid dress that has an illusion neckline because it is perfect to provide some sheer coverage and to wear for weddings taking place during a candle light ceremony. For another suggestion is to select an A-line silhouette to ensure a complementary fit on nearly every member of your female bridal party and allow them to choose their own neck line based on their individual style and needs. Then about the hairstyle, if your wedding hairstyles for bridesmaids are long, loose, and flowing, then the turquoise bridesmaid dresses should be embellished with layers of ruffles to complement this hairstyle.

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Another occasion, if you are holding a beach wedding, here are the detailed suggestions: the pockets in turquoise bridesmaid dresses will keep the look casual and carefree, perfect for a simple beach wedding at an all-inclusive resort. And you should select chiffon bridesmaid dresses which will move in the ocean’s breeze or a turquoise dress that has a contrasting print, turquoise and pink or turquoise and white are two color combinations that will enhance beach turquoise wedding decorations and create unique designs throughout the dress. And not to forget about the accessories like coral jewelry that makes the ocean blue color pop because turquoise dresses will complement grey beach wedding suits.

Blush for tanned skin

I’M an Indian girl with tanned skin. I love using blushers but after applying, it disappears within an hour. Is there a way to make it last longer? Which blush colour or tone is suitable for my skin colour? I also have oily eyelids.

My whole face tends to be pretty oily generally, but my eyelids are the worst! I sometimes feel I can’t wear any eyeshadow or eyeliner because they will just slide right off or smudge. It gets into my eyes and causes a stinging sensation, because the oil (I think) gets into them. Is there any solution for this problem? – Suzana

It important to choose the right blusher colours for your skin. Each person should have at least two shades to pick from, a peach and a pink, says Joyce Lee, chief make-up artist for Estee Lauder. This way you have a colour to choose from regardless of the look you are going for.

For tanned skin, choose colours from mauve to plum, or rose to deep oranges. Choosing a shade that’s too light will make your skin appear washed out and pale.

And then, you need to get a blusher that will last through the day. Powder is typically the best for oily and combo skin. Cream is great for dry skin. Liquid and gel are great for oily skin. For better results, combine cream and powder together.

To apply a long wearing blush, use a liquid gel blusher and dap onto cheeks with your fingers with Estee Lauder Pure Color Cheek Rush. Apply powder blush, Pure Color Blush, on top of the liquid gel blusher. If you’ve gone a bit heavy on the powder blush, brushing Lucidity Translucent Loose Powder lightly over it will calm it down.

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For those with extremely oily eyelids, these steps will help reduce smudging.

At Estee Lauder, we have a technique called “Simple Smudge”. Prep your eyelids by using Estee Lauder’s Double Wear concealer on your eyelids. Next, use a setting powder which will help your eyeshadow to last.

Apply Estee Lauder Double Wear eyeliner that lasts up to eight hours. Smudge the liner using the smudger, and then apply your eyeshadow. Avoid using cream eyeshadows. Use the Double Wear Gel Eyeliner on top of the pencil liner. And then, set your eyeliner by applying a powder eyeshadow in a similar colour on top of your eyeliner.

Don’t worry about having oily eyelids. Think about it, when the skin stops producing oil, it becomes dry and dehydrated, and that’s when wrinkles start to creep in!

I’M 54 and have dark patches around my cheeks. Also, how do I get rid of eyebags? I noticed that my laugh lines are getting longer and deeper. I have tried some products but so far they haven’t yielded any results. – Deel

According to La Prairie trainer Rebecca Ong, dark patches, skin pigmentation, sun and age spots are due to increased pigment at the bottom layer of the skin.

Skin pigmentation may be induced by hormones, such as birth-control pills and estrogen therapies, or triggered by UV light. Other causes could be skin inflammation, acne marks and certain types of medication. which can make the skin become sun sensitive.

Whilst dark patches are worrying, firming and conditioning the skin are also important. Cleanse twice a day with a hydrating face wash, exfoliate three times a week and use sunscreen with SPF protection daily. Use La Prairie White Caviar Illuminating Système collection which will treat the dark patches, and enhance skin firming and promote skin hydration.

La Prairie White Caviar collection uses advance formulas for treating pigmentation without bleaching agents or harsh ingredients that irritate the skin. Using the system together helps control discoloration before, during and after pigmentation sets in, as the formula works to reduce tyrosinase, the enzyme responsible for melanin production. This results in less clustering of melanin, a more even skin texture and lightened dark patches.

The White Caviar collection contains high caviar extract, antioxidants and anti-wrinkle peptides that can help reduce the depth of laugh lines. Start with White Caviar Illuminating Clarifying Lotion day and night. This pre-treatment lotion helps to condition, clarify, gently exfoliate and prepare the skin for the brightening process. Golden caviar and edelweiss extracts help to lift, firm and refresh the skin.

Follow up with White Caviar Spot Treatment two times a day, applied only on the dark patches. This formula contains the highest level of brighteners developed to focus on stubborn spots and prevents new spots from forming.

Lastly, use White Caviar Illuminating Serum and White Caviar Illuminating Cream day and night. The formula has licorice extract, vitamin C and high antioxidants that will help interrupt melanin production, lift and firm with nutritious golden caviar extract and anti-wrinkle peptides. Apply La Prairie Sun Protection Emulsion Face SPF 30 during the day for protection and prevent moisture loss.

Eyebags are common sign of ageing as the skin membrane tends to break down. It could also be fluid retention under the eyes. Use White Caviar Illuminating Eye Serum and Eye Cream after cleansing. The brightening and other anti-ageing effects will be seen on the deeper and outer layer of the skin on the eye areas. Enhanced blood circulation will give you firmer and smoother skin texture around the eyes.

Michael Kors Holiday 2013 Campaign

The Michael Kors holiday 2013 campaign shot in New York by talented photographer Mario Testino is based on the idea that the holiday season is the best season of all. With that in mind, the renowned designer created a series of looks that would be modern yet festive: "When I was designing holiday, I kept thinking about how can you have it all. I love the idea of this rock-and-roll, denim and diamonds Christmas. It’s cozy but glamorous—the perfect combination for the holidays."

For the new Michael Kors holiday 2013 ads, the luxury brand enlisted the help of models Corey Baptiste, Ji Hye Park, Julia Frauche, Karmen Pedaru, Lais Ribeiro, Simon Nessman and Victor Nylander, to create the perfect holiday party atmosphere and unveil the potential of the gorgeous pieces. A single glance at the new set of ads is enough to prove that the pieces are versatile indeed, something that can't usually be said about most holiday offerings.

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Among the cool pieces from the new Michael Kors campaign for holiday 2013 are tank tops, gorgeous metallic pants and jeans, fluffy jackets, animal printed dresses and jumpsuits and sparkly tops. The pieces are combined simply yet cleverly to create an effortlessly cool allure every single time. Though the looks seem fairly simple, the accessories add a special, luxurious touch. Practical handbags, eye-catching bracelets, classy rings, modern classy watches and many more make these cool looks inspirational and memorable.

Taking a few style cues from the new campaign is definitely helpful if you're looking for modern outfit ideas to make a statement without sacrificing completely functionality. Modern, cozy, glamorous and sexy is usually a rare style combination but is one that instantly impresses when all done right, so the new ads definitely fit the criteria.

Private No More: Giancarlo Giammetti on Life With Valentino, Elizabeth Taylor’s Expensive Taste, and Lauren Hutton’s Tantrums

Many of fashion’s great performers have benefited from great showrunners—those unsung partners who protect and guide from offstage. The line you hear about Giancarlo Giammetti, then, is that he allows Valentino to be Valentino. What that means exactly can be hard to explain. Suffice it to say that what began as a mutual attraction turned into one of the most fruitful collaborations the fashion world has ever seen. In helping to build up the legendary label, Giammetti also laid the groundwork for the industry as it is today. His relationship with his partner is as moving as it is complicated—or so it appears in Valentino: The Last Emperor, the acclaimed documentary that ushered Valentino vividly back into the spotlight in 2008, at a time when the pair behind the famous name might have retreated into relative (but impossibly opulent) obscurity. Now, with Private: Giancarlo Giammetti, Giammetti offers another peek into the Valentino world. Published by Assouline, the twelve-pound tome is a compendium of reflections and photos, nearly all of them snapped by Giammetti himself, of the long, enviable life he’s led—one that has contained so many royals, Hollywood idols, and pharaonic fashion types that it more or less functions as an illustrated social history of the latter half of the twentieth century. Giammetti spoke about fashion then and now, the glamorous “tribe” with which he’s always traveled, and the “diva fits” he’s come to take in stride.

In his foreword to the book, Valentino writes that he learned some things about you that he did not know before. Is that even possible?

It’s true. Everybody has secrets, no? It was easier to tell them to the book than to him! He would have reacted, probably. At least the book was silent.

The Last Emperor made your life public in a way that it never had been before. Could you have done this book without that movie?

No.

You’d always guarded your privacy. Tell me about how the movie changed that.

The movie was a surprise. The first time we went to see it, we came out of the room so shocked that I called the lawyers. I felt so violated. I expected a documentary about fashion, the beautiful girls, the runways, the parties. I didn’t expect to feel so naked.

But eventually you came around.

We got eight minutes of standing ovation in Venice, and everybody started to say how great it was to see a different aspect of our lives. I remember that Matt [Tyrnauer, the director] said, “This is not a movie about the rich and famous. This is about love, and the end of an era.” And it seems that people were attracted to this. Also it helped people—I’m talking about gay people, probably—to see there are people that can build a relationship and a life together.

How did this book come about, then?

There was this enormous collection of photos I did all my life, and my diaries. The pictures were glued in albums, so three or four years ago I called an archiving company that specialized in this kind of thing—the same one that did all the Vatican’s documents. I started to look at these pictures inside my computer, and I had an offer from Assouline already, so I said, “Why not?” We went from 57,000 archived [images] to 500 or 600.

Drama, or mini-drama, seems to be a recurring fact of life. You write about Lauren Hutton throwing a “diva fit,” and mention the “tantrums” of Naomi Campbell. How have you learned to deal with it?

Fashion is full of drama people, and [you see that] some problems are more important than others. If Naomi wants to go out first and not second, you let her do it, because it’s not worth it, and because despite being a difficult character she is a great person and an amazing friend. Lauren’s tantrum made me more upset because it was in the middle of an event. But yes, I have quite a tough skin now.

In one sense—as romantic partners—you and Valentino broke up in 1972. In another sense, you never did. It’s an unorthodox business arrangement. Did you ever have any doubts it would work?

Of course it’s never easy. But I am somebody who hates to lose track of people that are important to me—the construction of this “tribe” is because of that. And don’t forget, we [had been] in business for twelve years. You don’t leave everything [behind] just because something doesn’t work anymore.

Valentino is sometimes considered the first house really to embrace celebrities. Was that plan or accident?

A bit of both. It’s interesting to see people who are successful, and even then it was important to have them wearing your clothes in front of a camera. I remember in ’61 Elizabeth Taylor was in Rome for Cleopatra and went to an opening of Spartacus, the movie with Kirk Douglas. She wore this pleated white chiffon Valentino dress with ostrich at the end, and it was in every paper. The day after, she came to the fashion house and wanted seven outfits. She said, “Oh, you have so much publicity with me today—I deserves this, this, this, this.” In a certain way she was like an animal, she wanted things, and when she wanted something, she’d use any means.

Did you give her all the dresses she asked for?

Of course. And they were the most expensive [ones]. I remember one in embroidered velvet with a sable collar. She chose that first, of course. But she was also an amazing woman. Anyway, we understood that this was a good way to promote the brand, and it was fascinating to be sitting with Elizabeth Taylor.

Is it harder to work with celebrities now?

Very much so. In the beginning, Valentino was really the person involved. You had Elizabeth Taylor or Jackie Kennedy coming to your office and choosing the dress. You’d discuss, and fight or not fight. But now stylists decide which dresses will be in the room. The most famous dress for Valentino, for example, is the Julia Roberts [the vintage Valentino she wore to the Academy Awards in 2001]—and we didn’t know anything about it. It was there in a room with twenty-five other dresses from twenty-five designers. She went out in another dress and her niece, Emma, said, “I don’t like this dress—why don’t you wear the Valentino?” And she changed at the last moment. It was a huge success, and I absolutely thank Julia. But it was not something personal.

Despite all that, you and Valentino still have personal relationships with lots of celebrities.

But it has nothing to do with wearing our clothes, thank God. We had an accident with Anne Hathaway during the Oscars—she didn’t wear a dress that we made with a lot of care and love. But it doesn’t mean that she is not one of our best friends.

This book is very much about the dolce vita. There is a section in there about work, but it isn’t exactly represented in images.

Fashion is not people playing with dolls, you know? It’s a very tough business, very competitive. And wherever there’s competition there’s a lot of pressure and anxiety and sleepless nights. If there were pictures [of this], I wouldn’t mind publishing them. But there are no photos.

Yves Saint Laurent versus Valentino is considered one of the great rivalries, but you’ve said that Valentino did not feel personally that competitive toward other designers. Was it more of a rivalry between you and Pierre Bergé, then?

No, it was more of a complex of Mr. Bergé. I think Yves Saint Laurent is an amazing designer—there was nothing to say. It was not a real rivalry for me. I don’t have the greatest admiration for Mr. Bergé. I don’t think the way that he handled the relationship with Yves was right. And even now, I don’t like what is happening to that company. The cancellation of Yves in the name, I thought it was really something horrible.

You write that there is no training for the job you’ve done. But nowadays people get trained for every job, don’t you think?

The difference is that I was doing it by myself. Today five or six people would do this job together. And it was dictated by feelings. I was also owning the company, so there was the ambition to make it bigger, not just to save my chair or title. It was a different moment, suddenly not just couture anymore. You had dresses on racks, publicity, advertising, magazines—so many things.

And fashion did not have the cachet it has now, when everyone wants to be in the business.

I remember just to get an accountant in Rome in the sixties, you couldn’t get a man. They were ashamed to work for a designer! And today we could have the president of United Airlines come in and work for any fashion company. There is an appeal in fashion today that is amazing. There is also a lot of money involved. I don’t think that the business has the same salaries [anymore].

If the fashion business has gotten more glamorous, some people would say that you and Valentino are, to an extent, responsible.

I don’t know if the money was my fault! But the cachet we brought to life.

Is this book the last time you’ll share so much of your memories and archives publicly?

I don’t know. Maybe there will be another book with less pictures and more text—something that you can take to bed.

Sounds like a memoir.

Why not?

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Vogue's Designer Halloween Masks Costume Up New York's High Society

When Vogue deigns to participate in the Halloween rituals, everybody else just looks bad. Suddenly our hilariously ironic costumes and extravagant manicures seem immature, cheap, and overdone, and we realize that real grownups celebrate Halloween as though they were selecting a fine wine: They want something subtle, nuanced, and insanely expensive.

Instead of doing anything as predictable as “dressing up” in “costumes,” Vogue asked designers to compose Halloween masks — the world’s most alluring prop for disguising one’s identity — and then asked their favorite New Yorkers to model the results. Words cannot describe the beauty. Toni Garn in a golden Philip Treacy mask. Tabitha Simmons in Dolce & Gabbana. We’re pouring gasoline on our “Sexy Kale Salad” costumes and lighting them on fire.

Just look at Grace Coddington and her blazing red witch hair beneath that Steven Jones “Fashion Pussycat” mask (above) — who needs a broomstick when you’re embodying the Platonic ideal of black magic? Vogue debuted a few more shots on their Instagram, causing us to weep tears of awe and envy:

Here’s model Jessica Hart in a Langley Fox mask. There’s something about the sparkle and the sexy cat-eye shape that tricks you into thinking this mask is pretty, almost childish — until you notice the skulls and crossbones adorning the rest.

These fraternal, genderless twins look straight out of a futuristic horror film; you know, the type of world where humans are so perfect, they’re terrifying. Lanvin designed, Kelly Connor and Chelsea Zalopany of Vogue modeled; the pale, oversized shapes conjure up images of human balloons, as though the girls might float off at any minute, horribly attached to those glamorous fake heads.

Gym wear for 3013? Model Hilary Rhoda wears a mask designed by Nike, which was inspired by the Air Jordan 13 basketball, which was in turn inspired by Jordan’s nickname, “Black Cat.” If she and Grace Coddington wore these masks to the same party, the world would explode.

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Connie Britton Talks Low-Key Beauty—and That Time She Got a Perm

Big curls, shimmery eyes, sequined everything: It doesn't get any more high-maintenance than Rayna James, the country music star Connie Britton plays on Nashville. It's not surprising that when the cameras are off, the actress is decidedly less flashy. "I'm low maintenance," says Britton, a new spokeswoman for Pond's. She gave us a glimpse of her "quick and easy" beauty routine and her must-have products—and told us about her biggest beauty mistake.

How is your approach to beauty different than Rayna James's?

"Rayna's way more high maintenance. When I'm doing my own personal care, I like to keep it simple. As an actress, I spend so much time in the hair and makeup chair, and Rayna does that, too. Particularly in Nashville, there's a very specific look. People are very done. It's all so time-consuming. If I don't have to spend hours dealing with makeup, I'm happy."

What's your skin-care routine?

"People have told me to use certain creams and serums, and that's not my style. I'm quick and easy. I've made it a lifelong study: How can I pare this down to the briefest but most effective routine? I like to keep the ingredients simple and try to use something that will really work for everything. Of course, SPF is so important, and that's an absolute no matter what. I remember when the first products started coming out that had SPF in them and they'd give some coverage, too, and I was like, What an idea! Now, we've really mastered that."

What's the one product you reach for before you run out the door?

"If there's one thing, it's usually something that will even out my skin tone, like Pond's Luminous Finish BB+. Or I'll throw on bronzer and mascara and think, OK, I can do this. I'm OK to go out in the world."

What's the best trick you've picked up from a makeup artist on set?

"Moisture, moisture, moisture. My makeup artist on Nashville is all about that. She is constantly wanting to moisturize my skin, and it's also about drinking water all day. The more moisture we have in our skin, the brighter it will look, and wrinkles won't show as much."

Any beauty regrets?

"I recently ran into a picture of myself in high school and I had a perm. That was hilarious. Especially considering how much hair I have. It was so unnecessary! I will never do it again."

So how did you decide to partner with Pond's?

"I was really impressed with Pond's as a whole. I love how historic the brand is, and it has a lot of authenticity and integrity. I was blown away by their Luminous Finish BB+ cream, and was like, 'Let's do it!' I love to wittle down the number of products I use as much as possible, particularly now that I'm a mom. I like having something thing I can use right after the shower that gives a flawless finish and has SPF. I can put it on and get out the door."

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Halloween Makeup Idea: Pretty, Sparkly Fish

My favorite part of Halloween isn’t necessarily dressing up—it’s being able to play with all the crazy makeup that I love, but never have the chance to use. And that’s actually how I came up with this year’s costume. After finding a collection of iridescent sequins stashed under my desk and a hair gel that makes your hair look like rubber, an idea popped into my mind—I could be a fish! Random, yes, but when I started looking around online, I realized it could be very, very cool. I knew I needed some help coming up with a look, so I called MAC makeup artist Gina Bettelli. To give her an sense of what I was thinking, I sent her inspiration shots as diverse as makeup from the couture runways to the CoverGirl Captiol Collection ad campaign. Together, we came up with a plan, picking the colors, the features we wanted to focus on, and the fact I wanted to look beautiful rather than like the creature from the black lagoon. When we got together, she put together a makeup look that went above and beyond what even I could imagine. It looks complicated, but Bettelli helped break the process down into easy steps. Check it out by clicking here, then read below for some of her great tips for creating costume makeup look like this.

Never skip foundation. “It keeps everything looking pretty and clean,” explains Bettelli. Also, always rim your eyes in black, especially when wearing crazy colors. Not only does it make the colors stand out even more, it does the same for your eyes.

Always lay down a cream first. “You need something for powder shadows or loose pigments to stick to,” she says.

Easy does it on the glitter. When looking through the inspiration pictures I sent, Bettelli pointed out the difference between the ones we really liked and the ones that were only so-so. “The ones that are a little crazy looking have glitter all over the face,” she said. “It looks prettier if you only use glitter in small doses.”

Get the right tools. Applying sequins and crystals requires a steady hand and a lot of patience, especially if you’re using tweezers. Bettelli has an easier method: Pick up the iridescent flakes with a waxy brow grooming stick (she used the MAC Brow Finisher), or anything waxy like a crayon. Oh, and dot the glue on your skin first. Bettelli used the end of a makeup brush to apply the perfectly sized dollop.

Stand back. The most important thing about this type of makeup is making things symmetrical, which you can only really do by stepping away from the mirror a bit.

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Lauren Conrad on Closets, Contouring, and Her Cute Halloween Costume

For those of us who came of age rooting for her on Laguna Beach and The Hills, it can be easy to forget that Lauren Conrad isn't actually our real-life best friend, which is exactly what happened last week when I saw her engagement announcement on Instagram and squealed with excitement. I caught up with the busier-than-ever designer to talk beauty, fashion, and Halloween—and yes, she's just as nice as you imagine.

You've recently partnered with Downy and California Closets to help women fall back in love with their closets. What's your best tip for having an organized closet? "The trick is regularly cleaning it out. A couple months ago when I moved, I found all these great things I hadn’t worn in years. If you're someone who loves clothes, it’s difficult to part with them. I associate my clothes with memories, so if it’s a dress I wore on a great night out, I don’t want to get rid of it even though I'll never wear it again. But whenever I'm unsure about items, I put them away in a suitcase. The rule is if you don’t open the suitcase after 6 months to a year, put everything into a bag and donate it."

What pieces do you always gravitate toward, whether you're designing for your line or pulling from your closet? "I love dresses. They're the most fun to wear, and the easiest, because you're not dealing with separates—you just add shoes and a bag and you're done. I always gravitate toward lighter tones, softer silhouettes, a more romantic palette. I'll mix it up with black leather so it's more seasonal and weather-appropriate, but I just tend to love prettier things."

Signature fragrance? "Right now, I've been wearing Chanel Chance—the one in the pink bottle."

Heels or flats? "I'm more of a flats person. I love heels, but when I'm bouncing around to different appointments all day, they just make things too difficult."

Favorite lipstick? "I know it's a faux pas, but I usually end up mixing a few to match whatever color I'm wearing. Bite and Stila make great ones."

Skin-care routine? "I find that the more products I use, the more issues I have, so I rotate every night between a mild wash and a light scrub. I use Egyptian Magic on my skin morning and night. Once a week, I do a light peel, like HydroPeptide."

What's always in your bag? "A light powder and red lipstick."

Any game-changing tricks you learned from your makeup artist or hairstylist? "[The Beauty Department's] Amy Nadine taught me how to contour, which made all the difference, and Kristin Ess taught me how to perfectly curl my hair. It sounds so simple, but for most of my friends, when they're struggling with their hair, it's with a simple wave or curl. I usually curl mine away from my face."

What are you going to be for Halloween? "My costume for this weekend is the tooth fairy—I'm basically like a giant ball of tulle. I'm trying to figure out what to do for my hair, since the tulle is knotted at the shoulders and puffed out, so probably a really messy, tousled updo."

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Sienna Miller Says She's Over Her "It Girl" Style , Plus 5 More Surprising Celeb Quotes on Fashion

It’s the end of an “It Girl” era. Sienna Miller has unofficially resigned as one of our favorite style icons, confessing in a recent interview to Elle that she is kind of over fashion.

It was Miller’s rise to fashion fame that made her dislike it so much: “The way I dressed became so imitated that I kind of fell out of love with it.”

Perhaps it’s just a dark style period in her life. Miller is hopeful that she’ll fall back in love with clothes again, but as of now, her focus lies elsewhere: Her new baby. “It’s pretty hard to be a new mother and think about fashion, but I hope I’ll get my style mojo back one of these days,” she said.

Miller’s quote admittedly caught us pretty off-guard — and so did these other celebrity quotes on style.

1. “I am who I am. I can’t pretend to be somebody who makes $25,000 a year.” —Gwyneth Paltrow

Oh, Gwyneth. Just when you’ve almost convinced us that you’re kind of like us, with your obsession with cheese and your love for Beyonce, you go and say something like this. And although it is severely obnoxious, she’s just being honest. No one with a $25K salary can afford her $79 socks or the $2,000 basic white dress goop teamed up with Stella McCartney to make.

2. Christian Louboutin wishes “That everybody could afford my shoes.”

In AnOther’s Proust questionnaire with Christian Louboutin, the world renowned shoemaker revealed that if he could wish one change in the world it would be that everybody could afford his shoes. Thanks, Christian. Now, make it happen.

3. “Golf is a sport for white men dressed like black pimps.” —Tiger Woods

Gasp…? OK, maybe you’re not totally surprised by what Tiger Woods has to say anymore, but this particular thought on fashion comes a little unexpected. We don’t know if Ben Hogan or Arnold Palmer would agree with this statement.

4. “When I come home I actually take off all my clothes, and I wear no clothes until I leave. I eat naked. I do everything completely naked.” —Tom Ford

Everyone may be rocking Tom Ford, but the fashion designer himself might actually be rocking nothing at all. In an 2011 interview with Interview, the man famous for designing beautiful tailored suits and shirts revealed that he preferred being in the nude rather than dressed in any kind of clothing at all.

5. “I feel like every girl is trying to have a beauty shot and prove that they’re ‘fashion.’ But I can be in white leggings and a white sports bra and I’m on a whole other level of shit that those girls don’t even get yet because they don’t know how to do it.” —Miley Cyrus

In a recent interview with Harper’s Bazaar, Miley Cyrus really laid out her thoughts on her personal style, confirming that she is nowhere near close to lacking in confidence.

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Summer '14 trend: Maxi dresses and jumpsuits

With Indian designers rapidly moving towards the pret side of the business, smaller, homegrown brands finally stand vindicated on what they've been saying for a while - the discerning Indian woman consumer wants to spend on western wear but often finds herself out of options. Vidhi, Director/ Designer at B: Kind chats with us about creating options for this market, the trends for the upcoming season and where she seeks her inspiration from.

How long did you study the Indian market before coming out with your brand?

I have been researching for the longest time and I always wanted to launch a brand in India looking at the dearth of western wear fashion brands since as a country, we are still dominated by the ethnic wear segment. Formal research took us about six months before we launched with our store in 2010.

The idea was to create a brand of clothing which is stylish and affordable. We spend our time creating brand presence among Indian women who are interested in western wear.

How frequently do you come out with a collection?

We come out with two main seasons - summer and winter festive. We also try and bring out two smaller seasons in between.

Where do you seek inspiration from?

Major part of the inspiration definitely comes from travelling across the globe. Besides I guess looking at women in everyday clothing is the best form of inspiration since it helps you study, "what women are comfortable in most" since that is our end motto as well, comfortable clothes for women in all age groups.

For the current season, what is your mood board like?

Summer 2014 is what we are working on currently. There are a lot of pastel shades. Prints will be our signature in "mix and match" styles. Comfortable silhouettes are definitely the need of the hour.

What trends do you foresee for the coming season?

Summer 2014 is all about comfortable clothing, maxi dresses and jumpsuits.

Shah Rukh Khan talks about balance, belief and hashtags

Just a few days back my friends at the dnapaper called upon me to write a monthly column for their newspaper. A Common perception about actors is that they are incompetent at everything other than acting (and some are supposedly incompetent at that too). We aren’t exactly meant to have other interests (well, except of the controversial kind) but as it happens, I do. I like to write.

Of late I have spent time on twitter like we all do and on the internet in general. The combined pressure of 140 alphabet limit and reading new words like ‘Twerking’ (described aptly by someone on the net as ‘masquerading an ass seizure as dancing’), has made me believe that I could contribute to the all round well being of the society with my writings also. What actually convinced me was, that if Hashtags # (a sign we earlier used for cuss words), can convey emotions, then my words on paper can also seem like pearls of wisdom and its about time my smart, genius side became public. So I decided to grab the axe and hack my foot myself by entering into 12 such potentially earth shattering observations of the world around me.

I have thus come up with the “brilliant” and “original” idea of writing about the 12 Sun Signs. But wait...This isn’t your usual weekly or daily astro prediction column. That is best left to Mr. Bejan Daruwala, Marjorie Orr or Linda Goodman. I just think it’s a good place to start. 12 Columns, 12 Sun Signs, 12 traits I can write about. So I will pick the traits of these 12 Sun Signs and choose one that stands out the most then I’ll write around it. I’ll write my personal experience, my point of view or just something I see happening around me. Confused. Ok, read on.

This month we begin with Libra.

Librans are known for balance and harmony. The word balance tends to convey stillness, but oddly I look at balance as something that we need in life to keep things moving. It’s something that we all have to do...everyone from a tightrope walker to an accountant requires balance. An accountant has to balance debit with credit, while a star has to balance a public life with a private life. Most people have to balance lies and truth, or right and wrong. In my years of experience, one of the most intriguing balances I have had to find is that between Science and Superstition.

In India we are intrinsically tied to Superstition. It’s a natural nuance of our lives. I am a science student (over 90 percent in Electronics if I may add). This does not mean that I can open up a piece of electronic equipment and put it back together again. On that front I am like everybody else in the world: left holding one little ‘gizmoic’ part of the equipment, scratching my head, wondering, “where was this supposed to fit?” but more about this in another column.

Being of a scientific bent of mind, I always take the scientific course of action. If a part of my body is disintegrating or broke, I am more than willing to change it at the hands of an expert, namely a Surgeon. I have had eight such removals and implants done over the course of 20 years.

Thankfully, so far, no surgeon has come to me post operation and quizzed, “Eh, SRK I have this little piece of green spleen left-over from last night’s procedure, can you tell me if it belongs to you or then it could be bed number 42’s.”

So I am a believer of science and its many benefits. Having said that, I would still not go for a bungee jump or do a skydive on Friday the 13th. Hashtag # Just Saying.

Some years ago I was faced with the balancing act of weighing my scientific bent against superstition. One evening I got to know my spine had a prolapsed disc and I had to go under the knife. It’s a big surgery. It’s considered equivalent to a brain surgery (from which I might just have benefitted more!) because it involves the spinal cord.

As it happens, it also proved to be one of the grandest acts of equanimity I ended up engaging in.

Everybody began to foretell doom. They listed all that could go wrong. They said I could be paralysed or rendered voiceless. Thoughts raced in my own head as well. The doctors advised surgery as soon as possible.

I was as scared as anyone might be at the thought of their spine being tampered with so I gave a year to those who said they could cure my prolapse through the prolapse of medical science.

Let me make it clear that I am not trying to undermine people’s beliefs or superstitions. Different things work for different people. If you believe in something then it works for you. A recent study has proved that people who believe in superstition get the job done better than those who don’t, so who are we to question the world of the unknown and its unkown-ness.

To me it was just intriguing that there was such a wonderful variety of cures and treatments on offer for a serious injury like mine.

My family and friends all suggested different treatments ranging from acupuncture to oil made from the sting of a scorpion. I am proud to tell you that because of the deep desire to keep the ‘BALANCE’ (in caps because that’s the topic) of things unperturbed I tried most of them.

What follows is an account of some of my escapades and misadventures up to the final day of surgery. These are excerpts from my yet unpublished book and as you will read, you will realise there is no stretching or exaggeration of factual happenings. The names of the protagonists have been changed to maintain their privacy and mainly to prevent them from suing or physically assaulting me in the near future.

……The doctor that I went to for, what I will call ‘pin therapy’ is a wonderful doctor. He’s among the leading doctors for this therapy in the world. He also spoke three words of Hindi taught to him by other Indian clients (obviously he didn’t know the meaning of those words, otherwise he would never use them, unless abusing your mom and sister was a part of his therapy).

The thought of him sticking needles in my neck was scary. But I need not have worried. He didn’t want to put needles in my neck, instead he wanted to stick them in my private parts to fix my neck!

As you can imagine it was an extremely hurtful prospect. I was shaken to the core of my being (not to mention, below it).

He was from the Far East and we didn’t understand each other well. He kept repeating, “Take off your clothes, take off your clothes”. So, I took off my shirt, but it didn’t seem to suffice. He continued his chant regardless: ‘take off your clothes.”

Soon I was lying naked on his table and he had these big, big pins in his hands. The rest is too graphic to describe. It was the most humiliating and painful experience of my life.

Ordeal over, I came back marred by blue welts. The only thing that had changed was that now the pain was between my legs and not in my neck. I can tell you it distracted me enough to make me forget my original complaint. Though once I recovered from the onslaught of the pin-pricks, my neck pain resurfaced with a vengeance.

Now and then I think of the good doctor and my upbringing tugs at my conscience. I never thanked him. Maybe I should have sent him a note…in Hindi…just the three words that he had been taught!

……The ‘Energy Experts’ meanwhile, had decided that the reason for my cervical disc prolapse was the direction in which I slept.

So the position of my bed had to be changed. Change is good. Novelty is invigorating; it’s the spice of life. I like change. There were a few problems that came up though. My plasma TV was affixed to the wall keeping in mind the original position of my bed. Taking out those brackets from the wall would have meant re-building it. So the TV stayed where it was and the only way to can watch it was to somehow stand on my head. My bedside lamp shed its light on my bathroom slippers instead of the book that I read in bed. The bathroom door ended up where the TV should have been. Though I must admit, the six episodes of the slightly swaying bathroom door, seemed more interesting than some of the stuff we are subjected to on the idiot box.

The headrest hung inexplicably in mid air without a bed to support it. If I could levitate 10 inches off the ground I might have been able to rest my head on it.

My AC remote did nothing remotely anymore. It needed to be directed towards the fridge to get the AC on. I guess the rays would bounce off the shiny surface and find their way to the infra red sensor on the AC. Strangely the rays did not follow the same reverse path and to switch the damn thing off, I’d need to swing to the bottom of the bed and point in random directions till I’d hear the AC stop breathing.

…I made a frantic call to my surgeon in England. I told him I was coming over to his hospital in the next few days. He was very concerned. He asked, “ Are you in pain’’. ‘No’, I replied, “ I am in my bath tub trying to sleep, apparently this area has the best energies.” Hashtag # Help!

...My friends requested me one last time to see their Panditji before I left for England. They felt his prayers would help me. I agreed because I believe in good wishes and good Karma. The Punditji looked educated and very modern. He asked me about the procedure of the Cervical surgery. I explained it to him in detail. He closed his eyes and said some mantra. Then he looked at me with warm and peaceful eyes, and said, “Are you sure they have to use a Titanium disc?” I said, “ Yeah, it’s the latest invention and really cool.” He sighed, “ Look it is your Karma that you have to undergo this surgery. You cannot escape it. But there is only one thing, Titanium is not your element, can you ask the doctor to use Moonstone instead.”

...The surgery was less painful. It took about an hour and a half. I was informed everything was excellent. As they say in our films… “The operation is successful.”

What was humiliating was the hospital dress code.

I believe a patient in a gown means that he or she is very ill and quite helpless. They need a lot of care and medical attention. It is a sort of uniform that tells you the person wearing it, is deserving of your sympathy and concern. No one expects a Stella McCartney, but at least...at least it should not make you dissolve into a merciless giggle. Picture a hobbling and helpless patient crossing you, walking slowly away from you. You’re following him with your eyes, visibly moved, at this point your gaze misses his helpless expression entirely and lands unceremoniously on his butt. What purpose does this revealing and utterly humiliating outfit serve? I ask ye all fine people of the medical profession. Even when I had gone for my knee and ankle surgery in Austria I was forced to wear this silly outfit. I could very well have been in shorts or Bermudas and got my knee operated on. It’s not as if my butt needs to be flashed for easy access to my knee. I think this aspect of clothing needs to be relooked at by the Medical Faculty around the world.

It requires immediate, scientific attention.

As I said, the complete collapse of everyone else’s attempts to cure me through their well meant suggestions, eventually lead me to my spinal surgery. This of course did not deter them from claiming credit for its success when I got home. The horseshoe nailed outside my room in my absence had apparently cast its magic spell on the surgeon.

The ‘Energy Expert’ was convinced that his switching my furniture around had filled the gap in my spine and my friends swore by their Panditji’s imaginary Moonstone too. Maybe it was the Energy Balancing, maybe it was the Surgery, or it could have been the shoeless horse; who knows?

Perhaps Faith and Science are deeply interconnected. Maybe we just don’t see the balance between them yet. Everything science proves today, it disproves tomorrow and faith in an idea often brings it to its empirical fruition. Superstition is the belief in a supernatural causality, we cannot completely abandon it unless we fully understand the complexity and vastness of nature. I think it is safe to say that there are uncountable things in this world that will always remain beyond our understanding. Each of us chooses our own beliefs and lives by them and all of us are limited by our own condition. The trick is to respect each and every form of well meaning course of

action, belief, superstition and still look up to man’s quest for knowledge (the yearning for scientific discovery), to back it up. That’s what I did.

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