Skin Care Secrets from the Dermatologist to the Stars

Beyoncé, Kim Kardashian, Victoria Beckham, Oprah and Ellen DeGeneres all have something in common besides a net worth of zillions. They share the same dermatologist -- Dr. Harold Lancer, who dispenses advice and high-tech treatments from his office on Beverly Hills’ Rodeo Drive, next to boutiques like CHANEL, Dior, Prada and Ralph Lauren. Now, in his new book, Younger: The Breakthrough Anti-Aging Method for Radiant Skin, Lancer shares his simple four-step secret to getting red-carpet radiant skin (no matter your bank balance).

1. Exfoliate your skin every day and do it before you cleanse. A gentle daily “polish” --the word Lancer actually prefers to exfoliate -- is like “taking the tarnish off silver.” Dead cells and surface debris are whisked away to allow “fresh, radiant skin to shine through.” You can polish your skin either mechanically (with a loofah, rough washcloth or a scrub with tiny beads), or you can choose a chemical exfoliator that uses enzyme-based ingredients like papaya or pineapple to dissolve those old skin cells. Polish your skin once a day, preferably at night, for 60 to 90 seconds. Dampen your skin with warm water before you begin and finish with a rinse of lukewarm water.

2. Follow polishing with a non-irritating cleanser to cart away the uprooted debris. Apply a pea-sized drop of cleanser to your fingertips and massage it into your skin, working from the jawline up.

3. Complete your nighttime skin care regimen with a nourishing lotion, cream or serum. Check the ingredients label for damage-fighting antioxidants like Vitamin C and Vitamin E. Peptides and pentapeptides will also keep your skin looking its best by boosting the production of new collagen. Again, apply a pea-sized amount and work the product into your skin from the jawline to your hairline.

4. During the day add one more step: protect. Apply a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher. For all steps of this regimen, find products that feel good on your skin. The more “pampered” your skin care regimen makes you feel, says Lancer, the more likely you are to stick with it.

Hairstyle Classics: How to Keep That Do From Looking Dated

If you’ve rocked a classic style for a while, beware that even the simplest cuts need to evolve. The dawn of a new decade is a good time to update that hairdo. Take a tip (or two) from stylists and stars who know how to keep a good thing going.   

The Pixie
This ultra-short cut not only accents great cheekbones and jawlines, but it also portrays gamine youthfulness and chic sophistication for any age.

  • Vintage Liza Minnelli has made the pixie her signature cut, which she keeps fresh by adding layers and fullness through waves and curls. In her days as Mrs. Frank Sinatra, Mia Farrow made the pixie so enduring that, years later, the boyishly attractive cut helped define the waif movement of the ’90s.
  • Modern Today’s pixie vixens, such as Michelle Williams (who looks a lot like Mia Farrow) and Halle Berry, wear their short cuts with a mix of fragility and seduction.
  • Keep it fresh Hairstylist Kristen Ess, who counts Rachel McAdams and Amanda Bynes as clients, likes to add a few accessories, such as a pair of narrow headbands, to make the pixie more playful. “You think when you cut your hair off that you are limited to that specific look, but the pixie is very versatile,” says Ess. “You can also use products to give a different look or shape. Pomade can make a matte texture, sort of like a shag carpet. A light-hold gel can make it go elegant and sleek, like Sharon Stone, with a lot of control.”

Long and Sleek
Nothing says “sexy” better than a long, flowing mane of luscious, shiny and thick hair.

  • Vintage For Cher, long, shimmering hair has been as much her signature as have her wild Bob Mackie bugle beaded costumes.
  • Modern Demi Moore not only has the body of a teenager, but also the flowing, shiny hair to match. The ageless beauty often lets her hair down for big red-carpet events.
  • Keep it fresh Great hair requires dedicated upkeep, says Ess, who recommends applying a temporary gloss to hair every six weeks. “It seals down the cuticle and acts like a topcoat for your nails,” she says. Carla Gentile, owner of Steam, a hip salon near Beverly Hills, Calif., says the fast way to update long hair is to add bangs. “You can also get away with a really low side part, like Gisele,” she says.

The Shag
This layered hairstyle has become the chic rebel’s favorite look, if only because a bit of tousled imperfection makes it all the more appealing.

  • Vintage Jane Fonda’s shag in Klute made her character tough, scruffy and sexy, and it launched a look that defined the 1970s and beyond.
  • Modern Kristen Stewart and Ashlee Simpson have made a long, loose shag a sought-after look, with hair that is black, red or blond.
  • Keep it fresh
    Gentile says modern shags don’t hug the head and neck as closely as Fonda’s cut. Longer, looser layers are today’s look. Gentile also suggests experimenting with products that thicken or add texture to make the layers more distinct and chunky.

The Bob
The classic bob endures because it is an easy-care style that radiates sophistication -- or in extreme colors, delivers an ironic, punk twist.

  • Vintage The angular bob that silent-film star Louise Brooks wore in the 1920s and ’30s matched the elegant lines of art deco.
  • Modern Katie Holmes has worn a variation of the classic bob for the last two years, first with razor-sharp bangs and now with longer, sideswept ones, while Keira Knightley wears her straight and wavy.
  • Keep it fresh Wear it a bit longer to look modern, says Ess, adding, “The long bob is called the ‘lob,’ which is an awful word but a gorgeous hairstyle.” Ess also suggests giving the hair a few spiral twists around a 1-inch curling iron to add some wave. “And don’t be too uniform with how you’re curling it,” she says. “You want to break up the curl.” 

Simple Steps to Beautiful Holiday Hair

Next to the LBD (little black dress), a glamorous hairdo is the most essential element of your holiday look. Don’t fret: mastering a polished party ’do doesn’t require a trip to the salon or a lot of practice.

Here are simple steps to three gorgeous holiday hairstyles from Janine Jarman, a onetime competitor on the reality show “Shear Genius” and owner of the Hairroin Salon in Hollywood. Trust Jarman to infuse your party look with sexy polish: She’s styled the hair of The Pussycat Dolls, Britney Spears, Christina Applegate and Carmen Electra.

Easy as these looks are to achieve, they do involve lots of teasing and hot tools, so you’ll want to make sure you treat your hair to a deep-conditioning treatment once a week, as well as a rinse-out conditioner each time you shampoo. And be sure to apply a heat-protection spray whenever you use a blow-dryer, flat iron or curling iron.

Look No. 1: Messy Bun
1. Starting with clean -- or better yet, day-old -- hair, section your tresses with alligator clips. Using a three-barrel waver, take 1-inch sections of your hair and -- beginning at the roots -- press the hair into the waver. Hold for three full seconds. Overlapping slightly so you don’t leave gaps, work your way down to your ends.


If you don’t have a waver, wash your hair the night before. Towel-dry, apply a texturizing styling product, twist into a loose braid and sleep on the braid overnight. When you undo your hair the next day, rake your fingers gently through the curls.

2. Apply a workable hair spray to your hair, running your fingers through the waves to reach the layers underneath.

3. Pull your hair softly to the nape of your neck. Secure with a ponytail hook or a Bobby Band (a combination of a bobby pin and an elastic).

4. Twist the low ponytail to the right, coiling it softy around the Bobby Band or hook. Secure with hairpins.

5. Go through the bun and pull it slightly apart with your fingers. “Some hairs will come loose, and that’s fine,” says Jarman. “You don’t want the look to be tight and contrived.”

6. Mist lightly with your working hair spray.

Look No. 2: The Chignon
This style, which is a knotted variation of the bun, can be worn to the side, at the nape or higher up on the back of your head. “It’s great for every face shape, whether or not you have a fringe,” says Jarman.

1. Blow-dry your hair, using a volumizing mousse to add lots of body.

2. Parting your hair in the center, on the side or sweeping it straight back, gather it into a low ponytail. Secure with an elastic.

3. Split your ponytail into two sections. Tie each section into as many chain knots (like a shoelace) as your hair permits. Pin the knots into the base of the pony with bobby pins. If your hair is too short to knot, simply twist and pin around the hub of the pony, or attach a ponytail hair extension. Don’t worry if some hair sprouts from the knots or twists; it’s part of the sexy undone look.

4. Spritz with light-hold hair spray.

Look No. 3: Loose and Adorned
1. Set your hair with hot rollers. To add extra volume, backcomb your hair before putting it into rollers.

2. Remove rollers when they’re completely cool (about 15 to 20 minutes). Brush your hair with a soft brush so the curls connect, creating one soft, voluminous look.

3. Place a decorative headband -- bejeweled, metallic or feathered -- about 1 inch to 1 1/2 inch away from your hairline. If you choose very thin headbands, you can wear two or three in contrasting colors. Gently nudge the headband forward a smidgen to create a little volume in the front of the band.

4. Finish with a light mist of working hair spray.

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Beauty SOS

Trust us, even Kate Hudson has had a breakout at exactly the wrong moment. But whether you’re heading out for a job interview or a big night on the town, the last thing you need is an unpleasant surprise in the mirror. We went to the makeup artists and hairstylists who get the biggest celebrities ready for their close-ups, and we asked for advice on how to deal with some of the most common beauty predicaments.

Breakouts When Brooke Shields and Catherine Zeta-Jones have a big appearance coming up, they turn to New York City makeup artist Kimara Ahnert. Her favorite trick to banish blemishes? Place an ice pack over the pimple for a few minutes, then squeeze a little bit of eye drop solution over the zit to reduce redness. Let the solution dry for a few minutes before dabbing on concealer. Follow with a light layer of translucent powder to set the concealer and even out the skin. Hollywood makeup artist Jerrod Blandino, whose products Scarlett Johansson is a fan of, adds this caveat: “Do not pick the pimple. It's easier to cover when it's not punctured. And make sure that the concealer you are using is an exact match for your skin tone so it's undetectable.”

Blotchy skin Wake up with a road map of red splotches on your face? Don’t despair. With the right makeup, you can fake complexion perfection. First, apply moisturizer. “Use a product infused with naturally calming ingredients like chamomile, cucumber and aloe to soothe and alleviate redness,” Blandino suggests. Give that a few moments to sink in, then smooth on foundation. Pat concealer on any remaining red areas. Set with a dusting of translucent powder.

Puffy eyes Too much salt and not enough sleep can leave you with so much baggage under your eyes you’ll be tempted to call for a moving van. But before you cancel your plans and climb back into bed, try celebrity esthetician Scott Vincent Borba’s favorite trick: “Put your eye cream in the freezer for ten minutes before applying,” he says. “It will act as a cold compress. Choose one with light reflectors to help reduce the appearance of puffiness.”

Dark circles To treat those telltale under-eye rings, first head to the kitchen. Dampen tea bags, take a seat and apply the bags over your eyes for a few minutes. “The tannin in tea has been shown to reduce swelling and discoloration,” says Ahnert. “Then use a yellow- or peach-toned concealer to cancel out the purple or bluish color under the eye. Stay away from pink-toned concealers: They can actually make your circles more noticeable.” Models love this tip from Blandino: “Line the corners and rims of your eyes with a flesh- or nude-colored pencil to brighten and lighten the eye area.”

Over-plucked eyebrows Got a little tweezer-happy? Laura Geller, the New York City makeup artist who counts Mary-Louise Parker among her clients, suggests this: Fill in your brows with a brow powder that matches your natural hair color as closely as possible. If it’s too light or too dark, it will instantly give you away. When you apply it, extend the length of the brows on the outside for a more youthful appearance. Ahnert recommends applying the powder with a baby toothbrush for a more natural look and to whisk away any excess product. “Then brush a clear brow gel over the brows to give them a groomed and polished look,” she says. 

Rain on your (hair) parade You just spent 40 minutes blowing out your hair when a sudden downpour hits. Hats and scarves are one option, but New York City stylist Ted Gibson, who has tamed the locks of Eva Mendes,  Anne Hathaway and Angelina Jolie, prefers a more elegant solution. “Pull the hair back into a sleek ponytail,” he says, “use hair pins to twist it into a bun, and finish off with some hair spray.”  

5 Top Tips From Hollywood Makeup Artists

Sure, stars like Jennifer Lopez, Kim Kardashian and Blake Lively are blessed with natural beauty. But make no mistake; they don’t tumble out of bed and onto the red carpet. Instead, they rely on their beauty team to help play up their assets and disguise their less-than-perfect parts. We asked a few top makeup artists for their best tips on getting your gorgeous on.

1. Dress your eyes from inner to outer corner, not bottom to top.
Long ago, most makeup artists tossed out the technique of applying different shades of eye shadow to the lid, the crease and just under the brow bone. For a modern look, apply color in a subtle graduation of lighter to darker, working horizontally -- not vertically -- says Sharona Rahimian, co-owner of Style Bar Beverly Hills, a hair and makeup studio. A fresh summer nighttime look: a touch of gold on the inner corner of the eye, a wash of pink on the lid, and a swipe of a darker color -- green, purple or bronze -- on the outer third of the eye, extending just past the corner.

2. Blush believably. “Perfect blush application is all about placement,” says New York City makeup artist Raychel Wade. “Ideally, you want the burst of color to be directly on the apples of your cheeks. A foolproof way of finding this is to nestle the brush directly under your eye pupil and across from the tip of your nose, and blend up and out 2 inches.”

3. Boost a bold mouth with concealer. When Hollywood makeup artist Brett Freedman uses lipstick in shades like red, plum or berry on celebrities such as Katharine McPhee, Lucy Liu and Patricia Heaton, he preps their mouths by applying a pale concealer over their lip lines before applying liner and lipstick. “It gives you a really crisp lip that’s a very grown-up look,” he says. Touch up after dinner by blotting lips with a tissue, then reapplying concealer, lip liner and lipstick.

4. Wear false eyelashes for the flirtiest fringe. Mascara goes a long way in adding length and fullness to the lashes you have, but it takes some extra enhancement to achieve those lush red-carpet lashes. “Nothing opens up the eye and offers the density and glamour of false eyelashes,” says Kerry Herta, an Emmy-nominated makeup artist. It takes just a little practice to master strip lashes; just remember to trim the strip to fit the length of your eye, and apply the teeniest amount of adhesive. To blend your real lashes with the false ones, trace a very thin line of liquid eyeliner at the base of your lashes and apply a final coat of mascara.

5. Shimmer, but just a little. For a super-flattering incandescent look, skip the sparkle and glitter and go for subtle sheen. Apply a touch of a highlighting powder or cream in gold, pink or champagne on the tops of your cheekbones, the bridge of your nose and just under your brow bone. If you have dark under-eye circles, you can add a dot of highlighter just under the center of your eyes too.

Don’t neglect your body. “Every inch of skin that’s exposed should have a bit of gleam to it,” says Freedman. That includes shoulders, arms, decolletage and collarbone. What’s more, a light veil of a luminescent body lotion “will scatter the light to hide flaws, like skin dimpling, and make every body part look a little more perfect,” he says. Secret tip: To make your legs look longer and leaner, put an extra stripe of highlighter up the front on your legs, along the shin bone.


Photo: Getty Images