Source: Flickr User paulstarpics

When you’re searching for the perfect holiday gift to give your favorite beauty maven, staying up-to-date on the latest trends is essential. After all, you don’t want the shame of handing over last season’s lipstick shade, do you? Talk about a fashion faux pas! To help you suss out the 2011 runway trends, here’s a look at three of the looks sure to be seen come spring.

Visions of Sugarplum
From soft lavender to electric violet, purple makeup dominated the runways during fashion week 2010. Whether it was worn on the lips, cheeks, or eyes, shades of purple added a fresh burst of color to the new looks of fashion icons like Jason Wu and Monique Lhuillier.

If plum doesn’t do it for you, why not try 2011′s must-have metallic? Glimmering gold donned the eyes, lips, and even eyelashes at the Fashion Week shows of Donna Karan, Anna Sui, and Rodarte. Shimmering shades of gold are perfect for the holidays, and will give your spring look a burst of sunny radiance.

Perfect Pair Gift Idea: CARGO’s Color Palette in London offers shades of champagne-gold and deep eggplant, as well as complimentary shades of mocha and greenish-brown. Pair it with a silky black liquid eyeliner for an eye-enhancing gift that can’t be beat!

Hairy Situations
The side part is back and better than ever. Shows by Badgley Mischka, Carolina Herrera, Diane Von Furstenberg, Marc by Marc, and Michael Kors were walked by models sporting deep, exaggerated side parts in hairstyles that ranged from straight and sleek to full of body. This season’s messy hair trend goes along perfectly with the side parts spotted during Fashion Week, making a dynamic styling duo that’s both stylish and easy to achieve.

Perfect Pair Gift Idea: Mason Pearson’s Styling Comb coupled with a texturizing paste like Jonathan Product’s Dirt is an excellent holiday gift idea for your favorite stylist-in-training. The pomade will create a perfectly messy texture while the comb helps to separate, texturize, and shape a flawless side part.

Read My Lips
Vibrant coral to neon orange lips, like the looks seen at L’Oreal Melbourne Fashion Festival 2010, are sweeping the fashion and beauty world as the “it” look for 2011. Bright, impossible-to-ignore lip shades look especially fabulous when worn to accompany this season’s 1970s fashion trend.

Perfect Pair Gift Idea: 3 Custom Color’s Light Brights lipstick in Area Sheer is a sexily sheer shade of electric tangerine. Formulated with a silky, lip balm-like texture, Light Brights is a great way to ease into 2011′s neon lip trend without feeling too over-the-top. Pair it with a fabulous purse mirror, like Paul and Joe Beaute’s Beauty Mirror, for simple and stylish on-the-go application.

Every once in a while you will experience something that will change your life. Not because it just happens, but because it’s meant to happen. That’s what We Care Spa is dedicated to: helping you change your life by teaching you and helping you eliminate toxins and chemicals through a 6-step solution of detoxing. (Don’t let that word shy you away.) What they are doing is educating you on how to listen to your body and understand what kind of stress you put it through, making you feel and look better in everyday life. It’s no wonder why celebrities flock here to take advantage of We Care Spa’s detoxing methods.  I was lucky enough to take part in the juice fasting and activities at We Care Spa in Palm Springs for just one day—and I got a very mind opening and relaxing experience. Why? Because in a world of fast food, you need to give your body a break to detox and revitalize mind, body and spirit.

What it is

We Care Spa is a 60-acre spiritual retreat located about 10 minutes from Palm Springs Airport. Their program has been carefully refined—and in action helping guests—for over 25 years. They stress that additives, preservatives, and toxic chemicals found in every breath, beauty product, bite and drink you take will start to affect your body, preventing it from functioning properly.  They treat the symptoms of digestive toxicity such as bloating, constipation, painful swelling of joints, tiredness, low energy, depression, lack of clarity, skin breakouts and rashes. They incorporate the notion of juice fasting in the desert to achieve total mental and physical clarity. We Care Spa is surrounded by gorgeous desert scenery and equipped with ancient Indian practices, medicine wheels, Jacuzzis, saunas, a labyrinth and relaxing tools. They also have full-service spa treatments, which I can assure you are more than anyone could ask for.

The 6-step program to help you feel and look better:

1. 1. Stop eating solid foods and embark on a juice fast.
2. 2. Use the energy you’ve freed up from digesting foods to release toxins by powering up the 5 organs of elimination.
3. 3. Use colon hydrotherapy to flush out the toxic waste– you know what I’m talking about.
4. 4. Add therapeutic treatments to support the body – massages and spa treatments.
5. 5. Mix in educational classes that are designed to build your character and detox your thinking.
6. 6. Experience the work of healers to detox your psyche and spirit.

What the experience is like

If you’re like me, when someone says detox, you want to run far away because last weekend you weren’t very nice to your liver. After taking a class from the founder/guru herself Susana Belen about detox and revitalizing yourself, I was put at ease. Ok, maybe it isn’t that bad. Maybe taking one day a week to cleanse isn’t so hard to do. Next was my favorite part, a thai massage, which was just what the doctor ordered, followed by a tour of the property. The treatment rooms and resort as a whole is very rustic mixed with ancient native America mixed with naturalist qualities. Every amenity has a specific function to help you. Unexpectedly, the desert really is the perfect oasis and environment. Last we enjoyed a good old-fashioned cooking lesson from Susana. Not traditional cooking! This involved education about what cooking tools are classified as safe to use and everything you can make with a high powered magic blender. This wonder machine literally made milk from almonds and sunflower seeds. With this, you’re making all of your own meals, dressings and anything else all with an easy button and natural substitutes. After fasting all day and exploring different detox methods, a little solid food and delicious salad was the perfect way to end the day.

The real lesson to take away from We Care Spa is that we were meant to live with nature and eat what nature provides you. Things that we think of as convenient like fast and pre-packaged food, not to mention our fast-paced lifestyles, will eventually break our bodies down and harm us. It’s not a matter of “will it happen?” but a matter of when. Cancer didn’t just come out of nowhere. We created it, but thankfully there are places like We Care Spa that will help us tune up our bodies. Changing your life style is right around the corner. If the benefits outweigh the bad, then why not?

Diana Agron

My Sunday night was hotter than normal (as in, I traded a DVR’ed Jersey Shore for a red carpet).  Crest and Oral-B 3D White presented the Breakthrough of the Year Awards, so instead of sweatpants I slipped on a little dress and took a date. The night was fun, glittery, slightly boozy (thanks to cocktails sponsored by Sensa) and full of celebs: the awards attracted a diverse range of extraordinary, and extraordinarily  attractive talent (yes, they all had nice smiles), celebrating multiple genres which spanned film, TV, sports, music, the arts, technology, philanthropy and social media. The night was a pure, vivid and lively spectacle: way better than sitting in front of reruns anticipating Monday morning.

All of young and hot Hollywood came out, so let’s just say I was glad I brushed my teeth. Everyone from Annette Benning (ok not young, but hot), Dermot Mulroney, Jessica Stroup, True Blood‘s hottest werewolf Joe Manganiello) (did we exchange looks, or was something in his eye? Whatever, I’ll take it), Rose Byrne, Patti Stanger, Trevor Donovan and more, along with winners; Dianna Agron, Sofia Vergara (is there a Hollywood class yet to learn that sexy cute accent? I’ll take that too), Matt Bomer, Jessica Szohr, Josh Hutcherson and AnnaLynne McCord. Here are the breakthrough beauty trends (clue: hike up those dresses).

AnnaLynne McCord

Flawless skin was the predominant makeup trend with AnnaLynne McCord leading the pack. To glow like this gal,  instead of caking on the foundation for a matte finish, opt for a sheer foundation finish to stun with your skin. Use a foundation brush to apply and be sure to have it damp with water first to let the foundation spread a little thinner. This will give you a very dewy, fresh look with the same great coverage. Beauty Tip: This trend means not a lot of blush! Grab a peachy pink and lightly dust the apples of your cheeks for some shimmer. (If you haven’t met it yet, introduce yourself to NARS’ orgasm blush).

As for the hair, there was a whole lot of curls to balance out the straight chic. Gossip Girl’s Jessica Szohr and Modern Family’s Sofia Vergara donned sexy waves, while AnnaLyne went for a sleek Kardashian-esque ponytail. In our personal opinion, the best hair of the night went to Glee beauty Dianna Argon who had a stunning, classic half up, half down do. Actually, for a lot of glam girls, the half up / half down hair trend was huge. Dianna paired volume and cascading curls to create a “maybe I care, maybe I don’t” look that worked it.

Fashion? Short and tight. Jessica Szhor even went short and sheer. But this is Hollywood. Everyone had great legs… and great smiles. 

Hot Werewolf Joe

Flickr User: Keira-anne

For better support (yup I’m talking about the twins) you’ll want to choose something that isn’t so skimpy. This will make your shoulders look less broad and provide the support for your bust that you need. Mind you, this means that choosing a teeny string bikini won’t work in this case.  The ideal swimwear tops for this are halters, built in underwire bra tops, or molded bra top. Any straps that don’t tie around your neck are also a good choice, so you aren’t putting any strain on your spine or neck.   One of the tops I love for this summer season that’s perfect for support is Betsey Johnson’s Hello Cupcake Underwire Top. It’s sexy, chic and will have the men drooling on the beach.

For someone that needs a little something extra in the top to enhance the bust there are many options available. Lucky for you, you can choose something with less fabric, because you don’t have weights pulling you down. Adding a top with a little padding can do wonders. If you really want to add some glam, spice up that top with embellishments. Beach Bunny’s Class Act from their Goddess collection is perfect for anyone wanting to accent the bust. I’m completely obsessed with the razorback bikinis that are uber hot right now. Bandeau tops are also a great and can be adorably sexy and are very much in style. Patterned triangle tops are also a great choice. My favorite right now is Luli Fama’s Bars Teeny Bikini in lime green.  On a smaller bust, this bikini will catch attention and flatter the figure. (Bar Rafeali wore it in Sports Illustrated this year)

To hide the tummy, on the contrary to many beliefs there’s a ton of gorgeous swim suits to flatter your figure. A one piece swim suit happens to be one of my favorite types to wear and they are magical. If you’re self conscious about showing off the tummy, a tankini or one piece is great and helps to keep it held in.  With rouching and ruffles, there’s something flattering for any size. Magic suit is known to get you looking like you’re 4 sizes smaller in their swim suits and is definitely well worth the price and are super cute. This one piece plunge by Magic Suit (left) is sexy and comfortable for any day at the pool. A one piece swim suit is stylish, a great fit and fabulous. Flattening the tummy can be as easy as a tankini and who says you can’t look great in them either? Tommy Bahama’s 2010 summer line is also a great choice for the season.  If you’re going for a sexier one piece, check out Kenneth Cole’s plunge monokini for a sexed up style.

There are hundreds of ways to go with a swim suit. Think about what colors look great with your skin tone and color, what kind of support you need and the most important part; don’t get down on yourself when you’re shopping. Bring a friend with a positive attitude to ensure that you aren’t shopping with any Debbie downers. Let the sales person help you. They’re experienced with matching suits to body types so take advantage. You’re going to look fab in your new swim suit top; all you need is a little extra support.

Be sure to catch the edited version during the much-anticipated US vs. UK World Cup match on June 12^th

If you’re on Twitter, you can be a lucky winner! RT us  at Twitter.com/Blushmedia and tell us what makes you smile this summer and we’ll pick our favorite answer as the winner!

Starts today and ends Tuesday, June 1^st. GET TWEETING!

Now you know how we LOVE twitter and we LOVE GIVEAWAYS so if you’re in the conversation… JOIN IN!

To enter, follow both @Alisonbrodpr and @BlushMedia, then tweet a “I love Blush & CharlotteRusse – For a chance to win $50 to CharlotteRusse.com, follow @Alisonbrodpr and @BlushMedia then RT.”

Winners will be selected daily at 5PM until June 18th, 2010

Right of the bat I’d have to say that I haven’t really followed the hype around Miley Cyrus, so, from the start I was skeptical about The Last Song. To my surprise, however, I was pleased with the movie. Based on the book by Nicolas Sparks (The Notebook), the film is about a girl and her younger brother who spend the summer at the house of her estranged father (Greg Kinnear). Ronnie (Cyrus) is a troubled teen and product of divorce, and she’s not happy to be there– she’d much prefer to be tearing around New York. What she doesn’t understand at first is that she’s there to spend time with her father because he’s battling cancer– eventually, though, her attitude takes a turn for the better.

There were two things I didn’t like about this movie– one was Miley’s cutesy/sexy face that she makes (one that the camera spends too much time focusing on) and the beginning was a bit slow. Once you get past that, you’re golden. You can’t help but get involved in the story and start rooting for Ronnie–  especially when Liam Hemsworth comes into the scenes– making watching 1000 times more enjoyable.  If you haven’t seen this man yet, hold onto your seats ladies– he’s one amazing hottie.  If you weren’t planning on seeing this movie, see it just for the hot mansicle. One nice plot line is that Ronnie and her father share a common interest in music, and Ronnie is an exquisite piano player. In general,  this story is about love, connection and the ability to accept her talents. Ronnie comes to understand that she should take advantage of her passions and secure for herself a real, productive future.

In a turn of art imitating life, Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth fell in love on set– which makes sense, the couple has great chemistry. But we’re hoping, for the sake of the single ladies, that this romance will be short-lived. Other than that, this movie is something that I would actually see again, especially since I am not a purveyor of chick flicks at all. It’ll make you laugh, cry and inspire you to get out and make the best out of life. It’s appropriate for the whole family, so pick up the kids and go see it. Who knows, maybe your troubled, rebellious teen will learn a lesson from it. Plus, Jonah—Bobby Coleman, who plays Ronnie’s little brother– will melt your heart.

Comes to theaters 4/2/10

Flickr User: Jonasismymiddlename:)

There has been this little thing plaguing our Twitter life for Blush. It’s like a scratch on the left lower corner of your sunglasses. It’s not going away and you’ve done a great job ignoring it without really acknowledging the problem. That scratch would be the adorable Justin Drew Beiber. For whatever reason, Justin Bieber is the trending topic EVERYDAY of EVERY MONTH this year on Twitter. Maybe I’m getting old, but I thought we were over these rapper infants after Aaron Carter. So, 3 year olds cry over him, he causes teen riots and tons of rappers love him so that gives him street cred?  Although it is impressive that he managed to self-teach himself how to play the piano, drums, trumpet and guitar at a young age, so I’ll give the little guy that. I’m still a little confused, after hearing soo much hype about him, I had never heard any of his music – weird, when someone is a megastar you don’t seem to miss their music.  One lovely day, on the radio I finally heard it. It was like a ghost train screeching to a halt. And I thought it was J.Lo singing. Can someone please explain this fascination? And why is every fetus in Hollywood now a child star?

Each generation has their child pop star idols, who was yours?

The most intriguing part of seeing Alice In Wonderland was getting to know the characters and understanding each one’s point of view. Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter was no disappointment to his resume. The most interesting part of the character was Johnny Depp’s outlook on him. Let me just say that Johnny Depp in this role is absolutely GENIUS. The Mad Hatter is definitely mad, but also sweet and brotherly to Alice. The depth of the Hatter is what really got me. He’s sad, crazy, dark and tormented, yet his outlook is so light and hopeful.  Johnny brought a tragic nature to the Mad Hatter’s background of the character that we’ve never seen before with Alice In Wonderland. Where did this tragic nature of the character come from?

Johnny Says:

“Well I think that part of, I mean there’s that whole, ‘hatter’s dilemma’ which that was really where the term ‘mad as a hatter’ came from the amount of mercury that they used in the glue to make the hat. Everything was damaging, so I mean in terms of the Hatter looking in from that perspective of a guy who’s literally yea, damaged goods, you know, physically damaged, emotionally and a little obtuse and kinda taking that and deciding that he should be just as opposed to this hyper nutty guy. He should explore all sides of the personality at extreme levels. He could go from one second being very high pollutant and a lot of levity and then strayed into some dangerous potential rage and then tragedy. It was interesting trying to map it out.”

Before the production started Johnny was ready to play pretty much any character in the film. When Tim came to him with the role of the Mad Hatter his reaction was classic. He says:

“To be honest, he could have said Alice and I would’ve said yes. Ya I would’ve done whatever character Tim wanted, but certainly the fact that it was the Mad Hatter was a bonus. It was a great challenge to try to find this guy and not just be you know a rubber ball that you heave into an empty room and watch it bounce all over the place. But just to find that part of the character, but also add a little bit more history or gravity to the guy.”

A lot of the actors had read Lewis Carroll’s book version Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland before starting the movie and some of them had not. This had an impact on where the actors would take the characters and what images they wanted them to bring. Johnny was no exception, except he’s come across many influential versions of Alice in his life. He says:

“Even though you can’t quite place when the book or the story came into your life, I do remember vaguely maybe roughly 5 years old reading versions of Alice in Wonderland. The thing is you always know the characters. EVERYONE knows the characters and they’re well defined characters. Which I thought was fascinating because most people haven’t read the book but they definitely know the characters and reference them. For me, I went back maybe only a year prior to Tim calling me and I had re-read Alice In Wonderland and Through The Looking Glass. What I took away from it was these very strange, cryptic, nuggets that he’d thrown in there. And those things I was intrigued by them and fascinated by them as they were asking questions that couldn’t be answered almost and making statements that you couldn’t understand. Like ‘I’m investigating things with the letter M’. That took me through a whole stratosphere of possibilities and doing a little research and finding that the M was mercury. And ‘why is a raven like a writing desk?’ Those things just became so, so important to the character and you realize that the more you read it like if I read the book again today, I’d find a hundred other things that I missed the last time. So it’s a constant changing.”

This movie is really a dream world to be seen and I absolutely loved it. Lucky for me did I not only get to attend the press conference but I got to meet the masterminds behind the movie. Now ready for the most amazing part? Here it is.

Yes! I got a hug from the man himself, Mr. Johnny Depp. Ladies he’s everything you can imagine and more. He’s very well put together and his mannerisms are very Jack Sparrow-ish. Just a bit more toned down than the pirate personality. Johnny Depp is by far, one of the most gracious and amazing celebrities I’ve come across. And no, I still haven’t showered.