Bella Interview

Lois Joy Johnson, who has been a beauty editor for 30 years, has obviously picked up in-depth knowledge of the industry along the way. And that's why she set out to share many of these great tidbits in her book, The Makeup Wakeup ($14). Johnson recently revealed some of her top makeup tips with us, from what not to do when applying, to what every woman should own in her collection. And now, she's letting us in on a few of her shopping tips. Does expensive mean better quality? Find out this and more, when you read more.

With so many shapes and sizes from which to choose, buying makeup brushes can be a daunting experience. But have no fear, it's celebrity makeup artist (and CEO of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics) Bobbi Brown to the rescue. She recommends the following brushes for anyone's basic kit: concealer, foundation, face blender, eye shadow, eyeliner, and eyebrow. While practically every beauty brand has all of these brushes in its offerings, check out the widget below to see what they look like from Bobbi's cosmetics line.

When it comes to warm weathered makeup, you don't need to go out and buy a whole haul of trendy new shades. Instead, follow celebrity makeup artist Bobbi Brown's advice. "Summer is all about natural looking makeup and healthy, glowing skin," she says. So rather than load up on the excess, try keeping the focus on formulation. To see Bobbi's tips on getting your cosmetics routine switched up for the upcoming season, just keep reading.

Want a tan without the risk of damaging your skin in the sun's harsh rays? While self-tanners definitely have their place in the, er, sun, you can always simply fake a warm, golden glow with makeup. Bobbi Brown, celebrity makeup artist and CEO of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, has a few tips to share on how to do it right. To see what she has to say, just keep reading.

Revlon spokeswoman Jessica Biel has teamed up with the beauty brand in a campaign promoting Grow Luscious Plumping eye makeup. The mascaras and eyeliners will, in Jessica's words, "lengthen and strengthen [lashes] with your natural grow cycle." And at a recent event promoting the line, Jessica shared some of her best beauty tips, along with which Revlon products she counts as her favorites. Jessica said:

• On giving thought to antiaging products at the age of 29: "I’ve definitely started to think about it. . . I'm a bit of a 'fraidy cat when it comes to anything really aggressive. So at this point I'm pretty much [doing] sunscreen, hats, and moisturizing. I haven't tapped into too many antiaging products. But it's definitely on my mind."
• On the best beauty advice she's ever received: "One piece of advice was from my friend's beautiful French mother, who literally only ever washed her face with Dove soap and water and she has the most beautiful skin. And I'm looking at her going, 'Have I been messing this up my whole life. . . buying all these beautiful products and I just needed Dove soap — what?!' So I've heard that bit of beauty advice, and then of course — sleep, water, hydrate!"
• On great tips she's picked up from the pros: "A gray color works for anybody's eyebrows. And it doesn't turn your eyebrows orange. . . I was tipped off by a makeup artist that gray works for blondes, for brunettes, for redheads."

To see what Jessica says about her beauty essentials, favorite Revlon products, and more, just keep reading.

As the founder of Beautisol, a recently launched brand that makes environmentally conscious sun care products, you could say Sinead Norenius knows a thing or two about self-tanners. She's recently shared a few tips on getting the most out of your self-tanning applications, but with her wealth of knowledge on the subject, there's still plenty more to share. Ever wonder how dark you should really go or how to reach those awkward areas? Find out how to do it right when you read more.

Makeup is amazing for its ability to enhance, but sometimes things can go south. The last thing you want it to do is to have your carefully-thought-out makeup application inadvertently age you. I recently spoke with Lois Joy Johnson, veteran beauty editor and co-author of The Makeup Wakeup: Revitalizing Your Look at Any Age ($14), about what kinds of makeup techniques she thinks are simply just not flattering. Find out her tips for avoiding certain makeup disasters when you read more.

Salma Hayek unveiled the long-awaited products from her eponymous line for CVS last week in NYC. The effort, which has been a three-year-long labor of love for the actress, will finally arrive at outlets of the retail chain this August. Salma revealed that the items are en route to stores in a February interview with T Magazine, saying that her grandmother, who passed down beauty secrets during Salma's youth in Mexico, served as inspiration for the cosmetics, skin care, and hair care collection. She presented a range of merchandise including hydrating and toning cleansers, gels, and towelettes as well as shampoos, conditioners, masks, and volumizers. Her makeup includes brighteners, "eye pods" with four eye shades, and lots more — Salma and CVS also plan to introduce additional goods as the partnership grows. Salma said:

• On her grandmother being her inspiration: "There is another woman in my life, and I almost want to stop and not talk about her because I'm afraid I might cry . . . which is my grandmother, who was so important to me . . . I can say she was my inspiration, but I can never explain to you in how many ways. But I can say to you that she lived in a time, in a country, when being a woman was even a lot harder than it is today. And that, even though she did not go to college and study medicine . . . she was so smart. And, in many ways, life did not do justice to her genius. She was very close to me because I was her hope. And through this line, I feel I do a little bit of justice to her."
• On being actively involved in creating her products: "I wasn't willing to say, 'Why don't you put a little aloe vera in the creams? I hear it's good for you.' I wanted to go into the lab and work with the people, which by the way I'll tell you, once we picked the lab, some of them were like, 'What?!' Some of them were not happy to have me in there. Even though some of them were very impressed when I sent a list of ingredients . . . they said, 'Does she have a background in chemistry?' or 'Where did she find this stuff?' In the witchcraft stand of the Mexican markets, that's where I found some of it!"

To see what else Salma said about the line, just keep reading.

There are certain makeup items that are so universal, they should be considered cosmetic bag must haves. Veteran beauty editor Lois Joy Johnson, the co-author of The Makeup Wakeup: Revitalizing Your Look at Any Age ($13), says that there are three beauty essentials every woman should own — regardless of age. See her top picks revealed when you read more.