Bomb-Throwing Beauty Queen Shows an Ugly Side

vrijdag 27 september 2013

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota
by Adriana Velez 10 hours ago

Well THIS is not the kind of behavior we expect from our beauty queens. Utah teen pageant winner Kendra McKenzie Gill pled guilty for tossing homemade bottle bombs. The charge is officially "attempted possession of a chemical device." Kendra will have to pay a $500 fee and do 200 hours of community service, and then the charges will be dropped from her record. She also won't face federal charges as part of her plea bargain. So it's a good thing she entered that plea -- but wow, I bet her pageant days are over.

So here's what Kendra and a couple of friends had been up to. Basically they were driving around, throwing plastic water bottles filled with toilet bowl cleaner, which reacted to the aluminum foil inside, into people's yards. I guess it's the geeky science project version of driving by and shooting up people's mailboxes. No one was harmed by the prank, but imagine if a toddler had been hiding behind the shrubs at the last minute.

This same young lady had just won a $2,000 scholarship from a beauty pageant, partly because of her performance of a Scott Joplin piano piece. Now she could have her title revoked. And she may never get to compete in a Miss Utah or Miss America pageant -- you have to have a clean criminal record to compete.

Aren't these pagent girls supposed to be exemplary or something? Aren't they supposed to be so busy training they have no time for such mischief? I can see how the pressure might make you want to goof off, but this is too much. What a total disregard for the safety of others. Not to mention, now I want to make jokes about being a bombshell -- oh never mind. I'm not going there! (In writing, anyway...) Mostly it's just sad Kendra isn't as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside. AWW! Did I make you throw up a little in your mouth? Sorry, I had to say it.

Are you surprised that a pageant winner would behave this way?

Image via Jim, the Photographer/Flickr

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Adriana Velez

is a staff writer who dabbles in food, parenting, news, entertainment, molecular biology, and anything else that that pops into her head. She lives with her elementary school-aged son in Brooklyn, land of urban farms and artisan everything.  

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Dakota Johnson Doesn't Need $3,000 Worth of Beauty Products to Play Anastasia Steele

donderdag 26 september 2013

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota
by Maressa Brown 1 hour ago

Dakota Johnson appears to already be gearing up for getting in front of the cameras to film Fifty Shades of Grey. The actress confirmed to portray Anastasia Steele was just spotted at Bergdorf Goodman in NYC with mom Melanie Griffith and, according to E!, reportedly spent "a considerable time in the cosmetics department and ended up splurging big time at the Orlane Paris counter -- $3,000, to be exact!" Oof!

The gossiphounds go on to dish that the mother-daughter duo walked away with products like the posh line's hydrating serum, super moisturizing light cream, and Vivifying cleanser. Huh. While I can understand wanting to drop some dough on a few high-quality, key skin care products that you feel make a major difference ... and I realize we're talkin' Hollywood royalty here who can afford to lay down serious cash for whatever beauty products they desire, I'm having trouble wrapping my head on the idea of thousands on skincare in one fell swoop!?

Especially for 23-year-old Dakota. We can't be sure if they were shopping for Dakota alone or Melanie or both of 'em, but if there's any chance the lion's share of the products were meant for her, that's kinda sad. I hope it isn't indicative of her getting super-self-conscious about how she looks in the wake of all this newfound attention? She's beautiful just the way she is!

Plus, as much of a product junkie as I can be at times, I really can't get behind spending that kind of money on any sort of serum, moisturizer, or cleanser. After all, what could a $75 cream possibly deliver that can't be accomplished with a clean diet, lots of water, and simple, natural skin care solutions like aloe or witch hazel? Products over a certain price really start to seem more and more like snake oil.

Oh well! At least it sounds like Dakota got a chance to share some quality time with her mama before cameras start rolling. I'd venture to guess that eating healthy and a lot of rest will go a lot further than any $50 cleanser to helping her look and feel her best when Sam Taylor-Johnson eventually yells "action!"

How do you feel about laying out a lot of cash on skincare products?

Image via Nancy Rivera/Splash News

Click the "Like" button below if you're a fan of Fifty Shades of Grey! ABOUT THE AUTHOR Maressa Brown

has enjoyed reporting and writing for a variety of entertainment and women's magazines and websites. More often than not, you'll find her blogging, hitting the gym, reading, researching something on her iPhone, laughing, chatting at an above-"normal" volume, or getting her caffeine fix.

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Photographer's '4th Trimester Project' Shows the Beauty of the Post-Baby Body (PHOTOS)

maandag 23 september 2013

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota
by Adriana Velez 1 hour ago

How did you feel about your body right after giving birth? For most of us, pregnancy and childbirth leave us feeling like our bodies have been "ruined," or at least altered in ways we're not altogether thrilled about. But what if we could change that? What if we could see our post-baby bodies as powerful and beautiful? Pinup and boudoir photographer Ashlee Wells Jackson has made that her mission. Her 4th Trimester Bodies Project is a series of photos showing mothers' bodies in all their post-baby glory, seeing them through a loving, empowering lens.

So how did a pinup photographer end up focusing on post-baby bodies, anyway? We talked with Jackson to find out what her inspiration was and what these photos mean to her subjects.

Jackson began the project soon after becoming a mother herself. She experienced a very traumatic pregnancy and labor that left her struggling with her strange, new body. But she'd been thinking about issues of body image for women even before then. Through her work photographing everyday women looking to transform themselves through pinup photography, Jackson gained an innate sense of how women feel about themselves. No matter what her clients looked like, how traditionally beautiful or otherwise, everyone seemed to have body issues. Everyone felt they had flaws.

After Jackson had her baby and conceived the 4th Trimester Bodies project, she knew that in order to find subjects, she'd have to "pull the trigger, too." So the first photos were self-portraits. She posted her photos on Facebook (she didn't have a website yet), and invited her friends to join the project. She assumed it would be hard to get volunteers, but to her surprise, other women were eager to join the project. "It grew organically from friends, to friends of friends, and so on."

It could also have been her approach. Jackson has no screening process. "We don't ask a lot of questions," she says. All you have to be is a new mom willing to do a session. Once a subject arrives for a shoot, they start off slowly. Jackson has her subjects' hair and makeup done (lightly) even though most of the portraits are taken from the neck down. The hair and makeup session gives her a chance to visit a little with her subjects, and helps them get more comfortable and bring their guard down.

By the time Jackson goes to take the actual photos, her subjects are feeling more comfortable with the shoot, and it takes just a few minutes to take those photos. Then women stay to live-edit the photos with Jackson, giving them more of a say in how they're represented. It becomes a truly collaborative project.

And then the results -- not only are the photos arrestingly beautiful (as you can see), it's a "really empowering and transformative experience for all our subjects," Jackson says.

If you love this project, you can participate a couple of ways. You can volunteer as a subject or you can donate to the "FundRazr" campaign.

4th Trimester Bodies Project - Intro from Ashlee Wells Jackson on Vimeo.

Do you think you could ever feel comfortable posting for a photo like these?

Images via Ashlee Wells Jackson/4th Trimester Bodies Project

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Adriana Velez

is a staff writer who dabbles in food, parenting, news, entertainment, molecular biology, and anything else that that pops into her head. She lives with her elementary school-aged son in Brooklyn, land of urban farms and artisan everything.  

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Model With Down Syndrome Redefines Beauty as New Face of a Major Teen Clothing Label

zaterdag 21 september 2013

AppId is over the quota
AppId is over the quota
by Rebecca Stokes 19 hours ago

The world of fashion is cutthroat, competitive, and very much focused on the outside instead of the inside. This is true even where younger models are concerned. They learn very early on that in order to do what they love, they will have to develop a thick skin. It's a lesson taught by designers and by the big clothing companies whether the models are ready to learn it or not. 

Wet Seal is stepping away from the pack and making a change for good. They recently hired aspiring model 17-year-old Karrie Brown to be the face of their new campaign. On the surface, Karrie sounds like just another model. A very tall, pretty girl, who describes her personal style as being that of a "biker chick." But Karrie is different than most commercial models in one way. She has Down syndrome. 

Karrie's dreams of modeling came true, after Wet Seal saw photos of her on a fan page created by her mother. Karrie's photos quickly gained a lot of positive feedback. Overnight her pics had more than 10,000 likes! Wet Seal noticed and asked her to come model for them. 

Karrie's beauty, style, and amazing energy make her a natural. Her ability in front of the camera should have other more close-minded companies (I'm looking at you, Abercrombie) re-evaluating how they pick the faces that represent their brand. Karrie's an amazing example of what true beauty looks like.

Do you think other stores should follow Wet Seal's lead?

Image via Instagram

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Rebecca Stokes

Rebecca is a writer who lives in Brooklyn with her cats. She is probably even at this moment spilling food on herself.

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Award-Winning Beauty Products Under $15

donderdag 19 september 2013

Award-Winning Beauty Products Under $15

Everyone knows women love beauty products. From makeup and cleanser to moisturizers and exfoliators, it’s nice to pamper ourselves and feel beautiful. What’s even better is when these products don’t put a major dent in our wallets, and actually work as well (if not better) than more expensive products. Every year, major magazines like Allure, Cosmopolitan and InStyle award various beauty products with the distinction of “best” in their category. Here are a select few that aren’t just award winners, but are also under $15 and perform at the top of their class. The icing on the cake is that many of the celebrated items below are available at your local drugstore, Walmart and Target, meaning you can use coupons to save even more!

Biore Steam Activated Cleanser. How does a steam-activated cooling cleanser infused with menthol sound? Expensive, right? Not if it’s Biore’s Steam Activated Cleanser. This product was named best in its category thanks to Cosmopolitan. The product removes every trace of makeup and feels incredible on the skin, especially when used in a steamy shower. It contains cooling mint and green tea extracts, known for their invigorating and detoxifying properties. For only $5.47 for a 5-ounce bottle, you can’t pick a better cleanser to wipe the day’s grime away.

John Frieda Frizz-Ease Sheer Solution. This shake-activated dual elixir contains part liquid lotion and part silicone-based serum, helping hydrate hair and fight major frizz. This InStyle favorite doesn’t leave hair heavy or sticky and is great for fine or medium-textured hair. With a 2-ounce bottle costing only $7.98, fighting frizz doesn’t have to put you in a hairy situation any longer!

Schick Hydro Silk Razor. Your skin’s moisture is depleted as you shave, but thanks to this trailblazing razor lined with a serum-depositing strip made from shea butter and marine extracts, you can say goodbye to dry legs. The moisturizing serum is water-activated and leaves skin silky smooth. Nothing is worse than razor burn or an unsmooth shave on your legs or underarms due to a cheap razor. Do your skin a favor and pick up a starter-pack of this Cosmopolitan reader favorite for just $11.99.

Jergens Crema Deep Conditioning Oatmeal Lotion. Does your skin remind you of sandpaper? Do you have dry spots, ashy tones, or lizard-like patchy areas? If so, then pamper your dry skin with Jergens Crema Deep Conditioning Oatmeal, infused with shea, mango, and cocoa butters. Specifically made for use on both men and women, you’ll be amazed at how silky your skin feels after using this Allure “best.” And, an 8-ounce jar comes with a price tag of just $5.59.

CeraVe Facial Moisturizing Lotion AM. Daytime moisturizers should be made with lightweight formulas that don’t clog pores, and CeraVe has perfected this with their AM Facial Lotion. In addition to using a combination of hyaluronic acid, ceramides and niacinamide to add moisture, they have also added SPF 30 for sun protection. This formula is made with CeraVe’s patented multivesicular emulsion technology, which slowly releases ingredients over time, offering non-stop nourishment. You can’t beat the price of this Allure winner at just $9.66 for 3 ounces.

Maybelline New York Dream Lumi Touch Highlighting Concealer. Lacking in the sleep department? Fake a great night’s sleep and cover dark circles with this gel-based concealer that illuminates and highlights, offering eyes a well-rested look. It’s available in six shades for only $7.99 (for a 0.05-ounce tube) and considered the “best” according to Cosmopolitan.

Sally Hansen Sexy Curls Precision Eyelash Curler. The “control freak” of curlers according to Allure Magazine, this handy beauty gadget offers a steady plastic grip and tighter crimping action. It even comes with a replacement pad and a price tag of only $3.79.

L’Oreal Paris Superior Preference Fade-Defying Color & Shine System. At-home hair coloring can be an anxiety-laden experience, but L’Oreal’s product is an award winner, again thanks to Allure readers, because it takes the worry out of the entire process. This coloring system, infused with Vitamin E and a UV filter, produces even color, covers roots and grays and stays glossy for weeks. The fade-defying colorants ensure true tones for eight weeks and prevent dullness and brassy color. The multiuse conditioning tube is an added perk, considering this fabulous product (available in 39 shades) will only set you back $9.99.

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