So celebrity make up artist Demitri James recently sent me a highlight, blush bronze and sculpt kit from his line “Skinn” and I absolutely love it!  It creates a very natural flush of color on the face instead of looking too “made up” or clownish.  It would be a perfect tool for models who are asked to come to a shoot “make up ready”. Get it at www.skinn.com!

He demonstrates how to use the compact below and some make up tips for users!  Enjoy!

Betsy

xo

                                                           Nutrition Thoughts from My Scattered Brain 

                                                          by BBB fitness correspondent Andy McDermott 

• I pretty much look at all things that I may intake and try to assess if it has something in it that my body can use.  Obviously, our bodies need fuel to operate, and the higher quality fuel we burn, the better the performance and appearance of our bodies.
• I do not advocate, however, having zero fun in your diet!  Unless you are getting ready for a bodybuilding competition or a photo shoot, our bodies need a lot of nutrients and can handle some bad stuff thrown in there occasionally as long as we are doing at least a little bit of exercise almost everyday.  Life is too short to never get to enjoy delicious foods and drinks! 
• I look at it as kind of 80/20.  80% of what I put in my body is good, clean fuel.  Then of course, 20% is the sweets, dessert, beer/wine (in moderation or not at all of course!), pizza, or Philly cheesesteak sandwiches!  These are the fun foods of which our bodies can only use a fraction for fuel or none at all.  They are kind of a waste of time for our bodies, and, if we are not heating up the furnace and burning a lot of calories regularly, our bodies will turn those sugars, empty carbs, fats, and alcohol into body fat!
• For me, a simpler way to look at the 80/20 is to have one cheat day a week.  That does not mean on Saturday I’m going to eat at burger king 4 times and drink a case of Budweiser!  But it does allow me to eat pizza and some dark chocolate, or have a couple beers or other “not good fuel but delicious” intake items.  This plan works well because the cheat day can be adjusted according to which day you are going out to dinner or a night on the town or the night you just want to eat a large dark chocolate ice cream with kit-kat mixed in from Cold Stone!
• The cheat day keeps you sane!  Don’t try to eat strictly pure and clean for the rest of your life: you will want to jump off a bridge!  I find if I have something important I am looking forward to and want to look and feel my best, I can do this for a set amount of time, even if it sucks…  Once that event is finished though- I want to eat everything I see!

• OK, SO LET’S FIRST TALK ABOUT WHAT NOT TO INTAKE:  
• No WHITE FOODS!!  White pastas, breads, sugars, creams, sauces, chips: all have been overly processed.  These are the quintessential “waste of time foods!”  Sure they taste good, but your body cannot use them as well as other options (which we will get to) or not at all, and will turn them into body fat.
• Never drink another sugar drink again!  STOP IT!  There is SO much empty sugar in regular soda, certain juices, smoothies, coffee drinks, and energy drinks!!!!  You’re drinking more sugar than you would eat in an entire day. 
• If you must drink soda or energy drinks, ALWAYS choose diet. 
• Stay away from fast food.  Unless it is an extremely special treat, or it’s the only food option for 50 miles, there is absolutely no reason to go to any fast food burger or taco joint.  Even the healthy stuff is not totally healthy stuff!
• Can you eliminate salad dressing?  If not, try more clear stuff, like olive oils or balsamics, and not the creamy stuff.
• There is hidden sugar in a lot of stuff we don’t even think about.  Ketchup and BBQ sauce, for example, have more sugar than we think.  So, a good thing can turn into a bad thing if you eat a lot of it.  One or two pieces of FRUIT a day is healthy for you—more than that and it is just excess sugar that your body can’t use!

ALRIGHT, I THINK IT IS PRETTY EASY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT NOT TO EAT, AND IT’S KIND OF DEPRESSING TALKING ABOUT IT, SO LET’S THINK ABOUT WHAT ARE SOME GOOD FOODS TO INTAKE!: 

• Good protein.  As far as supplementation goes- getting some good protein into your body immediately after a workout is essential if you are doing any resistance training.  Basically you are tearing down your muscles while training, and then you are asking those muscles to build back up stronger/bigger/leaner.  Amino acids and proteins are the fuels for those muscles, so they are only able to develop with that fuel.  A good, clean protein shake after a workout is a staple.  If you are really trying to change your body, a second and maybe a third shake in a day is pretty important as well.  If trying to add muscle, I go more than a gram per pound of body weight per day.
• Lean meats.  Steak, chicken. Turkey is a lean sub: turkey bacon, ground turkey, etc.  Fish, especially salmon.  If vegetarian/vegan: you have to find another source: eggs, soy, protein shakes—it’s crucial!
• Greens!  Spinach, broccoli.  Green beans, edamame.  Raw is best, but steamed or prepared in olive oil is great too, and tastes better!
• Whole grains for your carbs.  Unless you are really stripping your body down for something special, carbs are crucial for your body to run correctly.  You cannot exercise hard and get no carbs. 
• Whole grain pasta, bread, snacks, etc!
• My wife makes awesome dishes using whole grains and ground turkey or turkey sausage: lasagna, pizza, turkey burgers, chicken pot pie, etc!
• We try to eat as organic as possible.  These healthy grocery stores are fantastic.  People believe they are more expensive, but we disagree for this reason: if you buy good, healthy, clean food, you eat it and your body loves it and uses every bit of it as fuel.  If you buy and consume what the average American gets at a grocery store, you eat a lot of stuff that is “waste of time food,” that may be cheaper for that moment, but you have to eat more of it to be satisfied because the nutrients aren’t there- your body isn’t getting the fuel it needs even though you are probably overeating.  This is one of the reasons people are more obese than ever, because the quality of our food has gone down, so people’s bodies tell them they are hungry again shortly after eating a meal—and we just eat and eat and eat!
• WATER!!!   Try drinking two full glasses of water with each meal.  Not only will you be hydrating, but your stomach will not feel as empty and make you overeat.  If you are “starving,” chug a glass of water before eating- for the same reason.  And if at all possible—and I personally know this is a hard one—try to substitute a water for a soda/energy drink/coffee drink.
• Another good trick I have learned is to brush my teeth or chew some gum immediately after a meal.  It helps me to somewhat eliminate my sweet tooth.  I think my body has been conditioned over the years to expect dessert—to expect something sweet after salty or tasty food.  This helps counteract it.
• Good fats: olive oil, almonds, natural peanut butter…
• SUPPLEMENTS:  there are SO many out there!  Too much info to be discussed here.  I use a LOT, but most importantly, get a good multi-vitamin, and plenty of protein to support your muscle development.  Even you LADIES!  It’s a misconception among women that the fastest way to change your body is to have killer workouts and starve yourself.  Wrong—you must eat to change!  Good protein, clean fuel, and lots of water will help you burn the fat you have and build lean muscle faster.

  SUMMARY:  It’s no secret– exercise hard and intake clean fuel and your body will get into the best shape of your life.  The best part is you will develop these habits as your lifestyle, not as a “diet.”  Having a healthy body will just feel natural to you!     This is one of the best guide’s I’ve read on eating for a healthy “lifestyle” rather than a fad diet!  If you have any more questions for Andy you can email them to Betsy@betsysbeautyblog.com. xo

Betsy

Model and Cop Andy shares with me why he’s so buff…

He also disclosed to me that he runs for 20 minutes in the morning before breakfast to burn off anything from the night, then he has a protein shake, then he hits the gym for like 45 minutes! Wow! Andy also attributes his nice body to eating a lot of ground turkey, spinach, peanut butter toast, and anything protein…

I’d say he’s doing something right!!

xo
Betsy

Dear Betsy,

 Just thought I would let you know that I used some eye cream last night from some samples I obtained.  I must say, I could see and feel a difference in the area around my eyes.  I’m going to use it for the next couple nights, and then I might invest.  Good call!

—Chris

I’m so glad!

A good brand to try is Kiehls  (my favorite because of their all organic ingredients) try their eye 
alert for revival after a long night …or for extreme anit-aging benefits I like their “Line-Reducing-Eye-Brightening Concentrate”, it  contains vitamin-C , which works wonders in keeping skin from developing fine lines and wrinkles . If you are on a budget, at least use something, it could be Oil of Olay or Clinic !

Yay Chris I’m proud of you!

 xo

Betsy

Check out Devon as he gives us a tour of FIDM and of the garment district in LA! Devon is one of my favorite male models, be sure to vote for him at www.vman.com so he can be on the cover of the magazine! (Currently he’s on page 31 of the submissions)

From Lucy Kaylin’s article in the May 2008 issue of GQ, Marc Jacobs talks about how he followed a monastic diet (no flour, dairy, sugar or caffeine) that nutritionist Lindsey Duncann recommended and “was so enamored of the results he made the regimen his religion” (120 gq.com 2008). 

I’d be enamored with the results too if I had been a frumpy, overweight guy with an afro and I was suddenly transformed into the sexy, confident fashion icon I should have been….

My co-worker Matt and I are so impressed by this transformation that we are going to start following the Monastic Diet as well! I am going to interview Matt after each week of this journey in a “Vlog” (video blog) so everyone can witness how his attitude/appearance changes!  haha

Wish us luck, and join Betsy and Matt’s monastic Journey!

xo

Betsy

Dear Beauty Betsy,

First i must thank you for all the wonderful words of wisdom that you share with us each week.. Your insight into the world of beauty and fashion is not only a gift, but more so a guiding light that will show me the way to become a star one day…  Anyway, the reason i write is because most of your blogs are directed towards women.. Myself, being a young, affluent, attractive, and charming young man, i fear that my excessive exposure tothe sun may have a detrimental effect on my youthful good looks in thefuture. What products do you recommend for me, so i can ensure that i keep my youthful glow for many years to come?? Get back to me when you find the time. Your biggest beauty blog fan, Barrett

Well Charming Barrett,

I’m glad you are so fond of my insight; it truly takes a special man toappreciate the world of beauty and fashion. I promise I  will do my bestfrom now on to include skin care and fashion advice for men. As a young,affluent, attractive, and charming young man, I think that you already havean advantage; positive and happy people age much better than miserablepeople.  However, it wouldn’t hurt to start wearing an eye cream every night.
The skin around your eyes is the most delicate and the first place one starts to see premature aging, I would recommend Kiehl’s “Abyssine EyeCream”.  I really like this line because they use all natural-organicingredients.  The Abyssine Eye cream helps minimize the appearance of fineline and wrinkles, it also protects against free radicals.  Because you spend a lot of your time in the sun, you have already predisposed yourselfto skin damage.  Anti-aging eye creams and a facial moisturizer with EsterC- and Alpha Lipoic Acid can help reverse and prevent further damage, but you really need to make sure you wear sun screen every day, and re-apply!  Another great unisex product I love is Jason’s Apricot Scrub, it triplesas a scrub, mask and skin polisher.  It helps to prevent razor burn onyour face as well!I hope this helps Barrett, feel free to ask questions if any of this is confusing to you…I know the world of skin care is pretty foreign to most men! Good Luck!
Betsy