Technicolor Makeup Trends

Special shout-out to Nicki Minaj. She lights 29 candles today. 

It's anyone's guess what the Trinidadian-born recording artist will wear for her birthday celebration. She's known for her platinum wigs, but there's nothing vanilla about her style sense. Her Crayola crazed neon outfits, shoes and accessories never fail to dazzle and delight.

Hot hues have happily gone Hollywood. Pop superstars, such as Lady Gaga, Rihanna and Katy Perry, embrace vibrant pinks, oranges, purples and greens. It's music to our ears and, most of all, our eyes. 

We're seeing the same kaleidoscope of colors in cosmetics. Take a look at the latest wild, whimsical and wonderful trends in Technicolor makeup.

ORANGE & PINK

Rihanna

Nicki Minaj

BEAUTY: Essence Lipsticks (Coralize Me! and Like A Lady). BEACON: No animal testing.

BEAUTY: Milani Lipsticks (Mandarina and Rose Hip). BEACON: Cruelty free.

 BEAUTY: Smashbox Eyeshadow (Torch). BEACON: Recyclable packaging made with Sustainable Forestry Initiative Certified paper and soy ink.

BEAUTY: Sormé Treatment Cosmetics Lipstick (Confection) and Lip Thick Super Plumping Gloss (Empress). BEACON: No animal testing.

GREEN

Lady Gaga

 BEAUTY: Jordana Bright Eyes Retractable Eyeliner (Green) and Color Effects Eyeshadow Powder (Double Effect). BEACON: Cruelty free.

 BEAUTY: Palladio Beauty Group Baked Eyeshadow Trio (Pop Idol). BEACON: No animal testing.

BEAUTY: Milani Infinite Liquid Eyeliner (Eternal) and Crystal Eyez Sparkling Eyeshadow (Gorgeous & Glowing). BEACON: Cruelty free.

PURPLE

Katy Perry

BEAUTY: Essence Eyeshadows (Disco Diva and Ultra Violet) and XXXL Shine Lipgloss (Rock On). BEACON: No animal testing.

 BEAUTY: Jordana Color Effects Eyeshadow Powder (Twofold) and Bright Eyes Retractable Eye Liner (Purple). BEACON: Cruelty free.

BEAUTY: Milani 3D Glitzy Glamour Gloss (Fashion Diva), Runway Eyes Fashion Shadows (Haute Couture) and Lip Flash Full Coverage Shimmer Gloss Pencil (In A Flash). BEACON: Cruelty free.

BEAUTY: Sormé Treatment Cosmetics Bio Natural Eyeshadow (Amethyst). BEACON: No animal testing.

Lady Gaga Goes Green Mani

Lady Gaga has finally shown her true colors. At recent appearances in New York and Japan, she made a surprising style statement by rocking various shades of green hair, shoes and attire. "It's for liberation and for the environment," she proudly proclaimed to the press.

Gaga's not the first Fame Monster to go green. The Incredible Hulk, the Green Hornet, the Green Lantern and Wally the Green Monster (the official mascot of the Boston Red Sox) became pop icons by sporting the superhero hue.


Whether you prefer emerald, jade, mint or turquoise, let's give a Paws Up salute to the Lady Gaga Goes Green Mani. 


ESSIE

BEAUTY: Create your own green party with Turquoise & Caicos, Sew Psyched and Mint Candy Apple. BEACON: Contains no dibutyl phthalate, toluene or formaldehyde.

OPI PRODUCTS

BEAUTY: Make everyone green with envy with Jade is the New Black, Here Today...Aragon Tomorrow and Mermaid's Tears. BEACON: Contains no formaldehyde, dibutyl phthalate or toluene.

SPARITUAL

BEAUTY: Green light your next mani and pedi with Eye of the Beholder, Emerald City and Moss. BEACON: Vegan, and contains no synthetic dyes, dibutyl phthalate, toluene or formaldehyde.


ZOYA NAIL POLISH

BEAUTY: Toss together some mixed greens with Apple, Suvi and Midori. BEACON: Contains no toluene, camphor, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin or dibutyl phthalate.

Hollywood Mona Lisas

Happy birthday to Leonardo da Vinci. He celebrated the big 5-5-9 this month.


Little did he know that when he painted the Mona Lisa in approximately 1505, he'd spark so much speculation about her enigmatic expression. Is she scowling or smiling? Is she radiating sassiness or serenity? 

Whether you believe she's a hellion or a heroine, her legacy continues to live on. In honor of National Smile Month and da Vinci's greatest muse, we present three celebrities who grin and wear it like Mona Lisa--and how they're creating their own legacies through charitable work.

EVA LONGORIA

BEAUTY: Desperately devilish. BEACON: Founded Eva's Heroes, a charity which helps developmentally disabled children. She's also the national spokesperson for PADRES Contra El Cancer (Parents Against Cancer).

ANGELINA JOLIE

BEAUTY: Elegantly enigmatic. BEACON: Co-founded the Maddox Jolie-Pitt Foundation, which supports Global Action for Children and Doctors Without Borders. Also co-chairs the Education Partnership for Children of Conflict.


LADY GAGA

BEAUTY: Monstrous mystique. BEACON: Recently donated $1.5 million to Save the Children’s Japan Earthquake Tsunami Relief and the American Red Cross. 


The following products help to maximize glamorous grinning:

BEAUTY: 100% Pure Sugar Plum Sheer and Watermelon Sorbet Lip Glosses moisturize with fruits pigments from pomegranate, cherry, cranberry, blackberry and raspberry, and vitamins C and E. BEACON: Contains no gluten, synthetic chemicals, preservatives, artificial fragrances or colors, or harsh detergents.

BEAUTY: Dermalogica Renewal Lip Complex restores chapped and aging puckers with cocoa butter, avocado oil and hyaluronic acid. BEACON: The Dermalogica Foundation supports S.K.I.N. (Skincare for Kids in Need).

BEAUTY: Eminence Organic Skin Care Cinnamon Kiss Lip Plumper stimulates circulation for more fullness and nourishes with pomegranate oil. BEACON: Supports National Ovarian Cancer Coalition, Canadian Liver Foundation and The Cinderella Project.

BEAUTY: gloMinerals gloRoyal Lip Crayon provides long-lasting shine when worn alone or applied on top of lipstick. BEACON: Non-comedogenic, and contains no talc, perfumes and chemical dyes.

BEAUTY: Lavera Naturkosmetik Lip Gloss No. 6 (Burgundy) repairs and moisturizes with vitamin E and jojoba. BEACON: Cruelty free, and contains no parabens, synthetic preservatives, fragrances, GMO, gluten, emulsifiers and petroleum-based ingredients.

BEAUTY: Palladio Beauty Herbal Lip Gloss (Ruby Red) combats the breakdown of skin`s elasticity with antioxidants such as green tea, and vitamins A, C, D and E. BEACON: No animal testing.

Lady Gaga Sunny-Side-Up Manicure

Someone forgot to tell Lady Gaga that it's the Year of the Rabbit in Chinese culture--not the Year of the Chicken. Nevertheless, the pop music icon managed to make a grand entrance in an egg at the Grammy Awards earlier this month. For the most part, it went over well--or, shall we say, over easy--with fans and critics.

Her sp-egg-tacular arrival inspired SHINE Beauty Beacon to create a Sunny-Side-Up Manicure. We recommend wearing it during a brunch date, Lady Gaga's next concert or while participating in an Easter egg hunt. The video below illustrates how to do it in five easy steps, and the image beneath it shows you what the full manicure looks like.

Protocol for the Sunny-Side-Up Manicure:

Step 1: Apply a layer of base coat to each nail.

Step: 2: Coat each digit with yellow lacquer.

Step 3: Apply another coat of white lacquer to each nail.

Step 4: While the lacquer is still wet, use a toothpick (or dull implement) to carve out a circle in the middle of each nail. This allows the yellow lacquer (or yolk center) to emerge from beneath.

Step 5: Gently place a dollop of yellow lacquer in the center of each nail to enhance the yolk, and then apply a top coat to set and brighten the look.

BEAUTY: The Sunny-Side-Up Manicure features CND Bicycle Yellow and Brilliant White Colour lacquers. BEACON: These products are "three free," which means they don't contain toluene, formaldehyde or DBP (dibutyl phthalate).