Kate Middleton Hair Apparent

Like Jennifer Aniston and Farrah Fawcett, the long shimmering locks of Prince William's bride-to-be Kate Middleton have nearly reached cult status. When the couple's engagement was announced last year, sales of shine booster hair products skyrocketed.

Dubbed the "unofficial hair to the throne," the princess-to-be has opted against a stuffy up-do for the Royal Wedding tomorrow. Instead, Middleton's chosen to wear her sleek, chestnut-colored hair down for a more contemporary look, according to her London hairstylist Richard Ward. With the ceremony taking place at Westminster Abbey before an estimated audience of 2 billion viewers, we'll soon see what her famed flowing locks look like underneath a tiara and veil.

To achieve her high-gloss style, you need high-quality shampoos, conditioners and masques. Check out the following innovations from hair product pros.

BEAUTY: Cali Cosmetics Oliva Capelli Hair Cleanser and Oliva Crema Hair Masque add moisture and shine with olive oil. BEACON: Cruelty free, and contains no parabens or SLS.

BEAUTY: Head Organics 2-in-1 Shampoo & Conditioner provides residue-free hydration with cranberry fruit and rosemary leaf extracts, and jojoba seed oil. BEACON: No animal testing and packaged in recyclable containers. Also contains no sulfates, parabens, glycol, colorants or gluten.

BEAUTY: Iden Cosmetics Plant Omega 3 Shampoo restores elasticity with nutrients from flax seed, black currant and perilla, and Botanical Energy Conditioner maximizes fullness with ginseng, hemp seed and aloe extracts. BEACON: Contains no sulfates.

BEAUTY: Joico Re:Nu Age Defy Fullness & Body Shampoo gently energizes the scalp for fuller, thicker hair, and Softness & Manageability Conditioner replenishes lost moisture with rice oil. BEACON: Supports City of Hope and Beauty For a Cure.

BEAUTY: Liz Earle Botanical Shine Shampoo (For All Hair Types) repairs and restores luminosity with vitamin E, aloe vera, West African shea butter, and apple and orange extracts. BEACON: Contains no animal extracts, synthetic fragrance or SLS.

BEAUTY: Peter Lamas Avocado & Olive Ultra Smoothing Shampoo and Conditioner (For Frizzy, Unruly and Coarse Hair) repairs and restores shine with vitamins A, B and E. BEACON: Vegan and cruelty free, and contains no parabens, petrochemicals or SLS.

Face and Body Spring Cleaning

The devoted pursuit of personal cleanliness can be traced as far back as ancient civilization. In fact, the Romans elevated it to a fine art. Their rituals included disrobing, bathing, sweating, receiving a massage and resting--procedures most American spas follow today. 

Fast forward several hundred centuries, and our faces and bodies now contend with an assortment of undesirable factors. Dirt and debris from our environment, hair, clothing, bedding and even oils from our own skin wreak havoc. Plus, makeup, moisturizers and sunscreens produce added contaminants.


The latest facial and body cleansers purify and protect. They provide multiple benefits to minimize premature aging, clogged pores, inflammation, sagging skin and pigmentation issues.

BEAUTY: 100% Pure Pink Grapefruit Hydrating Body Wash nourishes with vitamins and antioxidants, and brightens with pink grapefruit, pomegranate and goji berry. BEACON: Vegan, and gluten and cruelty free.

BEAUTY: Eminence Organic Skin Care Lime Cleansing Masque repairs with antioxidant-rich green, white and rooibos teas, and revitalizes with lime juice. BEACON: The company's ingredient farm in Hungary is powered by solar and wind energy. 

BEAUTY: Goldfaden Daily Cleanser increases radiance and antiaging protection with red tea, and moisturizes with hyaluronic acid and seaweed extract. BEACON: Vegan, no animal testing, and free of parabens, colorants, alcohol, mineral oils, petrochemicals and silicones. 

BEAUTY: iS CLINICAL Cream Cleanser softens skin with safflower seed and coconut oils, and doesn't need to be rinsed with water. BEACON: An active duty female soldier inspired the company to create this product, so she and other military personnel could use it in the field where water isn't readily available.

BEAUTY: Luzern Laboratories Pure Cleansing Créme purifies and hydrates with lemon peel and cucumber fruit extracts. BEACON: Free of parabens, fragrance, glycols, colorants, mineral oil, petrolatum, alcohol, nitrates, dyes and formaldehyde releasers.

BEAUTY: MAYAWATER Facial Mist revitalizes and cleanses dry, tired skin with Norwegian thermal spa water. BEACON: For every bottle purchased, the company donates 1% to charitable organizations that support clean water projects.

BEAUTY: One Love Organics Foaming Cleanser softens skin with glycerin, organic quillaja bark extract and apple seed oil. BEACON: Cruelty free, and supports Care and Children’s Scholarship Fund.

BEAUTY: Saian Perle Replenishing Cleanser hydrates and calms with aloe vera, chamomile and azulene. BEACON: Vegan and cruelty free, and contains no parabens, artificial fragrance, colorants or propylene glycol. 

Earth Day Mineral Makeup

One of the best cosmetics products for your skin comes directly from the earth. 


Used in foundations, blushes, mascaras, shadows and liners, mineral makeup contains a unique composition of natural ingredients. Mica creates color and luminosity, while bismuth oxychloride provides pearlescent pigment. Zinc oxide contains anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties, and titanium dioxide offers protection from environmental factors, including UVA rays and wind.


Known for their pureness and ability to calm the skin, these finely ground minerals appeal to acne and rosacea sufferers--as well as eco-conscious consumers. The ingredients contain no fragrances, binders, synthetic dyes, talc or preservatives.


Many mineral makeup formulations also include anti-aging antioxidants such as green tea and pomegranate extracts, and vitamins A, C and E. In honor of Earth Day, take a look at the latest product innovations.

BEAUTY: Advanced Mineral Makeup Perfecting Concealer (Beige Cream) covers dark circles and Loose Mineral Foundation (Angelina) serves as an all-on-one concealer, SPF 30 and foundation. BEACON: Vegan and non-comedogenic.

BEAUTY: gloMinerals gloEye Shadow Trio (Champagne Rose) sports shades of pink, warm brown and cream as contour, highlighter and liner. BEACON: Non-comedogenic.

BEAUTY: Jane Iredale My Steppes (Cool and Warm) contains two lips glosses (featuring mint and ginger extracts), and blush and bronzer (featuring pine bark and pomegranate extracts). BEACON: Supports Global Green USA (the American arm of Green Cross International), which promotes sustainability.

BEAUTY: Sormé Treatment Cosmetics Mineral Blush (Confidence) employs amino acids, which hydrate the skin and allow color to apply evenly. BEACON: Contains no talc or dyes.

BEAUTY: Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics Mineral Radiance Moisture Tint (Natural) hydrates and shields skin from environmental damage, and Mineral Radiance Creme Powder Foundation (Barely Beige) helps moisturize and soothe redness. BEACON: No animal testing, and contains no oils or alcohol.

Jelly Bean Nail Colors

Whether it's the arrival of spring, or the celebrations of Easter and Passover, jelly beans seem to reign supreme this month. In fact, National Jelly Bean Day takes place on April 22.

The quirky hard shell confection with a gummy interior comes in an assortment colors and flavors. Standards include cherry (red), lemon (yellow), lime (green), grape (purple), licorice (black), lemonade (white), strawberry (pink) and citrus (orange).

The kaleidoscope of colors can be found in many nail lacquers. Here are some of our favorites:

Essie

BEAUTY: Vermillionaire (Orange), Walk Down the Aisle (White), Pretty Edgy (Green) and Red Nouveau (Red). BEACON: Contains no dibutyl phthalate, toluene or formaldehyde.

OPI Products

BEAUTY: A Good Mandarin is Hard To Find (Orange), Need Sunglasses? (Yellow), Funny Bunny (White) and Red My Fortune Cookie (Red). BEACON: Through the Schaeffer Family Foundation, OPI donates to the American Heart Association, Gilda’s Club Worldwide and the Leukemia Research Foundation. 

SpaRitual

BEAUTY: Emerald City (Green), Enlightened Soul (Yellow), Shoot For the Stars (Purple) and Hijinks (Orange). BEACON: Vegan, and contains no synthetic dyes, dibutyl phthalate, toluene or formaldehyde.

Zoya Nail Polish

BEAUTY: Asia (Red), Paz (Orange), Pippa (Yellow) and Jolene (Pink). 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.

Red & Black Licorice Twist Mani

I-I-I-I-I want candy--especially if it's licorice! The confection comes in assorted colors, but red and black twists have become a kid and kid-at-heart classic. Today's National Licorice Day, so SHINE Beauty Beacon has created the Red & Black Licorice Twist Mani.

Here's what you need to get started: Red and black polishes, and base and top coat lacquers. To mimic the twists, this manicure also requires a striper brush. It can be found at an art supply store, and the finer the point, the better.

Apply base coat on each nail, and a layer of red polish on the thumb and middle and pinky fingers. Next, paint black lacquer on the index and ring fingers. After the polish dries, apply a layer of top coat on each nail.

Use the striper brush to paint three to four twists on each nail. Draw them as thin as possible and at a slant. Paint two to three coats on the twists, so they stand out. Note: No need to apply another top coat.

Enjoy your candy mani!

BEAUTY: The Red & Black Licorice Twist Mani was created with Zoya Nail Polish Raven (black) and Kristi (red) lacquers. BEACON: Contains no toluene, camphor, formaldehyde, formaldehyde resin or dibutyl phthalate (DBP).

Red-Faced Royal Family

The British Royals have experienced their share of scandal--enough to turn their blue-blooded faces as red as an English rose. In fact, Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, didn't receive an invitation to the upcoming marriage of Prince William and Kate Middleton because she got caught accepting a bribe last year from an undercover reporter. Hopefully, the nuptials of William and Kate on April 29 will be spared the humiliation of misbehaving relatives and wardrobe malfunctions. 

Windsor couperose curse.

One red-faced moment may be impossible to avoid. Many members of the Royal Family suffer from a chronic skin inflammation disease called rosacea (pronounced roh-ZAY-sha), which is characterized by perpetually flushed cheeks and reddened noses. Not only does the groom-to-be have it, but so does his father Prince Charles and his brother Prince Harry. His late mother Princess Diana also struggled with the condition.

The evidence for a genetic predisposition in rosacea is growing, so Prince William and Kate Middleton's offspring may inherit it.

Like father, like son: Prince William and Prince Charles exhibit matching flushed complexions, but they're not entirely the result of hardy outdoor activities. 

The world thought Princess Diana turned red with giddiness during her famed dance duet with John Travolta in 1985, but rosacea was most likely the reason.

Prince Harry's ruddy complexion matches his crimson hair.

It's estimated that 16 million Americans suffer from the condition, according to the National Rosacea Society. While it cannot be cured, it can be controlled. In honor of National Rosacea Awareness Month, we present the following products formulated to help minimize symptoms.

SHINE: B. Kamins Chemist Rosacea Starter Kit (Booster Blue Soothing Skin Concentrate, Booster Blue Rosacea Cleanser, Booster Blue Rosacea Masque and Soothing Day Cream SPF 15). BEAUTY: Contains anti-inflammatories to treat and cool irritated skin. BEACON: Contributes to PJs For the Cure, which supports juvenile diabetes, and the Quebec Breast Cancer Foundation.

SHINE: Eminence Organic Skin Care Calm Skin Arnica Masque. BEAUTY: Eases irritation and inflammation with soothing ingredients such as marigold oil, arnica flower, vitamin E, coenzyme Q10 and chamomile oil. BEACON: Supports National Ovarian Cancer Coalition, American Cancer Society and The Cinderella Project.

SHINE: Goldfaden Unify. BEAUTY: Minimizes redness and balances skin tone with calming botanicals such as seaweed extract, arnica, red tea extract and oil of kumquat. BEACON: Contains no parabens, artificial colors, alcohol, mineral oils, petrochemicals and silicones. No animal testing and 100% vegetarian.

SHINE: Skyn Iceland Antioxidant Calming Serum. BEAUTY: Boosts collagen production for improved skin tone and texture with coenzyme Q10, cocoa fruit ferment (a derivative of the cocoa bean) and cranberry seed oil. BEACON: Cruelty and carbon free, and vegan. Also supports Making Strides Against Breast Cancer and Gilda’s Club.