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December 23, 2006

CELEBRITY STYLE BLOG: ONE WOMAN'S RAGS...

Ashlee Simpson leaves LA store Hollywood Rag on December 10 looking quite warm and cozy, but take into consideration where she is. In True Religions, a white thermal, a blue scarf, a black beanie and a black sweatshirt with fur hood, Ash braved that near subarctic Los Angeles weather. What was it, like 65? Anyways, In Touch is reporting this week that Ashlee has given away some of her barely-worn designer duds to her loyal cleaning woman, Maria. Instead of just letting these pricey outfits collect dust in the nether-regions of her closet, she has gotten into the holiday spirit and given these outfits as a gift to Maria, who in turn has sent some of the pieces back to her family in Brazil. Let's hope that these Brazilian family members are a size 0!

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STYLE TIP: CABIN FEVER

Old Man Winter is cramping your style. You're paler than a polar bear, inventing frostbite-free workouts is getting exhausting (hand-mixing the sugar cookies?), and the dry air means you could use your elbows to file your fingernails (if you could only reach!) And now its time for your holiday party close-up? We need winter intervention STAT.

Here's a Midwinter's checklist of beauty maintenance that will have you ready for a picture with Santa faster than you can say "Event Photographer".

  1. Start in the shower by exfoliating with a moisturizing body wash, an oil-based sugar scrub will work wonders as well. Concentrate on rough areas like elbows and feet.
  2. Use a soft-bristled toothbrush to lightly exfoliate chapped lips in the shower.
  3. Apply a lip balm or Vaseline over chapped lips. Sparingly apply a moisturizing fake-tan* daily face lotion. Blend carefully into the neck for a fresh glow.
  4. Lightly towel-off and mix a body moisturizer with a daily fake-tan* enhancing lotion for photo-ready legs. The daily tan lotion doesn't provide enough moisture so adding moisturizer will boost hydration. Remember to wash hands after using any fake-tan formula so you don't get Oompa-Loompa mitts otherwise known as Lohands.
  5. Use a deep conditioning hand and foot cream. Then get yourself to the salon for a mani-pedi. Don't forget about toes just because they have been tucked away in fabulous ankle boots for months! A matte black is still the chicest nail color of the season and it looks so rich holding a glass of champagne. Cheers!

*If you are still scared of fake-tan formulas, take another look. If you tried them in the 90's with frightening results, rest-assured the formulas have been greatly improved since the Days of Orange. The new formulas have a much better color and you can use a daily tanning lotion that slightly darkens skin a bit each day so there's no mess or drips. A daily face tanner in the winter is absolutely essential and works wonders for men as well (if you can get it on him).

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DESIGNER OF THE WEEK: RACHEL LEIGH

Launching in 2004, Rachel Leigh Jewelry has taken the fashion world by storm, collecting a melee of press and celebrity sightings along the way. Always playful, sometimes exotic and definitively stylish, Rachel Leigh has a unique look all its own. Like Alice stepping through the looking glass, the line captures the most curious of imaginations. Designer and Yves Saint Laurant Publicist, Rachel Bravman uses a fanciful array of materials like coral, pearls, quartz, gold, silver, charms, lockets ribbon and even magnifying lenses to create her wonderland of baubles.

Whether you covet the head-turning Cluster Ring strung with pearls and mischievous talisman or the Antique Gold Pocket Watch with moonstone details, Rachel Leigh will tempt every girl's eye.

Her designs have been featured in the pages of countless publications including, Elle, Glamour, New York Times Style, Harper's Bazaar, Vogue, WWD, Lucky, Cosmopolitan, People, InStyle and many more. Mischa Barton is among her biggest fans with her own collection of Rachel Leigh pieces. Other SoCal celebs include Rachel Bilson and Kristin Cavallari. Check out Rachel's Fall/Winter 2006 collection for the latest must-have trinkets.

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