Tom Cruise thinks we're beautiful

TIA'S WEEKLY...WHYYYY?
Girls, I'd like to debut a new feature on SHAKE YOUR BEAUTY! To be honest, I feel that "TIA'S WEEKLY...WHYYY?" is long overdue. Every week, someone does something so deeply asinine in the media that I find myself questioning if all is right with the world (my mind is cluttered with all these random facts because I have to research crazy pop culture stuff for our daily celeb gossip segment on Cosmo Radio…that’s the only reason, I swear). So I've created a forum where I can ponder these deeply philosophical questions, if you don't mind. Here’s this week's question:

WHY IS TOM CRUISE SO OBSESSED WITH BLACK PEOPLE? If you managed to get past his crazy-old-man-on-the-front-porch musings about curing heroin addiction with, like, a multi-vitamin…you’ll notice that, as of late, TC's been steadily surrounding himself with a merry band of cullid entertainers. To be specific, the man has asked Kanye West and Jamie Foxx to be his baby's "Uncles." Reportedly, he refuses to miss a performance by Jada Pinkett Smith's rock band, Wicked Wisdom...and he's been orchestrating play dates between Katie and Jada, with the hope that she'll be asking Jada to be a bridesmaid. He’s referred to Will Smith as “his boy.” He and Katie were seen whoopin' it up at Oprah's Legends Ball, which was a fancy prom for BLACK FEMALE ICONS. And please tell me someone emailed you guys the little QuickTime thingie of TC getting krunk on 106th & Park??!! I’m talking about knees bent, arms in the air, shoulders shaking hard enough to recall the Bankhead Bounce (and, oh, the looks on the faces of his Mission Impossible co-stars, Laurence Fishburne and Ving Rhames were priceless). TC, you’re wearing me out! He’s not the first to have a black fetish, and he won’t be the last (hello, Bill Maher) but come on...Wicked Wisdom?

Dear Ladies,
Hiii! As promised, this week is all about me answering your beauty questions…oh, and I got some FABULOUS ones this week. Oh, and I noticed something else happening. You guys are starting to actually answer each other’s questions with your own beauty recommendations. I LOVE THIS! Doesn’t it make you feel all warm and squishy and community-like? So, this is what I propose. Next week’s post will be called “SHARE YOUR BEAUTY,” and it’ll be a roundup of all of your fabulous product suggestions! I’m so in love with the idea that I’ve decided to do it once a month! Anyway, keep your brilliant recommendations coming because, as beauty obsessed as I am, I must admit that I don’t have all the answers (ooh that was hard. I’m sending you my therapist bill). Have a fabulous week girls, and keep shakin’ it for mama.

Love,
Tia

SYB’S MOST PRESSING BEAUTY QUESTIONS OF THE WEEK:

Dear Stephanie,
I found you the perfect thing to wear to your wedding in St Lucia. PRAIRIE NEW YORK'S JADE DRESS ($221) manages to be seriously sexy while also working that beachy-easy, “oh I just threw this on with some gold flip-flops” thing that’s so scorching-hot for summer. It’s really all about the deep-V neckline adorned with those chunky, vibrant stones. Yum.


Dear Kimberly,
The oily-eyelids thing is an extremely common problem, and it makes it impossible to keep your eyeshadow from creasing and/or sliding down your face. Thank God for TOO FACED EYESHADOW BASE IN SECOND BASE! Simply blend this botanical-based matte primer over your lid before applying shadow, and it magically holds it in place all day long. Second Base also works wonders on your undereye bags: If you dot and blend it on your dark circles before applying concealer, it prevents concealer from settling into those fine lines while brightening the hell out of the entire area! You’ll look bright-eyed and bushy-tailed (even if you’re hungover and grumpy).


Dear Porsche,
How many of us have had this problem? Days after Porsche gets a fresh perm, her edges are already standing at attention! Here’s how to tame your unruly hairline—without getting that overly slick, gelled-up grossness. Pull hair into a ponytail, damp your edges a bit and apply a smidgeon of REDKEN LUSH WHIP, a super-lightweight, shine-enhancing styling lotion with fabulous hold. While smoothing back the edges with a comb, blast the area with a blowdryer. The whole thing takes about ten minutes, and your hairline will stay flat all day, I swear!


Dear DDNice,
Now, this is an interesting question! Usually, I wouldn’t recommend a fuchsia lip gloss for Mary J. Blige-complected girlies (hot pink has a lot of blue in it, which is generally too harsh for warm undertones). But because I adore you to death, I figured out a fabulous way for you to go fuchsia! Since an opaque, highly pigmented shade would be too bright, it’s all about a soft, sheer hot pink. First, line and fill-in lips with a brown lipliner, and then layer on a sheer, hot pink gloss—I’m obsessed with BOURJOIS' brilliant new EFFET 3D COCKTAILS LIPGLOSS IN ROUGE SUNSET—for a subtly sexy, strawberry-ish glaze.


Dear Gina,
Looking for THREE CUSTOM COLOR'S LIP GLOSS IN "BILLIE" (yep, the very one inspired the confused-but-cute heroine of THE ACCIDENTAL DIVA)? You can find this universally flattering, bronzy-red gloss on www.drugstore.com. It's my personal belief that Billie would look tres adorable in this color.


Dear LuxeDivaSoulSistaHoneyChile,
Yay!!! I’m so excited your man’s coming back safe and sound from Iraq in two months!!! Girl, you better PUT IT ON HIM the second he lands. And here’s how:

FOR SWEET-SMELLING DREADS: Spritz them with CLEAN SHAMPOO FRESH HAIR FRAGRANCE. At $39, it’s kinda pricey, but this sweet lime/grapefruit/passion lily scent is so incredibly fresh and seductive that you’ll buy TWO.


FOR “WELCOME HOME, SAILOR” LINGERIE: It’s all about www.belabumbum.com. This new lingerie and swimwear website is a cult-favorite among celebs, especially their racy-without-being-hoochie CARMEN COLLECTION (I’m equally as booty-impaired, so my favorite are the boyshorts—the low cut, which exposes just enough juice in the back, is sooo flattering).


FOR A SKIN-SOFTENING LOTION MINUS STRONG FRAGRANCE: Definitely go for ORIGINS GINGER GLOSS SMOOTHING BODY OIL. Spray on this slightly citrusy, non-greasy dry oil when your skin’s wet, towel off and voila! You’ll have the silkiest, most touchable skin, ever.