eat healthfully throughout the holidays

Holiday parties and out of town guests don't have to mean lots of added calories. Celebrity nutritionist Paula Simpson offers five ways to stay slim during the holidays...and get a jump start on your new year's resolution.

• Eat a High-Carb, High-Fiber Breakfast!
  Make a habit of eating a high-fiber, carbohydrate-rich breakfast, to start your day more focused and energized. A half-cup of high-fiber cereal can contain as much as 14 grams of fiber, and some high-fiber bread has 6 grams per slice. Aim for a total of 25 – 30 grams of fiber daily to best stabilize energy levels. Not a breakfast eater? Try a berry protein smoothie!
• Smart Snacking!
  Look for whole grain crackers with nut butter (almond, peanut, or cashew). Or go for an all-natural protein/energy bar. Make sure they have between 10 – 15 grams of protein, 5 grams of fat, and 20 grams of carbs.
• Eat a Handful of Almonds!
  Like all nuts, they are a great source of protein. They are high in fiber and vitamin E and almonds contain more calcium than any other nut. Their source of protein and fat helps to satisfy hunger and energy longer.
• Choose Living Foods More Often!
  Living foods are alive, colorful, fresh, and raw. Plus, they don’t contain artificial ingredients and they provide lots of vitamins and minerals. Plus, most veggies and fruit tend to contain more than half water – so they keep your body hydrated.
• Try a Nutritional Supplement!
  If you can’t get everything you need via food during these busy times, consider an antioxidant charged nutritional supplement for energy, clarity, and to help minimize the risk of holiday bulge.

expert advice: interview with Steve Anderson, pro makeup artist

Ever wonder what it's like to be a professional makeup artist? Makeup guru Steve Anderson shares his insider view, courtesy of mysocialbeauty.com.

Q: Is working on a film set how you imagined it would be?
A: I have spent 25 years on Film and Television sets, and yes it has been what I imagined it would be, but every now and then I will be surprised with a new twist or event. All sets are NOT created equal.

Q: Any activities or special projects you partook in while in school that helped you get ahead?
A: That was a long time ago, but what helped me was to treat each project as equally important and give it my best efforts.

Q: Are they any other exciting projects on tap for the near future?
A: There are several films coming out in the near future that I had the pleasure to work on. “Conviction” with Hillary Swank, Sam Rockwell, and Mini Driver, brilliantly directed by Tony Goldwyn, where Makeup Artist Vivian Baker and I helped to create a very character driven true story that takes place over a forty-year period. “Stone” with Robert De Niro, and Edward Norton (I was his Mr. Norton's Personal Makeup Artist on this film). ‘Here After” Directed by Clint Eastwood, and I completed the film “One for the Money” starring Katherine Heigl and Jason O’Mara. This is a film based on the popular “Stephanie Plums” novels.

Q: What advice can you give to makeup artists aspiring to be in your shoes?
A: It is a very hard, competitive and fickle business... you really want to take this profession seriously. There are a huge amount of makeup artists out there now, and those ranks are swelling every day as new "Makeup Artists" are graduating from so many makeup artist schools. To rise above the throng, first know your craft as completely as possible, updating your skills as often as you can. Keep a professional attitude and a sense of integrity. In that I mean, act ethically with your dealings with producers, actors and other makeup artists. And mostly, love what you do. Have a passion for the craft and the work itself.

Q: What's the most useful beauty advice you were ever told?
A: Stay current, but use what works well, both with materials, and techniques... And never approach an actor without a box of tissues on you.

Steven Anderson has spent 25 years as a Journeyman Makeup Artist working on many well-known film and television sets.

For more great beauty stories, go to mysocialbeauty.com.

Get Set to Smooch: Enter Nivea's Kiss the One You Love Contest

Whether you're planning on giving your Aunt Esther a kiss as you walk in the door of her holiday celebration or snooching under the mistletoe with that special someone, Nivea's got you covered. The brand's A Kiss of Moisture Hydrating Lip Care SPF 4 promises uber-smooth lips with every application. But now there's another reason to keep your lips feeling soft and smooth.

Nivea introduces its Kiss the One You Love Contest on Facebook, a viral campaign that aims to bring together couples that may otherwise be kept apart this holiday season, to share their love stories for a chance to win the opportunity to spend New Year’s Eve together in Times Square. Facebook users can vote for their favorite couple and ultimately decide which two winning couples will be flown to New York City and prepare to be kissed when the clock strikes midnight. Two winning couples will experience one of the most important kisses of the year in Times Square during the world’s most exciting New Year’s Eve celebration.

Now through December 23rd, couples can log onto Facebook.com/NIVEAusa and share their stories of love and how they have been kept apart this holiday season on a personal profile page, complete with a (optional) photo and personal URL. The couple’s entry will also be viewable on the main contest page where consumers can view and vote on their favorite love stories.

Added features of NIVEA’s Kiss the One You Love Contest application include easy sharing capabilities featuring visuals of the couple so they can rally their friends and family to vote by forwarding their profile as well as posting contest details on personal walls and link to Twitter to capture votes. Voting will come to a close on December 23, 2010 at 11:59 PM and the winning couples will be announced on December 28th via Facebook. To upload your story and vote for your favorite couple, visit Facebook.com/NIVEAusa.

As the official sponsor of the Times Square Alliance New Year’s Eve Celebration for the third consecutive year, NIVEA will unite thousands of people in Times Square for one of the most memorable kisses as the clock strikes midnight. Throughout the evening, the NIVEA Kiss Platform will feature memorable moments to entertain the crowd. NIVEA will paint Times Square blue and white creating the signature “sea of blue” featuring New Year’s Eve accessories and NIVEA Lip Care products to protect the lips of revelers in Times Square as they prepare to be kissed on New Year’s Eve.

So what are you waiting for? Sign up for this exciting event on Facebook today at Facebook.com/NIVEAusa and beat the long distance relationship blues.

get your veggies

I've been dying to try the Yes To line of skin care products every since I read about it in WWD. It's such an innovative concept and sounds so good for you. So when Yes to Blueberries launched, I finally got my hands on it. I eagerly tested Age Refresh Overnight Hydrating Cream, Smoothing Daily Cleanser and Daily Repairing Moisturizer but I was somewhat disappointed. I just didn't feel like they did much for my skin and I didn't love the scent so I was reluctant to keep using the products. But before I turned a cold shoulder on the entire line, I decided to try some of the other Yes to products. I loved the rich, moisturizing effects of Yes to Carrots Hydrating Body Lotion with SPF 30, especially on extra dry areas like knees and elbows. I really liked Yes to Tomatoes Deep Cleansing Facial Pads, which left my skin feeling clean and refreshed. And you can't go wrong with Yes to Cucumbers Soothing Eye Gel (my favorite), designed to smooth and brighten skin around the eyes. It's even more soothing than the actual cucumber slices themselves. And you can feel it tightening and firming as it sets into your skin. Who doesn't want that? To pick your favorite vegetable from the Yes to garden, go to www.yestocarrots.com.

read between the fine lines

Will anything help my fine lines and dark circles? It's hard to say. They are such serious skin problems to tackle. I will basically try anything to make it happen...so I tried Lily.B's Multi-Action Rescue Ultra Eye Cream. First, I love the scent. Not overbearing, just pleasantly pretty. But you don't buy eye cream because it smells good. I also love the rich texture of the cream, featuring jojoba oil, vitamin K and arnica montana (a natural inflammatory which we could all use!). My skin feels super soft around my eye area so it's already beginning to accomplish something. I obviously won't know for some time how well it improves tone and texture, but I can tell you that I like what it feels like so that makes me want to use it more. For more info about Lily B. products, including the nutrient-rich 24/7 Defense Daily Moisturizer, go to www.lilybskincare.com.

throw in the towel

It's November so, chances are, your golden glow has long faded. Yet it's at this time of the year--with the holiday season just around the corner--that you need to look your best. (The last thing you want is Aunt Sadie saying "If you look like that, you'll be single forever!" and Cousin Arthur thinking you're still wearing your ghost costume from Halloween!) The solution: If you can't afford a vacation in the tropics, try self-tanning. Stop grumbling--not all self-tanners involve orange-stained hands, a chemical scent and an artificial-looking end result. TanTowel takes self-tanning to a whole new level. It looks like a hand-wipe packet but it's actually self-tanner in a towelette. Just tear open the packet, remove the towelette and swipe all over your face and body (available in half body or full body size--box of TanTowel Classics, $21 each; box of TanTowel Plus, $25.25 each). My favorite part: There's an X-foliator towelette too ($21 per box) that you can use before you self-tan to keep your skin buffed and smooth. This is the easiest exfoliator I've ever used! One side of the towelette exfoliates while the other side buffs and smooths your skin--use it in or out of the shower and you don't even have to rinse it off! But getting back to the self-tanner. It's easy to use, dries quickly and doesn't leave streaks or spots. I used the Classic version for a subtle dose of color but you can try the Plus towelette for a deeper, darker tan. My friends commented on the fact that I look rested and refreshed but couldn't exactly pinpoint why! TanTowel also has an Express Self-Tan Kit ($30), On the Glow Body daily moisturizer ($17), On the Glow Face Moisturizer ($8.50), On the Glow Face Tinted Moisturizer ($19), Moisture Mist ($21), Tanning Mist ($21), SPF Mist 30+ ($21), Bronzer ($26) and Lip Gloss ($15). For more info, go to www.tantowel.com.

time to detox

Just as the weather starts to change (finally!) and we enter the frenzied schedule of pre-holiday planning, I usually feel the need to refresh, recharge and, well, detox. EmerginC's Scientific Organics line is the perfect antidote. Thanks to an ingredient called Kombucha, a fermented tea known for its medicinal uses, the products are designed to hydrate, balance, minimize fine lines, protect from the sun, balance irregular skin tones, soothe skin ailments and provide antioxidants. The Kombucha Cleanser ($34) feels clean and moisturizing on my skin. The Phytocell Cream ($85) is super-hydrating and leaves my skin with a subtle glow. But the Phytocell Detox Mask ($50) is my favorite. The clay-based formula removes impurities, nourishes, tones and improves the texture of the skin. And it feels great. Lightweight and quick-drying, the mask is easy to apply (just smooth on with fingertips) and simple to remove (let dry for 10-15 minutes and rinse). My face felt smooth and radiant after two uses (one to three times a week is recommended). Learn more about Scientific Organics products at www.emerginc.com.