I’m keeping it a bit lite for the summer’s end…here’s my love list of (surface) beauty products–for one time only.

OUTER GLOW
: Renee Rouleau Cleanser. No nasty preservatives. One bottle lasts about a year.
: Renee Rouleau Mint Buffing Beads
: Renee Rouleau Ginseng Toner. I put it in a small spray bottle and use it post cleansing and pre-moisturizing. I also spritz it after I put on my make up to set ma’face and get a glow.

: Escents’ Blemish B’Gone. Best zit-zapper, ever.

: Eminence Pumpkin Enzyme Peel. This stuff munches dead skins cells.
: Dermalogica Sebum Mask. Magic gunk remover.
: Clarisonic cleansing gizmo, If it’s good enough Gwyneth Paltrow, for it’s good enough for us. Deep, buzzy clean.
: Moroccan Oil size of a dime on dry hair = sexy sheen.
: Tweezermans. Must have professional pluckers and lock pickers.
: SonicCare toothbrush. These are pricey but they go on sale often. So worth it.

: Young Living Essential Oils. The best of the best. I use a few drops in my bath and in my air diffuser. I also wear the Frankincense as perfume once and a while. High vibe.

: Voluminous Mascara, L’Oreal. I’ve conducted an extensive experiment and survey for the best mascara. Lancome’s Defincils is a close runner up. Same goes for my search for the best black eyeliner, which is from MAC.
: Lorac’s Bronze Vixen Collection is all that.
: The Body Shop’s Lip Liner in Beech is the best natural lippy shade. Top it with gloss.
: Marcelle eye-makeup remover is just as effective as the pricey stuff.

: Hemp Hand Protector from The Body Shop. Intense yum.

: Kiss My Face Peaceful Patchouli Body Lotion, is just the right kinda earthy. Second best: olive oil — skin, hair, everywhere.

INNER GLOW
: Crazy Sexy Diet, by Kris Carr is my lifestyle, all good things come from this.

: Emergence C. Jet lag, bugs, fatigue — slam it back.

: E-3 Live BrainOn is light for your brain.

More important than all the potions to your outer glow is getting sleep, regular orgasms, smiling, and veggies.

Philosophical depth and penetrating insight will resume shortly.

Summer Love,

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You need a good photo. Party shots where your bud had their arm around you, but they’re cut out of the picture (we know, it’s like, the best shot of you, ever); or back yard snaps with the sun in your eyes; professional bios with a photo of you and your kids–is your toddler answering your email? It’s all a no go. Authors who’ve been using the same headshot for a decade? Really? And animals…don’t get me started about kitty cats. Furry friends should only be in photos with you if you’re a veterinarian or a dog groomer.

Photos are so incredibly important. They convey, attract, explain, inspire, magnetize. The expanse of your smile, the cut of your shirt, the love in your eyes–we want to see it. It’s a big deal. Go out of your way to capture the best you. Plan for a photo shoot like you’d plan to host an unforgettable party.

22 things I’ve learned about looking hot (and not) in a shot

1. If you’ve got the budget, hire a professional. Find the budget. Range: $200 up to $500 will get you some skill. Paying up to $1000 is not insane if you walk with a set of amazing shots that you can use. More often than not, you will get what you pay for. If you don’t have the funds, connect with a photography or art school, students are always looking to build their portfolios and usually have access to lighting gear.

2. Many photographers will want to shoot in outdoor natural light. The quality of light is fabulous and it’s low-tech. Personally, I don’t like being shot outdoors, purely because, I’m not an outdoorsy person–it doesn’t feel right and so it’s not in sync with my “brand”. I like indoors, preferably a studio, with white hot lights.

we scrapped this whole shoot, done at sunset, because i squinted for all 100+ photos. squinting = reluctant demon look. not good.

3. Good lighting is EVERYTHING. Good lighting accentuates the right stuff. It clears up skin, makes hair shine, and hugs hips.

4. The day before, get a good night’s sleep. Puffy eyes will ruin a whole shoot. If you’re beat, tea bags on your eyes and a cold cloth help a lot.
5. Two days before, drink lot’s of water. Dry skin makes for messy make up.
6. 5 days before, get a seriously exfoliating facial.

we shot this in my living room at night, with good lights. had my hair super straightened that morning. grabbed this feather that was on my mantle. never used this shot anywhere because I look like I'm about to pounce on my jungle prey. *Anastasia Chomlack

7. Wear make up. I don’t care if you never so much as powder your nose in everyday life. EVERYONE (including dudes) needs some make up for a professional shoot. It’s not about glamor, it’s about off-setting the harshness of a camera.
8. Do a trial run with your make up before a shoot. Typically, you can get your make up done for free at a MAC or Chanel counter if you purchase some product. Pro coverage starts at about $100. For super fancy magazine shoots, makeup artists will get paid around $300 and up, which is often a day rate.
9. Get your eyebrows threaded or waxed.

this became known as my Obi Wan Kanobi shot. the crew were in winter coats and I'm here freezing my noogies off in the desert. we did this for my last book, spent a few thousand on the day, and scrapped it because it was too cheesy dramatic.

10. EVERYTHING SHOWS ON CAMERA. EVERYTHING.

11. Clothing: Borrow, rent, invest. You might want to plan for a wardrobe change. Prop it. I did a fancy shoot in a poofy Vera Wang dress that a store let me borrow. I was spilling out of it (Vera doesn’t design for girls with big ta-ta’s.) Masking tape, safety pins and the right angle, et voila! Kinda Supermodel.

12. Bring your iPod and crank it. Music is better than wine.

13. Move your body! Ham it, sauce it, goof it up. I guarantee you the shots that comes right after you’ve laughed will be the winner.
14. If a photographer ever directs you to “rest your chin lightly on your hands an tilt your head,” high tail it out of there.
15. Tits up, back straight, chin slightly down.

16. Don’t be afraid to make suggestions to the photographer–they’re working for you. “Why don’t you get on that ladder and shoot me from above?” When you have a say, you look better.
17. Work with a photographer who makes you laugh and asks questions. Holly & Roger at UnionPhotographers are giggle-folk and, best of all, Holly laughs at my jokes. Anastasia Chomlack walks and talks with me so I get all broody and soft. It all shows up on film.

i'd just had a little cry before this was snapped–one of those days. i'm standing in a white box with a blanket 'round me (and holding my breath because the blankie was about to fall off.) freezing, again. after two hours, Gregory Crow got a winning shot, I was smiling by then.

18. Do a shoot before you think you “need” to, before your site launches, before the magazine calls, well before your Christmas gifts or Valentines Day’s boudoir prezzie. Less pressure, more fun.
19. My personal feelings about Photoshop: not a huge fan of it. While I’m not above Spanx or false eyelashes, I want people to get what they see. Lighting should be all the technology you employ.
20. If you don’t love the final results, say so. You can’t blame the photographer if you think you look hefty or mopey, but a great shoot is very much about team work. The photographer is there to put you in your best light and capture that. Re-shoots are part of the biz.
21. Since you’re looking foxy, film a video on the same day. (Seen my new sizzle reel?)

22. It takes 100 frames to get one good shot — all you need is that one to make history. Radiate.

the best shots come naturally. *Union Photographers

speaking of looking HOT…

…and feeling even hotter…the inimitable Regena Thomashauer (alias: Mama Gena) is a full-throttle force of nature — and if you’re not already drinking her sensual Kool-Aid, you oughta polish your favorite champagne glass, and fill yourself up to the brim. God, pussy, love, liberation — it’s all part of her latest creation, the Virtual Pleasure Boot Camp.

CLICK HERE TO PROWL AROUND MAMA GENA’S BOOT CAMP…

(caution: dangerous curves & Lady Gaga tunes, ahead…)

The very dynamic Tamara Gold at The Red Lipstick Reporter interviewed me recently about style, being real, and life balance. Click below to hear why I think the “pursuit of life balance”" is bullshit, why I felt like a phat fake when I was running a DC think tank, how to “announce your unfolding,” and three questions to ask yourself about branding your business.

CLICK TO LISTEN TO TAMARA + DANIELLE:
http://www.audioacrobat.com/play/WfB5Kh2Q

Tamara is all about women’s empowerment — from your soul to your, well, lipstick. You can sign up for the weekly Report on the home page.

xo
Danielle

So I raised my eyebrows and held up a red leather vest. “Yeah…not very Jackie.” She admitted. “So what’s going through your mind when you’re shopping?” I asked. “Really put yourself in the scene. You’re standing at the clothing rack and the day-glo leopard print says exactly what to you?” Her eyes widened. “It says to me: ‘Your mother would hate this. Buy it!’” she blurted out.

Et voila! Mystery solved.

As it turned out, when she was growing up her mother dictated what was proper and not-so proper to wear. And even though she was now a grown up in her own big house with her own big job, her fashion decisions were based on little unconscious ways to rebel against her conservative mommy.

THE POWER OF PREFERENCES
Our preferences define us, yet we rarely think twice about why we’re actually attracted to something. “I like it, I want it, I need it, I gotta have it.” But, why? Our personal fashion choices are often the most unexamined parts of our lives.

A Minute With The Style Shrink
So tell me…

Why do you buy what you buy? Do a mental scan of your wardrobe. Think of the your most recent purchases, or your most-worn pieces, or the regrettables collecting dust in your closet. What motivated those choices? Were you feeling…elation? Rebellion? The deep craving to belong? The drive to appear powerful? Sentimental for the past? Sweet, sensual inklings? At one with the style gods?

Who do you take shopping with you? Not literally, but, psychically. Do you have your own what-not-to-wear committee on your shoulder? Are your inner style advisers jeering at you or cheering you on?

Do your clothes feel like friends or foe? Do you have to psyche yourself up to get into that navy suit that sucks the innovative thinking right out of you? Or do you look at that linen tunic and think, “Ahh, old friend, we work so well together?”

Every choice is an expression of what we believe. On a daily basis, we make material and aesthetic choices that tell our story. Bold. Understated. Glam. Earthy. We are constantly showing the world who we are — or who we think we are. And the world responds accordingly.

When you know the motivation behind your choices, you can make choices that support your authentic self — decisions that free you, rather than restrict you. When it comes to genuine style, one size does not fit all.