styleshock: leighton meester at piaget event

Seen here at the launch of Piaget's newest collection last week, Leighton Meester proves that minimalism is sometimes your best beauty weapon. With simple, almost barely-there neutral makeup, Leighton lets her natural beauty shine through. This look is all about Leighton's glowing skin: revved up with a hint of bronzer and a whisper of peachy-pink blush, it almost looks like she's wearing no makeup at all. But we know better. A touch of brown shadow on the eyes and a swipe of browny-pink lipcolor (no shine here to get that truly natural-lip match) round out this winning, no-makeup makeup look.

styleshock: blake lively at sisterhood of the travelling pants 2 premiere

Gossip Girl's Blake Lively channelled her inner goddess at the premiere of the Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants 2 in New York this week. Looking absolutely glowy, with a subtle tan and flushed cheeks, Blake looked like she just got back from summering in the Mediterranean, which was so fitting for the Greek-themed movie. With rosy cheeks (I'm pretty sure copious amounts of Nars Orgasm were used to get that gorgeous flush), and lips to match, along with champagne-shimmery eyes and lots of lashes, Blake almost stole the show from her Sisterhood costars (although, Alexis Bledel's fuchsia lips were also pretty stellar). As always though, Blake's shampoo-commercial hair takes centre-stage: Love the added touch of the little braids woven in here and there, which gives an extra bit of nature-girl boho-chic.

styleshock: maggie gyllenhaal at the dark knight premiere in barcelona

I've always loved Maggie as the hipper, indie-cred Gyllenhaal. With her new movie The Dark Knight, Maggie traverses into mega-blockbuster terrain, but could she have picked a cooler movie? She's an individualist with her style too: At the premiere in Barcelona this week, Maggie G opted for a pared-down, classical take on Old Hollywood glam, yet with a bit of an edge. Voluminous, almost towering, pompadour-like curls, softly lined eyes with a hint of bronzy shimmer and rosy-red lips round out the look. This statement is all about the eyes – verging on emerald green, they almost look like jewels. And with eyes this green, who needs jewelry?

styleshock: coco rocha at mamma mia premiere

Model of the moment Coco Rocha outshined the stars at the premiere of Mamma Mia in New York this week. I'm not really sure why she was there, (since it's rare to see models at big movie premieres), but she looked stunning nonetheless. Defying the model urge to go bare-faced on her "off"-day, Coco revved up the glam with a smokey winged eye done in smoldering shades of blue and grey. It's a cool merging of two eye trends that looks really fresh and unexpected, and paired with false eyelashes, gives a definite vampy look. A soft nude lip is the perfect subtle counterpoint to the wow factor of the eyes. Makes you wonder if Coco is making a play for the big-screen. I for one think she's ready to bring it.

SJP's mole: RIP? say it isn't so...

Have you heard? Though her people are denying it, Sarah Jessica Parker may have removed her trademark mole (And if this before and after pic is any indication, the mole is gonzo). But you really can't blame her: The woman has suffered a ton of looks-bashing in the last year alone, from being named "Unsexiest Woman" by Maxim to being pegged a "Halloween witch" by The New York Observer's Rex Reed. Still, this makes me sad. SJP's mole is one of the things that makes her stand out as a unique and beautiful woman. Could a nose job be next?
What do you think? Let me know in the comments.

Source: AFP/GETTY/REUTERS

styleshock: alicia keys at keep a child alive black ball

Alicia Keys radiated glamour at the Black Ball for her charity of choice, Keep a Child Alive, in London this week. The soul diva is a true knockout, and this slicked-back, off-the-face updo showcases her gorgeous complexion and magnificent bone structure. I'm loving her makeup here, especially on the eyes: a two-tone neutral eye, featuring a steely grey on the lid and plummy-brown in the crease is a refreshing change from the smokey eye or winged liner we see so often on the red carpet. And she looks to be batting a thousand with a set of false eyelashes, which make her eyes look feline-like. A browny-neutral lip, meanwhile, subtly amps up the glam factor, taking it beyond the typical nude hue. Perfection.

under cover: rhianna does instyle

One of my favorite fashionistas of the moment, Rhianna, graces the August issue of InStyle magazine. I love that she looks bubbly and playful, (which makes me want to scoop up this issue pronto; I'm still waiting on my subscription copy to arrive). Ri-Ri's funny-girl mug seems in keeping with the new tone of the mag: WWD reports that the 14-year-old celeb lifestyle monthly has gone through a redesign, with an expanded beauty and fashion section and a cheekier tone. At first glance, the cover doesn't look all that much different than the old, but I'll have to do a thorough read-through to get a sense of what's changed. But with more beauty and fashion coverage, that's enough for me to know that this mag has solidified its place among my monthly reads.

mad men beauty

I'm quite possibly the only person on the planet who hasn't seen the buzz-worthy Mad Men (among the many downsides of basic cable). However, I've caught a glimpse of the fetching ladies from the 1960s ad exec show, including saucy secretary Joan Holloway (played by Christina Hendricks), and I gotta say, I'm besotted with her style – not just her perfectly tailored clothes, but her spot-on beauty looks, too. Structured updos and picture-perfect makeup were the name of the game among dames back in the day, and Miss Joan is no exception. Her slightly bouffant, flaming-red hair is just a little bit I Love Lucy, but not at all quirky and so much more stylish, and there's never a hair out of place. Joan is always primped, powdered and painted just so, with porcelain skin, winged black eyeliner and precisely-lined crimson lips. This is one broad who's never "undone."
In the meantime, in lieu of watching Keeping up with the Kardashians, I'll be renting Mad Men on DVD to get up-to-speed on the ad game.

styleshock: selma blair at hellboy II premiere, mexico

It's a wonder that I've never featured Selma Blair on SugarShock, since I've always loved her slightly edgy-fashionista vibe. She's been on the short side of hair for a while now, and it totally suits her, especially this Anna Wintour-esque banged bob she was sporting at the recent premiere of Hellboy II in Mexico City this week. (This Louise Brooks-revisited 'do is so hot right now, in fact, that everyone from Anne Hathaway in Get Smart to the models in the recent Chanel couture show and of course, Mrs. Cruise have been rocking it). Makeup-wise, Selma's golden-metallic smokey eye is the perfect match to her structured, little black dress (since smudgy black would have been verging on goth). A shimmery eye is a lovely solution for a summer night out, since those rising temps can bring out your own inner iridescence (so why fight that natural glow?). A simple flush of peach on the cheek and a sheer rose gloss put the focus on those shining eyes. Another winning look for Miss Selma.

lookie, lookie: leighton does lucky

Oh, joy, look who snagged the August cover of Lucky: none other than Blair Waldorf herself, Leighton Meester. When you think about it, it's surprising that it's taken this long for our girl to grace one of the major glossies. (Her sidekick, Blake Lively, has already landed at least a few in recent memory). But in this time of Gossip Girl void, let us behold our beloved villainess's beauty: looking soft and pretty, her hair is loose and carefree (and luckily bereft of the now-clichéd headband). All in all, she's looking like a fresh, young ingenue and far from the harsh, been-around-the-block Blair. And with that winning smile and those gleaming pearly whites, she's definitely ready for her close-up and could easily pass for a beauty model. CoverGirl, are you listening?

styleshock: leona lewis at nelson mandela's 90th birthday dinner

There's no question that songbird Leona Lewis is a stunner. But what I love about her (beyond her haunting voice) is that she knows when to "diva it up" and when to keep it simple, and at Nelson Mandela's 90th Birthday Dinner this week, Leona opted for this breezy summer chic look. Instead of flat-ironing the life of out her hair, this girl owns her curl, and her tousled waves, done in a half-up/half-down style, are perfectly in keeping with her fresh and effortless yet goddess-y vibe. Sporting her trademark pinky-peach cheeks, a soft petal-pink lip and a demure black winged eyeliner, her makeup is neither full-on glam nor all-out natural, but somewhere in between. Lovely and fresh, it's really the perfect summer night-out face.

styleshock: keira knightley at edge of love party

Miss Keira Knightley was absolute perfection at the Edge of Love private party in London this week. I'm loving her exagerratedly long yet skinny winged eyeliner – a look that Madonna's been rocking of late on the cover of her Hard Candy disc. And the hair? The rolled-up, slightly rumpled updo with swept-aside bangs is just so gosh-darn-it romantic; it looks a bit 1920s/30s Atonement-ish, which I think is still hands-down one of Keira's best looks (and performances) ever. Flawless, pale porcelain skin, a hint of soft-pink blush and a whisper of shimmering ballet-slipper pink lipstick round out this understated, slightly retro-glam look.
Don't you just hate her? Yeah, me too.

styleshock: zooey deschanel at david letterman

For the second time in a month, the lovely Miss Deschanel clinches the StyleShock title for best celebrity beauty look of the week. A couple of weeks ago, I gave Zooey props for her Lucky magazine cover, and this week, she's earning top marks for her pretty, summery appearance at The Late Show with David Letterman. She's turning into quite the stylesetter, trying on looks that channel the trends but tweaking them to fit her vintage-y, indie-girl vibe. The ballerina bun piled atop her head looks retro and current at once (and it's a great 'do choice for the summer heat), while the vivid red lip taps into the bold lip trend of today yet still looks a bit '50s pin-up girl. But for flawless porcelain skin, she's kept the rest of her makeup soft. This is a girl after my own heart.

styleshock: rosie huntington-whiteley at glamour uk woman of the year

I had never heard of this pillow-lipped beauty before, but I was immediately struck by Rosie Huntington-Whiteley's cool-girl vibe. Seen here at the Glamour UK Woman of the Year Awards, she's a bit reminiscent of Russian model Natalia Vodianova, and of course, fellow Brit model Kate Moss (coincidentally, Rosie, who will be the new face of Burberry come fall, is being touted as the next "Kate"). I love her laissez-faire beauty: tousled, just-rolled-out-of-bed hair with overgrown bangs that look fresh amidst all those blunt bangs we've been seeing. And her makeup, which looks naturally undone, is nonetheless flawless: perfect skin with a subtle dusting of peachy blush, a bit of neutral shadow on the lids, and rosy-pink lips tie it all together. She looks so great, I'm willing to overlook that woolly mammoth creeping up her shoulder.

styleshock: zooey deschanel on the cover of lucky

Finally! For years, I've been wondering when beauty and fashion magazines would catch on to the loveliness that is Zooey Deschanel, and finally, one of my favorite reads, Lucky mag, has bucked the Ali-Larter-in-every-issue trend and featured the sometimes quirky actress on its July cover. What's so great about Zooey, you ask? She's got an unexpected, not-typical-for-Hollywood look, with dark hair and huge, bright blue eyes that make her look like a cross between a kewpie-doll and an animé character. Add to that a hipster-girl vibe that says she'd be an amazingly cool person to hang out with. Plus, she stole the show with her smashing voice as the love interest in Elf (my all-time favorite Christmas movie) and as the sex-crazed Kat on the show Weeds. See the full cover at Luckymag.com.

styleshock: michelle williams at cannes film festival

Much has been made of Michelle Williams's official re-emergence onto the red carpet at Cannes this week since Heath Ledger's passing. (I really feel for her, since the pressure that goes along with that level of intense scrutiny – people wondering, asking: is she OK?; will she weep, or wilt like a flower?; and how has all this affected her looks? – must be insane.) But she took it all in stride and managed to wow 'em, looking stylish and gorgeous at the premiere of her new film, Adoration. When she first came on to the scene, back in the days of Dawson's Creek as the fresh-faced Jen, I never thought she was much to write home about, but in the last few years, she's really grown into her beauty and become quite the stunner, especially with that fetching short haircut (in fact, I think she kinda knocks Katie outta the park). I love that she often adds a vintage-y touch, and here, she's going for a 20s-flapper-inspired subtly pin-curled 'do that frames her delicate features and porcelain skin beautifully. A corally-red lip looks classic yet modern at once, as it channels both the 40s femme fatale red pout, along with the current craze for bold, saturated and sometimes tropical color. And as for jewelry? She doesn't need it; that simple, pared-down glamour speaks volumes, and her features are jewels enough.

dusty simington: the next fekkai?

Is this man the next Frederic Fekkai? He's the slightly spastic, George Hamilton-esque Dusty Simington, a celeb hairstylist from Salon Gregorie's in Newport Beach, California and he's ready for world domination: he'll soon be starring in a reality show called Making the Cut, coming to a TV screen near you.
The tattooed and tanned Dusty, along with his ragtag band of mulleted assistants, worked their magic at the Total Beauty Blogging Summit in L.A. this past weekend, giving a couple of unsuspecting beauty bloggers some hot-mama makeovers. And just to give you a sense of Dusty's intense, off-the-cuff personality, here's a sample soundbite: "If you're unttractive, you're stupid, because there's so many great products out there." I know that I, for one, will be watching.
Photo source: ocregister.com

styleshock: gwyneth paltrow at NYC food bank's can-do awards

You may have noticed that your weekly installment of StyleShock was a little late. Why? There simply weren't any celebs worthy of garnering the title over the last week, until now. Good samaritan Gwyneth Paltrow looked fabuloso at the NYC Food Bank's Can-do Awards yesterday. She's working her new shorter, shoulder-length 'do – (which is proving to be a lot more versatile than her yards-long coif of old) – with subtle, twisted waves. While this could have turned into a Goldilocks catastrophe in the wrong hands, her stylist smartly left the ends of the hair free of the curling iron's grasp, which gives a pretty, tousled and modern effect. I'm loving her makeup too: with radiant skin (likely the result of using a luminzing cream) and pinched-pink cheeks, she's positively glowing. A gunmetal gray-verging on mauve liner plays up her green eyes fabulously, while a shimmering rosy gloss completes Gwynie's carefree glam look.

styleshock: demi moore at flawless screening

I'm beginning to think that Demi Moore made a deal with the devil to freeze herself in time and remain forever ageless. (This might explain her voodoo-y penchant for bizarre leech therapy beauty treatments, which she described to David Letterman on The Late Show recently.) And while many have chalked it up to Botox, the woman still has wrinkles, and she wears them very well in my opinion. Whatever the case, there's no doubt that Demi is one hot cougar and always seems to get it right on the red carpet. She wisely takes a less-is-more approach when it comes to makeup, which I think helps make her seem "forever young". Soft, neutrally, peach-toned makeup is the theme she sported at a recent screening of Flawless in New York. Subtle brown liner and golden-brown shadows on the eyes makes her green peepers stand out, while a peachy blush gives a natural glow to her face. Finally, a lustrous (yet not shimmery) gloss in an almost-coral hue gives a healthy, naturally glam look. And could her chocolatey locks be any shinier?

styleshock: leighton meester at the paley television festival

Such cruel and unusual punishment it is to premiere one of the most delicious and stylish shows to come along in some time, only to have it suspended for months in writer's strike limbo. But, with that annoying little hiatus behind them, our Gossip Girls are now back at work shooting new episodes while parading around the streets of New York in covetable designer duds (our most beloved show is set to return to TV in a matter of weeks). Until then, our girls-about-town have also been rocking the red carpet of late: Leighton Meester was at the Paley TV Festival in LA this weekend, looking girlie and feminine and a far cry from her villainous on-screen persona Blair Waldorf. A soft and pretty updo, along with makeup in peachy tones flatter Leighton's glowy yet porcelain skin. Meanwhile, black winged eyeliner, a flutter of lashes and neutral shadows put the focus on those lovely brown eyes. And while not many can pull off yellow, I'm loving this shade on her.