We can all go back to the days of MTV’s “The Newlyweds” and remember Jessica Simpson’s ridiculous comments and blonde moments. The show ended five years ago (can you believe that?) and now it’s time for Jessica to begin a new reality show – this time with VH1, called “The Price of Beauty.”

The show is slated to begin on March 15 and will document Jessica as she travels the world to see how other cultures view beauty. It’s definitely an interesting concept, especially in the wake of how some people find it necessary to change their entire body for others.

In the show, Jessica walks in a runway show in Paris and visits a woman preparing herself by fattening up in a cave in Uganda for her husband. These are different ideas of beauty. I guess the point here is that every person in every culture has their own definition of beauty.

Even beauty professionals have their own definitions. This can be seen in each individual person’s style. A hairstylist may be the best at cutting short hairstyles because they love this style and thinks it looks beautiful on a wide variety of people; a makeup artist might really love the smoky eye look as the perfect way to accentuate a client’s eyes; and a wardrobe stylist might have all the latest styles in their client’s closet to convey beauty.

No matter who you are, you have your own opinion of beauty. I wonder what Jessica’s will be. Maybe I’ll check out the show. Stay tuned…

-Amanda Fornecker

Everyone should have their own set of beauty tools, whether they are a beauty professional or not. With just the right tool, you’ll be able to properly amp up your beauty routine and ensure that you’re really looking your best at all times. Read about what the artistic director of Empire Beauty Schools, Gina Pieper, has to recommend.

When updating your styling tools, what products do you recommend avoiding?
I recommend staying away from nylon bristle round brushes as they can start to melt and bend when they come in contact with heat. Using these types of brushes can cause your hair to tangle during your blowout causing split ends and breakage. Also, I recommend staying away from nonionic blow dryers because they are extremely damaging to your hair. Avoid using a blow dryer that is more than 15 years old as it may even contain asbestos, which was formerly used as a heat resistant material in the power cord.

What kind of technology is used in these news tools and how does that help hair styling?
An ionic blow dryer is faster and leaves your hair shinier and healthier than the traditional blow dryer. It emits millions of charged particles called ions that bond to your hair, breaking down moisture molecules without frying your hair like the old blow dryers do. The Thermoceramic brushes produce more consistent heat for your hair which is less damaging and smoothes the cuticle, minimizing breakage and split ends. The boar bristles on brushes help smooth the hair strands individually for added shine and protection.

What are two must-have hair styling tools that stylists need to have right now?
Right now I love the big and sexy tousled curl trend! Having the newest hot rollers is a must; I recommend The Babyliss Pro Ceramic and Ionic Hair Setter as my choice of tool to accomplish this style. Stick straight hair is becoming a thing of the past, but having the right flat iron to twist some locks into a sassy wave is without a doubt a necessity. I love the Babyliss Diamond Titanium Flat Iron because it leaves the hair soft and shiny.

What are two must-have hair styling tools that consumers need to have right now?
A great “cheater tool” for someone that is not a professional is the InStyler (http://getinstyler.com/). I also recommend having a professional ionic blow dryer at home to avoid damaging your hair everyday.

As a hairstylist, what are the newest hair styling tools that you love?
I just became a big fan of the Denman Thermoceramic Straightening Brush, and Denman Thermoceramic Bristle Radial Brush. I recommend using them with an ionic blow dryer; I use the Babyliss Diamond Titanium.

-Empire Beauty Schools

Since a young age, I’ve always loved makeup and nail polish and high heels. I’m a girly girl, who may (at times) be a little high maintenance. But at least I accept who I am! Since I’ve been snowed in in my apartment I haven’t had a need to put on makeup or blow out my hair. And ya know what? It’s kind of liberating.

Due to my skin type (I’m on the extreme side of the oily spectrum), I tend to find that my foundation will often wipe off throughout the day. This certainly drives me insane, but that’s why I keep my green tea oil-blotting sheets on hand for free moments of glancing in the mirror. This week, I’ve naturally still had the oil problem, but haven’t felt my foundation melting away. Another common “day face” product I use is mascara to brighten my eyes and accentuate my face. This would have not been a good thing this week, especially due to my lounging around (and tendency to nap the day my electricity was out). It was nice to not have to worry about finding makeup everywhere but actually on my face. It was like giving my face a very much well-deserved break.

Of course, I’ve been keeping up with my normal beauty routine of cleansing, toning, and moisturizing my face. I’m not completely lazy! There’s a difference between maintenance and putting on your everyday face. When I’m leaving my apartment, I like to feel as beautiful as I can. This doesn’t mean that I need to do a complete going-out routine. It’s just a little grooming and tweaking to enhance my face and fix some imperfections.

Meanwhile, I’ve also been able to sleep in this week and get caught up on some beauty rest! Though I may have been cursing the snow and Mother Nature during the past week, I’ve sure been able to relax with my beauty routine under the covers.

-Amanda Fornecker

I always agree with the saying: “Everything in moderation.” In my experience, overindulgence and excess are usually a bad idea. For instance, too much makeup will make you look unnatural; makeup done correctly and in moderation can really make a difference. This begs the question of what beauty actually is. And of course, what is going on with Heidi Montag?

I’ve been an avid fan of The Hills from day one. In fact, I started before that show debuted and used to love Laguna Beach (don’t act surprised — you know about my reality TV obsession!). So when I really think about the days of Heidi before she met Spencer and took the Speidi spotlight, I seriously can’t believe the huge change from wholesome Heidi (whose only problem was her fights with her boyfriend Jordan and her inability to stay in fashion school) to plastic Barbie Heidi (who now represents the negative influence of Hollywood and her personality of being a follower).

In a recent interview with Good Morning America, Montag debuted her new look. She allegedly had 10 plastic surgeries in one day in order to enhance her beauty and make some adjustments to her body. But my favorite part of this interview was when Heidi said that beauty is on the inside and comes from within. That’s such a contradictory statement. I totally believe that statement, but I do not believe that Heidi represents it. If she really believed that to be true, she wouldn’t be enhancing or “tweaking” her body at the age of 23.

Heidi went on to say that she’s in a different industry than everyone else and she has had to keep up with a certain image in Hollywood. I’m sorry, Heidi, but your fame is skin-deep. And although you may have 30 minutes of fame instead of 15, this doesn’t mean that you’re a superstar. You may not have an addiction at the moment, but what will happen in the next 10-20 years when your body really does start to age?

To me, beauty is accepting who you are – flaws and all – and staying true to yourself. While I am not naive to the existence of insecurity, I think it’s very important to work at taking what you have and spinning it into a positive light. No one is perfect. Not even those who are on the A-list in Hollywood. Beauty isn’t makeup or hair or spa treatments. Beauty is being yourself and not letting anyone else get you down. The rest of it is a way to maintain yourself in a natural (and hygienic) way. Beauty is allowing yourself to be you.

What’s your definition of beauty?

-Amanda Fornecker