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

Fashion week isn’t just about the clothes, you know. What about the makeup? In fact, the wrong kind of makeup can really ruin the look and theme of a runway. Let’s take a look at some of the looks created by Maybelline New York recently at New York Fashion Week for some Fall 2010 (yes, I said Fall) trends.

DAY 1: RVCA x Erin Wasson
Playful craziness and a touch of wacky ruled the roost at RVCA x Erin Wasson. Most notable, the feathered brow and heavily-lined bottom lip, which gave the look a bit of a “tribal” feel.

DAY 2: Michael Angel
Bright, colorfully-rimmed eyes captivated the runway at Michael Angel. Bold Lime green and deep jeweled blues added intensity, while earthy tones added depth against a fresh face. A neutral nude lip sealed the deal.

DAY 3: Vivienne Tam
Bare eyes and cheeks allowed for a bold red lip to steal the show at Vivienne Tam. The traditional femme fatale pairing of a luscious cherry pout and porcelain complexion was complemented perfectly by a more relaxed natural brow.

DAY 4: Custo Barcelona
Utter femininity was celebrated at Custo Barcelona. Flawless skin, arched brows, and a sheer, neutral shine on lips balanced the bold fashions that graced the runway.

DAY 5: Carlos Miele
Less was certainly more at Carlos Miele as Gato banished pinks and reds opting for nude all over. A shade range of barely-there hues contoured and polished faces for a natural, refined finish. A touch of mascara was applied just to roots of lashes to keep with the minimalist look.

DAY 5: Tracy Reese
Charlotte turned to intense color and texture for a “masculine-feminine” look at Tracy Reese. A carefully highlighted and illuminated face and toffee lip complimented and kept focus on eye-catching smoky, yet shiny, peepers. Chocolate and beige shadow hues and carbon black mascara and liner showcased strong eyes for the ultimate in glam style.

DAY 6: Max Azria
A punchy pop of orange was the talk of the tents backstage at Max Azria. Created specifically for the show, Charlotte doused the lip in the bold hue, which stood out against a dewy complexion, bare eyes, and naturally touched-up brows. Long, black lashes rendered a cat-like effect.

DAY 7: William Rast
For William Rast, Charlotte concocted an edgy, modernized Brigitte Bardot look. Fresh, flawless skin lended a platform to thick mega-lashes built up with layers of black mascara. Nearly-there nude lips were the finishing touch on a soft, sexy face.

What do you get for a beauty professional who seems to have all the right miracle beauty products this holiday season? Check out some of these products below that will kickstart your favorite beauty professional’s new year in just the right way…

Hair Stylist
If smooth, straight hair is what you’re after, then Living proof’s frizz straight making no frizz styling cream is just what you need. Attempting to beat the evil known as humidity, to keep split ends down to a minimum, and help cut down on drying time, this no frizz styling cream is seriously a no-brainer. For the professional and amateur hair stylist alike, you’ll love to have this in your repertoire of secret weapons.

Buy the 4 oz. bottle of frizz straight making no frizz styling cream at Sephora for $24.

Esthetician
Even those with flawless skin can get a blemish on their face from time to time. Don’t let it get you down. That’s what CoverFX’s Camouflage Concealer is for. This concealer really camouflages anything from a pimple to redness to signs of a sleepless night. It’s high-definition ready and helps to even out skin tone. It even comes in six different shades. What more could an esthetician ask for?

Buy the 0.5 oz. bottle of Camouflage Concealer at Sephora for $25.

Nail Technician
We’re always looking for the longest-lasting manicure that will help keep nails at their strongest. Perfect Formula’s Nail Guard System does just that with some gel and crystals. The gel coat, also known as a “Suit of Armor” helps to thicken and strengthen the weakest of nails as a base coat. The crystal nail file helps to shape and seal nails to keep them looking fabulous even longer.

Buy the kit on http://www.perfectformulas.com for $33.50.

Makeup Artist
Most girls long for longer, fuller lashes and that’s usually what mascara is supposed to do for us. CARGO goes one step farther by helping grow your lashes with LashActivator. By using products like Marine Algae extracts, citrus-derived Flavonoids, and Peptide-biotin, LashActivator helps promote better looking lashes with a slow lash loss rate. Perfect for everyday use, you can expect to see a difference within 30 days.

Buy LashActivator at Sephora for $35.

-Amanda Fornecker

Even the political scene likes to get a little makeover once in a while. Last week marked the 10th annual Welcome To Our World event, hosted by the Professional Beauty Federation (PBF) on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. And while members of Congress get to be pampered on this evening, some of the most important political issues facing the beauty industry are also brought to light. Let’s just say, it’s like ironing two birds with one flat iron.

According to the PBF, the beauty industry is a $60 billion industry that has limited qualified individuals to meet the demand they face. In fact, the shortage is about 3:1 — the demand is three times greater than the supply of qualified individuals. For this reason, it is paramount that the beauty industry have representation and fairness in taxation and other issues so that more individuals will feel confident in entering the beauty workforce.

Facing the beauty industry this year are important issues, such as inclusion in H.R. 3724 — the Small Business Tax Equalization and Compliance Act. With this, salon owners could claim a tax credit for FICA taxes they pay on the tips of their employees (similar to what restaurants already have). Another big issue is access to beauty education and giving students the option to choose the programs that meet their own needs and career goals.

Beauty volunteers that included hair stylists, nail technicians, massage therapists, makeup artists, and others were on hand to give over 600 members of Congress (plus their key staffers) a little beauty treatment. This was the perfect way to engage Capitol Hill in an industry that dedicates itself to helping other people and have them see what their supporters do on a daily basis.

-Amanda Fornecker