Josie Maran Cosmetics

A Mother's Love

Josie and her mom, Roberta, backstage at the QVC red carpet event last Friday night. Awwww!

Amy Adams' Golden Glow Courtesy of JMC & @MollyRStern !

Amy Adams looked stunning last night at the Academy Awards. The Best Supporting Actress Nominee may not have walked away with the golden statue, but her golden glow was a definite winner. Makeup artist Molly Stern mixed Josie's Argan Illuminizer with foundation for Amy's base and prettied up her cheeks with the Argan Color Stick in Petal Pink. Glow, glow, glam!

Photos from and more of Amy's makeup and hair how-to found at Stylelist.com.

Argan Lip Treatment featured on Today with Kathie Lee and Hoda

Josie's Argan Lip Treatment was featured Friday on Today with Kathie Lee and Hoda. Check it out!

For the Love of Hummus

Do you love hummus like I do? Hummus is a delicious, healthy dip that you can eat with just about everything! Whether you eat it with veggies, chips, pita bread, as a spread on sandwiches, or just by itself, hummus not only tastes great but has a lot of health benefits as well.

Instead of purchasing hummus from a grocery store, you can make your own at home! Hummus is super simple and easy to make and only needs a few ingredients. Here is a recipe from www.food.com

Ingredients:

• 3 garlic cloves, minced, more if you like
• 1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1 (19 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

Directions:

• Combine everything in blender or food processor and process until smooth 
• The blender gives the best result
• If you need more liquid to make a nice consistency, add a bit more yogurt
• Chill
• Serve with pita bread or as a veggie dip

To add some extra flavor to the classic dip, try experimenting by adding different ingredients such as jalepeno, olives, red pepper, sun dried tomatos, spinach, basil, black beans, etc. 

Have a great hummus recipe? Comment on this post and let us know!

-Posted by Nicole, JMC Social Media Intern 

Image via www.masteringyourhealth.tv

How to Wear the Argan Illuminzer

What Would Josie Wear? The Taunia Edition

For this edition of What Would Josie Wear? I present to you the lovely Miss Taunia Fox. Not only does Taunia work full time at Josie Maran Cosmetics, she is a full time student at FIDM (the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising) here in Los Angeles. Needless to say, Taunia's got fashion and beauty on lock. 

With Josie so busy - Taunia was gracious enough to step in for a long overdue edition of What Would Josie Wear? Behold the Taunia Edition...

The Makeup:

The Argan REM Pen in Black/Brown for shadow and liner. GOGO Mascara for luscious lashes. The new Argan Blend Concealer for under eye correction and coverup. Argan Cream Blush in Sun Kissed for a natural glow. Argan Pressed Powder to set. Magic Marker Lip Stain in Jive for the perfect pout. 

The Clothes:

Faux leather jacket from Forever 21 with customizations by Taunia. Thrifted black shirt. Linen pants from Zara. Hot wedges are Steven by Steve Madden. 

Highlight Your Life!

Marc Jacobs S/S '11

Prada S/S '11

Missoni S/S '11

Christopher Kane S/S '11

Dior S/S '11

Trend alert! Spring and summer 2011 fashion has neon colors splashed all over - but this time in a fashion-forward, sophisticated approach. This isn't your '80s neon wardrobe, ladies. Highlighter colors are the perfect way to brighten your sartorial outlook, whether you want to be funky and fun during the day or splashy and chic at night.

Want to go all out? Try lighting up the room at a dinner party with the Marc Jacobs' gown. Or maybe you're a little more conservative with your fashion but secretly want to sport bold color? Try something like Christopher Kane's silhouette - it's perfect to display the glowing trend while maintaing your cool.  

Of course, an outfit with a punch of color like this requires a polished application of makeup. Go for more neutral tones on the eyes with the shades Bunny, Campfire and Chirp from the Eye Love You Too Palette. For the lips, a nude hue like the Argan Natural Volume Lip Gloss in Daring will add a little sparkle, but keep most of the attention on your attire.

Posted by Taunia, JMC's resident fashionista!

On Laughter

"Laugh at yourself first before anyone else can."  -Elsa Maxwell

Want the Perfect Brows? Join Josie tonight on @QVC

Behold the key to gorgeous eyebrows: the Josie Maran Magic Brows Universal Argan Brow Pen. It is an innovative double-ended brow pen that helps you sculpt perfect eyebrows in mere seconds! It has a soft, feathery-tipped marker on one side - perfect for filling in sparse areas or sculpting the exact shape you desire. The other side features a powder and sponge applicator - great for perfecting your overall brow look. The color is a natural brown that flatters all skin tones. And of course, both formulas are infused with Josie's liquid gold: Argan Oil!

This perfectly chic brow marker is the must-have edition to your makeup arsenal and is exclusive to QVC. Josie will be live on air presenting the marker on Friday, February 18th, 6 AM eastern and 7pm eastern. Make sure you tune in as they're sure to go quick!

 

Foods that Prevent Insomnia

Having trouble getting to sleep at night? Well lucky for all insomniac's out there, Sara Novak at Greenwala.com has put together a list of foods that we should eat to get a better night's rest, and also a list of foods we should avoid. 

Foods that Prevent Insomnia: 

1. Pumpkin Seeds: Pumpkin seeds are a great source of magnesium which serves to calm the body down. Magnesium helps to relieve the stress that can keep us up all night. Just 1 oz. of pumpkin seeds has 151 mg of magnesium, making it one of the most magnesium-rich foods out there.
2. Cottage Cheese: Cottage cheese contains tryptophan, a sleep inducing amino acid that relaxes the entire body and mind. If you don't do dairy you can also find tryptophan in soy milk, tofu, hummus, and lentils.
3. Sesame Seeds: Sesame seeds are rich in trytophan but they're also high in carbohydrates with a medium protein content, perfect for before bedtime.
4. Brown Rice: Whole unrefined grains like brown rice have a calming effect on the mind. They soothe the nervous system so that the mind stops moving a mile a minute and you can fall asleep. Also consider oats for a similar effect.
5. Spinach: Chlorophyll-rich foods like spinach help you get to sleep. Spinach, like pumpkin seeds, is also loaded with magnesium, which calms and de-stresses the entire body.

Foods that Promote Insomnia:

1. Bacon: Bacon contains tyramine, which increases the release of norepinephrine, a brain stimulant that keeps you up. Others foods that contain tyramine include chocolate, eggplant, ham, potatoes, sauerkraut, sugar, sausage, tomatoes, and wine.
2. Refined Carbohydrates: These drain the body of vitamin B, which the body needs to release serotonin. When the body can't get enough serotonin, then tension, fear, and depression can keep you up all night.
3. MSG: Monosodium glutamate (MSG), often found in Chinese food, causes a stimulant reaction in some people. MSG is almost always found in processed, prepared, and packaged foods. Here's a list of surprising places that MSG hides.
4. Alcohol: While many of us drink to relax the body and mind, the fact of the matter is that wine, beer, and spirits can keep you up at night. This is especially true if you drink more than one glass. While alcohol can make you tired in the short run, you're likely to awaken in the middle of the night.
5. Chocolate: Chocolate can elevate your energy levels with bioactive compounds like tyramine and phenylethylamine. Chocolate also contains sugar which wakes you up as well as the other obvious culprit, caffeine.

Got any great tips that promote better sleep? Let us know in the comments section! 

-Posted by Nicole, JMC Social Media Intern

Food list via www.greenwala.com and photo via www.buzzle.com