If you’re a hardcore Johnny Depp fan (as many women are) this may be right up your alley. A while ago, we reported on Depp’s rumored romance with younger woman Amber Heard, and his split from leading lady of fourteen years, Vanessa Paradis. In the July 4 issue of Rolling Stone the reserved actor finally opened up about the split. Although they were never married, the two were parents to Lily-Rose (14) and Jack (11). In the interview, Depp said:
“The last couple years have been a bit bumpy. At times, certainly unpleasant, but that’s the nature of breakups, I guess, especially when there are kiddies involved. Relationships are very difficult. Especially in the racket that I’m in because you’re constantly away or they’re away and so it’s hard. It wasn’t easy on her. It wasn’t easy on me. It wasn’t easy on the kids. So, yeah. The trajectory of that relationship — you play it out until it goes, one thing leads to another. So for whatever reason that ceases, it doesn’t stop the fact that you care for that person, and they’re the mother of your kids, and you’ll always know each other, and you’re always gonna be in each other’s lives because of those kids. You might as well make the best of it.”
Beyond that, Depp compared this break up (probably more comparable to a divorce) to his other, lesser break ups:
“In terms of the breakup, I definitely wasn’t going to rely on the drink to ease things or cushion the blow or cushion the situation. Cause that could have been fatal. I felt it was my duty to be real clear throughout that. I had something pretty serious to focus on, really, which was making sure that my kids were gonna be cool. They’ve been incredibly understanding, incredibly strong throughout the whole ordeal. And it’s hard on every side. You know, Vanessa’s side, certainly not easy. My side, not easy. The kids are the most complicated. The thing is, kiddies come first. You can’t shield them, because then you’d be lying. So you can at least be honest with your kids, and you say the absolute truth to your child — that was very important to not pussyfoot around.
Some of us are blessed with intelligence, some with beauty, and some with talent. The extremely blessed get copious amounts of all three. Oregon high school senior Rachel Proteau is one of the lucky ones that received some of those qualities in abundance. The six-foot, one-inch senior was scouted when she was fourteen, by a modeling agency, which then, three years later, led her to a three week stint in Manhattan, where she modeled and did some trial shoots, hoping to get her name out in the Big Apple, one of the several mecca-type locations of fashion.
While it sounds like a promising start to a career in the fashion industry, Proteau has also been carefully cultivating another impressive career. Proteau currently holds the record for the best high jump in 2013, jumping her own height. Currently, the world record stands at six-foot, ten-and-one-quarter inches, a record that has been in place since 1987.
Considering the career options ahead of her, the senior has said that her experience in Manhattan was too stressful, and that her body was often criticized for being “too tall and muscular.” Mind you, she is only 145 pounds, which at 6’1″, is very slender, and is likely mostly muscle, weighing in as twice as much as fat.
Based on an interview with MaxPreps, it sounds as though Rachel may be destined for Rio de Janiero in under four years:
“You can go out and high jump and forget everything else. It’s definitely an escape. As long as my body lets me, I want to continue high jumping.That was my ultimate dream in high school — to be No. 1 in the U.S. It feels awesome.”
The iconic and beautiful Cindy Crawford recently revealed in an interview, that even she has insecurities about her body. Nearly unbelievable, right? She explains it like this:
“I’m a normal woman. Sometimes I feel pretty good and some days I’m like, oh my God, nothing fits. My new resolution is that by the time I’m fifty, I want to have come to terms with my body, because for me, being five pounds lighter, what it would cost me…I don’t want to be like, oh no, no salad dressing, no wine, no fun.”
Isn’t it refreshing to hear that from a model? Now you may be thinking, she’s Cindy Crawford, how can she say that? She’s gorgeous! But the important thing to take away is that even with long legs, a toned tummy, and age-defying skin, a woman can feel insecure. Those traits do NOT bring happiness. So, even if you do lose that weight, or do wear the most popular makeup, your happiness is not guaranteed.Your happiness is only guaranteed when, as Cindy put it, you come to terms with your body. In some respects, Crawford has. Her beauty mark made her distinct, and enabled other “imperfections” to be valued, such as Kate Bosworth’s heterochromia, or Tyra Banks’s forehead.
By the way, Crawford was valedictorian of her high school graduating class, and a scholarship winning chemical engineering student in college. She is now married with two children, thus being the pure, gorgeous embodiment that in life, nearly everything is more important than external beauty.
Nearly every woman wants Angelina Jolie-esque lips: the kind that look oh so kissable, or like two perfectly plump pillows. Sadly, we weren’t all born with the naturally robust lips that Angelina was. Also sadly, we don’t all have the money Angelina has, or else we could pay to get lips like those. But, barring genetics and finances, there are other tricks to get the best looking lips you can:
- Moisturize. Obviously. The lips don’t have oil glands so they are prone to dryness. Fight this off with a chea butter or vitamin E.
- Protect from the sun. Again, obviously. The lips are also prone to sun damage, so use a lip balm with SPF 15 or higher.
- Stimulate with peptides. Look for balms and lipsticks that list peptides as an ingredient. These stimulate collagen, which we all know leads to plump and fuller looking lips.
- Stimulate with cinnamon or mint. These scents/flavors stimulate blood flow to the lips, causing them to plump up. You may feel a tingle after applying. my favorites are Burt’s Bees and C.O. Bigelow.
- Include retinol. “Retinol” is a key word on cosmetic packaging. Look for it in your lip color– it fights wrinkles.
Lindsay Lohan is in the media again, only this time she did nothing but show up on someone’s t-shirt. Mean Girls co-star Jonathan Bennett– you remember him, he was the smokin’ hot love interest Aaron Samuels– was spotted wearing a shirt with the phrase “GO TO JAIL LINDSAY” on it on Thursday.
After being asked about the shirt, Bennett made it clear he was sporting the slogan ironically:
“I tried on the T-shirt ironically to point out the ridiculousness of the public and media obsession with her,” he explains. “I actually am really happy she’s in rehab and seems to be doing well. She was one of the most talented young actresses I have ever worked with. I just want her to get better. It makes me sad to think about that spark and that brightness that is inside her that’s been covered by her addictions. I’ve had family members and friends go through rehab recently and because they stuck it out, it changed their life and was the best thing for them. I think and pray that this time will be the same for her. “‘m here for her. She’ll be back and she’s gonna be big. Just you watch.”
We hear key words like “anti oxidant” and “restorative” or even “retinol” and know that they are good for us, but rarely know exactly what they are or why they are beneficial to our beauty. Well, with a little research, we’ve picked out the best supplements for you, so that you don’t have to wonder anymore:
- Fern Extract: fern extract is an active ingredient in reducing DNA damage that causes sun spots and wrinkles. It can work in conjunction with sunscreen to protect against sun-damaged skin. With the summer approaching, this supplement is especially beneficial. The fern supplement can be found in supplements such as HelioCare and SunPill, and should be taken daily for a week before spending significant time in the sun.
- Primrose and Black Currant Oil: these two substances contain gamma-linolenic acid, which promotes healthy hair, skin, and nails. Gamma-linolenic acid is hard to find in foods, so supplementing it is easiest. The best sources are primrose and black currant oil.
- Fish Oil: A great source of Omega-3 fatty acids– the good kind of “fatty”! These acids are found in foods like fish and nuts… but if you’re like me and the thought/taste/scent of fish, repulses you, take these supplements instead. I found to take them with food.
- Iron & Vitamin C: an iron deficiency can cause a drop in red blood cells, leading to an anemic-type state. Anemia is known to cause thinning hair. Keep your iron levels high by consuming iron and vitamin C, which aids in iron absorption.
The annual Cannes Film Festival was held in none other than Cannes, France this past week with many stars, relatives of stars, paparazzi, directors, producers, and the like. Somehow, even with all those people around, there was still some underhanded behavior happening, that resulted in a hefty amount of pricey jewelry being stolen.
The exclusive Swiss jewelry house, Chopard, is missing a significant amount of jewelry after it was stolen from Suite Novotel Cannes Centre, a hotel located in the Cannes business district. An American representative for Chopard was entrusted with the jewelry, which was placed in a safe for (ironically) safe keeping. Reports state that not only was the jewelry stolen but the physical safe itself was stolen, obviously containing the precious gems. Employees at the Suite Novotel Cannes Centre are the first being questioned about the stolen safe and jewels.
The Chopard Brand plays a significant role in the Cannes Film Festival. Chopard has sponsored the event for sixteen years, as well as designed the trophy for the award of best film. This year, stars such as Julianne Moore and Cindy Crawford were wearing jewelry, courtesy of Chopard. Chopard however, did release a statement revealing that the stolen jewelry did not include any pieces worn by stars, hopefully deterring any thieves hoping to profit off of jewelry worn by celebrities. Initial reports of the stolen jewelry valued it around $1.4 million, but Chopard insists that that number was inflated by the press.
All the film buffs out there know what the Annual Cannes Film Festival is, and they know that this past Wednesday, May 15th, marked the 66th annual celebration. The film fest is aptly named, as it is a showing of films of all different genres and languages, held in Cannes, France. Criticism and praise are equally passed for the movies shown, by a jury, consisting of one representative per country involved. This year’s American representative was director Steven Spielberg. Not only does this event serve to draw international attention to films, but it also serves as a gathering ground for the stars, which of course means, everyone was dressed to impress. Of course, each star had several changes of clothes, one just as impressive as the next, but we picked out some of our favorites. Check out what a few famous ladies wore in Cannes on Wednesday:
For the premiere of Paperboy, Kidman donned this custom-made, backless Lanvin gown. It’s bold back and Grecian flavor drew a lot of attention. Where can I get one of these?
Rooney Mara wore this flesh-toned gown after getting just enough sun (or not) to make the dress blend almost seamlessly with her skin. We thought she was naked at first.
Mulligan wore a rather bridal Christian Dior gown across a very wet red carpet in rainy Cannes. Her red lipstick adds a pop of color, making her look rebellious and angelic at the same time.
Marion Cotillard is spotted looking classy as ever, for the premiere of Rust & Bone.
One of the most famous women in the entire world, Angelina Jolie, has opted to have elective surgery in order to cut her risk of cancer. The longtime partner of Brad Pitt, and mother to an ever-growing gaggle of children, is making strides towards a healthier life, even though that choice involves some serious sacrifices.
After finding out that she carried the BRCA1 gene– a genetic mutation that makes a person more likely to develop breast cancer– Jolie opted to undergo surgery for a double mastectomy, meaning she would remove nearly all breast tissue. The procedure, as you can imagine, can be extremely painful, and involves bed rest during recovery. However, after finding out she was 87% likely to develop breast cancer, Jolie weighed the pros and cons, landing on the double mastectomy. The procedure actually took place in March, and Jolie underwent reconstructive surgery in April, although she is just now going public with the information.
Part of her drive to decrease her risk of cancer was her mother, Marcheline Bertrand, with whom Jole was very close. Betrand died of ovarian cancer after seven years of fighting the disease, at age fifty-six. Jolie plans to have her ovaries removed as well, as her chances of developing ovarian cancer are at 50%. 
Various female stars have supported Angelina’s difficult but very informed decisions, especially via Twitter, where women such as Giuliana Rancic, Sheryl Crow, Elizabeth Banks, Nina Dobrev, Kristin Bell, and Paula Abdul have sang their praises for Jolie. Months ago, Miss America contestant Allyn Rose of Maryland openly shared that she was opting for the procedure, as breast cancer killed her mother, grandmother, and great aunt.
Media, advertisements, and word on the street has been more and more abuzz with the talk of how fashion is moving to a larger-aka more realistic size standard for women. There are countless examples: plus size model Kate Upton‘s rise to fame (by the way, she has a twenty-five inch waist), H&M’s move to more realistic looking mannequins, the backlash one reporter got for weight-shaming a cheerleader, and the negative feedback Abercrombie and Fitch has received for refusing to cater to women beyond a size ten.
H&M has not only included more realistically sized and shaped mannequins, but they recently employed plus size model Jennie Runk. The brown haired, blue eyed model didn’t expect such a large reflection from her feature on the store’s website, but has since stepped up to the plate to claim her fame and use it for good. Not the size matters, but just so you know where she is coming from, Jennie Runk is twenty-four years old, five-foot-ten, and wears a US size 14-16. Runk said the following, after realizing the reaction to her bikini-clad image on H&M’s website:
“I found it strange that people made such a fuss about how my body looks in a bikini, since I don’t usually give it much thought. When my Facebook fan page gained about 2,000 new likes in 24 hours, I decided to use the attention as an opportunity to make the world a little nicer by promoting confidence. I’ve since been receiving lots of messages from fans, expressing gratitude.”
Runk clearly has a solid handle on reality, and spoke of her own discovery as a model. Given the option to either drop to a size four, or become a plus-size model, she chose the obvious plus-size route, maintaining realistic expectations for her own body. Her choice has paid off, and Runk has received astounding feedback for her confidence:
“Some even told me that my confidence has inspired them to try on a bikini for the first time in years. This is exactly the kind of thing I’ve always wanted to accomplish, showing women that it’s OK to be confident even if you’re not the popular notion of ‘perfect,’” and that having survived her childhood she feels “compelled to show girls who are going through the same thing that it’s acceptable to be different. You will grow out of this awkwardness fabulously. Just focus on being the best possible version of yourself and quit worrying about your thighs, there’s nothing wrong with them.”
Follow her on Twitter @jennierunk.
