Beauty secrets of the stars

South Florida Sun-Sentinel (MCT) - In our celeb-sodden society, famous folk rule.

And with good reason: Generally speaking, headliners are pretty people. Their face is their fortune.

Nowhere is that seen more than at the New York designer shows this week, where front-row fabulous means being high-def, camera-ready all the time. You can read more about beauty from the spring '09 catwalk capers in next week's Fit section.

But for now, we've collected some tidbits from a variety of sources to help you achieve the same results without the Hollywood bank account.

IMAN

Iman suggests using bronzer year-round, and not just during the summer, to camouflage imperfections. In press materials, she says bronzing powder can be used for all-over color or just to highlight cheekbones.

Even if you're not a makeup maven, Iman (the model with her own makeup line) suggests you invest in eye shadow to warm up the face and draw attention to the eyes. Hot hues right now, such as purples and pinks, accomplish that and blend with the popular colors in fashion this fall.

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QUEEN LATIFAH

In "The Black Book of Hollywood Beauty Secrets" by Kym Douglas and Cindy Pearlman (Penguin Group, $15), Queen Latifah confesses that she likes to give her face "a break" and not wear any makeup during certain times of the day. Her other royal proclamation? "My grandmother turned me on to baking soda as an exfoliant ... It's very gentle and works as well as any of the expensive products."

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SARAH JESSICA PARKER

If you feel a little "shiny," excuse yourself for the ladies room then do what Sarah Jessica Parker does: Pull out one of those tissue toilet-seat covers and dab a piece over your T-zone (chin, nose and forehead). The tissue absorbs oil just like those fancy schmancy blot papers sold at cosmetics counters.

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BROOKE SHIELDS

Actress Brooke Shields has a whole beauty team behind her. Their suggestions can be found at ColgateTotal.com, under "Brooke's Healthy Upgrade Team." For example, try mixing bronzing lotion with body lotion and a self tanner, which will allow you to achieve a bronzed, even skin tone without having to apply foundation to the face.

Her team also suggests carrying a little bottle of jojoba oil around to moisturize cuticles and nails.

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JESSICA SIMPSON

In "The Black Book," Jessica Simpson says, "I swipe a nude pencil along my inner eyes to brighten my eyes before I get off the plane." Also try concealer in the inner corners of your eye to brighten the whole area and minimize darkness.

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JENNIFER LOPEZ

Jennifer Lopez's aesthetician, Christopher Watt, told SheKnows.com that sunscreen is vital every day because "sun exposure is accumulative." He also loves honey in your skin-care routine (masks, facials, moisturizers). "Honey is loaded with natural vitamins and nutrients and also contains antioxidants, making it an important part of any anti-aging program for staving off lines and wrinkles."

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JENNIFER JASON LEIGH

According to Shape magazine, Jennifer Jason Leigh makes her fine hair look thicker by using dry shampoos such as Klorane Extra Gentle Dry Shampoo with Oat Extract ($15.95 at folica.com). Sprinkle in the roots for density and then douse all over to set your style.

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SHARON STONE

Sharon Stone told Harper's Bazaar magazine, "I use Visiora cream base ($49 at camerareadycosmetics.com) as concealer under my eyes because regular concealer is too heavy. Most make you look older. I like to use Stila cream blush (she means Convertible Color, $24 at stilacosmetics.com), which I put on with a flat brush. It makes you look sun-kissed. I also groom my eyebrows. Oh, and I carry gloss-Clinique Superbalm ($13.50 at clinique.com) or the Dior Kiss tubes ($19.50 at bloomingdales.com) all the time."

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CATHERINE ZETA-JONES

Catherine Zeta-Jones brushes her teeth with mashed-up strawberries mixed with baking soda, according to ModelBeautyTip.com. Strawberries contain malic acid, which is a mild astringent. She also keeps her hair shiny by brushing castor oil in it.

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JESSICA ALBA AND HILARY DUFF

Both see facialist Kate Somerville, who suggests perking up dull skin with a refrigerated spray bottle of mint tea. "It cools the skin and stimulates blood flow," she told In Style magazine. Also in In Style, Kara Yoshimoto Bua, who puts makeup on Hilary Swank, Rosario Dawson and Michelle Williams, suggests you hide pimples with a concealer that's a shade darker than your skin so that the blemish recedes into your face. Also, deepen lashes by dipping the edge of a stiff Shu Uemura 60B brush ($29 by calling Bergdorf Goodman at 888-774-2424) into already wet mascara bristles (for example, $7 Max Factor mascara from any drugstore) and run it from the roots to the tips. Multiple layers of mascara become too clumpy.

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TERI HATCHER

According to CelebrityBeautySecrets.net, Teri Hatcher pours her leftover red wine into her bath. Grapes have resveratrol, an antibiotic-like substance that protects the vines from fungus. Resveratrol is supposed to make the skin surface firm, improve elasticity and stimulate cell multiplication.

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SHERYL CROW

They are waiting for you. Will you answer?

Sheryl Crow doesn't apply blush on the apple of her cheeks, preferring instead to start about an inch under the middle of the eye and extend out over the top of the cheek. "It visually pulls everything up," Crow says in "The Black Book." "It makes you look as if you've had a natural face-lift."

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(Rod Stafford Hagwood can be reached at fashionguy@SunSentinel.com or 954-356-4721.)

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© 2008, Sun Sentinel.