Yes, you heard me. There’s a woman named Paprika – Paprika Steen to be exact. Many film enthusiasts would deem her a rare gem from Denmark, continually turning out tour-de-force onscreen performances. Her native Denmark regard her as “the” actress of our times. Others have regarded her as the Danish-American Meryl Streep.  No matter how the media or public views her, one thing is certain – Paprika has begun to make a dent in the upcoming Oscar season for her lauded performance in Applause, and I have the pleasure of being a part of her ‘coming to Hollywood’ venture.

Having joined the World Wide Motion Pictures Corporation (World Wide) family some months ago, I was excited to delve into the film distribution project that was Applause, particularly to infiltrate numerous marketing mediums in order to put the word out about Paprika’s Oscar-worthy performance. With World Wide’s diligence in full swing, it was no surprise that we would begin Oscar-qualifying runs on Friday, December 3.

Making its official debut to American audiences this coming January, Applause tells the story of a recovering alcoholic stage actress seeking to regain control over her life while reconnecting with her two young sons and struggling with the pressures of middle age. This intense and intricate personal struggle reveals themes that women especially can connect with, including a mother’s relationship with her children and aging. The film has been showcased at numerous film festivals, such as Toronto, London, and Hamptons International Film Festivals, winning recognition for Paprika’s bravura performance as “Thea.”

Paprika, known for her roles in The Celebration, Open Hearts, and Adam’s Apples, is rapidly gaining acclaim in the United States. Notably, her performance in Applause has been praised by such respected critics as Roger Ebert, remarking in the Chicago Sun Times, “An extraordinary performance by Paprika Steen.” Also, The New York Times recently reviewed the film, noting Paprika’s onscreen presence as “one of the best screen performances of the year.” If Marion Cotillard’s Oscar-winning performance in La Vie En Rose (2008) is any indication of a foreign film actress’s odds of taking home the Golden Boy against well-known American actresses, then Paprika has a shot. And if Paprika’s outstanding performance is any indication of a deserving win, then I believe she has a very good shot.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5vywJcRHAw[/youtube]

Photo Credit: World Wide

Mellori Velasquez is a former Beauty Chatter who continues to provide fabulous posts for Beauty Chat. For more information on the film, please contact: wwmpc@wwmpc.com

Most women dream about their wedding day from a very early age… They  plan out every detail of the event, from the dress to the food to the honeymoon location. Not surprisingly,  brides-to-be  head to their local gym before their big day in an  These all sound pretty standard, right? Well, here’s a new trend – plastic surgery to be  for  the “perfect bride.”

From breast augmentation to nose surgery, many of today’s brides are seeking more dramatic enhancements. And now there’s a new show that will be focused on this emerging generation of brides, “Bridalplasty” on E! Starting November 28th, a group of 12 women will be competing to win free cosmetic plastic surgery procedures and other wedding prizes. 

So it goes like this: Before they can start their competition, each bride meets  with Dr. Terry Dubrow – who was also the go-to doctor on “The Swan” – to go over her personalized wish list of procedures.

After their consultation,  they will  have a better idea of what their new body could look like if they win.

In addition to their new look, the lucky bride who wins it all will also get the wedding of her dreams. Here is where the twist comes in – the bride will finally reveal her new look to the groom at the wedding. And don’t worry, the big unveiling will all be caught on camera for our viewing pleasure.

Will you be tuning to watch these brides battle it out for a new appearance and dream wedding?

Photo Credit: She Radiance

Thanks to everyone who entered our contest, we got some wonderful comments and tips. We’ve picked our winners for Carmindy’s new book, Get Positively Beautiful, and they are…

• Stinkerella
• Laddie
• Faith
• Lauren
• Ashley Baugh

Congratulations to our winners!

Hope you enjoy the book as much as I did J.

I’m completely hooked on Lifetime’s new television series, Blush! It’s a competition looking for “The Next Great Makeup Artist.” Hosted by Vanessa Marcil, the series consists of makeup artists from all over the country, who are chosen to live under one roof in Los Angeles and participate in different competitions that test their skills and persona with clients.  Each episode, a contestant is eliminated and sent home, which is decided by judges, Joanna Schlip and Hal Rubenstein. On last night’s episode, Maura “Mo” Lewitts was eliminated. 

All of the participants are competing for the grand prize that includes a contract as a professional makeup artist for Max Factor, $100,000 in cash and the opportunity to be the makeup artist for a future photo shoot for InStyle magazine. 

Blush airs Tuesday nights at 10 pm ET/PT.  I would definitely suggest everyone, especially you “makeup junkies” out there, to tune in and cheer on your favorite artist.  Go Todd!!! He’s my favorite.  Who’s yours??   

Photo Credit: Lifetime.com

You all know that I’m all about feeling beautiful from the inside out, which is why I am absolutely in love with Carmindy’s new book, Get Positively Beautiful – The Ultimate Guide to Looking and Feeling Gorgeous. I must admit that I’ve never actually watched TLC’s What Not to Wear, so I didn’t know very much about their makeup artist. However, after reading this book, I am a Carmindy fan!

This book is all about playing up your own individual assets, whether it be your lips, eyes, or prominent chin. Carmindy tells readers to be positive about their unique assets and forget about those so-called flaws we see in the mirror.

In Get Positively Beautiful, readers are given tips on how to use “Carmindy Vision” to pinpoint their best features and make them shine. There are even examples of makeovers done by Carmindy that show just how beautiful anyone can be.

Sounds like an amazing book, right? Well, Beauty Chat is giving five lucky readers a chance to win a copy. Just leave a comment below telling us how you play up your best feature. The winners will be announced on December 5th. Good look and stay gorgeous!

Photo Credit: Hachette Book Group

Couture Carrie gets Argylicious! The preppy look is fashion forward, as displayed in this post.

This week, Mythbuster Beauty gives advice on Choosing the right mineral makeup for you. It’s very helpful for those interested in various cosmetics brands.

Feel like you need a vacation, but can’t afford it? The Jet Set Girls have provided awesome Budget Travel Tips that may be useful for you.

Check out Earrings according to your face shape over at Beauty and Personal Grooming. You can learn how to accessorize with you in mind!

Do you know what is so special about this month? October Is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Read about it at FitSugar.

MyBlog.com is giving you a great recipe to Make Your Own Hair Conditioner with items right from your kitchen.

30 Green Ways to Stretch Your Family’s Budget is the latest from Eco Child’s Play. Visit the blog for some fabulous tips!

Zippers are what FricChic has Got To Have Now. She highlights how these shiny closures are so in.

Need a girls weekend, but don’t have the time? Well, read The Jet Set Girls article on Can You Do a Girls’ Trip in 24 Hours?

Dolce & Gabbana for Babies? Savvy Mode wants to know your thoughts on this fashion statement.

Getting married and you don’t know how to tell your parents?  Then check out Telling It Like It Is and their article, How to Tell Your Parents You Are Getting Married.

Thinking about buying some new eye shadow? Head over to Face Candy first to read Review: Bobby Brown Long-Wear Eye Palette.

Check out Product Girl for Josie Maran is Coming to Sephora!

Jonathan Antin has a new hair kit for gals! To learn more, head over to Beautiful Makeup Search and read Get Dirty With Jonathan.

Clutch 22 gets crafty in her latest post: DIY: Bow Headbands (In Seconds).

Win the Ultimate Shoe Shopping Experience! Shoe Smitten Blog has all the details.

After watching “The Women” (which premiered on September 12th) with my fellow Beauty Chatter, Jennifer, two words came to mind: women empowerment.

The film is a remake of the 1939 classic film “Catfight” and is directed by Diane English. Having an all-female cast and production crew; starring some of Hollywood’s top women actresses, Meg Ryan, Annette Bening, Debra Messing, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Eva Mendes, Bette Midler, and Candice Bergen, this movie was made for women, by women.

Although, the film got scant reviews from a lot of critics, spitting out comments about it being “cliché” and “poorly directed,” the concept behind the flick showed a representation of the women in each one of us. It touched on women’s issues from all directions, such as issues with body image, gossip, women against women, career vs. family, marriage, mother-daughter relationships, infidelity, babies, plastic surgery, and so much more. Maybe it was a little cliché, but in my opinion, aren’t “chick flicks” supposed to be cliché? That is what draws us to them. This film is fun, it will make you laugh, and my favorite, it will make you cry.

This unique cast of characters put together a story about Mary Haines (Meg Ryan), a clothing designer who has it all, a rich financier husband, a charming 11-year-old daughter, and a part-time career creating designs for her father’s clothing company. Her best friend, Sylvie Fowler (Annette Bening), is a prominent editor for a woman’s fashion magazine and happily single. Other friends in the film are Edie Cohen (Debra Messing), a mega-mom, and lesbian writer Alex Fisher (Jada Pinkett-Smith). The story unfolds when Mary’s husband starts to have an affair with a Sak’s Fifth Avenue perfume counter girl named Crystal Allen, played by the gorgeous Eva Mendes. Mary is distraught about the whole incident and it tears the foursome into pieces. The film focuses around the dramas that explode after Mary leaves her husband.

Here is what Jennifer had to say about the film: “This was a great movie, definitely a “see this with your girlfriends” flick. (Which I did, thanks for being my date Ms. Sara!) I loved that the characters were so different from each other, yet they were able to come together so well. The most interesting thing I noticed about it was that there are no men in this film, none! It really is just ‘The Women.’”

To fully get enthralled into what this film represents, go behind the scenes and check out the Women Behind “The Women” on Dove’s Web site, which is a documentary made by junior journalist, Cammy Nelson, who asks the women behind the film, “What is real beauty?”

I would definitely recommend this movie to all women, just because it represents what it means to be a woman, and focuses on the pressures we face. The question that popped into my mind after I watched this film is what Mary asks herself while trying to rediscover who she is after splitting from her husband, “Who am I?” And the questions I must ask our readers are:

Who are you as women? What makes you the woman that you are?

Photo Credits: janarobbins.com and Credit: stltoday.com

Stacey Provines, owner and creator of TINte Cosmetics, is on the search to find a fresh and unique face for her cosmetic line and new product, Match Book.  Enter “The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency.” Stacey appeared on the Oxygen Channel show, and narrowed the list of models down to three fresh faces Crystal, Xian and Nadia.

The lucky ladies showed up the next day to be glamified, TINte style.  Not only were they there for the Match Book shoot, they were also competing to become the face of TINte Cosmetics for the year.

After a long day, and lots of photos, Stacey chose the unique look of Xina.  Congrats Xina on becoming the new face of TINte Cosmetics!

Want to learn more about this cosmetics line?  You can check out a post by me on their awesome Flavored Lip Shine, contact your local Dillard’s store, or visit their Web site.  Stacey is even offering one lucky Beauty Chat reader a free Match Book product.  Just let us know what you think of the new TINte face by Thursday, September 30!

Photo Credits: TINte Cosmetics and Oxygen Channel

Beauty Chat loves fashion — as it is a powerful beauty statement. So I wanted to give a recap of the 60th Emmy Awards, focusing on red carpet attire. Here are a few of my favorite looks:

Christina Applegate looked stunning post-mastectomy. The whole world is cheering this amazing woman on right now.

Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick receive my nomination for “best looking couple.”

Felicity Huffman dazzled in this sparkling gown. She looked absolutely vibrant.

The classic black and white look, but with a twist. Vanessa Williams was glamorous as always!

P.S. One of our friends, prominent Beverly Hills plastic surgeon and YourNewBodyBlog.com weekly contributor, Dr. Stuart Linder, contributed to the swag bags! His book, titled “The Beverly Hills Shape,” was one of the fabulous gifts given to celebrities. And guess what? Beauty Chat blogged about the book last year when it became available. Check it out!

Photo credits: MSN