Carrie Underwood Talks About How Distance Makes Her Marriage Stronger

 

Check out what Carrie Underwood, Almay’s newest global brand ambassador had to tell Cosmo about her all-star beauty know-how, keeping things hot with her man, and going out with her girls. 

Almay says one of the reasons they chose you to be their spokesperson is because you’re so relatable. Why do you think you’re relatable?
I think people have picked up on the fact that I'm normal. Country music is all about being relatable and singing about real-life situations. People trust me, and these products are things that I would actually use. I love the Smart Shade CC Cream and Color + Care Liquid Lip Balms.

Despite describing yourself as "normal," do you consider yourself sexy?
I mainly like to feel pretty. It really is, "what do I want to be today?" I feel like there's so much out there with fashion and hair and makeup. You can just decide, "how do I feel?" 

Speaking of sexy, how do you and your husband, hockey player Mike Fisher, keep the spark going with such crazy schedules?
That's part of what makes our marriage awesome. I don't want somebody there all the time. No matter what, it would just wear on me and I'm sure I would wear on whoever I was with. I really enjoy missing him. I love our time together but I enjoy our time apart too. We definitely talk to each other every single day when we're apart, but sometimes it's just, "OK, you're home, did you have a good day?"

Do you have any exciting Valentine’s Day plans?
I've always pretty much despised Valentine’s Day to be honest, because when I was younger and in college, I never had anyone to celebrate with, I never had a boyfriend on Valentine’s Day. So I always was one of those, "I hate Valentine’s Day" kind of people. But that's actually the Olympic break for my husband so we’re going to be taking off and going on a little vacation.

And what about friends, are your friendships really important to you?
They are. I always considered myself someone who never really had that many girlfriends. l always had more guy friends in high school. Then I got to college and joined a sorority of girls that always had more guy friends, so I was with a lot of people that were like me. I have some really dynamic girlfriends which I think is really wonderful. We’re all opinionated but respectful and we talk about everything. 

What do you and your friends like to do?
Occasionally we go karaoke. But we'll go to a dive karaoke place, you know, a sticky tables and fried pickles kind of place, and have fun and be stupid. We have the most random parties where no one's been drinking, but we probably all appear very intoxicated to anyone that didn't know better because we have so much fun and dance and act silly and dress silly. 

What’s your favorite red carpet makeup look?
I'm definitely an eye shadow kind of girl because that's the easiest thing to play up to me, your eyes. And I love shimmery things. We like to keep things pretty on the carpet because so many of the dresses I end up picking are things that I feel pretty in. I want my makeup and my hair to match.  

What do you look like when you’re off the red carpet?
I'm definitely "done." Even if I go a little more simple on my face, I definitely have mascara and eyeliner [on]. When I walk in front of a mirror, I just feel better about myself than if I just did nothing.

So, we’re never going to see you in a "stars without makeup" picture?
Actually, I have seen one of those before, but I was going to the gym! Who wears makeup to the gym? That's not even fair! I'm just going to sweat it off anyway.

You do your own makeup on tour, how come? 
It's such a quiet time for me when I'm on the bus and everyone else is getting things ready for the show. I turn on the radio and just get ready. It's all about my mood. You can tell exactly how I'm feeling by what I'm listening to that day.  

What’s the '90s beauty trend you most regret trying when you were younger?
I tweezed my eyebrows as so many women did, and I had no guidance. They never grew back the way they should have grown back. That's a thing I deal with on a daily basis — trying to draw my eyebrows back in from what I did in like junior high. It's not fair.

Photo Credit: Getty Images

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Exclusive: America's Favorite Girl Crush, Emma Stone, Talks Beauty & Onscreen Kisses

You know it's going to be a good day when you start out by interviewing all-around awesome chick Emma Stone.

The A-lister, and one of Revlon's spokesmodels, couldn't be more witty, pretty, and down to earth, exactly as you wished her to be.

During our chat, we talked about everything from her skincare routine to her favorite red carpet outfit. Here's what she had to say.

Cosmo: Okay, so let's just jump right in. What makeup do you think guys like on a girl?

Emma Stone: "I could care less. I think women should wear whatever makeup they want for themselves. Makeup should be fun."

Cosmo: What's your skincare routine?

ES: "I'm really allergic to a lot of stuff, so I can only use products with a single ingredient in it. I use a Burt's Bees cleanser and sometimes I exfoliate with baking soda or brown sugar. I like experimenting. I love coconut oil, Josie Maran Argan Oil, and olive oil—I have a big bottle of it on my sink and I put it all over my face and smell like focaccia...and it's really sexy [laughs]."

Cosmo: What do you think is sexy, beauty-wise?

ES: "I think it depends on how my mental state is that day and whether or not I'm feeling happy. I could wake up and put on a ton of makeup and still not be feeling great that day, so it varies."

Cosmo: You've been on a ton of movie sets and worked with a slew of makeup artists. What are some tips you've taken away and use daily?

ES: "I have learned the importance of moisturizing because I have the driest skin on the planet. I also break out, so I have learned to use concealer. I just dot it on, but I'm not as great as applying it as the makeup artists. And I've learned to fill in my eyebrows—I use an eyeshadow and a little brush to do them, which I enjoy."

Cosmo: What's the weirdest thing you've tried in the name of beauty?

ES: "Oh, you don't want to know...[laughs]. I think Emu Oil is a weird concept, I've tried that...and was allergic to it."

Cosmo: What product do you turn to for a beauty boost?

ES: "I wear mascara most days, but I do put on a little makeup every day because it helps me feel put together. But yeah, mascara is essential."

Cosmo: Do you have a favorite?

ES: "Yes, Revlon's Lash Potion by Grow Luscious—it's magic [laughs]! I swipe it on both my top and bottom lashes."

Cosmo: What is your summer must-have beauty product?

ES: "Sunscreen. I have to wear it. Elta MD SPF 45 is really great, and I also have to use oil to help hydrate my skin. I don't even remotely have oily skin—my skin doesn't produce oil at all—so I have to replace it [by using a ton of oil on my skin]."

Cosmo: Do you have a signature fragrance?

ES: "I actually just got a new one from Serge Lutens. It's called A La Nuit, it's basically just jasmine."

Cosmo: Where do you like to spray it?

ES: "I think perfume is really aggressive, I barely wear it because it's like "SMELL ME!" wherever you go. So, I usually spritz and walk through it. It doesn't last long on my skin, but I like it for that moment."

Cosmo: Are there any beauty decisions you've made that you look back on and ask yourself "why?!"

ES: "Ah, yeah, all of them [laughs]. I had acrylic nails for a while, a lot of spray tans, I wore a lot of black eyeshadow, like a lot, which I'm basically doing today with blue, but it's spring!"

Cosmo: Do you gravitate toward a lip color and if so, which shade? 

ES: "Red. But in my everyday life, I barely wear lip color."

Cosmo: What's your favorite beauty product to play with in the Revlon line?

ES: "The lip crayons. I love them, they're so pigmented. And I love the lip butter."

Cosmo: You're such a hair color chameleon, which color do you feel most like yourself in?

ES: "Probably red hair, even though I'm blonde naturally. I identify most with red hair. My mom is a redhead, so I grew up seeing red hair more. But I like blonde hair, too."

Cosmo: Do you switch up your makeup based on your hair color?

ES: "I use more color on my face when I have blonde hair because the red is already a little much."

Cosmo: What's your favorite fashion moment?

ES: "My favorite thing I've gotten to wear was my gown at the Met Ball. I went with Alber Elbaz and he was the most fun date—I got to wear a dress with plastic flowers all over it, so that was fun."

Cosmo: What are you most excited to wear for spring?

ES: "I'm just excited not to have to wear a big puffy coat all of the time. Basically, I'm just excited to wear less clothes [laughs]. But I recently bought some dresses and shorts on ShopBop, so I look forward to wearing them. And for shoes, I like short booties and flats."

Cosmo: What's your number one beauty secret?

ES: "I don't know, I don't have any...do you [laughs]? I need some! I don't really have one, but I love experimenting with new stuff."

Cosmo: What is your secret to a great on-screen kiss?

ES: "Mints. It's such a weird part of a job, but it is part of my job, which is bizarre. I'm also taking tips on that, so pass them on [laughs]." 

Cosmo: How do you block out critics when they talk negatively about what you're wearing?

ES: "My mom always told me to do what makes me happy and dress for me. I was lucky, when I was young, to have a female role model in my life that was very much about me being myself. And with beauty and fashion, it's supposed to be fun and experimental. I like the individuality of it all."

Cosmo: What's the best advice you've ever received?

ES: "My mom always says to cross that bridge when you get there, because I lose perspective a lot of the time...which is a beautiful symptom of anxiety, where you're constantly 18 steps ahead to the worst case scenario. My best friend and I have also recently been saying "bones." I just went to the Catacombs and saw all of these bones of people stacked on top of each other where it once was a functioning city. So, when I lose perspective, I try to remember that we're all just bones trying to get along and we'll all eventually be bones again one day. Sorry to get so dark [laughs]."

Want more of Emma? Look out for her in The Amazing Spider-Man 2 movie or rent one of our faves Crazy, Stupid, Love.

Photo: Courtesy Images

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Jawbreaking's Aly Silverio Talks Starting a Clothing Business </br> as a Teen

Aly Silverio is the quintessential Cosmo girl: While other girls her age are out throwing back shots at the frat houses, this impressive 20-year-old has become her own boss, pursuing her dream as a fashion designer and the owner of online clothing store Jawbreaking. The shop, which sells guys' and girls' tees, tanks and hoodies emblazoned with simple graphics and sayings like "Bad Boys Equal Trouble," picked up major traction when One Direction band member Zayn Malik was seen wearing "The Wanderer" tank top. Since then, the business has been a huge hit with the teen-to-early-twentysomething demo, including Kylie Jenner and four of the five One Direction guys.

She's wooing a famous fan base with her sweet tweets and social media strategy (she just won a Shorty Award for her social media prowess). Cosmopolitan.com caught her on a momentary tweeting break just as she hopped off the party bus to chat growing a business as a teen, working with mom and living the dream.

Cosmo: You started Jawbreaking at fifteen, and five years later, you're running your own successful business for the teenager to early twentysomething demo. Tell us how you did it?

Silverio: When I was fifteen, I didn't want to get a real job, but I needed money before I started my junior year of high school. I was selling stuff on eBay, but then I started a jewelry company using polymer clay. I basically pushed it on MySpace, which was popular at the time, and then Facebook and Twitter and Instagram. And since then it's blown up.

Cosmo: As for your Twitter following, how did you attract such an audience?

Silverio: This time last year we had 3,000 followers. Now we have 20,000. It really blew up after One Direction wore our shirts. Their fan site went crazy. We have a lot of interaction with our followers and customers. I like to talk to them, help them figure out what they want to buy and what they should wear it with. You tweet them back, and it makes their day.

Cosmo: Your business started to really take off when you transitioned from jewelry to shirts.

Silverio: When I was doing jewelry, I had under 1,000 Twitter followers. When I turned 18, I started doing the shirts. I vended at the Vans Warped Tour, popping around in a van selling shirts. That got word out even more. I thought the jewelry was pretty big on the Internet, but once I started selling shirts I realized that now I was getting big. Sometimes we have 1,000 shirts to ship out weekly if we have a new line or a huge sale.

Cosmo: What do you think is the attraction to these shirts?

Silverio: I always try to have meaning behind every shirt. One of the top-selling shirts is 'Dream while you're awake.' Stuff like that that people find inspiring and relatable. Like the 'Boys Suck' shirt because obviously boys suck. I try to make the shirts from my own life experience.

Cosmo: So how did you get these shirts on the One Direction guys?

Silverio: I sent them free shirts, and they ended up wearing them. I cried when they wore "The Wanderer" shirt.

Cosmo: You and your mom do all of the designs, not to mention all the business behind the scenes. What's it like working with her? Plenty of girls at the age you started your business would rather spend less time with their parents, not more.

Silverio: My mom is the best momager a girl could ask for. If I don't like something she'll tweak it. It's really a back and forth process. Sometimes it's hard, and sometimes we don't agree, but it keeps us both grounded.

Cosmo: So do you share an office?

Silverio: I did everything out of my bedroom for a few years. My family got an office two months ago so now I have my bedroom to myself.

Cosmo: So no apartment of your own?

Silverio: It was an apartment or an office, and I decided to pick an office over an apartment.

Cosmo: Have you inspired other younger girls to have strong relationships with their moms?

Silverio: There are some people who tweet at me that their mom is their best friend, too. I'd hope I'd inspire people to get closer with their moms.

Cosmo: Which celeb would you love to see in your shirts next?

Silverio: Well I have four of the five One Direction guys. It would be nice to have Harry, the fifth, since everyone else is all on board. If they [all wore them at one time], I probably would not be alive right now.

Cosmo: What advice do you have for other young female entrepreneurs?

Silverio: It's very cliché, but don’t give up. Don't let anyone tell you that you can't do something. If you listen to that person, you will never know if it would have worked out.

Want more from Jessica? Follow her on Twitter.

Credit: Danny Roche

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Babeland's Co-Founder Talks 20 Years of Vibrators and Lube

I thought turning 20 was pretty whack. It’s just another year of not being able to get into bars. Big whoop. But when Babeland, a female-owned sex toy shop, turns 20, it’s a pretty BFD.

In 1993 in Seattle, when everyone was listening to grunge and getting super depressed, best friends Claire Cavanah and Rachel Vennin decided to open a business. They were thinking about a coffee shop, but that was too obvious, when all the sudden it hit them like a leather riding crop: "Let’s open a sex shop!"  

Now with four stores and a booming online business, it’s safe to say that the ladies of Babeland have arrived.

I sat down with co-founder and co-owner Claire to talk about 20 years in the sex toy biz—and what’s it like being a "fun" feminist.  

Cosmo: So how did you become interested in owning a sex toy shop?  

Claire Cavanah: Well, Rachel (co-owner) and I are both feminists. We were both educated during the culture wars of the 80’s where honest feminists were disagreeing about the roles of sex in feminism.  And there were the "take-back-the night, rape crisis center, obscenity laws" feminists and then there were more the more progressive, much more fun, "let’s have sex, let’s get turned on" feminists.  And during my time in college, I went from one side to the other.  

Cosmo: You went to the fun side. Good call. Was there an original mission behind Babeland?

CC: Our goal is to get a vibrator on every bedside table. We want to take the shame out of sex and bring it out into the open in a way that’s more earnest and encouraging. I think of sexual pleasure as a birthright.

Cosmo: Preach! Have there been any major milestones in Babeland’s career?

CC: Opening in New York City was a big turning point because it just took off so fast. It was 1998 and Sex in the City was on TV and business was just booming. That show actually changed a lot of things for sex in the mainstream culture. Tthere was a direct correlation to that show airing and women buying more vibrators. Another big moment for us was winning "Best shopping experience in New York City" from Zagat.  It was like winning Best Picture [at the Oscars]!  Nobody gets that award, how could it be us?

Cosmo: Do you get a lot of women who come into Babeland who have never had an orgasm?

CC: That happens at least once a day.  I remember a pretty moving incident about that actually.At our opening party for the Park Slope store, this woman came in, she was about 40 years old, had four kids and her husband had pretty much begged her to come here. She had never had an orgasm and her husband wanted her to experience one.  She came up to me and said, "I’ve had my kids and I’m done. I’m finished having sex. I don’t see what the point is."  I was like "Oh my god, sex is really fun!  Let’s try and get you to a place where you can enjoy it."  And I think a lot of women feel like she does.  They just don’t know how to find pleasure and they don’t have the tools.  So I set her up with some lube, a vibrator, and some batteries, and she was on her way. I think her marriage was about to get a lot better.

Want more from Rose? Follow her on Twitter.

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Khloe Kardashian Talks Body Confidence and Keeping Things Sexy with Lamar

Khloe recently teamed up with U by Kotex to launch Generation Know, a program that empowers girls to be the first generation to commit to learning more about their health and bodies and to share that knowledge with others.

The campaign features an online hub at generationknow.com, where girls can learn from experts and get involved in projects designed to create social change. For every girl that gets involved with Generation Know by visiting www.generationknow.com, U by Kotex will donate $1, up to $500,000, to Girls For A Change, a national nonprofit organization, to fund educational trainings across the country and help girls create social change within their communities.

We got to sit down with the gorgeous celeb to find out who in her life has empowered her, how own body confidence issues, and how she and Lamar keep things sexy.

Cosmo: Who in your life has empowered you to know more about yourself and your body?

Khloe: I've had a lot of really influential people in my life, like my grandmother MJ, who have helped me along the way. But there are so many of us girls in my family, and even though they're all so open and honest, who I seek advice from depends on what aspect of life I'm dealing with. 

Cosmo: Because you have little sisters, does this program mean more to you?

Khloe: Generation Know is for women of any age, but I really struck a cord with it because of my little sisters. I'm so much older than them—my mom had Kendall when she was 40 and Kylie when she was 41—so I just wanted them to feel okay talking to me about whatever they wanted to, because I know some topics can be uncomfortable. I love when they talk to me about anything and everything, and everyone should have someone they can turn to, so that's why this campaign really resonated with me. 

Cosmo: How did your sisters respond when you told them you were going to be the spokesperson for Generation Know by Kotex?

Khloe: They loved it because when I first signed up to do this program. They were younger and going through puberty, which meant they had questions but didn't want to ask my mom about them. So they come and speak to me directly about anything—even their friends ask me things, especially since some of them are only children and feel like they can't talk to their parents. I just think that knowing about your body at any age, whether it's educating yourself on fertility, getting mammograms, going through puberty—whatever it may be, is really important. I just really encourage women empowerment and being comfortable talking about these issues.

Cosmo: Obviously we all struggle with body confidence issues, but how do you deal with the ones you face?

Khloe: We're all our own worst critics and so hard on ourselves, but for me, my biggest insecurity is my arms. I just hate the tops of them. I workout and they still never look good enough for me. So, over the years I've learned to dress to make myself feel better. It's not like I'm eating donut after donut—I exercise and try to eat right, but dressing for my body type is key. I used to follow trends and try to do exactly what I saw in the magazines, but I'm not a Victoria's Secret model who can wear anything. [That said,] dressing for your body type comes with trial and error, but I know how to do it now.

Cosmo: Speaking of your body, what's Lamar's favorite part about you?

Khloe: That's funny, Lamar just was asked this question and he did say my ass, but I think that's a very guy or husband thing to say. But I don't mind it, I actually have a nice ass and I'm proud of it—it's the Kardashian booty and I own it. Big and beautiful, baby!

Cosmo: Since we're Cosmo, we're dying to know how you and Lamar keep things sexy?

Khloe: Lamar and I, during the NBA season, make a rule that I go to every single home game and then we go to dinners afterward and that's our time. And then when he is on the road, I make sure to plan a lot of my road work trips so that we're never really gone from each other too long. But Lamar is seriously so cute. He'll send me flowers for no reason and his texts are just so passionate. But my favorite part, which is one of the reasons I love going to his home games, is that he makes faces at me while he's playing, like subtly blowing me a kiss or something like that. So the fact that we send sweet texts and still flirt with each other [on and off the court] definitely keeps things fresh. 

Want more of Khloe? Catch her making cameos on Kourtney & Kim Take Miami, Sundays at 9 p.m. EST on E! And if you want to learn more about or get involved with Generation Know, click here.

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From Cosmopolitan.com. Visit Amazon Beauty Center here

Drew Barrymore Talks Makeup and Sexy Husbands

Last night we got to attend the launch of Drew Barrymore's new makeup line (called Flower, of course) sold exclusively at Walmart. Our little hearts were going pitter patter over meeting a lifelong girl crush, but not to fear, we pulled it together! Drew did not disappoint and neither did her products—the foundations are amazing and the crème eye shadows will create the perfect smoky eye for date night.

So what makeup makes Drew feel sexy: "I'm going to have to go with a matte chocolate-y, spicy lip for my favorite sexy look," Drew told us. "I'm wearing it right now and channeling my inner 90s, my inner bad-girl, red-carpet look. This shade brings back a lot of good memories for me." To create a deep lip like Drew's, line and fill in your lips with Flower Line & Shine Lip Liner, in Toffee, $7, walmart.com, and then top that with a little Flower Kiss Stick Velvet Lip Color, in Chocolate Lily, $7, walmart.com.

On her beauty look since she's had a baby: "There are no rules with makeup, but as a new mom I like to look as young as possible," says Drew. "I like wearing a light mauve on my lips (Flower Lip Service Lip Butter in Mauve Mimosa, $7, walmart.com) and something pale on my eyes. Light cream eyeshadows, like Flower Color Play Crème Eyeshadow, in Wild Geranium, $8, walmart.com, perk me up a little. But tomorrow I might feel differently. I might want to try a deeper look to be really sexy for my husband," she adds. Spoken like a true Cosmo girl!

To get your hands on Drew's Flower color cosmetics, go to walmart.com.

Photo: Instagram

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From Cosmopolitan.com. Visit Amazon Beauty Center here