Lauren Conrad Launches Beauty Site!

Her latest foray into the reality TV world didn’t work out, but fear not, Lauren Conrad is anything but bored. The former MTV starlet, author and budding fashion designer today launched thebeautydepartment.com, a website full of hair and makeup tips she’s procured over the years. 

The photo and video how-tos star Conrad, plus her longtime hairstylist, Kristin Ess, and her makeup artist, Amy Nadine. 

Conrad says that before joining forces with her glam team, she often turned to fashion magazines for beauty help — often unsuccessfully. “Growing up, I never really learned how to do my hair and makeup correctly and the results weren’t always great,” Conrad said in a release. “Our goal with The Beauty Department is to provide girls and young women with a basic how-to of simplified versions of popular trends and styles that they can recreate themselves.” 

The site covers hair and makeup basics, as well as health-related beauty topics, like sun protection. Readers can also submit questions, which the trio will attempt to answer online.

Credit: PEOPLE (Kate Hogan)

Whitney Port Dyes Her Hair Red!

Lauren Conrad isn't the only Hills alum to make a major hair change. Whitney Port showed off a new reddish color at the Night of a Billion Stars party in L.A. on Thursday.

So what prompted the 25-year-old to dye her long blonde locks? "We changed just because we can! That's what hair color is all about," the star's hair pro, Kristin Ess told Us Magazine of the color she jokingly calls "apricot gingersnap."

To get the desired effect, Ess first applied an apricot base, followed by a matching gloss to add shine and help lock in the new color. Then, she topped it off with a few fine blonde highlights around Port’s face and at the ends so it looks natural.

"Whitney loves it. She's already feeling comfortable [as a redhead] and that's most important," says Ess.

Credit: Us Magazine