Jennifer Aniston, who’s said she was a “dumpy teenager,” tells InStyle that it took “years of peeling back the onion to finally stop using makeup as a mask and feel comfortable in my own skin.” But that doesn’t mean the ever-gorgeous actress has shunned makeup entirely.

Discussing her favorite products, Aniston tells the magazine that Estée Lauder’s Automatic Lip Pencil Duo in fig (top left) can be mixed with “anything. I’ve used this … for god knows how many years,” she shares.

Also key is bronzer; the actress uses Chanel Moisturizing Bronzing Powder in terre amber (bottom right) to brighten her cheeks. “I like that it’s more brown, with twinkles in it,” she explains.

Aniston keeps her skin tone even with La Mer The Treatment Fluid Foundation (top right), but not before prepping her face with Dr. Hauschka Moisturizing Day Cream (bottom left). “I put this on after my serum and before my makeup,” she reveals.

But perhaps the most surprising product in Aniston’s beauty arsenal is her soap: Neutrogena’s $3 Original Facial Cleansing Bar. “I’ve been using this orange bar since high school,” she admits. “My philosophy is, the simpler the better.” Tell us: What’s in your makeup bag?

SHOP OUR EDITORS’ BEAUTY PICKS

Someone obviously didn’t go to beauty school! Ellen DeGeneres gives pal — and fellow CoverGirl — Sofia Vergara quite the makeover in the clip above, taken from Monday’s Ellen DeGeneres Show. Watch as the ladies bring lots of laughs — and teach us some major makeup don’ts. Catch the ladies’ last CoverGirl spoof here.

LEARN BEAUTY DOS IN ’7 TRENDS TO TRY RIGHT NOW’

Despite the fact that Nicole Richie always looks perfect on the red carpet, she insists that when it comes to beauty, she’s hopeless.

“I actually don’t know how to put on makeup — at all,” she confesses to InStyle.com. “I have to get it done every time I want to wear makeup. I do not know how to wear it at all. It’s so bad.”

“I don’t even own it,” she continues. “I only own under-eye concealer, Maybelline mascara, and an eyelash curler.”

But Richie’s trademark off-duty look — funky separates and strategic oversized sunglasses — is usually punctuated with runway-ready tresses. Why? “I can do my own hair,” she explains.

–Justine Harman

VOTE ON MORE STAR BEAUTY LOOKS IN ‘WHAT’S HER BEST HAIR?’

–Rumors are already swirling about Britney Spears‘s wedding gown designer; names so far include Betsey Johnson and Jeremy Scott [Fashionista]

–Tim Gunn will serve as a co-host on a new ABC daytime talk show, premiering Jan. 16 [The Cut]

–Check out the expert-tested makeup brushes you should have in your arsenal [T Magazine]

–Tips on beating the winter dry skin blues [BellaSugar]

–Louis Vuitton slaps the team behind The Hangover Part II with a major lawsuit [Vogue UK]

She made magic in her campaign for Trésor Midnight Rose perfume, but Emma Watson‘s newest ad for Lancôme really turns up the heat. The photo, shot by Mario Testino, touts the brand’s new Rogue in Love lipstick and Vernis in Love nail polish, and will officially appear online beginning in February.

“The idea is to make this young generation — that has been a gloss fan — come back to using lipsticks,” Youcef Nabi, president of Lancôme International, tells WWD. “We worked with Emma on the shade range.”

The lipsticks, available in 24 colors for $25 each, come in a metallic case that can double as a mirror. “This new generation spends their time looking at themselves in the mirror,” Nabi says, adding that the company will launch a new app, Virtual Mirror, with the lipsticks, allowing customers to experiment with various colors online before buying. “You will be able to try all the shades by downloading your picture,” she says. “It’s really you transformed [before] your eyes.”

The nail polish complements the lip colors; it will be available at Nordstrom stores beginning in February for $15 per bottle. “Lipstick doesn’t come without a nail enamel,” Nabi says. “It’s the ultimate fashion accessory.”

STUDY STARS’ DIY PARTY HAIR AND MAKEUP

They’re heeere! Emma Stone and Olivia Wilde’s first advertisements for Revlon debuted on Friday, and as expected, they’re perfectly pretty. Stone’s ad plays up her warm pink skin tone and red hair, while Wilde’s is dramatically different, featuring icy blue hues and other cool colors.

According to WWD, the ads are designed to present “archetypes that every woman can connect to.” Julia Goldin, global chief marketing officer for Revlon Inc., tells the trade mag, “It’s about giving [a customer] the tools, inspiration and encouragement to express herself, which should also give her more confidence.”

Courtesy Revlon

To complement that idea, Revlon will offer how-to videos and behind-the-scenes clips with the stars, giving “an honest perspective from them on how they use the products,” Goldin says. Those products include Lip Butter, which Stone advertises, Colorstay 16-Hour eye shadow, which Wilde promotes, and Colorstay Longwear nail enamel, seen in Halle Berry‘s latest campaign.

The ads, shot by Craig McDean, with makeup applied by Gucci Westman, will break in mid-January in print and online. Tell us: What do you think of Stone and Wilde’s Revlon ads?

VOTE: WOULD YOU WEAR THESE BEAUTY TRENDS?

Best known for pin-straight strands and a year-round tan, Jersey Shore‘s Sammi “Sweetheart” Giancola recently bared it all for a “makeunder” courtesy of xojane.com.

“I’m the slowest in the house to get ready,” Giancola reveals, citing fake hair as a major time suck. “I’ve done the clip-ons, I’ve done the weave where it’s sewn into my head, I’ve done fused, and now I have tape-ins.”

So though she usually blow dries her hair (extensions and all), then straightens it and then teases at the crown, she let her natural assets shine for the shoot. ”Sammi has a great natural wave and bend to her hair,” hairstylist Shannon Grey Williams says. “I just tousled it and put a little Aveda Pure Abundance Potion in it to give it lift at the roots, and to give the wave definition.”

The rest of the “makeunder,” including highlighter, cheek stain and mascara, took a total of five minutes. Tell us: What do you think of Giancola’s makeunder?

–Justine Harman

SHOP OUR EDITORS’ BEAUTY PICKS

After refusing to wear makeup in We Bought a Zoo, Scarlett Johnasson reveals that when she’s not portraying a character, she’s actually quite fond of putting on a face.

“I always like to put a little bit of makeup on,” she tells Style.com. “I’m not the kind of person that just slops around in sweatpants. I like to feel a little more together — you never know who you’re going to see out there!”

“My absolute must-have is a really rich and vibrant red lipstick,” she reveals of the look that has become synonymous with her red-carpet bombshell motif. “I always keep red lipstick in my bag because I never know when I might show up to an event and be completely underdressed. I feel like red lipstick is the cure-all for everything.”

Other things that make her feel beautiful include reverting to her natural hair color (“I’m naturally blonde so I feel most like myself when I’m blonde”) and a good, old-fashioned honey facial. Yup, a honey facial. “I use Manuka honey,” she reveals. “You just warm your face so that your pores are open (you can steam your face right after getting out of the shower), and then you just take a spoon and apply the honey directly to your face and leave it for 10 to 15 minutes.”

The result? “It really adds an amazing glow and your skin is so soft afterwards. It pulls out the impurities.”

–Justine Harman

LEARN MORE INSIDER TRICKS IN ‘DIY STAR HAIR AND MAKEUP’

At the New York premiere of We Bought a Zoo, Scarlett Johansson’s skin shimmered with glacier-blue shadow and baby pink gloss: a far cry from her character, who shuns the stuff entirely.

To play an animal caretaker alongside Matt Damon in what she calls a “decrepit Grey Gardens of a zoo,” Johansson felt that the audience wouldn’t believe her in the role if she were wearing fake eyelashes and lip plumper. Hence, a strict adherence to a no-makeup policy, she tells Vanity Fair.

And this isn’t the first time the 27-year-old has augmented her looks for a role: Jon Favreau, who directed the star in Iron Man 2, tells the magazine, “Scarlett was not the logical first choice for the Black Widow,” but when she auditioned for the role, “she had red hair. She said, ‘I wanted to show you that I was serious.’

“She’s uniquely beautiful,” he continues. “She’s smart and talented. That’s a tough combo to beat.”

–Justine Harman

VOTE ON STAR BEAUTY CHANGES IN: ‘WHAT’S HER BEST LOOK?’

Hats off to Kate Winslet for making the act of giving that much more beautiful. After lending her voice to the documentary A Mother’s Courage: Talking Back to Autism, Winslet founded the Golden Hat Foundation, named after a featured poem of the same name.

“Lancôme has given me the strength to go all the way, and I know this will open many doors,” the brand ambassadress says of the company’s Golden Hat range. Comprised of holiday-ready luminous powders, moisture-rich lipsticks and five new shades of nail polish, the collection “is so stunning and gorgeous and perfect for now,” Winslet tells Stylelist. “I mean, the colors are really festive.”

Ranging from $15-$40, the products, which are embossed with the foundation’s signature hat, help to promote awareness for children afflicted with non-verbal autism. (The actress has also spearheaded a book initiative of the same name, which features a slew of celebs all wearing the same golden topper.)

Passionate about the cause, the star is also dedicated to the effects of proper skincare. “As you get older, I think it has to change all the time,” she says of her routine. “Based on the seasons, based on whether I’ve had enough sleep or not. What I particularly love about the [Lancôme] Renergie line is that it does actually work and it does right away.”

To shop the Golden Hat collection, and to get a gold star from StyleWatch this season, click here.

–Justine Harman

CHECK OUT MORE BEAUTY SECRETS IN ‘STAR-TESTED TIPS & TRICKS’

Rich auburn hair, kohl-rimmed eyes and chiseled cheekbones may describe Olivia Wilde now, but the new face of Revlon has had her fair share of beauty blunders.

“I’ve been having my makeup done professionally for 12 years, but I still don’t know how to contour my eyes,” she tells FASHIONetc. “I could never put fake lashes on myself; it would be such a disaster! They would end up in my eyeball.”

And though Wilde has since mastered the art of moderation — “I feel like I’m wearing a mask if I do a strong eye and a strong lip,” she tells ELLE — her formative years were a different story. “I had every different color hair. I had horrible, horrible ideas of what was cool, but then you learn and you play. I thank God Facebook didn’t exist then,” she reveals to Stylelist. Just check out a nearly unrecognizable Wilde at left, in 2003!

Like with most things (who can forget the Honeybadger incident?), the TRON star has a mean sense of humor when it comes to her so-called shortcomings. “A strong eye and strong lip together on my face can go ‘tranny’ real fast,” she jokes. “I have a strong jaw, and I’m cognizant of that.”

–Justine Harman

CHECK OUT MORE BEAUTY DOS AND DON’TS IN ‘WHAT’S HER BEST MAKEUP?’

Nearly a year after being named the face of Clé de Peau Beauté, Amanda Seyfried is still singing the Japanese beauty brand’s praises.

“I’m really scared of the sun,” the fair-skinned star, who adheres to a strict skincare routine, tells Stylelist. “During the day, I use the Gentle Protective Emulsion moisturizer with SPF,” she details. “And I don’t go to bed without putting on La Crème. It smells really good and when I wake up, I know my face is going to feel really good.”

To juxtapose her alabaster complexion, Seyfried relies on the brand’s darker lipsticks and eye-opening mascaras. “Clé de Peau’s Mascara keeps my eyelashes curled even though they’re really straight,” she gushes.

But the secret to her doll-like look lies in the perfectly tousled hair, of course. “Don’t wash it!,” she recommends. “I wash my hair every three days which is something I would’ve never imagined years ago, but I also use dry shampoo and my hair is even healthier.”

–Justine Harman

VOTE ON TRESS TRANSFORMATIONS IN ‘WHAT’S HER BEST HAIR?’

A quick review of the past decade in the life of Dita von Teese and two things become abundantly clear: the woman never ages, and she always looks perfect.

There’s good reason for that: Von Teese’s trademark look — alabaster skin, doe eyes and pin-up curls — is the result of years of perfecting the routine. “Practice is everything when it comes to beauty,” she tells Stylist.co.uk readers. “If I don’t do my eyeliner for a week or so, I’m not so good at it.”

To that end, the burlesque star, who always does her own hair and makeup, relies on an arsenal of products including Diorific lipstick, M.A.C rougemarie nail polish and hot rollers for a photo finish.

And just because she recycles her red carpet looks doesn’t mean the star gets ready in a hurry. “One of the things that I do to have a glamorous day is take a bit of time to put on makeup and choose clothes that I like to wear,” she says, emphasizing the importance of an area designated to primping. “[Always] have a good vanity place to do your makeup and a place with good lighting — natural light is the best.”

–Justine Harman

CHECK OUT MORE D.I.Y. STAR BEAUTY LOOKS

Cyndi Lauper has a message for struggling LGBT youth: You’re not alone. “A lot of people are feeling bad about themselves, and when you’re a teenager you’re self destructive,” she tells PEOPLE. “But what seems terrible now won’t be terrible 10 years down the line. It’s not as bleak as it looks. You’ll get through it. You are precious. Protect yourself.”

Those words of caution come on World AIDS Day, a time to remember those who’ve lost their lives and those who are fighting to stay alive. “If you get yourself sick with AIDS, you’ll either be dead or living with AIDS,” Lauper says firmly. “It’s hard to go through life with a compromised immune system. AIDS is 100 percent preventable … but it’s 100 percent not curable.”

Lauper spent her World AIDS Day at the LGBT Youth Center in New York’s West Village, stuffing goodie bags for teens in need with an army of volunteers from M.A.C. Lauper has worked with the cosmetic brand for a number of years, specifically focusing on the Viva Glam collection and the charitable work of the M.A.C AIDS Fund. To date, the fund has raised more than $224 million to fight HIV/AIDS, and counts Lady Gaga, Ricky Martin and Nicki Minaj among its supporters.

“We have to communicate with our kids,” Lauper says. “Give your girls lipstick, and remind them that every time they put their M.A.C Viva Glam lipstick on and go out, to protect themselves.”

Rattling off some startling statistics — that one out of two new HIV infections are in people under the age of 24, and that bisexual and gay men are contracting the virus at as young as 13 years old — Lauper says that knowledge is power. “We have to empower youth to protect themselves and protect those they love,” she stresses. “We can’t allow them to be at risk any longer.”

–Kate Hogan

Ellen DeGeneres and Sofia Vergara certainly didn’t check their egos at the door when filming their latest CoverGirl commercial — or at least are pretending to play prissy. The ladies are teaming up for the makeup brand’s newest ad campaign, set to air in January, and they’re each bringing their classic comedic timing to the spot.

While warming up for the shoot in the clip above, Vergara tells the cameras that she and DeGeneres are “a perfect match,” while the talk show hostess says she’s “dreading” the taping. As time goes on, Vergara teaches her costar some simple Spanish — but also trades insults with the megastar. Luckily, by the end of the tense shoot the two are exchanging niceties — even a hug!

Vergara is CoverGirl’s newest face; she was announced as a spokesmodel in May. DeGeneres joined the company in 2008. Catch the stars’ real ad — minus the diva drama — in early 2012.

SHOP OUR EDITORS’ BEAUTY PICKS

It’s time to put on makeup, it’s time to dress up right! It’s time to look like the Muppets since the film comes out tonight. Yes, The Muppets hits theaters Wednesday, and while we’re super excited to see the film and have fun with Kermit, Piggy and the gang, we’re also excited about the plethora of fun products recently launched to celebrate our favorite fuzzy friends.

M.A.C Cosmetics is honoring the most stylish swine in showbiz with a limited-edition, online-exclusive collection for eyes (top left), which includes Miss Piggy Pink eye shadow ($15), Penultimate eyeliner in Rapidblack ($17.50) and fabulous fake lashes ($15).

Adidas Originals came up with a clever take on its classic Superstar shell-toe shoe (top right, $80), producing it in green suede with Kermit the Frog’s unmistakable collar over the tongue “in honor of the original hip-hop artist,” the brand writes on its site.

Opening Ceremony got in on the game early, launching T-shirts, sweatshirts, sweaters and dress shirts for men and women earlier this year all featuring our favorite characters: Piggy and Kermit, plus Gonzo, Fozzie Bear and Animal. (bottom left, prices range from $45 to $230.)

Finally, there’s the super-fun OPI Muppets collection, with glimmering hues like the blue Gone Gonzo (bottom right), multi-colored Rainbow Connection, fuchsia Meep-Meep-Meep and deep berry Wocka Wocka (prices vary at salons nationwide.)

Miss Piggy, who appeared in a number of designer fashions in InStyle recently, tells PEOPLE she considers herself ahead of the fashion game. “I don’t want to name names like Lady Gaga or Sharon Osbourne or any of those people, but I will say this: moi is a trendsetter and I pretty much did everything that you see out there five years ago, at least.”

All joking aside, the actress “loved” all the couture she wore in the movie, including a dress by Zac Posen. “I had just a wonderful wardrobe,” she shares. And though beau Kermit isn’t quite as into fashion — “I don’t always wear clothing,” he tells BrooksBrothers.com — he still has sage style advice for his fans. “Wear what makes you smile and feel comfortable,” he advises. “When you find it, wear it with confidence … it’ll put a hop in your step.”

–With reporting by Scott Huver and Oliver Jones

SEE STARS ON SET IN ‘LIGHTS! CAMERA! FASHION!’

Taylor Swift and Katy Perry were two big winners last night at the American Music Awards — not to mention, two belles of the ball. The singers — and close friends — sported flawless skin and eyes and lips that totally popped. So we talked to their makeup artists to get the scoop on their clean looks — and how you can emulate them at home.

“The American Music Awards show itself was the inspiration for Taylor’s look,” makeup artist Lorrie Turk tells PEOPLE. “I wanted to reflect the youthful, fun vibe of this event. I wanted her stunning, youthful complexion to really stand out.”

Turk first used a foundation brush to smooth CoverGirl’s Natureluxe Silk Foundation onto Swift’s skin. She applied concealer on the inner corners of her eyes, and used CG TruBlend Minerals Blush in Shimmering Sands on the singer’s cheeks. (Swift is one of CoverGirl’s celebrity spokesmodels.)

Turk swept some neutral shadows on Swift’s lids and on the innermost corners of her eyes, then lined the tops of her lash line with CG LineExact liquid liner in Very Black, finishing the look with CG NatureLuxe Mousse Mascara, also in Very Black.

For lips, Turk chose CG’s ShineBlast lip gloss in Dazzle. “I always send her off with whatever lipstick or gloss I used for any needed touchups throughout the evening,” she says, adding that Swift likes to play up her lips. “She loves red lipstick and black eyeliner.”

Makeup artist Jake Bailey created Perry’s pinky look, which he calls “a sophisticated twist on the ‘classic Katy,’” designed to complement her Vivienne Westwood dress.

He first started with foundation, buffing a liquid formula into her skin using a large kabuki brush, setting the look with Guerlain’s Les Viollettes loose powder. “I warmed her complexion with a tawny blush from Nars called Madly, and swirled a tiny bit of NARS’s coral shimmer blush, Orgasm, on the apples of her cheeks for a little extra glow,” Bailey says.

To elongate Perry’s eyes, he used liquid liner from Le Metier, plus two sets of false lashes covered with CoverGirl LashBlast 24-Hour Mascara (available in January). He lined her lower lashes with CG’s LiquilineBlast Violet Voltage eyeliner, softening it with a small shadow brush.

For a finishing touch, he used coral red CG LipPerfection lip color in Flame, “the perfect color to pick up on the dress’s coral accents and complement her lavender hair,” Bailey says. “I had Katy apply the lipstick directly from the tube and I refined the edges using a small lipstick brush.” Tell us: What do you think of Swift and Perry’s AMA looks?

CHECK OUT ALL THE HOTTEST 2011 AMAS LOOKS

She’s only 24 years old, but Kristin Cavallari definitely thinks about the future … of her face. “No one’s ever told me I needed to get a facelift or anything,” she tells xojane.com. “Never say never, but I don’t think I’ll ever get Botox because we don’t know the long-term side effects, and I just don’t think that can be good for you.”

In fact, the starlet has yet to cosmetically alter herself at all … teeth excluded. “The most I’ve done is Crest Whitestrips,” she jokes.

Cavallari, a practicing vegan (“Realistically it happens 50 percent of the time,” she says) who hits the gym at least four times a week, says she “craves” healthy food. “If I don’t eat healthy food I don’t feel good,” she shares.

The starlet admits that her workouts — combined with a light diet and intense Dancing with the Stars training — did once take their toll. “At one point I got too skinny and my manager had to say something to me,” she reveals. But with DWTS behind her and a trainer helping her with cardio and weightlifting three times per week, she’s on a healthier track.

She’s sure to stay hydrated, too; the former Hills star says that “as cliché and old school as it is, I think drinking a lot of water really helps” keep skin clear — as does washing your face at night “no matter how tired you are.”

When she’s going glam, Cavallari prefers to use Armani foundation and mascara, NARS “Orgasm” blush and Bobbi Brown gel eyeliner (“It doesn’t move,” she raves). But for a day out in Los Angeles, her makeup is minimal. She shares, “The most I wear is a little bit of foundation and mascara.”

SEE WHAT STARS WEAR TO WORKOUT

Dramatic lashes are practically a prerequisite for walking the red carpet — or if you’re Kim Kardashian, for any time you leave the house. They really make eyes pop in photos and pair nicely with dramatic makeup and fancy gowns. (Wish we had more occasions for both of those!)

But Kerry Washington took the usual theatrical fringe to new lengths last week while attending the Glamour Women of the Year Awards in New York, sporting extra-long, spidery lashes that nearly touched her brows. Since the rest of her look was quite natural, we don’t think the lashes went too over-the-top, but want to know what you think.

VOTE ON STAR BEAUTY CHANGES!

Considering we didn’t know there was such thing as glow-in-the-dark makeup, we obviously had no idea how to apply it. But makeup artist Scott Barnes did so expertly in the video for Kelly Rowland’s new single, “Down for Whatever,” which features a scene shot using black lights.

“It’s fluorescent, it looks like paint,” Barnes tells PEOPLE of the Make Up For Ever Fluo Night Black Light Pigment. “Remember finger paint? That’s what it looks like.” But even the expert had a hard time at first. “Trying to apply it is not easy,” he warns. “I’d never done it before. If I were to do it again I’d use an airbrusher, to make it softer.”

The application was made even harder by the lighting; Barnes had to make Rowland up using the black light since fluorescent makeup isn’t perfectly visible to the naked eye. But with just 45 minutes to do her eyes, lips, cheeks and nails, he needed to move quickly. “Kelly was like, ‘Just do you, make me look sick.’ She’s great to work with,” Barnes says. “So professional — she gets it done, no complaining.”

Barnes, who’s done video makeup for Jennifer Lopez, Mary J. Blige, Eve and Celine Dion — not to mention red-carpet looks for dozens of other stars — says he enjoys getting girls glam for their videos. “You can just go for it — it’s more open,” he shares. “It’s a little bit of fantasy involved with a little bit of reality, and that’s what I love about it.”

GET THE LOOK: STAR HAIR & MAKEUP