Wednesday, May 28, 2014

ECO ANGEL: Eva Mendes

Eva Mendes  enchanted by eva 
ECO ANGEL Autumn 2014

Our Autumn Eco Angel is the elegant and enchanting Eva Mendes. 

The Woman.  This sultry and sassy model was once ranked #1 in the world's most desirable woman and it's easy to see why! "I love every aspect for being a woman. I believe you should celebrate who you are." Eva's sultry look and mysterious yet confident persona makes her very alluring. But don't be fooled by her 'sex symbol' status Eva is smart and sophisticated too. "I would like people to see me as funny, smart and talented woman and not only as sexy. I actually find the word 'sexy' to have a very superficial connotation. I would prefer the word 'sensual', which takes into account attitude, personality and beauty."  This Miami girl began her career in the 90's appearing in music videos and modelling for Calvin Klein, Vogue Eyewear, Magnum and Rebook. Her exposure in the model industry landed her onto Maxim's Hot 100 list. "I'm very comfortable with myself and my sexuality, but it doesn't define me. I also read books believe it or not."



Eva is not only a model, she's an actress and has been featured in over 30 movies! She's played a sexy undercover agent in 2 Fast 2 Furious, a sultry mistress in The Women, a sassy gossip columnist in Hitch and most recently as a struggling mother in The Place Beyond The Pines. It was on the set of this movie she met her new beau Ryan Gosling and the two have been dating since 2011. Eva gushes over Gosling, "I love having a man in my life, and being his woman at the end of the day."

Flirty Fashion.  
She's already a model, actress and ambassador - Eva can now add fashion designer to her list of many talents! She's always loved fashion and even designed her own 'Pretty Woman' style red dress for her high school prom. Eva's putting her passion for fashion into her first Eva Mendes Collection for Spring/Summer 2014 for New York and Company. The new feminine and flirty collection includes pretty poka dots, fresh florals and lots of neutrals including beige, navy and rose. Inspired by the styles of the 60's and 70's woman, the collection features pieces you can mix and match to take you from the desk to dinner. "I'm definitely a dress girl - I love how feminine dresses are. With one stylish piece you're done."


 

The Eva Collection was designed with the modern woman in mind. Eva explains, "The modern woman who wears many, many hats, but who always wants to look feminine and really wants to make the most out of her wardrobe for a very affordable price. Sizes are really important to me. We have sizes ranging from 0 - 18. I come from a big family where women again range in all different sizes. Even me, myself, I fluctuate all the time. I go up a little, down a little, so it's good to have a range."

Being a red carpet regular Eva has certainly become a style icon in Hollywood. She knows that her daily fashion choices are important especially being in spotlight. "It's an important part of my way, what I choose to wear and put out there in the world. I also have to remember that I probably will be photographed a the gas pump."



All About Eva. 
It seems that everyone is enchanted by Eva. She's swooshed her luscious locks in commercials for Pantene Pro-V and appeared in a stunning mini dress for Thierry Mugler's Angel fragrance ads. Along with fellow Eco Angels Emma Stone and Jessica Alba, Eva has been a brand ambassador for Revlon. When it comes to beauty Eva Mendes is a goddess! 



This Cuban-American actress is known for her voluminous brunette tresses. "My hair really makes me feel feminine - there's nothing like having a good hairstyle to make me feel confident. It's magical! I feel radiant when I walk out of the hair salon, even if I'm horribly dressed and without makeup. When I have the right hairstyle nothing can bring me down!" So how does Eva achieve and maintain those bombshell locks? With Pantene Pro-V of course! "On movie sets, my hair is constantly dyed, curled, crimped and manipulated with hair products. When I get some time off, I try to let my hair fall naturally on my shoulders. If my hair needs a little boost, I use "Breakage to Strength" from Pantene, which I leave on all night. I apply it on wet hair before going to bed and wear a shower cap to protect my pillow - it's incredibly chic! In the morning, I rinse out the product and brush my hair. It works wonders!"



Eva embraced her sex appeal for a good cause in 2009, stripping down an anti-fur ad campaign for PETA. Following in the footsteps of Eco Angels and PETA Ambassadors Pamela Anderson and Charlize Theron to say 'I'd Rather Go Naked' than wear fur. "I look at my beautiful dog and think, of course I'd never eat him or skin him for his fur, so why would I be okay with eating a cow or wearing a cheetah? It's just not right. It's a contradiction." 



Garden of Eva. 
She knows beauty comes from within. Eva's morning ritual is all about kick starting her metabolism for the day. "I drink a cup of warm lemony water. It's a common practice in Japanese cultures used to wake up the whole body. This mixture stimulates the metabolism, purifies the body and revives the skin. It's also a great remedy to overcome jet lag!"  Although Eva has confessed she loves bread and pasta, she knows how important healthy eating is to keeping that fit, feminine figure she is so famous for. "I focus on the inside out - so it's all about what I'm eating, how I'm feeding my body and how much water I'm drinking. I don't eat meat, but I eat a lot of fish and brown rice." 

To help her stay fit between movies Eva swaps her red bottom stilettos for Reeboks. "I've been wearing Reebok since back in the day! But their range of toning products are just perfect for me. They keep me toned while I go about my everyday chores, while I'm walking my dog or running around doing errands." 

"I hit the gym three to four times a week to do light weights which target my whole body and some serious cardio. The minimum I do cardio for is 35 minutes and then I spend about an hour on weight training. I also do yoga twice a week." 

Eva is wearing Reebok EasyTone trainers and apparel. 

Fabulous at Forty.  
Did you know Ms Mendes just turned 40 in March. Wow! Doesn't she look fabulous. So what's her beauty secret? "I clean my face with rose water because tap water dehydrates my skin. In the mornings and evenings, I cleanse using a little rose water dabbed onto some cotton. It's really refreshing!" Eva's beauty essentials include Laura Mercier Oil Free Tinted Moisturiser, Benefit's Benetint, Stila Forever Your Curl Mascara and Thierry Mugler Angel Eau de Toilette. "I am loyal to Tom Ford's lipsticks. I love their smooth and hydrating texture."



Although she may appear airbrushed on a giant billboard, Eva knows that confidence is the key. "Perfection is boring and doesn't exist - to strive for it makes you uninteresting." 

Whether she's mesmerising us on the big screen, enlightening us in a magazine or inspiring us on the fashion scene there's no doubt that everyone is enchanted by Eva. 

 This is the cover story from Eco Glamazine Autumn 2014.