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    The chicks at TotalBeauty.com

    The chicks at TotalBeauty.com

  • Make Sure Your Derm Checks These 9 Sneaky Spots for Skin Cancer

    I should have known my trip to the dermatologist wasn't going to end well when I walked in and saw the derm's diploma was hanging lopsided on the wall. It should have been my cue that this man was not precise -- something you desperately need when it comes to checking for signs of skin cancer. After a handful of malignant moles and one basal cell carcinoma later, I am vigilant about coming in for bi-annual skin cancer checks.

  • 12 Shockingly Salty Foods to Avoid

    Salt is so in right now -- as in, in everything you eat. As any healthcare professional will tell you, our sodium intake is out of control. Both the American Heart Association and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that Americans are swilling as much as 3,600mg of the stuff a day -- more than double the recommended intake of 1,500mg max. We all might as well be walking around with our own personal salt licks. And surprise, surprise: all that salt is not doing your looks any favors.

  • How to Dye Your Curly Hair

    "It's like caring for a baby's skin," says Mahisha Dellinger, founder of CURLS, a natural hair care brand for curly girls. Here is everything you need to know before dyeing your curly hair. Here's why dyeing curly hair is tricky: it's difficult to get an even wash of color to hit every angle of those spiral-y curls and curly hair tends to be more porous, which means it's more fragile, dry and prone to breakage after coloring.

  • 6 Cutting-Edge Beauty Breakthroughs You Haven't Heard About

    Snail slime facials and BB creams are so 2013. The new beauty trends for 2014 are so cutting edge, many aren't even available yet. The biggest beauty breakthroughs include skin care developments like probiotics to treat acne (dermatologists are definitely getting on board), artificial spider silk and the brand new antioxidant, Tiron. Be the first to try one of these amazing new beauty trends for 2014, and we'll keep you posted when the other beauty breakthroughs are headed to a store near you.

  • The New Superfoods You Need in Your Diet, STAT

    Meet the new powerhouse grains, seeds and berries making health news headlines. To make our list, these foods had to have more than just street cred and a wispy celebrity endorsement -- these claims are backed by science and supported by health professionals. Click through to see which berries, grains and seeds joined the ranks of kale, quinoa, chia seeds and acai in the superfood echelon. Similar in texture to quinoa, amaranth has an earthy, nutty flavor.

  • Astronaut Beauty: Gravity-Defying Fitness, Hair and Makeup Secrets

    You'd have to be living under a rock to not hear the Oscar buzz surrounding Alfonso Cuarón's film "Gravity" and Sandra Bullock's performance in it. A retired US Air Force colonel and 21-year NASA veteran, Coleman e-mailed and chatted with Bullock while on her third space mission, where she served as a flight engineer aboard the Russian Soyuz TMA-20 spacecraft and spent 159 days aboard the International Space Station (ISS) as the lead robotics and science officer. While Bullock spent all 91 stressful minutes of "Gravity" trying to get home in one piece, we were curious to know what else astronauts are up to on the ISS when they're not being separated from George Clooney and losing all connection with ground control. We chatted with Coleman to get an inside glimpse into what everyday activities we do down on earth are like up in space.

  • Cosmetic Chemists Spill the Secrets Your Favorite Brands Don't Want You to Know

    "Like a house has curb appeal, a product has what's called 'shelf appeal,'" explains Sandy Alcide, a freelance cosmetic chemist and founder of her own organic skin care line, Motion Medica. "What's in the jar or bottle is more important, but people feel better about using a glass jar," says Alcide. Their position is that there are significant differences in formulas that affect performance, longevity of wear, etc., and that these more expensive Research and Development costs, as well as ingredients, are what affect product pricing. Doesn't that mean plastics contain ingredients that are bad for the products?

  • The New Game-Changers in Your Pursuit of Great Skin

    If you have breakouts, covering your face in black soot probably seems like a really terrible idea. But if that black soot happens to be active charcoal, it may be just the acne cure you've been looking for. Charcoal skin care products aren't exactly news. In Japan (here we go again with our Asian skin care trends), charcoal has been used as a cleansing ingredient for centuries, and in countries like India and Egypt, it's been used to treat wounds for even longer. Related: 7 Secrets to French Women's Flawless Skin "Charcoal is a powerhouse ingredient used for its cleaning power," says New York City dermatologist Sapna Westley, M.D. "It acts as a magnet to draw out and trap impurities." And active charcoal is surprisingly similar to the charcoal in your backyard grill -- it's simply heated, making it porous and more absorbent. Related: 14 Best Facial Masks Yes, it's counterintuitive to wash your face with something that looks so, well, dirty. But trust us on this one. These charcoal skin care products will leave your skin cleaner and brighter. Related: 9 Best Oils for a Perfect Complexion

  • Beauty Buzzwords for Fall: Vamp, Punk, Shimmer

    Sure, summer is just getting into full swing, but we're already hearing whispers about the new makeup trends for Fall 2013. It's bold (brows), it's bright (skin), it's retro (dig out those Doc Martens), and it's what we'll be wearing come September when things start cooling off. <br> <br> RELATED: <a rel="nofollow" title="" target="" href="http://www.totalbeauty.com/content/slideshows/fall-makeup-collections-2013">10 Best From the Fall 2013 Makeup Collections</a> <br> <br> But don't take our word for it. We went straight to the experts -- the makeup artists we trust most. These pros combed Fashion Week runways in New York, Milan, London, and Paris and spotted (or created) the headline-grabbing <a rel="nofollow" title="" target="" href="http://www.totalbeauty.com/how-tos/make-up"></a><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.totalbeauty.com/how-tos/make-up">makeup trends</a> you'll be seeing everywhere this fall. <br> <br> Some of the trends, like red lipstick, are classic fall staples. It's like the harbinger of cool weather -- we expect it, and fall in love with it year after year. But some of these news looks, like the colorful, winged eye makeup or hyper-contoured, glowing skin, are a complete 180 from recent makeup trends. To be honest, they seem a bit intimidating at first look, but all of these trends are easy to wear and work on everyone -- Scout's honor. Even better, a couple of the fall makeup trends, like rebel/punk eyeliner, are <i>supposed</i> to look messy. Even if you think you're completely inept at applying makeup, you almost can't screw up this look. <br> <br> RELATED: <a rel="nofollow" title="" target="" href="http://www.totalbeauty.com/content/gallery/makeup-mistakes-youre-making">11 Makeup Mistakes You Don't Realize You're Making</a> <br> <br> Ready to see what makeup brands like MAC Cosmetics, CoverGirl, Maybelline, Physicians Formula, and more have to say about the Fall 2013 makeup trends? See the pros' top picks and tips to make these makeup looks wearable.

  • 11 Best Facial Sunscreens

    <img src="https://s.yimg.com/ck/image/A2660/2660461/470_2660461.jpg" width="470" height="566" id="2660461" name="2660461" align="left" title="Best Sunscreens | Totalbeauty.com">Not to rain on your sun-filled, summer parade, but here are a few facts that should make you wake up from your margarita-and-sun-induced coma and force you to take a big whiff of the sunscreen: The incidence of melanoma (a deadly form of skin cancer) is on the rise -- an estimated 76,690 new cases of invasive melanoma will be diagnosed in the US in 2013. If that doesn't scare you, this will: 80 percent of the aging that dermatologists see is due to excess sun exposure since it can break down the collagen and elastin in your skin and cause more wrinkles. <br> <br> Yikes. Okay, enough of the doom and gloom-y news report, let's talk safe sun. Luckily, there are a slew of facial skin care products that have SPF in 'em and our readers have put them to the test. Shelve bad memories of your parent's smearing thick, white, pasty zinc oxide on your nose and put aside the idea that you can't wear sunscreen on your face if you have oily skin -- these are the new generation of facial sunscreens, baby. These products don't leave a white film on the skin, won't cause breakouts or an overly-shiny face, and can be applied seamlessly over or under makeup. See the best sunscreens for your face. <br> <br> <b>Here are some safe sun tips for healthy skin:</b> <br> <br> --Apply a shot glass full of sunscreen to cover your whole body (at least SPF 15 daily and for prolonged sun exposure, use a water resistant SPF 30 formula) and reapply every one to two hours while outdoors, says Heidi Waldorf, M.D. of Waldorf Dermatology & Laser Associates in Nanuet, NY. <br> <br> --Use products containing zinc or avobenzone, which will help block UVA light so that you don't accumulate more UV damage, says Katie Rodan, co-founder of Proactiv and Rodan + Fields Dermatologists. <br> <br> --If you're spending a lot of time outside -- especially during peak sun hours -- wear a large brimmed hat (in addition to sunscreen) to completely shield your face and hair from sun damage. <br> <br> If you're worried about not having that bronzy glow this summer thanks to all of this sunscreen, then: <br> <br> --Check out <a rel="nofollow" title="" target="" href="http://www.totalbeauty.com/reviews/face/self_tanners?lc=yshine">readers' reviews of self-tanners</a>. <br> --Try one of these <a rel="nofollow" title="" target="" href="http://www.totalbeauty.com/content/gallery/p_top_bronzers?lc=yshine">top-rated bronzers</a>. <br> <br> And without further ado, read about our <a rel="nofollow" title="" target="" href="http://www.totalbeauty.com/content/gallery/best-facial-sunscreens?lc=yshine">readers' top-rated facial sunscreens</a>. <br> <br>

  • New Pepsi Product Blocks Fat Absorption by Using GLUE?

    File this under: yuck.

  • Are You Wearing the Right Sneakers for Your Workout?

    <p> Fact: I love shoes. </p> <p> I'd never dream of dropping $200 on a new leather jacket or an anti-aging face serum. But when it comes to Stuart Weitzman's new thigh-highs or an incredibly cute pair of bowed leather Oxfords, I hand over the plastic. Which means I've got far too many shoes -- too-trendy cutout platforms to work-appropriate pumps and flats. </p> <p> But, it turns out I've overlooked one important category: workout shoes. </p> <p> Fitness experts say that you shouldn't take a one-size-fits-all approach when buying workout shoes. What you're supposed to do is choose a pair that's built for your specific exercise. Are you heading to the gym in the shoes that are best for your go-to workouts<a rel="nofollow" name="_GoBack"></a>? See the <a rel="nofollow" title="" target="" href="http://www.totalbeauty.com/content/gallery/best-workout-shoes?cid=2690"><b>best shoes for your workout</b></a> now. </p> <p> <b>More from TotalBeauty.com:</b> <br> <a rel="nofollow" title="" target="" href="http://www.totalbeauty.com/content/gallery/replace-workout-gear?cid=2690">Is It Time to Ditch Your Workout Gear?</a> <br> <a rel="nofollow" title="" target="" href="http://www.totalbeauty.com/content/gallery/avoid-washing-your-hair?cid=2690">6 Tricks to Make Your Blowout Last at the Gym</a> <br> <a rel="nofollow" title="" target="" href="http://www.totalbeauty.com/content/gallery/makeup-must-haves-gym?cid=2690">How to Wear Makeup at the Gym Without Looking like a Prima Donna</a> <br> <br> </p>

  • Scientists Say PMS is a Figment of Our Imagination – Wanna Bet They're Male?

    I like to think of myself as a generally happy, rational, even-keeled person. But once a month, like clockwork, there's a night when I stay up late crying and blogging about some sad cat video or a random guy who's not texting me back. Woe is seriously me at those low points. And, every time, again like clockwork, when my period hits a week later, I experience a wave of relief that, phew, I'm not a crazy person and it's just my out-of-whack hormones that make me act and feel like one.

  • Why Are States Banning Flamin' Hot Cheetos? Because They're Seriously Nasty

    In junior high, my favorite snack was Flamin' Hot Cheetos dipped in cream cheese. I know, I know it sounds gross but let me reassure you that a) it was delicious and b) watching the white cheese -- and my fingers -- turn red from the chip's artificial dye was seriously cool in my tweenaged eyes.

  • Introducing the Bra that Can Save Your Life

    Like most women, I have different bras to suit my different needs.

  • The Wackiest Workout Device Ever?

    First, there was Soul Cycle, then Fly Wheel, and now . . . a hot tub exercise bike?

  • 10 Grocery Shopping Secrets from Slim Women

    <p> It happens without fail: I walk into the grocery store with the best kale intentions and end up leaving with my favorites from the Frito Lays family. Why can't I shop like the skinny women in Lululemon, who fill their carts with Greek yogurt and every veggie imaginable? Because nobody ever filled me in on these <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.totalbeauty.com/content/gallery/healthy-grocery-shopping?cid=2677" target="" title="">10 secrets thin women keep in mind when they shop for food.</a> Until now. </p> <p> More from TotalBeauty.com: <br> <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.totalbeauty.com/content/gallery/fattening-foods?cid=2677" target="" title="">8 "Healthy" Snacks That Are More Fattening Than a Twinkie</a> <br> <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.totalbeauty.com/content/gallery/low-calorie-summer-cocktails?cid=2677" target="" title="">13 Cocktail Recipes That'll Get You Tipsy <i>and</i> Skinny</a> <br> <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.totalbeauty.com/content/gallery/10-worst-frozen-foods?cid=2677" target="" title="">The 10 Worst Frozen Foods</a> <br> <br> </p>

  • The Ultimate List of "It Doesn't Count" Diet Excuses

    "Diet starts Monday!"

  • Wait! What? Pain Relievers Can Make You Go Deaf?

    Most people take a daily dose of vitamins. Me? Not so much.

  • Your Cocktail Glasses Are Turning You in to an Alcoholic

    It's not the Jose Cuervo that's getting you wasted -- it's the glass it comes in.