Blog Posts by Allure Daily Beauty Reporter

by Grace Clarke


Grace ClarkeIt's National Bike Month, and I've begun cycling to work--a mammoth feat for many reasons--and although my gigantic orange helmet won't solicit any wolf whistles, the hairdo it helps create is catcall-worthy. That's right: my hair looks better post-commute than when I leave my apartment.

Not only is my hairline smoother, but if I pin my hair into three mini twists at the nape of my neck, I wind up with smooth, graceful curls. Why? The pressure of a helmet works to decrease frizz, and helmets also lock in heat, acting like one of those giant salon dryers, so your hair will hold a bit of whatever shape you've twisted, braided or rolled.

See more: The 10 Commandments of Self-tanner

Hairstylist Luke Chamberlain gave me a few more ways to helmet-stye my hair--for each of them, mist dry hair all over with an anti-humidity finishing spray (he likes Oribe Imperméable Spray), follow the tips, and remove any elastics and pins after taking off your helmet:

1. Windblown waves:

by Patrick Rogers


WWD/Steve Eichner As you've probably already heard, Angelina Jolie published a piece on the editorial page of the New York Times today, describing the double mastectomy she elected to have after testing positive for a "faulty" BRCA1 gene, which increases her risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer. Jolie writes that her own mother died of cancer at age 56, and she wanted to assure her children "that they don't need to fear they will lose me to breast cancer."

Jolie's startling statement clearly struck a chord: Online commentators rushed to praise her for speaking out about her tough decision, and the haters have been out in force, slamming her for "butchery" and choosing an option that's not available to women without considerable resources or comprehensive health insurance. We asked Susan Brown, managing director for community health at Susan G. Komen for the Cure, for the facts about the procedure that doctors call bilateral prophylactic mastectomy--removing both breasts to

by Catherine Q. O'Neill


courtesy of Warner Bros. The problem with adapting a novel into a film is that you have to decide how faithful you're going to be to the original. Fortunately for director Baz Luhrmann, F. Scott Fitgerald didn't actually spend much time describing Daisy Buchanan in The Great Gatsby. He may have hinted that she had dark, glossy hair, but in Luhrmann's new movie version, out this Friday, Carey Mulligan's Daisy is an ash blonde. True to the original text, however, she's a total stunner. Makeup artist Maurizio Silvi and hairstylist Kerry Warn told us how they turned Mulligan into the woman of Jay Gatsby's dreams.

See more: The 9 Best Sunscreens for Summer 2013

The hair: Warn, who wanted Mulligan to look classic and well bred, first cut her hair into a modern version of a 1920s style. "It's based on the semi-shingle, a layered bob with a masculine shape in the back," says Warn, who styled it with John Frieda Frizz-Ease Serum, wax, and hair spray for a lacquered effect. Then it was time for

by Lindsay Colameo


Getty ImagesI have a confession to make. Five years ago, I was studying at the University of Miami, and I was days away from heading home for winter break. I wanted to show off my Florida tan mid-December, but after a few cloudy days tarnished my dreams of arriving home bronzed and glamorous, I foolishly made a trip to a tanning salon. After a devilish eight minutes in what looked like a human microwave, I swore I would never return again. This week, the Food and Drug Administration announced its intention to make the risks of indoor tanning clear to users.

See more: How to Wear Bangs

Study findings on the dangers of tanning beds are endless (users face a whopping 75 percent greater risk of melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, to name just one) but the only warning I remember seeing during my visit was the admonition to keep my eyes closed during the process (accompanied by a sad attempt to get me to purchase those crazy-looking tanning goggles). There was, however, a

by Catherine Devine


David StesnerIt takes just five sunburns over the course of a lifetime to double your risk of melanoma. I know what you're thinking: By now, everyone knows that skin cancer isn't a joke, right? I mean, even the friend who had an unlimited monthly pass to the tanning salon in high school switched to spray tans! As much as we know about skin cancer, though, only about 20 percent of us wear sunscreen daily. (Which is crazy, considering in a poll we did on Allure's Facebook page, 68 percent of our fans said they either have had skin cancer or know someone who has.) But here's the thing: It's never too late to start taking care of your skin. Here, a few sun-protection tricks to keep in mind as the temperatures start to rise:

See more: The 9 Best Sunscreens for Summer 2013

* If you're the outdoorsy type, you may want to take a summer vacation from retinols: They thin the top layer of skin and can make you vulnerable to redness and brown spots, says dermatologist Fredric Brandt.

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by Elizabeth Siegal


Roger Cabello Bronzer can make you look glowy...or streaky...or, worst of all, orange and glittery. (And then you look a little like a stripper.) That's the last thing I want for you, so I asked makeup artist and bronzer guru Scott Barnes to share his technique for achieving the most realistic glow with bronzer.

See more: Lauren Conrad's Beauty Obsession

If you try to fake a tan, it'll look...fake. "One of the most common mistakes is choosing a bronzer that's too dark, and then you look muddy," says Barnes. You're better off going for a subtle glow with a pressed-powder bronzer that's just a half shade darker than your skin. But glittery does not equal glowy, so if you can see any glitter in the formula, steer clear.

See more: The 10 Most Gorgeous Hair-Color Ideas for Brunettes

Buff--don't sweep--it on. "You get the lightest, most realistic application by making small circles with a big fluffy powder brush," says Barnes. Tap the excess off the brush first (duh) and then buff it

by Sophia Panych


David Stesner If you have oily or acne-prone skin, clay masks are a must-have. They not only soak up all traces of dirt and grease, but wearing one makes for funny Instagram pictures (yes, my sister and I are completely guilty of this). They're also simple to use: Apply one all over your face, have a glass of wine while you wait for it to dry to a hardened shell, and rinse. Am I right? No, no I am not. Turns out I've been using clay masks the wrong way for all these years--and doing more harm than good to my skin.

See more: Celebrity Hairstyles That Will Make You Look 10 Years Younger

So what changed? Yesterday I met with Sharon McGlinchey, a facialist and the creator of MV Organic Skincare, a line of organic skin-care products developed for people with high skin sensitivities (Emma Watson and Maggie Gylenhall are both fans). As McGlinchey applied her MV Signature Mineral Mask, made with sun-dried clay, she doled out this little bit of advice: "You should never let a clay mask dry

by Elizabeth Siegel


Fairchild ArchiveThere's one good way to make any eye makeup sexier: "There's a trick that makeup artists use all the time backstage at fashion week," says Neil Young, a makeup artist with M.A.C. "You can tap lip balm over your shadow or a bare lid, and you get a slightly glossy, lived-in look that's very sensual." We loved the eye makeup at Missoni's Fall 2013 show--here's how to get the look:

See more: How to Wear Bangs

The trick is to use just a teeny tiny bit of gloss (press your finger against the back of your hand to remove any excess first), so your eyes don't look slick. Then, gently dab it onto just the center of your lid for a subtle highlight: "It's the same idea as wearing a shimmery shadow, but without the obvious shimmer," says Young. "It makes your eyes stand out in a more natural way." One caveat for wearing this runway look: Check your makeup periodically, to make sure it hasn't creased.

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