Blog Posts by Elle

Scroll through to see how Jessica Biel, Angelina Jolie, Jennifer Lawrence, and more of Hollywood's leading ladies work out-and toughen up-for their heroic movie roles!

Scarlett Johansson

Scarlett Johansson
The Avengers-which broke box office records its opening weekend-features Johansson as the lone female in a superhero boys' club. Despite her minority status, however, she proved to be a formidable force after a month of intense martial arts training. "I think Scarlett's fight scenes are some of the most impressive," co-star Chris Hemsworth tells the Associated Press.

"We taught her Wushu and Kung Fu techniques using a staff," says Sunny Sun, a member of the movie's stunt team. "Once she had good command of that, we incorporated swinging and twirling patterns," adds Jonathan Eusebio, the film's fight coordinator. "She wanted it to be second nature, so she'd practice at home too." Eventually, a heavy prop gun replaced the training stick, but that didn't hinder Johansson. "She really excelled

From Beetlejuice to Dark Shadows, the faces of Burton's characters are creepily charismatic. Scroll down to check them out!

Dark Shadows
Dark Shadows
The classic television character, vampire Barnabas Collins, reawakens this weekend in Tim Burton's Dark Shadows. Starring as Barnabas is, of course, Burton's right-hand man, the versatile Johnny Depp. Depp's Barnabas resembles the original on a basic level-he has jagged bangs, large ears, and fangs-but makeup department head Joel Harlow says there are marked differences between the two. Besides giving Depp a more modern hairstyle, pointy ear extensions, and a prosthetic nose bridge, Harlow added a Burton-esque pallor. "Johnny's Barnabas is quite a bit more pale than Jonathan Frid's," he says. "Another huge addition to Johnny is the finger extensions. His hands became their own character within his performance-I recall Tim saying that he wanted Barnabas to be very 'tactile,' with his hands leading the way."

MORE: Which Cosmetic Treatments Are Worth

The latest list of noteworthy newcomers, burgeoning talent, and emerging faces in pop culture, fashion, digital, and beyond! And they all have one thing in common: They've built a name-and a following-for themselves before their 30th birthday. Scroll down to meet them!

Keirnan Shipka

Kiernan Shipka, 12, actress
Kiernan Shipka may only be a tween, but the pint-size Mad Men actress has already garnered more attention from the fashion world than some stars twice her age, with photo spreads in Interview, Grazia, Lucky, and New York magazine. She was also the youngest subject to be Coveteured, and from the looks of her closet, her love of clothing (and specifically designer Papo d'Anjo) is crystal clear. No word yet on what's next for this young star once Mad Men inevitably wraps, but we can definitely foresee something in fashion-after all, she already designs her own clothes.

Molly McAleer

Molly McAleer, 28, Hello Giggles co-founder, blogger, writer
If the Internet had a reigning comedy queen, it

How well do in-office treatments work for erasing wrinkles, smoothing under-eye circles, and reducing cellulite? Read our reviews before you book an appointment! Scroll down to find out what hurts, what works, and what to ask for in order to get the result you want.


Botulinum Injections
Procedure: Botulinum Injections

What it is: Botox, Dysport, and the new Xeomin-all made from variations of botulinum toxin type A-erase wrinkles by blocking the nerve impulses that cause muscles to contract. (Approximately $400 every three to four months. After 20 minutes, you may be able to return to work; within a week, you'll see full results.)

Editor's take: ★★★★★
"Hands down, Botox is the easiest way to get rid of wrinkles. I'd tried everything: laser, Retin-A, chemical peels. Four days after my first injection, the stubborn lines were gone for good, but my face still looks natural."

Faking it: Unfortunately no product can mimic the amazing effects of the real deal. Needle-phobic? Try line-disguising bangs.

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From fabric rationing to g-strings, swimsuits have come a long way, baby. Scroll down to see the timeline of how the summer staple changed through the years!

1913

1913
Thirteen years after women are allowed to compete in the Olympics, Carl Janzten introduces a two-piece bathing costume to enhance their performance. It's really just shorts and a T-shirt but tight-fitting enough to cause a bit of a scandal.

1930s and '40s
In Europe, women start wearing bathing outfits that reveal a sliver of skin at the waist, and suits shrink stateside as fabric is rationed during World War II. For the most part, hems are shortened and skirts eliminated, but in some cases they do split into two.

1946

1946
With the war over and spirits soaring, Parisian designer Jacques Heim, who works mostly with fur, debuts the atome-the world's smallest swimsuit.

MORE PHOTOS: Up Close and Personal With the Victoria's Secret Angels

1947

1947
Louis Réard, a Parisian engineer, introduces an even

In celebration of ELLE's Women In Music issue (on newsstands now), we've compiled a list of female artists who are as beautiful as they are lyrical. Keep scrolling to see who made the cut!

Beyonce

Beyoncé
Beyoncé's come a long way since her single lady days, but she'll always be an independent woman: from metallic Minx nails to pumped-up tresses, her beauty looks are glamorous and bold. "She has great taste, and is involved in every aspect of her image and branding," says her longtime hairstylist, Kim Kimble. Of the singer's memorable Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It) phase, Kimble says it was "all about female power-very Sasha Fierce. The hair had an androgynous quality to it and was a mix of feminine and masculine, long and straight in the back with a pompadour at the front."

Adele

Adele
The talented British songstress has it all, including a pretty fantastic cat-eye. "Adele has always loved liner and a lash," reveals Michael Ashton, her hair and makeup guru. "Eyeliner has

PillsThere's your college friend, years on an antidepressant to fend off funks, who finally persuaded her jittery, stock-junkie husband to start popping the same pill; no longer reading investment reports through the night, he's up early now to make the kids breakfast and let her sleep in for a change. And there's your neighbor who confides that Prozac saved his marriage: His wife told him she'd file for divorce if he didn't get on an antidepressant-she'd had it with his self-obsessed grumpiness (apparently not relieved by three years of therapy). So far-knock wood-so good. The guy, eyes wide with wonder, says he's definitely mellower and more engaged with his wife and kids: "Just wish I'd done it sooner."

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Then there are those seemingly sane, high-functioning women who mention casually-driving to meet clients, packing up after spin class-that they're taking Paxil, Zoloft, Viibryd, or another popular SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake

woman sitting on bed

I have lived alone on and off for much of my adult life, and, ­­despite a recent wavelet of articles and books attesting to the wonders of the single life and what it signifies about us as a ­culture that so many more people are "going solo," as one book title calls it, I can safely say that I have never made my peace with it. Nor do I believe that the new statistics on single living-which are now higher than they have ever been, coming in at 28 ­percent of U.S. households and nearly 50 percent of Manhattan residents-indicate a profound psychological change in the way we conceive of ourselves, as some are arguing. Rather, I think they're a reflection of certain social realities, not all of them positive (accomplished women who put off marriage often find a scarcity of compatible mates), and certain adaptations (rather than compromise, women remain single). But perhaps the best place to start is not with a fresh-off-the-press "trend," based on more or less factual evidence and more