Blog Posts by RealBeauty.com

How to fit a bra
Think you know what bra size you wear? Linda Becker of Manhattan shop Linda's Bra Salon would probably tell you you're insane. We chatted with the expert on how to know if your fit is right, what to look for in a bra, and other useful tips. "I tell people all the time, 'You only think you're comfortable. You're not comfortable. You have no idea what comfort is. Wait until I get you in a bra that fits.' When you wear a bra that fits, it's like, 'Oh my God, I can't believe it.'" Yup, she's that serious about bras.

When we waltzed in and told her we'd been told we were a 34C, she asked if the person who said that had been drunk at the time. She whipped out a tape measurer, did some magic, and sent us home with a 30E. (We're still trying to wrap our heads around that one). After a 25-year career and two Manhattan stores (plus online), Linda says most women are sorely in the dark about what size they actually are. We asked her about how to know whether you're in the right size, bra life

Men need beauty and grooming products, too! We rounded up the best of the best from 2011.

Anthony Logistics Oral Supplements
Anthony Logistics
Beauty-nay, handsomeness-starts on the inside. Show your guy you love him to the core, by investing in dude-chic oral supplements to promote collagen production that will make his hair, skin, and nails look and feel stronger.
$46 each; beauty.com

Read More: 33 Things Every Woman Should Know for Better Sex

Axe Hold + Touch Paste For Fine Hair
Axe
Give a man with a thinning mane a bit of volume up top, courtesy of this weightless paste which thickens strands. The crunch-free hold will allow him to coif his hair however he likes without looking like a Jersey Shore cast member. (Sorry, Pauly, we still love you.)
$7.99; amazon.com

Billy Jealousy Fuzzy Logic Hair Strengthening Shampoo
Billy Jealousy
Let's get down to the nitty gritty. Thinning hair for men (cough, baldness) is induced when a byproduct of testosterone, called DHT, causes hair follicles to shrink. The good news? This

If you're looking to minimize your stomach, opt for a stylish wrap dress that hides the flub. You can also rely on horizontal seams and stripes to help elongate rounded areas. Finish with a firming pair of Spanx tights, and no one will ever know just how much pumpkin pie you ate this season.
White House Black Market
White House Black Market Sequin Blouson Dress, $128; whbm.com

Read More: 10 Beauty Looks Guys Find Sexy

Topshop
Topshop Velvet Stripe Shift Dress, $175; us.topshop.com

Eloquii
Eloquii Sleeveless Pleated Dress, $98; eloquii.com

Read More: The Best New Dark Nail Polishes

Ann Taylor
Ann Taylor Embroidered Lace Sheath Dress, $288; anntaylor.com

Michael Michael Kors
Michael Michael Kors Plus Size Sequin Wrap Dress, $160; bloomingdales.com

Read More: 12 Ways to Cure Adult Acne in 20s, 30s, 40s

Coldwater Creek
Coldwater Creek Crinkled V-Neck Dress, $99.95; coldwatercreek.com

Pixie Market
Pixie Market Faux Leather Panel Dress, $108; pixiemarket.com

For more from Real Beauty:
• 5 Best Over-40 Beauty Tips
• 33 Surprising Things that Can Ruin Your Skin
• Easy Hairstyles in

You might not know it, but there's a chance that the gift you gave to your boyfriend or hubby last year might just be mingling with the dust bunnies. Read on to find out what we learned from real men about what they don't want to find under the tree.

Gift cards
"Gift cards. They're lazy and require no thought. I'd be more satisfied if I got something totally useless and kitschy. At least they tried, right?" - David

Read More: Must-Buy Holiday Gifts for Guys

Electronics
"I hate when I get bad electronics. Things that are not the latest technology have no purpose." - Milledge

Guy in sweater
"Clothes that they think I'll look good in. I wear them once to be seen, and then they mysteriously get destroyed in the washer." - JoeDave

Read More: 10 Beauty Looks Guys Find Sexy

Presents
"I've gotten the same gift from the same person three years in a row. Yeah, it was a sports jersey of my favorite team, but I don't need it in triplicate." - Jerry

Hammer
"Home improvement tools are the worst. The expectation that, because I'm male, I like to do

The best way to give your updo an upgrade? Try out a cool, new bun hairstyle. Here's a gallery of celebs who've mastered the look.

Gwen Stefani
Gwen Stefani
Up, up, and away! This Renaissance woman scores with a sumo-esque top knot, accentuated by strategically placed tendrils (note how they start at her ear and not around her entire head), and a few spiky, loose ends for an intentionally fashion-forward disheveled effect.

Read More: Dirty Hair? Check Out Styling Tricks

Katie Holmes
Katie Holmes
Texture is the name of the game for Mrs. Cruise's laid-back bun. To recreate this look at home, secure your updo then spritz fingers with hairspray and gently loosen the roots to add volume and dimension to too-formal hairstyles.

Michelle Trachtenberg
Michelle Trachtenberg
Even drama-magnet TV character, Georgina Sparks, would love this over-sized 'do. We like how the GG actress balances her boldly-proportioned bun (to recreate your own, pick up a bun-filler) with a sleek base and dangly earrings.

Read More: Easy Hairstyles in Under 15

Some soirees require you to dance all night (preferably with an RPattz lookalike), which can result in a sweaty, messy mane. Be a bit type-A and prevent this drastic situation by trying a sleek braided updo.
Braided hairstyle
To create a holiday party look that is both elegant and fuss-free for keeping tresses off your face, we enlisted Kayley Pak, a braiding specialist at the John Barrett salon in NYC to give us some pointers on how to execute this stay-put hairstyle. Here are her tips.

If You Have Long Hair

1. Prep Step

Start by smoothing down any flyaways with a light hairspray, like Shu Uemura Sheer Lacquer Micro Fine Finishing Spray, and a paddle brush. Then, use a fishtail or a thin comb to create a center part, like you would for pigtails. Make sure the line is super straight and even, since this is not meant to be a messy 'do.

2. Plaited Pony

Tie an elastic around one half of your hair, and pull the other section into a ponytail that sits right under your ear. Smooth out hair with a brush,

DKNY has taken holiday glitz to a new level by teaming up with jewelry designer Martin Katz to reveal the mother of all luxe perfumes. The duo has outfitted DKNY's Golden Delicious Fragrance bottle with 2,909 globally sourced jewels (including 2,700 white diamonds, 183 yellow sapphires, and 243 canary diamonds). The perfume will be sold on the DKNY Core Club Facebook Page, and proceeds will be donated to Action Against Hunger, an international organization dedicated to feeding malnourished children. To unveil such a beautiful product, the brand called upon gorgeous supermodel Chanel Iman to pose with it at DKNY's uptown Manhattan store last night. We sat down with Iman to chat about confidence, being a Victoria's Secret Angel, and what beauty goodies she adores.
Chanel Iman
Real Beauty: Now that we know how to smell like a million bucks, what are your best tips for looking like it?
Chanel Iman: Being natural is always the best way to look like a million bucks. Confidence is key. It can make you

Taylor SwiftIt's been an awesome year to be Taylor Swift: Hot on the cowgirl-boot-wearing heels of winning the 2011 American Music Awards Artist of the Year and the Country Music Awards Entertainer of the Year, she just snagged the Billboard Women in Music Awards Woman of the Year honor (sponsored by Crest 3D White). But she's making beauty moves, too, with her unexpected hairstyle change.

Read More: Easy Hairstyles in Less than 15 Minutes

Real Beauty: What inspired you to cut bangs?
Taylor Swift: I showed up to a photo shoot, and [the stylists] wanted to do clip-in bangs and straight hair, so I said, 'why don't you just cut 'em?' I just like the way bangs look on other people. Also, I always seem to want to straighten my hair in the winter. I don't know why. It's a winter thing. And I took it a step further this time.
RB: Is it difficult to rock bangs with your naturally curly hair?
TS: It's actually not. I was playing around with it in my hotel room, and I think [my hair] works both ways. But