Blog Posts by RealBeauty.com

If you've increased your cocktail consumption this season (how else can you get through the holiday office party?), your liver and waistline aren't the only things that will suffer. According to Dr. David E. Bank, director of The Center for Dermatology, Cosmetic & Laser Surgery in Mount Kisco, New York, excessive drinking can mess with your skin in a variety of unattractive ways, including:

• Dullness: Excessive drinking leads to dehydration and depletes skin of vital nutrients, leaving you with a "blah" complexion. Related: 33 Tips for Amazing Skin
• Dryness: Alcohol zaps the body of vitamin A, an important anti-oxidant that is necessary for maintenance and repair of skin tissue. When vitamin A levels drop below normal, your skin will look dry and flaky. Related: Award-Winning Products for Your Skin
• Premature Aging: As mentioned above, increased alcohol intake can leave skin looking drier and less youthful. Plus, the loss of necessary vitamins and nutrients needed

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It's one thing to exercise five times a week and watch everything you eat while you're trying to shed those pounds, but what's your game plan when you finally reach your goal weight? Here are six nutrition and exercise tips to help you simply stay in shape. Related: 10 Fitness New Year's Resolutions

1. Change up your workout as often as possible. Just as your mind gets bored, so does your body. And when your body gets bored, it stops working as hard, and you stop seeing results. So, if you want to stay in shape, don't let your workout routine become stagnant!
2. Try not to go more than two days in a row without a workout. Stay committed to the time you have put into creating your new body. If you let too many days go by without working out, you may slip back into old habits.
3. Stay hydrated. Drink water first whenever you think you are hungry. Often times, hunger is mistaken for dehydration.
4. Always have healthy snacks on hand. You will be less likely to buy

Read More »from 6 Tips for Maintaining Your Happy Weight

A friend who has been trying to lose five pounds recently visited Colorado for vacation. As most do when on vacation, she ate out every night, drank too much, and noshed on decadent desserts and snacks. When she got home, she hopped right on the scale to assess the damage. To her disbelief she lost two pounds! She immediately chalked it up to the few times she went skiing that week and assumed she'd see the weight back on in a couple weeks. She still hasn't put that two pounds back on almost three weeks later.

[Heading somewhere warm over the holidays? Check our our fun water exercises to help you tone up before you come back!]

According to a 2010 Wired.com article, "Just a week at high altitudes can cause sustained weight loss, suggesting that a mountain retreat could be a viable strategy for slimming down."

[Need to travel light? 18 Beauty Picks to Lighten Your Load]

In a study performed by researchers in Germany, 20 obese men were taken to a high elevation area (of 8700

Read More »from Struggling to Lose Weight? Go on Vacation!

From Kate Gosselin's 20-hour makeover to Lindsay Lohan's R-rated manicure, this year was jam-packed with tweet-worthy beauty news. Here, some of the totally baffling trends that had us buzzing in 2010. Get the full list here.

Lindsay Lohan's F-Word Nails at Court

What better way to prove to a judge that you're taking all of this legal stuff super seriously, than by writing "f**k u" on your middle fingernail? Yet, even with that unbelievable show of remorse for her actions, the mean old judge still sentenced Lindsay Lohan to 90 days in jail, a punishment that made our favorite felon burst into tears (three months without a flatiron and we'd be crying too). Maybe next time LiLo should something more like, "I heart you and what a lovely shade of lipstick you're wearing." Find some more appropriate nail trends here.


Heidi Montag's Plastic Surgery Addiction

There are bad decisions, like marrying Spencer Pratt, and there are bad decisions, like undergoing ten plastic surgeries in one day.

Read More »from 5 Major Beauty Moments from 2010

'Tis the season to schlep, haul, and carry your heavy Christmas Eve groceries, gifts, and basically everything needed for Santa's sleigh to run successfully. All that weight can do a number on your neck, back, and shoulders, making you one sore shopper come the holidays. Below, Real Beauty expert Physical Therapy Director of New York Sports Medicine & Physical Therapy shares three easy exercises to ward off shopping-induced shoulder pain.

Related: Expert Q&A: Relieve Neck Pain Fast

Try Your ABCs

Think ABC (abs, blades, curl): Engage your core/abs, push your shoulder blades together while holding your bags in both hands, and curl your fists up to your shoulders. Sexy abs and no shoulder pain? Looks like you can have your (low-fat) cake and eat it too.

Related: 10 Shortcuts to Strong, Sexy Abs


Switch It Up

Switch hands every block to distribute the weight of the shopping bags. Also, if you know you're due for a serious day of shopping, keep your purse load light. Bring only the

Read More »from 3 Easy Exercises to Solve Your Shopping-Induced Aches and Pains

Our pleasure expert Dame Lori tells you how to pick your best pleasure prop.

Q: How do I choose a vibrator? It's not like you can ahem-try those things out...

A: When one decides to purchase any machine to elevate the fun in life, from a blender to a car, vigilant attention, research, and study is required. The first thing I recommend is to read up on the best of the best, and I have two favorite sexuality advocates:

The first is Dell Williams, author of Revolution in the Garden and owner of Eve's Garden, the groundbreaking boutique designed for the unique needs of women that she opened in New York City in 1974. Williams, who once said, "vibrators are a girls best friend," is now in her late 80s and still advocates for women's rights and offers a great selection of pleasure playthings, including her top pick: The Rabbit, which remains a best-seller at her store.

My other personal favorites are Claire Cavanaugh and Rachel Venning, founders of Babeland in New York City. Check

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As beauty editors, we love our eighth super-hydrating, smoothing, sulfate-free shampoo as much as our first, but even we find ourselves saying, "Been there, done that, bought the T-shirt," regarding some hair-care, skin-care, and makeup launches. But once in a blue moon, a product release so innovative and genius has us singing its praises from the rooftops (and as a result, hoarding duplicates under our bathroom sinks).

Take a look below to see the just some of the cutting-edge cosmetics that have boldly gone where no formulas have gone before. Get the full list here.




Clarisonic Opal Sonic Infusion System

Clarisonic already had a big win with their Skincare Brush, so it was only a matter of time that they'd release another complexion-changing tool loved by women everywhere. Opal comes with a dispenser cap containing anti-aging serum that infuses right into the skin with its gentle vibrations that feel a lot like a mini massage on your face. Use it for one minute, two times a day,

Read More »from 5 Best Beauty Breakthroughs of 2010

Shampoo and conditioner may seem like a no brainer-until you have a hair type that needs some extra TLC. See our winners below from our 1st Annual Gold Star Beauty Awards in the shampoo and conditioner categories, then head here to see the rest of the winners. Looking for the best products for color-treated hair? Click here.

Shampoo and Conditioner for Dry Hair
Winner: Paul Mitchell Awapuhi Wild Ginger
We knew this stuff was good when one tester breathlessly reported that after using it just once, she received several compliments on her new "haircut" because her strands looked so healthy. (See the secrets to getting an amazing haircut here.) The line contains an exclusive Keratin blend (which the brand says is virtually identically to the keratin in human hair) that helps reduce breakage, improve shine, prevent fading, and boost moisture. The shampoo received praise for its rich, creamy lather and the conditioner got high marks for leaving hair soft but not weighed down. Paul

Read More »from The Best Shampoo and Conditioner Picks for Dry, Fine, and Thick Hair