Blog Posts by RealBeauty.com

Need a chill pill? Having sex may be just what the doctor ordered. Sex can create an instant feeling of peace and serenity, relieving the day-to-day stresses of life. See just how relaxing sex can be for your mind, body, and spirit.

Sex Makes You Sleepy

"The sexual release you have after having sex actually helps you sleep better at night," says Dr. Yvonne Fulbright, author of The Better Sex Guide to Extraordinary Love Making. "The surge of oxytocin that happens with a climax will make you fall asleep easier and faster." Just try not to fall asleep during - that may not go over so well.

Still tossing and turning? One of these habits may be keeping you up at night.

Related: 10 Foods That Make You Sleep and 10 That Keep You Up


Sex Makes You Happy (Duh!)

This may not be a miraculous medical discovery, but happy women are often the most sexually active! Fulbright said that in a recent study of 4,000 American women, those who had the lowest stress and best overall mental well-being were

As children, we believed that if an eyelash fell out, we could make a wish, blow it away, and good things would happen. Now, we wish our lashes would stay put and instead would grow back thicker and longer. Here are a few things you can do to get them growing back and looking better than ever!

1. Remember to wash your face at night.
We're all guilty of falling asleep with makeup on at some point. We get it: You've had a long day, you're tired, and all you've been thinking about since 2:30 in the afternoon has been taking a nap. If you wear a lot of eye makeup, it's important to wash your face and allow your eyes to breathe. Sleeping with makeup on irritates your skin, and you're more prone to getting an eye infection. Try keeping a set of makeup-cleansing cloths by your bed, like the Boots No. 7 Quick-Thinking 4-in-1 Wipes. These wipes take off all of your makeup - even waterproof mascara - and you don't even have to leave your bed. Related: 33 Best Skin-Care Products

2. Don't overdo

Between the fall's sheerest plum shades to the deepest berry hues, any gal can have her hand at becoming a lipstick queen. Check out the two tricks below for creating a puffier pout. Related: Try on a Slew of Lipsticks for Free in Our Virtual Makeover Salon

THE ISSUE: "I've always been frustrated that my top lip is so skinny. But those tingly plumping glosses hurt too much when I use them. How can create the illusion of fuller lips?"

Highlight
The same contouring technique that you use on your face can also work for your lips. Start by patting a light, matte lip color to the center of your pout. This trick draws light and creates the illusion of fullness. Apply your final lipstick color on top. If your final lip color is sheer, make sure it blends well. Related: We Found the Most Universally-Flattering Lipstick Colors

"Draw" it On
Using a color about two shades darker than your lips, take a lip liner to your top lip, just along the border. (Don't think you're fooling anyone if you

There's some things we know about our period: It can be annoying, and a blessing in some situations. Sometimes you get cramps, and sometimes guys use your time of the month as a reason to why you're being cranky. (No, Joe. Maybe it's because you're being annoying!) Read below for these six weird and wacky facts about your period.

1. The first week of your hormone cycle is a good week to start dieting. According to a Tufts University study, you're already eating 12% less this week and have fewer hormone-related food cravings. Related: Easy Ways to Drop 5 Pounds

2. Try quitting your smoking habit during the second half of your cycle. A 2008 University of Minnesota study shows that estrogen may be responsible for giving you a greater "buzz" from addictive substances like nicotine. When this hormone level decreases in weeks three and four, you enjoy cigarettes less, making it easier to quit. Related: The Breathe-Free Program You Need to Read

3. Your period can leave you tongue-tied.

Calling all men! Sometimes we don't always say the right thing (but hey, no one's perfect!). Perhaps a woman you dated once blurted out the number of sexual partners she's had (can you say way more than a ballpark?) post-coital, or said "I love you' after the second date. There are some secrets that should just be kept, well, a secret.

What we want to know is: What are the things you never want to hear from a woman?

Post your answer here and don't forget to leave your first name and age. Don't forget to check back next week to see if your answer made our top 10 list.

Plus, see what guys said last week on what they think about when they're with a naked woman.

More Sex Tips

• 27 Tips on Becoming a Better Sex Goddess
• 33 Ways Sex is Good for Your Hair and Skin
• How to Be Confident in Any Situation
• 10 Surprising Beauty Moved Guys Love
• How Your Sex Life Changes Though the Decades
• 15 Ways to Channel Your Inner Seductress
• What to

Winter is the main culprit our skin is dull, dry, and irritated for the upcoming blustery months. Even when taking precautions, like exfoliating and moisturizing to the high moons we can seem to beat it. Take a look at these common winter skin care problems now to have a glowing complexion straight through to spring.

Related: Overnight Beauty

Q: I break out most often in the dry winter weather. Why is that and what should I do?

A: Some patients break out when they tend to be overly dry, says Real Beauty expert Dr. Eric Schweiger, M.D. In the winter there is less moisture in the air so the skin tends to dry out. If you break out more in the winter I would suggest using an oil-free moisturizer 2 to 3 times per day.

Related: Winter-Proof Your Skin


Q: Is it possible to over-exfoliate my skin?

A: Exfoliating dead skin cells is important for smooth, radiant, healthy skin, says Real Beauty expert Jennifer Yen However, exfoliating too much or too aggressively can damage the epidermis, causing

It's true: Mom really does know best (even if we refused to admit it at first). She was right when she told you to break up with your eighth-grade boyfriend, and she was right when she told you orange lipstick is not your shade. See the other pearls of beauty wisdom our moms have taught the Real Beauty staff over the years.

Beauty Lesson #1: Markers Go on Paper, Not Your Face

"My mom told me to never pluck your own eyebrows, because you don't want to end up having to draw them on." -Sara Hennessey, freelance writer

Some people are better at plucking than others, that's a fact. Maybe Mom was trying to look out for you, or maybe she was trying to avoid a long night of tears and holing up in the bathroom for hours with her one-eyebrow daughter. If you like tweezing your own brows but find you've overplucked, fill in bare spots with a brow pencil, like the Clinique Brow Shaper.

Beauty Lesson #2: It's Not a Spoonful of Sugar, It's a Spoonful of Vinegar

"If I needed to add some extra

Recovering from a breakup involves more than chocolate ice cream and trashing your ex's things. A changed-up and improved beauty routine will take you from doom and gloom to va-va-va-voom in no time. And even if moving on and dating someone new is not on your radar just yet, looking amazing from head to toe should be (it's the best revenge!). So what do you do when you're ready to get over the breakup? Give yourself a breakup makeover - a breakover! Read below to find out how.

Eye Breakover

You've been crying your eyes out for a week, and now they're red and puffy. Deflate, brighten, and wake up those tired peepers to set your sights on someone new.

Our picks: Start with a mask like DuWop igels eye mask ($25, duwop.com). For an all day fix (in case you feel a crying meltdown happening in your cubicle) pat a pea-sized amount of Wexler Instant De-Puff Eye Gel ($19.50, bathandbodyworkds.com) around your eyes to help tighten the skin before putting your foundation on.


Face and Body