Blog Posts by Allure Daily Beauty Reporter

Looks like a lot of people don't. Seventy-five percent of people believe hair loss is a result of stress, according to a recent study conducted by Wakefield Research on behalf of Rogaine. In fact, that's more of a myth than the truth. So what are the real causes?

The most common ones are crash dieting, anemia, vitamin deficiencies, childbirth, high fevers, general anesthesia, endocrine disorders, and thyroid disease. Plus, doctors have linked many cases of excessive shedding to taking certain medications-statins, blood pressure drugs, Accutane, the antidepressants Prozac and Zoloft-as well as to stopping or switching birth control pills.

More from Allure:

• 10 Greatest Celebrity Hair Makeovers
  
• 13 Winter Beauty Mistakes
  
• 37 New Hair Ideas for 2010
• The 13 Hottest Haircuts to Get Right Now
• 10 Hairstyles That Make You Look 10 Years Younger

Why is it so hard to stick to a workout routine? Because we're not working out for the right reasons, say researchers. Scientists at London Metropolitan University found that people stopped going to the gym after three to six months if they were doing it to lose weight or look better. Those who stuck with it: They had internal motivations, like less stress or liking the buzz they got from a cardio routine. Some other things to consider:

• Find your favorites. Exercise is a lot less tedious if you actually like what you're doing. And you can further stack the deck in your favor by choosing a routine that enhances your overall sense of well-being. So figure out what makes you zen, and do that.

• Double date. Team up with another person for at least one workout per week, says Thomas Plante, chair of the psychology department at Santa Clara University. His study found that people who exercised with a partner were calmer and had more energy

Season 2 of one of our favorite shows, RuPaul's Drag Race. premieres tonight at 9 PM on Logo. This year, it's has been picked up in 12 countries, practically making Ru the Tyra Banks of the drag word. We asked the glamazon, who's been perfecting her makeup technique since childhood, what she loves.

What's your must have beauty tool?
"An eyelash curler! I've loving the Vanity Mark one right now. I don't put on any makeup when I'm not in drag, but I always use this to really open up my eyes. When I'm in drag, the curler keeps my false lashes symmetrical."

Related: The 6 Best Beauty Looks From The Grammys

What's your favorite:
Lip gloss? "M.A.C. Pink Lemonade Lipglass looks good on every skin tone."

Hair product? "I like to wear ornaments and flowers in my wigs to keep my hair exciting."

Readers' Choice Survey: Vote and you could win a spa trip!

Skin-care product? "I love Jergens Natural Glow. I learned this trick from a stripper: Put lotion on your hands

When the paparazzi caught Victoria Beckham on the beach in flat sandals this weekend, they zoomed in on an apparent bunion on her foot. Since the problem (a swelling of the joint in the big toe) is often associated with high heels, it's not like we're surprised that Beckham could have one-she does, after all, do everything from red carpet to grocery shopping in 6-inchers. J. Alexander from America's Next Top Model gave some tips to Allure on how to wear heels without pain that we thought worth revisiting...

• Buy heels a half-size too big to allow for a bit of swelling. When your feet hurt, your whole body hurts, and it shows in your face. The point is to look good in those shoes.
• In heels, much of your weight rests on the balls of your feet, which means that walking requires a whole different motion than you'd use when wearing flats. Aim for a heel and ball-toe motion-the heel and ball hit the ground at the same time.
• Take longer steps than you normally would-it causes you to

As we start gearing up for Valentine's Day, Allure editors share the lip colors that give the most romantic looks. (And for more about what makes lip, cheeks, and eye colors romantic, check out our February issue, on newsstands now.)

"I think sheer brights are appealing because they're gorgeous but don't look like you're trying too hard. My favorites are Clinique Long Last Glosswear in Juicy Apple, a sheer cherry red, and Yves Saint Laurent Gloss Volupté Stick in Chilled Raspberry, a transparent hot pink." -Amy Keller Laird, beauty director

"I like to enhance my natural lip shade a notch with a rosy lip balm or gloss. It adds healthy color that makes lips look a little more pouty. Fresh Sugar Rosé Tinted Lip Treatment gives that perfect just-bitten color without looking like you're wearing anything." -Victoria Kirby, beauty editor

"The Cover Girl Lip Stain markers are the best-I love the Everbloom Kiss shade. It's a bright pinky red color, but not too overwhelming. I apply

There's nothing like stressing out over tipping to ruin the end of a great haircut, pedicure, or other treatment. Knowing the basics makes everything better for you-and your aesthetician. Here's what you need to know:

• Twenty percent is a good rule of thumb for the person who performed the service. Throw in a little extra for more labor-intensive or truly spectacular treatments.
• The owner of a salon should never be tipped.
• Assistants should be: the right-hand people get $10 to $20.

• Pricey services have their own rules. Cindy Barshop , whose Completely Bare spas specialize in laser hair removal at $150 to $1000 a session, advises clients to give $25 to $40.
• Always try to tip in cash. Otherwise, the technician has to wait until the end of the payroll cycle to get the money.
• Finally, if you're paying with a gift certificate, the tip may not be included. If you're not sure, ask the receptionist to check.

Our Total Makeover participants get brand-new diets and workout plans for six months with the help of a team of weight-loss experts. Recently, Stephen Gullo, the Total Makeover nutrition expert, blogged about the small changes you can make to your diet to see big results. But the diet is half the battle. We asked our Total Makeover trainers Tehera Nesfield and Juan Pellot, both from Equinox Fitness Clubs, what to keep in mind when you're heading to the gym for the first time in months.

Eat More of These 9 Foods and Weigh Less

Start slowly-but make it count. "Don't overdo it your first week,"says Pellot. "Aim to keep your heart rate between 65 and 85 percent of your maximum beats-per-minute-that's a clever way to maximize your workout without killing yourself."

Progress quickly. "Vary your speed and intensity every few minutes while doing cardio," Nesfield says." It will help you see results within a couple of weeks."

Keep it up. It may seem counterintuitive, but soreness

Earlier this week we posed the question of whether you'd share your cosmetics with a friend. Comments flooded in: some of you said definitely not, while others thought it was no biggie.

Apparently we'd tapped into the collective unconscious with that blog post. Because today, we stumbled upon a Daily Mail article citing an astounding new study on cosmetic co-mingling-with the other gender. It's findings reveal that one in ten British men has 'fessed up to using their girl's makeup. (Concealer and foundation, to be exact!!!) And, nearly a third say they've borrowed nail products and hair styling tools from a woman. We asked our resident Brit, Allure assistant and blogger Daisy Shaw, for her take on men wearing makeup. Her response? "Absolutely. Most guys I know from home were using concealer before I was." And, in a quick office poll, we found the trend is not just limited to England. From another Allure editor who asked to remain nameless (and after you read this quote, you'll know