Blog Posts by Allure Daily Beauty Reporter

Beth Ditto was a rather unlikely celebrity fixture throughout these past Fashion Weeks-she was pretty and demure in the front row of Stella McCartney and Gaultier, shined at Alexander McQueen and Chanel, and palled around with BFF du jour Kate Moss at the now-famous Fendi party. It's no secret that Ditto stands out from the crowd: the lead singer of the band Gossip, she's not only talented, but she has great style. Still, there's no question that she's built noticeably differently from the sinewy usual suspects that make up the fashion elite.

The latest beauty trends straight from the runways.

I wonder if beauty industry may have helped sway fashion's affections. After all, who could forget all the attention Dove's "Campaign for Real Beauty" got? And people across the world have also voiced their opinions as Fashion Weeks in major cities have questioned (and struggled with) the revision of models' measurements. But however her fame came about, Ditto seemed an

When you're pregnant, there are lots of weird things that happen to your body. But I was seriously not prepared to find out this news: That pregnant ladies are basically walking, talking skin-care-makers for their kids. Researchers at Leiden University in The Netherlands have been studying an all-natural moisturizer mothers produce in the womb-a "buttery ointment" with the not-so-catchy name Vernix caseosa. (I get the gross factor, but bear with me.) Apparently this stuff not only keeps your baby from being born a human prune (consider that it spends nine months essentially underwater), it also helps baby's skin stay hydrated and fight off infection after it's out in the world. The scientists just released a study with promising results on a synthetic version they created to heal some adult skin diseases. And, their hopes are that it just might one day be the mother of all moisturizers for healthy skin. Stay tuned.

Read about the latest news in health and skincare over at allure.com.

Anti-aging perfume is here! Well, kind of. Before you go spraying Ageless on your smile lines and crow's feet (that stinging sensation in your eye? pink grapefruit essence!), that's not how the fragrance works. Ageless doesn't promise visible results, just smoke and mirrors: it intends to mask "noneal," an age-revealing chemical in the skin. (What?!)

To its credit, the fragrance's literature and even its website name, agelessfantasy.com, are straight up that real agelessness is just that, a fantasy; their perfume doesn't claim to change looks, only perception. They tout a study meant to prove Ageless's effectiveness, although it's a bit, well, imaginative. An independent surveyor asked 75 men to smell various scents (including Ageless) and say what age they would expect someone wearing the fragrances to be. The men guessed that the women who would wear Ageless would be nearly 17 years younger than the average age of women who might wear four other scents. (The company's press release

As a lass of Irish heritage, I get tired of the fact that St. Paddy's seems to revolve around green beer and, in more extreme cases, um, puking. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't be Irish if I didn't enjoy me Guinness now and then (I'll skip the food coloring, thankyouverymuch), but there's so much more to the culture, like Yeats and Joyce. (And corned beef and cabbage.)

Had a little too much to drink? The top 5 ways to prevent a skin hangover.

Here are three alternative ways to celebrate the beauty of green today:

Eat a handful of pistachios:
It's well-documented that the jade-colored nut can lower cholesterol, reduce inflammation, provide antioxidants and, compared to most nuts, are low in fat and calories. But a surprising new study also found that when it comes to weight management, they're your best bet. Why? Having to shell them slows your consumption time. Huh.

Treat yourself to a face mask:
Whenever Allure researches a story about cult-favorite beauty products,

New Jersey has long been known for major hair (blame Bon Jovi and mall bangs for that one)-and a recent bit of news isn't doing much to help that rep.

In a move that's sure to freak out hyper-groomed women in the state, New Jersey's Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling is considering a proposal to ban Brazilian bikini waxes-a response to the complaints of two women who claim they were injured and hospitalized from botched jobs (ouch!).

Don't suffer the same pain, here are 5 tips to getting a great wax.

According to the Philadelphia Daily News, the up-close-and-personal waxes have actually always been illegal, but the statute wasn't explicitly spelled out. The new proposal would make things perfectly clear by outright banning, ahem, "genital waxing."

The board is set to meet, and presumably vote on the ban on Brazilians, on April 14th. If you live in Jersey, we suggest booking your next (and possibly last) wax before then-and stocking up on a good depilatory just in case. (We like

I think I've had açaí berry in my moisturizer, breakfast bar, yogurt, and maybe even in a $14 chocolate bar I splurged on in a particularly I Heart NY moment in SoHo. I have to say, I wasn't 100 percent shocked to see this article in the Times today that there's not a lot of science to back up all the weight loss, memory-boosting, superberry claims. No, a Brazilian berry isn't going to give you a Brazilian body or turn you into a rocket scientist. Not a huge surprise there.

But I was proud that when I looked back in the Allure archives that although we've reported on it here and in our magazine, we've always proceeded with caution. There's no doubt açaí is a powerful antioxidant-but getting the most of it through skincare is still difficult. In January of last year, dermatologist Jeannette Graf told us "topical products only contain a modest amount of açaí, because a high concentration of it would stain the skin and hair," and recommended choosing products that combine it with other

In case you missed it, our editor in chief Linda Wells was on The Today Show this morning to talk about the effect of stress on skin. (In a word: bad). In fact, an allure.com poll showed that 87 percent of us notice a difference in our skin when we're freaking out. (And it's not all in our heads-one Miami derm we talked to said about 50 percent of her patients are coming in with stress-related skin problems.)

In case you're stressing out, here's a rundown of the products that won't necessarily lower your blood pressure, but will at least make you look like you weren't tossing and turning all night.

If you're breaking out:

Clean & Clear Continuous Control Acne Cleanser, $5.99, is antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and hey, the price is right.

Clearasil Ultra Pimple Blocker Pen, $8, contains 2% salicylic acid and is a great spot treatment.

1-percent hydrocortisone cream, about $5 at the drugstore, can eliminate redness, but use it sparingly: It can thin the skin over

It's ok-you're not just being cheap. Companies know that people are stretching their dollars right now, so the demand to "try before you buy" is greater than ever. Just don't go cray-zay. Saleswomen tell us the best way to get samples is to avoid treating the cosmetics department like an all-you-can-eat buffet. Instead, tell them your skin type or your problems with certain ingredients, or your plain old love of red lipstick. With that in mind, they'll be able to hook you up with samples that you'll love-and stuff you're more likely to come back and buy. (Oh, and don't act like you're Katie Holmes on a Fred Segal shopping spree if you're not-be upfront about wanting to test something out. It saves everyone time.) Now that you know your sampling etiquette, check out what's going on at some beauty counters right this minute.

Win free stuff over at allure.com all month long, including favorite products of some of the beauty world's top stylists.

• Hello free facials at Clarins! They're not