Blog Posts by Allure Daily Beauty Reporter

Between the ethereal, flower child headbands I saw at this month's DvF show and the parade of thick, thin, and sparkly ones on Gossip Girl, I'm kind of obsessed with headbands right now. But every time I wear one, I worry that I look silly--and will have a migraine by lunchtime.

Convinced headbands are just for little girls? Check out these runway styles that will make you think again.

I asked Jennifer Behr, who makes headbands worn by Maggie Gyllenhaal, Nicole Richie, and the cast of GG, what to look for when buying. (Check out her site for some cute, non-dorky styles.)

• Consider your face shape. If you have a small face and fine features, a big floral number is going to overwhelm you. Go for a simple, thin headband. If you have a full face and prominent features, choose a thicker band. It's all about proportion.
• Hairbands are like jeans: Stretch helps. Not only does elastic keep a smooth, sleek shape, it's also more comfortable.
• Stay far, far away from

Now that Lindsay Lohan has her own self-tanner in the pipeline (what, you didn't hear?), I'm bracing myself for a slew of other celeb beauty products.

Here, some fantasy ones that I'd love to see:

Jennifer Aniston's At-Home Hair Color. It's not blonde, it's not brown. It's just some shade of neutral gorgeousness that should be easy to achieve yet somehow isn't. Somebody bottle this, quick.

Victoria Beckham's Contouring Kit. I might not ever have arms or a waist as sculpted as Posh's, but can't I at least have some semblance of her cheekbones? Seriously, every angle of her face is ready for its close-up.

Gwyneth Paltrow's Equine Shampoo. In my dreams, it would be just like Lucky Kentucky's Mane n' Tail Shampoo, only made with luxe ingredients that Gwynnie probably sources while on vacation. Oh, how I love her thick, straight, flaxen hair.

Beyonce's Body Firming Gel. The girl says she likes all kinds of fattening Southern food, but even when she shakes it?which is

The Feds aren't just investigating investment giants these days--they've also set their sights on cosmetics companies.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced that it'll be probing companies that are manufacturing potentially harmful products without official approval.

B. Braun, Baxter, and Hospira--three brands that make eye washes that do not meet federal safety regulations--are currently under investigation after more than 300 patients suffered serious reactions, according to the Associated Press.

Check your skin cream labels for papain (papaya enzyme), because it's also considered suspect in the FDA's view; according to spokesperson Rita Chapelle, there are no approved versions of the stuff available on the market, even though it's pretty widely used. Complaints range from merely insufficient results to life-threatening allergic symptoms.

Stay tuned.

For the latest on skin, weight, sleep, stress, what to eat to look and feel your best, and more,

Beverly Hills hair stylist Neil Weisberg is accustomed to helping celebs upgrade their images in a pinch at his salon, Neil George. Here, his five must-haves for making the transition as painless--and pretty--as possible:

Hot Tools Spring Iron. "This curling iron heats up faster than any other I've used," says Weisberg. His hasn't died, even after years of abuse.

Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray. Weisberg's tip for creating beach hair: "Mist it on towel-dried hair and let it air dry for a sexy, tousled look, or use it after you've used a curling iron to keep waves from looking too 'prom queen.'"

Phytovolume Actif Volumizing Spray. Weisberg's tip for adding mega-body to limp, fine hair: Spritz this onto the roots of your towel-dried hair, flip your hair over, and hit it with a blow dryer. "This is the best root lifter on the market," he says.

Neil George Intense Repair Mask. Weisberg created this mask to give heat ravaged hair a boost of shine. It's made with Indian

God-given curves aside, America Ferrera's look had 'pin-up queen' all over it at the Emmys.

Ferrara's makeup artist Vanessa Scali, working with Nars, referenced the sexy Vargas girls with those majorly red lips, but it worked, because it looked modern, not kitschy.

"A sheer, radiant face makes the red lips look timeless," says Scali. Warning: Matte skin with a strong, red lipstick just looks old fashioned, not sexily retro.

Check out more red carpet makeup mavens.

To prep skin for red lipstick, do as Scali did:

1. Apply foundation only where you need it, and blend with your fingers.
2. Apply concealer after foundation and only onto any areas that needed coverage. You'll find you need less concealer than you thought, says Scali.
3. On the cheeks, use a combination of The Multiple in Portofino and Orgasm Blush, which gave Ferrara a slight touch of color and shimmer that "looked radiant--not made up," says Scali.
4. Now that her skin looked fresh, healthy, and real, it

Question: How would you feel if your boyfriend asked to borrow your eyeliner?

Same here.

Superdrug, a Britain-based chemist has created Guyliner, a kohl pencil, and Manscara, a clear gel for lashes and brows. If these do well, they plan to roll out lip balm and concealer.

Cheap Finds: Inexpensive eyeliners that glide on like a dream.

I conducted an unscientific poll of men I know, and asked "would you try this?" The response was a resounding absolutely not. Reactions ranged from "I wouldn't even know how to put it on, and "I'd poke my eye out," to "My colleagues would laugh me out of the office."

My focus group included a hedge-fund guy, two lawyers, a painter, and a writer--not a single metrosexual. Maybe I just don't know enough Pete Wentz...

--image via celebritywonder.com

Grooming habits that more men should follow but don't always.

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• The Hottest Cuts
  Get the hair you really want. Experts tell you how to get the most

My hair is pretty thick, and I rarely heat style it. So why are my ends so ratty? It can't be that I always need a haircut.

Perplexed, I called up L.A. stylist Jamal Hammadi, who said I'm not the only one.

"The ends of the hair are like a porous piece of wood. The drier it gets, the more brittle it gets," he says. Of course, if you polished this slab of wood with Pledge everyday, it would escape this dehydrated fate.

Jamal asks me if I condition my ends every day, and I reply negative. No, Jamal, I'd preferred to wait until the ends are completely lackluster and then complain about it.

It's OK, he says. "Everyone forgets to nourish what's been depleted."

I've since started to apply oil to the ends of my hair daily. Jamal says silicone is great for shiny hair, but doesn't moisturize, so he prefers ones without it. His namesake The Healing Serum has ylang ylang, avocado, and sunflower oils. I also like Leonor Greyl Huile de Palme. It's hydrating but not greasy.

Colored mascara seems fun enough. But who wants to buy one if you're only going to use it once in awhile?

There's an easy way to jazz up plain mascara with eye shadow. Benjamin Rousseau, a Lancome makeup artist taught me how.

Step One: Dip a small, flat eye shadow brush into any powder or cream eye color. (If you go with a powder, be sure to tap off the excess.)

Step Two: Apply your usual black or brown mascara and quickly continue to step three.

Step Three: Before the mascara dries completely, pat the shadow brush along the tops of your lashes. (Look downward as you do this.)

I haven't spent a penny, but I feel as though my makeup collection has expanded exponentially.

Finish off your look with some of the hottest colors for fall--check out these makeup trends straight from the runway.

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• Five Fabulously Fat Mascaras
• Style Stakeout
  Interviews with fashionable women in New York City--and beyond--in our new street