Blog Posts by Lylah M. Alphonse, Senior Editor, Yahoo! Shine

Vicki Gunvalson in 2011 (left) and this year. Does it look like she got a chin implant? (Photo: Bravo and WENN.com)When it comes to plastic surgery, what's left to do once you've already had everything else lifted, sculpted, or tucked? You focus on your chin, apparently.

Also on Shine: Surprising Plastic Surgery Trends Around the World

Just in time for the Bravo reality show's 100th episode, "Real Housewives of Orange County" star Vicki Gunvalson has debuted her newest improvement: A more prominent chin. And her catty frenemies Tamra Barney and Gretchen -- no strangers to plastic surgery themselves -- didn't waste any time picking apart her new look. “Does she not look different, look at her chin!” Barney squeals while showing Rossi a photo of Gunvalson. “She got a chin implant!”

Also on Shine: The Most Coveted Celebrity Body Parts

She's not the only one. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons' 2012 Plastic Surgery Statistics Report, chin augmentations were the sixth most-popular cosmetic surgical procedure -- and the second most-popular type of implant -- performed last year.

Read More »from Did Real Housewives Star Vicki Gunvalson Get a Chin Implant? They're Totally a Thing

A new report released this week from the Center for Science in the Public Interest has found that a whopping 97 percent of the nearly 3,500 fast-food kid meal combinations they analyzed didn't meet basic nutritional standards for calorie, fat, and sodium content -- not even the so-called "healthy" ones. "Given that children consume on average 25 percent of their daily calories at fast-food and other restaurants, the nutritional quality of those meals is important," CSPI said in their report. CSPI set limits of no more than 430 calories and 770 milligrams of sodium per meal, with no more than 35 percent of calories coming from fat; another group, the National Restaurant Association's Kids Live Well program, put the cut-off at 600 calories. Here's how some of the most-popular fast-food places fared. -- Lylah M. Alphonse, Senior Editor, Yahoo! Shine

Read More »from Fast Food Meals for Kids: Worse Than Ever?

Another study says that women make better bosses than men. (Photo: Getty Images)A new study has found another reason why the business world needs more women at the top: They make better bosses than men.

Also on Shine: Sheryl Sandberg on Women, Work, and the Need to 'Lean In'

"Women seem to be predisposed to be more inquisitive and to see more possible solutions," the study's co-author, Gregory McQueen of Still University in Arizona, said in a statement. "At the board level where directors are compelled to act in the best interest of the corporation while taking the viewpoints of multiple stakeholders into account, this quality makes them more effective corporate directors."

Also on Shine: Why We Need More Women Leaders

The study, published in the International Journal of Business Governance and Ethics, surveyed 156 female and 486 male board members. It found that companies where women wielded significant influence were more successful than ones with men at the helm.

"We've known for some time that companies that have more women on their boards have better

Read More »from Study: Women Make Better Bosses than Men

Russian artist Sergey Balovin discovered that he could live without money by accident.

When he moved to China in 2010, "I didn't know almost anybody in Shanghai," he told Yahoo! Shine in an email. He speaks mostly Russian, a little English, and no Chinese at all, he explained, and was making good money selling expressionist landscape paintings. When a neighbor agreed to give him her easel in exchange for a hand-drawn portrait, he realized that other people might be wiling to make similar trades.

Also on Shine: Family Lives Without Money (By Choice!) and Thrives

"I gave the announcement on a Russian Shanghai forum," he said. "I said 'I am ready to draw portraits and exchange them for things useful in my home.' A few weeks later, I had a few dozen of new friends and everything that is necessary for everyday life."

German Grandmother Lives Money-Free, Says She's Never Been Happier

He called it The In-Kind Exchange Project and, aside from raising rent money by holding regular artist

Read More »from Russian Artist Sergey Balovin and the In-Kind Exchange Project: How He Lives Without Money

Intense micro-intervals are at the heart of the hottest fitness method: Tabata training. (Photo: Getty Images)If you could get in shape with a super-fast, super-intense fitness routine, would you try it? Tabata training, an intense regimen first developed for athletes in Japan, is gaining popularity with people the world over who are incorporating the high-intensity interval training into their regular workouts.

Also on Shine: Fitness Fads that Are a Waste of Money

Tabata training is made up of 20-second bursts of give-it-your-all effort, followed by 10 seconds of rest, repeated for eight intense cycles. You don't have to do a particular set of exercises—biking, running, pushups, crunches, it's all good—as long as you're pushing yourself to your limit each time.

PHOTOS: 10 Fitness Essentials to Make Exercising at Home Easier

The fast, four-minute session was developed in 1996 by Dr. Izumi Tabata, who noted that short, but difficult, intervals of hard exercise seemed as effective as hours of more-moderate training. He later tested out his short-form interval training on university student

Read More »from Tabata What? The Hot Fitness Method from Japan Gains Popularity

Reddit user Tanek42 posted proof of his free meal, and was shocked by the reaction it got. (Photo: Tanek42 via Reddit)It was meant to be a heartwarming story, proof that there are still plenty of good people in this world. But, instead of chiming in with inspirational examples of their own, Reddit users started picking it apart.

Also on Shine: The Pay-It-Forward Restaurant Sparks Chain Reaction of Kindness

"My brother, wife, 3-year-old daughter and I went to Olive Garden after a recent house fire at my parents," Reddit user Tanek42 wrote on Tuesday. "When the manager asked how everything was, my daughter said, 'Grandpa's house burned down.' Here's how we received the check." He included a picture of the check, with every item comped and a total balance due of $0.00.

Also on Shine: Olive Garden Review Marilyn Hagerty is Back!

While a few people responded with kudos for the restaurant's manager, most were skeptical about Tanek42's story.

"Why does it say "Duplicate Receipt - Stored Order" at the bottom? Is this an indication that this is a copy of the receipt, and it may be the manager posting

Read More »from Olive Garden's Good Deed Sparks Reddit Controversy

If you want to show off some cool body art over spring break, but you're not willing to have it permanently etched onto your arm, realistic-looking temporary tattoos seem like a healthy compromise. But the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Monday warned people to watch out. Apparently, certain temporary tattoos can still cause permanent damage.

Also on Shine: More Women Are Inking Up Than Men

"Just because a tattoo is temporary it doesn't mean that it is risk free," Dr. Linda Katz, director of FDA's Office of Cosmetics and Colors, said in a statement.

The FDA's warning has to do with temporary tattoos made with "black henna" ink containing para-phenylenediamine (PPD), a coal-tar product that is approved for use in hair dye but is known to cause skin reactions in some people. Traditional, reddish-brown henna and stick-on temporary tattoos (the ones that look like stickers and are applied with water) are not part of the warning.

Also on Shine: Regret that Tattoo? These

Read More »from Caution: Black Henna Temporary Tattoos Could Leave Permanent Scars

Is this ad aimed at college-age women, or high-school girls? (Photo: Victoria's Secret)At first glance, the line looks like it's for college students, with a focus on spring break beach essentials. But the new Bright Young Things line at Victoria's Secret is actually aimed at a much younger audience: teens and tweens.

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Parents are outraged by the spring-break themed ads, pointing out that the models look really, really young, and accusing the lingerie giant of sexualizing young girls. College-age women, on the other hand, are shocked that younger kids are interested in Victoria's Secret products at all.

"Victoria’s Secret PINK is a brand for college-aged women," the company said in a statement on Monday. "Despite recent rumors, we have no plans to introduce a collection for younger women. 'Bright Young Things' was a slogan used in conjunction with the college spring break tradition."

Which would be fine, if a Victoria's Secret executive hadn't already said otherwise.

“When somebody’s 15 or 16

Read More »from Is Victoria's Secret Marketing to Teens with Their New Bright Young Things Line?