Blog Posts by The chicks at TotalBeauty.com

Whether you love or hate all of the London pomp and circumstance these days -- the endless William and Kate coverage, the Queen's Diamond Jubilee bonanza -- some bit of you has to think it's sweet and oddly comforting, right?

Related: 9 Must-Haves from Celebrity Makeup Artist Fiona Stiles

I mean, even if you're a staunch feminist, every woman has, at some point or another, entertained at least a fleeting daydream about being a Queen or, better yet, a princess. Not the pathetic Disney kind; a real, honest-to-Henry princess with a capital P and everything that comes with it.

Just think about all the cool stuff you'd get to do. The places you'd go, the people you'd meet, the clothes you'd have hanging in your west wing of a closet. And the primping! Having maidens and minions catering to your every wish -- blowing you out, kneading you down, making you up.

Related: How to Extend the Life of a Professional Blowout

You just have to look at Princess Eugenie of York

Read More »from What's Up with Princess E's Nail Art?

Raise your hand if you love Halle Berry.

I've got 10 fingers high in the air right now.

What's not to love? She's ridiculously stylish, drop-dead gorgeous, and oh yeah, an Oscar-winner to boot. Men want to marry her and women want to be her.

Related: Celebrities with the Best and Worst Skin

I've been trying to mimic her ageless skin, iconic haircut, and flawless makeup since I saw "Boomerang." So when I got the chance to chat with her longtime makeup artist, Fiona Stiles, I was downright giddy. I mean, Fiona has been Halle's secret weapon for years -- and I couldn't wait to get the inside scoop on the stuff she uses on my celebrity girl crush.



Related: Worst Hairstyles for Women Over 40

Luckily for me, Fiona doesn't need a suitcase full of goodies to make Halle and her other celebrity clientele red carpet ready. She told me she uses these 9 must-haves.

Can't believe her magic comes from only a small stash of makeup? You will when you see her picks.

Read More »from 9 Must-Haves from Celebrity Makeup Artist Fiona Stiles

If there's one thing every self-respecting beauty reader has gleaned from the gazillion articles written (this past month alone) on sunscreen, it's that it protects you from skin cancer, prevents UVA/UVB damage, and deters premature aging, right? Right. Only … not so much.

Wait, what?

While it's true that slathering on an SPF that's 30 or higher is the best way to protect against skin cancer and aging, it's not enough. New research reveals that what really gets the job done are -- drumroll please -- antioxidants.

Related: 7 Oils That Can Transform Your Skin

That's right, antioxidants. Long the teachers' pets of the skin care cognoscenti, antioxidants are now being heralded as the new sun protection darlings. But, here's the rub: You're going to have to do more than just pound blueberries or sip some Pinot Noir to ingest these puppies. You're going to have to wear these valiant DNA defenders along with your preferred sunscreen.

WHY SUNSCREEN ALONE ISN'T GOOD

Read More »from The Ingredient That's More Important Than Sunscreen

I thought I was being good. Really, I did.

I'd replaced milkshakes with smoothies, cookies with granola bars, and had been smearing reduced-fat peanut butter on my morning toast.


Related: 7 Best and Worst Sugar Substitutes

Guess what? While I was busy patting myself on the back for all this "healthy snacking," it turns out that I might just as well have been scarfing down Twinkies .

It's true. According to Karen Ansel, MS, RD, co-author of "The Calender Diet: A Month by Month Guide to Losing Weight While Living Your Life," the all-American cream-filled snack cake has fewer grams of sugar than those other snacks that I thought were so good for me. Crazy, right?

Related: 10 Facts Restaurants Don't Want You To Know

If you've also been thinking that you're eating right check out this list of the surprising snacks that are more fattening (or have more sugar) than a Twinkie.

Related: Why I'm Swapping Out Even My "Healthy" Snacks

SPAGHETTI

Read More »from 5 "Healthy" Foods That're More Fattening Than a Twinkie

Here at the Total Beauty offices, there is an unspoken competition between editors when it comes to wearing -- and flaunting -- the latest hair and makeup trends.

Related: 10 Retro Hairstyles That Are Hot Right Now

Just because we like each other doesn't mean that we don't want to be the first one with, say, a caviar manicure or freshly tie-dyed hair and the fun thing is that everyone gets in on trying out the trends. After all, all's fair in love and beauty. But a few weeks ago we veterans were shown up by a new intern Christine. She sauntered in wearing a chic topknot with an upside-down French braid at the nape of her neck and we were impressed.

Related: 9 Best Braiding Video Tutorials

Clearly, it was time to step up the old game., so I chatted with a few of the trendiest stylists I know to get their picks for the newest celebrity hairstyles and easiest-to-copy Pinterest picks. Keep reading to see five fabulous warm weather updos you'll want to try out this

Read More »from 5 Fabulous New Updos for Summer

Memorial Day has come and gone and I spent a good chunk of the weekend happily drinking, snorkeling, and soaking in the sun. And true to beauty editor form, I arrived with my beach bag fully stocked with sunscreen.

Related: The Best Sunscreens for Your Skin

I was happily sharing my SPF when my friend who works at the Gap showed up in a "UV-protective bikini" made out of "fine Italian nylon that provides SPF 50" to her finest assets.

I scoffed, and you know what? A recent "New York Times" article backs me up.

While UPF clothing (Ultraviolet Protection Factor, which is similar to SPF ratings on sunscreen) has been around for a while, the tiny amount of skin it's covering in bikini form seems to defeat the purpose, reports the Times.

Related: Get the Anti-Aging Ingredient More Important Than Sunscreen Now


And it's not just bikinis. With a growing awareness of (and mounting paranoia about) skin cancer, budding entrepreneurs are finding more products to lace

Read More »from SPF-Infused Bikini: Worth Buying or All Hype?

I'm as hopeful as the next starting-to-wrinkle gal when it comes to anti-aging products. I flip through fashion magazines and make a list of the stuff I need to buy -- products that promise to give me the flawless complexion of my 20s. Then, I high-tail it to CVS -- or Nordstrom's, if I'm feeling flush -- and hand over my hard-earned cash for that eye cream that'll stop my crow's feet from deepening or the serum that'll lighten my sunspots.

Related: The Anti-Aging Ingredient That's More Important than Sunscreen

But here's the thing: As much hope as I have when I tote these products home and eagerly smear them onto my aging face, I know deep down that they're not going to do all that their ads -- and even the beauty editors who swear by them -- say they will.

Why? Because I like to consider myself an intelligent consumer. I know some photographer's assistant has photoshopped the hell out of Ellen Degeneres' face to make the 54-year-old look 35, and I know the beauty

Read More »from Would You Sue If a Beauty Product Doesn't Live Up to Its Claims?

I thought ponytails were supposed to be easy. Grab an elastic, gather up your hair, and be done in two seconds, right?

Not anymore. Leave it to the beauty experts to make something as simple as the elastic-wrapped pony into a high-falutin' hairstyle. Your go-to gym 'do is now turning up on the red carpet, at award shows, and even on the runways.

Related: Best Pixies and Bobs for Your Face Shape

The reason? Celebrity hairstylist Jenny Cho says wearing a stylized pony can help balance the angles of your face and create the illusion of a more oval shape, which is ideal. The key is finding the right ponytail for your face shape.

Don't know your face shape? Figure out your face shape here.

The best part is that you only have to figure out how to do your most flattering ponytail once, since your face shape won't change. (Unless you're Heidi Montag. Sorry, I had to.) Which ponytail flatters your face shape best?

THE BEST PONYTAIL FOR A SQUARE OR

Read More »from What's the Best Ponytail for Your Face Shape?