Blog Posts by The chicks at TotalBeauty.com

Leave it to Brazil, land of the supermodels and hardcore bikini waxes, to turn cosmetic surgery into a human rights issue.

Rather than contend with the depressing aspects of poverty like hunger and diseases like tuberculosis and dengue, Brazil has opted to put a happy spin on things by having their top plastic surgeons offer their beautifying services to the poor for free.

After all, looking good is something that should be a natural-born right like citizenship and the right to pursue happiness, say doctors. By flattening ears, injecting Botox, and offering liposuction to the less fortunate, doctors argue that they do more than aesthetically augment, they "heal their psyche." (Sure, but, can the patients at least get a cheeseburger while recovering in post-op?)

"What's a wrinkle? Something minor, right? Something with precious little importance," says Nelson Rosas, MD, who heads the Rio branch of The Brazilian Society of Aesthetic Medicine. "But when we treat the

Read More »from Brazil Offers Free Plastic Surgery to Its Poor ('Cause, Who Needs Food when You Can Look Great Instead?)

Question: Would you get a tattoo? No? OK, let's try sweetening the deal. Would you get a tattoo if it let you know when your phone rang?

Seems that the brainiacs at Nokia have invented a magical tattoo that tingles when someone calls you. To do this, they're using "haptic feedback" (communication via touch) which is the same way that, say, a Nintendo Wii controller works.



Related: 12 Beauty Breakthroughs You Must Try in 2012

The technology isn't available quite yet -- the Finnish cell phone giant only recently submitted the patent application -- but, when it is, this is how it'll work:

You get your butt (or your arm or leg or what have you) to your local tattoo parlor for some ink. Once your rose, dragon, M.O.M., etc. heals, you get it magnetized using the new technology. And from then on, whenever your phone jingles, you tingle.

Of course, there are all sorts of vibrator-type jokes being made at the mere mention of such a thing, and those are just the

Read More »from Want a Tattoo that Tingles when Your Phone Rings?

I love yoga. I love the feeling I have when I roll out my mat and wonder what poses I will do. I love the way it forces me to quiet my mind and drop all the drama that unfolded during my day. I love the way I feel when I leave class and the lessons I take with me off the mat (and yes, I realize I sound like I drank the yoga Kool-Aid).

What I don't love about yoga? The crazy-high price tag.

My credit card's "annual summary" landed in my e-mail inbox a few months ago and I had a decidedly un-zen-like reaction when I saw how much I dropped on yoga classes over the course of a year. Let's just say when I realized it was more than what I spent on organic groceries, I felt the need to look into some alternatives.

Related: 13 Excuses Super-fit Chicks Never Make

And I came up with a real winner. Want to see which at-home yoga DVD helped me drop 10 pounds and tone up? Here's my story …

The DVD: "Yogalosophy"

My starting point:

Height: 5'3" 

Weight:

Read More »from The Yoga DVD that Works -- Fast

I love checking out other companies' offices. It's right up there with my HGTV obsession -- is there anything better than peering inside strangers' houses? But I digress.

Just yesterday, I was at a makeup brand's headquarters and found myself fascinated by the beauty tips they had decaled on the windows, the inspiration boards featuring Kate Middleton's wedding makeup, and, most of all, the in-house manicurist! (Employees are encouraged to take a break and stop by for a polish change whenever they need it -- I'm not kidding.)

Related: Editors' Picks: The Best BB Creams

While the nail station was cool, all the other beauty products scattered on the workers' desks were from that one brand. As far as desk voyeurism is concerned, I prefer to poke around other beauty editors' desks. What I discovered from years of spying is that we all keep a lot of the same things at our cubicles. We hoard our favorite lip glosses, fill our pencil jars with eyeliners, and always have

Read More »from 8 Beauty Products You Should Stash at the Office

I'm a sucker for deals. I singlehandedly discovered this drugstore eye cream that works just like La Mer; I'm the queen of designer finds at thrift stores; and I'm all over Groupon like smoked gouda cheese on a whole wheat cracker.

And my latest dollar stretcher? These 7 fitness apps.

Related: The 5 Workouts Celebrities Swear By

Thanks to the entrepreneurial brilliance of app creators, we now have access to the same fitness tools that the rich and famous use all with a swipe of our fingers -- and for a fraction of the cost. These 7 apps have the latest in GPS, motion sensor, and bar scanning technology to give you the tools you need to get in the best shape of your life -- without draining your wallet. See them now.

NIKE TRAINING CLUB, FREE

Sure, Adriana Lima and Rihanna have amazing bodies. They also have amazing personal trainers. And now we can, too. Thanks to Nike Training Club, you can get exclusive workouts from celebrities like Lea Michele, athletes likeRead More »from 7 Apps That'll Help You Lose Weight -- Fast

This weekend, I dared to do what women everywhere hate to do: I pulled out my favorite pair of skin-tight skinny jeans from the deep recesses of my closet to see how they fit.

Why would I put myself through that kind of self-inflicted torture? Because I've been working out like an animal since January 1, logging more miles on the treadmill in the last three months than I have my whole life.

Related: These 7 Arm Exercises Will Give You Immediate Results

And every time I wanted to ditch the gym, or bail halfway through my workout to meet up with my besties for cocktails and fried appetizers, I thought of those skinny jeans and how they leave red marks on my stomach. And so I'd endure my sweat sessions.

Which is why I had high hopes as I slipped one foot in, then another. And when I could barely squeeze those damn jeans over my butt, I was seriously pissed.

Related: 13 Excuses Super-fit Chicks Never Make

Why am I not seeing results? Dan Trink, director of

Read More »from Are You Doing the Right Workout for Your Age?

As far as I'm concerned, there are only three appropriate ways to wear neon after the age of 12:

1. Pink or lime green Nike running shoes

2. A neon headband for "Disco Night" at the roller rink

3. Glow stick bracelets at a New Year's Eve party

Anything else looks tacky and unflattering. But lately, neon has been cropping up in places other than parties and athletic stores. It's been showing up on grown women's faces.

Neon makeup sounds like a 5-year-old's dream -- not a mature woman's -- but the runways seem to be bent on proving me wrong. Every new nail polish has a neon finish and hot pink lips are becoming a street-wear norm, so I reluctantly decided to give neon makeup a whirl.

And … I kind of love it.

Related: 8 Daring Color Trends Everyone Can Pull Off

If you're wary of neon makeup hues like I was, check out these 5 makeup looks from pro artists. They give feedback on everything from finding the right neon colors for your skin tone to

Read More »from 5 Ways to Wear Neon Makeup Without Looking Crazy

While some women commit their lives to rearing children, establishing their career, or finding the perfect male specimen to marry, I've dedicated the majority of my life to one mission: Finding a conditioner that'll turn my weed-like hair into spun silk.

Related: 11 Hair Products Every Woman Needs

Is it really too much to ask for a conditioner to do as it claims? To give me soft and shiny hair that tumbles gently over my shoulders, instead of a tangled, out-of-control mess that sticks up every which way?

I think not.

But sadly, I've spent a small fortune on conditioners that did absolutely nothing to tame my rat's nest of a head. And I don't want you to repeat my money-sucking, let-down inducing mistakes.

That's why, with the help of our readers, I compiled the 12 worst hair conditioners ever. Women say these left their hair greasy, dirty, and even more tangled than when they started. Read on to see which bottles you should avoid.

No. 12: Lush Jungle

Read More »from 12 Worst Hair Conditioners