Blog Posts by Marie Claire

Face wash we love.Most of us assume that cleansing is a task so basic it can be accomplished even when you're completely exhausted or slightly tipsy - which, of course, it can. But with all the latest options (lotions, milks, foaming mousses, oils, wipes, motorized brushes) and antiaging ingredients to consider, there's a lot more to it than soap and water, says Dr. Doris Day, NYC dermatologist and author of Forget the Facelift. "With so many sophisticated, gentle cleansers that won't strip the skin, using the right one allows moisturizing and antiaging products to absorb more effectively." Clearly, an old-school splash and scrub won't do. Here, the new rules for getting your freshest face.

Myth 1: WASH AND GO It's more of a two-step process. "Remove your makeup before you wash your face," says Montclair, New Jersey, derm Dr. Jeanine Downie. "Many cleansers can't take off concealer or foundation completely, especially around the eyes and nose." Use an oil-based cream, an emollient wipe, or a

You could save THIS much!Keep Track
You can't save money if you don't even know how much you're spending. Before you get down to the business of saving your money, take a week to track every single penny you spend. At the end of the week, you'll have a good idea of what you need to tackle first - for example, you might consider switching to a bank that's close to your office or home and offers no-fee withdrawals if you find out you're spending a lot on ATM fees.

Sell Out
The quickest way to get some cash in your hands? Sell things you don't need. Have a garage sale, put your old laptop up for sale on Craigslist, or sell your used books on Half.com. The extra money lining your pockets might inspire you to see how much you can save if you put in a little effort.

Ask Your Man Questions
Is your relationship getting serious? Before you move in or marry your guy, make sure you know all the intimate details of his financial situation. The five things you need to know? How much he makes, how much debt he has, how

A Phoenix and a Late Bloomer, in their natural habitat.

By Maura Kelly

There's a book out called (deep breath) Seeking Happily Ever After: Navigating the Ups and Downs of Being Single Without Losing Your Mind (and Finding Lasting Love Along the Way). To write it, author Michelle Cove interviewed more than 100 women and talked to them about how relationships based on what they think they should want often leave them unhappy. She tried to determine what it was that they truly wanted - in the process, getting readers to think a little more deeply about what their dream relationship might really be like.

After interviewing so many women, Cove began to think that most of them fit into one of 12 categories, which she defines for us below.

The Soul-Mate Seeker: Someone who is doing everything she can to find The One.

The Phoenix: A woman who recently had a painful breakup and is doing everything she can to rise from the ashes in better shape.

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The Organic: She prefers to leave things up

This DIY mani won't take too long!If you're sick of wearing plain ol' nail lacquer, try layering it on. It's the easiest way to create decorative nails, and a thrifty way to embrace the animal print trend - no art school diploma required.

Here's how to get the look:

1. Start with two thin layers of Summer Peach by American Apparel. The colors are surprisingly rich and long-lasting.

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2. Next, make thick, tiny dots with SpaRitual's Chocolate Oasis (We swear the brand's polishes can last for weeks!) so that when you apply the next layer, the spots will smear.

3. Follow with OPI Black Shatter polish (found in the March issue of MC!), creating a unique crackled effect on every single nail.

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4. After your nails dry, slick on a layer of Some Enchanted Evening by Deborah Lippmann to make nails slightly girlier. Most importantly, top it all off with a thin layer of Rimmel London's Top Coat/Base Coat Pro, which will give nails at least 10 days until the

Why can't we have THIS when we're single?

By Rich Santos

While some of us associate single life with loneliness, a ticking biological clock, and social pressure, it's possible to live a healthy life while single. But you must avoid bad "single life habits." They are all too easy to perform and repeat, and sometimes you don't even know you're doing it until you stop and think about it. These habits can bring on depression and loneliness, and they can also prevent you from meeting someone.

Here are some behaviors to avoid when single:

1. Letting Other Balls Drop

Ok, so your dating life isn't going the way you want it to. Make sure you don't let other parts of your life slide. They say "when it rains, it pours," but you can avoid that.

When you're single, you have an opportunity to work on your career, and on yourself. After that, the dating stuff usually falls in to place. Remember not to let other parts of your life trend downward just because your dating life is at a low.

Yesterday at the

A blonde fashionista goes blonder.A star colorist analyzes why we go lighter, darker - and a little crazy - in the salon chair. By Kyle White as told to Ning Chao

There's a reason why one of the first things fugitives do when they're on the run is dye their hair: Hair color is an identity-when you change it, you can become a different person. Fugitives tend to go dark because they want to hide and disappear, while most celebrities tend to go lighter and lighter because they crave the constant spotlight.

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In fact, a lot of clients come to see me when they're going through life changes. Sometimes it actually helps bring out what she's feeling inside-or how she wants to feel. What else can you do in two hours that completely transforms you (but that can be undone, unlike plastic surgery)? I see so many women drastically changing their color at the end of a relationship that I've coined it the "breakover"-instead of a makeover. I think it's an intricate part of the healing

Playing hard to get is the oldest trick in the book, but does it work?

The most frustrating girl advice is: "act like you don't care."

How (and why) should I act like I don't care about someone that I'm interested in?

I can understand the rationale. I'm attracted to women that are gloriously unavailable.

It is this aloofness that I strive to master. I can't seem to get the mix right: I'm either not aloof enough or (when I try to be aloof) I look uninterested.

In addition to creating "a chase," aloofness creates mystery. The person might wonder, just who is Rich Santos (even though it's clear I'm just a dumb guy who likes the Ravens, Ramen, and chicken tenders...and sleep).

My main weakness is my tendency to wear my heart on my sleeve and remain honest with my affection and intentions.

Here are some aloofness tactics I've tried:

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Sending Mixed Signals

One moment, I'll be affectionate, totally paying attention to you. The next minute, I'll be a little distant.

Sending mixed

4 Female Misconceptions About Sex and Dating

By Rich Santos

The other day - thanks to my friend Bob "Hilarious Break-Up Lines" Powers - I received a copy of a strangely entertaining memoir-cum-sexual-instruction manual called How to Make Love to Adrian Colesberry, written by none other than Adrian Colesberry himself. The book - often funny, occasionally odd, always honest, and frequently filthy - is all about Adrian's experiences with his former lady-lovers. It's full of tips and insights about how to have good sex - and it's written as a direct address, as if Adrian were telling you, the reader, everything you needed to know to have the best sex possible ... with Adrian Colesberry.

I decided to ask Adrian to tell me what he thinks the biggest female misconceptions are, when it comes to sex and dating. Here's his take.

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1. Many females think men like blow jobs because they're degrading to women.
"The truth is," says Adrian, "we mainly like it because nothing makes us