Blog Posts by Marie Claire

The secret to getting hair's

According to a recent Unilever study, hair that is about shoulder length (around 9 inches long) has, after two years, gone through 411 washes, 6,171 brushes, and 10 bleaches, and had approximately 19,122 split ends and 36,206 breaks. With that in mind, we asked experts for advice on solving your three biggest hair issues.

Volume

The Problem: Your locks are limp-and not in that cool off-duty-model way.

The Fix: The secret to getting hair's "sexy" back: body all over.

Related: 10 Ways To Get Your Energy Up In 5 Minutes Or Less

1. Whatever your hair type, lather up with a clarifying shampoo weekly, then immediately replenish lost moisture and elasticity (the bounce-factor that's key to scoring swingy strands) with a thickening rinse-out conditioner. "Even naturally full hair can fall flat from heavy styling cream and serum buildup," says Gwynne Mims, a stylist at the Eva Scrivo salon in New York City and lead stylist for Ojon.

2. Get to the root of the

Between late nights at work, yoga class on Tuesdays, those two birthdays this week, and that diet you're still trying to do, it's pretty hard for a woman on-the-go to keep up with life's demands.Between late nights at work, yoga class on Tuesdays, those two birthdays this week, and that diet you're still trying to do, it's pretty hard for a woman on-the-go to keep up with life's demands. Thank goodness for the smartphone. Skype, calendars, and email apps do a pretty good job of keeping us aligned. However, there are still those moments when you find yourself asking, "Is there an app for that?" Well ladies, there is an app for that, and that. Just like a girl's got closet essentials, there are a couple of life-changing apps that every young savvy woman should have on her device. Here is a list of the 10 most necessary apps that you now must go download. Bonus: They're all free.

Related: 25 Secrets Men Keep From Women

1. Near+Now

For those nights you feel like pulling out a pair of pumps and painting the town with the ladies, Near+Now lists all the cool clubs, bars and restaurants in your area.

2. Stylebook

Despite your closet full of clothes,

In her advice column, MC's love guru Daisy answers your questions about finding love after a string of meaningless hookups.

In her advice column, MC's love guru Daisy answers your questions about finding love after a string of meaningless hookups.

Dear Daisy,
I'm inching toward 30 and I've never been in a loving, healthy, adult relationship. I've had a ton of hookups and I've been the fun no-strings-attached girl for months at a time, but I've never had a serious relationship where I'm in love with a guy and he is with me. In the past, I wasn't looking for meaningful commitments. But now I am, and I'm starting to worry that I'm unlovable. What am I doing wrong? -Alexis, 29, Pittsburgh

Related: 25 Secrets Men Keep From Women

Dear Alexis,
For a long time, you've been training yourself to be satisfied with a certain kind of relationship. (Or let's call it a love affair - that has a nice old-fashioned ring, as if your trysts were conducted under the influence of highballs.) Try looking at it this way: You've been both the scientist and the subject in a behaviorist experiment. For

Whether you want to power through paperwork or fall asleep peacefully, here are the best workouts for toning your mind. Bonus: better butt, abs, and arms, too. SQUATTING PREACHER CURL

INCREASE ENERGY
THE PROBLEM: By 3 p.m., you're nodding off at your desk.

THE FIX: Simply standing up gets more blood - and energizing oxygen - pumping to your brain; after walking briskly for a few minutes, your whole body (including your sluggish mind) becomes more engaged. "You don't even have to work up a sweat," says Robert E. Thayer, professor of psychology at California State University Long Beach and author of Calm Energy: How People Regulate Mood with Food and Exercise. In one of Thayer's studies, subjects either went for a brisk 10-minute walk or ate a candy bar. The walkers had increased energy for up to two hours, while the snackers saw their immediate energy boost drop off within an hour - and after two hours were even more lethargic than before.

TRY THIS: When you have time for more than a couple of

When her plane lost an engine over the Andes, Teresa Rodriguez Williamson, 36, vowed to start tangodiva.com, a website to help solo women travelers. Here, her best secrets. Travel alone and love it!

In the past 10 years, the number of females traveling abroad has increased as much as 200%, especially among solo travelers.

1. NETWORK BEFORE YOU GO
Send an e-mail to all your friends saying, "I'm going to Brazil. Do you have any contacts there?" It works. Before I went there, my ex said he knew a guy who knew a guy, so I e-mailed him. He met me at the Rio airport with a cute little sign and said, "By the way, it's carnival, so all the shops will be closed tomorrow. If you want any new bikinis, we better go shopping right now!" Without him, I'd never have known that.

2. PUT SAFETY FIRST
Check government websites (such as state.gov/travel and cia.gov) to make sure there wasn't a "little bombing" in Cairo two days ago. I once went on a vacation in Fiji . . . while Fiji was in the middle of a

Quick Fix Cheat SheetWe asked the pros for their most tried-and-true tricks for any - and we do mean any - last-minute beauty or fashion emergencies.

1. Chipped Nails

According to L.A.-based manicurist Jenna Hipp, if it's minor, dab a touch of rubbing alcohol directly on the area to remove oils, then follow with a spot of matching color over the chip. Two minutes later, apply a top coat. If you're prone to post-mani chips, Hipp recommends trying a nude shade that mimics skin (like HIPPxRGB Nail Foundation Nail Lacquer, $16) so it's less visible. "Steer clear of metallic and matte finishes that tend to accentuate imperfections and are harder to cover up."

2. Broken Heel

Unless you have some serious secret cobbling skills, fixing a broken heel requires professional attention. "Depending on the severity, an emergency tube of ShoeGoo can be a temporary solution," says Chassie Post, lifestyle editor at Gilt.com in NYC. "Otherwise, the stilettos have to come off." She always tucks a pair

Marie ClaireLanding a job these days is more competitive than ever - so don't let questionable beauty choices lower your chances of acing your interview! As a general rule, it's a great idea to dial down your everyday look just a bit. Try classic, sophisticated makeup and hairstyles instead of overtly sexy, aggressively trendy or bordering-on-gauche looks. (Tacky chic nails are cute for girls' night out - not so much when trying to charm a Deutsche Bank exec.). Here, our top ten tips for looking your professional best on the interview.

Smooth Move
You might be articulate and interesting, but if your lips are chapped and flaking, no one's listening! Make sure you exfoliate lips the night before with a dry skin-sloughing scrub like Bliss Fabulips Sugar Lip Scrub ($18). This luxurious exfoliator moisturizes while gently removing dead skin.

Dew You 



The last thing you want to look is tired, especially if you stayed up late preparing for the interview. Josie Maran Argan Color Stick in Rosey ($22)

Marie ClaireStarting a record collection has never been easier, thanks to online shopping and sites like eBay and Craigslist. Sure, browsing through vinyl records in your pajamas is easy, but it's also the best way to miss out on some gems - and, since you don't have the chance to listen before buying, it's often the musical equivalent of buying a "designer" bag out of the trunk of a car. But where do you begin? Read on for the seven steps to starting a record collection from scratch:

1. Start at home. Before we ask you to start browsing offline, you need to do your research. Start with books like Vinyl Junkies: Adventures in Record Collecting by Brett Milano and Goldmine Record Album Price Guide by Tim Neely.

2. Head to the local record stores. Give local record and music stores a call before heading out and explain that you'd like to start a record collection. Employees of these stores tend to be music buffs and will likely jump at the chance to give you advice and help you out - but some