Blog Posts by Allure Magazine

Courtesy of SephoraHannah Morrill, Allure magazine

There are sanguine people who suggest that, when facing the dog days of summer, you merely stop worrying about things you cannot control and embrace your frizz. No doubt, there people were born with Gisele-like hair, live in Scottsdale, or have standing blowout appointments. We are not those people.

Here's the deal: "When hair is dry or damaged-which can occur from chemical processing or excessive heat styling-it becomes porous, allowing humidity to swell the shaft open," explains cosmetic chemist Jim Hammer. There are solutions that can keep your fine hair from doubling in size, which we're going to share-because we keep it real (and frizz free).

See more: Top 21 Drugstore Beauty Bargains

WASH INFREQUENTLY-every other day for dine or oily hair, twice a week for dry hair-with a smoothing, sulfate-free shampoo, which won't strip away the oils your scalp naturally produces to curb frizz, advises Hammer. (You can still condition on days when you don't

Courtesy of folica.comHannah Morrill, Allure magazine

There are sanguine people who suggest that, when facing the dog days of summer, you merely stop worrying about things you cannot control and embrace your frizz. No doubt, there people were born with Gisele-like hair, live in Scottsdale, or have standing blowout appointments. We are not those people.

Here's the deal: "When hair is dry or damaged-which can occur from chemical processing or excessive heat styling-it becomes porous, allowing humidity to swell the shaft open," explains cosmetic chemist Jim Hammer. There are solutions that can keep your fine hair from doubling in size, which we're going to share-because we keep it real (and frizz free).

See more: Top 21 Drugstore Beauty Bargains

- Sulfate-free shampoos are ideal for dry or colored hair: Pureology Super Smooth Shampoo is also wax-free and won't make straight hair look stringy. The shea butter in Ouidad Climate Control Defrizzing Shampoo Sulfate-Free is ideal for coarse and curly hair.

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See more from Allure:
The Top 14 New Summer Hair Ideas
The 12 Best Eye Creams
2012 Readers' Choice Awards
10 Hairstyles That Make You Look 10 Years Younger

Anne-Marie Guarnieri, Allure magazine

Listen to the average pop song, and you'd think a well-timed stare across the dance floor is all it takes for a night of passion. Those lyrics aren't far off: Your body sends a powerful message about your intentions, and you can actually master the right moves. Work a few simple gestures into your repertoire, and you could write your own slow jam-or at least make the right kind of first impression.

Draw Them In
A smile is the quickest way to put someone at ease. "It is the expression that the human brain prefers," says Carol Kinsey Goman, author of The Silent Language of Leaders (Jossey-Bass). "We look for smiles, and we can spot them a football field away." People instinctively mimic a smile when they see one, and that in turn affects their emotional state. "Smile at someone, and when they smile back, they actually start to feel better about themselves-and about you," says Goman. One catch: This only works with a "real" smile. "The

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1. Cranking up the heat-all the way: "You don't need 450 degrees," says hairstylist Nathaniel Hawkins; "410 works for every hair type.

See more: The 6 Most Flattering Haircuts for Round Faces

2. Forgetting protection: "Not enough people use thermal protectors," says hairstylist Matt Fugate. Look for a no-hold formula, like Suave Professionals Heat Protection Spray or Tresemme Heat Tamer Protective Spray.

See more: The 10 Commandments of Mascara

3. Running over (and over and over): Get hair as straight as possible before ironing by stretching out each section with a brush. Then slide the iron slowly and steadily in a single pass. "Don't stop and go, or you'll get horizontal lines," says hairstylist Garren.

4. Going board-straight: Instead of ironing hair straight, parallel to your face, move your arm in a C shape as you proceed down the hair, and bend the ends under.

See more: Top 21 Drugstore Beauty Bargains

5. Ironing damp hair: If you hear a sizzling sound or see

Catherine Q. O'Neill, Allure magazine

Stereotypes aside, blondes can be pretty high-maintenance. Toners, touch-ups, and deep-conditioning treatments are all musts if you're going for the gold. Here's how to get (and keep) the blonde hair color you want.

See more from Allure:
The Top 14 New Summer Hair Ideas
The 12 Best Eye Creams
2012 Readers' Choice Awards
10 Hairstyles That Make You Look 10 Years Younger

See more from Allure:
The Top 14 New Summer Hair Ideas
The 12 Best Eye Creams
2012 Readers' Choice Awards
10 Hairstyles That Make You Look 10 Years Younger

Danielle Pergament, Allure magazine

An interview with Molly R. Stern, a Los Angeles-based makeup artist who has worked with Reese Witherspoon, Zooey Deschanel, and Kirsten Dunst.

The secret to keeping your eye makeup from smearing and fading is layering products. But don't forget that just a bit of smudging and creasing makes your shadow look sexy and lived in.

See more: The 10 Commandments of Mascara

Build your base. For a long time, I thought primers were a waste of money, but then I tried the Nars ones-and they're amazing. A coat of your regular concealer will work almost as well, but don't use foundation on your eyelids; it's too moist, and your shadow will slip right off.

See more: Top 21 Drugstore Beauty Bargains

Add cream. Apply a thin layer of cream shadow; it gives powder something to adhere to. It's like putting on lip liner before lipstick. Choose a color that's close to your natural skin tone, and any eye shadow will work over it; or, if you want a very pigmented look,