Blog Posts by YouBeauty.com

Is your shape normal, or a sign of an underlying issue?

Next time you're at the nail salon, take a look around you. It doesn't take a detective to notice that not all nails are created equal. No, we're not talking about the tendency for peeling or brittleness-but more to do with the shape of the nail plate itself. Some look pretty "normal," while others are short and stubby or appear to fan out. What gives?

An atypical shape may be the result of an underlying health issue, in which case it's important to seek medical intervention. But more often than not, it's the luck of the genetic draw. Luckily, the right filing tips will help you nail down the most flattering solution for your fingers.

MORE: The Truth About Gel Nails

First, a quick anatomy lesson:
1. The part of your nail you file, buff and paint is the nail plate. It's a hard structure, made up of many layers of keratin and sits atop the nail bed.
2. The uppermost, white part of the nail is the distal edge; it's comprised of old, hardened cells.
3. The bottommost

Fighting frizz is no easy task.

In my dreams, I have Gisele Bundchen's "I just woke up like this" hair-smooth, frizz-free, beachy waves that would dry perfectly in place after a dip in the ocean. No serums or flat irons or hair dryers need apply.

The reality is quite different. My hair is naturally wavy and curly, but not in the effortless, beachy sense-more like the frizzy kind that whorls and twists at the slightest hint of humidity.

MORE: The New Beach Wave

I've been fighting frizz most of my life. I grew up in Santa Monica where going to the beach as a teenager was de rigueur. That was followed by summers in my 20s spent in the Hamptons. And yet I rarely dipped my head under the ocean's waves or in pools on either coast because of the frizz fest that would ensue if I dared to air dry my hair. It feels silly saying that now, but it's the truth.

I even remember years ago, after a late night swim with my then boyfriend, I actually waited until he had fallen asleep so I could go into the bathroom to blow

Is monotony really the answer?

You already know that eating a varied diet, rich in colorful fruits and vegetables, is the key to optimal health, but when it comes to weight loss, science has proven a case for monotony.

MORE: Bust Out of Your Fruit and Vegetable Rut

Researchers at the University of Buffalo and the University of Vermont found that when offered the same meal every day for a week (aka a "mono-lunch"), people consumed about 125 fewer calories on the fifth day than they did on day one. Interestingly, study subjects who switched up their meals consumed 45 calories more at the end of the week. "While it's absolutely true that eating a variety of foods is the best way to meet all your nutritional needs, the mono-diet may be logical for people who get overwhelmed by food options and fall back on familiar, unhealthy choices," says Bonnie Taub-Dix, R.D., author of "Read It Before You Eat It." "As long as the mono-meal is balanced and healthy, and you like routine and structure, eating the same meal

Stop those annoying twitches for good.

We Asked: Michelle Yagoda, M.D., a New York-based doctor trained in both facial plastic surgery and otolaryngology (ear, nose and throat).

The Answer: It's happened to most people at least once: that annoying sensation that your eyelid is twitching and you can't make it stop.

MORE: Foods that Moisturize Dry Eyes

What's happening is that the circular muscle that surrounds your eye is getting stimulation from the nerve that connects it to your brain. But instead of the normal firing that leads to a blink, it's firing so rapidly that the lid (upper or lower) doesn't have time to close all the way.

MORE: Keep Your Eyes Safe From the Sun

Doctors don't know what causes the spasms exactly, but there are some known triggers. Stress and exhaustion are commonly associated with those tiny twitches. (If you're wondering: They're so small that they're practically imperceptible to anyone else.) Anything that strains your eyes can be a culprit, which can include vision problems (i.e.

Time to put an end to all the tossing and turning.

Although nightmares are more commonly seen in children, at least half of adults have occasional nightmares. In fact, between 2 and 8 percent of adults frequently suffer from nightmares.

What are Nightmares?
Nightmares are vivid, disturbing dreams that typically awaken you from sleep. They most commonly occur during REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep, a time when your brain works hard at processing emotions, memories and cognition. Although we dream in other stages of sleep, most dreaming tends to take place during REM sleep. We also stay in REM sleep longer as the night progresses, leading to more nightmares occurring in the last third of the night.

MORE: Sleep Comfortably in the Hottest Weather

Nightmares are different from night terrors. Night terrors tend to occur in the first third of the night and the patient awakens with a scream and look of fear. However, the patient typically has very little to no recollection of the event and what may have provoked it. Nightmares, on

There's a reason you crave the sweet stuff.

When a person does cocaine it creates a surge of pleasure molecules in the brain, including serotonin and dopamine, or decreases their inactivation. Stay with us, here. It both creates a rush of molecules and blocks their degradation-two things that boost their effects. These cause a pleasure rush in you, at least until your brain receptors get used to it. Many get addicted to this rush and seek out the drug whenever, wherever they can. You would then seek more to overcome your brain receptors getting to use to the rush. Cocaine is not the only substance that does this. And, no, we're not talking about other hard drugs. We're talking about something you've probably put into your body already today: simple sugars and their equivalent, simple or added syrups.

QUIZ: Do You Have a Healthy Relationship with Food?

Eating sugar makes you feel good by stimulating the release of serotonin and dopamine in your brain and the reduction in their degradation. But when it wears off, you crash

You might think it's helping, but experts say otherwise.

If you are like 85 percent of the population, you know all too well just how much of a drag pimples can be.

Acne is the most common skin disorder in the U.S., affecting 40 to 50 million Americans every year. As a nation, we spend billions on acne treatments annually. And when creams, facials, peels, spot treatments, masks and even prescriptions fail, we are tempted to try just about anything.

MORE: The Truth About the Sun and Dark Skin

So of course, when we hear the often-repeated notion that a little tanning can fix the problem, our instinct is to run outside and start soaking up some serious rays.

Well, don't. It's a common myth that sun will help improve acne. "Sun exposure can actually make breakouts worse in some people who are prone to acne" says dermatologist Doris Day.

Many people believe that the sun clears skin, but what they're seeing is the tan darkening the skin around pimples, thus making them stand out less. Sorry, just an illusion, folks. Sun also dries

Yes, self-control is possible, even at buffets!

Not everyone views the idea of "all you can eat" as an invitation to, well, eat all you can. According to Brian Wansink, Ph.D., director of the Food and Brand Lab at Cornell University in Ithaca, NY, some people actually manage to restrain themselves when faced with a schmorgasbord of food choices and unrestricted portion sizes.

MORE: Trick Yourself Into Eating Less

In his research, Wansink deployed a team of research assistants to surreptitiously observe the strategies people use to navigate all-you-can-eat buffets. He found that slimmer diners (those with lower BMIs) do seem to have different salad bar habits than heavier ones (those with higher BMIs).

Based on his findings, Wansink says it's possible to survive an all-you-can-eat experience without having to unbutton your pants or loosen your belt several notches. Here, he offers six strategies for watching your calorie budget at the buffet.

Survey before serving. Wansink's research discovered that heavier people have