By Catherine Q. O'Neill, Allure magazine

When I turned 18, I was dead set on getting a tattoo. I had the brilliant idea of spelling out a Greek word on my side, but thankfully my older sister (who'd had her own experience with bilingual ink) stepped in. "Wait two years," she told me. "If you still want it after that time, get it." Sure enough, two years passed and I couldn't believe I'd ever considered a four-inch tattoo (in a language I don't even speak, by the way). My sister wasn't so lucky: It took her multiple, painful laser surgeries to remove the two Japanese symbols on her back and neck. But according to an Oxygen media poll conducted by Lightspeed Research, we're not the only girls piqued by the idea.

Related: The Best Beauty Products Under $9

59 percent of tattoos in the United States belong to women, with 68 percent attributing beauty to their motivation for getting inked-as opposed to cultural, religious, or loyalty reasons (guess we've

You're going to be slipping into flirty skirts and cute shorts soon. Don't you want to show off your sexy legs?

-PJ Gach, BettyConfidential.com

Women in shorts

During cold months, who cares if you shave your legs? Some of my friends swear that hairy legs are extra insulation against the bitter temps. If you've been wearing dark, opaque tights, no one's going to see the sprouts anyway, right?

But it's getting warmer. The seasons are changing and it's time to take your legs out of hibernation. To get your legs into tip top shape, we checked in with the shaving experts over at Pure Silk Shave Cream. They've passed along tips, tricks and the best way to shave your legs. Now it's easy to keep them soft, sexy and great looking.

1. First things first, preparation is key!

When the weather is cold, humidity levels are low, leaving skin dry and more easily irritated. In order to help prevent razor burn and shaving bumps, your best option is to prepare skin by moisturizing at least twelve

Beauty for many women is a powerful and influential aspect of their life. The demand for quality and alluring makeup styles attracts a diverse market and with it comes the need for broad advertising methods. So, what are the companies who create beauty products doing to get gussied up for their customers?

Many designers and popular makeup companies have joined the social media revolution. From Facebook to Twitter to fashion blogs, the wealth of information is connecting customers in new ways and giving them insight into their favorite brands. With growing interest in finding products through social networking, it has become apparent that beauty is big deal. This infographic by Schoenheitsklinik.de explores the intricacies of this market as it pertains to social media platforms.



Graphic Courtesy of Schoenheitsklinik.de

By Meredith Stebbins, Birchbox
Fake a Beach Tan

Just because I'm deathly afraid of the sun doesn't mean that I don't enjoy a healthy glow. Since I don't tan for real, I rely on sunless tanner all summer long to keep me looking bronzed (and from frightening anyone with my pallor while in a two-piece). But honestly, in the winter, I just can't be bothered to slather on tanner from head to toe--mainly because it's a lot of effort when the only skin I bear from November to March is my face and hands.

That's why during the colder months I swap out my blush for a bronzer, to get that sun-kissed glow. Instead of just highlighting my cheek bones like I do with my blush, I make my bronzer go the distance by drawing a large 3-shape on either side of my face.

To try this trick yourself, start with your bronzing brush at your temple, trace down to the apple of your cheek, and then back out along your jawline. The result is a remarkable look, and if done properly, you'll have everyone asking what beach vacation

By Candice Chan, Birchbox
Hunger Games Polishes
You may have noticed this before, but we're Hunger Games obsessed here in the Birchbox office and we've been sitting on pins and needles waiting for the movie's release on March 23rd. (Lest you doubt our commitment, we've already bought our boatload of tickets for a team viewing on premiere night!)

In the meantime, we're satisfying our Hunger Games addiction with the new Capitol Colors collection from China Glaze. We snagged a few of the shades from the line that's set to debut this month, and we cannot speak highly enough (or obsessively enough) about these lacquers. I'm personally in love with Riveting, a micro-glitter orange that's given my nails a fiery glow.

Hunger Games Polishes
While it looks extra-bright in the bottle, on my fingers the shade was subtly iridescent and had the perfect amount of pop. Even the darker shades, including the deep brown Mahogany Magic and the pearlescent green Agro, which appear intimidating in the bottle, look gorgeous on my hands. (All 12

I live for Monday nights, 'cause that means "The Bachelor" is on. There are so many reasons that show is wrong -- reinforcement of gender stereotypes, tacky clothing (like this), and the belief that you really can find true love on reality TV. Still, I can't help but love it.

Related: 10 Crazy Reality Show Looks

The biggest shocker of the season for me? When Bachelor Ben sent the beautiful, smart, "best-kisser in the house" redhead home. I'm sure he had a semi-good reason for it, but seeing how it came out of nowhere and she was the only redheaded contestant on the show, it immediately reinforced my belief that guys don't dig red hair.

Related: Quiz: Is Your Hair the Wrong Color

But when I mentioned this to my coworker Jane, she insisted I was all wrong. "Guys love redheads," she said. The challenge was officially on. Holding photos of Emma Stone as a redhead and a blonde, we hit up the local food trucks during the lunch rush to poll guys about what they think. (Obviously, not the

Whenever I see models strut down the runways with their impossibly long legs, wild hairstyles, and every shade of the rainbow on their eyes, I angrily shake my fist at my computer screen and curse my thunder thighs and wont for neutral makeup. But this season, there was less hand gesturing and more copying on my part.

Related: 7 New Updos Anyone Can Wear

Why? Because the latest runway looks are less bold and more natural, which not only makes them easy to copy, but also (amazingly!) flattering on non-models.

Don't believe me? I took my little Nikon to the streets to snap everyday women who not only wore the latest runway trends, but wore them well. See the 7 runway trends you need to steal now:

The Runway Trend: RED LIP AND PULLED-BACK HAIR

While both the hair and makeup at Marc by Marc Jacobs were simple and easy to wear, the combination of a deep side part and rich red lipstick might be too dramatic for some women.

THE REAL WAY

A sleek ponytail,