freckles

Today photographer Reto Caduff releases Freckles ($69), a photo book featuring an assemblage of freckled beauties. Caduff was inspired to create the publication because speckled visages are rarely seen in magazines and media today; models with freckles are often covered with makeup or altered digitally to erase their most distinctive (and visually alluring) feature. Get a sneak peek of the striking images at freckledbeauties.com. But hurry and grab your limited-edition copy, as only 500 books have been printed. And to all those childhood bullies who called you freckle-face or spot: who's laughing at your uniquely freckled face now?

Photo courtesy of Reto Caduff

Part of a celebrity's job is to participate in interviews, and lucky for us, that means juicy quotes galore. I gathered together a few of our favorite celebrity quizzes based on things stars have divulged in topics relating to beauty. From lipstick to acne to plastic surgery and even freckles, can you guess who said what?

Whose Thinking Behind Their Inking?	< Can You Match the Plastic Surgery Quote to the Star?	Who Talked About Their Perfume Philosophy?
Can You Guess the Celebrity Freckle Quotes?	When It Comes to Lipstick, Who Said What?	Who Revealed Details About Acne Struggles?

In the Renaissance and onward well into the 19th century, women used lead-based makeup to keep their skin fair and youthful looking. Sadly, lead poisoning was common. While most of us assume our beauty products have evolved since then, that's not always the case. There've been plenty of studies showing evidence of lead still present in lipstick, and now a Chicago Tribune investigation found mercury in six of the 50 lightening creams it tested. The levels were high enough, in fact, to cause kidney damage, even though using mercury in cosmetics has long been illegal in the US. On top of that, mercury is easily absorbed through the skin, making it particularly dangerous when used in cosmetics. I'm not a big fan of lightening creams in general, because I think the skin you were born with is beautiful as it is. I do understand, though, that some people use creams to even skin tone or get rid of hyperpigmentation, age spots, and sometimes freckles. However, there are also plenty of other options available — like kojic acid and alpha hydroxy acid, for example. According to the article, lightening product sales are projected to reach $76 million annually by 2015, so it's obvious they're here to stay. What are your thoughts? Do you use lightening products, and if so, how closely do you check the label?

It's clearer than ever that tanning beds are dangerous and carcinogenic, but that apparently isn't stopping the people who are most vulnerable to skin cancer from using them — at least in the UK. The British Association of Dermatologists conducted a study and found that redheads and other pale, freckled people were the most likely to use tanning beds, even though they're at much, much higher risk of developing skin cancer already and almost never actually get a tan. So in lieu of prematurely aging yourself and damaging your skin, slather on wide-spectrum sunscreen and stick with the self-tanner instead.

Or, better yet, start trying to love the skin you were born with. This Bella grew up extra pale in a place where everyone else was golden brown, so I know how it feels. But for your health and psychological well-being, eventually you have to accept yourself and realize that other people's ignorance is their problem and that every skin tone is equally beautiful. That's just my two cents, but what do you think?