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Want a Nose Job? You Might Have Body Dysmorphic Disorder

Miriam Lacey — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 11:36:10 PDT

A new study in the August 2011 issue of journal Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery found that 33 percent of patients seeking rhinoplasty showed moderate to severe symptoms of body dysmorphic disorder. BDD is a common psychological illness in which patients don't see their bodies or aspects of their appearance as they really are, and it plays a significant factor in many eating disorders and body image issues generally. Which is why it's both alarming and unsurprising to find such a high incidence of the disease in nose-job seekers. Keep reading to see more about the study's findings.

The UK Won't Allow "Excessive" Airbrushing in Makeup Ads

Miriam Lacey — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 11:10:00 PDT

The large amounts of Photoshop used in makeup advertisements has long been a hot-button issue in the UK, and this week the nation's Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) handed down a strict judgment against two L'Oréal foundation ads. "If advertisers go too far in using airbrushing and other post-production techniques to alter the appearance of models and it's likely to mislead people, then that's wrong and we'll stop the ads," said Guy Parker, the ASA's chief executive.

The ASA ruled that both ads depicted the models (Julia Roberts for Lancôme and Christy Turlington for Maybelline) with skin altered in a way that the products could never actually achieve. But do you think airbrushing like this is really harmful? Refer to Julia Roberts's ad up top, and keep reading to see the banned Christy Turlington ad.

Sephora Is Opening Nail Service Bars in Its Stores

Miriam Lacey — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 13:25:00 PDT

If you're always bemoaning the lack of trendy colors at your nail salon, consider getting your nails done at Sephora. Starting July 25, locations in New York and San Francisco will have an in-store Sephora Nail Studio Art + Lacquer Services with more locations to roll out by the end of 2011. Manicures and nail art will be offered using the latest colors from Sephora by OPI, Illamasqua, Dior, Nars, Nails Inc. London, Perfect Formula, and Sephora Collection, so the shades should be both pretty and fashion forward.

Sephora is partnering with XpresSpa, the nail and massage/facial place you've probably seen in airports, in this venture, so services should have a quick turnaround time, too. Will you be checking it out?

Bieber Breaks Beauty Sales Records Once Again With His Someday Perfume

Jaime Richards — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 10:15:00 PDT

He shattered sales records with his Nicole by OPI nail polish line, so it's no surprise that Justin Bieber is breaking records for his first prestige fragrance launch, Someday. In fact, Someday has grossed more than $3 million in sales at Macy's in just under three weeks, which is prompting industry experts to call it the most successful celebrity scent launch ever.

"If it sustains this momentum, it will become the number-one-selling fragrance of 2011," Karen Grant of market research firm The NPD Group told WWD. And with a commercial featuring Justin in a gravity-free NASA training jet set to debut on Black Friday, one can only imagine what kinds of sales the fruity gourmand scent will net for the holiday season. Have you checked out Someday yet?

Creepy or Cool? Illamasqua Launches Funeral Makeup Service

Miriam Lacey — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 10:20:00 PDT

If you dread the idea of going into the afterlife without perfect eyeliner, makeup brand Illamasqua will now let you plan out the makeup you want to wear at your own funeral. "To wear the most fabulous makeup applied by a professionally trained makeup artist for your final journey is the ultimate statement of celebration," according to the company's blog, and they're billing the service as "the final act of self-expression."

Leaving a beautiful corpse will cost you about $800, and you'll have to choose Leverton & Sons in the London area as your funeral home, since Illamasqua is providing the service in collaboration with those specific undertakers. Some women won't leave home without their "face" on, but do you think the people who are mourning you will really care if your eye shadow isn't perfectly coordinated with your casket lining?

See the LED Eyewear That Lets Everyone Know How You're Feeling

Miriam Lacey — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 10:46:00 PDT

If you've ever had trouble making your feelings known to others, 21-year-old Shanghai designer Yunfan Tan has an eyewear idea just for you. His design, Magic Emotion Concept Eyewear, is a transparent band of LED-impregnated material called lightform that would make your face resemble an emoticon by displaying changing eyebrow shapes and expressions to actualize your inner thoughts.

The lightform "glasses" would read your emotions via a microdetector embedded in the specs' armature, monitoring your pulse, blood pressure, and muscle contractions. A detector small enough to put in the glasses without being noticeable isn't on the market yet, but Tan hopes one will be in the near future. If that day comes, and his Magic Emotion bands become a reality, would you be willing to wear them to get your feelings across more easily? And if you'd like an in-depth look at Tan's concept for the eyewear, just keep reading.

Mobster Moll's Love of Beauty Services Might Have Got Both Nabbed

Miriam Lacey — Thu, 23 Jun 2011 12:54:00 PDT

Mob boss Whitey Bulger and girlfriend Catherine Greig have been arrested after over 15 years on the lam, and it's possibly due to Greig's fondness for cosmetic surgery or beauty salons. The FBI had been chasing Bulger and Greig since 1995 without success, until someone in the bureau hit upon the idea of putting ads about Greig in cosmetic surgery and dental association trades. Most recently, TV spots were created about her (like the one above) and have aired during health and beauty-focused programs women who might know her would be watching.

The pair were arrested in Santa Monica, CA, on June 22, and Bulger is to be indicted on 19 counts of murder. He was on the FBI's 10 Most Wanted List for years, and it's ironic that someone known for being almost invisible may have got caught because of his companion's high-maintenance beauty habits.

How Do You Steal 75 Sticks of Deodorant? Like This

Miriam Lacey — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 11:47:30 PDT

Fort Pierce, FL, has its own deodorant-stealing "Robin Hoods" these days: shoplifters who steal huge amounts of personal care products from big chain drugstores and supermarkets to resell them at a much lower cost to mom-and-pop stores in the area. Recently, two women stole 75 sticks of Gillette and Secret deodorants from a Winn-Dixie, an amount with a total value of over $375. Apparently, some smaller stores are even soliciting people to steal this stuff, because deodorant is expensive and homegrown shops are struggling to stay afloat.

It's amazing that the women were able to get that much deodorant in their bags and then walk out of the store unnoticed, but it's also crazy and sad that things have reached a point economically where little stores are dependent on thievery for survival. What do you think about all this? And do you have any sympathy for the stores stocking these stolen products?

Julianne Moore Named Kiehl's New Global Ambassador

Jaime Richards — Wed, 18 May 2011 11:56:52 PDT

Break out the white lab coats because Julianne Moore has just been announced as one of Kiehl's new Global Ambassadors, alongside Pharrell Williams and the Scissor Sisters. She's worked with Kiehl's before, helping to design limited-edition packaging for a charitable initiative last year, and now, she'll be helping to support Kiehl's Gives, a global philanthropic initiative.

In particular, Julianne will be backing Save the Children, an organization that serves youths in need.

"There are school systems where there isn't enough money for even the basics, where there is extreme poverty. I could see this even as a kid, so when I had the chance to make a difference as an adult, it was important to me to do so," Julianne explained to WWD. Julianne, who is known for her involvement with various charities, seems to make the perfect match for the socially conscious brand. Do you agree?

Australia Is Releasing Scented Postage Stamps

Miriam Lacey — Wed, 11 May 2011 10:05:00 PDT

Want your letters to smell like koalas? Well now they can, at least if you're using Australian postage to send your post. Starting May 17, stamps that smell like aromatic eucalyptus will be available to our Aussie friends.

The stamps aren't old-fashioned scratch and sniff, though. Instead, they're made with Scentprint varnish, which contains microcapsules of eucalyptus designed to maintain their scent as long as people don't burst the bubbles by rubbing the stamps. If your country decided to start printing scented stamps, how do you think they should smell?