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The 9 Most Perfect Red Nail Polishes

Allure — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 11:35:00 PST

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Sure, trendy manicures are fun. But not everyone works in an office where mint green fingertips are gonna fly. For a classic manicure that still grabs attention, there's nothing quite like red. We put dozens of fiery polishes to the test, and these are the ones we'll be wearing:

Downton Abbey Beauty: No Mascara, Please, We're Edwardians

Allure — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 03:05:00 PST

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Fans of the PBS blockbuster Downton Abbey don't need us to tell them that season two has arrived, ending a painfully long wait for the return of the period drama set in a spectacular English country house stuffed with spoiled aristos and scheming servants. How ever did we survive? One bright spot was the video parody that appeared on YouTube with Joanna Lumley, of Absolutely Fabulous fame, playing an Edwardian housekeeper with Sephora tastes.

"Is that lipstick you're wearing?," a butler asks disapprovingly.

"Just a bit of gloss," replies Lumley. "Her ladyship doesn't mind."

The joke left us wondering what the Crawley sisters of Downton might actually have have in their medicine cabinets; or rather at the mirrored vanities where they seem to linger for hours, as a loyal maid brushes out their hair and listens to their secrets. That part, as it happens, has the ring of truth: Edwardian ladies never (no, never) cut their hair, according to makeup artists who work on the show, which has an on-set historian to police every gesture and costume. Find out what they had to say about Edwardian beauty now.

3 Rules For Great Skin

Allure — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 06:00:48 PST

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To start the new year off right, vow to stick to these three simple rules.

Wear SPF daily (and not just in the summer). People tend to apply sunscreen on days when they're in the sun most, but that strategy won't cut it, says Ranella Hirsch, a dermatologist in Boston. "You're not getting the bulk of your sun from that one day; you're actually getting about 85 percent of your sun just driving your car, walking to the subway, and sitting at your desk [if you're near a window]," she says. "Find a way to make applying sunscreen easy on yourself." Instead of adding a new step to their routine, Hirsch advises her patients to trade in basic moisturizer for one with SPF, such as Neutrogena Healthy Defense Daily Moisturizer SPF 50, and to apply once in the morning and then again if they've been sweating. Look for moisturizers with SPF 30 or higher.

Don't neglect your hands. Nothing gives away your age quite like they can—but you don't need to work too hard to help prevent the signs of aging. Simply rub the same moisturizer and anti-aging formulas that you use on your face on your hands. "Patients are used to being you told you need 14 products for morning, and 14 for night," says Hirsch. "But make it simple. If you're doing it on your face, just do it on your hands."

Take off your makeup before bed. After a long day, that's easier said then done—and it's okay to give yourself a little bit of leeway, says Heidi Waldorf, associate clinical professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City. "If you went to the gym or a party and have been sweating while wearing makeup, that's when it's most important [to remove it at night]," she says. If you're feeling lazy, use a makeup remover wipe—it's almost as good as washing your face with water, and a vast improvement over hitting the hay with a dirty face. Try Pond's Evening Soothe Wet Cleansing Towelettes with Chamomile & White Tea.

Makeup Ideas: Nighttime Eyes

Allure — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 04:13:09 PST

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If you spend most of the year wearing safe nudes or neutrals, a New Year's Eve bash is the perfect moment to throw caution (like confetti) to the wind. Here, a few last-minute tips on how to get eyes worthy of a year-end finale.

Add some shimmer. Look for metallic versions of your favorite shades. "That's always going to be a winner, no matter what the trends are," says makeup artist Gucci Westman. "Metallic burgundy, metallic chocolate, and a metallic pearly highlighter, those are really nice staples to have."

Think rich, saturated colors. "I'm really into gorgeous emerald green shadows paired with chocolate brown, gray, or black," Westman says. If bold colors make you nervous, draw a gutsy shadow along your lash line, rather than sweep it over your lids. It's a less intense way to try out adventurous shades.

Try a shimmery smoky eye. Makeup artist Romy Soleimani suggests rimming your top lids with a black gel liner, then drawing over it with a shimmery shadow to increase its longevity. "Even if the shadow on top fades throughout the night, the liner will stay," she says.

Tanning Beds Cause More Than One Type of Skin Cancer

Allure — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 02:01:06 PST

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A new Yale study has found that tanning beds cause increased rates of early-onset basal cell carcinoma, the most common skin cancer. Tanning bed use increased the rates of BCC by 69 percent. This follows a University of Minnesota study that found that tanning bed users were 74 percent more likely to develop melanoma, the most deadly skin cancer. So it's not really a matter of whether you'll get cancer from using a tanning bed, but more like, "Which cancer will you get?"

Now, the results of these studies come as no surprise to anyone who has read beauty news in the last decade. So what I find shocking is that scientists are able to find people who still use a tanning bed. Seriously, who is STILL DOING THIS? Being pale is not that bad (trust me, I know first hand). And with self-tanners and spray-tans, there are better ways to get the glow. Yet, the World Health Organization estimates that 30 million Americans still use indoor tanning beds.

Have you ever used indoor tanning? And if you still go tanning, I'd love to hear why.

What to Do if You Hate Your New Haircut

Allure — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 04:03:20 PST

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After countless forgettable trims, I finally worked up the courage the to get an actual haircut this past weekend. I walked into my salon with long waves and walked out with choppy layers, wispy bangs, and tears welling up in my eyes. (I did manage to wait until my train ride home before letting the waterworks flow.) Rather than give in to the urge to shave my head like Britney circa 2007, I asked Ruben Colon, stylist at Sally Hershberger Downtown what to do when you hate your new cut.

Wait it out. Not sure if “hate” is too strong a word? You have more time than you think to let the salon know. Colon recommends clients wait at least a week or two to see if they like the cut-this gives you a chance to wash and style your hair on your own. “Clients usually go into shock, it takes that much time to settle down with the hair and see how it feels to live with it.”

See more tips.

Would You Ever Use a Shaving Brush?

Allure — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 10:00:04 PDT

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I recently discovered eShave, a luxury brand dedicated to scraping the whiskers off men's faces in style. And while their shaving creams are impressively thick and the razors artfully sculpted, the product that really got my heart racing was—of all things—a classic shaving brush.

I have always been fascinated by these sophisticated throwbacks, also known as badger brushes, probably because they're about as far as you can get from the unglamorous, clunky can of shaving cream and pink disposable razor. But when I told the brand’s founder I had never tried one before, she sent me this sexy little black number immediately, swearing that plenty of women are ordering them for themselves.

Following her instructions, I dipped the brush into a jar of the almond-scented shaving cream and lathered up my legs. I was relieved to find the brush felt soft against my skin, nothing like I expected from the porcupine-looking bristles. The brush produced a rich, dense lather that left me smooth, without my usual bumpy patches. I have no idea if it really does exfoliates your skin to prevent irritation and ingrown hairs, as the company promises, but it definitely gave me a closer shave. Although it takes a few extra minutes the shower (I normally use a razor with a built-in block of shaving cream), I'm now hooked on this most traditional male of all beauty products. What do you think—would you ever try a badger brush or any other “boys only” beauty products?

Ashley Greene Compares Herself to Jennifer Aniston in Alluring New Interview

Katie Henry — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 02:14:00 PDT

Ashley Greene gets sassy throwing a drink in the face of a male model for the November issue of Allure. Ashley also broke from her usual brunette locks and modeled blonder hair on the cover - click to see more photos of Ashley's style timeline. Ashley and her Twilight costar Kristen Stewart are peppering the newsstands with sexy new covers leading up to their Nov. 18 release of Breaking Dawn: Part I. Kristen admitted to being in a relationship with Robert Pattinson in a recent GQ UK interview and Ashley also talks candidly about dating, her nude photo scandal, and even comparing her rumored feud with Demi Lovato to the overblown love triangle stories about Jennifer Aniston and Angelina Jolie. Here's more of what Ashley had to say:

Ashley on landing the role of Alice and not Bella: "I think that the casting was so spot-on, especially between Rob and Kristen. . .Dude, I just got lucky on all fronts, because not only am I in Twilight, but the character’s just so damn lovable."
Ashley on Rob: "Rob. Oh, Rob. He’s very endearing, but you’ve seen his interviews. He’s like, 'Ah, I don’t know.... Oh, God.'"
Ashley on guys: "I go through stages. Randomly, I’ll be attracted to a crazy rocker with tattoos. And I find that I’m extremely attracted to ambition and wit. If it was appropriate to date Michael Sheen, I would, but he and his girl- friend [Rachel McAdams] are so cute."
Ashley on her rumored feud with Demi Lovato: "I’m really happy that she’s doing well. She and I never had a problem with each other, but, you know, it doesn’t go away...Jen Aniston still gets asked about Angelina Jolie."
Ashley on her nude photos: "One of my family members said to me, 'Ashley, everyone does it. You’re just famous.'"
Ashley on her first few months in Hollywood: "I was out until 2 a.m., and I was gaining weight, it wasn’t anything crazy, but there was a certain point when I realized I wasn’t booking. I was photographed coming out of clubs a lot, and my mom made a comment like, 'Wow, is that really what you want to be known for?'"

Is Surgical Enhancement a Credibility Killer?

Allure — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 10:03:52 PDT

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During London fashion week, I kept reading about "Video Games," a song by Lana Del Rey that was used in a few shows, most notably at Christopher Kane. And since fashion show soundtracks often foretell what the rest of the world will soon be listening to, I Googled the song and discovered "Video Games" to be a supremely lovely, haunting, tune with a visually intriguing video. (Listen/watch here; the single is out now.)

What I also discovered is an intense distaste/distrust for its singer, Del Rey—stemming at least in part from the fact that she looks like she's had cosmetic work done since her earlier days as a clean-faced pop singer named Lizzie Grant. Fans and music press report that she appears to have had a lip augmentation, among other changes, that make her look decidedly more sexed-up than her former self. nymag.com, Village Voice, and Gawker all ran stories that made mention of Del Rey's "cosmeceutical decisions" and whether her augmented appearance negated her musical credibility.

Female musicians altering their looks with makeup or surgery is a tale older than Madonna. Nicki Minaj and Lady Gaga are living cartoons, thanks to near constant (and outrageous) makeup and hair modifications. Rihanna, Beyoncé, Katy Perry—they all tweak their looks on a regular basis. But none of that changes how I feel about their music. So why are people giving Lana Del Rey such a hard time?

Do obvious or drastic changes in appearance make you question a performer's authenticity? Or is it just part of the business?

Would You Print Your Favorite Magazines at Home?

Kristy Korcz — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 12:19:25 PDT

HP and Condé Nast are teaming up for a new initiative to fight declining sales: print your own magazines at home. The digital service, which will require an HP web-connected printer, delivers subscription magazines like Wired, Allure, and Glamour straight to your printer for instant printing whenever you want. Additionally, HP is rolling out an Instant Ink service, which automatically delivers ink to your home each month (in place of that magazine that used to get delivered to your mailbox) for prices ranging from $6 to $11 per month.

The downside to these programs? You'll spend way more on paper and ink than you would have for a yearly subscription to all of those magazines combined.

Would you print your own magazines at home instead of subscribing to them the "old fashioned" way?