We live in the infomercial era. As vulnerable consumers, we are lead to believe that something is wrong with us if we don't resemble a celebrity or supermodel, but that there is something we can buy to fix whatever is "wrong" with us. And worldwide, there are probably over 10,000 skin care companies trying to convince us that we need a different cream for each body part — from our pinky toes to our upper lip. But hey, we're not saying these skin care products are total hogwash and that you should stop using them stat, we're just saying that less really is more, and if you want to keep it simple, you can by ditching superfluous products and just using a few key items.

How can beauty products change your life? Well, that's a very astute question, and we're so glad you asked. Perhaps a lipstick or a face cream can't alter the fate of the universe or lead you down some divine path to righteousness, but most women agree that a-ha moments (as Oprah calls them) do occur with certain products. Those instances where you realize life would be a little harder if your favorite scrub/concealer/eye cream didn't exist.

Long hair? Don't care. If you're thinking about getting a short haircut (or already have), we've found the best short haircuts and short hairstyles for 2013

With the explosion of reality TV and the popularity of gossip sites and magazines exploiting "stars" like Kate Gosselin or Kim Kardashian, we all have an undeniable fascination with real people. So this year at New York Fashion Week, we thought that instead of showing off beauty trends seen on models, we'd share our favorite hair and makeup looks seen on real women.

It's a weeknight at 2am and you can't sleep. You turn on the TV and see commercials for random beauty products that do everything from "remove calluses" to "automatically tweeze your 'stache." They always claim to be miracles, and they never cease to amuse.