July is the month of extremes in beauty reality. On the one hand, we're inundated with images of perfectly tanned, toned, flawless women cavorting on beaches. On the other hand, there's ... the rest of us. We sweat. Our makeup melts. Don't even get me started on the hair. And I shudder to think of the actual amount of time I spend slathering myself in SPF.
Doctors in Great Britain say they've developed "groundbreaking new procedures" that would allow three-parent fertility treatments to parents who want to prevent passing incurable inherited conditions (think: brain disorders, blindness, muscular dystrophy and heart problems) on to their children. The process, which removes faulty mitochondrial DNA from the mother's genetic makeup, involves genes from the mother, father and a female donor. Source
It's been six months since you made those ambitious new years resolutions and if you're anything like us, you haven't given them a thought since you packed away the faux-grass after Easter. With demanding work schedules and the stress that comes with every day life, it can be easy to catch the "half-way blues" -- the feeling you get at the mid-point in the year when you're in need of a kick-start to get back on track for a healthy and happy life. Thankfully, the summer season can be just the kick-start you need.
We all have those moments. Your boss asks you to come in on a Saturday, your car decides not to start, or maybe you dribble coffee all over your favorite shirt. Next thing you know, a wave of emotion is welling up inside you -- anger, sadness, frustration, anxiety. In the heat of the moment, you want to yell, throw the nearest handy object, or just break down and cry. It can be difficult to deal with those strong emotions in a healthy, pro-active way.
The Westboro Baptist Church cannons are now aimed at "bed-hopping" Taylor Swift and they plan to take action by crashing the singer's August 3rd concert in Kansas City, Missouri. In press release about the protest, Ben Phelps, the leader of the extremist group, called Swift "the whoring face of doomed America." We have a feeling the Westboro protestors have zero clue about what they're getting into with crazed T Swift fans of the world -- this could be the confrontation of the year. Source
We have a bit of catching up to do: a study commissioned by Toni&Guy surveyed 2,000 women and found that women between ages 15 and 65 will have an average of 100 different haircuts and 50 different hair colors in their lifetime. Source
Scary but true: nearly half of women in the UK admit to putting on makeup while driving, resulting in about 450,000 accidents per year, according to insurer estimates. Most say they only apply at traffic lights or while they're stuck in traffic (yeah, right). What's really worrisome? About 43 percent say they do it even though they know it's dangerous.
Sharapova cashing in on her sweet tooth
Most athletes go the healthy/sporty route for product endorsements and launches, so we're a bit surprised that tennis phenom Maria Sharapova released a line of sugar-laden candies. The line includes gummy lips, sour chews, and fruit-flavored gumballs in the shape of tennis balls. Source
Nevermind your sparkling wit and intelligence -- if we're to believe a new study on the fickle nature of men and how they choose a mate, your face shape may determine whether or not you're considered marriage material (versus a fun fling). And here's the kicker: if you're ugly, these guys say they're more likely to put a ring on it.
Not a day goes by without news of some crazy new gluten-free product on the market, but this one has us tweeting: birdseed. Yes, birdseed. A new gluten-free variety of canary seed was re-engineered for human consumption and researchers found the seeds contain more protein and are richer in nutrients compared to other cereals. The seed can also be ground into flour and used in breads, cookies, cakes and other products. (Source)
Sure, we eat, breathe, and sleep health and beauty, but that doesn't mean we're absolutely perfect when it comes to our own personal habits. Exhibit A: We asked the question 'What's your worst, most shameful beauty habit?' in a meeting today, just for kicks. After a good minute-long pause -- everyone looking around guiltily, because no one wanted to 'fess up at first -- the truth came out ... and it was cringe-worthy. But after the giggling and looks of utter disgust subsided, it felt kinda cathartic to let these secrets out of the beauty closet. So of course, the next natural step is to share our nasty bad habits with you in a slideshow. We're withholding names to protect the innocent (and, okay, the gnarly).
When you think about prepping for summer, do you immediately imagine countless days in the gym? Or perhaps you daydream about hours of sundress shopping? While slimming down for bikini season and refreshing your wardrobe are essential hits on your summer "To Do" list, there are others that are just as important: beauty treatments. Why? Well, no matter how fab your abs are or how chic your two-piece looks, it will be all for nothing if paired with, say, furry, pale legs.
Naomi Watts was cast as the beloved Princess Diana in a film that documents the eventful but tragic last two years of her life. Watts said she was terrified to take on this role for fear of not doing the "people's princess" justice, but we are blown away by her spot-on portrayal of Diana's iconic image.
Public Service Announcements are designed to raise awareness on important issues and spark change. These PSAs definitely win on the "getting our attention" front, but will they inspire change, or just heated debate on their appropriateness? Take a look and weigh in.
Jessica Alba is like the kind-hearted, down-to-earth sister to Gwyneth Paltrow. They're both passionate about creating eco-friendly, healthy-living companies (the Honest Co and Goop, respectively) but for some reason Jessica is just more ... well, likeable. While I join in on the eye-rolling at Gwyneth's holier-than-thou perfection, I find myself drawn to Jessica's more grounded advice.
Summer is a time of beauty necessities. You need to buy new sunscreen. (Check out some of our favorite SPFs here.) You probably also need to buy self-tanner. (We've got suggestions on that front, too.)
