Marie Claire articles from October 2007

Marie Claire archives from October 2007

We love our readers.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2007... We get hundreds of e-mails from you every month, and whether you're singing our praises or taking us to task your passion and your smarts never cease to impress. Here are our six favorite letters of the month (with a complimentary MC beauty bag...

Editor's note.(THE FRONT)
October 1, 2007... THE WORST JOB I EVER HAD was also one of the best. I was 24 and running the night desk at a national newspaper in Britain. I started at 6 p.m.--just as the rest of my friends were leaving their offices to go out on the town. At 3 a.m. I would...

Rebel, rebel.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2007... In "The Next Big Thing" (August 2007) Anne Hathaway, poised on the edge of superstardom, showed us her wild side. Being shocking does not make you successful, and it certainly doesn't prove you're an "artist." Note to Anne: It's not a bad...

I was thrilled to see Anne Hathaway smiling back at me from the magazine rack.(THE FRONT)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "I was thrilled to see Anne Hathaway smiling back at me from the magazine rack. Finally, a cover girl who's never been to rehab or jail, who isn't jaded, who wears underwear!" --MONIKA HORCSOG Ossining, NY

Hauteshopping.com: fashion: accessories: beauty.(THE FRONT)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Ever wish you could find all the inside shopping tips, tricks, and savings you need in one place? Wish granted. Check out our sixth annual Haute Shopping program for exclusive deals and chic steals from your favorite brands. Log on to our...

Busting through the clutter.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2007... After reading Tamara Jones's "I Grew Up in This Mess" (August 2007), children of hoarders came out of the (hard to-see-behind-all-the-clutter) woodwork My father and I are dead ringers for some of the people described, and I am afraid for...

Some pointers for the coach.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2007... In August 2007's "Cubicle Coach," our work guru suggested that when male colleagues are inappropriate, you speak to them in their own language. ("That kind of stuff doesn't bother me, but if Ms. Tight Sphincter in accruals hears it, you're...

Don't mess with Lou.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
October 1, 2007... When we referenced Lou Dobbs in "MC Bulletin" (August 2007), we didn't realize his army would mobilize (and that some of his best friends are Mexican). Lou Dobbs's views reflect those of a middle class under attack from the very government...

Feedback-o-meter.(LETTERS)(Table)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... These are the August stories that struck a chord: Offers to be sex-toy product testers 2% "The Next Big Thing" 9% "Fools Rush In" 16% "I, Fembot" 13% "Cubicle...

Behind the cover shoot: we joined Jennifer Garner at a private estate in lushly gorgeous Kauai.(ON LOCATION)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ALOHA TO ALL THAT: The crew was inspired by Hawaii. "I could have shot forever" said New York photographer Mark Abrahams. "The incredible environment suited Jennifer's natural, healthy beauty, but we also wanted to...

Show your colors: a rainbow of fall shades as free as the proverbial pot o' gold!(FREE FOR YOU NOW!)(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 20 to win! POWER COUPLE: Double up on earthy colors for eyes. Estee Lauder Signature Silky Eyeshadow Duo in Cappuccino, $25. 20 to win! THE ROCK STAR: Get down in glittery metallics. Elizabeth Arden...

Shopping: lookin' good, working girl!
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Dress smart for the office in power trousers, updated pumps, and ever-expanding handbags

What to wear for: business travel.(SHOPPING)(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Soft and crease-free does it when dressing for the plane and that first meeting straight off it! $89 Sisley; (800) 535-4491 for stores. $15,400 Cartier; (800) CARTIER $49.90 H&M; him.com for stories. $79 Nine West;...

What to wear for: the cool job.(SHOPPING)(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... No promotions for pinstripe suits in your workplace. Layer on funky textures instead Temper the season's eccentric-preppy look with slim khakis. $139 Miss Sixty; (212) 575-0315 for stories. $145 Lacoste; lacoste.com for stores ...

What to wear for: the corporate career.(SHOPPING)(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Bowl them over in the boardroom and still network at night with a sensational palette of silver, black, and blue $2195 Prada; (888) 977-1900. Power bags boast cutting-edge color techniques. $885 Blumarine; blumarine.com for stores....

Splurge vs. steal.(SHOPPING)(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Zip into a shift dress--fall's simplest essential--add a pair of pumps, and it's off to work you go $436 SPLURGE Chaiken; (888) 339-3301. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] $265 STEAL Cynthia Steffe at Saks Fifth Avenue; (800) 347-9177. ...

The perfect day-to-night dress.(SHOPPING)(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... You'll want to live in this divinely priced designer dress--and here's how! FOR THE OFFICE $145 DKNY; (800) 231-0884. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] $65 Liz Claiborne Handbags; lizclaiborne.com. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] $49.95...

How much does your bag weigh?(SHOPPING: DECONSTRUCTED)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... With the new hardware trend, and bags bigger than ever, you may be lugging more than is healthy. Experts say the ideal bag weighs 2 pounds total (they're dreaming!), and the upper limit is no more than 10 percent of your body weight--for...

Shop talk with Zoe: there's no shortage of hot stuff this month ...(SHOPPING)(Zoe Glassner)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ROLL YOUR OWN When I saw Thailand-born knit designer Koi Suwannagate's hand-sculpted rosettes strewn all over her fall line, I was pumped. "Many Asian designers refashion feminine elements," she explained. "The...

Boys scouted: major-league male models are plucked from unexpected places.(MODEL DIARIES)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... LARS BURMEISTER AS SEEN IN: Boss Black ads and as the face of Acqua di Gio DISCOVERED: By his sister--she badgered him into modeling BET YOU DIDN'T KNOW: He prefers Hamburg (his hometown) to hip fashion meccas GABRIEL AUBRY AS...

Are you ready for the crop?(FASHION ROAD TEST)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Fashion provocateurs Dolce & Gabbana sent crops down the runway as fall's new must-have accessory. Could it work in the real world? Cleo Glyde whipped up a frenzy putting it to the test in L.A. 9 A.M. STOPPING TRAFFIC ON THE BOULEVARD:...

Pump & circumstance.(10 BEST SHOES)(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... The classic office shoe with an ambitiously high heel $3250 Sergio Rossi; (212) 956-3304. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] $110 GUESS by Marciano; guess.com. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] $128 Banana Republic; bananarepublic.com. ...

Black pack.(10 BEST BAGS)(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Take one big black bag--heavy on the hardware--and show 'era how serious you are about style. If you're carrying basic black, go color crazy with fall's bright clothes and shoes. $228 Banana Republic; bananarepublic.com. ...

10 best fashion (under $100).(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Black-and-white houndstooth (now in supersize!) adds to sophisticated separates and power-red accessories. 1. BELTED TOP, $88, Kensie at The Charmed Peacock; (252) 830-2625. 2. TOP, $59, Bebe; (877) 232-3777. 3. JACKET, $98, Donna...

Celebrity fashion labels: stylish stars have been conquering the red carpet and the runway.(STAR STYLES)(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... ACCESS HOLLYWOOD's fashion guru, Ryan Patterson, and MCs style director, Cleo Glyde, pick three looks from fame-enhanced fall lines that you won't need a film deal to wear. [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] CLEO: "I love the dandy charm of this...

Mark Ruffalo may be the best actor of our generation. So when will he finally land that megastar-making role?(culture)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] THE ESSENTIAL RUFFALO You Can Count on Me (2000) We Don't Live Here Anymore (2004) Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) MARK RUFFALO'S WIFE likes to tell him he has bad taste in movies. His...

Your entertainment diet for October.(THE CULTURE PYRAMID)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A sublime schlub races to win Thandie Newton's heart in Run, Fat Boy, Run. Ear candy: James Blunt's All the Lost Souls. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] GUILTY PLEASURES (partake sparingly) [ILLUSTRATION...

The everybody-will-be-talking-about-it documentary: Lake of Fire.(Movie review)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... The everybody-will-be-talking-about-it documentary: LAKE OF FIRE Don't miss this remarkably thorough doc about one of the most contentious issues this country will ever face. Director Tony Kaye spent 15 years examining abortion in unsparing...

The Sgt. Pepper fan's mast-see: Across the Universe.(Movie review)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The Sgt. Pepper fan's mast-see: ACROSS THE UNIVERSE Director Julie Taymor (Frida and Broadway's The Lion King) uses hypersaturated visuals and an earful of Beatles songs (it sounds goofy, but trust us) to drive a...

The movie that makes the Enron guys look upstanding: Michael Clayton.(Movie review)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... The movie that makes the Enron guys look upstanding: MICHAEL CLAYTON Screenwriter Tony Gilroy (the Bourne triptych) nails his directorial debut by casting George Clooney as Michael Clayton, a big law firm's cleanup guy who fixes all the...

Blazing soul: Funk This.(Chaka Khan)(Sound recording review)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Blazing soul: FUNK THIS, CHAKA KHAN (Sony BMG/Burgundy Records) On her first release in 10 years, Khan gives us a disc full of new songs, Hendrix and Prince covers, and collabs with superstars, including her sister...

New classic rock: Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace.(Foo Fighters)(Sound recording review)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... New classic rock: ECHOES, SILENCE, PATIENCE & GRACE, FOO FIGHTERS (Roswell/RCA Records) The Foo Fighters have finally grown up! Twelve years after their first release, Dave Grohl & Co. manage to stay relevant--without turning into Foo! At the...

Ethereal punk: White Chalk.(PJ Harvey)(Sound recording review)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Ethereal punk: WHITE CHALK, PJ HARVEY (Island Records) Remember when PJ Harvey was the hardest-rocking, baddest chick out there? On her eighth effort, she still rocks but in a more ethereal way, By laying haunting vocals over driving piano...

Indie gypsy jams: The Flying Club Cup.(Sound recording review)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... Indie gypsy jams: THE FLYING CLUB CUP, BEIRUT (Ba Da Bing Records) It would be easy to sink into a slump when you're a 21-year-old kid who released a hugely successful album just out of your teens. But not if you're Zach Condon, the boy wonder...

Keeping it real with Tina Fey.(Q&A)(Interview)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Interviewing Tina Fey is sort of like interviewing Liz Lemon, which is sort of like interviewing ourselves. We watch her (Tina or Liz, take your pick) every Thursday on 30 Rock, because in the shiny, pretty world of...

Alice Sebold on writing, obsessing, and killing your mother.(Q&A)(Interview)
October 1, 2007... HOW DO YOU top a novel narrated by a murdered 14-year-old girl that sold close to 5 million copies and spent 78 weeks on the New York Times best-seller list? Write one about murdering your mother! Surprisingly sunny novelist Alice Sebold, the...

... To get a jump on your book club: Run.(Run by Ann Patchett)(Brief article)(Book review)
October 1, 2007... ... to get a jump on your book club: RUN by Ann Patchett (HarperCollins) TO SUM UP: A white Boston widower has two adopted African-American sons, one of whom nearly gets run over by an SUV before he's saved by a woman--yes, his birth mother....

... To maintain your dignity while giving in to your chick-lit urge: Smart Girls Like Me.(Smart Girls Like Me by Diane Vadino)(Brief article)(Book review)
October 1, 2007... ... to maintain your dignity while giving in to your chick-lit urge: SMART GIRLS LIKE ME by Diane Vadino (St. Martin's) TO SUM UP: Acerbic, self-deprecating Betsy is disgusted with her best friend's mega-wedding, is terrified of Y2K (it's...

... To get a peek into your grandfather's pathology: Exit Ghost.(Exit Ghost by Philip Roth)(Brief article)(Book review)
October 1, 2007... ... to get a peek into your grandfather's pathology: EXIT GHOST by Philip Roth (Houghton Mifflin) TO SUM UP: Reclusive septuagenarian Nathan Zuckerman heads to New York where he struggles against aging, "progress," and a wild infatuation with a...

A short history of the vice presidency: with election season looming, how important is the running mate? Check out our VP power scale!(MC BULLETIN: CELEBS, TRENDS, THE STATE OF THE UNION ... BEHOLD, YOUR WATERCOOLER CHEAT SHEET)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] JOHN TYLER (WHIG), 1841 BOSS: William Henry Harrison POWER INDEX: A 19th-century James Bond villain ACHIEVEMENTS: Successfully argued that he should become president after his boss died--not just" acting president"...

Wild stories.(MC BULLETIN: CELEBS, TRENDS, THE STATE OF THE UNION ... BEHOLD, YOUR WATERCOOLER CHEAT SHEET)(Table)
October 1, 2007... Wild Stories With Billy Crudup appearing as a crazy kids'-book author in the new movie Dedication, a look at the real thing J.M. Barrie, Hans Christian Peter Pan ...

10 things we'll ask you not to do for Halloween.(MC BULLETIN: CELEBS, TRENDS, THE STATE OF THE UNION ... BEHOLD, YOUR WATERCOOLER CHEAT SHEET)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... 1 Dress up as a naughty cat, naughty bunny, naughty nurse, or naughty nun. 2 Think that you can misbehave because you're in costume. Put another way: If you wouldn't do body shots without the Scooter Libby mask, don't do them now. 3...

I can't get through October without my ...(MC BULLETIN: CELEBS, TRENDS, THE STATE OF THE UNION ... BEHOLD, YOUR WATERCOOLER CHEAT SHEET)(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] BIG CHARM EARRINGS "I feel naked without a large pair, like these hoops with fun plastic charms. Now that I mention it, all my jewelry is large. Everything is bigger in Texas." ($36; naughtysecretaryclub.com) ...

Introducing the ... shePhone[TM]: we asked popgadget.net founder Mia Kim to help us create our ideal all-in-one gizmo. Move over, iPhone.(MC BULLETIN: CELEBS, TRENDS, THE STATE OF THE UNION ... BEHOLD, YOUR WATERCOOLER CHEAT SHEET)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... features include: (1) Mini "Rabbit" vibrator (2) Perfume/Mace atomizer (just be sure to pick the right setting!) (3) Xanax dispenser (also works for other reeds) (4) Dental floss (5) Corkscrew (for when the pills run out)...

More than a pretty face: the car designer.(Therese Tant)(Interview)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] * TODAY, 40 PERCENT of car-buying decisions are made by women--a purchasing power that also opens doors for female designers and engineers who have the know-how to make what women want: stylish, eco-friendly rides....

"I'm smarter than my boss!" Got a workplace worry? Take it to the coach.(THE CUBICLE COACH)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Q: Dear CC: I hope this doesn't sound arrogant, but it's hard to take my boss seriously, respect her, or follow her directions--basically because I'm smarter than she is. Thoughts? A: CC's experience is that the...

Vote: who's the sexiest of them all? With an election looming, voters focus on what's really important.(ALI WENTWORTH)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] I WAS STANDING IN the kitchen with my 10-year-old goddaughter when she plugged in her pink iPod and began shaking her prepubescent booty (her bootylita?). Then, arms flailing in the air, she sang these off-pitch...

The Zen of Jen (and Ben): she's the nicest girl in town, but as a newish mom and Ben Affleck's wife, Jennifer Garner is finally learning to show some steel.(Interview)(Cover story)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] a ROLLED-UP YOGA mat and a baby stroller is pretty much all you need to blend in at the farmhouse-red Brentwood Country Mart in west Los Angeles, where Jennifer Garner has asked me to meet her. The cozy-looking place...

Is this what we meant by equality? Smart, successful women in the U.K. are dropping hundreds of dollars nightly at strip clubs created exclusively for them. And you thought you knew how to have fun.(U.K. REPORT)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] * UNDER FLASHING RED and purple lights, a dancer named Adrenalin, a slightly chunkier version of a 30-something Sting, is thrusting and grinding to a pounding disco beat at Tricky Dickys nightclub in Birmingham,...

Hair falling out, periods on hold, and peeing in a cup: for female soldiers, life on the front line involves stuff men never have to think about: three women's stories.(U.S. REPORT)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] SERGEANT STEPHANIE JAMES, 23 URBANA, IL [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] "THERE WERE SO MANY THINGS I COULDN'T CONTROL. LOSING CLUMPS OF HAIR WAS JUST ONE MORE THING." * I SIGNED UP FOR THE ARMY in June 2001,...

The way we date now: we all still want the same things, basically: good conversation, the occasional free meal, to wake up now and then next to a hot stranger. The rules, however, have changed completely. In the era of texting, online profiles, and women who outearn men, what's happened to dating? Here, tales from the trenches.
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] my google baggage ANNA JANE GROSSMAN A FEW YEARS AGO, when a blind date said to me, "Tell me about your great-grandparents," I looked at him quizzically. He shrugged. "I Googled you." Here's what he...

Horoscope: October means control-crazy Scorpios like Maria Shriver will contend with random blasts from the past, while all the workaholic rams out there (hello, Fergie!) earn some R&R.
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] LIBRA (September 23-October 22) Since you're always so charming, people rarely detect your killer instincts. But they're a-comin' out this month, what with feisty Mars in your 10th house of achievement....

Chill seekers: here's to some global cooling so we get a chance to wear winter's hot new coats.(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Feather--and mohair-trimmed coat, $7595, Prada; socks, $7, HUE. Coat, $17,990, Dior by John Galliano. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Sign of the times: Peacoats morph into ponchos. Coat, $750, Valentino RED;...

Brave new shapes.(Buyers guide)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] GIVE 'EM A BOLD SHOULDER, A SHAGGY SILHOUETTE, A DARING TRAPEZE COAT. FALL'S NOT FOR THE FAINTHEARTED [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] THIS PAGE: Coat, $3800, dress, $2740, shoes, $500, Calvin Klein Collection. ...

Street chic.(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... LET'S DITCH THE PRISSY POUF SKIRTS AND BOHO FLORALS URBAN GIRLS RULE IN SLINKY BLACK, STUDDED LEATHER, AND GRAFFITI GRAPHICS [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] THIS PAGE: Dress, $3565, Behnaz Sarafpour. OPPOSITE PAGE: Jacket, $2850, top, $850,...

How fitting! Flattering fall trends for every body.(IOI IDEAS (ALL UNDER $500))(Buyers guide)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] * TOP: Tank, $160, DKNY; skirt, $49.90, H&M; shoes, $69, MIA. * BOTTOM LEFT: Top, $148, A.B.S by Allen Schwartz; skirt, $174, Parameter; silver ring, $8.50, Icing by Claire's; gold ring, $7.50, Claire's. *...

Body by Marty.(HEALTH)(Table)
October 1, 2007... "Nothing like 'may cause weight gain' to make you ditch meds you've been prescribed. What would happen if they put those same words on tortilla chips or a third glass of wine?"--MARTY HOW TO TONE YOUR TOP The rower isn't a wimpy...

The breast cancer club: when a woman receives that dreaded diagnosis, what happens if she doesn't fit with the pink-ribbon gang? Cris Beam tells it like it is.(HEALTH)
October 1, 2007... "WELCOME TO THE club you never wanted to join?" I hadn't heard this line until Robin got breast cancer in April 2006, and then people said it to her all the time. Doctors, survivors, hospital volunteers--they all delivered the club motto with a...

Test your STD IQ: lipstick and condoms: sexy or dangerous? See how sexually savvy you are.(HEALTH)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 1. Which substance is OK to use with condoms? a. Ice cream b. Vodka and orange juice c. Lipstick d. Suntan lotion e. Baby oil 2. Condoms cut your risk of getting... (Pick all that apply)...

Fixing my heart: read this and promise us you'll never whine about having a cold again.(HEALTH Q&A)(Interview)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] * WHEN AMY SILVERSTEIN told her doctor she was having fainting spells, he dismissed it as nerves. It was only after months of vomiting blood that it became clear she needed a heart transplant. Immediately. At age 25,...

Your guide to October: the good, the bad, and the iffy.
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] 7 things to get excited about (1) Sweater weather. It's getting seriously chilly out there, and we're eyeing a big, chunky number from the Just Cavalli section at Nordstrom. (2) I Am America And So Can You....

Mad about hue: bold lips costar with pale cheeks, bright eyes with nude lips. Fall's melodramatic makeup showcases one vivid color at a time.(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... ORANGE lips The thought of a clementine-colored lip might strike you as tarry and intimidating, but have no fear. "Most of us can pull off a red-orange" says makeup artist Jun Funahashi, who created the looks on these pages. "You just have...

Obsessions & confessions with Ying.(BEAUTY)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] LIPS WITH TASTE While I generally steer clear of "gourmande" makeup--that which smells of dessert--I was taken with the subtle figvanilla scent of Estee Lauder's reinvented Signature Lipstick. "We tested 150...

The glossary: can't pronounce the ingredient, the makeup artist's name, or even the product? Read our guide!(BEAUTY)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] AMMONIUM THIOGLYCOLATE \ah-mo-nee-um thigh-o-gly-co-late\ Thanks to Elle Woods's courtroom chemistry in Legally Blonde, this perming agent rolls off our tongues. ANTHELIOS \an-thee-lee-ose\ So much do...

Breakfast and botox? Why get Botox in a doctor's office when you can be pampered by room service and 500-thread-count sheets? Judith Newman reports from the controversial new frontier of cosmetic enhancement.(BEAUTY)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] THE TOPIC AT THE BOTOX PARTY was testicles. "A friend of mine makes her boyfriend wax his--otherwise she won't put them in her mouth," says Jennifer DeMarchi, as she holds an ice pack to her newly injected forehead....

"What I love about me": women in the damp, caffeinated city of Seattle spill the beans on their beauty secrets.(BEAUTY ROAD SHOW)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ANUPA IYER, 25 "I'm a very expressive person--my eyes and smile show how much life excites me," [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] TRACI LOWTHER, 28 "My eyebrows are blonde and so easy--just sort of there. I...

Eco-beauty: when it comes to skin and hair products, do you trust Mother Nature or some geek in a lab coat? Cara Birnbaum finds it's easy going green--up to a point.(BEAUTY)(Buyers guide)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] THE TOOTHPASTE BILLED itself as "vanilla mint," but the stuff tasted more like chalk and made me pine for the crisp, medicine-y Colgate Total I'd been using forever. Truth is, cleansers, sunscreens, and makeup...

What does your look reveal about you? Psychiatrist and dermatologist Amy Wechsler analyzes Nikki Wisniowski, a 25-year-old waitress/artist from North Carolina.(BEAUTY: THERAPY)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] THE GLASSES THE SHRINK: The frames are funky and worn like reading glasses. I'd wager she's a writer or student NIKKI RESPONDS: I am a painter and plan to get my master's in fine arts someday. THE...

Beat breakouts forever: the bad news is: zits aren't just a teenage affair--they can flare up again in adulthood. The good news is: you can treat acne and aging at the same time. Elizabeth Flahive finds the best new breakthrough treatments.(BEAUTY)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] WHEN YOU CONSIDER that major acne triggers, like hormone imbalance, airplane travel, and stress (and the meds often used to cope with it), abound during adulthood, it's no wonder breakouts plague 17 million Americans...

Splurge vs ... steal: perfect scents for fall: a most aristocratic French parfum and ... sexy splashes at sweet prices.(BEAUTY)(Buyers guide)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] HIGH NOTES From one of the oldest fragrance houses around (est. 1828), Guerlain's newest limited-edition scent is packed with pure extracts of the world's finest flowers: jasmine, violet, and iris (one...

Going gray: Anne Kreamer started turning gray at 25 and spent the next 25 years (and $65,000) covering it up. Then one day she decided to kick the habit.(BEAUTY)(Interview)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Q: What made you suddenly embrace your roots? A: I saw a picture of myself standing next to my teenage daughter and realized I wasn't fooling anyone. My hair color, touched up every few weeks, was a really dark...

Silver fox: how Jamie Lee Curtis's gray matter made youth-mad Hollywood do a double-take.(BEAUTY)(Interview)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] MC: When did you stop coloring your hair? JLC: Seven years ago. I wanted to stop way before I did, but at the time I was a spokesperson for VoiceStream Wireless, and they didn't seem too interested in the idea....

A pros go-to gear: here's how Jillian Dempsey, Avon's global creative color director, keeps up her game face.(BEAUTY SNOOP)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] * It could easily be a nightmare being married to a man the world knows as McDreamy--Patrick Dempsey of Grey's Anotomy, duh--but so rewarding is Jillian Dempsey's own life that, well, if she were an actress, you'd...

Erasing ethnicity: has the craze for a more Westernized look sparked a global identity crisis?(SPECIAL BEAUTY REPORT)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] A ROUND THE WORLD, the desire for pert features, pin-straight hair, and a willowy physique--those dubious emblems of American beauty and success--is driving a multibillion-dollar industry. From eyelid surgery to...

A real eye-opener: for many Asian women, getting eyelid surgery is as natural--and expected--as going to college.(SPECIAL BEAUTY REPORT)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] MY MOTHER IS one of the few Korean women with a natural eyelid crease--that skin fold a centimeter wide just above the lashline. Growing up, I was taught to believe that eyes with creases are prettier because they...

Extreme makeover, Part 1: double-eyelid surgery.(SPECIAL BEAUTY REPORT)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... (aka Asian blepharoplasty) WHY IT'S DONE: About 50 percent of Pacific Asians do not have an upper-eyelid crease. For those who do, the crease falls about 7 mm above the lashline, whereas for Caucasians, the crease falls about 11 mm above...

Most popular cosmetic surgeries by ethnicity.(SPECIAL BEAUTY REPORT)(Table)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... In the past five years, the number of plastic surgeries performed on minorities jumped 65 percent--compared with an increase of 38 percent for the overall population. Why the spike in minority candidates? Higher incomes and access to a wider...

A global love affair with the knife.(SPECIAL BEAUTY REPORT)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... * IN AN ATTEMPT to preserve traditional Eastern looks, plastic surgery was banned in China until 2001. Now, it's a $2.4-billion-a-year business. Add Japan, which spends $18.4 million on plastic surgery annually, and India, where cosmetic...

Skin: the new status symbol.(SPECIAL BEAUTY REPORT)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... In June 2007, the first-ever tanning salon opened in Beijing. Called DB Salon, it serves legions of women under 30 with a strangely specific goal: to have the caramel coloring of American pop princess Christina Aguilera. In India, Bollywood...

Don't it turn their brown eyes blue?(SPECIAL BEAUTY REPORT)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Would Aishwarya Rai, the stunning former Miss World and Bollywood darling, be as popular if her eyes weren't a glowing green-blue? Would she have snagged a L'Oreal cosmetics contract or crossed over to Hollywood?...

The quest for a ski-jump nose.(SPECIAL BEAUTY REPORT)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Unlike the rhinoplasties performed on Caucasians (often to straighten a bridge or remove a bump), nose reshaping for minorities generally leads to narrower nostrils, a higher bridge, and a pointier tip--shapes...

The Japanese secret for winning Miss Universe.(SPECIAL BEAUTY REPORT)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... (HINT: LOOK LESS JAPANESE) * WHEN INES LIGRON was hired by Donald Trump 10 years ago to pull Japan out of its Miss Universe slump (the country hadn't spawned a winner in 48 years), she jumped at the chance. A former IMG modeling-agency...

Extreme makeover, Part 2: calf reduction.(SPECIAL BEAUTY REPORT)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... WHY IT'S DONE: In general, Asian women have shorter legs and thicker calves than Caucasian women. These features are thought to be unsightly in their culture (some refer to them as "radish legs"). HOW IT WORKS: Two small incisions are made at...

Extreme makeover, Part 3: leg lengthening.(SPECIAL BEAUTY REPORT)(Brief article)
October 1, 2007... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] WHY IT'S DONE: The Chinese are so height-conscious, jobs and even schools often post height requirements. To apply for the foreign ministry, women must be 5'3" (the national average), whereas flight attendants must...