Yes yes, Halloween has become all about women having an excuse to look like a ho. What amazes us, though, is the holiday’s uncanny ability to take totally non-slutty things (Taxis, people. Actual taxi cabs.) and tart them up.
If I was intent upon looking slutty, I’d just wear over the knee boots and hot pants, but ok. Click for the slideshow of our favorite “sexy” examples.
You know the deodorant commercials where the bridesmaids don’t want to raise their arms to catch the bouquet? I felt like that today, but instead of being fearful of stink, I was worried someone would notice the yellow, sweat stained arm pits of my white shirt… which I somehow didn’t notice when I got dressed.
While noticing the stains in a meeting might be a little too late to do anything about them, there are a few products out there that can help you get the stains out before it’s too late.
First of all, don’t pick up the bleach! The chlorine in household bleach will react with the proteins in perspiration and turn it even darker.
Instead, grab a liquid detergent like Tide Liquid and pretreat, letting the detergent sit on the stain for 30 minutes. Then wash it with a non-chlorine bleach detergent, like Tide with Bleach Alternative. If the stain is still there, instead of putting it in the dryer, treat it again with the liquid detergent, put it outside in the sun until dry and then wash again.
If the detergent still doesn’t work, try mixing equal parts water and hydrogen peroxide. Pour it over the stain and let sit for 30 minutes before washing on cool.
Finally, for budget conscious stain fighters, a color-safe alternative is mixing one tablespoon of white vinegar with one cup of water, and then pretreating the stain for 30 minutes before washing.
Do you have top secret stain fighters? Or did you try any of these? Tell us in the comments section below.
Growing up, I always had bangs, not because they looked particularly spectacular, but because I insisted on trimming them up myself whenever I felt they were getting out of line. The result of my inspired styling was at best a crooked line, and at worst a straight-down-the-temple snip that resulted in a hairdo that most closely resembled a handlebar mustache on my forehead. To make matters worse, I'd use whatever semi-sharp edged utensil happened to be within arm's reach (this was most usually the glitter-handled safety scissors I kept in my pencil box). As a result, my bangs kept getting thicker and thicker, and my hairline moved back farther and farther until it was practically mid-crown (I looked a lot like Kate Walsh up there, from the bangs up, that is). Stylish, hip Betty Page bangs these were most definitely not, and it took me 'til halfway through high school to grow them out.
Now, since I have what Tyra would lovingly call a fivehead, I really do look better with a few balancing wisps. But deciding to get bangs cut again for the first time in who knows how long was a tortured, traumatic process. I finally gave in, but with some stipulations. Now, I must always:
1.) Have any number of clips and no-slip headbands in all of my various bags for emergency hair-in-eyes situations (since I never know when my scissor fingers might get the itch again). Scunci makes affordable snap clips ($2.50) and elastic headbands with tiny rubber grips ($4) that make sure these bangs aren't going anywhere while I'm at the gym or playing co-rec volleyball.
2.) Devote half of my (already ludicrous) blow drying time to my bangs. There's a whole multi-instrument regimen, which includes blasting bangs straight with a highly focused diffuser, then curling them in towards my nose with a medium-sized ceramic thermal round brush ($11). Finally, an ultra-thin ceramic straightener with gripping teeth, like the Maxius Miniglide ($30), gets plugged in to do business on my bangs.
3.) Actually use styling products. As a rule, I'm not big on pomades, sprays, gels, and balms, but I've started using Hair Play's SEAL ($22) to keep my bangs in line on humid days.
Check out our Hair Tools Guide for more ways to tame your mane.
What: Flingz Ultimate Thongs, 3 for $18 or $7.50 each
Why: Flingz thongs are the ultimate underwear for women on the go… they even come individually packaged in a small, reusable ziplock bag, making it easy to tuck them into your work tote, gym bag, car glove box, clutch or anywhere else that you can think of. I keep a few stashed in my suitcase just in case I forget to pack the necessaries! And although $7.50 might seem like a bit much to spend on a pair of emergency undies, they're extremely comfortable since they’re tagless and have a thin, flat elastic that doesn’t show under even the most figure-hugging dress. The material is also lightweight enough it can be hand-washed and will dry overnight. Now you’ll never be caught having a Britney Spears commando moment again – and for that I would pay top dollar.
Get Yours: flingwear.com
What: The Worst Christmas Present Contest
Why: If you've suffered through gifts this bad, you deserve a pick-me-up. Take a look at the contest MomFinds is running now, and then tune back in to SheFinds on December 26th to report what kind of awful gifts you made off with this year. We want to hear about the ugly sweaters, embarassing personal grooming devices, and Santa-themed socks your family gave you. Just to sweeten the deal, the winner will receive a packed goodie bag full of some of the best products we've got stashed away in the SheFinds beauty closet. Hopefully that will help ease the pain of yet another year of self-help books from your overly nosy Grandmother.
We have covered some strange things for SheFinds, but this one might take the cake. According to the clip above, you can now stop wondering what happens to your Persian cat’s fur when they shave it down at the vet. A creative little soul decided to spin the fur into yarn and turn it into handbags. We would go into more detail but the clip really says it all.
Does it hiss if you get it near water? Is it self-cleaning? Would it scratch someone if they tried to steal your wallet? How sturdy can a bag made of your cat’s downy fur really be, never mind that it’s just icky?
Can we please (please!) offer some suggestions for those who are seeking a woven bag look without having to recycle your pet’s unwanted fur? How about this cute Urban Outfitters Sweater Weather Hobo Bag ($30) or for some additional bank, this gorgeous Rafe New York Dark Taupe Knit Frame Shoulder Bag ($189)?
Whatever you choose to do with your cat’s hair is totally up to you, we know. But don’t expect us to like it.
After spending Fashion Week with folks who look like they live on deep breaths, cigarettes, coffee, and anger, I often wonder if their diet regimen consists of an IV drip.
All kidding aside, I was evidently on to something. In a recent UK Daily Mail story, it appears the latest craze to get runway thin is to voluntarily hook oneself up to a banana/IV bag and take nutrients intravenously. Evidently, folks are bypassing the whole taste/chew/swallow/digest thing we all know and love for the bare minimum through the vein (evidently using your stomach is so last season). A procedure usually reserved for undernourished alcoholics has the diet-obsessed lining up for the newest in deprivation techniques, despite nutritionist warnings against brittle hair and nails, fatigue, irritability (per Fashion Week, this explains a lot), digestive system failure, and other maladies.
As someone who struggles with her weight, I understand wanting to get those pounds off but I draw the line at needles and IV bags. Have we truly come to the point where having body fat is so distasteful that we’re willing to pump our bodies with just enough vitamins to ensure that our brains and hearts don’t quit?
For those of us who want to take some vitamins in through the skin without the needles or near-death experience, why not use infused bath products like Burt’s Bees Lemon and Vitamin E Bath and Body Oil ($8)? Obviously, this is not a substitute for eating, but you can nourish your body and relax in a soothing bath and get out with healthy, glowing skin.
Because it doesn’t matter what they say – starvation is so 2007.
Today’s New York Times featured a story that got us all upset. Writer Natasha Singer went backstage at Fashion Week to learn what it was like for the unsung beauty heroes of the tents: the nail technicians. What she discovered is that it’s no picnic down there on the floor taking care of models’ feet. Evidently, quite a few ladies who earn your monthly salary in an hour don’t take that cash down to the local nail salon for maintenance. The writer speaks of handling all sorts of maladies – desiccated cuticles, divots in the nails, and goodness-only-knows-what-else.
Eww.
A note to the models: you get flack for not eating, being tall, looking bored, and acting ungrateful. We can accept all these things, but we draw the line at skipping basic maintenance. It’s unacceptable and downright gross. We have enought sense to haul it down the street for mani/pedi specials, yet the people who get to wear all our favorite shoe designers do not. Show a little respect here, ladies.
We’ll even help you. SheFinds has written about foot maintenance for so long, the archives are bursting. We’ve given Sandal Boot Camp, we’ve covered fish pedicures, we’ve got solutions for aching feet…we’ve even covered the Press-On Pedicure if you’re in a real hurry. If you need help, we’re here for you, but never let us speak again of you walking in thousands of dollars worth of credit-limit worthy shoes with nasty, funky feet.
Because if you really hate wearing all those pretty shoes that much, give us a call and we will gladly take them off your hands and put them on our beautifully manicured feet. No problem.
I’m a 34B… ok, maybe a 34A but just go with me here! My bustier friends always tell me how lucky I am to be able to wear backless tops without worrying about what’s underneath, but I do worry because while I survived middle school, I do remember being told I was a carpenter’s dream.
That’s why I LOVE the Nubra Ultralite ($34). It’s a soft, molded cup that sticks lightly to your décolletage without shoulder or back straps. But don’t worry, it doesn’t hurt when you take it off and despite hours of dancing at a wedding, it didn’t get unsticky and fall off either. The fabric cups connect with a clear clasp, allowing you to create as much— or as little— cleavage as you want. It’s so lightweight, I usually forget that I’m wearing it, but I never feel self-conscious about my chest either.
Get yours: macys.com
Need help finding bras for chests of all sizes? Peruse our Guides to the Best Bras and Bras for Big Busts.
When the photos came in to cover this story, I wasn’t sure if I should laugh or cry. Cry laughing? I digress. Spotted recently on Christina Aguilera at a photo shoot and Tyra Banks on the red carpet, we feel we must warn you: crimped hair might be making a comeback.
Do we owe nostalgic trips with friends on Facebook to these returns to all things 80s and 90s? I’m not sure if my hair can take another trip down memory lane, having narrowly escaped with practically triple-processed hair from the late 80s. I think my ends split as I typed this post.
If you do dare the crimping trend, remember to condition religiously before and after this process. We highly recommend a serious deep conditioner and Neutrogena Triple Moisture Deep Recovery Mask ($7) is the one to do the trick. Want further protection? Use a leave-in conditioner that repairs the damage, like Infusium 23 repairologie leave-in treatment ($5). You can pick both of them up at Drugstore.com, while you wait at home, considering whether you will try this beauty trend (for some of us) again.
And since this is most likely a passing fad, much like the return of the perm, opt for a budget-friendly crimping iron ($16) that doubles as a straightener.
And check out our Hair Tools Guide for gadgets that will keep your locks looking their best.
Let me start this post with a caveat: its topic is sensitive, its content rather embarrassing. But SheFinds has never shied away from embarrassing questions (remember our bad breath and butt pimple posts?) and the gritty details of feminine hygiene merit discussion. So here it is.
What: Life Elements Tela D'Amour disposable towelettes ($10)
Why: Because, and I'm quoting the packaging here, "Moments of ecstasy are meant to be relished, not rushed. Instead of dashing off to the bathroom, extend the enjoyment of intimate moments by reaching for a Tela D'Amour." For the more literal-minded among us, the fine people at Life Elements have created a sweet-smelling moistened towelette for that inopportune instant right after gettin' down and dirty when things actually get, well, dirty. Being, as I am, a candid, tactless, and (I hope) amusing kind of gal, I usually try to offset the awkwardness of such moments by standing up and loudly declaring, "And now, Ladies and Gentlemen…the least sexy part of sex!" But while forthrightness has its place in the bedroom, so, too, does discretion.
In the name of subtlety, sensuality, and ease (and, I'm sure, to the joy of all those sensitive men out there who just crave the post-coital cuddle) try keeping a pack of Tela D'Amour by the bed.
Get Yours: C&M Couples website
And for more answers to not-always-talked-about problems, check out our Guides to Embarrassing Questions 1 And 2!
I was part of this teen modeling group in high school (in the 80's, yes) and we had a mid-August “Rock and Roll Back to School” fashion show at the local mall. They put a ton of foundation, powder, and blush on us. After the show, my friends tell me that this boy I’ve been crushing on saw me and he has invited us to this cookout to meet up with him and his friends. I tell them I needed to wash my face but, no, they said the makeup looked awesome and that I should leave it on.
Two hours later, we get to this cookout, it’s about 100 degrees and I’m there in full makeup but in a tank top and cutoffs. He and I sneak off a sweaty hour after that, kiss, and separate. Next thing you know, one of my friends says, “You guys were kissing, weren’t you?” I ask why and she brings him over. The bottom of his face is covered in my makeup, like he’s been mugged by a pack of drag queens. You can only imagine what my face looks like.
Needless to say, I’ve been afraid of foundation and powder ever since. Luckily for me, some wonderful people created Benefit You Rebel Tinted Moisturizer ($28). I get the coverage I need without transferring it to anything (or anyone) else.
David, if you’re out there, I’m still so sorry about that.
Get yours: sephora.com
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