Are Your Body Hair Removal Habits Normal?

We're guessing you don't chat about hacking away at your armpits, bikini area, or upper lip at brunch, so you might be curious about what the "normal" hair-removal protocol is. That's why we asked more than 5,000 of our readers about how they get rid of it—and they gave us all the details. Fun facts: 36 percent of the readers surveyed said they consider themselves "hairier than average," and the top annoyance was that it grows back too fast (the second was that de-fuzzing freaking hurts—raise your hand if you've been personally victimized by a razor blade). Check out the hair-raising (sorry, had to) stats we pulled from the survey, and tell us if this sums up your habits.

Do You Sweat More Than Normal?

Sure, it's the season of sweat. But are sweatier than the girl next to you?

"They" say girls don't sweat, but mist. "They" lie.

Each and every hour, the average girl sweats five ounces—enough to fill a wine glass, says Michael Shapiro, M.D., medical director of Vanguard Dermatology in New York. And that’s before you factor in scorching temps, stress, and killer workouts.

That's pretty darn sweaty—and chances are you sweat even more than the average lass. Why? One study published in Experimental Physiology found that fit women sweat much more than their unfit counterparts. And despite the pit stains, that's actually a great thing.

The sweat-fitness connection: During exercise, your body adapts to sweat both at a lower internal body temperature as well as at a higher rate. Basically, your body learns it's going to work hard on the regular, so it ups its sweating game to keep you cool—and prevent heat exhaustion—during upcoming physical demands.

According to some researchers, that might be why women still sweat less than men (four times less, on average, according to Shapiro). Just think: Women of our hunter-gatherer ancestry didn’t have to do nearly as much physical labor as their male counterparts did.

But while sweat is any fitness-lover's friend, you can sweat too much—and about one to three percent of all women do, says Shapiro. Hyperhidrosis (layman's term for excessive sweating), can not only be embarrassing and annoying, but if really severe, it could lead to dehydration and off-kilter electrolyte levels. If you feel like you're sweating more than you used to, you perspire when you're neither warm nor stressed (all over or even just on one spot of your body), or you suffer from night sweats, see your doctor to find out if you might have the condition.

Things Everyone Gets Wrong About Marriage

Know what you’re really getting into before you say “I do.”

For something most of us have either done or plan to do someday, getting married sure comes with a lot of myths. We can credit old-school mindsets and princesses living “happily ever after” for most of them. Here are six of the biggest things most women get wrong about marriage. You’ll be thrilled about some. Others, not so much.

1. Half of All Marriages End in Divorce
Flip a coin: Heads you get divorced. Tails you don’t. Sounds pretty bleak, right? Luckily, it’s also false. The 50/50 stat came from a 1970s projection after courts legalized no-fault divorce and people started getting them left and right. In the mid '80s, the divorce rate actually peaked around 66 percent, says Terri Orbuch, Ph.D., research professor at the University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research and author of 5 Simple Steps to Take Your Marriage From Good to Great. And it’s much lower now. According to 2009 data from the U.S. Census Bureau, 30.8 percent of all marriages ever have ended in divorce, and research shows that in 2011, just 3.6 people got divorced out of every 1,000 adults.

  2. Happy Couples Don’t Argue
“A lack of conflict means you aren’t dealing with things that matter,” says Orbuch, who has followed more than 350 couples for 28 years and found that, yes, happy pairs fight. What’s more, research from the University of Tennessee shows that couples who recognize that there’ll be rough patches in their relationship are more satisfied over the long haul. “What makes happy marriages different from unhappy ones is that the spouses learn how to deal with conflict and disagreements in a healthy, productive manner,” says Orbuch.

5 Ways to Deal With Random Facial Hair

Peach fuzz and dark, coarse stragglers don't stand a chance!

Kim Kardashian isn't afraid to try unusual beauty treatments (remember when she had a vampire facial using her own blood?). Most recently, she admitted to having laser therapy to remove baby hairs along her hairline. "I have the hairiest forehead you could ever imagine," she told People magazine.

We all have some unwanted facial hair—and sometimes it can sprout up in awkward places like your cheek or your chin. Not sure how to remove the unwanted fuzz without irritating your skin? Here are five hair-removal techniques to consider.

Waxing
Waxing is a good option for any area of the face—and you can count on hair-free skin for four to eight weeks for anywhere from $9 to $20. Just make sure to prep properly and take care of your skin afterward. "We use organic jojoba oil before and after [a wax]," says Holly Green, a hair-removal specialist and the owner of Norabloom Botanicals & Beauty Lounge in Ithaca, New York. "After the treatment, we recommend no harsh chemicals or exfoliating products and lots of sunscreen because you lose part of the top protective layer of skin."

Whether you're visiting a professional or DIYing it, make sure you choose a wax that's formulated for sensitive skin. "For those sensitive areas, it's important to use an all-natural elastic wax applied on the skin at body temperature," says Noemi Grupenmager, the founder and CEO of Uni K Wax Centers. "This makes for a more comfortable experience."

Threading
Threading is similar to waxing in that it pulls hair from the root for long-lasting results. "If you have a really good threading specialist, they can get all of the unwanted hair and even the fuzzies," says Green. The treatment has similar results to waxing, but it may be less painful since it doesn't take the top layer of skin off. If you've ever experienced sensitivity to waxing, you may want to try this option next time. "People who have had a bad experience with wax tend to try threading," says Green. Results last for four to eight a weeks, and a session will put you back anywhere from $5 to $40.

The Best Drugstore Stand-Ins for High-End Makeup Favorites

Saving money has never looked so good.

Who can resist a good beauty bargain that will get you glam without costing you the big bucks? We scoured drugstore shelves and consulted the industry’s top makeup artists and experts for the ultimate list of inexpensive dupes for your favorite high-end makeup products.

Mascara
Just a few flicks of Boots No7 Extreme Length Lash mascara will give you the same luscious, sky-high fringe as its high-end counterpart. “It adds a ton of length, and the formula is soft and clump-free,” says Kerry Cole, style director of Becca

Liquid Liner
Wet n Wild’s intensely pigmented formula and simple brush applicator make it just as easy and effortless to create precise lines as the Lancôme cult classic. “The royal blue and teal are super rich shades,” says Lauren Cosenza, a professional makeup artist and founder of DIVAlicious blog.

Eyebrow Pencil
Andrea Pomerantz Lustig, a veteran beauty editor and author of How to Look Expensive: A Beauty Editor’s Secrets to Getting Gorgeous Without Breaking the Bank, loves Sonia Kashuk Brow Definer’s perfect texture, which isn’t too soft or too hard. For a natural look, she applies quick pencil-like strokes to just the areas that need filling in but scatters some strokes throughout her brows to blend in the color. Lustig recommends going a shade lighter than your actual brow color for the most natural effect.

Obvious Signs a Guy Is Flirting with You

Ever wonder if that nice guy is flirting with you? There are a few proven ways that can tell you if he is interested in you. While it’s difficult to read body language at times, it’s possible if you know where to start. Here are 10 ways that men unconsciously and even consciously let you know that they like you. Take a look, see what you see and maybe you will find your love right now.
1. Lovely smile

A lovely smile is actually a good sign and, when it comes to flirting, it’s one of the surest signs he is interested in you. If you notice that he is smiling at you, there’s a good chance he likes you and wants to approach you. Maybe he is shy, so why not show him your confidence and courage by approaching him first? Of course, if you like him. After all, there is nothing to be ashamed of if you approach a man first. Just smile back, initiate a conversation with him and don’t try to play hard to get. Playing hard to get is a great boost, but often it’s a big turn off for guys.

2. Shy blush
Perhaps you know how it’s difficult to flirt with shy guys, but it doesn’t mean that you should avoid such type of man. If you notice that a guy blushes around you, this is one of the most obvious signs he is trying to flirt with you. However, not only do shy guys blush, any guy can actually blush when he sees a beautiful girl. Blushing is a bodily function that we can’t control and if he blushes around you, he certainly likes you.

Eyebrow Extensions Now Exist

Find out how they work, how long they last, and how they could completely change your look.
Eyelash extensions revolutionized the beauty world, eliminating the need to curl, volumize, and lengthen lashes. Now, eyebrow extensions promise to make similar waves: They mean you could kiss coloring in and applying brow gel goodbye. It sounds like a no brainer, right?

But what exactly are brow extensions? And could they ever look natural? We caught up with Charity Engebretsen, owner of Master Lash By Charity, who offers the exclusive service to her clients in Santa Monica, California. Here, the lowdown on this truly innovative process that is just picking up traction in the U.S.
WH: Why did you decide to bring eyebrow extensions to your salon?
Engebretsen: My mother is in the entertainment industry, and when she came back from Asia when she was on a tour there 11 years ago, she said "They’re doing these really amazing things over there. They’re called eyelash extensions." And I was like, "Of course, why not?" We have amazing hair extensions. Why not create a micro-version for the eyes? So if we can do these on the eyes, which are so sensitive in nature—they don’t like being poked or prodded—then we can definitely find a way to do these on the eyebrows. So I’ve been doing it for the past few years. I actually went to Japan for my training.