I know the poor economy has caused a lot of us to cut back on certain pleasures in our life. Most people are staying home and watching television instead of going out to the movies. Others are carpooling to fight the fluctuating gas prices.

On the other hand, some people are taking a lack of concern in their health and refraining from purchasing prescription medications, which is a necessity for many .

According to the Center for Studying Health System Change in Washington, D.C., due to the increase in prescription cost, most of those who have chronic conditions (making it crucial to continue their meds) are not purchasing them because they simply cannot afford to do so. More »

That’s right, everyone, Beauty Chat is happy to announce that we will be starting a new, weekly post featuring your questions!

Want to know how to get your eyebrows perfectly shaped? Or, where to go for the perfect top to wear on a special night? Send in your questions and we’ll help you get through your beauty dilemma.

We have a wide range of specialties within our “Beauty Chatters,” which means we’re sure to have an answer to your questions. So let’s get started!

Question: I’m really into punk rock, and I really want to look cool and edgy BUT still feel feminine and sexy. What do you suggest? More »

Whether overweight or thin, anyone can get it; it’s stubborn, it’s chunky, and the worse part- it’s incurable. I am talking about cellulite (doesn’t it bring a ring to your ears?). Some people may refer to it as “orange peel skin” or “cottage cheese,” whatever you would like to call it, it’s annoying.

As for treatment, there are various options out there to alleviate the appearance of cellulite, but not completely remove it. There are at-home treatments, plastic surgery procedures (lipodissolve or mesotherapy), and spa treatments (endermologie or velasmooth).

Unfortunately, spa and medical services are a little pricey, so I decided to try an at-home treatment called Java Junkie 3-in-1 cellulite system for my cottage cheese thighs. More »

Exactly one week ago, I hit a milestone birthday…25 years! While many of my friends and colleagues were asking if I was getting sad or depressed, I was actually feeling pretty great about turning the big two-five. My insecure and awkward years are far behind me and I feel like I’ve come into my own; both inside and out.

However, I have to admit that working with some pretty fashionable and makeup savvy ladies has definitely helped! Beauty Chat’s resident fashion guru, Elana, has offered some great tips to wear things that I’m normally afraid of. For example, the bright red tank I donned on my night out to celebrate was something I may have passed up a couple of years ago. More »

After taking a hiatus from the Beauty Chat buzz, I am back just in time for the New Year. Please don’t be mistaken by my leave of absence as being indicative of a fun-filled vaycay, adorned with tropical cocktails and extravagant timeshares. Rather, it was characterized by never-ending stress and long nights of studying for the most important test of my life to date – the LSAT. 

And one wee hour of the night, while buried in pages of prep material whose ink reeked of frustration and lengthy moments of “um,” I had a moment of clarity in the form of “Wow, I have really let myself go!” My Benefit compact stared back at me in sheer mockery as I noted the Groucho Marx brows, stress blemishes, and washed-out roots that blended into two-tone hair frenzy. What was a working, budget-dependent woman to do?   More »

The case will always rest, exercise is good for you. I know, big shocker! Even simple exercises such as walking or jogging can bring you a step (no pun intended) closer to becoming a healthier, new you.

It has been proven several times over that those who exercise regularly tend to live longer, but why? I think we need to examine the effects of lack of exercise and what it does to the body. I know I am experiencing these symptoms myself: increase in weight, fatigue, loss of flexibility, increase in laziness, inability to do simple tasks, decrease in self-esteem, knee pain, lack of mobility, increase in risk of injuries, and depression.

In essence, lack of exercise is a probable cause of the never-ending “tired” look we all have developed some time in our lives. You all know what I’m talking about- dark circles under the eyes, paleness in the face, and bloodshot eyes; in other words, you aren’t alert and living to your full potential. More »

I’m a big fan of all things nail related. As a proud owner of strong nails that naturally grow quickly, I take great pride in having pretty finger and toenails. Whenever we get to try out a new nail product for Beauty Chat, I’m all over it. In this case, I was intrigued.

Barielle got its start making hoof conditioners for million-dollar racehorses, and over the course of their 30+ year history, ended up using an improved version of the formula to create a line of nail, hand and foot care products.

Personally, I liked the products I tried out. The Barielle Cuticle Replenisher with mango butter worked well and left my cuticles feeling soft and more smoothly shaped. It appeared to last a good while throughout the day and had a really nice smell to it, which wouldn’t make or break my decision on whether to buy the product, but was certainly an added bonus. More »

As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, I love makeup and trying new stuff out. I haven’t really gotten into the mineral makeup too much, but Beauty Chat recently got the opportunity to try out Purely Cosmetics.

They offer products that are free of corn starch, oils, FD&C dyes, preservatives, talc, and bismuth oxychloride, which has been known to irritate skin and is sometimes found in other mineral makeup.

My fellow “Beauty Chatters” also tried their products, here’s what they had to say: More »

If you’re a fan of AG Hair Cosmetics, then you’ve probably already heard of their new dv8 Texture Spray. Meant for shorter hairstyles, this styling product holds your locks in place all day, provides texture and shine. Since my hair is ultra straight and a medium length, I asked my boyfriend to try it out on his curly tresses.

After testing it out for a few weeks, here’s what he said:

“I liked that it has a good hold to it but didn’t like that it took too long to dry. And it made my hair seem extra curly. Oh, and the smell isn’t too bad either.”

Overall, a pretty good product…just be sure to give your hair time to dry. And since it can be used on damp or dry hair, you can spray it on just after you shower or once you’re ready to put on the finishing touches. Another great thing about this texture spray is that you can just rewet your hair in the afternoon to restyle. It even washes out easily at the end of the day without leaving any gunky build up.

The new AG Hair Cosmetics dv8 Texture Spray is now available in salons and retails for $20.00, be sure to get yours for some fun, new styling!

Photo Credit: AG Hair Cosmetics

We recently shared our favorite budget beauty tips – the type of things we, Beauty Chatters, regularly incorporate in our daily lives. Among the several that responded, two gals provided great ideas for us all to soak up. So thank you and congrats to Andrea and Beauty Tyrant for giving some great tips.

Andrea said this: “Running out of liquid eyeliner? Dip a pencil eyeliner in water and you get the same affect,” and Beauty Tyrant said that she likes: “to also apply toothpaste overnight on a zit and by tomorrow, voila, it’s gone.”

In being our chosen two, they each won a spot as a Beauty Chat guest blogger! Winners: please e-mail me at beauty8@beautychatblog.com to pitch your topic.

And speaking of pitching topics…We are always happy to get your feedback. Want us to blog about a certain person, place, or thing? Comment here and share what you think are (or will be) hot topics in 2009!

Photo Credit: Associated Content