1. Get group discounts: Every day, groupon.com offers one incredible deal—such as 40% to 60% off meals at restaurants, deep tissue massage and laser tag. The catch? The discount kicks in once a minimum number of shoppers opt in. Happily, that’s usually the case since the discounts are so great.
2. Enjoy online sample sales: You no longer have to battle the crowds for deeply discounted designer clothes thanks to sites like HauteLook.com, Gilt.com, Ideeli.com, OneKingsLane.com, and RueLaLa.com. These sites buy overstocked clothing and accessories from brand-name designers, then sell them for up to 70% less than their original price. But, you have to act fast: sales last just a few days—or even hours—and they sell out quick. To start shopping: Sign up for free membership, then you’ll be notified when a new sale begins.
3. Opt for look-alikes: Go ahead and get the cheapee version. A recent MIT study shows that, when tested, most folks can’t tell the real thing from a less expensive knock-off.

[photo: lululemonathletica]

Sure, Oscar night is famous for its glitz and glam as our favorite actresses get dressed to the nines and stroll the red carpet. But, special occasions are not the only time actors—or you—should dress up. A study in the Home Economics Journal reveals that wearing your dressier outfits for everyday activities makes people see you as friendlier and more approachable. The reason? “When you wear dressy outfits, it tells others that you’re confident, positive and energetic—and people are naturally drawn to folks with these qualities like a magnet,” confirms Tonya Reiman, author of The Power of Body Language.

Tip: To instantly make any outfit dressier, add accessories. “Earrings, a beautiful necklace, bracelets, belt, even a watch, add more glamour to whatever you’re wearing,” says Reiman.

[photo: cliff1066™]

Check on an elderly neighbor, return cash to a cashier who gave you too much change or do another nice deed. Just like Mom insisted, beauty really does come from the inside, report researchers in the journal Personal Relationships. In their study, volunteers who were asked to rate the attractiveness of strangers in photos actually changed their views after learning how nice they were. Folks who were friendly and honest were perceived as better looking while those who were unfair or rude were perceived as less attractive!

[photo: Zaldymlg]

Curious about what you’d look like if you had Botox, an eyebrow lift or another facial cosmetic procedure? Find out for free by uploading your photo at liftmagic.com, then clicking on one or more of the 16 treatment options to instantly see how you’d look.

[photo: Charles Williams]

Using a moisturizer to treat flaky, chapped skin, but haven’t gotten any relief? You may be using the wrong lotion for your skin type. Mayo Clinic skin experts say that if your skin is normally…
* Dry: Use a heavier, oil-based moisturizer that contains urea or propylene glycol—chemicals that help lock in moisture.
* Oily: Even though your skin produces an abundance of oil, it still needs moisture, especially after using skincare products that remove oils that dry out the skin. However, since your skin type is more prone to break-outs, it’s important to pick a water-based product that’s labeled “noncomedogenic”, which means it won’t clog pores.
* Normal—not overly dry, oily or sensitive. To maintain this natural moisture balance, stick to a water-based moisturizer that contains lightweight oils—such as cetyl alcohol—or silicone-derived ingredients—such as cyclomethicone.

Tip: Moisturizers work best when applied right after bathing. Pat or blot your skin until it’s just barely dry, then applythe lotion to trap water in the surface cells.

[photo: Katie Tegtmeyer]

Faces that have a rosy glow are considered the most attractive because they’re a sign of good health, according to a new study in the Journal of Primatology. Luckily, you don’t need expensive exfoliants or cosmetics to put color in your cheeks. Simply munch carrots, tomatoes, apricots, mangoes, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, winter squash, spinach and kale. The researchers say these fruits’ and vegetables’ carotenoids—antioxidant-rich plant pigments that soak up toxic compounds in the body—supply more oxygen and blood to the face, giving it a healthy hue.

[photo: D. Sharon Pruitt]

You’ll be turning men’s heads this Valentine’s Day when you wear a red dress, red blouse, red hair band, red lipstick, red earrings or red flower in your hair. In five experiments, University of Rochester psychologists found that the color red makes men instantly more attracted to the woman wearing it. Men’s brains, like those of other primates, are naturally wired to respond positively to the fiery color because it signals good health and sexual maturity, the researchers explain.

[photo: Lynette Lan]

Want sleek, glossy hair that sparkles—without resorting to harsh chemicals in pricey hair products? Try polishing your tresses with rosemary tea. “Hair looks dull and lifeless when the cuticles—the layered outer shell that protects it like a tree’s bark—are flared open, which occurs when hair gets damage from over-processing or the sun. Rosemary contains compounds that close these cuticles and smoothe out the strand so light reflects off it, making it appear shiny,” explains hair and scalp specialist David H. Kingsley, Ph.D. Using it is easy: Bring two tablespoons of fresh rosemary and two cups of water to a boil, simmer for three to five minutes, then let cool. Pour it into a spray bottle and spritz on your hair.

[photo: geishaboy500]

You can get a brighter, whiter smile by simply nibbling broccoli, spinach or other green veggies, especially before consuming tooth-staining foods and beverages—such as soy sauce, tomato sauce, curry, coffee, black tea and red wine, says dentist Elisa Mello, D.D.S., at NYC Smile Design in New York. How they work? Green vegetables contain malic acid, a natural astringent that helps scrub away stubborn stains as you chew and coats the porous surface of teeth, which prevents pigments from other foods from embedding in them, she explains.

[photo: D. Sharon Pruitt]

Simply pick a darker shade of lipstick or eye makeup. A new study in the journal Perception shows that women look more attractive when the color of their lips and eyes stand out from the color of their skin. Turns out, our brain is naturally wired to measure a face’s color contrast to help determine a person’s gender; a higher color contrast means a more feminine appearance, says study author Richard Russell, Ph.D.

[photo: dreamglow]