Our Big Fat Greek Yogurt: Maria Menounos Likes It Too

Celebrity reporter Maria Menounos has a new book coming out on April 12th, called, 'The EveryGirl's Guide to Life.' In it, she gives sound advice for women trying to balance everyday life in a very busy world. The book is available for just $12.51 at Barnes & Noble.com.

We find our Greek sister to be down-to-earth with a good head on her shoulders. And we like Maria Menounos because she doesn't pretend to be someone else. She stays fit without a trainer and often does her own hair and makeup for red carpet events.

She's the daughter of hard-working immigrants, and that strong ethic has rubbed off on her, too. At age twenty-two, Maria Menounos became the youngest person to host Entertainment Tonight. And currently as a reporter for television's 'Access Hollywood,' 'Today,' Dateline,' and others, Maria gets to interview lots of beautiful people. And she has certainly picked up some valuable tips along the way.

One of her healthy-go-to-foods is Greek yogurt. And here's why:

"I love grabbing a Greek yogurt; it's a convenient, fat-free snack, plus there's 14 to 17 grams of protein in every cup. It's especially great before or after a workout," Maria says.

And she's right----Greek yogurt is all the rage these days. So, we examined an excellent one by Stonyfield Farm, called Oikos.

"Greek yogurt has an incredibly rich and creamy texture, about twice the protein of regular yogurt, less lactose, and fewer carbs. So it’s no wonder Greek is flying off the shelves. Our Oikos Organic Greek Yogurt has 0% fat and just 80 calories per serving.* Because it’s organic, Oikos is also better for the earth. And we think it's better for you too.".

Greek yogurt, is indeed, rich and creamy, a very filling food for those who want a delicious snack that keeps them long and lean.

Cellulite Likes Most Women: Even Kardashian And Crawford Have It

If you're feeling badly about your jiggly butt and thighs, STOP! You are not alone. Most women DO have cellulite.

The sad thing is......you can NEVER get rid of cellulite PERMANENTLY......but you CAN reduce the appearance of cellulite and STOP further cellulite advancement.

Now, most women won't own up to having jiggly butts and jiggly thighs, especially famous women. But it is refreshing to note, that at least two gorgeous celebrities have not been afraid to admit, that they, too, have some dimpled fat.

Kim Kardashian and Cindy Crawford have 'it.' And both lovelies realize that at least 80% of us have cellulite. It's a normal thing.

KIM KARDASHIAN in the March issue of Self magazine: "Of course, I struggle with insecure moments. I wish I didn't but I love to eat! Especially sweets. And I'll say it, I think my thighs are jiggly and I have cellulite. Now let's move on! Because when I put the time in at the gym, I'm confident. You have to feel good to look good."

CINDY CRAWFORD told Allure magazine 2 years ago: "I think I look pretty good for 43. But I don't look the way I did when I was 23. So if Star magazine or whatever wants to print a picture of me on the beach from the back, at the worst possible angle, and say that I have cellulite, I'm like, Guess what? I do, and I never said I didn't. I've had two kids, and I'm 43, so leave me alone."

So, stop fretting about your 'imperfect' body. Kardashian and Crawford are two famous and wealthy celebrities, with all the resources in the world to stamp out cellulite. They also hit the gym again and again. And they STILL have cellulite.

It's great to hear both Kim and Cindy speak so candidly about their body issues. We live in a world of photoshopping. It's sometimes difficult to know what's real and not real.

How To Get Susan Lucci's Toned Triceps And Biceps With Simple Exercise

Soap star Susan Lucci visited the set of Good Morning America yesterday, wearing a simple white, sleeveless dress. And those arms!

Ms. Erica Kane is 64. She's absolutely ageless.

Toned arms. If you have them, then you enjoy showing off your nicely shaped triceps and biceps. And you probably enjoy wearing anything sleeveless. And why not?

It's a challenge to have beautifully toned arms. And after age 30, it gets even tougher to maintain such a tautness . But it can be done. All you need are a couple of small free weights. And we'll show you one easy exercise you can even do in the office to get you started.

Developing the triceps muscle. That is the key to a nicely toned arm. Where are the triceps located? We like to call that area the 'dingle-dangle.' Yep. That's the flabby part you can feel under the arm. One of the toughest places to firm up.

When you go to raise your hand and wave good-bye, you can feel that muscle flapping in the breeze. Well, hopefully, not too much. The triceps muscle can best be described this way, according to realwomensfitness.com:

"The triceps are probably the most important muscle to develop when you want to achieve firm toned arms. The reason for this is that the tricep muscle takes up 2/3 of the arm. If it is underdeveloped it looks wobbly and soft but when it is firm and lean it makes the whole arm look that way."

You can't just exercise your arms for two weeks and expect big changes. The triceps and biceps muscles need to engage in resistance exercises continuously. If you want toned arms with a little 'cut' in them, you're going to have to adopt this regimen as part of your life. It should become a familiar target area when you are at the gym or exercising at home. All you need is a pair of 3-lb dumbbells or small handweights. If you want to go higher, 5-lbs or 7-lbs.

You can get a decent arm workout with 3-lb. weights in each hand. In fact, your arms will get quite sore, if you do enough repetitions. You can buy small handweights from Reebok(see photo), Nike, or any sporting goods store.

Jade Alexis, who has trained Alicia Keys, came up with this boxing-inspired exercise that you can do at the office when you have a few spare moments.

Jade gave this toned arms exercise to In Style magazine.

"Sit upright in a chair with feet flat on the floor," Jade explains. "Hold dumbbells with your hands under your chin and slowly punch out at an angle across the body." Do at least 100 punches. You will develop 'knockout triceps, biceps, and shoulders.'

Go Natural This Spring With Earthy Tones And Materials

We adore Ralph Lauren style. And the master has out-done himself, once again, for his Spring 2011 collection.
If you don't like the loud vibrancy of color-block shades, then get back down to earthy sophistication.

Think 'Natural.'. And look for materials like leather, suede, raffia, canvas, and wood. This time, Ralph Lauren has brought back the Western wear he does so beautifully, with accents on bold belt buckles, wide braided leather belts, fringe, ruffles, and wooden bangle bracelets. And he's softened the look with lots of lace and creamy blouses with puffed sleeves

The Lauren color palette centers on earthy tones like tan, brown, camel, ivory, and white. A few lovely paisley designs added, but mainly a no-prints collection.

Very sophisticated. We also saw these knock-out platform sandals by Stuart Weitzman..."Bradford" braided lanyard heels ($375, at Bloomingdale's. Gorgeous woven leather and a 4 1/4" covered heel with a 1" covered platform. Very sexy and sophisticated for Spring 2011.

You can buy cheaper, if Ralph Lauren and Stuart Weitzman aren't in your spring fashion budget. Just keep an eye on those natural, earthy tones and materials, and you can imitate this elegant Western wear in a good way.

Amazing Amazonian 12 Hour Clay Blush By Tarte: For Dry And Oily Skin

Blush in powder form that's perfect for both dry and oily skin? That lasts 12-hours?!

Then, "Give us the glow!"

Tarte cosmetics is always on the forefront for blush technology. And this time, we are loving their newest spring Amazonian clay collection, now available at Sephora ($25). This is a solar-baked blush. And it really does come straight from the banks of the Amazon River.

The powder formula is a true skin-balancing clay. Put it on, and you get a flawless, smooth warmth across your cheeks. And the Tarte Amazonian 12-Hour Clay Blush comes in some very pretty, candy-colored, highly pigmented shades: (Take a look here).
Amused (bright pink)
Blissful (warm peach)
Blushing Bride (plumy rose)
Dollface (light pink)
Exposed (nude)
Flush (deep berry)
Natural Beauty (muted strawberry red)
Tipsy (coral)

Blush should ALWAYS be a part of your makeup routine. We NEVER used to wear it. Sure, we put on foundation, concealer, eyeliner, mascara, eyeshadow, lipstick, the works. And yet, we didn't think we needed blush. That's until we interviewed Sandy Linter, one of the greatest all-time professional makeup artists around.

What Sandy tells celebrities and non-celebrities, is this:
If you don't like wearing too much makeup, at least put on some blush. Blush warms up the face, and enhances skin and bone structure. Many women enjoy putting on makeup, but figure that foundation or base is enough, but it isn't.

"I hate that poured on look," Sandy says. "Just base and no blush. Or just base and powder. It's kind of strange-looking. I think women do it to look tanner. Or darker. But it's too flat. You need highlighting on the cheek. A touch of blush is necessary. Without it, it kind of looks dirty, flat, and matte."

Now we wear blush every day, and it really makes sense.

Rembrandt Teeth Experts Introduce New 'D' Whitening Paste

Have you tried the Deeply White collection?!

And we're not talking fashion this time. Instead, we're curious about the Rembrandt teeth whitening experts, and their Deeply White + Peroxide toothpaste.

We've been seeing the ads for D in all the major magazines. Now, we thought that this Rembrandt whitening paste had been out for a couple of years already. And we believe, the company is re-introducing the product.

Anyway, we like the Rembrandt teeth experts. The company has been at the forefront for years now, coming out with lots of pastes and mouthwashes that really brighten a smile, and zap away stains and yellowness ASAP!!

Rembrandt Deeply White + Peroxide claims to, not only whiten teeth deeper. but to help restore enamel at the same stroke of your toothbrush. Plus, there's a Deeply White + Peroxide mouthwash to use as a combo. Both cost about $7 each.

How it works:
"Our whitening toothpaste contains powerful ingredients that both whiten and protect your teeth. Sodium Fluoride is an anti-cavity agent that strengthens teeth by restoring tooth enamel. Our rapid-release peroxide starts working on contact to get deep stains inside teeth to visibly whiten."

We've been using Ultra brite's Advanced Whitening Toothpaste for a few years now, because the well-respected Consumer Reports stated that it was the BEST. Read on:

Consumer Reports tested 41 toothpastes, toothpastes that all boast about whitening your teeth. And they found that most brands do not live up to the hype or expensive price tags. But only one was really superior at stain removal. And this one wasn't too abrasive, meaning, the toothpaste would not harm teeth and gums. And that is---Ultra brite. And what a bargain at just $2.19 a tube, 6 oz. But it's not available on all store shelves. We find it at the Dollar Tree stores.

Ultra brite doesn't even contain peroxide, and yet is able to whiten teeth beautifully. The winning toothpaste is also good at fighting cavities and tartar.

Still, we are a white teeth maniac, so we are always searching for the uber tube of white. We will check out Rembrandt's D.

More details about thewhitening paste and a $3 off coupon here.

Just For Cool Curly-Hair Chicks: New Moroccanoil Mousse

When it comes to styling curly hair, there are some specifics that must be met:

1. Get rid of frizz, no matter what the weather may bring, while sealing in moisture.

2. Tame down curls with a product that gives great shape and memory to curly and tightly coiled hair.

3. Curls that spell, 'Shine, texture, and softness.'

And the makers of Moroccanoil have just come out with a new styling product that does all of the above, while keeping hair healthy with knock-out curly locks:

Moroccanoil Curl Defining Mousse ($22, 5.1 oz., at fine salons and spas, and at moroccanoil.

What we adore about this excellent curl defining mousse is its all-in-one bottle treatment. When trying to tackle curly and tightly coiled hair, lots of different products are generally used---one for the frizz, one for the conditioning, one for the volume/shape, one for the memory/hairspray, etc.

Moroccanoil Curl Defining Mousse is all you need in one bottle, to 'build' a beautiful frame of enviable curls. It's formulated with the special ingredient of argan oil. And it can be applied on both wet and dry hair.