Clear lip gloss is one of those items we've all got kicking around in our purse. In fact, we've probably got a tube in EVERY purse we have, and in some cases, even more than one. It's a product we are constantly using and then losing and then re-buying it.

The fact that we only use it for typically just one thing? Now that's just plain wasteful. You might not think it to look at that tube of gooey stuff, but there's a whole lot more you can with your gloss beside perfect your pout with it. This stuff is practically all-purpose! Here are just 15 of the other ways you can you your lip gloss. We bet some will surprise you.

1.) Cuticle Butter

Cuticles in dire need of softening and your next manicure is so far down on your to-do list that it's almost tragic? Use your lip stuff instead for a quick fix.

2.) Hair Putty For The Short-Haired

A tiny amount on the tips of your fingers run through your hair from the bottom through to the ends gives you an unexpectedly great texturizer.

3.) Heel Healer

Slipping into a pair of sling-backs at the office and shocked by the sight of your dry heels? A little gloss makes for a great in a pinch fix.

4.) Elbow Treatment

While slightly squicky, this one ain't no thing if your are going sleeveless. Make your elbows nice and hydrated without lugging around lotion.

5.) Instantly Younger Eyes

For a dewy look, ditch the shadow and use the gloss. It instantly softens for you a youthful appearance.

6.) Split-End Life-Saver For The Long-Haired

What's good for the short-haired is great for the long-maned! A teeny bit of gloss on your ends helps between visits to the salon to manage those split ends.

7.) Reinvent Your Powder Blush

Take your blush from powder to a cream with a simple assist from your gloss.

8.) Save Your Hairline While Coloring

Before applying your at home hair color, apply a protective barrier of gloss all along your hairline to prevent staining on the skin.

9.) Changing Outdoor Light-bulbs

It can be hard changing light-bulbs that are located outside just because of how much they are exposed to. Ring each bulbs screw bottom with a hint of gloss to make for easier removal later.

10.) Stubborn Zipper Buster

A personal favorite. If you've got a zipper that just won't budge, an application of gloss should ease things right up.

11.) Dry Nose Treatment

A life-saver for those super-cold or super-sunburned days. A hint of gloss around the sensitive nasal tissue soothes what hurts.

12.) Ring Remover

Got a ring that just won't budge? Forget butter -- go gloss, or go home. It will help slip that thing right off.

13.) Highlighter

A dab on your brow-bones or cheek-bones acts like an all-in one highlighter after applying foundation!

14.) Eyebrow's Best Friend

Unruly brows be gone! A quick slick helps keep even the wildest brows well under control.

15.) Free New Eyeliner

Down an eyeliner? Blend some gloss with your favorite eye shadow for a great, long-lasting, and moisturizing liner free of charge!

Do you have any other things you use your lip gloss for?

Image via Jacob Yuri Wackerhausen/Tetra Images/Corbis

My once-blond hair has been getting darker and darker, especially since I haven't had the time or the money to get it professionally highlighted. I have really thick, long hair, so not only does it take hours at the salon to get it done, but it costs hundreds of dollars too. (It doesn't help that I live in one of the most expensive cities in the whole country, either.)

So in the interest of protecting my pocketbook and hectic schedule, I tried to lighten my hair myself.

My first stop was the hair color section at my local Walgreens, but all the chemicals and the fear of screwing up scared me. And what happened to SunIn? I didn't see that anywhere!

Instead I decided to try something I hadn't done since I was a teen: use lemon juice to give myself some natural highlights. How did I do it, you ask?

Beyonce is getting hit up with those photoshop accusations once again. Normally I'd say this was a case of haters doing what they do best (to be clear, what they do best is hating). But the photos she's thought to have doctored on her Instagram account make me suspicious of Bey, much though I hate to admit it -- and you guys know how much I loathe admitting things. 

In the pics that have everyone (myself included) raising their eyebrows with curiosity, Beyonce is playing golf. That in and of itself is enough to set one to head-scratching. Surely someone as brassy and faboo as Sasha Fierce has more interesting ways of passing the time, no? Apparently not. In one shot, Beyonce is standing, knees bent, preparing to hit the ball (or so I assume, I know nothing of how golf is played). 

More from The Stir: Not Having a 'Thigh Gap' Apparently Makes a Woman a 'Hefty Pig'

She's photographed with an infamous 'thigh gap.' You know, that perversely lauded and totally unattainable (for the most part) magical triangle of nothing but air that is supposed to exist where the tops of our thighs meet? It's one of the worst forms of 'thinspiration' out there, women striving to live up to the impossible standards we see models presenting on the regs. 

Beyonce is all woman, and all beautiful. She's also tiny! But she's got natural curves, and those curves don't allow for noise like a thigh-gap to exist! They just don't. I don't mean to waggle my finger at Bey for this blatant shopping, I just want to point out how SAD it is that even someone as amazing as she is feels pressure to achieve some constantly out of reach idea of what it means to be truly beautiful. By the same token, I still wish I looked like Beyonce. 

Do you think she photoshopped the pic?

Images via Splash News

Could someone please help me? I've gone temporarily blind from seeing something I didn't want to see this morning. Something my brain is desperately trying to forget. What was it again? Oh no, I remember now: Oh God -- it's the sight of Cher wearing glitter heart pasties. I would tear out my eyeballs now, but it's clearly too late. The damage is done. 

Cher wore bright red, sequined, heart-shaped pasties in a performance for her "Dressed to Kill" tour. DRESSED TO KILL INDEED. This was just one of many eye-stabbing costumes the 67-year-old matron of glam wears in her show, including something that looks like her "Turn Back Time" strappy bondage bodice. Do you dare feast your eyes on Cher with glitter heart boobs? Do you?!? 

I knew you couldn't resist. Hey, actually I have to give the woman some respect. She must have some sort of bionic confidence to pull off one half-naked costume after another at her age. She's almost 70! And even though we're maybe seeing more of her than we want to, she's in pretty damn great shape for any age.

Not to mention how impressive it is that she's pulling off this stage performance. Cher has incredible stamina and energy, and I admire that. I want to be that strong and energetic when I'm 67. It's inspiring, in a way. 

And how about this? There are throngs of people who actually DO want to see Cher in glitter heart pasties: Gay men. I couldn't begin to understand what that's all about, but good for Cher and her fans. Something is working there, even if I don't get it.

Do you think Cher's heart pasties are giving Madonna ideas?

Images via tcamino33/Instagram, breiss2014/Instagram

It's April. It's time for the 2014 MTV Movie Awards. And we're all tired of formal fashion! Time to take things down a notch. Now that the big, fancy awards season is over, the celebs lighten up for this laid-back, casual show. But this is still no time to phone it in. I can't believe how many little black dresses I saw last night. Are we that sick of dressing up? Not everyone is! Here are four ensembles worth talking about and four ensembles that gave Grumpy Cat a reason to growl.

Self-proclaimed "Human Barbie" Valeria Lukyanova has posted a makeup-free selfie to the web for all her fans. Normally, when celebrities (a term applied loosely here) share photos of themselves sans any sort of cosmetic enhancement, it's in an attempt to make them seem more like us -- more real and easier to relate to than they usually appear. But that's not the case here. Valeria posted this picture to prove that even without makeup, she's more Barbie-like than anyone else alive.

It's hard to argue with her. The various surgical procedures she's had done over the years have made her resemble everyone's favorite plastic girl-doll. Her extremely small waist, her wide eyes, and her seemingly pore-free skin definitely exude Barbie. Still, whether she wants to admit it or not, she definitely looks better with less makeup on. I mean, she still looks insane, but the crazy is toned down a notch. Or 12.  

Nothing this woman could ever do would really and truly tone down her look. And she's right -- even without the makeup, she is still Barbie come to life. Plus, let's be real: for her, "without makeup" just means "not caking it on," but I still spy foundation, eyebrow pencil, and mascara at least.

That said, without her full face on, you get a glimpse of the girl Valeria used to be. You know, before the urge to Barbie-fie herself came to pass. 

I'm not saying that without makeup, Valeria "looks like us." That would be impossible given all the work she's had done. Her appearance is still shocking to behold, but without the completed effect her usual layers of makeup provide, she looks slightly more human than doll.

I wonder if she realizes it. Probably not. If she did, those photos would already be deleted along with all other proof that she is a mere mortal. 

Why do you think Valeria is so obsessed with looking like Barbie?

Image via Twitter

Jennifer Lopez recently walked down the red carpet in a look that was equal parts glitzy and totally mom-tastic. You don't often pair the words "Jennifer Lopez" and "real life wearable fashion" in the same sentence. After all, this is the woman who let her business out to breathe for all the world to see in her infamous Versace gown.

All that seems to be changing. JLo took a major fashion risk with this dress, but the result is surprising. The knee-length, high-necked dress fit her like a dream. It was tailored to her form without being too tight. Because she picked such a conservative cut, she could afford to go wild when it came to the print -- and wild is the way she went!

The gown is patterned in a blue, tree branch design. Its bold color and reach-out-and-touch-me texture make it a real eye-catcher. Unlike some of her other eye-popping looks from yore though, this is one that wouldn't look totally strange on the average Jill attending a formal function in her real non-celebrity life.

Think about it! Pair that dress with a black blazer and a belt and you've got a great look for the office's dinner party. Also, don't forget, it's wedding season. This dress could be a solid investment for each and every spring wedding you attend. It's a bold look, that's for sure, but playing down your makeup, shoes, and jewelry make it an ideal statement piece to work into your wardrobe.

Would you ever wear something this bold?

Image via Jason LaVeris/Getty

If you want to spot every celebrity currently walking the earth, all you have to do is fly to California, throw on the tiniest denim cut-offs you can find (extra points if they're fringed), and attend Coachella -- the hottest music festival in the history of music festivals. The 3-day event is heaven for famous people, who use it as an opportunity to mingle among the common people -- yeah, right -- and, more importantly, show off insane outfits and accessories that would get them laughed at by Joan Rivers if they tried to wear them anywhere outside of the Colorado Desert.

Celebs may think time and good taste stand still while they're dancing their butts off at Coachella (cough, cough Leonardo DiCaprio), but we know better. And we're here to harshly judge the 10 outrageous looks these celebrities attempted to pull off at this year's festival.

Image via Sharpshooter Images/Splash/Splash News/Corbis

When it comes to skincare, I have good intentions, but, well ... I'm kind of lazy. I mean, I'm sometimes lazy; other times just plain exhausted from my day. However, I'm not getting any younger, so I've been working to make sure I don't flake out too often on my skincare routine.

Here are some of my tips and tricks for taking care of your skin without spending a lot of time and effort ... from one lazy girl to another!

1. Cleansing wipes are your friend. I think we can all agree on that. But multi-tasking wipes are your best friend! There are a ton of wipes that do more than just cleanse; two of my favorites are...

The Body Shop Vitamin E Gentle Facial Cleansing Wipes. Made with Vitamin E, not only do these wipes cleanse your face, but they moisturize your skin as well. ($15 at The Body Shop)

Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Cleansing Pads.  These babies are two-sided. One side is smooth, just for cleansing, and the other side provides a little gentle exfoliation. (About $6.99 at drugstores)

Speaking of multi-tasking ...

2. Put your shower time to good use. I recently discovered a great new product, St. Ives Nourished and Smooth Oatmeal Scrub Mask, which you can use as a facial wash or as a mask. Slather some on before you get into the shower, and rinse it off a few minutes later, when you're done washing your hair! ($4.39 at Soap.com)

3. Maximize your beauty sleep. If you can overcome your laziness enough to clean your makeup off, apply an overnight skincare treatment that will do its work while you dream of topical isles/ Ryan Gosling/ showing up naked to math class! A few good ones:

Korres Wild Rose + Vitamin C Advanced Brightening Sleeping Facial. This lovely-smelling product targets dark spots and uneven skin tone. ($48 at Sephora)

Kiehl's Ultra Facial Overnight Hydrating Masque. For all skin types, this treatment gives your skin an ultra boost of hydration. Especially great for renewing skin that's been depleted by winter dryness! ($35 at Kiehls.com)

4. Spend one minute on your pores. The Biore Self-Heating One-Minute Mask with Natural Charcoal purifies your pores in 60 seconds. You just wet your face, massage the powder on (it forms a wet-ish mask), wait a minute, and rinse. Ok, this process probably takes  two whole minutes, counting getting your face wet first and then washing this product off ... but still. That's, like, a facial that takes less time than a commercial break! 

5. Repeat after me: Eye cream takes 10 seconds to apply. Even the laziest of lazy girls can get up the energy to dab on a little eye cream at night (and/or in the morning!). It's probably the biggest bang for your beauty buck, because the skin around your eyes is so delicate, and responds well to good products. Right now I'm loving Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado. So creamy and luxurious! ($28.50 at Kiehls.com)

What are your lazy girl skincare tips?

Image via LukeLehrfeld/Flickr

You know that casual, messy, yet perfect bun you sometimes see on women? It looks like they just twisted their hair up into that 'do with one swift movement. But then you go home and try to do the same thing and it looks all kinds of wrong. Dah! Why is the "messy" bun so hard to pull off?

Well, it's not. We just need the right tutorial -- and I found it! After looking at several different versions, I've found my very favorite how-to for the mussed-just-right top knot, that bun that makes you look like an effortlessly chic femme from Paris. And best of all, I tried it out myself, and if I can pull it off, anyone can.

Here are a few tips to make it work.

1. Finger comb all of your hair way up to the top of your head -- the very top, not too far back. Don't worry about getting your hair perfectly smooth.

2. Twist your hair and coil it around into a tight bun.

3. Secure that bun with an elastic a little bit away from your roots.

4. Now, tug your hair loose from the bun. Pull strands from opposite ends of the bun away from each other all around. (This is me doing my own bun.)

When you've arrived at your desired messiness, you're done!

Here's Makeup by Alli to demonstrate -- I love how much detail she shows.

See this video on The Stir by CafeMom.

Have you ever attempted the messy bun?

Images via MakeupByAlli/YouTube

Jessica Alba was recently spotted on the red carpet of the MTV Movie Awards sporting a trend that we never expected to make such a grownup comeback. She was wearing a bright yellow circle skirt (perfect for this season and one we'd love to have in our own closets) paired with ... a white crop top. Some cursory googling proved what we had begun to suspect was true: crop-tops for grownup ladies are making a comeback.

They've been back for a while, but only for the Urban Outfitters-wearing set. I don't know about you, but it wasn't until I spotted mom of two Alba wearing one and looking totally foxy AND still incredibly classy that I began to think maybe this isn't a trend exclusively wearable by youngsters and whippet-thin celebs.

I mean, sure, Jessica's not your average mom, but really look at her ensemble. Is it really that outre? I don't think so. She takes this "little girl" style and makes it a totally sophisticated grownup look. The key to making any trend work depends on one of the principles of fashion: It's all about balance.

That's a big thing to remember if you decide to try and take a page from Alba's crop top-wearing book. If she had worn skinny jeans with it or even a mini-skirt, the effect would be totally spoiled. But the length and structure of her skirt balance out the square shape and high cut of the crop top. Here are a couple of other crop-top-and-skirt pairings that make the trend seem practically 1950s vintage fabulous.

Even if you don't feel quite brave enough to bare a sliver of belly, there's still inspiration to be had here. Pair a simple white T-shirt with a more formal, high-waisted skirt and you can evoke that same awesome blend of modern casual throwback cool. Add some fun sunglasses and an espadrille and you're ready to hit the streets this spring in style.

Would you dare to wear a crop top?

Image via Kevin Mazur/Getty

You'll never guess who's not so happy with the assets that made her famous. Kate Upton wishes she had smaller boobs! The Sun claims she told them, "I wish I had smaller boobs every day of my life as I would love to wear spaghetti tops braless or go for the smallest bikini designs." NO! Yes! As a member of the smaller boob clan, I am flabbergasted. All this time I've been seeing photos of Kate and wondering what it must be like to own a set of naturals like that. (Okay, fine, now Kate is saying she never said she wanted smaller boobs.)

But here's the brilliant thing fictional Upton added: "If I could just take them off like they were clip-ons ..." OMG, that's perfect. If we could really have that kind of versatility, how amazing, right? Well, we do have boob size options, sort of. Here are the best ways to change your breast size without doing anything radical, like getting plastic surgery or (gulp) getting pregnant. I guess they'll have to do ... for now.

Making your own eye shadow is the obvious solution to busting out of an eye shadow rut. Getting bogged down by our beauty routine -- it's happened to all of us! Sure, we can get ready in five minutes (and look damn fine doing it), but it's only natural that slapping on the same couple of colors from the same palates every day would start to lose its appeal.

So you try to spice things up as often as you can. But who has the money (or the time, for that matter) to go busting the bank at Sephora every week? I mean, you could do that -- or you could buy groceries and other necessities, like shoes for your 10-year-old whose feet seem to be expanding daily. It's no contest.

But that doesn't mean chaining yourself to the same three shades of purple until you die. If you've got two minutes and some body lotion, you've got a whole new selection of eyeshadows at your disposal. Our DIY cream eye shadow will totally revamp your cosmetics bag and kick your butt out of that rut.

Try this and still miss the pampering effect of visiting a high-end makeup shop? Then enlist the kids for a little game of "make believe we're beauty consultants." Kid who successfully pampers you, the customer, gets to pick what you have for dinner. 

With that in mind and no further ado, here's everything you need to make your own eye shadow at home! 

DIY Cream Eye Shadow

Ingredients

 Directions

1.) Using the coffee stirrer to move them, combine any number of your eye shadows in the small plastic container. Example: Try a dark green with a gold for a sparkling look perfect for hazel eyes.

2.) Add a drop of lotion and mix until well-blended. Add more lotion or shadow as needed until you reach your preferred consistency and color.

Note: Mixing too many hues of shadow can create a muddy look, so limit yourself to just one or two unless they are from the same color family. Even just one shadow mixed with lotion will alter the powder, creating an ultra-saturated, creamy look. This process is all about trial, error, and having fun.

Helpful tip: Keep the lid on these between uses to prevent drying, and they'll last just as long as a cream shadow you'd buy at any drugstore or cosmetic supplier.

Try this just once and you'll be totally hooked, we swear! I call this the gateway DIY makeup project, because once you see how much money you save, and what great results you get so easily, you'll be banging down the door trying to find other DIY makeup projects to try.

Have you ever tried to make your own makeup?

Image via Courtney Rhodes/Flickr

I don't know if it's because of Game of Thrones or the lightness of spring, but I'm seeing a lot of hair jewelry lately. I love how it looks, but how do you pull it off, exactly? There are so many different ways to style it. Well, the good news is that hair jewelry can be as simple -- or as elaborate -- as you want it to be. So if you've ever found yourself standing in front of a rack of rhinestone hair pins wondering where the heck to actually pin them, here are 18 beautiful hair jewelry looks to give you some inspiration.

You've probably noticed them popping up everywhere: bright, colorful, "skinny belts." They're the kind of thing that I love on other people, but am not quite sure how to approach myself, not really being a belt person in general. So I asked my style expert and author friend Bridgette Raes to give me some tips on how to work those fun, fab pieces into our wardrobes even if they don't quite seem like "us."

Here are 4 tips on how to wear the bright belt trend and some colorful options out there for inspiration! Pair them with bright lipstick and you've got yourself a whole fresh new look!

Image via aprilhussar/Polyvore

We've come a long way since the '80s, when contouring and highlighting your face usually meant you were left with a block of brown beneath your cheeks and stripey, shimmery, disco-ball powder on your cheekbones. Scary!

Modern-day contouring is all about bringing out your best features and bone structure while looking like you're not wearing any makeup at all. If contouring intimidates you and you feel like you need a degree in art to make it work, you're not alone -- but you are wrong. The great news is that contouring is wildly popular this season. There's no lack of great tutorials out there to help guide us on our path to beauty perfection.

More from The Stir: Kim Kardashian's Makeup Artist Is a Big Fan of Contouring

So let's get started -- here are 6 tips for contouring and highlighting your face so that you look your absolute best!

Of course, it's always helpful to watch a great online contouring tutorial like this one. Try these tricks and let us know how it goes!

See this video on The Stir by CafeMom.

Image via 68/Ocean/Corbis

Celebrities are always beautiful. It's part of what draws us to them. They don't always have to be stereotypically gorgeous, but they are all lovely or handsome in their own jaw-dropping way. People's annual Most Beautiful edition celebrates the hotties who dwell not-quite-among us. I'm sure you've gotten in more than a few debates with your friends over who makes their infamous list.

This year they're trying something different. And by different, I mean ... slightly weird but in the best possible way. They took a page from Oscar Wilde's Picture of Dorian Gray and brought it to life. To celebrate all 20 of their 'most beautiful' cover models, they photoshopped them as they look today posed beside younger versions of themselves. What's craziest to me about this gallery is that almost across the board, the stars look better now than they did when they were younger. 

There's no denying that the gallery they've created is mesmerizing. Stars like Meg Ryan and Nicole Kidman pose beside versions of themselves as younger women. Plastic surgery aside, there's no denying that they've definitely gotten better with age.

There's a confidence that comes with getting older that seems to have only made them more beautiful. That's the only explanation for how TOTALLY STUNNING Michelle Pfeiffer continues to be. In the immortal words from When Harry Met Sally -- I'll have what she's having.

The same can be said for the side-by-side of Gwyneth Paltrow and Angelina Jolie. It's insane to look at the awkward floral-print-wearing Paltrow and see the beginnings of the GOOP mogul. Whereas Angelina's baby-girl self hugging her own legs makes you realize how long it took for her to grow into her otherworldly good looks. 

Is it genetics, access to dollars to make life a bit easier, plastic surgery? I feel like for some of these stars, it's a combination of those factors. Some folks just seem born beautiful -- like Leonardo DiCaprio and Drew Barrymore.

Sure, these photos capture them at their awkward preteen years, but they are still absolutely captivating to look at. It's no wonder we're always eager to check out what they are up to even now. 

Which star do you think has changed the most?

Images via Splash News/Twitter/Instagram

Singer Lorde is no shrinking violet. When she was featured inside Canadian magazine Fashion, she was less than pleased with the results -- and she let them and the world know just how she felt.

Lorde tweeted a photo from the shoot and announced that while she really liked the photo, she suspected the mag had given her a "new nose."The magazine is striking back, denying that they did any such thing. But still, looking at photos of Lorde, it's hard to deny that something is definitely up in the picture she posted as proof of her accusations. 

Photoshopping inside magazines and on their covers is nothing new. It's standard practice, and while it can be excessive, it's normal to expect a little bit of futzing to make the star featured look like a glossy, perfect version of themselves. Usually this means brushing away some lines and removing dark circles. It doesn't mean completely altering the subject they are meant to be showcasing. 

While Lorde insists that her nose is so not her own as it is pictured inside the magazine, Fashion's editor-in-chief Bernadette Morra says that this is not the case. They didn't dare touch the woman's face, let alone make such major alterations:

I can assure you, Fashion Magazine did not give Lorde a new nose. Sometimes lighting or camera angles can give the impression that things look smaller, larger, or different than they really are.

Hmm, I don't know. This sounds like a pretty weak excuse to me. Wouldn't it read as more honest to just say that it was possible her appearance could appear altered by the work of their Photoshop practices? It's a weird thing for the magazine to take a stand about, especially when we have the luxury of looking at other photos of the star and comparing.

Personally, I think it definitely looks like her nose has been changed to a more narrow version -- and not in a way you could chalk up to "shadows." It's cool of Lorde to be so open in talking about her own appearance this way. It's especially refreshing in an era of celebs like Lady Gaga, who insist that even their paparazzi photos be Photoshopped into some unattainable ideal.

Do you think Lorde's nose was Photoshopped?

Images via Twitter

Ladies, we are entering a new age of eyebrow anxiety, and Kim Kardashian is partly to blame. But it's not just her -- it's models like Cara Delevingne who are making women go to extreme lengths for darker, heavier eyebrows. I'm talking eyebrow transplants -- thousands of dollars to implant hairs from the nape of your neck onto your face. According to an article in Harper's Bazaar, eyebrow transplants are all the rage now. But come on, that's crazy, right? They cost between $4,000 to $10,000 and take hours. Is that really the best option for transforming your eyebrows?

We talked with New York City eyebrow stylist/guru Joey Healy to get the scoop on this cosmetic surgery trend and to find out how we ordinary mortals can get bolder brows without blowing 10 grand.

The good news? You can dramatically transform your eyebrows! And we're not missing out on anything with the transplants. Healy says the hairs on the nape of your neck are very different from the ones in your brow -- they grow much faster, for starters. And they have a different texture. He says the hair transplant would probably be helpful in extreme cases, like for burn victims who can't grow hair there at all. But if you just want a fuller brow? "There are more practical solutions."

Even women like me, who have blah, sparse, shapeless brows, can get Natalie Portman's seriously bold look (I can't even remember what happens in the Thor movies because I spent the whole time plotting how to get those eyebrows). The key is to use a combination of methods. But there's one thing everyone who wants to change their brows should start with: "Hands off," Healy says.

1. Your first step is to let your eyebrows grow in for four to six weeks. No plucking, not even the strays. You want to let everything grow in so you can see what the possibilities are and what you have to work with. You may be surprised to see more hair than you thought you had.

2. Meanwhile, for instant gratification, Healy recommends applying a brow powder with a stiff brush to fill in your gaps. He says it will look better than a pencil; plus, there are great options now that are forgiving (you can wipe them off if you make a mistake) and are waterproof.

3. You can also try a brow serum, clear gel you apply day and night. "Peptides in the serum generate hair growth," Healy says. At $125 his Brow Renovation Serum is pricey, but it's still a whole lot cheaper than a transplant.

More from The Stir: Kim Kardashian's Eyebrows Inspire Cutting-Edge Beauty Procedure

4. Once you've grown out your brows, you can start shaping -- carefully. If you can see a specialist at a salon, that's great, though Healy doesn't recommend waxing or threading because they make growing back hair harder and because tweezing gives you more control over details.

5. Another option is eyebrow hair dyeing, which Healy recommends getting done at a salon instead of at home. A professional will get everything, even the little baby hairs, and can dye more safely. We're talking about your face, after all. So if you have thin, pale eyebrows, you might want to try dyeing and then some powder to fill in the spaces between, for example. It's the combination of the two that will truly transform your eyebrows in a way that looks authentic, even in daylight.

"For some women," Healy says, transforming your eyebrows "is more of a journey." It takes some time, some patience, some experimenting. So great, maybe Natalie Portman's eyebrows are a reality for me after all. I just have to take it slow.

Whose eyebrows do you envy?

Image via Leland Bobbe/Corbis

Tights are the 'frenemies' of the world of intimate apparel. Especially with all the runs they get. That's why we've got 5 ways of saving you and your tights when you're on the run.

Sure, tights can make us look great, sleek, pulled-together -- But they all get runs in them. It might happen as soon as you pull them on, or it could take months, but eventually every pair of tights gets a creeping ladder. Most of the time when we notice them, it's too late to do anything about it. 

That's where we come in! Because there are things you can do, even in a pinch, to stop those runners right in their tracks. They might not all be permanent solutions, but they are all guaranteed to keep you from worrying about the damage spreading. Read on for 5 of the best ways to stops runners without having to head for the hills! 

More from The Stir: These Artsy Etsy Tights Will Get You Noticed

1.) Clear Polish

You don't have to be a fan of constant manicure touch-ups to carry some clear polish around. At the first sign of a run, brush on a dollop of the stuff. It's not a pleasant sensation, but it will keep that hole from getting bigger.

2.) Hairspray

If you can't see yourself remembering polish, what about hairspray? This is more common item for folks to haul around than you hight think. It's stickiness keeps that run from spreading without adhering to your skin like the polish tends to do. 

3.) Stop It Before It Starts

If it doesn't happen, you don't have to fix it! Keep your tights out of the dryer, let them air dry. Don't store them in wooden drawers where they might cling and snag. Both of these tips will extend the life of your tights. 

4.) Bar Soap 

If you can get your mitts on a bar of soap, rub the bar over the run. It dries out the fabric and keeps it from moving and getting bigger. Bonus points: If the soap smells nice, you've just enhanced your own fabulous aroma!

5.) MAGIC!

This isn't exactly ripped from the pages of Harry Potter, but if you've got a massive run and no amount of polish can save you -- excuse yourself and head to the little wizards' room. Then....take your tights off and put them back on....backwards! PRESTO! Out of sight, and out of mind.

Finally, remember that in a pinch -- the worst thing that can happen here is you having to take your tights off altogether. And sexy, naked, legs? They are always in fashion. 

Do you have any other quick tricks for stopping a run in your tights?

Image via 2/ballyscanlon/Ocean/Corbis