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On one of my recent visits to PerezHilton.com (I know I know it’s rotten and shallow but I’m kind of addicted) I noticed a shocking video of Filipina pop sensation Charice Pempengco receiving Botox injections. The little lady with a big voice is just 18-years-old!

The singer who rose to fame via her YouTube videos and various performances on Ellen and Oprah was seen “freshening up” her look before her upcoming guest spot on FOX’s Glee. Charice, who first auditioned for her upcoming role on the show in June, will begin filming after an upcoming tour.

The singer reportedly also underwent another anti-aging procedure to tighten her skin to make her naturally round face appear narrower. The doctor in charge of Charice’s injections is shown explaining that by manipulating certain muscles her cheeks have an “apple look” that is “cute.” Despite the footage, Charice’s publicist claims that none of the procedures were done for cosmetic reasons. She attributes Charice’s Botox experience to muscle tension in the jaw, and the tightening process was not for anti-aging, it was just a cleaning on her face.

The video footage can be accessed on both Perezhilton.com and YouTube. The doctor who is seen injecting Charice was later revealed to be her godmother. She is shown explaining that Charice’s jaw had widened due to excessive gum chewing. Not sure if Botox should be used to fight that. Plus I’ve heard of many different treatments for TMJ, the most common jaw locking syndrome.

Charice’s manager is shown explaining that Charice has a ton of touring to do between now and her Glee appearance so this is a necessary adjustment so she looks fresher on camera. The girl is barely 18, she’s the freshest she’ll ever be! Why must me corrupt our youth?

Interestingly enough, Glee is probably the most exposure Charice will undergo in America since her singing career skyrocketed just three years ago. Although she has recently been receiving some negative attention for her Botox stint.

With her very busy schedule, Charice deserves some R&R and the girl needs a little something to make her feel good or even better, but cosmetic enhancements are not the answer. She’s a hardworking and hopefully down-to-earth young girl, but she is merely a girl. The American obsession with staying youthful is truly starting to leak through the cracks and fill the laugh lines of teens that can’t even begin to wrinkle.

Botox is a poison that kills nerve cells so you don’t have wrinkles. Do we really want to encourage our teenagers to poison themselves to look “fresh?”

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I’ve never been a skinny girl. My roommates jokingly call me a “wooty” after a song they heard (“wooty” means a white girl with a booty). I’ve never felt that I was overweight, just average. So I was little taken aback when I read an entry on a style blog a couple weeks ago. A writer had gone to the huge Forever 21 in Times Square. She wanted to buy jeans, but the sizes only went up to 10. When asked where she could find the next size up, the salesgirl directed her to the plus-size section.

The average woman in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is 164 pounds and 5 feet 3 inches tall. The average waist size is 37 inches, the equivalent of a size 18. Now I know some may argue there’s a problem with obesity and unhealthy living in this country, and I won’t disagree; a healthy lifestyle is important. But we also have a problem with being weight-obsessed, and our media has created the idea that a size 0 is the only size that qualifies as “beautiful.”

I can relate to the blogger. Stores that I thought were intended for teens and young adults seem to be skewing toward a much younger (and skinnier) demographic. While everyone else at my high school was flocking to Abercrombie & Fitch and Hollister, I stayed away. Anywhere else, I would have been a medium, maybe a small, depending on the article of clothing. At one of those stores? I was lucky if I fit into a large or extra large. I doubt one of my arms could even fit into a small shirt. Even lately with American Eagle, a store I love for their jeans, I find it impossible to find a size 8 pair in the store (I’m also short so I need petite length).

Some clothing companies have turned to “vanity sizing.” As people have gotten larger, designers have changed what sizes used to be in order to make women (and men) feel better that they fit into a smaller size. So a woman may be a size 10, but depending on the store, she could be an 8 or even a 6. However, I’ve never seen this at stores for younger people. If anything, it’s the opposite where the sizes just keep getting smaller. I avoid American Eagle more and more because my 20-year-old self is always surrounded by girls who can’t even be out of middle school yet. I’m shopping at a store where the girls have barely hit puberty and are half my size.

If these stores want to continue to appeal to a younger demographic, they need to take into account that not every girl is a size 0 or 2, even if they are in middle or high school. At 20, I think I fit right in the young adult category so shouldn’t I still be able to fit into the clothes?

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Unfortunately one of the world’s most heinous hairstyles ever to emerge and thrive has actually become a cultural phenomenon. I’m speaking of the “Business in the front, Party in the back” or “Tennessee Waterfall.” The mullet hairstyle has branched out from country music videos to professional wrestlers all the way to trailer park circles.

Now we may not always agree with Iran on politics, but I think they’ve got a winner this time. The Daily Telegraph reports that Iranian officials have released a strict style guide for Iranian men to abide by. The government has comprised a list that includes a catalog of acceptable hairstyles. Fashions deemed inappropriate consist of slicked-back ponytails, long hair lengths, exaggerated spikes, and yes, the mullet.

Personally I think it’s a great idea. No man should ever need or want a mullet. Sorry Billy Ray, but someone’s got to say it. It’s just flat out tacky.

The hair handbook was published and issued earlier this month in hopes of eliminating distasteful western styles. The proposed styles have been chosen and inspired by the Iranian culture, complexion, and religion. Pompadours, facial hair such as goatees, and side parts are OK, but excessive use of hair gel is frowned upon. Barbershops offering western hairstyles beware. They have been fined and penalized in the past and officials are not afraid to do so again. First-time offenders will receive an unbecoming short-back-and-sides cut, but successive delinquents face stiffer fines.

Iran’s hard-faced Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance has given the project its necessary stamp of authorization. Officials hope that the introduction of this ban will create some sort of social identity. The catalog is supposed to be in full circulation by the reveal of the Modesty and Veil Festival, an event geared towards promoting the new dress codes.

Although I’m all for banning the mullet and we could probably throw those pesky Bump Its in there too, I’m not quite sure if this is just another example of Iran’s oppressive organization limiting civilian rights. Or is bad hair an entirely different topic that should simply be left out of government ordinance?

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I’ve always been an advocate for women’s body confidence. Too many girls and young women get sucked into eating disorders and other unhealthy practices striving to be what is believed to be “beautiful.” That’s why I also was a big fan of Crystal Renn, who I first saw in Glamour magazine. Renn is a successful “plus-sized” model who used to battle anorexia early in her career. She has been an even greater success after embracing a larger figure. She even published a book, Hungry, about her struggle with weight and the fashion industry.

I was shocked, however, when I read an article that Renn had lost a large amount of weight and was teetering on the edge of sickly-skinny again. Photos from a recent Fashion for Passion shoot seemed to be evidence of this change in her physique.

Then the truth came out. Renn’s photos had been dramatically altered to make her seem much skinnier. She had been airbrushed to look sizes smaller. In an interview with The Today Show’s Meredith Viera, Renn discussed her reaction to the photos.

“When I first saw the photos, I would have to say I was absolutely shocked…I’m a size 10, and that’s more like a size 2,” she said. She went on to say that in the fashion industry “plus” means “plus the norm.” Those who have seen Renn in person say she isn’t large at all. Although she has lost 25 pounds since beginning her career as a larger model, she attributes the difference to healthy exercise not purposeful weight loss.

I was even more shocked by the airbrushing when I found out what Fashion for Passion actually is. The nonprofit organization was founded in March of this year and is geared toward advocating for children’s arts and music programs across the U. S. Their Web site states that a few things the organization hopes to raise funds for are music lessons, art classes and supplies, creative spaces and arts summer camps. Mostly, it provides opportunities for children to grow with the arts.

Arts programs are meant to nurture and develop talent, but also are meant to instill students with confidence and self-esteem. I was never that into sports, and I found an amazing outlet in middle and high school by participating in show choir, dance and drama; I had fun and that feeling of being on stage is incomparable. In raising funds and awareness for these types of programs, the photos of Renn are essentially counterproductive to create confidence. They instead give the message that students still need to be a certain way instead of embracing who they truly are.

I commend Renn for her advocacy for a world where size isn’t an issue. It’s disheartening that Fashion for Passion allowed her photos to be edited in such a way. We can learn a thing or two from her about courage and confidence, a lesson that Fashion for Passion should heed.

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What if there was a world where the attractive could seek out other attractive people and the burden of sorting through the mass of mediocre appearances was diminished? Well for anyone who’s interested, that place really does exist.

In 2001, Greg Hodge and Robert Hintze launched BeautifulPeople.com. The Web site was first introduced in Denmark, but shortly after opened access for users worldwide.

The infamously vapid, super-elite and exclusive dating club was initially instated to provide fellow attractive daters with good-looking hopefuls that could possible spark some sort of romantic connection. Founded on the idea that attraction is a huge aspect of criterion in the bar and club scene, BeautifulPeople tries to shift this design onto the web by helping members create personal and professional relationships with other people who stand out because of their attractive exteriors and personal qualities.

The site’s strict “no uglies” policy is determined when you first sign up. To become a member applicants have to be voted in by existing members of the opposite sex. Over a two-day period members rate all new applicants based on whether or not the members of BeautifulPeople.com find each profile “attractive enough.” If applicants are lucky enough to secure an adequate amount of positive votes, they will be granted membership.

Applicants can start by uploading a profile for free at BeautifulPeople.com, and as time goes on their profile will be moved into the rating unit. Applicants are allowed to include e-mails to particular members while they are being rated to try to give some insight into the character behind the face.

Posed in the form of a sort of thermometer that moves from “yes certainly” through to “absolutely not,” the ultimate verdict of beauty is in the hands of the members of BeautifulPeople.com. Majority rules in the land of the pretty, and they aren’t afraid to let you know how attractive they think you are. It’s like the democracy of dating. With 5 million members and counting, it’s a surprise only 20% of applicants actually make it into the community.

Newly expanding their boundaries a little further than match-making, the site is now offering a different set of options. So what if you don’t hit it off with that hunky bachelor or bachelorette. BeautifulPeople.com now offers a fertility introduction service that allows both members and non-members the opportunity to create beautiful offspring. The sperm and egg bank allows members to skip the foreplay and head straight to baby making. Hodge claims that he and his partner receive no monetary advantage from the fertility clinic. It’s just another demand being supplied. The clinic was supposed to be closed off to members only, but Hodge felt it was thoughtless and insensitive to deny “uglies” the benefit of procreating with the good-looking gene pool.

Not sure how much popularity this will garner, but who knows maybe we’ll forgo dating all together and just artificially inseminate with the über-attractive.

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Some deem it dirty, immoral, sinful and dangerous. To others it’s victimless, acceptable, and a viable source of income. Prostitution has supporters and resisters internationally remaining strong on both ends of the spectrum. Certain nations have legalized it, while others stand fervently opposed. The world’s oldest profession continues to be a vital branch of the sex industry generating over $100 billion annually on a global scale.

Prostitution is defined as “the act or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment.” But prostitution has been found in many cultures dating back centuries. In the Ancient Near East, “houses of heaven” were commonplace and prostitution was regarded as sacred. Even in Renaissance Europe during a time when the Roman Catholic Church strictly opposed sexual activity outside marriage, prostitution was accepted as a tolerable alternative to dispel compulsions of rape, masturbation and sodomy.

History doesn’t always define present-day circumstances, though. As a society, much has changed including the general regard towards women and more affluent laws defining what is legally acceptable. Today, in nations like Sweden and Norway, prostitution is considered a form of exploitation and it’s illegal to buy sexual services, but not to elicit them. In the Netherlands and Germany, prostitution is regulated as a legal profession. In many Muslim countries, it’s prohibited with both prostitute and client facing severe penalties.

Canada is one of the nations that technically doesn’t deem prostitution a crime, except that most activities surrounding it are. For instance, working within or operating a brothel, soliciting in a public place and being found in an establishment with those purposes are all criminally punishable acts. In the U.S., all but one state (Nevada) declares prostitution illegal and classes it as a misdemeanor.

So what are the pros and cons of such a profession and should the laws be amended either way? The cons to decriminalizing prostitution are hard to ignore. It demeans and degrades both the client and prostitute. Human trafficking of both women and children in third world countries and Eastern Europe is alarming and would continue to drive and promote despicable sex slavery acts. Profits gained through the “sex trade” often are recycled in other criminal activities. Sexually-transmitted diseases and HIV are difficult to monitor now and after legalizing prostitution, there may be a higher exposure to those risks.

On the pro end, many believe that prostitution is not a crime based on merit if it’s agreed to by two consenting adults. Decriminalization would better protect people in the sex industry from abuse and violence. At present, police units have task forces working solely on the industry, catching clients and prostitutes. Once apprehended, it’s a costly and often ineffective system. Legalizing prostitution would eliminate wasted dollars as licensed properties and guidelines would be enforced.

At the end of the day, there are lists of reasons on both sides that could ignite debate. It’s a subjective and controversial topic that will most likely never find a happy medium.

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Let’s face it. The word recession has been thrown around more frequently than we’d like to admit, and the odds of surviving have grown far and wide. The Fed has already slashed interest rates, and stimulus checks have been entrusted into the hands of millions of consumers nationwide.

The two things you don’t want to do right now are buy a house or quit your job, but going to the mall may actually be a sound idea.

I recently read a report from Retailer Health Ratings (RHR), a ratings system ranked by the U.S. Census. The system’s ratings are released by an investment boutique that focuses primarily on retailer and consumer product divisions. The system is considered to be a standard barometer that evaluates vital fiscal information to ascertain the strength of each individual retailer. These rankings provide a great store-to-store assessment of more than 160 publicly traded retail chains and outlets.

When evaluating this type of information it is important to remember, all retailers are in “Stage One” of decline at some point. The RHR recognizes the financially strong companies that are able to vertically lift themselves from the competition and avoid debt. The key for many is to recognize the issues before the opposition and make the necessary adjustments.

Stores are measured on “healthy growth, asset utilization, pricing power, and balance sheet strength.” The description catalogs a complete overall rating for each retailer, and also presents relative ranks within 20 retailing categories. The stats are based on a five-year period. The highest-ranking apparel franchises were evaluated in categories as well as cohesively.

According to the news, we may be in a recession but the statistics show that’s not stopping the fashion industry from booming. The retailer’s health ratings system shows that six out of the top 10 most successful retail industries during the 2009-2010 year lie in the fashion world. We may all go broke, but at least we will look good.

It’s no surprise that Amazon leads the pack at the top of the list. This year is the retail giant’s second year in the number one spot. Dubbed a “retail super power,” Amazon is one of the few Web sites that practically caters to every consumer you can think of. From electronic media to loafers and scooters, Amazon has it all.

Following at a close second was casual youth apparel brand, Aeropostale and in third, top women’s apparel line, Urban Outfitters.

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Miley Cyrus’s racy new image and break from her Disney counterpart, Hannah Montana, has had her in the news a lot lately. Now the star’s sexy new look may be more trouble than it’s worth. Perez Hilton tweeted a photo of the star supposedly panty-less. He took the picture down later in the day after mayhem ensued from outraged fans and critics, some saying Hilton should be charged with child pornography since Cyrus is only 17. He claimed that the starlet really did have underwear on and the picture had been photoshopped.

After it seemed the initial controversy surrounding the photo had somewhat died down, Hilton stirred it up again. This time with a photo of Cyrus in a barely-there leotard which exposed her nether regions. Some couldn’t believe Hilton was at it again. But at this point we have to wonder: is this the Hollywood media being too intrusive or should Cyrus tone it down a bit?

Although a lot of celebs have beef with Hilton over his sometimes rude comments, they have to realize that we live in a media-frenzied world. In the case of the first photo, I’d side with Cyrus. Nobody needs to be snapping photos of her panties while she gets out of a car. With the second photo, however, I side with Hilton. If it wasn’t him posting pictures and comments on his blog about Cyrus, there would be someone else. Other bloggers and news sources had their own pictures of Cyrus from the Much Music Awards in Toronto when her tiny leotard slipped. This was a public appearance where media was present. It wasn’t exactly an intrusion of her privacy.

Now, I remember being 17 like Cyrus. You want to be treated as an adult, and you are in a phase where you are taking on more responsibility. I was in my senior year of high school, getting ready to graduate and go on to college. So, I totally get that part. But I wasn’t running around in sky-high heels and revealing clothes. There are the same excuses — it’s different in Hollywood and show business, she’s being artistic and expressive, and so on. All I can say is if Cyrus wants to be treated like more of an adult then she needs to take responsibility for the decisions she makes. She is successful enough now that if she really didn’t want to wear hoochie clothes and dance on poles, she doesn’t have to.

One blogger made an interesting comparison between Cyrus and her friend, Taylor Swift. Both girls are very successful and close in age. But Swift doesn’t need to run around in flesh-baring outfits and is still considered an artist (she writes her own music). If she can choose how she wants to appear, why can’t Cyrus? It’s too soon to see how this new image will affect her career but, for now, I think maybe Cyrus should tame her new wild ways and leave the controversy to someone else.

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I recently read a magazine article on how to apply proper makeup with glasses. As I was reading the article it occurred to me that I never really wear makeup when I put my glasses on. To be quite honest, the days I don’t feel like putting makeup on I just throw on my glasses like a shield for my face. They’re like my back-up plan, my personal safety device in a case.

But this article got me thinking. Why not wear really hot eye makeup under my spectacles? Why not embrace my sexy and smart side at the same time?

I am a veteran glasses owner. I have owned a pair since I was six years old. I can actually remember the first time my dad and I went to pick them up. I had to wear them to school the next day for a class field trip to the zoo. As soon as I put them on I felt different. They were giant baby blue Coke-bottle frames, and my far-sighted vision meant I needed extra thick lenses. I was pretty hard to miss, and before long it became hard to separate myself from the oddity.

Ever since that first day I’ve struggled with feeling attractive or even cute with my spectacles. Once I got to high school sure I got contacts, the assumed savior for any glasses wearer, but as soon as I got home it was back to bifocal Dani. Parties, concerts, picnics whatever. I usually pick the contacts over glasses any day. Yet the irony remains contacts just don’t work as well. To this day I’m still trying to find ways to inspire myself to have confidence with my glasses on.

In Japan, fetishising girls with glasses is practically its own art form. The sexy nerd girl is the ideal mate for the nerd boy. She probably plays video games and loves anime. But are we all nerds because we sport frames?

Some of Hollywood’s hottest stars don prescription designer lenses. Johnny Depp, Leona Lewis, Julia Roberts, Rose McGowan and Jenny McCarthy are just a few.

Glasses are no longer your guaranteed membership to geekdom. With the right attitude and frame to pair, it may well be your ticket to the super-cool list.

If you don’t have vision problems, you can try accessorizing your look with a pair of frames without a prescription. Glasses can be a great accessory just for fun! It’s all about how you make a fashion statement. Let your glasses be the mirror to your personality.

Working with makeup and glasses can open up a whole new way to see yourself. You can create looks that don’t give you flashbacks to being called “four eyes” in elementary school. Plus, they really do make you look smarter.

I hope this post inspires other contact lens wearers to embrace their glasses!

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I make it a point to watch award shows when they’re on TV. I tune in to the Emmys, Grammys, Golden Globes, People’s Choice, Oscars, you name it. So naturally, I watched this year’s MTV Movie Awards. I like to see this more casual show where stars aren’t so uptight and can be fun and silly. One thing that shocked me this year, however, was the amount of bleeping needed to cover the swearing. It was a lot even for MTV. None of it really added much to the show. Peter Facinelli, who stars in the Twilight movies, also made a point of mocking this during his cast’s acceptance speech for Best Movie. Although the speech was mocking the use of swear words, it actually rang true for how we have incorporated these words into our everyday vocabulary.

Why do we swear? There are lots of reasons really. The Association of Psychological Science published an article with this question in mind. The article stated that we swear in order to express our emotions. We swear when we’re happy, sad, angry, frustrated and more. It also is a way to relieve pent-up emotions. We feel a genuine release by throwing out a naughty word here and there.

Yet it seems we’ve grown so accustomed to these words that we just randomly interject them when they are not needed. Even for things that shouldn’t elicit a larger-than-life curse word, people seem to drop an F-bomb. Most of us usually just swear in social situations where we are comfortable with the people present, but if it becomes a bad habit, it could slip out in front of company we don’t want it to.

So how can we stop these nasty little words from intruding into our everyday conversation? First, we need to recognize in what situations we are saying these words and how often. Then comes the tough part of actually noticing and stopping ourselves. Some tricks to break bad habits include substituting the behavior for something else. We can train our brain to use new words in place of nasty ones. We also can learn to express and articulate our feelings in a more appropriate way.

It seems like it’s time to reverse our trend of cuss words in everyday conversation and return to more refined ways of speaking. Instead of using these words in every-other sentence, we should challenge ourselves to see how little we can use them. We can have meaningful conversations that allow us to express ourselves without all the four-letter interjections. Let’s leave the bleeps out.

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