How to Score Sexy Lashes—Sans Scary Extensions

We're a bunch of eyelash junkies over here at Cosmo—but as we recently reported, the American Academy of Ophthalmology has officially cautioned against the dangers of lash extensions and their glue, saying the addictive procedure can cause infections and swelling of the cornea and/or eyelid.

So, now is probably a good time to give you some alternative options to lenghtening your lashes that don't involve extensions and the risk of looking like Quasimoto.

These formulas penetrate at the root of your lash line and stimulate the keratin (the protein that are lashes are made of) to lengthen, thicken, and fortify them.

Here are some over-the-counter serums you can swipe on to still score a fringe worth batting at the boys:

- Urban Decay Lush Lash System, $42, sephora.com. This double-ended product allows you to apply the lash-growth serum onto your lash line with a skinny brush on one end, and then lets you distribute a lash conditioner directly onto your actual fringe with a mascara-like brush found on the opposite end. Expect to see results with daily usage in four to six weeks.

- Revitalash Advanced Eyelash Conditioner, $70, drugstore.com. With one quick swipe, once daily, you'll see longer, thicker lashes in about six weeks.

- SmartLash Eyelash Enhancer, $30, dermstore.com. Trace your lash line with this lash growth serum daily and you'll see results fast. We're talking increased fullness and thickness in 30 days, and optimal results in 60.

Will you be trading in trips to your lash extension guru for a safer option?

Photo: Getty Images

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Scary News About Energy Drinks

Korin Miller
Korin is the site director for Cosmopolitan.com. She loves uncovering cool new research and learning more about what makes guys tick. Outside the Cosmo office, you can find her running with her dog, trying to convince friends to go to karaoke bars, and watching as much reality TV as humanly possible.
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Michelle Ruiz
Michelle is the news editor for Cosmopolitan.com. She's obsessed with interviewing celebrities and spotting the latest pop culture trends. Her life highlights include chatting with Ryan Gosling about sex dolls, dancing on stage at the Oprah show, and shopping with her mom on Long Island. Tweet her: @michelleruiz
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Dara Adeeyo
Dara is the web assistant for Cosmopolitan.com. She's intrigued by all things digital. Dara loves playing with html and discovering new studies. When she's not reading up on the latest cocktail recipes (for work, of course), she can be found breaking it down on the dance floor or watching the Investigative Discovery channel. She also has a sick obsession with nail polish, elephants, and most importantly, Nutella. Dara basically lives on Twitter, so tweet at her and say hey: @dadeeyo.
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Elisa Benson
Elisa Benson is the senior editor of social media for @Cosmopolitan?so, yes, she tweets about sex for a living. Elisa grew up in Ohio, attended Colgate University, and wrote love and relationship advice for Seventeen before graduating to Cosmo. She lives for girly things (weddings and eyelash extensions and Pretty Little Liars?) and frequently tweets about all of the above: @elisabenson.
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A Scary Threat to Women’s Health

Despite increased awareness of the dangers of tanning bed use and the importance of wearing sunscreen, a new study found that skin cancer is on the rise for women.

Experts from the Mayo Clinic studied people from 1970 to 2009, and discovered that the rate of melanoma (the deadliest form of skin cancer) increased eightfold among women, especially among those in their 20s and 30s.

One piece of good news from the study: Researchers found that less people are dying of melanoma, likely due to early interventions from regular visits to the dermatologist and keeping an eye on mole growth.

The study didn’t evaluate the reason for the dramatic increase, but researchers are pointing the finger at indoor tanning. Studies have show that people who use tanning beds are 74 percent more likely to develop melanoma than non-tanners.

How can you stay safe? Avoid tanning beds, wear sunscreen, and limit your exposure to the sun. You should also check your moles for the ABCDEs (asymmetry, a border that is irregular, colors that are different in the mole, a diameter bigger than a pencil eraser, and elevation of the mole).

Click here for more information on Cosmo's Practice Safe Sun campaign.

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A Scary New Twist in the Debate Over Free Birth Control

Between The Blunt Amendment and the heated emotion surrounding Georgetown law student Sandra Fluke’s congressional testimony, we didn’t think the debate surrounding free birth control could get any more controversial. We were so wrong.

Now, a new law has been proposed in Arizona that would give employers the right to demand that women who are prescribed birth control pills give proof that they’re not using it for sexual reasons.

That means, if you live in Arizona and this law passes, you’ll have to prove to your boss that you’re not using The Pill to prevent pregnancy in order for your employer to cover it through your insurance. Instead, you’ll need to pony up a doctor’s note that shows that you’re using it for hormone control or acne treatment.

Arizona House Bill 2625 was written by Republican state representative Debbie Lesko (yup, a woman) and was endorsed by Arizona’s Senate Judiciary Committee earlier this week. It will move forward in the state and eventually go to a vote before Arizona’s state legislature.

“We live in America. We don’t live in the Soviet Union,” Lesko told Arizona University’s The State Press newspaper. “Government should not be telling the organizations or mom and pop employers to do something against their moral beliefs.”

We doubt this proposal will actually be passed since it violates all kinds of privacy laws. But, if you live in Arizona and don’t want to risk having to produce a doctor’s note stating that you need birth control for your “acne problem,” contact your local state representative. Not sure who that is? Click here to find out.

What do you think of this proposed law?

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Scary New Lies Tanning Salons Tell

If you’ve been following Cosmo’s Practice Safe Sun campaign, you already know that tanning salons aren’t always upfront about the risks of indoor tanning. But a new investigative report by some members of Congress found that many salons go out of their way to deceive customers about the potential consequences of using their services.  

Medical research has found that indoor tanning is a cause of skin cancer, including melanoma, the most deadly form of the disease. The World Health Organization has also IDed tanning beds as a “Group 1” carcinogen, or cancer-causing agent. Asbestos, arsenic, and tobacco smoke also fall into this category. But, when visited by undercover investigators, salons conveniently skirted this information or flat-out denied it.  

For their research, Reps. Henry A. Waxman, Dianne DeGette, Frank Pallone, Jr., Rosa L. DeLauro, and Carolyn Maloney sent investigators to 300 salons across the country and asked each salon questions about its policies and the risks of indoor tanning. Here’s a breakdown of what they discovered:

Most salons denied or downplayed the risks of indoor tanning
Ninety percent of salons said it didn’t pose a health risk, and 51 percent said it wouldn’t increase someone’s risk of developing cancer. Employees called the risks “rumors,” “myths,” and “hype.” They also said young people weren’t at risk for developing skin cancer and that the increased rates of skin cancer are due to the increased use of sunscreen. One employee even said, “It’s got to be safe, or they wouldn’t let us do it.”

Four out of five salons said indoor tanning is good for you…
…And several of them even said that tanning would prevent skin cancer. Salon employees also claimed that tanning could treat depression, increase self-esteem, help you lose weight, and boost your immune system.

They didn’t follow FDA regulations
According to government safety recommendations, tanning should be limited to no more than three visits in the first week. But 75 percent of salons told investigators posing as first-time customers they could tan daily. Several employees also said that their salons didn’t require 24-hour breaks in between sessions, so investigators could tan several times a day.

Click here for more information on the dangers of indoor tanning and how to keep yourself safe.

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