These 10 women have a lot more in common than just being finalists for the Miss Korea 2013 pageant. After their images went viral—first showing up on a Japanese blog, then Reddit, then Jezebel where we first spotted it—we couldn’t help but be curious about the claims that these women all look alike due to plastic surgery.
Whether or not you believe that this is the case, there’s no doubt that plastic surgery rates are rising around the world: According to The Economist, over 14 million procedures were performed in 2011 alone. South Korea remains a popular plastic surgery destination—every year, “medical tourists” visit Seoul from countries like China, Singapore, and the U.S. to go under the knife. On the flip side, many Korean actresses and singers admit to having work done (double eyelid procedures and nose jobs are two of the most popular surgeries for Asians). This opens the door for a more serious discussion about plastic surgery: At what point does it move beyond becoming a better version of yourself to starting to look like everyone else?
—Bre
(Photo: Jezebel)
Gwyneth Paltrow is the poster girl for wholesome and holistic approaches to food, skincare, fitness—well, just about everything. So imagine our surprise to find out that in the May issue of Harper’s Bazaar, the celeb reveals that she’s tried Botox—and that she regrets doing it.
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A Chinese woman underwent $100,000 worth of plastic surgery prior to getting married. (Photo: palmbeachplasticsurgery.com)
Brace yourself for some crazy news that made our stomachs clench: a Chinese man named Jian Feng recently divorced and sued his wife for being born “ugly.” He said that his ex-wife, whose name has not been released, deceived him into marrying her and never told him about the $100,000 worth of plastic surgery she had before they met to make herself beautiful.
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—Hallie
Need a good dose of beauty, fashion, and lifestyle news to perk up your morning? Check our morning must reads to keep up-to-date with all things fun and fabulous.
We fell hard for Natalie Alcala last fall, when the LA-based writer and blogger spent a week guest blogging for us. In fact, we loved her posts so much that we asked her to be a contributing editor. In addition to blogging for us once a week, she’ll also be writing for the Birchbox Magazine and keeping us up to speed on all things fashion, beauty, and fun.
Photos courtesy of BHPS
Ever since Halle Berry’s go-to esthetician Olga Lorencin-Northrup of Kinara Spa first turned me onto SkinCeuticals, I can’t get enough of the skincare line’s anti-aging and UV protection products. With that said, you can imagine my delight when the line’s West Coast flagship, Beverly Hills Plastic Surgery, invited me to their practice to try the SkinCeuticals Micropeel and chat with major celebrity plastic surgeon, Dr. Gabriel Chiu.
Now, don’t be alarmed—BHPS offers more than just plastic surgery. Their facility also features a medispa for facials, microdermabrasion, peels, and more. The treatment I received by senior clinical esthetician, the impeccably flawless Sophia Phan, included three phases: 1) Dermaplaning, which is a manual exfoliation that removes dead skin cells with a tiny blade (it’s not as scary as you think!), 2) an Alpha Hydroxy Acid exfoliation to clear clogged pores, and 3) Cryogenic Therapy, which was my favorite part of the process because Sophia applied this cool frozen carbon dioxide slushy stuff to my skin that instantly made me feel fresh-faced, tightened, and glowy. After the treatment, I sat down with Dr. Chiu for an info-packed Q&A:
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14-year-old Nadia Ilse before her surgery and after. (Photo: cnn.com)
We just found out about Nadia Ilse, a Georgia teen who received $40,000 worth of free plastic surgery to help her avoid being bullied at school. It’s a common story of a kid being harassed at school (or perhaps experienced), but this instance has an unusual ending.
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How far would you go to fit into your heels? Photo: Zimbio
The next time you find yourself limping along in a pair of six-inch stilettos, consider your options: you can either trade them for comfy flats…or you can hop into your local podiatric surgeon’s office and ask for a toe reshaping. You read that right. Good Morning America reports that a small number of people (mostly women) are electing to get plastic surgery to narrow their “fat toes.”
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Notable Quotables is a weekly series featuring a great quote. Whether it’s the founder of a beloved beauty brand, an eccentric makeup artist making headlines, or even a super-stylish celebrity, our favorite tastemakers always have something worth sharing. We discovered today’s quote by Zoe Saldana while browsing UsMagazine.com. The lovely actress said that she’s been told she should get breast implants and shared her feelings about plastic surgery on Lifetime’s “The Conversation with Amanda de Cadenet.” We think she has a really positive view on the issue.
“As long as you’re doing it for reasons that are balanced for you [it’s okay]. It’s not even about judging what’s right or wrong. There’s nobody on this earth who can tell you that what you’re feeling is wrong. They can tell you it’s different to what they’re feeling. That said, I’m okay with people trying to do whatever it is they need to do to feel better… What doesn’t feel okay to me, what feels a little bit out of balance, is when you want to turn yourself into something else — when you want to be another person.”
—Zoe Saldana on Lifetime’s The Conversation with Amanda de Cadenet
There’s still time to get your favorite products from the April Birchbox—plus free shipping on all orders over $50.
![The Kate Middleton Nose Job Fad, How to Dye Your Own Brows, and More
Kate Middleton’s perfect ski-slope nose is the most requested facial feature at plastic surgeons’ offices within the U.K. [Refinery29]
Just in time for all those New Year’s Eve blowouts, Drybar celebrates the opening of a new location today in TriBeca. [Drybar]
Ciaté founder Charlotte Knight isn’t just over crackle polish, she says it’s a tacky trend. [The Cut]
Four very fun and festive NYE manis that will inspire you to add some celebratory sparkle to your digits. [Her Campus]
No need to visit a brow bar to dye your arches. Follow this step-by-step guide to color them yourself! [The Beauty Department]
(Photo: Ben Pruchnie/Getty Images)
-Meredith
If a glittery mani is too bold for you, try a metallic one instead!](http://24.media.tumblr.com/29a3e307defdeb2840a8a4b989fe7218/tumblr_mfr103WHtc1qbz3xno1_500.jpg)
