Beauty

The Powerplate is a vibrating machine that says it can give you the results of a 60-minute workout in only 15 minutes. Although the machine has been a well kept secret, many pro athletic teams, actors, and models have been sculpting their incredible bodies with the Powerplate, including Madonna, Ben Affleck, Heidi Klum, Shaquille O'Neal, George Clooney and Claudia Schiffer. Powerplate claims by doing a series of exercises on the machine, you too can get that toned celeb look in only 15 minutes a day, 3 days a week. The vibration gives muscles a high speed workout and the user can change the frequencies on the machine for different intensity levels to increase strength, flexibility, range of motion, and bone density.

War may be breaking out, but this year's Miss Universe contestants would rather be making love. As Miss Germany says about the bombs that are falling: "Why? I don't know why."

"But I only can say," she continues, "that Miss Israel and Miss Lebanon, they're a great example." Why? "because they are great friends" she says.

Miss Canada seconds this thought: "The fact that Miss Lebanon and Miss Israel can be friends... if people can see that... it sets a wonderful example." She also points out a similar dynamic between Miss Greece and Miss Turkey, whose countries also do not get along. Peace appears to be the unofficial theme of this year's pageant.

Hilary Duff is taking a cue from the breakout hit of the summer "The Devil Wears Prada" and going to work at a fashion magazine.

No, the toothy teen isn't going to slave under the tutorship of Vogue domin-editrix Anna Wintour. The 18-year-old phenom will guest edit an upcoming issue of the teen bible known as Seventeen Magazine.

While Hilary may not have much publishing experience, the barely legal babe does have her own fashion line called Stuff by Hilary Duff. And in the last year has slowly transformed from teen tart to more sophisticated style icon.

The sexy divorcee hung out in the sun at a private residence sporting a bikini, cowboy hat and the prerequisite Hollywood starlet oversized sunglasses.

Lindsay Lohan has been tapped as the new face of Proactiv Solution. The acne treatment, that features such stars as Jessica Simpson, Diddy, Kelly Clarkson and Vanessa Williams providing testimonials about its miraculous results and their personal loyalty to the product, now has Lindsay Lohan sitting down for her very own Proactiv infomercial.

"My skin, thanks to Proactiv, is clear all the time," reveals Lohan. Two-minute spots begin airing today on MTV and E!. The infomercial will also air on Style and MTV2 later this week. In the ad the actress shares her acne experiences and her personal Proactiv success story.

By now you've certainly noticed that vast majority of pop starts are highly attractive. Jessica, Britney (pre-Kevin anyway), Christina, Mandy Moore...right on down the line all these ladies are flat out hot. And, at the risk of denting my hetero cred, I've got to recognize guys like Justin Timberlake and most everyone ever in a boy band. These are simply good looking people.

Many people believe that record labels who create these megastars simply won't deal with unattractive people. The most cited example is Milli Vanilli. By now everyone knows the Milli Vanilli story. The group was created by a producer who hired very talented singers and songwriters to write and record hit songs. But instead of simply releasing these songs by the actual singers the producer fabricated a pop duo who fit the look of the MTV generation. The results are now infamous. The songs were obviously hits - so why the charade? Could it be that the marketing suits wouldn't have pushed a group that didn't have "the look" the way the pushed Fab and Rob?

Obviously not all pop stars are highly attractive, but the percentages do give some credence to the claim that the big star makers and record labels don't believe you can create a megastar without having a certain look and they simply won't deal with otherwise talented singers who don't fit the mold. There could also be another pop psychology reason behind the hottie pop star phenomenon. It could be a confidence thing. It takes a great deal of confidence to announce to the world you're going to be a pop singer. And, even more bravado to actually do it. You see it in sports too. Ever notice how many quarterbacks are very good looking guys? Like budding pop stars, these guys too often have their self image built up by cooing of young girls and head pats from mom and dad for being so darn handsome. So, could it be that attractive children and teenagers have the courage to take the plunge into stardom because they have higher self esteem due to all the compliments they receive on their looks from peers and parents? Or, are attractive people simply more talented?

But here's the kicker -- From the Country Mart, she drove to a nearby beach house to hang out with her new guy (we're guessing it's her new guy because they are all over each other). Suddenly, Lindsay is happy happy, smiling and dancing, all the while knowing the paparazzi have their lenses trained on her. Lindsay and her friends then happily offer the parched photogs what appears to be beer and Gatorade.

Oscar winner and Italian goddess Sophia Loren will appear in the 2007 edition of the world famous Pirelli Calendar.

At 71-years-gorgeous, Loren becomes the oldest woman to ever appear in the highly coveted calendar.

The calendar, known for its glamorous shots and artisitic nudes, cannot be purchased. It is only given as a gift to a limited and exclusive group of 30,000 important Pirelli customers and celebrity VIPs including Prince Andrew.

Although rumors circulated saying she would appear completely in the buff, a spokesperson for La Loren confirmed "She is certainly not nude."

Who is the world's most beautiful woman? Angelina Jolie? Halle Berry? Charlize Theron?

Not according to a poll conducted by the British women's magazine Eve. Readers voted "Sex and the City" star Kristin Davis- remember her?- as their dark horse choice for most beautiful woman in the world.

Davis beat out A-list beauties like Eva Longoria (#8) and Catherine Zeta-Jones (#2) to land in the top spot.

And don't expect to see the likes of Lindsay Lohan and Jessica Simpson on this list. Interestingly, all the ladies in the top ten are in their 30s and 40s.

Readers also chose sides with Team Aniston, placing Jen at #9 to Angelina's #10.

The Top Ten

In an interview with AOL Book Maven Bethanne Patrick, Dickinson tells Britney to get out of the house she shares with K-Fed: "Go and drop-kick that hick to the next city."

Dickinson, the former supermodel and current reality-show host, also doles out wisdom about Katie Holmes -- "She knew darn well what she was doing when she involved herself with Tom Cruise" -- and Sienna Miller ("Screw Sienna, she took him (Jude Law) from a married woman with three children.")

Cindy Crawford's signature mole let out a sigh of relief when it realized that it was not one of the three moles being removed from the uber-hot supermodel.

Cindy, a former sun worshiper, is now on a mission of skin cancer awareness. Cindy reminds us all to get checked regularly and that the smaller skin blemishes are the most at-risk.

Cindy said "The mole on my face isn't the type that's dangerous, but I have others and I get myself checked every year. I had three removed - two on my back and one on my belly that looked like a collection of almost flat, tiny spots."

During the photo shoot for her new Rampage ad campaign, model Petra Nemcova had the music of boyfriend James Blunt blasting in the background.

"Everybody seems to love it here and they know the words...with the music you get into it more and you can feel more sexy," says a clearly giddy Nemcova of her man's music.

The Sports Illustrated model is also very excited about her new ad campaign. "It's very glamorous, sophisticated, sensual," she says, "and it will elevate the Rampage brand much higher. We're doing very sophisticated, hard lighting, shooting at Pier 59 in New York City this time, not on the beach, it's fall."

Ten years after sauntering down runways and into magazine spreads, heroin chic has finally made it into the dictionary.

While waifish models like Kate Moss were criticized for promoting the gaunt look over a decade ago, the term has been dusted off and included in the latest update of the Oxford English Dicitonary.

Other phrases to belatedly garner legitimacy by the language lexicons include 401(k), counterterrorism, pin code, air kiss and, in another apparent nod to 90s nostalgia, Macarena and yada yada.