A study done by Consumer Lab tested 26 different types of green teas and found that all are not made equal. The study found that many readymade teas are made up of mostly sugar water, some supplements have very high caffeine levels, while others are contaminated with lead.

Related: Delicious Superfoods

They found lead in teas from Lipton and Bigelow, which is grown in China. They said the green tea plant is known to absorb lead quicker than other plants, but it does not get into the water when your brew the tea.

The study also found that the antioxidant ingredients in green tea need to be a minimum of 22 milligrams to be effective. In some bottled teas the levels are as low as 4 milligram and are packed with sugar.

Check out the Consumer Labs study online to find out if your favourite green tea is actually helping your diet or hurting.

Memorial Day is just around the corner for our American neighbours, and this means nails can go patriotic side for beauty addicts in the States. If you’d like to show some American pride and update your manicure at the same time, watch this nail art tutorial for a great idea on Memorial Day nails:

You Will Need: Make sure you have nail polish in the three colours (white, blue, and red), along with a good quality top coat, thin cosmetic brush, and a toothpick. Try OPI’s Alpine Snow, Yoga-ta Get this Blue!, and The Thrill of Brazil for your shades if you’re unsure of which ones to use.

Step 1: Apply white nail colour as your base. Once the colour has dried, you can use your thin brush to slowly apply half of a heart onto each nail in red. Use the same brush to gently paint on stripes into the heart, and repeat for each nail.

Step 2: For the other side of the heart shape on each nail, use the thin brush dipped into blue to paint on the other half of the heart (this time filled in completely with the blue polish).

Step 3: Once the blue has dried, paint on tiny stars in a criss-cross pattern with the white polish. Repeat this for each of the nails. If you find your brush is not small or sharp enough, you can also apply the nail polish with a toothpick dipped into the nail colour.

Step 4: Finish off with a lasting top coat such as essie Good To Go! and enjoy your new manicure!

Jillian Michaels Hard Body – Known as the tough-as-nails trainer on ‘The Biggest Loser’ Jillian Michaels is considered by many to be queen of the DVD fitness market. Her Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred is a long-time favourite of many and her releases are generally well received by fans. The newest one, Jillian Michaels Hard Body is an effective total body workout for torching calories. Hard Body is comprised of two 45-minute body-blasting workouts that progress in difficulty. These quick paced routines have fun, fresh new moves designed to deliver a solid workout at varying levels of difficulty.

Denise Austin Fit in a Flash – Fit in a Flash offers 7 workouts focused on cardio strength training and toning in quick 7- minute intervals. Start with the Level 1 workouts and when you’re ready, just advance. Simple and effective, Denise Austin videos are a solid choice for those looking for a good workout in a short period of time.  

Zumba Exhilarate Body Shaping System DVD – A big trend for a few years now, Zumba is great for those of you that don’t like the traditional ‘working out’ experience. The Zumba Fitness Exhilarate DVD collection is an at-home fitness experience that offers fun dance steps, invigorating Latin and international rhythms, and feel-it-to-the-core routines. Salsa, cumbia, samba, reggaeton and meringue choreography are all incorporated into this collection.

The Biggest Loser: Calorie Knockout – Fans of The Biggest Loser will enjoy Calorie Knockout. This DVD is an extreme cardio circuit training combining martial arts, kickboxing and other circuit training sequences for maximum burn.

This weekend Isreali beauty Gal Gadot speeds back into theatres as bad girl Gisele in Fast & Furious 6. The stunning model and actress gets to drive fast with the boys on screen and off screen she has been named the new face of skin care line Vine Vera. We talked to the gorgeous Gal Gadot about filming Fast & Furious, working with Vine Vera and the secret to her exotic beauty.

Real Style: What drew you to the character of Gisele in Fast & Furious?

Gal Gadot: Today it is very rare to see tough women on screen. Usually the women is saved and rescued by the man. Giselle is very feminine, soft, and intelligent, yet she is strong and independent. She thinks a few steps forward, takes care of herself, and she does not wait for any man to come and save the day. That’s why I love Giselle. She’s a real woman, her character reflects reality nowadays where women need to have it all, and they need to take care of themselves, the children and the man. Today women need to be strong, smart and independent.

Real Style: Do you actually get to do some of the racing stunts we see in the films?

Gal Gadot: Definitely. After we finished Fast Five I told Justin Lin, the director, that if he wants me to do Fast six, I want to be able to do more stunts. All of the stunts on Fast Five and six, I have done myself and on Fast 6 we went crazy with the action moves. The adrenaline was just incredible and I enjoyed being able to do the stuff that in real life you can’t.

Related: Lauren Holly’s Favourite Beauty Products

Real Style: What should people expect coming into the upcoming sixth Fast & Furious film?

Gal Gadot: It is going to be bigger. On Fast Five we set the bar pretty high. I was wondering how we can beat that and make a better movie. Fast six is insane, the action is bigger, the relationships got deeper, and there is new drama with Leti’s return.

Real Style: What drew you to begin working with Vine Vera?

Gal Gadot: Vine Vera approached me about being a spokesmodel for the company. They presented me with their collection and I immediately fell in love with the products. I could see the difference it made on my skin within a matter of days. I admire high-end beauty products and I am very passionate when it comes to taking care of my skin. It is important to find products that don’t use harsh chemicals and that actually work. Vine Vera products are formulated with natural ingredients and with Resveratrol which is a very effective anti-oxidant.

Find out what five beauty products Gal Gadot can’t live without…

Real Style: What are your five favorite beauty products that you can’t live without?

Gal Gadot: With the type of work I do, it is extremely important to take care of, and maintain my hair and my skin. Getting my hair styled and make up done several times a week can definitely affect the health of my hair and skin! My top 5 favorite beauty products are:

1. Vine Vera’s Resveratrol High-Potency Vitamin Cream from the Cabernet Collection – I love using this cream because it helps keep my skin looking hydrated and glowing all day long.

2. Vine Vera’s Resveratrol Phyto-Elevating Mask – This mask deep cleans my skin. My skin feels so refreshed and radiant after every use.

3. Kerastase Caviar Hair Mask – This mask helps hydrate and nourish my hair. It makes my hair soft, shiny and smelling amazing.

4. Dior Air Flash Spray Foundation – This is a spray foundation that I absolutely love. When there’s no time for make up the easiest solution is to spray and go. It also gives great coverage which is a must!

5. Hypnotic Poison by Christian Dior – This is my signature smell; I won’t go a day without using it!

Real Style: You started your career in beauty pageants. Are there any beauty tips that you learned from the pageant world?

Gal Gadot: Make the most of your natural beauty! Instead of altering your natural features, use them to your advantage and the judges will be impressed!

Lancôme is known for its stellar lip collections and their lip glosses and lipsticks are among their top selling products. Their newest lip collection titled ‘Gloss In Love’ is fronted by Emma Watson. It rolls out in stores this spring/summer worldwide and is generating big buzz.

Available in 12 youthful shades, the gloss combines colour with 6 hours of moisture. The new Expert Applicator is double-sided, which helps define lips without flattening them or detracting from their natural shape. The gloss is presented in a crystalline tube, closed with a click cap system.

‘Gloss In Love’ is available in 12 shades, across a palette of pinks, oranges and fuchsias. These non-sticky glosses offer sheer to medium coverage great for lazy, summer days.

DAY

Valentino’s Feminine Bun

This ladylike bun from Valentino’s spring runway is perfect for a day in the office. The low bun is a mix between a hair knot and bun at the nape of your neck. Add a little volume at the crown of your head for a more retro feel. Those side swept bangs are so sweet.

Related: Ombre Hair For Summer

NIGHT

Rodarte’s Extreme Side Part

Get edgy during the hot summer nights with this look from Rodarte that is the extreme side part. Getting this sleek look is a breeze. Flat iron your hair to get it as straight as possible. Brush everything from the crown of your head back straight. The front part of your hair can be flipped and brush across your head. Add a sexy leather dress and you are ready to go!

Related: Cool Summer Hairstyles

WEEKEND

Rag & Bone’s Wet Bedhead Style

On the weekend you want something casual and cool and this wet/dry look from Rag & Bone says it all. You can go from brunch to the beach to drinks with this style and no one will question you. Use a volumizing mousse on your hair and curl the ends with a curling iron. Then use a lot of sculpting gel on the top of your hair to get the fresh from the water look in front.

[Photos via Style.com]

For so many young ladies, the Barbie Dreamhouse is the perfect place to play, create and dream. In Germany, a real-life Barbie Dreamhouse is welcoming visitors young and old that want to live out their ‘Barbie’ dreams.

“This year, Barbie is inviting fans into her world to explore what they’ve only played with in doll size,” said Lori Pantel, vice president, global marketing for Barbie. “Barbie’s life-sized Dreamhouses will provide fans a new way to interact and engage with the Barbie brand while providing a memorable experience.”

The 2,500 square meter dreamhouse reveals unprecedented insights into interior and lifestyle of the world’s most famous doll. Fans of all ages are invited to explore the house of the style icon, starting from the spectacular entrance to the kitchen and living room with balcony up to the walk-in closet. “We’ve paid incredible attention to detail and created a completely interactive experience by using the latest technology to personalize each fan’s visit to the Dreamhouse,” says Christoph Rahofer, president and CEO of EMS Entertainment.

As you would expect, the Barbie Dreamhouse Experience is not without its critics, many of whom are women who feel Barbie and her ‘lifestyle’ are an unhealthy influence on young women. Protestors have visited the house and made news around the world. Regardless of the controversy, if the Barbie Dreamhouse Experience is a hit, it will tour other European cities later this year.

What toner does: Toner is an after-cleansing facial product meant to restore and rejuvenate the skin. It’s often used as part of a three-step process- clean, tone, and moisturize- applied before makeup. Toner maintains the skin’s natural level of acidity (pH balance) and keeps it level.

Why you should wear it: Although many cleansers do their job well, toner can help get rid of any final impurities trapped under the skin’s surface. You want to keep your skin hydrated and fresh, especially if you wear daily eye makeup, blush, or foundation.

How to select a toner: They tend to be divided into three different varieties- alcohol-based, water-based, and toners created with both a water-based and glycerin formula which may contain floral extracts as well. Experts usually advise avoiding alcohol-based formulas because of their chemical nature (in fact, this is the main reason that toners have earned themselves a poor reputation).

Dermatologists recommend different varieties based on your skin type. If you have a dry complexion, it may be a wise choice to try a gentle product to prevent skin from drying out further (such as Neutrogena Alcohol-Free Toner).

Tips for wearing summer fresh eye makeup:

- Be sure to apply eye primer before any color.
- Apply eye makeup first (before lip colours, highlighters or facial blushes).
- If you have green or blue eyes, you can tone down and compliment green eye makeup with brown eye liner or other earth toned liners/eye shadows.

If green eye makeup is new for you, it makes sense to stick with cost-effective products available at your local drugstore. Some of our favorite products for creating a beautiful green eye makeup look include:

Eye Shadows
L’Oreal Bright Shadow Duo in Showy Shade
Rimmel London – Glam’Eyes Trio Eyeshadow in Tempting Shade
CoverGirl Intense ShadowBlast in Extreme Green Shade
L’Oreal Colour Riche Eye Shadow in Blue Haute Couture
Almay Wakeup Eyeshadow in Revive Shade

Eyeliners
CoverGirl Liquiline Blast Eyeliner in Green Glow
Almay Liquid Eyeliner in Brown Shade
Maybelline Unstoppable Eyeliner in Pewter Shade

Mascara
Maybelline Great Lash Lots of Lashes in Brown Black Shade
CoverGirl LashBlast Luxe in Black Emerald

Check out MakeupByEman’s fun green eye makeup tutorial below for more tips and tricks.

Scientific advancements have always been a big part of the latest breaking beauty products, but a new line of skin cell based products is taking your skin care to a new level of advancement. Stemulation Luxury Skin Care uses stem cell technology to rejuvenate your skin and claims to offer a fresh new face to aging skin.

As you age, stem cells die and Stemulation wants to help revive the stem cells in your skin, which they say will in turn help you look younger. They say their new products have created a way for stem cells to be absorbed through the skin. It uses an antioxidant to get the formula into your skin.

Related: Stem Cell Facelifts

Stemulation says it can reduce fine lines and wrinkles by 46% and tighten the skin by 65%. It also claims to be able to reduce the look of sunspots and be eco-friendly to boot.

Stemulation products come in a variety of forms including cleansers, lotions, scrubs and serums. Prices range from $35 for a cleanser to $380 for the serum and crème set.

While there don’t seem to be any official reviews of the collection online, it could be worth a shot to get younger skin.