We're loathe to admit it (we've been neglecting our squat thrusts at the gym), but it looks like summer '12 is going to be the season of the leg. Sure, there's always been lots of skin on display in the warmer months, but after Angelina Jolie's thigh-high slit at the Oscars, and Anja Rubik's pelvis peep show at the Met Ball, it's clear that designers are upping their game and bringing legs front and center.

Great news if you hit the genetic lottery and have mile-long stems, but for those of us with less-than-lengthy limbs, the thought of revealing them can cause major dread. While it's easy to disguise your legs in the colder months with slimming and lengthening black tights, there's nowhere to hide come summer.

But fortunately, there are a few sneaky tricks you can employ to make your legs look, well, leggier. We asked a panel of experts to dish their secrets to getting your gams in prime condition for summer's tiniest short shorts. Read on for their best tips, and get ready to step out with confidence.

Photo: Via Mango/small>

The heat is on. No, we aren't talking about our boys in black and red (though, they are quite hot these days, too), but literally, the Miami heat. The temps are really rising, bringing muggy days and steamy, steamy nights. Pores are clogged, T-zones shine, and your skin produces enough oil to make BP envious. Never has a facial been more appropriate, and we've got five super luxe treatments — tackling everything from hot temps to anti-aging properties — you've got to try ASAP.

And, if you are feeling particularly enterprising, we've got an added treat: A facial you can DIY in your house, on your own. Facial obsessive Annie Vazquez combined her favorite ingredients for a completely luxurious (and wallet-friendly) gift you can give yourself. Sorry ladies, you are officially out of excuses to put off self-pampering any further.

Click through to check out Miami's five best facials, plus one you can do on your own!

Photo: Courtesy of Bliss Spa

If there's one thing age has taught us, it's that gravity can be a bitch. As we get older, our skin begins to lose elasticity as a result of damage to the collagen and elastin fibers, as well as age-related changes to the fat pads under our skin. "Most of this damage is from the sun, but lifestyle factors such as smoking can also cause skin to lose elasticity faster," says Dr. Anne Chapas, a dermatologist at Union Square Laser Dermatology in NYC. For many women, this signals that it's time to reach for injectables like Botox or Restalyne to help re-plump a sagging visage.

Most of the derms we spoke with said there are very few downsides to using these types of fillers and wrinkle relaxers, provided they are administered properly and in moderation by your doctor, but we've seen one too many Real Housewives episodes to be down with shooting our faces up with chemicals. That's why we asked a variety of health experts — an acupuncturist, a nutritionist, and two dermatologists — to weigh in on the latest anti-aging alternatives.

While the results might not be as drastic as resorting to fillers, they can still make your complexion refreshed, plumped, and healthy without any unnatural looking side effects. Read on for our favorite ways to give your skin the lifted look without going under the knife (or needle).

Photo: Maria Valentino/MCV Photo

While part of us is rejoicing that we can finally bust out our best open-toed shoes, the more practical half is looking at our neglected tootsies and wondering if we'll look totally crazy wearing socks all summer. Getting your peds pampered weekly is a surefire way to make your lower half look presentable — and to go bankrupt trying to pay for all those pricy salon visits.

With that in mind, we asked Emma Lara, the nail expert at Haven Spa in NYC, to concoct a DIY pedicure you can do in the comfort of your living room. From shaping your talons to a sweet-smelling mask that will soften your feet up stat, here is the DL on getting your down-below digits ready for the big unveil.

Photographed by Guang Xu

So we've got some good news for you guys and some bad news. The good news is the FDA is going to start monitoring the ingredients in your beauty products! The bad news is that they haven't really been doing this all along. One of the greatest mysteries of the beauty world is the fact that government regulations are very few and far between. Companies could make crazy claims that weren't backed up by science, or run wild adding ingredients that could be potentially harmful (hi, formaldehyde!) into products without any government agency so much as raising an eyebrow. Only after problems were found and complaints were filed did anyone bother to step in.

Well, according to a recent report by AdvertisingAge, that's all about to change. The Obama administration's fiscal budget for 2013 includes a proposal for the beauty biz to fund enhanced monitoring, meaning ingredients in our products would have to be registered with the FDA. It kind of scares us senseless that up until this point, nobody was overseeing what was in all those creams and lotions we were slathering all over our bodies. To put it in perspective, there are only 10 cosmetic ingredients that are banned in the U.S., compared to 1,200 in Europe. Um, yikes.

In addition to being totally on board with the FDA tightening up its grip, we're happy to hear that this could mean change for beauty ad campaigns, too. The National Advertising Division of the Council of Better Business Bureaus also has its sights on the beauty industry, which could mean no more crazy, unsubstantiated skin care claims — only real science. So products that promise to erase wrinkles in one week, or melt away cellulite would have to have the scientific studies to back those claims up. Hopefully, this means that the days of consumers being suckered in by false promises are coming to an end. (Allure)

Are you on board with stricter regulations for the beauty industry, or do you think this is just one more sign of government meddling where it doesn't belong?

Photo: Via Allure

It seems like every time we check our inboxes, there's an email touting a pretty new product that’s fair- trade, local, biodynamic, or emblazoned with about one of about a zillion other buzzwords to make us think our purchase is somehow better for the planet. Instead of going along with the greenwashing, we wanted to dig a little deeper into the world of eco- friendly products and uncover what’s actually best for the environment.

We talked to the super-knowledgeable women behind three eco-chic beauty lines — RMS Beauty, Tata Harper, and Sumbody — to get the real deal on decoding labels and settling the debate on natural vs. organic, once and for all. Read on to get the scoop on just how green your fave products really are.

Know The Terminology
There are a lot of different terms out there related to how eco-friendly a product is, but it can be hard to decipher the legit claims from the BS. Here's a little refresher course on the most common green labels:

Natural: The problem with the word natural is that it's not a term that's regulated, so a brand can combine a boatload of chemical ingredients with one natural oil and slap the term natural on its label. “Honest natural products contain ingredients from plants and nature and are minimally processed,” says Rose-Marie Swift, founder of RMS Beauty. It can be hard to determine just how unprocessed an ingredient is, so when in doubt, look for labels from the Natural Products Association. French certifying body Eco-Cert also breaks down what percentage of a product is natural, and what is organic.

Organic: “Organic products take ‘natural’ several steps further as they are made with non-GMO ingredients that have been grown, raised, harvested, manufactured, and preserved without chemical herbicides, pesticides, fungicides, antibiotics – giving you products with fewer contaminants,” explains Rose-Marie. Certification bodies are more stringent with organic products, so look for seals of approval from Eco-Cert, the USDA, the Soil Association, and the California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF). Just be careful to pay attention to the wording: Something that says "made with organic ingredients," just means that 70% of the ingredients in that product are certified organic — it doesn't guarantee the whole of the product is free of parabens or chemicals. For the purest products, look for brands that are certified 100% organic, as that means all of the ingredients in it are pure, and it involves no chemical fillers.

Biodynamic: This is an agricultural method that takes a more holistic approach to the soil, and is considered by some to be the very pinnacle of environmentally-conscious and pure growth practices. Like organic farmers, those who practice biodynamic farming abstain from using chemical pesticides, but they view the plants, soil, and animals as a whole — a self-sustaining system that interacts naturally to create the pure, untouched ingredients. Biodynamic brands are certified by the Demeter Association.

Photo: Courtesy of Tata Harper

Plenty of skin care creams claim to contain the latest wonder ingredient, but as far as most dermatologists are concerned, the only one that truly deserves that moniker is retinoic acid. Derived from vitamin A, it has the power to tackle everything from acne to fine lines and hyperpigmentation. But, as Bret Michaels would say, every rose has its thorn — in this case that drawback is irritation, peeling, and sensitivity. In an attempt to minimize some of these side effects, many brands resorted to using a toned-down version of retinoic acid, commonly referred to as retinol.

While retinol is less irritating, it's also not quite as potent, so it takes longer to work. It's also extremely difficult to stabilize — it degrades very quickly when combined with other ingredients, so many creams that claimed to have retinol in it were't very effective. Well, that was then and this is now — thanks to new advances by scientists, retinol has gotten a facelift of its own and is now super charged and more effective than ever, as evidenced by some of the latest and greatest new skin care launches.

"New retinoids include micro-delivery systems that make them less likely to cause irritation and dryness," says Dr. Frederic Brandt. "There are also retinoids that have moisturizers mixed with them, such as Refissa and Tretin-X." Brandt's new Glow Overnight Resurfacing Serum features 2% retinol — one of the highest strengths that you can get without a prescription — but thanks to a time-release system and micro-encapsulation, it also contains antioxidants and anti-inflammatories, which help keep the skin calm and soothed as the active ingredients blast away zits, dark spots, and fine lines.

According to Brandt, by micro-encapsulating retinols — that is, surrounding them with a film that keeps them separate from other ingredients so that they don't break down until they are applied to the skin — it allows you to use them on sensitive areas like the chest, neck, stretch marks, acne scars, and even your eyes. There have been advances in the speed at which retinols can work, too: Neutrogena's Rapid Wrinkle Repair line uses an accelerated Retinol SA, which promises immediate results thanks to an infusion of glucose and hyaluronic acid. "The Retinol SA is sustained action and it works continuously," says Dr. Debra Jaliman, a dermatologist and author of Skin Rules: Trade Secrets from a Top New York Dermatologist. "Because of the glucose complex, it also penetrates the skin better, so it is more effective – you see results in one week."

The lesson here is that despite what you may have heard about retinol products, there's no time like the present to give them a try. Thanks to these new innovations and technologies, vitamin A in all its various forms is having a moment and the proof will be on your soon-to-be smooth, even clear skin. But even with all of these breakthroughs it's still important to give skin being treated with retinol a little extra TLC: Dr. Jaliman says it's imperative to wear an SPF 30 daily and avoid any abrasive scrubs and exfoliators, so as not to inadvertently scratch or irritate your newly flawless visage.

Sure, Coachella is all about the music, but it's also about how you look while taking in all those awesome tunes. And with the lack of showers, high temperatures, and griminess that comes with music festivals, it's hard to look smokin' hot when you're sweating your you-know-what off.

To help you keep your cool beneath the burning sun, we gathered up the essential beauty products you need to prevent epic meltdowns. Pack these babies in a clear pouch for easy access, and you'll be the belle of Coachella. Not hitting up the festivals this year? That's okay — these tips are also great for keeping it together once summer temperatures start soaring.

Whether it’s your skin freaking out, your colorist giving you a brassy ‘do, or a run-in with some streaky self-tanner, beauty drama can seriously (and literally) mess with your head. We feel you: R29 editors have battled everything from vanishing eyebrows to being dumped by their colorist via text message (true story).

Since we don’t want you guys to suffer the same emotional distress we’ve battled through, we gathered our 10 worst horror stories, and set up a team of top-notch beauty pros to tell you how to fix them — and how to avoid the problems in the first place. As Mary J. Blige says, "no more drama."

Spill: What's your worst beauty horror story?

Illustration by Ammiel Mendoza

We've all been there: that total freak-out moment when unsightly acne, blemishes, and clogged pores arise and we reach for the benzoyl peroxide with desperation. Relax and stretch for the spice rack instead; specifically, thyme. According to a recent study from Leeds Metropolitan University, thyme was the most effective treatment for killing bacteria that causes acne. As a tincture — meaning the herb was submerged in alcohol — thyme's effects may be even stronger than your trusty drugstore products and therefore be an awesome natural alternative skin treatment. While research is still needed to determine if this new discovery is, in fact, clinically sound, we're already imagining the fun of mixing up our own fragrant DIY kitchen face mask.

All out of thyme? Marigold and myrrh were also effective tinctures for zapping zits. No word on parsley, sage, or rosemary... (Jezebel)

Would you resort to kitchen spices in a blemish emergency? Let us know your thoughts below.

Simply Organic Thyme, $3.92, available at iHerb.com

Our skin has kind of been grating on our nerves lately. The transition to warmer weather makes our heart sing, but it makes our skin grumpy and confused. Eff that noise. We decided to search for some new skin care products to help our epidermis be as cheerful as we are. The result: We may be reforming our philosophy of "newer is better" when it comes to skin care technology now that we've met Tatcha.

Tatcha's collection, derived from a 200-year-old text, has us swearing by the benefits of May-December relationships. Based on the skin care rituals of geishas, the line incorporates rice enzyme powders, camellia oil, and Asian botanicals to get our skin glowing. Finally, our skin and our mood can match. Small miracles.

Tatcha Skin Care, available at Barneys and Tatcha.

Photo: Via Tatcha

The American Academy of Dermatology's annual conference has some bad news for us, ladies: Adult-onset acne is on the rise. And we're suffering worse than men — what gives? A clinical study from 2011 revealed that 45% of twenty-something women had acne, while up to 26% of women in their thirties were also riding the breakout bus.

Where can we direct our rage? At our hormones (as usual). Though men and women both have androgens, these hormones surging in us cause oil glands to overproduce sebum, and fluctuating levels can lead to clogged pores.

Luckily, all is not lost. You might want to consult a dermatologist if your acne is more serious, but salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide can help you keep your skin under control, and once you've started to wrangle the wretched beast that is acne, you'll get your nerves under control, too. And, trust, when it comes to acne, inner calm translates to outer calm. (BellaSugar)

Photo: Via BellaSugar