Your Brilliance Expert Author

Amy Waterman

Why Women Lose So Much Hair

Alopecia is a word that strikes fear into my heart.

You see, I have a family pattern of thinning hair. And it’s not on the men’s side.

It’s on my mother’s.
[Read more…] about Why Women Lose So Much Hair

A Diet Plan That Keeps Pounds Off Permanently?

Raise your hand if you eat three meals a day, with no snacks in between.

Yeah, my hand isn’t up, either.

I snack all day long instead of having proper meals. I used to think that was a good thing. Keeps my metabolism revved up and so forth. [Read more…] about A Diet Plan That Keeps Pounds Off Permanently?

Why You Should Be Dating Older Men

I was one of THOSE girls.

I always had an older boyfriend.

When I was 13, my boyfriend was 18. In my 20s, I dated men in their 30s. In my 30s, I found myself with partners hitting 40 and beyond. [Read more…] about Why You Should Be Dating Older Men

Is Something Wrong with Being Too Sensitive?

“You take everything personally.”
“You can’t take a joke.”
“You’re so uptight about everything.”
“You’re making a big deal over nothing.”
“You belong in a mental hospital.”

Each of those statements was true, according to Janet’s husband. True beyond the shadow of a doubt. [Read more…] about Is Something Wrong with Being Too Sensitive?

Crossword Puzzles Won’t Stave Off Dementia, But This Will

Crossword puzzles are for old people.

I knew this to be true, because the only people I saw doing crossword puzzles were my grandparents. I can still picture my grandmother sitting in her armchair with the newspaper precisely folded, pencil in hand and brow furrowed, pausing periodically to sip her morning coffee. [Read more…] about Crossword Puzzles Won’t Stave Off Dementia, But This Will

How to Turn Him Down Politely: The Art of Rejecting Men

I used to work in the heart of a seaside city. At lunchtime, savory scents from the food courts drifted down the streets. Seagulls flew low, hoping to spot a sucker willing to share his lunch.

Locals knew not to feed the seagulls. But tourists enjoyed watching them scramble for bread. [Read more…] about How to Turn Him Down Politely: The Art of Rejecting Men

The Unforgettable Lesson of First Love

Your first love is unforgettable.

It doesn’t matter how old you get. Even as you grow white-haired and wizened, you’ll still remember him.

My grandmother did. She fell in love at sixteen with a boy on a motorcycle. [Read more…] about The Unforgettable Lesson of First Love

4 Things No One is Telling You about the Paleo Diet

Give me a break. I’m a modern woman, not Paleolithic.

You’ll never catch me in a cave. I don’t look good in animal skins. I prefer to pick my berries at the grocery store.

So why are about 3 million Americans eating like cavemen? [Read more…] about 4 Things No One is Telling You about the Paleo Diet

Fuller, More Fabulous Hair Starts in the Kitchen

There’s a pot of cocoa and cornstarch on my bathroom counter.

Next to it lies a large makeup brush.

That’s all I use to get fuller, more fabulous hair. [Read more…] about Fuller, More Fabulous Hair Starts in the Kitchen

Do You Really Want Your Wishes to Come True?

“What do you wish for, Mummy?”

My daughter is waving a sparkly silver wand in the air. She’s ready to grant me any wish with her magical powers.

“I wish you’d get your shoes on,” I say.

“No, Mummy. A real wish!” [Read more…] about Do You Really Want Your Wishes to Come True?

Coping with the Emotional Toll of Divorce

I was at a meeting the other day, on a quite unrelated topic, when a man across the room spoke up. “I’m just looking for some hope,” he said.

His gaze was pinned to his lap. He wouldn’t look at any of us. [Read more…] about Coping with the Emotional Toll of Divorce

A Risk-Free Way to Update Your Beauty Routine

When’s the last time you overhauled your beauty routine?

A year ago? Ten years ago?

Given how fast the beauty world is changing, a woman could overhaul her beauty routine with every issue of Allure. [Read more…] about A Risk-Free Way to Update Your Beauty Routine