Health and beauty: The good, the bad and the ugly

Previously only showcased in bad 1980s music videos and dire hookup moments, Spandex (that's David Lee Roth, pictured) is set to enjoy a bit of a comeback this month, thanks to a new product line from DKNY.

The fashion label is giving Spanx a run for its money by launching a line of tummy-tucking underwear called Smoothies, in neon pink and blue.

Style tip? Wear them just peeking out from shorts or entirely on their own. They are the logical extension of the current leggings craze, apparently. And who are we to complain? Utility and style in one colourful package, what could be better?

Bad

Our bank balances may have taken a hit after the festive season but it appears we should be feeling more financially secure than we do.

Alastair Muriel, who is a senior economist at the Institute for Fiscal Studies, announced this week that people have little understanding of income distribution and that many of us are much further up the pay scale than we imagine.

The problem apparently lies in our tendency to compare what we earn with the huge salaries bagged by bankers, footballers and rock stars. In doing so we forget the millions of people on benefits and many pensioners who are not well off.

It's nothing to do with the country being gripped by pay freezes, job cuts and the row over bankers' bonuses then...

Ugly

Women may like piling on the war-paint but new research has suggested that men prefer the natural look.

Panda eyes and thick lipstick were hailed a disaster by skincare experts St Ives, which carried out the study of 2,000 men.

But while around 18 per cent of those quizzed wished their other halves would wear a little less slap, only just over half had voiced that opinion.

For good reason too, it would seem. Of those brave enough to broach the issue, one in ten were dumped soon afterwards.

This article was first published in Scotsman on Sunday on 10 January, 2010.