Women’s History Month may be coming to a close, but we think celebrating our double-X heritage should be a year-round affair. To deepen our understanding of the topic, we spoke with Pulitzer Prize-winning Harvard professor Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, Ph.D., author of Well-Behaved Women Seldom Make History (Vintage Books, 2008), for some suggestions on recommended reading. “These are classics, and that word shouldn’t frighten people away from reading them,” Ulrich says of her selections. “They are very readable and accessible, which is why they’ve survived.”

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John Russo knows a thing or two about beauty. The Los Angeles–based celeb photog has worked with the likes of Cindy Crawford, Kristin Davis, Eva Longoria — and shot Eva LaRue and Melora Hardin for the latest VIVmag covers. So we were eager to try his new Hollywood Finish trio of luxury shower products: shampoo ($18), conditioner ($18) and body wash ($16). All are available in three scents: Capri, with sea botanicals; Kumquat Sage, with vitamins; and (our favorite) Soy & Olive.

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Show us a workout that involves cute clothes and feeling lighter than air and we’re so there! Last week, Reebok did a stealth preview in L.A. of the hot new Jukari Fit to Fly gym program it’s launching in partnership with Cirque du Soleil. The central prop in the regimen is a highly versatile trapeze known as the FlySet. Jukari felt to us like a combination of trapeze work and anti-gravity yoga poses — with a few pole dancing moves thrown in.

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March is Save Your Vision Month, so it’s the perfect time to take a look (sorry, we can’t help the puns) at nutrition to prevent vision loss from eye diseases. Since the days we watched Bugs Bunny cartoons, we’ve known that carrots are good for the eyes, providing essential vitamin A, but according to the American Optometric Association, it’s Popeye’s favorite that is best for eye health. Spinach, kale, turnip greens, collards, corn and eggs contain lutein and zeaxanthin, which keep the eyes’ lenses clear and prevent cataracts and macular degeneration.

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Spring has awakened our senses, and we’re ready to emerge from semi-hibernation into the urban landscapes to forage for fashion. Here’s a rundown of three exciting new places for retail therapy: Armani/5th Avenue and Ports 1961 in New York City and San Francisco’s Paul Smith shop.

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The Parisian-trained esthetician Aida Thibiant introduced Hollywood to the European tradition of no-nonsense deep-cleaning facials when she opened her Beverly Hills spa some 33 years ago. Over the years, the legendary “face saver to the stars” has seen everyone from Ali McGraw and Rod Stewart to Jodie Foster and Hayden Panettiere. But now in her 80s, Thibiant is retiring and Thibiant Beverly Hills is coming under the direction of plastic surgeon Harry Glassman, M.D.

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Some 2 million tons of plastic water bottles clog our landfills every year, and thousands of tons of global-warming pollution are produced by the shipment of bottled water to U.S. ports. What’s more, a four-year study by the Natural Resources Defense Council found that about one in five brands of bottled water contained at least one chemical contaminant at levels exceeding government limits. If all that isn’t reason enough to break your bottled-water dependence, perhaps vanity will provide the tipping point.

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In case the recent 200-year anniversary of the birth of the first evolutionary scientist, Charles Darwin, escaped your attention, we want to suggest a unique way to celebrate the famous English naturalist’s life: Peruse the 55 recipes within Mrs. Charles Darwin’s Recipe Book (Glitterati, 2008).

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A recent survey conducted by Crest and Oral-B found that smiles were ranked as the most alluring physical feature, winning out over eyes, hair and even body. This seemed reason enough to treat ourselves to a luxurious lip color — and take advantage of Prescriptives’ trusty Colorprint service.

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With the impending arrival of spring, the Cole Haan Sporting Collection — inspired by tennis, golf, track and sailing — has us longing for two of our favorite springtime activities: outdoor sports and shopping. The collection includes the lightweight Zoom Flywire sneaker, featuring Nike technology created for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

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