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Jessica Simpson on the cover of Vanity Fair.

Protecting yourself has never looked so chic!

The best and worst sunscreens for summer.

Leah Walsh, a 29-year-old special education teacher from Long Island, NY, has been missing since Monday morning. Her abandoned car was found on the side of the road and appeared to have a flat tire. This is still considered a missing person investigation, however, it was reported by the Associated Press around noon today that an unidentified woman’s body was found approximately 13 miles from Walsh’s abandoned car. It has not yet been confirmed as of now whether the body was that of Walsh.

The cases of missing women have become much too common a scenario lately, and we cannot be too careful when we are out and about. The story of Leah Walsh should stand as a reminder to women everywhere that we must learn ways to protect ourselves and stay safe.

Here are some tips to protect yourself when you are alone at night, or even during daylight hours:

1. Always be aware. Know your surroundings and who is around the area. If you are walking along, do not talk on your phone or text your friends. Your lack of attention makes you an easy target for anyone wishing to harm you.

2. Carry pepper spray or mace and attach it to your keychain. When you are walking alone, always have it out and ready to spray. (And keep your keys out as well!) No, you will not accidentally spray yourself with it.

3. When going out to the bars or clubs do not carry huge, oversized purses (especially if living in a big city). These are perfect targets for muggers: they think that because the bag is bigger there is more cool and expensive stuff to steal. Read More »

My mom insists I carry around a small tube of pepper spray even though it’s illegal; which is why I was so taken by the pink stinger when I first saw it. Cute and compact, this tampon shaped stun gun is just what every girl needs for protection.

The Pink Stinger can be used in two modes: stun setting and zap mode. In stun setting you simply need to put the two rods against skin or clothing which can leave your perpetrator “disoriented, demoralized and embarrassed.” Zap mode, however, is the coolest of them all. The two tiny shocking extra absorbent tampons are actually shot out of their “zapplicators” and attach themselves to your attacker. With nitrogen powered hydraulics and fourteen feet of wire, you don’t even need to be that close to cause “central nervous system disruption, possible urination and certain humiliation.” Awesome.

A tampon shaped stun gun… I mean what could be more convenient or discreet? Unless, of course, you reach for the wrong tampon… now that could give YOU the shock of a lifetime.