The Beauty Resource

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. Here's a quiz for all the travelers out there: What do Hilton Head Island, Jamaica and Phuket, Thailand, have in common?

The destinations were all labeled "in serious trouble" and landed near the bottom of a ranking of 111 islands in the November/December issue of National Geographic Traveler magazine. The magazine surveyed 522 experts from around the world, many of whom had unpleasant things to say about the second-largest barrier island along the East Coast.

'Shangaan women can braid hair, hands down'

"Woza sisi, wozobona [Come sister, come and see]," say the braiders on the corner of Kerk and Eloff streets in downtown Johannesburg.Hundreds of women congregate here every day to provide a vital service to the city's female residents: braiding. At first, anyone could set up shop in this bustling pedestrian mall, flanked by furniture shops. Now, however, there are so many braiders that they have to apply for a permit to work in the area.There are women from almost any Southern African country one could care to name -- Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Angola -- and all have been driven to sit on a cheap plastic chair in the centre of Johannesburg because they make more money here than many of their countrymen will make in a month.Porschia Ncube (46), a teacher from Zimbabwe, says her colleagues in Bulawayo earn Z$3-million (about R680) a month, which she can make in three hours.Competition is fierce.

Paris to judge beauty contest

American socialite Paris Hilton may not be ready for her planned charity work in Rwanda, but she was up for judging a beauty contest in Tokyo on Tuesday.

Hilton and her younger sister, Nicky, each chose one finalist for the Miss Universe Japan contest. A dozen or so more will be selected next month.

"I love Tokyo," Hilton said. "The shopping is great."

Hilton has promised to try improving her bad-girl image since she finished a jail term this June for violating probation in an alcohol-related reckless driving case.

She had announced plans to do charity work in Rwanda this month for the Playing for Good Foundation, but later decided to postpone the trip.

Her appearance at a Tokyo fashion boutique to judge the contest packed the room with photographers and TV cameras.

'Hairspray' shimmies and shakes with style

You can't stop the beat of ''Hairspray: Two-Disc Shake & Shimmy Edition'' (2007, New Line, PG, $35), a bouncy tribute to Baltimore, beehive hairdos and bopping till you drop. Tracy Turnblad (newcomer Nikki Blonsky in a socko performance) is a '60s teen who, after winning a spot on a whites-only dance show, aims to end the segregation. Co-stars Michelle Pfeiffer, Zac Efron, James Marsden and Queen Latifah are peachy keen but it's John Travolta and Christopher Walken, as Tracy's parents, who steal the show with a tender ''You're Timeless to Me,'' which more than lives up to its title.

Extras: The five deleted scenes boast a number of hidden gems, including the complete version of Pfeiffer's vampy seduction of Walken and a deleted ballad sung beautifully by Blonsky.

The documentary dances though ''Hairspray's'' roots as a 1988 John Waters comedy and a hit 2002 Broadway musical.

Christmas in Rockefeller Center

Ashley Tisdale And Carrie Underwood Set To Light Up The Night For NBC's 10th Annual "Christmas In Rockefeller Center" November 28 (8-9 P.M.)

Taylor Swift, Ashley Tisdale and Carrie Underwood performing current hits and holiday classics from Rockefeller Center in New York City.

Pride after prejudice

SHILPA Shetty is ensconced in the most blinging hotel lobby I've ever seen in my life. I need a pair of dark glasses just to sit here as the light bounces off shimmering chandeliers, glittering gilt-and-ormolu encrusted furniture, and, of course, the Bollywood star's dazzling beauty.