There are very few girls out there who don’t like to feel pampered occasionally. Whether it’s getting highlights at a fancy salon or doing an at-home pedicure, we all deserve a chance to feel beautiful. What I’m unsure about is whether to choose the DIY route for my facial/hair treatment/manicure or leave it to the professionals.

Help, I’m torn!

Love it: It’s rainy days like today that all I want is a good DIY pedicure. Why would I venture out of the apartment into inclement weather just to pay someone $20 to paint my toes? I have all of the tools (nail polish, lotion, exfoliant and a nail file), so why not do it myself? Plus, while I’m at it, I could scour the Internet for some other great DIY treatments, like this brown sugar scrub to soothe my skin. Between my fridge and pantry, I probably have all of the necessary ingredients. Plus, with the money I save, I can buy a new pair of shoes!

Loathe it: I’ve had my share of DIY beauty flops, mostly involving hair dye. (Including splashes, splatters and squirts of the stuff that are still stained on my walls and ceiling.) And you know what, after I screw up at home, I wind up having to go to the salon anyway just to fix the damage. If you’re going to have to pay for professional beauty treatments anyway, why not start out in the salon and not risk permanent damage to hair/skin/nails?

And when it comes to creating your own face masks/shampoos/etc, why the heck would you EVER want to rub a raw egg anywhere on your body? Or mayo. Just the thought of squeezing that burger topping in my hair makes me want to vomit. As does the thought of having to clean everything up when I’m done. That’s not relaxing. That’s not being pampered. And now that most salons are offering natural-based treatments, I don’t have to scramble an omelet on my face to avoid all those harsh chemicals.

But I do have to pay….

So, I’m really not sure.
What do you think?
Are you a fan of at-home treatments, or do you think your beauty needs are best left to a professional?

Only problem? I’m not sure I can pull them off. Dear gods of fashion, help me – I’m torn!

Love it:
I’m super short, so the idea of little boots with big heels makes me really happy. There are so many cute and reasonably priced options out there, I’m surprised I still don’t own a pair. I don’t know about you, but those over-the-knee boots that are so popular this fall sort of terrify me. How the heck can a short girl pull them off? And won’t “over the knee” on most people just mean “up to my crotch” on me!? That’s why I’m thinking ankle boots for fall.  Sliding into a pair can immediately update an otherwise drab outfit. They look great with tucked in skinnies, or even with a dress. They immediately make you look more stylish, even if the rest of your outfit is less than exciting. Plus, you can wear them in slightly warmer weather, which is more than I can say about Uggs.

Loathe it:
For some reason, when I think ankle boots, I immediately think of Barbie. Or runway models. Though I like the idea of ankle boots, I think they may be just too trendy for me to pull off. Also, when I’m in the market for a new pair of shoes, I like them to be both stylish and practical. Though these boots satisfy the first requirement, I don’t see them surviving my heavy partying schedule. Or real life, for that matter; those babies will not be able to survive a Boston winter.

So, what do you ladies think? Do you own a pair? Should I grab one for myself?
Help!

I have a confession to make: I’m a little bit of a cupcake ho. How can you resist those cute, mini cakes? A portable slice of heaven? The perfect frosting to cake ratio? Recipes that make a dozen so you don’t have to stop after one?

How could you not fall truly, madly, deeply in love?

Unfortunately, being that I’ve been around the cupcake block a few times, I’ve become a bit of a cupcake snob and find myself snubbing the dry and uncreative store-bought variety.

Lucky for me (and you!), I found a simple and yummy cupcake recipe via Appoggiatura.

Ingredients:
For the cupcakes
3/4 C butter (1 1/2 sticks)
1 1/2 C sugar
2 eggs
2 1/2 C flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 C milk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp lemon extract

For the frosting
1/2 C butter (1 stick)
8 oz cream cheese (1 block)
3 C confectioner’s sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350º.

2. Bring the butter and the eggs to room temperature before mixing.

3. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together using a hand mixer. Mix in the eggs one at a time. Then, stir in all of the dry ingredients until just combined. Slowly pour in the milk and the extracts while beating constantly. (Editor’s Note: this sounds a little naughty, no?)

4. Line two muffin tins with cupcake papers. Fill 2/3 of each space with batter.

5. Bake for 20-30 minutes, until the cupcakes are lightly golden on top and a toothpick inserted in the center of one comes out clean. Remove the cupcakes from the tins to racks to cool. Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting.

6. While the cupcakes cool, make the frosting. Using a hand mixer, cream together the sugar, the cream cheese, the confectioner’s sugar, and the vanilla extract. Add sugar to bring frosting to the appropriate consistency. If the frosting is too stiff, a splash of milk can be mixed in to thin it. (For best results, keep sticking your finger in there and tasting it. You want it to be perfect, right?)

7. To apply the frosting, use a decorator’s bag to pipe on the frosting. You can also just use a plastic baggy with the corner cut off, because you’re a college girl and don’t even have a spatula, let alone a decorator’s bag. Or, you could just mush that stuff on top with a knife. It will all taste the same.

Since these cupcakes use cream cheese frosting, keep them refrigerated until you serve them, then bring them up to room temperature before eating. Enjoy!

I’ve learned a ton of useful things at college, and I hate to say (sorry Mom and Dad) that most of most of this knowledge I’ve acquired outside of the classroom. One pivotal lesson I’ve gleaned from my 3 years in school: dating in college is hard.

Coming from a school with a 60/40 ratio of girls to guys, with a large slice of that 40% uninterested in boobs, I’ve got very few choices. The pool of college boys has been unimpressive and disappointing to say the least – I’m sick of random hookups with frat boys (yes, it’s true) and trying to get a college boy to commit.

I know there are some great guys out there, but maybe I’m looking in the wrong places. I’ve heard tons of success stories about online dating, but honestly, I’m a little nervous.  I’ve dabbled in the online pool, but I’m still not sure it’s the right thing for me.

Help! I’m torn.

Love it:

There are SO many different online dating sites out there. Whether you use Match.com, eHarmony, or in my case, Jdate (give me a break, I won a free trial via Twitter), there’s definitely an online dating site for you. After a long day slaving away at my internship, it’s nice to come home to an inbox full of interested guys. It’s an amazing ego boost!

Even better, when you use the Internet as your matchmaker, the dating pool gets about 500 times larger. You’re no longer limited to the gay/too proud to admit they’re gay guys you meet in your PR class. And you can stalk a hottie’s profile and know right away if you share common interests. That means it’s easy to discard (and remove from your “matches”) the losers via obvious red flags like shirtless vanity shots, photos with tons of girls, or a bio that spends way to much time discussing the guy’s mother.

I love reading about a guy’s little quirks before I even meet him – it makes striking up that first conversation so much easier. Hell, if I could scan a room full of guys at a party and know instantly that the cutie in the blue polo shirt secretly likes word games, I’d totally start talking to him.

Loathe it:

If you think you’ve met the creepiest guy of all time in your bio class, well honey, you haven’t tried online dating yet. In addition to the clean-cut, dog-loving, recent Harvard grads, there are tons of creepy, old, pedophiles that would just love to strike up a conversation with a cute girl like yourself. Oh, and they sometimes ask to video chat.

Hey, I’m trying to keep an open mind, but to me, telling a girl you’re lonely and want to… err… get to know each other better by video chatting is just a little creepy. Seriously dude, get a dog.

And that’s not even as bad as the guys who don’t wave the creep/freak flag until you are actually on the date. Like that one guy who didn’t bring money and forced me to pay for the date. Awesome. As much as I love laughing about a horrible date with friends or writing about it on my blog, sometimes I’d rather just be home watching More to Love than wasting my time on this dud.

There is also the fact that people present themselves much differently online than in real life (I’m talking to you, Mr. I Gained 30 Pounds and Grew a Rabbi Beard But Never Changed My Photo), that coming home and chatting with new guys online nightly is super time consuming, and, don’t forget, that giant stigma attached to finding love online.

Grrrr.

As I write this, I let out a huge sigh of frustration. Dating is hard, and maybe online dating is really no different than dating in a traditional sense. Maybe this post should have been titled “I’m Torn: Dating,” because honestly, I’m getting a little jaded. What would you guys do – suck it up and keep meeting guys around campus, or take the plunge and have the Internet find “Mr. Perfect” for you?

But cooking your own meals means healthier eating, more money in your bank account, and the gratification that comes from making something with your hands. Everyone here at CollegeCandy loves to cook, so we're going to bring you our favorite (and easy) recipes every Sunday. Because it's a lazy day and you've got nothing better to than cook, right? Right.]

I like my chicken like I like my men: plucked super hot and very sweet. That’s why I love this recipe from biscuits and such. It’s the perfect combination of spicy and sweet. Plus, it’s boyfriend approved (and I’m sure anyone else will love it too), pretty simple to prepare, and the name makes me giggle.

Ingredients:

1 chicken breast
2 tbsp chipotle chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
4 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp hot sauce
1/2 french bread loaf, cut in half both ways
1 tsp cinnamon
6 tbsp honey
6 tbsp fresh cilantro
4 slices havarti cheese
Salt & pepper

Instructions:

1. Pat your chicken dry on both sides and rub with chipotle, salt and pepper, and cinnamon.

2. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan.  Stir in garlic powder and hot sauce.  Place your chicken in the pan and cook five minutes.  Flip and cook an additional five minutes.

3. Remove your chicken from the pan and slice into chunks. (Chunks is a funny word, no?)

4. Return the chunks to the pan and cook an additional two minutes.  When your chicken is fully cooked, pour honey into the pan.  The honey will melt, and then sizzle.  Allow the honey to reduce.

5. While the honey is cooking, slice your bread.  Top with all that delicious havarti and cilantro.

6. When the honey has completely reduced, place the chicken into the sandwich and serve.

This badboy serves two, but it’s insanely delicious, so you can make the whole thing for you and save that second half for later.

I love the idea of the male best friend, but its the reality that I’m torn about…

Love it:

Sometimes you just need to get away from girls. They’re catty, annoying and borrow your clothes without asking. Plus, girls are so dramatic. It’s one thing to watch it on Gossip Girl, but dealing with crazy girl drama in real life just sucks. Guys on the other hand, are pretty much drama free. They don’t PMS, have great perspective on your relationship issues and love chauffeuring you around. They’re also good for reaching things on high shelves, scaring away creepy guys when you’re hitting the bar and carrying around your stuff.

The boy best friend makes a great stand-in wedding date, and your parents probably love him, unlike the last boy you dated. Oh, and it’s really fun to bring up tampons in conversation and watch him freak. the eff. out.

Loathe it:

Have you ever seen When Harry Met Sally? Males and females just aren’t meant to be friends. I still can’t accept that platonic relationships exist. At some point, you’re going to end up liking him, or he’s going to end up liking you. Very often, this happens at different times and one person ends up getting their heart broken. Trust me, it sucks. And if for some odd reason you don’t fall in love with one another, things are going to end the minute one of you falls for someone else. The whole dynamic will be off or, more likely, someone’s significant other is going to feel threatened and the drama (that you attempted to avoid by BFFing with a boy) will begin.

I guess having a gay best friend would be OK, but you’ll probably end up having a crush on him anyway. Or he’ll drag you to gay clubs every weekend and make you be his wingwoman.

The entire thing really seems like a bad idea in the end. But I do like the idea of always havin’ a guy around. What do you think? Is your BBFF your favorite accessory, or is maintaining a platonic relationship just too hard?

Let me just tell you: I hate hair. I hate finding it in clumps in the shower, I hate it in boys’ armpits (and really hate it in girls’) and I hate it anywhere on my body except for my head. Even still, I’ve yet to go to a professional to yank off my unwanted foliage. Shaving is a major pain in my arse, but I’m just really scared of getting waxed.

Help, I’m torn!

Love it: It’s the summer, so clearly we’re all showing a lot more skin than usual. Whether you’re keeping smooth for a specific hottie or you just want to look perfect in a bikini, hair removal is a must. Waxing lasts a lot longer than shaving, which sounds like heaven to this compulsive hair remover. My shower is tiny, so it’s extremely difficult to get my shave on. Plus, I love the idea of getting worked on by a professional. Whether you’re getting a manicure, changing your ‘do, or, in this case, getting your legs waxed, going to a salon always makes you feel classy.

Loathe it: Um, duh, waxing hurts! Like most people (besides those crazy S&M peeps), I’m not a fan of pain. I’m the kind of girl who used to run around the examining room to escape getting a booster shot at the pediatrician and nearly passed out when I got my ears pierced. Though I’ve clearly matured since then, I still try to avoid pain at all costs and I’m not going to pay someone to torture me with hot wax. I’m also not really into the idea of letting my hair grow past the stubble phase in order to be waxed – that’s just disgusting. Oh, and don’t even get me started on the numerous yoga-like positions required for an in-depth Brazilian. Do I need some stranger getting her hands near me in a downward dog? I think not.

So seriously, guys – it’s summer and I want to look good. Should I walk my little legs over to a salon to get waxed, or stick to my traditional shaving routine?

I love baking, but I’m not the hugest fan of following directions. As a result, I often end up mis-measuring things or adding my own little touches to otherwise boring recipes. Hey, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.

Anywho, there is nothing that works better with my “add this, throw in that” cooking style than pancakes. Plain pancakes are good, but chocolate chip granola pancakes are fantastic. And pancakes that look like cupcakes? Could there be anything more amazing? I found this recipe on katin cooks and I can’t get enough. It’s simple and delicious, the perfect canvas for fun add-ins and has fool proof instructions that even I can follow. Plus, these little babies make great hangover food!

Ingredients:

2 cups Original Bisquick mix
1 cup milk
2 eggs
1/2 stick butter
12 tbsp filling: try Nutella, fruit jam, or cream cheese
Confectioners sugar for sprinkling
Maple syrup for serving

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Generously coat the bottom & sides of a 12-muffin tin with butter.

3. Make Bisquick pancakes per instructions on the box.

4. Fill each cup in the muffin tin half-way.

5. Add 1 tbsp of filling to the middle of each muffin, then cover with the remaining pancake mix.

6. Bake 20 minutes.

7. Remove from oven, place on serving dish & use a flour sifter to sprinkle with sugar.

8. Serve with warm syrup.

Are you drooling yet? Want to see more? Check this out!

I’ve always been baffled by American Apparel. Do I love their array of colorful t-shirts and skirts, or am I absolutely terrified by their unitards/gold lame leggings/sales guys in skinner jeans than mine? How can a store with such awesome clothes also carry things like this? Help, I’m torn.

Love it:

Is anyone else a huge fan of that dress you can wear practically 237 ways? I have one in black and it’s the perfect go-to dress for pretty much any occasion. It looks great as a halter, and can also be worn as a going out top or even a long skirt for more conservative occasions. Plus, as the name dictates, their clothing is all made right here in the US of A. And for all you green fashionistas – cotton from America is exposed to far fewer harmful chemicals than that produced overseas. Clothing with a conscience? Count me in!

Loathe it:

Eww, eww, EWW- have you seen their Yo Mama ad campaign? No one, let alone a lady with a watermelon in her belly, should wear a neon blue jumpsuit. It’s really embarrassing. And to be honest, why should I pay $17 for a t-shirt when I can get one that’s just as cute and probably half the price at Target?

So honestly, what do you all think? Is American Apparel totally hideous or is it quirky cool?

[Life isn’t black and white. As much as we wish we simply loved or hated things, there is often that whole annoying gray area in the middle. Like how we love the idea of a monokini, but we just don’t know if we can pull it off. Or how we love making money babysitting, but hate giving up a Saturday night. Damn you, gray area; you make decision-making that much more complicated!]

Guys, I have a problem. Like a really big problem. A few weeks ago, the most wonderful boy ever made his move and kissed me at a party. It was something I’d been waiting a year for. He’s sweet, kind, adorable and fun. Oh yeah, he also wants to be in a relationship. With me. Sounds perfect, right? Only problem- he’s my best friend.

Obviously, I like the kid – a lot – but I’m scared to potentially ruin things with the person I turn to for everything. I am utterly and completely torn.

Love It: I’ve known this guy for a little over a year. We started out as “just friends,” but it’s been escalating into something more for a while now. We get dinner together once a week and he ALWAYS picks me up at my dorm beforehand.  He’s the quintessential nice guy that every girl should date. He gets along with my girl friends, is easy to talk to and will occasionally watch chick flicks with me. We also have amazing chemistry. If that’s not perfect, I don’t know what is…

Loathe It: What if it doesn’t work out? I’ll lose the friendship of the most amazing boy I know. Plus, being with a nice guy makes me really uncomfortable. I look at him and think about my uncertainty about our future and think wow, I’m going to hurt this boy. A lot. He’s so sensitive and has been hurt a lot in the past; I can’t bring myself to hurt him again. Plus, I was really looking forward to being single this summer. I want to be able to go out with my girl friends and have fun. I’d love to casually date someone right now and not jump into anything serious, but that’s not really an option in this situation. We already know so much about each other, we don’t really need to date. Moving forward with this boy would be an insta-relationship. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I don’t think I’m ready to make a commitment with someone I care about so much. But then again, if I don’t jump in, are things going to be ruined anyway?

So ladies, what should I do? Do I take a huge leap into a new relationship with an old friend, or keep our friendship the way it is? Help. I’m torn. Really, really torn.