For us single girls, Valentine’s Day can seriously suck. Even if you love being single, all the PDA (puke), listening to what your coupled friend’s boyfriend did or (more likely) didn’t buy them, and the concerned phone call from your mom checking up on you, gets real old, real fast. And, for the love of god, if one more coupled friend tells me I’ll “find someone soon,” I’m going to scream.

But you can make Valentine’s Day better. Why should you miss out on the gift-giving and indulgence V-Day has to offer just because you’re single? Yes it might just be another day of the year, but it’s also the perfect excuse to buy you yourself a fabulous gift. Read More »

I blame deciding to slice my bangs up to my eyebrows on every high fashion magazine there is.  I saw all of those glamorous models with their thick, dark bangs and wanted some of my own.  Little did I know, there were a few side-effects that come with the sudden impulse to go Edward Scissor Hands on my hair.

Don’t get me wrong, I love my new ‘do -  I feel extra sheek and sassy, a little bohemian, and eyes seem to pop out more than Pamela Anderson’s boobies. But after prancing out of the hair salon, life happened and I was graced with the slightly annoying presence of my new bangs.

If you’re chewing on the idea of taking the fringe plunge, I give you a look into a world of bangs:

12:45 P.M. Now that the rest of my hair has been trimmed and styled, my hairstylist finally comes to the melodramatic point of cutting my bangs. I stop her for a moment, take a deep breath. Once I’m mentally ready, I give a slight nod and she comes at me with the scissors. I watch my life (full of good hair days) flash before my eyes as 4 inches of my former layers flutter away to their final resting place on top of my Ugg boot. I hold the arm rest tighter, trying not to make a scene. I make a mental note to Google image ‘celebs with bangs’ when I got home to make myself feel better about this hasty decision.

1:15 P.M. I play with my new hair a little bit in front of the mirror. I look left. I look right. I look at it from the back. “OK,” I think to myself. “It looks good.” I breathe a sigh of relief. After paying the girl at the front desk and hugging my stylist (“OMG thank you!”) I walk home. And look at my reflection in every reflective material: car windows, mirrors, spoons, phones, computer screens. I don’t look twelve, I don’t resemble Justin Bieber, and I have already forgotten to Google image ‘celebs with bangs.’ Things are looking up. Read More »

As a native Minnesotan, the frigid cold of winter is nothing new to me. And while the snow might be pretty sometimes, dry skin and hair never is. Keeping your hair moisturized in the winter can be difficult, but this College Candy girl has worked at a hair salon for three years and is going to share her knowledge on the best products to help your hair weather out the winter on a college budget. (And that’s the end of my talking in third person…)

To have your best hair in the winter, experts say you have to start with the basics.

Starting with a moisturizing shampoo is crucial. And there are plenty of them out there that won’t cost you a fortune. My favorites: Read More »

If there’s one question I get asked (as the resident beauty expert in my group of friends) it’s, “What colors can I wear during the day?” I’ve heard this question A LOT and my answer is always the same:

Wear any color you want!

If you feel like wearing green, do it! Blue, do it (carefully – you don’t want to channel the 80s here)! Honestly, whatever color you want to use during the day, you can. As long as you do it right. And with my help, doing it right and looking good will be easy.

In this video, I’ve outlined some ways to incorporate color into your daytime makeup without looking like you’re going out (or coming home…..). I definitely encourage the use of fun colors to spice up your look, so don’t be afraid to try it! Read More »

I am not a morning person. Never have been, never will be. And it shows on my face in the form of dark circles and tired eyes.

Even though I always want to crawl back into my comfy bed and get more rest, I know that with a touch of the right makeup I can instantly fix that problem. As a girl, I know that no matter how tired I am, I always want to look my best. Therefore, here is a tutorial on how to achieve that bright-eyed, wide-awake look. Even if you received zero hours of sleep, with these steps, nobody will be able to tell! Read More »

It’s hard to stay organized (and beautiful!) when you’re living in the cramped quarters typical of college towns. You barely have enough room for your clothes in most dorms or apartments and without a bathroom to call your own, it’s nearly impossible to store all that makeup you brought along with you. But with a little creativity and a few key pieces, anyone can find a place to keep their makeup, and keep it clean.

Today, I’m showing you how I store my all of my makeup and giving you some other great organizational ideas as well. Read More »

As someone with very dry skin in the winter and hands that are prone to breaking, cracking, bleeding, etc., I think I have probably tried every brand of hand cream in the nation.

Bad for me (my wallet and my cracking skin), but great for you; I’ve made all the unfortunate purchasing decisions so you don’t have to.

Just in time for the bitter cold, I’m going to share my knowledge with you so you know which creams to slather on and which to leave on the shelves.

Aveeno “Intense Relief” Hand Cream
Let’s start with the worst of the worst, shall we? This cream is basically just a lie in every way. The Aveeno website claims that the cream forms “a protective glove against the elements.” If “protective glove” means “greasy paws,” then I’d say the claim is accurate. Seriously, you’re probably better off lathering up with a can of WD-40; at least that stuff is cheap. I can’t touch anything for at least 15 minutes after I put this lotion on because I’ll leave grease stains all over it. Also, if you care about moisturizing your hands and sealing up cracks, avoid this stuff like the H1N1 virus. It provides temporary relief, but that’s about it.
My advice: NOT recommended. Read More »

While I love Sephora, MAC, and department store makeup counters, I don’t love looking at my bank account after spending an afternoon there. While I do believe that “you get what you pay for,” I know that there are some awesome drugstore products out there that work better than their expensive counterparts.

Last week, I filled you guys in on the Top 5 Beauty Products Worth Splurging On, and this week, I present to you the Top 5 Drugstore Beauty Steals: Read More »

I’ve had many women look at me like I’m crazy when I talk about using highlighters on my face. Obviously I am not coloring on my face with neon yellow highlighters, people! A lot of women don’t know how to use highlighters (or what they are, apparently), but they really are a great asset to have in your beauty arsenal.

I know you don’t want to shell out $24 for Benefit’s High Beam, so in this video I’ll show you an alternative that’s way cheaper and works just as well. Happy highlighting!

It’s now almost three weeks since Christmas (and only 353 ’til Christmas Day 2010… not that I’m counting!) and, like many of you, I have a slew of gift cards for different retailers, many of them to Sephora. This year, instead of spending my gift cards on lots of little things, I’m planning a few splurges on beauty products that are really worth my cash.

Whether you’re planning some gift card splurges or just want to upgrade your beauty regime, here are five beauty products worth splurging on: Read More »