[Disclaimer: This product was provided to me for review purposes.]

What it is: Clarisonic Mia Sonic Cleansing System

Why this should be in your bag
Clean skin is the base for a great looking face. If you’re broken out, you’re going to slather on the heavy foundation and no one likes a cake-face. It looks unnatural, to say the least.

I have fairly decent skin, except when I get stressed. I get these little bumps all over my chin and forehead. It’s just atrocious and being stressed about my skin does nothing to help these bumps go away! I’ve heard rave reviews about the Clarisonic Sonic Cleansing Systems, so I was pretty excited to test out the Mia. The Mia is a compact version of the original Clarisonic, with all the same benefits in a smaller form. It’s perfect for busy students and traveling. Read More »

For most of us, it’s the first week back from the Easter/Passover break, which, while relaxing, can also be stressful.  Some of us found that being home for the holidays has its ups and downs, such as being able to eat yummy home cookin’ but also having to deal with our mom asking us to help her edit her Facebook profile (which reminded me to delete those suggestive pictures from last year’s Halloween party before I got an angry phone call from her).  For others of us, this break was a time to meet our new boyfriend’s parents for the first time (and worry about making a good impression).

All that stress has probably caused you to break out, which only causes you to stress more about the nasty bumps on your face and find a way to get rid of them—which doesn’t exist for that pesky mutant acne that’s everywhere now.

I know all this makes you feel like crying, but before you run out and rent some guaranteed tear jerkers and sit at home all weekend watching them while eating a whole tub of Häagen-Dazs®, think about all the great stuff that happened this week that’s sure to cheer you up.

Instead of crying, call up everyone you know and go out tonight!  If you think you have nothing to wear, maybe you can dress up that black T-shirt hanging in the back of your closet in a new way.  Or grab your girlfriends for a shopping trip to spend your tax refund!  You could splurge on a great new tote, or get more for your money with cute new stuff from Target.

Still feel like staying in?  At least do something that will perk you up.  Search the internet for some great new music, make a bet to lose weight before summer officially hits, or laugh at some hilarious Yahoo! Answers questions. The semester coming to an end and papers and final exams looming in the not-so-distant future can only add to the stress you’re already feeling. But cheer up: summer’s almost here!

We’ve all been guilty of some major makeup meltdown. I was personally guilty of lash to brow blue eye shadow in high school. Yikes, glad those days are behind me. Now that I’ve recovered from my beauty blunders, I can impart my wisdom so you don’t follow in my UNfabulous footsteps.

Sperm Brow

There are a slew of brow problems to address, but sperm brow is the most annoying (and the funniest to talk about). You’ve all seen it before – a tuft of hair near the bridge of the nose, and then super over-tweezed little tail for the rest of the brow forming a little hairy sperm. Not. Attractive. Not only is it not cute to have sperm swimming above your eyes, the shape is simply not flattering to your face.

So to remedy this and any other brow issues you may be having, brow expert Anastasia has made it fool proof with some really rad stencils. They’re 20 bucks at Sephora and so easy to use. It comes with several different shapes; find the one that matches your brows best, fill in with a pencil or powder and tweeze anything outside the lines!

Foundation Mask

This is a classic mistake but it seems that some people just can’t wise up. Haven’t you seen that girl with the flawless makeup that looks great until you get to her jaw line and realize what color her skin really is? It’s so scary and unnatural to see someone’s face literally end when their neck starts. You never want to see a line where your foundation ends. So, how do you avoid it? The most important thing is to make sure you have the right shade. Never wear your summer foundation in the winter and vice versa – your skin is not the same color! Read More »

Summer, for me, is a blessing and a curse. As much as I love cute little dress season, my skin isn’t quite as easy to please. This time of year is when I start chucking my foundation or tinted moisturizer, because there’s no way a liquid is going to do anything more than melt and cause breakouts. I’ve been a faithful Bare Essentials user for years, but as I’ve tried to manage my budget and seem to go through it ridiculously quickly. The time has come to move on and try something new.

Fortunately, Sephora has an array of mineral powders to choose from, both pressed and loose. I decided to stay with this product, because it does seem to keep me relatively fresh-looking even on the beastliest of hot days. I like the texture, its ability to double as a concealer, and also that it’s SPF 15. Let’s face it, no one wants to be a bag of wrinkles by age 30.

As I perused various brands, Laura Mercier’s Mineral Powder Foundation grabbed my attention. For one, it’s a loose powder that sells in 0.34 oz containers, so while it’s $35.00, there’s no question that it’s going to last. Also, the top has a swivel closure, so even without a lid you can keep your foundation from spilling. I tried a little at the store and fell in love. Another fun fact is that you’re not limited to Sephora. You can purchase this product online through www.lauramercier.com, or at department stores. Read More »

How fantabulous is that special time of the month when Auntie Flo comes to town? You know, the time where we cry over nothing, breakout like we are in 9th grade, look like we just got breast implants, and want to remove our uterus ourselves with the sharpest untensil we can find because it hurts so badly.

Oh, and we proceed to eat every fatty, salty, chocolaty, everything that is in our path no matter how hard we were working out the week before.

So, when searching for this week’s recipes- I thought, “IDEA! Why not give our faithful CC readers some easy recipes that will satisfy your PMS cravings and not pack on the pounds?“

So sit back with some Midol, a heating pad, a good ‘ol sappy movie and a big, huge fork and indulge — sans guilt!

Oven Baked French Fries

(with ketchup, and a little salt they will taste like the real deal- try sweet potatoes if your feeling crazy!)

What you need:

6 lg. russet or other baking potatoes, scrubbed

Vegetable spray

Directions:

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Cut potatoes into 1/2 inch strips or leave thicker if you prefer more of a potato wedge. Lightly spray baking pan with vegetable spray. Lay potatoes in a single layer on baking sheet.

Spray strips with vegetable spray before placing pan in oven. Bake 15-20 minutes, turn them and continue baking until crisp and browned, approximately 15-20 minutes more. Read More »

When I graduated from high school, I was looking forward to a life free of bitchy gossip, immature boys and acne. Talk about a letdown. Turns out college life is cursed with all the same problems. Okay, so I can deal with the catty chitchat and unreciprocated crushes but the breakouts? Absolutely not. Aside from my horrible yearbook photo, this is one reminder of my adolescence I can do without. I have discovered a few products that help keep my face clear of those cute looking red bumps. I was joking about the cute part. Pimples are so not cute.

I use yoga to gain inner peace, but it was time for some outer peace. So I tried Aveda’’s Outer Peace Acne Relief Foaming Cleanser. I achieved calmness with the smell alone, so spa-like. But, smell aside, these plant products work and are not to harsh for my sensitive skin. Most product lines have 3-4 parts but I found I can mix and match products from different lines. Read More »