While many of you love wearing makeup and search your couch cushions and the bottom of all your purses for loose money so you can buy new products, there are a lot of you out there who actually hate wearing makeup. Trust me when I say that I get it; I used to be one of those girls!

Makeup can sometimes be a hassle, especially if you don’t know what products to use or how to use them. Plus, sometimes you just don’t want to stand in front of a mirror and put on your face, dammit. But the honest truth: you don’t have to! Having a polished face doesn’t have to mean 35 products and 30 minutes putting them on. Read More »

Every few months when I start to run out of my high-end make up, I tend to re-evaluate why I’m spending so much money on products.  I save up a lot in order to purchase the likes of Make Up For Ever, NARS, MAC, and Urban Decay.  But I also think about what I could be spending that money on, and I look into more affordable options.  While I absolutely love my high-end brands, I also love drug store brands. Like, the kind of love I usually reserve for peanut butter and chocolate. I have a huge variety of the stuff and I’m a strong advocate for affordable make up.

That’s why I get really excited when brands like Maybelline try to imitate those big makeup brands.  You’ve probably seen those TV ads for their new FIT ME collection of foundations and powders.  They’re a little annoying, but the product is good.  Really good!  I was very impressed with how similar the quality was to my high-end products. Plus, it has SPF 18 in the foundation!

My only real qualm was that I couldn’t test the shade in the store.  They have a wide spectrum of 18 shades said to fit all skintones, but it’s still a necessity for me to test a shade in the store before I buy it.  Also, I recommend using a primer (here’s how it’s done!) with the foundation to help it last.  If you’re looking for something that feels like a high-end brand but is extremely affordable, then check this collection out! But first, get my full rundown here: Read More »

Today, December 1, is World AIDS Day – a day to take action towards informing yourself about how to protect yourself and others from HIV while reducing the prejudice of those infected. AIDS may seem like a problem only in the developing world, but it’s not. Over 1.1 million people in the USA have HIV. There remains a stigma around AIDS that can reduced the more we talk about it.

This year, some of your most-loved (or love-to-hate) celebs are giving up their digital life until their fans donate 1 million dollars by “buying life.” But you don’t have to be a celebrity with 5 million Twitter followers to make a difference.

As you sit in your dorm room (or lecture hall – we know you’re reading this in class!), you might be questioning what you can possibly do to make a difference – after all you are only one person. But, if everyone takes action, then collectively we can make some major strides. Even from that teeny, tiny room you call home.

Print out and put a poster on your door
I’m sure a lot of people walk by your room each day and chances are if there’s something different up on your door, they might take a second to stop and think about what the poster means, and maybe even generate a conversation with you about the topic.

Do your research
Read up on World AIDS Day. The best protection is knowledge. Spread what you know by talking to friends, or the random person who stops by your room after seeing your poster. Read More »

[Is it just me or is there another “revolutionary” new makeup product introduced every freaking day?! Just walking into Ulta or Sephora (or even Walgreens!) sends many chicas into fits of hysteria, reaching for the nearest brown bag to regulate their breathing. It’s all so overwhelming.

So how can you know which product – among the sea of thousands – is the best? Which does what you need it to do? Which ones are worth the extra money? Let me help. I don’t know every beauty product out there, but I’ve tested a lot of them and I’ll let you know which are worth the money and which are not.]

(Disclaimer: This product was provided to me for review purposes)

What it is: MAC Briar Rose Beauty Powder

Why this should be in your bag:
Ever since my foray into beauty products began, I’ve been obsessed with blush. Not only does it look so pretty in the pan, but it can do amazing things for your look and complexion. If you’re feeling tired or sluggish from all those midterms (welcome to my freaking life), blush is the perfect makeup pick-me-up!

MAC is the creme de la creme of makeup brands. Known for high-quality products in a variety of extremely fun colors and collections, MAC is where it’s at. This little number is part of their latest release, Venomous Villains. The collection was a collaboration with Disney and as a huge Disney fan, I initially picked up the Beauty Powders for the beautiful compacts. However, the product inside was a pleasant surprise! Read More »

Being a girl has its perks, especially when it comes to scoring free drinks at the bar. But being a girl also takes a lot of work and costs a whole lot o’ cashola. Just think about all the things we need to pay for that guys don’t: waxing, haircare, makeup, Spanx, the list goes on.

Yeah, keeping ourselves groomed and primped is not easy on the wallet, but it doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg (or a month’s rent).  Here are some of my favorite beauty products that all come in under 20 buckaroos. These things are just as fabulous as the expensive stuff and, hey, anything that’ll make me feel purty without making me cringe at the price is good by me. (Side Note:  You can get a lot of this stuff on Drugstore.com, an awesome website that carries nearly every beauty item you can imagine and has great deals on ‘em too.)

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Yesterday, after a failed attempt to apply chunky mascara to my lashes (it was gross), I decided it was time to restock. Only when I ran over to my local CVS to pick up a new one, I was totally overwhelmed. Do you have any idea how many different kinds of mascara there are? My god! I stood there for ten minutes with 12 different options in my hands trying to figure out which one was the best. They all claim to last the longest, to lengthen the most, to make you the hottest, but which one really works?

And what about foundation?
And moisturizer?
And bronzer?

HOW ON EARTH IS A GIRL SUPPOSED TO KNOW?!

OK, so it might not be the most difficult decision on earth, but with so many options and so little money, it made me sweat. I may know what the commercials say and what some magazine editors say, but how can any of us really know what products are worth buying? So I turned to my friends (I frantically dialed 5 to get a good sampling/variety of advice) and eventually settled on Almay’s Intense I-Color for Blue Eyes, which was recommended by the one girl who didn’t hang up on me when I told her about my life and death situation. And the stuff is awesome! Just knowing someone who had used and loved it made everything so much easier.

So I decided to take it one step further and find out what beauty products the CollegeCandy writers can’t live without. If they love it that much, it’s gotta be good. And knowing that will make my next CVS run (and yours!) a whole lot smoother. Read More »

Cuz they do. A lot.

Bow Wow is a classy guy.

Tyra Banks was a mean boss? Shocking.

Mac gets warm and cozy this season.

What’s the deal with Tila Tequila?

10 iPhone apps we ladies could all use.

Today, July 13th, is “Embrace Your Geek Day.” Here are the top 10 totally embraceable things that we geek out for. And we’re not ashamed to admit it. Online.

10. Harry Potter
Ugh, is there anything sexier than a wizard in glasses? I literally screamed when I saw the preview for “The Half Blood Prince” in theaters.

9. Arrested Development
Seriously, I know every single line to this show. Points if you can do every family member’s imitation of a chicken. (Yeah, I can do that too.)

8. Twilight
Okay, admittedly, I’m not a twi-tard, err, I mean “twi-hard,” but I can’t resist drooling over Robert Pattinson’s perfect hair. Read More »

[Post courtesy of out friends at StyleBakery.com. For more awesome fashion, style and beauty news, check them out!]

A few months ago, we shared our picks for adding more color to your beauty bags. Now the season is in full swing, and we can’t help but feel inspired by all of the colors blooming outdoors, being displayed in store windows and taking center stage at our local beauty counters. This is the perfect time of year to add more punches of color to your beauty routine, no matter how subtle. Find these colorful picks in stores right now.

MAC “Just A Pinch” Gel Blush is a seriously bold red color in its pot, but goes on smooth and sheer when applied to our cheeks and lips. This color looks great on all skintones and can be worn as light or amped up as you like. $18.50, nordstrom.com

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Remember when you started college and you got a bunch of cool new stuff? Everything was shiny and new and you were off on a great adventure. A lot has changed since then. Now you’re all disillusioned by jerky professors and “real world” problems. Oh, and your laptop is an antique.

Many of you are thisclose to the end of your college days [weep], which means it’s time to upgrade your shiz for the next phase of your life. But what do you need? And which products are the best?

Look no further; I’m here for your graduating shopping needs. I can’t teach you how to survive out there – because I’m a few credits away from that awful place – but I can help you with that graduation wish list to hand off to the parentals.

Please hold your applause until the end. Read More »