Water – Water is probably the most important thing you ever put in your body throughout a given day.  Having enough water in your system helps everything run smoothly, including your digestion, thought processes, and alertness.  Plus, it helps flush (read: pee pee) out all of the toxic byproducts of your normal body processes.  This is the part that makes your skin glow, look fresh, and appear more rested.  While how much water you drink is constantly in dispute, my general rule of thumb is to drink enough water to keep your pee light yellow.

Omega-3 Rich Foods – This includes foods like salmon, flax seeds, walnuts, and certain types of beans.  Eating these foods on a normal basis increases your intake of essential fatty acids, which help your skin remain plump and fresh by holding water into your skin cells.  Omega-3s also act was an anti-inflammatory agent, which can improve the blood flow to your face, making you glow.

Selenium-Rich Foods – Studies have shown the power of this mineral in preventing damage to the skin cells.  Foods high in selenium include whole grains, turkey, and tuna.  Selenium can help prevent oxidative damage, which can age and roughen skin cells.  Pour yourself a bowl of whole wheat cereal in the morning to get closer to your daily selenium needs.

Green Tea – Green tea has been tied to a number of health benefits such as decreased appetite, increased calorie burn, and antioxidant properties.  For the skin, what makes this drink important is its anti-inflammatory properties.  Just like omega-3s, green tea may help protect skin cell membranes, making the skin look fresher, plumper, and well rested.

Vitamin A Rich Foods – Vitamin A is crucial to repairing skin cells.  When levels are low, the skin responds by becoming dry and flaky – something I know none of us want.  Many people apply Vitamin A creams topically as a treatment for wrinkles, acne, and psoriasis, but you can still obtain some effects by eating foods rich in Vitamin A.  Some of the best sources of this vitamin include carrots, broccoli, sweet potatoes, and butter.  On second thought, maybe you should refrain from snacking on sticks of the last one, just for your waistline’s sake.

"I feel like death warmed over but - DAMN - I look good."

Thanksgiving break seems like a long and luxurious break from the crazy college world, but with all the people you have to see, shopping you have to do and family you have to spend time with, Thanksgiving turns into one exhausting escape. And, considering it has been months (or maybe even years) since you have last seen home people, looking your best is of utmost importance.

Which becomes especially hard after spending Wednesday evening sipping some cocktails. And by “sipping” I mean “chugging by the bar so you didn’t have to deal with running into your ex with his new GF…who was in eighth grade when you guys were seniors…”

We all know what looks back at us in the mirror after a night of drinking: black under eyes, blotchy skin, unsightly blemishes, hand stamps rubbed off on a cheek. Needless to say, it ain’t pretty, nor is it appropriate for the grand Thanksgiving dinner with family and friends.

I have a weak spot for binge drinking on Wednesday nights, so I have become quite talented at the morning-after-face-picker-upper. (Because no one – especially my English prof – needs to know that I spent the previous evening enjoying dollar beers and a battle to the top of the leader board of Erotic Photo Hunt.) If you’re looking a little down in the dumps but can’t let grandma see you like that, pair these must-have beauty items with a couple Advil and a giant Dunkin Donuts coffee. Your family will never know just how much you enjoyed the biggest bar night of the year:

Eucerin Everyday Protection Face Lotion in SPF 30: One of the worst effects of alcohol (besides liver damage and the propensity to do really stupid things) is the dehydration. And I am not talking about to your body; I mean to your skin. Combating the hangover, then, requires more than just a few glasses of water; you need a really good moisturizer. I have tried ‘em all (even the expensive ones), but this Eucerin product – available in drug stores! – is by far my favorite. It works fast, is not greasy at all and will protect your skin from the sun all day long as you join your little cousins for a hop in the leaves.

smashbox Photo Op Under Eye Brightener: I blame my mother for this lovely trait, but when I wake up after a night of drinking I look like someone punched me in the eyes. Yes, both of them. In fact, before I discovered this life-changing product, people would often ask me if I got into a bar fight the night before. (That only happened once, damn it!) But this stuff has completely eliminated that problem. Just dab a few dots of this stuff under your eyes and your tired eyes are instantly brightened. Using this is like getting an extra 5 hours of sleep!

benefit High Beam: In addition to the lovely hue of black under my eyes, my hungover skin also tends to take on some shades of waxy gray. Not attractive. While walking through a department store after a night o’ partying, I was accosted by the Benefit makeup lady. Noticing that I was clearly in need of some help, she introduced me to High Beam – only the best beauty invention of all time. Just a few dots of this stuff to your cheekbones adds a dewy shimmer to your skin and instant brightness to an unhappy face. Total face refreshment.

Urban Decay Midnight Cowboy Eyeshadow: If all else fails, there’s one easy trick that will make all your hangover problems go away. Well, at least the ones with your face; there is no makeup that can stop the dry heaving. Just dab a little shimmer in the corners of each eye. That’s it. This little trick will instantly brighten your eyes, making you look more awake, alert and, erm alive. Midnight Cowboy by Urban Decay is my favorite; it has the perfect amount of shimmer to open up your eye, but it has enough of a gold tint that it can also be run over the rest of the eyelid for a shimmery holiday look perfect for a family dinner.

So, this Thanksgiving when you’re dining with your family and everyone can’t stop talking about how radiant and beautiful you look (even though you can’t stop those tequila shots from haunting you), you can add me and the geniuses who came up with these facial fresheners to your “thankful for” list.

You’re welcome.

In the meantime, this week I’m reviewing one of my favorite products: Mario Badescu’s Whitening Mask. It’s totes amazing and will leave your skin looking faboosh! Yeah, I just said faboosh. It’s the only way to describe the miracle-worker that is Mario Badescu.

]]> http://collegecandy.com/2009/09/26/cc-beauty-live-a-for-mario-badescus-whitening-mask/feed/ 8 Caitlin-University of Alabama http://collegecandy.com/2009/09/02/pretty-in-green/ http://collegecandy.com/2009/09/02/pretty-in-green/#comments Wed, 02 Sep 2009 18:30:18 +0000 Elizabeth - UC Berkeley http://collegecandy.com/?p=39595 ]]> Although I am a firm believer in leading an environmentally-friendly life,  I am first and foremost a college-aged woman.  And what does that mean?  It means I am absolutely unwilling to look ugly just for the sake of the environment.

After doing a little research, however, I discovered that being green does not mean being heinous.  In fact, it means quite the opposite.

Here are my favorite green tips that also make you hotter.  Read on, pretty lady…

Ditch the dryer: Using a hair dryer for only 5 minutes a day for an entire year uses enough energy to power a basic light bulb for 3,259 hours.  And guess what?  You don’t really need it!  Drying your hair frequently can crack the hair’s cuticle and withdraw moisture, leaving you with dry and brittle strands.  Naturally drying your hair even just a few days a week can save your strands and save the environment.  If you just can’t live without your daily drying, opt for an eco-friendly one.  The Go Green dryer is made from recycled materials, is printed with soy ink, and uses 26% less energy than a normal dryer.

Turn down the scalding shower: Not only do long, hot showers waste water, they are also a huge energy expense.  Cut down your shower time and the temperature, and you can save tons of money on your monthly bill.  Plus, cold water is good for your bod!   Hot water can have very drying properties, both to your skin and your hair.  Taking a colder shower leaves your hair silkier and your skin softer, all while increasing circulation and bumping up your immune system.  Now how’s that for a morning routine?

Drink tap water: If it’s really that gross, then invest in a Brita filter.  Water bottles cause tons of unnecessary waste every year, much of which ends up in landfills instead of in the recycling.  Plus, delivering water bottles across the world burns fossil fuels, contributing to global warming.  If that doesn’t convince you, consider the health effects.  Most bottled water does not cross state lines, making them exempt from the Food and Drug Administration’s standards for drinking water.  Tap water, on the other hand, is highly regulated and contains more of the teeth-strengthening mineral, floride, than bottled water.  Plus, simply filling up an aluminum water bottle instead of purchasing a bottle for $1 a pop, allows you to save money while drinking more water, so you can put that money to better use (i.e. on yourself!).  Everybody knows that water does a body good by making your skin clearer, aiding digestion, and hydrating the skin, so drink more of it… from the tap.

Steer away from chem lab cleansers: Look at the ingredients list of any common beauty product and you will see a plethora of science-babble words that not even Bill Nye could understand.  Most of those ingredients are synthetic, requiring energy and emitting toxic waste to produce.  And guess what?  What’s bad for the environment is also bad for your skin.  Harsh facial cleansers, such as toner, astringent, and acne washes can actually make acne even worse.  Drying out the oil on your face causes your skin to go into “panic mode” and produce even more oil than before, leaving you with more acne than you had when you started.  Instead, try to use products with natural ingredients.  A good rule of thumb that I like to use is to not put anything on your skin that you wouldn’t want to put in your body.

I was born with a skin-tone that falls somewhere between “fresh milk” and “blank paper.” I’ve heard every “where are the Seven Dwarves?” and “Ah! You’re blinding me!” joke in existence, replacing my joyful anticipation of summer with an ominous dread. As girls with non-glow-in-the-dark skin flounce down the street in their shorts and minis, my legs have been relegated to hot, dark jeans.

In years past, in order to reach the deep, savage “normal-people” color I have so longed for, I have resorted to the religious application of self-tanners, which, while making me darker, have also made me smellier. And we all know nothing is more appealing to a man than a girl who smells like chemicals and has weird, orange-streaked sheets. And to top it all off, after my daily self-tanning regimen, there would almost inevitably come the cruel mockery of the phrase “you’re so light!”

Sigh.

And so, after too many self-conscious summers, with my shorts (and skin) hidden away, I have decided to forget my regimens, leave the jeans at home and embrace the light. That’s right, I’m pale, so suck it! White is in this season!

Sisters of the Pale Force, let us unite! Forget about smelly self-tanners and tedious bronzers; slap on some sun screen and go. Go out in your shorts, your skirts, your tank tops and bikinis! Stop risking your health, your money and your time trying to be something that you’re not. Fair skin is beautiful and we should embrace it, not hide it! After all, in 20 years all those perfectly bronzed girls will be getting Botox and we’ll be getting the younger men!

I don’t know who decided that tan is beautiful; clearly they had never seen Dita Von Teese’s porcelain skin. Or Nicole Kidman’s. Summer ‘09 is the season of pale, so bring. it. on.

And to anyone who has a problem seeing past our legs: put on your sunglasses, that’s what they’re for.

When you’re trying to get in and out of the shower as quickly as you can to head on to bigger and better things, (a.k.a the beach), it can be easy to bypass seemingly unimportant tasks.  You probably wash your face, your body and your hair, but do you take the time for proper exfoliation?  I’m guilty of this myself, especially in the summertime when my skin doesn’t seem so dry and flakey.  But that all changed yesterday.

While walking in Trader Joe’s, I found myself in the beauty aisle (because it’s right by the wine) and fell in love with a sea salt exfoliating grapefruit scrub. It smelled delicious, so I threw it in my basket (along with TJ’s cookies, some cereal and the best dark chocolate covered pretzels on this planet). When I got home I ate a few pretzels, tore off my clothes and took my new salt scrub to the shower. And what a lovely shower it was. It took only one go with my new salt scrub to remember why exfoliating is so important.

The Sparknotes version:

1. Exfoliating makes your skin softer, which is especially great in the summer because your skin – especially those tootsies in the flip flops – is exposed and  braving the elements.

2.  Softer skin leads to better shaving, less nicks, cuts, and ingrown hairs.

3. When you clear away dead skin your great beach tan (or bottled glow) will last longer.

Now that we are all reminded why it’s worth the extra minute a couple times a week, here are some products you should try out.

Like I said, I’m in love with my new Trader Joe’s Purify Grapefruit Chamomile Sea Salt Scrub.  It was $6 for a really big jar and smells delicious! The citrus scent will totally wake you up in the morning. The only bummer is you have to get it in the store, and I know not all of us are lucky enough to live near a TJ’s (sad-face).

Clinique Sparkle Skin Body Exfoliator:  I’ve also used this product, and while it doesn’t smell as yummy, it will leave your skin looking clean and feeling soft.

Bath and Body Works: There’s The Rub: This is a nice cooling sea salt scrub, but it may be a little rough.  If you like it rough (you dawg), it’s a great product to use twice a week.

Or, if you’re feeling crafty and/or cheap, making your own sea salt scrub is really easy.

Don’t underestimate the power of soft skin this summer. Take the extra 5 minutes to pamper yourself and you’ll see (and feel!) immediate results!

You’ve probably heard lots of different reasons regarding why your face turns on you at whim, and some of it is probably true, but there are also some awful skin myths out there.

First of all, you’re not going to get breakouts from eating chocolate (or french fries)! The Vegetable Association of America made this up to scare you into staying away from delicious foods. Sure, if you ate chocolate for 3 meals a day for a week, your body’s natural balance would be thrown off, and yah, you’d probably breakout. But if you consume a normal amount of sweets, you’re fine. The reason greasy foods are associated with breakouts is because people tend to eat more of them when they are stressed. (You know you eat way more Reese’s cups when you are stressing over a big test.)

This leads me to my next point, which is that stress does cause breakouts. According to The Acne Resource Center Online, stress causes the adrenal glands to produce more hormones. The site also states that “It has also been established that psychological stress can decrease the wound healing capacity of immune systems up to 40%. This factor doubles the impact of stress on acne.” So when you’re stressed, you breakout, causing more stress, and prolonging the breakups. Great, right?

So stress produces more hormones, which produces more acne, but there are also other sources of hormones that produce acne. Your period creates elevated levels of hormones and so does birth control changes. Oftentimes birth control lessens acne, but some girls see an increase. More commonly, breakouts occur when a pill prescription is changed and hormone levels are increased.

Heredity also plays a part in breakouts, (yup, you can blame your parents for your pesky pimples). And, unfortunately, that is something that you can never change. Nope, not even getting older will help; there is no such thing as “growing out of acne.” (Please don’t hate me for that news – I’m only the messenger!)

So I guess I didn’t really tell you anything you can do to prevent zits, because there isn’t that much you can do, but – hey – now you know! Wash your face, but don’t scrub too hard; use non-pore clogging makeup; and try to de-stress. But other than that, there is no surefire way to prevent acne.

Don’t let this news stress you out (you might break out); there is some good news! You can eat that Kit-Kat and not feel guilty about it. And there is always spot treatments and cover up.

Does that help? Maybe just a little?

It’s all fun and games until someone gets hurt. And in the game of Bad Habits, you will always come out a loser. As I laid in a tanning bed, I thought about how this bad habit was going to affect me in the long run. Even though I love the immediate benefits of this vice (golden, sun-kissed skin!), I can’t help but worry about my future as a leather-skinned freak. Is the bronze skin of today worth the skin cancer of tomorrow? Let’s examine the dangerous games we play and weigh whether the consequences are worth the benefits:

Tanning

Why We Do It: I am addicted to the healthy glow I get from taking a 20 minute nap in my favorite tanning bed! I feel more relaxed, have less acne, and generally feel less self-conscious. When I’m feeling confident, I can stand up straighter, smile bigger, and show off my legs without feeling embarrassed. I feel like confidence enhances my life and I don’t want to go through my heyday without it.

Why We Shouldn’t: The reality is that, while I may feel cool and confident in my 20’s, I may be hitting up the dermatologist through my 30’s and beyond. If you expose yourself to tanning beds before age 35, your risk of developing melanoma increases 75%! Not only will I be spending my health insurance on removing cancerous or suspicious growths, I’ll be looking in a mirror at wrinkles and sagging skin. So, is the confident glow I see today going to be worth the leathery cancer-face in my future?

Drinking

Why We Do It: I may be of the non-drinking persuasion, but that doesn’t mean I don’t see why others choose to do it. Alcohol loosens you up in social situations and relaxes you after a stressful week of classes. A rousing game of quarters can bring a group of people together and help you forget about that exam you may have bombed.

Why We Shouldn’t: Unfortunately, not too many college students know when to stop before getting out of control. Did you know that 31% of college students meet the criteria for a diagnosis of alcohol abuse? Each year, 1,700 students die from alcohol related causes and over 719,000 will suffer from consequences such as injury, assault, rape and unprotected sex. Drinking one too many is not only terrible for your health and safety, but what about those embarrassing pictures of you on Facebook that Jerkface refuses to take down?! When you decide to drink at a party, you may spend 3 hours enjoying yourself, but think ahead to what the consequences might be.

Smoking

Why We Do It: Nicotine creates that feel-good sensation, calming nerves in the way that adrenaline would during a terrifying public speech. After a long day of stressing out, girls reach for the cigs to chill and shake the anxiety. Some have even fallen for the myth that smoking will help you lose weight. Smoking is also considered a fun social activity that brings people together as they stand outside the smoke-free bar recounting what so-and-so just did with that blow up doll and a bottle of chocolate syrup.

Why We Shouldn’t: You may feel like that first puff is stripping away all your worries, but that’s just the endorphins talking. After that nicotine leaves your system an hour later, your problems will still be there except now you’ll have another one: poor health. And don’t think that smoking is a great alternative to getting a bod like Giselle! Once that nicotine raises your heart rate, blood pressure and labors your breathing, you won’t last two minutes on the treadmill. In fact, smoking will eventually increase your levels of bad cholesterol, damaging your arteries just like that Double-Double Burger you’ve been craving since Friday. Not to mention cancer, the stench, the expense and addiction!

Casual Sex

Why We Do It: Women have fought for centuries against the double standard and today is the first era that sexual freedom and expression has finally reached near equality. If we meet a hot guy, we can hook up and never have to call him back (especially if dude has some rank breath and a collection of anime porn mags). Some girls may sleep with a guy because they are horny, bored, lonely, drunk, like him, or want attention. A swift roll in the hay can make a girl feel empowered and desired.

Why We Shouldn’t: Aside from any moral repercussions, casual sex can reek havoc on your body and state of mind! One in four college women have an STD, but only 10% of them know it. Look around your classroom one day…several girls sitting around you will be afflicted with one of these diseases and not even know it! Makes you want to remind all your girlfriends about carrying condoms, doesn’t it? Not only can hooking up increase your chances of being a regular at the gynecologist, but it can depress you too! Having a heat-of-the-moment night may seem like a blast, but what happens if you really like the guy and he doesn’t call? Biologically, women are hardwired with oxytocin to create a bond after intercourse. If this bond is broken, it can make it harder for us to trust guys and still feel good about ourselves.

So many choices, so much to think about.

Are you able to weigh the benefits of your habit with its consequences? Have you found a successful method of changing your ways? Bottom line, do you think indulging in vices today is worth harming your future?

In middle school I had horrible skin. Constantly. By the end of high school it had really cleared up, but I feel like my years of pre-teen suffering were sufficient for the rest of my life. Unfortunately, middle school awkwardness does not justify a zit free life, and sometimes pesky pimples still pop up; like before a big party, exciting date or run-in with an ex. Perfect.

This happens to just about everyone, (or at least this is what I tell myself) so here are some good spot treatments to clear up that annoying blackhead (hopefully) before you finish your pre-game.

Neutrogena Rapid Clear Acne Eliminating Spot Gel: I use this spot gel whenever I get a little zit and it zaps it away pretty quickly. It is meant to seriously reduce pimple size within 8 hours, so if you put it on right before bed you should notice a difference in the morning. It’s not sticky and goes on smoothly and can be found at a local drug store for cheap!

Clinique Acne Solutions Spot Healing Gel: I have also used this spot treatment and find it really works. It can be a little stickier than the Neutrogena one, but it dries up zits pretty quickly, and is invisible over and under makeup.

Bare Escentuals RareMinerals Blemish Therapy: I’ve never used this product but it looked really cool and got pretty good reviews. And, well, I endorse almost anything Bare Escentuals. This is a powder (that comes with a brush). It contains sulfer like most acne spot treatments, but is in a different format. While it’s fighting off the blackhead it also helps neutralize the color to cover it up! You can put it on before bed or in the morning under your makeup.

Sepohora Double Ended Blemish Extractor: No, this isn’t a torture device, it’s meant to help pop pimples. Yeah, my mom told me not to pop zits, and that is a valid piece of advice, however, one of the reasons you don’t want to pop zits with your fingers is because they are dirty and get bacteria in already clogged pores. Unlike your fingers, this tool can be properly sterilized and then used to extract a zit. First, put warm water over your face to make the extraction easier. Then put the loop around the pimple and slowly pull until the zit is, well, popped. Don’t force it if the zit is too big to be eliminated this way!

Here are a couple of other tips to help with frustrating pimples.

-Washing your makeup brushes and removing makeup after each day is a great way to ensure that your skin stays clean and clear

-It’s okay to cover a zit with concealer, just make sure it’s one that will not further clog pores. Here are a couple of concealers with great coverage.

-If you are on vacation and don’t have any spot treatments with you, you can put some toothpaste on the zit (the pasty kind, not the gel kind). I don’t recommend walking around all day with toothpaste on your face, so try this at night, and make sure you only put it on the zit! It should help reduce the pimple size by the morning.

It reduces stress – According to an article on msnbc.com, having sex releases endorphins and oxytocin, increasing relaxation, easing anger, and thus improving your relationship. Sex may also cause you to heal faster, get sick less frequently, and even live longer. However, the beneficial effects start to fade when there are problems in the bedroom. According to the article, the situation is a “catch-69, the cruel irony that a proven cure for stress — a hot sex life — is exactly what stress destroys.” That’s definitely enough reason for me to get goin’.

Sex burns calories – Okay, so you can’t exactly skip the gym (every day, at least) to have sex. However, according to webmd.com, a half hour of sex burns about 80 calories or so, depending on your weight. Foreplay can also torch calories – 50 per half hour for a 150 lb. person. Go to this site and enter your own weight and time and see how much you’re burning off during your hook up sesh.

Certain, ahem, fluids reduce tooth decay – Semen contains zinc, calcium, and various other minerals. Zinc, calcium, and “various other minerals” are known to prevent tooth decay. You do the math.

P.S. My source even continues to say: “Sexual etiquette usually demands the brushing of one’s teeth before and/or after intimacy, which, by itself, would help promote better oral hygiene.” Double whammy if you brush those babies after receiving that healthy dose of zinc and calcium…

It makes you prettier – According to some, at least. A study at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital in Scotland found that the more sex you have, the younger you look. Now, that’s not too important to us youthful and vibrant college students, but how about healthy skin and hair? Apparently, sex causes a surge in estrogen, making hair shinier and skin smoother. Hey, you don’t have to tell me twice.

Go down and watch your breast cancer risk…go down – Now this one is my absolute favorite. According to a study published on CNN.com, women who perform fellatio on a regular basis have a lower chance of getting breast cancer. Now ladies, here’s the catch – you have to actually swallow the semen to reap the benefits. I’m not sure if this is fact or just a ploy by the men of the world to get us to swallow, but I do know that:

1) Dr. Helena Shifteer “…tries to fellate at least once every other night to reduce my chances.” Thanks for the overshare, Doc.

2) Dr. Len Lictepeen hopes that the research “will hopefully change women’s practice and patterns, resulting in a severe drop in the future number of cases” and should probably call Helena.

3) “Fellate” may be the best verb/vocabulary word I’ve heard since I learned the word “palindrome” in fifth grade.

Do you get your doctor-recommended daily dose of the dirty deed? Or are you still looking for that perfect “prescription”? Let me know what’s on your mind.

[Photo courtesy of the Sugar girls.]