I used to hate being pale. I desperately envied the girls who came back from spring break with perfect, even tans. My skin burns incredibly easily, so unless I cake on bottles and bottles of sunscreen, I end up the color of a boiled lobster. I mean really, really red. Fire engine, ripe tomato red. Eventually, my sunburns fade into tans, but that takes weeks, and my “tan” is pretty pale by most people’s standards.

After years of lamenting my pasty state, I finally realized: I’m never going to be tan! My skin has always been and will always be pale. Baby, I was born this way.

Here are the reasons why I don’t tan:

Skin cancer. Yes, this one is obvious. Warnings about the dangers of the sun are everywhere. But I have personal experience on this front. My dad has struggled with skin cancer for the past ten years, and helping take care of him after his worst surgery was particularly good motivation for me to protect my skin. He had to have a ping-pong ball-sized piece of skin cut out of his temple and the spot still has to be carefully watched.

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With summer coming, I’ve been quite focused on pumping you all with information about practicing safe sun. Well, get excited, because I have some more!  A lot of you love tanning, I get it, but there’s a way to do it safely. If you’re gonna be soaking up the rays, you should make sure you do everything in your power to protect yourself from skin cancer. (No matter how young we are, we’re not invincible!)  I’m not trying to lecture (okay, just a smidge) but I care about my viewers, and I don’t want anything to happen to you!

If you’re not clued in on the ABCDEs of moles, I’m here to tell you what they are and why they’re important!  I’ve had a mole removed, and it is not fun.  In fact, it’s scary and it hurts. Obviously, your best bet is to take care of your skin to prevent moles, but if you do get them, it’s important to know how to handle them. Let’s get to it: Read More »

You CAN recover from this!

Last week, I gave you all some tips on how to prevent sunburn and recommendations for sunscreen. While I’m sure every one of you went out and bought sunscreen to wear every day and not just for SBXI, I bet there’s a few who didn’t.  Or there are those stragglers who are wearing SPF 5 thinking it will work.  And that’s okay.  Except now you’re all “Why didn’t I listen to Caitlin?! Now I’m sunburnt and having a horrible time!”

Don’t worry, this video is all about treating sunburn!  I rarely burn, but I’ve had a few cases of awful sunburn where I had to stay inside and lay on the floor because my down comforter felt like a bed of nails against my skin.  I’ve blistered and picked and even had sun poisoning.  So trust me, I feel your pain.

If you look like a lobster or want to know what to do just in case, then watch below for some great tips on treating your burn!  And next time, wear your SPF!! Read More »

We’re so close to Spring Break I can almost taste the sunscreen and tequila (not together. Ew.)

As you start to think about what to bring (and equally important, what not to bring) you might be finding some gaps in your Spring Break-appropriate wardrobe. Got your swimsuit (or maybe 15)? How about something to go over it? If you left your favorite sundress at your parents’ house, or lost it somewhere between Independence Day and Welcome Week (damn you, kiddie pool!), there are plenty of cute (and affordable!) options hitting store shelves right now.

And don’t hold back; you need one!

First, a new sundress can do double duty, working both as a cover-up at the beach-side bar and as a super sexy, fun frock for when you’re out at night with your friends. Plus, while you’re most likely buying it for Spring Break, you’ve got a whole lot of spring and summer coming up (not soon enough) to get plenty of use out of it. And, depending on the cut and style, with the proper accessories (tights, a long-sleeve tee or a blazer) you can make a sundress last well through next winter.

So have some fun and embrace the variety of shapes, bold colors, funky patterns and styles of this season’s sundresses. Just don’t forget to pack your sunblock. Lobster red skin clashes with everything. Read More »

Your tickets are bought, your bags are packed and your alarm is set for the first day of your Spring Break. Aside from the token textbook you’re bringing with you (simply to keep up appearances, right?), you plan on leaving all your worries, cares, and assignments at home. But here’s one final checklist for you to go over before you leave so that you have an awesome, healthy, safe trip.

Get sleep.
Wait a minute, “get sleep”? Yeah, yeah, Mom. The last thing you want to do after dozens of late nights studying for exams or writing papers is sleep through your Spring Break. This is your time, baby! Maybe you’ll get a nap or two in the hotel room after a day on the beach or a night on the town, but otherwise – sleep is on the bottom of your list of priorities. Unfortunately, sleep should be a crucial part of your Spring Break days. A good night’s rest will keep you happy, alert, fresh-faced and relaxed – and it’s even been shown that sleep helps keep your metabolism up, which will keep off the pudge from that extra helping of the local dishes…or bottomless margs.

Drink water.
It seems obvious, but the last thing on your mind when you’re running around a new town, shopping, sightseeing and hitting on waiters in a foreign language is to get your 8 glasses of water a day. Carry a reusable water container with you throughout the day and refill it as soon as it’s empty. Staying hydrated is especially important in the warmer Spring Break destinations. If you are uncertain about the safety of the local water, buy bottled or sterilized water. Avoid ice unless it was made from treated or chlorinated water.

Stay healthy en route.
Whether you’re carpooling with some friends or flying first-class, it’s important to keep yourself healthy and avoid catching something that could ruin your Break. Pack some hand sanitizer, dress comfortably and take your vitamins (especially Vitamin C). A lot of students will be traveling during the first days of Spring Break and, odds are, someone’s immune system will buckle. Read More »

We go through a lot of make up and hair videos over here, but I don’t always go over skin care tips. How are you supposed to properly use makeup if you don’t know how to care for your skin?

A lot of people have issues with their skin, which is totally normal. I have problems all the time! The key is finding what works for you and you alone! While I make recommendations to you all the time, it’s always based on my personal experience. Just because a product works for me doesn’t mean it will work the same way for you, which is why I encourage trial and error. It’s important to create a skin care regiment that works with your skin and not against it. Don’t force some fancy kit on your face just because it worked for someone else!

That being said, in this video I’m going through some very basic tips and suggestions for caring for your skin. I’m talking everything from cleansers to sunscreen, why you need ‘em and how to use ‘em. (And I shouldn’t have to tell you how important sunscreen is, ladies!) If you have any questions, leave ‘em in the comments!

Got something you want me to cover? Post it in the comments below. And don’t forget to follow us on YouTube and check out my other videos right here!

By now, everyone is looking forward to the summer. Thoughts of a pool, a raft and a cold beer are about the only things getting us through the hell that is finals week. But while I love me some summer sundresses and the prospect of a steamy summer fling, summer isn’t all rainbows and butterflies for me. Yes, this whiny girl with a Jew-fro has a bit of a bone to pick with summer.

Actually, I’ve got ten bones to pick. Not that I really understand what that little phrase means anyway. It’s sorta gross, right? Picking bones? All I can think about is that graveyard the hyenas hung out at in The Lion King.

Anyways, back to the list:

10. It’s really hot
Great for a day at the beach, not great for a day in New York City when you’re running late to your internship and have to stand in a 100 degree subway station (that always smells like pee) with zero breeze and you can feel the sweat start pooling on the back of your neck and between your boobs. By the time you get to work, your armpits are completely soaked through and you have to manually pull your thighs apart as they have molded into one thunder-thigh on the train. Read More »

Sunbathing is not my friend

The sun and I have been having an ongoing battle for as long as I can remember. I’m all, like, “please make me so brown that no one can tell my original race,” and the sun is all, like, “I’m going to fry you until people mistake you for an over-sized lobster.” (I should also mention at this point that I was born with claws and a meaty tail.)

It’s not like I haven’t tried to compromise with the sun. I mean I’ve gone as far as to wear SPF 90 on any days when the forecast gives less than a 100 percent chance of rain. I walk on the shady side of the street on the way to work and I always wear white t-shirts on all the slides at the water parks. All I’m asking for in return is a 3-month hiatus from my lifelong case of albino-ism.

This past weekend was the first really nice weekend in New York City. It was around 70, which meant that I was trading in my boots for flats. And unfortunately for my eyes, it meant the tourists were trading in their I LOVE NY shirts for ill-fitting rompers and aqua socks. I, being the perpetual optimist (that was my middle school screen name, perpetualoptimist69), applied my facial sunscreen, grabbed a blanket, and headed for the park in an attempt to tan. Read More »

It’s been a long, cold winter, but March and Spring Break are finally here! For those of you spending a week in a warm and sunny environment, here are some Spring-Break-I’m-going-to-paradise-and-I-need-to-look-cute-and-show-off-my-bangin-bod essentials for under $20.

And you know what that means: more margarita money. Read More »

Spring Break is coming, ladies! That’s right, it’s almost time for over-sized cocktails, flippy-floppies, and glistening college boys. Get excited!

That being said, it’s time to start preparing your beauty arsenal for SB 2010. And there’s a lot to think about. You want to make sure not to bring too much (you don’t want to be “that girl” with a whole separate duffel bag for her beauty supplies), but you also want to bring your cheaper products in case Boozy Suzy turns into a kleptomaniac. And, of course, you have to keep the sun in mind if you want to protect your skin and hair. Read More »