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:

Be safe and make sure you’re going to the dermatologist to get your moles checked, especially if they changed!  And remember, if Snooki can spray tan, so can you!

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! And for more beauty related tips, check out my websiteand follow me on Twitter!

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!!

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! And for more beauty related tips, check out my website and follow me on Twitter!

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.

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.

Protect your skin.
If tanning is a priority, please apply a spray or lotion before you leave. The worst possible thing you can do to your skin on Spring Break is lie out in the sun for hours without a fresh layer of sunscreen every now and then. The sun-kissed glow lasts a few weeks, but the chances of getting skin cancer can last a lifetime. (Yes, even college girls can get melanoma.)Pack sunscreen and apply it religiously. Same goes for you if your skin is a milky white (like mine) – if you’d like to keep it that way, bring a floppy hat or find a spot of shade on top of all that SPF.

Protect your skin, part 2.
Some people think of sandy beaches and sparkling blue waters when they imagine Spring Break, but others may want to go somewhere cold or dry. If this is the case, remember to slip a few sticks of chapstick and some moisturizer into your suitcase. It is important to remember to keep your skin moisturized and avoid letting it become chapped or dry.

Drink safe, party safe.
You may be traveling to a place where the drinks are cheap and the clubs are open till all hours, but remember to play it safe. We’ve all heard the stories of the terrible things that can happen to Spring Break vacationers when they don’t take travel safety seriously. Travel in groups, stay in the safe parts of town and know your drinking limits. Spring Break is a time to relax, but stay alert – you don’t want to make any mistakes you’ll regret.

Stay active.
Although there’s no point to waking up at 5 a.m. and jogging for miles during a time that is supposed to be your ‘holiday,’ remember to fit in some form of exercise (I’m not talking about carrying as many drinks as you can from bar to table) into your routine. A brisk walk around town, a hike on a local trail or a run along the beach will keep you fit, toned and focused. Be sure to take a friend or stay somewhere public.

Avoid food poisoning.
Last but not least, avoid the what might be the worst of Spring Break ailments: food poisoning. The very words make your tummy want to curl up and tremble in terror. Unless you want to spend your Spring Break hunched over a toilet, keep your hands clean and check out the restaurant before sitting down. Eat fresh and well-cooked food that is served hot; avoid things that have been warmed-up, salads that might have been washed in contaminated water and fish, especially if served uncooked. Unfortunately, even ice cream is on the list of no-no’s if you are in a location where hygiene has been deemed questionable, as it may have melted and been refrozen.

But of course, don’t let the worrying about bacteria-infested ice cream or staying perfectly in shape ruin your holiday. The most important way to stay healthy on Spring Break is to relax and allow the time off to do its work. If you do, you’ll come back home with a glow that will last longer than an overly bronze suntan and keep you smiling through the stress of college for weeks to come.

[Check out our Spring Break Guide for even more tips and tricks you need to know to make this the best Spring Break ever!]

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.

9. It’s really humid
I don’t know about you, but my Jewish hair gets along with humidity much like Spencer Pratt gets along with anyone. Now that I think about it, Spencer Pratt’s hair might have the same issue.

8. Cars are HOT
You know that moment when you’ve taken a bite of pizza and as it hits/melts the roof of your mouth you realize, a little too late, that it’s really effing hot? Yeah, that’s about the same feeling as getting into a car that’s been sitting in the summer sun for awhile.

7. There’s no good TV on anymore
Every show worth watching (or at least scripted shows that you’re not embarrassed to tell the boy you have a crush on about) ends in the next 3 weeks. 30 Rock, Modern Family, Glee, The Pacific (if you haven’t been watching this mini-series on HBO, watch it OnDemand now!), Gossip Girl…. And what are we left with over the summer? Sunset Daze and Dance Your Ass Off?

6. Two words: bathing suits
Vom.

5. Sunscreen in my eye
It doesn’t matter how careful I am, I have not gone a week in the summer without getting sunscreen in my eye. And that sh*t BURNS. Oh my god, how it burns.

4. I spend all of my money
There’s something about a beautiful, sunny day that just makes me want to shop, shop, shop. (Perhaps it’s the promise of A/C in the store?) And if I’m not shopping, I have a hard time turning down al fresco dining or drinking. All lovely activities, until I realize all that hard-earned summer cash is gone, gone, gone.

3. My friends are not with me
My best friends are from everywhere from California to Boston…. and that’s where they returned to this summer.

2. But my annoying, overbearing parents are.
As are my 2 older brothers who still find “pull my finger” and “throw Lauren over the couch” funny.

1. Skin, skin, skin
Sure all the shorts, mini-dresses, bathing suits and tank tops are totes cute, but with that cuteness comes a whole lot of shaving and waxing. And more shaving. And more waxing. And a lot of cellulite exposed. Thank god for maxi-dresses, am I right?

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.

Obviously, a bathing suit is the first thing on your list and Forever 21 has a great line of suits that are all $21 or less.  This is just one of my personal faves. The color will look great against your skin and you can pull off those straps easily to avoid an ugly tan line.

Chances are, if you’re anything like me, you’re white as a ghost and ready to look sun-kissed again.  But skip those harmful UV rays at the tanning beds and use this awesome spray tan from Vicky’s Secret.

And speaking of harmful UV rays, you’ll want to be sure to avoid those as much as possible if you don’t want to look like a raisin by the time you’re 25. So make it a point to slather on the sunscreen every morning before you hit the beach! Neutrogena’s sunscreen is consistently ranked at the top and the sheerness of it won’t leave you feeling sticky or icky, which means you can go from day to night easily and comfortably.

Cover-ups are great for those treks to the beach or pool and this one is cute enough that you can still feel sexy when you pop into bar for some beachside cocktails.

Flip flops are another beach necessity, so why not trade in those rubber ones for some that are stylish enough to wear for dinner or a night out on the town.  Once again, these make the transition from beach to party easy, and make the walk home from said party pain free.

You can’t go on vacay without some cute shades, but rather than spending oodles on the hottest designer look, grab some that cost under $10 so you don’t flip when they get scratched by sand, swiped by the pool or taken by the ocean. (And at under $6, you can grab up a couple pairs so you have back-ups.) I love the retro feel of this pair and the fact that the large frames will protect your hungover eyes from that bright sun is just an added bonus.

Keep those premature wrinkles away and look chic doing it with a chic, floppy sun hat.

You’ll want your clothes to do double duty on Spring Break (so you don’t have to pay extra when your suitcase doubles the weight allowance for the flight) so a  tailored pair of denim shorts is key. These are casual enough to wear with your bikini, but the dark wash and added details are nice enough to rock with a pair of wedges and a tight tank for a night on the town.

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.

Hopefully this video will prepare you (beauty-wise, at least!) for the best Spring Break you’ll never remember!

It’s better to use bronzer than get melanoma, ladies! Protect your pretty mug and still look summery fresh.

About 60,000 people each year are diagnosed with some form of skin cancer, and we want to help you learn how to treat your red and itchy skin to avoid this! Well, that and show you some really easy ways to look cute despite being a different color than most members of the human race:

Keep skin hydrated: If your first shower after the beach left you with tears in your eyes because the water stung so bad, you need to keep your skin hydrated with lotion. The most soothing gels and lotions have aloe vera in them, and this will help soothe your skin and prevent itchiness (and therefore scratching and scarring). You can also use hydrocortisone if your burns are really bad.

Drink liquids with vitamins: Water helps to keep your skin hydrated, but is also really important to keep you hydrated after a long day in the sun. To get the most bang for your buck, be sure to drink things with vitamins C and E in them, as they are crucial in repairing damaged skin cells and ensuring that your body is healthy once your sunburn clears up.

Exfoliate: GENTLY buff away the dead skin. Don’t do this too roughly, as it will irritate your body, but just enough to make sure that the skin cells underneath are not trapped. And you’re not flaking off on your couch/bed/friends for the next two weeks.

See a doctor: This is only if you experience blisters, fever, faintness, dizziness, difficulty breathing, or nausea. This could be indicative of sun poisoning. Also, be sure to see a dermatologist regularly to get scanned for potentially harmful freckles and moles. The more often you do this (yearly?) the better your chances of catching anything serious early on.

Ugly tan lines: The next time you’re out in the sun, wear a wife beater over your top. You will not burn this way, and it still allows your arms to get some color while the lines on your shoulders even out. If you’re going out at night and want to disguise that burn line, think halter tops; they cover the same lines that will have burned in most bikini tops, and, let’s face it, they’re sexy as hell.

Make-up: Rub some foundation into your normal moisturizer (my choice is CoverGirl TruBlend). When you mix the two and apply moisturizer as you normally would, it hides any uneven skin tones and makes you look tan despite your UV mishaps. Spread it down your neck and across the tops of your shoulders so that you won’t look uneven, and carry a compact with you to pat down your skin if your make-up starts to run during the night.

WEAR SUNSCREEN EVERY DAY: This is the one that everyone complains about, but it’s the easiest thing to do. Pick up some moisturizer with SPF in it (I love Oil of Olay SPF 15 – It’s about $8.00 at any drugstore and works better than most of the high-end stuff). You can get burned even on a cloudy day, so make sure to apply this every morning so that you don’t have to think about your sun protection for the rest of the day. Furthermore, keep a sunscreen face stick (SPF 30 or 45) in your bag so that if you have to make an impromptu beach or pool run, you have something with you. These things weigh less than a cell phone and you can throw it in a pocket easily.

Remember, ladies: even wearing your sunglasses at night won’t cover up a bright red and peely face. So SPF it up, wear cover-ups, carry around shades, and remember that you can always get sunburned, so always be prepared!