You wake up, go into your bathroom, and look into the mirror. You then scream “WHAT THE EFF IS ON MY FACE?!” It happens. We all break out. If you say you never do, either you’re lying or you don’t PMS. But I digress. You were supposed to go out today, but how can you possibly do that with honker like that on your face?

No fear, I’m here to help!

First things first, DO NOT pick or pop your zits. Seriously, take your hands away from your face! Sit on them if you have to, just do NOT touch that zit.  If it’s a really bad one, grab some ice to reduce the redness and swelling and that’s it. Next, follow the steps in this video and in less than 4 minutes your face will look like nothing ever happened!

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Sometimes it seems like your skin has a mind of its own, (an evil mind that wants to ruin parties, dances and dates). Remember that episode of Family Guy where Chris’s zit takes over his life and tries to kill him? Yeah I feel like my zits do a similar thing sometimes. And I would love to make it stop. Now.

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.) Read More »

Bad news for me, but good news for the giant under-the-surface zit brewing on my chin: acne bacteria may now be outsmarting the medicines we have been using to cure it.

Say it with me: O.M.G.

I know – I’m freaking out, too! I have 2 birthday parties this weekend and an ugly step-sister growing on my freaking face! And now science is telling me that there is nothing to do and I should wave my white flag and surrender to this bitch?! Read More »

Dear PMS:

Why?
Just why?

Who do you think you are? I mean really. You come around once a month like that annoying friend you don’t really want to hear from, yet every month, without fail, she asks you for plans and you feel sort of obligated. So you give in, but then coffee turns into an all day shopping ordeal and by the end you want to tear your hair out because now not only did you learn that you can’t stand the person you are with, but  – bonus lesson! – you learned that eating cookies DOES in fact equal having to buy a size up in your jeans.

Well that’s how I feel with you. Only instead of a day, it’s 5 and the only person I can’t stand to be around is myself. (The part of the too-tight jeans rings true thanks to you making me feel the urge to eat a bag of something salty, which of course leads me to want something sweet, which then of course leads me to want a tuna sandwich. I know! I don’t get it either!)

You make me weepy. I cry at Disney commercials (true story) and when the cheesy music comes on as the lesson is learned at the end of Full House. Strike that – you make me actually want to watch Full House. Read More »

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. Read More »

Your skin type makes a huge difference in what products you should use. Skin problems and makeup woes are oftentimes caused by using the wrong products for your type. So I’m making it simple for you. Here are 3 basics for oily and dry skin.

Oily Skin

First you need to confirm that you do, in fact, have oily skin. Most people have oily t-zones (that’s the forehead and nose area) but to have truly oily skin, your cheeks and chin will be oily too. If you have large visible pores, that’s another sign you fall into the oily category. So for you oily chicks – here’s a few things to pick up.

Murad Pomegranate Foaming Facial Cleanser ($25 sephora.com)

This fab cleanser dissolves dirt, makeup and most importantly – oil – in one easy step. Best of all, it won’t over-dry your skin. One pump of this cleanser leaves you feeling fresh and clean.

Clinique Dramtically Different Moisturizing Gel ($11.50 clinique.com)

This ultra light moisturizer is oil-free, so it won’t cause breakouts. It absorbs instantly so you can layer on more to get just the right amount of moisture. Perfect to replenish moisture if you are using acne treatments which can dry you out.

Boscia Green Tea Blotting Linens ($10 sephora.com)

These handy little papers are perfect for absorbing oil throughout the day. The best part is they are oil free. Believe it or not, most brands of blotting papers (i.e. Clean & Clear or Sephora Brand) actually have mineral oil in them! Defeat the purpose much? Stick with Boscia.

Read More »

Let’s talk about skin care. Go into any beauty retailer, find a sales person and ask them to recommend a skin care regimen. Then duck, because you are about to get hit with an avalanche of products your skin “needs.” They’re going to try to sell you a makeup remover, a cleanser, a scrub, a toner, a serum, a moisturizer, a spot treatment, an eye cream and a sunscreen. A really ambitious sales person will try to sell you two of each, a different one for day and night.

Now in a perfect world an elaborate skin care regimen can be very good for your skin, but let’s get real. When you’re coming back to the dorm at 4am and crashing, your makeup smearing off on the pillow is the closet thing you get to skin care.

It is a good idea to have a solid skin care system, especially if you have an issue like acne or dry patches that need treatment. But with so many steps, it’s all or nothing and you need a back up plan that you’ll actually use and that actually works!

So when time is tight or you are feeling lazy there are three very important steps to hit.

1. Remove makeup

2. Cleanse

3. Moisturize

Here are some products that can kill two (or three) birds with one stone. Read More »

So you just woke up (late) and there is a new enemy in your life: that zit on your forehead, which is especially perfect because you have class in about 10 minutes. You need a quick and easy way to cover it up (and those scary raccoon under-eye circles, while you’re at it), without turning into that girl with light colored goo spread all over her face. You know who I’m talkin’ about…

Concealer sometimes seems like a tricky product – enough coverage without being cakey, matching your skin, lasting all day -  but it’s not as hard as you may think. When choosing a concealer, it is important to find one that matches your skin tone, is lightweight and oil-free, and conceals your problem areas (while concealing the fact that you’re using concealer!). Below are some of my favorite concealers in three different forms. However you choose to go, all of these provide the not-so-obvious coverage you desire:

Palette- Make Up For Ever Professional: Five Camouflage Cream Palette: This rectangular compact contains five varying cream hues, which is perfect to blend together and match different skin tones. Some creams may work best for under-eye concealer and others may work well as highlighting hues. This kit comes in several color combos so you can find the one that matches you best! Helpful Hint from Sephora: Apply these concealers underneath your foundation for extra staying-power. Try applying these creams with Bare Essentual’s Maximum Coverage Concealer Brush. Yes, it’s a little pricey for a brush but it’s thick bristles and angled tip make it perfect for getting the best coverage out of your concealer. Read More »

Out of everything going on in college, getting a Staph Infection is last on the list of things we tend to worry about (after classes, “where the party at“s, and man troubles). But the truth is, a Staph Infection can happen when you least expect it… and can be deadly.The strange thing about Staph Infections is that most people actually carry the bacteria on their skin, nose, or throat – and many never get sick from it. It’s when the bacteria gets under the skin that you have a problem. And college campuses are a haven for this bacteria because there are so many of us in one place, and, let’s face it, we aren’t the cleanest of people.

Anything from a zit (as if they aren’t annoying enough) to a nick from shaving can cause that harmless bacteria on your skin to grow into an infection. Results of Staph Infection can include skin infections, food poisoning, and Toxic Shock Syndrome (yup, it’s not just from tampons). These types of symptoms can be treated with immunizations and other remedies. Read More »