Cheap Thrills: Black Magic

We all know I'm the gothic Whoreder, so it comes as no surprise that I love the darker side of life - and that includes my beauty products. What fine lady and dapper gent couldn't do with a little black magic in their beautification routine?

Shampoo/Conditioner
Let's start from the top, my long-time hair care companion, Aveda's Black Malva Shampoo and Conditioner. I've been using Aveda for 20+ years, and although I like to try new products now and then, I've never been without my beloved Black Malva. It's made for dark hair colors, and helps bring out the cooler tones while reducing red & brassy tones. I loathe red in my hair, I want it black as black can possibly be. As mentioned on Aveda's site, "Contains organically grown aloe, black tea and emollient-rich black malva that's been wild-crafted—sustainably gathered by hand in its natural habitat." 

Left: Black Malva Shampoo, Right: Black Malva Conditioner

Black Malva is part of Aveda's Pure Plant collection, and there are other flavors colors available: Blue Malva (for blonde or grey hair), Camomile (brightens blonde highlights), Clove (enriches brown hair), and Madder Root (for red & auburn hair).


Charcoal Skincare

Black Moon Charcoal Sandalwood Soap

Charcoal is another dark and lovely ingredient that can work its black magic on your skin. Activated charcoal can draw out dirt and muck from your pores, leaving you with super clean skin. You can use if for your face, or for your whole body - just don't forget to do your best Buffalo Bill Silence of the Lambs voice while you lather up. The first charcoal soap I ever tried was Shea Moisture, which is available at drugstores (I got mine at Target). But there are so many out there now! Here are some others I've tried and are on my to-try list: Coal Face from Lush, Origins Body Soap, Soapwalla's Charcoal Soap, and Sisters of the Black Moon's Charcoal Sandalwood soap.


Origins Charcoal Mask
 

Origins Clear Improvement Charcoal Mask

Origins introduced me to the world of charcoal years ago, and I still love their Clear Improvement Charcoal Mask. I use it a couple of times a month, and follow their recommendation to use a warm towel on my face right before applying the mask. The warmth will open up your pores and help the charcoal draw out the ick that got all up in your face. The 1.7 oz size is only $16, and will be enough for multiple uses, so treat yoself!

Boscia Black Mask  & Pore Strips
I am having a hardcore love affair with Boscia at the moment, their BB Cream blew my socks off and I've started trying more of their products (and falling deeper in love). I got their Little Black Book kit as a gift, it includes sample size versions of their Black Collection - all products that help control shine and minimize pores.

Boscia Pore Purifying Black Strips

Boscia's Pore Purifying Black Strips are like those disgusting but fascinating pore strips you may have tried in the past. Boscia kicks it up a notch by including charcoal powder (to draw out dirt and oil), silica (to control excess oil), witch hazel extract (tightens the look of pores), and willowherb (an anti-irritant to help calm skin and remove redness). Plus, hello, they make you look fabulous!

Boscia Luminizing Black Mask

My new favorite Boscia obsession, Luminizing Black Mask! First off, it's a peel-off - so you feel like a mad scientist or Christian Bale in American Psycho.  You apply a coat of the mask on your whole face (I just did my nose in the photos above), avoiding your hairline and brows. You wait for it to dry, about 30 min, and then slowwwwwly peel it off. If feels super weird and kind of gross, but SO GOOD. If you're a real weirdo (like me), you can save the peeled off sections to study later.

Nail Polish

Let's all agree that Karen O is amazing, okay?  That being said, her KnockOut (KO, get it?) Nail Polish is amaaaaazing! I especially love her Flatte Black, a black-black-black no-shine polish that comes in a beautiful bottle. I love flat nail color, hop aboard my crazy train. They also make a Flatte Top top coat that protects your polish while keeping the color matte.

Illamasqua also makes two really nice black polishes, Scorn (flat) and Boosh (glossy). I love their polish, it lasts a really long time and the color selection is gorgeous.

I've missed sharing my Cheap Thrills with you! I promise not to be such a stranger, if you promise to do that thing you told me about that one time.

Until next time, stay glamorous...

Vanessa's Obession of the Month: Soapwalla Deodorant Cream

Greetings and salutations, welcome to our newest addition - Vanessa's Obsession of the Month! Because I always seem to be obsessing over something, I thought it would be nice to share my mania with you, my favorite people. I'll try to keep it fresh, introducing things you may not have heard of, but will also reintroduce some classics that may have fallen off your radar. Let's do this...

The inaugural obsession is: Soapwalla's Deodorant Cream! This actually isn't an obsession of the month, since I've been using it for almost a year - but I realized I hadn't told that many people about it. Perhaps because the old pits don't come up in regular conversation, or we shy away from discussing our more intimate rituals? Who knows, but it's high time I shout about this stuff from the rooftops.

I first heard about it from my friend Marie, when she took part in the Deodorant Reviews on Rookie. I was intrigued by the idea of a good natural deodorant, because my previous experiences have (literally) stunk. Although it's still not scientifically proven to be harmful, I want to avoid deodorants with aluminum. My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer (she's been cancer free for over 5 years, yay!), so I started being extra cautious about the products I was using. Also, the idea of a natural alternative is just plain nice. I want the things I'm consuming and coming into contact with to be as good for me as possible, and that usually means a little more legwork to find them and a little more money to purchase them.

So let's discuss the one big drawback - Cost. Soapwalla's Deodorant Cream will run you $14, which might drive some of you away immediately. But wait, hear me out! Yes, it's quite a bit more than regular $4 deodorant from the drug store - but think about what you're paying for. Soapwalla uses organic, natural, REAL ingredients. No additives, harmful chemicals, parabens, petroleum, or aluminum compounds. Here's my stance on saving (and Whoreding) - there are some corners I am okay cutting. This isn't one of them - I put more thought about what goes in and on my body, and I'm willing to splurge if it means a better quality product that may be less harmful to me.

Okay, on to the obsession of it all...

Soapwalla Deodorant Cream

It's not your usual deodorant, it doesn't come in a stick or tube, but rather in a little screw-top container and looks kinda like frosting. If it's warm, it might separate a bit, no biggie, just stir it up and let it chill in the freezer for a while. You apply it with your fingers, take a little and just smear it on your pits like lotion. Aside from being all natural and all that good junk, it absorbs right in and leaves NO RESIDUE. Do you know how thrilled I am that I never have to worry about white deodorant marks all over my gothic black clothing?! Also, It's a vegan product, and Soapwalla does no animal testing.

The deodorant cream is unisex, so the smell is pretty neutral - I mostly smell the tea tree oil and lavender notes. I've let a couple of men try it, and they agreed it's neither masculine nor feminine. We agreed that overall the smell is best described as clean and fresh.

It contains jojoba oil, and I've learned that some people are sensitive to this ingredient, and it can cause some skin sensitivity or an allergic reaction. I've used it for almost a year without any negative reactions, and my mom (who is so sensitive she can't use any deodorant/lotion/soap with fragrance or dyes) had zero sensitivity to Soapwalla. If I had some sort of rating system, Soapwalla Deodorant Cream would get top marks, I love it and use it everyday!

Game of Thrones: Seven Kingdoms of Fashion Part Two

WHERE ARE MY DRAGOOOONNNS.



Daenerys Targaryen, AKA Khaleesi, is one of my fav characters on Game of Thrones and currently my hair role model.
 

I want that hair.

In the beginning she came off as a humble, rejected, ex-royalty fairy princess. Now she's passionate about getting her royalty status back and will baby stomp all over anyone in her way. Just you wait til her dragons are grown - her hair may be angelic, but her temper is not.
 

Khaleesi is a fan of desert vacations, wearing lots of muted colors of the earth, halter tops, flowing dresses, and strappy pieces.

Wet Seal short front long back dress / Astr sheer top / Astr embroidered shirt / Oasis faux leather skinny pants, $43 / Shredded legging / Jeane Blush , $45 / Topshop / Biba halter top swimwear, $46 / Blowfish booties / Jessica Simpson flat / Wet Seal / Resin jewelry / Cara long necklace

Mesh top / Topshop / Long skirt / River Island , $23 / Ecote leather sandals / Ecote / Choker collar necklace / Cuff bracelet

Keep your clothing light and flowy in case you need to walk into fire to birth your dragon babies.


Now, for the men. Hello, men.

Game of Thrones: Seven Kingdoms of Fashion Part One

Winter is coming... okay, no, it isn't, But the premier of Season 3 of Game of Thrones is! The show is a big hit, and the book series has a huge following, so it goes without saying that countless people are on the brink of losing their minds with sheer excitement about the new season. Heather and I are among those on the edge of sanity, so we decided to channel some of our nervous energy on putting together some looks inspired by some of our favorite characters on the show. In this post, I'm serving up the Stark ladies and Brienne of Tarth. Heather will feature her favorite character (can you guess who that is?) and some of the manly men.

Don't worry, we're not gonna suggest anyone go out and buy suits of armor or raid the Renaissance Fair. These are modern interpretations based on the characters, so put your fur cloak away. We're just going to play a game of fashion make believe and ask, if these characters were alive today, what would they be wearing? Also, what better way to get even deeper into fandom than to work some of your favorite character's look into your wardrobe?
 

Ready? Here we go...

It's a Pizza Cake

See what I did there? With the title? BAM.

SO our dear ol' Vanessa celebrated another birthday (forever 29) and I thought to myself, "what better way to celebrate than with a cake that looks like pizza?"

It's easy, my lil readers, let me tell you how to make one for yourself.

First, get a nice, clean box from a pizza place. Or you can use a dirty box, but who likes a dirty box?

Next, buy or borrow a pizza pan. LTRLY, a pan for pizza. I was rull scared to use it since it was going to bake the cake so thin, but trust me. I suppose you can use a deep dish or regular round cake pan as well... but it's not as fun. The pan I used was about 1/2" high - just enough to keep the batter in.

Preheat the oven 25 degrees lower than the recipe calls for.

Make whatever cake batter you choose and only add a small amount to the pan, spreading it thin and even. I only used maybe 1/5 of the mix I had made and added enough to fill about 1-2 mm short of the top of the pan.

Pop in the oven for about the amount of time it takes for cupcakes. I don't know exactly how long it was in there for, I just kept a close watch on it. You may also want to keep a big piece of foil underneath the pan, just in case it was overfilled.

If it doesn't go right you still have enough batter to try a few more times!

Once cooled, very carefully transfer to the box (hardest part of making the cake).

Sauce:  Dyed frosting. Or I suppose you could be fancy and make some sort of berry sauce.

Cheese: Grated white chocolate.

Pepperoni: I started making fondant, but it wasn't going well (new recipe) and I was over it, so I ran to the store and bought natural fruit rolls and cut them with a shot glass. Perfect!


PIZZA PARTY.

Valentine's Day Looks

Valentine's Day means different things to all of us. For some it might inspire a hearty, "F U!", for others it's all romantical boner city. Whether you've got a hot date with a sexy significant other, or you're just going to eat an entire box of Choco Tacos alone, you might want to throw on something cute. We thought it might be fun to get a few of us ladies to put together their dream Valentine outfits to share. And because I love all of you, I'm going to include the notes I wrote when I started writing this blog... enjoy.

Hearts, hearts, hearts, F U, blah, blah, blah. Tom Hardy lady boner, and Alexander Skarsgard dong dance. 

Cheap Thrills: Last, Last Minute Christmas Gifts

You've waited too long, haven't you? You thought you'd have enough time, so you put off your Christmas shopping and spent all this time posting photos of your pets on Instagram and watching hours of Style Network.  Never fear, your last minute Whoreder Fairy is here in this ~Special Non-Friday Edition~ of Cheap Thrills! There are still plenty of options for holiday gifts, and most don't even require you to leave your house or the confines of your jammies.

Birchbox - The end-all be-all of beauty sample sites, Birchbox will deliver Christmas cheer to your boo's mailbox on your behalf! You can choose a 3, 6, or 12 month gift or if they're already subscribed, a gift card for them to spend shopping on the site. And it's not just for ladies anymore, folks, Birchbox Men gift subscriptions are also available. The gift can be sent immediately, and you look like a holiday hero without ever having to face a crowded parking lot or checkout line.

Netflix - Another guilty pleasure that can be gifted without any heavy lifting. There are 5 levels of gift subscriptions available, starting at $7.99 for one month all the way to $95 for one year. Just think how happy your loved ones will be, and they'll think of you every time they stream an episode of Gossip Girl. If Netflix isn't their thing, Hulu Plus also has the same packages available for gifting.

Restaurant [dot] com - There are two procrastinator gift ideas here: ecards, which can be sent via email immediately in denominations from $15 to $500. They also have the Dinner of the Month club, which delivers a monthly gift certificate for 3, 6, or 12 months (each at $10 per month). Stuff their stockings and faces at the same time!

Magazine Subscriptions - There are too many to list here, but pretty much any interest you can think of has a magazine associated with it. Buy your pals a subscription and they'll enjoy your gift all year long. Some mags, like Martha Stewart Living, have a feature that lets you print the gift subscription so you'll have something to hand over when exchanging gifts. There's a magazine out there for pretty much everyone: Mad Magazine, Cheese Lovers, Boozers, and Mini Horse Enthusiasts.

Photo Websites - Everyone is buzzing about Instagram's new terms of service, so for those ready to jump ship a gift to a different photo sharing/upload site might be a nice idea. Flickr still rules my world, you can buy a 1 or 2 year gift subscription for your favorite shutterbug.  Shutterfly has instant gift cards available from $10 to $100 and SmugMug offers 1, 2, or 3 year subscriptions starting at $35.


[Blank] of the Month - These gifts might be a little pricier, but if you're looking to make a bigger bang you can go with a monthly food/drink/luxury type of gift. There are hundreds of these monthly clubs to pick from, there's wine, meat, nuts, and fruit... and everything else. If you're feeling frisky, there's even a panty of the month club available.

Donations - If you want a gift that will do some good, you can donate to any of a vast number of charities. It's not for everyone, but if your gift recipient is into the idea it can be ridiculously easy to give. The hardest part might be deciding which charity or organization, there are SO MANY! ASPCA, The Red Cross, and  UNICEF are just the tippy-top of a long, long list. You can also look at local schools, shelters, churches to help out groups in your immediate area.

If you're reading this as you get ready to head out the door to a party and are thinking, "VANESSA, your ideas are amazing and your hair looks super pretty today, but I need something awesome I can grab on my way to this ugly sweater party!" My darlings, don't worry your pretty heads... I've got you covered. Stop by your local Mexican bakery and get a dozen tamales, or a big variety of Mexican bread. Not in a Latino state of mind? Not to worry, explore the goodies other cultures in your area have to offer. For some people these treats will be a taste from their childhood, and for others an exciting new foodie adventure. More original than a bottle of booze or a big box of candy, and the leftovers will be delicious. These treats will be a hit, and will make you look like the thoughtful and generous piece of work you are, even though you waited until the last possible second to make a decision, like always.

Merry Christmas, niños!

Cheap Thrills - Faux No You Di'int!

It's the return of Cheap Thrills! I had to take a little break when I moved to a new job, but now that I'm all settled in, I can get back to sharing my retail therapy with the world. In this week's post, we're gonna fake it 'til we make it.

Normally, fakes are a bad thing, except for lashes and really good Photoshop. And, as our little friend Snooki is demonstrating, fake fur and leather. When you go with faux fur and leather, you save animals and money - everyone's a winner!  I rounded up a bunch of different leather and fur pieces... whether you want to go head to toe like Snooki, or just add small touches is totally up to you, darlings.

American Horror Story Premiere Party Time

We Whoreders love a party post, especially when it's about the return of one of our favorite shows! Tomorrow marks the day for the season two premiere of American Horror Story: Asylum. Important note: if you have your DVR set to record the show, update the subscription to the new show title (make sure it includes the word Asylum), otherwise the old setting won't record the new episodes. Because we love any excuse to get together with friends for food and drinks, we put together some ideas you might enjoy for your own premiere party. Hang on to your gimp masks!

American Horror Story Season Premiere: Dressing the Part

It's the happiest time of the year for a couple of us Whoreders... October means a few things: cold weather (perfect for busting out a dozen new pairs of tights), Halloween, pumpkin flavored everything, and THE NEW SEASON OF AMERICAN HORROR STORY! We've been counting the days to the new season, although we were thrown for a loop when we discovered that Harmon family storyline would end with season one, and we'd have to say goodbye to Tate, Violet, and Murder House.

Vanessa visiting Tate at Murder House

Because the new season will premiere just before Halloween, naturally we're going to dress up as our favorite characters when we tune in on October 17th. In case any of you are as obsessed inspired as we are, we thought it would be fun to put together some fashion inspiration based off our favorite living and dead characters. Because we haven't been properly introduced to the new characters, we're mainly sticking to our favorites from last season. Warning: to anyone who hasn't caught up with the first season, there will be spoilers in this post, so go catch up then come back and read this!

Cheap Thrills: DIY Design Inspiration

This post is dedicated to Todd Oldham and Amy Sedaris, my two biggest DIY design and craft inspirations. No doubt many of you have noticed the "Back to School" specials are going up in stores everywhere. It's time to squeeze the last bit of fun out of summer as we gear up to get back into the scholastic groove. Personally, I loved going back to school, mostly because of the shopping it entailed. I still run out to the store and load up on notebooks, pens, pencil cases, and colorful paperclips. I still scoff at wide-ruled paper, because really... we're better than that,  people. Beyond the regular back to school supplies, the college crowd has to contend with their housing situation - door room, sorority/fraternity house, new apartment, etc. Setting up a whole new space for yourself somewhere other than your family home can get expensive, but you still want to make it as comfortable as possible - what's a Whoreder to do?! Don't worry, I've got your inspiration springboard right here...

Firmoo

Dear ol' Rita has written about cheap glasses many moons ago, and Firmoo was on her list of must-try websites for their hot deals.

Firmoo offered to send me a free pair of glasses to review, and although I don't wear prescription, I wasn't going to pass up some cute new (free) sunglasses!

I decided to get fancy on them - instead of ordering their pre-made sunglasses I "made my own" by picking frames I liked and just adding tint. I used a model on their site with a similar shaped face to "try on" styles, but you can also upload your own photo. Don't know what style will look good on you? Here's a guide to help you pick the right look for your face shape.

I ended up choosing style DBSN5366 (which is now unavailable, sorry kids) and ordered 80% grey tint. While browsing their styles I noticed that not only are their prices great, they have a deal for all new customers - free glasses, just pay shipping! Woohoo! You can pick from prescription glasses, sunglasses, or if you just want to look smart - faux prescription glasses. Werk.

Once ordered, I figured they would take several weeks, but I had them within days. Good job, Firmoo! My new shades came in a hard case along with a cleaning cloth, a soft case, and a mini screwdriver.

Cheap Thrills: 25 under $25

Since I took a little break and missed the last couple of weeks, I decided to do things a little differently. To make up for lost Cheap Thrills, I put together a big list of 25 goodies, each under $25. For you, for your friends, for your everyday gifting needs. Sometimes you need a pick me up that won't make a huge dent in your budget, or maybe you need a gift for someone but want to keep the spending to a reasonable amount... I gotchu covered, babies! Browse this list for a little inspiration, you'll be surprised how much fun you can get out of $25.

True Blood Premiere Party

Party time! Whoreders loves any excuse for a party, but we're especially excited that it's True Blood premiere week. After waiting for too many agonizing months, it's time to head back to Bon Temps for more fang bangin' and shifter shenanigans. It's not too late to plan a viewing party, and you don't have to spend a crazy amount of money either. We've put together a few ideas that are easy to do yourself, and won't break the blood bank.



Party Favors/Decorations

Party favors aren't just for kid's parties, big kids like goofy little goodies too. You don't have to go too crazy, because our fabulous friend Marie at Agent Lover already came up with a genius crafty idea we love. These were originally for Valentine's Day, but it would be a snap to turn them into True Blood party favors for your party (or any party, really). Click on the picture or link below and get ready to laugh and fall in love with Marie. And I'm not just saying that because she made me (Vanessa) an Anderson Cooper valentine!

Marie's Valentines For Your Boo

You can either make a bunch of these with different characters ahead of time, or just have all the supplies at the party and let everyone make their own. Go wild, and make an extra Eric Northman brooch for me! 

Fangs a lot.

True Blood Fashion: Lafayette and the Vamps

It shouldn't come as a big surprise that Lafayette and the Vamps would emerge as True Blood fan favorites. Glamorous, so very pretty, and sassy - they add a special flavor to the whole show that makes us all very happy.

Lafayette 
Sassy Hip Hop with a sprinkle of drag queen - that's what Heather wrote in our notes when we started working on this post and I decided to leave it because I couldn't say it any better. Lafayette works a look that is flamboyant and completely his own, but he still maintains a sense of masculinity. As fierce as a drag queen and as ferocious as the manliest macho man, that's our beloved Lafayette.

Lafayette loves showing off his toned arms (tickets to the gun show, anyone?) so that means you'll need to stock up on cool tank tops. The Deter Rib Cage Tank from Urban Outfitters is probably our favorite, as is this Glamour Kills Pizza Party number. Can you imagine anything better than Lafayette and a pizza party?! I can't. Be a walking optical illusion poster with this Tube Lines Tank from Karma Loop, p.s. hellooooooo mister male model.

True Blood Fashion - Sookie and the Werewolves

Heather is still a bit embarrassed to say it - but we're excited about this Sunday, kids! What's Sunday, you ask? OUR PRECIOUS TRUE BLOOD COMES BACK TO US. June 10th is the Season 5 premiere on HBO and we're ready to drool, I mean, watch the show!

Vanessa and Heather decided it would be fun to put together some fashion posts for the main characters, and although we originally had you, the readers in mind, we quickly realized it was all about us. For a few brief days we got to pretend to BE these characters... "if I was Eric, what would I wear?" and the answer is always "nothing," until we realized that post would be rather short.

Let's begin, shall we?

Sookie Stackhouse - Bon Temps' resident clairvoyant faerie waitress,  is a laid back country dish with sex served on the side. Sookie's look is sweet southern belle without the fuss and frills. Despite everything she's been through, there's still a bit of innocence that shines through her character and that's reflected in her wardrobe. She's not afraid to show off some sun-kissed skin, but it's never done in a vulgar way, Grandma Stackhouse wouldn't approve!

One of Sookie's signature looks is a sweet summer dress. They're feminine and youthful, short (but never too short), simple and flattering to her figure. When shopping for your Sookie sundress, don't over think it - imagine you're going to a picnic on a warm, sunny day. Old Navy has so many adorable dresses that fit this description right now, like these Sweetheart Sundresses, only $17! Many of the sizes are selling out, but it's worth a drive to the nearest store to check their inventory. This ModCloth dress is perfect for a day in the park and Lulu's has this Roxy Liberty dress that's very Sookie-worthy:

Birchbox Giveaway Winner

And the winner is........... Heather Paulding!

Congratulations, Heather! I'll be emailing you in a bit to get your info for the prize, in the meantime bust out your best victory dance down the hall and get ready for boxes full of love from the Whoreders.

Lucky number 21, that's you, Heather P!

To everyone else, thank you so much for entering! We'll have more giveaways very soon, so keep reading and workin' it!

St. Ives Review

I admit it, I'm a beauty product junkie. I love reading about, seeing, and trying new products as soon as they're available. Sometimes my lust for the latest and greatest makes me forget about tried and true classics, like St. Ives. The lovely people at St. Ives sent me some goodies to review, including the ultimate always and forever amazing Apricot Scrub.

I still remember seeing St. Ives Apricot Scrub among my mom's things and loving that is smelled just like my Apricot doll. (She was the only doll I ever liked and had white hair and always used big words, seriously, so much foreshadowing of what was to come...) I don't think the formula has changed a bit, and it still works wonders on skin. I treated myself to a little DIY pedicure before a Memorial Day BBQ, where my feet made their reappearance in a super cute pair of wedge sandals. Just work the scrub into wet skin and let those little granules do their magic. The apricot oil helps keep your skin hydrated and nourished out of the shower. This is one of those products that made me feel so grown up once I started using it, like I'd finally become part of the secret Lady's Beauty Club. It's still winning awards and smoothing out skin of ladies and gents all over the world. I hadn't used it in ages, but judging how quickly I emptied the tub St. Ives sent me, it seems safe to say that I'm back in the scrub club.

I also got two different face washes from St. Ives' olive line - Moisturizing Olive Scrub and the Moisturizing Olive Cleanser. The olive products are gentle and will keep skin moisturized, I normally wouldn't use a moisturizing product - my skin is oily-slash-combination, so I stick to products made for oily skin. But lately I've been seeing some annoying dry spots on my face, what better time than to try these two cleansers? Both have a wonderful, fresh olive scent I'm kind of crazy about. I keep the scrub in the shower and use it on my neck and décolletage, since those areas need a little TLC too. I use the cleanser with my Clarisonic Mia, and my skin feels soooooo soft and clean afterward.

I enjoyed my trip down memory lane with St. Ives, especially with the Apricot Scrub - which, if you haven't used it in a while (or ever), is worth a revisit. Grab yourself a tub of it from the drugstore and scrub away! Then show off that fresh clean skin at the next beach blanket BBQ, but don't you dare forget the sunscreen!

May Birchbox Review & Contest

I feel like I should be ringing bells or banging gongs right about now. I've been looking forward to the Gossip Girl themed Birchbox for weeks, and now it's here! The best part is..... It's contest time! Whoreders will be giving one lucky reader a 3 month subscription to Birchbox!

Here's what you need to do: leave a comment on this post telling us about your favorite beauty product. That's it! Easy as leave-in conditioner, my friends. Make sure to sign in when leaving your comment (either to Blogger, Google, etc.) so we can get in touch with you. The contest will be end at 11:59 pm (PST) on May 31st, and there is one entry per person (duplicates will be taken out of the drawing). The winner will be announced on June 1st in a blog post and on our Facebook page, so keep those lovely peepers peeled!

P.S. If you already have a Birchbox subscription, we'll give you a $30 gift certificate to use on anything your heart desires. This contest is brought to you by Whoreders, and is not sponsored by or affiliated with Birchbox.

Woo! Are you excited?! Let's dig into this Gossip Girl box and see what we've got!

Cheap Thrills: Party In Your Pants

I can't believe it took me so long to make a Cheap Thrills in your pants post, I must be slipping in my old age. Pants are my most dreaded clothing item, I have yet to ever wear a pair and feel comfortable in them. I'm not talking about jeans, trousers and jeans are two totally different animals, jeans require their own kind of scientific fit and shopping techniques. I'm talkin' about pantalones, the dressy kind you'd wear to work and the casual ones you'd wear to a picnic if you didn't feel like shaving your legs.

So instead of immediately clicking on the "Dresses" tab of my favorite online shopping destinations, I ventured into new bottom territory. Camel toes are not welcome at this party...