about

Hello! I am studying esthetics at an Aveda Institute after spending years in retail. I am proof that nothing turns out how you think it will, and that's a good thing. When you think you've got it figured out, you don't. Life would be boring otherwise, right?
Makeup, skincare, and psychology are my passions and I'm also happy to give advice on relationships, particularly for teenagers (so many things I wish I could have told myself a decade ago!) I'm happy to help fellow abuse survivors as well.
I'm a diehard SF Giants fan and also enjoy watching the Sharks and Niners. Addicted to music, especially The Gaslight Anthem. Oh, and my name is Krista. :)

advice

Well first off its sad how so many cute guys are playes, they cuss every word that comes outta their mouths, all they want is one thing, go out for girls for a day and then break up. I hate that it makes me sick! Well I was just wondering is it possible for people to change like when they get a little older like from a 15 year old boy to maybe 16 or 17 Or do you think they wouldn't? Thanks!

For the most part, not until they're much older...I'm 21 and most of the guys I meet are the same way.

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There are these white ribbons that people hold on to and they can swing around, like they can hook their feet to it, and they can do acro on it..

You may have seen them in Zookeeper the movie, they are at this wedding thing and they were swinging on them.


What are they called..?!

Do you mean aerial silks?:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OIImic2jvI

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For the past year I've been really into organic/homemade bath products. (Soaps, scrubs, shampoos, bodywashes, aromatherapy, etc etc) Or even just things that are made to make your skin feel super smooth, soft, and take off dead skin cells - things like that.

The only places I know of that have the things that I mean are Belle Ame (http://www.belleame.com/home.jhtm) and The Body Shop (http://www.thebodyshop-usa.com/)
The soaps at Belle Ame are EXACTLY what I mean. Does anybody know about other trusted websites (ONLY websites that are online stores) that sell what I'm looking for?

Thanks!

You'll have to check out the site to see if they're organic or not, but Fortune Cookie Soaps are all natural, smell delicious and come in a million scents (my fave is the pumpkin pie one). Some of their best products are the scrubs, 'whipped creams' (body butter), and hydrating body sprays. I also lovee their shampoo and conditioner bars, makes my hair super soft. Definitely worth checking out: www.fortunecookiesoap.com

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So my boyfriend and I are creepin' up on our 6 month anniversary and Christmas is coming up as well. He is really hard to shop for, everything he needs/wants he gets himself or already has. I am clueless and need suggestions quick!

Depending on how open you guys are with each other, you could always just ask.

I can't give many ideas without knowing about him (age, what he's into), but a few generic gift ideas for guys:

- This: http://sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P299442&shouldPaginate=true&categoryId=5823
It comes with trial sizes of several colognes and a voucher for a free full-sized once he's picked the one he likes. (Or both of you!) This is better than buying a cologne you're not sure he'll like, I've given it to a few boyfriends and they really liked it.

- Movie ticket vouchers/movie gift card

- Gas gift card (most guys really like practical stuff like this, saves him a bunch of money)

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Ok I posted a question on here talking about anxiety. Well it's definitely not anxiety. So here's what happened I was at lunch and I had just finished my whole sandwich and my whole water bottle when it happened again. I was sitting down and there was nothing to be nervous about. What "it" is, is that it feels like I'm in a dream. I don't feel pain. I can read, talk, write, and hear perfectly fine. I know no one on here are doctors but does anyone know what this could possibly be? It's positively not anxiety. I asked my parents to make an appointment to a bigger hospital but my grandpa is in a hospital with cancer so my mom doesn't want to worry my other family members more while my dad thinks I should go. I also think I need to go because what if this is really serious? I'm not old enough to go to any doctors by myself yet because I'm still only 13. I really think I need to go to new York city as soon as they can fit in an appointment. If this happens again I swear I dont know what I will do. I need help!!!

I'm not a doctor, but I'm a psychology major and what it sounds like to me is an episode of depersonalization. (Feeling in a dream is the most common way it's described.)

Depersonalization can occur for a number of reasons- tiredness, anxiety, medications, mental illness drug use, or people can be born with a disorder. Around one-third of people will experience an episode sometime in their lives- I can remember having 2 or 3 as a kid when really tired. However, if it is recurrent and becoming a problem, you need to see a psychologist or psychiatrist asap. (It doesn't mean you're 'crazy' or mentally ill.)

You may want to do some research before you go. Tell he/she exactly what you're experiencing (making sure you mention feeling like you're in a dream) and that you think it may be an episode of depersonalization.

It may not be serious, sometimes it just happens. But it doesn't hurt to double-check, as Depersonalization Disorder can really ruin a life.

-Krista, 21/f

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i got my spacers in about 6 hours ago and they really hurt. what helps the pain?

Advil/Ibuprofen is the only thing that helped me. It will get better, though.

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Hiii people :)

I need advice on christmas presents for my boyfriend and his family okay for my boyfriend I was thinking about getting him,
- Sneakers
-Wallet
-2-3 Tops
- Jeans
-3/4 shorts
- Perfume

Is that good? or should I get some thing else please give me ideas he likes cars!
For his family, my boyfriend and I have ben dating for almost 6 months but the bond between his family and I is great they all love me and I want to get them all gifts however there is 6 in his family ! I was thinking about getting them all different perfumes, is that good?

To me, that's kind of a lot of stuff to be getting someone after only six months- it's up to you of course, but it might be awkward for him if he didn't buy you as much.

I also have one suggestion: sometimes it can be hard to pick out cologne/perfume for a boyfriend. Sephora has a really cool set, it comes with several trial-sized colognes so he (or both of you!) can try them and figure out which one he likes best. Then once he's decided, there's a coupon included that you bring back to Sephora to get a free full-sized of any of those colognes. It's one of my favorite things to get guys, they always like it.
This is it:
http://sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P299442&shouldPaginate=true&categoryId=5823

(There's also a women's version.)

Hope that helps a little.
-Krista, 21/f

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Which phone is the best? please write pros and cons if you have had one of these phones or you know someone that had one.
-LG dare
-LG Voyager 2
-LG enV touch

please list as many as you can think of! and if you know of a better verizon phone similar to these please let me know. thanks SOOOO much! :)

I used to have the first Voyager (which is pretty much the same phone as the enV Touch). I didn't like that it was bulky, the touchscreen didn't work very well, and it just wasn't that great of a phone for how much it cost. It did have a niceish camera (although there's no flash) and I liked the keyboard. If you, like many people, tend to drop your phone, don't get it- the touchscreen gets messed up really easy. Mine broke once just from having it in a tight pocket.

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do guys hate kissing girls who wear lip gloss

Most of the time, yes. It's sticky and gets all over them. If you still want some lip color, I suggest using a lip tint. (Drugstore options: Covergirl, Revlon Just Bitten. Higher-end option: Tarte.) They'll give you color that doesn't go anywhere.

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I was wondering if asking the price of someone's wedding dress is considered rude, as in to most people. I asked one of my friend how much her sister's wedding dress cost while we were watching "say yes to the dress" and she said she can't tell me because it's personal. I honestly don't get how it's personal but then that's just my opinion, if she asked me, I would've told her. So do most people consider it rude or is it just my friend who thinks that?

Yes, to me it definitely is. Asking the price of anything can be rude, whether it's a car, phone, or wedding dress. A lot of people are very sensitive about anything having to do with money.

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Hey Im 16 and a senior in highschool. I met this guy in an interschool competition. He's the same age but is a senior in some other school. We started talking after the competition and became good friends. We have gone out on three dates till now. And yeah, we have kissed each other and made out a little. We cannot resist each other at all. And hence the makeouts were a mutual desicion. I am falling for him. But the problem is that even though he says he is falling for me, he keeps on telling me he cannot date me cause he's a bad guy and he cares for me too too much to hurt me. He says he is not one of those dateable guys who will love their girl completely and he might find a new girl and dump me.That would hurt me and he doesnt want to do that! He hasnt had a past record of cheating or anything it's just that he tells me he wants to be sure before he asks a girl out that he will be completely loyal to her and not flirt around with other girls. He also liked this girl a year back and he says he feels guilty that he got over her and fell for me! But when we meet we actually act like we are dating, cause he gets me stuff, he tells me he loves me, we hold hands. we actually act like a couple in love. we also talk all the time. I dont know what to do. Because I really want to be with him. But cant figure out how to make him ask me out? and if he is really a bad guy? HELP.

Unfortunately, if he doesn't want to be with you, no matter what the reason, you just can't make him. And to be honest, what he's saying sounds like bs. It sounds like he wants a girlfriend, it's just not you, or maybe he just wants to hook up with girls and not commit to one. I don't think he's a good guy. Don't waste your time going after him- if he really wants you, he'll go after you. It's better to keep yourself from getting hurt now, before it gets bad. I know it's easier said than done but any effort on this guy is wasted.

-Krista, 21/f

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My ex of 2 years decided he didnt want a relationship anymore, after everything weve been through. i dont really give a crap anymore, but curiousty is killing me because after all i LOVE karma.. now my question is, i typed in his name for the first time in a long time on the search bar on facebook, and turns out he blocked me, first off, id like to mention that i made a new account a while ago, and i never added him, he told my sisters boyfriend that he knows i dont have him on my new facebook, one thing lead to another, and my sisters boyfriend ended up making him feel like shit about doing what he did after he tried blaming everything on me, and got mad after they proved him wrong, all in all,my ex told me he doesnt have feelings for me anymore, this was before, and thats when i cut him off completely, now why would someone who hurt YOU, block you on facebook if you both werent even friends on facebook to begin with? correct me if im wrong, but is the guilt kicking in? or is this totally normal?
This is just all out of curiousity, thank you.

Here's the real question- why do you care? You say you don't give a crap, but it doesn't sound like it.

It doesn't matter why the guy blocked you. He probably just doesn't wanna talk to you or have you 'stalking' his page. And hey, it's a good thing. It is pretty much impossible to get over someone if you have any form of contact with them. He's not doing anything weird or wrong, so move on and forget about it.

-Krista
20/f

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this is just a general question,if you are starting to see someone, is it ok to ask how their past relationshp ended? just to make sure your possible relationship won't end the same way?

If you just asked out of the blue, that'd be really weird/rude. I've had guys ask me that before and I got almost offended (it's a nosy question) and avoided answering. Past relationships have nothing to do with your current one and worrying about them will do absolutely nothing besides irritate the person you're with.If or when they want to talk about their past, they will.

-Krista, 20/f

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http://tinyurl.com/43ar7nh

Yes, she has a very pretty smile.

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This is for a school project I'm doing and would appreciate totally honest answers. I just need to know peoples own opinions on dating outside your own race could you please tell me gender, age and your own race plus how you feel when you see different coloured men and women together.

Also if you do support or agree with inter racial relationships, which is your favourite combinations like white women with black men or asian women with white men, don't be shy :) I just need some honest opinions to finish off my research. thank you

20/f, I consider myself to be white but I am technically half Hispanic I guess (my dad immigrated from a South American country).

When I see an interracial couple, I don't feel any different than if I saw a non-interracial couple. Of course I support/agree with them, because we're all human beings, regardless of color. I don't have a 'favorite combination', I feel like that's a little silly haha. I've never been in an interracial relationship because the town where I live is mostly white/asian. (I don't have a problem with Asians, of course, but they generally aren't allowed to date in highschool around here and high school was when I had most of my boyfriends.) However, if I met someone of another race that I really liked, of course I would have no problem with dating them. I can't say that my parents or family would feel the same, though.

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I want to lose 20 pounds but every time I try I cheat on my diet. This summer I kept cheating and telling myself that Id just start my diet over the next day, but when the next day came I always ruined my diet. People around me are always eating junk and when I see it I have to have it and I over eat. How can I stop craving junk food?
If eat a small portion of something I crave then I will want

I lost 25 pounds and I won't lie, sometimes it's still a struggle to eat healthy. Here are some strategies that worked for me:

- No eating past 8 pm- it's way better for your body and you'll feel better in the morning. Eat small meals about every 4 hours (hard at first but once your blood sugar regulates it's easy.)
- Don't think of it as a 'diet'- just make a commitment to change the way you eat for good. It's so worth it, you'll look and feel better and have more energy.
- Distract yourself when you're having cravings- I usually go for a walk.
- Find healthy substitutes. Here are some-
Instead of...Try...
Potato chips- kale chips or sweet potato chips
French fries- homemade sweet potato fries
A burger- a turkey burger
Soda- all-natural soda sweetened with stevia (a zero-calorie planet extract)- the brand Zevia is really good.
Cookies- "healthy" cookies with whole grains, oatmeal, etc. The Kashi ones are pretty good. Still only limit yourself to one or two a week as they are definitely not healthy!
Chocolate- Thinkthin bars (try the Chocolate Peanut Butter- you won't believe it has no sugar, it tastes so good and has a lot of protein)
Sweet drinks like juices- Vitamin Water Zero
Cheesy omelette- Scrambled egg whites
White bread- whole wheat bread or Ezekiel bread (flourless and way better for you)

I also drink a lot of green tea during the day to curb cravings.

Last thing- whenever I want something junky, I remind myself that 'nothing tastes as good as skinny feels'- eating junk might feel good for the few minutes while you're eating it, but feeling fat and unhappy with your body lasts for days. I know how good I feel when I look good in my clothes and am healthy, and it's just not worth ruining for some dumb french fries. :)

If you want any healthy recipes, tips, or support, let me know :)

I'm also on a really great nutrition plan called Tone It Up- it is somewhat expensive, but they have a free online community where you can chat with other people about losing weight- there are even groups like Sweet Tooth where we help each other. If you want, check it out- toneitup.com/community.

Best of luck!
-Krista, 20/f

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20/f in college, living at home. therefore, in a way, i guess i feel obligated to work. it's not that my family is MAKING me work, but if i don't work, i don't have any money. i have friends who left for college, and their parents give them like a monthly allowance, which i think is fair. if i'm going to school full time and am planning on getting a master's (so I need to get good grades, so I can get into grad school), i think i should get some form of income/allowance from my parents. i don't think i'm asking for a lot. i have a friend who gets $1000 dollars a month. i would be happy with $400. Just so that I can eat lunch and maybe do my nails . that's all. but, my mom doesn't work. i don't think she has an interest in working because she's been out of work for so long, that she would probably hate to go back. i try to be involved on campus, because i think it's important. it's good for your own development, for your application to grad school, and just to be able to enjoy your time in the university. there are certain involvements that you get paid for, such as orientation leader or student government. So, I'm looking into that. Right now, I'm working on campus. the only one who could give me the allowance is my dad. he doesn't live with us and i ask him for money all the time, but i feel bad. it's like i have to drag him here. i wish i had someone to support me. i feel like a brat... but i just want to be able to enjoy myself and get good grades, because after this... i will be working, and things change. I will have much more adult responsibilities, and I'm trying to take in this special time that I was granted. I love all of my involvements and I've made so many friends and love everything I've been able to participate in. I just wish that I could use that time at work to be studying or exercising. That way, I wouldn't feel as tired. lol. Does anyone have any ideas of how I can approach this situation? or how I can make some extra money on the side?

thank you!

I think you really need to realize how lucky you are. I'm the same age, at a community college, working 40 hours a week and going to school. I have to pay for all of my own stuff- even food- and don't have a car or way of paying for anything beyond an associate's degree. Once you turn 18 and are an adult, you are responsible for making your own money. And let's be realistic here, there's a reason "poor college student" is a cliche. You're not supposed to have extra money for unnecessary things like manicures, you're supposed to be working hard (often not sleeping much) and paying for the things that matter. Find cheaper ways for the things you want (for instance, buy some nice nail polish and learn to do your own nails- it's wayy cheaper and saves a bunch of money.) The only way you could make some extra money on the side is by picking up another job, but that might be too much depending on your classes.

You can still 'enjoy yourself' during college, and actually, you'll have plenty of time to after, unless you're planning on having some 90-hours-a-week job or something. Just focus on the things that really matter and you'll be fine :)

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OK so I am 15/f and need some advice on how to get my friends to stop bugging me. So i shower with my dad till this day and I see nothing wrong with it nor does he. Its how we bond. Just cuz they dont do it doesnt mean its not normal right? My dad says its cuz they dont have the same bond with their dads as me and him. And they keep telling me stuff i dont need to hear. So my question is how do i get my friends to stop bugging me about showering with my dad

Hate to say it, but showering with a parent is really not normal once you hit puberty, and I don't understand why you'd even want to- the last thing I want to do is spend time with one of my parents naked haha.

If you want them to stop bugging you, just don't bring it up, and if they do, ignore them. They'll stop eventually. Only thing you can do. But honestly I would stop doing that.

-Krista, 20/f

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Hi I really want to get rid of my dark circles under my eyes and my "hooded eyes". The top part of my eyelids are drooping over the rest of my eyelid, if that made any sense.
It's not from old age, I'm still a teenager, it's just genetic. My mom and dad have dark circles, my brother and sisters have them, and I have them. Are there any natural ways to get rid of them? By the way, I don't have the money to buy hydrolyze or something like that, I was wondering if maybe you could use something like oatmeal (that was random) to get rid of them. Thanks!

For the hooded eyes, there's nothing you can do- you're born with them and the only way to change it is surgery.

For dark circles, it's important to use a good eye cream every night- although that can be expensive, a good one is about 35 bucks. (It'll last six months, a year, or even more, though.) Clinique Anti-Gravity and Benefit It's Potent both did a great job of fading my dark circles, which used to be pretty bad. If you don't want to spend the money on that, you can just get good at covering them up with concealer- Revlon Photoready is a good cheap one.

-Krista, 20/f

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Alright so I'm 17 years old, and a female. I am over weight, (... About 220 lbs...) and I loooove to eat. But I never seem to feel full...

Let me explain. No matter what I eat, small meal or huge, mainly meats and veggies or junk food, I can never satisfy my stomach! You see, maybe I'll feel full for a minute or two, but then a hunger comes back. I can feel my stomach is extremely full, like when I take in a big breath? But It's like there's this hunger on top of it... I don't know. But to sum it up, I'm always hungry, so I eat a lot. And it scares me!

I'm trying, on and off, to lose weight. Atkin's always seems to work for me. (I love meat.) And I'll do Jillian Michaels work-outs too, and I do good! For a while... I always fail a few weeks in because I eat and eat, and eventually I just give up and eat junk. I hate it, and I always feel ashamed of myself. But it's embarassing too because on my mother's side of the family, basically everyone's skinny. And they judge people's looks and size. I feel outcast because at their family gatherings, the girls my age have a tiny bit of food and are full. And I have this huge plate and I'm still hungry after. I sometimes have to sneak and hide food just to get by.

It's humiliating, and I want it to stop. I want to live a better life, a happier one. So, can someone help me out?

Here are some other weird stuff about me that might help: I am always tired, at night it takes me an hour or more to fall asleep and I wake up frequently, I get chronic head aches, I get hot easily and I sweat a looot, I crave lots of sugar, I consume a lot of salt everyday and... I'm kinda like a camel. (XD) I'll drink a lot of water at one time, and then not for a while, so on. That's about all I can think of. Please help me, people! I want to change, but with my stomach it's way too stressful and challenging. Anything will do. Thanks for your time. :]

I used to have the same exact problem, and I thought I was crazy. I could eat a disgusting amount and my stomach would be stuffed but I'd still be starving.

For me, the problem was that I was eating tons of carbs and unhealthy food that left me unsatisfied. I was literally addicted to sugar, and cutting back was so so hard. But now I eat healthy- for example, I'll have fresh fruit for breakfast, scrambled egg whites and avocado for lunch, and spinach and a turkey burger for dinner. Fruits and vegetables, fiber, things with protein make me satisfied and full and I'm not starving all the time.
Drinking enough water constantly- a little bit at a time throughout the day- really helps, too.
Also, I have certain times of day when I get starving and crave carbs/junk- like at 3/4 in the afternoon. To make sure I'm not tempted, I will go for a walk or exercise instead to keep my mind off of it, and the craving will go away.

You are probably so tired all the time from eating junk- I used to be the same way. I won't lie, it's very hard to change at first- the first week feels impossible. But it's worth it, you will look and feel so much better. Make sure to keep healthy snacks (apples, carrots, veggies and hummus, greek yogurt, etc) on hand and maybe hide the junk food.

If you have the money, Tone It Up is incredible. It's not a diet where you lose the weight then gain it back as soon as you eat real food again. It's a nutrition plan and way of living where you will lose weight and keep it off. You get to eat, not just drink a gross slimfast or something, and there's tons of really good recipes (I don't work for them or anything, I just love it.) here's the information:
http://www.toneitupdiet.com/

Best of luck. Remember, nothing worth having is ever easy.

-Krista, 20/f

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