about

"Do not pity the dead, Harry. Pity the living, and, above all those who live without love" - Albus Dumbledore

Hi, I'm Laura. I'm a senior in college & I'm slowly deciding what I want to do with my life. I love Harry Potter, coffee, writing, and sleeping (amongst other things). I'll never claim to know everything, but I'm confident in my ability to help people with their problems. Feel free to send me an inbox question; I'll get back to you!




A few thoughts I've gathered from my teenage years (and being on this site for most of them!):
1. If you Google song lyrics, the song will come up 99% of the time.
2. Dress to fit your body type, and buy the size that fits. If you're a size 6, squeezing into a 4 won't make you look skinnier. It makes you look fat when you aren't.
3. You will never regret waiting to lose your virginity.
4. There is such a thing as a stupid question, but we're all allowed to ask them.




BU 2014 :)


wicked awesome conversations

^my forum, liven it up a little?

advice

How do i write letter to my boyfriend's mother?

We're going to need a lot more information to answer this without sounding sarcastic...


A few ways:
- Email
- Envelope and stamp
- Carrier Pigeon
- Telegraph


Why are you writing a letter as opposed to talking? Is she overseas? A letter would be much appreciated! Send away, being careful to obey customs laws and apply proper postage.


If you're afraid to tell her something, writing a letter isn't ideal, but it's better than not telling her at all. Maybe be over their house and leave it on top of the pile of mail on the counter.


-LM
[19/f]

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Theres this guy I see around the neighborhood. I really like him. The first time I saw him was in the laundromat. I thought he was so gorgeous. I couldn't stop staring at him though I didn't let him catch me. He kinda talk to me a little but he left before I did. Now I see him from time to time. We make a lil eye contact but not much else. When I see him I get so nervous. Does he like me what should I do?

Well, I'm not this guy. Chances are, none of us on here are either. Of course, if that guy IS a user on Advicenators, sees your question, and asks you out as a result, you two would have a wicked cool story to tell at your wedding.


I'll be honest, though, right now he's the guy you met at the laundromat and talked to a few times. And you think he's gorgeous. To him, you're a girl he's spoken to when doing his laundry and see around town. Who knows, he might think you're gorgeous too.


Next time you see him, ask his name (if you haven't already). Introduce yourself, maybe in a clever way, if you haven't yet haha. What's the extent of your conversations? Are you friends? Do you know him well enough to know he's the kind of person who would appreciate a corny pickup line? There's a few related to laundry/being out somewhere/be creative and make one up/there are entire websites devoted to this:
- Let's make like fabric softener and Snuggle.
- I suffer from amnesia. Do I come here often?


Be direct. Ask if he wants to get coffee sometime, or dinner. Being bold is usually a good idea. Subtlety is lost on guys for the most part. Besides, you've got nothing to lose, right?


-LM
[19/f]

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14/f
Hey everybody, I was wondering- I have had fairly bad face acne since I was about 10. No medication seems to work for more than a week or two. Any suggestions as to what I can do? Thank you answerers

I actually answer questions like this a lot.
- http://www.advicenators.com/qview.php?q=595863
^ Just answered that this week!


Give anything you try at least a month, sspecially as a female, because acne is hormonal and so are your monthly cycles!


The reason medications may seem to stop working after a week or two is because intense treatments (like Retin-A) will typically treat what you currently have on your face. You'll be all, "Yay, my skin is clearing up!" Then, it cleans out your pores, bringing out (for lack of a better word) a buttload of impurities out of your pores, all at once. So, that will make it seem like it's not working but it probably is, give it time :)


Also, try lemon juice as a spot treatment. Cux (a great columnist on here) first told me about it and it's great, practically free as far as acne treatment goes, and smells good. Bottled lemon juice is fine for this. You can buy store brands for about 2 dollars.


-LM
[19/f]

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do you have any ideas of a mascara...i want mascara thats black and thick that you can see because when i put on my makeup it looks like i only have eyeliner on.

any suggestions?

thanks!(:

I think this is a duplicate question because the signature part of the question is the same as one I just answered.. haha :)


http://www.advicenators.com/qview.php?q=595972
There you go!

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http://www.covergirl.com/professional-superthicklash-mascara

do you know if ^^^^ is a good mascara?

i want mascara thats black and thick that you can see because when i put on my makeup it looks like i only have eyeliner on.

any suggestions?

thanks!(:

I've never used that one, but I love Covergirl mascaras and their formulations are all similar (for the most part). I'd get "very black" if you want it to be prominent.


Suggestions? I'm always getting mascara samples for free, or buying them on sale with coupons. I currently have (counts tubes in makeup bag) 9 tubes of mascara. And I've used many more through the years and I'm only 19 hahaha.
My current favorites are:
- Covergirl LashBlast Fusion (purple tube) - THE BEST :)
- Victoria's Secret Beauty Rush
(this one is especially great if you want to get a colored mascara because it's available in a good range of colors and is cheap as far as colors go)
- Revlon Grow Luscious (the brush kinda sucks until you get used to it, but the color and longer lash benefit rock!)


Maybelline mascaras are all the same to me, but the brushes are different, that's basically the only difference. "The Falsies" looks like false lashes, albeit subtle ones. Kinda clumpy but in a "it looks like I'm wearing fakies" kind of way. "One By One" has a cool brush. I used "the Colossal" for about a year until I realized it wasn't as colossal as I thought, but it's nice for everyday.


If you have a CVS near you, I suggest buying mascara there; it's a couple dollars more than Target (except for sales) or something like that, but they have a money back guarantee on makeup. So, if you hate it, you can bring it back with the receipt and get store credit (or money back, I'm not sure) for your next purchase. Cool, huh?

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how long do the face wash and toner usually last?

and when the bottles are gone and i stop using them, will they come back? or should i keep using the productss..

i mean idkk there kinda expensive and i have to pay for them haha my step mom wont.

They'll definitely last a couple months at least. I'm trying to remember exactly when I bought it and whatnot... I use about a nickel size blob, maybe less, more like a dime, and it does the job. It doesn't foam up like some other cleansers but it cleans!

More than likely you could probably switch to cleansing once a day with the tea tree, once your acne is under control. Then you could use a gentle wash in the morning that was cheaper, like a neutrogena bar or something. But since it lasts awhile I wouldn't do that until there was noticeable improvement. Clear skin is worth the small investment, in my opinion :)

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so yesterday i was thinking about the body shop you were telling me about so my step mom took me there yesterday and i bought these products..

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://d1535dk28ea235.cloudfront.net/preset_56/DSC00291_3.JPG&imgrefurl=http://www.luuux.com/health-beauty/tag/Cjx3pooh%2520The%2520Body%2520Shop%2520Skin%2520Care%2520Sale%2520Haul&usg=__NZLgzBE_3XnIpLQopJbXL8leQOg=&h=130&w=130&sz=28&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=ETZlLAT4oJLRcM:&tbnh=104&tbnw=104&ei=xucQTviPEoTIsQLrqdCiCg&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dtea%2Btree%2Bskin%2Bclearing%2Bfacial%2Bwash%2Band%2Btoner%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1R2ADSA_enUS414%26biw%3D1366%26bih%3D533%26tbm%3Disch&um=1&itbs=1&iact=rc&dur=110&page=1&ndsp=24&ved=1t:429,r:18,s:0&tx=81&ty=13

the facial wash and toner and i also bought...

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.thebodyshop-usa.com/img/packshot/products/vitamin-e-moisture-cream_l.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.thebodyshop-usa.com/skin-care/skin-care-best-sellers/vitamin-e-moisture-cream.aspx&usg=__vqdfKiAT3rEig8JN463xeaTNrf4=&h=250&w=250&sz=11&hl=en&start=0&zoom=1&tbnid=pgqcwO6qYRi0eM:&tbnh=123&tbnw=133&ei=B-gQTovvD6yPsAL9zuSwCg&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dvitamin%2BE%2Bmoisture%2Bcream/%2Bthe%2Bbody%2Bshop%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1R2ADSA_enUS414%26biw%3D1366%26bih%3D533%26tbm%3Disch&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=185&vpy=81&dur=92&hovh=200&hovw=200&tx=136&ty=108&page=1&ndsp=24&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0

the lady there had a very clear face and she told me not to buy the lotion that went with it because it was a little thicker then this moisturizer.

she said i should use the face wash and toner at night and in the morning use the face wash and toner and the moisturizer (mostuizer only in the morning) before i out on my makeup.


what do you use from there?

do you know if these products work well?

thanks, melissa 16/f(:

I use that face wash and toner and love it. I had a sample of the vitamin e cream and loved it, like I said before it's all nice stuff and the sales lady was probably more capable of suggesting a product cause she could see your skin. I can definitely say the tea tree products work great, but I didn't use the vitamin e cream for very long; it seemed like a nice product though.


I also use the mattifying seaweed lotion (it has SPF15) and the seaweed mask :)

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okay thank you so much!(:

You're welcome, good luck :)

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hi its the same girl talking about all this face stuff haha

do you know if they have that shop in minnesota and illinois, ?

I'm not sure, but their website has a store locator. They do have online ordering and are offering free shipping with a $15 order right now!

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okay thanks! and for my skin i have it on my forhead there little bumps all over my forehead, which products which you reccomend from that?

and how long does it take to work?

The face wash and toner. The oil is a spot treatment so I would use all 3. If you prefer exfoliating washes (like a scrub) they make an exfoliating blackhead cleanser you could use instead of the regular wash.

It'll probably start significantly clearing your skin in a couple weeks. Like I said, give it a month, especially since you're female and acne is affected by monthly cycles.

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how much is the stuff and where can you buy it?

Assuming this is the same person I've been helping with Body Shop products, the prices are listed in my previous answer (the website links) and you can buy it at The Body Shop stores at various malls, and at their website, www.thebodyshop.com.


It's a little pricey compared to drugstore brands, but FAR cheaper than prescriptions (and seem to last longer). And they frequently run sales like buy 2 get one free, buy 3 get 2, etc. Sometimes their face washes go on sale for $8 or less!


If this is someone else, be more specific and I can help you further :)

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hi i was thr girl you answered about my acne and you said to ask you questions if i had one and i do lol. the tree, eas seaweed thing (or whatever it was) is that really good, and really works good for acne?

does it dry out your face or make it oily?

and how long does it take for it to work

please answer all my questions and thank you!(:

I think it works great, and it's natural so it didn't make my skin react badly. I've been trying to use natural things because I have eczema AND acne (joy!). It didn't dry out my face and kept it from being oily for a few hours; however, I have oily skin in some places so for it to keep oil away at ALL was great.


It starts working right away, and it didn't seem to have that awkward "pore clearing = more acne" stage. I've never used the lotion (I use the seaweed line for that) but it's probably good... everything else from that store is wonderful.


Here's the full collection:
- http://www.thebodyshop-usa.com/shop-by-line/tea-tree.aspx?cm_re=Tyra_JuneSale-_-Navigation-_-Shop_By_Line-Tea_Tree


You shouldn't need all of the products; get whatever fits your lifestyle/cleansing habits. I personally recommend the face wash:
- http://www.thebodyshop-usa.com/shop-by-line/tea-tree/tea-tree-skin-clearing-facial-wash.aspx
Toner:
- http://www.thebodyshop-usa.com/shop-by-line/tea-tree/tea-tree-skin-clearing-toner.aspx
& Tea Tree Oil:
- http://www.thebodyshop-usa.com/shop-by-line/tea-tree/tea-tree-oil.aspx


There's also a starter kit (as there is for most of their skin care lines)
- http://www.thebodyshop-usa.com/shop-by-line/tea-tree/tea-tree-skin-care-kit.aspx


It's a little cheaper, but not by much, haha.


Once you know you like the tea tree, and it seems to be working for your skin, I'd also recommend using the mask a couple times a week.
- http://www.thebodyshop-usa.com/shop-by-line/tea-tree/tea-tree-face-mask.aspx


The seaweed line isn't targeted at acne-prone skin, but I mentioned it in my previous answer because it seemed to keep everything under control, too, and reduced redness from my eczema :)

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Three weeks ago I put hair dye in my hair and I have something important coming up and I've washed and washed my hair and it won't come out and I don't want to go to the salon to pay money to have it fixed cause I have a lot of hair. What can I use to make it come out ? Its bright blue

Wash your hair with dish soap. Doing this will make your hair feel wicked dry but it's not permanent, just use conditioner afterward. (i've done this with permanent dye, and it worked)


- http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070727233426AALYY4u
Toothpaste apparently works, too. Keep in mind that whitening ingredients may lighten your natural hair, too.


-LM
[19/f]


[view]

I am an undergraduate in need of about 4,200 dollars by next month for my first semester. I don't have the credit history to apply for some private loans myself and my mom will not cosign me! I have done the federal aid so if you are making suggestions and you don't know what you're talking about please don't respond. I NEED HELP. Telling me to apply for HOPE grant, etc blah blah blah, will not help me. I need LOANS. What do I do? By the way, I have not asked someone in my school, whom knows what they're talking about, for help yet. I just really need my money and asap. If I can't get into to school this semester, my aspirations and dreams will be thrown down the drain. I've already paid for some fees and I've be rewarded with a 5,000 dollar grant but that is not enough. I need a loan I can pay may $100 a month until it's all paid off. Not having a cosigner really takes away my education I've been wanting to start. There's no hope. My parents made too much money last year and won't help with anything but the smaller finances. This year they're retired; and also I'm adopted so I guess that's what I get for being the step-child. Screw life.

Well your first and probably obvious step would be to contact the financial aid office at your school and explain your situation. Because you're adopted there's more loans and grants available to you, and sometimes that can even waive a cosigner requirement. In some cases, not having a cosigner will simply mean a higher interest rate. Many loans let you defer payment until after graduation.


- http://www.discoverstudentloans.com/college-student-loans/college-loans-overview.aspx
Massachusetts: (check for similar offers in your state)
- http://www.mefa.org/payforcollege/payforcollege.aspx?id=1305


Does your school offer a payment plan? This would divide the balance you owe over many months instead of all at once. You'd probably pay around $420 a month instead, and maybe could get a part-time job and a (much smaller) loan to pay off the remainder. Or, since your parents are helping with smaller expenses, you could apply that money to your outstanding balance.


Here's a site that, while redundant, has links for scholarships for adopted children:
- http://en.allexperts.com/q/College-Financial-Aid-2030/2008/3/Scholarship-adopted-kids.htm


Also, is there anyone (aunt, uncle, older cousin, etc) who would be willing to cosign for you? It's a significant obligation for them, but it's worth mentioning.


Good luck!
-LM
[19/f]

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Ok so I'm 13 and I got my nails done about 6 weeks ago and I'm soo ready for them to come off. Two of them are really loose and some of my real nail is coming off with it and it hurts soo bad. My dad told me I couldn't have fake nails but I went out with friends and got them done anyway ( I know it was stupid) so now he won't give me money or take me to the salon to get them removed. He says it's part of my punishment for "disobeying him". Anyway, since I can't get them removed by the nail people I need to know if there is a way to take them off on my own without pulling them off because it hurts. Help please?

Buy pure acetone remover. Soak your nails one at a time (there's actually a jar designed for this) and they should come off without too much pain.


Another method is to soak a cotton ball in remover (completely saturate it) and use a rubber band to attach the cotton ball on top of your nail. After a few minutes they should come off. Don't force them off because you could permanently bend your nails.


-LM
[19/f]

[view]

18/f

My sister wanted me to take a picture with her and she wanted me to get behind her sofa. So on my way behind, I got a slight cut either from the wooden part of her sofa (she has the sofa where it can pull out into a bed) or it was possibly a carpet burn. I put medicine on it when I got home, but it just became a brown line across my leg. Is there a way to get rid of it or to even heal? It's been a week, and I haven't seen any improvement. Help?

adviceman gave a great answer, but I want to add this:

I had surgery years ago on my back and ended up with a small (1 inch) scar and could NOT have been more self-conscious about it. I never used fancy creams because a) it was expensive, b) I forgot to use it and c) I discovered a cheap alternative that I believe really helped: Vitamin E softgels.

Buy a small jar (generic brand is fine) and make sure they're the softgels - they're gold color and stick together a bit in the jar. Break one open and rub the goo on the scar. This can be used in conjunction with moisturizer. I used the vitamin E at night because it would be really shiny on my skin.


Obviously, don't do this if you're allergic to anything in the supplement and don't apply to open wounds :)


-LM
[19/f]

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I've had my braces for a little over a year. I brush my teeth once a day, twice sometimes. I also use Listerine in the morning. I am nervous about getting my braces off because I am afraid that I'll have rings where my braces where. How can I tell if I'll have them? Is there any way to stop them from happening if they've already begun to form? What is the likelihood of me having rings?

Even if your teeth end up with spots of different colors, it's temporary. Besides, everyone will notice how straight your teeth are as you're whitening; they won't even notice a little discoloration.


In the meantime, brush twice a day. Floss whenever possible, just 'cause flossing is a good idea - nothing is more discolored on your teeth than a cavity! Also, a lot of my friends have braces right now and their orthodontists suggested using a toothpaste that DOESN'T have whitening properties. That way, your teeth get clean without whitening unevenly. Most toothpastes aimed at children don't have whitening ingredients and also taste like fruit or bubblegum, which is wicked good.


Don't think it's weird to be buying kid toothpaste when you're not a kid or parent. Most cashiers wouldn't even notice, and if they did, would probably just assume it was for a younger sibling ;)


-LM
[19/f]

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hi(: im 15 years old almost 16. I hate when people say the reason why you have acne is because your growing up! im not sure if its acne but i have bumps on my forhead. i don;t really stick with face washes for that long but they never work. maybe the first day they do but then stop. my sister has the same thing as me maybe a little better and she was to lazy to wash her face so she stopped and it has been getting a little better. im not sure if i should do that to. any reccomendations. and my parents won't bring me to the dermotologist or anything so please help!(: thanks(:

Stick with a cleanser for at least a month. The thing with acne treatments is that some of them actually make your acne worse for a few days. It seems weird, but I experienced it with many prescription treatments. It's because effective treatments clear out your pores, and the impurities can temporarily cause a breakout. Depending on how much you're willing to pay, there's many brands you can try. I've used many brands over the years that worked for me (I switched as my skin changed)


- The Body Shop: Tea Tree, Seaweed (tea tree is specifically for acne, and seaweed balanced everything out and reduced redness)
- Neutrogena Oil Free Acne Wash
- Clearasil (whatever they make now, their stuff changes a lot)
- Proactiv
- Burt's Bees Acne Solutions


Also, I answered a question like this awhile ago:
- http://www.advicenators.com/qview.php?q=510619


By the way, my acne was HORRENDOUS, and I probably tried everything in the book and more to make it go away. So if you want more ideas, inbox me and I'll gladly help :)


-LM
[19/f]

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On Tuesday night really late I had I had unprotected sex. I just got off my period and I started taking birth control. I took it two days before I had sex. So I'd had only taken 2 pills I wasn't sure if he came in me or not. I went to the bathroom a little while after and saw that clear liquid was in my underwear sometimes when I've had sex before it was there but not this much. The day after it happened I didn't feel sick or anything. Now it's two days later and I'm still taking my birth control And my stomach hurts a little but its more like a hunger hurt cause I haven't eaten today. Could I be pregnant?

Short answer: yes, you could be pregnant. Birth control takes at a minimum seven days to become effective, and my doctor told me to wait at least one month for it to be fully effective. I'd recommend you take the morning-after pill (emergency contraception); it's $25-50 dollars and you need to be 18 to get it (the box says 17, but most pharmacies insist it's still 18).


Also, check out this site to see if the pills you are currently taking could qualify as EC.
- http://ec.princeton.edu/questions/dose.html


Your chances are RELATIVELY low (because you just got off your period) but sperm can live in your body for days, and when you ovulate you could get pregnant. Keep taking your pill and don't wait between packs - EC may make your period irregular as it is, and skipping days will only make it worse.


-LM
[19/f]


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Me and my boyfriend of six months want to become sexually active. I am fifteen and a half and he is sixteen, but this is something we're both completely sure about doing. And we are planning on using two forms of contraception: condoms and birth control. His end is taken care of, but I don't know how to ask my mom to make me an appointment for the gyno. She has me when she was seventeen years old, and has always insisted that I go to her as soon as we started talking about it...but I don't know how. I'm still afraid she's going to get upset and keep us from seeing each other.

Your mom may be upset, but if you go to her in a mature manner, she will most likely appreciate that you're being responsible about becoming sexually active. Since she had you at a young age (don't bring that up, it might make her mad) she will probably understand more than other parents might.


Ask her responsibly - tell her you're seriously thinking about becoming sexually active and want to be prepared. There's also many other benefits to be being on the pill that you could also mention such as improving acne and regulating your cycle. You can also get the pill from Planned Parenthood, and you pay for it out of pocket based on income. This may make your mom upset if she finds out - just be warned!

- http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/birth-control/birth-control-pill-4228.htm


-LM
[19/f]

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