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Say Hello, 30-somethings: Get seriously friendly on your next date

- Mel

Some of us 30-somethings and single-somethings are looking for love and need some advice on how to break the ice. Are you getting back into the dating game this Fall and need some encouragement?

This post is for you!

hello oral products breath spray
Mexican food dinner date? HELLO.

Say “hello” to hello oral care products! I (seriously) love the product designs (designed by BMW DesignworksUSA, by the way), and the purse-friendly breath spray is perfect for pre-date prep. It also locks closed, which is a sweet feature. Every time I pull this guy out of my bag, people ask about it. Talk about ice breakers!

Ice breaker sounds SO much better than a pick-up line — which, I’m adamantly against using and listening to. Aren’t cheesy pick-up lines the worst?! And they’re almost never sincere. Saying a simple “hello” is much more genuine. The worst: “Don’t I know you from somewhere?” Followed by: “Are your feet tired?” Please tell me that people still don’t use that.

I questioned a few friends on their favorite pick-up lines they’ve used — or heard someone else use.

  • My friend Brian gave his worst: “Do you have any {insert ethnicity here} in you? Do you want some?” UGH.
  • My friend J, who works in a seasonal Halloween attraction, regularly gets: “You’re too hot to be a zombie.” Hilarious. Reminds me of the overused “You’re too pretty to be single”-variety of pickup line.
  • The boyfriend used the line: “It’s like I need a GPS to find you” early on in our relationship. I’m still not really sure what the drunken comment implied.
  • My friend Ericka agreed with me on the WORST of all pick-up lines (see above), but added: “Is this seat taken?” as a terrible way to approach someone sitting alone.

Just. Say. Hello.

hello products

Containing no alcohol (save the actual mojito for the date!), these naturally-friendly oral care products and hello toothpaste are easy on the eyes and the mouth. Even better, all hello products are made in the USA and NEVER tested on animals. Delicious flavors of hello mouthwash, toothpaste and breath spray include: sweet cinnamint, pink grapefruit mint, supermint and (my favorite) mojito mint.

Locally, you can buy hello products at Walgreens, CVS and Target stores.

hello mojito mint mouthwash

“Like” Hello on Facebook and check out the full line of hello products to prepare for your next big date!

How do you start a conversation with someone you’re interested in?

Disclaimer: this post is sponsored by hello; see my disclosure policy page for more info.

Every 30-something needs: comfortable shoes!

- Mel

It seems like every year, I’m asking all my fashion and beauty people for good recommendations for shoes — I’m talking comfortable boots for women, appropriate for the 30-something city person who walks everywhere, even in inclement weather (hello, Fall!). Because I am a sucker for comfort above all things.

This is where I insert a picture of a stylish, comfortable-looking boot. One that fits all my criteria. Notice how this space remains noticeably picture-free.

An uncomfortable foot is an uncomfortable person. FACT.
Hashtag, shoe therapy.

My checklist is:
No heels.
Real leather — footwear that will eventually “mold” to my foot. Not patent leather either. Nothing plastic-looking.
Low- or mid-calf height — that will. not. sag.
Not ugly.
And not those fuzzy UGGS, for that matter. C’mon, I’m 36, not 16!
COMFORTABLE FOR WALKING SEVERAL CITY BLOCKS IN ONE EVENING.
No heels!
Bonus: warm.
Bonus, bonus: won’t upset my bank account too terribly.

But seriously, people. I AM WILLING TO PAY.

I typically get a few of those from the list, but never the full package. I don’t need a snow boot, since I rotate between my Hunters (with liners) and Sperry’s on wet and flurry days. The Hunters are stylish, yes, but not easy on the feet for long walks — even with insoles. I love my cross trainers, but I haven’t signed away my life to yoga pants and tennis shoes. Yet. I find a cute pair, but they’re cheap; I find a slightly-expensive pair, and they’re ugly. Most often, I succumb to the cheap, but then I get one season out of them.

Why can’t I be stylish AND comfortable? And why can I still not find the right pair of boots? So, spill it, 30-somethings: what boots are your fave?

Every 30-something needs… a way to deal with allergy symptoms.

- Mel

This is a Sponsored post written by me on behalf of Zyrtec for SocialSpark. All opinions are 100% mine.

Something that 30-somethings all look forward to: the developing of seasonal allergies. And this season, my allergies were ridiculous. 

Watery eyes, red nose, puffy face? Check. (and ugh.)

I had to find a way to combat my Allergy Face. Enter Zyrtec. 

Zyrtec offers QUICK relief from symptoms (OTC, FTW!), so I feel better (itchy nose and throat is the worst!), and check out some of these ALLERGY FACE beauty tips to help you LOOK better too: 

  1. Highlight Help

    When applying your foundation, layer a shimmery highlighter underneath for extra brightening. For best results, highlight the right areas on your face: top of your cheekbones, the bridge of your nose, brow bone, and arch of your lip.

  2. Redness Reducer

    Use yellow-based foundations to help neutralize redness. A yellow-based mineral pressed-powder will help prevent flaking on especially rosy areas.

  3. Pillow Pileup

    At night, use an extra pillow or two to help elevate your head. This can help drain fluids from your face so skin and eyes are less puffy in the morning.

  4. Don’t Wait to Hydrate

    Drink plenty of water when you’re dealing with ALLERGY FACE™ beauty challenges. Mix things up by creating your own beauty water. Cucumber, grapefruit or lemon slices will taste great and leave you feeling refreshed.

  5. Tender Tissues

    Invest in a box of lotion-treated tissues that are fragrance-free. After sneezing and blowing your nose all day, their gentleness will prevent the area around your nose from becoming sore.

The BIGGEST mistake women make is to keep makeup for longer than one year (51% of you — tsk tsk!). That's just another culprit of Allergy Face waiting to happen. I know when a mascara is "going bad" on me and exacerbating my allergy face symptoms: runny, itchy eyes are no fun — especially after spending all that time getting ready in the first place. 

Watch Zyrtec's Beauty Talk video for more tips on combating ALLERGY FACE. 

Check out Check out Zyrtec on Facebook for more beauty tips and methods for combating ALLERGY FACE. 

 

Visit Sponsor's Site

My 30-something Singles: Create a Match.com Summer Singles Event and Win

- Mel

match stir party contest

Online Dating for 30-somethings is something else… am I right, or am I right? While I’m not in the dating pool, I’ve BEEN THERE. I’ve also heard the stories — oh, SO many stories — about online dating. True story though: I know two couples (who have openly admitted to it anyways) that met and live, now, happily ever after because of internet dating sites. So, it’s not all catfish.

But are you ready for something different? Stir is Match.com’s answer to online dating. 30-somethings (among others) can meet potential suitors by participating in a wide range of offline dating activities to Match.com — members around the country come together for unique events ranging from large-scale happy hours to more intimate affairs.

Match.com Stir is celebrating its one-year anniversary! In just one year, Match has hosted 2,850 events and collaborated with over 1,200 venues and partners, including House of Blues, Banana Republic, Sur la Table and Warrior Dash. They also play well with the local gems in each city (Pittsburgh too!). Over 225,000 singles have attended Stir Singles Events to date! That sounds like a lot of happy daters.

In celebration of the anniversary, Match.com is offering the opportunity for singles to create their own Stir event. If your event is chosen, you get to work with Stir event planners to bring that idea to life.

Visit Match.com’s “What Stirs You?” Contest Page now through Tuesday May 28th, 2013 — and tell Match.com what you think would make for the perfect singles event. That’s all you need to do to be entered to win. Entries will be judged based on quality, creativity, uniqueness and geographical relevance. The selected winner will have their idea recreated by the Events by Match.com team in their city and will receive an invitation to attend the event along with ten of their singles friends (no charge!). Bonus: the winner will also receive a free six-month Match.com subscription.

So, tell me 30-somethings: What Stirs you?

Disclaimer: I received compensation for publishing this post about Match.com and Stir events. All opinions are my own.

Holiday Wishes Come True: Hair Products from Folica

- Mel

Hair Wants & Wishes: all of us can admit to wanting hair that is longer or blonder or fuller or straighter. Why can’t we just accept our hair and ourselves, right? We 30-somethings can achieve semi-greatness with the right hair products, however; and that’s why I look to Folica.com for Great Hair.

Folica knows hair is your most important accessory. That’s why in December Folica.com is offering a special promotion where everyone wins up to $50 to spend on hair styling products. Through January 1st, 30-somethings (and beyond) can cross great hair off their wish lists when they enter to win a credit at Folica — 1 in every 100 wins a $50 credit to spend instantly. With over 60,000 great hair products, more than 300 beloved brands and over 70,000 customer ratings and reviews, Folica.com is helps you recreate today’s hottest hairstyles.

In Folica.com’s Hairspiration Giveaway, you can win up to $300 to shop namebrand hair styling products.
It’s a holiday hair wish come true!

On my Holiday Hair Wish List: MORE VOLUME. It’s true, I suffer from thin, flat baby hair… at age 35. My hair, it has the sad. And Folica carries a line of hair products that I SWEAR by to get the biggest OOMPH (emphasis on big): blowpro. Seen below: No Crunch Body Builder, Faux Dry Shampoo (on my no-style/lazy days), and Strong Hold Finishing Spray.
blowpro body builderblowpro dry shampooblowpro hold spray

That said, because of all the necessary styling and blow outs my hair requires, I need a daily treatment. For that, I use Biosilk Silk Therapy Leave-in Conditioner (when I said baby hair, it tangles like baby hair too). This hair product gives INCREDIBLE shine and doesn’t weigh down my (naturally lifeless) hair. Tell me about your favorite hair styling brands in the comments — and don’t forget to enter the Folica.com contest to win a $300 credit!

Disclosure:. As part of the Single Edition network, I was selected to review Folica.com and highlight their services. Although they are a sponsor of this post, all thoughts and opinions herein are my own. See my disclosure page for more info.