I dread sunburns and here are ten reasons why they make me nervous.

1. Splotchy Burns

I’m double jointed and don’t like to be touched, which translates to: “I can totally reach all the spots on my back by myself!” Sometimes I can, but mostly I can’t. This has resulted in some pretty ridiculous splotchy burns. Nothing says, “I’m an idiot,” like a giant white handprint in the middle of a burnt back.

2. Sunscreen Expires

I learned this lesson the hard way. In Australia, where there’s basically no ozone layer. I had been warned about the powerful Aussie UV rays, so I packed all the SPF I had in the States and brought it with me Down Under. During my first beach day abroad, I was paranoid and reapplied every half hour. I was so careful not to get burnt. Then, when I got back to my apartment, I was a tomato. I had no idea that SPF could expire! Even now, I worry that I’ll somehow end up with a bad batch and wind up medium-rare.

3. Overcast

Up to 80% of the sun’s UV rays can pass through clouds. So, unless I become one of those people who applies a full coating of Banana Boat every day (those people are going to look way better than me at 80), I constantly run the risk of getting sunshineburnt on even the cloudiest and coolest of days.

4. Forgetting To Put Sunscreen In Random Places

One time, during a middle school soccer tournament, I burnt my scalp. My hair was in two french braids and while my parents forced me to rigorously apply sunscreen everywhere else, no one thought about protecting my part. It got fried and for a week I cried any time a brush came within five feet of my head.

5. Sunstroke

Sunstroke, for those of you who are fortunately unfamiliar, is when your body overheats in the sun, can’t cool itself down and basically starts to shut down. Symptoms include dizziness, headache and weakness. For me, sunburn and sunstroke go hand in hand. If I get burnt, I’m pretty much out of commission for at least a day with an awful headache and exhaustion. It’s super fun!

6. Peeling

Our skin isn’t supposed to peel off in a full sheets like a snake’s. It’s just not right and it’s gross.

7. Having To Wear Normal Clothes

There’s nothing quite like the pure discomfort of putting on a bra after burning the crap out of your shoulders. Oh wait, I just remembered the time I burnt the tops of my feet how awful it was to wear any kind of shoes for a week. Brutal.

8. Wrinkles

I’m all for aging gracefully, but it seems silly to speed up the process with sun damage. I know women in their 30s who spent their 20s in tanning beds and are now aging like they’re in their 40s. It’s not healthy and in the long run, a little tan just isn’t worth it. Speaking of things not being worth it…

9. Melanoma

UV radiation can damage skin cells, which can lead to mutations, which can cause skin cancer or melanoma, which can lead to death. So… that’s pretty terrifying.

10. Having To Wear My Burn Like A Badge of Stupidity

Having a visible sunburn is just like The Scarlet Letter, except instead of wearing a scarlet letter to alert the townsfolk of your adultery, you wear your scarlet skin to alert the them of your stupidity. When you’re burnt to a crisp and your skin is on fire, nothing is more obnoxious than some jerk staring at you and saying, “Somebody’s been in the sun.”

Featured image via ShutterStock

The post 10 Reasons Sunburns Make Me Nervous appeared first on HelloGiggles.

For this weeks post I decided to create a twist on a vegan cream cheese… Vegan Blueberry Fruit Dip. This dip is easy to make and perfect for summer.

Blueberry Fruit Dip
by Laura Friendly
Start to Finish: 20 minutes
Makes: about 2 cups

• 1 pint blueberries, rinsed
• 3 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 cup raw cashews (soaked overnight, drained)
• 1/2 cup plain soy yogurt
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (more or less to taste)
• 1 to 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp salt

1. In a small nonstick saucepan add blueberries and maple syrup. Simmer over medium heat for about 5 to 7 minutes, until the blueberries begin to break down. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
2. In a food processor, add the cooked blueberries, cashews, yogurt, lemon juice, vinegar and salt. Blend until the mixture is very smooth.
3. Season with additional maple syrup if desired. Transfer into an airtight container and keep refrigerated.

For more vegan desserts, try my:

• Hibiscus Ice Cream
• Jasmine Lavender Ice Cream

All Images & Content are by Laura Friendly. This post is written and based on my personal experience and opinion on food. The information is not intended to replace professional medical counsel. Always seek the advice of your physician if you have a food allergy. And don’t forget to smile!

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You are actually offended when one of your friends doesn’t know what happened on Glee last night.

Except this general annoyance with the entertainment oblivious isn’t limited to Glee or those people lucky enough to call you their friend. It is pretty much an unwritten rule that you expect anyone with a pulse that comes in contact with you to know who got voted off what shows, laugh when you quote that hilarious joke from Modern Family and completely understand when you parallel your latest relationship to something that happened with Nick and Jess or Jim and Pam. You can also name more members of the Kardashian Klan than former presidents and have voted for more contestants on The Voice than you have for political candidates over the years. Needless to say, your reality television line-up takes commitment (especially after squeezing The Rachel Zoe Project back into the schedule) and you even became borderline concerned when you added Married To Jonas and What Would Ryan Lochte Do? to your repertoire. We all understand a little old school Jonas Brothers allegiance, but Mr. Lochte is the trainwreck you just can’t turn away from. Thank god for DVR or it would be impossible to keep up.

You consider E! News the real news and you get all other ancillary information required for adult conversation from twitter or The Today Show, to which you show favoritism mainly because you love the fourth hour with Hoda and Kathie Lee.

You also consider the E! Red Carpet Series to be investigative journalism at its finest. In all reality, 95% of the accounts you follow on social media are some extension of the television shows you watch, celebrities you feel you relate to or endless magazine subscriptions you insist on keeping; your coffee table is beginning to resemble the waiting room in a doctor’s office. You do follow the traditional news outlets though. After all, they are always the first to report on the happenings at The White House and Beyoncé has been known to sing there!

Your vanity, closet and cupboards are filled with brands built up by Hollywood’s Hot 100.

Seriously, you are the reason that marketers spend billions of dollars every year on famous representation. Shampoo? L’Oreal, duh! Lea Michele easily convinced you that you could have hair like hers. Your water is probably of the smart variety (who doesn’t want their H20 to make them look like Jennifer Aniston), Pepsi and Coke are in a major battle for your purchase with Queen B and Taylor Swift in their respective corner’s and you recently bought a pair (maybe a couple pairs) of Keds, a shoe you haven’t looked twice at since second grade, all because of Miss Swift’s glowing recommendation. This is just the tip of the Hollywood heist over our everyday consumables, but it is safe to say that if it is celebrity endorsed, you are a sucker for testing it out at least once.

Harry Potter. Twilight. The Hunger Games. If there was a book series turned big time box office hit in the last ten years you have been sucked in and it has legitimately affected your life.

You read all the books so quickly and intently that you often turned down all social interaction until you were done. You saw every movie at least once and waited in line for the midnight showing of said films more times than you care to admit. Lastly, you have fully committed to a “house,” a “team” or a “district” and have not been afraid to show it (just admit it, you own or have considered making one of those t-shirts). In fact, it may be difficult for you to think of the last book you read that did not result in the newest set of young Hollywood starlets being born.

You are currently sporting a hairstyle inspired by a sitcom star.

This is also probably not a new thing for you. For a good part of the early 2000s your hair style changed with each passing season of Friends. Your locks were long and flat ironed into submission before you sported the severe angled bob but, no matter the styling, your look was always referred to as “The Rachel.” Nowadays, you may be rocking heavy, jet black bangs, the unmistakable copycat of our very own Zooey Deschanel, or perhaps the extremist in you followed Miley down the rabbit hole, cutting off all your hair to rock the bleach blonde rebel look. Whether you’ve revived those angular locks thanks to Guiliana Rancic’s latest cut or tested the color spectrum in the name of Emma Stone, you never head to the salon without a readily accessible photo of your latest Hollywood hair icon. Hey, inspiration has to come from somewhere and when you look back 20 years from now, you can blame anything gone awry on pop culture.

You have become quite the philanthropist and social pioneer.

Pop culture isn’t all vanity and entertainment, right?! There are a great deal of cultural phenomenons that don’t involve a reality television series, but rather highlight celebrities using their star power to make positive social change. Your obsessions with pop culture have led to your belief in and support of marriage equality through organizations like NOH8 and The Ally Coalition, commitment to cancer research through Stand Up To Cancer and St. Jude’s Hospital campaigns and active backing of anti-bullying through It Gets Better and Stand Together. For that, I say you rock on with your pop culture loving self.

If there was a seventh sign, it would be that you bothered to read this article at all, solely on the basis that the words “pop culture” appeared in the title. You also probably spend hours on this very site because you so easily get sucked in (don’t we all!), resulting in a time warp of article after related article more difficult to tear yourself away from than a Sunday afternoon marathon of The Hills on MTV. It’s okay though, we here at HelloGiggles are particularly thankful that you love all things pop culture because we obviously like to consider ourselves experts in the area as well. So, you have a very strict morning routine that consists of hitting the snooze once and then immediately checking your Twitter, email, Facebook, tumblr and Instagram… in that exact order? It’s completely understandable; a great deal of things have been known to happen overnight! Ladies, I say keep on keepin’ on, soak it all in and long may you reign as pop culture queen! Perhaps we should all just make it a point to turn on a little nightly news once in a while; you know, for good measure.

What are your favorite pop culture obsessions of the moment? I want to know! I can’t find myself missing out on anything important and it isn’t possible to cover everything in one article so, go ahead…hit me with some culture!

Feature Images via the best of pop culture…here, here, here, here, here, here and here!

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So with all of that said, this report had such a happy ending, I had to share it.

*If you can, please consider helping the survivors. HERE is a list of options that accepting donations and a few other ways you can help.

The post Tornado Survivor Finds Dog During TV Interview appeared first on HelloGiggles.

Thanks to the shopping themed board game, I grew up thinking, “clearance” or “sale” meant “spend all your money or else you’ll lose!” Which is the only way I can explain my growing collection of skinny jeans (they were ALL on sale!).

As I scroll through my bank statements, I see a pattern: I blow a lot of money on really silly things. Silly things that can best be categorized as the Seven Deadly Shopping Sins.

Here’s what I “sinfully” waste money on and solutions on how I (and maybe you, if you can relate) can save and be saved (which I know I will fail to follow).

1. Lust – Lattes

Problem: Nothing says “I have my life together” like a tasteful Instragram of a heart-shaped latte. Or for extra points – latte art (pictured). But then you become addicted. You long for it. You HAVE to have the frothy milk, bitter espresso and the Instagram-worthy design. Black coffee is so blah in comparison. Only problem: heart shaped lattes are pretty expensive and can run about $6 a pop. If you have an addictive personality, like myself, soon you will find yourself spending upwards of $38.43 on lattes a week. Thanks a latte, latte.

Solution: Um. Get a coffeemaker for $20 and spend about $5 on coffee a week, Princess.

2. Gluttony – Whole Foods

Problem: I cannot walk into a Whole Foods without dropping at least $37.65. I over indulge, I binge. If this were for a week’s worth of groceries, then yes, this would be normal. But nope, it’s usually just for dinner… for one. And this happens maybe three to four times a week. Granted, my dinner is typically assorted sushi, coconut water, edamame and a mini bottle of wine (because I feel less bad about drinking a mini bottle than a full one) and maybe a pint of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, which is now $5.34 a pint. #SingleAndLovingIt

Solution: Learn self control in the grocery store. Or, I dunno… cook at home!

3. Greed – Juice

Problem: Pressed Juicery is my kryptonite. There was a point when I was commuting from Santa Monica (okay, West LA, but I say Santa Monica because it sounds classier) to Hollywood for work, and the only thing that saved my sanity was stopping by a Pressed Juicery on the way. I needed it. I had to have it! All of it!!! If a juice is $7, it must be life changing (and it is). But I was spending about $35.17 on juice a week, which is a little cray?

Solution: Get a big thing of juice at the grocery store (not Whole Foods) and take it to go.

4. Sloth – Valet

Problem: Parking in LA sucks. But most of the time, if you look (or put in some effort), you can park for free. Due to my laziness and terrible parking skills, I usually valet, because “Who needs to learn to parallel park when everywhere you go has valet??” (SO true, Cher, so true). If you valet almost everywhere you go, this adds up, as valet can cost anywhere from $5 – $10.

Solution: Only valet when street parking is definitely not an option.

5. Wrath – Drinks

Problem: I’m Italian. So sometimes I get angry. Rather than taking out my aggression Jersey Shore style, I’ll go to my local watering hole and have a (few) drink(s). Only problem: most drinks in West Hollywood are anywhere between $10-20 a glass. And this can add up.

Solution: Drink at home? Or maybe find a healthy way to take out my anger, like boxing or just running it out at the gym.

6. Envy – Manicures

Problem: I have nail envy. I see a pretty manicure and I wish it was mine. I get jealous. Only issue: manicures are pretty expensive and can add up. There was a point in my life where I was really lonely, and I would fill my empty Saturdays at the nail salon. I’d go every weekend because I had nothing better to do, and also because I hate the smell of nail polish remover. My manicurist, Kevin, would always ask me if I had a boyfriend, to which I’d respond. “Kevin, pretty sure if I had a boyfriend I’d be at brunch with him right now” (not sure how relationships work). Anyway, this weekly manicure/pedicure would put me out about $42.34 a week. Thank God this was before nail art, or I would really be broke.

The post The 7 Deadly Shopping Sins appeared first on HelloGiggles.

I was rather in the closet about this side of me till I met Vasu in college. We watched almost the same shows and went gaga over the same guys. Well we did have the odd fights, like she was a true Armaan supporter and the Purab loving me could not stand that (Jassi Jaisi Koi Nahin, anyone?). She was also stubbornly camp Edward and I was taken by Jacob (I try to block out my Twilight fan girl days. But this is just about television, I forget).

The first American TV series I saw was Friends, apart from Disney stuff (From Disney, Gordon from the Lizzie Maguire Show, Justin from Wizards of the Waverly Place). Friends didn’t really provide much fodder for “hot men”. None were as intellectually stimulating or so beautiful that you will forgive the character’s lack of intelligence. Then came Heroes, Grey’s Anatomy, House, Prison Break, Gossip Girl, Gilmore Girls, New Girl, 2 Broke Girls, Ally McBeal (I discovered it late in life), The Walking Dead, and very recently Being Human (the one from UK).

So here is the list and in no order of preference (it depends on what mood I am in):

Peter Petrelli (Heroes): I initially hated his floppy fringe that would get into his eye, but come season 2 and the new haircut, WOW! His quite resolve to do the right thing, fight to get out of the imposing shadow of his brother and mother and just his struggle to accept his power. There was some weird unresolved sexual tension between him and Claire, nothing happened there, as he was technically her uncle, but c’mon! Was it because they dated in real like? (I was very jealous of Hayden).

West (Heroes): He had a very small role, which is sad. But, wasn’t he oh-so-cute? Claire’s almost boyfriend. I was sad to see him go. I would have loved for him to take me to that beach.

Suresh (Heroes): Initially quiet scientist being pushed around by the company, but he later becomes quite the wannabe superhero. I would liked to see more of him.

Dr. Derek Shepherd (Grey’s Anatomy): I liked the initial years, especially when it was risky to date him as he was an attending, and all. I think I would love him in any role, him in Made of Honour, anyone? The silent, quiet conviction in his work and the whole “it is a great day to save lives people” gig worked like a charm. You should see my mother, apparently he is drool-worthy for all age-groups. The later years are very so-so. Not so impressive and well, just blah.

Dr. Alex Karev (Grey’s Anatomy): I didn’t like him much initially, when he was just an ass to everybody but when the whole Lizzie thing happened and we got to see a soft side, well… I still love him, even in the 9th season, I like how suddenly he is all vulnerable and you wonder where the tough Alex was.

(McSteamy never really features in my list, because I never thought I would be good enough for him. But he has his moments, especially with Lexi)

Dr. Gregory House (House M.D): How can you not love him? His humor, his love-hate relationship with Cuddy, his need to play a prank on everyone, need to know everything. I realize I may have listed a lot of not so desirable qualities, but they make him House. I like how he is so brusque with people, his inability to say emotional things and just well everything. I still hate my friend for running into him at a bookstore in Edinburgh.

Dr. Robert Chase (House M.D): He cuts it for me only a few of the times. Like when he is trying to woo Cameron and in the middle seasons. Otherwise he quite sidelined by House and Lawrence Kutner.

Dr. Lawrence Kutner (House M.D): I have forgotten most of the episodes he was in but I do remember gushing over him there.

Michael Scoffield (Prison Break): He has everything going for him, a brilliant job, that face with the long eyelashes and that amazing body, and he leaves it for an ingenious plan to get his brother out of jail and to get a bunch of pretty cool tattoos (okay, in the reverse order). His planning skills and just well everything about him is awesome. I also granted him a place on the word-art thing i made on my college wall.

Dan (Gossip Girl): I only liked him the first 2 or 3 seasons, when he was all I-am-above-all-of-this. He was so passionate about everything, his writing, his family and Serena, that you had to root for him. Then they ruined his character. But well, I am happy to block that.

Jess (Gilmore Girls): Milo Ventimiglia, yet again. But, who doesn’t like a boy whom your mother not really approves of and who reads and gets you and has that slight whiff of danger? I was very disappointed when Things didn’t work out between Rory and Jess. I kept imagining her running into him after she started working and well…

(I have also really liked Marty, he never really got a chance, huh? Got friend-zoned.)

Nick (New Girl): I mean c’mon. Any guy who looks like he needs some taking care of, get my vote. But you know, Nick is so weird and unapproachable and so freaked out all the time that your heart melts for him. When the kiss happened, I had goosebumps. I knew sex with him would have been good. (Just like I know Jess will also be incredible).

Johnny (2 Broke Girls): His hair, the smile, the awkward jokes, the glasses, he is just brilliant. His spontaneity is so remarkable. I miss him, a lot.

(I also thought that Caroline’s ex who comes into the diner in the first or the second episode and has that conversation with Max, also had a lot of potential, but we never got to see him after that.)

Larry Paul (Ally McBeal): His fast questions and his ability to just make Ally shut up (those who have seen the show, know that it is a desirable quality) and well just him. The fast pace of their relationship, the guy who you know is perfect for her, and their exchanges and those with his son are just so, so… you know.. humane? I was sad that he had to leave, he was just perfect.

(The coffee chain owner and the judge, whom Ally rejects because she can’t accept him being bisexual was also really up there. Too bad she lost out on him. And because of her, so did we. Ally, you suck for that.)

Daryl (The Walking Dead): Who doesn’t like a guy who doesn’t talk much, tries to act like he is all macho and can take care of himself, but is actually rather emotional on the inside? his exchanges with Carol and with Merle really provide a depth to his character, which could have just been written off as the muscle guy of the group.

Mitchell (Being Human, UK): That black hair and that face which has so much raw emotion in it. Sigh! He is the cool, badass vampire. He is my most recent day-dream guy so I my thoughts get really mangles up when I think about him. But you know, with a Brit accent, who can ignore him?

My list also includes Eli from Lie to Me and Nick from White Collar, but I haven’t seen enough of these shows to really get to know them. Eli was removed way too soon, we could have had some great moments.

This list does not include Supernatural or Vampire Diaries. I don’t watch the shows, and don’t think I will.

You can read more from Shreya Sridhar on her blog.

The post Male Television Characters Who Have Made An Appearance In My Day Dreams appeared first on HelloGiggles.

Let’s face it: nothing beats the summer heat better than a little summer hook-up. We at Stacey Helps know that a good summer fling can cure just about anything, so we are here for you and your loins this week. We are going to give you all the best tips to ensure that you get lucky this summer. So grab your Chapstick and let’s start smooching. Also…wear sunscreen.

The post Stacey Helps: Summer Hook-Ups appeared first on HelloGiggles.

For more Nail Art inspiration, or to chat with us about your favorites, check out our Nail Art space on MightyBell.com!

HelloGiggles loves seeing your creative nail designs. From glitter and lace to cartoon and holiday homages, we appreciate a bomb manicure when we see it. Please send a photo of your fancy fingertips to info@hellogiggles.com with the subject line “Nails of the Day,” and we may feature you here!

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