Blog Posts by BeautyRiot Diva

I don't care what all of you "It's a Hallmark holiday" people have to say: I love Valentine's Day.

I love that my boyfriend "surprises" me with a dozen red roses and a nice gift (he's a keeper -- I once received one of these worst Valentine's Day gifts ever.) I love that I get to indulge in chocolate guilt-free all day long. And I love dressing up.

This year, I hit the jackpot of inspired outfit ideas with this photo gallery of fashion bloggers' Valentine's Day looks. Something like this is perfect if you've got a date lined up, and this dress will score you all kinds of compliments if you're going out with the girls. Planning to hit the couch and re-watch "The Bachelor" episodes you've got stashed on your DVR (and yes, that was me just a couple years ago)? This great lounge-around outfit will make you feel cute.

If you haven't decided how you're going to spend the 14th yet, that's okay -- just be sure to read this now so you've got options when the time comes. I've

OK, I'll admit it. I give people crap for wearing scrunchies (who else thinks they're completely ridiculous-looking?!). But now I've got a little '90s confession of my own:

I'm obsessed with mood rings.

All of my friends make fun of me, and I know what they're getting at. Who wears a mood ring as a 20-something year old? But I can't help it -- I love it. I got my first one back in 1995, and it's been one of my favorite accessories since then -- even out of this bunch. Every time it wears out, I go and buy a new one, which isn't too easy since they hit their peek over 10 years ago. My current ring is fun, oversized, and never the same color. It's like having multiple accessories in one. What more could a girl ask for?

Related link: Quiz: What Fashion Accessory Are You?

I know tons of people mock old-school accessories, but I say ... if you love it, wear it! And while only a few things from the '80s can be called "fashionable" (check out these horrible fashion looks to see what I mean

[Editor's note: Meet Claire, a young woman who struggles with cystic acne. When we offered her the chance to work with a famous dermatologist to try and help her skin issue, she jumped at the opportunity. For the next three months, we followed her around to get her story and see if the treatments worked. Keep reading to find out more.]

Do you know what it's like to look in the mirror and hate what you see? I do. I have cystic acne, which means my face is covered in painful pimples and inflamed cysts. Unfortunately, mirrors are everywhere. You can't avoid them. So every morning, when my bathroom mirror greets me, it takes all my willpower not to cancel my plans and crawl back into bed.

Related link: 13 Reasons You're Getting Zits

I've felt this way for as long as I can remember. In high school, nobody understood what it was like having bad acne. All of my girlfriends had clear skin, so it pissed me off when they whined about one tiny zit. Seriously?! Look. At. My. Face. You have

I'll never forget last year's Valentine's Day gift exchange with my boyfriend. I gave him his gift first -- a subscription to a beer of the month club -- and he loved it (of course). Then it was my turn. When I opened the box, I found a frilly pink lingerie outfit with a bottom that was two sizes too small and a top that was a cup size too big (click here to find out if you're wearing the wrong bra size).

I was mortified. When he asked if I liked it, I forced a smile and said, "Yes ... it's very ... romantic." I know he didn't mean to hurt my feelings, but in all honesty, I took it as a hint that I should ditch my usual cotton panties -- not to mention the sizing issues had me feeling a little, um, fat. I mean, I wanted to get him a nose hair trimmer after reading these guys' weird grooming habits, but at least I knew that wouldn't be right for V-day.

To help make myself feel a little better about what happened, I asked some

I love gold. I spray paint entire pieces of furniture gold. I collect gold shirts, skirts, shoes, and dresses. And of course, I only wear gold jewelry. So, you can imagine my excitement when this new metallic trend took off.

To help you get gold-inspired, here are my top five metallic loves that are trending right now:

No. 5: Chain Necklace

Talk about a statement piece! This gold chain necklace will definitely garner a lot of attention.

No. 4: Beaded Bracelet

This is gold gone casual. I love how easy and carefree this bracelet looks -- and I bet it's easy to recreate after a stop at the craft store. (Click here for more DIY accessory ideas.)

No. 3: Gold Pants

Proving that you can wear glittery, shimmery clothing beyond New Year's Eve. For more bright pant options, click here.

No. 2: Gold Eye Makeup

OK, so this girl has gorg eyes already, but you have to admit, the gold eye

The other day, I was playing the "favorite" game with my coworker, Jane. She quickly fired off her favorite movie ("13 Going on 30"), her favorite book ("Little Women"), and her favorite word (lackadaisical). But when it came to her favorite shoes? Well, that took a lot longer.

Related Link: Real Girls Wear: Colored Jeans

It wasn't because Jane doesn't care about shoes (she gets Zappos deliveries daily), but she had too many to choose from. Heels, flats, boots -- you name it, Jane has it. But she could only pick ONE pair (that's the rule!). Eventually, she settled on her black sparkly Toms because they "go with anything" and "they're super comfortable."

Related Link: Best Shoes for Your Body Type

This convo got us thinking about shoes, and the ones we love. (Carrie Bradshaw isn't the only woman who's infatuated with what's on her feet.) So, we reached out to our fave fashion bloggers and got them to tell us about their favorite shoes. Not only did we get some useful tips, but we also

It's about to get real up in here: I love popping pimples. There's nothing better than squeezing a zit and seeing all that white gunk come out. The best part? When it squirts and hits the mirror. TMI? Sorry.

Related link: 13 Reasons You're Getting Zits

I even pop my boyfriend's pimples for him (which he hates). I can't help it, it's so addicting. And he does this, which I think is way nastier. Besides, I would rather have my (and his) skin red and smooth, instead of covered in huge, white, pus-filled bumps.

Related link: Real Women Share Their Wacky Beauty Rituals

I know I shouldn't do it. It's the number one skin sin -- I get it. But, out of all of these tips to stay zit-free, the "hands off" policy is the only one I can't keep. But to be fair, it is possible to pop a pimple the right way. Just watch this video. Warning: it's pretty gross.

Now, I KNOW I'm not alone. So tell me: Do you get pleasure out of popping pimples? Even if you're not a compulsive pimple popper, do you do it?

I'm currently whitening my teeth. Right now. As I type this, I have Crest 3D White Whitestrips plastered to my chompers. Now, I've used whitestrips before, but this kit is marketed as "intensive," meaning I wear these strips two hours a day for seven days. And though I have noticed a huge difference (even after one day), there's a downside to this beauty treatment: It hurts.

It doesn't hurt in that sensitive gum way, but rather a full tooth hurt that leaves me scrambling for Ibuprofen at night. BUT, I continue to use the whitestrips everyday, because I want dazzling white teeth … and isn't beauty supposed to hurt a little? Plus, it's definitely not as gross or harmful as these beauty treatments from the past (animal fat for hair growth? Ick). For me the pain is worth the results.

Related Link: Readers Share Wacky Beauty Rituals

Now, I don't know if I would say that about other beauty treatments -- especially not this one -- but there are more than a few that are