As a reformed nail biter, I've come to not only understand the importance of keeping my fingers out of my mouth but also keeping my nail game tight. This is a monumental leap for me, as I've gone from little nubs on the ends of my fingers to only painting them beige to in-your-face gold zebra nails. And I did it all by myself!

I got some inspiration when Monica showed me the Valley NYC gallery, who are the best of the best when it comes to pro nails. These gold zebra nails caught my eye and I decided to try to recreate the look at home on the cheap.

WHAT TO BUY:
* Milani 3D Holographic Nail Laquer in 3D, $5
* Milani Nail Art Lacquer in Black Sketch, $4
* Seche Vite Top Coat, $8

HOW TO:
- Prep nails like you normally would. Remove old polish, file, clip cuticles, buff, and finished with a cuticle cream.
- Apply a base coat and let dry.
- Apply two coats of gold polish.

- To paint the stripes, start with one side of the nail and begin another pattern on the opposite side, working your way from the bottom up. The key to the stripes is to work from side to side. Also, don't be too precise as natural zebra patterns are rather haphazard.
- When dry, clean up the sides with a cotton swab dipped in polish remover.
- Apply a final top coat.

Then RAWR, all finished.

Midwesterners wait what seems like all year to get three solid months of beach, babes, bronzing (and booze). Don’t forget these beauty essentials for your trips to the sunny shores.

1. Redken Color Extend Sun Solar Screen SPF 12, $12;  2. Maui Babe Browning Lotion, $14 (Note: Always be careful when staying in the sun. This is a great lotion that really revs up your tan but make sure you’re familiar with your skin type and how much sun you can handle!); 3. LAVANILA Laboratories Pure Vanilla Healthy Lip Butter SPF 15, $16; 4. OPI Nail Polish in A Good Man-darin Is Hard To Find, $5; 5. Grand Floppy Hat, Forever 21, $7; 6. Marc Jacobs Splash in Apple, $68 for 10 oz.

As a die hard fan of the pin-up look, Beyonce's new video “Why Don’t You Love Me?” got my panties all up in a twist. If catty eyes and luscious lips are your thing, too, here are five products to bump up your bombshell quotient and get you Bey's Bettie Page-inspired look.

Once you have them all on, start dancing around in your undies and gardening in your heels to get the full effect. 

1. Benefit’s Babe Cake Eyeliner, $22 - Hands down, the BEST liner on the market for a precise cat eye.

2. Chanel Nouvelle Vague Nail Polish, $40 - A matte blue-green that will pop on every skin tone.  For a cheaper alternative, try China Glaze’s For Audrey, $6.

3. Maybelline Moisture Extreme Lipstick in Silver Plum, $5 - A pearlescent purple lip color that will compliment will perfectly compliment a pair of white sunnies.

4. Satin Side Bow Headband, $4 - Sweet yet seductive, every good pin-up needs her hair bow.

5.Remington Solutions Ionic Hot Rollers, $19 - The unsung hero of every great ‘do. 

Side note: I’m down with everything in this video except the smoking!  Get yourself some Nicoderm CQ and quit now!  Maybe THAT is why he doesn’t love you, B…

Spring is finally here! Flowers! Sunshine! Dudes! I’m not quite sure how it happens, but guys come out of the woodwork in spring. Cute ones are everywhere - winking at you in Border’s, smiling at you in Intelligentsia, offering to go down on you at Neo. Whatever you might be into, get your spring romance on with a touch of pink.

GET THE LOOK: 1. Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb Eau de Parfum, $115; 2. Essie Nail Polish in Pop Art Pink, $8; 3. MAC Lipglass in Cultureclash, $14; 4. Maybelline Expert Wear Eyeshadow Quad in Time For Wine, $5(Buy 1 Get 1 50% off!); 5. Manic Panic Semi-Permanent Hair Dye in Cotton Candy Pink, $10; 6. Forever 21 Large Floral Hair Clip, $2.80

Named after the Hollywood pin-up photos from the mid 1900’s, creator Claire Lyerla started her handmade, environmentally-friendly bath and body product line, Cheesecake Handmade Beauty, five years ago when she took a break from her undergraduate studies to enroll in cosmetology school.

The entire line, which includes bar soaps, salt and sugar scrubs, lip gloss, blended oils and dusting powder, is hand made in Lyerla’s studio in Ukrainian Village, using natural and organic materials that she purchases mostly from green online wholesalers. Why organic? “It’s simple,” says Lyerla, “Using natural ingredients that are good for the Earth are also good for you!”

Customers love the moisture-rich lip gloss pot, which comes in berry, peppermint and citrus flavors, and gets a natural tint from mica. Another best seller is the bar soap, made from various kinds of natural oils, available in honey oatmeal, mocha, and rosemary mint, to name a few. And let’s not forget the packaging - who can say no to bombshells? (It’s worked out pretty well for Benefit.)

Cheesecake recently launched Beefcake Handmade Grooming, their men’s line, which consists of hump-worthy scented bar soaps (basil lime, orange patchouli, and tea tree), moustache wax, and Dwight’s Balldusting Powder (available in grapefruit and basil lemon). Finally, grooming products for dudes in a language they can understand.

Cheesecake will be featured at local craft fairs this spring and summer and can be found at a handful of stores around the city, as well as online. The best part - the entire line ranges from only $7 to $12. As for navigating Chicago’s indie craft/beauty scene, Lyerla is perfectly at ease. “Chicago’s home. This is where I identify most closely.”