When I was on vacation, I got quite a bit of sun—even through my SPF 50. Now that I’m back in the frozen tundra I actually call home, I’m all about keeping my post-vacation glow. But I’m not down with premature aging, the risks of skin cancer or that beef jerky look women in their 60s develop after a lifetime of tanning. That said, I won’t be lying under any sort of bulbs. Instead, I’ll be using a great line of sunless tanning products I recently discovered.

Beautisol makes a line of self-tanning products that keep you tan all year long—without any of the risks of being in the sun. My favorite Beautisol product is the All Seasons Glow gradual to medium self-tanning lotion. This miracle tanner gave me the glow I needed to fit in down south. Plus, the gradual tanning lotion is something I can wear every day because it’s lightweight, moisturizing and (the best news of all) it doesn’t smell (I’m serious). It actually smells like flowers. Quite pleasant, really.

Beautisol also makes a ton of other terrific tanning products, including a dark self-tanning lotion, exfoliators to prep your skin for the perfect tan and kits that contain everything you need. (As a side note, Beautisol’s wedding packages are fantastic. It’s safe tanning for the bride and bridesmaids.) Check out their entire line here.

To help you gear up for summer, Beautisol is offering Pretty and Poor readers a special deal (because you are, after all, very special ladies…and gentlemen)! When you place an order on the Beautisol website, you can get a FREE back applicator! Perfect for ensuring your tan looks natural and even.

To get your FREE back applicator, put the back applicator in your cart along with your self-tanner choice, then apply the following code when you check out: PPBACKAP

Let me break that down for you.

Step 1: Head to the Beautisol website.

Step 2: Select the sunless tanner that works best for you (I highly recommend the All Season Glow gradual to medium self-tanning lotion). Also add the back applicator to your cart.

Step 3: Go to your shopping bag, enter your information and on the right side, enter the promotion code PPBACKAP.

Step 4: Complete your order. The back applicator will be FREE with the promo code!

Step 5: Receive your lotion and FREE back applicator, then use them to get that bronze goddess glow!

Go get that healthy, hot summer tan now! And let me know what you think of Beautisol. Happy tanning!

I love when I read some fashion websites that report on trends and I see something like, “Hot Pants are a Do.” Here’s the thing. For 99% of the population, hot pants are actually a big, blatant don’t. This is for various reasons, some of which include cellulite, workplace dress codes and a little thing called dignity. So here’s three of my favorite spring and summer trends that you can incorporate into your wardrobe right now (without pretending that your underwear actually looks adorable with a belt and flats).

1. Sassy Skirts
Skirts are a big deal right now—but forget loose, flowy and long. The look of the moment is a shorter, sassier silhouette. You can achieve this trend-worthy look in a couple of different ways. First, skirts with a higher, banded waist are a real hot item right now. (Think about the sequence skirt that I posted myself wearing a couple weeks ago.) And if you’re not down with a banded skirt—because I’ll admit, sometimes they can be a tricky look to pull off—then stick to a skirt with a straighter silhouette. Embellishments are big this season. So opt for a skirt with some sass: sequins, floral prints, ruffles and patterns are the way to go.

Check out ShopBop.Com for the skirts pictured here and hundreds of other sassy options.

2. Nice Neutrals
Nudes, grays, khakis and light colors are really big right now! Douse yourself in neutrals this season to let everyone know you’re serious about style. You could combine two hot trends and get a neutral colored skirt or opt for a top or dress of a lighter hue.

The neutrals pictured above are from Banana Republic. They have a great selection of the seasons hottest hues (or lack thereof). Club Monaco also has a fantastic selection of neutrals right now!

3. Devilish Dresses
One thing that will be hot for spring and summer are dresses that are a little bit bad-girl. The bandage dress will be big, as will dresses with cut out shapes and embellishments like zippers! Make a few jaws drop.

The dresses pictured here are from Bloomingdales—they have an awesome variety of this seasons smokin’ hot frocks!

So, without telling you how you can make hot pants work for you (because they won’t), I’ve given you three great trends that you can rock right now! Get out there and shop!

It should be no surprise to you that I recently bought Lady Gaga’s Viva Glam lip color from MAC. I mean, I reference Gaga often. I just bought tickets to her upcoming show. Six of my “Top 25 Most Played” songs on my iTunes are Lady Gaga. Oh, and there was that one time I dressed up as her for Halloween. So when I headed to MAC to buy a foundation this week, you can imagine the delight I experienced when I saw pictures of Gaga hanging everywhere—and to top it off, they were playing her songs!

So, naturally, I bought my foundation as well as the color Miss Gaga is endorsing for MAC’s current Viva Glam campaign. It’s called Viva Glam Gaga and it’s a real beauty—a light, matte pink that only someone as bold as Gaga (or me) could rock! And the best part about my purchase was that 100% of the proceeds from the Viva Glam color go to the MAC Aids fund to help find a cure for Aids. And if you buy two lip colors, it’s technically a tax write-off. I’m not saying, I’m just saying. Lipstick? Lady Gaga? Helping find a cure for Aids? Getting a tax write-off for giving back to charity?

That sounds like a win-win-win-win-win situation to me. To get your own tube (or two, or seven) click here.

I'm not gonna' lie, if I had these unbelievably chic Chanel skis (or even a Chanel snowboard) I would be the ultimate snow bunny! Would you rock these on the slopes? Aside from the fact that they're Chanel (duh) they are amazingly sleek and minimalist! Sign me up.

Chanel Skis? Now that's money.

It probably doesn’t surprise you that I love pink. Especially hot pink. In fact, a couple weeks ago when I had a record amount of traffic to my website, I demanded that a bartender make me hot pink shots out at a bar. It was a challenge, but luckily this particular bartender rose to the occasion and made me a host of tasty, vibrant pink shots. Click here to see the shots on the Pretty & Poor Facebook Fans Page.

So when I saw that Club Monaco was playing up pink hues in the best way this January, I just had to share! Check out these adorable outfits from one of my favorite stores. Then, think about how you can take the pink plunge yourself.

I love the slouchiness of this hot pink sweater, especially paired with layered jewelry. It’s modern elegance with a pop of pizzazz. Plus, you could easily substitute the skirt for a great pair of jeans for an easy-going, weekend look that’s luxurious.

If you’ve been looking for a way to embrace leggings, look no further than this perfectly proportioned (and pink) shirt from Club Monaco. Belt it, bling it and pair it with leggings and you’ve got the look down.

So paint the town pink! Hot, vibrant, electrifying pink! You’ll be a little bit prettier, a smidge poorer and whole lot pinker!

It’s rare that I discover a miracle product (or maybe I just don’t like to tell all my secrets). That’s because I believe that most beauty comes from confidence and an inner energy that some possess (it’s true…just take a look at some of the “beautiful people” you know). But occasionally, I discover a product that makes me believe in all things superficial. My latest obsession is Lorac TANtalizer Body Bronzing Luminizer. It. Is. Simply. Amazing. It completely changed my beliefs about body shimmer lotions and bronzers. When I rub down in this silky-smooth serum, I instantly look tanned, toned and (yes) like a celebrity.

My boss has been recommending this product for months now and I’ve been reluctant to try it because there’s really no use in trying to fake a tan during Minnesota Januarys. But during the weekend I broke down, went to Sephora and shelled out $30 for a bottle of this bronzy goodness. Good call. Before heading out on Saturday night I rubbed it on my arms and chest. I was surprised by how well it blended into my skin without streaking or smuding. Plus, it barely took a smidge! At this rate, the PPW on the Lorac TANtalizer would be much much cheaper than trips to the tanning salon (and a lot healthier). And when I’d finished rubbing this all over the top half of my body, I couldn’t stop myself—I did my legs (even though I’d be wearing tights) and my stomach (even though I wasn’t necessarily flaunting that) and the results were just as pleasing. And the semi-sparkly color didn’t rub off throughout the night or in bed. It stayed right where it belonged—on me.

So whether I’m pasty (like I am right now) or have a sun-kissed glow (like I normally have in the summer) this product will make my skin look ravishing and, to be honest, quite tantalizing. I’ve never been able to fake an instant, glowing tan so well. And with the TANtalizer in my beauty arsenal, I don’t think I’ll ever need to.

Click here to get your own bottle or stop by your local Sephora. And remember. It’s rare that I share a beauty secret this good—so consider yourself lucky.

My black riding boots have saved my life on more than one occasion this winter. These suckers are the perfect alternative to snow boots in cold, slushy weather. They’re sleek and stylish without being awful and ugly. They protect my feet, keep my legs warm and look good with a host of skirts and pants. I’ve had mine for about three years and I’ve definitely got my PPW out of them. If you don’t have a pair, I’d make an investment now.

These Frye riding boots are an “investment” to say the least. At around $400, they have the large price tag. But if you’re familiar with Frye, you know you’ll have these boots for years. The quality is high…and so is the style. When looking for a riding boot, look for one cut like this with rounded toes and with delicate hardware.

At about half the price, these Franco Sarto boots are sleek and fashionable with a hint of practicality. They’d look great pair with a pencil skirt, or over a hit pair of skinny jeans.

Last week, I wore my black riding boots with a couple things. My favorite outfit was when I paired them with a black pencil skirt, black v-neck sweater and chunky pearls. Someone described it as “emo chic,” while another described it as “preppy goth.” I would have described it as, “cute.” So go out and find some riding boots. And don’t be afraid if they make your feet look long and skinny when you slip them on—my feet look gargantuan in my riding boots. But the good news is, no one really notices.

The weekend always reminds me of martinis. After all, that is my drink of choice this year. Last year was the year of the greyhound. This year, it’s the dirty martini. My friends say I make a pretty mean dirty martini—and I guess I’ve become the go-to girl for a good dirty. So how do I make the perfect dirty martini?

(Seriously, the flowers are great...but the martini makes the night!)

The Nine Step Martini (because ten steps would have been one too many)

Step 1: Cut a whole in the box. Just kidding. Start with good olive juice. (Every time I hear the words “olive juice” I flash back to sixth grade when my friends and I would look at people and mouth the words “olive juice” in a seductive manner. Try it. Looks just like “I love you.”) The best olive juice, and my personal favorite is called Dirty Sue. If you try to use the stuff from the jar, you’ll only wound up with an inconsistent, disappointing martini. And since olive juice is the key element to a dirty martini, you don’t want to shortchange yourself. Dirty Sue makes a perfectly proportioned dirty martini any time. Click here to order yourself a couple bottles online. This is all I use these days.

Step 2: Pick your favorite vodka. You know my thoughts on this: I’m a Ketel One girl through and through.

Step 3: Grab a shaker. You’ll need a shaker to get your martini cold and properly mixed.

Step 4: Ice ice baby. Throw some ice in that shaker. The more the merrier.

Step 5: Add two shots of vodka for every one shot of olive juice. Put this carefully measured ratio into the shaker with your ice. If you want, you can add a splash (and when I say splash, I mean just a smidge) of vermouth. But this totally isn’t necessary. It’s just if you want a little something extra.

Step 6: Shake it up! Make sure you put the lid on your shaker first, then let the moving begin. I suggest turning on a sweet techno beat to help you get into the grove. Shake it up for approximately 20-30 seconds.

Step 7: Olive time. Get two olives, thread them on a decorative drink sword (a toothpick will work, too) and place them into a nice martini glass.

Step 8: Pour it in the glass. Open your shaker so that the martini concoction will pour through the shaker, then tilt and pour into the glass. When it’s almost full, stop. You won’t want any spillage running out of those sometimes tough-to-control martini glasses.

Step 9: Lift, drink and love. Enjoy your martini by slowly sipping the salty, sophisticated mixture. Eat one olive when you’re halfway through your beverage and the last olive with your last drink.

And who says talking dirty can't be fun?