Tip Tuesday!

Another week has started but on the bright side, we are another week closer to the end of the semester! 

"Yay!" - from all the college kids who know what I'm talking about! Haha!

As we near the end of the semester, things get a little crazy. Finals close in and it seems all professors want to do is load you down with stress inducing assignments one right after another. 

Well, all that craziness and stress can lead to some serious skin issues. 

Let's face it, as we get busier we also get lazier and our skin seriously suffers for it...

let's not even get started on the issue of stress break outs (ugh! Those are the worst!). 

Well, for this edition of Tip Tuesday I have some of my quick and easy tips to keeping up with your skincare routine even in your most busiest of moments.

1.) Never sleep with your makeup on!

We have all been guilty of this...at least once, and if you say no you're either forgetting about a time or lying!

I have a serious issue with washing my face, mostly because I treat it like a chore and if I don't do it when I'm in the shower it's most likely not going to get done. To solve this issue I stick cleansing wipes by my bedside. That's right folks, I take my makeup off without ever leaving my bed.
That has got to be the epitome of laziness but it gets the job done, somewhat. 

Now, I'm totally about to go against everything I said earlier and recommend that you do wash your face with a nice foaming cleansing (or whatever you prefer actually) most nights, but we've all got our vices and mine are lazy little face wipes. Haha

2.) Moisturize! Moisturize! Moisturize!

If you checked out our Fresh Start Friday post from last week then you probably think I am preaching to the choir but I promise this step is crucial! Lathering on a quick dab of moisturizer, no matter your skin type, is going to be beneficial to your skin.
Be sure to play around though and find the right match for your skin type, i.e. oily skin types should stay away from oil based moisturizers while dry types might want to stick to rich creams. 

Also, with the winter cold comes drying winds and even drier indoor heat so for quick moisturizing results dab on your moisturizer of choice right after you've washed your face, or wiped it down like me, and treat it like an overnight treatment for your face before you head to bed. 

I hope you've enjoyed that run down of tips this week, I'm working on a huge research paper for my World Mythology class (it's that time of year again!) and had to make this one quick. 

until next time, lovelies

xo

aFm  

PS: to make up for my quickly thrown together post here's a little inspiration from the birthday boy, Mr. Ryan Gosling! xo

Fresh Start Friday: Fall & Winter Essentials

So, it is finally feeling like fall...for the time being! 

Welcome to the South, where the weather is just as temperamental and stubborn as the people are! Ha!

Still, if this weather is going to stick around for a while we need to be prepared! That's why we're starting off our first monthly Fresh Start Friday with a look at all of the fall & winter essentials you will need as we head into this fresh season!

Sweater Weather

One of the reasons I love fall is because it is the perfect time to wear my favorite items of clothing. I am a self-proclaimed sweater-holic! I think there is nothing comfier than a nice sweater, from cable-knit to embellishments, I am a lover of all things sweater related!

You can't go wrong with a good cardigan/scarf combo and nothing dresses up an outfit more this season than a touch of metallic. 

This #ootd features one of my favorite cardigans from Liz Claiborne (it's so thick and cozy!), this mega infinity scarf with gold paint splatter (I'm pretty sure it's from Charlotte Russe, but don't hold me to that! lol) 

and of course it wouldn't be a perfect #ootd without my trusty leopard print flats from Target!

This outfit is perfectly transitional from fall to winter too, just swap the flats for some riding boots, give the scarf another loop around the neck and you've got a great outfit to get you from your dorm room to your classroom in a pinch.

Moisturize, Moisturize, Moisturize

One of the unfortunate downfalls of this chilly season is the drying effects of the blistering cold on your face, skin, lips, and even hair. I live by the mantra of moisturize, moisturize, moisturize! Even if you have oily skin, it's beneficial to your skin to stay hydrated during this time of the year (I suggest an oil-free or gel moisturizer, stay far away from the argan oil coming up though!)

These are a few of my favorite hydrating products to take you from those autumn winds into the freezing cold of winter without a hitch. 

• I absolutely adore this rose salve from CO Bigelow! I picked up this Lilly Pulitzer-esque canister from Bath & Body Works this summer. It looks like plain 'ole lip balm but it's actually an all-purpose salve with rose extract that can be applied to the lips, cuticles, elbows, knees, and according to the back of the package even the face...but I'm thinking you'd have to have some serious dry patches to use it on your face. This is like my 3rd canister of this and I am addicted to the amazing rose scent! It's a part of my nightly skincare routine and goes on my lips religiously before bed...and here's a secret for you, I put it on my eyelashes before bedtime too! I'm not sure if it really works but I feel like my eyelashes are just healthier because of it. 
• I mentioned this Pond's Crema S Nourishing Moisturizing Cream in a previous What We Love Wednesday post and what I said then still holds true. This stuff is some serious kick-butt moisturizer. It's a thick cream that allows you to adjust the amount compared to the amount of moisture you need. It's also got a really great scent, definitely a must buy!
• I received the Origins GinZing Refreshing eye cream as a part of my Sephora Favorites Super Star package (check back for an upcoming post all about it's awesome-ness!) and I must say it was probably worth the price of the whole box just for this one little tub, it's that great! The cream looks like a sparkly pink eye cream, which is really pretty but also kind of sketchy as far as eye creams go. While the smell's not the best, but nothing to fuss about, this cream packs a powerful punch! I've had a huge issue with puffiness and dark circles lately, (and with finals coming up very soon, that's bound to be a bigger issue soon) so I was really excited after hearing the promise of this eye cream's ability to brighten and depuff. I've been using this after washing my face and prior to putting my makeup on for about a week and a half now and the results are mind blowing. No puffiness and very few dark shadows! My new favorite from the Sephora Favorites, for sure!
• Also from the Sephora Favorites, I was super excited to try out the Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil because I have been obsessed with products featuring argan oil so what could be better than the real thing? Well, nothing because this stuff is amazing! It's super versatile and super healing. I've used this on just about everything. It was perfect to add a little shine to my legs in my Halloween costume (I went as a Great Gatsby flapper girl!), great on split-ins as an overnight treatment, and even worked as a deep moisturizer after my microdermabrasion! I have combo skin so I really don't think it's recommended for oily skin but I was in need of some serious hydration and this worked perfectly!

A Touch of Home

When the weather gets chilly and the days get shorter I get a little homesick and there's nothing better to get you through those days than a cozy room and a warm cup of tea, in my opinion. I love this mulled cider candle I picked up for a dollar from Walmart and think it just makes the whole room smell like home. This Chai Tea from Celestial Seasonings combined my favorite soothing flavors with honey and vanilla spices in this amazingly warming white tea.  

I hope you guys have enjoyed checking out some of my Fall & Winter Essentials and find that you want to give some of the products mentioned a try!

until next time, lovelies

xo

aFm