HEADBAND INSPIRED NAILS

A few days ago I was wondering how I should do my nails this time and instantly drew inspiration from my navy blue floral print Forever21 headband sitting by my hair brush. I thought it was a fun floral pattern that I could use as nail art so I just decided to go for it! The headband is a dark navy blue background with blue and pink flowers connected by various stems. There are even a few tiny yellow sunflower-type flowers in a few spots. Here's what I did to my nails: 

Super cute, if I do say so myself! =) I seriously couldn't stop looking at my nails once I had finished them! A few weeks ago I had actually thrown out the one bottle of navy blue nail polish I had ever owned so I had none to do this design (just when I needed it the most!) However, I had my bottle of Sally Hansen's Blue Me Away! so I mixed a pool of that with about half a teaspoon of black nail polish. I didn't actually measure how much black nail polish I used but I'm just trying to give you an idea of how I ended up with this shade of blue. I didn't want it to be super dark so I just stopped there and applied it to my nails. TBH, at first when I applied it, the color didn't seem to match the headband but I settled for it anyway. 

After my nails dried I took a nail art brush, dipped it in white nail polish, and started painting on all the flowers and their leaves and stems. Believe me, it DID NOT look anything like the headband at this point but just keep going! Like the other designs, the white nail polish helps to bring out the colors of the flowers. 

After the white nail polish dried completely I went over it with pinks, blues, and greens. The pink I used was Sally Hansen's Fuscia Power, The blue I used was from Kiss and is called Soft Blue while the green stems and leaves are a combination of Mint Apple and Innocent from Sinful Colors. I didn't mix the two together but rather I painted with Mint Apple first then used Innocent to highlight a few sides. If you look closely you might be able to see subtle splashes of yellow and white on the flowers. All I did was dip the brush in the white and yellow nail polishes separately and after wiping off the excess, very lightly stippled in the colors on some parts. The headband also had these colors and the Yellow I used is called Yellow from Kiss. 

For my accent nail I just used the black nail polish as a black background and made green dots on one side of the nail, nothing too fancy! I finished off everything with a top coat. 

Well, there you go! My headband inspired nails for the week! These are super cool and look very detailed but they are SO easy to create! Really cool for a summer or spring day! 

HOW TO SURVIVE ZUMBA CLASS

WHOO! I love zumba class! First semester of college I got the chance to join a Zumba Toning class and I went for it! So much fun! Awesome music and moves! Such a great workout! I guess I'm a fan of exercise in general but especially zumba! For people who are unsure of joining a zumba class or don't really find these classes fun, I share with you 5 tips on HOW TO SURVIVE ZUMBA CLASS!!!! <3 <3 <3 

1. GRAB A BUDDY! Everything's better with a friend! Bring one to your zumba class and you guys will have fun together! If you don't have a friend to go with then go to the class alone and make friends. When I joined my first zumba class my friends wanted nothing to do with zumba so I went by myself. My first day there I started randomly talking to a girl and now she's actually one of my closest friends! We went to the zumba class together every single week! It was so fun to have a friend to move to the beat with! 
2. MOVE TO THE MUSIC! Let loose! If you're too busy worrying about how you look while you dance or who's watching you dance you won't have much fun! Go wild and dance to the beat! I highly doubt that it's possible to overdo zumba! Really getting into the music and the moves not only helps you have more fun but you'll really work up a sweat and do great things for your body! 
3. HAVE A GOOD MEAL BEFOREHAND! Once I invited another new friend to zumba and although she was psyched to join she spent most of the class sitting out in the bathroom due to an upset stomach because she didn't eat breakfast beforehand =( Have a balanced meal - it'll give you the fuel you'll need to keep up with zumba so you can power through the entire class! 
4. WEAR COMFY SHOES! The first few zumba classes I went to my feet were killing me and it really took away from the experience! The discomfort made me just want to stop for a bit to shake it off even though the songs had infectious beats. The shoes I wore just weren't right for my feet, since I am flat-footed. After the first couple of classes I switched shoes and had a much better experience! Wear sneakers that really support your feet and that you can move continuously in for at least an hour. 
5. KEEP GOING BACK FOR MORE! Don't get discouraged if you can't get the hang of the moves the first class! Some routines can move really quickly and you may find yourself fumbling around at first, which really isn't fun. Keep going to the classes regularly because practice makes perfect and once you've got all the routines down, you won't wanna stop dancing! 

I hope these tips inspired you to try out a zumba class or any other fitness class you might be interested in! Put your heart to it and you'll have a fantastic time! 

CANDYLAND NAILS

These nails look good enough to eat, if I do say so myself! These Candyland nails are bright and fun and really easy to do, despite each nail having a different design! I really wanted to try out a candy themed design because, well, I was just feelin' it! =) In case you're feelin' it too I'm breaking down the design for your right here! 

Thumb: On my thumb I wanted to do a jelly bean design so I used a white nail polish (nothing special) from New York Color as my background color. Once it dried I took orange, blue, red, and green nail polish colors and using a dotting tool created the curved shape of the jelly beans. The blue is from Sally Hansen and is called Blue Me Away! The red is from New York Color and is called Columbus Circle Crimson. This shade is from the quick dry line of New York Color and it is a beautiful shiny red that I love so much! The fun bright green is Sinful Color's Innocent, yet another polish I'm in love with! The electric color pops against any background! The orange I used is from Sally Hansen's Miracle Gel line and is called Electra-cute, a super CUTE name! After these colors dried I took the same white nail polish and made a small swipe on one side of each bean to give it the appearance of a glossy shine! 

Index Finger: On this finger I went with a peppermint candy design. Using the same white color from NYC  I painted a background then once dry I took the same red nail polish I used for a jelly bean and created pinwheel looking striped starting from the center of the nail. When the nail was dry I used this nail art glue from Kiss to place a simple rhinestone in the middle. This glue is seriously budge-proof! I slept with all these rhinestones and glue-ons on my nails and they didn't move an inch! Seriously amazing stuff!!!!

Middle Finger: You can kind of see that on this nail I did a pink to purple ombre as a background. When doing any ombre nail you yield the best result when you paint a white background, which is what I did. I took a makeup sponge and sponged on these colors from top to bottom: Wet n Wild's Tickled Pink, New York Color's Preppy Pink, and Essie's Full Steam Ahead (In <3 with this color so much it's not even funny!!) Once dry I used a very shear light purple glitter polish to coat the nail before I applied dots of nail art glue to stick in place the lollipop and pink stone. Voila! 

Ring Finger: This finger ended up as one of the cutest in my opinion! For this I used NYC's Preppy Pink as the background color and once dry I used the white nail polish to paint stripes. If I want to add somewhat lighter colors to a background of a darker shade this is an easy way to do so. The white will help bring out the lighter color more. When the white dried I used the color Yellow from Kiss Brush On Nail Art Paint. Then I glued on a super cute cupcake and a green star! <3 <3 <3 SUPER CUTE! =) 

Pinky: This nail is super easy and would even look good as the only design on all five nails! I just used my Sinful Colors Blackout as a background color. I made small lines using the white nail polish to bring out the rest of the colors I used. To fill in my sprinkles I picked blue, green, yellow, and orange. A super cute sprinkle pattern! 

These are some super fun nails I definitely recommend giving a shot. Vary the designs! Try out skittles or m&m designs! I think chocolate nails would be super cool, too, and yummy looking! =)

TRESEMME COLOR REVITALIZE SHAMPOO + CONDITIONER REVIEW

Image obtained from www.tresemme,sa

You may not know this about me but I dye my hair...A LOT. Since high school I've experimented a little with my hair color but when I started college I actually decided to buy a shampoo and conditioner combo that was meant for color treated hair. Shampoos specified for color treated hair do not contain harsh sulfates that can fade the color. For college I died my hair this pretty shade of auburn with a blond streak on the right sight. My hair color was super pretty and I wanted to make sure it stayed bright and lively! 

I bought Tresemme because I've used their products before and they are extremely affordable, usually work well, and smell BEAUTIFUL! If you are in search of a shampoo and conditioner for color treated hair then read on to find out my thoughts on this product: 

PROS:

• Smells heavenly: It's no secret that Tresemme products have an angelic smell! The smell remains in my hair for hours after my hair dries and even after I straighten it! You gotta love a nice smelling product! 
• Affordable: I believe I paid somewhere around $6.99-$7.99 for a bottle of the shampoo and conditioner which lasted me around five months each. I have thick hair that falls to my mid-back and since I have naturally extremely curly hair I wash my hair once a week. 
• Conditioner leaves hair feeling soft and looking shiny: Absolute plus!!!! The conditioner (white bottle) left my locks soft and shiny looking! This is a great attribute because you want your hair to have a healthy texture, not a dry, crunchy texture! This is very important for color treated hair because due to the chemicals we use in our hair ending up with weak, brittle hair is not uncommon. 
• Hair color looked brighter with almost every wash: The shampoo promises to protect color for up to 8 weeks and I feel like it definitely delivered on that promise! It seemed to make my hair color a little brighter than before when I'd use it. My friends would ask me if I had re-dyed my hair!! I'm so serious! I really love that about this duo! 

CONS:

• Shampoo makes hair feel dry and stringy: For some reason my only problem was with the shampoo because it usually left my hair feeling kind of dry and stringy. To counter that I started lathering the roots and using less on my ends but once I applied conditioner and rinsed out my hair was right back to a soft and silky texture! 

I hope you guys found this review useful enough to consider the Tresemme Color Revitalize line as your next shampoo if you have color treated hair =) However, I will most likely be on the market for a new shampoo and conditioner dynamic duo because I want to dye part of my hair silvery/platinum for the new semester and I may need to find a pair specifically for toned hair. If this is the case I'll find something, use it, and review it for you guys =) If anyone has any recommendations for treating silver hair please let me know =) 

VEET GEL CREAM REVIEW

Image obtained from Amazon.com

Hey again! I'm back with another product review! This time I'm reviewing the Veet Gel Cream. It's one of those creams that promise easy and painless hair removal within five minutes! Golden, right? I, like billions of other girls and women, have accidentally nipped myself with the razor MORE THAN A FEW TIMES trying to shave my legs. Plus, sometimes I'm just feeling so lazy and I don't want to bust out a razor. I had wanted to start using these hair removal creams since I was in high school but my mom always cautioned me against them saying that she tried one a while back and it gave her a rash (she has very sensitive skin) though I was convinced that my skin wasn't as sensitive as hers. 

A couple of months ago I bought this same gel cream and was super excited to try it out in college. I was thinking goodbye razors! This product claims to be fast-acting; you leave it on for a minimum of just 5 minutes! It also claims to leave a smoothness that lasts up to 2 times as long as shaving. The formula that I purchased was the sensitive formula with Aloe Vera. No, I wasn't looking specifically for a sensitive formula, this just happened to be the first formula I saw and grabbed. By the way, that thing in the picture on the left side of the bottle that looks like a handle is actually a spatula that comes with the product that you're supposed to use to remove the cream after 5 minutes. 

So basically you apply a good amount to your legs (or any where you want to remove hair from) wash your hands, wait 5 minutes but up to 10 minutes then use the spatula to scrape off the cream, thus removing the hair. You also have to make sure you immediately wash the area thoroughly with cold water!!!! So onto my thoughts: 

PROS: 

• Legs feel smooth: This product definitely left my legs feeling smooth and hair-free! I definitely noticed that my legs remained hair-free longer than they would have if I had shaved with a razor. I somehow have super leg hairs that grow stubble like two days after shaving but after using this product I was stubble free for at least a week and a half!!!! That's seriously crazy, but it definitely felt good to not have to think about shaving before throwing on a skirt for a good two weeks! 
• No rash: This product did NOT leave any rash on my skin after washing off (God bless!)  
• A lot of product: The bottle is kind of big and even though I didn't use it all up I can definitely see it lasting a good six months maybe. 

CONS:

• Annoying smell: This product definitely has a kind of strong and annoying smell to it. It doesn't smell like coconuts and passion fruit but rather...chemicals. The scent isn't nauseating - it's tolerable but would've been cooler if it smelled a little better. 
• BURNS: Okay let me say this: you know that any hair removing product that claims to get the job done in like five minutes is HELLA STRONG cuz it has some HELLA STRONG chemicals in there and I bought this product FULLY AWARE OF IT. This product burns a little when you apply it and while you wait for it to work its magic. At first you just feel a kind of tingle but it turns into a burn as the hair raises from its roots. It wasn't an intense burning feeling but it was enough to make me antsy and NOT want to wait out the full five minutes before removing! 
• The spatula process is slow: It's actually more tedious than you might think it is to remove the cream using the spatula. If you're using the cream on like your armpits then this isn't so bad but on a larger surface area like your legs it's work yo! I'd much rather quickly wipe it off with a rag or tissue or something but the instructions say to scrape it off with the spatula...fun...
• Kinda itches: Thankfully, this didn't leave a rash on my skin BUT after I washed it off with cold water some areas of my legs felt kind of itchy. Even though I scratched there were still no rashes or anything but I definitely feel like these are very powerful chemicals if the SENSITIVE formula leaves an itching. The itching is, however, temporary and subsides within twenty minutes or so. 

This gel cream leaves my skin with a silky smooth feel and look that really lasts! It's just a shame because I will NOT be repurchasing this product =( Honestly, the entire thing is time consuming. I wanted a quick way to de-hair my legs and thought this would be faster than a razor. You need to take time to slather it onto your legs, wait the five minutes MINIMUM, take more than five minutes scraping the cream off with a spatula, then you have to make sure you can jump in the shower to wash it all off THOROUGHLY. I honestly feel like a razor is a little faster than applying cream hair removers. The burning feeling and the itching just tops off my problem with this product. If the process wasn't tedious then despite the burning maybe I'd feel like powering through this. 

REVLON COLORSTAY FOUNDATION

Image obtaind from DealsDirect.au

This is my first ever review of a product!! I'm reviewing the Revlon Colorstay Foundation for Combination/Oily skin in the color 360 Golden Caramel. First, let me tell you a little bit about my foundation history: I have used many, many, many brands of foundation because I have some facial imperfections that I try to mask and because of this I'm very picky with my foundation...I was on the hunt for a foundation that had medium coverage, was affordable, and actually fit my skintone because the funny thing about my skintone is that I have light skin but yellow undertones so a lot of times in the past when I bought a foundation that I thought would fit me perfectly it actually looked ashen on my skin because it was meant for skin with pink undertones. It took me a WHILE to learn that too! Imagine how much money I must've wasted buying foundation I thought worked for me. 

I have used foundation from brands like Maybelline, Covergirl, Wet n Wild, L.A. Girl, New York Color, AVON, Mary Kay, and some other collections from Revlon, just to name a few so my experimentation with foundation is expansive. I came across Revlon's Colorstay collection and FINALLY found makeup that matched my skintone really really well!! *yeeees* So my foundation history aside, let's get into a product review...

PROS: 

• Matched my skintone VERY well: I think I said enough about this and the next one. 
• Medium coverage (also buildable)
• Fair price for the quality ($14.99 at most stores): Because I buy foundation maybe every month and a half I don't want to buy foundation that costs like $30. This has quality of high end products for more of a drugstore price which makes it a great steal! 
• Simple packaging: Nothing complicated about twisting a bottle cap! 
• Options for Combination/Oily skin and Normal/Dry skin: Sometimes makeup can make your face oilier if you already have oily skin (like me!) and then you're basically walking around school with a grease pan for a face *boo* On the other hand if you have dry skin your foundation could end up drying your face out even more! It's great that this brand has a line for Normal/Dry skin and Combination/Oily skin within the same collection so you can make sure that you always use the right kind of foundation on your face! 
• Doesn't make my face shiny/oily: like I said, I use the line meant for Combination/Oily skin and it definitely keeps its promise! Even when I sweat from working out you can't see it in my face! 
• It hardly transfers: This foundation, as part of the packaging, is a 24Hr foundation so that the formula won't "rub-off." This is pretty true since I sometimes touch my face a lot subconsciously - I'll lean with my hands against my face and stuff like that - and the makeup doesn't come off. Even when trying to rub it off with a paper towel YOU DO NOT COME CLOSE TO GETTING ALL OF IT OFF YOUR FACE. I'll even admit to accidentally falling asleep with the makeup still on in my college dorm and when I woke up the foundation was more or less still in tact. 

CONS: 

• It hardly transfers: This point is bittersweet because although the intact formula is good if you need makeup that stays "fresh" for several hours straight it can take a really long time to completely remove all traces of it from your face which can be annoying...
• Can be streaky: If you're not careful this foundation can leave streaks on your face but that's pretty much every foundation...

All points considered this is definitely my go-to foundation that I still use to this day! In my opinion nothing beats it! 

MAYBELLINE MEGAPLUSH MASCARA

Image obtained from beautezine.com

So I've used quite a few mascaras during the time that I was on the hunt for the mascara that best suits me and a lot of them fell short of my expectations. The thing is that my eyelashes are naturally very long and curled which actually made it difficult for me to be satisfied with most mascaras because sometimes my eyelashes would end up touching my skin because the mascara promised length (I learned that length wasn't what I should go for!) My biggest mascara problem, however, was that it made my eyelashes look like "spider legs" because they were so long and the mascara would clump them together *shudders* Def not the look I was going for. 

I decided to give Maybelline brand mascaras a shot and ended up choosing MegaPlush (the non waterproof formula). I really don't like wearing waterproof mascaras because I find that they make your eyelashes extremely hard and crunchy and it just isn't a pleasant feel. We probably all like to think that there's a mascara out there that makes our eyelashes soft and fluttery and feel like a butterfly's wings <3 In my opinion this mascara comes close! 

PROS: 

• Provided extra length without providing drastic length: Like I said, I already have naturally long eyelashes so length wasn't necessary for me but this mascara did put on just enough to make my eyes pop more!
• Very pigmented: This was the main thing I was looking for in a mascara - I wanted something that was very pigmented because I like the look of really dark eyelashes. This mascara definitely delivers that! 
• As close as you can get to eyelashes that feel like a butterfly's wings: Maybe it's the gel-mousse formula of this mascara? It does make my eyelashes feel softer compared to other mascaras which is a plus. I guess they don't call it MegaPlush for nothing! 
• Super cute packaging: I think aesthetics plays a decent sized role in the consumption of a product. I really like going after products that have cute, brightly-colored, crazy, fun designs and packaging and the colors on this tube really catches my eye! I know, I know, people don't buy mascara for the pretty colors but it is kinda nice. 
• No flaking: This mascara is always there for you! In the two and a half years that I've used this mascara I have NEVER experienced flaking of any kind which is a really good thing because it can be pretty annoying to have black specs fall on your cheeks, then you unknowingly swipe at your face, then you have a smudge of black makeup across your cheek, then you walk around campus the entire day looking like that and no one tells you anything and you finally realize it it when you go for a bathroom break and look in the mirror...that sound like you? 
• Good for the price: I think I paid around $7.99 for this product but depending on where you buy it you can probably score it for $6.99 but rarely have I seen this being sold for more than $7.99. It is a very affordable mascara - maybelline in general is a very affordable brand.

CONS:

• Takes a while to remove from eyelashes: I'm not really sure why seeing as I don't purchase the waterproof formula but I often find that I get tired of attempting to remove all the product form my eyelashes. After a few days of not wearing mascara it comes off eventually...

Well, I don't have many cons at all because this is a great mascara! I haven't even dared to try the high end mascaras like MAC or Urban Decay because I am in love with this one so much!!!! <3 A few other things I'd like to mention about this mascara are that 1. the wand kind of flexes a little bit to probably coat you eyelashes from any angle but I haven't really tried testing this because I just didn't need to. Kind of seems like an unnecessary feature. 2. I usually apply just one coat of mascara but I'd say anyone could cap it at two coats because this mascara does a great job! So it can give some added length, can give you pigment, doesn't give you flakes! 

MAYBELLINE LASTING DRAMA GEL EYELINER 

Image obtained from Pinterest.com

I absolutely love gel eyeliner so much! When I first started wearing eyeliner I tried the regular eyeliner pencil in black, like most people do, and it didn't work out well at all for me! I found that my eyelids tend to be oily because the rest of my skin is oily so it was almost as though the eyeliner "melted" off my eyelids and got around my eyes. It just smudged way too easily and didn't look good at all! The first gel eyeliner I ever used was a drugstore brand, Wet n Wild, and it was fantastic!! I bought it for about $3.49 which is extremely cheap and there was alot of product in the pot in my opinion because I found that even though I wore it to school every single day for the entire school year (10 months) I still had some leftover product even after the school year ended! The fomrula was extremely pigmented (I got the darkest shade of black they had) and super creamy and actually stayed on my eyelid! I'd also line my waterline with it for a really dark look and it never irritated my eye (unless, of course, I actually got the product into my eyeball!!) This was pretty much my go-to eyeliner! 

Then one day I ran out and went to my local Walgreens to buy more and THERE WAS NONE IN STOCK!!! I ended up reverting back to eyeliner pencil until I could get Wet n Wild back. Unfortuantely for me I never found it again =( so I had to look for a new brand of gel eyeliner and found reviews of the Maybelline Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner and since they were mostly really good reviews I decided to give it a go and I quickly and easily realized that I had found a replacement for my beloved Wet n Wild eyeliner. 

PROS: 

• Very pigmented: I too much love a good pigmented eyeliner. I always purchase the darkest shade available!
• Lasts all day: It's great to be using an eyeliner that doesn't melt off my eyelids after an hour and a half! The packaging says that it is a 24Hr eyeliner and I can definitely say that it lives up to your expectations. I have actually fallen asleep with this eyeliner still on and woken up with it still intact on my eyelids! I kid you not! 
• The price is very good for the quality and quantity of product: Like the Wet n Wild eyeliner, this Maybelline eyeliner lasts me over 10 months for a small pot of product. The price is around $6.99 and the pacage comes with an eyeliner brush to apply the product. 

CONS: 

• The brush provided isn't the best: The eyeliner brush provided is like a small nub of soft bristles. It isn't my favorite kind of brushi to use because I feel like I have more control using a stiffer angled eyeliner brush, however, the Maybelline brush is good for getting into the inner corners of your eyes if you need to because it's so small. It depends on your personal preference, though. 
• Can dry up if you leave it unopened or don't close it properly: This is one small setback that really doesn't happen often as long as you remember to twist the cover back on top of the pot when you're done. Do this and dry eyeliner will never be a problem for you! 

I definitely recommend and will continue using the Maybelline Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner! I'm so fixed on this product that I won't use any other brand of gel eyeliner! This is definitely and probably will forever be my #1 eyeliner. Also, the shade I buy this eyeliner in is called Blackest Black. If you're looking for a new eyeliner I definitely recommend you pick this up and give it a try! 

NEUTROGENA MAKEUP REMOVER CLEANSING TOWELETTES

Image obtained from Amazon.com

When I started college I felt I really needed a good package of makeup remover wipes to wipe off foundation, eyeliner, and mascara. Grabbing a makeup wipe was quicker for me than going to the bathroom and washing it all off with face wash - remember, my foundation is like heavy duty and built to not budge so mustering up the energy and the patience to wash my face in a college dorm bathroom was...tedious. As a solution I started buying makeup remover wipes to remove the makeup then I'd just wash my bare face with my face wash which was way easier than trying to remove all the makeup without a wipe first. 

The first brand of makeup remover wipes that I tried was Burt's Bees Grapefruit and I liked it a lot because it smelled very pleasant, contained 30 pre-moistened towelettes, and removed most of my makeup. What I did not like about it was that I was paying $9.99 for wet mini towels to wipe my face at night. I was pretty much looking for a cheaper product when I tried out the Neutrogena wipes mentioned above. I bought a small package that contained 7 wipes first to see how I'd like it and I loved it!!!! Here's why: 

PROS: 

• Removes your makeup with one towelette: This is major for me because once you read my review of the Revlon Colorstay foundation you'll learn that I use very heavy duty foundation that doesn't come off for anything but THIS TAKES IT OFF VERY WELL!! Same with removing my eyeliner!! It comes of with just a few rubs! Performs better than Burt's Bees!! 
• Nice smell: There is no obnoxious smell on this product. There is somewhat of a fragrance which may be a problem for some people with very sensitive skin, however, this did not irritate my skin at all. 
• Good for the price: I pay about $7.99 for a pack of 25 pre-moistened towelettes and even though I get 5 fewer units than if I got the Burt's Bees wipes, Neutrogena performs better than Burt's Bees. I don't know what kind of formula Neutrogena uses but it works really well! 

CONS: 

• Can dry out: This goes for pretty much all pe-moistened towelette packages - they dry out! It's just their thing! 
• Haven't found a fragrance-free package: This can be bad for people with very sensitive skin. Like I said, this did not personally affect me but I'm listing it as a CON as just a warning to those of you whom it could affect. 
• Doesn't really remove my mascara: As you'll see down below I use the Maybelline MegaPlush Mascara but I don't use the waterproof formula ever yet this towelette doesn't completely remove my mascara...It can power through my foundation and eyeliner (which are 24Hr) but I find it odd that it doesn't get out all of my mascara. What it can do is it'll take out some of the pigment but not all. Is there a makeup remover wipe that can completely take off your mascara? Let me know in the comments or email me! 

I will definitely repurchase these wipes because they are very convenient for me to have around, a little cheaper than some brands, and really gets the job done! 

POND'S EVENING SOOTHE CLEANSING TOWELETTES

Image obtained from Pinterest.com 

As you'll see down below the Neutrogena Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes are probably my favorite makeup remover wipes ever!!! However, recently (like a few days ago) I ran out of my favorite wipes and couldn't find them in the store!!!! I just needed a quick find since I didn't have my usual wipes. I found these Pond's cleansing towelettes and, desperate for wipes, I just bought them. They were really cheap ($4.99 for 30 towelettes) and good for temporary use. 

PROS: 

• Really cheap: These only cost $4.99 for 30 pre-moistened towelettes. Definitely a bargain buy! 
• Pleasant smell: These have a kind of chamomile and white tea scent and you've gotta love sweet herbal-smelling products! 

CONS:

• Doesn't perform too well to remove makeup: The claim on this product is that it "Lifts away all traces of makeup." I don't completely agree with this. I found it difficult to remove all of makeup. These wipes barely put a dent in my eyeliner, too! Maybe it would perform better removing more sheer foundation and pencil eyeliner but this didn't completely remove my foundation and gel eyeliner. 
• Over-saturated wipes: When I opened the package I saw these soap bubbles all over the towelettes. I'm not sure what kind of formula they use to moisten the wipes but I feel like they are over-saturated. Personally I don't really like that with my wipes. 

Overall, I would not re-buy these wipes. They were an okay temporary replacement but I wouldn't buy these to take back to college with me. My Neutrogena wipes are still superior to these because they get the job done with one towelette. 

REASONS WHY YOU GAINED WEIGHT YOUR FRESHMAN YEAR OF COLLEGE
We've all heard of the infamous "Freshman 15" - you gain about 15 pounds your freshman year of college because you're dorming and have to eat campus food. In high school I was pretty athletic and pretty slim and usually wary of how healthy the foods I was consuming were and I knew I'd definitely be going to workout at the gym on campus regularly. Also I had quit drinking soda and juice since the start of junior year and only drank water and herbal tea (no coffee!) so, tbh, I never thought that I'd fall victim to Freshman 15. Haha, silly me! I go to a really big college (like 25,000 students) and we have lots of places to get food on campus so there was so much variety and I tried a bunch of new things and added a bunch of things to my new list of favorite foods. Needless to say I packed on the pounds...majorly! Most people think that you go to college and eat a lot and don't hit the gym and that's the only way you gain weight (umm, excuse me but I was at the gym several times a week doing very high impact exercises throughout my entire freshman year and I joined a fitness class there sooooooo). Here, I'll show you the underlying reasons why we actually end up with Freshman 15: 

1. You've been up super late doing homework and studying: College was the first time EVER that I've gone to bed after 11:30p.m. (I am NOT even kidding!!!!) but once the semester started I was up late, some nights until 2a.m., which is probably still nothing compared to people who stay up until 4a.m. When I stayed up so late doing homework and studying I was always tempted to snack on something to keep me "activated" and these snacks usually consisted of Doritos, granola bars and cookies from my stash, and pint cups of ice cream from the dining hall -DEF NOT GOOD STUFF!!!! We seem to have evolved to think of food as a motivator MORE SO than a necessity to sustain life. Plus being up late at some point you'll get the munchies and find it quite distracting while you're trying to study. 
2. You were introduced to Starbucks: First of all, I just want to say that I am NOT bashing Starbucks, I am just offering up a potential reason for weight gain because Starbucks definitely played a role in my Freshman 15 and I'm just sharing that with you so all you Starbucks-lovers don't go bashing me because you thought I was bashing your shop. =) Anyways, I was introduced to our on-campus Starbucks (two of them on one campus!!) and instantly fell for the Green Tea Frappuccino (because I love everything Green Tea flavored!!). I'll spare you the details and just say that sometimes it got to the point where I was at Starbucks two and three times a day, which was clearly bad for me. The Frnappuccinos that I loved to get were packed with sugar, even if I didn't ask for whipped cream! All that sugar in my system contributed to my weight gain and it was kinda like I realized the drinks were sugary but I didn't realize the impact they were having on me until I actually experienced it. This also tends to happen with soda and juices - not just Starbucks and this will happen to a lot of college students!!! Just saying, those yummy, sweet, cool drinks from Starbucks that you love definitely don't love you and your body! 
3. You want a quick fix: We college students are always on the go - from class to the library to class again to a review session to a group study session and sometimes it feels like all we have time for is a grab and go "meal" which lots of colleges offer. These food items come as pre-packaged sandwiches, wraps, cookies, crackers, and things that you literally pick up, pay for, and toss in your bag to eat when you find yourself having a five minute break. Plus you don't have to wait in line for it to be made for you! These options are not as nutrient-dense as the options from build-your-own salad or sandwich stations, where you can choose several veggies and lean protein rather than just chicken with lettuce in a wrap. DON'T get me started on those cookies! Often times we just feel like those are the options we have until we end obligations for the day and can retire with an actual meal. Try your best not to succumb to grab and go options, though, if you have it once a week or so it's completely fine! I'm no registered dietician but there's definitely a problem if you're having a grab and go scone and chocolate milk for every meal! 
4. You're working out at the gym but not eating well: Like I said, I did go to the gym regularly my freshman year but at the same time I was sucking down Starbucks regularly and picking up anything that looked delicious to me. Your diet plays a VERY important role in maintaining your weight and losing weight, more so than exercise (exercise contributes roughly 20% while diet is 80%). So cardio means nothing if you're stuffing your face with sugar and junk food. I have a friend who works out 6 days a week but I'd see him have breakfast during our first class of the day which was almost always two packages of Little Bites muffins and milk. This is also exactly what I was talking about with the quick fixes that we sometimes look for. A little junk food is completely fine once a week or so but don't do what I did because remember, running 3 miles on the treadmill and strength training mean nothing if you regularly stuff yourself with junk! 
5. You're eating food because it's there: I did this a lot throughout my first year and bought food because it was just there in the dining hall and not because I was actually hungry (plus, I had the highest meal plan offered at my school so I didn't mind spending some extra for the day!) I remember doing this a lot with the gelato station and sushi places. I'd buy 2 packages of freshly made sushi (they make it right there in front of you) so that's usually like 16 pieces of sushi in one sitting!!! 0.0 yikes! Try your best to avoid doing this! I know that we are only human and once in a while that mindless eating kicks in but if you can fight it, please do! 

I know this was quite a lengthy post but it is definitely worth reading!!!!!! These are some realizations that I have made about my college eating choices during my first year and I know that some of you might be able to relate or maybe you're going through the same journey of realization but overall I hope I helped alert some of you to these underlying reasons! Hope you enjoyed this post and I will try very hard to not make my other posts this long - it's just once I start I can't stop! =) 

PIECES OF CLOTHING GIRLS SHOULD DEF TAKE TO COLLEGE WITH THEM
Before I started packing for college I watched numerous YouTube videos on dorm thoughts and experiences and was warned multiple times to not pack your entire closet. I tried to follow the YouTubers' advice and I picked out pieces of clothes that I knew I'd wear (or thought I'd wear). Turns out two semesters later that I overpacked! Here's a short guide to make sure that in the event that you overpack (like I did!) you bring with you pieces of clothing that you will definitely need!

1. Comfy sweatpants: This is a definite cuz there will be times when you just feel like wearing sweatpants and a shirt to class so having a few pairs handy will definitely be...handy! When I have to take an exam for a class I like to dress as comfortably as possible so a pair of sweatpants is something that I grab. I like sweatpants from Hollister and Pink which come in fun colors and are super comfortable!
2. A Blazer and button down: You will probably have to interview for an on-campus job OR at least have an event on campus where you need to dress professionally so packing a blazer and a nice shirt is essential! I did NOT do this my first semester and regretted it because I had to claw through what I brought with me looking for something that might be appropriate for my interview. Thankfully, I managed to find a teal button down that I paired with solid black cotton leggings and a nice looking pair of ankle booties. That was close! Just be sure to pack even JUST ONE thing you'd wear in a professional setting. 
3. A very light jacket: Something like a nice utility jacket is great. I went to college in my state, New York, and there were some days that looked nice and sunny but were actually pretty chilly. Bringing a light jacket allows you to combat the chilly weather while still not bundling yourself up like a snowman for 65 degree weather. 
4. Pajamas: Don't forget your pajamas! You'd be surprised what people accidentally leave at home when packing for college; I've seen people forget their bedsheets and pillows at home, bath towels, and bathrobes - don't let pajamas be one of them! I don't know about you but I do not find sleeping in jeans very comfortable! 
5. Basic leggings: I think basic leggings are becoming a closet staple, especially since nowadays some people like to wear leggings as full blown pants (I am one of those people!) Leggings are a versatile piece that you should pack with you. In #2 I told you that I paired basic leggings with a button down for an interview - this is a good use of leggings! They are plain and very simple, pair them with heels, a blazer, and a nice top and you have a sophisticated look! Also, they are great for wearing to the gym if you decide to do a workout. Some schools have policies where you aren't allowed to use the exercise equipment without proper attire on - leggings are completely permissible! Leggings are also easy to throw on comfortable! 

I hope you found this list helpful! I can't tell you every single piece of clothing you need to bring with you to college because everyone is different and has their own style. I might think that muscle shirts are a must but you might not (I love muscle shirts!) Likewise you may think that jeans are necessary whereas I wouldn't (I hate wearing jeans and will never pack them to college with me! See?) =)

PANDA NAILS
What's black, white, and green all over? My panda nails, of course! In this picture you'll see that the background is green but my very first time doing this design (which was probably when I was a sophomore in high school) I did a sky blue background which felt so calm and cool. This bright green color feels electric! 

You can see that for my accent nail (my ring finger) I chose to do orange with black polka dots. I tend to have an accent nail fairly often when I do my nails - it sets it aside from all the other nails and makes your hand look a little more interesting. 

The brand of nail polish I used for this design was mostly sinful colors. The best way I can describe sinful colors is like the cheaper version of china glaze. You can buy sinful colors nail polish at any store that sells drugstore makeup (I got mine from Walgreens) and it retails for $1.99 and has some really pretty colors! The green shade I used is called Innocent, the black is Blackout, and as for the white nail polish I just used one from New York Color ($0.99) because I almost never wear white nail polish on my entire nail and lately I haven't been using white nail polish at all so I didn't want to waste a lot buying from a higher quality brand like Essie or O.P.I. Plus, I feel like white is such a basic color that every single brand of nail polish has in its collection so you can find it literally 
anywhere. 

Quick story about me and white nail polish: once in middle school I wore white nail polish since among girls it was becoming a trend and on the yellow school bus one of the guys asked me why I was wearing white-out on my nails -____________- are you for real? I pretty much got asked why I was wearing white-out for the rest of the week until I removed the nail polish for another design. 

Btw, I forgot what color the orange nail polish was but I believe the brand I used was Wet n Wild. 
These are definitely fun nails to try out and they are very easy to do! 

RHINESTONE PROM NAILS 
Hair appointments, trying on dresses to find the perfect one, making sure your dress is so unique that no one else you know will be wearing it, flipping through makeup tutorials on YouTube to find a look that suits you - does that ring a bell? If it's prom season for you and you totally forgot to make an appointment for your nails (or if you're like me and decided to do your nails yourself) then here's an elegant but simple design that you can do yourself the day before prom, on your own time, in the comfort of your home! 

I did these for my high school prom and got lots of compliments on them! People were surprised that I did them myself! My prom dress was beige with black lace so these nails matched perfectly without overkill. The color nail polish I used is from sinful colors and it's called Social Ladder. I bought these rhinestones in a pack from Walgreens in the nail care section. I've always loved putting cool rhinestones and things of the nature on my nails but before I discovered nail glue I always tried binding the rhinestones to my nail with clear nail polish and then sealing it with more clear nail polish. With this my nails looked fantastic...for about a day then one by one the details I put on fell off because clear nail polish just doesn't cut it for this kind of thing. Luckily I had bought a kit from Kiss New York that included nail polish glue special for this. The Sally Hansen Nail Rhinestone kit I used for these nails didn't include the glue but the rhinestones came in gold, black, and clear. 

Social Ladder is a pretty sheer polish. It took me three coats to get it to the opaqueness shown in the picture. If you are pursuing this design for your own prom or for another special event I highly suggest you put on Social Ladder (or whatever color you are using) the day BEFORE your event because with hair, makeup, and last minute arrangements you don't even want waiting for your nails to dry to be on your mind! 

Get creative with your colors and arrangement of your rhinestones! Once these dry just put on a bit of top coat and you'll have a mani that lasts weeks! 

POLKA DOT NAILS 
Here's a super simple design that you can do if you a) run out of other nail art ideas b) don't have too much time on your hands to draw dinosaurs on your nails c) want a cool pattern on your nails or d) all of the above. 

These nails are kinda inspired by the cool ring I'm wearing in the picture above, which I got from an awesome accessories store called Six at my local mall. Just like the bow on the ring, my nails have a black background with white polka dots except for my accent nail (my ring finger) which has a confetti glitter polish on it. 

Here's a quick tip when dealing with glitter nail polish because the thing about it is that it's so cool on its own but can be a pain sometimes...If you want to wear glitter nail polish you should pick a background color that matches closely with the tone of the glitter. Apply one coat of the solid nail polish color and wait for it to dry. Then add a coat of the glitter nail polish or until you are satisfied with how your nails look. That's it! When I was younger I used to apply a minimum of four coats of glitter nail polish because it was never as opaque as I wanted it to be. Also, in my experience with glitter nail polish it can sometimes take a while to completely dry to the point where if you pick things up and touch things the object won't put a dent in your freshly painted nails. This can be really annoying! Ever since I realized that I could just put on a coat of solid colored nail polish and one coat of glitter and it looks just as good as if I were to apply five coats of just glitter, I've been doing exactly that! 

On my accent nail I applied black nail polish as a background color and once it dried I applied the glitter nail polish on top. The glitter nail polish I used on the accent nail is from Delia's and is called Galaxy Glitter. If you have purple glitter nail polish then you should use a shade of solid purple nail polish before applying a coat of the glitter. Basically, use a color that will help bring out the glitter more! Also, the black nail polish I used is from Sinful Colors and is called Blackout. For the white polka dots I used any white nail polish from New York Color. 

You can use a dotting tool to create even-sized dots on your nails. Dotting tools come in a few different sizes corresponding to different sized dots. Before I got a dotting tool when I wanted to do polka dots on my nails I would just take the head of a bobby pin (which is kind of round) dip it into the nail polish of my choice and dot the nail polish on my nails as if it were a dotting tool. It works just the same! And if you don't have bobby pins you can try using the bottom end of an angled eyeliner brush or or any small skinny makeup brush but keep in mind that the dots will come out larger if you choose this over a bobby pin. That's just a quick fix for you if you don't have a dotting tool but want to make polka dot designs. 

In my opinion this kind of design can never go out of style or will never be just a transient trend - it's fun and eye-catching and can probably go with anything! Whether you don't have time to paint a Van Gogh on your nails or if you're drawing a blank on designs you can give this design a go! Try other color combinations like blue and orange, for example! 

WHO IS A?

(Image obtained from abcfamilyallacess.com)

So I'm a big fan of PLL and with the show in its 6th season it seems that we fans have been kept in the dark for far too long. So come on! Who's A???? 

1. Aria??? It would be an interesting twist if A was actually one of the liars. Aria seems to be the most common option and for a short while I did think Aria was A because in my opinion she pretty much never really gets hurt. There was that one time on the Halloween Train when A put her in a crate and tried to push her off the train beaus A actually hit Hanna with a car and nearly killed her, A drove a car straight into Emily's living room, A injected HGH into Emily's ointment, causing her to have an ulcer, Emily also got a swim career-ruining shoulder injury because of A, Spencer ended up in Radley Sanitarium, need I continue? Also because of various tweets from producer Marlene King that painted Aria as an A suspect I, like millions other, thought Aria was A. HOWEVER, due to recent episodes it would seem that Aria can't be A...unless she can be in two places at once! A photo of A was taken (of course, we couldn't see A's face) by a photography studio where Aria was developing pictures. A was lurking outside the window he/she was caught on camera in while Aria was inside. 
2. Wren??? Everyone says that Wren is A for dozens of reasons that I don't even want to list because there are quite a few including the fact that A seems to have access to medical records and since Wren is a doctor he can get those easily. Also, we don't know a lot about Wren's past so this is something the producers could easily just fill in if they reveal Wren to be A. HOWEVER, recent episodes show that A is clearly female! Is A actually a girl or is this just the producers messing with us to get us to think that A is female so we start pointing fingers at some of the female characters? Who knows? 
3. Jason??? From a few seasons back I wanted Jason to be A. Ever since we found out that Mrs. DiLaurentis knew who ambushed her daughter but didn't report it to the police because she was protecting someone I automatically thought that the person she was protecting was her son, Jason DiLaurentis. It would make sense why she'd want to protect her son and we know Jason and Alison never had a good relationship as siblings. We also know that the summer Ali went missing Jason was hardly in control of his actions and still doesn't completely remember things clearly so anything could have happened!
4. Charles DiLaurentis??? Everyone thinks that Charles is A but that the name 'Charles' is an alias for a character we already know since apparently Charles DiLaurentis killed himself at a young age. But did he really? On PLL the dead never stay dead - Mona? Alison? Toby? And I have a hunch that a few other characters we thought were dead and gone will return towards the end of season 6. What if Charles DiLaurentis is a way to connect a character to the identity of A? Maybe digging up Charles' past will give us clues as to who A really is. It would seem that that is exactly what the liars will be doing in the episodes to come. 

These four people are my guesses for who Big A really is. I really would have liked to list out all the reasons for why these people could be A but you and I both know that there aren't enough hours in the day for that! You can always go on YouTube and check out some A theory videos. Some of them really got me thinking while others fell VERY flat. Who do you think is A? =) 

PLL PREDICTIONS/THEORIES

I, like many other fans, have my own theories about the characters on the show so I decided to do a post about that! 

1. Shana and Maya are twins: There has been lots of talk about twins being revealed on the show and people who read the books before watching the series know that in the books A was Alison's twin sister so when rumors of a twin surfaced and a mysterious girl named Bethany Young hit the series everyone thought that Alison and Bethany were the twins. I never liked this idea much. Now with Charles DiLaurentis' true identity unknown so far fans are throwing around the idea that Charles and Jason are the twins. That would be pretty obvious...I think that Shana and Maya are twins! That's right, I don't think Maya is really dead! As for Shana, though, she is def dead as a doornail. Shana was probably A until she was killed by Aria  (who was trying to protect her friends from Shana). Recall that A didn't start tormenting the girls for a while after Shana's death. Maybe during that time Maya was finding out about her twin being killed and enlisted in the A army. I don't think that Maya is BigA or UberA (or whatever the head honcho is called on this show) but I would love to see Maya part of the A team. 
2. Wren and Ian are twins: Remember Ian? Melissa's husband who tried to kill Spencer in the bell tower only to be shoved over by Alison and then the body mysteriously vanished but Melissa always thought Ian was still alive? She enlisted Wren's help (her ex) to get medication to Ian because she wanted to know where he was hiding. The biggest and probably only reason I think that Wren and Ian are twins is because Wren insisted that he go with Melissa to see Ian. Wren and Ian's connection was never clear and it didn't appear that they even knew each other! So why would Wren insist on only giving help as long as he was able to see Ian? I think they are twin brothers but that secret was always kept hidden or maybe only Wren knew but Ian didn't. Don't ask me who I think the parents are cuz I have no clue! But I think this would be interesting, maybe a little unnecessary, but interesting. 
3. Leslie Stone was Spying on Aria at Hollis: Two episodes ago we got a glimpse of A's figure (but not A's face! Aww!) spying on Aria at Hollis' photography room. In the picture A is 100% female but then that leaves the question of which of the female characters is A. The show is trying to make it look like Lesli Stone is A but where the hell was Leslie Stone in seasons 1, 2, and 3?? We only saw her when Mona "died." We do know that Lesli is psycho but I really don't think she's A. I think that she wore the black hoodie so as not to get noticed spying on Aria. Why was she spying? Then again why did she have unassembled human-sized cages in the trunk of her car? Who knows!?!?! But I think that depicting A as female was done on purpose by the producers to throw us off. That was probably Lesli. 

These are three theories/predictions that I have for PLL. I don't know if anyone else has thought the same as #2 and #3 but I know that more than a few people also think that Maya and Shana are twins. I can't wait for the next episode of PLL and I DEFINITELY can't wait for the mid-season finale!!!! 

OBSESSED WITH THIS YOGURT!!!

Image obtained from Target.com

Hey y'all! This page will be full of random fun things of any category and my food obsessions will be one of them! For the last two weeks I have been loving this Chobani Coconut Greek Yogurt! First off, I LOVE coconut flavored things but I HATE the texture of coconut! When I first saw this I wanted to try it out because we all know that plain Greek Yogurt is extremely tart but good for you. I was keeping my fingers crossed that there was no shredded coconut in this cup and...there was! BUT there, surprisingly, wasn't that much of it! The amount of shredded coconut in the yogurt was tolerable even though I don't like shredded coconut. 

This yogurt seriously tastes really good! I've opted for this over ice cream for the last two weeks!!!! I'm SO serious about that!!!! Pinky swear!! I'm not saying that this yogurt is as sweet as ice cream (that would just counter the benefits of Greek Yogurt, wouldn't it?) but it definitely was like a treat to me and satisfied me enough to not even look at ice cream. 

I also bought the Chobani flips where there was the yogurt on one side and sliced almonds and dark chocolate pieces on the other. I pick out the almonds because I'm allergic but sometimes I don't even add the dark chocolate because the yogurt itself is a treat! I glanced at the nutrition label one day and saw that this yogurt contains 13g of protein!!! Sadly, there is about 20g of sugar in this (Awwwwwww!) Looks like I made a good call not having that ice cream with this! 

This yogurt does not keep you full for very long at all. This morning I had one cup of this yogurt for breakfast and left the house to go to Costco. Halfway there and I was starting to feel hungry again! Usually, though, I'll have this yogurt with a cup of sliced bananas or green apple slices, which keeps me full a little bit longer. 

All points considered I still recommend this yogurt to anyone who is willing to try it! If you can get past the insane amount of sugar in this yogurt then this could be your go to! Since eating this yogurt I haven't really touched any sweet snacks! Believe me I used to grab at cake and cookies and would eat any chocolate that was in the house but, surprisingly, I haven't in the last two weeks! Def give this yogurt a shot and maybe you'll be loco for coco! 

Hey Y'all

Welcome to my blog! I've got some things for you to check out including nail art that I do myself, beauty product reviews, advice for college students (because I am a college student!) and some other fun stuff that can range from things I baked to my favorite song at the moment (which is The Hills by The Weekend, in case you were wondering!) Enjoy my blog, Follow me, and if you have questions or comments you can check out my email and where to find me on other social media on my "About Me" page! 

HAVE FUN!!! =)