Of How To Live On A College Student Budget

1. Keep a record. I use Microsoft Excel to categorize all my spendings. Use different tabs for different categories (e.g. groceries, transportation, eating out, etc). Doing it on a monthly basis allows you to track your spendings so you can see where you can cut down.
2. Use cash. I generally hate spending cash because cards are simply more convenient. But it's easier to stick to your budget when spending cash because you literally see your funds vanishing.
3. Start a savings account. If you don't have one already, go start one now with your bank. Try to get into the routine of transferring money into on a monthly or bi-monthly basis. You can do something as small as $5; the point is to get into a habit. I always move the funds immediately after I'm paid so I don't forget and end up spending it. 
4. Make a wish list. Stop impulsively buying things. If you stumble across something you want, write it down. Collecting a list forces you to prioritize what items you want/need more than others. 
5. Cut down on buying little things. A pack of gum here and a coffee there really do add up by the end of the month. If you're a regular coffee drinker, set aside a specific coffee budget that breaks down how many coffees you can have per week. 

And if none of those seem to work, just get free meals from Tindr dates. Just kidding...

Of Winter Lipsticks

1. Rimmel Kate Moss 107 ($5): This is your classic run-of-the-mill deep red lipstick. For such a reasonable drugstore price, you get a lot for your money. The consistency isn't drying despite that it's a matte lipstick and the color pay off is phenomenal. 
2. Nars Matte Lip Pencil in Train Bleu ($26): Purple is probably my favorite lip color, especially when the winter months roll around. This color is stunning, but I would apply some lip balm first because the formula is a little drying.
3. Bourjous Colour Boost Lip Crayon in Fushia Libre ($13): This is my autumn staple. It's a light-medium plum with great color payoff, but most of all, it's incredibly moisturizing. Seriously, I treat this like a tinted lip balm.
4. Ardency Inn Modster Long Play Supercharged Lip Color in Lucky ($25): Everyone needs a bright lip and fuchsia complements my olive undertone best. I usually save this for when I go out on the weekends, but you could definitely get away with wearing this during the day too.

Of Beauty Shelf Essentials

1. Cetaphil Gentle Cleansing Bar ($5): This little bar of wonder has worked incredibly well on my acne-prone sensitive skin. I know many people aren't the bar soap fan, but it has lasted significantly longer than any other bottle face washes I've used before. 
2. Pixi Glow Tonic ($30): I use this religiously after I wash my face, twice-a-day-everyday. Unlike most toners, it's alcohol-free so it won't dry out your skin. I just take a cotton pad and a few drops of this and swipe it all over my face to remove the last traces of make-up or cleanser residue. 
3. Eucerin Daily Protection Moisturizing Face Lotion ($10): I had a bottle of this back in high school and thought it did the trick. It's nothing too special, but it's certainly not bad. Eucerin is known for the gentleness of their products, plus this had SPF so win-win.
4. Mario Badescu Seaweed Night Cream ($22): This is somewhat new to my arsenal since my beloved Kiehls Midnight Recovery Concentrate ran out. It's thick in consistency, making it more of a cream than lotion, but that just means it's ready to banish those dry patches caused by the upcoming winter winds.
5. Tarte Maracuja C-Brighter Eye Treatment ($38): I got a little sample of this from an advent calendar last year and absolutely loved it. I was never a one for eye cream, because why bother with an extra step at the end of the night, but when my sample ran out, I immediately went to buy the full size. It's not too thick and truly moisturizes your eye area.
6. Rosebud Salve ($6): I am trying to get into the habit of moisturizing my lips before I go to bed so I'll avoid waking up with dry and cracked lips. This one smells amazing, and if you don't like the tin packaging style, they also sell these into travel-friendly tubes.

Of Things I Want To Make Time For

It's getting towards that time of the year where you reflect back on 2015 and think, what even happened this year? I always have these hopes and plans, but executing is apparently not my thing. Let's say these are some pre-emptive new year's resolutions...

1. Blog. I have a whopping total of 5 blogposts this year. There's the classic excuse that "I'm too busy", which is only partly true. But for the past 300 days or so, there has to have been some way for me to fit in just a few more posts. 
2. Read. This was something I really stepped up this past summer. I made it an effort to take time out of my day to read; my friends and I even started a mini book club. (Read Norwegian Wood, one of the most beautifully written books out there) Of course, once school picked up, the number of books I've read dropped. 
3. Walking. I am a home-body with an adventurous mind. I'm constantly saying that I should get out more, but every time I get home, I snuggle up with Netflix and before I know it, the day is done. With winter settling in, I feel my hermit-crab self emerging....uh oh.
4. Vocabulary. I wouldn't say I talk like a 3rd grader, but a few extra words in my arsenal sure can't hurt. 
5. Writing. I used to write stories all the time. I would sit down at my computer and just get going for hours on end. Some were fan-fiction (Percy Jackson, anyone?), some were original ideas. I reached a writer's block a while back and just never really got over it. 

Of Why I Use Eye Cream | Tarte Maracuja C-Brighter Eye Treatment

1. It makes my skin care routine feel fancier.
2. Sometimes I get dry spots around my eyes, but this eye cream takes care of that. 
3. After a long day, it's good to gently massage the eyes and applying eye cream is the perfect accomplice for that.
4. This tarte one is known for brightening the under-eye area, but if that's not what you are going for, there's plenty of other choices on the market (Kiehl's Avocado Eye Cream is a cult classic)
5. It's light, absorbs quickly into my skin, and somehow manages to make my makeup around my eyes last a little longer.