happy earth day!

Of Travel Makeup

1. Naked 2 Palette: I generally stick with the lighter shades, but this palette allows you to create a multitude of looks. I use Chopper all over the lid and Mauve to blend out the edges.
2. Rimmel Match Perfection Foundation: This is a 2015 staple of mine. It has a more liquid consistency so it takes patience to blend in. But the results are worth it, as it has a very natural finish with coverage you can build up.
3. Soap and Glory One Heck of a Blot Powder: Whenever I use liquid foundation, I always like to set it with a powder.
4. Anastasia Brow Powder: Unlike an eyebrow pencil, powder tends to give a much more natural result, and Anastasia makes one of the longest-lasting brow powders on the market.
5. Too Faced Better Than Sex Mascara and Eye Shadow Primer: I received this duo as a Christmas gift this year and have been using it every time I wear makeup. This is already the second tube of this primer I’ve used and I love it. The mascara is new to my arsenal and it adds so much length and volume to my lashes. But I like to add a coat of waterproof mascara in the end to hold the volume and curl.
6. Fresh Sugar Lip Balm: I’ve used a mini version of this in the past and loved it. It’s super moisturizing on the lips and it also smells fantastic. I received this as a Christmas gift and have been using it non-stop since.
7. Soap and Glory Super Cat Liner: You never know when you might need a liquid liner and this is my go-to one. It has a much thicker tip than most liquid liners I’ve come across, which just makes drawing a cat eye much faster and easier. 

Of Reasons Why I Love | CLINIQUE Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief

Happy New Year! I was in China for the beginning of 2016, where turns out, Blogger is banned since Google is banned. Then I returned to the states and came down with the flu. But now, I'm finally picking myself up, so here's a shout out to my current favorite face moisturizer!

1. Moisturizing: This has banished all my dry patches without overdoing it and making me look greasy. I’ve also been on some long haul flights recently and since cabin air is so dehydrating, I like to bring this along and apply it throughout my flight.
2. Gel Consistency: I swear gel moisturizers absorb into my skin better. With a cream, I always feel like I am endlessly trying to rub it into my skin.
3. Pink: This doesn’t really add to the quality of the product, but something about the baby pink color is soothing to me.
4. Gentle: Many moisturizers tend to break me out because of how sensitive my skin is. But this one hasn’t upset my skin in the slightest. 
5. Fragrance Free: Anything that smells too strongly of something tends to give me a headache. Clinique is known for their products being fragrance free, which also in turn helps to make this product gentle. 

Of My Black Friday Haul

This year, I stocked up on some basics. Since moving to New York, I have slowly been transitioning my whimsical wardrobe to a more reserved monochromatic one. So what better time to nab some basics than the day with the best sales of the year.

1. Black Cashmere Scarf | Romwe 
2. Gray Tee | Romwe 
3. White Tee | Uniqlo
4. Loose Black Cardigan | Romwe 
5. White Button Down | Romwe 
6. Black Turtleneck | Uniqlo
7. Plaid Pants | Romwe 
8. Black Skinnies | AE | Zara

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.