Red Raider Runway

It's the last day of June so there's still time to reflect over what I've been loving this month! It feels like June just flew by so there were not many new things that I hadn't already been loving before. But I did take a short trip this month so there were a few things I used more than usual that deserve some praise so I'll keep this short and sweet and get straight to it.

Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine Intensely Smooth Leave-In Conditioner - $4.49

I started using leave-in conditioners when I first went ombre and I haven't looked back since. I used to use the Garnier Fructis Whole Blends Leave-In Conditioner which smelled like coconut, and I wasn't a big fan of it. It felt too thick and I'm not really a fan of coconut flavors or scents. So I switched to the Sleek & Shine Leave-In Conditioner from the same brand and it works so much better! The product feels much lighter in my hair and smells sooooo good! It smells really fruity (apricots) and refreshing and makes my hair smell so good long after I put it in. Sometimes I'll go a few weeks without using leave-in conditioner, but I especially like using this after spending all day in the heat or going swimming, so my hair can be revitalized.

Benefit's The POREfessional Face Primer - $31

I mentioned before that I have naturally large pores (and I hate it!!) so I do everything I can to minimize their appearance!! Like I said in the charcoal post, you cannot actually change the size of your pores (thanks genetics), you can only make them appear to be smaller - and this product does just that!! It's a miracle worker. I don't know if magic or science is involved in the beauty of this product, all I know is that it works! It's extremely expensive though for such a small tube, so I use it as sparingly as I can because I don't have the funds to replace it every time I run out. I mostly use it if I'm going to be taking pictures for something important or if I'm going out somewhere new or special, and sometimes I don't need any occasion to wear it!

NYX's Mineral "Set It & Don't Fret It" Matte Finishing Powder - $10

Truthfully, I don't always use powder after I've applied foundation because sometimes I'm good to go without it. However, since it's summer and it's been over 100 degrees lately, sometimes my foundation just feels so creamy and greasy even when I'm not sweating. So I started applying this matte finishing powder more often after I put on makeup and it really does help keep my makeup from running and keep me feeling fresher in this heat. I love this product because a little of it goes a long way so I don't constantly have to go out and buy a new powder and it somehow manages to match my skin tone whether I'm tanner or not.

Various Mini Mascara Samples: Estee Lauder's Sumptuous, Carmindy & Co, Make Up Forever's Smoky Extravagant, Benefit's They're Real!, Wet N' Wild's Mega Volume, and Lorac's Cobra Mascara

I have so many mascara samples it's insane, which is fine because it's recommended to switch out your mascara after 3 months (though really, who actually does?) Mascara samples are so great because I can just throw them into my purse on the way out! I'm always running late and whenever I'm hurriedly putting on makeup, my top priorities are: foundation, eyebrows, and maybe eyeliner if I have time. But I almost always forget to put on mascara afterward because I'm in such a rush. That's why carrying around a mini sample of mascara is perfect so I can apply it on the road to where ever I'm going. It's one of the only makeup steps I can apply while sitting down with one hand whereas my eyeliner or eyebrows require full attention standing in front of a mirror.
What I love about all the different mascaras I have is that I can use a different one for different things. I love Benefit's They're Real! because they make my eyelashes look so long and natural, but if I want a voluminous, full, thick look I'll go for Carmindy & Co., for length I'd use Estee Lauder's Sumptuous, etc. I just like having options!
I recently went on a trip last weekend and I'm trying very hard to learn how to pack lighter, so these mini mascaras were perfect for minimizing the size of my makeup travel bag! I definitely recommend you stock up on all the samples you can get your hands on from different beauty stores! I got the Lorac one from joining Ulta's membership, the Estee Lauder one was complimentary for buying another one of their products, etc. What's better than getting convenient, useful products for free?!

Various YesTo Face Masks - $2.99

As I mentioned above, I recently went on a trip last week to my hometown. It was a short weekend trip but still, driving long distances, eating more food than I usually do at home, and drinking more usually tires my skin out. Even if my skin doesn't openly react badly (no breakouts, no dryness or excessive oiliness), I still make it a point to treat my face with a mask a day after I've returned from a trip. I just put it through a change (in weather, food habits, etc) so I want to make sure it's taken care of! 
It's not news that I love YesTo products, so they are my preferred brand of face masks, but honestly any mask works!! I just like to make sure it's a mask and not just a scrub because I want my skin to soak in the nutrients and whatnot. Currently I have a few different types, a charcoal paper mask, a coconut paper mask, and argan oil mud mask! I prefer mud masks over paper masks because I like being able to move around after I've applied it to my face haha, but paper masks are really hydrating and that's what I prefer to do to my skin after a trip. There are also sleeping masks but I haven't tried those yet! Maybe one of these days I'll do a comparison on types of masks.

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

 In last month's favorites, I talked about Netflix and the shows you should be watching, so this month I thought everyone could use a little more textual enrichment! One of my mid-year resolutions was to read more books, and there's no better time for someone to pick up a few books than the summer by the pool! I am not too picky about how I read my books - paperback, Kindle version, or even online on my phone. But there's something fun about going to the library to check out a book, I don't need money or the hassle of not finding it online, so that's what I did this month!
I decided to check out Six of Crows because a lot of my friends said it was similar to all the other book series I love (Harry Potter series, The Raven Cycle, All for the Game series). They had all suggested the other two series for me so I trusted their judgment on this series. This book is a fantasy mystery book about criminals and crimes, so it's full of intrigue and suspense. I think it provides the perfect balance of realism and fantasy and has such a great, interesting ensemble of characters. It's not exactly a "light read by the pool" material but who cares? And if not, I have plenty of other books that will fit the summer beach read criteria (also currently reading Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell). All I'm saying is everyone should try to stimulate their minds by reading a book or two this summer!


With June behind us, I'm more than ready for the month of July! It's always such an exciting month: fourth of July, my birthday, peak summertime fun. I wonder what it has in store for me. What type of posts would you like to see from me next month? I recently took a trip home so, of course, my grandma gave me a whole bunch of stuff to take home with me, so you can at least be expecting a haul post soon! 


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It's no secret that New Year's Resolutions are rarely ever kept up with throughout the year. It's become so common to neglect resolutions that lots of people have chosen to forego making them at all, which just sounds sad! It seems counter productive to start off a year with the mentality that you will fail so you might as well not try.

I'm not saying making and keeping resolutions is easy, it's hard work. But who says you need to make such goals at the beginning of the year and if you didn't keep up with it by February then it's too late? There's a saying that I've recently latched on to whenever things don't work out according to my plans for the future - dreams don't have deadlines. There's nothing wrong with working towards something, no matter how slow it takes - because at least you did it at all.

So with us being halfway through June, we are now officially halfway through the year 2017. There is no rule that says we can't make resolutions at any other time in the year, so I'm going to declare June the month to make mid-year resolutions. Maybe you set out a goal to read 50 books a year but now that you're halfway through it you realize that goal might not be feasible anymore? That's okay! Reset your goal, don't give up on it completely. Make it 30 books, or 20, something a little more reasonable for the time you've got left. Don't try to squeeze in those 50 books in the last half of the year because you may stretch yourself too thin trying to add that on your plate. You've got to remember your own happiness and well being takes precedence over checking something off a list.

2017 has been so great for me and the funny thing is, I didn't really make any resolutions this year. Well, that's a lie, I did make two simple resolutions and they were: Chew less ice and be less bitter. I've only upheld the latter so far. That was an important resolution for me going into 2017 because 2016 was nothing but constant setbacks and failures and everything about that year left me emotionally drained. I made tons of resolutions (aka goals) for myself that year and surprisingly, I accomplished a lot of those things on my list. But mentally and personally, I was unhappy the entire time. I got to cross so many things off my list, but at what cost? That's why, in 2017 I decided to focus on personal fulfillment rather than achievement hunting and it's worked out so much better for me.

If you're not the type to set out goals or checklists and don't really do new year's resolutions, try a mid-year resolution - there's a lot less pressure riding on them. Here are a few tips to help you figure out what you want to accomplish for the rest of 2017.

First, manifest your resolutions.

I'm a visual/kinetic person, so for me, writing them down makes it a lot more final. Write them in a blog post, a journal, or on a sticky note and paste it somewhere you'll see it every day to give you motivation. If you're an auditory person, tell someone what your goals are, or say them out loud to yourself if you're too shy - just put it out there in the world so you've got a reason to uphold it.

Always remember: goals are aspirations, not obligations.

Don't beat yourself up if you don't keep up with your resolutions. All that matters is that you at least try and you can try again at any time you want. But also keep this in mind for others too. If someone decides to tell you their goals and you see they're not fulfilling it, try not to nag them or point it out to them, because chances are they already know they're not upholding it, they don't need that added guilt or shame. Goals are about personal fulfillment so it's not your place to inadvertently put them down. (Unless they specify that they'd like you to help them stop a bad habit, then by all means do your friend duties without being overbearing!) I'd hope they extend the same courtesy to you.

Lastly, keep them real and attainable.

As I mentioned earlier, you don't have to go all out and say you're going to lose 60 pounds! Because you have half a year left, make the goals a little smaller so you can achieve them with the time you've got left. If you manage to exceed the reduced goal, then great! If you met the goal you set, fantastic! If you didn't quite meet it, awesome, you still did more than you expected from the beginning of the year! If you keep your resolutions somewhere where you can see them, it can start to get pretty discouraging if you constantly see them and know you haven't made any progress. That's why it's best to stick to smaller, attainable ones. It's better to have accomplished something than to have given up on a larger resolution made back in January.



There's so much pressure for new year's resolutions with everyone asking you what they are and expecting you to uphold them throughout the entire year. With mid-year resolutions, you can still set out some expectations for yourself at your own pace. You can be as specific or broad as you want, set deadlines or keep your options open as long as you finish it (even if it took you longer than a year, at least you did it). You can tailor things according to your lifestyle and daily busyness.

If you want to make monthly goals, quarterly goals, etc. it might make things easier for you. Instead of reading 50 books a year, try breaking it up into small time sections. Read 10 books every three months, or 1 book a week. Keeping it small makes it seem less intimidating! Keep a tracker so you can monitor your progress. Seeing it (or telling someone about it) helps you feel like you are accomplishing something and can go a long way to motivate you.

So - what are my mid-year resolutions? I've got only got a few. First, I've decided to keep up with my original resolutions: 1. Chew less ice and 2. be less bitter. I've got the second one checked out perfectly, but the first one needs a lot of work (a bad habit I can't break!) Notice I set a realistic expectation of myself by not restricting myself completely. Instead of saying "Stop chewing ice" I decided on "Chew less ice." Smaller and attainable than quitting cold turkey. I can work my way up from there.

As for new resolutions:
Read more. Read 20 books.
Reading has always been a resolution of mine, and I never quite reach the quota I set out for myself because I get really busy throughout the year and I usually only consider reading new books as part of the quota. But this year, all I've wanted to do is re-read books I already love. I decided I'd still count them towards my goal because I still took time out of my day to read a book instead of watch tv. I've also decided for every book I re-read, I'll read a new book as well so I still make some progress. I start off small - a chapter from each book (old, and new) a day, at the very least. Small and attainable. As I make a habit of this, it becomes easier to read more and more each day.

Work out more. Twice a week.
The problem with "working out" as a resolution is that everyone seems to think you need to do a complete lifestyle overhaul in order to keep up with it. You need to start drinking protein shakes and meal prepping and going to the gym nonstop. I am not that type of person. But I do want to get in shape. So I'm going to start off small. A few at-home workouts I can do in the privacy of my own bedroom. That way I can establish a routine and work my way up to not being so intimidated to go to a gym. Small and attainable.

Do you have any other tips you'd like to keep yourself motivated to try new things? Are there any new mid-year resolutions you want to try out? Let me know in the comments below!!


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One of the first posts on this website was a comparison between different types of eyeliners. However, afterward I realized that there was one type of eyeliner that I have neglected to mention, and that was felt tip eyeliner! I've heard them called various different names: eyeliner pens, markers, etc. but they all have the same type of tip. I decided to go out and buy one because I had never used one before (hence why I had forgotten to include it in the "This or That" eyeliner post).

I decided to buy NYX's Super Skinny Eye Marker because NYX is a really affordable brand that has reliable products for someone on a college budget.

NYX Super Skinny Eye Marker - $9.50

My first impression is that the pen offers much more control than a liner with a brush would, whether that be a liquid liner or a gel liner. And its tip is very fine point which makes for easy wings. It is no doubt the easiest type of eyeliner to use, without question. With the felt tip pen eyeliner, you get the stability and control of a pencil liner, with the fine precision of a liner with a brush!



The pigmentation of this eyeliner varied though. I tried the product several different times for many different occasions to see how it held up. At first it seems like the color is dark and rich when you first apply it.

The bottom two lines are both from the felt pen.

However, after using this product over time, I can say that more often than not, it looks pretty dull and grey, and I have to go over what I already drew a few times just to get a darker color. Secondly, this product smudges so easily, especially with a little water, it would be completely gone at the first sign of rain. When I washed my hands after drawing all the different types of liners, both felt pen lines were completely gone while the top three lines remained on my hand. (The pencil and gel lines were smudged, but the liquid line stayed completely intact - I told you it's resilient!)

Overall the best thing about this specific eyeliner is that it is extremely quick and easy to use. If you're a beginner and want to try out some winged cat eye looks, this is the eyeliner for you. It's not as intimidating as liquid liner, and the broad strokes of a pencil won't work against you. This felt tip marker has the right amount of control and precision for winged looks. It's honestly the perfect eyeliner for when you're on the go or in a rush. Just swipe it on and you're good to go!

I'm thinking the durability of this product has more to do with the brand than the actual type of eyeliner. I'm curious to try out other types of felt tip pen eyeliners from other brands. Do you have any recommendations for which brands I should try?


Do you have any tips? What other products should I review next? Leave a comment below!

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As I mentioned in my planner post, I usually like to reflect over my obsessions during the month as it comes to an end. I like to try new things often so some months I use things more than others. It doesn't mean I stop using them after the month is over, but simply that it was something new I tried during this month and particularly liked it. Here are my favorites for the month of May!

MAC Studio Fix Fluid Foundation - $28

I really hate switching up foundations because of the uncertainty of it all. What if it makes me break out? What if it looks really cakey? What if I wasted all my money on this for no reason? But the bottom line was, as much as I love my current foundation (Maybelline's Fit Me Foundation), I wanted something with a little more coverage that wasn't too heavy. Sometimes I have days where I break out and want more coverage, or I know it'll be a long, busy day and I want something that wouldn't wear off by the end of the day. So I asked around and this foundation was suggested to me for long lasting good coverage.
So I took a risk and bought it, and I love it so much! It feels a little thicker than most foundations I've used in the past, so it leaves a bit of residue on things like the rim of my glasses or my phone screen if I'm taking a call. But for the most part it's not terribly inconvenient, and when set with a powder afterward, it looks even better! The coverage more than makes up for it. I wear this foundation when I want to look good and know I'm going to be photographed because it covers so well. 

MAC Prep + Prime BB Cream - $31

And then sometimes I have those days when I really don't want a lot of coverage at all! Sometimes I have really good days when my skin looks great so I don't need heavy coverage. Or sometimes my day will be short - only one class, or only an errand or two to run, so I don't care so much about being 100% covered for a long period of time. This BB cream is light and covers well enough for exactly when I need it and I like knowing it does its job with minimal effort. It's great. I wish it didn't smell so strongly like sunscreen, but the SPF in all these MAC products isn't a bad thing.

Boxed Water - $1.49

Look, I'm just going to go ahead and say it - I'm all about the aesthetic. I originally bought boxed water because it looked so freaking cool. Yeah, I'm one of those people, I'll admit it. But if I'm getting purified water to drink (I'm trying to stay more hydrated this year) regardless of what it comes in, does it really matter? The company claims boxed water is better because the packaging is made from recyclable material and ships better, etc. whereas bottled water made from plastic usually ends up in the ocean. If I can reduce my carbon footprint while drinking good, clean water in a cute package, why not? Ain't no shame.

Not Your Mother's Beach Babe Soft Waves Sea Salt Spray - $7

I recently cut my hair really short (like, really short) which is the shortest I've had it in about...eight years. Needless to say, it was a huge change for me. I thought it was short after having dyed and cut it last summer, but this was a huge change for me. (It's not the shortest I've ever had it though!) So because I got a new hairstyle, I needed to find ways to style it. I decided to pick up this NYM's sea salt spray to give myself some natural curls. I love this product because it gives me so much volume! It adds texture and a buttload of volume so I can style my hair without heat which is perfect for the summer coming up. It also smells very sweet, like vanilla. Except it makes my hair pretty greasy the next day, since it's a product and all, so I would advise to use this on second-day hair instead of freshly washed hair so you don't have to wash it immediately afterward. Not Your Mother's also has a texturizing beach babe sea salt spray so I really want to try it out to see what the differences are between the two products!! 

Seacret Salt & Oil Scrub - $50-$100

Speaking of sea salt, this salt and oil scrub is amazing. The stuff retails for $100 (but the website sells it for $50) but my roommate and I got it for $25 each! Who knew you could hustle kiosk workers? We were just trying to politely decline the man's salespitch and he ended up lowering the price for us and throwing in free stuff so in the end we gave in. We're still not sure who ended up getting swindled overall, but the bottom line is - this product works great! It's made from pure sea salt from the Dead Sea and it's hypoallergenic so it should be fine for all skin types.
It's a really great exfoliant as a salt scrub generally would be, but the best part is the oil afterward which leaves your skin feeling INCREDIBLY soft and moisturized! It's seriously amazing how soft your skin feels after this. So I especially like to use this scrub on rougher areas such as elbows (something I'm really self conscious about!), knees,  callused hands, or any other body part you think needs exfoliating and natural moisturizing!

Netflix - $8-$12/month

Honestly, we are so lucky to have a service like Netflix. I know we all binge watch Netflix, but May was the month in which I consumed the most television (procrastinating from studying for finals oops) and I just have to talk about all the amazing shows Netflix has provided us with. Catching up on old seasons of beloved shows is fun, but Netflix has been killing it with their original series!! I am an aspiring television script writer, so I love talking tv and analyzing shows. I can talk about shows for days (ask me what I think about a certain show and I'll give you a dissertation on it!), but I'm going to try and keep it brief. These are shows you should be watching ASAP:
Master of None (season 2) - The most beautiful piece of television my eyes have ever seen. So simply authentic and beautiful in both script and cinematography. I feel this show deep in my soul. Great script, filming, casting, storyline, everything. Amazing amazing amazing.
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt - This show is so unexpectedly funny, I feel like people are sleeping on it! It's just the right amount of quirky and cute. I feel like it's the perfect light, fun show everyone needs to contrast all the bleakness of the real world. Add some positivity to your life by watching this show!
Grace & Frankie  - The cutest show on the planet, so wholesome, witty, and hilarious!! You will not regret watching this, I promise.
Girlboss - I love how real and honest this show feels. I can watch it and say "I know someone exactly like her" and who wouldn't want to know badass women who go after what they want? Also the soundtrack is bomb!
The Get Down - REST IN PEACE. Netflix just cancelled this gem of a show after just one season but WOW it was amazing!! It had an all POC cast, amazing original songs, and dealt with real historical issues of classism and race and how that affected disco and rap music. I'm so sad this show didn't get the recognition it deserved but don't miss out on watching it now!! (Maybe we can bring it back!!)

Cooking Fever - Free

Last but not least is this mobile phone game, Cooking Fever. I'm a sucker for phone games and every summer my game playing spikes up because I have all this free time again without classes. I usually don't like to give in to advertisements or sponsors (Youtubers promote this game like crazy) but honestly...it's pretty fun. I'm addicted to playing it and getting a perfect score on each level. I like this game a lot because it's not one of those real life games where you have to wait in real-time for energy to reload or any of that nonsense! Just frantic fun. Except I ran out of gems and I refuse to use real money to buy any so just be careful how you spend your gems since I was spending mine a little too freely without calculating how you can earn more. 

Do you also play games on your phone? Recommend some to me!! I'm always looking for new games to play in the summer! 

So these were my monthly favorites for the month of May. It felt like such a long month. The first half of it was stressful and full of events and finals for me, whereas the second half feels like a different time entirely with endless free time to play games and watch Netflix. Be on the lookout for more monthly posts like this every month!

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This month's spotlight is an extra special one, not just because this is one of my good friends, or because he isn't a Red Raider ("He doesn't even go here!"), but because it's the first male I feature! Michael and I met on twitter because my sorority and his fraternity are very close, and from there our friendship blossomed. He is from New Orleans and is a double major in English and Communication at the University of Nevada- Las Vegas in Las Vegas, Nevada.



Michael has since made several trips to Lubbock just to hang out with his fraternity brothers and meet other friends he's made through twitter (or to be my date to my banquet), so he's practically a Lubbock local! When he's not visiting the motherland (both our respective Greek organizations were founded here in Lubbock), he likes to travel as much as he can. You'd think living in Las Vegas would be fun enough already, but he likes to visit places like Dallas, Portland, Denver, Oklahoma City, Phoenix, Albuquerque, Jacksonville, Atlanta, Boston, and New York - just to name a few! 

I dress for fashion. If I know I'm going to go somewhere that has a lot of people, I'm trying to turn heads.

Since Michael is an experienced traveller, I asked how he packs when going on a trip and he said an itinerary of the events with his friends is essential so he knows what to bring such as suits for formal events, a tie and dress shoes for graduations or ceremonies, or his letters if there's a Greek event.



"I'm still evolving so my style changes a lot. My style depends on the season. If it's summer you'll see me in tank tops and tattoos but if it's winter I'll be in cardigans, boots, and a scarf. I'll be the freshest on the block," he says.

Michael's favorite things to wear are tank tops because they show off his tattoos which are a huge form of expression for him. His tattoos are part of his personality and he wants people to see that. 

The less I'm wearing, the more of me you see.

After a few visits to Lubbock under his belt, Michael has caught on to how unpredictable the weather can be here and how it's important to take into account when dressing. When I asked him why he didn't bring any tank tops on his most recent trip to Lubbock if he claims they're his favorite article of clothing, he said it was because the Lubbock weather is crazy!  "Here, you have to adjust to the weather. When I'm out here, it's more about being comfortable in the weather."


He stresses that you have to be yourself and not conform to the opinions of others. He likes to shop at thrift stores to find clothes and not just places like Forever 21 or Express. "I just don't like being the same, wearing the same boring Supreme, Obey style," he said. The key is not to be afraid to get out there, out of your comfort zone, and do things for yourself. If you only think of other's opinions then you won't be happy with yourself. Above all else, you've got to be comfortable in your own skin.

It doesn't matter what you put on if you're not comfortable in your own skin.

Michael says he gets his inspiration and is influenced by his heritage, his culture, and even his music taste. He is always conscious of his look no matter where he is going and is always trying to spark interest, even through his hair. "Not a lot of people have natural dreads so it sparks some sort of conversation," he says.

No matter what they think, at least it gets people talking.

Michael's street style is casually dressy and he has become a pro at packing various different versatile looks into carry ons while traveling, especially on a budget! I look forward to hopefully seeing him in a male romper in the future and see how his style continues to evolve!


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Products with activated charcoal are not entirely new, but it seems lately in 2017 I've seen the ingredient almost everywhere! Before, I had only ever seen it in one extremely expensive body scrub, but now there are charcoal versions of every type of beauty product available. It's so common everywhere now you can even find charcoal products at Walmart for low affordable prices, so it feels like you're getting a quality product for a decent price.

So what's the deal with charcoal? Is it actually good for you? I've seen it in everything from soap bars, to face masks, to makeup wipes, to toothpaste! It seems crazy to use black powder to clean things, but it actually has the ability to draw out all the bacteria and impurities on your face to absorb them because it can absorb up to 200 times its weight, so it's definitely a deep cleanser. 

So naturally, being the type of person to have major FOMO (fear of missing out), I tried out a bunch of these products! I was particularly interested in the face products because I have naturally large pores (damn my genetics), and contrary to what the beauty industry tries to sell you - you cannot actually make your pores smaller, you can only make them appear to be smaller. And the first step in doing that is making sure they're not clogged with dirt or bacteria! 

Biore Deep Pore Charcoal Cleanser - ~$5.50

Biore actually has a lot of different charcoal products: scrubs, masks, charcoal bars, pore strips, etc. I've tried their charcoal nose strips and I think they work just a little bit better than regular nose strips. And then they have different types of charcoal cleansers, one for acne and one for deep cleaning. While I'm still trying to fight my (rudely belated) acne, I already have an acne cleanser so I didn't want to use a second type and irritate or dry out my skin, so I opted for the regular deep cleanser instead.

I love this product so much! It foams up and spreads really well so a little goes a long way. It doesn't smell too good, to be honest, but it's not horrible smelling either. It tingles and really makes me feel like it's deep cleaning my face and then I use an exfoliating scrubbing brush to really get the product deep in my pores to trap the bacteria. Afterward I really do notice a difference in my face. It's so much softer and smoother and it washes away any dead skin or impurities. I would give this a 10/10!



Okay, I love Yes To. This is my go to brand for any type of face masks and facial wipes. I've tried so many other types of makeup removal wipes, but none have worked best for me quite like the Yes To Soothing Cucumber Facial Wipes! They smell so clean and refreshing and they work so well on even the toughest waterproof eyeliner and mascara!
However, when I saw that they had new charcoal wipes, I was intrigued. They even have an entire charcoal section on their website with tons of charcoal products to try! I like to try new things every now and then, and I was on a charcoal kick, so I figured why not! Well, after using them, I can say that they're fine, but not my favorite. The texture is a little rougher than Yes To's normal face wipes, so I have to wipe my face a little harder and the entire process of taking off my makeup is not as smooth as its "Removes makeup with a swipe!" claim.
And although I can't deny the wipe being pitch black is really cool looking, the down side to that is I can't tell if I'm wiping off my eyeliner, mascara, or eyebrows well enough. I usually wipe my makeup off at the end of the day while I'm walking around my room doing things, getting stuff prepped for the next day or picking out my outfit, etc. but now I have to stand in front of the mirror to make sure I'm wiping off all my makeup. It doesn't sound like that big of an inconvenience, because I usually wash my face after using a makeup wipe anyway, but it does throw off my routine. Another thing to note, these wipes are also heavily scented, in my opinion. It's a sweet smell, so it doesn't smell bad, but I feel like it leaves my face feeling a little bit sticky and perfumed, so washing your face afterward is a must. I personally don't like sweet scented things, so it's not something I like, but I wouldn't consider it a "con" of this product, because some people may prefer their products to have a sweet scent!

My DIYed charcoal bath bomb - ~$5 to make

Lastly, the thing that first kicked off my charcoal obsession - bath bombs. I was trying to put together a spa gift for a friend and I wanted a black bath bomb but they were sold out everywhere, so I found a Youtube tutorial on how to make your own. Anyone who knows me knows I'm notorious for DIYing everything, so I set out to make one of these! Let me just say, it's a lot harder than it looks and took me quite a few tries to finally get it right. As you can see above, I used a heart shaped cookie cutter to make this bath bomb. And while it looks super green, it does dissolve black. I decided to demonstrate a little piece so you can see.



The key to making these is to use activated charcoal, not just your regular charcoal used for grilling! They sell activated charcoal in a package as shown in the video, or in small capsules that you can open up to use the powder for. I wanted to use a charcoal bath bomb, not just because it's black and it looks super cool, but because exfoliating your skin with the ingredient makes your skin feel really soft! In my opinion, colorful bath bombs just exist to make the water look cool, but with this charcoal bath bomb, at least it can have a semi-purpose!



And in case you were wondering, it doesn't stain skin or bath tubs. However it may leave some residue so a second rinse through to get the last of the powder off the sides of the tub may be needed.

Some people have even gone as far as to ingest activated charcoal capsules as a sort of "cleanse" or de-tox, but I'm not brave enough to try something like that. Truthfully, there seems to be no medical evidence as to whether charcoal actually helps cleanse and purify the body like the beauty industry is claiming and capitalizing on, so I'm not too keen on ingesting it just yet.

I'll just stick to bath bombs and face masks for now. I don't like to use charcoal products every day (I find my skin gets dried out if I do the same thing to it over and over), so I like to space out my usage. I use the cleanser every time I shower, the makeup wipes every other day, and face masks after a particularly grueling week or after a trip.

Either way, putting activated charcoal on our bodies can't be worse than all the other chemicals we use to clean our faces or bodies with, and it's "natural" so there's no harm in jumping on this trend! Especially now that the products have become a lot more affordable, I'm not complaining! I'm a fan of charcoal products, they just look so much cooler than regular products! Are you?


What other trends have you noticed lately? Are you buying into the charcoal craze or do you think there's nothing special about it?

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There's nothing like filling out my planner every week to at least make me feel like I have my life together. I'll admit it, I'm a plannerholic. Every time I walk into Michael's I warn my roommate to absolutely not let me buy any more planner stickers - but it doesn't stop me from browsing the aisle longingly each time.

Over the course of my college career, I've had various different planners, generic ones purchased from a college bookstore or Walmart, a Lilly Pullitzer one, and currently a MAMBI Happy Planner. Every single one of my planners have been full sized because I do better with more space on a page, mostly for the monthly overview because I need those squares to be as big as possible! Out of all the planners I've had, the Happy Planner from MAMBI is definitely my absolute favorite!



It's similar to the coveted Erin Condren planner except it's so much more customizable, not to mention so much cheaper!!! (Especially with a 40% off coupon at Michaels, hint hint). The planner is also reusable because the pages are easily extractable (no pesky binding issues) and you can get new monthly inserts. The MAMBI brand also has meal plan inserts, workout tracker inserts, and a plethora of different covers to choose from. This planner originally came with a flexible, laminated cover but I swapped it out for a rose gold hard cover because I needed something more durable. (The rose gold phone case was a coincidence, but purchased at Charming Charlie's if you're interested).


My favorite thing about this planner is the monthly tab at the beginning of each month because the motivational quotes are usually so pretty and it also has a section to write down my monthly goals, important dates, and what I have been doing for that current month! I liked the "Currently" section so much, I found a weekly version of it for the planner and printed them out because I change my mood so often throughout a month, it's hard to pick just one answer for these prompts.



I'm involved in a lot of student organizations and activities on campus, so I need a planner to keep me organized, of course. Like most, my planner is color coded.
Yes, I really do carry all of these items with me daily in my backpack. I have two different types of white out (my schedule is constantly changing so I need to update it) and I got tired of scratching out old plans because it looked so ugly and it wasted valuable space, so I invested in white out. I also have a tape runner for double sided tape which makes pasting cut outs so much easier into my planner and of course an exacto knife is essential for cutting things out. My friends have made fun of me for carrying these things around but it comes in handy when they're asking for an Exacto knife or white out!



Stickers are a game changer for my planner filling ways. They make everything look much more sleek and organized! I'm the type of person that has sticker anxiety - that feeling when you want to put a sticker somewhere but it has to be a good place otherwise you waste the sticker! - so it's hard for me to freely use stickers willy nilly, but I'm slowly getting over that irrational feeling because it's silly. I have so many stickers to use, I shouldn't be afraid to "run out." I also try to use any other types of stickers I have laying around whenever I can, whether it be leftover Lilly Pullitzer stickers from my old planner, or Spongebob stickers from a Sonic kid's meal.



The online planner community is huge, and there are so many different things available for planners to print out or use as inserts. They even have decorative stickers in the exact size of the boxes in the weekly layout, but that's a little excessive for me. I only like to print things out that will be practical for me to use.
Like I said earlier, I loved the "Currently" section on the monthly tab so I printed out a weekly version of it and I like to paste it on the side column of the page. I alternate between using sticker paper and printing these on regular paper (hence why the double sided tape runner comes in handy) and also explains the Exacto knife! I just think these are great to add to a page if it's looking a little bare in certain areas.



This is something I made out of an old composition book. I took out the leftover pages and hot glued all my post its, sticker pads, and tabs onto the cover so when it opens up like a booklet, they are all organized neatly and ready to use. It has been one of the most handy things I've had. These post its and stickers are great for making tentative plans or for adding reminders!

This is a closer look at the "Currently" printable that I like to cut out and paste for every week.

Sometimes there are weeks where I am too busy to fill out a "Currently" section, or I may not even paste one onto the weekly layout at all. Other times I am too busy to really fill up my planner or alternatively, there's not much to plan at all because it's a slow week (rare, but possible as the semester winds down and there's only finals to look forward to, yay).

As you can see, I like to use whatever stickers I can get a hold of! Monsters University is one of my FAVORITE movies EVER and it felt appropriate to use for Probate Week because it is a "Greek" centric movie.

For this "Currently" sidebar, I filled it out throughout the week instead of waiting until the end of the week to fill it in afterward, which I sometimes do. It's all depending on my mood!

As the school year winds down, my planner starts looking a lot less colorful and a lot more empty, it's so sad! But, with the school year winding down and my summer wide open, I have a lot of free time to dedicate to this website! What type of content would you like to see from me?

This is the current week. Wish me luck on finals!

I won't lie, keeping up a planner like this takes a lot of time and effort. One time I spent a good two hours filling up my planner, reflecting on my past week in the "Currently" section, seeing what items on my to-do list I had or had not done, and filling out the upcoming week's events - so this type of planner may not be for everyone.

Are you the type to just write down the basic need-to-know info and that's it? Do you prefer electronic/online calendars? (I tried, I'm just such a kinetic person!) Or are you looking to branch out into breathing more life into your planner like I did? I highly suggest it! For someone as busy as I usually am, not only does it help me stay organized, but looking at all the bright colors and motivational stickers makes me feel less stressed! I thought it would be the opposite, where more clutter on the page makes me feel frantic, but it doesn't, it helps me see where I can find time to breathe. (That's why I put a "don't forget, have fun" sticker in the TV section for finals week!) Do you have any other planner tips? Please share with me! I'm always looking for ways to improve my practicality and planner!!


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