​As I now assume, all of you are settled down adjusted to your schedule of the new semester. Now that it is around week three for most colleges, now is the time when we typically realize that…we aren’t as excited for the semester as we were a month ago. Let’s face it.
 
Now you’re over the homework, you ran out of cute outfits, or your roommate has been getting on your nerves. Or like me, you literally have something due every other day. I get it. This post is dedicated to finding little things that will give you a boost of motivation and happiness throughout the semester, that do not cause in much loss of time or money. We all know that a college student’s favorite “F” word is free, so here you go: whenever you have a free moment, need to de-stress, or need a break from everyone, try this:

​Pamper yourself with a face mask: on your next free night, try a mask to remove all impurities and stress from your skin. Naturally, when you are tired, your skin looks dull, and just cleansing alone can’t always brighten it. The following masks are great (and cheap-all under $10), and will give you that energy boost you’re looking for.

​Develop a love of candles: seriously. Candles have made such a difference in my college years. There is just something about aromatherapy when I am studying that calms me and makes me feel better. However, if you are not allowed to have candles in your dorm or place of residence, I recommend a scentsy or even an essential oil diffuser like mine from Muji.

​SLEEP!
Again, aromatherapy. Speaking of my essential oil diffuser, there is nothing quite as relaxing as falling asleep to the scent of lavender while the machine makes peaceful, bubbling sounds. However, essential oil diffusers can be pricey ($89, plus oil), so maybe wait until Christmas on that one. In the meantime, try an aromatherapy pillow mist: you can get them for under $10 at Bath & Body or Crabtree and Evelyn.

​New Face: Every school year, I like to treat myself to a new line of makeup. If your current foundation bores you, add some life to your face by trying a new one this semester. If you’ve always chose matte, maybe try a dewy finish. My friend, Emily, who is running her Mary Kay business has turned me onto different types of foundations. Instead of dashing out the door, maybe quickly use an easy lip-color like a Clinique Chubby Stick. You would be surprised what a little beauty effort does to your mood throughout the day. Also, I recommend getting yourself a good setting powder or spray depending on your skin type. This way, your foundation/ concealer will look flawless all day with no worries if it is coming off. I use Soap and Glory’s Translucent powder. $8, Ulta. 

​A breath of fresh air
Want an easy way to smell good all the time, effortlessly? Your laundry detergent. I have been using The Laundress and Le Labo Rose 31 detergent for all my launderings, and I have been receiving so many complements. Literally, I smell like a bed of roses all the time. Another perk is you can use it on all of your blankets, pillows, and sheets too so your dorm/ apartment will always smell beautiful whenever you have guests.

​​Hair 101: take time for your hair! If you are like me, you bun your hair a good 3 times a week….well, this is damaging not only to the tips, but the roots as well. Take time for your hair with a Tony Moly hair mask: simply put the pocket with the product onto your hair and study or watch Netflix for a half hour, and then take it off, and your hair feels 100x better. Give your hair the drink it deserves. You can get a Tony Moly minibling hair mask for under $5 at Ulta, or you can opt for a more expensive one, from Macadamia (Ulta, $28). 

​Make taking notes/ planning more fun.
Seriously, this sounds so lame but it works. Get a cute notebook with a really nice inky pen, and a cute planner. When you WANT to write in your nice notebook with nice pen, you will be amazed not only at how not-terrible note taking seems, but also how much neater your notes will be. To stay on top of assignments, check out the ever-so-adorable day planner from Kate Spade. You can get it at Macy’s for $12.

Collegiate Daybook, $30. Kate Spade Planner, $30 macy's (i got for $12 using a coupon :), Nutella notebook, $1.99, eBay.

Well, there you have it: little ways to unwind. I hope these ways work for you, as they are really not too high maintenance. Let me know your thoughts. <3

Thanks for reading
xo
​-A

I figured I would take a break from my travel posts and add some variety with some of my favorite summer products! The following are what I use to ensure my skin stays supple, moisturized, and TAN during the dog days of summer. After all, the only way to get a tan to last a long time is to moisturize, so try these products and watch your glowing skin flourish.

1. Boots Mango Body Butter. Boots Health Inc. $12.
This is my current favorite body butter! It is cheap, but it gives my skin the perfect non-greasy moisture to keep my skin fresh and my tan bright. It also has an exotic summer smell that is light and not artificial-fruit smelling. Even better news for my British followers is they sell this stuff everywhere! My US followers can find this on boots.com, amazon.com, as well as drugstore.com

2. Sun Bum 3-in-1 Spray Conditioner. $14.99. Ulta Beauty
A hair sunscreen, detangler, conditioner, and color-protectant all in one! Perfect for days where you will be outside at the beach or a music festival and you don't want your color to fade due to sun, chlorine, or other elements. Also on days where you will be sweating and you don't want sweat from the back of your neck to tangle your hair (eww!). However, this is not the product to buy if you like your hair to obtain lighter hues due to the sun! (use Sun-In Hair Lightener in Lemon, for that ;) )

3. Bio Oil. $7.99-$13.99. Wal Mart
Alright, so here's the thing: Bio Oil has saved my skin and a lot of other people I know swear by this stuff too. Bio Oil is used for many things: curing stretch marks, evening skin tone, reducing razor burn bumps, chaffing, even clearing up cellulite. I LOVE this stuff for summer not only to smooth out problem areas during bikini season, but mainly because when I tan, the stretch marks stay light while the rest of my skin gets darker-Bio Oil for 2 weeks clears them so I no longer have to worry.

4. LUSH Magical Moringa Cream. $50. LUSH Cosmetics
Before you shut it down due to the price, hear me out. Magical Moringa is a combination of an emolient and a primer all in one. It completely smooths out your skin for a smooth face that I've never felt in my life. This is also one of the few primers that also can withstand summer sweat and keep my foundation in place all day. Yes, it is expensive, so here is what I recommend: a little bit goes a LONG way, so ask the LUSH worker for a sample: that little sample jar alone will last you about two months. You get the gist.

5. Hawaiian Tropic After Sun. $8.99. Drugstores
I feel like I put this in my summer essential bag every year. Why pay for gimmick after sun lotions when this one has everything you need? It is my favorite because it has a papaya-coconut smell and offers your body a bit of shimmer to enhance your tan. Plus the creamy ribbons also are loaded with Aloe Vera so it prolongs your tan while it soothes your skin.

I am convinced that a soft, pink lipstick can make any skin tone glow. This shade works for many skin tones, pale or tan, and is the perfect shade for this summer. It is also a very versatile shade too: you can wear it for a night out or even to a barbeque because it is subtle, yet still makes a statement. This is my summer must have.

7. Burt's Bees Coconut Oil Foot Creme. $10.00. Drugstores
Because for real, has Burt ever made a bad product? This is the one foot cream I will use for the rest of my life: not even LUSH foot cream can compete. I know they say pepermint creams are the best for feet, but the coconut oil is just so much more effective. I recommend lathering it in on (dont be afraid to glob it on the really rough parts), and sleep in some socks. You will wake up feeling like you just got a fish pedicure.

8. Benefit PoreFessional in Translucent. $44.00. Sephora
I thought I was the only girl whose pores expand when they get tan, but it turns out this is a very common problem, especially in Brazilian women. (Giselle Bundchen said this was one of her main struggles throughout her modeling career). I find that this pore minimizer is one of the best, and I have even compared it to other high-end brands such as Perricone M.D. and smashbox, and I found this one to be most effective. It also did not clog my pores some pore-targeting products tend to do. If the price is out of your reach, opt for the travel size which is $12, because like many Benefit products, a little bit goes far.

So, there you have it folks. My current summer go-tos to ensure my skin is radiant and healthy looking during summer weather. However, please make sure that if you do plan on long exposure to the sun, be smart about it. You know your skin: if you burn easy, were a higher SPF sunblock. One of my best beauty tips for summer is ALWAYS wear SPF on your face, be it in form of SPF in your foundation, powder, whatever it may be, PROTECT YOUR FACE. Why? Because your face will wrinkle easier than the rest of your body due to sun, your face is more prone to moles and cancer, AND if you wear more SPF on your face, yes, it will be lighter than the rest of your body, but bronzer can fix that. Bronzer can't hide wrinkles. That is my beauty tip for life <3

Thank you for reading, and happy summer
xoxo
-A

Back to my ritual of sharing what I am obsessing over for the month! But this time it will be a little different: this time around it will be a modge podge of all my favorite European products I have tried thus far. Since this is Europe, perhaps I should write it as "favourite?" No, that's taking it too far. So let's get started:

1. Kiko Mixing Solution. $1.90. Kiko. Kiko is very similar to the Ulta of Europe. Here, you can find excellent makeup at really reasonable prices. This mixing solution, almost an exact dupe of the mixing medium by Mac, works perfectly with every eye shadow I have used it with. It turns regular eyeshadows and pigments into a nice, gel-like consistency so you can use it where ever you please: lips, brows, or as a liner. And, it is way cheaper than the Mac version. 10/10.

2. Kiko 24h Cream. $5. Kiko. Another Kiko favourite (lol), is this 24h hydrating creme. The elevation cheange has caused my skin to become very dry, so this product has allowed my skin to retain moisture and stay supple. It is fragrance free, and did not clog my pore. Also, you get a pretty large amount for a small price. 9/10.

3. Pupa Desert Bronzing Powder in "Terra Cotta". $18. Coin. Okay, so yes, $18 is rather steep, but this compact is absolutely huge. And when I say huge, it is about the size of my open palms put together: so you definitely get your money's worth. It is a beautiful brown color, not orange, and not overly shimmery. Perfect for contouring or just sweeping onto your cheekbones so you look lively. I give it an 8/10, and the only reason I deducted points was because although you get your money's worth, the large size makes it relatively hard to travel with.

4. Vichy Dermablend Creme Foundation. $25. Farmacie. Okay, so this stuff is MAGNIFICENT. I noticed that my usual foundation, Tarte Amazonian Clay Foundation was oxidizing here, so I decided to try a local product. This was a good move on my part because this stuff lasts a good 12 hours. The coverage is natural and even, and it is cream consistency, so it goes on like a liquid, but looks like a powder. The day I started using it, people had asked me if I did something different. The only negative is it only comes in eight colors, so the palette is rather limited, and it caters to more fair tones (I am not even that dark-skinned and I use the third-to-last darkest color!). 9/10.

5. Lush Fresh Mask in "Don't Look at Me". $9. Lush. This product, from Lush, is probably the easiest one on my list to buy in the states. There was a whole bar of fresh masks but I chose "Don't Look at Me" because it was stated to be perfect for my combination skin. This mask really does do wonders for combination skin, as it is a mix of lemon, aloe, and rice. The rice exfoliated, and the oils of lemon and grapefruit draw out all the impurities leaving your skin soft and buttery. Not sure why it is blue, but it's okay, I still love it. 10/10.

6. Clarins One-Step Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser. $24. Sephora. Last but not least, an old favorite of mine. I used this stuff in middle school and high school when I had developed acne and was prone to rashes due to sensitivity. Well, sadly, recently, my acne has returned in certain spots, and I am growing rather sensitive to some face washes, so I figured I would go back to using this product. I truly do love this cleanser, and I almost am regretting ever doing away with it in the first place. The orange zest gives your face a boost in the morning, and the exfoliating beads give your skin just the right amount of a daily microdermabraision. Also, I personally find this cleanser helpful in dealing with mild to moderate cases of acne. It can be rather expensive, but if you have multiple skin problems at once or are very sensitive to cleansers, it is definitely worth the money. 10/10.

Well, there you have it: my favorite European products that I have tried so far. I can guarantee that there will be more in the future, so I will be keeping you updated, but keep an eye out because I will soon be doing a segment strictly dedicated to fresh masks from Lush (since there are 6 girls in my house and we all bought a different one).

Thank you for reading! And if you have any questions regarding where to purchase these products in the states, just comment below and I will do my research.
xoxo
-A