Mascara Review

I absolutely love trying out new mascaras. Mascara is probably one of my favorite makeup items, and I love trying out different ones and seeing what works - this post will be dedicated to different mascaras and how much I love them (or don't). 

Disclosure about my lashes: I have naturally really long curly lashes. While you may think that this makes me worse at reviewing mascaras, I actually think it makes it harder for a mascara to impress me, because it's really hard to lengthen my lashes and because I smudge really easily. So when I like a mascara, it means it's withstood the test of length, time, weather, and anything else that may cause trouble when it comes to lashes.

So let's get to it! This is a compiled list of the mascaras I currently have or have tried in the very recent past. Again, all opinions are my own.

Physician's Formula Organic Wear ($9.99)

Rating: ★☆☆☆☆

I absolutely hated this mascara. The brush clumps up your lashes, and the formula is so bad that it smudged within an hour.

Maybelline Great Lash ($5.19)

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

This was the first mascara I ever used when I was 16, and I used it for many years before I tried other things. I know this mascara sells fairly well, partly to do with the price. This is nothing special - it doesn't lengthen very much and it smudges fairly easily. Definitely not worth the hype. 

Side note: the clear version is incredible for setting eyebrows, and it really holds them in place throughout the day. 

CoverGirl LashBlast ($7.79)
Rating: ★★☆☆☆

Another bestseller I don't really like. The formula isn't very good and smudges very easily, and I actually think the Great Lash mentioned above is a much better deal than this one. 

L'Oreal Double Extend ($10.95)
Rating: ★★★☆☆

This mascara lengthens your lashes so much that it makes you look like you have false lashes on. This is the favorite mascara of many people I know who have short lashes. I'm really not a fan of the formula, however, because it smudges, but the deal breaker for me really was the fact that it's so hard to take off, you take a few eyelashes off in the process. Even after that, you're likely to wake up the next day with raccoon eyes. 

Maybelline The Falsies ($7.99)
Rating: ★★★★☆

This mascara is such good bang for your buck. The formula is excellent and even the non-waterproof formula hardly smudges. The only thing I don't like about this mascara is the brush, because it can be a bit clumpy, but if you wiggle it a bit as you put it on then it works wonders. Definitely the best drugstore mascara I've tried by far.

Benefit They're Real! ($23.00)
Rating: ★★★★★

The single best mascara I've ever tried, and it breaks my heart that it doesn't come in a waterproof formula otherwise I would use it every day. While the formula is certainly good, what really makes this mascara the best is the brush. That brush will get into every single one of your lashes and will extend them endlessly, and the tip will get even your hardest to reach corner lashes. If you're wondering whether it's worth the investment, there's a $10.00 mini version (at the same link above) that you can try to see if you like it (hint: you will).

Clinique High Impact Waterproof ($16.00)
Rating: ★★★★★

My current favorite mascara and the one I use every single day (except for special night-out occasions when I'll use my Benefit one). The brush is great, the formula's great, and I have a long-standing obsession with Clinique. Nothing not to love here.

And that's all! I hope some of this stuff is useful next time you're buying a mascara - leave your favorites in the comments!

xoxo.

Top Things To Do/Avoid at Dartmouth College

I recently graduated from Dartmouth College, a fact that makes me so sad that I'm compensating for it by talking endlessly about it. I had an amazing time and met the most amazing people and I would not trade the past four years for anything in the world. The following is a question I answered on my Tumblr sometime my senior year to an incoming member of the class of 2017. 

Top Things To Do/Avoid at Dartmouth College by a ‘13

1. Don’t have a plan set in stone from the very beginning

I was a Biomedical Engineering major when I started. I had my D-plan planned out for all four years with my Thayer advisor before the first day of class freshman fall. That morphed into just pre-med (everyone starts out being pre-med), and I spent my first two years at Dartmouth struggling through bio and chem classes until one day everything crumbled and I thought my life was over (I really did. You can ask my roommate.) I found what I was passionate about afterwards, and while junior and senior year were academically very happy, all that suffering would have been avoided if I had just allowed myself to explore at the beginning. You have to take pre-reqs anyway, so take some weird-ass classes freshman year and discover what you love before you choose a path. 

2. Go on an FSP/LSA

Seriously, this is my number one regret from Darmouth. Take a language, take a random religion class, philosophy class, anthropology, whatever it is that interests you and go abroad. Going back to my first point, I didn’t do a study abroad because I was too busy being pre-med. Seriously, work that shit into your D-plan somehow. Find a way. 

3. Don’t think that everyone at Dartmouth has their shit together and that you must be a failure because you don’t

I have seen this affect many great people, and it’s affected me as well. We all come from being applauded as the best of the best in high school, but you’re not always going to be the best at everything here. You’re still an incredible, intelligent human being, and it’s not always easy to remember that. 

We all put on this great act of knowing what we’re doing and being chair of every organization and taking the hardest classes while still managing to smile and sleep 10 hours a night. The truth is, we are all just scrambling to find our place at Dartmouth and in society and many of us, no matter how put-together, really feel the pressure of it sometimes. It can get lonely to think that you’re the only one struggling - but know that everyone is facing their own battles. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. And know that you WILL get rejected from things sometimes.

4. Dartmouth isn’t Hogwarts + Disney World

During orientation, trip leaders and croos are excited and everyone seems happy and Orientation Team is AWESOME (self-calling ‘cause I was on it for two years wazzup) and it’s the end of summer so it’s still semi-sunny outside and you sincerely can’t believe that you’ve arrived at this magical place. Things get really hard really fast, however, and you have to realize that things aren’t always going to be perfect, and you have to learn how to be okay with it. 

5. If you want a single as a freshman, ask for a single

My freshman year, we didn’t have enough people requesting singles so even some people that requested roommates had to get singles. That’s how many singles we have for freshmen. If you want one, request it in your housing application. 

6. Volunteer with other parts of the Upper Valley 

Hanover is a bubble. A rich, gorgeous bubble where houses sell for millions and the building codes are unbearably strict for the sole purpose of keeping the town looking like a postcard. There’s many struggling communities around Hanover, however, and nothing will be quite as effective in bringing you down to earth as realizing that Hanover is an alternate reality and that you can really make a difference in the community at large.

7. Do non-drinking things

It’s very tempting to spend the largest part of your non-academic life at Dartmouth trying to get on table at a frat or standing by the wall of a frat awkwardly sipping Keystone or getting so drunk off of Zenka shots that your floormates have to carry you to your room. While that’s all well and good and part of the college experience, I have to tell you that some of my most memorable experiences from Dartmouth have been outside of a frat basement. Go to hop concerts, go to events like taco fiesta or tie-dye over orientation, go to performances and culture nights and enjoy the time you have with your friends, even if it’s just watching a movie on your laptop. Life at Dartmouth CAN be happy even if you don’t go out every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, I promise. 

8. Not getting into the frat/sorority you always dreamt of your Sophomore year will not ruin your life, getting into it does not guarantee happiness

I’ve seen this with a lot of my friends and people I know since we pledged our sophomore year. People who didn’t get a bid were crushed, but they found their place at Dartmouth somewhere else. Some people who did get a bid ended up not fitting into their house. Regardless, your affiliation does not define who you are. After Sophomore year, no one cares at all what house you’re in, and the only person really affected by the friendships you’ve made and the bridges you’ve burnt is you. Reputations are stupid, go where you feel comfortable. 

9. Dedicate time to things you care about

Extracurricular time at Dartmouth is too limited to spend it doing something that makes you unhappy. Find organizations that you love working with and stick to them, because nothing sucks more than finding yourself slaving away working for something you don’t care about. 

10. Go on Programming Board weekend trips

Quebec City and New York winter term, Montreal spring term. Some of my favorite Dartmouth memories. 

Moral of this rant: time at Dartmouth is too short to be unhappy. I am so jealous you get to start next fall, I would sincerely re-play Dartmouth on a loop for the rest of my life if I could. Embrace it, enjoy it, accept it, meet some awesome people and do as much of it as you can because it’ll be over before you know it. 

Bonus Dartmouth picture from my Instagram during my favorite season (fall), because I miss this school more than I can put into words. 

Exploring French Canada

I recently went on a post-graduation trip with my family where we drove through the province of Quebec. I absolutely love Quebec, and if you love sightseeing, speaking French, and naturally stunning places, I highly recommend checking out this area of Canada. 

Montreal

I have been to Montreal twice, once in the spring of 2012 and once this past summer. 

(Spring 2012, Old Port of Montreal)

(Summer 2013, Museum of Fine Arts)

Montreal is a city in every sense of the word. Tall buildings, harsh traffic, a bustling downtown area - Montreal is a great metropolitan center. If you like big, bustling cities (yet less bustling than places like New York), Montreal is the place for you. 

Must-Sees in Montreal

1. Biodome

The Biodome de Montreal is the place where you can let your inner child be fascinated by the different climates and animals represented here. From the tropical forest (that actually feels warm) to the ice caps and the penguins, it's fascinating to see how the different climates have been created here. 

2. Old Montreal

Beautiful old buildings, tons of restaurants, perfect to stroll down and take tons of pictures. 

3. Musee de Beaux-Arts

Incredible (free!) museum, connected underground to other areas of the museum. 

4. Olympic Tower

I'm a sucker for views and this provides a panorama view of the whole city - and the ride up is pretty cool too. 

Things I Wish I Had Seen 

Because of rain and time constraints, I was unable to visit the Parc du Mont-Royal and the Notre Dame  Basilica - but I drove by them and they looked absolutely gorgeous! Every travel website also recommended them as must-sees in the city. 

Quebec City

I have also been to Quebec City twice, once during the winter of 2012 and once this past summer. 

(Vieux Quebec, Winter 2012)

(Vieux Quebec, Summer 2013)

Quebec City was once described as to me as the most European place in North America, and it is currently tied with Edinburgh for my favorite place in the entire world, and I have very solid plans to go back in February and in October of 2014. I have visited both when it was cold and when it was warm, and in both climates the city was absolutely breathtaking. In the summer, the colors are bright and beautiful, and if you visit during the right time in the winter you get to experience Quebec City Winter Carnival. 

I'm not going to make a list of must-sees as much as tell you to put on your walking shoes (or boots) and explore the streets of Old Quebec and see where the day takes you. Last time I was there, my family and I randomly came across the Musee de Bon Pasteur (too obscure to even be on Trip Advisor - the receptionist only spoke French), and it turned out to be a really interesting museum tour. 

While you wander around Old Quebec, make sure to walk all the way down to the Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac and take in the views, both of the chateau and the port below, which are breathtaking both in the summer and in the winter.

Parc National des Hautes-Gorges-de-la-Riviere Malbaie
The last time I went, my family and I wanted one more place to explore before we went back home. I actually found this national park by looking on google maps and randomly clicking on it - and it turned out to be an incredible place.

(Pictures from our boat tour, Summer 2013)

The pictures of this place looked beautiful, so we decided to go ahead and take the leap and go. It's about 2.5 hours north of Quebec City, and from what I understand it's harder to access during the winter as roads may be closed, but it's beautiful over the summer. The park offers a boat tour, hiking trails, river swimming, and even a restaurant. 

My family and I are not very outdoorsy, so we wanted the outdoor experience with a lot of the amenities of hotels. This park offers a really cool option called a Huttopia tent, only used in a few parks in France and Canada. These tents offer a camping experience with full beds, tables, a small kitchenette, heating and shared bathrooms and showers. It's camping without the discomfort of camping - a perfect compromise for my family. 

Warning: even though we went in June, nights in the park were very chilly. Make sure you bring at least a few sweaters and warm bedding, as the tent can really heat up during the day but freeze up at night. 

French Canada is incredible and I'm sure I haven't even scratched the surface of what there is to explore. I hope I've provided some good tips! Leave in the comments anything else you would recommend exploring in this beautiful area. 

xoxo. 

My Face Routines

Morning
I usually shower in the mornings, so the first step after I wake up is to jump into the shower. What I use in the shower for my face varies depending on the climate or where I am, and how much cleansing my face actually needs. 

I have used many face washes, but the one that has worked absolute wonders in cleaning my face while keeping redness and dryness down is the Aveeno Ultra Calming Foaming Cleanser ($7.49) - pictured below. 

This stuff is amazing, fragrance-free, and doesn't irritate my skin even during the harshest winter days. Since I make sure to clean my face well at night, sometimes this is all I need in the morning to get my day started. I use this every single day when I shower, regardless of the temperature or where I am.

During the winter months in New Hampshire, I limit my morning face-washing to spare my face the dryness and irritation. When I'm home in Miami for the summer, however, the humidity and high temperatures mean that I'm constantly sweating under my make up and building up oil in my pores. During these times, I use the St. Ives Apricot Scrub ($4.29), pictured below.

This stuff has been used by everyone, it's cheap, and it works. I've also tried tons of scrubs and keep coming back to this one. During the summer (and some of the fall) I'll use this three times a week to keep all the oil and dirt buildup off my face. Warning: I used this during the winter and my face was so dry it started to peel in places. If you have dry skin, I recommend staying away from this during drier weather.

Once I get out of the shower, I have one more step before my make up: moisturizer. I have been using this moisturizer since I was 16 years old and it is unlikely that I will ever use another. It is the Olay Complete All Day UV Moisturizer, Sensitive Skin ($11.15).

This stuff is the most underrated of all beauty products. It is lightweight, has SPF, it is super moisturizing, oil-free and their sensitive skin formula is heaven on skin. It absorbs right into skin and keeps you moisturized and happy all day. Warning: their regular formula was actually painful to put on my skin. If you have sensitive skin like mine, you want to make sure you buy the sensitive formula.

And that's it for my morning! After this, I put on my makeup. I'll do a five-minute makeup routine later - I'm usually running late and have perfected this down to a science.

Night 

I've mentioned before that I'm super lazy and hate lengthy skin care routines but it goes without saying that it's super important to remove your makeup at the end of the day. This is a three- (sometimes four-) step routine that takes very little effort and time and gets all my makeup and dirt off.

First, I use make up remover wipes to take off all my make up. The ones I'm currently using are the Neutrogena Hydrating Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes ($6.99)

I've used the Neutrogena Deep Clean Oil-Free Makeup Remover Cleansing Wipes ($7.99) for years, and only recently decided to use the hydrating ones. Both of them are incredible and don't hurt or irritate your skin, but I'm particularly in love the hydrating ones because they're lovely and refreshing. Even my mom, who has really oily (but still sensitive) skin, absolutely loved the hydrating ones and is now using them in favor of the makeup remover she's been using for almost 20 years.

Side note about makeup wipes: brand matters! I love a good bargain, but I've bought other makeup wipes in the past (including some store-brand knockoffs) and taking off my makeup was actually painful. The Neutrogena ones have been, to my experience, the only ones that truly get all my makeup off without any pain.

I don't use eye makeup remover even though I use waterproof mascara, because these wipes are gentle enough to take off eye makeup without hurting your eyes.

After the makeup wipes, I use a toner. I have bought many toners and they always, without exception, made my skin feel like it was burning. So I dreaded the toner step every day until I found the Boots Expert Sensitive Gentle Refreshing Toner ($4.19).

This is an incredible toner that takes off all the remaining dirt off my skin and doesn't burn my skin at all. If you have sensitive skin, this stuff is incredible. 

After this, I re-moisturize with my Olay moisturizer mentioned above. 

This last step I only use during the summer, when I start breaking out because my skin gets sweaty and oily. This is one of the few non-drugstore products I use, and it is the Grease Lighting Spot Treatment by Lush ($13.95). 

This has been endlessly reviewed and actually lives up to its hype. It works great on getting rid of spots and blemishes on your face. 

And that's it! My skin is clean, happy, and ready to take on the day (or night). 

Randomly Used Stuff

I use Biore Deep Cleaning Nose Pore Strips ($6.85) about once every two weeks to get dirt and buildup out of my nose pores. My nose is oddly the only oily area of my face, so I make sure to keep it clean of blackheads. 

While this gets rid of all your buildup, it can really hurt sensitive skin, so use sparingly. 

I get my eyebrows done at the salon (I'm scared of doing it on my own), but I wax my upper lip at home. I've tried countless wax systems, hair removal creams, and wax strips. Waxing systems and creams never worked for me, so I stick almost exclusively to wax strips. The best ones are the Nair Face Wax Strips ($8.99).

This gets all your hair off and doesn't hurt much. All waxing involves some pain, but these have proven to be the least harmful on my skin. 

Stuff I'm Missing

I'm currently in the market for a few things that I feel are missing from my routine. I would absolutely love suggestions. 

1. A night moisturizer. I love my Olay but I would love a stronger night moisturizer. I hate giving bad reviews, but the Neutrogena Light Night Cream ($12.79) is really not meant for sensitive skin, and I simply had to stop using it. 

2. An eye cream. My under eye area is very puffy, and I've recently started trying eye creams. I tried the Clinique All About Eyes Eye Cream ($50), and while it receives rave reviews from others, it really hurts my eyes. 

So that's all! I hope some of you can find some good tips, and please leave suggestions/criticism/requests in the comments!

xoxo. 

My Skin Type

Before you take any advice from my beauty posts, you should know the basics about my skin and hair type, as every person and every skin type has different requirements. 

Facts About Me, My Skin, and My Hair

1. I have very dry skin

Ever since I was a baby, I've had trouble with my skin being dry and flaky, and when I was a toddler I was diagnosed with Atopic Dermatitis. Although I know longer suffer from significant redness and itchyness, my skin is still significantly dry and extremely sensitive to products. Because of this, I can guarantee that any products on here will be tried and true by someone with extremely sensitive skin. 

2. I also have very dry hair

My hair is curly, dry, and dark. I've had a life-long battle with frizz and the most humid climate to test products in (see below), and I can tell you with confidence when a product works/doesn't work. 

3. I travel between different climates quite often

I have spent my past four winters in New Hampshire and my past four summers in Florida. This means that I often go from extremes in temperatures, humidity, pollution, and any other environmental factors out there. The products I use keep my skin and hair feeling good in most climates. 

4. I am lazy

I have tried and failed to follow long beauty routines, so any steps that I take I consider necessary to keeping my skin and hair looking alive. 

5. I am cheap

I'm a broke college graduate, so I usually buy drugstore stuff, with a few exceptions.

My opinions are all my own, and based on the facts listed above. Follow at your own risk.

xoxo.