I love having my nails done whether I get them done professionally or painting them myself at home. I'm always reaching for different colors each week when I paint my nails. So far this fall, these have been my favorite go-to picks for my at home manicures.


What have been your favorite nail colors this fall? I'd love to try more!

Now that the weather has started to take a dip into the lower temperatures, it's officially time to bring out all those cozy layers. For me, I have never bought that many sweaters or long sleeve shirts. I'm not really sure how I survived all the brutal WV winters at college these past four years without them. When I was walking around the mall the other day I saw that Charlotte Russe was having a $20 on all of their sweaters. I jumped on it and bought four thick sweaters. I also found two lighter sweaters on the $10 rack (score!).
 



Afterwards I went to target where they were having a great sale on their long sleeve tops. I picked up four because I loved the style and versatility they can add to any outfit.  They'll be great to layer under my sweaters and vests.


 What are some of your must have fall weather items you've purchased recently?

Today I want to talk about something most of us face at one point in life: acne. Although we all wish this wasn't something we have to deal it, unfortunately most of us do. Throughout college my face has been pretty clear, for the most part, until this summer. I wish I knew what I had changed in my routine to make my face freak out, but I didn't. Therefore, I was faced with the challenge of finding a good, reliable acne wash system.

When I went to a Mac make-up counter to find a new full coverage foundation (to cover up this terrible new-found acne), the girl recommended that I try Clinique's acne system. She had also recently had a problem with breaking out and she swore that it worked for her. So, after buying my new foundation I headed over to the Clinique counter. The woman examined my acne and recommended that I try their 5 step acne solutions line. She started me off with their typical 3-step kit with the cleansing foam (step 1), the clarifying lotion (step 2), and the all-over clearing treatment (step 3). But, with my biggest problem being cystic acne, she also recommend that I purchase the emergency gel-lotion intensif and the clearing gel; both also a part of the acne solutions line. Finally, the last thing she recommend was a good make-up remover like the Clinique  take the day off cleansing balm. I left feeling a little overwhelmed, but extremely informed and ready to start the system.

So, know that I had all of these products, how did I use them?

Morning Routine:

Step 1: Wash your face with the cleansing foam.

• Use two full pumps (which seems like too much, but it isn't) + clarosonic (1 minute). 

Step 2: Take a cotton ball and dip it with your clarifying lotion.

•  I put it on the cotton swap for about 1 second, twice. Then generously apply to your entire face and neck.

Step 3: Apply the all-over clearing treatment oil-free lotion.

• I wait for the toner to dry (about 2 minutes) before I start this step. I usually use this time to brush my teeth. All you need is a little less then a dime-size amount to cover your entire face and neck. *Side note: if you feel that your skin is becoming extremely dry from the process, it is okay to substitute with an oil-free moisturizer ONCE a day (instructions from the lady at the clique counter).   

Step 4: Spot treat any development under-the-skin acne with your emergency gel-lotion intensif.

• This combined with step 5 are VERY important. If you have fresh acne, using the 3-step system alone will not be enough to clear up your face. Apply a thin layer of this cream over any spots on your face that aren't quite to the surface.

Step 5: Finally, apply a thick layer of the clearing gel to any spots on your face.

• This is probably the most crucial step of the entire system. The clearing gel works magic drying up pimples almost overnight. Apply a thick coat of the gel on any current acne and also over the places you treated with the emergency gel.

After you allow your face to dry, put on your make-up like normal and go about your day!

Night Routine:

Step 1: Remove all of your make-up using the take the day off cleansing balm.

• Using your fingers, apply an even layer of the balm over your entire face. Wipe clean with either a tissue or a microfiber washcloth (regular washcloths can too harsh). *Note: although this balm feels very oily, don't worry, it will not leave a residue or make your breakouts any worse.

Step 2: Wash your face with the cleansing foam.

• Like the morning, use two full pumps.

Step 3: Take a cotton ball and dip it with your clarifying lotion.

•  I put it on the cotton swap for about 1 second, twice. Then generously apply to your entire face and neck.

Step 4: Apply the all-over clearing treatment oil-free lotion.

• I wait for the toner to dry (about 2 minutes) before I start this step. I usually use this time to brush my teeth. All you need is a little less then a dime-size amount to cover your entire face and neck. 

Step 5: Spot treat any development under-the-skin acne with your emergency gel-lotion intensif.

• Once again, apply to any spots you can feel coming to the surface.

Step 6: Finally, apply a thick layer of the clearing gel to any spots on your face.

• Again, I feel that this is the most important step. Make sure you apply a good amount to any acne you have. 

Tips:

Although that it seems like a given, make sure that you use the system religiously and both day AND night, EVERYDAY. This is crucial for the success of treatment. I started the system for about a month when I had my wisdom teeth removed. Most of my acne had cleared by this point, but after the surgery I wasn't able to wash my face for several days because of the pain it caused. I had to start all over again with the system as my acne broke back out.

Also, just like with any real acne treatment, it will get way worse before it gets better. The first week or two your face will almost undoubtedly get worse. This is because the products are bringing all of the dirt and bacteria to the surface to purge it from your skin. If you continue to use the system, your face should be showing improvement by the end of the month.  

That's it! It seems like a lot but once you get into the routine, it will only take about 5 minutes every morning and night. 10 minutes a day to  have clear skin is totally worth it to me. So far it has cleared my face up tremendously. I am so grateful that I found this system. In the past I have tried many other acne systems, including proactiv, but nothing has worked as well for me as this has.



Have you tried Clinque's acne solutions system? If so, how did it work for you?



 

When you are in a rushed frenzy, it is nice to know that you can just grab your bag and go. I started from a young age packing my bag the night before school. This can help you to relax and breath a little easier knowing that you'll have everything you need for classes, whether you are running late or not.

Here are my essential class must haves:

• A pen and/or pencil (obvi).
• I prefer these awesome marker type pens from Paper-Mate

• A 3-5 subject notebook.
• I prefer bigger notebooks so that I can take the same one to each class.

• A folder or 3-ring binder.
• A small zippered bag containing: 
• A mini stapler.
• Gum.
• Hand Sanitizer.
• Fingernail Clippers (I always get a hangnail in the middle of class). 
• Lip Balm
• Headphones
• Bobby Pins / Hair Ties
• USB
• Glasses if you wear them.
• A calculator. 
• A water bottle.
• A snack of some kind.
• Your phone.
• An agenda.
• I'm obsessed with my Lilly Agenda

                 

•  and finally, your bag.
• these are my favorite choices:

(victoriassecret.com) (lillypulitzer.com) 
(longchamp.com)






I always find that the more stuff I bring, the less stressed I am when I suddenly get a hangnail or forgot to eat before I left. I hope that you find these suggestions helpful and maybe give your school bag an update. Be sure to share this post if you found it helpful!

What do you take in your college bag that I haven't included? 

So it's that time of the year again, just after mid-terms, when you begin to panic about basically everything in your life. Will I pass this class? Will I pass any of  my classes? Did I spend all of my rent money on clothes? Just about anything can cause you to break out into a melt-down panic where you are absolutely sure your entire life is in shambles.

Breath.

You will pass your class(es). Your parents will spot you those few extra dollars that you totally did not spend on a new Michael Kors purse that you HAD to have. Everything will pan out, and soon it will be Christmas break.

During a time with all of these stressors, it is easy let your eating habits and work-out schedule fall to the wayside. You may have noticed that your jeans are starting to feel a little snug, or maybe you don't project the same confidence in your already hard to breath in LBD. If so, maybe it is time to start again fresh with your health and fitness routines.

Probably the hardest  part of all of this is finding the time between your classes, homework and endless social activities, but in the end it is so worth it. Here is how you can get back on track to a healthy lifestyle.

Step 1:
Find your motivation.

Whether it's envisioning yourself  three months from now, or looking up fitness inspo's on pinterest. Find what gets you excited about eating clean and hitting the gym, and look at it a couple times every week.

Step 2:
Go shopping.

...for healthy meal options and a cute new workout outfit, that is.

Step 3:
Start slow.

One of the quickest ways to loose motivation is to start by doing way too much too soon. When you wake up the next morning your body will hate you for it, so start out doing a short workout that speeds up your heart rate and then work your way up.

As for food, if you jump straight into a completely clean array of food with no cheat days, it isn't likely that you'll stick to this new plan long. Start by switching one meal a day to something healthy and slowly work our way up to eating an 80/20 diet.

Step 4:
Find an app to keep you accountable.

I always use MyFitnessPal and  Nike's Running app. The more you have to commit to saying you did something, the more likely that you'll actually do it.

Step 5:
Get your friends involved with you.

This is just another way to keep you motivated and accountable.

Step 6:
Keep up these steps.

Remember that this is a lifestyle change, something that you should keep up with permanently. If you start calling it a diet or weight-loss plan, you'll never stay on track. A few weeks in, you'll lose motivation and go back to your old, unhealthy habits. However, if you consider it a lifestyle, you wont beat yourself up for the slip-ups or bad days along the way (trust me, we ALL have them).

If you have never heard of Bijuju, I definitely recommend checking them out. I go into their store every year at the beach and always leave with some goodies. I find that their jewelry is of very high quality, especially for the the price. I've never had an item break, turn or tarnish that I have purchased from their store. Although I prefer to shop for jewelry in person, they do have an amazing website you can check out if you don't have a store near you!

I have always had a love for anything nautical, so when I saw these super cute helm studs, I knew I had to pick them up. As for the bracelet, I am a sister of Pi Beta Phi. Our symbol is an arrow, so I always purchase any items I see with arrows!

I hope to move to Georgia after I graduate college, so my last purchase was the state of Georgia necklace. I thought it would be a great remember of my dreams and goals when I'm having a rough day.

I hope you get as lucky as I did searching for cute new accessories.

My name is Amber Rose and I'm a 21 year old girl who is absolutely obsessed with all things beauty. For a very long time I have thought about making a blog of all my obsessions with college life, fashion and beauty, so I finally bit the bullet! Hopefully you'll enjoy it as much as me.

I'm going into my senior year of college, which has FLOWN by, BTW. I'm in a sorority and have three amazing littles whom I am obsessed with. I happily spend my days with my amazing boyfriend John. He's a true southern gentleman that fills every thing that was missing from my life.  Together we have two cats, Hazel and Kembo, which are basically our children.

I've always thoroughly enjoyed dressing up and putting myself together. I practically live in wedges and don't go a day without doing my make-up. It is just something that I have always had a passion for and it's growing stronger everyday. Through college I have learned way more than I ever could have imagined. That combined with my need to utilize my creativity makes for some pretty cool stuff.

I'm just your average making-up loving, style obsessed, twenty-one-year-old who always has her Lilly planner and iPhone by her side.

I hope you enjoy my blog and leave knowing something new.