The "One Part Focus" Rule for Fast Makeup

Deciding what to do with your makeup in the morning when you might only have five or ten minutes to get ready can be a bit stressful. However, there is one rule I like to follow with my makeup when I am on a time crunch: the One Part Focus rule. Essentially, this means you just focus on one aspect of your face and leave the rest of your makeup minimal. This way you aren't spending too much time on your entire face, and you are just focusing more on one part. Here are my tips to achieving a look using the One Part Focus rule.

5 Ways to Elevate Your Outfit

Today I will be sharing with you all FIVE easy ways to elevate your every-day look. Feel like your stuck in a rut with your outfits recently? Check out these simple tips that can easily transform an uninspired outfit into a look that is chic and trendy.

Comfy and Chic Back to School Outfit Inspiration

It's about that time when I start rummaging through my closet and figuring out what I need for the new school year. Today I am bringing to you a few very cute and chic back to school outfits that can be created by using some very staple pieces. Not only are the outfits chic and different, but each one is very comfortable (because that is definitely a factor when deciding what to wear in the morning). I love experiment with new outfits and trends for school, so here are a few outfits to give you some inspiration.

Women's Fall Fashion Trends of 2016

Cold weather might be the last think I want to think about right now, but I can't help getting excited for all of the fall fashion trends. Many people admit that fall is the best time for fashion. The cool weather makes layering manageable again, and it's not too cold that you have to cover every inch of your body with several layers just to go get coffee. After checking out looks from Paris, New York, and Milan fashion week, I have rounded up a few of the popular trends that I am most excited for this coming season. 

Loves of July 2016

Hello, August! I'm trying my very best to be excited about this, but July is one of my favorite months, and now it is over. Since July is over, today I am bringing to you a few of the things I loved in the month of July. I'll be covering everything from fashion to books for you today, so poor yourself a cup of tea and enjoy the read.

July 2016 Music Loves

I am constantly listening to music these days. It's the only thing that gets me through my runs, and it is always lovely to have in the background while I am cleaning and such. Since it is the end of the month (though I am not ready to admit that August is starting), I have decided to look back at some of my favorite songs I have been listening to all month long. I love hearing new songs and adding to my playlists, so I hope you find some new tracks to add to yours.

Start These Six Healthy Habits Today

Living a healthy lifestyle is not just a single battle you must overcome. It is a constant battle. Each morning you decide whether you will workout that day. Every day you decided whether you're going to eat healthy or not. Each night while you watch TV, you decided whether you're going to eat half a bag of chips or not. There may be days that you slack, but there is one thing you should keep in mind: one cheat meal won't kill you, but...one healthy meal won't save you. To help you win your battles more times than not, I have come up with a few tips that you can slip into your every day routine to make your day a little bit healthier. The little things will really add up. 

Summer Workout Routine

By this time, I have established a workout routine for myself for the summer. It's manageable, and I'm hoping I can continue it for the rest of my summer and into the school year. I thought I would share it in hopes to motivate at least one person. I find so many workouts on Pinterest or YouTube, but I have decided to create a unique one for myself including the exercises that I think are most important. Join me and create your own workout routine.

Summer Look Book + Outfit Inspiration

About this time of the season, I tend to start slacking when it comes to my personal style. The beginning of summer excitement ceases to exist, and most days I just end up throwing on a pair of running shorts in a t-shirt. It's quite a disgrace for someone who's favorite season is spring and who loves fashion so dearly. So I buckled down, spent a few hours scrolling through summer outfit ideas on Pinterest and summer street styles on Tumblr, and now I am back in the game. I thought it would be fitting to share a little bit of my inspiration with the world too in case you were in the same spot I was.

Quick Summer Makeup + Favorite Summer Makeup Products

By now, I have perfected my easy summer makeup routine. Most summer days I won't wear makeup because I just don't feel like it. However, if I plan to hang out with friends or go out somewhere, I like to put on just a little bit. Here is my go-to summer makeup routine featuring some of my favorite summer makeup products.

Be a Little Productive this Summer

Even though I'm so happy to have several months to just relax before school starts back up again, I'm not quite willing to just sit around and do nothing. I've pretty much done that for the first half of the summer, so I want to really buckle down and focus on accomplishing some things during my free time. Here are some of the things I would like to do, that you might find interesting to add to your agenda this summer. 

Summer Vacation Essentials

With a few family trips planned for the second half of my summer, I decided to channel my excitement into a post all about vacation essentials. I'm not going to go through everything in my suitcase because that would take forever. Instead, I'm just going to focus on a few unique pieces that people tend to forget and other essentials I think are important.

Independence Day Outfit Inspiration

Fourth of July is tomorrow! Whatever you plan to do, whether it's spending your day off at home in front of the TV (because fyi, season 11 of Criminal Minds just came to Netflix), spending the day with family, or having a girls night out, you might as well look the part, even if it means throwing an American flag over you in the five seconds in between Netflix episodes. I thought I would throw out a few cute outfits for some inspiration if you are like me and tend to wear the same outfit every fourth.

Lovely Things

I haven't sat down and just talked about the things I love in quite some time now. I am so grateful for summer to be in full swing now. Being back home and having all of this extra time on my hands, I've been able focus on this things I really love. I thought I would talk about a few items that have become staples in my life and activities I've gotten back into.

A Cup of Tea and a Book

I came across a quote today, and I wish I knew who said it.

"The secret to a well balanced life is a cup of tea in one hand and a book in the other."

When I thought about it, I realized that maybe the author of this quote wasn't simply referring to a flavored hot drink and some paper threaded together. I came up with my own interpretation of tea and a book and couldn't agree more with this quote.

"We're Gonna Make This Place Your Home": Freshman Year in Review

Timidly shuffling into my freshman year of college might have been one of the most frightening and nerve-racking experiences of my life. Sure I was excited to take on the new experiences that the undergrad life had to offer, but the fears overwhelmed me like an overflowing river. Looking back at the very day when I waved goodbye to the place I had called home for eighteen years and to my loving parents, I now experience that same feeling again...except, it is to my DePauw home (and that's just after one year).

I Feel Like I Have My Life Together When...

I feel like college is just this endless feeling of not having your life together. It is the constant stress on everyone's mind, and if it isn't, you're doing college wrong. Four years may seem like enough time for us to become real-world, functioning adults, but just getting through one day without having something go horribly wrong is a blessing. However, instead of pouting and worrying over the subject, I thought I would have a little fun with it and come of with a list of scenarios that make me really feel like I have everything down. Here we go. I feel like I have my life together when...

Skincare

 

I'm the type of person who has always been quite hesitant about change. I like routine and would rather not break it. Sometimes I'm completely opposite of that, though. Sometimes I just want to go out and try everything, like with skincare...until recently (see that transition I did there? *raises eyebrows* I thought it was rather clever...not really...I just couldn't think of anything. Anyway...). For the past ten years (maybe more) I have loved experimenting with skincare. Though I had constant struggles of trying to find the best products to combat the different issues on my face, I secretly also enjoyed trying out so many new things. I was determined to find something that worked for me, that wasn't prescribed by a dermatologist. I felt that to be too limiting, and prescription products are always so expensive. I knew I could find a cheaper alternative.

Early Spring Outfit Ideas for the Everyday Lady

 

Winter seems to be a far off memory after being blessed with so much warm weather, (I guess that groundhog was right.) and not mad about it at all. I'm ready to break into my spring and summer clothes, so I thought I would share a little inspiration for your spring wardrobe. Tuck those dark colors back into your closet, and break out the fun bright florals and all of the spring trends. Here are a couple outfits that have some great transition pieces between the cold and warm weather.

On My Mind at 2:18am

 

There are moments in time when I take a glance out the window in my room at night. Sometimes the blinds are closed, but as of recently, we've kept them open for no reason other than sheer forgetfulness or laziness. When I take my glasses off at night, everything is a little bit blurry, allowing for a little more imagination on my part. Looking out the window, the lights from the rooms across the quad light up the view, with a hint of glare because of my weak eyes.