Just My Journal

Hi again! If you read my last skincare post, you know that I like to use a sugar scrub for my body. What I do is mix whatever body wash I'm using with some granulated sugar to make a simple scrub. I still like to do this, especially after a long day sweating it out on the tennis court. I also like to dry brush the skin. But my face routine has changed since we last talked. My skincare routine has become a lot gentler and I do think my face has benefitted from it. First I wash my face with CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser (Normal to Oily Skin). I either use my fingers or put a pump on a Clarisonic to get a deeper clean. I have heard that using sugar on the face can leave micro tears, so unless it's a premade scrub made especially for the face I will stick to less abrasive methods. After that I pat my skin dry I put on an eye serum. It may sound silly to use an eye serum because I'm so young, but good skin care can never start too early. I...

hi everyone! so if you weren't aware, there was a " 10 Atheists' Commandments  contest" for athiests to write their own "rules." because I am on winter break, I just finished a religion course at my college and this post definitely peaked my interest and I was pleasantly surprised! all of the following "commandments" are statements I also believe in, and here's why: ~ be open-minded and be willing to alter your beliefs with new evidence if science and life has taught you anything over the course of history, it is that things change. being narrow minded will get you nowhere, especially if you are proven wrong. being open-minded doesn't make you any less strong in your beliefs, it just means you are mature enough to know that you can be wrong. ~ strive to understand what is most likely to be true, not to believe what you wish to be true though this might not be the best "rule" concerning religion, it is a good rule for life....

for those of you who know me, or those of you who don't, I love make up I love the way it makes me feel, the satisfaction of pulling off a perfect red lip, or just smoky eyes however, I rarely wear it I am super simple and usually don't even find the time to put on eye shadow in the morning, let along foundation, lipstick, eyeliner, mascara, etc when I do though, and when I am done with the day, I really take the time to cleanse my face (and body) and let everything breath so here's how I do it I take off all of my makeup using a two-phase cleanser, the kind where you can see oil on the top. then, I use a face mask: nothing too fancy, but because of my normal-to-oily skin I tend to gravitate towards a clay mask. once it sets, I use some warm water to rinse it off. Then I use a cleanser with salicylic acid, around 2%, mixed with a little bit of sugar for exfoliation (if I feel like my skin needs a boost) to cleanse my body I use another sugar scrub. I put a squi...

Hey guys! So I just bought online the LORAC Nude Skinny Palette for $15 dollars (originally $133)! this great deal is part of the +Nordstrom  Anniversary Sale, which will probably end soon The first time I checked online, this palette was sold out which was a total bummer. but not today! I've been searching for a great neutral palette with a cheap price and this palette might be exactly what I've been searching for. it has 7 shades: 3 are matte, 3 are shimmery, and there is 1 highlighting color. (s/o to Jen +From Head To Toe   who featured this palette in her NORDSTROM Anniversary Sale Haul vid) It's really similar to the Naked Basics Palette which has 6 matte shades... but the price is $28. you do the math. In terms of color, the LORAC Palette has a lot more warm colors and tones which will (hopefully) go great with my skin tone. both come with a big mirror which is a plus, but no space for...

what is such the big deal with snapchat? i mean, i know it's a fun app, i certainly enjoy using it. but the top three friends feature is just causing problems lately. for example... a girl has a boyfriend/ guy she's been seeing. she is his top friend on snapchat for while. it's a good sign: you two are talking and you're his favorite person to be talking to. but one day, she checks his top friends and (dun dun dun) it isn't her. instead (judging from the screen name) it's a different girl. and so she freaks out and starts to worry and gets jealous etc. this situation has certainly happened to me, but i've never reacted that way. instead i kinda just brush it off. i know where i stand with this guy and i like where it's going. as far as i know, i'm the only girl he's seeing and he's never given me a reason not to trust him. so really, what reason do i have to be jealous? maybe it's just me or maybe i should be worried? but right no...

it's the timeless question: how do you know when you're in love? maybe it's the feeling of butterflies in your stomach when you see them pass by maybe it's the tingling feeling down your spine when you catch them looking at you the red blush that comes across your face when you can't help but smile when you look at them maybe i can't tell you what the feeling of being in love is because it's different for every person i know there's a difference between loving someone and being in love with them but here's what love is for me it's being able to do anything with them and still have a good time it's feeling at home when i'm with him it's being able to sleep in his bed and he's willing to sleep somewhere else - just because he's a gentleman that way when he's being weird and tucking me in at night, throwing me the "good pillow" just because when i wake up earlier than him and have to stay quiet beca...

it's time for a rant. i know everyone has those times. where they just want to let everything out, without fear of judgment or ridicule. well, here's mine. people look at me and i know what they see. someone who gets perfect grades, volunteers, the innocent one. but it's not true. or i guess, that's not everything. i just put on this façade to save my skin. really, i'm weak. when my nana was dying in florida, i couldn't even pick up the phone and make a call. to tell her i love her that i wish we spent more time together. i think distancing myself makes things easier - but in reality, it makes it easier to fall. and i feel so horrible that i didn't pick up that phone. i'm weak. and now, my sister is going through a hard time too. and i'm not there. i'm doing it again, distancing myself. you know what my parents said? "she thinks you're not there for her." do you hear that? it's the sound of my heart breaking. i hate that...