Midterm weeks are upon us, and you can already feel the sleep deprivation carve out huge bags under your eyes, your back is already aching from the heavy backpacks, and the stress is already too much to bear. But do not dare to worry, because there are ways to keep your beauty routine on point without sacrificing your late-night cram session.
1. PAMPER YO’ SELF, TREAT YO’ SELF.
I strongly recommend drawing a hot bath once a week (midterm season or not) and soak for 15 minutes. The hot water helps release tension in your muscles from carrying heavy books to the library. Your pores will open, therefore giving you a chance to clean your skin at a deeper level to remove toxins and accumulated dirt, making you feel brand new. Also, the hot water gets you relaxed, and maybe even sleepy, so be sure to splash yourself with cold water before leaving the shower so you don’t fall asleep on top of your books! This might make people reluctant, as they would rather study, but 15 minutes of pampering yourself up are not going to cause a huge downfall to your GPA. (Trust me on this one.) Also, drink lots of water throughout your study sesh. Coffee might wake you up, but it’s dehydrating for your body, therefore making your skin look dry and lifeless.
2. MASSAGE AND STRETCH BECAUSE, YOU ARE AN INDEPENDENT WOMAN WHO DON’T NEED NO MASSEUSE.
And, you don’t have time to go to the spa, anyways —your midterm is in two days! For starters, begin to stretch every day. The minute after you wake up, start stretchin’ because it helps prevent future body aches and heals the ones you already have. For example — lie on the floor and try to touch your toes, or lie down on the floor with your feet onto the wall. The latter will immediately wake you up; it doesn’t matter if you only slept for two and a half hours. Don’t just stretch while lying in bed, either — standing up while stretching is much more effective.
For direct problems and aches: If your feet are your trouble spot, get a tennis ball and roll it up and down around the floor with your heel and toe. The more pressure, the better! If your back is driving you crazy, again — stretch! Arch your back and try to touch your toes while standing. If your butt is sore because of sitting in crazy uncomfortable chairs that were really cheap, sit on the same tennis ball and apply pressure to your butt cheeks. To sum it all up: apply pressure to the part of your body that needs relief the most. It sounds cruel, but it’s effective because it works like untangling a knot that has been formed in your body. Pretty neat, huh?
3. WHO HAS TIME TO WASH? (THEIR HAIR, OF COURSE.)
Clean hair is the best feeling in the world — but as college students with responsibilities, we have other priorities, which makes our hair maintenance take a backseat. To get that clean hair look even after it’s your third day without washing, a good option is investing in dry shampoo (baby powder is a close second). I do not condone the use of this everyday, though. Dry shampoo and baby powders absorb the oil in dirty hair, but recent discoveries say that buildup of the product, dirt, grease and environmental pollution does much more harm to your scalp than you’d think. So, use the dry shampoo or baby powder only when absolutely necessary. Other options are using cute accessories and quick hairstyles to conceal your beautifully dirty hair, such as bandanas and pins. (You could even make a cute half-pony à la Ariana Grande.) Another option is embracing the greasy-hair look, like Kate Moss did, and either leave it down or put it in a messy bun. Not everything has to look perfectly nice and squeaky clean.
4. MAKE IT LOOK LIKE YOU GOT 9+ HOURS OF SLEEP WHEN YOU ACTUALLY GOT 3.
While it sounds like a great idea to pile on your concealer with many layers, as the day goes by, it may look cakey and will build up in the creases. If you aren’t into that (who is?), a good idea is to moisturize before applying concealer under the eyes and in blemishes so the skin stays fresh and will carry the makeup flawlessly throughout the day. Then, apply one layer of concealer in a triangle shape so your face will look brightened, rather than appearing dull from not getting enough sleep. Be sure to set with a light, thin powder when done, because the concealer tends to move.
The Youtuber Rose Kimberly pinpoints how concealer should be applied. The amount of concealer does not have to be this much —a small triangle does the trick. (As long as it’s in triangle shape, you get more coverage, ladies and gents!)
Midterm exams are tedious, yes, but that does not mean that you have to disregard your normal beauty routine, so rock that exam while looking and feeling #flawless. Remember: your well-being is much more important than a grade. Take care, and good luck!
Photo credit:
mustang1071.com,
Unsplash.com,
Goodhousekeeping.com,
Pinterest.com,
Youtube.com,
memegen.com