Beginning a new chapter of your life is stressful enough. Luckily, with these tips and tricks, you can worry about one less thing! From self-love to establishing new routines, we’ve gone through it all and want you to know that you’re not alone. Get ready to start this exciting part of your life on the right foot!
1. Natural is Beautiful…
The real you is the best you. Yet, for me, this took a lot longer than I’d like to admit for me to understand. My hair has always been in that awkward stage between curly and straight but never one or the other. When I first started college, I remember waking up hours before my classes to straighten my hair in hopes of blending in.
Who I was making myself out to be wasn’t the real me. However, once I took a step back and realized I wasn’t doing any of this for myself, I gained a new sense of self-love and became happier. The biggest lesson I learned during my first year of college was that the things that mattered in high school no longer matter.
This was not an overnight shift, though. I had to first understand which parts of my routine I actually liked and which parts I could live without. I began to embrace my real hair and found products to nourish it. My favorite is Marula Oil. This product is great because it’s lightweight and works wonders on replenishing hair and adding moisture!
A path to self-love and acceptance is an important factor in embracing the real you. Take some time out of your week to reflect and set goals that will better you and help you become healthier mentally and physically.
( Photo by Ariana Prestes on Stocksnap)
2. Find What Works Best for You…
College = many, many, MANY long nights! Hence, if you were so greatly blessed with the joy of being stuck with 8 a.m. classes like I was, there’s bound to be at least one morning where you’re short on time. For the days when I’d accidentally sleep through my alarms, waking up with dark circles under my eyes and an undeniable fact that I got less than three hours of sleep, I would go straight to my “short-on-time” routine.
Whether or not you’re a makeup lover, it’s important to have a well-established plan for the days you accidentally oversleep. For those who do not dabble in the world of makeup, I recommend Clean & Clear Morning Burst and Clinique Turnaround Daytime. These products are great for refreshing the skin, creating a natural glow, and tricking your friends into thinking you had a full eight hours of sleep the night before.
Now, if you do opt for wearing makeup I also recommend the above-mentioned products in addition to three of my favorite concealers, mascaras and lip glosses. As you probably know, the Tarte Shape Tape Concealer is amongst the most loved and well-known makeup product—and for good reason! No matter how bad a break out is or how tired my eyes look, this concealer works wonders. My go to mascara would have to be Benefit’s they’re Real! mascara, which literally gives you the illusion of wearing false lashes. Lastly, my most loved lip product is Fenty Beauty’s Gloss Bomb. This gloss comes in two colors, but my favorite is the shimmering rose gold, and take my word for it, it looks amazing on everyone!
( Photo by Sam Burriss on Stocksnap)
3. Take Advantage of the Braid…
Braids were a lifesaver my first year of college! My favorite way to save time was to braid my hair after showering and bask in the benefits the next morning. The styles I always opted for were either two French braids split down the middle or one lose braid. Two French braids will give you tight, crimped hair, which can either be left as is or made into a half up half down ponytail. The second style will give you soft and effortless beach waves!
( Photo by Snufkin on Stocksnap)
4. Feed Your Skin…
You’re constantly running from class to class and are probably lacking on the proper amount of sleep. My favorite facemask is the Cup O’ Coffee from Lush. This mask is meant to invigorate, buff and cleanse the skin. Coffee is said to benefit the skin through its abundance of antioxidants that preserve and promote regeneration. An alternative is a DIY face mask! Mix together coconut oil and coffee grounds, then apply it to your face for 15 minutes. By taking some time for yourself, you will be able to destress, which is our ultimate goal toward a pain-free college lifestyle!
( Photo by Ylanite Koppens on Stocksnap)
5. Water, water, WATER…
Whenever interviewers ask celebrities and models how they keep their skin so clear, the most common answer is water (source). This seems easy enough, but if you are wondering why this still has not worked for you, it could be because you haven’t cut out sugary drinks. A 12 oz. soda contains 39 grams of sugar, and most Starbucks drinks range from 40-78 grams of sugar, and juices have 23 grams.
The effects of sugar on our skin are more than horrible, they are detrimental. It was found that consuming too much sugar causes the premature break down of collagen and inflammation of the skin, increasing your chances of acne breakouts (source).
Yet, if you’re still bored with plain water, try infusing it with fresh fruit such as lemons, strawberries, and kiwi!
( Photo by Toa Heftiba on Stocksnap)