Author: SC O'Connell Ogorek

3 Makeup Brands That Double as Skincare

Although the new year technically begins in January, students, teachers, and Vogue would argue that the year really begins in September. In elementary school, back-to-school season meant a new composition book and shiny new Mary Janes. In middle school, it meant a fresh haircut (remember side bangs?) and a new L.L. Bean backpack. In high school, it meant a new black eyeliner pencil (to match the teen angst) and a pair of Converse. Now that I’m in college, my back-to-school essentials have upgraded to include sheet masks and makeup that doubles as skincare.

Even though I’m fully aware that by November I will be rocking a paper bag to class, it doesn’t stop me from putting effort into my appearance at the start of the semester. However, since Tulane is basically in the swamp, the humidity makes it impossible to wear regular makeup. Instead of layering on foundation, my go-to is light and airy makeup that actually improves my complexion—which in turn lessens my need for makeup. Here are three makeup brands that double as skincare.

1—Glossier

Glossier prides itself on being a beauty brand inspired by what girls want in real life. Their mantra is “skin first, makeup second.” Every one of their products is built to enhance natural beauty as opposed to hiding flaws. Emily Weiss, the founder of the beauty blog Into the Gloss, founded Glossier in 2014. The cult favorite product is Boy Brow, which is a mascara wand meant to fill in and define your brows. Other fan favorites include the Milky Jelly Cleanser, Stretch Concealer, and the Moisturizing Moon Mask. In addition to arriving in the most aesthetically-pleasing millennial pink packaging ever created, all the orders come with an array of stickers and posters.

PHOTO: Lex Kelly

2—Milk Makeup

Milk Makeup designs their makeup for “the girl-on-the-go, who spends less time getting done up and more time getting stuff done.” Their products are multi-functional, eco-conscious, and easy on the skin. Mazdack Rassi, Zanna Roberts, Georgie Greville, and Dianna Ruth founded Milk Makeup in 2015. My favorite product is the Blur Stick. I find that with just a tiny amount of product, it evens out my complexion. Their other lauded products that I want to try are their Cooling Water and Holographic Stick.

PHOTO: Natalie Miller

3—Dr. Brandt Skincare

While the line by Dr. Brandt does contain a few makeup products, the core is skincare (after all, Dr. Brandt did get his start as a dermatologist). My favorite of his products is the Pores No More Primer which instantly evens out my complexion and mattifies. While the primer is designed to prep the canvas before layering on the foundation, I prefer to wear the primer alone like a BB Cream on days where I’m just running errands or going to class.

Have you used any products from these brands? Share your experiences on social media and don’t forget to tag @CFashionista.

Featured photo by Lex Kelly.

Collaging in College in 3 Easy Steps

I’ve always been terribly sentimental. That picture frame that I hate but was gifted to me from my grandmother? I can’t throw that away. Old birthday cards? I’ve been saving those for years. A skirt that I once loved but the zipper is broken? Better save that just in case! I’m one step away from being featured on Hoarders. However, I am also a neat freak who hates piles of cards and unwanted knickknacks lying around the house. These two parts of me seem to clash. However, after spending an embarrassing amount of time on Tumblr, I found my solution—collaging.

PHOTO: Jordyn Wissert

The golden rule of collaging is that once you incorporate those scraps into the collage, those scraps take on a purpose. Scraps lying in the back of the closet? Trash. But scraps in a collage? Now that’s treasure. I just moved into my very first big girl apartment, and there are five bedrooms and three living rooms (aka lots of wall space). This is every collage maker’s dream. Here are three easy steps to make a collage.

1—Gather materials

You will need glue, scissors, poster board, and scraps. For my collage, I collected scraps that included everything from magazine clippings, old birthday cards, and fabric from a skirt that has a broken zipper.

2—Glue it down

Before you glue the scraps down permanently on the poster board, play around with the arrangement of the scraps. When you finally find the perfect positioning, glue it down onto the poster board. (Added bonus: holding a glue gun will make you feel like such a boss).

3—Hang it up

Find a perfect spot in your apartment or dorm to display your collage! I’m going to hang mine up over my bed so that I can see it first thing when I wake up. I’m planning on buying more wall art to fill the rest of the blank walls in my apartment.

September is a prime time to collage to make your dorm or apartment look sharp! Share your results on social media and don’t forget to tag @CFashionista.

Additional photos by Lex Kelly and Valerie Cammack.

Unplugged—My Month Without Social Media

When you think of a cleanse, images of “hangry” people sipping on pulpy green juices might come to mind. Ever since Regina George declared that she was partaking in the South Beach Fat Flush where all you drink is cranberry juice for 72 hours, cleanses have gotten a bad rep. The kind of cleanse that I’m suggesting isn’t good for your digestive system, but instead, for your soul—a social media cleanse.

I’d first like to say that I’m just as guilty as the next millennial. I’m addicted to Instagram, Snapchat, Tumblr, and Facebook. When I went to Cuba last summer, I did a month-long social media cleanse (courtesy of spotty WiFi and a stolen phone). The month I spent in Cuba ended up being the best month of my life. I believe it’s because the social media cleanse forced me to live in the moment, and it increased my self-esteem.

Firstly, being without my phone and social media forced me to be more present. Since I was in a foreign country with 20 other students who were strangers to me, it would’ve been easy to bury my face in my phone to avoid those awkward introductory moments. Instead of sitting at dinner texting, I struck up a conversation with the person next to me. I learned that we both had taken a few of the same classes. Rather than walking to class as I watched Snapchat stories, I spent the 25-minute walk listening to another student tell me about how he finds peace in fishing. Instead of scrolling through Instagram before I fell asleep, I talked to my roommate about her love of horoscopes. Soon enough, these uncomfortable relationships turned into real friendships. I don’t think I would’ve developed these friendships had I been a social media recluse.

Furthermore, I discovered the beauty of Cuba without the distraction of my phone. Being social media-less was also great for my self-esteem. As an avid fashion fanatic, I follow a whole slew of social media starlets on Instagram. Most of them are 20-somethings who live in L.A. and wear Reformation rompers, Steve Madden wedges, and Jacquie Aiche hoops just to walk their dogs.

While in Cuba, I didn’t scroll through these posts for a month. I thought I would miss this daily ritual of mine, but it actually made me feel like a superstar. I hadn’t realized that I’d been comparing my face, body, and life to those of these starlets. This inadvertently made me feel insecure about myself. Social media made me equate a beautiful person with a happy person, but it was extremely powerful for me to prove this idea was wrong. I lived with short hair and went makeup-free. I was eternally sweaty but happier than I’d ever been in Cuba.

Challenge yourself to a social media cleanse this July! If a month is too long for you, just commit to a week or even a day. Share your experience on social media, and tag us @CFashionista (ironic, I know).

All Choked Up—The Major ’90s Trend that Every Cool Girl is Rocking

The ’90s are back with a vengeance. However, as a ’90s kid myself, I know that not all the fashion from that decade is worth reliving. While I am a fan of overalls, tinted sunglasses, and an oversize flannel tied around the waist, I can definitely go without the embellished purses, weirdly layered T-shirts, and low-rise jeans. The ’90s definitely had some incredible fashion highs (Winona Ryder is one of my girl crushes) and laughable fashion lows (shoutout to Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake for rocking all-denim evening wear).

So what’s the right way to channel the ’90s? My favorite trend borrowed from the ’90s is the choker. Here are five things to keep in mind if you want to rock this ’90s trend:

1. The moment you fasten a choker around your neck, you will instantly feel 10 times cooler. A forewarning—wearing a choker may even have you reciting Clueless quotes all day. If a boy approaches you and makes an unwanted move, just say, “As if!”

2. Adding a choker to an outfit allows your look to hint at the ’90s without overdoing it. Just because the choker is from the ’90s doesn’t mean you have to pair it with a ’90s outfit. For instance, airing a choker with a sparkly tube top and low-rise flare jeans might be overkill. This Fashionista is wearing her choker with a modern asymmetrical skirt and knit top, which updates and elevates the trend.

3. Opt for a modern twist on the classic ’90s choker. Look for chokers that play off the ’90s, but aren’t a direct replication. Instead of re-wearing that black stretchy elastic choker every girl seemed to own in middle school, this Fashionista is wearing a modern version of the choker.

4. You can also use the choker to dress up your outfit. The sparkly silver and gold tassels at the end of this Fashionista’s choker add a sense of fanciness to the outfit.

5. Finally, let the choker be the statement piece of your outfit. The simplicity of this Fashionista’s top and skirt allows for the choker to stand out as the attention-grabbing aspect of the outfit. Additionally, this Fashionista matches the color of her top to the color of the choker’s gem to make the choker pop.

I’m hoping the choker trend is here to stay. What are your favorite trends from the ’90s? Let us know on social media and tag @CFashionista.