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.

Are Our Best Friends Our Soulmates?

The people who know me well know that I’ve watched all six seasons of Sex and the City too many times. Throughout high school, as a way of compensating for my nonexistent love life, I lived vicariously through Carrie, Miranda, Samantha, and Charlotte. At times, I felt like I was part of the lives of the four best friends, and I learned more about relationships by watching the show than what was taught to me in my ninth grade health class.

PHOTO: Kenia Viezcas

One famous line that Charlotte York said has always stayed with me, “Maybe our girlfriends are our soulmates and guys are just people to have fun with?” However, I can’t help but wonder if this could go either way; are our best friends our soulmates or is our soulmate our best friend?

I recently found myself on a mediocre date which left me extremely pensive in the days following it. As much as I wanted it to go smoothly, I felt like I was with someone who wanted to be anywhere else but with me. I met my best friends in fifth grade, and in the 10 years since the start of our friendship, we’re constantly making each other laugh, and everything always feels so effortless.

I’ve yet to find a male soulmate, so at this point in my life, my best gals pals definitely fill that role. Of course as we get older we’ll get busier, fall in love, have children, start working, aging, and worrying. Unfortunately this will mean we’ll have less time for our friends, but the love we have for them will always remain the same.

What’s your favorite thing to do with your best friends? Let me know in the comments below!

How I Found My Confidence

Growing up in the world we live in, we’re given a set of standards—how to dress, how to speak, how to carry ourselves. There are so many guides on “what men look for” or “how to lose 10 pounds in three days.” I’ve had my own struggles with these societal ideals of what makes a woman. Media constantly bombards us with what we “should” look like. After years of struggling with (and honestly, still working on) my confidence, I want to share how I grew into the empowered woman I am today.

I was born in the Philippines and have lived all around the world, experiencing the rich cultures in Asia and Azerbaijan. With growing up all over the place, I’ve heard so many different opinions on what makes a woman beautiful.

I’ll be honest, it took a long time before I could look at myself in the mirror and see any type of beauty. The things that stood out were my stretch marks, my round face, and frizzy hair. In high school, other girls seemed to know exactly what to wear and how to do their naturally smooth hair. They were fitter than me, more bubbly, and not awkward at all. Over the first few years of high school, I worked so hard to be more like them and to look like everybody else. I didn’t embrace my naturally wild and curly hair, my unique facial features, or my independent spirit.

College is really where I began to find myself. My first year went by smoothly. I made plenty of new friends and grew more confident in being myself as I met people from different backgrounds. I blossomed a bit more and fell in love with my personal style!

Now, my second year hit me hard. My personal life fell apart. I was left feeling so broken and low like I was in a deep pit. For months, I felt so worthless and unlovable with no motivation. It’s moments like these that we learn the most about ourselves.

Personally, I think struggles and low points in our lives are essential in growing as a person. They help us realize the ways we can improve whether in the workplace, in class, or with our personal relationships. Low points in high school drove me to excel in activities I loved (choir and academics). Being alone freshman year of college forced me to make friends with more people. Finally, my second year allowed me to realize my worth through a lot of self-reflection.

The best thing to come out of my struggles is that today I choose to be unapologetically me. Sometimes people see our Facebook posts or our Instagram pictures and make immediate judgments. Yet there’s so much empowerment in being your true self both online and in person. I share these pictures and my story with you today in the hopes that you’ll be able to fully be yourself! So that you will fall in love with the person you are. You deserve it!

How do you feel more confident in yourself? Comment below!

6 Ways to Make Being Green Easy

That new Forever 21 haul might look great on you, but it definitely does not look great on the earth. The fashion industry is the second biggest pollutant on the planet. From production to post-consumer, the process of fast fashion needs as much of an update change as a winter to summer wardrobe—it takes 18,000 gallons of water just to grow the cotton for a pair of jeans, and about 400 gallons for a single cotton T-shirt.

According to Newsweek, “The EPA estimates that diverting all of those often-toxic trashed textiles into a recycling program would be the environmental equivalent of taking 7.3 million cars and their carbon dioxide emissions off the road.”
Yep, definitely not looking good.

So, you might ask, how does one keep a rad, on-trend wardrobe while reducing global warming?

Last week, I attended a panel in Detroit on sustainable fashion, hosted by local designers, clothing-conscious store owners, pattern makers, and buyers. Here was some advice they gave for making green the new black:

1—Quality over quantity. Have a few well-made pieces that will last rather than buying fast-made trend pieces that get thrown away season to season; curate your closet with key, quality pieces.

2—Look for transparency. Good sustainable brands show working conditions and the cost to create, such as Reformation (carrying clothing at good prices, upcyclying, and listing what resources went into their products) and Matt and Nat (vegan “leather” goods).

3—Thrifting is your friend! Mom jeans super-ultra in style right now? Instead of buying new, why not stop in at your local resale or goodwill and search for an authentic vintage pair?

4—Reduce, reuse, recycle, rewear. When it comes recycling fabric, due to a lot of the chemicals that go into processing clothing, most used or deadstock clothes end up in landfills. However, it’s not all wasted—the fashion panel I attended featured designers who up-cycled car interior leather, automotive metal, ex-TV cabling, and even furniture covering and old blankets…and made them totally wearable.

5—Take up knitting. Not only is it therapeutic, it’s a zero-waste way of making accessories and garments from a single “thread.”

6—Spread the word. A major issue with fashion sustainability is awareness. Tell others, thrift and share your stores, check out and share websites like Not Just A Label. It is totally possible without breaking the bank or wearing the same T-shirt for the rest of your life to work a little more “green” in your everyday style.

In the words of Phillip Picardi of Teen Vogue, “To tell a teenager that she should stick to lip gloss—when she’s being directly impacted by the policies, and they’re directly affecting her lifestyle and the lifestyle of those around her—is frankly irresponsible […] young women […] should have a firm opinion of what’s going on.” This quote applies to all Fashionistas/os and general clothing consumers; It shouldn’t just be about “who” you’re wearing anymore, but “what” you’re wearing.

How do you incorporate going green in your everyday looks? Tell us and tag @CFashionista!

3 Versatile Ways to Wear Your Plain White T-shirt

Every clothing owner has a plain white T-shirt hidden somewhere in their pile of clothes, whether they choose to wear it as pajamas or for a day at work. T-shirts are one of my favorite basic tops! Because of its simplistic elements, you can have fun adding accessories or shoes that stand out without the outfit feeling overwhelming. With small added details, you can style your outfit for a day at school, and glam it up for a night out! So don’t just settle for a casual OOTD, let me show you three ways to turn your everyday T-shirt into eye-catching outfits.

My first outfit is for a casual day out where you want to be comfy yet not give the impression you just rolled out of bed. I wore my plain white T-shirt with some high-waisted jean shorts to create a very basic look. To give it more life, I added a red bandana which brings in a pop of color. You can also tie a bandana around a loop on the shorts if you’re not into the choker look (but who isn’t?). I then paired the outfit with some lace-up black and white sandals instead of grabbing my typical sneakers. To finish off, I wore some neutral earrings and bracelets to accessorize but not overpower the outfit.

For my second outfit, my concept was a dressy day out. The outfit is definitely comfortable, but the details make the outfit more of a “going out for brunch” OOTD. Once again, I started off with a basic white T-shirt, added a black ruffle wrap around skirt and kept the attention at my shoes. As a city girl, I am constantly on the hunt for shoes that are cute and comfortable. So to keep things realistic, I paired the outfit with bright orange lace-up sandals, with a little block heel, that provides comfort as well as style.

I wanted to bring the color from the bottom half of my outfit to the top, so I added colorful earrings that complemented the bright shoes. I completed the look with gold chokers, a black leather bracelet and watch, and gold bracelets.

For my third and final outfit, I wanted to share how you can achieve a cute GNO outfit with a plain white T-shirt.

For this look, I wanted to dress up a white T-shirt, so I added a mesh camisole over it with satin black culottes. I kept the jewelry from the second outfit, except the earrings. Since it’s a night out, I wanted to go a little heavier with some statement earrings. This on its own is already dressy, but let’s not stop there! I finished the outfit with sleek nude sandal heels, which gave length to my legs (huge plus to all my short Fashionista/os like me), and a cute embroidered jean jacket if you are into jackets like me.

How do you rock your plain white T-shirt? Show us on social media! Don’t forget to tag @CFashionista.

5 Books by Bloggers and Vloggers That You Need to Read Right Now

People like to say anyone can be a blogger nowadays, and it’s somewhat true. There are a ton of platforms available for average people to express their thoughts on. WordPress and YouTube (vloggers count, too!) are just two popular sites. But some bloggers are really good at what they do and choose to take the next step. In this case, the next step is publishing a book!

Here are five books written by some of the most successful bloggers and vloggers that you need to read this summer.

1—Capture Your Style by Aimee Song. This Instagram guide will tell you how to step up your social media game with tried-and-true methods. In this book, you’ll learn how to transform your Instagram, take better selfies, and show off your life.

2—Make Your Mind Up by Bethany Mota. You might recognize this author from her YouTube channel, where she shares her everyday life. She does the same in her book—it’s a combination of her favorite recipes, workouts, and DIYs. You’re going to need a stylish water bottle to get through those exercise plans.

3—Bloom by Estée Lalonde. Written by another vlogger, this book contains both life lessons and personal experiences. The author shares her tips on everything from fashion to food throughout these pages.

4—Love Style Life by Garance Doré. Garance is a French photographer and founder of the fashion and beauty blog Atelier Doré. It’s a New York Times bestseller, and the publication calls her “one of blogdom’s most compelling storytellers.”

5—My Life as Eva by Eva Gutowski. Called YouTube’s fastest growing star by People, Eva aims to inspire and motivate her readers by being relatable. She even includes her favorite recipes in the book, like vegan chili and her grandpa’s chicken soup. Make yourself a meal, eat out of a cute bowl, and show it off to the world on social media!

The books on this list will motivate you, inspire you, make you laugh, and help you channel your style. All five are available on Amazon and in bookstores, so pick up your favorite one or grab them all!

What books are on your summer reading list? Let us know on social media and don’t forget to tag @CFashionista!

The Art of Being Authentic

In a world full of social media, we would rather share our thoughts on Twitter than express how we really feel to a friend. Posting a picture of your trip or the party that you are at on Instagram is more important than actually enjoying the moment. Being authentic and being who you really are has become more difficult nowadays.

Where does authenticity come from?

Authenticity comes from within. Some people are born with it, while others just become authentic because of the experiences they have gone through. But there is something that can make you authentic: not caring about what people think about you. When you stop caring so much, you feel confident about yourself. And authenticity comes from confidence.

Let’s be honest, how many times have you changed your outfit just because your friend/partner did not like it? Even though you loved it? Or deleted a picture on Instagram just because it did not get enough likes? That’s the problem. We care so much about how people on social media perceive us when the most important thing is how we perceive ourselves.

Yeah, sometimes it is good asking for advice or opinions when you are not sure about something, but everyone thinks differently. Thinking differently makes you authentic in a world full of wannabe people.

Being true to yourself

Dress how you want to dress, post whatever you want on social media without caring about what your friends or followers would think. Stop being harsh on yourself and embrace who you are. In the end, you need to have a good relationship with yourself, right? You are the person you are going to spend the rest of your life with.

What makes you authentic? Let us know in the comments below!