March Top 10!

Happy April friends! Where has the time gone?! I can't believe we're already a quarter of the way into 2017. This year is flying by! I only have a month left until I'm a senior in college...what? Crazy! March was a fun, busy month so I wanted to share some of my favorites from the last few weeks. 

Here is what I've loved this month!

1 // Spring Break was the week before last and tbh I'm still trying to get back into school mode - easier said than done. I didn't have a wild spring break, but I got to spend a relaxing few days at the beach with my boyfriend and some good friends. We had gorgeous weather and a ton of fun. Somehow I also managed to come away from it without a sunburn, which is basically a miracle for me! 

2 // The next best thing of the month happened when I got back from spring break. I got my Clemson ring!!!! For those of you who don't know, the Clemson ring is iconic. There is a ton of tradition wrapped up in the ring and ring ceremony, and receiving my ring was one of the biggest accomplishments of my college career. My mom flew in the weekend before and I got enjoy the end of my break with her, shopping around town and venturing into adorable downtown Greenville. Then on Monday I got my ring! I keep staring at my hand. I can't believe that I've already completed 3/4 of my degree and the countdown to graduation next year is seeming so short.

3 // In preparation for spring break, I picked up some fun spring items from Old Navy. I got this one piece swimsuit - love the ruffle. I also finally jumped on the off the shoulder trend train with this cute chambray top. I wore it when my mom was in town and it was so comfortable and really cute.

4 // I mentioned in my Proactiv+ Experience post that I was switching to more natural skincare that was recommended by Julia of Lemon Stripes. I've now been using these products for about two months and I have seen amazing changes in my skin, it has never been this consistently clear! I'm planning to do a skincare routine on the blog soon, so keep an eye out for that.

5 // With the improvement in my skin, I've been wearing foundation a lot less. Instead, I've been reverting to my junior high days and relying on concealer and powder to cover any little spots that come up. This concealer and this one are my favorites and I love this powder.

6 // Before spring break, I wanted to get a pair of cute, comfy, beach friendly sandals. I picked up this pair from Target for $15. I wore them all through spring break and nonstop since. They go with everything and are so cute!

7 // Like everyone else, I saw Beauty and the Beast this month. If you haven't seen it yet, run don't walk! Belle was always may favorite princess when I was little because she was brunette and liked to read - I could relate to her - so I was super excited to see Emma Watson's portrayal of her. The whole film was stunning. The costumes and music, even the digital effects, were perfectly done. I liked it way more than the live-action Cinderella that came out a while back and it makes me super excited for the other recreations Disney has planned in the coming years.

8 // I don't know if I should be proud or embarrassed of this, but in the last six weeks, I have watched all nine seasons of The Office. I never watched it before and wanted to see what all the hype was about. Well I got sucked in, fast. It's really fun to see the character development over the seasons and Jim and Pam are all of the #relationshipgoals. It probably wasn't the most productive use of time, but I used it as background noise while I was doing other things.

9 // Over spring break I finally had a chance to do some reading for fun. I love to read and decided to pick up a few books to read on the beach. So far I haven't even finished one, but I am nearly done with The Shack by William Paul Young. It's really amazing and I highly recommend it - even though I'm not done with it yet. It's added a new perspective for me and changed the way I look at certain things. Definitely worth a read!

10 // I'm still in denial that within the next month I will be finishing my junior year of college. It gives me chills. I am excited to wrap up the year and all that comes with it - lake days, the spring game, Mike's formal, military ball. There are exciting days to come, I can feel it.

What are you looking forward to in April?

Proactiv+ Experience

Like most girls my age, I have struggled with acne for the past few years. I've tried out what seems like every acne product from the drug store. Last year, I moved onto using a skincare line from a department store and still saw no improvement in my skin. Over the summer, after talking with my mom about my frustration with my skin, I decided to try out Proactiv after seeing tons of commercials and hearing good things from friends. Today I wanted to share my experience with Proactiv+. 

// What's my skin type and the acne issues have I dealt with? //

I've always had normal to oily, acne prone skin. I've never had cystic (really deep and difficult to get rid of) acne, but frequently would have pimples on my cheeks, chin and forehead. One of my biggest frustrations was the bumps I had covering my forehead. I'm not sure what exactly caused them and try as I might I could not get rid of them. I definitely don't have the worst skin issues, but being a 20-year-old girl it was frustrating and I was tired of dealing with it.

// What's Proactiv+ compared to regular Proactiv? //

So basically Proactiv+ is the more hopped up version of Proactiv. It's for more intense, difficult acne. I probably didn't need the more aggressive version, but you live and learn.

// What are the products and cost? //

Each set of Proactiv+ comes with a three step system. Step 1 is the skin smoothing exfoliator, which like the name suggests is a semi intense exfoliator with 2.5% Benzoyl Peroxide to help fight acne. Step 2 is the Pore Targeting Treatment, which is a clear gel also with 2.5% Benzoyl Peroxide. Step 3 is the Complexion Perfection Hydrator, which is the moisturizer of the bunch with 0.5% Salicylic Acid. The cost is the real kicker that I didn't realize at the time. The first set is $39.95, not bad right? Well that's only for the the 30-day sample size and two "bonus items". If you keep the sample and your account over 30 days, they automatically send you a full size 90-day supply to the tune of $39.95 per month. So if you do the math, these 3 little bottles will end up costing you about $120!

// How did my skin react? //

I started Proactiv+ in August just as I was starting school. At first, I thought it was magical. It got rid of the bumps on my forehead and acne seemed to be stopped in its tracks. It did a lot to clear up my skin from where it was this summer. I tried to rigorously stick to the system, twice a day every day. For the most part I did, but on days I slipped up, my skin paid for it. Proactiv+ seemed helpful with the prevention of acne, but I don't know how much it helped once I was already broken out - it didn't seem to make much of a difference. At some points early on, my skin seemed much more oily than normal. I think this was part of my skin adjusting to using a harsh exfoliant twice a day, but it wasn't a fun side effect. Everything went okay until the weather cooled down. Skin naturally gets drier in the cooler weather do to the dry air - and since it hardly rained in Clemson this fall, the air was quite dry. Normally during the winter months, my skin will get a little dry - only getting bad if the weather is particularly harsh. But on Proactiv+ my skin dried out horribly, like flaking off dry. Everyday it was a battle with my makeup to see if it would stay on or crack because of my dry skin. It cracked. It was awful and I felt so self conscious about how horrible my skin looked. If we had warmer days, things would get better then immediately turn around once it was cool again.

// What did I do next? // 

I had heard horrible things about going off Proactiv+. People's skin totally freaks out and breaks out like crazy until they go back to the Proactiv. I had been contemplating going off of it but I didn't know what I would use instead. I looked into some other options, but didn't find anything I liked. I was really tired of the harshness of the Proactiv products and wanted something that would help keep acne at bay without making my skin flake. Enter this glorious post from Julia of Lemon Stripes. Julia posted about her favorite natural products for acne with splurge and save options, and when I say save I mean everything was under $12 each on Amazon Prime. I waffled a bit, but the cheapness sold me. I placed my Amazon order than cancelled the Proactiv+ subscription.

// How has my skin reacted since going off? //

Now I can't attest to the new products I have been using since I have only been using them for a couple weeks. However, my skin didn't react badly to going off of Proactiv. I've had a couple breakouts, but nothing out of the ordinary. I've noticed a huge, positive change in my skin and the dryness issue is totally gone. I am so, so happy that I decided to stop using it.

// So would I recommend Proactiv+? //

The short answer: no. While it worked to a degree, I didn't notice a sustained improvement in my skin. Someone with more severe acne may like this system better than I did, but I firmly believe there are similar, if not better, products out there for considerably cheaper.

What skincare products do you swear by or stay away from? I would love to hear!

e.l.f Product Review

Way back on Black Friday (seems like forever ago doesn't it?), I placed a decent sized order with e.l.f. cosmetics. After dealing with the first package getting lost in the mail and having to be resent, I have been trying out these products for about a month and a half now and thought I would share what works and what doesn't.

 // Flawless Finish Foundation: $6 //

So I have this never ending problem with foundations: I am extraordinarily pale, but also cool toned. Foundations for my coloring generally don't exist. E.l.f. only has six shades in this foundation and the palest is still too dark for me. However, it's really good coverage and can be made to work for my skin tone when using beauty sponge and concealer. It does not apply well with a brush for some reason, but looks great with a sponge. It doesn't last super long though - I noticed it breaking up and looking oily by about 6pm (I put it on around 9am). Also, this may not be the case for all bottles, but the pump on mine doesn't work at all. All in all, not my most favorite, but not bad for $6.

// Contouring Blush and Bronzing Powder: $4 //

I am OBSESSED with this duo! I bought my first one last spring, I think, so this was a repurchase. I get it in the color Fiji, which is the matte pair. The bronzer works perfectly for my pale skin and the blush is a great everyday shade. I've also had this duo in the shade Turks & Caicos, but I much prefer the matte duo to the shimmer, especially for bronzer.

// Illuminating Palette: $6 //

I have mixed feelings about this highlight palette. I can only really use the top two shades with my skin tone. They're very pretty and can be built up or applied on top of a cream highlighter to give a strong impact, but on first application, they're not very strong. Part of the problem may be the brush I'm using (I don't exactly know the right kind of brush to use for highlight). At this price point though, I do recommend picking one up for everyday use. 

// Eyebrow Kit: $3 //

So I've always been into the look of strong brows. I've been filling mine in since I first saw YouTubers doing it when I was in my early high school years, before the whole world was obsessed with brows. But I always used an eyeshadow or brown eyeliner, then I purchased this gem. It's a gel and powder duo - I got the shade medium. I apply the gel to get the shape and definition I want, then I use the powder to set and take away the shininess of the gel. On lazier days, I just use the powder, which also looks good. It comes with a double ended brush that makes application super easy.

// Eyebrow Duo Brush: $3 //

So even though the brow kit comes with a brush, I decided to go ahead and pick up a full sized brush with a spoolie on one end. It's great. I love it. I seriously don't understand how people spend a ton of money on something on eyebrow brushes when this one is only $3. Seriously cannot recommend this combo enough.

// Essential Lip Stain: $2 //

This is the only item I would definitely say to pass on. I got it in the color Crimson Crush, which was probably my first mistake. It may have worked better in a more neutral color. The biggest issue I have with this product though is the brush. It's a pen shape, which you would think would make application really easy, but the tip is too pointed. If you try to use the tip to apply, barely any product comes out and it scrapes against your lips, but if you turn it to the side, you don't get a crisp application. Save your two dollars.

// Matte Lip Color: $3 //

I got two of these matte lip colors; one in wine, the other in rowdy rouge. Again, I probably should have gotten a neutral, everyday shade, but oh well. I really like these. I wear the wine color way more, somehow it seems okay to wear that color everyday but I don't feel that way about true reds. They're basically a large lip pencil, which makes applying them very easy. I wouldn't say they're super matte or very long lasting, so if that's what you're looking for this isn't the right product for you. The colors and texture are really nice for how cheap they are so you can't really go wrong.

Of all the things I tried, the eyebrow kit and matte lip color in wine are definitely my favorites. E.l.f. is a great, affordable makeup brand that I have used for a long time, so I highly suggest trying out a few of their products if you haven't before. 

Champions

Have you ever had one of those moments that in the middle of it, you stop and realize that this is a story you're going to tell your future kids one day?

I had a moment like that last Monday night.

So back story: part of the reason I decided to come to Clemson (aside from stellar location, gorgeous campus, and top notch academics, of course) was that it is a GREAT football school. Being a cheerleader for the better part of my life, I have always liked being around football and schools with lots of spirit. Ultimately the size and spirit of Clemson is what lead me to choose it over my second choice, which was a much smaller Division 2 school.

Over the past three years, I have gotten to watch some amazing football games. Freshman year was a little rocky with our inconsistent quarterback and inability to stand up against some of the great teams like Georgia and Florida State, but I got to watch as the Tigers broke the University of South Carolina's seven year winning streak in the Palmetto Bowl, our rivalry game. Sophomore year, football was amazing. We went undefeated in regular season, beat Florida State finally, defeated Notre Dame during the pouring rain of a hurricane (without a doubt the most exciting football game I have ever been to, totally worth the cold I got after), beat South Carolina again, became ACC champions, celebrated making it into the College Football Playoffs with a massive pizza party in the stadium, and took on the Almighty Alabama in the National Championship. Unfortunately, we lost.

This year, we came back with a vengeance and so did every opponent we faced. Whether it was our cockiness after being #2 in the country, or the other schools' desire to dethrone the team that did so well the year before, I don't know, but almost every game was close....very close. Friends joked that Clemson athletics needed to pay for the anxiety medication they would be needing after some of our really close calls - like against Louisville, where we scored two touchdowns in the last seven minutes of the fourth quarter to come from behind and win or against North Carolina State, where their kicker missing a field goal with no time left kept the game tied to go into overtime and we were able to score. See how we were kept on the edge of our seats?

After losing to Pittsburgh in  November, everyone thought we were done for. What kind of team chokes in an easy game like that? I think it was just over-confidence catching up to us. The Tigers came back to show we weren't out yet by winning our final two regular season games and securing the ACC title to land a spot as the second seed in the College Football Playoffs for the second year in a row. On New Year's Eve, we defeated Ohio State 31-0, despite the Buckeyes being favored to win. 

So that brings us to Monday night. The College Football National Championship. A rematch between my beloved Tigers and the Alabama Tide. I only wish I had been lucky enough to be in Tampa for the game, but I was pretty happy where I was, standing in the middle of College Avenue - the main downtown street in Clemson - in the freezing cold, watching the game on big screens setup in the street with my boyfriend, one of my closest friends, and tons of fellow Tigers. We knew going in that Alabama was likely going to win. No one beats Nick Saban and the Tide. And it started off not looking so good. Alabama got up 14-0. The Tigers scored in the second quarter, once in the third, and at the start of the fourth, but were still trailing. Then, with four and a half minutes left, we got another touchdown. We were beating Alabama.

The crowd downtown had dwindled around halftime. Understandable, considering it was below freezing and our prospects didn't look good there for a while. But all during the second half, as the Tigers continued to show that we were still in the fight, the crowd grew. By the time we were leading the game, the street was nearly packed. The energy was electric. The Tigers were up. We were going to show all the naysayers that Clemson has a great football program that shouldn't be questioned. Then Alabama scored again to take back the lead. I have never felt a collective mood of a group change so quickly. That was it. The end. Tide wins again. There was no way that with two minutes left we would be able to secure the lead to win the game. 

But the Tigers drove on. And with every gain, the crowd in the street of downtown Clemson, seven hours away from where the game was taking place, got more and more excited. With literally seconds left in the game, the Tigers were yards away from the goal line. Back in Clemson, we were all holding our breath. Could we do it? Could we dethrone the Tide? Winning felt so close, but we didn't want to jinx it. Then it happened. The touchdown catch to end all touchdown catches, in my opinion. Deshaun Watson and Hunter Renfrow made becoming national champions look easy. They started going crazy in Tampa and we went nuts in Clemson. Tears were streaming down our faces as we hugged everyone in sight, even people we didn't know. The Tigers reclaimed the lead with a second left. We had to wait to completely let loose and start celebrating since there was a challenge on the last play of the game. Then it was official. The Clemson Tigers won the National Championship!

I cried... a lot. Over a football game. Silly right? But it was so exciting to watch and there were so many emotions throughout the game that the only way to let them out was to cry. We cried and hugged and cheered and did the cadence count a million times. We jumped up and down with strangers and screamed that we were champions at the top of our lungs. It didn't matter that we were surrounded by strangers, we were all Clemson Tigers and had just shared the most surreal experience.

It's taken me a week to put everything I felt last Monday night into words, but I'm so glad I have because even if no one else reads this, I want to remember what it felt like to be a part of the 2016 National Championship win. Football talk definitely won't be the norm on here, I'm still just so excited about it.

I hope your Monday is going well!