Beautylish's new way to shop for beauty products!

Beautylish is basically Facebook for the beauty community - you customize your profile, follow other beauty lovers that inspire you, and talk about articles, videos, and of course ... beauty products! You can read and post reviews (which I think is really helpful for when you don't really feel like trying to find a review of a product on Google - Beautylish gives you several different reviews all in one place!), watch videos, read articles, and post on the message boards. And it's a great way to get word out about your blog or Youtube channel if you're just starting out!

But Beautylish is launching something new - a beauty product store with exclusive offers, limited edition products, and "exciting new ways to shop for beauty products!" I have no idea what to expect and whether or not this shop will be quite as exciting as Beautylish claims, but I decided to check it out anyway. Right now, Beautylish is offering priority access to members who share their invite link with others who might be interested: aka you guys!

So if you want to join Beautylish and check out their new store, sign up here! And if you have a Beautylish account and want to follow me, check out my profile here!

XOXO, Ally

(And before anyone asks me about this - no, I'm not being paid to promote Beautylish or anything like that. It's just a website that I personally use and enjoy, and I wanted to share some interesting news with you guys and get my invite link out there!)

Did you get your Target Beauty Bag?

Cause I did! I checked my mail this morning and practically ran back to my dorm room to open it.

First thing I noticed was how cute the actual bag was! I actually use the Sonia Kashuk one from last year a lot, because when I travel to/from college I only need makeup for a couple of days and that little bag is a perfect size. But I really love the colors of this one - the gold and the magenta together are just so gorgeous! Anyway, the actual samples are the important parts, so I'll stop gushing about the darn bag...
As soon as I opened the bag I was like 'oh hey shampoo!' There were a lot of shampoo and conditioner samples in there - and it's not that I dislike shampoo samples, but I'm a college kid and I don't normally spend that much time experimenting with different shampoos. That being said, a college kid would never turn down free shampoo. xD

 So the three shampoo and conditioner samples were Tresemme Naturals, Garnier Fructis Pure Clean, and John Frieda Full Repair (with a $2.00 off coupon attached)! I'm definitely the most interested in the Garnier Fructis Pure Clean set - I'll admit it, I'm kinda a sucker for anything "green." The shampoo claims to be 94% biodegradable, while the conditioner is 92%, and it seems like the earth-friendly aspect of these would be their biggest selling point (which is not necessarily something you'd see reflected in your hair).

The bag also included a sample of L'Oreal Youth Code cream, which probably won't be too effective on me since I'm pretty youthful already, but hopefully it'll have some sort of effect. Finally it included a pack of 5 Pond's Cleansing Towelettes, which definitely appeal to the lazy side of me. I also really like that they're safe for contact lens wearers and that they remove waterproof mascara.

The bag also came with it's signature pack of coupons, which are not of too much use to me since there's not a single Target store anywhere near my college, but if you have a Target nearby, then you'll definitely be able to find some good deals in there!

XOXO, Ally

Five Beauty Tips for College Students

... or for anyone else! No, of course you don't have to be a college student to utilize these beauty tips - but if you are in college, believe me when I say that they help.

1. Practice, practice, practice - Ok, I'm not saying you need to devote hours a day to practicing every new look you want to try out. But if the opportunity presents itself, take it! If you're going to a friend's party on Saturday night and you want to look extra fabulous, use Friday night as a chance to practice the look you want and test it out in a situation where you're not so concerned about getting it right. Or play with your hair the night before - when you wake up, it may not look exactly the same, but the less you have to do to your hair in the morning, the better. Those drunk fraternity brothers probably don't care about how nicely you blended out your crease shade - so try out a new technique the next time you're going somewhere dimly lit with plenty of drunk people, and you'll be prepared the next time you need to wear that same look around people who are actually sober.
   
2. Make your makeup go further - I'll admit it, there are days where I re-do my makeup three or four times, and not because it fades. It's because I have my 'I just woke up for my 9 AM class and I'm too tired to wrap my brain around makeup' look, my 'I'm back from class and I'm actually awake enough to apply mascara' look, my 'I'm going out and need to wear half of my makeup collection at once' look ... the list goes on. So finding looks that can easily transition from "morning" to "day" to "night," or any combination of the three, will save you time and frustration. Add some dark colors in the crease and go a little heavier on the eyeliner, and a neutral day eye can turn into a night look in no time. That's not to say that you can never experiment with different makeup styles, but if you're pressed for time, a quick fix may be all you need.
   
3. Only splurge if you can convince yourself you love it - Everyone has their go-to, tried-and-true, expensive makeup products. I'm a sucker for MAC eyeliners and Bare Minerals foundation, even though I know that there are plenty of imitators available in drugstores for much less. But if I'm going to splurge on an expensive item, I make it something I can't live without, and something I know I love. If you don't have the money to impulse-buy gimmicky products, make it a rule to never buy anything on impulse.. Go for products you know and love, and give the new products a chance to stew in your mind. If you're trying out a nude lip or blue eyeshadow for the first time, go for the drugstore brands first before you shell out big money for an expensive product that may not work for you. And if you can convince yourself that it's a product you absolutely love, there's nothing wrong with splurging on something special every once in a while.
   
4. Expand your makeup repertoire - All last semester, I had a class that started at 9 AM. On a good day, I would roll out of bed at around 8:30 - and trust me, I was never happy about it. After shuffling around my room in the dark and trying to get some half-assed skincare done in the bathroom (which usually included splashing my face with cold water and then falling asleep on my feet while staring at my reflection), I was never in the mood to drag out my entire makeup collection and create a immaculately blended look from scratch. Instead, I would just rock my go-to morning eye look, which mostly consisted of a plain nude lid, a touch of brown eyeliner, and some mascara. It was a look that I could do in a second and a half, as well as in very dim lighting (because waking up my roommate that early was not a good idea at all). The more makeup routines you have down - ones that you could do backwards and with your eyes closed - the easier and quicker your mornings will be.
   
5. Don't be afraid to experiment - It's a scary thought, but for most people, college is the last four years before we all go out into the real world. That's not to say that you can't play around with your hair and makeup once you're in the real world, but the reality of the situation is that there are plenty of careers where blue and yellow eyeshadow may not be appropriate. So enjoy college while you can, and don't be afraid to express yourself through your makeup. Believe me when I say that now is the time that you can get away with anything.
   

XOXO, Ally