Tuesday Tips 8: DIY Eyelash Growth Serum

Hi Beauties!

The excessive amounts of mascara we put on obviously damage and dry our lashes. Overtime, I have seen my lashes fall out after simply just washing my face. And, let's be honest, the 20s are our prime so we have to preserve what we have!

To nurture lashes, there are so many eyelash serums in the market, ranging anywhere from $7 to $100! But like any product, it's a hit or miss. Instead, make your own fool-proof serum, guaranteed to make your eyelashes grow and keep them intact! It is all natural and the ingredients are super easy to find.

You will need:
A small empty container w/ tight lid
Almond Oil (my personal favorite for every beauty hack)
Castor Oil
Vitamin E Capsules or Oil
Coconut Oil (Indian moms' holy grail)
Q-tip

In a small container add equal parts of the oil. Coconut oil has been around for centuries and is used in many cultures to care for hair and skin. Castor oil is packed with vitamins and maintains the health of hair follicles for hair growth. The properties of almond oil locks in moisture to prevent the lashes from getting dry and brittle. Vitamin E oil, like the capsules, promote hair growth and in turn prevents hair loss. 

Every night before bed, take a Q-tip and apply the serum to the base and on your lashes. If you want thicker Lilly Ghalichi brows, apply the serum to your brows as well! You should see a difference in 3 weeks!

If you didn't know who Lilly Ghalichi is.

 Let me know in the comments section if you make your own or have any questions! Follow me on Facebook for posts updates!

Graduation: Fashion and Beauty Do's and Don'ts

Hi Fashionistas!
Graduation is a huge milestone in one's life! University of Delaware will be graduating their Class of 2014 in about a week. A reader mentioned that since it's graduation season, it would be appropriate for me to do a post on graduation. When you think about graduation, you think about waiting anxiously for your name to be called, friends and family taking pictures, and walking across the stage to your diploma,  It is a very joyous occasion and with perfect planning you can enjoy it and look back with no regrets...as in fashion and beauty regrets!

Click on the pictures for the store's website.

Conservative and Chic
Remember, though graduation is an occasion worth to celebrate, it is still important to dress chic and conservative around your friends, family, and professors. As it is a big day for you, it is a big day for them as well, so dress respectfully for the ones who have raised you, been there for you, and mentored you. DO NOT reach for that tight dress with glitter vomit that you wore to your 21st birthday! Instead go for a cute dress with a modern shape and perfect fit!
Also, since those graduation robes can get pretty heavy and steamy, opting for a sleeveless is not a bad choice!

Strut your Stuff
In your cap and gown, the only thing people can see are the shoes. Choosing the right pair of shoes are just as important, if not more important, than the dress. You obviously know that boots, sneakers, and flip flops are a definite no-no. Wedges however, can be the perfect shoe! They are comfortable, look more dressy than flats or sandals, and will give you the best support walking across the stage. If you are shorter choose a shoe with height to extenuate your legs under your robe. If you are a full on heels kinda gal, make sure you keep it classy! If you stumble in them walking to the clubs, do not wear them to graduation. In a room full of educated graduates, you do not want to look like a fool.

Bling-Bling
It is always great to accessorize, but for occasions such as graduation you do not want to over do it. Statement along with dainty small jewelry is completely acceptable as long as you do not put a piece on every part of your body.

DOS: Classic studs, dainty necklaces, either statement earrings OR a statement necklace, smaller rings, watches, and reasonable and matching arm candy

DONTS: Bling bling everywhere, too many bracelets, big cocktail rings, chandelier earrings and statement necklaces together

Keep it Natural
Wear makeup, but keep it natural. Natural makeup allows your skin to glow and look radiant. Do not pile on a lot if you are going to be spending time outdoors, it may melt off in the heat. Choose waterproof mascara, a liquid eyeliner, a soft blush and highlight, and a nice lipstick shade. This is also not the time to try a new product, because for example, you do not want to find out that you are allergic to it the day of your graduation. Remember to wear spf and keep oil blotting sheets with you so you don't look oily for your pictures.

I hope you enjoyed! For those graduating soon, I wish you all the best. Have fun at the commencement and take many pictures!

Tuesday Tips 7: Lighten Hair Color With Lemons

Hi Beauties!

This summer many of you may want to "recreate" yourselves and change up your hair color. Box dyes can be very risky, and salons can be very pricey. However, I have a quick and easy way you can lighten your hair and still play it safe!

You will need:

Lemon juice (concentrated or fresh)

Warm water

Sun exposure

On a sunny day, rinse your hair with the lemon juice diluted in warm water at the end of your shower. While it is still wet/damp, go lay outside (with sunscreen of course), or run some errands, making sure to get sun exposure. The longer the exposure, the more effective. The lemon and the sun will both help lighten the color of your hair over time. You can even put the lemon juice mixture in a spray bottle to reapply if you are going to be spending a lot of time outdoors.

If you have dry hair, add your lemon juice to your conditioner instead, as citrus acid can be over drying. Do this only once a week, and repeat until you get your preferred color!

PS: The sun in the summer is stronger, so it will work the best!

Beauty 101: Strike A Smile!

Hi Beauties and Beasts,

If you watch your favorite YouTube beauty gurus religiously like I do, you probably have noticed that everyone is making a video on teeth whitening! Another thing you may have noticed is that their videos are sponsored by the same company! Regardless of their "special" promotion code, those fancy whitening gizmos and gadgets are not affordable for a college student.

Like everyone else, I love my pearly whites but I am not willing to spend an arm and a leg for it! I have researched for a very long time and narrowed it down to three home remedies that can help you achieve a great smile for practically nothing.

Remedy 1 
Strawberries and Baking Soda
Mashup up strawberries into a pulp and mix it with a little bit of baking soda. Spread it over your teeth using a toothbrush and leave it on for 5 minutes before brushing your teeth as usual with toothpaste. Strawberries have properties such as vitamin C and astringent that can brighten and whiten your teeth. Also, with the warmer weather, I am sure strawberries will be stocked in your local produce section! This remedy is safe to use only once a week, do NOT over do it!

Remedy 2
Hydrogen Peroxide
You can either use a capful of hydrogen peroxide as a mouthwash or mix it with baking soda and use it as a toothpaste!
For daily whitening, this is your best bet! A swish of hydrogen peroxide can go a long way. It's antiseptic properties are good for oral hygiene and also remove stains on the surface of your teeth.
I personally love hydrogen peroxide! I had "clear" bracket braces for four longggggg years. After eating one Indian meal, the turmeric used to stain the new clear bands, yellow. I used hydrogen peroxide and in one rinse they were clear again!

Remedy 3
Fruits and Veggies
Rinse your teeth with a glass of one part lemon juice and one part warm water. This will lighten your teeth over time, but do not exceed once a week. Also, if possible eat apples, carrots, and celery, they are known to be natural toothbrushes as they increase saliva which helps remove plaque.

Try to avoid things that can stain your teeth such as soda, tea, wine, smoking, coffee, and etc. But who am I kidding? Coffee is a college student's crack. So if you can, try using a straw next time you have it.

offbeatearth.com

I am challenging myself to do these remedies for one whole month. Do it with me?!

Tuesday Tips 6: Astringent Cleans Hair?

I am sure that you are aware of what astringent is. It is a liquid product that you apply to your face to remove dirt, oil, and makeup. It helps to keep break-outs away but can also be used on your scalp! When your hair is misbehaving, feeling flat, or "gross," it is usually due to clogged hair follicles by product buildup. Clarifying shampoo is recommended once a week in your hair care regimen but, it can be very drying. Instead, once a week, before shampooing, squeeze some astringent onto a cotton ball and apply to your scalp to remove product build-up.

Clogged hair follicles can slow your hair growth! So hit your drugstore and buy a simple astringent without other crazy chemicals such the infamous Sea Breeze Astringent.
                                    

Beauty 101: 5 Must Have Makeup Brushes

Hi Beauties!

Having a makeup collection, you may notice that it can be very costly. You have your foundation, blush, bronzer, another blush, eyeshadows, mascaras, and million of other products. But it doesn't just end there. You also have to purchase makeup brushes to apply those products.

It can be very confusing and costly to purchase the right brushes. There are a hundreds of different brushes in the market. Do not be tempted to buy these brushes, you do not have to have expensive brushes to do good makeup.

Here are the 5 must-have makeup brushes that are useful, worth it, and versatile. Check out the Sonia Kashuk at Target or Real Techniques at Ulta for these brushes. Great quality for an unbeatable prices!

1. Powder Brush: With the powder brush's soft bristles, it will give your face an airbrush finish. It is versatile and could be used for face powder, blushes, and even bronzers!
TIP: Go over your face and neck in circular motion at the end with a powder brush to ensure that your makeup is blended without any harsh lines.

2. Angled Face Brush: The angled face brush is perfect for blending out your contouring under the cheekbones and around the face. It can also be used to apply blush on the apples of your cheeks.

3. Eyeshadow Brush: This brush should be the first in your kit if you do eye makeup as it packs color on your lid evenly. A stiffer flat eyeshadow brush will however pick up more color.
TIP: You can also use this brush to highlight the bridge of your nose, under the brow, or to apply concealor on break-outs (just wash it first)!

4. Blending Brush: The blending brush is used to blend any harsh lines while applying eyeshadow. You would commonly use this brush to blend out darker colors for a smoky effect such as in the common "smoky eye."
TIP: Use this brush to contour the sides of your nose to make it look slender.

5. Flat Eyeliner Brush: A flat eyeliner is commonly used to apply gel liner (my personal favorite eyeliner), but you can also use it to apply crayon or liquid liner for a precise eye-look like the cat eye. TIP: I also use this brush to fill in my brows with the Elf eyebrow kit.

I hope you enjoyed! Buying makeup brushes can be a headache but check out your drugstores before hitting Sephora or Mac!

Pretty Pastels!

Hi Fashionistas!

First off, I want to thank you all for supporting me thus far! It has been a month and a half since I started The College Catwalk, and I am overwhelmed and very excited for the new followers on Facebook and Instagram. If you are a new reader, please read my "about me", to get to know a little bit about myself and The College Catwalk.

Oh! And if you did not read this week's Tuesday Tips, please do so! It will honestly change your makeup routine forever...

Today I want to share my excitement over spring colors! As soon as spring arrives, the candy wrappers start changing, little girls begin to wear flower dresses, and pastel color clothing hit the shelves!

For today's outfit I am wearing my favorite pastel pink satin shirt (Marshall's $15). Because of the light fabric, I can wear this shirt on a hot summer day even though it has long sleeves. It is wise to invest in long sleeved shirts made with light fabrics as it can be very beneficial when dressing up for a formal event on a warmer day.

The lace skirt is from Marshall's ($15). I wore my usual brown cross-body from H&M ($18) to compliment the cute brown strapped heels (Forever 21). To accessorize, I kept it simple with a gold watch from Kate Spade (I have seen many affordable dupes at Khols for under $20), and a necklace with small pearls (Forever 21).

I hope you enjoyed! Stay tune for more spring based OOTD! 

Tuesday Tips 5: Secrets to a Long-lasting & Smoother Foundation!

Hi Beauties!

Today's tip is probably something that may sound bizarre. But trust me, it works! I did it this morning and have been doing it for the last month. After proving to myself that it is completely fool proof, I wanted to share it with you!

So you most likely put your makeup on in this order: moisturizer, primer, foundation, and powder. However, if you want your makeup to last longer, look smoother, and also use less foundation, try applying it in this order: moisturizer, primer, POWDER, and then foundation.

Applying powder after your moisturizer and primer, but before your foundation, soaks up the extra oils from the moisturizer, fills in your pores, and locks in your primer so the foundation can be applied for a smooth and even finish. If you can, use a loose powder rather than a powder from a compact since it is more "blend-able". Any type of powder, translucent or pigmented, will work!

For the days that I want to wear heavier makeup, I use the following products:

I hope you enjoyed! Let me know if you use this tip. Trust me, you will see a difference! 

Springing in Sweaters!

Hi Fashionistas!

I am so sorry for not posting since Tuesday like I usually do. Exams can be brutal. But all is well now, let's just hope the exam I took on Saturday comes back with an A...or at least a passing grade..I won't get too greedy!

With the beautiful weather and subtle breeze, I cannot put my sweaters away or  keep my skirts in hiding!

I bought this sweater from American Eagle a few weeks ago. I went in for shorts and walked out with the same sweater in 3 different colors. They were on clearance, I think I got each for only $6! I have had this skirt for a long time from Forever 21. It's satin material makes me feel so girly! For accessories, I wore a cross body purse from DKNY, a gold watch, pink/gold earrings, and a few Alex and Ani's.

Though the sweater was extremely cheap, it is still not the best part of the outfit, the shoes are! I got these heels from "Fione," a brand at Payless. If you are not familiar with their BOGO sale, you can basically buy anything in the store and get another item 1/2 off! I am not someone to invest in colored heels, but with this deal it was hard not to! If you have wide feet, flat feet, or just aching feet like me, definitely try this brand from Payless. My sister owns a few of their heels and they are ultra comfortable!

The next time you want a new pair of heels, definitely check out Payless! They have affordable, comfortable, and decent quality shoes. I hope you enjoyed and for those taking finals right now, good luck!