Happy 1st Blog Birthday!

It seems like just yesterday...

 

Hi Beauties! 

If you told me a year ago I would be celebrating one year of blogging, I would not have believed you!  When I started this blog, I never expected anyone to read it. I knew my mom and my sisters would but, I mean c'mon they would still hang my macaroni art on the fridge if I asked them to.

This past year has been amazing! Last night, I sat and scrolled through all my posts on the blog and Instagram and realized how fortunate I am and how far I have come. When I first came up with this crazy (so at the time) idea, I was clueless and a little worried! No other girl I knew had a blog, so would I be the weirdo? Would it be a waste of time? How would I start one anyway? What's a platform? Would anyone care? So many of these hindering thoughts were running through my head!

But finally, I just said screw it, I never liked dancing to the beat of another person's drum anyway! For a lack of better words of encouragement, I basically said to myself, "Punam, you do you!"

Once I was set, I was on fire! After I got accepted into my dream pharmacy school, I sat down, researched, studied bloggers, and read articles after articles on successful bloggers and blogs. Trust me, I knew from day one I would not be my idol bloggers and The College Catwalk was going to improve over time but, I was okay with that!

I am so happy I never gave up when I went a week without getting new followers. I am so happy I never took a month "break" when I started in pursue for demanding graduate degree. I am so happy for all the love and support I have received from you guys that encouraged me to keep going. I am so happy for the effort, hard work, tears, and sacrifices I had to invest in this because without it all, I would not be sitting here anticipating year 2!

This past year has been truly amazing. I have received so much positivity, love, and support from readers, followers, and other bloggers (now friends) that it has truly made me feel like I belong in this community. The oppurtunities that I have received from companies such as BEARPAW, Rocksbox, and Younique have all seriously been one big dream! I am so honored to work with these successful companies and looking forward to what the future holds for The College Catwalk.

Thank you again for everything and letting me share my journey and life with you all, it means the world to me! Cheers to a year and many more to come! :)

D.I.Y. Brown Sugar Face Scrub!

Suga Suga how you get so fly?

No but seriously...

Hello Beautifuls!

I am sure that your skin is perfect and flawless but now and then everyone's face needs a little deep clean. I do not know what's been up with my skin, but it has been breaking out like crazy...and the yucky Philly water has not been helping the case!

Don't get me wrong I love my daily cleansers, but I wanted something that would visibly clean my skin before my eyes without using an abrasive scrub.

My mother dearest always told me the beauty benefits of honey, so I started to do some research using the keyword "honey". After reading through various articles and recipes, I went into my kitchen and concocted a simple scrub that changed my life!

A quick jist on why I chose each ingredient & the measurements:

Honey (2 tbsp): moisturizes, hydrates, and draws dirt out of your pores.
Brown Sugar (3-4 tbsp): exfoliates but is not harsh enough to tear your skin like salts and oatmeals
Lemon (1.5 tbsp): a brightening agent, breaks down dirt, and combines the other ingredients perfectly

All you have to do is combine the ingredients. Control the measurements of ingredients as you wish, but just be aware, too much lemon juice will compromise the face scrub consistency! Good luck!

5 Mascara Hacks!

Want longer and fuller lashes?

Attempting to achieve those ooh la-la luscious lashes cannot be done so by applying layer upon layer when the mascara is wet. The key to fuller lashes with any mascara is to let each coat dry before applying another coat on top. Continuously layering wet mascara onto your lashes will cause the lashes to look like spider legs. Wait 40 seconds to a minute between each coat, then apply the second coat as you wiggle your wand right to left from the base to the tip of your lashes.

Avoid water-proof mascara.

Unless you cry all the time or go swimming with mascara on, avoid water-proof mascaras. They may sound nice, but if you don't need it, skip it. This is bad for 2 reasons:
1.) It will dry out your lashes more than a regular mascara and end up flaking a few hours later.
2.) Mascaras already have a short life of 2-3 months before they dry up. The life of waterproof mascaras are even shorter!

Powder Trick.

I discussed this tip a few months ago [HERE], it will help you achieve long thick lashes, imitating falsies!

Swirl, dont pump!

I cannot say this enough. I cringe every time I see a girl pumping the wand into the mascara tube as if she is trying to inflate it. Pumping your wand will only dry your mascara out and attract more bacteria into the tube. Swirl the wand inside the tube instead, you will get the same amount of product.

Save your one true wand! 

This is one of my favorite beauty hacks and money saving tips! Every company raves about their mascara formula, but in all honestly, most mascara formulas are the same. Your money is going towards the mascara's brush wand, not the formula. Next time your $30 mascara dries out, keep the wand and use it with a cheaper alternative mascara, you will see the same effects as the higher end mascara. Works like a charm!

I hope you found these hacks useful! As a college student, I am always trying to make my dollar stretch as far as it can and I love when beauty hacks can help me save some too! 

Conquering The Cold!

Happy Friday!

I have always been one to believe that colors can change a person's mood and attitude completely, no matter the circumstances. This is simply the reason why we correspond certain colors to particular occasions, time of day, and seasons.

On a cold northeast winter day, nothing bums me out more than seeing a foot of snow outside my window and the temperature reading "9 degrees". Though the roads may be harsh and the air is frigid, life still goes on...and by "life", I mean "classes".

Walking out is such a struggle for me when the temperatures are low. I start to squirm and whine about the cold before even walking outside. I know, I'm such a baby! On these types of days, I like to dress in warm neutral earth tones to help me conquer my childish worries.

Here is an outfit that I wore under my massive peacoat on a recent snow day. I paired my green sweater (American Eagle $24) with my favorite yet oldest pair of jeans (Pacsun). To accessorize the outfit, I stayed true to the earth toned theme and added a tan infinity scarf along with my burgundy/brown boots. With my hair in a ponytail, I felt exceptionally bare without my jewelry, so to please my mind, I wore my favorite gold metals and a pearl/stoned necklace.

If you fear the cold like I do, wear colors that make you feel cozy and warm! 

Punam's Must Try: LypSyl Intense Protecion LypMoisturizer Honeyberry

Hi Beautifuls! 

Here is another "Punam's Must Try"! This lip moisturizer has been very near and dear to my heart for a very long time.M y lips tend to get extremely dry and dehydrated, especially during the night. I tried all the lip balms in the world but I needed something that would moisturize my lips and seals in all the ridiculous cracks and chaps permanently.

I went to Rite Aid one day after class last year (btw Rite Aid is my favorite drugstore, ever) and picked up LypSyl's Intense Protection lip moisturizer. At first glance, I was attracted to the slim packaging, the cute little bee on the side, and the fact that it said "beeswax". 

From the second I applied it on my lips, my life has never been the same! My lips felt smoother than they had ever before and no matter how wide I smiled, my lips would not crack. The one and only negative about this product is the smell, it takes a bit to get use to. But I promise, five minutes after applying, you will forget about the beeswax smell and simply enjoy the moisture. 

This product retails for ~$3 at Walmart and Rite Aid! Try it out for yourself! 

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Galentine's Day!

Just like my other fellow bloggers, I love dressing up and taking pictures of everything Valentine from the beginning of February.

Besides the fixed menus and outrageous restaurant bills at simple mediocre restaurants, I love everything about Valentine's day! I have seen this holiday change so much throughout the years (for the best), it used to be advertised as a day designated primarily for couples. Now, Valentine's day in my mind is a bit like Christmas, it is a day to spend with all of your loved ones, eat sweets, and share the love with everybody in your life. Don't you just love all the holidays?!

Another thing that comes a close second to my love for holidays, is my love for styling one piece in multiple ways. It saves you lots of money and helps channel your inner creativity.

In these two outfits, I wore the same dark pink body-con dress (Forever 21) but added different accessories to essentially create two different looks.

Outfit #1
This outfit is for my ladies that love comfort and hate heels. I took a much more relaxed/ rocker vibe with this one. With the dress as the main course (with tights, of course), I wore my new pair of booties from Sears ($25) and accessorized with a black/gold box clutch (Marshalls $25) as well as  a black infinity scarf (Forever 21). For jewelry, I wanted to match the clutch, so I slipped on my gold watch (Kate Spade) and a gold spike hinge cuff (Nordstrom).

Outfit #2
If you know me, you know that I have been in love with faux fur this season! I had to purchase this coat after my "love at first sight" moment with it. I hate when I have to put on a poofy jacket over a cute outfit, it can seriously be the greatest outfit buzzkill! Along with the coat, I slipped on a pair of black heels (Mandee's) and accessorized with a bronze envelope bag with gold studded detailing (Marshalls $20). I kept the same jewelry as outfit #1.

Love you all! Thanks for your support thus far :) 

Younique Moonstruck 3D Fiber Lash Mascara!

Hi Pretty Gals!

A few weeks ago I was sent a product by a new social media friend from the blogging world. This product was something that I had been eager to try, but skeptical to be sponsored for. If you follow beauty gurus and makeup artists on Instagram, you have most certainly heard of the Younique Moonstruck 3D Fiber Lashes Mascara. 

I was a bit hesitant on trying it because I could not bring myself to believe all the dramatic pictures and beyond stellar claims. When I was sent the product, I decided to try it out a few times on myself, before I reviewed it. I did not want to promote something that I did not truly like. However, after having it for 2 weeks, I can honestly say that I love it! It's great and as long as you use it right, you will love it too!

Here is the breakdown: 

You get two (2) tubes in a quilted black case (almost looks like a sunglasses case). The longer tube is a Transplanting Gel and the other tube is filled with the Natural Fibers. Don't worry, the layering process is not brain surgery. First you apply the Transplanting Gel, then the Natural Fibers, and then the Transplanting Gel once again to lock the fibers in. Repeat a few times until you reach your desired look.

The Natural Fibers add length and volume to your lashes (almost like extensions), while the Transplanting Gel solidifies them and acts as a wet base for the Natural Fibers to adhere to. My lashes looked significantly longer but WARNING; if you apply too much your lashes will end up looking clumpy and like spider legs. Apply with a light hand and the rest will fall into place! The mascara retails for $29 but it is worth every penny as it gives you more product than many high-end mascaras!

Get your own lashtastic mascara from my contact Toni Friedly! 

Below are Before and After pictures of my two friends and I. I wanted to show you the same great effect it makes on people of different ethnicities.

ME: Applied (Left), Bare (Right)

 JESS: Applied (Left), Bare (Right)

ASHLEY: Applied (Right), Bare (Left)

I hope you give this mascara a try! :) 

All Things Red, Pink, And Heart-shaped!

Hi My Valentines!

Today, I want to blow some Valentine's inspiration your way to help you get spirited for everything red, pink, and heart-shaped! <3

I LOVE browsing through Valentine's Day themed items! It seems to only last for a short period of time before it's March again, and the hearts and love are back in the storage room, stored away. Here are some gift ideas and inspirations for anyone in your life, including yourself!

FIND ALL THE LOVE HERE:

WATCH | NAIL POLISH | ALEX AND ANI | SHIRT | SKIRT | SUNGLASSES | MUG | HANDBAG | TRAVEL MUG

Happy Groundhog's Day!

Hi Beauties!

Nothing has changed from last week, we are still in a winter wonderland! Today was groundhog's day, and seeing the groundhog's shadow, it was predicted that we will have another six weeks of winter, so I guess nothing will be changing for a while.

But, I'm not complaining since pictures look way better when they are taken in the snow. :)

In my previous post, I wrote about how easy it is to jazz up any winter outfit with certain accessories. Today, I wanted to show you one of my all time favorite winter accessories, my tan knitted headband (or head wrap, whatever you want to call it)! I used to have a horrible relationship with headbands like these, it made my hair look flat and dull but with shorter hair, I love them!

If your ears are super-duper cold sensitive, like mine, purchase a headband knitted and thick! This one is a winner to me because it is pretty with it's small bling, yet keeps me warm on hours on end. I basically scored a trendy accessory and winter necessity in one perfect little band.

This one is from Khols, but you can get one almost anywhere. I am currently contemplating whether I should collect them in all colors...I just can't resist! In this case in particular, it balanced the outfit on top, complimenting the sweater (Marshalls) and booties. For a fun colored piece, I cozied up under my burnt orange peacoat (Forever 21) and accessorized with a pair of fleece lined tights and a pearl/stone necklace (Forever 21).

I hope you all have a great week!