It's hard to say if I will stick with it because I am always wanting to try new products, but right now these have been some very effective couple of skincare products. All of these are sample sizes, but there are full sizes of these products that I think are enough because a little goes a very long way when it comes to any type of skincare product. 

I take cleansing my face pretty seriously because I have sensitive skin prone to breakouts and it's crucial to make sure you are fully cleansing it, especially when you wear makeup. The First Aid Beauty Face Cleanser is a great, light cleanser for sensitive skin and for all skin types. I love how it foams up a bit and really gets into my pores and takes off all of my makeup. It has a very fresh and clean scent and is also hydrating for dry skin. 

Along with my face cleanser, I have been applying this Lancome Renergie Micro-lifting Cream to firm my face and leave it soft and smooth. It's a very small sample of a very expensive product, but I have honestly been loving it so much. I don't know if I can replace this product so I might have to find something that will replace it once I use it up. 

My eyes recently have been incredibly dry and I have yet to find out why. It may or may not be a specific product I am using, but this Tarte Maracujá C-Brighter Eye Treatment has done wonders for making my eyes less red, itchy, and dry. 

When I went to Sephora, I was able to redeem my reward points for a sample product and I asked what the lady at the cashier preferred and she raved about this Korres Wild Rose Sleeping Facial. It's been a while since I have used a very heavy moisturizer and this one really repairs your skin overnight. I kind of use it like a spot treatment at my driest areas and by the morning, they are completely smooth. 

If I still want to treat my face more, I will use my favorite exfoliating cleanser, the GlamGlow YouthCleanse. I have had this for a while now and love it when I really need to scrub off everything and start with a clean slate. It really helps get rid of lines or uneven texture on the skin and my face feels very supple and fresh after I use this. 

I hope this was a nice little updated skincare regimen for you all. Like I've always said, my skincare continues to change and I am always up for trying out new products. You never know when you might find the right products that work for you. For me, it's been a long journey, but I love using different products for my skin that might become my favorite. What are your plans for this spooky holiday?  

It's honestly been so long since the last time I bought new makeup that wasn't something I had already owned before. I've just been so content with the makeup I have and use constantly that I feel like I have no need (or money cause your college girl is broke) to go out and just buy new stuff yet. I have been tempted by the new Fenty range and the new palettes that are coming out, but I love what I already have. 

With that said, I have made some guilty Mac purchases when I was in Nordstrom Rack because they were at a considerably low price for what they are normally retailed for. I think these two products are the most recent purchases I have made and I am totally okay with it! 

My next purchase was a new eyeliner pen because I have loved the sleekness of them and their longevity. With pencil liners, I feel like I always touch my eye makeup and fixing it, but this one stays in place and is so easy to use. The Mac Penultimate Liner is a thin and very opaque pen that is easy for all eyeliner beginners. 

Blush has been something that I haven't really gone deep into because I have loved the way bronzers golden up my face more than blush brings out the redness, but this one doesn't and just adds a soft pigment to my cheeks. I have had a lot of luck lately with Mac and would recommend looking at your local Norstrom Rack for some really good deals on their products now.

It's been a while since I have talked about anything hair, and that's mainly because my hair routine hasn't really changed. It's pretty darn simple, actually. I usually wear my hair natural and I've only been styling it with a one-inch curling wand every so often. My product usage in my hair is also very minimal and not-so-complicated either. For a while, I've been using texturizing sprays to add a bit of "umpf" to my hair. I've been loving the messy lob look for a while now, but I have struggled to find the right product that doesn't leave my do sticky and bodyless. 

Since I only really use one product in my hair, I felt like I could splurge a little on one that would actually work. I have heard all about Ouai products through the media: beauty gurus, YouTubers, magazines, and the Kardashians all swear by it, but that wasn't the only reason I wanted to get this specific brand. 

This texturizing hairspray acts as a dry shampoo and a hairspray. You get an oil absorbing product that also holds style, which I really like. Plus, the smell of it is great and tropical, too. For a while, I have been obsessed with the Not Your Mother's Texturizing Spray, but wanted something that could also be used to keep the look in place. 

I know that my hair probably won't change drastically in the next couple of months, but I am still looking for new ways to style it because I'm bored, to be honest. I love the lob look, but sometimes I just need a quick and easy way to make my hair look good without having to worry about curling it every day. Let me know for all of you "lobbers" out there what the best and easiest way to style your hair is! 

I have been in college for only two months and it's been great: I'm meeting new people, getting comfortable with my classes, I don't feel sad being away from home, and I'm taking opportunities as they come. However, there are still many things that I have yet to find out about college and the whole experience. I am still a very confused freshman and still haven't found my "niche".

I know that many freshmen might feel the same way and that I am kind of worrying too much about things, but I do have some questions:

Is it normal to feel like you should be involved in something right away?

The only thing that has really been going on at my school is greek life. Both of my roommates are in sororities and that's something that I have never really been interested in: it's expensive, too much commitment, and isn't a way I like to do service. I get that it is a great way to socialize and meet people, but it's not what I want to do at all. I want to join clubs like newspaper and maybe some fitness clubs, but I feel like I should already be in them. 

I am also doing my best to stay in the loop of events and activities, but since I go to a private school, we don't have football or big fall activities like most state schools do. I am finding it harder to get involved.

How long does it take to actually find your "niche"?

I have already met some really cool people who I call friends already, but I still feel like I should be finding "groups." The thing that I love about college is that, unlike high school, there are no "cliques." I've seen all of these people go to dinner in our dining hall together and, while it might sound sad, I still don't really have a "group" to go out and eat with. This might just be my introverted personality talking. Although, I know in high school I had different groups of friends by sophomore year. Does it just take time?

Is it okay to go home on the weekends for a while?

I chose this college because it is 30 minutes away from home on a good traffic day. I did not like the idea of living farther than an hour away. As of right now, the weekends haven't been my favorite compared to the weekdays. I have only spent a couple weekends at school and my weekends are long. I have a four day weekend and a lot can happen in four days. For someone who doesn't really like to party, it can be hard finding things to do. I never really realized how much free time you actually have in college and it is dangerous. I already know that a lot of money can be spent in just four days. 

I don't have a job at the moment, but I have been picking up babysitting jobs here and there every weekend or so and it has really helped. I know it may sound silly, but is it bad to go home very often on the weekends? I have friends back home, my puppy is back home, and I feel like I can be a lot more productive when I am not surrounded by five roommates sometimes. I just feel guilty or a bit pathetic for wanting to go home every weekend. 

Does living with roommates get any better?

The situation I was given when I finally chose my school was so late that I had to go random with my roommates, which was fine because I didn't really care and it is what it is. I have really good roommates. We get along well and we mesh, even with our different personalities, we make it work and I am comfortable with both of them. Yes, I have two roommates. 

I was just wondering if it gets easier after the first year because I know that living alone isn't really something I plan on doing, plus it's financially practical, too. 

Is it too early to think about jobs after college? 

At the back of my mind, job searching and creating a resume has been something that I am kind of worrying about. I know I really haven't gotten into my major, public relations, but I have no idea what type of job I want out of college. I know that I for sure want a job as soon as I graduate, though. I want my job to have something to do with brands and creating content, but it's still very unclear as to what I really want to do. 

I know I usually offer some insight into things, but this time it's the opposite. I really have a lot of questions for upperclassmen or people who have graduated college, in general. All advice helps so much! I'm just a little 'ol freshman figuring things out. 

It's beginning to finally feel like fall around the city and that means pumpkin season has arrived. My family and I went out pumpkin picking and the first patch we went to was actually closed due to crop failure and we went on an adventure to find the right patch. Once we finally googled the right one that had pumpkins, it was the perfect pick! It has been a family tradition to go and pick out pumpkins, so this time was really fun taking Cooper along with us. 

It was really cute because Cooper got into all of the burrs and they kept sticking to his skin, so we had to pick him up and put him in our wagon. This specific pumpkin patch was a score. It was "pick your own" pumpkins and each pumpkin any size was only $6! My mom had a blast picking out pumpkins, let me tell yuh. 

When we go pumpkin picking, that's when I know it's fall and I can finally start getting in the mood and wear sweaters. Fall is my favorite season and I love it when the air is crisp and the trees start turning. My really soft sweater is from Zara and I am obsessed with it. I love the mustard color and its cropped, so it looks really good with high waisted jeans. I paired it with a vest that I bought from Kohl's a while back. 

I always love going on family outings and adventures. I can't wait to carve my pumpkin, so please leave some carving suggestions in the comments! My roommates and I are already psyched for Halloween and already decorated our entire dorm. What do you love about fall?

I think the time is due for an updated picks post. Especially now that my makeup collection has been starting to evolve and I have added some new products to it, I think I can finally share some different products on here that I haven't tried before. I'd say that my makeup routine starts to pick up more into the colder months, the heat is no friend to a full face of makeup. I've tried to add more color to my makeup collection and have been loving subtle pops of pigment on the face. 

This first product has been a cult favorite for so long and I still wear by the Benefit Hoola Bronzer. It's the perfect matte bronzer and isn't the wrong shade of orangey brown. It adds a nice golden glow on the cheeks. 

I have been really loving the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Rosegold on my eyelids because it gives off the most beautiful shimmer and color for fall. I haven't used it much on my face, but I do really like the way it looks as an eyeshadow. 

This was actually a very recent purchase of mine. I was looking for a really nice, semi-matte lipstick and was inspired by Gigi Hadid and her classic red lip. What better way to find one that she actually uses! I got the shade Dynamite Red in the Maybelline Color Sensational collection and really love the way it looks. It's perfect for making your teeth look whiter and is the perfect bold shade for fall. 

I also picked up a new Mac cream blush in Hush, which is a bit different than the normal powder blushes. I think it adds a really nice pigment and makes you look healthy and glowy! It's easy to apply and I find a Beauty Blender works best. 

I have been raving over this Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes mascara. It pretty much does everything: curls, lengthens and volumizes. It has olive ester oils to condition my lashes and make them strong and protects them. It's been my go-to whenever I reach for mascara. 

I'm in love with fall makeup trends and all of the warm pigments and palettes that have been released.  I feel like my makeup game even gets better as it gets colder because of how much I can actually do with my makeup now. Do you feel the same way about makeup in the colder months?

I never thought I would be writing about deodorant on my blog, but I think that over the past four years, I have gone through many and have officially found the one that works for me. I have very sensitive skin, so it's hard to find the right skincare products that won't react badly. I have used multiple different deodorants throughout my lifetime and while many seemed to be "keeping me fresh and stink free for 8 hours", many actually weren't and many actually broke me out and caused the undesirable red bumps. 

I was doing a lot of research on different options of deodorants and natural types that might help, but some natural deodorants that I tried, while they didn't break me out, still made me stink after a couple hours. I found out that the main ingredient in most drugstore deodorants is aluminum and that's what was breaking my underarms out. 

My best friend actually was using the Tom's of Maine toothpaste and introduced me to the brand. None of the products have harsh chemicals or fragrances and aluminum in their deodorants. I have one of the Long Lasting deodorants in Woodspice, which is a bit muskier and I think is for men and women until they created one specifically for women that's an antiperspirant in fresh meadow.

I love both of the fresh scents and the long lasting deodorant is more of a solid gel and the antiperspirant is a solid powder. Both don't leave any residue under my arms and they really do last for a very long time, maybe not 24 hours (or at least I haven't tested it). I thought this might be helpful for anyone looking for a better option for sensitive underarms. I know no one wants to spend an absurd amount of money on it. What deodorant do you use that actually works? 

Over this past week, it had reached up into the 90s, which is pretty uncommon for Chicago weather. However, Chicago weather is totally unpredictable anyway. I know I love talking about the weather more than anyone else, but it has really effected the way I dress. It's almost the first of October and on the first day of fall it was almost a hundred degrees. I knew I could stretch my dress and shorts wearing for another couple of weeks. 

My lovely friend Wiktoria and I spent the afternoon one day after class exploring my college neighborhood, which is Lincoln Park, and found some hidden places that were great for photographing. I love Lincoln Park and all of its hidden treasures, so I will definitely be exploring more in the future. 

I was at American Eagle a couple weeks ago and fell in love with this adorable cut-out floral dress. It's the perfect day or night dress and I have found that you can really dress it up with a leather jacket and heels if you need to. It has lavender and blush tones in it and the detailing on the top are what really drew me towards it. I paired it with basic, brown gladiators, but I can see this being layered with a sweater, boots, and a cute scarf maybe in the fall and colder months. 

I'm a sucker for any floral print and I really think florals are coming back into style like on embellished jackets, appliquéd t-shirts and jeans, and many other pieces of clothing. I've seen multiple bloggers wear pieces with red roses and flowers, so I would definitely get on that cute bandwagon! Florals are so timeless and can be worn all year round in my opinion. It just depends on how you style them!