August Favorites

Tomorrow is September first. (!!!) Wait, WHAT! This month flew by. I love that its been one of those months that seems like just yesterday was the first of the month, and today is the last. Today I am sharing with you what I have been loving this month.

What were your August faves?

xoxo, the oldest CC

7-Step Makeup

My mom first let me wear makeup to my eighth grade dance. A couple weeks before that she took me to the Bobbi Brown counter in our Nordstrom and a makeup artist (and UVA grad!) gave me a lesson on simple, natural makeup. I came home with a bag of glossy, black products and an excitement to put on all of the makeup. Since then I have nailed down my everyday, simple routine which I alter depending on what I am doing. For example, I might skip powder eye shadow if I am going to a debate tournament. Today I am sharing with you my makeup go-to's. 

1. Tinted moisturizer
I really don't like wearing foundation. I find that it's just to heavy and makes me feel like I'm wearing a mask.

2. Cream eye shadow
I love using a cream eye shadow because its so easy apply and it really does last all day! I use this as a base for my powder eye shadow. My favorite is Sephora 16 hour in Sweet Champagne.

3. Champagne powder eye shadow 
This shade from Bobbi Brown is my absolute favorite. It looks natural on top of a cream shadow, but you can build the color and add some brown for night.

4. Brown eyeliner
For everyday makeup, I prefer to use brown eyeliner. I think it looks a lot more natural and relaxed. Black is a little too much of a statement for me. I like to apply it on my upper inner rims and my lash line. This also makes you lashes look darker and thicker. My go-to brown is Revlon Colorstay.

5. Mascara
When I put on mascara, I feel transformed. Longer, more defined eyelashes open up the face, and allow for your eyes to really be noticeable. The Bobbi Brown Extreme Party Mascara shown here, is my favorite, because it lengthens and gives volume without looking like I have fake eyelashes on, and it never clumps!

6. Blush
This step is always optional for me. For me to wear blush, I really have to be in the mood for it. I like to put it on during the colder months to brighten up my face. When I do wear it, I stick to really light, natural colors, like Bobbi Brown's Pink Sugar.

7. Lip Balm
Okay, so technically lip balm isn't makeup, but I don't tend to wear lip products unless I'm going somewhere where I really need to be dressed up. I love the Nivea Kiss of Smoothness lip balm. It adds a little shine and a ton of moisture to my very dry skin. If I were to wear a lipstick, I like the shade Tulle from Bobbi Brown, and Pink Lemonade from Origins. Each is the perfect your-lips-but-better shade.

What are your makeup essentials? 

xoxo,
the oldest CC

BTS: School Supplies, Keeping it Organized

If you read my earlier post, you know that BTS stands for Back to School. Well, even if you didn't I just told you. I love shopping for school supplies! I love the feel of a brand-new binder and pencils to start off the school year right. Today I'm sharing with you my favorite supply items to keep my schoolwork organized throughout the year.

1. Get an agenda
For the past two years I have used a Lilly Pulitzer agenda to write down homework, tests and quizzes, projects and other school related engagements. My school provides an agenda to us, however, its really small and I find that I cannot stay organized with the space provided to write things down, so I purchased my own.

2. Use an accordion folder
Last year I used an accordion folder for storing homework and papers that I want to bring home and have easy access to outside of the binder or folder for a particular class. This system makes finding papers a breeze! I have a label for every class and one extra for general papers from my homeroom teacher.

3. Buy extra paper 
Every year it seems I run out of loose leaf paper around March or April and I have to purchase more. There is nothing worse than the day you run out of loose leaf when you need to take notes and someone offers you paper they have ripped out from a notebook. If you find yourself running low, run out and buy some so you can avoid the situation of being paperless.

What are your school essentials? 

xoxo, the oldest CC

fall essentials

I know, I know! Its not fall just yet. But fall is by far my favorite season to dress for. Not too cold where all I want is a fleece and some fuzzy socks, and not too hot where I hardly want anything at all!  I love getting dressed when there'a little bit of a chill, the air is crisp and all you need is maybe a light jacket or sweater. I thought I would get a little ahead of myself today and share with you some of my fall staples.

xoxo, the oldest CC

FDO 101

I always stress about picking out my FDO, or first day outfit. The week before school starts I am constantly thinking about what I should wear. People sometimes ask me what I think they should wear or what I am wearing on the first day, so I thought I would share some of my tips on picking out your FDO, and feeling great the first day back.

1. Pick an outfit that you won't have to think about
What I mean by this is don't wear a piece that you will have to pull and tug at all day long, or worry if its too long of too short. Wear something that will not fail you in that regard. I recommend ditching an off the shoulder shirt( but I'm not sure I would wear that to school anyway!), something that requires a staples bra, anything that you think might be getting too short, or anything better suited for temperatures below 50 or 60 degrees.

2. Try it on
Always, always, always try your outfits on in advance, especially for the first day. You don't want the added stress and panic in the morning of trying something on, realizing it looks terrible, and scrambling to find something else to wear that you don't love.

3. Talk to your friends
Ask your friends or sisters, aunts, cousins or your mom for their opinions of your outfit. Always wear what YOU want and don't let anyone else define your style. However, trying it on for others will allow for you to make sure your outfit is not too low, too, short or too tight. Ask yourself, "how would I feel if mom or grandma saw me in this?"

This is right up my alley for my first day outfit. What outfit makes you feel the most confident on the first day? 

xoxo, the oldest CC

Getting Ready for an Event

Sometimes getting ready for a big even can be the most fun part, or at least I think so! Its the most fun to make a little day of it, whether alone or with a group. When I'm getting ready for something and I'm rushed, the air tends to escape out of me like a balloon, and I just don't tend to have as much fun when I get to said event, if I don't feel I look my best. One of the most fun getting ready experiences I have had was last summer when I was a bridesmaid at a cousin's wedding. I always like to do something a little active the morning of, so my other cousin and I (middle CC) went for a swim at the pool and spent a little time at the beach. (The pool was on the beach, isn't that just the best!) We showered and headed over to another room at the resort and spent the day with all the bridesmaids, getting our hair and makeup done, and eating the best snacks!

Tonight I'm going to a friends birthday dinner and I wanted to share some of my get ready tips, and a little synopsis of my day when I have somewhere to be.

7:50 am- Wakeup, watch a little TV or read a book and get ready for yoga.
8:50 am- Pick up friend for yoga, and head to Whole Foods to grab a blueberry muffin.
9:30 am- 11:00- Yoga. I love exercising in the morning, because I feel so good about myself and so accomplished the rest of the day.
11:30 am- Take a shower
12:30 pm - Eat lunch
1:00-3:00 pm- Read, walk the dog, do errands if necessary
3:00 pm- Start on hair (this would be later if i was straightening my hair, but today I am going to use hot rollers)
3:40 pm-Take out hot rollers, apply hair spray to curls and brush out if necessary
4:00 pm- Have a snack.( I don't want to eat right before I leave because I like to brush my teeth last and I don't want my food to taste like toothpaste or be too full when I get there)
4:30- Start makeup, put on lotion, and do anything else I need to look presentable (I have super super dry skin!)
5:00- Check email, and cell phone to make sure nothing has changed or no one needs a ride or anything of that sort. Catch up on anything like emails or a book.
5:30- Start getting dressed, touch up hair or makeup if necessary.
5:50- Head to the party.


I hope this was a somewhat helpful timeline to guide you in getting ready for an event. How do you plan your day when you have an event?

XOXO, the oldest CC

BTS: Keeping it Together

Hi everyone,


We all know that Back to School (BTS) season is upon us. And someone somewhere, actually a lot of people are already back at school. I have 10 days (!!!) left of my summer vacation and I am relishing it. Maybe we can add 10 or 200 days more? But of course, that first day is slowly or not so slowly approaching and along with it come questions, jitters and plain old new-year anxiety. I always feel that the new year doesn't start January 1st, but rather on the first day of school. I approach back to school the way people approach the new year, with the "New Year, New Me" mentally. I wanted to share with you my tricks of the trade for surviving, and hopefully thriving the new school year.

1. Pick up that one little piece of clutter
 I always find that I can keep my room clean as long as I put everything away. Sound simple, right? Wrong! Its so easy to say, paint my nails and then leave the towel (yes, I paint my nails on a ratty towel!), nail polish and top coat on my desk and tell myself that I will pick it up later. Yeah right! Later as in next Tuesday. I always find that one i leave that little mess, other little messes just start to pile up. Some coupons there, a pool bag there, an empty water bottle or juice can in the corner. It all adds up! So, long story short, pick up your little messes. It only takes a couple of minutes now instead of a couple hours and a complete room overhaul later.

2. Use an agenda 
I know that just about everyone says it, but it really is true! Get an agenda of sorts, or a calendar. Digital or good old fashioned paper, we all need to keep track of our stuff. Dates can so easily be forgotten, homework and projects can go out the window if we don't have a place to write them down and remind ourselves of them.

3. Be a tree
 Okay, okay, don't really be a tree, but brach out! Discover something totally new to you. My freshmen year of high school, I joined my school's debate team. My mom really wanted me to try it out but I was pretty sure it would be dumb and I would hate it. But, I got a friend to try it with me and we went to the first practice. And, truth be told, it was so much fun! (Life lesson number 203: Listen to Your Mother) I made so many friends within my own school of other and the same grade as I was, and I met people from other schools, and throughout the state even. Some I keep in touch with regularly, or even on a daily basis.

4. Ask for help
No one thinks any different of you if you raise your hand and ask a question. To be honest, its your grades and your education at stake, and not theirs. If you don't understand, advocate for yourself. Teachers think the most highly of students who practice this behavior. If you need more help, ( I did this a lot with math) ask if you can go in early or at lunch to get more help. If you are writing a paper and the teacher says you can turn in drafts for editing to them, do it! If they are offering their time and energy, take it. Don't just ask teachers, ask other students. My friend and I used to FaceTime or go to Starbucks before a big test to quiz and help each other.

Image 

XOXO, The Oldest CC