My Monthly Favorites (March 2017)

Hello, beautiful! I'm back with another monthly favorites post for March 2017. Though the month isn't over yet, I've had the opportunity to try a lot of new products this month that I can't wait to share with you all.

Not all of my favorites are beauty-related, either. In this post, I'll be sharing everything from the album I can't stop listening to, to the tasty foods I can't stop eating. Spoiler alert: I went vegan! Well, sort of...I'll explain later ;)

In addition, I'm also revealing two new components of my monthly favorites in this post! First off, every month I'm going to be selecting a blogger of the month to share with y'all. My blogger of the month will be someone whose brand I believe in, whose posts I've really been enjoying lately and who makes me want to read more.

Every month, I'm also going to be selecting a cause of the month. As a former Girl Scout and now a member of Kappa Alpha Theta fraternity for women, service and philanthropy are close to my heart. Selecting a cause of the month is my way of sharing that love with my readers by educating you on an important issue I believe in and encouraging you all to give back to your community. So, in advance, I hope you will consider making a small donation to March's cause of the month!

Anyways, as long-winded as my intros usually are, I have an excess of favorites to share with you this month (aka I couldn't make my mind up), so I'll spare you the rambling and jump right in!

BEAUTY

Origins Original Skin Retexturizing Mask with Rose Clay 

I got a sample size of this mask with my points from Sephora the other day when I was buying a new face cleanser (also mentioned below). I've only used it once so far, and already I can say it is hands-down the best face mask I have EVER used! Not only does this mask smell heavenly and dry at the speed of light, but it's also one of the only masks I've used that actually made a meaningful difference in the appearance and texture of my skin. I have combination skin, so I love the way it softened and moisturized my dry areas without clogging my oily pores. If you're interested in testing out the magic of this mask for yourself, you can get it for $26.00 from Sephora.

Philosophy Purity Made Simple 

This month has been all about restoring my skincare routine for me. A few months ago, the depression and anxiety hit hard. As I was dealing with it, I fell out of a good skincare routine - and now that I'm back into a better one, Purity Made Simple has become the latest addition to my regimen. No cleanser I've ever used has removed dirt, oil and grime the way Purity Made Simple does. This product made a huge difference in my skin from the very first time I used it. My only qualm with this product is it doesn't remove waterproof mascara as effectively as I would like. However, this cleanser's miraculous effects on the texture and clarity of my skin far outweigh the drawbacks! Get it for $24.00 from Sephora. 

Missha All-Around Safe Block Essence Sun SPF 45

Continuing my month of skincare obsession, I've been really interested to explore the K-beauty trend lately. In addition, with warmer weather heading my way (hopefully), I'm trying to get into using sunscreen more regularly. People in my life have suffered from skin cancer in the past, and while I know it's a fairly easy cancer to treat, I also know that skipping the sunscreen in pursuit of a tan significantly raises your risk. Missha All-Around Safe Block has been my first step in both of those directions! Unlike most sunblocks you can find at the drugstore, Missha All-Around Safe Block absorbs quickly and has a light, floral scent, without any of that sticky white residue. So, if you want in on this goodness, get it for $11.90 from Amazon Prime. 

Crest Pro-Health Advanced with Extra Deep Clean Mouthwash

Hopefully y'all don't think I'm crazy for putting this in my monthly faves, but ever since my dentist's appointment I've made it a goal of mine to improve my smile. Flossing every day has been instrumental, but so has using this mouthwash. I was never big on mouthwash before I tried this one. However, Crest Pro-Health Advanced does EXACTLY what it promises: leave your mouth feeling healthy and fresh! Not only does this mouthwash contain fluoride to strengthen my teeth, but it also tastes amazing and kills any remnants of morning breath. Get it for $5.97 from Wal-mart.

Suave Kids Twirlin Swirlberry Detangling Spray

TBH, I've been a fan of this product since I was a little girl. The swirlberry scent smells amazing, and as a kids' product, this detangler is a lot gentler than more sophisticated brands I've used. But all defensiveness aside, this product really does its job of softening and detangling your hair. I revisited this childhood favorite because I've recently become a fan of sleeping with my hair in a messy bun - and while this certainly keeps my hair off my oily skin, it often leaves my locks tangled in knots. Thankfully, I rediscovered my old favorite detangler spray and found out I love it just as much as I did when I was little! No shame - get it from Target for $2.89.

FOOD

Teatulia Green Tea

Quirky story, but Ryan actually won me this tea in a natural foods gift basket as part of a raffle at his work! And I'm so happy he did, because otherwise I never would have discovered my new favorite green tea. Drinking tea is an important part of my daily routine. As someone with anxiety, unwinding with a cup of hot tea with a splash of almond milk or honey after class really helps! On that note,  this green tea is so good it doesn't need anything added to it. Plus, I love the unique pyramid shape of the teabags, which make it easy to remove (and reuse 2-3 times, which I just learned from reading the website!). Get it online for $8.99.

Blackbird Doughnuts

OH. MY. GOD. If you live in the Boston area, you might have heard of Blackbird Doughnuts already, but whether you're from Boston or simply planning a visit, Blackbird deserves to be on your radar. Their blueberry cake donuts truly changed my life - they're perfectly sweet, just moist enough and as beautiful to look at as they are in your mouth. (The mocha chip, which I also tried, deserves an honorable mention for its rich, dark chocolate-y flavor, but pales in comparison to the blueberry cake donut.) To ogle the menu, visit Blackbird's website here or mosey on down to their shop on 492 Tremont Street! 

Part-time veganism

I know this is kind of a strange follow-up to donuts, but lately I am committing myself to reducing the number of dairy products in my diet. If you've followed me for a long time, you might already know I've been a vegetarian for almost six years now, for a mix of animal rights and health-related issues. Awhile back, I also tried being vegan full-time for about a month - an experiment that was a spectacular failure, if you ask me - but found myself feeling restricted and starting to "cheat" on dairy products. Now that I've made my goal to eat vegan five days a week rather than seven, I find it a lot easier to passionately support animal rights issues without feeling deprived. Plus, since I know I can have cheese and yogurt and all the things I love whenever I want on the weekends, I actually miss it less and less with every passing week!

BOOKS

Can't Help Falling by Kara Isaac

Reading romance novels is something that's very close to my heart. As a blogger, writing book reviews is a huge part of my background. Whenever I'm in a depressive episode, I've found that reading for pleasure is the best way to soothe my soul and regroup. Back when I was in the worst depression of my life, reading (and blogging about the books I read) was how I healed. So, all backstory aside now, this book was one of the few novels I've had the chance to read for myself since I've gotten to college - and I loved it! At first, I picked this book up, truthfully, because I thought this would be a quick, easy read. True, this book was a page-turner, but I quickly found it had a lot of complex elements to it, beyond pure romance - namely, its sly incorporation of quirky C.S. Lewis references, as well as its sensitive treatment of religious differences between couples. Admittedly, this book could be viewed as a bit cliche by some, but it's meant to be a lighthearted read, and I got exactly what I wanted out of it! Get it for $10.39 on Amazon Prime.

MUSIC

"Shape of You" by Ed Sheeran

Like every other person on the planet right now, I am simply SO obsessed with Ed Sheeran's new album, Divide, and this wonderful song off it. "Shape of You" is one of those songs I HAVE to blast when it comes on the radio, and simply cannot resist singing along to. Not only is it catchy, but its sound is clean and simple - almost acoustic - which I love! Artists like Ed Sheeran should never be drowned out by tons of synthesizers or autotune, which really sets this song apart from other jams on the radio. Old person rant aside now, you should totally give "Shape of You" a listen if you haven't already! Here's the link to make it easy for ya.

APPS

Relax Melodies

My anxiety has come up a lot in this blog post so far, but that's not about to stop me from bringing it up again! If you have anxiety (or have ever been anxious before a big event, like prom or your SATs), then you know all about the insomnia that comes with it. Thankfully, I discovered this app, which is my quick cure for falling asleep fast with anxiety! Relax Melodies is a free app for iOS and Android that allows you to mix your own perfect blend of soothing sounds and melodies. Personally, I love the sound of rain when I can't fall asleep at night, so I listen to a blend of rainstorm and city sounds. (When I'm home from Boston, I crank those city sounds way up - the backroads I live on are way too quiet for me!) I've become so obsessed that every night, I know it's bedtime when I put in my headphones and listen to Relax Melodies. Get it for free on iTunes or Google Play.

Pacifica

Another mental health app! Are you sensing a trend yet? I used to use Pacifica fairly regularly to keep track of my moods and healthy habits, but fell out of the habit as this semester started to get busier and busier. Now that the app released a bunch of new updates, I've gotten re-obsessed with this app and all it has to offer. Pacifica is an amazing app for anyone who struggles with anxiety, depression or even just everyday stress. The app lets you track your moods and healthy habits, such as sleeping and drinking water, and view your progress over time. Additionally, Pacifica comes with a number of resources to help you cope with anxiety, depression and stress, like breathing exercises and a bunch of different thought diary entries, so you can tackle common thinking traps and triggers of anxiety. Though I'm not a huge fan of it (because the endless notifications stress me out), there's also an option to join a number of virtual support groups and chat with your peers about your problems. Most importantly, I love Pacifica's multifaceted approach to addressing anxiety in its users. Finally, I can get everything I need from Pacifica without cluttering my phone with a thousand different anxiety apps! Like Relax Melodies, Pacifica is also free on iTunes and Google Play.

Sunshine

As anyone who knows me will tell you, I'm always downloading and experimenting with new apps - but this is the last one for March, I promise! This month I tried the app Sunshine for the first time, and fell in love with it for a bunch of different reasons. For starters, what is Sunshine? Here's the best way I can think of to describe it: Sunshine combines a weather app with a mood-tracking app to predict how you'll feel based on the weather and give you personalized advice for self-care. Not only will Sunshine let you know if it's going to rain or snow, or be sunny and warm, but you can also record how the weather made you feel, whether that's hot, cold, freezing, happy, sad, etc. However you're feeling, Sunshine remembers that information and uses it to make personalized predictions! So, every day when you wake up, you'll have a new prediction from Sunshine letting you know if you should enjoy a cinnamon latte when it's freezing or put on sunscreen when it's bright and sunny. Get it for free on iTunes and Google Play.

BLOGGER OF THE MONTH

Yay! I was so excited to get to this part of the post and reveal this new component of my monthly favorites, especially because I am just so passionate about this month's blogger of the month.

In March 2017, my blogger of the month is Sarah of Lavender Life. Lavender Life is an incredible blog and resource about taking care of your mental health, living LGBTQ and being a feminist. 

Recently I came across a tweet from Cole Sprouse that really rang true for me, which you can read here. As a blogger, I've really struggled to incorporate political activism into my posts without compromising my brand - but as soon as I read this tweet, I realized that was the problem, after all: who I am as a feminist, a poli sci major and an activist should be part of my brand. 

You might be wondering what this has to do with my blogger of the month. Well, Lavender Life is a blog that I think accomplishes that goal in an incredible way! 

Every day, Sarah's blog and brand advocates for a better world for those with mental health issues and people in the LGBTQ community. As a person with anxiety and depression, I've found comfort in the resources she provides on her blog, and also been inspired by how vocal she is on social media about the things she cares about. 

Though I'm not LGBTQ myself, I am a feminist, and many of my friends are LGBTQ as well. As a member of BU's Feminist Collective, I feel passionately about including everyone in the feminist community - a value that lines up perfectly with Sarah's brand. Her unique intersectionality is apparent in funny, creative posts like 30 Things Bisexual Girls Are Tired of Dealing With and "It's just locker room talk" and Other Lame Excuses. 

I could go on and on about how much I love and admire Lavender Life, but instead of listening to me blab, go check out Sarah's blog for yourself!

CAUSE OF THE MONTH

March's cause of the month is PERIOD.org!

Starting a Menstruation Advocacy Month at BU is something I've been passionate about this semester. I've been a Clue Ambassador for about a year now and as a part of that community, learned a lot about using my voice to speak out for menstruation advocacy. 

So, as part of a class where I have to volunteer, I reached out to our Center for Gender, Sexuality and Activism and worked with the Feminist Collective to start a series of events aimed to raise awareness about menstruation. A big part of that mission has been working with organizations like PERIOD.org to teach others what homeless people who menstruate go through every month on their period.

Imagine what it would be like to menstruate using a paper bag instead of your favorite tampons or pads. According to PERIOD.org, for many homeless people, this is a fact of life. PERIOD.org addresses this injustice by providing care packages to shelters, among other advocacy activities.

When you donate to PERIOD.org, 50% of that money goes toward buying and delivering menstrual products for people in need. On top of that, 25% goes toward legislative outreach, such as pushing for policy reform at colleges and advocating to eliminate tampon tax. The last 25% goes toward providing supplies to campus chapters so they can host drives of their own.

Menstruation advocacy is an issue close to my heart. I started menstruating at 11 years old and quickly found that my periods were heavier and more painful than those of my peers. After I went on oral contraceptives (not knowing what my other options were), I suffered from various vaginal and mental health issues that forever tied me to the issue of reproductive justice. (You can read more about my story with birth control here.) 

If any of what you read here resonated with you, I encourage you to make a small donation to PERIOD.org this month! Just $2.00 can cover an entire menstrual cycle for someone in need. Check out how to make a donation and/or get involved over at their website! 

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How to Save Money and Build Credit

Disclaimer: This article contains affiliate links - but don't worry, all the opinions are still my own! Sponsored content like the links in this post simply helps keep Haley Marie Blog alive for your enjoyment :) 

Hello, beautiful! Today on the blog, I'm kicking off my new Adulting 101 series with a topic I've been wanting to cover for awhile now. For some, it's daunting; for others, simply boring. However, no matter what way you spin it, this topic is an important (not to mention unavoidable!) one.

What is it, you may ask? Personal finance, of course! I know, I know: finance is nobody's favorite topic, unless it happens to be your major or you're especially proud of yourself for sticking to your budget this month. But before you groan and click away, just hear me out!

Lately, I've been trying to learn as much as I can about personal finance so I can prepare for my future. As I've mentioned, I want to go to law school after college. Ryan and I are also (tentatively) planning a few trips for our future, so I'm trying to do whatever I can now to prepare for these big financial decisions in my life!

As a result, it's been important for me to start thinking about how I can save money in my day-to-day life. Beyond that, I've also been trying to take the first steps toward building a credit history, to make it easier for me to take out loans for grad school once I graduate. In fact, I just found out I was approved for my first ever credit card - so yay, one happy dance for me!

On paper, these goals seemed perfectly reasonable. I would open a second savings account, start putting away money for Europe and get a credit card to help me build credit for grad school. The problem was, even after some introductory reading, I quickly found myself more than a little confused as to how to do all of that!

Many millennials probably feel the same confusion that I do when it comes to finance. Most of us are responsible and motivated to take care of our finances, but we weren't given much information about it growing up.  I mean, there certainly weren't any classes on personal finance at the public high school I attended. If we were lucky, our parents might have taken us to open our first bank accounts and showed us how to cash a check, but even for those small things, many of us were on our own. On top of that, we're constantly given conflicting advice - for example, do we apply for a credit card or avoid them like the devil? Open a 401k now or five years down the line? What even is a 401k? Decisions, decisions!

As a busy college student, many of us are motivated to learn more about money, but don't necessarily have the time to sit down and pore through endless books and websites for hours on end. Thankfully, I've done all the research so you don't have to! Granted, I'm no expert - I don't claim to know everything, or even most things about finance - but today, I've rounded up the basics so you can start saving money and building credit ASAP. So, without further ado, here's everything you need to know:

Part I: Your Credit Score

If you've ever watched TV before, you've probably seen one of those cliche commercials for a service to check your credit score...and, if you're anything like me, you probably wondered for the first 17 or 18 years of your life what the heck a credit score was in the first place! 

In this section, I'll explain the basics of what a credit score actually is, what all those numbers mean and how they break down. Once we learn how a credit score breaks down, we then have the foundation we need to talk about building strong credit and raising your score!

What's a credit score?

First thing's first: what is a credit score? And why does it matter? 

Your credit score is a three-digit number generated from the information in your credit report. Your credit report contains a whole slew of financial information, from the credit cards you have open to the loans you're responsible for. 

Most credit scores range from around 300 to 800-900 points. Keeping a high credit score is absolutely essential to maintaining financial independence, as it affects whether or not you're likely to be approved for things like loans, credit cards, etc. In general, the higher your credit score, the better your financial prospects! 

If you're like most college students, you probably don't have much of a credit score to speak of right now. Unless you went out and opened a credit card the minute you turned eighteen (or your name happens to be the one on your parents' student loans), your credit history is probably zilch. However, if you already have a credit history, you can check your credit score using a number of free sites - Cafe Credit has a great list on its website!

Theoretically, it would make sense to say that the bank can't make assumptions about you if you have no credit history - not the case. Unfortunately, no credit history means no credit score at all, which is sometimes just as bad as a low credit score when you're looking to take out a hefty loan.

That's why we say that someone who's never had a credit card or taken out a loan before is building credit - which is exactly what you need to start doing now if you want to ensure the best financial future for yourself after graduation. Building strong credit early on will help show banks that you're responsible, improving your chances of approval for loans, credit cards and even mortgages later in life.

How it breaks down

Because that three-digit score determines so much about your financial life, many millennials wonder how they can establish or raise their credit score. When it comes to building or improving your credit, it helps to look at how your credit score is determined by the ratings agency.

In general, your credit score breaks down to a number of individual factors. Combined, these factors determine the three-digit score that summarizes your creditworthiness for banks and lenders.

For starters, around 35 percent of your credit score is based solely off of making your payments on time! In other words, the majority of your credit score results from whether or not you pay your bills by the assigned due date every month. So, naturally, it follows that the easiest way to raise your credit score is to ensure you're making your monthly payments in a timely manner, and that whenever you have a late payment, you pay off your balance as soon as possible!

The next 30 percent of your credit score comes from what you owe. If you owe a lot of money on several credit cards or loans, chances are your credit score won't seem too hot. Alternatively, if you keep your debt at a minimum and always make your payments on time, your score should remain high.

15 percent of your credit score is determined by how long your accounts have been open. The longer your accounts have been open, the more points you add to your credit score. So, simply having a credit history - opening that first credit card or repaying that small loan - will improve your score.

10 percent of your score has to do with the various types of credit you possess. From loans to credit cards, the more diverse your credit, the better off you'll be in the long run. However, this does NOT mean you should rush to open thirty credit cards at once - diversifying is a marathon, not a sprint! Not only can opening several accounts at once damage your credit score, but taking on more credit than you can handle is a surefire way to acquire mountains of debt and dock tons of points from your score.

Finally, that last 10 percent of your credit score comes from new credit. Anytime you open a new account, your credit score takes a small hit for about a year - but as soon as that year passes, your credit score should bounce back in no time! That hit is precisely why you should never open multiple accounts at once, but spread your credit out over time.

People with the best credit scores perform the best in all of these categories. However, just because you have fewer points in one area - for example, you just opened a new credit card, or haven't established a lengthy credit history - doesn't mean you can't improve in another realm, such as making timely payments and diversifying your credit over time.

Part II: How to Build Credit

Now that you understand what your credit score means, you've probably gleaned a few important ways to keep your credit score high - making your payments on time, for example, or not opening ten credit cards at once. However, what do you do when your credit score isn't high or low, but simply doesn't exist?

If you're a college student who doesn't have a credit card and whose name isn't on your student loans (i.e. your parents took them out for you), you probably don't have much of a credit history to speak of. No credit history = no credit score = no bueno for trying to apply for credit cards and car loans later in life. So, it's important to start building strong credit now to prepare for your future! Here are three simple ways to get started ASAP:

Credit cards

Your parents might have told you that a credit card is a symbol of impending debt - but in reality, a credit card is one of the easiest ways to build credit as a beginner, as long as you use it responsibly. If you treat a credit card like plastic cash, of course you'll go into debt! But, if you make your payments on time and don't spend more than you can afford, your credit score will skyrocket as a reward.

As a college student, you have the benefit of choosing from a number of credit cards designed specifically for students. Companies like Discover, Capitol One and Citi Bank all offer student credit cards. These cards require you to prove your enrollment as a full-time student at a university, but offer lower credit limits and easier approval than other credit cards. 

Look for one with a $0 annual fee and a low starting interest rate - for example, my Discover student credit card offers a 0% interest rate for the first six months, then sets an interest rate based on the timeliness of your payments! 

Once you've applied for and been approved for your first credit card, it's essential to use your credit card at least once every month, and keep track of how much you're spending. While you don't want to spend too much, your credit report will show whether or not you used your credit card in a given month, so you want to make sure you're using your card fairly consistently. Find a balance between saving money and using your card so you can build credit without going broke!

When you've had your card for at least a year and have been making your payments on time, some companies will allow you to call and ask for a credit limit increase, essentially awarding you more credit as a reward for being "good." This reward will show on your credit report, and can be used to boost your credit score! 

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, you should NEVER cancel a credit card! Cancelling a credit card can cause your credit score to plummet. Instead of cancelling, opt not to use your card that month. No purchases = no payments, no interest and no debt.

Loans

Credit-builder loans are designed especially for people just like you -beginners trying to build credit for the first time! These loans can help you build your credit score without requiring good credit to apply, and you'll generally find them at small financial institutions like your local community bank.

With a credit-builder loan, there's just one catch: you won't receive the money you borrowed until the loan is paid off in full. Assuming you make your payments on time, you'll receive the money as promised, and your credit score will get a nice boost.

If not, the bank will be forced to send a negative report of you to the credit bureau, and your credit score may take a hit. That's why, just as with any credit card or other form of credit, it's absolutely critical to make your payments on time!

Other kinds of loans that can be used to build credit include secure installment loans. These loans are given by your primary financial institution and backed by a deposit you already hold at that bank. Until the loan is paid off, that amount of money will be frozen - but once you pay it off, it's yours once again!

There's also online lenders like Self Lender, a site specifically designed to help you build your credit. Self Lender offers a special Credit Builder Account that allows you to repay a small loan over the course of a year. At the end of that 12-month term, you've paid off your loan and proven to the credit bureaus that you have a history of timely payments! So, as long as you pay off your loan on time, it's a win-win for everyone.

Lines of credit

Finally, lines of credit (LOCs) are another way to build your credit score when you don't have any credit history to speak of. Though I chose the credit card route, Ryan uses one to build his credit score, and he constantly raves about it.

Basically, an LOC is a cross between a loan and a credit card. With an LOC, the borrower requests a certain amount of credit, similar to a credit limit on the credit card; however, they are not required to spend the entire thing - only as much as they need or want.

The loan can be accessed incrementally, via either check or electronic transfer. Like a credit card, you only pay interest on the amount you have spent, not on your entire credit limit. Then, once the borrower repays what he or she has spent, the credit then becomes available again in a never-ending cycle!

Sometimes, banks offer something called a demand LOC. With this type of LOC, the lender can call the full amount of the loan due at any given time. So, the borrower can either make small, monthly payments or wait to pay off the LOC until the lender calls it due.

Most lines of credit require something called a prime credit score, a number in the 680-800 range. So, they might not be suitable for all students who are just starting out in building their credit scores! Rather, an LOC might be used as a stepping stone toward getting better credit once you've already established a credit score.

Part III: Saving Money

Perhaps the most important topic in personal finance, saving money is just as important - if not more important - as making it. If you don't have money in the bank, you won't have anything to pay off those new credit card bills with. Debt becomes inevitable. 

In this section, I'm not talking about getting a part time job or how to slash costs from your budget. When it comes to making and saving money, you have to figure out what works for your life. Instead, I'll be giving you less obvious strategies for budgeting, keeping track of your spending, hustling and more! 

Starting a monthly budget

The easiest way to assess where you're spending money and figure out ways to slash that spending is to stick to a monthly budget. Nowadays, there are many ways you can create a budget for yourself. Whether you go the old-fashioned route with a notebook or Microsoft Excel, or download one of many novel new financial apps, establishing a budget will help you save money in the long run.

Personally, I use the Mint app to keep track of where my money goes. Mint is a secure app made by the same people who made TurboTax. It allows you to directly link your checking and savings accounts and monitor your spending, plus create a budget based on categorical limits and assess how well you're following it. Plus, it's completely free to use! 

Once you download Mint, my recommendation would be to start with a trial month. By that I mean, go through one month spending like you normally would without a budget. Mint will categorize your spending for you - then, at the end of the month, you can assess where your spending needs a little work! 

See where you can cut costs, then create a budget based around what you're already spending. If you create a budget that's already fine-tuned to your distinct needs, you'll be more apt to follow it instead of going over your limits.

In case you're the kind of person who needs more structure than that, I'm also big fan of this rule followed by my fave leading woman, Sen. Elizabeth Warren! She's a proponent of the 50/30/20 rule, where 50% of your money is spent on necessities, 30% on personal wants and 20% on savings. If you're new to personal finance, this rule is one of the easiest ways to simplify your budget.

Finally, I also want to share with you this tip from one of my favorite personal finance blogs (that's right, y'all - I read finance blogs sometimes...but only when they're pretty and pink), From Pennies to Pounds! Francesca advocates for something called a net zero budget. In other words, she argues that you should allocate every last dollar you make toward something that can benefit you, whether it's saving or spending! Check out more in her post about it here.

Keep close track of your spending

Ideally, you should always know exactly where every last dollar of your money goes. It's the wisdom behind every rule in budgeting, whether you're a 50/30/20 kinda girl or more of a zero sum gal yourself. 

There's lots of reasons why you should keep close track of your spending. For starters, you want to monitor your spending activity to make sure that no suspicious characters have stolen your card number. You also want to make sure you're not spending more money than you're taking in, whether it's on one too many Chipotle burrito bowls or so-called "quick runs to Target" (trust me, we've all been there before). 

As I mentioned previously, the Mint app is a great way to collect all of that information in one place. You can link all of your bank accounts, both checking and savings, to one app, and it will automatically categorize your spending for you. With one glance, you'll be able to tell how much money is flowing in, how much is flowing out and where it's going, all in one convenient place!

When it comes to making sure your identity is protected, enabling alerts with your mobile banking app is a great way to keep track of any suspicious spending. Whenever your bank notices a risky transaction, it will give you a push notification on your phone, so you'll never be in the dark about what's going on with your money.

Looking at your bank statements every month is also super important. Even if you just give it a quick-once over, you need to make sure every purchase checks out. If something on your bank statement doesn't look familiar to you, that's an instant red alert that your card number may have been compromised.

Personally, I would advise ditching the paper bank statements and going completely digital. Don't get me wrong, I love paper - but cutting out the clutter of having to file away my bank statements every month really helped me get organized with my finances. So, instead of putting my statements in my file box, I now have a separate folder in my Gmail inbox dedicated solely to financial stuff!

And, speaking of going digital, I may have mentioned that I'm a huge fan of apps for keeping track of your financial info. That being said, I'd like to give a shout out to my absolute FAVORITE money app out there: Venmo!

Venmo is a college essential nowadays. With Venmo, you can easily send your friends money and receive money they owe you in return, all through this secure system. It's also fun to use and lets you see who's transferring money to who - it's almost like Twitter for finances!

When a friend owes me money, I'm often hesitant to call them out - but when you don't follow up over and over again, those dollars start to add up. Luckily, Venmo makes it easy to request money from a friend and for your friends to pay you back at the touch of the button. So, you have no excuse not to collect what's rightfully yours anymore!

And, lastly, my last tip for managing your money and keeping track of your spending is to avoid automatic payments whenever possible! What I mean is if you're like me and you're not a person who has a ton of money in their checking account, like most college students, then avoid subscriptions that automatically renew.

Why, you may ask? Automatic renewal makes it easy to lose track of what payments you owe when. Not to mention, when you set up automatic payments, you run the risk of overdrafting, or accidentally withdrawing more money than is in your checking account. For example, if your Amazon Prime subscription renews automatically every year, costs $50 and you only have $30 in your checking account at the time it goes through, you might accidentally charge too much to your debit card and face some hefty overdraft fees from whatever bank you use.

Don't get me wrong - I love Amazon Prime as much as the next girl - but whenever you have the option to renew your subscriptions manually, please do so! On top of protecting you from overdraft fees, this will also save you more money in the long run because it forces you to reevaluate your purchases and whether or not they were truly worth the investment.

Start an "emergency" savings account...

...or, alternatively, an account to help you work toward a goal, such as grad school, a car or travel. Whatever the purpose of your savings account, make it a separate account from your primary savings or checking account - and, most importantly, DO NOT SPEND IT!! Until it is time to make that big purchase, go on that exciting trip or pay your way through that devastating financial emergency, your savings account should remain untouched. 

One way to ensure you don't touch that savings account is to avoid linking it to a debit card or checking account. If you're physically unable to transfer money into your checking account or "accidentally" spend it on a shopping binge at Target, your savings will remain unscathed no matter what poor financial choices you make in your life. That way, even if you spend every last cent in your checking account, you can still go to grad school, pay for that trip home or take care of your bills when shit hits the fan (so to speak).

As for building up your savings, it's important to allocate a certain amount of money to that account every month. If you're not depositing money consistently, it's safe to say your savings won't grow all that much, with the exception of maybe a couple cents in interest every year.

Setting up an automatic transfer from every paycheck into that savings account can really help you grow your savings, without spending money you don't already have. However, there's also more fun ways to achieve this goal, too! If you've been on Pinterest lately (or really ever), you might have seen some 52-week savings challenges. These challenges are not only a great way to build up your emergency or goal-oriented savings account, but it's also kind of fun to challenge yourself to see how much you can save!

Another "fun" way to save money that I'm currently using is something I'll call a "bad habit tax." For me, that bad habit is complaining. Because I struggle with my anxiety and depression every day, I have trouble looking on the bright side of life. So, this month, every time I complain, I'm charging myself $0.50 (I'm keeping tally in my notebook). At the end of the month, all of the money I lost by complaining will get transferred into my savings account so I can use it for travel later on!

Get a side hustle or moneymaking hobby

This tip is my absolute favorite, because it's one you'll actually enjoy doing! If you're doing it right, you'll love it so much you won't even notice your hobby has become your side hustle.

Especially in the age of the Internet, it's much easier than you think to start a business, and even easier to make money doing something you love. For example, if you love knitting or crafting, you might open an Etsy shop and sell your creations worldwide. If you love to write, you might consider checking out freelance opportunities local to you. Or, if you love skiing or baking or makeup or whatever it is, you can start a blog or YouTube channel, work to grow it and eventually monetize.

Unfortunately, there is a bit of a catch when it comes to making your own income through a side hustle. When you make money through freelancing, blogging or any other kind of self-employment, you're subject to self-employment tax. If you're making less than $400 in a calendar year, then you don't need to file these taxes. However, if you're making more, it's absolutely essential to file your taxes diligently to avoid a penalty later on.

When it comes to self-employment tax, the good news is almost any expense you put toward growing your business is deductible. So, be sure to keep good track of every dollar you spend on your side hustle! Personally, I keep a Google Sheets spreadsheet with all of my income and expenses. That way, when tax season rolls around, I'll know what went toward what!

Granted, I'm no tax expert. Thankfully, if you're still confused, Melyssa Griffin has an amazingly clear explanation on her blog. Though her article centers on taxes for bloggers, this information truly applies to anyone who self-employs in any side hustle, from Etsy to freelancing!

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Summer Swimwear on a Budget (5 Under $50)

Hello, beautiful! On today's installment of my 5 Under $50 series, I'll be showcasing my favorite affordable swimwear trends from around the web.

Nearly every spring, one of my rituals to get ready for summer is to buy a new bathing suit. Shopping for swimwear gets me excited for the season and helps me look forward to warm weather when there's nothing but wind and snow in sight.

That's why today, I've ventured around the Internet to show you some of the best trendy new swimwear on the market. The best part is that all these pieces are under $50!

Excitingly enough, I'm also trying something new today. For this installment of 5 Under $50, I've hand-picked my favorite accessories to match each outfit - all under $50, of course. So, put on your favorite aviators, pour yourself a pina colada and let's go shopping! (And don't forget to let me know in the comments what you thought of my "pair with" picks.)

Knotted Back Body Wrap Top by PINK

One of my favorite trends this season is all the fun wrapped, tied and peekaboo details swimwear companies are adding to their lines! This top from the PINK swimwear line adds just enough flair, but not so much that you'll be left with a weird tan at the end of the summer. Choose basic black to save money by pairing this top with bottoms you already own, and you'll be ready to own the beach in no time! Get it for $42.95 from Victoria's Secret (or, wait for another sale to get any top and bottoms for just $45.00!). 

Pair with: Women's Classic Baseball Hat by vineyard vines

A sporty suit calls for low-key accessories, like this baseball cap from vineyard vines. The classic design is both cute and functional, helping to keep beach hair at bay and shade your delicate skin from the sun. Get it for $32.00 from vineyard vines. 

Stripe Bardot Bikini by Boohoo

I can easily see why they call this bikini the "Bardot": its casual yet sexy silhouette and playful stripes are reminiscent of many a French fashion icon. This bikini offers just enough coverage from the blazing sun without venturing into frumpy territory. Plus, its unique, off-the-shoulder sleeves give this otherwise-classic design a modern twist that keeps it perfectly on-trend for the summer months. Get it for $31.50 from ASOS (or, buy just the top/bottoms for $17.50 or $14.00 respectively). 

Pair with: Kimchi Blue Sun Daze Straw Floppy Hat by Urban Outfitters 

Any French girl will tell you that suncare is an important component of preserving youthful skin. This stylish floppy hat will make you look like a vintage vixen while you hide out from those harmful UV rays. Get it on sale for $19.99 from Urban Outfitters. 

Super Scoop One-Piece Swimsuit in Rose Gold by Aerie

Like so many of the technicolor 80s trends that are making a comeback lately, metallic swimwear is all the rage this season. However, this shimmery one-piece from Aerie screams "Futurama" rather than "Back to the Future," its flirty cutouts putting a modern twist on this recycled trend. Plus, Aerie's body-confident swimwear campaign will make every girl want to show off her cute curves in this shiny suit. Get it on sale for $35.00 from Aerie.

Pair with: Women's Aviators by Steve Madden

Bad cop aviators are the perfect throwback to this swimsuit's vintage roots. Surround yourself in an air of mystery while protecting yourself from glare in these matching rose-gold frames from Steve Madden. Get them in gold for $36.00. 

Women's Scallop Underwire Longline Bikini Swim Top by Vanilla Beach

If pinup girl is more your style when it comes to swimwear, you'll love this sweet bikini top from Target. In either mint or coral, this swimsuit looks almost good enough to eat. Between the flirty, feminine scallop details and the comfy, clasp-free support, this swim top by Vanilla Beach is the perfect addition to your swimwear collection. Get it for $29.99 from Target (and be sure to pair it with matching scalloped hipster bottoms for $22.99). 

Pair with: Beach Caftan by Lira

A breezy cover-up is the cherry on top of this sugar-sweet bikini. This airy white caftan by Lira will give you the perfect peek of pretty pastel, while still offering full coverage from the sun, surf 'n' sand. Get it for $44.00 from ASOS.

Super Scoop One-Piece Swimsuit in Maroon Lagoon by Aerie

This is not your mother's one-piece swimsuit! Aerie's super scoop one-pieces are perfectly on point this summer season. This sexy red swimsuit boasts a vintage halter top with a plunging neckline. Aerie also updates the classic silhouette by adding three rows of sultry side cutouts to this gorgeous suit, so you certainly won't feel buttoned-up despite the added coverage of the one-piece look. Get it for $35.00 on sale at Aerie. (But, even at its normal price of $49.95, this suit is still a steal!)

Pair with: Orlena Wedge Sandal by Steve Madden

Sexy swimwear calls for an equally-scandalous pair of shoes. In these Orlena wedges by Steve Madden, the comfy wedge heel will still give your feet a vacation. Meanwhile, you'll be by the pier, towering over anyone who dares defy you. Get them on sale for $24.94 from DSW.

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8 Tips Every Pre-Law Student Needs to Know

Hello, beautiful! One thing you might not know about me that I haven't shared on the blog before is, surprise - I'm actually a pre-law student!

Here at BU, pre-law isn't a major or a track, but rather an advising program that can be combined with really any major (or majors, or major and minors) you want. Sure, there are some majors that are better at preparing you for law school than others - after all, to practice law you need to have a certain set of skills - but according to my advisor, there's really no one-size-fits-all major that's perfect for getting into a prestigious law school.

Law school isn't only for students who want to become lawyers, either. I knew law school was right for me early in my college career (my lifetime obsession with Legally Blonde may have been the first clue), but I also knew I didn't want to be a lawyer. Law school is also great for people like me who want a legal background so they can do other related work - for example, I want to work in Congress as a legislative aide! Granted, most people with a J.D. end up practicing law at some point in their lives - but that doesn't limit your options for what you can do with a law degree.

Honestly, deciding you want to go to law school is the easy part. The hard part is everything that comes after, from choosing courses to studying for the LSATs to financing your legal education.Thankfully, there's many ways to prepare for law school before the occasion arrives - that's why pre-law programs exist in the first place!

So, whether you're new to the pre-law program at your school or have always known you wanted to go to law school, these need-to-know tips will tell you exactly what you need to know as you're heading down the pre-law path.

1. You should meet with an advisor ASAP.

The earlier you can meet with an advisor and start preparing for law school, the better. You can read all the articles and blog posts you want, but nothing will give you more insight than meeting with a professional at your school. Here at BU, the recommendation is to meet with a pre-law advisor at least once a semester. However, if you know you want to go to law school, you can meet with one as often as you like to discuss your questions and preparations for the future! Meeting with a prelaw advisor will really help you establish a timeline for your law school success and stay on top of all those pressing deadlines. Plus, at a big school like BU with hundreds of advisors, it really helps to have a go-to person for all your academic needs!

2. Get involved in any way you can.

Simply getting involved on or off-campus throughout your undergrad experience can really boost your resume - and your chances of getting into a good law school! Even if your extracurricular resume doesn't look like that of the "typical" law student, there's value in simply stepping outside your comfort zone, dedicating yourself to an organization and getting involved in the college community. For example, I worried my sorority might make me seem unprofessional, but in reality, getting involved with philanthropic and leadership roles is a great way to make yourself stand out to a law school admissions board! That being said, nothing will better prepare you for a career in law than joining a pre-law organization on-campus. These organizations often host events and speakers that will teach you wonders about what a career in law is really like. Plus, at my school at least, the events only happen a few times throughout the semester, so getting involved isn't a huge time commitment! 

3. The "rules" are constantly changing.

You might have heard that to go to a reputable law school, you need a certain major, skill set or score on your LSATs. However, as my advisor recently told me, the legal profession is continually evolving. By the time this generation of freshmen graduate college, many things about it will have already changed. Nowadays, you can major in almost anything and still get accepted to a reputable law school with the right personal statement and credentials. So, don't worry about following the advice your mom/dad/grandparents/high school guidance counselor gave you way-back-when, because it probably won't be relevant in a few years anyways. Just stick to the basics: getting good grades, staying involved and meeting all those deadlines. As far as seeking advice, your advisor is the best person to talk to, as he or she is the most familiar with law schools' evolving needs.

4. Most students take time off before law school.

Between the high costs associated with law school and the rigorous demands of the application process, most students aren't eager to dive straight into law school after college. Nowadays, most college grads take at least a year off before applying to law school. Personally, I was relieved when my advisor told me this, because I had planned on taking a year off to work in journalism and wanted to make sure schools wouldn't penalize me for it. Rest assured, as long as you apply within a few years of graduation, no law school will look down upon you for taking time off to offset the costs and truly examine your decision to attend. In fact, taking time off to enter the workforce might even give you an advantage, as many law schools are looking for students with diverse academic and professional backgrounds.

5. Your credit score matters.

While focusing on your academics is probably the most important thing any pre-law student could do to prepare for law school, it's also important to consider your financial situation, too. In college, you probably got by with some help from Mom and Dad - but chances are that in grad school, you'll be shouldering most of the responsibility for financing your legal education yourself. Regardless, you'll probably need to take out loans either way - and banks just don't hand out loans without credit. Whether or not you pay your bills on time, if you don't have a strong history of good credit to show for it, you could easily run into difficulties down the line when you're planning for law school. Luckily, there's many ways to establish a good credit history while you're still in college! For example, check out this post from Creative Savings Blog for five great ways to build credit.

6. Develop relationships with professors early on.

You've probably heard countless times how important it is for all students, regardless of what their majors or plans after college are, to develop close relationships with at least a couple of their professors. For pre-law students, this is especially important, because those professors are going to be the people you approach for letters of recommendation somewhere down the line. However, when many of your classes are huge lectures where the professor barely knows your name, developing those relationships can be a challenge. One of the best ways to develop good relationships with your professors is, you guessed it, office hours! Going to your professors' office hours will help them remember your face and get to know you outside of class. Plus, the sheer fact that you took the initiative to go shows you are dedicated to your studies and will paint you in a positive light. 

7. Prelaw should be a plan - not a major.

According to this law firm's blog, Prelaw majors consistently score lower on the LSAT and have narrower job prospects after graduation - which makes sense. After all, if all you've studied is law for the past four years of your life, you're not displaying the range of reading, writing and critical thinking skills you need to succeed on the LSAT and in life! That's why at BU, "prelaw" is actually an advising program, not a major or set track of coursework. As long as you major in something that stimulates your brain, genuinely interests you and prepares you for a lifetime of writing and reasoning, law schools won't look down on you for not having a certain major. (However, if you're really curious, here are the top 12 majors that score highest on the LSAT! Remember, these are just statistics, not hard rules.) 

8. Find mentors early in your college career.

The hands-down best way to prepare yourself for law school, in my opinion, is to talk to people who have already been there! Finding a mentor early in your college career is a great way to learn what law school is actually like. Joining organizations on campus in areas of interest to you will help you connect with upperclassmen who are getting ready to go to law school, while reaching out to local firms and applying for internships will help you make connections in the field. Believe it or not, my sorority has been a great resource in this area - already, I've connected with an IR major who's planning to take a year off and apply to law school, just like I am!

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The Ride or Die Makeup Tag

Disclaimer: All of the opinions expressed in this post are my own. 

I was not compensated for this post in any way.

Hello, beautiful! I haven't done a beauty post in awhile, so I thought I'd tackle the Ride or Die Makeup Tag once and for all.

The Ride or Die Makeup Tag is something I've been seeing around Pinterest, YouTube, and the rest of the web for awhile now. This tag was started by Jaclyn Hill, a YouTuber and beauty blogger, and you can check out her original post here!

In case you aren't familiar with this tag, here's how the challenge works: for each "category" of makeup (foundation, concealer, lipstick, lip gloss, etc.), you can only choose ONE "Ride or Die" product to save. Basically, you just have to ask yourself "If I was on a desert island and could only have ONE foundation/concealer/lipstick/etc. with me, which product from my beauty bag would I want to take?"

Hopefully I'm not just being overconfident, but I think this challenge will be fairly easy for me! While I love, love, LOVE makeup and beauty products, I'm not the kind of person who buys a ton of products. Instead, I tend to have my favorites that I get attached to and keep re-buying over and over and over again. So, even though you won't get the benefit of watching me suffer and struggle over which products to select (sorry, guys - I'm actually hella boring), I'm super excited to share some of those favorites with you now!

FACE 

Foundation

L'Oreal True Match Foundation in Soft Ivory: L'Oreal's True Match is unique from any other foundation I've tried simply because of the sheer number of shades that it offers. Don't get me wrong: the texture is great; it blends amazingly - but the thing that truly sets it apart from any other product I've tried is the incredible number of shades for cool, warm, and neutral skin tones alike. Until I found this product, I felt like every foundation I used was too yellow for my skin tone - and then I found out that L'Oreal makes this foundation for people with neutral undertones like me! So, if you have a hard-to-match skin tone, check out L'Oreal's line of True Match foundations. You won't regret it, I promise! Get it for $9.99 from Ulta.

Concealer

Benefit Boi-ing Concealer in 01 Light: This concealer is marketed as "industrial strength," which is exactly the reason why I bought it in the first place. To be honest, I wasn't sure when I read that label that the product would live up to what it promised - but it totally did! That's why Benefit's Boi-ing Concealer makes my list of Ride or Dies, no questions asked: its creamy, thick formula can cover everything from a huge, red zit to the darkest of dark circles. Get it for $20.00 from Sephora.

Blush/Bronzer

e.l.f. Contouring Blush & Bronzing Powder in St. Lucia: As you can see, my Ride or Die list is a mixed bag of drugstore and high-end beauty products alike - and e.l.f.'s St. Lucia blush and bronzer duo is definitely one of the drugstore rockstars! This product is subtle, shimmery, and flattering on almost any skintone. Though I've never used it before so I can't compare the two, I've even heard that this product is a perfect dupe for NARS's famous Orgasm blush. And, at just $4.00, you seriously cannot beat that price! Get it for $3.99 from Target.

Foundation Primer

Smashbox Photo Finish Primer: Admittedly, I rarely use a primer, except on special occasions or really hot, sweaty days when I worry my makeup might melt right off my face. However, on those occasions when I do, Smashbox's Photo Finish Primer is the absolute best product for helping stubborn makeup stay put. The best part? It goes on clear and light, without that greasy, oily finish that's seemingly ubiquitous among so many foundation primers. Get it for $16.00 from Nordstrom.

EYES

Eyeshadow Primer

Too Faced Shadow Insurance Primer: Much like foundation primer, I don't often use an eye primer unless it's a special occasion or a hot summer day; however, on the days that I do use this product, I definitely notice a difference in the pigmentation and longevity of my eye makeup! Too Faced Shadow Insurance Primer ensures (see what I did there?) that your eyeshadow will stay put through thick and thin. I swear, on the days I use this product I could walk to hell and back, come back with half the rest of my makeup melted off, and still my eyeshadow wouldn't budge. Get it for $20.00 from Too Faced.

Eyeshadow Palette

Too Faced Natural Eyes Eye Shadow Collection: (I forgot to include this product in the graphic, sadly!) Unpopular opinion time: I know everyone loves to rave about the Naked Palettes, but I'm the proud owner of three of them - the Naked 3 palette, and Naked Basics 1 and 2 - and although I love them, I'll never love them as much as I love my Too Faced Natural Eyes palette. These shadows go on kind of sheer, so if you're more into an ultra-pigmented finish, I can see why you'd prefer the Naked palettes. However,  I love the way they blend and last throughout my entire day - even without primer on, the glitter stays firmly put on my eyelids (as opposed to gravitating down my cheeks)! Get it for $36.00 from Sephora. P.S. If you want to see exactly which shades I use, check out this post about my weekly beauty routine. 

Eyeliner

Kat Von D Tattoo Liner: Since a sultry cat eye is my all-time FAVORITE makeup look, I've tried a fair number of liquid liners in my day. After so many experiments in drugstore and high-end liners alike, I can say with confidence that this product is one of the best liquid liners I've ever used. If you like a pen liner (as opposed to a brush or a gel or something like that), then you'll love how rich and creamy this product is to apply! It helps you achieve that precise line without being watery or prone to smudging. And, as someone who's better at drawing with pen and paper than she is with eyeliner, I find it to be such a simple product to maneuver! Overall, this liner gets a 10 out of 10 from me - and, of course, a coveted spot in my Ride or Die makeup kit. Get it for $20.00 from Sephora. 

Mascara

BareMinerals Lash Domination Mascara: I've used the same tube of this mascara for so long, it's probably unhygienic TBH - but I love it so much, I just can't bear to throw it out! Honestly, I can barely tell the difference between most formulas of mascara, but there's just something about this one that sets it apart - it's not too thin, not too clumpy, not too dark. It's juuuuust right for my lashes! However, the wand is what truly makes this product as luscious and volumizing as it is. The wand separates every last lash, preventing your mascara from clumping and lengthening with every stroke. Get it for $19.00 from Ulta.

Eyebrow Pencil

Anastasia Brow Wiz Pencil in Taupe: I fully realize that by including this in my Ride or Die post, I'm solidifying myself as another basic beauty blogger - but if I'm being completely honest, there's just no way around it: Anastasia's brow products are simply the best ones out there. Of every brow pencil I've tried, nothing has compared to the subtle pigmentation and precise lines that I've gotten with the Anastasia Brow Wiz pencil. Not to be overly-dramatic, but this product was seriously what converted me from someone who never did her brows, to someone who can't go out without them filled. Get it for $21.00 from Sephora.

LIPS

Lipstick

e.l.f. Moisturizing Lipstick in Bordeaux Beauty: Okay, so in my last post about this product, I was utterly convinced that it's true name was Bordeaux Berry. Having realized the error of my ways, I'm now going to do the product the justice it deserves! This lipstick was one of my Christmas presents from Ryan, and I was super excited to open it because I've been dying to try the vampy lipstick trend. Before this product, red lipstick was my go-to; however, I'd long admired the sexy, glamorous look of a dark, Lorde-style lip and couldn't wait to see how it looked on me! I was pleasantly surprised to find that this lipstick was the perfect blend of purply and reddish tones, perfectly complementing my pale skin. Also, it's worth mentioning that this lipstick, while creamy and hydrating, doesn't seem to budge no matter what you do! You can eat, kiss, drink, and while a little lipstick might transfer onto your fork, partner, or glass, the pigment on your lips will remain virtually unaltered. For just $3.00, this product is both an investment and a steal! Get it for $3.00 from e.l.f. Cosmetics. 

Liquid Lipstick

Stila Stay-All-Day Liquid Lipstick in Beso: It's probably cheating to go from lipstick to liquid lipstick, but since they're technically two different things, I'm rolling with it anyways! I love, love, LOVE this product - it's the best red lip I have ever worn (and, dare I say, will ever wear). It was the first liquid lipstick I ever tried, not to mention the first shade of red I ever dared put on. I quickly fell in love with its long-lasting formula, which - much like the e.l.f. Moisturizing Lipstick - WILL NOT BUDGE no matter what abuses you inflict on it! Also, it's my personal belief that this shade of red is ultra-flattering on every skin tone: it's not too orangey and without bluish undertones, so it's more of what you might call a "true red." Get it for $24.00 from Ulta.

Lip Balm

Fresh Sugar Lip Balm in Rose: I have been using this product for about five years, ever since I first stepped foot into a Sephora. It was my first-ever free birthday gift as a Beauty Insider, and it was probably one of my first-ever "empties" - and for good reason. I've been using this product since I was thirteen not because I'm a creature of habit (though that may be true), but because there's nothing out there that compares to it. The formula is creamy and hydrating, and the sheer rose hue is the perfect "my lips but better" lip color. In my opinion, this lip balm and a little bit of mascara are all you'll ever need for those days when you don't want a full face of makeup. Get it for $24.00 from Sephora.

Lip Gloss

Naked Ultra Nourishing Lip Gloss in Nooner: Apparently, every lip gloss I've ever owned and loved has been renamed, because the one that I have (from the limited-edition "Naked on the Run" palette) is named "Sesso." However, Nooner is pretty much the same gorgeous shade. This shade is one of those perfect "my lips but better" colors - which I've been saying a lot lately, I know; but I much prefer a natural look to a glam one, so it works - that comes with a little hint of shimmer. It's hydrating and long-wearing, without drying up in that gross way that lip glosses often do. Plus, it has an almost minty aftertaste that leaves you feeling so fresh that you'll want to keep reapplying it all throughout the day! Get it for $20.00 from Nordstrom.

Lip Exfoliator

e.l.f. Lip Exfoliator: Admittedly, lip exfoliator is a bit of a weird category for this challenge. However, I just discovered this product recently, and absolutely cannot get over how incredible it is! This product smooths, shines and hydrates your lips like no other. It's gritty but never abrasive, simple to use and, most importantly (to me at least!), it has an AH-MAZING taste. Just like brown sugar! Get it for $3.00 from e.l.f. Cosmetics.

SCENTS

Body Spray

Bath and Body Works Beautiful Day Fine Fragrance Mist: This product is the only scent I'm including in my Ride or Die post because I'm not a huge fan of traditional, alcohol-based perfumes. Bath and Body Works' Fine Fragrance Mists, on the other hand, are light and not-too-concentrated - the perfect affordable scents for everyday wear! Though I have many favorites from Bath and Body Works, I chose the Beautiful Day spray because I've simply never gotten that type of reaction from any perfume I've worn before. I actually first caught on to the magic of this scent from a friend at BU - fully expecting her to tell me it was some expensive designer perfume, I asked her about the amazing scent she was wearing and she turned me on to Beautiful Day! Then, when Ryan fell head-over-heels with this scent in-store, I knew I just had to have it. Currently, I'm using a different fine fragrance mist from them; however, I have Beautiful Day-scented cream body wash right now and I'm absolutely in love! This clean, floral scent will leave you smelling fresh without leaving a cloud of perfume behind wherever you go. I promise: you and your special someone will both go crazy for the incredible smell! Get it for $14.00 from Bath and Body Works.

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