The Ravings of an Insomniac

Yes, my friend, makeup expires. A lot of people don't realize, especially if you wear makeup sparingly and have it just in case you need it. Trust me, toss it when it's used up. It's so tempting to drop some eye drops into mascara to revive it, or ignore the foundation gunking up. But toss it when it's old.

Hey, guys! How are you? I got back from vacation on Friday. We were originally not supposed to get back until this Wednesday, but car issues started and we rushed home. It was a good trip however.

Some of you might have trouble falling asleep at night. I fall into that category for sure. Insomnia can be a bitch sometimes, whether you have it on a usual basis or every now and then. I wanted to write a quick post about what you can do to help yourself fall asleep at night, and why you can't sleep.

1. Melatonin. These are melatonin pills, or sleeping supplements. Melatonin is basically the compound that makes you sleepy. Melatonin is sold in a couple forms, liquid, pill, and even gummies. This is an easy way to fall asleep, but I find that if you take them on a regular basis you can become a little immune to the supplements. However, it is a fast and simple shortcut.

2. Reading. This might seem like a no-brainer to you, and that's because it is. Reading relaxes me, no matter about the genre. I like to take about half an hour every night to read a novel.

3. Music. I find that this and reading go hand in hand. Sometimes I can have trouble relaxing when I'm listening to music, because I get swept up in the song. This is when lyricless music comes in handy. There are also apps with relaxing sounds like the ocean and rain if you prefer these. White noise is also a good sound to listen to if you want to fall asleep.

4. Take a relaxing shower/bath. I'm sure you'll feel better and more inclined to sleep if you're clean and sweet smelling before you go to bed. I know I am. However, if you're planning on showering right before you sleep, you might not want to wash your hair, as sometimes the blowdryer can be a hassle and annoying.

5. Tea. People might be telling you to drink tea before you sleep, and for good reason. I personally don't like to do this because I worry about the tea cooling before I drink it, or the tea bag just sitting in my mug throughout the entire night (I know, I know. Weird.), but if you want to drink tea, I recommend lavender or chamomile tea. Both are very relaxing herbs that can help you doze off.

Now, for the reasons that you can't fall asleep. There are honestly a million of these. It could be anything from stress to the fact that you have to pee. But speaking of stress...

1. Stress. This is probably the main reason why people have trouble falling asleep at night. The thought of something nagging you can keep you awake and tossing and turning for hours on end. Honestly, there's not much you can do about it. If you can get rid of what's stressing you out, do it.

2. Technology. Don't stare at your laptop or phone screen for about an hour before you go to bed. It can wake you up and stimulate your brain, which is great in the morning, but at night it's not exactly what you want.

3. This and technology go together... Using technology in bed. Your mind can actually become accustomed to the idea that bed isn't a place for rest if you tend to busy your mind in bed. I don't think doing homework or working in bed is a great idea, as it might be a leading factor to having trouble sleeping.

4. Working out. I know a lot of people work out at night, especially if they can't during the day. However, working out gets your endorphines up and running and it gives you energy. Try not to work out within three hours of going to bed.

Okay, thanks for reading! I hope that this post helped you in some way.

hey bun buns, how's it going? i'm doing okay, studying for exams right now with my hair in a top not and no bra on (tmi? sorry boo).

What a terrible picture. I apologize.

today's post is about lip balms. lip balms are something we often don't think too much about, but yet everybody uses them. me? i love lip balm. they're one of my guilty pleasures. i have much too many for anyone's sake. i wanted to explain something of lip balms that most people usually don't know.

many lip balms contain a lot of wax. this isn't a necessarily a bad thing, but waxy balms do cater to a specific need. instead of providing moisture, they're designed to create a barrier and lock moisture in. and why do we use lip balms? to give our parched lips moisture. if our lips don't have moisture, and we apply something meant to lock in moisture, isn't it basically useless? if you're looking for something to provide hydration, use a balm that doesn't have wax in the first five ingredients. then apply a waxy balm on top to really lock in the moisture.

i don't recommend you use eos, chapstick, or burt's bees lip balms for the simple reason that they're all very waxy. instead, use something like carmax, palmers, nivea, or trusty rose salve.

okay y'all, thanks for reading! have a wonderful day.

1. Study in sessions/take breaks often

So I don't know if you've noticed... But it's June. Crazy right? It seems like the year just started and we were all laughing about the fact that we didn't die on December 21st. But since we're not dying then, we're definitely dying now because it's so freaking humid!

I don't live in a place that gets super hot, like Arizona, but I think I'd rather live there because it gets so humid here sometimes. At least it's dry out west. I have been simply smoldering in this humidity. It's pretty bad. I've compiled a list of things to do in order to survive the heat.

1. Drink water, and lots of it.
2. Keep your hair out of your face.
3. If you're going to be outside, wear sunscreen and drink lots of water.
4. Carry around a little dry shampoo.
5. Don't think about how hot you are!

I'm quite lazy. I don't like the idea of working out. I'm busy. But you know what? I do manage to find time to work out. I don't go to the gym, I'm a runner; I can run outside, on a treadmill, or an elliptical. Also, I'm a student. I don't have enough money for a gym membership. Even if you don't run, you can still workout at home! There are so many home workouts that are just as good as gym machines or classes. So these are my lazy girl tips for working out when you're like me: a procrastinator and a person who just doesn't like to move, stay tuned.

Oh, by the way, I am by no means a professional. I just enjoy running.

1. Stagger your workouts. Lets be honest, there are going to be days where you just want to lay around watching tv in your pajamas (every day). Rather than trying to work out everyday, I recommend giving yourself a few days a week off. For example, work out every other day. Or work out every weekday, and let yourself rest on the weekends.
2. Set a schedule. This just makes your workouts easier to follow, and also if you're busy, then it makes your life a lot less hectic.
3. Don't work out within two hours of going to bed. Your endorphins will be up and running and you'll just feel too awake.
4. Drink lots of water. This isn't just a tip for working out, it's a tip in general. However, it is super important to drink up when you work out because of obvious dehydration risks.
5. Don't wear makeup working out. This can clog your pores, and obviously, you're not going to look too hot with foundation sweating off your face.
6. Try to break a sweat.

Hi! I'm in the car driving with my brother as I type these words. We're braving the road and driving 8 hours to Michigan to visit some friends, so I thought I'd share some travel tips.

1. I'm sure you've heard this one, but bring travel sized thing. Reuse little containers and pots (or you can buy travel sets for like $4) or, my favorite tip, put your product into contact lens cases. Things you only use a bit of, like eye cream and and spot treatments. Wash the case before you put your products in, of course.
2. Bring dry shampoo. Get a little travel sized dry shampoo, it's gonna be a lifesaver for long trips.
3. Make the most of your makeup. This is a tip I not only use for traveling, but for life in general. I like to double my lipstick up as cream blush, use matte white eyeshadow as highlight, double up my foundation as concealer, etc. It makes your load a lot lighter and also saves you time.
4. Buns are great hairstyles. You can dress them down or up, depending on where they are on your head and the accessories you wear with them. Bring a bun maker or a sock donut.
5. Pack your makeup as you apply it. For example, the day before or the morning of your departure, pack your makeup into your travel bag as you put your makeup on. Put on concealer, pack it. Put on foundation, pack it, so on and so forth. This prevents you from forgetting any essentials and everyday products.
6. Get a sample of your favorite perfume. Go into Sephora and ask your a sample in your favorite scent, or get a Travelo.
7. Make the most use out of your shoes when traveling. I recommend versatile shoes, like cute flats, wedges, and nice sandals.
8. Bring a blazer. Blazers are super easy to style, you can dress them up or down.

(I wish I looked this good when I sleep)

We all have those mornings where you just don't want to get up and get ready. Trust me, I know. I am not a morning person at all. Here are some tips and tricks that I swear by and use every day to get me a bit more sleep. And for me, those 10-15 minutes of shut-eye make all the difference.

1. Prepare beforehand
Plan out your outfit the night beforehand, pack your bag, maybe even prep your breakfast if you'd like. This gives you more time in the morning, as you won't be rushing around forgetting things.

2. Braid, braid, braid
I'm sure y'all know that if you braid your hair and sleep in it, you wake up with awesome waves. Dampen your hair, put an anti-frizz product if your hair gets frizzy, and braid away.

3. Reach for the tinted moisturizer
I recommend you get a tinted moisturizer (or a BB cream). They provide light coverage while doing the job of two things.

4. Multi-functional products are your friend
Lip and cheek stains, lipstick used as blush, blush used as eyeshadow, whatever it is, make more use of your makeup. This will not only save you money, but also save you precious time in the morning where you could be sleeping.

That's it, yo. Please share if you have any tips.