Winter Beauty with Adore Me

Today I'm bringing it back 3 years and doing an updated winter beauty look! Winter makeup looks are always so fun because there's always numerous parties and different looks to try. From metallic eyeshadow to a cranberry red lip, everyone can find a look they love! Last time, I worked with Adore Me to create a look inspired by their bra & panty sets; so this year I'm doing the same.

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4 Holiday Party Outfits

Happy holidays! It's the weekend before Christmas which means holiday parties galore and even though I won't be stepping out this weekend (thank you wisdom teeth), I've planned and already worn some great outfits for every occasion!

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Let's Chat: Beauty Advent Calendars

Today I'm doing something different. Instead of flaunting my holiday party outfits or sharing my newest skincare (both of which I'll probably do later this month), I want to create a conversation and discussion with you! To kick off the 12 days until Christmas, we're talking about advent calendars!

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High-End Beauty Edit

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday and every year I have so many things to be thankful for. But, this year on the blog I'm fast forwarding through Thanksgiving and moving on to Black Friday! Better late than never, but I wanted to make sure this post went up so you all could take advantage of this weekend’s sales!

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Hydrating Hair Care Routine

My hair went from too sweaty and sleek to dull and dry over the course of a couple weeks. Somehow, D.C. fast-forwarded through fall this year and went from sweltering heat to high's of 37 degrees (looks like I'll be staying inside tomorrow). Winter brings hot cocoa and gingerbread houses, but it also causes dry skin and a dry scalp. I've switched up my hair routine to better suit the season and since I'm already seeing results I have to share!

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5 Steps to a Skin Detox

Halloween is over which means discounted candy and an abundance of baked goods as we look towards Thanksgiving. My skin reacts to what I eat, so the holiday season tends to make me break out like crazy. Between my sister's pumpkin pie and my own famous acorns, it's hard to limit my sugar intake. I've cultivated a holiday skin detox that I always employ after eating unhealthily, at it does a great job of mitigating acne.

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Witch Hazel: The Spooky Ingredient You Need in Your Beauty Cabinet

Happy Halloween gals and ghouls! October 31st has never been my favorite day of the year. But, this year I'm embracing the holiday which means writing a spooky-themed skincare post. The only thing scary about witch hazel is the name, which comes from the old English name of the plant. However, I've been meaning to talk about this product on the blog for a while now and I figured today is the perfect day!

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Biker Chic at the NC State Fair

Today's outfit is so far out of my comfort zone on so many levels. I'm not quite sure how to define my style, but I'd characterize it as feminine, preppy, and simple. This outfit, however, is almost the complete opposite of that and somehow I still love it!

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Post-Workout Skincare Routine

I love the feeling of working out and pushing my body to its limits, but I hate the way my skin looks and feels when I hit stop of the treadmill or get off the spin bike. Over the summer, I was hitting the gym regularly in the mornings and I figured out a modified version of my daily skincare routine that takes my face from a flushed, sweaty mess to an I woke up like this glow.

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Simple, No-Makeup Fall Makeup Look

I've completely given up on wearing makeup during the week. I'll do a full glam for going-out nights, but day-to-day I've been spending all of my getting-ready time on my skincare routine. It was peachy keen until I caught myself in the mirror the other day and realized that no amount of eye cream and moisturizer can hide the mid-term-season exhaustion from my face. So, I created the perfect, easy no-makeup makeup look to get me through the weeks without looking like a zombie. 

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Beauty Hack: Drying Your Face

Today's simple beauty hack changed the way my skin looks and feels almost instantly! Long story short; we've been drying our faces all wrong.

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Simple, No-Heat Hairstyles

A big part of having healthy hair, no matter which way you choose to wear it, is avoiding heat. I straighten my hair at least once a week, so on the six days in between, I try to avoid the flat iron at all costs. Sometimes it's unavoidable, but I've collected a couple simple styles that I can use no-heat necessary.

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How to Shop Clean Beauty

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Clean beauty is all the rage right now and I love it! As you've probably noticed, I've become picky and hyper-aware of what I'm putting on my skin. I all but scrapped by skincare regimen for a bar of soap a couple years back and I've been slowly adding products and curating my routine ever since. My skincare routine is coming to this blog soon (I promise), but today I'm sharing how I shop and choose products that I know are healthy for my skin.

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Go Greek

"Go Greek" is all I've been hearing and seeing around campus this week. Even though Georgetown isn't big on sororities and fraternities; the few groups that exist on campus are encouraging everyone they can to rush! But today, I'm not talking about Greek life in the Panhellenic sense, I'm talking about sandals.

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Why You Need To Buy a Facial Massager ASAP

Facial rolling has changed my life and that's a fact. It's so easy and takes just a few minutes of my routine every morning, yet my skin has never looked or felt better. Integrating facial massaging into my routine also meant adding a couple of other steps and doing some research into best practices, so today I'm breaking down everything you need to know about facial massaging and why you need to buy a facial massager ASAP!

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The Magic of a Sweater Tank

Now that I'm all moved in and settled at school...happy FMOC (first month of classes)! This year, move-in was easy and kind of fun. Having classes with my friends has made for a comfortable and relaxing transition and I've been counting down the days until this outfit made its debut!

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My Purse, It Has Everything

This bag is my end all be all. Seriously, I may never buy another purse again.

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Los Cabos, Mexico: Swimsuits on Sale + ATVs

Visiting Cabo was the best way to end the summer. Our 4-day trip was the perfect combination of relaxation and adventure - what more could I ask for?

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Why Habits Make the World Go 'Round

Habits are the driving force in my life. That sounds kind of extreme but in the transition to college and being substantially more independent, establishing and maintaining habits made everything simple. Last week, I finished Gretchen Rubin's Better Than Before and learned everything I wanted to know about forming and keeping habits. Since I'm a woman of the people, I'm going to save you the trouble of reading the book and share the most important, life-changing deets.

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Summer Beauty Essentials

So...here I am...one month later and back on the blog. When I wrote my farewell post, I had an inkling that I might be back in 2019 or late fall at the earliest. But, during my month-long hiatus, I realized that "misslaurenalston" is such an integral part of my identity. There are numerous other factors that brought me back here, but instead of listing them all out I'd rather get into my summer beauty essentials.

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The Best Travel Outfit Ever

The day before my Hong  Kong flight I was in Urban Outfitters (when am I not there) picking up another pair of my favorite skinny jeans (and they're super on sale!!). As I was wandering around the store, I realized that as much as I love those jeans (and I really do) I was not looking forward to wearing them for over 24 hours on the plane and in the airport. That's when I saw the dress. 

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5 Tips for Fighting Jet Lag

Let’s talk jet lag, it's the worst. It sucks to travel halfway around the world only to be too tired and sick to enjoy your new surroundings. There are so many tips and tricks out there for combatting jet lag and I’ve tried a lot of them. So here’s what works. My methods are tried and true, I did each and every one of these things during or after my flight to Hong Kong (which was a 36 hour travel day, 20+ hours were spent in the air) and I felt fresh as ever when I woke up this morning.

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Beauty Travel Essentials

Hi everyone! Today, I'm sharing the beauty & skincare products that I have to have on the plane. In my last life update, I mentioned doing a summer study abroad in Hong Kong. I leave in a few days so I'm taking a break from packing and writing this post.

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Book Talk: Difficult Women by Roxane Gay

I'm excited about today's post because it's a book talk for 21 books! Kidding! It is for Roxane Gay's Difficult Women which a collection of short stories, but I'm not going to go deep into every single story. Today, we're discussing three of my favorite and in my opinion, the most thought-provoking stories.

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Spring Break 2018 | La Romana, Dominican Republic

I've been back on campus for a week and somehow it feels like 2 months. The past week has been so full that I feel like I've barely had a moment to breathe! I'm excited to finally be publishing this post, though I will admit I love last year's Spring Break in Miami post 100x more. Between Miami and Seattle I fell in love with travel posts, but since this year's spring break was a relaxing resort instead of a bustling city I had to change up the style of the post.

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Dealing with Disappointment

Every time I think I have this whole blogging thing down, life gets to me and I go MIA for a few of weeks. Seriously, I can't believe it's been nearly 3 weeks since I've written a blog post. I have so many post ideas that I cannot wait to pick up right where I left off!

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Essentialism - What Does it Mean?

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Today's post is a bit of a mashup between lifestyle and reading, and I genuinely want to hear what you think about it. Whether you've read or are interested in reading Greg McKeown's Essentialism or not, read through this post and leave a comment with your thoughts and opinions!

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How to Get Out of A Creative Rut

As much as I love blogging, every couple of months I fall into a rut and feel completely uninspired to write blog posts, post on social media, or be creative in general. I usually end up wallowing in it for a few days (or weeks) and then something sparks and I jump back into the swing of things full force! It works, but it's undeniably not the most efficient way to live my life. After a few cycles of this, I realized what always pulls me back: changing my look.

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Jaco Juice & Taco Bar | Georgetown, D.C.

Last weekend, a friend and I were trying to pick a spot for a quick lunch before a movie. He loves Mexican food but my being vegan can make tacos and burritos a bit more difficult. After a bit of sleuthing, I discovered Jaco Juice & Taco Bar. Jaco has quickly become the perfect go-to spot for a couple of reasons: it offers a variety of fresh food from acai bowls to burritos and it's less than a mile from campus!

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How to Study for Exams

Midterm season at Georgetown signals the beginning of the end... finals (it doesn't make any sense, I know). This week, I was unlucky enough to have three finals in 24 hours. Fortunately, I learned a lot from midterm season last semester that made those 24 hours bearable, so today I'm sharing 5 tips to acing your exams!

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Book Talk: Fates and Furies by Lauren Groff

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I wish I'd never read Lauren Groff's Fates and Furies...so I'd have another chance to experience it for the first time. To be honest, I picked it out at the library because the cover looked interesting, so I had pretty low expectations. Little did I know, I would continue to think about the story months after I finished reading it.

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February Mood Board

Happy Groundhog Day! I'm writing this post a couple days early, but my guess is that Punxsutawney Phil didn't see his shadow this morning and we have six more weeks of winter ahead. Last year, February was a great month for me; nothing spectacular happened, but despite some setbacks — losing my wallet and ruining my laptop — I was able to roll with the punches and not let it get me down.

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Book Talk: The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

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This past Christmas, my mom surprised me with Angie Thomas' The Hate U Give. Surprisingly, I hadn't heard much about this book before reading it even though it was one of the most talked about books of 2017!

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