life & style

Like any typical girl, I love going to Ulta or Sephora. It is so hard for me to not get excited when walking through the doors. I find myself going in for one specific thing.. and heading out with five more items. I have always loved makeup and trying new things but when it comes to my face, some brands just don't work. I have tried different things over the years and have figured out what works perfectly for me. I thought I would share my every day makeup routine!

I have sensitive skin, so I tend to only wash my face at night. I started using Philosophys Purity face cleanser two years ago and I don't know why I wasn't using it sooner. I love how fresh it leaves my skin feeling, not to mention I love the scent. After that I use Simple Protecting Light SPF moisturizer. I love that it doesn't leave my skin feeling heavy, sticky, or oily. It's nice that I can use it before putting on my makeup if I have some dry Jasminlive.mobi areas (especially in winter months!)

In the morning I tend to just splash water on my face to refresh it after a long nights sleep. I put on moisturizer if I feel the need and then I start my process. I started using Bare Minerals makeup when I was in highschool, and I have stuck by it ever since. I use Bare Minerals Original SPF Foundation in fairly light. I love the way it goes on and covers my dark circles and any redness I may have. It feels light and my skin is able to breathe throughout the day. I use my little brush that came with my original set back in the day to apply to my under eye and nose area for extra coverage. My poor little maximum coverage brush has obviously seen better days but it has worked wonders through the years! I then use my full coverage kabuki brush to apply foundation on my whole face. To finish the base, I use a translucent powder to seal it in. I have used variations of brands over the years and currently I am using Revlon photo ready powder. It is very light and smooths out any place I have missed. I use a fluffy, large brush to apply the powder.

Once I am done with my base, I get a little creative. Most days I stick with the same thing I have done since Freshmen year of college (whoops! I like a classic look!) I like to use a liquid eyeliner in the darkest black I can find to create the perfect cat eye. I love a good felt tipped liner in a pen form. As for doing this technique, I have perfected it over the years with lots of practice. I have used several different brands over the years so it varies which I use every so often. I am currently using Maybelline Stiletto Ultimate Precision eyeliner. I love that it goes on smooth and has a great tip. As for mascara, I try new ones each time. I am currently using a new product called Younique 3D Fiber lashes. I am now hooked! I love the way it makes my lashes look massive without doing anything! You place a layer of any mascara you want then place a layer of the moodstruck transplanting gel. Once that is on you place a layer of moodstruck natural fibers and a final layer of transplanting gel to set it.

Once my eyes are set, I finish with blush. Again, I tend to use different things over the seasons. Sometimes I like to use a creme blush or I will use a powder. The same goes for the shade, I go from using a coral to pink - whatever I feel like at that time. I am currently using Younique Blusher in stunning. I love the way it feels but the application leaves something to be desired. To finish off my every day look, I have so much fun deciding which lipstick to choose. I have quite the collection (more on that in a different post) and I love a bright smile. My two go-to shades the past few months are very different from each other. Dior Addict is a crazy gorgeous pink. I love the way this looks because it enhances your natural lip color. MAC pink pearl pop is great for going out to lunch or dinner in. It is such a cheerful, happy color - you cant help but beam when you have it on. Phew! This may seem like a long makeup routine but I assure you it is not! It is only a little longer if I decide to play with my all time favorite palates - the Naked series by Urban Decay! I will do a post on those looks later. Normally I can sit and do my makeup in 5 minutes and be out the door!

Oh back to school for me, after three years I'm heading back! I am so excited for this opportunity but boy am I scared! Why am I scared? Well things are a little different this time around. Last time I was taking class 4 to 5 times a week and working 32 hours a week as a hostess in a restaurant. I lived at home with my parents and didnt have much to worry about. This time I work 40 hours a week, I have a whole house to make sure is clean, and class is only one weekend a month. You may think that is easy but no, I do not think it will be. My training as a dental hygienist is partly due to my job (on the job training) but I also need to study very hard to keep a certain GPA to stay in the program. Class is 8 to 5 two full days a month so that zaps my weekend. I am very passionate about my job so I know I will do alright. With that being said, I figured I would share some of my studying tips!

ONE // take notes in class

Okay. duh, thats obvious but I really study better with notes. My lectures are all in powerpoint and we have to have them printed off before class. I like that my professors have this option - I tend to do better if I can write as much or as little as I need. I feel like if I write something down besides reading it that I retain it better.

TWO // study a little each day

Since I only have class once a month, it will be easy to slack off. I will NOT let that happen. Before I felt like I had all the time in the world to study. I am just going to have to sit down (after a long day at work) and study a little each day. It's going to be easier to retain the Jasminelive information. Luckily I already know quite a bit of the information already so it's more like a review.

THREE // plan it all out

Over the years I have found out that I am a pretty decent planner. I just need a good planner and I am set. Even when I wasnt in school, I love to have a calender / planner ready at all times. I recently bought a mini Lilly Pulitzer planner (because I didnt realize I was going back to school!) but I'm starting to think that I need a bigger planner to keep everything straight. I just need to plan out my blogging schedule and school schedule to keep it all straight.

FOUR // take a study break

Taking a study break is good for you. I know that if I dont feel like doing something just yet, that I dont need to force it or I wont retain the information that I need. I try to get up and walk around, listen to some fun music, go outside, have a small snack - something that will take my mind off my work for just a moment.

Do you have any other studying tips you recommend?

Over the years, getting time off work to take a vacation has been a treat. Getting to take a three + week vacation from work not by choice? Not so great. My work situation has been a little strange in the past month but I am making the best of it. I started a new job last November and was extremely happy with how things were going. But last month our current dentist needed to move and things fell through with mine and my coworkers jobs. Being unemployed is not the ideal situation but thankfully I have amazingly supportive parents and friends to help me though. On the bright side, I am able to take the vacations that I have been sacrificing over the years. I am getting to spend lots of quality time with my boyfriend before he starts his residency, and I am so thankful for that. With all this time off, I am looking forward to finding a new place to work in Birmingham! With that being said, we just got back from the beach.

It was my first trip to the beach in two years! Can you believe it? Time flies when you have a job you can't take a vacation from (ha ha) We were at a pretty little house in Pensacola Beach, FL with my boyfriends friends from medical school. I hate that I didn't get any pictures of the house! We had about two, maybe three days of pretty weather and then it was all down hill from there. It was still great to be around a fun group of people and have so much fun each day. I confess I got a bad case of cabin fever after being stuck in the house for about 48 hours due to very rainy weather!

Renee's boyfriend Randy makes wine, so he so graciously brought some to share! It was a strawberry wine and it was absolutely fantastic. It was perfect for a warm night sitting outside enjoying the ocean. We cooked dinner as a group almost every night except for two. I was so excited to enjoy some fresh seafood - the best part of being by the ocean. My boyfriend and I went to a local fishery called Joe Patti's to pick up fresh shrimp and tilapia to make into tacos one evening, they were heaven. We also went to a place called Peg Leg Pete's where I had so much shrimp, raw oysters, and a little lobster. I hope my next beach trip is filled with more sunshine, less sunburn, and even more seafood!

Monday is here yet again, what a bummer! I had such a nice weekend and I always hate to see it end. Sean had Saturday off so I was able to spend the whole day with him - such a wonderful treat since he only gets off one day a week in this rotation. On Saturday it actually felt almost like fall. We went downtown to Linn park (somewhere on Chaturbate we had never been before) to the Fiesta Latin festival. My dental office had a booth there since we have a large number of hispanic patients. It was the perfect day to be outside in a pretty park and getting to enjoy some authentic mexican food which Sean and I both love! Yummy tamales and a chicken quesadilla. Both were so so good and a wonderful price. I'm pretty sure that I could eat mexican food just about every day.

They had these amazing pineapples filled with frozen pina colada but we didnt have cash for it so we opted for happy hour at sonic! You cant go wrong with half price lemonberry slushies. After running a few errands I couldnt help but ask if we could go to Walmart. It's funny how mundane things like running errands can be so much fun when it's with your best friend. We decided to go ahead and get pumpkins to carve because why not? We will be out of town almost all weekends in October so we decided to go for it. You could say we went a little fall crazy but who cares? We had alot of fun and we just love all things fall at our house! I rounded out my weekend at home, watching a little Say Yes To The Dress marathon, a big mug of pumpkin coffee, and studying for school. I'd say it was a wonderful weekend. I cannot wait for the next one - we are headed to Chattanooga for the entire weekend! I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend!

It's finally Friday! Was it just me or did this week seem to go by slowly yet so fast? I dont know but maybe it's because I'm nervous to start hygiene school tomorrow. Yes, you heard that right. I start tomorrow. Saturday. This schooling is a little different - just one weekend a month for a year. But I will share more on that later! Here are some things that are on my radar this Friday:

ONE // 19 ways to take your top knot game to the next level

Summer is in full swing here in Alabama so it's all about staying cool. I have ridiculously thick and long hair (which I am DYING to cut!) so I am trying to find better ways to keep it off my neck than just a boring pony tail. Maybe the top knot trend has died down but I still love the look. This buzzfeed article has some really good ideas that I am hoping to replicate soon.

TWO // boom clap by charli xcx

Okay. so I cannot stop listening to this song, I think it might be my favorite song of this summer. Yes it from the Fault in Our Stars soundtrack (ah-mazing) but I have been a fan of Charli Xcx for quite some time now. She can do no wrong!

THREE // top picks from goodnight macaroon: tunic | kimono | top

I have known about goodnight macaroon for quite some time but I just havent bought anything yet. Is that silly, or what? The items on the site are just gorgeous and here are three picks that just might make their way home to me.

FOUR // #girlboss by sophia amorusa

Am I late to the summer reading trend? Well I have already made my summer reading list but I think I am going to add this one! #girlboss looks like such a fun book that empowers women to have fun and be strong in the work force. I just love memoirs and leaning about people in the fashion industry. Now if only I could find some spare time to read a good book (when I'm not studying for school)...

FIVE // the leftovers

This show just started on HBO last week and even though its a little odd (and didnt get so great of a review) I kindof like it. It's based on a book by the same name. It's about a town that is trying to rebuild and recuperate after the loss of more than 100 people when a strange worldwide disappearance happened 3 years ago. It's got that creepy vibe but it still something that makes me want to know more because they only let you know just enough about certain characters so far.

Finding new friends is hard. It's hard when you are little and start a new school. I remember when I was going to a new school when I reached 6th grade. I cried and cried every day for what felt like weeks. Part of it was because it was a brand new environment and schedule but part was because I didnt know a single person. As I got older, meeting new people got easier. In college it was easy because I was in a sorority and I had a job that made me speak to different people all the time. Since then I have had many different situations where I am very comfortable getting to know people. It is part of my job as a dental assistant, after all! But now, I live in a brand new city - in a place that I know only one single person (my boyfriend).

I have gotten to know my coworkers fairly well over the past month. They are wonderful people and close to my age, but they lead completely different lives than I do, not to mention they live 30 to 45 minutes away from me. I am really searching for some girlfriends to get to know and become friends with. Is that silly? I am 26 and feel like I should have this part of my life together but I want some friends here in Birmingham so badly. Any of the Birmingham bloggers want to hang out sometime? I'd love some help exploring the city and some people to hang out with!