Blonde to Brunette

          For 18 years I was always the blonde.  So when senior year finally rolled around I decided it was time to take a chance and make a small change to my appearance.  I decided it was time to see if blondes really do have more fun.
          Sitting in the salon chair I was a little skeptical, but my nerves eased as I reminded myself that I could always go back to blonde. As I sat there letting the dye seep in I couldn’t help but think, “when did I stop taking risks?”
         When I was little I was always taking chances, my parents were constantly telling me, “don’t jump off the jungle-gym” or “don’t touch that!”  Why did I stop taking those risks?
         The answer was simple; I stopped taking risks because just like everyone else, I became more concerned about what others thought of me than what I actually thought of myself.  I wasn’t sure how people were going to respond to my hair, but I have only gotten compliments; some light-haired girls even said they might dye their hair darker too.  Who knows, there could be those girls who hate it and are talking behind my back. But then again, who cares? 
        My mom has always told me, “There is always going to be someone smarter than you, skinnier than you, richer than you, etcetera. Not everyone in your lifetime is going to like you”. I believe that concept is hard for any of us to accept because we just want to be liked and accepted.  But how are any of us going to be liked or accepted if we can’t like or accept who we are as a person?
         I have been called a dumb blonde, and of course I do have my blonde moments, but I still recall when my sister, who is a brunette, asked my dad if all banks were the same. The point being we all have “blonde” moments.  Hair color shouldn’t define who we are.  It’s hair color! Our hair color isn’t what determines our GPA or IQ level, our knowledge determines that. Our hair color doesn’t determine if we are fun or not, our personality determines that. And hair color does NOT determine if we are fake or real, our character determines that.
       So do blondes really have more fun? In my opinion, no, they don’t. I have been having just as much fun a brunette as I did all my years as a blonde.  Hair color is hair color. It doesn’t define who I am nor does it change who I am.

Fall lips never lie

With a blog called Red Lips Never Lie, it only makes sense that to tell you about this fall's chic lip colors for every mood.

This season be sure you try the five key shades: burgundy, hot pink, coral, red, and nude. If you think you can't  pull of any of these colors you're wrong. You can pull off all of them. You just need to make sure you pick the right shade and apply it the right way.

If you are looking for a bold look try burgundy. It is best applied by pencil or straight from the bottle. Avoid a dark circle around your lips when the color fades without lip liner underneath. A purple-base looks best on fair skin, berry with slight brown undertones pops against medium complexions, and a rich, shimmery wine stands out on dark tones.

If your looking for a more fun and flirty look try hot pink! Most consider hot pink a summer color, but this fall bright colors are all the rage. Apply directly from the tube, working from the outer corners in toward the center of the lips. The deeper your skin tone, the darker pink you can wear because lighter shades can look chalky.

"Coral adds glow to your skin and has a retro charm to it," says Myface Cosmetics Artistic Director Kabuki. Work the color into your lips with a small brush, and perfect the edges with a flat eyeliner brush. Fair skin should stick with a rosy coral, medium complexions should try a vibrant melon, and darker skin should go with gold-flecked version.

My favorite red lips NEVER go out of style!  

"Red lipstick is to beauty what the LBD is to fashion. The difference is that when you walk into a room wearing a red lip, people notice you." -François Nars.  

Red lips in my opinion says I got it all and have confidence. I am invincible. Berry red flatters fair skin, true red looks best on medium tones, and deep orangey rouge pops on darker complexions.

If you're looking for a way to go with a natural look go with a nude color. A shade one level darker than your natural lips will  create a subtle contrast. That's classic, yet modern. Nude will cake up if applied wrong so be sure to swipe on color from the tube, spreading it out with a lip brush. Rosy hues bring warmth to fair skin, peachy beiges plays up medium tones, and copper sparkles on darker skin.

So next time you're out with your friend be sure to only speak the truth, because lips of fall should never tell a lie. 

WANTED: Noah Calhoun...

This weekend as I sat watching The Notebook, I couldn't help but wonder, "do guys like Noah from the Notebook still exist?" The kind of guy who is so proud of his country and would go overseas and write his lover every chance he got. A guy to dance with his girl in the middle of the road with no music.
I have never been one to care for the fairy tales with the princess and Prince Charming. I was more into just the real life love stories.
One of my favorite love stories my mom ever told me was how my grandpa got my grandma's number. She worked at a drive through, the kind where people went to the car on roller blades. My grandpa asked her for her number and her response was "it's in the phonebook." Not only did guys have to work up enough courage to ask a girl out back then, but they also had to work to get something as simple as a phone number. I'm not trying to make it seem that guys don't have a heart, but what I never have figured out is when and how guys lost those traits. In today's world we can creep on a person and get information about them through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. Honestly it's quite creepy. And it seems each generation is getting worse and worse when it comes to communicating with one another face to face. I even find myself struggling to keep a conversation going with a guy in person. I think we all become a little more hesitant when we are talking face-to-face  with one another.  We don't have time to think of how to respond, like we would in a text. We get nervous when talking to people one-on-one and find ourselves stuttering for the right words, but when we text we have time to back space the unneccessary words.
I have so much respect for the men back then when my grandparents were young. They actually had to know how to keep a conversation going with a girl face to face along with keeping her on her toes. Guys now just shoot a girl a text if they want to talk to her, but they want the girl to text them first. It's like guys and girls switched roles. I find myself doing more work than the guy every time I'm in a relationship. I'm not saying the guys I have gone out with were jerks, I'm just saying I can honestly say I have never been on a date where a boy picks me up, takes me out, and then walks me to the door.
I blame society and the media for why guys don't try as hard today. And I'm not trying to say all guys don't work hard, but I still have yet to find one. If there are any guys reading this blog right now thinking I'm crazy and way out of line, maybe I am. But I am telling you that I'm not wrong when I say any girl would love you to dance with her (there doesn't have to be any music), bring her flowers just because, challenge her views, and fight with her just to let her know he cares.
I also believe it's not just guys who have lost some traits from the olden days. I strongly believe girls have lost a lot of respect for themselves over the generations. My grandma knew how to play hard to get; not enough girls today know how to do that. We want to feel so wanted that we are willing to do almost anything to get a guys attention. So I'm with the guys when they want more of a challenge, we aren't giving that to them. Instead of letting guys undress us with their eyes, we wear skimpy outfits that does the job for them. We believe their cute texts, instead of paying attention to their actions and words they tell us in person.
So guys, treat a woman just like that: a woman. And girls, make them want to treat you that way.

To Bailey,

"There's a big world put there. Bigger than prom, bigger than high school, and it won't matter if you were the prom queen or the quarterback of the football team or the biggest nerd. Find out who you are and try not to be afraid of it." -unknown

 As I sat at my computer at one a.m. this morning working on the school blog I have been trying to set up for my school this year  I couldn't help but sit and reflect.  I tried to remember the last time I was truly happy with myself like I was right then.  I sat smiling to myself at the realization that I am meant to be a writer; maybe I will never be a published writer or get my name printed in a magazine. 

Who knows, maybe I will be a stay at home mom and just write my own personal blog all my life,but realized I need to stop thinking like that. I need to start believing my name WILL get printed and that one day my dream of writing for a fashion magazine will come true.   And maybe one day when the people I was never good enough for in high school will realize I was more than good enough.  If I were to ever be famous I want to be quoted that I was never the girl who got the quarterback, I never got the lead in a school play, and I was never editor-in-chief on the newspaper staff. I may never have been good enough for those people, but I was was always good enough for me. 

I like to think I have always been confident, determined, and a dreamer. Sure there are many times when I doubt myself. Usually I doubt my abilities.Throughout the week I couldn't help but think what if tomorrow was my last day.  People will remember I was  a high school girl who started a blog in hopes that colleges would just see she has a passion for journalism. I realized I am so lucky to have found my passion at an early age, but I also know that as life goes on I will find new passions. I firmly believe that we all need to start finding what makes us happy and do a little bit of it everyday because who knows when our last days will be. 

Early this week one of my fellow classmates and friends, Bailey, lost his mom. Throughout the week I couldn't help but think, "what if tomorrow was my last day?"  Would I be happy with how I left the world? Would I be satisfied with my relationships with my family and friends?  

It's not fair that our loved ones go out of our lives at such an early age. But my friend is so strong and just like me I know he has found his passion early in life, which is acting. And let me tell you he is SO talented and there is no doubt in my mind that I wouldn't see his name in lights one day. He is truly one of the nicest guys I have ever encountered in my life and I'm not sure if he knows it, but he honestly has probably had one of the greatest impacts in my life up until this point in my life. He  always sees the bright side of everything and sees the good in everyone and I know for a fact that his mom is going to be watching over him everyday with the biggest smile on her face. I never met Bailey's mom personally, but if I could have I would have made sure to thank her for giving the Cathedral High School Class of 2013 one of its greatest shinning stars.

My challenge to readers today is to try and find that one thing that makes you happy, don't be afraid to show the world your true self, and most importantly make sure you tell all your friends and family how much you love them today and everyday.

Acne No More: 7 tips to clearer skin

Wouldn't it be nice if we could be like guys and just roll out of bed and be ready for the day? But instead, we have to cover up our blemishes with layers of make-up in order to feel good about ourselves along with feeling accepted in society. It's a shame that girls and women of all ages feel so ashamed of their complexion that they need to cover up their true beauty. If you're like me and are always wondering how the celebrities get their perfect flawless skin, the answer is simple: expensive products or  photoshop. Unless good skin runs in a persons she is going to end up having a blemish or two. Or if you're like me, a ton!!!

I am one of those girls who always loved to play with my mom's make-up and, as much as I love make-up, it can end up looking caked on. I have found that by wearing a mineral based make-up your skin won't look cakey. Your pores won't get clogged either! So, it's no big deal if you forget to take your make-up off before a quick nap.

But how can a person clear up their skin and make it look as if it were photoshopped? I can't make your acne go away, but I can give you 7 simple tips that won't cost you a dime!

If you're anything like me, you love your beauty sleep, but it's not always easy to get much sleep with a busy to do list. But getting plenty of sleep can help repair and recover your skin from  the day that that came before. Shoot for at least 8 hours if possible. 

Cleaning your pillow case every two weeks helps keep bacteria and oil that rub off from your skin and hair from staying too long on the pillow.  Cleaning your phone case will also help with clearing up your skin. Your phone has bacteria on the screen that can carry staph bacteria.

Drink lots and lots of H2O. Drinking lots of water will not only help clear your skin up but it has also often been reported to help with a healthy glow as well. It obviously won't happen over night but just a week of drinking a healthy amount of water can have a good effect.

I know when it comes to my break outs they are mostly related to stress. I am constantly stressing out about every little thing. But I have started to realize once I get overwhelmed, I need to walk away and do a small activity to get my mind off it, such as painting my nails or blogging!

Last but not least...stop picking and popping those mountains. I know it's so hard not to and I'm so guilty of doing it but you will save yourself from scarring if you stop now.

So a quick over view:
1. Get plenty of sleep, shoot for at least 8 hours
2. Clean your pillow case every two weeks if possible
3. Clean your phone!
4. Hydrate!!!
5. Try not to stress
6. Use natural make up
7. Stop picking and popping

Summer to Fall: Crop Tops

Ahhhh fall! Pumpkin spice lattes, the beatiful leafs, and of course, my favorite: the crisp,cool air with the smell of bonfires!  But with the weather starting to get cooler it can make one miss the summer sun and skin revealing clothes.  Even though a girl's short shorts are put up until spring break, teens girls might be glad to hear crop tops, one of the summer's hottest trends, are transfering over from the summer heat to the fall chill.  We all loved crop tops this summer; they were flirty and fun. But crop tops are also something you can dress up with jeans and heels for a night on the town or even dress down with some leggings and flats this fall!

Check out a set I made on Polyvore
SummertoFall:CropTop

Friendship Friday

"The most important thing in life is your family. There are days you love them, and others you don't, but in the end they're the people you always come home to. Sometimes it's the family you're born into, and sometimes it's the one you make for yourself. " - Sex and the City

After my week this week, I have no idea where I would be without my best friends.
Besides family, our friends are the ones who teach us some of the most valuable lessons in life. They challenge our views, the help us realize our full potential, but most of all they help us to believe in our selves. Where would any of us be without out best friends?

After a long, stressful week I own a big thank you to all my friends. But most importantly the three girls who always manage to cheer me up, deal with my bitchy moods, comfort me when I get so overwhelmed I want to cry. With all of that they still manage to want to be friends with me. Together we make up the real women of Sex and the City. Each of our personalities make our friendship exciting. There is never a time when we aren't laughing or having fun. Only the thing is we aren't just best friends, we have grown to become sisters. High school is tough as I have said multiple times. I've lost friends and I've gained friends.

Coming in freshman year I had my one best friend, Jorden, who has legit been with me since day one. Jorden is still the one who knows me better than anyone else in the world, but of course we have grown apart. At first it was hard going from  hanging out with her every day to hanging out with her once every month. It was hard for me to accept at first that we both were starting to make new friends but i finally realized it didn't matter. At the end of any day I know I can go to her for anything.

As high school went on and just as life goes on, people come into our lives and shape us into the people we are today. I am so blessed and lucky to have the friends I do. Each and everyone of them challenge me to be my best and they have helped me discover something new about myself each day.

My freshman year I also met my best friend Kim. I can't even say Kim is my best friend because she has honestly become my little sister. We fight like sisters, we are constantly at each others house, we are inseparable. Next year going to college is going to be so hard not being able to see her everyday. Kim honestly is the one who knows me better than I know myself.I don't know of Kim knows it or not, but she is one of the best things that has ever come into my life. There were days when I didn't know how much more I could take but she has always reminded me I have a purpose in life.

It wasn't until my junior year that my best friend Dani and I became close. We had mutual friends but it wasn't until journalism class that we realized we were each others better half. I don't really consider Dani my best friend I consider her more like my mom, big sister, and friend all mixed into one. Dani and I will literally fight like sisters, we argue and then five minutes later it's as if nothing happened. Dani is the one who is constantly acting like a mom for me. If it weren't for her I honestly think I would have lost my mind by now.

Now junior year, I also became close with my friend Ellery. I knew Ellery since freshman year but since we are in different level classes, I never really got to know her. It wasn't until Kim and Dani really introduced me to her that I realized the missing piece of my puzzle was complete. Ellery has a way of making anyone laugh at anything. She has such a such a tender heart and are so generous. Ellery was the one who finally made me realize it is okay to be myself.

So here's to my girls, I don't know where I would be without you!