Washing Your Face 101

I know what you're thinking. Washing your face isn't all that difficult. Wet your face, wash it with soap, and rinse. Correct? Well...no. It's more than that. Since face washing is a process we go through with daily and because it's crucial for any beauty routine, you might as well do it right. That makes sense, right?

Here are some things you should seriously consider. And who knows? Take some mental notes and you might learn something new. 

1. Washing your face once or twice a day, as well as after sweating heavily, is recommended, but you shouldn't overdo it because the obsessive cleansing of such a sensitive part of your body can irritate your skin. If you didn't wear makeup, apply sunscreen, or sweat much that day, experts have said that it's good to skip the cleanser. Instead, give your face a break and simply rinse with lukewarm water.
2. On normal days, wet your face with tepid water and use your fingertips to apply the cleanser of your choice. Using a washcloth, mesh sponge, or anything other than your fingertips can irritate your skin.
3. Now let's get one thing straight. I fell into this trap for a few years, but today let me make it clear to you all that. Hot water does NOT open pores and cold water does NOT close them. I repeat: it is a myth. Pores don't have muscles that systematically open and close them; that would be really weird. I love my hot water (I take way too many steaming showers), but in reality, it can actually mess around with your skin's natural protective oils. This could result in over-drying or over production of sebum. Just think of that next time you're tempted to wash your face with hot water.
4. Most people are aware of this, but you should pat your face dry, don't rub. On top of that, don't just grab the nearest towel. I'm guilty of doing this all the time and I'm going to try to stop it. A clean, soft towel should always be dedicated to blotting your face and your face only— not your roommate or family member's hands.
5. My face tends to get dry if I don't moisturize, so you should know that if you want to increase absorption and help seal in moisture, apply moisturizers immediately after cleansing. Your face should still be damp. Waiting until your face is completely dry can result in your skin feeling greasy, so if you can avoid it, why not?
   
6. I can't emphasize how important it is to wash off your makeup before going to bed. I know that sometimes you're so tired you pass out on the couch (trust me, I've been there), but it's worth hauling yourself to the bathroom before you totally give into your sleeping instincts. Know this, sleeping with your makeup on can ruin complexion for weeks because the products are bound to clog pores and prevent sebum from doing its job. And for those of who don't know what sebum is, it's the lubricant in our skin that moisturizes and removes dead skin cells. This doesn't exclude eye makeup— don't think that you can just leave it on and touch it up in the morning because  leaving it on could cause infection or irritation.
7. Here's what you need to know about facial wipes. They're convenient for removing makeup or doing a quick cleanse when you're in a hurry or at the gym, but you shouldn't be using them in place of your regular cleanser. To thoroughly clean your pores, always follow up with a cleanser and/or scrub when you have the chance.

I might dedicate another post to more detailed instructions, but here are the basics for narrowing down your choices of face washes...

Picking a cleanser

• Make sure that whichever one you pick is capable of completely removing dirt, makeup, and grime
• Keep in mind that you don't want it to be so strong that it strips away too much of your skin’s natural oils or healthy cells
• Similar to Goldilocks and her porridge dilemma, find a product that does the job and satisfies your needs. Your face wash shouldn't be too gentle (causing you to wash twice or scrub hard to cleanse thoroughly), or too harsh (making your skin red, irritated, and/or tight after drying). It should be just right. 
• Use a gentle, non-abrasive cleanser that does not contain alcohol
• Look for cleansers with calming ingredients, like green tea, that will soothe sensitive skin. 
• If you have oily, acne-prone skin, use a face wash with salicylic acid.

What face washes have you used and what you have experienced with them? Is the price worth the product? Have you yet to find 'the one'? I'd love to use the new found info for another post.

XXX
- your friend, Estelle

#JeSuisCharlie

I think (at least I hope) that everyone has heard about the tragedy that took place in Paris, France. I've been meaning to acknowledge the situation for a few days now, but I needed time to digest everything. At first mention I didn't know how bad the incident was. Yes, it's horrible that people were killed, but what did that mean? Here in America it's certain that you've heard about there being shootings in schools more than a few times. Those times were incredibly hard and reality was difficult to face, but those incidents mostly questioned the general public's safety. 

Here's a brief recap of the events that occurred. 
The shock that took place this past Wednesday at the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo (it's like the French version of The Onion) consisted of a deadly attack aiming to harm the producers of cartoons that were not afraid of expressing their opinions through art. In a way, these cartoonists were a symbol of our freedom of speech and that liberty was taken away from them. 

I attended a French school and my dad's side of the family lives in France, so I've been surrounded by a community of proud French individuals, but I don't think that's the reason I've been dwelling on this tragedy. The outcry known to us now as, "Je suis Charlie" or "I am Charlie" was heard around the world and everyone was shaken up because it was a harsh awakening into reality.  That simple phrase has came to symbolize solidarity with the victims of the attack. We are said to be given the right to freely express our opinions, but that freedom comes with consequences. Yes, we are allowed to say what we want to say, but to what extent? The journalists at Charlie Hebdo had their lives sacrificed for that cause and people have now made it clear that we will not back down. We will stay strong, we will unite, and we will not back down. Nous sommes Charlie. (We are Charlie)

The day of the attack, I went to Twitter almost immediately to see what people were commenting on. Much to my disappointment, I had to scroll down quite a bit to read about people's general reaction. I mostly follow celebrities and YouTubers I look up to, so it was really disheartening to see that none of them brought up the event. Instead they talked about irrelevant, materialistic things that couldn't have mattered less in a moment of such tragedy. It came off as really ignorant. Luckily Finn Harries, Will Darbyshire, Niki, and Sammy Albon mentioned the event with passion. If they hadn't, I would've been completely DONE with this world. 

George Clooney perfectly phrased it at the Golden Globes by saying, "Today was an extraordinary day. There were millions of people who marched not just in Paris, but around the world. And they were Christians and Jews and Muslims. They were leaders of countries all over the world. And they didn't march in protest; they marched in support of the idea that we will not walk in fear. We won't do it."

In 2012 a journalist from Charlie Hebdo told CNN, "In France, we always have the right to write and draw. And if some people are not happy with this, they can sue us, and we can defend ourselves. That’s democracy. You don’t throw bombs, you discuss, you debate. But you don’t act violently. We have to stand and resist pressure from extremism." At one of the vigils a sign even read, "The Newseum joins with journalists and all others who support freedom of expression to declare that such cowardly attempts to thwart free speech and a free press will not succeed, and that all people should be able to express themselves freely and without fear."

Although the occurrences were terribly inhumane and lots of people have been misrepresented as a result, we can still put a positive spin on this attack. As an outcome, we've been able to see hundreds of people all around the world taking a stand for the rights we are entitled to. And that makes me happy. As horrid as the event was, the world took the hardship and turned things around, hoping to make this world a better place. 

#JeSuisCharlie

XXX

- your friend, Estelle

A Not So Quick Goodbye

It's impossible to rate a year from good to bad. We can't change the fact that phases will occur, politics will be politics, and tragedies will occur. On the other hand, we mustn't forget that people are awesome creatures that are advancing their knowledge every second of every day. We as a whole are moving towards greater things, whether you realize it or not.  

 

As crazy as it may be though, time progresses, the clock doesn't stop for anyone, and it is now the year of 2015. 
Last year was all about remembering Robin Williams, a comedian of incredible strengths that departed this world (I can't even begin to enunciate what a shock his death was), and applauding hot soccer players during the World Cup held in Brazil (go France!!! and Olivier Giroud).
There was also the Ebola outbreak freak out, which resulted in paranoia and most importantly the world working together to defeat a common enemy (a deadly disease). 
Obsessively playing Flappy Bird was also an addiction that took root all over the world. It spread, spread some more, and might as well have disappeared completely because no one seems to care about it anymore. And for those of you who never played Flappy Bird, I don't know how you could resist the temptation (especially because it dominated everyone lives), just know that you saved yourself a lot of unnecessary frustration over a stupid yellow bird. 
Raising awareness concerning ALS with none other than the ice bucket challenge also took the internet by storm. You couldn't log into any form of social media without seeing friends, family, and celebrities completing the challenge and spreading the word. 
Next up, world news such as ISIS (a terrorist organization that commit actions in the wrongful name of religion), problems being stirred up in Ukraine, and the conflicting beliefs of North Korea led to a different, more somber spectrum of viewing the world. There were always various sides to each story, an accuser, an accused, and a headline. 
Also world news but deserving a small paragraph of its own was Ferguson. Man vs. Man. Inequality vs. Equality. Authority figure vs. Victim. Right vs. Wrong. With all the protests that resulted from that tragedy and painfully similar ones that either followed or preceded Ferguson, all I will say now is that I hope justice is served. Let the strive for equality among all people persist.
On a way lighter subject, yet another thing that defined the year was the widespread state of binge watching; a sedentary state of watching way too much TV. This condition being easily facilitated by Netflix and the ridiculous amount of shows you can find on there (Orange Is The New Black anyone?)
We can't forget about feminism either. What with people speaking out about the subject and the negative connotations that come with it, the acknowledgment of feminism was the biggest it has been in forever, which is a great thing to witness.
And lastly... butts. I couldn't really ignore that one-- Kim Kardashian, Niki Minaj, you name it, B-U-T-T-S were everywhere in 2014. I don't think I'm alone in saying this, but I hope the world is over them, because I sure am. 

But let's not get caught up in the past (I say this once I've practically written an ode to last year). Let's talk now. 2015. 

I've tried for years to have a New Years Resolution, but I always fail to maintain it. Now I have ideas and vague goals that I may or may not see through. So far I've made plans to try out a two week cleanse I read about on Buzzfeed. (I'm a self admitted Buzzfeed addict. I do all the quizzes, I refresh the app several times a day, and I check out all their YouTube videos.) There are two versions of the cleanse I've looked at so far and even though I'm not super motivated to take action quite yet, I really want to try them out. The first one is a Clean Eating Challenge, suggested by Buzzfeed food editors, and the second is a Food Lovers Cleanse, created by Bon Appétit magazine. When I do it (if I do it), I'll make sure to write about it, but don't hold your breath. 

I believe that there's no need whatsoever to wait until the new year to take action or make a change. Why wait for the dates on your calendar to change when you can do something now? If you're one of those people like me that thinks about doing something (erm... over thinks might be more appropriate) but never takes action, the first month of a new year is always a great motivating factor to push you to start. Have you thought about starting a blog? A YouTube channel perhaps? The only thing that's holding you back is yourself, so go for it! Only you have the power to test your limits and reach for your goals. I swear that once you start, you'll feel so accomplished and proud of yourself. 

What are your thoughts on 2014? What goals or notes of self improvement have you given yourself? Is there something you've been holding off on doing? Now is as good as time as ever. 

Good luck this year :)

XXX
- your friend, Estelle

Tights 101

I'll start by saying that I know very well that I haven't posted in a few days. I thought that I would be able to write more now that I'm on winter break and free of the workload that comes with school, but it turns out that my school schedule gives structure to my life. Without that structure all I do is, well, nothing! I'm not even going to lie, all I've done is eat way too much chocolate and watch way too much Netflix.

Anyways, moving onto the subject of tights. Let me start by saying that I never really wear tights (probably because the only pair I own are fishnet ones I wore for Halloween once), but I've been wanting to change that. Recently I've seen lots of winter fashion posts featuring tights as a key accessory and I've come to notice that it really helps complete some looks. Also, now that the weather has grown colder, wearing dresses and skirts bare legged is kind of daring (and cold).

For Christmas I asked for tights and I received a few pairs, but much to my disappointment, none of them were black. I did receive grey and patterned ones though. It was then that I recognized the fact that unfortunately for me, I don't know much about tights in general. So what did I do? Turn to the Google of course (I don't know why, but saying 'the Google' is much more fun than just Google). A few questions I had in mind included: What colors should I own? How should I style them? ...

Here's what I've concluded.

• Black opaque tights. Everyone should own a pair. (If you want them to be more opaque or the weather outside is frightful, don't be afraid to layer on tights)

•  If you're going for a more serious or business-like look, it's recommended that you match the color of your tights to your belt, jacket, or sweater)

• If you're going for a slimmer look, match your tights to your shoes (you can't go wrong with the classic look of black tights and black shoes)

•  White tights aren't the most flattering piece, but there are exceptions for everything (they can add a few pounds)

• For a more durable wear... run tights under water, wring them out, place them in a bag, and place that bag in the freezer for 24 hours. 

• Better quality tights are at least 15% Lycra or Spandex

• And lastly, fishnet tights are fun, sexy, and reminiscent of the 1950s

So that's it! I'm so looking forward to trying out different variations :)

Please tell me any tight styling tips you may know of. I'd love to hear them and add them onto this post. 

XXX

- your friend, Estelle

Movie Spotlight: Twelve

Genre: Crime Film
Setting: New York, the Upper East Side
Time Period: Modern Day
Actors: Chace Crawford, Emma Roberts, 50 Cent

Oh my lord. I don't know if I was overreacting or if this movie was the most emotional thing ever, but I locked myself up in my room when watching it and bawled my eyes out. Dead serious. The award thing is that my mom walked in on me. I swear my face was all blotchy, my nose was stuffy, and I was trying to conceal what a mess I was by hiding underneath the covers. I tried to avoid eye contact and just take a quick peak at her when she spoke to me, but that was a fail. She noticed that my eyes were puffy, which was that obvious, and then she just laughed and said 'Oh honey. It was that bad?'

Yes! The movie was that depressing... at least I think it was. Please tell me if you've watched Twelve and if you have (watched it), did you cry? Please tell me you did. I just confessed what a wreck I was when watching the movie and it would be super awkward if I was the only one with similar thoughts.

First things first, in case you've seen the picture above, I must admit that one of the reasons I landed on this movie was Chace Crawford. Hello. My friends and I always fangirl over him and whenever someone mentions Gossip Girl (which you should all watch by the way) all I can think about is Nate. *sigh*

The movie itself has its ups and downs and it is most definitely not something you'd watch with your family. There was an ongoing presence of drugs, violence, sex, and alcohol. I guess that's to be expected since the main character, White Mike (aka Chace), is a drug dealer.

With a wise voice that narrates the characters' lives throughout the film, it really makes you think. Lots of subjects about death, copping, and remembrance were mentioned and there was some deep stuff going on beneath the surface. This includes characters having inner battles with themselves and other hardships we can relate to (at a certain extent).

The thing with the characters is that some were blinded by life (love and such things...) while others were so freaking annoying and manipulative, you just wished bad karma upon them.

Anyways, this film was melodramatic and all, but if you want something to cry about (like life in general and how the world sucks), Twelve is perfect for the next date you plan between you, your bed, and Netflix.

XXX
- your friend, Estelle

Candy Cane Cookie Recipe

It's the holiday season and I've been feeling really festive and what's the best way to get in the mood? Rewatch all the Glee Holiday episodes (they're always a noteworthy highlight)...and...bake!!! 

I had make Candy Cane cookies a long time ago with my mom, back when making Santa Claus special treats was key to having a successful Christmas, and I remember the process having been  fun and the outcome being adorable. I revisited the recipe and altered it a bit to make it even tastier, so here it is: 

Ingredients:

- 1 ¼ cups of unsalted butter

- 2 eggs

- 2 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar

- ¼ cup milk

- 2 tsp almond extract
- 1 tsp vanilla

- 4 cups flour

- 1 tsp salt

- ½ tsp baking powder

- Desired food coloring (red if you want to make a traditional candy cane)

Directions:
1. In a large bowl cream sugar and butter until light and fluffy

2. Beat in milk, egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract.

3. Stir in flour, baking powder and salt until it is well blended.

4. Divide dough in half

5. Blend food color into 1 half.

6. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours.

7. Preheat oven to 375ºF.

8. Stir together peppermint candy and 2 tablespoon sugar; set aside.

9. For each candy cane, form 4-inch long ‘worms’ out of 1 teaspoon of red dough and 1 teaspoon of white dough by rolling back and forth on floured surface.

10. Place 1 red and white rope side by side

11. Twist them together by lightly pressing the ends together and twisting

12. Roll them in sugar

13. Place on cookie sheet

14. Curve top of cookie down to form handle of cane.

15. Bake 9 to 12 minutes or until set and lightly browned.

16. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack.

17. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

In case you were wondering, an up side of this recipe is that the cookies aren't too sweet. This is why I decided to roll them in sugar. In the pictures you'll see that some cookies are topped with sprinkles, but they're a lot better with classic, plain old sugar. Also, I prefer them on them toastier side, which is why I tended to bake them for 11 minutes. 

Even though actually shaping the dough into candy canes was harder than I remembered it being (probably because my mom had done all of the work last time) the outcome was insanely cute. I gifted these cookies to my friends and they were really popular, receiving lots of ooohs and ahhhhs. 
What gets you in the holiday spirit? 

XXX
- your friend, Estelle

Advice: School Overload

Recently I've been really super busy what with finals and all. (ughhhh. just thinking about it is making my head spin!) Honestly, I'm kind of out of it. Like really out of it. Right now for example, I want to cry. For no reason! My eyes are welling up with tears and I can't seem to push the feelings down. Life is chaotic. The atmosphere is stressful. I went to sleep at 2AM last night and woke up at 6:30AM. That's 4 and a half hours. I'm running on fumes.

All anyone is talking about is grades, grades, and more grades.
The hallways are buzzing and I have never heard people's thoughts speak so loudly.
...My future is relying on these very tests... 
I know that class averages and GPA aren't the only thing that matters, but it's the only thing that people seem to pinpoint when it comes to the future.

My head is spinning and I think I'm going cross eyed because I'm seeing two of everything. I can't seem to focus on one thing. I have the crazy eyes thing going on and this morning there wan't enough concealer in the world to hide my under eye circles. If I close my eyes I know I'll fall asleep and I can't permit myself to.

And I'm procrastinating. I mean, what did you expect?

I'm trying to research ways to stay relax and keep things under control. I'll keep you guys updated though. But for now, my personal piece of advice? Sleep. Eat a nutritious meal to keep you going. Take deep breaths (inhale through your nose and exhale from your mouth). And once it's all over, treat yourself with doing nothing. Just hibernate. I know that everything is easier said than done, but once I click the orange 'Publish' button, I'm going to bed. 

Just remember, ignore this week's cruel torments because once the calender flips itself to Friday evening, it'll all be over. Once you conquer the bump that is finals, it's Winter break. And for those of you who celebrate Christmas, it's only 8 days from now :) 

What do you do to stay calm when your head is bursting with work related things? I'd love to know because trust me, everyone needs it. 

XXX

- your friend, Estelle