Thursday, January 31, 2013

Nail of the Week- Galaxy Inspired Manicure

Last week I've been rocking an easy version of a galaxy inspired manicure I came up with using what I have after seeing MissJenFABULOUS's How To: Galaxy Nails. For materials, pictures, and her video, see below. (Click images for larger view.)

 
 

I used:
Sally Hansen Diamond Shine Base & Top Coat + Gift 307730
Wet N Wild Shine Nail Color: Black
Sally Hansen HD Nail Color, Laser- 0.45 fl oz
Wet N Wild Wild Shine Nail Color: Hallucinate #469

My method:
1. 1 layer of base coat and let dry completely.
2. 1-2 layer(s) of black and let dry completely.  
3. Cover half of each nail with 2 coats of Laser. Let dry completely in between.
4. 1 light coat of Hallucinate.
5. 1 coat of top coat and let dry completely.

For another version of a beautiful galaxy inspired manicure, check out MissJenFABULOUS's video tutorial down below.


Thursday, January 24, 2013

Sephora (Birthday) Haul :)

Sephora recently had great deals going on and not being able to pass it up, plus justifying it as a birthday present to myself ;), I did a little online shopping @ sephora.com. Sephora had a deal of doubling points on any purchases of skincare products for a limited time. Also, with a code and purchase of at least $25, 2 deluxe samples were available to add from a number of products. Finally, the typical 3 free samples with orders included a sample of a perfume I've been wanting to try out. So, with all these perks, I felt now was a good time to get some things I wanted to try.

I received my package a few days ago. For pictures of what I got, see below. I plan to do a number of reviews once I use these products, so check back for those if you are interested! So far, I like the 3 scents in my order ;)

 
The 3 products I originally wanted to try and purchased, included down below are:
Korres Wild Rose Instant Brightening Eye & Skin Duo
Sephora Ultra Soothing Fiber Mask
Tarte Clean Slate Deluxe Primer Trio

 
The 2 deluxe samples I chose from about 13 were:
Murad Pore & Line Minimizing Hydrator
Gucci Première by GUCCI Eau de Parfum

 
Finally, the 3 free samples I chose were:
Lancôme Trésor
Paco Rabanne Lady Million
Fresh Lotus Youth Preserve Face Cream With Super 7 Complex

Saturday, January 19, 2013

High School vs. College/ University

Since the new year is in full swing with almost a month over, I thought it would be helpful for me to post one of my articles I did in high school about the difference between high school and college. This may be helpful to high school seniors who are thinking about whether they should continue their education rather than head to work full time. This may also help prepare those who are ready for this new journey in knowing some of what to expect. My article gives a glimpse to some of the research I did before I started uni. myself (almost a year and half ago). Remember, these are different for everyone in different situations, so nothing is really set in stone (like the two quotes). But nonetheless, I think this can be used as a beginners guide to get an idea on the college/ uni. experience. Hope this helps someone :)

We've all heard that college is nothing like our earlier years of education. But what exactly is so different between the two?

For starters, college allows a student more personal freedom. This might sound exciting at first with the thought of not having parents or teachers irritating you about getting homework, studying, or chores done. But this freedom comes with a lot of responsibility. You have to make mature, responsible, and wise decisions.

While in high school, you can count on parents and teachers to remind you of your responsibilities and to guide you. Being in college means you are old enough to take responsibility for what you do and don’t do (like your homework and studying), as well as accepting/ dealing with the consequences of your actions.

This personal freedom and higher level of responsibility in college also means you have to balance the tasks you have to do with the things you want to do.

College classes are very different from high school regarding the number of students attending classes, the pacing of the course, and the instructors.

A typical high school class may have no more than 25-30 students, whereas a college class population may number 100 students or more. A freshman seminar may have 200 people in attendance!

Another difference can be seen in the pacing of the course. Unlike high school where a teacher may spend a week or two on one specific topic, college professors tend to cover a greater amount of information within a short amount of time. What might have taken a full year to cover in high school will probably be covered in one semester in college. 

Finally, teachers in high school contrast with professors when it comes to make-up work. If a high school student is absent, the teacher usually provides the make-up assignments.

Professors, on the other hand, expect students to get notes that may have been missed on their own, and to complete the work on time. They expect you to read, save, and follow the course syllabus (outline). The syllabus spells out exactly what is expected of you, when the assignments are due, and how you will be graded.

Chris K. said, "Professors don't write a lot; they lecture and may use PowerPoint presentations. Some assignments may include keeping a journal or managing a blog for class." This leads to the subject of studying, testing, and grading between the two learning atmospheres.

College test preparation differs from high school test preparation. High school teachers may have given a lot of test preparation help, prepared study guides, or even provided the exact questions that would be asked on the test. College studying may take 2-3 hours a night for each course and the testing is usually infrequent and may cover large amounts of material. You need to organize study material to prepare for the test.

Rabya S. suggests these study tips: "Rewrite your notes (key points). The night before the test/ exam, go over study guides if professors provide any, and look over your notes right before taking the test/ exam." For extra help and study, check out the college's tutoring hours.

With regards to the difference in grading between high school and college, high school grades are given for most assigned work. Assessment in college consists of tests/ exams and major papers, which usually provide most of the course grade. A particular college course may only have two or three tests in a semester.

To sum up, college differs from high school tremendously. With the freedom, responsibility, classes, instructors, studying, grading, etc. college is really a different experience than high school.

Even with all these differences, college is an experience to enjoy, as many college students and alumni say. Take college seriously from the start, get and give help, make smart choices, and you are sure to be successful! Remember, you can still have fun while learning and preparing for your future.   

Saturday, January 12, 2013

My Advice on College/ University

With the start of a new semester for college/university students coming up, I thought I would share some of my college/uni related advice. These are just some pointers and reminders for myself and others. Hope they help <3

Organization
1. Use a planner to help organize daily activities such as school work, studying, job, free time, etc. A planner with daily, weekly, and monthly sections (with enough writing space) will help in planning for important tasks and will ultimately help in being more productive.  
2. Buy an accordion file folder to keep a lot of paper (at home) for different subjects in one place instead of individual folders that will fill up quickly. An example would be C-Line Biodegradable 7-Pocket Expanding File, Letter Size, 1 Expanding File, Color May Vary (48300)

Classes and Professors
1. Find out as much info as possible about course content and professors BEFORE you sign up for a class. Try http://www.ratemyprofessors.com/ 
2. Sit in the front row of the classroom. This will help you pay attention to the professor and not get distracted by classmates or fall asleep ;)
3. Try to take at least 1 online course and see if you can manage it. It may have an extra fee, but if you can manage it, then this is one less class that you have to be on campus for allowing a little more free time (and a sense of safety).
*Online class participation is good for shy individuals :) See my post on Pros and Cons of Online Classes
4. Most importantly, go to all your classes unless it is an emergency. Not wanting to get out of bed, especially on a rainy day, is NOT an emergency ;)

Textbooks
1. Look for your textbooks at the library and place it on hold so you get it before others. This will help you save some money on books (especially if you are an English major ;) that you will probably end up selling back anyway.
2. Try to buy your textbooks (new, used, rent) from places other than the college bookstore, unless it is ONLY sold there. The prices may be more jacked up compared to other places. Try http://www.half.ebay.com/, http://www.amazon.com/, http://www.barnesandnoble.com/, etc. Compare prices and try to buy from the same seller to save money, especially on shipping.
3. Cover your textbooks with clear contact paper as soon as possible (especially if they are new), to reduce damage to the covers and spine. This will help when it comes time to selling the books back. An example would be Decora Clear Contact Paper 3 Yd.
4. Read your textbooks and try not to fall behind in your readings; it will be really hard to catch up!
 
On campus
1. Join at least one club/activity you are interested in and plan to be active.
2. Attend/learn self-help workshops/skills for money/time management, note-taking/study skills, etc.
3. If you don't work already, try to find a job on campus. This will make it easier going from work to class and vice versa.

Other
1. Learn to be independent and money smart!
2. Apply to as many scholarships as possible.
3. College/university allows a lot of free time and 'experimenting". Try to discipline yourself and always do what you KNOW is right.
4. Study what YOU are really interested in. Don’t go into a field for the money, status, pressure from family, etc. Remember “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” ― Confucius and “Love what you do and do what you love…" ― Ray Bradbury
5. Make friends and socialize with the "right" people. Avoid those who pressure you to do anything uncomfortable, dangerous, or basically, regrettable.  

My final piece of advice that I strongly believe in; "Life is what you make it, and that includes college!" -SF <3

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Mini Sephora Haul

Since, my birthday is coming up, I went over to Sephora this past Saturday to pick up their free Beauty Insider complimentary birthday gift. And while I was there, I decided to buy an eye cream I've been wanting to try, which was sold in a set. So the two products I got were:
Sephora's Instant Moisture Kit
and Benefit's Real Birthday Turn-Ons set


I do plan on doing a review on these after I try them, but check below for a sneak peek of what's inside...

Sunday, January 6, 2013

Cosmo 2012 Voxbox Product Reviews

I gave myself a month to try out the free products I got from Influenster for testing purposes. Hope this helps :)

First of all, the products in the Cosmo 2012 VoxBox included (according to the info. card that was inside):
1. FriXion by Pilot Pen ($4.50 for a 3 pack, $11.00 for 8 pack)
2. Forever Red Eau de Parfume Exclusively @ Bath and Body Works ($10.00 for .25 fl oz./ 7ml., $44.50 for full size)
3. Ghirardelli Gourmet milk Sea Salt Escape: $2.79
4. Venus $3.50-$4.50/month for blade refills
    Gillette Venus Embrace (refill)
    Venus & Olay Razor

 
I received a black and purple FriXion pen in my box. These were one of the most useful things in this box for me. I love that they are gel ink and erasable, so it is great for journaling without having to cross out all over the page :) Honestly, the pens are a little light, like the black. I compared it to another gel ink pen I got from Walgreens to show you all the difference (see picture below). I wish that another pen, like in blue ink, was included to make a pack of 3 for $4.50. Overall, these two pens aren't bad and I will get good use out of them. If you want to try a pack, check out Pilot FriXion Ball Pen, Erasable Gel Ink, Fine Point, Assorted Colors 3 pack: Black, Blue, Red (FX7C3001)


 
When I first smelled Forever Red, it reminded me of other Bath and Body Works fragrance mists that I have. Forever Red isn't an exact copy of other scents but to me, it smells similar to Midnight Pomegranate, Secret Wonderland, Dark Kiss, and Black Amethyst. What I really didn't like about Forever Red is the strong scent. I don't like strong scents, and this is definitely strong for me. If you would like more info. on Forever Red, check out http://www.bathandbodyworks.com/family/index.jsp?categoryId=17029796&cm_sp=FO-_-Body+%26+Bath-_-Forever+Red&cp=12586965.12587147

 
For religious reasons, I don't eat/consume alcohol or products that contain or are made with alcohol. According to http://www.muslimconsumergroup.com/search_results.html Ghirardelli uses natural vanilla which is extracted with alcohol. So, I did not eat this.

 
Finally, the Venus razor and refill. This was the second useful product in the box for me. Even though I prefer using creams for painless hair removal, I tried this razor and liked that it was really moisturizing and made for a clean shave. The rubber grip on the handle was also helpful for control. The price of the razor wasn't mentioned on the card, but seeing it advertised elsewhere, the razor runs around $8-$10. If you want to try out this razor, check out Gillette Venus Embrace Womens Razor, 1 Razor 2 Razor Refill Cartridges Kit From the 2 refills that were given, my favorite one was...

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

2013 New Year Goals

Since it is the beginning of another new year, many people make new year resolutions/goals. Likewise, I have been doing the same for the past few years. This way, you can see what you accomplished after a year. In other words, this is a simple way to be responsible for what you have or have not done/changed. Here are my goals for 2013. Feel free to share yours below in the comments :)

1. journal everyday (in my new daily journal <3)
2. use habitator daily and vary goals monthly (check http://productivemuslim.com/the-productivemuslim-habitator/ to see what I'm talking about and to print copies for yourself and others)
3. stop bad habits
4. donate monthly
5. save more money than I spend on myself
6. be a better blogger
7. finish Quran and English translation http://allahsquran.com/read/index.php
8. finish 2-3 IOU classes http://www.fanarinstitute.com/
9. memorize and understand new chapters from 30th part in Quran (use Touched by an Angel)

P.S. I did a recent post on my writing (and reading) blog on a book haul. Curious? Check http://sfwritinginwonderland.blogspot.com/2012/12/barnes-and-noble-book-haul-4.html