Tips & Tricks: EXAM EDITION

Hey loves,

Some of you are enjoying your (well-deserved) Christmas break. Lucky you! But some of us... Well we need to study for the exams that are coming up AFTER break. Here are a few tips that will hopefully help you.

1. Start on time

Oh yes, you procrastinators out there! I'm guilty as well. But starting on time actually helps! Don't put off making summaries at the last possible second. It's less work if you work on it after your classes. That way, the information is still fresh in your mind and BOOM: you have a summary to study. Less time-consuming AND less stressful.

2. Make your own schedule

You know yourself better than anyone. So decide if you're more of a morning student or an evening student and base your schedule on that. Don't compare it to others as everyone has their own methods. I'm personally an evening studier, so I don't wake up at 7 since I know I won't be productive. Also, I like to sleep. I'm better at staying up late than waking up early!

3. Take reasonable breaks

Everyone needs a break. Especially when you've been staring at your books or screens for a while. Find out whether you prefer a lot of little breaks, or just one big break after a couple hours of studying. Go out for a walk, make some food or do some yoga! Anything to take your mind off of school for a little while. Taking breaks help process the information better and you will be more productive when you start studying again.

4. Use colors. Loads of them

I'm a big fan of markers. Big, big fan! Not only do they make your books and notes look pretty, they actually help you memorize the information better. When marking a word or a sentence, it stands out. That helps you remember it on the exam!


Alright so those were some pretty basic tips. Here are a few more that people tend to forget:

5. Change your clothes

Sounds weird. But I know that a lot of people stay in their pajamas to study. They wake up  and walk to their desk the way they're dressed. My tip to you is: change. your. clothes. Even if you're staying home all day, just change into some soft leggings and a comfy sweater. You'll shake off the grogginess and you'll feel more awake. Splashing cold water on your face also helps!

6. Eat healthy and drink loads of water

It's so much easier to grab something quick and unhealthy while studying. But most of the time, it's counter-productive. You need something that will give you energy throughout the day. Don't eat too heavy at lunch because you will want take a nap right after. And water, loads loads loads of water. That's always a good idea. And it helps against pimples. Nobody wants pimples, not even when they're studying!

7. Open a window

Even if it's freeeeeezing cold outside (which it currently is in Belgium), open your window. Maybe not the whole time but for 15 minutes every couple of hours so fresh air comes in. Cold air works wonders for me to stay awake.

8. Sleep

If you can, try sleeping 7-8 hours a night. If you don't sleep enough, you will be less concentrated and might end up taking a nap on your desk (trust me, it happens!). Especially the night before your exam! Otherwise, because of the lack of sleep, you won't remember the little basic things. So sleep! You'll go into your exam with fresh eyes, face and brain. You've studied, you'll know the answer!



Good luck to all of those studying for the exams. You can do it! But remember: not everything is about school. Those grades do not define you. You can achieve anything you want in life. Just gotta work. Hard.

Hope you liked this post. I'm going back to my books!

Love

Molly

Let's talk about LUSH!

Hi there

Cold weather is coming up (or is already here for some of ya! Or not at all for those in AUS)! That only means one thing: warm baths & hot showers! I always love pamper days when it's cold out. I like to treat myself to a hairmask, a facemask and just mmmh-smelling products in general! So of course LUSH is the place to go to. 

For those who don't know what Lush Cosmetics is: it's where they make fresh handmade cosmetics. All their products are plant-based and do not contain any harsh chemicals. The company is against animal testing and is completely vegan. Oh and did I mention they are eco-friendly? What's not to like?

You may notice I am not mentioning any bath bombs or bubble bars here and there is a very simple reason for that: I do not own a bath. Here are 5 products you can enjoy from LUSH Cosmetics, even if you don't have a bath tub:

1. King Of Skin:

 Words cannot express how much I love this. I have very dry skin and I'm very lazy a.k.a I hate moisturising after I get out of the shower. This is the perfect product for me! I just put some water on the body butter and I rub it on my body. The bar just melts into your skin. You don't need to rinse it off. Also: it kind of smells like chocolate. If that's not a reason to buy this body butter, than I don't know what is ...

Note: when you get out of the shower, don't dry yourself too harshly. It's better to pat your body dry so your body will feel moisturised. 

King of Skin 

2. Eau Roma

I love how toners are just completely clear and feel like water. You don't really think they are doing much but they are so good and gentle for your skin. This one contains rose water and lavender water, both are used to soothe and soften the skin. I use it after my cleanser and before my night/day cream. 

Eau Roma Water

3. Balancoire face mask
Sometimes you need to treat yo self! Wash your face, put this face mask on, make yourself a cup of tea (or hot chocolate, whichever you prefer) and get on Tumblr/Pinterest/Weheartit/... or watch your favourite TV show! Face masks are great to calm your skin and nourish it. This one smells amazing as well! 

4. Aqua Marina

At first, I wasn't too sure about this face cleanser. It had little green pieces mixed with a pinkish goo. The consistency wasn't one I used before. But I liked it a lot! It was a really nice surprise. The consistency turned out to be really gentle so this was really good for my sensitive skin. 

Aqua Marina

5. The Godmother soap

I just really like this one for the smell! It's just such a girly and sweet smell. It makes your whole bathroom smell amazing and it also lingers for a very long time on your hands and body.

The Godmother

So here are my 5 favourite products from Lush Cosmetics! Leave a comment below with your 5 favourites! And just a quick question: who wants to give me a bath tub for Christmas so I can use those Christmas-themed bath bombs? 

Love xoxo

Molly 

Karl Lagerfeld has a surprise for us!

Chanel will be releasing another short film on dec. 1^st! The title is “Reincarnation” and was created and directed by Karl Lagerfeld himself, in honor of the Métiers d’Art collection which will be presented in Salzburg next week. I’m so excited about Cara Delevingne and Pharrell Williams being the main characters!!

The film recounts on the moment when Coco Chanel was inspired to create the iconic Chanel jacket, when she spotted the elevator operator’s uniform at the Austrian hotel where she vacationed in 1954.

Pharrell plays the elevator operator wearing the famous jacket, and Cara plays an Austrian royalty in a beautiful dress. 

The song, “CC The World” that comes with the trailer is composed by Pharrell and sung by Cara. This model was apparently on the first row when talent was handed out. What is it that Cara can’t do?!

Have a look at the teaser, are you also getting excited for the complete version of the film?

- Amal ♥

Tarte cosmetics

Hello lovely readers,

Last year, my cousin introduced me to this new make-up brand called Tarte. One of the main things I love about these products is that they are cruelty-free and eco-friendly! As you probably have read before on this blog, you know that I have highly sensitive skin. I'm always skeptical about trying out new products because I easily break-out. But Tarte only uses naturally-derived ingredients which mean there is no crazy chemical bad-for-your-skin stuff in it!

This brand originates from the US, and that is where I got my products as well. Unfortunately, they don't have stores in every single country. For the american readers, you can find this brand at ULTA. For other countries: it's available in SEPHORA (make sure to check the website first to see if they actually got it!)

My absolute favourites:

Tarte Amazonian Clay Airbrush Foundation

Tarte Airbrush Finish Bamboo Foundation Brush

Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes!

Thanks for reading! 

Xoxo Molly

Who is Taylor Marie Hill?

I’ve been wanting to write this article for a while, but never really got to it. Today I decided to write, and immediately upload it (hurray for my productivity!). 

So this article is about Taylor Marie Hill. Maybe you haven’t heard from her before, but you must have spotted her face at least once. Taylor has been modelling since she was 15 years old. She started with Ford Models, now the model is signed up with IMG Models.

Taylor Hill for Blugirl ss 2013

I’ve been keeping an eye on this girl for about two years now and I’ve been sensing that she’s making big career steps in the world of modelling. I think she has a lot of potential and she might get really big in the near future, that’s why I wanted to introduce you all to this girl. I also think that she deserves this little shout out.

There’s not too much to find about her on the internet or in magazines, but I thought it would also be fun to give you an overview about the things I picked up about her since I first spotted her. By the way, I think it must have been on Instagram. She caught my eye because she seemed very familiar to me. I had seen her before on the H&M website. She’s been working a lot for H&M, DIVIDED. That’s why you might spot her while looking for clothes on their online shop. 

Taylor Hill for H&M

You can also find her on the VS PINK website. She’s even has been on the head banner for a while. And not so long ago, Taylor announced that she’ll be walking in the VSFS this year. She posted a picture on her IG account, caption: “New from VS pink also I’m super excited to announce I’ll be walking in the VSFS this year I’m coming for Ya London!! @victoriassecret”.

Taylor Hill for VS PINK

I already mentioned I have a feeling that Taylor Hill is becoming bigger. The fact that she will be in the VSFS is of course one of the biggest reasons. But also because I’ve seen her on several catwalks during the latest Fashion Month. She’s walked for Karl Lagerfeld, Dolce & Gabbana, Christopher Kane, Versace, Kenzo, ... and (my favourite designer!!), Elie Saab!
 

Sooo, big up for this girl! I’m no expert in the model industry, but in my opinion she’s been doing awesome work and I think she’s a person we’ll be hearing more about soon. I’m telling you girls, keep her name in mind. Taylor Marie Hill.

If you want to know more about her modeling story, then go watch this video!

- Amal ♥

Plain T stylin’

I’ve been loving plain T’s lately. It’s the perfect item for creating different styles and a great base for layering. In this post I will show you some of my plain T creations. Hopefully you can use this as an inspiration for your own outfits. :-)

This is an everyday look. The plain T allows you to play with different accessories.

Here you have a look that’s more convenient for a more special event. This glitter skirt brings out your feminine side!

This is how I mostly style my plain T. A laid back look, again with some jewellery to spice up the outfit. I love slip-ons!

If you want to see more “outfitbords” like these, visit: http://imagina-tion.polyvore.com/ t’s my Polyvore account.

Love,
Amal

Pic of the week: Blake Lively's baby bump

Starting today, I will be sharing a pic of the week on each Saturday.

This week's picture goes out to Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds.

The actress and actor are expecting their first child. Blake Lively confimed her pregancy early this week. She shared this amazing news by posting a picture of her baby bump on her lifestyle website Preserve. (shoutout to the cutest baby announcement ever!)

Blake is now posting more photos of her pregnant figure. So if you want more babybumpfun, then go visit her website!

I can only imagine this is going to be a beautiful baby. - Amal ♥