If you’re in Australia like me, you’ll be nearing the end of your first semester at university. And that means the dreaded final assessments and exam time. I know I’ve been struggling a lot with getting everything done, and my body has suffered for it! I haven’t been eating as much or as healthily as I should and I just haven’t been getting to the gym. Add to the freezing, wet weather in Tasmania and you could say it’s gotten me into a bit of a funk! I’ve found myself a few skincare, makeup and general essentials that I cannot live without at the moment and I thought I’d share them with you, to try and make these stressful few weeks as calm as possible!
The Lush Cupcake Fresh Face Mask has been a godsend to me recently. My skin has been incredibly frustrating- extremely dry and dehydrated in patches and oily in others, and this mask helps to work with both! I’ve noticed it’s helped my skin be less oily and keeps my skin feeling incredibly soft, both of which I really need right now! The Mario Badescu Facial Spray has been another essential of mine. I keep it on my desk/in my handbag if I’m at the uni campus and spray it on my face every so often. It just helps me feel more refreshed and awake and helps my skin get a little bit more moisture. The GlamGlow SuperMud Clearing Treatment is something I talk about constantly on the blog, but it’s become a lifesaver – I get stress breakouts, and this helps them leave my face faster! The Neutrogena Hydro Boost Eye Roll-On* is just an absolute gem. I prefer to study at home and when I do I don’t wear makeup (personal preference, I don’t wear makeup if I’m not leaving the house) and I use this probably 2-3 times a day on my under eye area. It doesn’t do much to help with my dark circles, but it helps to hydrate and de-puff my eye area and the rollerball on the end is cooling which helps to wake me up!
During assessment/exam periods I only ever really leave the house for two reasons – work or to go to uni and continue studying. If I’m at work I’ll put a lot more effort into my appearance but for going to campus I keep it fairly simple. The Stila One Step Correct Primer helps to correct my uneven skintone and brighten up my complexion which is helpful when I’m inside all day! Depending on how my skin is (if it’s looking good I’ll skip this step) I’ll use the Laura Mercier Illuminating Tinted Moisturiser*. It provides a light-medium coverage and leaves my face with a healthy glow. If my skin is fairly clear I can skip it, but I do love love love the coverage and effect this product gives. Benefit Erase Paste is a step I cannot skip, it’s a colour corrector for under my eye area and truly helps my dark circles! I use it under my Maybelline Fit Me Concealer in 15 Fair to cover up my dark circles and highlight the area. Because stress makes me break out (and gain weight, damn you genetics!) I use the Body Shop Tea Tree Concealer in the lightest shade on any blemishes because it helps to dry out my pimples whilst also concealing them. Then I’ll finish off with a layer of the Rimmel London Lasting Finish Waterproof Foundation Powder* for a bit of extra coverage and to set my face for the day. The L’Oreal Miss Manga Mascara is my current favourite because the volume and length and colour it gives makes me look a lot more awake than I feel! These steps just create a natural look but make my face look a bit nicer! I of course do my brows, put something on my lips and occasionally put on eyeshadow but there aren’t any products I use more regularly than others for these.
Finally, the ‘random’ essentials. I don’t know about you, but being up until all hours and waking up when my partner leaves for work (it should be illegal to wake up at 7.30am!) zaps my energy levels, and my love for coffee has ignited once again. I’ve been using my Frank Green Smart Cup* every day for coffee. It’s spill resistant, which means I can have it with my in bed (I don’t currently have a desk so I spread myself out on the bed instead!) and not worry about it going everywhere, and I can throw it in my handbag and it won’t spill all over my books. Plus it is double-walled and keeps my coffee warmer for longer, which is handy for the occasional time where I get on a roll with writing and don’t want to stop! I honestly don’t know how I lived without it! I can’t wait for the technology behind the cup to be released, it’ll mean I won’t need to find my card and I’ll be able to have coffee just by tapping my lid! Read about it all here. My Swarovski USB is an absolute essential at the moment. I received mine as a gift which is why I have it, but any old USB will do! I like to back my files up, send the important ones to myself via email and keep them on my USB, just in case something fails me! It’s happened before and I’m sure one day it’ll happen again! My nails often get neglected because I have more important subjects on my mind, so using the Burt’s Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream* on my cuticles every few days is a lifesaver. I’m on my second tin of it, it keeps my cuticles soft and my nails looking good. Highlighters are also my biggest essential, I love these ones that look like lipsticks that I picked up around Christmas time! They make me smile every time I use them… but they also distract me while I think about makeup so it’s probably not a good thing!
And there you have my absolute essentials for this time of year! I’ve been using every one of these items almost every day and I’m still sane, just! Sending all my best wishes for everyone’s marks!
*Products marked with an asterisk have been provided to me for consideration. No compensation was received and does not affect my review. All opinions are my own, as always.
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