$39 spent well

So finding a job has been really stressing me out, not to mention my current living situation.  Groupon had an awesome deal for an hour-long Swedish massage for $39, so I decided to treat myself.  I think I deserve it!

21 days until an hour of pure relaxation and bliss after a 9 hour workday at CBS.

One month left!

So now that I'm about a month away from heading back home to San Diego (either for a while, or just for the holidays...depends on if and where I find a job!), I've decided to compile a list of things I like and don't like about Washington D.C.  Some of them aren't even about the city, but rather my experiences here.  Here goes.

Likes:

• The public transportation system is really easy to use and makes not having a car not as bad.
• There is so much history here! So many free museums, national monuments, and great photo opps.
• My internship with CBS is awesome--I've met so many interesting people, had so many great experiences, and I really love the people I work with.  I've learned a lot, to say the least.
• I enjoy my restaurant job...$12 an hour plus tips as a hostess? I can't complain there.
• There are so many restaurants and bars out here.  I'm never at a loss of where to get happy hour or go out on the weekends.
• Happy hours in D.C. are what people out here live for.  And I'm down to have a few drinks earlier in the night so I can still abide by my new grandma bedtime of 10 PM.
• It's surprising how many people from high school and college I've seen out here.  It's always fun to reconnect.
• It's fun living in an area so focused on politics...it's definitely an exciting time to be out here with elections less than a year away, and I'm learning a lot more about politics than I ever have before.

Dislikes:

• Catching a metro can take forever on the weekends.  I miss my car.
• Intern housing.  Sharing a bedroom is difficult enough at times, but even harder when it's with three other girls and bunk beds are involved.
• Everything is SO expensive out here.  It costs me about $5 to get to and from work every day on the metro, and don't even get me started on the cost of meals.  Let's just say McDonald's doesn't even have a dollar menu here because D.C. must have some law against cheap food.
• People out here can be quite uptight.  Won't apologize when they bump into you, have no concept of customer service...it's definitely a change compared to the laid back vibe of the west coast.

Regardless of all the pros and cons, I've still had a great time out here, and even though I work weekends, there's something about Fridays that always make me eager to let loose.  Only 3 days to go till the weekend!

Beauty on a Budget

I love trying out new makeup and skin care products, but I've been true to a few products since before I can even remember.  After browsing Lauren Conrad's website today, I was inspired to share some beauty tricks of my own, all of which are affordable on a recent college graduate's budget.

The most important part of a makeup regime is lotion, lotion, and more lotion.  I put on Olay's Anti-Wrinkle Eye Cream (it's never too early to start preventing those bad boys!), and Aveeno's Ultra Calming Moisturiser right after I wash my face in the morning.  I always make sure to buy moisturizers with SPF...it's important, even in the winter!

 

I've found that cheap mascara is way better than anything you can buy at Sephora.  Maybelline's Define a Lash is less than $10, and has been true to me since high school.

As for eyeliner, I use a dark brown for my top liner and a light brown for my bottom liner...black is sometimes too harsh for lighter eyes, and I find that this gives me a more natural look while still providing enough definition for my eyes. For eyeliner, I stick with Revlon Colorstay in Cocoa and Brown.  It goes on really smoothly, stays on all day, and is only about $8.

Now my facemake up is a little more pricey than the rest, but it's absolutely amazing and can make anyone's skin look radiant.  Bare Minerals provides coverage while still looking natural, and has a lot of color options to fit everyone's skin tones.  I start off with Bare Minerals in Medium Beige, then use their bisque product for my under eyes or any blemishes.  Then I swipe some Bare Minerals bronzer and blush on my cheeks, and finish off my face with Bare Mineral's Mineral Veil.   A good tip: Buy these products on Amazon for much cheaper prices!

Finally, I'm completely addicted to chapstick and have to have one on me at all times.  Nivea's Hydrating Lip Care as well as Aquaphor's Healing Ointment always seem to do the trick, and I like to top it off with a tinted gloss to finish up the job.  Right now I'm loving my Lancome Juicy Tube, which was the "it" lipgloss to have in middle school...and apparently still gets the job done.

 

My last tip is to always wash your face at night before you to go to bed.  Even though it's tempting to pass out with your makeup on after a long night, it's important to wash off your make up and put on moisturizer before you let your face hit the pillow! I recommend using Olay's Anti Wrinkle Eye Cream again before bed, as well as Aveeno's Positively Ageless Night Cream.

I also swear by Proactiv's Renewing Cleanser, but you have to find a face wash that works best for your skin type! I hope some of these products help save your skin as much as they helped saved mine!