Alltrue Ethical Subscription Box Review

Hi everyone! (:

I hope you’ve all been doing well! I know it’s been a while since I’ve posted. Life has been pretty hectic to say the least and has been full of so much change and many transitions for me lately. I’ve missed sharing my journey and passions with you guys SOOO much. I’m happy to be back and have my creative spark again after a very challenging season of my life! I can’t wait to provide more details and an update in a later post, but today we have a different topic to talk about!

If you’ve been following me for a while, you already know my love for sustainable, ethical, and cruelty-free products. Ever since I switched to a fashion merchandising student halfway through my college experience and did my capsule wardrobe project, I have developed a passion for incorporating sustainability and supporting artisans and small businesses (specifically woman-owned and POC-owned) in many areas of my life. When Alltrue approached me with the opportunity for a collaboration, I absolutely couldn’t resist!

about Alltrue

Formerly known as CAUSEBOX, Alltrue is mission-driven, women’s subscription box featuring sustainable and ethical products. In addition to this, the box also includes brands that support charitable causes. There are 4 total subscription boxes in a full year that ship for FREE. If you’re like me, having free shipping is a big tipping point in whether I decide to purchase something or not! Alltrue has two membership types, quarterly and annually. The quarterly box is $54.95 per season, and the annual box is $199.80 for a full year and also includes box customization. To be honest y’all, I’m a woman that doesn’t love surprises, so having the opportunity to customize my box and know exactly what I’m getting is really appealing to me!

The memberships also come with some extra perks such as access to the Add-On market, a market that consists of over 800 socially conscious products for up-to 70% off, the Essentials Shop, and a newly launched podcast. Now, the moment we’ve all been waiting for… let’s dig in to the box!

what’s in the box?!

As you can see above, the packaging itself is extremely well designed with fun, bold colors. It honestly makes me want to hold on to the box and use it for other things! Below are the items I received in my box:

1. MPOWERED Luci Solar String Lights

I was super excited about to see these string lights in my box! Since I recently moved back to Texas, I’ve been looking for different types of string lights to put in my bedroom and these came at the perfect time. These solar string lights by Luci (top right corner in first photo) are able to be charged via solar or USB, and the chord is 18 feet long! Luci is also a certified B corp which is in-line with Alltrue’s mission to support ethical brands.

2. MYTAGALONGS Set of 3 Packing Cubes

These mint colored packing cubes by MYTAGALONGS are going to be put to great use once travel becomes safe again! As someone that brings an outfit for each day of travel and then 4 backup outfits because I’m heavily indecisive (lol), these flexible cubes are going to allow WAY more space in my suitcase! The package comes with 3 cubes of different sizes, each made of recycled material. A portion of the proceeds from MYTAGALONGS are donated to the Because I Am A Girl initiative, a program that supports the youth-led movement for girl’s rights and gender equality.

3. Artisan Direct Milky Way Lantern

Y’all, I literally screamed when I saw this in the box!!! This gold-plated lantern is such a beautiful product that adds a unique touch to any space. Once I receive my shelf for my bedroom, this is going up there ASAP. This lantern was ethically made in India and is a part of Alltrue’s Artisan Direct, a brand that focuses on building and investing in long-term relationships with artisan communities. I can’t wait to continue to build my cozy vibe in my bedroom with this milky way lantern!

4. COSMEDIX Moisturizing Hyaluronic Acid Cream

Ever since I got my first full-time job and now have the $$$, I’ve been really into skincare! Before that, I’d just wash my face with water and call it a day, LOL. I’m definitely that woman that loves getting skincare samples and trying new products, so I was happy to see this in the box. The Moisturizing Hyaluronic Acid Cream from COSMEDIX (grey container in the photo above) is a cruelty-free moisturizer for all skin types. Hyaluronic acid has been pretty popular in the skincare area lately, due to its ability to revitalize the skin. I’ve only used this moisturizer twice so far, but let me tell you, it makes my face feel SO soft and my skin feel so nourished! I haven’t had any weird reactions to it either, but I’ll continue to monitor it and give you guys an update in the coming weeks!

5. Brand with a Heart OMG Leave-In Conditioner Blend

This leave-in conditioner from Brand with a Heart (pink container in the photo above) was the first product I took out of the box and used! Being a black woman with naturally kinky, curly hair, I was eager to try a new product that didn’t contain tons of chemicals and is vegan and cruelty-free. The product made my hair super soft, and I absolutely LOVED the smell. I can’t really put my finger on what it smells like, but it reminds me of summer and being at the beach! I’ve only used this twice on my natural hair, but similar to the COSMEDIX hyaluronic cream, I’ll need a few more weeks of consistent use to come back and update you guys on the results.

6. Hanalei Company Hawaiian SPF 15 Lip Trio

Last but not least is this lip balm trio from Hanalei (small yellow box in the photo above)! There are 3 different types in the pack: island mint, tropical citrus, and unscented for those that are sensitive to scented items. I’ve used some Hanalei products in the past, so I knew that these lip balms would be a really nice product. My intuition was correct! I’ve been using the tropical citrus one. It makes my lips feel pretty soft and it smells so good! Being fully transparent, it’s one of those smells that makes you want to eat it, but you know you can’t. I especially enjoy that the lip balm has SPF in because this Texas heat can get pretty intense! The only downside for me is that I don’t feel it keeps my lips moisturized for a long period of time. I’m usually pretty dehydrated because I don’t drink enough water (I’M WORKING ON IT), so I have to use medicated lip balm to help with that. Other than that, I really enjoy it!

final thoughts

Overall, I’m grateful to have had this opportunity to collaborate with Alltrue and get to discover some new products that really align with my personal values! If you’re interested in learning more about Alltrue and their new fall box, check them out here. They are currently running an Intro Box promo where new members get their first box with $150 worth of products for only $25!

Have you personally tried any of the products I mentioned above or have any other sustainable, ethical, and cruelty-free suggestions? Let me know in the comments below!

Thank you so much for reading! Until next time,

3 Ways I’ve Honored My True & Genuine Self

Hi guys!!

I hope that you’ve all been doing well. I know that I’ve been MIA for a while, and I apologize! Work has been absolutely kicking my butt, along with other things such as anxiety and the current chaotic state of our country. I’ve been going through SO much emotional and mental growth since I’ve been here in Minnesota. If you guys don’t follow me on Instagram, first of all, you should and you can here 🙂 second, I talk a lot there about my current experience in Minnesota, why I moved here, etc. The short story is that I moved here in June to take a position with Target Corporate as an Inventory Analyst. My boyfriend was able to move here with me, which I’m so thankful for, and life has been extremely different and a bit difficult for me to adapt to.

After having some MAJOR challenges with my perfectionism and anxiety in relation to work (and honestly my personally life), I decided it was time for me to start therapy. I embarked on my journey with therapy in August, and let me tell you, this is one of the BEST and SCARIEST things I’ve done for myself. I have uncovered trauma, internal emotions, and subconscious feelings that I never would’ve known existed if I didn’t start going to therapy every week.

Because of what society had told me and conditioned me to think, I had suppressed a lot of my true desires and wants. This made me form lots of anxiety, perfectionism, and needs for validation. My continuous journey with therapy has helped me realize that these parts of myself that have been hidden for so long need to be released to help me live a more fulfilling life. Here are 3 ways that I’ve honored and connected with my true, genuine, and authentic self. *NOTE: I am NOT a medical or spiritual professional. These posts are representative of my experience and journey through working on my spiritual, mental, and emotional health.

1. Doing Whatever I Want With My Hair

This is a big one. Since childhood, there were always things I wanted to do with my hair, but felt weren’t acceptable or would bring negative attention to myself (i.e bullying, others judging me, making fun of me). One of those things was having my hair a different color. I would always look online for ombre straight weave (I wore A LOT of weave in my middle/high school days), and look at pictures on Pinterest of girls wearing these looks. I craved that freedom and that ability to be carefree, but didn’t feel I was allowed to do that. Not because of my parents saying no. I never asked them. But because of society judging and labeling women so harshly, especially black women. I was at an age where I craved popularity and wanted to be loved by everyone, so I steered away from that.

Now, at 23 years old, I finally made the leap to go for the ombre hair that I’ve always desired, except this time I got it with my protective style, twists!

purple ombre protective style!

purple protective style in a bun!

It was such an amazing feeling to be able to do a hairstyle I’ve always wanted as a child and not care about what others thought or said about me. Don’t forget that I work at a corporate office and still made the choice to wear purple ombre twists. This fulfilled something in me that I constantly suppressed. Now I feel more comfortable trying more colors and different hairstyles as well that are always seen as acceptable on white women, but labeled as “weird” or “unacceptable” on black women, like these two space buns!

half up/half down look with space buns featuring a pretty cute fall look (:

2. Embracing My Love For Gaming

I have always been a huge gamer since I was a child! I grew up playing almost every Nintendo console ever made, and my love for gaming has not dwindled since I’ve become an adult. I’m very open about my interest in video games when it comes to people I’m close with, but I tend to hide this part of myself around people that I don’t know very well or when introducing myself to a new group of people. For example, when I introduced myself at work before I started therapy, I didn’t really include my love of gaming in my introduction in fear of being labeled immature or weird. Despite gaming being such a huge part of my life, I hid that because I felt it wasn’t acceptable to like video games so much as an adult.

After I started my journey with therapy and began figuring out parts of myself that represented who I truly was instead of what society told me I had to be, I began to honestly feel proud of my love for video games. Now all my coworkers know I love playing Animal Crossing on the weekends and after 5, and I even started an Instagram page for my gaming where I post clips and images from Pokémon, Animal Crossing, and other Nintendo based games I play. It was absolutely liberating to start taking steps and embracing who I truly am as a unique individual. I now find no shame in watching Twitch/Youtube streamers all day on the weekends to pass the time or buying cute Pokémon themed merch to make the pandemic a little more bearable 🙂

animal crossing new horizons!

pokémon sweatshirt!

3. Wearing Comfy Clothing

Last, but not least, is my newfound love of comfy, oversized clothing. In middle school and high school, my wardrobe consisted of crop tops, bodysuits, and tight-fitted clothing. It was made up of mostly Forever 21 and fast-fashion trends. This bled over into the first couple of years of college, but after that, I started to dress for myself. I realized that I was buying clothing and wearing it for validation and to fit in with what was popular, not because I actually liked it or felt comfortable in it. This resulted in LOTS of waste at the end of the season. Now, I want to clarify that there is NOTHING wrong with changing your fashion taste. That is completely normal and will happen as you grow. However, there is a difference between changing your fashion taste because YOU want to and changing it because society says you need to (I hope that made sense, LOL).

Fast forward to now, my wardrobe consists of sweatpants, leggings, denim, and oversized tshirts and sweaters. I LIVE for this comfy/cozy aesthetic and enjoy going out in public and not feeling self-conscious about what’s on my body.

oversized matching set from aerie!

This has also resulted in me being able to wear bralettes now instead of actual bras, and I LOVE IT. This is honestly the most comfortable I’ve felt in my entire life when it comes to what is in my wardrobe. Granted, I still have a few standout pieces for whenever the pandemic ends, and we can brunch again. (:

I wrote all of this to say, make sure to check in with yourself and make sure you’re doing things for YOU and not because society told you to. This time in my life has been the most difficult, but also the most real. I’ve never felt so connected to myself until I started therapy and this growth process. I’ll be honest with you, it is NOT easy. Growth is not linear, and even though it’s taking me a bit to understand that, I’ll keep working and pushing through. Everyone’s way/s to honor their true and genuine selves will be different, but that doesn’t make your way any less valuable.

I hope that you guys enjoyed this post! I’ll be focusing a lot more on mental health and spirituality as I continue to go through my personal journey, so sit tight and enjoy the ride (:

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The Very Much Anticipated Life Update Part 1

Hi guys!

I hope that you’re all doing well during this continuously chaotic time in the world.

It’s been a couple of months since I’ve last posted, but really a year and a half since I’ve talked about my life, where I’m at, what I’m doing, all of that good stuff! I decided it was finally time to update you guys on recent events. Please bare with me, as we’re going to go WAY back to April of 2019, because that’s pretty much where we left off and some big life changes took place! Let’s get into it:

April 2019

Okay, so during April of 2019, I was in my second to last semester of college frantically searching for an internship. If you guys didn’t know, I was a Fashion Merchandising major and was required to have an internship to successfully complete my degree. Yes, very daunting. After interviewing, making it to the final round, and being rejected by a handful of companies (Ralph Lauren and Kendra Scott to name a couple), I landed a buying/planning/inventory internship with JCPenney in Dallas. This was also my first time navigating the airport and flying on an airplane by myself #growth (even though it was like a 30 minute flight, I took the opportunity since the company offered). I was BEYOND excited because I fought really hard to get a corporate internship, since I had plans after college to break my way into the life of corporate fashion. My internship started at the beginning of June, so I had about two weeks in May after finals to spend time with my family, friends, and boyfriend before being in Dallas for three months of my life.

May 2019 – August 2019

Honestly, all I did for the month of May was pack for my internship and enjoy yummy food! No big updates here.

June is where it gets interesting. I started my internship with JCP and to say it was intimidating would be an understatement. We were put in dorms on the UT Dallas campus and shared the living space with two other people (3 of us in total). My roomies ended up being really sweet, so I got lucky in that department. As far as the actual corporate office atmosphere, I was first very concerned because I was one out of two black people in the corporate internship group. A lot of you already know that there is not a lot of minority representation within the corporate retail/fashion industry, so whenever I walked in on my first day, I was already feeling a bit defeated. In addition, JCP is a bit more of a conservative company whose product didn’t truly align with myself as an individual. A lot of the employees were older than me, and I couldn’t truly relate to them or connect with them as much as I wanted.

Throughout July and August, I spent my time going to the mall, participating in outdoor yoga in 90 degree heat (a mistake), and drinking lavendar vanilla iced lattes with one of my internship roommates who ended up becoming an amazing friend (so thankful for her because I wouldn’t have survived that internship without her). A small group of us also got together to attend a giant fireworks show on the fourth of July, and even though the corporate experience was kicking my butt, I was grateful to have a group of girls that made my outlook on the experience a tad bit better.

crepes with Joey a couple of days before I left for my internship

my friends from my internship and I at the fireworks show in July!

As far as the work pertaining to the internship, it was not easy. I was there for 9 weeks and received a very analytical and detailed project that included improving an area of the business. I honestly had no idea what I was doing, to say the least, and I was struggling mentally with the feeling of not fitting in with my team/coworkers. I was not enjoying the day-to-day work I was doing as an intern, and had lots of moments where my fight or flight tried to kick in and make me quit and run back home to Houston. My anxiety was at an all time high, and again, without the support of my friends and boyfriend back home, parents, and new friends I made at my internship, I probably would’ve left (also it was paid and that was the most amount of money I had ever seen in that point in my life). Not to mention I was juggling turning in assignments for my INTERNSHIP CLASS, yes you heard me correctly, INTERNSHIP CLASS, that I was taking in conjunction with completing the actual physical internship. This class consisted of turning in weekly logs of what I was learning, what I was doing, and how it related to the classes I took during my degree. I also had to take a final exam. :’)

I presented my final project and got a lot of positive feedback about how great I did. I was happy the hard part was over, but there was still the last part of the internship where we received job offers based on our performance. Guys, I was so sure that I had this in the bag. I got constant praise and feedback from my team that I was doing amazing. A girl on my team that did the internship last year talked to me about “how everyone basically gets a job offer as long as they showed up and did their best.” Well guess what. I DID NOT get a job offer. I’m slightly laughing while typing this because life is funny, but I’m also thinking back to the extreme distress I was in during this time and how far I’ve come since then. My giant ego hyped myself up in my head to make me think I was guaranteed a job offer, but again, that did not happen. This was the first time in my life that I truly faced rejection, where I was truly and honestly told the word “no” after working really hard. Now, I know I stated earlier that I absolutely hated the day-to-day work of this internship (and part of it may have been that the atmosphere, for me personally, was not the best, so that bled over into my overall enjoyment of the work) but it still sucks to be told you aren’t getting something when you worked so hard for 9 weeks. Anyway, my team told me they felt I’d be better working in the stores and not in a corporate environment. That was also the first time I was told by someone that I wasn’t good at something and shouldn’t pursue it. This event in my life has led to a huge increase in my anxiey and fear levels, which is what I’m currently battling and trying to learn how to maneuver with the help of therapy.

September 2019 – November 2019

During this time I started my last semester of school! I ended up getting the opportunity to become president of my fashion merchandising club at my school, which was an amazing leadership opportunity. I changed around a lot of aspects of the club, but also brought together a group of girls that had the common interest and love of the fashion industry. That was the first time that I had the chance to implement new processes and share my knowledge, networking tips, experiences, etc., with a group. Now I wish I would’ve taken on that position earlier, but you know, you win some you lose some. I also took on a part-time position as a notetaker for students with disabilites AND a part-time position entering in data for an accounting company. However, I completely stopped blogging after that internship. This is where I think the aftermath of that situation started to negatively affect me. I was too scared to post. I had gained weight during my internship because I had limited food options and was constantly eating my feelings which made me not want to post any pictures of myself. Aside from that setback, the semester went pretty well! I enjoyed all of my classes and wrapped up my last semester in college!

fashion merchandising club at the tree lighting ceremony at my university

fashion merchandising club at our first meeting! I was so proud of the turnout (:

TOTALLY forgot to add that Joey (my boyfriend) and I saved up enough money to attend Austin City Limits in October. This was literally one of the biggest highlights of my entire life. I’m grateful that the internship gave me the opportunity to actually save up enough money to go to my very first music festival with someone that I love very much. I’m now addicted to music festivals and am planning to attend more once the pandemic subsides and America decides to get its crap together 🙂

joey and I at ACL festival!

strawberry cheesecake donut in Austin!

December 2019

Hooray! I graduated college on December 13th, 2019 Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science in Fashion Merchandising, minor in General Business. I’m really shocked that I didn’t cry on this day. I think I was really ready to just get out and be done with school. It was a wild ride, starting out as a music education major, doing that for two years, and then switching to fashion merchandising, but honestly that was one of THE BEST decisions I have ever made. Check out my post here about switching college majors if you’re interested.

my family and I after my graduation!

I took a couple weeks off after my graduation to spend time with friends, family, and my boyfriend without the pressure of finding a job looming over me (even though it still did). I was already in the middle of an interview process with a product manufacturing company in Dallas, but wanted to provide more options for myself since I still wasn’t entirely sure what I wanted to do as a career (Im still not sure to be quite honest). Even though I told myself I was going to take breaks, I still proceeded to apply to jobs and tweak my resume because of my perfectionist tendancies. I ended up landing an interview for an inventory analyst position at Target Corporate in Minneapolis and an interview for the same position at Old Navy Coporate in San Francisco due to my amazing LinkedIn networking skills (I’m planning to make an entire post around networking, resume, interviewing, etc.)

This is where the post-grad journey REALLY starts. I’ll provide part 2 next weekend as we dive into the beginning of 2020 and all of it’s chaos that has led me to where I currently am now! I’m so happy to be back sharing my life with you guys and hopefully providing some guidance, comfort, inspiration, etc.

Let me know what you think in the comments and continue to stay healthy everyone (mentally, physically, and emotionally)!

Until next time,

How to Manage Your Mental Health During Chaotic Times

OMG! It has been an extremely long time (a little over a year). I’ve had it on my heart and mind to make a couple of blog posts for a while now, but I really feel now is the perfect time. I hope that all of you have been healthy and safe during this craziness. It has been difficult for a lot of us for many different reasons, but I wanted to take the time to share the little things I’ve been doing during this time to make sure I stay emotionally and mentally healthy. Some days it is definitely a struggle. I’ll cry because I’m a huge empath and the thought of what’s going on and the uncertainty of it really gets to me. Other days, I’ll just be constantly irritated or frustrated due to the lack of leadership and competency displayed by our government, administration, and selfish individuals around the world.

I could continue to go on a huge tangent on the different feeling and emotions I’ve cycled through these last two months, but I’ve been working really hard to focus on other things that are resulting in growth, stability, and balance! Here are a few ways I’ve managed my mental health during this time:

1. Deep Diving Into Spirituality

I have posted a few times here about the law of attraction, yoga, and a few spiritually based books, but I’ve really taken this opportunity of solidarity to dive deep into spirituality. I’ve been immersing myself in journaling, spiritual podcasts, books, and a few Youtubers. All of these things are bringing me feelings of peace, inspiration, and freedom that I haven’t felt in my life before. I’ve picked up meditating a lot more frequently which has allowed me to really have some quiet time with myself to check-in with how I’m feeling (which is more important now than ever). This doesn’t have to be something related to religion! Just taking some time to be alone for a bit throughout the day can help you learn more about your emotions, habits, thoughts, etc. Yoga is also a great combination of providing some opportunity to meditate and deep dive spiritually while also getting a great stretch! My favorite yoga app currently is one called Down Dog, which provides a TON of options to personalize your yoga experience.

Here are a few books and Youtubers that have really helped to kickstart this spiritual and mental journey for me: 

• Girl, Stop Apologizing
• Girl, Wash Your Face
• The Subtle Art of Not Giving A F***
• The Time of the Black Jaguar
• Amy Lee (Spirituality, Mental Health, Fashion & Beauty Youtuber)
• Leeor Alexandra (Spirituality Youtuber)

2. Focusing on Physical Health

It’s a pretty known fact that the way you treat yourself physically plays a big part in how you feel mentally. I’ve personally known this for a long time, but never had the discipline and motivation to actually work on improving my physical health. This pandemic happening around the world really triggered something within me, and I decided to make some changes that have actually stuck with me! My sister and I both jumped on Chloe Ting’s 25 Day Hourglass Challenge on Youtube. Because I’ve been at home with my family (in case you haven’t read my about me, I have 5 siblings, 4 of which are at home right now), my sister and I have been able to hold each other accountable. This is the first time I’ve actually worked out consistently since I was an athlete in middle school. I also think it’s really important to go into working out with a mindset of not wanting to lose weight or change your appearance, but to improve your health and gain strength in your body. It will really help motivate you to keep going, and if you lose weight along the way (if that is something you want), then that’s a plus!

In addition to that, I’ve decided to change a bit of my eating habits as well. I’ve switched to drinking and using oat milk instead of regular milk since it has honestly hurt my stomach for all these years (and I’m allergic to almonds so I can’t use almond milk even though it’s SO good). I’ve made a handful of vegetarian meals such as veggie hummus wraps, and this AMAZING eggplant parmesan recipe from Pinterest. I’ve been spending a ton of time basking in the sun in my backyard hammock to help with Vitamin D, and I’ve purchased some women’s vitamins as well as hair, skin, and nails gummies. There are definitely still areas I’d like to make some changes such as going to bed earlier and drinking more water. Take some time (because we honestly have a crap ton of it) to see where you can improve areas of your physical health!

3. Baking and Cooking

When I tell you I have been cooking up a storm in the kitchen, that is definitely an understatement! With all of this free time, I have used this opportunity to try out a huge range of different recipes I’ve seen while browsing my Pinterest feed. My mom now wants me to create a little book of recipes before I move out for my job because she, along with the rest of my family, have been enjoying eating something new! I’ve always loved to bake and cook, but it gets difficult when I’m only cooking or baking for myself because some recipes yield a large amount of servings, especially baking. However, since I’m currently home with my large family of 7, this has been the PERFECT opportunity to make the things I’ve always wanted to. This has brought me so much peace and has allowed me to spend some quality time with my siblings who want to help with the baking/cooking process. It’s an amazing feeling to put work into a recipe and to have the result turn out amazing! (even if the result isn’t amazing, it’s still a fun process and a learning lesson for next time)

During this time, I’ve made:

• Sweet Bread
• Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes
• Peanut Butter Cookies
• Cajun Chicken Alfredo
• Maple Dijon Salmon
• Lava Cakes
• Eggplant Parmesan
• Crepes
• Japanese Souffle Pancakes
• Cake Balls

And honestly probably more stuff that I’m forgetting! If you’ve ever wanted to try some Pinterest recipes, this is YOUR SIGN FROM THE UNIVERSE (and me) TO DO IT! (:

4. Staying Away from Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Reddit

This is probably the one that I’ve struggled with the most, but has also been the most effective. Social media during this time has been crazy, confusing, irritating, depressing, and all of the above. It is, for me, very hard to go from seeing a video on Twitter of a meme or something funny to seeing a post on someone’s family member or friend being affected negatively (either economically or health) due to the pandemic. I’ve also become a huge user of Reddit due to the subreddits that have really yummy recipes and lots of Animal Crossing island ideas. Unfortunately, I wasn’t disciplined enough to stop myself from looking at things on r/news or r/coronavirus, and I would go into a deep, depressing and anxious spiral for the remainder of the day, or even the week. Facebook mostly has lots of people arguing and spreading misinformation out of fear which would irritate me more than anything else. Instagram is the least problematic out of the four, but I still had to separate myself from it because I knew I would start to compare myself to others since I was already in a very upsetting mental place. When it comes to posting for my blog or sponsorships, I will usually post and then immediately get off and delete the app (if I don’t respond to your comments, this is why!)

I had to take the time to delete the apps off of my phone and occupy myself in other ways. Honestly, I’m still awful at this and find myself going to Safari on my iPhone and typing in the physical websites themselves (although I’ve deactivated my Twitter for the time being), but I’ve recognized the overwhelming amount of peace that staying away from social media brings me. I’ve started to reroute myself to looking on my state’s specific health website for data and statistics versus social media where people are constantly arguing in the comments. If anything otherworldly happens, I’ve asked my boyfriend or close friends to relay the information to me, so that I’m not out of the loop. It’s difficult though, to stay away from platforms that can take up so much time when you’re already bored out of your mind, but there are SO many other things that you can do to fill that void aside from scrolling endlessly on social media:

• Draw/Color/Paint – I printed out some coloring pages of my favorite Pokemon and went to town!
• Playing video games – If you have a Nintendo Switch, I suggest buying Animal Crossing New Horizons ASAP
• Baking/Cooking – See above (:
• Making a vision board – Since I’m moving soon, I’ve been utilizing some time before bed to look up bedroom and living room inspiration on Pinterest!
• Streaming services – Netflix and Hulu have gotten me through a lot of rough days! Just taking a day to lay in bed and binge some amazing shows is relaxing and revitalizing

And there’s so much more (reading, blogging, exercising, sewing, reorganizing, etc). I also feel that being away from social media has allowed me to form my own opinions, thoughts, and feelings without the noise from other people.

I hope that you guys enjoyed my first blog post on the new and improved Lexi Chantel and that you took away some great tips to help during this insane time! Remember that there isn’t any pressure on you right now to be productive every or to give in to the so-called “hustle culture” that is so prominent within the U.S. Focus on what YOUR body, mind, and soul needs to get through this, and continue to stay safe and healthy.

Until next time,

Blog Update!

Hi you guys!

I hope that you are all staying healthy and well. I wanted make a quick post about my blog. Over the past month, I’ve done a bit of renovations on the page and put together an entirely new color scheme and theme! During this time while we’re all inside, I wanted to create some changes to Lexi Chantel to reflect the new stage of life I’m entering. I’ve also added a “Career” category in conjunction with “College” and a “Beauty” category in conjunction with “Fashion.” I didn’t want to completely get rid of my content surrounding college life, especially since I still have a few more tips and info to post from my last year in university. But, I did want to add career since I will be taking on that journey at a new job in a new state next month (I’ll talk all about that super soon, I promise!).

I would love some feedback on the new theme and look of the blog, and I already have a post in process to be published later this week that I hope you’ll all enjoy!

Thank you guys for sticking with me, and I’ll talk to you all again soon!

❤ Lexi

Formulate Shampoo & Conditioner Review

*This is a sponsored post

Hi everyone!

I’m coming to you guys today with a blog post reviewing a personalized shampoo and conditioner that I was gifted by Formulate! I will be going through the hair quiz process as well as my personal experience with the products. Read until the end for an awesome surprise!

The Process

If you didn’t already know, Formulate is a company based out of the U.S. that allows you to personalize your own shampoo and conditioner. The products are paraben, preservative, sulfate, and cruelty free which are things that made me extremely excited about the brand. You take a short 5-10 minute hair quiz at the beginning where it asks questions about your hair type and future hair goals.

The hair quiz also allows the opportunity to choose which smell you’d like your shampoo and conditioner to have along with the strength of the smell. I chose “tidal” because the word coconut was in the description which definitely reeled me in. I also decided to go with the highest strength of the smell.

After you’ve completed your quiz, it’s time to order your products and have them shipped! You’re able to choose how soon you want your product. I love this option because if you have a protective style or haven’t finished your current bottle of your old hair products, you can wait awhile before you receive your new ones from Formulate! The shampoo and conditioner are $49.99 as a set, but you can also get a smaller, starter set for $19.99 if you want to test the products out before you fully commit!

My Personal Experience

NOTE: It takes around 2-3 tries to get a formula that works really well for you! The experience is definitely trial and error, so being patient and open minded are KEY!

I have a few pros and cons for my first shampoo and conditioner formula Because my hair is natural, I do spend majority of one day washing my hair. I usually have to do a pre-poo, shampoo, conditioner, detangle, blow-dry, moisturizer and then twist my hair up for the night! Sulfate-free products do have the tendency to make the hair strands feel greasy/oily, but because I have used sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner for the past 4 years or so, I didn’t see a difference in that department. My products were really focused on moisturizing my scalp (I get dandruff easily), curl-definition, and repairing split/damaged ends. These were my results after my first wash:

I personally feel that while washing my hair, the product did not lather very well. The containers are pretty large, but I had to use a lot of pumps to get enough shampoo on my head. I didn’t feel like my scalp was very clean afterwards because lathering was such a struggle for me. The shampoo also made my hair a bit frizzy and dry during the wash process. I don’t know what caused this situation, but the company is very friendly, kind, and will help you figure out which formula will work best for you! They modified my formula a couple of times, and sent me a shampoo that worked perfectly with my hair type. I was able to get a clean scalp and a shampoo that lathered well.

The conditioner wasn’t as thick as the conditioners I’ve used in the past. I had to use a lot of the product to detangle my hair efficiently. However, after washing it out, my hair was so soft and defined! My curls also had a nice shine to them as well, which I wasn’t expecting. The smell from the shampoo and conditioner was way too strong, which was my fault because I picked the highest strength when it came to smell.

I was the most impressed whenever I blow-dried my hair! It was so shiny and soft without any type of oil or butter being added to my strands. This was definitely a bragging moment towards my mom and little sister, but it also formed some conflict and indecisiveness on my part. The end result after my first wash was great, but there were still a few things that could definitely be improved. Because of this, Formulate really worked with me to find a combination that worked for my hair! A few things I would do differently if I went through the entire process as if it were my first time again:

– Pick a different smell and a medium to low strength for the smell

– Change my hair strand to the most coarse option

– Focus on 1-2 realistic hair goals instead of 4-5

Overall I had a very enlightening experience with Formulate! I definitely would give the brand a 10 for amazing customer service and working with me to find what I needed for my hair type.

If you’re looking for some new hair products, I’d really suggest giving Formulate a try! Its rare to come across a company that will make a shampoo and conditioner specifically for you!

GIVEAWAY TIME!

I’ve partnered with Formulate to provide a giveaway for one of you to win a free customized shampoo set of your own.

Click here to enter!

GOOD LUCK!!!

I hope you guys enjoyed this post and received some great information!

Until next time,

My Instagram Break Experience

Hi everyone!

I hope that you’re all enjoying this extra day off from classes to relax and get ready for the week ahead! This blog post is going to be a bit quick but informative! If you’ve noticed that my Instagram page has been a bit bare, it’s because I took a break!

After Christmas, I decided to delete my Instagram app from my phone. I noticed myself on the app too much, scrolling through and comparing my life to people that I’ve never met or interacted with. Now, I know that people only show the “best version of themselves” on Instagram, but it’s still difficult to separate those two things when you’re scrolling through your feed. In the past I was a little hesitant about deleting my app for that long because it was a small source of income for me when it came to sponsored posts, working with new brands, and growing my following.

There was a point before winter break where I started to feel a disconnect from Instagram. Not just because I was comparing myself, but also because I was starting to dislike the lack of genuineness I was feeling from myself and other members. A lot of people are on the app now not to connect and be real with their followers, but just to make a quick buck and stage a lot of their life to come across as perfect. I always tell myself two things:

1. always be grateful for what you have

2. do not concern yourself with what others are doing

Both of these things flew out the window when it came to being on Instagram. In retrospect, it shouldn’t have mattered if other people were abusing their platform for motives that I didn’t agree with. That is between that person and their inner-self. However, I found myself being more and more frustrated everyday along with comparing my Instagram growth and success to those people that irritated me! How crazy is that?

At this point, I knew I needed to take a break. After I posted that lovely Christmas photo of my boyfriend and I, I deleted my Instagram app. There were moments where I would re-download just to scroll and peek in on what others were doing, but I’d immediately delete the app when I’d catch myself feeling down or upset. Eventually, I felt no need to get on the app and scroll. I’d check my DM’s every now and again, but then I’d delete and go on about my day.

I could feel my emotions shift as I stopped constantly being on Instagram. I didn’t feel pressured and anxious. I was spending a lot of time with my family, smiling and laughing. The amount of gratitude and positivity I was radiating was amazing. Not to mention my vibration was so high, I was manifesting and receiving great things from the universe constantly. I know Instagram wasn’t the only culprit for my emotional shift, but it definitely played a large part and stole a lot of my attention and productivity. In this short time, I feel that my intuition has grown and developed, and self-reflection has introduced itself into my life.

Today, I realized that I’ve been gone for almost a month, and that’s okay. I decided to post a picture because my boyfriend took one of me in my element, feeling carefree and beautiful. Those are the things I want to share with you all. There are sponsored posts every now and then, but the main purpose of my platform is to inspire women through my college experiences and my fashion. I want my Instagram page to reflect that from this point on, but I’ve loved the feeling and peace of mind from not being on the app every single hour of every single day.

I DO plan to post every once in a while though, especially because I want to get my blog up and running again.

That’s all I have for you guys today! If you’ve had a similar experience or have thought about taking a prolonged social media break, let me know in the comments below!

Until next time,

Large vs. X-Large/Jumbo Crochet Twists

Hey guys!

I hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas holiday that was full of joy, relaxation and good food. I know I did for sure, especially because I got some time off from work!

Today, I’m coming at you guys with a comparison post! Even though it feels like winter break just started, I’ll be going back to school in about two and a half weeks for my second to last semester of college (I know, how crazy). You guys already know I love protective styles for my hair, especially during the school year because they save me so much time in the morning. I’m already deciding on what style I want for the next semester, but I’m having a little trouble deciding between the large and x-large crochet hair. I’m sure I’m not the only one that faces this dilemma, especially when it comes to changing your hair, so I’m here to give pros and cons between both types of twists. Hopefully by the end of this post, I’ll have made up my own mind as well. At the end of each section, I’ll leave links to each type of twists from my favorite beauty supply, Divatress, so that you guys can check them out if you want some for yourself! I did receive payment from Divatress for this post. Let’s get started:

Large Senegalese Twists

My first time trying out these twists was this past semester. Divatress sent me some to review, and at first I was a little hesitant because I was so used to wearing the bigger twists. After getting them installed, I realized that I actually really loved them! Here is an overview of the pros and cons:

Pros:

– Easier to install because they’re smaller and slip through my cornrows easier

– More versatility in hairstyles because they’re smaller and easier to put up in buns and ponytails

– They have a longer life span because they’re smaller and receive less abrasion

– Easier to shower with because they’re easier to put up and out of the way

– Easier to sleep with

Cons:

– Longer installation time because they’re smaller

– More packs of hair = more $$$ to spend because they’re smaller. 7 packs would be good for a complete look.

– Less volume which isn’t the best if you love big hair

Overall I rate this hair 8/10. I didn’t know how much I’d love smaller crochet twists because I never wanted to venture outside of my comfort zone and try something different! Now, these twists are definitely going to be one of my go-to protective styles! You can check out these twists here

X-Large/Jumbo Senegalese Twists

This type of twist has been my favorite for a very long time. I feel because they’re so big and provide a lot of volume, they frame my little round face really well! After trying out the smaller sized twists, I realized that there are some qualities in these twists that vary strongly between the smaller ones. Here is my overview of the pros and cons:

Pros:

– They provide a lot of volume for people that love a big look

– They don’t take as long to install because they’re bigger

– Less packs of hair = less $$$. 5 packs would be good for a full look!

– Looks great and shows off braid accessories well!

Cons:

– Require more maintenance to last longer due to their size

– Heavier on the head

– Harder to sleep and shower with

– A little difficult to get the hair loop through cornrows because they’re so much bigger!

Overall I rate these twists 7/10. Even though the rating is less than the smaller twists, I’m someone that loves big hair and would deal with the cons just for the look! If you’re interested in these x-large/jumbo twists, you can check them out here!

I still feel a bit undecided on which hairstyle to choose for the new year, but I know I’ll figure it out soon. I think I’m leaning a bit more towards the x-large twists, but I want to know what you guys think!

Large or X-Large? Let me know in the comments below!

In the meantime, check out Divatress for more protective style options, hair care, and accessories! They’re having a new deal everyday until 2019, so if you’re wanting to go into the new year with a fresh, new look, this sale is for YOU!

Until next time,

4 Last Minute Gifts for the Fashion Major in Your Life

OMG!

Hey you guys! It has literally been a minute since I’ve talked to you guys!. I’ve definitely missed blogging so much, and I want to do a life update in the next week or two to give the details on what’s been going on. To keep the story short, school was basically 10x harder this semester than it ever has been. I had a Patternmaking and Apparel Construction course that really threw me for a loop this semester. Sewing is NOT my strongest attribute (I’m working on it I promise), so the amount of stress this class brought me was unreal. Nevertheless, my semester is completed, and I’m back home ready to work seasonal retail and sleep in until 12:00pm on my off days.

I’m still shocked at how fast the semester went by, but I’m even more shocked that Christmas is on Tuesday! It’s definitely crunch time when it comes to buying gifts and preparing for the holiday season. Personally, I struggle with finding gifts for my friends and family. When people around me get to a certain age, it gets a lot harder to give them something other than money. I enjoy giving people gifts that are sentimental or appeal to their interests. One thing that I’ve used as a good way to find some nice gifts is the college major of the person close to me. Majority of the time, their major is a big interest to them! Since I am a fashion major myself, I decided to give you guys a few memorable and lovable gift ideas for the fashion lover in your life. Check out the five things I have listed below for some gift inspiration!

1. Planner

This is a gift that is crucial to basically any college student. I’ve tried so hard in the past to put reminders, assignments and events in my phone, but it never feels right or works in an effective way for me. A planner is a great way for me to get my life in order while still being creative. As a fashion major, I have a ton of assignments due simultaneously. A paper, project, and test could all be happening in one day! On top of that, I still have other classes that I need to keep up with such as business or marketing classes (because my focus is merchandising and design). Things start to get really jumbled up sometimes, so using a planner lets me visually see what I have due on which day. I’m also really big on color coding, so I love getting a pack of multi-colored sharpies and assigning each class to a certain color. The one thing that I love about planners is that there are SO many different types. Good places to shop for stylish and unique planners in-store are Target, Urban Outfitters and Walmart!

2. Water Bottle

When fashion students start on a project, it gets really hard to stop! We get so focused on progressing that sometimes we forget to take a break, and more importantly, hydrate! A water bottle is a perfect last minute gift. Also, a lot of fashion majors work retail jobs in addition to going to school. It’s extremely important to drink water throughout those long, clothing store shifts, especially during peak season such as back-to-school or Christmas. Water bottles can be found almost anywhere, but you already know that fashion major is going to want a bottle that is trendy! Target, Ross, and Rue 21 are perfect places to find affordable water bottles that are still super cute and are good quality.

3. Coffee Travel Cup

Let’s face it, college and procrastination go hand in hand. I’ve gotten a lot better with doing my assignments a few days before they’re due, but during that time in the semester when the midlife college crisis hits (aka October), it becomes hard to get ahead on assignments. As I’ve mentioned above, fashion students have a ton of projects to do, so coffee becomes a must-have. I think a coffee travel cup is an amazing investment because you can brew your own coffee at home and bring it to-go. This allows you to save a ton of money instead of spending $6 at Starbucks everyday. A coffee travel cup also helps me on those days where I’m running really late to class, but need a boost of something to wake me up. I don’t have time to wait in line and grab a coffee, so brewing my own either with a coffee pot or my Keurig is the perfect choice. Most Target and Kroger stores have a Starbucks within them that sell super cute travel cups that are usually on sale during the holiday season!

4. Sewing and Design Supplies

This is such a necessity for a fashion major regardless if they’re on the design or merchandising track. All fashion majors will have to take sewing classes and some form of art class to learn about colors, line, harmony balance, etc. Items such as Prisma color pencils/markers, a rotary cutter + board, and a sewing kit would be great gifts for a fashion major. They will definitely be grateful because these items are used multiple times throughout college and could also come in handy after graduation! Hobby Lobby, Joann, and even Walmart have some great selections when it comes to sewing and design supplies. P.S. Hobby Lobby usually has a coupon for 40% off of a single item!

These gifts that I’ve listed are great for any type of celebratory holiday! Whether it be Christmas, a birthday, or maybe a friendiversary. They’re also very inexpensive and shouldn’t take you out of the $30 range, which I think is perfect.

I’m really happy to be back and blogging! I have some amazing content planned for 2019, so thank you guys so much for sticking with me during these random little breaks I’m taking. I hope you guys have a wonderful Christmas!

Until next time,

 

Yes, I use skincare products (somewhat) ft. Neutrogena Oil-free Pink Grapefruit Acne Wash

*This is a sponsored post. I was sent these items for free to review!

Hi everyone! I hope that you guys are having a great school year so far. To be honest, I’m so excited that its almost October. I absolutely love the fall season, and even though I live in Texas, I’m still ready to break out the over-sized sweaters and cardigans. However, it’s still 90+ degrees here, so I have to stick with my tube tops for now and high-waisted shorts for now.

Today, I’m doing a quick review for you guys based off of these items I was sent to review. Now, I know that my blog has absolutely nothing with skincare on it. I think I did one post a year ago about my favorite items, and it included a couple skincare items, but that’s about it. Even though I don’t talk about it very much, it still is a part of my life. I love doing face masks and trying out different moisturizers and facial cleansers. Especially because I live in Texas and walk to class, I always make sure to thoroughly wash my face at the end of the day. All that sweat is NOT a good feeling, believe me. Because I have combination skin (oily and dry), the Neutrogena Oil-free Pink Grapefuit Acne Wash is a really good fit for me!

I was sent the facial cleanser as well as the foaming scrub to test out, but the plot twist here is that I’ve actually bought these products with my own money before and used them! My boyfriend currently used the foaming scrub, and it works really well for him (he has oily skin). For me, I personally like the facial cleanser just because it feels lighter on my face, but the foaming scrub is great too, and I sometimes use that when I’m in the shower after a long day walking around campus. Let me give you guys some pros and cons about these items!

Pros:

• It’s oil-free, so that’s great for those of us with ALL skin types because you don’t want your pores clogged with excess oil.
• Speaking of clogged pores, these products are non-comedogenic (they don’t clog pores).
• The grapefruit extract within the products is naturally derived, and it contains vitamin C which is GREAT for skin! Why do you think I’m always glowing in my pictures?
• The foaming scrub doesn’t contain plastic beads.
• My skin actually feels clean after using both products. They work really well to remove oil and dirt without making the skin dry and irritated. I can 100% vouch for that!
• These items are extremely affordable, which is great for those of us on a college budget (me). They can be found at a lot of common stores such as Walmart, Kroger, Target, etc.
• Its pink which means SUPER aesthetically pleasing!

Cons:

• This product is NOT cruelty free. Definitely keep that in mind.
• I’m not a huge fan of the grapefruit smell. It isn’t strong, but I really dislike grapefruit in general, so that’s the only thing that turns me off.
• There isn’t a package to buy both of these items together. You most likely have to buy them separately at your store, so pick wisely!

As you can see, I definitely have more pros than cons for sure. I think that if you’re willing, you should definitely give these products a try. I know that I’m a sucker for trying out new skincare, maybe it’s a millennial thing? The Neutrogena Oil-free Pink Grapefruit Acne Wash does work well for me overall. As a college girl, I like my face being clean and squeaky because it makes me feel comfortable in my class setting and whenever I talk to people. This acne wash definitely does that!

Thank you guys so much for reading this post! I PROMISE that I will have a post soon about my back-to-school capsule wardrobe.

Until next time,

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