The Importance of Sunscreen

Most assignments given in academic careers have strict subject matter. Honestly, this is the first assignment I've had where I can write about what ever I want and not be wrong. It makes me feel more creative and I love the ability to flow and be organic without the fear of being judged. With that being said, let's get into weekly Thoughts from Lauren. 

Lately I have been taking much better care of my body. I've been exercising more, eating healthier/from home more, and taking better care of my skin and teeth. Up until a month ago, I didn't find it important to use a daily SPF. Now, I carry a small bottle of it in my purse. I had no idea the harsh reality of being in the sun every single day has on our skin until I started doing a little research. It needs to be apart of your daily routine for the following reasons: 

1. It is good for all skin types.

Although people with fairer skin do develop skin cancer easier.

2. ANTI-AGING!!!

Who doesn't want 20s skin when they are in their 40s? It prevents premature aging and leaves your skin looking beautiful. 

3. The sun is still strong, even when it is not sunny.

4. Sun damage is cumulative.

"Building" a tan is not a thing. Each time you are exposed to the sun, it is possible to damage at the cellular level. 

5. Shields from harmful UV rays.

While I do believe wearing sunscreen everyday is important, I think you should also be careful not to use too high of an SPF on a daily basis when you will only be in the sun for a short period of time. Doing so will block your intake of Vitamin D, which we need. I say using an SPF 20-30 is sufficient. If you are going to be out in the sun all day, like at the beach or playing sports, you need to use a really high SPF, wear cover-ups, sunglasses and try to stay in a shady spot during the hours of 10-4. 

We need to take care of our skin. It is still possible to bronze your skin a bit while wearing SPF. It is never too late to start amazing skin care and to start the anti-aging process. Love your skin, love your body. 

Beauty Blogging

In the past six months I have slowly transitioned from watching TV to watching Youtube videos. Though I still watch Netflix, I recently canceled my cable subscription because I found it to be inconvenient and I never used it. 

What Youtube videos have began to consume my life? Beauty videos.

I used to be the type of girl that never really wore makeup unless it was a special occasion. Recently I wear makeup generally every other day. I used to think people only wore makeup because they felt poorly about their self-image, or they had a complete lack of confidence. I no longer think this way.

Makeup is a hobby, a passion, and a distraction for me. If I'm sad, I will do my eyeshadow and try to make it has intricate and blended as possible and my mind is off of whatever was upsetting me. There is something rather powerful and oddly beautiful in finding a hobby. Will it ever make me money? No. Will it make me happy and keep me away from the pressures of social media for an hour or two (yes I can spend that long getting lost in the artistry)? Yes. I've felt healthier and happier spending less time on Twitter/Facebook/Instagram comparing myself to others and spending more time working on my art by myself & watching other people's review of products or learning new makeup techniques. 

I'm starting to sound a little cheesy. But the point is I have found something I love and it distracts me and I think its really healthy. I want to find new hobbies that keep me distracted and happy.

Any other makeup-lovers or Youtube watchers out there?

The Joys of Having Your Car Broken into

I had the most amazing MLK holiday weekend. I went on a trip to visit my father in Florida. We went deep sea fishing, to the pool and the beach! It was such a relaxing weekend and I was excited to start my week back at school.
Late Monday night I got off of the plane and was headed back to my car. The parking lot was dark, so I quickly put my suitcase in my trunk and got in my car. To my surprise, I had glass shards all in my legs and upper thighs and it honestly took me a good 30 seconds to figure out what had happened. Some lovely stranger through a rock through my back window and stole a bunch of my personal belongings. I think that I didn't notice the glass because I never considered the possibility of my window being busted in at a place where I was paying $25 a day to park.
The items there were stolen from me include: my back pack, my planner, a memory card for my camera, $200 worth of Victoria's Secret workout gear my mom had just bought me for my weight training class, all of my brand new texts books for class, a bunch of clean laundry (bathing suits, shorts, bathing suit cover-ups, t-shirts, blouses, dresses, pants), a bunch of dirty laundry and my dignity.
Honestly, the stuff being stolen isn't that big of a deal. It can be replaced. I think the worse part of the whole thing was having to drive from Atlanta to Athens with a piece of poorly taped plastic over my window. The noise was so loud, my ears are still ringing. Also, now I don't feel safe. I'm paranoid and I don't feel comfortable having anything in my car, which I worked so hard to pay for (not to mention, I've never been in a car accident in my life and I've taken excellent care of my car).
Moral of the story, I have to pay $300 for a new window and pay to replace all of my stolen stuff because someone else is selfish. I'm going to try to stay positive and hope that whoever stole myself is proudly wearing my petite clothes and using my hipster backpack and Lilly Pulitzer planner, although I'm sure it is in a dumpster somewhere.
In general, I'm a super happy person and I love story telling, so in the future, my blog posts won't be as dark, but today was a terrible day.

xoxo,
Lauren