May 2016 - Macarons & Mascara

6 Pairs Of Shoes You Need For Your Summer Internship

May 28, 2016Jasmin - Macarons & Mascara 2 Comments

Congrats on scoring your awesome summer internship — you worked hard for it (believe me, the process is not all that easy!) But if you still haven’t found that summer opportunity yet, take a peek at my post on how to get a summer internship. My current lifestyle internship is the first internship I’ve ever had, so you can imagine all the new things I’ve been learning — like what shoes you should wear when you’re hurriedly stepping through the bustling Manhattan streets to get to your professional work environment. Yeah, you know exactly what I’m talking about. So to help you figure it all out, I’ve put together a list of six pairs of shoes I think are absolute musts for your internship.

Simple, black wedges. These are great if you’re looking to add some extra height to your outfit. Wedges are great, especially in a city environment, because you don’t have to worry about a heel about as thick as pencil getting stuck in any sewer grates or cracks in the sidewalk. Also, because they’re wedges you get that added stability that you don’t always get with every pair of regular heels. Plus, black is pretty sophisticated and goes with everything, so this is definitely professional enough for the workplace.
A pair of short heels. Wearing a little, traditional heel is fine (as long as you can walk quickly in them!) I wouldn’t suggest three-inch heels, though I think that two inches is okay (it’s as high as I’d go if I’m trudging through the city!) A pair of high heels is classic footwear on a professional occasion, so you’ll definitely look the part. I’m really becoming more and more into those pointy-toed heels, because the colors and designs they come in make them look so flattering. Plus, outfit inspo from Pinterest has really made me believe that I too can rock those kinds of heels. But if you’re not a fan of pointy-toed heels then you can just opt for rounded-toe heels. You can definitely have fun with these to make them really go with your outfit. Also, try to snag a pair of heels that includes some sort of strap (just like in the one pictured above) to really secure your feet in there — you wouldn’t want your shoes flying off halfway down fifth avenue!
Simple (but appealing) sandals. It’s summer and sometimes you just want to show off your fab pedicure, or just not wear shoes at all, and sandals are pretty much as close as you can get to the whole no-shoe experience. Getting a simple pair like the ones above ensure that your shoes can still go with whatever outfit you’re wearing that day, and they aren’t super distracting in the work place. My workplace is pretty chill, but of course — like any workplace — there are limits to what you’re allowed to wear, and as an intern you definitely don’t want to push your luck with that! So if your internship has a policy against open-toed footwear, you might want to leave your sandals as benchwarmers. In any case, sandals are especially great for those days when you don’t want to wear heels. Just make sure that they fit securely on your feet.
Plain black flats. Flats are great for literally any occasion because they sort of just work with whatever you’re wearing, and they mold to that outfit. You’ve probably seen people trying to work their outfit around their footwear, but you don’t really have to do that with a simple pair of flats, which is really good because that means you won’t have to buy up a new pair of flats for every single outfit (but if you love shopping like I do then you probably wouldn’t mind the extra trips to the mall anyway). These are definitely a staple because there are lots of really comfortable ballet flats out there that you can grab, and you can often find these for a really decent price. Plus, they’re always welcome in any work environment.
Printed flats. See, you can still have fun with your footwear! I have a really cute pair of leopard print flats that just add a little extra something to some of my more monochromatic outfits. I like to have some fun with what I wear and I think that printed flats are a great way to do that without pushing the boundaries of professional dress. Obviously, you don’t have to just stick to leopard print — get yourself floral print, or even a nice checkered pattern! Just like regular ballet flats, these are always welcome in the workplace.
Riding boots. You’re probably thinking, ‘why the hell would I wear riding boots in the summer?’ but hear me out. So it can still rain in the summer, and sometimes your big, glompy rain boots can take away from your gorgeous outfit. Plus, if you’re flat-footed like me then maybe you haven’t had the best success with some rain boots. The ones I’ve tried always hurt the bottom of my feet intensely, and you absolutely don’t want that much discomfort (especially not when you’re commuting over an hour and still have to walk long city blocks). So I’ve found that riding boots provide me with amazing comfort while still protecting my socks and feet from the wet weather. Plus, they still add aesthetic to your outfit. I think Riding boots are still good enough to be considered professional as long as they aren’t embellished with a shit ton of unnecessary buckles and whatnot.

Remember to always wear shoes that fit you well; never wear something that’s too tight because you can actually pinch the nerves in your feet and cause some inflammation and serious damage.

What are you rocking at your summer internship?

9 Things To Do This June If You Suck At Thinking Of Things To Do

May 24, 2016Jasmin - Macarons & Mascara Leave a Comment

Alas, May is coming to an end, but that means June is just beginning! Time for some fun in the sun, hangouts with friends (now that school’s out) and binge-watching Netflix. Well, not too much of Netflix, though. In the past I haven’t gotten out much and I haven’t done too many things with my summer, but this time I intend to make great use of my three months of no school and I’m taking it one month at a time. If you’re determined to not go all couch potato on society this summer, then take a look at my bucket list for some inspiration for fun things to do this June.

Try a wild milkshake from BlackTap. If you haven’t heard about the craze over the most insane, over-the-top milkshakes at BlackTap…clearly, you’re not one with insane, over-the-top milkshakes…BUT they’re really cool-looking. There’s something so intriguing and almost magical about stacking cookies and cotton candy on top of milkshakes. A few months ago, my friend and I wanted to go to BlackTap, but we were running out of time and we had heard that it takes hours to get in because the lines are so long (because the milkshakes are so amazing!) So I’m determined to finally go and give those milkshakes a try. If I had to pick one flavor off the top of my head to try right now, it’d probably be the coffee flavored one because (thanks to the two Starbucks conveniently located right on my campus) I’ve come to enjoy sweetened, creamed(?) coffee drinks. But I’ll probably go with the most insane flavor they have!
Join a Twitter Party. Twitter parties are usually great for talking and networking with other like-minded individuals. Some Twitter parties are used for promoting certain products while others have a specific topic of discussion, and participants use hashtags in order to partake in the conversation. I’d love to get in on a Twitter party because I see it as an opportunity to talk to other bloggers who might be able to give me a few pointers, plus I also really want to make some blogger buddies! There may not be chips and dip, and you won’t find anyone in some corner somewhere playing spin the bottle, but it’s still a great way to exercise your Twitter account in a new way.
Go out with friends. My friends and I each went our separate ways after graduating from high school, and we haven’t seen each other in many, many months. One of our friends has a dance recital in June and it’ll be a chance for all of us to hang out while supporting our friend. Maybe your friend doesn’t have a dance recital coming up, but seeing some shows or movies with friends or just hanging out is a great way to spend time away from your computer screen.
Create and enjoy healthy food from Pinterest. Healthy meals always seem to be popping up on Pinterest, and I don’t know about you, but every time I see an egg-filled avocado with toast, I actually feel motivated to eat it (this coming from the girl who took a spoonful of avocado to the tastebuds and promptly shuddered and spit it out). My plan is definitely to surf Pinterest to find some #foodgoals and then actually create and eat them. This is a great way for you to kickstart a new lifestyle, or become interested in foods you never thought you’d be interested in. Who knows, maybe there’s even a culinary genius inside you, and maybe you’ll put your own creations on Pinterest!
Have a professional looking photoshoot. It’s really important to have professional looking headshots, or just clean, well-staged photos of you looking your best. Seriously, you never know when you might need to quickly upload a new profile picture for a new job or LinkedIn, so better safe than sorry. I’d love to have this type of photoshoot with some of my friends, so that way we’ll each have a plethora of nice shots to choose from. These pictures would work great as LinkedIn profile pictures, business card images, email signatures, and more. Definitely use part of your summer to clean a few things up professionally, even if they’re as small as changing your profile picture from a wild Friday night to interview-ready.
Make chocolate at Voila Chocolat. I’ve been baking since middle school, and have worked with chocolate on many occasions. I’ve used chocolate for molding, tempering, garnishing, and simply just baking chips into warm, chewy cookies, but I still want to learn more. I’ve wanted to come to Voila Chocolat since Valentine’s Day, but couldn’t because of the weather, so here’s my chance to do so! Voila Chocolat actually offers educational classes where you can learn things — like the science of chocolate — so I’m really excited for that. There are definitely other classes out there that allow you to have fun while learning how to create culinary masterpieces. Learning new things is always a productive use of your time, so don’t hesitate to through some fun (and good eats) in there!
Eat at all the cafes on 5th Avenue. Well, maybe not all of them, but I definitely would like to discover new eats on 5th avenue this June. I actually got started on that journey and on Friday I went to a sandwich shop called Potbelly, and the sandwiches there were pretty good so I can’t wait to see what other eateries I’ll discover in that area. I’m hoping to find a burger place next, or maybe even a shop that specializes in really healthy food. You don’t have to go straight to 5th avenue — pick your favorite neighborhood, or a neighborhood you’ve always wanted to explore, and gradually eat at a new restaurant or cafe every time you’re there. This maintains the element of surprise because you don’t necessarily have to plan a trip to a cafe, and who knows what you’ll discover next time!
Go to blogger events. I’m still in the process of scoping out some cool events geared toward bloggers/college writers/girls-who-dream-of-the-magazine-industry, but so far I’ve found a few (that aren’t in June) that I will be attending. Attending events that are targeted toward your career goals is a great way for you to network and put your name out there, and at the very least meet people who may actually play a huge role in your future. You never know, right? There are conferences for people of many different trades and professions, so make sure you put yourself out there and take a look at some of them. Some events are literally as easy as ‘Like’ the event’s Facebook page for head-counting purposes, and show up!
Go bowling. I love bowling, and I’m fairly good at it, but I haven’t gone bowling with friends in probably over a year! This is on my bucket list because it’s an activity that I’ve always enjoyed doing, so it’d be nice to go back to the basics to cover old, familiar ground. If all else fails, you definitely can’t go wrong with partaking in an old activity that you know and love well, whether it’s hiking, fishing, swimming, or others!

I hope my list has inspired you to create your own June bucket list, or to at least give yourself the chance to go out and explore and have some fun.

What’s on your June bucket list?

How To Avoid Overspending On A Shopping Spree

May 19, 2016Jasmin - Macarons & Mascara Leave a Comment

I love shopping. I love buying new outfits for class, for work, and even for cafes because I’m constantly inspired by my favorite tv show characters, and my celebrity role models, not to mention the fact that my tastes have changed quite a bit since freshman year of high school. As a college student whose fashion desires may not always suit her budget, I’ve learned how to still buy the things I want while watching my wallet (or my parents’ wallets!) Here are some things I’ve picked up that help me spend cautiously.

Leave your cards at home; bring cash instead. Isn’t it weird how you don’t feel as bad when you’re swiping a card compared to if you were gingerly pulling bills from your purse one-by-one? Sometimes, that guilt is a good red light going off in your head that tells you to really stop and consider your purchase. You’re less likely to overspend if your method of payment is cash. Only use a credit card if it’s an absolute emergency, or if the purchase is extremely important. Try to avoid making small, frivolous purchases with a credit card, because if you accrue too much interest you may not be able to pay it off.
Have a plan in place: what exactly are you looking for? I like going shopping with an image already in mind of what I need. Let me re-phrase that: I literally have the picture of what I want in my mind, from the printed pattern to the lace detail. But other times I just write out a list on paper, or I type it on my phone. Maybe this summer you’re looking for crop tops, maxi skirts, and a new pair of sunglasses. Write it down so you don’t forget what you came to the mall for (but if you do forget, that’s understandable — the mall can easily cloud our judgment with all the beautiful things being sold). Knowing exactly what I went shopping for also ensures that I don’t leave with too much unnecessary stuff and none of what I initially went for.
Stop and think: do I really need this? This is one question that I ask myself if I’m not too sure if I should make the purchase, and I don’t want to spend unnecessarily. Do I really need that hat? Well, it looks cute but I’m not much of a hat person. Another question you might want to consider is: how often will I wear this? It looks good with that mannequin’s outfit, but what other outfits will I wear it with? If you can’t figure out at least a handful of times when you’ll wear the item, then you probably shouldn’t buy it. Will I actually wear it? I have some clothes that still have the tags on them. Needless to say, I probably shouldn’t have made those purchases all those years ago — could’ve saved a nice chunk of change. Sometimes we make purchases in the heat of the moment and then forget all about them. These questions aren’t to dissuade you from buying anything ever again, but rather they’re for helping you reflect on the usefulness of your purchase.
Will you be comfortable in this? One of the easiest ways to save money when shopping is to simply not spend money on things that won’t make you comfortable. We can often overlook a minor discomfort for a short amount of time, but if a piece of clothing makes you so uncomfortable that you can’t do the tasks you need to do, then it’s not worth the money. This is especially important when buying shoes, because who wants to wear a pair of shoes they can’t walk properly in? Comfort is one of the simplest treasures in life — don’t spend it away.
Check out the sale racks. Sometimes I find some really good things on sale, then I get really happy because I got them for such a low price which means I saved money. Stores like Charlotte Russe also have a section for ‘last chance’ items — items that unless you snatch them up now at their very, very low price, you’ll never see in stores ever again. Ever. Take a look at that section for something you might like, too. Discounts are a girl’s best friend, after all.
Look for the best deals on accessories. I love, love, love jewelry so much! Over the years I’ve accumulated a very large collection of earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and rings, but my tastes have changed and I’ve given away a lot of stuff that I don’t put to use anymore that someone else could. When I shop for accessories, I don’t want to spend $10 on just one pair of tiny studs. Forver21 is a good place for finding modest jewelry at a good price. I like shopping at this store called Six for pretty phone cases and bracelets and rings for reasonable prices. Also, don’t grab those 2 for $10 deals if you can’t find a second set that you genuinely like. You’re only wasting money, so you’re better off paying less money for the one pair.
Be conscious of price tags. You don’t have to be the price tag police, but make sure you’re aware of the general costs of the things you’re buying. Knowing your limit and knowing where you stand on that limit can help you avoid spending more money than you intended to. Another thing I like doing is setting a budget that’s a little less than the total amount of money I have on me. For example, If I have $200, I might set a budget of $125, so that no matter what, I still don’t spend all of my money.
Can you purchase this item later for a lower price? When you let go of that love for instant gratification, shopping without overspending becomes a lot easier. If you can buy an item in a couple of weeks or a couple of months for significantly cheaper, you should definitely wait. This may not happen often, but sometimes waiting can be the difference between spending at the original price of $300 and spending $200 (which actually happened to me a few months ago, so it was a good thing I waited so long!) Simply waiting is also a good way to spend less money when shopping. Some stores even let you sign up to be among the first notified of when the item goes on sale.
Look out for online coupons. I never used to concern myself with looking for coupons online, or downloading coupon apps, or anything like that, but after seeing my friends and some family members save a nice chunk of change by finding and being that customer who sits at the cash register waiting for their coupon to go through, I now believe that one should take pride in the lavish use of coupons. For some reason, I actual find the coupon hunt exhilarating because it’s such a rush of excitement when you find a kick-ass deal!

The next time you see the inside of a mall, I hope you’ll think of these tips for saving money like a pro! What tips do you have for saving money on a shopping spree? Let me know in the comments!

6 Important Things All Bloggers Should Know How To Do

May 16, 2016Jasmin - Macarons & Mascara 2 Comments

6 Things all bloggers should know howto do

I’ve been a blogger for nearly three years now and I can definitely say that there’s more to blogging and having your own website than just writing posts regularly and sharing them on social media. I’ll admit that when I started this blog, Macarons & Mascara, my checklist didn’t exactly include certain things that it should’ve included — I began picking up on these points as I went along, and through some trial and error. We all know the saying, “you live and you learn,” which coincidentally I’ve been saying a lot lately, but sometimes you don’t get so lucky because knowing what you needed to know from the beginning might’ve been more beneficial to you. So here are some things that, from my experiences, can benefit any blogger greatly if they start learning how to do.

Read and understand Google Analytics. So you signed up for Google Analytics and you can now track your pageviews and whatnot. That’s all great, but if you don’t know how to correctly read your stats, you won’t know how your site is performing. Plus, you won’t be able to set accurate goals for yourself. Just last week, I finally sat down and decided to do some digging to find out what all those numbers on Analytics mean, and I can definitely say that I now have a much better understanding of how many people read my posts and how many unique monthly visitors I get among other things. Once you learn how to read all those numbers, you’ll already be on your way to improving your experience as a blogger.
Tell people exactly who you are and what you do without rambling. In other words, you need to know how to tell people about your unique brand. What is Macarons & Mascara? Who’s the target audience? What’s covered on the site? What makes Macarons & Mascara stand out amongst other lifestyle blogs? These are some questions to think about when you’re trying to tell people about your blog. Your goal is to try to tell people why they want to follow your posts without dictating what might as well be an essay. If you don’t understand your own site, you can’t expect others to.
Know what looks good on a page. This is an element of design that is sometimes overlooked. This is an important point because you want to make sure your site is visitor-friendly. Sure, you may know that your social media widgets are located all the way at the bottom right corner and you need to scroll past exactly 10 articles to get to them, but do your visitors know that? A cluttered page almost never looks appealing. Sorry, but it’s pretty true (#toughlove). If your visitor feels like they’re suffocating in content, images, words and buttons, chances are they won’t want to come back to your site. Use your discretion and if possible, get a second (or third, or fourth) opinion on the layout of your site.
Use social media because it can give you an advantage, not because it’s there. There’s so much more to tweeting a link to your latest blog post, or pinning a graphic you designed on your blog. I like to think of social media as a strategy, because it requires a lot of thinking and planning when you’re trying to get your work to appeal to people. Social media is a powerful resource, and you shouldn’t post links all willy-nilly because you might find that you’re wasting your efforts if people don’t find what you post. That being said, if you aren’t sure how to really get the most out of your online profiles, try researching the best strategies to use on each platform. I started doing that for Pinterest (because I had no idea how to work it) and I’m really pleased with how my boards are coming along.
Find really good blogging resources. Don’t underestimate the power of people trying to help you. Maybe if I had gone looking for these resources when I first started this site (or even before) I might’ve had more blog success. There are definitely guide books, sites, and other things out there that can really help bloggers blossom and have a tighter grip on the reins. Personally, I really recommend resources from the Blogger Babes because everything is concise and very helpful. What resources for bloggers do you find helpful? Let me know in the comments!
Know when to take it up a level vs. when to keep things where they are. Don’t move too fast or you might hurt yourself. Contrary to what many might think, I think that you don’t always have to keep things dynamic. There are definitely times when you need to take a step back and cover all the bases before you move forward. Likewise, some changes may be premature and can waste your efforts. Don’t concern yourself too much with what changes you see other bloggers tackling. Those changes may be great as future goals, but right now you need to focus on what’s actionable for you. You’ll get there when you get there.

These are definitely things that I wish someone had told me when I launched this site, but I guess we never stop learning. I hope you fellow bloggers out there found this post useful, and if you want to chat with me, ask me questions, or anything else you can get in touch with me on Twitter, Instagram, or Facebook, or all of the above!

What advice would you give to fellow bloggers?

The Awkward Traveler’s Guide To Manhattan Part Two

May 14, 2016Jasmin - Macarons & Mascara Leave a Comment

Ah, Manhattan. It sounds so prestigious, bright, sophisticated and just a little bit…intimidating! In case you didn’t already know, I’m an awkward manhattan traverser; I don’t go to the city often even though I’m from the boroughs of New York because the subway platforms confuse me, I’ll start off walking in one direction and realize it’s the wrong direction so I turn around only to realize that I was right the first time (sound familiar?) oh, and everyone but me seems to know exactly what the hell they’re doing. I can’t be the only one who feels this way, thus “The Awkward Traveler’s Guide To Manhattan” was born, except this is part dos, so if you haven’t read part one where I cover basics and Battery Park, be sure to check that out!

So back to part two…I’ve been getting out to the city more, thanks to this series I created, so I’ve been learning new things about handling myself and traveling through the city like a boss (or at least like I kind of know what I’m doing). Just the other Friday, I was in Chelsea and after an…interesting…time with the subway and the LIRR, I learned quite a few things about understanding transportation. Then the day after that I took to Broadway for another adventure.

On Friday in Chelsea…

Pay attention to the LIRR schedule. Because it really is a schedule! If you aren’t familiar with the LIRR service, trains from Manhattan to Huntington station and Port Jefferson Station only come once per hour, so if you don’t plan accordingly, you might be arriving at your destination — a job interview, class, work, a professional conference — much later than you intended to. My group nearly forgot that the LIRR had such a specific schedule, and we were trying to get back to our school! If you ever need information about any of the Long Island train services, you can download this free app, Train Time, which provides very accurate time schedules for all the LI trains.

Always have an extra MetroCard handy. If you’ve ever used a city bus service in the boroughs of New York, you know that the buses accept change as a form of payment. Well the subways don’t, so you need MetroCards to get around. Quick story about my group’s experience on Friday: We thought the MetroCard we had would’ve been just enough for all five of us, since the card had quite a large amount of money on it. Well we thought wrong, because it turns out the card only had about $6 left on it, which is clearly not enough for five people! So we had to buy new ones from the card machine, only the machine only accepted credit or debit! If we didn’t have a debit card, well…we’d be in some deep crap! The safest thing to do is to have an extra MetroCard, even if you think you still have like $5 on your old one!

If you’re confused, ask for help. So on our way back to school, my group took a train from Penn Station, thinking that we had to get off at Jamaica and then transfer. Turns out we were completely wrong! We should’ve stayed on that train and taken it right to Huntington, but we didn’t know that and we were super confused about the next train we had to take, so we asked someone at the info desk on the platform for help. Basically, we got off the right train to take the wrong train! What a life. Asking a knowledgeable person for help is the smartest thing you could do in our situation. Don’t go to a random stranger if an info desk is in sight! People at the info desk can tell you exactly what’s going on and point you in the direction of the correct train, so you’ll be completely un-confused.

Not sure which platform you should be on? Think about the general direction you need to head in. If you’re trying to get from Manhattan to Long Island, but you don’t know if you should be standing on the platform for the Jamaica train or the World Trade Center train, BUT you know that Jamaica station is on the way to your destination, chances are the Jamaica train is the correct train. If you see all these trains pulling up to your platform and they’re heading further into the city, that’s not the platform you need to be on! Sometimes, just thinking about the general directions of destinations can really help you decide between two tough directions.

Think for yourself, and don’t be afraid to interject. This is more for if you’re traveling in a group of people. Don’t just leave it up to someone else to plan the trip and take you on the subway; figure it out for yourself so you can contribute. Plus, in the off chance that the ‘leader’ of the group actually doesn’t know where to go, you might be able to offer some valuable direction.

On Saturday On Broadway…

Pay attention to signs in the subway. These signs tell you what exits you can use to take you to your closest desired street. You might want to end up on 50th street, but if you take an exit that takes you to a different street, you might unknowingly set yourself back. I used to think that all exits were the same and that (somehow) they all took you to the same exact place on the block. I know that subways tend to be packed and everyone’s rushing to get somewhere, but taking a few seconds to slow down and look at the signs in the station can actually help you stay on schedule.

Don’t suddenly stop walking in the middle of the station. If you need to stop to tie your shoes, check your phone, or pull something out of your pocket, step to the corner. This is more about being considerate to your fellow subway goers. I’m pretty sure you hate running into people just as much as the next guy, so if you have to pause for any reason while navigating the subway, step to the side where you won’t be in anyone’s way. This will save you from many angry glares.

Don’t be afraid to slightly stray from your path. Especially if you’re going to the city to explore and have fun! I had only planned to go to M&M’s World and the Hershey Shop, but ended up exploring other blocks in search of clothing stores and happened upon American Eagle near Times Square. Really, if you remember what street the subway for the return trip is on, you should be completely fine to explore the area for as far as your legs will carry you. Which brings me to my next point…

Know the street numbers. This sounds really stupid and obvious, but if you’re on 30th street and trying to get to 32nd, you don’t want to walk in the direction of 29th…This is literally as simple as looking up at the street signs. Also…

Don’t feel awkward about turning around. If you just realized that you walked halfway down the block in the wrong direction (which I’ve done before) don’t think that you’ll look stupid for turning around and going in the right direction. You might think that people think you’re foolish for not knowing which direction to go in, but honestly, most people are too busy trying to get where their going to notice that walked in the wrong direction. At least you’ll still get where you’re going.

I can’t wait to go back to the city for another adventure! I have my eyes on a few restaurants and eateries in the city, so be on the lookout for blog posts about surviving Manhattan dining on a budget!

What are some of your subway experiences?

7 Tips For Perfect Eyelashes

May 11, 2016Jasmin - Macarons & Mascara Leave a Comment

Mascara is probably the one makeup product I’ll never leave home without applying. It was actually a struggle for me when I just started wearing it back in high school, because my eyelashes are naturally long and curled, so I didn’t want a product that would make them look like long, clumpy spider legs! And that feeling when your eyelashes touch your eyebrows and leave a mark…So I’ve had quite a journey with mascaras, trying everything from drugstore to higher end products. Alas, here I am, a 20-year-old with what I like to think of as a perfect routine for getting perfect eyelashes. My routine eliminates clumping while giving me just enough length and volume in such a way that people actually wonder if I’m wearing false eyelashes (spoiler alert, they’re completely real). And in some weird way, they still have a natural-looking texture, too. So here are a few useful tips and tricks for getting unforgettable eyelashes.

Get naked. Whoa, I mean your eyelashes! I wear mascara every single day, so at night I make sure I remove as much of it as possible, if not all of it. In case you were wondering, yes, I have left mascara on overnight before, and the next morning when I tried to apply more on top of it, it just didn’t look as good as I thought it would. The next thing I knew, I just had these clumps of product weighing down my eyelashes, and it was even more difficult to remove. So make sure you’re removing all of the previously applied product from your lashes before you do anything else.
Get rid of all the extra. I love seeing a lot of product on my wand, but if you’re not careful all that extra product can clump your eyelashes together, then you’ll be left with spider legs on your eyelids (but if that’s your thing then more power to you!)
Get to the ROOT of your problem. Haha, do you get it? I like to brush the wand through my lashes starting from the roots (a.k.a.the areas closest to my eyelids and unfortunately my eyeballs). If you aren’t used to putting wands and things near your eyeball, this may sound terrifying to you (and with good reason). But here’s a subtip to remedy any eyeball-poking that may occur: take your time! You don’t need to spend five minutes on each eye, but going slowly and really paying attention to what you’re doing and how your eyelashes look so far can really make a difference. You might think that normally it takes three coats for you to get them perfect, but if they look pretty perfect after the second coat, then maybe you should just leave well enough alone.
Don’t let it dry in between coats. I never let my mascara dry in between my coats. Maybe that has stemmed from me not having enough time in the morning to do that, but I have found that I get an overall better look when I don’t let them dry. In the past when I did let my eyelashes dry in between coats, I have found that it was harder to ‘move’ my eyelashes to the position I wanted them in, or that it was just difficult to see much of a difference with an added coat.
Wiggle slightly to de-clump. If you happen to run into the issue of having clumpy eyelashes, one thing that I have done to separate them is simply wiggling the wand through the clumped area. This should be a slow, gentle wiggle because otherwise you could risk doing more harm than good if you act too hastily. Another thing that works is going in with a Q-tip to move the clumped sections apart from each other, but make sure you’re doing this before the product is dry!
Don’t forget the lashes toward the inner corner! I never really used to pay attention to the baby eyelashes toward my inner eye, but now I do and it has made a more obvious difference. Remembering to brush through the baby lashes makes my eyelashes look more fanned out and defined, which I really love! I want that full, fluttery effect and this is, in my opinion, the easiest way to get it.
Swipe right (and left). I never used to apply mascara to my lower lashes because I never failed to accidentally get product on the skin under my lower lashes. I used to brush them the way I brushed the wand through my upper lashes, but now I have found that quickly, but gently, swiping left and right through them gets adequate product on them without getting any product on my skin. My lower eyelashes are enhanced greatly and add a sort of roundness to my eyes overall, and really opens them up!

So there you have it — that’s exactly how I get my version of perfect eyelashes all day everyday! What’s your favorite mascara? Tag me in a picture on Instagram @xoitzjazz and use the #macaronsandmascara to let me know!

10 More Tips For Getting A Summer Internship

May 7, 2016Jasmin - Macarons & Mascara 1 Comment

The internship hunt can be a bit time consuming and often stressful — I’d know because I recently got out of that hunt alive! This was actually the first time I applied for summer internships, so there was definitely some trial and error in certain places. At the same time, I emerged victorious and excited to share with you all how I landed my position. I picked up so many tips during my experience, that one blog post wasn’t enough! Be sure to check out part one of my tips for getting a summer internship so that you’re all caught up, and that being said, let’s get into part two!

During, an interview, try to give all your experiences a bit of attention. Earlier in my internship hunt, during interviews I’d often just discuss one piece of experience that I had listed on my resume (my position as an editor). I thought that this was my strongest asset because I developed skills as a leader, manager, writer, editor, and it took a lot of planning and strategy. It was great that I could talk about how much one position taught me, but what about the other positions on my resume? From what I’ve experienced, showing your interviewer that you were able to take away something from all the experiences you listed is a really good way to show that you’ve grown from every experience you had. I feel like interviewers think of this as you adequately absorbing what took place, and really making the most of your positions. Besides, they’d probably want you to make the most of a position at their company.
Demonstrate a unique understanding of a concept or idea. Show the interviewer that your experiences have shaped your thinking in a unique way. They can find many likeminded applicants who might approach a situation the same exact way, but try to show them that you have a different understanding that also works. Remember when you were in the first grade and kids made fun of each other for being even a little different? Well now you’re all grown up and being a little different is actually a good thing.
Don’t be repetitive. The interviewer doesn’t need to know five times that you’re an organized individual who is experienced with team management. I’m pretty sure that you have so much more to say about your abilities, so take your time to elaborate without repeating the same set of skills over and over again.
Use any opportunity to discuss what makes you qualified. This actually happened to me during an interview. The interviewer had finished asking me questions and was explaining a few things about the position. I took that opportunity to further elaborate on why I would be able to handle those specific tasks. Those were not interview questions, however, I wasn’t done making an impression. Saying ‘okay,’ isn’t always enough, and it never hurts you to endorse your abilities just a little bit more. That being said, really use your face time or phone time with your interviewer wisely and to your advantage.
Ask questions. This is actually how I was able to take the above stated opportunity to talk more about my qualifications. At the end of an interview, you’re typically asked if you have any questions for your interviewer. This is probably the one question that shouldn’t come as a surprise to you, so make sure you have at least one question to ask. In my opinion, it shows that you took the time to fully understand what you could about the company and the position before sitting down to be interviewed, and you’d like to take the extra step to learn more. Plus, like I said, you might be able to get the opportunity to further showcase your abilities by doing this.
Leave your business card if it’s an in-person interview. After I applied to the internship I eventually received, I was contacted for a phone interview, then I took an edit test, and lastly I had an in-person interview. Now, I had business cards in a nice business card-holder in my purse, but guess what I forgot to do…I was kicking myself up and down for that because business cards are definitely really professional, and a nice, neat way of telling an employer how you can be reached and what your work has been like so far. This looks extremely professional (especially for a college student like me) and it’s definitely something that makes an employer go, ‘wow.’ Leave your business card whenever possible, and if you don’t have one yet, I highly recommend getting some printed.
Be polite! Okay, don’t get so caught up in the craziness and stresses of internship hunting that you forget your manners at home. Always thank the interviewer for making time to speak with you. It’s definitely a small statement that is really appreciated because they’re probably way busier than you are and have a hundred things planned out for the rest of the day. You don’t want them to remember you as the rude candidate who doesn’t know how to say, ‘thank you.’
If you haven’t heard anything, follow up. I typically follow up with a company one week after my last interaction with them. Following up lets them know that you’re serious about the position because you took it upon yourself to check in with your progress. Keep in mind that even after you follow up, companies don’t always reply to you. It’s not what you want, but remember that it’s okay because you did all that you could do.
Reply to emails promptly. No matter what point you’re at in the application process, reply to the company’s emails in a timely manner. Try not to just see it in your inbox and put a star next to it for later, unless you absolutely must do that because of circumstances. I have actually interviewed many people for positions on the staff I manage in college, and I can’t help but feel that the applicant is a bit disconnected when he or she takes many days to reply to a message. This can come off as a red flag to an interviewer.
Don’t quit after two or three failed attempts. Yeah, I know rejection hurts and it sucks, and when you feel you have so much to offer, getting rejected can really hit you hard, but you can’t just decide that you’ve given it your all and give up. I applied for a position at eight different platforms before being hired. To be honest, eight attempts isn’t a lot; some people apply to 20 positions before getting something, so don’t view rejection as ultimate.

And that concludes my entire guide to landing a summer internship! I know I’ve talked about a lot, so if you have any questions you’d like to ask me, or if you also have some input you can leave me a comment below or email me at [email protected]. I’d love to hear from you guys! That being said, good luck with your hunt, and if you aren’t looking for an internship just yet, I hope to see you back here when you are.

Happy hunting!

12 Tips For Getting A Summer Internship

May 2, 2016Jasmin - Macarons & Mascara 3 Comments

Summer is upon us, and for many college students that means searching for internships, getting a summer job, taking a summer class to catch up or stay ahead, and a whole spiel of things that college kids typically do during the summer vacation. This summer, I’m going to be a lifestyle intern at an amazing content platform, and I can’t wait to start! Now, getting my position was no easy feat, and I completely understand the struggles of getting summer positions like these. I put a lot of work and energy into landing this position every step of the way and I’m proud to say that my hard work has paid off.

Since I’m a survivor, I’ll tell you exactly how I got my first internship. Keep in mind that I do not claim that these if you use these tips you will sure as hell land your internship; I’m just telling you what I did and how/why it worked for me. What I’m about to tell you are exactly what the title says they are — tips, a.k.a. helpful pointers. That being said, I still hope many of you will use these tips as helpful insight, and if you do use them and they help you land an internship then YAY, I’m really happy for you! Anyway, let’s get started, shall we?

Begin your search AEAP — As Early As Possible! I started looking for summer internship opportunities in January 2016. Now, you might think this is ridiculously early, but there were a few companies that required application submission as early as January 31st. I shit you not. So being aware of really early deadlines will ensure that you aren’t missing out on the game, and that you get the chance to take your shot. Besides, wouldn’t it suck to know that you missed out on a potential opportunity all because you missed the deadline?
Keep track of everything. I made organized lists of internships I was interested in, internships I had applied to, internships I couldn’t apply to (severely unqualified, needed someone to start immediately, etc.), internships I got rejected from, and internships I got accepted to. This was to keep my thinking clear and organized, because as a college student who hadn’t even scratched the surface of 20 years on this earth, I had a lot of school work and extracurricular work to do, and just a lot of other stuff going on. Internship hunting is very tedious, so you need as clear of a mind as you can get. Keeping track of everything this way really helped because sometimes I would find an opportunity, realize that I couldn’t apply because I was unqualified, find it again in a few weeks and then remember that I already covered why I couldn’t apply a few weeks ago.
Don’t be afraid to send an email. You’d be surprised by how many people my age are afraid to send a quick email. I’m typically fearless when it comes to inquiries and getting information, so typing out a quick email asking a future employer if a position is still available really doesn’t phase me at all. You won’t always find deadlines listed for internships, so you need to be able to respectfully and effortlessly ask if the position is still available, or if the company has positions at all. I found myself doing this a lot, and sometimes they reply while sometimes they don’t. The idea is that you need to at least try because you never know!
Think about what you want. That sounds really vague, doesn’t it? So one of my priorities when finding an internship was whether or not I’d be able to get paid for it. Hear me out. I have never had a paying job (tried really hard in the past to no avail) and to me it would’ve been really nice to have an opportunity that allows me to make a little cash that I can start saving for grad school, or use for my study abroad trip. So I considered paid opportunities first. Now, I’ve heard many times that one should take whatever comes his or her way when looking for experience, but one should still consider his or her personal preferences, too. You should never completely rule out an opportunity because it isn’t exactly what you want, but still don’t be afraid to take a chance on something that’s exactly what you dream it to be.
Don’t be scared if your resume is longer than one page. I tried so hard to squeeze everything I’ve done in college onto one page for my resume. I even used size nine Times New Roman at some point because I felt I had so much involvement and experience to showcase, and I wanted it all to fit on one page because I thought employers would get bored with a long resume. If anything, employers will be annoyed if they have to read super tiny words on a page. It’s not the end of the world if your resume creeps onto the second page. But if you want a way to cut out unnecessary length to your resume…
Keep your resume format simple. I probably could have added a few small decorative elements, listed my experience in a fancy way and all that, but truthfully a lot of those embellishments just take up space on an already busy resume. Sometimes, simple things are the way to go. This will also let you pay more attention to the quality of your resume.
Really consider everything that should be on your resume. I kept on having to go back and add things to my resume because I somehow forgot to state all the websites I’ve been published on (even though I was only published just once on some), or the fact that I have some experience as a Snapstory content creator, or even the fact that I own my own website! This is major for someone looking to go into the magazine industry, and it was a major screw up on my part. I was actually told during a phone interview for a position that I really should have stated on my resume that I own a blog. Sit down and really think about everything that’s relevant to your work experience. If you’re having trouble distinguishing between what you should and shouldn’t include on a resume, seek help from the career center at your school, or even ask a supervisor what the best way to display your piece of experience on a resume is.
Make your cover letter stand out. In a positive way, of course. In my cover letter, I used the first paragraph, the intro paragraph, as a way to be lighthearted and a little funny while still leading my potential employer to my main goal: why they should hire me as an intern. They say that employers only spend about 60 seconds on your material, so give them material that they wouldn’t want to forget; give them something that’ll make them smile, or even chuckle. I like to think that doing this will buy me an extra 2o seconds.
Discuss the organization by name in your cover letter. You really shouldn’t send out a generic cover letter to 20 different employers. This definitely shows that you don’t care about each company enough to add some extra effort, so why should those companies hire you? Yeah, I had to go back and tailor my cover letters to every specific opportunity I applied to, and yes, I have multiple cover letters saved on my laptop, but at least doing this will make you a lot more likely to actually receive an interview.
Really do your research about the company. This comes in handy with your cover letter because you should be able to demonstrate why you feel you’re a good match for that company, but it also comes in handy during interviews. I have been asked so many times about content from each platform, so of course I made damn sure I read a lot of the content from each platform. You will likely be asked about the company’s current work, so you better start doing some research. Familiarizing myself with the content was also really good because it helped me really see if I’d fit in well with the culture of each unique platform. I can’t report about celebrity lives for every single piece of content, so I would never try to take an opportunity with a platform that does just that. It just isn’t my style and it’s not what I’m good at. On the other hand, I love platforms that look at multiple lifestyle aspects, even with the occasional piece about a celebrity. You won’t be able to thrive in every single environment, so make sure you know which ones you might be most successful in.
Keep up to date about current topics. Especially if you’re looking for an internship in some sort of journalistic industry. Even scrolling through Twitter the morning of an interview for breaking news, the latest overnight trend, or the most recent viral video that has society up in arms can drastically improve your chances of getting the position. You never know when you might be able to insert that piece of newfound knowledge.
Don’t be difficult — make time for a phone interview. Yes, you’re a student and you have a lot going on, but don’t expect to not change a single thing in your calendar and still have a prompt phone interview. Your interviewer is way busier, so you might find that they only have two possible times to speak with you out of an entire week. Sure, you might’ve wanted Wednesday from 1-2pm for yourself so you can hit the gym, or catch another episode of Grey’s Anatomy on Netflix, but you might also really want that interview, too. For me, scheduling interviews as promptly as possible was really beneficial because as an on-campus leader it can sometimes be hard to tell when a task will arise that you need to pay extra time and attention to. The more quickly you’re able to schedule an interview, the better; even the near future can be unpredictable.

Hope you’ve made it this far! This is just part one of a two-part series (I have SO MUCH to share with y’all!) I don’t want this post to be obnoxiously lengthy, so stay tuned for part two where I’ll get more in depth about the interview portion and some things toward the end of your application process.

How did you score your first internship?