Finals have crept up on us here at FBG - cue a few minor breakdowns, several pleas for graduation to hurry up, and a lot of coffee. If you're also trying to hang on to that GPA, no worries. We've got you covered with a few of our study tips. We wish you ladies luck with finals!

RACHEL
Unplug
     Studying is such a personal venture that nothing is a universal solution. However, I have found that avoiding unnecessary contact with the computer or cell is hugely beneficial. I am always for an occasional break from texts, tweets, etc. - but it becomes especially important whilst I'm studying. The last thing I want to do by the end of the semester is write a research paper, so distractions automatically become more alluring. Try doing as much work as possible without a computer. Use the 'Do Not Disturb' mode on your phone. Do a little preliminary research for your essay and then log off to write an outline by hand.  Then you can return to the computer with a clear idea of what you want to write, so you're more likely to stay focused. Need to nail a final? Print off a hard copy of your study guide (definitely make one if it's not provided for you) and keep it with you to get in a little studying whenever you can. I quite like to do this, and then give myself a break. I'll watch television, and on commercial breaks mute the TV and read through my study guide. This is also helpful if you have any downtime at work or between classes, since you won't need access to a computer or heavy books on hand.

TESSA
Take a Break
      
       Seems that I'm taking the opposite route of Rachel a bit here, but to me, nothing is worse than the looming endless studying I have. The biggest thing I've found that helps me is to just take a break and walk away. At some point, you can only cram so much, and there's no use in stressing out more. Not to say that you shouldn't study at all, but taking a break can be hugely beneficial. Even if it's just taking 20 minutes to do a quick work out, or go grab froyo with a friend, or catch a few minutes of a game, it's well worth it to keep your sanity. This is really helpful if the subject you're studying for is one you're absolutely dreading (for me, abnormal psychology) or you're really stressing out over it. So take a deep breath, and take a couple minutes for yourself. At the end of the day, it's just a test, not life or death.

JENNY
Get out of your house/apartment
       
       Many people are able to study in their apartment or house. I was even able to last semester on a consistent basis. However, last finals and this entire semester I've taken a different route and basically lived at the library. Last semester, my friends and I camped out at a table on one of the quiet floors of the library and buckled down for twelve hours at a time. Granted, this method isn't optimum for those who can't study for longer periods of time but we would often take breaks to get food or go home for a quick nap (emphasis on quick). The best part about having your friends there is that they motivate you to get work done because everyone absolutely has to study. Also, when you want to go home for a nap or to grab a quick bite, you don't have to pack up all your stuff! Bonus.

     Happy Wednesday (and last day of April, and 10-year anniversary of Mean Girls)!

     Today I have a quick post on what basic eyeliner combinations I use on a pretty consistent basis. I tend to wear pencil eyeliner on more natural days. If I'm feeling fancy, I'll put on liquid eyeliner. I tend to stay away from gel eyeliner mostly because I've never used it and I don't use twist-up eyeliners very often because I don't like the application as much as pencils.

TORI
Bambi- Tokyo Police Club
     Tokyo Police Club has been an old favorite of mine and they made their way into my Spotify playlist and I haven't stopped listening to Champ (2010). They have an interesting sound; it's not super indie, but I really am not sure how to describe it. Wow, not helpful, I know. Anyway, it was pretty difficult for me to pick a song because I have just been listening to this album straight through. This is actually a band that I can listen to while studying; which is pretty weird because I need absolute concentration, no vocals, while I'm studying.


TESSA
Salute - Little Mix
      So I'll be honest, I was not on the Little Mix bandwagon at first. In my book, nothing could (will ever) beat the Spice Girls so I was a little reluctant. Not to mention I have insane hair envy of all of them. Perry was actually one of my inspirations to go back blonde. Anyway, I started listening to their newest album after I became obsessed with Move, which is ridiculously catchy, much like the rest of their album. As per usual, I'm obsessed with the beat of this song and it's an awesome one to blast with the windows down. This has been making the rounds as one of my most played for about a month now. If you want a glimpse into how talented these girls are, listen to Boy off this album. A freaking plus, ladies.


JENNY
Days - The Drums
    My music has been in desperate need of a pick-me-up now that spring has finally arrived. Since my favorite band for the summer is Best Coast, I created a Spotify radio station (no commercials, unlike Pandora) for the band. Cue a ridiculous amount of new bands to listen to! I came across this song by The Drums and was immediately hooked.








RACHEL
People Are Strange - The Doors
     It's been a bit of a stormy week in KC, so I was all about a laid back musical selection. Not to mention I'm just ever so slightly yet totally over school all together. So in comes The Doors. "People Are Strange" is obviously one of their most popular tracks but it's always been a favorite of mine. Don't quite know where you've been if you've never heard it, but don't worry it's easily accessible on Spotify. Big shout out to "Wish You Were Here" from ma home boys Pink Floyd too.

Howdy, y'all! I've had this recent issue where I've been using the word y'all on a fairly consistent basis. I'm not entirely sure where the habit originated since I go to school in Maryland but I'm rolling with it. It may just be due to the fact that I'm way too lazy to say "you all" or "you guys". Most of my decisions come down to the amount of effort required in all honesty.

Anyway, with the theme of the week being Spring Lips I decided to round up my favorite lip products of each general "type" for spring. You know what I mean? Lipstick, lip pencil, lip gloss, what have you. So here they are!


Let's start with the basics. My personal favorite lipstick for spring is MAC's Girl About Town. I spoke about this in the Tuesday Talk posted yesterday so I'm not going to go into much detail. Just know that it is the most beautiful fuchsia shade that isn't drying and stays in plays for hours (even without a lip pencil!).

TORI
MAC's Pink Nouveau
    I really tried to pick a lipstick that wasn't MAC, but here I am. After yesterday's post I thought I would go ahead and pick a spring lip color that wasn't massively bold. Pink Nouveau is a really nice shade of pink. It is just opaque enough to really show through but not in a bubble gum, Barbie pink way. The formula of this is amazing and is actually pretty versatile with different shades of lip liner. My favorites would be Shock Value (MAC) , which will get you to a really bright, neon pink, and Dynamo (MAC).

Howdy, y'all. If you're anything like us over here at FBG, you're constantly on the go during the day. I'm always running all over campus to work, class, teaching, studying, whatever it may be. On days when I have to wake up particularly early I'm not interested in putting on a full face of makeup. So what's the plan instead? I'll give you a quick run-down of my on-the-go face these days.

tori
Revlon Color Enamel in 211 Charming
     I think my love of lilac polish goes back to a video I saw where Lisa Eldridge was wearing one (lame, I know). It just looked like the epitome of spring. Even though it's actually snowing right now, I have some pastel love going on. I've had this polish for quite some time and I just keep going back to it because it is just the perfect shade for my skin tone. Like other Revlon polishes, the formula on this is A+.

tessa
Ruby Wing Color Changing Polish in Peony
     I'm not so sure that I'm in love with the color changing aspect here, but I do love the color it applies as, which is a beautiful pastel-neon coral (which changes to a dusty rose with sun exposure, btw). It's a bit more summery than spring, but I'm skipping seasons at this point and don't even care. I'm in love with the whole neon-pastel trend. Honorable mention to Birchbox & Color Club for their collaboration collection last year because that was on point in that regard. My only complaint about this polish is how it applies. It took me about 4-5 coats to get the opacity I wanted and even then it was still streaky near the base of the nail. Setting that aside, I love everything else about this polish, and I think it will definitely be one to live on my nails this season.


jenny
Essie Nail Polish in Sunday Funday
     As most nail polish purchases are in my life, this shade was an impulse buy while in the beauty department of Target. That is a dangerous store, I tell you. I'm not a huge fan of pink as far as wearing it in my clothing (except for scarves) but when it comes to beauty, pink and I are best friends. During the summer and spring I tend to get tan due to my wonderful Italian genes and this nail polish really pops against the darker skintone. As of right now, it's popping against my translucent skin but that's alright. This shade is a bright pink with a bit of shimmer in it and it applies pretty opaque. I would still recommend two coats, however.

TORI
MAC Studio Finish Concealer (NC15)
     I know I've mentioned my struggle of finding a good concealer before and I still haven't found my holy grail product. The Studio Finish Concealer is the closet I've come though. I typically use the Revlon Photo Ready concealer for redness, but Studio Finish is great for under the eyes. I'm convinced that nothing will ever completely cover my dark circles, but this does a fine job. It has SPF 35 which makes me feel pretty good about this product. Using a moisturizing under eye cream is necessary when using this product to ensure it doesn't look cakey. I really like applying this with the tip of my Real Techniques Sponge.

JENNY
Sonia Kashuk All Covered Up (01 Porcelain)
     Soooo I apparently completed spaced that the Tuesday Talk this week was on concealer since I did my post on concealers last week (oops). However, this time I uploaded a picture so y'all could get a better understanding of the consistency f this product. It's a little wetter than MAC Studio Finish but I feel that they could be comparable. This product blends well and matches my skintone almost perfectly but I believe there are only four different colors. I usually just use my finger (I know, poor form, but I'm a girl on the go). It also has pretty nice packaging for the drugstore, albeit a little bulky for the amount of product inside. However, this has been my favorite concealer recently but like Tori, I still haven't found my holy grail.

TESSA
Covergirl Fresh Completion Under Eye Concealer in Classic Ivory
Well, what a surprise we have here. I think I've used this concealer in every video I've posted (which if you aren't subscribed to our YouTube channel go do so now.. New videos every Saturday!). Much like Tori, I don't think I'll ever find a product to actually help my under eye area, but this comes pretty darn close. It has a really creamy consistency and it actually just a tad too light for my skin (a real feat to accomplish) so it has a highlighting effect that makes it look like maybe I did sleep for 8 hours last night. Of course I have yet to find a concealer that I love enough to repurchase, I think I'll forever be on the hunt. Suggestions welcome.

RACHEL
Tarte Maracuja Creaseless Concealer in Fair
     I'm not sure that I've ever actually mentioned this product, but it has been a game changer for me. The price tag is a little steep unfortunately. However, if you are ghostly it can be quite the challenge to find a concealer that is actually fair enough. This is the right shade and undertone for my skin, and works well for dryness. If you tend to be oiler, it may slide around a bit on you. If you find that concealer tends to look cakey and dry, give this a go. I find it can work on both blemishes and the under eye area. It is densely pigmented, so you only need a minute amount. Paired with a tapered eyeliner brush this is perfect for some Lisa Eldridge pinpoint concealing.

     If you've been a little out of the loop with FBG as of late, every Tuesday we post collaboratively. We blabber on about anything from makeup to movies so be sure to tune in dudes. Since the spring season finally seems to be creeping up on us, we're here to share our favorite fragrances to don this time of year.

All of us broke girls thoroughly enjoy an extensive lie-in with our TVs, which is no secret. You always hear us rattling on about it, so we thought we'd share what we're currently (obsessively) watching!

TORI
World Music - Ahnnu
     I feel like choosing one song from this album would just be unfair, so I chose the whole thing. They are all pretty short tunes (:45-2:12) and I listen to it in its entirety. I learned of Ahnnu from Jenn Im (clothesencounters) in one of her favorites videos awhile back. Ahnnu has released quite a few new albums since World Music and I'm still sifting through them. This album is especially amazing for when you need to be productive and the entire discography is on Spotify. I know my study playlists are beyond weird, it's either Ahnnu, Marianelli, or the Tron soundtrack. It's fine.

TESSA
Move If You Wanna - MIMS
    Once again, I'm on the throwback train this week, but a little further back this time. Nelly Spotify radio has been my JAM all week long, and I regret nothing. If you're in the mood for some good 2000's rap/hip-hop throwbacks, look no further. I loved MIMS when he first started, and I still love him now. Can we please just bring him back? What happened to him anyway (VH1, MTV - I want a full report)? So basking in my glory days of sophomore year of high school (ha. haha. hahahahaha. NO), I shall continue to enjoy my throwbacks. And I'm sure you're all glad to have a break from a country pick (but it's been of no shortage in my life, not to worry).

rachel
     Out of pure practicality, and to spare you from another mention of Real Techniques, I selected perhaps my most relied upon brush. This actually came in the Essential Tools Hi Def Deluxe Duo Eye Set. I've only spotted these at WalMart but if you can pick them up I'd highly recommend you do. I can use this particular brush for grooming and filling in brows, liner, and combing through lashes. Still, I get heavy use out of the other duos as well. They're all synthetic bristles and are thus suitable for either cream or powder and wash extremely well. The double-ended feature is also space saving and travel friendly. My only qualm is the ferrule can loosen from the handle, but that's easily fixed with super glue. In sum, these are solid brushes - especially for the price.

tessa
    I'm not much of a brush lover by any means, though the ever-growing collection in my bathroom would tell you otherwise. I much prefer to use my fingers as much as possible, or my Real Techniques Sponge, so sitting down to do this post proved to be quite the task. I ended up going with my Eco Tools blush brush. They sell these on their own but I picked mine up in the Starter Set. The reason I chose this one is because I pick it up on the daily and use it to set my foundation and concealer with my Rimmel Stay Matte powder. I find that the tapered shape serves itself well for the areas that I typically set (t-zone and under eyes). If you've never tried out Eco Tools I highly recommend them. They're a little pricier for a drugstore option, but the quality is on par with some higher end brands I've tried out.


tori
     I had quite the opposite problem from Tessa. I have way too many brushes that I absolutely adore. Since Rachel used an eye brush and Tessa a blush brush I figured I would go with my beloved ELF Complexion Brush. I have a couple of ELF brushes, including their blush brush which I rather like. I chose this brush because I love how big the brush is. It is absolutely perfect for setting your foundation and it feels so nice. This brush is actually a really nice quality at just $3, I've washed it countless times and it still feels new.

jenny
     I'm not a huge brush fiend like my other broke girls but I do appreciate a quality brush. I only have a couple higher end brushes so the majority of my brushes are drugstore! My favorite right now is the Sonia Kashuk Blush Brush from the Couture Set. It seems to be so difficult to find a blush brush that has the perfect bristle density. You want a blush brush that isn't too fluffy but you always don't want it to deposit all of your product on one part of your face. This brush is the happy medium and I never, ever want it to break (especially since it's limited edition).

Hey, y'all. Who would have ever thought that I would be the first to post for a collaboration post? Just some proof that miracles do happen. School has finally started for everyone here at FBG much to our dismay and irritation, but alas school is necessary. Today we are bringing to you our final installment of the Winter theme we've used for our new collaboration posts. This week is nail edition (so prepare to head to the drugstore to buy these gorgeous shades).

JEN
Sephora by OPI in If You've Got It, Haunt It
     Please pardon the slight chipping on a couple fingers - keeping my nails from chipping is a daily effort that usually fails. I painted my nails yesterday and life is too hard for me to keep them perfect for more than five minutes (I'm not exaggerating). This polish came in a set from Sephora which I purchased a while ago, which is obvious since this line is no longer sold.... so sorry. I just can't get over this black polish with the most subtle glitter in it. I usually hate glitter nail polish because it's so flashy but this is classy and understated. Unfortunately you'd have to search on Ebay to find this shade but I'm sure there are dupes out there. Look for black bases with teensy-tiny cool-toned glitter.

TESSA
Essie's Stylenomics
I purchased this shade about a year ago and didn't get around to using it much but I fell in love with it this holiday season. It's a dark, forest green that can look black in some lights (in fact, it's gotten mistaken for black on multiple occasions). Lots of colors like this picked up a lot of popularity during the start of autumn, specifically After School Boy Blazer, and of course I had to jump on the bandwagon. I own enough blue polish to sink a boat though, so green was my go-to alternative. I'm pretty sure this color is part of the permanent line so you should still be able to find it in store.


TORI
Essie's After School Boy Blazer

Like Tessa already mentioned, darker colors are pretty key to a winter look. Sure some people can pull off the light, pastel colors for winter. However, I am never one of those people. I was originally going to use a Sonia Kashuk nail polish that is a beautiful emerald green. Alas, Tessa nabbed the color and I went for navy. I first caught sight of this color through Vivianna Does Makeup and have been obsessed with finding it ever since. I actually got this color a couple weeks ago and I've just kept applying it. Also, navy is a nice alternative to black when you're looking for some color (yes, that's as far as I dare go).


RACHEL

     Haaaallo lovelies! We're proud to announce a new weekly feature on FBG, coming to you each and every Tuesday. Like On Repeat, we'll be collaboratively posting about anything from beauty to movies. We've deemed this the week to share our favorite winter lipsticks, but we'd love to hear your suggestions as well! I'd say c u next Tuesday, but...you know.

rachel
Revlon Black Cherry
     This is an oldie, but one I can depend on for a vampy lip. The Super Lustrous line has a creamy texture, so I do tend to blot this down. Still, it earns bonus points for versatility. Dabbed on it's a sheer berry stain but can be built up to full opacity. Since I went the dramatic route, I kept the rest of my face simple. For base I used a minute amount of Revlon Colorstay (the normal/dry formulation). Dark lipstick has a way of emphasizing my dead eyes and thus, Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Dark Circle Eraser to the rescue. I wanted to slightly define the eyes, opting for the medium-toned, matte taupe Get Ahead from Bare Minerals. I finished with a swipe of MAC Gigablack mascara and NYX cream blush in Boho Chic (to restore some color to my pallid, pallid face). Fin.

jenny
BITE BEAUTY High Pigment Pencil in Rhubarb
     Excuse the messy hair, I'm about to run out the door to get my haircut so didn't see the point in making it all fancy. I chose this lip color (graciously given to me by Tori - I am in love with it) because it's one that will work when you need to be somewhere official and look put together. I have an appointment with a school advisor today so I didn't find it appropriate to go too vampy but this is a good balance. I think this shade is definitely more of a winter or fall color... it would look weird with lighter fabrics. Or maybe that's just me. For the rest of my face, I used Revlon Colorstay for Combinatin/Oily skin (new fave drugstore foundation), kept my eyes bare, some Cailyn liquid eyeliner, and did my brows up reaaaaallll nice-like. I put some shimmery eyeshadow along my bottom lash-line to open up the eyes a bit and then used Tarte 24-Hour Blush in Exposed to brighten up the cheeks. Prettay simple!

tessa
Wet N Wild Black Orchid 
    This is easily my favorite lip color in my collection, and also the one I get the most compliments on. Best part? It's only $1 at the drugstore. Bless you, Wet N Wild, for making cheap and fabulous make up. Black Orchid is a deep, dark red, pretty similar to Revlon Black Cherry or a number of MAC shades. It easily gives a little extra to any basic make up look (aka my entire life). For the rest of my face, I kept it very simple using my trusty Covergirl Whipped foundation (with my Real Techniques sponge that I am in awe with, Thanks Rach), a Color Workshop blush (don't have color name sorry!) and used NYC's Sunny Bronzer in my crease with Urban Decay's Venus all over, and finally topped off with EM Cosmetic's Lash Gallery Volume. My brows, as always, are courtesy of Anastasia's Brow Powder Duo in Auburn. Quick and easy.

tori
MAC Cyber
I'm a bit late on this post, lo siento. Notice all of the red lips? Well mine only varies slightly. I am a sucker for all things bold lips and Cyber is no exception. However, in this post I just wore it as a stain with a bit of my Orange Baby Lips over it. I would normally wear it in all its bold glory, however this wasn't the lip color I started today with. When I do wear this color full on I tend to have golden eyes a la Lorde (because her minimal makeup is always on point).