Born To Be Bright

wellness, lifestyle, beauty

  • Using Perceived Control to Boost Your Well-Being

    Using Perceived Control to Boost Your Well-Being

    I don’t share too much about my life on my blog but I recently graduated from college with a degree in psychology and recently I’ve been thinking a lot about the cognitive fallacies and false beliefs that are holding us back from being our happiest selves. We have all of these choices to make every…

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  • My Hybrid Work Morning Routine

    My Hybrid Work Morning Routine

    I’ve gotten used to the hybrid work environment, as I’m sure many of us have over the past months/years. One thing I noticed was how my morning and night routines were affected by whether I was going in to the office or not. When I’m at home, there’s much less prep time (lunch, clothes, makeup,…

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  • My Under $100 Skincare Routine

    My Under $100 Skincare Routine

    After a mini meltdown at the airport this summer when I was leaving for Europe in which I had to toss almost all my skincare, I went all summer this year with an SPF, cleanser, moisturizer and spot treatment. Gone were the deep hydrators, the serums and the makeup removers. I ended up not purchasing…

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  • Reasons I’m Hauling Smaller

    Reasons I’m Hauling Smaller

    Over the past few years I’ve gained a new attitude towards the beauty industry. With the nonstop launches set up to keep us placing orders, I realized how much I own and how little I can actually put on my face. As I’m sure we have all felt throughout the past year, wearing makeup less…

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  • New Year Journal Prompts

    New Year Journal Prompts

    We’ve all been waiting for 2020 to end but it can feel good to take a moment and try to learn from this year before quickly moving on to a new one. Writing in my journal has always been therapeutic for me and it’s usually what I try to do when I’m feeling especially down…

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  • Productivity: The “Just One More” Method

    Productivity: The “Just One More” Method

    Let me paint you a picture: You’re working from home. You can’t focus for more than 3 minutes at a time before reaching for your phone, typing in twitter or sephora.com and you think “if I restructure my week, I can push these last few things off until tomorrow”. Stop right there, put down the…

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  • Budget-Friendly Wellness Routine Menu

    Budget-Friendly Wellness Routine Menu

    Welcome back! Recently, I’ve been trying to motivate myself to take part in those wellness routines that make me feel really good. Things like painting, yoga, reading, writing for my blog. It’s a common experience to have low motivation during quarantine. I think I ran out of steam as it seemed like this would never…

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  • 5 Reflection Questions For Changing Seasons

    5 Reflection Questions For Changing Seasons

    As I’ve been working on writing in my journal more often, I have collected questions that I think are perfect to ask yourself (or friends) during the change of the seasons. I’m starting to get that nostalgic feeling I often do during the transition from spring to summer. This is a time of change and…

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  • 5 Tips for Working From Home

    5 Tips for Working From Home

    Currently, I’m a full-time student of “remote learning” otherwise known as online classes due to coronavirus concerns. Making the transition from fully in-person learning with a very specific and busy schedule to absolutely no schedule. Now, I am in charge of when I go to sleep and wake up, taking breaks for meals, and getting…

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  • A Little Life Edit

    A Little Life Edit

    In recent months I’ve been focused on editing my life to create a life I truly love. This has meant a lifestyle switch in the way I conduct myself in relationships, the food I eat, what I prioritize in my day-to-day life, and the people I keep in my life. Changes In My Daily Routine…

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  • How To Start A Yoga Routine

    How To Start A Yoga Routine

    Back in August I began going to hot yoga a few times a week. Over the past few months it has become a vital part of my wellness routine and I practice 3 to 5 times a week. Even if I don’t do a yoga class or an at-home sequence, I use so many of…

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  • Redefining Wellness

    Redefining Wellness

    Welcome back!  If you read my massive post about creating my wellness routine (which I hope you have) you’ll know that this concept of wellness has been really important to me recently.  My idea of health, and taking care of myself were so different just a few months ago and I’ve learned so much through…

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  • Creating My Wellness Routine

    Creating My Wellness Routine

    Lately I’ve been redefining what wellness means for me.  I recently started listening to a lot of podcasts that are opening me up to lots more ideas that may seem a little ~woo woo~ but if something works for you and makes you feel good, it doesn’t really matter if it seems a little out…

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  • Travel Friendly Summer Stick Makeup

    Travel Friendly Summer Stick Makeup

    I’ve been traveling a lot this summer and I’ve gotten my travel makeup down to a very small makeup case with exactly what I need and not too many extras. Stick makeup is by far the easiest to travel with; no compacts to shatter, liquids to leak, loose powders to explode. It’s also the easiest…

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  • Saving Money: Make Your Hobbies More Affordable

    Saving Money: Make Your Hobbies More Affordable

    It’s been a while since I checked in on my saving money goals/ series.  I’ve been putting a lot of thought into where my money is going and what are unnecessary expenses that I can easily cut out.  Something that can end up costing a lot is our hobbies. We need supplies, memberships, books, anything…

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  • Ways I’m Doing More of What I Love

    Ways I’m Doing More of What I Love

    It’s been 4 months since the start of the year and it’s starting to feel like it’s flying by.  Everyone says it; it kicks off every blog post this time of year, but it’s true.  I can confidently lay out a timeline of the next 5 months and saying it all in under a minute…

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  • A Routine for Skin That’s So Dry It’s Literally Cracking

    A Routine for Skin That’s So Dry It’s Literally Cracking

    Every winter my skin gets intolerably dry, like cracking and peeling dry.  I can layer up on moisturizers, use overnight masks as my regular moisturizer, exfoliate weekly, it makes little difference.  But I have found a full routine that, if followed step by step, my skin stops cracking and getting out-of-control dry.  It’s not just…

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  • Self Care Routines I’m Adopting

    Self Care Routines I’m Adopting

    In 2018 I really need to focus more on self care.  This isn’t a “I want to do this” it’s more of “I have to”.  My stress kind of got out of control near the end of last year and I think it stemmed from so so many places that I really need to address…

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  • Bedtime Essentials

    Bedtime Essentials

    I have seriously amped up my bedtime essentials collection lately.  It’s all about cozy scents, good formulas, and being so so comfortable.  I love sleeping and I always prioritize getting enough sleep and getting good sleep.  These products make it easy for me to accomplish my goals and get some seriously good sleep. Bath and…

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  • 4 Ways To Do A Digital Detox

    4 Ways To Do A Digital Detox

    For two whole days I didn’t go on my phone.  That meant no texting, no calling, no scrolling.  It was liberating.  I have never felt so energetic and excited to see my friends, and I had more time than ever.  I never liked how dependent I was on my cell phone, I kind of resented…

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  • The 5 Minute, 3 Product “Late” Face

    The 5 Minute, 3 Product “Late” Face

    Sometimes there’s days when I can’t be bothered to do a full makeup routine or am in a hurry and don’t have time to use a lot of products.  This is the routine I go for when I need dependable makeup that will look exactly how I want it to in a matter of moments.…

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  • Learning To Disconnect

    Learning To Disconnect

    I’m learning to disconnect a lot more lately, trying to get off my phone and not be so attached to it.  It’s hard to learn to let go, there’s always the fear of missing something important but it’s so important to try to live in the moment more and take more time for myself.  This…

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  • What To Do When You’re Overwhelmed

    What To Do When You’re Overwhelmed

    Everyone has those times when they just feel overwhelmed whether it be with school, work, family, or friends.  Sometimes you just need to take a hour (or a day) to hit the reset button and get yourself back to normal.  I find all of these work best with the friend overwhelm that can happen with…

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  • 3 Products to Look More Awake

    3 Products to Look More Awake

    On the list of “The Last Thing I Want To Look Like”, tired has to be on there.  I hate looking like I just rolled out of bed even when I’ve been up for an hour or two.  It’s one of the less-flattering looks, especially when you’re rocking dull skin, puffy under eyes, and crazy…

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  • Facial Mist Guide

    Facial Mist Guide

    I went on a bit of a facial mist splurge while I was in Europe and I wanted to do a guide showing which mists are good for what facial concerns and uses.  I have a ton but applying a facial mist is really my jam.  They’re the easiest form of skincare, a quick spritz and…

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  • My No Makeup Challenge

    My No Makeup Challenge

    I’ve always been one to say the phrases “5 minutes so I can do my makeup really fast” or “almost ready I just need to finish my makeup”.  But I always wanted to be someone who just left the house with no makeup.  I felt like I needed a change in my makeup routine, my…

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  • Welcome Back!

    Welcome Back!

    I’ve been wanting a fresh start on this blog for quite a few months now and when I came up with this new name, “Born to be Bright,” I knew it was the perfect way to give the blog a new beginning.   Born to be Bright to me means be yourself, in any and…

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  • Another Ulta Haul

    Another Ulta Haul

    After my 3 Base Impressions post that I wrote last week, I went back to Ulta and exchanged some things for some new goodies.  So I got a few things that I’ve been wanting for so long. The Ulta birthday gift was an Urban Decay eyeshadow in Midnight Cowboy.  It’s a really pretty pinky shade…

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  • 3 Base First Impressions

    3 Base First Impressions

    Two weeks ago was my birthday so naturally I went over to Ulta to pick up a few birthday treats.  I kind of had a list of things I wanted to look at but the price always gets so high so fast, so I ended up with these three.  This was not my most successful…

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  • Essie Gel Couture Haul

    Essie Gel Couture Haul

    Ever since I saw the new line from Essie of their Gel Couture Polishes, I started picking shades that I wanted to get.  These are supposed to last up to two weeks without a gel lamp, just a color and top coat.  I always have to use a base coat because my nails can get…

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  • Sephora Glow For It Highlight Set

    Sephora Glow For It Highlight Set

    Nothing beats Sephora’s beauty sets, containing a range of brands with a value almost always double the cost of the box.  These don’t have those wimpy sample sizes, these are deluxe sample size products that are actually worth purchasing.  Sephora Favorites boxes are also a great way to try different formulas of a similar product,…

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  • A Little Lush Haul

    A Little Lush Haul

    Lush hauls are some of my favorite posts to read and some of my favorite blog pictures to look at.  Lush packaging is so beautiful and classic, and the message behind it is all the better.  Lush is so natural and animal friendly, with a great link to charity with some of their products. It…

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  • Fall Body Care Routine

    Fall Body Care Routine

    Fall is in full swing, bringing along with it drier skin but also some amazing warm home-y scents.  Fall scents are definitely my favorite, from Vanilla to Eggnog and Sugar Cookie, they make me feel right at home. Fall body care is so different from summer because the scents turn so much warmer, the formulas…

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  • October Favorites 2016

    October Favorites 2016

    It’s been so long since I’ve written a favorites post, especially because I don’t usually get too many new products in my every day rotation so my favorites usually end up pretty similar each month.  However, it’s been a while and I have some new products to show you this month! This elf Mineral Lipstick…

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  • POPSUGAR October Must Have Unboxing*

    POPSUGAR October Must Have Unboxing*

    I was lucky enough to be sent October POPSUGAR box again this month from POPSUGAR, and it is so exciting when I see this huge pink box on my porch.  It’s always filled with full-size seasonal beauty and lifestyle goodies perfect for the month.  This month had some amazing autumnal beauty and lifestyle products that made…

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  • Hourglass Vanish Stick Foundation

    Hourglass Vanish Stick Foundation

    For over a year I’ve been getting ipsy and racking up points for one of their insanely amazing rewards.  Then I found it, a full-size Hourglass Vanish Stick Foundation to welcome into my collection.  You can’t imagine my excitement when I found out this was full-size.  Say hello to my first full-size high end foundation.…

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  • 10 Ways to Get Excited for Autumn

    10 Ways to Get Excited for Autumn

    Fall is finally here and showing its beautiful colors.  I mean seriously, taking an autumnal drive with the wind blowing all the red, orange, and yellow leaves around is one of my favorite things, just behind a drive the morning after it snowed.  Slowly but surely it’s been changing from vibrant greens to rich reds…

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