CRAWFISH BOIL

Down here in the south it's currently my very favorite season. CRAWFISH SEASON! That's right. We classify seasons by food. Gumbo season. Crawfish season. Snowball season. And well, football season (I'm aware football isn't a food type but we eat a lot of food during that time so let's just calm down with the technicalities people).

Yesterday I went to a crawfish boil with Samantha and her family. As you know, Samantha is my bestie that I met in graphic design. While I'm here at school (away from home) her family has been like my second family.

We ate lots of crawfish, corn, & potatoes and played with all the babies. I can put away some crawfish. I'm talking like 7+ pounds. A normal person will usually eat around 5 pounds at a sitting if they're really hungry. But hey. No shame. You burn off all the calories in the crawfish by peeling them...right? It was really hot outside and the spicy crawfish did not help the situation. I was a happy, sweaty mess. And my fingers are still raw from all the peeling but I wear my shredded fingers like a badge of honor. It was totally worth it.

I also finally found a beer I can tolerate (and even sort of like). Abita Purple Haze is a wheat beer with raspberry puree added after filtration. You can even see raspberry pulp in the beer! It's no pinot noir but it'll do.
Now back to the real world. I have final critiques this week and two finals and a research paper the next week. But then it will be summer time and I have no class. And I'm also going to see Swan Lake (yes the actual Russian ballet!) with my mom and friends in between the finals weeks. Hope you're having a wonderful weekend!

xo Charlie

BEAUTY REVIEW: R+F MICRO-DERMABRASION PASTE

Hey y'all! I'm here to tell you about a new beauty product that I'm obsessed with. I can't hold this secret any longer and I need to share the wealth. Rodan + Fields created this amazing Micro-Dermabrasion Paste.

First, a little background on this product.  Rodan + Fields are the dermatologists behind ProActiv, which is a product renowned for its acne treating abilities.  They founded Rodan + Fields Dermatologists in 2002 to help people treat everyday skin concerns. Rodan + Fields quickly became a leading dermatologist brand in top-tier department stores. So these gals already have an amazing reputation.

Now on to the product. We all know that exfoliation is one of the important steps in skin care and involves removal of old, dead skin cells from the skin's surface by mechanical or chemical means. Exfoliating the skin regularly is important because it removes the outer layer of dead skin to reveal the newer, healthier skin beneath. Proper exfoliation also keeps skin clean, unclogs pores, evens skin tone and helps reduce acne breakouts. To assist in this process, Rodan + Fields has developed their Enhancements Micro-Dermabrasion Paste for men and women.

Infused with Vitamin C and E to nourish the skin, the Rodan + Fields Micro-Dermabrasion Paste can be used 1-3 times a week with all four of the main Rodan + Fields skin care regimens. The Micro-Dermabrasion Paste can even be used before shaving to reduce razor burn.

 Rodan + Fields: Enhancements Micro-Dermabrasion Paste comes in a tub and contains 4.2 ounces of product. The consistency is very thick and grainy. It has a nice, light citrus/floral smell that you can't really detect until you rinse. The directions say to apply the product on dry skin and slowly and gently massage around your skin. It also says, for a gentler exfoliation (for those with sensitive skin), you can apply it to damp skin.

I tried the product both ways. I applied it to my dry skin and massaged it around for a good minute. I then rinsed and was SHOCKED. My face has never felt this smooth before. Ever! I was seriously amazed. In fact, I can say that out of all of the micro-dermabrasion products I've tried, this tops my list in effectiveness. When I applied the product to damp skin, it felt more like a gentle exfoliating cleanser. Nice, but not as powerful. Make sure you follow up with some moisturizer since this product will be sloughing off old skin cells. Using moisturizer afterwards, I found that this product never dried out my combination skin.

I've been using this Micro-Dermabrasion paste every 3 days for about a month and have found way fewer yucky blackheads and breakouts. My skin is glowing and I've had less breakouts. Are my acne scars even fading a little?!

I completely enjoy using this product, and while it has a higher price point ($77), note that the tub contains 4.2 ounces of solid packed-in product, which only a little is needed for each use. The amount of product in the jar will last a very very long time and it is so worth it, trust me. If you don't go buy this right now, you're making a mistake.

Click HERE to check out the Micro-Dermabrasion paste!

Click HERE to check out all the other amazing R+F skin products which Allure magazine has called one of the best dermatologist devoloped skincare lines.

Your consultant's name is Dee Dee Brimmage and she rocks!

xo Charlie

(P.S. Make sure you also exfoliate your lips for a soft smooch that your sweetie will love!)

THE BLONDE BREW BLOG

Hello! I am back from a short hiatus to tell you about The Blonde Brew blog! My very best friend Samantha just started a fashion blog called The Blonde Brew. I helped with the graphics and coding and sometimes take her pictures. If you ever need some fashion inspiration & tips or help with accessorizing, she's your go-to gal. She's a fashion merchandising major and is traveling to New York and L.A. this summer so stay tuned for some of her awesome adventures. Isn't she gorg?

We became friends back when she was a graphic design major. We share a love of our dogs (Gumbeaux and Rocco), coffee, and YouTube cat videos. Hope you're having an amazing day!

xo Charlie

NEW JOB

Remember how I said I had big news to share? Well I got a new job/internship! Besides working for Student Government, I also worked at the library on campus. For some reason when I was younger, my cousins and I would play library at my grandmother's house. She has a lot of books. I guess it was just my destiny to hold a part time job at the library in college. My 8 year old self would be proud.
But I have had to (sadly) quit my library job because now I have a job relevant to my career path! I am one of the graphic designers for Auxillary Services on campus. Basically I will be making flyers, social media graphics, web graphics, and brochures. I am even typing this from my new work space as we speak! I have my own desktop mac and everything. Pretty exciting stuff. And who knows, maybe I can have a full time job here after I graduate in a year *fingers crossed!*
And for anyone interested, my boyfriend Jacob also got a new summer job. He will be interning at the First Circuit Court of Appeals this summer. Basically we're big kids now and it's very strange and exciting.

Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

xo Charlie

LIFE LATELY

Bonjour! I know a lot of people have Instagram but I also know a lot of people don't. So here's some of my Instagram pictures as of late.

Basically I have the sweetest boyfriend and the cutest dog. I enjoy red wine while watching Game of Thrones and margaritas with my bestie. I eat frozen yogurt and Greek food on an almost daily basis. I've been wearing lipstick and wavy hair a lot lately. My parents got a new kitten (named Kevin) and I listen to the Les Miserables soundtrack in my car.

I've been extremely happy lately and wish you all a happy Tuesday!

Follow charliececile on Instagram!

xo Charlie

APRIL

Happy April! Here's my calendar design for the month. And guess what? It's finally my spring break this week! I have some exciting news to tell you about and I'm going to line up a ton of posts for the upcoming weeks. I know I've been slacking (as my mother so lovingly points out all the time) and I don't want to leave you hanging anymore!

(Previous months: January • February • March)

xo Charlie