Sunglasses: Finding the best Fit for your Face

When shopping for sunglasses, the key factor should be their shape. That shape, should also be one that flatters your face. Because everyone’s face is different, certain frames will look better on you than others. Yes, we want to wear things that we like, but we should also want those things to look nice as well. Below is a guideline you might find useful when shopping for your next pair of shades.

The Shape: Heart, Reese Witherspoon

Since heart shaped faces feature a wider forehead and cheekbones with a slimmer jawline and chin, choosing cat-eye or round frames will accent the angles of your face.

The Best Fit:

Cat-eye or rounded

The Shape: Oval, Eva Mendes

Because the angles of an oval face are symmetrical: equal forehead, cheekbones and chin- you will look good in any style. Lucky you!

The Best Fit:

Any shape

The Shape: Square, Jessica Simpson

Square shaped faces include a wider forehead with a squarer jaw line. Because of these features, any rounded frame is most flattering on you. Stay away from rectangular or square frames as they can make your face appear wider.

The Best Fit:

Rounded frames

The Shape: Round, Halle Berry

Round faces have narrow foreheads and jawlines with fuller cheekbones. To compliment the roundness of your face, you’ll want to stick with over sized rectangular frames and avoid anything round.

The Best Fit:

Over sized rectangular frames

What's your face shape and best fit? 

Back-To-School Shopping Essentials

My Featured Article: http://theteentrends.com/back-to-school-shopping-essentials/

As July comes to a close, summer’s end is drawing near. Which can only mean one thing…. school is almost here. Next month, August, is probably the best time to start your back-to-school shopping. Growing up, I always had mixed feelings about this time of year. I loved the fact that I was getting new things, but I also dreaded the fact that it meant I’d be going back to school. Which I can safely assume is still the mentality of most kids.

Whether back-to-school shopping is painful for you, or you have brothers and sisters that also need mom and dad’s help, I’ve compiled a list of back-to-school shopping essentials. All the items you’ll most likely need to get you through at least half the year, if not the entire year (I’m sure your parents are hoping for the latter), and the best places to shop for these essentials.

I must mention however, that there are students who attend schools that require uniforms. For these students school uniform shops might be their best bet. All of their shopping could virtually be done in one stop! I personally think that uniforms are a great idea. They not only save time getting ready in the morning; you don’t even have to think about what you’re going to wear, but they also aid in reducing harassment at school- since every student is required to wear the same thing.

For all other students here’s what a typical shopping list might look like:

Essentials

Jeans

Shirts

Shoes

Jacket

Gym Clothes (if a uniform is not required)

Formal Clothes (skirt, dress, slacks, tie, collared shirt)

Backpack

*I could also suggest khakis, because they’re always nice to have on hand. As for the formal clothes- at least one outfit should be considered. Depending on your school, these particular clothing items could be used for such things like an assembly or awards ceremony. 

Places To Shop

Department Stores (Clothing items)

Bargain/Discount Stores (T.J. Maxx, Ross, etc. Lots of good deals can be found here)

Sporting Good Stores (gym apparel, shoes)

School Uniform Stores (if uniforms are required)

Your favorite store (this one’s a no brainer)

Easy enough, right? What are some of your back-to-school essentials and favorite places to shop? 

D.I.Y. Makeup Brush Cleanser

My Featured Article: http://theteentrends.com/d-i-y-makeup-brush-cleanser/

Ladies! Spend your money no more…at least not on brush cleanser. Below I’ll give you instructions on how to make your own. Trust me, you’ll never have to shop for this again.

What You’ll Need:

• Empty spray bottle

• Measuring cups and spoons

• 1 cup of water

• ¼ cup rubbing alcohol

• ½ tbsp. dish soap

• ½ tbsp. baby wash or shampoo

• 1 tbsp. hair de-tangler or leave-in conditioner spray

What To Do:

• Pour all ingredients into a regular or measuring cup with a spout

• Stir together

• Pour into spray bottle

For Best Results:

Spray cleanser on to a washcloth or rag rather than the actual brush, and in a sweeping motion wipe clean. I’ve also found that moving the brush in a circular motion works just as well. Once the brushes are clean, lay flat to dry.

This cleanser can be used for spot cleaning, which is a fairly quick cleansing method that should be done on brushes every 2 weeks. For a deeper clean- wash brushes under warm water with a mild soap like baby wash, pat off excess water with a washcloth, and lay flat to dry.

Spot cleaning takes about 1-2 hours for brushes to dry. The deeper cleaning could take anywhere from 4-6 hours to dry. If you clean them before bed, they’ll be ready to use in the morning.

The Benefits:

As some of you know, brush cleansers can get to be quite expensive. Homemade cleanser is just the opposite- it saves you money, as I was able to purchase all of the supplies at a bargain store (think The Dollar Tree). Cleaning your brushes often is a great habit to form, because over time bacteria can build up; bacteria that could potentially be very harmful. This do-it-yourself project not only keeps your brushes clean, leaves them soft and smelling fresh- but it also extends the life of them.

Just like any of your possessions, the more you take care of them, the longer they’ll last. Did it work for you?

Dressing For an Interview

My Featured Article: TBA or http://theteentrends.com/author/ali-s/

With school out for break, summer presents the perfect time to pick up a job. But before you start groaning, let me give you a few reasons why you might consider working this summer. a) Working keeps you busy b) The money you make will be YOURS and c) Your parents will be happy not having you ask for EVERY thing you want. Now I know what you might be thinking, “Interviews are scary!” “What if they don’t like me?” “What should I wear?”  And to that, all I can say is…relax. Take a deep breath. You’ll get through this.

Confidence is extremely important when going on an interview. If you have confidence, the person interviewing you will be able to see that, and your chances for getting that job are likely to increase. The key to being confident is in part, looking confident. So how do you do that? How do you dress for an interview? It’s simple. Follow along…

TOPS

Stay away from casual. No t-shirts, tank tops or the like. Try a nice fitting blouse with sleeves (short sleeves at minimum).  You might also try layering a cardigan or blazer over a sleeveless blouse.

This: 

Not this:

BOTTOMS

This one is open for debate. Slacks or skirts with an appropriate length (knee) are always okay in my book- I tend to side with slacks however. Black is always a safe bet, as it goes with just about anything. 

This:

Not this: 

SHOES

Although the job you’re interviewing for might be set in a casual environment, I say to be on the safe side wear a semi-formal closed toe shoe. This means no sneakers or flip-flops. It also means no strappy stilettos. A wedge or heel, of appropriate height will do. We’re trying to get a job ladies, not a date!

This: 

Not this:

ACCESSORIES

Less is more. Of course pair your outfit with key pieces like earrings, a watch, maybe even a necklace or bracelet. Just don’t over do it. The goal is to look professional and stylish at the same time- not like you just stepped out of Forever 21’s accessories department. *If there’s one accessory you MUST wear at an interview, it’s a watch. It shows that you’re cognoscente of time; a quality any employer will appreciate.

This: 

Not this: 

Think you’re ready? Go get ‘em!

10 Signs You're in a Toxic Friendship

My Featured Article: http://theteentrends.com/10-signs-toxic-friendship/

It goes without saying that you are the company you keep. If this is in fact true, then shouldn’t all the company you keep be good company? Often time and especially in our teenage years, it doesn’t quite happen this way. 

Toxic friendships; friendships that cause more harm than good are all too common amongst teenage social circles. In an effort to avoid disappointment or regret, here are 10 signs you’re in a toxic friendship.

1. Is your friend mean or hurtful to you? If you answered yes, then chances are that person isn’t your friend. Someone who cares about you AND respects you would never intentionally do/say things that are mean and hurtful to you.

2. Is your friend abusive (emotionally or physically) to you? Anyone who abuses another person is a bully. And bullying, no matter the relationship is never okay. Think about it, why would you allow someone to treat you that way? Why would you even consider that person a friend?

3. Is your friend untruthful to you? If they’re constantly telling you lies then it’s time to reevaluate the friendship. Honesty is one of the most important qualities a friend should have. If you feel you cannot trust your friend, or you feel as if you’re the one who’s not trustworthy because all they do is tell you lies, I’d suggest calling it quits.

4. Does your friend take advantage of/use you? Offering a ‘friendship’ so the other person can get something in return is downright wrong. This happens when one friend possesses something the other friend wants, but isn’t willing to work for it themselves. A perfect example might be, “If you help me cheat on the test, I’ll bring you to the party on Saturday.”

5. Does your friend make you feel like everything between you two is a competition? If you’re friend is constantly trying to one-up you, most likely they feel that they’re either better than you or need to be. It might even be jealousy. Say you got a good grade on a paper you wrote-if your friend’s grade was better than yours, they might purposely brag about it to you and everyone else. Competing with a friend proves that they don’t view you as equals, and a friendship should be nothing but that.

6. Is your friend a hypocrite? Saying one thing and doing another is a form of lying…which we already covered in sign #3

7. Is your friend supportive? Will they be there when you need them? Being a friend means being a support system to someone else. In a time of need, can you truly count on your friend to be there for you? If you can’t answer that question or you can and the answer is no…again, why are they still your friend? A true friend will be there without you having to ask.

8. Do you feel ignored or neglected in the friendship? If the other person starts to ignore/neglect you or plans that the two of you made together, it’s a sure sign that the friendship isn’t as important to them. Value should be placed on the time that people spend together, so if a friend begins to spend less time with you it should be an indicator that they don’t value you the way they should.

9. Have you found yourself the subject of gossip spread by your so-called friend? Being talked about behind your back is bad enough, being talked about behind your back by someone you thought you could trust is even worse. Gossip and rumors are synonymous with teenage years, but if you’re able to avoid the drama by nixing that friendship, then I applaud you.

10. Is your friendship one-sided? Meaning, you’re the only one who’s being/been a friend to the other. If you answered yes to that or any of the other questions, then all bets are off. Any successful relationship requires two people. If the other person in question can’t see that, then they obviously weren’t worthy of your friendship to begin with.

For a friendship to work, it should be based on loyalty, respect, trustworthiness and support. Think of those aspects as pieces to a puzzle- if you’re missing one, then it’s incomplete. Now apply that to your friendship. Realizing your worth is one of the first things you can do to avoid a toxic friendship.