Tips & Tricks Tuesday | I'm Wide Awake

Ironic title for someone who is running on only a few hours of sleep right now, huh? Regardless, it's that lack of sleep that inspired me to write this post. Here are a few quick fixes that I've gathered over the years to help you look more alert, even if you just can't wait to jump back into bed!

• Stick two metal spoons in the freezer the night before. In the morning, put them under your eyes to reduce puffiness. Plus the shock from the cold should give you a little jolt of energy. 
• If cold isn't your thing, try warming things up. Make yourself a nice cup of tea and save the tea bag! A warm tea bag can also reduce under eye puffiness and redness while the antioxidants and herbs soothe tired sockets.
• If all else fails, makeup can do the trick. To appear alert you need to highlight and conceal. Use highlighter in the innermost corner of your eyes, or the tear duct area, to open them up. Take the concealer to cover up any under eye darkness. For an extra highlight, make sure to use a concealer about a shade or two lighter than your foundation in order to appear brighter and refreshed.

Again, these are just quick fixes. Nothing can replace taking care of your body and getting some rest. While sometimes it may not seem like sleep can fit into your schedule, for your health's sake, you have to make it fit. 

Do you have any beauty tips to help you look your best on groggy days? Let me know in the comments below!

Weekly Wishes #6 | A Mental Break

I wish, I wish with all my heart to fly with dragons in a land apart. I'm totally kidding. However, I do wish to take a trip, or at the very least change my scenery. 

This semester seems to be taking forever to come to an end! Just four more weeks, they say. Unfortunately, in the midst of presentations, exams, and papers, a month seems like a lifetime away. While I anxiously await the glimmer of hope they like to call "Thanksgiving Break," I need something to keep my spirits up until that time. 

Luckily, this Saturday my boyfriend and I are going to Kanye West's concert and I could not be more excited! This is definitely the break I need to boost my morale and push through the rest of this semester. 

This week, my wish is to de-stress and regroup and I think this concert will do just the trick. 

Stay tuned for a full recap and, hopefully, plenty of pictures!

Tips & Tricks Tuesday | Keeping Your Hair Moisturized

For all of my natural hair ladies out there you know how important moisturizing your hair is, especially during the upcoming colder months. However, it can be a bit of an inconvenience. Having a busy schedule can definitely get in the way of taking the time to properly moisturize your hair for the fall and winter. Also, managing wet hair while combating the cold temperatures can jeopardize your health. Luckily there are a few quick remedies that you can use in between conditioning to combat dry, brittle hair.

• Spritz! Instead of always completely wetting your hair, give it a good spritz. Doing this lightly before bed will keep your curls soft. It's also great to do in the morning. It aids in the process of shaping your style while refreshing the curls. For a little added benefit, mix in a bit of your favorite conditioner. It will make your hair smell great and add an extra moisturizing boost.
• Seal. This is a key (and simple) step that can often be overlooked. Keeping a small container of your favorite oil or shea butter next to your spray bottle ensures that you won't forget this step. Also, a little goes a long way. You don't want to over-moisturize because that can lead to product buildup and a greasy scalp. Focus your product on the ends and use a small amount. You can always add more later if you need more moisture, but you can't take the oil away if you've overdone it. 
• Style dry. I feel that many girls are still under the impression that you have to completely re-wet your hair every night in order to style it. That's simply not the case. Re-twisting or braiding your hair dry not only makes your hair even bigger and bolder, but it decreases your chances of getting sick from possibly waking up with a damp scalp. Just remember to lightly spritz and seal. If your feel your ends are the problem, go ahead and soak those, brush in some leave-in conditioner, and seal as if it were a fresh style. No one will know the difference!

If you have any other quick ways to moisturize your hair during the colder seasons, I'm sure other Best, Jordan readers would love to know! Share them in the comments section below!

P.S. If you liked this post on natural hair care and want to see more posts like this, let me know either in the comments or mention me on Twitter. 

Weekly Wishes #4 - Zzzzz

It's Monday, which means it's linkup with Melyssa and The Nectar Collective day. I didn't make any wishes last week to catch you up on, so I'll jump right into my wish for this week.

My one and only wish for this week is to get some sleep! I have a pretty busy schedule that doesn't leave a lot of wiggle room during the day. But one thing I have noticed about myself is the small pockets of time I do have, I fill up. Why must I torture myself? Instead of complaining about always being tired or having to spend money on endless cups of coffee, why don't I just take a break? It's not a radical concept, but so far it has been to me this semester.

I need to take better care of my body and I already started today! I have an hour break after my first class so I decided to head back to my room and take a 30 minute nap. It was luxurious. I may still yawn here and there, but I'm much more alert than I typically am around this time of day. I'm going to keep this up all week and monitor how my mood, health, and alertness improves. Something tells me I may just become the Energizer bunny by Thursday.

Started From The Bottom: My Summer 2013 Goals

Since I have returned home for summer break, I have really been struggling internally. I haven't had a clear focus on what I want to do with myself this summer and not having a clear plan bothers me. I thought I would be able to go with the flow and let things happen as they may, but something tells me that won't reap the results that I want. So, I'm starting from scratch, from the bare bottom. I'm going back to using the most simple method that I was taught as a child from my mom, which is making a goals list. Typically I would just jot this down in my phone or on a stickies note on my Mac, but I thought I would share this with you. Hopefully my foggy start will help us both get a clear direction for the rest of the summer.

• Quit working at Bath and Body Works
• Find a higher paying position
• Spend quality time with my friends
• Visit my boyfriend in Philadelphia
• Go to Puerto Rico!
• Move in with my dad in DC
• Apply for more scholarships!
• Visit NYC, for real this time
• Go to Kings Dominion
• Start a Youtube channel, perhaps
• Convince my mom to let me move off campus*

This list is totally spontaneous. I feel it's better to write goal lists this way because it typically results in more honest, candid answers. So that's it for now! If I think of any other goals I want to complete I will add them and as I accomplish these goals I will cross them off. Feel free to start your own list. I'm sure you'll be surprised how much more you will achieve!

*This one scares me.

Tips & Tricks Tuesdays: How to Nip a Cold in the Bud

Since I've just recovered from a cold in about four days, I think I can give my expert opinion on this subject. 

The best advice I have is to stay active and to stay hydrated. This was one of the few colds that I've had that made me physically weak. Just going to grab something to eat proved to be a task. But when you do have a burst of energy, use it. Try to keep your strength up. When it comes to staying hydrated, make sure you drink plenty of water and orange juice. Not a fan? Just keep drinking anything with a ton of vitamin C. Staying hydrated will help flush your system of germs and vitamin C will help boost your immune system.  

Also, just keep clean and away from others as much as possible. I know that can be difficult, especially if you're a college student like me, but it's definitely best for a speedy recovery.

Stay healthy and bundle up!