Catch Me on the Gram

Everyone loves social media, especially Instagram. We all want to be Instafamous, or have several followers. More followers means more likes; more likes means more popular; more popular well that probably means you are on your way to being Instafamous. But how do you get to that point? 

Getting started: Well you first need a very appealing Instagram name. Once you have that, write a meaningful bio that would make people want to follow and upload a creative selfie that would make people want to see more. 

Posting: DO NOT post random images, pick a theme. Post only really high quality pictures that have a focus. Edit your pictures, but don't over edit them or use Instagram's built in options. Make your captions interesting and informative. A caption can make or break a picture. Post on a schedule which means don't over post. 

Continuing the Greatness: Show appreciation to your followers by responding. Join all of Instagram's contest. Follow their official blog for great tips. Finally, do EVERYTHING you can to get featured by Instagram.

Follow these rules and you may be the next Instafamous person on the red carpet! 

Give Me Them Apps

iPhones are the most popular smartphone in the world with apps that can allow you to get the most out of your phone. From dating apps to QR scanners, your phone is capable of nearly anything these days. The best part about these apps are that they are free.

Photoshop Fix- You don't need a computer to access some popular photoshop features. This app brings some of Adobe's world-class retouching and restoration features straight to your iPhone.

Swiftkey- This app gives you a third keyboard that learns how you type and adapts to your unique tapping style over time, meaning you will be able to type faster with fewer typos.

Magisto- Who has time to edit their own videos? This app makes your smartphone videos look like they were edited by a pro within seconds.

Uber- At some point you are going to need a ride but there may not be a cab in site. Save some time and download Uber and someone will come you up whenever and wherever you need them.

There are more great apps but these are in the top. So if you don't have any of these, download them now!

Just Do it Yourself

When improving your home, the first hurdle you are mostly to come across is deciding whether or not you will do it yourself or hire someone. Do you roll up your sleeves and take on this task or do you relax with a nice cup of tea while the professionals do their work?

DIY isn't for everyone, but in 2017 it has become vastly more popular. People would rather DIY, or at least try, before hiring someone to do it.

People like to DIY because it helps them save money. It also turns them towards a desire for a certain self-sufficiency of a lifestyle.

There are internet forums, video sharing sites, and sites like eHow that make it easy for communities of practice to form and share how-to information.

Because DIY has become such a trend, there are actual DIY professionals. If you think you are great at all of the DIY project then go ahead and start charging people for your work and before you know it you too might be a DIY professional.

Pop, Lock, and Drop It: Dance Through the Decades

Dance is one form of art almost everyone participates in. It has been a way people can express themselves for many decades. From the flapper era to having disco fever, dance has evolved and changed tremendously throughout the years. 

Nothing wins over the general public like a good dance fad. Without them, wedding receptions, 50th birthday parties, and functions in general would be infinitely boring. 

Over the years, there have been some bizarre, bold and slightly out there dances. 
From Chubby's Checker The Twist to Silento's Watch Me, these dance fads are a success because they are kept simple to a good beat. 

The first major dance craze started for the iGeneration when Soulja Boy had everyone cranking it on YouTube. After that, dances like Gangnam Style and the Harlem Shake evolved. The most recent dance craze has started because of Silento's Whip and Nae Nae. This dance wasn't just the whip and nae nae, it was like an IKEA manual full of the superman, the duff, the bop, and break your legs. 

Dance fads will always be a thing. What will be the next dance craze? 

Can I Be Blake Lively?

If you have ever seen Blake Lively walk a red carpet, you know that almost 98 percent of the time her outfits are formfitting. Even when she got pregnant, she did not stop wearing clothes that fit her form. Don't we all wish we could be like Blake Lively? 

Her biggest secret is she eats well and trains hard. Here's a few tips that her trainer, Don Saladino, has shared.

First do some squats. This will get you the tone butt you have always wanted. You can do normal squats, sumo squats or even hold some weight while squatting. 
Second are the farmer’s walks, and this will help tone the whole body at once. You can also add dumbbells to make this workout more effective. 
Sled pushes are third, and it will help with your stamina and strength. This one might make you feel like a football player but hey you are getting them good legs like Lively. 
Fourth is deadlifts to help with core strength. Deadlifts can also give you more overall strength if done correctly. 
The last workout shared is the incline push-ups. This helps build the muscles in none other than your arms. Not only are you toning your arms, but if you keep your core tight your core strength will improve. 

How Much Does Beauty Really Cost?

Women tend to spend a lot of money on make-up, but how much does beauty really cost? There is no shortage of beauty products available to choose from to spend your money on, and the temptation to buy these products is everywhere. As the years have passed, women of all ages tend to think make-up is not decent unless it is expensive. Are they right or wrong?


The debatable question is, “Is expensive, designer make-up worth the cost?” When you spend the extra money on make-up you are paying for the brand name, better applicators, packaging, and increased pigmentation. Notice the packaging on more expensive products is more flashy and catchy to the eye. The more expensive make-up has better applicator devices like the eyeshadow brush that will make the make-up go on better. Increased pigmentation comes with expensive make-up because it has more color and goes on darker.


When you look at the factors considered in designer make-up, the ingredients are not a factor in the price difference. Most make-up, expensive or cheap, has the same ingredients for the most part. Even though designer make-up has added features like increased pigment, their components are often equivalent. It is up to you whether you want to spend that extra money for the little benefits you will get.

Flea Market Finds

Attending a flea market is like going on a treasure hunt; you never know what you are going to find. One person's trash is another person's treasure. Want to know how to get the best finds at a flea market? Keep on reading.

It is best to go early on the first day of the flea market so that you get the best selection. Also, see if they have a map so that way as you shop you can mark the booths where you left paid purchases later or mark booths you want visit again.

Chat briefly with the dealers in your favorite booths. The sellers will remember their friendly customers and typically get the bigger discounts. Speaking of discounts, stop back by on the last day of the flea market sale to git the biggest discounts on some items you liked but weren't first priority.

Last tip to successfully shopping at flea markets is to look at items and think of a way to repurpose them if you can not use them yourself. Many flea market finds can be turned into something else and resold for profit.

Let's get ready to go flea market shopping!

Met Gala: Hot or Not

Fashion, fashion, fashion is always the hottest topic at any red carpet event. Well have you seen the outfits from the Met Gala? What's hot and what's not?

This year's theme was all red because apparently "red is the new black," but some people didn't seem to follow this trend.

Katy Perry played the host to the star-studded event in a head-to-toe red satin headpiece and gown designed by John Galliano for Maison Margiela. Another hot look comes from Doutzen Kroes in an off-the-shoulder red, while Emma Roberts dropped jaws in a Diane Von Furstenberg tight silhouette dress.

On the not so hot list would be Solange Knowles in an avant-garde style Thom Browne outfit. She looked like a burnt michelin man on skates. Another not so hot look is Sofia Sanchez Barrenechea. She had a dark and stormy look going on that had a tornado effect on the red carpet.

Out of all the hot or not looks, Rhianna took the prize for best dressed. She wore an intricate floral dress from Comme des Garcons's Fall 2016 Collection and pulled off a look most mortals could not. You go girl!

What was your favorite look of the 2017 Met Gala?

What's Up With Millennials?

Millennials, can't live with them can't live without them. We millennials are commonly known as the generation of people born between the years 1981 and 1997, this year millennials will overtake the baby boomers as the largest generation in United States history with 75.3 million people.

We are the largest and most studied generation in history. 

We are known as the Millennials, Generation Y, "The Me Me Me Generation," and “the soccer trophy generation”. We have been labeled as  “entitled” “narcissistic” “lazy” and even “delusional”, but we have also been described as being “entrepreneurial” “optimistic” and “idealistic”. 

We want to have a good time, make memories, and we want to document every second of it on social media. In fact, not only do we like to capture our moments on photo sharing apps like Instagram and Snapchat, but sharing on social media actually makes us enjoy life more.

No matter who we are as a generation, one thing is certain – as we enter our 20’s and 30’s and start to take over the workforce we are turning the world into a radically different place. We have our own thoughts about careers, families, and values.

Screenagers

We live in a world of technology where most communication and other aspects of life are done through screens. This is most common with teenagers which has formed a new word over the past two years known as "screenagers." 

How much are these screens really affecting teenagers? How long-lasting are these effects? 

Well this has become such a phenomenon that a Stanford trained physician and social change documentary filmmaker by the name of Delaney Ruston decided to make a film called Screenagers. 

This film combines smart insights and practical insights on how to deal with screen time. 

It can be a good thing or a bad thing, it all depends on how the screen is being used. There are educational apps and useful resources, but there are also negative things that can brainwash them. 

Too much screen time investment can mess with one's eyes, how one receives information to the brain, and overall social skill. Be careful with screen time. 

How to Spend 40 Minutes of Your Day

Hate the gym, but want to be stronger, fitter, leaner and look good? A super-effective workout in 30 to 40 minutes, a few times a week may be the solution.First, get a gym membership. There are several gyms to choose from and one is not better than the other.  Next, it is important to make a schedule. Writing a scheduled workout time solidifies commitment to a workout plan. After setting a time, take a day to get to know your equipment. It is important that you know how to use it properly so you will not sustain an injury.The key part to effectively working out in a commercial gym is to limit your workouts to 30-40 minutes. It is better to do shorter high-intensity workouts. Circuits are great for high-intensity workouts. A circuit is a series of strength or cardio exercises (or both) repeated a few times with little rest between sets. When lifting, it is better to do fewer reps with heavier weights. Also, lift slowly in both directions to maximize each move.Choose a cardio that is enjoyable. Cardio can range from walking to biking to rowing and more.  Finally, after every workout it is ideal to stretch. Stretching helps reset the body to a naturalposition and posture. 

The Juicer

We all want to be healthy and be the person that loves green juices, but it's just so hard. What if I told you there is a new product that actually taste good! Coming to you live is CPress Juice! 

CPress uses only organic ingredients, they don't do additives, added sugars or preservatives- yet their offerings are hearty, satisfying and packed with vitamins and nutrients. 

These drinks are so magical that they help the immune system. If you are coming down with a cold, drink an Apple Ginger Bomb booster and you will be good as new. Want a full-on injection of dark green health, try the Farmer's Market. 

While these juices are great, the only downfall is they are located in Fulham, London. But they are so great you can just order them online and have them delivered! 

Don't you want to try one now? Well do yourself a favor and order you some! 

8 Things That Can Make You Happier

Feeling stressed or just down in the slumps? Well take a look at these eight things that can make you happy; you deserve to be happy. 

1. Quality Time; eat dinner with your family or friends.
2. Exercise; Just 20 minutes will get endorphins in your blood stream which make you feel good.
3. Dance; Dancing carries the endorphin rush of exercise with added bonus of fostering our interpersonal relationship.
4. Mediate; When we are in an active or conscious state, our brains produce happy waves.
5. Avoid Road Rage; Be happy and just cut people some slack, it makes a difference.
6. Don't Gossip: Those who say something pleasant makes others around them happier
7. Be Organized: Organized space allows us to focus more on what we are doing and not the clutter
8. Wave and Say Hello; When we wave at people, we typically cheer them up and they wave back. It's a win-win situation.

Nike or Adidas?

Shoes come and go, but Nike and Adidas will never go out of style. The question is, which one is more popular: Nike or Adidas? 

While in the fashion world, adidas has enjoyed a healthy resurgence thanks to its designer collaborations, faithful reissues of timeless classics and of course YEEZY. Nike has had some of the biggest people sponsor their brand and draws people in just because they are Nike. 

Adidas's logo, "3 Stripes," is well known which is three parallel bars. Its main audience is the tennis and soccer players, but has recently been reaching out those of female gender. 

Nike's slogan, "Just Do It," it its famous trademark tag line and its logo is a swoosh. Its main audience is the basketball players and runners. 

While both brands attract a certain type of audience, they both do really well at one thing: selling their products. Are you team Nike or team Adidas? 

Prep Yo Meal

You're trying to keep up with school, work, activities and somehow be fit but it's hard to eat healthy while being so busy. Well there's this easy thing called Meal Prep. This is just one way to help you find balance.

If you take a little time at the beginning of the week, you will more time throughout the week. So here's the why, what and how to meal prepping.

WHY: Simple, it saves sanity, time, money and generally you will be eating healthier.

WHAT: People use different products and cook different things. The three most useful things to have are: a rubbermaid set, a slow cooker and rice cooker/steamer.

HOW: Meal prep can be adjusted to fit you. This is meant to make life easier/healthier. Different things work for different people. You can make a long list at the beginning of the week go shopping and have all of your food prepared for the entire week, or prep the night before for the next day.

Don't forget when meal prepping to label everything! So find you some recipes and get to work!

You Could Work From Home

Want to work from the comfort of your own home? Well Facebook has become an outlet just for that!

Im sure you keep being added to these groups or see videos about certain products. Yes, they get annoying but these people get paid for the certain amount they sell and even for things they post. 

No, I don't really want to buy these products but props to you for stepping out of your comfort zone to try and sell it to me. It takes a lot of courage and grit to go after a goal in such a public way. 

We shouldn't belittle these people for not having a "real job." Most of these people do more than just sell on Facebook. They are moms, yoga instructors, teachers, photographers, bakers, and more. So if you want to make a little extra money or completely work from the comfort of your living room, join a team! Whether it is Rodan & Fields, ItWorks, or Younique, step up and join a team!

Is This How You "Adult?"

Did you know one of the biggest trends is being an adult? Or rather adulting? 

Fun fact: adulting isn't really a word. But we use it as if it is. "Adulting" implies that being an adult is not a necessary part of growing up, but rather a life choice that you are hesitant to jump in to. We are basically perceiving it as a hobby. 

Part of the term's popularity is solely from social media. The new world where people can present curated versions of their lives, with #adultingwin posts on full display for others to envy. 

But there's another aspect on the rise from this term. From acknowledged #adulting fails, we are reminding ourselves that despite our differences in age or background, we all still feel like children sometimes. 

13 Reason Why: More than a Netflix Show

Have you ever read a book that hit you so hard you couldn't stop? One that left you thinking long after you had finished. Well 13 Reasons Why does just that.  
It started out as a book by Jay Asher, but was then produced into a Netflix series by Selena Gomez. 

This is more than just a Netflix series, and here are 13 reasons why: 1. Brings awareness to the signs of suicide 2. Brings awareness to bullying behaviors 3. Shines a ligth on why gossip is damaging 4. Shows just how important it is to have a healthy, positive support system 5. Educates us about the pervasiveness of rape culture 6. Relatable beyond high school 7. Reminds us that it's important to stand up for others 8. Highlights male privilege 9. A reminder for adults about how hard it is to be an adolescent 10. Talks about how small actions can have large and far-reaching consequences 11. A tool for self-awareness 12. Reminder that random acts of kindness can have an important impact 13. "13 Reasons Why" is a reminder of how we can treat others so much better than we do. 

If you haven't taken the time to either read the book or watch the series, please do. It is life changing. 

Nostalgic 90s

Where are all my 90s kids at? This one is for you!

90s kids know they really don't make cartoons like they used to. So get ready to indulge in some animated nostalgia with the one of a kind Nick Box! 

Everything inside is exclusive and contains goodies from your favorite shows. From the adorable Rugrats to the classic Rocko's Modern Life, this box is so good it'll make kids today want to watch these shows!

These boxes are sent out quarterly each with a different theme. The first theme was Nicktoons Live Action 90s! The second one, and most recent, is Nicktoons Rewind. The third is soon to come out so you better go sign up for these boxes while you can!

This box will absolutely be a must-have for anyone who grew up with 90s Nickelodeon!

Filter This

If you're an avid Snapchat user, you know that the filters are probably the best part of the app. 

Our minds were blown with the introduction of lenses filters on Snapchat. Don't lie, you either sent a snap of yourself throwing up a rainbow or you us a puppy. Nonetheless, it's safe to say everyone was obsessed. 

The app's existing lenses, like the flower crowns and animal ears, are swapped out regularly with new filters added to the list and old options disappearing or reappearing over time. 

The coolest new thing they have added is 3D filters including a sparkling rainbow, a field of blooming flowers, and floating phrases like "OMG" and "Cute." 

Time can only tell what Snapchat has next. What do you think the next filter should be? 

Hurry Up Summer

Hurry up summer- we are so over the winter wardrobe and are ready to embrace the newest summer trends. 

The cold shoulder trend will still be popular come summer, so start stocking up on these cute tops. But another trend that will be your new go-to wardrobe essential is the slogan tees. 

Literally any graphic or saying on a tee is the new in thing. It's even better if your shirt is ripped or has a neck whole cut out.

The third big thing for this upcoming summer is simple sun dresses and cat eye sunglasses. The perfect pair. Reason, sun dresses can be dressed up or dressed down especially with a pair of cat eye sunglasses. 

So get to shopping and be trendy this summer!

Magic in Your Mouth

By now, you probably know about the limited edition Unicorn Frappe at Starbucks. 

It’s basically the prettiest, girliest, pink-est, frappe topped with a massive pile of whipped cream. And sprinkles! Don’t forget the pink sprinkles.

Some people are so fanatical over the frappuccino that they’re dyeing their hair to match their drinks. But not everyone is in love with the Unicorn Frappuccino.

They love the way it looks but not that way it tastes. It looks like cotton candy but taste like a milky mango cocktail. It's not what you would expect a unicorn to taste like. 

The drink is said to be magical. Spoiler alert: The magic is that it changes from sweet to sour the more you stir and sip.

Get one if you dare, experience the "magic", and consume many calories. 

Spoiler Alert

Everyone says "Oh I wish my life was like a movie," but no one says "I wish my life was like a movie trailer." Why? Because most movie trailers are forgettable and no one wants to be forgotten. 

The Now You See It YouTube channel has created a video breaking down the formula used in most trailers, ultimately explaining why it is that we aren't as enticed by movie trailers as we once were. The video also explores some trailers that don't follow formula, and why they're successful and memorable.

The thing is, even the most tantalizing trailers of the past few months have stilled followed a pretty strict formula: from Deadpool's use of nostalgic tunes to Rouge One's reliance on screaming alarms to ramp tension.  And, whenever someone finally does successfully break the mould, every other studio instantly follows suit without a single hesitation.

Hopefully the studios that commission trailers will start to realize that these tired repetitions are going in our brains and right back out again, and give us more unique and interesting trailers. Maybe even ones that don't spoil the entire plot of a film up front. Is that asking too much?

Busy Doing Nothing

Being busy is considered a "social status" and we know how popular it is to have a status in today's society. We are inspired by the idea of bragging and complaining with others about how much we work or how much we have to do. But what are we actually busy doing?

We are busy filling every hour of our day but most of us are left with an empty feeling of accomplishing nothing worthwhile. We wear our busyness like a well-deserved medal of honor, when in reality it's something we collectively force one another to do.

It may not be a problem that's soluble through any social reform or self-help regimen; maybe it's just how things are. Saying we are busy leads to a form of affirmation, and has become the "new cool thing."

Wouldn't it be cool to be able to say "Hey, I'm not busy so let's hangout?" We need to quit letting this idea of 'being busy is success' run our lives. Instead, resist the urge to fill every waking hour with some sort of task and appointment. Remove the word "busy" from your vocabulary.