College Girls Love These Beauty Products

by Hannah Haghighi

It’s that time of the year. Summer is ending, temperatures are dropping (to below 80 degrees, anyways), and college girls everywhere are putting the finishing touches on their dorm room decor. For me, the first week of class is when I yield my cutest looks of the year. At this point, it’s still warm enough to wear a dress and not freeze to death and I don’t wake up with under eye bags the color of Barney the Dinosaur. A recipe for success. The first week of class is a fresh start to start new (and hopefully healthy) bits for the semester.

I have quite the ritual in the morning before class. I am not one to wake up ten minutes before class starts and run out the door, oh no. Unluckily for my roommate, I am most definitely a morning person. If my intention for the day is to go all out with a full face of makeup and a planned out ‘fit, which on most days it is, I am likely awake and functioning at least two hours before class (yes, even if I have a class at 8 AM). Rushed makeup never turns out as flawless as it does when you take your time. Trust me, I’ve learned that the hard way. Now, this isn’t to say that it is a requirement that anyone has to do their makeup for class everyday. There are definitely days where I wake up and the most I want to do is throw on some sweats and put my hair in a bun. It’s all about balance! Makeup is an art form, and today isn’t the day to put on makeup, that’s fine. At the end of the day, the reason we are there is to be educated and get that degree.

I love makeup. I love applying it, I love wearing it, and I love talking about it. So, when I say I wear a full face, I mean a full face. But, as much as I love makeup, I still can’t afford to be spending an hour on my makeup every morning. I have places to go and papers to turn in!

School days are long, we all know this. By the time you get to class, go to class, and get back from class, it feels like the whole day has pretty much gone by. Whether you’re planning on wearing a full face of makeup to class, or just a touch of concealer and bronzer, a good, stay-all-day bronzer is a must. Two of my favorites are the Saie Dew Bronze and the Tower 28 Sculptino soft-matte cream contour and bronzer in one. Both of these products keep my foundation in place beautifully while keeping it looking freshly applied, and if I am not wearing foundation, they make my skin look fresh and my pores look blurred all day. For those with oily skin,

If you have time to apply foundation, one of my favorites is the loved and trusted Rare Beauty by Selena Gomez liquid touch brightening concealer  . Love the wand application and can be smoothed out by a beauty sponge, or a brush, depending on preference and time, and wear beautifully throughout the day. Most importantly, if there is any makeup product that keeps me from looking like a zombie during the school season, it’s a good concealer.

On days where I am looking for something lighter and more natural, the Glossier Stretch Concealer is a great option. The Stretch Concealer is the perfect product to swipe under your eyes or in areas of redness with your fingers. With a bit of powder to keep down shine and oil, it’ll last you all day. Since Glossier is the royalty of the “I woke up this way” makeup look, and since I am completely obsessed with every release they come out with, the next few products I will suggest are also Glossier products. Their Boy Brow and Cloud Paint are engineered to be easy to slap on before you run out the door (or even to apply when you get bored in class… you didn’t hear that from me).

To finish off the look, a great no smudge and no flake mascara I have loved this summer is another Milk Makeup product- their Kush Mascara. It not only has a classic formula but a waterproof one as well, which is a lifesaver because we all know college wouldn’t be college without a few tears here and there. Finally, nothing makes the lips look as good as a good old hydrating lip balm. I honestly use more balms than glosses, just because I feel like they have just about the same effect, and balms are almost always more comfortable to wear. My favorite balm at the moment is something I can’t believe I haven’t mentioned yet in an article. And, yes, it’s another Glossier product. The Glossier Balm Dotcom is hands down one of my favorite, ultra hydrating lip balms I have ever used. It comes in eight different flavors, some tinted and some clear, and all of them have the perfect amount of scent; just enough, but not too much. I constantly have one on me at all times.

What I love most about this mega popular lipgloss is that it shines, it’s not too sticky and a little goes a long way. rhode’s peptide lip tint offers some beautiful colors, which definitely appears strongly on the lips. There’s no awkward taste that most lipglosses have and it’s fragrance-free. It fits so nicely in my pocket that whenever I need to top my lips off from class to class, it’s a quick squeeze and I don’t feel like I arrived that day looking tired.

Let’s manifest an amazing and productive school year to all of the powerhouse gals reading this. Whether it’s your freshman year at your new school, or your last year of your masters, crush your first day back with a cute outfit, organized planner, and great attitude!

*Originally published September 2019, Updated August 22, 2025

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