We Tried FabFitFun even though We Hate Makeup

Posted on June 25, 2018June 27, 2018 by Katie Evans

Our Summer FabFitFun box arrived last week, and we have to say, it’s intriguing and not what we expected, at all!

If you’re not sure if FabFitFun is right for you, we hear you. We didn’t think it would be right for us either. We are huge skeptics. But, I found a good coupon code when scrolling through Pinterest last month, so I figured at the very least I could give our readers and honest review of the product. After all, their ads are EVERYWHERE!

Here’s what Jarell and I think about FabFitFun:

Try FabFitFun even if You Hate Makeup

I have a confession: I hate wearing makeup. Jarell does too. However, makeup is expected in most office environments, and we always want to look our best when we meet potential clients. So, we grudgingly paint our faces, curl our hair, and smile brightly. It’s what you do.

If you’re like us and putting on makeup is drudgery, more than likely you don’t shop for makeup and try new things like you should. I’m guilty as charged. I would still be wearing the same mascara that my grandmother taught me to wear in the 90s if L’Oreal hadn’t discontinued it (LashOut, by the way. Are you listening L’Oreal?).

That’s wear FabFitFun is brilliant—it made me try new things. That’s where it can help you most.

If you aren’t already a subscriber, we highly suggest you sign up now. Use coupon code HEATWAVE to save $10 on your first box.

What’s in the Box?

When the FabFitFun box arrived, it was too big to fit in my post office box—I live in a rinky-dink town where the Pony Express won’t even venture—so I had to wait until the post office opened the next day to pick up my box. I was surprised by it’s size—it was huge!

The outside of the box is colorful and pretty. I’m extremely allergic to perfumes, so I was scared to open it in the car. It’s a good thing, too, because one of the lotions in the box was very potent! My mother-in-law absolutely loved it, though, and reports that it helps her muscles tremendously.

The box is beautifully packed. It feels luxurious when you open it.

Our favorite item in the box is this fantastic, huge beach towel that is super-soft and repels sand. I want to buy several more so we all have them for the beach. My daughter, Elle of CorruptedCrafts.com, claimed this one. We love that it wraps all the way around your body when you come out of the water! We tested it at Rainbow Springs last week and it is definitely our favorite thing from this month’s FabFitFun box.

The box also had a weird exercise pulley thing that my mother-in-law loves. She is trying to build upper body strength following heart surgery, so it’s perfect for her.

Since it’s summer, our box had sunscreen and hair protectant, too. I enjoyed the hair protectant—it left my hair soft and shiny. We all loved the ring dish from Pier 1! It’s pretty and very functional.

The contour kit from Tarte is great if you want to try contouring. It is a great palette for experimentation, and even came with instructions.

Finally, the most intriguing thing in the box is the Foreo Fofo. It’s a sonic face cleaner that connects by Bluetooth to your phone to tell you all the things that are wrong with your skin and how you can correct them. We thought it was super weird, but a neat way to use technology!

The Verdict: We Love FabFitFun!

I’m happy to report that we thoroughly enjoyed our first box—enough to become a #fabfitfunpartner so we can share the fun with you. It’s definitely worth trying it at the $39.95 first-box price (coupon code: HEATWAVE).

Here’s a peek at what’s inside the Summer “Editor’s Box”:

We’ll let you know what we get in our next box, and would love to hear what you get in yours, too!! It’s amazing how fun it still is to get things in the mail.

Save to Pinterest

Disclaimer: FabFitFun did not sponsor our box or this post; we bought our box with a coupon code we found on Pinterest. However, after receiving the box and realizing how fun it is to try the stuff in it, we decided to join FabFitFun’s partnership program, which means if you decide to join FabFitFun through a link in this post, we receive a couple of bucks.

Teaching as a Side Hustle: The Pros & Cons of Adjunct Teaching

Posted on June 25, 2018June 25, 2018 by Bre Smith

If you’re in need of a side hustle, you should consider a job as an adjunct teacher at a local college, or in the case of online classes, maybe even a distant one. The entry barriers may be fewer than you think.

Colleges generally require teachers to have a master’s degree in the subject they’d like to teach or any master’s degree plus at least 18 graduate credit hours in the subject. However, hiring committees may also consider candidates with alternative qualifications such as high school teaching experience or industry certification. Past formal teaching experience is also usually not required—the interview will likely include a follow-up teaching demo.

Here are the pros and cons of adjunct college teaching.

The Good Things About Adjunct College Teaching:

Fulfillment

If you love helping people (and especially love sharing your knowledge or skills), there’s no field as rewarding as education. Ask yourself if you’ve sought out opportunities to teach informally—perhaps by training colleagues at work, leading a Sunday school class, or volunteer tutoring. If so, you’ll probably find this work very gratifying.

Reduced Commuting Time

You generally only have to be on campus when your class meets and a bit before and after to answer student questions and/or hold office hours if they’re required by your school. Most traditional college classes meet once, twice, or three times per week, and colleges are increasingly offering more and more online and hybrid (reduced meeting time) classes to keep up with the evolving way today’s students learn.

Convenience

In the same vein as a reduced commute, much of the work—grading, preparing for class, answering student email, etc.—can be done at home. This is handy because, as we’ll discuss in the next section, you’re probably going to need a separate full- or part-time job.

The Things You’ll Want to Consider Carefully:

Low Pay

It’s no secret that teachers don’t choose their careers for the money, but unfortunately adjuncts earn the worst pay of all. They’re paid per class taught, not per hour worked. The adjunct rate of pay at the college I taught at was $1,700 per class. Classes are generally four months long (a semester), so the harsh reality is that depending on how much time your teaching duties take, you could end up making less than minimum wage. This means that for most, adjunct teaching can only be a side hustle.

What’s more, colleges often limit the number of courses an adjunct can teach per semester—the one I worked for had a cap of three per semester. You may be allowed to work as an adjunct at other schools (check with your college to make sure), but keep in mind that you might have to adjust your material to meet their requirements.

No Job Security

Adjunct teaching is contract work, so there’s no certainty about the number of classes you’ll get to teach or if you’ll even be hired next semester. Also, the full-time faculty at the college are required to teach a certain number of classes each term, so if one of their sections doesn’t fill up, a class that was originally assigned to you may be given to a full-timer at the last minute.

Possible Lack of Autonomy

In attempts to ensure uniform student experience and outcomes, your college may require everyone who teaches a course to use the same materials, exams, etc. If so, full-time faculty are usually in charge of choosing and creating these items, so as an adjunct you may feel as though you don’t have much say in how your class is taught. On the other hand, it’s easy to see how receiving a highly-structured premade course could be a blessing for first-time teachers.

Related Articles You May Enjoy

The Verdict on Adjunct Teaching Jobs

Did the cons in the last section scare you straight? Just remember that although working as an adjunct is low on financial rewards, it’s big on personal ones. While adjunct teaching is more viable as a side hustle than a way to earn a living, if you feel called to teach, it’s a great way to try out a career in education and make extra money without a big commitment. In any case, please thank a teacher in your life.

Save to Pintrest

From College to Career: Enhancing Your Job Prospects

Posted on June 25, 2018June 27, 2018 by Edna Crane

It’s that time of year again when students up and down the country prepare to sit exams and finish their school and college courses. If you’re due to make the leap from college to the career ladder in the coming months or you’ve just started your first job, hopefully, you’ll find this guide useful. Here are some tips to make the transition as seamless as possible and some steps you can take to enhance your career prospects.

Take advantage of advice and support

Many students are anxious about leaving the bubble that is college and stepping out into the big wide world. It’s not easy to find a job, and it’s very common to attend graduation without really knowing what you want to do next. If this scenario sounds familiar, don’t panic. Use the time you have available to take advantage of career advice and any programs or workshops that are designed to prepare you for that next step. Look into the options that are open to you. Whether you need help with interview skills or you’re anxious about what to do next, and it’s making you feel stressed, there is help out there.

Work on your resume

If you’re leaving school or college, and you plan to get a job, you may have already started firing off applications. Before you go any further, take a moment to have a good look at your resume. A resume is a summary that should sell you and showcase your skills, abilities, and character traits. Make sure your resume is concise and snappy, and tailor it to each individual job description. If you’ve applied for a lot of jobs, and not had any success, it’s worth seeking advice and trying to improve your resume. Try and ensure that your resume stands out. Employers are often faced with a pile of papers, and you don’t want your application to fade into the background. What can you offer that is different to other candidates, and what makes you unique? Have you traveled? Do you volunteer? Are you multilingual? Have you overcome adversity to shine at college?

Learn on the job

If you’re lucky enough to land the job you want, take every opportunity to develop, learn, and enhance your prospects. Most of us have a desire to progress, and taking advantage of training courses can make all the difference when it comes to climbing the career ladder. If you teach children, for example, you may have opportunities to learn from on-site training at Project TEAM, which covers aspects such as social interaction, encouraging teamwork and cooperation, and preventing bullying. If you’re on a sales team and you have grand plans to lead the department, look at courses on conflict resolution or improving morale. No matter where you begin your career, there are likely to be opportunities that could shape your career and help you move in the right direction.

Are you getting ready to leave school or college, or have you recently taken that first step onto the career ladder? It can be daunting to enter the world of work, but it’s also a very exciting time. Hopefully, this guide has provided some useful advice, and you’ll be climbing that ladder in no time.