Hot for Halloween!

You officially have 31 days until Halloween.  On all Hallows Eve it's your choice to dress scary, cute, funny, silly, or sexy.  Whatever costume you choose, I want you (and me) to look our absolute best.  

With Halloween just around the corner I am making it a goal of mine to drop a few lbs. and tighten and tone my bod.  You are more than welcome to come on this mini journey with me.  I have made a Halloween jar to keep me on track.  

Halloween jar rules:

• Everytime you workout put $1 in
• Everyday you eat clean put $1

However much money you end up with is how much you get to spend on your Halloween costume.  If your not into buying a costume go out and buy a work out top!

Some tips to drop a few pounds in the month of October are:

• cut your alcohol intake
• incorporate more veggies into your diet
• eat unprocessed foods
• get a few extra workouts in

Stay healthy ya'll!!

xo

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Blinged Out Eyeshadow

How convenient for this pigmented, long wearing eye shadow to come out right before Halloween.  This eye shadow made by stila comes in 12 different gorgeous shades.  When swatching all of the colors I couldn't help but think of the endless possibilities with how to wear your make-up for Halloween.  With the first color shown below, you can dress up as Cleopatra or you can be a Mermaid, Fairy, Angel, etc. with all of the other colors.

The eye shadow comes with a liquid primer that magnifies the shine and foil finish.  Using your fingers works best when applying the shadow. 

Available at Sephora $32

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September Favorites!!

Let me tell you... September was full of discovering some new beauty favs.  I hope you enjoy and if you want to know more about a certain product mentioned below just let me know.

I am seriously obsessed with this new foundation from hourglass.  It is amazing if you have oily, acne prone skin and want full coverage.  This is the only foundation I have been using this month. It is a liquid form that dries to a matte finish.  I love this because it doesn't break me out, keeps me from touching up throughout the day, and it has anti-aging ingredients in it that get to sit on my face all day.  My shade is tan.  Immaculate Available at Sephora $55

This primer is moisturizing and fights acne because it is formulated with salicylic acid.  Two purposes in one product.  LOVE.  Smashbox Photo Finish More Than Primer Available at Sephora $42

I pretty much replaced my foundation and concealer brush due to this little sponge.  It's been on the market for a while but up until this month I have been using Dior Airflash foundation and the two don't work very well together.  With a liquid foundation this stuff works great.  You wet it, squeeze it, and then bounce the blender all over your face to apply your foundation.  The tip of the blender gets into any creases you have on your face.  To find out the best way to clean your beauty blender check out my article Best Way to Clean Your Beauty Blender Original Beauty Blender Available at Sephora $19.95

Thank God Sephora's Super nourishing lip balm is back on the market.  This is hands down the best lip balm out there and at a $5 price tag it is one of my all time favorite beauty products ever.  It is back but is still a limited edition so get it while you can.  This lip balm is currently sold out online and they barely have any in the stores so if you find it, buy it.  You won't be sorry!

Honestly, drugstore mascara usually does the trick for me but this mascara caught my attention because it makes your lashes grow.  Its nourishing and moisturizing ingredients increase the length and fullness of your lashes.  I don't wear this mascara alone because I like really thick voluminous looking lashes but this mascara is great for getting any clumps out or good to wear for a natural look.  Urban Decay Lush Lash Mascara Available at Sephora $20.00

Call me old, I don't care.  My exercise of choice this month has been my shape-ups.  I put them on and go for a 2-3 mile walk and it has been so therapeutic to breath in the air and walk around.  I've had these since they first came out and spent $100 bucks on them but they are on sale online.  If you haven't tried these before be careful.  You need to find your balance before you start walking in them but once you do they are great for your posture and really help firm your lower body.  Shape-ups Available at skechers.com $47.99

Flat Ass?!?

Your desk job may be to blame.

If you are someone who sits for a long period of time at work or school, you may notice more cellulite and your nice behind shape getting flatter.  To prevent or correct your flat bottom get up and move every hour.

You don't have to break a sweat every hour during the day but be sure to spend a minute or two walking around, stretching, doing some squats, etc.  If your excuse is that too many people are around, go to the bathroom and get a quick little workout in there.

XO

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Best Way to Clean Your Beauty Blender

Honestly, no matter what makeup remover I tried, I could never completely remove all the make-up from my beauty blender or make-up brushes.  I'm hear to tell you, you don't need all those chemicals in your make-up brushes and beauty blender.  The best thing I have found is right in my own kitchen.

On a plate I mix equal parts coconut oil and dishwasher soap.  If you don't have coconut oil then use olive oil.  The oil breaks up the make-up and the dishwasher soap gets your beauty blender very clean.

Dip your beauty blender or make-up brush in the oil, then in the soap and rub it around against the palm of your hand.  Rinse under water and squeeze out the make-up.  Repeat 2 or 3 times and you shouldn't be able to see any make-up.

I like to wash my beauty blender 1-2 times a week because I use it everyday.  This may seem like a lot but it's a sponge and I don't want bacteria building up.

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Thanks!

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BB Cream, CC Cream, DD Cream: Will It Ever Stop?

BB cream- beauty balm
CC cream- conceal and correct
DD cream- disguise and diminish or dynamic do-all

These are all the different creams out in the market but my bet is that we will be seeing EE creams, FF creams, and so on!

The new DD cream  does everything the BB cream and CC cream does and then some.   It is formulated with even more anti-aging properties making it truly superior than any other cream out there.  

Will you try the DD cream or will you hold of for the next letter in the alphabet?

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xoxo

Know How to Shop for Perfume and When to Wear It

Shopping for your signature scent is the best but it can get very overwhelming.  To truly find the scent of your dreams you need to take a good 30 minutes to an hour smelling all types of scents.  There are fresh scents, citrus ones, vanilla, musky, etc.  The list goes on and on and there are so many different perfumes out there you are sure to find one or two that you can't live without.

When shopping for a perfume, they will all start to smell alike after the 5th one, so be sure to ask the salesperson at whichever department store you are at for some coffee beans.  Smelling coffee beans will neutralize your nose, so you will be able to smell the scent of the perfume instead of the alcohol.  

When testing out perfumes use the paper strips they give you.  You don't want to walk out smelling like you have 20 different perfumes on.  Pick your favorites and spray those on you instead.  The perfume may smell different on your skin than it did on the paper so it is good to try it out before you buy it.

As for when to wear perfume, I think you should wear it everyday.  Perfume makes me feel sexy or feminine depending on which scent I go with and I feel like us women should always feel our best.  You shouldn't save perfume for a special occasion   Every day is a special day and you should always smell good.

When storing your perfume, never keep it in your car or some place hot.  This will dry out your perfume faster leaving it with that alcohol smell.  

If you want your perfume to last as long as possible do not rub your wrists together after you spray your perfume on.  Just spritz on both of your wrists and let it air dry.  Also, putting perfume on your pulse points, like behind the ears, will give off your scent throughout the day.

What is your signature scent and do you like to create your own scents by combining two or more like I do?

Please share!!

Below are a few of my signature scents, all available at Macy's, that I have been using since I started wearing perfume in high school.  

Juicy Couture

Chance by Chanel

DKNY Be Delicious

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Need Make-Up Help?

Utilize a pro!  The next time you want to head to the mall or Sephora to purchase some of your beauty must haves, call in advance and make an appointment to get your make-up done.  Estee Lauder, MAC, Sephora, etc. all have a program where if you spend a certain amount of money, you can have your make-up done for free.  

Head over to pinterest, tumblr, or youtube and show the make-up artist what you want them to do.  Make sure you ask questions so you can replicate the look at home.

How much you have to spend to get your make-up done for free?
Sephora- $50
MAC- $40
Estee Lauder- Can't remember how much I had to spend but I purchased an eye pallet and mascara.

I have had ULTA and Clinique do free complete make overs on me but they weren't busy.

Hope this helps!

XO

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New Favorite Store Bought Face Mask

I have tried so many face masks over the years.  Whether it be all natural DIY face masks or store bought ones, this girl hasn't spent some serious dough and trying them all.  My new favorite is by Origins and it is their Clear Improvement Active charcoal mask.  This mask cleans out your pores and is best for all skin types.

This mask is available in two different sizes and costs $16 or $24 depending on which size you get.  That price point to me is amazing considering the amount of money I usually spend on face masks/facials.  

To use it, wash your face, then put a warm towel over your face for 10-20 seconds.  This will open up your pores.  Put the mask on and rinse of when you're ready.  I sometimes put it on for 15 minutes or 45 minutes, depending on how distracted I get.  

I love this mask because I can see the results after I use it and while it is on my skin I can feel it working.  It tightens slightly and has a refreshing tingly feeling on my skin.

If you're looking for a mask try this one!

Available at Macy's, Sephora, and Origins

Cystic Acne? Maybe Your Food Is To Blame

A study came out when I was in college and I remember my Dad telling me about how a persons diet can cause cystic acne.  He said to try and stop eating dairy products for a while and see how it worked out.  The result was that my skin actually cleared up a lot.  Not only does dairy cause cystic acne but monosodium glutamate, also known as msg, and gluten causes cystic acne.  

If you're experiencing cystic acne I would highly recommend looking into changing up your diet to foods rich with vitamins E and C.  They will clean out your system and give you a nice glowing complexion.

Well what if you start eating healthy and get cystic acne?  You may have my problem.

These past few weeks I have been drinking kale smoothies non-stop.  They're delicious and full of goodness.  Even though I have been noticing an extra glow in my skin I too have been getting cystic acne.  Hello college days!

My cystic acne started when I went overseas started going away until my sudden obsession with kale smoothies.  
I had a facial and before we started I asked what was going on with my skin.  I'm using all natural and high end skin care and tools, I always wash my face before bed, have clean pillow cases, etc. so I didn't get it.  She asked what changed about my diet and when I told her about the smoothies, she said my body was detoxing and all the bad junk in my system was coming out through my pores in the form of cystic acne.  Seriously?!?!?!?! Yuck!

If your cystic acne is due to a recent detox it will go away.  Just make sure to drink plenty of water.  And if you're someone who eats a lot of dairy, gluten, or msg, ease up on these things and see how your skin looks after.

In my eyes you are all gorgeous!! Have an amazing day and I hope those pimples stay off your face.

XOXO beautiful!

Boscia Cleansing Sponge

Have you heard of the Konjac Cleansing Sponge from Boscia?  It is a new pillow soft sponge derived from the Konjac Root.  This little sponge cleanses and exfoliates your skin for a price tag of $18.  

For cleansing and exfoliating my skin I love using my Mia 2 Clarisonic, but at a high price tag it sure was an investment.  If you want something a little easier on the budget yet delivers amazing results for your skin, why not try it.

www.boscia.com
Available at boscia.com and Sephora

Botox and Fillers: How Young Is Too Young?

First off, I want to start off by saying I am not against botox or dermal fillers at all.  I think the ever advancing technology out there for the beauty industry is very interesting and quite amazing. 

That being said, I did not realize how naive I was about dermal fillers and botox.  I mean I know what they are but I had no idea people my age were doing them.  

Just like every other women out there I too want perfect skin and facial features but being only 23, I thought that I was way to young to even consider doing these things now or in the near future.  Whenever my girlfriends, who range from early 20's to mid 30's, tell me they are having consultations or appointments for these procedures, I'm the girl who tries to talk them out of it.  We're in our prime for goodness sake!  But I just get laughed at because I clearly missed the bandwagon on the dermal filler, botox trend.

The age to have these procedures done are getting younger and younger.  I recently spoke with a close family friend, who is a plastic surgeon, and told him how young some of my friends are who want to enhance their face.  He simply said "Well, girls get their breasts enhanced at 18, why not work on your face in your 20's?"  Honestly, he makes a pretty darn good point for the ladies and gentlemen out there who want these procedures done young.  

The benefits of starting these procedures in your 20's and 30's, is that it is not as drastic of a change as opposed to having your first injections at 50 or 60.  Since your 20's and 30's are your prime, you might as well take advantage and look as hot as you can while everything is young and working correctly.

The cons are that these procedures are very pricey and are not permanent.  You have to maintain the look of botox and dermal fillers every 4 months- a year depending on how you want to look.  Also, I feel like dermal fillers and botox can be very addicting and lead to women and men finding more imperfections with themselves.  Thus, leading to more procedures and surgeries in the quest to look your finest. 

One more thing that is kind of off topic but do people not have student loans to pay off or rent to pay anymore?  Where does this extra money come from?  If you have the answer or tips on how to make a bunch of cash, please let this girl know!

At the end of the day, if someone wants surgery to enhance themselves, I say go for it!  

I would love to know your take on this topic though.  How young do you think is to young to start doing botox or filers or when did you start?

Comment below or on my facebook page!

Thanks gorgeous!

Favorites: Au Natural August!

Better late than never, right?

I'll just jump right in and let you know what my hot list consisted of last month.  Enjoy!

Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps 18-in-1 Hemp Peppermint Pure-Castle Soap:  Well that's a mouth full! Yes, that's the name of what the soap is called.  I love the peppermint one.  This soap is all natural and you can use it as regular soap, your cleanser, shampoo and to clean your make-up brushes.  It doesn't strip you skin of its natural oils and I feel so clean after I use this product.  The peppermint smell wakens you up in the morning and has a nice tingling feeling.  Available at health stores and drug stores.

Mia 2 Clarisonic: I have had my clarisonic for years now.  This has been a great tool for me to exfoliate my skin and really get deep down in my pores. Available at Nordstroms, Sephora, and Clarisonic.com

Simplers Botanicals Rose Geranium Therapeutic Hydrosol: This mist is so smoothing and calming.  I spray it in the morning after my toner or in place of it and apply my moisturizer after.  It is 100% pure rose geranium hydrosol and its uses are for itchy, red skin, sensitive skin, sunburns, hot flashes, fatigue, stress, and as a daily face mist.  This is such a great spray to wake you up in the middle of the day or if you've been out in the sun all day.  Available at Whole Foods and on the Simplers Botanicals website.

Pacifica Hawaiian Ruby Guava Body Butter:  I don't even like guava, but I LOVE LOVE LOVE this lotion!  The smell is absolutely fantastic.  I get so many compliments on how tropical and great I smell when I use this lotion.  Not only does this smell good enough to eat but it really hydrates and moisturizes my skin.  One of my all time favorite lotions.  Available at Whole Foods.

Spinning Spinner Pace Indoor Cycling Bike: This bike has been so good to me over the years and in August I was all over it!  When I would get home from work I would either have an intense 20-45 minute ride or just sit there peddling and watching TV.  If I felt like working out or if I felt like being lazy this was my go to exercise for the month of August.  Side note: Cycling while your butt is off your seat helps get rid of cellulite and burns some serious calories!  There are also a ton of cycling DVD's out there if you would like some motivation. Available at Dick's Sporting Goods.

Kale: This picture is hilarious and so true.  Kale is seriously my new BFF.  It's loaded with Vitamins K, A, C, E, and B (in that order) and full of fiber, protein, and calcium.  I have been adding kale to my salads but mostly putting them in my smoothies.  To find out how to make one of my favorite kale smoothies that actually taste good, read my article with the GGLF Tropical Kale Smoothie recipe.

So as you can see I kept it pretty au natural in August.  The beauty products I used are found out in nature and I really focused on my skincare and physical and nutritional health.  

Hope you liked my August favs and I hope you have a wonderful September!!

XOXO

Make-Up Tip: Make Your Lipstick Look Good

I love all types of lipstick colors.  What I don't like is having cracked or dry lips show through my lipstick color.  You can have on the most gorgeous, high end, lipstick but all eyes will be on those chapped lips not on your fab lipstick color.

Before you apply lipstick make sure to exfoliate your lips.  I like to mix together either olive oil or coconut oil with a little bit of salt or sugar, rub it on my lips for a minute with my fingertips, wash off with a warm washcloth, and ba da bing my lips are soft and ready to go.  If you're in a hurry use water and your toothbrush to brush your lips for about 10 seconds, dry them off, and apply lip balm.

If you're in the mood post a picture in the comment below of you rocking your signature lip color!

Thanks fabulous!

A Kale Smoothie That Actually Tastes Good

Kale is the Queen of Green.  When it comes to dieting or living a healthy life style, kale is the veggie people gravitate towards.  This green cleans out your system and is packed with vitamins A, C, and K, fiber, calcium, and protein.  

I love having smoothies, and I love eating kale, but kale smoothies are something I usually have to force down my throat.  That's just not okay.  Everyone should enjoy their food so I wanted to share with all of you how to make a kale smoothie that actually tastes good.

GGLF Tropical Kale Smoothie

What you need:

• 1 cup of chopped kale
• 1 cup of frozen mixed tropical fruits (frozen so your smoothie is cold)
• 1/2 medium banana
• 1/2 cup 100% pineapple juice
• 1/2 cup 100% orange juice

I purchase my mixed tropical fruits at Costco.  It comes in a huge bag and is filled with strawberries, pineapple, mango, and papayas.  

Toss all of these ingredients in the blender and enjoy!  For more protein you can add protein powder.

This smoothie tastes absolutely delicious and is great for you hair, skin, nails, and weight management.

Sam Edelman Takes On Jewelry

One of my favorite shoe brand designers is now in fashion jewelry!  I love Sam Edelman's style and am so excited for whats to come.  His edgy line is now available at piperlime.

 Sam Edelman at PIPERLIME

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Bacne Be-Gone

It's hard enough to deal with the acne on our face let alone our backs, which we can't even see that well.  I get a back facial (facial but for your back) every summer which I highly recommend if your bacne prone but here are a few tips to keep that bacne in check:

1. Don't use body washes with fragrance.  Use mild soaps or body washes that contain salicylic acid. 
2. Use a brush or loofah for your back.  This will exfoliate your skin and help acne come to the surface but don't scrub to hard or for too long.  Clarissonic makes an electronic brush or you can get a shower brush or loofah at drugstores.  
3. Always wash or rinse your back after you workout.
4. If you use really hot water when you shower like I do, make sure you do a quick rinse on the cold setting.  This will close up your pores so they aren't open for bacteria to get in.
5. Make sure you get all the shampoo and conditioner off your back in the shower.  
6. Wear a cotton t-shirt at night.  This will protect your back and absorb any moisture you have on your skin.
7. Put your hair in a braid, ponytail or bun.  Your hair can be what is irritating your skin so get it off your back and out of your face.
8. Once a week apply a mask on your back.  At the health foods and vitamins store I shop at in Bakersfield, there is a mask that oil field workers swear by.  Think men working all day in the heat with heavy clothing and their pores getting clogged.  It is an Indian Healing Clay you mix with water.  When I use it it works like a charm!

Available at health stores, Whole Foods, and Amazon.com- Prices range from $5-$7

Diana Nyad: Her 53 Hour Swim

At 64 years old Diana Nyad shows all of us that you are never to old to push your body to the limits.  Today she completed the 110 mile swim from Cuba to Florida.  This isn't Nyad's first time attempting to swim this long distance, which shows what determination, perseverance, and a healthy body can do.

If you are struggling with taking your workouts or your body to the next level I hope you think of Diana Nyad for inspiration.

Nyad leaves us with three pieces of advice.  "One is, we should never, ever give up.  Two is, you're never too old to chase your dream.  Three is, it looks like a solitary sport, but it is a team."

Picture taken from google images

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Lazy Just Got Easier

In a serious crunch for time? Need an extra burst of softness through your tresses? Well dry shampoo's counterpart is out there and ready to be used.

Dry shampoo has helped out big time in my life.  If you've hit the snooze button a few too many times or have a last minute date, dry shampoo has been just the thing to take your lifeless greasy hair to clean and voluminous in minutes.  The difference between dry shampoo and dry conditioner is that dry shampoo gets rid of the oils while dry conditioner adds in oils to moisturize.  Just like dry shampoo, it comes in a dry form and there is no water needed.

Dry conditioner isn't just an option if you need a quick fix between washes.  It can be used if you have extremely dry or damaged hair and to combat frizz.  

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