I was looking through some old pictures I had for "Throwback Thursday" since I hadn't done one in a while. I came across this picture from my 15th birthday. For those of you who don't know, this is known as a quinceañera in the Hispanic community. One of the traditions involves a father daughter dance.
This photo is from that dance and it just made me smile today looking at how happy that made me. That smile also hid all the nervousness I held dancing in front of all my friends and family. My dad and I somehow managed to get through two dances without any disasters. But to see my dad that happy, is always a priceless moment.
So being in South Dakota for the past couple of weeks, I have realized that I have been quite lazy. It all started with the road trip because we ate badly and were on the road for two days. Then being spoiled by grandma, I'm eating more food than I would at home, even if I'm not hungry. I have noticed I have felt more sluggish and not quite myself. Thank goodness for the treadmill in the basement as it was calling my name! Just getting back into my morning run and it feels great! Not quite at where I was when I left home, but I'll get there.
I am officially starting #100happydays! I have been itching to start it. These posts will be brief as I will be doing these everyday in addition to my other posts. So here it goes...
This is the dinner I made tonight for the family. This is the first time making this dish, and it turned out surprisingly well. My grandmother told me to find a recipe that involved chicken, alfredo, and broccoli. Finally, I just threw all the ingredients together to make a chicken and broccoli alfredo casserole! Knowing that I made a new creation for the family just brought a smile to my face; therefore, it was a moment today that made me happy.
If you would like the recipe I based this dish off of you should go here. I did not go exactly by the book so feel free to make tweaks as well and let me know how it turns out!
During the summer nobody likes caking on makeup or wearing makeup at all sometimes. I like as little as possible anyway just because I don't like the feeling of makeup on my face. Also I don't like when people can really tell I'm wearing makeup, that's annoying. I wear just enough to cover up any blemishes or cover the dark circles under my eyes. So here you see I just got out of the shower and my face is washed and moisturized. It is all ready so I can show you my finished everyday summer look.
I have never had a problem not wearing makeup out. So here you are seeing the all natural look without makeup. I start off with Ulta's Professional Matte Prime to give my makeup a base. It helps to keep my face matte. It is not tinted in any way, so you can't really tell where you have put it on. I personally do not like liquid foundations because they seem so thick and unnatural. I have found that Bb cream is the perfect solution for me. For those who don't know what Bb cream is, it has more coverage than a tinted mousturizer, but not as much coverage as a foundation. I like that because I like the natural look. I haven't had bad breakouts since I was younger so coverage has not been a big problem for me. For my everyday makeup, I use Maybelline New York's Dream Fresh BB cream in light/medium. I do find this shade to be a bit lighter on my skin, but the medium is too dark for my skin tone.
Next, I use Maybelline New York's Dream Lumi touch highlighting concealer in nude. I use this under my eyes as it highlights this area, which happens to be my biggest concern. Then I use it to cover any other imperfections on my face. I use a powder brush to cover my entire face with L'oreal Paris's True Match super-blendable powder in buff beige (n4). This helps to make everything look more natural.
Blush is always something you want to look natural and in the summer coral seems to work for most people. My favorite blush for summer is Milani's baked powder blush in Luminoso (05). It gives the perfect balancing blush and shine. It highlights your upper cheek bones and gives the apples of your cheek just enough color.
When finished with all my face makeup I am left with my eyes and lips. For eyes, this summer I have found a new favorite mascara that I got for free at Ulta for my birthday as part of their rewards program. It is called ck one by Calvin Klein. It is the most natural looking and feeling mascara I have ever used. The brush is also amazing! You can twist the top to squeeze the brush and make the bristles closer together. I use this feature when getting my bottom lashes. It's like two brushes in one!! I don't use any other eye makeup as it's summer and it's unnecessary. For lips, I use Maybelline New York's Baby Lips Crystal in Gleaming Coral (135). As you have read in a previous blog post, I am obsessed with baby lips. This is no exception. I recently picked this one up and it is slightly tinted with sparkle. Just enough for that summer look.
And there you have it. The finished everyday summer makeup look with all the products shown and mentioned.
So the goal of this morning was to leave by around 4:00 am so we could be on the road early. My alarm was set for 3:00 am in which I pushed snooze three times and woke up at 3:15 am to get my mother out of bed. But, I like my sleep. So of course what do I do? Go back to sleep until 4:00 am...at least it didn't put off everyone else's schedule. In the end we didn't actually leave until about 5:15 am when we actually got the two little ones up. We wanted them to sleep for as long as possible, because when traveling with babies/toddlers...expect the worse.
Wishful (my unicorn whom you'll see more of) thought he would be funny and take my seat...but he can't win everything (he always wins at staring contests).
With our map in hand (totally old school, its just back up), we were off and on our way to our destination for tonight, Peoria, Illinois.
It was a relatively long drive considering we had to stop for two kids and we ran into some traffic outside of Indianapolis. The kids were able to manage in the car, even Miriam, who is sick, got her sleep. I just got to see a lot of the open road...and the road kill that comes with it (gross).
We finally got to Peoria, and settled in with some pizza and relaxation. Being in a car for over 14 hours can definitely take a toll. Despite the spaciousness of our vehicle, it still sucks being in a car all day.
We were lucky that we also gained an hour in our favor as we are traveling west. Tomorrow we will gain another hour as we get to travel the rest of the way to our destination. Considering this extra hour I got, I needed to get a post in.
Wishful and I settled in very well for the night and can't wait to get some shut eye (well, mostly me...I don't think he ever gets shut eye). Also, it took me a while to realize that we are totally twins today. He is such a copy cat when it comes to fashion. Look forward to part two of our travels when I can get it to you! Until then, goodnight!
So I slowly realized I could not actually start the #100happyday challenge as there would be a break in the next few days. I am in the middle of getting a new phone and it will not come in until the end of next week. Sadness, I know. But, no worries, I will still be doing the challenge, it will just be put off for a week. Also I might just be happier that I will be team iPhone again. Considering the lack of service I will be having in South Dakota with my current phone, I cannot guarantee consistency. I also will not be able to guarantee a post everyday for the next week as I will be getting myself settled in and will need to figure out my internet situation. But I will be trying. Even if I have to back date my posts, you will get your posts people! I enjoy writing too much to not be able to get something to you.
I was supposed to leave for South Dakota today as my dad was insistent on getting us out of the house. However, considering my poor baby sister getting over being sick, I think it would be best if we did not have to deal with a puking baby on a road trip. Not so good. Instead, we are leaving first thing tomorrow morning for our 25-hour road trip. So long, but I love road trips so it's all good.
Today was spent packing. Started the morning babysitting...which I literally woke up five minutes before going next door (I was a hot mess). But, trying to pack for a period in which you don't really know how long you're staying for has proved somewhat difficult. I took a quick break when I realized that today is actually 7-Eleven day! For those of you who do not know what this is...um, you have lived under a rock...or don't live near a 7-Eleven. 7-Eleven basically gives you a free small slurpee from the hours of 11am-7pm. Clever, huh?! Mine was a cherry and lemonade mix...YUM!
That was my quick break from packing today...as you can tell, I have been a bit of a mess today. I'm one of those people who will remember a bunch of crap at the last second. HELP ME!
But the best part of packing for a road trip is the food. I don't know about you, but there are certain mandatory snackage that must be brought on a road trip. You must have a balance of sweet and salty. And because I have a little extra salty, you must have some extra water. That definitely won't be enough water, but it will be enough to get me started. The one mandatory snack that must be brought on every road trip, however, is...(drum roll) CHEEZ-ITS. It is the key to my heart (but actually though).
I get to leave before the crack of dawn tomorrow so it'll be a long day (still gotta pack the van). Sunday will be the interesting part where we will most likely be forced to stop for the World Cup final! (Vamos Argentina!) At least we gain two hours driving in that direction, it was probably a sign that we have time to stop and watch the game. Anyway, I don't know when my next post will be. It could very well be tomorrow, but until then...goodbye Arlington!
What does being happy really mean? We all try to achieve happiness as it is a fundamental right of being an American. But can one term, happy, simply be defined as glad or delighted. The elusiveness of this term has left us to interpret happiness for ourselves. What makes ME happy? That is the question that we really need to answer. What makes one happy is not necessarily the same for someone else. Psychologists study happiness all the time despite the subjectivity of it all. How can we really measure happiness? We, ourselves, are the only people that can report our own state of happiness. We know the increases and decreases in our level of happiness over the long-term, but psychologists cannot rely on someone else to report your state of happiness as our own perception is different from others.
You're happy today. Does that make you a happy person? In other words, does a happy day versus a not so good day define your state of happiness? In the short term, maybe. But the longer we study, the more accurate our account will be of happiness. If I were to report my happiness today on a scale of 1-10, 10 being the happiest you could be, I would probably give it a 6. However, ask me how happy of a person I actually am over the long term and you will probably get something more like a 3 or 4. It is a better day, but it doesn't mean I'm a happier person.
Now to get to what this post is really all about...
Tomorrow I will be starting the #100happyday challenge (thanks to the support of my friends), the day I leave for South Dakota. You may have heard people attempting to do this challenge, many people of which fail to complete it. However, I do know people who have thoroughly enjoyed the challenge and have found themselves happier in the end. What this challenge entails is taking a picture everyday of something that made you happy. Simple, huh? This is what the hard part is, you have to do this for 100 days in a row, many of which people may not have the time for. Really? Do you not have time to be happy? This challenge forces you to live in the moment and enjoy it. Find happiness in the little things in life. Maybe your morning cup of coffee made you happy today or seeing a friend you haven't seen in months made you happy. It seems that people overlook the simplicity of it all. This challenge is for your OWN personal gain, in no way is it a competition to be happier than the person next you.
As part of this challenge I will be submitting a picture everyday on instagram using the hash tag, "100happydays" (#100happydays). Feel free to follow my instagram to follow my journey on this challenge. As something added, I will post the picture I took that day on this blog and a little blurb explaining what it was that made me happy that day. This is in addition to my normal blog posts. Maybe we can see my progression together. Will this challenge make me happier? Well, we will find out after 100 days and you can ask me then.
To find out more about this challenge and/or start it yourself go to http://100happydays.com/. Let me know if you start it, I would love to follow you as well.
Today I thought I would try something a little different. I am notorious for following YouTubers as they are a whole breed of their own. Some of my favorites to follow are beauty gurus. Recently I watched Fleur DeForce's Summer Lovin' Tag and got the idea to do a little tag of my own. Basically, I will answer a bunch of different questions about my summer favorites, some of which are from that tag and some questions from makeupgeek's tag as well. You get to know me a little better, and maybe you might find something you're interested in. So enough with the dilly dallying...let's get started!
1) Summer lipstick you're loving?
To be completely honest, I don't really like lipstick all that much. I don't like the feeling on my lips. The only real thing I use is Carmex. Because it is rare that I actually wear lipstick I don't really have a summer lipstick, however I do really like Maybelline's Baby Lips. It gives just a tad of color while still being a simple lip balm.
2) Summer nail polish you're loving?
Summertime is the one time it is totally okay to wear bright colors and it works. I would have to say that the summer nail polish that I'm loving is Essie's "Sunday Funday". It has just a touch of sparkle and is perfect for the spring/summer time.
3) Favorite summer beverage?
I have always been a fan of the Simply brand of beverages. Recently I tried out the Simply Lemonade with Raspberry and I cannot get enough. I may or may not have chugged it out of the bottle...
4) Current favorite summer song?
So I have gotten on the Iggy Azalea and Charlie XCX train and just love "Fancy". I couldn't help myself. Every time this song plays anywhere I can't help but dance and rap/sing along. Definitely something that will keep me going for a while.
5) Favorite summer accessory?
Mirrored lenses sunglasses. I have a pair of wayfarer style and aviator style and I love the fact that they are a little different. Personally it gives me an excuse to fall asleep without people knowing your eyes are closed.
6) Favorite summer fragrance/perfume?
I normally love the body mists from Bath & Body Works, however since I have not been recently I have yet to pick any new ones up. I actually have a favorite scented body lotion from Victoria's Secret that I got as a gift from a friend. It's called Sensual Blush and is described as pink lotus and sultry woods. It has a very light, sweet scent that is just enough to know that you tried.
7) Summer book you're loving?
As I mentioned in a previous blog, I am finishing up The Spectacular Now by Tim Tharp and really love it. If you are too lazy to read, you could always watch the movie.
8) What are you most excited to do this summer?
I am excited to get a tan...I am significantly pale. Even though I don't really tan, although the flip flop marks on my feet beg to differ, a girl can dream, can't she?
9) Show us your favorite summer dress.
I don't have a favorite summer dress, but a maxi skirt. I have not been big on the maxi skirt craze until I ran into this skirt at a little store called Laila Rowe and just fell in love with the pattern and color. It makes me want to go dance in the rain and run through a grass field barefoot.
10) What is the weather like where you live in the summer?
So I have mentioned I live in Arlington, Virginia right across the river from Washington, D.C. and the weather here during the summer SUCKS. Not only does it get hot, but it is so humid in this area that no matter how warm it gets, it is very uncomfortable.
11) What is your favorite thing about summer?
To be honest, summer is my least favorite season. I am not a fan of the heat. However, my favorite thing about summer is being able to see my friends on these laziest days of the year.
12) What are your plans for summer vacation?
As of right now I will be headed up to South Dakota to visit my grandmother. Haven't been up there in a couple of years and am excited to get a bit of time with family since we don't live near any extended family.
13) Favorite summer treat.
Um, duh...ice cream.
14) Favorite summer memory.
Any moment where I felt most calm. This was boating on the Potomac with my best friend. I can always depend on her and any memory with her is a happy one.
Well those are all the questions. Maybe you got a little more information about me and my weirdness. I hope that everyone is having a good summer so far. I now tag all of you!
You're laying in bed after a long day, you pop on your headphones, and what comes on? For me, I have made a perfect playlist that I have recently been obsessed with for this particular scenario. It is literally called "Just Breathe and Chillax", because that is what you want to do after a long day...unless you're like the few people I know who run around thinking they are the energizer bunny. I update it occasionally with new and old favorites. I listen to it when I'm on a late night metro ride and want something soothing, laying in bed in my last minutes before going to sleep, relaxing outside in the sun, it is pretty much perfect for anything relaxing.
When making a playlist, the idea usually revolves around one song. In this case, the one song this playlist was based off of was Birdy's "Tee Shirt" from the Fault in Our Stars soundtrack. I fell in love with the soundtrack and basically had it on repeat until the movie came out. But something about "Tee Shirt" was just so calming and the lyrics were not pointless. "In the morning when I wake up, I like to believe you are thinking of me. And when the sun comes, through your window, I like to believe you've been dreaming of me." It seems so innocent. Who wouldn't want that special someone thinking of them? I mean doesn't it just make you smile? It made me smile, even though there is no special someone.
It was like putty in my hands after that, I just thought of a few artists that I love and thought of some of their songs that I love that are so chill. Jason Mraz was first to come to mind, along with Christina Perri and Jack Johnson. Here is the list of songs on this playlist.
1) Hello, You Beautiful Thing - Jason Mraz
2) Banana Pancakes - Jack Johnson
3) Do You Remember - Jack Johnson
4) California - Mindy Gledhill
5) Whole Wide World - Mindy Gledhill
6) Anchor - Mindy Gledhill
7) The Forecast - Jason Mraz
8) So Close - Jon McLaughlin
9) The Heart of Life - John Mayer
10) A Beautiful Mess - Jason Mraz
11) Sunday Morning - Maroon 5
12) Superhero (Acoustic) - Luke Conard & Landon Austin
13) Valentine - Kina Grannis
14) You Will Find Me - Andrew Ripp
15) bluebird - Christina Perri
16) penguin - Christina Perri
17) distance - Christina Perri ft. Jason Mraz
18) Ordinary People - John Legend
19) Breathe (2 AM) - Anna Nalick
20) Drops of Jupiter - Train
21) Like A Star - Corinne Bailey Rae
22) Already Home - A Great Big World
23) 3 Things - Jason Mraz
24) Tee Shirt - Birdy
25) Don't Know Why - Norah Jones
This is definitely my go to summer playlist at the moment, at least until the new Jason Mraz album comes out next week, then I might have something else to obsess over. What is on your summer playlist? Maybe you have been jamming to something more upbeat? Or maybe you have the same idea as me and have been chilling. What do you suggests I listen to or add to my playlist here? There's a whole summer of music ahead of us.
So in yesterday's post I mentioned a little something about stopping for ice cream. If you know me, I don't really have a major sweet tooth, but I am a sucker for all things icy and creamy (basically ice cream). After stopping at Barnes and Noble yesterday (I definitely did not need any books), I decided to get my mother a large cupcake from Crumbs Bake Shop. However, right before we got there, I noticed a cute little ice cream shop right next door. They were handing out samples and I was quickly won over. My mom and I both looked at each other and knew Crumbs was out the door (no offense, but ice cream wins over anything).
When you first walk in you are greeted by some very friendly people. We were taken care by the manager of this cute pop up shop, one of the people who started it all, Sandra Tran. Okay, so this is when things get real. This is no ordinary ice cream shop like Ben and Jerry's (sorry Ben and Jerry, I cheated on you).
This ice cream is handcrafted right in front of you, not like Cold Stone where they mix everything in, it is made from scratch. We are talking milk, cream, and sugar, and then adding fresh ingredients from around D.C. This is all mixed in a large mixing bowl and then the fun part comes! This stuff is frozen right in front of you with liquid nitrogen. Yes, liquid nitrogen...henceforth the name Nicecream (haha, get it?). This makes the ice cream ridiculously creamy and dense. So the small that you get here for $4.99 is pretty much a large for all that you get. Totally worth the price! They literally have the liquid nitrogen in a container and release it into the mixing bowl to instantly freeze the ice cream. What you see in the picture is the evaporation that occurs in about 10 seconds leaving just amazing ice cream behind.
Everyday there are four featured flavors. I happened to pick chocolate sea salt. Let's face it, who could say no to that? It was the perfect blend of sweet and salty. It was not too sweet, which is a problem I always tend to have with ice cream. It took me forever to consume all the ice cream, but I savored every creamy, delicious bite of it. If you have not yet tried out this ice cream, PLEASE DO! They even sell at local farmers' markets in the D.C. area; this is their first brick establishment in Clarendon. I will be back for more to celebrate National Ice Cream Month!
“Driving slow on Sunday morning, and I never want to leave.”
These are the exact lyrics that go through my head when going for a cruise on a
Sunday morning. This morning was gorgeous and truly a Sunday funday if you ask
me. I got the wind blowing through my nappy hair, the kids are singing along to
whatever is playing on the radio, and I just sit back and relax. We are
cruising down the road when we see the Potomac come closer and closer and
eventually we are crossing the 14th Street bridge into Washington,
D.C. It is my happy place; there are so many things there that people take for
granted living in this area. I have always appreciated D.C. in its entirety. I mean just look at the view going into the city. People see this stuff on postcards.
On today’s drive we headed to Hains Point, or East Potomac
Park as some might know it. It is perfect to drive around with the windows
down, blasting music that you can sing along with, and even stop for a picnic. Since we had the two little ones in the car we stopped for some time at the playground area. Obviously this means run around and blow some bubbles, since I myself am a bubble blowing expert. This also means walking along the Potomac and letting Miriam make duck calls.
Hains Point is definitely the perfect place to do a little picnicking, maybe some fishing, or let the kids run around until they are ready for a nap. I've even been here several times since I was little to take out some aggression at the driving range. Even though half the time I never actually hit the golf ball (don't judge). When the cherry blossoms are in bloom this is also another great area to hit up for perfect photo opportunities. If you are in D.C. and are looking for a little free space to go wild, head over to East Potomac Park!
Of course I will take this opportunity to do my first O.O.T.D. (Outfit Of The Day). Out of anyone to take fashion sense from, I would not recommend myself. However, if for some crazy reason you decide you actually like what I am wearing, well here it is. I'm wearing a daisy dress with a belt to give a little shape (because I'm obsessed with floral), mirrored aviators (who doesn't like a little mystery), and it is matched with my black and white cross body (that I am learning to love). This of course was taken right after I scarfed down some ice cream from an awesome place called Nicecream Factory in Clarendon (blog post to follow tomorrow!). Can't have a Sunday funday without some tasty ice cream! Hope you guys had a fabulous Sunday as well!
The weather is just right, you walk outside and pick your favorite tree, the next thing you know you're halfway done with a book you just started. It's the freedom of summer. You see it all the time whether its poolside, bedside, or just outside, reading is one of the best relaxations of summer. Only recently have I really started picking up books. I usually find myself to have such a short attention span that I can never read for too long, therefore never finishing a book. That was until several months ago I picked up Divergent by Veronica Roth. Never had I been so excited to read a book in so long that I finished the series within a few days. Then it was The Fault in Our Stars by John Green followed by Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell. Since then, I have always had a book in hand, usually finding the time to read while waiting for the metro or right before bed. Those always seem to be the most convenient times to read. But now with summer in full blast it is time to become a bookworm and read the books I have been wanting to for awhile now.
These are the books I currently have stacked up to read. You will notice that I have The Fault in Our Stars is in this pile which I just said I read. I have even reread certain parts before going to see the movie last month. The book was so well written that I feel the need to reread the whole thing again before summer ends. Now I have become one of THOSE people! I always make fun of my sister for rereading books (which she does all the time) because I never felt the need to read through something again. But if you really think about it, how many times have you seen your favorite movie? Probably too many times to actually give me a number. Books are the same exact way. Grant it, it takes a bit longer to read than to get through than an hour and half movie, but regardless they are equally enjoyable. You can still relate to characters and feel all the emotions that you would when you sit down and watch a movie. I might have even felt more emotional reading The Fault in Our Stars than when watching the movie. Never thought that would happen.
Recently, I have also had the need to read books before I see the movie. This is why I am currently almost finished with The Spectacular Now by Tim Tharp which also happens to be a movie in which Shailene Woodley acts in. She just happens to be acting in all the movies that originated from good books right now. I have also learned that If I Stay by Gayle Foreman is going to be released as a movie as well. This book came into my hands on my birthday a few weeks ago after this book popped up on my recommended books on Amazon. Unfortunately, I had the opportunity of seeing a trailer for this book gone movie when I saw The Fault in Our Stars in theaters. I did not want any spoilers of what would happen, but I guess that didn't happen...oh well.
There are still several books on my wishlist that I need to pick up once I finish these suckers. Feel free to read along with me or if you read any of the books I mentioned, let me know what you thought. Totally going to start a book club here! Also, if anyone has any good recommendations for books that I should add to my summer reading list or just to read at some point I am open to pretty much anything at the moment. Get me while I still like reading, because this could just be a random kick that I could drop in a heartbeat. Hopefully I won't though, so recommend something worth reading!
The smell of grilling is in the air. You see people walking down the street with their 12-packs ready to go. What day is it? The 4th of July! The day that America got its independence over 200 years ago. To be honest, it's just an excuse to get wasted and blow stuff up. However, there is nothing like the experience of watching fireworks over our nation's capital. Yes everyone has firework displays, but how comparable is it to seeing fireworks burst in the sky above some of the nation's finest monuments and memorials? The Potomac fills up with boats and the bridges going into the city get packed with cars; everyone with the hopes of getting a spot to view the display. I personally view the fireworks from Arlington, across the river, safe from the crowds that might just suck you in. I get the benefit of seeing the D.C. skyline and taking in the beauty of it all. That is, after I have stuffed my face with everything my dad has burnt on the grill.
Too bad no picture can really capture the essence of it all, but I guess I have one here for you anyway.
Then, of course, what would the 4th be without sparklers? Sparklers are actually my favorite part of the 4th of July. Despite the fact that I look like a maniac running up and down the street with a sparkler in each hand, they are so liberating. Just don't light anyone or yourself on fire...no bueno.
The 4th of July is also an excuse to raid your closet for any red, white, and blue you might have. For me, I realized, maybe I should have a variety in my closet instead of being the poster child for America. Finding red, white, and blue was not a problem at all. Thanks Sam, for taking this ridiculous picture of me...I mean what else are sisters good for?
It was also fun getting the little ones dressed up as well. They will look back on this later and wonder why they were tortured as children. But hey, they are cuties so there is nothing wrong with that.
Hopefully everyone had a fun and safe 4th of July, and with that I leave you until tomorrow's post with this...
Well, it's about that time of year again when you realize, "HOLY CRAP! IT'S JULY!" At least that's how I reacted when I actually realized that tomorrow is the 4th of July. It's been six months now since you made that resolution to go get fit, eat healthier, save some money, or even start up a relationship. How are you doing on your resolution? (Um...well, about that...) That's what I thought. Many of you have either forgotten or neglected the idea of your resolutions for the year 2014. Well it is time for many to start reflecting on the lack of progress to their goals. I know that I have recently done so. This is partly why I have started blogging publicly. If I told you how many blogs I have started in the past and never published, you might just think I am crazy. The new year felt like "laying on a bed with freshly washed sheets", or so I wrote in my journal on New Years. It is a time for new beginnings. Of course these things do not change immediately, which is why I am sure many of you gave up on your resolutions or know to not make any in the first place. I mean who really wants to do work? But you really have to think of the other end and the accomplishments that will become of it.
For me, I am on a road to self-discovery as many of you my age are. Where are we going in life? Some may just live in the moment and not have any worries. I commend you for that attitude and continue to be jealous that I cannot live that way. Because I like to write and journal so much, my reflection process has been quite simple. Reading what I have written these past six months, I am realizing I have not really done anything to make progress towards my goals. My main resolution was to take every golden opportunity that comes my way and not have any regrets. With this I was hoping to be happier. Right now, I still live with many regrets. I am grateful for making new friends and rekindling relationships, but did not do so with my resolutions in mind. If I had, maybe I would have thought things through more and had less regrets. I have had great times with those that I love and would not trade those moments for anything else. I have also grown apart from some of those that I love, but that also comes with the fact that I have isolated myself many of times. Maybe I am not on the original path I imagined and planned to take in life, but the bumps and bruises I get along the way can only make my story more interesting to tell.
Here's to new beginnings! Don't let the little moments pass you by, you might just miss the serenity of it all.
See what I mean? Just remember, there are approximately 181 days until 2015, live a little and let's hope to get our crap together by then!
Okay, I have to say first and foremost, I am a Lush junkie. The smell of the products when you walk into the store just sucks me in. For those who do not know what Lush is, I will not hold it against you. In a few words, Lush is a cosmetic store (not only for the ladies) that creates fresh products, 100% vegetarian (not that you would eat the products, although I would not put it past you). They have products ranging from dry shampoo to lip balms to bath bombs and everything in between.
I have tried many of their products and so far the one product I always go to is their fresh face masks. Imagine chocolate frosting or oatmeal on your face. Now imagine that you cannot eat it. That is the real struggle of using these products. I will warn you that these face masks do have to be refrigerated because they are fresh. I don't really want to find out what happens when you don't refrigerate them. The most recent fresh face mask I picked up from Lush and have almost finished up is "BB Seaweed". When I talked to one of the women at Lush, for my skin type (which is combination/oily by the way) this was her second top pick for me. Because her first pick was not available I decided to go with it. And it was free, so why not?
To be honest, I was not a huge fan of this particular face mask. It did not have the best smell (unless you like the smell of seaweed) and the fact that there were huge chunks of seaweed in the mask did not go very well for the actual application of the mask. I do have to say though, I did like the exfoliation factor when going to actually remove the mask. It did feel like a scrub, which I personally like. It does say it is great mask for everyone so I do suggest trying it at some point if you are looking for a perfect mask like me. You never know, it might be YOUR favorite.
Previous picks have been "Catastrophe Cosmetic", "Cupcake", and "Oatifix". I will be the first to admit, that despite the love for these products, you still have to choose the right ones for you. "Catastrophe Cosmetic" and "Cupcake" were awesome, however, they were a bit harsh for my more sensitive skin. I mean with a name like "Cupcake" don't tell me you wouldn't try to eat it as well.
"Oatifix" was amazing! I literally wish I could have licked my face clean. The smell of banana and vanilla definitely lingered for a bit afterwards, but I did not mind at all. It did not dry out my skin, and I even want to say that it calmed any redness I had on my face. So far "Oatifix" has been my personal favorite out of the ones I have tried so far.
I look forward to trying the rest of the fresh face masks that they have to offer and will definitely have to try to refrain from eating any of them no matter how good they look. And don't forget to keep your lush pots! You get a free fresh face mask after returning five used ones! That is how I got "BB Seaweed" for free! Let me know in the comments if you have any favorites, recommendations, or further questions on the products I've tried.
