Sweet Rewards

It's that time of year again.  Summer!  You know what that means; time to break out the cute tops, tanks, shorts, shoes, and swim suits! But you know what my favorite thing about summer is? End of season sales at my favorite stores! 

I'm a bargain shopper, and proud of it.  The last week I could not believe the sales I was seeing!  I walked away with quite a haul at a fraction of what I would have normally spent.  So here's what I have to share with you if you want summer style on a budget, or just want to get more bang for your buck.

1) As some of you may already know, Victorias Secret is having their Semi-Annual clearance sale! Love, love, LOVE me some VS.  So I went twice....that's right TWICE.  Since the sale is coming to a close very soon, all bras on sale are now 15.99, regardless what it says on the tag! To make it better, they are also starting a rewards program! That's right, you won't have to sign up for the Angels card and worry about a credit card anymore! You get points for every dollar spent, and the points can go towards free stuff and other deals that they have to offer! How awesome is that!

2) American Eagle is also having a end of season sale! Right now they are taking a additional 20% off your purchase, and they are also starting their own rewards program! So again you get points for your purchase, and you can get deals and discounts! Plus they're also having a sale next week (I believe July 7) and they have coupons in the store for 10 dollars off a purchase for 40 dollars or more! I went in there yesterday got a slouchy shirt for 14.99, a t-shirt for 6.99, and the tanks were BOGO 1/2 off! The total was close to 45 bucks, I paid 38!!! I saved an additional 7 bucks on top of the sales prices! And we all know how exspensive AE can be.

3) I encourage EVERYONE to do this! My go to spot for cosmetics is Sephora.  I was in there on Sunday (and I'll admit, I did get a tad bit crazy).  Sephora has a rewards program, where once again, you get points on what you spend! The best part, you can save them if you don't want to get the free gift that they have to offer.  Look at it like rollover minutes on your cell phone.  You don't like the free stuff, just wait it out.  You also get access to special deals for reward cardholders.  *NOTE* It's not a credit card, its more like the little rewards cards you get a the grocery store, you just get points and you reap the benefits! You can also use it online! The plus side to Sephora.com is that you get free shipping over 50 bucks, 3 free samples with purchase, and a little more to choose from ^_^  

So remember, best time to go shopping (for yourself or for the kids) is closer to the end of the season.  You get markdowns on cute stuff, and if you have the patience to wait to the last minute, you get bigger discounts! More bang for your buck on a budget! 

On another note, sorry guys for the lack of blogs and posts.  I've been insanely busy lately.  But I'll try to post a bit more when I can.  Hope all of you are having a great summer, and happy shopping!

The Sweetest Thing

Last week I made cupcakes for the two first grade classes at my sons school (as well as chaperon the field trip to the IU Art Museum).  I was clueless as to what to make, so I emailed my friend Ilyn for some ideas.  She suggested Cookie Dough Cupcakes, and let me just say they turned out amazing!  So a big thank you to my friend Ilyn!  You are just as sweet as the goodies that you make, and I wish you the best of luck in all that you do. 

•Cookie Dough Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Vanilla Butter cream•

•sweet little bites of perfection•

For those of you who need that right amount of inspiration when it comes to baking, or even want to try something new, please check out Ilyns blog Sugar & Creme.  You will not be disappointed!
Happy baking!

Spa Treatment On A Budget

As women, we work hard, and play harder.  Sometimes our lives get so chaotic we wish for a nice spa day to just relax.  But with prices for spa services being so high, who wants to pay just to be able to relax?  Well now you can relax and enjoy a little R&R without breaking the bank, and everything you need is available at your local drug store, or grocery store! 

Yoga - There's nothing like a good stretch!  Not only is yoga great for your muscles and body,    but did you know it can also help your internal organs to by pushing out toxins?  It may seem a little complex to some who have never done it before, but it's actually very easy!  Just remember; the more you do it, the better you'll get at it.  Don't want to go to the gym and pay for a over priced class?  Try the yoga videos available through Gaiam.  With yoga levels ranging from beginner to advanced, you'll find the yoga program that's best for you!

Massage Therapy - Want a massage without breaking the bank?  Do what I do.  I got to the local massage therapy school.  Students there have to log in a certain number of hours with clients in order to get licensed.  The perk, I get a 1 hour massage for 30 bucks! That's half the cost of the average massage at the day spa, and it's just as good!

Bath Salts - For those of us who work out quite a bit, or maybe just want a nice relaxing soak, try a salt bath!  I got one that's all natural and scented with lavender of eucalyptus for a little touch of aroma therapy.  Simply fill the tub up with warm water (around 95 degrees), throw in 2 cups of salt, let the tub fill, and give the salt time to fully dissolve.  Then just hop in, inhale that scented steam, and relax.  Ahhhhhh......you won't have a care in the world! I like the AHAVA bath salts.  They're all natural, inexpensive, and available at Target! Did I mention that they smell AMAZING? 

Scrub-a-dub-dub - So after your relaxing salt bath, you always want to rinse of and shower as usual.  So you do you make a shower a spa experience.  Salt scrub!  Wash with soap as usual, then follow with your favorite salt scrub.  It will leave our skin exfoliated, oils in it will help moisturize your skin.  My fave; Giovanni's Cool Mint Lemonade Salt Scrub.  My skin feels smooth, and my shower smells like mint lemonade! Perfect for the current spring season and upcoming summer!

Masks - Want to give your skin care routine a spa twist.  Try a paper mask!  They're all sorts of different ones to choose from.  They come infused with everything from aloe, to Q-10, and yes even pearl.  I like the Red Wine Mask from My Beauty Diary because it helps with free radicals in your skin, and loaded with polyphenols. And guess what? It smells like grape flavored candy!


So you're done pampering your self.  The best way to top it all off?  Get comfortable, curl up with your favorite book, or movie, and a nice hot cup of your favorite tea.  Not sure what kind to choose from?  Go for Tazos Zen Green Tea with Lemon Grass, Yogi's Kombucha, or the classic Chamomile.  Then light some aroma therapy candles, and you're all set.  


Now that you know that you can enjoy a little spa time in the comforts of your own home, without breaking the bank, don't forget to take a little time out for yourself to just relax and enjoy the moment.

What's Lurking In Your Makeup

We all know the importance of keeping our makeup brushes clean.  Keeping our brushes clean between uses prevents everything from nasty skin infections, irritations, and yes, even the dreaded breakouts.  But what about our makeup? Think about it, you dip your brush in your product, then apply it to your face, and then dip it in product again.  When you're done using your product your seal it, and store it.  All that nasty bacteria is cultivating in your favorite makeup products.  So what do you do?

DO NOT clean  your makeup products with water (especially your eyeshadows).  Water will make them totally useless, and the only thing your eyeshadow will be good for at that point is a eyeliner.  What do I do?  Use a isopropyl  alcohol (available at any drug store) in a spray bottle.  Simply give your products (blush, eyeshadow,  lip liner, eye liner, etc.) a few quick spritzes, then set aside for a few seconds to dry (set it on a clean paper towel or clean hand towel to prevent surface contact with bathroom or kitchen counters).  Wa-lah!  Your make up is now clean and sterilized!

Smile And Be Happy

Lets face it, life can be pretty stressful and chaotic at times.  As crazy as things may get, remember to take time out to enjoy the little things, and find that one thing that makes you smile. (In my case that would be a BIG bowl of ramen with all the good stuff!) So take a little time out for yourself and enjoy something that makes you happy, no matter how small it may be  ｡◕ ‿ ◕｡

•mushroom ramen w/ fresh ciliantro, sirachi, and stuffed fishballs•

It's A Plucking Pain!

If men only knew the horrors that we girls go through just to look pretty!  Some of them not so bad, but I'm sure all of us can agree the worst one has be dealing with plucking (or waxing) our eyebrows! Whether it's having warm wax ripped off your face, or the tedious task of plucking each individual hair....well it just hurts! I've had my fair share of cursing infront of the mirror trying to keep them well groomed.  The sharp pain, the occasional little bit of blood from removing the hair root and all, and lets not forget the redness and swelling! Over the years I've found a way to make it a little more tolerable, and not so much a routine that I dread doing  

Step 1:  Always start with a clean eye/brow area.  Make sure all traces of eye make up are removed, and go over the BROW AREA ONLY (where you pluck) with a little bit of toner.  Also make sure that you clean your tweezers with a little rubbing alcohol before and after each use.  This will cut down on irritation, and keep bacteria from causing problems.  (I'm a little crazy with this step because I read a article a few years ago about a lady who went to a place where they groom eyebrows and ended up getting a staph infection! yikes! So with that being said, make sure EVERYTHING is properly cleaned!)

Step 2:  Advil is your friend!  I pop one of these 30 min before plucking and it helps a little with the swelling, and pain. 

Step 3:  Ice, ice baby!  While you're waiting for your Advil to kick in, grab a ice cube and hold on each brow bone for about 10-15 seconds.  Help with the pain issue.

Step 4: Make sure that when plucking (or waxing) that you go in the same direction the hair is growing.  NEVER GO AGAINST THE GRAIN!  Going in the same direction as the hairs natural growth will cut down on pain.

Once your done plucking/waxing, wash your face (I normally do my plucking at night) and follow your usual skin care routine.  Make sure you use a fresh towel when drying your face.  Think about it, you just plucked, you have tiny open holes where hair has been pulled out.  Do you really want to use a dirty towel that's been hanging around your bathroom on your face, and take the chance of causing some kind of funky problem around your eyes?   

So there it is.  My tips and tricks on how I deal with eyebrows.  I am eventually going to be doing a few video tutorials, and yes this will be one of them, so I'll update everyone on that when I get theme done.  Hope this helps.  Happy plucking!

Pucker Up!

Dry Lips? Can't seem to find anything to help prevent the chapping, peeling, and splitting?  Here are my picks for the best lip balms ever!

Burts Bees Lip Balm - This stuff is amazing! There 3 different formulas: The Original Beeswax Lip Balm (leaves a cool minty feeling to your lips and it also comes in a tiny tin), Mango Butter Lip Balm (and yes it does have a hint of mango going on in it), Replenishing Lip Balm (reminds me of original Chap Stick, but works way  better), and Honey Lip Balm.  Want a little color? Try their Tinted Lip Balm! For a rosy natural look, I use their tinted lip balm in Rose.

 eos - I can't get enough of this stuff! Not only does it make your lips incredibly soft and smooth, but it's all natural, as well as petroleum and paraben free! And now, they're even easier to find (i got mine at Walmart in the check out line).  They come in awesome flavors.  My pick is Lemon Drop because it has a SPF 15 in it.  So you get sun protection, and lip conditioning in one nice little pod! 




So there they are.  My picks for the best lip balms ever!  Remember, conditioning your lips is just as important as taking care of your skin.  With these you can do it naturally, without the paraben and petroleum! The biggest perk?  Your lips will be ready for that perfect kiss!  So find the one that's your favorite.  And if you can't find these products at the store, I've provided links below.


http://www.evolutionofsmooth.com
http://www.burtsbees.com

Easy Sugar Scrub

I know I've been talking a lot about sugar scrubs.  But in today's economy who wants to pay the high prices for quality skin care.  With this is in mind, I've provided a link below where you can learn to make your very own homemade sugar scrub, with all natural products you can find in your kitchen (or local grocery store if you have run out and get them)!  I use this scrub twice a week, I love it!  Your skin will feel smooth and soft.  Hope you all like it as much as I do!

Skin Care 101

Your skin.  We think washing it and moisturizing is enough, but is it?  

For me skin care is very important (especially since I just turned 30 last October).  In the past skin care was never on my priority list of things to do in my a.m and p.m. ritual.  I would just wash my face, brush my teeth, and go about my business.  What made me change this routine?  All the reports on skin damage from the sun, seeing girls who were tanorexic and used tanning beds so much their skin looked orange.  But the main thing that really made me change was when I was at the mall one day, and the lady behind me in line started talking to me.  I thought she was at least in in her 40's (and reeked of cigarettes).  I was wrong, she was in her early 30's! It was shocking to think that without proper skin care a person can actually make themselves look significantly older then their actual age!

There are so many things out in the world to day that can damage our skin.  Pollution, free radicals, the sun, and many more.  If you want great looking skin prevention is key.  Look at your skin care routine as a investment.  You are investing in healthier skin, and a more confident you. 

Cleansing - This should be done twice a day every day.  Since everyone's skin type is different, find one that best suits  your needs.  I use Lancome's Gel Radiance Clarifying Cleanser.


Exfoliate - Exfoliating should be done twice a week.  Don't know what to use?  Try a sugar scrub or a exfoliating scrub! 


Tone -  Even with washing and exfoliating, there's still going to be some residue left behind.  Using a good toner after you cleanse your face is a good way to pick up whatever has been missed.  I use Origins Purifying Tonic for a fresh face!


Masks - Use twice a week.  There are so many different masks out there for all sorts of skin types.  I like the paper masks which are not popular.  They're infused with serums. Put them on after cleansing and toning, leave them on for about 20 min, take them off, and then massage the serum that's been left on your face into your skin! 


Serums -  A great pre-mosturizer treatment used every day! My picks are the Lancome Genfique Serum, and Lancome's High Resolution Collaser-5x.  I use both every day.  The difference:  Genefique is a thin water based serum.  I apply 4 drops, warm it up with my hands a bit, and then PAT IT ON.  Collaser-5x is more of a morsturizing serum.  A little bit goes a long way.  Warm it up on on your finger tips and massage into your skin with finger tips!  


Eye Creams - There are so many different eye creams. The key is to find one that best suits your needs.  For instance, I have dark circles and puffiness.  So I use Genefique Eye Concentrate and Roc Multi-Correxion Eye Cream.  When using them a little bit goes a long way.  Dot a few dots around your eyes and then pat it in using your ring finger.  The reason why you use your ring finger is because it uses the least amount of pressure.  Do not pull around the eye area because that will cause premature aging around your eyes.

Moistruizers - It's very important to keep your skin moisturized.  The key thing is the make sure your day cream has a SPF formula in it to protect you from the damaging effects of the sun.  Night creams tend to be a little thicker than a day cream because your skin loses a lot of moisture when you sleep.  Skin a little oily?  Try using a moisturizing day and night lotion instead.


Sunblock - We all know that the sun can reek havoc on our skin.  Prolonged exposure to the sun (over time) without proper protection can lead to premature aging of the skin (fine lines and wrinkles), sun spots, freckles, and even hyper pigmentation.  Even though day creams have a SPF (Sun Protection Factor) already in it, it's important to still apply sun block not only to your face but also to our body.  I apply sunblock 30 min before heading out the door so it has time to sink in.  Make sure to apply every 2 hours.  Wearing makeup?  Try IQUU's Advanced Suncreen! This stuff can actually go over makeup!


Even though this may seem like a long drawn out process just to take care of our skin, it will pay off in the end.  Your skin will be healthy, and you'll be happy.  I've provided links below for those interested in checking out some of the products I've mentioned.  So make it a habit, make time for yourself, and think of this as your at home spa facial treatment.  You'd be suprised at the results that you get! 


www.iqqubeauty.com
www.lancome-usa.com
www.origins.com

Those Darn Spots!

I'll be the first to admit it. I do not have perfect skin. I have suffered from severe acne since I was a teen. My mom took me to a doctor for it when I was a freshman in high school. I've used everything from Clearasil, Oxy Pads, oral antibiotics, topical solutions prescribed by doctors, and yes, even Pro-Active. The funny thing is that not all of these things worked so well for me. Over the years my acne has cleared up quite a bit. I break out more during the winter time due to extremely dry skin. Getting older doesn't help either, but it doesn't bother me.

I used to sit there when I was younger and see pictures in magazines of these girls with flawless skin, and wished that I looked like them. Now that I'm a little older and wiser, I look at these magazines and laugh when I'm at the store. I know the pictures are touched up, and airbrushed because the young girls and women have a image to maintain. I've also found a few things out that work for me as well. So here's to all of us real girls that have the same issue: What is it going take to get rid of this pimple?!

Exfoliate - You many not realize it, but even though we all wash our face in the morning, and before we go to bed, we don't remove the many layers of dead skin on our face. This is on of the many things can clog our pores and create breakouts. Exfoliating after you cleanse your face twice a week can help remove the dead skin. Don't know what to use? My picks are a are basic sugar scrub that you can make at home with extra virgin olive oil, all natural sugar (like Florida Crystals) and honey, L'oreals Microdermabrasion Kit, and Roc Daily Exfoliating Pads (i only use them at night).

Masks - I've never really been big on the whole face mask thing. To me they're just messy, and I admit, I have a little bit of an issue with funny smells and what goes in them. I use the Queen Helene Mint Julep Mask (available at Walmart, Sally's Beauty Supply, and some drug stores). Not only is this stuff fairly priced, but it smells AMAZING! And when you wipe it off, your face feels cool and refreshed. I use it 2-3 times a week.

Tea Tree Oil - Got one of those stubborn, painful, cystic pimples? This stuff has both anti-bacterial AND ant-fungal properties! After cleansing your face, grab a cotton swab and dip it into the bottle. Dab on to the affected area. I found that it helps reduce the size of my pimples (some pretty quickly, some in a few days). Just make sure your not sensitive to this sort of stuff so you don't get an allergic reaction! Everyone's skin is different, I'm just sharing what works for me.

Always Use A Clean Towel - This is just my preference. I always use a clean towel every time I wash my face. Think about it, you dry your face with a clean towel. The towel is damp, it hangs and air dries in your bathroom, and what ever was on your face is now on the towel. YUCK!

Diet - You know the old saying "You are what you eat". I stick with lots of fresh fruits, veggies, and water. Don't get me wrong, I still splurge on the occasional burger and fries, or ice cream and junk food. I just take into consideration that if I want to keep my skin healthy, I should eat healthy to.

Well that's pretty much it. I'm not a doctor, or any kind of professional. Just one of the girls passing on what I do, and have learned in the past, to all of you! Even though this doesn't cure acne, I found that for me, this helps keep it under control. Hope this helps all of you, and please keep in mind that if you're REALLY struggling with acne, and it's not getting any better, PLEASE SEEK a medical opinion. Again, what may have not worked for me, may work for you. Good luck!

It's funny. I've never seen myself as a girlie girl. My attire since I can remember has always been t-shirts and jeans. Me in a dress was close to unheard of, and as far as makeup went it was non-existent.

So a year and a half ago I decided it was time for a little change. I was going to start being a little more feminine, and a little less boyish. No, I did not change who I am by any means. I've never been a big makeup person so I simply decided to start using it as a first step to a new me. When I first started out, it was horrible to say the least. My usual thing to do in the mornings were to wash my face, apply lip balm, and head out the door. Then it dawned on me, makeup is like art. Your face is your canvas, and you can make yourself look however you want and express yourself how you see fit. The next thing I knew I was hooked.

A good friend of mine and I were talking, and we just happened to touch on the subject of diet and makeup. I started rambling on and on with tips and things that I have learned over the last year and a half. She stops me and asks, "Why aren't you doing this for a living? If you put this stuff in a blog I bet people would read it." I stopped and thought about it. I never saw myself as a "guru" of any sort, but I do know that there are some people out there that want tips, tricks, and just some direction when it comes to these things.

So this is it. My blog. My goal is to be able to share what I've learned with all of you, and create a place where your opinion does matter. From beauty tips, to cooking. I believe that expressing your self is what makes you a unique individual. You should always seek inspiration in everything around you, and express yourself in that special way that we all have.