Sweat It Out! #1

Recently I've been loving the idea of incorporating fitness and health into beauty blogs. Working out and staying fit has become a major pursuit in my life, so I've decided to share my routines and tips with you in a segment called "Sweat It Out!" If you're interested in learning more about how I stay active, then keep reading. If not then stay tuned for more beauty-related posts, because I plan on having more up soon! Thanks guys!

About to go on a run!

I began my fitness obsession around the end of December of 2012, when I realized that I wasn't satisfied with the way I looked and needed to make a drastic change. I quickly got a gym membership, and started jogging right away. My routines were much more aggressive at first because my goal was to burn calories and drop some pounds. Over the months, I read up on tons of fitness sites. What I realized, was that before I could do extensive, fat-burning workouts, I had to build endurance. My boyfriend set a goal for me about 2 weeks ago, to run 6 miles to his place and 6 miles back to mine by the end of the summer. When he told me this I flipped out!! 12 miles? Are you crazy?? At first this number seemed outrageous to me, but the more I thought about the more confident I became. Setting goals such as this are great ways to motivate yourself! Remember, it's not about burning calories, it's about become a healthier you! I promise, following a steady workout plan and knowing your limits will help you condition your body over time, and the physical results you are looking for will soon come afterwards! I am no where near my weight-loss goal, but I'm taking it one day at a time, and for the past 5 months I have been on a steady and consistent health/workout plan that makes me feel great and pushes my boundaries.


One of the things I love most about working out are the clothes! My gym clothes are the most comfortable clothes in my closet, and I know it's been said that you don't need to spend lots of money to go the gym, but honestly I love feeling confident and curvy in my gym uniform! I try not to wear clothes that are too revealing at school, so working out is my excuse to go crazy with the yoga pants! My essentials are: sports bra, tank top, yoga pants, comfortable nikes and a light wind breaker if I'm running outside.

Today's workout attire

After a morning run I will hit my local smoothie store and grab my favorite drink! Next, it's time for breakfast and finally off to work. It's been such a beautiful day today and my jog was wonderful this morning! Thanks for reading, guys. I'll have more fitness posts coming soon. :)

Unearthing a Beauty Gold Mine

I am addicted to makeup. There you go. It's out in the open, armor off, defenses down. The words make me shiver when I say them; it's the striking truth that I've tried so desperately to hide. I've put all effort into suppressing my materialistic, beauty-craving alter ego. But here she comes, digging her way up to the surface to claw my face and drag me down to the condemned yet equally captivating territory that is Sephora.

I'm kidding of course.

No but really, this is what it feels like sometimes.

I've come to realize, though, that I gotta embrace this side of me. I mean, I'm a girl for God's sake! I should be into makeup. What makes it so hard to accept is not the makeup itself. In fact, I always enjoyed the vibrant eye colors, the smoothness of a new mascara or the personality I inherited when wearing the right lipstick. These aspects never bothered me, but what really held me back was the idea behind makeup. "It's like she's wearing a mask." "What is she trying to hide?" "Why isn't she happy with the way she looks?" You have no idea how many times I have heard these words, one way or another. It's infuriating how absolutely rubbish these statements are! Makeup isn't about hiding your natural features, it's about expressing yourself in an artistic way. I actually enjoy applying makeup in the morning. It's become a ritual to me, kind of like taking a bath at night or drinking smoothies in the morning. We are creatures of habit and "getting ready" when we wake up is just as routine as anything else. I find it quite nice, in fact. It's sort of like meditation, worries and tension fall right off your shoulders as you focus on each unique aspect of your face. I will never get tired of finding the perfect color combination of eye shadow, or discovering new techniques to apply foundation. It's like unearthing a beauty gold mine. (:

What I'd like to share with you guys now, are the specific products that I am sure I'll never be able to pull away from. I mean, this is a beauty blog of course! Here are some of my all-time favorite products that I plan on repurchasing time and time again. Hopefully this will help you learn a little bit about me in a unique way. Enjoy!

Skin

Estee Lauder DayWear Creme

This moisturizer is so fucking good. I mean... soooo good. It feels like you're rubbing a cloud on your face, it's that soft. This bottle of mine is empty, but I'm planning on purchasing a new one soon. It's totally worth the price, and smells amazing!

Mary Kay Acne Treatment Gel

I already have very little acne, but this stuff is zit-zapper in a tube. The few pimples that I do get last up to one, maybe two days, all thanks to this little gem. My mom actually gave me this bottle centuries ago but I didn't realize its incredible potential until I slapped it on a pimple one night and woke up with clear skin. I'm pretty sure it's expired, and I'm not even positive if they make it anymore but goddamn, it's incredible.

Face

Tarte Smooth Operator Tinted Moisturizer

Recently I've been loving tinted moisturizers, especially this one by Tarte. It almost feels like a mousse, but it's weightless, has great coverage and runs across my skin quite well considering the texture. I highly recommend it for the summer months.

Revlon PhotoReady Concealer

This concealer was one of the first one's I purchased when I first starting experimenting with makeup, and I've been repurchasing it ever since. I think that what I find appealing about it is the size and shape. I'm lazy as it is, and so it's quite convenient to just toss this little guy in my purse when I'm on the go.

Eyes

Smashbox Cream Shadow in Topaz

I will admit, I am extremely boring when it comes to eye-shadow. I love me some neutrals! This Smashbox creme shadow is gorgeous, shimmering and super easy if you're in a hurry.

L'Oreal Lacquer Liner in Espresso

Since my eyes are very hooded, I find it difficult to wear eyeliner. Pencil smudges if I blink, and liquid has a tendency to flake throughout the day. I sort of gave up on eyeliner, until I discovered gel. This lacquer liner from L'Oreal lasts all day, I guarantee. Also, for anybody like me who has hooded eyes, it is so nice to finally not have to check myself in the mirror every 10 min to see if my eyeliner smudged. Such a relief! :D

Lips

 Burt's Bees Refreshing Lip Balm

It smells like grapefruit. Enough said. 

Thanks guys! Hope you enjoyed my favorites :) I'll be posting again soon!

Breakfast Routine for a School Day

Yum!

I once heard that it's important to eat breakfast like a king, and dinner like a pauper. Now, I'm not sure how accurate that saying is, but I've definitely taken it to heart.

Organic Eggs

Breakfast is the most important meal of all. Depending on what you eat, you can have a good day, or an awful one. Trust me, I know. The way to avoid this is to ditch the sugary cereals and McDonalds breakfast burrito for whole-wheat bread, natural ingredients (such as fruits and vegetables) and a nice portion of protein. Most women have a major lack of protein in their diet, and my favorite way to conquer this insufficiency is a hearty serving of almonds and eggs every morning. The eggs provide great taste, and tend to fill me up fast. While the almonds provide crucial ingredients such as potassium, fiber and healthy carbs. I've noticed that the more consistently I eat healthy, the easier it is for me to turn down the fast food. In fact, the thought of fast food makes me sick! I'd much rather grab a banana now, which is something I never would have done in the past.

Fresh Grapes

Fruit has recently become a major part of my diet. I can't live without a few grapes, a banana or a fresh watermelon in the morning to start my day. At first, it may seem very difficult to switch to healthy foods but I promise you, the natural sugars included in fruits will always be more satisfying than artificial ingredients. You will feel more awake and lively, and it definitely beats the sugar crash you get after a few hours. So to sum it all up, my school day breakfast recipe consists of:

Whole-Wheat Bagel with Cream Cheese

Fresh Fruit

Eggs

Almonds or Other Unsalted Nuts

Tall Glass of Orange Juice

And the occasional Fruit Smoothie if I worked out that morning, 

but I'll save that for another blog post ;)

I hope you guys were able to take something out of my breakfast routine! Please comment any questions you may have on alternating foods, or difficulties you may have from making the switch from sugary to healthy. I definitely enjoyed today's post, and I'll hope to write again soon! Thanks! (:

Get To Know Me!

1. Is there anything in life you would like to accomplish that you haven't yet?

Graduating high school is my goal at the moment.

2. One secret you don't mind sharing with us?

My hair is dyed red! Sorry guys. My natural color is brown.

3. How do you like to relax?

Settling down with a cup of tea, candles and a cozy blanket. Oh, and my boyfriend of course!

4. What was your last major purchase?

My prom dress (:

5. What can you cook very well?

Grilled cheese. I am definitely the cheese-master.

6. What is your favorite holiday and why?

I’ve always loved Halloween. Although haunted houses scare the bejeebers out of me!

7. What is one TV show that you really don't like?

Futurama. My sister watches it all the time, but it drives me crazy.

8. If given a million dollars, what is the first thing you would do with it?

Buy a bigger house, definitely.

9. What kind of people do you like being around?

I love spending time with the kids in drama class at school. They’re always energetic, and make me crack up!

10. What is your one most embarrassing moment?

In elementary school, I accidentally called my teacher mom on multiple occasions. The worst part is, my teacher was a man!

11. What is one makeup mistake that you used to make?

I used to slap globs of eyeliner under my eye and skip doing it on the top. It certainly wasn’t my most flattering look.

12. If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would you pick?

Almonds. They are absolutely addicting.

13. Have you got any tattoos? If not, would you like one?

Nope! Definitely looking forward to getting some though.

14. What is your one staple clothing item?

I don’t have a staple clothing item; would my hair count?

15. Do you have any bad habits?

Picking at my cuticles. It’s so bad for my nails.

16. If you were to be reincarnated into an animal, what would you be and why?

Most likely a wild cat; lions are just so elegant.

17. Do you think money is happiness?

Absolutely not! A good friend is much more valuable (:

18. Are you OCD about anything?

More like EVERYTHING! I can’t go to bed at night unless my room is at least somewhat tidy.

19. Do you speak any foreign languages?

In high school I took 3 years of French, but I’ve definitely forgotten it all by now.

20. What is your favourite colour of nail polish?

Can’t go wrong with red! I would say Chick Flick Cherry by O.P.I. is my favorite shade.

21. If you could be anyone for a day who would you be and why?

Penelope Cruz! She is flawless.

Haha. Hope you enjoyed this little intro, thanks!