The Liebster Award

"For those new to the blog world, the Liebster award is an honor that gets passed around by new bloggers to other up-and-coming blogs {with about 200 or fewer followers and blogging for 6 months or less}. It’s a great way for us newbies to network and meet other bloggers in the same stage we are"-Meredith at unoriginal mom.

The rules:

*each blogger posts 11 random facts about themselves.

*answer the questions the tagger has set for you.

*choose 11 new bloggers to pass the award/nominate. (I have chosen 2)

*come up with 11 new questions to ask your nominees. (I have come up with 5)

*go to their page and tell them about the award.

(no tag backs)

 

I was given the award by Megan @ lovemeganalexis.blogspot.com

 

Random Facts:

·         I am 23 years old.

·         I wear contacts.

·         My boyfriend and I have a 19 year old cat named Thomas.

·         My favorite TV show is Modern Family.

·         My favorite movie is Blow.

·         I’m 5’ 0”.

·         I am graduating college in exactly 6 weeks.

·         I am not a morning person.

·         I’m optimistic to a fault.

·         I’m a Taurus.

·         I won’t watch scary movies.

 

Here are the questions from Megan:

·         Why did you start blogging? It’s something I’ve wanted to do for several months now, but until recently I just didn’t have the courage to do it. I still get a little self-conscious when I write a post, but I’m learning to have more courage and put myself out there.

·         What is your dream job? I want to be a counselor.  I think it would be so rewarding to go to work every day knowing that you’re there to help someone. It will be a long road to get there, but I know I have what it takes.

·         What confuses you most about health/fitness?  I was always healthy as a kid and maintained a healthy weight throughout high school.  When I was 18, I started gaining weight, much more than the expected “freshman 15”.  When I was 21 I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia and hypothyroid.  It has made it extremely difficult for me to lose weight.  I also developed some bad eating habits in college.  I had some success here and there dropping a few pounds, but I usually get really frustrated with how slowly it’s happening and give up.  This year I have focused more on being healthy than losing weight. I have cut out a lot of processed foods and eat a lot of chicken and veggies. I haven’t weighed myself, but I feel better. What confuses me most about making healthy choices are food labels, and the difference between “all-natural” and “organic,” which is better, and what they are actually allowed to do to food and still maintain these labels?

·         How would you describe your style? Comfortable! I wear hoodies and sweat pants as often as I can get away with it.  Besides that, I tend to stick to neutral colors.  I’m not very adventurous! This is definitely something I could use help with.

·         What makeup item can you not live without?  My foundation.  I use Estee Lauder Double Wear in Pebble.  It’s the only foundation I’ve ever used that covers the way I need it to, and lasts all day! I have an awful complexion and will pat on a little foundation even on the days I don’t do my make-up.  A good mascara is also a must due to my blonde lashes!

 

Blogs I am nominating:

1. Girl of 1000 dreams

2. My Beauty Junction

 

Here are my questions to you lovely ladies:

·         Why did you start blogging?

·         What is the #1 most played song on your iPod (or whatever you use)?

·         What is one of your favorite quotes?

·         If you could meet anyone, who would it be?

·         What is your most used make-up or beauty item?

 

Thanks for reading this long post! And thank you again to Megan from lovemeganalexis.blogspot.com for nominating me!

High Five for Friday

Here are 5 things you will see on my blog in the coming week!

1. It's a 10 Miracle Leave-In Plus Keratin

2. Skinny Margarita Recipe

3. Egg White Face Mask

4. HD Micro perfecting Primer

5. Healthy Crusted Parmesan Chicken Recipe

Cheers!

Photo Contest!!

In less than 8 weeks I will be turning 24 years old.  In honor of my birthday I am creating a photo contest!

Here's how it works:

 •Take a picture of yourself using your favorite beauty product. It can be anything, a mask, a cream, foundation, mascara, blush, eye shadow, etc.

•Write a brief description of your favorite product. Basically why you love it so much!

•Send me your entry! I can be reached through Facebook message or at justice.32@wright.edu

•I will post all entries on my blog as I receive them.  All entries are due by May 11.

•On May 12, I will put names in a bag and randomly draw one to win!

•On May 13 (my birthday!) I will announce the winner

The winner will receive a large size of Origins Clear Improvement Charcoal Mask, which you can read more about here: http://margaritasmascaraandglitter.blogspot.com/2013/03/1.html. And a bonus gift of another product I have reviewed.

Cheers!

Tarte Maracuja Oil

Total Score	A-
Ease of Use	10
Price	7
Health	10
Effectiveness	9
Results	9

I was 22 when I first noticed fine lines developing under my eyes.  Since then, I have tried everything I could think of to make them disappear. I begged. I pleaded.  I slathered lots of moisturizer on them praying they would iron themselves out. They haven’t. Short of plastic surgery, I fear they are here to stay.  It could be genetic.  It could be the 20 minutes a day, every day I spent in a tanning bed my entire senior year of high school.  It could be stress.  But, the fine lines under my eyes are something I will now be battling the rest of my life.

Having heard amazing things about Tarte Maracuja Oil, I decided to give it a try.  It’s definitely strange to get used to putting oil on your face every day.  After all, since battling acne in middle school haven’t we all been taught that oil on our skin was the enemy?  Oil is credited with making our faces shiny and prone to break outs.  Lots of foundations boast being “oil-free.”  But after doing some research it turns out that oil can actually be very good for our skin.  Asian skin contains more oils, and as a result, their skin ages much more slowly. 

Maracuja Oil goes on very smoothly, and my skin soaked it up immediately.  Within 5 minutes, I was left with very soft and smooth skin (and no greasy feeling!)  Each bottle of Maracuja Oil contains 45 Maracuja super fruits, more commonly known as passion fruit.  It is rich in vitamin C, which aids the production on collagen, and can help reverse DNA damage to skin cells-- a huge deal for someone like me who is struggling with wrinkles already!   Maracuja Oil is also high in other amino acids which offer anti-inflammatory benefits.  My only complaint about this product is the smell.  It’s not necessarily an offensive smell, it just doesn’t smell good.  Tarte, as always, is a brand that tries to stay away from artificial ingredients and additives.  And although I don’t love the smell, I appreciate a natural product.

I have been using Maracuja Oil for about 2 days.  I haven’t noticed any improvement in the fine lines under my eyes, yet.  I’m still hopeful!  But even if they don’t disappear I think I will continue to use it.  My skin feels healthier and more balanced.  It doesn’t make any sense to me, but by using oil on my face, my skin actually feels less oily at the end of the day.  It also helps my foundation go on more evenly and smoothly.  This product is definitely a keeper.

At $46, this product is at the top of my blog’s price range (<$50).  However, as far as anti-aging skin products go, it’s a bargain.  Also, it can be found on other websites, like amazon, at a huge discount. 

Cheers!

Chanel Le Volume Mascara

Total Score	C+
Ease of Use	9
Price	4
Health	5
Effectiveness	10
Results	10

 

Being born a blonde has some advantages (I save a lot of money on highlights!) but one of the biggest disadvantages is blonde eye lashes.  I’m always looking for a mascara that will make my almost non-existent lashes look bigger, fuller, and thicker. 

My naked lashes:

So last Black Friday when Chanel came out with Le Volume mascara, I decided to make my first ever Chanel purchase and splurge on it. Overall, I’ve absolutely loved the results. 

My lashes after ONE COAT of Chanel Le Volume mascara:

Pretty impressive right?! That’s why I’m sad about having to give it such a low rating.  Let me explain.  I deducted a point for ease of use because it does clump slightly, and it takes a little extra time to work on separating your lashes.  Le Volume features a snowflake brush, which fully grasps your lashes and applies the mascara evenly, but some clumping can be expected from even the best volumizing mascara.  It is fairly easy to remove while washing your face, but stays looking perfect all day long. At $30 a tube, it is fairly expensive for mascara (of course, it’s Chanel!)  I consider the price to be worth it though, because high quality mascara can be used for up to a year.  I have been using this tube for about 3 months nearly every day and there is still plenty left in the tube and it has shown no sign of clumping.  Chanel has still not removed harmful chemicals from their makeup, which accounts for the deduction of points in health.  So, even though the results are phenomenal and this is the most effective mascara I have ever used, I was forced to give it a low rating.  Regardless of price and harmful chemicals, I just don’t think this is something I’m going to be giving up anytime soon!

Cheers!

Caramel Apple Cocktail

In honor of tomorrow being hump day (and a possible snow day!) I’m letting you in on this killer cocktail recipe which is sure to warm you up.

 

 

You’ll need a shot of caramel vodka (I have Smirnoff shown here, but Van Gogh is my favorite) and a bottle of Woodchuck Hard Cider. Just mix them together in a glass. That’s it! Super easy and super delicious. But be careful girlfriend, that’s a strong drink (and it’s only Tuesday).

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Detox Bath

The past few months I have been making a real effort to take better care of myself.  At a certain point all of those nasty habits I developed in college were really taking a toll on me.  A person can only live on junk food and crazy sleeping habits for so long.  I felt exhausted—physically and emotionally.  Since then I have made a lot of changes, the best of which has been replacing my nightly hour of TV with a detox bath.

Every night I fill up the tub, turn the lights low, and relax.  Sometimes I journal, sometimes I (very carefully) bring my iPhone in with me to get on Pinterest, but mostly, I do nothing.  The benefits have been amazing.  I fall asleep faster and sleep more deeply than I ever did before, my complexion is clearer, I experience less everyday achiness, and emotionally I feel much more grounded. 

I have tried a few different types of detox baths.  Baking soda made me itchy.  Apple cider vinegar didn’t really seem to make a difference and made my towel and my hair stink like vinegar until the next wash.  Oatmeal baths smell lovely and made my skin really soft.  But, my absolute favorite is Epsom salt.  After a bath with Epsom salt I feel extremely tired and relaxed, much more so than with any other bath. 

Here’s how I do it:

Run the bath water as hot as you can possibly stand it.  Add about 2 cups of Epsom salt and let it dissolve.  I also like to add essential oils.  My favorites are lavender (which promotes relaxation and sleep) and eucalyptus (which has an earthy smell and is good for respiratory illnesses like colds).  I also like to turn the lights down low and listen to relaxing music, but that’s optional! Make sure to stay in the tub for at least 20 minutes, longer if you can stand it.  I also like to drink a cup of chamomile tea while I soak (which also promotes relaxation!)

Make sure you don’t have anything left to accomplish in your day, because after soaking you won’t want to do anything but curl up in bed!

Cheers!