Thursday

ORGANIZING YOUR MAKEUP

"Organization" is going to be the key theme for me in 2012. I realize that being organized can not only make you feel less cluttered but it can also save you a lot of time! Time is precious... especially in the morning when you are rushing out the door to work or after work when you are rushing out to dinner. Life is really busy and as girls we have a lot to deal with already including our hair, our clothes, accessories, shoes, and of course the makeup! So step #1 was for me to clean out my closet and now step #2 is organizing my makeup.

For the longest time I had about 5-6 small to medium sized bags of makeup all over my bathroom drawers and closet. I guess for those of you who have a vanity table, your makeup is already pretty organized. I have a long ways mirror that I like to get ready in front of in our bedroom so the floor can be quite messy if I don't do a good job of putting things away after I do my makeup. Sooo... For Christmas I put this makeup case on my wishlist and my cousin Lana got it for me. (Thank you Lana!)

Now I can finally organize all of my makeup and consolidate all of my tiny makeup bags into one! So excited to start organizing! It's going to take away all of the clutter and make it so much easier for me to find exactly what I need. Organizing things will also help me throw out a lot of old makeup that I don't need or use anymore and sometimes the best thing about cleaning things out is you find things you totally forgot you had.

You can buy this on www.amazon.com
or www.shanycosmetics.com


It's called the Shany Silver Aluminum Makeup Case and it weighs 4lbs. If you aren't a makeup artist, I wouldn't recommend you to take it on travel with you but it's a great thing to keep at home.



I will post a picture when I'm all done organizing mine! I hope it all fits! Let me know if you have any good tips on how you organize your makeup.

BEFORE:


AFTER:


I am finally done emptying out all of my little makeup bags and consolidating them into one big case!

Wednesday

OIL OF OLAY PRO-X ADVANCED CLEANSING SYSTEM!


I got this facial cleansing system from Costco yesterday because I heard such great reviews about this product on Allure magazine and it's like $20 cheaper at Costco because on Amazon the same exact thing is going for $57.95. Mine was only $37.00! The kind you get at CVS or other drugstores are a few bucks cheaper but it doesn't come with the extra brush nor the larger cleanser. So I would definitely recommend buying the one at Costco and pay an extra few dollars.

The one at most drugstores come in a box that looks like this:


And the one I got from Costco looks like this:


I found this review on youtube to help me get started! I don't really have acne prone skin but I do have pores that need some deep cleansing.



I can't wait to use it! I will post my own review on it soon~!

WHAT IS YOUR IDEAL BODY WEIGHT?

Men - Height vs. Weight


Women - Height vs. Weight


Ideal Body Fat Percentage Chart #1: American Council on Exercise

The chart below from the American Council on Exercise (ACE) is one of the most commonly used body fat charts. As you can see, women have a higher body fat percentage relative to men for a given level. Women have more fat because of physiological differences such as hormones, breasts, and sexual organs. In addition, women need a higher amount of body fat for ovulation.

Tuesday

POST HOLIDAY DETOX DIET!

Here are some healthy smoothie recipes I found on www.wholeliving.com to help you detox after the holidays!

"Green Machine Smoothie"


Detox Cred: Starting the day with this nutrient-dense elixir is a delicious way to charge your system with nutrients. Dark leafy greens are extremely alkalizing, meaning they foster a more neutral body environment for better functioning enzymes, compared with acid-forming foods like meats and dairy.

Whole Living, January/February 2012

Serves 2

Ingredients

6 romaine leaves, chopped
4 kale leaves, chopped
1/2 cup fresh parsley sprigs
1/2 cup chopped pineapple
1/2 cup chopped mango
1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and chopped

Directions

Combine romaine, kale, parsley, pineapple, mango, ginger, and 1 1/2 cups water in a blender and blend until smooth.



"Antioxidant Smoothie"


Don't have a juicer? No problem! You can still make these healthy fruit and vegetable smoothies for the Challenge with these simple blender-friendly recipes.

2 cups mixed frozen berries (9 ounces)
1 cup unsweetened pomegranate juice

Combine berries, juice, and 1 cup water in a blender; blend until smooth.

Serves 2. Per serving: 130 calories; 0 g saturated fat; 1 g unsaturated fat; 0 mg cholesterol; 34 g carbs; 19 mg sodium; 1.5 g protein; 4 g fiber.


"Cucumber Honeydew, and Mint Smoothie"


1/2 English cucumber, peeled and chopped
1/2 honeydew melon, peeled and chopped (2 cups)
1 cup pear juice
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves

Combine all ingredients in a blender; blend until smooth.

Serves 2. Per serving: 134 calories; 0 g saturated fat; 0 g unsaturated fat; 0 mg cholesterol; 33 g carbs; 37 mg sodium; 2 g protein; 2 g fiber.


"Carrot, Mango, and Herb Smoothie"


2 cups frozen mango chunks
1 cup fresh carrot juice
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/4 cup fresh herbs, such as mint, tarragon, or basil

Combine all ingredients in a blender; blend until smooth.

Serves 2. Per serving: 225 calories; 0 g saturated fat; 0 g unsaturated fat; 0 mg cholesterol; 56 g carbs; 36 mg sodium; 3 g protein; 5 g fiber.


"Mango Coconut Water Smoothie"



2 cups ripe mango chunks (from 1 to 2 mangoes)
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 cups unsweetened coconut water
Pinch of cayenne powder

Combine all ingredients in a blender; blend until smooth.

Serves 2. Per serving: 159 calories; 1 g saturated fat; 0 g unsaturated fat; 0 mg cholesterol; 39 g carbs; 256 mg sodium; 3 g protein; 6 g fiber.


"Beet and Carrot Smoothie"




1 small red beet (equivalent to 1/2 cup), peeled and coarsely chopped
1 medium-size carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1 sweet apple, such as Honeycrisp or Pink Lady, coarsely chopped
1 ripe pear, such as red Bartlett or red D'Anjou, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger

1. Steam beets and carrots until tender, about 10 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.
2. Combine beets, carrot, apple, pear, juice, ginger, and 2 cups water in a blender; blend until smooth.

Serves 2. Per serving: 134 calories; 0 g saturated fat; 0 g unsaturated fat; 0 mg cholesterol; 35 g carbs; 62 mg sodium; 2 g protein; 7 g fiber.


"Orange-Berry Smoothie"


2 navel oranges, peel and pith removed, cut into chunks
1 cup frozen blueberries
1 cup frozen raspberries

Combine all ingredients in a blender; blend until smooth.

Serves 2. Per serving: 132 calories; 0 g saturated fat; 0 g unsaturated fat; 0 mg cholesterol; 34 g carbs; 2 mg sodium; 2 g protein; 3 g fiber.

Monday

MY FAVORITE LIPSTICK COLOR IS DISCONTINUED!

"FEEL SO FINE" - MAC LIPSTICK (DISCONTINUED)


So I came across this lipstick color a few years ago and I've been using it ever since! It's the one Katy Perry is wearing in her "Fireworks" music video. Unfortunately it's been discontinued for awhile so I am running out of my very last stick! When I first found out they were discontinued, I was so sad because it took me forever to find my perfect shade of pink so I went on a mission to find the last ones left. I checked out several outlet stores and found one cosmetic store that happened to have 3 sticks left. I was so happy I bought them all! I don't know about you, but it's really hard for me to find the perfect lipstick color... I really wish MAC would bring this color back! If anyone happens to come across it, please let me know because I'm running out of my last stick again. :)


The closest matches I found so far were these two colors from Make Up Forever:


Make Up for Ever Rouge Artist Intense 6
A highly pigmented, long-lasting lipstick that delivers rich color in one stroke. Formulated with 50% more pigment than the traditional lipstick, Rouge Artist Intense gives an immediate true-to-color result. A blend of three natural waxes, the creamy texture glides on effortlessly for a long-lasting hold. The extensive color and texture range provides unlimited creativity. Available in 3 finishes-matte, pearly, and satin-for varying effects.


Make Up for Ever Rouge Artist Intense Lipstick - #Mat5 ( Matte Violet Pink )
A rich lipstick saturated with pigments - Gives lips an intense & seductive look - Long lasting throughout the day - Creamy texture & glides on effortlessly - Offers hydrating benefit to keep lips soft & dewy - Available with a wide range of shades & 3 different finishes - Creates natural or sexy effects





Here I'm wearing the #6. It's a little darker than "Feel So Fine" but I guess it'll do for now. It's pretty long lasting but you have to hydrate your lips with something because it's got no luster or shine so you can either dab it on or use chap-stick to make it less chalky looking.

And here's Katy Perry sporting my favorite lipstick! She looks awesome in this video.

BEST SKINCARE PRODUCTS IN 2011 - BY ALLURE MAGAZINE


CLEANSER
NORMAL SKIN
The magic of Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser? The clear gel makes all traces of makeup disappear without leaving skin tight.

Allure: Best of Beauty

WHAT IT IS:
A mild gel cleanser

WHAT IT DOES:
Removes makeup and grime—not skin's natural oils

KEY INGREDIENTS:
Squalane, apricot kernel oil, avocado oil, and sweet almond oil (moisturizers); vitamin E (antioxidant)

HOW IT FEELS/SMELLS/LOOKS:
It's a foaming gel that's fragrance-free.

WHY WE LIKE IT:
Its sugar-derived cleansing agent and plant-based oils keep skin from feeling prickly and pulled-tight after washing.

AWARDS:
Best of Beauty 2011

—Daisy Shaw

"HOLIDAY PARTY EYES" - MAKEUP TUTORIAL BY SEPHORA

"CREATING A DOLL LOOK" - BY SEPHORA MAKEUP



I love the cute doll look!

EYE MAKEUP TUTORIAL - BY SEPHORA

"SMOKEY EYES" - Super sexy!

Tuesday

TOTAL WOMAN Gym & Day Spa

 

About two months ago, I joined Total Woman's Gym & Spa and I think it's probably the best choice I've made for myself in a really long time. Not only is it super convenient because it's literally five minutes away from home, but I really love the fact that it's an all women's gym. They offer so many classes that normal gyms don't offer like barre class, belly dancing, Hatha yoga, Power yoga, cycling, kickboxing, steps, pilates, and best of all their Zumba classes are offered almost everyday. I never run out of choices. If you are a mom, they also offer childcare so it's very convenient to work out without having to find yourself a babysitter.

When you walk in, you will NOT smell sweat like you do at most gyms. It smells more like a spa with scented candles and aromas that will calm your nerves for a rejuvenating experience. The receptionist will greet you with a smile, swipe your card, and sometimes they'll offer you free fitness seminars or samples of their spa treatments. Last week they had a $10 sampling package where you can take a tour of their treatment rooms and get a mini facial or sample their many spa treatments (with bathrobes and slippers included).  

You can either go upstairs for the mind/body studios or downstairs for the larger group classes. They also have a really nice changing room with full showers that offer shampoo/conditioner, fully covered stalls if you want to change out of your sweaty gym clothes, and a sauna/steam room to help you relax your muscles and rid toxins after a full workout. If you had a really long and stressful week you can also buy yourself a facial or spa treatment at a discounted price if you are a member. There are membership packages that come with treatments every month but it tends to get expensive if you do it that way. I happened to join on their anniversary day so my membership was super discounted. If you are looking to join, I would wait for really good offers. Sometimes having to pay a little extra for a nicer gym will force you to work out as much as possible because you don't want to waste money. If you commit to taking at least 3-4 classes a week, you are definitely getting your moneys worth!

In the downstairs area there are also treadmills, elliptical machines, weight machines, and free weights. I have never waited to get on a machine before. The gym tends to get busier around 5-6pm but even when it's busy, most of the machines are open for use since most people are taking classes. There's also a large parking lot in the front and a smaller parking lot in the back. I've never had a problem with parking even during peak hours. During the day, it's pretty empty. Last week I took a belly dancing class and it was just me and the instructor. I felt like I was getting private lessons! It was awesome. Some of the yoga classes get crowded but if you make it on time, you are good to go. The only class that gets really crowded is Monday night Zumba class and Thursday night kickboxing. There's about 40 people in that one but I really don't mind because everyone is there to have a good time and will give you enough space to move around. It's like one massive party!

Once you have a membership, you can take classes at any of the following Total Woman Gyms: