Winterize Your Beauty Routine

I for one am impatiently awaiting the first annual snowfall and by that I don’t mean that I want it to happen, but I know that its coming soon so I want to hurry up and get it over with. As the weather gets colder I want to stay in bed longer, my skin is getting dry and itchy, and I can’t go out with half dry hair expecting a frizz free unfrozen style anymore. So, I wanted to share my tips & tricks to winterize your beauty routine!

1.If your blow dryer isn’t almost blowing your head off your shoulders it’s not doing the job. Having a high powered blow dryer will significantly reduce your getting ready time, improve your hair health by not heat drying for long periods, and it doesn’t have to cost a lot! TIP: Make sure to blast your hair on the cold setting after blow drying. If your hair is still hot from the inside of the strands and you go outside in the cold it will be prone to get frizzy! Here are my favorite hair dryer picks that all include:

High performance motor and fan

3 heat settings / 2 speed settings

Ions

1875 watt power* (*this is the min. watt voltage to look for when picking a good dryer!)

Warrantees ranging from 2-4 years 

 

 

 

 

Remington Compact Chrome Dryer: 15.00

 

 

Infiniti Pro by Conair: $49.00

Nume Signature - Ionic Hair Dryer: $220.00

 

2. BB/CC Cream!! These creams pack a lot of power in one little tube. Take a look at the new BB by Revlon which combines moisturizer, primer, foundation, concealer, and sunscreen in one little tube. Of course you're still going to apply some touch ups with foundation/concealer but this little beauty balm will give your skin that extra moisturizing benefits and provide coverage all in one easy step!

Revlon Photo Ready BB Cream

 

 

3. New foundation. My advice? Take a trip into Sephora and get them to match you up. You don't want to be rocking your ultra tan summer shade of make up all winter long. Plus, some brands make kick ass moisturizing foundations to aid in keeping your skin healthy all winter long. Two great picks are Laura Mercier Moisture Supreme or Make Up For Ever HD.

 

 

Laura Mercier Moisture Supreme Foundation

 

MAKE UP FOR EVER HD Invisible Cover Foundation

 



Save vs Splurge

There are some make up items that are worth the splurge and other's there's just really no need to fork over extra cash for high end products, so today I wanted to share some little tips and a few of my favorite  products for Fall!

Save: Lipgloss. Lipgloss, no matter what brand or how gooey, lip gloss is one item that just won't last too much further past morning coffees and afternoon drinks  so why bother forking out twice the cash on an item that you can get awesome colors for every look and season at the drugstore! My new favorites for Fall are NYX Mega Shine Lip gloss in Sugar Pie & Rimmel Show Off Lip Lacquer in any shade you choose!

Splurge: MAC Prep + Prime BB beauty Balm Compact SPF 30, 30$; Most BB creams aren't cheap to begin with & neither are primers, so why not double up and save on both! Plus, in compact form this is great product to touch up on the go to perfect, protect, even out and illuminate!  The downfall is that compacts do offer less product than the tube, so if you're not needing it for on the go opt for the tube version to save pennies! Available here

Save: On anything that requires sharpening. I hate the feeling of sharpening away products and money on anything in pencil form. I love the quality of Quo Black waterproof eyeliner and Too Faced eyebrow pencil, but I felt like I was going through them way too fast & the money was adding up. If you're still using eyeliner pencils everyday I suggest trying the pot of gel liner with a brush. Its really easy once you get the hang of it and the Sephora kind I use for only 20$ is water proof and lasts forever you can read more about that here. Same goes for lip liners & brows. The one eyeliner I will still get is L'Oreal Smoldering eyeliner because the thick pencil allows for more applications before needing to sharpen and sells for only 12$! I usually wear black eyeliner, but I use this pencil in brown to line my bottom waterline and create definition above the top lash line. If you're not skilled at the cat eye, you will love this pencil its easy to tip to its side to create the perfect line. 

Splurge: Le Blush creme de Chanel. If you haven't tried a cream blush, or tried one and didn't love it this is worthy of trying. Creme blushes tend to be longer wearing, easier to blend, and Chanel's new line of cream blushes has amazing color choices that look so natural.

For more of my favorite products check out what I keep in my make up bag for daily use here

New Favorite Mascara!!

L'Oreal Power 24H Voluminous Mascara

The Claim:  15X more impact & 24 hours of volume, fuller looking, pumped up lashes, No flakes, smudges, or clumps, collagen spheres + mega brush


After years of trying to find a favorite mascara I became an avid user of L'Oreal Extra Volume Collagen in Black and loved love it, but this trip to the store to get a newbie I found a new little gem on sale called L'Oreal Power 24H Voluminous mascara. Nervous to stray from my favorite trusted mascara, I hmm'd and ha'd until I finally went for it and am so glad I did! In the last couple years I've become allergic to almost every kind of mascara except for L'Oreal, so I get so nervous to try different kinds. BUT I have tried many over the years and even without the allergy L'Oreal has remained a constant favorite. For anyone that's tried  L'Oreal Extra Volume Collagen, it has minor issues of clumping & some flaking, but the volume/lengths effects are were worth it until I discovered L'Oreal Power 24H Voluminous mascara which has all the great volume & lengthening benefits and MORE. You get the volume, length, no flaking, and better separation. My Take? Same formula, better brush. I opted for color 681 Blackest Black and thought it went on smooth, stayed on all night (during my 8hr shift at work) with no flaking and made a dramatic difference in the length and volume of my lashes. What do you think of this mascara??

Before & After

The Hangover Detox Plan

Most of us at one time or another have a few too many drinks then we should and if you're anything like me, if you treat yourself or go out planning to have one cocktail or glass of wine it can quickly turn into a few sugary drinks & a bottle of Merlot. So, while I am in no means telling you to go out and booze these are some tips for those times you need to let loose:

Before you go out:

• Drink Water: Getting your 8 glasses leading up to a night out on the town hydrates your body & flushes toxins
• Eat: Because Alcohol is acidic it is important to eat before you start drinking to line your stomach preventing illness
• Nourish: My friends & I discovered this in collage, before bed take a B + vit C complex vitamin which your body uses up when you drink alcohol. I always get Redoxon tablets from Walmart and add one to a glass of water before bed, so that I'm getting water & replenishing my vitamins all at once!

Out on the Town:

• Water: Alternating an alcoholic drink with a glass of water really helps. If you find that to be too much just make sure to keep a glass of water full and handy and at least sip throughout the night, or drink a bottle of water in between drinks when out dancing!
• Avoid Bubbles: Avoiding bubbly drinks will keep you in better shape longer, as carbonated drinks absorb quicker
• Age & Sex Please: Remember who you are! Women are less able to break down alcohol than men, so don't go to beer to beer with your beaux and avoid shots, or you'll be a hot puking mess. We've all been there and its so not fun.

Now… if this all fails you here are some great tips to cure the dreaded next day Hang Over

• Re hydrate: For the 3rd time, DRINK WATER! Fresh fruit and veggie juices high in antioxidants with also help eliminate toxins & fizzy mineral water will re-oxygenate your blood. 
• Re Nourish: Re-fuel your body with more Vitamin B complex & C. Make sure you've eaten first, vitamin overload on an empty stomach can make you even more nauseous. I also don't like the fizzy tablets the next day, so I opt for pill form on the day after. 
• Be Healthy: The grease myth will come back to bite you. You don't want to add to toxins, you want to get rid of them, so have a healthy breakfast, get some light exercise (walk to the store & back), and avoid caffeine which is diuretic will cause you to lose water you need back & its acidity will irritate your stomach. 
• Rest: Have a nice warm relaxing bath & go to bed early! 

Morning After Breakfast Smoothie

1 Banana

1/2 C yogurt (Plain Greek is best) 

1 TSP honey

1 TSP sunflower seeds

1 TBSP Rolled oats or flax seed

Blend and enjoy!  This smoothie will balance your blood sugars, maintaining fluid levels, provide the correct balance of acid to alkaline, and provide you will a gradual release of energy. Feel free to modify a bit, but remember to add the banana, as it will replenish your potassium. Feel Better!!

DIY Beach Wave Curl Recipe

 

Recipe:

1 Cup warm water (wamer water helps dissolve the sugar)
1 Tablespoon Salt
2 Tablespoons Sugar

Directions:
Wisk mixture in bottle and find a squirt bottle that sprays in a good mist rather than a pressured line and fill. Pour mixture into squirt bottle and SHAKE SHAKE SHAKE! (also, shake before each use)

When hair is almost dry divide into two layers and starting with the top layer, spray in two inch sections while scrunching hair with hand about 3 or 4 times before moving on to next section. Allow to dry and using a beach wave curling iron found here, or wrap hair around the barrel of a 1 inch curling iron alternating towards and away from the face & fix sections that look frizzy, or need extra curl! Set with hair spray, scrunch, & shake and you’re G to G, GOOD TO GO!

DIY Eye Shadow Primer

First of all, let's talk about primer. Primer's act like a cushion between your make up & your skin allowing for smoother application and increasing wear time. The key ingredient is silicone which allows the make up to glide over your skin instead of absorbing directly into your fine lines or pores making them look enlarged. I’m not going to lie to you, some brands do work better than this DIY recipe, but the difference isn’t that big & its super easy and inexpensive unlike many brands, so let’s get down to business…

You will need:

1: 1 Teaspoon Cornstarch

2:  ½ teaspoon of Chapstick, or body butter (I went to Dollarama & grabbed a scentless Chapstick for mine)

3: 1 1/2  Teaspoon  Foundation or BB/CC cream (a silicone, or non-oil based liquid kind works best)

4: A small container to mix it up & store

      Put all the ingredients in container and mix it up really well!

Product Review & What To Do: Maybelline Highlighting Concealer

I usually by-pass concealers in drug stores because I’ve been such an avid user of the Lise Watier Portfolio conceal wheel  (that I talked about here) that I don’t tend to look at other products, but I couldn't help but notice that Maybelline has this little gem of concealer & highlighter in one! I haven’t used it too many times, so I’m not sure how long it will last and I don’t generally like twist up products for that reason, but otherwise I’m a little in love with this product. HAC-ing (highlighting & contouring) is the foundation for every make up routine and this concealer blends perfectly, gives the right amount of highlight) and provides good coverage for under eyes as well. I'm a fan! 

After contouring with a darker shade of concealer & applying foundation I apply the highlighting concealer in all the areas I drew with blue (under eyes in a pie shape, nose/forehead in a tree shape, chin, and above the tail of the brow: 

Product Review: Thermafuse Heatsmart Serum

Product Review: Thermafuse Heatsmart Dry Oil Treatment

I recently purchased Thermafuse Heatsmart Dry Oil Serum & am so in love. With three essential oils in it, this stuff really is happy hour for your hair. If you are travelling this little bottle, a brush, and dryer is really all you need. First off, it smells like cotton candy and although the scent doesn’t last the benefits of it do. Unlike Moroccan oils, which are great for thick hair, this oil isn’t overkill for my fine hair. I love the bottle because most oils give me too much product and I have to wipe it off my hands and waste so much of it, but with this bottle one pump gives me the perfect amount!  Also, it tames fly-aways and frizz without weighing my hair down or making it look too sleek or greasy. Another great benefit is that it doubles as a heat protector as well as a eliminating frizz, so even though it’s costly (a small bottle cost me 22.50 CAD), it really is two products in one! It’s the first oil I’ve ever really loved, so I think it will be a keeper in my go-to beauty routine. To Use: Apply to damp or dry hair. Use directly as a treatment or finisher.

Read more: http://www.thermafuse.com/heatsmart/dry-oil-treatment/

Saucy Slow Cooker Ribs

4 lbs of pork baby back ribs
Salt & Pepper to taste
2 Cups Ketchup
1 Cup Chili Sauce (I use Heinz)
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
4 TBSP white vinegar
2 TSP dried oregano
2 TSP Worcestershire Sauce
1 dash hot sauce

1. Preheat oven to 400 F
2. Season ribs with salt and pepper & place in a shallow baking pan. Brown for about 10-15 minutes per side, drain any fat.
3. In a medium bowl, mix together all ingredients. Place ribs in slow cooker and pour sauce over ribs turning to coat.
4. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours, or until ribs are tender! YUM!

Day 5: One Week No Meat Challenge: Spaghetti Squash

Day 5: Spaghetti Squash

Adapted from allrecipes & steamy kitchen

Original recipe serves 6

You will need:

1 spaghetti squash, halved lengthwise and seeded

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes

3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

3 tablespoons sliced black olives

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Directions

1.      Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking sheet.

Place spaghetti squash with cut sides down on the prepared baking sheet, and bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a sharp knife can be inserted with only a little resistance. Remove squash from oven and set aside to cool enough to be easily handled

OR

Preheat oven to 375F. Pierce squash a few times with sharp paring knife (to let steam escape). Bake spaghetti squash for 60 minutes, or until a paring knife pierces easily through skin with little resistance. Let squash cool for 10 minutes.

2.     Meanwhile, heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir onion in oil until tender. Add garlic; cook and stir until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and cook until tomatoes are warmed through.

3.     Use a large spoon to scoop the stringy pulp from the squash and place in a medium bowl. Toss with the vegetables, feta cheese, olives, and basil. Serve warm. If you choose to cook it whole for an hour, cut the squash in half, lengthwise. Use a fork to remove and discard the seeds. Continue using fork to scrape the squash to get long, lovely strands. If the squash seem difficult to scrape, return the squash to bake for an additional 10 minutes.

Suggestions:  Too improve the spaghetti squash's tenderness, you can put it in a baking dish close to its size and add 1-1 1/2 cups of water for the same baking time to make it soft and delicious! You can also put all the stringy goodness into a frying pan before tossing with veggies with olive oil, garlic, basil, parsley, and parm cheese and then transfer it to a bowl with whatever your heart desires for toppings!

Read more: http://www.steamykitchen.com/11285-baked-spaghetti-squash-with-garlic-and-butter.html

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/spaghetti-squash-i/