Over a year!?

It’s been over a year since I’ve utilized this blog…. it’s happening again….. 🙂 COMING BACK SOON.

Dr. Brandt’s Microdermabrasion

I recently got a sample of this exfoliating cream and I was excited to try it mainly because it has such a high rating and I’ve read so many different celebrities use it!

What I love most about this cream is recommended use is every 3 days or once a week, so although the price is high ($75) you don’t use it everyday so it will really last you! .

What is it? 

Pharmaceutical grade crystals that polish away dead skin cells, leaving skin radiant. 

What it is formulated to do:
Diamond shaped crystals exfoliate evenly without scratching or irritating the skin to smooth fine lines and wrinkles and improve the overall texture of the skin.

I personally think this stuff lives up to it’s expectations. My skin feels super smooth and is glowing after just the first use! I still have some left over from my free sample but once it’s gone I will definitely be buying this and adding it to my collection!

The best part:

What it is formulated WITHOUT:
– Sulfates
– Synthetic Fragrances
– Synthetic Dyes
– Petrochemicals
– Phthalates
– GMOs
– Triclosan

TestTube™ by NewBeauty

NewBeauty TestTube™ is a one-of-a-kind sampling program created by NewBeauty magazine that allows you to try a variety of the best beauty products before you invest in them.

Four times a year, you’ll receive a sleek box filled with deluxe and full-size samples of coveted, high-performance luxury products.

Each tube cost $29.95 (comes out to about $120 a year) They charge you / send out the tube every 3 months if you do the math and calculate what you actually get for that price, it’s an amazing deal!

If you choose that this program is not for you, or you simply just can’t afford to do it anymore, you can cancel at any time!

I received my first tube today and I wanted to give you an idea of what one looks like. =]

As you can see theres some full size products they gave me, thats what I love about this program, each tube you’ll actually get FULL sized products too, not just deluxe sized samples!

Here is the website:

http://testtube.newbeauty.com/

Hope this inspires someone to sign up, it really is a great program and who doesn’t love getting stuff in the mail!?

Nail Patch Art

I discovered these at Sephora & I instantly fell in love.

In 10 minutes you can get nails that look like they took an hour at the salon.

They are perfect for a special occasion or just simply for everyday wear. They lasted perfectly on my nails for 3 days ( I decided to take them off on the third day. ) So they could even last longer i’m sure!

They remove easily with nail polish remover, just like regular nail polish!

Sephora’s Nail Patch Art ($12, Sephora)

The directions are so simple!

They come in 18 different sized stickers. You choose which one fits best on each nail, peel off the back and apply.

Next, you fold over the excess sticker over the tip of your nail & your nail actually acts like a knife and cuts off the excess, leaving a smooth perfectly covered nail.

Here is an application I did :

They come in many different patterns, heres just a few below that are available online, if you go in Sephora that have more patterns / colors available, even glitter ones!

These are a must-try!! I highly recommend! 🙂

Product Review: Fresh Sugar Tinted Lip Treatment

For over a year i’ve been contemplating buying this tinted lip balm.

I was hesitant mainly because of the price ($22.50) but since I had a Sephora giftcard I decided that it would be the perfect time to give it a try!

……And now i’m sorry I waited so long!!!

Sugar by Fresh (Sephora, $22.50) comes in 4 shades. (The one I purchased is honey)

It feels like butter on your lips. I can’t stand lip treatments that leave your lips sticky and gross feeling!

I purchased this  balm in Honey (1st color) and it matches pretty well to the color below, so I’d say this Color Chart is pretty accurate!

Remember it’s a tinted lip balm, so it’s not giving you that full color, just a tint & it blends in with your natural lip color! 🙂

The Best Mac & Cheese EVER!

Low Sodium / Low Fat Mac & Cheese with Broccoli !

I am NO chef by all means, but occasionally I do cook (if it’s simple enough.)

This is the first time I’m typing out a food recipe with instructions, so I hope this doesn’t come out confusing for anyone, I will try my best!
The recipe I am sharing with you today is low fat / low sodium Mac & Cheese with Broccoli!

I say low fat & low sodium because I use fat free milk & fat free / low sodium chicken broth. However, you can use regular of both if that is what you prefer.

This recipe is courtesy of Rachael Ray, I just changed a few things.

You Will Need:

1 pound box of Large Pasta Shells
2 1/2 cups of broccoli florets
4 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
2 cups fat free milk
2 1/2 cups extra-sharp yellow cheddar cheese
Ground Pepper

First boil water & cook Large Pasta Shells, Drain & put aside.

Sauce:

First melt butter in sauce pan. Once butter is fully melted, add in the chopped garlic.

Let that cook for about a minute on medium-heat, then add in the flour (pic 1) whisk that for a few seconds then slowly add the broth, (pic 2) whisk, then slowly add milk, whisk. (pic 3)

Let that simmer for about 3-4 minutes on a medium heat, then add your 2 cups of shredded cheddar (save the other 1/2 cup for topping.) (by this time you can throw in the ground pepper as well)

After about 8-10 minutes, your cheese sauce should look like the above picture =) Once it looks like that, pour this over your cooked pasta shells.

Meanwhile! You’re broccoli should be cooking in the microwave!

MMM! Looking good already! Stir the cheese sauce through the pasta shells & then add your cooked broccoli.

Once you stirred in the broccoli you’re ready to bake it! You’re going to want to place the mac & cheese with broccoli in a glass pyrex dish and top with the remaining cheese.

You’ll want to bake this at 400 degrees until the cheese gets melty

You’re done! Now grab a bowl, dive in & enjoy!! 🙂

My Starbucks Favorites!

It is no secret to my friends and family that I am a Starbucks extremist!

I’ve been a gold card member since 2008 & I can honestly say I drink Starbucks every day.

Whenever the topic of Starbucks comes up i’m always asked “what do you get?” or “what do they have? i’ve never been there.”

I thought i’d post my all time favorite Starbucks beverages also give tips on how to enhance them and lower the calories!

Iced Caramel Macchiato

What is it? espresso, vanilla syrup, milk & caramel sauce.

You can get this masterpiece iced or hot (I prefer it iced.) It is my go-to beverage!

How to enhance it? Ask for hazelnut syrup instead of vanilla! Gives it a yummy twist!

How to make it less fattening? When ordering it, throw the word “skinny” in front of it. They’ll use sugar free syrup & fat free milk!

Iced White Mocha

What is it? espresso, milk, white chocolate syrup over ice topped with whipped cream

Another delicious drink you can get hot or iced (I just prefer iced drinks, but this is also equally delicious hot!)

How to enhance it? It’s pure perfection as is, but alot of people enhance this by adding peppermint syrup!

How to make it less fattening? Ask for fat free milk. The white chocolate syrup is not available in sugar free.

Caramel Apple Spice

What is it? Steamed apple juice, cinnamon dolce syrup topped with caramel sauce & whipped cream

This is a fall favorite of mine. A drink I usually get when i’m not in the mood for coffee and just looking for something to drink & enjoy.

How to enhance it? I’ve never added anything to this drink & I don’t think I would change it, it’s perfect.

How to make it less fattening? Ask for sugar-free cinnamon syrup, also ask for no-whip!

Caramel Brulee Latte

What is it? espresso, steamed milk, caramel brulee sauce topped with whipped cream and caramel brulee topping.

This is a seasonal beverage Starbucks releases around the holidays & I get so excited when it comes out! It is very decadent.

How to enhance it? No enhancements nessecary! Another perfect beverage.

How to make it less fattening? Ask for non-fat milk and no whip!

Salted Caramel Mocha

What is it? Espresso, steamed milk, toffee nut syrup, mocha sauce topped with whipped cream & a mixture of sea salt and turbinado sugar.

Another seasonal drink that is perfect in every way. You can also order it as a “Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate” if you don’t want the espresso.

How to enhance it? If your not into toffee nut syrup, substitute for caramel syrup!

How to make it less fattening? Ask for no whip and non fat milk. Also you can ask for sugar free hazelnut syrup or sugar free caramel if you really want to save on the sugar/carbs.

Caramel Frappucino

What is it? coffee blended with caramel sauce and ice topped with whipped cream and caramel sauce.

I can drink iced drinks all year round, but this is a perfect summer beverage. Blended to perfect.

How to enhance it? Add a syrup flavor! Toffee Nut is my favorite addition to this.

How to make it less fattening? Ask for a “Caramel Frappuccino Light” it’s a lighter version!

To include all the drink’s I love, this post would go on forever! But those are just some of my all time favorites!

Some other honorable mentions are the Pumpkin Spice latte (another seasonal favorite) Vanilla Bean Frappuccino (which i love to add caramel sauce too) and the Gingerbread latte!

Enjoy!

Make 2 hours sleep look like 12 hours sleep.

No one likes missing out on beauty sleep. I know I need at least 9 hours to function.

However, sometimes we just aren’t lucky enough to get our full nights rest & it shows all over our faces.

That’s where my next favorite product comes in..

Cover FX Conceal FX (Sephora, $27)

This little tube carries A LOT of coverage. Just dab under your eye and around lid area

I can honestly say out of every beauty product out there, this is my favorite.

Cover FX is a favorite with celebrity makeup artists!

A tiny dab is all you need, a little goes a long way with Cover FX!

Heres 2 pictures taken the same day in the same lighting. These have not been altered, It’s just an honest before & after really showing how amazing this concealer works with giving you tons of coverage without looking like you painted your face with paint.

Cold Weather Essentials for your Skin!

Winter is here and I have the best ways to protect your skin from the damages of the cold weather!

As soon as the cold weather approaches my hands are the first to notice. They get so red and dry, i’m constantly applying lotion to them which brings me to my favorite:

Philosophy’s ‘Handmade’ (Sephora, $10)

this ultra rich hand cream is formulated with multiple butters including shea, mango and cocoa!

It has a delicious lemon scent and leaves your skin feeling super soft and rich without that greasy feeling!

Speaking of “Philosophy” another must have is the Hope Moisture collection for hands, face & lips.

For only $35 at Sephora (a $54 value) it contains everything you need to keep your hands, lips and face from getting dry and cracked.

I know for me, those are the areas I need moisture the most in the winter time.

While these products are wonderful and luxurious, if you’re looking to save your money for holiday shopping, you’ll love this tip!

The good old’ fashioned Vaseline. ($3 or less)

Vaseline isn’t just for keeping a baby’s bottom free from rashes! This jar that can cost as less as $2-$3 depending on your local drugstores and is perfect for your hands, face, lips, knees, elbows & anywhere else the winter weather does it’s damage! Vaseline also has a great lip product which fits better in your purse!

Remember! While lotions and balms do wonders, the most important tip in keeping your skin hydrated is drinking plenty of H20!! =)

have a beautiful day!

The secret to beautiful skin.

Any makeup artist will tell you, the secret to keeping your skin young & beautiful is moisturizing!

If you moisturize every morning & night your skin will thank you! It also is a great base for your makeup & keeps your skin glowing!

There are so many great moisturizers out there, so to pick just one seems unfair, I’ve tried and loved so many..

However, I always seem to come back to this one! Ole Henriksen’s Herbal Day Creme! (Sephora, $35)

Why I love it? The smell. The feel. The protection from harmful U.V rays

AND.. it’s formulated without…..

Parabens
Sulfates
Synthetic Fragrances
Synthetic Dyes
Petro-Chemicals
Phthalates

Yeah, it’s called Herbal *DAY* creme, but I actually also use it at night as well.

speaking of night time, I have to stress how important it is washing your makeup off at night.

Admit it, you’ve let it slip once or twice (I have at least.)

Forgetting to wash off makeup at night can be really harsh on the skin. That brings me to face scrubs!

Face scrubs are WONDERFUL for your skin, number one reason being that is scrapes away all the dead skin cells, leaving your skin fresh and new!

This is not only a GREAT scrub, it’s also a great buy! It’s only $8 (Target)

Burt’s Bees Citrus Facial Scrub

It smells like a citrus pumpkin! And with natural ingredients like oats and crushed nuts, it is SOO great for your skin!

What I love most about this scrub is how soft my skin is after I use it, I actually have to stop myself from touching my face! haha!

Do these steps and you’ll thank yourself when your 50! =)