Victoria Secret Bralettes.

Now for a limited time Victoria Secret Pink is have a sale on these special little sports bras called Bralettes. I have to say these are the most comfortable sports bra I have EVER worn. They are amazingly soft and they aren't so tight they cut off our circulation. I absolutely love to just lounge around the house in them, sleep in them, and do yoga in them. In fact, when I do yoga all I wear is a VS Bralette and VS Yoga Pants. These babies are so comfy that I forget I'm even wearing a bra! They are $16.50 a piece and as of right now they are 2 for $24. There are many ways to wear them. One way is to even layer the under a cute tank top to allow a little bit of the patter on the bra to peak out (This may sound trashy but its absolutely adorable). Another awesome thing is, the back part of the straps unhook so you can criss-cross them for when you wear razor back tanks. Its another reason to fall in love with them! There are nine different colors and patterns: plain black, grey leopard, white, purple, blue leopard, green, yellow, pink, and pink leopard print. I own the yellow, purple, blue leopard, and pink leopard ones. If there was one item that you could buy from Victoria Secret I would say to go for these bralettes, they are HOT right now and flying off the shelves! I believe the sizes either go up to Large or Extra Large. So hurry and buy yours now! Check em' out here!

Gorgeous Post-Workout Hair

I can't go one day without going to the gym. Some days, even when I'm extremely busy, I'll still go and have a sweat session at the gym. I have some awesome tips for ways to get fresh without having to redo your hair. When I'm really tight on time I like to put my hair in a shower cap or tie it back and just wash my body. The reason is, I have pretty long hair and it takes quite some time to blow dry it. I have a few awesome products and tips that I like to use after I workout to tidy my appearance. At the beginning of your workout, put your hair in a bun that you wrap around itself (like a ballerina bun) instead of a pony tail. This will help prevent those nasty hair tie bumps. If your hair won't stay in this style the whole time your at the gym try using a fabric scrunchy rather than a regular hair tie. Once your finished with your workout head into the gym bathrooms. If there is a blow dryer available (or even a hand dryer), flip your head upside down so that way your roots of your hair are exposed, then blast it with the cold setting on the blow dryer until your hair is dry. Once you flip your hair over it should have a bit more life than before. Now, use a dry shampoo, a few good brands are Pssssst, Fredric Fekkai, or Ojon. You can find these at either Target or Sephora. Lift your hair at the roots and spray where it greasy or dull looking, then allow it to dry for a few seconds. After it dries, finger fluff your hair to give it a bit more volume. Lastly, set your hair with hairspray to get the finishing look. Hair spray will make it look glossy and fresh.

Cupids Bow

If you have naturally thin lips it can be really frustrating trying to make them appear fuller. The best way to make them look plumper is after applying lipstick you dab a bit of lip gloss on your cupids bow (this is the top of the lip area right beneath the nose). This lures the eyes to look at the top of the lips which is the fullest, sexiest part. Now you don't have spend money on expensive lip plumping treatments! If you want your lips to get that tingling sensation that lip plumpers give try to find a lip product that has cinnamon in it. It will give your lips a natural plump.

Happy Earth Day Everyone!

Today is the 40th Anniversary that were are celebrating Earth Day! For those of you that don't know, Earth Day is a day where people from all over the world try to conserve the Earth as much as they can. People who are really environmentally aware like to keep going all throughout the year! I'm one of those people, I love our Earth and I want to keep it going as long as we can! I even devoted a blog to it! (Check that out here (:). For today on my Beauty Blog I wanted to make an updated list of all the great brands that are either Vegan or Eco-Friendly! Hope you all have an amazing Earth Day! Remember, use candles tonight instead of electricity! It'll make Earth Day even more fun than it already is! 

Eco-Friendly Brands:

Urban Decay

Cargo PlantLove

Tarte

Eco-Tools

Physicians Formula

Burt's Bees

Alba Botanica

Origins

Aveda 

The Body Shop

Lush 

EOS

Yes To Carrots

Garnier Fructis (New Bamboo Line)

Tresemme (Naturals Shampoo)

How To Get Fabulous Flat Abs!

This has been a very popular question that people all around the world want the answer to. Its pretty simple, and I'm not just saying that. Its a few simple lifestyle changes. Such as working out more often, limiting sugar, and eating flat belly friendly foods! I will try to make this into a series so that I focus on one part of the body each post (i.e. legs, arms, etc). Now first, onto the exercise!

Exercising;

Tons of people have made the mistake of assuming that the only way to get a flat tummy its to do hundreds and hundreds of crunches. Well, that is part of it but not all of it. You actually have to do Cardio along with all the crunches! Yeah, you heard me! The reason why is when you get your heart rate up that speeds up the fat burning process, which leads to burning belly fat and fat other places! Have a sweat session also will slightly increase your metabolism leading you to burn fat all throughout the day more than you usually would. See how Cardio is an important factor? So, try to keep a steady Cardio plan to do along with the exercises I'm about to explain. Cardio includes anything that gets your heart pumping! It could be dancing (Zumba!), swimming, running, cycling, power walking, or hiking! (Of course there's always more than those options too!) Now FINALLY, on to my ab workouts! The only equipment you need is a Yoga Mat which is optional and 3-8 pound dumbbells! P.S "A" is the beginning pose and "B" is the ending pose.

 A)                                                                          

 

B)

3 Count Leg Lowers 10 Repetitions- Place your hands lightly behind your head and raise your head only off of the pat. Lower legs down in three counts then in one count pull them back to the beginning pose without using momentum.

3 Count Leg Lifts 10 Repetitions- This is the same as the exercise above accept reversed. So starting down ("B" would be the beginning pose now) and raise your legs in three counts then in one count lower them back into the beginning pose.

Bicycle 30 Seconds (Fast or Slow)- Place your hands gently behind your head. Then pull one knee into your chest while extending the other leg. Twist toward the knee that's into your chest. Its as if you were trying to touch your shoulder to your knee while keeping your arms extended, so you can't see them when you look straight forward. Then switch and pull the other leg in and twist the other way.

A)                                                                        

B)

 

Dead Bug 12 Repetitions- Start with arms crossed over your chest and your knees lifted at a 90 degree angle (Picture "A"). Then extend your legs out as if you were trying to touch something far away with your feet. (Picture "B")

Crunches With Knees Down 20 Repetitions- This is just your basic crunch. Place your hands lightly behind your head without interlacing the fingers. Then try to lift your shoulders off of your mat. When doing this exercise try not to have your chin to your chest or you chin to the ceiling. Also, avoid pulling on the neck.

Crunches With Knees Up 20 Repetitions- Same crunch as the exercise above but while holding your knees at a 90 degree angle.

Crunches With Legs Up 20 Repetitions- Once again, same exercise as the "Crunch with Knees Down" but you have your legs extended in the air. 

Ankle Touchers 20 Repetitions- Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet out far enough that you can't touch your ankles just lying there. Lift your shoulders off of the mat. Then extend and lift your arms along side of you. Try to lean to one side and touch your ankle. (When you do it right, you should feel a very tight feeling in your side, this is working your Obliques which are your side abs.) Once you lean to once side, reach toward the other side and touch the other ankle. Once on each side is considered once. So you would reach right then left and that'd be considered one.

Ankle Reaches With Weights 20 Repetition- This is similar to the "Ankle Touches" but your standing. It targets the same area of the abs. First, stand up straight with your legs at hip distance. With your arms down at your sides holding 3-8 pound dumbbells. Reach down once side of your body and then come back to center. Then reach to the opposite side. Once again, doing one on each side is considered one. 

Oblique Crunches 20 Repetitions Each Side- Lie flat on your back and extend one arm to the side and place the other behind your head. The side that the arm is extended on that leg will cross over your other legs knee. So if you have your left arm extended you will cross your left leg over your right knee. Raise up like you are trying to touch your shoulder to your knee but keeping your arms the way they arm. Then switch and do the opposite side. 

Eating Right:

Another huge role in the process to getting flat abs is eating healthy. If you try to cut out at least one bad thing a day it gets you one step closer to that amazing stomach you've always dreamed of! 

What To Eat/Drink:

Fruits and Veggies

Whole Grain or Wheat Bread (Instead of White!)

Almonds (Natural fat fighters!)

Yogurt

Veggie Soup

Salmon and Halibut

Green Tea (Its a natural fat burner!) 

TONS AND TONS AND TONS OF WATER! (I can't stress this enough that you need to drink tons of water!)

These foods/drinks are proven to be great for a flat belly! Just make sure you watch your serving sizes, accept for the fruits and veggies you can have as many of those as you want!

What Not To Eat/Drink:

Foods that are high in bad fat, unhealthy carbs, and sugar.

Soda

Its pretty easy to tell what you should and shouldn't eat. If you just start looking at the nutritional value you'll learn that not everything is flat belly friendly. 

Tips:

When doing the exercises above and just whenever you remember to, pull your belly button into your stomach. That means always keep your abs tightened.

Sometimes when you feel hungry, your aren't actually hungry. Your body just gets confused with thirst. So before you start cooking up a meal. Drink a glass of water and see if that helps.

Blast fun music when working out, it'll make it go a lot faster.

Don't feel guilty if you splurge a bit on a fattening food or something, there's always the next day to fix it.

Keep a log of all your progress, its motivating and keeps you going toward your goal! Also, set a designated time to workout, it'll help you keep on track!

This is an actual picture of me and I wanted to put this in here to show you that it is possible! I'm proof and I actually practice what I preach! If you work hard enough you can get to your goals!

Benefit Legally Bronze

So about three weeks ago I ran into Sephora to return some stuff that didn't really work out for me. I walked around to check out all the new products out for Spring. The new Legally Bronze kit from Benefit caught my eye. It has everything I've been dying to buy! All the best sellers are in there Hula Bronzer, High Beam, Gilded Eyeliner, and Bad Gal Brown Mascara. Plus it comes in an adorable little make-up bag. To me, all the products in there together would be perfect for Summer. I have actually tried them all together and it makes a perfect care-free look. Which is what I'm guessing Benefit is going for. Its great for those days when you feel lazy with your make-up or you just don't feel like wearing a lot. Another great thing about this nifty little kit is most of the products in there you can use a numerous amount of ways. For instance, the Gilded Eyeliner can be used as an eyeshadow base, which I have actually tried and it looks great. Another product that is a multitasker is the High Beam, you can use it as a highlighter, blush, or a lip product. I have no bad comments for any of the products, I'm %100 satisfied! This kit is a $105 value but you only pay $32 which is awesome! You can buy it here!

Happy Easter!

So I had a fun little post for Easter. I've noticed so many new Peep Marshmallow colors have come out and I've realized I have a lot of eyeshadows the same color! I wanted to share with you the colors that matched them so if you can use the to do festive make-up!

• Green Peep- Urban Decay Deluxe Shadow in Graffiti
• Yellow Peep- Urban Decay Deluxe Shadow in Honey
• Blue Peep- Urban Decay Deluxe Shadow in Peace
• Purple Peep- Urban Decay Deluxe Shadow in Ransom
• Orange Peep- Urban Decay Deluxe Shadow in Shag
• Pink Peep- Urban Decay Deluxe Shadow in Fishnet

Ulta Salon Nail Polish

Today, I was browsing through Sephora just looking at all the goodies they have to offer. Then I came across their nail polish. I noticed a HUGE sign that said $2, of course I had to look. All of the colors of the nail polish were very unique and bright! Usually, when looking at nail polish what you see in the bottle is not always what you get. Assuming they weren't going to be very pigmented I tried some on my nail and was pleasantly surprised, the color was amazing! All I needed was about two swipes of the polish and the color was flamboyant. I was so amazed that I started playing with all of the colors. When I finally made my decision on which ones to buy I contained myself to only buy three. I probably would have bought all of the colors if I wasn't careful! I highly recommend checking these polishes out! I mean two dollars! Come on, that's like couch cushion money! This deal lasts a limited time only! I'm pretty sure it ends on April 1st or 2nd but don't hold that against me, I could be wrong! You just have to check it out for yourself. The colors I bought were Goddess, Jaded, and After Party. Tell me what shades of polish your going to buy! P.S Sorry for the short stubby fingernails! That's how they grow, not long and pretty like some other people! The first picture I'm wearing Goddes, the second is After Party, and the third is Jaded!

Urban Decay Alice in Wonderland Palette Dupes.

Now as you may have know by now, Urban Decay's Alice in Wonderland Palette is sold out! Before you start searching for one on ebay, read this post! I was looking at a tester of the palette at Sephora. As I was looking at the shadows I was swatching them on the back of my hand. I was deciding whether or not I really wanted one or not (before they were sold out). Then, I realized that the shadows I swatched looked a lot like ones I already had. It ended up they were all shadows that were already out as singles or in palettes but just renamed. I played around more with the single eye shadows until I got matches and I researched more about it. The names of the shadows in blue are from the Alice Palette while the other names in green are normal single shadows you could purchase from Urban Decay.

 

• Underland - Flash
• Alice - Painkiller
• Chessur- Chopper
• White Rabbit - Polyester Bride
• Oraculum- Baked
• Queen- Last Call
• Wonderland- Maui Wowie
• Curiouser- Grifter
• Muchness- X
• Mushroom - Mushroom
• Absolem- Homegrown
• Drink Me Eat Me- Sin
• Midnight Tea Party- Midnight Cowboy Rides Again
• Vorpal- S&M
• Mad Hatter- Twice Baked  
• Jabberwocky- Oil Slick 

P.S The only color I don't have a swatch of is S&M sorry guys!

How To Get Healthy Hair!

Our hair goes through so much everyday. It has to deal with hot styling tools, hair products, and pollution. All of those factors contribute greatly to unhealthy hair. Sometimes, it just needs some TLC to keep it looking fabulous! The tips listed below are ones that I have discovered that work well for me!

• Use a deep conditioner once a week on your hair. This allows it to gain strength to repair itself from the week. (Try Garnier Fructis Fortifying Deep Conditioner, 3 Minute Masque)

• Have a lazy day! Pick a day that you can give your hair a rest from hot styling tools. Braid your hair or put it in a bun the night before so when you wake up and take it out you'll have gorgeous waves!

• Before you dive into the pool (or ocean), rinse your hair with water and apply a leave in conditioner. The hair follicle is very porous so it will absorb pretty much any chemical in the pool. This will cause it to become dry. Applying a deep conditioner makes the hair absorb that instead of the icky chlorine and salt water. (Try Garnier Fructis Leave-in Conditioning Cream)

• If you want extra volume instead of teasing it try hair rollers. It gives you that all around beautiful lift, not to mention it makes it look shinier too! Use bigger sized rollers for more volume and smaller ones for a curlier look (that has volume of course!) (Try Conair CHV14J Instant Heat Jumbo and Super Jumbo-Sized Rollers)

Smudged those freshly painted nails again?!

Don't you hate it when you wait over 30 minutes for your nails to dry and they still get messed up?! It makes me just want to take all the nail polish off and forget about it! Now, I found out a great tip that has helped my nails dry faster. All you need is a bowl or sink full of ice cold water. Then you just soak your nails in it for about 15-30 seconds. This technique basically hardens or freezes the nail polish. Once your done, pat your hands dry. Then apply your clear coat and repeat the soaking process. When your all finished, your nails won't be fully dry, but they will be hard enough that they won't smudge! Just be careful because if touch the top of your nails too hard it could leave finger prints! If you want to make your hands softer, when soaking your nails in a bowl of water add 3/4 milk and only 1/4 water, but still keep it cold. Then soak for 10-15 minutes. This will make your hands remarkably soft. Have a wonderful day and please leave some feedback! I love hearing from everyone! 

                                                              xoxo,

Wanna Start Yoga???

Recently, Yoga has been the new fitness buzz. Everyone talks about it celebrities, health networks, doctors, etc. If you have been interested in trying Yoga but have been procrastinating or just don't know how to get started, videos may be your best option! I have been practicing Yoga for about three years now. The way I first got started was through Gaiam Fitness Videos. This brought out my passion for Yoga. I find that even after having the worst day ever it can make me happy. It has been know to reduce stress, lengthen and sculpt muscles, stretch your body, and make you happier. Not to mention that it has great affects on your skin as well! Your almost always glowing after you practice it! The video that I first used to get into Yoga was called Quick Start Yoga For Weight Loss. The instructors name was Suzanne Deason and she is basically the Yoga Guru for the Gaiam website. She is very easy to follow, takes everything slow for beginners, and has a very soothing voice. When she explains each pose she gives examples that relate to every day life you so can understand it more thoroughly. She takes you through a series of poses that promote weight loss with healthy eating. I found that this video really gave me a jump start to becoming fit, I believe that if I hadn't started out with this video to begin with I wouldn't be as fit as I am today. The video contains two easy to follow videos, one is the weight loss program and the second one is an easy stretching/meditation sequence. The Meditation sequence is perfect for waking up in the morning or winding down at night. There is a guarantee on the website that if you do not like the dvd you can return it within a certain amount of days. But, I'm positive that you won't be sorry when you purchase this video. For equipment, all you need is a simple yoga mat, a yoga strap, and a yoga brick. You can all purchase these on the Gaiam website as well. I hope that this review will get you dying to try Yoga! If you enjoy learning about Yoga and want me to blog more about it or make up Yoga Workouts, make sure you comment below! Oh and don't forget, when practicing Yoga drink plenty of water (out of a re-usable water bottle of course, to save the planet! (:)! P.S There are two different covers for the dvd so make sure you double check the name!

Trying to lose weight or stay fit?

I have always been a huge water drinker, I love it! So naturally, I opt for water instead of soda or sugary drinks. For some other people, they don't show as much love toward water. If your trying to cut back on soda, lose weight, or just be healthy h2o contributes a great deal of help. When you drink water instead of soda that slices over half of your sugar intake plus it cuts out empty calories. Another way it helps you lose weight is if you drink water when your hungry it will sometimes make your hunger go away. The reason for that is because sometimes your body confuses thirst with hunger so you eat when really your just thirsty. Studies have been shown that people who drink more water than the daily recommendation have a lower body percentage, not to mention give you healthy, glowing skin! Now, if you have problems with drinking water because it is flavorless, I can help you with that! Sometimes when I get bored with my water, I like to spice it up and add either sliced of or zest of a lemon, lime, orange, or cucumber.(Surprisingly, cucumbers adds flavor!) Adding one of the items above to your water gives it a great appearance, which most likely will entice you to drink it! So remember, when in doubt, drink it out!

Tip of The Day!

Does your skin ever feel dry or look tired by the middle of the day? If so, this tip of the day will help you! When your skin starts to look not so great, use a facial spritz. It makes your skin feel energized and it actually helps you feel more alert and awake. I recommend The Body Shop's Vitamin Facial Spritz. It was made for skin situations like this! I have been using it for over a year and love it. It makes my skin feel smooth and refreshed without smudging your make-up! Another reason why I love it, is it has a very light scent of citrus. So not only will your skin feel good, it will smell good too! Sometimes I like to use this all over my body when I need that extra boost of moisture and fragrance over the Summer. If your not willing to go out and buy a facial spritz then you can make your own! Just buy a mini spray bottle (you can find them at Walmart or Target in the travel section). Fill it with water, then add your favorite essential oil. Voilà! You have your own skin refresher!

Last Minute Gift Ideas!

Its that time of the year where your freaking out because you realized you forgot to get a sibling or a best friend a present! Well, I have some ideas to help you all out!

For the Best Friend:

Bath and Body ScentBug with Two Fragrance Oils, Refill Packs, Fuzzy Socks, and Body Lotion

http://www.bathandbody.com/

For the Caring Sister:

Sephora Brand Scent Sampler: Now this is a really cool gift, the recipent gets 10 samples of Sephora's number one selling scents. Then there is a gift voucher inside that allows them to pick out one favorite of those 10 and get a full sized bottle.

http://www.sephora.com/

For a Loving Mother:

Lady Gaga's New Cd (The Fame Monster) and Burt's Bees Polka Dot Mani Pedi Gift Set

http://www.target.com/ & http://www.burtsbees.com/

For the Brother:

Axe Body Kit and $15 itunes giftcard

http://www.target.com/

For The Boyfriend:

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 or Assasins Creed 2

http://www.target.com/