Pixie Boots

So boot season is almost over. It's going to be a sad time for me because my feet are actually injured, and sneakers make them hurt so much. I've been wearing boots everyday to class for the past couple of weeks. It's so lovely not having to fret in them morning and scavenge for matching socks. Out of the four black pairs of boots that I own ( I swear they are not all the same) these little ones are my favorite. I don't usually buy boots that are short because I have really long legs, but these are so pretty. They dress up any ordinary jeans + top outfit that I wear. They have a tiny heel, thin laces, and a zipper on the side. I love them so much. My legs look longer in a good way. I'll have to find some sandals or flats for spring and summer, but for now I'll be enjoying my boots for the time that is left. 

Hello

I've been away from this little internet space for quite a while now (2 weeks). Winter Quarter has taken over my schedule due to harder course work and an annoying four hour lab. Erg. Some how I'm managing to survive, and I'm so ecstatic that I will have Tuesdays and Thursdays off for Spring. I have a crappy registration time slot so usually all the general courses are taken, but I finally have days off! Driving 40 miles everyday of the week is really exhausting when you have to leave an hour and thirty minutes early. Nonetheless I am back, although you may have to put up with not so great photos because I dropped my camera and it isn't focusing properly. I may buy a new one if I have enough funds for it, but for now I guess I will do what I can. Oh and the best part is that in Fall I won't be taking general ed because I've take six courses already. It may be bad news, but I get to focus on my major which is way too exciting for me.

My "being healthy" phase is still going strong, although I do have a cheat meal here and there.. I'll admit they aren't as enjoyable as they used to be. My stomach is way smaller which is a good thing because Summer is around the corner ( it practically is already here, I mean it is SoCal) and I want to be in shorts all day everyday. So.. uhm hi again internet. I've missed you.
                                             
Recipe: 1 banana, strawberries, blueberries, pineapple chunks, and raspberries for the smoothie.
Toppings: Special K Vanilla Almond Cereal, blueberries, and banana slices (they drowned in the smoothie). I love eating smoothie bowls when I'm home. I get to taste all of the delicious fruit blended together sending my taste buds into heaven.

                                          How are my awesome readers?
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Weight Loss Wednesday

An easy way to make sure your getting fruits into your diet is a smoothie. I don't really like to eat berries so I find it much easier to drink them and enjoy their antioxidants. I use my Nutribullet to make my smoothies. It's so quick and efficient.
Ingredients: banana,  frozen strawberries, frozen raspberries, pineapples, blueberries, chia and flax seeds + water.
Feel free to omit or add any thing else you want, it's important that you like it. Sometimes I only use Strawberries, Raspberries, and Pineapple and it tastes amazing! Seeds are great to add to your smoothie. They don't effect taste, and are filled with fiber, protein, omega 3 while making you feel a lot fuller than you would without them. Personally, I don't add any greens to my smoothies because I have greens in my lunch and dinner so I enjoy the sweetness.

                                           Whats your favorite smoothie recipe?
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Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask

I had never tried a mask before I used Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask. You could say my life will never be the same. I received it for Christmas, and I was so excited to try it. I was waiting for the perfect moment to use it. I've used it a couple of times, and each time prior to using it I had small breakouts on my cheeks, eyebrows, and chin. My skin is really sensitive to hair removal so when I wax a few zits like to make an appearance. First I opened my pores by using a very warm cloth. Then I slowly layered on the mask just like the instructions say. Applying it is a bit of a messy process. Finally I let it sit for about 15 minutes. During this time I kept laughing at how ridiculous I looked. I popped in my earphones and read my biology book. While I was waiting I noticed that my skin kept getting tighter sort of as if I had Botox aha. It was mildly uncomfortable. The mask felt like a rock. I rinsed my face a few times with warm water and as the mask dissolved the results were immediate. My breakout was practically gone. My skin felt soft, and it looked whiter. The blackheads on my nose were way less noticeable. The only downside is that my skin felt a little dry, but extra moisturizer fixed that easily. I tend to use it when my skin feels unbalanced and needs equilibrium. It's definitely worth picking up for quick skin fix.

                              Do you like Origins masks? What other masks have you tried?
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Weight Loss Wednesday / Week 2

Apologies for the late post. I've had a full week of class, and I've been a bit worn out. Today's Weight Loss Wednesday is about H2O. I used to never drink water. My problem was that I was drinking a majority of my calories. So over the past month I've been drinking at least 5-6 15oz bottles of water. At first it was a bit difficult because water is a bit plain, but it is so refreshing. I make sure to drink 2-3 bottles/cups in throughout the morning/day and 2-3 bottles/cups in the evening/night depending how late I'm up. If I'm at home I drink from a cup ~15oz.  I find it easier to stick to water when I have a fruit smoothie for breakfast because it is sweet and loaded with healthy goodness while satisfying any sweet cravings. Water has so many benefits for our body it's important to make sure to drink some everyday.

To keep track of how much water I drink, I downloaded this cute app called Plant Nanny. Every time you drink water you touch the circle and it tells you how much more water you need to drink. The more water you drink the more your plant grows. It also calculated how much water my body needs by inputing my weight, and height. It's pretty nifty.
                                                          Do you drink enough water? 
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Benefit's They're Real Mascara

Yeah, I know I'm super late to the party with this one, but I just felt the urge to share my thoughts on everyone's beloved mascara. Of course I bought this because so many bloggers swore by it, and perhaps it is just me, but after using this mascara a few times you could say I'm not a happy camper.
First of all it's $23 which meant I had pretty high expectations. When compared to other high end mascaras that I own They're Real seems more like a drugstore mascara. It only adds length, and because I have long thick lashes almost every mascara I use works well. I find that it adds some length, but not enough to justify it's worth. The brush easily clumps my lashes together which is rather annoying. I do appreciate the top of the bristles that are pointed outwards. They make it easy to coat the inner lashes. After two coats my lashes become clumpy, and after wearing the mascara for a few hours my eyes get irritated. To be honest I won't be repurchasing it, and I am so over hyped products. I could say that my Cover Girl Lash Blast works better for me.
                                What did you think of Benefit's They're Real Mascara?
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Weight Loss Wednesday / Week 1

As some of you may know,  one of my new years resolutions is to be fit. I have finally come to terms with my body, and I have a better understanding of health and exercise. About three weeks ago I started working out, and drinking a lot of water. Slowly I have been planning healthy meals, and snacks so I don't have an excuse to eat junk. I can already feel a difference in how my clothes fit, and how energetic I am now, but the coolest part is that I'm enjoying eating "healthy".
 I thought it would be really fun and motivating to join a group of bloggers who also have the same goals. Anyone can join no matter what your goal is, or where you live, or what type of blogger you are. Here's the link with more information. Simply contact Jennifer and she will add you to the group. It's such a fun way to connect, and stay motivated once the new years buzz fades.

My goal is to lose 10 lbs or more.. I've tried a few times in the past, but I was doing it wrong. Fad diets, starving, excessive cardio are some of the things I've tried, and I just couldn't stick with it. This time, I'm making sure my body is getting the nutrients it needs to thrive by eating fruits, vegetables, carbs, and drinking lots of water. My work outs are mostly light cardio, weights, and toning exercises. I've also started yoga on Sundays. If I feel too sore from my workouts then I'll rest a day or two. I'm hoping to weigh myself until March because I can easily obsess with numbers and weigh my self everyday which is not a good idea. I'm aiming more for fat loss than a specific number. For reference I'm 5"8 and my weight is currently "normal", but it doesn't feel that way to me. I am also a size 7 in USA pants. I think I can slim down a bit. Overall I just want to be healthy and happy with my body.
                                                     
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Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion

Moisturizing is an essential step in any skin care routine. My all time favorite moisturizer is Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion. My skin is dry combination so I have to make sure that it gets the moisture and hydration that it needs. This moisturizer is for very dry or dry combination skin so I wouldn't recommend it to those who have oily skin. I use a pump everyday and it keeps my dryness away. The product itself feels not too thick but not too thin. It easily sinks into my skin and the tightness and dryness disappears. I noticed that since I began to use it I no longer have cakey foundation or patches that are emphasized by my makeup. I have used it every single day for more than a year and it hasn't let me down. I also drink lots of water to ensure my skin's hydration.

                                     
                                                What is your favorite moisturizer? 
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New Years Inspiration

Picture Source

Inspiration for the new year is the first topic of the 2014 Blogger Challenge. The challenge part is using images to portray resolutions. I've decided to be realistic with mine. I only have a few. Can you guess what they are?
                                         What are your new years resolutions? Have an awesome new year! 
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What I Got For Christmas

I cannot believe that  Christmas is now over. It's the best time of year. I love being surrounded by my family and not having to worry about college for a few days. It's nice to relax and recharge. Of course these are not all my presents. I had to capture the moment before we opened everything. I'm so thankful for everything I received. My presents were perfect, and I'm so glad that everyone liked what I chose for them. I think that's the best part, knowing what people would like to receive then watching their reaction. Here's what I got.

                                                     What did you get for Christmas?
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Skin Care

Skincare is not my forte. I think that may have something to do with the fact that I'm lazy when it comes to properly removing my makeup, but I have been making a huge effort to always keep my skin nice and clean. I actually just recovered from a huge breakout. I was horrified because I usually get little zits here and there, but this time my chin was being conquered by a lot of red spots. I was able to get it under control, but I don't ever want to see my skin like that ever again. I suspect the cause may have been finals week stress + poor diet + using face wipes too often.

When it comes to cleansers I can always tell right away if a product will work for me. I have never been that person that reads the ingredients and knows what's in the product (wish I was that person!), so when I saw that Neutrogena had a "natural" cleanser I thought I'd try it. The Neutrogena Naturals Purifying Cleanser says 90% of the ingredients are natural which is great. I really like it because it easily removes my makeup and leaves my skin feeling really clean, but not dry just squeaky clean. I noticed a difference in my black heads on my nose since the first time I used it.

Toning is essential for the skin because it restores its pH levels back to normal. I don't like toners that have a lot of alcohol. You can usually tell by the way it stings blemishes. My Simple Soothing Facial Toner is in fact soothing. It feels refreshing, and soft on my skin. I use a cotton pad and gently slide it all over my face. It removes anything that might have been missed during my cleanse.

My skin is very dry. I live in a hot environment so it was difficult to detect that cause my skin would be a little oily from the heat. I've used my Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion for over a year now and I love it. I used it on a daily basis and when I first got it I saw the difference right away. I felt as if my skin was drinking up the moisturizer. I still feel the moisturizing feeling, but I think my skin may be getting used to it so I will be trying the plus version of this moisturizer.

So thats my basic three step routine. I use it in the morning and night. I alternate my cleanser in the shower with the Clean and Clear Morning Burst Cleanser. Whenever I start to break out I immediately use the Proactive Refining Mask that by brother lets me borrow. I don't believe in Proactive, but this mask is so good. I combine it with the Origins Super Spot Remover over night, and they do an amazing job clearing my skin. I'm not sure if I should be combining products like that, but it works really well.

I'd say my routine is very basic but good for a novice. I'm going to be trying a lot more products and expanding my routine so if you have any product recommendations please let me know!

                           What are your favorite skin care products? Have you tried all natural products?
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To Infinity

                                                Black / Red / Gray / Pink

I'm not really a scarf person, but since buying my tartan scarf I've found myself wanting more and more scarves. I am particularly liking infinity scarves because you just put them on and bam your ready to go. I'm terrible at wrapping scarves. I get confused and it takes me ages to get it just right.

It bothers me when the ends of the scarf are uneven and I just ended up having to wrap it around myself again. Although these scarves are a bit plain, they are the kind that I would wear everyday

I think they give an extra something to an ordinary winter outfit!

                                       Do you like infinity scarves? Which is your favorite?

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Sunday Post #3

*I've finally got a domain for my blog. I knew my old one wasn't permanent, and took about four months to think of a name.  I feel it's distant and vague which is how I am if that makes sense, and of course I'm a city girl.

*We finally put up the Christmas tree because it was up high in the garage so we couldn't reach it last time. I went for a gold and red kind of look and now it's just missing the balls.

*I know I'm old, but I just love Monsters University. The way Mike doesn't give up even though everyone's against him. My little brother and I have been watching it a lot lately.

*Finals week is next week. Luckily I only have to go on Wednesday for two finals that have an awful two hour time gap. I'll be reading Divergent to pass the time. I just bought it and I can't wait to read it.

*I purchased a pre made template from Brittney's amazing Etsy shop. I had been eyeing a design, and with my blog's name change I thought I'd buy it! I absolutely love it, and Britt is so lovely to work with! She responds quickly unlike some designers that completely ignore you. The process was really fast, and she has some items that are sold separately! I highly recommend her if your looking to change your blog design!

                                                              How was your week?
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Three of a Kind - Winter Boots

 

This year, I told myself that I needed more boots. I had an old pair of black combat boots that were coming apart, and I accidentally sped up the process. I went a little crazy, but JCpenney is the place to go for boots. All three were purchased there, and I love them so much. They have good quality, and so many different styles.

                                          Where do you buy your boots?
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Always Plaid

Plaid is hands down my favorite trend this season. I think it's so easy to wear, and reminds me of winter. If you're not a fan of the button up shirts, I think this one is a great alternative. It is cropped, but you can always find one that isn't. Jeans are so me. I wear them all of the time, and have discovered a new profound love for jeggings. They are much better than wearing tights as pants. Boots are essential this time of the year, and who doesn't love a nice beanie to hide messy hair or a bad hair day.

                          I hope you enjoyed how I styled plaid, and let me know how you wear it! 
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The Winter Project Week Four - Gift Guide For Him and Her

       Essie Winter Collection 2013//Origins Clear Improvement Charcoal Mask// Naked 3 Palette //
        H&M Ankle Boots//Black and White Collar Dress

    Origins Zero Oil Cleanser // Christmas Sweater // Beanie // Asos Croc Satchel

This weeks installment of the Winter Project is Christmas beauty and fashion gift ideas for males and females. I actually find it much more difficult to shop for girls than boys. Maybe it's because I have 3 brothers, I know how they work, and what they like.
I realized that the beanie is actually a female one, but I liked the picture and what he doesn't know won't hurt him - right? Other ideas for guys would be cologne, video games, coffee mugs, action/comedy movies etc. Hope this was some what helpful.

Nail polish, face mask, eye shadow palette are great gift ideas for girls. If you can get your hands on Naked 3 I'm sure she'll love you forever. If she's more of a fashion girl than I think boots are the way to go, or a nice collared black and white dress. Classic.

For the guys I think that a cleanser is a great idea. I know most of them don't use one, and probably need one. Another thing they need a Christmas sweater. The more embarrassing the better! For an easy gift I'd say go for a beanie. My brothers always wear them, and they are quite warm. Lastly I thought you couldn't go wrong with a satchel. This one from Asos is pricey, but I'm sure you can find a more affordable one.
                                       What would you buy for your girl or guy friends?
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Sunday Note #2

*Not exactly a winter wonderland. There is a cool whistling wind rustling around town. The sun is distant. I can no longer feel it shinning on my skin.

*I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving or Thursday. I spent my break sleeping and watching Dexter. I wasn't really excited for Black Friday, but I was able to nab a few blue ray movies for cheap prices. I'm so thankful for all of my wonderful readers, and all of the lovely bloggers I've had the opportunity to chat with <3.

*I learned not to yank my SD card out of it's slot without properly ejecting it. I did it for the last time on Wednesday, and my card wouldn't work anymore. My usb slots have been acting up, but  I was able to fix it.

*My history presentation is done and over with. Thank goodness! We presented on Thursday and I wasn't scared, but I still didn't want to do it. The Professor told one of our team members to speak up because she sensed we were a quiet group of people. In reality when I sat through the lectures I was too busy dying of boredom to participate in the uninteresting discussions. At least I know I won't ever want to major in History.

*Winter Break is almost here, and Christmas decorations start tomorrow!

                                                         How was your week? 
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Comfort Is Key

An easy way to stay comfortable on the holidays. A long sweater, tights, platforms, and you're ready to go. I thought the collar was a nice touch. 

Collared Top - H&M

Sweater Dress - H&M

Tights - Macy's

Shoes - H&M

What are you wearing on the holidays?

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The Winter Project Week Three - Favorite Winter Scent

I'm typically not a fan of sweet smells. When it comes to body spray or lotion I usually go for Victoria Secret's floral scents, but I was pleasantly surprised by Bath and Body Works. Sweet scents kind of gross me out, but this Warm Vanilla Sugar is so heavenly. It's sweet yet feminine. I don't find smelling like a doughnut to be appealing, but this scent is much nicer. I think vanilla is my favorite scent in general (I find myself sniffing Mac lipsticks all the time while I'm at my desk). I can't wait to get my hands on the rest of this collection it has to be my favorite ever.
                                  What is your favorite scent?
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Sunday Note #1

Hello my lovely readers! In an attempt to incorporate more lifestyle posts on my blog I've decided to add "Sunday Note". It's just a little update on my not so exciting life. I love reading posts similar to these but find that not many bloggers do them! My favorite are from Lily . I religiously read her blog, and took inspiration from her Sunday Portraits. I know not everyone will want to read it, so skip it if you please.

*This is my I don't want to wear makeup, but I have to go out in public look right now. I've been using a new cleanser, and my skin feels soooo good! I didn't want to put any face makeup on.

*The weather has been very bipolar as usual. I enjoyed the rain on Thursday and Friday. I got to wear my coats which made me really happy. However, I didn't enjoy driving in that type of weather. Rain and wind = lots of traffic on the 60 freeway.

*I signed my petition to declare my major at my university! Eeeek. I'm excited as I didn't expect to get in to be honest. The major of my choice is very impacted and hard to get into, so I was really scared. I feel way better knowing I have an official plan. and spot in the program. It made me so nervous and anxious not knowing if I would be accepted or force to choose something I wouldn't like.

*I tried to pluck my eyebrows, but they remain untamed. I'm going to have them done by a lady who is quite talented with brows sometime next week.

*I've been so uninspired lately when it comes to writing. I had a few blog post ideas but I just couldn't write them, and I haven't finished my presentation or project. I need to get my act together.

                                                   How has your week been? 
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