July Favorites

1. Ralph Lauren Romance: Finding a scent that suits your personality is an extremely difficult task. After testing scent after scent, I discovered Ralph Lauren Romance. It consists of Sungoddess Rose, Marigold, Ginger, Yellow Freesia, White Violet, Lotus Flower, Day Lily, Oakmoss and Musk. It is a timeless scent for all seasons!

2. Nars Laguna Bronzer: I've tried a lot of bronzers and always end up returning them. There is always something I don't like about them; they're too glittery, too ashy, not dark enough or won't stay on my face. After months of hearing people rave about Nars Laguna, I finally decided to try it. I don't know what sets this brand apart from the rest, but it truly is amazing. There is a small hint of shimmer that gives you a natural glow and can easily be built for contouring. 

3. Mossimo Black Lucita Flip Flops: I'm not a fan of jeweled flip flops for two reasons. One, they don't agree with my personal style, and two, I think they can be a little tacky. On one of my many shopping sprees at Target, I found these rose gold sandals. They aren't tacky looking and match almost everything in my wardrobe. I wear them every single day and want to get them in silver!
4. Bare Minerals Prime Time Fountation Primer Oil Control: Since it's summer, using a face primer is a necessary step in my makeup routine. It has a silky texture and creates a smooth barrier between my skin and my foundation to keep my makeup from smearing. It also combats excess oil and absorbs shine like no other primer out there. A definite must have in my makeup bag. 

5. MAC #130 Short Duo Fibre Brush: When the duo fibre brushes came out I wasn't a big fan of them for anything other than setting powder. I was at MAC one day and one of the makeup artists suggested using this shorter version to buff in my BB Cream and I ended up really loving it. I also like to use this for applying cream blush or highlighters. I get a flawless application every single time!
6. Nike In-Season TR Training Shoe: Over the past ten months, my workout routines have evolved from working out once a week every single day. Since I have a lot more time to workout during the summer, (and since I've become a devoted gym rat), I decided to invest in a new pair of sneakers! These shoes are the most comfortable pair of shoes I have ever worn. They are extremely light and have a 15mm-thick memory foam sockliner. I never want to take them off!

The Best Things In Life Are Simple

Happy Monday everyone! Over the weekend I ventured into the city for dinner and stopped off at Crumbs Bake Shop for dessert. Crumbs is a well-known bakery that makes a large variety of cupcakes. I had never been because I don't particularly like cupcakes; however, with all the hype I've heard about this bake shop, I had a feeling I would love it. There were rows of unique flavors so it took a while to pick which one I wanted, but in the end I chose Cookie Dough. There is something about these cupcakes that set them apart from the rest. Not only are they larger than the average sized cupcake, but they are so beautiful!  Part of me didn't want to eat it because it was so pretty! It was a lovely experience and I went home with a satisfied sweet tooth. One thing is for sure - I can't say I don't like cupcakes anymore!

 

Outfit Of The Day

{ Shirt: Urban Outfiters, Shorts: American Eagle, Sunglasses: Tilly's, Bag: JustFab.com, Necklace: Flea Market, Bracelets: H&M, Earrings: Marc Jacobs, Shoes: Target }

The Power of Yoga

Those of you who know me, know that I love to workout. You'll also know that I love kickboxing, along with any other type cardio exercise. However, over the past month or so I have been taking yoga classes! It's a real change in pace for me, but I absolutely love it.  It is very important to switch up your routine so your body doesn't get used one specific type of exercise, and a great way to do that is through Yoga. Yoga is built on three main structures: exercise, breathing, and meditation. Hatha yoga is the basic form, slow-paced and perfect for beginners. It focuses on poses that stretch your muscles to release lactic acid build up that causes stiffness, tension, pain and fatigue. It also includes different breathing and meditation techniques to stimulate relaxation.  Ashtanga yoga is more fast-paced and helps improve circulation and muscle tone through synchronized breathing and a series of postures that produce intense internal heat to detoxify the muscles and organs. Lastly, the most intense form of yoga is bikram, which is performed in a heated room. Although each form is very different, they all have incredible benefits, such as lowering blood pressure, and relieving symptoms of arthritis, back pain and asthma. Some people dismiss the idea of yoga because they think that a cardio workout isn't a good workout at all, but that's where they're wrong. Practice it on your days off  from doing a cardiovascular workout and you will see great improvement in your abdominal strength, balance, flexibility, and endurance during a long run. After taking only a few classes, I am definitely including it in my weekly exercise routine and I recommend you do too!

Maybe Next Time You'll Try A Little Sunscreen

This past weekend, I went to the beach with my cousin. Since it was extremely hot, we made sure to pack a lot of water and sunscreen. I am a stickler about wearing SPF every day, and when I go to the beach I'm not any different. People don't realize that sunscreen does not prevent you from getting tan; it only blocks out the harmful rays of the sun that cause premature aging and skin cancer. A nice tan is not worth risking your health for, so go about getting bronzed skin with a self tanner. I like to use Jergins Natural Glow & Protect Daily Moisturizer. It gives me natural looking color and protects my skin from the sun with SPF 20 for every day use. Another great, but more expensive option is St. Tropez. However, if you are one of those people who loves baking in the sun, it is very important that you are using a proper sunscreen. My cousin bought one in a spray form and I ended up getting my first sunburn due to it's lack of coverage. So, when selecting a sunscreen, choose a broad-spectrum lotion (not an oil or a spray) that blocks agains UVA and UVB rays. Also, make sure it has an SPF of at least 15 and no more than 50. (Anything over SPF 50 does not protect you for the amount of time it claims to). The SPF number stands for how long you will be protected for, so remember to reapply after the allotted time has passed. With that said, the next time I head to the beach I will be sure to get the right kind of sunscreen and you should too. This was my first time getting burned and I want it to be my last!

Hello Boston!

I have made it a goal of mine to visit as many cities as I can. Life is too short to spend it in one place. This past weekend, I got the chance to visit my cousin and explore Boston! I had never been to Boston and was excited to see what it had to offer. It's one of the oldest cities in the United states, which explains it's quaint, but still city-like charm. It reminded me of New York City - but quieter and cleaner with nicer people. We walked around the different neighborhoods, shopped along Newbury Street, went to the beach, and ate at some really good restaurants. One of my favorite places we ate at was PourHouse on Boylston Street. Their brunch was so delicious that we went two days in a row. Overall it was a fun trip and I definitely plan on going back!

Happy 4th of July!