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How I stay Motivated To Work Out

We are well into 2016 with February already whizzing by and it’s not uncommon for many people to have already fallen off with their fitness/health goals for the new year. We let life distract us from what should be an important priority because we only have one body and it needs to last us for the long haul. I started my fitness journey last January and am proud to say despite a few minor set backs I have managed to keep up with my regular work outs and stay motivated to do better. It is not easy but I can promise you it is always worth it. Here is how I currently keep myself motivated to stay fit and get my ass to the gym.

  • I Take Lots of Progress Photos: Changing your body takes time and you don’t always notice your progress when you look in the mirror. Taking photos will give you a visual aide to help you see just how far you have come. I am always impressed by the changes my body has made and seeing it in photos keeps me motivated to do better for when I can compare my next set of photos.  So don’t be embarrassed to snap those selfies – everyone does it!
  • I Made My Own Mantra/Affirmation: If my motivation is lacking or I feel frustrated with progress or my diet I remind myself of why I decided to start on this fitness journey in the first place. I created my own mantra that I use as a reminder and it helps encourage me through positive affirmation. My mantra: “I love my body and want to be strong and fit. I am building the body that I want and deserve. I can and will succeed.”
  • I Hold Myself Accountable: I started scheduling my workouts into my calendar on my phone. Think of your workouts as important meetings with yourself. These meetings are going to help you see progress and advance toward your goals. Would you cancel an important work meeting that was going to lead to a promotion? Nope, you wouldn’t because bosses don’t cancel!
  • I Follow Pros For Motivation/Tips: There are so many people out there on social media who are into Fitness that you can follow for motivation. Seeing these people on your feed should serve as a motivator and not a reminder of how far away you are from your goals. Some of my favorites include Katy Hearn, Massy Arias, Amanda Bucci and Nicole Mejia.

What are you doing to stay motivated? 

xoxo

Nicole

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Three Amazing Products For Oily Skin Types

Best Products For Oily Skin

Having oily skin is a pain in the you know what but if you take the time to find the right products it doesn’t have to ruin your makeup game or your day for that matter. It can also be a good thing to have oily skin. In fact, it’s possible that oilier skin (thanks to having more sebaceous glands) prevents dry and deeper wrinkles from forming. I’ve noticed on myself that I don’t have as many visible forehead lines as others my age so I will be forever grateful but still on the hunt for products to keep the shine under control. Here are my current must-haves:

Lush Cupcake Face Mask ($7.95): This all natural face mask is hands down one of my absolute favorites and not just because it smells like delicious chocolate. It actually keeps the production of oil on my face to a minimum every time I use it. It contains spearmint oil to cool, vanilla absolute to calm redness and Rhassoul mud to deeply cleanse.

Bobby Brown Face Base ($58): This oil-free face cream is super lightweight and sinks instantly into the skin to create a smooth base for seamless makeup application. I notice that after applying it sort of mattes my face and my foundation goes on perfectly. I definitely recommend it for those of us looking to invest in protecting our skin as we age. Its packed with vitamins to help prevent lines/wrinkles and fight against environmental damage.

Laura Mercier Translucent Setting Powder ($38): This product has quickly become my savior and I don’t know how I lived without it for so long. It is an extremely lightweight, silky, sheer setting powder infused with French Cashmere talc.  I pack it onto my T-zone area and then make sure to brush it all over to set my foundation and it legit keeps me shine free all day. [Insert praise hands emoji here.]

What’s your must-have product? Share with me in the comments!

xoxo

Nicole

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December 2015 Beauty Product Favorites

december 2015 beauty favorites

Hellloooo 2016! I don’t know why but I feel really good about this year. Great things are going to happen for not just me but my loved ones as well and I am widdit. I hope you are feeling just as excited as I am! December was a busy month for me and I didn’t get to experiment with too many new products, but here are my favorites:

Nature Love Natural Deodorant ($12): I have been trying to incorporate more natural products into my beauty routine so I was excited to find this deodorant at T.J.Maxx for a third of the price! It is aluminum and paraben-free with essential oils and lavender scent. I am not someone who perspires a lot and this worked great for me. I would def recommend trying it out to see how it works with your body.

OGX Argan Penetrating Oil ($8): Argan oil helps restore shine and softness while strengthening your hair. It also protect from styling heat and UV damage. I put it on before I blow dry and it makes my hair soft and silky!

Essie ‘Penny Talk’ ($8): I literally wore this color for the entire month of December. It looks gold in the bottle but once on its a beautiful metallic rose gold shade. I scored it at T.J.Maxx for half price!

The Balm ‘Frat Boy’ Blush ($21): This blush is a beautiful peachy/pink that gives you that rosy glow naturally.  It’s pigmented and goes on nicely. It reminds me of Nars ‘Orgasm’ blush minus all the shimmer.  I’ve been using it on the daily.

Absolute Nail Polish Remover Pads ($5): I am obsessed with these pads!! They are acetone free, contain vitamin C&E and smell amazing. They work great at removing my polish easily and effectively. This was another awesome T.J.Maxx find!

Sally Hansen Dry & Go Drops ($9): I do my own nails at home a lot of the time so buying this was a game changer. With just a few drops, nails are dry to the touch in 60 seconds and completely dry in less than 2 minutes. Woop!

What new products are you looking to try this year? Share with me in the comments section!

xoxo

Nicole

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5 Easy Last Minute DIY Holiday Gift Ideas 

 

Holiday Gift Guide- DIY

Gift giving is about the thought and should not be about the amount of money spent. If you are short on time (or cash) all you have to do is put a little bit of creativity or thought into your gift and you will be good to go. Here are some of my favorite DIY gift ideas that I have done for friends and family that were a big hit!

1. DIY Mason Jars: The possibilities are endless when it comes to DIY mason jars. The “mani-in-a- mason” is my favorite. You basically want to give them all the essentials for an at-home manicure.

What you will need: a clear mason jar, cotton balls, travel sized nail polish remover or pads, nail file, a nice hand cream and of course nail polish. I really enjoy Sinful Colors  for its $1.99 price, awesome color selection and great quality. You can purchase  the mason jars and the labels at a craft store.  I really like the chalk board style labels so that the jar can be reused.

2. Homemade Treats: Nothing says I care more than a homemade treat. I’ve made this bacon-peanut caramel popcorn for my bf twice already because he loved it that much! It is a slightly spicey, savory-sweet treat. It’s super easy to make and requires very basic cooking skills – I promise! You could also bake cookies or other types of popcorn and pack them in a mason jar to make it giftable!

3. Basket of Beer: A great idea for the beer lover in your life. Try your best to put together an assortment of 6 different bottles. It could be a mix of favorites plus new ones to try! You could  throw in a really cool beer stein glass too. Baskets can be found at a discount or craft store. Don’t forget to buy stuffing for the basket!

4. Movie Night in-a-Box: Going out to see a movie has become a luxury for many with how expensive ticket prices are so gifting tickets is always a nice idea. You could purchase a gift card to a theater or to Fandango and even Netflix has their own gift cards now. Add a few of their favorite snacks to a nice little box or bag and you’re done!

5. Photo Collage Initial: I’ve made these for both of my parents and spent just under $10 bucks for each. They both loved it so much and have them hanging in the bedroom.

What you will need: Wood Letter, Mod Podge Gloss, X-acto Knife, Scissors and photos.  I found the wooden letters at my local AC Moore and printed the photos from CVS.

What to do: Get lots of photos printed so that you have options since you will have to collage and move things around. You don’t need glue for this project. I used the mod podge to stick the photos to the letter as well as add a glossy finish. I applied the mod podge over the photos using my fingers and it came out fine. Once dried you can take your x-acto knife and trim the photos to fit to the shape of the wooden letter.

What’s a DIY gift you have given or received?

Happy Holidays!

~Nicole

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Holiday Gift Guide 2015: Guys

Holiday Gift Ideas Guys

Shopping for the male species can be difficult especially when they tell you they don’t want anything in particular as a gift. In my experience men like practicality or stuff that allows them to either build/fix something or play like a 5 year old. I also like to buy men gifts I know they wont purchase for themselves. So here is my list of gift ideas for the dudes on your list.

  1. Herschel Supply Co. Weekender Bag ($79): A stylish travel bag is something most men wont buy for themselves and this one has a handy little shoe compartment that they will really dig.
  2. Man Crates Personalized Barware ($99): These personalized pint glasses will make an awesome gift for anyone on your list and they also come with 4 personalized wooden coasters that double up as bottle openers. They come shipped with snacks in a sealed wooden crate that will look really cool in his man-cave or office.
  3. Mayrons Good Junk Stuff ($30): Most men don’t like to buy personal care items and instead sneak to use our stuff. This is a moisture barrier cream that heals and soothes chafing, dryness and irritation down there – and everywhere.
  4. The Rap Yearbook ($18.95): If your guy is a music lover this book will be a cool gift that chronicles the most important rap song written every year since then, deconstructing history, culture and the personal lives of definitive artists. Complete with a foreword by Ice-T.
  5. Build Your Own R2D2 Kit ($26): Guys love putting shit together. This kit includes everything he would need to build the ultimate paper model measuring a foot tall with 3 LED lights and audio tracks that play authentic R2D2 sounds.
  6. Roll Up Travel Charger ($29): This portable charger minimizes cable clutter and maximizes style by placing multiple charging outlets on a single bar that rolls up into a sturdy canvas mat. He can refuel up to four devices simultaneously while occupying just a single wall outlet.
  7. Skeye HD Camera Mini Drone Quadcopter ($100): Drones are the new adult toy and this Mini drone with on-board HD camera features ready-to-fly technology with 2 flight modes for beginners or advanced drone users. Record birds-eye views of your favorite places and it also allows you to do tricks + turns with the included remote control.

What do you buy for your guys? Share with me in the comments section!

xoxo

Nicole

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November 2015 Beauty Product Favorites

november 2015 beauty favorites

November was all about getting my skin ready for the cold weather so I experimented with oils for the first time. If you have oily skin like I do don’t be afraid to use them thinking they will make you even shinier. They actually help to combat the oil! Here are my favorites for November:

Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil ($48): A lightweight oil to deeply hydrate and treat skin, hair, and nails. I’ve been mixing a drop of this oil with my daily face lotions for an extra added boost of moisture and am loving it! My skin stays hydrated and velvety soft all day! Thanks for the sample Kim!

Promise Organic Coconut Milk Face Wipes ($6): My favorite thing about these wipes is that they are packed with organic and natural ingredients including Coconut Oil and Chamomile to instantly hydrate and soften skin. They were great for removing makeup but I definitely still had to wash my face afterwards (which you should do anyway).

L.A.B.2 Shadow Brush ($8): I purchased this brush from TJMaxx and love how it can be used for applying base color all over the lid, shading the crease, highlighting the brow bone, or lining around the edges of your eyes. Its a great all-in-one brush for when you are on the go or if you don’t want to invest in multiple shadow brushes.

Garnier Clean+ Nourishing Cleansing Oil ($7): This cleansing oil is applied to dry skin and lathers up to instantly dissolve impurities and long-wear makeup with no greasy residue. It leaves my skin feeling so damn soft and super clean! I’ve also been less oily now that I use it- YAS!

Rimmel London Eye Make Up Remover ($4): This product gently removes all eye make up, including long lasting & waterproof make up, with no oily residue. I love it for removing my raccoon eyes after I come out of the shower. You shouldn’t rub the delicate skin by your eyes so invest in a remover that will literally take it off  with one easy swipe. This one is great and CHEAP!

The POREfessional Face Primer ($31): I have so many samples of this popular product so I decided to give it another shot and I am so happy that I did. I apply this silky, lightweight balm alone, under or over makeup to cover up the pores on my t-zone area. The trick with this product is you have to push it into your skin not rub it in like a face cream. You’re welcome!

Rusk Elixir Mist ($24): You can enjoy the benefits of color, thermal, and UV protection with this instantly absorbing spray that brings extreme shine to your hair. This spray is super lightweight and smells amazing. I use it on damp hair as a heat protector and my hair feels soft and shiny after a blow out.

What products did you enjoy (or not enjoy) recently? Share with me in the comments section!

xoxo

Nicole

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Holiday Gift Guide 2015: The Girl Boss

Holiday Gift Guide- Girl Boss

The holiday season is in full swing and I’ve got your gift buying needs under control with a few awesome gift guides. This one is for the Girl Boss in your life aka the dream chaser who works her butt off. These items will help make her daily grind that much better.

  1. This ‘Stress Relief’ aromatherapy candle will help her unwind after a busy day. ($22.50)
  2. Writing is so important and this journal is filled with 52 lists, 1 for each week of the year, that will help you to discover ways to improve yourself. ($16.95)
  3. A beautiful rose gold Affirmation Bangle Bracelet by MantraBand ($35)
  4. This reversible vegan leather tote bag is not only 2 bags in one but it is big enough to carry all her essentials.  ($59)
  5. Beanies are always a good gift and this one is so bad-ass. ($32)
  6. A cell phone case that makes a bold statement = Girl Boss must-have. ($28)
  7. A super cute bracelet that also charges her phone?! Hidden beneath the genuine leather and gold studs is a portable lightning cable for syncing/charging your Apple devices. Win! ($60)
  8. Cute wall Art to keep her inspired and motivated. ($19+)
  9. The perfect tee for the girl who is working towards her dreams. ($28)
  10. This lucite desktop dock features one slot at left, which fits an iPhone without its case, two smaller slots at right, and full-length ruler markings visible from the top. Lucite anything is always so chic! ($20)

 

What’s on your wish list? Share with me in the comments section!

xoxo

Nicole

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MyTee B.A.D. Cyber Monday Super Sale

Cyber Monday 2015

It’s that time again when I host my biggest SALE of the year for Cyber Monday and offer and additional 50% off of every item on my site! This year I am also giving away FREE mystery gifts with each order placed over $50! If you have been meaning to purchase now is the perfect time as items will be at their lowest prices so you can score goodies for yourself as well as for other kick-ass females on your holiday gift list!

MyTee B.A.D. Cyber Monday

The pieces shown above are some of my all time favorites that are still available to purchase. Of course I adore everything on my site but these are the items I always end up going back to and wearing the most. The tees fit comfortably and the skull hoodie is so clutch for layering right now. And every B.A.D. Girl needs a beanie for just about any and everything. All designs are created by me with the intent to inspire and empower. The beanies are hand studded and the turbands are all handmade. My new collection will be dropping next year so make sure you snatch up some of these babies before they disappear!

Thank you so much for supporting!!

SHOP MyTee B.A.D. HERE.

xoxo

Nicole

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ColourPop Ultra Matte Lip Review

colourpop ultra matte lip review

If you aren’t into the beauty scene you may not be familiar with ColourPop cosmetics. They specialize in making quality makeup in every shade imaginable with luxury formulas at super affordable prices. I am talking lipstick for $6 bucks affordable so I had to give them a try to see if they live up to all of the social media hype.  They sell a variety of eye, lip and cheek products but here are my thoughts on their popular matte liquid lipsticks in the shades ‘More Better‘ (deep violet wine), ‘Kapow‘ (muted grey taupe) ‘Beeper‘ (warm mid-tone taupe).

colourpop ultra matte lip swatches

PROS:

  • The colors are beautiful and very pigmented. They do look different when applied based on your skin tone and natural lip color.
  • All 3 shades had great staying power – however ‘More Better’ seemed to last the longest. Make up remover wipes are needed.
  • Easy Application and lip liner was not necessary.
  • You can’t beat the $6 price tag.
  • The shades ‘Kapow’ and ‘Beeper’were kiss proof but ‘More Better’ was not!
  • I didn’t have to worry about lipstick being on my teeth!

CONS:

  • The formulations left my lips feeling dry – which I know is to be  expected with mattes but if I didn’t use a lip balm my lips felt flaky.
  • The packaging looks/feels cheap and could be better, but then again they are being sold for only $6.
  • It seems like different colors wear better than others. ‘Beeper’ felt creamier when applying while ‘More Better’ felt like it had a much thinner consistency. However, I needed less coats of ‘More Better’ compared to the others. I also reapplied it less often.

Overall I would say that these lippies are semi-worth the hype for the price and color options only. If you aren’t someone who wears lipstick on the daily and/or are looking to experiment with a fun color than give them a shot. I mean for $6 a pop they are worth trying at least once!

Have you tried any products from ColourPop? Share with me in the comments section!

xoxo

Nicole

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October 2015 Beauty Product Favorites

october 2015 beauty favorites

Dose of Colors Matte Lipstick – Stone ($18): I am relatively new to the liquid lip game so I have been testing the waters with a few different brands and I LOVEE this color and  formulation. It’s velvety smooth, goes on easily and doesn’t dry out my lips.  Its a beautiful taupey-mauve shade and I literally want to wear it every day.

PUR Eye Polish Base & Top Coat ($26): This eye primer and top coat’s pure pigment creates a crease-proof eye shadow base with a luminous metallic sheen.  I have been wearing them when I want to add shimmer to my eyes instead of my usual matte look. The colors are so beautiful and the best part is that they last all day and come off so easily! You can use this alone as a shadow, or as a base or top coat to add dimension to your eye look. Thanks Kim!

Davines Love Smoothing Shampoo & Conditioner ($25): My sister got these samples in her Birchbox and passed them along to me. I used them on a lazy day when I didn’t feel like straightening my hair and I was shocked by how NOT frizzy my  hair was! My curls were frizz free for days and the smell of the shampoo is amazing.  The main ingredient is olive extract and apparently olive oil is great for your hair especially for us curly girls. Its pricey but I would be willing to buy it again for the summer time.

Taupe/Gray Nail Polish ($8): The entire month of October I rocked nothing but gray nail polish with my 2 favorite shades being Smokin’ Hot – a stone cold dark gray and Chinchilly – a sleek granite gray shade both by Essie.

NYX Wonder Pencil ($5): This baby serves 3 purposes: conceal blemishes, line your lips to prevent color from bleeding and my personal favorite to brighten your eyes along the water line. I bought this pencil to specifically use so I can start wearing liner on my lower lash line because my eyes tend to get washed out from it. This has helped tremendously!

NYX Slide On Pencil – Golden Bronze ($8): I have found that dark/black liner and me just don’t mesh well so after reading some reviews I decided to try more of a brown shade. These liners from NYX go on so easily and stay put all day. I love the gorgeous golden shade and with the help of the wonder pencil  my eyes look bright and beautiful. I will definitely be trying out more colors very soon!

What products did you enjoy (or not enjoy) recently? Share with me in the comments section!

xoxo

Nicole

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