How Stylishly Philanthropic of you!

puravida bracelets

Check out these fun colorful bracelets! Each sale gives a donation to the Surfrider orgranization which helps to clean and preserve our beaches! I am a beach girl so you know i will be getting a few!

Favorite Beauty Products

I am NO expert on skincare or makeup but i do buy A LOT of both and i want to recommend a few products that i love and that seem to work (at least for me)...

I am awfully lazy at night and often times go to sleep without washing my face or removing my makeup. I always hear that night time is when your skin cells rejuvenate themselves and are restored. Call it luck or genetics but i haven't had too many skin problems in my day even with my lazy skincare routine.

OR... my flawless skin (he he) could be thanks to these amazing products...

Dermalogica Skin System
I use the essential cleanser and and the intensive moisture balance cream

Exfoliating often is really important but i really like the good ole Saint Ive's Apricot Scrub for that!

You can find it at any drugstore and its less than 10 bux!





I try to wash my face well enough in the shower that all my makeup is removed but just in case i always have Lancome Bi-Facil Eye Makeup Remover handy!

As far as makeup goes i am not really true to one brand.. I think they are all good and like to mix it up but trying a little bit of everything...

I don't wear foundation because personally i think it looks to caked on so i prefer to wear just concealer where needed topped with a light brushing of bronzer and of course, BLUSH! Every girl should have a good blush to highlight those cheekbones.

My favorite bronzer is Bobbi Brown Bronzer in medium... it miraculously works in summer and winter!

I have always had a hard time picking out blush even though i love it! I always go for the pinky or coral colors that end up being too harsh on my cheeks. Recently, however, i was introduced to the perfect blush that i think could work for almost any skin tone. It is by Lancome and the color is Miel Glace... its very light but beautiful.

Next lets talk about my obsession with concealer... I get plenty (if not too much) sleep but still have dark circles under my eyes. If someone asked me what i would need on a deserted island i would say concealer! I have tried many and all kinds and seem to always fall back on Neutrogena's 3-n-1 concealer! Its great and very moisturizing. This is another product you can buy at the drugstore and i think it is only $9.

The last touch is always lip gloss and i am not picky as far as brands or color. I usually opt for pale pink shiny lip gloss or nude lipstick! It works best with my blonde hair and i really am just obsessed with shiny. I like lip plumbers because i don't think my lips have enough ooumphhhh!

Please comment and let me know about some of your favorite products!

Margie

I woke up this morning with a text from mom that read "Mike and I walked Margie to her room lastnight and tucked her in". First off let me explain that my Nana had a stroke this summer and was left paralyzed in the right side of her body so she is now in a full care nursing home in Greensboro. Everyone in the family visits her weekly and she has had multiple roommates during the time she has been there. One is particular is the craziest, cutest, wildest old woman i have ever met. Her name is Margie and she was moved out of my Nana's room and onto a different hall because she was caught making out with a man in the hallway. Sadly Margie has fullblown alzheimers and doesnt know where she is most of the time. Her favorite place in the nursing home is some place called "blueberry hill" which im guessing doesnt really exist and she can go from being the sweetest old lady to the devil in the matter of minutes. Once, while Margie was still my Nana's roommate, i asked if she wanted me to throw her milk carton away because it was empty and i was afraid she was going to pass out from trying to suck out nonexistent milk. She smiled and said "yes" so i threw it away and said "there ya go". When i looked back her face turned and she started yelling "NO THATS NOT RIGHT". Crazier things have happened with Margie like the time the nurses found her sitting on the floor under her wheelchair screaming "no you cant take my house away" or the time my Nana asked Margie if she liked her and Margie hissed at her like a cat. I use to think Margie was just some crazy old lady until one day my mom and i were leaving Blumenthals when we saw Margie in the hallway about to burst into tears. She spoke to us plan as day telling us she wanted to find the front door so she could get out and that she didnt belong here and wanted to be with her family. Ever since then i have always had a special place in my heart for Margie and i swear i think sometimes she remembers us despite the alzheimers.

BODYPUMP

If anyone loves to get their sweat on like i do i would highly recommend you try bodypump if you can find a class near you. I have always enjoyed cardio machines and never paid much attention to weight training. I would spend my hour or two at the gym running on the treadmill jamming to rihanna or fergie on my ipod. If anyone enjoys running then you understand that high you get after a long run where you are totally re-energized and your body seems to have worked out any kinks or stress. Bodypump gave me the same kind of mental and physical high but also tortured me to a point where my arms and legs were shaking uncontrollably. I was miserable the entire 60 min watching the clock waiting for the minute i could finally set the barbell down. I drove home with shakey arms and here i sit 30 min later feeling strong and empowered. I am already excited about going back to bodypump and my body is addicted! There is a whole program of classes like bodyattack, bodypump, bodyflow, etc. Check it out! you will be hooked!

Ready for a change... HELLO 2011!!!

I love how every year, around this time, i start thinking and planning my new years resolutions and goals. Its a time to reflect on the last year of your life, to acknowledge your mistakes, celebrate your accomplishments then put it in the past and prepare for the next chapter/year of your life. I am not saying that past mistakes disappear or that past successes no longer matter but i do feel like you get a clean slate Jan. 1. Every year i make a huge list of resolutions that i either forget about by week two of the new year or give up on because they were unreasonable in the first place. Now that i am a whole year older and wiser i feel like small simple changes in your daily life and routine can have a huge impact on your entire life. Below i have compiled a list of resolutions and goals that i have set for myself for 2011...

1. Run or do yoga 6 days a week with Sunday as a rest period
2. Make time for lunch with a friend at least once a week
3. Organize my closet (again.. just like every year)
4. Learn to cook and to cook with organic local produce
5. Go to a wine tasting and try other wines besides Shiraz and Pinot Noir
6. Learn to use my SLR digital camera and practice my photography
7. Read more books with my amazing new Nook Color
8. Ride horses whenever i get the chance since this is relaxation for me
9. Force myself to wash my face every night no matter how tired i may be
10. And last and most importantly... ENJOY LIFE NO MATTER WHAT!

How this crazy idea evolved...

Let me begin by saying i am a gmail user and huge fan. I think is it the best and most user-friendly email service available. Once i became more gmail savvy i began exploring the different RSS feeds i could add to my google reader. RSS feeds come from different blogs and can be added to your gmail account as "favorites" so that you can conviently re-visit them daily. I was amazed by the numerous and diverse blogs that people have created... i added beauty blogs, fashion blogs, running blogs, fitness blogs, decorating blogs, you name it! I even picked up a few cooking techniques and recipes from different bloggers. I have a good friend Kristina whom i constantly am emailing and texting differently fashion ideas and questions to. We give eachother feedback and share any fabulous beauty or clothing finds we may stubble upon. I love this and thought i would open up this sharing to all of you! My posts will probably be random... ranging from topics on love, life, fashion, beauty, decorating, fitness and even cooking. I will share my finds and also ask for yours! Happy reading and blogging!