Kindness...it's free.

Review: Ole Henriksen Melting Cleanser

Last month, while traveling to Rome, I brought with me the new Ole Henriksen Pure Truth Melting Cleanser.  With limited space in my suitcase, I was stuck between choosing whether I can fit an extra pair of shoes OR taking my full size makeup remover + full size cleanser. Obviously, the shoes won out...I'm a girl after all and an extra pair of shoes trumps everything (who cares that I didn’t end up wearing those extra pair of shoes? lol #storyofmylife) Anyway, I had heard so much about this new, melting cleanser and wanted to know what all of the hype was. I am typically not a fan of oil based cleansers, because of the messy consistency and because it requires more steps than I normally care for in my skincare regimen, but, I took a leap of faith and tried it out. 

To start, this cleanser is not like any other -- it is gel formulated and is oil based. Applied directly to dry skin, the gel breaks down into an oil like consistency and emulsifies into a milky liquid once water is added. Melting away all makeup and impurities the cleanser leaves the skin hydrated and brightened with key ingredients: rose hip oil (hydrates) , virgin cherry oil (cuts down redness) , and vitamin c (brightens). 

Overall, I was happy that I took this cleanser on my trip and would recommend this product for anyone who wants to kill two birds with one stone.  Remove your makeup and cleanse your skin at the same time, it’s pretty genius! 

Pros: 

• Gel based consistency keeps the cleanser in tact unlike most oil cleansers - duh it’s a gel ;)
• Removes any type of makeup including waterproof makeup
• Leaves the skin feeling hydrated+ radiant.

Cons:

• Not for anyone who likes the squeaky clean, “dry” feeling after cleansing. This cleanser hydrates and will not give you that feel. 
• If you’re not into using a wash cloth - this cleanser is not for you. Although the cleanser melts off all of the makeup and impurities, you MUST use a wash cloth to wipe off all of that melted matter from your face. 

If this is your first time trying out an oil cleanser, buy the travel size. It’s $12 and you get so much product for what you are spending. Try it out and let me know your thoughts! Happy Cleansing :)

Beauty: Peachy Cheeks + Pink Lips

I  like to wear bold lip colors but there are times that I like more of a simple and natural look too. 

I received a sample of Make Up For Ever's Rouge Artist Natural Lipstick, Shade N9 as one of my Beauty Insider perks at Sephora and I actually like it. The lipstick is very hydrating and glides on the lips easily with it's creamy texture and satin finish. I paired this together with my favorite Buxom lipgloss, Sandy. 

 For my cheeks, I am wearing Sephora Collection's Blush in Orange Punch it is a nice matte blush which since I am getting older :( I lean towards wearing more matte blushes. Glitter settles into pores and it is never a good look. Just saying ;) And to be honest, I never was a fan of Sephora Collection but they have reformulated so many of their products that I am slowly converting into becoming a fan of many of their products. Definitely give these blushes a try, you will not be disappointed with the color payoff and you get your bang for your buck.

WOD: Workout of the Day

No gym? No problem.

Here's a quick workout you can do for time anywhere:

20 air squats 

20 push ups

20 box jumps

20 situps

20 burpees

Time yourself and write down your time as a personal record (PR)...you can do this workout again in a few weeks and see if your time has improved.

Ready. Set. Go!

Contouring Made Easy by Sephora

So many people ask me questions about contouring and how to contour their face. Well, Sephora has taken the guess work out of contouring and has put together an awesome contour pocket app that uses your own picture (pull out that selfie), determines your face shape, and teaches you in a few simple steps how to contour. Try it out at for yourself at: http://m.sephora.com/pocketcontour

Let me know your thoughts on the pocket app!

Fitness: It takes two...

  

                        

Finally back on my fitness grind and got a chance today to check out the new soul cycle in SOMA SF....love!  For a couple of weeks now, my mind and heart have not been seeing eye to eye and I am paying the price... I'm not where I want to be with my ideal body fat goal. To be very honest, I was gung ho about my fitness in the beginning of the year like everyone normally is every new year...shocking! Sustaining that motivation was a different story. I fell off the train and found nearly every excuse in the book on why I couldn't workout. Don't get me wrong, I've been working out, doing my two times a week workouts with my trainer but it's obviously not enough to get me to my goal. My motivation lifeline flatlined...and it sucked! We all go through these times whether it's our job, fitness, or whatever else it may be in our life and to be frank it's NORMAL. We all plateau but it is so  important to recognize those plateau moments and quickly bounce back. The key is to re-ignite that fire and to get that booty back to work! 

 So you hear the saying all the time, "the mind is a powerful thing." True statement, but, I beg to differ.  Everything in life is dependent on two things in my book: our mindset + our heart. The two together on the same path, are unstoppable! Neither one can co-exist without the other but it's all about finding the right balance between the two. I found that for me personally, that while the mind is a "powerful" tool, it's nothing without your heart. Your heart has to be right on board with your mind. Your mind can light the fire, but your heart will be the fuel to keep that fire burning. Once you've got that "fi-yah" burning, you will find ALL of the right excuses to find time and a way to workout. We are only as successful as we allow ourselves to be, so don't hold yourself from the greatness that you are destined for! Get your mind right and your heart onboard and let that fi-yah burn strong! ✊