Empties #3

This might as well be a favorites post!  I love all of these products and would definitely repurchase them again.

I finally finished my large bottle of Bioderma!  I bought mine from Amazon.com for $29 in January and it has lasted 9 months!  It easily removes all of my makeup... including my waterproof mascara!  It's super gentle & works like a charm.  Love it!

I also finished the sample size of Benefit's They're Real mascara!  This was actually free from Sephora.com as part of their birthday gift!  I love this mascara because it really does add a lot of length and volume to my barely there lashes.  I usually use two coats and it doesn't clump unless you apply more than that.

Also from Sephora, I bought a travel size waterproof eye makeup remover for $7.  Truthfully, I purchased this bottle because the bottom part is a bright blue color that I was instantly attracted to.  It is an oil based product, so you do have to wash your face after using it.  I just apply it to a cotton round and it easily removes all of my cream and powder eyeshadow.  The best thing about this eye makeup remover is how gentle it is on my eyes... no burning sensation, hooray!

Bath and Body Works always sucks me in with their 7 for $20 soaps.  The Fresh Picked Tangerines is Ryan's favorite one so far.  I also used a 10% off coupon + a free body wash on this purchase, so it was a pretty amazing deal!  I would definitely get this one again.

I didn't finish too many products this time, but I certainly love the ones that I did use.  The final item was a sample conditioner from L'Occitane, which is quickly becoming one of my new favorite stores.  It sells for $20, but I could tell immediately that it was repairing my hair!  Amazing stuff!!  

Have you tried any of these products?

My First Jouer!

Today is crazy!! I'll be working for at least 10 hours, but I wanted to take some time to write about what I'm wearing on my lips today.

I received a sample of Jouer's Moisturizing Lip Gloss (full size: $20) in my September Birchbox.  It's about the size of my pinky finger.  The color I have is called "Riviera" and it is a deep red with a small amount of shimmer.

I placed the sample on top of my French Press just to show how small it is!  Super tiny!! I wish it were a little bigger, but I guess this is easy enough to carry around with me.

This product feels super hydrating... like I put on lip balm!  It is probably one of the most comfortable lip glosses I've ever worn (not sticky at all).  At first I was nervous that the color would be a little TOO red, but it applies very sheer and requires a couple of layers to build the color.  Above I have on two coats and you can't tell in the photo, but the glossiness is amazing!

This is the first Jouer product I have ever tried and I'm really impressed with the quality.  I'm not blown away by the color payoff, but it does allow you to build up the color if you want to.  I'd definitely try out a few of their other colors & I've been dying to try the Jouer Matte Moisture Tint to see if it can control my oily skin!  

Have you tried anything from Jouer? 

How To Lose Weight (What I Eat In A Day)

Here is an example of a meal plan for a typical day:

Breakfast: Fruit and Yogurt

Here I have vanilla yogurt (with an almond), cantaloupe, strawberries, raspberries, 

and an orange slice.

Lunch: Tuna sandwich (with light mayo and dried cranberries)

Snack: Hard boiled egg (with light salt & pepper)

Dinner: Grilled chicken with rice & bell pepper

I know a lot of people will say not to eat fruit because it has a lot of sugar in it.  I wish I were strong enough to go for weeks without either natural or artificial sweets, but I just know that I am not.  I figure that my craving for sweets is going to lead me to eat a real, fresh strawberry OR it is going to lead me to strawberry flavored candy.  As long as I'm choosing the natural sugar, I feel like I'm doing okay.

Weekend Warrior Challenge! (Q)

Lately, my weekends have been jam packed with fun!  There's no slowing down in sight either... Ryan and I have booked our next 5 weekends with some amazing vacations -- Hawaii!!!!!

Kallie at But First, Coffee has thought of a really fun and creative way to share our weekend adventures!  It's called Weekend Warriors and each blogger uses one letter of the alphabet as a theme for their weekend post.  I'm so happy to be able to join with 26 other bloggers in this challenge!  

My letter is "Q" & my initial reaction was like o___O ....what am I going to do with Q?

Well, it turns out there's quite a lot!  To celebrate our recent engagement we had a few of our closest friends over to our house for a PARTY!  It was James Bond style, so everyone was encouraged to come as either Bond, a Bond Girl, a villain, or (of course) Q!

Truthfully, I don't know that much about Bond or Q, but Ryan is a fairly big fan. We joke that his celebrity doppelganger is Daniel Craig.  What do you think?

We managed to fit a lot of the people who came to the party in the photo below.  The guns aren't real!  We had an airsoft shooting range set up in the backyard.  

We had movie posters and targets all over the walls and each room had a James Bond movie playing on the T.V.  The living room played Quantum of Solace, which is one of Ryan's favorites!  Of course, there was also a poker game (a nod to Casino Royale) and a fully stocked martini bar!  I must admit, we served horribly unhealthy food that disappeared within minutes!  Pizza, sausages, pasta, queso and chips, pigs in a blanket, tacos, taquitos, quesadillas, chocolate ice cream cake, tuxedo cookies, and more!  It was a pretty insane party & we didn't quit until a quarter to 3!

One of my closest friends stayed the night at our house.  I was glad to be able to spend some quality time with her because she lives so far away!  Unfortunately, she was feeling a little queasy in the morning so we weren't able to have a very big meal before she left.

Instead, we grabbed a quick bite at Quickly!  Quickly is a tea house and boba chain that we have in California.  The menu is ridiculous.  I am tempted to try everything on the menu... just start going down the list because I'm usually fairly boring and always order a milk tea.  

After the party, I'm actually excited to get back on track with healthy eating.  Quaker oatmeal is going to become my new best friend in my quest to lose 10 pounds.  I don't want to look like a blob in my wedding dress so I'm planning to go quasi-vegetarian for the next few months.  I'm still going to eat fish because I can't give up my sushi.  I did this once before for about 5 years and dropped to my best weight ever.  Hopefully, it will work again and I can start to lose my "happy fat."   

Hope you all have a great weekend!

How To Lose Weight (Grocery Haul #1)

Food is almost as exciting as makeup, right?  Well I thought I might share a little on what I'm doing to lose weight.

Diet is probably the biggest factor for me when it comes to losing weight.  I've realized that I can lose 5 pounds just by adjusting the foods I eat.  Of course, exercise plays its part too and is important for maintaining a healthy body.  With the combination of both exercise and diet, I plan to lose 10 pounds!
By diet, I mean they types of food I consume.  I don't mean South Beach or Paleo.  I'm simply not disciplined or dedicated enough to restrict myself to such a degree.  I enjoy food too much!

Here's a list of what I picked up today:

• Sliced Mangos (Fresh Ready Pac from Costco) -- $7.99
• Bag of Spinach -- $3.00
• Yogurt (24 pk) -- $5.50
• Udon and Kale Salad (small) -- $2.00

• Bok Choy (6) -- $1.75
• Grapefruit (4) -- $3.75
• Brie Cheese -- $2.20
• Eggs -- $2.00

Total Shopping Cost: About $28

(Obviously, I'm not a nutritionist or expert when it comes to losing weight.  

I'm just saying what I'm doing to accomplish my goals.)

I've also noticed that by eating healthier, I save money!  More to spend on cosmetics!! :D

What do you eat to lose weight?

Tarte Trio at Sephora

I have been M.I.A. lately!!!  My two new jobs have me spinning.  I love staying busy, but maybe not this busy.  Next week looks like a doozy with at least 60 hours of work ahead of me!  Epps!!

I do have a new outlook on makeup.  Now I want products that last a LONG time and are easy to carry with me.  Tarte is offering a great deal right now at Sephora.com.  You get a lip luster, a lip gloss, and an Amazonian Clay 12-hour blush for $29!!

QTY            1                   2                   3                   4                   5                   6                   7                   8                   9                   10                   

$71.00 $29.00

Tarte Gifts From The Lipstick Tree Achiote Color Collection

The packaging is adorable and the color is perfect for end of Summer/start of Fall.  This has been one of the best deals I've seen in awhile.  The blush alone usually sells for $26.  

What have you been loving lately?