September Faves

I’m so excited that October is here because it might just be my favorite month in the year. Sweater weather and halloween makes for a perfect combination. September was a pretty exciting month because I started a new school year and all of my new classes. The year has been a bit stressful so far, but I’m hoping the next eight months lighten up a bit.

Here are my September faves!

Beauty:

Tarte Tape Shape Concealer– One of my new favorite concealers has got to be the Tape Shape. It’s full coverage, but also so easy to apply without any mess.

Becca Under Eye Brightening Corrector– I’ve recently been really into color correcting and this one has to be my favorite. It is perfect to add before my concealer because it brightens up the under eye so much.

Ben Nye Pink Powder– I love using the pink powder to bake under my eyes. It makes my under eyes feel so smooth and it keeps my concealer in place all day!

NYX Highlight and Contour Pro Palette– This has been my go to palette for contouring. There is a variety of bronze shades plus a banana powder that is perfect for setting the under eyes!

Fashion

Body suits and high waisted shorts– Now that I’m back in college, I’ve been going out a lot more. The weather was still pretty hot this month so my go-to going out look had to be a body suit tucked into high waisted shorts.

Sandals– Cute and comfortable sandals are perfect for warm weather and look cute with any outfit.

Chunky rings– I love accessorizing with chunky rings. I think it honestly takes a simple everyday look into something a bit edgier.

Entertainment

The Naked and the Famous– I’ve been loving listening to Naked and the Famous while I’m at the gym. The songs are just so upbeat and fun and get me in such a good mood!

GroupMe– GroupMe is a must have app for college students. It’s the perfect app for group chats in case anyone doesn’t have an iPhone. I honestly probably use GroupMe more than I actually text.

Kingsman: The Golden Circle– I just recently saw Kingsman and I loved it! I was obsessed with the first one so of course I had to see the second. Eggsy is just so stinkin’ cute. The only thing is he belonged with Roxy! Did anyone else feel like this too? I don’t want to post any spoilers, but let me know if you’d like me to leave a review 🙂

Food

Mixed berries– I’ve been eating mixed berries every morning as a little side breakfast dish to make sure I am getting my daily intake of fruit. I’ve been loving mixing raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries!

Breakfast sandwiches– I love breakfast sandwiches. I toast a bagel every morning, usually either an everything bagel or a poppyseed bagel, and I add a scrambled egg and bacon and a little bit of cream cheese. It’s my fave.

 

Advertisements

August Faves

Fall is in the air and I’m already missing wearing bikinis and flip flops. I’m all settled at school and ready for my final year. This summer was very productive, and overall I’d say enjoyable. I worked hard and made some new friends, and I’m so sad my final summer is over. I wanted to list some of my final summer faves that I’ve been loving this last month, so here they are!

Beauty

L’Oreal Voluminous Carbon Black– I have been using this mascara for the entire summer and I have to say I love it. L’oreal makes great mascara’s, but this one is definitely one of the best. I usually layer it on top of other mascaras to add length, but this mascara adds crazy amounts of volume.

Rimmel Stay Matte Powder– This powder has been a holy grail product for me. I’ve literally been using it for two years now and I’m not sure if I’ll ever stop. This powder mattifies oily skin, especially in the summer, and isn’t cakey whatsoever. I have combination skin with an oily t zone, but I have issues with dryness under my eyes and I find this powder really locks in my concealer without causing any patches. I use the shade Transparent.

Revlon PhotoReady Airbrush Effect Makeup– Another holy grail product is my Revlon Photofinish Foundation because I think it’s perfect for special occasions. I prefer wearing a light foundation or a BB cream on a regular basis, but I wear my PhotoReady when I want to dress up a little bit nicer. It’s full coverage, but still so lightweight on the face.

EOS Balm– This lip balm is definitely a staple. I keep it in my purse with me at all times to reapply and it really does soften my lips. Plus it’s so cute and smells so good!

Fashion

Keyhole bralettes– I have been wearing keyhole blares constantly. I think they’re super comfortable and loose and can be worn for almost all occasions. You can dress them up for a night out, or wear one casually to the beach.

Cami & high waisted shorts– This has been my go-to summer outfit. Days when I’m lazy and don’t feel like putting together something to wear, I throw on a cami and high waisted shorts and I instantly look cute and put together.

Entertainment

Miley Cyrus– Miley Cyrus has been killing it and I’ve been loving all of her new songs. Younger Now and Malibu have been on repeat.

Duolingo– I think this app is great for brushing up on a language or even just learning the basics. It’s great to get started if you’re interested in exploring different languages.

Food

Parfaits– One of my favorite treats is a fruit and yogurt parfait. I love having Greek yogurt with some berries and adding granola and cashews.

 

Happy fall everyone!

Body Journey

I have found setting goals for myself and posting them publicly really help increase my motivation to accomplish each goal. This goal may be the most challenging so far due to a combination of my busy schedule, and pure laziness, but I am determined to become stronger and healthier. While I want to build a better physique, my main focus is my health and to see how much of a difference changes in my diet and exercise can make. I have always been comfortable and satisfied with my body. I’m a very petite girl and I have come to accept it. This isn’t so much about image, it’s about health, and becoming the best ‘me’ possible. Life is a journey and every day I want to try to make myself a little bit better than I was yesterday. And this includes my health and fitness.

I have always been slightly underweight. I want to gain muscle and become stronger and leaner. I want to tone my body and improve the overall shape I am in.

I will begin this journey with a workout plan and a healthy meal plan. My goal is to work out 5 days a week. I started following a workout plan created by Jen Ferruggia called Bikini Body Workouts. I find this workout plan perfect for beginners like me. It is not too challenging, but just challenging enough to leave me sore the next day. I already feel a difference.

As for my diet, here is what I eat in a week:

Sunday:

Breakfast- Nut butter on toast

Lunch-Chicken salad sandwich (swap the mayo for avocado!)

Dinner– Chicken breast and veggies

Snacks– Veggies and hummus; pumpkin seeds and cashews

Dessert– Ice pops made of fruit juice

---

Monday:

Breakfast– Fruit smoothie

Lunch– Salad with mixed greens, berries, nuts, chicken breast, and a balsamic dressing

Dinner– Salmon and veggies

Snacks– Tea plus mixed fruits; frozen yogurt

Dessert– Greek yogurt blended with frozen berries

---

Tuesday:

Breakfast– Berry parfait with greek yogurt, granola, and nuts

Lunch– Chicken salad wrap with lettuce and dried cranberries

Dinner– Salad with leftover salmon and veggies

Snack– Dark chocolate, mixed fruits

Dessert– Banana and peanut butter

---

Wednesday:

Breakfast– Oatmeal

Lunch– Turkey and avocado sandwich on rye bread

Dinner– Spaghetti with pesto and spinach

Snack– Homemade trail mix with nuts, dried cranberries, pretzels, and dark chocolate; sliced apples and peanut butter

Dessert– frozen banana dipped in dark chocolate with a side of berries

---

Thursday:

Breakfast– Scrambled eggs with a side of fruit and vegetables

Lunch– PB&B sandwich

Dinner– Turkey and rice

Snack– Pretzels; mixed fruits and veggies

Dessert– Oatmeal cookie

---

Friday:

Breakfast– Acai bowl with berries and bananas topped with peanut butter or honey

Lunch– Chicken noodle soup

Dinner– Shrimp scampi

Snack– frozen grapes; yogurt

Dessert– Frozen yogurt

---

Saturday:

CHEAT DAY!!

Of course my diet may not exactly follow this schedule and some things change day to day based on what I have in my house and what is available to me, but for the most part, these are the foods I keep in my diet. Not everything is perfectly healthy, but it’s a great combination for me of nutrition without ridding myself of all of my favorite things. Not to mention these recipes are simple and do not take an excessive amount of time for preparation.

I’m excited to work on myself and my body and to become the best me possible. I want to become healthy and strong and I am determined to stick to it.

Peanut Butter M&M Cookies!

Today I’ve decided one of my all time favorite recipes that I bake for every occasion! These peanut butter m&m cookies are soft, creamy, and delicious! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter, softened (1 stick= 1/2 cup)
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup peanut butter (preferably creamy)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 & 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 & 1/4 cups m&ms

Directions: 

In a large bowl, mix together the butter, light brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth. Slowly mix in the peanut butter, egg, and vanilla extract. Add the flour and baking soda. Mix well. Fold in the m&ms. and mix throughout batter. Allow dough to chill for about one hour, or until firm.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll dough into balls placing them on greased cookie sheet. Press down slightly. Bake for 8-9 minutes. Once finished, allow cookies to sit for a good three minutes as they will bake a little bit longer on the sheet and cool down. Allow cookies to cool completely before serving.