Archive for 2014

Three Steps to Sizzling Summer Legs

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With summer fast approaching, now is the time to refine a routine for drop-dead gorgeous legs. With all those cute shorts and breezy skirts we'll be wearing, our legs will be front and center for attention. It doesn't have to be anything tedious or time-consuming. A quick, easy routine is all it takes to be ready for a day at the beach!

Step One: Remove the Hair!

(Seems obvious, right?!) But, what razor should we use so that our legs don't get nicked-up in the process? My favorite is GILLETTE VENUS EMBRACE.

I love, love, love this razor!!! (Did I mention I love this razor?!)

It has 5 blades so it makes for a much faster shave. But, what makes this truly the best, is the "ribbon of moisture" they place around the blades. As soon as this "ribbon" gets wet, it becomes super slick and it coats your skin as you shave. I have never had such a nick-free shave as I have with this razor! They need to bottle their "ribbon of moisture" and sell it as a lotion because it is some pretty potent stuff! My legs feel so soft and supple after shaving with this razor. 

Another thing I like is the handle. It has a soft grip handle that fits your fingers perfectly (non-slippery, even when wet.) And the blade cartridges are easy to change too. You can buy them in refill packs of four or eight. It's true that the cartridges can be a bit pricey, but I think it's completely worth it for such a smooth shave. It's a truly wonderful product!

STEP TWO: Moisturize!

So many choices for this one! But, I really like VASELINE SPRAY & GO TOTAL MOISTURE. I love that you can spray this on and it absorbs so quickly that you can get dressed right away. There is no sticky or greasy feeling with this like you get with traditional lotions. I always hate that "drying time" you need to give yourself after applying lotion from a bottle. With this product, I just hold the can about 5 inches from my skin and spray evenly. It does require a quick rub-in but absorbs very fast in to the skin. I love that it's pure oat extract so it smells really nice too. (Just be careful about using it while standing on a tiled floor. This stuff coats the floor like cooking grease . . . ouch!)

 STEP THREE: Color!

One of the best things about summer is being able to break out all those great sandals  . . . and painting your toenails is just another summer "accessory" as far as I am concerned. You can change your color as often as your mood and there are just so many pretty colors to choose from! The trick is to get a polish that is long-lasting and chip-resistant. My choice is LA Colors COLOR CRAZE. My favorite summer color is SEA SIREN (it's a bright, bold teal that reminds me of a tropical ocean!) There are TONS of colors to choose from in this line; all reasonably priced. Amazon.com even has a 24-pack kit available for $38 so that you'll have enough color to choose from all summer long!

So, there you have it: Three simple steps to sizzling summer legs! 

(See you at the beach!!)

So you want to be compared to a music DIVA, huh??

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We all emulate the stars to some degree, don’t we? Whether its hairstyles, fashion, or just a little attitude, we’ve all done it once or twice. The easiest way to get a piece of Hollywood these days, is to buy one of the hundreds of different perfumes that are on the market. It seems like everyone has their own scent these days! There is one product line that I love more than the others and that is the line from Jennifer Lopez.

My favorite is still the original, which is "Glow." It comes in a beautiful frosted glass bottle with a faux rhinestone JLo"necklace" hanging on it. Glow is the perfect fragrance for daytime; light and refreshing but not overpowering. In fact, the scent is so subtle, I find myself wishing it was a bit more powerful. Luckily, they make a shower gel and body lotion in the same scent. By using at least one of these in addition to the perfume, I find it is just the right amount for me. The scent blends flowers, amber and fruit with vanilla and the result is clean and fresh. Perfect for the office or out running errands.

For evenings out, I prefer something a little more toxic and rich and LA Glow fits the bill. It comes in a beautiful deep purple glass bottle and holds scents of blackberry and plum along with magnolia and peony. The scent lasts for hours and it's just a bit richer (more sensual) smell than the original Glow. I purchased a travel atomizer (also in purple!) so that I can carry this fragrance with me when I go out to refresh as needed. It's great for a little extra spritz during a night of wild dancing!

It's funny how scent can evoke memories or create an experience so real we are transported in our minds. This is what Miami Glow does for me. It is like sunshine in a bottle! When I spritz this scent on I am instantly transported to the beach or ocean; some place completely tropical. It's a great blend of coconut water, pink grapefruit, passion fruit, crystal mush, sheer amber, vanilla orchid and blonde woods. This scent is ideal for summer and, even in the winter, it instantly reminds me of summer! Miami Glo is basically a hot summer night, the mist of sea water in the air and fruity tropical drinks all wrapped in to one! Don't let the fairly plain bottle fool you . . . this perfume is sultry and sexy!

I love that Jennifer Lopez also offers most of her scents in gift sets. The Miami Glo set comes with a 1oz spray and a compact-size container of Golden Bronzing Powder. The powder was a fun treat as it's not something I would have normally purchased on its own. I enjoyed using it on a night out on the town (though am I not sure that I would purchase it again on its own).

I absolutely love her line! And, I like the fact that she just keeps coming up with more new scents all the time. Even though I have my favorites, it is still fun to try something new. So, check them out! Not only are they reasonably priced and beautifully packaged but, most importantly, they all smell delicious!!

How to ensure that Pregnancy Weight is lost quickly

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Most moms have a tale or two to tell about pregnancy weight; I had a typical experience during my first pregnancy; you see, I had never in my wildest dreams thought I would add that much weight that would make it a nightmare to loss it all. I casually assumed that since it had always been easy for me to lose weight; that I would lose weight would very fast. I was wrong. Truth be told, losing pregnancy weight is extremely difficult that is why one must never become addicted to food when in that pregnant state. As I packed on the pounds through the foods and cravings, with the silly notion of ‘’eating for two’’, I brushed off any thought of anxiety over weight gain as I honestly believed that I would lose it just as fast.

After childbirth, I could barely stand to look in the mirror. I hated what I saw; still, because of I was a lactating mother, I could barely control the hunger pangs and just continued eating. Did I think ‘Lose Wight’, ‘Weight loss’, ‘Belly fat’? Not the slightest bit. In my defence, I started jogging but the pound weren’t falling off just as fast and due to demands, I could barely keep up my jogging routine; I tried dieting but it was not working because I was abstaining from the wrong set foods and eating just what I was not supposed to eat.
Due to the presence of so much estrogen released during pregnancy, most times, it becomes an uphill task to dismantle the stacks of fat firmly built into the body. Also, muscles disappear during pregnancy making it really difficult to lose weight. Anyway, as I stopped breastfeeding, I began to consciously reduce my food intake and lower the frequency at which I eat. I started seeing a semblance of the old me infront of a mirror.

My tummy still was not obeying any reduction exercise then I got introduced to lose weight DVDs which I almost did not use. I was amazed at the transformation my stomach took; it flattened completely. Through my experience, I learnt not to eat for two during pregnancy as well as to eat healthy. It was a really difficult fight; but tell me ladies, do you have an even easier or better way to lose all that pregnacy fat? I really wuld want to know.

Exercises to make you Lose Weight in the Buttocks

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I hate it when my butt does not obey my movements; especially when it wants to fit into pants and it is just not working one bit! All the food I eat just goes down to my buttocks to build a home there. I have tried so many times but it would not lose weight. I often asked a number of my friends who gave me some steps on what to do. I have this close friend of mine who is an expert and instructor in weight loss showed me how to lose weight on my butt. It worked but it stopped because, I did not continue the exercises. She gave me the following:
  1. Walking: A long walk each day, keeps your butt in shape, as well as the muscles
  2. Squats: Squats are authentic for butt weight loss.. It could be rather uncomfortable, nut It fires every little muscle fibre running through your glutens and it not only works just for the butt for the hips, thighs and calves as a bonus. Squats should be a staple of any basic butt routine.
  3. Lunges: This is trusted another exercise that slims the buttocks down. Lunges work multiple muscles at the same time, they are so effective. I would refer you all to YouTube to see how squats and lunges is done.
  4. Indoor Mountain climbing: That if done rigorously slims the butt down.
  5. Running: helps in reducing and sharpening the size of one’s buttocks; it is a cardiovascular exercise that burns calories and tones the butt muscles at the same time.
  6. The Jump and Reach Aerobic exercise: (I have not tried this but people say it works) Start in the same position as a standard squat with your knees slightly bent. Squat downward and place your arms behind your body to prepare to jump upward. Pause for a second at the bottom of the squat, rock your weight into your toes and propel your body upward into a jump. Reach overhead as you jump, bend your knees as you land and rock your weight into your heels to protect your knees from the impact. Move right into the second repetition after you land and continue the exercise for 12 to 15 repetitions.
There are sit-ups that help the butt to shapen up. Still in all, none of them are easy to work on. The good thing is that they are goal oriented. So like I always say, let us be positive and that way we would lose weight real fast. I love you all and till next time take care.
 

Worst Makeup Trends: Celebrity Edition Part 2

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I see you’ve enjoyed the first part of the series, which is why you came in for the second installment. Without further ado, let’s get started with it. I promised you guys a famous pop sensation that we all used to follow closely back in the day. She stole our hearts with her hit single ‘Complicated’, which we all could relate to. Yes, I am talking about the one, the only…

 
Avril Lavigne
 

 


 
Source of disaster: Eye makeup

For me, Avril is unique in a lot of ways; she’s one of those few non-Disney pop stars who rose to prominence at a very early age. Besides the fame and glory that she was surrounded by, she never let it get to her head. I mean she had her hiccups with a failed marriage, but she’s comparatively in a much better position than most of her peers, including Britney Spears.

Lavigne went from a purely tomboyish style to a gothic phase, after which she finally decided to let her inner beauty out, going for more feminine clothing and dying her hair blonde. However, one thing that Lavinge forgot to wash off from the gothic phase is that deep shade of black surrounding her eyes. Look at her; with that gorgeous face cut and naturally appealing eyes, she can almost make the cut for a Hollywood lead girl. That weird smokey eye makeup is the only thing standing in her way, which she doesn’t seem to get rid of anytime soon.
Lindsay Lohan

 

Source of disaster: Isn’t it obvious?
Lohan is one of the prime examples of a Disney star gone bad. Starting out with humble beginnings aimed at children, it comes to wonder how she was ever thought of as a role model for minors. But let’s not bring my judgment into this, just focus on the picture above. I really wish this was photo-shopped, but with 'Bronzer’ being the new term used to define Lindsay in Hollywood besides ‘crack addict’, it’s quite evident that something is wrong.

Lindsay apparently spent a little too much time in the tanning beds to move away from the usual ‘bright white princess’ image. The result? Well…

Looks like she has drawn inspiration from the 60’s classic Goldfinger. Don’t worry Lindsay, you’ll find better movie roles covered in Bronze.

Sarah Harding




Source of disaster: Paper thin eyebrows

Harding is probably the least known celebrity on this list, but her eyebrows still deserve more attention than Lohan and Lavinge’s disasters combined. Straight out of a comic book, Harding took plucking to a whole new level previously reserved for Japanese anime characters.

The result? She looks like a mix between a Barbie doll and a Cougar! We don’t really blame Harding for this one, as her boyish haircut actually matches the eyebrows to form a real life version of a Digimon character.

 
Pictured above: Sarah Harding

So that’s the end of part 2. If you enjoyed reading this, you might want to stick around for the final installment of the celebrity disaster series, where I have even more surprises for you.

Worst Make-Up Mistakes: Celebrity Edition Part 1

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It’s no secret that celebrities are role models to millions of young kids, teenagers and even adults. Heck, you remember that dude from the ‘Leave Britney Alone’ videos that went viral on Youtube? He’s 26 years old! And that’s not all, there’s this other 33 year old man who had over $100,000 worth of plastic surgery done. For what, you ask? To make himself look more like his role model. And who’s that? Well…


Is that you Miley Cyrus?
Now that’s some serious dedication. Anyways, I am getting off track here, my point being that celebrities do have a big responsibility on their shoulders to form an image for others to follow. What Katy Perry wears is bound to be the next hit item on a teenage girl’s wish list.
But every now and then, some of these ‘role models’ do take the ‘unique fashion styles’ a bit too far. They do work most of the times, thanks to their star power. But sometimes, even mega stardom cannot save stars from the disasters that their faces wear. Case in point:
Christina Aguilera


Source of Disaster: Eye Shadow
Christina is one of those few pop artists that made their way to Hollywood’s golden screens, being featured on some movies, which are honestly quite forgettable for the most part. But with the added responsibilities of the golden screen on her shoulders, one would expect her to clear out her act and go for more conventionally style makeups. One to always play with fire, Aguilera decided to go for even more eye shadow, completely failing to blend it in with the rest of her skin tone.

The result? Well it looks like someone forgot to wash off their Halloween makeup.

Emily Blunt


 
Source of disaster: Lipstick
I was a bit hesitant adding Miss Blunt on this list because she has always sported a classy minimalistic makeup that was appealing but still blended in. Unlike most of the entries on this list, Emily’s crime wasn’t ‘obvious’ makeup or excessive color. It was, in fact, the opposite i.e. she blended her lips in a bit too well with the rest of her skin tone.

The result? It’s quite obvious from the picture above. Poor Emily looks like she has just been type casted to play the role of a zombie’s wife. I mean look at that lipstick; it’s just too well blended. With Emily’s natural ‘to die for’ eyes being the only obvious feature on that spotless face, the whole thing starts to collapse on itself.

Fortunately, Emily has learnt from her mistakes, as she has now completely ditched the nude lipstick in favor of darker colors. Good for you Miss Blunt!

And with these two entries comes the end of part 1 of this three part makeup disaster series. Stick around, as we’ve got even more entries on the makeup disaster. As an added bonus, there’s also a teenage pop star in part 2 that we all used to love about 10 years. Nostalgia!

My Experience with Rescue Beauty Lounge Nail Polish

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Last week I made a trip to the local mall. Stepping into the main lobby, what caught my eye was this store at a corner with a display of some expensive designer nail polish in the window, which I’m pretty sure it wasn't available in Singapore. I went straight inside the store. When I moved on towards the display, I was pretty stocked at the price of a particular piece I had been eyeing at for just SGD$20! WOW!
So what exactly was it that had caught my fancy? Rescue Beauty Lounge nail polish; something you must have surely heard of, in view of how it’s one of the best reviewed nail polishes out there. I decided to take one home for myself, just to see if it was worth the higher than average price tag. I picked up the light, muted nude toned pink. This colour is delicate with a little hint of shimmer, perfect for conservative work places. As soon as I laid my hands on the bottle, I could tell from the premium feel of the packaging that this wasn't your average nail polish. Opening the cap, I was surprised by the absence of a petrol or kerosene scent which is usually present in most brands of classic nail polish.
The bottle itself was of very high quality indeed. The polish, on the other hand, was very thick but easy to apply, and in just a single coat my nails were almost completely covered, with the second coat sealing the deal with perfectly opaque colour on the nails. Another thing I liked about the product was the brush applicator; it was manufactured in such a way that the bristles spread evenly and made for a complete coat in just 2 or 3 strokes, which totally helped in preventing uneven application.
Now to talk about how it looks after application, take my word for it… it looks absolutely amazing! Even though it’s pricey, the polish really makes up for it in terms of quality. After the polish dried, my nails looked absolutely fantastic, almost as if I had just stepped out of a beauty salon with fresh professionally painted nails. The colour stood out in a fantastic manner and didn’t even start chipping for more than one and a half of a week!
All in all, I would totally recommend the polish to anyone reading. Regarding variety in selection, there were tons of amazing colours to choose from. It ranges from nude tones to flashy glittery colours that are all the rage these days. Although it’s true that Rescue Beauty Lounge nail polish is priced way above most of the nail colour products you’d usually find, it’s well worth the heavy hit on your wallet when you take into account the superior colour quality and how long it stays on!

Baby Foot Exfoliant Gel Packs For Cracked, Dry Heels

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I am prone to dry, cracked heels. I even have a spot on the bottom of my big toe that gets pretty gnarly too. It’s tempting to pick at all the dry, flaky skin, which only makes it worse and more unsightly. I don’t like showing off my feet when my heels are this bad. I went to get a pedicure once and she did a great job in returning my heels to a beautiful state. I had to maintain my nice smooth feet with moisturizer cream each day and for a while I kept it up.  But laziness got the best of me and I once again found myself needing another pedicure.  Problem is, those tend to be expensive. I’d heard of pumice stones, but I was afraid I might damage my skin and cause more problems. Then a friend told me about Baby Foot Exfoliate Peel.

This product basically consists of a few gel packs. You apply them to your heels and the natural extracts penetrate dead skin cells and start to dissolve the adhesive fibers that hold them onto your feet.  Not much happens at first. When I first used them I thought they weren’t working. But about 3-5 days later I couldn’t believe my eyes.  Large sheets of dead skins just fell from my feet.  To be honest, it was rather disgusting. But after all the peeling was done, my feet were simply gorgeous!  Smooth, soft and just lovely. I still maintain with a good moisturizer, but every couple of months I used some more Baby Foot Exfoliate gel packs and I’m back to baby smooth feet.  It’s glorious.

So if you have dry or cracked heels that you hate looking at, stop being so lazy and go pick up some Baby Foot Exfoliate gel packs and watch the magic happen!

Chamos Acaci Trouble Skin Solution Magic Powder

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So I turned 21 this month, meaning I could now legally drink or smoke. I had officially turned into a young adult! No more babysitting or surprises for me, I am a grown up now! Unfortunately, the latter part apparently didn’t reach my mom, who went through the trouble of organizing one of those silly sweet 16 parties as though I had just hit puberty yesterday.
Needless to say, it didn’t go quite as planned. I was surrounded by my co-workers, half of whom probably didn’t even know my name or how old I was turning. So yeah, it was pretty much a huge wreck. However, out of the many useless gifts that my dining table was littered with after the guests left, there was one item that grabbed my attention.

Yes, this nail polish-esque bottle of pimple remover was the one thing that stood out among other gems such as an iPhone and iPod touch protective cover (none of which I actually owned). Why?
  • ·         Because my face, in particular my forehead was actually suffering from a pimple epidemic at that time which was kind of coincident.
  • ·         There was no gift wrap on the bottle. Heck, there wasn’t even any tag to tell who had gifted it. If I knew any better, I could’ve sworn this bottle was already present at the dining table. There was no indication of it being a gift whatsoever!

Sitting on my couch holding the bottle of Chamos Acaci pimple remover, I pondered over whether the sender had deliberately gave pimple remover to me as a cruel joke, or genuinely wanted to get me something I could actually use. Either way, I decided to make the best of the situation and used it the following night.

This isn’t going to be one of those stories where an ugly pimpled beast turns into a beautiful princess as soon as she applies some pimple remover. Results were slow, but they were present. When I used it for the first time with a cotton swab, I could feel each of my pimples go through a sort of burning sensation, like when you apply anti-septic over a wound. The stinging sensation pertained for a few seconds, which was followed by a more pleasant calming effect over the application area.


The next morning I woke up to see that my formerly dark pimples that were reminiscent of a Victorian era warzone had lightened up considerably. Eh, lucky strike. I had little to no faith that the hard to pronounce Chamos  Acai-whatever would actually help me get rid of the red bastards that dominated my face. However, optimistic as always, I kept on using the Chamos Acaci for a few more days.

The 8th day was significant as it was the day that the pimples on my forehead had subsided. Yes, they were now in continuity with the rest of my skin, meaning that the ugly bastards were now at bay.


By day 16, I couldn’t even locate where my former face-mates used to live; all signs of blemishes had completely been erased! I could actually walk around my office without thinking that everyone was looking at my forehead! Yes, I do miss the lack of attention, but that’s beside the point.

What I Do with My Extra Money?

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In times like these, most of us have to look outside our day job to make sure we can make ends meet. And even if our day job does make the ends meet, everyone needs a little something in the vacation fund. A while back I was looking through some different methods to earn some extra money. I wanted to have a bigger savings account and have a bit more freedom to tackle a few projects. In my search, I stumbled onto a little gem called MicroCap Millionaires. 

First off, I have little to no knowledge when it comes to the stock market. And quite frankly, before MicroCap Millionaires, I had little to no interest in it either. But after reading through their materials and newsletters and watching their videos, I become extremely curious. They constantly point out that trading penny stocks is risky and to prepared for losses, but they also have a high success rate, meaning these guys seem to know the mysterious ways of the markets. 

I couldn’t help myself. I was too curious and kind of down for an adventure, so following their advice and picking the stocks they picked, I invested a little cash into my first stock. It was such an adrenaline high. I was terrified that it would bomb horribly and I would have lost precious resources. But I was also excited at the possibility of turning a profit. 

Then came the waiting. I sat on the stock they told me to pick for about a week and looked for the “exit signs” as they call them. The “exit signs” are what tell a trader to get out before something goes bad. I would have never spotted the trends they see, but then I’m not the expert am I. So anyway, when the exit signs came up, I sold my stock and actually turned a profit! I was beyond ecstatic. I, someone who has never turned to the business section of a newspaper, someone who always turned the channel whenever the news talked about the DOW, just traded stocks and made money! 

So now I’m hooked. I pay attention to one stock at a time and I always prepare myself mentally for something to go wrong, but so far, I couldn’t be happier with the success I’ve seen using MicroCap Millionaires’ methods. I now have some more spending money or, if I want, a little more rainy day money and I’m loving it. 

They have lots of information and videos for you to investigate before you trust your cash to their expertise.  So go and find out if you can turn a little cash in to a lot of cash. 

Feel free to email me or comment below if you have any questions.

Change of Fragrance After a Decade

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Who doesn’t like getting a gift?  My good, great, fantastic and totally awesome friend bought me a bottle of Viva La Juicy by Juicy Couture last Christmas. Now, before I got any further, I must confess, I have been wearing the same Chanel perfume since high school. (Pause for shocked shrieks of horror).
I know, but it seems there are so few perfumes that I really love.  I’m just picky I guess.  So while I love my fantastic, stupendous and oh-so thoughtful friend for sending me this perfume, when I opened the box, I was a bit, well, nervous.
It’s a gift so you want to accept it gladly and be excited, but in my head I was already trying to tactfully word how much I was obviously going to hate this scent the next time I saw my friend.
To my awesome surprise, I took a whiff and fell madly in love with this scent. If I could spritz this post and have you smell this gorgeous stuff somehow, I would.  Let me try and pin down the scent for you. It has tones of berries and mandarin, but it also has a few smells I couldn’t decipher.  I’m not a perfume expert, just in case you were wondering.  When I looked it up on the web, I found that the gals behind this perfume also used Jasmine, Amber, Gardenia, and Honeysuckle.  It’s such a couture fragrance that it doesn’t really matter to me what exactly I’m smelling though. 
I’ve worn it a few times and I always get comments and inquiries as to what perfume I’m wearing and where to get it.  If I’m feeling generous, I might tell people, even though it kind of a secret I’d prefer to keep to myself. 
So if you’re like me and you’ve been going steady with the same fragrance for more years than are worth mentioning, give this perfume a try.

Bad Habit: Stop Peeling Your Lip!

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There is a reason chapstick companies make a lot of money.  Most of us experience dry, cracked, and peeling lips from time to time. I, however, feel like I experience peeling, flaky lips quite a lot of the time. What happens is that because they are flaky, I start to pick at my lips as it really annoys me. This all leads to sores and even bleeding lips. It’s a really bad habit much like biting your nails is.  I have found that I will often pick at my lips due to stress or boredom. It has gotten pretty bad actually. Some people see me and ask if I’d like to try this cold sore treatment they know. Imagine my embarrassment when I tell them it’s not a cold sore, it’s just my bad habit!
Even when I manage to leave my lips alone long enough for them to start to heal,  when I start to feel the edges of the dead skin healing, I’ll pick at them again, making it bleed.... I feel rather compelled to pick off all the dangling bits of skin.  At some point I knew I needed to do something. Where would you have gone for advice or treatment?  Do you think my reaction to stress or boredom is weird or crazy?  What bad habits have you formed when under stress?
Finally, my friend recommended that I should take a chapstick with me wherever I go and stuff it in my handbag. My lips need extreme moisture and they needed it constantly to heal. As long as the chapstick makes my lips feel smooth, I don’t feel that urge to pick at them. And if I do get an urge to pick at my lips, I hurry and apply more. I also have a little tub of Vaseline at my desk, at home and at work. Even though I feel like I've gotten better and I don’t feel the temptation to pick at my lips anymore, I still carry them with me at all times, just in case....
Despite staying vigilant and having a solution, bad habits are sneaky and can creep back into our routine at any moment. It’s a mind game really. Every time I feel tempted to start picking my lips again, I have to discipline myself and tell my mind that it doesn’t really want to go back to that bad habit.  It’s about self-control.  The best thing to do is have something you’ll say to yourself every time you feel tempted. When I feel like picking at my lips again, I say something like, “I want to be able to use lipstick and lip gloss again!" (This could result in a considerable difficulty for lipstick addicts like myself, as nothing seems more serious when attempting to put on red lipstick to crusty, dry, cracked lips.) This way, it helps to retrain my focus and keep that bad habit out of my life.

Have you ever had an experience where you've had to quit a habit?  What helped you?  How do you deal with the temptation to start back up again?  Shoot me your comments, I’d love to hear from you!

What's your favorite book?

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It’s often very hard for me to pin down a favorite movie. People always ask questions like that when they are trying to get to know someone, and I always say some movie that I really like, but a favorite? That I just don’t know.  There are too many to choose from!  But when someone asks me for my favorite book, that I do know.
I generally read a lot of dystopian literature now days. I love The Hunger Games by Suzanne Colins and Divergent by Veronica Roth and one called The Maze Runner by James Dashner. And while I loved all of those, they don’t really hold a candle to my favorite book.  What’s odd is that my favorite book isn't even in the same genre as the ones I mentioned. It wasn't even written in the same century. No, my favorite book is called The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde. It wouldn't surprise me in the least if the person who asked me about my favorite book hadn't ever heard of this book or its author. This book doesn't have an post-apocalyptic world or anything like that. In fact, it is very much like a character drama.
It’s about this young, impressionable man named Dorian Gray. Privileged and handsome, he travels in the best circles and is exposed to many different ideals. What I like about the book is that it is a very rich study into the concept of influence. Dorian Gray is a rather tragic story and the reader has to wonder if one of the other two main characters, Basil and Lord Henry, have anything to do with the story’s rather dark ending. Can we really influence people to their ruin? Even though we all have our right to choose for ourselves, are those that heavily and willfully influence us also to blame when our lives fall to pieces? The premise of the book is that a portrait of Dorian Gray changes and distorts overtime as the real-life Dorian Gray makes questionable moral choices. It makes the reader wonder how different they might act if their soul could be painted for them.
It’s very much a book to think and ponder over. There’s very little action and quite a lot of talk, but it’s witty, intelligent and I love it.

Clothing Brands: How They Play With Our Heads

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Okay, while most of my posts focus on beauty and make up products, I decided to make an exception on this one. The reason is simple; I am pissed! If you didn't know, I go on a one day shopping spree at the start of each month, managing to lose 25% of my paycheck over beauty products. But every 3 months or so, I also stock up on clothing.
My dad used to tell me that the difference between branded and non-branded apparel was just a name tag on the collar. Thinking about it now, If I was one to follow everything my dad told me, I wouldn't be wasting a quarter of what I earn over beauty products now would I? Anyways, so I was window shopping as usual in one of the high end shopping malls, just like 90% of the people that come to the malls, when I came across this...
It was love at first sight right there and then! I mean, look at that beautiful plaid sweater! Look at that awesome contrast! I had to have it, so I went in and inquired about it. After learning that the sweater would cost me $2xx, I decided to do the practical thing and left the store. Psyche! Just kidding, I actually bought the sweater on my borderline maxed out credit card.
I couldn't wait to wear it later that week at a good friend’s surprise birthday party. I didn't even take the sweater out of the packaging for fear of upsetting the holy goddess that dwelt inside my closet. I just wanted to look like the model in the picture!
So I got the sweater straightened out that day and wore it an hour before the surprise was due. Things were all well until I actually started making some body movements. Right then and there, I noticed that the sweater was a bit tight around my belly’s circumference. I tried to loosen it up a bit and then I noticed something else; I simply wasn't looking as good as I thought I would. In fact, the contrast that I saw in the clothing store was barely noticeable right now. It was as if I had bought a different sweater altogether.
As a final ditch measure, I looked up the picture of the model and compared it to myself in the mirror. Though the clothes we were wearing were the same minus the skirt, there were many other differences. For one, I wasn't nearly as tall or light skinned as the model in the picture. Secondly, I didn't have the natural cat eyes she was sporting. After a little more looking around, I realized I had fallen prey to the marketing techniques of these overpriced clothing brands.
You see, these clothing brands hire ‘beautiful people’ to wear their clothes in order to attract us. They try to paint the idea that by wearing these high priced shirts and sweaters, our figure will automatically become closer to what the people in the ad are sporting.
Now sure, the first word coming into your head is conspiracy nut, right?
Here’s an ad from a famous lingerie store:
Point proven! Clothing brands are using misleading advertisements; though on paper this doesn't qualify as a mislead, you, be the judge by yourself whether the ad is misleading or not. Till next time!

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