Diet fixes for glowing skin!

Good morning, lovely ladies!!!

Today I want to share with you some of my best diet tips for glowing skin! Now is the time when much of our skin is showing as we accommodate the changing climate, and putting our best skin forward has never been more on forefront than it is right now! I am here to do whatever it takes to help you feel your best, look your best, and be glamorous this summer. Whether you plan to go to the beach, lay out or play by the pool, barbecue in your own backyard...heck, even just sit in your living room...incorporate these tips that I have listed for you below, and glowing skin will be all yours in no time! ;-)

10 summer fitness ideas!

Good morning, everyone!

Today I want to share with you 10 fun fitness ideas to help you refresh your summer fitness routine! Doing the same work-out routine over and over again may be simplistic and easy, but it is not going to get you, or anyone for that matter, into incredible, bikini-body shape! To increase your level of physical fitness, you must remain fully engaged during your work-outs, be interested in your work-out routine, and activate different levels of your body's fitness (i.e.: endurance, agility, muscle strength, cardiovascular strength, and flexibility). These 10 activities are designed to do just that, and you will have fun doing them too! I encourage all of you to try at least one or two (or more!) of the fitness recommendations that I have listed below, and to incorporate them into your summer routine.

Homemade chicken caesar salad with crispy, baked chicken!

Good afternoon, everyone!

Today I want to share with you a light dinner recipe that I like to make for my loved ones in the summer! Caesar salad is his favorite salad dish, and now that the weather is warmer, I have added some baked chicken and turned it into dinner! This recipe is great for days when you may be playing outside and do not have a lot of time to prep and cook, or if you get home late and do not want too big of a meal, too close to bedtime. If you like your salad more filling, load up on the crispy chicken, croutons, parmesan cheese, and add a piece of bread on the side. If you want a lighter dish, keep the more filling ingredients to a minimum.

Enjoy! :-)


What you'll need:

• 1 head of romaine lettuce
• 1 package of Texas toast Caesar or Seasoned croutons
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 T freshly squeezed  or bottled lemon juice
• 1 tsp dijon mustard or mustard powder
• 1 t worcestershire sauce
• 1 cup Canola mayonnaise
• 1 lg. container of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (at least 1 1/2 cups)
• 1/4 t salt
• 1/4 t ground black pepper
• 4-5 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
• 2 eggs
• 1 T fresh or dried parsley (optional)
• salt & pepper
• Seasoned whole wheat or white breadcrumbs 
• Canola oil cooking spray

Directions:

1) Prepare a foiled and oiled baking sheet for your chicken breasts and retrieve the first 10 ingredients to prepare your salad mix and dressing! :-)

2) Wash, cut up, and set aside your head of romaine lettuce in a med.-lg. salad bowl. Then mince up your 2 cloves of garlic, set aside, and retrieve a medium-sized bowl to start on your salad dressing.

3) In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the minced garlic, lemon juice, mustard, and worcestershire sauce. Then add 1/2 cup of Parmigiano-Reggiano, salt, pepper, whisk until combined, and add water in small quantities to your dressing mix until you get the consistency you desire.

4) Retrieve 2 medium-sized shallow and wide bowls for egging and breading your chicken and preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. Fill 1 of the bowls with 2 eggs, 1 T parsley, salt & pepper, and the other with seasoned breadcrumbs.

5) Egg and bread your 5 chicken breasts, place them on your foiled and oiled baking sheet, and give them a hefty spray of Canola oil cooking spray.

6) Place them in the oven and set a timer for 10 minutes. When the timer goes off, turn up the heat to 400 degrees F, flip each breast, give each another good spray of Canola oil, and bake for another 5-10 minutes (depending on how thick your chicken breasts are). *This will make your chicken breasts nice and crispy! :-)

7) When your chicken breasts are done, let them cool for 5 minutes, and cut into bite-size chunks.

8) Top each plate with lettuce, parmesan cheese, croutons, crispy baked chicken, and homemade dressing! 

Happy Friday!

Xo -Jess

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DIY Swiffer Wet pads!

Good morning ladies & gents!

Today I want to share with you my DIY recipe for Swiffer Wet pads! Say "so long!" to spending $10 on a box of wet pads every 2 weeks, because you can make your own for a fraction of the price! These pads are thinner than the Swiffer pads that you're used to, but they do just as good of a job at cleaning, and are an incredible bargain for family's on a budget! :-) You will need only 3 ingredients: 1 which you can find at your local hardware store, and the other 2 at your local grocery store!

Enjoy! :-)


What you'll need:

• Scott "Rags In A Box", 200 ct. (Sold at Ace Hardware, The Home Depot, Lowes, Sears Hardware, Staples, Office Depot, & Amazon.com).

• All-purpose cleaner spray of your choice (I like to use Method Pink Grapefruit or Lavender All-Purpose Cleaning Spray (Eco-Friendly), or Windex Multi-Surface Antibacterial Spray).

• Long, rectangular Tupperware container for storage.

Directions:

1) Tear off 36 rags from your "Rags In A Box" and place them, folded neatly, into the bottom of your Tupperware container.

2) Pour in your All-purpose cleaner of choice until all of the pads are just dampened/ saturated!

3) When you're ready to use them, pull a sheet out and attach it to your Swiffer in the same way that you would a regular Swiffer pad and start cleaning! :-)

Price difference?

Swiffer Sweeper Wet Mopping Cloths, 12ct.- ~$8-10/ 36 ct.- ~$14

DIY Swiffer Wet Pads, 200 ct.- < $14

Benefits?

You can choose any scent of a cleaner that you want (Ex.: Lavendar, Vanilla, Pink Grapefruit, Lemon, etc.).

You can change up your All-purpose cleaner based on the floor type that you are cleaning (Hardwood, Linoleum, Tile).

You get more than 5x the amount of 36 ct. Swiffer Wet pads for less than the price of one package!

Have a great day!

Xo -Jess

My top 20 makeup products of 2011!

Good morning, ladiesss!

This is another post for you! <3 :-)


Today I want to share with you my top 20 makeup products that have lasted me throughout 2011, and into the new year. For those of you who do not know- aside from my love for the medical world, biochemistry, pharmaceuticals, nutrition, and fitness- makeup is next runner up as far as my top interests go! I got my first makeup and perfume collection when I was in fourth grade (12 years ago), and have never looked back. I remember mixing potions and concoctions in my room that probably should have never gone together (praise Jesus; our house never blew up). Still to this day my mother says to me, "Jessie- I always knew you were going to be a chemist!".

Anyways, a few years back around the Spring of 2009, I embarked on a serious makeup hunting journey. With any free time that I had leftover after college classes, household responsibilities, assignments, and work, I  would track down each and every piece of makeup that I could get my hands on & afford that I felt needed to be a part of my collection (obsessive compulsive, much?). I spent several hours each month researching videos and articles on tips & techniques to achieve different makeup looks just for fun, and still do! Collecting and applying makeup (natural-looking makeup, anyway. Haha!) has been somewhat of a creative outlet for me, and I love doing it! :-)

These are 20 of my tried and true favorites that I have kept over the years, that I think all of you ladies should try! Even if you have never considered wearing makeup before, I encourage you to give these products a shot if you plan on trying out makeup for the very first time! :-)


Enjoy! <3



1) Bare Minerals Spf 15 Matte Foundation

This foundation is excellent for people who have oily, combination, acne-prone skin like mine, or for any skin-type during the summer! If you have tried the original Bare Minerals foundation and did not like it, I highly recommend trying this formula out! Bare Minerals Matte foundation is completely different from Bare Minerals original, and in my opinion, works much better with blemishes and/or other skin imperfections! It looks just like your real skin- but better! ;-) This foundation is breathable, build-able, natural-looking, offers light to medium coverage, and contains no reflects to catch any shine. I recommend using it in conjunction with a face primer (apply the primer first) to get your most perfect and smooth finish, and then set it with a makeup setting spray such as Mac Fix +, to take away any powder that may collect on baby hairs around your face. The reason why this has not been featured in any of my FOTD blog posts is because the color that I have (medium beige) is too dark for my skin right now. :-( Once summer rolls around and if I start to use my gradual tan moisturizer again, you will likely see this bad boy come around! ;-)



2) Coastal Scents 88 Warm Eye Shadow Palette

The Coastal Scents 88 Warm Eye Shadow Palette is essential for anyone looking to expand their makeup collection! It contains 88 shadows in gorgeous, & completely wearable shades, can multi-task for day and night, and can be mixed and matched in hundreds of ways! Aside from this particular palette, Coastal Scents also sells all other kinds of girly things for great, affordable prices. If you are on a budget, but want to look and feel glamorous, this is your pick! *Other items that www.coastalscents.com sells are lip glosses, loose eye shadow pigments, skincare products, raw ingredients to make your own cosmetics, essential oils, makeup brushes, etc.!



3) Too Faced Shadow Insurance

For those of you who regularly read my blog, you have probably already seen this featured in 2 of my other blog posts! I started using Too Faced Shadow Insurance a few years go when I started having a problem with my eyeshadow creasing by the end of the day. This product is a "primer" that locks eye shadow down on your eye lids from dawn until dusk, and keeps it perfect- like you have just applied it! This is a must-have for all eyeshadow wearers who have oily or combination skin, for those who apply moisturizer around their eye area, or for all eyeshadow wearers in the summer! Say goodbye to creased eyelids, and hellooo to perfect shadow! :-)



4) Nars blush &/or bronzer

Nars blush is the creme de la creme of blushes & bronzer! Their colors are ALWAYS on trend, work with a variety of skin-tones from light to dark, and can bring out the natural glow in almost anyone's cheeks! If you are looking for a product that is luxe and glamorous, have a few bucks to spend, and want to take your makeup application to the next level- this product is it!



5) Bare minerals 100% Natural Lip gloss

Bare minerals 100% natural lip gloss has to be- hands down- my favorite lip gloss brand of all time! All of their colors are fresh, vibrant, come with a flattering mineral iridescence, and a gorgeous sheen. If you want lip gloss that will give you juicy lips for summer, you need to get one (or some!) of these! :-)


6) Laura Mercier Mineral Powder Spf 15

You have all probably heard me rave about this by now! Laura Mercier Mineral Powder Spf 15 is my current holy grail foundation! This is a flawless, apply-and-go powder foundation, with extremely fine-milled & pearlized particles to help enhance your natural glow. No primers & barely any touch-up concealer are needed, and you get a light to medium coverage, with a flawless finish! This product beats out Bare Minerals Matte in my opinion, because it is quicker to apply, never fails to make your skin look better (even on the driest of mature, bumpy, and uneven skin!), and can be left alone or set with a makeup setting spray, and still look fabulous! I highly recommend this foundation for normal, oily/combination, problematic, or mature skin-types! :-)



7) Mac Fix + (makeup setting spray)

Mac Fix + is a makeup setting spray. It is basically a cocktail of purified, ionized water with added glycerin (to smooth and protect the skin), vitamins (to replenish lost nutrients), and green tea extract (to enhance your natural glow). This product is meant to be sprayed on the skin a few inches away after applying your foundation and/or powder to lock in moisture and seal your makeup & skin. This is a must-have product for that "dewy" foundation look, mineral foundation users, or those with the driest of skin-types. *I highly recommend this for aging skin! :-)



8) Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer

Bobbi Brown creamy concealer (or corrector) is THE must-have under-eye concealer for under-eye circles, discoloration, redness, tired, or aging eyes! It applies opaque and creamy, works well with liquid and/or mineral foundation types, and hydrates the delicate skin around the eyes very well. I recommend setting this with your regular face powder, mineral foundation, or the powder that comes with the creamy concealer kit to make sure it does not budge or settle in any fine lines all day. This product will last you around 2-3 months with daily application, and will for sure be a purchase that you will not regret! :-)



9) Too Faced Natural Eye palette

You have all probably seen this eye shadow palette featured within every one of my FOTD's by now! If I had to throw away all of my other makeup products and only keep 5, THIS would be one of them! The Too Faced Natural Eye palette is my everyday go-to eyeshadow palette for day-time/ night-time makeup looks. With 9 versatile shades, and over 80 different ways to apply them, you can never get bored with your makeup routine! These shadows are pigmented, smooth, 100% blend-able, and excellent quality. I like to use different combinations of the colors Sexpresso, Erotica, and Cocoa puff for my eyeliner, Heaven as an above-the-crease color (to blend out my eye shadow looks), and Honey Pot to brighten up my eyelids. *I highly recommend this if you want an everyday go-to makeup palette that is easy to take with you on-the-go! You will not be disappointed. :-)



10) Bare Minerals eye shadow

As for every other product that Bare Minerals seems to nail so effortlessly on the head, their eye shadows are another hit! Bare Minerals eye color comes in a multitude of shades (much more than what is shown above!), and all of their colors range from vibrant, iridescent, to matte, or shimmery. If you want non-irritating eye makeup and gorgeous eye shadow shades, Bare Minerals eye color is it!  My absolute favorite quality of their shadows is that they are natural-looking and versatile. You can opt to wear an extra shimmery, glamorous shade for night if you wish, and/or a subtle, iridescent shade for daytime! This brand never goes wrong!



11) Urban Decay eye shadow

Urban Decay is one of the most famous, and luxurious eye shadow brands! Having been around for years now, this brand has dominated the competition along with Mac Cosmetics. Their shadows are infamously pigmented, super blend-able, and range from matte to glittery. If you are going for an all-out, glamorous eye look, and want a natural or in-your-face color selection, this brand is my top recommendation for you!



12) Mac eye shadow

Mac eye shadow is like the sophisticated mother of all eye shadows (not to be confused with out-of-date style!). For decades now, Mac Cosmetics has remained on top of the cosmetics industry, creating new makeup collections, ranges, and product launches practically every month! Their shadows are extremely blend-able, range from shimmery to matte, and are great for building a professional-status makeup collection! The best feature of Mac eye shadows has to be their color selection. They, by far, out-beat all other eye shadow brands for having the widest range of finishes and colors for the eyes!



13) 100 % Pure brand bronzer &/or blush

This brand is very dear to my heart. *100% Pure, let me make products for you, please?* Anyways, 100% Pure makes all-natural fruit and vegetable pigmented makeup and body products that are high-end, retail brand quality! In the picture above I am wearing both their bronzer & blush, and they never fail at making skin feel amazing. If you have normal, oily/combination, acne-prone, or aging skin- this brand makes the perfect products for you. Heck, if you are anyone who cares about your skin- this product is for you! 100% Pure is one of the very few makeup brands that is breaking through the barrier that separates synthetic, factory-made cosmetics from fresh, natural ingredients, and they blow the competition away! Eco friendly and effective, and doubling as a skincare regimen- this brand never goes wrong! ;-)



14) Sephora Collection lipstick &/or lipgloss

Sephora Collection is the new up-and-coming rivalry amongst other high-end cosmetic brands! They are offering almost identical products (such as the gorgeous lipstick and lip gloss shades above!) for cheaper, more affordable prices, and are offering them in a variety of finishes and shades! Their glosses are similar to Bare Minerals' lip glosses (which is probably why I love them so much!), and they come in variations that range from opaque to glittery and clear. If you want high end makeup, want to treat yourself for a special occasion, but don't want to shell out the big bucks- this brand is for you!



15) Sephora Collection blush

Sephora Collection blush is another product that Sephora came out with that rivals other high-end, popular brands. Their blushes are pigmented, glide like silk, and imitate Nars' blush color selection so that you can get the most on-trend look for an incredible price! If you want glamorous blush, but do not want to spend $28 on a top quality, high-end cheek product, settle for this and pick a color almost identical to it! :-)



16) Revlon Color Burst lipstick &/or lip gloss

Revlon has become the creme de la creme of drugstore products! They now have face powders, foundations, lip glosses, and lip sticks that grab inspiration from many high-end makeup brands, and have a luxe feel with their new packaging. If you want excellent quality drugstore lipstick or lip gloss, I recommend trying this brand out. Their ColorBurst line in particular has the most fashion-forward color selection, and a great feel on the lips. Their lipsticks and lip glosses are so moisturizing that I sometimes even forget to apply my lip balm!



17) Monistat Chafing Relief Powder-Gel (Smashbox face primer dupe)

I am sure you have all heard of face primers by now, but if not, you will now! Face primers are silicone/glycerin gels that get applied to the face to protect and smooth out the skin, and prevent makeup from catching any "imperfections". They dry to a silky and powdery finish and are meant to make even the worst of skin (acne, large pores, indented scars) look as flawless as can be with foundation on! This brand in particular is a popular dupe for high-end Smashbox Photofinish primer. You get a much larger quantity for a fraction of the price, and with all of the same ingredients. The only difference is the pretty packaging, and who needs that?! You can find this at your local supermarket or drugstore near the feminine products section. :-)



18) Maybelline Falsies mascara

I LOVE this mascara! Maybelline Falsies is a mascara that grows on you (literally!). The first time you use it, you may think that the formula is a bit goopy, or that your lashes look a bit clumped and un-natural- but do not be fooled! This mascara improves tremendously with time! As air gets inside the tube, the formula dries out to the most perfect consistency, and once you get the hang of how many coats your length of lashes need- you will never use another mascara again. As you can see in the Before photo, my lashes went from long, slightly curled, and barely visible from the front- to curled, voluptuous, and almost twice the size. Try it out! :-)


19) Loreal Voluminous mascara

This is my second favorite mascara! Loreal Voluminous builds bold and thick lashes with several coats and can transition your eyes from day to night with just a few extra coats! The wand is a bit clumpy, however, so you may find it useful to switch the wand out for another favorite mascara wand- or it may just be me because many find this wand to be perfect for its intended use! I recommend purchasing this with a lash comb or inspecting the wand for clumps before each use to get your best results, but if you do not, the formula is so perfect that it barely even makes a difference. I like to use this in conjunction with my Maybelline falsies mascara to get my desired look. I apply 2 light coats of this over both the top and bottom of the length of my lashes, and then wiggle my Maybelline falsies in at the root!



20) Bare Minerals blush

*Ohhh my Bare Minerals blush, how I love you!* Okay, back to reality. This blush is another incredible product from Bare Minerals. It has the same glowy and radiant finish of a Nars blush, but is au naturale & made from minerals! If you want to amp up your makeup routine, but at the same time still preserve the integrity of your skin, this mineral blush is for you!



My favorite application tools: 

Bare Minerals Full Flawless Face brush, Bare Minerals Tapered Blush Brush, & Stila #30 Double Sided (eye shadow) Brush.

Have a great day!

Xo -Jess

My top 10 tips for maximizing your workout on a treadmill!

Good morning, everyone!

Today I want to share with you my top 10 tips to get the MOST out of your treadmill workout! Now if you are like me, you do not like to waste time doing anything. If working out is not going to get results, then why do it, right? This post is about getting the most shred for your strut, given whatever time you can make available to work out.


Enjoy! :-)



1) If you are starting out, do not add intensity and time to your treadmill workout all at once, as this can lead to injury. Instead, gradually add time to your workout first, and then add intensity (a.k.a. speed or incline) later!

2) To improve the strength of your heart, incorporate interval training! :-) You can do this by alternating the speed and/or adding percentages of incline in intervals during your treadmill workout. *I like to increase my speed until I am doing a fast jog (around 5.5 mph), and then bring my speed down and push my incline up to 12%!

3) Use a TV to help you with your workout by working harder every time a commercial comes on! *I like to walk at a fast pace, and then run during every commercial break. :-)

4) Use the incline on your treadmill to tone your muscles! Set your treadmill on an incline that your current physical fitness can handle, but that is still slightly uncomfortable. Increase the incline from that point every 3 minutes, and then decrease it back to your starting incline. Move your arms, tighten your abs, do this for 20 minutes+, and say hello to a toned new body!

5) Ignore all of the settings on your treadmill when it comes to fat burn. The longer and farther (distance) you go, the more total fat you will burn on your treadmill. The ideal time to spend to send your body into a steady fat burn is 45 minutes- but if you can only make time for 30 minutes, it is better than nothing! :-)

6) Set your treadmill at 1% incline if you want to get the same workout as working on a flat surface.

7) Add 5 minutes to your treadmill session every week to avoid plateauing! Rather than doing 20 minutes every time you go, increase your time weekly, and you will strengthen your cardiac (heart) muscle, amp your results, and increase your body's ability to endure stress.

8) To make transitioning into running easier, start out on an incline on your treadmill, and lower down to a flat position every time you are about to run. Doing this will help you feel & become stronger, and in return, you will be able to run faster! :-)

9) Tone your arms while you are on the treadmill by carrying 3-5 lb. weights while you jog!

10) Instead of using your Ipod to zone out and consequently lower the intensity of your workout, use your Ipod to increase it! Every time a new song comes on, increase your speed by 2 mph, and then lower it back to your initial speed in intervals.

Have a great day!

Xo -Jess