New Year, new Diet!

it has been awhile since I posted, this New year has started off to be quite busy!! I hope everyone had a fabulous New years though! Hubby & I hosted a new Years party at our house.. it was 'red carpet' themed.. we even made a backdrop like how they do at red carpet events lol.. it was so much fun though, I will post a few pictures from it below!

I have started a new diet and have been on it for 5 days now.. I am sure some of you have heard of it because it is super hot right now! it is called The 17 Day Diet. I saw it on the show The Doctors and it caught my interest, so went to the website and ended up ordering the book that night! it basically is a diet that consists of 4 phases, each phase is 17 days long.. I am 5 days into the first phase.. it is really strict eating.. lean proteins, green veggies, fat free plain yogurt, 2 servings of fruit per day, etc... BUT.. I seriously feel so amazing so far! I have far more energy than I did before and just feel better throughout my days. The food doesn't bother me at all.. I'd say the hardest part for me is that I can't drink in phase 1.. and I would kill for a glass of wine right now ;) but I am staying strong! I haven't weighed myself yet, I am weighing myself weekly, so I will have my first weigh in this coming Tuesday.. Fingers crossed for a big loss =) If you want to learn more about the diet you can go to the website, http://www.17daydiet.com/. You can only get the book online through that site right now. If you have any other questions on it feel free to post them.. I am way stoked that I am doing this =) ...so there is my review, so far, on this new diet that is all the rage!

Here's a few pictures from our New Years! What did you all do?? xo

 The Girls!

 The Guys!

 My girl Tracy & I

 Taking shots of patron.. my favorite!!!

My Hubby & I <3

Happy Merry Belated Christmas to You All..!

I hope everyone had a very Merry, Happy Holiday. I know I did! it was good times with my amazing family who I am so so thankful for! 

I don't know about you all, but my diet has definitely not been good this past week or so due to the holiday season, so today I vowed to get myself back in check!! I don't know if any of you have heard about this, but I am going to be starting 'The 17 Day Diet' plan... I originally heard about this plan through a good friend, and just recently saw it on the show The Doctors.. I am very excited to start this plan! I just ordered the book today, along with the workout DVD, and I can't wait until i get it in the mail =)

I will be posting a Christmas haul blog soon with some of the stuff I got for Christmas.. Maybe tomorrow.. I would love to see what you all received and would love to hear how your Holiday went.. Much love!! xo

What a crazy day of shopping!!!

I literally shopped ALL day today.. and my feet are paying the price!!! Usually I am not one for last minute Christmas shopping, but this year it was hard to find the time to go.. so I literally did ALL of my Christmas shopping today.. I realize that I am crazy!!! The stores were extremely packed but I got everything done that I needed to.. I can't wait til my Hubby opens all of his gifts I hope he loves them!! It is such a high for me to watch him open his gifts =)

I also got some fun stuff for me... I had fun at the Makeup Counters today... 

So this is what I got!!

Benefit Hoola Bronzer - Believe it or not I have never tried this bronzer before, even though I have always heard fabulous things about it!! Well today I got my brows waxed at benefit and decided to finally pick some of this stuff up.. I hope I love it!!

MAC Pro Longwear Foundation - I have been wanting to try this MAC foundation for sooo long! I usually wear Studio Fix Fluid but I heard such amazing things about the pro longwear so I am giving it a shot.. after I use it for awhile I plan on doing a review on this one =)

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Medium Dark - LOVE this stuff for setting my foundation!

MAC Select Cover-up - My most favorite Concealer! =)

MAC Sheertone Blush in Gingerly - Never tried this color before but it looks super pretty and I always love trying new shades! Haven't tried it on me yet though so will keep you posted.

MAC Lipglass in Spite - I've never bought this color before, but it is my new favorite!! It is sooo pretty!! I like nude/neutral lips, but I get pretty tan so sometimes ultra nude lips just look funny on me I think.. Spite is still in the Nude/Neutral category I would say, but a tad on the plumy/mauve side... it is so beautiful I will post some pictures with it on!

I hope everyone has a fabulous Holiday!!! Until next time... xoxo

REVIEW: Acqua di Gioia by Giorgio Armani

Hello Lovelies =)

I decided to do a review on the perfume, Acqua di Gioia by Giorgio Armani, as I finally got a bottle of it on my birthday from my fabulous Husband! I had been wanting to try this perfume out ever since I smelt a sample of it in a Magazine. I am always a little hesitant to try a perfume based off a sample in a magazine because I have found that sometimes the sample doesn't smell at all like the perfume out of the bottle.. But this one did not disappoint..

Acqua di Gioia comes in a simple yet classy bottle. It retails at $39.50 for a 1.0 oz. bottle, or $62.00 for a 1.7 oz. bottle. I am not one for really strong "perfumey" scents, nor am I really one for fruity/sweet scents... This perfume is a tad stronger than what I normally wear, but not too strong... it is the perfect mix!

The main scents in this perfume are crushed mint leaves warmed with brown sugar, Jasmine, Dew of Peony, Pink pepper, Cedar wood, Labdanum, and Italian Limone. In my own words I would best describe this perfume as mysterious yet fresh and very aquatic. I personally smell grapefruit also but that is not listed in the ingredients..

I have been wearing this perfume for the past couple of weeks and I find that the scent does linger throughout my entire day with no need to reapply which is always good! I have also received a lot of compliments on it =)

I'm looking at old pictures...

...And I seriously can't believe how BLONDE I was!! wow...

I sometimes miss it... BUT.. my hair needed a long break from all that bleach and I am currently nursing it back to health..  Maybe I will live a blonde life again one day, but not for a long time.. there is just no way my hair could handle it right now! Plus I am lovin' the dark ;)

Have you ever drastically changed your hair color? Were you happy with the change or did you miss your old color? I would love to hear about it!! xoxo

Beauty Q's.. I tag anyone that wants to do it!!

 I got this Beauty Questionare off Vikki-GabrielleWorld's blog and thought it would be fun to do, so here it goes!

-How many times do you wash your face daily?
Twice.. Once in the morning and once at night.. although there have been some nights that I fall asleep with my makeup on.. it rarely happens, but I won't lie about it.. I hate when I do that!

-What skin type do you have? (dry,oily,combo)
Combination... it's pretty normal but my T-zone tends to be on the oilier side.

-What is your current facial wash?

Neutrogena fragrance-free facial cleansing formula... I am all about simplicity when it comes to face washes.. I have found that using medicated face washes makes my skin break out more.. go figure!

-Do you exfoliate?
Only occasionally on my face.. I probably should more often

-What brand do you use?

Neutrogena - Oil-Free Acne Wash pink grapefruit foaming scrub

-What moisturizer do you use?
Olay Beauty Fluid

-Do you have freckles?
Yes I have a few.. and I hate them ;)

-Do you use eye cream?
Yes.. I am currently using Hempz Age Defying Eye Contour Cream

-Do you or did you have acne prone skin?
I never really did but I'd say this past year my skin has gone a little crazy

-Did you ever have to use Pro-activ?
Yes.. It worked as far as clearing up my skin at first.. but it was very drying, and eventually I felt like my skin got used to the product and it stopped working.

MAKE-UP
-What foundation do you use?
Mac Studio Fix Fluid.. I really want to try Mac's Pro Longwear foundation though!

-How about concealer?
Mac Select Cover-up

-Do you know your undertone color?
I have a warmer, pinkish undertone

-What do you think of fake eyelashes?
I love them.. If I had more time/patience I would wear them every day!

-Did you know that you are supposed to change your mascara every 3 months?
Yes, and I probably change mine sooner than that.. I hate when my mascara starts to get even a little bit dry, it drives me crazy!

-What brand of mascara do you use?
Right now I am liking Maybelline Falsies

-Sephora or MAC?
MAC.. Forever! lol

-Do you have a MAC Pro-card?
Yes, I don't know what I'd do without it ;)

-What makeup tools do you use in make up application?
MAC brushes, my fingers, I am big on Q-tips, and for applying my foundation I use Sonia Kashuk's synthetic flat top brush.. I am obsessed with this brush and it's only about $15 at Target!

-Do you use make-up base/primer for the eyes?
No.. but I should.. sometimes I use Mac's paint pots which act as a base.

-For the face?
Smashbox's Primer

-What is your favorite eyeshadow (color or shade)?
There is no way to answer this.. it really just depends on my moods... but I would say I am almost always either wearing a super dark black eye look, or a very neutral colored eye look..

-Do you use pencil or liquid eyeliner?
I use Mac's Fluidline

-How often do you poke your eyes with an eyeliner pencil?
Not often at all

-What do you think of pigment eyeshadows?
love them, hate the mess that comes with them though

-Do you use mineral makeup?
No.. I have tried to jump on that bandwagon and never liked it

-What is your favorite lipstick?
God this is hard.... some of my favorite's are Mac's Snob, Myth, Innocence! Beware, Cultured... and many more..!

-How about lipgloss?
anything by MAC ;)

-What is your favorite blush to use?
I love Mac's Melba & Loverush.. I love Matte blushes.. not a fan of blushes with sparkle/shimmer in them.. not on me anyways!

-Do you buy your makeup on ebay?
Never have

-Do you like drugstore makeup?
yes yes yes! I am a MAC addict, but there are definitely drugstore products I can't live without too

-Do you go to CCO's? (cosmetic company outlets)
Never been

-Did you ever consider taking make-up classes?
Yesssss, I would love to! I have my cosmetology license and they teach you the basics in school, but I would love to further my makeup education.

-Are you clumsy in putting on makeup?
Not really.. I take my time with it.. If I do my makeup rushed I almost never like the final outcome.. so I take my sweet time lol

-Name a makeup crime that you hate?
eyebrows that are just a penciled line... don't get me wrong, I am all about dramatic brows and I shape/pencil mine to wear they don't look natural at all.. but just a thin line is odd to me.. but to each their own.. the beauty of makeup is that it is an art and everyone has their own style when it comes to art!

-Do you like colorful shades of makeup (lipstick,eyeshadow) or neutral ones?
I LOVE colours!

-Which celebrity always has great make up?
Katy Perry, Christina Aguilera, and my recent obsession is Josie Stevens... I adore her and her style!!

-If you could leave the house using just ONE make up item,what would you use?
Mascara

-Could you ever leave the house without any makeup on?
Yes, and I do.. but I pray I don't run into anyone lol

-Do you think you look good even without any makeup on?
sure, but I feel a million times better with makeup on

-In your opinion, what is the BEST makeup line?
MAC MAC MAC!

-What do you think of Makeup?
I love everything about it and I love trying new looks out... I love buying new products and I know there is so much more to learn.. Makeup is definitely a passion I have

I TAG ANYONE THAT WANTS TO DO THIS......Enjoy

I'm old!! Pics from my Birthday

December 2nd was my birthday, I am now 26.. where does time go!

Despite feeling old, I had an amazing birthday.. this last weekend we had a party at our house for my birthday and I just feel so lucky to have such fabulous friends in my life! Just thought I would post a few pictures from the party... I'll be posting a couple reviews on some items I got for my birthday soon <3

 My fabulous Husband & I

 Love My Girls!!!

 Being goofballs!

 Me being Me lol

 Good friends, Good times!

 Cake time!

 One of my dearest friends & I

 random shot

My bestie & I <3

Product Review: Kate Somerville Eradikate

Lately my skin, which is usually breakout free, has been going crazy!! I can't tell you how many products I ran out and bought, hoping it will help clear my skin up... but none of them worked.. in fact a few of them seemed to make it worse! It was getting so frustrating especially because I usually have pretty good skin... well, the other day I was in Sephora and asked the gal there if there was any product she would recommend for me and my not so great skin.. she immediately ranted and raved about Kate Somerville's Eradikate... she said all of the employees there swear by it and that it acts really fast.. so I decided to give it a try.

Kate Somerville's Eradikate comes in a 1oz. glass bottle. It retails at Sephora for $22.. The active ingredients in the product are Zinc Oxide and Sulfur. Basically what you do is you dip a Q-tip into the bottle and then dab the product onto the affected area.. Something very important to remember is DON'T SHAKE THE BOTTLE! There is pink lotion looking stuff at the bottom and clear liquid at the top and you would think to shake it but you actually want to make sure you store it upright and don't shake it.

I got this product on Tuesday of this week. i washed and toned my face like normal, then dabbed this product onto all of the blemishes on my face.. then I went to sleep. When I woke up in the morning I was seriously amazed... all of my blemishes were pretty much gone! I used it the next night again and no joke, my skin is back to normal! I have never used a product that works so fast and is so effective.. This is definitely a product that I will always keep around. The price of $22 might seem a tad pricey, but really you only use a little bit so I can see the bottle lasting me at least 6 months.

My only complaint is that the product does have a pretty potent smell when you first apply it... but that really isn't a huge deal to me because it works so freakin good! Seriously try this product if you are looking for a good spot treatment, you will not be disappointed ;)

***I AM IN NO WAY AFFILIATED WITH THIS COMPANY, THIS IS MY HONEST OPINION***

Clip-in Hair Extensions...?

Today I took out my hair extensions.. and I feel like I am bald and have no hair!! I am sure it is all in my head... I probably just got so used to having long hair that it only seems like I have no hair... but it sucks really bad lol. I had my extensions sewn in and while I loved them, they were so much maintenance and I just didn't like how they felt.. I usually love when my husband plays with my hair, but with my extensions in I didn't even want him to touch my hair because I knew it felt so weird.. maybe I am just crazy, but this is how I felt.. so I took them out!

Now I am in the market for some quality clip-in extensions. I think I will like clip-ins much better because I'll be able to wear them when I want to ya know.. so anyone reading this, do you have any recommendations for clip-in extensions? Any advice on this is much appreciated <3

Not enough hours in the day!!

Mondays are my day off and today was a busy one.. I had so much I wanted to do! I got up at 8:00, ate breakfast, and immediately started cleaning the house. Jumped in the shower, got ready, and off I went... I got my nails done...  it is amazing how getting my nails done can do so much for my mood ;)

After my nail appointment I went to Target to get some Christmas decor.. I am in such the decorating mood! For the past few years we have done a blue & silver theme with our tree... this year I decided it was time for a change.. I found these beautiful purple/pink/silver ornament balls at Target and thought how cute would that color scheme be.. so I got them! Luckily I have a husband who doesn't mind me decorating our tree with such girly colors ;) I also got some really pretty purple ribbon that I am going to tie into bows on the tree.. I can't wait! We should be getting our tree this week so I will post pictures once we have it. 

I also got a wicker basket and a few random purple/pink ornaments. I had some smell good pinecones at the house and thought they would look cute in the basket with the ornaments placed in them.. I am pleased with the vision I had :)

After Target I went grocery shopping (which was much needed).. then came home, made dinner just in time for the hubby to get home, then ran back out and went tanning and went and got some Christmas sweaters for my puppies.. all they had left were mediums so they are a little big on them :( oh well though, still cute...

Busy day I had!! It's days like this though where I think that someday I wouldn't mind being a stay at home wifey/mommie ;) Until next time!