Today's Fitness Motivation

The word of the day is:

There is no point in getting fit if you aren't going to be consistent! You can do a super intense workout once every two weeks and I promise you you won't see significant results. You have got to aim high!

You can do it!

xoxo,

OSCARS

OH MY GOODNESS THE OSCARS.

Obviously, a big part of the night is the discussion over what everyone is wearing. These are a few of my favorites that I saw!

1. Jennifer Lawrence in Dior
It is hard not to love JLaw with her intense relate-ability combined with her knack for consistently wowing us on the red carpet. Her dress tonight was so gorgeous, starting out simply enough and then erupting once it passed her hips. Do you know what I loved the most about her outfit, though? The long pearl strand hanging down her back. That was the icing on the cake for me.

2. Sally Field in Valentino
Sally knows how to age gracefully. She has been beautiful through each phase of her wonderful, talent-filled life, and yet I was still surprised by how perfect she looked tonight! That gorgeous red hue was perfect for her coloring, I think, and the bottom of the gown just killed me as it fluttered behind her.

3. Catherine Zeta Jones in Zuhair Murad
Oh my God. This gilded nude dress made me go blind for a minute, and in the best way possible. She looks like an Oscar herself! It had a very 20s-esque feel to it, with the exception of the neckline which was slightly reminiscent of the '50s bodices to me.

4. Maria Menounos in Romona Keveza
THIS BITCH. She always looks perfect. It's those damn Greek genes. Seriously, have you ever met an unattractive Greek? But that is beside the point. This dress makes me want to scream, it is so amazing. The color, the shape, the ACCESSORIES. Ahhhhhhhhh I am legitimately swooning over this dress.

And the Man of the Night goes to....

Bradley Cooper.

Apparently, Kristin Chenoweth got so frazzled at one point before the show that she lost her shoe in the vastness of her dress. Bradley Cooper, being the teetotaler gentleman that he is, bent down, lifted up her hemline, found her shoe, and put it on her foot for her.

CINDERELLA, ANYBODY?!?

In addition, when JLaw fell on her was to accept her award for best actress, Bradley immediately showed up with a hand outstretched to help her back up. She didn't utilize his offer, but still. He wins all the award in my book.

xoxo,

February Wishlist

I'll make this short and sweet: I want things. 

Yes, I am a shameless shopaholic. I can't help it.

Well, I could if I wanted to, but I don't. So.

Here are the things that visit me in my dreams...

1. This ADORABLE bow from ColorDrop on Etsy.

2. Also from Etsy, these killer shades from txpgrove. 

3. Beach Glass Chuck Taylors.

4. Urban Decay's Naked 2 Palette from Sephora.

5. This Mercedes from Heaven...

That is all for now! 

xoxo,

My Tried-and-Trues

I am not one to buy the same product over and over again.

I'm constantly trying out new products, rarely re-purchasing.

But there are some things that I can't deny are simply the best, and I have found myself buying them time and time again!

Here they are, my tried-and-true products:

For my face:

Trader Joe's All-in-One Facial Cleanser. Trust me, I am the last person to expect anything good from a generic, simple facewash, but WHOA. I don't know what it is about this one, but it leaves my skin clean, smooth, and clear! Like, WHAT?

Nelson's Pure & Clear Nourishing Moisturizer for Acne Care. This is yet ANOTHER health foods store purchase! I got this from Whole Foods, and again, my skin feels instantly smoother and clearer. Good stuff!!!

For my hair:

Loreal EverCreme Intense Nourishing Shampoo, Conditioner, and Leave-in Spray. Guys. I hate buying the same hair products. Trust my, I have tried to stray from this stuff, but I keep crawling back. It makes your hair soft, tangle-free, and shiny! For real! Look, I have some really annoying hair--some of it is super kinky and coarse, some of it is super fine, and the rest is in the middle. This line is the only thing that smoothes the kinks, hydrates the brittle ends, and leaves my hair feeling super healthy. Ever since I started using it, I keep getting comments on how healthy and pretty my hair is!

For my body:

Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Massage Lotion of Stretch Marks. I started using this stuff a few years ago when I realized that I had stretch marks all over my butt and upper thighs. I had tried Bio Oil and Mederma and just about every other stretch-mark treatment there was out there, but this one worked the best, and the fastest. I still use it to prevent more of those pesky purple lines from showing up, and I have started using it all over my body just because 1) it smells so good and comforting, and 2) it seriously leaves your skin even-toned and glowing. A must-have, even if you don't have stretch marks! And if you do, I have a quick word to say: Don't be ashamed. Our bodies cannot be perfect. Those lines show that you are becoming a woman or a mother. Both wonderful things. They show how hard it is to be a woman, and that you are tough. Love your body, stretch marks and all!

Caress Passionate Spell Body Wash in Passionfruit and Fiery Orange Rose. I originally bought this because I was out of soap and wanted a super cheap one. This one happened to smell really good, so I nabbed it. First off, it leaves your body smelling SO sexy, and also I've noticed that my skin feels even and smooth. It isn't advertised as anything other than a good-smelling soap, but I really think it does good things for your skin!

Other:

Colgate Total Advanced Whitening Paste. Ever since I started using this toothpaste, I've noticed that my teeth are significantly whiter! My smile is brighter and my teeth feel so, so clean. 

A+D First Aid Ointment. Okay, this one goes way back. My mom used to use this on my sister and I for DIAPER RASH. Like, that's 23 years ago. (My sister turns 23 today!) I use it on literally everything. You know how, in My Big Fat Greek Wedding, the dad believes Windex can fix everything? That's how I am with A+D. I put it on my eyebrows and eyelashes to make them grow (seriously it works. SERIOUSLY.), on my lips to moisturize them, and on scars to fade them. I literally swear by this stuff. When I die, I want to be buried with two things: my Guns 'N Roses CD and a tube of A+D.

Alright, there you have it! My favorite products of all time. I would not post about them if I didn't believe they are the best of the best. Try them out, let me know what you think!

xoxo,

Layla Hologram Effect Nail Polish in 08 Flash Black

Holy crap you guys.

I am obsessed with this nail polish. I got it on sale at Ulta and and hardcore in LOVE.

Like, it is my valentine.

It is...drumroll please...

Layla Hologram Effect! Usually it is super pricey (I think like $20), but I got it for $6! So I obviously bought two.

Here is my favorite: 08 Flash Black

Look at it.

LOOK AT IT.

IT'S BEAUTIFUL.

I applied two coats and a topcoat of Seche Vite Dry Fast TopCoat, which is another reason in and of itself to celebrate. It dried so quickly and my nails are super shiny!

So, here is my advice: If you can find Layla nail polish for cheap anywhere, GET IT. It doesn't look very promising in the bottle, but I swear to Chanel it is worth it!

xoxo,

Respect yourself.

Ladies, I have a very important message for you.

It is time to respect yourself.

We talk about self-love and all that good stuff, but I have news for you: if you can't respect yourself, you can't love yourself.

What does it mean to respect yourself?

Know what is good for you, and seek those things out.

Know what is bad for you, and avoid those things.

Allow yourself to feel things fully.

Nourish yourself physically, emotionally, and spiritually.

Know that it is okay to be afraid.

Know that it is okay to be different.

Embrace all of your facets: the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Once you can practice these things, you can start to respect yourself, appreciate yourself, and, one day, love yourself.

I say all of this, but don't take me for some sort of self-respecting, strong woman. I am so far from respecting myself that its scary. There is a difference between knowing what is good for you and doing what is good for you.

When we respect ourselves, we automatically demand respect from others. When we do that, women, we are a force of nature.

We can be amazing. We just have to take it one step at a time.

xoxo,

You are enough.

Hey, you! Yeah, you. I have a secret for you: you are wonderful.

No matter what you may feel about yourself, know this, at least on a cognitive level: you are enough. Your life so far has formed you into a special, one-of-a-kind person. You may have gotten some scrapes along the way, but those scrapes just show people all you've triumphed over. You don't feel like you've triumphed over your obstacles? Well, you have. You are still moving, right? Still living? Still hoping? That shows that you are at least in the process of defeating those hurdles.

You are enough.

You are enough.

You are enough.

Someone--actually, quite a few someones--want to know you. They want to take the time to figure out what makes you tick; to explore the nooks and crannies of your mindset, your history, and your personality. They want you to open up to them, and they want to open up to you. They want to love you.

And you might think, "but what if I never find those people?" Honey, trust me. You will. It is in the cards. There is a purpose to this life, and we can't possibly fulfill that purpose without love.  Whatever or whoever created this life and it's purpose knows that we need love, and wants us to succeed in fulfilling our purpose, so they have put love in our futures. Also, loving feels good. So let others love you, and don't be afraid to love them back.

One other thing, just in case you feel like you will never find those people: I love you. I do! I love that you are reading my thoughts, and that you are a part of this world with me.

I love you with all your flaws--even more because of them, actually. I love I will never know anyone else just like you, and that the strange ways of our universe have crossed our paths, even if only for this fleeting moment in the grand scheme of life.

You are enough for me. You are more than enough. You fill me up with happiness and hope! Humanity has a funny way of doing that. Just think about the ridiculous world we live in... How insane our society is, and yet we are all searching to be "normal." What is normal in a world of the utterly bizarre? It's so silly of us! And yet we take ourselves so seriously.

The oxymorons we live are baffling to me, and yet I love it. I love that we need conflict to survive. I love that, when I am feeling lower than dirt, I can think about the fact that there is no way I am the first person to go through this. And that there are million of people out there to be inspired by!

I know my train of thought here is confusing, but I am so in awe of this immensely confounding life and all of the facets of it. And do you know why? Because of people like you.

You inspire me.

You give me hope.

You keep me alive.

xoxo,