My Everyday Makeup Basket & Swatches for September 2013: LIP PRODUCTS!

I decided on one lipbalm, one lipliner, and one lipstick for this month. The lipliner almost acted like a lipstick and the lipstick was almost like a lipgloss, because it's so glossy and shiny. 

YSL Rouge Pure Shine Sheer Lipstick "28", Jordana Easyliner in "Baby Berry", eos lipbalm in "Summer Fruit"

Swatches: On the left is the YSL Lipstick, on the right is the Jordana Lip Liner.

My Everyday Makeup Basket & Swatches for September 2013: FACE PRODUCTS!

I decided to include my elf tinted moisturizer to use it up, and because it's a little dark, it's the perfect time to do so! My Covergirl foundation is a god-send! Shocking because the last Covergirl foundation I used (Clean foundation for normal skin) was absolutely horrendous! I keep this new one with me at all times, plus it has SPF! My Some Kinda Gorgeous by Benefit is another product I'm trying to use up. It's also a tad bit dark so summer is basically the only time I get use out of it. Hard Candy Glamoflauge is amazing at highlighting under my eyes. A little bit goes such a long way... I don't know if I'll ever use this guy up! Lastly, I'm trying to get more use out of my Rimmel "Stay Matte" powder. I usually don't remember to powder, and I only really need to in August, September, October, April, and May (for school). During the other months, it's not hot so my makeup doesn't slide off my face. Enjoy the pictures below! :)

All of the face products!

Swatches of the "foundations". Tinted moisturizer on the left, Covergirl foundation on right

Swatches, blended out.

Organizing My Makeup!

The "before": Everyday makeup basket! 

The "after": More organized?

Now onto my 1st drawer.. It's a doozy.

Decided to take outall of the products and completely reorganize from scratch.

I put face products all in one area, lip products in one area, and then random eye stuff.

Finished! 100000% cleaner looking! 

My eyeshadow/cheek product drawer post-organization.

My finished palette drawer! Tried to place my lesser used palettes on top so that I get more use out of them! 

NOTD: Blurple Sparkles!

I love me my blurples (blue/purples). For this manicure, I used one coat of OPI's "Blue My Mind" since it's so opaque. Then I topped it off with a coat of a glitter nail polish from Hot Topic (I know... random right?!). The glitter polish is duo-chrome and shifts from a royal blue to a deep purple.

UPDATE POST & WHY I HAVEN'T BEEN POSTING!

Hey guys. So I don't normally do these kind of posts, but I thought I owed you an explanation. For almost two weeks now, I haven't blogged. I know... unacceptable. But, in my defense, I am just beginning a new school year and I've been bogged down with school and extracurriculars. I also have noticed an increased in my blog followers, so I'd like to extend a HUGE thank you to my new readers. I'd also like to take this opportunity to ask you to subscribe to my youtube channel: youtube.com/cassidymichellex3

My youtube channel is actually my main focus, and this blog is sort of an extension of my channel. Anyway, I have more beauty posts coming, but I felt like I needed to quickly get this up to tell you guys that I'm not deserting you! I'm just busy! I'm working on creating a better schedule and setting aside some time to organize things for my youtube channel and blog.

Hope you understand! :)

Exercise Without a Gym Membership! (All About YOU August #3!)

This blog post is dedicated to ways of getting physical activity and workouts without a gym membership. Some things may cost some money, but definitely not any outrageous prices. You can pick and choose what you invest your money into.

1. Blogilates: blogilates.com | youtube.com/blogilates

Cassey Ho is a trainer who makes youtube video workouts. You can do these in the privacy of your own home, and don't need much equipment. She offers alternatives to certain equipment. She often uses a yoga mat, which I would highly recommend if you have wood floors. If you have carpet, I think you'll be okay. Every month, Cassey comes out with a new workout calendar designed to improve your fitness. She combines about 5 videos to get you a complete 1 hour workout. Her videos are NOT easy by any means, but sporadically she uploads easier ones. You just have to find them! (P.S. She also has a beginners calendar you can use)

2. Play sports at the park!
Many parks have tennis courts, baseball fields, and soccer fields for the public to utilize. Some even have a volleyball court or two! Just getting out with family or friends to play a couple of games will burn some calories and bring people closer!

3. Go swimming!
If you have a pool, this is easy. If you don't, visit a community pool! Swimming burns a ton of calories without you even realizing it! Plus, most people get in there for hours, maximizing calorie burn.

4. Go for a run!
Go around your neighborhood or find a trail. Many parks also have running trails, too. If you live in a place with lots of hills, run the incline so you burn more calories! The Nike+ app really helps with this.

5. Workout videos!
They're pretty cheap, and offer a wide variety. They're designed to burn calories quickly and cater to people with a short amount of free time.

Mani Monday! Purple/Grey Chevron Inspired Nails

Sorry I only took one photo- don't know what I was thinking! As you can see near the cuticles, the white I used isn't the greatest quality, but it's the only white I own (it's a Konad polish I got with a nail stamping kit). I did two coats of that to get rid of the streakiness. Then, I used Essie's "Chinchilly" and painted diagonally across the end of my nail and did the same on the other side to make that Chevron look. Once I let that dry, I used Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear "Lacey Lilac" and used the same method, making sure to leave some of the "Chinchilly" polish visible. 

If I "master" this nail art, I may do a tutorial on it on my youtube channel, youtube.com/cassidymichellex3 

Easy Food Swaps to Improve Your Health! (All About YOU August #2!)

BREAKFAST
1. French Toast  -> Lightly buttered regular toast or waffles
2. Syrup -> Fruit added to your toast/waffles to make it more sugary
3. Honey Nut Cheerios -> Regular Cheerios
4. Frosted Flakes -> Special K! Protein/Special K! Original Cereals
5. Other sugary cereals -> Cascadian Farm Organic Cereals
6. If you're on the rush and grab donuts, grab a tangerine and a granola bar instead!

LUNCH/DINNER
7. Fast food hamburgers -> Homemade lean hamburgers
8. Fries as a side -> Green beans
9. Hot dogs -> Tofu dogs (There are great Tofurky dogs from Trader Joe's!)
10. Big bag of potato chips -> Individual single serving bags to prevent from overeating!
11. Fast food pizza -> Single serving CPK Pizzas (I recommend the "Four Cheese" kind!)
12. Any high quantity of non-lean meat can be replaced with baked fish!

SNACKS
1. Gallon of ice cream -> Ben & Jerry's minis (under 300 calories!)
2. Candy bar-> Skinny cow 100 calorie candies

Goal Setting & My Vision Board! (All About YOU August #1!)

I think most of us can agree that we are on a constant quest for self-improvement, whether this be through health and fitness, our skin, our career, a better social life, etc. However, sometimes we lose motivation and it's hard to get back on track with everything. This is why things like New Years resolutions are so prevalent; we need that set date to force us to be motivated. One of the main reasons why we lose motivation to keep going is that we don't understand where our "finish line" is. By setting goals, we have something concrete to reach for. If you're a runner, you tend to sprint once you can see the finish line. This is why I set my long-term goals in the form of a vision board.

I set long-term goals for myself usually in the beginning of the 1st half of the year (January) and in the beginning of the 2nd half of the year (around now, July or August). I adapt to what I am currently facing and try to be realistic. I understand that I am not going to wake up having completed these goals. It takes time and effort. I chose to set these goals in the form of a vision board because I watch whatthebuck on youtube, aka Michael Buckley, and he always mentions "The Secret" and the power of visualization. While I haven't read "The Secret", I do believe in affirmations and the sort of subliminal influence that positive visualizations can have. 

My goals:

1. Get to a healthy weight. Eventually I want to be at 115, but for now I'm cool with 125. 

2. Be more social and be more friendly.

3. Improve my running (endurance, speed. My fastest mile is 7:27 and the farthest I've gone is 6 miles)

4. Get good grades. Obviously A's are the ultimate goal, but I just want to do my personal best. I can't ask for more than that. 

5. Devote time to my family. I want a stronger relationship since I only have a couple more years left "in the nest". 

6. Earn more youtube subscribers! (youtube.com/cassidymichellex3   <-- Shameless self-promotion) 

All About YOU August!

This month I've decided to go with the theme "All About YOU August". I'm going to do some videos inspired by this on my Youtube channel, as well as some blog posts.

I wanted to kind of explain what this is all about before I start posting about it. I think that sometimes we get lost in the routine of life and forget to help ourselves. We get bogged down by stress and conflicts, whether it be homework or work problems, and we forget what we're really going through all this trouble for: to create a better life for ourselves. We forget to take a little time to treat ourselves and let the stress consume us.

This month, I want to give some tips on how to take better care of yourselves. This includes eating better, doing different activities, beautifying yourself, and just being more in tune with life on a day-to-day basis to really appreciate the life you've been given.

Some ideas I have are: my favorite healthier foods, my exercise routine, exercises for people who "hate" exercising, exercising without a gym membership, DIY Beauty, my ways to resist cravings, etc. I may think of more to add to the list, but I'm definitely looking forward to this mini series for the month.

Hope you enjoy! :)
-Cassidy | youtube.com/cassidymichellex3

Mani Monday: SPARKLE & SHINE!

For today's Mani Monday, I decided to use my newest polish (and one of my only glitter polishes- SO EXCITING!) I used two coats of Orly's "Shine", which is a metallic silver color that applies really smoothly. After that dried, I used three coats of Revlon's "Sparkling" (hence the name of this mani being sparkle and shine... get the pun? You get it :P). This glitter has me OBSESSED. I literally am debating going back to Target and picking up every single glitter that Revlon has. The only downside is the sheerness, but it is to be expected. It is very obvious in the bottle that it is a clear jelly base with pink microglitters and pink hexagonal glitters. Then, I used my Sally Hansen Super Shine Top Coat as per usual. 

All the polishes used

The finished manicure

A close-up of the mani

A close-up of the bottle

This shows how sheer the polish is, and that it has a clear jelly base

NOTD: China Glaze "Smoke and Ashes" (Hunger Games Collection)

Since I've been back into reading the Hunger Games Trilogy recently, I decided to be a little festive by using a nail polish from the China Glaze Hunger Games collection. This polish is "Smoke and Ashes", which represents District 12 (The district of Katniss, Peeta, Gale, Haymitch).

Artifical Light

Natural light

This polish wore 3 days with lots of wear at the tips and some other chipping. It only took one coat to apply, and the formula was just the right thickness. The only downside to this polish for me was the major chipping and not so great wear time! I'm sure with a better top coat, you could get pretty good wear (I use Sally Hansen Shine Effects).

Review: Olay Fresh Effects Bead Me Up Cleanser

Recently, I picked up a new facial cleanser after running dangerously low on my Neutrogena Pink Grapefruit Acne Cleanser. My Target had a very limited selection of cleansers I had already tried and weren't in love with... until I stumbled upon this at the end of the isle on a separate display. The pretty print on the packaging drew me in. Plus, it was contained exfoliating beads, which eliminated an extra step from my skincare routine. So, I bought it!

I've used it for a little over a week as I'm writing this post, and so far I really like it.

When squeezing it out, you can't see large exfoliating beads.

Pros: exfoliates (although the beads are EXTREMELY tiny, almost invisible), definitely feels like it's actually cleaning out your impurities, doesn't dry out your skin

Cons: lots of artificial fragrance (one of the ingredients listed is actually "fragrance/parfum") which concerns me and many others because the chemicals they use for the fragrance may irritate sensitive skin (although I haven't experienced this so far), also doesn't contain any acne-fighting ingredients (salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide)

Fragrance/Parfum in the ingredients list

So far, I would give this cleanser a pretty positive review. Lately, my skin has been getting a lot better. However, I cannot attribute this completely to the cleanser, as I have been doing an entire skincare routine lately.

Nutrition/Fitness: Week 1 Progress!

Ever since I was young, I've had bad eating habits. I ate out of pure boredom more than anything. During the summer of 2012, I decided to try to change my lifestyle. From July 2012-September 2012, I lost about twenty pounds. I went from 165 to around 145. Then, my birthday came... Long story short: cake, pizza, leftovers. I started to realize what I was "missing" and quickly went back to my own habits. I no longer counted calories, and felt myself gaining weight. I was so scared to look on the scale and see that all of my hard work for those 3 months went to waste. The first day of the year in 2013, I decided to finally weigh myself and recommit. I was 155, ten pounds short of my weight 6 months before. It could have been worse, I thought. From January to April, I shed about 18 more pounds. I was 137. All the counting calories and being obsessed with weight got to me, and I felt deprived. I began binge eating in May, almost just because I could. I was eating anything and everything. Last Saturday, I decided I no longer wanted to live in denial. After about two and a half months, I stepped on the scale. I had gained 8 pounds and gotten back to 145. Not too bad, if you factor in what I was eating. I thought I was going to step onto the scale and see 180 or 185 or something drastic.

Now that I've told you that long-winded story of my progress so far, I wanted to blog about my weekly weigh-in and what I've done this week.

Starting Weight: 145.7 lbs
Ending Weight: 141.3 lbs

What I did:

-MY DIET-
I ate when I was hungry and tried not to deprive myself, since that only leads to binge eating. I ate lots of Special K! Protein cereal, which I've found keeps me feeling full longer. I snacked on Chobani Greek Yogurt tubes, which I froze. I ate fistfuls of trail mix, as well. For dinners, I ate hamburgers with veggies and peanut butter sandwiches with lots of fruit.

-MY EXERCISE-
I ran cross country twice this week, and did some blogilates videos. I jogged on incline on the treadmill and walked my dogs.

Mani Monday: 1st Attempt at a Black & Gold Half Moon Manicure!

For today's mani Monday, I decided to try some simple nail art. I attempted a black and gold half moon manicure. It turned out pretty mediocre in my opinion. I don't think it looks great by any means. Alas, here it is!

Artificial light

Natural light

Bronze/Gold Color= Sinful Colors "Super Nova"
Black Color= Petite "Night" (found at Walmart)

I HATE the formula of "Super Nova". It is clumpy and bubbles up when it dries. I'll probably do a post on this by itself one day. However, it was the only bronzey/gold color I owned. Plus it took forever to dry, and when I used the circular sticker to aid the manicure, it would stick to the bronze color and take it off. Also, it was hard clean up around the edges, since it's a glittery polish.

The next time I'll try this manicure, I'll make sure to do a thin coat of the bronze color on all my nails first and let it dry for about 20 minutes to make sure it won't be removed by the sticker. Also, maybe I'll invest in a better gold polish so it will look a little nicer. I'm thinking about purchasing Orly's "Rage". If you own it, please leave your thoughts.

This manicure lasted for 4 days on me.

NOTD: Icing "Lang Lo"

If you don't already know, Icing is mainly an accessories store (kind of a more adult version of Claire's). Their nail polishes retail for $4.50. This is the color called "Lang Lo" and it's a true red color with tiny silver shimmers that barely show up when the nail polish is actually applied. This was opaque in two coats and was not streaky. I was pleasantly surprised with the formula, as it was actually better than some of my higher end polishes despite its low cost. I wore this polish for 3 days before taking it off to apply another polish. I had slight chipping on the ends of the nails where growth had occurred. 

Inside, artificial light

Outside, natural light

Close-up 

Bloglovin'

<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/9729219/?claim=jw3hgtkd89x">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>