It’s pretty amazing how you oftentimes find yourself rightback where you started. It’s even more amazing when you realize that perhaps where you started was where you had it right. The philosophy of coming full circle seemingly applies to many areas in life. In this case, I’m speaking purely of a bright pink tube and vibrant lime green cap (that upgraded to black apparently); the now dubbed “American icon” on the beauty front, Maybelline’s Great Lash Mascara.
I found myself perusing the aisles of Target last weekend, deciding that rather than spending $20 on a tube of mascara at Sephora, I would try to get back to the basics. The goal was to find something comparable at a fraction of the cost. After about t-minus 2 minutes, I then decided I wasn’t going to spend the next 20 minutes being overwhelmed by the endless options over the next 4 aisles: volumizing, lengthening, nourishing, non-clumping, curves the lashes, large brush, small brush…Cover Girl, Revlon, L’Oréal (because you’re worth it!). I mean, is there really THAT much of a difference in black gooey liquid to literally have hundreds of options to agonize over?
Then I saw it. The bright pink tube, beamed at the $5.34 price tag, and I was transformed to my teen years when I remember first using Great Lash when being introduced to the thing called mascara. It was also what I remember my mom using religiously as a kid.
I’m a big fan of trying new things – especially when it comes to beauty, and I don’t mind paying a bit more when it comes to the right products. In many cases you get what you pay for. But at under $6.00 and still getting the job done, I’m re-thinking what it means to stick with what you know. While I liked what I had been using – Sephora’s Full Action Extreme Mascara – the cost, the simplicity, and the nostalgia of a pink tube brought me back full circle recently.
And while I know it’s just mascara, it’s funny how getting back to the basics…just works.
Wednesdays on my blog for the past 2 months have been dedicated to sharing things I came across that instantly made me fall in love with them. It has become one of my favorite posts to write because I get to live in an online fantasy-land; curating newly discovered quotes, articles, pictures, recipes, high-end designer label apparel, videos, crafty ideas, and whatever my thoughts are at the time into one blended forum.
In light of the tragedy that took place on Monday afternoon in Boston, I felt conflicted going on about such superficial things today, not acknowledging the current state of affairs. It is times and horrific events like this that seem to solidify how inherently evil humankind can be and makes me wonder if society stands a chance in the long run. This sentiment is not meant to outweigh the good in the world, but it just feels like our world is constantly and consistently inundated with maliciousness. What’s worse, is that the terror is spreading. Schools, sporting events, and even my personal haven, the local cineplex, have been earmarked by tragedy and almost always without resolute explanation.
I was unnerved by the news that, yet again, we face such inexplicable violence. My thoughts have been with the people of Boston for the last few days. I had the pleasure of spending 4 unforgettable days there in December 2011 and while I was a total wuss when it came to the weather, I fell in love with the uniqueness and history of the city.
I’ve seen a lot of comments made in response to the recent acts that Americans need a reminder that incidents like this are not exclusive to the U.S., yet we aren’t as outpouring of our compassion for those in daily struggle in many third world countries, where bombings are just another day. Not to diminish what happened on American soil 2 days ago, but I can understand their perspectives.
I want to dedicate today’s post not to specific countries, ethnicities, genders, or religious groups, but to humankind. I realize that worldwide everyday there is famine, war, disease, poverty and evil…
…And I’m NOT lovin’ any of it right now.
Let’s take a moment to send lots of light and love to humankind.
“You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean, if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty.” – Mahatma Gandhi
An interesting subject matter, a clever title, and a lazy Sunday morning perusing Netflix lead me to Marisa Miller Wolfson’s documentary, Vegucated. The film explores the ins and outs of transitioning from a meat-eating diet to a vegan lifestyle. Three New Yorkers take on a 6 week challenge to get “vegucated” – learning what it means to be vegan from physiological, ecological, and ethical standpoints.
It’s obvious moments into the film that high-end production equipment nor a large budget were factors in telling the journey’s of Tesla, Brian, and Ellen; the subjects selected to engage in a new vegan way of life. The ease and access of digital film making are appropriately used given the parameters of the challenge, though were distracting at times. In essence, while not absolutely necessary when the goal is to educate, the look to the film was somewhat uninspiring. I’m sure this was intentional and in line with Wolfson’s vision to state the facts and tell the story through a guerrilla-style technique. I suppose this is merely my creative perspective – but when following subjects around the fast-paced New York City streets, more of a polished and stylized film might have worked better for my taste.
When approaching the content, the film does what any “food themed” documentary film would do when trying to persuade its viewers toward a new perception: shed light on why this perception is better; share how relatively easy it is to incorporate change; and then beat us over the head with visuals, a few statistics, and graphics to support this new way of thinking and why common practice is wrong. In this case, Vegucated did a nice job of keeping my interest. It did lack some concrete nutritional information, such as how the body responds when that type of protein is suddenly removed from your diet; and it seemingly glazed over how difficult transitioning would be for the typical American other than Tesla’s struggle, where they simply instruct her to try going “vegetarian” as an option. Not bad advice, but I’m surprised there wasn’t a real breakdown of any of our subjects shown on-camera. You’re essentially asking someone to give up a lifestyle that took 20, 30 or even 40 years to develop.
Where the film does excel, and is a common gimmick used when trying to be persuasive about meat-eating diet changes, is spending quite a bit of time highlighting the horrific practices of slaughter houses and exposing the harsh daily treatment of animals in general. (As such, I strongly suggest not eating during the film.) Of course, visuals of baby chicks being thrown alive into grinders, cows being shot through the head with a bolt gun, and watching a pig being killed and then skinned would be the strongest means to get your message across.
What I found confusing and therefore weakened the premise of the film – which I understood was to get people to see how you’re supporting the betterment of the planet, animal-kind, and yourself by adopting a vegan lifestyle – Wolfson oftentimes brings up vegetarianism. By all means, this is still an excellent option that one can explore if veganism is too extreme, but I fail to understand how you can shed light on both diet forms if your core belief is to save animals from harsh treatment? One should not eat meat because of the slaughter practices, but it’s acceptable to drink milk even after it was just shown how exploited female cows are to produce it? While certainly linked in many aspects, being a vegetarian and a vegan are two completely different practices.
At the end of the film, she highlights many famous vegans, “mostly” vegans, and vegetarians from Susan B. Anthony, to Gandhi, to Rosa Parks, to everyday people. What eventually strengthened her approach by intertwining vegetarianism and veganism, was a short line that stated “you don’t have to be an activist or famous to make a difference.” From this I gathered that the point is to make some sort of contribution, at whatever level you’re comfortable with.
In the end, what Wolfson did for me as a viewer is what I believe her intention was in creating Vegucated: to get you to think about your place in the world relative to your dietary choices. In this, she succeeded. I have a largely chicken-based diet. I like a good burger or slice of bacon here and there, but do consciously work to maintain a healthy plant based diet. This isn’t a huge struggle because I actually LOVE vegetables. I don’t see myself becoming a hardcore vegan anytime soon, but the film has inspired me to incorporate more of its practices into my daily life. As of writing this post, I’m still thinking about what that means for me.
If you find yourself home on a lazy Sunday morning, check out Vegucated (available on Netflix) and let me know what you think…
This past weekend was all about hardcore spring cleaning, a huge milestone to The Spring Project that I happily crossed-off on my list of things to do. I’m one of those strange people that actually likes to clean (my own messes only – sorry, I’m not for hire :)). It’s therapeutic for me. You put on some music, zone out, and get the job done.
By nature, I’m a total neat freak – everything is always in its place, I rarely leave dishes in the sink, or let my place get too rowdy in general; but one always needs a good scrub down in the bathroom, an intense dusting session all over, floors need to be mopped, and the fridge cleaned out.
While I was completely exhausted after a day’s work, I’m already seeping the rewards (and the annoyances) of intense spring cleaning. Sure everything feels completely refreshed in my apartment right now, but it also upsets me how quickly the dust is settling back onto my furniture tops, and seeing small specks of dirt on my once immaculate hardwood floors…only hours later. 😦
I still have another phase to get to in my big project and that’s the purge portion. It’s time to delve into my closets, drawers, and shelves and say goodbye to what is no longer serving me. And I think this will feel even better than the “no germs” portion. Out with the old, and in with the new!
When approaching my big cleaning session, I had five basic principles that I thought I would share:
1. Work on one space at a time. It’s best to focus on one room at a time. It keeps things streamlined and less overwhelming. For me, I liked starting with the bathroom. It’s my least favorite place to clean and I’m likely to give it my all because I’m pumped and have tons of energy at the onset.
2. The iPod must be ON, LOUD, and playing all your favorite tunes. Yes, I’m totally admitting that I sang and danced…basically had a private concert with a mop and sponge in my hand.
3. No distractions. I became a hermit for the day so that I could focus. Once I’m in the zone, I just want to keep going. My thought is if you stop to take a phone call for 45 minutes, you lose motivation and momentum. Just push through it!
4. Wear gloves. I don’t know about you, but I HATE the residual smell of chemicals on my hands even after you’ve vigorously washed them. We want to keep our hands soft and sexy at all times!
5. Treat yourself after a job well done. Spring cleaning takes a lot of time and energy. Once you’re done, you deserve something special. I bought myself a gorgeous bouquet of bright flowers that enhanced my newly cleaned home AND treated myself to some take-out. Admittedly, the take-out treat was two-fold. One, I didn’t have the energy to cook or even push buttons on the microwave after I finished the big scrub down; and two, there was no way in HELL, I was going to dirty even a spoon after the day I had and ruin my pristine kitchen.
Happy spring, happy cleaning, happy spring cleaning! xx
This week has been all about the finishing touches, those small details that make the WORLD of difference. In retrospect, these little details and finishing touches hit nearly every area of my life and lead to one of the best, most productive, and happiest weeks I feel like I’ve had in quite a while.
From returning to yoga practice (after missing two weeks), checking out the Silver Lake Farmers’ Market for the first time for fresh strawberries; frolicking around Universal City Walk in search of the best popcorn ever (see my new favorite flavor here), finally giving in to the use of a make-up primer, to a few sweet surprises from a sweet guy, and stopping to enjoy a small treat a friend brought back from Paris – it’s been a week full of finishing touches, little details, and small pleasures. It’s making the world of difference.
I’ve had a change of heart, girls. And it involves the use of a base primer before applying your make-up for the day. I always thought of primers as not very necessary if you use foundation and other beauty products that are already designed (though admittedly oftentimes fail) to have a “long-lasting” effect. If you recall, I reviewed Lancôme’s La Base Pro Primer in my first Birchbox two months ago and didn’t think much of it, not because I didn’t like it; but thought it was just another expensive something that I could live without. That’s until…
…this last week or so. I’ve been grabbing the La Base Pro Primer every morning to finish up the Birchbox sample, and realized not long after that when I really looked at my make-up toward the end of a busy day; my cheeks still had a subtle glow from the cream blush application I’d applied that morning, and most noticeably, my concealer was still managing to hang in there. My biggest beauty complaint is how flawless my eye make-up looks when it’s first done, but by 3:00pm, dark circle central returns under my eyes and my mascara and eyeliner seem to smear no matter what I do!
Even better, I’m noticing that my skin isn’t as oily by the end of the day. The primer glides on in an oil-free manner creating a matte texture on my skin providing the perfect canvas before adding my favorite MAC concealer and Estee Lauder foundation. At $42.00 a bottle, it is an expense, but one that I’m willing to overlook since a bottle should ideally last you for months.
So sincere apologies girls, I spoke way too hastily on this one. Lancôme’s La Base Pro Primer IS worth the hype!
You can take a look inside my make-up bag by reading about my favorite products here.
Happy Primping! xx
{Here’s a great how-to video to get the most out of your make-up primer.}
To be perfectly honest, I’m struggling a lot lately with the concept of perfect timing. There are three big things in my life that I know without a doubt that I want to do right this exact moment, but somehow keep putting off for the proverbial “right time.” As they say, “there’s never going to be a right time.” The conflict I have is also thinking about the proverbial saying “that everything is as it should be.” So I ask you: if there’s never going to be a right time to chase your dreams and goals, yet everything is as it should be, which philosophy do you subscribe to?
This does not imply that I think you should just sit back and let life happen because that’s how it should be. Nor does it imply that I think forging ahead and ignoring the pace of the universe is the answer either. I suppose the bigger philosophical understanding is knowing when to stop waiting for the perfect moment because that’s how it should be. Perhaps it’s as simple as when these two universal truths intersect that you have your answer. Aside from the realization that I believe my “intersection” has come and big changes are on the horizon for me, I’ve also been having other philosophical understandings… in many not so deep nor complicated ways.
here’s what i’m lovin’ right now
|| Wise words. ||
|| The perfect casual LBD. // American Vintage Jacksonville Dress. ||
I’m a big fan of killing two birds with one stone. What I love about this particular D.I.Y. is combining two important passions of mine: fresh produce and flawless skin. Not too long ago, I stumbled across an article about how to make your own facial masks using natural ingredients. The best part when reading the simplicity of the lists, is that it contained items that I typically already have in stock in my kitchen. Thus came the “two birds.” I adored the concept that not only is it completely satisfying that I’m making my own facial masks, but what a great idea to do when you realize that avocado is ripening much faster than when you’ll actually get to around to eating it. With these simple homemade facial mask recipes – I’ll not only never throw out another wasted piece of fruit, my skin will appreciate being drenched in moisture, exfoliated, and refreshed through the undeniable blessings of being naturally pampered.
– 1 buff puff
– 6 wild strawberries
– 1 liter sparkling water
– 1 6 oz. serving of plain yogurt
– ¼ of a lemon
Directions: Stand in a sunny window for 30 seconds to warm the skin. Gently crush strawberries onto buff puff and, after testing on a small area of your arm, massage into the face for 30 seconds (microdermabrasion). Rinse liberally with sparkling water. Mix the yogurt and lemon juice and slap a thick layer onto face for five minutes (fruit acid peel). Rinse with warm tap water and apply a gentle moisturizer.
Directions: Steam face to open pores (or take a hot shower) and place mixture on skin for 20 minutes. Rinse with warm water, then cold water to close pores.
If you haven’t noticed, mint green is THE hot color of the season and I’m totally into this particular chroma trend. While I do like to keep an eye on all things fashion and indulge daily in fashion blogs (Wendy’s Lookbook is my addiction right now), I’m not one to go out and personally buy a lot of expensive stuff that lasts one season (but talk to me in a few years when I’m loaded). In fact, I have a love/hate relationship with shopping in general. In a nutshell, I love the idea of finding the perfect piece and adding it to your collection. I certainly adore fabulous clothes, handbags (my fav!), shoes, and jewels as much as the next girl; but if I were to be perfectly honestly with you, I hate the physical process of shopping. In particular, the trying things on in a fluorescent lit dressing room only to get frustrated that it looks better on the mannequin than you part. Ugh.
This doesn’t mean that I don’t appreciate a good fashion trend. I can’t think of a more refreshing salute to spring than the subtle yet vibrant shade of mint. And since I don’t have anything in my collection representing this craze, I’ve been dreaming of fun, yet affordable ways to incorporate this beautiful color into my look. I have a feeling this color might last longer than a season. Perhaps it’ll inspire ways to find you dressed in mint as well.
EARRINGS| Mineral Teardrop Earrings // Francesca’s Collections // $12.00
Boy, did this week go by fast. So fast, in fact, that some of my things to do…went seemingly undone. I managed at the very least to give myself a spring pedi before rocking my new sandals and finally stopped talking the talk and joined the Brita family (yes, I was a slave to bottled water). No worries though, sometimes you just need to take it easy. Something that doesn’t come naturally to my slightly O.C.D., perfectionist-driven personality. I have to say, one of my favorite nights this week was simply coming home making my famous (Pinterest stolen) baked garlic chicken with a chopped side salad for dinner and settling in to watch Lolita, one of Stanley Kubrick’s films that I wanted to catch-up on after checking out the current exhibition at the LACMA a few weeks ago.
While the week went by fast, it halted altogether when I heard the sad news of Roger Ebert’s passing. My heart raced as I absorbed the headline and was instantly transported to when I used to sit and watch him agree to disagree (or agree to agree) with Gene Siskel and later Richard Roeper on Sunday nights “At the Movies.” With much bias, I tended to trust his judgement whenever he gave a “thumbs up” or “thumbs down” in his film analysis. I was deeply saddened when I realized the balcony really is closed. Rest in peace, Mr. Ebert. From one film enthusiast to another, I always enjoyed being “At the Movies” with you.
All That Glitters 