Thursday, July 31, 2014

Summer Trends That Can Be Transitioned Into Fall

Hello Fashionistas!!!

I hope everyone is having a lovely week. Sorry I'm just now getting around to blogging. As I told you all, I'm moving this month, so it's been hectic trying to get everything packed up along with my internship and summer courses.

As we all know, Fall will be here before we know it, and many of us hate to give up our awesome summer trends, so I've rounded up the top Summer trends that will still be in and awesome for Fall. (I've linked where each item can be found below. Note that some items may be sold out.) 

Summer Trends That Can Be Transitioned Into Fall

1. Pastels

Soft yellows, pinks, and blues are now year- round color staples and you can find them in almost anything whether it's coats, dresses, bags, or shoes.

Nasty Gal


2. Sneakers

From wedge sneakers to sporty, sneakers are here to stay. They're very versatile and extremely comfortable, and they're not just for the athletic fashionista. 

3. Two-piece Sets 

Two piece sets are all the rage this summer. Wear them with bare arms and sandals this season, and add a cozy sweater and tights in the Fall. 



4. Oversized clutches

Oversized clutches have gained popularity the past few seasons, so this fall isn't any exception. If you don't have one in your closet, now is the time to get one.



5. Chiffon

Chiffon is always in. It's so lightweight and feminine. Layering it under a masculine coat or cardi in the Fall will turn heads.



6. Floral

Black accents are key to making bright florals perfect for Fall. Add a leather bomber and ankle booties for a Bad Girl vibe. 



7. Skater Skirts

Mod is a huge trend for Fall. Transition the bare legs of Summer to Fall by adding opaque tights. 



8. Geometric Prints

Don't be afraid to be wild and complex with your prints. By mixing and matching, you'll be a fashion forward pro for Fall.  



What are some trends that you all plan to transition into Fall? 

I hope you all enjoyed this post. Thank you all for your lovely comments on my previous post. I hope you all have a wonderful day!

Breaya

Thursday, July 24, 2014

Beauty Products That Should Be Refrigerated

Hello Fashionistas!!!

Sorry I haven't posted at all this week. I've been really busy at my internship, and I've felt terrible. I went to the doctor earlier, and I received my latest nerve block injection. I must say, I am feeling so much better. Thank you all for your well wishes.

I usually plan my posts out in my blog planner for the week, but since this week has been a little hectic, I didn't really have anything planned, but I really wanted to post something for you all. While doing some browsing of great things that I've tried that many people don't know about, I came up with, Beauty Products That You Should Keep Refrigerated. By keeping some products refrigerated, you will get the full effect and benefits of them, making a more beautiful and healthier you.


Beauty Products That You Should Keep In Your Refrigerator


1. Eye Cream or Gel


Many people wake up with puffy eyes due to fluid pulling into the under-eye area while you're sleeping, especially if you've had a salty dinner. While others, like me, suffer from seasonal or year round allergies. By storing your eye cream/gel in the refrigerator, you can deflate your under-eye bags more quickly in the morning. Cold constricts blood vessels, thereby reducing swelling.


2. Sunscreen


Post-summer if you have an unused or partially used bottle of cream or spray sunscreen, place it in the fridge. A warm environment lessens the effectiveness of the SPF so it won't protect your skin as well, if at all, the next time you use it.


3. Anti-Acne Products


Many dermatologist prescribed medications, such as Clindamycin and Tri-luma should be refrigerated. The formula won't be as effective is stored improperly.


4. Anti-Itch Cream


If you're suffering from an allergic reaction or a bug bite, the body can't sense itchiness and coldness at the same time, so if your skin is itching, apply a cold anti-itch cream to it. The cooling sensation will win out over the itching.

5. Nail Polish


Sunlight and heat can cause the formula of nail polishes to thicken and often times alter the color. By storing your polish in the fridge, the paint stays thin, and the true color is preserved.


6. Fragrance


If your fragrance is exposed to too much light and heat, the chemicals will start to break down altering the smell.

7. Liquid Makeup


This includes everything from foundation to liquid liner. Once the products are opened, they all have an expiration date. To make them last longer, store them in the fridge. This also applies to products that are unopened.

8.Lipstick


Your everyday lipstick doesn't need to be stored, but if your favorite products is being discontinued and you want to stock up, they'll last a lot longer if stored in the fridge. Otherwise, heat could cause the chemicals to break down and decompose over time, altering the shade of the lipstick.

9.Natural/Organic Products


Since organic products don't contain parabens, preservatives, sulfates, and other harsh chemicals that make other products last longer, natural products must be stored in the fridge so that they don't spoil. This lengthens their shelf life and keeps bacteria from building up.



Did you ladies already know these beauty tips? Which products do you store in your refrigerator?  

I hope you all enjoyed this post. If you're having trouble viewing anything on this page, please check out my backup blog, I Am Fashion. I hope you all have a lovely day.

Breaya

Friday, July 18, 2014

The Best Bags for Every Occasion

Hello fashionistas!!

I want to thank everyone for their get well wishes. I'm doing a bit better, but unfortunately my doctor had to reschedule my appointment to next week, so hopefully my headaches will be fine until then. :) Everything is going great at my internship. We'll be finished making the prosthetics sometime next week, and I'll post pictures for you all soon after.

The Best Bags for Every Occasion


Today's post is going to be all about the perfect handbag. Sometimes I've struggled to find the perfect bag to fit everything I need for different occasions such as work, school, traveling, the beach, or even just a day of running errands. I hate when my bag is bulky from being overfilled or when I have to leave things at home because my bag is too small, and I definitely hate having to carry things I couldn't fit into my bag in my arms. So, I've rounded up the best bags for every occasion.

School

When I'm at school, I hate carrying anything in my hands because I'm walking around a huge campus most of the day, and I'm going to sit through lecture after boring lecture. The things I need are my books and notebooks for that day, my wallet, my keys, my phone, my Kindle to read in between classes, my iPad, my planner, a pencil/pen case, and my lip balm. So, I usually go for an oversized canvas backpack that has a lot of space. The extra space gives me more room just in case I buy something from the bookstore or somewhere else. The size also makes it not overfilled and the straps don't look as if they may snap at anytime. 


Work

My normal job is on campus as a supplemental instructor which is a fancy name for a tutor, and I only work two to four days a week for about 3 to 4 hours. Most days it's right after my classes so I usually just carry my canvas backpack, but some days, I don't have any classes and the bag I opt for is a shopper tote. I know I'll need a notebook, a few dry erase markers, pens and pencils, worksheets, the class textbook, and my basic essentials: keys, phone, and wallet; and a shopper tote is the perfect bag to fit everything in.



Shopping and Running Errands

For a day of grocery or clothes shopping I go for a crossbody bag, because I usually buy a lot of things so I don't want to carry a handbag that a may sit down and forget somewhere. I can't carry as many items in a cross body bag, but they're just perfect for shopping.



Overnight Trips


I have family scattered across Texas, and I often make day trips to visit. When I stay overnight, I always use a medium sized overnight/weekend bag. This hold all of my essential items: pajamas, Outfit for the next day, toiletries, and anything else that I may need.



Laptop


Having a laptop bag is the perfect way to protect your laptop and not have to carry it around. I've seen several people who puts their laptop in their backpacks along with huge, heavy textbooks, and that's definitely not good. Most laptop bags have extra compartments, so you can store pens and paper as well. Also, make sure you get the right size for your laptop.



Traveling by Plane


There have been many times I've packed down things that I've actually wanted to carry onto the plane because my carry on bag was way to small, but an awesome oversized tote bag can still be considered a carry on bag. Opt for a tote that's really deep. This gives you more space. You may have a harder time finding things, but you'll definitely fit more things in.   



What type of bags do you all carry for different occasions?

I hope you all enjoyed this post. Sorry I haven't blogged much this week. I will try to finish up tomorrow's post tonight and have it posted by tomorrow morning. I hope you all have an amazing weekend. 

Breaya

Saturday, July 12, 2014

Healthy Living

Hello Everyone!!

After completing another long week of my internship and summer courses, I'm so happy to finally do another post. This has been one of my most stressful weeks ever, so I treated myself by going to my favorite beauty store, Ulta. I also stopped by the Vitamin Shoppe and Trader Joe's to pick up some of my healthy living essentials. 

Healthy Eating 

It can be extremely hard to lead a healthy lifestyle. I've always been really big on fitness, but I've always had to push myself extra hard to eat healthier foods. The thing that really actually forced me to eat right is that my neurologist changed my diet. My diet has never been horrible, but I do love white bread and pasta and things like that, but simply exchanging one slice of white bread for a slice of wheat bread can make you feel so much better. 

I recently purchased the Veggetti. This little device is a spiral vegetable cutter that you can purchase for $14.99 from Target, Walmart, Bed, Bath & Beyond, and other retail stores. I really love this device, it's quick and very convenient. You can also go to buyveggetti.com and get awesome recipes. Did you know that you can make pasta out of zucchini?!!! I was excited to try this. I was even more surprised when you could barely tell the difference between zucchini and pasta. You can also make mashed potatoes out of cauliflower, and so much more. The recipes are endless. 




Along with eating right, I drink lots of water. I've always loved water. It's like the best drink ever, and I also take a multivitamin. I love the Rainbow Light brand. The brand has different vitamins for specific needs, but I like the Women's One. You can take this vitamin on an empty stomach, it's gentle on the stomach, and it's 100% natural. You can purchase these from pretty much any health food store and some Targets. 
Rainbow Light Just Once Women's One Multivitamin: The Vitamin Shoppe, $25

Fitness

I love to stay fit, from playing tennis to belly dancing, I love a great workout. Fitness has always played a huge role in my life, and it can be really hard especially if you have a busy schedule. If you want to get fit, but don't really have the time or if you just want to get in shape, start out slow and easy. Denise Austin has some really great beginner workouts that are for everyone. 

Amazon.com, $7.70

If you aren't a beginner but need to get back in the swing of things, Hip Hop Abs is the perfect workout. It not only targets yours abs, but it's a workout for your entire body, and it's fun and fairly easy to do. Not to mention, you're getting great abs!! 
Beachbody.com, $19.95

If you're advanced, you're probably looking for something that will challenge you. I like Shaun T's Insanity workout, yoga for strength training, and if you guys have a Daily Burn subscription, the Inferno programs are amazing. 

Beachbody.com, $119.85


Do you all practice healthy living? What are some of your tips and tricks to a healthy lifestyle? I hope you all enjoyed this post. Thank you all for your lovely comments on my previous post. Happy Weekend.

Breaya

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Clearer Skin in Two Weeks for Sensitive, Acne-Prone Skin


Hello Fashionistas!!! This week is going to be pretty busy with my internship, and I'm going to be moving soon. (Not to mention this terrible headache that I've had for about two weeks now, and I don't receive my next nerve block injection until July 17th!!!!) So I won't be able to post as much as I want for a while. I'm actually getting to build my first prosthetic limb this week, and I'm so excited. I can't wait to share the finished pictures with you all. I love giving you all a glimpse into my life, and your comments really help to keep me motivated in my long, hard journey to becoming a plastic surgeon and biomedical engineer.

Clearer Skin in Two Weeks


So, you all know that I suffer from sensitive skin. Not just sensitive skin. Sensitive, acne-prone skin. Everything tends to break me out: my hair products, soaps, even my own sweat breaks me out!! Lately, I've worn my hair down quite a bit, and I style it to frame my face, so I have acne all around the areas where my hair lies, but then acne started popping up all over my face and body, and I had no idea why because I hadn't changed any of my skin products for about 3 months now. 

Then, I found out that I can't be in the sun with the medicine that my neurologist has me on. So that was pretty much my, “ah hah” moment. I decided to do a two week clear skin challenge (for sensitive skin), and I'm really surprised and happy with my results. I've used acne treatments such as Proactiv, but it only dried my skin out and it looked really dull. Not to mention, the acne never really cleared up. I hope that this post will help some of you all out there with sensitive skin that also suffer from acne. When doing this challenge, I would recommend not using your usual products until your acne has cleared up. Note: results will vary, and not all products will work for everyone.


After doing so much research here are the products that I finally decided to purchase:  


Face:


If you suffer from acne, most of the products you purchase will always have Salicylic acid which is very harsh for sensitive skin, but opting for a product with a more natural formula will lessen the damage. I love the Neutrogena Naturals Acne Cream Cleanser. It's really light on the skin, and the ingredients won't cause damage to sensitive skin. I apply it to my face, and then I gently scrub with a buffer pad made for sensitive skin.To play it safe, start off using this product once a day, and then work your way up to twice daily. 

Neutrogena Naturals Acne Cream Cleanser: $6.99, Target

Face Secrets Facial Cleansing Buffs Gentle Texture Sensitive Skin: $2.49, Sally Beauty

After washing my face, I apply a moisturizer. Moisturizer is really great for your skin, so since my acne is getting worse, I decided to choose a moisturizer specifically for acne. I've heard great reviews about the Shea Moisture African Black Soap Problem Skin Moisturizer so I decided to try it. Shea Moisture products cause terrible break outs on my skin, so I decided to only use this once a day. So far, my skin has been less oily and a lot brighter. The dark spots and acne are less visible as well. I'm still going to only use this product once a day because the pH of African Black Soap tends to be a lot higher than other moisturizers, so it will dry the skin out more, and the smell of this product is terrible, but I do think it will make a difference in your skin routine.
Shea Moisture African Black Soap Problem Skin Moisturizer: $11.99, Target


When I started out washing my face once daily with the Neutrogena Naturals, I also used the Neutrogena Extra Gentle Cleanser after a workout and at night, so that my skin could calm down just in case the salicylic acid was too harsh. 

Neutrogena Extra Gentle Cleanser: $7.99, Ulta

When I only washed my face with a regular gentle face wash, I also used the Neutrogena Rapid Clear Face Lotion. I've used this product before, and I never had a harsh reaction to it, so I definitely think it's worth trying. It really does make your acne less visible within 8 hours. The only con that I have about this product is that my acne never really cleared up, so I only use it when I have pimples that I want to be less visible really quickly. 
Neutrogena Rapid Clear Acne Defense Face Lotion: $7.00, Walmart



Body:

The thing with sensitive skin is that not only your face is affected, but your entire body. My chest and back are the areas that are affected most. I had finally found a really amazing scented body wash that didn't break me out, but now I'm back to my unscented sensitive skin body washes until my skin clears up. 

First I use an acne scrub. I played it safe and used the Neutrogena Body Clear Scrub. I was looking for a natural formula so that I wouldn't break out more, but I couldn't find one, but thankfully after using it for awhile the breakouts stopped. 

Neutrogena Body Clear Body Scrub: $5.99, Target

To stop myself from breaking out worse, after scrubbing with the Neutrogena Body Clear, I also wash with the Equate Sensitive Skin Body Wash. This has been my go to sensitive skin body wash for years. 

Equate Sensitive Skin Body Wash: $4.97, Walmart

My final step is to apply a body moisturizer. I really love the Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream. It's formulated for sensitive skin, and it's not watered down so your body stays moisturized all day. 

Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream: $9.99 Costco


Do any of you suffer from sensitive, acne-prone skin? What do you all do to get rid of your acne? I hope this post helped some of you. Thank you all for your lovely comments on my previous post. I hope you all have a lovely week. Thanks for stopping by!!

Breaya

Saturday, July 5, 2014

Fourth of July OOTD

Hello Fashionistas!!

As you all know, yesterday was a huge day in North America. It was Independence Day!!! I usually don't do Outfit of the Day posts mainly because there isn't anywhere to really take photos in Little Elm , and I don't have a really great camera, but my family liked my outfit a lot and they really wanted me to do this post. After traveling for six hours to my home town and back to Little Elm, I was tired and sweaty so my pictures turned out a little rough, but I still wanted to share my outfit with you all. It was raining outside, so about the lighting in my home. 




Chevron Kimono: Charlotte Russe, $25;  Crop Tank: Charlotte Russe: $8; High-Waisted Jeans: Gojane.com, $45; Zebra print sandals: Gojane.com, $32.80; Fan bib Necklace: Forever 21; Gold Headband: DIY

Thank you all for stopping by. Have a lovely day!! 

Breaya