Exciting Events In 2013 & New Beginnings.

The 2013 year is a year I look forward to, not only for a fresh start and a new beginning, but also because I have many exciting events going on. 

1.) Spending New Year's with my family and friends. This year I did not make plans with anyone to go anywhere like last year. I want to spend this year in a quiet environment.
2.) For Christmas (January 7th) I will be flying to Pittsburgh, PA to see my father and younger brother. YAY. I will be there six days, then, my brother and I are flying back to Orlando to spend the Serbian New Year in Tampa, Florida with the rest of my brood.
3.) My older cousin is getting married at the end of January! I am very excited because I will be part of the planning process and I will spend the entire weekend at my aunt's house helping her prepare for the event. I will be nice to get out of the house once again and enjoy a night full of music, laughter and fun.
4.) My other cousin is expecting a baby in the middle of March, which is also super exciting, because once again, I will become an aunt. (I am so good at becoming an aunt and I am doing an even more excellent job at not becoming a mother myself. Sad. -.-)

There it is. So far, those are my fun-filled events for 2013. This year has been one of the hardest, and I am going to put it behind me and start fresh. I have been struggling with a few minor issues, and I know that I will overcome it. I just have to remain strong and remember that I control my actions and lead my life in the path that is in my best interest. I have one life, one body and one chance to live and live well in contentment and happiness.

What happened? New Year's Resolutions!

I have not updated my Blog since last month. I will update tomorrow, I suppose. (Or today.) When I start something, I usually fail to continue or finish. Yes, that should be one of my New Year's resolutions. To finish what I begin. 

Let's see, I've been contemplating on creating this list for many months now. 

Resolution #1: Begin a healthy diet and maintain my 120 - 125 lbs. 

Resolution #2: Exercise 4 - 5 times a day for an hour.

Resolution #3: Get 7- 8 hours of sleep at night. (Which means, no going to bed late, and also, no sleeping in!)

Resolution #4: Remain polite and refrain from talking behind people's back. I know that is very rude, and I dislike when I hear others doing it. I know I am guilty of such an act, and I will work hard to improve my flaw.

Resolution #5: Persuade Dad to help me purchase a car.

Resolution #6: Find full-time employment. 

Resolution #7: Stay single for the next 6 months to a year. (I already have a feeling I will fail at this....)

Resolution #8: Be more outgoing, social, and communicate more with friends and family.
Resolution #9: To continue researching, writing and selling my novels.

I cannot think of any other resolutions at the moment, however, if I happen to stumble upon any additional ones, I will sure edit or create a new post. :) 

More skin products!

Too many skin care products and creams tend to create more confusion for girls today than ever before. Yesterday I was in the store looking to buy good old green tea, and I had such a hard time choosing which green tea to take. There are literally a hundred different brands and I just stood in the middle of the isle, baffled and unsure which one would benefit my diet more. Meanwhile I think the biggest difference in those teas is the packaging.... 

While I didn't have too much trouble with acne while growing up (aside from rosacea, which bothers me to this day), I had a tendency to order Proactiv because it did get rid of a lot of dirt from my face and it left my face looking more even-toned. 

I have used up all my other products and I am just finishing up these. For now, I am sad to say I will not repurchase another order since I have moved on to other creams I find just as beneficial. I have had trouble with stopping the order of additional products. The company kept shipping me more Proactiv than I needed and they took money out of my account without my knowledge. I had a very hard time cancelling my account with them. 

I've never tried this before. I don't even know who gave it to me. But I will definitely use it. If it goes bad, you'll read about it. Lol.

Clean & Clear smells amazing!!! I can't get enough of it. :) Aveeno SPF 70 I have used mainly during the hot summer days (well, not enough as I should have). It's very thick to apply and it does have an annoying scent to it, which is why I avoid it. However, if you are afraid of those SUV rays, it's beneficial. Aveeno Daily Moisturizer I have had for a few years now and while I do not like that it contains absolutely no scent, it does leave my skin soft. I apply it before I apply my foundation. Last is Dove. The reason I just have a plain bar of soap is because when in doubt or if you have nothing else to use, believe it or not, washing your face two to three times a day will brighten and clean your skin. One time (ha ha) all I washed my face with was soap and it got rid of my pimples. Amazing how we easily forget that the most simple products our grandmothers once cherished are the ones that work the best, yet they aren't "good enough for this generation" anymore. 

ORIGINS SKIN CARE. :)

For a few years now I have been following a few YouTube Gurus that demonstrate how to apply makeup and conduct product reviews. Since I am no YouTube Guru nor do I feel it is my place to be one, I have opened up a blog to do just the same. Since I enjoy to write I will do a review on my personal skin care products. I have a few different lines that I use and I will share with you down below the most common creams I use that give my skin the most benefits. I definitely notice a huge difference in my skin texture and I am usually a hard person to convince that anything gooey cleans up skin.

Origins...

This is an oil-substance I rub into my skin. To finish it off I splash lukewarm water to my face and the oil turns milky-white. This hydrates my face and leaves it very soft.

1. Never A Dull Moment is a skin-brightening facial scrub. It is not harsh on my face and I use it two to three times a week. (OK, I lied ... I use it maybe once a week. I get lazy.)

2. Instead of applying a full-face foundation during the summer, I have been using A Perfect World foundation with SPF 15. It is very light and not cakey like most foundations I own. It contains White Tea and smells like any ordinary sunscreen lotion.

3. Origins' Clean Energy is the oil I mentioned earlier that turns into a milky substance and leaves my skin super soft. 

When I was in Texas a few months ago, I went to the Galleria mall that had an Origins store. I walked in hoping to find a good foundation for my skin color (my foundations are either too light or too dark, but never an equilibrium...), and when the clerk asked me if I needed assistance, I shared with him my concern. He happily told me about free facials that they give to walk-in customers. While I was receiving the facial, the girl explained to me what each cream was for and how it will benefit my skin. When I was finished, I had no makeup on and my skin was flawless! While these products are too expensive for me to repurchase very often, they are definitely worth the investment!

I Love Polka Dots!

There is just something about polka dots that attracts my attention. 

I've always loved that retro, conservative look. 

And I want these in my closet!!!

I've shopped at Alloy.com once via Internet and they have some amazing jeans and sweaters and even dresses. I don't know if they have an actual store location anywhere in my area. As for the prices, it's essentially affordable. This particular sweater is $29.90 on sale. It used to be $39.90. I don't like tight shirts, I enjoy wearing a nice, elegant shirt that gives me room to breathe.

Now that winter is here, this sweater definitely looks cozy!

Now all that is missing is snow outside, fire crackling in my fireplace, a glass of red sweet wine, and a good episode of I Love Lucy to make me laugh. ;) 

Ripoff!!!

I rarely if ever check my mail. (Shame on me.) A few days ago when I rummaged through my mailbox, I came across three, yes, three, letters from MoneyMutual, with a picture of Montel Williams on the front, saying, and I quote, "MoneyMutual's online lending network is a cash source you can trust." Trust? Really? At first, seeing his face on the letter and having a quick loan appealed to me since I don't have much money and am struggling financially, I decided to do a quick review research. And just as I expected, it was too good to be true! It turned out that it is a complete scam. From what I understood, they have you complete a form, ask you for your personal bank account information, deposit (or not) the money into your account, and eventually (and possibly) take out more than they should. Not to mention they probably have hidden fees. Most scams like these do.

I have nearly fallen for numerous scams before due to my lack of research and forthright character. This proves not to trust any kind of "lottery" or "get cash now" deception.

Current Hair Products!

When I was little, I had long, thick hair ... and I hated it. Now that I have thin, brittle, dry hair, I wish I could go back in time and retrieve my thick mane! I should have appreciated what I had back then. :) 

• Coconut Milk smells amazing. It is an anti-breakage serum and it makes for soft (yet a little oily) hair. I mostly rub it onto my ends and let it soak in while I sleep. I bought it at Walgreens where I purchase most of my hair and skin products. I apply it on damp hair.
• Aussie Mousse. Recently I had my hair styled and the stylist told me to apply mousse to my roots for extra thickness. So that is exactly what I am doing now. It seems to be working, I suppose. I don't expect miracles, however. Not at the rate I am losing my hair. I have tried many shampoos and their promises lack the initiation. *sad*
• Turn Up The Heat! I bought this a year ago and spritz it on my hair (wet or dry) before straightening or curling or even blow-drying it sometimes. It smells amazing.
• I have been using Fructis shampoo for many years. It gives my hair strength and shine. (The commercials didn't lie about this one. They sure have the ingredients for it.) I switch shampoos often, but I always go back to this one eventually. I will keep you updated on the next shampoo I use, but Fructis is definitely one I rely on for shine and strength. Someone once told me to use Johnson's baby shampoo to prevent hair loss, and when I tried to comb my hair, I lost an additional 20% of my hair.... That was the first and last time I used it. 
• Luxurious Volume Conditioner by John Frieda is a hair product I randomly picked up at Walgreens the other day. I came to work early and since my boss didn't open the office yet, I wandered next door to "see what they had, with a promise not to buy anything" and I ended up purchasing this conditioner with the hopes that it will thicken my hair a bit like the label stated. So far, I like it. It was about $6.99 or something relatively close. For me, it was a bit pricey, but I use it faithfully each time I wash my hair. 
• Last but not least, a Sally Beauty Supply I picked up a few years back. I LOVE their Silk Elements shampoo, though. It's a leave-in conditioner, but the reason I don't rave about this one is primarily because I don't like the smell of it. It isn't too bad, but if it doesn't smell good, I won't continue to use it. Simple as that. Same goes for lotion, too. :)