As the work week approaches, I'm realizing my Sunday nights are spent ritualistically preparing for the week ahead; Cleaning up the chaos from the week before, organizing my closet, picking out outfits, nails, face mask, teeth whitening, etc. I also try to prep food for the week. A struggle for me is breakfast because as much as I would love a daily bagel- both for their yumminess and their grab n go convenience- I am not trying to start my day out with 400+ calories of straight carbs.
I usually leave for work between 6:45 and 7:00am, so I've typically skipped breakfast or lately- just had some fruit with my coffee when I get in to work. But tonight I made these:
Yes! Egg muffins! They are carb free, and since I made mine with mostly egg whites- super low calorie!! There are about 17 calories in one large egg white only and about 55 in one egg yolk. I used 12 egg whites for 12 'muffins', + three yolks altogether. So dividing the calories among the whole batch, each 'muffin' is about 30 calories! I know this is only counting the egg content, but the rest of the ingredients are tomatoes, spinach and onion...not a lot of calories there. A bag of spinach is about 50 calories...which adds about 4 calories to each muffin. So ya...you get where I'm going.
I love how easy, transportable ( I can eat this in the car!), and versatile these things are. You can pretty much add whatever you want to the little mini frittas- cheese, mushroom, bell peppers, etc.. so it'll never get boring. Plus it's protein- which as a vegetarian I am always searchin' for!
So here's the breakdown:
1. Saute about a half of a chopped onion.
2. Add tomatoes.
3. Add spinach and wilt. I used about a whole bag.
4. Take a muffin/cupcake tin and spray with non-stick cooking spray. LIBERALLY.
5. In a bowl, crack your eggs and beat. I used 12 eggs whites, and 3 yolks.
6. Mix everything in a bowl and divide among your muffin molds.
7. Pop in the oven at 350 degrees for about 20-25 minutes.
Voila! Breakfast for the week!
They are deeeelish.
1.Formula 10.0.6 Seriously Shine Free Matifying
Oil-Free Moisturizer // 2.L’Oreal Studio Secrets Magic Perfecting Base // 3.Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Opal // 4.Smashbox Camera Ready BB Crème in Medium Deep // 5.Makeup Forever HD Foundation // 6.E.L.F
Blush + Bronzer in Antigua // 7.Physicians Formula BB Powder in Medium/Deep // 8.NYX HD Studio Photogenic Finishing Powder
I am basically a walking grease stain so this is a
MUST. Sometimes I wear it overnight, but I always prep my face with it for
daily wear.
2.L’Oreal Studio Secrets Magic Perfecting Base
Recent discovery while on an impulse buying spree
at CVS BUT unlike most of those purchases go- this one is a phenomenal product
and easily a main staple in my daily routine! It is THEE ultimate primer…and I
have 4 others to compare it to so consider that a well-founded opinion. I feel
like so many primers glide on and sit, kind of creating a slippery barrier
between skin and makeup. But this one actually perfects the texture of my face
and provides a platform for makeup to connect with- rather than just slide on top
of.
3.Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Opal
My boyfriend’s sister is a professional makeup
artist (!!) and she gave me this bottle of highlighter- which is now an
everyday product for me. It’s
great for achieving that dewy look (I put it on my cheek bones/brow
bones/lightly across forehead always UNDER my face makeup). Great “summer face”
look. Also a great subtle eye shadow for a light and bright look.
4.Smashbox Camera Ready BB Cream in Medium Deep
SUCH a “swear-by” product of mine. I have two so
I’m never without it. It’s great for every day coverage during the work week,
but also my go-to for the weekends. It stands up great for beach wear! Beach
makeup can be so tricky because I obviously don’t want to look “done-up” on the
sand, but my face needs some help, some base, and some protections (spf 35!). I
feel like I *could* be in Davidoff Coolwater ad when I wear it (you know those
magazine ads with the token bronzed model tanned out of her mind, with a
flawless face and just a few freckles and in a white bikini on a yacht in the
most perfect blue water). Anyways…
5.Makeup Forever HD Foundation
A great great full coverage foundation. There are a
ton of endorsing reviews out there and they are no lie! I mix a dab of this with the Smashbox BB
Cream and blend all over for my everyday office face.
6.E.L.F
Blush + Bronzer in Antigua
JUST like the Nars duo. I only use the bronzer
though- because so far it’s the best color that I’ve found for my face. I can
contour all over without looking like I’m wearing Lion King makeup.
7.Physicians Formula BB Powder in Medium/Deep
TOTAL OBSESSION. No clue what made me pick this up
originally- but I have hit pan on this and have searched high and low in every
drugstore I’ve been in the last month with NO luck. Going to have to order
online- which seems so silly for “Physicians Formula”! Here’s why this powder
is awesome: Great texture and INCREDIBLE coverage. I almost have to remind
myself to be light with it so my freckles aren’t covered up and I can maintain
a natural base. But I love that it is such a thoroughbred quality powder that
actually covers! Texture AND staying power are great. Only complaint is that it
comes in just 3 shades and I’m already using the darkest. Come summer I will be
too dark for this stuff!
8.NYX HD Studio Photogenic Finishing Powder
Speaking of staying power- THIS STUFF IS A
GAMECHANGER. I know there are tons of brands out there that make finishing
powders but I opted for the NYX version ($10) because this stuff is essentially
just white silica powder. There’s not a whole lot of room for high-end or
low-end there. That being said, this is my new favorite piece of makeup. Well
maybe not FAVORITE (because it’s really not that “fun”) but definitely
ESSENTIAL. I get up between 5 am and 6am every work morning and wear my makeup
until at least 8 pm…sometimes later. That’s over 12 hours for my face to look
like its melting… But this powder absorbs shine all damn day and gets my face
through those evening hours. Another thing I’ve noticed is by swooshing this
stuff all over, its helps to blend and even out everything- no harsh blush or
bronzer marks, and overall acts to soften and naturalize. I could seriously
keep raving about this…
So that’s my face routine. Pretty standard schedule
right now because I really am trying to get my whole morning down to as short
as possible so I can sleep in longer…or devote more time to curling my hair…
My weekend makeup routine is a little different- I
spend pretty much all day in the sun at the beach so it’s a lot lighter. Maybe
I’ll elaborate in a future post.
Now onto eyes: I used to be so focused on eye
makeup and would just leave my face with a quick sweep of powder or bronzer.
But now that I’m older and really settling in to a work-wear routine I have
come to appreciate not only taking good care of my skin, but also getting a
pristine base going. I cannot emphasize enough how important good face make-up
is.
That being said, now I put a lot more into my base
than I do my eyes. For my eyes-I just do a little eyeliner (sometimes not
always) and mascara! (Ok- lots of mascara…)
Currently- these are my go-tos for eyes.
1.L’Oreal Voluminous Smoldering Eyeliner // 2.L’Oreal
Telescopic Mascara in Carbon Black // 3.Covergirl
Lashblast Volume Mascara // 4.Victoria Secret Eyeliner w/ Smudge Tip // 5.NYX
Eyebrow Cake Powder
1. L’Oreal
Voluminous Smoldering Eyeliner
A great deep black pencil. It’s soft and has rich color.
Also comes w/ its own sharpener!
2. L’Oreal
Telescopic Mascara in Carbon Black
OMG. New discovery. In Carli Bybel’s youtube tutorials (CarliBel55), she
swears by it. Being the mascara junkie I am I decided to try it- but was
skeptical for so long because the brush is like a thin comb. Does nottt inspire
too much confidence there. But let me just say- this stuff really is SO.
AWESOME. It builds length like to other and just opens up the eye like I’ve
never experienced. You need to train yourself a bit to use it though (I had to
anyways…) because the brush is not your typical mascara brush, and it can get
clumpy if you’re too liberal or not patient.
3. Covergirl
Lashblast Volume Mascara
My go to before discovering Telescopic was this
Lashblast. I have a friend with GORGEOUS eyes who always has flawless eye
makeup and she always and only wears Lashblast mascara. I believe she wears the
Lashblast Fusion (purple packaging) but from my experience the Lashblast line
is not tOo different from one another- just slightly varied for consumers
looking for specific aspects in a mascara.
4. Victoria
Secret Eyeliner w/ Smudge Tip
A great soft liner with deep coloring- perfect for
smokey eye looks or those days (nights) when I go a little darker ‘round the
rim.
5. NYX Eyebrow
Cake Powder
I’ve recently been realizing how much eyebrows are really
an art. I’m trying to master a
good eyebrow but my brows are SUPER sparse, so for me, that means a lot of
shaping and filling in. I like this NYX kit because it comes with a pot of wax
to keep everything in place and help look “more done.” Also the browns are more ashy, which I
like- as opposed to the more reddish orange browns that some brow powders tend
to lean towards…
I am 23 and feel old. Not old as in "Wow, I've lived!"- but rather "I'm turning 24 this year, which might as well be 25, which is OMG-MY-20s-ARE-BASICALLY-OVER, 30 is just around the corner which is like when most people have kids, which is basically an instant 25 lbs and a fast forward to 50, which is like AGH!!! 50!!!" "I'm pretty much 50!!"
I guess at this point in my life, where I'm too old to really be classified in the "young and airy with free abandon" category but too young to actually complain about my age, I'm finding myself wading through this sort of middle ground. I recently graduated college and dove into the corporate world, and I'm trying to swim through financial responsibility, career pressures, and the 405.
So while I've adopted the tell-tale signs of a cat-lady spinster (like going to bed by 9pm most nights and having seen pretty much EVERY House Hunters episode), I'm also still consumed by things that "a young and airy with free abandon"-type would consider the norm. But as a newly-minted "20-something Young Adult" befit with the appropriate burdens responsibilities I'm realizing most of my main obsessions are a bit "inappropriate."
Like dropping $100 almost every time I'm in CVS because I.can't.resist. this new Essie color, or I.have.to try this mascara and how.cute. is this lip gloss thing. Or of course eating too much until I have to prop myself upright. Or online shopping like I'm on Minute to Win It except it's been three hours and I have 6 carts open. Or wearing a full face of "going out makeup" to the office at 8am (and then 10 hours later wondering why my lashes look like insect legs and my face feels like its literally sliding off and I overall look like a morning-after nightmare).
And like I even have to come outright and admit my main guilty pleasure is spending an absurd amount of time...daily...on Pinterest.
I have come across so many fashion/beauty blogs that I am majorly obsessed with- but one thing I have to say about all of them (all my favs anyways) is that they are pretty much 100% bloggers only. Like, I am convinced they don't have conventional 9-5 jobs. Which on the one hand is how they are able to be so "blog present," and successful (like how would you expect someone to crank out a "flawless face" foundation tutorial with 5am or 9pm lighting?" Not. A. Thing. That stuff is happening between the prime hours of 10 am and 4 pm), but on the other hand it's so discouraging to me. I scroll through so many great outfits and awesome curling techniques and must-favs, and I think, "How are these girls cranking out so many youtube tutorials (those things are time consuming to make and do all the takes and then edit and then etc...) and who the heck is their photo slave (and where can I get one)??" Point is: totally different (and for me unrealistic) lifestyle. Obviously it would be my dreammm to get up on the reg whenever I wanted, go for a great morning workout, blend a killer spinach smoothie or do a juice, shower, do whatever, and then sit down to do my hair and make-up for 3 hours....and THEN start my day. But where are the blogs by girls who are climbing that corporate ladder, who love Excel and redlining documents just as much as good living room decor, a gel mani, and Viktor & Rolf perfume??
So, as I am embarking into the deeper waters of my 20s (basically my 50s!) I 1) hope to really start gaining some of the wisdom I expected myself to have more of at this age because ultimately my life goals include being incessantly successful and administratively busy while simultaneously living a life of luxury and leisure, i.e. lounging in skivvies while making million dollar deals from my iPad, please see above. . .but 2) I will no doubt carry some of my younger quirks (issues really) with me forever. But, that being said, this blog is here to map out my love affairs with the ridiculous, present a stage for my flavor-of-the-weeks (be it make-up favs or Microsoft office tricks) and perhaps even quell my obsessions with the absurd and dated.
