Beauty Bits!

Happy Thursday my peeps!!!! So yesterday I talked about my TOP 6, skin care products and figured today I would talk about my 6, no fail, all time favorite, makeup products! OK now....here we gooooooo!

1. Urban Decay is line of cosmetics I swear by, from their gloss to their foundation I've never been disappointed.  I purchased the NAKED 2 pallet about a year ago and fell in love with it!  The pigments are amazing and with one pallet you can create a million of different looks-day to night!  (Link Here)

2.  Roller Lash Mascara from Benefit...Let me start by saying I'm a total, self-proclaimed, mascara and gloss junkie....you'll never catch me without one or the other....or both.  Long story short, I got this as a sample from Ulta and was excited to try it out.  I have been on the search of a LIFETIME, trying to find a mascara that doesn't flake off ... Well...I have found it!!!  This little tube packs a serious punch in the mascara world.  Not only does it NOT flake off WHATSOEVER, your lashes literally look wide eyed and curled without using a curler...NO JOKE! (see picture below!)  (Link Here) #BettyDavisEyesAllDayEveryday 

3.  OH Aquaphor.  Sweet, magical, Aquaphor.  I promise to always be loyal and never, ever leave home without you...Ever. (Link Here)

4. My go-to blush is Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-hour.  This stuff is glorious!  The pigments are so beautiful and the color lasts forever!!  My favorite shade is Tipsy, a beautiful, bright, coral shade that always gives me a nice, healthy, wide awake glow! (Link Here) 

5. The L'Oreal, Brow Stylist Pencil is a staple in my makeup bag.  It's under $10 and works as well as other higher end products I've used. (Link Here) 

6. OK!   I have been using this line of Lip-stains from Revlon for YEARS!  They go on silky smooth and the color lasts SO long!  My all time favorite shade is "Smitten," it's a delicious blend of magenta and berry and I can't get enough!!!!!! (wearing in picture below) (Link Here) 

Wearing Smitten and Tarte Tipsy

Roller Lash...no curler required, can I get an AMEN?!! 

My Skin Care MUST Haves!

Today I thought I would share my GO TO skin care products!  I use each of these products DAILY and swear by them!  I have normal to dry skin (driest in the winter) so not sure if these would work for everyone, but for me, they work like a charm! 

1. If I had to choose one skin care product that I can't live without it would be sunscreen! I literally NEVER leave the house without it on ...even in the winter I put a thin layer on after my moisturizer.  Not only does it keep my skin safe and youthful but it adds a pretty, dewy, glow (I think at least)! This one from Trader Joe's is a favorite of mine.  It is under $4, goes on smooth and isn't greasy at all! (Link here) 

2. This Moisturizer!!!!!  I legit can't say ENOUGH about this moisturizer! It smells AMAZING, goes on like silk and I'm OBSESSED with the way it makes my skin look and feel!  Seriously every time I put it on I feel like I am treating my skin to some luxurious, over priced face cream that I would never be able to afford....it is THAT spectacular! ......A MUST have! (Link here)

3. Dry Skin Cream by Pond's is what I use as my night cream.  My grandmother has used it forever and swears by it (she's 80 and looks fantastic!) It can be a little greasy so not sure it would be perfect for everyone, but it works great for me and an added bonus: it's under $5! (Link Here)

4. I got this product in a FabFitFun box and I'm in love with it!  I put a thin layer over my moisturizer and it makes my skin look flawless!!!!!! It adds the daintiest, amount of shimmer, just enough to give your skin this glow like you are radiating from within! It costs $39 which can sound like a lot for a "lotion" but it has replaced my tinted moisturizer which cost me about the same and didn't look nearly as great as this stuff does! (Link Here) 

5. About a year ago I started noticing fine lines on my forehead and totally considered Botox..That's right I'm owning it!!! SO vain I know!  Anyways, I  scheduled an appointment with my dermatologist to get some more information and ended up feeling like the risk involved wasn't worth it...to me anyways..... I swear I am always that 1% things happen to and could totally see myself walking around with a cocked eyebrow for like 3 months...NOT HAPPENING!!  Tossing that idea out the window...for now at least...my dermatologist told me about this stuff that she recommends to her patients, it's available over the counter and let me just tell you it works!  It cost me around $20 and I've been using it ever since.  I would say it took about 2 weeks to notice a difference but it was enough to have me HOOKED!  (Link Here) Also, if you haven't used a Retinol based product before, it's totally normal to feel like your skin is getting dryer and to experience a little redness at first...I usually put this on after I wash my face and then layer on some Ponds...it's the perfect balance :)

6. Drum roll please, because I saved the best for last!!!! This stuff is the HOLY GRAIL of eye serums and I swear it has almost completely erased the fine lines I was starting to get.  I got this in a FabFitFun box LAST fall and I still haven't used it all!!!!  <----Keep that in mind when I mention the price...brace yourself....... $88!! (insert the bug eyed emoticon) It's a hefty price-tag I know, buttttttt considering it has lasted me a year and the results have been magnificent, I think it's totally worth it and will be buying more once the one I have is finally out of juice! (Link Here)

Movie Review Monday!

This weekend I finally caved and got Netflix! A little late to the game I know, but better late than never! 

 So Friday night I poured myself a delicious glass of wine, cozied up on the couch, quickly found the documentary section and looked up "Forks Over Knives" and "Vegucated" (which I heard were quite good)  Since we are on a Vegan kick over at the Lang house, I figured these would be perfect and offer a deeper perspective....and they did.  Now, before I get into my thoughts on these, let me just say that although I'm an animal lover, I didn't go vegan because I thought eating meat was harmful to animals...I had a BBQ style wedding for cripes sake!  I gave the vegan thing a shot for health reasons and, as long as I'm being honest, to drop a few LBS that I put on after a summer of indulgence.  Well, believe you me, after watching these, I don't know how I could ever ethically go back to eating meat.  Seeing the way these animals are treated (even in cruelty/cage free facilities), and the insane carbon footprint that results from factory farming, was both eye opening and gut wrenching.  It bothered me horribly and I don't know how anyone after watching could not feel even the slightest bit of compassion.

Now on a much lighter note..... I ended my weekend watching Iris.  An addicting documentary about Iris Apfel, an adorable 90 something year-old spit-fire!  I adored this "feel good flick" and would highly recommend it!  

DIY Gel Mani

Working in a lab means my hands are always in gloves, working as a Virologist, means my hands are always in water...Gloves + Water =  Pointless to paint your nails

Basically I have 2 options.  1. Never paint my nails...BORING!  or 2. Pay upwards of $40 for Gel nails and expose myself to UV rays and lots of acetone....UMMM no thanks!!

So I strapped on my thinking cap, poured a glass of wine, got on Pinterest, and came across a post from one of my FAVORITE bloggers!  

Using 2 products from Sally Hansen and any nail polish you want you can get that gel nail look!  I did this on a Sunday and it lasted me about a week before it started to chip, so not as long as it would if I had it done professionally but still longer than if I used regular polish.  Keep in mind my hands take a beating in the lab.... I am sure if you had a less "hands-on" job it would last much longer :)  

Here is what you need:

Gelous, Any nailpolish you want, and Out the Door Top Coat...This stuff is the Holy Grail of Top Coats.

Apply 2 coats of the Gelous onto clean nails and allow to dry.  Once Dry apply a coat or 2 of whatever polish you prefer.  Let dry.  Once dry paint another layer of Gelous. Let dry and top off with "Out the Door."  This stuff legit dries in maybe 12 seconds...no joke..paint and dry AND they are super shiny when you are done!!

That's it!  Is that Merlot in that glass?? Why yes, yes it is! :)

Sunday Funday Meal Prep

Every Sunday I set aside around 2 hours to get ready for the upcoming week.  I prep breakfasts, lunches and snacks to get us through Wednesdays, and put together a few outfits so I can "grab & go" in the morning.  On Wednesday and Thursday I usually use up what's left in the fridge and use that for lunches and dinner.  It saves me a ton of time and stress during the week so to me it is worth it!

Here is what I prepped for this week:

Overnight oats- These are so yummy and take no time to throw together.  They are so good for you and keep me full until lunch!

I use 1/2 Cup organic oats from Trader Joes

1 Tbsp Chia seeds

Some berries

1 C Vanilla coconut milk and a sprinkle of Stevia.

"shake, shake, shake"  then put in the fridge!

For lunches I made these black bean and hummus power wraps.

I spread a layer of hummus on a multi-grain/ flax seed wrap from Trader Joes

Topped with some black beans that I warmed on the stove with homemade taco seasoning (so easy to make, hardly any sodium and tastes better than the packaged stuff.....will post recipe!)

Topped it off with some baby kale, diced, Roma tomato, avocado, cilantro and vegan cheese.

I also made a few of these "Power Salads" which are exactly the same as the wraps except I topped with some cheesy vegan quinoa I whipped up and a lemon vinaigrette!

I've been having a blast experimenting with different vegan recipes, and I came up with this one this afternoon!  It's so good and took no time at all!

Cheesy Vegan Quinoa:

Cook 1 Cup Quinoa

Sprinkle with vegan cheese shreds.  The ones I used are here <--- I'm loving these products!

A few Tablespoons of Nutritional Yeast (Gives food an a amazing cheesy flavor, it's so good for you and yummy on popcorn!!)

A few scoops of leftover Eggplant "dip" 

Mix it up and serve as a side or top a salad!

I had a package of Bok Choy I hadn't used last week so I roasted them in an Asian flavored marinade and we will have it as a side to dinner tomorrow night.....I took a nibble when it was done and AMAZING.

Roasted Bok Choy:

Pre-heat oven to 400

Cut bok choy length wise and place on spayed baking sheet.

In a bowl mix up 2 Tbsp oil (I use Veggie)

1 Tbsp Sesame Oil

2 tsp Liquid Amino's (you can also use lo-sodium soy sauce)

3 cloves roughly chopped garlic

Pour the marinade over the choy, rub it in a little, get under those layers and pop in the oven for 6 or so minutes.

The last thing I made was a batch of this eggplant dip.  You can serve it with veggies, pita chips, add to rice or whatever...basically you can put it on anything....its GOOD!

Vegan Eggplant "Queso" Dip:

(this makes a ton so you can easily cut recipe in half)

1 Small eggplant peeled and cut

About 2 Tbsp Nutritional yeast

Vegan Cheese Shreds

Jar of chunky salsa

Tabasco sauce

1 tsp Cumin

1 tsp Chili powder

1 C coconut milk ( can also use almond or soy)

Place eggplant on sprayed baking sheet and broil on high for about 5 minutes...you want the eggplant to be golden...not burnt :)

Once eggplant cools a bit place in food processor with around 1/2 C coconut milk and spices.  

Blend until smooth

Transfer mix to a saucepan over medium heat and add the nutritional yeast, cheese shreds, salsa and a shake or 2 of Tabasco.  Once heated through it's ready to serve!  

If you want it to be slightly thicker you can add a bit of corn starch.

Week 1 of our 21 Day Vegan Challenge!

Tomorrow marks 1 week of our 21-Day Vegan Challenge and I feel incredible!!  It's only been a week and I swear my clothes are fitting better, my skin seems clearer and I have had a TON of energy...which is funny because I assumed I would feel sluggish going without the animal based proteins.

 I was definitely apprehensive last Sunday knowing I would be giving up my favorites like cheese and eggs but to be totally honest, I haven't missed those things at all!!  A researcher at heart, I've been doing a lot of reading and have found quite a few alternatives that are quite GOOD!!

I picked up this cheese at Fresh Market and couldn't wait to try it.  I melted a slice, over some brown rice, veggies, kale and navy beans......it was AMAZING!!  They sell several flavors like Mozzarella and pepper jack, both sliced AND shredded!  I am going to purchase a pack of the shredded to top a vegan casserole I have been dreaming up!

An added bonus to going vegan is our grocery bill has been significantly lower!  I was able to purchase all the below items for under $100 and I got everything I need to make meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks) for the entire week! 

My husband has been enjoing this "journey" as well!  He's been sharing the same feelings as myself in terms of having more energy and feeling lighter.... He did though, assure me he would be having "cheat days."  HA!

Shrimp & Feta Over "Zoodles" with a Cilantro Drizzle

Ingredients:

·         Cooked shrimp

·         Feta cheese

·         Garlic seasonings

·         1 Zucchini 

·         Oil of choice 

·         Cilantro dressing from Trader joes ( you can also mix up some cilantro, olive oil, lime with garlic powder instead) 

Directions:

·         Spiralize a zucchini

·         Sautee for a couple minutes in a bit of oil (I prefer vegetable) 

·         Top with cooked shrimp

·         Sprinkle garlic seasoning on top

·         Add some feta

·         Drizzle some cilantro dressing on top

Carb "less" Pizza

Ingredients:

·         1 head of cauliflower 

·         1/2c-3/4c Parmesan cheese (I use the shredded parm from Trader Joes…it’s the BEST!) 

·         2 eggs

·         1 tsp oregano 

·         Dash of dried basil (optional)

·         Toppings of your desire! 

Directions:

·         Preheat oven to 375F

·         Roughly chop cauliflower and run through food processor until finely chopped 

·         Heat in microwave for 3 minutes 

·         Spread cauliflower onto a cloth and let cool

·         When cool enough to touch wrap in cloth and ring out excess water (the more the better…. I borrow my husband for this one, he’s strong. I also have unusually small hands) 

·         Combine cauliflower with eggs, cheese and herbs 

·         Place on a lightly oiled baking sheet and press down to form a crust

·         Bake until golden brown (edges should be darker) 

·         Remove from oven, top with whatever and place back in the oven for about 5-10 minutes. 

**Now that we are doing a vegan challenge I have a new recipe I tried without the egg and cheese that I will post soon! **

Drool Worthy Roasted Veggies

Ingredients: 

·         Left over veggies (I used peppers, onion and eggplant)

·         Oil of choice 

·         Seasonings (I use Lemon Garlic from Flavor God… They make the most amazing seasonings ever, they can literally make the most bland foods taste heavenly)

Directions:

·         Preheat oven to 375 

·         Chop veggies and place on baking sheet

·         Toss with oil of choice and sprinkle with seasoning 

·         Bake for about 30-40 minutes ….or longer depending on how “roasted” you want them. 

·         Serve alone or as a side. J. LOVES them with a side of egg whites and a sprinkle of feta!

21 Day Vegan Challenge!

In honor of national vegan day (yesterday) my husband and I are embarking on a 21 day vegan challenge! I've never been a die-hard meat fan, asides from an occasional juicy chicken wing that I can never seem to resist.... Wings only for me, drums for the husband... If that doesn't scream match made in heaven, I don't know what does! Anyways, back to the vegan thing, a girlfriend of mine recently went vegan and LOVED it! I figured given I'm not a huge meat fan I would give this challenge a shot and see if I felt as great after as she did!  

I meal prepped for a few days and here is what I made:

Breakfast-Overnight oats using coconut milk

Lunch- A colorful, veggie and quinoa salad dressed with an amazing lemon, curry vinaigrette! (made 7 1 cup servings) and a side of creamy, dairy free, carrot and roasted red pepper soup 

Snack- Oranges

Dinners- Tonight we are having a vegan, cauliflower crust pizza that I plan to top with garlic hummus, some dollops of roasted red pepper spread, kalamata olives, diced tomato and Flavorgod lemon garlic seasoning. 

It's only been 1 day but so far so good!  Neither of us seemed too hungry and everything I made was really good!!

**Disclaimer: To get my husband on board I was very selective in what I told him about "going vegan" he may or may not think I am still putting cheese and milk in his food.**

Fall Fiesta!

A few weeks back we had a fall fiesta at our place!  Everyone brought their kiddos and our friend Donny sang tunes from the Frank Sinatra era... Timeless! 

We had a simple BBQ, I made spiked, warm apple cider, caramel apples and these hysterical Dracula donuts I found on Pinterest!  We also had pinatas, one for the kids with candy and one for the adults.... Nips!  

These Donuts killed me!!  They were so easy to make and the kids (and adults) loved them!  All you need are a dozen honey-dipped donuts, some fake vampire teeth, black and red frosting and candy eyes

I was trying to come up with some fun, seasonal activities for the kiddies and thought this "Mr. Pumpkin Head" table was too cute!!  I glued some googly eyes on ahead of time and picked up some fun stickers at the craft store, like lips, bow ties and mustaches!  

Love these girls!

Our wedding!

I was trying to think of what I wanted to to put up for my first post and figured what better to kick off my blog, than to share a few pictures from one of my happiest a days.... My wedding!

We got engaged on August 29, 2014 and were married one June 13, 2015!  We've been together a little over 6 years so neither of us could see the point in dragging out the engagement, and spending crazy amounts of money on ONE day was totally out of the question! (I would much spend my money on a lovely house..... And a killer wardrobe!) 

Soooo with a little research we were able to have an amazing wedding for pennies compared to what we could have ended up spending! 

Can we talk about these STUNNING arrangements!!!!  Since we were trying to keep our budget low, we forwent the typical floral arrangements and went with a gorgeous, clean pallet of lush greens--lots of moss, succulents and Ivy with some subtle pops of crisp white! We were lucky enough to work with the talented artists at Flourish  (second to my veil obsession, working with the flourish team was by far one of my favorite wedding experiences.  I would recommend them to anyone as would my husband!  (It's not often a guy raves about a wedding vendor so you know they must be AMAZING!)

My veil...swoon!! I loved my dress but I seriously LOVE LOVE LOVED my veil!!! It was by far, my absolute FAVORITE piece to my wedding look (aside from the luscious, raspberry lipstick I wore) If I could I would wear it Every. Single. Day.  (sigh)

Jeff and I really have the most amazing family and friends who shared our big day with us.  I love each and everyone of these people more than I could ever say!!

When deciding on my girls dresses I really wanted something timeless and neutral that would look pretty in pictures!  I figure, because everyone has a different style/budget, I would let them pick whichever dress they wanted as long as it was long.  I went to my local Home Depot, grabbed some paint swatches in neutral colors that I thought looked great together and gave them to my ladies! I loved the way they all looked!!

I love this above picture of me and my gram.  Asides from Jeff, she is my rock, my best friend and by far my favorite person to spend time with.  

For my dress, I really wanted something timeless and SIMPLE!!!  I fell in LOVE with this dress the second I saw it.......then I tried it on and well..the rest was history!  It had this gorgeous beading on the straps, a peek-a-boo back and a slit up the front that I couldn't resist!!!!  I felt like an old Hollywood starlet, and seeing the way my hubby-to-be looked at me as I walked down the aisle, melted my soul.  

Yes.  We are going to town on some juicy, finger-lickin' good, baby back ribs......BBQ sauce....... DROOOOOOOL!!!  

We wanted a photo booth but the price didn't match our budget so we came up with a selfie station instead!  We ordered the CUTEST props off this Etsy shop, grabbed a frame for 25 cents from Salvation Army, spruced it up with some chalkboard paint, then organized the props in an adorable pot with white stones....voila!!  We kept them around the dance floor and they were a huge hit!

Oh, and we had an ice cream truck.

I  love this man more than words could ever describe..... #LiveLaughLang