I think that on the path to #selflove, positive self-talk is essential. Our thoughts carry powerful energy that can shape the way we perceive the world and live our lives, and it's up to us not to waste them on something negative or something that puts us down. I'm not claiming that the following tips and tricks are cure-all but they are easy to incorporate in your daily routine and they worked for me personally, so I'd love to share them with you too :) Ok, enough talking, let's jump right to it!
Don't obsess over perfection
“It's easy to be positive when things are going right, but what if plans change and everything seem to go wrong?” – you might rightfully ask. Well, it's true that it's more difficult to keep your optimism when you're facing challenges and hardships. You might experience situations when you're burned out, when you worked hard but didn't get the desired results, when your relationship with your partner or a friend doesn't bring as much happiness as it used to. Everybody has so-called “bad days” and makes mistakes – we are humans and nobody's perfect! What is important – we don't have to feel bad about our pitfalls or misfortunes. Always remind yourself that the greatest growth happens from a place of discomfort.
Embrace failure
Life happens, and we cannot always control what's going on, because we don't have power over external circumstances. Similarly, we cannot fully control our emotional response to those events, because emotions arise on a subconscious level before we can recognize and understand them. However, what we all can (and should) do – is to try to shape the flow of our thoughts and to show mental endurance. Inner energy comes not from dealing with hardships per se but rather from wisdom that we acquire through these experiences. Failing only means that you're doing something, that you're moving forward. So in your inner dialogue, repeat that failure is a sign of progress and development. Remember that failure will guide you towards future accomplishments. Fail, fail, fail again – get stronger and never give up!
Nurture your confidence
You know who's always there at your highest and at your lowest? Who understands you completely and knows all your wishes, desires and most sacred dreams? It's you! So become your own best friend! It's important to appreciate your own achievements, and praise yourself even for little things! Bear in mind that confidence comes from being comfortable in your own skin, from being happy with yourself as a person, from seeing progress not in comparison to others but only to your past self. Have faith in your abilities and practice positive self-talk! Don't “say” bad things to yourself: how stupid of me; I'm not good enough; I will never be able to do this because I have no skills; it must have happened because I don't deserve it. Instead try to support yourself like you would do if you were talking to a friend: “You're not there yet, but you will be!”, “You can do this!”, “You're doing well!”, “Stay positive, progress doesn't happen overnight”.
Cultivate an attitude of gratitude
Sometimes things don't turn out the way we want them to, and not getting what you expected can be one of the bitterest moments in your life and truly heartbreaking. We can have certain life goals and wishes, however, we must make sure they don't prevent us from enjoying living in the present. When you find yourself in a situation that you don't want or don't like to be in, you can either react and bring yourself and maybe even those around you down by being pessimistic and connecting all your misfortunes together – or you can respond – by taking a step back, calming yourself down and being thankful for each moment, opportunity, and experience that life has to offer. When it's hard to adopt an attitude of gratitude, try to imagine a situation when that feeling was natural. For example, visualize a particular moment when you were really happy and thankful to be alive. If you need a little assistance to get to there, a guided meditation might be a great help! Search for materials and recordings online, and incorporate it into your daily or weekly routine.
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Disclaimer: I hope that these tips will help you to have a positive attitude towards life; however, I cannot stress enough that sometimes during particularly tough times all of us need additional support, whether it's turning to a friend or your partner, or a therapist. If you are concerned that you're experiencing anxiety or depression, talk to a specialist – you don't have to go through this alone.
Some people have been waiting for this time the whole year - and finally Black Friday SALES are here! Ok-ok, before we get overexcited, let's discuss couple of tricks that might save us from the stress of FOMO. My rule of thumb is to follow three simple steps: figure out the situation on the market, what do you need and what do you want (the last two are not necessarily the same things). The logic behind this is that if you already know what different brands are offering this season and what are the regular prices, it's much easier not to fall the victim of the "fake" discounts (don't confuse with "fake news" haha!); besides, if you know what pieces are missing from your collection, you would be able to save some time going only to places that actually sell them.
I gathered here my favourite casual and statement pieces that go on sale today. For an everyday style - take a closer look of Topshop Faux Suede Biker Jacket - a replica of the famous Acne "Velocite" Jacket that has already become a legend (just 90$!); Marc Fisher Chelsea Booties that are also available in black for 130$; and wonderful Bobby Brown foundation SPF15 for just 35$!
For the night of fun and celebration, I suggest going for a jumpsuit, which is a little different from your regular party-dress and adds a bit of an edge to the look. I chose a very cute Velvet Culotte Jumpsuit from State for just $40; half-priced beautiful Becca palette for just 35$ and an eye-catching slender 14-karat golden earrings for 60$ from Nordstrom.
I hope you'll find some inspiration - happy shopping! :)
I gathered here my favourite casual and statement pieces that go on sale today. For an everyday style - take a closer look of Topshop Faux Suede Biker Jacket - a replica of the famous Acne "Velocite" Jacket that has already become a legend (just 90$!); Marc Fisher Chelsea Booties that are also available in black for 130$; and wonderful Bobby Brown foundation SPF15 for just 35$!
For the night of fun and celebration, I suggest going for a jumpsuit, which is a little different from your regular party-dress and adds a bit of an edge to the look. I chose a very cute Velvet Culotte Jumpsuit from State for just $40; half-priced beautiful Becca palette for just 35$ and an eye-catching slender 14-karat golden earrings for 60$ from Nordstrom.
I hope you'll find some inspiration - happy shopping! :)
CASUAL CHIC EDIT
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PARTY EDIT
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It's difficult to find a better moment to share a recipe for classic Italian dessert Tiramisu than while snacking on Parmiagiano Reggiano! :) I adopted the recipe from a famous Italian Chef Antonio Carluccio - it's super quick and easy to make, and won't take more than 20 minutes of your time!
I don't think anyone needs a reasoning to make tiramisu - it's a wonderful dessert that speaks for itself: from Italian "tiramisu" can be translated as "cheer me up" or "lift me up". So whenever you feel like you need an extra kick of endorphins, clouds of creamy mascarpone on a airy pillows of savoiardi will help you get there.
A couple of little notes before you start preparing your dessert.
- Use only fresh organic eggs.
I used to make tiramisu without eggs at all (substituting them with whipped cream and leaving the cake for the night in the fridge to stabilize) when I didn't have access to those - but traditional version really needs that yolk.
- Make your coffee in advance and let it cool down.
Yes, I know that some people suggest using hot coffee claiming that it helps savoiardi to melt faster - I tried both methods, and honestly, it's much better to work with cold coffee because a) it doesn't burn your fingers and b) you have less chance to "overdip" your savoiardi this way!
- Use liquor in your coffee-dipping mixture
Seriously, just do it :)
- Don't over-dust with chocolate / cocoa powder
When I was craving tiramisu and went to Eataly they put so much cocoa powder that I almost choked because powders tend to overwhelm your mouth receptors.
Ingredients and directions for Classic Easy Tiramisu (makes two portions):
Ingredients:
1 egg yolk
2 tbsp sugar (for cream)
1 tsp vanilla extract
250g mascarpone
splash of milk
1 pot of coffee (~2 cups)
2 tbsp of sugar (for coffee mix)
1/2 pack of savoiardi / lady fingers
1 tsp liqueur (Marsala/Kalua/Dark Rum/ or Kirsch for slight cherry flavour)
Directions:
*Make coffee and let it cool down (if you have not read my notes before:))
1) Mix egg yolk with 2tbsp of sugar with a whisk.
2) Add mascarpone (apparently, better if it's a little bit sour) and a splash of milk to the mixture, and mix it until the consistency is smooth. Set aside.
2) Dissolve 1-2tbsp of sugar in the coffee, and start briefly dipping saoiardi one by one in there and quickly putting them in your serving bowl.
3) After every layer of coffee-dipped savoiardi put the mascarpone cream. Repeat till you have no more savoiardi or cream :)
4) Lightly dust with cocoa powder.
This wonderful dessert can be enjoyed right away but I prefer to keep it in the frige ~4hours for a more intense flavour. Best of all paired with espresso!
Let’s talk lips today guys! There is an exciting new launch from one of my favourite luxe brands, Armani, and when the company with such a great reputation is involved, expectations are high! I was lucky enough to receive a complimentary box from @influenster to try a new Ecstasy Shine Lipstick, so let’s get to it and not waste any time!
Packaging
First of all, let me start by saying that the packaging is absolutely gorgeous. Vibrant red lipstick with a minimalistic silver logo detail and a magnet lock are a definition of chic to me, and it is a pure pleasure to take it out of your bag to do some touch ups. At a hefty price point - Ecstasy shine retails for 38$ in the US, - you want to have something sleek and elegant that will make people around you wonder what kind of a little treasure you have in your arms - and Armani successfully delivers a statement piece for your makeup bag.
Formula
With a lot of mattes and comfort mattes on the market, that tend to terribly dry my lips out in a matter of a day, Armani’s new launch feels like a breath of fresh air. Its weightless balm-textured formula offers high shine and long-term hydration. It reminded me one of my all time favourite lipsticks - Chanel Rouge Coco Shine - both in terms of feel on the lips and the colour pay-off. I would even say that Ecstasy Shine in Smile (#100) is actually a dupe for Coco Shine in Boy. It's a versatile nude with a bit of a pinky undertone that will suit absolutely every skin tone. It has a little bit of shimmer to it but it doesn't look sparkly and just makes your lips look plumped.
Coverage and longevity
In terms of coverage, I’ve seen some claims online that Ecstasy Shine is extremely sheer, so I was expecting something like a tinted balm, to be honest. But how wrong were those claims though! Even though this lipstick is not highly pigmented and doesn’t provide much of longevity (I would say you need to reapply every 3-4 hours for a fresh shiny look and it's definitely not safe to kiss if you're wearing bright colours;)), but it's not transparent at all! For example, Ecstasy Shine in #400 - classy red with a cold undertone - can be bold with just two-three layers!
A little tip: don't use the liner with a bright colour - it will give you this vavavoom effect of naturally full and effortlessly done lips :)
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| Armani Ecstasy Shine in #100 (left) and #400 (right) in daylight (2 layers) |
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| Armani Ecstasy Shine in #100 (left) and #400 (right) in artificial light (2 layers) |
Other thoughts
Ecstasy Shine does have a little bit of a scent to it - it's kind of like some sort of perfume but a little bit artificial. I'm not a fan but luckily in about 5 minutes after application the smell disappears.
Overall, I'm quite happy with the product, and it will definitely stay in my make up bag.
Ecstasy Shine is a lipstick for someone who wants to keep the makeup routine low-key but still #ShineOutLoud and look put together. I’m already eyeing those gorgeous plum shades for the fall season :)
This is the ode to New York fall with its 27 degrees in the middle of October, to the High Line with its greens and restless crowds, and to this Ruffle Floral Dress from Nasty Gal.
I know that it's probably not too straight forward to shop for floral dress right now in the midst of Autumn but I can give you at least two reasons why it totally makes sense (maybe even more if you'll cout the ones based only on my emotions haha).
First, SALES! Yes, you've heard me right, it's much better to prepare your summer/holiday wardrobe in advance saving some $$$ and avoiding that stress "I don't have anything to wear!" next year.
ASOS is having a fab sale with up to 70% off + 10% student discount; Nasty Gal has a 50% off everything (so dresses can be as low as 20$!); Antropologie 25% off dresses and jumpsuits.
Second, some floral dresses can totally make it into your fall looks, if paired with suede over-the-knee leather boots, funky leather ankle boots on a brick heel or decadent biker boots. Wear your favourite jacket for a casual look or a coat for a more elegant one.
I don't know about you but at least I totally convinced myself that buying a floral dress in any season is totally worth the money :) The dress I'm wearing is sold out in every size apart from L, so I selected couple of similar option for you, with Closet London being my favourite one.
Hello lovelies! I’m really excited because I finally got some time to work on the beauty section of the blog, and new reviews and tips are coming up your way!
Today, I’m going to talk about Nügg Deep Hydration Moisture Boost Face Mask.
Brand: Let me start by saying couple of words about the brand. I was really excited to learn that nugg is a women owned and run company (#girlscandoanything), that not only cares about the quality of their products but also have a consistent CSR program (about which you can read more on their nugg). I feel that right now having so many options on the market we often take the final decision whether to make a purchase or not based on a personal connection to the brand and its mission, and I really support what nugg stands for. Their products are made without mineral oils, parabens, sulfates, synthetic fragrances and colors; formulated with over 90% natural ingredients and cruelty free.
Packaging: When I first laid my eyes on a nugg mask at Target, I thought that it was ridiculously cute. It comes in a 10ml pot with a minimalist design, that you can easily take with you during travels even to your carry-ons (bonus point!). Although it is branded as an individual single use mask, I personally find that the amount of product is too much for one applications, so I just close my pot with a clean film and keep it in the fringe - great way to be more financially conscious, besides smaller amount of product gives totally the same effect!
Price: 3.99$ on the official website or Target
Product: Among main ingredients are: aloe juice, glycerin, dimethicone, olive oil, camellia-seed oil, and spirulina extract (moisturize). The translucent milky gel-like consistency spreads well onto the skin, leaving a clean film that doesn’t dry out too much or leave the feeling of a mask. In texture and general feeling on the skin nugg Deep Hydration mask reminds me of Kiehl’s Overnight Hydrating Mask. It gives you a feeling of freshness when you put it on, then your skin gradually absorbs the product, and finally you’re left with a bit tacky thin layer that you can either wipe out or wash off with warm water.
Result: I left the mask for about 20-30 minutes, even though the instruction said 5-15 (don’t think you can over-hydrate your skin haha!) - and the results were amazing! My skin felt more hydrated, fresh, soft, and also firm! It kinda of gives you a SPA-like effect - when you just look as rested as you just slept 10 hours at your Bali cabin and about to have a fancy breakfast with tropical fruits and berries :) Also, dimethicone, that creates a protective layer on a skin, helps lock moisture from natural oils, so your skin feels hydrated for longer. Only after one use of this mask my skin looked dewy and plumped up for 2-3 days, so I’m hooked!
PS. If you're unsure about trying this mask - now it's THE TIME! During Breast Cancer Awareness Month, $2 of each Hydrating 5-Pack sale (which nugg will match) will go to benefit Cancer and Careers!
