A few months ago, after having gone through many life changes as well as dealing with some mental health issues, I became the heaviest I had ever been. In an effort to get back into shape as quickly as possible, with minimal stress on my asthmatic lungs, I came up with this elliptical routine. It's high intensity so you really feel it, changes every 5 minutes to keep your body guessing, and goes down in intensity so you have a little treat after each 5 minutes interval. Caveat: I am by no means a health professional or an athletic trainer -- this is just an exercise that works for me and that I'd like to share. At the beginning of my weight loss and fitness journey, this was my only form of exercise to get myself back into shape and I was able to lose a couple of pounds a week (of course this was paired with healthy eating!)

*Keep in mind that all elliptical trainers are different and every human is different. Feel free to modify as you'd like! Go up or down in resistance as you see fit. When I first started this routine, I started off at 8, went down to 7 and so on. As soon as I felt that it no longer was a challenge, I went up in resistance and sweat poured down my face once again.

I was recently introduced to this magic potion by a fellow makeup lover. I was never blown away by makeup removing products I had tried in the past -- like the Almay Eye Makeup Remover pads,  The Body Shop Camomile Makeup Remover, or even doing the cold cream method and using Cetaphil. One fateful night when I stayed over at said friend's home, I used the potion pictured below, and my world changed.

The smell. Let's first begin with the calming smell of sweet chamomile. It makes your skin feel like it's in a spa as you rub it in. I pay a little more attention to my eyes and eyelashes by GENTLY rubbing my fingers across and down over my lashes. I emphasize "gently", because you don't want to go tearing off your beautiful lashes or damaging your eyes. This stuff removes the most makeup the quickest of all the products I had tried. It also doesn't sting or irritate my skin. I do still wash my face with a cleanser afterwards as I don't really trust this product as a cleanser.

Not to mention, it's totally affordable. This entire 6.7 fl oz bottle sells for $19. Try to come up with a list of 6 items to buy from The Body Shop when they have their Buy 3 Get 3 event for an even better deal. All in all, I gotta say, I love this stuff. 

It's always difficult to find just the right lipstick that's fun and professional at the same time. I'm definitely one to experiment and go out of the box occasionally, but for the most part, dusty pinks are my jam. From lipsticks to lip butters, here are the 6 that I keep in my work bag (ranked from longest lasting to shortest lasting).

Bite Beauty in Glace
This may very well be one of my favorite matte formulas. Unlike most matte formulas, this one is soft, moisturizing, and lasts while I sip my tea throughout the day. It's also a great darker dusty pink to wear in the fall or pair with cool toned outfits

Rimmel Kate Moss 17
A nice muted coral, this is a great compliment to warm toned outfits, and a nice pop of color that isn't overwhelming. I actually got complimented on this very color the other day. The formula is slightly more drying that the Bite Beauty one described above, but it is still a great lipstick that is quite long lasting. It typically stays fairly well on my lips all the way up until lunch (if you know a lipstick that can last through lunch, let me know).

Loreal in Fairest Nude
If you were ever curious to know what my exact lip color is, this is it. This lipstick is a nice nude with maroon and pink tones. It is moisturizing and long lasting (maybe a little less so than the above two because it is more moisturizing). I pair this with outfits that have more muted colors to create a sophisticated look.

Revlon HD in Rose
The initial reason I purchased this lipstick (and 3 of her sisters) was because of an awesome sale at Target, and I am ever so grateful. This line of lip colors melts into my lips and stays put for the most part until lunch. It feels like my lips with slightly more moisture. Don't be fearful of the bright colors in the tube as when they go on the lips they blend in a bit to the natural color of your lips. This color in particular is a nice and gentle pink that I pair with pink/purple clothes.

Shea Moisture Lipstick in Sarah
I received this color in an Ipsy bag a few months back. I was a little hesitant to try it on as the color is so bright and has a blue iridescence to it. However, when I first applied it on a more relaxed day at work (I was onboarding some of the new hires), it looked gorgeous. When applied lightly and spread out with your fingers, this is a nice, true pink. The more you apply, the darker it is the more of the blue iridescence appears. It is moisturizing and lasts more so because of the dark color as opposed to the quality of the lipstick. It does fade throughout my cups of tea, but all in all, it's a good pick.

Revlon Lip Butter in Juicy Papaya
This lip butter is among the least lasting and also the most moisturizing. It requires reapplication every now and then, but as long as that doesn't bother you, it is a great color and feel on the lips. It comes off as a nice orange tinge -- not too bright, but enough to say "hello". I wear this with warm toned outfits. It also smells fantastic. One downside is that it tends to melt, so be careful with how much pressure you apply!

Maybelline Color Whisper in Lust for Blush
This is the  least lasting of the bunch, but the most moisturizing. It is a light pink that goes on very smoothly and adds instant moisture. I pair this with pastel colors or on days when I would like more moisture on my lips. It also smells like Fruit Loops, which is a big plus.

<BE

We buttercups have had a rough time syncing up our schedules with Michelle's switch to night shift and Vivian's 9-5 work week. But lucky for you, we think we've finally figured it out.

To celebrate our return, we decided to have a bright, fun photo shoot. We picked our favorite pastel item and paired it with something white. While we both show some midriff and have long skirts, each look has a little something special that makes it unique — Michelle's look is classy and sweet with a fun pastel blue eyelet top and a white poodle skirt, while Vivian's is cute and ballerina-esque with a white bralette and a flowy coral skirt. We hope you enjoy!

Michelle

Top: Forever 21

Bandeau: Uniqlo

Skirt: Charlotte Russe

Shoes: Naturalizer

Vivian

Bralette: Urban Outfitters

Skirt: Francesca's

Shoes: Cole Haan

Although we live together, we barely see each other. Our work schedules are always conflicting and as our weeks fly by, we realize that our main interaction is through texting. So, it was a pleasant surprise when we both woke up on a Sunday morning and sat in Michelle's bed to catch up. Somewhere in our conversation, we thought of getting brunch and doing a quick photo shoot. And get this... we planned (briefly), got ready (hair, makeup, outfits, the whole shabang), and shot the photos all within one hour! For us, this is miraculous. So here are our outfits from our quick yet bunch ready morning.

Vivian
Shaul: Express
Tank: Forever 21

 Belt: H&M
Bottom: Bebe
Shoes: Sperry

 

Michelle

Top: Forever 21
Bottom: Express
Shoes: Nine West

I've recently used up a few of my everyday staples. Of course, I instantly went out and bought replacements (comparisons will come shortly!), but I was sad for a short while nonetheless. One positive from this sad time is that I can give a full review of these products!

Nars Light Reflecting Pressed Setting Powder in Translucent
I bought this product on a whim. I was at Nordstrom with a dear friend who was on the search for a foundation. We walked over to the Nars section where a makeup artist tried the tinted moisturizer and light reflecting powder on her. I was instantly amazed and said, "Ooh! Me next!" The powder is miraculous. It gives the perfect blend of matte and shine to my face. It wears for the full day — I put it on in the morning, lasts all day through work even with touching my face, and I sometimes am too lazy to take it off until I'm ready to go to bed. I can touch my face and not feel like I am smudging my face makeup. It feels like real skin. I pair this with my Nars Tinted Moisturizer (I use Groenland). I've also recently turned Michelle onto it, who now swears by it. Give it a go!

Smashbox Photo Finish Lid Primer
I got this stuff many years back when I bought my first ever round of makeup. I wore it to all of my dance showcases and it stayed on all night, through all of the sweat and dancing. I loved it so much that I bought it again and started wearing it daily to work. It is a thicker texture, almost like a more liquid foundation. It dries quickly, which is perfect for those hit-the-snooze-button mornings where I need to get ready in only a few minutes. My eye shadow stays in place all day with this stuff, with only minimal movement (I've been using an Elf palette, which probably isn't the highest of qualities to last 8 hours). Highly recommend it. (To replace this loss, I purchased the Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion. I will post a comparison soon!)

Lancôme Hyponose Mascara
I've used this mascara, like the lid primer, since I started wearing makeup. I wore it to all of my dance shows because it gave the perfect amount of drama to my eyes. I wore it to work a few times and feel just as happy about it. It's not too dramatic for work, giving me some added volume and some more length. One coat and you're good to go. If you're getting ready for a fun night out, do two coats for even more vavoom!