TIME TO THROW OUT YOUR MAKEUP???

I found this great article in InStyle Magazine and thought it was very useful as to when we should throw away our makeup and creams.  I know that different experts have different ideas as to when we should get rid of old makeup, but I thought this article gave a good general suggestion on when to throw out the old and bring in the new…

Nail Polish: 1 Year

THE REASON: With proper storage, expect polish to last up to one year. "Start examining it after nine months for color fading or separation," says cosmetic chemist Ni'Kita Wilson. "That's when you can tell that it won't go on as smoothly."

Mascara: 3 Months

THE REASON: When mascara dries out or gets clumpy, it becomes a breeding ground for bacteria, says optometrist Jennifer Giermek of N.Y.C.'s Naked Eye Optical. Discard immediately if you get an eye infection. "Reusing the brush can cause recurrences," she says.

Sunscreen: 1 Year

THE REASON: Sunscreen is often labeled with an expiration date, but feel free to slather it on up to a year after opening, as long as it hasn't "separated, changed in smell, or become discolored," says Dr. Graf. "Trust your eyes and nose."



Face Creams: 1 Year

THE REASON: "If the cream is in a jar, your fingers can introduce bacteria, so toss it after six to nine months, 12 months if it's in a pump," says Wilson. "Be sure to keep alpha-hydroxy creams tightly sealed or they can get more concentrated and cause irritation."





Fragrance: 2 Years

THE REASON: "Each spritz lets more air into the bottle," says Roger Spain of Belle-Aire Fragrance. "This causes oxidation and slightly changes the scent—but it's still fine to use."

Hugs…

Annastina

Product Review...Benefit They're Real Mascara!!!

A couple weeks ago, I was in Sephora buying some products and I had enough points on my card to receive one of their free sample products.  One of them was Benefits new They’re Real mascara ($22)…and…I LOVE it!!!

The brush was very easy to work with. The tip of the brush makes it very easy to reach those inner lashes without smudging.  It delivered product evenly and made it very easy to apply mascara to the bottom lashes without making a mess. I like the length of the wand and made application easy.  I had no problem with clumping but I would recommend only applying a few coats.  

The mascara gives a lot of volume and length and I love the great curl it adds, which gave a very eye-opening effect.  I am very impressed by this mascara and plan on buying it again when I run out of my sample!  I wear it every day!  I would definitely recommend this mascara to my friends!

Hugs…

Annastina

Product Review...BRIGHT AND COLORFUL EYELINERS!!!

I hope everyone had an amazing and safe 4^th of July weekend!  Mine was exactly what I needed…fun and relaxing.

Recently I have been addicted to experimenting with bright colorful eyeliners.  I decided to try a couple different brands to see which one I liked the most and then was like…duh…PRODUCT REVIEW TIME!!!

I tried 3 different ones…Makeup Forever Aqua Liners, Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On, and Sephora Nano Liner.  I took some pictures of my makeup and forgive me, my camera is not the best, but it gives you an idea of how I wear them.  Here are my thoughts on all 3…

MAKEUP FOREVER AQUA EYES - $18…I bought this color in Gold 9L.  I love that this liner is waterproof and it stays on all day!  I didn’t have to touch up at all.  The pigment shows its true color and goes on very smooth.  It came off very easily with my eye makeup remover and I did not find anything about this liner that I disagreed with.  Worth the price!!!

URBAN DECAY 24/7 GLIDE ON EYE - $18…I bought this color in Flipside and I LOVE IT!!!  Turquoise is one of my favorite colors right now so maybe that is why I love it but this seemed to be my favorite one.  Goes on very smooth and colors are very bright and rich!  Again came off very easy at the end of the day.  I will be buying this one again…I wish I could get all the colors!

SEPHORA NANO EYELINER - $5…I bought this color in 20 Wild Spirit.  The liner goes on very smooth and is buildable.  I did find that it smudged throughout the day and need to be reapplied a couple times.  But you cannot beat the price, so if you can deal with some touch ups this is a good liner. 

My favorites were of course the Makeup Forever Aqua and the Urban Decay Glide On…I loved both of these and will buy more colors.  I love adding pops of colors to my daily routine especially for summer!

Here is a quote to leave you with…Know that most of the best things if life come after making the most difficult choices, and doing the hardest things, and taking the biggest risks.....HAPPY TUESDAY LADIES!

Hugs…

Annastina

Get out of your COMFORT ZONE!!!

It has been a couple weeks since I last blogged.  Work has really picked up and I LOVE my job so that has been such a blessing.  Once a year, my mom and I take a trip together, and last week we went to Las Vegas for a couple days.  I might actually do a blog on Las Vegas soon, since I was married there and seem to go there quite often.  I always have people asking me what restaurants, shows and shops to go to...so I might just put it in a blog.  Let me know if that is something you’re interested in reading.

But between all the work and fun, the reason I have not blogged, is I have been trying to sort my thoughts out with where I want my career and dreams to go.  And with all the thoughts, I have been putting fear and doubt in my head.  Yesterday I think I finally had a break through.

I have a friend right now who is starting her own business and it has taken off and she and I are always trying to encourage each other.  And every time I am encouraging her I am getting mad at myself because I am not listening to my own advice.  It is so easy for me to encourage people but why can’t I encourage myself?  Why am I not putting my own advice into action?  I think putting words into actions is the most difficult task to do...stepping out of my comfort zone is not something I have had to do a lot.  But I think it is time and it is time to start practicing what I preach to all my friends.

So I decided that I am going to start my day with great intentions.  I am going to get past the fear that says that I am not worthy to have the life that I desire to have.  I have to remember that things and people don't come knocking on my door and what I can imagine I can conceive. I need to act on what is in MY head, believe what I envision and dream big.  Face my fears of success and failure and understand that both are used to mature me.

What advice do you have when someone has fears or doubts?  I would love to hear them!

Hugs...

Annastina

Review on GET MOTIVATED SEMINAR!!!

Recently I attended a Get Motivated Seminar which had some great speakers...Colin Powell, Steve Forbes, Bill Cosby, Howard Putnam (President of Southwest Airlines, and some successful business leaders.

There were so many tips and lessons I learned but I think the most important one I learned how to position myself in my personal life, my finances and in my business.

Do you find yourself asking why you have not achieved the professional success that you desire?  Does it seem that peers, friends, and family members all around you are speedily moving in their careers and you remain stagnant in your own? You may often read the paper or listen to the headline news regarding the many deals and partnerships that corporations and small businesses gain on a daily basis.  If your personal brand is not making any headway, it is time to ask yourself if you are properly positioning yourself.  I learned that doing just one thing a day that advances your career will make a huge difference in a year.  Making a phone call, talking to a mentor, passing out flyers...it will all lead to the end goal...doing what you love and achieving your dreams.

My point here is this: deals are happening all over the place.  Opportunities are endless even in this economy.  Are you leveraging yourself enough to sit at the table to deal your hand of cards?  I read an interesting quote this morning from, a PR Guru, she said, “If you are in a room and no one remembers that you were even there, it is a waste of your face in the place."   I thought about that.  She made a great point.  How many times have we been in THE place and not made ourselves, credentials, skill set, or personality known?  How many times have we silenced our own voice because of intimidation and missed what could have been a great opportunity? 

Here is the art of the deal: If you don't believe in the product of you, it won’t sell and you will be just another person with great ideas and excellent skills that no one knows anything about.  Get your head out of the clouds and OPEN YOUR MOUTH!  I am talking to myself as well.  Look at your hand, pick your best card and get in the game. 

These Get Motivated Seminars travel around the country, if they are ever in your city...go to one!  The tickets are only $2 and you get to hear from the best of the best!

Hugs...

Annastina

Product Review on CREST 2 HOUR WHITESTRIPS!!!

I love having white teeth…just like everyone else!  I recently read a product review on the Crest 2 Hour Express Whitestrips and decided to try it.  Afterwards I thought it would be a good idea to do my own review.

So let’s start with the pros…

Very easy to use and I was waiting for burning or foaming and there was none of that.  The strips stuck to your teeth very well and I never had to readjust them.  During the 2 hours, I was able to do anything which was nice.  The results were AMAZING!  I really saw a huge difference…I forgot to take a before picture…so I took a picture with the strips on and then when I was done so at least you can see the results (I do not know why the camera took the picture in different lighting so I tried to do my best to show actual results).

Before

On to the cons…

So because of bad bleaching in the past…I have really sensitive teeth…at first I was so surprised that my teeth didn’t hurt during the 2 hour process.  I thought I was in the clear, but then a few hours after I took the strips off, the pain came.  It was pretty bad…I had to take Tylenol…and that didn’t help much either.  I couldn’t drink anything cold or anything hot.  But the next morning when I woke up the pain was pretty much gone. 

After

So since you only have to do this once every 3 months, will I do it again?  Probably…I am so happy with the results!!!

If you have sensitive teeth and do not do well with the pain…then I wouldn’t suggest using this product but if you can handle pain, then get ready for some white teeth! 

Running out of MOTIVATION???

I always feel so up and down all the time when it comes to life and my business.  There are weeks that I am on a roll and accomplishing so much and then there are other weeks where I am having the hardest time getting up.  At first I thought something was wrong with me, but then I realized talking to other people, that this is normal. 

Even the most motivated individual can find themselves unmotivated at time. It happens. No one is the energizer bunny at all times. This is why it is essential that we take time to regroup and recharge. You can get motivated and back to your creative, active self in no time. Here are some ways to get you started.

1. Focus on one thing. Our minds can become cluttered when we have more than one goal that we are trying to accomplish. Prioritize. Rome was not built in one day. One goal at a time. All that matters is that you accomplish them. You do not have to accomplish them all at one time. 

2. Get out of the house. Getting away from your normal environment can help tremendously. You never know where you will be inspired. A walk through the park or going to an art exhibit or perhaps a quiet lunch at a cafe will spark a few creative lights. 

3. Get around motivating people. Good energy attracts good energy. Get out of the notion of being alone and get around individuals that support you and your vision. There is nothing like a good pep talk to help us feel better about ourselves.  Feeling great always lead to great results.

4. Get excited. You are alive, correct? Then get excited about you, your goals, and your vision. It will all manifest itself positively because you are doing the work. 

5. Forget the negative and run the positive. You may not be at the stage that you wish, buy you are farther along than a week prior or even a year prior. Success is in the process. You have to give yourself credit for the work that you have put in this far. 

My trainer at my gym always tells me to DIG DEEP when I am having a hard time getting through a work out.  I have to remind myself to also DIG DEEP when it comes to my business.  Let's work together and inspire one another to DIG DEEP and find that motivation!

Hugs...

Annastina