"Empties"

I've gathered enough empty products to make an "empties" post! If don't know what that is, let me tell you! I'm going to share some products that I've used the very last drop of and I'll tell you a little bit about their purpose, also whether or not I plan on buying it again. I like watching "empties" videos on YouTube so I thought I could transition that into a post of my own. If you have any questions about any of the products, let me know in the comments. Anything I write about these products is strictly my opinion or experience, if you happen to try any of this stuff remember that we are all very different and what works for me may not work for you. Enjoy.


Mac Brush Cleaner. Pros: It is a versatile product, perfect for spot cleaning brushes, my white haired brushes prove how well it works. It breaks down gel eyeliner from brushes very easily. The second use is for weekly deep cleaning, with a small amount in your hand it foams and breaks down all color and product from brushes. It cleans, disinfects, and conditions brushes. It is great for cleaning a beauty blender as well. I would recommend it to anyone who uses many makeup brushes on a daily basis. I have repurchased my 3rd bottle.

Oscar Blandi Pronto Gloss Instant Glossing Cream. Pros: This cream does a great job at controlling fly aways and frizz. Use dry or wet, before or after styling. Gives your hair shine without looking greasy or heavy. Helped give my curls definition and smoothed them out. I use it on it's own when I want to air dry my locks, leaves my hair feeling soft. Cons: Even with short hair I felt I had to use more than the recommend amount. I would recommend it for people with wavy or curly hair for a very light hold, I would not recommend it to people with thin or straight hair. I may buy it again when I use up another product I am trying,

Deva Curl No Poo. Pros: Perfect shampoo for naturally curly hair. Replenishes moisture to damaged hair. This shampoo gave my curls life and redefined them. It does not lather therefore does not strip your hair. Man Friendly. Sulfate free. Cons: The "no lather" takes a bit to get use to. I would recommend curly hair only. I don't think I will be buying it again any time soon since I have not been wearing my hair natural as of lately.

Redken Powder Refresh Dry Shampoo. Pros: Aerosol spray, easy to use. Perfect for in between washes. The smell is refreshing. Does not leave a gray cast on your hair. Cons: not a spray and go kind of product, you must rub it into your scalp to absorb the oil. I would recommend this to everyone who gets greasy hair in between washes. I have already purchased 3 bottles when on sale at ULTA so I am good for a while, and when those are done I do plan on repurchasing.

Laura Mercier Face Polish. Pros: Creamy scrub with lots microbeads, little to no smell. Exfoliates skin by removing the top layer of dead skin. Leaves my skin very smooth. Okay for my sensitive skin, can be used with a Clarisonic brush. Cons: expensive for a 3.4 oz bottle ($30). I would recommend to everyone because I believe that it is one of the best textured exfoliators out there. I have already invested in a much larger bottle (6.8 oz $42)

St. Tropez Bronzing Mousse. Pros: Safe tanning option. Great smell! Natural color. Mousse texture makes it easy to apply and see where you are applying. Dries in 60 seconds (so work fast!) Cons: That great smell wears off a couple hours later and you are left with the faint smell of that typical sunless tanning. Expensive. Maybe not good for beginners. I would recommend it for spring & summer tanning. I did repurchase a larger bottle. I'm definitely going to be tan this spring!

Degree Clinical Protection Deodorant: Pros: Motion Sense actually worked while I was being very active at the gym. Great smelling options. Didn't stain my clothes. Cons: It recommends 2 clicks for application and I think that is way too much. I'm good with just one. I would recommend it for anyone, especially those who work out or are highly physically active. Have already repurchased it, but trying a new scent.

Origins Starting Over Age-Erasing Eye Cream. Pros: Origins is known for their natural and plant ingredients in their products, which I really appreciate. It is for both morning and night. Creamy and feels like it moisturizes instantly. I did notice it help fine lines around the corners of my eyes. Cons: Seemed like it did all it could, only helped fine lines so much and that was it. I would recommend it to those who find they don't need too much help with wrinkles but want to be proactive about fighting against future aging. I will not be repurchasing it.

Soap & Glory Flake Away. Pros: Amazing smell! Creamy and moisturizing body scrub. Leaves skin feeling smooth and soft. Did I already mention how wonderful it smells?! Cons: It smells so good I want to eat it. I would recommend it to anyone who likes nice smelling body products. I have already repurchased another tub and plan on buying it forever.

Let me know if there's any questions you have about these products or if you decided to go out and get any of them, then let me know how you like them.

Beatriz

Living With Chronic Pain

It's 11:07 pm and it is the fourth or fifth day I have spent in its entirety, in bed. Today was the best day in all of this since I chose to be productive rather than wallow in my pain and frustrations. I got up and moved around the house more. I watched a movie in the living room, (lying down of course) I took a tiny walk outside to check on the hummingbird who built its nest on one if our wind chimes (she is safe despite the strong winds of today) I even went out to dinner to celebrate my mother in laws birthday and managed to sit for about 45 minutes. That's a huge accomplishment. I was a bit uncomfortable and started feeling some pain but I made it through, got home & immediately laid down. I suffer from chronic low back pain and sciatica which is caused by my herniated L5-S1 disc and its stage of degenerative disc disease. Most of you may know bits and pieces of the different therapies I have undergone to control my pain and ability to function properly like the 25 year old that I am. I don't want to say that those things have failed but I suppose that when you're dealing with chronic pain, there aren't too many successful procedures. I've relied thus far on exercise, stretching, and when extremely necessary, narcotics. The pain has been with me for almost two years now and after 1 spinal epidural, dozens of physical therapy visits, adjustments, spinal decompress sessions, & prescription drugs, I have continued to deal with this annoying pain. A few days ago I began having this excruciating pain down my left leg. The pain was familiar and I knew that it was my sciatic nerve acting up. I brushed it off and went to the gym. Bad idea! 15 minutes later we were on our way home and I was begging for an ice pack. I didn't get up for four days after that. Walking to the restroom was a challenge, but worse was having to sit down. Somewhere in between I went to see my old pain management doctor and I was prepared to move forward with a more aggressive treatment. He recommended a more centralized injection into my nerve that would block the pain down my leg and in my low back. On the side I will be taking Neurontin (which is a nerve pain reliever) Percocet (everyone knows what that is) & Somas. (for helping me sleep, which right now is not proving to be effective) Now it is just a matter of waiting for my insurance to authorize the injection and I'm ready to go. This experience has really encouraged me to share with friends and family the importance of taking care of your back. Our spines are so delicate. Of course they are strong and hold the rest of our body up, but they are fragile and need our care. I would not wish this on my worst enemy, so please friends, take care of your back; sit with appropriate posture, always support your lumbar spine, do exercises to strengthen your core muscles and hamstrings, be at a healthy weight for your height and age, always pick up heavy things using your legs and not your back, don't let friends crack your back, flex your stomach muscles when standing for long periods of time, wear good shoes that have good arch support. There are dozens of steps you can take to take care of your body. At 25 years old I am realizing how important it is to take care of our bodies now and not down the line when it is more difficult or painful to fix. If you read this far, I applaud you. Take care of yourselves my friends.

Beatriz

My Passion

The other day I read a really cool article about doing what we are passionate about. It wasn't your typical inspirational do what you're passionate about article, it was a lot more honest and realistic. Yes everyone deserves to do what they love and are passionate about but not all are able to. There are plenty of life occurrences that hinder us from being our dream person with our dream career. Since I have been evaluating my career options, I know what I am passionate about and what I dream of doing. But even if I don't become a Veterinarian, Zoologist, or an Animal Behaviorist, I can still do what I am passionate about. I am so passionate about working with animals. I am passionate about educating pet owners and modeling a responsible way of taking care of their animals. I am passionate about bringing an end to disgusting people who are involved in dog fighting. I am passionate about being an advocate for animals who have been mistreated, neglected, and abandoned. I feel okay about not doing what I am passionate about as my career. I know that a lot can happen from here until then that may keep me from fully pursuing it. But if that is not the case, I am ready to work towards that now. I am young and I have time on my side. If I still end up being a Phlebotomy Technician I would be happy to have succeeded at anything. Being a Phlebotomy Tech might mean that I would not become an Animal Behaviorist or an Animal Advocate with a title, but I will still hold on to my passions and make them apart of my life on nights and weekends.

Beatriz

What's Keeping Our Lives Busy

It's been quite some time hasn't it? Our lives are getting busier and I'm really enjoying it. There are a few big things happening currently that I'd like to share. The biggest of them is Matt beginning nursing school sooner than we thought he would and finishing sooner than we thought as well. We are both so happy that this ball is rolling and that Matt is a big step closer to becoming a Nurse.

I on the other hand have yet to decide what I want to do for the rest of my life. I have been in a pretty difficult and demanding history class for almost two months and I have really proven to be a good student. (except right now I should be reading. oops) I have received several compliments from my professor and received an A+ on my first exam. (90% of the class got D's. eek.) I think I am a lot smarter than I ever gave myself credit for. I was an average student in high school, mostly because I didn't apply myself and completed the bare minimum just to be done and get out, I suppose I associated that with not being capable of being an A student! I have obviously matured since then and realize how important an education is, because of that I believe it is what makes me such a good student. Matt's words have really convinced me that I can do or be anything I want. Everyone tells you that when you're young, rarely as a 25 year old who has already attended 2 years of college for something you don't see yourself doing anymore and spent the time after that working entry level jobs. I wouldn't take back the route I chose to take after high school, I gained a lot of experience and learned many different skills, that I hope will help me find a job soon. When I think of long term for me there are a few things I can really see myself doing. Up until now I didn't think I had the brains, but now I know that I need to apply myself and be dedicated to learning if I am going to succeed.

We're getting close to moving out of Matt's parents house! We are officially debt free as of last month and it has been great watching us save money. I've never been able to save money, I am so glad that Matt is so good with finances. Once we meet our goal we're outa here!

Matt and I have been a one car family for a few months now and it has been challenging at times but never a real problem. Now that he'll be starting school (and hopefully I find a job) we're definitely going to need another car. This is probably the biggest dilemma because Matt wants a Prius and I want a Subaru. Another option that is still on the table is getting a scooter, for shorter distance driving. We both like the idea of having a scooter but I really want a new car! I hope we can make up our minds soon.

That's what's keeping The Morins busy these days. Hope you're having fun with your busy days!

Beatriz

Turning A New Page

One year & one month ago I made the decision to live healthier & lose weight. My doctor had just informed my that my blood test showed I had high cholesterol & high triglycerides which put me at a high risk for heart disease; heart attack & stroke. Those are some scary words & as a then 24 year old it was a difficult diagnose to swallow. It was unexpected. After that I really put all of my energy into exercise & eating healthier. I thought that I could lower my cholesterol the natural way. To my surprise it helped a little bit. In September I followed up with new blood work & my results showed that my triglycerides went from 262 to 143, my LDL (bad cholesterol) from 150-149 & my HDL (good cholesterol) had gone down even lower (not a good thing) numbers were weird & still not healthy but I was so happy that with my lifestyle change I was able to lower my bad numbers, even if just by a little bit. Over the last 5 months I have lost some weight but mostly have maintained. I am ready to go further  & meet my goal weight. Today I signed up for Weight Watchers. My great friend Amber (& others I know) have had such a great success with this program. So today I turned a new page on this journey to being healthier & more fit. I've missed the gym for a few weeks because of pneumonia but I am ready to get back tomorrow. This process has been a roller coaster no doubt! This one year & one month has left me feeling successful & proud of myself. So far I have lost 25 pounds but plan to lose another 19 pounds. Although it did take me a long time to lose the weight, I am happy that I did it at my pace, the way that it worked for me, & with the support of my husband, family, & friends. I will soon be getting new blood work to determine how much this weight loss has helped lower my LDL cholesterol. I am confident & ready to take on this new challenge. 

Are you taking on any new challenges health wise? What are some of your successes? 

Beatriz
  

What's In My Cross Body Bag

My best friend Alycia inspired me with a What's in your bag mama? post where she emptied out her bag & exposed its contents. I've seen some of my favorite makeup gurus making videos like this on YouTube & although my bag is no where as exciting as theirs or Alycia's, I thought it would be a fun thing to share. I am really surprised how little I keep in my bag these days. I switched from a large Michael Kors bag to a smaller cross body bag I just bought by Giani Bernini that doesn't fit as much, which I like, but might make it a little boring. Without further ado, the stuff in my bag currently.

• Coach Sunglasses- these shades are new & I am loving them at the moment.
• Korres Lip Butter- in pomegranate has a slight tint & great moisture for my lips
• Rimmel Lipstick - number 103 Kate Moss line
• Smashbox Lipstick- in the color Melodrama
• NYX Lipgloss- in the color Beige, weird name since its more of a pink.
• Mac & Jac Wallet- I have so many membership & points cards from several stores, currently no cash :(
• Sharpie Pen- my favorite pen to write with, perfect thickness & smooth (yes I care about it that much)
• Inhaler- used it a lot while I had pneumonia, & now I use it when I feel I'm not breathing as well
• Tissues- because I'm still coughing a lot & no one likes a person who coughs into their hands

My bag contents are always changing, sometimes I have 5 lipsticks at a time because I forget to take them out, luckily today I only had 2. My shades are probably the most necessary to have at all times, what do you have to carry in your bag at all times? Share in your comments or make a What's In My Bag post of your own. Have a good day.

Beatriz

My Pneumonia Adventure

The last several weeks have been full of lives distractions. I'm all for a change every once in a while but it didn't seem like we had any sort of routine going, it was a tad bit overwhelming. The biggest downer was me getting sick. First I thought I had the flu, I had all of the symptoms but around the 3rd day I began getting this really bad cough & it was making it impossible for me to sleep. Fever was high & body aches ravaged through my body day & night. I decided to see my doctor, mainly to see if he could give me anything to help me sleep. He sent me home with Tamiflu, Benzonatate (to help control the urge to cough) & some cough syrup with codeine which was suppose to help me sleep. It didn't of course, so a few days after that I found myself in the ER with a high fever (still!) a cough that wouldn't quit & made my head feel like it would explode if I coughed one more time, & a lack of sleep that really brought me down. Still they sent me home with pain killers for my headache, an inhaler, & a few directions to getting better. After a couple of days more of spiking temperatures, night sweats, chills, headaches, coughing, I saw my primary doctor one last time... this time I demanded an X-Ray of my chest, I knew something did not feel right & I was tired of being sent home & told that I "just needed to ride out this flu." At this point (a little over a weeks time) I was feeling frustrated, emotional, anxious & fed up with the dozens of medications I've been using, I cried to my doctor & asked that he please order an X-Ray- so he did. I'm glad I did because the next day I received a call from my doctor & it turned out that indeed I had more than just this season's flu, I had pneumonia in my right lung. I cried when I heard him diagnose me. I think I was crying out of relief. He immediately sent a prescription for antibiotics to my pharmacy. I knew there was still a long road ahead to recovering completely. Today was my final day taking my antibiotics but only the 3rd day I have felt well enough to be out of the house enjoying life. Through all of this frustration & sickness I am very thankful for Matt who was there for me. He really went above & beyond to make sure I had everything I needed. He consistently asked how he could help me or make me more comfortable. He even took a couple of days off work during my worst days to keep me calm & relaxed. He brought me food in bed, made grocery store/food runs, drew me baths, & even rubbed my feet. He is the best. I love him so much.