Quick Health Tip #1

1. Drink less coffee and more tea

I understand that coffee is a must in the morning for a lot of you, but tea is a healthier option and a better way to get your caffeine fix. Tea is known to provide many more health benefits than coffee. Some people don't enjoy the taste of tea but it's an acquired taste: so is coffee. There are so many different types of tea out there that can hopefully match your tastes. For me, I LOVE green tea. Not only do I find the taste to be relaxing and enjoyable, but the health benefits of green tea are off the charts in my opinion! Green tea is known for its potential to fight off cancer and other types of diseases, boost the metabolism to burn fat, lower cholesterol, and so much more. It's chop full of antioxidants that makes for a healthy and energized body. It's recommended to drink at least two cups per day but slowly start with one and make your way up to two.


     Priscilla

Jamara's Quick Tip #1: Skin

Apply moisturizer, toner and/or primers in an upward and outward motion. Never circles, and never down the upward outward motion promotes toxins to move away from the center of the face AND decreases the formation of wrinkles later in life.

Get rid of acne with..banana peels?

I know what you're thinking. Banana peels can get get rid of acne? Say what!?

But apparently it has worked for many people. In a matter of days, your acne is supposed to be less red, smaller and less noticeable. How do you utilize this method? Follow the steps below:

1. Eat a ripe banana (Good source of Potassium!)
2. Take the banana peels and cut them into smaller pieces
3. Take the inside of the banana peel and rub it on the area
4. Rub it until the inside of the peel turns brown and then throw it away
5. DON'T WASH THE AREA. Apparently, the inside of the peel fights off infection and if you wash it off, then the whole thing becomes pointless. 
6. Repeat about 3 times day and you should start seeing results!

I would definitely try out this treatment. The only problem I personally have with it is that I hate bananas. But I think that if it'll get my pimples and acne, I'll take the chance. Someone else can just eat my banana for me haha.


     Priscilla

Review: MAC Mineralize Concealer

I suffered with acne throughout high school and when I got to college, my skin started getting a lot better. The breakouts are minimal now and my skin looks way better than it looked before. But the downside of having acne is that your skin can become red and blotchy and worst of all, dreaded post-acne scars.

I hate acne scars with a burning passion. They're usually red or brown in color and they seem to take forever to go away. One of my good friends gifted me with the MAC Pro Longwear Concealer in NC30 for Christmas and I liked it a lot. It had a lot of coverage and covered my spots well. However, for some reason, during the summer, my skin became drier than usual (which is weird for me but whatever) and if I used this concealer, it would kind of accentuate my dry spots. I was almost done with the bottle so I decided that maybe it would be time to start using a new concealer. After dinner with my friends, we decided to go to a MAC store and I started a friendship with a new concealer.

Protecting my Transitioning Hair this Summer.

This summer is different from any of my summers before it for about ten years. This summer my hair is not chemically treated. While having hair that is not chemically treated has a ton of benefits, finding summer friendly protective styles becomes all the more important. Kinky, coily hair in it's natural state is brittle and has trouble remaining moisturized. The best bet is to put it up and away with extension. My summer style of choice are braids. Unless you know how to braid your self the style can run you anywhere from $150-$300 dollars, depending on the length and thickness of the braids. The hair is synthetic and inexpensive, about $25 ($2/pack) worth of hair should cover it. Anyway, so your thinking, "Why extensions?" Well extensions keep the elements from directly stripping from the hair it's natural oils and moisture. Braids, specifically, allow you to still wash the hair and scalp often, and put moisture back in from all the swimming and sunning you'll be doing this summer. Braids are also pretty versatile. You can do pretty much any style you want. One of my favorites has to be the ultra high bun. For daily maintenance I like to spray the scalp and beginning of the braids with a leave-in I like to make my own, but a cheap alternative is Aussie Hair Insurance. Whatever you do this summer make sure your comfortable. Although extensions are very helpful to maintain healthy hair they can also be damaging if too tight, pulled up too soon, or worn too often. Be careful!


FTC Disclaimer: I was not paid/compensated for reviewing any product. All opinions are my own and this product was purchased with my own money.


Best Zest,


Jamara

Review: Suave Professionals Keratin Infusion Smooth & Shine Serum

I'm a huge drugstore hair product junkie and I get super excited when I see the different lines different hair product lines have. Today, I'm reviewing the Suave Professionals Keratin Infusion Smooth & Shine Serum. The Keratin Infusion line is one of the newer lines and came out a couple of months ago I believe. I purchased the Smooth & Shine Serum because I have slightly frizzy hair that needs to be tamed often. When I read the descriptions on the product, I wanted to try it. Keratin treatments are treatments known to be able to smooth and de-frizz your hair but can be costly and are done at salons. But here's a cheaper alternative for you!

Happy 4th of July!

Happy Independence Day America & everyone! Hope everyone has a wonderful night celebrating the fourth of July!

How Pinterest helped me to a better body

If you guys don't know what Pinterest is, Pinterest is basically an online pinboard where you can "pin" different things onto custom-categorized boards (i.e food board, art board, etc). I happen to be a huge fan of Pinterest because there are so many ideas available on the site and I get exposed to tons of cool ideas, tips, images, and more. But who knew Pinterest could help me to a more toned and healthy body?

Review: Organix Awapuhi Ginger Dry Styling Oil

My hair has been colored several times over the past couple of years. I've had highlights, dyed my hair, and even ombred my own hair. I've gone through several hair-related escapades and in return, my hair can be dry at times. To top it all off, I blow-dry my hair everyday because my hair air dries really weird (but seriously). I try to take a lot of effort in maintaining it in order to prevent it from damaging even further. That's where Organix Awapuhi Ginger Dry Styling Oil comes in (that was a mouthful!). I've tried out other Organix products in the past, but this one is the only one so far that I would repurchase. Why?

In the past, I've tried the Organix Penetrating Moroccan Argan Oil and Shampoo. Both products were simply just "ok" for me. I had high hopes for the Organix Penetrating Moroccan Argan Oil because argan oil is really good for dry hair. However, the results weren't that superb and I felt like it was making a hair flatter than usual.

Cuff Bracelets 2 for $20!

I just wanted to quickly share this STEAL I found. I love Gordman's for basics like t-shirts, tanks, and even dorm room stuff. I usually steer clear of any attempt of fashion finds there but when I came across this bracelet for only $10, I knew I hit the jackpot. I started searching the disheveled jewelry display for a matching cuff and there it was. The cuff is two toned and hinged and will spice almost any outfit up. In the future, I'll be posting outfits featuring one or both of these fabulous bracelets. 
Do not underestimate certain stores, you never know what you'll find! Keep your eyes open and your wallet full c: Happy Hunting!


Much Zest,
     Jamara

Great Summer Fragrances for All Year!

From left to right: Escada Marine Groove. Coach Poppy Flower. 

Escada Sunset Heat. DKNY Be Delicious (Limited Edition Packaging).

Escada Pacific Paradise.  Marc Jacobs Oh, Lola. Escada Moond Sparkle.

Of the four seasons, my favorite season to buy perfumes is definitely the summer. Once I've stocked up on all the dainty fragrances, I'm just not willing to part. I can't be the only one who loves to carry floral and fruity scents of summer into fall and winter. Layering scents is your best bet to winterize your summer scents. Layering scents is when you pair a base note with other fragrances. My favorite base note is vanilla; it pretty much goes with any fragrance to create a deeper scent. I especially like to pair vanilla with fruity scents. Another base note I like to use is jasmine. Jasmine has a strong sophisticated floral smell so obviously pair it with your summery floral scents to give them a more sultry scent. Look for similar scents or find your favorite winter/summer combination and you'll be wearing your summer scents all year long.

Muah!
Jamara

Review: Vaseline Original Lip Therapy

Whether it's winter or summer, I suffer from chapped lips if I don't constantly moisturize them. I've tried out lots of different types of chapsticks and I always get the same result: moisturized lips for about an hour, and then I have to reapply over and over again. I jumped on the Burt's Bees chapstick bandwagon and although I did like it, I found an even better product. Vaseline Original Lip Therapy has been the solution to my chapped lips problem for months and this is a product I would repurchase over and over again. Why?

Vaseline has been around for years and has been the solution to a multitude of problems, especially if you have dry skin. Now, Vaseline has expanded their line to include lip products for supple, moisturized lips. I can honestly say, Vaseline Original Lip Therapy is my absolute favorite lip product of all time.

Fabulous Find: Steve Madden Unityy Pumps in Blush Pat

I am a total bargain shopper and finding great deals at low prices can make my day so much better! TJ Maxx and Marshalls are two of my absolute favorite stores to find designer brands at low prices. Normally, I'm not a huge shopper at Ross because I would much rather shop at the other two (TJ Maxx & Marshalls). However, today I decided to drop into Ross just for fun to see what I could find and boy, am I glad I did!

5 Tips to Stay Fit This Summer

1. Water. Take your body weight and divide it by 2. What's the number? That's how many ounces of water you should be drinking a day (unsweetened tea counts). The easiest way to ensure you are getting the right amount of water is to substitute your normal drink with water. By substituting the sweetened and carbonated drinks with water, you are cutting hundreds of calories out of your daily diet. After your morning routine, drink 16oz of water and when you go to bed, drink 16oz of water again.With the heat index the way it is, anything else other than water could actually dehydrate you. 
2. Wake Up. Sleeping eight hours burns a little over 300 Calories. Waking up after those 8 hours, eating and moving boost your metabolism and allows you to be more active throughout the day.
3. Phone a friend. If there isn't a heat advisory get outside and get active!
4. Cook. What??? I said cook! Cooking your own meals instead of ordering out allows you to account for everything that's going into your meal. It also allows for you to maintain portion control. I don't know about everyone else, but I eat while I cook. I end up being full not too long after I sit down with my plate.
5. Shop. Okay, I kind of cheated - there is no scientific evidence that proves shopping is a fitness technique but it makes sense to me. Besides making you more active, shopping is a great stress reliever. We store stress in fat! Less stress less fat. Haha c:

Forever Spicy,
     Jamara

Lana Del Rey - National Anthem

Can we say PERFECTION?! Rey's depiction of the love Jackie O had for her husband was spot-on in this video. I was already in love with the song. There is no way I can do an unbiased review.

- Jamara 

My Summer Makeup Routine - Jamara

As a general rule, I don't wear much makeup daily. So in the summer months my makeup routine is the bare minimum. In fact I'm not even sure you would call it a makeup routine. Nonetheless, any great makeup routine always begins in the shower. For my sensitive combination skin, I keep it simple. I start by cleansing my face with a cold cream. Weekly, I follow my cold cream with a gentle exfoliating scrub, I use Bioré Pore Unclogging Scrub. Out of the shower, I apply a gentle toner and Vitamin C cream to wake my skin up and add moisture without shine. Now that my skin is all cleansed and ready, I start putting on my face. Because I do not require much coverage, I'm not the liquid make up kind of girl. I also find that liquid makeup for dark skin is usually a bit too red to fit my skin tone. But I'm sure there is a tinted moisturizer out there that is not either too red for my skin or too gray, I've yet to find it. But believe me, I'll keep trying. If anyone knows of one, please submit it. Until then I'll stick to the routine I'm using now.

50 Ways to Say Goodbye - Train

Quick post about one of favorite songs. I'm definitely a Train fan and I absolutely love their album California 37 which was released back in April. I was listening to the entire CD yesterday on Spotify and I am in love with the song "50 Ways to Say Goodbye". First off, I can't get enough of Patrick Monahan's voice. Something about it just draws me in. Secondly, if you guys are familiar with the Phantom of the Opera, the song incorporates the familiar "Phantom of the Opera" tune in the first 00:40 of the song and again later on. And I am in love with the "mariachi-style" instrumentals. I think it's fresh, upbeat and definitely a song I play on repeat along with "That's What Make You Beautiful" by One Direction (That's right!) during the summer. And don't get me started on "Drive By" again by Train (LOVE IT).

Support Train by buying California 37 by Train on iTunes for $10.99 or buying "50 Ways to Say Goodbye" for $1.29!

My Summer Makeup Routine - Priscilla

Although I do love my makeup very much, in the summertime I try to wear less than I would in other seasons. Why? Because where I live, it is so humid outside and where I'm currently spending my vacation, it is usually 100+ degrees outside. No eyeliner, no blush/bronzer, no lipstick or lipgloss (unless I'm stepping out for a public affair!). But nevertheless, I'm here to share my summer makeup routine!

I only use foundation when I'm going out with friends or family for long periods of time. If I'm just going out to run a quick errand or if I'm at home, I don't wear any makeup. 


Don't want heavy coverage during the summer? Try a BB cream or Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer. Those are my two favorite options if I want lighter coverage & feel during the summer! 

For reference, I have oily-combination skin with yellow undertones.