Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Serum Review

Very few products make me want to write about them after being tested, but I definitely had to give you a more in-depth review of the Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Serum. I mentioned this briefly in my previous blog post and it is on my list of products that I need to repurchase. I used the very last drop of it!

This serum claims to give you firmer skin in five days. You can use it in the morning or at night, but I only used it as a night treatment by itself. You only need about two pumps of the serum for entire face so it will last you for a while.  The product itself feels very light and the consistency is not too creamy or too liquid. In my opinion, it has a pearly finish once it comes out of the packaging. One of the advantages of this serum is that it sinks quickly into the skin, which is a big factor for me when it comes to buying skin care creams or serums ( I do not like the sticky or oily feeling that some night skincare products have). In terms of the fragrance, I can't really remember, but I can assure you that it wasn't unpleasant, otherwise I would not repurchase it. Does this product live up to its claims? Yes it does! While using it, I noticed an improvement in my skin. It looked healthier, with a subtle glow and firmer to the touch. I don't know if it is the amino-peptide ingredient what does the job for me or something else. I say this because I remember trying out the Mario Badescu Peptide Renewal Serum and experiencing similar results. The good thing about the Olay Regenerist is that it does a similar job for me when compared to the Mario Badescu Serum and it is a lot more affordable. You can get 1.7 fluid oz of the Olay serum for about $25, while the Mario Badescu one costs about $45 for 1 oz. The links are down below in case you want to check them out for yourself. You just need to click on them and you will be re-directed to some of the websites where you can buy these products.

Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Serum
Mario Badescu Peptide Renewal Serum

As always, thanks for reading and I wish you are having a great day ;)

Summer Makeup and Skin Care Favorites

Make up is one of my passions and this summer I have discovered some products that have become my favorites. I have been using them on a daily basis and I have fallen in love with them! Not only are they good, but they are also affordable if you are not ready to spend lots of money on high end products. My favorite, out all the ones in the picture, has to be the Olay Regenerist Advanced Anti-Aging Serum. This product claims to give you firmer skin in five days and that is exactly what it did to my skin. After using it, I noticed that my skin looked younger, more glowing and firm. I have already run out of it but I'm repurchasing it as soon as possible. I also like the Maybelline Fit Me concealer. It is such a creamy concealer and it has the right coverage for me! It is also good to cover dark circles under the eyes since it doesn't accentuate any fine lines that might already be present. I could keep going on and on about how much I like these products but I'm just going to say that I highly recommend them if you are looking to try something new and do not want to spend a lot of money. What are your skin care and makeup favorites? I am always on the hunt for new products :D

 

 

How to Make Locrio Dominicano

Locrio is one of the typical dishes found in the Dominican culture. It is easy to make and when done right, it tastes good. Below is the recipe so you can make it. I hope you have fun cooking it. Enjoy!

Ingredients You Will Need:

 

1 Cup of green olives

4 Tablespoons of vegetable or olive oil

1 Red pepper

1 Green pepper

2 Cubes of chicken flavor Maggie

2 Cups of finely chopped coriander/silantro

2 Cups of chopped celery

2 Cups of chopped onion

3 Cloves of mashed or finely chopped garlic

3 Tablespoons of tomato paste

3 Tablespoons of white vinegar

4 Cups of rice (You can add more but keep in mind to double the amount of the other ingredients)

A few pieces of chicken

Salt and black pepper to taste

 

Preparation:

 

Clean your chicken pieces with salt and lemon. Once your chicken is clean, put it on a pot and add the olives, red and green peppers, onion, celery, garlic, vinegar and the tomato paste. Cover the pot and let the chicken absorb the flavors of the ingredients for at least an hour (you can do this the night before, put it in the refrigerator and cook it the next day). Heat up a pan in which you can cook rice and add the 4 tablespoons of oil. Wait until the oil is hot and then add the chicken that has been marinated for at least an hour or overnight. At this point, you need to stir continuously so that the ingredients do not burn or stick to the pan. Continue to stir fry for about 10 minutes or until the chicken has some color to it. You can add more oil and tomato paste, if needed. After that, add some water to cook the chicken. You should keep in mind the amount of rice you will cook when adding the water. Let the chicken boil for about 10 to 15 minutes and meanwhile add the 2 cubes of chicken flavor Maggie or Knorr. Make sure the cubes dissolve. Also add salt and pepper to taste. Rinse the rice and add it to the boiling chicken mixture after the chicken has been boiling for 10 or 15 minutes. Cook it as you would normally cook rice and make sure you taste it to see if you need more salt. Then, add some of the chopped coriander and cover it. Lower the heat so the rice doesn't burn at the bottom, this would ruin the flavor. Cook it for about about 15 minutes. Once you are ready to serve the Locrio, add some of the chopped coriander for a nice aroma and flavor.

 

Tips: It can be served by itself or with a fresh green salad. Keep in mind that you do not want to add too much water to the chicken cause otherwise the rice will be overcooked.

 

 

 



 



Mary Kay?

Ciao Amici!

 

Over the past few months I have been slowly becoming passionate about makeup, skincare and beauty products in general. I have come across beauty bloggers, youtubers and vloggers that I didn't even think existed! I feel that I focused on university so much that I completely forgot about other things that I'm now having time to do and enjoy a lot! Before, I used to wear lipstick and not bother about the brand, the name etc. To be honest, I didn't even notice lipsticks had names hahaha...I went by the colors I liked. I don't know what world I was living in, but it surely wasn't a "makeup loving world" if that makes any sense to you? ;). Enough background now let's get to the makeup....Below, are some products I received while looking for freebies online (that's a completely different topic that I will probably address in another post).

I have been enjoying what I got quite a lot! These Mary Kay products in particular, I find to be of good quality. So far, what I like the most about them is their long lasting formulation. Even though when I first tried the jelly lip gloss I found it to be sticky, I later noticed that it lasts for a long time and it is moisturizing enough so I can forget about the fact that it feels sticky on the lips. I know that if I want something that will last for most of the day, I can wear the products shown above. The same applies to the cream eye shadow. I love the texture of it, how it feels when I apply it and even though the color looks a bit scary and nasty on the container, it comes out really nicely once applied to the lids. When it comes to the lip gloss, I prefer to use it over another lipstick just to add a little bit of shimmer and glossiness to the lips. I don't think I would wear this color by itself. In the case of the lipstick, for me it is darker than what I'm used to but is definitely a good choice for winter months and not something I would wear on spring or summer. I found nothing exciting about the lip primer...

I will leave my opinion on the mascara and lash primer for another post in which I plan to do a more detailed review along with other mascaras that I'm currently using.

Here is a list of the products in case you want to look them up online at the Mary Kay website and swatches of some of them starting with the cream eyeshadow, the lip gloss, jelly lip gloss and finally the lipstick.

True dimension lipstick in Mystic Plum

Nourishine plus lip gloss in Rich Spice

Cream eye color in Iced Cocoa

Lash love mascara in I ♥ Black

Lash primer

Age fighting lip primer

Jelly lip gloss in Crushed Plum

As always, thanks for stopping by and reading!

Simple Skincare - Replenishing Rich Moisturizer Review

Ciao Amici!

 

A while back I saw a commercial on TV for the Simple Skincare line and I was intrigued by it. I have tried so many products and been so disappointed with some of them that I hesitated to go and buy it. I have very sensitive acne prone, combination to oily skin. Some moisturizers either break me out, feel heavy and greasy or I just don't like their smell at all! It was recently that Target was offering a free Simple Skincare sample and I was able to receive the Simple replenishing rich moisturizer . I was so excited because it was the perfect opportunity to find out if it was a product that would work for me and was worth spending money on.

After running out of my current moisturizer at the time, a couple of weeks ago, I started using it and I immediately fell in love with it! It has a very light texture and it sinks quickly into my skin. What I like the most is that it doesn't feel greasy or sticky, it has no artificial perfumes and since it feels so light, I feel my skin can breathe. I prefer to use it on days in which I do not wear makeup but I have also used medium coverage foundation on top of it and my skin doesn't feel dry. The only thing I do not like is that it feels very uncomfortable on my fingers to lift the lid, therefore I decanted the content in a small container which is easier for me to use.

 

I'm definitely interested in trying out the whole skincare line now and I would repurchase this particular moisturizer. Most likely, I would use it on days in which I just want a quick and light routine and I would not be exposed to the sunlight too much. During nights, I prefer to use more intense products that target specific skin problems I might have.

. 

I will end this blog post by saying that what I have written about this moisturizer is based on my own experience with it. Like me, you might hesitate to buy it, but the only way to find out if it works for you, is by trying it. I would like to know if you have tried this product and what was your experience with it? Do you have any moisturizer recommendations for a combination skin type? Please leave your comments and thanks for stopping by to read my blog :)

 

 

Rice with Seafood and Vegetables

Ciao Amici!

 

Last Sunday when I was at home cooking I took pictures thinking that maybe I would create a post and share it with you. I have to warn you that I'm not a chef and I do not like to follow exact measurements in recipes. I like to be creative, feel free, mix ingredients and so on. You can also get creative with the list that I will provide for you.

You will need: onions, red peppers, celery, garlic, sweet peas, sweet corn, green beans, green olives, olive oil, salt, black pepper, curry, coriander, sea food mix, rice, and some all purpose seasoning of your choice.

To start preparing your recipe put enough olive oil in a pan (choose a pan in which you can cook rice). While the oil gets hot, cut the onions, red peppers, garlic and celery in small pieces. Once the oil is hot add these ingredients and stir fry.

Make sure you have your sea food mixture ready and add it to the pan after about five minutes of frying your ingredients. Let it fry for two more minutes. 

 

The next step will be to add the sweet corn, peas, green beans, olives, salt, black pepper, all purpose seasoning and curry. Be careful with the salt! Fry for about two minutes.

Add as much rice as you need to the rest of the ingredients. Fry for a couple of minutes and make sure it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. The next step will be to add boiling water. The amount of water depends on the amount of rice you decide to use. I put enough to cover the rice. After this, you need to check if you need more salt, pepper or seasoning. Once you are comfortable with the taste, cover the pot with a lid and cook on low to medium heat for 15 minutes or until the rice is tender.

When is time to serve, chop some coriander and sprinkle it on top. Your rice should look something like this:

 I hope you have fun making this recipe!! Remember, you can get as creative as you want, it is your kitchen! Thanks for visiting my blog and feel free to comment or make suggestions :)



The Beautiful City of Amman in Jordan

Ciao Amici!

 

I was thinking just now that a day like today but a year ago, at this time I was waiting in the airport to head to Amman in Jordan. I can't describe all the feelings I was having at the time because I had never gone so far on my own. I was so excited, a bit nervous thinking that I could get lost, happy because it was a dream coming true, and so much more I can't put into words. I knew that after I left America, I would be stepping into a whole new world for me. I was facing my fears and challenging myself to see more of the world with my own eyes and not through a screen sitting at home in my comfort zone. It was the first time I really did what I wanted to do with all my heart. Thinking about it now makes me feel the same way I felt a year ago and I want to experience it again in the future. I have decided to share some memories I brought with me and so here they are...

 The Flag of Jordan

The Flag from Far Away

 Inside One of the So Many Yellow Taxis there :)

 

A Beautiful Blue Sky

 Handmade Ice Cream (Every time the man mashed the mixture, beautiful sounds made up a nice melody)

 

Doing a Little Bit of Window Shopping :D

 I have to say that I was so upset the day I took the next picture! I forgot to charge my camera and I missed the opportunity of taking more pictures of this beautiful place. It was such a nice and clear day, such a lovely view of the city from the top where this masjid is located and such beautiful architecture :(. This is the only picture I was able to get and is not even the whole view of the place :(

 King Hussein Ben Talal Masjid 

 

If you are a nature lover like me, you will surely love the next picture. I have never seen a sky like this but I'm guessing it is the closest view to a sand storm. Outside it felt great, I breathed well but from far this is how part of the city looked like that day.  

What a Mixture of Clear Sky and Sandy Air

 

A Certainly More Clear Day

 

An Arrange of Colors in the Side Opposite to That Where the Sun Sets

 

The Sunset, One of My Favorite Peaceful Moments

 

 Night Time View

 

Sweetness Wonderland, I Could Live Here Forever! :P

 

The day I came back home on February. These are some sweets my fiancé and his family gave me :)

I know this was probably a long post because of the pictures but I couldn't let the day pass without sharing them with whoever stops by and read my fairly new blog. I thought it was a good opportunity to post something new and interesting. I will end it by saying that there are many more breath taking places to find in Jordan like Petra, etcetera. On my first trip, I didn't have the chance to visit many of them because I went there to meet my Love and his family, after long years of waiting for the opportunity to be able to meet in person. I spent nearly a month living with them and I felt at home since I stepped into their house. I came back with a lot of sweet and lovely memories of a city in which I felt peace and was welcomed by some of the most warm, friendly, funny, and kind people I have ever met <3 . I feel very blessed and it was an amazing experience.   

Makeup Brushes Storage and Cleaning

Ciao Amici!

 

I was recently thinking of how disappointed I was with the way I stored my makeup brushes in a simple plastic container. Then I found a cute glass cup but when I put the brushes inside, it still looked dull and unattractive. I thought that maybe attaching something cute to the handle would make it look interesting but I had no idea of what it could be. It was while going through the holiday decorations that I found a pretty golden bow, and when I attached it to the handle, it made a complete difference. Now I finally feel happy about my storage :)

In another note, cleaning my brushes is something that I try to do frequently. I like to use some olive oil (you can also use baby oil but don't add too much), liquid hand soap and water. I mix about a tablespoon of soap, a teaspoon of oil and enough water. Then gently clean and rinse them. If the water gets too dirty you can repeat the process again until your are satisfied with the cleanliness of your brushes!

Please share with me how you clean or store your brushes, I'm always in the look for innovative DIYs :)