The Purple Smoothie Recipe

I strive to come up with new recipes for smoothies whenever I have the time and today's recipe is:

3 Tablespoons of whole oats (soak them in half a cup of water for 10 minutes)
1 Tablespoon of chia seeds (soak in a little bit of water for 10 minutes)
1 Tablespoon of honey
1/2 A cup of unsweetened almond milk
5 Frozen strawberries
1/2 A cup of frozen blueberries
The juice of half a lime or lemon

To prepare you will need either a blender or a NutriBullet. Combine all the ingredients and blend for about a minute. Since I used frozen strawberries and blueberries there is no need for ice. If you don't have almond milk, you can use regular milk. It is about being creative. You can use just strawberries if you don't have blueberries, and the chia seeds is optional. The texture and taste might be different but you would still have a healthy nutritious smoothie.

Chia Seeds Smoothie

What a better way than starting your day with a healthy smoothie? For this recipe you will need:

1 banana
1 apple
1 mango
1 tablespoon of chia seeds
1 cup of water

Soak the tablespoon of chia seeds in one cup of water for about 10 minutes. Peel and cut the rest of the ingredients in small portions and add them to a blender. I prefer to use my NutriBullet for this recipe and I blend for about a minute. Once you are done, serve and drink!

Note: If you prefer a cold smoothie, you can freeze the fruits the night before.

Ipsy - September Glam Bag

I have been subscribed to Ipsy for a few months now but I couldn't resist blogging about this September Glam Bag. It has been my favorite in terms of design and content. I think it is very elegant and I would definitely be using these products. I am looking forward to reviewing them in more detail!

Green Healthy Smoothie Recipe

One of my goals this year is to try to eat healthier and cut my "bad" sugar intake at least in half. I have tried creating different options for breakfast and a green smoothie is the easiest thing for me to do, specially because it doesn't require a lot of time. I have to say that I have experimented with different ingredients and some of them just taste not good when mixed together, but the next recipe is one that is acceptable to my taste : ).

You will need:

A handful of fresh spinach
Half a banana
A small red apple
Half a cup of water
A hint of lemon juice (about two tablespoons)

Cut the ingredients into small pieces and blend them all together until you reach a smooth consistency. You will end up with a smoothie that you can have on the go, if you are busy like me, and it only takes about 5 minutes. If you would like yours cold, you can freeze the banana but I prefer mine at room temperature in the winter.

Aveeno Positively Radiant Moisturizer

I have finally reached the end of the bottle with this product that I have been using since the end of summer. This is a good moisturizer with a creamy texture and a pleasant soft smell. It has SPF 15 so it is great for daily use. I use it every morning and I can see a healthy glow every time I apply it. At first, it feels rich and greasy on the skin but it absorbs very quickly and has a light weight finish. I usually use foundation on top of this product and my skin stays hydrated for most part of the day. I have an oily to combination skin so one of my concerns is to find moisturizers that do not break me out. So far this product doesn't break me out. Would I repurchase it? Yes...

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