New Workout: Pilates

I have to say, when I heard about Pilates, I was skeptical on how the workout can help you loose weight and stay fit. But after doing some research to learn about the history of Pilates and the purpose of techniques, I wanted to give this workout a try. At SJSU, I enrolled in a Pilates course to fill up my break time in between classes.

*Another helpful tip: If you go to college and find yourself waiting about an hour before your next class, try filling up the time by enrolling in a physical education activity. Your school has the resources for you to stay fit...for FREE! At my university, sometimes all you need is a student ID card and you are able to go workout at the school gym. Take these resources to your advantage! If I knew about this sooner, I would've exercised a bit more and prevented all this weight gain. 

The Pilates workout system was invented by Joseph Pilates that became a very popular rehabilitation exercise for patients. He mostly focused on working the body's ability to become more flexible and resulting in leaner muscle and tone. Most Pilates workout sessions today focus on strengthening the core muscles as wells as toning the major leg muscles. The exercises help you build flexibility, lengthen and lean muscles, and build strength and stamina. With controlling your mind and body, you can improve your flexibility, enhance your core strength, and acquire agility.

* I would also like to say that this exercise does help you gain muscle and muscle burns fat! I have been doing Pilates since the end of August and I have noticed that my abdominal muscles as well as my thighs and glutes have toned! I can feel my abdominals when I flex them and are they amazing, lol! With the gain of these muscles, I have noticed my waist getting smaller, mostly because the muscles burn the fat.

So, if you have the time to add another exercise regime to your workout, I highly recommend you trying Pilates! It takes some time to get used to, but if you practice regularly, you can get the hang of Pilates in no time!

Stay Healthy, Stay Strong, Stay Beautiful!!!
-arlynangel

A Fun Way To Organizing Your Studs On A Jewelry Tree

Has this ever happened to you?
Are you tired of getting your studs mixed up in your jewelry box?
Do you find yourself missing the other pair to your favorite earring?


Don't fret!!! There is a simple trick you can use to keep your earrings and studs together and well organized. You can do many variations with this trick. Personally, I keep all my jewelry on a jewelry tree. I normally kept  the studs on the base of the tree, but I found it very difficult when looking for a pair of earring to wear. So, I wanted to store my studs on the tree itself not only for easier storage, it was easily accessible. However, like most jewelry trees, my tree did not give me that option. Here, I'll give you a simple trick for easier storage and organization.


What you will need:

• A ribbon - Any type you'd like! I found that many types of ribbions are great for this project. Just make sure you have enough to store as many earring's you have. This project is all about you, so let it reflect who you are :)
• A pair of studs you won't be needing - If you have a pair of simple studs you don't wear anymore or just have a few cheap studs lying around, save a pair that you will use as a clasp so that you can securely hang your ribbon on the tree.

Here is what you do:

• Get your ribbon and fold it a third of the way. The short end of the ribbon will be the back while the longer end will hold the earrings.
• Organize your earrings and clasp them onto the longer ribbon side.
• When your done, simply slide the loop on a branch of your jewelry tree.

There you have it! I like to think if this as ornaments on your jewelry tree while the earrings symbolizes your style. 

Another tip: If you don't have a jewelry tree, you can also use this method for your jewelry box. You can just skip the step where you make the loop. All you have to do is clasp your earrings onto a piece of ribbon and store them in your jewelry box. 

Hope you enjoyed this simple project and that it helped you as much as it helped me!

Stay Beautiful!

-arlynangel

                                                                                                       Jewelry Tree from Target 

What is it with BB Creams?

Lately there has been a BB cream craze since Smashbox Cosmetics came out with their line of BB creams. However, little do we know that BB creams originated in Germany after a dermatologist created a cream that would protect patients' skin after surgery. The BB creams were introduced in Korea and Japan as a form of cosmetic. The most distinct feature about BB creams is it's ability to provide a healthy, blemish free, and porcelain-looking skin which amazed many Asian women. 

So what do these BB creams do? First of all, BB stands for Blemish Balm and an all in one tinted moisturizer. In Asian countries, BB creams are formulated to moisturize, even and whiten complexion, as well as treating and covering blemishes. There are also anti-wrinkling and skin regenerating properties. However, the BB creams formulated in the western countries are more focused on moisturizing, covering blemishes, evening skin tone, SPF protection and coverage. Basically, BB creams strive to become the alternative to a heavy foundation routine. It is meant to be worn by itself, but through experience, it is recommended to set with a translucent powder or a light mineral powder foundation for a longer lasting wear and coverage.

I have tried three different BB creams: Garnier's Skin Renew Miracle Skin Perfector, Maybelline New York's Dream Fresh BB Cream, and L'Oreal Magic Skin Beautifier BB Cream. I have come to the conclusion that L'Oreal's version had the best overall performance.

Garnier's BB cream gave good coverage, but it wasn't long lasting. I have oily skin, so I usually look out for products that leave me feeling really oily at the end of the day. Sadly, Garnier did not help with controlling oil. I would recommend this product for those who have dry skin. It did really well in keeping my skin very moisturized and hydrated.

Maybelline's BB cream was my least favorite of the three BB creams. First, I have acne scars that I usually cover up with a concealer. Since Garnier gave me good coverage, I was expecting the same coverage with Maybelline. However, I found that Maybelline was very sheer coverage. I also found that it left your face looking very dewey and sticky which is good for moisturizing, but I find it better to set with a powder. Also, another reason why this is not my favorite is because it left me really, really oily. After only a couple of hours, I can start to feel my face oiling up and needed a blot touch up by the end of the day.

My favorite would have to be L'Oreal's Magic Beautifier. This BB cream is very unique from the other two because instead of coming out already pigmented, the cream comes out white with small pigment beads that burst when you rub it on your face. The cool thing about this cream is that after the cream is applied, it will need a few seconds to set itself to accomodate your skin color. After setting, the cream has less coverage than Garnier's but more coverage than Maybelline. So, if you have perfectly even skin or just need the right amount of coverage for a natural look, this product is for you. Also, this product did very well with keeping my skin oil free at the end of the day. A tip for using L'Oreal's BB cream is to set with a powder foundation to get the coverage you want. It also helps in enhancing the BB cream's ability to keeping your skin oil free.

My opinion on BB creams: these are nice for moisturizing and replacing your tinted moisturizer. However, if you need full on coverage, I would advise to stay with your concealer routine or use concealer with this product. These products are good for those days where you are in a hurry and need a bit of coverage. I would recommend to use translucent setting powders of powder foundations on top of these products.