Friday, January 11, 2013

2012 Favorites!

twenty-twelve favorite beauty products......♥

So, as a wrap-up to my New Year posts, I thought I'd do my first beauty post of the year! Since the year  is still very young, I thought what better way to wrap-up 2012 than with a post of my favorite products of the year! So, these are just some of the amazing products that I have discovered over the past 12 months! :)
Sonia Kashuk makeup brushes. So soft, and work really well!

Naked Pallet by Urban Decay, very pigmented and buildable ,use-able colors that I can use often which made it worth the price! :)

Naked Pallet (I know these are kind of old, but I've only discovered it this year and love it!)


Trader Joes Coconut Body Butter, works so well, smells great and inexpensive!

Prime Time by Bare Minerals, goes on smoothly and really light on the skin!

Dream Bouncy Blush by Maybelline New York (Coffee Cake), goes on smoothly, however I did need to re apply it throughout the day.

Beyond Belief -Nourish and Diminish moisturizer, works really well, light but moisturizing and feels great on the skin. It has a citrus-ey scent that smells wonderful in the morning haha! 

Lots of Lashes by Meybelline NY- really good for nice, defined lashes! 

Beyond Belief Nourish & Diminish cleanser, very refreshing on the skin!

These are just some of my favorite products from 2012!
Did you discover any new products over the year that you love?
Have you tried any of these before?
Let me know in the comments below!

♥.♥.♥

Goals for 2013 :)


.2013.
Every year it seems that we make "resolutions" to change our selves completely. By now, resolutions seem to be cliche and redundant.

I've never really been all that good with resolutions because I think I've always tried to change things at an un-realistic rate. Last year, I resolved to eat only healthy things Monday - Friday and then save the sweets and junk foods for the weekend. I also resolved to make a juice or smoothie fresh each day. I thought this would be a great way to get a better diet and it sounded great! This only lasted a week... if that. This didn't really pan out as I'd expected it to because it wasn't really something I was committed to. I was really just making a resolution for the sake of making a resolution, and well because of that it was easy for me to give up.

I think a lot of us do this. The whole "New Year, New Me!" band-wagon seems like such an enticing idea. So many people resolve to quit things cold-turkey, or vow to start something they aren't even prepared for. And as a result, the things we resolve to do, don't really get done.

In order to avoid this circle in 2013, I decided to make goals instead of resolutions.  Now, you may be thinking that a goal is just another way of saying resolution however I feel it's different. To me, goals are long-term hopes and wishes that we can work towards. The goals I set this year reflect just that. some of my goals are to start my blog, work on my website, and begin to work on videos as well as photographing things more often. Another big part of these goals were setting things to go with them, for instance I want to remain committed to my goals and maintain a positive outlook on them throughout the year.

My ideal fulfillment of these goals would be not only to start work on them now, (like I am with this blog and my site) but to also continue to working on them as the year passes. I would like to continue learning more about film, and fashion, and beauty as the year progresses so that I can further my goals and challenge my self more and more. I think that's the best way to grow, isn't it? To continue challenging yourself by setting new goals and trying to exceed them throughout the year. I don't want to become complacent once I set something up and then forget about it. I want to go further and do things to the best of my ability, when I reach a goal, I want to learn more about it so that I can expand on my knowledge or experience with that specific subject. Because I view my goals like this, I think I'll have better luck completing them.

Another thing that really helped me sort out my goals was writing them down. This way I can keep them somewhere all year in case I ever want to look back on them. Another great thing about writing down your goals is that whenever you successfully complete a goal you can cross it off and keep track of the ones you finished and the ones that you are still working towards. This is also great for updating your goals or even just used as a source of inspiration for a day when you feel a bit down. They say that by just writing down your goals you are already ahead of most, its so simple to do just that.

Another thing I decided to do was make a page of inspiration for my goals. I think this is fun and helpful for motivating you to kick-start on days when you are feeling down. Personally, I love quotes and find them very inspiring. So for my inspiration page I compiled a bunch of quotes that really stuck with me. Some of them are old favorites and others are new ones I found online and on Instagram and things like that, ha-ha. :) It may seem simple but these really help me feel more inspired because I chose personal quotes that fit my goals and inspire me.
I guess there isn't a perfect way to make goals for the New Year, and I think that this is the way that works for me. Every year, we say "This year is gonna be the one for me!" and I have finally decided to take matters into my own hands and do just that!

Do you make resolutions or goals each year?
How have they worked for you?
Let me know in the comments below!
~Amadi

♥.♥.♥

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

New Year... So soon?


New Year... New Me?I feel like 2012 went by so quickly, but at the same time I feel like it went on forever. Last New Years seems decades away but I can remember it like it was days ago. So much changed but at the same time nothing did. This year was kind of funny that way. When I was with my family on Christmas Eve it seemed like everyone couldn't believe the next day was Christmas! 

It seems like just weeks ago I was thinking of New Year's resolutions. Then summer came and went, and Fall passed by so fast I can't believe it's already Winter.
Though that might have to do with living in southern California...
It’s odd though, isn't it? To think, that we are no longer in 2012. When I think back on it, so much changed in this past year. But at the same time, everything stayed the same.
I guess I’m just rambling, but I’m beginning to wonder, will 2013 be any different in this facet? Or will everything stay the same? It's similar to birthdays, and how when you wake up on your birthday you don't feel any older compared to the day before.
When you think about it, in just a years time we will be thinking about how fast 2013 was, and how excited we are for 2014.
I think years are funny that way. Little files of our life with sub dividers of each month. Then our brain compresses each file so only the big memories stand out. Maybe that’s why a things from so long ago seem fresh in our memories. Why an entire year is recalled upon like a week or two.
Well, I wonder what this year will bring. And what memories will stand out as we count down for the next one. I haven't really made any resolutions because, well, we all know how well those pan out for everyone. Ha-ha, but I have made a few goals, which I will talk about more in my next post!
Anyways, here’s to a bright year ahead of us. Seize the day.

What are your plans for the New Year?
And how did 2012 go by for you?
Comment your thoughts, I'd love to read them!

♥.♥.♥