Experiments In The Art Of Color

Hey! I hope that everyone is having a fabulous evening! Today, I woke up to yet another GORGEOUS day here in South Louisiana. I don't remember a week where the weather has been so clear, so cool and so beautiful. A nice change from the sweltering heat that we usually experience here. I am actually starting to think that we may have a real winter here this year!
Anywayyyy, I teamed up with my friend and neighbor, Hollie, today for some make-up experimentation. She's as much of a make-up junkie as I am, probably more so! Not only that, but she is extremely talented in playing with color and coming up with a great result! So, we've decided to dedicate a morning each week to trying out different looks. Looking forward to that and reporting the pics and techniques back to you!
I am a MAC fanatic, but also love Bare Minerals and as of today am a Shu-uemura fan too. Between Hollie and I's make-up cases, we could open a small store. The looks featured here were created using a multitude of colors and brushes. I've included the colors, application techniques and brushes used for you to try out too! It's also pretty easy to replicate these looks using other colors with the same techniques, so have fun experimenting!

Laurie's Look:



Shu-uemura "Me Yellow 300" applied on eyelid and bottom inner corner of eye with MAC brush #219
Shu-uemura "Me Brown 850" applied directly in crease above eyelid and also along bottom lashes with MAC brush #217
MAC "Prismique, white" applied directly below eyebrow with MAC brush #217
MAC "Prismique, goldish-green" applied to top half of eyelid with MAC brush #219
MAC "Paradisco Frost" applied above the "Me Brown" and below "Prismique white", blend together with MAC brush #217
MAC "Hepcat Frost" pat gently in corner for shadowning with MAC brush #217
MAC "Paint Pot" black eyeliner applied with MAC brushes, #209 and #210

Hollie's Look:


MAC "Soft Brown Mattique" applied as base for entire eye with MAC brush #2178E
MAC "Post Haste" applied on crease from bottom to halfway around the eye with MAC brush #219. Do not go all the way to inner eye.
MAC "Beauty Marked Velvet" patted on outside corner of eye for tinting with MAC brush #219
MAC "Stars & Rockets" applied over eyelid, then blended over entire eye with MAC brush #217
MAC "Nylon Frost" applied to inner eye for light tinting effect with MAC brush #217
MAC "Blanc Type" applied below eyebrow for highlighting effect with MAC brush #217
MAC "Post Haste" applied below bottom lashes for smoked effect. Apply back up and over the crease to enhance color with MAC brush #219.


I love these looks and can't wait to report more tricks back to you next week. What's your favorite trick that you like to use? Share it here!
Peace,
LL

Why should you eat breakfast?

Every day thousands of people resolve to accomplish their health and fitness goals. In a struggling economy where the future is uncertain, all we really have is our health. Being healthy is the only chance that you have to ensure that you are there to see what the future holds for you. Being the best “you” that you can be, both inside and out, is in your own hands. Literally. Let me start by saying that this addresses the majority of people that I have worked with, mainly women who want to lose body fat and inches. If you are looking to add muscle, this may not apply to you.
I see people every day that spend hours in the gym, see no results and think that something is wrong with them, their training program, or something else that they cannot control. Often times it is. Most of the time, however, it is the neglect of their eating habits that are stopping them from achieving their goals. I don’t like the word “diet”. It automatically sends people into a negative attitude. Long term wellness comes from replacing the self-defeating eating patterns with healthy ones. It is a lifestyle goal, something that is not immediate. Unfortunately, many do not have the patience for this, instead opting for a quick diet fix. If it took you 3 years to get out of shape, it will take you time to implement new habits that work hand in hand with your fitness goals. The first thing you should do is to stop making excuses. The second is to be honest with yourself-what are you consuming that is working against all of your hard work?
Fitness is physical, but the largest part is mental. You must make an assessment of your current situation and resolve to work on the weak spots. When confronting clients with changes to their eating plan, I always ask if they eat breakfast. Some do, many do not. There is typically an excuse as to why they cannot eat breakfast. I don’t accept this as an excuse. Please do NOT tell me that you are “too busy” to eat breakfast. We are all busy. You simply need to plan. If it is important enough of a goal to you, you will.




I cannot stress this enough…if you are serious about weight loss, you MUST eat breakfast. Think about the word “breakfast”. It’s a compound word. Break it down. Break –fast. Break the fast. It’s the first meal of the day. It’s the meal that starts your day off by breaking the fast of the night when you are sleeping.
Now on to science. I wish that I could tell people that things weren’t as they are…but some things are exactly as they are. The fact is, that going 6 or more hours without food results in a slower metabolism. You are like a car. You need fuel to get from one place to the next. Your food is that fuel. If you were driving to Florida and stopped in Destin for the night on an empty tank on the way to Miami, it is very unlikely that you would get in that car the following morning and make it to Miami. You would be forced to refuel to get your vehicle there. You are the same way. After sleep, the metabolism doesn’t get kicked in to its capability until after food is consumed, preferably within one hour of waking. That means that your morning workout may not be as effective as it could have been. It also means that you are delaying your body’s fat burning process simply by not eating. Eat something! More on this in future sections, it takes awhile. You have to find out what works from you and you are here for that knowledge! I have spent a lot of time working with clients. Everyone is different and what works for me what may not work for you. We all have to fuel ourselves though, that is fact. When you become deficient in something, you will become ill in the future. We can’t prevent the inevitable, but we must be the best we can be despite it. Not to mention, you will eat the calories eventually. Non-breakfast eaters can expect to be hungry and suffer from cravings towards the end of the day due to the erratic metabolism.
I understand the basic principles. We are all made from the same thing. Its not easy. I like to live. I don’t believe that you should have to sacrifice your basic happiness for the sake of fitness. Rather, fitness should be a part of that happiness, a reward to help you feeling great in everyday life. We do owe it to ourselves. You are your biggest asset. Please keep that in mind along your journey.
More in the future about quick and convenient breakfast ideas. How many of you eat breakfast every day and what do you like to eat?

Take the poll

Hey! I've included a poll on this site. Check it out at the bottom of this page and submit your answer. I'll post results of the poll after polling is complete. Look for another poll next week. I'm interested in seeing my readers' workout habits. Thanks and keep reading~

Oh the irony...

Time flies when you're having fun. Unfortunately, you never have a good grasp of that statement until you have something to compare it to. That would be just how long something can be when you are NOT having fun. Or maybe its just all in the way that you choose to look at things.

Why is it that the things we savor are over way too soon, yet the things we dread seem to drag on forever? Like that desert that you shouldn't be having that is gone in a second. The plate of vegetables, however, can be picked at for what seems like an eternity. Or how about that 30 minute workout feeling like a good 4 hours, but your 4 hour night out on Saturday seemed like 30 minutes.

Is it possible that you can find that meal that you love that is actually good for you or the workout that doesn't feel like a workout? Things that you actually look forward to? If any of these future postings inspire positive change in just one person, then I have succeeded. It's all about finding that balance, so happy reading!! Now get outside and enjoy the weather :)

Peace!

Fitness, Food, Fashion, Fun

I became very motivated when I decided to publish this blog. Motivated and focused. So focused that I forgot what I was trying to do in the first place and that is to express myself. I've been in many situations before where I've felt as though its tabboo to express yourself, so i decided to create my own. There's so much to write about, yet you can't just "write". You have to "do" too!
So I've decided to dedicate this blog to some things that I know very well. My 4 F's of what can make for a great day! Fitness, food, fashion and fun! What's current in health and fitness? What can I eat that is healthy, quick and tastes good? What are some workouts to balance and strengthen you, both inside and out? What are some good ways to relax? What are the fashion, hair and makeup trends right now?
The list goes on....tonight, I'll stop here. Tomorrow, I'll begin again.
Good night!