Falling in love

When life gets hectic, we tend to push aside the things we truly enjoy (reading a good book, hanging out with loved ones, etc.) which is why I have been MIA from the blogging world. I really love to write post that may inspire at least one precious heart and it gives me great pleasure in giving people an insight into why I feel the way I do about certain things. Today's topic is falling in love.

Love is something else. Every musical artist under the sun has written songs about it. If they haven't written a love song, they've written a song about heartbreak which sometimes go hand in hand. We can't help what or who we fall in love with and when it happens, it takes over your entire being. You change. But when it's true love, you won't have to sacrifice anything that gives you self satisfaction. If you've ever had a pet that was part of your family, you'll understand exactly what I mean. That is unconditional love in which you do not need to give up other things you love in order to obtain. You can be your quirky, moody, crazy, beautiful self and still feel the love.

I used to go through an unfortunate cycle when it came to finding love for myself. I would date someone, fall completely head over heels for them, only to get my heart torn up when it would end. After one specific break up, I decided to change all that and decide that the next person I would fall in love with would be myself! I was single for a very long time and loved every minute of it! When most people are single they deem themselves as "unwanted". This is the most foolish thing you can think of yourself! Single Nikki met more interesting people then relationship Nikki ever did. Because when you get in the wrong relationship, you surround yourself with the other person and don't want to explore your surroundings. Maybe it's out of fear or content. You don't want to upset the other person. When it is the right person, you will never feel restricted. But why wait around for all of that? Just by falling in love with yourself, you will see positive changes in your life!

Since the beginning of my undying courtship to myself, I have:
♥ Started doing makeup professionally and found out that it is what I truly love to do
♥ Got my cosmetology license
♥ Explored every inch of Manhattan (and ate some great pizza along the way)
♥ Traveled to Miami and Los Angeles for the only purpose of experiencing new surroundings
♥ Inspired others to reach inside their soul and do what truly makes them happy in order to get that amazing self satisfying high.
♥ Let myself get photographed professionally (something I NEVER felt comfortable with before!)

I always believe that God creates every situation in our life, good and bad. He would have never put us on this beautiful life if he wanted us to fail. So if you are feeling alone, know that you never are and that there is a whole big world waiting out there just for you. You don't need anyones permission to do what you feel is right in your heart.

Big loves and even bigger adventures,
Nikki

Preparation H... on my face?

There are so many different products out there on the market that promise you to erase wrinkles over night or eliminate the appearance of large pores. About $300 and dozens of small sample containers later, we realize that we've been gypped! Here are three products that have been tested and guaranteed to help reduce imperfections and leave with extra cash in your wallet.

Pepto Bismol brightens your skin. One product that has gained popularity in the last few years is foundation primer. It is said to smooth out the skin and make the appearance of foundation look more natural. These primers usually range in prices, topping of at almost $40 for a mere 2 ounces. Most people have complained that the thick consistency of these products has clogged their pores. A better alternative? Pepto Bismol, the stomach soother. After you cleanse your face, apply a light layer of this little known visage beautifier and let it sit for about a minute. Wash off with warm water, pat your face dry, and follow it up with a foundation or tinted moisturizer. It leaves a very, very slight pink hue to your skin that will gleam through the foundation giving you a nice, healthy glow. I've done this trick plenty of times before weddings or any daytime event where my face needs a quick pick me up!

Preparation H reduces eye puffiness. This is an old trick that has been around for ages. Many believe that Preparation H tightens up the loose skin that is created from under eye bags. This is true, but it should only be used in moderation. There is a small amount of an ingredient in Preparation H called Phenylephrine. Phenylephrine restricts the blood vessels which in return reduces the puffiness. This is not an everyday fix and must only be done a couple of times a week. Studies have shown that Phenylephrine, if used on a constant basis, can cause headaches. Celebs use this trick too. Christina Ricci has said before, "Preparation H is the best thing for swollen eyes. I keep it in the fridge because it works best cold."

Exfoliate with baking soda. By adding a dime size amount of baking soda to your current face wash, it can do wonders for acne prone skin. It sloughs off all makeup buildup and excess oils while leaving your skin feeling rejuvenated and clean. Make sure to avoid the eye area when using baking soda and be kind to your face by rubbing in light, circular motions.

Do any of you have any quirky skin, hair, or makeup tricks that you've always done? Please share!

Why Your Mineral Makeup Isn't as safe as you think...

I wrote this article a year or so ago and I just found it. Since spring is pretty much here already, a lot of you fab gals all switching to mineral makeup to "let your skin breathe". But please read on to decided whether or not mineral makeup really is for you.

Mineral makeup has been on the market for quite a few years now. Many companies boast that their makeup is so pure you can sleep in it. Is that really true though? Is mineral makeup just like wearing nothing at all? What exactly do we know about mineral makeup? I've debunked a few of these myths for you to help you balance out the pro's and con's of these products.
 
MYTH #1: It is so light, you can sleep with it and it won't harm your skin.
FACT: It's light and effortless feel is what has been the appeal for this makeup for so long. Customers think that because it is so light to apply, it will not settle in the pores like other foundations and concealers do. Any dermatologist will advise against sleeping in any kind of makeup, as it clogs pores and can cause skin irritation. This includes sleeping in mineral makeup. The makeup contains color pigment that settles into your skin just like any other type of formula.
 
MYTH #2: Mineral makeup clears up acne and blemishes.
FACT:  Acne is caused by many factors such as hormones and diet. Mineral makeup does, however, contain anti-irritating ingredients in it such as zinc which can be soothing to the skin. So although it does not clear acne, it can calm the redness and inflammation better than foundations that do not contain any anti-irritating agents.

MYTH #3: Most Mineral makeup contains SPF which blocks your face from harsh UV Rays, therefore it is ok to just wear that on my face when I am outside.
FACT: Although they do contain SPF, it is not certain on how much of this mineral makeup you would need to apply to get the full sun protection factor. Never rely on just the SPF in your mineral makeup to keep your face completely safe from the sun. If you plan on being outdoors, layer your face starting with a sunscreen with at least SPF 25 and then apply your mineral foundation on top of that. Those sun rays are strong and can penetrate even through the thickest of makeup.
 
 Mineral makeup contains very similar ingredients to that of the cosmetics that have been on the market for years. The powder formula makes it much easier to apply for the gal on the go, but it doesn't last as long as some liquid or cream foundations which even contain a face primer, depending on the brand. I still give mineral foundation an A++ for convenience and effortless use. But as far as if it is better or worse for your skin, the answer is the same for any other liquid, cream, or powder foundation.

Baby, you're a firework!!

Getting crafty in 2012!

Happy New Year everyone! At any point in your life, you can decide to change things. Most people use New Years Day as a kick start into changing our old ways. And I'm here to wish all the happiness, joy, and encouragement to you in this fabulous year because I know that you'll be able to change whatever it is that's got you down. If no one is there to tell you, "You can do it!", hear my voice cheering you on and believing in you. If we are sure of ourselves and we have support, anything is possible in this amazing world. My new years resolution is to not be so afraid anymore - afraid of making mayjor life decisions, afraid of saying how I feel, and the biggest one - afraid of CHANGE. What is your resolution?

♥ A great tool in helping you achieve all of your goals and aspirations is to make your very own dream board. You can do it online, or the poster board way (which is much more effective for me)

♥ Sometimes the sign that you are looking for is already right in front of you.

♥ Feathers are all the rage now, so why not try this fabulous site to create your own earrings. They have so many fun patterns!

♥ Whose ready to hop on a jet with me and party at this Candyland inspired nightclub?

♥ If you share the love of abandoned buildings with me, then you'll really like seeing some of the most amazing abandoned amusement parks.

♥ Yoga is my equilvalent to eating a huge bowl of the best ice cream in the world. If you haven't tried it yet, read Top 10 Reasons Not to Do Yoga.

Floating on Thanksgiving

At first it felt so strange.... I've never taken a vacation in the winter time so to swim around in a warm ocean on Turkey day certainly felt a little different, but in a way I could certainly get used to ;-) I just got in from Miami, Florida and I wanted to share with you some of the really fun things that I saw there. So come along and see Miami with me!


South Beach is magnificently beautiful. The sand looks like cream and white pearls and the the ocean water is so clear that you can see your toes even when the water is almost up to your neck.

Even though I don't drink, I had to get a picture with the sign of the coolest-named beach bar in the universe! Haha

Palm trees line ever street & it looks like a Hollywood movie set. This block was right before we entered to Art Deco district. There were so many unique archetectual designs running up and down the streets, it was really awesome.

This was not abnormal to see a Lamborghini parked on the side of the street. My sister and I counted about 10 Maserati's, 5 Lambo's, 2 Aston Martin's, too many Porsches, the car scene was certainly most intriguing. But none of those were my favorite....

The Pink Cadillac won my heart!


My dear friend Josh that I haven't seen in too many years met up with me and we had such a fun time. He had me laughing until 3am! Josh is a phenomenal body builder and recently created his own supplement that is taking off. He personally trains clients and they've all been really pleased with his product, RHINO. Give it a like on facebook and tell him that "Tooie" sent ya =)

This is my favorite picture of the whole trip, watching the sun rise on the beach. I sat out there for about an hour just thinking & listening. I love South Beach. Everything was amazing, the people, the environment. The plane ride back certainly was a tough one, but there really is no place like home. I hope you all had a warm and loving Turkey Day and whether you chose to eat turkey or not, I hope that all of your bellies were satisfied! Thank you for checking out my little jet-set get away of pictures and now for your viewing pleasure…..



Waves of love,
Nikki

How to be happy when everything else isn't working.

In interviews, Jason Segel said that he cried when he first met Kermit while filming the upcoming Muppets movie. When they asked him why, he responded with "He was so beautiful!" He then went on to describe the magical spell puppets seem to cast on children, as they did on him as a child. "That's why I'm doing this movie." Love him.


Common emotions are often times overlooked on how perplexing they can be to achieve. Doctors swear on synthetic medicine to cure all illness but many people, like myself, prefer to seek out all other alternatives before taking any kind of pill. Drugs scare the bo-jangles out of me!! Even my headache medicine is homeopathic haha.

But one of the most common illnesses that so many people deal with on a daily basis is depression. Some have it worse than others but I feel like everyone goes through some form of depression at some point in their lives. For a lot of people it's a constant battle. I USED TO BE ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE. For a long time, I would wake up just wanting to go back to sleep. I would cry for no reason, be in a constant fog, but the most troubling thing for me was understanding why I felt this way when I had no reason to be so down. I have a family that loves me, wonderful friends, two legs to walk, two eyes to see, two ears... completely healthy! It would make me feel even more depressed when I would say to myself, "Nikki -- quit whining and get happy!" because I didn't understand why my brain wasn't on track with my heart.

A few years back I had a very traumatic episode that made me change my life completely. I had to deal with my problems head on because I knew that would be the only way I would successfully be able to get to the other side of my unhappiness. While I won't go into this whole big debacle (best word ever!), I will tell you one of my not-so-secret tricks into getting over depression naturally. If you would like me to make a post about how I went from the ultimate low to the most amazingly (natural!) high, just leave me a comment.

SATISFYING THE DESIRES OF YOUR INNER CHILD.

I'm a huge fan of author Louise Hay. In one of her books, she goes through a whole chapter dedicated to making your inner child happy. Until you've tried this, you have no idea how satisfying it truly is! I first read this chapter a couple years and I didn't fully understand why it wasn't quite clicking for me. Satisfying my inner child... got it, I thought. I tried everything I liked when I was a child...eating cotton candy (which I quickly learned makes me tummy hurt now) and wearing purple eyeshadow (this was the only eyeshadow I owned from 5th grade into 8th!). But I was still depressed. So I just figured it didn't work and kept on truckin' on. But what I didn't realize is that I wasn't satisfying my inner child's wants at all, I was just appeasing the simple pleasures like a child which wasn't any sort of progression at all. I needed to satisfy what I DIDN'T get as a kid but always WANTED! I realized this about a month ago....when I went to see Hanson in concert.



This is one non-depressed Nikki!

During their first song, this overwhelming sense of happiness filled my entire body. And then, as embarrassing as it is to admit, I started developing tears in my eyes! I looked over to my friend Lisa because I didn't understand why this was happening. These weren't sad tears, but happy tears! That's when it all clicked to me, all the things that I had read about making my inner kid happy. And I realized that it wasn't 23 year old Nikki crying these happy drops of love, it was 12 year old Nikki saying, "I'm finally seeing my all time favorite band!" And that's when it finally clicked to me that satisfying the dreams of when I was a kid can be just as rewarding when you do it when your an adult!

So go out and buy that toy, pet, cd, whatever it is that you always wanted but never got. You'll be amazed at just how happy it will make you feel inside. And if you want a good read, Louise Hay's Book, "You Can Heal Your Life" will teach you exactly how, with the power of the mind, you can take any situation and turn it into a positive.

Love your big kid,
Nikki

We're going streaking! And What I'm going to be for Halloween...

**Go streaking this month for a good cause! I'll be doing it, and you should too - click here for all the info ;-)**

Halloween has always been one of my most favorite holidays. It's a chance to be whatever you want to be and the crazier, the better. I have been something bloody since the first grade. If I had a scanner, I would do a fun slide show of all the past little Nikki Halloween costumes. Here is the best I could do taking a picture, of a picture, with my camera:


I was a bloody waitress in a classroom filled with gypsies, ninjas, and happy costumes. I guess you can say my family had always beared a strong ethical resembalence to that of the Addam's Family.

So to keep up with tradition, I decided to be one of my all time favorite movie characters of all time. I wanted to be something that I've never seen anyone do before. My sister had brought up the idea of doing a couples costume since she and I always end up being together on Halloween. So this year we're going with our favorite movie, Beetlejuice. She's going to be Miss Argentina (For those of you who don't remember, Miss Argentina is the receptionist who had a "little accident") and I am going to be.....


No, not Barbara... that's too easy. I'm going as the infamous shrunken head guy! All of the characters in this waiting room scene are great, but he was always my favorite ;-) I'll make sure to post up the finished look for both costumes and if you are interested, I'll even make a Miss Argentina makeup tutorial! I would try a shrunken head tutorial but I don't think I have the voodoo craftsmanship.... yet! ;-)


♥ We have been spoiled with the best of weather for the past week and starting today, it was cloudy and cold. Im not complaining though because this is the kind of weather that the upper East Coast is supposed to have in October. Have any of you started on your Halloween Costumes yet? I came across this awesome site that gives you the very best of costume ideas, home made ones!

♥ I have so much respect for the creator of this fabulous Mae West blog. He or she updates it everyday with information pertaining to the intruiging goddess that we can't seem to learn enough about. I might just be speaking for myself here (I've read 4 books about Mae, two of which she wrote herself!), but I can't seem to get enough. Thank you for keeping your blog afloat!!

♥ I'm all for home made anything, especially if it's a bath or shower product of some sort. I bought a solid lotion bar from LUSH and fell in love with it. I wish they had made more scents (the only one they have is a light vanilla which is nice), so I looked into creating one of my own. Here is a step by step way to make your very own solid lotion bar.

♥ Servers and bartenders can give you the most accurate dating advice. Seek one out if you are in a dating slump and they will tell you exactly why. Lauren Romano hits the nail right on the head, giving you dating tips I learned from being a waitress.