Product Review: Ole Henriksen's Sheer Transformation

For the last couple of months, I have really tried to focus on maintaining and treating my skin well. As I don't wear makeup (no foundation, cover-up, etc), I wanted to spend more time and more money on products that would make what I've got look good. Moreover, I wanted products that were great for the environment. After doing some research, I decided to splurge and try Ole Henriksen's Sheer Transformation. I've got some sun spots near the top of my forehead that I would like to see disappear, and I wanted to even out the texture and skin tone of my skin. Results: success. I've never been happier with a facial cream; I can tell the difference in texture, dark spots, and overall look of my skin.Even better, Sheer Transformation is so light that I never feel like it is weighing my face down. Definitely sold on this product. Now, if I can only find a cleanser, shampoo, moisturizer, and body wash that give me the same feelings!

Meatless Mondays: Vegan Wines (What?)

First off, yes, not all wines are vegan. But, it's grapes! Yes, I know; I thought the same thing too. Until I started reading r/vegan on reddit, I was exposed to this link. Essentially, the filtering process is where wines could become not vegan given the use of various fining agents made from animal by products. If you are like me, and love a good glass of wine with dinner. What are you suppose to do? Solution - Barnivore, where one can search any brand of beer, wine, and liquor and find out if it is vegan or not-vegan. If only they had an App version of this website, so much easier to use.

When thinking about wines, I started to think about local, an equally important factor when considering the sustainability of my dietary choices. Therefore, I need to start investigating and purchasing locally made alcoholic beverages - Michigan Wines, Chicago Local Breweries, and Bourbon Whiskey (Kentucky). Fortunately, my little bar is near dry, and when I decide to restock, it will be full of locally made, vegan-friendly products. To be perfectly honest, I'm kind of sad about the wine as I am not typically a fan of Michigan wines, but we will see how it goes.

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Sunday Style File: Mint

Last spring, I debated for about a month whether or not to spend $125 on a pair of mint-green, skinny jeans that zipped at the ankle. In the end, I didn't get the jeans, reasoning that 1) mint-green would probably be a one-season wonder and 2) February through May is not worth the price. However, it is January, and as I was walking around my local boutiques and doing some online surfing, mint green is back. Insert: Not buying regret. This year, I think I'm going treat myself to something. I already have two mint-colored, glass bangles from China and India, but maybe I will let mint green venture into my wardrobe.

1. J.Crew Crinkle City Mini // 2. Jcrew Skinny Jeans (on sale)  // 3. Stella & Dot Lily Chandeliers  

4.  Anthro's Spotted Blouse  // 5. Baublebar Seafoam Venus Bib // 6. J.Crew Collection Italian Wool Dress 

7. Baublebar Jade Floral Drops  // 8. Anthro's  Blouse (Photo doesn't do it justice) // 9. Jcrew Skinny Belt  

10. Anthro Hobo  // 11. Kate Spade Emerald Heels

I really like mint green with Pantone's Color of the Year: Emerald Green. Easy to do some color blocking with both colors that are fresh for summer.

Sharing of Stuff

Even though I have lived in my apartment for almost a year and half now, my living room still doesn't feel like me. My main project this month is to go through all the stuff, sell/give back what I don't like, and create my game plan for the living area. With the "man" moving his stuff in, my living room isn't really feeling like me. And thus, I'm living in a full blown mix of his and mine stuff, and we have sharing of stuff chaos. This, of-course, worsens my living room anxiety. So I am on the hunt - for a new couch and media center/console. With the couch, I'm looking at a love seat. I'm probably going to be living in an apartment for a few more years, and it's definitely going to be the man and I. No need for a bigger couch.

Dream Living Room:  White, mid-century pieces, unlimited budget. 

Reality: White, faux, mid-century pieces under $1000 for entire thing.

Currently Craving

Love seat : Overstock

Media Console - Debate

West Elm - Cb2

Love the West Elm Dresser, hate the price tag ($999)

The console has to be big enough to "hide" the speaker thats almost 22 inches.

Side Table Ideas

Thinking about using a wired book case to store my plethora of plants. 

It is funny. These pieces aren't even in my "dream ideal." They are some toned down version of what I can afford. If I had my dream, it wouldn't be West Elm and Cb2 pieces, but I am a firm believer in living within my means. Right now, that's not possible, especially all at once.

Thus, I'm on the search. One of these weekends, I am planning on hunting around various resale shops and antique stores to find some pieces that would work. My priority is going to the couch and media/console first. Suggestions?

Meatless Mondays: Coconut-Almond Balls

Three or four hours into my juice cleanse, I realized that my veganism would be putting some serious restrictions on my enduring love for pastries, sweets, and all other sugary goodness. So I looked up various vegan recipes, and found this one - Chocolate-covered Dough Balls. Juice cleanse completed, two vegan weeks down, I finally had some time to bake. In the past, when I've tried to cover or dip anything in melted chocolate, I automatically lose. So unlike this recipe, I didn't dip my nut balls in chocolate, maybe I will in the future. However, these were perfectly sweet sans chocolate.

Coconut-Almond Balls

• INGREDIENTS:
• 8 dates, pitted
• 3/4 c. almonds
• 34 c. pecans
• 1 c. shredded coconut, unsweetened
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 2 tbsp. maple syrup
• 1 tbsp. agave nectar
• 1 tbsp. apple sauce
• INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a food processor, put your almonds and pecans. Process until fine like a flour.
3. Add coconut and dates, pulse until somewhat smooth. (It helps if you chop up the dates, you will get a finer texture.)
4. Add vanilla, maple syrup, agave nectar and apple sauce to the food processor. Process until a large ball of dough forms. (If it doesn't seem to form a ball, add more apple sauce, but you shouldn't have a problem.)
5. Roll into one inch balls and place on a cookie sheet.
6. Bake for 8 minutes. 

Work Week Outfits in 9 Pieces

The work wardrobe is probably the bane of most female adult's existences. As my friend said, "I wouldn't be caught dead outside of work in my work clothes." But it is my work clothes that I spend most of my day, my week, my life in. So my work clothes need to be something that I would be caught outside of work in. Clothes that I love and that I feel comfortable wearing. When I first entered the workforce a couple years ago, it was a huge dilemma - what to wear to work. I can't even tell you how many pairs of work pants and blouses that I have bought. After cleaning out my closet, figuring out what looks best on me, and realizing that "yes, I can wear the same pants in the same week," I don't really need much. Thus, I present to you a whole week's worth of work outfits in nine pieces (shoes included). Obviously the winter outerwear and jewelry/scarves are not included, but the big pieces - blouses, pants, skirts and shoes are in here.

Clock-wise from the top left: 

Chambray Button-down // Sleeveless blouse // Black Skirt //

Animal Print Heels // Red Sweater // Black Dress // Black Pants // 

Long Cardigan // Black Heels

After putting these outfits together, it really made me think about how few things a person needs and how a little can go a very long way. Moreover, it did make me think about my current closet, and I really have a lot of clothes! Ah! The things I wish I knew when I first started working a few years ago! 

Here are my tips & tricks for shopping for a work wardrobe:

• Rome was not built overnight, and neither should your collection of work clothes.
• Buy quality pieces - excellent quality, comfortable, and great fit. If it doesn't match all three characteristics, don't buy it.
• Shop around for sales. You should never pay full price; unless it is a completely dire situation. Ask the sales assistants about when certain products will come on sale. 
• You don't need much: 3 bottoms (skirts and pants), 1 nice dress, 1 blazer, 1-2 cardigans, 3-4 blouses, and 2-3 pairs of shoes.
• Accessories, especially jewelry, always complete an outfit. 

Winter Outerwear Essentials

Work Bag // Glittens // Coat (old) // Headband // Boots

This weekend, I spent a few hours going through my closet and putting things together. My current winter outerwear repertoire consists of this - my J. Crew Attache work bag, J. Crew Glittens and headband, the Cole Haan wool-cashmere peacoat that I have had since my first year of college (2005-2006), and my Vero Cuoio boots that I bought at Lori's Chicago sometime in college. I've had other coats and boots since then, but they have come and gone (by gone, I mean worn out). Both the coat and the boots were investment purchases, and they have paid off. Their quality is still unbelievable. These items really make me think about what I was buying when I was 23/24 and ensuring that now when I make purchases they are on quality items. 

As for the black, I always feel like I'm dressing well when I wear black. Since outerwear should last a few years, the black can remain, but I can add scarves and broches to give pops of color to these staples. I'm easily attracted to different color trends - scarves and small items of jewelry are an also economical way to stay current. 

Tall Ladies in Heels

This year, I am determined to embrace heels. To be perfectly honest, I think heels are the most beautiful  shoe type of them all. Boots have their unique, utilitarian style; flats are cute in their own little ways; but, after a couple of snowy months, boots seem to lose their beauty, and flats are usually destroyed by the end of the season. Heels - of course - you can always break one, but heels can dress up a very casual look. Although I own a few heels, I don't wear them regularly; partly due to comfort, partly due to how tall I am. However, this year, that changes. I am going to embrace heels. I am using these lovely, tall ladies as inspiration... 

Juice Cleanse.

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Yep! That's right, along with thousands, probably even millions, of other Americans, I have started 2013 with a change in diet. Unlike most Americans, I perceive, I am not changing my diet for weight-loss reasons. 1/1/2013 marked my first days as becoming a vegan. Why vegan? I want to ensure that I live my life in a way that I get the most enjoyment with at little cost/imprint on the environment. My intentions about writing about this experience is document the benefits and struggles that an average, young-American woman endures in trying to eat a plant-based diet. My experience is by no means to be political or am I trying to debate the virtues of one life-style over the other.

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The purpose of this juice cleanse includes the following - taste and experience fruits and vegetales in their raw, unchanged state with an emphasis on their flavors and to purge my body of any toxins and processed junk that I am currently storing. I decided to do my own juice cleanse with fresh fruits and vegetables instead of buying into a system. In my opinion, pre-made juice cleanses don't achieve my overall goal, which is to get a better understanding of the fruit and vegetable. Also, those pre-made juices produce a lot in terms of packaging. Yes, the packaging can be recycled, but making juices at home reducing the overall impact significantly.

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All seriousness aside, this is rough stuff. The morning are not that bad at all, as I am not a big morning eater. However, mid-afternoon and evening, whoa! It also doesn't help living with a meat eater who made what looked like a delicious sandwich yesterday. However, I am determined to take one day at a time. I am only "juicing" for seven days, which I think is manageable. 

As a side note, for NYE, I went out like a bang in terms of what I ate as my last non-vegan meals. 

• Lunch: Foot-long, Chicago-style hot dog with onion rings
• Dinner: (Homemade) Brown-butter risotto with Lobster and white-wine butter sauce with grilled asparagus. For dessert, coffee with caramel cream (which will be my last coffee for the month) and Italian cookies. Writing about this meal makes me want to cave!