A Few Of My Recent Purchases

It's no secret that I have a great love for Target. I think just walking into the store is a bit of therepy for me. If I am feeling down or recently, homesick, a trip just wandering through the aisles can make me more calm. Of course, I don't kniw about you but I am betting that like me, you have never left Target empty handed. It just doesn't happen. 

This past Saturday I had an awful case of homesickness. Maybe I am just missing my friends or maybe I just haven't found the "nerd community" yet (i honestly feel like it doesn't even exist but, let's think positive) either way, I just felt blah! I knew once I walked into Target I would feel just fine. I was right. After 2 hours and $42, I felt temporarily cured. 

Harry Potter And The Cursed Child Parts 1 & 2

This should be no surprise. It was the first thing I saw and I quickly placed it into my basket. Before I moved, I had meant to pre-order my copy but that never happened. Good thing I didn't and I waited...by purchasing at Target, I paid $16.38 for the book and got a free poster.  

Harry Potter themed socks

I will make no apologies for my #nerdside and for being a Potter fan. This will seem like an obvious thing to those of you that know anything about me. Fun fact: all of my socks are geek themed and are either Harry Potter or Doctor Who. If I find Sherlock ones then you bet I will add those to my collection as well. 

Sam & Libby Crossbody Bag

Ok enough of HP merch and onto the other bargains. Like I need another handbag, right? Truth is. I don't but, I have pared a good bit of my wardrobe, including shoes and bags down quite a bit. Like minimalistic-ish. Seriously. I tend to buy accessories and shoes in neutral tones to match anything and everything. By doing it that way I don't end up with a ton of handbags in hard to wear colors or prints and I also don't end up with 60 black bags....how many do you really need right?  This one is black and white and can be used as a crossbody or a clutch. it's also of pretty decent quality and at 70% off (originally: $34.99 clearance: $10.48) I couldn't pass it up  

Mossimo Sweater Tank

As I said before, I have pared my wardrobe down quite a bit. I stick to nuetrals and navy, pink and green. Obviously gray is a neutral so I picked this up. I also needed tanks since the south is not known for being cold. I like this because it can be worn as a casual top or could be dressed up with some nice jeans and heels or sandals. It can also be used for layering. A multi-purpose top for $5.38? I'll take it! 

I also went to Dollar Tree to pick up a few things for my classroom which are quite boring but I did want to show you my favorite ink pens and facial wipes. 

Global Beauty Care Makeup Cleansing Wipes with Retinol

These things are great!!! To be honest, I'm not really sure if these have actual retinol in them or exactly how much if they do but, I do know that my skin has greatly improved since using them. It's smooth and I have very little redness and, while I didn't have an issue with breakouts, my skin has been incredibly clear. I have been using them for about six months now and I did notice myskin improvement in a matter of weeks. As long as I can find these wipes (I generally grab a few packs at a time when I see them), I will continue to use them.   

Promars Ultra Fine Pen

I am pretty picky about pens; black felt tip ink pens to be be exact. I just like the way they write and they don't slip all over the place and they make my writing look neater and less like a scribbled doctor's note or a diner slip. I always pick up a pack of pens whenever I see them in Dollar Tree since they are pretty hard to come by in the three packs. 

To end this post I have a few questions:

1- Do you have your own sort of retail therepy or place where you decompress and get your thoughts in order?

2- Are you a Target fan like me? Why?

3- What are your thoughts on Harry Potter? (choose your response wisely) 

Target Beauty Box: June 2016

It seems that every company these days has their own version of the monthly subscription box. There are razor subscriptions, beauty subscriptions, fitness subscriptions, even subscriptions for your pet (hope Fido has a job to pay for his.). With so many monthly boxes coming to your door, it's hard to tell who offers the best deal. I took a gamble on this Target Beauty Box having no real idea what would be included (obviously beauty products but that's a bit vague). Let's see what Target had to offer for the month of June.

The Target Beauty box retails at $7 with no commitment meaning, if you want to skip a box or only want one box ever or, if you want to send one as a gift (i can give you my address btw.), you can do that. I have a Target REDcard and I get free shipping with this box also. If you don't have a REDcard, then you will also have to pay a shipping a fee but I'm sure it's not a ridiculous price. With this particular box, I received 11 items. It was a mix of cosmetics, and beauty products with samples, deluxe samples and full size products as well. When I opened my box for the first time, I was shocked at how much stuff was in my box. For $7, even if all the products were garbage (highly unlikely), that's a good deal.

L'oreal True Match Lumi Cushion  This was a sample size in the shade W3. There was also a $2 off coupon for any True Match product. I had been wanting to try this product since it first hit the shelves so I was excited to see it. The shade sort of worried me though as I am more of a neutral undertone but it actually matched my skin fairly well. It was easy to blend out and gave a dewy finish. What I did not like about this product was the "cushion" part. The product was a good quality product but using the sponge applicator in conjunction with the sponge filled with foundation, was just a nightmare. The product becomes absorbed in the applicator sponge and very little end up on your face. I also had to use a brush to blend out the product as the sponge applicator was not working very well. Final thoughts, I would probably buy another True Match foundation as I did like the product but I would not purchase the Lumi Cushion.


L'oreal Revitalift Volume Filler Day Cream  This was a deluxe sample and honestly I was a little hesitant about using it as my skin can be a bit sensitive. After testing it however, I love it!!! It is a thick cream with no SPF so I prefer to use it as a night cream. It is very moisturizing and does appear to "fill in" fine lines or rather smooth them out a bit. I think this product retails for around $20 for the full size and I will purchase this once my sample is empty.



elf Lip Kiss Balm in 'Bare Kiss' This is a full size product that I quite enjoy. It tints your lips to a more enhanced color of your natural lips. It is also rather thick like a true balm and moisturizing. The only downside to this product is that there is no SPF so keep that in mind if you will be wearing this to the beach or pool.


Pantene Intense Hydration Shampoo This was the only product in my box that I did not try. I use sulfate free shampoos so I did not want to even attempt stripping my hair and/or drying it out.


Laneige Water Bank Serum This. Stuff. Is. Awesome. OMG!!!!! It is a thin lotion consistency that sort of dissolves or melts into your skin. I put this on in the morning after cleansing my face and before my moisturizer. I feel like my skin is clearer and less redness. It's just in better condition. I will purchase this.


Soap & Glory Righteous Butter YES!!!!! This is another product I had been wanting to try and never got around to it. Best body butter ever!!! I mean it!! It's thick, it blends into your skin and leaves your freshly shaved legs, silky smooth! The only thing about this is, it does have a scent to it. Think your great grandmothers perfume...like a rose exploded in your face. Personally, I don't mind the scent but be warned if you do not like perfume smells, you may want to pass. Or get over it just to try this stuff!


SW Basics Exfoliant In a word, weird. I thought it was cool that there are only three ingredients in this product and they are ones you have heard of. It did work well as an exfoliant and, good thing the ingredients are edible (just saying). However, I don't think I would purchase this product as I could get the same ingredients fairly easily and make it myself.


Cotz Sunscreen  This is a face sunscreen that is tinted. It does not provide any coverage at all whatsoever. It does provide SPF40 but again, why tint it when it serves no purpose? Good sun protection though.


Pixi Mesmerizing Mineral Duo I believe this duo is called "Apricot Glow". Either way, I like it! I have never used any Pixi cosmetics so again, I was excited to see this. The shades are very easy to wear and suitable for every eye color. They feel very soft and almost buttery and the fallout is minimal.


SheaMoisture Weightless Creme Rinse I used this once and, never again. It's technically designed for natural hair but I figured, it's a conditioner so how bad could it be? Bad. It left my hair so dry, it was like straw!


Yes To Cucumbers Soothing Facial Wipes Again, another product that dried me out!!The smelled nice and were rather moist. They also took off a full face of makeup. What they left behind was a super dry face. My face was literally tingling because it was so dry.




All in all, I was pretty pleased with my June Beauty Box and I would like to purchase another one. It gave me a chance to try products I had been wanting to try and now I know whether or not they are worth my money. I also learned about new products that I may have not ever considered.

#awesomecon2016

awesome swag that i scored. some was free,

some i bought, all was necessary.

If you follow me on snapchat (if you are not following then take this as a hint to add me) then you already know that, two weeks ago I attended Awesome Con in Washington DC. I am sure most of you are familiar with Comic Con which is held every year in California. Awesome Con is basically the same thing except it's a three day even with shorter, star-studded guest list. This was my first time attending and while I learned tips to improve my experience for next year (oh yeah, i am definitely going!), I had a blast!


Some of this years guest list included Agents of SHEILD actor, Brett Dalton and actress Elizabeth Henstridge, Gotham Actor Robin Lord Taylor, Star Trek actor Karl Urban, Director/Producer/Actor Kevin Smith, Harry Potter Series actor Matthew Lewis (you know, Neville Longbottom. more on him later), former Boy Meets World actor Will Friedle (yep, Eric Matthews. no, he did not do a Feeny call), Hellboy and Sons of Anarchy star Ron Perlman, and Doctor Who stars Peter Capaldi and Jenna Coleman (both of whom i missed because i only attended one day).

A few things I learned from my experience:

Bring Cash. In order to have a photo op or gain an autograph with the stars, you must stand in lines that really were not long at all, and then pay the manager/publicist the pre-listed fee. I am not sure why I just assumed that everyone has square or carries around an Apple Pay device but they don't. While I was ready and willing to drop $150 to meet, get an autograph and a photo with Matthew Lewis, I could not. I was a bit bummed but hey, it's cool. I did get to see him from about 20 feet away and I was thrilled with that. Also, while I would love to show you a picture of his handsome self, I can't do that either but just trust me. I saw him.

No photos. Ok this is sort of a no brainer, but you cannot take pictures of the celebrity guests without paying their pre-listed fee. You also have to ask permission from fellow geeks and nerds to take their photos of their awesome costumes. I never got in trouble for this because again, it's pretty common sense but just letting you know.

Go big or go home. This is in regards to costumes. First, they are pretty strict about appropriate attire. Body paint does not count as clothing and the "Brute Squad" is not afraid to tell you to go and change. There were a few Princess Leia's who had to change and a Poison Ivy but for the most part, everyone adhered. Second, just wearing a Marvel licensed t-shirt will not do. You plan your costume, you dress up, and then you show up to fully embrace your nerd self and have a great time. I toned down my originally planned costume and, I dressed as a Tardis since I was worried about being "over costumed". Lesson learned. Next year, I'm going all out!

Some vendors are rude. There are tons of booths set up with comic books and licensed merchandise and generally really cool people. BUT, there are those vendors who are not so cool. Example: maneuvering through the aisles is sort of like walking through a flea market. So, while I was waiting for the line of traffic to start moving again, I ended up stopped in front of a comic book creators booth. What are you going to do right? So I began looking over his work. He asked If i was "really interested or just waiting for the line to move". (insert annoyed emoji here). I chose to simply say "no" as the line began moving. I didn't pay too much attention to it as generally, the other booths had nice people and the overall feel of the convention center was "one big nerdy family".

I posted a lot of pictures on my snapchat throughout the day (here's another hint to follow me) but I did save some for this post. #doitfortheblog

REVEIW: wet n wild megawear mascara

(this review is not sponsored by wet n wild and all photos and opinions are my own.)

Raise your hand if you are a impulse buyer. Now you may slowly lower your head in shame. You are prancing through the aisle's, grabbing things all willy-nilly as your bank account is screaming in agony. It's not exactly the best habit to have. Sometimes though, you find products that you never would have  given a second thought to otherwise. Hence today's post. 

I was in my local Dollar Tree store looking for a few classroom supplies. I found a few things and also this mascara. Before we go any further let me just say, I am extremely picky about my mascaras. I am just not ok with wasting my money on terrible mascaras. Bad foundations, lippie's, even nail polish, I take the loss but not mascara. My reasoning for this was "it's only $1." and that I am ok with. 

This is the wet n wild megawear mascara in "very black". 

(wet n wild is a cruelty free cosmetic line) 

"MegaWear Mascara

For all day wear! This mascara helps to enhance fullness while adding color. Contains Pro-Vitamin B5 (Panthenol) and Soy Protein to seal in moisture, helping to condition lashes and leaving them looking and feeling healthy!"

As you can see, the wand is a spiral, spoolie. Generally, I am a fan of silicone bristle mascaras but, I want to test it out. Let me start by saying, the claims on this ("...helps to enhance fullness while adding color.") are basically garbage. It does add color but not so much fullness. What it does do however, is add color, length, and definition. That's not exactly a bad thing but, if you are someone who wants fullness to their lashes, you may want to pass. It is unfortunate that the claims are not entirely clear. 

bare eye. no makeup on. 

after one coat of MegaWear Mascara.

after two coats. it looks a bit clumpy in the photo but 

it really was not that clumpy at all. 

This is one impulse buy I am glad I made. It is actually a fairly decent mascara and one I will wear. Is it my new "holy grail" or will it replace my everyday mascara? Probably not but it is a good back-up and for those days when my look requires a mascara that gives more definition than volume, it will be what I use. 

Choose to make today great!

xo -Jessica

Some Recent Favorites

I thought I would make some changes to the blog today and also sneak in a post without giving mention to my six month hiatus. Let's just pretend it didn't happen and move forward. For my first post in ages, I thought I would share with you a few things that have been favorites of mine recently.


My manicure of choice has been with OPI's "Don't Bossanova Me Around". It's quite a nice pinky-nude that is perfect for everyday and great for spring.




My shoe choice has been a pair of black t-strap flats that I snagged on clearance a few weeks ago at Charlotte Russe. They have been sold out but I found a similar pair here. Mine are solid black without studs and perfect for spring. They go well with dresses and jeans and I like the fact they are not suede so I can wear them in almost any weather.


I am rather picky when it comes to TV shows. The BBC and PBS are kinda my jam. Now that Downton has ended, I've been going through and re watching Doctor Who (seeing as how it will be 2017 before new episodes start. yes, i am bummed.). Of course, not the Matt Smith seasons (don't get me started) but the tenth and twelfth Doctors rock! I also absolutely LOVE Clara Oswald!! She may even beat out Rose Tyler as best companion for me. I think mostly because of her connection with the twelfth Doctor and, not to mention, she's beautiful!! I've also been watching re-runs of The Red Green Show. Since I saw Steve Smith perform two years ago, the show seems extra cool now. Of course, every weekend is Harry Potter weekend for me and honestly, I don't see that ever changing...and I am OK with that.



Lastly, I thought I would share a few songs and artists that I have been listening to. I don't really listen to mainstream, top 40 type music but rather, I jump all over the place. My all-time favorite band ever is Train. It took me awhile to get into their new stuff but Pat Monahan could sing to me forever. Their tour last year came within 40 minutes of me and I didn't go. However, this year, it's happening! I've also been liking "Deeper" by Meredith Andrews. I listed the link to the entire album but that song is just awesome. It's catchy, and yes, I proudly jam in my car, thank you very much.


So those are a few of my current favorites. I'd love to hear what some of yours are and if you are a #potternerd or #whovian I would really love to hear from you!


Choose to make today great!

xo- jessica

(my) Sunday Funday

Lately, Sunday has been my favorite day of the week. Why? To be honest, it's simply because I get to do nothing all day. During the week, after I get off work, I get a workout in, shower, catch an episode or two of Full House (have mercy!), maybe do my nails, and then it's time for bed. On Saturday's, I generally run all my errands that I did not have time for during the week (post office, bank, Target...you know, the essentials.). By the time Sunday rolls around, I just want to read or watch Harry Potter, or do both. It is sort of a relaxing, pamper day, for me to prepare for whatever life (or three year olds) throws at me in the upcoming week.  

Sunday, November 8, 2015

8:53AM...wake up (don't judge. i was on Youtube until 1AM)

9:25AM...get out of bed (what? i had to check social media. we all do it.) 

9:30AM...breakfast and then cleaning house.

12:30PM...finally time for a shower now that the house is cleaned. (took me longer due to Instagram)

1:00PM...and it's lounge time! manicure, pedicure, face mask, little reading, little Pinterest-ing, LOTS of Instagram-ing. All while enjoying my comfy Harry Potter lounge pants. 

I hope you enjoyed your Sunday as much I did. Sometimes it's nice to just relax and not do a single thing. Choose to make today great!

-Jessica

Get To Class: PE

Ahh, time for PE or gym class. I know, I know, I used to be the girl who dreaded when my gym period came around. Even worse was, in junior high (my school district had elementary, middle AND junior high and then high school. kinda ridiculous right?) when I had gym at the very end of the day. By the time I reached 10th grade, (my last year of needing a PE credit) I actually enjoyed it. I even ran the mile twice during the spring, in an attempt to shave some time off. Once I graduated and started having adult responsibilities, things weren't so easy or simple. Growing up, there was never a focus on active lifestyles or being healthy. Once I moved out on my own, I realized that being healthy and active, was how I wanted to live my life. Below, I have listed some items and tips and tricks and even people I follow on social media for motivation and inspiration. I feel that even if you are not a student who is required to complete PE, you can still benefit from this post.



Invest in a good pair of shoes. And by good I don't necessarily mean that they have to be expensive. Just find a shoe that fit your activity style, whether it's running, walking, or lifting. They also need to fit your foot and be comfortable. Here's where things get opinionated. I personally prefer Nike's. They are comfortable, durable, fit my activity style and they are pretty reasonably priced. I guess the biggest piece of advice I can offer you on this is, do not fall into the brand trap. Don't feel that you have to buy a specific shoe just because it is a well known brand or it is "preferred" or represented by someone. Everyone is different so, be blind to brands and find what works for you.


Invest in appropriate gym attire. This is similar to my shoe rant above. You really need to make sure that what you are wearing is comfortable and allows you plenty of movement. i realize that if you are in school, you might me limited to the fact that you have to purchase your schools gym uniform (yuck. i feel ya. don't worry, I've got some solutions for that too) but, if you are not in school, keep this in mind. Similar with the shoe rant, brand does not exactly matter. However, keep in mind that, while fit and comfort are important here, quality is equally important. You don't want to have a pair of gym shorts that fall apart after one wash. I personally like to wear leggings in the gym (NOT COTTON. let me repeat/rephrase, DO NOT WEAR COTTON LEGGINGS TO THE GYM/WORKOUT.)  and my brand of choice are the Adidas Climalite leggings (similar here). They are comfy and breathable and they fit really well. As for tops, I'm not so picky here except that I prefer tanks over tees. Just more of a personal preference really as I cant stand to have sleeves bothering me in the gym. You have many of options here and I have a collection of both breathable mesh and cotton.


Invest in a gym bag that suits your needs. This is sort of my downfall. I am still searching for a gym bag that works for me. I'm finding that what I need is more or less a duffel bag style. I have used backpacks, tote bags, even a yoga style bag and nothing seems to work. I am pretty minimalistic when it comes to a gym bag, I really just need one big pocket or opening to hold my clothes, locker lock and deodorant. It also has to be of good quality and be durable. I think, this again, is a personal preference and finding what works for you.


Don't forget your socks. Been there, done that and all I will say is, thank goodness it wasn't my cardio day. Socks are socks so just make sure you have them on or with you in your bag. Also, for you PE kids, this is where you can get creative. Stock up on knee-high or tube socks in a cool pattern or print. They even make collegiate ones or you can coordinate your school colors. It will be like homecoming or spirit week everyday. Heck, if I wore shorts to the gym, I would totally do this.


Find positive sources of motivation. The key word here is "positive". Will looking through a Victoria's Secret catalogue motivate you to eat healthy and get to the gym? No doubt about it! However, it's not very positive. If you are on Instagram or YouTube I HIGHLY SUGGEST you check out my buddy Dave from Dave Does Weightloss. This guy is incredible! Every Sunday, he has a confession series where he tells you where he is and what's going on in his weight loss journey from the previous week. If you are more a blog reader or you need a podcast to listen to during your workouts, then I also HIGHLY SUGGEST Nia Shanks. She is the founder of the "Lift Like A Girl" guide.  She even has a podcast that you can download straight from her site and iTunes. Her podcast is a very no-nonsense show that focus on different aspects of healthy living. She even has a segment titled "Stuff I Think Is Awesome" (the title is self-explanatory) where she tells you about a product or item that she thinks is awesome. Her podcast is very informative and motivating.



I hope that you found these tips and suggestions to be helpful to you. I am always curious as to what people use for motivation so please, leave your tips in the comments below.


Choose to make today great!
xo- Jessica