Make Up Must Haves

Okay so this is a post I noticed a lot of you wanted to see so here it is. It's my everyday make must haves I literally use these products almost EVERY day so yeah let's get into it guys. 

First this is my favorite foundation like product at the moment. Keep in mind I change foundations almost monthly so this will probably not stay my favorite for long but for now I wear the Marcelle BB cream. 

I'm like SO freaking in love with BB cream like I can't even explain my love for it. It's so light and airy, it covers just enough of what needs covering, and my absolute favorite thing about it is it's not thick and cakey. I can't stand to feel like I have tons of crap on my face.  I definitely recommend this BB cream if you're in the market for one. 

Next is my eye shadow,now here's the thing I'm a complete eyeshadow nut so I actually alternate between my three FAVE palletes all the time so I decided to just show all three since I couldn't pick a favourite. 

The first one is my Stila in the Light pallete which realitively new. I use this one quite a lot because the colours are so natural and are perfect for everyday wear. If you want to know more about it I did a review on it a few posts back so go check that out. 

My second fave is the Naked 3 by Urban Decay. Now can I just say how amazing the Naked Palletes are? Like bless UD for sending these beauties into our lives. I'm obsessed with my Naked so much so that I have hit pan on like 4 colours and will have to buy a new one soon. I just love these colours so much because the are so easy to wear everyday but can be layered up to make really dramatic looks as well. 

Last and certainly not least is the Nudes by Maybelline. Now my mom actually bought this first and kept telling me it was just like a small Naked 1 pallete. Of course I just laughed and was like sure mom but then I bought one and she was actually spot on. This is so similar the first Naked pallete and the colours last just as long. I totally recommend that you guys get yourself one plus it will only cost you $12 instead on $60. 

Now onto mascara. So being half Pakistani I'm blessed with amazingly thick and long lashes so they are the feature I love to play up and emphasize most. This means I actually use two different mascaras. Now don't worry I don't walk around will clumpy gross lashes, I layer very carefully. Here are my two must have mascaras. 

These layered together just give me the absolute perfect lashes like the days I've gotten so many compliments on my lashes were the days I wore this fantastic combo. I usually start with the Pumped Up and then add on the They're Real and voila to die for lashes. 

I hope you all enjoyed this post and that it gave a good glimpse into my make up bag. Let me know your make up must haves down below. 

Tea Time

I wanted to share my new low cal drink obsession with you guys. Unsweetened flavoured Iced Teas. Lately I've been making my tea and letting it seep. Then I take it and put it on ice with no sugar and it's amazing plus only 10 calories. I personally love raspberry and blueberry but you could use whatever flavour you love. It's a good way to get used to unsweetened tea because the flavour helps you go without sugar. It also helps me drink more liquids and is a nice break from all the water I drink. Let me know what flavour teas are your favourite down below

Tuscan Bean Soup

Since the weather has been pretty chilly these last few days I decided to whip up a nice pot of soup. This Tuscan Bean soup I s definitely one of my all time favorite soups. It's hearty and warming, plus it's only around 150 calories a serving and it's loaded with veggies. If you want a nice warm bowl of my Tuscan Bean soup here's what you will need 

The sugar and vinegar is completely optional like honestly I've made it a few times without them and you can't tell a difference. After you have all your ingredients here's what you'll do,

And voila you have an amazing, healthy, delicious bowl of Tuscan Bean soup to keep you warm and healthy. 

Krispy Kreme Stop

Okay so I don't know if I'm just late to the party or what but today I discovered the mini donuts at Krispy Kreme. Now I don't eat donuts often because they have like NO nutritional value what so ever but I've been craving a good ole plain glazed donut for almost 2 weeks so today I decided to satisfy that craving. I drove up to KK, saw mini donuts and was like heck yeah because I'm a sucker for miniature foods. I wasn't sure exactly what to expect but when I opened my box I was ecstatic. 

How could I have gone so long without knowing these adorable donuts exist? They were absolutely fantastic and the perfect size to satisfy my donut craving. I'm really not into total cheat food deprivation because I believe you have to enjoy your life so I try to follow the 80/20 rule, eat clean and healthy 80% of the time and enjoy unhealthy cheat foods 20% of the time. The mini donuts aren't really a horrible cheat food either as you can have 2 plain glazed for 180 calories. All in all I was totally satisfied with my little sugary splurge for today. 

Popcorn Palooza

Today I stumbled upon the BEST deal in Loblaws(Canadian Gorcery Store) I found Buddha Bowl popcorn for 25 cents!! Yes ((25 cents)) needless to say I freaked out a little and bought like 7 bags because I mean how could I not? It's regularly $4.99 and I freaking love it. It's organic, non GMO and only has three ingredients, coconut oil, Pink Himalayan salt, and GMO free corn. And if that wasn't reason enough to buy it you can have 3 cups for 110 calories, hello low-cal deliciousness. I highly recommend you guys go out in buy some, granted it may not be 25 cents but it's still worth it. 

Missing Memories

So this post is kind of on the more random side but I saw this quote and just felt the need to write about it as it fits my life perfectly at the moment. 

This is honestly one of the most true quotes I've seen. There are so many times in life when you think you miss the person who isn't in your life anymore. But really you don't because deep down you know that you wouldn't really want that person in your life at the present. It could be for any multitude of reasons maybe they changed and you're missing the memories you had with the older version of them, the one you remember and the version of them that you miss. I know that's true for me. I miss all the laughs and great conversations we used to have and the way I felt when I was with that person but the sad reality is that the version of the person I knew and miss is gone. I would not want this new version of the person I knew in my life today, so what I'm actually missing is the memories and feelings I had with the person. 

I know this post is completely out of the blue but I saw this quote and just had to write about how it applies to my life. Let me know what you guys think of it down below. 

Clothing Haul Part 2

Okay so here is the second part of my clothing haul, sorry it took so long but I lost some receipts and I needed to know the prices of everything for the post. I basically spent these last few days tearing my house apart looking for them and luckily I found them all so let's get into it. 

 

I got this outfit from Old Navy, I'm not sure if I'll use it to workout in or sleep in but anyway it was regularly $40 and I got it for $9. 

Also from Old Navy I got this adorable denim tank-like top for $3 and it was regularly $29.99

This outfit from Joe Fresh was regularly $55 and I got it for $10. I was so excited about finding white jeans because I've been looking for a pair foreve. 

Lastly, I got this blue top from Old Navy, I thought it would look great with my new jeans. It was regularly $16 and I got it for $5

So that is the conclusion to my clothing haul, let me know which outfit was your favorite down below! 

Clothing Haul Part 1

Oh My Goodness guys I had the best two days of shopping like I can't even explain the great deals I got. I got over $300 worth of clothing for under $60! Yes you read that right, I saved around $240! I actually have so many items that I decided to spilt this post up into 2 pieces. So here are the first few outfits I got 

This is a pair of PJs I got from Joe Fresh. The top was $4 and the bottoms were also $4. Regularly they would've cost about $30 so I saved $22.  

This was the next outfit I got definitely one of my favourites. The pants were regularly $40 and the shirt was around $16 so it would have cost 56 but I got it for $16.

This was the last one for day one of shopping the sweater was about $30 regularly and the suede pants were $40 so I got a $70 outfit for $25!!!! I am literally so excited to wear all these amazing outfits I got. Let me know which one is your favorite and stay tune for part 2!! 

Super Bowl Dessert

Hey guys! 

Since the Super Bowl isn't far off I thought I would start posting some yummy football themed recipes to get us all ready for the big game. Since my mom and I both love desserts the most my first recipe is football chocolate dipped strawberries. They are super simple to make and look absolutely adorable. Plus strawberries are fruit and fruit is good for you so doesn't that technically make this a healthy treat?  Let's keep telling ourselves that anyway. Okay so here's what you'll need

Ingredients-

One pack of strawberries

One bag of dipping chocolate

Toothpicks

And white chocolate chips

Directions

So first off melt your dipping chocolate in one pot and your white chocolate chips in another

Take your strawberries and dip them in the chocolate( I find us using a toothpick helps with this)

Lay them on a piece of parchment paper lined with a little coconut oil to keep them from sticking while they dry

After they have dried take the melted white chocolate and draw some little white lines across the strawberries to give them a football like appearance.

When you're done they should look something like this 

Don't they look adorable? They will make the perfect addition to any Super Bowl party guaranteed. 

Power Breakfast Smoothie

Morning guys!

Today I thought I would share the recipe for one of my all time favorite breakfast smoothies. I call it my Power Smoothie because it makes me feel so amazing and it keeps me full way into the afternoon. So here it is,

Ingredients-

1/4 cup of frozen mango

Half a banana(I freeze mine beforehand but that's completely optional)

1/4 cup of frozen blueberries 

1 to 1 1/2 cup of greens(these can be any greens of your choosing. I use a kale/swiss chard/spinach mix) 

1 scoop of protein powder( I use the vega protein powder in vanilla because it gives you extra greens and I like that it's plant based. I did a review on it a few posts back if you wanna check it out)

1tbsp of hemp seeds

1tsp of flax oil( this is optional but I like to throw it in sometimes

So there you go, that's my Power Smoothie. Just blend all that together and enjoy. Its a great breakfast any day especially if you're on the go and don't have time to sit down and eat a full breakfast. Plus it gives you a good dose of protein which helps keep you full until lunch and all the fruits and veggies keep you energized. If you try it let me know how you liked it! 

My Workout Regimen

Hey Guys! I hope you are all having a great Monday! I know mine is going awesome, I'm still high off the Patriots win last night(I'm a total Pats fan girl). So anyway today I thought I would just explain to you guys what my workout regimen kind of is and the different things I do. I do not go to the gym so this is all stuff that I do at my home because I just never felt like I needed to go to a gym. So let's get into it. 

I try to do a lot of strength training/tons no workouts as I don't need to lose anymore weight. I'm just working on gaining muscle and toning. I do not lift very heavy because I'm a model and need very small lean muscles(but don't let that deceive you I am VERY strong and in shape). So I will usually do some dumbbell circuits, I find the best ones come from Popsugar Fitness, so I use a lot of their routines and videos. Here are some of the circuits I love to use, I will using use my 10 pound Dumbbells for these but on some moves I switch to my 5 pounds. 

So those are just a few of the strength training routines I do, like I said sometimes I do the Popsugar Fitness videos. Now on to Cardio.

For cardio I love doing the Cardio circuits from Popsugar Fitness(let's just say I'm basically obsessed with Popsugar okay?) I also like to do HIIT circuits because they are quick but still give you great results and a great workout. Also the combine strength training and cardio all in one which is great if you don't have much time.  Here are some examples of the cardio,

When I don't want to do these for cardio sometimes I'll just go for a good run because I LOVE to run and it's an amazing workout. 

Now one of my favorite workouts is definitely yoga. I am a total yogi. Yoga is so amazing for your body and mind plus it's great for people who travel a lot like me because it's quiet and you can do it in your hotel rooms without disturbing anyone. My favorite yoga to do is the Yogalosophy by Mandy Ingber, it's a hybrid yoga that combines toning excises with yoga and I'm obsessed with it. If you haven't heard of it definitely look it up. I also have some different yoga apps on my iPad that I like to use, one of my favourites is Simply Yoga. It's fantastic for beginners because it shows you through videos exactly how to do each pose. I definitely recommend that everyone try adding yoga into their fitness routines.

Well that's basically all guys, my fitness routine is pretty simple and straightforward. It's just a mix of strength training and cardio. Plus some yoga to keep me limber and flexible. If you have any questions feel free to comment below. -Alex 

A little Selfie for your Sunday

Happy Sunday Guys!

Now in honour of "Selfie Sunday" I thought I would just share a little photo shoot I did this fall. This was by no means a profession shoot, just my mom armed with her amazing photography skills and this wanna be model. We drove out to the country side of Brampton area in Canada and just goofed off in all the fall leaves. I think this post takes Selfie Sunday to a whole new level, don't you think? 

Vega Protein Powder Review

Hey guys,

Today my post is just a quick review on the plant based protein powder from Vega. So I bought this recently to try and get more protein in my smoothies because I don't like whey protein at all but I don't like to have a smoothie without some protein. I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked it the only one I would say I like more is the Hemp protein powder but it has less protein per serving so the vega wins there. It gives you 20 grams of protein per serving which I love. It blends perfectly into my smoothie and gives me all the veggies that I'm missing in my smoothie. I tried the vanilla but I've also heard the chocolate is amazing. If anyone has tried it let me know how you liked it. I love the amount of vegetables you get in this protein powder I just feel like that's a really nice addition to a protein powder. I would definitely recommend this protein powder to anyone in the market for one. 

Flashback To Paris

Hello Lovelies! 

Today I decided to do a "Flashback Friday" to my 18th birthday in Paris last year. It was honestly the best birthday I've had in my whole entire life. I was there for 3 days and it was wonderful. I saw the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, the Grand Palais, and so much more. One of my favourite places I saw was the Saint Denis Basilica. It's a kind of a little hidden gem if you ask me. It is where all the rulers of France are buried. My main reason for going was to see Catherine De Medici's grave because I am SO in love with the show Reign, any fellow Reign lovers on here? Anyway so I wanted to see her and when I got there I found out that is where Marie Antoinette is buried! My mom freaked out because she loves her! One of my other absolute favorite sites was the Original Chanel flagship store. I'm not gonna lie I was like on a high the whole time I was there(I'm a freak for anything Chanel and I kin of have a woman crush on Coco). It was amazing everyone in the store was so nice and just knowing Coco actually walked and worked in there was priceless, plus I left smelling like Chanel number 5 so all around it was fabulous. Anyway let's get into some pictures! 

Here is a gross mirror selfie of me before we left for Paris the morning of my Birthday. 

This is the evening of my Birthday in Hardrock Paris! Yeah we were those typical tourists who ate at Hardrock, don't judge. 

The next day we obviously had to check out the town which included the gorgeous Eiffel Tower. 

After the tower we headed towards the Louvre. Probably one of my favorite places on the planet. It was so gorgeous and I love museums.

Look who we saw while we were in the Louvre! 

Then we headed to the Chanel store, which was actually just a short walk from the Louvre. 

Me trying on different Chanel scents. 

After all that walking we stopped for a little Parisian snack aka the best Macarons you will ever taste in your life. 

And finally back to the Eiffel Tower to see it sparkle in the night. Definitely a must see. 

I hope you guys enjoyed my little flashback. If any of you have ever been to Paris comment below telling me what your favorite experience was. 

65 Calories Double Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Yes you read the title right, today I'm going to be sharing my recipe for "65" calorie cookies. They are honestly my favourite little sweet treat. They satisfy my sweet tooth and you can have 2 for less calories than a normal double chocolate chip cookie. So here's what you'll need

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter, softened 

1/2 cup sugar

 1/4 cup brown sugar

 1 egg white 

1 tsp vanilla extract

 1 cup all-purpose flour 

1/2 tsp baking soda

 1/4 tsp salt 

1/4 cup cocoa powder 

1/3 cup miniature chocolate chips 

Preparation: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugars together with an electric mixer until creamy. Add egg white and vanilla and mix until well blended. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder. Gradually add flour mixture to egg and sugar. Use a wooden spoon to work the dough together. Don’t worry if the dough seems a little crumbly at first. Stir in chocolate chips. Drop cookie dough by the teaspoonful on to a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat if you have one. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely. I personally like to sprinkle mine with a light dusting of powder sugar but that's totally optional. 

Makes 30 cookies Per Serving: Calories 65, Calories from Fat 21, Total Fat 2.3g (sat 1.8g), Cholesterol 5mg, Sodium 44mg, Carbohydrate 10.3g, Fiber 0.5g, Protein 0.7g

Here is a picture of some from a batch I made, don't they look scrumptious?! If you guys try them out let me know how you like them below. -Alex 

Stila Palette Review

What's up Readers!?  I just had to do a review on the Stila in the Light Palette. It is honestly one of my all time favourite palletes and I never thought I would find one I love as much as my naked palletes but this one comes VERY close. So let's get into it. 

The pallete comes with 10 natural gold/brown colours and a dark chocolate, kohl, waterproof eyeliner. I love how all these colours blend together, they make an amazing smokey eye. They have a very nice wear time as well, without primer they lasted on my eye from the morning through a workout until late evening. I found that to be really impressive. 

Out of the 10 colours 4 have shimmer and the rest are matte which I really liked because I don't like to have too much glitter. My personal favourites are Champagne, Bare, and Sunset. 

The pallete runs about $40 at Sephora I believe which is a really good price I think personally. It's much cheaper than the Nakeds and lasts just as long if not longer on your eyes as the Nakeds do. They also have three other palletes in purple,blue,and green color schemes. So if you're looking for a cheapish pallete I definitely recommend this one. It's great quality at a great price.