Bogavia Essential Facial Cleanser

Hi Lovelies!  In my heathy lifestyle quest I've tried to go as organic as possible, both with what I put into and onto my body. Food is much easier for me than skin care and body care, as my skin is finicky and sensitive. On a recent trip to Tony Walker in Williamsville, NY looking at Diptyque candles I happened across this line of products called Bogavia. The ingredients are all natural and organic, I can pronounce everything that is in these products.  The main ingredient is organic aloe vera which has many beauty uses, besides just healing a burn like we al know it for. It helps to tighten and repair the skin, remove toxins, and softens and smooths the skin surface. Bogavia products are paraben free, do not have SLS, mineral oil, chemical preservatives or artificial fragrances which can all irritate the skin. The products are also Vegan, which is hard to find. 

I decided to start easy with my extremely touchy skin, so I picked up the face wash and hand cream. The face wash is much more liquidy than I was expecting, it actually reminds me of philosophy Purity Made Simple face wash. Both are the same color and texture. I figured out quite early on to NOT open the tube with the hole facing downwards, otherwise I wasted a lot of product from it running out of the tube and down the drain!  I must say, I LOVE, this wash. It thoroughly cleans my face both with and without using my clarisonic Mia. It is creamy and spreads easily over the skin. I use circular motions to work it into my skin and then rinse with a washcloth and water. My skin is left clean, but not dry feeling at all. It is comfortable and soft. And the best part is that my sensitive, finicky skin loves this product. I have not broken out and my skin is smoother and has a better texture and tone. The next products I want to try are the Essential Facial Moisturizer and the Essential Night Cream, since I've had such good results with the face wash. Check them out at www.bogavia.com

Livvy necklace and a gold arm party

I wasn't too sure when I saw the new stella & dot Livvy necklace online and in pictures. It just didn't tickle my fancy at all. I liked the colors, but i think I wasn't sure based on the shape of how it hung what kind of tops I would be able to wear it with. Well, i asked my fellow stylists how it was selling and how our customers seemed to like it. The response was overwhelmingly positive!  Stylists were selling 2 or more at shows!  That was all I needed to hear. I ordered it on our last days of fall sampling and got it this past Saturday. Let me just say....I am in LOVE!  I don't know why I held back on ordering this necklace, it's beautiful in person!  Pictures do not do it justice. I paired it with a navy blue top today for work and couldn't be happier. The necklace isn't a bright, shiny gold.  It is more a brushed, antiqued looking gold.

I picked an arm party today with four gold bracelets. The iconic gold renegade cluster bracelet, arrison stretch bracelet, Eden bangle, and the new pave chevron bangle. I'm loving this combination of bracelets. It keeps things interesting

Feel free to browse and shop at www.stelladot.com/christinaevans

Are there any pieces you would like to see featured in a post?  Let me know!

Announcing...Stella & Dot

Well, now is as good a time as any.  I have decided to take on a little side job.  I signed up to be a Stella & Dot stylist!  I decided to take my love for the brand and run with it.  I love that half of the line is less than $50.  We also have many pieces that are convertible, for example our popular Sutton necklace an be worn 7 (yes SEVEN!!) different ways!  We also have earrings that can go from studs to chandeliers by just adding pieces on.  We also launched a line of engravables that includes necklaces, dog tag, and cuff links for the guys.  And I am completely head over heels in love with our new fall 2014 line.  Our dainty pave items are to die for

We also have larger statement pieces that are bright and colorful

Please browse my site and feel free to contact me with any questions, to place an order, or host a trunk show to earn free sparkly things!  www.stelladot.com/christinaevans

I will be posting my haul of the new fall items as soon as I get them all photographed and loaded on my computer!  Look for my Stella Sundays posts starting soon!

Weight Loss Journey

So I have finally become motivated enough to change my habits. Before I met my husband  and graduated from pharmacy school I would go to the gym 4-5 times a week for at least an hour each time. Then real life started. I graduated from pharmacy school and moved to the next city over, forcing me to leave my gym I went to for years. I started my full time pharmacist job, which includes 12 hour work days, leaving little time for almost daily workouts. I couldn't find a gym that I really liked and was convenient in my new home. I met my husband right before I moved. All of these things combined wreaked havoc on my routine and I couldn't recover, so I just quit. Since then I have gained 50 (!?!?!) pounds. I am disgusted that I let myself get to this point, so I am doing something about it.

 I joined a gym that I actually like (shout out to Next Level fitness in Batavia). I have been religiously going on my days off from work and working out for 30-60 minutes each and every chance I get. If I don't feel like going I remind myself why I am doing this and how good I feel when I do it. 

I bought a fitbit force and started using myfitnesspal again. The fitbit has been essential to me in starting this journey.  It has made me more aware just how inactive I was (barely walking 2,000 steps a day on my days off!). I started low with a goal of 5,000 steps per day. I easily can reach this goal by going to the gym. Days that I work are harder. Even though I am on my feet all day I am not walking around and being active. I generally stand in one place and move my hands a lot opening and closing prescription bottles to verify things are right....not a lot of moving the rest of my body. I try to walk around the pharmacy more. If things are slow I will walk around the store to get some movement in. Myfitnesspal app syncs with my fitbit app to work together to give me the whole picture of what I am putting into my body and what I am burning off. Myfitnesspal is my favorite food diary. The database is so extensive I can always find the foods I am eating. I made a recipe out of a cookbook the other day and the nutritional information for that exact recipe from that exact book was in the database. Score!

So to really get me motivated again I needed some retail therapy. Specifically, I needed some cute gym clothes therapy!  I went to the new Athleta store at a nearby mall and went a little crazy. Almost $400 later I walked out with a pair of kickbooty pants, 2 namaste bras, a freedom bra, and 4 chi tanks. I love all of it and it's all so comfy to exercise in. The pants stretch and stay in place while I do my cardio workouts. The tanks are just baggy enough to camouflage my stomach but not too baggy to the point of looking sloppy.  Today I felt like I could use some more gear.  Next stop was at the lululemon store in the Clover View Plaza. It was my first time in a lululemon store and I am in love. I picked up some Groove pants, a Calm & Cozy jacket, and some Skinniest Satin Pirouette headbands. I love all of it and am already making my wishlist online of what I want to pick up next (*ahem*run swiftly tech long sleeve shirt). 

So I started this journey on December 31st. I weighed 225 pounds to start. Two weeks later I am down to 218 pounds. My goal is to lose the 50 pounds that I gained over the past 5 and a half years. I hope you will follow my journey and maybe even join me!

Urban Decay Naked 3

I just was able to order my Naked 3 palette from ulta.com!  Can't wait to get it in my hands and start playing and reviewing!

Jordana Best Lash Extreme

  Ladies I have found it!  After years of searching and what seems like hundreds of different brands, formulas, and promises. I have finally discovered my HG mascara in Jordana's Best Lash Extreme. Who could have guesses this $2.99 mascara would be all that I was looking for and more?

It is marketed as a volumizing mascara and with just one coat it does just that. It is a short, natural bristles brush that applies the perfect amount of product without clumping. 

After just one coat my lashes are exactly what I am looking for from a mascara. I prefer a formula that is wetter so that I don't have to load on coats of mascara that becomes clumpy in order to coat my blonde lashes.  The combination of the brush and the formula does just that. I feel like I also get a decent amount of length with this mascara also. This does not smudge or flake on me all day, and I have my mascara on for 14-15 hours a day throughout my 12 hour shift at work. The formula is not waterproof and comes off with my Sephora eye makeup remover that I have been using since I bought it in Spain last month. 

           No mascara

       One coat of mascara

My search is now over and I doubt I will stray from this for day to day use. 

Sephora in Barcelona

So what trip to a foreign city would be complete without a trip to Sephora?  On our first day here we trekked around the city waiting to get into our hotel room and came across Sephora in Del Triangle. I was able to pick up my trusty favorite mascara, Benefit's They're Real and my favorite foundation, Urban Decay Naked Skin. Along with the foundation I picked up the new Urban Decay Ultra Definition Pressed Finishing Powder

I love how this powder makes my skin look flawless and smooth. It reflects light so that it doesn't accentuate any lines and pores

Now the most exciting part about Sephora in another country.....is the brands not carried in the US!  I didn't do much damage, although I sure did want to.  There was Sisley, bourjois, sleek, la prairie and even a few Sephora brand products not available in the US. At the same time there were a few brands that are considered drug store in the US that Sephora carries at an unbelievably high price in Spain, such has Sally Hansen nail polishes and products and the Just Say Yes (to Carrots, to Cucumbers, etc) products. A $3 Sally Hansen nail Polish was 11.50 Euro ($15.50 US)!!

I did pick up a Bourjois bronzer that looks like a bar of chocolate. I have heard lots of good things about this product and it looks very natural on my face and smells like chocolate too!

Next I saw a Sleek Makeup display with a couple of eye palettes. I picked up the neutral palette as I will get the most use out of it. 

I love the mix if shimmer and matte shadows. They are super pigmented and blend easily. 

Finally, I picked up this calming gel waterproof eye makeup remover, and already I can tell its a favorite!  It doesn't need to be rinsed off, it soaks right in after you wipe away the makeup. It did not irritate my sensitive eyes and got rid of every trace of eyeshadow, mascara and eyeliner.