Date Night Make Up Tutorial & How To Take It Off For A Fresh Face #NewNeutrogena

I was compensated for this shop by Collective Bias, Inc. on behalf of Neutrogena for this #NewNeutrogena campaign #AD #Collectivebias. All opinions are mine alone.

When I was a teenager, I never though of skin care as a 'health' issue. Like most of teenagers and 20 somethings, I took 'young looking' skin for granted! I am sure I am not the only one to feel lazy and sleep in the make up on few occasions! But as I grow older wiser, I have become more responsible and regimented about my skin care. As someone with adult hormonal acne issues, I am even more careful about what I put on my skin.  In fact, recently I even visited a dermatologist to make a game plan for my skin care routine in 2015! As a long time Neutrogena fan, I was not surprised when my dermatologist recommended Neutrogena cleanser to wash my face! She also stressed that no matter what, I have to put sunscreen before going out and ALWAYS take my make up off at the end of the day! So in today's blog post I am sharing my skin cleaning routine and a make up look that is polished yet non-cakey. This look is perfect for V-day/date night. It requires very few products but the finished look has bright eyes, bold lips and a flawless looking skin. Keep reading for the step-by-step tutorial!

 How to 'do the face' in few quick steps

I love Neutrogena Healthy Skin Primer (with SPF 15) for a smooth, pore-minimizing look. It gives me a perfect base for foundation and powder. 

 Just dab the primer all over the face and blend in with a foundation brush.

 After the primer, I am ready for my foundation. I recently started using a sponge for my foundation and it blends in really nicely!

 Neutrogena Skin Clearing mineral powder does triple duty for me. It sets up the foundation, controls the shine and helps clear the skin by preventing break outs! I put it over the foundation with a big powder brush.

Tip: If you have bigger pores, put on the powder with quick strokes - first clockwise and then anticlockwise. It really helps minimize the look of pores.

For the sculpted, full brows I like to first brush them and straighten any stray hair. It helps define the face and make it easy to fill in the brow pencil (or powder).

As a big fan of double duty products, I love this nourishing eye liner from Neutrogena. The pencil and the smudge tool can create many a versatile eye looks - from cat eye to smokey eye to a defined eye liner look! The pencil does not require sharpening, you can just twist it to use!  Because I have black eyebrows, I can this as a liner and also as a brow pencil. I don't press it hard on the brow, just lightly fill in and smudge it to blend in!

Now comes the fun part. The Neutrogena crease proof eye shadow (in plum) works as a charm to create a smokey eye look that can go from day to night.  Really, It is as simple to use as it looks in the photo. Just roll it all over your lid!  It doesn't crease and looks as if you have blended with many different blending brushes!

Now I use my liner once again to line the upper lash line and the corners of the eyes.

Curl your lashes if you wish and put the mascara on. Eyes done!!

With a tapered brush, I put my blush and blend it in upward 'C' motion along my cheek bone- from the apple of my cheek towards the end of my brows.

The Neutrogena Moisture smooth color stick (in Plum) is super smooth, light weight, non sticky lipstick. It feels like a lip balm really, with deep, long lasting color!

Voilà, I am done!

As much as I appreciate the flawless make up, I can not forget the 'after the day is done' routine! The complete removal of make up and eye shadow/mascara is as important as any anti-aging products to slow down the skin aging! Dermatologists suggest you take off every speck of makeup before bed so your skin can breathe through the night and your pores are not clogged. If you use anti aging products /night time moisturizers, the products have a clear skin to settle into. 

For me Neutorgena has been a gold standard for make up removers! I have been using their make up removing towelettes for a long time and just tried the new Neutrogena Naturals make up removing towelettes. Just one towelette takes all the gunk out with few gentle swipes! No irritation or reddening of skin, but you still get the freshly scrubbed feeling!

 I got my Neutrogena make up, rapid clear cleanser and make up removing towelettes at Target, The Cartwheel coupons at Target always get me the best prices! For limited time, you can take advantage of the Cartwheel offers. 5% off on Neutrogena cosmetics and 10% off on Neutrogena facial skincare products!

No better feeling in the end of the day than to have a freshly scrubbed, clean face! Here is to the healthy, break-out free, young looking skin and a beautiful face in 2015! What are your beauty must haves and skin care routines this year? I'd love to know!

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#BackToBalance : My 5-Step Plan For A Happier 2015!

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #BackToBalance #CollectiveBias

I have to admit, I am not the one to go big with New Year's resolutions. I mean, I have some things I want to accomplish every year and there are certain routines I would love to stick to, but when it comes to rigorous, written-in-stone resolutions, I can see myself failing in fulfilling those. So, this year, instead of resolutions, I am making basic guidelines to get the best of life. Steps for a happier, calmer, more balanced life. We all know that balance in life is the key to happiness. We usually hear a lot about work-life balance, and assume that working-from-outside-the-home people need work-life balance. But as a stay-at-home mom with work-from-home projects, I can certainly say that everybody needs to find a balance in life- working moms, working dads or stay at home parents!  For me, the balance between my devotion to my family and my devotion to 'myself' and for my personal growth is key. To get there, I have a simple 5 step plan that I hope to stick to in 2015!

1. Enjoy The Little Moments

We all have heard that it is not the big events, but the small moments that define our lives and make it richer. But still there are times when we forget to enjoy the little moments and just wait for some big event to occur so we can celebrate. We forget that the real joy is in simple, small gestures and in little things.  Sometimes it is seemingly mundane day that brings the unexpected pleasures. My goal is to enjoy every little moment, whether an impromptu picnic in the terrace or having a snow ball fight and making a Hawaii-bound snowgirl with my daughter Mili!

2. Plan & Prioritize

One thing I have always struggled with it making lists and plan things. Don't get me wrong, I still finish my tasks and fulfill the deadlines, but usually it is more of a sprint to finish than a steady race for me. This year, I plan to devote some time every morning, every week to prioritize the to-do list and make a game plan to check them off one by one so I have more time and energy to enjoy the aforementioned small moments!

BTW, SKINNY COW® Flavored creamy iced coffee Drinks are only  120 calories per bottle, so I can  enjoy a coffeehouse style break while I plan my day! Available in three dreamy favors (Mocha Latte/ Creamy Cappuccino / Vanilla Latte) at Walmart.

3. Take Time For Yourself

I have seen this many times (both in my life as well as with my other mom-friends) women put so much time in their work. family or other obligations that we put ourselves on neglect-shelf! Overtime, this practice creates boredom and in some cases, loss of self. We forget that before we are a mom, wife, employee, business-owner etc, we are individuals and we need time for ourselves too. For me, taking time for myself doesn't necessarily mean a trip to the spa! It could be a a simple hobby that gives me a sense of pleasure, a quick DIY that I can cherish, reading, catching up on my favorite show or simply enjoying a sweet treat without feeling guilty! Luckily, SKINNY COW® Divine Caramel Filled Chocolatey Candy and SKINNY COW® Dreamy Clusters Milk Chocolatey Candy allow me to satisfy my sweet tooth without the big calorie intake. The luscious, yummy chocolaty candy just melts in my mouth. Just 120 calories per 5 piece, this is a sweet treat I can indulge in anytime without guilt! 

The crochet Hat DIY that makes me so happy!

SKINNY COW® Dreamy Clusters Milk Chocolatey Candy makes a delicious snack for a quick pick-me-up in the afternoon!

4. Love & Respect Your Body

These days we are surrounded by messages that force us to look critically at our bodies. The media and social networks are full of ideas and images that put self-doubts in women. From Fat-shaming,  to skinny shaming,  from the dubious real-women-should-have-curves message to skinny-is-beautiful message, there is no way we can find an 'ideal' shape or size for every woman. My mantra is to take care of my body as best as I can, not to fit into any specific mold, but to be healthy and happy. I consider my body as my 'retirement fund' for old age! If I take care of it now, it will take care of me when I need it the most! So, my most important message to anybody reading this is , just love your body as it is and respect your body enough to take care of it in the healthiest way possible! I don't believe in compromising taste for healthy treats and don't believe in and starving myself! That' s why I really love SKINNY COW® products! They have the perfect balance - healthier options for desserts & snack treats while satisfying my cravings without compromising the taste!

 Exercise and eating right! With just 110 calories and 1 gram of fat, the SKINNY COW® fudge bar is a great choice for dessert. Finally, I can have my cake ice cream treat and eat it too! BTW, the SKINNY COW® ice cream bars frozen treats are available at the ice cream/novelty dessert section at Walmart. The iced coffee drinks are available at the dairy section.

5. Let It Go

Like Elsa from 'Frozen', my guiding principle for 2015 is to let it go. I will count my blessings and focus on the positives in life. In my case, I have accepted the fact that I may not have a perfectly organized home, or that I may not be able to cook instagram-worthy meals  on a weeknight, but I will remember the times I laughed hard with my friends, or cuddled with a book with Mili or stayed up late with my husband watching our favorite movies! By letting go of Pinterest-induced 'why can't I bake the perfect cake-in-a-jar' anxiety, we all can live happily ever after!

How are you all getting on with your New Year's resolutions/goals? How do you find balance in life?

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Lookbook: Bundle Up In Blue

The much-hyped blizzard Juno finally passed by New York/New Jersey with less-than-anticipated snow. The blizzard warnings were off the charts but in the end, the blizzard proved to be just a regular snow storm, not the historic 'snowmageddon' some believed it to be! For once, I am glad that the meteorologists were off the mark! I like the snow, but only to a point where it doesn't disrupt the day. The powdery snow made it possible to have snow ball fights and make snowman ..err snowWOMAN and just enjoy the nature's cold beauty. 

I love my Hunter boots, and wear them in rain and snow all the time, but if you are looking for an inexpensive alternative to Hunters, I strongly recommend Kamik 'Jennifer' rain boots. They are very well  made (I have them for almost 3 years now and they are just fabulous!) and come in a variety of colors.

Hat :DIY crochet (Similar //Similar // Similar)

Sunglasses : Ray-Ban (Love!)

Boots - Kamik

Bag - Old Navy (Refinery 29 Pick)

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