Check Out My Instagram!!

What more do I have to say? I've posted my very first picture of my NOTD (nail of the day.) You guys will soon learn that I am a nail polish addict. And rather than trying to keep up and write posts about my nail obsession of the moment, I figured I'd just create an extra outlet for it. Of course it's not going to be only pictures of nails. You'll just have to wait and see what else I come up with.

And of course, coming into the game so late, I couldn't find a matching name to match the blog. But what can you do. Check it out:

Instagram.com/itsanni_e

Must Have : Foam Roller

I would have never thought I'd be writing a post about foam rollers, but here it is. I am only writing this because I truly believe everyone should have one of these. And even if you don't, I will talk about a quick trick in getting the same results.

Okay, I work in an office. I am basically sitting in front of a computer all day except for the occasional, I can't sit still any more break. When I get home, I'm still on the computer, so basically a lot of sitting all day long. When you sit, you're putting pressure on your lower back. Its inevitable that at some point in your day, there is a prolonged amount of time when you're sitting. Whether it'd be at work, in your car, eating dinner, relaxing in front of television or computer, you're sitting. All this pressure can make your back hurt. And if any of you have ever experienced any sort of back pain, you know it is not fun.

Well this is where the foam roller comes in. It helps alleviate the pain. The "science" behind it is, in your joints, there is a liquid that keeps your joints lubricated, this liquid contains dissolved gas. As the gas builds up, so does the pressure. When you crack your knuckles or your back you're releasing this gas, therefore relieving the pressure causing the pain. And this is where the foam roller comes in.

All you do is sit on the floor and place the foam roller behind you about a foot away from where your bottom touches the ground, then you slowly lay down and roll yourself away from the roller til you get to about the bottom of your shoulder blades. If this makes no sense to you, Google it, there are plenty of videos out there teaching you how to use it.

What if you're in a pinch and you don't have one? Don't worry, as long as you have a bed or a couch, you will be set. Of course, this way isn't as safe and you risk falling on your head and embarrassment if you're in front of someone. What you do is lay on the bed on your back with your head over the edge. Slowly inch yourself off over the bed and letting gravity do its thing. Keep your arms over your head to catch yourself before you fall.

Obviously, I am not a doctor or a professional, so please be careful. If you're worried, please consult your doctor before attempting anything. 

Carpe Diem

'Carpe diem quam minimum credula postero.'-Horace

I'm sure we've all heard the phrase, 'carpe diem,' to seize the day. This phrase in it's entirety means to take fate into your own hands and do all that you can to make your life better. This is so important and so many people have lost touch with this idea. The idea that your future is in your hands and that you ultimately can change your future for the better seems so foreign to some people. This idea applies to so many aspects of life. Whether it's something materialistic, one's health, or even one's surroundings, they're all obtainable if you try.

The reason this idea came to my mind and pushed me to blog about it is because of several life encounters. Now, personally, I have been taught, whether it's by my parents or friends or even just life in general, if you want something, nothing feels better than taking action and working towards getting that something you want. Like I said, whether it be something materialistic or heck, even better grades, nothing feels better than knowing you got to your goal after lots of hard work. Therefore I am a strong believe of if you want something, work hard and get it. Because at the end of the day, it's a lot easier to work hard for something, rather than waiting for something to land on your lap.

So I guess the point of this rant is, whether it's a new handbag you want or that new lifestyle you want or something you just want in general, YOU have to go do something about it. And trust me, there is nothing more satisfying than working for what you want (good things come to those that wait.) Be proactive and always have that end goal in mind.

With that said, I want to win the lottery! Note to self: go buy a lottery ticket... jk!!(a girl can dream right?)

Midweek Skin Pick Me Up

Congratulations. You've made it half way through the week and it's time to treat yourself to a mini spa. You will need 4 things, a face towel, Dr. Bonner's Peppermint Soap, Naris Up Skin Conditioner and cotton pads.

What you shall do is take your shower as normal and add a couple drops of the Dr. Bronner's Peppermint soap to the towel and soak and wring out the towel in warm/hot water a few times. Then place the towel over your face and leave it there. When the towel gets cold, soak and wring out the towel again and place it on your face again. You can repeat this as many times as you want, probably should stop before you get too pruney though. Then if you want, you can lightly scrub your face with the towel to wash your face.

Then once you're done with that, pat your face dry and then soak your cotton pad with the skin conditioner and the place the cotton pads all over your face for a quick make shift facial sheet mask like in the picture. Leave the cotton pads on there until it dries. Now your face will feel super soft and moisturized. Then apply any serums you use and moisturize as usual.

Now to talk about some alternatives. For the Dr. Bonner's soap, there are different ones for different skin concerns. I personally like the peppermint one cause it feels so refreshing. If you want to feel more relaxed, there's a lavender version. If you have acne prone skin, there's a tea tree oil version. Same with the Skin Conditioner, there are different ones for different skin concerns. I have the blue one which contains hyaluronic acid which helps to replenish moisture.

Happy hump day! The weekend is almost here.

Got Time, But No Money vs. Got Money, But No Time

Isn't it funny how that works? I remember when school was over and summer finally rolled around, hours were spent rotting at home doing nothing. Why? Because you can't take vacations when you have no money. Yeah, you'd go hang out with your friends and things like that, but it wasn't anything like traveling and exploring far away places. Ironically, that's when you have all the time in the world, no responsibilities or cares, but no money to go have fun. (Before all hell breaks loose, I totally understand that there are activities that can be done without spending a lot of money or any money at all. But what I mean is, hopping on a plane or in a car and going somewhere with all the time in the world.)

Nowadays, there is money in the bank, enough to take me across the world, but no time to go. The joys of being a grown up. I guess another one of those joys is, when you have time, but no one else has time. Sure, I can go explore alone, but it's not as much fun when you're alone. I love to share my experiences with other people because I have terrible memory so I will most likely forget something. And also, when you're able to share your experiences with someone, you have someone to look back with and laugh at silly things you guys might have seen or done, or remember little details that you have since forgotten. Plus, sharing is caring.

Back to these grown up problems. When you have a job, you can't just go, I feel like going to Disneyland today, peace out guys. There are responsibilities unfortunately. Since starting work, I don't think I've taken a vacation where I haven't checked my email or freak out in case my coworker feels like being incompetent that day. And I'm only gone for 2 days. And that's another thing, you can't take real vacations. Think about when you were younger and you and your parents packed up and went on a road trip or on vacation during summer break. You were probably out for a good week. When you're an adult, unless your employer gives you vacation time, you're not being paid for when you're not there. Sucks right?

I guess you have to find that balance as new obstacles are thrown your way. Sometimes you need that break to avoid getting burned out. I remember having to work 6 days out of 7 in a week. That got old real quick. That's why, I give nothing but props to those that work everyday of the week and on top of that, several jobs at once and over 8 hours a day.

At the end of the day, it's about finding that balance. It helps if your mentality is, work hard today so you don't have to work as hard later. I will get there one day. For now, time to figure out when everyone has time to go to Hawaii or something. Sigh. Grown up problems.

Shoe Haul: Never Pay Full Price

I think a good tip when shopping is, never pay full price for anything. Now I totally understand there are some items that just don't go on sale, like certain electronics or items from specialty stores. But for the most part, things do go on sale, especially clothes and shoes. So, welcome to this shoe haul post as well as how to save money post.

As many of you know, normally, TOMS shoes don't go on sale. You can visit your local Nordstrom Rack, and even then they're full price. However, I bet many of you didn't know that every so often, there are codes for $5 off for TOMS from their actual website. Say what? Yup. The last few times I've seen the $5 off, there was free shipping. However, there was one time where there wasn't free shipping. Another tip, wait for free shipping!!! If you take your $5 off, but pay for shipping, it's like you saved nothing at all. Might as well have gone to the store to pick it up. And if you're someone like myself that wears TOMS on a regular basis, it doesn't hurt to grab a pair for back-up. Also, some stores have Friends and Family sales that allow discounts on TOMS. That means time to stock up?? >.>

Now, time for shoes that DO go on sale. Like these Steve Madden KStudd Flats. Originally they're $50 before tax. I was able to get them for $30 before tax. The key here is to WAIT!! And to shop around. I got these from Piperlime which offers free shipping as well as free returns.

This goes for really any type other of shoe brand. Most shoes, with maybe the exception of classics, usually end up on sale. You just have to wait it out. And waiting it out not only saves you money, it also helps you figure out how much you really want those shoes. A good place to find Steve Madden shoes but for a fraction of the price, in stores, are places like Ross, TJ Maxx and Nordstrom Rack. I've actually seen these flats, but in a different color at Ross for only $16.99. Now that is steal.

For those of you who constantly shop online. Another great way to save is by using Ebates. Ebates is a cashback website that gives you back money as you shop. You only get a certain percentage back but if you do a lot of online shopping, these savings add up. Usually it's only a few percents cashback, but there are occasions where there is double cashback. Or recently, Ebates had their I believe it was 14th birthday and there was 14% cashback. That's crazy! 14% here in San Francisco basically covers tax and then some. You might be wondering, free money? There has to be a catch. Nope, no catch. If you want to sign up, you can click here.

Now to end with a question for you guys. What are some ways you guys save money when shopping?

Greasy Hair?

Do you have hair that gets greasy after a day? Well I have some tips and tricks that might help you with that greasy hair.

A little bit about your hair and why it gets oily. Your hair like your skin needs to be moisturized. The oil produced on your head help to moisturize your habit as well as your scalp. How quickly everyone's hair gets oily varies from person to person. Some peoples hair gets oily as soon as you wash it, whereas some peoples hair can go a few days without washing and it won't be super oily.

As a disclaimer, these tips are purely based on my own experience. They might work for you or they might not. Also, results sometimes are not instant because your body needs to get use to the change.

1. One thing important thing I do is I wash my hair every other day. I feel like, when I wash it everyday, more oils are produced because the shampoo is stripping away all of the natural oils, therefore your body produces more to make up for what you keep taking away.

2. When I wash my hair I focus the shampoo on the area closest to the roots and the foam through the rest of my hair. The reason for this is so I do not dry out the ends of my hair. The ends of your hair, unlike the roots of your hair, hardly ever get a taste of that oil/natural moisturizer your body is producing, hence dry ends. As for conditioner, same idea, but instead of focussing the conditioner at the roots, I only use conditioner at the ends of my hair.

3. Wash your hair first before washing other parts of your body. After you have put conditioner in your hair, get a clip and clip your hair in a loose bun while you do other things. This way your hair actually has time to absorb the conditioner before it's rinsed off. This would be a good time to shave your legs, exfoliate, or whatever else is a part of your shower time ritual.

4. Focus hair products such as hair serums, leave in conditioners, even heat protectants at the ends of your hair. There was a time in my life where I straightened my hair everyday. I noticed that heat protectants weighed down my hair meaning ugly flat hair, and it caused my hair to get oily very quickly. So, any extra products, save it for the ends.

And just some other random tips for oily hair is, look for shampoos designed for oily hair. Also try shampoos that are free of silicone and sulfates. If you're training your hair and transitioning from washing your hair everyday to every other day, apply some dry shampoo to your head at the end of the first day before you head to bed. This will help absorb some of that excess oil overnight.

Any oily hair tips and tricks out there?