Everyday Heatless Waves Tutorial

Ever since I cut my hair, I've been super careful to not put any heat on it.  Before chopping off a whopping seven inches (I just got chills!) of my locks, I had gone over two years without cutting my hair! I mean, it's no wonder I had split ends all throughout my hair from excess heat and washing my hair every single day. Therefore, in order to grow my hair back stronger and healthier, I want to minimize heat as much as possible.  However, this can be quite difficult for us girls with unmanageable natural hair.  That's why I came up with this simple, easy, overnight hair tutorial for effortless waves.  I've actually been doing this tutorial for over three years now back when I had long hair in eighth grade so it works on any length of hair! Let's get started, shall we?

You'll want to start out with damp hair; whether you've just got out of the shower and let it air dry a bit or just spray some water all over your hair.  I shower at night; so I let my hair dry a bit and then proceed on and just sleep on it overnight!

Next, you'll want to part your hair in two sections as if you were to put it in pigtails.  Starting with whatever side you please, take two strands of hair from the top/front of your head as shown above.

Wrap the two strands around one another away from your face. Once you've wrapped those two strands, pick up another piece of hair and add it to the section closest to your head.  This step can be seen in the last picture of this set where you'll see me pick up a strand of hair.

Once you've added and wrapped all the strands from that side of your head, simply continue the process of wrapping the two strands together, but you won't be picking up any more pieces of hair.  Once you've finished, secure the end of your hair with an elastic.

Go ahead and repeat this process on the other side of your head.  I included pictures of this side too as you can see what I am doing a bit easier.

Alright, now that both sides of your head are wrapped and secured with an elastic, twist the entire section until the hair is tight.  It is very important that you make the twist tight so that the waves come out properly. Once twisted completely, bring the section of hair up to your head and secure it with a clip/bobby pins.  Make sure the hair is secure so that the twist stays tight and it won't fall out if you sleep on it!

 

Now that both sides are twisted and secured, you'll probably resemble a version of Princess Leia.  If you're doing this at night, go ahead and hit the zzz's!  If not, let your hair stay like this until it has completely dried. Now, the rest is easy!  Simply wake up, untwist your hair, give it a shake, spray with hairspray, and voila!

 

 

This is my favorite way to style my hair without any heat; plus it's quick and simple!  Just wake up and you've got gorgeous waves!  I hope you enjoyed this tutorial!  Apologies for it being quite long but I wanted to make sure I explained each step properly so you guys can do this, too!  Thanks for reading!

 

Much love,

Gabriella xx

A Beginner's Makeup Collection

Ah, makeup. An undeniable guilty pleasure for the majority of the female population.  That being said, I know I can't be the only girl who gets overly excited when I get to take a peek inside other peoples' makeup collection, right? However, as a new makeup fanatic, I can't say my makeup collection is as impressive as other makeup goddesses. But, we all have to start somewhere, right?  In this post, I'll be sharing my current makeup collection as a newbie in hopes to guide others who are also starting out with makeup in the right direction.  All the products I mention are products I recommend using if you're a beginner in the world of makeup!

So, here's my baby makeup collection! She is about 5 months old and is growing at an exceptional rate. (Need to work on my jokes!) In the future, I really want to explore different makeup brands and branch away from my comfort zone of Maybelline and e.l.f products (Not saying I don't love these brands! I totally do!). I would really love to try out different brands such as L'Oréal, Benefit, Nars, and of course, MAC! Now, I've never owned a MAC makeup product, so that's definitely high on my to-purchase list.  But, enough rambling about what I want; because we all want things.  Rather, let's focus and appreciate what we have.

 

First up is face products.  I'm still trying to find what face products work best for me as I have very sensitive skin and many products make my skin break out. Nevertheless, here's my current face favorites:

• Maybelline Fit Me
• Rimmel Match Perfection
• Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder (My all-time favorite powder! Goodbye shiny face!)
• Maybelline BB Cream (This makes me skin breakout *pouty face*)
• Rimmel BB Cream (Not suitable for my pale winter skin)
• Maybelline Fit Me Concealer
• elf Bronzer
• Bronze Booster Glow-Boosting Pressed Bronzer (Again, too dark for my pale skin)

Next up: brushes. I'm a total beginner when it comes to brushes so I typically go for the most basic ones (which will be changing soon!) So for now, my brush collection is just your basics:

• Powder brushes from elf
• Foundation brushes
• A knock-off Beauty Blender (Sorry, I don't have $20 to spend on a sponge haha)
• An angled brush (used for my eyebrows)
• Two blending brushes and two flat brushes for eyeshadow

When you're just starting out with makeup, it can be quite daunting to go into a store and see a wall filled of different makeup brushes for every use under the sun.  If you're just starting out like me, I recommend getting your basic brushes that I listed above.  This way, you'll be able to perform your basic techniques for your face and eyes without being too overwhelmed.

 

I'm quite ashamed at the fact that I have only three lip products (chap-stick doesn't really count).  Lipsticks are something I've always struggled to branch out and try. I never thought I could pull off a bright red or coral lipstick.  However, that's where confidence comes into play.  Confidence is something I've only struggled with in the past few years, so I'm determined to get my self-esteem back up as it's so important.  Confidence plays a role in everything from the way you carry yourself to the way you talk to other people. If you look down at the ground when passing other people, you send off negative vibes.  This is something I need to work on myself; so we're all in this together. Hey, if you want to wear a deep red or dark burgundy lipstick, do it! Here's my miniscule lipstick collection:

• Chanel lip gloss in Levres Scintillantes-#164 (This was a gift. I could never afford anything Chanel!)
• Wet n Wild in Dark Wine
• L'Oréal in Jennifer's Nude

I think the perfect colors to start out with are nudes and a deep red because they are quite common colors so you feel like the whole world is staring at you!

 

My eye products consist of your typical mascaras, eyeliner, and brow products.  Here's what I currently have:

• Maybelline the Colossal Volum Express
• e.l.f. Eyebrow Kit (This is what I use everyday!)
• e.l.f. Liquid Eyeliner (2016 goals include upping my winged eyeliner game!)
• Avon waterproof mascara
• e.l.f. Cream Eyeliner
• Avon Darkest Black Eyeliner
• Covergirl Flamed Out Shadow Pencil in #345

 

 Now, for the best part...eyeshadows! Since beginning to expand my makeup collection, I've fallen in love with different eyeshadow palettes.  I love the creativity you can put into your eyeshadow with different colors, which is a skill I'm still trying to master!

• 21 Eyeshadow Palette from Forever 21 (Totally obsessed with these shades!)
• Maybelline Expert Wear Eyeshadow in Hushed Tints
• e.l.f. Flawless Eyeshadow in Golden Goddess
• Maybelline Color Tattoo in Bad to the Bronze
• (The last palette has no label on it, sorry!)

I wanted to write this post as a guide to starting up your own makeup collection.  It can be very confusing and daunting when first starting out with makeup especially when you have girls who are absolute professionals at makeup with a whole room filled with products.  For beginners like me, I recommend starting off with your typical drugstore makeup brands such as Maybelline, e.l.f., and L'Oréal.  This way, you're not spending a paycheck's worth of money on one lipstick and mascara at Sephora!  If you follow my guide, you'll be able to perform the basics of makeup and be able to work your way up from there!  I'll keep you all updated on my growing makeup collection and if you'd like to see individual reviews on some of these products, leave a comment below!  Thank you for reading and I hope some of you found this guide helpful. 

 

Much love,

Gabriella xx

A Look Inside My Handbag

Here's a little unknown fact about me when I was little...I used to collect purses.  Yup, you read correctly.  For some reason, I was utterly obsessed with purses of all shapes, sizes, and colors.  Walking around the mall with my mom, I would pinch her and say, "Mom, look at her purse! I like that one!"  Five minutes later, "Mom! That one's pretty, too!"  I remember dreaming of the day when I would be old enough to carry a big-girl purse with a wallet, sunglasses, makeup, and everything in-between.  Well, that time has finally come and after years of waiting to own the perfect handbag, I've finally found the one.

And nope, that's not a designer handbag. Surely, it looks very similar to the oh-so-famous Celine bag selling for a whopping $3000! *faints*

But it's not.  If you've been reading my blog, you can probably take one guess as to where this bag is from.  Yup, Forever 21.  And it definitely didn't cost me that much money.  For only $32, you can pick up this beauty and not completely break the bank.  Well, what are you waiting for?  Go treat yourself to this stunning handbag!

Alright, now it's time for the good stuff.  The three most used items in my handbag are my wallet (maybe that's not such a good thing) my planner, and my portable phone charger.  I picked up this gorgeous blush colored wallet from Charlotte Russe. My favorite thing about this wallet is that if I am running into a shop real quick and don't feel like taking my purse in, I can wrap this around my wrist and I'm good to go! My "Carpe That Diem" journal has been my best friend recently. Personally, I prefer to write things down on paper rather than on my phone so if a blog post idea pops up when I'm out, I can quick jot it down and don't have to worry about forgetting it.  I don't think I have to go into much detail about my portable phone charger because I'm pretty late to the game on that one!

Ah, makeup.  One of the best things a girl can have in her handbag. There's nothing like that wave of relief that you feel knowing you have concealer and powder in your bag when your acne acts up or you look like an oil machine. Here's a few makeup products I'm sure to keep in my bag at all times: a mirror, Maybelline Fit Me concealer, Rimmel Long Lasting Pressed Powder with a mini e.l.f. powder brush, Maybelline Brow Precise pencil, chap-stick, and L'Oréal nude lipstick in #370. If I've got these products in my bag, I can take on the world without having to worry about messing up my makeup!  Plus, how cute is that mini Kabuki brush?

Next up are my so-called "life essentials".  You know, the stuff your mom used to carry around in her purse for you in case something happened when you were out and about.  For me, these consist of: Band-Aid's, hair ties, a nail filer/clipper, tissues, oil-blotting sheets, and (sorry boys!) a pad.  You never know when you'll get sick of your hair in your face, your nails chip, or that time of the month comes too soon.  Hey, better safe than sorry!

And lastly, the final essentials in my purse are: scissors, gum, headphones, hand sanitizer, clothing tape, and... a sponge? That's right! That dirty thing right there (typical makeup explosion in my makeup bag) is something that's saved me quite a few times.  You know when you apply deodorant only to put on your shirt and it's all over the place? Not a problem when you've got one of these with you! It takes the deodorant stain right off your shirt like nothing ever happened. I'm not entirely sure as to where I got this from because it was quite some time ago, but you can get one on Amazon for super cheap!

And that's everything I keep in my handbag! (Well, minus the gum wrappers...but I don't think you guys want to see that!)  I hope you liked this post and be sure to let me know what you guys keep in your handbags!  I still have some room to fill in this bag, so any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!  Thanks for reading and I hope you're all doing well!

 

Much love,

Gabriella xx

Have Your Cookies and Eat Them, Too

Soft, chewy, and tasty, cookies are surely hard to resist.  I mean, how can you say no to a gooey chocolate chip cookie or a cinnamon-y snickerdoodle cookie?  And don't even get me started on Oreos...

However, if your trying to keep your body in check and fuel it with the best possible nutrient-dense foods, cookies don't necessarily make the cut.  But what if I told you that I have for you a healthy, protein-packed cookie that doesn't even count as a treat meal?  Would you jump for joy?  I certainly did!

This healthy protein cookie is the perfect alternative to you typical sugar-laden cookies.  Using protein powder, pumpkin puree, egg whites, and few other add-ins, this recipe is completely guilt free! Now, I'm not going to lie to you and say this tastes exactly like a regular cookie, but it's enough to settle that sweet tooth that we all try so hard to ignore. Well, now you can answer your sweet tooth's calls with this healthy cookie!  Alright, now you're probably saying to yourself, "Shut up and give us the recipe girl!" I totally understand. I would be that excited, too.

(*Note: The cookie "dough" more resembles that of a pancake batter as there is no flour, so I will be referencing it as "batter" instead. )

Ingredients:

-1 scoop protein powder of your choice (I used Snickerdoodle from PEScience)

-3/4 cup pumpkin puree (about 55 grams)

-1.5 Tablespoon pudding mix (I used sugar free, fat free chocolate)

-1 egg white

-3 Tablespoons milk of choice (I used almond milk)

-1/2 teaspoon baking powder

-Sweetener of choice (I used Stevia)

First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (about 175 degrees Celsius) and let that heat up whilst you make the cookie batter. Next, you're going to want to chuck everything into a bowl.  Okay, well maybe not chuck everything randomly.  You'll want to measure out everything above and add all the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl first.  Then, add in all the wet ingredients (I find adding them in this order makes it easier to mix but whatever suits your fancy!).  Next, mix it all up. Oh, and if you are looking for a killer arm workout, this will definitely check that box.

I'm aware that the above pictures look very disgusting, but I assure you these cookies taste good once their finished!  Alright, next you'll want to scoop out the batter with a tablespoon and plop them on a non-stick baking pan.  This recipe makes about ten to twelve cookies if you make them the size of a golf ball, so if you want smaller or bigger cookies, then adjust accordingly!

Hopefully the oven should be preheated by now, so stick your cookie sheet into the oven and let it bake for 20 minutes.  After the 20 minutes are up, do the trick where you stick a toothpick in the cookie to make sure it's all baked properly! If not, stick them back in for five more minutes until they are done.

 

How good do those look?! And if you're like me and one cookie is never enough, this entire batch is  equivalent in energy (calories) to about two regular cookies!  Yup, you heard me right. Twelve healthy protein cookies versus two not-so-healthy regular cookies.  I don't know about you, but I'd much rather eat twelve cookies that provide me with protein and fiber rather than two regular cookies filled with unhealthy sugars and fats.  (Don't get me wrong, I totally enjoy regular cookies on special occasions because life is all about balance, am I right?!)

If you try out this recipe (which I totally recommend you do) be sure to tweet, Snapchat, or tag me on Instagram so I can see! This recipe was adapted by @kimhoeltje on Instagram and she has a bunch of healthy alternatives to all our favorite desserts/treats so definitely give her some love!  I hope you enjoy this recipe and let me know what you think about my recipe posts and if you'd like to see something else! Thanks for reading!

 

Much love,

Gabriella xx

A Walk in My Shoes

You know that cliché of "a girl can never have too many shoes,"?  Well, I am a total believer in that saying. I feel that, as the strong, beautiful women we are, we have the right to own as many shoes that'll fit in our closets.  Sigh...okay, well maybe not that many pairs of shoes because we cannot forget about purses, dresses, makeup, food, jewelry..... (haha, well it's true!)

I think you get my point in that girls love shoes and if taxes and bills weren't a thing, we'd all probably own a lot more shoes than humanly possible.  That being said, I thought I'd give you all a peek into my shoe collection by picking out some of my favorite shoes that I own.  And coming from a girl who still has shoes from when she was thirteen (I'm sixteen now) it was quite the task to shovel through the numerous pairs of sneakers, flip-flops, and combat boots to find my favorites.  Alright, enough of the gabbing (ha, get it?) let's dive in!

Starting out with these babies, I picked up this pair of tan high-heeled chunky ankle boots from Forever 21 for seventeen dollars.  Yup, you heard me right! SEVENTEEN DOLLARS! Sorry, didn't mean to scream at you there but I am so excited about these shoes.  Thanks to the thick heel, these boots are super easy to walk in despite the 4.25inch heel height. Even better, they do wonders for my legs! I have looked high and low on Forever 21's website for a link to these boots, but as I bought them pre-Christmas, unfortunately, they might have been taken off already.

Next up are these over-the-knee heeled boots that have been featured in plenty of outfits already.  But what can I say? They are simply stunning. Also from Forever 21, these boots have been a staple in my wardrobe ever since I've taken them home and I sure am getting use out of them!

I don't think I'll ever get sick of talking about these beauties.  I've dreamt of owning these sneakers for a long time, and I finally saved up enough money over the summer to buy them.  For a pair of sneakers like these, both stylish and comfortable, they were worth every dollar out of my wallet. 

With a pointed-toe, tall heels, and suede, when I saw these (similar one's here) in Forever 21, I couldn't resist.  Sure, I have a lot of ankle booties, but I've never owned pointed-toe booties and my goodness do they look absolutely stunning.  There's just something about pointed-toed shoes that add that extra 'oomph' of chic sophistication.

I'll be the first to admit that these faux patent leather oxfords aren't everyone's cup of tea.  I've even been told that I look like I "belong in a ballroom with a matching tuxedo".  So. Not. Cool.  To each is their own, and I happen to adore these shoes. I like to rock these oxfords with skinny jeans and a collared-sweater to look oh-so classy.

To suit my fitness-obsessed side, I had to include my favorite gym sneakers.  My Nike's have been with me through a lot. Gym sessions, hill runs, and long summer walks, these sneakers are super comfortable and definitely a step up from my old running sneakers that looked like they belonged to an elementary school kid!

 

I feel so lucky to own such beautiful shoes and I am grateful to even have a pair of shoes to wear on my feet, let alone two shelves worth!  I hope you enjoyed having a look into my taste in shoes and let me know in the comments what posts you would like to see next! Any requests would be greatly appreciated! Thanks for reading.

 

Much love,

Gabriella xx

In 2016...

Happy New Year my lovelies! 2015 was a year full of many ups and downs, so I think it's safe to say that I am welcoming 2016 with a warm hug and an open mind. For me, 2015 could be summed up in one word: struggle.  This past year, I've struggled with a multitude of things, such as anxiety, depression, and battling an unhealthy relationship with food and exercise. However, I couldn't be more happy with the progress I've made.  I'm learning to cope with my anxiety and every day gets a bit easier.  Of course, we all have those days where it seems like nothing is going right and the world is falling apart, but we always have the opportunity to wake up the next day and start fresh.  That's the beauty of the sun setting and rising; we can all start fresh the next day.  I'm proud to say that with the help of my parents and professionals, I recovered from my eating disorder in 2015 and although I still have an unhealthy relationship with food at times, I had made some incredible strides.  I have a much happier and healthier mindset and I truly feel free from what ruined my life for so long.

 

But the past is in the past, right?  2015 is officially over and it's time to move past the struggles I've endured and focus my energy on what I want to accomplish in 2016.  In 2016, I want one thing: true happiness.  Now, this isn't something I can just wish for; I have to work for it.  True happiness comes when you put out and surround yourself with positive energy.  And that's what I want for this new year.  I will make the effort to make the best of any situation and find the positive in things that I once would have cried about.  I will make sure to surround myself with people who will build me up rather than tear me down (which is another thing I've struggled with this past year). 

 

 

Moving aside from all the sappy talk, in 2016, I also have huge goals for this blog.  I started Gab About Life about three months ago and I couldn't be more ecstatic about what I've achieved already (even if it may be miniscule compared to other bloggers).  I already have over 1,000 page views and over 100 followers on BlogLovin.  I am so excited to continue writing these blog posts and taking my photos because I truly enjoy it so much. 

 

To be completely honest, my blog gives me purpose.  Before I started, I was just a girl who went to school and the gym and that was it.  Now, I have something to live for.  This blog has been my outlet from my struggles with anxiety and depression.  I get so excited whenever I put up a new blog post and I truly adore connecting with other bloggers and being able to talk to those who have given me the inspiration to start Gab About Life.  I am so grateful to have the opportunity to create this blog because I am so passionate about blogging and helping other people. Without my blog, I wouldn't have dug myself out of the hole of struggles as quickly as I did.

 

 

In 2016, I want to continue to grow Gab About Life and inspire people that you can overcome your struggles.  You can be confident.  You can be happy.  You can be optimistic.  You can be anything you set your mind to.  You, reading this right now, have the ability to achieve whatever you desire in 2016.  As long as you work hard and stay positive, you will be successful.

 

 

Now, I wouldn't necessarily call these "resolutions" for the new year, because I am a believer in that you shouldn't have to wait for the calendar to restart to be able to make a positive change in your life.  You can change and better yourself whenever you want!  And in 2016, I want to stop "waiting until the weekend" to live my life, as this is something I did a lot this past year.  I would always wait until Friday to do the things I love and that shouldn't be how it works.  Every day counts, so make sure you do something that makes you happy every single day.

 

 

I could go on forever of all the things I want to work toward and accomplish in 2016, but I think I'll end it here.  Overall, the new year brings new opportunities, so I (and you too!) should make sure to take every chance to accomplish your goals.  Say yes more often.  Make memories. Laugh. Be yourself, work hard, and I promise you can accomplish anything you set your mind to.  Thanks for reading and I wish you a happy, healthy, and kick*ss New Year!

Much love,

Gabriella xx

 

Links:

Dress: http://www.forever21.com/Product/Product.aspx?br=F21&category=dress&productid=2000143064

Shoes: http://www.forever21.com/Product/Product.aspx?br=F21&category=Shoes&productid=2000174773