Best Eye Make Up Remover

I found the best eye make up remover yet! Normally I despise make up removers that do not come in pad or towelette form because you either get too much and it burns your eyes or you don't get enough and so you don't get your mascara off which is a pain.

However, this make up remover does not create those issues. I have been using it since summer time, and I now refuse to use (or even try) anything else.

It is a kind of gel form, so it is much easier to use than the watery make up removers I have used before. It is gentle, so it doesn't burn the eyes at all (normally I can't even open my eyes before rinsing them off very well when I use eye make up remover but I don't have that issue at all with this). Despite it being gentle, it gets every bit of eye make up off - eyeshadow in just a second or two, and mascara is no challenge for this make up remover. No rubbing necessary, I simply hold it on for a couple seconds then swipe and no more make up. It also gets off false eye lashes very easily with no glue residue leftover on the eyelid.

As an added bonus, it is hypo-allergenic, paraben free, and it nourishes your skin with aloe vera, cucumber, and vitamin E!

Can be found at health food stores, some grocery stores, and online.

If you are less than satisfied with your current eye make up remover, I highly suggest trying this out!

Quirks

As I was getting ready to go to sleep, I made my weekly list of my assignments for the week and how I would space them out to avoid a pile-up over the weekend. I realized that most people probably don't do this, that they either can plan ahead without thinking about it or they don't plan ahead at all, but for me the only way I ever get anything done is by making a list.
On weekends I make a list in the morning or the night before of everything I want to get done that day. I'll even go so far as to write something super simple on the list like email a professor with a question just so that I can mark it off on my list, so I've completed at least one thing that day.
Monday nights I always make a list of all the work I have to get done or reminders to study a certain section or print out a reading assignment, etc. Throughout the week as I have more of my classes I add more in, but I always have to do it Monday nights. Going back to the idea of writing something on the list that is easy to do, because I tend to write my list at the end of the night I'll often write assignments that I completed that day and cross them off. Partly because it feels good to cross something off the list, but mostly because I just can't start a weekly list with Tuesday!
I have such funny preferences.
What are your quirks?
PS: Note that I am partially mocking my nerdy self in this blog post, and that my exclamation points are not always serious - they are true, but I am poking fun at myself - something I do every day!

What is your favorite leave in conditioner OR deep conditioning mask?

For the longest time I have used Aveda's Damage Remedy leave-in conditioner. I just recently jumped out of my box of Aveda products, as I have used their products for years.

The Damage Remedy is okay I suppose, but I really don't think it does much for my hair.

Photo Source

A few years ago I used Aussie's leave-in conditioner, I forget the name of it but I don't think they make it anymore, it was a leave-in conditioner but the product was kind of like a mousse, and came in a kind of wider container? Anyone else used it?

I also used to use Nexxus Humectress Luxe conditioning spray I believe it was called but I can't find that anymore either!
I remember when I used those two my hair was so soft, I remember a friend of mine touched my hair and was amazed at how soft/silky it was!

I also was recommended Kerastase's elixir but it was too oily and heavy for my hair - I have quite thin hair. However, if you have thicker hair you might like that.

So, my question to you is what is your favorite leave in conditioner be it a mousse, spray, whatever! Preferably not an oil for me though, because I use the smallest amount and I look like I just rolled my head in grease!
Also, I haven't used many deep conditioning masks, I remember my mom had a favorite when I was younger and I would use that every now and again but it never stuck once I got out of junior high, much less now. So if you have a recommendation of a deep conditioning mask that you like let me know what it is in the comments below!

Sunday Questionnaire

1.) Mood:Tired, I spent all day studying then relaxed for a few hours watching 90210 and Grey's Anatomy.. Now I have more work to do before going to sleep!

2.) What did you eat for breakfast this morning? I grabbed a few bites of parfait at the commons before going into the library. I forgot to eat before I left!

3.) Name the closest red object to you. A T-shirt from the high school in my home town.

4.) Current nail polish: Diva of Geneva by OPI. Surprisingly for the longest time I never liked it, but I got it free at my salon the last time I got my hair cut, and fell in love with it! This is the only color I've worn on my nails since then and that was the beginning of September!

5.) If you could have any eye color, what would you choose? Well, I love having blue eyes. I think they fit me really well and are actually my best feature, but I've always envied the people with brown eyes because they can wear brighter colored make up and it looks gorgeous but with blue or green eyes we have to make sure the colors don't clash. Purple eyes have always intrigued me as well.

6.) Outfit of the day: Today was so laid-back - study day! I wore my favorite dark flared jeans with a fitted orange tee from H&M and a cozy sweatshirt from Ragstock with my Coach flip flops.

7.) What is the best movie you've seen recently? Good question.. I really have no idea! I rarely watch movies anymore. I think the last movie I watched was Soul Surfer, the movie about Bethany Hamilton, the surfer who got her arm bitten off by a shark. The acting was horrible but the landscape shots (and there were so many) were gorgeous. Mao's Last Dancer was the other movie I've seen recently that is also a true story (a book too!) and it was a great movie.

8.) Do you like karaoke? Not at all. I hate listening to other people do karaoke and I would never want to do karaoke.

9.) When putting on pants, do you button and then zip, or zip and then button? Button and then zip (I think) ha :)

10.) Weekly goals: Write my lab report for my biology class. I've been putting it off. (Don't follow my lead there, folks)

Surprising Steal!

For a while I have been trying to find the "perfect" new purse.. I wanted a handbag with a detachable shoulder strap for convenience, that was pretty large as I like to hold a lot of things in it, but simple.. A sophisticated style, but not too structured or square, kind of "comfortable." I have been looking for ages and haven't been able to find exactly what I was looking for, but today, out of the blue, I found a purse pretty close for an extremely bargained price at Marshall's, of all places.

Despite it's low price point, it is a great bag. The color itself it unique - kind of a champagne-y pewter color. The belts on the side give it a little bit of an edgy twist, but the buckle on the front and square shape keeps it more sophisticated.

The handle is an adorable braid which for me feels much more comfortable and reliable than normal handles so I love that.

I couldn't believe it when I found it. And on top of it, it was on sale, for a third of the original price! I will be continuing my search as handbag searches never end for me, but for now this was a great find. I just figured I would write this post to remind you all that stores like Marshall's can be very underrated sometimes and you'd be surprised what you can find!

PS: These pictures don't really do the bag justice, as I'm not the best with photographing items and I already filled it full with all of my junk, so I might do an OOTD post as well in the coming days.

PPS: Haha, total Hayley moment - once I was ready to take the pictures and had the bag set up and ready, I realized I had left the camera in the bag and had to start all over. Of course I would do that..

Getting Back in Good Shape

I know I have made countless posts on here about diets and I'm sure you're tired of it since I'm not the only one (hello, it's the twenty-first century where new diets are more popular than new shoes!) But I need to make a serious, permanent change and am going to use this post as a marker of where I'm starting from and why.
The past month or so I have not been taking care of my body - first my mother had a major shoulder surgery so I was home a lot with her helping as much as I could with what she was unable to do. After she got better, I had eye surgery myself and while the eyes don't restrict my ability to work out per say, because it involved many incisions on my eyelids I wanted to make sure they were completely healed before I exposed them to excess sweat or dirt, etc. Now, once they've finally healed up, about a week ago I had just finished riding and I had a horse step on my foot. Of course, now I realize that I was distracted and should have sensed his step towards me, but it resulted in contusions on three of my bones and was instructed to rest it - for another two weeks, as of yesterday when I went to the foot specialist.
So, all of that explains a bit about my lack of exercise. On top of that, I just haven't been eating smart, and have been consuming way too many sweets/fats such as ice cream.
This has resulted in weight gain, although I am not sure of an exact measurement because I don't own a scale (I become obsessive when I do own one and that is not healthy) I would assume at least five pounds, as my thighs have become significantly "jiggly" again and my butt has also become much larger. (When I gain weight I gain it in my legs and butt)
Firstly I am hoping to lose the weight that I have gained over the past month, but with a bit of editing on my diet that should go away quite easily - I just need to do something (like writing this post) to make it something I need to stick with.
As far as foods go, this means getting back into a healthy lifestyle and making smart choices about what I eat.
I am going to focus my diet on fruits, vegetables, fish, and water.
I am going to cut down on dairy.
I am going to cut out excess salts and oils, as well as breadsticks (a guilty pleasure, ha)
For working out, I have to ease my way back into it with my foot so for now I am going to have to focus on diet change and simple exercises that can be done on the floor for now. This afternoon before picking up my dinner I ran around the block a few times which felt good and I would have continued with but my foot is punishing me for it now because it is really sore. I am going to try going for a decently long brisk walk/jog tomorrow depending on how my foot is feeling, but I'll have to see in the morning.
I plan to do 20 mins floor work every day at minimum for one week. (Starting this week)
The following week I will add in a 10-15 minute jog every other night.
By the third week I hope to work my way up to going for a 15-20 minute jog every night.
In September I will be returning to dancing regularly again multiple nights per week along with school so my schedule will be much busier, but on the nights that I do not have dance I will go for a 15-20 minute jog. I hope to work my way up to being able to run for 30 minutes straight without resting or getting tired eventually. Of course I know to most people this would seem very easy, but as a dancer I have trained my muscles for short outbursts, not long sustaining exertion, so I am not a good runner at all, but I hope that I will be able to work my way up to being able to jog/run consistently for 30 minutes.
I also want to get my body toned - that is the main goal of all of this, not to lose weight per say, but to get toned. It is just the original goal to lose the excess weight/fat so that I can get toned, if that makes sense. Dance helps a lot with toning muscles because it works your whole body in a way that just running doesn't do.
I will do my best to keep track of what I'm eating and when I exercise, etc, mostly for my own records of knowing what works and doesn't, and what foods/exercises make me feel the best!
Any suggestions you have of exercises that can be done at home without weights that are good to tone abs/legs/arms/butt or any questions you have let me know.. If anyone else is on a getting in shape journey let me know as it's nice to know we're not alone! Let's make this a great week!

Sunday Questionnaire.

1. Mood: Nervous for tomorrow - I have some exciting plans that I have been looking forward to all of last week, but there have been a few occurrences in the past few days to indicate that those plans may not happen. If they do though, and you follow me on Twitter, you'll know!
2. What is your guilty pleasure? Sitting in bed eating Ben and Jerry's Chocolate Fudge Brownie Ice Cream from the container watching YouTube videos.
3. When did you last cut your hair? Can hardly remember.. Officially the last time was in December I think, but a month or so ago I did do a quick trim myself, but since it wasn't at all noticeable I don't think that counts.
4. Why do you take photographs? To capture moments, and bring them back - a photo of a perfect (or sad) day will remind you of everything happening at that moment - the smell, how you were feeling, what you had been doing.. These moments that may be easy to forget had you not taken that picture.
5. Current ringtone on your cell phone: "You Know I'm No Good" by Amy Winehouse sort of in honor of her since she passed.. Although most of my family members and friends have their own specific ring so to avoid that whole thinking it's one person calling and once you look at your phone see it's not, you know the second the phone rings.
6. Current nail polish: One of the only drugstore polishes I like, it's by Sinful Colors called Big Daddy. Hmm, weird name.
7. What is something you've had your eye on for a long time that will probably take you just as long to purchase? Michael Kors Rose Gold watch. <3
8. Favorite perfume? It's actually one I haven't yet purchased, one I've been debating on whether or not to get for a while, but considering it has seeped into my dreams I'm going to be purchasing it quick, is Flowerbomb by Viktor && Rolf. From my collection, I also love Burberry Brit and Chanel Chance.
9. Three Cravings: 1. Flowerbomb 2. MK Rose Gold watch 3. Tory Burch flats
10. Weely goals: Get a large chunk of the book Apollo's Angels read; film a video for YT; oh, and begin the twenty-first century's greatest American novel.