Exposed: Living with anxiety.

Welcome back lovelies!! I was going through some of our recent posts the other day and decided it was about time to bring it back to our roots. Back to where it all began, to where we first started. That's right, no beauty tips, travel stories, fashion faux paus, or any backstreet boys references.
We wanted to take a step back and just talk.

Just the mere mention of writing a post about my anxiety for potentially hundreds of people to read literally terrified me. I spent days staring at my computer screen wondering if I should take the leap and publish this post, and after about a week of contemplating I still couldn't bring myself to do it. I couldn't swallow the fact that the one thing I've hidden inside for so long would be public in a matter of minutes. Since I've received an unbelievable amount of support from you guys in the past I started to realize I had nothing to be afraid of, and hopefully someone out there can take something out of my story. I am only one out of millions who suffer from anxiety, and this is my story.
               
            So what is anxiety?
As you may know anxiety comes in different forms:
1) post traumatic stress 2) obsessive compulsive 3) panic 4) social anxiety 5) specific phobias and 6) generalized anxiety disorder. Although anxiety is a completely normal human emotion to have, some people experience this constant worrying feeling daily, over things that normally shouldn't spark these emotions. An example of a normal situation would be right before taking a test that could possibly get you into your favorite college or before presenting a big speech in front of a huge crowd. For me even small tasks like returning a phone call made my heart race a mile a minute. To a lot of people this sounds crazy but for me it's normal. I know this sounds bad but I've learned to live with this constant fear, because I felt like I had no other choice. Nobody knows what causes anxiety, but as for any other illness having a mental disorder is as serious as having the flu. It's not a character flaw, or a result of bad parenting but is a disease and shouldn't be taken lightly.
                  

                 Living with anxiety.

I didn't know and didn't accept the fact that I had this disease until recently. I was put off by the stigma that's attached to having a mental disorder. This idea that people think you're either crazy or weak was always on the back of my mind and is unfortunately very common among people who suffer from a mental illness. As you can tell I was focused more on how others would perceive me after telling them my story, and that just made everything worse. On top of that I had a new challenge to face everyday. Whether it'd be going to a party or trying something new It was fairly easy to be faced with a very uncomfortable situation.

I think I finally realized I had a problem about 2 years ago. I had just graduated high school and scheduled a trip for me and a friend to visit NYC (by ourselves) for the very first time. On the way to the train station, I felt excited it almost didn't feel real; But right before I boarded the train panic set in. All these negative thoughts invaded my head, I became extremely hot and couldn't breathe, before you know it I was having a full blown panic attack. I've had these feelings before but not as severe as this. At that moment I knew there was no turning back, the trip was already paid for, and we've gotten so far. All I could do was breathe and think about the amazing opportunities that lie ahead. 15 minutes into the train ride and It was almost like taking a road trip to a family members house. All the negative emotions that raced through my head earlier seemingly vanished. That is until we reached New York. Stepping  off that train was equivalent to stepping into a nightmare. There we're so many people, and being our first time there we had no idea where to go, how to get a taxi, or how to get around. I can't even describe what I was thinking, and The next clear thing I remember was reaching our hotel. We got around the city by subway of course. Which to a native New Yorker is completely normal, but to me completely foreign. I'm originally from a small town, so in the city I felt like a fish out of water. I felt like everyone was watching me, like they all knew I wasn't from there. That whole trip was awful for me. Part of me wanted to stay and explore the magic of New York city, while the other part of me wanted to go home and hide away in the comfort of my own room. The thought that we came so far by ourselves only for it to be ruined by my anxiety is what really annoyed me. My whole trip was spent in constant fear, we we're thrown into crowds everywhere we went, we we're even offered a chance to attend a show in the city, which the thought alone terrified me. I almost didn't go but decided to at the last minute so I wouldn't ruin my friends trip like mine already was. At the end of each day I felt drained, and exhausted and not just because we we're touring the city but because of the constant worry and anxiety that followed me around. I can't put in words how I felt that week but believe me, it was terrible. I looked forward to this trip for months and for it to be nothing that I dreamed of crushed me. I was so upset that I even thought traveling would just be a no - go from now on, not after that first horrid experience.          
       
        How I cope and what helps me.
I will probably suffer from anxiety for the rest of my life. It's become a part of me and I've learned to accept that. Since my very first experience I've accomplished so much and I keep telling myself that every morning instead of worrying about the day ahead. Everyday I try to push myself to do new things to break out of my comfort zone, while constantly reminding myself nothing bad is going to happen. Trust me the more you repeat it the more you begin to believe it. I'm still not the most confident person, and building up my self-esteem has always been an issue, but having anxiety shouldn't control your life, and I decided a long time ago that I wouldn't let it.

     

        My tips on dealing with anxiety.

Tell someone - I can't express how important this first step is. I kept these feelings to myself for a very long time. I was embarrassed and felt like everyone would judge me or treat me differently. When that obviously was not the case. My family couldn't have been more supportive, and going through something like this alone can tear you up inside. Sure there are going to be people out there who will say things like "suck it up" or think what you're going through is just an attention game. The key is to ignore these hateful comments, as hard as it may be and surround yourself with supportive people like your family or best friend. Which leads me to my next point.

Take a look at who you surround yourself with.- there was a point in my life where I realized that the people I considered my friends we're doing more harm than good. I was just learning how to deal with my anxiety and I started to realize the people around me we're a big cause of it. I wanted to be around positive people because that's really what I needed, and half of my friends we're the complete opposite.

Don't over think. - over thinking a situation can lead to panic, or a panic attack. When you're focused on something else like listening to music or writing you're not worried about the situation in front of you. Take up a hobby or stay active it can help ease the worry feeling and keep your mind of things.

Fake it till you make it. - My anxiety took a toll on my confidence and self-esteem, so I constantly told myself I am a strong confident young women, and I can do anything I put my mind to, even though I didn't believe it. I repeated this daily until the positive thoughts outweighed the negatives. Positive thinking like this can make a huge difference in your life and can be a massive game changer.

                

 So, what now?
I've managed to overcome so much since my first panic attack, I still suffer from anxiety but I'm sharing my story in hopes of showing you that anything is possible even if you may think it sounds crazy. I've managed to start traveling again, I'm even planning a trip across the world. I now live in New York city and speak publicly on issues that many people suffer from daily.

The idea behind this post is to shed light on some of life's biggest obstacles. Obstacles often overlooked by people like you and me. These challenges are what make each of us human but are often followed by a stigma or label that can make us feel ostracized from society, and well alone.. We wanted to show through writing this post that Even though you may think it's impossible you can do anything you put your mind to no matter what obstacle you may face. I know that going through something like this is hard especially if you have no one to talk to, so feel free to email me at redefiningdifferent@gmail.com or tweet us using @beauty_breaking. Writing this post has helped me tremendously, so if you've written an article about an obstacle you face link your blogs and we'll check them out, and possibly feature you in our next post. Thank you all for your continued support, it means the world to me and all of us here.

Around the world in 90 days.

(A big shout out to Lauren Blenkinsop, @lblenx for inspiring this post!!)  A few weeks ago, I came across an amazing contest being held by gapyear.com, challenging bloggers to document their next big adventure or to share what their biggest adventure has been so far. Seeing as I've been planning some major projects for the future, what better time then now to share them with you all.

Traveling the world has alway been #1 on my bucket list for as long as I can remember. There's just something about immersing myself into another culture that really fascinates me. But for as long as I can remember I never thought my far fetched dream could ever become reality. Atleast not until about a week ago.

See, I'm from a small town where everyone knows everyone, and chasing a dream like this was always a thought on every person's mind, but never a possibility. After years of only daydreaming, I started to feel stuck. The same routine everyday. Wake up, go to work, come home, eat, sleep, and do it all over again the next day. I was living my life on repeat and  I couldn't take it anymore. So I did what everyone else wanted to do but can't or won't. I quit my job, and started living my life by my rules. Admittedly I was terrified. I was thrown out of my comfort zone, and left with no money and no life. Constantly wondering what should I do now? Look for a better job? Maybe go back to college? Or continue living in the same county with the same routine. I was stuck, again. But then I thought why even go back, why continue to live my life as if the only way out were those 3 options.

And just like that everything changed.

I started to see the world in a glass half full sort of sense. There were so many possibilities hidden with every step, tucked in behind every door, and I was finally ready to embrace that. Starting this blog was only the beginning, now I'm ready to take on the world.

It was only a matter of time before my seemingly impossible dream became reality. I knew what I wanted to do. I wanted to travel the world, experience new cultures, try new things, and meet new people all in just 90 days. So I took the next big step in planning out my next big adventure, I put together a list. A list that contained all the places I've only dreamt of visiting. From places in the United States to anywhere around the world. Being that I live and grew up in the U.S. I figured I would begin by backpacking across the continent, hitting up all the big tourist attractions on the "things you must see before you die." List. My number 1 sight I must see in America, is the Niagra Falls. Being that I live in New York and still haven't experienced one of mother nature's most mind blowing sceneries still eludes me. After I successfully make it across the U.S. the plan is to branch out and go global. The first place on my list??? Europe. I've always wanted to say I've lived in another country and Europe being one of the places every bucket lister has probably checked off their list multiple times, how could I not go? Plus there's so much to do that I don't think I'll ever get bored. A must see for me is london. There's nothing more spectacular than living amongst remnants of history, it makes you feel like you're apart of something much bigger than yourself. Also with Paris and italy being just a train ride away, london makes for a great place to travel around. Now would also be the best time to freshen up on my cooking skills. I hope to take lessons from the pro's whilst in Italy. I've heard Sicily has some of the best pastas and pastries that I for one am more than excited to try. We have a whole list of places we want to visit but in hopes of keeping this post relatively short, we'll save that list for another time. 

The next big step in our journey proved to be the hardest. Saving up and organizing the trip. Planning something this big calls for a lot of work and obviously money. So we went out looking for ways to make this dream come to life. The next couple of days were spent making phone calls, and sending out emails. Only to end up with a handfull of empty promises or just no replies. Once again, I was stuck, and was forced to switch up the way we went about making this happen. In an all too familiar spot, we realized we should be focusing on the journey itself not the destination all whilst keeping our 90 day goal floating in the back of our head. So instead we set up numerous amount of meetings. Creating lists of what we wanted to do before leaving each destination. Like visiting the seven wonders of the world, or to dive with sharks in Australia, and of course each list is tailored to fit that destination. In Africa, I'd like to live amongst the native tribes and to visit one of the worlds biggest mysteries (to me atleast) the great pyramids in Egypt. Then we focused on making it all happen, which to be honest is still a work in progress but we plan to take it one city at a time slowly reaching our goal of traveling the world in 90 days. 

So far our next big adventure has been put on hold, but as the saying goes "A journey of a thousand miles, begins with the first step." Our journey has never stopped it's only just begun

Planning this trip has been the most amazing experience in my life. I've been forced out of my comfort zone and will continue to challenge myself in ways I've never imagined possible. As someone who particularly struggles with social anxiety, by taking part of this experience I hope it will help me build up my confidence and help me meet new faces that'll hopefully take something from my story. We'll be documenting every bit of our adventures from when we first board the plane to successfully checking off an item from each new list. More importantly we'll be taking you guys along with us every step of the way!

Like they say a journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step. Our journey has never stopped, it just begun.

Top 5 drugstore eyes and lip products!!

In our first top 5 post we reviewed our favorite drugstore face products, so today we thought it was about time to bring you part 2 of our drugstore series where we'll be reviewing our favorite eyes and lip products as you could probably tell from the title. Well, lets get straight to it!! I wanted to start off buy reviewing my all time favorite eye products with you all. Ever since I first started experimenting with drugstore products, I found picking out shadows, mascaras, and liners we're always my favorite. Being able to actually see the products before you buy makes it easier to get a certain look you want to create in mind almost immediately, not to mention you don't have to worry about buying the wrong shade. Let's start off with my favorite eyelid primer which is

Elf's eyelid primer

Price range: $1.00
Shade: sheer
Overall impression: 9
Pro's: I absolutely love this primer not just because it's only $1, but because it's by elf. Most people stray away from elf products because of this idea that cheap makeup means cheap quality, and this primer kinda just proves you all wrong. The first thing I love about this primer is that it works wonders for whatever shadow or look I decide to rock that day. Whether I'm going for a more natural look or a dramatic sexy smokey eye for a night out in the city. Upon first application it has a bit of a lighter tint to it, but after you work it onto the lid it almost looks sheer and doesn't feel heavy at all. A big problem I have, along with hundreds of other girls, is during the summertime I get oily. Everywhere!! On my forehead, cheeks, and even my eyelids, so when I do decide to look nice and forget to put on a primer it almost seems like my eye shadow for lack of a better word melts off. This product thankfully prevents that from happening. My shadows go on smooth, lasts longer, and it really helps the pigments pop! It prevents creasing, and can help you obtain that nice matte finish we all strive to achieve. In my opinion this product is a dupe of the Urban Decay primer potion, which to me makes this a better deal since for almost the same amount and same results of a high end product you're only paying $1 compared to Urban Decay, where you're paying almost $20.
Con's: I only have 1, and if it weren't for this little peeve of mine this product would be a 10. The applicator has a straight dome tip, kind of like the ones you see used in most lip glosses, which is normal for most primers but I prefer using a more curved dome tip similar to the one used by urban decay just because it's easier to apply and it works with the contour of the eye lid and shape. Now onto my favorite eye shadow which is

L'oreal Paris infallible shadows
Price range: $7
Overall impression: 8 1/2
Pro's: I'm kinda obsessed with these shadows. I have honestly bought every color this line has to offer. But I have to say my absolute favorite thing about this line is how pigmented and how long these shades last throughout the day!! This line could compete with some of Mac's singular eye shadow pots that can cost you up to $15. These shadows aren't loose, but they aren't compact either. It's super blendable and doesn't leave behind any harsh lines. They last throughout the normal work day while still managing to look good by the time you get home.
Con's: this product doesn't come in many shades. I've only found 8 so far but the color selection isn't that narrow at all. They range from beautiful neutrals to pretty shades of bright pinks, which kinda makes up for the lack of choices. Also with any eye shadow there's almost always fallout, and this product doesn't disappoint. It tends to build up on my lashes after first applying it and sometimes under my eye, but its nothing a little mascara can't fix :-). Speaking of mascara that brings me to my next favorite.....

The Covergirl Lash Blast line

Price range : from lowest to highest is $5 to $10
Overall impression: 9
Pro's: Covergirl in my opinion is the leading drugstore brand when it comes to mascaras. There's something about their formulas and how easy it is to use them that keeps me coming back for more. First let's talk about the formula. There are some things that you look for when in the market for a new good mascara. It hast to create length and volume at the same time. It can't look clumpy after just one coat, or leave that black residue on the lid, and it has to look natural while lasting throughout the day. Covergirl has somehow managed to nail this checklist with pretty much every product in this line. Although my favorite product at the moment is the Cover girl Clump Crusher Lash Blast Mascara, I don't have an all-time favorite because I honestly can't choose. It switches from time to time. Another great thing about this mascara is it's easy to remove. Fun fact: I normally use olive oil to remove any stubborn eye makeup. Not only does it remove the toughest long wear products but it conditions the lashes at the same time! It also prevents you from getting the dreaded raccoon eyes the next day. I can't specifically review the brush types because there's an assortment of shapes throughout the line but they all give you relatively the same results.
Con's: my only problem with these mascaras are that after adding to many coats,it can start to look thick and clumpy. My recommendation, only do 2-3 coats max.
I don't have a life changing liner yet,but I do have some honorable mentions saved up for another post, you just have to wait for that one!! Now onto lips. My next product has been my lifesaver time and time again. Because it's wintertime my lips have been dry, flaky, and just plain bad and this product has come to my rescue in my time of need. If you haven't already guessed what I'm talking about it's the highly raved about miracle product...

Maybelline Baby Lips
Price range: $3-4
Overall impression: 9
Pro's: I'm not a big lipstick fan. I really only wear lipstick or lip gloss on special occasions. So when I found out about a ChapStick that gives you the same effect of wearing a lipstick, I was sold almost immediately, and am now addicted. What I love most about this product is it doesn't give me the feeling of wearing chapstick. It feels light on your lips and is great for everyday wear, it also moisturizes and heals your lips at the same time. This may sound weird but, have you ever forgot you we're wearing chapstick, licked your lips, and got this overwhelming taste of  medicated cream? Hopefully I'm not the only one, but it happens to me more often than I'd like to admit and the great thing about this product is it doesn't have that taste! So in the unlikely event you do get it in your mouth you won't want to scrub your taste buds off. Really it's only a matter of time before babylips comes out with a flavored line. I'm still waiting for that to happen. Anyway it also has SPF 20 which is amazing especially in the summer. Oh and did I mention it comes in an assortment of colors?? Of course I did, but I just have to emphasize how important that aspect is to me. Massive props to Maybelline for making that happen.
Con's: If I had to pick something wrong with this line, it's that I have to reapply this product more than I'd like too. I prefer a ChapStick that's more durable mainly during the summer and winter time when the weather is particularly at its worst, and this product doesn't give me that full effect.
My last and final favorite (I know, I know, don't get too sad) is the

Revlon just bitten lip balm and stain
Price range: $7 - $8
Overall impression: 10!!
Pro's: Does anyone else remember when Revlon first came out with the balm and stain idea it was first introduced as a stain on one side and balm on the other? Well this time they mashed it all into 1 miracle product. Like I said before I'm definitely not a lipstick girl, so if I can find products that give off the look and effect of wearing lipstick without the extra touch ups throughout the day. I couldn't be happier. My first pro has everything to do with why I miss my childhood. The fact that they made this to look like a giant crayon, it's really a newer innovative application method and I like it. What else is so great about this method is that you don't have to sharpen it because it comes with a twist up mechanism. On first application it tends to look more sheer and has a shine quality to which I believe comes from the balm aspect, but it's extremely buildable. So you can go from an all natural look to a strong dramatic lip. Since it is a lip stain, the color is extremely pigmented and lasts pretty much all day through any obstacle. I also love that you don't have to tug on the product to get a good color pay off, it goes on smooth and feels light on the lips. I find that on the rare occasion that I do wear lipstick they tend to dry out my lips but since this is a stain with a balm infused throughout the product it protects my lips by keeping them moisturized, healthy, and happy. It also comes with a wide selection of colors ( my current favorite is sweetheart) I believe there's 12 shades altogether, but I could be wrong. Finally this product smells so good. It almost smells minty, but isn't too over powering. Quick tip: wear this under the Maybelline babylips for a more glossy finish, and for those days when your lips need a little extra TLC.)
Con's: for the first time I don't have any, this is hands down one of my go to favorites for sure.
Well that's it for part 2 of our drugstore series!! We hope you liked it! Have you tried any of our favorites? Leave a comment below with feedback or what drugstore products you can't live without!! Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @beauty_breaking for constant updates, sneek peaks, and more!!!

What I really think about Beauty Campaigns.....

Welcome back to our blog Lovelies!! It's been ages since we last posted a motivational post, so today we thought we'd touch base on a rather controversial topic just for you guys. Which is..... Beauty Campaigns. First let me share you all a story that happened to me the other day. I was watching old backstreet boys music videos on YouTube (yeah, I have no shame) when an ad for the "love is louder" campaign grabbed my attention. Seeing as the skip ad option wasn't available, I actually sat through the whole thing and watched it through . If you're not familiar with the "love is louder" campaign I'll share a little bit of what I got with you from my research. "Love is louder" was originally a combined effort started by actress Brittany Snow, The Jed foundation, and MTV. Since then they've paired up with inspiring groups like the Trevor Project and Dosomething.org all with one goal in mind. To support people who feel alone, different, worthless, or misunderstood. I'll leave links at the end of this post if you'd like to read more on them. Anyway after watching a 1 minute ad I was inspired and curious. Out of all the campaigns out there this one had to be my favorite. It targets almost anyone while withholding bias or judgment. Most importantly it's already changed so many lives for the better. With that being said I went on a mission to find a more publicized campaign like this one targeted specifically towards women. I narrowed my options down to the 4 more well known beauty movements out there. 1) Dove's real beauty campaign. 2) Victoria's secret Love my body campaign. 3) L'oreals Because we're worth it movement and finally 4) Aerie's real campaign. All 4 of these have great messages, really they do. But they all also have some serious flaws, and I think it's about time someone finally says something about it, don't you think? Since I listed Dove's campaign first, let's start off by talking a little bit about what they've done already. I think we're all familiar with Dove's real beauty sketches. If not I'll link the video down below.

The overall idea of this video is great. It's true, we are our harshest critic but my question to you dove is what do you think made us this way? How about videos like these. As you can see there's not that much diversity going on here. A majority of the women featured were Caucasian, blond haired, and blue eyes. I think the only thing they did right was getting a more diverse age group. There we're few African Americans and no other race was even mentioned or featured. And in a campaign focused on showing women you can embrace your curves shouldn't you show more curvy women?? I'm getting mixed signals here. This point leads me to my next major flaw. Dove's real beauty campaign is all about embracing your curves so much so that it tends to make women who are skinny feel wrong or socially unaccepted. Shouldn't a campaign called "real beauty" showcase beauty in everyone not just one or the other and do so without bashing on how someone else looks. Onto my number 2 choice which was the Victoria secret "Love my body" campaign. Now it's obvious from the get co there's A LOT of flaws going on here. But hey at least they show beauty stems from confidence, right? That's one thing they're doing right. Right off the back, this campaign is doing one huge thing wrong by having their title as "Love MY body" and not "Love your body" it's almost like they want us to be jealous of their models in their underwear. And obviously not all girls look like that. In fact, a majority of girls do not look like that. You know what; This campaign is exactly what the title says I do have to give them that, because after seeing this campaign you're definitely not loving YOUR body whatsoever. Although these 2 campaigns are a bit older, they in my opinion are really what set off all the love your body and love yourself movements as bad as they maybe. My next one though has been around for a while, almost as long as the makeup itself and it's still going strong. I'm talking about L'oreals "Because we're worth it" movement/campaign. This campaign originally started off as just a slogan but grew into something much more after the sudden boom in product sales. Now don't get me wrong I actually do like the message they're trying to convey, and it's not just because I'm a big of their makeup. See the problem here isn't in the message they're trying to portray but it lies in who's relaying it. Every spokesperson has been this beautiful bombshell ranging from Kerry Washington to the current blond bombshell Blake lively. This could also stem from the fact that they are a makeup company and makeup is supposed to enhance your natural features to make you look like this beautiful bombshell selling you their products. But it doesn't always have to be that way. Take cover girl for example. Okay sure their spokesperson or people always have flawless skin but lets look at who they've picked to represent their brand. Ellen degeneres for one is a beautiful, strong role model for the LGBT community, she's a talented comedian, and  for dang sure a great host!!! of anything! Queen latifah, a beautiful, black, curvy, women, who's also a comedian, actress, and talk show host. Sofia Vergera, a beautiful Latina women with curves for days and who can forget the unforgettable Talia Castellaño an inspiring young lady, passionate about what she loved who just lost her battle to cancer at 13. These women are what role models should be. They aren't just beautiful bombshells but real strong people that we all can relate too. L'oreal, watch out you got some competition...... finally let's move on to choice number 4 . Aerie's "real" campaign. At first glance it seems like a great idea, aerie would be the first company to actually use untouched, non-photoshopped images to represent their brand. Hence the name "real". But my question for aerie is what does "real" mean to you?? Sure these women are real, they're just as real as any other individual who identifies them self as a woman, yet every woman represented here is fit and flawless. These images don't relate to every "real" woman out there, which can make some women feel the "real" you isn't sexy. Sure, the women modeling in this company are real and they are sexy. But you know what else is sexy?? Love handles, cellulite, dimples, freckles, dark marks, scars,tummy fat, and belly rolls, skinny girls with no breasts, and curvy girls with big breasts, body acne, tattoos, girls short and tall, girls of every shape,size,race, and color. Aerie if  your goal is to promote self confidence in women then why not showcase the real woman, and not some supermodel. These 4 companies have 1 thing in common they want to show women that in a superficial world what really matters is that you know you're beautiful inside and out. But one really has to wonder once you put aside the good intentions and really examine these almost elementary mistakes, are these companies really trying to promote self confidence or promote their products?? This post will probably be controversial to some, but I think it was about time someone said what we all we're thinking. Yeah, it's time for a change and everyone who follows us either on bloglovin or twitter ( a little harmless self promotion there) really are helping create that change, by showing we all believe in one thing. EVERY woman is beautiful. It doesn't matter who you are, what you believe, where you're from, or what you do or look like. We're not a company looking to make a profit off of products or trying to boost our popularity, but a group of people who believe every woman of every age should be able to look in the mirror and say "I am Beautiful" and mean it. If you want to join us feel free to stop by our twitter @beauty_breaking. Like what you just read? Follow us on bloglovin and comment your thoughts on this topic. We want to hear from you!!!!! Leave us ideas of what you want to see next, we read everyone of them !!!

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My top 5 favorite drugstore face products!

Have you ever gone to the drugstore with one particular product in mind, but end up leaving with what seems like $150 worth of stuff? Yeah it happens to me all the time, especially when it comes to the beauty department. I may not even be going to the store for a new foundation and powder to match but it somehow makes it's way into my cart before I leave. So its no wonder why my overall drugstore makeup collection is as big as it as today, and hey who would turn down products that can compete with high end lines at a much lower price? Everyone loves a bargain, am I right? We can all agree that a big problem when it comes to dabbling in drugstore makeup is it can be very tricky picking out products that works for your particular skin type and deciding what products to try can be a little over whelming. So I'm here to share with you my top 5 drugstore face products that I can not live without, and hopefully make your next trip to the drugstore that much easier and maybe save you a couple bucks. So let's just get right to it. (Just a disclaimer all of this is my opinion based off of how these products worked on my skin. Everyone is different so what may work for me, might not work the same on you. We love comparing results so leave what you think of our favorites in the comments below.)I'm gonna start off with my all time favorite foundation. I feel like foundation is a lot harder to choose from, whether there's not enough shades or there's just too many it can sometimes leave you feeling a bit lost. I suffer from this problem way more often than I like to admit. I have more warm medium skin tone and trying to find a foundation with the right undertones while keeping peace with my acne is a challenge in itself. But this foundation let me tell you is a miracle product. And it is.....

The L'oreal true match
shade: W5 sand beige, (W6 in the summer)
Price range: $7-8
Overall impression: 9
Pro's: words can't explain how much I love this foundation. It gives medium to full coverage, and you can build on it without it starting to look too cakey. The texture is almost velvety which makes it very easy to blend and gives you kind of a satiny finish. My main concern when I first tried this foundation was how liquidy it was. I normally use foundations with a thicker consistency to prevent my oily skin from looking like a grease ball at the end of the day, but don't let the texture fool you it blends out almost smooth and feels very light without creating shine, and doesn't leave your skin feeling sticky. It also comes in a wide range of shades with almost exact undertones. Perfect for ethnic skin like mine. Price wise, it's affordable. I bought mine for about $7 at Wal-Mart but I think the highest it goes is 8 something at select drugstores. Another great thing about this product is doesn't oxidize as bad as most drugstore foundations. For all the beauty beginners out there not sure what that means (don't worry it took me a while too) basically what happens is when you first apply your foundation it can react with the chemicals in your skin and in the air causing it to become darker than it originally was. Sometimes with drugstore foundations when I apply it at the beginning of the day it will perfectly match my skin and by the time I'm done with my work day it's 2 shades darker. High end foundation can do the same thing, it all depends on what you buy and the formula used. Anyway this foundation doesn't change as much and can almost look like your actual skin after applied and throughout the day. It also has SPF 17 which is especially great in the summertime when the sun is constantly beating on your face. Gotta protect the skin ladies!!
Con's: Now even though I do love this makeup, just like humans, it's got some flaws too. I hate that it doesn't come with a pump. Granted I've found ways too apply it without losing too much product, but with a product this liquidy it should have a pump. Now because of this it's hard to combine 2 colors without losing half the bottle on your hand, dresser, or floor (taken from personal experience). Another con is if you have oily skin like me, I would highly recommend applying powder afterwards to set this foundation, so it stays matte longer throughout the day. The longevity of this product is okay. It lasts about 5 hours until I have to start blotting around my t-zone area. I would prefer a longer lasting formula but like I said it's okay. Another thing that can be bad for beginners is how extensive the collection is. If you're just starting out it can be a little intimidating trying to find the right undertone and then finding the right shade to match. Especially since most drugstores don't allow you to open the product to test it on your skin.

Okay onto #2 which is the Maybelline fit me shine free foundation STICK.

Shade: I'm not sure
Price range: $6-7
Overall impression: 8
Pro's: I also love this foundation in stick form (not the biggest fan of the Maybelline fit me liquid foundation) for A LOT of reasons. I can't emphasize that enough. When I think of stick foundations I imagine the consistency to be really thick and unpleasant. So I was pleasantly surprised at how smooth and light this foundation goes on when you first apply it, it almost feels like it glides onto your skin. It's medium to full coverage and is also build able without looking cakey. It's also versatile. I haven't found my perfect shade yet so I've been using it as a concealer/highlight. I can apply it under my eyes without it looking too heavy or have it looking like it's pulling my face down. You could also get away with using a darker shade as a contouring stick. My personal favorite makeup trick. It gives you a little bit of coverage while creating a nice contoured look; Although I do recommend using a primer before and powder afterwards to create that nice matte look to last throughout the day, especially for girls with oily skin. (Beauty breaking tip: No primer? No problem. Mix a little bit of your favorite foundation with your moisturizer, and boom! DIY homemade primer in seconds!!)
Con's: obviously the number 1 con is I couldn't find the perfect shade for me yet, keep in mind I haven't tried it as a foundation for a while now so they might have my shade. It's possible that it being in a stick form it can hold bacteria more which can cause acne, and you can run out of product much faster than if you we're to use the liquid alternative. The longevity is okay I did have to blot once throughout the day, which really isn't all that bad. All in all great product highly recommend giving it a try. I probably should've listed this product first but my #3 all time favorite drugstore product is 

NYX pore filler primer which I found at target.
Price range: $12-13
Overall impression: 10!!!!
Pro's: I love love love this primer. Drugstores aren't a big carrier of face primers so I was understandably doubtful yet excited at the same time to try this out. But I'm so happy I did. This primer is in my opinion a dupe of the Benefit porefessional primer which cost around $30 I'm not sure, yet these 2 products do exactly the same thing. The only difference is the texture of the NYX product is almost like a mousse whereas the Benefit product is more smooth on first application, but when you work it into your skin you can't tell the difference. I haven't done my research on this product, so I'm not sure if it's silicone based or if that's even in this primer since it's meant to specifically focus on your pores, but what I do know is it creates a beautiful canvas for you to work with and helps your makeup go on smoother and last so much longer.
Con's: I don't really have any except it's a bit pricey, but is noticeably better than most or all drugstore primers. So it's worth the the few extra bucks.
I'm not picky when it comes to powders so I'm gonna skip that and go to my next favorite which is my #4 pick 

the Garnier BB cream for oily combination skin

Shade: Light/medium and medium/deep
Price range: from $11-12
Overall impression: 8 for oily skin 6 and I'll add 1/2 for dry skin.
Pro's: Good drugstore BB creams are hard to find so after reading a bunch of great reviews about this particular product I decide why not try it out. My big problem with BB creams is they tend to make my skin more oily and greasy, they don't normally provide the amount of coverage I need and can smell bad. Although this product smells a little bit like sunscreen, it did the opposite of what I normally expect from a BB cream. It's not greasy or heavy on my skin, and it's perfect for the summertime for when I don't want a face filled of makeup. It provides light to medium coverage, medium is pushing it. It evens out skin tone and doesn't feel sticky or like a moisturizer, it has a consistency of a tinted moisturizer but is more thick. It also brightens my skin, and is great to use under foundation in the winter time when your skin is particularly dry..
Con's: I have yet to find a BB cream that actually does everything that it claims to do on the box, and this one is no exception. I've been using this product for what seems like forever and have yet to see any improvements just by using this product alone. I wouldn't normally recommend bb creams for people with oily skin because it tends to look oily and only gets worse throughout the day, but unlike before this product is the exception. It's great for people with oily skin but not so great for dry skin. I don't have dry skin but my friend does and she personally doesn't like the feel of it around her problem areas. It's also not the best for taking pictures. Because it has SPF it can make you look like a ghost in pictures especially when flash is used, so it's a no for any special occasions.
Finally after a very unorganized long post review my number 5 favorite is something I've just discovered and am now addicted too. They are (drum roll please........) face serums. There's not a huge selection of these available in the drugstore but I've tried pretty much every line and have managed to leave with one favorite. The 

Loreal youth code line! First statistics...
Price range: around $20 at Wal-Mart
Overall impression for:
dry skin:8
oily skin:6
oily/combination skin: 7
Pro's: For the amount you get which is around 1.0 oz per bottle the product lasts forever!!! It's been about 2 months and I have yet to run out!!  It gives you noticeable results fast. My skin started to look brighter about 5 days after using it and my dark marks have faded  since I first started using it. It doesn't smell bad I can't really describe it, but it's tolerable. It's gentle enough to use daily and hasn't broken me out.
Con's: The consistency is more on the oily side depending on what products you buy, and can tend to feel heavy if you apply too much. I haven't tried the whole line of products but this does apply to the Loreal glow renewal serum. It's a bit on the pricey side (but a little goes a long way!) Now that you've read our  top drugstore beauty favorites, we want to read yours!! What is your go to drugstore beauty products?? Tweet us at @beauty_breaking with the hashtag #drugstorebeauty we would love to try out and review new products!! Want more drugstore favorites?? Follow us on bloglovin to stay up-to-date with our drugstore series! Part 2 and 3 will be next plus our least favorite drugstore product of all time. You're definitely not expecting this one!! Have you tried one of these products? Share with us your opinion in the comment section below!! We always love reading great feedback!!

My bucket list

So what's on your bucket list? Far too often I find myself flipping through magazines mesmerized by a seemingly normal activity or place advertised on a another page and can't help but think "yeah, I want to do that one day"or "someday I'll visit that place." Then along with everyone else we add it to our bucket list, just to never think about it again. Over the past few years I've managed to rack up what seems like a book filled of things I want to accomplish before I... you know, kick the bucket, or go to the big...before I die. Sounds a bit morbid doesn't it? So I've set out on a personal mission to turn my book into a story, to turn my bucket list into a to-do list and start checking off my life goals before I die. First Let's start out with my trip to Texas, this is where it all started. About 2 weeks ago I set off on a journey to the lone star state, and not just for a much needed vacation or for the amazing delicacy that I call deep fried Oreos, but for business. Almost immediately after my plane landed I met up with some friends, we spent hours telling jokes, and reminiscing our most embarrassing moments but more importantly we took time out to exchange ideas on how to further the future of our blog while still maintaining the message we've worked so hard to portray. One of the topics we all seemed to agree on, was trying to show people around the world that anything is possible no matter where you come from. That's when the idea of putting together our bucket lists came to light. The very next day we all met up in the most suspicious of all places. Not our hotel, or a restaurant, or in any part of the city for that matter, but in a small neighborhood. The kind of neighborhood where everyone knows you by name, there were no big malls, fancy buildings, taxis, or sidewalks crowded with people. Actually there was pretty much no sidewalks at all, it was just the bare minimum, and farms, a lot of farms. I was obviously out of my comfort zone we we're definitely not in NYC anymore. But being there was quit possibly the most humbling experience I've had in a while. Okay off topic, when we got there we met some amazing people and tasted some amazing authentic southern cuisine that I'm still not sure exactly what it was but I know it was delicious. We then met up with a lady who showed us around town, we visited these shops run by small business owners, people like you and me. There I was given the chance to try deep fried Oreos and even make my own which by the way was a disaster. What was so amazing about this place was we weren't just given experiences but we we're given the chance to make memories that last a lifetime. She then shared with us a list of things that we had to do before we left Texas, and that's when we thought "hey what a perfect time to tell her about our bucket list idea." Yeah, bad idea. All the sudden her along with what seemed like the rest of the town gave us a list of attractions, foods we had to try, and historic sites, things that made Texas such a beautiful place for families to visit and for tourists to explore. We we're so overwhelmed and honestly didn't know where to start. So we sat down and created one big a cumulative list of everything we wanted to do, including the new ideas we we're just given. We we're in Texas for about 2 weeks, and in that time frame we managed to organize a couple of interviews, work on new post ideas, and not to mention we went to a big time rush concert!! They're no backstreet boys but I still love these guys. Most importantly we we're reminded of why we started this business in the first place. We want people to realize you can do anything even if right now you maybe thinking otherwise. We wanted to give you someone you can relate too, and share our stories to help you do the same. Now I know you're probably wondering, "well where's the bucket list???" and for the sake of saving space and time, and not losing your interest, we're going to be posting it in parts. (Just a reminder these are in no particular order) but the next couple of posts are going to be dedicated to revealing to you what's on our bucket list, sharing our adventures, and keeping you as involved as we possibly can. We plan to document every trip, every opportunity, and every story keeping you as updated as possible. So what we want to know is what's on your bucket list? Tweet your stories to @beauty_breaking using the hashtag #mybucketlist who knows we might even do some of them!!

Blog update, what's up next?

 A lot has changed since we published our last "all about us" post, so we figured it was about time to give you and all our new followers an update on what to expect and what we're all about. When the idea of creating this business first came about the biggest obstacle we faced was trying to figure out how to combine the two things we're most passionate about without being labeled a hypocrite or unintentionally creating bias. Most beauty campaigns stray away from anything that can alter your appearance in any way, and they emphasize that Using make-up or loving fitness is usually defined as a desperate plea to fit in with the unrealistic standards set by society, and to who ever is passionate about either of these topics can sometimes face the criticism from a variety of people claiming that's not what a role model for natural beauty should be interested in or be promoting for that matter. And sometimes they're right but most times they're wrong, but what happens pretty much all the time is that these girls then get penalized for doing what they love. What we wanted to do was change that, we wanted to show people you can do what you love without the fear of being judged or being labeled a hypocrite.Besides who are we to judge what makes a person happy in the first place? We wanted to show teachers, athletes, make-up artists, moms, lawyers, cops, army veterans, and anyone else you can possibly think of that they are all beautiful no matter how old you are, how much you weigh, what your job is, who you love, or how you look. We wanted to shed light on the bullied and help victims who've suffered in the hand of bullies to realize how amazing you really are and to show them no you're not alone. We realized from the beginning that most beauty campaigns are one sided and mainly focus on body insecurities, and that not every woman can relate to this message. We all have different insecurities that's what makes us human, that's what makes us who we are. But we live in a society where if you're a little bit different then you're automatically looked at as unattractive or as an outcast and we wanted to change that. We wanted people to see that having tattoos doesn't make you any less of a role model or that having a skin disease doesn't mean you can't be a model. We're all people, we have flaws, and insecurities, it's about time we show the world we're okay with that. Show off your confidence without the fear of being called arrogant.We're here to help you be proud of who you are, what you've achieved, and how far you've come in life, to help you showcase how amazing you really are, whether you have a learning disability or a physical disability. We want everyone to see how much you mean to the world even in a society that says otherwise. What makes us different is that we know what it's like to have those feelings, to be bullied, to think you'll never get anywhere, we've been there. And we're here to help you realize you're more than those harmful words, you're human and we're here to show everyone how awesome you all are. We wanted to pick role models to represent our blog. Role models that embody all the insecurities that everyone suffers from (and definitely no retouching photos) instead of having a spokesperson with the perfect body, or skin that most people just can't relate too. As for the blog, we have posts planned about real people by real people. Stories from survivors, leaders, and life changers. Women who talk about their career choices, their insecurities, their life choices, and more. We also wanted to include the beauty aspect, we love playing around with clothes and makeup so expect product reviews, and collaborations with other beauty bloggers. You can also expect exercise related posts to posts showcasing street style in NYC to documenting my life, my travels and experiences around the world to letting you guys see what goes on behind the scenes of putting all this together. We also want to keep you, our readers involved as much as possible so don't be shy to connect with us on Twitter. We would love to hear your stories and opinions!! Your support means the world to us and whoever is apart of this community, our community. So thank you guys for everything and I hope you're as excited for this journey as we are!!

Secrets. What do you keep hidden inside?

"The best way of keeping a secret is to pretend there isn't one" -Margaret Atwood

We all have them. We hide them for years, lying about them to prevent people from finding out. Nobody can know about them not even your family. What am I talking about? Obviously I’m talking about secrets. Everybody has them whether you’re keeping your best friends crush hidden or protecting a code for a top secret mission. They can be big or small, but the most important thing about a secret.... No one can find out. And today that’s all about to change.

  Let's start off with asking yourself "what is my deepest, darkest, most embarrassing secret?" You’ll find out mine later on in this post. But for now what I am going to talk about are some of the things that we all keep hidden inside, things we keep wrapped up so tightly that exposing it to the world seems almost impossible and just thinking about it can be extremely uncomfortable. So where to begin??? Starting this blog has helped me reach out to thousands of different people and during these countless number of not so much interviews but conversations I found we all have 1 thing in common. Secrets. We all have something we don’t want the other person to find out. But our  “secrets”  aren't as secret as you may think. Don't worry I'm not gonna expose some secret government mission or even worse the names of my best friends past crushes but I can say during a pretty special "interview" I held with someone who will remain nameless this past summer a particular question I asked gave me a pretty unexpected answer. I asked her what was she was most afraid of people finding out about her. At first she was hesitant, I mean who could blame her but She eventually caved in, leaned over to me and whispered “I’m afraid that I’ll never fall in love. That I’ll never find that one person who will truly accept me for me and all the flaws that follow.” I was shocked and curious as to why she kept such a natural feeling locked up in an I guess you can say “emotional prison” her response was almost as shocking as the first one, she leaned over a second time blocking her face from the spectators surrounding our table and said “I feel vulnerable when I show the slightest sign of weakness, I get embarrassed when I share how I really feel, and that can make me feel exposed.”  I couldn’t believe that her deepest darkest secret was something everyone could relate too, Something that we all think to ourselves atleast once in our lifetime. So why was she so embarrased of anyone finding out? I continued with these different "interviews" and during each one I asked the same question. What are you most afraid of somebody finding out about you? A seemingly easy question right? Wrong. I was surprised  with the variety of answers I received. Some, some were just plain strange while others were inspiring and well I'll let you decide for yourself. These quotes are from real people and don't worry I've been given full permission to share these with you, and the rest of the world. but for good reason. I’m not trying to embarrass or make anyone feel vulnerable but what we

(including the people who I originally interviewed) are trying to do is help you realize something that we all have trouble coming to terms with. And that is, we ALL have secrets big or small and we all have something that we’re afraid to let the other person know. But today, like I said earlier that’s all gonna change. We want you to know what we keep hidden inside and to know that we’re not embarrassed of sharing it with the world. Well at least most of it. Here are quotes from average people like you and me from around the world, who are doing just that. Sharing what they keep hidden inside in hopes of helping someone else going through the same thing, and showing them that it’s ok to feel this way and you will overcome it, or anything put in your way.   "I'm in love with someone who can't and will never love me back.", "I hate college, if my family ever found out they'd be so disappointed.", "I'm a woman, a mom, and a wife, everyone told me not to join the army but I did, and I regret nothing." "I'm not as strong as people think I am, sometimes I need someone to lean on."  We’re not as different as you may think, now are we? These quotes are just a few of many from people like you and me who have truly inspired the uprising of this campaign in so many different ways. After hearing, writing, and reading these quotes and their stories over and over again I realized that these secrets taught me life lessons that can alter your line of thinking. Before meeting these women I never looked at someone and wondered what their life story is and definitely not what secret they've been holding since elementary school or high school but I've started to realize one important thing and yes here it goes again. We're human, we all have emotions we all have stories, thoughts/opinions and secrets. Underneath this tough exterior we all think some of the same things, we all want people to know something, things we just can't say. or thoughts that just remain a thought and not an opinion.  We've interviewed people who shared their thoughts and some of what they said are thoughts that cross our mind almost every day, like.....  

"We take so much for granted, you never know when one day it'll all be gone."  "The fighting, bullies, and lies, we all deserve better. The world deserves better."  "I hate when people complain on social media."  "I hate when people judge other people. People they've never even seen before." "I hate when people say you’re not good enough, when someone tells you you can't do something."  "Losing a family member can make you feel like its the end. Like its over. But its not. Life does and will continue."  "I fight for my grandmother, my aunt and friends, I fight for myself and others. We fight because we are survivors." "I love my family, my friends, they're my support, my rock."  "I love when people are honest and can see a little bit of good in everyone." "I love who I am, and to all the haters f*** them."  These are all quotes from normal people, People willing to share a piece of their life to help someone else. this person could be someone you would never give a second glance too, like a cashier at your local grocery store, your next door neighbor, or even a family member. Everyone has a secret, are you willing to share yours? So the big question everyone is probably still wondering about is what do I keep hidden inside. What’s my big secret? Well that you already may know (hint, hint)....  Now my big question to you is, what are you most afraid of someone finding out?

Love your body series is here!

"Exercise in the morning before your brain knows what you're doing."

If you follow us on twitter you would know I've mentioned the #getfitforfebruary challenge almost as much as I mentioned the Backstreet Boys, and we all know that's a lot. Since the new year has officially begun I thought I'd share with you all what the heck I'm actually talking about.
I along with many other people have created New Years resolutions and let's be honest about 85% of them just won't happen. Seriously, Keep my office space organized? Let's be realistic here.....But there is one I have vowed to follow since I first discovered the wonders of fast food and chocolate, 2 of my most guilty pleasures. And it is to eat clean and get lean. Has a nice little ring to it right? I've always found this particular resolution the hardest to keep since well lets just say if I had to choose between cooking a healthy meal and ordering a pizza. I would pick the pizza and add some healthy toppings to make me feel less guilty. Yes it's that bad. This year though it's gonna be different because 1) I discovered this you tube channel about a year ago called Toneitup, if you're not familiar with these unnaturally beautiful ridiculously fit ladies I'll leave all the links at the END of the post just to give you an idea of what to expect and to keep you from prematurely leaving this post. Anyway every year these 2 ladies put together a series of workout routines for the next 6 weeks leading up to valentines day called the #loveyourbody series. It's free to sign up and you have the chance to win pieces from Victoria's secret's sport collection and more! Sounds great right??? If you're already excited to get started great! If not, hear me out. I'm a strong believer (if you couldn't tell already) in women loving who they are and whatever size you are, but I also believe that working out shouldn't be about trying to make yourself look like an airbrushed fitness model or a Victoria's secret model at that. It should be about you feeling healthy, happy, and strong in your own skin. With that being said this challenge is meant to do just that. Make you feel healthy, happy and strong by the end of these 6 weeks. Now of course you won't get a 6 pack at the end of these 6 weeks (hey who knows, you could I'm no nutritionist so it could happen) but what I can tell is you will feel more (for lack of a better word) accomplished for doing something you never imagined you could do. Even if that means just being able to do a set of workouts without taking a 20 minute "bathroom" or "stretch" break in between. So if you are now somewhat interested, what I'm asking from you, yes you reading this is to join me along with thousands of other women on not only a fitness journey but a life changing event where you'll meet new people and receive an unmeasurable amount of support to reach your goal.  Today is one post out of many check-ins through out the month letting you guys know I am sticking to my once unreasonable goal. All the info will be down below so check it out AND don't forget to follow @beauty_breaking on twitter and hit that beautiful blogloving button at the top left hand corner for constant updates, pictures, motivation, and brand new challenges!! the first video below is an introduction to the 2014 love your body series, and the second video is a little example from what they did last year, enjoy!

You can sign up here, once you click this link it should bring you to their website where you can view this weeks love your body workout routines and you can sign up to continue receiving weekly workout routines. Good luck everyone and wish me luck I'm gonna need it....
http://toneitup.com/2014/01/thursdaysunday-schedule/     

Backstreets back, alright? (A very random post)

CAUTION: If you're not a fan of the Backstreet boys this post is probably not for you, but feel free to stay out of curiosity or check out our other posts. I guarantee you will be entertained either way. That's a promise.
If you follow us on twitter it's no surprise that we (mostly me) are obsessed with the Backstreet Boys. So when I heard about the ABSolutely  fABuolous new video they released, I couldn't help but to release my inner preteen and scream like a fan girl at her first one direction concert.  If you need a better visual, this picture pretty much sums it up.

After I calmed down I thought I'd rave to you guys about how amazing this video actually is.
But first can we all just take a minute and appreciate the ab action we got going on here.....
 

You're welcome.

Back to reality, this video doesn't just showcase "The best of Brian", but the simplicity of the video and how it was put together helps maintain focus to the lyrics of the song, which are surprisingly beautiful and moving, Which also brings me back to why this post isn't so random after all. Here's a little snippet from the song:

"Gloves are off ready to fight.

Like a lion, I will survive.

Will I? Will I?

You gotta stand for something 

Even if you stand alone, don't be afraid 

it's gonna be alright."

The song was originally dedicated to their kids and you can tell with a lot of the lyrics. But it's the Backstreet Boys, and to me they somehow manged to take these seemingly one-sided lyrics and turned it into a message that everyone can relate too, all while showing off their toned bodies. Enough with the over analyzing, it's time to show you exactly what I'm talking about! So grab some comfort food(I prefer a nice hot brownie),  you can't just watch a music video without it, right?  and enjoy. I hope this makes your week a little bit better, Have a great Tuesday everyone!!!!!!!!!