Life Lessons Life Lesson From A Throwback 8:00 AM Keep that little ounce of faith in your pocket. Life Lesson From A Throwback I have this beautiful life lesson from a throwback recently. I browsed my old travel photos for a post I plan. I came across some taken when I had...well, just had my heart broken. I was surprised because I looked...normal and happy. I couldn't bare to look at myself, not even in photos, during that time. Because I felt so ugly and "not good enough". I think everyone who's been left for someone else would feel that way. I didn't want to see the pain that's in my eyes though I had a smile plastered on my face for the camera. Now, I look at those photos from a different lens; I can still remember the pain I was going through, but not feeling the pain anymore, and seeing only beauty. Looking at the photos, I see there was no pain in my eyes and hey, what a sweet smile I had on! Don't get me wrong. I didn't mean that in a conceited way. I mean it's beautiful that despite the sting of that fresh wound of heartache, I was able to smile. I remember still enjoying the sights, the food, every moment I was there. The beauty I saw in me was beyond the physical. I saw a girl deeply hurt and braving the odds with only faith as a weapon. Faith that one day, the pain will go away. Faith that one day, the wounds will be healed. Faith that one day, He will turn my mourning into dancing. Faith that a day will come when I'll look back and I'll do myself proud for making it through. And I did. I realized that only I can see that beauty because only I felt that pain. And it's very important that we should see that side of ourselves because no one else will. Such a beautiful life lesson from a throwback that was. I hope that whatever it is you're going through right now that makes you feel inadequate, ugly or worthless will soon end. I hope that you keep that little ounce of faith in your pocket because I can testify that your mourning will turn into dancing. I hope that you still look at yourself in the mirror every day and tell yourself you're beautiful despite the pain you see in your eyes, the sorrow you feel in your heart, and the tears falling as you say it. Because my friend, you are. Believe that you are. What lessons have you learn from a throwback?
Fashion & Style Be Chic For Less: Sammydress Review 10:40 PM Be Chic For Less With Sammydress Who doesn't like chic and cheap? That's my go-to when it comes to fashion. I like to look good but I don't like spending too much on an item. I think every practical woman does. The good news is, you can be chic for less with Sammydress. Sammydress is perfect for every frugal chic out there. I'm so glad I partnered with them. Do I like it? Yes! Here's why: So. Many. Options. From women's needs (dresses, tops, bottoms, swimwear, plus size, active wear, intimates, etc.) to men's, kids', accessories (shoes, hair, bags) and even home and garden need, options are almost endless. Descriptive. On their website, you'll see not just the image and description of the item you want to buy. There is also a conversion calculator for your size (cm to inch and inch to cm), specifications (color and sizes available), processing time, product notes (example: The clothing is smaller than the international size for one size), size chart, reviews, questions, wholesale option, and similar recommended products. Most of your questions when you're buying online is answered on their page. What I bought (Click individual image to view in full size) I love the beach and so I ordered some beach attires. Got these two swim suits. These will be perfect for my next vacation. Accessories not included Onto the verdict Price Items are reasonably priced. Quality Love it! For the items I bought, I have no complaints over the material's quality. When they say it's polyester and spandex, it really is polyester and spandex. Not just a cheap imitation. The colors are vivid, the design is as what you see online. It fits just right. Shipping time I think this is my only problem. Not because they didn't deliver on the day they promised but because I'm outside US and the shipping time takes longer, and our post office is well, unlike any other to put it mildly. But if you want to expedite your order, you can. Check out their Shipping & Handling info here. Customer service There are so many horror stories about online shopping; the items they receive aren't the same with the ones they ordered, the material is rubbish, no reply from the customer service, refund not allowed, etc. None of that has been a problem with Sammydress. Questions have been answered courteously and on time, my concerns were taken care of without delay. Two thumbs up! It's so comfy to wear. I like the feel of it, I like the look of it, I like that it's packed in zip locked bags, and that there's a seal on the bathing suit for sanitary purposes. I was planning to wear them on my next vacation and post about it then but it seems nature is not on my side. Typhoon after typhoon is hitting our country, so I can't go to the beach without risking my safety. I will post wearing them as soon as the bad weather's gone. For now, these are all I could post. But, take my word for it. You wouldn't regret shopping at Sammydress. You'll love the quality (as I do), you'll get your money's worth, and you'll be communicating with a really friendly, helpful staff. Here are some samples of their gorgeous pieces online: Head over to their website and find more chic items for less. Disclaimer: I have received these products from Sammydress free of charge in exchange of a blog post. All opinions are my own. Hey, did you find this post helpful or entertaining? Please go ahead and share. Share buttons on the left and at the bottom of the article. Big thanks! Subscribe to About Life And Love by Email
Faith To My Enemy 8:00 AM To my enemy, I may be weak and losing. I may look tired and about to surrender. But I am not. I am far from quitting. I am far from getting knocked down. To my enemy who keeps trying to steal my joy and distract me from focusing on the prize, listen up and listen well: You may think you've owned me. Oh, I can hear you laughing now. I may look frail and dying, I may look defeated. You may assume I'm gone, but I assure you I am not. You may feel like you've won, because right now I am lying helplessly on the ground. You have pinned me down and I am too weak to fight back. I have little strength left to get back up again. But the ground is not my home. This is not where I belong. Let me remind you that I'm not alone in this fight. When I am weak, my God is strong. You can assume that the fight is over. I can't blame you. I have retreated in my corner. I've got no more words to say. But that's not because I've ran out of reasons. It's just because I realized you're not worth the time. I don't want to waste my time and energy on something worthless such as yourself. I will never be able to show you reason. For your mind is narrow, and you are arrogant. You'll never accept the truth staring at your face. And you will die trying to convince me I am living a life of lies. You will never win this fight. For even before the fight started, Jesus already conquered the world. Needless to say, He has conquered you. Oh, you may think I have forgotten. But, I have not. You have lost, before you've even started. I may be badly wounded, broken beyond recognition, black and blue all over, bleeding profusely---almost lifeless. But, just you wait. Just you wait. When my Savior comes bringing His game, you will be scattered in your conceit. My God, the Champ, the Big Boss, the Lord of all, will carry me and heal me. He will mend me and wipe away my tears. He will cleanse me, strengthen and nourish me back to life. He will make me brand new. He will stop the bleeding, He will bring me back to my feet, and I'll be ready to kick you goodbye. You can rejoice now, for I may have temporarily stopped fighting back. That's not defeat though. That's just me wising up and choosing my battles. I hope you're ready to face your fate when the Lord is done with me. I'll be back with sweet vengeance for the Lord is my vindicator. For He has prepared a table before me in the presence of my enemies. He anoints my head with oil; my cup overflows (Psalm 23:5). You can plan tactics after tactics to bring me down, but you will always fail. You may have succeeded in persecuting me, you may have offended me repeatedly. But pain is temporary, the glory that comes when the truth comes out is forever. No weapon that is formed against me shall prosper (Isaiah 54:17). You and your lying tongue will soon find its doom. For God's just judgment will still prevail. You will be shamed for assuming you have successfully taken everything away from me. For God will restore everything I've lost; He'll have compassion on me; He'll come back and pick up the pieces from all the places where I have been scattered (Deuteronomy 30:3). To my enemy, you have messed with the wrong woman. I am your King's daughter. You have not beaten me to death. You have only made me stronger. On my side is He Whom even death could not hold down. To my enemy, be afraid. Because I have a big God. That's why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong. -2 Corinthians 12:10
Fashion & Style Feel Confident Even Without Makeup 7:20 AM Nothing makes a woman more beautiful than the belief that she is beautiful. -Sophia Loren Makeup can definitely be a big confidence booster, but most people can't wear makeup in every life situation. It will make a huge difference in your life to learn how to feel confident even if you decide to skip your makeup some days. You can still look stunning. Find a Good Serum That Works for You No matter what age group you fall into, finding a good skincare serum is one way to achieve a desirable look without needing makeup to cover your imperfections. Not every serum will work for everyone that tries it, so you might have to try a few to find the one that works for you. Many serums are designed with anti-aging properties and work to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. The beauty product review site Powdabox.com reviews products like Dermaclara Complete that provide plenty of moisture to your face and make your skin look younger. Make Your Skin Healthier Many people feel like they need to wear makeup because they're trying to hide imperfections on their skin, especially on their face. Everyone should really have their own daily skincare routine, something they do in the morning and in the evening before bed. When you build your skincare routine, it's necessary to pay attention to your skin type. The products best for you will depend on if you have dry, oily, sensitive, or combination skin. Make sure to moisturize daily and always protect your skin from the sun. Practicing Self-Affirmation Practicing self-affirmation is one of the best ways to condition your mind to develop a more positive perception of yourself. It's easy to develop a negative perception of yourself over time, but self-affirmation can undo the damage it has caused. Take the time to focus on your positive attributes and write them down in a list, starting each one off with "I am." Make two additional lists, one with things you'd like to eventually overcome and goals you wish to reach. Put these lists in a place you can view them every day and read them in the morning and at night. Spend a Little Time On Your Hair If you plan on skipping your makeup and you'd really like to somehow draw the attention away from your face, you can easily do this by styling your hair. When you spend a little extra time styling your hair, most people will notice your hair before anything else. Take good care of your hair with regular trims, deep conditioning, and avoid washing it every day because that strips the oils from your hair causing it to become dry. Groom Those Eyebrows Another way to feel more confident without makeup is to have your eyebrows groomed. Groomed brows can frame your face, defining your facial features without using makeup. If you've never gotten your eyebrows waxed, threaded, or shaved before, you probably want to stick with going to a professional for the first few times before attempting to do it yourself. Makeup doesn't define who you are as a person; it only can enhance your looks and hide away imperfections. Take time to find the confidence within you to be able to step outside barefaced and not embarrassed about it. Make an effort to take good care of yourself so you can have healthier and younger looking skin and maybe you'll be able to see that you don't need a ton of makeup to look and feel beautiful. Having a positive attitude and a big smile on your face will have a huge impact on the way people see you Do you feel comfortable without makeup? Article was made possible by site supporter Jenna B Hey, did you find this post helpful or entertaining? Please go ahead and share. Share buttons on the left and at the bottom of the article. Big thanks! Subscribe to About Life And Love by Email
Fashion & Style Halloween Treat: A Touch of Dazzle Giveaway 8:00 AM The farther we've gotten from the magic and mystery of our past, the more we've come to need Halloween. -Paula Curan Contest closed. Congrats, Linda Ruamthong! Thanks to everyone who joined. It's that time of the year when the earth turns to its most beautifully warm colors. Ahh...Fall. Do you know what I associate with Fall the most? Halloween. Although Halloween started when people would light bonfires and wear costumes to ward off roaming ghosts from ancient times, it has eventually evolved into a secular, community-based event characterized by child-friendly activities such as trick-or-treating. (Source: History) I really enjoy what Halloween brings.4 Things I Love About Halloween 1. Harry Potter marathonA Halloween treat for the Potterheads! TV channels mostly show Harry Potter movies around this time. You can stay home and do a movie marathon and still have fun. 2. Costumes and creativityIt's exciting to look forward to the creative costumes people wear during Halloween, both kids and adults alike. What do you think would be the most popular Halloween costume this year?3. Halloween yummy treatsDessert people may have the most fun during this time. It's one good excuse to overload with sweets and candies. 4. A Touch of Dazzle Halloween GiveawayWho doesn't like gifts? Especially if they're cute, charming, and in season! That's why I love teaming up with A Touch of Dazzle to host a fun giveaway for the lucky few. A Touch of Dazzle Halloween Giveaway Last year I gave lucky Halloween Giveaway winners a charm locket and gift cards. I'm teaming up with A Touch of Dazzle again for another awesome giveaway this year. There are 2 gifts waiting for you: Enter below and win a charming Halloween locket, andShop any item at A Touch of Dazzle and for $19.99 or more worth of purchase, get a coupon code for a FREE Halloween charm pack (the offer will show up when you click CHECKOUT, then you can add it to your cart). Halloween charm locketCharms vary by locket choiceVariations include the Scary witch flying by the Moon enamel charm, Spooky Ghost enamel charm, Jack-o-Lantern enamel charm, Autumn ripe pumpkin enamel charm, Black Cat enamel charm, Candy Corn enamel charm, Booo! Enamel charm, Purple witch hat enamel charm, and of course, black and orange crystals. All in a quality stainless steel floating locket. Halloween Charm Pack Amazon is restrictive on jewelry shipping internationally, so this contest is only for US residents. Enter below to win a dazzling Halloween Charm locket: 👉 A Dazzling Halloween Charm AND Charm Set Giveaway 👈 Your Halloween will be more enchanting and magical with these awesome charm giveaways. Good luck! What do you like most about Halloween? Who are you going to this year?Would you like to join this fun giveaway and get these gorgeous Halloween charms?👉 A Dazzling Halloween Charm AND Charm Set Giveaway 👈
Fashion & Style Best Hairstyle Trends for Fall 2016 7:45 AM Life is too short to have boring hairstyles. Guest blog by Maureen Mizrahi Fall is here, and the season is welcoming a whole new trend of beautiful hair. Say goodbye to the prim and proper stick straight locks. Thanks to 2016 New York Fashion Week, diverse hairstyles are in. From all new colors to cuts and hairstyles, it seems a care free look is making a comeback this season. Best Hairstyle Trends for Fall 2016 Curls Curls are back in every way shape and form. From tight ringlets to loose waves, crimped styles, and big curls, these careless styles are sure to add character whether one has short or long hair. Step away from the straightener, and embrace the curling iron, or just go au natural! Buy some hair mousse to enhance curls and add volume. Short Cuts Forget about last year’s A-line, the Pixie cut is making waves across the nation. Ruby Rose rocks a new short do’ with a cheekbone length cut. Kate Mara looks stunning with her swept away auburn color pixie cut. Taylor Swift has also embraced a trendy little strawberry blonde shag recently and let's not forget about Kylie Jenner and her wig collection of powerful looking bobs. For those interested in taking their length to a whole new level ask for a mid-length cut with choppy layers. Bun Updos Say goodbye to the ponytail and welcome the knotted bun. Through intricate twists, custom loops, and sleek back looks, these cool updos are here to stay. Instagrammers are even taking videos showcasing their beautiful long locks by tying knots in their hair and letting it loose! These fun knots can be customized to fit anyone’s personality whether wearing two buns on top of the head like Miley Cyrus, or a fixed knot in the back appropriate for work. Reds The colorful hair trend continues to be on the rise. Fall reds are still in. For those with blonde hair opt for a strawberry champagne color. Another popular right now is the pumpkin spice, and no, it's not a latte. Pumpkin Spice has shades of blonde, chestnut and copper to add a dimensional look similar to the many hues of fall leaves. For those looking for something a bit brighter, a "warm peach" is a vibrant look that looks excellent on all skin tones. For brunettes, opt for auburn or burgundy hair colors. Grey Colors The grey ombre is another hot style to look out for during this dark season. Shades of dark grey lead in lighter shades creating a chic alternative look to color. Or add a dash of color with the Smokey Lilac which appears as a deep grayish purple down to a pale foggy lavender. As if the hair pastel trend wasn't reminiscent of Candyland enough, now there's Watermelon. Just like a watermelon, deep shades of green transition into bright pink. Platinum Blonde Platinum blonde may be making a comeback in Fall 2016. How ironic it crept right over summer? Kylie Jenner, Fergie, Orlando Bloom, and Justin Bieber are some of the many celebrities to rock the light bold shade. Or, for those who aren't ready to go quite that bright, Bronde is another it color celebs are gravitating toward. Selena Gomez recently stepped out wearing the caramel mixture of brown and blonde colors. About the Author: Maureen Mizrahi Passionate writer, yogi, coffee drinker, and wanderer. Loves to write about beauty, fashion and travel. Follow Maureen on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Visit her website Indie Travel Photos provided by guest blogger Hey, did you find this post helpful or entertaining? Please go ahead and share. Share buttons on the left and at the bottom of the article. Big thanks! Subscribe to About Life And Love by Email
Lux Thinking Aloud Dear Faithful Blog Followers 10:39 AM Dear Faithful Blog Followers, THANK YOU! You don't know how thankful I am that you let me into your everyday (or so) schedules. For the times you drop by and waste a minute or two to check my posts from trivial to deep, personal ones. For every kind and sweet comments you leave (even those who only leave copy pasted comments or a generic "Great post", "Thanks for sharing", "This is nice" no matter what the topic is.) For the concerned ones who would send me an email or DM to let me know they couldn't leave a comment because of some error or that something's wrong with my page. Or letting me know how much they appreciate what they read or that I can count on them to support me. For the interactive ones who answers my calls to action. Especially to those who have been faithful blog followers since I started. Thank you. We were strangers, I became your fan, and now considers you as friends. I feel like I know you through your blogs and through the comments you leave here. I feel like I have friends and families around the globe and I told myself that if I ever get the chance to visit your countries, I hope to catch up with you over coffee (or tea). Forgive me My dear ones, I apologize for the times you come here and expect a good, uplifting post from me and find sponsored posts instead. I try to still incorporate the usual "personal" touch in each. Please understand that this girl here is a freelancer and that this is one of the ways to earn a living. This girl's gotta earn some dough, right? Gotta turn that passion into profit, and hopefully never lose the purpose along the way. Business bloggers advice to stick to a genre because a confused visitor will automatically leave and not come back. So, I thank you for not getting tired of checking on me even when you can't predict what's waiting for you in my little space. Thank you that whether I write something personal---my heartaches and travels---general, or feature a product or service, or introduce you to a friend, you still choose to stick around. I'm just a girl who finds writing therapeutic since time immemorial, but you affirmed to me that this is my life purpose, and now you're helping me earn a little profit through your visits. I know Thanksgiving is still a few weeks from now, but I want to express what this grateful heart contains. Come, journey with me... I don't know where my blogging would take me in the coming years. I didn't really start this with business goals in mind. This only served as my venue for venting out immature feelings and simple opinions. But, here I am now. Sure I haven't posted a viral article but it's enough to know that somehow, I touched people's lives in the littlest way I do. I hope that in the coming years, as I continue to pursue this "penniless" passion (so others say), you'd still be there for me. As I will always be here to make sure I serve my purpose: to make you feel less alone. Dearest faithful blog followers friends, thank you very much from the bottom of my heart. Yours, In Our Darkest Hour In My Deepest Despair Will You Still Care? Will You Be There? In My Trials And My Tribulations Through Our Doubts And Frustrations In My Violence In My Turbulence Through My Fear And My Confessions In My Anguish And My Pain Through My Joy And My Sorrow In The Promise Of Another Tomorrow I'll Never Let You Part For You're Always In My Heart. -Will You Be There / Michael Jackson
