The season is changing, new clothes are being stocked EVERYWHERE, skin may potentially be getting drier, jeans replace shorts and hoodies replace sleeveless tops. I love early autumn because it's the perfect balance between warm and cool. ♥

Random post today :), just thought I'd revive this slumbering blog! I hope everyone is settling in and having fun at Uni or high school, whichever!

Have a Happy Autumn everybody! xo

P.S. I say this way too goddamn much, but ARE YOU GUYS CHANGING YOUR PILLOWCASES REGULARLY!? Remember, at least once every fortnight! This is important you guyszszszz! Omg just read my last post and realised I also mentioned pillowcases there too wtf. Okay just consider this your regular reminder then *facepalm*

Labels: jess

Before I begin, I really have to mention how proud and glad I am to share this wonderful beauty blog with Amy and Tanya ♥. With things like beauty it's all about learning, learning, learning - and you start to really realise that it's more about a lifestyle choice rather than simply something you can just take up and drop. We're more than just about how to look pretty, we're about how to become it, until it's a part of us rather than just a feature, some characteristic we possess. Exercising, skin care, eating well - we don't do these things just because we want to achieve some number on the scales, but because we want to be it. The number on the scales is only a result of the journey it took to get there, and it's important to remember that :)

That being said, Tanya has long since been my weight-loss comrade-in-arms! And I love her for it!! It's very clichéd but moral support goes such a long way. We were discussing this a few moments ago on Facebook Chat, and I said that my friends were all SO fit which is so important in achieving that goal - which goes on to say that it is, above all, a lifestyle choice. My friends are all gymming every single day, quitting junkfood, eating canned tuna as a snack; sometimes it's really, really just as simple as choosing salad instead of chips at Nandos (okay I just got salad but you get my point). I'm really thankful to have them, because they keep me in sight of my goal and they make me think bigger and dream better than I ever dared to before. I have a more humble success of my own to top off Tanya's one; I myself lost 2 kilos during my 3 weeks in China, and this is 100% due to the fact that I actually had no choice but to eat clean during most of my stay. Don't get fooled, I had at least three meals of Maccas while I was over there but it proves that changing your eating habits alone can really make a difference, but as if one didn't know that already!!

So the point of this post is really just to reinforce Tanya's one. Grab your friend and hit the gym and go do weights and the treadmill and watch yourself change. Focus on what makes you happier and gives you more satisfaction, because for me personally, a little success begets another one, and another one, and another one, and it's the same for failure; so when I know I've eaten a healthy pasta instead of a greasy meal, or a garden salad with chicken instead of chicken and chips, I get inspired to do better the next day, and for as many days as I can. Again, it's cliche, but when you refuse to succumb to your weaknesses it can be so personally satisfying knowing that you are gradually changing. Watching other people change for the better helps too! So if you, like Tanya and I, have some sort of goal, get a buddy right now!! Because they will help you more than you realise ^_~

HERE'S TO RIDDING OUR BODY OF WASTE! THEY ARE TEMPLES, GIRLS, LISTEN TO THEM AND TREAT THEM WELL! ♥ Jess xo

P.S. If you are indeed looking to lose weight but can't bring yourself to, look no further. YES. IT IS, INDEED, THE SAME GIRL, APPARENTLY. TT_____TT


Read about it here!

P.P.S. I'm a little sick right now, just a minor cold, I think. Nonetheless, germs are afoot, so it's even more important to change your pillowcase when you're constantly coughing into them or having it in contact with your mucus-y nose. (I shall henceforth be known as the Crazy Pillow Woman when I am old, I know it. SERIOUSLY THOUGH. PILLOWCASES. IMPORTANT SHIT. *sniffles*)

Labels: inspired, jess, lifestyle, summer, tips, weight loss

It's actually been around two months now, but I've (once again) gone on a mission to lose weight! And this is possibly the longest it's been and the most effective, so I thought I'd share my two cents on it.
While some people like to only exercise to lose weight, and some like to only diet - I firmly believe it's most long term and effective to do both.

Exercise:
Now I'm still learning as I'm going, but here's a breakdown on Cardio and Strength/Resistance Training.
(By the way I've been hitting the gym around 3-4 times a week, each session around 15 minutes Cardio and 40 minutes Strength/Resistance)

Cardio:
e.g. Running, cycling, swimming, elliptical training
-Burns calories while you are running or cycling etc.
-Strengthens the heart and lungs
-Reduces cardiovascular risks
-And a whole bunch of other healthy goodies but you get the point

Strength/Resistance Training:
e.g. squats, lunges, lat pulldowns, pullups, flies, bench presses etc.
-Tones your muscles LIKE NO OTHER
-Burns calories even after you finish exercising
-Builds muscle (which burns fat)
-Builds strength
-Great for maintaining weight

So try to hit the gym (and bring a guy friend along) and start doing what they do! You won't end up looking like a man-woman and I promise you will be so much more toned in a month's time.

Diet:

Now I'm still struggling with this - just because my mum works at YumCha and brings home the most delicious looking dimsims, my dad is an amazing cook, and my sister loves junk food.
But since exercising so much more, I'm starting to understand how hard it is for my body to burn that bad stuff off. Which is why exercise and dieting goes hand in hand!!

-Say NOOOOOO to anything high in sugar, fat, or sodium. Take a look at the nutritional info and ask yourself, is that 600 calorie bowl of Chicken Laksa going to be worth a whole hour of running?)
-Drink a cup of water before meals
-No eating after 6pm (good to ward off those after-dinner snacks, and allows your body to fully digest what you've eaten throughout the day)
-Eat more negative calorie foods, which are basically foods that require your body to burn more calories digesting it, than the amount of calories the food contains. Get me? So for example, eating a stalk of celery is 50 Calories, your body will burn 55 calories digesting it, so it cancels out the calories? I'm horrible at explaining I know.

I've kept the exercising bit up for around 6 weeks and I've seen a permanent weight loss of 3 kilos so far, (from 59kg to 56kg) and I've kept the dieting up for around 1 week and a half and I've seen another kilo gone, so now I'm at 55kg. Goal is still 50kg but I knowwwww it will take commitment and time, but this is a good start and I hope you unhealthy fellas out there will gain a bit of inspiration and know that it's possible!

Good luck peoples!
Tanya x

If you, like Tanya, Amy and I, live in Australia, then you should be starting to feel the heat (even though it is the must un-summery summer there ever was). So, more heat means more sweating, and more sweating generally means more oily skin!

If you have a gel-based moisturiser, it's time to pull that out more often :), and if you don't have one, it's a good time to invest in one! One of my favourites is the JuJu Aquamoist Whitening Cream:



It's definitely bigger than the image!, I'd say roughly a little smaller than the size of my palm (but then again, I just think I have rather big palms = 3 = ") and seriously, I would recommend this to anyone and everyone, regardless of skin type. It's non-scented and so, so gentle on the skin; the instant you slap it on, it becomes a little sticky for about 1.5 seconds, and then it absorbs right into your skin, leaving it totally supple and soft and definitely non-greasy - because there's no residue left on your face. It's all been absorbed! Your complexion is totally matte, which is absolutely perfect - I hate having shine on my face!

I don't use it every day, simply because I have other Tony Moly products I use in the daytime, but whenever I go gym or a sleepover, I pack a random cleanser and this moisturiser knowing my skin is going to be absolutely perfect. I rate it a very solid 9/10 (Extra 1 is missing because I have yet to find the absolute perfect beauty item) and encourage you all to go go go!!

I bought mine at Sakura inside Hurstville station (yes, once again hehe) and if they don't have it (I'm fairly sure they will) I think you can just always place an order ^_~. Oh, and if you're pressed for time and can't go search for a gel moisturiser of your own, maybe just wear a little less moisturiser as the increased sweating in your face probably means you don't need as much :D. Okay, hope this helped guys! As always, CHANGE YOUR PILLOWCASES!!!!! NAO!! This is even more important in Summer, when our hair and face secretes more oil and sweat (I really feel like I can't stress this enough).

Labels: jess, moisturiser, summer, tips

Labels: skincare, tanya