10 WAYS TO LOOK FRESH AFTER THE “WILD NIGHT”

It is the weekend and it is going to be lots going on out there you won’t want to miss. The problem is that you go out feeling like a queen wearing an astonishing dress that you have cautiously ironed and with a makeup flawlessly covering all your face’s imperfections and finally, your statement jewelry all ready to sparkle in public. The major issue is what happens when you come back from the outer world of partying, drinking and most probably, sweating; abandoning our heels in a corner and avoiding any kind of reflection within the house, most of us fall asleep whispering: “tomorrow I’ll deal with the makeup and the dress”. Tomorrow arrives (usually faster than expected) and what you see in the mirror that you finally decided to confront is not very… well let’s face it, it’s ugly. So, I would like to share some tips for a better appearance after a wild night hoping it will be of assistance for some of us women to look fresh for a casual lunch with friends the day after:

Pre-hydration: 

Before going out you have to keep in mind that alcohol dehydrates your skin and hair. So before putting your foundation, remember to use a moisturizing cream, oil (one that suits your skin type) or a B-12 complex vitamin. Ow, and drink lots of water. 

Uriage Isofil Moisturizing Cream

Prevent puffiness: 

According to Glamour Magazine, sleeping with an extra pillow really helps the “lymphatic drainage” and prevents fluid from accumulating. A B5 serum may also be applied for the skin before sleeping.

Anti-circles: 

As caffeine is good for the face, experts advise to put green tea bags over the eyes and the sides of your nose for two minutes.

Makeup: 

In my opinion, the only kind of makeup suitable for such circumstances is a corrector (green for redness and yellow for the blackness around the eyes).

Clarins Eye Concealer

Tinted Moisturizer vs. Foundation: 

The latter doesn't work well on hydrated skins and doesn't absorb as well creating little “cracks” on your skin. Thus, better use a tinted moisturizer for hydration and coverage.

Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer 

Bright Eyes: 

Use a beige liner along your waterline so the eye can look wide and rested. It is then optional to put mascara on.

Estee Lauder Pure Color Shadow Sugar Biscuit

Lips a Mourrir: 

Wear a bold, hydrating lipstick on to distract from any flaws on your face

The Hair: A very simple chignon or a pony tail always works better. Try to keep the hair up, it rarely looks awesome down after a wild night.

Mac Winter colors lipsticks

The Highlighter and a touch of Blush: 

 Apply some light reflecting highlighter on the top of your cheekbones, the bridge of your nose and on the middle of your forehead; with a not-to-red, not-to brown blush you can hit the door and Hasta La Vista!

                                         

                               Mac White Highlighter                   Chanel Blush "Espiegle"

The Smell: 

Wear a light fruity or sweet perfume which will put forward your innocence; always works better with a light   makeup rather than a heavy Chanel No5. 

Chocolover by Aquolina

10 REASON WHY YOU SHOULD START RUNNING... NOW

I am very well placed to know how annoying it is to have to exercise after long working hours or before a bad*** party. While browsing the internet, I realized many people felt that way and thus, I decided to post few reasons explaining why running is not that bad after all. 

1. Most races and fun runs are full of hot bodies dressed in extremely light clothing no matter the weather which means there's a free pass to an aesthetically environment. Wear your sunglasses and go enjoy the view.

2. You can lose weight by drinking nothing but hot water with lemon. Or you can run for an hour, treat yourself to a cookie and still fit into your skinny jeans. One of these options makes you bitchy; the other makes you rad.

3. Take your iPod with you, and your runs suddenly become a safe place to indulge your love of not-so- popular music. With enough practice, you can even blend in a couple of dance moves; One of those ridiculous ones that you would never ever do in a club or bar while wearing high heels and a short dress. 

4. When your boss, your melodramatic friend or your grumpy boyfriend won’t leave you alone, calmly put on your running shoes and head out the door. They won’t follow you. It’s a safer alternative to storming out screaming with both middle fingers in the air (you should still do this in your head just for spectacular effect).

5. You’ll discover lulu-lemon pants are good for more than just buying tampons. They are comfy, sexy and if cautiously chosen, give you a fine butt. 

6. Running is the last place you have to “be a lady” and we women all need to connect with our manly side: sweat, snot, burp and even sneak behind a bush to pee; it will definitely be a pleasant feeling. 

7. Going for a run right before going out for a drink means you get tipsy on half a glass of wine instead of your usual two. That’s not being a lush, that’s just sound economic planning.

8. Studies have shown that runners have better sex. Sex counts as a cross-training workout, which in turn makes you a better runner. Thus, the naked truth is that running leads to even better sex.

9. Girls are lucky; there’s an entire industry committed to making us look awesome while getting our sweat on. Workout clothes come in all sorts of cool colors and designs. Jockstraps, on the other hand, will always be ugly with questionable stains.

10. Non-runners will sit on the couch and call you crazy. Those people will never learn what their bodies are capable of. You, on the other hand, will die knowing you from head to toe by using every inch of it. That’s not crazy, that means knowing how to utilize free, natural resources for a better self. 

I wish i could take (full credit) for this post but these facts were found in various "fitness" blogs. Now, chop chop, but your sneakers on and run out the door.

A CHRISTMAS ORIGINAL: EGGNOG

Finally, the weather has level down the temperature and I can finally say that it is cold. In these circumstances, as I have already mentioned in my previous posts, movies, a cozy fireplace and a pleasant company are on top of my to-do-list. Today, I would like to add “eggnog” to the list. This winter beverage often served at Christmas dinners (in the States, definitely not in Greece) is an original drink that everyone should try at least once.

When I first heard about eggnog I was shocked and disgusted by the idea. In fact, my father introduced me to the term which apparently has been popular for quite a while back in the fifties in London, and has been going on since then. At one point, even Mac Donald's (again, in the States) had readymade eggnog! 

No people. It’s not eggs scrambled enough to make it liquid, and you don’t find pieces of fried eggs floating in your mug. No, No. Eggnog is creamy, steamy, and tasty; it is not that bad after all as long as it is made at home as the carton eggnog sold are disgusting (i.e: liking eggs obviously is an important prerequisite). What is cool about it is that one can drink it in the morning or in the evening with a touch of whiskey, bourbon or rum. 

George W. Washington, the first president of the United States, had eggnog as his primary beverage and we even know his own recipe: “One quart cream, one quart milk, one dozen tablespoons sugar, one pint brandy, 1/2 pint rye whiskey, 1/2 pint Jamaica rum, 1/4 pint sherry, eggs—mix liquor first, then separate yolks and whites of eggs, add sugar to beaten yolks, mix well. Add milk and cream, slowly beating. Beat whites of eggs until stiff and fold slowly into mixture. Let set in cool place for several days. Taste frequently.”

The best recipe I found, and which worked just fine is the one below. Unfortunately, it is not diet-friendly but again, what is during Christmas?  Enjoy!

EGGNOG

Yield: 4 servings

GlasswearGlass mugs

ToolsStand mixer

Ingredients

4 eggs, whites and yolks separated
1/3 cup (78 ml) sugar

2 cups (475 ml) whole milk

1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream

5 ounces (150 ml) bourbon
1 teaspoon (5 ml) freshly grated nutmeg, plus more for garnish

Instructions1. Beat the egg yolks in the bowl of a stand mixer for approximately one minute, or until they lighten in color.  Slowly mix in the sugar and continue to mix until dissolved.
2. Slowly pour in the milk and cream.  Add the bourbon and nutmeg and stir to combine.  Transfer mixture to a large serving bowl.
3. Clean out the bowl of the stand mixer.
4. Beat the egg whites in the bowl of the stand mixer until soft peaks form.  While the mixer is still on, slowly add another tablespoon of sugar and beat to form stiff peaks.
5. Add the egg whites to the cream mixture and whisk to combine.
6. Serve in glass mugs with a sprinkle of freshly grated nutmeg on top.

Note: There is a risk of salmonella and other food-borne illnesses when consuming uncooked eggs.  It is recommended that when preparing this recipe, you use grade A or AA eggs that have been refrigerated.