I'm On A Fitness 'Journey'!

So.... 

I am attempting to get in shape and decided to invite all my followers and friends on social media to join in with me. I am doing a fitness series of my YouTube channel called 'Yani Gets Fit', and you can check out the first two videos below.  

Let' Get Fit Together | Yani Gets Fit

Fitness Update 1| Yani Gets Fit

If you guys are interested in starting a fitness journey too and want to do it with me, I mention two ways for us to keep in touch in the second video. The first is through my Instagram (@YANIQUESGT) and th second is on a free fitness monitoring app called ARGUS (Yanique Gillana). 

I would really like it if you followed me on these places and if we could motivate each other. I started at the beginning of August and have been going strong ever since. 

Hope to hear from you soon!

Review: Shea Moisture Makeup and Demonstrations!

I don't know if you know.... but Shea Moisture recently launched a makeup line. 

Yep, you heard me correctly. A brand that is well established and widely loved for it's natural hair-care products has ventured into the world of makeup. 

What's even more exciting about this line is that the color range really caters to brown skin!

I picked out a few of the products from Target (the only place they're sold right now) and tried them out for two weeks before I decided to share my opinions on them. 

Click on the video and enjoy my review and application demonstrations!

Perricone MD and Korres Sale today on Hautelook!!! 

I told you of the glories of this website before, and right now they have sales on both of these high-end (expensive) brands. Go check it out, you don't want to miss it! 

This is an invite link, you do not have to use my link (which gives me credit towards purchases) but if you want to (thank you) just click the link below! 

Click here to sign up for Hautelook and shop till you drop!

Balanced Living: Eating Healthy on a Budget

Eating healthy is the best thing you can do for yourself. 

We all know this, but for many it's easier said than done. I think time, cooking ability, and finances are the major reasons why some of us pick the cheap unhealthy options off the shelves when we shop for groceries. When on a budget or pressed for time, the last thing someone wants to think about is buying ingredients we may never again use, then proceeding to follow a long convoluted recipe for some dish that promises great things but may not deliver. 

I recently came across this book (thanks to my bestie Julia) which I think is a great resource; especially for people who are trying to save. Many of my friends are students and I know we don't have Whole Foods every day money, so I just knew that I had to share. 

While pursuing her Master's degree in Food Studies at NYU, Leanne Brown wrote a cook book which was supposed to appeal to the person who wanted to eat a variety of healthy and balanced meals every day but stick to a tight food budget. The book is a collection of healthy recipes designed to serve 4 people, that add up to $4 a day. Yes, I said feed 4 people for $4 a day. 

Her book is available for free download as a PDF. 

Click here to download this cookbook for FREE

I've looked through it and I must say, some of these sound really good!

My St. Lucian Kitchen

I love being in the kitchen, if given a choice I would prepare my own meal rather than go out or order from a restaurant. Though the majority of things I cook are not particularly region specific, there are a few West Indian eats that I make all the time. As the foodie that I am I feel the need to share some of those with you.

Here are a few of them, if you want recipes let me know and I will try my best.

Bakes - delicious West Indian fried bread that is amazing for breakfast.

Fried Plantains - though not unique to the West Indies, this simple yet delicious side dish is extremely popular.

Lentils Bullion/Buyon - This is basically a lentil soup that is one of my favorite things. There are many varieties of these, the two most popular ones being with lentils and red beans. I make mine with dumplings and spinach or kale. Traditionally this is cooked as a one pot meal with some sort of meat. 

What are your favorite dishes?

Healthy Easy Smoothie Recipes #2: Red Breakfast Boost

Here we go again! 

I make this smoothie all the time because it is a great way to start the day. The fruit provides lots of energy to give me that kick in the butt I need to get the brain going in the morning. The oatmeal is great as a fiber source and good for slow release energy, the Chia seeds in this recipe are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, and the mixed berries are a great source of antioxidants.  

As usual I enjoy using frozen fruit because it is cheaper, they don't go bad in a few days, and they're already cold so no ice needs to be added!

Ingredients: 

1. 1 banana
2. 1 cup almond milk
3. 1 handful of oats  
4. frozen mango
5. frozen mixed berries and cherries
6. 1 tbsp chia seeds 

AgainI just added whatever amount felt right at the time, so it's up to you!. 

I pop all the ingredients into my -neither expensive nor fancy- blender (that's it's official name, in the original dialect), and hit the smoothie button.

Then pour and drink! 

Review: Garnier Nourishing Cleansing Oil

I tired this product on a whim and was pleasantly surprised. 

As affordable drugstore products go, this is a great substitute for my Boscia Makeup-Breakup Cool Cleansing oil which is my holy grail of all makeup removers. 

I did a video review of this product so.... here it is.

Enjoy!

Lazy Recipes: Roasted Green Beans (or any other veggie you like)

I LOVE roasted veggies!!! 

Ok, I'll calm down on the enthusiasm, but I seriously love them. When prepared properly, veggies can be extremely flavorful and serve as the perfect healthy side to any meal. I know many people just resort to boiling or steaming veggies is an effort to save time, but I prefer to infuse my veggies with lots of flavor and roasting them. That way I keep a nice crunchy texture and get tons of flavor. 

What makes this recipe super great in my eyes is the fact that it takes hardly any time for prep work! 

I do this with any veggie or combination of veggies and it turns out great. Green beans, brussels sprouts, and cauliflower happen to be 3 of my all-time faves.

I did this recipe using flash frozen green beans from Trader Joe's that I thawed prior to cooking.

 I know, I know!!! Frozen? Why not fresh? Well, as someone who lives alone I find it much easier to buy frozen vegetables, and the Trader Joe's frozen veggies are great.... FYI. 

For this recipe (if you can really call it that) you will need: 

Red pepper flakes

3 cloves of garlic

Grape seed oil (you may use a different oil if you prefer it)

Thyme

Rosemary

Salt and fresh ground black pepper 

All quantities of these ingredients depend on your personal taste. 

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 F.
2. Mince or crush the garlic and add to the oil 
3. Add pepper flakes to the oil, and directly shred the rosemary and thyme into the bowl.
4. Wisc everything together and allow it to sit on the counter for a short while. This allows the oil to become infused with the flavors of the seasonings. Salt and pepper to taste.
5. Add the oil mixture to the green beans in a baking dish and toss them to coat every bean. 
6. Cook covered in the oven for 15 minutes. 
7. Uncover the beans, and cook for an additional 10 minutes uncovered, raising the oven settings to broil. 
8. When the beans are roasted to your liking, remove them and allow them to cool. 

Then all that's left for you to do is toss'em up and serve them! 

They taste great, and look like you put in more effort than you actually did.

Enjoy!

Mario Badescu SALE going on now on Hautelook!!!

There is a sale on Mario Badescu today on Hautelook! In case you're not familiar, Mario Badescu is a skincare line that has beautiful products for every skin type. These are usually sold at Ulta and Nordstrom, but they are on sale on the flash sale site Hautelook for discounted prices today. 

Hautelook is a site where individual brand put a selection of their products on sale for 2 days. The selection of brands is new every day, with the new products posted every morning at 8am Pacific time (11am  Atlantic). The brands range from apparel and shoes, to art, furniture and designer items. 

Check them out! It is members only, so here is my invite link. 

Sites like these will save you a ton! Just saying.....

http://www.hautelook.com/short/3BfPv

My Current Favorite Current Accessories

If you guys have seen any pics of me lately, you must have noticed that I have been wearing headbands all the time. They are definitely my new favorite accessory. I love my hair in simple up-dos like the classic high bun, and headbands just add a little more interest to the whole look. Plus I think they are the perfect transition into the Spring and Summer seasons.

I got this necklace from H&M and I love it. It's like a little gold Lei and adds a delicate feminine tough to any outfit. Personally I think it goes with most outfits and I've been wearing it to death. The fact that it was cheap is another benefit.

I'm currently really loving bright nails, as I do every year at about this time. I am particularly happy with this polish by Sinful Colors called 'Pull Over'. It cost almost nothing and the quality is great. the product goes on smoothly and is opaque within one coat. The color contrasts greatly with dark skin and is nice and glossy.

Now I honestly have not worn this lip color very often. Obviously it is not for the faint of heart, but I've really been into bright and unusual colored lips this season and this is my new fave. This is the blue Lip Tar from Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics. Of course the color can be toned down with a liner or other lip colors, but I am in love with the look.

What are your go-to accessories for the season?

Review: Revlon Colorstay Moisture Stain

Revlon recently released these lip stains and I must say, I'm impressed. 

I have been historically let down by drugstore lip stains. I remember lip stains from both Revlon and Cover Girl that were designed to look like markers and were both watery and drying. Oh.... and did I mention that they were not even long wearing? Since the drugstore brands have been releasing products of  improved quality, I decided to give these a go. 

I picked up three colors from my local store: Milan Moment, Barcelona Nights, and Parisian Passion.

The color pay-off for these products is lovely. They are highly pigmented and go onto the lips smoothly. The best way to apply them is to put a first layer on, allow it to set, then go in with a second. 

The finish is glossy and only slightly sticky, and the color lasts all day. I was truly surprised when the color remained even after I had eaten!

I love these, and the fact that they are cheap and easy to find makes them even better in my eyes. 

Give them a try and let me know what you think!

Lazy Recipes: Homemade Ramen

I recently made this and got numerous recipe requests from my friends. I am not not now, nor have I ever been a recipe person. My mom taught me to cook with measurements such as 'a little bit', 'a sprinkle', and 'some', so my dilemma should be apparent. I don't think cooking is that precise though, and since people's tastes vary so greatly I think cooking 'to taste' is a better approach. 

With all that said, here is my 'recipe' for my home made ramen. This is the first of my Lazy Recipes series, where I'll be sharing my ideas for fast yet tasty meals.

For this you will need: 

1 package of instant Ramen for the noodles

1 cups of vegetable broth (any broth will do depending on the desired flavor)

1 cup water

Diced garlic
Salt

powdered ginger (or diced; go easy on this one, ginger is potent!)

A drizzle (another of my mom's measurements) of sesame oil

Sriracha

Red pepper flakes 

Parsley ( I used dried) 

Green onions chopped

1 lean chicken breast 

1 egg

1. To a pot add sesame oil and saute the garlic, ginger, red pepper flakes, and parsley until it becomes highly fragrant. 
2. Add the water and vegetable broth to the pot and allow them to come to a boil, and salt to taste.
3. Add the noodles to the pot and boil for 3 minutes stirring occasionally, remove from the heat and set aside. 
4. In a separate pot, boil an egg for ~6 minutes. This should give you a nice medium boiled egg.
5. season your chicken breast with sea salt, and cook in sesame oil in a skillet equally on both sides. Cooking times depend on the size of the piece of meat used. let the meat rest after cooking, then slice as desired.
6. Pour noodles and broth into a bowl, drizzle Sriracha over them, and place the sliced chicken on top. Cut the egg in half and add it to the bowl, and lastly, garnish with the green onions. 

I tried my best guys, I hope this is useful!

Enjoy!

What I love about Spring 2014....

Spring is here, and before it turns into full blown summer I want to share some of my favorite things with you. As someone who grew up in the Caribbean, I have always appreciated the changing of the seasons. 2014 Spring has a special place in my heart though, because this past Winter was hell! 

So... despite the hail storm we had less than a week ago, I am going to celebrate the Spring by enjoying...

Fresh flowers from Trader Joes of course because they are beautiful and cheap...

Bing cherries! (sweet ones), and...

Frozen treats! I particularly like these mango fruit bars, they are the perfect sweet and creamy snack.

I know this is a strange little post, but I just felt like having a casual conversation with you guys today... 

Spring Nail Polish Picks!

Spring is here!

I love nail polish. Though I don't always stick with seasonal colors when choosing my polish for the week, I still find that certain colors appeal to me more at different times of the year. Spring is my time to put away those deep, dark colors and pull out my pastels. 

I have a selection here of both cheap and pricey polishes that I love for the spring months. 

Butter London: Pillar Box Red

Butter London: Primrose Hill Picnic

Essie: Exposure

OPI: Rumple's Wiggin'

Wet n Wild: I Need A Refresh-Mint

Sally Hansen: Mint Sorbet

Sally Hansen: Lacey Lilac

Enjoy!

Using All the Social Media!

Get ready for the shameless self promotion.....

I have decided (actually I decided a couple of months ago...) that as a youtuber and blogger, I should be making better use of social media. I don't actually know where my hesitation stemmed from, but I am making the change. 

If you are reading this, then you are already aware of my YouTube, my blog, and possibly my Facebook. I can also be found on Twitter (@yani_rocks), on Instagram (yaniquesgt), and Pintrest (yanique thomas). I am not a ten-posts-a-minute kinda gal, but I do post some fun (that's actually debatable...) stuff from time to time. 

I hope you guys take the chance to follow in my various social media places and don't mind this little cross promotion! 

Trying to get the Bloglovin app for this blog...

<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/12241401/?claim=x6qju82r2b4">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>

Straightening my Natural and Curly Hair!!! No heat damage...

I finally did it! 

I promised this video a loooong time ago, but the universe was against me making it until now. I straighten my naturally curly hair from time to time and I do use heat. I know heat is very harmful to hair, but I take cautionary steps that allow me to achieve a beautiful straight look without any heat damage. 

I love the results I get from my method, and I wear my hair in a variety of styles. I thought I'd share my method and my products with you. 

Enjoy!!!

Balanced Living: So.... I'm a gardener?

It's Spring!!! 

Finally Spring has sprung and I am taking full advantage of it. 

I know this is probably going to be an unusual post, but I did promise you randomness from my life. I'm not sure if this falls into the healthy living category or not.... what do you think?

Every year I have a balcony/container garden. I have mostly rented apartments with an outdoor space, and over the past couple of years I've made use of that space. The first year I started this I only grew a few herbs, but every year I have increased the number and variety of plants that I grow. 

This year I have planted flowers, herbs, fruit, and vegetables. 

This year I've planted 3 different types of tomatoes, 2 different types of peppers, and zucchini. This is my first year attempting to grow zucchini and I am hoping that it works out. I'm not known for my green thumb, so it's always a gamble. 

I planted a large variety of herbs this year. Basil, thyme, rosemary, dill, parsley, cilantro, and chives. Nothing tastes as good as food cooked with fresh herbs, and you can find seeds and plants almost anywhere so they are easy to find.  

I love my little garden and I hope you enjoyed me sharing it with you!

I don't know if you already know but.... I'm a huge nerd.....

I went to Comic Con!!! 

I have always wanted to go to Comic Con. It just looked like the most amazing gathering of my peoples ever. For a long time, I thought there was only one location for the annual conference and Sacramento was never possible. As I was über excited when I found out that there were several events at different locations, and I was able to squeeze the Louisville Comic Con into my schedule. 

Needless to say, I had a blast and I wanted to share a few pics with you guys!

Just so you know, this is a lot for me because I never remember to take pics of anything... 

 There were all types of oddities for sale....
But the costumes were awesome!

OMG! I got to hang out with my Blondie Bear, I mean Spike, I mean James Marsters...

I have always had a thing for Jason Momoa... but damn that man is fine in person.....

I also got to see Samwise, Tommy (the green ranger from back in the day), and some folks from a little show called Dr. Who.

Just thought I'd share this little snippet of my life with you guys.

Now back to your regularly scheduled programming...

Healthy Easy Smoothie Recipes #1: Creamy Fruity and Green

Hey guys!!!

This is my first actual recipe on here, so I'm excited! 

I drink smoothies and make juices all the time. I think this is one of the best ways of getting the nutrients you need to balance out your diet in a quick and convenient. You are able to combine a bunch of ingredients that you probably wouldn't eat individually, and you can always take your smoothie to go! 

This is one of my go-to recipes because the ingredients are always available, affordable, easy to work with, and tasty! 

Ingredients: 

1. 1 banana
2. 1 cup milk (I used whole milk because that's just the kind of person I am. I also like almond and coconut milk for this recipe)
3. 1 handful of oats (or any grains you like) 
4. frozen mango
5. frozen grapes
6. frozen spinach 

I use frozen fruit and veggies because it last longer and the smoothie is already cold after blending, and I just add whatever amount feel right at the time, so it's up to you!. 

I pop all the ingredients into my -neither expensive nor fancy- blender, and hit the smoothie button.

I then have a delicious, sweet, and creamy smoothie. 

The strongest flavors are the banana and mango, and the spinach flavor is completely masked. Smoothies are a great way to get your green leafy fix if you're not a salad lover.

 I hope you enjoy this recipe and give it a try!

Spring! You know what that means.... colorful shoes!!!

So here I am... a St. Lucian living in the Midwest... regretting the decision to move here with every passing winter day. I've complained enough, and since that didn't work, I've decided to take a different approach.

I am now attempting to speak spring into existence. 

One of the things I most look forward to in the Spring and Summer is the infusion of life and color into everything. I especially love color in fashion, and my favorite way of incorporating that color is with my shoes!

I know many girls have 5 million pairs of black shoes and maybe a couple of colorful ones, but I can honestly say that I own many more colorful shoes than blacks and other neutrals. 

Here are a couple of my faves that I can't wait to wear again this year!

What are you looking forward to this spring?

Balanced Living for Beauty From The Inside Out

Hello, my name is Yanique and I am a beauty product junkie... 

I know it, and I'm sure by now you know it too. My real poison is skin-care products. I literally get a high in the skincare section of my Sephora, and I've been known to spend hours there at a time just trying every single thing. I believe that it's more important to have clear and glowing skin and wear makeup simply to accentuate your features, than to NEED makeup to cover up bad skin. 

The skincare products that I use are amazing, and I love the effect they've had on my skin. With that said... you need to do more than just pile on the beauty crack if you want to have beautiful skin. Proper nutrition is where it all starts. The healthier you are, the healthier your skin looks....

I have found a website that I want to share with you that makes planning balanced and nutritious meals super easy. Check it out!

Nutrition Data brought to you by Self Magazine (link is safe!)

This site allows you to pick a food/ingredient from your kitchen, and find out all of it's nutrition facts. These fact include protein quality, inflammatory factor, and glycemic load. You can basically use this tool to plan combinations for meals that will satisfy all of your nutritional needs. 

Review: Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder

After months and months of hearing about these products, I finally gave in and got one. 

After all the hype I didn't have much hope for this product living up to expectations so I was pleasantly surprised! Hyped up products usually surprise me in the wrong way... 

It is a baked powder that looks alot like the MAC mineralized skin finish naturals, with a slight shimmer. The powder gives a glowy appearance without looking glittery and can be used all over the face of just as a highlight. It comes in several shades, all designed to work with different undertones and for different purposes. 

I picked up the powder in Radiant Light which gives a beautiful golden finish which is subtle enough for all over the face.

Hear me talk about it below!

Review: Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser

I promise you there will be more variety in my posts soon, once I get my stuff together for the photographs. 

How am I doing so far? 

Here's another review for you guys from my YouTube channel, this product has been so hyped up I decided it was a must-try, and well...... 

Review: Mario Badescu Drying Lotion

I have recently been using an acne treatment.... I know, strange... 

But I do get the odd blemish here and there so I decided that I needed a spot treatment to help me out. Since I already love the Mario Badescu line of skincare, I chose to go with their Drying Lotion. 

This product is lovely! I see almost overnight results on my blemishes and at most my blemishes take 2 days to clear away (or die as I like to say). 

You use the treatment on clean skin at night. Using a Cotton swab (Q-tip) you dip the swab through the liquid layer and into the pink powder at the bottom of the bottle (do not shake the product, the powder is supposed to settle). Then dot the product  directly onto the blemishes and you're good! The powder will be a paste that dries up similarly to a clay mask, and you wash it off the next morning. 

The Mario Badescu Drying Lotion is affordable, coming in at $17.00 at Ulta. It is a great quality product and I recommend that you guys try it out. 

I did a full video review on my YouTube channel, and you can check it out below. 

Let me know if you try it and if you like it!

Review: Maybelline New York COLORsensational The Elixir

My first review!!! Here we go... 

I've been looking for these for a while now and recently found them at Target. I was delighted by the number of vibrant colors available, and I selected my two favorites. 

Left: Vision In Violet | Right: Signature Scarlet

 I really love the packaging of these lipsticks. They look like regular lipsticks with clear tops, but they are actually packaged like lip glosses with doe-foot applicators. 

The colors are vibrant and opaque, and the product applies smoothly and is long wearing. 

I love them!!! They get two thumbs up from me and I hope you check them out!!!

Yanique's 2013 Beauty Awards!

Hello again Loves,

Just thought I'd start off with a video! This is my 2013 Beauty Favorites from my YouTube channel, and I thought you guys may want to know what kinds of products I use and love. 

Enjoy!!!

Let me know what you think (feedback is always welcome!) and let me know any suggestions you have for future blog posts.

Blogging for the first time!!!

Hey guys!

This is my very first blog post, so I decided to make it a brief introduction. 

My name is Yanique and I am a St. Lucian beauty, style, and all-things-girly enthusiast. 

This blog is going to be where I share all my opinions on beauty products, fashion trends, and general lifestyle issues. 

I hope we have a great time together on my blog, and I hope to hear from you soon!