My Daily Facial Cleansing Routine

Good Morning loves! So today I thought I would share with you my daily cleansing routine. As I've said many times, I've very minimalist with make-up, beauty products, etc. So the simpler the routine, the better! 

Usually, I stay up as long as I can in the evenings so I just remove any make-up, splash some water on my face and pass out. I'll start by saying I have an oily complexion so you can get an idea about my skin. But every morning I follow this routine.

I start by washing my face with my Neutrogena Pore Refining Exfoliating Cleanser. I just started using this cleanser about a month ago and I've fallen in love with it. I really didn't like it at first because it doesn't foam up, and really didn't feel like it was exfoliating or getting deep into my pores to clean my face. So I got the Dermalogica face brush. I keep hearing about Clarisonic and those others but I really just didn't feel like spending the money on that right now. Also, my complexion isn't terrible so I couldn't justify spending that much on a brush.

Seriously, try this brush! Yes, it's manual, but between the Neutrogena and the brush, my pores have improved greatly! I've only broken out once since I started this routine!

Lastly, I finish off with a moisturizer that I've mentioned before! The one I have in my original picture is actually the "Clear Complexion" one but the "Positively Radiant" is the moisturizer I use for the summer since it has SPF 15 in it. I'm actually switching so that I use the one with SPF year-round since now I'm outside more frequently walking Starla! The moisturizer covers my entire face and neck with one pump and feels light and smooth once applied. Also for you sensitive skin readers, this is perfect for sensitive skin! My best friend has the most sensitive skin and has broken out with all moisturizers except this one.

Of course, I have my make-up remover in this too! I'm bad and sometimes forget to remove my make-up before bed (I promise I'll be better) and I'm sure I don't need to explain how oil-free make-up removers work to you. Frankly, I find that any brand works the same. 

Do you know any differences to name brand versus generic make-up removers?

Lastly!! I am going on vacation this week to visit my bestie in Nashville so I will be away from this blog for a whole week! I have an amazing group of girls who are helping me out by guest posting starting this Friday. Seriously, there's some amazing content coming so definitely check in with me while I'm gone. I'll still be on social media, so tweet me if you have any recommendations for what I should see or do while I'm in Nashville! Love you guys!

Linking up with Kels, per usual.

Say hello to this month's sponsor, Jasmine:

My Fours

So I saw this first at That's Just Our Lives, but apparently a whole ton of bloggers have been doing this. Anyways, you should know I loved numbered lists and quizzes so I definitely had to give it a whirl.


Four Nicknames I've had 
1. Lanna
2. Lanni
3. Punky (only allowable if you are my parents
4. um...that's it. I don't have a very nickname-able name....

Four movies I've watched more than once
1. A Knight's Tale - I pretty much know every line.
2. The Rebound - It's on Netflix if you haven't seen it and it's hilarious!
3. I Love You, Man.
4. Every Disney movie imaginable.

Four Jobs I've had
1. Shampoo girl at a fancy salon. You would be surprised how well I got tipped!
2. College telemarketer (sorry! I know everyone hated me but it paid well!)
3. Leasing Agent aka every resident's bitch.
4. Meeting Planner.

Hosting a BBQ at your apartment building? Yep, that'll be me grilling your hot dogs in heels and not getting paid enough for this job...

Four Things in my purse
1. Makeup bag
2. Eos lip balm
3. Pepper spray
4. Mints

Four Places I've Lived
1. Toronto, Canada
2. Washington, D.C.
I've only lived two places! Whoops

Four Places I've Visited 
1. San Francisco
2. New Orleans
3. Chicago
4. Bahamas

Four Places on my travel bucket list 
1. San Diego (this November!)
2. Greece
3. Australia
4. Galapagos

Four things I don't eat
1. Mushrooms
2. Olives
3. Veal
4. Any sort of weird animal part....like liver.

Four TV shows I watch
1. The Americans
2. Game of Thrones
3. Girls
4. KUWTK #noshame

4 Cars I've driven
1. Honda Accord
2. Acura TSX
3. Mercedes SLK
4. RX7

4 Things to Look Forward to in 2015
1. Lots of travel this year! Nashville later this week.
2. Growing my blog. It's almost five month's old now and I can't wait to grow it more!
3. This whole summer! It will be the first full summer with Starla and I'm looking forward to taking her out to the District, going to Nats games, living at a condo community that has the biggest pool in my city!
4. There are lots of changes happening in my life as I said in my post last week, but I shall not reveal them all yet!

Hope you all enjoyed! Happy Monday. Also don't forget there is still time to enter my giveaway!


FURminator Dual Brush Giveaway

Have you done your fours yet?

Say hello to this month's sponsor, Jasmine:

Saturday Sessions: Q&A from The Nashvillian + a Giveaway!

Introducing Ash from The Nashvillian!

Describe your blog and when did you start blogging?

The Nashvillian is a lifestyle blog focusing on food, fashion, and fun in Nashville and occasionally other parts of the world. It all began a little over a year ago when I received my first DSLR. I had originally started a photography blog where I would focus on my experience with learning how to use my new camera and other basic photography skills. I grew tired of that pretty quickly and realized I didn't want to focus solely on one subject. I wanted to write about EVERYTHING I love - the things that make me me. And that's how The Nashvillian was born. There's not much I love more than this town and everything it has to offer. Throw in a ton of travel, fashion, and recipe posts on the side, and it's quite the mix. 

What is your favorite part about your blog or blogging in general?

I love everything the blogging community has to offer. Most definitely my favorite part of blogging has been the connections I've made with other bloggers. It's so great to meet up with people who have the same interests and don't think you're weird for taking a million photos of your food! ;-)

What are some of your favorite posts you've written?

For Travel: This is Not My Honeymoon (Part 1) & This is Not My Honeymoon (Part 2), Bed & Breakfasting

For Life: A Day in the Life (in GIFs), It's Raining Treats! Hallelujah!, Kids Say The Darndest Things

For Nashville: A Piece of Chicago in Nashville, Bloggers & Biscuits, Silly Goose & Ice Cream, Sunset Safari

For Recipes: Chocolate Cake of Joy, Spiced Chicken

For Style: Cozy, Yet Stylish...Feet, Cozy In Converse

How long have you been living in Nashville and what is your favorite part about your city?

I've been living in Nashville going on 9 years now! Currently, my favorite thing about Nashville is it's BOOMING food industry. Nashville was very, very small when I first moved here, and there were only a few restaurants in town to get a decent bite to eat. Over the past several years, the restaurant scene has exploded and it seems we are getting a cool, new spot almost weekly! 

If you were to meet any famous person in real life, who would it be and why?

I work in the music industry, so I've met many of my favorite celebrities - both musicians and actors. However, if Jake Gyllenhaal ever walked into my life, I would probably ride off into the sunset with him (sorry hubby!).

Follow along with Ash here: Blog | Bloglovin' | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Facebook

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And a giveaway!

Need some cash to spruce up your spring wardrobe? How about $130 to Anthropologie!? I've partnered with some fantastic ladies to bring you this giveaway. Enter in the rafflecopter below!

Ashley ~ The Nashvillian // Alanna ~ Alanna & Company // Erica ~ Coming Up Roses

Steph ~ Insert Classy Here // Kaelene ~ Unlocking Kiki // Kerri ~ Cheshire Kat

Brooke ~ Brooke Meagan Jones // Alexandria ~ A Modern Girl's Travels // Helene ~ Helene in Between 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Say hello to this month's sponsor, Jasmine:

What Am I Currently Listening To?

So I apologize if you're not a big Indie/Alternative rock fan, because that has been my mood this entire month! 

What Kind of Man by Florence + The Machine

 Crystallized by Young the Giant

Lampshades on Fire by Modest Mouse

Monuments by Smashing Pumpkins

The Perfect Parts by Shakey Graves

Hope you like the suggestions. What have you been listening to recently?

Linking up with a great group of bloggers today!

Say hello to this month's sponsor, Jasmine:

Humpday Confessions

Wow, I haven't confessed in a long time!! Here we go.

I confess...there's a lot of change going on in my life right now and I'm super happy about it. I think I'm ready and willing for it to happen!

I confess...I downloaded the Modest Mouse album which I thought I would be obsessed with and it's just kind of weird. I only like one or two songs from it.

I confess...This might be the first week I achieve my step goal every day! Thanks to Ashley for challenging me!

I confess...that I've been binge watching American Horror Story on Netflix and just finished it. What do I do with my life now?

I confess...that my whole not washing my hair everyday experiment is going pretty well!! 

I confess...that I'm in love with these petite press-on nails. Unfortunately I had a glue accident on Sunday and totally glued my fingers together. So glad it wasn't super glue.

I confess...Part III of my PicMonkey series will be up soon! Do you guys have any questions or tutorials you would like to see for PicMonkey?

What are you guys confessing this week?

Linking up with Melissa and Kels.

Say hello to this month's sponsor, Jasmine:

Anjolee Jewelry

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Anjolee Fine Jewelry. All opinions are 100% mine.

I'm always on the lookout for good jewelry. I love classic jewelry that I can wear on a daily basis. I wear a ring, and my Michael Kors watch every day. 

When Anjolee Diamond Necklaces reached out to me about their products, I was more than excited. They have a great assortment of classic jewelry anywhere from engagement sets to tennis bracelets to earrings. Also, Anjolee manufactures all of their jewelry so they can provide customers with great service, fast delivery, and free shipping! 

They have a crazy amount of customization, which is perfect for me (or any girl..) because I'm super picky. I was able to choose from a huge array of designs and then once I found one that I liked, I could customize even that specific design to my exact liking! Below is how I customized one of their diamond necklaces.

I really loved their diamond studs but like any unmarried girl with a Pinterest account, I stumbled over to their engagement sets to see what sort of inspiration I could get....Woo-hoo! They have some gorgeous sets! You have to go see for yourself.

The best part about it, is that Anjolee is offering a sweepstakes for all my readers! They are offering a 20% off coupon for any order on their website. To enter the sweepstakes, you have create a board on Pinterest with your dream jewelry picks from Anjolee, leave their contact email and tag Anjolee's Pinterest account in order for them to verify the boards and select a winner. If you're a winner they will send you the exclusive 20% off online coupon!

Happy Pinning!

Are you more of a classic jewelry or trendy jewelry type of girl?

Say hello to this month's sponsor, Jasmine:

Puppies are Jerks! Adopt an Older Dog

Since I was a child, I've always had a dog. So when my childhood dog passed away, I have always wanted another companion to keep me company. Having a dog is a true commitment, both financially and time-wise. 

This past year, I finally decided that I was ready for the jump and adopted the most perfect little dog, Starla. She was 3 years old (approximately) when I adopted her and it was the best decision for me. I knew what I wanted, not a puppy, a dog big enough to run with, and a cuddler. 

When I found her listing (you can still see it here), it basically sounded perfect to me. The fact that she gets along with other dogs was a huge perk because I live in such a doggy-dominated community. She was actually found in Texas as a pregnant stray, which I found out later once I got all of her papers. Either her foster home taught her well, or she already knew basic manners. The first night I brought her home, I went to feed her and she sat right down without me having to ask her. She's been a great companion and part of my little family ever since then.

By all means, I am not bashing people who specifically want puppies over older dogs, but I think a lot of older dogs get overlooked for stupid reasons. Here are some top reasons why you should look into adopting an older dog.

What you see is what you get!

You'll know their full-grown size, you (or the rescue group) can tell their temperament. I specifically wanted a dog that was big enough to run with but not too big that she would drag me down the road. So I specifically looked for a 40 lb dog and that's what I found. Puppies can be full of surprises!

They are adaptable and can settle-in quickly.

Of course this really depends on the dog you get, but for me, Starla was used to being in different homes. So when I took her home, she settled in really fast, found her sleeping spot, and was happy to be settled down. Funny note: The first time I left her at my pet sitter's during a vacation, she settled in to my pet sitter's house and was super confused to see me when I picked her up! She thought that was just her new home now. 

Training can be easier.

A lot of older dogs will already know a few tricks. And you can definitely teach an old dog new tricks. Starla picked up on "Stand", "Go back" and "Heel" amazingly fast. 

Less messes, usually.

You won't have a puppy that still needs potty-training, or is in her shoe-destruction stage. Typically, most of these behaviors, your older dog would have grown out of by now.

Adopted older pets are grateful for you.

Somehow, older pets seem to know you gave them a home when no one else would. Many new owners form a close bond very quickly with their senior dog or cat, because the pet shows them a level of attention and devotion that is unique to older adopted pets.

Do you have a pet? Did you adopt or buy from a breeder?

Lastly, for all you pet owners. I'm giving away a FURminator brush, which is amazing during shedding season. The giveaway is open until April 30th to U.S. and Canadian residents!

FURminator Dual Brush Giveaway

Say hello to this month's sponsor, Jasmine:

Saturday Sessions: Q&A from Classy, Sassy, & A Bit Smartassy

Introducing Jasmine from Classy, Sassy, & A Bit Smartassy!

Describe your blog and when did you start blogging?

My blog is a lifestyle blog. I blog about my life, beauty, recipes, blogging tips etc… I started to blog back in 2011 right after my second child was born and I was married. I was a stay at home mom at the time and I was bored at home. So I started to read blogs and decided “well I want to start one” and I did. Then I deleted the blog after I went through my divorce in 2012 and came back to blogging in 2013. 

Why Classy, Sassy, & a Bit Smartassy as your blog name?

Why “Classy, Sassy & A Bit Smartassy” as a blog name? Lol well I love to be classy (at times). I’ve always been told I’m a sassy brunette since I was in high school because I have this strong personality. Smartassy because well… I love to be a smartass at times. Don't judge me lol we all are at times. 

What do you do when you’re not blogging?

When I’m not blogging I’m hanging with my boys and boyfriend. Reading a book, shopping, or just doing anything that I feel like doing at the moment. 

What are some of your favorite posts you've written?

Some of my favorite post that I’ve written are: Blogging Tips for Beginners, Building Confidence, and my Fish Tacos Recipe.

If you were to meet any famous person in real life, who would it be and why?

If I could meet anyone famous in real life it would have to be Nicole Guierriero. I love watching her youtube videos. She’s a beauty vlogger. She inspires me when I’m doing my makeup. 

Follow along with Jasmine here: Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram 

Say hello to this month's sponsor, Jasmine:

15 Signs You're Going Through a Quarter-Life Crisis

Now for those of you who haven't heard of "The Quarter-Life Crisis", have you been living under a rock?! Sorry, no really, a quarter-life crisis is defined by Urban Dictionary as "an age where a lot people start developing a more realistic outlook in life and start feeling that if they haven't accomplished certain things in life they thought they would by then that they may never (Even though this isn't true and they still have a long time to attain their goals and dreams)." 

If you don't get it by now, here are 15 signs that you're going through (or have gone through) a Quarter-Life Crisis.

1. You have so much wanderlust, you've googled "Best Cities to Live Young Professionals to Live" on Forbes at least 10 times this past week. 

2. On that note, you also have been calculating the cost of living index in New York, Los Angeles, Seattle, and Nashville, and how long it would take you to move out there.

3. You are actually figuring out this whole "budgeting" thing. Or not, well at least you're aware that budgeting exists now.

4. Your thoughts on your love life have started to change. Do people actually talk about getting engaged now? Or can I use pronouns like "Us" and "We" now?

5. When your friends announce that they're pregnant, you're supposed to say "Congratulations!" instead of "What are you gonna do?"

6. It's finally not acceptable to eat Ramen or Mac & Cheese for dinner more than once a week. Unless you live alone and there's no one to judge you.

7. You're constantly comparing yourself to friends of your age or what your parents were doing at your age. Wait, you've had how many promotions?

8. All your friends are moving or have moved to other cities. I can Skype you tomorrow at 7 p.m. Eastern time.

9. Realizing that trying to make friends out of high school and college is actually really difficult.

10. But at the same time, finding really amazing friends that don't just use you because you were the "go-to party girl". No, sorry, I don't know the number for that frat boy we met last night...

12. Finding out that your college major really didn't matter. Can you mail merge? Great!

13. Accepting that day drinking, raging, and daily happy hours really are just not acceptable the majority of the time. And frankly, your hangovers just don't allow that sort of crap anymore.

14. Feeling wracked with indecision at every turn. But is this the career I want for the rest of my life? Should I buy this Kate Spade bag, or have grocery money for a month? Do I spell wracked with  a "w" or without?

15. Finally, realizing that this is what life is and after we've worked through our crisis, we've come through with wisdom. I haven't quite arrived at this point yet, so ya'll will need to let me know if this is true. Please tell me it's true!

Happy Friday!

Linking up with some awesome bloggers here. 

Say hello to this month's sponsor, Jasmine:

Guest Bloggers Needed!

Hi readers! So I am going on vacation at the beginning of May and wanted to open this up to all my readers who blog. I am terrible at writing blog posts when I'm away on vacation and need guest bloggers for May 1st-May 6th (maybe a bit longer). So if you are interested, please fill out the below form and I will get back to you by this upcoming Monday! Thank you lovelies.





Have a happy Thursday!


Say hello to this month's sponsor, Jasmine:

How Weight Watchers Changed my Life

Happy Humpday! I actually posted did a guest post a week ago at Chits and Giggles, but I thought I should share this with my readers too!

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Didn't you know it was rude to ask a woman her weight? Well, I just saved you from rudeness because I'm just gonna go ahead and talk about it here! No one likes to admit it, but the freshman 15 (or 40) is real! When I started college I was a tiny 110 lbs and I ate absolutely whatever I wanted. They aren't joking when they say all that eating is gong to catch up to you someday. That someday was mid-way through my junior year of college. Super stressed with my upper-level classes, a not-so-pretty breakup, and being the vice-president of my sorority, I would indulge myself with an entire bag of sour patch kids every study session. And by entire bag of sour patch kids, I mean the big one...that's meant to be shared. I didn't even notice when my I needed to buy new clothes to fit myself until the end of my junior year. Something needed to change! 

My mom has been in Weight Watchers for as long as I can remember, and she's a lifetime member which means she achieved her goal weight and can participate in all the meetings and programs without paying a dime. So I gave it a try and it seriously has changed my life. 

Without digging too deep into the program, I'll highlight my favorite parts about WW.

I didn't need restrict eating certain things.

Yes, you read that right. I could still eat pizza, I could still drink sodas, I can still have carbs. The only caveat here is that you need to watch how it pertains to the rest of your day. For example, I could definitely eat a slice of pizza but then I would have to figure out what else I would eat for the rest of the day. Eventually (and without making me feel deprived of certain foods) I just started deciding that it wasn't worth it to have that pizza and eat veggies the rest of the day. Also, if you have a "cheat day," which I think everyone should, you have extra flex points for the week accounted for. 

It taught me how to meal plan.

As you know, I'm a big foodie. I love to go out to restaurants and I love my wine. So if I knew I was going to go out to a restaurant, I would plan ahead to see what they have on their menu, how many PointsPlus that entree was, and how much a glass of wine with dinner would be. They also make it easy because so many restaurants are on their app and website. You could just type in "Ruby Tuesdays" and most of their menu would already be on there without needing to calculate the PointsPlus values. The only app I found that is just as good (or maybe a bit better) is My Fitness Pal. 

It motivated me to be active.

Do you realize how much more you can eat when you workout?! I guess I shouldn't be thinking that way, but seriously, it's amazing! Your activities points can really rack up. Nothing is more motivating (at least to me) than being able not feel guilty about having that glass of wine with dinner. 

It taught me how to be healthier in general. 

Right now, I'm not on WW. I actually haven't been on it for about two years now. I've kept off every single pound that I lost when I was on the program and continue to use their techniques that they taught me every day. My favorite is their handy (no pun intended) quick measurement guide.

I'm always striving to be healthier and to make sure I'm treating my body right. I'm not saying I'm 100% where I want to be (probably because I'm a perfectionist) but I'm pretty damn proud and happy of where I'm at now. 

And just for the sake of it. Here's a before, middle, and after. It's swear when I gain weight it's all in the face.

Linking up here: Humpday Confessions & Secret Blogger Club

Say Hello to this month's sponsor, Jasmine:

Meet & Greet Blog Hop Tuesday + a Giveaway!

Happy Tuesday!

Today I'm guest posting over at Ashley's blog, That Southern Mama, so go check it out!

We are super happy on how our blog hop is growing and how many bloggers linked up last week. We are so thankful for you guys being part of it. 

Because of how rapidly the blog hop is growing we will have two cohost each week.

This week we have two new co-hosts. 

Alanna from "Alanna & Company"
Andrea from "Each Lovely Thing"

If you're new to blogging come join our group! Great way to meet other bloggers, be part of comment threads, discussions, and getting to know other bloggers. Join here.

Rules of the Blog Hop

1. FOLLOW YOUR HOST(S)/COHOST(S) - via GFC or Bloglovin.

2. SUBMIT YOUR LINK.

3. MINGLE WITH OTHER BLOGGERS.

4. TWEET TWEET TWEET!

Tweet

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Also, don't forget about the giveaway that I'm hosting! Enter now.

Meagan at All the Joys || Alanna at Alanna & Company || Lindsay at Bourbon, Lipstick & Stilettos || Chelsea at The New Wifestyle || Kerri at Hey Kerri Blog a Rafflecopter giveaway

Say hello to this month's sponsor, Jasmine: