Recipes for Healthy Skin~

Hello Ladies! So yesterday, I was conflicted and didn't know what today's topic would be and now that I'm at school...all I can think about is food...so to help me feel like I've achieved total satisfaction without eating, I will show you all some great recipes that'll help your skin and are just healthy in general!And so, Let's Get Started!

Recipe #1: Carrot-Mango Smoothie

What a refreshing drink for the summer heat!

They say you can use this recipe as a breakfast alternative. I, personally, would probably drink it anytime of the day. I'm a huge smoothie person. If I could have a smoothie every minute of the day, I'd die happy. But this recipe is packed with vitamins and protein that are great for you and your skin.

So first off, you want 1/2 cup of carrot juice, 1/4 cup of frozen/fresh mango chunks, and 1/4 cup of ice cubes. Just put it all in a blender and you're done. It's easy and simple and healthy!! Here is the link for more information by the way! Carrot-Mango Smoothie Recipe

Recipe #2: Grilled Samon with Tomatoes and Basil

This looks amazingly delicious and simple. Not too filling, yet satisfying.

I love fish. They have omega 3s which help reduce inflammation in our body including our skin. So this is definitely a plus with this recipe! Plus tomatoes are great for your skin also. I hope you don't mind me changing the layout for this recipe...it's a tad long.

Ingredients:

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 whole wild salmon fillet (also called a “side of salmon,” about 1 1/2 pounds; see Tips)
1/3 cup plus 1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil, divided
2 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Preparation:

First things first, preheat your grill to medium. You want to be able to cook your food immediately after preparing it. Mash the minced garlic a 3/4 teaspoon of salt until it forms a paste. Then, put in a bowl and stir it with oil. Remove all bones that are still in the salmon. Then measure out a a piece of heavy duty foil and coat it with cooking spray! Place the salmon with the skin side faced downwards, then rub it with the garlic mixture. Sprinkle 1/3 cup of basil over the salmon then place those lovely tomato slices on top with 1/4 teaspoon of salt and pepper. Put that fish on a grill and leave it for 10-12 minutes. Once it's done, top it off with the rest of the basil and you're good to go. For more information, here's a link: Grilled Salmon with Tomato and Basil Recipe

Recipe #3: Papaya Smoothie

Yes, it features Bubzbeauty. But this recipe is so simple and as I said before I absolutely love smoothies.

The ingredients and instructions are all within the video, but they do have a website: SortedFood.com

I am actually in the process of trying this smoothie recipe because I love sweet fruits and raspberry and papaya just sound amazing, especially for the summer. I hope you guys enjoy it also.

Well, I think 3 is enough...plus the website I've given you also include more recipes that are great for your skin. I wish I could post them all, but this post would be obnoxiously long and I don't want to make you guys suffer! So please enjoy and let me know your results! I hope you all have a wonderful day and take care!

Thanks for reading~! <3

With love,

 Taylor Rae

Hmm, it's a tad late..

Good evening! It's a bit late to be posting, I would normally think..but I got some rest today since all I do is work and go to school now. It's so exhausting, but I think I can manage by having one day of rest and relaxation..right? I slept in this morning, which felt..beautiful. My face was nice and bright, I felt a little better. And I also managed to get my boyfriend's college graduation gift. He is so excited for his gift. I think he's also excited of getting the heck out of school. But, I wanted to get him a gift to let him know how proud I am of him and that I am always cheering for him! I can't wait to see his face...even though he knows what he's getting..but, that's besides the point.

A picture from our vacation in June. One of my favorites~!

Anyways, I am deciding on what to post tomorrow: a "what not to do with your make up" post or "my favorite healthy recipes" post...it'll definitely depend on my mood, because I am very tired once I get out of my 2nd class. I keep hearing that leaving your make up in your purse is bad...but I also have an addiction to healthy food...this will be difficult.
I'm also thinking about dying my hair. But, I don't know if I should wait because I got a wave perm a little less than a month ago. I may just wait a little bit, let my hair a least recover from the harsh perm and talk to the woman who does my hair. She'll know what's best, haha...I hope.
Ahh, so much stuff going on! I'm starting to realize how badly the real world sucks. So, I am trying to get a new car. One with better gas mileage and is easier to maneuver. Well, my dad contacted our bank and they'll only loan me like $8000 at most. UHHHH, the car I found that is the cheapest yet best bet for me (and the safest because where I live is a death trap waiting to happen) is close to $9000. I have no clue what I am going to do for that extra money. It's a scary thought. But there is a scripture for my situation (actually there are tons...but this one caught my eye)!
"If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures." - Job 36:11
So I'mma just pray that this money situation will be handled and I can still afford everything I need and more, because God places things upon us in abundance.
I'm going to go apply for my loan. Get it approved. Go to the dealership and let God do the rest. I know he's got me!
As for now, I'mma go to bed and get more sleep than I did Sunday night. I hope you all have a wonderful rest of your week and take care!!
Thanks for reading~! <3
With love,
Taylor Rae

Exhausted and Huge Cravings!

Hey everyone. It is one of those days for me. I am so tired. I am so hungry. My tummy feels like it is going to shrivel up and die in a matter of seconds. Wanna hear the funny part, I made myself lunch today. Grapes and rice and furikake. IT DID NOT HELP. I am starting to have these terrible cravings for anything that has red bean paste in it. Like a red bean paste doughnut...or mochi. I need to go to Annandale. But, there is a Wegman's right by my school. They sell mochi. MUAHAHA! But, I am currently on a budget until September 22nd or whenever I get another car.

Mmm, this baby needs to get in my stomach like now!

(P.S. this is a red bean doughnut.)

I really wanna sleep though. I have been so incredibly sleepy this past week. I think it's my body trying to adjust to my busy schedule. I work pretty much every day I am not in school minus Tuesday. I am used to having 3-4 days off a week. But now, I'm in school Monday, Wednesday, and even Saturday..what have I gotten myself into? I can't wait for December. :) December 1st, I am hoping that me and my boyfriend can head up to Annandale and Tyson's Corner mall just to spend some time together that isn't constrained by time and what not. It would be nice just to relax, go out to a nice dinner, and do some shopping and then come home and take a nap. Oh, how simple I am. I am just excited. I see my boyfriend often, don't get me wrong. But normally he has work or we both have work or we have school. It's just a lot of things, haha. Plus, I want take him to this wonderful Korean restaurant that has amazing kimchi and just amazing food in general. Bahhh, food. I'm so hungry~!!!
Thanks for reading~! <3
With love,
Taylor Rae
(Well that abrupt..sorry!)

How to Take Care of Dark Circles!

Hello again ladies! Tonight, I wanna talk about dark circles. Yes, the ones under your eyes. Many people have dark circles (including me) and they aren't easy to get rid of. So, I'm here to tell ya how you get dark circles and possible ways to get rid of them! I have such a hard time with my dark circles. I try to get enough sleep and water in my diet, but they are so persistent! Ugh..

So, first and foremost is identifying the problem! There are many ways you can get dark circles and they can be categorized into two groups: "common" and "severe". No, dark circles won't kill you, but if the reasons are categorized under "severe" you dark circles are not easily treatable! So, let's start!
Three common reasons for dark circles:
1. Constantly rubbing your eyes. I have this problem during the spring and summer when the pollen levels are high. My eyes will itch and itch or they will water like Niagara Falls. They do have over-the-counter eye drops for this problem though! I had to buy some because the spring was terrible!
2. The amount of sleep you get. Ladies, try to get at least 8 hours of sleep! Your body can repair the broken capillaries much easier when it's had proper rest!
3. Your diet. If you have a lot of sodium in your diet and not enough water, your dark circles are gonna be persistent like crazy. Be sure to drink 8 glasses of water a day and eat healthy! Be sure to decrease your sodium intake!
Three severe reasons for dark circles:
1. Aging. The older we get, the more visible our blood vessels under our eyes get because the skin thins as we age. Be sure to use proper anti-aging measures!!!
2. It's a genetic trait. One of your family members may carry a trait for dark circles. Unfortunately ladies, you can't treat this one. But, the sooner you learn if you have the trait, the sooner you can get anti-aging eye treatment to help soothe the possible bags under your eyes!
3. You've got a certain bone structure and/or fair skin. If your bone structure in your face includes deep set eyes, then gravity and fluid retention are more than likely going to pull blood to the bottom of your eyes creating dark circles. Also, fair skin will make it much more obvious.
As you can see ladies, it's the little things that can cause dark circles to appear! So, how do we treat it? Well there are certain products dedicated to treating dark circles, but there are also home remedies that I personally like because it's cheaper and it's a little more fun for me to make the remedy than to go out and buy some plastic tube. Just sayin'.

There are many different home remedies that will help treat your dark circles! I personally love Bubzbeauty and how she attacks her dark circles. No remedy necessary. Just cleansing clothes and and ice pop?



And now, here are some remedies and links that will help you with your dark circles!
TA-DA!
So one remedy I heard is make green tea with two tea bags, and while the bags are still hot/warm, let them rest on the eyes for 15-20 minutes! So simple..
Natural-homeremedies.com has wonderful little tips and remedies you can try! I personally want to try the crushed almond and milk paste!
This video has a pretty simple recipe and is detailed that it's easy to follow! I may try this in the future~!
I keep seeing remedies featuring almond oil, it's crazy. Apparently, almonds are a brilliant skin food. They exfoliate and tighten the skin around your eyes. So try rubbing almond oil underneath your eyes every night for a week or two and see if there is a difference! Also, rose water is a plus too since it rejuvenates the skin!
Well this is a pretty big post, but that is all I have for now ladies. I hope this helps in one way or another for your dark circles! I'd love to hear your stories on any of the remedies~!! I hope you all have a blessed week and pray for the victims of Hurricane Irene! Take care!
Thanks for reading~! <3
With love,
Taylor Rae

5.9 Earthquake and now Hurricane Irene? I need a nap..

It's been a wierd week, I must say. Tuesday afternoon, there was an earthquake...in Virginia of all places! I was taking a nap at my boyfriend's house while he was watching tv and then I heard something rumbling...a loud noise. I woke up and I saw the floor shaking. I had no clue what it was, then, out of the corner of my eye, something fell and I told my boyfriend we had to get out. A couple seconds after we got outside, the shaking stopped. Everyone in his neighborhood was outside. I could hear them say "earthquake". Honestly, despite having lived in California, I have never in my life felt an earthquake before. My boyfriend said I overreacted, I guess maybe, but I didn't expect Virginia to have earthquakes! After we went back inside, I texted my family to make sure they were okay since we live closer to epicenter. They were fine (All thanks to God). My mom said that a lot of stuff broke however including glass. She said that something broke in my room and that she was going to check once she cleaned downstairs. Fortunately, my room wasn't too bad. My Winnie the Pooh Hunny Jar stir stick broke and two glasses me and my boyfriend bought for sometime in the future broke and shattered all over my closet. Everything else was just tossed around. People seemed to be freaking out though on facebook..but I think Japan had it far worse.

My room after the earthquake..my poor video games.

And now, there is a hurricane heading north towards Virginia. Wooo. Apparently I still have class and I still have work. I really don't want to go to work this weekend. I just want to sleep, haha. Sometimes, I feel so lazy. But, I could really use the money since I have to travel 45 minutes to an hour just to get to school. And let me be the first to tell you, gas is far from cheap when you drive a Nissan Pathfinder. But, I digress. I really want to talk about a scripture today. I've been listening to gospel music today and one song really kinda...hit me. "Hide Me' by Kirk Franklin. So I went searching for scriptures. I know. I'm wierd, I believe I established this first hand, haha. I found a couple that really hit me!

"You are my hiding place; You shall preserve me from trouble; You shall surround me with songs of deliverance." - Psalms 32:7

"For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. O LORD of hosts, blessed is the man that trusts in thee." - Psalms 84:11-12

I wasn't always a Chrstian. I didn't always believe in God. For 17 years of my life, I was an Atheist. I will never forget the feelings I had experienced during those years, however. I felt so insecure. I didn't feel protected. I felt that those who had hurt me, or did me wrong were let loose and never convicted. I felt I was never safe. But, as I started going to church and reading the bible, I felt a heavy presence starting to appear in my life. I started accepting my past and forgiving. I felt safe. There are still times where I feel vulnerable. But, once I read a protection scripture, I feel like nothing can get me or stop me. I am thankful for every day God has provided me protection.

I hope all you wonderful readers have a a great week! For everyone in the path of Hurricane Irene, be sure to pray for protection! Hopefully there won't be much damage..
Thank you for reading! <3
With love,
Taylor Rae

Green Tea for Beauty

Hello there ladies! If I could use one ingredient for all my skin care and hair care products, it would always be Green Tea. My favorite facial scrub has Green Tea in it and it has done wonders. I still break out here and there, but my acne is under more control than it was when I was using harsh products like ProActive. Plus, my skin is so sensitive, I was in search of something that would reduce how red my face can get and help fight my acne at the same time. (Just incase you're wondering, I use St.Ives Green Tea Facial Scrub). Also, I love the taste of green tea/matcha. I love matcha smoothies, matcha ice cream, even matcha mochi. I did some research as I kept hearing about all these benefits from just drinking green tea and using green tea products. It's amazing. And, I wanna talk about them.

So, let's start with some background on green tea (thank goodness for wikipedia). Green tea originates from China and has spread throughout the world ever since. (That was short.) Green tea is rich in anti-oxidants and other lovely little gifts. I was reading so many articles and blogs talking about how green tea helps lose weight. So I decided that I was going to look up how this process works because, honestly, I was skeptical. Apparently, green tea can provide us with more energy with minus the caffine PLUS it flushes out all the nasty toxins and gross stuff from your body allowing you to burn more calories. I think this is one of the healthiest ways to lose weight if you don't want to do those stupid crazy diet plans.
Recently, I have been looking for star fruit...why? To whiten my teeth. I can brush brush brush for almost 10 minutes and my teeth still don't look any different. I watched a bubzbeauty video and heard her talking about star fruit and whitening teeth and I was like "Ohhh, that is beautiful. None of those gross strips, just something you can eat. I will enjoy that." But, I can't find star fruit anywhere! Not even where I work. So, when I read that green tea helps whiten teeth, you can imagine the smile on my face. Green tea is already packed with fluoride which whitens your teeth if you drink it! How easy is that?
Last, but not least, Green tea is FILLED with anti-oxidants much stronger than vitamin A and vitamin C! I've read (from a couple different websites) that with 3 cups a day, you can reduce your symptoms for eczema. Also, green tea reduces redness and is used in many anti-aging formulas. The powerful anti-oxidants fight again free radicals which cause our skin to break out and will also boost and balance hormone levels.
On a none beauty note, however, green tea also helps with allergies. This is great for me. I have terrible allergies when it's pollen season. Green tea has EGCG (Methylated epigallocatechin gallate...I can't even pronounce it..) which blocks receptors of an allergic response and can help with watery eyes and sneezing (my worse symptoms).
So ladies, I hope this was helpful~! I am still in the middle of fixing up my blog so please bare with me~!
Thanks so much~! <3
With love,
Taylor Rae

Brand new blog, Brand new goals, Brand new...everything?

Hey everyone! Surprise, Surprise. I have a new blog. Honestly, I was a little hesitant to start this blog. Why? Because. I'm a little boring at times and I sometimes drag on about something so ridiculous. But, I really want to use this blog to my advantage. To share my journey with my clothing line and it's development, to share some tips on health and beauty (sorry ladies, I'm no make up guru...my skin is too sensitive...), and just different things like Christian life/living as a female and different tips on situations. I can't wait to see how the blog grows, how my clothing grows, and just how everything will develop. I am truly excited!!! So if you any comments, ideas, and encouragement, please feel free to leave a comment below! I am learning how to design my blog also, so if you could bare with me for a little while as I try to make it as attractive as I can, I'd truly appreciate it. :)

Anyways, today is my first day of college. Well, community college..I had 2 classes this morning and I love them. It sounds so geeky, but I love accounting. I could do accounting all day. Not online accounting though...but full on paper accounting. Oh lord, I am such a huge nerd. T_T But, I feel like this class is going to be...easier than I had expected. It sounds like everything I learned when I took my accounting classes in high school. So much for that...But, I must admit, I am freakin' nervous for my english, math, and physical fitness class. I am not..."in shape" to say the least so of course I am nervous for my fitness class...plus I completely suck at anything math that isn't algebra (I didn't make it past geometry on my placement tests..) I've never been fond of geometry...or trig. Both scare me to death. So right now, I am praying that my teacher will have patience with me and will accept the fact that I such at math. Point blank. Haha. Anyways, I feel like I randomly went from introducing my blog to my first day of college...ALL WITHOUT INTRODUCING YOU TO ME. :)

Meet: Taylor Rae

Haha, epic waterworks behind me.

My name is Taylor Rae. Yes, that is my full first name.

I am 18 years old and currently a college student.

My goal is to become a Proverbs 31 woman, successfully completing college and my clothing line, and just living life to the fullest.

I have an addiction to food, polka dots, anything pink, anything Hello Kitty, Snoopy, Strawberries, Fashion pictures, and...Spongebob Squarepants (I even have a Spongebob snuggie..)

My favorite food is strawberry shortcake, kimchi, rice with furikake, and LASAGNA.

My favorite clothing brand is Forever21 (They always put John 3:16 on their bags).

I am wierd. Well, beyond wierd actually. I am clumsy. I am simple. I am a huge dork. But most of all, I am hungry. All the time.

I have a wonderful boyfriend too. He's my complete opposite, but I think that's how we really compliment eachother. I'm goofy, simple, sensitive, and lacks common sense, while he's a bit more logical, a wee bit more serious, and confident.

I love him and thank God for his presence in my life every day. :)

Anyways, thank you all for reading~! I really hope that you all will enjoy my posts~! Here are some ideas I have for future posts!

1. Random Posts about Life.

2. Random Scripture Posts.

3. Random "How to Deal with..." Posts.

4. And maybe some tips on health and beauty subjects.

Thanks again~!!! <3

With love,

 Taylor Rae