It’s Your Birthday! Enjoy a Free Birthday Gift From Sephora

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Birthdays…Another year around the sun…another year to celebrate your BAD self! I never understand when people don’t want to celebrate getting older. I like to look at it like this… yasss babe look at everything you have accomplished, and look at you go with your wise, old self. I believe in birthday months and take joy in all the perks from free workout classes, to cupcakes, and even a free teeth cleaning my dentist! Let’s be honest I really look forward to my free birthday gift from the Sephora Beauty Insider birthday program.

If you are a Sephora Beauty Insider member (trust me you should be) and it is your birthday month you get to choose a free, complimentary birthday gift! This month you can pick between the Kat Von D mini set, filled with line’s best selling items like her tattoo liner, setting powder, and high pigmented creme lipsticks or try the Drunk Elephant mini set that includes the Beste Jelly Cleanser and Protini Polypeptide cream.

If you are a VIB or Rouge member in the Sephora Beauty Insider program, you get even more perks! On top of the Kat Von D and Drunk Elephant mini sets you also have the choice of adding 250 bonus points to spend on anything you like from the Rewards Bazaar OR you can choose the surprise online-only mini set option. Sephora just revealed that its new surprise gift is a Jo Malone mini set (these online options are available only for a limited so run…don’t walk to Sephora)!

So naturally since I spend large amounts of time stalking beauty and skin care items at Sephora I am a VIB. So during March, my birthday month, I got to choose one item from these three mini sets: Kat Von D, Drunk Elephant, and Jo Malone, or the choice of receiving 250 bonus points.

I was thrilled about the Kat Von D mini set, because it has three items to try! I used the translucent setting powder to hold my makeup in place, gave myself a winged eye in under 3 minutes with the tattoo liner (which I should get a gold medal for), and completed my look the Lolita Studded Kiss creme lipstick. I had never used any Kat Von D products before and I loved the rich pigments and long lasting wear!

I’ve always heard about Drunk Elephant products from my dermatology patients at work. They are always a big hit due to the fact that their products never contain the “Suspicious 6”. Meaning all items are free of essential oils, drying alcohols, silicones, chemical screens, fragrances/dyes and SLS. The Beste Jelly Cleanser and Protini Polypeptide Cream left my skin feeling glowing and hydrated. If you have dry, sensitive skin you will love this mini set.

Lastly, I have always been a huge fan of Jo Malone perfume. This mini set came with the Peony & Blush Suede fragrance. It is perfect for spring time with its light and airy notes made of red apple, rose and jasmine. I am always really picky when it comes to perfumes, but this one was a hit.

Not a member of Sephora Beauty Insider program yet?? What are you waiting for!? Go enjoy some serious perks and pamper yourself during your birthday month! Sign up in store or online at Sephora.com/Rewards !

5 MOMS RECREATE ICONIC OSCARS RED CARPET LOOKS WITH THEIR KIDS

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With the awards season coming to an end, the upcoming Academy Awards on Sunday will be a day filled with Old Hollywood style glitz and glamour. Celebrities will flock to the Oscars red carpet with the intention to dress to impress and I am here for it. I am also here for the women of Hollywood who use their voice to fight for equal pay, for the inclusion of more female and ethnic employment on film sets, and to support the survivors of sexual abuse, harassment, and assault. That just got deep quick…but hang in there it gets really cute in a minute.  We wanted to honor some of these courageous babes by recreating some of their most beautiful red carpet looks with our children.
So together 5 Moms took on the task of recreating iconic looks from the past Academy Awards with their kids. This goes beyond the usual twinning pics we all see all over Instagram because each look was chosen for a specific reason. Scroll down to see why!
1. JLO
“I never saw anything resemble my South Asian attire when I was growing up, so when JLo graced the Oscars red carpet in 2003 in this vintage Valentino, I felt a sense of familiarity and pride that my heritage was somehow being acknowledged through this sari-inspired gown.”- Ami Desai, Beauty & Lifestyle Expert and Mother of 2 
2. Gwyneth Paltrow
“I chose Gwyneth’s iconic pink Raplh Lauren dress in which she claimed the Oscar for her 1998 role in Shakespeare in Love. Not only did she look like a walking fairy tale, but she also speaks up for what she believes in, like equal pay. It’s important for me to teach my daughter the same values. Life is not always going to be inclusive, easy, or fair. I want my daughter to know that if she works hard she can achieve her dreams, Yet, as women we can stand in support of one another and cheer each other on to the finish line. Also what better way to life lessons than through fun and fashion.” –Abigail Ochse, Founder of The Chic Mamas and Mother of 3
3. Halle Berry
“For me, the Oscars are defined by these emotional speeches, historic wins and iconic fashion moments. In 2002, Halle Berry hit all 3 and I’ll never forget that moment. I had to recreate it with my 3 year old daughter!” –Orly Shani, DIY expert and Mother of 2
4. Angelina Jolie
“The oscars are able to capture glamour, talent and reward all in one night, and what an amazing message to send to my daughters. Focus on your dreams, bust your butt and be glamorous & classy while doing it!” –Pamelyn Rocco, Owner of Bashery & Co and Mother of 2
5. Jennifer Aniston
“Jennifer Aniston is such a role model and my all time favorite celebrity. From being the boss lady that she is to overcoming so much in her personal life, I truly admire how she handles herself with such grace. I think it’s important to not only teach our daughters, but our sons the importance of pursuing your dreams no matter what life throws at you.”
Mel Baltierrez, Founder of Mel Rod Style and Mother of 1
The Inspiration: Vanity Fair Hollywood Editions by Annie Leibovitz
When this vision came to mind, I immediately called Ami Desai… we threw it together in two weeks and it was worth every minute of research, recreating 5 looks for Moms and kiddos,  running around down town for fabric, pinning together make shift dresses,  and the bribing to get all the children to look at the camera! We pulled it off and I could not be more proud of the finished product.
A huge thank you to this amazing team:
Photography: Dexter Carrington 
Styling: Jordan Maiava
Pamelyn’s Dress: Mimi Tran Designs

3 No Cook, Healthy Recipes In Under 10 Minutes

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We are well into 2019 and I’m keeping on track with my intentions for this year. One of them involves eating with intention rather than dieting or depriving myself of certain foods. I was turned onto this subject by a fellow blogger and love the concept it creates around the relationship we have with eating. It teaches you to eat with a balanced mindset and to view your food as a way to fuel your body and mind so that you are the healthiest, best version of yourself.

I partnered with Farmer John to bring you three simple, no cook recipes are that healthy lunch choices and ready in under 10 minutes! I usually find these quick recipes on Pinterest and then tweak them to add in my own ingredients and foods that my family will enjoy. I chose to use Farmer John Lunchmeat  since it is packed with protein and delicious flavor. You can substitute any of their lunch meats for the original ham that I used below, like their Smoked Ham or Black Forest Ham for a bigger flavor.

Farmer John products are available at local grocery stores including Smart & Final, Stater Brothers, Albertsons, Ralphs,  Northgate and my second home, Target. If you’re looking for a family-friendly weekend activity, join Farmer John on Sunday, February 17th at the 41st Annual L.A. Chinatown Firecracker Run/Walk & Kiddie Run. It is an event held to promote health, fitness and cultural awareness in the greater Los Angeles community. Farmer John will be serving up their delicious new breakfast sausage links at the finish line. For more information and to register, visit Firecracker10k.org.

 

Recipe: Ham Cucumber Rolls

Ingredients:

Farmer John Classic Ham

1 Large Cucumber

Pesto (or you can use hummus, ranch, etc.)

Cheese of choice

Spinach

Carrot Strips

Red Bell Pepper

Salt and Pepper

  1. Peel thin strips of cucumber with a vegetable peeler. The strips need to be thick enough to hold the fixings in the middle of the roll, but you need to ensure they are thin enough to roll.
  2. Lay strips out on wax paper and spread pesto over each one (you can also substitute pesto for hummus, or mustard).
  3. Layer cheese, spinach, carrot strips and bell peppers over each cucumber slice.
  4. Top with Farmer John ham slices.
  5. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
  6. Roll each cucumber slice and secure with a toothpick (depending on the thickness of the roll, you may need more than one or two toothpicks to secure them.)
  7. Enjoy!

Recipe: Ham Chopped Salad

Ingredients:

Farmer John Classic Ham

Iceberg Lettuce

Grape Tomatoes

Hard Boiled Egg

Avocado

Red Onion

Dressing:

Lemon Juice

Olive Oil

  1. Rinse lettuce and finely chop lettuce leaves
  2. Roll 4-5 Farmer John ham slices and cut into 2 inch sections.
  3. Dice grape tomatoes, hard boiled egg, avocado and red onion.
  4. Fill salad bowl with lettuce.
  5. Layer each topping side by side.
  6. Mix together 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice with 1/4 cup olive oil to make a healthy salad dressing.
  7. Enjoy!

Recipe: Ham Kabob Sticks

Ingredients:

Farmer John Classic Ham t

Iceberg Lettuce

Grape Tomato

Green Olives

Persian Cucumber

Cheese cubes

Wooden Kabob Sticks or Large Toothpicks

  1. Roll Farmer John ham slices and cut into 2 inch sections.
  2. Cut lettuce into small sections.
  3. Thread ham sections onto wooden stick, followed by cheese, lettuce and other vegetables in an alternating fashion.
  4. Enjoy!

For more product information and recipe inspiration, visit www.FarmerJohn.com.