Monday, January 31, 2011

Skin is In!

...Healthy skin that is. A trip to Stacia Wilson Skincare can do just that for you!


(Image from staciawilsonskincare.net)

I had the fortunate pleasure to visit Stacia Wilson Skincare in Mahtomedi (East Metro) last week. First of all, I've never had a facial before so I have been wanting to schedule one for quite some time. I chose to go here because I drove by it and the french doors and cute awning caught my attention. So naturally  I had to find out more about it and Google searched and Facebook creeped as soon as I got home. I loved the website and the price was a STEAL! I got a progressive peel for $95! And what's an added bargain is that she does not accept gratuities so you can save on the tip... even though I feel bad not tipping because she definitely deserved it!!

Alright let me give you a quick run-down of my visit... As I walked in the front doors, the pink walls full of  products and Stacia's smiling face was there to greet me. Super girly inside but not "I want to gag, this is too much", it was more of an elegant, feminine atmosphere. Once I was directed into the room, she allowed me time to unwind and lay in the warm spa bed. She performs all of her own services, which I think is cool, and then chats with you before hand about all your skin issues. Once she was finished, I asked if she could write down a skin regimen with products that she recommends for my skin and she was more than willing! I really appreciated how she wasn't criticizing about my skin or pushy about buying products. She made the whole experience very enjoyable and most important, relaxing!

I was expecting a typical facial with masks and massaging but this was more of a treatment. I guess I should have expected that since I was getting a peel, ha!, but nonetheless it was a learning experience. She guided me through the whole time informing me what she was doing so I learned a lot about what products to use and not use and helpful skincare tips. Four days later, I have not broken out, pores are smaller, and my skin is glowing. Thank you Stacia!

This spa definitely gets think in pink's gold star!

Please visit her website and Facebook page to learn more about her and her services and to book your appointment! You won't regret it.

Here are a few pics from her website to give you a sneak peek..


Front door


Spa Room


Front waiting room where all products and cash wrap is located.
(All images from staciawilsonskincare.net)

Happy Monday and enjoy your last day of January! Tomorrow starts my favorite month of the year- February, where all things pink is acceptable! :)

xoxo 

m

Saturday, January 29, 2011

***Under Construction***



As you can see I have some new things going on here at think in pink! I got some new ideas about what else I wanted to add to the page so I added some new tabs where I will display them.  But as you can see the tabs are empty when you click on them right now. It'll take a little time yet to get everything up and going. But stay tuned please!!!!

Just a heads up- keep your eye out for a new post about Stacia Wilson Skincare. I got a facial the other day and I can't wait to share my experience!

Have a great weekend!

xoxo

m

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

eXtra, eXtra, read all about it!


Quick update:

I have added a "Book List" space for my blog..To the left, to the left! I feel that I have already talked about a large handful of books so far in the short time I've had this blog and will only be looking into reading more. SO I thought why not group the books I recommend to you in one easy-access list. It is very handy too because when you click on the books you are linked to Amazon.com to buy it! :) Easy does it!

Now I have even more reason to throw my money at Amazon and purchase more books! Just don't tell my mom that...wait...she reads this...uh oh. ;)

Happy Reading!!!

xoxo

m

Sunday, January 23, 2011

crazySEXYlife & Renpure Organics

I have had a busy yet fulfilling past week and I have 2 things that I found that I want to share with you. Well, actually 3 things I have to share with you!

1. I started school this week and I am very excited about my classes this semester. As you know this is my second to last semester which is exciting in itself but I have some pretty rockin' classes with some pretty rockin' professors which I hope will make the semester enjoyable! I am enrolled in:

- Principles of Marketing
- Intro. to Communication Theory
- Nonverbal Communication
- Communication in Human Organizations
-Media Literacy: Decoding Messages in the Media

For once I love ALL my classes and ALL my professors (so far at least). I think I will learn so much that will help me with my internships, getting a job, and just in life! I loved what my Marketing prof said on the first day of class. He was talking about what the class is good for and life in general. His words in a nutshell- 
"You will fail in your life, probably multiple times, but the important thing to remember is what you learn from the experience to take to the next in order to succeed."
I just think this is so good for us college kids, or anyone really,  to remember as we embark on new experiences and try to figure out what are places are in our lives. Remember that...

2. I have tried a great new brand of INEXPENSIVE hair care products that are organic. So you can feel good about your wallet, your hair, and your environment. It is called Renpure Organics. The line can be found at your local drugstores and grocery stores and even now online. I tried two of the following products:
Amazing Miracle. No really it is. I tried a sample of this and definitely want to get the bottle of it!!! Never have I tried a deep conditioner that left my hair not only soft but full of volume! And believe me I LOVE volume. The sample at Walgreens was only about $2 but the bottle is only $6.99. Amazing! Go get it. I mean it. 

I also tried this hairspray. Not too stoked about it but I haven't tried the other hairsprays yet. This is the Instant Finish Hold Spray so perhaps I shall try the other ones before I rule this out as my hairspray. Though it is organic and only about $8, give or take a few, I wasn't impressed. Didn't smell too great and left my hair too sticky BUT I still want to give the other ones a try. As well as the shampoos and conditioners. So should you!

3. I have a new obsession and her name is  Kris Carr and her Crazy Sexy Life

( Image complements of crazysexylife.com)

This woman is wonderful, beautiful, inspiring, healthy, fresh, goofy, lovely, strong, smart, hilarious, captivating, educating, crazy sexy and  well there are just not enough adjectives to explain! I can't exactly remember how I found her but I'm sure glad I did. She is a best-selling author, motivational speaker, and wellness coach. Follow her on Twitter, like her on Facebook, visit her website/blog regularly, watch her vlogs! I think  everybody can benefit from her nuggets of wisdom. Her latest book is: 
I CANNOT WAIT to get this book, off of Amazon of course ;) (seriously, I should get a rewards card or something with amazon!). I should wait to finish reading all the other books I just got, ha!, but nonetheless. She goes over the diet, or more like lifestyle she adopted that helped her when she found out she had cancer. Her story is unbelievable! I'm not going to go over it because you can just check her out for yourself. And if you are interested in a healthy lifestyle and love inspirational people you won't regret it!

Have a wonderful Sunday everyone and remember to think in pink! 

xoxo

m

Monday, January 17, 2011

MLK Jr. Day

I have a dream...



Can you imagine if Martin Luther King Jr had lived longer than the mere 39 years he was alive? Can you imagine all of the other things he would have accomplished? Can you imagine?... It's sure hard to imagine someone to be so courageous in such a rough time in our country. In honor of such a great man, I pray that we may all have the kind of courage he had in order to fight the good fight. I pray that we may dream big just as he did in order to have the courage to accomplish all that we want in our lives. I pray that we may have more great leaders rise up in our time to fight for justice for all people. And I pray that we may all fight for freedom; freedom from prejudice, pain, strife, struggles with others and ourselves. 


Now for pink...:)

Golden Globes last night- talk about pink! I was loving the colorful dresses the ladies were wearing! The pink ones were my favorite (obviously) but the emerald green's were stunning as well. Heck, they basically all were! 

My fave pinks of the night...

Emma Stone in Calvin Klein, came up more orange in pictures, but it was stunning. Loved the open back. (Both pictures from Getty Images)



Sandra Bullock in Jenny Packham. (Getty Images for PCA)



Megan Fox in Armani Prive. (Image from Just Jared)


And then my favorite not-pink dresses...

Mila Kunis in Vera Wang 

and

Anne Hathaway in Giorgio Armani. 

(Both images from nydailytimes.com)


Well that's all I got for you today! Happy Monday!

xoxo

m

Sunday, January 16, 2011

10 things every young woman should know

 I love finding fun ballet pics, so here's one from weheartit.com, originally from Black and White by Boya Arsila

After having my morning cup of joe, with hazelnut cream of course!, I am now ready to embark on another day of work. But before the dreaded 15th hour of the day arrives I WILL be very productive today. For starters, I'm updating my blog:). Then I have a few loads of laundry to finish, need to go to the gym to get my sweat on, then some errands need to be done as well.

Yesterday as I was facebook creeping on the newsfeed I found this great post by "Girl's Guide To". I am a fan of their facebook page and had just realized they have a blog too so I am now a follower of that too. It's a fun, girly site to just get cute fun tips on anything really or to just read the stories they share. I pasted the post that I really liked. It's from an article (I think SELF or Health magazine) and it's written by the author Patricia Volonakis Davis, from DivineCaroline.  I definitely got a good laugh from reading these and hope you do too. Enjoy!






1. You are at least ten times prettier than you think you are. 
That holds true no matter how pretty you already think you are! Don’t believe me? Ask your mother/auntie/grannie if she thought she was pretty when she was twenty. She’ll say no. Then find a photo of her at that age. See what I mean?

2. The only thing you should be faking is confidence. 
If you don’t have it yet, pretend you do. In every new situation, pretend you’re not nervous, pretend you’re not afraid. After a few times doing this, the pretend part disappears.

3. Want to try something new like painting, skiing, running your own business? Go to the library and borrow ten different books on the subject. 
Skim through them all, find the ones that have the most vital information and study them. Then see number 2.

4. No matter how old you get, remember what it was like to be a nine-year old girl. 
Remember the feeling of freedom. If you’ve already forgotten, do a cartwheel. You can so still do one. Savior that feeling. Wake up with it every day. You’ll stay young until the day you die.

5. In the same vein, cut or potted flowers are never a waste of money. 
Because every time we glance at them, they remind us how much beauty there can be in the world.

6. Speaking of money, starting right this moment, whether you’re twenty or sixty, you can change your finances around. 
Don’t leave someone else completely in charge, whether it’s your husband, partner, parents, or banker. Become financially savvy. Financial independence gives you the freedom to walk away from many bad situations. How do you know you’re in bad situation? See number seven.

7. If your stomach hurts and you haven’t got a virus, you’re in a bad situation. 
Before you know what it is, your stomach always does. Give yourself some time to ponder what it might be that’s making your stomach hurt. Chances are you already do know, you just don’t want to believe it, for some reason. You can ignore advice from your friends, even your own brain, but you can’t ignore your stomach, because the stomach never lies. Oh, and by the way–drowning your stomach in alcohol won’t make it stop telling you the truth, either.

8. When meeting someone new and he or she seems to be behaving like an ass**le, show compassion first. 
If after you display your sincere compassion, they are still acting like an assh*le, walk away. If they follow you, call the police.

9. Wear sunscreen on your face, neck, and hands every day, winter and summer. 
I don’t care how dark your skin naturally is. Wear it. You’ll remember me when you look in the mirror at age fifty. Always keep in mind that Your body is directly connected to your spirit. Look after your body. Exercise, floss, and brush your teeth. Put nothing in your body that can permanently harm your spirit, including the wrong man.

10. And if you are in bed with a man and he’s the right man…
...meaning your stomach doesn’t hurt, he’s smiling at you, he knows your name, he’s not drunk, and neither are you–for godsakes, enjoy yourself. He is not at all thinking about how fat your thighs look.

Here's the link to the original article if you are interested:
http://excelle.monster.com/news/articles/3467-10-things-id-love-to-tell-my-younger-self

Well, there ya have it. Hope you all have a fabulous Sunday! And to those students who have yet to start their spring semester, enjoy your last two days off! :)
Oh and ps. I saw Country Strong. GREAT MOVIE!!!! You must see it! Awesome acting, great music, just all around great :)


Just another pretty picture for your viewing pleasure. 

xoxo

m

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

amazon woman

I'm back. Yes, I have been slacking with updating my blog. BUT I have a good excuse. I have made the most of my winter break by relaxing most days. Case in point, today I laid on the couch ALL day in my pajamas reading some of the new books I got. And I must say it feels amazing to not talk, worry, study, work, plan, do, or even think. I literally have vegged out so much this winter break and I'm proud of it! This semester will bring about a ton of stress and lots to do so I don't feel bad for taking time to do nothing! :)

Though today I did spend lots of time reading the new books I ordered from Amazon.com. I am obsessed with the ridiculously LOW prices Amazon offers. So I am now an Amazon woman..ha ha, get it? You should do if you ever spend money on books or dvd's.

BOOK NUMERO UNO


I finally received this book in the mail today. An order from Amazon which cost me only $19, in hardcover though, you can get it for about $9 in paperback. There's just something about a hardcover that makes any book so much more pleasurable. Hey, it's the little things in life that I love the most! 
Anyways, this book is written by Alejandro Junger who is a doctor that likes to blend Western and Eastern medical practices. He has done lots of research on the power of detoxification. This books gets into the nitty gritty of harsh toxins around us and how powerful a detox can be for our health. And if you're a nerd like me he details the science behind it, so it's pretty legit. 
He also started the Clean program which is a detox you can follow for 3 days or up to 3 weeks to jump start all the systems in your body to work as efficiently as they were made to. I'm excited to finish the book and hope to try out the cleanse. First I want to try the 3 day detox and hopefully work my way up to the longer cleanse. 
I am a health nut so this book excites me just looking at it, so if you are too I definitely recommend it. But even if you aren't its a good tool to learn about the power of a healthy lifestyle and how damaging the food we eat, the water we drink and the air we breathe can be to our bodies. 

BOOK NUMERO DOS


I also received this fun book today. It also is a hardcover, purchased from Amazon for about $15. I don't think a paperback option is available, just a Kindle version if you are interested. 
This book was written by Bobbi Brown, one of my favorite makeup artists. I have read a couple of her other books and loved them so I have high hopes for this one too. This is more of a go to guide rather then a textbook (such as Clean, the book I previously mentioned). It spells out "Fabulous Looks, Beauty Essentials, and Life Lessons for Loving Your Teens and Twenties". It has fun colorful pictures, lots of information on makeup, hair and beauty. 
"All girls love to play with makeup. Lipstick, nail polish, and blush are pretty- just like sparkles, rhinestones, her mama's pearls, and of course, the color pink". Ah yes, pink. Bobbi Brown obviously knows whats she's talking about. ;)
I definitely recommend this book as well if you are interested in a fun beauty book to casually look through and read. 

And last but not least....
BOOK...I MEAN DVD NUMERO UNO


FINALLY!!!!!! I feel like this took forever to arrive. But it has come and I was so excited, I literally jumped up and down. Again, it doesn't take much to excite me...
I tried out this bad boy and LOVED IT!!!! Tara definitely kicked my butt with a one hour workout. There are also 4 more routines that you can follow that she shot in different places in New York but she doesn't walk you through them unfortunately. You need to just watch and catch on. But they are still super cool. The routines are set to rock music that add an edgy touch and boost to wanting to workout. The hour long session is shot in a studio but also has nontraditional yoga music. It's a blend of dance/techno/rap music. It's a nice change up for practicing yoga. 
DEFINITELY reccomend this DVD. She is a rockin teacher and it really does give you a great workout and open up all the tight spots in your body. 

Okay, wow! I talked your ear off in this post but I hope these are recommendations you are interested in! I look forward to a semester of blogging!  I have a facial scheduled at a really cute, girly location that I can't wait to share!

Happy reading!

xoxo

m



        




Wednesday, January 5, 2011

put a lil yoga in your day

So one of my "Top Ten" goals for this new year was adding more yoga into my exercise regimen but also to any part of the day. I can say that so far , so good! I have been practicing yoga almost everyday even if I can't get to a full workout. I can't believe how awesome it makes me feel! I used to do yoga a lot and why I stopped, who knows! But who cares?! I'm back on the bandwagon again! :)

Like I said in my previous post I am a fan of Tara Stiles. She is a well -know yoga instructor that has a studio in New York but also has a couple of DVD's, a book, and has made countless appearances on TV and in magazines. She is a very down to earth instructor so you don't feel intimidated at all when you do her workouts. You can check her out on her website, www.tarastiles.com, or on her youtube channel, http://www.youtube.com/user/TaraStilesYoga. She has lots of mini videos that help you start your day off, get stretched out for the day, help with flexibility or balance and much more. Here are a few of my favorites for a quick yoga session before getting ready for my day or unwinding at night:

*Morning Yoga for Flexibility:
http://www.youtube.com/user/TaraStilesYoga#p/a/729B682FC375AB76/0/dRsC1YdXqOc

*Yoga for Flexibility:
http://www.youtube.com/user/TaraStilesYoga#p/a/F51468E0577E15B6/0/XqBdujwSTGw

*Yoga for Balance:
http://www.youtube.com/user/TaraStilesYoga#p/a/F51468E0577E15B6/0/XqBdujwSTGw


Here are her DVD's:




I just bought this DVD and I'm really excited to try it. She goes to a whole bunch of spots in NY to workout. I think it will be really cool. I ordered this one for about $25 off of her website. But I totally forgot to check out the prices on Amazon for this or the newer one on top. I'm sure you could get it for cheaper on Amazon. 

I also want to get her book:
I will update you once I get this book and read it! :)

For those of you who are skeptical of yoga, not really sure what else it does for you besides bend you in weird ways, there are many benefits of yoga which are very appealing. I have made an extensive list for you which will change your mind if you doubt the power of yoga in any way or just inspire you to practice it more often:

- Improved flexibility
- Better posture
- All over body strength
- Lengthen muscles 
 -Mindful deep breathing
 -Weight loss
- Relaxation
-Less stress, more calm
 -Boost of oxygen levels 
- Happier and content mood
-Relieve symptoms of medical conditions including: asthma, back pain, insomnia, arthritis, multiple sclerosis., depression, headaches/migraines, infertility, allergies, digestive problems
- Massaging and stimulation of all your organs
- Complete detoxification! Remove toxins from the organs, including your skin!
- Increased lubrication of bones, joints, and tendons
- Decreased blood pressure and pulse rate
- Better circulation
- Cardiovascular endurance
- Stronger immune system
- Increased metabolism
- Delay again processes of the body
- Better sleep
- Self control
-Boost Vitamin C production and use (which is a powerful antioxidant)
- Glowing skin
- Mindfulness of self, better focus
- Mindful of better, healthier habits. 

I'm sure there's more but this is a great list that should inspire you to want to do yoga more often! 

Namaste. 

xoxo

-m


Saturday, January 1, 2011

2011: The Year of New Beginnings

Happy New Year!

Crazy to think it is now 2011. Wow. Have to get used to saying and writing that out. This is a year of new beginnings for me because of what is in store for me:

- Last year of college for me which means I will be a COLLEGE GRADUATE in December. (Yes it will take me an extra semester to graduate). About dang time... bitter sweet though.
- Starting a new internship and hopefully finding one more to round out my experience.
- A new year with my blog!
- A fresh, new, healthy start to learn new things and to be the best person I can possibly be!

I have some goals for myself this year that I want to share with you. Maybe by sharing it and actually writing it down I will be held accountable to ACTUALLY follow through with my plans. The list I collaborated for myself might seem like a strange mix of important and trivial but hey a goal is a goal, right? Big or small.

1. Master Tracy Anderson's Third Sequence DVD of her Perfect Design Series. 


2. Try Tracy's 30 Day Method. Its a plan she wrote out of workout and eating schedule including a 7 day cleanse. 

3. Start practicing more yoga. I forgot how calming and a wonderful workout yoga is. I am a fan of Tara Stiles and just ordered this DVD. 

4. Eat more fruits and veggies! I will be keeping a food diary to make sure I am holding myself accountable with this. This food log includes inspirational quotes and words I pasted inside to remind me that being healthy is composed of healthy eating, working out, and have a calm happy mind. 

5. Drink more tea and not so much coffee. :)
(Teavana tea.)

6. Get an internship at a marketing firm... (cricket, cricket). Ha this will require more networking and applications rather then will power...or a good mix of both I suppose!

7. Go to Italy. Ahhhh yessss! Italy :) This requires saving...this will be hard for me and my love of shopping. But think positive right?
( San Gimignano, supposedly they have great gelato. Yummmm)

8. Start sewing and make T-shirts. Treadle Yard Goods (I follow their blog, to the right of this page,  if you're interesting in learning more about them) holds all sorts of sewing classes. I've always wanted to try my hand at making my own clothes. This is the year to do it!
http://www.treadleyardgoods.com/classes

9. Pay off my credit card. That's all I got to say about that. 

10. Go with the flow. I am a planner through and through. I have a to-do list every single day, am constantly making plans for school and what I will do after college and when certain things should happen by. I need to let go of my uptight view of always needing to know what's going to happen. I've somewhat started to embrace this and it definitely feels different. Good but different. This will probably will be the hardest for me but I am determined. As the French say:


There ya have it. Those are the top ten things I want to work on this year. I feel that it's a pretty do-able list. I am excited for the new year and the many things that are to come. Hopefully you are all able to compile a list or at least a few things that you would like you accomplish this year. This is the year to do it people! The year of new beginnings! I wish everybody many blessings in this new year!

xoxo

-m