Treat Yourself Without Feeling Guilty Or Breaking the Bank

Taking time out to pamper yourself is a must in my book. With all that I have on my plate, things can become a little stressful!  This is why I am all for a spa day escape! But then the ordeal of finding the time, oh and the cost can make a day of relaxation turn into a stressful situation too.  But not any longer, as Groupon is here to save the day, literally! That’s right, having a relaxing day of pampering doesn’t have to cost an arm & a leg!

No More Guilt!
Now I know that some of you will also find it hard to justify treating yourself.  But the truth is rewarding yourself every once in a while will contribute to improving your mood, motivating you and helping to avoid burnout!  Hence, making you a better person in the long fun!  Plus, the fact that you can save money while doing it makes it even better, so stop feeling guilty!



The Groupon Beauty Deals
So what type of beauty deals does Groupon offer? Lots and lots of Health, Beauty & Wellness Groupons. They have enabled real-time commerce across local businesses and consumer products, helping savvy spa shoppers, like myself to find the best deals my city has to offer!

When I went on the Groupon site, I discovered has all kinds of beauty & spas discounts, including deals up to 70%, on services like facials, microdermabrasions, brows & lashes, teeth whitening, and even some cosmetic procedures!  Plus, if this is your first time on the site you can get an extra 25% Off Your First Groupon. Just enter the code FIRST at checkout!

So what are you waiting for, make sure to check out the entire Groupon site to see what other amazing beauty deals they have in your area. And don’t forget to get social with Groupon as well by following Groupon on Facebook.

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How To Design The Perfect At Home Office

Being a professional blogger, online beauty editor and social media specialist, I find myself sitting in front of a computer way too much! And while sitting is less physical than standing on your feet, it puts a lot of stress on your body, both physically and mentally. That is why it is important to make sure that you have adequate lighting as well as a functional work space. So if you want to find out how to design the perfect at home office continue reading.

Have A Designated Place For Work
Owning my own business, I have chosen to work from home. But, living in a small condo does make it difficult to find a functional work space. Additionally, it is important that the area you choose for your office maintains a boundary so to speak, as to where your work area begins and where it ends  (This is one thing that I’ve struggled with over the years). But believe it or not, it can take a mental effect on you.  It is important that you divide your work from play! Also, you want to make your office free from other disturbances, like your children, TV, washing clothes, etc. Being exposed to these can affect your overall work performance, so please separate yourself!

This Is A Sponsored Post On Behalf Of BenQ e-Reading LED Desk Lamp.  
All Opinions Are My Own

Invest In Great Lighting
Getting the correct amount of light is essential, this is why I partnered up with BenQ for this post.

Sitting in front of a desk without proper lighting can hurt your eyes. While you feel your room may have adequate lighting, you also need to have a desk light.  Especially if you spend most of your time staring at a computer screen, having a desk lamp, like the one from BenQ, designed for the digital era is a must! Unlike the regular task lights, the BenQ e-Reading LED Desk Lamp has a wider lighting coverage and many other benefits, making it the perfect light for those who sit in front of a computer all day.

Some of the other reasons why I love the  BenQ lamp

• The BenQ lamp lights output covers your entire working area. It is developed specifically for the usage of monitors, Kindles, tablets, and other devices, distributing light evenly across the desk. It delivers an illumination range that is 150% wider than any regular reading lamp, helping you see everything from your keyboard to the cat, peeking from the other chair!  

• The shape. Why is this important? Because the curved shape provides even and flicker-free light.
• When using the computer, lighting should be sufficient for you to see the text as well as the entire screen. But in most cases, the bright light on the display screen "washes out" the images.  But not with this lamp as its e-Reading mode reduces the contrast glare and the reflection on your computer screen.
• Controlling this is simple. All you have to do is touch the ring to activate the e-Reading mode. The BenQ e-reading lamp then delivers the patented 'brighter at the sides, darker in the middle' illumination that reduces contrast glare.

• Tailor-made brightness and color temperature. As you can see lighting has a significant impact on one's concentration and productivity. You can switch the BenQ Lamp easily according to your preference by simply turning the control knob. For work, I make sure to change to the cool white tones of the light! 
• The quality and that it is EARTH-FRIENDLY: The BenQ task lamp's LED lamp shade is cased in the lightweight aluminum alloy to dissipate heat. The articulating arms are reinforced with zinc alloy torque springs to provide enhanced durability and stability. It also has a high-quality fabric cord cover for safety purposes. The materials used are only earth-friendly materials, which is a plus for me since I am near it all day long.  

Want to get a  BenQ e-Reading LED Desk Lamp for yourself? Make sure to click here so you too can set up your fantastic at home office space.

Chair & Desk
Having the right size desk and the correct seating for your home office is so essential. I’m not sure about you, but sitting for 8-10 hours straight, I start to notice some pain if I'm just sitting on a couch or lounging. This is why it is important to find a desk that fits your height and a chair that is going to support your back.

Keep in mind there are also standing desks. I currently have both as it is good to get off your butt every now and again!

An Ergonomic Chair:
Sitting adds a lot of stress to the spine; this is why it is essential to have an ergonomic chair that supports the lower back and promotes excellent posture. Additionally, you want to make sure that your chair has some of the following options

• Adjustable seat height
• Lumbar support
• Comfort and material. You want to make sure that the seat you select has enough padding that is going to accommodate extended seating times!

Incorporating A Personal Touch
As I’m sure you’ve seen thus far a lot can have an impact on the success of your work and the area around you is no different. Adding a personal touch or some décor can help you sustain the positive energy you need to be successful and motivated throughout the day.

Getting Ready For The Day
I know you’re like what? I thought I could work from home in my pj’s. Well you can, that is the benefit of working at home, and it is also negative. Why is this? Because when you work from home, some find it difficult to separate the work from the nonworking. Don’t get me wrong I do sit around in my sweats sometimes. But I also know that having some discipline as a routine is going to make me more productive. The mind is a powerful thing. So if sweats are something you wear to relax or PJ’s to sleep, you may not be in the right frame of mind to be productive at work. This attire also applies to the opposite, meaning if you work in your sweats, and you go to relax on the couch in your sweats, and you may find yourself working while you should be relaxing!

So there you have it my top 5 tips to designing the Perfect at Home Office!

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10 Beauty Essentials All College Girls Must Own

Let’s be realistic most college students live in small spaces.  It can be a dorm or an apartment that you share with a few people.  Which means you have limited room for your beauty essentials, as well as limited funds.  This is why it is important to streamline some of your beauty supplies, whether it be your hair products, skincare, or makeup.  And today I am going to share with you my Top 10 Beauty Essentials All College Girls Must Own!

Skincare Products
Face it there are tons of damaging elements that are skin is exposed to every day, especially in a crowded college environment.  Elements like dust, pollutants, sweat, and even makeup.  Plus college can be stressful, not to mention your diet of fast food and possibly alcohol.  All in which can affect your skin, by causing clogged pores, leaving your face looking dull, uneven, and prone to breakouts!

That is why it is important that all college students have a great skincare regimen in place that is properly cleansing and exfoliating your face! If you don’t, all the limited money you’re spending on makeup is going down the drain!

A Sonic Cleansing Brush
The must have skincare item for all college students is The Michael Todd Beauty Soniclear Petite Deluxe.  This deluxe set has all the essentials you need, helping you to remove your makeup, exfoliate, prevent breakouts, moisturize and more.  See what all comes in this set below.

Includes:

• A Soniclear Petite: This is the ultimate sonic cleansing device for your face. If you are not familiar with a Soniclear, you can check it out here.  But briefly, this brush uses sonic wave powered cleansing that removes impurities, clears pores and thoroughly cleanses the skin leaving it ready to absorb your skincare products better! And of course, it helps with makeup application…As makeup always goes on better when you have a clean palette to work with!
• The soniclear petite is also waterproof (not merely water resistant) so you can use it in the bath or shower.
•  A USB Inductive Charger which magnetically attaches to the handle, allowing you to charge it anywhere, and with limited space this is a must.     
• Soniclear Petite Travel Case.  With the size of a dorm or sharing a bathroom, this can come in handy for storage.
• Damascus Rose Milk Cleanser that is perfect for moisturizing while helping to remove makeup! And, it is ideal for all skin types!
• Lastly, it has a 3-year warranty! So this bad boy is going to last you throughout college!

BONUS: Michael Todd Beauty is having a Back to School SALE. 20% OFF Entire Site: 

Use Code: BTS20

Makeup Eraser

You are going to need something to remove your eye makeup.  While makeup wipes can be great, they are costly.  Instead, you want to add a makeup eraser to your arsenal. This incredible eco-friendly cloth removes ALL of your makeup, and the best part is it does it with only water!  Not only do you use only water, but you can also throw this bad boy in the washing machine with your regular load of towels and dry in the dryer! This Makeup Eraser is reusable, so there is no need to buy and throw-away cotton balls, one time use makeup remover wipes and expensive eye makeup removers!

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Hair

Dry Shampoo
This is a time saver!  Plus, it helps to save you money on shampoo and hair treatments.  Over-washing your hair strips your locks of all of its protective oils, and because of this your body compensates, by actually producing additional oil.  Each time you wash your tresses, the more oils your scalp produces.  A dry shampoo can help give your hair those extra few days and add volume to your hair.  The trick is to apply it when your hair is wet, (before it gets dirty) helping to absorb oil.  You can then go back and use as needed.

Conditioner
A great leave-in conditioner like the Quenching Complex from Bumble and Bumble can also save and treat your hair.  This product has multi-purposes; this is why I like it.  Not only does it help to quench the hair, but it also seals in moisturize, renews shine and can be used as a treatment for the repeated applications of a heat styling and brushing! Trust me; this is one of those things you get what you pay for. 

Flat Iron
When most of us think of a flat iron, we think of great super sleek hair.  But this hair tool can do much more than that.  You can use it to create tons of different curls, waves, and if you’re in a pinch you can even use it to remove wrinkles from shirt collar!  

Makeup

An Eyeshadow Palette
This is one of those things that you must invest in, as when you do, you save money in the long run. How? A great eyeshadow palette that has excellent pigment and minimal fallout will allow you to use less product to get the job done, hence lasting longer, while saving money. Additionally, you can use some of the shadows as a highlighter on the face, as a bronzer and on the lips with some balm.   I suggest one of the Urban Decay Naked Palettes. Oh and these palettes also come with an eyeshadow brush and a mirror, making this a 6 in 1 product!

A CC Cream
Instead of using a thick foundation that would require an extra step of using a primer, SPF as well as a moisturizer.  You can use a multipurpose product like a BB or CC cream, as most of these can serve as a primer, moisturizer, SPF and a sheer foundation for a quick application. The one I suggest is IT Cosmetics Full Coverage SPF 50 CC Cream Illumination w/ Plush Brush.  This is six products in one, and you can get it on QVC, with flex pay!

Mascara
If you are running late to class and don’t have time for makeup, one thing you should never leave without is mascara.  Mascara can help to open the eyes, to make you look more rested.  Plus choosing one that adds volume and length will give your eyes the much-needed pop if you are not wearing any other makeup.

BONUS: Mascara is also perfect for defining and setting the eyebrows. And a mascara like, IT Cosmetics Tightline, can also be used as an eyeliner! It's your eyeliner, black mascara primer and mascara in one!

Lip Balm
No one wants dry, chapped lips, especially if you have to walk outside getting from class to class. This is why I suggest a product that is multipurpose for your lips!  You can do this with a lip exfoliating product, like this one for under $3 from ELF, which sloughs away the dryness and replenishes providing instant hydration.

Lastly, as I’m sure you may have noticed, all of these items have multi purposes, which helps with the limited storage and funds that most college students have!

So there you have it beauties!  My top 10 products every college girl should have in their beauty bag! Do you have any must-haves?  Let me know below!

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