October Favorites: Beauty, Fashion, Fitness, Food

We're almost at the tail end of 2017, I mean two more months and we are happily ringing in 2018! This time of the year is my favorite because we are inching closer to several holiday festivities. But before we get into that, let me share with you my diverse October favorites ranging from beauty to fashion, fitness and food!

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Beauty

If you recall, I have been on the hunt for a great vegan foundation so it was a delight to have discovered Canadian brand Fitglow Beauty. I did a full-length review of this amazing foundation on my YouTube channel with real-time performance vis-à-vis check-ins. So impressed that I repurchased another bottle in a tad lighter shade. My face is darker compared to my neck-down so I prefer a foundation that matches the bigger part of my skin. This foundation has velvety finish which converts to a lovely dewy one, say after five hours or so. It does not make my skin look greasy or anything, just an admirable dewiness that I prefer versus matte. The ingredients are impressive too, 98% organic and 95% whole food based. I just wish there are more shades available (currently there are ten) so if you are in between shades like I do, you may need to purchase two bottles. Hopefully some retailers will carry this brand because buying a foundation online is a hit or miss because photos or swatches you see are not that reliable. This foundation applies better with a dense brush like the one from Besame (as photographed).

I am also very pleased with Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit 3. If you can get your hands on this palette now, do so immediately. Sephora Friends and Family sale is coming pretty soon so make sure to include this in your cart. It's a limited edition so I will look past the $80 tag but really, it's one of the best holiday palettes this year. It features 3 best-selling shades in the Ambient Lighting Powder line (Dim Light, Diffused Light, Luminous Bronze Light) and 3 brand new shades, 2 from Ambient Lighting Blush (Surreal Halo, deep berry and Pure Effec, pink with subtle shimmer) and 1 from Ambient Strobe (Hypnotic Strobe Light, champagne).

You have seen me mentioned Chantecaille Le Camouflage Stylo Concealer on my YouTube several times and that's for a reason, the texture and formula are just what I need for my under-eyes. It does not cake up nor look awfully dry which is a big no-no for aging skin or fine lines.

Color melt ash blonde. It's my new hair color for fall as my hairstylist calls it. You can see the transformation in this video. I love the way it turned out!

Fashion

I am in love with this crossbody/camera vegan bag from Angela Roi. From a distance, even a trained eye won't know that it isn't real leather (which I already stopped buying as mentioned in this post). The craftsmanship and attention to details are very evident. This cross body has two straps, one as photographed which is thin and long, the other being thick and short. In my opinion, Angela Roi is the vegan alternative to Tory Burch. 

Fitness

Dancing is my #1 calorie/fat burner. It's a great cardio exercise because it allows the heart to pump faster and moves muscles better. Just one dance, 3-4 minutes non-stop will make you sweat! Unknown to most of you, I danced all the way from grade school to college in several school programs and competitions. In fact when I was still working in corporate, I danced during intermissions on company events. Hiphop dance transforms me to a different kind of beast, haha! Fitness Marshall is the guy to watch on YouTube if you want hiphop and Marlon Alves for zumba. His choreography for Despacito is the best one out there, very easy to follow and memorize.

Since I love to dance, I was happy to find this jogger/harem cropped pants that allow me to move freely. I got it from Hautelook and I just purchased three more because the size and length fit me like a glove. I also buy my sports bra from Hautelook (amazing deals!) and yes, I do prefer wearing it versus a regular bra even at work as it provides more support and helps with my back posture.

Food
I have so much to share with you, I don't even know where to begin! You can actually catch a glimpse of my vegan cooking on my YouTube channel because that's where I vlog my ADLs (activities of daily living), places I shop or explore in Hawaii, etc. Anyways, some of you expressed interest in knowing some healthy food options that you can prepare or buy. I will try my best not to overwhelm you with information so I will only feature top 3 faves this month, how's that for a start?

Post-workout juice: chunks of cold watermelon and pineapples, 4-5 ice cubes, some water, mint leaves are optional but I am all about fancy so why not? On a side note, if you are exploring a largely plant-based lifestyle (vegetarian or vegan), you will need to invest in a good blender. This Ninja one I own is probably 4 years old now and still in good working condition.

Vegan Nachos (shown here): if you know how to make chili, just omit meat and oil and use vegetables. But here are the ingredients nonetheless:
2-3 cans of black or red beans (no sodium or low sodium). But if you have extra time, soak beans overnight with water and put in fridge. Boil 2-3 hours or until soft.
2 cans tomato sauce
Diced onions, diced celery and carrots, yellow corn, tomatoes
2-3 tbsps. cumin powder (add to taste)
Salt to taste (Himalayan pink salt), pepper
Chili flakes and guacamole are optional
Boil and simmer
Serve with spring greens, vegan chips, top with cilantro and vegan sour cream (recipe next time)

Young jackfruit is all the rave right now especially amongst new vegans, transitioning or just exploring new food to try. Young jackfruit has a "pork-like" meaty texture and absorbs flavor well. While you can hunt for this wonderful yet elusive fruit in your local whole foods, you can buy pre-packed from Amazon. The best brand I have bought is from Edwards and Sons, it's ready to cook. For "pork" sliders, saute with diced onions and crushed garlic, use fork to separate or smash the jackfruit or leave as is. Then mix with organic barbeque sauce. Add pepper if you will. Serve with wheat wrap, wheat bun, or brown rice, your choice.

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