Exercise: Back to the Basics

Back on the treadmill I went yesterday and girl, did it feel good! It’s been awhile since I’ve gotten some good exercise except the daily walk with the dog. I immediately felt the difference in my energy level and it was just nice to release and relax…

I also recently started experimenting with the exercise ball and found some exercises that you could do with it:

• Core exercises on the ball
• More core exercises with the fitness ball
  

Check out these exercise tips for motivation. One thing I’m going to do to motivate myself to exercise is to put a post-it reminder on the bathroom mirror. Got exercise?

Related Posts:
Fitness Tips and Resources
Viva La Fitness!
Just 10 Minutes a Day to Get Fit

Mother's Day Gifts For the Fashionable Mother

My creative juices have been flowing the past couple weeks! I found some stickers of vintage shoes that I forgot about and was inspired to make a few Mother's Day greeting cards. These cards are one-of-a-kind and available for only $3.50 each at my Etsy shop.



Also, from now until the end of the month, I'm having a sale on selected handcrafted beaded jewelry pieces. 50% OFF! Below is one of my favorite pieces that is on sale right now...Made with various types of gemstones, wood, and pearls. It lends itself to a boho feel.
Original price: $24. Now: $12

A Case of Handbag Fever

My loyal readers over at The Runway Scoop know that I have a soft spot for handbags. I worked in the Nordstrom handbag department a few years ago, so every day was like walking into a candy store! And now, well, I don’t get to see pretty handbags every day - so thank God for the internet! I’ve decided that it’s the perfect time for a new purse…Oh, yes, I’m having handbag fever!

One brand that I particularly like is Kooba. Their designs are unique, like this “Charlie” bag. It’s made of leather and comes with a detachable shoulder strap. This is the type of purse that never goes out of style. It’s simple and can hold just about everything I lug around on a daily basis.


Ohhh…ahhh! An exquisite piece by Oscar de la Renta. This has been dubbed the “Tortoise Glam Bag”. This one is screaming, "Buy me! Buy me!"



This Prada handbag is pretty yummy in coffee brown, eh? Another piece that will definitely last a long time...

As you can see, typically I go for more classic, simple styles... What's your handbag style?

Bare Escentuals: Love It!

Ok, I’m all over the swirl, buff, and tap! If you’re a Bare Escentuals fan like I am, you know what I’m talking about. I ordered their bareMinerals foundation through Amazon a couple weeks ago. This foundation has made me actually look forward to putting on makeup in the morning! It goes on light and gives my face that healthy glow ;) My best friend raved about it for months and me being a not-so-beauty-product-junkie, I didn’t really listen…until now.

So who else loves Bare Escentuals? Check out some of the rave reviews over at Blogdorf Goodman, The Makeup Girl, and The Beauty Blog

Sanjaya: Beauty From Within

I used to be an American Idol watcher, but I’ve cut down tremendously on my TV watching the past couple years. However, this season of American Idol has a little bit of pizazz in it. That pizazz comes from none other than the famous Sanjaya. This guy seems to be the “heart throb” of many teenage girls around the country. My friends can’t understand what the big deal is with Sanjaya, but after watching him on stage a couple times, I now understand…

You see, Sanjaya has this kind of energy that you get when you have passion for what you do. People feed off that energy. Not to mention that he’s just very unique in his own way which makes him even more fascinating.

Have you ever seen someone’s eyes sparkle with energy and happiness? That’s what makes you beautiful!

Read Manolo’s thoughts on Sanjaya…

Who Needs the Mall When You Can Shop Online?

I'm really diggin this online shopping thing. Ok, so I’m a little late in the game, but I’ve come to realize that I don’t have the patience to deal with parking and large crowds at the mall anymore. I’m getting older and it’s just not my thing. With so many websites and blogs out there that can make the shopping experience much easier, why not sit with a glass of sparkling iced tea and just enjoy shopping in the comfort of your own home - or outside on the patio with the warm sunshine. Heck, why not take the laptop to the beach and get a tan while browsing the web?

Well, I recently found out about a online shopping search engine called Twenga. Basically it is an online shopper’s search engine based in the U.K. You type in what you’re searching for and it directs you to online shops where you can buy what you’re looking for. There are many product categories to choose from including fashion, health and beauty products, gifts for your fashionista friends, and fashionable furniture. Twenga is able to aggregate merchant offers and narrow down exactly what you’re looking for.

This leads me to wonder if shopping malls or physical retail shops will become extinct in the future! Why would I shop in a boring mall that carries all the same kind of stuff when I could do some virtual shopping in Paris?

Beauty is Within: Updates and News

Ah, my dear beautiful fashionistas, I feel like I've been away for an eternity! Please excuse my lack of posts as I am working on a fashion article for San Diego Magazine and have a Sunday deadline. However, next week I'll be back into the full swing of things!

In the meantime, check out the big news [for me]...Drew Barrymore has just signed on to be the next face for Cover Girl and she gets to do her own commercial for the company. I've always admired Drew... She seems to have a pretty good attitude about everything considering she's been in the entertainment business so long. Read more about her gig with Cover Girl at Fashion Week Daily.

Also, I'm currently seeking another contributor for this blog. If you or anybody you know would be interested in blogging for Beauty is Within, shoot me an email for more info at maria [at] salondemaria.info

Dealing With Our Body and Fashion Insecurities

The Chic Inspector shares this video clip from Fashion Television that talks about the issues of insecurities as it relates to the fashion industry and modeling.



This is a topic that I talk about extensively over at The Runway Scoop and it is something that many of us deal with on a daily basis.

Am I skinny enough?
Do I look good in this outfit?
Am I glamorous? Sexy?

These are questions that run through many of our minds and I think it's time that we stop beating ourselves up with this notion that we have to be perfect - whatever "perfect" means to us. Sure, we can blame the fashion industry for why things are the way they are, but ultimately it's up to us to simply love ourselves and not allow the pressure to influence our thoughts and feelings.

Beauty Blog Links

I did some beauty bloghopping today and wanted to share some worthwhile reads:

Over at Beauty and Personality Grooming, I learned that Pranayama, a Yogic breathing exercise, enlivens your looks! I’ve always wanted to learn Yoga and discovering this post has given me the nudge I need to use this as part of my beauty ritual.

The Beauty Brains has some tips for longer and stronger nails. My nails start to break after growing about half an inch, so I’m going on the hunt for a good hand or cuticle cream.

The Glamorous Bee reveals that she is anti-age after seeing the Dove ad in Harper’s Bazaar. No matter what I look like I will always be 21 in my heart! Embrace your age, Glamorous Bee! It’s just a number ;)