The Taste: Tuesday at 9|8c on ABC

From the teasers that Influenster provided for episode 6, I like the one when Ludo and Malarkey are being sarcastic, saying they never fight and are best friends. I caught up with all the episodes so far, and Malarkey and Ludo are the most competitive amongst the mentors. Sometimes even more then the contestants themselves! Since three of Ludo's team members joined his team and not Malarkey's, they have been at each other even before the actual competition started. Watch this teaser here http://www.influenster.com/product_videos/the-taste-on-abc/5531

This week's episode, #6 Nose to Tail, was definitely the most dramatic so far. First of all, the contestants had to cook with disgusting ingredients, almost every part of a pig could have been used, blood, head, ears, tail, you name it! Gregg from Ludo's team had a bad day this episode. Gregg's area of the kitchen had a little explosion and he cut his own finger. On top of that, Gregg won immunity (he can't get disqualified) for the past three episodes, so other contestants weren't too happy about that and are even jealous. Enough about Gregg.

Diane is way too confident, almost arrogant, constantly saying her dish should have gone up to represent her team, team Anthony. When it came time for contestants to be sent home, three instead of two this time, leaving seven contestants for the last two episodes including the finale, some sympathy was shown. Lauren, the only one left on Nigella's team, was allowed to stay while Ninamarie, Uno, and Adam were sent home. Lauren should have been sent home instead of Ninamarie who got a number of gold stars in the past few episodes.

Can't wait for the next episode! To catch up, go to http://abc.go.com/watch/the-taste/SH55253383/VD55278803/nose-to-tail

Drugstore Beauty Basics Bundle Review #1

I thought I would start a "series" of beauty product reviews I recommend and would be helpful to others who are looking for something similar. The five products down below are basic beauty products that can be found at any drugstore i.e. RiteAid, Walgreens, CVS, even Bed Bath and Beyond. Hope this is helpful :) Click images below for a larger view and check back next week to learn how to save more on many different products! *Everything was purchased by me.

Clean and Clear Oil Absorbing Sheets

"CLEAN & CLEAR oil absorbing sheets instantly soak up excess oil and remove shine from your face, without smudging makeup or leaving behind powder. These super soft, silky sheets can be used easily around your nose and other oily areas of your face. Use them anytime, anywhere to remove oil and shine throughout the day."

 

PROS:

1. affordable

2. compact

3. gets the job done (haven't noticed if this removes makeup or not)

* For a $1 off coupon on Clean and Clear products, check out http://www.cleanandclear.com/coupons-deals-discounts

 

For more info. on this product/ to purchase online, check out

1. Clean & Clear Instant Oil-Absorbing Sheets

 

Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream 

"Give your cuticles some TLC. Specially formulated, this buttery cream taps Sweet Almond Oil and Cocoa Seed Butter to moisturize and soften your cuticles while Vitamin E and Sunflower Oil nourish brittle nails. Feel pampered and polished from tips to toes."

 

PROS:

1. smells like lemon, nothing strong or funky
2. nice "treatment" for dry/ cracked nails before and after manicure/ pedicure
3. noticed that it helps my nails grow faster than usual
4. 100% natural = no harmful ingredients
* I repurchased this 4-5 times in the past year, so I definetly recommend this to everyone.

For more info. on this product/ to purchase online, check out
1. https://www.burtsbees.com/natural-products/body-hand-care/lemon-butter-cuticle-cream.html
2. Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream

Neutrogena Clear Pore Cleanser/Mask

"Clear Pore Cleanser/Mask is a breakthrough acne-fighting formula that can be used two ways—as a daily cleanser or as a mask. This dermatologist-tested formula has the acne-fighting power of Benzoyl Peroxide to kill bacteria and treat existing breakouts. Cooling intensity builds as it penetrates deep into pores. Use as a daily cleanser to kill bacteria. Or use as an intensive mask for deep cleansing and extra oil control. Clean rinsing—skin is left clean and smooth."

 

PROS:

1. smells clean

2. skin feels soft and fresh after using this product as a mask (haven't tried this as a cleanser) 

* I recommend moisturizing after using this as a mask (or any other mask) 

* Check back @ http://www.neutrogena.com/category/special+offers.do?nav=%2Fproduct%2Fid%2F101004 for coupons on Neutogena products.

 

For more info. on this product/ to purchase online, check out
1. http://www.neutrogena.com/product/clear+pore+cleanser-mask.do?sortby=ourPicks
2. Neutrogena Clear Pore Cleanser/Mask

 

St. Ives Daily Hydrating Vitamin E Body Lotion

"Drench your skin in nutrient-rich hydration with this St. Ives Hydrating Vitamin E Lotion. Packed with the powerful antioxidants of Vitamin E, this formula provides immediate moisture, while helping to protect against future dry skin. Apply daily to maintain hydrated skin that looks and feels soft, smooth and healthy."

 

PROS:
1. affordable
2. big bottle lasts a long time
3. thin consistency i.e. not like a body butter but moisturizing
4. no parabens https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbD4GOr7HWQ
* I like trying different products, so I would get another body lotion in this line.

For more info. on this product/ to purchase online, check out
1. St. Ives Daily Hydrating Vitamin E Body Lotion

Cetaphil Daily Facial Moisturizer with BROAD SPECTRUM SPF 15



"A facial moisturizer plus broad spectrum sun protection, all in one. Cetaphil Daily Facial Moisturizer with sunscreen BROAD SPECTRUM SPF 15 is specially formulated to be effective, light and silky-smooth—ideal for facial use. In addition to providing gentle moisturization for all skin types, it has BROAD SPECTRUM SPF 15. This gives you moderate protection against damaging UVA and UVB rays that can be responsible for premature lines and wrinkles. It’s also lightweight, fragrance-free and suitable for use under makeup or after shaving."



 

PROS:

1. lightweight

2. suncreen included (smells like it too..)

3. moisturizing

* For coupons on Cetaphil products, check out http://www.cetaphil.com/Home/Offers

 

For more info. on this product/ to purchase online, check out
1. Cetaphil Daily Facial Moisturizer, SPF 15, Fragrance Free



The Taste: Tuesday at 8|7c on ABC

I just recently started watching The Taste on ABC and actually enjoy it! Since the 1st episode, Audition 1, was almost an hour and a half, I only watched that so far but plan to watch the other episodes of The Taste (going to catch up right after this post ;). I use to watch a number of cooking shows, even though I don't like to cook (I would much rather eat than cook :P), but it doesn't hurt to learn!

"Starring top chefs Anthony Bourdain, Nigella Lawson, Ludo Lefebvre, and Brian Malarky, The Taste has all the flavor of your favorite cooking shows paired with the fire of competition. Each Chef has chosen a team of four contestants to mentor through the competition, but when the time comes for tasting, they do it blindly."

From the first episode, I liked the fact that at least two home cooks were chosen to continue on the show, which goes to show that home cooks are just as good as professionals and you don't have to be a pro. to know your food. It's crazy how some of the contestants quit their job to participate in The Taste. Also, like some contestants from Audition 1 mentioned, the blind taste test gives everyone an equal chance to continue on the show. The only thing I didn't like was that some judges cursed. Just a little word of advice to the judges (and to everyone really), please don't curse to express yourself, especially since young kids might hear and will learn! If you could get past the cursing, I would recommend The Taste to anyone who likes cooking or food in general mixed with competition.

So that's my two-cents on the show so far. I may continue doing posts on my thoughts for each episode, if anyone wants! I might also eventually post on some of my other favorite TV shows ;)

Watch the most recent episode here http://abc.go.com/watch/the-taste/SH55253383/VD55274355/dairing-pairings

The Many Uses of $

Besides shopping for oneself, here are some ideas I came up with that we could do with our money instead. What else could we do with $?

1. buy gifts
2. donate to charities
3. invest in a business/ stocks
4. start your own business
5. save for an emergency/ vacation/ future

Learn Time Management Skills for College/ University

I always hear people complaining that they "don’t have time for abc." The truth is, 24 hours in a day is plenty of time to get a lot of work done and be productive. We have to take time out to get important work done. So here is another one of my articles I did in high school that I thought would be helpful for me to post. My article gives a glimpse to some of the research I did before I started uni. myself (almost a year and half ago). Remember, these are different for everyone in different situations, so nothing is really set in stone (like the quote). But nonetheless, I think this can be used as a beginners guide to get an idea on the college/ uni. experience. Hope this helps someone :)

How many times have you regretted not starting on a task earlier? Maybe you spent all day/ night getting one school assignment done that you thought wouldn't have taken so long. This can be very stressful! What if things got worse and you ended up getting a grade you were not happy with? An F? D? C? For some, even a B is upsetting knowing that you spent a long time working on the assignment.

Now, imagine if you did this in college, where you would get homework for each course, every day of class! You have to admit, procrastinating, which is delaying or postponing something that needs to get done, isn't a smart thing to do at such a serious level of schooling. This delay can jeopardize your education, health, and even your future!

According to Off to College 2008, most of the time, we struggle to create a balance between our needs, our desires, and our obligations. Our needs are our everyday tasks we must do to maintain ourselves, such as eating, sleeping, personal hygiene, etc. Our desires are all the enjoyable times we look forward to, such as socializing, reading, going online, shopping, watching TV, etc. Finally, our obligations are the things we try to fulfill successfully to meet expectations, like going to school and doing well for our future and to make our parents proud of us.  

"I've seen people fail because of this. There is always going to be a party, but you have to be disciplined and get your work done first," said Monika K.

Too much time on any one of these three groups, and not enough in each, creates an imbalance in your life. For example, watching too much TV instead of studying for an upcoming exam can result in a poor grade. Another example is being regularly late, which sends the message to others saying, "I don’t take my education seriously."

Okay, so now that you know what needs to be balanced and what can happen if balancing of time isn't done, lets focus on how you can manage your time.

First, analyze your time. For a few days, keep track of how you use your time to see when you are the busiest and when your time is more flexible. Notice what time of day you do your best work, and how much time is wasted with telephone calls, interruptions, distractions, etc.

Next, organize your time. Having the right materials with you when you are ready to work on an assignment can save time. (Also, it saves frustration when things are easily accessible.)

Use a tool to organize what you need to do, such as a planner, phone or calendar. You can also make to-do lists. Record important dates, such as due dates for school work, library books, and days that you can enjoy, for example socializing, shopping, and traveling, without sacrificing your other responsibilities. Remember to check off your completed tasks as they get done. Motivation for getting something done can be a reward for yourself, such as going out or buying yourself a treat!

Finally, prioritize! Determine what is more important and needs to get done as soon as possible. Tasks that are due later or can wait are of low priority at the moment. Assignments due sooner are of higher priority.

Arrange the tasks from high to low priority. Set realistic deadlines for yourself. Breaking a big assignment apart makes the task more manageable and less overwhelming.

Some other points to keep in mind are: Make the task meaningful. Ask yourself why the task is important to you and how it relates to your long-term goals.

Since a college degree is four plus years away, we often lose sight of our goals. We forget the reason we decided to enroll in college in the first place. A reminder every so often is a good idea, especially when procrastination is about to attack!

Also, think positive. Avoid speaking negatively about the task and your ability to move toward completion. Remember, proper management of time has many benefits; the most important is a stress-free life!