Jazzing Up A Staple Wardrobe Item - The Classic White Shirt - Tips From Dawn Del Russo

Yesterday I stumbled across some of Dawn Del Russo's youtube videos.  She is a lifestyle and fashion expert who is a frequent video blogger giving lots of GREAT advice to her fans for free.  As I am starting a new job next week I really liked this video but all of her videos are really good.  There are over 500 of them on Youtube so check her out for some fashion tips and inspiration.



Here is her Facebook page if you want to stay on top of what she is doing.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Dawn-Del-Russo/56430210824

Another great radio clip on how to shop on a budget:

My New Amazing Skin Care Regime - Dermalogica Dermal Clay Cleanser, Dermalogica Multi Active Toner, Dermalogica Oil Free Matte Block

Product Review for September - Dermalogica Skin Care Products - Gets 10/10 stars **********

I am sure everyone has heard about the Dermologica skin care range by now.  It has gotten so popular now that all types of retail outlets are stocking it, not just health and beauty spas anymore.  I had been meaning to check it out for several years after hearing a friend of mine raving about it but I never got around to it.  I found a really good Irish website selling the products at a reduced rate last month so I decided to give it a try. (www.millies.ie)

I was not happy with the BDR range I had invested in last March at all.  The cleanser left my face feeling greasy and the moisturizer never felt very nice going on.  They did not sell a toner either as they had told me it was not necessary.  Since I switched over from Yonka to the BDR range I noticed my skin had become dull and more prone to the occasional spot.  So with the BDR cleanser nearly gone I figured it was about time I tried giving Dermalogica a try.  

I chose the Dermal Clay Cleanser as it provides a deep cleansing  to oily skin which is something I suffer with.  What a great soap!  As it is going on it feels so smooth and cold like a clay mask.  As you start to lather it on your skin a refreshing tingling sensation starts as a result of the menthol in the product.  It leaves your skin feeling really clean and revitalized.

The next step in my new regime is to spray the Multi Active Toner all over my face and neck.  I love the fact that it is in a spray bottle.  I cant count how many times I have bought toners to go with a new cleanser and moisturizer and forgot to use it or didn't make the time.  This is probably because I never use to see any real benefit to them.  However I enjoy spraying this toner on my face because I start to feel a tingling sensation right away which just makes me picture my pores just tightening up and any excess oil just getting zapped!  Since I have started using this my skin is so much smoother and clearer and my pores have been reduced in size.  This toner is also supposed to help get the skin ready to absorb more moisture when you apply your moisturizer. I promise it really is a great product and will not just sit on your bathroom shelf somewhere.

The final step then is to apply the Oil Free Matte Block moisturizer.  This has an SPF 20 to help protect against sun damage like freckles and wrinkles.  It definitely does what it says on the tin - maintain an all day matte finish!  It also contains green tea to help calm inflammation caused by breakouts. It has a nice texture and smell and goes on light enough but still feels nourishing to the skin.

I have given this product range a 10 out of 10 because my skin looks amazing since I started to use it.  I saw a difference after 1 week. I also received a free exfoliant kit but I have not used that yet.  

I also bought an exfoliating face brush from Dermalogica.  This unfortunately was a waste of money and was a bit on the expensive side.  I do not like it at all.  I thought it would have more of an exfoliating effect but it does not.  I dont think I will ever use it again so it was a total waste of money.  

Instead I recommend you use Loofah Face Pads.  I still use them with my cleanser and I cannot recommend them highly enough. Your skin feels so smooth and your makeup looks so much better.  You can pick these up in most chemists or pharmacies but I just found a link for a really cheap offer - 12 for £2.99.  Usually you only get 3 for that price! http://www.superfooduk.com/loofah-facial-pads-12-pieces-645-p.asp

So if you are in the market now to try something new I highly suggest you try Dermologica, especially if you have oily skin and are prone to the odd breakout.  If not keep it in mind for the future. I actually look forward to my skin care regime now and I think Dermalogica and I have a long future together!

Have You Heard About The Next Big Thing In Skin Care and Makeup? BB Cream Loved by the Asian Market!

BB Cream, also known as, Blemish Balm Cream, is a pore-refining cream that regulates sebum secretion while creating a flawless and matte complexion without feeling greasy. It is huge in Asia right now and it is only a matter of time before it hits the Western market with a bang because it is a truly amazing beauty product. 

I describe it to people as basically a combination between foundation and blemish cream.  It feels like a tinted moisturiser going on your skin but it gives the coverage of a foundation.  It leaves your skin feeling moisturised and smooth with a glowing complexion and pores greatly reduced in size.  I use it as my day time foundation now and my skin has never looked better.  It can also be used a base for foundation if you have more severe break outs that need extra coverage. The best part is that it is also healing the skin while it acts as a foundation giving coverage.  This product would get 6 out of 5 star ratings from me, it really is amazing.

Wikipedia has this to say about BB cream:

 Originally formulated in Germany, it was initially used by dermatologists to help laser surgery patients protect, soothe and refine highly sensitive skin while providing light coverage for post-laser scars, acne and other blemishes.

In recent years BB cream has gained a huge following for its skin-regenerating properties and is now also widely used in Asia to provide natural-looking skin coverage. Korean celebrities and cosmetic companies were the first to discover BB cream, and its popularity has now spread from Korea to China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan and South East Asia.

BB creams come in a variety of different formulations. Some are said to have skin whitening or brightening properties, others are anti-acne, some are anti-wrinkle, some are intended to even out skin tone, and yet others to lighten blemish scars. BB creams are sometimes used like a primer under foundation, and if tinted can replace foundation.

The Main Benefits:

* Provides a natural glowing "no makeup" look

* Provides as much coverage as a foundation yet does not clog your pores or leave you with that sticky heavy feeling.

* Works pretty much like a tinted moisturizer and a primer

* Conceals and gets rid of all types of pigmentation, discoloration, acne and other blemishes

* Has that power to  soften, smoothen and refine skin

* Encourages skin regeneration to create and maintain youthful skin

* Contains UV Protection for healthy skin (SPF levels differ for each brand/product)

* Anti-wrinkle and skin-lightening benefits (available for some variants)

*Alleviates under eye circles

Personally I have only tried Skin Food Brand of BB cream because I am a huge fan of Skin Food products.  Below is a link to the product I have been using.  Depending on your complexion you may want to opt for a darker shade. It is also very reasonably priced compared to some of the more up market foundations. Other well known brands are BRTC, Skin 79, Missha, Etude and The Face Shop.

This is an absolute must try this season, trust me you wont regret it :)

Salon Microdermabrasion v At Home Microdermabrasion

Several of my close friends have asked me lately what I have been doing with my skin because it looks so much healthier. So I decided to write a series of articles on my new skin care regime I implemented this month that is working a charm for me!  The first part of the regime began with salon microdermabrasion.

For several years now I have been dying to try microdermabrasion in the beauty salon as I had heard so many good things about it.  Its known to clear out your pores, reduce fine lines and get the circulation going in your skin to give off a radiant glow. Well this month I finally got a treatment done in a salon in Dublin that used the crystal method.  

After the first treatment my skin looked and felt amazing.  However this only lasted for 3 or 4 days.  When I got the second treatment done a couple weeks later, my skin did not look or feel any better at all.  I decided to try the at home kit I had been given as christmas gift and it worked wonders on my skin.  My skin was softer, smoother and more radiant.  It cleaned out all of my pores and made my makeup go on so smoothly.  Between the exfoliation brush and scrub and the buffer this is a truly fantastic product and so affordable.  The moisturiser that comes with it is also really nice and smells gorgeous.

Based on this I would recommend anyone who is considering this procedure to try using the at home kit first.  It is only a fraction of the cost and more effective.  Plus you can do it in the comfort of your own home whenever you want.  Try doing this to your skin once or twice a week for best results.

The Von Berg microdermabrasion set can be found with this link to amazon!

Eckhart Tolle on Falling in Love

A Review of "Inspired Destiny" By Dr. John Demartini

The main premise of this book is that everyone deserves to live a life they feel truly satisfied and inspired by. If they take the time to do some inner searching they can make this happen. The author, who talks about his own adversity in life, had to overcome many challenges in finding his satisfying path.  He was born in braces, suffered from dyslexia, dropped out of high school and nearly died of a drug overdose when homeless as a teenager.  One day he met a spiritual expert who helped him realize his life vision through a meditation exercise.  Despite the fact that he had no high school education his vision was so strong he went on to battle his dyslexia and get a high school equivalent test, go to college and eventually become a doctor and philosopher who holds the Guinness book of records for holding the most seminars in one year. Not only does this stand as an inspiration for the reader it is a great story to use when explaining how people can overcome great challenges to fulfill their life’s purpose.

The key to finding your purpose in life is to identify what your top values are.  Only when you are setting goals in congruence to these values will you be truly satisfied and inspired.  When you are setting goals that are not in line with your values you are living in a fantasy and as a result you are going to be unhappy within yourself.  For example, if you had a goal to be financially wealthy but you did not actually value wealth, chances are you will never become wealthy.  However you will be unhappy with your economic status and may become depressed and resentful. “Buried in your heart is a powerful knowing, telling you what you’d love to dedicate your life to”.  The problem with this is that there are 7 fears in life that hold us back. 1. Spiritual 2. Mental 3. Failure 4. Financial 5. Family 6. Social 7. Physically.   Everything you value and want more of is already in your life in some form.  Once you begin to recognize this and have gratitude you can begin to transform it into the form you desire.  For example people who are longing for romance will remain lonely if they cant find love in being alone, i.e being content with the love they have for themselves.  By examining what you surround yourself with, how you spend your money, how you spend your time, what you talk about internally and with others etc you begin to see patterns of what is most important to you in its current form.  Once you recognize this you can turn this into the form you want by removing any of the 7 fears that are holding you back. This puts you on the path to an inspired destiny.

Part one of the book “Values, Purpose & Destiny” provides some very powerful tools and concepts to allow the reader to explore what is truly important to them.  This allows them to figure out what they truly want to dedicate their lives to and make money while doing it.  Part two “Life Skills” provides more powerful tools to help you identify and overcome the major obstacles that are standing in your way from living your life’s purpose.  It identifies ways to remove emotional barriers that can stand in our way like guilt and fear of failure amongst others. Part three “Life Insights” gives us the reader great insight on how to live a meaningful life by holding a true vision about your future, by being a better leader, in managing your time and understanding the ripple effect.

This book is truly stimulating and has many new ideas and tools for a person to use in order to help themselves or someone they know find authentic happiness and their life purpose. This would be especially useful for someone who is lost or unfulfilled and looking for more out of life.  It is also a great read for a coach because it helps reinforce the point that not only does everyone deserve to live an inspired life, everyone has the ability.  As a coach it is our job to believe in, support and inspire our clients to follow their dreams and I felt that this book was a great addition in my ability to do just that.  I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in living an inspired life or anyone who works in the field of personal development.  Its easy to read and it is full of value and new insights.  Another great piece of work by Dr. Demartini.

Free Life/Business Coaching Session with A Master Coach!

"Who exactly seeks out a coach? Winners who want even more out of life." -

Chicago Tribune

Are you living a truly satisfying and inspired life?

Are you truly happy in your career?

Do you live a healthy and balanced lifestyle?

Are you setting and achieving all your goals on your own to ensure success?

If you answered no to any of these questions you should consider getting a coach.  A coach does for your life what a personal trainer does for your health and fitness.  You would not build a house without laying down the foundation first, right? Well then you should also do the same when it comes to your life. Life Coaching gives you that solid foundation to build a successful and joyful life upon. 

Here are some of the areas a coach can help you with:

>Finding Your Purpose In Life


>Finding a Satisfying Career


>Improved Sales

>Better Work/Life Balance

>Improved Time Management

>Goal Setting & Accomplishment

>Dealing with Change In A Positive Way

>Imporved Health & Energy

>Better Relationships/Dating

>Confidence Building & Public Speaking

I have 2 openings left for a free hour long coaching session with a Master Coach from JTS Advisors. Great opportunity for anyone who has an area of their life that they are not totally happy with and want to get some help improving.  You would be surprised the value a coach can give you in an hour!  Please email me at coachingtoempower@gmail.com if you are interested in availing of this offer.  This will be done on a first come first serve basis as I only have two slots.

WARNING: Do You Know What Passion Really Means?

Outside of the realms of a romantic relationship, I have also heard many people use the word "Passion" or "Passionate" to refer to how they felt about a particular topic, cause or career choice.  I assumed, like many others, that this word had a solely positive connotations. I thought it meant someone had strong feelings about something or were very interested or committed to whatever they were referring to.

However, this weekend I had the most amazing opportunity to spend a whole day with Dr. John Demartini in a seminar on Wealth & Spirituality in Dublin.  Dr. Demartini is most famous these days for his work on   "The Secret" but he has been studying human development and philosophy for 38 years and sharing his wealth of knowledge with the world by traveling around and teaching through seminars, writing books and appearing in the media. He is a truly inspiring, knowledgable and caring man and I could not recommend going to see him highly enough if you ever get the chance.  

One of the many things I learned this weekend is to be very careful in the way I use the word passion when referring to my career as coach.  I used to say I am passionate about coaching or personal development but little did I know that this word has a hidden meaning.   He says that passion is another word for suffering and being addicted to something, this is definitely not the meaning I was trying to portray!  I got home and changed any social media profiles using the word passion and I have pretty much erased this word out of my mind now. When I looked up the word it is defined as a strong emotion however its synonyms can include: infatuation, mania, obsession, agony, anger, distress, fury, rage and resentment, amongst others.  I don't think people generally mean to elude these type's of meanings when they say "I am passionate about...." They would be much better off to say 'I am committed to....' or 'I value....' so they are not giving any impression of suffering or obsession.  In fact it may even be a good idea to stop using this word when speaking about romantic relationships too as I don't think any of us want to be speaking about suffering or obsession in that context either - well at least I don't!

Go out and spread the word about the true meaning of this tricky word!!  

I will be posting up more about what I learned from Dr. Demartini in future written and video blogs so please stay tuned, this lesson was not even a chip off the iceberg!

Some Tips on Setting Balanced Goals for 2011

Since it is the time of year again when people are making new year resolutions and setting goals for the year ahead I thought I could share some tips on setting goals that really work for me.  Before I get into that I wanted to remind you of the difference between a goal and a wish.  Many people wish they had the job or body of their dreams.  When they take this wish and start to make a plan as to how they are going to make it happen and set real time lines to achieve that goal and all the milestones leading up to it then it becomes a real and obtainable goal.

Most people are striving to live a more balanced life.  This is not an easy endeavor for many of us. One way that we can do this is by examining all of the important areas of our lives when we are setting goals for our year ahead.  This way we can make sure we are focusing on all aspects of our lives instead of just one or two!  In coaching we use the following 8 headings when we are looking at how satisfied a client is with their lives:

Health
Money
Career
Environment (Work/Home)
Friends/Family
Significant Other/Support
Fun & Recreation
Personal Growth

So for 2011 it would be very beneficial if you could take 20 minutes out of your busy lives and have a think about how satisfied you are about each of these areas.  Feel free to change these headings or add to them as you see fit.  Once you have figured out how you satisfied you are then figure out what steps you can take to be even more satisfied. Then write out all your goals under each heading that you will  achieve by the end of this year. Obviously there will be more work to do in certain areas but it is important not to work so hard in one area that we forget about others.  For example, there is no point working so hard on your career that your health and recreation suffers.  

Here are a few suggestions to make this even more powerful:

1. Remember if you actually take the time to write down your goals, you will be 80 times more likely to achieve them.  When I started to write my yearly, monthly and weekly goals down in 2008, I started to see some real results like never before. 

2. Put this written list of goals for all the areas of your life somewhere you can see it on a regular basis.  So instead of just writing it in journal and sticking it in a drawer that you will not look at very often, go ahead and tape it onto a closet door or something you look at all the time.  This will keep it fresh in your mind.  

3. Make sure you cross things off the list as you reach your goals.  The sense of achievement is greatly increased when you do this and your motivation to achieve the rest of your goals will be even higher.  

4. Set yourself really easy goals as well as some harder ones.  So for instance if you want to loose 50 lbs, then also make a smaller goal of joining the gym or buying an exercise tape.
5. Set yourself a rough date as to when you would like to achieve each goal throughout the year. 

I wish you all the best on the year ahead. Start the year as you mean to go on!

Gary Vaynerchuk: Do what you love (no excuses!) | Video on TED.com

A great inspirational video to get this decade off to the right start!

Gary Vaynerchuk: Do what you love (no excuses!) | Video on TED.com

A Free Audio Book On The Law Of Attraction

I just came across a site that has a free version of the audio book "Excuse Me, Your Life Is Waiting" which was recommended to me by my mentor as a great book on the law of attraction.

Enjoy everyone!!!



http://www.archive.org/details/ExcuseMeYourLifeIsWaiting

Lessons From The Great Jim Rohn

Jim Rohn is one of the most well known personal development authors and public speakers.  He mentored Tony Robbins and also influenced Brian Tracy and Jack Canfield (Author of Chicken Soup for The Soul). While I had heard about his work for a while I only got the opportunity to start listening to some of his audiotapes tonight and I am quite impressed. Here are some of my favorite parts so far.....

1.            Financial Planning: The poor spend what they have and invest what is left. The rich invest what they have and spend what is left. It’s not the amount of money you have but what you plan to do with it that counts!  It is vitally important to have a financial plan for your future to ensure you are comfortable. Jim suggests something called the 70,10,10,10 rule. For every $1 that comes into your hand that is earned or gifted to you, only spend .70 cents of that. Then spend .10 cents for charity, .10 cents to invest in your own business or savings (active capital) and .10 cents that you let someone else use to make money off it (passive capital - i.e stocks, shares, investments into other businesses that you are not involved with).  If you are in really bad shape then don't spend any more than .97cents of every $1 and use the same formula as above.  Over time this will guarantee financial independence for anyone. Don't forget the reason to make a living is to make a fortune. Have an "investment account" not a "savings account" because if you start picturing yourself making money from what you put aside you might actually do it!

2.            Personal Development: Simply making consistent investments in our self-education and knowledge banks pays major dividends throughout our lives. I suggest having a minimum amount of time set aside for reading books, listening to audiocassettes, attending seminars, keeping a journal and spending time with other successful people. Charlie Tremendous Jones says you will be in five years the sum total of the books you read and the people you are around.  Investing in your own self development is the best gift you can give your kids, your parents, your friends, your partner, your employer etc. The better person you are the more you have to offer other people in your life.  Chances are if the parents are ok, then the kids are ok.  Put your mask on first!  Just like they instruct you to put your oxygen mask on first on a airplane, you should do the same in life.

3.            Time Management: How much money does your TV cost?  No its not $400-500 or whatever you paid for it.  Really it has cost you all the money you could have made as a result of watching it.  So if you could have invested that time in learning a new skill, developing your self so you can do better in your current career etc....  It may cost the average person $40,000 a year.  It is also easy to be online and off-track.  So much valuable time is spent wasted surfing the Internet and not getting anything valuable done!

4.            Goal Setting: if you don't have a list of goals for your life, you will tend to have a very low bank balance.  We are primarily affected by our environment (physical, social, political etc..), Events, Knowledge, results, dreams.  Make sure the future is pulling you forward and not the past pulling you back.  Dreams and goals can become magnets and the stronger the goal, the higher the purpose the more powerful the objective, the stronger the magnet that pulls you in that direction.  It will help you get through the dark times.

This is just a brief summary of my favorite bits but if you want to listen to the whole thing yourself, here is the audio, which I highly recommend.  What a great Christmas present to yourself or someone else that loves personal development!

Cheap Christmas Gift Idea

Seeing as it is that time of year again and most of us either have a little less money this year or don't want to spend as much, I thought it would be good to do a quick blog on a cheap gift idea I had recently.

I recently had dinner at a friends house is really an exceptional host!  She is always making her guests feel so comfortable and spoiling them for choice with different foods.  Well the last time I was at her house she made me some chocolate fondue sauce with Marshmellows and strawberries to dip it in.  It was absolutely delicious and the perfect desert to finish off the dinner.  I always thought you needed a fancy machine to make fondue but all she has was a simple one heated by a candle.  I since bought one for myself and thought - what a great gift that would be for anyone, and it is so affordable!!!  You should be able to get one for around $10 or less like this one on Amazon.

Come Check Out My New Blog On Cats!

If you are an animal lover then you will get plenty of cute photos and stories here to cheer you up! Also you will find great advice topics like nutrition, grooming, breeding, showing, training as well as the cheapest deals around for your cat!
http://guardianangelcats.blogspot.com/

Are You Successful In Life?

Would you describe your life as successful? Take some time to consider why. According to the Oxford Dictionary success is defined as the following:


1.   The accomplishment of an aim or purpose


2.  The attainment of fame, wealth, or social status

Unfortunately there are many people that will use the latter definition to determine how successful their lives are.  When people use external factors such as fame, wealth or social status they have no control over how satisfied they are with their success and ultimately their lives.  As the recent economic downturn has shown many of us, our jobs, homes, cars and other status symbols are never a secure reality.  They can be taken away when we least expect it.  So if we base our level of success and happiness on having these status symbols, we leave ourselves open to feeling like a failure in life.  This can lead to severe depression and seep into other areas of our life like our health and relationships with other people.  


Another thing to consider is something called negative success.  This may sound impossible at first but think about it for a second.  Have you ever met someone who had a great career but other areas of their live were not so wonderful.  Think of the successful businessman that works so many hours a week that his marriage is breaking down, his kids are strangers and his health is beginning to suffer.  He may have success in his career and lots of material possessions but deep down he is not happy due to the problems in the other areas of his life.  That is what I mean by negative success.


If you begin to use the first definition when evaluating whether your life is successful one thing becomes obvious - you need to figure out your life purpose or aim?  Many people will never actually try to figure this out and so it is no surprise that they may never feel successful.


Here is a list of suggestions I have come up with to help people live a successful and happy life.

1. Put a lot of thought into how you define success.

2. Set SMART goals for yourself write them down and continue to monitor them until you have achieved them.

3. Every night before you go to bed pick three things that happened during the day that you are thankful for

4. Distinguish what you need, want and wish for in life and work on achieving or maintaining these things.

5. Be aware of your values and make sure you align your lifestyle, relationships and career with them.

6. Find your calling in life, whatever that may be.

7. Commit yourself to becoming a life long learner

8. Don’t base your future on your past

9. Seek first to understand, Then to be understood.  - Stephen Covey

10. Never spend more time on things that don’t matter than on the things that do.

11. Don’t let fear hold you back from achieving your dreams.  

12. Begin to look for a positive aspect in every negative situation you are faced with - you will be surprised!

13. People are driven by two things pain and pleasure. Don’t live life being beaten with a stick - go for the carrot instead!  By this I mean don’t be motivated to do things in order to avoid pain, do things in order to gain pleasure. (Tony Robbins)

14. Focus more on your strengths than your weaknesses.

15. Make work/life balance a major priority in your life.

16. Write a mission statement for your life and try to stick to it!  Make sure you adapt it fit your values as you continue to grow.

17. Be Mindful as often as possible.  By being present in the moment so you can truly relax and recharge your batteries!  Try yoga or owning a pet to increase your mindfulness.  Even when you concentrate on your own breathing for a few minutes you give your body a break.

18. Be careful of the self limiting beliefs you may have developed over your life - many of them are totally ridiculous and can hold you back from achieving greatness.

19. Learn from your mistakes don't dwell on them.

20. Remember that while we get older we may become less physically beautiful but we have the opportunity to become so much better looking on the inside.

21. If you want something then visualize it and the universe will send it to you.  

22. Make sure you view money as a positive not a negative factor in your life.  Never say “I cant afford it”, say “How can I afford it?” (Robert Kiyosaki)

23. Don’t let your level of success be determined by other people.

24.Write down a list of all of your good qualities and keep adding to it as you go through life.

25. Go to a life coach so you can receive the awareness, direction, confidence and inspiration you will need to achieve success.  In the same way that you would seek professional advice for other things in your life (Doctor, Accountant, Lawyer, Mechanic etc...) you should also give the same level of commitment to making sure your life is a success with a coach.