September/October Favorites!

Hi loves,

It's been a while since I last posted.  I've been a hard working bee for the past month and haven't had the time to sit down and post. But here I am, catching up on social media life. In the midst of all these work, I have found time to shop for beauty products, and I here I am sharing my favorite products for the month of September and the beginning of October.  Hope you enjoy the review and find it useful! Below I will leave the links to find these products.

1. TonyMoly Haeyo Mayo & Banana Cream Foam Cleanser

Let's start with the cleanser.  The smell, OH, the smell!  Think of lathering your face in banana cream pie.  The smell is not so sweet that it overwhelms you, something that I often find in fruit-scented products.  As far as the effects on my skin... I can't really judge yet, as I started using it a few days ago. The product has a creamy and dense consistency, and you only need a little amount.  It lathers nicely and your skin feels clean after using it, though not super clean. On the negative side,  I have sensitive combination skin, and after using the product I found my skin a little bit tighter and drier.  So, the jury is still out on this amazingly scented product...

The hair mayo is branded as one of their best selling products.  Once again, I fell flat for the smell and the ingredients:  Egg yolk and shea butter.  It reminds me of Egg Nog!  The jury is also still out on this product, as I have yet to try it...

2. Boscia Luminizing Black Mask 

What can I say about this product that haven't been said yet?  Its simply exquisite! I have trouble finding suitable peeling masks for my skin because its so sensitive.  But my skin is definitely appreciative of this Boscia mask that will make you look like a Ninja when you are wearing it!  After using it, my skin feels very very clean, soft, fresh, and brighter.  However, I find I have to use more than a decent amount of product to cover my skin well, and to be able to peel it later.  Its the only negative comment I have about this otherwise fabulous product!

3. Korres Wild Rose+VitaminC Advanced Brightening Sleeping Facial

I suffered acne for most of my teenage and young adulthood years.  Luckily for me, my skin started clearing in my very late twenties.  To treat my acne, I had to use prescription products, and usually those are harsh to the skin, with some even causing discoloration and uneven tones.  Because of this I've had to use brightening, "even your skin tone" masks in my adult years.  This mask does this marvelously! It brightens and evens out the skin tone, and considering rose-based facial products tend to dry my skin, this one works beautifully.  The products also works for dark spots, but since I don't have very visible dark spots, I can't vouch for its effect in treating these.  

4.  John Frieda Beach Blonde Sea Salt Spray

I was a huge fan of the Frederic Fekkai Summer Hair Sea Salt Spray because it kept my "man-made" curls soft and intact.  I have a thick straight hair, and its quite hard to curl.  I stopped buying it because it was a bit expansive, and I wasn't using it that much in the fall and winter days in NYC.  But now that I moved back to Puerto Rico, I twist and coil my hair and let it air dry at night very often.  So, I needed to find an inexpensive sea salt spray, and I found the John Frieda one.  I tried it for the first time last week, and everyone at work commented on how much they loved the look!  The curls stayed strong for two full days!  Plus, it smells very beach-y.  

Where to Buy these products:

TonyMoly Hair Mayo

Boscia Luminizing Black Mask

Korres Wild Rose + Vitamic C Advanced Brightening Sleep Facial

The John Frieda Beach Blonde Sea Salt Spray you can find at any drugstore or beauty store

The Tony Moly Banana Foam Cleanser you can buy via eBay, their NYC store, or through another online venue

Healthy and delicious fruit-based pancakes

Hi loves,

Hmmm... the universal love for the fluff of pancakes (well, I don't have facts to proof pancakes are eaten and loved universally, but you get the point!).  Today I will be sharing 2 pancake recipes I adapted from 2 of my favorite food bloggers (I am leaving you the links to their blogs, and IG accounts at the bottom of this post).  The first recipe is banana-oatmeal-coconut pancakes, and the second papaya-oatmeal-coconut pancakes.  All the ingredients are natural and for the most part organic.  These recipes are a good way to start changing your eating habits, since most of us like fruits, oatmeal, eggs, and milk, which are the main ingredients in these recipes.  If you are still not convinced, I went a little bit overboard and turned the banana-oatmeal-coconut pancakes into teddy bear with left over ingredients, and some additional fruits!  Come on, what could me more inviting than a pancake that looks like a teddy bear?!

But seriously, what I love about these recipes is that they don't contain any of those ingredients that you can barely pronounce in your average pancake mix...  Plus, since they don't contain regular enriched flour, they are less heavy on your body, and you can easily digest them.  That doesn't mean you will not feel satisfy and full... Trust me oatmeal, papaya, and banana will make you feel pretty packed and tight by the time you get to the third pancake!

So try them at home (the teddy bear one you can make it with your little ones at home)... and it will be a fun little weekend project) and let me know in the comments section how you  like them!

BANANA-OATMEAL-COCONUT PANCAKES

Ingredients:

1. 2 1/2 bananas
2. 4 eggs
3. 2/3 cup of oats
4. 1/4 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
5. 1 tablespoon of coconut oil
6. Coconut flakes (to taste)
7. Natural sweetener (to taste)
8. Blueberries
9. Honey or maple syrup

Instructions:

In a blender, mix the bananas, eggs, oats, cinnamon, agave, and shredded coconut.  Blend until the mix becomes a batter consistency.  Place the mix in an easy pour container for later use.  In a sauté pan or cast iron skillet pour in the coconut oil and turn the heat to medium-low (Remember temperature varies from stove to stove, and I found myself having to increase the a bit over medium low).  Once the pan heats up, pour the mix onto the pan and cook each side for about 2-4 minutes depending on your stove.  If you want to make the teddy bear, make sure you pour enough mix so the pancakes are of a medium size.  To make a teddy bear, use half of a banana, and cut 3 thin to medium circles to make the face, and 4-5 additional circles for garnish.  Use about 8-10 blueberries, 3 for the face, and the rest for garnish.  Put 2 banana circles on each corner of the pancake tower to simulate the ears, then put 2 blueberries to simulate the eyes at the top of the first pancake from top to bottom, then put another banana circle somewhere in the middle of the same pancake to simulate the mouth, put a blueberry on top of the banana circle.  And then add the leftover bananas, blueberries, and coconut around the plate for garnish! Add honey or maple syrup to taste.

Enjoy!

PAPAYA-OATMEAL-COCONUT PANCAKES

Ingredients:

1. 2/3 cups of oats
2. 1 yolk and 2 whites
3. 1 teaspoon baking powder
4. 1 teaspoon cinnamon
5. 1/2 papaya seeded and diced
6. 1 tablespoon coconut oil
7. Natural sweetener (to taste)
8. Coconut flakes (to taste)
9. A few drops of Vanilla

Instructions:

Blend all ingredients (except the coconut oil) until the mix becomes a batter consistency.  Place the mix in an easy pour container for later use.  In a sauté pan or cast iron skillet pour in the coconut oil and turn the heat to medium-low (Remember temperature varies from stove to stove, and found myself having to increase the a bit over medium low).  Once the pan heats up, pour the mix onto the pan and cook each side for about 2-4 minutes depending on your stove.  Place the pancakes in a plate, and add honey or maple syrup to taste.  

Enjoy!

The bloggers that inspired this post:

Diana Rodelo-http://www.dianarodelo.com; Instagram: @diana_rodelo
Carolina Baez Instagram- @caro_baezb

Coconut Milk-Passion Fruit Limbers // Limbers de Leche de Coco y Maracuyá (Parcha)

Hi loves,

Growing up I used to eat a concoction of colorful high sirup mixes called limbers!  These are pretty much the equivalent of ice pops in the U.S, but in a cup and less healthy (though these days they make healthier versions).  They were juicy, flavorful, refreshing, icy... Simply delicious! Since I have been living in PR a little bit over two months now, I started craving them.  I decided to go online and search for healthier ice pops options, and found one that I could not resist trying it out: Coconut Milk-Passion Fruit Ice Pops. But instead of ice pops, I made limbers.  They have just the right amount of sugar to keep you in a healthy rush all day!  

I hope you try it and enjoy them!

***Spanish blog post is below the instructions section in English. ***

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups canned coconut milk (roughly 14 ounce can)
• 1/4 cup passion fruit juice
• 1/4 teaspoon lime zest
• 2 tablespoons powdered, brown or coconut sugar (The original recipe called for powedered, but I prefer brown or coconut) 
• 2 tablespoons passion fruit seeds
• Mint leaves for garnish
• 4 small plastic cups

Instructions:

1. In a blender, puree together the coconut milk, passion fruit juice, lime zest, and sugar. Pour into small plastic cups. Garnish with mint leaves. Freeze until firm, at least 4 hours.

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Hola amores,

¿A cuantos no les da nostalgia recordar el sabor de los limbers?  Que si de coco, de fresa, de china, de uva, tamarindo... Bueno que venían de todos los sabores.  Aquel emplaste de azúcares artificiales y colorantes me hacía muy feliz de niña.  Como ya han pasado dos meses desde que me mudé a Puerto Rico he comenzado a desearlos, así que me di a la tarea de buscar en el internet algunas recetas de paletas de hielo o limbers mas saludables.  Y encontré una que esta para morirse:  Paletas de hielo de leche de coco y maracuyá o parcha!  DIOS MIO, que deliciosas! 

Aquí les comparto la receta.  Espero que la hagan y les guste!

Ingredientes:

• 1 1/2 taza leche de coco en lata, fresca, o de caja 
• 1/4 taza jugo de maracuyá o parcha
• 1/4 cucharadita de jugo de limón
• 2 cucharadas de azúcar en polvo, o azúcar de coco o morena (La receta original lleva azúcar en polvo, pero yo prefiero utilizar azúcar de coco o morena)
• 2 cucharadas de semillas de maracuyá o parcha
• Hojas de menta para adornar al gusto
• 4 vasos plásticos de los pequeños 

Instrucciones:

1. En una licuadora mezcla la leche de coco, el jugo de maracuyá o parcha, el jugo de limón, y el azúcar.  Coloca la mezcla en partes mas o menos iguales en los vasos plásticos y pon 1 ó 2 hojas de menta para decorar.  Déjalo en el congelador por 4 ó 5 horas o hasta que estén completamente congelados.  

Caribbean Flow

Hi loves,

When I lived in NYC I treasured every ounce of the summer time because the season was short-lived!    And then the fall and winter blues quickly settled in.  Now that I am back home in Puerto Rico, I am grateful to have an eternal summer season.  Fashion wise, that means that I can wear flowy, breezy, light, colorful, and rich textiles all year long.  Lately, I am into off-shoulder bohemian tops and dresses.  I find the off-shoulder trend subtly sexy, and it complements nicely one of my favorite body parts, my collarbone and shoulders.  What I also love about these relaxed and flowing pieces is that  they are absolutely comfortable and perfect for very warm weather.  If you are the one that loves showing off your shoulders, then this trend is for you.  If you are not sure, try it!

Here I lea you with some tasseled, bright, and Talavera tiles-inspired pieces that I am sure will inspire you to update your summer wardrobe!  Enjoy!

-Diana

P.S. Information on where to get these pieces is below the first or second picture of each new look.

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Dress: Zara (No longer available, but similar here TopShop; Shopbob)
Handbag: Urban Outfitters (No longer available, but similar here Urban Outfitters)
Sunglasses: Forever 21

Top: Zara Kids (No Longer Available)
Skirt: Zara (No Longer Available) There are some similar in the Zara website, running 50% off!
Clutch Frida Kahlo:  Dulce Calavera (Follow her on IG @dulce_calavera)
Sandals: Target

Top: Zara (No longer available, but similar here TopShop; Asos)