Happy New Year - Now Let's See How I Did!

I remember around this time last year posting several New Year's Resolutions on this blog. A sort of 30 before 30, if you will...which gives me the unique opportunity to check back and see how I did! Because while hitting all those goals definitely didn't happen, turning 30 was guaranteed to. Isn't it funny how aging works? Anyway, 2015 really was an incredible year, but it had its low points for me too. Beginning and ending a relationship that was kind of a full-time job in and of itself made it so I didn't have much time to really do the things I'd outlined, but it did bring lots of other meaningful goals and personal achievements. And while I'm really looking forward to a fresh start in 2016, I hope that reposting my New Years Resolutions from last year as more of a continuation (let's keep this party going!) would be kind of cool. We're all a work in progress, right?

So...without further ado, my 2015 Resolutions! I will cross out things I genuinely did and offer some background commentary on the things I did not...

1  Keep an up-to-date calendar/planner (past March...)
Yeah, this is just never going to be a thing for me. But I keep trying! I'm currently trying to focus my planner just to blogging goals and planning content so I don't just...casually step away for four years again! So that is my amended goal for 2016.
2  Keep my desktop/workspace clean (spot clean every day before leaving work)
3  Take an improv comedy class  
I still really, really want to do this.
4  Set up drinks/dinner with a new female friend
5  Blog at least twice a week
Hah! A likely story... But, I'm upping this to 3x in 2016.
6  Wear makeup everyday (bonus points if I put it on at home and not at my desk)
I definitely upped my makeup game in 2015, but yeah...it mostly happened at my desk. Not gonna lie.
7  Go kayaking at Riverside or Brooklyn Bridge Park
Still on the list!
8  Go skiing at least twice this season
9  Pay off my credit card
Almost there, but working on it! Definitely happening in Q1 of 2016.
10  Take a design/art workshop or class
11  Buy a sketchbook and start to doodle again
12  Learn to make simple things I haven't tried i.e. whipped cream, poached eggs, roast chicken 
13  Find a general practitioner that I like, and have a full check-up (I'm embarrassed to say I haven't been to a GP in 3+ years)  
I did find a GP, but I haven't really made an appointment yet. I'm waiting for a big cold so I can kill two birds with one stone. 
14  Buy a new mattress
15  Stick to my diet (I do Weight Watchers, and I always nail it perfectly for 2 months, and then fizzle for a month, and so on...this year I'm going for consistency!)
Yeah, this definitely did not happen in 2015, but I'm trying again this year, and changing it up with #Nutrisystem. Stay tuned for more posts on this! I've already lost my first 10 pounds, and I just feel like 2016 will definitely be the year of my best ever body.
16  Read at least 20 books
17  Aim to go on at least one date each week
I did do this right up until I started my relationship in March! I would like to do this again in 2016 maybe?
18  Get weekly manicures and DON'T chew fingernails  
19  Cut way back on the booze and the occasional cigarette (very important!!)
Still working on this, though I do think I made some great strides this year.
20  Don't just remove makeup, focus on using my Clinique Sonic System brush for a deeper clean daily
21  Cook for myself at least two days each week
I really did do this for most of the year, so I'm crossing it off!
22  Make my bed everyday (this is so sad...I'm going to be 30, it's time)
I don't nail this every day, but I definitely do it way more and it's been great. 
23  Never visit someone's apartment empty-handed (hostess gifts are in your future, friends!)
I can't remember if I really paid many people a visit this year, but I'm keeping this on the list because it's a nice idea and I think something people always appreciate and remember.
24  Make a point to send thank you notes, birthday cards, other meaningful communications Really still working on this. I would love to become a thoughtful, classy, adult lady this year.
25  Never go a full week without doing yoga
I did not do this but, if I'm honest, it's not really a goal anymore. I hurt my foot very badly last spring when I took a spill on my apartment stairs and it's still not quite yoga-ready. 
26  Try at least one new recipe every 2 weeks, to broaden cooking/eating horizons
I used Plated for part of the year this year, and I really enjoyed it! 
27  Moisturize hands/face/skin daily  
28  Drink water (i.e. no more than 2 Diet Cokes per day, how will I ever do this?)
I started really doing this in the back half of the year, and I really do want to continue to work on it in 2016.
29  Go on a relaxing vacation (preferably out of the country)
Sadly no vacation this year. If I hit my weight loss goals, maybe I will take myself to the beach?
30  Feel good, stay positive, be happy 

Total resolution score: 17/30 (Over half, not too shabby!)

If I had to add some new ones for 2016 (in addition to the above that I'm still working on) they would have to be:

1  Upgrade my wardrobe to start phasing in more high-quality staple pieces and more polished accessories
2  Give my room a bit of a facelift. I love the décor in there, but a few things need to be tweaked.
3  Start my JennaSaisQuois YouTube channel - Coming soon!
4  Once the credit card is paid off, start an IRA to save for the future
5  Learn how to blow dry my hair!! This is a basic life skill I do not possess...
6  Take a dance class or something fun to get my body moving
7  Really try to take the subway instead of Uber or a Taxi unless it's an emergency or I'm carrying something heavy
8  Stick with Nutrisystem for at least 4 months (longer than I have ever stuck with a diet ever)
9  Do another KonMari style purge of clothing and other clutter at some point
10  Say THANK YOU more often, which I think is such a simple thing that takes no effort and really makes a difference to people

#Blogmas Day 7: The 12 Masks of Christmas

Is there any greater treat than a mask? I just love them! A mask can turn a regular, lazy Sunday into a day of pampering, or a night with a friend and a bottle of wine into a spa evening! Whether or not they do anything miraculous to my skin (or it's sometimes just a placebo effect) I just love any excuse to treat myself. This is doubly important in the winter months when your skin and hair tend to dry right up. So, I thought, this is a perfect time to get festive and share a few of my favorite masks with all of you! Enjoy! And if you've tried an amazing mask that you don't see here, leave a note in the comments and I'll give it a try.

1  Boscia Luminizing Black Mask
I love love love this and find it super refreshing! The fact that it peels completely off in one go (like shiny black latex on your face) is weird and a bit tricky to get right, but I love how it makes my skin feel.

2  Dr. Jart+ Vital Hydra Solution Sheet Mask
Sheet masks are the easiest and fastest ways to pamper. And they're also great for travel because there's no ban on liquids to worry about! This hydrating mask from Dr. Jart+ was the first sheet mask I ever used, and I keep going back for more!

3  Yes To Tomatoes Detoxifying Charcoal Mud Mask
This mask will 100% make you look like the moon emoji, but it is non-greasy, super clearing, and ultra refreshing. I highly recommend this for anyone looking for a mask at a drugstore price point.

4  Clinique Turnaround Revitalizing Instant Facial
I've used this mask for years and years, and I am such a fan. It's a quick and easy beauty treatment to incorporate into your regime – the mask wears for 5 minutes and you rinse off with warm soapy water and massage the granules into your skin to exfoliate. I love to put it on in the shower, and let it do its work while I'm shaving my legs or washing my hair...it makes rinsing extra simple.

5  Sephora Pearl Eye Mask
I love this brightening sheet mask from Sephora. It's refreshing, really affordable, and I love to stock up a few at a time in case I'm having friends over, or traveling. I'm planning to bring a few home to put on with my mom and my sister over the holidays. Looking forward to it!

6  Glamglow Thirtstymud Hydrating Treatment
This hydration mask is definitely on the pricier side, and I confess I haven't purchased a full-size. But I received a sample and it was one of the most soothing masks I've ever tried, and it left my usually dry, patchy skin feeling dewey and amazing. I may go ahead and get this for myself for Christmas! Stay tuned!

7  Neutrogena Clear Pore Cleanser/Mask
This little mask/cleanser combo is such an amazing drugstore product. It feels cooling and refreshing, and really helped me to minimize my pores and improve the condition of my skin after the first use! It's a great mask at a super high-value price point. Definitely check it out!

8  LUSH Cranberry Fresh Face Mask
This mask is so perfect for the holidays! It gives a deep cleanse, and a boost of hydration, and the rose clay leaves your face oh-so-amazingly-soft. As with all fresh masks from LUSH, remember to store it in the refrigerator and use it within a few weeks.

9  Boscia Tsubaki Deep Hydration Sleeping Mask
At first, I will admit, I didn't understand how this mask was any more hydrating than slathering your face in moisturizer or night cream before bed. But now I am addicted! I wake up to a completely dewey, glowing face that feels like I just applied the mask moments ago –

10  Tony Moly I'm Real - Tea Tree Face Mask Sheet
This soothing sheet mask smells incredible. I struggle with redness, and this mask feels so rejuvenating on the skin. And how cute is this packaging? Check out the entire line for even more adorableness.

11  Pureology Super Smooth Relaxing Hair Mask
While I love a face mask, I love a hair mask just as much! And this product literally saved my hair. Imagine my displeasure in finding out just now that it's been discontinued...I guess don't get too attached!

12  Dr. Brandt Oxygen Facial Flash Recovery Mask
This mask is by far the biggest price tag on the list, but oh my goodness, what a treat! It's absolutely worth the cost if you're a SERIOUS mask lover and skincare freak like me. Enjoy!

No Takeout November | Skinnytaste Meal Planner

Hello, November! I can not believe how quickly time is passing these days. Sunrise/sunset... Okay, moving on. I have a friend who's doing a No Spend November and she is basically my hero. If any of you have done something like this successfully, and saved a quick and easy thousand dollars in the process, my hat's off to you! Truly, I think I would die. But the idea inspired me to take an honest look at where most of my money goes each month (cough, cough, takeout/restaurants/bars) and I've isolated something I can SAVE BIG on without going berserk.

No Takeout November, for a New Yorker, is definitely still a sacrifice in order to save big. I typically buy breakfast, lunch, and usually dinner from various restaurants ranging from Dunkin Donuts (coffee + breakfast at work), to my favorite local Mexican restaurant (a dinnertime favorite), to Domino's Pizza (yes, I am the worst New Yorker ever...my boyfriend will be the first to point this out). Hear me: It is ridiculous to eat 3 meals out every. single. day. And, trust me, it adds up fast. Also, when left to my own devices and spur-of-the-moment decisions, I am just NOT a healthy eater. So cooking healthy for myself is a secondary benefit!

My go-to website (and cookbook) for healthy, easy, delicious recipes is skinnytaste.com and so imagine my surprise when I found that she recently released a companion to her amazing cookbook that was a tool specifically for meal-planning and calorie/activity tracking. Enter The Skinnytaste Meal Planner. It seemed like perfect considering my No Takeout pledge.

Image from Kittsona

It's got a spread at the beginning of each week to plan your meals, which I'm using to establish which nights of the week will be "cooking nights." Since I am still as busy as I ever was, and life doesn't take a back seat to my No Takeout plans, I will try to keep these to 2-3 a week, maximum and try to knock out the bulk of my planning and shopping on Sundays.

Then for each day of the week, there's space to track everything you eat (amazing if you're trying to be cognizant of that) as well as a cute space for activity tracking! Sure hope I manage to do more of that as well, but I also know the importance of focusing on one goal before conquering another.

I'm very excited about this No Takeout November project, and will definitely let you all know how it goes! Wish me luck!

The Secret to Sensational Summer Legs

Hello everybody! This summer has nearly come and gone, but this tip was too important not to share. Because I, Jenna Sais Quois, have uncovered––after twenty eight summers of life––THE secret to my best ever summer legs! Seriously, they've been smooth, glowing, and most importantly not transparent (because other than freckles, I do not tan #gingerproblems). And while I wish I could tell you that it just happened and requires minimal work, there are a few critical steps involved. But not to worry, I've outlined the different steps and products I use below! Best of luck with your own sexy summer gams, ladies or gents!

Step 1: Dry Brushing

Now, this is a new to 2015 step for me, but beauty bloggers and vloggers have been recommending it like crazy, saying it helps to smooth, exfoliate, and even reduce the appearance of cellulite. I don't just use it on my legs, I use it all over my body, and have definitely noticed improvements. The dry brush I use is from The Body Shop for $12.00 and worth every penny.

Step 2: Exfoliating

I think exfoliating is super important for both the health and overall look of your skin, and it's a step I've always done though my products of choice have evolved over time. The Clinique Sparkle Skin Body Exfoliator feels gentle and lovely but the best feature for me is the packaging, which takes up very little space on my shower shelf vs. most others that come in large pots.

Step 3: Shaving

This razor was new-to-me for the Summer of 2015 and I'm loving it. It's called the Venus Swirl Razor from Gillette, and the unique ball joint at the head makes the razor perfect for navigating the contours of your knees and ankles. It's kind of like the Dyson Vacuum of razors, in that way! I'm a big fan, and will definitely be continuing to use this razor for the foreseeable future. I just need to order the replacement blades from Target or something, because I can't find them in Duane Reade. 

These next few stops can be either combined, or used independently of one another. I like to use 2 out of 3 for everyday, and a combo of all 3 for special occasions. 

Step 4: Moisturizing

This moisturizer has been my favorite product of 2015, hands-down. It's the Jergen's BB Body Protecting Skin Cream, and it's firming, nourishing, formulated to hide skin imperfections, and gives the skin such a beautiful luster. Plus it smells amazing. Whenever someone catches the scent of it, they always ask me "What is that scent?" like it's perfume or something. I've gone through two bottles already this summer, and they aren't cheap for a drugstore lotion but I don't even care. Give me more. I'm addicted. I will say, I use the medium to dark lotion on my pale skin, because it blends beautifully and gives me a nice subtle tint to the skin when I'm not going full-out with my next favorite product.

Step 5: Tanning

I am very happy I discovered Sally Hansen's Airbrush Legs, a product I've seen in drugstores for years - but was a little too scared to try the airbrush can because it seemed, I don't know, too intimidating. But behold - there's a new lotion formula. I like to apply this after my Jergen's lotion, so it's a bit easier to blend into the legs. I just let it dry-dry-dry completely before I dress for the day. It is truly a miracle product! It evens and perfects your legs until they literally look like Hollywood Barbie legs or something. And it isn't like most self-tanning products that have a chemical smell and leave a permanent affect (where if you mess it up, you're stuck with it for quite a while). Small Disclaimer though: This comes off with a scrub in the shower. But if it rains, it may rub off on clothes so check the weather! And don't ever sit on a white couch, just in case...

Step 6: Glowing

If I'm not doing the full tanned leg bit, I do quite like to add a glow to my moisturizing lotion (all over, not just on my legs) and just strobe out my whole body by adding a bit of the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector ––I use the shade Opal––and it gives a gorgeous effect. I don't actually love a liquid luminizing product on my face, but I love it for body. it looks beautiful on legs, shoulders, décolleté, wherever you want a healthy summer glow. 

Hope all your gams are glowing out this August! xo Jenna