gml approved | Girl Meets Life | a lifestyle blog by Gracie Gordon

my favorite sunless tanning products {video}.

1 September, 2014 by Gracie 7 Comments

Hey pretties!

It’s been a looooong time since I made a video, huh? I’ve gotten a handful of requests over the past month, so here’s a little something I put together last week.

Let’s chat about sunless tanning products, shall we?

(if you’re a YouTube user, feel free to go ahead and subscribe to my channel!)

Links to products:

St. Tropez Self Tan Bronzing Mousse
Lorac Tantalizer
PINK Body Bronzer
Jergens Natural Glow Foaming Moisturizer
Benefit Hoola

**********

Do you use any sunless tanners? What’s your favorite product?

snacking smart with sunchips.

28 August, 2014 by Gracie 2 Comments

Labor Day is one of those bittersweet holidays. In a way it’s sort of sad that it’s the unofficial end of summer, but it’s also exciting to look forward to the upcoming fall season.

Not to mention – who doesn’t love a Monday off from work?

After a summer full of traveling – including a recent trip to Las Vegas that included lots of indulgences – I’m looking forward to getting back into the swing of things with the new season around the corner.

So this Labor Day, I chose SUNCHIPS® Multigrain Snacks as the perfect way to wrap up summer in a delicious way.

SUNCHIPS Multigrain Snacks have been a go-to snack of mine to have on hand all summer. It’s a quick and delicious option that requires no preparation. I just open the bag and enjoy the flavorful multigrain flavors. I also love that SUNCHIPS Multigrain Snacks are made with whole grains and contain 21g whole grains per 1-oz serving.

SUNCHIPS Multigrain Snacks are versatile and can be paired with dips or even used as a base for bruschetta. They’re a great crunchy snack that packs in flavor but still fits into a balanced lifestyle.

For my upcoming Labor Day get together, I’m going to pair SUNCHIPS Multigrain Snacks with a bunch of raw vegetables, along with a delicious Garlic Feta Cheese Dip.

For the dip I followed this recipe, but added some spinach for extra color. The flavors of this dip go perfectly with the SUNCHIPS Multigrain Snacks.

I know my friends are going to love this dip with the veggies and SUNCHIPS Multigrain Snacks! But until then, guess I’ll have to enjoy this batch on my own…

**********

This post is brought to you by a partnership with Frito-Lay & Girl Meets Life. All opinions are my own.

What are your plans for this Labor Day? Excited to see summer go, or looking forward to fall?

handbag essentials + Larabar giveaway!

18 August, 2014 by Gracie

If you ask a girl what she carries in her handbag/purse, you’re basically asking her what her OMG CANNOT LIVE WITHOUTs are. Because God forbid we get stuck somewhere without our Dior nail polish or mini lint roller. Emergencies happen, people.

Here’s my daily out-and-about handbag (which gets gutted and minimized to fit things into my clutch when I go out at night, of course). It’s a vegan leather tote from Urban Outfitters with some fun chain detailing on the side.

And now, for the contents. I’m going to omit my wallet and small makeup bag because, well…self explanatory.

1) CamelBak
Gotta stay hydrated!

2) Rimmel Lash Accelerator mascara
I’ve sworn by this mascara for years. If I don’t have time to put makeup on before leaving the house I’ll grab this on the way out. A quick application is all you need to feel put together!

3) mints
I can be a bit of a chewing gum fiend, but I’m trying to do better by my teeth and switch to mints most of the time. These Mentos mints are really good (except they do make a pretty obnoxious clanging noise when carried around).

4) hand lotion
How most people feel about finger nails on a chalkboard is how I feel about having dry hands. It makes me cringe just thinking about it! (I know, I’m a weirdo.) So hand lotion is something I carry around with me all the time. This one is Tocca – it smells great and applies well - doesn’t leave your hands feeling greasy.

5) rollerball perfume
Whoever invented rollerballs is a saint. Unfortunately they don’t make my favorite fragrance (Armani Emporio for her) in a rollerball, but a few years ago I found Boyfriend, which is a great woodsy and cozy scent. (if you’re like me and NOT a fan of floral scents, I definitely recommend both of those fragrances.)

6) compact
I’m a big believer that every girl should own a compact. You know - especially on those all over the place days - quick glances to make sure your makeup isn’t smudged or that your salad from lunch didn’t set up camp in your teeth is imperative. I got this cute little striped compact from Forever 21.

7) Baby Lips
Lips must be moisturized at all times! I love this stuff - it goes on light and smooth and smells/tastes great. My favorite is the Peach Kiss.

8) Monster headphones
I got these Monster headphones to review last year and I use them ALL the time. They’re so much more comfortable than ear buds, and the sound quality is way better too. I always have them on hand for when I go to the gym, take the subway, or just walking around the city.

9) sunnies
If I’m outside, I’m in sunglasses (seriously - the only time I’m not is when it’s raining), so I’m always on the hunt for fun new sunglasses. I got these mirrored shades from a surf shop in Stone Harbor NJ, made by Sunscape.

10) hand sanitizing wipes
Some call it being a germaphobe, I call it “do you have ANY idea what’s on those subway poles?” These are supposedly better than liquid hand sanitizer, according to momma G.

11) Larabars
For the days that I’m out and about for meetings/work projects, I always make sure to have a snack on hand because I’ll never know if/when I’ll be able to stop for lunch. Larabars have been a favorite of mine for years - they’re not only delicious, but they have just a few simple ingredients (unlike so many bars on the market). Not to mention they’re so easy to just grab and throw in my bag before running out the door. My favorite flavors are Coconut Cream Pie and Banana Bread.

Want to get some Larabars to throw in your own bag? Enter below to win a sampler pack of 10 Larabars!

There are THREE ways to enter:

1) Leave a comment below saying which Larabar flavor you’d most like to try

2) Tweet about the giveaway: “I entered @alagracie’s @larabar giveaway! http://tinyurl.com/n8k4dqc”

3) Share the giveaway on your Facebook page tagging Girl Meets Life

***You can enter once, twice, or ALL THREE times, but be sure to leave a comment for each entry in order for them to be counted accordingly.***

Giveaway ends on Monday August 25th at 4pm EST. Open to US residents only, must be 18 years or older. Winner will be contacted via email.

GOOD LUCK!

Please note I have not been compensated for promoting any of these products (with the exception of receiving the free headphones and Larabars). I just love ‘em!

Celebrating Fourth of July with Tostitos.

26 June, 2014 by Gracie 6 Comments

Fireworks, barbecues, warm weather, parades, and all things red, white & blue. There’s no denying that Fourth of July is one of the best days of the year!

As I get older I’ve come to appreciate Fourth of July more and more. It’s one of the only holidays that takes place in the summer, so it’s the perfect time to kick back, forget about work, and just enjoy the time celebrating with friends and family.

Oh, and then there’s one of the best parts about celebrating Fourth of July – the food!

In addition to classic barbecue foods like burgers and hot dogs, Fourth of July is also all about the snacks. And when it comes to snacking, TOSTITOS® Original Restaurant Style Tortilla Chips are a must-have for my Fourth of July party! My family and friends love TOSTITOS tortilla chips because they pack a tasty crunch perfect for dipping with any of the tasty TOSTITOS dips.

TOSTITOS Original Restaurant Style Tortilla Chips also fit into my balanced diet, which is great in the summer when I’m trying to eat a little bit lighter. For this year’s 4th of July celebration I want to include lots of fruits and vegetables, with TOSTITOS Original Restaurant Style Tortilla Chips as the center of the delicious spread.

And to go with the TOSTITOS Original Restaurant Style Tortilla Chips, I’m going to serve a fresh and light pico de gallo. I followed this great (and simple) recipe. For an extra kick, I’ll throw in some extra jalapeños or habaneros!

The TOSTITOS Original Restaurant Style Tortilla Chips with the fresh pico de gallo pairs perfectly with a cold and refreshing cocktail. I love getting creative with cocktails for special holidays and celebrations, and this year I made a patriotic cocktail that my friends love – a Berry Margarita!

I followed this recipe and garnished with some strawberries & blueberries to make it look extra festive and patriotic.

I love serving cocktails in mason jars – and this blue tinted mason jar I found added another fun festive touch to the “red white & blue” theme.

I can’t wait to share these fun snacks and recipes with my friends and family! I know that they’ll add the perfect touch to our Fourth of July celebration in a few weeks.

How will you be celebrating Fourth of July this year? What’s your go-to festive recipe for the Fourth?

This post is brought to you by a partnership with Frito-Lay & Girl Meets Life. All opinions are my own.
Please note I was compensated for this post.

#LEAN14: rawxies review + giveaway!

16 June, 2014 by Gracie 2 Comments

What if I told you there was a cookie that is vegan, raw, gluten free, soy free, and dairy free?

You’d probably say it either a) doesn’t exist or b) tastes gross.

…but that’s just because you haven’t tried RAWXIES.

Rawxies are…all of the above! They’re cookies that are vegan, raw, gluten free, soy free, dairy free, include non GMO ingredients, and no artificial sweeteners. That’s thanks to the use of REAL ingredients like oat flour, dates, almonds, palm sugar, coconut, etc. In other words, there are no weird chemicals/ingredients that you’ve never heard of, which unfortunately is in far too many snack bars these days.

Rawxies come in four varieties:

Mint Chocolate Chip
Banana Bread
Lemon Poppy Seed
Mocha Almond

My favorite would have to be Banana Bread – especially topped with a little bit of peanut butter

To me, Rawxies are the perfect snack because they’re a good healthy snack for when you’re on the go, or a healthy dessert replacement. I love how the heart-shaped cookies come in a pack of two – it makes them more fun to eat than a regular snack bar. They’re obviously not as decedent as homemade cookies out of the oven, but they perfectly sweet without leaving you with that sugar hangover feeling.

Rawxies also makes a delicious CRUNCH snack, which is like a cracker meets flatbread meets…granola. But it’s savory! Perfect for a salty, crunchy snack and for dipping in hummus. The Crunch also uses all real ingredients like various nuts, seeds, flax, and organic spice blends.

I especially love the Cheezy Chili Lime flavor.

Want to try RAWXIES products for yourself? You can enter now to win a gift box including 6 packs of RAWXIES and 3 bags of CRUNCH!

This is an INSTAGRAM contest!

How to enter:

REGRAM the photo above on Instagram (you can take a screen shot of it via my Instagram)
include the caption “I want to win @alagracie’s @rawxies giveaway! #vegan #healthy #rawxies”
Must follow @alagracie and @rawxies

~~The winner will be chosen Friday, June 20th at 5pm EST and announced *on this post* – so be sure to check back! Must be 18 years or older, open to US residents only.~~

The winner has been chosen! Congrats @sarahmclaughlin!

p.s. If you want to get your Rawxies fix right away, there’s free shipping on all orders on the Rawxies website!

Good luck!

Please note I was not compensated for this post…I just love Rawxies!

ben amun bracelet giveaway (this is a REALLY good one!).

7 May, 2014 by Gracie

If the title didn’t give it away, I’m EXTREMELY excited about this giveaway!

I’ve been a huge fan of Ben Amun jewelry for a while now. I don’t think it’s much a secret that I’m a jewelry/accessories girl through and through, and Ben Amun’s designs continue to wow me.

If you ask me, Ben Amun is the leader when it comes to eye catching statement jewelry (or as referred to on their website, “wearable art”). Their jewelry is bold and interesting, yet classic and elegant at the same time. Not to mention the fact that each piece is custom made to order.

My best friend Jessi is the social media community manager for Ben Amun, and when she asked if I’d like to do a giveaway, I obviously jumped at the opportunity.

Ben Amun was kind enough to gift me with the box link chain bracelet seen above, and I haven’t taken it off ever since. I love chunky gold jewelry, especially layered with other bracelets (a fun look for summer!).

And as for the giveaway, one lucky reader will win this STUNNING large link chain bracelet - the highest valued prize I’ve ever given away!

how to enter:

1) Leave a comment saying how you’d style your new Ben Amun bracelet.

2) Tweet about the giveaway: “I entered @alagracie’s @ben_amun giveaway! http://tinyurl.com/lwwat6w”

3) Follow @ben_amun on Instagram

You can enter once, twice, or all three ways – but be sure to leave a comment for each entry in order for them to be counted accordingly.

~~Contest open to US residents only. Must be 18 or older to enter. Ends on May 14st, 2014 at 4pm EST, so get your entries in! Good luck~~

5/14/14 - winner has been emailed!

Please note I was not monetarily compensated for this post. All opinions herein are my own.

Spring Clean Your Beauty Routine with Everyday Luxury from Sonia Kashuk.

5 May, 2014 by Gracie 214 Comments

I don’t know about you, but for me the onset of spring is the perfect time to do a bit of “spring cleaning” with my makeup routine and body care products. That’s why I’m so excited I got to try out some of the new body care products from Sonia Kashuk, which you can find exclusively at Target.

When it comes to my makeup and beauty routine, though, it’s more important than just how I look. As someone who lives and works in New York City, I never know what each day is going to hold. Some days I spend working from home, but other days I find myself out all day in meetings, following by networking events or dinner out with my friends. So for me, it’s not only important to have makeup products that are reliable and make me look my best, but ones that make me feel pampered – like I’m getting a little bit of luxury thrown into my daily routine.

That’s why I am such a huge fan of the Sonia Kashuk line of makeup and body care products because it provides an everyday luxury for me no matter how crazy or busy my day might be.

Sonia Kashuk has really become a lifestyle beauty brand that encompasses all of my beauty wants, needs and desires – everything from bath and body, to beauty, to fragrance. They really provide luxury for every body! That makes Sonia Kashuk the perfect one stop shop to get extremely high quality product that are accessible and affordable.

The Sonia Kashuk products are the same quality and prestige you’ll find at a department store, but at a fraction of the cost. The genius part of this partnership and what makes the Sonia Kashuk brand so unique. By partnering with Target they have gone direct from manufacturing to retail, which has eliminated the extra costs involved in distribution - so the cost savings goes on to US, the consumers. Learn more in this video, “Why Sonia Kashuk Beauty?”

I was sent four great products to try, and here’s why they’re the perfect addition to my beauty routine going into the spring and summer seasons.

First up is the Chic Luminosity Blush/Bronzer Duo in Glimmer. I’ve always worn some sort of blush or bronzer, but this duo has completely changed how my face looks and feels. It goes on SO lightweight, and it adds the perfect hint of color and illuminates my skin, while still keeping it looking really natural.

I carry this bronzer/blush duo around with me all the time, and I make sure to apply it again after a long day and before starting my evening plans. No matter where I might be in the city at any given time, it gives me that little boost of feeling beautiful and confident going into whatever I might be doing next.

The Sonia Kashuk Tools Dense Blush/Powder Brush No. 24 went perfectly with the bronzer/blush duo for flawless application. I must admit that it wasn’t until the last year that I realized the importance of having good makeup brushes. It can make all the difference in the world when it comes to even, natural-looking makeup application! And this brush does exactly that. It’s super soft and applies the bronzer/blush in the perfect amount.

Next is the Eye Couture Palette in Eye on Neutral Shimmer. I always tend to lean toward neutral palettes when it comes to eye shadow, and this one has every shade I could want – all in one. I really love how much the shades in this palette make my eyes pop. It makes such a noticeable difference in my whole appearance without looking like I have a ton of eye makeup on. And I love how it brings attention to my eyes more than my actual makeup.

Lastly is the Pink Innocencia Eau de Toilette. If I’m being honest, I’m actually not the biggest fan of floral scents. Until now, that is! This fragrance has the perfect amount of floral scent without being too overbearing. I especially love it going into the warmer seasons because it’s so fresh and light – so great for summer to complete my entire natural, flawless look, thanks to Sonia Kashuk.

Here is a brief video where I go into a little more detail about the products:

How do you add everyday luxury into your beauty routine? Which of these Sonia Kashuk products would you want to try most?

To enter to win a $100 Target GiftCard®, leave a comment below with your answer (don’t forget your email!) and you will be entered to win!

Learn more at SoniaKashuk.com and visit the Sonia Kashuk page at Target.com.

Sweepstakes Rules:

No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: “#SKBeauty” and “#SweepstakesEntry”; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. The notification email will come directly from BlogHer via the sweeps@blogher email address. You will have 72 hours to respond; otherwise a new winner will be selected.

The Official Rules are available here.

This sweepstakes runs from 5/5 – 6/30.

Be sure to visit the Sonia Kashuk brand page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ posts!

Celebrating Cinco de Mayo with Tostitos.

1 May, 2014 by Gracie 5 Comments

Over the past couple of years, Cinco de Mayo has joined the ranks of fun excuses to celebrate life with my friends. It’s very much an “eat, drink, and be merry” sort of day, and…well, what better kind of day is there?

This year I’m especially excited for Cinco de Mayo because after a long brutal winter, a reason to celebrate is more welcome than ever. Not to mention that Mexican food is my favorite cuisine, so I took the opportunity to try some fun new recipes to share with my friends.

Before throwing my little fiesta, though, I wanted to make the recipes ahead of time to make sure that they were winners. And oh, were they winners.

When it comes to a perfect Cinco de Mayo fiesta, I think it’s all about the dips. So I made some Revved Up Chili Con Queso and Classic Guacamole.

I followed The Pioneer Woman’s recipe for Revved Up Chili Con Queso, and it is k-i-l-l-e-r. Spicy, creamy, with big chunks of breakfast sausage (yes - breakfast sausage!).

And for the guacamole, I kept it simple by following this recipe for Classic Guacamole.

Clearly it’s important to have the perfect crunchy vessel to dip in the queso and/or guacamole goodness. And if you ask me, TOSTITOS® Original Restaurant Style Tortilla Chips are a must-have for that.

TOSTITOS® Original Restaurant Style Tortilla Chips are a great base for bold, fun dips, so it’s easy to get creative when serving them! They’re also perfect for making your favorite nachos, with melted cheese and your favorite toppings -like black olives, green onions and jalapeños.

TOSTITOS® Original Restaurant Style Tortilla Chips also pair well with salsa, sour cream and any other dips your guests might enjoy. I love having a variety of TOSTITOS brand dips available because everyone can find something that makes them happy. And isn’t that what a fiesta is all about?

**********

Will you be celebrating Cinco de Mayo? What’s your favorite dip?

This post is brought to you by a partnership with Frito-Lay & Girl Meets Life. All opinions are my own.

what i’m loving right now.

20 March, 2014 by Gracie 9 Comments

ombré lips.

For my birthday Erica got me this great dual lipstick from Bite, which is perfect for doing easy ombré lips.

It was so simple - I just did the dark (red) shade on the outside of my lips, and the lighter (fuschia) shade on the inside. It’s not as fancy as the ombré lips/tutorials I’ve seen on makeup blogs, but it does the trick. Voila!

ribbon hair ties.

ALSO a gift from Erica…thanks E

Um, why didn’t anyone tell me about these things sooner?! They’re so much better than regular hair ties as they don’t break or leave creases in your hair. Not to mention they just look cuter in your hair and/or on your wrist.

vaseline spray & go moisturizer.

Ok – this stuff is a game changer. I’m slightly OCD about using body lotion every day, and Vaseline Spray & Go makes it SO much easier. I still love regular body lotion and body butters, but when I’m in a rush this is great for quick application *and* quick drying.

I’ve only tried the Cocoa Radiant one, which I love – it smells like cocoa butter!

roasted veggies.

Nothin’ fancy or new here, just good old big bowls of roasted vegetables. I’ve mentioned before how roasting vegetables (with lots of spices) is the best way to make them taste good, and lately I’ve been making big batches ahead of time.

Smothered with some Annie’s Goddess dressing = perfection.

(I have a great guide to roasting vegetables on this post)

**********

What are you loving right now? Any of these things?

#LEAN14: more from juice press.

14 March, 2014 by Gracie 10 Comments

Last week I posted about some of my favorite new raw foods from Juice Press, and this week they were kind enough to send me some samples of there newest treats to give a try!

I opened the bag to find Liquid Gold cold-pressed juice, Vital Force Very Berry smoothie, and their raw Mango Chia.

I had really been wanting to try their new Liquid Gold juice (since I love its “cousin” The Remedy). It includes anti-inflammatory properties from turmeric and ginger, which helps relieve muscle tension. It’s also full of vitamin C.

formula: orange juice, turmeric juice (filtered water, turmeric root), pineapple juice, grapefruit juice, carrot juice, ginger juice, lime juice, celtic sea salt.

taste: loved it! It’s really refreshing, with the perfect amount of kick from the ginger.

Next up is the Vital Force Very Berry Smoothie. It’s a vegan probiotic yogurt packed with antioxidants from the blend of strawberry, blueberry, raspberry, and goji. Vegan probiotic supports the healthy bacteria in your digestive system and maca gives you an energy boost.

formula: almond milk (water, almonds, coconut oil, vanilla, sea salt), bananas, filtered water, strawberries, soaked cashews, blueberries, raspberries, dates, lime juice, goji berries, probiotics, maca powder, sea salt.

taste: I loved this one as well! I wasn’t sure what I’d think about it being a smoothie in a bottle, but it was really delicious. It was just like a thick, strawberry yogurt – it could almost pass as a milkshake-like dessert!

Last up was the Mango Chia pudding. According to their website, Juice Press took their classic chia seed pudding and added vegan probiotics and the sweet and tangy flavors of mango to make this snack even more nutritious. By using sprouted almonds and chia seeds as the base, it’s a pudding that supports healthy bacteria in the digestive system and is rich in protein, fiber, omega 3’s and calcium.

ingredients: mango, almond milk (water, almonds, coconut oil, vanilla, sea salt), soaked chia seeds (water, chia seeds), deglet noor dates, coconut oil, vegan probiotic, cinnamon, vanilla, sea salt, almond extract.

taste: I must admit that I was skeptical about this because I made chia pudding in the past and didn’t love it. But, clearly I was doing it all wrong. This chia pudding was smooth and creamy (not watery/gooey like mine was) and it had a perfect sweet flavor from the mango. Definitely great for a morning or afternoon snack.

**********
Which Juice Press juice and/or food would you want to try most?
Have you ever had chia pudding? Are you a fan?