Motivation Mondays: Melanie from "I Pink I love You"

Today's Motivation Monday features Melanie, a beautiful girl I went to high school with. Oddly, we weren't friends in high school (not because we didn't like each other, but we had never really had the chance to hang out). When I read the answers to her questions, I swear I had to rub my eyes because we are practically the same person! I couldn't believe how much we had in common and it made me wish we would have gotten to know each other in high school. 

Melanie has her very own blog, "I Pink I Love You," which is awesome. Her blog is fairly new and I hope you'll stop by and check it out!

Name, age, what do you do for a living?
Hey everyone!! My name is Melanie (just "Mel" for short as I'm always getting Melissa...I dont know why, but it's very annoying, so "Mel" is good, especially for people who can't remember the "anie"...lol). I'm 29 years old and I work for two different hospitals doing administrative work in Maternity and in the Operating Room. FYI, I wouldn't wish two part time jobs on anyone, as I work shift work in both places, so I pretty much have no idea what day it is, or what part of the day it is..I bow down to anyone that can handle shift work, because...it's hard!..lol

Who is your beauty/fashion inspiration and why? My all time beauty inspiration, is Victoria Secret model, Miss Marissa Miller. Ummm....girl crush? She is an inspirational beauty in my eyes. This girl just glows with amazing-ness. Her body inspires me to work hard at the gym. I love how her skin is bronzed to perfection and she has the most beautiful 'beachy' blonde hair ever!!! I love love love her make up. It's simple, nothing over the top or clown-ish looking, it's applied so beautifully that it even allows her gorgeous freckles to shine through, which of course is always so beautiful in my eyes..I grew up with freckles and always hated them, but now I find them gorgeous, especially across the nose...so cute!!!

So I actually have 3 fashion inspirations, each with their own unique 'look'. I absolutely LOVE everything about Victoria Beckam's style. This girl screams fashion. She is always up to date, sleek, and well put together. I became a fan of VB when I read her book "That Extra Half an Inch". I absolutely fell in love with her sense of fashion.

I really adore Jennifer Aniston's 'look'. She is another fav. She is ALWAYS...and I mean always put together so beautifully. From her hair to her outfits, to her nails, I love how girlie she is. Either she has an eye for perfect outfits, or her stylist is incredible. Where do I sign up for lessons??? lol..I love her dresses, skirts, business-y look, and even her casual look.. She wears every outfit so comfortably. Love her!!!

Now... I have to admit, I'm a little fan of the rocker-ish look. I really love Audrina Patridge because she can be girlie, but just a little rocker-ish too. I love how she can pair up the most unusual items together..like a beautiful flow-y top, with skinny jeans and grungy boots or a pair of super high strappy heels. I also love how she accesorizes her outfits...she has the best mix of everything!!  P.S Her MTV show "Audrina" is on every Thursday night, so I'm already getting lots of fun ideas from her on-screen outfit choices.

What do you do to stay in shape?

I LOVE to run!! I go to the gym about 3-5 times a week. I don't have an obsession with the gym, but I find when I go for a workout, I feel 100 times better than if I didn't go . I really love yoga and pilates. The best my body has ever been, is when I went to yoga and pilates regularly. I got that really long, lean look without bulk. I'm starting yoga and pilates classes 2-3 times a week as well as lots of cardio and maybe 2 days a week of weight training. I would also love to take up boxing classes. Girls that I know who have incorporated boxing classes into their workout schedule, have the most beautifully toned arms beyond belief!! That jiggly fat under the arms...GONE!!! I also keep my calorie count to about 1500 a day and log all my calories in my iphone app called "My Net Diary" to keep track of what I'm eating. I keep portion sizes small, drink lots of water, lots of green tea with ginseng and having a fat day once a week (eating whatever I want) keeps my cravings to a minimum. I love to indulge in a big mac every once and a while.

Where do you love to shop for clothing? Describe your personal sense of style.
Oh my goodness...I am such a shopaholic that I think buying clothes is my cardio. I love good bargains, and I love clothing that makes me feel super sexy and confident. I have so many different looks. I love super girlie dresses, fun skirts, dangly jewellery, heels, flats, hair accessories etc. I really love being comfortable too. My fav outfit is a pair of jeans with a loose off the shoulder top, a pair of super sexy pumps and a little bling bling in my accessories. I love wearing my tiffany's key necklace and also simple diamond studded earrings because they go with everything!  I try not to be too matchy matchy because I think incorporating fun and different looks together is way more interesting then being a plain jane, even if it's just a crazy colored nail polish... it's good to have some fun with style! My fav places are Forever 21, Guess, Dynamite, Turquoise, Lululemon, Victoria Secret and Abercrombie and Fitch.

What are some of your can't live without em' clothing items?
Definitely my little black dress!! I love how you can create such different looks with one simple dress (as per lauren conrad in her style book). Every girl needs a LBD in her wardrobe.. it's just a neccessity! I also can't live without my lulu lemon pants and hoodie. They are my go-to item on a lazy weekend where I just want to be super comfy, but styled at the same time. Lulu clothes are my heaven. The price is a little high, but the quality is beyond anything that I've ever bought. I also love girlie tees with a cute pair of cut-offs and old navy flip flops that sell for like $2.

What are your top 5-10 makeup products?
In order of LOVE!!

1. NARS "Laguna" bronzer
2. Laura Mercier Silk foundation
3. MAC Studio fix powder foundation
4. LORAC "Desire" blush
5. Smashbox eye lash primer
6. L'Oreal Million Lashes mascara in black
7. MAC "Baby Sparks" lip glass
8. NARS "Tukish Delight" lip gloss
9. NARS "Orgasm" blush
10. Bobbi Brown Long Wear Gel Eyeliner in "Graphite Shimmer Ink"

What are your top 5 hair products?
1. Pureology Hydrate Shampoo
2. Macadamia Deep Repair Mask
3. Phyto Botanical Hair Relaxing Balm
4. Morrocan Oil
5. L'Oreal Silver Shampoo (it's a blue-ish shampoo to keep that ashy blonde look)

What are your best beauty tips and/or secrets that you'd like to share with my readers?
Vitamins!! Since I have started taking vitamins I have noticed a difference in my skin, hair, nails etc. You can do whatever you want with the outside of your body, but incorporating those vitamins (like vitamins B, C, D, E, fish oils, calcium etc) everyday are so important for your outside body to make you shine with awesome-ness and feel confident in knowing your are keeping your body in tip top shape!

Also, shampooing only your scalp is much better than putting shampoo on all your hair. The water will cleanse the rest of your hair as it runs down your hair strands. I also helps from drying your ends out. And.. using a sulfate-free shampoo is a huge bonus!! I have noticed such an improvement since I have started using the Pureology line.

Last but not least....self tan!!! Use the highest SPF that you can. Being 29 yrs old, my skin is starting to age. I wish I could have gone back in time and stopped tanning beds and baking in the sun. Victoria Secret "Beach Sexy" Adjustable Self tan with Shimmer is my FAV!!!! It gives the most beautiful bronzed color and you can adjust how light or dark you want to be. No orange-y look at all. Everyone I've introduced this too, loves it!!!
It's the most natural looking tan in a bottle I have experienced yet...try it!!!

What's on your fashion or beauty wish list right now?
I would love to pick up a blush from Smashbox in "flush". It's a beautiful pinky color that is so flattering on all skin tones. I am loving the Origins line right now and I am obsessed with their exfloliator called "Modern Friction". I got a free sample and fell in love. My skin craves it now!! I also want to pick up Yves St.Laurent Touche Eclat. I have heard it is such an amazing highlighter!!! I also want a really fun purple-ly eyeshadow color from MAC. Not sure which one yet, but purple is so in for me this year!!!

Since watching the royal wedding, I am so inspired to pick up some cute hair fasteners!! It's such a pretty and fun look. I have heard etsy sells such adorable ones that I can wear casually or when I'm glammed up and ready for a night on the town. I always try and look for such fun accerssories that will just make my outfits jump with joy :)

I also love LUSH products. I ran out of the Aqua Mirabilis body butter scrub (which I'm obsessed with), so I have to get some of that because it infuses your skin with hydration and softness...love it!!!
 

Which of your accomplishments are you most proud of?
I'm most proud of buying my own house. My BF and I bought it together, but I've never owned my own house before. Having a mortgage and having that responsibility is so comforting to me. I adore my house and I work hard to keep it up and running. I'm so proud that I can have a backyard for my puppy to run around in and being able to decorate how I want. All of these little things have made me realize that I'm so proud I decided to stay on the more positive path throughout my life. Times that I have fallen, I know that I can pick myself up and be an even stronger, more confident woman because "I Can't" is no longer in my vocabulary!!!

Thanks so much Melanie, for motivating us this Monday!  If you have a question for Melanie, please leave a comment below and I will ask her to answer your question!

xoxo,

Veronika.

PS- I have a few more MM's coming up! I was really missing this feature and I'm glad it's back!