Pamper Yourself for LIFE ♡ // Joty Rattu

Hey, queens!

Yesterday, I had a huge pamper evening all to myself. I took an hour long Lush bath, used a TON of face masks and listened to some rad music while thinking about so many things going on in my life right now.

I'm a bit of a workaholic so when I'm in my head only thinking about work and my fast-paced schedules, I forget a lot of the times about taking care of myself and giving myself some time to relax and take everything in. I also never really allow myself to splurge on anything that is actually worth my time and money unless it's for someone else or for work. Over the past years, I have become so unhappy with the way I manage my time by prioritizing work. As I've said in a previous blog post, one of my biggest resolutions this year was to take care of myself and make more selfish decisions for my benefit. That includes indulging time and money on yourself regularly.

Trying to maintain a balanced life is something so many people struggle with. I've put together a list of ten tips to help you and even for me to refer back to when life gets a bit too hectic and too busy for smiles.

Make sure you are drinking your water every day.

Staying hydrated is so important for every aspect of your health. Our bodies are made up of over 66% of water so we need to make sure that water is being regulated throughout our body and we are never running low! Staying hydrated not only helps your bodies, but also your skin and hair. It also is such an important part of your mental health. Staying hydrated keeps you more focused and energized and awake. We are told to be drinking 8 glasses of water a day, but every body is different so here's a little equation for how many ounces of water you need to be drinking! 

YOUR WEIGHT x .66 = oz OF WATER

Splurge on an item every paycheck/every two paychecks.

I am someone that pays all my bills the day of pay day so I can get it out of the way and see how much I really have left. After that, I never really allow myself to buy nice things for myself. I think it's really important to treat yourself. Maybe it's a dinner with friends, a new purse, or that new shade of Chanel lipstick you've been eyeing. Even if you don't make a lot, you can take $10 out of every paycheck and treat yourself after a couple weeks.

Set aside a pamper night every week.

Set aside a night every week to throw on a hair mask for an hour and give yourself a facial. You can make this laundry night and hang out in sweats watching Gossip Girl on Netflix or browse Tumblr (here's mine!) all night. Paint your nails this night and deep-clean your makeup brushes. Get into your softest pair of PJs and put an extra-moisturizing moisturizer for the night to get the most benefits of your facial. Your skin and hair and closet will be very grateful. You will also be so much more relaxed throughout the week and will feel so much more put-together and pretty. 

Listen to new music. 

A lot of the times, I get all of my music updates from Twitter directly from my favorite musicians.. If you don't have twitter, that's no issue at all. My favorite platforms to find new music are Spotify, SoundCloud, and obviously, YouTube. Sometime's I even love to just jam out to some old Paramore or Mayday parade. If you have the attention span, I would also recommend listening to some podcasts! The Psychobabble podcast by Tyler Oakley and Korey Kuhl is currently my favorite. They make it feel like you are hanging out with a couple of your friends and having a gossip sesh full of gasps and laughter. 

Give lots of compliments.

I am a huge believer in the thought of receiving whatever you put out into the universe. I try to put a lot of positivism out into the universe for reciprocation. Giving lots of compliments not only makes the receiver of the compliment feel good, but it's a damn good feeling knowing you made someone that happy. Giving out lots of compliments also helps you see the positive things about people rather than focusing on the negatives. Overall, it leads to a more positive and happier mentality. Try bonding with someone over complimenting others rather than dragging someone for their appearance or personality. 

Write letters.

Write down anything and everything you feel. Write angry letters, write sad letters, write happy letters, write letters while having a panic attack about every single second of it. Write to your mom, write to your cousin, write to your best friend, write to your teacher, write to your boss. Write to yourself or your future or your past. Write without even thinking about sending it out. It doesn't matter whether you send it out or not, most of the time I would recommend not sending it, just write.

Clean. And Change.

Clean out that messy drawer you've been meaning to. Clean your closet. Clean your car. Clean your kitchen, your garage, your purse, your mail. Get rid of everything you don't need. Clear your space, clear your head.

Then, change. Get a new haircut. Try a new perfume. Change your bed sheets. Try a trend you've never tried before. Change and trying new things is always a learning experience so experience them!

Get your blood pumping.

Exercising is so important for both your physical and mental health. This doesn't mean you have to go to the gym every day of your life and lift 130 pounds while doing squats. I would recommend choosing an activity that's still comforting as well as pushes you a bit. I love going for walks for a couple hours in the morning or evening while listening to music or my podcasts. Yoga is also a great relaxing yet challenging activity. 

Wake up earlier.

This sounds like such an annoying chore. But, honestly, waking up earlier always helps me be more prepared for my day and helps me feel more put-together. Wake up early enough to have time for an actual breakfast, take the time to blend your eye shadow and perfect that cat-eye. Wake up early enough to make your bed in the morning. Maybe even wake up early enough to watch the beautiful sunset. You might be thinking you can't wake up early because you sleep late. You can start waking up and sleeping early as long as you don't take naps in between, it should only take a matter of a couple days to get on this new sleeping schedule. 

Become your own best friend. 

This is one of my biggest tips. Buy yourself some flowers and some coffee and drink it alone in a cafe. Go on an adventure throughout the city by yourself and take cool Instagrams. Sing songs terribly at the top of your lungs and talk terribly in foreign accents by yourself. Get comfortable with yourself.

There's ten, pretty general, tips we can all take to pamper ourselves and make sure we are giving ourselves the attention we need this year. It's okay to take it easy and indulge in yourself. You deserve it. 

Don't forget to check back Friday for my April favorites! I'll be talking about my favorite songs, beauty products and other cool things!

Thanks so much for reading, my loves. 

xoxo, Joty ♡

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Books and Beauty HAUL ♡ // Joty Rattu

Hi, peaches. Happy Friday!

This week I got a jump-start on my shopping to restock some stuff for the summer. I got a bunch of new books to read that I want to share with you guys!

Barnes and Noble always has some sort of sale going on for their books and I picked up these three off of their "Bargain Books" shelves!

Safe Haven || Nicholas Sparks

Okay, don't hate me, but... I've never read any books by Nicholas Sparks. The only movies I've seen of his books are The Last Song and Dear John. Crazy good movies, I've just never gotten around to reading his books. This one was on sale so I just said, why not? 

Something Blue || Emily Griffin

Something Borrowed || Emily Griffin

These two books are part of a trilogy by Emily Griffin. Something Borrowed is the first part and Something Blue is the second in this trilogy. I got these just because I am obsessed with anything and everything that has to do with weddings. Really excited to start this trilogy!

A Work In Progress || Connor Franta

MY BOY CONNIE FRANNIE. I am so ridiculously proud of this boy. His book was released on Tuesday in the states. This was the only reason I went to Barnes & Noble and I ended up spending almost a hundred bucks there, on books. Oops. 

I haven't started reading this book yet but I have gone through the pages and it is such a cool book! His Instagram aesthetic has always been worthy of praise and he has incorporated the same style of photography in his book. Really looking forward to reading this book. Hashtag, team internet.

My Drunk Kitchen || Hannah Hart

Going through the aisles of B&N, I ended up in the cookbook section and was beyond happy to find Hannah's book here! I had to get my own copy. My level of adoration for her is surreal. Can't wait to try out some of these recipes this summer!

Staying Strong || Demi Lovato

I also ended up finding Demi Lovato's book. I was very ecstatic to find it. I find it to be a book that anyone can read. It's a book that just has a little uplifting and comforting couple of words on every page for every day of the year as well as some advice to take. I really, really recommend this book for even anything as simple as a coffee table book.

Here is today's entry:

After stopping at the bookstore, I also stopped at Ulta and Sephora to pick up some goodies. Links are below.

FREEMAN: Feeling Beautiful Avacado & Oatmeal Facial Clay Mask
Fresh: Soy Face Cleanser
NARS: All Day Luminous Weightless Foundation in the shade "Barcelona"
bareMinerals: Prime Time Foundation Primer in Oil Control
Benefit Cosmetics: The POREfessional Primer
L'Oréal: Magic Nude Liquid Powder in the shade "318: Natural Buff"
TOO FACED: Better Than Sex Mascara in shade "Black"
TOO FACED: Perfect Eyes Waterproof Eyeliner in "Perfect Black"
beautyblender: the original

Restocked on a lot of all-time faves as well as got a couple of new products to try out. I do need to go back an exchange a couple items for different shades and types for my skin, but overall everything is working pretty well so far!

Let me know if you would like any reviews on any of these books or products! Really excited to read and try all of it. 

If you have read a good book recently, leave your recommendations below. I'd love to check them out! 

Thanks so much for reading, and as per usual, shameless self-promotion links are all below! 

xoxo, Joty ♡

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http://lipstick-lull4bies.tumblr.com/

San Mateo & Half Moon Bay ♡ // Joty Rattu

Hey hunties!

This last Friday I took a road trip to the coast of California with a couple of girlfriends. We headed to Half Moon Bay and spent a couple hours at Cowell Beach, a beautiful less-known beach on the coast of Half Moon Bay. For most of the time, we were the only ones there! Here are some pictures.

After the beach, we drove in to San Mateo to grab some lunch at a cute, little Indian-fusion restaurant called "Curry Up." The food was delicious, I would recommend the Samosa Unburger if you're ever in the area. I didn't take any pictures at the restaurant because we were too hungry but we walked around the town afterwards so here's some more pictures! 

San Mateo was so beautiful and on our way back to Sacramento, we drove through downtown San Fransisco on game night and it was so much fun! I can't wait to go back and visit!

Last week in the Love Your Body TAG, I challenged you all to make a selfish decision for the week. I am currently going through a tough situation at work and I'm having to deal with a lot of unfairness towards me and having to make a lot of decisions for myself without support, It's a huge learning experience. One of the biggest lessons I've learned is whenever you are hired for a new job, ALWAYS ask for contact information of the bosses of your supervisor and your Human Resources department! And don't be afraid to ask tons of questions, you need to know your legal rights!

Have you ever wanted to travel to California? I want to travel and see all the parts of California I love the small-town settings as well as the urban scene in the big cities. I want to know the roads of San Fransisco like the back of my hand. I can't wait to explore more and share it all with you guys! Let me know where you think I should explore next! 

xoxo, Joty ♡

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Fashion FRINGE-zy ♡ // Joty Rattu

Happy Friday bubs!

The weekend is ready to begin and that means throwing your 9-5 slacks into the washer and putting on your best pair of boyfriend jeans to go out and explore the world!

It is the prime of Spring season here in Northern California. We're getting beautiful sunny days in the 80's and that's just an excuse to splurge on super cute, strappy heels that you'll get an endless wear out of this summer! One of my favorite trends I've been seeing this season on the runway and especially in-store is FRINGE! And loads of it.

To be quite honest, I was never the biggest fringe fan. The texture of it just put me off and all I ever thought about was how the fringe on my moccasins would get disgustingly moldy (ew) from the weather. But incorporating fringe into summer styles is a whole new trend for me to explore.

One pair of heels that have been stuck in my sight lately is a four-inch, fringe-detailed sandal from Aldo Shoes.

I know, I know. At first sight, this heel looks incredibly unpractical for getting lots of use out of and fitting into your wardrobe. However, The basic color and bohemian suede texture paired with the gold accents brings it to be a staple piece in my wardrobe for this summer. I have paired it together with two outfits and scenarios for this beautiful pair of heels!

Brunch with the Girls

White Tee | Slim-Fit Boyfriend Denim | Mixed-Media Scarf | Stacked Bracelet | Shoes

This bohemian-chic styled look is perfect for brunch with the girls for your weekly girlfriends date. A slouchy white tee from J. Crew lazily tucked into a fitted pair of Gap's boyfriend jeans takes these heels from dolled-up and glam to casual-glam. This mixed-media BCBGeneration scarf adds texture to the outfit and the cognac color splash throughout the scarf highlights the shoes. Pairing this outfit with a bunch of stack-able bracelets or this bracelet set from Aldo will incorporate the color pallet for this outfit very well. 

Date Night in the City

Trapeze Dress | Gold Cuff | Nars Lip Pencil | Shoes

This cute, little bohemian-glam inspired look was styled for dressing up the shoes for a more enchanting event. Personally, for a date I always like to look my best, and it's always better to be over-dressed than under-dressed. I paired the fringe sandals with a flowy, embellished trapeze dress form Express that adds a cuteness factor as well as being super comfy and chic. I wouldn't recommend wearing a necklace with it though (even though the picture has a necklace; I wasn't able to find a picture of the dress without the necklace). I would recommend accessorizing with a gold cuff like this one from Aldo to add to the "bohemian" vibe. What I love about open ended cuffs is that you can personalize the size to fit you and to change the style. This cuff would particularly compliment the outfit if it is cuffed along your forearm rather than your wrist, here's an example using a different style.

Lastly, I paired the outfit with a Nars' Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in the shade "Damned." This magenta shade with cool undertones is the perfect contrast for the teal dress yet fits perfect with he color pallet. The cooler undertones also make your teeth appear brighter which is always a plus for date night!

My favorite way I've seen this fringe trend rocked in street-style is through accessorizing! Whether it be with your shoes, bag, hat, scarves or jewelry! My main tip for working with fringe accessories is making sure to minimize the use of mixed-textures of the rest of the outfit and using contrasting colors in your color pallet in replace of that. This formula will result in an effortless boho-chic outfit for your summer.

How are you liking the fringe trend that is becoming extremely popular in the fashion industry for this summer? Do you love it or hate it? What's another trends you're really excited for this season? Let me know in the comments below and let's discuss!

And once again, happy Fashion Friday bubs!!

xoxo, Joty ♡

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Love Your Body TAG ♡ // Joty Rattu

Hello, beautiful beings on the inter-web!

This week at my school, we are celebrating Love Your Body Week. In honor of the movement, I wanted to share some information and start a discussion.

Love Your Body is a campaign site created in hopes of raising awareness and exposing the unrealistic and extremely close-minded standards the media places on a "beautiful" women that is viewed to be worth the love and attention of others. On this webpage, they discuss the importance of their movement and the idea behind it.

This campaign is very dear to me as a young female who grew up in a Desi family that took much interest in the female presence in the media. In older Bollywood movies, the only actresses that were cast for lead female roles in these movies were thin, yet very curvy in "all the right places," fair-skinned females that had very long, dark, and extremely smooth-straight hair. From as young as I can remember, I was only complimented on the fairness of my skin, yet criticized heavily about my weight and hair texture from those dearest to me. My mother ordered me my first flat iron at the age of 7 and we both had no idea how to work it but somehow we both believed it was the holy grail that would tackle the monster on my head. Fast-forward ten years and nothing has changed within my community of what is considered beautiful. Even natural processes such as hormonal acne and tanning from spending time outdoors is looked down upon.

When I was 17, I moved in with my cousins in New York City late summer. I spent my summer in California, so I was very obviously tanned. I was also about twenty pounds overweight of my usual weight. This, somehow gave my family the excuse to look down upon me and treat me as lesser of them because they had fairer skin and physically weighed less than me. Over the course of the 21 months I spent in New York, I lost almost fifty pounds and would avoid any contact with direct sunlight so I wouldn't have to hear the smart remarks certain cousins made of when I would get a couple shades darker.

Seriously, my community is so obsessed with fairness of the skin that skin bleaching (not bleaching of the hair on your face, but bleaching the actual color pigments in your skin) is extremely popular. Also, one of the most popular cosmetic creams is a cream called Fair & Lovely, which claims to lighten and brighten your complexion.

I could go on about all the instances that added to lowering my self-esteem, but that would just be so long and extremely depressing.

I haven't started the process of self-love until, actually, very recently. One of my fun, little, resolutions this year was to make decisions that meant the best for me. Even if that meant I had to be selfish. I have spent so long trying to be accepted by people who thought so lowly of me. At one point I was working three jobs, two full-time and one part-time, because going to school full-time and working part-time is so common now that I was not considered a "hard-worker" and actually lazy because I wasn't "using my time well." Instead of binge-watching Gossip Girl on Netflix, I was told I could have spent hours at the gym every night, I could have deep-cleaned the downstairs bathroom, I could have taken an extra shift at work.

It's the fourth month into the new year and I have made so many huge changes and so many huge decisions and because of those I am so much happier. In general, I am a much more positive person, and have even witnessed huge differences in my social anxiety and do not get panic attacks as often. I'm also putting so much more effort and interest in my work and school. I've also found the motivation to take care of my body and rest when necessary.

In honor of Love Your Body Week, I wanted to do create a tag for us to appreciate ourselves.

Take the time to come up with ten things you absolutely adore about yourself (whether is it physical or about your personality!) Also, within this next week, make a decicion for yourself that means well for YOU. Not for your mom, your siblings, your boss, the school you want to apply to, or your pet. A decisions completely based on your hapiness. And then tag another blog to take this challenge!

Here are my ten things:

1. I love the mole on my neck that most people honestly don't realize I have. My mom has one on her chin and I feel like it somehow connects us.
2. I love my small ears.
3. I love my thick hair. 
4. And I love that I have so much of it. 
5. I love my taste in music. 
6. I love my lips! 
7. I love how passionate I become about my interests.
8. I love my fingers and thumbs, I just think they're really cute.
9. I love my beautiful Punjabi heritage and all the ethnic physical features I have!
10. And finally, I am in absolute love with my "basic" brown eyes. 

For this tag, I want to challenge my friend Ieva to complete this tag! ♡

Also, don't forget to mark your calendars! My school is celebrating Love Your Body week this week; however, Love Your Body Day is October 14th!

If you'd like to learn more about celebrating Love Your Body week in your school, visit this page to get some ideas!

Thanks for reading in and checking out what I have to say on this issue and a little bit of my back story about why I stand where I stand. Tell me a couple of things you love about yourself in the comments below! Also, if you could show something the media shows as "ugly" as something very beautiful, what would it be? For me, I think females should be allowed to use swear words without being judged! I think it's fucking beautiful that we have such terms that show how passionate we are about our opinions and views and we should be able to express them without be labeled less "lady-like!" 

Let me know what you'd like to change in the eyes of media!! And until next time, try finding something new to love about yourself every day. Don't forget to check back to read about what "selfish" decision I made for my happiness as a part of this challenge tag!

xoxo, Joty ♡

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