9 Ways to Practice Gratitude

This post is going to be short but sweet. Gratitude is usually the word of the month when it comes to November and I’m all about practicing it. However, I wanted to give you some non-conventional ways to show others gratitude and encourage you to not forget about them after the holidays are over. Be sure to practice gratitude daily and I promise you will find more happiness in your life.

1. Random Act of Kindness: There are so many ways that you can do this. The classic pay for the person behind you in line’s drink and so much more. But the reason I’m listing it is to remind you that practicing gratitude can also mean helping people you don’t know.

2. Send Virtual Goodies through Venmo: This is one I do all the time to friends. I send money for drinks, coffees, donuts, etc. It’s my favorite way to surprise friends that don’t live close by. Tell them that you love them and that it’s specifically for a donut.

3. Write a special person a long hand written note: When was the last time you wrote a hand written letter to someone just because? We don’t do it enough, but it’s so special to get one of these randomly.

4. In difficult situations where somebody wrongs you, remain grateful that you know not to treat people that way: This is a tactic I use more than I wish I had to, but it’s my way of changing my perspective in situations when people treat me unfairly. You CANNOT control other people’s actions. But you can control your gratitude for yourself and being able to be the bigger person. You’d be surprised how quickly you feel better when you are grateful that you are the person being wronged and not doing the wronging.

5. Look in the mirror and spend 5 minutes thanking yourself: You have so many qualities that make you, YOU! All of your talents, quirks, skills, passions, beauty and more should be appreciated by you. Take the time to be grateful for the strength of your body or your ability to empathize with others, etc.

6. Cook someone dinner/drop a meal off at someone’s house: This one is really important for those people in your lives who have a lot on their plates. Whether they are sick, have a new baby, just moved, or simply have a lot going on and feel overwhelmed, you never know how a meal could change their attitude that day. Be sure to throw in a note about how grateful you are for them. If they live out of town, send the money through Venmo like I mentioned earlier. Seriously, Venmo is a great tool that is for more than just splitting the drink bill at brunch.

7. Leave a present on the doorstep of a family member/friend: Play some adult ding dong ditch and leave people presents! This is so easy and it doesn’t have to be a something huge. Just surprise friends at random times.

8. Gratitude Journal/5 Min Journal App: This one is really important to try if you’re trying to incorporate gratitude on a daily basis. The 5 Min Journal is great for spending a few moments each morning and night in self reflection. They also have an app if you prefer it on your phone. You don’t need a fancy notebook though if you don’t want to spend money. Simply find an old notebook and start jotting down what you’re grateful for every day and you’d be surprised how much it can change you.

9. Compliment random strangers more: This is one I try to do as much as I can. When I see something I like, I tell a stranger. It cost $0 to compliment someone you don’t know, but it could mean the world to them that someone noticed it and interacted with them. You never know what someone is going through and you could be just the smile they need to be propelled in a positive direction.

Spread kindness. Practice Gratitude. Be a decent human being. It costs no money, but can be the difference between someone having a great day or a bad one. The choice is yours!

Have a wonderful day and don’t forget…

I am grateful for you.

-Andrea

3 Delicious Veggie Sides For Your Back Pocket

Can you believe Thanksgiving is next week? Even thought I put my Christmas Tree up yesterday, it doesn’t feel like the holidays are as close as they really are. Just in case the holidays sneak up on you like I know they will for me, I decided to share three recipes that you can whip up in no time and bring to your holiday dinners in a pinch.

This first one is one that I bring to every holiday dinner in my family. My nieces always ask my sister if I’m going to bring “my really good potatoes”. While they do take a little bit to bake in the oven, they are super easy. If you are in a pinch, slice your potatoes thinner so they cook quicker!

Tyler Florence’s Scalloped Potato Au Gratin

Next up we have a mushroom side that is great if you’re bringing a dish to make at someone’s house, but don’t want anything that has to go in the oven. We all know how vital that oven space is. These are super quick as well which is nice when you are in a pinch!

Laura Vitale’s Parmesan Sauteed Mushrooms

Lastly, I want to share how I make my yummy sweet potato fries/wedges because what’s thanksgiving without a little sweet potato! I guarantee these will be a hit. You can mix up the seasonings and do whatever herbs you want, but I personally love basil. Rosemary is great too!

Sweet Potato Wedges

• 3 Sweet Potatoes

• 2 TB of minced garlic, to taste

• 3 TB Avocado Oil, or oil of your choice

• 1 TB Dried Basil

• Kosher or Sea Salt & Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Peel your sweet potatoes and cut each potato lengthwise into wedges. Toss wedges in a bowl with Avocado Oil, basil, garlic, salt & pepper. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and spread wedges onto parchment, making sure they are not touching. Bake for 25 minutes, making sure they are starting to brown and crisp. Flip over and bake for another 20 minutes or until crispy and brown all over. Exact time varies per oven.

I hope you try these recipes out! If you do, let me know what you think and be sure to comment below any of your favorite holiday recipes!

Remember to take a moment every day and practice gratitude,

Andrea

Recent Favorites

I haven’t shared my favorites in a couple months, so I thought I’d write today about what I’ve been loving recently. I feel like I’ve found some pretty great stuff in the last few months.

1. Acure Brightening Cleanser:

   I was shopping one day in target and ended up taking this guy home with me and I have to say I’m obsessed with it. The fresh lemon scent is awesome and I feel like it does a great job of gently chemically exfoliating every time I cleanse. Acure is one of my favorite clean brands that isn’t crazy expensive. So I love trying more and more out from them.

2. Native Deodorant:

   I picked up this deodorant on that same Target trip and I have to say, I am shocked at how much I love it. I got the lavender & rose scent and it’s heaven. Only con is that the actual deodorant is white so it can sometimes get on clothes if you’re not careful, but for an aluminum-free natural deodorant, it’s awesome! I have heard the other scents are just as amazing, so I can’t wait to try more. My previous natural deodorant gave me a rash over time, so I’ll keep you updated as I use this one longer. So far so good.

3. Acure Rosehip Oil:

   I just had to add this one for those of you who are new and don’t know my love affair for rosehip oil. Its probably tied for my favorite ingredient of all time with Glycolic Acid (probably not another shocker). I added it to this post, because I’ve been back in the habit of slathering my face with it every day as my moisturizer because I was recently experiencing more breakouts. Rosehip oil is my secret to fading the post-inflammatory hyper-pigmentation from acne scars.

4. La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo Dual Action Treatment Cream:

   This guy has also been getting some serious use lately, because of those pesky breakouts I just mentioned in the previous product. I try to apply this every night on my chin and jaw where I’m prone to breakouts, but have really been vigilant about it recently because my skin has been more broken out than usual. It contains Benzoyl Peroxide, but I don’t find that it dries me out ever.

5. Maybelline Soda Pop and Lemonade Craze Palettes:

   I purchased the ‘Soda Pop’ palette on a whim and fell in love with it. I say that because I NEVER buy drugstore eyeshadow. I just don’t find it to be worth the money usually. However, the ‘Soda Pop’ palette was so great that I bought it’s older sister ‘Lemonade Craze’ and I really love them both. I have been reaching for them every time I do my makeup. Click here to watch the Makeup Tutorial I did with the ‘Soda Pop’ Palette, and comment below if you want me to make one with the ‘Lemonade Craze’ one too.

6. L’Oreal Infallible Galaxy Holographic Lumiere Lip Gloss in Ethereal Gold:

   I picked this gloss up after seeing a friend who had it and I’ve been obsessed with it ever since. I keep it in my jacket and it has quickly become my favorite gloss for when I need something nude or my lips feel dry. It’s not sticky and gives off the coolest slight holographic look; it’s not too crazy, I promise.

7. Rituel de Fille Rare Light Luminizer in Anthelion:

   I always prefer a cream highlighter over a powder. There’s something about the dewyness that a cream product gives, that is hard to replicate with a powder and boy does this one deliver. I love it on my eyelids, inner corners of my eyes, above my cupid’s bow and obviously on my cheekbones.

8. Sherlock Mini Series

   Here’s a random favorite for you guys. If you haven’t watched the BBC mini-series Sherlock, GET ON IT. Don’t worry, I was also really, really late to the game on this one. Benedict Cumberbatch is SO freaking good in it. If you love mysteries and thrillers it’s a must see. Thank you to my boyfriend Mikey who is always making me watch the BEST tv shows and movies.

What have you been loving recently? Comment below and let me know what you’ve discovered! I love discovering new products because of you guys!

Have a great day,

Andrea

Disclosure: Amazon links are Amazon Affiliate links meaning that I make a commission off the purchase of the product through my link. I would never recommend a product that I didn't love and all opinions are my own. I am thankful for you choosing to purchase through my links, as it helps me create more content for Andrea Fontana Beauty.

Five Ways to Make Social Media a Healthier Place For Yourself

It’s no secret that social media can play a toxic role in the comparison of our lives with others. In one click you can be transported into what looks like a much happier and fun life of someone you’ve never met. We are all guilty of it. While I believe that there are many negatives that can come from social media, I also think there are a lot of really positive things that can come of it as well. If you take social media with a grain of salt, focus on not comparing your life to the highlights of other people’s lives, it can be a really cool place.

Today I wanted to share five ways that you can make social media a healthier place for yourself. I want to encourage you to set boundaries and use it the way that works best for yourself. However, only you know what that means. So take these ideas and change them however you need to make social media a positive and constructive place for you to be inspired and connect with other people.

While none of this is ground breaking information, I just want it to serve you as a reminder to make sure you are using social media to respect and love yourself. So let’s get started!

1. Delete accounts that impact you negatively.

   If there is an account that always brings about ill feelings, sadness, jealously, or desires for things or a life you don’t actually want, DELETE it. You heard me. Choose to follow accounts that inspire & teach you, make you laugh, and more. You do not have to follow people just because they follow you, if it’s not going to constructively contribute to your life.

2. Set boundaries for when you use social media.

   If viewing social media brings anxiety or stress, definitely don’t use it before bed time. It’s important to feel calm and at peace when trying to sleep and we all know screen time isn’t the best choice for this. If you know that you can easily end up mindlessly scrolling for hours when you’re supposed to be accomplishing some other task, maybe give yourself a specific amount of time you are allowed to be on social media. Cutting back will also help you focus on what you’re doing in the moment. Be present.

3. Share a more authentic part of yourself.

   One of my favorite things about social media is the community that can be created by sharing certain things about your life. The more you share of the real you (if you’re comfortable with it), the more you can connect with others who may be going through the same thing. You may find support from people you never expected. I strive to share open and real moments with my followers because I want to break away from the ‘everything’s fun and perfect’ view that social media often present to people.

4. Use social media to uplift your friends and make people laugh.

   One of my favorite things about social media is the ability to tag friends in funny or inspiring posts. You never know what people are going through in that moment and it’s nice to be tagged in things that can randomly make you laugh or smile. I love social media’s ability to connect me with my friends that are far away, in an instant and send them some love. Fill your social media use with positivity.

5. Cut the comparisons.

   No one’s life is as dandy and fun looking as it is on social media. We all have bad days. We all have things happen to us out of our control. This one is just a reminder that only YOU know what’s best for you. Shift your focus on social media from one of wanting to be like others and using it to instill happiness and realness all around you instead. Check yourself when you find that you are thinking negative things and FIND A CUTE PUPPY PICTURE.

Remember: You are YOU and there is no amount of Instagram likes that can top that magic.

Have beautiful day,

Andrea

My 15 Trader Joe's Must-Haves

I freaking love Trader Joe’s. I unfortunately do not live close enough to one to shop on a regular basis there. There are three stores that are about an hour away from me and if I’m ever nearby one of them I always stop by and grab some goodies. I asked on Instagram (Click here to follow me) if you wanted to see the items I always stock up on when I’m near a Trader Joe’s and 100% of you said yes so here we are. I always get other items too depending on what I’m planning on making that week or if something looks really interesting to try. These are simply the items I always make sure to get!

My first tip for Trader Joe’s or just shopping at a grocery store that’s a little farther away from you, is to buy a reusable thermal bag to keep in your car so that you can safely take chilled items home without them spoiling. I bought mine at Trader Joe’s for under $9 and I love it because it zips and holds so much!

1. Red Lentil Pasta ($2.99):

I am gluten-free now so I love this red lentil pasta and always grab at least two bags. As an Italian I love my pasta al dente and my number one complaint about other gluten-free pastas is that they are too squishy and always fall apart. I think this pasta is the closest texture I’ve seen to regular gluten pasta and I love it. Plus it has more protein and fiber than normal pasta so that’s amazing.

2. ‘Everything But the Bagel’ seasoning ($1.99):

If you haven’t heard of this one you have to have been living under a rock because it has to be one of the most popular products Trader Joe’s sells. I use mine mostly for topping avocado toast and eggs, but it can be used in so many other ways! I am convinced there is nothing this isn’t good on.

3. Nutritional Yeast ($2.99):

I don’t always buy this one every time I am stocking up, because you actually get a lot of nutritional yeast for the $3. If you don’t already know, nutritional yeast is a common cheese replacement. I use it in place of parmesan or pecorino cheeses when I’m cutting back on dairy and have even used it to make a dairy-free ‘cacio e pepe’ that was delish!

4. Coconut Sugar ($3.99):

I LOVE this coconut sugar. The price is great and I use coconut sugar so much. I try to use it in place of brown sugar whenever I can, and even use it on my oatmeal every morning. I purposefully look for baking recipes that call for it instead of granulated or brown sugar because I love it so much and it’s so much better for you. Click here to visit a post I did about swapping it for brown or granulated sugar in your kitchen and why it’s beneficial.

5. Gluten Free Rolled Oats ($3.99):

I go back and forth between buying this bag of oats and the Bob’s Red Mill Quick Steel Cut Oats from Costco, but I love that these are gluten free and you get a HUGE bag for $4. It’s nuts! If you don’t follow me on IG you can go there and see my love affair with oatmeal that has been continuously blossoming for years.

6. Fruit Bars ($0.99 each):

I always keep bars in my backpack purse in case I am with a client, doing a wedding, or just out and needing a snack. My biggest thing with bars is making sure they are clean and not loaded with fillers. These have just two ingredients; the two kinds of fruit! Nothing else. They are super yummy and I don’t care that they have 20 g of sugar because it’s coming straight from fruit.

7. Green Tea ($2.49):

I always keep massive amounts of Green Tea on hand because I drink at least one cup a day, and sometimes more in the winter. You can’t beat this price for a tasty & classic big box of green tea bags.

8. Salsa Verde ($1.99):

My sister convinced me I needed this one time when I was shopping with her and I am so grateful she got me addicted to it. I love it for regular chips and salsa, but it’s especially great for pouring over a chicken breast in the slow cooker. When it’s dinner time, you shred the chicken and you have easy chicken tacos with lots of great flavor.

9. San Marzano Tomatoes ($3.99):

San Marzano tomatoes are simply the best. They make the most flavorful tomato sauce so I always make sure to have a can or two on hand for when I need to make a sauce for a special night.

10. Green Chiles ($0.89):

This is another can I keep on hand, but it’s for whenever I want to whip together a quick chili. I pretty much always have the ingredients on hand, which is extremely helpful for easy dinners in the winters and fall.

11. Proscuitto ($4.99):

This is the second time in a row I’ve not paid attention to the proscuitto and accidentally bought the German smoked version which I don’t like as much as regular proscuitto. I like to keep it on hand because I’m Italian and I really have no better reason than that. I’m addicted and it’s genetic.

12. Gluten-Free All Purpose Flour ($3.99):

You can pretty much use more GF All Purpose Flours interchangeably with a few recipe exceptions so I like to always have it on hand. The price of this one is pretty good compared to some of the ones out there.

13. Ginger Paste (~$2):

I already had a bunch of these tubes on hand so I didn’t actually see how much this one costs in the store. I always have this on hand because I LOVE cooking with fresh ginger. I absolutely hate buying a knob of it at the store however, and not using it up in time. I hate wasting food, so I love that it’s already in paste form and keeps well in my fridge. I flavor so many things with ginger.

14. Polenta Roll ($1.99):

I adore polenta and while it’s really cheap to keep the dry polenta flakes on hand, sometimes it’s really convenient to keep a log of polenta in your pantry so you can fry it up really quickly and serve it as your carb with chicken, mushrooms, veggies, etc.

15. Marinated Artichokes ($2.69):

I love having a jar of these in my pantry to quickly jazz up pastas, pizzas, salads, and more! The price is also really great compared to my usual grocery store. Extra tip: I like to use the marinated oil that the artichokes are packaged in, in place of regular olive or avocado oil for extra flavor.

There you have it! Those are my top 15 must haves from Trader Joe’s. Do you shop at TJ’s? Comment below with your favorite items to stock up on and let me know if any of these are your staples too!

Have a great start to your week,

Andrea

Tips for Hosting an Easy Dinner Party

It is no secret that I love to cook. Feeding people is my love language and my house will always be open to transform empty bellies into full and happy ones. I hosted a dinner party the other night and when I shared a few snippets of it on Instagram, a few of you reached out and asked me to share my tips on how to make hosting a dinner party easier. I am proud to say that it was amazing and I was able to create a dinner party magic in less than 2 hours. You read that right. I started cooking/setting up around 4:45 and my guests walked through the front door at 6:30. So how did I do it? I will show you how.

Planning:

In order to whip something like this up so quickly, you have to plan. I did a few major things that made this night super easy for me:

1. I planned my menu out at least a week in advance and checked with all of my guests that they were fans of foods that not everyone loves, i.e., mushrooms in this case. I chose dishes that were not super detailed and needy, so that I could be cooking multiple things at once (I’ll get more into this in a little bit).

2. I grocery shopped the night before and left everything out on my counter that wasn’t perishable, and put everything together in the fridge that I’d need. This allows you to pull everything out and not go searching through your cupboards/fridge trying to find each ingredient. You’d be surprised how much time you can save when you don’t have to keep walking to the pantry.

3. I made a rough timeline of what I wanted to cook when. For example, my appetizer was something that needed to sit and stew a little, so I started this first. This allowed me to not have to think about what I needed to do next because it was all written down for me. I just check things off my list.

Decor:

When it comes to decor, I love to have things like books, place mats, candles and such all around. Instead of getting extra decor out to decorate my table, I just used what was already sitting out around me. I walked around my living room and grabbed things like pumpkins and candle sticks, and brought them to my table. I have a little storage cupboard by my front door, who’s top houses my keys and such, but inside I actually hide away all of my entertaining dishes, so that when it’s time to bring them out, they are all in one spot.

Personally, I find a rustic and cozy atmosphere to be the most appealing at a dinner party, so don’t get to stressed about things matching. In case you didn’t notice in the pictures above, I only had four of the gray and white tassel place mats, so I just grabbed a gray and white striped tea towel from my kitchen and added it for my 5th place setting. I’m not big on patterns matching perfectly but I generally always buy my entertaining dishes in neutral colors so that they always go together well enough.

Also, don’t be afraid to get out of the box and get creative with items that might not normally be used on the table. I like playing with height, so I stacked some big and really old coffee table books about Italian food right in the center of the table and placed my bowls for olives on them.

Cooking:

Now for the main portion of the planning and why this dinner party was so easy, did I mention everything was Gluten and Dairy Free? Here are the things I did to make my life easy:

1. I chose recipes that didn’t need to be babysat, but would still wow my guests.

2. I baked my pumpkin spice cake the morning of the dinner party at 6:30 am and did yoga while it was in the oven. BAM Kill two birds with one stone people. Also, you will automatically fill your house with the aroma of dessert all day which is a great way to start off prepping for a dinner party!

3. My appetizer was a slow cooked tomato and garlic spread for crackers (recipe to come in a special announcement). I also set out two kinds of olives and would normally do cheese as well if the crowd wasn’t dairy-free.

4. I also made a super easy and light mushroom soup because once the onions and mushrooms are sauteed and seasoned, it literally sits on the corner burner and stews for a little while, which means you can do other stuff! (Recipe also coming in that super exciting announcement…haha)!

5. My entree was a homemade vodka sauce (I swear by this recipe from Rachael Ray) over brown rice and red lentil pastas. Can you guess why I picked it? You’re right, it’s super quick and easy and only stews on the stove for like 20 minutes! But you’re actually making a homemade sauce so it tastes like heaven.

If there is one piece of advice I can give you for hosting a dinner party it’s this….CLEAN YOUR DISHES AS YOU GO! There is nothing worse than having the world’s best dinner party full of laughter and happy tummies and then everyone walks out the door and you have a WHOLE kitchen to clean and you get depressed and want to ignore it and walk straight to your bedroom to sleep instead. So I always do this… While I’m cooking I wash every dish I can at every chance I get. I’ll even start placing food in their serving plates so that I can wash the pots they were cooked in. I even go as far as to wipe up my counters and stove before anyone arrives. This way the only things left to clean afterwards are the dishes you eat on and the serving plates. You can quickly rinse all the food off so they are mostly clean, load them in the dishwasher or leave them in the sink for the next morning and get to sleep instead.

I love dinner parties because of how relaxed and enjoyable they are. If you plan ahead and do certain tricks, you can make it enjoyable to host as well. If you have any tips or recipes you love for hosting dinner parties, be sure to comment below! I hope you enjoyed this post and remember; the details aren’t necessarily the most important part of the dinner. The food is a vehicle and excuse to experience the laughs, the stories, and the love among your amazing guests.

Happy hosting!

Andrea

How I Whiten My Teeth At Home

Today I’m back with a post that I’m really excited to be sharing. There’s even something exciting for my readers at the end so make sure to read through! 

As many of you know, I quit drinking coffee on a regular basis a few months ago. I have always loved my smile, but in the last few years I had noticed how my coffee habit was affecting the color of my teeth. I figured that since I’ve kicked the caffeine habit, now was the time to look into whitening my smile, as it would be easier to maintain without the daily coffee consumption.  

It’s funny how life works, but after spending a little time researching at home teeth whitening, I opened my email inbox to a message from Smile Brilliant wanting to do a collaboration! If that wasn’t a sign, I don’t know what is. 

I was excited to work with Smile Brilliant because they wanted to send me a teeth whitening system and share my honest feelings with you guys about the process. Now this is not a sponsored post but I did receive the teeth whitening system for free. However, my opinions on it are completely my own and I hope you already know that I would never recommend a product I didn’t like! 

I know that a lot of you reading this are getting ready to celebrate either your own special events, like your wedding, or have many close friends and family members celebrating special events and you want to look your best for them all. If your schedule looks anything like mine these days, there are photo ops every month.  

I was excited to try out Smile Brilliant because it’s a professional whitening system that you do at home, yet is still really customized and effective. Not only that, it’s REALLY easy to use. No awkward lights to put in your mouth; just custom trays that fit perfectly and you can go about your activities while whitening. I had only ever used Crest Whitestrips in the past, which were easy but took a lot longer to see results; plus I always experienced sensitivity. Smile Brilliant has a few different system options, and I chose sensitive which has really helped me not feel any side effects in my day to day life while whitening. One thing that is really great about Smile Brilliant is that if you are not happy with your results they will give you a full refund! Click here to visit their website and get even MORE info on the whitening systems! 

When you get your kit in the mail, the first step is to make your impressions so that your trays fit perfectly. The kit comes with very detailed instructions for the whole process. Once you make your impressions, you pop them in a pre-paid envelope and send them back to Smile Brilliant so they can make your trays. This whole process was pretty quick too, which I liked because I was excited to get started! 

Once you start the whitening process, it’s simple. 

1. Brush your teeth with water. 

2. Fill your trays with the whitening gel and leave in your mouth for 45 minutes up to 3 hours.  

3. Brush your teeth like normal (including brushing out your trays). 

4. If you’re doing the sensitive version, you add the desensitizing gel to the trays, leave on for 15-20 minutes and then don’t drink any liquids for at least an hour. 

It takes anywhere from 7-14 sessions to get your teeth where you want them, and they send plenty of product! Now I’m sure you’re really curious about my thoughts. Below are some photos of my before and after and then we’ll get into the pros and cons of using Smile Brilliant. 

Let’s talk about the cons first. The thing I found most challenging about using the whitening trays was that I had to plan out my life accordingly. I preferred to whiten at night after dinner, but then I couldn’t drink water before bed which was kind of annoying. Sometimes I simply get home too later and need to sleep and don’t have time to whiten so I would have to skip a day or two before I could get back on schedule.  

The only other big con was that I did notice some sensitivity with my gums. Now most of this is probably due to the fact that my labial frenum (google it) on the top of my mouth was supposed to be clipped when I was younger and they never ended up doing it. So this means that it is attached lower than it is supposed to be and the trays really felt too tall for my mouth and scratched up against this. Again, this is more so my fault, not Smile Brilliant’s, but I have to say that I received lots of tips and help from Sierra over at Smile Brilliant, with how to increase my comfort level. I ended up coating my gums in coconut oil before hand and trying not to talk or move my mouth much while whitening. I also decided to whiten every other day, which helped cut back on irritation and I don’t think it skewed my results. If you end up trying this system out, I highly recommend the coconut oil on your gums for decreasing sensitivity! Works great! 

Now let’s talk about the PROS! I cannot believe how quickly this system worked. I noticed my teeth being whiter after one use, but ended up doing 10 sessions. Plus I still have whitening gel that I’m going to keep for touch ups before my sister’s wedding this fall! I loved that the trays were customized and molded to my teeth because having a tray in your mouth for over an hour that is big and doesn’t fit would be super annoying. One big thing I loved too was that even if I accidently got some gel in my mouth, it didn’t taste TERRIBLE. I had a bad experience once....can you tell? Haha  

I’m really excited to enter the fall season of weddings and events that I have being more confident in my smile. I think we can all agree that a whiter smile makes us feel more confident as we go about our daily business. As a makeup artist I am always taking pictures of my own face to share makeup looks, meeting new clients, and even taking photos with my brides. I am happy now that my smile is free of the coffee stains and would highly recommend you give Smile Brilliant a look if you are looking for teeth whitening.  

Here’s what my teeth looked like before and after 10 uses of the Smile Brilliant Sensitive Whitening System.  

These photos have not been filtered and have had absolutely no retouching. These ARE MY TEETH!

Now for the exciting part! I am doing to be doing a giveaway with Smile Brilliant that will allow one of my amazing readers to win a whitening system of their own! Click the link below to enter the giveaway that is being hosted on their website for all of you! Good luck!! 

CLICK HERE TO ENTER GIVEAWAY! (Giveaway close one week from today - September 3rd

You can also use the code andreafontanabeauty15 to recieve 15% off store wide at Smile Brilliant!

Please be sure to message me or leave me comment below if you have questions about the Smile Brilliant at home whitening system. Also let me know if you try it out for yourself and what you think about it! I’m excited to have been able to share something like this with you guys.  

Have a beautiful weekend, 

Andrea

Tooth Whitening Gel

My 'Party's Over' Detox Skin Tips

Welcome back! If you don't follow me on Instagram (...but like why aren't you?) then you wouldn't know that I spent 5 days last week in Chicago working a wedding and then frolicking with friends in the city. This meant more gluten than I normally eat, little sleep, wine instead of water, and all sorts of anti-clear skin habits. Am I paying for it? You betcha. Was it worth it? HELL YES! Because spending quality time with my best friends is priceless and I have the tricks to get my skin back to where I want it once the party's over. 

Today I'm sharing what I've been doing to get my skin back to where I want it & my body feeling normal again. These are my "Party's Over" Detox Skin Tips. Whether you're back from vacation or just celebrated your birthday week (...or month haha) I hope you find these tips helpful to getting back on track with your skin & body.

1. Get rid of all the guilt. Do not spend one second stressed about the fact that you had 2 donuts instead of 1. We've all been there. We've all done it. But that's the point. It's done and all you can do is accept that you cannot change it and get back on track now.

2. Cut out your trigger foods for a week. The first thing I had to do when I got back was get back to eating gluten-free every meal. I usually had one or two meals with gluten when I was in Chicago and since it affects my skin so much, I have cut them out for a week to boost my clear skin and feel better. Whatever your trigger food may be, skip it for a few days or a week and it'll help you to start feeling like yourself again.

3. Do an At Home Detox Facial: Chances are you were a little more lax with your skincare routine when on vacation so it's time to get your skin back into shape. This is especially important for me because my diet caused some serious texture issues and breakouts. I cannot recommend this enough. Here's how I do it.

1. Start by cleansing your face & toning. I'm currently using this Juice Beauty Green Apple Brightening Gel Cleanser, but if you don't have it try to go for one with a gentle chemical exfoliation to help get rid of any congestion. This cleanser was in my July Favorites; click here to read why I liked it. 
2. 1st Mask: Chemical exfoliation; I like the Herbivore Botanicals Blue Tansy Mask because it's great for blemishes. Leave on for 15-20 min until dry and wash off & tone again.
3. 2nd Mask: Detox and clarifying; I prefer the Aztec Healing Bentonite Clay because it boosts circulation and detoxifies so well! Click here to read my post on this mask. The clay comes as powder and I like to mix it with apple cider vinegar or water and add a few drops of tea tree oil until it forms a thin paste. I apply it and leave it on for 30-45 min depending on how long it takes to dry/how long I can handle it. It tingles! Rinse and tone again.
4. 3rd Mask: Hydrate & Nourish; I love the Farmacy Honey Potion Renewing Anti-Oxidant Hydration Mask to hydrate and heal my skin after I've neglected it. It warms on contact and is such a comforting and nourishing experience. Leave this one on for about 15 minutes and have a cup of tea. Rinse off, tone, and apply your normal spot treatments & serums. 
5. Lastly it's time to re-hydrate your skin due to your preference of wine over water. I like to throw on my Laneige Water Sleeping Mask in place of my moisturizer so I can really benefit from all the hyaluronic acid and feel hydrated when I wake up.

4. Try reducing your caffeine intake. I know what you're probably thinking. Wait, I need MORE coffee to recover from a great time than less, but trust me. Your skin and your body will adapt better with less caffeine. Try sleeping more instead! Crazy I know...

Go ahead bookmark this post for easy access next time you have a girls night out, staycation, or simply need weekend recovery. If you're like me, you're not 21 anymore and can use the tips to getting back on track. Maybe you'll feel a little less stressed about skipping your routine when it's time to simply have fun!

Have a great week,

Andrea

July Favorites

I'm back with favorites and I'm excited to share the ones I have this month. I polled you guys over on Instagram and while a lot of you like the video format from last month, most of you prefer the written format, so I'll probably return to this format and film a YouTube favorites video every so often. 

This month is short but sweet, but I hope you enjoy it.

The only skincare product that is new to me recently is this Green Apple Brightening Gel Cleanser by Juice Beauty.  When I went through my skincare product detoxification, my cleanser rated so high on Think Dirty. This one is a ZERO and I love it. I feel like I've hit the jackpot. It's loaded with antioxidants which is really important in protecting your skin. The brightening is due to the citric (lemon) and malic (apple) acids! I love how this has left my skin feeling cleansed well (coconut oils) and brightened. I highly recommend it if you are someone who struggles with an uneven skin tone.

Every spring/summer I seem to revisit my lipstick collection and pick out lipsticks that I forgot about. This one from Maybelline (Shade 945: "Stormy Sahara" is one I realized that I've never talked about but is a classic shade from them. If you're a light/medium skin tone and looking for a good rosy/nude check this one out. 

This next favorite is also a lip product but on the higher end. Back in the spring when I did a Sephora and Ulta haul I mentioned this NARS Power Matte Lip Pigment in 'Walk This Way'. I am so amazed by the formula of these. They feel like water going on, but are packed with pigment and go on so easily. They dry down to being virtually undetectable and wear so nicely on the lips. I love this shade too, because it's just enough of a pop of color to be noticeable but isn't obnoxious and bright. 

My last beauty favorite is a nail polish that has been the only thing on my toes for the past year. The color looks especially great in the summer. I'm not sure if you can still get it anywhere besides this website I found, but the Essie Metallics Collections in 'Nothing Else Metals" is the best shade. It's a silver/lavender shade that looks so great on toes. It matches everything and really looks great with a tan in the summer. 

A food favorite for the month is one that I tried a long time ago. I can't remember where I tried this brand for the first time, but when I went on Amazon to buy them I ended up getting this variety pack that was AMAZING! These bars are free of the top allergies; peanut, dairy, gluten, tree nut, soy, egg, fish, shellfish, & sesame. While I try to stay away from processed snacks, these are relatively clean and I like them every once in a while especially now that I'm gluten free. The Chocolate Chip crispy squares and Strawberry granola minis were definitely my two favorites, but I really enjoyed all the flavors. 

So those are my favorites from the month of July! I told you they were going to be short and sweet! What have you been loving? Leave a comment below and let me know.

Have a great August,

Andrea

Disclosure: Amazon links are Amazon Affiliate links meaning that I make a commission off the purchase of the product through my link. I would never recommend a product that I didn't love and all opinions are my own. I am thankful for you choosing to purchase through my links, as it helps me create more content for Andrea Fontana Beauty.

How to Pickle Onions

This recipe was highly requested over on my Instagram because it seems I'm always showing or mentioning pickled red onions in my food posts. I'm just obsessed with them. They make many dishes look prettier and taste better! If I don't know what I'm making for dinner at night, you can often find me standing with the fridge open, pickled onion jar in my hand, snacking as I scan the fridge for ingredients and ideas for that night. If you don't follow my Instagram yet, go check it out! It's where I talk about food the most and share tons of tips

To make pickled onions you will need the following:

1 large red onion  (I like to use red, but you can use others)
1 cup of white vinegar
minced garlic
black peppercorns
3 TB white sugar
1.5 TB salt
Storage jar like a mason jar

1. First add your vinegar, salt, sugar and peppercorns to a small saucepan and mix to dissolve the sugar and salt. Put the lid on the pan and bring to a boil over just slightly higher than medium heat.

2. While waiting for mixture to boil, slice your onion into really thin rings. I like to put them in a big bowl and mix a few teaspoons of minced garlic into them. 

3. When mixture comes to a boil, pour it evenly over the onion & garlic mixture and mix it well. I like to put the lid from my pan over the onions in the bowl to trap the heat in there so they don't cool as quickly. If your liquid doesn't quite cover all of your onions (this can depend on what size of bowl you use), mix the onions in the liquid mixture every 15ish minutes. 

4. Let the onions cool and place in the mason jar making sure to pour the pickling liquid in with the onions to cover them. You can really squeeze them in there, I promise! Store in the fridge for up to 4 weeks. (Mine never last this long...haha)

5. ENJOY! These are great on tacos, burrito bowls, sushi bowls, scrambled eggs, and more! The possibilities are endless. 

Leave a comment below letting me know what your favorite thing to pickle is!!

Have a great day,

Andrea

Tips for Practicing REAL Self Care

I realized recently that I haven't shared a topic on here that I talk about a lot in my non-blog life. I am just going to come out and say that I hate the phrase 'Self Care'. It's not so much the term that I hate but the trend that it has become in today's world. Stay with me. I think that taking time to yourself is crucial, but let me explain why I feel this way.

I find that the phrase 'self care' has become a trendy word for procrastination and a gold mine for the marketing of products to us. 'Practice self care and buy this bath bomb...you deserve it.' I know you've seen these campaigns and messages and frankly it frustrates the crap out of me. Taking a bubble bath is really great but if you have several things that you need to get done that night, a bubble bath can wait until tomorrow. However, if labeled as a 'self care' moment, it's fine to push off your priorities. 

If we are so stressed that we need to take a break and pause for a minute to take a bubble bath, I believe true self care is figuring out what is causing these moments of burning out and readjusting your life so it doesn't keep happening. It's crazy to keep doing the same things and expecting life to get easier if we don't self reflect and make some changes. There are no products that are going to fix the unbalanced life we are living, so today I'm offering you some tips to truly practice REAL self care and dig deeper into the stress of our lives. Use self care to really change your lifestyle so you can set yourself up for success and reduce stress and anxiety. 

Please be sure to comment below with your thoughts on the 'self care' trend and whether you agree or disagree with me.

6 questions to ask yourself to practice REAL self care:

1. What is one area of my house that I can tidy to relieve some anxiety? I am a huge believer in the idea that if your environment is messy, you will feel more anxious. Is there one space that you look at day in and day out, that could be tidier? Spend some time tackling it and I guarantee it will make your home more pleasant. 

2. What is the one thing on my To-Do list that would relieve some stress if I just did it? We all have those things on our lists that are either tedious tasks or simply no fun, but need to get done. Recognize this task as being annoying and just do it. Think about how relieved you will feel when it's done and carry that thought with you through the process to motivate you to complete it.

3. What is one thing that I don't want to think about right now but need to? This could be in many different categories of life. Sometimes we push things off or put them on the back burner because we don't want to think about them, but acknowledging them can take a huge weight off our chests. Debt is a great example of this. If you have no idea how much you owe in student loans, car loans, etc....ADD IT UP! The scariest part is looking at that total number, but once you do it, you can create a plan to get rid of it. 

4. How would I feel if I didn't let these anxious thoughts affect me? Sometimes we need to practice self care because we can't get out of our own heads. Trust me, I'm right there with you. But if we take a moment to think about how we would feel if we didn't let the stress and anxiety affect us, we give the anxiety less power and it's easier to think through it. Really try to think about the actual emotions you could be feeling instead.

5. Who can I call to just listen to me work through this stress and anxiety? Something that is really helpful for me to do is to talk to a close friend about whatever is bothering me. Venting in a sense and getting it all out, can be all we really need to feeling better. Sometimes it's helpful to hear someone say yes this is stressful and it's okay to feel this way. For me however, I like doing this because often it's helpful to have my best friend say what's the worst that could happen. 

6. Do I have a habit that I don't like and what can I do to stop it? Sometimes we don't realize the habits that we have created unless we measure them. I recommend to friends all the time to track what they spend their time doing and what the pros & cons are for each activity. If you don't like the habits you see, work to get rid of them! If it's a pretty big habit, look for support in your community to break it! 

Overall these questions encourage self reflection which I am HUGE on! I talk about it all the time with people because I believe it is so important to make changes when it's necessary and redirect what we are doing on a daily basis. I hope these questions encourage you to practice REAL self care and change your lifestyle for the better instead of supressing it with another bath bomb.  

Have a beautiful day,

Andrea

How I make Almond Milk/Flour:

This post has been so highly requested and I'm happy to finally write it for you. After doing my elimination diet a few months ago and feeling what it felt like to be eating 100% unprocessed, I was hooked. I've always had the belief that life is about balance in many aspects. I would never want to deprive myself of the foods I love but also think there is an alternative to eating heavily processed treats. I have kind of always operated on the idea that if I can make it myself I'm allowed to eat it.

Almond milk isn't necessarily bad for you, but when you buy it in the stores it unfortunately has to have stabilizers and other ingredients that keep it fresh for you to enjoy at home. Making almond milk eliminates all of this processing and tastes SO MUCH BETTER. Plus, since going gluten free I like to have almond meal (aka flour) on hand and it's expensive! Making your own almond milk yields the milk, but also about 1 cup of almond pulp that you can easily turn into meal! This means it's a zero waste process and will save you money, especially if you use almond meal on a regular basis! Today I'm going to take you through how I make my almond milk and turn the pulp into meal!

First let's go over what you will need for this process:
- 1 cup of almonds (I buy mine in a big bag at Costco)
- 7 cups of water
- Vanilla or salt if wanted
- High speed blender or food processor (I use a ninja) --> Here's the one I have and LOVE (Side note: I took FOREVER to decide on a blender and this is the one I went with. I've had it for over a year and use it constantly. I can't recommend it enough if you're looking for a high quality blender but don't want to shell out the money for a Vitamix)
- Glass container to store milk up to 3 or 4 days --> I purchased this one from Amazon
- Nut Milk Bag --> I purchased this Nylon 2-pack from Amazon.

1. You'll need to soak the almonds for at least 4 hours (I usually just do it overnight) in order to soften them and make them easy to blend.

2. Empty the water that the almonds have been soaking in and add the cup of softened almonds, 7 cups of water and a splash of vanilla and sprinkle of salt to the blender. I have made it with no salt and vanilla and it was great too! Choice is up to you. If you're used to unsweetened original almond milk, leave it out!

3. Blend for 2 minutes on a high speed.

4. Pour your blended mixture through the nut bag into a bowl and squeeze all of the liquid out with your hands! I love the nylon ones I purchased from Amazon because they are super easy to hand wash and keep clean (I also use them to strain my kombucha!)

5. Store in your glass container for up to 4 days!

YES It's really that easy! Now for the almond meal:

1. Preheat your oven to 100 or 150 degrees.

2. Spread your almond pulp onto a baking sheet and break up all of the clumps with your fingers. The more liquid you squeeze out the easier this will be.

3. Bake for 1-1.5 hours until the almond meal is dry, checking on it every 15-20 min to make sure it's drying out evenly. 

4. If your blender hasn't ground it fine enough, you can put it back through the food processor, blender or even a coffee grinder to make it finer!

One of the cool things about making your own almond milk is that you can flavor it however you want! I cannot wait to add turmeric, cinnamon, and more to my almond milk in the fall to make yummy drinks (Thanks for the suggestion Detroit Wifestyles!) 

Have you ever made your own nut milk? What kinds of combinations do you do? Leave a comment below and let me know!

As always, have a beautiful day!

-Andrea

Disclosure: Amazon links are Amazon Affiliate links meaning that I make a commission off the purchase of the product through my link. I would never recommend a product that I didn't love and all opinions are my own. I am thankful for you choosing to purchase through my links, as it helps me create more content for Andrea Fontana Beauty.