Self-care: Mask Monday

Self-Care is not Self-ish

Self-care has always been a huge topic of conversation for me. I am a forever fan of people who take the time to check in with themselves to make sure they are operating at their best. It's those who are able to replenish themselves that are able to give even more to those around them with less chance of extreme burnout. Now that I'm someone's mom, I've realized just how real that is. If I'm feeling low energetically, physically, or emotionally it makes everything just a wee bit harder. For me, once things start to get tough, the easiest thing to push to the end of the line is self-care. This is the absolute worst thing we can do to ourselves. I know I'm not the only one who starts to put themselves last because "I'll just get to it when I have time" but then we never have time... and we talk ourselves into this being acceptable because whatever else is so much more important and has to come first. If you're anything like me, here's some advice that's changed my perspective: You can't fill anyone else's cup with an empty cup!

It's not selfish to take the time you need to ensure you are your best self and living your best life. What it IS, is vital for your health, your happiness, and the health and happiness of those you care for. So, let's turn around putting ourselves last and start making self-care a priority. And I'm not talking the simple every day things like a shower - wine - coffee - wine... I'm talking extra luxury (and wine).

I have tons of things that I love to do when I get the time for self-care, but let's be real. We all don't have hours to devote to self-care every day...or even every week! And if we do find the time, we can't all jet off to the spa to get a full head - to - toe rejuvenation. If I'm lucky I get like 10 minutes and that is definitely not enough time to leave the house. But 10 minutes is more than enough time to give yourself a luxury at home spa treatment that is going to leave your skin feeling fresher than ever.

'Tis the season for everything Pumpkin.... falalalala....

I love everything about fall. I love the temperature that is supposed to come with the season (except in crazy Las Vegas where we are still baking cookies on the dashboard), I love the leaves falling off the trees, I love that everything Halloween is coming and of course everyone's favorite thing to hate, pumpkin everything. I think it's wildly creative to see what new things we can add pumpkin too, and of course, since we are talking self-care we are fitting pumpkin in the mix with our PeterThomasRoth Pumpkin Enzyme Mask.

This mask is perfect for tired skin. This is a mask/peel/exfoliator that gave me an "OMG I forgot my skin could look like this!" effect. I had 0 time today. Somehow everything piled up and I couldn't get a schedule down right. Well, this mask only takes about 3-7 minutes. I can definitely fit 3-7 minutes into my day 2x a week to make my skin smooth, fresh and radiant!

So...How much do I love this mask? All the way! It smells fantastic. Like a fresh pumpkin. Not in a pumpkin pie way, and not in a carved pumpkin outside way either. Like...fresh delicious pumpkin! At first, while you rub in the product you get a tingly almost burning sensation I'm guessing is the exfoliators and the acid that somehow morphed my skin into this goddess-like appearance that looks like I have never seen stress a day in my life. There was no pain or discomfort, just a little tingle sort of sensation that let me know I had it on my face. That feeling only lasted for a few seconds. The color of the actual mask blended in with my skin tone so it wasn't very photogenic, but let me tell you after I rinsed this mask off my skin was poppin! It is so smooth and literally radiant! I haven't seen my face like this without makeup since before I even got pregnant. I am officially obsessed with this mask.

Peter Thomas Roth has become my "Fairy God Father of Facial Masks" of sorts. I'm going to be doing Mask Monday much more often and a LOT of them are going to include his masks. If you pick up his products on his website, or at Ulta, you will find one jar close to 60 bucks or more. Head over to QVC and get a trio for less HERE, you're welcome. This is a purchase you will NOT regret. I have not yet experienced an at-home mask that felt as luxurious as this one EVER and can not wait to try out the rest of the ones we have!

Do you have a self-care routine? Let me know what you do to take care of yourself down in the comments!

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<3 - Nikki

Throw Back: That one time I competed in a pageant

Once upon a time, what seems like a long time ago I decided I wanted to be a beauty queen. It was definitely an experience I will never forget and I finally have the chance to tell you all about it! I've always known that I wanted to help people in some way, and one day it dawned on me if I had a crown that would definitely give me a much louder voice to speak on issues I thought were important. So, I went searching for what I thought was the best pageant for me and I landed on Miss Nevada USA 2016. The only thing I knew about pageants at this point was from the Miss Congeniality movie and what I heard about from my cousin's social media pages. So from that, I thought it was going to be a breeze...PSYCH! It was probably the most grueling process of self-discovery I've ever put myself through. My first step was figuring out how much all of this was going to cost. For me, it was a ridiculous amount that I just wasn't going to be able to make at my day job in...

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When to do Vegas: 2019 Vegas Travel Outline

There isn't really a bad time to do Vegas! We have the staples that are ALWAYS better to do in Vegas like 21st birthdays, EVERY birthday after 21, Batchelor and Bachelorette parties, Weddings, Anniversaries, Reunions and any other gathering you have going on. Every season and every occasion, we have just the thing to keep you entertained. I, of course, have my favorites! Here is an outline of some of my favorite times to be in Las Vegas. VALENTINE'S DAY: I am a MUSH! I love everything romantic, and cheesy and the things that make you go, "Awwww!" and Vegas is SUCH a perfect time to let out that inner romantic. I've had couples do everything from the most romantic 5-star meals and exclusive shows to the extreme couple who jumped off the Stratosphere to celebrate their love for each other. I love the idea of spoiling your babe with luxury, and Vegas gives you EVERY option to do that. ST. PATRICK'S DAY This one isn't for the kids...this is ...

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Now Streaming: 'Legacies' on Netflix Seasons 1 and 2

I love a good supernatural drama series. I was all in on the 'Vampire Diaries' for a while, and when the 'Originals' came in with what felt like a more "grown-up" storyline from the beginning, I was instantly HOOKED! It had everything I needed in a supernatural drama, but when that ended I was left in a show hole. How do you even follow up on that epic storyline, but thank the bright minds at CW they made it happen with 'Legacies'. With 'Legacies', we are tuning in to the life of Hope Mikaelson after the loss of her parents at The Salvatore School for the Young and Gifted ran by Alaric Saltzman who is firmly seated in our hearts from 'Vampire Diaries'. Alaric is the headmaster of the Salvatore School and is looking after his twin daughters who are the last living members of the Gemini Coven. This is exactly the drama series I needed to check into during this quarantine. The Salvatore School is home to the witch, werewolf and vampire ...

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Making Travel Easier: Toiletry Kits

I love finding new ways to help make taking your next trip to Vegas easier or more fun, and I just figured out a way to help eliminate a small but annoying step from your packing routine. I am now providing toiletry kits for women and men! With this new offering, you no longer have to worry about how many ounces you are allowed to bring on the plane, if you have the correct TSA approved bag for the containers, or the hassle of inspection over having questionable liquids. Or even worse, bringing your favorite products from home and then accidentally forgetting them at your hotel when you leave. I have 2 stock kits available , one for men and one for women at one standard price that includes my delivery fee. That's right, I'm delivering these kits right to your hotel for you to pick up or have delivered to you after you've checked in. All you have to do is place your order at least 5 business days before your check-in date. Last minute requests can be made v...

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Beauty Moment: What's In My Makeup Bag

This is a new one for me, but as a state titleholder in the Beauty world, it's about time I get sharing what's going on in my makeup bag. I always love seeing these posts on Youtube and in the Blog-sphere and I got a whole new kit that I've been loving so I figured now is the perfect time to share my first Makeup Bag spill. This cute bag I probably got from Ipsy and has been holding some of my new additions. PRIMER: I kind of consider primer as part of my skincare prep routine, but it's in my makeup bag so here we go! I always jump between primers but right now, my go-to is Smashbox The Original Photo Finish Smooth & Blur. CONCEALER: When I start slipping on my self-care, my skin is the FIRST thing to tell everyone how stressed out I am! Because of that, I've been stockpiling an arsenal of concealer to keep my skin issues on the low. It Cosmetics has the perfect shade to blend with my skin tone in their Bye Bye Under Eye full coverage anti-a...

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The Crown and Sash - Quick April Photoshoot & Update

This year has been full of unexpected twists and turns. For me, it went from the excitement of watching my son turn 2 and all the development and fun that comes with it, deciding to compete in the Ms. Nevada Regency International Pageant and winning the title, and then the entire world getting rocked by the Coronavirus. While we are all staying safe by staying home, we've also found unique ways to stay connected and support each other while showing respect and love to everyone on the front lines keeping us safe, healthy and providing the services we need. I've spent this time doing a lot of learning! From pulling my guitar out for the first time in YEARS and taking advantage of the 3 Months of free classes offered by Fender , to taking classes offered through the Clark County Library District to improve on skills I need to bring my business back better than ever when we are safe. I've even taken a course from Yale on the Science of Wellbeing. But most of all, I'v...

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Room Service Radio: Official Website Launch

No matter where you are in the world, we should all be tuning into Room Service Radio every Thursday live from 8 - 10 PM on Hot7025fm.com . Hosted by the beautiful Chardai Love and K Flyy. Every week they are live and uncut from Las Vegas, spinning the hits, keeping me up to date on what's going on in the city this week and the best entertainment and culture news. Coming April 18th, Room Service Radio is launching their official website roomserviceradio.com ! Get together with the hosts of Room Service Radio and some of our favorite DJs DJ King Smash, DJ Mizzy Matt and DJ ToneArmz! We will also get live performances by Mac Nealy and Chels Fuego, and be a part of several giveaways they are holding all through the event! This special evening has NO parking fee, NO cover, drink specials and hookah available so make sure you get to Casa Grill and Bar at 9PM Thursday, April 18th! This is going to be a night you can not miss! The launch of the official w...

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Keep Your Digital Information Safe in the Time of Quarantine

If you didn't know me in real life, you probably don't know that I've spent about a decade in the Information Technology field, and a majority of that time working in Information Security. While we are all social distancing and staying inside, we are turning to the internet more than before to fulfill our social needs, make bulk purchases, learn new things and just kill boredom. With all of us spending so much extra time on the internet from our personal devices, let's take a quick minute to brush up on the safety of your Personally Identifiable Information (PII), and how to keep your connection as secure as you can. Here's a visual before we get right into it. Let's start with passwords. When I was actively supporting end users, I've seen horrifying practices like using "password" as a password and so many more. It is best to use a different password for every different login with an 8 character minimum using upper case, lower case, number...

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PODCAST: NoV Ep3: Good Vibes Only? What does that even mean? EDC Week In Vegas and MORE! SHOWNOTES

NoV Ep3: Good Vibes Only? What does that even mean? EDC Week In Vegas and MORE! This week I take a question from Tosha on Instagram who asked about what Good Vibes Only really means and how that can be used in your own life. Make sure to listen to my " Get Your Vibe Right " segment to hear all about how I feel about this way of life and how it applies to my life in general. Nikki's Mix segment goes all into what I'm watching right now on Netflix: CHAMBERS Chambers is about a young girl who has a heart attack and needs a heart transplant to survive. Luck would have it that a heart from a girl nearby just became available... This week's Travel segment gets into hygiene while we are traveling and why you should replace your travel toiletry kit just as often as your regular toothbrush. Place your orders for your hygiene/toiletry kit while in Las Vegas right here: Men's Toiletry Kit Women's Toiletry Kit Our Vegas Segment tal...

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Vegas Bound: March 2020

**UPDATE: Per Governor Sisolak the State of Nevada has closed all non-essential businesses to include all of the below-mentioned venues and events. See my post here for details.** It's POOL SEASON! Spring has sprung all over our lovely valley and our favorite pools are in session. Along with double the entertainment & relaxation options with our pools open, St. Patricks day is coming in HOT! This is one of my favorite times to be in Vegas for 2020 so I can not wait to get the festivities started. Let's get started with the weather. This month is a bit up in the air, we started with perfect 70 degree days, and have started wavering into a much colder rainy 50's and 60's (that's cold to me). Weather data pulled from Accuweather.com . Here's what's happening in Las Vegas this March: Concert Events (not nightclub) : Post Malone - Runaway Tour: 14March Aventura - Inmortal: 22March Family Fun : Kids Community Day : 14March Sat, March ...

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