Hallmark Channel’s LOVEUARY Original Encore Premiere of “The Wedding Veil” on Saturday, February 5th at 8pm/7c!

by with No Comment entertainment

This post is sponsored by Hallmark Channel, all thoughts here as always, are my own.

The time has come! January (which always feels like the longest month ever) has passed and February has arrived… In all her glory. We all know that February is traditionally the “month of love”, so I have a proposal for you (drops to one knee, gasp!)… How about we just coin it already? Loveuary IS the new February *slap it high if you’re with me*. Now, we don’t have the pressure of one specific day to take ourselves out on a date, or meet up with our girlfriends for a Galentine’s Day, or be all romantico with our lovahhh! Because now, we have all month long.

I’ve always said that the best form of self care is self love, so we are where love happens. Us and the couch. Ahem, meaning watch your favorite show or movie and chill times. Ever since I was little and my mom would put on Hallmark Channel during every imaginable holiday, it’s been our go-to destination for romantico movies and all things love stories… I’m a rom-com kinda girl and Hallmark Channel is actually Where Love Happens so.

Date night in with my favorite
Spoiler alert… these movies are SO good!

Find you a life partner that will watch romantic comedy love stories and keeps the rosé flowing- just like their love… All day baby! Cheers to us Lacey, I love you all the way and our date nights in <3 Okay, so let me fill you in on the 4-1-1… Do we still say that? Because I’m not like a regular mom, I’m like a cool mom. There are four NEW romantic movies premiering that are part of the original Loveuary programing on Hallmark Channel, all throughout February- which begins on Saturday, February 5th with the encore of the premiere of The Wedding Veil starring Lacey Chabert (Feb. 5th), The Wedding Veil Unveiled starring Autumn Resser (Feb 12th), The Wedding Veil Legacy starring Alison Sweeney (Feb 19th), and Welcome to Mama’s starring Melanie Scrofano (Feb. 26th). Write that down, I’ll wait.

The Wedding Veil trilogy follows three best friends who met in grad school and it’s a story we can all relate to, trust. It includes the three movies and is a first for Hallmark Channel. It will include three of its biggest stars who’ll also be featured in all three movies while starring in their own AND highlighting their personal love stories. How cool is that? You can follow along each of their stories individually and as a group, and I say just get all of your friends together and have a movie night with popcorn, bubbles, and sweet treats.

Be sure to TAG me and @HallmarkChannel in your posts so we know what you’re sippin’ on, what you’re watching, and how you’re loving them! I’ll be following you all at #TheWeddingVeil and #Loveuary and you can find all the information you need about all Hallmark Channel #LOVEUARY original romantic movies HERE!

Extra goodies:
Loveuary Sweepstakes– https://loveuarysweepstakes.hallmarkchannel.com/
Virtual Backgrounds- https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/hallmark-channel-virtual-backgrounds-love
Loveuary recipes- https://www.hallmarkchannel.com/loveuary/loveuary-recipes/**

So tell me, how are you spending Loveuary?

Shop And Sip With Purpose

by with One Comment philanthropy

This post is sponsored by Teneral Cellars as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central, all opinions expressed in my post are my own as always.

Fight for the things that you care about. But do it in a way that will lead others to join you. – Ruth Bader Ginsburg

There are a lot of things happening in our world that can make us feel like we’re out of control, especially when there is so much to be done and you don’t know where to even begin. It’s a tricky time to be a brand with a platform and I’m proud to partner with brands that are using their objectives for purpose.

Teneral Cellars is doing just that. They’re DOING the doing and not just saying the sayings. Unlike traditional wine companies who pass on issues or avoid controversial conversations, they’re willing to have a voice and use it to stand up for humanity and equality. For me, this partnership is about love, life, and standing up for all women alongside them.

With the limited release of their newest collection, these RBG inspired wines were created to further commit to the brand’s ethos to diversify, to empower, and to support rights for all womxn. $10 from every 3-pack of the RBG collection sold will be donated to the National Women’s Law Center, so now we can all shop (and sip) with intention. Cheers to them and cheers to you.

So besides this incredible goal of theirs, Teneral Cellars have produced the most bold and delicious wines on the market. This trio is more than just beautiful packaging- they’re smooth, rich, sweet, and full bodied. There’s something for everyone with their Sauvignon Blanc tasting of yellow plum, chamomile, figs, and lemon curd, their Zinfandel with its scent of crushed blueberries and toasty pie crust, and their Cabernet Sauvignon which is both fruity and savory … you don’t have to pick just one you can choose all three!

Teneral Cellars is proud to lead the way toward greater wine industry inclusion and advocate for equality, and I’m proud to support them and to shop and sip with purpose alongside YOU.

Authenticity And Accessibility

by with No Comment communitylifestylepersonal

Don’t trade your authenticity for approval – hello October 

The topic of oversharing and toxicity has come up a lot lately in my personal conversations and it’s something I don’t think we openly talk about enough. I do recall drafting up an entire Ted Talk about Instagram and how affected we all are, leaving that for you here so you can come back to it. Pssst, enjoy a stiff drink while you read it 😉

So a lil back story on how oversharing went from being just for funs and turned into my full time job. I launched my YouTube channel back in 2010, began writing for my blog shortly after, hosted different shows, got on every social media platform, and taught myself how to edit-ish. So after about five years of scripting, blogging, filming and figuring it out I began working with brands. I collaborated with them for free at first (hey, we gotta start somewhere), then set rates, created a one-sheet … la la la, here we are at present day and the grind of that side of things still makes up 90% of my income.

And even though so many things evolved and I learned so much through trial and error, the judgements and comparisons never ceased. Eleven years of figuring it out, I can feel the word vomit coming up…

I just wanna say, I love my job. I want to say that before the word vomit makes its way out and it reads otherwise. I love that I get to work with brands I support, travel with my loved ones, and talk about whatever the hell I want… mostly. But what I don’t love, where my frustration lies, is with social media. That part can be a real shit show and I haven’t completely learned how to navigate the politics of it gracefully. I know that we take from it what we make of it, but at some point anything that pays you to do the thing, becomes the job. And it’s not always my job to be real about things, hence I’ve passed on many ‘a brand deals. The reality is that creative blocks come often, people pass judgments on the parts of your life you share, and those things become gospel… people really think THAT is your whole life. We get boxed in and sometimes the box is pretty and shiny when sometimes your box is actually tattered, a lil rough around the edges, and has been kicked around a few times.

Ah the love of the Likes! Again, read up on my Ted Talk I referenced earlier for more on this, but I have learned that people see you do ONE thing and it’s ALL they want from you. For me, it’s beauty stuff like videos and tutorials, it’s Corrine and my story about how I was a single teen mom, and it’s fitness. When I divert from those expectations and share my love life or my mooky days people are quick to unfollow. It’s super suspect and feels gross when people leave but honestly it’s better than some of the crude remarks left behind in their place. Aside from being boxed in, the mob mentality of the internet, and cancel culture, what cuts deeper and feels more personal to me is the competitiveness of it all. I want to level up just like everyone else, but not at the expense of belittling anyone. Being dismissive is detrimental.

people want you to succeed they just don’t want you to be more successful than them

I’ve heard that quote before and I really want it to be untrue. I do belive there’s room for everyone at the top and that no one does it alone. I mean, we’ve all had help getting to where we are today. A mentor, a team, a partnership, a lucky break, some good timing, and a whole lot of hard fuggen work. I like to think that we do it better together so it’s strange to me when people are unsupportive… so where’s the balance between being authentic by speaking our personal truths and the desire for accessibility from the rest of the world? It can feel confusing and despy to post post post but not know why.

That is the reason I share so much of my life publicly, because there is SO much more to our lives that no one sees. Granted, it’s up to us to determine what we talk about and what we choose to keep close, but for me- my love life, my highs and lows, the real shit we should be talking about, that’s the kind of stuff I want to see and refuse to stop sharing. 

I look at it like we’re all creating tribes and the more I know about your real life the more I’m invested in your real life. Am I alone in that feeling? To cultivate communities of support and inclusivity and tryyyy not to compare our lives to anyone else’s… well damn, that’s a hard one I know but I’m trying. I have to remind myself that young minds are impressionable (as are not so young ones), and that IG is the highlight reel, it’s life all cleaned up and presentable. Imagine what it would look like if we posted our crummy days, crying melt downs, frustrations, fiery love stories, and real life traumas. I guess that’s why I started blogging in the first place <3

If sharing your life on a public platform is part of your job (i.e. you’re in sales bc you’re a real estate agent, fitness professional, actor, producer, restaurant owner or the like) how do you manage? How do you navigate? Did any of this land on you or is this specific to the “influencer world”. Oh how that word has gotten me into some trouble ha!

The Best Way To Start The Day

by with No Comment lifestylerecipes

the coffee saga…

This blog post was sponsored by Califia Farms, but all opinions are my own

If you’ve watched my stories on coffees, and beans, and machines – you already know. #IYKYK

I’ve learned that with most things, stick to what you know and what I know is that I make the BEST coffee. I said what I said. So I’m sharing with you today my step-by-step coffee making routine and today I’m featuring this Hazelnut Califia Farms plant-based creamer. It’s creamy and delicious and it’s plant based, so I’m nourishing my body while I zing up my energy.

make a morning cup with me <3

 You can purchase these coffee creamers at Walmart retailers! If you prefer to shop online, here’s an offer for you, simply add it to your virtual cart for delivery or pickup! Choose your adventure!

Tell me how you take your coffee? Or are you more of a tea person??

A Day For Yourself And Your Best Babes

by with One Comment wellness

I filed this under Wellness because there’s nothing like taking an evening to celebrate yourself and your best babes.

I honestly never knew my friends and I were celebrating Galentine’s Day until I saw it mentioned in Cosmo years ago. I just assumed we were partaking in our annual girls night where we’d put on a fancy dress and drink champagne on, or around Valentine’s Day … as part of our love strike. I’m kidding!

No fancy dresses are actually required 😉

So whether you’re taking some time to cheers to your damn self or to clink with your bests, here’s some things that’ll make your week even more fun. Oh and don’t forget, on the 15th chocolates go on sale babe! I call that retail therapy.

shop the post: https://jesslizama.com/valentines-day-gift-guide-for-her/

Enjoying a cozy night in? My Gift Guide For Her includes the coziest robe and the cheese platter you see here on my coffee table … piled high with cheeses, crackers, and chocolate. So call over the crew, make this spritzer here, and dance to the 80’s. And that’s what I call a top night!!!

Pink Margarita Spritzer

5 from 1 vote
For you and your best babes here's a refreshing spritzer that you can enjoy with or without alcohol <3
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Ingredients Method Video

Ingredients
  

  • 8-10 fresh mint leaves
  • 1 lime (juiced)
  • 2 tbsp fresh grapefruit juice
  • 1/4 cup coconut water
  • 1/3 cup seltzer I love grapefruit flavored!
  • champagne optional

Method
 

  1. Crush the mint leaves with the lime juice in a tumbler and add in the grapefruit juice and coconut water
  2. Mix together in a shaker with ice until chilled
  3. Strain into an ice filled cup 
  4. Top with seltzer water, fresh mint, and a lime wedge. For extra fun add in a splash of champagne 😉 

Video

How will you be spending the evening? Celebrating yourself? Your best babes? A loved one? Tell me I’m not the only one who’ll be noching on cheese and cheersing myself <3 Cheers to YOU xoxo

 

 

 

Make It A Good Hair Day

by with No Comment beautylifestylestylevideo

sorry, I can’t hear you over the volume of my hair

This post is in partnership with IGK however all opinions and images are mine of course, as always.

Do you ever notice that your hair just holds style better when it’s a bit dirty with a side of grungy? I swear if I wash my hair and then attempt to zhuzh it … it just doesn’t happen for me. But if it’s a bit dirty it holds curl better, volume is vavavoomin’, and I can manipulate it into submission ha!

I want you to know that it makes me happy to hear that you think my hair is perfect, it’s actually not but thank you! So I want to share with you what my typical hair styling routine looks like. We teach bootcamps on Zoom at least three times a week so the grunge effect is in full force on most days. On days that I wash it and it’s too clean I will hit it with some IGK First Class Charcoal Detox dry shampoo to dirty it up a bit today and give it some texture. Because the dry shampoo cools and cleanses, it’s actually perfect for days that I don’t wash my hair, and after today’s workout it definitely needed some detoxifying.

IGK just released this dry shampoo and their First Class shampoo and conditioner among others. Besides the scent being clean and light, this trifecta of products have been my hair care routine go-to for the last 5 weeks. Paraben and mineral oil free, they cleanse without stripping and condition without weighing your locks down. Here’s a lil video of me showing you how I apply the dry shampoo (and somehow manage to get it all over myself) and style my hair. You can’t take me anywhere I tell ya.

I hope this easy 5 minute tutorial helps move your hair styling routine right along. If you create this tousled beach wave look, TAG me on Instagram. If you use the code JESS20 at IGK, you’ll get 20% off your order <3

Happy hump day to you and cheers to some va-va-voomin’ hair! The bigger the better.

Helping With Hyundai

by with No Comment adventurecharitycommunityfamilyholidaysmom lifephilanthropy

Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’” – MLK

Ever since Corrine was little I’d try and do things with her that would teach her to be empathetic. I think one of the greatest things we can do for one another as humans (and to teach our children) is to practice empathy and selflessness. So whether it was donating some of her gifts to children less fortunate than her, serving meals at Thanksgiving, and mentoring children at The Mission together in downtown L.A., it was a way for us to give back to our community and practice gratitude even when we were struggling ourselves and graciousness didn’t come so easily.

I was a single mom, a teen mom… and I remember that even the smallest gestures of kindness made such a huge impact on my life. I worked two jobs when Corrine was little and on the weekends to make ends meet, I’d pull overtime where I’d bring her to work with me and I’d set her up in a sleeping bag near the foot of my desk. She’d watch SpongeBob (the ONE episode she had) on repeat while I’d work from 5am-noon. My manager Karen at the time was so wonderful to let me do that because over time was a privilege and she allowed me to do this for months.

Girlfriends of mine would bring extra lunch to work and share it with me, for Christmas my friends would give me gas gift cards and donate wrapping paper for me to wrap presents with… just a few of the sweetest things that would mean nothing to someone else meant everything to me. So I really try and teach my daughter to give back when and where she can because if we’re in the position to help someone, why wouldn’t we? They say it takes a village to raise a child, well it also takes a village to help keep your head up when you’re down and out. 2020 was a perfect reference point for that and we all came together to help one another. I’d love to keep that theme going.

You’ve seen on my Instagram how proud we are to be a part of the Los Angeles Hyundai fleet. My Kona boo and I bop around town, choosing a different organization to highlight and help each month. For December we partnered with Hyundai to provide infant and toddler essentials to the families in need at the Good Shepherd Shelter (to help end domestic violence and rebuild lives) and donate to the CHLA. For January I picked up your donations from all around the Los Angeles area to donate to the Good Shepherd Shelter (new and unused items) and to the Mission (used items and goods) and I just wanted say thank you for being a part of this with me.

You’ve helped to restore hope for individuals and families, provided essentials that we wouldn’t think twice about not having, and purged your closets for donations … I’m so honored to be a part of this community. Please join me in continuing on with this mission, for the month of February I’d love to pick up where we left off in November with the food drive. There are a lot of non-profit organizations around L.A. as I’m sure there are in your communities, so if you’re local email me or DM me! Let’s try and feed 100+ families together this month <3

Food, water, shelter, and safety … these are the things I believe to be a human right and the fact that so many go without in the world of abundance that we live in is just incomprehensible to me. So I’d love it if you’d help me by A) donating canned goods and non perishable food items for me to pick up B) list some of your favorite organizations that we can all help and highlight in the coming months and C) tell me what you’re doing in your local community that we can support you with.

Helping with Hyundai means helping in our communities, activating our neighborhoods to reach out and give back where we can. I appreciate you, I love that we’ve been doing this together, and I hope I get to see your smiling faces (through masks… smile with those eyes haha!) very soon as we make our way around town this month.

Was philanthropy something you learned as a child or something you got involved with more as an adult?

p.s. my email is [email protected] and my IG handle is here

When To Save And When To Splurge

by with No Comment get the looklifestylestyle

it takes me longer to take off my jewelry than it does my clothes

Truest statement ever made. I mean… with the clasps, the one handed maneuvering, trying not to tangle my hair in my necklaces- it’s all so intricate.

I think I inherited my love of all things sparkly from my mama. When you’re little, you think YOUR mama is THE most beautiful woman in all the world and mine wasn’t only beautiful, she was blingy! She had long straight hair past her bum, a gold basket crown on her lateral incisor (she was flossin’ long before gold teeth was a thing!), and wore every piece of jewelry she owned. Even if she was just dropping us off at school, she’d be dressed up, lashes curled and lipstick on. She wore necklace stacks, bracelets that you can only get in Saipan, and 7-8 rings that I’d play with if she was next to me.

I just love that jewelry is fancy and dainty, I love that it dresses up any outfit and I love that if it’s passed down from a family member that it carries along a story. I want to share with you today some of my favorite pieces and when I think it’s time to save and when it’s time to splurge.

When it comes to my jewelry, I do all of the S’s in them… sleep, shower, swim, sweat… all of ’em. So I take into consideration tarnishing and the quality of metal- gold filled versus gold plated, it all makes a difference to me.

Tiffany & Co- one of my favorite pieces (in the upper right hand corner of the first photo), this gorgeous circle pendant necklace is pure quality and was a gift from one of my closest girlfriends as a MOH gift. It’s rose gold, dainty, classic and perfect for stacking with my other necklaces. I hardly ever take this off. This is an investment piece for sure, for yourself or anyone else
Ferkos Fine Jewelry– 14 Karat Gold, diamonds and made to order, Ferkos also has ready to ship pieces. You don’t have to worry about their jewelry turning your skin green or tarnishing on your wrists because they’re gold. Even though they feel ultra dainty they’re also very durable. I have their diamond cut chain and rope chain and I love them, they’re timeless
Belladaar- jewelry that is gold filled, most of my bracelet stack is from Belladaar. I swim, sweat, shower in them and they’ve never broken or tarnished on me. I love gifting from this brand because the price points are so reasonable and their jewelry retain their value
Oma The Label– gold plated, this is one of the only brands I’ve purchased from that don’t tarnish after living your life in them. You’ve also probably noticed that most of these brands are female founded *hail hands
Ana Luisa– 14k gold plated, their huggie hoops and rings give me life. A lot of my earrings are from Ana Luisa and even though I spray my hair with 19 pounds of hairspray, their pieces stand the test of time
Gorjana– something for everyone, price points matter. 18k gold plated and silver plated brass pieces, I have their Parker and herringbone collections that I wear almost every day. I don’t bring these pieces into the pool but they’re definitely pieces to live in

See, there’s a time to save and there’s a time to splurge. For me it comes down to quality, jewelry I can invest in, live in and pieces to pass down. I’m always on the lookout for jewelry that is timeless, classic and stackable. I’ve purchased a few pieces from other companies that are gold plated vs filled and to be honest, a lot of them tarnish easily, or the look of them isn’t quality at all. I love these brands and I wouldn’t have included them if I didn’t wear them often to speak about them honestly.

I’d love to know if there are other jewelers you love and support? Do you wear jewelry or are you more simplistic in your style? Share with me <3



Chasing The Collagen

by with No Comment beautyskin care

I once read somewhere that our skin begins to lose its ability to retain moisture in our 20’s. Couldn’t I have read that when I was still in my 20’s? Well I’m 39 now and I’m forever chasing my 23 year old daughter’s plump collagen cells… she’s got grapes and I’m trying to avoid getting raisins.

My esthetician told me years ago that exfoliation, hydration, and protection are KEY to cell turnover and collagen reproduction. So of course, I have a 19 step skincare system. Kidding! It’s only 5 *hail hands* and I have a tutorial coming next week to show you step by step how I do it. If you’ve been experiencing problematic skin because of all the mask wearing we’re doing, this will be so helpful. Today I’m focusing on skin healing and hydration which in turn will help with the chasing of the collagen. Here’s the skinny:

Morning Rituals – OSEA Malibu’s Gua Sha tool, oils and masks have been a staple in my skincare routine since I began talking about them in 2016. Their products are all natural, plant based, and gentle. I begin my mornings with their Gua Sha tool to reduce inflammation and promote circulation. The “wave” stimulates lymphatic drainage and is included in their Gua Sha Ritual Set. Their White Algae mask is hands down one of the most healing and hydrating mask I’ve ever used, it really aids in soothing my skin after I’ve scrubbed the hell out of it. Their Undaria Algae Oil you see above I use after every bath, I just warm it up between my palms and oil up my entire body after a Daughter Of The Land’s soak. A morning bath with their salts after our Zoom class helps my muscles so much and the oil helps with the lizard skin I’ve been experiencing this winter.

For the flare ups – between the mask wearing and the change in climate, my skin has been freaking out on me. After cleansing my skin I’ll use Dermalogica’s Clear Start flashfoliant. It’s a leave-on, flash-foaming exfoliant that I apply straight to my skin and it helps with current breakouts and helps to prevent future ones. Bonus, it brightens up any dullness in your skin so you can shine bright like a diamond

Hydration hydration hydration – have I mentioned how important it is to hydrate your skin? It’s right up there with a) wear spf and a hat b) exfoliate like you play in dirt for a living c) hydrate from within and externally. On days that we teach Zoom I wear Fre’s serum as it’s light and if I sweat my face off into my eye balls it doesn’t burn! At night after I exfoliate and tone, I toggle between mixing Weleda’s skin food + an oil (either from OSEA or Dermalogica’s overnight oil) to help thin the formula out. Kana’s CBD lavender sleeping mask is perfectly rich yet not too thick and I wake up to the dewiest skin in the morning. And if you know me than you know I tote around about seven different lip balms at any given time and this Tatcha lip mask is a staple. It’s ultra thick and glossy and just feels so good after a nice lip scrub (I use a sugar scrub).

I’ll let you sit with that routine and I hope it helps you if you experience problematic skin or issues with you face feeling like it’s lookin’ dull these days. Next time we’ll chat all about my step by step skincare routine and how quickly it goes!

What are some products you swear by for problematic skin issues and how are you chasing the collagen?