Author: mybeautypharm

Lifestyle, Uncategorized

The Life of Leo: (5/9/15-12/26/20)

by mybeautypharm8 Comments on The Life of Leo: (5/9/15-12/26/20)
The Life of Leo: (5/9/15-12/26/20)

Leo, Leo Baby, Leo Theo, Cheetah baby, Leo the Cheetoh, Todd, my best friend —

It all goes back to June 2015. I had just graduated from pharmacy school and I was moving into my first apartment in Vermont. I never had pets growing up and I always told my parents that when I graduated and had a place of my own that the first thing I was going to is adopt an animal! I posted a picture of a Bengal kitten on Facebook saying “I want one”, and Leo came home with me on July 4th, 2015, officially making me a Cat Momma!

When I chose Leo from the litter. there were a few kittens to choose from. I knew that I wanted a brown bengal and I knew that I wanted a FEMALE! Neo (my current silver bengal) was still available, and he was the cat that really was drawn to me. He was cuddling with me, purring, wouldn’t leave my side, etc, HE CHOSE ME! However, I really had my heart set on a female, brown kitten, so I didn’t decide on him! (Sorry, baby Nee- I wish I could’ve taken you all home that day!) I ultimately decided on “Leo”, because he was the cutest little brown kitten, with the most perfect markings, overly large ears and THEY THOUGHT HE WAS A GIRL! I put my deposit down on, named my new baby LUNA and I was so excited to bring her home in a couple of weeks. Low and behold, “Luna” had her 8-week vet appointment, and what do you know, “It’s a Boy!” haha I was actually devastated because my heart was set on baby Luna, and I was most definitely over dramatic about it, but I obviously decided to keep him LOL. Looking back on it, I am SO happy that Luna became Leo and our story began.

(Oh, and I ended up getting Baby Nee about a year and a half later! I remained friends with the breeder on FB and she messaged me one day asking if I wanted Neo because he needed a new home and she saw how much I loved Leo! His name was already Neo, too! Talk about “meant to be”! Their bond was like nothing I had ever seen before, they were truly two peas in a pod– the “dynamic duo”!

Leo instantly became my best friend. He never, ever left my side. I’ll never forget our first summer together when he was an only child. We did EVERYTHING together. I used to bring him to the grocery store, he would come in the car with me anywhere I went, many road trips to NY to grandma and grandpa’s house where he could climb the trees, we hung out by the pool, he studied with me for my pharmacy boards & he even use to come visit me at work at my first pharmacy (shhhh)! He was such a momma’s boy from day 1. He knew how much I loved him, and he loved me unconditionally right back.

Let me tell you though, I had NO idea what I was getting into when I decided to adopt a Bengal Cat (I might do a whole blog post on this, because I get asked often about them, and you need to know what you’re getting yourself into before getting a Bengal LOL). They are definitely more than just a pretty face, and definitely not your average house cat. They require a LOT of attention (similar to a dog), they have very big personalities, like to be walked on leashes and are very much so “people cats”. Leo was the cat who made everyone who said they “weren’t cat people” like (or at least tolerate LOL) cats! Anyone and everyone who met him fell in love with him and was just as captivated as I was by not only his beauty, but his HUGE personality. He always had the loudest voice in the room, your food was his food, your drink was his drink (or it was batted onto the ground LOL), he would let anyone pick him up, he would lick you like a dog, and be the first to cuddle with you if you sat down. House guests were often shocked to find him in his favorite spots, either on top of the kitchen cabinets or perched up on top of a door. Strangers were often shocked to see him strutting down the sidewalk on his leash, or his head poke up out of the stroller on walks through the neighborhood. He made every person he came in contact with smile, that’s for sure.

Leo not only brought me so many laughs and smiles, but he made me a momma. He taught me so many valuable life lessons. He taught me patience, he taught me forgiveness, he taught me how to prioritize the important things in life, he taught me not worry about materialistic things that can be replaced, how to survive off a lack of sleep and most importantly taught me how to love unconditionally. He was truly my heart outside of my body. People often reflect on how much you cared for a pet and what you did for them during their short time here on Earth, but I will forever never forget all that he did for me.

Leo was truly my rock for many, many years. He was there for me when I was sad, when I was lonely, when I was afraid, and he was also there for me when I celebrated some of life’s biggest moments like becoming a licensed pharmacist, building my first home and finding my soulmate. I know I will miss Leo’s presence in all of life’s biggest moments to come, but I will be forever grateful for the ones that he was physically by my side for.

I never knew how much I needed Leo, but it turns out that he needed me too. When Leo was diagnosed with HCM on 9/21/20, it was suggested that at that time we take the path of euthanasia. I was his voice. I knew Leo wasn’t ready, he was a fighter. Although the next 3 months were filled with a lot of emotions, medications, ER visits, vet bills, and the feeling of walking on eggshells every single day not knowing what was next, it was also the best 3 months that we spent together. Leo knew his time was limited and even though I didn’t want to admit it, I knew it was too. I prayed and prayed for more time. I knew it would never be long enough, but I promised him that I would do everything that was humanly possible for him and I truly gave it my all. I promised him that I would be present and enjoy every last second that we had left together. We slept side by side every night, went on more walks outside than ever, he ate more treats, swung in his egg chair, had the most extra quarantine 5th birthday party, took many naps in his donut by the fire, and his absolute favorite- snuggled (and harassed) with his other half, Neo. Leo may have had a short time here, but made an impact that will last a lifetime.

It still doesn’t make sense. It still doesn’t feel real. And I still don’t understand why. But Leo, thank you. Thank you for blessing me with 5 & 1/2 years of pure joy, love, and happiness. I can’t wait to be reunited with you someday and I look forward to seeing that big smile, those bright green eyes and petting that beautiful, soft, cuddly fur of yours once again. I’ll love you forever and ever my sweet boy, and I miss you every single day.

Until we meet again my sweet angel,

I’ll love you forever.

xoxo,

Your momma

Lifestyle, Uncategorized

The Secret to Youthfulness

by mybeautypharmLeave a Comment on The Secret to Youthfulness
The Secret to Youthfulness

Hi everyone! Have you hopped on the collagen train yet? I had heard about the benefits of collagen for years, but I was so skeptical because I’ve never been the “quick fix” type of gal when it comes to diets, supplements, skin care etc. but I was SO wrong about collagen. Collagen is not a quick fix, but it’s a lifestyle change.

Vitauthority is a comprehensive collagen protein powder that drives skin cell rejuvenation, joint strength, hair growth and has digestive benefits. It is formulated with four wild caught sources that contain 5 types of collagen — I, II, III, V & X, and added hyaluronic acid and vitamin C. Most collagen protein products only use 1 source with two types! With over 6,000 5 star reviews, I decided to give the Multi Collagen Peptide powder a try.

I had actually tried one type of collagen powder in the past and I absolutely hated the taste and texture of it. I tried mixing it with smoothies, coffee, water– you name it, couldn’t do it! I was so nervous to try the unflavored collagen powder for that reason, but I found the perfect recipe to be able to add the benefits of collagen into your daily life seamlessly!

My favorite way to get my daily dose of collagen is by adding a scoop of the unflavored powder into my morning latte! See my instagram for the full video, but to sum it up here is what I do:

Using the Breville barista express machine, I grind 2 shots worth of freshly ground dark coffee beans. I brew two shots of espresso into a mug and add one full scoop of my unflavored collagen peptides. I give it a good stir, and set aside. I then steam one cup of low fat milk, pour it over the espresso/collagen mixture, add one dash of white mocha chocolate skinny syrup and voila! The most delicious, collagen latte you’ll ever have!

Did you know that collagen makes up for about 75% of the dry weight of your skin!? This is what provides volume that keeps your skin looking plump and prevents those awful lines! As we get older, we break down collagen faster than we make it, which is why we need to replenish it with an outside source! Since starting to take collagen, I’ve noticed drastic hair growth, nail growth and more youthful and vibrant skin. It has helped the texture of my skin, even out my skin tone and help prevent fine lines and wrinkles. The additional hyaluronic acid (helps improve skin elasticity) and vitamin c (helps the synthesis of natural collagen) really help accelerate the youthful benefits of Vitauthority collagen.

Additional benefits of mutli-peptide collagen includes decrease cellulite, elimination of wrinkles, strengthen joints and bones, boosts lean muscle mass, and helps support healthy weight. I was also shocked by how easily the collagen powder mixed with my coffee. There is no nasty residue and awkward texture when mixed with a hot liquid, which sold me!

On mornings when I just have a regular coffee, or if I’m on the run, I’ll use one scoop of Pink Lemonade mutli-collagen peptides. I toss a scoop into a water bottle, fill it up and sip on it throughout the day. The flavor is AMAZING. If you’re looking for a delicious, simple, on-the-go way to take collagen this will be your product!

Overall, I’m really impressed with the hair and nail growth that I’ve noticed so far since taking the Vitauthority multi-collagen petides. It’s been so easy to add into my daily routine and I can’t wait to see what results I get from continued use! You can use code JEN at Vitauthority to save if you’d like to try it out! Feel free to reach out with any questions you may have about collagen!

xoxo

Jen

Style

6 Ways To Style A T-Shirt Dress

by mybeautypharmLeave a Comment on 6 Ways To Style A T-Shirt Dress
6 Ways To Style A T-Shirt Dress

A t-shirt dress is one of those things that every girl needs in their closet! It’s that one piece that you can style a million different ways and you can wear it in any season! (it’s the perfect piece to transition into Fall!)

There are so many options and different price ranges but this $26 Amazon one is by far my favorite for the price, and in my opinion the best bang for your buck! I have it in 3 different colors already and I feel like I need them all! Here are my 6 favorite ways to style it!

#1 Keep it casual with sneakers

First up and one of the most common ways I like to wear this dress! I just tossing on a pair of sneakers & call it a day! It’s such a simple and classic outfit that can be worn from brunch to running errands because it’s thats comfortable (sometimes I forget I’m actually wearing a dress 😂)! Sneakers keeps the dress casual but it’s so cute!

#2 Toss a chambray shirt around your waist

Let’s be real, a chambray shirt makes everything better! It’s the perfect layering piece for warmth or style and a classic closet staple that will never go out of style. Here is my favorite chambray shirt (it’s on sale for under $25!) It functions as a belt essentially when wrapped around a t-shirt dress, providing some shape to the dress! You can also wear it as a normal shirt over the dress for an additional layer in the Fall.

#3 Layer it with a kimono

A kimono is another great option to transition your t-shirt dress into Fall. It’s the perfect way to add a pop of color to a simple outfit & completely transform the outfit!

#4 Transition into Fall with a denim jacket and booties

Everyone has a denim jacket in their closet, and it’s the perfect layering piece to toss over a t-shirt dress. Similarly to the chambray shirt, you can wrap it around your waist, or toss if over your shoulders for an extra layer. I love adding a pair of booties to wear this look into Fall.

#5 Spice it up with a wide brim hat

If you guys know me, you know my motto is “a hat fixes everything!” 😂 Bad hair day? Looking to accessorize? Need to spice up an outfit? A hat works every time! It totally can change any outfit and I love it paired with a simple t-shirt dress!

#6 Dress it up with heels and a belt

Lastly, the perfect date night outfit! One of my favorite parts of a t-shirt dress is that you can easily wear it from day to night! Adding a belt and some heels are the perfect way to dress it up for a night out!

I hope that was helpful to take your favorite t-shirt dress and wear it all year round using things you already have in your closet! As always, if you have any questions just leave them below or DM me on Instagram!

xoxo,

Jen

Uncategorized

How I Go 5+ Days Without Washing My Hair

by mybeautypharmLeave a Comment on How I Go 5+ Days Without Washing My Hair
How I Go 5+ Days Without Washing My Hair

We all dread hair washing day, so I thought I’d share a few tips and products I’ve found that allow me to extend my washes to every 5+ days! This also allows you to preserve your hairstyle so that you’re not applying heat to your hair everyday! I’ll preface this post by saying this didn’t happen over night! Just like men, your hair takes training! 😂 (sorry, babe!) I started doing these things about 2 years ago, and slowly put surely I could go longer and longer between washes! Here are my secret weapons!

#1 Start with a tighter curl!

  • Hands down my favorite wand is the 25 mm lustre wand. Using a smaller barrel is key to getting long lasting curls because they will fall out/loosen as the week goes on. See below the difference between day 1 and day 2 curls!
Day 1 Hair: Soft romantic curls using a 1″ (25 mm) Wand
Day 2 Curls: Loosened up, touched up around my face!
  • #2 Dry Shampoo is your bff:
  • I use dry shampoo pretty much every single day. My favorite is linked here! It smells nice, doesn’t leave white residue and isn’t thick and gross. My hair feels FRESHLY WASHED every single morning after I use it. 
  • On day 1: I use dry shampoo in my roots on the crown of my head simply for volume.
  • Days 2-5 I spray my roots each morning before styling to remove any grease build up. As the week progresses I switch to this super dry shampoo which has super absorbent properties for really dirty hair. 
Deja Vu Dry shampoo is my everyday go-to product! Style Revival is what I use on “dirtier” hair! These are the most important products to extend your washes!

#3 Texture spray

  • Whether your hair holds curls well or not, I’d always recommend to use a texture spray to add volume and allow your curls to last longer. I love this sea salt spray, it’s light and refreshing and makes me feel like I’m at the ocean! This gives the heat something to stick to when curling your hair initially which extends the longevity of your curls!
If you have fine hair that doesn’t hold curl well, this is a must!

#4 Touch up curls around your face

  • One perk of going longer between washes, saves your hair from unnecessary heat damage! After I initially curl my hair on day one, I only touch up the curls around my face going forward! You can use the same wand you initially used, or a larger barrel wand so that it creates bigger/looser curls to match the rest of your hair!

#5 Get creative with hairstyles! (hello top knot!)

  • Typically by day 3/4 I start getting creative! My favorite “day 3 hairstyle” is a top knot! Since your hair is typically a little dirty by now, or you’ve used dry shampoo for a couple of days, you’ll have more volume for a top knot and it hides the “dirtiness’ of your roots!
The top knot is my go-to day 3 hairstyle!

#5 Apply an oil to preserve your shine

  • Just as your roots may greasy without washing, your ends typically start to look dried out in between washes and you don’t want to neglect them! I love argan oil and marula oil in between washes to keep my hair looking healthy and shiny! I typically spray the marula oil immediately after curling and then run my fingers through my hair to disperse and separate curls. I add argan oil to the ends of my hair each day to provide moisture to keep them looking healthy and not dried out!
Argan oil & marula oil provide moisture and shine to your hair in between washes.

#6 When all else fails- wear a cute hat!

  • By day 5, I’m using the super absorbant  dry shampoo, but depending on how many times I worked out that week etc, it may be time to resort to desperate measures- a hat! This doesn’t have to be a bad thing! Below are some of my favorite hats that allow me to survive another day not having to wash my hair!
A hat fixes everything when you’re in need of a wash!

I used to be afraid of adding product to my hair, thinking it would weigh it down, make it feel crunchy/sticky or dirty but then I found these secret weapons that actually provide value without the added weight! It does take some time to train your hair, but I hope these tips help you preserve your curls and allow you to go longer between washes! Feel free to DM me on Instagram or comment below with any questions!

xoxo,
Jen

About, Uncategorized

29 Things You Might Not Know About Me

Featuredby mybeautypharm2 Comments on 29 Things You Might Not Know About Me
29 Things You Might Not Know About Me

29 and feeling wine! I had the best time celebrating my 29th Birthday in New York around the Finger Lakes exploring some of the most beautiful east coast vineyards! I thought I would do a fun little post for you all to get to know me a little bit better and share “29 things you may not know about me”! Some are funny and some are serious! Enjoy!

  1. Pharmacy has been my only “real” job ever! I started working at a retail pharmacy when I was 16 & the rest is history!
  2. I grew up in a small town in Upstate NY (yes, there is actually about 7 hours more north of New York State that exists besides NYC!)
  3. I was voted class party animal in college- sorry Mom & Dad! (but I was also voted “most school spirit” so chose to be recognized for that instead 😂)
  4. Kyle and I met on Bumble! We are both pharmacists and we know a bunch of the same people, but we never crossed paths! Timing is everything!
  5. In 2018, I bought a brand new condo by myself! I was going through a breakup & it was the one thing I did for myself! I got to customize everything from the floors, countertops to the paint! I moved in and met Kyle a week later 😂
  6. I gained about 25 pounds my freshman year of college. (there are pics to prove it! 👀)
  7. I’m a pharmacy manager at a retail grocery store pharmacy! I work 12 hour days, so I only work about 13 days a month which is how I have so much time to blog!
  8. I’m not a great cook- Kyle is 100% the cook of the house, but I’m learning more everyday! I wonder daily how I survived before him 😂 (cereal for dinner was my jam!)
  9. I have two Bengal cats- Leo and Neo! They’re crazy, but I love them! Kyle has 1 dog, Brixton, (he’s a golden retriever) and they all love each other! With all of our animals, I say we have a “pharm” (omg that’s so nerdy when I type it out LOL).
  10. I get hangry really fast and really bad,  but then fill up after 2 bites. Kyle jokes about carrying around a slice of bread for me because it comes out of nowhere. 
  11. I didn’t dye or highlight my hair until just a couple of years ago! It’s naturally pitch black! Growing up I was always asked if it was fake. I also don’t have extensions- it’s all my real hair!
  12. I played both Soccer and Basketball in college! (everyone assumes I’m a girly girl but I’m actually pretty athletic!)
  13. When I finished pharmacy school I grew a million dollar a year online makeup business! I still have it, but I’ve definitely switched gears!
  14. I hardly ever watch tv! (Although my guilty pleasure is The Bachelor/Bachelorette) I do love snuggling up on the couch with Kyle watching a movie or show but I’m not one to binge watch shows or anything like that.
  15. I hate water 😂 I have to force myself to drink it. If I drink one glass of water a day that’s a good day for me. My poor kidneys! 
  16. I hope to one day be a full time blogger! I love working for myself and my dream would be to work from home once we have kids!
  17. Super type-A personality. Always organized, always have a plan, super competitive, driven to succeed etc. 
  18. I grew up in a HUGE family! I have 17 first cousins on side and 23 on the other side! Cousins are the best and were my first best friends!
  19. I hate being alone! I’m a huge chicken and I also just always like to be around people. (Super extrovert!)
  20. I’m a huge family person and big momma’s girl which is the biggest reason why I don’t ever want to move too far!
  21. I’m a morning person! I don’t necessarily enjoy waking up early, but I’m most productive in the morning! I’m fine as long as I get 7-8 hours of sleep.
  22. I used to HATE coffee! I would get mad at my parents if they made it while I was in the house, now I literally don’t function without it.
  23. I only applied to one college & got in early acceptance! I knew I wanted to go to pharmacy school so I just put all my eggs in one basket & thankfully it worked out! (not sure I’d recommend doing that)
  24. My eye sight is so bad all of a sudden. My whole life I had 20/20 vision (I actually used to want fake glasses) and within the last couple of years my eyes have just gotten SO bad.
  25. I love to dance, but I’m so bad at it. I literally have no rhythm, but you’ll always find me on the dance floor all night long at weddings. 
  26. I have a camel collection (again laughing out loud as I type this 😂). It started in 5th grade when my teacher gave me a small camel eraser for my bday & it just stuck. 🤷🏻‍♀️
  27. I love being busy! People wonder how I do so much (work full time, blog, makeup business, good relationship, go out etc)- but I always just love having something to do! I get bored easily!
  28. I had braces for 4 years and then Invisalign for 1 year! These teeth weren’t cheap! 😁
  29. I laugh a lot & I’m always smiling!

I hope you guys loved this and feel like you were able to get to know me a little bit better! If you have any more questions, I’m an open book! Feel free to DM me on Instagram or leave a comment here! Happy Saturday!

xoxo,
Jen

Uncategorized

Amazon Swimsuits

Featuredby mybeautypharm1 Comment on Amazon Swimsuits
Amazon Swimsuits

Hi ladies! Quarantine is starting to be lifted and I know so many of you are starting to plan Summer beach trips and vacations! Swimsuits are one of those things that I just cannot justify spending hundreds of dollars on. Swimsuit trends go in and out so quickly, I typically wear them for a couple of seasons and then move on! Plus, if I’m going on vacation I don’t want to wear the same one everyday, so if it’s cute, and I feel comfortable and confident in it, sign me up! I rounded up all of my favorite Amazon swimsuits that are not only super affordable but great quality! Most of these can be found on my instagram, (I have an entire highlight of Amazon swimsuits) but some have never been seen before! I’m wearing a size small in all swimsuits unless otherwise noted!

This is definitely going to be the hottest swimsuit of the season! I’ve been seeing this style pop up everywhere (some retailers selling it for over $100!) and I found it on Amazon Prime for only $17 here! It is definitely not the type of swimsuit you want to wear to play beach volleyball, but it’s perfect for a romantic getaway with your hubby or would also be super fun for a bachelorette party!

Next up this rainbow swimsuit ! I snagged this one last year and I’m so happy that they brought it back! This is another one I’ve seen sold for over $60 at other retailers and it’s only $18 on Amazon! Great high waisted option that is full coverage in the back!

This is another swimsuit from last season that they brought back! It gives me all the nautical vibes and would be perfect for a day on the lake! Linked here.

This hot pink swimsuit is one of my all time favorite Amazon swims! I love the vibrant color and the ruffle details along the bottoms and straps! Super fun swim and perfect for any summer vacation & it’s only $16!

This high waisted black bikini is another great option that is full coverage in the back but the pom-poms on the top give it a fun vibe! I wore this to my friends bachelorette party last year in Nashville and I loved that I felt great in it and didn’t have to worry about what I ate or drank because it was super flattering!

I love this high waisted leopard bikini from last year! It’s high waisted but not SUPER high waisted and I love that the top has supportive straps! The bottoms are cheeky but not uncomfortable! You might recognize the person on the Amazon listing of this one 😉

This is such a fun trendy snakeskin swimsuit! The colors are adorable and this one is also very flattering! It comes with removable straps (I wore it strapless) and the bottoms are pretty high waisted on this one making it super flattering! This one is semi-cheeky in the back!

This is the cutest one-piece option if you’re looking for a swimsuit that you want to feel comfortable in (perfect for a family vacay!) The polkadots gave it a fun/retro vibe and I LOVE the one shoulder!

This red bikini is actually two different swimsuits! I loved the tie-top so much but it came with a high waisted bottom, and I wanted something a little sexier for our trip to Mexico this Winter! I found this VERY CHEEKY bikini bottom that matched perfectly so I went with it! Definitely NOT my number one choice for a family vacay, but definitely perfect for a getaway with your man 😉 My body chain is also from Amazon and comes in a pack of 8 with a mix of gold and silver chains!

These is the same bikini bottom as the red one, but in black. Again, very cheeky, but a fun swimsuit for a romantic vacation! It comes in a lot of other colors too!

This white bikini is one of my favs! It is ribbed and such good quality. The straps are adjustable, has removable pads and it fits perfectly. The bottoms are a tad cheeky, but still feel comfortable!

Next up is this STUNNING black lace bikini! The lace detail is so beautiful and so nicely made. I love the bottoms because they tie on each side allow them to fit perfectly! They are somewhat cheeky, but again very comfortable fitting! I paired this lace kimono over top and it matches perfectly!

This belted white one piece is SO flattering! I love the belt trend on swimsuit this year because they hit at the most flattering part of your waist! The gold belt detail is gorgeous. It is pretty cheeky as you see and I think this would be the perfect swimsuit for a bachelorette party or honey moon! It has removable pads and is not see through at all! I added this green leaf kimono over top as a cover up and it was the perfect tropical piece!

This hot pink one piece is SO cute for vacations! It’s nice and vibrant, and has a cute flirty cut out in the middle! It’s the perfect suit to feel cute AND confident in! Floral kimono is linked here.

This white color block bikini is also one of my favorites! The bottoms are pretty full coverage and the top is completely adjustable. It ties both around the neck and around your back, allowing the perfect fit. It has removable padding and the pastel colors are gorgeous! Perfect Summer bikini!

This leopard/color block one piece is a best seller week after week! It has an extra long tie allowing you to wear it so many different ways. I love criss-crossing it in the front and tying a large bow in the back! One of the most flattering one pieces I’ve ever seen. It is a very deep plunge in the front, so keep in mind if you are bustier! Such a sexy swimsuit for a getaway with your man!

That’s all for now! I hope you love this roundup of swimsuits from Amazon, and I hope you all feel sexy, beautiful, comfortable and confident in your new swimmies!

Thanks for reading,

xoxo

Jen

Travel, Uncategorized

My Unico Experience

by mybeautypharm6 Comments on My Unico Experience
My Unico Experience

Hi everyone! I’ve been dying to write this post since we’ve been home! This trip was actually one of the biggest reasons I’ve decided to launch my blog! It was one of my favorite vacations to date, and I couldn’t wait to tell everyone about our experience at Unico 20’87 in Riviera Maya, Mexico!

We left just as the COVID-19 Pandemic was beginning, and I am SO happy that we decided to go and not cancel our trip. It was the perfect mix of relaxing, romantic and fun!

From the moment we stepped foot onto the resort we were treated like royalty. We were welcomed by our personal staff member whom we could contact via WhatsApp at anytime during our stay. I think one of my favorite things about Unico compared to other resorts I’ve stay at is the ease of requesting anything from food/drinks, to dinner reservations and room requests (like filling up our hot tub!) Everything you need, you can simply pull up the resort app and request!

Room

The rooms at Unico were incredible. Each room has a jacuzzi tub, and range from ocean view to swim up pools! We stayed in an ocean front Junior suite and the view was to die for! Nothing beat waking up to the sunrise rise every morning and taking a romantic bath overlooking the ocean! The fridge was always fully stocked and they asked us our preferences for drinks etc. They also had us select a scent upon arrival to be diffused in our room, which was very relaxing! The robes & slippers were also a lovely addition, and we lived in them all week long!

Food

The food was incredible. It was one of the reasons we decided to stay here, because we wanted good food/drinks. We’ve stayed at too many resorts where the food is put out in bulk or buffets and it’s jut not great. Not only was the food incredible, fresh and healthy, but it was so easy to obtain. As mentioned above, you could simply order food from the app on your phone while sitting at the pool or in your room, you could ask your pool server for anything, or set up reservations for dinner with the click of a button. Cafe Inez was one of my favorites, if we didn’t order room service in the morning this is where we would stop for breakfast (they made the BEST smoked salmon bagel), and we got lattes every morning here! We tried a different restaurant each night and it’s honestly impossible to pick a favorite. We went to Mura House (Japanese) the first night and we both had classic hibachi dinners, both were incredible with of course a fun show to watch while they cooked! Mi Carisa (Italian) was the second restaurant we tried, and this one was simply worth it for the views! You walked over a gorgeous lit walk-way into the restaurant and it was just dreamy! They had the best calamari, fried cheese and I had a bucatini in vodka sauce that was incredible! It was a Friday during lent, and they even added shrimp into the pasta for me, since I couldn’t eat meat! We came back here a second night because we loved it so much! Kyle had the chicken parm and I tried a squid link fettuccine, which was so different but actually amazing! We also had breakfast here one morning and it was one of the best breakfast’s I’ve ever had! Amazing french toast, fresh fruit and of course bottomless mimosas! Cueva Sieta was the Mexican restaurant, and we had the BEST margaritas ever! We joke about just going back to have these margs again! LOL We tried a bunch of small plates and tacos, and it was everything we could’ve imagined from an authentic Mexican restuarant! 20’87 was also worth it simply for the views, it’s pretty much right on the ocean! It’s mostly outside and had the biggest variety of food! I had a NY Strip Steak and Kyle had a burger! Both were so incredible! We also had brunch here one morning and a picture from the swinging chairs is a MUST! Overall, I would simply go back to Unico for the food alone. By FAR the best resort food we’ve ever had!

Drinks

Drinks can be tricky while on vacation! It always takes me a couple of days to find my “go-to” cocktail! I’ll have a couple of sugary drinks, but I definitely cannot sip on those all day/week or I’ll feel terrible! They did make a mean strawberry daiquiri though! Our favorite drink was the Jade! It was their welcome drink (no alcohol) and we requested to add a shot of Rum/Vodka to it (I preferred rum, Kyle loved it with vodka) and it was AMAZING! It was light, refreshing and something you could drink all day long! The service was great by the pool, if you took care of your server, they took care of you! 😉 They also had a cocktail bar in the middle of the resort that could make drinks like whiskey sours, Old Fashions, etc that were a little fancier and not necessarily “pool drinks”. As mentioned above, Cafe Inez was our go to place for lattes/coffee! I NEED a resort with good coffee and they were amazing! They also made incredible smoothies!

Beaches/Pools

I was skeptical of coming back to this part of Mexico, because my last trip to Cancun, I was very unimpressed with the beaches, but man did Unico prove me wrong! The beach was gorgeous! It was clean, the sand was beautiful and the water was so clear and blue! I never thought of beaches when I thought of Mexico prior to this trip! We didn’t go for super long walks along the beach to other resorts etc, but the beach right at Unico was gorgeous and they have really cute palm trees etc for pictures! We LOVED the pool scene here and it’s where we spent most of our time. There were two main pools, one for entertainment and one for more relaxing. The swim up bar was great at the main entertainment bar, and service was always prompt! We didn’t find that drinks tasted “watered down” as they do at many resorts. You could also request just about anything and they would whip it up for you! My ONE complaint is that they didn’t have white claw (or any seltzer)- but we left that in the suggestion box! 😉

Activities

I typically like to just relax and do our own thing on vacation, but it is fun to jump into group activities or have some nightly entertainment! As this was an adults only resort, the activities were on point with exactly what we like to do! During the day at the main pool they had something going on, such as a DJ, beer pong tournaments, foam parties etc. (as I mentioned above, there is plenty of low key space if this isn’t for you. We would typically set up at the more low key pool and then venture over to the entertainment area when we wanted to turn up a little 😉 ) At night they had so many fun activities and entertainment! We participated in a salsa dancing class, live music and cocktail making class all which were so fun! Each night you can find the activity list on their app making it super easy to see if it interests you! As I said above we went just a couple of days before the COVID outbreak got really serious, but we were already aware of it, so we opted to just stay at the resort and not partake in any excursions, but they had a long list of things you could sign up for off the resort as well!

Transportation

Getting to and from the resort was very organized and stress free! We signed up for a shuttle when we booked our entire stay through booking.com and there was an agent waiting for us at the airport to take us to the resort. I highly suggest setting this up prior to getting there because once you land you may not have cell service. We flew into Cancun directly from Montreal and then from the airport it was just over an hour long shuttle ride to the resort. Since it was booked through a third party, we also had some other people in our shuttle going to a nearby resort! Everything was really safe and secure and would definitely book this again. On the way back (also pre-booked), Unico had everything set up on the morning of our departure and let us know what time to meet our shuttle. We had a later flight, so even though we had to check out of our room, they allowed us to leave our bags at the concierge and hang out by the pool all day before our flight which was fabulous!

Favorites

Overall, I would 100% go back to Unico! The staff was amazing, the resort was gorgeous, the pool/beaches were everything you dream of for a tropical vacation and it was the perfect combination of romantic and fun. It was overall a mostly young crowd (a lot of weddings!) and a great vacation vibe. As I mentioned above, it’s tailored to a younger (NOT college kids) population due to the ease of everything being done via your phone/the app. The food definitely sets this resort apart from any other all inclusive I’ve stayed at and we definitely look forward to coming back!

Downsides

If you couldn’t tell, we LOVED Unico! We would 100% come back to this resort. If I HAD to pick SOMETHING that we would change, as mentioned above, I’d love to see some sort of hard seltzer option to drink. I really cannot think of any other thing I would change about this resort. We really loved everything about it!

Until next time!

Xoxo,

Jen

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Lifestyle, Uncategorized

Wine & Quaran-dine

by mybeautypharmLeave a Comment on Wine & Quaran-dine
Wine & Quaran-dine

Well if you haven’t fed your significant other to the tigers yet, at least you’re a step ahead of some. (LOL if ya know, ya know.) I wanted to share a few romantic in home date night ideas that we’ve done over the last few weeks to help make it feel like you’re a little less “stuck” at home with your boyfriend/husband & help you keep the spark going during these tough and stressful times!

Wine Tour

I came up with this idea one night after a long day at the pharmacy. One of our favorite things to do together is drink wine and try different kinds! We use this wine subscription service which is AMAZING and it allows us try all different wines from around the world for significantly cheaper than they would normally cost. So obviously we can’t just take a trip to Napa Valley right now, so we brought the wine tour to us! We got dressed up (I highly recommend doing this for some at home date nights, you’ll feel so much better about yourself if you do your hair & makeup and put on a cute outfit!), I made a menu and surprised Kyle with a fun little wine tour!

This was our itinerary!

First “stop” was the kitchen! ha! I had picked up some lobsters from the store on my way home from work, and we made lobster rolls for dinner and opened our first bottle! Now, if I was a professional sommelier I probably would’ve known that white wine pairs best with fish, but I worked with what we had! For the wine tour, you could either do tastings of different kinds of wine at each “stop”, or just have a glass of your favorite at each place! (this is what we did) . So, you get the point! Next stop, was a glass in a hot tub, followed by a glass on the couch! It was so fun to just share a glass of our fav wines throughout different areas of the house, and just spent the evening hanging out and forgetting we were stuck in the house! This was one of our favorite date nights yet!

Fancy Candle Lit Dinner

This one was ALL Kyle’s idea! I came home to the most romantic date night after a long stressful weekend of work! It was a HUGE hit! I shared this one on Instagram and had people messaging me to see if he was giving out lessons that their hubby’s could sign up for! Great job, babe! It was seriously the most romantic, thoughtful idea ever! He welcomed me home with a candle and note in the garage to call (his cell LOL) to confirm my reservation. SO SWEET.

This was waiting in the garage when I pulled in!

I walked upstairs to the cutest butler I ever did see who welcomed me to a gorgeous table, candle lit and all, who offered to take my things at the door and seat me at my table! I unfortunately had just come home from work, so my khakis didn’t exactly fit the occasion so I politely asked to be excused to change and freshen up!

He had created the cutest customized menu (lot’s of inside jokes on it) with all of my favorite things! He didn’t miss a single detail! We had an amazing surf & turf meal and it felt just like we had gone on a romantic date night, but even better! Such a great idea for birthday’s, anniversaries etc!

Picnic & Sunset

It’s finally starting to get nice out, and nothing beats a gorgeous sunset! Add a charcuterie board, some wine, and snuggle up with your man and you’ve got yourself the perfect romantic date night! This is one of my favorite things to do during quarantine or not! I put on this cozy two piece athleisure set, we drove to one of the prettiest spots in Burlington (Overlook Park), where it overlooks Lake Champlain and you can see the Adirondack Mountains across the lake in New York. We lucked out and it was seriously the prettiest evening. I created a charcuterie board for a perfect picnic snack, poured some wine into our Brumate flutes, and grabbed some blankets to snuggle up with! We popped open the back of the car, turned on some music and watched the sunset! Highly recommend this perfect, romantic date night!

Game Night

Finally, nothing beats a good old fashion game night! This one might not be as romantic, but always fun! Kyle & I are both super competitive people, so we might get a little too into these, but we’ll sit down to play some games, and before you know it 3 hours have passed! For Kyle’s quarantine birthday this year, I got him the old school Nintendo: NES Classic Edition and it has been SO fun! It has all of the fun old school games pre-loaded on it, including Mario, Donkey Kong, Pac-Man etc! It’s been such a fun blast from the past- you can order it here. Note- the controllers that it comes with have a really short cord, so I ordered these wireless ones.

Don’t let this picture fool you, I still hold the Pac-Man high score! LOL

Other fun games that we love playing at home are: Phase 10, Skip-bo, Exploding Kittens, Battle Ship, Uno & Rack-O!

I hope you find these ideas helpful to keep the romance going while stuck inside with each other for weeks on end! We can’t wait to get out to our favorite restaurants, bars and go to a concert either, but these are definitely holding us over while waiting for those time to come!

Xoxo,

Jen

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Hi, I’m Jen!

by mybeautypharmLeave a Comment on Hi, I’m Jen!
Hi, I’m Jen!

Welcome to My Beauty Pharm! This blog is a long time coming! For many years now I’ve loved sharing all of my favorite things all over social media and I wanted to create a space where I could share all aspects of my life in one place!

So, let’s get started! If you’re new around here, welcome! My name is Jen, I’m a pharmacist at a local retail pharmacy, but as you’ll quickly get to know, my passion lives here. I live in Vermont (I know, random.) with my boyfriend, two bengal cats (Leo & Neo) and our Golden Retriever pup, Brixton! I am definitely NOT your average pharmacist. Okay, there might be a small nerdy side of me, but I live and breathe for all things fashion, beauty, girly and FUN! I don’t know about you, but when I think of that person behind the counter in a white coat, I think ‘NERD ALERT!’ lol (sorry, but it’s true.)

In 2015, when I graduated pharmacy school from Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (#PantherPride) I knew I needed some sort of creative outlet and I began an online beauty business! I would spend countless hours after work and on my days off connecting with women all over the country teaching them how to apply makeup through Facebook tutorials and helping them feel confident in their own skin! I poured about 4 years of my life into this business and through this I began sharing a lot of my personal life on the internet to inspire the ladies I was working with that if I could do this, anyone could. In 2019, I started an Instagram account and started sharing primarily affordable fashion finds, style tips and how to look and feel your best without breaking the bank. I have loved sharing snip bits of my life on social media, but I’ve always wanted more control over what I can share. Unfortunately, social media platforms controls pretty much everything about your account including: who sees what, how long your videos can be, what your caption can include etc.

So here I am- My Beauty Pharm’s blog was born! A space where I can share everything from affordable, girly fashion, my favorite concealer, the best all inclusive resorts, how to get the perfect smokey eye, my favorite home decor, the easiest way to get a perfectly sparkling clean shower, the best margarita recipe, quick one pan dinners and more!

I don’t know everything, but I promise I’ll help you find the answer to it! You’ll quickly see that I’m an open book and if you don’t already see the answer to it here, don’t be afraid to reach out to me on any of my social channels or via email! I’m excited to let you all into my crazy life!

Xoxo,

Jen

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This is Us.

by mybeautypharmLeave a Comment on This is Us.
This is Us.

Hi friends! Time to meet the fam! You’re going to be seeing a lot of these faces around here, so I thought they deserved a formal introduction on the blog!

  • Leo & Neo
  • Kyle
  • Brixton

So let me introduce you to my 4 boys! Leo (brown) & Neo (silver) are my two bengal cats! They are from the same litter and just turned 5 years old on May 9th! I adopted Leo in 2015 right when I graduated pharmacy school (he was my graduation gift to myself), but when I went to pick him out Neo actually was the one who was super cuddly with me, and they always say your pets pick you, however I went home with little 8 week old Leo! Side note- when I picked Leo out of the litter, the breeder actually told me he was a GIRL! Which is another reason why I chose “him” at the time I had really wanted a little girl kitten…so really I was bringing “Luna” home LOL Spoiler alert- she’s a boy! Anyway, it obviously worked out, he was my first little love, my first pet (I don’t even like calling him a pet because they’re definitely family!) and he literally did everything with me as a kitten! About a year later, I received a call from the breeder that Neo (that was already his name!) needed a new home because his owners were splitting up and couldn’t keep him- I didn’t even think twice about it and said yes! On National Cat Day of 2016, I brought my second fur baby home! It took them about a week to learn how to co-habitat, and realize that neither of them were going anywhere, but I definitely think that they know they’re brothers because as you can see above, they’re real life besties. They are so much fun, and one of the best decisions I’ve ever made! I had NO idea what I was getting myself into with Bengal cats, and had no idea how much attention they required, how much energy they had, how talkative they were and I still learn things everyday, but I do know they are the most lovable creatures and they taught me a love that I didn’t know existed!

Then comes Kyle! We met June 11th, 2018, and wait for it… we met on a DATING APP! People honestly don’t believe me when I tell them this story! Kyle is also a pharmacist, and as I’m sure you can guess, Vermont is not very big and the pharmacy world is even smaller, so it’s so crazy that we had never met prior. I’ll save our entire meeting/dating story for another post, but long story short we met on Bumble! I saw his picture pop up, swiped right, and when we matched I messaged him in about 0.2 seconds. He actually screen shotted my first message and sent it to his friends of course and we still joke about it to this day. We talked for a few days, he was flying home to Ohio for a wedding and then we met the following Monday! It was such a fun first date, we met The Farmhouse, which is a local restaurant/bar in Burlington, we were just talking and getting to know each other, and before we knew it, they were closing the place down! It went pretty much as good as a first date could possibly go! We actually weren’t super serious initially though, he had also just gotten out of a serious relationship as well and it took us a couple of months to decide what we wanted out of this (basically we wanted to make sure we were both ready to dive into something serious). Finally, near the end of the summer, I was the one to be like “okay, we need to figure out what we are and where we’re going to go from here.” We knew we had already started caring so much for each other, we had so much fun together and decided that we did not want to picture going our separate ways. We went all in, and the rest is history! He moved in with me (I had built a condo and moved into it about a week before we met!) last Fall and that’s where my next son comes into play!

Meet Brixton! Kyle adopted him when he first moved to Vermont in 2015, just a day before he started his job here! He just turned 5 on March 25th, and is the sweetest Golden Retriever you’ll ever met! It was so easy to accept that Kyle and Brixton were a package deal, because he’s honestly the most loving dog on the planet! I never imagined I’d meet a guy with a big dog, and that we’d all be living in my condo that I envisioned just as my little Bach pad, but here we are- one big happy family!

Thanks for reading! Until next time!

Xoxo,
Jen

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