Cassie DeNisco

Holiday Gift Guide: Beauty

December 11, 2020

Some of my favorite things to ask for around the holiday’s are beauty gifts. They’re often something we won’t always splurge on ourselves but are great to receive as gifts. I’ve complied here my list of products I’m loving and would love to receive as gifts this season. This holiday beauty gift guide is your go to in finding the perfect gift for the beauty lover in your life!

Truly Beauty Gift Set

I’ve see this brand and these products all over TikTok lately so I was definitely intrigued. They claim to help with firming and tightening certain areas on your body. I’ve only been using them for about 2 weeks so I can’t yet say they work, however they smell amazing!! I picked up this gift set from Ulta but unfortunately its sold out already. They have a similar set on the Truly website for $47.60 and I think its totally worth it to give these products a try. Gift sets are the best to be introduced to new products or get products you love at a great price!

Tatcha Dewy Skin Moisturizer

This moisturizer is life changing if you have really dry skin in the winter. The price tag is steep at $68 but I definitely think it’s worth it. I love how glowy my skin looks after applying and it really helps to hydrate the dry, cracked skin I often get on my face as the winter months approach. This is an awesome gift for the beauty junkie who likes luxury products but might not be willing to purchase them their self!

Olaplex Shampoo & Conditioner

Hands down my favorite thing to ask for or receive around the holiday season is Olaplex. This combo is my go to shampoo and conditioner that actually works for your hair. These work to rebuild the bonds of your hair and strengthen them. Their are so many great gift sets out right now that make these affordable and you get to try them out before committing to the full product. I linked one above for $60 that has the mini shampoo, conditioner, oil and mask.

Rare Beauty

One thing I love to give or ask for are lipsticks, highlighters, or blushes. Often they’re easy to purchase since they don’t need to be color matched the way a foundation or concealer needs to. I have been loving the Rare Beauty line by Selena Gomez. I plan on giving some goodies to friends and family for Christmas. All of these products have great messages in their names and the line is awesome. If you know that the person you’re buying for has a signature product or color, getting them it is a great reminder you pay attention to the little things.

Glam Glow Face Masks

My go to brand of face masks is Glam Glow, so I included them in this beauty gift guide. Face masks are great to give or receive because everyone can use a good face mask. They’re great for self care nights and generally help your skin at least a little. This is the Super Mud Mask and is great for pore refining. You can also use it as a spot treatment on acne.

I love beauty gift guides because they really help when you might be stuck on a present idea. I hope my beauty gift guide helped you and gave you some great ideas for all the people on your list this year. This is the first of my 2020 holiday gift guide series so I hope you enjoy and check back next week for another one!

Let me know in the comments below your favorites from this beauty gift guide or what products you plan on giving or receiving this Christmas!

Check out my gift guide for her and him from last year here!

5 Ways to Stress Less in 2020

January 26, 2020

Welcome to 2020, the year where we all will stress less! I am an over thinker which leads me to have some seriously stressful days. I’ve put together some of my ways to stress less to ensure you’ll have a stress free year!

1. Meditate

Meditation started out as a simple 2020 goal but it has seriously helped me as a way to stress less. I swear that just spending those 10 minutes in silence can do wonders for your mind. I like to let those stressful thoughts just pass through my mind but I don’t act on them. Once I’m done meditating, I am so much happier and all around less anxious.

2. Spa Shower

This might sound bizarre, but have you ever showered with the lights off? I swear that it gives off this spa vibe and seriously can help to relax you. Whenever I’m feeling stressed out or worried, I make sure to save myself time for a good long shower. I’ve also heard some people use the Himalayan Salt night light which just adds to the spa atmosphere.

3. Treat Yourself

I can’t tell you how easy it is when you’re stressed out to completely ignore your self-care. I know an easy trick for my stressed out days revolves around spending a little extra time on myself. Whether it’s a face mask or self-tan lotion, just spending a few extra minutes alone and on yourself can help clear your mind.

4. Don’t Deflect the Stress

The only way to really rid yourself of the stress is to let it pass. Don’t try to compartmentalize your feelings or else they could just come back at a later time. As with all things, it’s important to attack them right away and head on. I like to write out what’s stressing me out and then I almost always realize it’s not that big of a deal once on paper.

5. Plan for the Next Time

If you stressed out over a grade or a deadline, make sure next time you study more or do your work earlier. It’s important to realize that a lot of our stress we inflict on ourselves. We overthink or put ourselves in situations that will stress us out so why not just try to avoid it before it gives you anxiety?

I hope that these ways to stress less in 2020 will be helpful for you. I feel like I’m the queen of thinking myself into stress and I know that doing these things seriously helps me to stress less. Do you have any good tips to stress less? Let me know in the comments below!

Follow me on Instagram @cassiedenisco! And check out my latest blog post here!

January Tech Favorites

January 15, 2020

With the new year in full swing, I’ve decided to implement a new series on my blog call “monthly favorites”. For the next 12 months, each will have one post in the middle with my favorite products and things I’m loving that month. To kick of my favorites series I’m breaking down my January tech favorites!

My first January tech favorites is my iPhone tripod. I got it for Christmas and it has seriously changed the game. It makes taking photos so simple because you don’t need someone else there to take them for you! All you have to do is pop your phone on the tripod and then sync it to the bluetooth from the remote. You can happily take all the photos you want easily and they all come out great!

My next favorite is my iPhone 11 Pro Max. Yes, I did get the most extra iPhone but I’m not gonna lie, it’s worth it. The camera lens on it is insane and since I take pictures for a living it replaces my big bulky cameras. Having such a powerful camera in my pocket ensures that I can easily take photos on the go and always get the best shot.

Now that I’m a dog mom, I literally cannot live without my Furbo Dog Camera. This camera makes leaving my sweet Sky a little easier knowing I can check in on her. The camera resolution is awesome and I love the treat throwing feature!! I can keep her happy and my sanity in knowing she’s okay with this simple and easy to use camera.

Another tech favorite this month is actually an app. I’ve been loving the app Headspace. One of my 2020 goals (click here for the post) was to meditate more and this app leads you through meditations. I love it because you can choose between 3, 5, and 10 minute meditations that are revolving around things like sleep, anxiety, or confidence. This app is so useful and I’m excited to continue to use it on my journey of happier mind.

My last tech favorite is another app and is called 8fit. It’s for working out. I feel like everyone wants to start the new year happier and healthier so they look to working out. As a dance teacher, I get most of my cardio in at night but I like to do something in the morning to start my day. This app has guided workouts that are like 10 minutes each but they seriously work. I love turning the app on and working out while watching the trainer do the same workout. It’s like we’re working out together and because it’s an app, it sends me daily reminders to work out.

This January tech favorites post is the first installment of my 2020 favorites series! I hope you love it and that these posts help you to learn about and try new products. These are things that I have been using everyday so far this month and I plan to keep using. I am literally obsessed with them and hope you will be too!

Be sure to follow my blog so you don’t miss a post and check me out on Instagram @cassiedenisco.

iPhone Tripod $23.49: Amazon

iPhone 11 Pro Max: Apple

Furbo Dog Camera: Amazon

Headspace

8Fit

Got Goals? My Goals for 2020

January 5, 2020

2020 New Years Goals & Resolutions

Before welcoming in a new year, I like to take a look at the goals and I set for the past year. 2019 was a huge year for me with new responsibilities and mindsets. I actually accomplished the 3 goals I set for myself this past year. For 2020, I wanted to make sure that the goals I set, I stick to and accomplish .

I think a goal for most people is to be healthier and maybe even lose weight. For me, I accomplished my healthy living goal last year and still continue to implement it in my everyday life. I wanted my new goals for 2020 to be more about overall wellness both physically and mentally. Through meditation and positivity both for myself and others, I plan to work on my mental health this year.

Another aspect of my life I really want to tackle this year is definitely to live fearlessly. I tend to say no way too often so I plan to start saying yes more. Whether I say yes more to friends, work or family, I feel like overall I will be living a life with out anxiety and worry. This past year I have stepped out of my comfort zone but not as much as I would have liked to. I need to listen more to those around me and learn to speak less. I want to attract the energy of good people but that can’t happen unless I start putting myself out there.

Aside from just living an overall better life, I want to make sure I actually set aside time to read more. Other than one book over the summer and required reading, I honestly can’t tell you the last time I read a book. Reading is such a great way to unwind at the end of the day and I want to start incorporating it into my nightly routine. I also want to make sure I actually give back. Whether I volunteer or donate goods, I just want to make sure that I am giving to others in need. It’s so important to me to make sure that I stay aware of how lucky I am to live the life I do.

My final and most important goal is to stay motivated and stick to the things that I start. Being a very motivated person means I can bounce from one thing to the next without having to stop for a break. I used to think it was because I would get bored so easily but I believe that it is actually because I lack the motivation for things once I’ve done them for so long. For 2020, I need to make sure that I keep up my promises.

I hope my goals and resolutions have you inspired to create and set some of your own. I know that when I actually sit and write things out I tend to actually see them through. It is so important to hold yourself accountable for things. Why not challenge yourself to set some goals in this new year? Not only is it a new year but also a new decade. There is no better time to accomplish your goals and try new things than right now!

Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram @cassiedenisco. Also, check out my health posts for some inspiration in the new year!

Where I’ve Been…

December 1, 2019

In life I believe we all go through phases in our lives when we’re feeling the least creative or unmotivated to do things we love. For me, I was really dealing with that during November. I love blogging and taking/posting Instagram photos but I soon found myself drowning from school work, my internship, new puppy, and dance work. I felt like my life was fully out of my control and the stress I was under just kept piling up.

I knew that my blog would take some sort of side position in my life once school started back up but I didn’t realize that it would become my last priority. I had so many other things on my plate that my energy was going towards that trying to write blog posts just became mechanic. I was writing merely just to not miss my Wednesday-Thursday deadline. I often would forget to announce the new post on Instagram on my story and I haven’t even been consistently posting on Instagram.

For something that was supposed to be a fun side hustle, it turned into in my eyes my biggest failure. Over the summer my analytics were threw the roof when I was posting consistently. After realizing how much I’ve neglected my blog, looking at my analytics is painful. This paired with the stresses of everyday life left me not at all wanting to blog. I had just too much on my plate that I couldn’t even allow myself to just blog for fun, I turned it into basically a competition for myself.

I finally realized something needed to change in mid November, when I actually stopped uploading. I let my last few scheduled posts go up but I just took the time off to not write blogs and focus on one area of my life at a time. I got my recital dances picked and somewhat choreographed, Sky’s older so she is much less needy, and my internship ended so I had free time again during the week. Finally, I just had to focus on my schoolwork and my puppy and I had the down time I was so desperately looking for.

In that time though, of course I couldn’t sit completely still. I started really posting on Sky’s Instagram and I swear it has really taken off. She has 81 followers in like 2 weeks of consistent posts and I realized how much FUN social media is. When I was doing it for my blog, it seriously became a chore and with Sky, I get to interact with other dogs and the dog moms behind the accounts. This really helped to inspire me to get back to blogging and actually having a desire to want to post. (Follow Sky @skythefrenchgirl)

Blogging never was something to get me Instagram followers or gain lots of money easily. Blogging was an outlet creatively for me and a way to show future employers that I am capable and able to help build an online brand. When I started to focus on the artificial and fake aspects of the internet, I lost myself and the reasons I love doing what I do. Even if you’re not a blogger, the lessons I’ve learned from having my blog can be applied anywhere. You need to remember why you’re doing something and make that the reason you do it. I love sharing my life and my ideas and my style with my audience and that’s what matters most. The numbers don’t matter and they shouldn’t affect why you want to do what you love.

So that’s where I’ve been. I really have been doing some soul searching and I can confidently say I’m back to blogging regularly. My podcast also will be back starting in January. I needed some time to get some better equipment and plan out more podcasts.I will always have a new blog post up on Sundays at 4pm EST but I am not sure yet if I will be posting on another day or just twice a week in general. I will keep you posted and let you all know once I’ve figured that out! Thank you all so much for sticking with me, it really means the world to me.

Be sure to follow me on my socials because those are also coming back hot!

Pinterest, Instagram & Twitter: @cassiedenisco

Sky’s Instagram: @skythefrenchgirl

Also be sure to sure to subscribe to www.cassiedenisco.com to stay up to date with my latest posts!

Moisturizers for Winter You Need

November 17, 2019

If you live in the North East then you know that it’s way too cold for November. Now of course we’re supposed to start having colder weather but this is just way too soon. I’m not here for it. Just this past week we had wind chills in the single digits!! With the change in temperature brings changes in your skin and the need for moisturizers for winter. Most of our household heat sources cause our skin to be extremely dry and just being out in the cold leads to your skin just not being great. I’ve found that having thick moisturizers for winter are key to keep skin hydrated and looking great. Here are my top 3 for winter:

Drunk Elephant Lala Retro Whipped Cream $60

This is actually a new favorite of mine. I only recently found this moisturizer but I absolutely love it. It definitely is very thick so I like to only use it at night when trying to really reset my skin but I wake up with a glowy, supple skin. It is pricy but a little truly goes a long way with this product. I highly recommend this moisturizer if you have really rough dry skin in the winter.

2. Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizer $27

This is my all time favorite go to moisturizer. I use this both in the summer and winter. It’s a really light moisturizer but it gets the job done. I like to use it in the morning for winter when I don’t want my face to feel so heavy with so many products. It definitely helps to make your skin look and feel different. It a real bang for you buck and lasts forever because you just need a dime size amount to moisturize your entire face!

3. Sephora All Day Hydrator $16

I wrote my Sephora Skin care review in June and I am still in love with this product. It is very light similar to the Clinique but it does keep my skin feeling hydrated all day which is what the product claims to do. It’s so inexpensive that I highly suggest you just try it out and see how you feel about it becau nse it is really great. I find myself wanting it to be a bit thicker when I put it on but it is a great morning product! Shop here!

Whether you try them all or just one, remember that moisturizers are the key to keeping your skin healthy for winter. Maintaining moisture is essential in the dry months of winter so finding your go to moisturizers for winter are essential. Skin care needs to be an all year round process, especially during the winter so be sure to love your skin a little extra in those months!

I hope this is helpful when trying to navigate the crazy world of skin care products. There are so many great products but these are all my top go to products. Stay hydrated and warm this winter!

Winter Workouts I Love

November 10, 2019

Major disclaimer here: I am definitely no fitness coach but I do love to workout it unconventional ways. Most of my favorite workouts are outside but during the winter workouts are way too cold for that. I hate going to the gym so I like to make sure that whatever workout I do is one that I can either do at home or do somewhere else that’s not a traditional gym. Here is my list of winter workouts that I love.

Kayla Itsines Program

I actually have been through this program twice and I love the results. It’s for 12 weeks and it gives you set workouts to do. Most of them don’t require equipments but some just need like a medicine ball or dumb bells that you can grab at Target. I definitely think this program is perfect for winter workouts because you don’t have to leave your house but you’re also pretty much guaranteed a great bikini body in summer.

Pilates/ Yoga

Depending on where you live, you might not have a stand alone studio to do pilates or yoga in so you might have to go to your local gym. Luckily for me I have a studio near me and I love going to classes here and there. Pilates will always leave me with that really sore feeling that I love. I feel like I got an awesome workout in that really toned my body. Yoga on the other hand I love because it keeps me nice and flexible as well as somewhat toning me up. For a challenge, try a hot yoga class!

Home Gym

I know this one might not be feasible for everyone but investing in a spin bike or a tread mill at home might make all the difference. You have the comfort of your own home to workout however and whenever you want. I find that in winter I crave a better workout but I never want to actually leave because it’s so cold. I found my equipment for super cheap on Amazon and I am absolutely obsessed!

Winter workouts don’t need to feel like a chore. Just find something you love and stick with it. I hope these winter workouts will inspire you to stay healthy even in the hardest and coldest months to do so. Let me know in the comments below your winter workouts.

Check out my last blog post here and follow me on Instagram: @cassiedenisco !

Balancing it All

November 6, 2019

My life these days just feels like a hamster wheel. I’m just constantly running from one thing to the next and having trouble figuring out balancing it all. Often we feel like we need to be doing something 24/7 in order to prove something to ourselves or others. For me, I know that I have to be doing something or else I just feel lazy. I don’t know why but I literally will beat myself up if I treat myself to an after internship nap. Even writing my last blog post took forever to get through because I was juggling so much.

Having that mindset though isn’t healthy. It’s okay to treat yourself sometimes to a little you time. Balancing it all means you’re balancing everything, including your mental health which is often so neglected. I’ve recently found that on a busy day, I need a few minutes to myself to gather my thoughts and get it back together. Living life in the fast lane is fun but can lead you to burnout which is not something you want to go through.

Burnout for me means I don’t want to do anything at all. I don’t want to be bothered by homework, or work from my internship, or even choreographing dances (which is something I love to do). I become uninspired and unmotivated which is a seriously dangerous path to be on. Once you’re uninspired and unmotivated, nothing will get done and you be in a worse position than you were before just trying to balancing it all.

Overcoming burnout can be difficult, but I give myself whatever necessary time I need to recharge. I get myself back into the headspace that I need to be in to get things done and I just get to it. Being your own pick me up is a serious skill that will take a lifetime to develop. Knowing your limits and what you can handle is also something you need to develop.

I believe that a huge component of balancing it all is learning to say no. It’s absolutely okay to tell someone you can’t do something for them. You have to focus on your own life. You need to do for yourself before you can do for others. Now of course, you can’t say no to work or homework. But you can reach out if it is really getting too tough for you. Unless your boss is totally awful, they probably understand what you’re going through and know that balancing it all in life sometimes gets tricky. The same goes for professors.

If you find yourself struggling when trying to balance it all, reach out to friends and family. Just talking through your problems will already help to combat them. It’s so important to keep yourself together when it might feel like you’re being pulled in a thousand different directions. Let me know in the comments below if you have any times to balance it all!

Follow me on Instagram: @cassiedenisco