So here it is… my first beauty video, my beauty favorites for the month of April. I give a small disclaimer in the beginning that I know my camera isn’t the best quality since I am recording on my iPhone 5C and the lighting isn’t that great either – again I am working on it. Until I know where God is leading this channel, it’s up in the air as to whether or not I’ll keep it going. If there’s anything you would like to see, just let me know and comment below:)! Thanks so much!
This isn’t going to be my typical lengthy blog where I rant and rant… I feel like there’s so many bad days, bad things, bad people, bad pains, just flat out bad crap that can get to us. There’s little things that always make me feel good and make me realize life isn’t so bad (despite all the stuff going on). I’m going to list some things that make me happy, they’re simple, but effective. Feel free to comment below the things that make you happy. Hopefully some of these things will inspire you in some way.
1.) Getting a manicure or pedicure. Changing up the color of your polish can make a girl feel good. I love me some glitter!
2.) Shaving your legs, well shaving everything! lol Release the beast.
3.) Facial, exfoliate and wear a good clay mask that will shrink those pores (my favorite one is the Mint Julep by Queen Helene).
4.) Move around the furniture in your room or house. It makes the space feel new!
5.) Go through all of your clothes, even the undies and toss aside the things you don’t wear anymore. If it’s just sitting there, it can either be gifted or donated. Either way, it gives you an excuse to go out and buy more stuff right? lol
6.) Now go through all of your makeup. You probably have products that have been sitting around foreverrr and they need to be thrown away or re-gift them to a friend. Again, this will give you the excuse to buy more makeup.
7.) Listen to music that brings back memories, so for me that would be anything from middle school to high school. *currently listening to the Mandy Moore station on Pandora*
8.) Wash your makeup brushes. I don’t do this enough, but when I do, I feel so accomplished.
9.) Always try new body washes, I hate having to use the same products over and over again. I need new because it’s exciting. Switch up the scents or brands. Same goes with perfume, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, lotion, body sprays, etc.
10.) A good chick flick. I typically don’t watch these kind of movies because it’s not my thing… but once in awhile when the husband is at work I’ll go in total girl mode and cry my eyes out to something or repeatedly shout “AWWWW!”
11.) Buy new bed sheets. You don’t need to redecorate your whole room, just a simple change of your comforter can set a different mood for your room.
12.) Re-purpose a piece of clothing, if there’s a shirt you don’t wear much, experiment and cut it into something new. YouTube has a ton of tutorials on transforming t-shirts.
13.) Don’t buy new purses, if you’re someone who keeps your old purses, recycle through them. They’ve always felt brand new to me when I re-worn them.
14.) Selfies. Yes, people bash the idea of them… but playing around your camera phone when you feel dolled up isn’t a bad thing. If it’s funny or cute, post it. Think of it as a mini photo-shoot.
15.) Get some sun. Lay out for 15 – 30 minutes with some SPF. I always feel thinner if I have a little color on my skin.
16.) Trim your hair or your bangs. Cutting off those dead ends makes your hair feel and look healthier.
17.) Light a candle.
18.) Wear a piece of jewelry you don’t normally wear. For me that would be a cute toe ring, they make me feel so decorated haha.
19.) Read a good book and finish it. All too often we start books and never finish them. Accomplishment is the best feeling ever and learning a thing or two never hurt either.
20.) And last but not least, my most favorite thing to unwind with and the most simple is… a nice hot shower. There’s nothing more relaxing than to feel clean and to smell good.
Before I start explaining myself, I’ll just re-post my Facebook status from this morning: “I’m not in any way bragging on myself, but my thyroid condition caused me to gain 30 lbs in like 2 years. Since being on medication last year I had dropped 10lbs, since I got my blood tests back I’ve been eating healthier and with some light walking, I’m 8 ounces a way from losing another 10 and its only been 2 months. So as of last year I’ve lost 20lbs. It may not seem like a lot to some people, but it means a lot to me. I’m doing it the slow healthy way, trying to make a lifestyle change and not “diet”. I want this to last and to most importantly make me healthier. I could care less about being skinny, I’ve got a wonderful husband who loves me and The Lord who thinks I’m beautiful no matter what. My worth is not in numbers on a scale or what my pants size is. Praying for humbleness ❤ . Thank you God!!”
If you’ve ever struggled with weight, whether it’s due to a health issue or that’s just always how it’s always been for you, I’ve been on both sides. I grew up always struggling with my weight until I got into high school, then I lost it all. I was by no means “skinny” but I was at my smallest weight and being 5’10 tall helped too. I considered myself average, but my teenage insecure self would pick apart her looks. I look back now and wonder why I was never content with myself. Maybe it’s because when you’re in high school you’re constantly around girls to compare yourself to. Now that I’m married and have the Lord, I loved myself more than ever even at my highest weight. I was content for the most part, that was until it effected my health. Thyroids can already work a wonder on your health, but the weight it brought with it didn’t help either. Two months ago after I got my test results back from my blood work I had that harsh realization that something needed to change.
Losing weight is not just a physical thing, but a mental one as well. It’s not easy. Quite frankly it’s the most difficult thing I’ve ever had to do because I’m having to reprogram my mind to know what’s a healthy portion. I’ve lost almost 10 lbs on my own besides what the medication has already helped with, but I still have a long way to go. I told myself when I lose 25lbs I’m going to purchase my first Coach purse. Then after I lose another 25 I want to get all new clothes and hopefully plan to have children. It’s going to be a process, I didn’t put on the weight overnight and it won’t go away overnight either.
Some of the things I’ve done so far to lose weight:
– Drink only water (it was hard at first but now the desire to have other things is gone)
– If I have a craving, then I’ll eat it or drink it. My doctor said the worst thing you can do is deprive yourself because you’ll resent eating better.
– Walk at least 1-3 days a week for 25 minutes to 30 minutes
– Eating Cheerios for breakfast (the multi-grain is my favorite)
– Eating only whole-wheat or multi-grain bread
– Staying away from fried foods (esp. french fries, fried chicken)
– Trying to not eat things with more than 30% fat calories
– Actually portioning my food
– Eating more fruits and vegetables, especially at buffets
– Take vitamins (which we should all do because in all of our diets, we’re not getting enough vitamins like we should be)
^^ Every little bit helps. I’m sure I’ll be adding to the list over time, I still haven’t given up my mayonnaise lol. That will be a hard one, I’ve tried the reduced fat and it’s sickening to me. Either way, you don’t have to deprive yourself to be healthier. If you put your mind to something and pray about it, you can do it. I definitely give glory to God because I couldn’t do this in my own strength. So thank you Lord!
Here lately I haven’t been buying a whole lot of makeup just because I’ve obtained so much and I actually like a lot of the things I have in my ‘makeup routine’. I know for some girls and even women, the drugstore or your Sephora can be over-whelming. It’s like “Where do I begin!?” Hopefully some of my favorites will inspire you to check some of these products out. I will list the price of everything below and where you can get it.
What? Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque
Cost: $2.99 – $5.00 (Depends where you get it)
Where Can I get it? Drugstore Online, Walgreens, Dollar General, Amazon
I like to use this masque about every two weeks to really cleanse my pores. Masques like this usually break my face out, but this one has been very kind to my skin so far. It’s a mint green clay that is supposed to clear your face of impurities, shrink enlarged pores, dry up acne pimples, and rinse away blackheads. When I first used this, the cooling effect of the clay felt like my face was burning and on fire — but in a good way haha. I find it to be refreshing now that I’m getting use to it. Prepare to look like SheHulk.
——————————————————————–
What? EOS Lip Balm in Sweet Mint
Cost: $3.49
Where can I get it? Walmart, Target, Drugstores, Drugstore Online
I feel like I have this mint theme going on, but I seriously love this lip balm out of all of the flavors EOS has. These balms are 100% natural, 95% organic, and they have shea butter and vitamin E. This has a light-weight formula and the taste is very pleasant, it’s just a tad sweet but nothing overwhelming. I find sweet mint to be very moisturizing and it makes my lips feel so soft. Every since I’ve been using this, I haven’t had to scrub my lips as often with those ‘sugar scrubs’. I have a blog on that by the way if you’d like to check it out. Just click here!!!
——————————————————————-
What? Benefit Erase Paste in Medium
Cost? $26.00
Where do I get it? Sephora, Ulta, Amazon
The flash isn’t doing my pictures much justice, but this is an extremely peachy concealer that can cover dark circles like a dream. The dark circles underneath my eyes are hereditary and this stuff makes them vanish. This has a thick texture so you only need a little to get the job done. I like to pat it underneath my eye with my index or ring finger, then blend the rest of it out by stippling it with my foundation brush. This is on the pricey side, but so worth it! You get just a little over 4 grams of product.
TIP: If you can’t fathom spending that kind of money, Pixi makeup (which is sold at Target stores and online) has an eye brightening concealer in ‘brightening peach’ that is an exact dupe for the erase paste in the color light.
——————————————————————-
What? Milani Baked Blush in Luminoso
Cost: $6.99
Where can I get it? Walmart, Walgreens, Target, Cherry Culture
I love peach blushes, especially to blend in with my contour/bronzer. It makes your face look naturally flushed and glowy. If you’re scared of blush and you’re not one who thinks you can ‘pull it off’, seriously, purchase this as your first blush. It’s natural but very buildable. It has a satin finish meaning it has very finely milled shimmers in it, however it’s very subtle and it will not enlarge your pores like some sparkly blushes can do. It’s silky texture makes it easy to blend and work with.
——————————————————————
What? Urban Decay Smoked Palette – Barlust
Cost: $49.00
Where can I get it? Sephora, Ulta, Urban Decay
Not all brown eye shadows are alike and this one is ahhhmazzzzzing! It has a slight purply-red undertone to it and I love it! It looks gorgeous especially on blue eyes because of the warm undertones in this color. If you have a Sephora or Ulta near by, go swatch this color in the store. Urban Decay is hands down my favorite eye shadows because they’re long-lasting, easy to blend, and extremely pigmented (meaning you do not need to dig your brushes in them). A little goes a long way and the price may take you back a bit, but trust me, you’re buying quality.
I hope you enjoyed this blog! If you have any questions please comment below :]!!
Is it just me or is the YouTube beauty community getting a bit cliché? It seems like anyone with a camera has a beauty channel, granted the number of subscribers are different for each ‘guru’ or ‘beauty lover’. There’s so many opinions out there these days on products and it’s hard to limit it to whom you can trust.
Besides the fact that the guru community is overwhelming by its numbers, so is the fact that 99.9% are sponsored by companies. The sad thing is, most of the girls that have signed up in the last year to start making videos are only looking to get sponsored so they can get free products. Great motive isn’t it? Doesn’t hurt anyone right? Wrong! It hurts the people who watch you who are sincerely looking for beauty advice. They see how successful people can get and think they can do it too by saying “OH-EM-GEEEE” “I LOVE THIS BECAUSE IT’S JUST AWESOME”. (Ahahahaha) The quality of their videos will show for itself that they don’t have a clue, so it’s easy to dismiss their channel all together. On the other hand, there are some popular gurus out there that I’ve stopped watching – simply because they seem so full of it.
Does anyone else think that companies take advantage of these girls and the viewers? They know a majority of the viewers will believe what these girls say so they can sell their products. You can tell too when a company is sending their products out because the girls will all start talking about the company around the same time frame. Just a bit of advice, hold onto your money until the fame dies down. Products will get so much hype and then the true thoughts come out about them after they’ve actually used it for some time. Products will definitely work different from each person to the next, but still. Buying everything that’s new, shiny, sparkly will make you broke lol – PRIORITIES ladies!
If you’re having a hard time finding ladies or gentlemen you can trust, here are my top trustworthy beauty experts (no particular order):
1 – Kandee Johnson: http://www.youtube.com/user/kandeejohnson
Kandee has a bubbly and uplifting personality that will warm your heart. She always makes me smile because she’s always so positive and embraces unique things – whether it’s in a person or her style. She’s also a Christian who loves Jesus, so that makes her a billion times cool! hehe
2 – Marlena MakeupGeekTV: http://www.youtube.com/user/MakeupGeekTV
I can relate to Marlena in so many ways because most of her life she was a ‘bigger girl’. Even though that’s not a struggle for her anymore since she’s lost the weight, a girl’s heart never changes on how she looks at herself. She’s humble and an amazing makeup artist. She gives amazing directions on how to apply makeup.
3 – Wayne gossmakeupartist: http://www.youtube.com/user/gossmakeupartist
Wayne is the most honest person I’ve seen on YouTube, he tells it like it is and I love it! He always makes me laugh when he posts videos about the truth of some products or companies. He is straight to the point and he simplifies makeup to where anyone can understand it and feel confident doing it.
4 – Samantha Schuerman: http://www.youtube.com/user/samanthaschuerman
Samantha is extremely laid back, like the girl next door. What you see is what you get – she’s far from fake. I love her sense of humor because she’s so random. I can’t stand listening to most people ramble on, but I could listen to her for hours lol. I really wish her channel would get more recognition. She does the most amazing eye looks!
5 – Cora vintageortacky: http://www.youtube.com/user/vintageortacky
Cora knows how to rock out makeup, her looks are flawless! I love her edgy style and how she’s not afraid to wear pinks and purples in her hair – it’s who she is. She’s very easy to listen to and she gives great recommendations on products.
6 – Emily Beauty Broadcast: http://www.youtube.com/user/emilynoel83
Emily is by far the most professional guru out there. She can tell you about a product from top to bottom, the girl does her research and doesn’t leave any information out. Even though she has a lot of high-end makeup, she shows the same love to drugstore makeup so she really keeps it affordable for those who are on a budget.
You know how when you have something new, you start noticing it every where?! It’s amazing how little we pay attention to things unless they’re new to our lives. The same thing happened to me when I accepted Christ as my Savior 6 years ago. I thought to myself, “Why did I never think about God before?” It’s amazing how we never ponder on those thoughts and it might be for a reason… God Himself pressing on our hearts at his choosing (after all the Bible talks about election). Those who are saved are the elect of God, even though when we can easily look around at one another and think… “He chose us?! God probably could have done better!” But you know what, He has his reasons. We’re a fallen people and God in His grace chooses to love us any way. How amazing is God’s love?! Forreal.
It’s unlike any other. Imagine yourself treating someone like complete crap, barely talking to this person and when you do it’s only because you want something or you just need to complain. And let’s not forget to add that you’re never appreciative for anything good they’ve done for you. Yet… get this ladies and gentlemen… they still love you!!! They extend grace and forgiveness to you. God is our father, our parent, and like any good parent He’s going to discipline His children and STILL love them when they screw up. Why? Because He knows what we’re capable of. He knew all of the crap we would do in the future YET still He asks us into a relationship with Him. A love like that can only come from God. If you need to be renewed on this fact as a Christian… well there you have it. You can’t add to God’s love and you can’t take away from it either.
It is SO easy to get legalistic in our walks with Jesus and try to make up for our sin by our guilt or by spending an extra 10 minutes in our Bibles. Ephesians 2:8 says, ” For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God” (ESV). When you have Christ in your heart you have been SAVED. Meaning… it’s a done deal! Meaning, you can’t add to that. If you’re already saved how much more can you add to that? Nothing. You can’t. When you try to… it’s like saying God didn’t do enough when Jesus died on the cross. It’s been taken care of. I seriously can’t get this Bible verse out of my head (Eph. 2:8). Read that over and over! John Piper says, “God is most glorified when we are most satisfied in Him.” When we live for God because we love Him… our attitudes about reading our Bibles change. Our hearts will want to do good. It opens the door for the Holy Spirit to consume you completely – thoughts, actions, spoken words.
His love alone is all you need. It’s compelling. It’s life changing. It’s soul saving. It’s a relationship. It’s a peace you won’t get from anywhere else. It’s a purpose far beyond yourself.
——————————————
Hard Candy Fox in a Box (blush): Smooth Talker
Price: $6.00
Where to buy? Walmart ; Amazon
Isn’t the packaging for this blush chic and kind of sexy? It is designed to look like lace… ooo la la! Haha :]! If you’re familiar with Benefit cosmetics, you will notice that the packaging for their blushes are very similar. The only difference is that Hard Candy is 1/5 the price. I love how rich the formula is for this blush, it is very silky feeling and applies very beautifully and easily to the skin. This is one of those blushes that will look good on all skin types, so whether you’re really fair or dark, this blush will look amazing on you! I might add though that if you have darker skin, this might show up as more of a highlight.
[Haha… pardon the mess this was neat once upon a time!]
[For application: I use the Sonia Kashuk blush brush or the Sigma F40 Large Angeled Contour brush]
Tips for this product: Ditch the brush that comes with it, it’s not very good quality. When you first open the packaging, the lid will not close all of the way, but that’s an easy fix. All you have to do is lay the product face down in a drawer or on your dresser for a few good hours and wa-la! Problem solved.
I love this because….
(Without flash)
——————————————
(With Flash)
Stud earrings are one of those items, like bobby pins, that are easy to misplace. I use to throw mine in a little jewelry box drawer and would spend minutes just to find a matching pair. No matter the ribbon size, get inspired and organize your earrings. I’m going to thumbtack mine to the wall when I’m done. I hope this gets your creative juices flowing, Lord knows jewelry holders are expensiveee!
Note – if you have a lot of earrings, this may take a while… but it’s SO worth it. Color coordinate or go by diamonds, plastic, shape, or just be random!
Sometimes we wonder what God’s will is for our life, thinking it needs to be different for each person… so we wait in prayer to see what He says. We try to make loopholes around loving and forgiving others. If God calls us to do something, he doesn’t say “Well think about this for a while THEN if you feel like loving, forgiving, or working on that relationship… you can.” No, He tells us what love is and how to love. It may hurt and it may be difficult, but if we try to escape the pains of one relationship… you’ll only find a different pain in another.
A lot of us say… Well I can’t forgive them for what they’ve done or I can’t do this or that. That’s okay. Yeah, you probably can’t and God doesn’t expect you to. When you are unable He is ABLE. When you walk with the Holy Spirit and ask for what’s according to His will then He will give you the capability to love, forgive, and have joy once again. If faith can move mountains, then why can’t it take the bitterness out our hearts and lives? Do we truly trust in God that “we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength”?
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”
^^ This is true love. A love that Christ demonstrated for us, so with the Holy Spirit (His strength) we can love others like this. You can be as religious as you want, but if you have not love… you gain nothing.
1 Corinthians 13:1-3
“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.”
Working for your relationships with people isn’t easy, anytime you fight for something it takes hard work and tears. God doesn’t ask us to forgive others so we can be ‘good people’, He does it so we’ll have freedom. He gives us grace every day even though we’re sinful and yet we, being extremely FLAWED, act prideful as if we can’t forgive some people. Jesus always gave parables about people like this and a lot of fall under this category than we realize.
Matthew 18:21-35
The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant
Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.
“Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.
“The servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.
“But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.
“His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’
“But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened.
“Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.
“This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.”
I have been nominated by Kimberly Ann for the One Lovely Blog Award. Thanks beautiful girl, this is such a sweet little privilege :]. If you want to check out her blog, then go HERE <3.
So the rules of the awards are to:
1. Thank the person who nominated you.
– I think this makes my 3rd thank you LOL but thank you so much for thinking of me :]! You seem like such a sweet girl.
2. Name 7 things about myself that you don’t already know.
(1) I graduated with my AA in Paralegal Studies in 2010, but I longer desire to be in that career. Makeup and Jesus Christ are my life!
(2) I’m OCD about cleaning.
(3) I have 2 cats that like to fetch bottle caps.
(4) I think about starting a YouTube beauty channel one day.
(5) I can’t bake, for the life of me.
(6) I love candles.
(7) I’m afraid of the dark.
3. Nominate 5 blogs that I love.
– Missions Blog (Nicki)
– Beauty Blog (Kimberly Ann)
– Daily life/baby Blog (Hollie)
– God/Inspirational Blog (Kim)
– Life Blog (Elizabeth)
4. Let each person know you nominated them for the award!
Doing this right now ;]!
makeup3130 