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!
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.
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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!!!
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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)
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(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!
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 ;]!
There’s only one thing you need in this world to keep your fire for God, it’s not a camp revival and it’s not the devotion that sits on your night stand. The only thing you need is Jesus. A lot of us attain our worth from our works… what we’re doing to further the kingdom of God. Works are good, don’t get me wrong… I think more people need to step up and proclaim the name of Jesus Christ… but there’s something missing. Something we overlook. Once you’re saved, the only thing that God sees is perfection because He doesn’t see you and your works, He sees His Son. We forget that Jesus is the only one who gives us right standing before God, not us. Not by how often we attend church. Not by how often we pray. When we get solely focused on our works and our performance, self-righteousness and pride tend to creep in and instead of the glory going to God, it goes to… us.
If we don’t ask God to break us often and learn how by His grace to humble ourselves, then we’re going to become complacent Christians who constantly lose that “fire”. The youth from our church just got back from camp last week and they were so excited for God and they will be… for a few weeks, unfortunately. The only thing that kept going through my mind was the Bible study lessons my sister had taught to our college group, on the “Gospel Centered Life”. We don’t realize how often we shrink the cross that Jesus died on. We think we’re responsible for keeping that fire lit. Wrong. When we start trying to do things on our own, we will get burnt out . Especially when you’re doing really good at living for Jesus and then all of a sudden you sin. All encouragement goes out the window.
I have been there… we all have. It’s learning how to get over and through this process so we can actually grow in Him. This will be a concept learned that we’ll constantly forget about until Christ pounds it in our heads. I had to recently step down from my pride when I realized “I will sin for the rest of me life.” Why does that amaze me so much? Whom am I to compare myself to the only perfect person that ever lived, Jesus? I’m in need of His grace, every single day. If I was perfect, I wouldn’t need it. I should be able to rejoice in the mess that I am because it constantly points back to the Creator. I. Can’t. Do. It. On. My. Own. I love this quote by Joyce Meyer and I think it fits perfectly into this blog, “God knows the mess we’re in when He calls us. His light shines greater through “cracked pots” than it does through those who have it all together.” – Joyce Meyer. Embrace being broken.
When we learn to get the focus off ourselves and more on the Savior, the Lord will give us His desires and His cares. He will break our hearts for what breaks His. It’s so easy in this life to lose focus of the cross. I just want to make you realize but also encourage you that YES – You will sin for the rest of your life, you’re not perfect. NO – That does not give you the right to abuse God’s grace. What this should do is encourage you to seek God daily, ask Him to change your heart, not your sin. A lot of us think, “Well I did this when I accepted Jesus into my heart and asked Him to change me.” NO – There’s a process called sanctification, it means we’re constantly having the Holy Spirit move on our hearts, convict us, teach us, change us.
Learning about God and forgetting it later in life is something we’re prone to do. All we need to do is rest in His love. That means be alone with Jesus. Worship Him. Be comforted by His promises and trusting that if you’re going through a really crappy time in your life, He will deliver you and you will be given a new strength. It’s also resting in the fact that you have no control and that’s OKAY. You never had control to begin with, so learn to have peace with that. I’ve been loving listening to music here lately, especially a good worship song.
I challenge you to start off your day with going into your room, shutting the door, turning on a worship song and just praise Jesus. Right. There. The cries of our heart will always leave us face floor to the ground in awe of His mercy. I just need Jesus and so do you. I woke up this morning… not even sad, but I went to my room, turned on a song and just wept before my Savior. I realized the other day that “I’m doing well with God” and that scared me. Why? Because I know I’ll get complacent if He doesn’t break my heart and put it for His mission.
Things to live by (not in a particular order):
1 – Be humble, your goodness only comes from God.
2 – Realize you’re always going to sin, but knowing you’re always in need of His grace.
3 – Jesus + Nothing = everything. Not Jesus + Works.
4 – God is most glorified when we are most satisfied in Him. ENJOY Him, don’t see Him as a list you can check off.
5 – Ask God to change your heart, not your sin. The root of our sin is in our heart.
6 – Listen to a worship song every day, especially when you’re about to go off the edge of this life…
7 – Love others – It takes the focus off yourself and more on God’s mission. The greatest commandment is love.
8 – Be renewed: Read your Bible and put on the armor of God (This is still something I’m struggling with.)
Worship songs that I LOVE – I will link YouTube videos of them with the lyrics:
“You revive me” by Christy Nockels
“Lord I need you” by Chris Tomlin
“The Stand” by Hillsong United
“Waiting Here for You” by Christy Nockels
“From the Inside Out” by Hillsong United
“Lead Me to the Cross” by Hillsong United
Dry lips, we all get them, but what do we do about them? The most common reasons for getting dry lips are due to: colder weather, licking your lips, or maybe your skin is just naturally drying. Lip balms just don’t cut it on their own. The same concept applies to when we try to get a softer/smoother face – we need to exfoliate our skin. Putting a bunch of moisturizer on a pile of dead skin won’t do anything – we have to get rid of it.
Lip scrubs can be rather pricey and can contain some extra ingredients you don’t need. So why not go for a DO-IT-YOURSELF all natural method at home? I have timed myself doing this and it only takes about 30 seconds from start to finish: scrubbing, rinsing, and applying lip balm.
Sugar is a natural exfoliant that we tend to overlook because we assume it will be a gooey mess that will just melt in water. WRONG! Sugar will keep its natural texture in liquids and oils if the right amount is added.
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I’m not good at measuring, so here’s the amount of sugar I use. Remember, you don’t need much – your lips are a small feature. A pinch of sugar in a small spoon should do the trick!
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Step 1: Dab warm water on your lips with your index finger
Step 2: With the same finger touch the sugar and start rubbing your lips in gentle circular motions for about 15 seconds
Step 3: Rinse until sugar is completely off
Step 4: Moisturize your lips with your favorite lip balm
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The end result is amazing, my lips look so much more supple!
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I clearly made a mess with my cap, but use any lip balm you own to keep your lips moisturized after scrubbing them. In this picture I used Maybelline Baby Lips in Peach Kiss.
If you want to be fancy you could add a drop of honey to your scrub, it smells amazing! Your lips will taste amazing too, so eat if desired! Haha :].
I have to laugh at this definition because when people think of a dupe product, they assume it’s a product’s twin sister (both look the same but have different names). Well, mine is just is a ‘sister’ or ‘first cousin’ haha – bottom line, the products have similarities… so that’s dupe enough for me.
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(Similarities: They are opaque, meaning they have good coverage and you can’t see your natural lip color (skin). The color payoff is amazing, esp. for girls with really pigmented lips. They’re creamy, not drying.)
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(Difference: Myth is a tad lighter while Pink Suga has more of a peach tone.)
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MAC lipstick in Myth
Price: $14.50
Where to buy? MAC Store ; Macy’s
This is my favorite nude lipstick in the entire world, nude lipsticks are all I wear because my lips are so pigmented (which you’ll see in my next blog… on lip scrubs). A tube of this will last you a long time since you don’t need much product to get that perfect nude lip. Mine has lasted me a year, but I recently purchased a new one for my birthday.
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Wet n Wild lipstick in Pink Suga
Price: $2.99
Where to buy? Any drugstore
I love the name for this lipstick! Doesn’t it make you want to sing “Suga suga how you get so fly” by Baby Bash? Man that’s old school! Besides the cool name, do you see the price for this?! If you can’t afford MAC or hate the thought of spending $14.50 on a lipstick, this is a must have nude lipstick. It’s hard to find a nude lipstick opaque enough to actually give my lips coverage, esp. at a drugstore. I love drugstore makeup, but that’s one area they had been lacking. I’ve tried all of the nude Revlon lipsticks and I wasn’t that impressed, plus they’re around $6-$7 and are extremely drying.
makeup3130 