Science + Makeup = Yes, please!

Happy Monday!  Day of opportunities, day of begrudging the end of the weekend, day of the start of plans, and day of change!

Have y'all heard of makeup that adjust to your skin's pH?  Most of these products claim to transform into a color that is the most optimal for your skin.  But.... based on how pH works, it just changes to your pH level and could look anywhere from blah to glamorous.

I have tried 3 products that are in this group and absolutely love all of them!

Tarte Skintuitive Lip Tint in Energy 

This lip gloss is minty and absolutely gorgeous! (Or is that just my pH that's gorgeous? :) ) The transparent pink transforms into pink berry color on lips that stains like you've just eaten red fruits.  It is reminiscent of the original Revlon Just Bitten sticks, but the color is so unique that I haven't found it in any other tube!

Tarte Skintuitive Cheek Stain in Energy

This cheeky product (see what I did there? ;) ) is similar to the lip tint.  I actually tried the lip tint on my cheeks and got the same result as this little blush!  It's nice that the packaging is bigger so you can just swipe it on your cheeks and blend in!  It is so easy to blend in with your fingers!  It is extremely pigmented, however, and can easily make you look like you are actually blushing from something embarrassing happening - so you may want to try it out on your hand the first time!  I can see this working superbly well with a stippling brush, but honestly, it is so easy to blend that I usually just use my fingers!

Physician's Formula PH Matchmaker

First of all... this packaging!  Yes, and there's a mirror with a built in light that you can turn on!  Talk about glamour!  But most importantly, this blush is just fabulously gorgeous!  Now I love cool toned, berry shades, so keep that in mind.  This blush will not give you a coral color if that's what you're looking for.  I love that this blush is pigmented and buildable.  Plus, as natural as it looks, it does look like a smooth pop of color - not like you are actually blushing.

Toodle pip!

You are your own Hercules

Hey y'all!  I love the words of this song ... the words and the music!  Happy Thursday!

"There's a hero

If you look inside your heart

You don't have to be afraid

Of what you are

There's an answer

If you reach into your soul

And the sorrow that you know

Will melt away

And then a hero comes along

With the strength to carry on

And you cast your fears aside

And you know you can survive

So when you feel like hope is gone

Look inside you and be strong

And you'll finally see the truth

That a hero lies in you"

Score or Bore?

Hey y'all!  Now I must preface this with the fact that I absolutely adore Physician's Formula as a whole.  I have tried so many of their products and there has only been one that I didn't completely fall in love with!

Nevertheles... the following product was such a dud!

It looks so promising in the package:

It entices with a splendid mixture of varied tones of pink.  It should be a beautiful natural blush with the balance that a Laura Geller balance-n-brighten foundation offers.  As a bonus, the package is deliriously feminine and gorgeous!

On my super pale skin, this blush barely shows up!  Don't be fooled by the glitter writing on it - it is an overspray that quickly erases.  The colors underneath look like a pale, pale, barely pigmented pink.  It is reminiscent of a color-correcting powder (you know, the ones that contain blue, green, yellow, and pink to counteract any discoloration?), but instead of color correcting, it just looks white with a hint of pink.  The pink doesn't even come through on my skin.  On many applications, it looks slightly pink, but more white than anything else.  Bummer!  I worry what this looks like on medium or dark tones.  Certainly such a pale blush is too light for medium tones, but it should be perfect for pale girls.

The Ruling? It's a bore :(

"It's the perfect time of day...

...to throw all your cares away"

I wanted to share with you some gems I sewed up today!  They just make me smile!
First is a headband with lace that looks like a crown - for days when you want to look like a queen in a demure way!  But obviously still stating that you are royalty and fully self-important.  Hmm, lace and pink satin... makes me so happy! 

And then of course I had to make one for more quiet days when you must hide your royalty - when all you want to do is walk through the street market and fall in love with a boy...

These are so easy to make: the second is just a tube sewed up together and flipped inside out!  The lace is from a canopy my husband and I sewed for our wedding :) Now that's reminiscent of falling in love with a boy....

Eyeshadows!

Hi. y'all!  So.... as a near 30 year old, I only started using eyeshadow this year.  I wasn't against it, I just wasn't into it, ya know?  And what I find now is that eyeshadow is so fun to play with!

If, for some reason, you too have been hiding under a rock the last few years or are just ready to play with some cool eyeshadow colors, read on, my friend!

I wanted to share with you a few looks that are ridiculously easy.  I mean, when I started learning about eyeshadows, I kept wondering where this "crease" thing was.  So, here's a look to try with one shade!  I used a deep sparkly purple.

Take your shadow and "pat" it on with a brush (a dense, non-puffy one is best as it can pack on pigment without splattering it everywhere!) on your eyelid from your lashes to the "crease."  The crease is where your eyes fold in the socket - if you push with your fingers, it's between the top of your eyeball and your brow bone.  Next, use a small, precise brush to line the outer part of your bottom line.  Yep, go ahead and smooth it out on the bottom!  Try some mascara on both your top and bottom lashes!  This look works great with deep colors like browns, taupes, and dark purples.  But try it with a light color and see how it makes your eyes pop!

Hint: try smoothing a little eye primer on your lid before you start.  If you don't have any eye primer, try some concealer or face primer.

On a 2-D person, it looks like this:

On a 3-D person, it looks like this: 

Me, personally I like the 3-D person.... but ya know, I'm a little bit biased towards her!

Have fun with your colors!  Makeup, if nothing else, is about fun!

Yesterday was National Grump Day

... but I missed it because I was busy being grumpy.

Have you seen the movie, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days?

Here are some of my how to's:

How to.... be super productive

1. Write a list of everything that needs to be done.  Prioritize 5 things that need to be done today.
2. Keep a notepad next to you.  As you think of some other little thing to do, or need space for doodles, write them down and get back to work.
3. Track your hours: knock out 1 big thing and 2-3 little things.  Then take a 5 minute break to stretch, walk around, and get some water.
4. If you're working on the computer, look away after 20 minutes of working; meanwhile, stretch your neck to the side and back.
5. Have a relaxing prize in mind.  Whether it's a clean desk, a bath, a cup of tea, an item you wanted to buy, or an outing with a friend - make sure you have something to look forward to.  Here's the cinch: you get it no matter how today goes.  So, if you have a busy day only to have your boss change their mind and make tomorrow another stressful day, you still get that bath ;)

How to.... be grumpy

1. Enjoy cute grumpy and frumpy cartoon such as Maxine.  Decorate your desk with with these calendars.
2. Post pictures of un-smiling animals whilst everyone is posting pictures of cute and smiling pets.  Share a grumpy cat photo, a frowning alligator,  an apathetic dog.  If you are not feeling particularly creative, visit http://www.grumpycats.com/ for inspiration.
3. Wear loose clothing - think yoga pants, scarves, and hoodies, and refuse to do anything reasonable, proclaiming that today is a grumpy day.
4. Try not to smile or laugh.  It's a quick way to end the grumpy day.  Be wary of those who try to cheer you up, particularly those close to you - they know how to get to you.
5. Make lists of things that make you grumpy.  Leaf blowers, bugs, sad people, the cold....

How to.... survive a period (for women)
1. Drink lots of water.  Yep!  Despite the bloating, drink lots of water to keep your body clean on the inside.  Anytime you feel a swell of emotion of pain, drink some more.
2. Accept that you may be a little off... whatever "little" means to you.  Take care of your emotional self at this point.
3. Try deep breathing.  I don't mean sit and focus on the pain for hours... I mean, take a few deep breaths in between what you are doing.
4. Stretch!  Don't feel compelled to do heavy aerobics, but do make sure to stretch your back, torso, legs, and feet.
5. Calorie count.  Wait what??? Yep... that's what I said.  Make sure you try to eat healthy during this time as you'll need those nutrients.  If you do eat unhealthily (hey it happens) make sure your calorie count isn't soaring through the roof.  Those calories will stay with you after this time is gone.

How to.... survive a period (for married men)
1. Offer to bring your wife things.  Chocolate, advil, heating pads...
2. Bring your wife things without asking... don't know what? Chocolate, tea, something pretty are always safe bets.
3. Escape the insanity!  Make sure you leave and hang out with friends or family, cause hey, you need to take care of your mental health too.
4. Make sure you don't get too sympathetic: don't develop a sympathetic period.  Remind yourself that your body is not hormonal and craving extra calories and tears.
5. Watch movies and cozy up together.

How to.... have a snow day
1. Pick out favorite movies and make popcorn.
2. Grab the warmest blankets and make a fort of them on a bed or couch.  Bonus points if you are near a fireplace.
3. Go play outside (even if you're an adult... maybe particularly if you're an adult) until you are exhausted.   Come inside, change into your most wintry themed pjs, and have some hot chocolate while cozy-ing in your blanket fort.
4. Take a nap!
5. Go to bed early or stay up really late - have a sleepover and talk late into the night or watch movie after movie.

How to.... make quick and affecting changes in your life
1. Get your hair styled or cut or colored
2. Put up a picture near your desk or some place that you spend a lot of time
3. If you're a girl: get a makeover or a manicure that's different that usual
4. Buy yourself a new work bag.  Make sure it's something that makes you giddy happy as well as being practical.  (Are you a sucker for pockets?  Does that thing have 23? Score!) 
5. Change when you go to bed.  Yep!  Go to bed earlier.... try super early and see how that goes.

Change

I've been thinking recently about change and how we purposefully affect our daily routines.  Sometimes it's a matter of changing a habit, sometimes you see the goal ahead of you.  Flossing more.... and you see yourself with healthy gums at your next dentist appointment.

Sometimes you don't see the goal.  You just know you're moving in a good direction.

Whether it's working out, eating healthy, quitting a habit, being fearless in trying new things...

the key is to take one small step at a time.  Yes, I know, we've all heard this before.  We can't turn into marathoners over night if we've never stepped into a pair of sneakers.  But here's my secret:

Reward yourself & celebrate small steps!

You can call them "small" all you want, but in reality (IRL as they say), they are big huge steps!  When a child learns to crawl, that is a big step!  It only seems little when compared to the idea of the child walking.  Some motivational ideas revolve around the fact that if you work hard enough, you can become the person you want to be...you can be the marathoner.  Along with this, though, I think it's important to remember that it not only matters where you're going but how far you've gone.  A day of ten minutes of walking is still a success if you've never worked out in your life.  

The amazing thing is that we can have many goals, and once one goal is finished - once you start running marathons! - "you get to go find a new dream."

Too corny for you?

I think of Kate Winslet in The Holiday:

"I like corny.  I'm looking for corny in my life."

How to Defy Winter

If there was the equivalent of a rain dance to stop winter in its tracks, I would be up to try it. Magic? Voodoo? Let's just stop the cold from coming!

If you, like me, are a warm-weathered gal that brings out the heavy socks when it drops below 70, let's unite to stop winter!

Here's my plan:

1. Wear bright nail colors and bright lip colors.  Don't care what burgundy hues are in, my fingers need a little bright coming their way so they remember that they will eventually defrost.

2. Keep wearing summer dresses.  Ok, ok, with boots, tights, and sweaters.... but still, they are summer dresses!

3. Bring out brightly colored blankets!  Because, hey, if the heavy duty blankets must be pulled out, let's make sure they are not drab and wintery-sad-looking.

4. Eat those fruits and veggies!  And pretend they're smoothies and summer fruits even though they may look like chili and heavy duty soups.

5. Exercise!  Maybe inside, so you don't have to rehash the whole "face burning when I barely open the door" scenario because it's so cold outside.  Let's limit outing to work and errands.  Plus, working out make your body feel good and you can pretend that you're getting into bikini shape.

6. Speaking of bikini shapes, there's no reason to stop wearing coconut scents and sparkles on your face!  Am I right or am I right?  Note: if you see and elderly woman walking around with sparkly earrings, nails, lips, and cheeks in 50 years, come say hi! You're never too old to sparkle.

7. Bring out the rugs!  They serve a dual purpose: 1. prevent cold feet and 2. add color to a drab and dreary winter world.

8. Share the hugs!  Like we need another reason to cuddle and hug the people we love!  Winter is a great time to cozy up and watch movies!

Are you with me?