Friday Favorites June 30th

Konjac sponge. For months I’ve been dying to try a Konjac sponge, but kept passing it up because of the $18 price tag. I purchased one on Amazon for $5.94. The sponge is very rough when dry, but as soon as you get it wet and lather some face cleanser in there it is amazing! Normally I wash my face with my clairsonic when I want to exfoliate. If I opt for a wash rag or some other cloth my face gets irritated from daily washing. This sponge is really gentle, removes all the traces of make up that my make up remove leaves behind, and leaves my skin feeling soft. The sponge lasts about 2-3 months.

Urban Decay’s Virgin Eye Shadow This shadow is one that is included in the original Naked palette. I’ve used it so much that I hit the pan! It is similar to MAC’s Shroom shadow. I prefer this Urban Decay shadow over MAC because the product is a little more powdery and soft. $18 is pricey for one shadow, but I have not been able to find a drug store color that is similar and the same consistency.

Real Techniques Sculpting Set. Another set of affordable makeup brushes to add to the collection. Real techniques brushes are reasonably priced and decent quality. I purchased this set on Amazon for $10.94.

Blender sponge holder. I use my beauty blender the same way every day. I wet it and blend my concealer into my foundation. After I was finished, I set the blender on vanity and continued on with my make up routine. The blender always rolled around smudging makeup all over the vanity. This little holder keeps the vanity clean and my blender in one place. Plus, it is only $7.99.

AELEC Bluetooth Headphones. For $20, these Bluetooth headphones are a worthwhile investment. They are comfortable, cancel out noise, and produce a decent sound. My only compliant is that there is a lot of static and skipping when they are worn around other people who are using bluetooth headphones. Otherwise, a great deal for the price!

Friday Favorites July 3

EcoTools Konjac Pure Complexion Sponge – For months I’ve been dying to try a Konjac sponge, but kept passing it up because of the $18 price tag. Last week at Target I saw this one for $4.79 and thought I’d give it a try. The sponge is very rough when dry, but as soon as you get it wet and lather some face cleanser in there it is amazing! Normally I wash my face with my clairsonic when I want to exfoliate. If I opt for a wash rag or some other cloth my face gets irritated from daily washing. This sponge is really gentle, removes all the traces of make up that my make up remove leaves behind, and leaves my skin feeling soft. Apparently the sponges are said to last 1-3 months.

Garnier Beach Chic – I picked this up at CVS Pharmacy for roughly $5. I’ve always been a fan of Garnier’s beach texture products. In the summer months the humidity reeks havoc on my hair so adding a few spritz’s of this helps maintain some kind of style. It does not weight your hair down because it is very light. This is not typical hair spray so do not expect it to hold a style all day. The smell is also pretty pleasant.

MAC Prep + Prime Fix+ –  This can be purchased from MAC for $22. This is something useful in the summer time. If kept in the fridge, you can spritz some on your face as a refresher. It’s a great product, but you can find something that does the same thing for much cheaper. Check out this product by Evian for $12.

Sugar Lip Treatment with Sunscreen – I received this lip treatment as a sample. Although, it is a bit costly at $22.50, the product is worth every penny. My lips are chronically dry regardless of the season. I apply this first thing in the morning before my makeup and my lips stay moisturized throughout the day. Usually I apply the un-tinted color underneath lip-glosses for extra SPF. Of course you can find a similar product that is much cheaper, but I have yet to find a replacement that continues to moisturize my lips hours later.

Also, do NOT forget about this beauty launching on Wednesday July 8th!

How to Establish Mental Freedom

As the 4th of July approaches here in the United States we celebrate our freedom and independence as a country. Yet, all of us know that this Holiday means so much more then that. Besides the patriotic aspect, I also look at the celebration of freedom on more of a personal level.For myself, feeling mentally “free” is an on-going battle. I stress out way too much over things I have little or no control over. I worry about things that haven’t happened yet or may not even happen at all and I dwell on the the past. I’ve spent countless nights awake in bed wondering why I didn’t do or say something differently. As an intelligent logical person I know how this is a waste of precious time, but logic kind of goes out the window sometimes.

For a long time I felt that I could only feel “free” if I fixed certain things about myself or my life. The truth is the only thing that was holding me back from feeling “free” was myself. It took me 32 years to come to this realization and to be honest there are days when I have to remind myself I am in control of myself.

One of the most “freeing” things you can do immediately is to stop taking things personally. Falling victim to others negativity and criticism takes up a large amount of energy. Doing this is easier said then done, but it is truly liberating.

Another helpful tip- accept things for what they are. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, “it is what it is.” Just accept it. Don’t belly ache over what something should/could/would have been. Move on.

If there are people in your life who are just weighing you down with their drama and negativity, it is time to cut them loose. It’s unfortunate, but sometimes friends and even family can be toxic. Don’t allow yourself to be victimized by these emotional vampires. There are so many loving, loyal, and accepting people out there.

Finally, practice forgiveness. When we forgive someone we release any of the power that we have over us. Forgiveness is not about saying whatever happened was “okay” it is more about just letting it go.

Happy Independence Day to all!

 

 

Stop feeling badly about yourself

Lately I have not felt like myself, and have not had much motivation to blog. Right now I’m in one of those ruts where it’s very difficult to motivate myself to do anything, especially school work. I’m burned out.

Art school is demanding. No matter how creative you are or how much you love art, you’ll reach a point that you will feel like you’ve been sucked dry of imagination. It’s not that it is hard, but you’ve crossed the line between something you used to do for enjoyment to something you are now doing to make money. Then there is the criticism that makes my eyes roll so far back into my head. It’s not that I can’t handle constructive criticism. I feel it is necessary in life so that we can grow as people. Yet, I do not believe we should change who we are to meet the approval of others nor should we change our artwork to suit the likes of others. There have been several times I’ve had to scrap projects and do them all over again just to meet the satisfaction of a Professor even though I put a lot of effort into my project. Art is subjective, or so I thought. So I began to question myself and if I am doing the right thing. Is my artwork good enough to not be bad, but not good enough to be great? Then my confidence goes out the window and I start doing things the way other people want them rather then what I want to do.

Then comes the peer comparisons. There will always be people who are better at something then you are. As an Artist you must acknowledge and accept this from the beginning. Comparing yourself to others is discouraging. Competing with others is unproductive.  Being pretentious and full of yourself is ignorant. Admitting that you make mistakes, learning from them, and continuously working to improve yourself is honorable.

In times of frustration it is important to remember this.

Review Too Faced Country Nashville Nudes Eye Shadow Collection

After months of wanting to get my hands on the Too Faced Nashville Nudes palette, my Husband purchased it for me as an Easter present. The colors are light and very feminine. As with any Too Faced palette, it does not disappoint! The quality and pigment of colors is excellent. My only complaint is that all of the colors are shimmery. During the work day I prefer not to look sparkly and usually pair a matte shadow with a shimmery one to balance it out. Regardless, this palette is one of my new favorites!