Let’s Talk…Hair and Makeup

Well hello Monday morning, you sure came fast! 😉

I’m excited because the next time we “talk” it’s all about summer…BRING IT ON! I am so ready for the days full of nothing but beautiful vitamin D and hanging out with my girlfriends.

But in the meantime, today we’re linking up with Andrea and Erika to talk all things beauty related. I’m such a fan of reading about and learning tips and tricks that work for other people.

Let’s talk hair and make-up!

First up…hair.

Now I’ll be the first to tell you beauty is not super high on my radar. It does not get me all kinds of excited. For some people, this is what they love. Me? I like to spend AS LITTLE time as possible on hair, make-up, etc. It’s just me.

I get my hair done twice a year….yup. I’m telling you, I am ridiculously low maintenance when it comes to beauty. Usually when I can start to notice that it’s looking dry and dull then I figure it’s time to do something about it. That time is about now by the way 😉

About a year ago at the end of May 2015 we talked about our favorite hair products.

Most of it has stayed the same, but some has changed. I really like how Shay does the number system with these posts because it’s so much easier to follow, so I’m using her idea 🙂

#1: Prescription Shampoo. There’s really nothing to talk about here, so we’ll just move on. I still have to use prescription shampoo because…i’m balding 😉

#2: Pureology Conditioner. This conditioner smells so darn good! Truth: I showered before Church one Wednesday night and 2 separate girls came up to me at different times and said “Omg, what do you put on your hair it smells great!”

#3: TreSemme Dry Shampoo. I mean…we all have some, right? I’ve tried the whole baby powder ordeal, but I don’t think it helped and then I smelled like a baby’s butt the rest of the day. I love this product.

#4: Tigi Catwalk Hairspray. This is my favorite hairspray. I have had it for I don’t know how many years now (although I don’t use it every day) but it lasts me such a long time.

#5. Deva Styling Cream. I used up all of my hair protectant, so I had my mom scope out a new one for me and the sales associate sold her this one. So far, it works. It’s more of a gel/cream instead of a spray so I am having to get use to that. But it smells good…do you see a running theme now?

#6: Rogaine. Yeah remember when I mentioned balding? I need to start using this stuff again. But if you get rogaine, get it for men! The women/men thing is just an advertising scam!

#7: Moroccan Oil. Honestly, I have no clue what this product really does. I put it on my hair for the smell and also because I feel like it’s suppose to liven it up and shine my hair.

#8: Styling Tools.

My straightener has been with me since my high school days. I will use this thing until it dies on me. I love the GVP brand. I’m not a fan of Chi or any of the other ones…plus this one is cheaper! I’ve also found that this one doesn’t catch my hair on the sides. I’ve used straighteners before that have done that and pulled my hair.

I also use a wand that we got a kiosk in the mall when I want to put some curls in. It’s so easy to use, quick, and does the job. I’m also planning to keep this bad boy until it dies on me too.

#9: Brushes. I have my normal ol’ brush and my wet brush. You need the wet brush especially this coming summer. I always use it when I get out of the shower because it’s so much more gentle on my hair! If you have a sensitive head, it’s a must.

Now…make-up!

I wish I could be all fancy, creative, and artistic with make-up like some people. But I just choose not to spend the time after 15 minutes i’m done (if it takes that long). I’ll be honest and say that many times I don’t even wear make-up unless I have to. And if I do it’s super simple like this…

I always do mascara and eyeliner, but rarely any eye shadow. It takes too long 😉 I just use whatever mascara my mom has in her drawer that hasn’t been opened because that stuff gets EXPENSIVE and #poorcollegestudent.

Tip: I have dark features, so I get black mascara and not the “very black” otherwise I look scary with spider eyes.

I LOVE MY URBAN DECAY PENCIL. And so did my sister when she stole mine and had to buy me another.

Tip: Purple eyeliner makes green eyes pop friends! Read this article 🙂

I use the black liner when I want to do it on the bottom lid…and my purple liner when I’m putting it on my top eyelid.  (most of the time)

My face takes little time as well.

FIRST, I apply two different types of primer on my face (#1 and #2). The green is for redness which I had a lot of from acne.

Tip: I was told that this is better for your skin (especially if it’s dry) to make it not look so caked on. Also then your foundation doesn’t set into your skin.

THEN, while it dries I start to do mascara. Once I do a coat of mascara, i’ll use brush #3 to apply foundation #4 (in the summer months) or tinted moisturizer #5 (in the winter months). Yes I realize that’s a little backwards but that’s how my colors worked out.

Tip: I keep a summer foundation and a winter foundation because I’m always darker in the summer as most of us are.

FINALLY after I finish that process, I complete my eye make-up to let my face dry. Then I will use brush #6 to put bronzer #7 on my cheeks for some color. HOMEGIRL IS PALE. And then on top of that I put blush #8. Done and done.

Voila! Fool proof I tell ya!

Since this was a lot of information for one post, i’ll talk about other beauty products another time.

And just in case you want other “Let’s Talk” topics, I posted about:

Moms
Guys (I took a blog break)
New Years

Let’s Talk…Moms

So I was going through my blog on Friday afternoon and realized that I completely forgot my post for Friday Favorites. What the heck??? Sorry about that. My post will just have to wait until this Friday…think: Gluten Free Products!

Today’s let’s talk link-up with Andrea and Erika is all about moms. And while i’m not a mom just yet, I thought i’d share with you two great moms that I know….starting with my mom. Even though the topic of this post is moms and that’s what i’m sticking to, a lot of what I say goes to my dad too. I’ve been blessed with the parents I got.

I know just about every girl says this, but my mom is truly my best friend. In every aspect of the title. She’s the first person I call when I have a good day and she’s the first person I call when I have a bad day. She defends me, she helps me, she supports me, she’s my biggest cheerleader, and she’s a huge comfort to me. I think the best way to describe her would be calling her my safety blanket.

My mom is the one who got me through my hard times at Oklahoma (like this day pictured below when we moved my things out). When I say I don’t know where I would be without her, I mean that with everything in me. I was spiraling fast down a long and dreaded path when she stepped in and helped me.

But when I was younger, we were not close at all. In fact, we could go days without speaking to one another. We butted heads far too often and were constantly in battle with one another. It wasn’t until my high school break-up senior year that we became close. I realized then how I could confide in her and how she would do anything for me. She would stay up until 3:00AM talking with me when I couldn’t sleep and she would sleep in my bed with me when I just needed her there.

Mom and I kind of have our own language. We think a lot of the same things, say a lot of the same things, and do a lot of the same things. My brothers and sister started calling me “mini” because they think i’m “mini mom” and while they’re just being obnoxious I actually take it as a compliment.

But at the same time, we can argue. We can be honest and tell each other when we’re being stupid or being sassy. I have to tell her to “calm down” sometimes and she has to tell me to stop being dramatic. I love it though because I wouldn’t want a mom who only shows the good side.

I can’t tell you how many times she has seen me cry within the past 4 years or listened to me whine. These past 4 years have been tough on me, but luckily I have had her there to just…be there.

My mom grew up in small town Iowa. She can cook, she can clean, and she can get down and dirty with the best of them. She has been known to tackle a dummy at my brother’s football camp, she can jumpstart her own car, and bugs do not scare her one bit…she’s a farm girl after all! And I love that about her. She’s the farm girl, my dad is the city boy, and i’m still wondering how that worked. 😉

The way to my mom’s heart is random acts of kindness without speaking on her behalf. I surprised her with flowers right before Easter, just because I thought they were pretty and it meant so much to her. I think there has been maybe 2 times in my life that I have physically seen her cry, but 1 time that I wasn’t there. I was going back to OU one day and it was before her birthday. I got her flowers, a card, an apple fritter, and a present and left it on the kitchen table for her to come home to and she texted me later saying she couldn’t call because it made her cry.

She has the mind of a creative genius. She is pure right-brained! She owned her own business, she was in charge of my volleyball banquets, and she used to make curtains and window treatments galore. Not to say her right-brain doesn’t drive my left-brain crazy because I want to organize her dad-gum pantry and refrigerator, and well, everything because it’s not organized!! Haha

It takes my mom FOREVER and A DAY to make any sort of big decision. She is very detail-oriented and needs all the facts from 324 different people and then she can process. I realized that I am this way too…and my dad is, so it makes sense

My mom loves cooking, and it’s where I get my love of cooking from. We can spend hours on end in the kitchen, with our Pandora on, and just be chopping away and chatting away. It’s one of my very favorite things to do on the weekends.

My mom looooovvveeesssss her kids. There are 0 doubts in my mind about that one. From all the days she has stayed awake worrying about us (literally she never went to bed until I got home at night), to being at all of our games and practices, to watching tv shows with us, mom is our #1 fan.

Mom always tries to make holidays special for us and Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny will be coming to our house until we have kids…and then they will probably make two rounds for our kids.

When either of my parents pass, it’s going to be a devastating day for me. I told them they were not allowed to die. But I know at their funerals I will be thinking nothing but good thoughts about them. And i’m truly thankful to Jesus for that. Some people don’t have good, loving parents. And some people my age don’t have their parents here on Earth anymore. I couldn’t image my life without my mom (and dad).

Mini loves her mom! 😉

Other posts about my momma you can just click here.

And I can’t forget to mention JJ. She is my paternal grandmother. My maternal grandmother died when I was just 3 years old so I don’t remember her at all. That’s why I feel extremely lucky to have had JJ in my life for so long.

JJ passed away my senior year of high school and it was a sad, sad time for me. I will always remember going to visit her during the summers, playing cards with her while drinking cranberry juice and sprite with bugles during Christmas, and laughing about the silliest things with her. I see her a lot of myself in her (my uncles laugh about that because she could be feisty at times).

We all miss her a lot, but she was a good mom to my dad and his brothers. I always remember them talking about how they would never tell her when their games were as kids because she would be the only parent in the stands. That’s our JJ!

Molly loves her grandma too!

Moms make the world go ’round, y’all. What are some of your favorite memories with your mom?

Let’s Talk…New Years

Okay. 4 days and then it’s the last Monday of January…haha WHAT? I just turned 22 though. That’s crazy in and of itself. But every last Monday of the month Andrea and Erika host a link-up. This year, it’s “Let’s Talk” and this month, it’s all about New Years.

Seeing as I am hosting my online Bible study on Mondays, I decided to post mine today so I could still link-up on Monday.

A couple weeks ago for Show and Tell Tuesday, I introduced myself. Part of that post was dedicated to my new year’s resolutions. This my 2016 bucket list…you can click the link above for the explanations to each 🙂

This year, i’m focusing on health and fitness, so physically I want to:

*Be able to look at myself in the mirror and be proud of what I see.
*Get my group exercise certification.
*Work out 5 times/week no matter what is going on.
*Finally get a gym membership.

This year, i’m focusing on contentment, so spiritually I want to:

*Go on a mission trip.
*Spend each morning in Quiet Time.
*Join a small group.

This year, i’m focusing on independence, so socially I want to:

*Graduate college.
*Find a (full-time) job.
*Say yes this year.

This year, i’m focusing on happiness, so mentally I want to:

*Do something i’m uncomfortable with.
*Find happiness with something.
*Be in my room at 10:30PM.
*Work on being satisfied.

And this is what i’m looking forward to this year, or what i’m hoping each month holds!

January:

Turning 22.

February:

Working our Church’s high school retreat. Fuller House premiering. My friend Valley having her second baby.

March:

Spring break and possibly going to Omaha. Going to see Morgan one weekend (maybe)! Em coming home for her birthday weekend.

April:

The semester ending!!! This is all I can think about, y’all!

May: 

Celebrating momma for Mother’s Day. Having a month off of classes until my summer term!

June:

Maybe going on vacation with my pops! Celebrating another Father’s day for the ol’ man.

July:

Dad’s birthday. Ry’s birthday. Possibly attending a mission trip!

August:

Rick’s birthday. GRADUATING COLLEGE.

This Fall will be interesting since i’ll be graduated and possibly with a full-time job. OH BOY.

September: 

Morgan’s birthday. Seeing grandpa for his birthday.

October:

Halloween.

November:

Thanksgiving.

December:

Christmas.

Now I can’t wait to look back at this post in December and see what actually happened in 2016! I’m sure i’ll be adding to this list and I think of more but it’s almost 1AM and i’m tired and therefore my brain has shut off on me. You know how that goes. #nightowllife