Pain isn't always beauty

I have always tended to believe the saying 'Pain is beauty' but lately I have found my beauty regimen comes from convenience.  I get up early in the morning, go all day long and don't have much time for touch ups.  What are my beauty basics?

Lotion
Especially in this time transitioning from fall to winter, I find myself going through lotion twice as fast.  The lack of humidity dries my skin out and I use two products. The Dual Action works as a cleanser with the salicylic acid and moisturizer, it keeps my skin clearer.  And I love the Neutrogena Oil-Free moisturizer because it is light but effective.  On days I forget it, my skin becomes extremely dull.  Best part is both are oil free if you struggle with an oily complexion, but my skin is mostly normal to dry.



Toner
I use two toners, but love this one.  It's all natural and made in my hometown.  You can use it with any skin type and can spray it to help your complexion.  You can go directly to their store or order online (awesome!!)  They have TONS of other great products, from lotions to lip balm to soap for different uses.  And it is owned by really great people and I always love to support local businesses!





Makeup
I'm not in love with many beauty products, but I do love ELF
products.  Eyes lips face makes reasonably priced products (many just $1).  My favorite? Their High Definition Powder. I don't have an image of this, but you can find it online.  I have trouble with eye liner running through the day, but when I use the powder on top of my concealer or under my eye only, my eyeliner stays put and it sets my concealer.  Super light and doesn't clog my pores.  What's not to love?  Also the brushes are fantastic.  They have basic ones for a dollar each in their essentials collection or ones for $3 in their studio collection.  I've had mine for years and they are still in wonderful condition.


I don't love blush... after years of being on stage when I see pink I grimace from all the applications of overdone blush.  So I love this 'Warmth' from BareMinerals. It is a more natural product, again which I love, and doesn't leave me breaking out after a few days of application.  It makes me look, well, warm and brightens my face without me feeling like I should start singing and dancing on stage. 




Lip Balm
I really meant 'basics'.  I love the EOS collection of products for the same reason I love the All Good Things products.  All natural and they work!  Super affordable and I can't lose it as easily as normal chap stick tubes because of their shape.  My favorites are mint and summer fruit, but I have about 4 or 5 in all my different bags!





Another beauty love I didn't photograph - Schick Hydrosilk.  I have had this razor since early summer and it's the best I've ever used.  Best part is that I have had the same blade for 2 months.  I used to need a new blade after about a week, but I have been keeping my razor out of the shower when I'm not using it and the quality of it keeps it going! I love it, I highly recommend it.

A new season

The project I just finished for my room is the bulletin board turned jewelry display/organizer.  Originally, I just had this little shelf for all my jewelry and the rest went into this tackle box type organizer.  Now, this holds the majority of my jewelry.

And it was super easy.  I had some left over damask fabric from my roller shade and yellow ribbon from another project so I just stapled all the edges of the damask fabric and then stretched the ribbon on the top and bottom edges. Stapled the ribbon underneath to attempt to hide it and then just used clear thumbtacks I had from school to hang all the necklaces, earrings and bracelets. It's going to be so much nicer to get ready in the mornings. 

I just wish I hadn't been in such a hurry and had taken pictures of the simple assembly.


My next projects? Pumpkin decorating!!! And then reusable duster covers for my Swiffer duster and more nails!

Little by little

     I did do my nails today, which is a big thing for me.  I don't spend much time doing it because I paint my left hand and it looks good and I get excited and start my right hand.  Then while I'm awkwardly using my left hand to paint what seems like my WHOLE right hand I bump the left hand nails and mess them up and the right hand isn't looking good and I usually end up taking it all off.  But today I did both hands. And I think they look good.

      I used the what looks like Barbie pink to me on my nails. Then put these cute floral print Sally Hanson Salon Effect nail decals on my ring fingers.  I thought that if I put them on all my fingers I would get distracted every time I saw my hand.  So I decided one at a time would be enough.  I love pink, black and white together (if you can't tell from my room pictures.

Tackle the Monster

 The monster is my closet, and boy was it a mess. Well, still is a mess but it's improving! I have had a lot of work over my head this week and got most of it out of the way so I decided to tackle the monster closet today.

I have been home for a few weeks at a time while I'm on my last summer vacation and because of that have been switching rooms with my brother since mine is larger.  I'm trying to declutter a lot of stuff I have had for 18+ years that I just don't need anymore.  So basically my room is becoming my new room but I'm trying to leave it less cluttered and more welcoming for house guests also. Some in progress pictures taken today of my room -

My new closet

My much smaller closet

 Inside that still needs some more attention and a shoe organizer (which is coming as soon as I can get it out of the side of the mountain of junk in my closet old, large, unmanageable closet).  I wish I'd taken pictures of the roller shade transformation.  Found a cool DIY and made it my own with a damask print velour texture fabric and a rosette trim.  Probably my favorite part.  The pink striped pillow on my bed is a DIY in progress.  Once I get all these upcoming requirements settled, then I will tackle that small project as a reward.

This is my old walk in closet that was larger and very out of control.

Yikes.  And that was post some clean up. Lots to do but this is what I succeeded by the end of today in just a couple of hours --

All of those drawers are 100% empty! Yay!

I'm definitely embarrassed of the mess, it just was hard because it was so large so it became a catch all and has held years of belongings.  Now just a little more work tomorrow on the cleaner side and then I will get to the real hard part, the side with lots of old, sentimental pieces.  So how do you decide what to keep, to give away for others to enjoy, and what to let go of? That's my struggle today, but I'm trying to stay less selfish and think of what I could let go that may help others.

I'll leave you with a picture of my love, Sox, who has found a great toy in an old shopping bag.  It's like a kid in a box that is a spaceship and house and boat and car.  She has played in this bag for hours.  I caught her in rest time enjoying her "home".

A Desire to Improve

I have been unnecessarily attached to my computer these last couple days on break from work.  I have been finding a lot of blogs that feature ideas for natural living, beauty tips, weight loss advice, fashion, keeping a clean home and food.  It's SO overwhelming to look at all of the advice but I decided that I wanted to begin changing my life little by little.  And I don't want to just improve my health or organization or any other single area so this will track the different areas in no particular focus.

But I enjoy the person I have become and I don't really want to change, and then realized I really just want to improve! Why begin this journey seeming negative?? That is definitely an area to improve! 

So to start, why not declutter?  I have been spending what is likely my last summer at home before I will graduate from college and my younger brother and I have switched rooms.  So I am going to be using the last days of the week to organize the stuff I have at home still and clean my new room so when I come home for breaks and visits it will be relaxing, not stressful! 

Stay tuned for more, hopefully including tips and tricks that I learn as I improve my life!