Beauty Product Recommendations and Organization

Let me first start with a disclaimer...I am NOT a beauty blogger. This is not my forte- I barely can get my act together some days not to hit the snooze button 6 times.  I am not one to just walk into Ulta or Sephora and make it rain for new goodies. I actually have a hard time justifying spending money on trying new products. However, I have come to appreciate in my old age good, quality beauty products. Products that are as natural as possible and work well. So when I get a good recommendation or I find something that really works well I try to stick with it.

Today I am going to just outline a few of my favorite items I have found that I will continue to use as well as some helpful tips I personally use to organize as well! 

Organizing 101

 I recently did a purge of my bathroom and really went through every product and asked myself:

-Have I used this at all or even regularly?

-Is this a product I truly love?

-How natural is this product? ( I do try to stick as close to possible to natural as possible when I can)

-Is it expired and needs to just be replaced? 

Once I paired it down and had just what I wanted and needed I got to organizing it! 

Helpful Tip: Keep a sharpie in your bathroom and when you get a product that could expire, write the date you open and start using it. It helps me track how long I've had it, but also helps me track how quickly I go through certain things. It goes for makeup, haircare, body products etc! 

 I also do this for items in my kitchen (protein powder, essential oils, pantry items, etc- as needed) 

Now onto some recommendations! 

*I am not sponsored by anyone or anything- I am just sharing what I have found works for me and are cost effective :) *Pictures borrowed from google to show sample

You can get most of these items on Amazon or even your local Target, Walmart, Ulta, etc

Hair care

Revlon Hair Brush Dryer: Um get it now! It is perfect for shorter/medium hair lengths. I have never  mastered the art of blow drying with a round brush. I seriously think only the hair stylists can do it and maybe an Octopus.  This does it for me! It only takes me like 12 minutes now and it ends up smooth too! I don't have to use the straightener as fierce either-only really to shape the ends if needed.  I don't use it everyday because I am afraid of heat damage-even with protection. It does get kind of hot on the high level but also has a low and cool setting.  

Living Proof 5 in One: I actually love this for when I style and even when I air dry. I only use it on my mid-shaft to the ends of my hair. It helps add a layer of protection for drying but also keeps the frizz lower. And it smells good! :) I just pretend I look like Jennifer Aniston when I am using it.  

Body Care

Shea Moisture Coffee Scrub: If you like the smell of coffee and like to exfoliate your skin, then this stuff is for you! It is pretty natural and feels so good! It helps to exfoliate my skin, especially in the winter. It is small grounds so you may have to rinse the bottom of your shower after.

Shea Moisture Lotion (specifically Dragon's Blood scent)- I really like this brand, obviously. They are cruelty free, family owned, fair trade ingredients , and organic.  

Sulfer Ointment: My sister gave me a hint for this product. Love this for acne. I dab it on when I need it in specific spots and let it sit for about 10 minutes, wash off, and it really does help to dry up the spot and make it less irritated. I have even noticed that it helps either slow or stop the development of issues. I mean note to body- I am NOT 16 anymore....

Charcoal toothpaste: I can not say enough about this stuff! There are all kinds of products on the market for this, but I just love the ease of the paste versus powder. I seriously see results every time I use it. It tastes great (not that you eat it) and is effective! I don't use it in place of my normal toothpaste because it doesn't have flouride or cavity defense in it-it is all natural and I use it in the mornings.

Makeup

Again, I am not a full face makeup kind of gal- unless I am CosPlaying Wonder Woman or it is picture day at school. I typically only wear mascara, eyeliner, and some shadow. I don't own foundation. This is not because I have a flawless angel face, HA! I actually deal with adult acne-yay me. However, I just have never preferred having a lot of makeup on. Totally a personal preference. 

So these following makeup items I use religiously and they have proven to be worth my time and effort! 

IT Cosmetics Airbrush Perfecting Powder: I am loving this powder recently and will continue to buy it! I randomly happened upon it one day and thought I'd give it a try. I like that it is easily applicable, not heavy, but also has buildable coverage if needed.

Anastasia Brow Wiz (IT Cosmetics is a good dupe): both of these are awesome so far. One day I hope to get microblading done then I can really say "I woke up like this". Until then I like both of these- IT Cosmetics is a bit bigger width and is good for filling in. The Brow Wiz I buy is the smaller point and is good for outline and fine details.

ColourPop Super Shock Shadows: I just discovered this brand and LUUURRRVV it! It is made here in the good ole USA and the wear on these have been awesome so far! Not to mention the colors are poppin- even the neutrals are gorgeous! I tend to be a creature of habit when it comes to color. I like to say I will branch out and pretend to when I pin things on Pinterest, but let's be real-I am using the same color wheel over and over. ( the picture above is just a sample of colors they offer- if you go to their website www.colourpop.com they have a very large selection of colors.)

Tarte Paint Pot shadows: These bad boys (do you ever wonder about that saying, I mean why don't we say "these bad girls" I mean equal opportunity cliche sayings right?) anyways I digress. I like the fact that Tarte is pretty natural. Not a lot of added junk. They are pretty limited on colors for these particular shadows, however, these two below are amazing together. I get compliments all the time when I wear it. It is easy to apply (usually just with my finger) and it lasts me all day. (picture is not all colors offered) www.tarte.com

**Tip: I also use an eye primer anytime I put on shadow- it helps it go on smoothly as well as last throughout the day!

Eos mint lipbalm: Super exciting huh? I am trying to wear lipstick and/or colored lip shades- you know branching out. However, this stuff is great too! I love the flavor and it goes on so smooth. If you are looking for just a simple lip moisturizer this is a good one! I buy the two pack and keep one at home and one on the go! 

As always, I hope that you saw something that intrigued you while reading. Again, all of these items are things I have been loving for awhile and recommend if you are in the market.

Have a BLESSED weekend! 

"It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish  all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it." 

Isaiah 55:11

Organization: All Things Kitchen (Tips and Tricks)

How many of you made a New Year's resolution to become better organized?  The New Year is a great time to reassess your surroundings, clean and clear out! Just something about starting the year fresh and re calibrate.

I am one of those people who has always continuously been a purger by nature. I'm pretty sure I came out of the womb organizing all the things. You may be laughing at that statement, but I am totally serious- it is ingrained in me. I have never enjoyed having a ton of "stuff" surrounding me (unless it is books of course). I feel so clean and free when everything has a place and when I can purge things that are not being utilized. 

Well, if you weren't born color coding and need some ideas and guidance on how to get organized then hopefully this little organizing feature will give you some inspiration and some motivation.

What's up? All things kitchen! 

Here are my go to tips when starting your kitchen organization project!

1. Start small- pick one spot at a time to tackle. 

I think what happens a lot of times is people get overwhelmed when organizing. They feel like they have to do it all at once. You don't. 

Choose ONE space to start with (pantry, drawers, cabinets). 

2. Once you choose your first spot, take EVERYTHING in that space out and lay it out so you can see everything you have. 

3. Touch each item and ask yourself some questions: 

-Is it being utilized?

-How often?

-Could I survive without it?

-Does it go with another item to work together?

If you determine you will not be keeping it, decide if it is worthy of trash or giveaway. (you will also want to have a trashcan and a box for donations close by when you are going through this process.)

4. Use bins to organize what is left. 

Once you have paired down your items, when you are putting your items back into the drawer, cabinet, area...organize it as you put back! One way I have found that really helps me keep it organized long term and helps me to always see what I have so something doesn't get "lost" in the shuffle of everyday life is having little bins and baskets. Organizing the left overs into these things will be a game changer for you I promise! 

So you may want to take measurements of your space to know how many bins/baskets you will need and will fit.

Don't forget- group like things together in the baskets and bins!

5. Add labels (where applicable) 

As I said above, I was born basically labeling all the things. When necessary color coding the labeling ha! Now you may not need to label everything...you will see in some of  my pictures I don't label everything, mainly because I can easily see what is in the basket and there is not a convenient spot to place a label. I do not have ANY positive experience trying to hand write my labels. Now if you have beautiful handwriting then by all means make it pretty! Otherwise, I either type out labels or use my Silhouette machine to cut labels. 

Pantry Specific: 

I have really found that once I have organized the pantry and created specific bins and baskets, when I go to shop I don't overbuy things. I don't know if it is a mindset placebo effect or not, haha...but I am less likely to shop for unnecessary things because it won't have a home once I get back to unpack it. I also unbox things that are individually wrapped. This helps to condense things and helps the items fit into the baskets and bins better.

These are just a few of my tips that have helped me over the years. You can use the same process when cleaning and organizing just about any space in your house! 

I hope you found this helpful! 

Have a BLESSED week! 

"Share each other's burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ."

Galatians 6:2