Oh hey... how are ya?!  Lets address the elephant in the room-- her name is "My Absence."  I apologize.  Some of you care and some of you don't, but I just want to say to those that do-- I'm sorry!  This is a place where I can get my creative juices flowing and talk about the stuff I love the most and I can't tell you how happy it makes me when other people like to talk about it too!  It makes me sad when I don't post on here consistently because I feel like I'm letting myself down and those that enjoy the same things that I do as well.

So, I think I want to jump back in with an easier topic which is all what I was loving during the month of February, 2020.  We can all agree that January was a tough year, so we are just going to ignore her.  February, 2020, is where it's at!  During this month I discovered some things I loved, some things I hated and some things I forgot that I loved.  Let's get into it!

Hi!  The mirrors in the dressing rooms at Anthropologie are a favorite too :)

I really bumped it up this year with my vanity setup.  I got an amazing mirror gifted to me for Christmas by my Mom and it has made my morning GRWM's so much better!  It has three different colored light settings and can dim and brighten at the touch of a button!  Now, if the weather is gloomy in the mornings or I'm glamming it up for a night on the town I have the perfect lighting.  I feel like a glamorous beauty guru with all of the bells and whistles.  Get ready for more #motd posts!

Food:
In January I started the #ketodiet and have been trying to find alternatives for my starchy cravings.  One of the things I randomly started craving was pancakes.  I can tell you that, in my adult life, I have only ever made pancakes once.  I had been researching a bunch of different keto bloggers and instagrams and came across a couple that calls themsleves "KetoConnect."  They have a ton of different recipes on their feed and their YouTube, but something that caught my eye were their reviews of different "keto" friendly foods.  I watched a video where they reviewed the brand Birch Benders and their Keto Pancake mix.  They had said that it was one of their favorites, so I decided to give it a try.  I doctored it up a little and added some cinnamon and vanilla extract.  They were so good!  I have repurchased three times and will continue to repurchase!  They are 5 net carbs for a serving and totally worth it to me!  There are more products by that brand that I would love to try, but for now these are perfect for me!

Click here to purchase!

I have been on the hunt for the last month to find a replacement for my favorite foundation, Covergirl's Vitalist Healthy Elixir.  They discontinued this foundation and my heart broke!  I went out and bought three bottles when I heard and I am at the tail end of my last one!  So, I went on a search for a new foundation and tried a few out during this month.  The first one I tried was the it!Cosmetics CC+ Cream Illumination with SPF 50+.  I liked it, but it was a little TOO dewy.  Then I tried the Hourglass Vanish Seamless Finish Stick Foundation.  I have never used a stick foundation and was curious to see if I would like it.  I have tried a few different ways applying it and I think I have found the holy grail of applications:

1. Smashbox Primer Water ($25)
2. elf Poreless Putty Primer ($14)
3. Hourglass Vanish Stick Foundation mixed with the it!Cosmetics CC+ Cream ($46 & $44) applied with a dampened Real Techniques beauty sponge.

It is no secret that I am a big fan of not washing my hair every day.  I am lucky if I get more than one wash in per week.  Dry Shampoo is my jam and my favorite is the Detox Dry Shampoo by Dry Bar.  After not washing for a week and using a ton of products my scalp could use a little pampering.  I was looking for a gentle detox shampoo and came across a scalp scrub at Target by the brand Love Beauty and Planet.  As a brand, LBP boasts the following:

The scalp scrub is part of the "Delightful Detox" line by Love Beauty and Planet.  I don't have the regular shampoo or conditioner, but the scrub has been amazing!  I feel like I am getting all of the weekly gunk out of my hair and my scalp feels refreshed every time!  I may be making this up, but I feel like I get more time after a wash before I need another one with this scrub.  After I use the scrub I follow it up with a hydrating conditioning treatment and my hair feels amazing!  I get more volume, which I love, and this has become a staple in my routine.  Click the link below the picture if you want to give it a try!

Click Here

After starting Keto I realized the importance of vitamins and keeping up with my nutrients.  I had seen a ton of advertisements for the Care/of vitamin packs that are curated just for you.  I decided one day to take the quiz and see what they recommended me.  The quiz was super easy and took only a few minutes.  I had a code that gave me 50% off, so I decided to give it a whirl.  Here is what was recommended to me and why:

I'm fascinated!  I have only been taking them for a little while, but so far I'm pleased.  The individual packets are so easy!  I have a code that will give you $40 off your first order, so if you are interested in trying your own Care/of vitamins click here to take the quiz.

Y'all... these shoes are ridiculous and I know it, but they are so beautiful!  I got them to wear for a work event in March and I cannot wait.  They are going to look so good with the pink dress I rented from Rent the Runway  Have you ever used RTR?  If you haven't it is an amazing site where you can rent designer dresses for an insane discount and then return them!  It is the perfect solution for weddings, cocktail events, formal affairs... so much easier than paying an arm and a leg for a dress that you will likely only wear once!  I have used it for the last 3 weddings I've attended and the last 5 years of my company's awards event!  If you click here you can save $30 on your first rental!

@LashesandLeggingsBlog on Instagram

Is there anything that you've discovered over the last few weeks that you have fallen in love with?  There are so many other things that I could ramble on about (Love is Blind is one of those things-- don't get me started!), but I think this lineup is pretty great!  All of them bring a little smile to my face.  Let me know what some of your favorite things have been in the comments below!

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According to my screen time report on my iPhone I spend approximately 5-6 hours A DAY on my phone.  A DAY!?  That is crazy!  I am at work for 9 hours a day and there are only 24 hours in a day, so it seems I may have a problem!  When I'm not looking at my phone I'm likely on my computer at work or watching TV at home.  I usually spend most of the time on my phone when I'm in bed.  This is a ton of screen time and a lot of exposure to active blue light.

According to Science Daily and their study of lighting color affects on mice they also determined that "the results also add to [their] understanding of the effects of light emitting devices on humans, where recent studies have shown that the blue light from these devices delays sleep."  Not only does my nighttime phone scrolling effect my eyes, but my daytime computer use does too.  I found that I was starting to get daily headaches and my vision would be blurry.  I felt like I needed to do something!

A friend of mine (shoutout to Kelly!) had a pair of blue-light blocking glasses and told me about what they did.  I was curious, so I googled them and since then ads have been popping up all over my social media.  I finally decided to pull the trigger and found a pair by TIJN on Amazon for $16.99 that were cute.

TIJN Blue Light Blocking Glasses in Leopard

I have been wearing them before bed and at work and have noticed a big difference.  I have been sleeping a lot more soundly and have stayed asleep better.  I've also noticed that I haven't had as many headaches while at work and my vision is much clearer.  With the amount of screen time that I expose myself to daily I think that these can be a great addition to my routine.

Along with the addition of these adorable glasses I need to work on my screen time addiction!  It's embarrassing that I spend that much time on my phone!  Most of the time there isn't even anything interesting going on!  I'm just scrolling to scroll!  Really the issue is bigger than just the effects of blue light as I need to get better at being more present in my regular life and not my phone life.  But, for the time that I am on my phone, working on my computer or watching TV I now have something  to help combat the harmful effects of that pesky blue light!

Do you own a pair of these glasses?  Would you be interested in owning a pair?  I love these and they come in a ton of colors!  Click my Amazon affiliate link above and try them out!  Let me know what you think.

It's that time again!  Can you believe February is almost over?  I feel like January dragged on for two years and February went by in the blink of an eye!  I did my January monthly favorites and it went over well, so I figured I would start a tradition!

So, come along with me through a few of my favorite things!

I recently decided to venture out of my comfort zone and tried a new nail shape.  I know-- I'm getting wild!  I decided to try an almond shaped nail and ended up loving it!  I had wanted to try this shape becuase I felt like it would compliment my hands.  My fingers are the only skinny things on my body, so I felt like the slightly tapered tip would help to create a nice length and compliment my hands.  Weird-- I know, but these are things I think about!

Fashion:
I have been interested in the "paper bag" pant trend and wasn't sure if I could pull it off.  I didn't want to spend a lot of money on a trendy piece of clothing, so I went to Target with a mission.  What I found isn't a traditional "paper bag" pant, but it was close and I decided to try them out!  They are lightweight, tapered ankle and are incredibly comfortable.

Music:
I have been obsessed (understatement) with the new Ariana Grande album "Thank U, Next."  I can't stop listening to it!  Besides her released singles I am a big fan of "Imagine," "Needy," and "NASA."  This album is very different from her normal style and I am really liking it.



Food:
So, I know that I mentioned in my last post that I was doing the Freestyle program with WW and I have had a hard time finding substitutes for some of my favorite foods.  On weekend mornings I like to have a bigger breakfast and bacon is usually a part of that.  I love bacon!  Regular bacon was running around 5 points for 2-3 slices and that is just too high for my point count!  I found that center cut bacon runs a little lower on points at 1 point per slice!  I can have two scrambled eggs with "Everything but the bagel" seasoning, three slices of bacon, a slice of toast and a cup of coffee for 6 points!  That is totally worth it for me!  One of my favorite breakfasts for lazy weekend mornings.

Well guys... the 30 days has come and gone.  The challenge is complete!  I wasn't able to do the full 30 days because I ended up injuring my back while doing the bridges.  Embarrassing!  I tried to finish it out as best as I could, but lower back pain does not go well with squats or leg lifts!  The fact that I posted that I was doing the challenge in the first place is the only reason I continued to try with modifications.  You all were great motivation to keep going!

I found that I would forget in the mornings, and even during the day, so I would end up piling everything in the evenings around bed time.  I wasn't noticing any soreness until around day 19 when it started increasing a little more and the reps were going higher each day.  I also learned that I had the wrong squat form and was putting too much weight in my toes which was causing me to overcompensate in my back and causing the lower back pain to flare up even more.  This was a great learning experience for me!

1/13/19

This photo was a huge wake-up moment for me.  I really didn't want to post this (still kind of don't) and was embarrassed of what I had seen, but didn't want to hide it either.  I wasn't hiding it really-- I wear leggings all the time.   This is what people see, so it wasn't like this was a big secret!  Everyone always presents the "best" of themselves on social media and I am a perpetrator of only posting pictures that I think look good and maybe not always posting the most "realistic" portrayals of myself.  Who wants to show of the not great parts of themselves? Not me!  But I need to break that habit.  It isn't easy, but something that I need to do.

2/17/19

Since my before photo I have been working out (with small breaks due to my back) and have lost 7lbs!  I have also been following the new WW Freestyle Program which has helped with the weight loss as well.  I didn't take measurements, but have noticed a slight difference.  I think that now that I know the proper form for squats and have learned a few other exercises that will help to target the specific areas I want to work on I will start to see more results.  Fitness is a journey and I am learning to be patient with that time.

I know there were a few other folks that were doing the 30 day challenge with me.  How did it go for you?  Please share in the comments below!  What kind of challenge should we do next?  Let's get this going!

Can you believe we are already one month in to 2019?  I can't-- It feels longer.  I saw a meme on IG today that said "It feels like January 74th" and all I can say is FACTS!

I am a YouTube junkie (Hello, my name is Carlye and I have a problem) and I have always loved watching monthly favorite videos.  I like seeing what people choose as their favorite things each month and have even gotten some of my own favorite things from these videos!  I am not going to make a video, but thought it could be fun to make a list here each month that showcases some of my favorite things and hope that maybe they can spark an interest for you and maybe they will become some of your favorite things too!

One of the main criteria of a good favorites video is to cover all bases-- I like covering a wide variety of categories!  So, I decided that I would pick one thing as my favorite in each category:

I have been verrrry into candles over the last few months and of course hit up the BBW candle day sale for some seasonal favorites. They usually have different sales throughout the year that you can catch and during one of those sales I saw a gorgeous candle stuffed in the back of a shelf.  The outside was beautiful, but I wasn't sure if I was going to like the scent.  Y'all-- Pistachio Ice Cream smells so damn good!  It throws a strong scent, but that is fine with me!  It is incredible.  The notes are roasted pistachio, almond extract and vanilla extract.  I can't even begin to tell you how much I love this candle, but just take my word for it.  You need this in your life!

I had never shopped at a Trader Joe's before I moved to Baltimore and I didn't know what I was missing!  Everything is so delicious, but I discovered their Mediterranean Style Orzo Pasta Salad and it is so good!  It is a cold pasta salad and when paired with some grilled chicken is lunch time perfection!  It's got spinach, sun dried tomatoes, feta and a yummy dressing.  It has become one of my favorite things to pack for lunch.

Photo Cred: Become Betty Blog

I got a few eyeshadow palettes for Christmas and they are all gorgeous!  I got the Jeffree Star Cosmetics "Blood Sugar" palette as a little gift to myself this year and recreated one of my favorite looks by Jaclyn Hill.  I have never worn bright colored shadows like these and was very impressed by the pigmentation and quality of the shadows.  I've never bought anything from JSC, but this has convinced me that I may need more in my life!

Kristin Ess range at Target

I watched all 8 episodes during a four-day off stretch and cannot wait until season 2 (fingers crossed it gets renewed).  Do yourself a favor and watch this show!  It may be a bit awkward if someone walks in and sees the show out of context, but it does make for a hilarious story!

I, like everyone else, have now seen the new Netflix series "Tidying Up with Marie Kondo."  This isn't a new phenomena as her books have been best sellers and trending for the last few years, but it is new to me.  After watching a few episodes on a snowy Sunday afternoon I decided I need to start this process myself.  I know-- how original!  Well, I had a day off last week and decided that was going to be the day that I start.

What is the KonMari method, you ask?  Well, what Marie says makes it unique is that she organizes by category and not by location.  So, you don't set forth doing one room at a time, but go in a specific order of categories.  The five categories are:

1. Clothing
2. Books
3. Paper
4. Komono
1. Kitchen
2. Bathroom
3. Garage
4. Miscellaneous
5. Sentimental Items

Remember how one of my resolutions was to stop with the negative self-talk?  Well I'm embracing a part of my body that I actually like, but feel like I've neglected-- my booty.  I have been blessed with a booty and I have come to appreciate the curves as I've gotten older.  I think part is genetics (Thanks, Mom) and part is from  dancing for as long as I did.

Booty sighting at the 2017 BMAs with Kate

Over the last few years I have noticed that the old girl ain't what she used to be.  I have decided to challenge myself to the #30DayButtLift created by Cassey from Blogilates.  She has mapped out a 30 day challenge that will gradually take me from 5 reps to 22 in a month's time!  I have tried to start things like this before and never finished them, so here we are again.  I'm using you guys as my accountability coaches!

I am planning on keeping up with my weekly progress and will post a challenge completion post after my 30 days are up.  I want to include some "before" and "after" photos in that post, so I am going to have to muster up the nerve to take those.  Nothing humbles you more than a "before" photo! My goal is to post them, but I am going to need some encouragement along the way-- vulnerability isn't easy for me.

Cassey's challenge is below:

Blogilates #30DayButtLiftChallenge

Is anyone else interested in building their booty up with me?  Lets do it!  Comment below any other fitness challenges you have done or if you have a different booty challenge in mind!  Today is day #1-- Happy squatting, ladies!

Remember those old "Random Facts About Me" posts on Facebook?  I used to love reading those about my friends and family.  You may know someone, but you may not know everything about them.  Each person has weird quirks or things that make them unique and interesting.  I love to learn about those things!

It is a lot of apps... I know.

Well guys... I did it.  I crafted an ugly Christmas sweater that won a prize.  I am not the craftiest person, but when I do craft I go all out.  I had seen the same picture going around Pinterest and wanted to re-create it, but with a twist.  I wanted to be more of a transformer version.

My Pin-spiration

Frosty the Snow Globe, Transformer Christmas Tree & Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer

I understand that this holiday season is not all about gifts, but a girl can wish can't she?  I know I already shared a gift guide, and some of those items are gifts I would love to receive, but this is a list of my own personal wishes!

1. Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Sleeping Mask:  During my holiday shopping I was able to pick up the Glow Recipe Watermelon Pink Juice Moisturizer and have loved it so far!  I love a good overnight sleeping mask and the fact that it smells so delicious is even better!
   
2. Drunk Elephant T.L.C. Sukari Babyfacial: I have only used samples of Drunk Elephant products in the past because the products are so pricey!  *Pro-tip: Sephora will give you a free sample of literally anything in the store-- take advantage!  I have seen a couple of reviews of this product, and that it was rated as one of the "Best In Beauty" products from Allure magazine, and am so curious!  Its like a little "baby facial" from home!
   
   
   
   
   
3. DR. JART+ Mask Heroes Face Savers: We have already discussed in my Korean Beauty Routine my love of face masks-- they are the shit.  I have already tried one of the DR. JART+ Rubber masks and loved it.  They are super fun and my skin felt great afterwards!  An entire gift set with all of them sounds like a perfect gift!