Have you ever dropped a pressed powder, highlighter, eye shadow, etc. and it shattered into a million small pieces?  Did your soul leave your body for just a moment when that happened?  Mine usually does because I can just see the dollar signs floating up to the heavens along with my beautiful makeup.  Well-- don't fret, my pet.  This isn't the end of your makeup's life!  You can fix it yourself and it doesn't cost you anything extra and you get to be a scientist for a few minutes!

For my birthday this year I got a BEAUTIFUL, limited edition Becca Cosmetics highlighter that I had been eyeing up in Ulta called "Lilac Geode."  It is the most gorgeous cool lilac pink with gold pearl.  It is so stinkin' pretty!!

Photo cred: Beauddiction

Anyway-- I was loving it and using it daily for about two weeks when tragedy struck my world and I dropped the compact on my tiled bathroom floor.  I watched the beautiful powder crumble into a million tiny pieces.  I was so sad, but remembered that I could repair it myself using isopropyl alcohol.  I had seen a couple of videos and blog posts about it, but had never done it myself.

Ladies-- we all want that perfect, smooth skin and will usually try anything to get it.  What if I told you that I have found something that has helped my skin become more smooth?  What if I told you that was that I shave my face?  Don't be alarmed!  I am not taking a Schick to the face-- I'm not that crazy!  It is basically the at-home version of dermaplaning.  What is dermaplaning, you ask?  Well, according to an article from Refinery29:


Agreed, Refinery29, a scalpel does sound scary.   Wanna know what else sounds scary?  Paying the average of $75-150 for a dermaplaning service!  So, after doing some YouTube research (my favorite) I learned that a lot of women were using small, eyebrow razors to shave their faces!  After watching a TON of my favorite beauty vloggers (Jaclyn Hill & Michelle Money) videos I decided to give it a try.  I ordered some of the razors on Amazon and got to work! 

1. The hair does not grow back faster, thicker and darker.
   Shaving the hair does not alter your follicles nor does it change the rate of growth.   This is a myth and you don't need to be worried!  What I would suggest, and practice myself, is using a warm washcloth to open the pores and hair follicles to prep them for shaving.  I also like to cleanse my skin before I start shaving in order to make sure that I am working with a clean canvas.  I use a light face oil or serum right before to work like a gentle "shaving cream."  This helps me with avoiding possible ingrown hairs.
2. It is really great for your skin!
   Not only are you removing the peach fuzz, but you are exfoliating dead skin!  The gentle razor helps to get rid of the pesky small hairs as well as a layer of dead skin on your face.  After you are done you can do your regular skin care routine and you will start to see (almost immediately) a more clear and smooth appearance to your face.
3. Makeup application will be beautiful!
   You won't believe how much better your makeup will apply and look!  It applies so much smoother and easier.  Shockingly, the peach fuzz and dead skin really make a difference in the way your foundation lays on your skin (kidding).  It is easier to blend with a smooth surface and it just looks better overall.  Also, removing the dead skin and texture that comes with it makes your highlight look sooooo good!  I'm telling you guys-- its amazing!

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.