Okay, I lied...

Sorry about that. This time actually does NOT include a vlog... because I discovered another "girly" thing I'm bad at - filming myself getting ready - HA! But that's okay... I'll figure it out eventually and THEN I will show you my "somewhat daily" makeup routine.

In the mean time... let's talk about something else. Nails, perhaps. I am truly terrible about taking care of my nails. They are almost always differing lengths, some broken or peeling, and often with leftover nail polish because I rarely take the time to remove the polish once it starts chipping. And speaking of nail polish.... that is an art form I have not quite mastered yet.

I love it when nails look pretty and polished and perfect! I see them on Pinterest all the time, I even have a board filled with what I think are pretty nail ideas for myself, should I ever figure out how to take care of and paint nicely my poor nails. You can look through the pretty ideas here, if you'd like ;)

My Grandma (I call her Brondbob - Or Brond/Brondy for short - for reasons that aren't really known even to me) has beautiful nails, and she takes very good care of them. SHE is a polish master, and she passed that trait along to most of the ladies in my family. My middlest sister finds my inability to paint my nails quite comical. She has tried numerous times to instruct me on the proper technique, but for whatever reason, I still can't seem to get it down. Here is a time lapse video of what I look like TRYING to paint my nails. Notice the starting condition... Sorry for the sudden end, I think my dog was getting into something that he shouldn't have been. Anyway, here is that, have a good laugh (and try to imagine the finished product - streaks galore, and all over my fingers. as per usual) and I'll keep practicing. ;)

Do you have a favorite polish/color/technique? Feel free to share in the comments section!!

And thank you for your patience, I'll get my camera working soon and get that video up!!


stay gorgeous

I Woke Up Like This:: My Clean Face

I usually look something like this first thing in the morning. Bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, right? Right. (what? no! that couldn't be leftover makeup...because i totally take mine off every night like everyone says you're supposed to!! or maybe i don't...) 

Before I get too far into this, I want to make sure something is perfectly clear. I believe the following is 100% true:

"Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight." 1 Peter 3:3-4 

This truth seems to get a bit lost in the defining of "beauty" today. And I'll admit that I am someone who loses sight of this fact all too often. When we are bombarded daily with the concept of a "beauty" that is based only on looks, it is easy to forget that our beauty needs to come from within. So as I take this year to really find ME, my style, and my self-confidence, please help me remember that it's not just how I look on the outside, but who I truly am on the inside that matters most.


I am really bad about washing my face on a regular basis. When I do, it's usually in the shower, and whether it's in the morning or night just kind of depends on the day. I am currently using a cleanser made by Sophyto (by Karen Sinclair Drake). Mine is a purifying silken cleanser, which I bought in a package at SamsClub.

My face has been SUPER dry lately (thank you, CO), so I have been moisturizing with Coconut Oil (the wonderful/do-it-all/magical oil I use for everything), which I also got at Sams. I only use a VERY SMALL amount of this on my face, otherwise I look incredibly greasy all day long.

Having clean skin is nice. There is a lot of crap in makeup, and, as a society, we layer that stuff on thick! So cleaning it off afterwards is a pretty good idea. Not to mention the junk that we fill our bodies with - fast food, soda, alcohol, candy, junk food (oh, the chemicals) - and the effect that has on our skin. {good in, good out} I really think the key to having clear, clean skin is more in our diets and lifestyles than our skin care routines. But that's just me.

After I cleanse my face and put on some coconut oil (and brush my hair), I look like this:

























Half the time, that's all I do. I don't look perfect, and I definitely don't have perfect skin. But this is me, clean and fresh, and I wish society thought this was all we needed. Please don't think I hate makeup. I don't. Makeup can be fun! And there are definitely days when I put on more - I just wish it wasn't expected or the basis of people's perception of beauty. (end rant) I'm going to show you all my "everyday makeup routine" for those days when I do wear more next! ;) 

RECAP: Clean faces. They're nice and good and pretty. MY ADVICE: find a good, natural cleanser and moisturizer and start there. I know there are lots of different types of skin, so finding your own products and routine will be important. But don't overdo it - let your skin breathe!! And - are you putting garbage into your body? {garbage in, garbage out}


Yep, that's all I've got for today. Thanks for reading :) next time might just include a VLOG!