Covergirl Star Wars The Force Awakens

BAM just when you think makeup couldn't get anymore exciting Covergirl launched a collection for Star Wars The Force Awakens 

I picked up 2 mascaras and three lipsticks. The most used product for me is the #70 lipstick...on the light side of the force. Metallics are huge this year and this shade fits right in. This is a metallic nude shade with loads of sparkle. This shade is SUPER pale, so for my skin tone I need to wear a nude lipliner underneath or I pair it with the shade Mink by Revlon.


Here is the product swatched on my lips with no liner or base lipstick underneath.


Here is the product swatched on my hand. This is where you can see how pale this lipstick shade is in comparison to a brown lip liner in Tawny by Jordana.

I love this collection and I think it was neat that Covergirl decided to win one for all the ladies who are Star Wars Fans!! P.S. I like this shade so much I bought a backup :)

ColourPop Ultra Matte Lip Be-Dazzled

Halloween is literally around the corner and that means crazy kickass purple lipstick!!!

I've been experimenting with ColourPop just because their liquid lipsticks seem to be in the best price range (at least for my budget). I managed to snag 6 of them for around $32 with a promotional code of taking off $5. They are no longer running that promotion but check their instagram periodically and they will post codes for $ off or % off.

Overall quick drying formula that is kiss proof within seconds! However, it does make my lips feel super dry and I tried putting vaseline over them and sometimes it works and sometimes I think it changes the chemistry of the formula and breaks down the wear time.

I have worn the certain shade called Be-Dazzled 3 times now…and the last two times were a huge huge EMBARRASSMENT.

First time it was a super easy application and wore down fine no crusty bits on my lips or on my teeth.

Second time…oh dear 

-I decided to wear this shade for going out on the town for a Halloween Bloc party thinking it would last through all the food and drinks…but let's start with application

-The first time I tried to put it on my lips the formula was super streaky to the point where I couldn't build it up so I had to take it right off and start again

-Second time I tried to put it on my lips, it was still streaky but not as much. But I got it how I wanted it so I figured I would be fine…NO

-Went out had some shots and a mixed drink then a beer with some nachos shared between friends

---at this point my phone was dying so I couldn't check my lipstick and I didn't have a mirror---

-Spent 2.5 hours hanging out and playing arcade games/jenga/drinking before making it to the bathroom

-IT WAS HORRIBLE my lips pretty much made me look like the joker. Faded 99.9% into this horrible purple film with crusty bits everywhere and wow was I embarassed because "bae" had come tonight…

Third time…it somehow gets worse?

-application was again streaky but I decided just to build it up and not take it off (probably a big mistake)

-checked not even an HOUR later and opened my mouth to smile

THERE WERE PURPLE CRUSTY FLAKES/DOTS all on my teeth!

Let's just say I'm not pleased.

Is anyone else experiencing problems with this certain shade???!!

Or did I just get a bad batch!

Beyond the Sone Color Jamz Purple Passion REVIEW

Sorry about the frizzy hair but #curlyhairproblems it's expected.

This product Beyond the Zone Color Jamz (my particular color is Purple Passion) has received a TON of negative reviews. I thought since Halloween is right around the corner it would be the best time to pop out a review.

This is a semi-permanent hair dye…which means it WON'T last forever and that's to be expected
It's around $6-$7 at Sally's Beauty Supply which isn't bad at all and sometimes they do buy 2 get 1 free which was the promotion I saw today when I walked in to get myself a new bottle. 

I have used this product once before so that does not make me an expert on Beyond the Zone products and I didn't bleach my hair so I can't vouch for the true staying power of what the dye would be on bleached hair.

I dyed my hair about a week ago with one bottle and there was still some left in the bottle and I didn't think I was going to be able to dye my whole head again but I did! So this is the unused/un-open bottle that was clean enough to take a picture with. I have medium length (almost a bob) hair so that's probably why I was able to get two dyes in with one bottle.

It's a VERY SUBTLE berry color and it made my light brown hair very dark almost black (not complaining). It is a gorgeous color especially when the light catches it! I try not to wash my hair every day but I do swim lessons 3 times a week and I have to wash my hair after being in a chlorined pool which is why I suspect my brown hair started to come back after a week. It should last around 15 shampoos is my estimate which is great for experimenting with color. It's leaves my hair hydrated and not crunchy or dry which is nice…especially since I dyed it twice in the same month.


How do you get color to show up on un-bleached hair???

THE INSTRUCTIONS ARE TRASH DO NOT LISTEN TO THEM!!

1. use gloves and apply color where you like
2. take off gloves and put an old shower cap or grocery bag around your head to lock in heat!
3. DO NOTHING FOR 3-6 hours!! (watch a movie or two, eat some lunch/dinner, etc.)
***super important to leave it on longer than it says or you will be disappointed!*** (the first time I left it around 4 hours and today I left it on for 2.5 hours)
4. use a detachable shower head to hose down hair (flip it down, head down) to try and minimize purple getting everywhere
(you could try washing it out in the sink but I find it hard to make sure I got everything)
5. there will be some purple still left while you are rinsing with cold water but that's okay put hair in an old towel and brush and style

Hope that helps!

Share with me your dye experiences!

Halloween Life Lessons #09202830842

So last year I bought a black cat ear/tail/bowtie set from Charlotte Russe for literally $1 after Halloween and a cheetah print set. I really loved the cheetah print set, it was a nice quality and didn't feel gross or like cheap dollar tree ears. However when I took the black cat ears out of the packaging there was a HUGE difference. The ears were scratchy and low quality and I could hardly stand wearing them.

What did I do….

I threw that whole set out thinking I would never need them because I would never be a cliche cat for Halloween.

This year though I decided I would be a bat for one Halloween event….and what did I need BLACK EARS.

My friends do not throw away costume pieces! You can always use them in later years or swap with friends.

I franticly searched everywhere to find darn black ears and after 5 places only had other animals or devil horns I found it! Hobby Lobby coming to the rescue and only for $7.99 



I would have saved $6 but these are better quality at least to the touch!

Stila Eternal Love Liquid Lipstick Baci

So originally my thoughts on the nude (Baci) of this collection was I Hate IT. I saw it in the packaging before I even swatched it in my hand and instantly thought, "oh great another nude that will make me look like I'm dead." I swatched it and it conformed my suspicions.

Yet this is what I got when I decided to put in some actual effort into my makeup look. I have a clear gloss on top and I think that's the best why to rock it with my skin tone. Overall the eye look has to be more dramatic (think smokey and dark purples/browns/black) in order for some balance. I do have bronzer and blush on but the camera didn't pick it up. Let me know if you think this liquid lipstick works on my skintone and let me know if it works for you.



******UPDATE******
I decided to test this formula out in the pool! Like I explained in one of my recent posts I'm a WSI or simply just a swimming instructor. I work Tuesday and Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings. Since I get in the pool wayyyyy after my day has started Tuesday and Thursday I tend to have makeup on while teaching lessons. Which may seem scary as I do but my face in the water ALOT, but after surviving working 8hrs in the pool each day over the summer I've found eyeshadows that work on my lids and as eyeliner, mascaras, and foundation (BB creme) that 100% work and last throughout the lessons. 

However I'm always hesitant to try out lip products in the pool because I never know if they will slide right off my face and get all over my chin/other parts of my face….which would be super embarrassing! For a 3hr work day I put on two layers of Baci and then put on a clear gloss and to my surprise it stayed on, didn't crumble, and there wasn't even a white line on the inside of my mouth. The only thing that was missing was the gloss but it looked great without it! 

I think I'm liking this liquid lipstick thing!!

Stila Eternal Love Liquid Lipstick Set

Here is a screenshot of what Stila posted on their instagram. The dark plum/brown color is Ricco, the nude is called Baci, and the Red is called Beso. I ordered the set online through Ulta because the shipping was free after I added a $1 donation for breast cancer (I don't know if that promotion is still running). The total came out around $22-24 which isn't bad figuring the full size of one color lipstick is $22! I honestly can't justify paying that much for one liquid lipstick so I thought this would be a great way to test out the colors and the formula.

So for the price range I was thinking there was going to be more product but in actuality these tubes are quite small. A little under 1 full oz of product!

With packaging the whole thing is a little smaller than my mac mousepad for reference.

Overall the red and plum/brown are gorgeous colors and my first impression of the nude is not good. The nude may be just too light for my skin tone which is disappointing. The formula is like a mousse like constancy which doesn't feel drying on the lips. It fades nicely but does feel dry on the lips as the day goes by.

I wish companies would almost make 2 sets of holiday sets that include darker wearable nudes for deeper skin tones. That way you could choose the set that would best suit your skin tone! (just a thought here)

Boys & Studying ….Pet Peeves

If this happens to you, please let me know because it seems the guys in my life follow the same trend and it sucks!

Is it just me or do boys not get it? Do they just not get the whole studying thing? Do they not understand that these tests make or break your future? 

In this case I'm talking about the LSAT…
You know that little test that determines whether or not you get into the law school that could potentially change your life and that you've been dreaming of getting into since FOREVER. 
YES that test!

So I've been causally seeing this guy for some time now, just here and there since June. Really just messing around and nothing serious and we'd hardly ever text or talk on the phone and that was all right with us. However, I do hate just hooking up with someone and not really having any relationship with them so it was getting old. He didn't really understand that, and kept quoting "if something more happens, then it happens." But if he was being honest, it would have probably gone more like, "I like to keep my options open, so I'll see ya when I'll see ya."

Anyways back to studying for the LSAT which is NO JOKE, and he starts complaining that we never talk or see each other any more. Now if he would have said this back in June instead of October…I would have responded differently but he waited till the week BEFORE the test….THE WEEK RIGHT BEFORE the test….honestly. Then when I tell him I can't see him, he starts to guilt trip me and question what I'm doing and how long it takes to study. He tells me that he knows I take breaks and can't be studying the whole time. 

LIKE EXCUSE YOU SIR but sit back down and let me tell you something.

The week before the test is a whole different ballgame. It's literally pre-test after pre-test. Making sure all those drills and all those hours studying paid off and that NOTHING is misunderstood.It's analyzing test sections and answers that you got wrong in order to make sure you get them right on Saturday.

Did he get it?? Nooooooooooooo he refused and kept asking to see me

Is it too much to ask for a guy who thinks it's sexy that I'm trying to get into the law school of my dreams? Is it too much to ask for a guy who thinks its great I'm ambitious and have a sense of direction for my future?

With that I say be true to yourself and don't let ANY guy or ANY one get in between you and your goals. Only you know how bad you want to achieve something and you don't need negativity in your life dragging you down the opposite path. So you keep pushing further towards your goals and if that means leaving that certain someone behind #boybye there are better fish in the sea.

Lifeguard PreTest

Exciting life update :) 

I am being considered for a promotion at work (YAY) which may not happen till late spring/summertime. In order to get this promotion I need to get my lifeguard certification.

BIG PROBLEM HERE: I think my current stage of health would be = couch potato. I may not be your typical coach potato because I still get some form of physical activity in during the week but I am soooo out of shape.

I've been looking up videos and articles ANYTHING to try and give me a clue as to how to get into shape so I can qualify to even become a lifeguard. Honestly there is little to no advice out there on how to go from out of shape to lifeguard. So I've decided to make blog posts on my journey and hopefully I can qualify!


Basically the lifeguard pre-test is a swimming abilities test given prior to being able to take a lifeguard certification course. It's testing to see whether you have the physical stamina required to perform the duties of a lifeguard.

There are three parts (based on the American Red Cross):

1) Swim front crawl, breaststroke, or combination of both for a total of 300 meters
--At your own pace, and it can be with goggles
--No prolonged stops at either end of the wall; use open turns or flip turns
2) Tread water with NO hands for 2 minutes
3) Timed event: 1min 40 sec ; swim 20 yards retrieve 10 pound brick from a surface of 7-10ft (using surface dive), then swim on back 20 yards with both hands on the brick


I'm a little bit nervous because I am out of shape and swimming that much is kind of daunting.


If you have any great tips on how I should train to take the pre-test or overall just training to prepare to be a lifeguard that would be great! List your great ideas in the comments down below!

Water Safety Instructor #lifedecisions

For four months now I've been a Water Safety Instructor (WSI).

A WHAT?

A Water Safety Instructor is just another name for swimming instructor. And your probably thinking well that's weird why would you do that after you graduated with a B.S. degree and are already 23 years old?

So I'll address those two questions:

-After spending 5 years in undergrad and stressing to the point when I had a major health crisis my 3rd year of college…it was time for a change of pace. I knew that I could no longer go back to where I was my 3rd year of college while it's a constant struggle to keep my anxiety and stress in check. I know what it's like to hit rock bottom and I wasn't ready for stress to overwhelm me again. Upon graduation I knew that I wanted to go to law school and I needed to get a good score on the LSAT, so I decided to go for a job that had great flexibility, but also didn't place too much stress on me. Becoming a WSI fit both those things, and it promoted being healthy and having constant physical activity each week.

-23 years old and a WSI….is that weird? Actually NO! The age requirement is, I think you have to be at least 16 (I could be wrong so don't quote me on that), and I'm not the oldest WSI working at the pool I'm at.  I honestly have had a great time thus far being a WSI and really wish I would have become one a lot sooner! I could have started working here during High School >:( 

It's a great job to consider if you meet the age requirements, if not some pools will start you off by volunteering or as assistants.

My favorite part of being a WSI is seeing the progress students make overtime during the summer. When a certain student finally makes sense of a certain stroke (*cough* butterfly *cough*) it's super rewarding. Also it's great to see adults who have had no prior experience swimming learn to swim and even be comfortable with deep water. 

I think learning to swim is such a critical skill to learn. You never know what could happen when your surrounded by a body of water, even if you never intended to get in the pool/lake/ocean in the first place. If you are in a shallow part of the pool/lake/ocean sometimes you can drift to deeper sections and it's important to know what to do when that happens, or if a loved one drifts and doesn't know how to swim.

Natural Accessories

What in the world am I talking about?


Cute necklaces with living small plants in them!! They are referred to as Miniature Terrariums. They are the absolute cutest and so far I have only been able to find them listed on different Etsy shops for various prices and plants. Some have living mosses and some have living succulents. I've even seen a few with mini cacti and I seriously want to find one that I know I would wear every day!! (The search is still on). The only downfall is that there is usually only a limited quantity so if you want something you better get it!

This cute piece is found in the Etsy shop listed below.

I really enjoy looking at this Etsy shop and their selection: 
https://www.etsy.com/shop/NaturalWoodland?ref=l2-shopheader-name

If you happen to find any with cacti in it please send me the link :)

TINDER

Tinder dun dun dun.

Yup that's right I am on Tinder. I have been for a year now off and on. It's crazy living in a city and to think you would have never had a connection to any of these people and yet they live so close!! 

LADIES:

When going on a Tinder date please please please think of safety first! You never know who someone truly is and you do NOT want to be caught off guard  Make sure someone knows where you are going and make sure to let them know you are okay. If something doesn't feel right then get out of there ASAP or if it's before you leave your house for the date, simply don't go. It's better to be safe than sorry.

MY experiences with chatting:

Some guys can be down right amazing and try to woo you with their words, and others are vulgar and you want to slap them silly. Remember your worth ladies! It's okay to just hit un-match no explanation needed, you don't need their filth in your lives!

MY experiences Tinder dating:

In this past year I have only been on 4 dates. Which is probably a low number but I also went on dates with a few guys at the same university I went to, and wound up dating someone for a semester. When I'm dating someone I don't double dip because if I'm into someone I'm only into that one person.

But anyway when things go back to normal single status, I like to see what's up on Tinder.

Some guys are really sweet, charming, and everything you hope for. However, there really isn't a spark. Don't take it personal but sometimes they might not even call/text back after you meet in person. But that's okay because you weren't going to send a text either. No bother in wasting time.

Some guys are after one thing. They WILL try and charm you back to their place. Ladies have some respect for yourself and just walk away. Unless you want to of course, I won't tell you how to live your life. 

Then we have the rare unicorns that fit into category one from above….but there are also SPARKS! Like 4th of July sparks and butterflies flipping around in your stomach. Now these unicorns don't happen often and may be a needle in a hay stack. But ladies they are out there. 

Needless to say  I'm still single but it's more fun this way :)

Happy Tinder hunting ladies and remember to have fun and stay safe!

~ C

GRADUATION!!

Guys I did it!!! I finally received my Bachelor's degree! It certainly feels a bit weird having spent my last 3 years in Oklahoma. It started off as a place I could never see myself calling home but now I'm sad to leave. It's especially hard when many of my close friends are staying in Oklahoma for the beginning of their careers. Sure sure they all tried to get me to stay but honestly I didn't feel prepared to be a grown-up and my degree certainly wouldn't give me a grown up job in the area they are all staying in. Needless to say this is kind of scary…moving back home…do I even have a game plan? Do I have friends left back home??? Will I spend all my days in the house dying of boredom?

NOT TO WORRY MY FRIENDS!!

Do NOT feel like a failure for moving back home with your parents! You just graduated and need some time to land on your feet and to save a little more money before getting that grown up apartment to go with that grown up position after you nail the interview of course.

In my case I am headed to law school…well not yet. I still need to take the LSAT in October. So I'm taking this time as ME time, and to study. I want to do well on the LSAT in order to hopefully receive some scholarships from the law schools I will be applying to in the fall.

Do I have friends left?
OF COURSE! Remember to never burn bridges or at least keep them intact. It's hard to move away from college and keep everyone close. That's okay, just reach out and try and re-connect with the people who were your day 1 homies. These people will NEVER let you down and suck you right back into their lives! (It happened to me so there is hope)
BUT do realize that some of your friends are going to move on to different things, possibly different states to follow their careers. Sure this is going to be hard but remember friendship is forever and technology gives us ways to communicate! Snapchat and Skype my friends comes in handy!

In the meantime I found a summer job just to keep me busy and to prevent me from spending 100% of my time on the LSAT…which would drive anyone insane.

As for the dating life, I'm still single just focusing on me. If the right guy comes along that would be nice. But don't feel the pressure to hurry up and get engaged, YOU HAVE YOUR WHOLE LIFE AHEAD OF YOU!! Have fun with your girls (or boys) while you can and just do you boo!

~ C

How to Get Rid of a Double Chin

So it's kind of embarrassing but I have developed somewhat of a double chin now :/
The frustration is real but I know it's because I didn't participate in as many intramural sports this year and didn't have an active job :( and I spent most of my days driving to class instead of walking…so ultimately I did this to myself.

But no worries because there is a way to get rid of double chins!!! YAY good news!


Here is a great source for exercises
 [SOURCE]

If you don't care to click on the link I will post the exercises below:

1. Open your mouth – One effective exercise is to open your mouth as wide as you can and stick your tongue out as far as you can, trying to touch your chin with your tongue. Hold for 10 counts and repeat 10 times. When you do this exercise, you will feel that your chin and neck muscles are tightening.

2. Hanging head – lie on a bed or sofa with your head hanging over the edge. Lift your chin towards your chest. Hold the contraction for 10 counts and then slowly lower your head to the starting position. Repeat 10 times then relax.

3. Chin lifts – this exercise helps to strengthen and tighten the muscles in your face and neck. Stand with your back and neck straight. Raise your chin toward the ceiling and purse your lips in an exaggerated kissing position and hold for a count of 10 seconds. Repeat 10 times.

4. Roll your neck – Stand with your spine upright. Turn your head to the side so that your chin is parallel to your shoulder. Your eyes should be looking off to the side, too. Slowly roll your head downward, then up to the other side. Repeat 10 times.

5. Platysma exercise – this exercise works on the muscle that runs down from your jaw along your neck and is called platysma. Stand with your neck erect. Tighten the tendons in your jaw by pulling your lips up over your teeth and turning the corners of your mouth downward, almost as if you were frowning. Hold for 10 seconds, then relax. Repeat the exercise 10 times.

6. The tennis ball exercise – Place a tennis ball against your throat and hold it there with your chin. Press your chin against the ball tightly, then slightly release. Repeat 10 times.

1, 2, and 3 have been really helping me plus they are easy and quick to do.

Let me know if you guys have this problem and what you are doing to get rid of it :)