Goals for 2018

So here we are. 2018. Part of me can't even wrap my brain around it. Another part of me is excited for some big changes in the months ahead. I mean, you can make big changes any time of year, but there's often a built-in motivator to a brand new year. That being said, I'm here to share a few of my goals with you! I've decided not to list out a whole bunch of things that I may or may not accomplish, but really be intentional with a set few.

Over the course of 2017, I started transitioning to safer beauty products. With so many friends into oils, chemical-free beauty routines, and no-animal testing makeups... well, it really hasn't been very hard. My biggest thing with "natural" beauty products is that they often don't work very well. You've gotta try to know though, right? The two best things I did for myself last year was try out Beautycounter (thanks, Jess!) and subscribe to the Oui Fresh monthly beauty box. Here are some of my favorite products:



The Beautycounter foundation and moisturizers above are my absolute favorite. (I'm also a Beautycounter consultant now, but please know this isn't a sales pitch. I just really love these products.) The face oil and face mist are also WONDERFUL for these extremely dry months. I found those in my Oui Fresh boxes. I've also started getting into oils, but I don't feel quite educated enough to share my favorites with you yet! I actually just placed my first big order and I can't wait until it gets here!

So what's the goal in all of this? My goal is to continue toward a healthier lifestyle in general. We've signed up for a monthly food subscription to hold me to cooking at least 3 times a week and really examine what I'm putting in my body. Don't get me wrong, there will still be ice cream parties and donut mornings, I just want to counter those with a lot less processed, fatty junk. You guys know I love my chips.



Our second big goal is to BUY THIS HOUSE. So, you may or may not know that we still rent this lovely place we call home, but over the last year I've been working hard to build my credit and we've been saving as much as possible. We really want to be able to call this place OURS. We have some big projects in mind for this home, but those upgrades don't really make any sense when we're pouring our dollars into someone else's property.



My third goal for the year is to travel for recreation more. We travel regionally a lot for The Mixtapes, but I want to make 2018 our year of seeing more and doing more. My milage credit card is definitely going to help out with that one! Our first big trip we have planned for the year is a New Orleans trip with some wonderful friends in April! I've never been before, so I'm completely excited to get a feel for the city. Also, if you guys have any recommendations of favorite places, please share!

Well, those are my big goals for 2018. Hopefully putting them down here helps hold me accountable. They are all things I really want for my life, so I'm sure I'll be working hard to see them come to fruition. Happy 2018, friends!

I Left My Curling Wand in the Dust

Earlier this year I professed my love for my curling wand.  I used it for quite a long time... until enough was enough and I had to give it up.  I had a terrible issue with burning my wrist over and over.  It wasn't any flaw in the wand itself, just a problem with my own clumsiness.  Anyway, instead of going back to a traditional curling iron, I decided to try out this method of curling your hair with a straightener.


I like the natural waves this method creates.  As you can see, I use a GHD straightener and I love it.  It has rounded edges so there are no creases in your hair while you're running it through for curls and it heats up really fast.  Here's an example of the finished product:


Anyway, this is my current routine for curling my hair.  What kind of curling iron/wand/straightener do you prefer?  No heat curls are always a great alternative.  I'm going to try curling my hair like this next!  xo.

Beauty Products I've Been Loving

I haven't been very adventurous in the ol' makeup department lately.  Running out of my favorite lipstick has put me on the hunt for a replacement, which has gotten me back on the makeup train.  Unfortunately, my very favorite lipstick was purchased so long ago, I haven't been able to find it anywhere.  That won't stop my quest, though!  Here are some other beauty items I've found along the way, and have been loving recently:


I was loving my Makeup Forever mascara, but it seems like every time I run out of mascara (which isn't that often), I'm ready to try something different.  This BadGal Lash is a pretty decent formula, but the brush that comes with it is killer!  It's larger than any other mascara wand I've used before and it makes my lashes crazy full with just a couple of sweeps!


I purchased this stuff at Target the last time I was there, and it's been really good to my hair so far!  I was finding that a lot of other oils were making my hair feel grimy, but this stuff really does feel weightless.  Plus, any product I can get at Target instead of battling the mall crowds is ace in my book!


These cute little eyebrow razors are called Tinkles.  I actually found these through another blogger's review (I wish I could remember who!) and they are great for a multitude of things like shaping and cleaning up eyebrows and eliminating any peach fuzz that may be hanging around.  Plus, they are pretty darling.


You already saw this photo above, but I've recently started using waterproof eyeliner and it has been a game-changer.  My eyeliner never really smeared too badly, but when you're working with a cateye, any smears are unwelcome.  This is just a Maybelline kind I picked up at Target, so I would imagine there are even better waterproof liners out there.

Also, I'm not really a lipgloss gal, but on a whim I ordered this gloss and I absolutely love it.  It still has a lipgloss texture, but it isn't slimy like a lot of the glosses I've tried.  Plus, the color in this one is great.  My lips look cherry Kool-Aid stained, which is a more subtle alternative when I'm not feeling the full-blown red lipstick vibes.


I've also signed back up with BirchBox, which is helping me find new products again.  I took a break for a while, but when I don't have those samples rolling in, I don't really discover new products.  If you're interested here's a code to sign up.

Are there any beauty products you've been loving lately?  I'd REALLY love to hear recommendations on budget friendly waterproof eyeliners.  Or, if you've found the perfect red lipstick that isn't on the pink-y side, I'd be especially interested in that as well!  xo.

Making the Switch to a Curling Wand

I get a lot of questions about how I curl my hair, and up until now I would just say, "uh, I wrap my hair around the barrel of a curling iron with the clip open."  What?  Some people understood and others thought I was speaking a different language.  I don't know why it took me so long to take the plunge and get a curling wand, but they are so much more efficient!  This Karmin Curling Wand gets way hotter than my 5 year old Wal-Mart curling iron (okay, that's not saying much, but this thing can get REALLY hot) so I can curl my hair a lot faster.  The settings go all the way up to 410 degrees, but I keep mine at 185 degrees so it isn't too harsh on my hair.

If you use the larger part of the barrel you will get bigger curls, and the smaller end produces tighter curls.  I usually try to stay somewhere in the middle for a semi "natural" look, but if your hair really looks like this naturally, I'm definitely jealous.

One thing worth mentioning in case you are thinking of making the switch-- I'm so used to a curling iron with a plastic cap at the end, that I burned my wrist several times over the first couple of weeks while I was still getting used to the curling wand!  I didn't even realize it, but I had a habit of resting my wrist at the end of my old curling iron, and I had to break that habit fast!

It took me long enough, but I'm glad I made the switch.  Old habits die hard, you know?
How do you curl your hair?  I'd love to hear your favorite method!

*Special thanks to Rylees Professional Hair Care for sending me this curling wand!

New Makeup Staples

I like to try new products as much as the next gal, but I typically find myself returning to old favorites.  A few new products have made my favorites list semi-recently, so I thought I'd share them all with you!  (You can revisit my favorite makeup products here, if you'd like.)

1.  It's Potent! Eye Cream by Benefit
I love this eye moisturizer for daytime.  I still use the Clinique cream at night, but I find this one is less thick and heavy and goes under makeup a little bit easier for me.

2.  Stila After Glow Lip Color
I love this lip crayon!  I have it in Rave Red and in Party Pink.  The pink is the only wearable "everyday" pink that I've felt comfortable in so far.  The lip color stays put and isn't gummy, so I love it!

3.  Blemish Be Gone by Juice Beauty
This is my new magic weapon!  You just roll on blemishes that are forming and it shrinks/gets rid of them.  I have a weird problem area on my chin from snuggle time/book time with Poe-- when I rest my chin on her little head, it makes my face very unhappy (but it's totally worth it).  This has been almost a miracle product for me.

If you are wondering where I found these, I purchased them all through Birchbox.  Here's my invite code in case any of you are interested in signing up!

Do you have any new makeup products you've been loving long-term?  I always love hearing about the good stuff!

Let's Talk Makeup/Beauty Products

I love talking beauty products with friends.  It's fun to get recommendations and find new things to try.  Last year I did an Everyday Styling over on ABM, where I shared my basic daily routine.  I've found some new products since then, stuck with some old standbys, and changed up my routine a bit, so I thought I share some of my current favorites!

1. Sephora Smoothing and Brightening Concealer-- I use this for under my eyes to brighten up.  I used to use the Stila version, but my local Sephora doesn't carry it anymore.  I was pleasantly surprised by the Sephora brand in this particular product, plus it's quite a bit cheaper (win!).
2. Sumita Raina Contrast Eye Pencil-- This is a blue eyeliner that is really bold and pretty.  I originally got it in my Birchbox, but I have been using it a ton.  
3. Kiehls Line-Reducing Concentrate--  This is the only product in this grouping where I'm unsure on how I feel.  This is a sample that I have been using off and on for a bit now, and I'm not sure if I'll buy the product or find something a little less harsh.  I did feel it was worth mentioning because A) I have been using it, and B) I know you're not really supposed to talk about getting fine lines and whatnot, but I've hit that 30 mark, guys, and I'm starting to explore these sorts of products.
4. Sephora Eyebrow Pencil 02-- I seriously stocked up on these eyebrow pencils when they were on sale a year or two ago (I bought 20) and I still love them!  
5. Maybelline Falsies Mascara-- I'm still going strong with this brand of mascara.  It gets the job done and doesn't make my lashes too stiff.
6. Clinique All About Eyes Rich-- I love Clinique eye creams.  I had been using the Anti-Gravity version of this, which I think I liked a little better.  I do really like this one, though.
7. Simple Revitalizing Eye Roll-- I also got this in my Birchbox semi-recently and I really like it for those days when I wake up and my eyes are all swollen underneath.  Gotta love allergy season!
8. The Balm: Mary-Lou Manizer--  I love this eyeshadow as a highlighter on my brow bone, cheeks, and inside corners of my eyes.  It has such a pretty shimmer.
9. Mary Kay Loose Powder-- this is my good ol' trusty.  I've tried a lot of other finishing powders and loose powders and I always come back to this guy.
10. The Balm: Hot Mama Shadow/ Blush-- The name of this blush makes me feel a little embarrassed, but it is a really great blush!  It has a lovely shimmer and the color is great with my skin tone.
11. Maybelline Line Stiletto--  I also find myself using Eyeko Skinny Liquid Liner, but between the two of these, I have my liquid liners more than covered.
12. Dr. Jart+ Black Label Detox BB Beauty Balm--  Before I got this particular BB cream in my Birchbox sometime last year, I never wore any sort of foundation or tinted moisturizer.  This stuff goes on really light and doesn't settle in my (ahem) fine lines like a lot of others do.  If you are in the market for something like this, I highly recommend this one.

I've found a lot of new things from signing up for Birchbox (this is my refer-a-friend link, FYI) this year.  It is $10 a month, but even in the months where I'm not that excited about the contents, it's still fun to get a surprise package. Otherwise, I just try things that friends have recommended or use the samples they give you at Sephora to find new products.
Where do you find new products?  Do you have any especially exciting things you'd recommend?