March 2021 Beauty Favorites

Let me tell you, March was not my friend. April hasn't started off any better. I'm not willing to be fully open about why, but the truth is I am struggling. It's affecting me mentally, emotionally, and physically. My general and social anxiety is high, my usual techniques to help my mild OCD are failing me, I can't get to my physiotherapist for my knee, etc. etc. Things started truly affecting me around October and has slowly built up. If you're feeling this way, like you're trying to stay afloat in a sea that keeps tossing you over and under, you are not alone. This past year has taken so much from so many people. Remember to listen to what you, your body, and your mind needs. I know I'll get back to where I function better and have more peace, it's just going to take some time and work to get there. I'm thinking of you. I'm with you.

Two of March's favorites were featured in February and none of these are new to a favorites post. Since I'm not getting out much right now (hello lockdown life), I stick to the same few products to throw on and go or to take pictures. Can't say I put too much effort in most days! I haven't even bothered with nail polish, since one of my coping mechanisms is biting my nails and I can't seem to get that back under control at the moment. I'll get back to that eventually. I'm glad this is Friday and I'm hoping to have a quiet weekend and do my best to get my brain to come out of overdrive for a hot minute. Where's an on/off switch when you need one?! I hope you all have a good weekend. Take care of yourselves. 💞

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Travel Makeup Bag - What I Packed

We recently went away for a quick two night trip. I'll go more into where and why we went in my next post where I'll share places we ate and things we did. It wasn't exactly our choice to get away, but we were kind of forced into it with construction in our building. We did do it as wisely and cautiously as possible, spending the majority of our time in the hotel room or in outdoor spaces and with masks. If you're going to enjoy a vacation, there's no one saying you can't, only saying how you should.

Anyway, even wearing masks, I still like to put in an effort on some days. I find myself amping up my eyes and cheeks more now, since that is what is seen. Anyone else? The bottom half of my face still gets a little action, but I don't give it nearly the same amount of attention. Haha! Here are the items I packed for the trip, inside my old Glitzy Glam makeup bag. Anyone who watched Elle and Blair during their heyday on YouTube should remember their store! Years later, I still adore this bag. So well made and has gone on many trips with me!

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February 2020 Favorites

I was kind of absent this week. My husband has been having back problems and working from home for a lot of this week, so I just spent that time with him. Aside from that, I've been having problems with PayPal. Good grief, their support is practically non-existent. Hoping to get that fixed so I get my payment through for Spotify Premium. Speaking of which, I'm on the free version right now until then. I'm having problems with it skipping certain tracks that it never did before. Has anyone ever had that happen? Do you know a fix? A Google search has let me down so far and logging out and back in did nothing.

I'm just going to jump right into my favorites from this month. Nothing truly new, but that's not how I treat my favorites posts. I like to show what I reached for the most, rather it be new or old. If it were all new all of the time, I don't think I could keep up. Haha! As always, I'd love to hear about anything you've been loving!

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January 2020 Beauty Favorites

I actually completely forgot to do a faves post for December. I blame the horrible cold and sinus issues I was having for the oversight or just the enjoyment from having went home for the holidays. I can say that most of the items I would have featured in a December favorites post are featured in my Top Beauty Favorites of 2019 and I packed most of these when we traveled! Anyway, it is still super unlike me to miss one of these posts and it's driving the perfectionist part of me a little nuts...but it happens!

I know some people complained about January feeling super long and I can agree since my household was sick a good chunk of it and the days feel longer when you're unwell. BUT I'm also kind of grateful when it feels like time is slowing down, because these years and months are swooping past at what feels like warp speed. Now why can't it feel slow on days off, weekends, or vacations, that's the real question. Haha! Anyway, with January feeling longer, it made it feel like more time to enjoy these products. ;)

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2019 Beauty Faves

I love putting together these annual type of posts. I was looking at last year's version of this post and some of these are repeat items. I don't treat this post as only highlighting products that are new to me or released over the year, but more on the products that I found myself reaching for on a constant basis. These products were favorites in every sense of the word during 2019. I'm sure I could have added a few more, but I had to draw the line somewhere!

I would love to know what made your list in 2019. What products were your true loves? I'm open for recommendations and I'm sure others are, as well!

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What's In My Makeup Bag

I haven't done one of these in a good long while, so I thought why not?! If you're interested in what I've been throwing into my everyday makeup bag lately, this is the post for you. This won't have reviews or swatches, but I will link to my posts where I have them provided when applicable. I've really been into shopping my stash and also getting a few products finished up. Not necessarily a Project Pan, but it is super satisfying to finish products. The ones that I am trying to finish are mostly repurchases or HG items! I might do a post later on about the products I've hit pan on or have finished up. It's been a long time since I've done that, as well.

Have you been shopping your stash recently or focusing on finishing more of what you have? I'd love to know what you've rediscovered or finished. Are they products that you would repurchase? Some of the items in this bag gets rotated weekly, but I'd say the concealers stay the same. I'm a "find something that works and stay with it" gal when it comes to concealers. My makeup bag is an old Cath Kidston design. I believe the shape is still offered, but this specific pattern isn't. On to the products!

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June 2019 InstaMonth

June on Instagram...it was interesting, wasn't it? Heck, July started off on the wrong foot with that outage yesterday and I'm still experiencing bugs today. Honestly, I'd take the outage in a heartbeat if that meant they were working on their absolute bollocks of an algorithm. I'm sorry, but I'm not on the train of thought where it's completely the user and not the algorithm's fault behind any issue you find with Instagram. I'm sure there is some user fault, but the recent changes are affecting a lot of people and not just those with smaller follower counts. It's become a shell of what Instagram once was and that's a real disappointment. Have you noticed a dip in everything on Instagram, as well?

And since I had several people tell me just this week how they were missing my posts on their feed, I figured I'd share a few more photos from my account than I normally do. If they are not going to show up on most Instagram feeds, I might as well post them to my blog. Right?! So here are some pictures from my Instagram during June!

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VDL Cosmetics Expert Color Eye Book Monos ft. Earl Grey, Cherrywood, and Sharkskin

I'm still getting through swatching and reviewing all of the VDL items I received a while back. I can't tell you how happy I am to have this brand on my radar now, because I've liked everything and look forward to trying some more items in the future. I recently reviewed the Creamy Stick Jelly blush in Heidi and still have reviews coming of the primers, foundation, and more. Today, I'm here with swatches of VDL's Expert Color Eye Book Monos in Earl Grey, Cherrywood, and Sharkskin.

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InstaMonth for May 2019

I've been reading a lot of great books recently, so I'm thinking of doing a post on my latest reads. I normally include books in my "6 Friday Faves" posts, but there's too many to share. So be on the lookout for that post, if you are open to some recommendations.

And since I'm talking about Instagram in this post, I recently put up a post working with Febreze. I'd love it if you'd support me and give it a like and tell me what household odor you're always fighting! As someone who owns a dog, cooks with a lot of garlic and onions, and owns too many pairs of shoes, those are at the top of my list!

Here are some highlights from my Instagram during May!

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May 2019 Favorites

This month went by in such a blur! I was in an emotional daze for all of it, good and bad. It started badly with our dog Indy getting sick, but he's doing much better now after antibiotics. Then, just a little over two weeks ago, I was on the phone with my stepdad telling him I was coming home and he was to be my inside man when I showed up to surprise my brother and my mama. We were in the car the very next day headed to South Carolina for a little under a week's worth of stay. After six years, I happily took anything I could get and that we could manage to fit in.

I wanted to be there for Mother's Day, but my passport arrived the Wednesday after. Because, of course it did. But it was the best belated Mother's Day! I think we all have a grand surprise like this in our arsenal and it's good once. Once you've used it, you're done. You spent it! Haha! I'm so happy I could use mine after such a lengthy absence. l do have video of the surprise and reactions of both my brother and mom in my Instagram Stories, if you're interested. I've watched the video so many times and it just brings the biggest smile to my face. It doesn't help matters that I am flabbergasted every single time I remember that I have a teenaged brother who is also now taller than I am.

Though I would have loved to have seen a few more friends (I did have dinner with one of my best friends and her family who are very much my own), I kept my focus mainly on family. This was a trip for my mom. We both needed our traditional Mexican lunch outing, our lengthy talks, and warm hugs. I'm so happy to have spent most of the week sharing that with her, the unconditional love from my stepdad, and bonding with my brother and realizing how similar we are in so many ways. I could not have asked for a better trip home, unless it was simply to have asked for more time. Seeing my grandmother, aunt, and uncle were icing on the cake.

I can't believe we've already been back a week. We're already planning our Christmas trip down, which hopefully will be a little longer with the break and I can fit in a few faces (family and friends) that I missed this go-around. But aside from the beauty favorites below, that trip made my month (year, decade...life). It was full to the brim with favorites and it was absolutely what I needed and then some!

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VDL Creamy Stick Jelly Blush in Heidi

I was gifted the most glorious box of VDL Cosmetics to try. And today, I'm diving into one of the items and providing you with my thoughts and swatch. I've already raved about it on Instagram and now it is time to bring it to the blog! I guess with that sentence that we know where this review is heading, don't we?

I'll talk about the other items I received on here soon, as well. To catch a small synopsis and to see them all in action, you can find the post on my Instagram. Sometimes I give sneak peeks there first. Let's dive in!

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April 2019 Faves

I had hopes of getting this post up a little earlier this week and possibly another post, but life happened. Well, my dog getting sick happened. It's been an emotional week. He started acting differently and sick late Friday/early last Saturday. I spent the weekend loving on him through heavy streams of tears. On Monday, we took him to our vet for blood work and x-rays. By Wednesday, we had antibiotics to give him for what the vet believes is a gastrointestinal infection. So far, so good. We're on day 3 of 10 doses and he's responding well. He's playing, eating, and wagging his tail again and acting more himself. And I just pray it is not the calm before the storm and that he is okay.

So with dealing with all of that...I just couldn't sit in front of my computer and form words. I barely got on social media and when I did, it was a massive attempt to get my mind off of things. If it wasn't hugging and spending time with Indy and my husband, I just did not have my heart in it. I was operating in an automated fog. I can't thank those of you that have offered well wishes, prayers, and positive thoughts enough! I felt and appreciated every single one of them, I assure you. Here's hoping these antibiotics are all he needs!

My only post this week will be my favorites. These are easy and lighthearted and just what I need to ease back in. Plus, Indy is snoozing away on the couch so this is a good time to plug away at the computer and catch up a bit!

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