How I Remove My Makeup

This post may contain affiliate links. However, all opinions expressed are 100% my own.

Hello lovelies!

Anyone who wears makeup has their own special routine when it comes to removal. Some people have complex makeup removal routines, while others opt for the simpler version. I consider myself to be somewhere right in between. Today, I'm going to give you a run-down of how I remove my makeup, and why I choose to do it this way. 

The first step in my routine is taking off my foundation, concealer, powder etc. For this, I use the Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleansing Cloths. I've talked about these cleansing cloths before, but if you haven't heard me mention them, they are my go-to makeup remover wipes. These cloths remove the makeup very gently, because they are so soft. Seriously, they're the softest makeup wipes I have ever used. Plus, they are (usually) wet enough that I only need to use one wipe on my whole face. Sometimes I find with other wipes that they just don't saturate them enough in the cleanser. You wipe half your face, and it's already bone dry. Not so with these!

The second step in my routine is removing my eye makeup, if I'm wearing any. For this I bounce between two different products. If I don't have waterproof eye makeup on, I use the Simple Eye Makeup Remover. I've been using this remover for the last few months, and I think it does a pretty good jobs. It removes my eye shadow and mascara well; though, I did need to clean them twice the last time, because it didn't take off all my eye shadow. (That's the first time it's done that). If I do have waterproof eye makeup on, I use the Garnier SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Water for Waterproof Makeup. Oh, my, word. I love this stuff! It takes off my waterproof mascara so easily! All I do is shake it up, soak a cotton pad, leave it on my eye for a few seconds and then wipe. It takes a few wipes to get everything off, but it truly does get everything off. 

Most people would then move onto step three, which is washing and moisturizing your face as you normally would. However, I don't do this and there is a reason why. I used to move right into cleansing my face. But the combination of products I was using at the time made my skin react badly. So much so that I now get dry patches on my face that really can burn because of how dry they are. Instead, I remove my makeup a few hours prior to needing to wash my face. The gives my skin a chance to adjust and for the products on my face to dry or dissipate. Since doing this, I haven't had any bad reactions - though my skin is still suffering from the last one. 

That's it, friends. My Makeup Removal Routine. If you're curious about any of the products I mentioned and want me to do full reviews on them, I'd be happy to do it. Also, if you want a post on how I cleanse my face after makeup removal, I'd be glad to write that too. 

Hope you all are having a lovely day!

God bless,

Laura

January 2016 Favorites

This post may contain affiliate links. However, all opinions expressed are 100% my own.

Hello lovelies!

January is already over. Can you believe it? Weren't we just obsession over tinsel and Christmas themed Starbucks drinks? With 2016's first month already gone, I thought we might step into the world of Favorites. You've all seen the myriad of Favorites videos on Youtube, and I'm sure you've stumbled upon a blog post gushing about the latest foundation. So, I thought, why not throw my favorites into the mix? Maybe you'll find they have become your Favorites too.

*****

1. Garnier SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Water

Micellar water seems to be the newest trend in the skin care world. I considered jumping on the bandwagon when Simple came out with their cleansing water, but decided against it. Why add another step to my skincare routine when I was still trying to figure out what worked? However, when I saw Garnier had come out with a micellar water, I thought I would give it a go - specifically for the removal of my waterproof mascara. Let me just say, this stuff removes waterproof makeup beautifully! I don't need to rub (much) for the mascara to come right off. All I have to do is soak a cotton pad, let it sit on my eyes for a little bit (I would recommend 10 seconds or so) and BAM! Makeup is breaking down. Yes. My former loathing of waterproof mascara is officially over. We're buds now.

2. Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel

After discovering a dry patch on my face several months ago, I decided I needed to up my moisturizer game. I had heard good things about Hydro Boost Water Gel, but I was skeptical. My face can get oily in certain places, and this sounded like an intense moisturizer to me. Wasn't it going to make me a grease ball? The short answer is No. In fact, I feel as if this moisturizer has done such a great job that my skin type has evened out. No more grease ball! It is such a luscious formula. It glides on my skin like silk, but moisturizes like a heavy duty cream. Since I started using this last month, I've seen a change in my skin. The dry patches are gone (though they can crop up at times - I think that's my own fault) and my skin just feels healthier. Neutrogena, I don't know what you're doing, but keep doing it. This stuff is fabulous. 

3. Youtuber: PopularMMOs

Okay, so this isn't actually a products, but I had to put him on the list. PopularMMOs is my current Youtube obsession for several reasons. One, I love Minecraft and enjoy watching gaming challenges that make quality videos. Two, Pat (and Jen) are absolutely hilarious! I mean it, they are split your sides funny sometimes. And Three...did I mention they're hilarious? You can find a bunch of different Minecraft series on his channel. My favorite has got to be the Lucky Block Hunger Games. Essentially, Pat and Jen battle each other Hunger Games style, while using a ton of different lucky block mods. Spoiler: Jen always looses. 

4. Amazon Prime Instant Video

For Christmas, my Mom got a Blu-Ray player, and one of the apps on it is Amazon Instant Video. What in the world did I do without this glorious feature?! I love being able to find shows I've never seen before, and watch as many seasons as I like. Currently, I'm on a Star Trek Voyager obsession. Somebody needs to play the theme song at my wedding. Seriously. Anyway, I love that there are tons of movies to pick from - though I wish the TV show selection was a bit better. However, I do believe more shows are going to be added as the year goes on. You can download the app on a ton of devices, I believe, so you can take your shows wherever you'd like. Thanks, Amazon, for feeding my inner Fangirl. 

*****

That's all I have for today. There weren't many products I tried out last January - at least ones that have become Favorites status. However, there are some products I've just started using this February, so you may get to see those in my next Favorites post.

Hope you all enjoyed, and I'll talk to you later!

God bless,

Laura

Living with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome - Part 2: Life Now

This post may contain affiliate links. However, all opinions expressed are 100% my own.

Hello lovelies!

If you haven't read Part One of this series, then I suggest you click here before continuing on.

Learning to live with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome has been one heck of a battle. When I first became sick, it wasn't unusual for me to cry several times a day. I don't think my tear ducts have ever worked so hard! Figuring out my limitations and dealing with said limitations was a moment-to-moment struggle. Thankfully, I've learned over the last 5 and a half years what my body can and cannot do, and how that affects daily life. 

Currently, I am sitting on my bed trying to make sure this blog post sounds cohesive, and not as if a drunk woman wrote it. My mind is attempting to keep it's thoughts in order, while my body is fighting the fatigue that so often sits right behind my eyes. The fatigue is always there, but it is especially heightened today because I went out for a few hours. What did I do all that time? I sat in a chair, read a book, and scrolled through my phone. It is simple tasks like those that can knock me out like a prize fighter. 

Since that moment I first noticed something was very wrong, my life hasn't looked much different than the paragraph you just finished reading. My day usually consists of getting up and setting out to accomplish several things that would be no problem for other people. Finish a bit of school work (online, of course). Watch Youtube videos (currently, PopularMMOs is my obsession). Maybe work on my Etsy Shop. There is a substantial amount of resting between those things - less than there should be, actually, because I have a tendency to push myself. 

'What about working?' you may ask. I have held one part time job in my life, and unfortunately, wasn't able to stay due to shift changes. Now, I spend a good portion of my day searching the internet for a job that I can do at home. (I never knew there was an official word for it until yesterday - telecommuting). 

So far, this blog post has sounded pretty pessimistic, and I must confess, it's not hard to travel down that road. But in all honesty, my life has had its fair share of joyous moments since becoming ill. I have seen love and kindness and compassion in so many different forms. From a group of women deciding to pray hourly for me, to a Mom who made sure I remembered God's love for me in the darkest times. The years may have been scattered with darkness, but they also have been scattered with light. 

So, what's life like now? It's difficult, and beautiful, and scary, and delightful. It's a crazy cocktail of emotional high's and low's, and I've learned a lot from each and every second. In Part Three of this series, you'll get a little peek into those lessons, and hopefully, you learn something beautiful too. 

God bless,

Laura

New Writing Series & A Question!

This post may contain affiliate links. However, all opinions expressed are 100% my own.

Hello lovelies!

Odd post title, considering each post is...writing. 

Anyway, for my birthday, I received quite the unique gift. It was a book I saw at Target, called 642 Things to Write About by The San Francisco Writers' Grotto. Essentially, it's a book that contains a bunch of different prompts you can write about. I haven't looked through the entire book, but some of the prompts are pretty creative. Props to the SFWG; you guys and gals did an awesome job! Below, I'll give you a few examples of prompts.

1. "Make a case for your favorite fruit." (The San Francisco Writers' Grotto, 2011).

2. "Everyone was laughing, except you." (The San Francisco Writers' Grotto, 2011).

3. "Her secret obsession" (The San Francisco Writers' Grotto, 2011).

As I was working on the first two prompts, I thought to myself, "Why not blog about this?" At first, I thought it might be a good idea. But then again, maybe not. 

In order to help me defeat my indecision, I'd like to enlist your opinion. Would you be interested in seeing me go through the prompts and write about them? Or would you rather sit in a corner for the rest of your life and look at cat memes? Let me know down in the comments below! (I do love cat memes).

This is gonna be fun.

God bless,

Laura

Reference:

The San Francisco Writers' Grotto. (2011). 642 things to write about. California: Chronicle Books 

Cetaphil: Loves and Let Downs

This post may contain affiliate links. However, all opinions expressed are 100% my own.

Hello lovelies!

Before I get started with today's post, I just want to remind you of the series I started yesterday on my Life with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. If you want to check that out, click here. Now, on to what you came here for! 

Today, we're going to be talking about the skin care brand Cetaphil. If you've never heard of them, they have a large range of various skincare products, from facial washes to moisturizers. I first heard about them from various Youtuber's, and naturally, I was swayed and decided to purchase the Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser. Since then, I've tested more of their products and have come up with my loves and let downs.

As always, we'll start with the let downs and get those out of the way. I've not tested too many Cetaphil products, so there is only one let down today.

Let Down:

1. Cetaphil Lotion for All Skin Types
I was looking for a moisturizer to use in the evening - one that didn't contain any SPF. At the time, I was using only a moisturizer with SPF in it. I decided since I was using the gentle skin cleanser, I would try this lotion. After testing it out for two days in a row, I came to the conclusion that I hated it. It didn't sink into the skin on my face, leaving a sticky residue. And that's the WORST part about using lotion on your face, in my opinion: The possibility of it being sticky and gross. In addition, it didn't moisturize my skin well since it didn't sink into the skin. And considering, I have combo to oily skin - with some dry patches - it was awful.

Loves:

1. Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser for All Skin Types
Out of all the cleansers I've tried in my life, this one has to be my favorite. It's such a unique cleanser as well, because there are multiple ways to use it. I use the "Water Method", but you can also use the "Dry Method." The Water Method simply means you rub it on your face and wash it off, just like any other cleanser1. The Dry method entails rubbing the product on your face, and wiping it off with a soft, dry cloth1. No water is used. This cleanser gets my skin clean, and leaves it feeling soft and not overly dry. Of course, I still moisturize after I wash my face, as you always should. But if I wanted or needed to skip moisturization, I could. Overall, a fantastic cleanser and currently, my holy grail.

2. Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleansing Cloths
These are my go-to makeup remover cloths. I have tried quite a few cleansing cloths, and out of all of them, these are my favorite. First off, they are super soft! Softest I've ever felt. You know how some cloths are rough or scratchy; these are not. Second, they remove the makeup quite well. However, I always cleanse with the Gentle Skin Cleanser afterward, because no makeup remover wipe gets all the makeup off your face. The only con I have to these wipes is that they can be a bit drying. That doesn't bother me too much though, because I can just moisturize and be good to go.

As you can see, this list of Cetaphil products is small, but overall, this brand is a wonderful skin care brand. I would recommend it to anyone, regardless of skin type, because there are so many products - there is bound to be something for everyone.

If you'd like me to do an in-depth review of any of these products, shoot me a comment and I would be happy to do that for you. In addition, if there are any other brands you'd like me to talk about in this Loves and Let Downs series, comment down below and I'll look into it.

Hope you all are having a fantastic Saturday!

God bless,

Laura

1 "Cetaphil Skin Cleanser, Gentle, for All Skin Types, 16 fl oz (473 ml)." Rite Aid. Rite Aid, n.d. Web.

 https://shop.riteaid.com/cetaphil-skin-cleanser-gentle-for-all-skin-types-16-fl-oz-473-ml-0042481

Living with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome - Part One: How I Got Here

This post may contain affiliate links. However, all opinions expressed are 100% my own.

Hello lovelies,

Today, you're going to get a peek into my life. It'll just be a glimpse, because there aren't enough words in the world to fully explain this part of my life. Before I get started though, I would like to give a big thank you to Jessica over at over at Sweet Brair Sisters. She wrote a blog post titled Finally, The Total Truth about Life with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, which I read last night, and was truly inspired by her - particularly the section where she talks about the awkward silence when mentioning her illness, and how she just sort of says, "I'm doing fine", even when she isn't. If you haven't guessed already, today, you're going to get a little peak inside my life with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

I was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in late 2009, which is roughly 5 1/2 years ago. However, my symptoms started earlier than that - around the beginning of 2009. The problems began while I was sick during Pit Band, as a Junior in high school. Essentially, I pushed myself to my brink and then continued pushing - which now that I look back, was a horrible idea. However, the first real symptom started in May, when I was at a Memorial Day service with my local marching band.

We were standing in formation, listening to the various speakers when I started to notice something was wrong. First, it was difficult to play my clarinet. I found I couldn't even get through a few bars of a song. Then, my vision began to get dark. I can compare it to those old fashioned movies, where the screen would slowly disappear into blackness, leaving only a pin point hole; and then in roll the credits.

My conclusion: I was going to faint.

Well, needless to say, I was a little freaked out. I tapped on my friend's shoulder who was in front of me, and said something to her - to be honest, I'm not even sure I got words out. She took one look at me and said, "Your lips are blue!" I decided right then and there that I was sitting down, regardless of what anyone thought. However, I didn't get very far as two boy scout troop leaders who were near us grabbed me and walked me to the shade. (If you're reading this guys, thank you).

Flash forward several months, and now I'm on vacation with a splitting headache and dizzy spells are as frequent as the sand on the sea shore. I couldn't go outside in the heat without feeling like I was going to pass out, and boy, was I exhausted. Thankfully, it wasn't long after that I was able to get to a doctor, who formally diagnosed me with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) and Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS).

Life since then has been nothing like I expected. I was supposed to be going to college, getting a job, marrying and having kids. But instead, I was at home - doing nothing of importance, in my eyes. Thankfully, with the support of my family and the amazing love God lavished on me, I didn't give up.

It's been a difficult road that I wouldn't wish on anyone. There are days when I think, "Hey, I'm feeling good. Maybe I'm getting better." And then other days come along that crush that notion to pieces. Days like today, actually. But I know that I won't be like this forever. There will come a day when I'm no longer weighed down by illness, because Jesus will have made me whole again.

But more on that next time.

This series of posts are going to come in many parts. Part Two will be about how I am living my life after dealing with this for over 5 years. Part Three will be about what I learned over those years.

I hope Part One of this series has helped you, dear reader. Whether you're struggling with the illness yourself or know someone who is, I want you to know that I am thankful for you. And that you are not alone.

With love,

Laura

Proverbs 3: 5-6

Review: NARS Sheer Glow Foundation

This post may contain affiliate links monetized by VigLink and/or other companies. However, all the opinions expressed here are 100% my own.

Hello lovelies! 

Today, I'm going to be reviewing NARS Sheer Glow Foundation. It was quite the adventure deciding whether or not I was going to purchase this product. Tanya Burr, who is one of the Youtuber's I enjoy watching, has talked about this foundation a million times. So, naturally, I was tempted to purchase it but had some doubts. Below I will go into as much detail as I can about the foundation, including the pros and cons and how it wears on my skin type (I have normal to combination skin, with a couple dry patches on my cheeks).

*****

After doing some research, I decided to purchase the foundation directly from Sephora's website. The price was $45. It's the most expensive foundation I have ever purchased, but with how pale my skin is, I didn't see any other option than to go for a higher end foundation. Drugstore foundations just don't seem to work for me, as the lightest shades are always too dark. For this foundation, I went with the second lightest shade in NARS' range, which is Mont Blanc.

Here is the foundation. Note: The pump DOES NOT come with the foundation, which is why I included the cap in photo.

Here is where the fun begins. I chose to apply the foundation with a Real Techniques Expert Face Brush because that's how I had seen Tanya apply it. I was fully expecting the flawless look I saw her obtain in many of her videos. However, that was not the case. After buffing it into my skin, it LOOKED AWFUL. The foundation separated on my cheeks and made me look ten years older than I actually am. Needless to say, I was crushed. This was supposed to the be last foundation I ever purchased. I was supposed to love it, but instead, I loathed it.

But I was not giving up!

I decided to give it another shot - this time with the Beauty Blender. (If you've never heard of the Beauty Blender, I suggest doing a bit of research. It's a great product!). Can I get a drum roll, please? ...Hallelujah, the foundation looked good! It applied evenly and hadn't separated. My complexion was now even, and the best part about it was the foundation looked like skin. 

The wear time was pretty good as well. The longest I've worn the foundation, I believe, is around six to seven hours. It does start to look less like skin as the time goes on, which happens with any foundation, but it wasn't sliding off my face like a mudslide. You could see the oils from my skin start to make me a bit shiny, but honestly, I like the dewy look so that didn't bother me.

Overall, this is an excellent foundation, and if you can afford it, I suggest trying it out. Below, I'll list the pros and cons of this foundation, in case you want a recap.

Pros:

• Looks (and feels) like skin on your face 
• Medium to Full coverage - depending on how much you apply
• Build-able
• A little goes a long way - depending on the coverage you're going for
• Great range of colors - particularly for us pale folk
• Packaging is sturdy (glass)
• Decent wear time
• Provides dewy look over time 

Cons:

• The Price
• Separates when using a brush to apply - Note: This may not happen to you, so I suggest trying out various methods of application
• No pump - You can buy one separately though. I got mine from Nordstrom - cost me $6.

If you would like to see more reviews from me - either of any products I mentioned above or a completely different product - feel free to comment down below. 

Have a great day, loves!

Laura

Life + Blog Posts

Hello lovelies!

How are you all doing on this cold, fine day? Yes; where I am it is snowing bunches so I am stuck inside all day. There are a lot of things I could be doing, and many things I hope to do, but I decided to hop on here first and give you all a heads up.

Blogging like this is something I've thought about doing for a long time. I've tried it out several times, and it went pretty well. Now, on this attempt, I'm hoping things will be completely different and for the better! Amidst all the things going on in my life, I'd like this to be something I can count on.

With all that being said, I'd like to hear from you all! What sort of things would you like me to post about in the future? As I mentioned in my introduction post, I plan on posting a lot about makeup, skincare, and other things that interest me. The schedule for upcoming posts is still a work in progress, but for now, you should see two posts a week from me (excluding this past week, as I was just getting started). These two posts will be up on Tuesday and on Friday. If for whatever reason, this changes, I will let you all know, but for now, that's what I am sticking with.

I hope you all are having a lovely day! Stay warm!

Laura

E.L.F: Loves and Let Downs

This post may contain affiliate links. However, all opinions expressed are 100% my own. 

Hello lovelies!

Today, I'm going to be bringing you some of my Loves and Let Downs from the brand E.L.F. Most people who enjoy playing around with makeup have heard of E.L.F. but if you haven't, I suggest you check them out. You can find all their products at their website: eyeslipsface.com.

I'm going to start with the Let Downs (to get those out of the way), and then we'll move onto talking about the products I just love love love!

Let Downs:

1. Elf Lip Exfoliator
I've used this several times over the last couple weeks, and I have to say I have mixed feelings about this product. The packaging is fantastic! It comes in a lipstick tube that is incredibly easy to just pop in your purse or even slide into your pocket. However, when it comes to the product itself, I'm disappointed. My lips have the tendency to dry out quickly, leaving behind lots of dried, dead skin. After using this exfoliator, my lips stayed pretty much the same. Gross. Most of the dead skin still remained, and I was left to soften my lips another way. Overall, a poor quality product, in my opinion.

2. Elf Super Glossy Lip Shine
I was looking for a clear lip gloss I could put over some of my ultra matte lips from ColourPop. I found this at my local super market and decided to pick it up. I wish I hadn't. The packaging is average, at best; though I did like the applicator. The product itself is like your everyday, run-of-the-mill lip gloss. It smells like a lip gloss and tastes like one too. The worst part about the product though is how sticky it is. It is awful! It never sets on your lips well, but remains gooey and gross. Maybe I'll try it in one of their actual shades, but...

3. Elf Cream Eyeliner
Now, not liking this product may be my own fault. I'm not very skilled with putting on eyeliner anyway; especially one in a pot like this. The packaging is very sleek, which I like. When I opened it for the first time, it was not good though. The eyeliner had separated from the actual container, and sitting inside was just this chunk of eyeliner. Application was an absolute mess. Maybe I purchased one that was a dud, but it was difficult to apply and very patchy.

Loves:

1. Elf Tone Correcting Powder
Oh. My. Goodness. I love this stuff! The packaging is incredibly sleek looking, and very sturdy. I use this as a setting powder for my foundation and concealer, and it works wonders! It sets everything beautifully and my concealer lasts almost as long as I have my makeup on. As for the color correcting properties, I think it does a decent job. It dims any redness I have, which is a big problem for me, but it doesn't make it vanish like a powder foundation would. Fall out is BIG problem though, so if you purchase this powder, use a very light hand. I mean, just do a dab or two into the pan with your brush, and that's it.

2. Elf Contour Brush - Small
This tiny brush is fantastic! First off, it is incredibly soft to the touch, which is pretty amazing for a $3 brush. The size is just perfect for getting into the crease of your eye, or even the inner corner, which is where I use it most. It picks up a lot of color, so make sure you tap of any excess before applying. Overall, a lovely brush for the price! (I definitely plan on buying more).

3. Elf Shadow Lock Eyelid Primer
I wouldn't exactly say this product is an absolute love for me, but it does the job so I put it in. It definitely helps keep your eye shadow in place throughout the day, which is wonderful considering how cheap it is. With that being said, it does have some cons that would make me consider trying other primers (either from ELF or some other brand). I have a tendency to have my eye shadow wear off in my crease, and for the most part, I think it kept that from happening. But not all the time, which is a bummer, especially when I spend a good amount of time on my eyes. Also, it dries out pretty quickly in the tube. Overall, if you're looking for an eye shadow primer, give this a shot. It works; just not as well as other primers.

4. Elf Complexion Brush
This is an handy brush to have in your collection! The look of the brush is very sleek. It's not the softest brush I own, but it still works perfectly well for helping me apply my powder. I use it with the Tone Correcting Powder I mentioned above. It's a good brush to have, if you're just starting out with makeup and you don't want to shell out a lot of money. Overall, it's a good brush and I would repurchase it.

That's it, friends! As you can see, I haven't tried a lot of E.L.F. products, but I still wanted to talk about the products I have used before. Overall, E.L.F. is a great brand and I plan on purchasing more of their items to test out and review for you all. This list is definitely going to grow! If there are any particular products from this brand you would like me to review, leave a comment down below and I'd be happy to! 

Have a wonderful day!

Laura

Introduce Yourself

Hello there!

What do you put in these things anyway? I always feel so awkward when writing an introduction post, but here goes nothing.

My name is Laura, and I have a lot of things going through my mind. That sounded much deeper than I intended it. To be honest, this blog is going to be a library of different things that interest me. That can go from makeup to books to period products and back again to makeup. Yes, you read right. Period products. I'll explain all that in another post though. I may also dive into some deeper stuff, like my relationship with Jesus and my struggle with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

So, feel free to stick around if any of those things interest you. And if they don't, stick around anyway. Whoever comes around here is welcome.

God bless,

Laura